This audiobook is a DNF at 52% for me.
I found this whole book so hard to believe and impossible to connect with for so many reasons. Normally, I like when a narrative alternates between the perspectives of two characters, but this time, it made me dislike the book more. I found the female main character, Andrea, unrealistic... the teenage daughter of a ridiculously rich family who runs off with her wannabe-rock-star boyfriend and his band. Jace, the love interest, is unrealistic as well... he just wasn't believable as a teenage love interest, way too intense, and suffocating. In fact, all the male characters (his brothers, her brothers, her father) were awful! I can't think of one male character I liked. They were all so pretentious. Actually, come to think of it, the only other female character was Andrea's mother, and she was awful too. No wonder I wasn't enjoying this book; there wasn't one character worth getting on board with.
Another thing that made this book hard to believe was the way the setting was used. The MCs are supposed to be native New Yorkers but they're doing all kinds of touristy things, not things typical NYC teens would likely do regularly, moving between the Burroughs like they're crossing the street, not to mention that the male narrator voices Jace with a bit of a drawl like he's from the South. This was all super distracting to me.

Still, I was planning to see this one out to the end and had no intention of DNFing. I was actually hopeful that the story would soon come together into a semi-satisfying conclusion (mainly because of the prologue) until I got a few chapters into Part 2 and the author started developing the side-story of Andrea and the other guy (can't even remember his name, Reed maybe?) At this point, I was feeling like this book had already been going on forever. So when I glanced at my progression and saw that I was only halfway through, I made the decision to throw in the towel.

Additional note, this book is listed as New Adult but reads like Young Adult until the sex scene where they lose their virginity to one another, another scene I found unrealistic.

Thank you NetGalley and W.W. Crown for allowing me early access to the ARC audiobook version of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Jace and Andi’s relationship felt like fate trying to bring them back to each other despite the circumstances. I loved the development of the characters and plot! There were twists and turns, highs and lows, that made me grasp for more! I loved this book and binged it like my soul couldn’t get enough. Sarah Ready did a fantastic job writing this book! I hope everyone finds an infinite, all consuming, lasting, one liner relationship like the characters did in The Space Between. 💕

Favorite Pickup Line: “I have a lyric.”

Post Date Recap: This book date was a setup. Translation: This is an ARC of French Holiday that I received from NetGalley to provide an unbiased review. Thank you to the team for allowing me this opportunity. 

Since this is an audio, let's start with the narrators as per my usual. These were… good narrators. Jace is supposed to be a kid raised by immigrants in the rough side of the Bronx. In my opinion, he would have/should have had a thick New York accent. This was not the case. Both narrators were excellent at their voicework and I enjoyed listening, but I would have preferred a male voice that leant itself more to the setup by having a more stereotypical accent. 

Now for the story itself? It’s a mixed bag. Let’s get started with the pro side of the list (let’s be honest, a date really does require a pro/con list). This was a deep story that encompassed so much more than simply the relationship between Jace and Andrea. In fact, their relationship feels very secondary. That is actually a point I will revisit on the con side of the list because I have some big feelings about it. But back to the pro, this was a rich story woven so well with many intricate details like an expensive tapestry.

This is my second Sarah Ready review and I have to say that her writing style is excellent. She engaged every sense (sight, smell, taste, etc) with her words to make you feel like you’ve been dropped right into the story she is telling.  The writing is rich and the story well crafted. The ice hotel was a really nice touch and a personal favorite of mine.

On the con side of things, I had issues that are personal taste discrepancies for me such as unbalanced chapter POVs. I much prefer to have one chapter focus on one MC and the next the other and volley back and forth equally so I feel like I’ve spent time in each person’s head. But that is purely personal and not something I’d remove a star rating for.

I do, however, have some unease about Jace. I went back and double checked myself because I thought I heard in the beginning of the book that his father was from Ghana and his mother from Sweden. I also checked the book cover and Jace’s character is depicted as being non white. However, his cultures aren’t really represented on page and, in my opinion, he is put in a stereotypical role of being poor with parents who died via gun violence (not a spoiler, this is said early in the book). I loved reading diversity in books, but if you’re going to be a white author I think it is wise to keep in mind that when reaching for diversity, you want to be mindful to not insult ethnicities other than yours. I’m white so it isn’t my place to speak on the portrayal of this character and the ways in which it may be harmful, but I hope that there were sensitivity readers employed to cover this character and make sure the representation was not hurtful. 

Side note: Jace’s last name is Morgan. With a father from Ghana… let that point sink in. And I will say that I did a cursory Google search to confirm that within Ghana culture it is standard for the child to take their father’s surname, but if I am wrong with this, please let me know. 

Finally, and this was the same point I made for French Holiday, this did not feel like a romance. Honestly this felt like even less of a romance than French Holiday did not only because we spent a large portion of the book only in Andrea’s POV and I actually wondered, despite what the blurb said, if she would end up with Jace or not. Not gonna give spoilers for why this was even a question, but it absolutely was. This was an incredibly well written take, but I feel it was mis-genred as French Holiday was. The Space Between should be listed more Book Club fiction or Chick Lit. Romance is completely the wrong listing for this story. 

I am giving this a 3.5 star rating, but rounding up to 4 on review sites.

If you’re interested in going on a book date with The Space Between, please disregard expectations of traditional romance standards.

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.

Thankyou Netgalley and to the author for the advance copy. I read this book in audiobook format.

The narration in this dual POV story was very well done, I found myself sucked into quickly. The Space Between is a blend of literary, YA, and NA fiction. Ready did a great job at building a vivid and believable NYC world inhabited by complex and appealing characters. Because this story follows this couple through their late teens and adult years, it's hard to peg the target audience age but I think this one will work across the spectrum.

This is about romance, struggle, and second chances. Throughout the book, the reader will remain unsure as to the resolution but will ultimately walk away satisfied.

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.

This is my first venture into the works of this author, and I must say, I am intrigued to explore her extensive back catalogue of romances in the future. I listened to the audiobook, and both narrators did a fantastic job in bringing the story to life. Despite the plot spanning a 15-year timeframe, the pacing of the book remained fast and engaging.

I found myself genuinely liking the main character and forming a personal connection with them. The exploration of class differences and the notion that things are not always as idyllic as they appear on the other side of the river shore was well executed.

It’s a bittersweet tale that delves into themes of loss, grief, self-discovery, and overcoming obstacles, but above all, it emphasises the importance of forgiveness. The plot incorporates a fair amount of serendipity, featuring chance encounters and unbelievable situations, but overall, it was an enjoyable read. I did find myself wishing for a longer exploration of Jace's life as a famous musician. I wanted to delve deeper into his in-between spaces, much like we were able to with Andi.

I also craved more substantial connections throughout the years between Jace and Andi. It felt like they fell in love as teenagers and held onto an idealised version of each other for the entire book. The story would have benefited from their meetings in those in-between years.

I unexpectedly fell in love with Reid and his journey of redemption. I found myself wanting more from this subplot. At one point, I even desired for Reid to have it all, including Andi. He became my favourite character in the book.

While the book does contain some spice, it is woven into the narrative without overpowering the central plot. Overall, I recommend giving this book a read.

Tropes:
.Second chance
.13 year span
.Found family
.Instant connection
.Death of a loved one
.Class difference
.Dual POV

Review coming soon on my IG @beco_books =)

An encapsulating dual POV coming of age novel, thoroughly enjoyable audiobook. I loved Andi and Jace and was rooting for them from the first pages. Loved the Reid character arc too!

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.

The Space Between is an incredibly moving contemporary romance perfect for fans of Taylor Jenkins Reed. This book made me sob but also had incredibly happy and sweet parts. It is the story of Andrea and Jace who fall in love at age 17 in the park. However, their very different backgrounds as well ask disapproving families make their path more complicated. This book deals with issues of grief and forgiveness but at it's heart it is all about love including romantic, platonic and family love. Andrea and Jace are both incredible characters who are cared about a lot. I loved getting to watch them grow up. One great thing about this book is most characters weren't good or bad. Many made mistakes but redeemed themselves and some of my favorite characters were those I initially disliked. I will be shocked if this book does not become incredibly popular. It is one of the best books I have read in quite a long time and I will be recommending it to everyone. I listened to the audiobook version of this book and James Fouhey and Rachel F. Hirsh did a wonderful job with with the dual narration!

WOW! I went into this one expecting another great RomCom and came away with something totally different! This one was chock full of emotions and I was not ready. SO good, I couldn't put it down! Sarah has fast become one of my auto picks! Wonderful narration on this one!

***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.

The audiobook was narrated by 2 narrators and was very well done. 3.5 stars rounded up for readability.

What a story! A story full of surprises, plot twists that I never saw coming. This book has left me thoughtful, happy and achy at the same time. Didn't love the prologue, questioned it every chapter until I reached the middle of the book, then what a very predictable love story turned on its head leaving me reading late into the night to see where it landed.
I also kept thinking why the title The Space Between?, and I am so happy that I learned it at the end, it made perfect sense. The author hovers in that space between Andy and Jace as they grow up, they mature and they become their own person. How their life takes them on a path they thought they knew, to finding themselves lost and then found and then lost some more to finally being able to fully embrace their destiny.
The epilogue in my opinion missed the mark, just a hint of what their life looked like after the journey would have been better. Maybe some closure with the parents in both families. Maybe some closure with Claudia remembering her dad and honoring him somehow? Reed is by far my favorite character, his decision to live his life to the fullest in a way that honored it was my favorite part of the book, I thought it was what gave this story its depth, its heart and its biggest and most profound life lesson. He will stay with me for a long time.
I will go buy this book and recommend it to every one. I want to annotate it and read it in print. Thank you Sarah for some beautiful nights of reading!

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, not to mention the excellent choice for narrators. 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.

What a love story to live through and over the years. Sometimes two people meet too early, the timing is just not right or it was a love story for a split second.

The story follows Andrea and Jace over ten years flopping from different time periods and you are rooting the whole time for them to end up together. Andrea lives in a gold tower and her family runs New York City. Jace comes from the wrong side of the tracks living in a small apartment with his brothers trying to make it as a band. Their father told them that music can connect anyone that is what these brothers are trying to do.

I would highly recommend this to anyone to read this book and loved it. Sarah Ready's story telling is beautifully written and told.

Thank you #NetGalley for the advance copy!

THIS BOOK!!! Sarah, you did it, again! This story took me through all the emotions. I smiled the happiest smiles and cried big, ugly tears. I could still cry thinking about it. What a beautiful story about music, friendship, family, emotional growth, forgiveness, second chances, unexpected and forever love. I could never have predicted the twists and turns this book took me on. So well written!

It was written in dual POV, which I love! I was gifted a guitar this past weekend and this story made me want to pick it up and learn to play. Reed was my favorite character and the only thing I would have changed was that I wish he'd had a chapter or two to see things from his perspective.

The narrators did an excellent job! Their voices fit what I would have expected the characters to sound like. They really helped bring the story to life for me.

I downloaded this book from NetGalley having previously enjoyed another by the same author.

Three stars from me means that I believe that an author has achieved their aims but I personally didn’t fall in love with it.

In this case, I just didn’t like either of the main characters. And I didn’t believe that you could mistake the man you love for someone else. What a stupid misunderstanding Andrea and Jace set in motion.

Just not for me. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Thank you netgalley for giving me this audiobook arc in exchange for a reveiw.
I liked it, but some parts were too dragged out. I felt like it could've been 8 hours instead of 13. I liked the narration though and it was entertaining, especially part 1. parts were also very unbelivable, if you've read it you know what i mean. but overall an audiobook i enjoyed, i will look out for new realeses by Sarah!

Jace and Andrea's love story was perfect. Until it wasn't. But what happens in the space between is its own story.

I really enjoyed listening to French Holiday which was also by this author so I was keen to listen to more. The narration of The Space Between was fabulous. The storyline spanned over generations and while it was a long book, it didn't feel like it. I loved hearing the story of Jace and Andrea. I also loved the story of what happened in between their love story. This was a beautiful story, told through dual POV's, which I am glad I got to read.

I have read, or rather listened to, several books by Sarah Ready and enjoyed them, but I was not touched by them the way this story touched me. I was pleasantly surprised by how I truly felt this story when listening to it. This story is quite the emotional rollercoaster ride! Both Andrea and Jace were lovely characters, even if Andrea due to circumstances became more closed and cold than I would have liked. I thought the character development as they went from teenagers to adults was really good. Both narrators did a great job making both Andrea and Jace really come alive. I found myself smiling, gasping and was literally moved to tears on more than one occassion. I hope this is a sign that Sarah is moving from the lighter reads to more emotional stories like this one. I would highly recommend this story!