Emergency Contact Summary
Mary H. K. Choi

Emergency Contact Overview

In the tech era romance Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi, intellectuals Penny Lee and Sam Becker come to terms with the terror and beauty of being in love. Penny was looking forward to her independence from her flirty, irresponsible mother, Celeste, when she left for college at the University of Texas in Austin. When Penny and Sam met at the coffee shop Sam managed, they believed they had met their person. However, their experiences with hurt in the past keep them from connecting in real life. Instead, they communicate by texting, claiming to be the other’s emergency contact. Themes in the novel include the interplay between technology and real life, the discovery of self through art, and the effects of socioeconomic factors on feelings of worthiness.