Loved this book. The character development was wonderful. I loved the back and forth of time periods.

seen all the amazing reviews listed below and had to jump at the opportunity to read this book. And I’m super glad I did. Another remarkable piece by Sarah Ready!
The Space Between by Sarah Ready is a beautifully written novel.
A stunning, heartwarming story that brings readers on an emotional journey through friendship, forgiveness and love.
I loved this book from start to finish. I was totally swept up in this gorgeous tale and admired how cleverly plotted it was.
The characters were great and I was sad to finish the book as I would no longer be spending time in their company. They were people I could relate to and empathise with.
IMO this this Sarah Ready at her absolute best!
This enchanting novel is one readers won't soon forget!

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and W.W. Crown for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Upper East Side Andi Hughes and South Bronx Jace Morgan have a chance meeting in Central Park and their connection is instantaneous.

No one around them understands the depth of their bond though. They’re not just from two different boroughs, but different worlds entirely. Andi, with her affluent family, never wanting for anything (except to be seen). Jace, having lost his very loving parents tragically, only has his brothers and his music. He is inspired by Andi every moment he’s with her, but what happens when she’s not there?

I’m not one for fluffy romance stories and overall this did not disappoint. There’s a realness to it that’s palpable. It’s bittersweet and emotional. Written in three parts, we see their relationship change from falling in love, to being torn apart, and the space between. As in real life, it’s both exasperating and beautiful.

Ok, heads up - keep those tissues at the ready, there's few couple tear jerking moments in this one! Not gonna lie I was surprised because my first book by Ready, French Holiday, was a fluffy, funny romcom and this book is emotional, sometimes raw and just made my heart ache on so many levels.

From page one I rooted for Andrea - way to take charge of your life girl, you go! I have nothing but respect for her going after what she wanted, which was a happy ever after with Jace (his background totally pulled on my heartstrings btw). I do have to say that the events leading up to them being apart for the next 8 years killed me a little inside. I am so mad on their behalf and I definitely did not forgive certain characters for what they did by the end of this book.

That being said, "the space between" also kinda gave me life (love the title and how it links to the story, somehow, now that I finished the book, it says so much in so few words). No one is more surprised than me that one of my favourite characters in this became Reid. Younger, he was arrogant and hateful but when we meet him again as an adult... Ouuufff... Be still my beating heart! I won't say more cause of spoilers but his character arc and story hurt me the most but I'm also so thankful this was included in the story.

In the end, Andrea and Jace fine each other again and I'm so happy that they get to live out their Happy Ever After together. This entire story was so much deeper than I expected and I'm grateful I got to read it! I went between the audiobook and ebook while reading - the narration of this book was excellent and this author has absolutely become and auto-buy author for me.

Content warnings: Death/Death of a parent, car accident, illness, drug abuse, grief.

A huge thank you to W. W. Crown, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) and NetGalley for the audiobook and the ARC for review. All opinions are my own.

Let me start by saying, I almost NEVER cry over a book. But OhMyLanta Sarah Ready, you got me good with this one. I kept those tissues nearby! You broke my heart, mended it a little, shattered it, and then put it back together.

Andie (aka Andrea) comes from money but hates the way her world is and doesn't enjoy being a part of it. Jace is an orphan, trying to get by making music with his brothers. When Jace is attacked by some of the "elite" in the park, Andie comes to the rescue.

He invites her to watch his band. They start hanging out together, and fall in love. He doesn't know who she truly is, but when he finds out, it doesn't even matter. Despite the protest of her family, she heads out on the road with Jace and his band. Things happen, mistakes were made, lies were told, and she ends up sadly returning home to her family and the life she hated. Jace endures something dreadful, but his band eventually makes it big.

Eight years pass without communication. Life goes on for both of them. Andie gets reacquainted with Reid (from the guys who jumped Jace gang). He has changed and lots happens that is spoilery. They end up engaged.

And then Jace walks back into her life. They spend a night talking. He begs her not to marry Reid and think he has succeeded. He also had a conversation with Reid. But there are things Jace doesn't know and the marriage goes on.

Fast forward again, and Jace and Andie meet up once again.

I am even getting chills writing this. But I feel their story, while sad at times, happened the way it was supposed to and their love endured all!

I found the audio to be fantastic!

Many thanks to W.W. Crown for both an ARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Andrea and Jace meet in Central Park and know they are meant to be together, no matter what. Unfortunately life has other ideas.

What a rollercoaster of a book. The emotions are so high with this one, but the ride is worth it.

Andrea: I really enjoyed her journey. It's more than just a love story for her. Her relationships with her family, especially her mother, evolves as she does. She comes into her own over the course of the book.

Jace and the musician side of things: I hesitate to call this a rockstar romance because Jace isn't a rockstar. He's a musician in a family of musicians. Seeing how this plays out in his family, along with the obligations they feel towards their parents, gives the book a unique twist on that type of romance.

The love story: These two fall in love the moment they meet but life gets in the way. I like how this book doesn't have a clear villain. There is so much that keeps them apart, even themselves at times. But they never loose that love that they have for each other.

All in all, this is a great angst filled romance for anyone who loves heartbreaking yet beautiful love stories.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the gifted copy. My reviews are always honest.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Steam Level: 🔥🔥🔥 (mildly descriptive open door scenes)
Trigger Warning: too many to list (message me for details)

Andrea "Andi" Leighton-Hughes is part of the richest family in New York. The only problem is that she doesn't have any friends or a loving family. Jace Morgan lost his parents at thirteen and lives in poverty with his two brothers, but he's found happiness through the music he and his brothers play with their best friends. When Andi and Jace cross paths at age seventeen, it's love at first sight and quickly becomes the love of a lifetime. Unfortunately, fate has other plans. Told in three parts, we see Jace and Andi experience deep love and heartbreak as the story of their love plays out over the years.

Here I am raving about another Sarah Ready book! This is unlike anything she's written before, and it is by far her best work. Jace and Andi's romance is very emotionally heavy, and I was bawling near the end. There is so much pain and heartache experienced by the characters in this book, but I promise it does have a happy ending. The first half of the book shows Jace and Andi falling in love up until the moment everything falls apart, and the second half consists of two parts that show their separate journeys over the years as they try to move forward and find new love and heartbreak along the way. I adored their young romance, and it was clear that they were meant to be together. Although the second half of the book has a lot of heartache, it also has another beautiful story that turned a villain into a hero. There are so many plot twists that will have you hating characters one minute and loving them the next- or vice versa. Honestly, it was just a rollercoaster of emotion. If you enjoyed Every Summer After or The Man I Never Met, then I highly recommend giving this one a try! Just have lots of Kleenex ready 😭

Thank you Netgalley and the author for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Oh this book is going to be hard to rate and that is all on me.
I loved it! I devoured it! That’s my romantic side talking.
I hated it! Was very skeptical about it. Had so many question. That’s my cynical adult side talking.
Jace and Andrea meet Central Park and have an instant connection. They both know they are meant to be, but at the same time they have very different lives. Andrea was born into one of the wealthiest families in America. She must act like a standing member of her family, things are expected of her. She mustn’t fall in love with Jace, who is a poor musician from the Bronx. But one day he dreams of setting the world on fire with his music. And Andrea will be right beside him or wont she?
The Space Between is the story Jace and Andrea falling in love, what tears them apart, and the space between. This was a story about loss, grief, love, overcoming obstacles, finding yourself and family dynamics.

I must say I didn’t really love the first part of the book. The actually “falling in love” part. It was ok, but it didn’t stand out. Typical girl meets boy, girl falls in love with boy. I wasn’t really feeling the “we belong together vibe”. And that was such a shame, because I fell in love with my husband more than 20 years ago on day one and knew he was the one. So I am down for love stories that center around meant to be’s. I hated the whole reason they broke up. I think if you are going to write a lovestory then the break up should be epic. It shouldn’t be about miscommunication and lack of trust. But that’s just me.

But the second part I just fell head over heels in love with. I loved learning all about Andrea and who she became in “the space between”. Not giving any spoilers, but I fell in love with her story and was kind of sad how it ended. Although I totally understand this was a lesson Andrea needed to learn. (However… yes I was cheerleading for another happy ending.) I cried my eyes out with Andrea and the loss she suffers.

I was actually kind of glad we didn’t follow Jace in his later years. I felt pretty bland about Jace and never really loved his chapters. I was there for our girl Andrea.

I cannot put into words how much this book means to me. (proceeds to attempt anyway) Sarah Ready is one of THE best authors out there and deserves the whole damn world.

The scenes are still so vivid in my mind I can still hear and see everything. Sarah put a great deal of thought into each character in the story which is evident even ten percent in. Nope not a single character taken for granted, amazing back stories and all put together.

Jace and Andrea are supposed to be the main characters, but the way I see it, Andrea holds most of the spotlight throughout. The story is divided into three parts- Jace and Andrea in young love, their seperation, and finally their reunion.

The most significant trope in the story which was used brilliantly was the love triangle. I really can't reveal much but it's just so unique and beautiful it transports you into its own world and moves you to tears.

These narrators are just so precious. James Fouhey and Rachel Hirsch were just brilliant voicing Jace and Andy respectively alongwith the side cast.

I can only request you to read this book, and trust me, it will the best thing to happen to your day. So much live to you Sarah, you deserve every beautiful thing in the universe.

***POTENTIAL SPOILERS***

This is a romance and I didn't love the first book I read by this author, so I didn't have high expectations, but this was hard to put down except at that one point I *almost* quit reading it altogether.

It's very sweet, and if you don't look too closely, it's a very feel-good story. (It includes an accident and a funeral, among other things.) I'll overlook the insta-love since they were teenagers. I felt a secondary romance was unnecessary. But some of the twists were unexpected.

It was a lot of fun to see their story from 17 to 31. They loved each other so much and no matter how much time they spent apart they never stopped. I will say that the second part where they were apart was so hard to read, I needed them back together immediately. Andi and Jace have such a strong love and I really enjoyed this book.

I received an arc through netgalley.

Do you believe in true love? A love that can transcend across years apart, ups and down, miscommunications and life changing decisions? If not, The Space Between by Sarah Ready will have you reconsidering everything you ever think you knew about what true love is.

Synopsis:

“Life doesn’t have many certainties but for Andrea and Jace forever is one of them. Andrea Leighton-Hughes—shockingly wealthy Upper East Sider, a chess-piece in her family’s games since before she was born—knows what it’s like to hide behind a mask. Her world is one of lies, manipulation, and reputation. Jace is the first and only person to see who she truly is. Jace Morgan knows the ugly side of life and he hasn’t always kept his nose clean. A musical prodigy from the Bronx, Jace and his brothers will do whatever it takes to climb to the top of the music charts. Andrea is the first and only person who has helped him play from the heart. No one understands their connection. No one understands their love. As Jace and Andrea struggle to stay together and prove that love defeats all obstacles, life sets out to prove them wrong. What happens when two people promise forever, but life tears them apart? What happens in the time they aren’t together—in the space between?”
If you love a romance with two different world (rich and poor), generational healing, the different kinds of love one can feel, true love, found family, second chances, miscommunications, and a love that stands the test of time and familial betrayal, then you will love this book.

Jace quickly became a new book boyfriend with his portrayal of love her Andi, his musical abilities, and what his mother described as a “voice an angel, but the face of a sinner.” A good boy for looks like a bad boy, but with a good heart who can sing AND play guitar? Oh my… And poor Andi, being stuck in a world she doesn’t fit in with while yearning for a life of freedom and happiness. My heart opened quickly to engulf both characters.

The story was so well-written with amazing character development and plot flow. It’s been a long time since I had to take time to just stare at a wall after finishing a book. The Space Between is the definition of an emotional rollercoaster as readers follow Jace and Andi across the span of 13 years full of life altering decisions. I can’t recommend this book enough!

Hey Jace, tell me a lyric.

I was very confused tbh she was in love with everyone and everything at the same time but go girl get it ig.

Thank you to the publisher and @netgalley for a copy the audiobook. This was a great love story that spans from teenage love to adulthood. Jace and Andrea are from two different worlds and connected so well. There's heartbreak and so much growth during the space between. I enjoyed the dual POV narration which was done well.

Wow! This story seriously impressed me. The book follows Andie and Jace - two teenagers who meet by chance. They couldn't come from more different worlds. Andie is from a wealthy family but has always lacked the love that Jace has between his brothers. Jace comes from nothing but has a home full of love. Andie is immediately enamored by Jace's outlook on life and his musical talent.

Fast forward and the story follows Jace and Andie's tale of love and life. Sarah wrote two characters that I instantly fell in love with (not to mention Reid!!). The main characters were endearing and I was rooting for them both. The lightness and spirit of Andie was seriously awesome. What really captured my attention was the actual storyline and how it progressed. This story was impressive and much more then just typical romance tropes. I was glued to the pages! At times I was shocked, hurt, angry, surprised and happy. This book had it all and kept me guessing until the end.

If you are a Taylor Jenkins Reid fan I think you would really enjoy this novel.

I could not recommend this book more. It is a total 5 star read.

Read if you enjoy:
-Friends to lovers
-Found family
-Second chance romance
-Miscommunication
-Life as a musician/road trip vibes

Sarah Ready- you have a fan for life!

This book was so incredibly special, well written, intricately woven between dual point of views and a spanning timeline. There were so many typical romance tropes, that felt so incredibly elevated and polished. A love triangle, where you wanted everyone to come out together. An enemies to lovers where you rooted them on. A wealthy girl with a down on his luck boy, but can love conquer all? Sprinkle in loss, over=protective brothers, brothers who don’t care about you, awful parents and parents that had the love of the century.

I just don’t have the words to adequately say how truly special and wonderful this was. This captivated me, completely. Normally a book over 400 pages automatically pisses me off. This was 540 pages and somehow it went too fast, I wanted more, it was perfection. I adored Andi and Jace, I felt their love, their pain, their sorrow and elation. Reid - oh, my heart. The details in this book were so thoughtful (the ember necklace), the number of times I used the Kindle “highlight” feature may be the most I’ve ever used.

I’d like to petition Sarah Ready to write a follow up for each of the brothers…please and thank you!

Preorder this, buy it as gifts for your bookish friends, just support this gem of a book!

The mogul’s daughter and the boy from the wrong side of the tracks, brought together as though by fate in Central Park, again and again over more than a decade… Andi wants nothing more than to escape the stifling prison that is the Tower, the massive skyscraper owned by her real estate tycoon father. Jace only wants to make music with his brothers in honor of his slain parents – until Andi comes to his rescue when one of the rich boys and a few others from his private school jump him in the park. When they’re 18, their love is undoubtable. But will they be able to overcome their differences – wealth, power, skin color, their families’ disapproval and expectation – and live the happily ever after they know is meant to be?

<i>Note: This book is quite dark in places. Please see (somewhat spoiler-y) content warnings below and read with caution and care.</i>

[b:The Space Between|122781033] starts off really charming as Jace and Andi meet and fall in love. Their adventures around New York are delightful – they have so much chemistry together, and Andi is a blast: sarcastic, perfectly at home at her mother’s fancy parties and in a dingy club cheering on Jace and his brothers’ band. The events that tear them apart are wrenching (see content warnings) and it’s no surprise they are both badly damaged by it.

Unfortunately, I had a really tough time with <spoiler>Jace’s brother Dean’s decision to lie to both him and Andi in order to break them up, leading indirectly to Jace’s life-threatening crash. I really struggled with how easily Jace forgave Dean’s decision (and middle brother River’s choice to keep Dean’s lie) – the lie ultimately nearly got him killed, and kept him apart from Andi for more than a decade.</spoiler>

One of my favorite parts <spoiler>ended up being Andi’s relationship with Reid, her childhood frenemy (and Jace’s school tormentor), who comes to her in a moment of great need. I honestly wouldn’t have minded a version of this story in which they ended up together.</spoiler>

James Fouhey and Rachel Hirsch do a great, sensitive job narrating. (I listened to about half, and read about half.)

CW: <spoiler>Death of parents (flashback, on the page), attempted suicide, attempted sexual assault/rape, assault/battery, severe injury from vehicle crash, partner’s death from cancer, emotionally abusive parents.</spoiler>

[b:The Space Between|122781033] by [a:Sarah Ready|20871147]
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
🌶️ 🌶️ Mostly when they’re young and horny
🎸🎤🎺 The thing Jace and Andi do with lyrics is really cute
🏍️ So much angst could be avoided by just… taking a breath (and making a phone call) before jumping into action
🌼🛩️🏖️ That awkward feeling when someone other than the MMC steals the show
🤡 Not sure if the somewhat Trumpy vibes of Andi’s dad were intentional but… 😬

<i>Thanks to NetGalley and WW Crown for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.</i>

C'est la seconde romance de Sarah Ready que je lis, la première était « Josh and Gemma make a baby » que j'avais adoré. 

À partir du moment où ils se sont rencontrés au milieu de Central Park, Andrea et Jace sont certains d'une chose, ils sont faits l'un pour l'autre. Andrea est originaire d'une famille riche dans laquelle les faux-semblants sont de mise, et Jace d'une famille de musiciens pas particulièrement fortunée financièrement, mais riche d'amour familial. Personne ne comprend leur connexion. Personne ne comprend leur amour. Leur relation va être challengée par les aléas de la vie.

Belle histoire de la vie, sur la construction de soi et les différentes façons d'aimer. Le livre commence comme un livre YA et malgré quelques passages, à mon goût, trop mielleux ou incohérents, j'ai trouvé que le style d'écriture et de narration évolue au fil de l'histoire au même niveau que les personnages. L'écriture est rythmée et prenante. Ensuite, les personnages sont plutôt bien développés et attachants. J'ai simplement trouvé dommage que l'on s'attarde plus sur Andi au détriment de Jace.

Je m'attendais à un peu plus de profondeur et de justesse dans le récit, mais dans l'ensemble, c'est un roman bien écrit et agréable que j'ai apprécié. Et, c'est sans aucun doute, que je lirais les autres œuvres de Sarah Ready.

This was a great story - I was hesitant to finish part one knowing that Jace and Andi would part. The rest of the story - especially part three was - wow - quite a few twists in this book. A story about love (and not love) - between parents and children, siblings, friends and romantic "this is my person" love. After finishing in the early hours of the morning, I couldn't fall asleep thinking about the characters. Definitely a book to reread.

The Space Between

This is probably my favorite book so far this year (and yes, I read Fourth Wing and loved it)!

Jace and Andrea’s story had me yelling out loud, crying ugly tears and then crying happy tears. I felt iALL the emotions while reading this. There were times when I just had to set the book down and take a breather because I didn’t know if my heart could handle anymore. I’m a hardcore “every story MUST have a happily ever after” reader and there were times when I wondered if I should just stop to prevent the heartache. So glad I stuck with it!! I feel like I can’t even find the exact right words to portray how much this story moved me. I was rooting for people I never thought I would and sobbing over scenes I didn’t think I would.

This is my first Sarah Ready novel and it absolutely blew me away and I am adding all of her books to my library. The character building is done beautifully and makes you fall in love with each character (except maybe Dean-I’m not letting go). I just can’t say enough good things.

ALL THE ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!!