I forwarded a link to a contact via iMessage yesterday and it never got to him, though it gave me a status message I’d never seen before: Sent to Email Address.
I’d last texted this contact three years ago, and the history of that message is a blue bubble. I’ve migrated everything from an iPhone 11 to an iPhone 14 since the original message was sent, so it looks like the history made the assumption it was pure iMessage. The picture I sent this morning went through properly as a text message. The contact information knows his phone number and his email.
I’m traveling in an area where I’m going in and out of cell coverage and may be on WiFi at times, or may be completely disconnected with my phone telling me it’s in S.O.S. Mode.
I wouldn’t have minded iMessage telling me that the message could not be delivered. I wouldn’t mind the message being delivered to his email address. I don’t like being told it was delivered and it not being so.
WimsWorld 
I really appreciate iMessage. It’s a great way to keep in touch with old friends and family, even if we’re not in the same area.