To Catch a Firefly

📖 To Catch a Firefly by Emmy Sanders Rating: ★★★★★ This book broke me in the best possible way, and I'm still reeling from its uniquely wonderful emotional journey. From the moment I was drawn in by the promise of a dark romance MM theme, "To Catch a Firefly" delivered so much more than I ever anticipated. What truly stood out was the deep, almost sacred connection between Ellis and Lucky Buchanan. These two spent years loving each other in secret, and the author masterfully weaves a perfect scenario of risk and reward when it comes to friendship and the option for more, especially when sexuality is part of the equation. The way their dependency on each other is described is simply beautiful. The nuanced portrayal of their relationship, especially through Ellis's neurodivergence and selective mutism, created an incredibly authentic and heart-wrenching journey of love and understanding. Honestly, the way Emmy Sanders conveyed their emotional vulnerability and need for each other was the absolute highlight for me. It made their journey feel so real, heightening the sense of stakes and uncertainty throughout the story. And that quote, "We'll never be done. Me and you, we don't have an ending," it just solidified the idea that their connection transcends typical relationship boundaries, emphasizing a lifelong bond that goes beyond romantic labels. Oh, and the firefly metaphor, it's breathtaking. It was such a beautiful and evocative way to capture the ephemeral yet…

To Catch a Firefly by Emmy Sanders is the kind of book that wraps around your heart and doesn’t let go. This was an absolutely stunning MM romance—a beautiful blend of childhood friends-to-lovers, coming-of-age tenderness, and small-town yearning. I am in awe of this author’s writing. Every word felt intentional, every emotion raw and honest. This book has officially carved a space in my soul. Set in a quiet Nebraska town, the story follows Lucky and Ellis, two boys bound by years of friendship, quiet glances, and a love that grows in the shadows of unspoken words. Ellis is on the spectrum and lives with selective mutism. He may not speak, but his eyes, his gestures, and his beautifully written letters say everything. The way Emmy Sanders portrayed Ellis was so respectful, nuanced, and deeply moving—he doesn’t need a voice to be heard; he speaks volumes. Lucky, on the other hand, dreams of the world beyond their rural town. He’s kind, fiercely protective, and torn between his love for Ellis and his desire to chase freedom. Their story is painted with quiet moments, stolen touches, unsent emails, and deep-rooted longing. The yearning between them was gut-wrenching in the best possible way. Though the story touches on themes of homophobia and bullying (mostly off-page), the heart of the book is Ellis and Lucky’s connection—so gentle, so powerful, so achingly beautiful. The audiobook narration was flawless. The narrators brought these characters to life with such care and…

To Catch A Firefly was on my March hopefuls list, but I didn’t get around to reading this book, then April I became buried in ARCs. May was a must and I was not left disappointed. This book follows two best friends. Lucky and Ellis. There’s pining. There’s love. Soulmate vibes. First times. Did I say Pining? From both characters at that. 🫠 I. loved. This. Book. This was one of those books where I wish I could read it again for the first time. Ellis was a man of a few words, but he was written so beautifully. Normally I find myself loving one character more than the other, but I loved both of them equally. This book had so many cute and swoon worthy moments! Even when they weren’t together, as in a couple, I still had the biggest smile while reading how they felt about the other. It was Ellis’s words about Lucky that always pulled at my heartstrings. Especially the emails *Love letters* Ellis sent. Now the email *Love letter* Ellis sent Lucky on their wedding day had me SWOONING! 🥹

WOW! What an INCREDIBLE 5 Star read!!!!! I loved this book so much that I’m having trouble putting it into words. The love and longing between these two can be felt so deep in your soul that my heart was hurting. Ellis and Lucky are soul mates with an epic love story. Its uniquely them and so perfect. I was an emotional mess, crying throughout the entire book but also feeling extremely happy. The message around neurodivergence and autism was beautifully represented. My son is high functioning on the autism spectrum and I connected so much with what Mrs Cole told Lucky toward the end of the story (last quote below). She was so right. "He's not broken. He doesn't need to be fixed" I immediately purchased a shelf trophy because I loved it so much. Also, I never highlight on kindle but boy was I highlighting throughout this one. “If you ever decide to love someone,” he says slowly, “they’ll be very lucky.” He already is. “But we’re not done,” he says vehemently, stepping into my space. “We’ll never be done. Me and you, we don’t have an ending.” "Lucky has always heard me. From the very first time we met, he’s heard me. He knows me, unlike any other." "I was ten years old when I met Lucky. I knew it then, and I know it now. He’s a firefly. Luminous and wild. He was never meant to be trapped. Not here and not with me. And in a few days, I’ll finally watch him fly away." "I think it was at thirteen that I first felt my heart beat for you. And break, just a little. Because I…

Wow… you guys… this book was absolute perfection. The way I cried on and off during this book was crazy. The last 100 pages really did me in too lol. I normally don’t like friends to lovers but Emmy Sanders created the exception. This book was so beautiful, so heartfelt and just so warm, I couldn’t put it down. I love love love loveeeeeee the different representations that we have in this book. Between gay, aromantic, ASD with selective mutism, a parent with MS - this book was perfection. Ellis - our handsome and beautiful soul. I love how he never cared what people said about him and let things roll right off of him. He never let his diagnosis define who he was. The people who understood him, loved him for who he was and like Mama Cole said- he’s not broken. This beautiful man loved Lucky something so fierce and beautiful. Always putting him first, always wanting to see him fly and never keeping him trapped or clipping his wings. Ellis was a beautiful soul and I am obsessed with the gentle giant that he is. Lucky - our vibrant and fun but caring man! His connection to Ellis is unmatched. The fact that he had such a deep connection that he could finish El’s sentences, that he understood cues and hums and grunts to mean different things. To have that kind of love and be so in tune with someone is so rare but my gosh was it so beautiful to experience through their lens. Watching the buildup between these two and seeing their relationship progress was EVERYTHING. This was a…