Dear Dylan

by Siobhan Curham

“I’m so tired of feeling sad. And waiting for other people to make me happy and they don’t. And if no-one else is going to make you happy, well maybe you just have to do it for yourself?”

Fourteen year old Georgie Harris feels as if the summer holidays are over before they have even begun. Banned from going to the local drama workshop by her bully of a step-dad and her increasingly fragile mum, she is consigned to six long weeks of looking after her tooth-fairy obsessed kid sister. Sick of feeling like the outsider at home and at school, she starts emailing the one person she thinks might understand; Dylan Curtland, star of the popular soap opera Jessop Close. And when Dylan starts emailing back, Georgie finally feels a spark of hope. At last she has someone who really gets her, someone who really wants to help. But in the faceless world of email all is not as it seems…

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Humor, Chick Lit, Contemporary

208 pages, Paperback

First published March 24, 2010

About the author

Hi, I’m Siobhan - which for those of you not familiar with the wonder of Irish names, is actually pronounced, Shiv-on!

I’m an award-winning author of over 50 books, fiction and non-fiction, for adults, young adults and children, and my first book was published back in 2000, so I’ve been at this writing game for almost a quarter of a century now.

I’m also a former council estate kid and a university drop-out - I dropped out because I didn’t think I had what it took to make it in the middle class world of publishing. Thankfully I managed to overcome my self doubt and fear and achieve my writing dreams, and now I love helping others do the same through my mentoring, courses and talks.

I don’t know about you, but during the pandemic I felt as if my life had collapsed in on itself and I’d had to shrink myself to fit this strange new world of lockdowns and zoom calls (oh, so many Zoom calls!) and working from home and working alone. Even when things returned to some semblance of normal back in 2022, I felt that I’d lost sight of who I was and I’d definitely lost my joy for living.

Then, an unexpected trip to Jamaica changed everything, jolting me back to life and reminding me of who I truly am. In a bid to never lose sight of myself and my sense of wonder and purpose again, I started travelling more and writing a weekly Substack letter called Wonderstruck. And in September 2023 I gave up my home in the UK and pretty much all of my worldly goods to solo travel the world while I write my books and mentor other writers.

I send Wonderstruck out to my subscribers every Sunday morning, writing about the places I visit and the lessons I learn there. My sole aim for writing this letter is to inspire others to rediscover their own sense of purpose, wonder and adventure.

If you've enjoyed reading any of my books I'd love it if you joined the Wonderstruck community over on Substack.

Thanks so much for reading and reviewing my books, I really appreciate it!

Siobhan

Substack: siobhancurham.substack.com
Facebook: Siobhan Curham Author
Instagram: @SiobhanCurhamAuthor
Twitter: @SiobhanCurham

For more information about my books, mentoring and courses, please visit: http://www.siobhancurham.com

Reviews

[Samantha (A Dream of Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Dear Dylan' was a surprising and delightfully heartwarming read with a wonderful central character who by the end of the book felt like an old friend.

The format of the story is a series of emails over a period of three months between Georgie and her e-mate. Into her emails, Georgie pours all her thoughts, feelings and emotions about her life and is able to express all the things that she'd never be able to say in read life. Her emails are funny, thoughtful, amusing, insightful and frequently made me laugh and smile, as well as cry and feel genuine empathy and compassion for her situation. I was slightly wary of the email format initially as I haven't always enjoyed books which are set out like that but I needn't have worried because I was hooked on 'Dear Dylan' almost immediately.

I loved the way that Georgie and her e-mate each helped the other through a difficult time and taught each other valuable lessons about living and enjoying life. Of course, the dangers of corresponding with people you don't know on the internet can't be ignored but in Georgie's case she acquires a beautiful new friendship.

I really admired Georgie who was desperate to have the normal life of a teenager that all her friends seemed to have but had to deal with looking after her little sister, as well as coping with an angry step-dad. She seemed absolutely genuine and was true to herself always. Her crush on Jamie, dubbed 'the boy with the sorrowful smile' was touching and sweet and I couldn't help but keep my fingers crossed that something good would happen between them.

'Dear Dylan' was an amazing and poignant debut title which really touched my heart! I can't wait for Siobhan Curham's second book 'Finding Cherokee Brown' which I can only imagine will be just as good.

[hawwa · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I’m so tired of feeling sad. And waiting for other people to make me happy and they don’t. And if no-one else is going to make you happy, well maybe you just have to do it for yourself?”
I didn't really know what to expect when I first heard about this book as it was made up entirely of e-mails so when Siobhan Curham offered to send me a copy to review I jumped at the chance! The book explores the social media of e-mails and how a most unlikely friendship can be formed through the internet. .I needn't have worried. The book was heart-warming and totally frost-free as Georgie would say!
Fourteen year old Georgie Harris's summer holidays stretch out in a never ending path of boredom before her. It's meant to be the holidays for goodness sake but no, that's not possible with her life is it??!! Banned from going to the local drama workshop by her bully of a step-dad and her increasingly fragile mum, she is stuck with six long weeks of looking after her tooth-fairy obsessed kid sister. Sick of feeling like the outsider at home and at school, she starts emailing the one person she thinks might understand; Dylan Curtland, star of the popular soap opera Jessop Close. And when Dylan starts emailing back, Georgie finally feels a spark of hope. At last she has someone who really gets her, someone who really wants to help! But all is not what it seems in the faceless world of e-mails...

Into her e-mails Georgie pours all her thoughts, feelings and emotions about herself and is able to express all the things that she'd never be able to say in real life. Her emails are funny, thoughtful, amusing, insightful and frequently made me laugh and smile, as well as feel genuine empathy and compassion for her situation.
I loved Georgie's character. She was so strong and brave and full of spirit and I couldn't help longing that it really was Dylan e-mailing her, because I knew it would make her feel so happy and delighted. It wasn't meant to be though and soon, clues every now and then made me wonder, "It cannot be Dylan. Why would a famous actor take the time out to e-mail Georgie?" Georgie tried to hide the truth from herself too. Longing for something good to happen in her life but when the true person behind the e-mails reveals herself she can't hide it from herself any more.
I loved Nan. She was so helpful to Georgie and sounded so sincere that when she revealed herself I didn't think that she wasn't actually 'her'. After all, if she was someone fake then why didn't she just stay as ''Dylan!?'' I know that her real name was Nancy but she always signed off as 'Nan' and to be honest sometimes I would forget how old she was and think she was a grandma!

[[ The Girl Behind The Computer Screen: Blushes with embarassement. ]]

Georgie's Step-dad ''Tone-Deaf'' : Eurgh, don't get me started! He was a vile, repulsive, evil minded man who I could tell from the beginning didn't care a jot for Georgie or her mum. He always seemd to treat his daughter Michaela like a spoilt princess but really, he can't have cared that much for her otherwise he would have behaved better and given her a role-model to look up to; she was only young I felt so sorry for her. She just seemed to be ferried around and passed from one person to the next like a parcel and I know she didn't say anything as long as she got her jelly babies but who wants to have the kind of life where your dad dotes on you in public, your step-mum loves you really but doesn't show it a lot and your constantly being ''babysat'' by your big sister, who does not want to at all.



Georgie's mum sounded really nice, but a bit ''messed up''. She seemed to be having a hard time living with Tone-Deaf but I don't blame her. What I couldn't work out at the beginning was why she actually still lived with him but that became clearer as the book carried on. He was abusive and wild and didn't seem to care how much he hurt anybody and the way he treated Georgie and her mum was appaling. Georgie was more like a servant than a daughter, He would always be down at the bookies or drunk or sleeping on the sofa and would leave his daughter to be looked after by her or her mum, Angelica.
When Georgie started going to the drama work-shop I couldn't wait to see what happened. Finally, she would be able to do something she wanted. I was so happy for her when she got the part of Blousey and couldn't wait to see how she did but I could not believe the lenghts her step-dad went to to make her life a misery. GRRR! I was so angry and frustrated when I read what he did. What kind of horrible physco deliberately organises to go out somewhere ''as a family'' on the very day of their daughters performance, so she has to miss out on a trip and no-one can watch her debut performance?!
I was so glad when her mum turned up after the performance, naively thinking that everything was fine and she had managed to persuade Tone-Deaf to let her watch. Therefore I was so shocked and scared for her when Georgie pulled off her mum's sunglasses and saw her face. TONE DEAF AND PUNCHED HER because she wanted to go to her daughters performance!!! What kind of.....

[[ The Girl Behind The Computer Screen: : grinds teeth in fury, wanting to punch Tone-Deaf back and give him a black eye.]]

I was ECSTATIC when Tone-Deaf was sent to jail, although I still can't belive what he decided to do after he had been let out on bail. ( please correct me if I'm wrong, unfortunately i read the book a while ago so I cannot remember the exact details..he was let out on bail first wasn't he? ) He went back to their house to try and beat them up for landing him in jail in the first place and in the process terrorised his young daughter and then like an idiot, he still thought she would prefer to come to him, rather thsn Angelica and Georgie, who have practically looked after her her entire life and not hurt a hair on her head!...
*rant over.*

Dear Dylan is a poignant, heart-warming tale of friendship, trust, secrets, hardship and how two people can bring out the best in each other while helping each other stay on track with their lives and do what want to do.

[Siti · Rating 4 out of 5]

I only discovered this book 10 years after it’s published. Just at the right time, I would say!

Email correspondence between a teenage girl and a person whom she first thought was her favourite actor ever gone wildly wonderful.

I am so glad that this book is not typical. I am doubly glad that the book is an effort to bring up a young person and shows a highly needed character development.

It shows a young reader that it is possible to achieve something. To never give up regardless of the hurdles and bricks and brickbats. And your past and your parents do not define who you are; they influence you, sure, but you can raise up from the bad and bring yourself down to earth.

You always have a choice.

[Ade · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it. It was fun and warm story

[Kai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review posted at Amaterasu Reads

The beauty of technology is it bridges people no matter where they are.Who would have thought the e-mails Georgie exchanges with 'Dylan' can save her life? Georgie is like every other fan who idolizes someone. At first her e-mails came off as annoying, but it was Georgie's willingness to share, her openness, her ability to give life and color to a bunch of words typed and sent electronically that makes her special. And 'Dylan' saw that spark in Georgie and before she knew it, they became e-mates. But Dylan's hiding a secret and when he comes clean, will Georgie still find it in her heart to trust her idol?

Siobhan's unique way of presenting the story, written as e-mails, add to the unique experience when reading Dear Dylan. It's not just about a fan interacting with an idol. Georgie wasn't even talking to Dylan, she was talking to his mom. And Georgie gets a glimpse into the life of the rich and glamorous. But sometimes it's not as happy as everyone made it out to be. Nan (short for Nancy) has retreated from the limelight of acting on stage and in front of the cameras, spending her days trying to move on with loss of her husband reminiscing the good old days. And Georgie just wants to act, overcome the shadow of someone who's more of an enemy than a friend to her and be free of a family that was slowly falling apart. It was terrifying to read of Georgie's life at home. To have a cruel stepfather and a mother who couldn't even find time to be one, Georgie had big shoes to fill in, and it wasn't easy for a teenager to do. Despite living in such an abusive environment and having toxic friendships, Georgie endeared herself to me, because she is such a sweet, kind, honest girl.

The heartfelt exchange between these two very different people, a fourteen year old struggling to be free of a life filled with fear and restrictions and a middle aged woman lost in her grief, finding that solitude sometimes isn't enough is what makes Dear Dylan a compelling read. Nan and Georgie lived completely opposite lives yet through their e-mails, they were there for each other, sharing thoughts and feelings and reaching out to each other even though they are miles apart. Both Nan and Georgie got each other through tough times, even those dreadful, scary ones. It's an unconventional, good thing that came about because of the internet. I loved reading about Georgie and Nan's life. There's something about those e-mail formatted pages that makes the reading more personal, sifting through the very thoughts of those who've written them, through their words, through their own eyes.

Dear Dylan not only explored and navigated through the fragile, complicated family dynamics of both Georgie and Nan's life, it also made room for some romance. Jamie is such a caring, teenage boy and even with Georgie's crush on Dylan, I wouldn't want her to end up with any other boy than Jamie! I loved how their relationship developed, slow, sweet, all too innocent and very cute!

Siobhan Curham's book tells of a story between a girl who's life is just starting to bloom, and a woman who's trying to find a reason to continue on with life. It's got stories about crushes, the joy of acting, the fear of a cruel stepfather and a mother too weak and drunk to protect her daughters, an up close and personal look into what goes on into the life of a celebrity mom, her discovery that life has more to offer than just taking walks on the beach and looking back at the times she was most happy. Dear Dylan was such a satisfying read. I felt so full with warmth and that contented feeling you get when you talk to someone who you know will always be there for you. Siobhan Curham's book is full of emotions, with beautiful and unforgettable characters. It's funny and entertaining, and over-all a very fulfilling read! Dear Dylan touched my heart deeply.

[Rachel S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check out more of my reviews on my blog, Booktastic Reviews.

This book has been on my wishlist for the longest time, so when I finally managed to get my hands on a copy (or in this case, win a giveaway for it!), I was over the moon! As soon as it arrived in the post, I could tell I had high expectations for it. Why, you ask? Well, I'd read way too many glowing reviews of it for me not to be excited. Did it meet my expectations? YES! Yes, it did! If anything, it was everything I wanted and more!

So, yes, the whole format of this book is definitely worth mentioning. It's composed entirely of emails! Honestly, I was a little hesitant... I mean, how can an author give us a good sense of character, setting and even romance just through emails back and forth between two people?! But, Siobhan Curham managed to do just that. By the end of the book, I really knew Georgie. She was a strong, caring character. Always looking out for her mum and little sister. Easily one of the most admirable characters I've read about. Whenever she would reveal something about her family, my heart would go out to her a little more each time. I completely and utterly empathised with her.

As for the rest of the characters, I loved and hated some. I adored Nan and Jamie. Jamie was so sweet and I loved that he was there for Georgie, even when she thought he wasn't. He was exactly what she needed! As for the hated characters, those would be Jessica and Georgie's step-dad. Jessica - meant to be Georgie's best friend - was jealous and nasty while Georgie's step-dad was just plain mean/repulsive/every bad word you can think of! I even wanted to shake Angelica (Georgie's mum) at times! I didn't hate her though. I knew what she must've been going through - but that didn't stop me from wanting to reach through the pages and shake her for not seeing sense!

This sort-of leads me to my next point. There are quite a few delicate topics touched upon in this book. I don't want to give too much away about them, but they certainly added depth and much more emotion to the story than I was expecting. I completely appreciated the realistic way Curham wrote about them - it made you really want to hug the characters affected, namely Georgie and her little sister, Michaela as they seemed to be smack in the middle of everything. Curham's writing could get really poetic every now and again which I also really enjoyed. Here's one of my favourite quotes from the book:

"If you were a caterpillar then I was a moth - old and dusty and ready to fling myself into a flame. But you made me want to embrace life again. Despite all of the problems you were going through, your emails were so full of life and hope. I couldn't help but be affected by them. So thank you too, from the bottom of my heart."

Overall, I adored this book. It's a lovely, heart-warming tale which shows how two people can really affect each other. A story about true friendship, first love and always looking on the positive side of things. I really came to love both of the characters that emailed back and forth. It was lovely to see a real friendship blossom. With great, admirable characters, a sweet, adorable romance and a depth which gives real emotional meaning to the story, Dear Dylan is a book I certainly recommend.

[aimeejo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good YA book, tackles very common topics and helps show that things can generally work out alright!

[Stephanie (Stepping Out Of The Page) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book up as I really like both the cover and the title - they're simple and fun. I also thought that this book would simply be a fun set of e-mails from a teenage girl to her crush, Dylan. It turned out that this was a fun book thanks to our main character, Georgie, but it also had quite a serious undertone too.


When Georgie contacts Dylan, a gorgeous, popular young actor, she is surprised when she actually gets personal replies. As it turns out, it's not actually Dylan that is replying to Georgie, but instead it his his mother, a woman called Nan. I think that it could be quite a challenge for a writer to portray an online relationship between a young teenager and an adult, but Curham didn't do a bad job at all. This is fiction, but I think it was quite realistic, with both characters having their hesitations regarding an online friendship. It was interesting to see how Georgie and Nan's relationship flourished throughout the book. I found myself very glad that they had each other as they both helped each other to find some happiness and to improve their lives - it was really quite touching. I thought that the format that this book was written in was a very good idea. As well as being modern, the e-mails exchanged were frank, open and honest with the personality of both Georgie and Nan shining through.


Georgie was a wonderful, bright character. Though her actions could be a little cringe-inducing at times, she was quite humorous and this book will guarantee at least a couple of laughs! She is stumbling through her teenage years and gaining new experiences, sharing them with us on her way. Georgie does seem like a bubbly, quite confident girl from the outset, but she has a lot of problems at home, including an abusive step-father and trying to discover what her father was really like when he was alive. Though maybe not as complicated, Nan is also coming to terms with the loss of her husband and her grief. Though there was a big age gap between the two, there was a definite connection which was lovely to read about.


For all those who like a little bit of romance in there book, that is covered for you, with Georgie falling for a male friend - though there wasn't all that much detail on their emotional connection, you could still sense it and it was sweet. If you like drama, there's some childlike bitchiness between Georgia and her friends, which makes for quite funny reading and gave me some desire to shout out 'Go on, Georgie!'.


If you like Georgia Nicolson, you'll most likely warm to Georgie (they even have similar names!) - Georgie and the whole tone of Dear Dylan definitely has the same vibe as The Confessions of Georgia Nicolson (Angus, Thongs etc.) books so I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to any fans of Louise Rennison - this is probably the next best thing. This is a great book to pick up when you're in the mood for an easy read, with a little substance but not too much that it weighs story down. I'd quite like to pick up another of Curham's books.

[DNS · Rating 5 out of 5]

One day, a friend who I haven't seen for a long time texted me asking me to read this book. Well, it's been a year since she texted me. I saw this book's cover from somewhere and immediately thought of my friend.

It's raining today. 30.11. 2021. It's evening. My usual reading time. When I started to read this, I wanted to find pieces of her inside this book. We haven't met for more than 2 years now, but I miss her like it's the last day I saw her.

As I read, I forgot I was reading for her and started absorbing the book. It was very resonating.

I couldn't  stop thinking about us as I read those emails. We texted and emailed about things we love and things that makes us sad. Whenever something happened good or bad, happy or sad, just like Georgie, I emailed her. Our connection went beyond endless networks that composed the internet, just like Georgia and Nan.

"There's something very seductive about this emailing lark, isn't there? The way the words just seem to tumble out on to the screen"

When I got an email from her, the whole day became "multicolored frost free."

"Seeing a beautiful sky or a smile, or hearing a beautiful song, can make you feel more alive than you ever thought possible."

Curham writes about that human connection, the one that can never be accurately described. Like Hellen Keller said, "The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart"



"A bit like when you write a message in invisible ink and only you and the person with the ink highlighter knows there's something there. To everyone else, it's just a blank piece of paper"

"Never ever lose the sight of who you really are"
"Always keep hold of the real you. Always have that secret garden of yourself to escape to."

"I felt so tired of having to pretend that everything's Ok and that I'm cool and sophisticated and have a totally normal family, when actually everything, including me, is broken."

Curham writes about the Mysterious ways people chose to be there with us, even far away but sending their thoughts.


"But you made me want to embrace life again. Despite all the problems you were going through, your emails were so full of life and hope. I couldn't help but affected by them"

It doesn't matter that Nan and Georgie didn't get to meet every day. What matters is they made each other feel loved. This is the gift that we all humans share. As John Green said, "that's our curse and our blessing. That's our trial and our error and our it".

[Kelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dear Dylan was an emotional and original novel and I'm so glad I had this opportunity to read it! It was written entirely in emails, but it worked SO WELL! The two characters exchanging emails put all their thoughts and experiences into these emails, so it felt like I was reading chapters instead of emails.

Georgie was a character I loved right away. She was so honest and sweet that I felt a connection to her from the start. Her family was in turmoil. Her mother was stuck in an abusive relationship and had no time for Georgie. Her step father was cruel and thoughtless of Georgie and only cared for his daughter, Georgie's half sister, Michaela. I wanted to just grab Georgie's mother and shake her, get her to realize what an awful relationship she was in and how she was not paying attention to her daughter at all. The best thing about Georgie was how brave she was. Through it all she stayed strong and her emails always brought a smile to my face. She was so lively, spirited, and funny.

Not only did Siobhan Curham discuss abuse and how it can impact a family in Dear Dylan, she also proved that sometimes the friends who are liked and trusted aren't always the right ones after all. Jessica was awful to Georgie and she really got her comeuppance in the end!

While there were a few characters I disliked right away (and was supposed to!), Curham also introduced some fantastic characters that I will remember for a long time. I loved Nan! She was entertaining, honest, and so sweet to Georgie. She always offered great advice and was there for Georgie when she had no one else to turn to. The love interest, Jamie, was a caring and endearing guy who only wanted the best for Georgie. I loved watching their relationship grow throughout the story.

Dear Dylan was an entertaining novel, that dealt with some darker issues, but never the less proved you should never give up. Siobhan Curham is a great writer, and the email format made me become that much more attached to the main characters.

The plot was original and detailed, and there were a lot of sub-plots, but everything tied together in the end. Overall, Dear Dylan was an emotional, funny, and endearing novel that I loved from the start. I can't wait to read more by Siobhan Curham in the future!

Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Georgie has a lot going on in her life and feels like she has no one to talk to about her problems. Feeling lonely she starts to email her favorite actor Dylan hoping desperately for someone who understands her. At first the replies she receives are just standard responses but as the person who is replying starts to discover more about Georgie's home life they reach out to offer her friendship.

When Siobhan Curham asked me to review Dear Dylan I was intrigued by the idea of a novel written purely in the form of emails. I've not read anything like it before & I was very curious to see how it would work - I have to say I was impressed. Reading took me right back to my teens reminding me how the smallest embarrassment felt like the world's biggest disaster and how just a smile from the boy you liked left you feeling on top of the world.

Georgie is a very real character, in her first few emails I was reminded of a typical teen who hero worships the actor Dylan - I can remember being very similar at her age. As you get to know her you can't help but like her and hope that her dreams come true. Georgie's situation at home is very difficult and I was genuinely concerned for her safety at times. That for me is a sign of a great book - one where you care what happens to the characters.

I don't want to give away any of the storyline so I'll just say that this book will have you laughing out loud one minute and close to tears the next, I actually had goose bumps towards the end and really couldn't put the book down until I knew how things turned out. This book may be aimed at young adults but it is one that I'm sure most adults will enjoy too & I'd highly recommend it.

[ayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book! When I started reading this, I had no expectations at all on how good it's going to be or what it's all about.

However, after Nancy makes an entry and reveals herself in the second part of the book, I was immediately hooked. Georgie herself is a very relatable and realistic character. I remember how tough it was to fit in and maintain so much responsibility at 15, a very difficult age.

The best part of this book for me is how Nancy and Georgie are each really strong characters, just trying to get through life in their darkest moments. I love how Nancy is not just a mere mentor with endless of wise words to say, but she is also someone with flaws and insecurities as well. It's so heartwarming!

I really wish to find a Nancy on my own online :) And maybe if I'm older and wiser, I could help another Georgie to be stronger and face the roller coasters of life!

[Clarabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grâce à un échange d'emails avec la maman de sa vedette préférée, une adolescente de quatorze ans va acquérir une confiance en elle, accomplir ses rêves les plus secrets et avouer à sa mère qu'elles ne peuvent plus endurer la brutalité du beau-père sans réagir. Inversement, la détresse de la jeune fille va aider sa correspondante à sortir d'un deuil difficile et envisager une nouvelle carrière de comédienne.
De cette rencontre improbable, naît une très jolie connivence qui servira aussi de levier à ces deux personnalités si dissemblables, et pourtant complémentaires. J'ai aimé cette histoire qui parle de confiance, d'optimisme et d'espoir, tout ça sur fond tristounet mais pas désespéré !

[Elizabeth Emily Browne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book. Especially the style it is written in. I love getting emails so the fact that it was all depicted by emails was a plus for me. But as it always ends up. All is not what it seems throughout this book. Georgie writes to her hero Dylan and he starts too reply. I love the story behind this. About how when your not actually face to face with someone you can't be sure who it really is and you should be careful online.

[Aliflanya A. Maghfirah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really, really like this book! This book, as you read from most of the reviews are not a kind like any other books. It written by a bunch of emails that emerged to a story.

The story kind of reminds me of Lola Rose. That part when the daughter looked more mature than her mother. This book is heart-wrenching, full of hopes and funny lines. You’ll love it!

[Megan ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me and my cousin decided to become pen pals after reading this book (even though we saw each other constantly and also talked on the phone for two hours every Thursday evening) and I still have all the emails. They are very cringey but I love that.

[BookSceneDramaQueen · Rating 4 out of 5]

SPOILER ALERT! This was a lovely read with really important subject matter. I loved the friendship that formed between Georgie and Nan. It was wonderful and refreshing to see a friendship between a young girl and an older mother-like figure through emails. I really enjoyed all the theatre/acting aspects of it as well, as acting is one of my passions. Georgie really goes on a journey in this book and she grows and matures wonderfully. I found the beginning so relatable, with her emails to Dylan. Haven't we all been an over-the-top fangirl at some stage and desperately wanted to communicate with our celeb crushes? :P

I think this would be a really important, helpful and relatable book for young girls, especially ones who are facing domestic violence at home. Domestic violence is an important issue that needs as much light shed on it as possible, to help families that are in that situation and educate people who aren't as aware of it. Overall, an enjoyable read with great content.

[Toni · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice easy read to get me started with my reading goal/challenge
This book covered the tough situation of Georgie's life, but in a quirky, cool way as to not trigger anyone (totally my opinion). I loved how throughout the book it teaches you to never give up on your dreams and life is like a book,you may have a bad chapter but it won't last. You just need to keep turning the pages 💖📖💖

[Arisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before I started this book I read the reviews & people were saying that it was a warm read and I was like warm? What’s that supposed to mean??

Having finished reading, I completely understand and 100% agree. Can just feel the warmth throughout the book- if that makes sense😅

[Clo]

DNF @ page 23

I liked the sounds of this book but the format it's being told in sadly isn't clicking with me. I don't know if I'll ever give this book another go, but from the few pages I've read I was more bored than anything.

[Naila · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the the book a lot! It was fun, mysterious, funny and it made intrigued to what was happening in every page! I loved it.

[em · Rating 4 out of 5]

soo cute and heartwarming and sad and funny

[Is Jem · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely story about the power of friendship between different generations. Made me kind of emotional. Would rec.

[Roxane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This self-published has an interesting story. In 2009, Siobhan Curham was offered a two-book deal and turned it down. She self-published Dear Dylan in April 2010 and in November, it won the YoungMind Book Award. Earlier this month, it was acquired by Egmont as part of a two-book deal and it will be relaunch in July.

Dear Dylan is the last novel I read for my previous job and I consider myself very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to read it.

It's not often you encounter YA 'issue novels' that are a) engaging and b) not actually depressing. That is not to say that I don't enjoy a nice tragic story once in a while, but there seems to be this trend, especially in YA, of novels that are just a succession of tragic events with no light at the end of the tunnel. And these novels tend to leave me feeling hollow, depressed and wondering 'what's the point?' I'm not a partisan of the 'every YA/children titles should have a happy ending' argument, but if I can't find any purpose to the endless stream of suffering, something to take away with me as I turn the last page, then I'm not a happy reader. I'm glad to say that Dear Dylan is not one such story.

The novel's format is unusual and presents a great many challenges for any author. The story is entirely told as a series of emails, recounting the life of 13-year-old Georgie whose Summer holiday is just about to begin when she decides to write to her favorite TV actor, the young Dylan Curltand via his website. And well, she's quite surprised when she starts receiving responses to her fan mail. Oh go on now, admit it, the teenager in you has fantasized about this... more than once, I think it's safe to say...

I'm not going to say anymore than that because there's no point in ruining the surprise.

I admit I was a bit skeptic about the whole epistolary aspect. I didn't think it could work throughout the novel. Surely, at some point, the author would have to find a clever way around this or risk the overall pace of the novel slowing down and the whole thing collapsing on itself. Well, it didn't. The narration stayed strong till the very end.

The very element that endangers the whole exercise is also what makes the novel's original and so engaging in the first place. The main character's voice is a strong one and the words flow, accessible, light and funny. You can't help but tun the pages to know what's going to happen next, but it's also just to follow the voice.

And yet, the story is far from being light and carefree. Curham broaches some very delicate and important issues, similar to those raised by Jacqueline Wilson or Melvin Burgess. In fact, there seems to be a discrepancy between the level of writing, the age ground targeted, and the maturity of the issues raised. Again, this goes to prove that children's writing is not and should not all be all teletubbies and smiley faces. I think most kids are able to approach and comprehend delicate issues, it's all a question of presentation or representation. And I must say that in Dear Dylan, it's done brilliantly.

I would recommend this to those looking for something different in children's literature, something a bit heavier than you'd initially expect it to be, but whose package you just can't resist.

[Liss · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dieser kurze Roman ist ein Buch über das Leben, die Liebe, das Erwachsenwerden und den Kampf um Akzeptanz, geschrieben in E-Mail-Nachrichten. Mein 2. Buch, welches ich in dieser Art gelesen habe. Hier allerdings treffen zwei unterschiedliche Welten aufeinander: die eines Mädchen im Alter von 14 Jahren, welches einem Star eine Mail schreibt und die einer 40-jährigen Frau, auf der Suche nach Glück und Zufriedenheit.

Das wohl Erstaunlichste ist, dass sich bei der Kurzbeschreibung jeder erhofft und denkt, dass es um den Email-Kontakt zwischen einem jungen Mädchen und einem TV-Star geht, welche sich nach langem Hin und Her schlussendlich ineinander verlieben. Dies ist aber NICHT so. Und jeder Leser wird enttäuscht werden, wenn er sich genau das vom Buch erhofft und solch eine Geschichte lesen möchte. Deswegen ACHTUNG und Finger weg, wenn man genau das vor hat.

Georgie ist ein junges, gutgläubiges, freudiges, aber auch ziemlich naives Mädchen, was sich in ihren Mails widerspiegelt. Sie sieht viel, viel Gutes in den Menschen und hofft immer eine Erklärung für ein Verhalten zu finden, wobei sie vieles übersieht oder einfach nicht wahrhaben will. Allerdings kann ich sie auch verstehen, dass sie sich vielleicht unbewusst vor schlimmen Sachen verschließt, da ihr Vater gestorben ist und ihr Stiefvater nicht das Gelbe vom Ei ist. Sie hat keine schöne Kindheit und ich wünsche wirklich niemandem das, was sie durchlebt. Denn auch ihre scheinbar beste Freundin dreht ihr den Rücken zu und wendet sich aus Gründen der Eifersucht gegen sie. Ich gönne Georgie viele kleine Höhepunkte, die sie in ihrem sonst nicht so prallen Leben sehr.

Der Schreibstil bzw. Georgies Mails waren manchmal ziemlich anstrengend zu lesen. Zu Beginn gab es viele Wortneuschöpfungen bzw. 2 Wörter die sie sich irgendwie zu einem neuen zusammenbastelte. Nach den ersten paar Kapiteln fand ich das echt noch lustig, wie z.B. frostfrei oder ihren Stiefvater, den sie Ton-Zerstörer nennt. Mit steigender Seitenanzahl nahmen diese aber Überhand und wurden mir irgendwann zu viel.

Des Weiteren geht es hier um Chat bzw. Email-Kontakt und in vielen, vielen Nachrichten, Foren, was auch immer wird immer wieder gewarnt, sich mit den Personen zu treffen, wenn man sie nicht kennt und dann auch noch mit einer 3-mal so alten Frau. Dass sich Georgie darauf so schnell einlässt und gar keine Angst hat, fand ich im Nachhinein betrachtet echt erstaunlich und sollte Teenagers so nicht vorgelegt werden.

Fazit

Nichtsdestotrotz ist es Buch über Liebe und über die Höhen und Tiefen des Lebens & was man daraus alles machen kann. Ich mag Happy Ends und ich mochte auch dieses Ende und wenn man sich darauf einlässt, dass das mit dem TV-Star nichts wird und das Buch eine andere Richtung einschlägt, ist es für junge (!) Leser geeignet. Von mir gibt es 3/5 Punkte, da ich schon 23 bin. ;)

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never, EVER has a book changed by mind as drastically as this one. After reading the first few pages, my opinionated rate was: 2.5/5.. and now my rating it 4/5. "How did that happen?" you say, [just say it now if you didn't before, so you don't make me look stupid] and I'll tell you.

The book opens with Georgie, a quirky and lovable teenager who writes a letter to her celebrity crush, Dylan. As soon as I realised that the whole book is made up entirely of an e-mail format, I began to think that this would be the exchange of letters between Georgie and Dylan and she realises that he isn't who he seems blah blah blah etc etc etc. When she received the first few replies from him, I just wanted to reach into the page and shake her. I just couldn't stand reading about her getting happy over what I thought was a automated reply from his message. To be honest, I was just getting fed up of her stupidity. I only didn't give up with the book because I was in the mood for a short and light read. Cue Nana... OK, I wasn't that much surprised by what happened... but wow, the twists after that blew my mind! It definitely changed my opinion and this isn't just a girly, light and easy read. It is an emotional rollercoaster which had me gasping and laughing until the very end.

As I mentioned earlier, this book is set out in an e-mail format. I haven't read a book like this before, and I found it really interesting how Curham made a whole story around this. Books I have read with e-mails in have had some sort of story inbetween them, but Georgie told her story through the emails. I didn't know what was going to happen in the 'big' events and if one of them couldn't reply... but the author seemed to pull it off.

Obviously, my criticism is the beginning. I am not sure if the author set Georgie up as a typical, girly teenager on purpose so the reader could be surprised, but it didn't really work for me. By her first e-mail, I expected Georgie to be one of the popular ones, who have their heart broken by someone they haven't met. I know that is a bit of a rich and shallow first opinion and I hadn't really ventured into her character more... but I guess that's what people do. For example, in Disney American films - you expect the mean cheerleader to be just mean, but it turns out she has a difficult life at home. Anyway, once I got to know Georgie, I loved her! She is just so much fun with a great sense of humour and I just squealed when things went her way, and sighed when things didn't. I loved her relationship with Jamie, the whole Jessica friendship trouble and her Mum and Tone Deaf issue. Without giving away any spoilers... the things Tone Deaf do are OMG-worthy! ;)

This is a short read which I definitely recommend to teenagers. The characters are relatable and by the end you'll want more. I am so glad I didn't give up!

[hollyishere · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review TBC...

If you've ever had the chance to snoop into a friend's diary, this novel is for you! Basically, it's a major guilty pleasure for me atm. I'd equal it to reading a really great gossip mag filled with some slightly tragic pieces weaved amongst a very happy-go-lucky piece overall.

Okay, this book is bloody awesome.

Ever come across a friends diary and been attempted to read the entire thing...? Well, that's how Dear Dylan feels. It's so honest and believable that I just can't seem to stop reading.

I was expecting a tale of an immature girl fawning over a rockstar via email communication and then maybe meeting him in real life and falling madly in love with him but what we actually found within the cover is a delightful tale of a mature young girl reaching out to what she thinks is her tv idol but in reality turns out to be the guys mum.

Luckily, Nancy aka Hot Boys Mum reveals herself rather early on in the story otherwise it may have turned a little cringeworthy and boring. I've always been the type of person to enjoy writing in a diary and to have my very own penpal and Dear Dylan seems to be a really nice mix between the two.

I am absolutely amazed to hear this book was originally self-published.

Oh, did I mention it's written entirely in emails. I love books in alternative formats... diary entries, emails, tweets, etc. BRING THEM ON! At times, other novels in this format can offer drag or create a little confusion with the back and forth motion but this one just flowed so well. I found myself flicking pages at rapid pace, I just got so involved with these characters and hoped the best for them.

I can already tell this one is going to rate really well with me so far I'm thinking 4 or even 5 stars.

I instantly loved Georgie and her little sister, Michaela. Those two were just so adorable and majorly likeable. It's true though that the family situation wasn't all happy days and usually with any type of darker themes, I usually find the story gets lost amongst the distress and I end up losing interest. But this novel just seemed to have a happy face on throughout the entire read even while bringing up some slightly darker aspects.

[Sophie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Äußeres Erscheinungsbild:
Ich finde das Cover richtig schön. Georgie ist zeichnerische in Schwarz/Weiß beim Email schreiben zu sehen. Die bunten Symbole an den Seiten beziehen sich mehr oder weniger auf Georgies Leben.
Auch der Titel, der wortgenau übersetzt worden ist, passt hervorragend zum Inhalt.


Eigene Meinung:
Dieses Buch ist verdammt schwer zu rezensieren, denn der große Plot-Twist passiert recht früh im Buch und eine Rezi ohne spoilern ist eigentlich fast nicht möglich. Ich mache es dennoch nicht, auch wenn die Rezension vielleicht etwas kürzer raten wird.

Die Idee fand ich sehr süß und ich habe mir einen wunderschönen Emailroman voller Humor und Liebe vorgestellt. Tja, leider war es nicht ganz so pralle wie erhofft.

Die Handlung an sich ist recht easy und leicht zu überblicken. Der oben erwähnte Plot-Twist passiert recht früh im Buch und macht die bis dato sehr nervige Geschichte nicht mehr ganz so nervig. Eine ungewöhnliche Wendung, die mir zunehmend jedoch immer merkwürdiger wird und mir ein Stirnrunzeln nach dem anderen hervorlockt.
Man könnte meinen, dass die Autorin ernste Themen in ihren Emailroman einbindet, doch das war einfach viel zu viel. Es wirkte deshalb schnell oberflächlich und ich hatte das Gefühl, dass die Autorin einfach ganz viel in der Geschichte unterbringen wollte.

Das beste war der Schreibstil, der war war sehr unterhaltsam und recht einfach gestrickt. Er hat das Buch zu einem passenden Sommerbuch gemacht.

Ich mag die Hauptcharakterin Georgie nicht. Punkt, das ist so. Sie ist naiv und nervig und einfach so leichtgläubig.
Zu dem anderen Charakter kann ich nichts sagen, doch ich mag das Zusammenspiel zwischen diesem und Georgie nicht.
Alle anderen Charaktere blieben blass und machten sich durchweg bei mir unbeliebt.

Das Ende war in Ordnung, aber sehr vorhersehbar. Das Beste war, dass es vorbei war. xD


Fazit:
Ein Buch von dem ich mir viel Spaß und Freude erwartet habe und ein klopfendes Herzen.
Habe ich alles nicht bekommen. Eine nervige Prota, unglaubwürdig viele Probleme und eine Mailunterhaltung, die mich nicht packen konnte haben mir das Buch vermiest. Auch der einigermaßen gute Schreibstil konnte da nicht mehr viel retten.

[nancy (The Ravenous Reader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did not know what to expect from this novel and I was curious about the story concept because I had not read a book in an email response format and found that I was happily surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

Siobhan Curnham has penned a heartwarming story that explores the social media of emails and how a most unlikely relationship can be formed via the Internet.

Dear Dylan is a story about fourteen-year-old Georgie Harris and her six weeks of summer vacation...well not so vacation, since she is forced to babysit her younger sister Michaela and unable to attend the local drama workshop that she longs to join. To ease her pain that is inflicted by her cruel step-dad, Georgie begins to email her favorite TV star Dylan Curtland and much to her surprise he responds. Georgie is so happy that she begins to spill her everyday happenings to him and a warm correspondence begins, but one day a confession is made and the circumstances of Dylan Curtland's emails come to light. Georgie is hurt but she continues on with her emails and makes an e-mate from some one that she never envisioned corresponding with. What transpires is a telling of truths, hopes, dreams, fears and a bond of friendship that is endearing to behold. A story to lighten the soul.

I adored reading this book and witnessing the relationship that blossomed between Georgie and her new e-mate and seeing how things transpired before my very eyes. Georgie has some very troubling issues at home that she finds the courage to face them while her e-mate realizes that it is time for a change in their life and heads off in a new yet old direction. They both came from different places in life yet together they helped each other break out of their inner shells and thrive and that is the heart of this story and how you never know where your next great friendship can come from. I laughed and cried and only wanted more. Siohban has done an amazing job and I cannot wait to read more from her, Bravo!

If you in the mood for a great read that will entertain and delight you while making you smile then you need not look any further. This is the book for you.

[Kirsty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. It is written in email format throughout following an ongoing conversation between Georgie and her Emate over the course of 6 weeks. I initially was a little bit wary and wasn't sure if this idea would work but it did wonderfully.

When I first started reading the story I was a little skeptical as I thought the relationship between her and Nancy was a little weird. Georgie is your typical teenager (who is depicted exceptionally well might I add). She is normal was was wonderful - not a show off cool kid or a complete loser. Her friend Nancy is a lady in her older years and I didn't intially see what they had in common or how or why they would relate to each other or want to communicate with each other but as the story I went on I started to believe it and see how special their relationship was.

I loved Georgie as a character. As I said above she is wonderfully normal teenager with a heart of gold. She has a lot of real rubbish to deal with but deals with it and does all she can to help the people out she cares about most.

The relationship she has with Nancy surprisingly works well. They mirror each other well and the relationship works boths ways and they both gain from it rather than it being adult passing on wisdom and guidance to child. I really liked that about the book as so many people today label kids in that age bracket quickly as being hooligans and knife weilding hoodies!

The main story follows Georgie through her summer holidays and the differing events she goes through. While I don't want to go into too much detail I'll just say that some of them are very funny whereas others are quite moving and make your really feel for her.

To sum up - a fab little story with a plucky lovely normal main character who is a fab little role model for the age range the book is aimed at.