This one is a pretty emotional, and at times intense, read. You have two characters dealing with a lot of hurt, trauma, and difficult pasts, trying to forge a new path for themselves. This story could fit in a few romance tropes including slow-burn friends to lovers, and roommates. If you like angsty romance novels, you may like this one.

I absolutely loved Zelda and Beckett! I had a feeling from first meeting Zelda in Emma's book All In that I was going to love her. And I did. She has had a hell of a life, and things are not going well for her when she follows her dream and moves to NYC to try to sell her graphic novel.

Beckett, he hasn't allowed himself to truly live for a very long time. That all changes when these two people meet. Beckett was everything Zelda needed, and I loved their slow progression.

As usual, Emma throws ALL THE FEELS into this story. Perfect - it was perfect!

This is definitely one of my favorite authors. Her books always move me and I love a book that can hook a reader and make them emotionally involved with the story and characters. This was my third book by Emma Scott and I just adore her work. I will most certainly continue to read whatever this author writes.


https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1936559199

I tried to read this book multiple times and I just can't get into it. I will try again at some point, but the beginning of the book is not drawing me in.

I really don't have much to say about this one. The writing and plot were all fine. It just wasn't a book that I could easily get into.

Wowzers! This was a first read of mine for this authoress. Ms, Scott can definitely put pen to paper and write a lovely story. From the very beginning I was captivated. I was drawn to the characters and I read this so fast, I felt I just blinked and I was finished. She has a natural talent in story telling capabilities. One of my FOREVER favorites!!

YASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS. So I LOVED Emma Scott's duet; Full Tilt. And this book was almost as good! The angst and buildup, the conflict, the romance, the hardships and struggles these characters try to overcome. It was just such a perfect balance with an interesting plot. It was impossible not to fall in love with these characters! You root for them the entire time and I thought it concluded beautifully. It didn't tug at my heartstrings quite like Scott's duet, but it was still pretty beautiful it its own way.

“Every day it feels less like something I shouldn't be allowed to have, and move like something precious I can't throw away.”

"We'd possessed the kind of magnetic tension that pushes the other away until right then, that that moment, where we finally crashed together."

The one and only criticism I have is something that happens in a majority of books I read and thus isn't quite fair to dwell on (but I'm going to mention it anyway!). The term of endearment "baby" or "babe" is one that will always and forever make me cringe! I don't know why, but I just can't - especially so quickly! Like the first time it came up, I literally groaned and put the book down to roll my eyes. Why that term of endearment?!?! I know it's trendy or whatever, but ugh! Again, it's certainly not fair of me to call it out in THIS book since so many romance/new adult books use that term of endearment, but I couldn't not mention it. It didn't prevent me from rating it a solid 5 stars, but I finally had to say it.

All in all, it was a well told story and I will absolutely continue to read all of Emma Scott's books! I said it in my review of All In, and I'll say it again - In my opinion, Emma Scott's writing is comparable to Colleen Hoover's. They are probably my two favorite authors and I hope that Scott's books can get the attention they deserve! Job well done!!

This is one of the better New Adult novels I've read. I enjoyed the characters, plot, and pacing. Plenty of swoon moments to go around. A strong NA novel.

Loved this story, possibly my favourite Emma Scott book, I immediately fell in love with the characters! The story was great and well plotted and written!

*5 "There's Another Way" Stars*

Copy kindly received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is my 3rd book by Emma Scott, after previously having read the Full Tilt Duet. Those books were full of so much heart and I loved them, so I've been eager to read more by Ms Scott.

Why I waited so long to pick this one up, when its been on my kindle for quite a while now, is beyond me. But boy, am I glad I finally read this.

Firstly, I'm not crying, you're crying. Holy shiz I just cried so hard when I was finishing this book.

The story of Zelda and Beckett is amazing. Its about second chances, self forgiveness, self confidence, love, fear, inner strength, knowing right from wrong, and so many other things. This book was everything. Wow. I loved it so hard!

I was intrigued by both main characters stories right from the beginning, and the more we got to know them, I was determined to see them get their happy ending. They both have a lot of personal demons, for things that have happened in their pasts, and I was really hoping to see them let go of those and look towards the future they both deserved.

The graphic novel story line is also really cool, and I loved the couple of illustrations that were included. It's one of the driving forces of the story and its not a typical storyline at all. 

I don't want to ruin the plot for anyone, so I won't really go into it, but YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK. I love love loved it. The characters were so well written and the story brings out emotion, particularly towards the end.

Highly recommend this one! Emma Scott, take a bow!

⚪⚪⚪4.5 Fluttering Stars⚪⚪⚪
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"Divulging personal pain in the dark had drawn us closer, and the light of day now wanted to push us away."
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Happily ever after's may not exist in many people's life, it's what the belief is, the magic in the world is slowly dissipating, as people are lost in these worlds.
People are broken inside as everyone has a story.
And This is the story of two desperate and broken souls, living a life in this small world where fairytales does not exist.
Life is Rough & Tough.
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"our pain was of the same fabric, even if the patterns were different, but he was helping me. And I can’t help him."
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Zelda and Beckett are one of those people, constantly in touch with their pain, the guilt that seems to weigh them down.
It was all they had left with them, these were their battled scars which they never won and in their darkness it was always showing up marking them every time they thought about it.
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"Express how you feel, Beckett. Unlock your heart . Your words are beautiful. And they have power."
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Beckett Copeland is that alluring and endearing, broken hero who will whisk you away with his charms & graciousness . He made me sentimentaly Mushy with his kindness and a big loveable broken heart.
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"I’m all premise, no pulse."
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Zelda a graphic novelist with a sassy, hardcore personality had tough exterior but an internal softness was behind those layers where she was hiding.. behind all of it she wanted to be free, loved get over the guilt she is harbouring since childhood.
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Zelda and Beckett had an opposite personality but still fits like a puzzle exactly at place.. They are so godamn cute together!!
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Emma Scott had flawlessly scripted the whole story by giving us a heartbreakingly Beautiful Story where a girl is trying to reach the world with her novel, trying to fight a battle for humanity, a plead to the world to open their eyes & a man who's lost everything he cared for and lost the hope that his life would ever see the sunshine.
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The Butterfly Project conveys us that, we can compare the innocence and fragility in a butterfly, with the human feelings & emotions.. so delicate yet strong.

Wonderful and touching story about forgiveness and love. Emma Scott has just been added to my favorite authors. The way she presented the very difficult subject of forgiveness is simply a masterpiece. This is one of the few books in the genre of romance that forced me to deeper reflection on more serious subjects.

Learn how to forgive and love yourself so you can see your Worth is definitely the premise of this book and what a lovely heartfelt book it was

The MC Zelda and Beckett were made for each other and watching them figure out who they were and how they fitted together perfectly was wonderful.

Great Story. Loved it

4 Stars

Donna
4TLOReading

I haven’t read a story’s of Emma Scott’s that I haven’t loved!! She is definitely becoming one of my favorite authors!!
One of the main characters, Zelda, stems out from her book All In. If you haven’t read Full Tilt and All In then I highly recommend them!! They were one of my favorite reads of 2017!
I love Zelda and Beckett’s story! Both are living daily with regret from choices made in their past and they can’t seem to move forward. They meet and she needs a place to stay until she revises her graphic novel. She ends up living moving in with Beckett temporarily. Their attraction is instant but Beckett has made an oath with himself that he can never find happiness because he doesn’t deserve it because of his past sins. Zelda’s not much different in her thinking. She holds herself to blame after her sister was abducted and killed 10 years before. She feels she should’ve done more to prevent it. She’s effected so much that she can barely stand to visit her family. I love how immediately Beckett can calm her anxiety so easily where no one has been able to before. I love how they seem to heal each other as they grow closer and eventually teach each other to that it’s okay forgive themselves and that they both deserve happiness and love. Such a great story that will have you feeling all the feels. I’m left smiling ear to ear at the ending!! I can’t wait for my next read by Emma Scott!!

A story of Zelda, a broken artist taking risks to succeed in New York and a change meeting with Beckett changes her life.

The story was written well and was intriguing with believable characters that leave you routing for them to overcome their past.

I LOVED THIS BOOK!

“Wasn’t love a kind of chaos theory? One small look, one smile or one word could alter the course of a life forever.”

This book was one of failure, regret and guilt. Of second chances, hope and love. It had good humour, real romance and a deeper story than I had anticipated. It made me cry, made me laugh and made my heart hurt and soar.
I didn’t put this book down once! I completely forgot what sleeping and eating was and just read. This story was captivating, emotionally and mentally moving and…real. I felt like I was watching the character’s lives as if I were right next to them. I felt their pain and guilt as if it were my own. I lived, cried and loved right along with them.

Characters:

Zelda Rossi – Running low on money, with nowhere to go and her dreams crushed, Zelda is out of options. The only person she knows in this city is a waiter boy she met. With no other options she propositions the waiter. She will help pay his rent if she can share his apartment for a few months until she gets back on her feet.

Beckett - Beckett is barely staying above water; his two jobs aren’t enough to pay his weekly rent. He has no choice but to trust this girl he hardly knows to save him from eviction. But will she still want to stay with him when she finds out what he did?

Zelda and Beckett were characters who were plainly imperfect. They lived everyday stuck in that one moment that changed their lives, unable to move forward. All they saw was their past mistakes, all they felt was guilt. The most unlikely of circumstances brought these two together and together they healed but their pasts constantly lurked behind them.

”I recognized the weight of guilt that hung around his neck, because I wore it too.”

Plot:

This story was told in dual point of view which has always been my favourite format for reading a book. When a book is told from one person’s point of view, I feel like I’m only getting half the story. This is not the case for all books, but I tend to connect more with each character when I get to be inside the minds of both, especially in romances. The plot was very easy to follow and the author’s genius to evading the full back story of both characters had me flying through the book just to get the full story. On the outside, Zelda was an amateur graphic novelist from Philadelphia and Beckett was a born and bred New Yorker. No one would guess that behind their smiles were two kids lost and wounded. New York is said to be the City of Dreams, but not for them.
New York to Zelda was cold and unforgiving.
New York to Beckett was its own kind of prison he couldn’t escape.
The back story of the protagonists was gripping and a reminder of how cruel this world can be. It was also a reminder that we shouldn’t let the past define us but strengthen us.

Last Note:

In every romance story there are two basic elements; a central love story and an emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending. How the author uses these two elements is purely up to them to twist and turn it into the story it becomes. It is a tossup if their efforts paid off and if they successfully delivered a story worthwhile. Emma Scott was able to do this and more with this story.
I read a lot of books, some good, some bad, and some I wish I never picked up. It is a rare occasion when a book truly moves me and isn’t just basic literary entertainment but a life learning and eye opening experience. This book made me believe in the strength of love. As for what “The Butterfly Project” means…read the book and find out.
I’ll definitely be re-reading this one again.

Emma Scott has done it again! I have yet to read a book by her and not fall in love with it! That being said, this one has been my favorite so far! Zelda and Beckett were such great characters, they took my heart by storm! I could not put this down, this is a book that will definitely stick with you if it impacts you the way that it did me.

Zelda and Beckett have painful pasts. Both are struggling every moment with the emotional baggage. The author does an excellent job of putting the reader in their shoes. I easily understood their actions and feelings. I love these characters and how they don't play romance games. I suppose because they have seen firsthand how real consequences can be, they take life seriously. Both characters are sort of stuck and having trouble moving forward. They help to bring each other around to a better place. I definitely recommend The Butterfly Project. It's entertaining, but it also leaves you thinking. It's not a book that you can just finish and forget. The occasional drawings are a bonus that really adds to the storyline.

The Butterfly Project is the story of Zelda Rossi and Beckett Copeland. Two flawed souls who feel undeserving of love and happiness for different reasons. Their story is phenomenal. There’s romance, friendship, and the power of forgiveness. The banter between them was full of humor and their communication was clear and mature. They were mature and considerate despite the desperation of their own situations. Beckett is kind and selfless. Zelda is giving and brave. Both suffered from misplaced guilt, but they were able to heal each other. Told in dual POV, you connect and feel the story. Secondary characters are fleshed out and add to it making the story even more moving. The Butterfly Project gives you everything - friendship, second chances, hope, forgiveness, learning to move on and deep love. I thoroughly enjoyed reading a book that was well written and well told. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to read something unique, magical and full of love.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

An emotionally intense novel, the story of a graphic novel artist and an ex-con, their interaction, and the past encroaching on the present made for a somewhat sad, definitely tense New Adult novel.

The pacing was a bit slow for my liking, though I don’t think it would put off a lot of people. Fans of slow burn romances might even find a favorite book in this. As it was my first of this author’s books, I can’t verify whether the rest would be as nice as this one, but The Butterfly Project would have me entertaining the thought of reading more of her work.

If I had to choose which of the main characters I preferred, I would say Beckett. While Zelda had her graphic novel artistry going for her, something I admire because manga and comic books have been a big part of my life for a long time, Beckett’s voice and his perspective chapters felt more real to me. I looked forward to the camera lens coming from his eyes, even when it was something as simple as looking at his neighborhood in Brooklyn, his walk-up apartment, the other people in his building.

Roy, Beckett’s parole officer, was an awesome character that really warmed my heart. Usually in books I wouldn’t have seen his character as someone to like, but Emma Scott crafted a caring individual who trusts and does his job in an effective manner.

The location of this story was something I liked in The Butterfly Project. I live close enough to NYC to visit a few times a year and while I’m not intimately familiar with all of its landscape, the way Emma Scott described it made it feel like I was right there on the street with Zelda and Beckett. It was easy to picture the hole-in-the-wall Italian restaurant where they first meet, the streets they walked to get Zelda back to her hostel early on in the book. It wasn’t a sanitized version of the city and I liked the atmosphere that was created.

The relationships formed, the ones that were broken and offered to the reader as insight into Zelda and Beckett’s character, these all came together and formed an interesting story that had dips and turns, pain and attachment, as in life. New Adult needs more books at the forefront and this could be one of them.