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Worlds Collide: The Duets #1
Not So Far Away
A single dad... With a face and a name that contradict his culture, Scott has always known he'll settle down with a nice Latina, one who'll fit into his life and understand his definition of family. With four generations to support, he doesn't need anyone adding to the pressure he's under. But that's way in the future. For the moment, he's got enough on his plate. And an ex-party girl... Ellie is finally making a solid effort to get her life together. She's back at school, has a steady job, and most importantly, she's shed her party girl persona. No more alcohol, no more men, and no more friends who don't have her back. Now if only her new life weren't so lonely. After a chance meeting, Scott and Ellie begin an unlikely friendship, one that soon pokes and prods at their convictions. But what happens when the wrong person makes the world feel right? Turns out that taking a chance on the one person you never saw coming takes courage. Will they dig deep or let it all slip away? Not So Far Away ends on a mild cliffhanger and an implied HFN. For those who can't get enough of Scott and Ellie, the duet concludes with The Here and Now.
311 pages, ebook
First published February 9, 2020
About the author
L.L. Meyer
10 books334 followersAlways feel free to contact me at [email protected] or here on GR.
Follow me on Instagram @ author_ll_meyer for updates on current and future projects!
I may be a sucker for an HEA, but I like my romance to have an edge to it! My heroes are never clear cut white knights, and my heroines are never pushovers - but they do have something in common: they're always devoted to each other.
I write new adult contemporary romance as LL Meyer, and young adult sci-fi/fantasy as Lisa Lynn Meyer.
Follow me on Instagram @ author_ll_meyer for updates on current and future projects!
I may be a sucker for an HEA, but I like my romance to have an edge to it! My heroes are never clear cut white knights, and my heroines are never pushovers - but they do have something in common: they're always devoted to each other.
I write new adult contemporary romance as LL Meyer, and young adult sci-fi/fantasy as Lisa Lynn Meyer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
November 7, 2022
5 Knight in Shining Armor Stars ⭐
Not So Far Away is the first book in the 'World's Collide' Duet, and what a beautiful reading experience it was. A poignant story of second chances, circumstance and just old fashion destiny.
"To learning from the past, and keeping the future on the right path."
Ex-Party girl Ellie is taking a permanent hiatus from her former life. In 10 months she's managed to reinvent herself from a flake who made bad choices, to a girl trying to embrace normality. Life altering events will do that to you.
Scott knows all about unconditional love and the burden of responsibility that comes with it . As a man of 21, not only does he raise his 6 year old daughter, but also four generations of women. The shining star is his 'abuela' that provides the guidance and glue to this clan. What he possibly can't do, is take on another dependent regardless how tempting she is.
How do two people cross paths on separate occasions and unknowingly rescue one another? Because surely this is karma? What begins as a tentative friendship, quickly becomes an escapism for both Scott and Ellie. Their lifestyles and upbringings couldn't be more diverse, yet both find comfort in each other. Surely friendship can't be enough.
"How I want this. We fit together seamlessly, like an erotic jigsaw puzzle."
Be prepared to fall in love with our hero who will restore your faith in humanity. Because against all odds and the shitty hand he's been dealt, he is all heart. This story is packed with emotion, passion and a richness in culture that will have you smiling in joy. As this is Book 1, I can't wait to see how Scott and Ellie's ending will play out.
Not So Far Away is the first book in the 'World's Collide' Duet, and what a beautiful reading experience it was. A poignant story of second chances, circumstance and just old fashion destiny.
"To learning from the past, and keeping the future on the right path."
Ex-Party girl Ellie is taking a permanent hiatus from her former life. In 10 months she's managed to reinvent herself from a flake who made bad choices, to a girl trying to embrace normality. Life altering events will do that to you.
Scott knows all about unconditional love and the burden of responsibility that comes with it . As a man of 21, not only does he raise his 6 year old daughter, but also four generations of women. The shining star is his 'abuela' that provides the guidance and glue to this clan. What he possibly can't do, is take on another dependent regardless how tempting she is.
How do two people cross paths on separate occasions and unknowingly rescue one another? Because surely this is karma? What begins as a tentative friendship, quickly becomes an escapism for both Scott and Ellie. Their lifestyles and upbringings couldn't be more diverse, yet both find comfort in each other. Surely friendship can't be enough.
"How I want this. We fit together seamlessly, like an erotic jigsaw puzzle."
Be prepared to fall in love with our hero who will restore your faith in humanity. Because against all odds and the shitty hand he's been dealt, he is all heart. This story is packed with emotion, passion and a richness in culture that will have you smiling in joy. As this is Book 1, I can't wait to see how Scott and Ellie's ending will play out.
February 7, 2020
5 'my beautiful girl' stars
This. Book. Is. EVERYTHING!! And I can't decide about which thing to start fangirling first because I loved every single word of it. Ok, ok, let's start with Scott. Gasp! That was such a surprise, right LOL
I am - obviously, if you paid attention to my updates - over the moon in love with Scott. Romance books need more heroes like him. I'm getting tired of these billionaire alpha assholes who treat women like shit just because they can. And Scott is the exact opposite. He's hardworking, attentive, a family man, loving father. All the best qualities to melt a woman's heart. Of course, he's got faults too but he always tries to fix things that he screwed up and he apologizes! Yeah, sadly nowadays people rarely apologize, so a man who does that - I'm in heaven. And naturally, it doesn't hurt that he is hot, sexy, confident, and totally alpha when he's in a mood for it without being a jerk about it. A total winner, baby!
Ellie, you lucky bitch, I envy you!
As for Ellie, she's a great heroine as well. She has a backbone of steel and even if her life has had more downs than ups, she never gives up. She's prepared to fight for what she wants. And what I especially liked about her is that she's got enough self-respect to realize that she is better off alone instead of being in a bad relationship. A true inspiration. Also, I just love her snarky moods. Completely relatable.
I think, she's my spirit animal or something. I feel, you girl!
And now let's talk about Ellie and Scott together. They are such a dream couple. First, their friendship. This is not really a friends to lovers trope but I liked that they started as friends even if the attraction was present from the start. And talking about chemistry. WOW, that's some sizzling hotness going on between these two. And it's so cute when he calls her Opal.
Another thing that I utterly adored were these three little girls. His daughter Rosa, his youngest sister Carmen, his cousin but more like a niece Daniela. They are the most adorable kids ever and I love how Scott is being a father to all of them.
Yeah, I'm 100% with you on this, Ellie.
There are also so many other awesome supporting characters. Scott and Ellie's families and friends. I hope we'll see more of Desiree and Sophie. Both of them are very interesting characters, and especially great when they are prepared to kick some asses. That's why sisters are for, right?
I just can't stop fangirling about this book. It's amazing and perfect and I love it so much! Let's have some more of Ellie and Scott for the end.
Thanks to the author for the ARC. And special thanks for the opportunity to be a beta reader. I loved being with Scott and Ellie on their book journey and I can't wait to see where the path will lead them next. Thank you so much, Lisa!! 💝
This. Book. Is. EVERYTHING!! And I can't decide about which thing to start fangirling first because I loved every single word of it. Ok, ok, let's start with Scott. Gasp! That was such a surprise, right LOL
I am - obviously, if you paid attention to my updates - over the moon in love with Scott. Romance books need more heroes like him. I'm getting tired of these billionaire alpha assholes who treat women like shit just because they can. And Scott is the exact opposite. He's hardworking, attentive, a family man, loving father. All the best qualities to melt a woman's heart. Of course, he's got faults too but he always tries to fix things that he screwed up and he apologizes! Yeah, sadly nowadays people rarely apologize, so a man who does that - I'm in heaven. And naturally, it doesn't hurt that he is hot, sexy, confident, and totally alpha when he's in a mood for it without being a jerk about it. A total winner, baby!
This man. This kind, generous man has completely turned my life upside down. He makes me laugh, he makes me think – gah! – he makes me come.
Ellie, you lucky bitch, I envy you!
As for Ellie, she's a great heroine as well. She has a backbone of steel and even if her life has had more downs than ups, she never gives up. She's prepared to fight for what she wants. And what I especially liked about her is that she's got enough self-respect to realize that she is better off alone instead of being in a bad relationship. A true inspiration. Also, I just love her snarky moods. Completely relatable.
“I come here when I’m feeling blah, but you’ve come bearing some of my favorite things and some stellar pick-up lines, so I’ve upgraded my mood from blah to eh.”
I think, she's my spirit animal or something. I feel, you girl!
“Opal,” he says, his voice low. “Don’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?” I whisper.
“Like you want me to strip you naked.”
“That sounds . . .” completely delicious “. . . like a bad idea.”
And now let's talk about Ellie and Scott together. They are such a dream couple. First, their friendship. This is not really a friends to lovers trope but I liked that they started as friends even if the attraction was present from the start. And talking about chemistry. WOW, that's some sizzling hotness going on between these two. And it's so cute when he calls her Opal.
Scott: Stop torturing me. I have to be in church in 25 minutes.
Opal: Lol, perfect. You can confess all your sins.
“No one actually fits back there, do they?” I ask once we’re both seated.
He starts the engine and pulls out before glancing at me. “Actually all three of them fit back there nicely.”
Huh? “All three of who?”
“My daughter, my niece, and my littlest sister. They’re all about the same age.”
Another thing that I utterly adored were these three little girls. His daughter Rosa, his youngest sister Carmen, his cousin but more like a niece Daniela. They are the most adorable kids ever and I love how Scott is being a father to all of them.
There go my ovaries again, melting down to the soles of my feet.
Yeah, I'm 100% with you on this, Ellie.
There are also so many other awesome supporting characters. Scott and Ellie's families and friends. I hope we'll see more of Desiree and Sophie. Both of them are very interesting characters, and especially great when they are prepared to kick some asses. That's why sisters are for, right?
“You want me to come up there and give him a shot to the balls for you?”
Around my sniffling, something approximating a chuckle slips from my lips.
“I’d do it, you know? I have a class to TA this afternoon, but I could drive up and be there before midnight. Do you know where he lives?”
I just can't stop fangirling about this book. It's amazing and perfect and I love it so much! Let's have some more of Ellie and Scott for the end.
“The truth is that when I’m with you, everything is right with the world, and when I’m not, I feel like I’m drowning. I realize now that needing you and missing you don’t make me weak . . .” my stomach flips and twists, “. . . they make everything so much better .”
“So, Opal?”
“Yeah?”
“You and I . . .”
Her brow creases. “You and I what?”
“We’ve got a lot stacked against us, huh? I’m too young for you, too poor for you, too uneducated for you, and I’ve got three too many kids for you.”
She pales a bit. “That’s not true.”
“It’s very true.”
“So what are you saying?”
“I’m saying it’s a damn good thing that you’re not into easy anymore.”
Thanks to the author for the ARC. And special thanks for the opportunity to be a beta reader. I loved being with Scott and Ellie on their book journey and I can't wait to see where the path will lead them next. Thank you so much, Lisa!! 💝
April 17, 2021
This turned out being such a pleasant surprise. It’s been so long since I’ve read a new adult romance, but this got the three S(s) ingredients; sweet, short, and sexy. And I really enjoyed it!
I admit that I had my concerns about the heroine, but by the third chapter I realized my mistake and I start to really like her and wanted to protect her. She’s a fighter who is also so wise. Scott is so mature and responsible and i loved his loyalty and his protective nature. Also, how understanding he was! He might be oblivious sometimes when it comes to relationships but I loved that he was willing to grovel and learn from his mistakes. I also loved that the heroine won’t let him walk all over her and would tell him when he’s wrong!
Their romance was both sweet and sexy. I really liked them together. And the kids were so cute! I’m looking forward to when Ellie get to meet them. The story flowed so easily I finished it in a day and the writing was so good! Now to the second book.
Song recommendation:
Fearless by Taylor Swift
Love made me do it by Cheryl
Break my heart by Dua Lipa
I admit that I had my concerns about the heroine, but by the third chapter I realized my mistake and I start to really like her and wanted to protect her. She’s a fighter who is also so wise. Scott is so mature and responsible and i loved his loyalty and his protective nature. Also, how understanding he was! He might be oblivious sometimes when it comes to relationships but I loved that he was willing to grovel and learn from his mistakes. I also loved that the heroine won’t let him walk all over her and would tell him when he’s wrong!
Their romance was both sweet and sexy. I really liked them together. And the kids were so cute! I’m looking forward to when Ellie get to meet them. The story flowed so easily I finished it in a day and the writing was so good! Now to the second book.
Song recommendation:
Fearless by Taylor Swift
Love made me do it by Cheryl
Break my heart by Dua Lipa
October 20, 2021
This is one of those comforting reads. Like a good cuddle or your favorite meal or a hearty laugh. It’s an all encompassing hug for your heart and soul.
Ooh she’s a mess! I love messy broken girls, and I especially like the men that save them. Or at least keep them on the straight and narrow.
If he’s so protective of someone he barely knows, imagine what he’s like as your man. Swoon!
Their banter is just too stinking cute. I could probably read hundreds of pages filled with nothing else.
Well goddam! When Scott flips that switch, he really flips that switch. We went from friends or nothing to dirty talk in the blink of an eye. I’m certainly not complaining. 🥵
I had no idea I could be mad at Scott … but what the hell, Scott?! How could you? Poor Ellie.
I’m in love with his Abuela, mine was the best and she’s been gone for a few years. This just reminds me of her and how empty our family is without her.
Here is an ugly truth that I have experienced. Sometimes you don’t realize what you have until it’s gone. Unfortunately when you have this epiphany, it may be too late. Hopefully that’s not the case for Scott. Mostly I’m ready for some serious groveling.
I hate bossy men but if it’s done right … let me just say that Scott can boss me around any time.
This one gave me everything I wanted. It was adorable, emotional and steamy af. And if you give me more Scott and Emmy, I certainly won’t say no.
Ooh she’s a mess! I love messy broken girls, and I especially like the men that save them. Or at least keep them on the straight and narrow.
If he’s so protective of someone he barely knows, imagine what he’s like as your man. Swoon!
Their banter is just too stinking cute. I could probably read hundreds of pages filled with nothing else.
Well goddam! When Scott flips that switch, he really flips that switch. We went from friends or nothing to dirty talk in the blink of an eye. I’m certainly not complaining. 🥵
I had no idea I could be mad at Scott … but what the hell, Scott?! How could you? Poor Ellie.
I’m in love with his Abuela, mine was the best and she’s been gone for a few years. This just reminds me of her and how empty our family is without her.
Here is an ugly truth that I have experienced. Sometimes you don’t realize what you have until it’s gone. Unfortunately when you have this epiphany, it may be too late. Hopefully that’s not the case for Scott. Mostly I’m ready for some serious groveling.
I hate bossy men but if it’s done right … let me just say that Scott can boss me around any time.
This one gave me everything I wanted. It was adorable, emotional and steamy af. And if you give me more Scott and Emmy, I certainly won’t say no.
June 13, 2020
This story is beautiful!
It’s worth the reading.
It’s worth the reading.
June 6, 2020
Series
1 - Not So Far Away
2 - The Here and Now
Notes
Thank you, Lara, for popping my BR cherry 😉
I am glad we got to enjoy this book together!
Rating
4 ‘Opal’ ✨
Song Recommendation
While I was reading this book, the song Mileya Mileya kept popping up in my head and it seems to fit this book. Since the song is in Hindi, here is the translation for non-Hindi speakers. I would recommend having the translation open while listening to the song since it is a duet.
Review
Scott McCarthy is a 22-year-old single dad living with family consisting of his grandmother, his mother, three sisters (oldest is 17), his cousin/niece, and his 6-year-old daughter. Scott is biracial with a Caucasian father that is never present in his life and a Latin mother who is erratically present in his life. Even though he has pale skin and blond hair, he is very much attached to his heritage fueling his determination to settle down with a Latina partner who can understand his heritage and share his domestic responsibilities because family is an important priority for Scott.
Elsabeth ‘Ellie’ Summers is a 26-year-old recovering party girl living alone thanks to her toxic mother. About a year ago after a wild night that was seemingly routine for her, she vowed never to touch alcohol again to avoid making alcohol influenced rash decisions that leave nothing but traces of shame and regret with a hangover. In a tough and instantaneous move, she decided to distance herself from the situations that would tempt her into making bad life choices and also the friends who bring those situations. Furthermore, she dedicates all her time to her job and school to avoid said temptations.
“Don’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you want me to strip you naked.”
“That sounds . . .” completely delicious “. . . like a bad idea.”
“Yeah, the worst.”
Scott and Ellie have their hands full and no time for another person apparently, but nothing can stop the chemistry that brews between them after two fateful meetings. Scott tries to downplay that chemistry by friend-zoning Ellie because she is not what Scott is looking for in a long term partner, but their feelings can’t be downplayed.
This oozing chemistry between them gives way to easy and cute banter outside the bedroom and combustible connection inside the bedroom. I don’t know why but I wasn’t expecting the put-together and thoughtful Scott to have a controlling and possessive streak in bedroom, but I was pleasantly surprised!! Their intimate scenes were 🔥 and kept getting hotter!
When we’re together, that smile of hers somehow eases all the pressure I’m under. The pressure’s not gone exactly, but it becomes manageable enough that I can fill my lungs with a few much-needed, unrestricted breaths.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It was cute, entertaining, and easy to follow book made better by flawless writing. I was annoyed when, occasionally, the English translation for Spanish dialogues weren’t shown side by side and instead loosely mentioned in the paragraph following the dialogue, but writing was impeccable otherwise.
Well mannered, thoughtful, and kind Scott was the perfect match for sassy, mature, and levelheaded Ellie! I’m not a huge fan of the twist at the end because I don’t think it was necessary, but excited to continue with the duet, nevertheless! Looking forward to when Ellie gets to meet the three very special McCarthy girls!!
We’ll be fine, he and I. This is a marathon, not a sprint, and the sooner I realize that, the better.
1 - Not So Far Away
2 - The Here and Now
Notes
Thank you, Lara, for popping my BR cherry 😉
I am glad we got to enjoy this book together!
Rating
4 ‘Opal’ ✨
Song Recommendation
While I was reading this book, the song Mileya Mileya kept popping up in my head and it seems to fit this book. Since the song is in Hindi, here is the translation for non-Hindi speakers. I would recommend having the translation open while listening to the song since it is a duet.
Review
Scott McCarthy is a 22-year-old single dad living with family consisting of his grandmother, his mother, three sisters (oldest is 17), his cousin/niece, and his 6-year-old daughter. Scott is biracial with a Caucasian father that is never present in his life and a Latin mother who is erratically present in his life. Even though he has pale skin and blond hair, he is very much attached to his heritage fueling his determination to settle down with a Latina partner who can understand his heritage and share his domestic responsibilities because family is an important priority for Scott.
Elsabeth ‘Ellie’ Summers is a 26-year-old recovering party girl living alone thanks to her toxic mother. About a year ago after a wild night that was seemingly routine for her, she vowed never to touch alcohol again to avoid making alcohol influenced rash decisions that leave nothing but traces of shame and regret with a hangover. In a tough and instantaneous move, she decided to distance herself from the situations that would tempt her into making bad life choices and also the friends who bring those situations. Furthermore, she dedicates all her time to her job and school to avoid said temptations.
“Don’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you want me to strip you naked.”
“That sounds . . .” completely delicious “. . . like a bad idea.”
“Yeah, the worst.”
Scott and Ellie have their hands full and no time for another person apparently, but nothing can stop the chemistry that brews between them after two fateful meetings. Scott tries to downplay that chemistry by friend-zoning Ellie because she is not what Scott is looking for in a long term partner, but their feelings can’t be downplayed.
This oozing chemistry between them gives way to easy and cute banter outside the bedroom and combustible connection inside the bedroom. I don’t know why but I wasn’t expecting the put-together and thoughtful Scott to have a controlling and possessive streak in bedroom, but I was pleasantly surprised!! Their intimate scenes were 🔥 and kept getting hotter!
When we’re together, that smile of hers somehow eases all the pressure I’m under. The pressure’s not gone exactly, but it becomes manageable enough that I can fill my lungs with a few much-needed, unrestricted breaths.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It was cute, entertaining, and easy to follow book made better by flawless writing. I was annoyed when, occasionally, the English translation for Spanish dialogues weren’t shown side by side and instead loosely mentioned in the paragraph following the dialogue, but writing was impeccable otherwise.
Well mannered, thoughtful, and kind Scott was the perfect match for sassy, mature, and levelheaded Ellie! I’m not a huge fan of the twist at the end because I don’t think it was necessary, but excited to continue with the duet, nevertheless! Looking forward to when Ellie gets to meet the three very special McCarthy girls!!
We’ll be fine, he and I. This is a marathon, not a sprint, and the sooner I realize that, the better.
June 18, 2020
Maybe some of you remember how I gushed over Julie Kriss because of the realness of her characters. Well, guess what, I found another author who creates the most amazingly real and relatable characters!!
Wonderfully, fluently written, this book took me on a journey of two people, seemingly so different, finding their way to each other - and moving forward together.
I loved the heroine. Ellie was strong, intelligent and determined, recovering all the broken pieces of herself from her self-destructive younger years. The courage and the will to get up after what she'd spiralled into, were admirable.
Of course, I loved the hero. Scott was a total Alpha, no questions, but what I adored most was how well the author managed to show us his vulnerability and his still very young age, going hand in hand with maturity and taking charge attitude. It was done in a very subtle way, through little comments here and there, his reactions and, most of all, his mistakes when it came to the relationship with Ellie. Because boy did he make mistakes...
Instead of focusing on the drama of those mistakes, the author showed us how communication and courage to express one's feelings are more rewarding than anything else in a relationship. And I guess it was one of my favourite parts, because there is nothing more refreshing and relatable, than two people actually working on their relationship and not just going with "love will cure everything" philosophy.
I remember how, after reading "The Simple Wild", I said I needed more books like that in my life - and now I've got some!! Off to the second part.
Wonderfully, fluently written, this book took me on a journey of two people, seemingly so different, finding their way to each other - and moving forward together.
I loved the heroine. Ellie was strong, intelligent and determined, recovering all the broken pieces of herself from her self-destructive younger years. The courage and the will to get up after what she'd spiralled into, were admirable.
“You don’t think my girls would benefit from knowing a woman who pulled herself out of a situation she recognized as damaging?”
Of course, I loved the hero. Scott was a total Alpha, no questions, but what I adored most was how well the author managed to show us his vulnerability and his still very young age, going hand in hand with maturity and taking charge attitude. It was done in a very subtle way, through little comments here and there, his reactions and, most of all, his mistakes when it came to the relationship with Ellie. Because boy did he make mistakes...
“The truth is that when I’m with you, everything is right with the world, and when I’m not, I feel like I’m drowning. I realize now that needing you and missing you don’t make me weak...” my stomach flips and twists, “...they make everything so much better.”
Instead of focusing on the drama of those mistakes, the author showed us how communication and courage to express one's feelings are more rewarding than anything else in a relationship. And I guess it was one of my favourite parts, because there is nothing more refreshing and relatable, than two people actually working on their relationship and not just going with "love will cure everything" philosophy.
We’ll be fine, he and I. This is a marathon, not a sprint, and the sooner I realize that, the better.
I remember how, after reading "The Simple Wild", I said I needed more books like that in my life - and now I've got some!! Off to the second part.
June 6, 2020
4 stars🌟
Buddy read with amazing Rachel💜
First of all, I want to thank Arini for recommending this book to me.
What a story! This book was not anything that I expected but I loved this nonetheless.
Prescott McCarthy, aka, Scott is a single father of a seven years old little girl at 23 and responsible for a family 8, three of which are small girls of 7,8 and 9 years of age. Forced to grow up early, Scott has a jaded view of the world. He is independent and responsible and everything in between.
Elsabeth Summers aka ,Ellie/Piper/Opal is an ex-party girl who is trying to make the ends meet. At 26, she is still in school working part-time in a cafe.
Ellie meets Scott for first time after being trashed in a party. He helps her out and she resolves to make a difference in her life that very day. On a sobriety streak of 10 months, Ellie meets Scott again but in completely different circumstances. Sparks fly and their relationship grows gradually morphing into friendship and then into love. But it is not an easy transition. Heartache lies in the path testing Scott and Ellie time and again. Will they come out unscathed?
When I heard this is a single dad story, I expected the hero to be older but he is 5 years younger than Ellie. This was so refreshing for me after a series of older men- younger woman books. Not that I'm complaining about my older alphas ;)
I enjoy my time with this book!
Buddy read with amazing Rachel💜
First of all, I want to thank Arini for recommending this book to me.
What a story! This book was not anything that I expected but I loved this nonetheless.
Prescott McCarthy, aka, Scott is a single father of a seven years old little girl at 23 and responsible for a family 8, three of which are small girls of 7,8 and 9 years of age. Forced to grow up early, Scott has a jaded view of the world. He is independent and responsible and everything in between.
Elsabeth Summers aka ,Ellie/Piper/Opal is an ex-party girl who is trying to make the ends meet. At 26, she is still in school working part-time in a cafe.
Ellie meets Scott for first time after being trashed in a party. He helps her out and she resolves to make a difference in her life that very day. On a sobriety streak of 10 months, Ellie meets Scott again but in completely different circumstances. Sparks fly and their relationship grows gradually morphing into friendship and then into love. But it is not an easy transition. Heartache lies in the path testing Scott and Ellie time and again. Will they come out unscathed?
When I heard this is a single dad story, I expected the hero to be older but he is 5 years younger than Ellie. This was so refreshing for me after a series of older men- younger woman books. Not that I'm complaining about my older alphas ;)
I enjoy my time with this book!
Want to read
February 8, 2022READ THE DUET NOW!
✔ a single dad romanceFind out what happens when the wrong person makes the world feel right!
✔ friends to lovers
✔ opposites attract
✔ a bi-racial, blue-collar hero
✔ a heroine who knows her worth
✔ 3 of the sweetest little girls
✔ strong family ties
✔ HOT, HOT, HOT
“Don’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?” I whisper.
“Like you want me to strip you naked.”
June 18, 2021
5 ‘Knight in Shining Armor’ stars!
All the stars and more for this wonderful heartwarming story! I loved everything about this book! I don’t want to say too much and give away the story, because, really, you need to enjoy it for yourself. But I will do my best to let you know what I loved without telling all.
We first meet Ellie on the lowest day of her life. Waking up in a strange room with very little recollection of the night before has her seriously looking at her life choices. While trying to figure out how she’s going to get home, we meet her Knight in Shining Armor, Scott, who rescues her and gets her safely where she needs to go. Fast forward 10 months and Ellie has the chance to return the favour and rescue Scott, but he doesn’t recognize her as the girl he helped all those months ago.
I loved Ellie, she was just so real. She had to face some hard truths about her life and has worked so hard to get herself to where she is, with a steady job and finishing up her university degree. I love that we see her struggles, her insecurities, her loneliness and her vulnerability; at the same time we get to see her strength and perseverance.
Now, let’s talk about my new book boyfriend, Scott.
Scott is the epitome of a “good guy.” He’s more than stepped up, providing and caring for his whole family (grandmother, mother, sisters, niece and daughter). He works hard, put everyone else’s needs above his own and does it without complaint. I love that we also see that he’s not perfect and he continually makes mistakes with Ellie, but he’s always quick to apologize and make things right again.
I was thoroughly invested in this relationship. I loved watching it grow and go through some growing pains, while each time they came back together they were stronger…with a deeper more meaningful relationship.
The secondary characters were so well developed from the meddling, sweet, grandmother down to the adorably sweet girls that looked up to Scott like a father.
I also want to add that I totally appreciated LL Meyer’s instant translation of all of the Spanish conversations. There’s nothing worse than having to stop my reading enjoyment to look up a translation.
The only downside to this story is that it ends on a bit of a cliff-hanger and I have to wait to read the rest of Ellie and Scott’s story!
All the stars and more for this wonderful heartwarming story! I loved everything about this book! I don’t want to say too much and give away the story, because, really, you need to enjoy it for yourself. But I will do my best to let you know what I loved without telling all.
We first meet Ellie on the lowest day of her life. Waking up in a strange room with very little recollection of the night before has her seriously looking at her life choices. While trying to figure out how she’s going to get home, we meet her Knight in Shining Armor, Scott, who rescues her and gets her safely where she needs to go. Fast forward 10 months and Ellie has the chance to return the favour and rescue Scott, but he doesn’t recognize her as the girl he helped all those months ago.
I loved Ellie, she was just so real. She had to face some hard truths about her life and has worked so hard to get herself to where she is, with a steady job and finishing up her university degree. I love that we see her struggles, her insecurities, her loneliness and her vulnerability; at the same time we get to see her strength and perseverance.
"Easy?” Of all the adjectives I’d use to describe the last 10 months of my life, easy is not one of them – not even close. Painful, lonely, demanding, anxiety-ridden. Fuck Easy.
Now, let’s talk about my new book boyfriend, Scott.
This man. This kind, generous man has completely turned my life upside down.
Scott is the epitome of a “good guy.” He’s more than stepped up, providing and caring for his whole family (grandmother, mother, sisters, niece and daughter). He works hard, put everyone else’s needs above his own and does it without complaint. I love that we also see that he’s not perfect and he continually makes mistakes with Ellie, but he’s always quick to apologize and make things right again.
"There goes my ovaries again, melting down to the soles of my feet.”
I was thoroughly invested in this relationship. I loved watching it grow and go through some growing pains, while each time they came back together they were stronger…with a deeper more meaningful relationship.
The secondary characters were so well developed from the meddling, sweet, grandmother down to the adorably sweet girls that looked up to Scott like a father.
I also want to add that I totally appreciated LL Meyer’s instant translation of all of the Spanish conversations. There’s nothing worse than having to stop my reading enjoyment to look up a translation.
The only downside to this story is that it ends on a bit of a cliff-hanger and I have to wait to read the rest of Ellie and Scott’s story!
"Because at the end of even the shittiest day, I get to see her. I get to talk to her, laugh with her, hold her, and make love to her. I’m not going to get all cliché about it and say she makes life worth living, but…damn.”
May 2, 2020
A story of a second chance for love, redemption and consequence to human mistakes we make. Here we flourish to path of different open possibilities and brings us to positive outcomes despite the mistakes done in the past, because we want to change the wrongeness we have done and we want to redeem.
The story opens to Scott (22) and Ellie's (27) interaction, a scene which was ruin to Ellies personality. Fast forward 10 months a chance meeting between them opens possibilies to change for both them. Ellie is of rich background, a kind of black sheep of the family who basically does everything opposite to wisdom. As things lead to disaster, Ellie stops trying to prove everyone she is better. She takes a different path, a new life where she proves her worth to herself. Once when she was a party and alchohol drinking girl which one day takes a heavier consequence of humiliation, she wakes up in an oblivious condition in a hotel room the next day. Ellie decides to change her ways. She now works her way to college and holds a steady job. Scott was an enigma. He walks around with a proverbial halo always stepping up to rescue anyone in need. Living among females of four generations - grandmother, mother, sister, neice and daughter, he was an epitome of generous, loving and responsible man. I was surprised when I knew his age. So young, he works hard and puts everyones needs before his. His selflessness is a trait the author uses to redeem the horrible people around him, make them feel regret. Scott is a good man who takes care of his entire family.
"It’s almost been a year now, and while there have been a few bumpy patches, on the whole, things have gone well with my new role. Really well. Dean gets a reliable crew and I have a job that both challenges me and pays well. Forty five grand a year may not be a lot to some people, but for a kid who grew up in East Palo Alto with a mother and a grandmother who’ve always worked for minimum wage, and an uncle with dubious sources of income, it’s a fortune. A steady fortune that’s been adding up in the bank because I’m as frugal as I can be and my grandmother’s house is mortgage free."
Scotts thoughts always revolve around his family.
Scott and Ellie starts as friends trying not to cross boundaries but that eventually changes to more. Ellie has flaws and insecurities for all the bad choices she has done in the past. Despite shouldering huge responsibilities Scott makes a wrong decision that has Ellie lose her confidence but he makes it up. The conversations where Scott helps her understand that her flaws/mistakes, her reservations to be likeable to his family,
"You don’t think my girls would benefit from knowing a woman who pulled herself out of a situation she recognized as damaging?"
Their bander was sweet, their friendship was exhilarating and them as a couple was admired. This story conveys a message, where the difference in culture , consequence, looks, are judged with depth.
The story opens to Scott (22) and Ellie's (27) interaction, a scene which was ruin to Ellies personality. Fast forward 10 months a chance meeting between them opens possibilies to change for both them. Ellie is of rich background, a kind of black sheep of the family who basically does everything opposite to wisdom. As things lead to disaster, Ellie stops trying to prove everyone she is better. She takes a different path, a new life where she proves her worth to herself. Once when she was a party and alchohol drinking girl which one day takes a heavier consequence of humiliation, she wakes up in an oblivious condition in a hotel room the next day. Ellie decides to change her ways. She now works her way to college and holds a steady job. Scott was an enigma. He walks around with a proverbial halo always stepping up to rescue anyone in need. Living among females of four generations - grandmother, mother, sister, neice and daughter, he was an epitome of generous, loving and responsible man. I was surprised when I knew his age. So young, he works hard and puts everyones needs before his. His selflessness is a trait the author uses to redeem the horrible people around him, make them feel regret. Scott is a good man who takes care of his entire family.
"It’s almost been a year now, and while there have been a few bumpy patches, on the whole, things have gone well with my new role. Really well. Dean gets a reliable crew and I have a job that both challenges me and pays well. Forty five grand a year may not be a lot to some people, but for a kid who grew up in East Palo Alto with a mother and a grandmother who’ve always worked for minimum wage, and an uncle with dubious sources of income, it’s a fortune. A steady fortune that’s been adding up in the bank because I’m as frugal as I can be and my grandmother’s house is mortgage free."
Scotts thoughts always revolve around his family.
Scott and Ellie starts as friends trying not to cross boundaries but that eventually changes to more. Ellie has flaws and insecurities for all the bad choices she has done in the past. Despite shouldering huge responsibilities Scott makes a wrong decision that has Ellie lose her confidence but he makes it up. The conversations where Scott helps her understand that her flaws/mistakes, her reservations to be likeable to his family,
"You don’t think my girls would benefit from knowing a woman who pulled herself out of a situation she recognized as damaging?"
Their bander was sweet, their friendship was exhilarating and them as a couple was admired. This story conveys a message, where the difference in culture , consequence, looks, are judged with depth.
September 20, 2024
✰ 4.75 Stars ✰
-ˏˋ The Failed First Attempt ˎˊ-
Take two people. Take two. I had almost finished this review and then my stupidass accidentally deleted everything.
So let's try this again, and hopefully this time I won't accidentally delete everything!
-ˏˋ All the -chipotle burritos - Feels
ˎˊ-
Not So Far Away was brought to my attention because of Saint Monique's fabulous review. Her wonderful review inspired me to give this book a shot, because full disclosure this duet had popped up on my radar before and. . .i *goes to my shame corner* thought it sounded boring. I know people, I KNOW. I seriously need to stop judging books solely by their covers and summaries. NOT SO FAR AWAY turned out to be a very moving story about two people, who on paper, could not be more different. And yet once all those superficial differences were stripped away they ended being perfect for one another ❤︎
-ˏˋ The Highlights ˎˊ-
✧✦ Character Rant - Prescott "Scott" McCarthy ✧✦ What made this duet truly ✨special✨ in my humble opinion was the characters, and in particular our hero,my boyfriend, Prescott McCarthy.
Look I know I say this every. damn. time. BUT, I can't but say it here as well. My mans Scott was refreshing as fuck. As all my fellow romance aficionados know, usually over here in romancelandia we've got to wade through a ton of commitment-phobic a-holes before we find that just right hero. Those douchenozzle heroes were normally served leave us scratching our heads in wonder over how they managed to win over the heroine in the end. And, hey I'm not going to sit here and lie to your face, I love me a good a-hole jerk of a hero, however they're rarely written in that just right way. However, Scott is actually not an asshole jerk of a hero. . .he's, and hold on to your hat, sweet and supportive?!
I know, I know. Let me break down howmy sweet and supportive boyfriend Scott managed to not only be sweet, supportive, funny, but also retain this alpha hotness.
-ˏˋ A Brief List ˎˊ-
♥ My man Scott had an intense work ethic that made me feel called out tbh
♥ He cared for not only his own young daughter, but also his cousin + sister. He did this because he loved all of them with his whole heart. Also, I don't know how many other 22 year old guys would step up to father 3 young girls, but Scott did.
♥ On top of that he helped out his Abuela with no complaints, and lived at home to help her out.
♥ The way he loved and supported Ellie wholeheartedly was beautiful. He only ever wanted her to achieve her dreams, and truly wanted the best for her.
♥ He's a caretaker through and through. I liked that even when him and Ellie were just friends he was willing to go above and beyond.
♥ Yes, Scott had flaws, but I loved him FOR THEM, not despite them. When he fucks up he acknowledges it, REFLECTS, and then tries to do better.
♥ I also adored the way Scott thought about Ellie. You can tell from the minute Scott meets Ellie she's going someone special to him.
♥ Scott had so much respect and care towards Ellie, even when they were JUST friends. He admired not only her beauty, but her personality as well. That's ultimately what drew him to her.
-ˏˋ Clearly I LOVED Scott - end of list. . .KINDA ˎˊ-
Scott was clearly drawn too Ellie from the jump. However, he came to love and care for her because of who she was as a person. Far too often we read about heroes whose original motivation for pursuing the heroine is because she's über good-looking. and i mean usually the love and respect follow soon after. But in NOT SO FAR AWAY Scott and Ellie become friends first, and lovers later. Because LL MEYER allowed Scott and Ellie to be friends first we were able to truly see that Scotts feelings for Ellie came from real and genuine place.
Oh and I full on melted when Scott said this to Ellie -
The final thing that made me love Scott even more was due to how deeply I felt one of his biggest insecurities. Scott despite his pretty white sounding name + appearance is actually half Hispanic. As someone whose 1/2 white + 1/2 Puerto Rican I was able to strongly relate to the struggles and insecurities Scott had surrounding his identity.
I may not have experienced the exact same situation as Scott, but I do know how it feels to deal with all of the outside world's judgement and comments. So when Scott had those type of thoughts they really struck a chord with me. But whenever I'm feeling insecure I'll have to try and remember this -
ANYWHO. . .that got a little real. . .
✧✦ Character Rant - Elsabeth "Ellie" Summers ✧✦ I shall now confess my undying love and admiration for my new girl crush Ellie.
In Ellie L.L. Meyer crafted such a relatable and admirable heroine. Ellie is 27 and having to do the hard task of reinventing herself. She recognized the path she was going down was destructive, and so she decided to take on the arduous task of rebuilding herself. When the book starts she's a reformed party girl turned Stanford college student and part time Barista. She also can't seem to forget the young man who helped her out when she need kindness the most. I will forever admire the strength and courage she had when it came to remaking her life. Changing your life is hard. Letting go of bad habits is even harder. It takes determination and grit. Ellie had that in spades along with kindness, compassion, love, and an inner strength that I was envious of.
-ˏˋ Cue Another List ˎˊ-
♥ The amount of resilience this woman demonstrated was inspiring. This book starts out with a devastating prologue. We see Ellie waking up hungover with no idea where she is. She may or may not have had consensual sex (it isn't ever really specified but. . .) but either way it was not a good situation. As she stumbles out onto the sidewalk she encounters a stranger who shows her kindness (guess who this stranger was). 10 months later we find a version of Ellie whose working on shedding a past she wasn't proud of, and is forging a new and healthier path.
♥ One of my favorite aspects of Ellie's character was her personality. This woman was so freaking kind and genuine. She's was such a warm, kind, and REAL individual. Her kindness never came across as fake, instead it felt true to her character. This is demonstrated in her reunion with Scott.
Even when it's revealed that Scott has 3 young girls in his care she doesn't hesitate. Instead Ellie completely accepts that the girls and Scott are a package deal.
Her innate caring nature gives her a strength that while many might discredit I found to be endearing and inspiring.
♥ Her worries and insecurities felt real and honest as well.
TBH, I wanted to slap every piece of trash that ever made Ellie feel an ounce of insecurity. Ellie was fucking awesome, and I hated that she was ever made to feel ashamed about herself.
♥ Her pearls of damn wisdom that had me clapping.
-ˏˋ Obviously I was Obsessed with Ellie / end of list ˎˊ-
Scott and Ellie separately were clearly something special, and together they had such intense romantic chemistry I couldn't look away. Their romance was beautiful. They had me rooting for them to make it work the whole time. While there may have had a 5 year age gap, different social statuses, varying levels of education, and different cultural backgrounds, they made it work. They both realized that what they had was once in a lifetime, and that they should do everything in their power to make it work.
-ˏˋ Let's Wrap It Up ˎˊ-
So, obviously this was less a "review" and more a rant about how much I loved Scott and Ellie. NOT SO FAR AWAY was such an emotionally character driven story that anything less wouldn't have made sense. EDIT - also i was still trying to find my review style. If you're looking for a duet that has a sweetheart of a hero, employs a truly excellent friends-to-lovers slowburn, and a heroine that you will ASPIRE TO BE, then check this book out.
🌯 My Goofy Observation 🌯
I have a fan theory that LL MEYER was either extremely hungry for Chipotle or ate a ton of Chipotle while writing this book. If you look closely you can see that she mentions it A BUNCH over the course of this novel, and every time I noticed it I had a chuckle. PRO TIP - eating a Chipotle burrito in front of your crush takes guts. I applaud Scott and Ellie for doing it so early in their relationship. Based on that alone their love was meant to be ❤︎
┍━━━━━━✧✦━━━━━━┑
𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗟𝗗'𝗦 𝗖𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗗𝗘: 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗗𝗨𝗘𝗧 𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦
ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴏɴᴇ: ɴᴏᴛ ꜱᴏ ꜰᴀʀ ᴀᴡᴀʏ ~ 𝟰.𝟳𝟱 ✧
ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴛᴡᴏ: ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ɴᴏᴡ ~ 𝟰 ✧
ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ: ꜰᴀʟʟ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ɢʀᴀᴄᴇ ~ 𝟯.𝟳𝟱 ✧
ʙᴏᴏᴋ ꜰᴏᴜʀ: ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴠɪʟ'ꜱ ᴏᴡɴ ~ 𝟯.𝟱 ✧
ʙᴏᴏᴋ ꜰɪᴠᴇ: (ꜱʜᴀɴᴇ & ᴅᴇꜱɪʀᴇᴇ) ~ 𝙩𝙗𝙧
ʙᴏᴏᴋ ꜱɪx: (ꜱʜᴀɴᴇ & ᴅᴇꜱɪʀᴇᴇ) ~ 𝙩𝙗𝙧
┕━━━━━━✧✦━━━━━━┙
I’m thinking it’s a recipe for disaster . . . but a disaster that I want with my entire soul.
-ˏˋ The Failed First Attempt ˎˊ-
Take two people. Take two. I had almost finished this review and then my stupidass accidentally deleted everything.
actual documentary footage of me crying
So let's try this again, and hopefully this time I won't accidentally delete everything!
-ˏˋ All the -
Not So Far Away was brought to my attention because of Saint Monique's fabulous review. Her wonderful review inspired me to give this book a shot, because full disclosure this duet had popped up on my radar before and. . .i *goes to my shame corner* thought it sounded boring. I know people, I KNOW. I seriously need to stop judging books solely by their covers and summaries. NOT SO FAR AWAY turned out to be a very moving story about two people, who on paper, could not be more different. And yet once all those superficial differences were stripped away they ended being perfect for one another ❤︎
-ˏˋ The Highlights ˎˊ-
✧✦ Character Rant - Prescott "Scott" McCarthy ✧✦ What made this duet truly ✨special✨ in my humble opinion was the characters, and in particular our hero,
oh look here's me sliding out of nowhere to claim Scott as my bf
Look I know I say this every. damn. time. BUT, I can't but say it here as well. My mans Scott was refreshing as fuck. As all my fellow romance aficionados know, usually over here in romancelandia we've got to wade through a ton of commitment-phobic a-holes before we find that just right hero. Those douchenozzle heroes were normally served leave us scratching our heads in wonder over how they managed to win over the heroine in the end. And, hey I'm not going to sit here and lie to your face, I love me a good a-hole jerk of a hero, however they're rarely written in that just right way. However, Scott is actually not an asshole jerk of a hero. . .he's, and hold on to your hat, sweet and supportive?!
I know, I know. Let me break down how
-ˏˋ A Brief List ˎˊ-
♥ My man Scott had an intense work ethic that made me feel called out tbh
♥ He cared for not only his own young daughter, but also his cousin + sister. He did this because he loved all of them with his whole heart. Also, I don't know how many other 22 year old guys would step up to father 3 young girls, but Scott did.
I ooh and ahh, all the while trying to keep my emotions buried, because if I’m honest, the way he loves these girls has my heart desperate to overflow with . . . tenderness, I think. Or maybe it’s affection. Or maybe, more worryingly, it may be longing.
♥ On top of that he helped out his Abuela with no complaints, and lived at home to help her out.
♥ The way he loved and supported Ellie wholeheartedly was beautiful. He only ever wanted her to achieve her dreams, and truly wanted the best for her.
Maybe my taste in men has improved? Because good-looking, kind, well-mannered, and thoughtful? He has to be too good to be true, right?
♥ He's a caretaker through and through. I liked that even when him and Ellie were just friends he was willing to go above and beyond.
“So, hey,” he says as he pulls his boots on. “Will you be around on Friday evening? I’m going to fix your patio door.” “You are?” I ask, surprised. “Yeah, I am. And then we’ll go grab dinner.” “Okay.” I feel a bright smile spread across my face.
♥ Yes, Scott had flaws, but I loved him FOR THEM, not despite them. When he fucks up he acknowledges it, REFLECTS, and then tries to do better.
“Thank you for giving me another chance, Opal.” “Thanks for not giving up on us.”
♥ I also adored the way Scott thought about Ellie. You can tell from the minute Scott meets Ellie she's going someone special to him.
When we’re together, that smile of hers somehow eases all the pressure I’m under. The pressure’s not gone exactly, but it becomes manageable enough that I can fill my lungs with a few much-needed, unrestricted breaths.
♥ Scott had so much respect and care towards Ellie, even when they were JUST friends. He admired not only her beauty, but her personality as well. That's ultimately what drew him to her.
There’s something about her that’s so . . . charming, I guess. Her easy smiles, her laidback sense of humor, her self-confidence, they all pull me away from my usually tightly-wound self like a magnet.
-ˏˋ Clearly I LOVED Scott - end of list. . .KINDA ˎˊ-
Scott was clearly drawn too Ellie from the jump. However, he came to love and care for her because of who she was as a person. Far too often we read about heroes whose original motivation for pursuing the heroine is because she's über good-looking. and i mean usually the love and respect follow soon after. But in NOT SO FAR AWAY Scott and Ellie become friends first, and lovers later. Because LL MEYER allowed Scott and Ellie to be friends first we were able to truly see that Scotts feelings for Ellie came from real and genuine place.
"[. . .] truth is that when I’m with you, everything is right with the world, and when I’m not, I feel like I’m drowning. I realize now that needing you and missing you don’t make me weak . . .” my stomach flips and twists, “. . . they make everything so much better.” My voice drops to a whisper then. “I know now that I care about you – a lot.”
Oh and I full on melted when Scott said this to Ellie -
“I knew you were smart, Opal, but not that smart. I never stood a chance against you, did I? I mean, how is it fair that your brain is probably hotter than your ass?”
The final thing that made me love Scott even more was due to how deeply I felt one of his biggest insecurities. Scott despite his pretty white sounding name + appearance is actually half Hispanic. As someone whose 1/2 white + 1/2 Puerto Rican I was able to strongly relate to the struggles and insecurities Scott had surrounding his identity.
But I also realize that’s not the whole story. I’ve always wanted a Latina because I figured she would somehow legitimize my claim on my heritage, somehow make up for my pale complexion and ridiculous height.
I may not have experienced the exact same situation as Scott, but I do know how it feels to deal with all of the outside world's judgement and comments. So when Scott had those type of thoughts they really struck a chord with me. But whenever I'm feeling insecure I'll have to try and remember this -
It all seems . . . silly now, weak even. I am who I am, no matter who I choose to make a life with.
ANYWHO. . .that got a little real. . .
✧✦ Character Rant - Elsabeth "Ellie" Summers ✧✦ I shall now confess my undying love and admiration for my new girl crush Ellie.
In Ellie L.L. Meyer crafted such a relatable and admirable heroine. Ellie is 27 and having to do the hard task of reinventing herself. She recognized the path she was going down was destructive, and so she decided to take on the arduous task of rebuilding herself. When the book starts she's a reformed party girl turned Stanford college student and part time Barista. She also can't seem to forget the young man who helped her out when she need kindness the most. I will forever admire the strength and courage she had when it came to remaking her life. Changing your life is hard. Letting go of bad habits is even harder. It takes determination and grit. Ellie had that in spades along with kindness, compassion, love, and an inner strength that I was envious of.
-ˏˋ Cue Another List ˎˊ-
♥ The amount of resilience this woman demonstrated was inspiring. This book starts out with a devastating prologue. We see Ellie waking up hungover with no idea where she is. She may or may not have had consensual sex (it isn't ever really specified but. . .) but either way it was not a good situation. As she stumbles out onto the sidewalk she encounters a stranger who shows her kindness (guess who this stranger was). 10 months later we find a version of Ellie whose working on shedding a past she wasn't proud of, and is forging a new and healthier path.
No matter how easy it would be to slip back into Piper’s skin, I know the only place she’ll take me is back down to rock bottom.
♥ One of my favorite aspects of Ellie's character was her personality. This woman was so freaking kind and genuine. She's was such a warm, kind, and REAL individual. Her kindness never came across as fake, instead it felt true to her character. This is demonstrated in her reunion with Scott.
“Okay, I do know. It was your expression. You just seemed so . . . defeated, like the world has never given you a break.”
Even when it's revealed that Scott has 3 young girls in his care she doesn't hesitate. Instead Ellie completely accepts that the girls and Scott are a package deal.
"[I] haven’t wanted to say anything, because you’re so protective of them, but I’m really looking forward to . . . maybe having them in my life . . . if you think that’s okay . . . one day. I want a boring life with you.”
Her innate caring nature gives her a strength that while many might discredit I found to be endearing and inspiring.
♥ Her worries and insecurities felt real and honest as well.
I’ve often wondered if there’s something intrinsically flawed about me. Is it just my poor judgment of character or is there some essential piece of me that’s missing? The piece that motivates people to care about me on a less superficial level.
TBH, I wanted to slap every piece of trash that ever made Ellie feel an ounce of insecurity. Ellie was fucking awesome, and I hated that she was ever made to feel ashamed about herself.
♥ Her pearls of damn wisdom that had me clapping.
Beauty is not respect. Beauty is not loyalty. Beauty is not even affection. Beauty is only skin deep.
I’m a strong, independent woman who knows how to save herself when she needs it. My goals and aspirations don’t involve anyone but myself.
That last quote brought a tear to my eye not gonna lie.
-ˏˋ Obviously I was Obsessed with Ellie / end of list ˎˊ-
Scott and Ellie separately were clearly something special, and together they had such intense romantic chemistry I couldn't look away. Their romance was beautiful. They had me rooting for them to make it work the whole time. While there may have had a 5 year age gap, different social statuses, varying levels of education, and different cultural backgrounds, they made it work. They both realized that what they had was once in a lifetime, and that they should do everything in their power to make it work.
“I know,” he says pointedly before his voice gentles, “that I want to get to know you. This thing between us is not something that happens every day . . . or ever.”
-ˏˋ Let's Wrap It Up ˎˊ-
So, obviously this was less a "review" and more a rant about how much I loved Scott and Ellie. NOT SO FAR AWAY was such an emotionally character driven story that anything less wouldn't have made sense. EDIT - also i was still trying to find my review style. If you're looking for a duet that has a sweetheart of a hero, employs a truly excellent friends-to-lovers slowburn, and a heroine that you will ASPIRE TO BE, then check this book out.
“I want you to know that it was an important moment for me,” my voice cracks, but I force myself to continue, “and that I’m so glad it was you who found me that day. So thank you.”
🌯 My Goofy Observation 🌯
I have a fan theory that LL MEYER was either extremely hungry for Chipotle or ate a ton of Chipotle while writing this book. If you look closely you can see that she mentions it A BUNCH over the course of this novel, and every time I noticed it I had a chuckle. PRO TIP - eating a Chipotle burrito in front of your crush takes guts. I applaud Scott and Ellie for doing it so early in their relationship. Based on that alone their love was meant to be ❤︎
┍━━━━━━✧✦━━━━━━┑
𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗟𝗗'𝗦 𝗖𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗗𝗘: 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗗𝗨𝗘𝗧 𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦
ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴏɴᴇ: ɴᴏᴛ ꜱᴏ ꜰᴀʀ ᴀᴡᴀʏ ~ 𝟰.𝟳𝟱 ✧
ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴛᴡᴏ: ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ɴᴏᴡ ~ 𝟰 ✧
ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ: ꜰᴀʟʟ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ɢʀᴀᴄᴇ ~ 𝟯.𝟳𝟱 ✧
ʙᴏᴏᴋ ꜰᴏᴜʀ: ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴠɪʟ'ꜱ ᴏᴡɴ ~ 𝟯.𝟱 ✧
ʙᴏᴏᴋ ꜰɪᴠᴇ: (ꜱʜᴀɴᴇ & ᴅᴇꜱɪʀᴇᴇ) ~ 𝙩𝙗𝙧
ʙᴏᴏᴋ ꜱɪx: (ꜱʜᴀɴᴇ & ᴅᴇꜱɪʀᴇᴇ) ~ 𝙩𝙗𝙧
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February 2, 2020
4.5** I have been waiting a long time to read more from Ms LL Meyer and this one definitely did not disappoint! Read it in one sitting, and cannot wait to see where the second book takes us. Loved the characters with and because of their imperfections, and strength and determination. Loved Ellie and Scott, and Scott's little entourage. I really enjoyed the story, so many thanks!
October 3, 2020
4.5 rounded down.
I enjoyed this. Gobbled it up quickly once the relationship between Scott and Ellie picked up and the sex got going 😛Hot stuff. And isn't it WONDERFUL to be dating a 22 year old well-hung AND knows how to use it tall beautiful man...
Go Ellie! You bitch!
Anyway, the reason it's not 5 stars is bc it took a while to get going. I didn't read every word. I skipped a bunch of the bad friends and family stuff. I only read the parts with the MCs together. Honestly just didn't care much about the other stuff, though of course important to give you a sense of both MCs' lives apart from each other, what shaped them, etc.
I don't like many "real-life" books these days, with flawed characters, though not a whole lot can get better than Scott, I give you that, Monique! Geez, why don't I ever run into men like him looking for that confident older woman???!! I'd totally do him a solid :P
ANYWAY.... it was good. downloading book 2 as we speak.
I enjoyed this. Gobbled it up quickly once the relationship between Scott and Ellie picked up and the sex got going 😛Hot stuff. And isn't it WONDERFUL to be dating a 22 year old well-hung AND knows how to use it tall beautiful man...
Go Ellie! You bitch!
Anyway, the reason it's not 5 stars is bc it took a while to get going. I didn't read every word. I skipped a bunch of the bad friends and family stuff. I only read the parts with the MCs together. Honestly just didn't care much about the other stuff, though of course important to give you a sense of both MCs' lives apart from each other, what shaped them, etc.
I don't like many "real-life" books these days, with flawed characters, though not a whole lot can get better than Scott, I give you that, Monique! Geez, why don't I ever run into men like him looking for that confident older woman???!! I'd totally do him a solid :P
ANYWAY.... it was good. downloading book 2 as we speak.
February 11, 2020
I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
When LL Meyer announced that she was releasing a duet the first of 2020, I knew I had to receive an ARC. I fell in love with her Penny Books Series a few years ago. Those books, however, were more taboo erotica novels and Not So Far Away was falling into the contemporary genre. I had to see how Meyer handled contemporary. And I am thrilled to say that she absolutely killed it.
The story starts with the reader finding our protagonist in a chilling situation. Ellie was a party girl that knew no boundaries when it came to socializing and alcohol. We see her wake up completely oblivious to where she's at or what happened the night before. She's forced to do the walk of shame and stumbles into a man that pays for her an Uber home. Ellie uses that moment as a wake-up call and she never forgets the man that helped her.
Fast-forward to present day, Ellie is working her way through college and staying away from anyone or anything that could cause her to relapse. She's working late one evening when a frantic man rushes in - her hero. Ellie helps him out of a sticky situation as a 'thank you' for how he helped her in the past. Unfortunately, Scott doesn't remember Ellie because her appearance has drastically changed since her partying days. El chooses not to tell Scott about their past encounter - leaving Scott mystified about why this beautiful woman would help him out.
It becomes Scott's turn to try to repay the favor El did for him. This series of favors and IOUs lead to them forming a friendship. They find themselves catching feeling for one another and try to avoid it. Scott is a single-dad and the main provider for his family, while El is still trying to recover from her past. But these two have some insane chemistry together. Their witty banter and playfulness caused me to ship them from their first actual introduction.
Scott's character is, what I would call, the take-home-to-mama book-boyfriend. He is so caring, charming, and selfless. However, those traits are also his biggest flaw as he puts others before his-self. It didn't stop me from swooning over him. Ellie talks about how he makes her ovaries burst on multiple occasions and it is a pretty accurate description of his effect on the opposite sex. By the other reviews I've seen online, Mr. Scott has a fan club. If you love good guy heros, you will adore Scott!
Ellie's character is just as great as Scott. I love a great strong heroine and that describes Ellie perfectly. She is constantly having to prove to everyone, including herself, that she is better. She is full of so much understanding and wisdom. I loved her heartfelt talks with Scott; those are my favorite scenes of the book. I think Ellie is one that sees the glass half-full instead of half-empty. She fakes it 'till she makes it and I admire the hell out of that.
As this is a duet, there is a mild cliffhanger. I spent a good portion of the book trying to guess the ending. I thought I had it all figured out. Joke's on me because I didn't have the slightest clue. Meyer doesn't make it the obvious choice that I thought it would be and I really appreciated the surprise aspect.
I highly recommend this one. It releases tomorrow so mark your calendars! You will want to devour this one!
This review was originally posted on Sincerely, Whitney
When LL Meyer announced that she was releasing a duet the first of 2020, I knew I had to receive an ARC. I fell in love with her Penny Books Series a few years ago. Those books, however, were more taboo erotica novels and Not So Far Away was falling into the contemporary genre. I had to see how Meyer handled contemporary. And I am thrilled to say that she absolutely killed it.
The story starts with the reader finding our protagonist in a chilling situation. Ellie was a party girl that knew no boundaries when it came to socializing and alcohol. We see her wake up completely oblivious to where she's at or what happened the night before. She's forced to do the walk of shame and stumbles into a man that pays for her an Uber home. Ellie uses that moment as a wake-up call and she never forgets the man that helped her.
Fast-forward to present day, Ellie is working her way through college and staying away from anyone or anything that could cause her to relapse. She's working late one evening when a frantic man rushes in - her hero. Ellie helps him out of a sticky situation as a 'thank you' for how he helped her in the past. Unfortunately, Scott doesn't remember Ellie because her appearance has drastically changed since her partying days. El chooses not to tell Scott about their past encounter - leaving Scott mystified about why this beautiful woman would help him out.
It becomes Scott's turn to try to repay the favor El did for him. This series of favors and IOUs lead to them forming a friendship. They find themselves catching feeling for one another and try to avoid it. Scott is a single-dad and the main provider for his family, while El is still trying to recover from her past. But these two have some insane chemistry together. Their witty banter and playfulness caused me to ship them from their first actual introduction.
Scott's character is, what I would call, the take-home-to-mama book-boyfriend. He is so caring, charming, and selfless. However, those traits are also his biggest flaw as he puts others before his-self. It didn't stop me from swooning over him. Ellie talks about how he makes her ovaries burst on multiple occasions and it is a pretty accurate description of his effect on the opposite sex. By the other reviews I've seen online, Mr. Scott has a fan club. If you love good guy heros, you will adore Scott!
Ellie's character is just as great as Scott. I love a great strong heroine and that describes Ellie perfectly. She is constantly having to prove to everyone, including herself, that she is better. She is full of so much understanding and wisdom. I loved her heartfelt talks with Scott; those are my favorite scenes of the book. I think Ellie is one that sees the glass half-full instead of half-empty. She fakes it 'till she makes it and I admire the hell out of that.
As this is a duet, there is a mild cliffhanger. I spent a good portion of the book trying to guess the ending. I thought I had it all figured out. Joke's on me because I didn't have the slightest clue. Meyer doesn't make it the obvious choice that I thought it would be and I really appreciated the surprise aspect.
I highly recommend this one. It releases tomorrow so mark your calendars! You will want to devour this one!
This review was originally posted on Sincerely, Whitney
February 10, 2020
I was so freaking excited when L.L let me know there was a new book!!! Thank you for the arc and letting me read this story!!
This story is all about growth to me, Scott was amazing and Ellie was strong!! Scott had so much on his plate taking care of his entire family and being as young as he was. Ellie was trying to basically reinvent herself. She had been through so many tough situations, she had a lot of self doubt but Scott helped her see her worth. It took Scott a little bit to get it all figured out because he had never felt this way about anyone. There was a lot of self discovery in this book and I loved to watch them grow. It ends in a little cliffhanger but it was so worth the read. Can't wait to read the next one!! Oh and if you haven't read her Penny books you need to!!
This story is all about growth to me, Scott was amazing and Ellie was strong!! Scott had so much on his plate taking care of his entire family and being as young as he was. Ellie was trying to basically reinvent herself. She had been through so many tough situations, she had a lot of self doubt but Scott helped her see her worth. It took Scott a little bit to get it all figured out because he had never felt this way about anyone. There was a lot of self discovery in this book and I loved to watch them grow. It ends in a little cliffhanger but it was so worth the read. Can't wait to read the next one!! Oh and if you haven't read her Penny books you need to!!
September 9, 2021
Ellie is an ex-party girl from a wealthy family. She’s spent years doing whoever and whatever she wanted, then one night changed everything.
Scott has taken on the responsibility of raising three young girls and his grandmother. He just passed his GED a year ago and has found a good job managing a construction site.
These two couldn’t be more different, yet under it all, they are both desperate to be loved and appreciated. Ellie is intelligent, flawed and pushing herself to turn her life around. Scott has a heart of gold, is a fabulous single parent, and is dealing with underlying prejudices surrounding addiction, race and money. I loved this writing, honest and real communications rather than drama laden insecurities to move the plot along. This author writes FAMILIES. The layers upon layers of history, hurt, love, and insecurities were perfection.
Already have book two downloaded and ready to go!
Scott has taken on the responsibility of raising three young girls and his grandmother. He just passed his GED a year ago and has found a good job managing a construction site.
These two couldn’t be more different, yet under it all, they are both desperate to be loved and appreciated. Ellie is intelligent, flawed and pushing herself to turn her life around. Scott has a heart of gold, is a fabulous single parent, and is dealing with underlying prejudices surrounding addiction, race and money. I loved this writing, honest and real communications rather than drama laden insecurities to move the plot along. This author writes FAMILIES. The layers upon layers of history, hurt, love, and insecurities were perfection.
Already have book two downloaded and ready to go!
March 13, 2020
Sometimes love finds you when you least expect it, but need it the most. NOT SO FAR AWAY by L.L. Meyer begins a duet about love, second chances and taking chances. It is also about inner strength and believing in yourself to deserve a second chance at getting life right.
They met months before and Scott’s kindness helped put Ellie on a different path in life, one without a dead end, open to possibilities. Now they have crossed paths again and Ellie returns the favor, Scott none the wiser about who she is. Should she tell him or ruin the first positive thing that has happened in her life in a long time?
Sweet, proof that there are truly good people in the world and completely believable, this romance feels almost like a fairytale come to life where the monsters live within one damaged woman as her knight in shining armor continually shows her there are good men out there, capable of unselfish love and relationships.
Peppered with humor, heart and some interesting twists, L.L. Meyer proves one should never judge a book by its cover and there can be a special love for anyone.
Not too fluffy, not too dark, this well-written romance leaves room for part two of this duology, as romantics wait to discover if there can be that HEA for one deserving couple!
I received a complimentary copy from L.L. Meyer! This is my honest and voluntary review.
Duology: Worlds Collide Duet - Book 1
Publication Date: February 9, 2020
Publisher: L.L. Meyer
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Print Length: 311 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
They met months before and Scott’s kindness helped put Ellie on a different path in life, one without a dead end, open to possibilities. Now they have crossed paths again and Ellie returns the favor, Scott none the wiser about who she is. Should she tell him or ruin the first positive thing that has happened in her life in a long time?
Sweet, proof that there are truly good people in the world and completely believable, this romance feels almost like a fairytale come to life where the monsters live within one damaged woman as her knight in shining armor continually shows her there are good men out there, capable of unselfish love and relationships.
Peppered with humor, heart and some interesting twists, L.L. Meyer proves one should never judge a book by its cover and there can be a special love for anyone.
Not too fluffy, not too dark, this well-written romance leaves room for part two of this duology, as romantics wait to discover if there can be that HEA for one deserving couple!
I received a complimentary copy from L.L. Meyer! This is my honest and voluntary review.
Duology: Worlds Collide Duet - Book 1
Publication Date: February 9, 2020
Publisher: L.L. Meyer
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Print Length: 311 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
August 15, 2021
I went in with different expectations for Not So Far Away. I thought I was going to get this amazingly wonderful steadfast hero and I was more than prepared to swoon. But, as I was reading the relationship unfold between Scotty and Ellie, I couldn’t help feeling both frustrated and disappointed (emphasis on the frustrated).
Did I get a hero with unwavering commitment and support for his lady love????
NO I DID NOT AND IT BOTHERED ME SO MUCH I AM PUTTING THIS IN BOLD!!!!!
Scotty wasn’t steadfast in his commitment to Ellie. And let me tell you, his support for her most definitely wavered……….
I’m not oblivious as to why Scott would have trepidation about getting involved with Ellie (he is a young single father and has a long list of responsibilities), I just didn’t care for his attitude toward Ellie. Or rather, I didn’t expect it. I was under the impression that Scotty was going to be all in from the get-go and since he wasn’t, that tainted my opinion of him. Also tainting my opinion of him was the way he yanked Ellie around.
But you know who I did like????
Ellie!!!!!!!!!!!
She was smart and self-aware and more importantly, flawed. She was extremely hard on herself and I found myself wanting to give her a big ol' hug most of the story, and especially when Scott had an internal freak out and blew Ellie off. His actions devastated her. She had put her heart on the line for Scott and his rejection hit her hard. Being pro-Ellie, I too, was furious at Scott.
But, then he apologized and laid out his feelings and his intentions. Being so pro-Ellie, I honestly wanted more groveling, for both Ellie’s sake and mine. Putting aside the fact that I didn't get him on his knees crying, he did manage to redeem himself (mostly) during the remainder of the story.
So, although I was irked by the hero at times and would have liked to seen Ellie make Scott suffer a little more because I’m a cold bitch like that, I can say that overall, I liked this story, especially the sexy parts. L.L. Meyer writes good steam (see: Fall From Grace🔥🔥🔥) .
Also, there is a part 2 to this story, so it is cliffhanger-ish in that you don't get a HEA at the end of this one because their story will continue to play out.
Anyway, in summary – 3 stars.
Did I get a hero with unwavering commitment and support for his lady love????
NO I DID NOT AND IT BOTHERED ME SO MUCH I AM PUTTING THIS IN BOLD!!!!!
Scotty wasn’t steadfast in his commitment to Ellie. And let me tell you, his support for her most definitely wavered……….
I’m not oblivious as to why Scott would have trepidation about getting involved with Ellie (he is a young single father and has a long list of responsibilities), I just didn’t care for his attitude toward Ellie. Or rather, I didn’t expect it. I was under the impression that Scotty was going to be all in from the get-go and since he wasn’t, that tainted my opinion of him. Also tainting my opinion of him was the way he yanked Ellie around.
But you know who I did like????
Ellie!!!!!!!!!!!
She was smart and self-aware and more importantly, flawed. She was extremely hard on herself and I found myself wanting to give her a big ol' hug most of the story, and especially when Scott had an internal freak out and blew Ellie off. His actions devastated her. She had put her heart on the line for Scott and his rejection hit her hard. Being pro-Ellie, I too, was furious at Scott.
But, then he apologized and laid out his feelings and his intentions. Being so pro-Ellie, I honestly wanted more groveling, for both Ellie’s sake and mine. Putting aside the fact that I didn't get him on his knees crying, he did manage to redeem himself (mostly) during the remainder of the story.
So, although I was irked by the hero at times and would have liked to seen Ellie make Scott suffer a little more because I’m a cold bitch like that, I can say that overall, I liked this story, especially the sexy parts. L.L. Meyer writes good steam (see: Fall From Grace🔥🔥🔥) .
Also, there is a part 2 to this story, so it is cliffhanger-ish in that you don't get a HEA at the end of this one because their story will continue to play out.
Anyway, in summary – 3 stars.
February 10, 2020
"I’m thinking it’s a recipe for disaster . . . but a disaster that I want with my entire soul."
If you are in the mood for a sweet story of gentle souls, Not Do Far Away is definitely your next book.
L.L. Meyer explored the blossoming relationship of two young people, Scott and Elsa (Piper / Ellie) that everything in life seems to oppose. Only, fate brought them together. Twice. The first time, Scott saved Piper by serving as an electroshock. The second time, Ellie was the one to save Scort by sparing him issues with the police.
Although coming from different cultures and from different social background, their connection is undeniable. They each have their obligations, their goals in life, and I particularly loved that they act so responsible. I could feel their doubts, their hesitations, their attraction. The author did an amazing job when it came to capturing the growth of their relationship.
I smiled and laughed, totally swooned, and was so proud of them when the difficulties arose...even if there was one time where I would have smacked Scott ;) !
I'm curious to see how things are going to evolved now that...well...if you want to know...read the book! Enjoy!
I VOLUNTARILY REVIEWED AN ARC COPY OF THIS BOOK. THANK YOU!!!
If you are in the mood for a sweet story of gentle souls, Not Do Far Away is definitely your next book.
L.L. Meyer explored the blossoming relationship of two young people, Scott and Elsa (Piper / Ellie) that everything in life seems to oppose. Only, fate brought them together. Twice. The first time, Scott saved Piper by serving as an electroshock. The second time, Ellie was the one to save Scort by sparing him issues with the police.
Although coming from different cultures and from different social background, their connection is undeniable. They each have their obligations, their goals in life, and I particularly loved that they act so responsible. I could feel their doubts, their hesitations, their attraction. The author did an amazing job when it came to capturing the growth of their relationship.
I smiled and laughed, totally swooned, and was so proud of them when the difficulties arose...even if there was one time where I would have smacked Scott ;) !
I'm curious to see how things are going to evolved now that...well...if you want to know...read the book! Enjoy!
I VOLUNTARILY REVIEWED AN ARC COPY OF THIS BOOK. THANK YOU!!!
June 5, 2020
' “The truth is that when I’m with you, everything is right with the world, and when I’m not, I feel like I’m drowning. I realize now that needing you and missing you don’t make me weak . . .”First of all, I want to thank the author for providing me with a new book boyfriend. Scott is THE perfect hero and I can't wait to meet him again in the second part of this duet.
“. . . they make everything so much better.” '
This story is about Ellie, an ex-party girl who is trying to get her life back together and Scott, a single dad who takes care of his family and is not really interested in girls like Ellie.
I have to admit that in the beginning, I was a bit overwhelmed by Scotts family. I thought I had to write down a family tree or something, but a bit futher into the story, all felt so natural. I love the world that the author created here. And I was able to pick up some Spanish while reading it ;)
Scott is the father figure to three little girls, and they are just adorable. I loved loved loved how he told them about Ellie and their reactions. In the prologue we meet Ellie on a really low point, when she decides to change her life. I really liked Ellie and how she pushes through her life not wanting to depend on anyone.
'I know better than anyone that wondering and wishing do nothing to change the unfairness of life.'The story describes how Ellie and Scott meet by chance, not once but twice, and how their friendship developes to something more. And let me tell you: The chemistry is off the charts!
' "You have a family to go home to. You have children who love you. You have friends. You have –”Gah! So so swoon-worthy! And although it is a New Adult romance it's not like many of the other books in that genre. Of course, there is drama, but it's believable and the characters actually talk to each other to resolve it. Which, to me, makes it more Adult than New Adult. I also loved that never in a million years would I have guessed how the story ends. Well done!
“I don’t have you.” '
I highly recommend it!
PS: How pretty is this cover?!? It's as beautiful as the story <3
February 14, 2020
I absolutely love this book!!! 😍💖💕
The must read in the year 2020 for all romantic and also realistic hearts😊😍
Instead of reckless, I feel safe.
Instead of brittle, I feel whole.
Why am I so thrilled and excited and overwhelmed by it? Well, because the story just pulls you in from the start. Ellie and Scott are so real they could be my next door friends. I love them sooooo much!!!
💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕
It is so cute how they meet and how their relationship is slowly growing with all getting-to-know-you-awkward moments. Their thoughts are the best part if you ask me…
...and jeans that are once again molded to that phenomenal ass. Right, moving on.
Is it weird that his work boots turn me on? Probably.
Of course there is no great story without awesome side characters. And there are plenty of them who give support, humour and all the more to hero and heroine…
😇😇😇
cute little girls
“Are you sure you don’t like the red ones?”
“Ellie is a girl, Tío. She likes pink way better than red.”
🧐🧐🧐
wise grandmother
“It’s a woman then,” she announces. “A woman is exactly what you need.”
Say what now? My grandmother and any woman that I need don’t belong in the same thought, let alone in a sentence that’s spoken aloud.
😎😎😎
Mexican mafia guys
“Ey, Jefe. What the fuck, right?”
😜😜😜
best of friends
“Opal sounds like a sixty year old lady, Scotty. I know you’re into older women, but I think you might be taking it too far.”
And when throughout the reading you get some common known advice wrapped in a whole new thought, well that makes my day...
...as soon as life gets easy, it’s about to go to shit or it already has and you just don’t know it yet.
Last but not least, it always feels good when the heroine is strong enough to put assholes in the corner…
Well, fuck that! You feel that I’m not worth your time and effort and I disagree. I’m a strong, independent woman who knows how to save herself when she needs it.
I am grateful from all my heart to Lisa for the opportunity to be her beta reader and to get the ARC. Thank you, Lisa, billion of millions times😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘
The must read in the year 2020 for all romantic and also realistic hearts😊😍
Instead of reckless, I feel safe.
Instead of brittle, I feel whole.
Why am I so thrilled and excited and overwhelmed by it? Well, because the story just pulls you in from the start. Ellie and Scott are so real they could be my next door friends. I love them sooooo much!!!
💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕
It is so cute how they meet and how their relationship is slowly growing with all getting-to-know-you-awkward moments. Their thoughts are the best part if you ask me…
...and jeans that are once again molded to that phenomenal ass. Right, moving on.
Is it weird that his work boots turn me on? Probably.
Of course there is no great story without awesome side characters. And there are plenty of them who give support, humour and all the more to hero and heroine…
😇😇😇
cute little girls
“Are you sure you don’t like the red ones?”
“Ellie is a girl, Tío. She likes pink way better than red.”
🧐🧐🧐
wise grandmother
“It’s a woman then,” she announces. “A woman is exactly what you need.”
Say what now? My grandmother and any woman that I need don’t belong in the same thought, let alone in a sentence that’s spoken aloud.
😎😎😎
Mexican mafia guys
“Ey, Jefe. What the fuck, right?”
😜😜😜
best of friends
“Opal sounds like a sixty year old lady, Scotty. I know you’re into older women, but I think you might be taking it too far.”
And when throughout the reading you get some common known advice wrapped in a whole new thought, well that makes my day...
...as soon as life gets easy, it’s about to go to shit or it already has and you just don’t know it yet.
Last but not least, it always feels good when the heroine is strong enough to put assholes in the corner…
Well, fuck that! You feel that I’m not worth your time and effort and I disagree. I’m a strong, independent woman who knows how to save herself when she needs it.
I am grateful from all my heart to Lisa for the opportunity to be her beta reader and to get the ARC. Thank you, Lisa, billion of millions times😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘
October 4, 2020
Scott - sigh, Ellie is one lucky lady.
5 year age difference, with Ellie being older, Scott is mature thanks to all he's experienced an having the responsibility of three little girls.
Scott's three little girls were cute. His interactions with his daughter Rosa, his youngest sister Carmen, his cousin Daniela were lovely.
This book had me smiling. An enjoyable one time read, went straight to book two.
Acquired via KU.
5 year age difference, with Ellie being older, Scott is mature thanks to all he's experienced an having the responsibility of three little girls.
Scott's three little girls were cute. His interactions with his daughter Rosa, his youngest sister Carmen, his cousin Daniela were lovely.
This book had me smiling. An enjoyable one time read, went straight to book two.
Acquired via KU.
March 27, 2020
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I've never read anything by L.L. Meyer, and I wanted to read this book because it was different from what I usually read.
The main protagonists are Scott and Ellie. He is young, has a nice job, and he takes care for his big family which includes younger sisters and a 6 year old daughter he had with one of his ex girlfriends. From the moment we meet Scott, we see how caring he is towards his family and how he tries to make them live a nice life despite they aren't rich. He is the only paternal figure in the family, since his sisters and he have different fathers and they were never in this life. He is the type of man who always tries to do the right thing and tries not to put himself in danger for the sake of his daughter. But one night, when he's out with his friend who is also a dealer, he is about to be arrested and he is saved by a woman in a bar who throws off the agent who was following Scott.
That woman was Ellie, our female protagonist. People used to call her Piper, but she's now done with the life her old persona lead, so now she's just Ellie. Piper was a party girl with alcohol and drugs problems, but one day, after a bad night, she realizes that she can't go on like that. Ironically, the person who helped her epiphany was Scott, and when she meets him again a lot of months later, she helps him.
Ellie and Scott's relationship starts off as a friendship. She has sworn off men because she didn't have nice boyfriends, and Scott doesn't want to tie himself to a woman after the disaster with his baby mama. Eventually, even if Scott and Ellie try not to cross boundaries, they give into passion and decide they want to try to be together. Of course, it won't be easy.
I was mad at Scott for some choices he made but I liked that when he had to, he always defended Ellie and once his mind was set, he tried to make it up for anything he did wrong to her. Not that he did many wrong things to her, but let's say he acted like a jerk sometimes, but he could be forgiven. I mean, he didn't do things I would consider unforgivable.
I liked Ellie the most because she was confident and real, even if sometimes she let herself down because of her fears.
The reason why I didn't give it 5 stars (this is more of a 3.75 stars read) is that despite I loved the first 60%, then there were a lot of sexy scenes and what happened in between bored me. I didn't expect a lot of drama, but what happened stalled my reading... if you think it took me three days to read the remaining 40% of the book.
The story ends with a small cliffhanger that I'm sure will be dealt with in the second part of this duet. No idea why (probably because I have a good memory and I'm an observer), but I already saw it coming. I still don't know if it will make me read book #2, because like I said, if there is a lot of sex I am annoyed, because I want more substance. Sure, sex is another way to show the shades of a couple, but what can I say? I'm not the type of reader who wants a lot of sexy moments in a book.
Anyway, I liked how the author built the characters. They felt realistic and their reactions seemed on point too. This reason may make me want to read the second part of this duet... we'll see.
August 31, 2020
I loved loved this book
December 31, 2021
"Listen to me, Scotty. If there's one thing that life has taught me over the years it's that race is meaningless. There are good and bad people in all walks of life."
This was such a heartwarming sweet and surprisingly good read. P.s its heartwarming with some spice in it definitely.
Sometimes might say simple and plain in storytelling can be seen as a negative review however the simplicity of this storytelling was just perfect and attractive.
The plotline following issues on single parent, drug and alcohol addiction, family drama, race, relationship, individual growth was very real, honest, raw and relatable to real-life issues which makes you want to root even more to the characters.
Nothing was fake or turn off with the characters. They are who they are even though they aren't perfect we see them through their highs and lows and how they are going to grow over time.
How is Scotty such the perfect gentleman? Not only was he sweet, but he is also an alpha caveman, I LOVE.
I am excited to see more of El's character growth. There's so much more to her story, her relationship with herself, her family and Scotty!
"Look at you. I don't think I've ever wanted anything more than you at this very moment."
This was such a heartwarming sweet and surprisingly good read. P.s its heartwarming with some spice in it definitely.
Sometimes might say simple and plain in storytelling can be seen as a negative review however the simplicity of this storytelling was just perfect and attractive.
The plotline following issues on single parent, drug and alcohol addiction, family drama, race, relationship, individual growth was very real, honest, raw and relatable to real-life issues which makes you want to root even more to the characters.
Nothing was fake or turn off with the characters. They are who they are even though they aren't perfect we see them through their highs and lows and how they are going to grow over time.
How is Scotty such the perfect gentleman? Not only was he sweet, but he is also an alpha caveman, I LOVE.
I am excited to see more of El's character growth. There's so much more to her story, her relationship with herself, her family and Scotty!
"Look at you. I don't think I've ever wanted anything more than you at this very moment."
March 29, 2020
This was a book I didn’t know I needed to read until it was devoured practically in a day. Now I’m so glad I got to read this book because I enjoyed every second and was addicted to every word and character. It’s going straight into my favourite books shelf as it’s made me swoon, smile and laugh. WHAT A BOOK!! This book is a perfect example of why romance books capture my heart and make me want to go back for more.
In the book we meet Ellie (Piper) who after a bad experience after a night out swears off men, alcohol and bad choices, leaving the party lifestyle behind. During the morning after she meets a stranger who shows a kind gesture for Ellie and after 10 months she meets her stranger again and a friendship is formed. Scott (the stranger) is a loyal family man who cares for his daughter, siblings and other close family members. He is often juggling the responsibilities he has on his shoulders but when he jumps into Ellie’s life, everything changes. Scott and Ellie begin to see more of each other and their friendship turns into much more.
I’ve honestly got the biggest smile on my face as I remember this story. I loved Ellie and Scott’s banter, their friendship was perfect and each time they arranged to see each other, I loved watching them grow as a couple. I was addicted to being inside their head to see what would happen next. I had butterflies in my stomach myself, Scott was one hell of a book boyfriend! He’s loyal to his family, a strong and protective provider to his family and being gorgeous and speaking Spanish was the icing on the cake. Whatever life through at him, he dealt with it and Ellie was also a very strong character and I admired her strength and attitude to change her life around. Easily a 5+ book! I won’t be forgetting this one in a hurry and I want the next book already!
In the book we meet Ellie (Piper) who after a bad experience after a night out swears off men, alcohol and bad choices, leaving the party lifestyle behind. During the morning after she meets a stranger who shows a kind gesture for Ellie and after 10 months she meets her stranger again and a friendship is formed. Scott (the stranger) is a loyal family man who cares for his daughter, siblings and other close family members. He is often juggling the responsibilities he has on his shoulders but when he jumps into Ellie’s life, everything changes. Scott and Ellie begin to see more of each other and their friendship turns into much more.
I’ve honestly got the biggest smile on my face as I remember this story. I loved Ellie and Scott’s banter, their friendship was perfect and each time they arranged to see each other, I loved watching them grow as a couple. I was addicted to being inside their head to see what would happen next. I had butterflies in my stomach myself, Scott was one hell of a book boyfriend! He’s loyal to his family, a strong and protective provider to his family and being gorgeous and speaking Spanish was the icing on the cake. Whatever life through at him, he dealt with it and Ellie was also a very strong character and I admired her strength and attitude to change her life around. Easily a 5+ book! I won’t be forgetting this one in a hurry and I want the next book already!
February 29, 2020
Wow. I started off this book feeling pretty melancholy. (I'd accidentally put Wicked Game on repeat while I was in the tub.) Soon, this slow-burn consumed me. It was easy to get happy. The depth of the characters, the culture, and socio-economic variations were conveyed with skill. I felt like I was a part of two separate lives slowly being interwoven. L.L. Meyer wrote in 3-D.
I was rooting for my girl, Ellie. Although I've never personally gone through a Miley Cyrus phase, I have been a train wreck. My heart hurt for her. It was so easy to be proud of her strength. It was so relatable that she didn't see herself how Scott saw her and vice versa.
Scott. Wow. Meyer threw down a huge foundation of respect for him before adding some exemplary sexual bossiness. I'm so excited to read about his HEA. He deserves it after stepping up and being the man for his family.
This is an amazing book. After I finished it, I missed the characters. I missed the storyline. I've gotta be honest. I'm always hesitant to read duets, trilogies, quadra-series (I think I made that one up) ect. I hate waiting. I hate cliff hangers. Thank goodness Not So Far Away had an actual great and unpredictable ending. (Which, to be honest, is rare.) I can't wait for the continuation. Y'all know I'm impatient AF. ...is the next book out yet?
March 11, 2020
5 stars! L.L. Meyer is a new author for me and I am so so glad I found her. This book was so wonderful! Beautifully written, naturalistic, romantic and seriously delectably steamy. It was such a joy to spend a little time in the Latin American community, which, as an Australian, is so new and interesting! And I was glad to get a few Spanish lessons as well. I loved Ellie so much, her confidence, her strength, and mostly her ability and desire to save herself. Scott was just as loveable and my ovaries were exploding right along with Ellie’s. The ending is an awesome surprise and I’m desperate to get my hands on the sequel! Highly highly recommend!!
June 14, 2020
I would like to thank Lisa for giving me the opportunity to read this new book!!
This book illustrates love in the form of kindness & acceptance. Never underestimate the power of kindness, it can change one’s life and this is exactly what happened to Ellie. A simple kind deed from Scott changed her life, from a wild party girl to a strong & independent woman. Despite knowing her past, Scott still accept her for who she is. Because who doesn’t have a past, right?
And a kind deed is what brought them together. Just when Scott was in dire straits, Ellie helped him. Everything just slowly developed when Scott wanted to thank ElIie for her help & story just gets better and better. Their love story just makes me swoon 😍
Although it ended with a little bit of cliffhanger but this book is my definition of perfect. Not to mention the normalcy in this book.
This book illustrates love in the form of kindness & acceptance. Never underestimate the power of kindness, it can change one’s life and this is exactly what happened to Ellie. A simple kind deed from Scott changed her life, from a wild party girl to a strong & independent woman. Despite knowing her past, Scott still accept her for who she is. Because who doesn’t have a past, right?
And a kind deed is what brought them together. Just when Scott was in dire straits, Ellie helped him. Everything just slowly developed when Scott wanted to thank ElIie for her help & story just gets better and better. Their love story just makes me swoon 😍
Although it ended with a little bit of cliffhanger but this book is my definition of perfect. Not to mention the normalcy in this book.
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