Sadie feels immense pressure to maintain her image as the perfect student and daughter. Her unsent emails serve as an outlet for her bottled-up frustrations, highlighting the gap between her public persona and private struggles. The accidental reveal of these emails forces everyone, including Sadie, to confront the unrealistic expectations of perfection.

The story explores how first impressions and superficial judgments can shape our perceptions of others. Sadie initially views Julius as arrogant and self-absorbed, but as they deal with the email scandal, she discovers a different side of him. This theme emphasizes the importance of looking beyond surface-level judgments to understand people better.

The email incident acts as a catalyst for Sadie's personal growth. Stripped of her carefully constructed facade, she learns to confront her vulnerabilities and express her true feelings. Throughout the book, Sadie evolves to embrace her imperfections and connect with others on a more genuine level, highlighting the value of authenticity.