⭐⭐⭐💫 3.5

Am I being too cliché to start this review with: this book was "otherworldy"? *badam tsss*

No, but really. It was something else. Was it the best book I've ever read? Well, no, but I did enjoy it very much and I also appreciated the originality. It was definitely something I haven't read before yet and THAT'S what makes it "otherworldy".

I'm gonna be honest, I wasn't really sure what genre to expect. At first it felt like I would literally be diving into another world (or, the "other" world) because of the title and a little bit because of the Fantasy-style font used on the bookcover. Because of that I had whole different expectations. In the end I would describe The Otherworld as a cute, wholesome YA romance.

I felt pretty neutral about Orca, the main female protagonist. She was likeable I guess and I loved the moments she rebelled, but I couldn't really wholeheartly connect with her? Adam was really nice though and I loved the contrast with his little brother, whom I loved in the beginning but kinda lost my respect at the end.

The worldbuilding did feel magical, despite it not being a fantasy, but was beautifully described through Abbie's fine writing style! The story piqued my interest enough to keep on reading for sure, although it's not as fast paced as I'm used to reading. If you like a cute and cozy romance, you'll definitely like it. I personally would have loved it more if it was a slowburn romance, because now the "love" didn't feel like love at all (according to psychologie, it can't even be: we call this "attraction"). Which made every deep meanings discussed throughout the book... Kinda... Flat.

But... I always keep in mind that this is, ofcourse, fiction. So because the story itself was pretty cute, I forgive it.

All with all: a solid 3.5 stars. (But I can't round it up to 4, sorry.)

Big thanks to Netgalley/Abbie Emmons for the ARC in exchange of my honest review! 💙

This book is interesting, but for someone like me that has ADHD and attention issues/ processing issues it is too long.

"Orca Monroe wants only one thing for her eighteenth birthday: to experience the Otherworld—the mysterious “mainland” across the sea that her father has forbidden her from visiting."

Having read 100 Days of Sunlight, I knew Abbie Emmons was an Author I was going to love and I was lucky enough to received an advanced copy of The Otherworld to read and review and it was my absolute pleasure.

I LOVED the idea of the story, the setting, the characters, the way the story was told from different points of view and the beautiful descriptive writing of the lighthouse island which was Orca's home, her sanctuary and her prison.

The developing love story was played out so slowly, so carefully and at the correct pace for young first love and it brought back memories to me of those teenage years when everything was so new and exciting and fresh.

I did not want the book to end, but I loved the ending and so for that I can forgive you Abbie for not carrying on the story, maybe a sequel could be in the pipeline? Anyway I have recommended it to friends, bought it for others and have reviewed it for you on Goodreads, Amazon, NetGalley and Facebook. Beautiful book.

The Otherworld is a brilliantly creative story, and the female lead “Orca” is reminiscent of a resourceful, modern-day Rapunzel. While it’s a little too much of a “kissing book” for my taste, to give it the credit it deserves, there is infinitely more to it than that.

The beginning is so beautiful and poetic, the writing skillful and easy to follow, the characters so relatable, and the philosophical aspect an unexpected--but pleasant!--surprise. I loved the butterfly theme! It was particularly interesting to read Adam's POV since we're the same age (28).

Then the middle happened, and I became a little mixed up about it all. The way Orca was treated by everyone, how extremely sheltered she was, Jack’s character being a bit of an obsessive creep, and the love triangle feeling more like a weird game between brothers at her expense had me worried about her and irritated almost to the end of the story. (But in all fairness, I’m only very, very rarely a fan of love triangles.)

Due to the descriptive, somewhat intense romantic emotions and scenes, mature themes, and multiple instances of strong language (including a couple of GDs) scattered throughout the book, I personally can only recommend it for ages 18 and up. It seems catered more for those of us who are newly created adults, or considering marriage in the near future.

All in all, the book was vividly gripping and enjoyable to read (even if it was a bit frustrating at times), and there were several passages that were really relatable and that I wholeheartedly liked, such as this one--

“For so many years, I’ve looked out over the sea at night and watched those lights from the Otherworld and wondered what it’s like out there. I’ve wondered what my life might have been…” My throat tightens as the ache of tears chokes my voice. “It’s a kind of grief, Lucius. I can’t describe it, but… it’s like mourning something you never had, Something you could’ve had. If only things were different.” - The Otherworld, Chapter 1 “Strange Treasures”

It’s been a while since a book took me so completely out of my own reality. I feel as if I got the chance to experience an Otherworld myself! If you are looking for that experience (and romance!) look no further than this book by Abbie Emmons.

3 FOR THE DISNEY FEEL STARS

While I liked certain aspects of the book, I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would.

I was in awe with the beautiful imagery and descriptions in this book from the start. It really hooked me in and made scenes come to life and feel so vivid and Disney-esque. I also really enjoyed the concept of the book. It felt fresh and unique and not like a typical contemporary romance. I was also massively impressed with Abbie's proofreading skills. Not a single typo or grammatical error in sight and this is even more incredible because she is self-published. For the first few chapters of the book, I was really captivated by Orca's story and wanted to read on and find out more about what happened to Adam and her mum. But as the story progressed and we find the answers, it felt a tad bit underwhelming.

************************WARNING SPOILERS AHEAD***************************


The mainland was built up to be this magical place so I would have liked to see this followed through when Orca finally arrives there. When Jack was showing Orca 'the world', it just felt a little boring to continuously read about and I found myself wanting to skip over those scenes. Maybe adding more interesting characters like Jack's friends all joining in and having fun with them, would have brought more colour and vibrancy to the scenes.

In romances, I never ever have a problem with age gap, I actually love reading about them. But in this book, something just felt... off. I think it was because Orca just read really young to me due to her lack of romantic experience, knowledge about a lot of things and her being sheltered her whole entire life. It felt like she was 15 or 16 and not 18. So I think this book would have better suited a slow burn romance rather than insta love so we could actually see their relationship build and develop first, before all of the love declarations. I think the scene where Orca broke up with Adam confirmed just how uncomfortable I was with the relationship because it gave me second hand embarrassment to read about a grown 28 year old man being dumped by an 18 year old girl like Orca.

I disliked the father in this book a lot also. The fact that he kept Orca from her family and potential friends because he was heartbroken is just not okay and I admire Orca for forgiving him so easily and trying to see it from his side. The reveal about what actually happened to Orca's mum did catch me by surprise which I loved. But from then on, it all just felt a bit rushed over. I wish this plot could have been explored in more depth after the reveal, to really build the tension and emotions between the characters.

Finally, the love triangle was not for me. I am use to love triangles where the girl shows or expresses feelings for both boys or at least has an attraction to them which makes you want to root for one or the other. But here, Jack was just pining for Orca and kissing her without consent which was a little uncomfortable to read about because Orca showed no romantic interest in him whatsoever. So it made Jack's character feel a bit icky for me. And like Adam said, I wish he just read the signs that Orca was not into him.

I am very interested to read Abbie's upcoming fantasy series because her incredible writing style will go very well with a high stakes story with enchanting creatures, dreamlike worlds, magic systems and a big cast of characters.

TT The Otherworld by Abbie Emmons, 438 pages. Abbie Emmons, 2023. $29.
Language: R (188 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
On her eighteenth birthday, Orca is sure her father will finally allow her to leave their island to see the Otherworld. But he doesn’t. Orca isn’t strong enough for that world. When her father leaves the island for a few days, Orca is determined to prove herself capable, and what better way than to nurse a strange man that appears on her doorstep back to health?
Jack and Adam are complete opposites, and I appreciated the contrast they illustrated with their different perspectives as I thought about who was right and why. But I am not a fan of love triangle they presented. The love triangle was the bane of my reading time, the reason I resisted turning pages. The happily ever after worked out well enough, but part of me thinks it wasn’t the right ending. Overall, Orca’s story was well-written despite me not agreeing with choices made by the characters and author.
All the characters are implied White. The mature content rating is for mentions of alcohol and underage drinking, nudity, innuendo, and mention of sex. The violence rating is for blood and fist fighting.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

(3.75 stars)

This book pulled me into its world immediately. I loved the island Orca and her dad lived on, such an amazing atmosphere. I also loved Adam and Jack, and their banter. Abbie's writing, as always, is beautiful, immersive and captivating. It kept me wanting to read further and all the emotions felt so real. I did however see the twist coming, but it was still well executed.

I rather quickly decided to forget that one of the love interests is 10 years older, that they all knew each other for three days and that there were some very cringy scenes - the moment I forgot all that I found the book to be a sweet romance! I think this just wasn’t my cup of tea, but I still enjoyed it for what it was and will definitely read all her other books!

If this wasn’t your favorite either, but still loved the writing, amazing characters and story crafting, I would definitely give 100 Days of Sunlight a chance (it’s literally one of my all time favorites)!

Thank you NetGalley and Abbie Emmons for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I rated this book a 3.5/5 stars. The full review is on Goodreads.

Obligatory disclaimer: I received my ARC copy through NetGalley, I did read the book, and these are my opinions. Spoilers ahead!

I would like to preface this actual essay with my background for this book. I’ve been watching Abbie for years. I love her Youtube channel. I chime into the podcast here and there. Despite this fact, I have not read her debut novel. Not for any particular reason, I just haven’t (my TBR is long enough for a book that doesn’t completely grab me, though I intend to read 100 Days of Sunlight eventually). So I have very little experience with Abbie’s actual writing, her advice aside. This was my first experience reading her work!

On top of that, I don’t actually like the tropes this book is built on. I typically avoid love triangles like the plague. They feel pointless and repetitive to me. I read romance to escape stress, not purposely put myself through it. And I’m a sucker for the “you’re the only one” thing. I cannot honestly and fully enjoy a pairing if one of the characters has to PICK from two others and actually has trouble doing it. Just not my thing.

But occasionally, if it’s well-written, and there’s more to a character than their slot in the triangle, I can vibe with it.

I also don’t read age-gap romance so this book was a whole experience for me! But I’m going to go over literally everything because apparently, I have a lot to say.

The Otherworld by Abbie Emmons is a romance, but also focuses on family relationships and growth. There's an age gap, forbidden, and a little Tarzan going into the real world, which I've seen others describe as Tangled as well.

The Otherworld is about Orca who grows up on an island in a lighthouse with her father. They have no contact with the main land (otherworld) except for a supply guy. So Orca knows nothing about movies, video games, jobs, boys. One night her father goes to the main land and there's a huge storm. Adam, a pilot, crashes and ends up at Orca's door. Her world is completely flipped when she meets Adam and his brother Jack.

I read this in a little more than a day. I was pulled into their world and I enjoyed the characters. At first I thought Orca was too juvenile, but it made sense because she didn't know about so many things.

It was such a sweet romance with some major hurdles. There was a twist that I didn't see coming and was not expecting. The atmosphere and imagery is perfect for the summer and fall.


Thank you @netgalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Before reading it, I thought this book sounded like a mix between Tangled and the movie Pearl Harbor (minus the war part). And, honestly, after reading it, I think that still fits.

This is the story about Orca, who has always lived on an island with only her father and her dog, Lucius. Orca has always dreamed of seeing the main land, what she calls the Otherworld, but her father has always forbidden it. Things change when a pilot from the Otherworld, Adam, crushes on her island and Orca finds his things and starts talking to his little brother, Jack, to help him find Adam. When she finds him - or, rather, Adam finds her, collapsing one her doorstep -, Orca's world gets turned upside down and the brothers become her opportunity to finally see the Otherworld.

I LOVED the characters, all of them. Orca, with her sparkling attitude, her kindness and sincerity, her way to look at the world as if everything is a wonder. You can really feel her struggle of not wanting to upset her dad but still longing to see the Otherworld.
Jack, with his wit, his spirit, his bantering and arrogance, his sarcasm that had me laughing out loud multiple times.
And Adam, oh my goodness. Adam. I fell in love with him as soon as I read his first pov. I fell in love with his way of thinking, with his calm and kind ways, with his rambling about chaos theories and alternative universe and I, too, would like to talk with him for hours. I also loved how he always put other first and stepped aside, sacrificing his own happiness for the ones he loves, but then in the end learns to accept and prioritize good things for himself, too.
And the side characters - Mrs Stevenson, Orca's father, don't even get me started on Lucius - all felt like real people, flesh out and with struggles of their own.

I loved the relationship between Adam and Jack, how they would do anything for each other and even when things got in the way, they always came back to one another. I loved their relationship with Orca, too. Each of them called to a different side of her, and I really enjoy this dynamic in love triangles. Both choices seem reasonable.
When I read the blurb, I was rooting for a team, but then I started actually reading and switched side almost immediatlely, and I was so happy I chose the right ship to sail with. (no spoilers from me)

I only wish there would've been more of a slow-burn between the main couple - again, won't spoil the brother. Although their relationship didn't felt rushed and I could understand where their feelings were coming from, I would have liked them to get to know each other a bit more before having feelings that strong. But this is probably my personal problem, because I like my slow burns really slow (like, multiple books in a series kind of slow).

And, finally, the writing. I think it was the best part, to be honest. I loved the story, but what really made it shine was Abbie's writing. It felt so vivid, so heart-wrenching at times... it's the sort of writing that makes you feel, that makes everything real, as if those characters are actual people you know in your life.

All of that said, I really enjoyed this book. I already miss the characters (and wish I could read a spin-off about the other brother, iykyk). It's the perfect cozy summer read. It'll leave you with hope in your chest and a smile on your face.

I was really excited to read The Otherworld by Abbie Emmons, as I'm a fan of the author's YouTube channel.

I really liked the setting, an isolated island on the Pacific ocean with a lighthouse, and the small, sea-side town on the mainland not too far away.

I also have to say that I found the author's writing style and prose to be really beautiful. Just for this reason, I might try to read another of her books, in the future.

However, for this book, I found myself to be bored for the first 30-40% of the book, and the rest of the story, I wavered between disliking most of the characters and rolling my eyes. The character of Papa (Orca's father) especially, I despised. His reasonning for keeping Orca isolated and lying to her about her mother was simply despicable and unforgiveable.

As for Orca, the FMC, she was too naive and immature for my taste. While I knew going in this was a Young Adult book, I was hoping her immaturity wouldn't be such an issue.

As for the romance, it felt too insta-love for me to believe it. When the characters think they're soulmates after spending 3 days together, I find it really hard to believe. However, when I ignored this, I did find the romance to be sweet.

Adam, the MMC, was thoughtful and caring, and the age gap (10 years) between him and Orca didn't bother me. I simply couldn't understand how a 28-year-old man wouldn't find Orca annoying. There was also a lot of 'she's not like the other girls' which I rolled my eyes at.

I could go on, but I'll stop here. This book simply wasn't for me.

I want to preface this review by saying that I am a fan of the author's authortube channel and was interested to see what she'd been working on for a while, however, this doesn't affect my review.

The plot is riveting (although it felt movie-dramatic at times) and kept me on my toes. Emmons definitely knows how to keep the plot moving because I read the whole novel on my road trip to Florida. She is also a fantastic writer. Out of everything, my favorite part was the way she wove in philosophical themes like the butterfly effect. I always appreciate an author connecting stories to a deeper level and threading such themes in various situations throughout the novel.

I also loved the author's writing, especially her descriptions. They were wonderful to read and incredibly imaginative. Emmons is also talented at writing bickering dialogue, especially between the two brothers. We love a bromance (a true biological bromance at that)!

That said, the relationships were not my favorite. The romance felt a bit insta-lovey, so any intimate moments felt unearned (I'm more of a slow-burn sorta gal). I did go into this book knowing the tropes the author used, including an age gap romance and love triangle. But, I think I should retire from reading books with those aspects. It doesn't really serve my literary desires in novels.

Therefore, I will not hold that against the book, but I will say that I did not like the characterizations of the men in this novel. Orca is a barely legal adult who was raised on conservative values on an island away from any civilization for her whole life. Due to this, the older male interest often calls her "pure" and "naive" and is afraid to "taint" her. She is also often objectified by the younger male interest who takes an immediate interest in her because "she's not like any other girl." I don't like that these tropes characterize women as humans with no agency whose only desire is to serve the male gaze. It's a recently rebuked adage influenced from early teen romance movies and I would've liked to see the connections formed between Orca and these men come from a more genuine place.

We are also introduced to another character towards the end of the novel, and in an effort to not reveal spoilers I will keep this vague: I don't like the message that was aimed about this particular person. They are flawed and Orca felt rightfully wronged, but the wrong lesson was implied, in my opinion.

I also feel that there were some loose threads that weren't tied up at the end about the world building, especially about why her father ended up on the island in the first place, but I might've missed that when I read the novel. Perhaps the lighthouse has been in the Monroe family for generations. Please do let me know if I did miss out on that detail!

Overall, I enjoyed the writing and the movie-esque plot, but I didn't vibe with the characters and the messages that this novel put out in regards to some of the decisions characters' made. However, I do think that this is a good fast-paced summer romance novel to pick up for the atmosphere and writing.

I'd like to thank Netgalley and Abbie Emmons for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What I love about Abbie's books are that they don't follow that cookie cutter model of what you would think of as typical romance or typical family dynamic type books. The Otherworld continues that trend with taking a simple theme and embedding it into a story that you wouldn't have thought about actually happening. I can't imagine being any age and being isolated from the world, never mind being a young adult. It was really thought provoking, as a person who works with high school students through a school library, to think about all the disconnect in the world today. I read this thinking, "wow... what if.... and how would that feel...." When Orca is able to get a taste of the Otherworld, it was such a warm feeling to experience what she did through her lens. It also made you wish that others could have that awe struck and "new experiences" not just as children but at any age! As they say sometimes, "be careful of what you wish for" this book was a full circle for me. I enjoyed the theme and the way the story unfolded. I can feel confident to put it on our school library shelf and know that our students will have a quality and thought provoking book in their hands!

Otherworld is a story of 3 young people and their paths crossing almost as if a "butterfly set off a hurricane" i sadly didn't get to finish this book due to having my first born but as soon as possible i will be ordering myself a copy! Abby did amazing at setting the scene of orca's small island and creating a cast of beautiful characters I can't wait to finish this story!

The Otherworld tells the story about Orca Monroe, a girlwho lives in a lighthouse with her father and her dog, Lucius. (Abbie has referred to this book as 'The Lighthouse Book' when mentioning it on her channel, and now I can see why). Anyways, Orca's father is very protective of her and they are not allowed visitors from the 'Otherworld' as people can be dangerous and may harm them.

Orca's only desire when she turns eighteen, is to visit the mainland, to experience life there among other people and prove to her father that she is strong enough to take on the 'Otherworld'. Her window of opportunity arrives as an emergency from the mainland beckons her father to leave her alone for indefinite time as he sorts things out. While running errands around the island, she finds a strange device (a phone) by the shore. She talks with Jack Stevenson, who's older brother Adam, has gone missing after his plane crashed near her island. Orca promises to look for him and realizes this might just be her chance to earn her father's approval.

One stormy night, she finds Adam by her doorstep, in a wounded state. As she nurses him back to health, they develop a relationship but Adam fears he may be too old for simple, naive Orca. All the meanwhile Jack, is slowly falling for her. Will Orca drive apart the two brothers or can she bring them back together?

Okay, as I've said, romance isn't my genre specifically, but the age difference between Adam and Orca wasn't something I was comfortable with, so to speak. But that's a very minor detail. The more pressing matter I had is with her mother, who is presumed DEAD, might I add. But when Orca and Adam go to visit her, she barely pays any attention to the daughter she left behind with her husband. I mean, your daughter came all this way to meet you, and have no regard for her emotions? That was harsh and it didn't have to be there. I would have rather we presumed Orca's mother dead after all.

This was a good book, I mean, I was all for Orca finding her place in the world but in my opinion, it dragged too much. This book could have been told in a shorter span of time, but that's all I'll say. Other than that, nothing caught my attention, it was just good. Hats off to Abbie for publishing her book, I am super thrilled I got a chance to read it. Oh, and I have all my favorite quotes bookmarked, good luck guessing which ones though.

Thank you to Netgalley and Abbie Emmons for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I think the idea of soulmates can be problematic because it makes you believe you need someone else to complete you. Like you can never be whole without that person. - Adam Stevenson

The Otherworld by Abbie Emmons ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Absolutely amazing love story with a twist. A twist I never saw coming.
Orca must choose between her father and the love of her life. A life she has experienced her whole life or experience the outside world.
My first book I've read from Abbie Emmons and I'm excited to see what she writes next.

Hope you will pre-order your copy today, to read on September 19th release day. You will not be disappointed.

First thing first, I would like to thank Abbie Emmons and NetGalley for the ARC and the chance to read this book before it’s publishing date in exchange for an honest review! ^^ It was such an honour for me.

“My father always told me there are two worlds. Our world and the Otherworld.”

I must say, I fell in love with FMC Orca after I read the first chapter of the book. She’s such a sweet girl full of dreams she wants to make come true. I enjoyed her perception of the world around her and I could relate to her in many things.
Also, I loved how Abbie portrayed Orca falling in love with Adam. At first, she was just curious about something new and then she was in love. Within three days or so. Because that’s exactly what happens when everything you’ve ever had from other people was barely enough attention and then suddenly someone gives you all of their attention. When suddenly someone looks at you and listens, really listens to you.
Jack was my favourite of the “love interests” and sometimes I was literally counting how many pages I have left for his POV. He is young and adorable and even though I didn’t want to, I ended up falling for all of his sweetness and taste for an adventure. He’s very determined to step outside his brother’s shadow… only to realise that only shadow that there ever was, was the one in his head. (which is a great lesson for him but also for us as readers)
With this being said… Even after all of Adam’s philosophical thoughts that I entirely LOVED, I must admit that I never really liked him as a person. I couldn’t connect to his character properly throughout the whole book and I was sometimes really annoyed by his behaviour (for example when he was so determined to just leave Orca be as her father told him, even though it’s kind of sick and weird that her father was just keeping Orca there and he literally didn’t allow her to go away from the island). I feel so terrible about this but I simply couldn’t love Adam the way Orca did.
I also didn’t like how pretty much everyone treated Jack badly – although he was the only one who had a little bit more real opinion about Orca’s father, everyone just kept acting as if he was the one who should rethink it all.

“Experience is irreversible.”

I felt like plot in this book made sense to me, everything was happening for some reason, everything was as it should be. Also, this book got some plus points from me because of the happy ending. Oh, how I love happy-ever-afters!
What I missed was some more emotions. Probably it was because I couldn’t connect to Adam’s character properly but a lot of times when characters were feeling something (or the scene should make me feel something) I was just like ‘oh, okay’. Completely without internal screaming or crying.

“Perhaps we are all butterflies and the world is our hurricane.”

It’s a very well written story. I liked Abbie’s writing style so much – it’s not very lyrical and it’s easy to understand. Despite this it felt a bit slow paced at times so my attention was slipping away very quickly.
BUT ALL THOSE THOUGHTS! I'm not sure I can express in words how much I LOVED all the thoughts Abbie managed to put in this book. I was in literal heaven reading them.
The thing I didn’t like much was too much formalness in certain situations. For example, Orca likes to call Adam by his full name sometimes – Adam Stevenson. Sometimes it was very sweet and cute but sometimes it didn’t feel… natural to me.

“Knowledge is not wisdom. You could see the whole world, learn everything there is to learn, read every book written by every philosopher… and still go to your grave not a fraction wiser than the day you were born.”

Abbie is a talented author and I hope her books will be better with each year she’ll spend writing. She knows a lot about writing but – theory will only take you so far. (Not me quoting Oppenheimer, haha xd but it kinda fits!)
And even though I didn’t like this book as much as I expected to, it was still a great story and I enjoyed it! It’s definitely worth reading, if you want some light read for summer. ^^

To sum it up somehow, I would give this book 3.5/3.75 stars out of 5. (rounded up to 4)

Orca Monroe has been sheltered all of her eighteen years by her father, who works on the lighthouse of a remote island. Raised to believe the mainland is the ‘Otherworld’, Orca is desperate to explore beyond her island. When she discovers a phone that is washed up on the beach, Orca receives a call from Jack Stevenson, a young man whose brother, Adam, has gone missing, fear dead due to a plane crash. When Adam collapses on her doorstep, Orca nurses him back to good health. However, both Orca and Adam experience a connection between each other that is hard to ignore. On her father’s return to the island, Orca finds herself conflicted in her feelings for Adam and wishing to follow her father’s wishes. Yet Jack is determined to show Orca what she is missing on the mainland. Blind to the fact that his brother is in love with her, Jack offers to show Orca the world she’s always dreamed of. Soon, life for Orca becomes very complicated.
The world from Orca’s viewpoint is absolutely stunning and I enjoyed seeing both Adam and Jack become captivated by her innocence. And yet, her father’s sadness permeates the beginning chapters, and I could believe how Orca could be motivated to expand her horizons and seek out new adventures. Each character contributed a different perspective to Orca’s life on the island and the ‘otherworld’, bringing with them all of preconceptions and emotions. This book did have me captivated from the very start.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in return for an honest review - thank you for this opportunity.

I should start by saying I have not read anything by this author before and it is not my usual genre but it is one I do like. While I found the cover of 500 Days of Summer appealing I have to confess I personally really did not like the cover of The Otherworld, and so I wasn't that excited about reading it. However I have given it a solid 3 stars and this is why:

I found the initial opening chapters a little slow paced. I appreciate they were setting the scene and this was done effectively, but I felt it was a little laboured in places. However once it got going I was drawn more into the story and looked forward to continue reading it, although there were a few other places where I felt the pace slowed too much.
I did really enjoy the story and got a lot of pleasure from reading it. I thought the dialogue exchanges were strong and a good mental picture was created throughout.
Character-wise I felt Adam was the most consistent. I personally did not have an issue with their age difference as some other reviewers have as I think his character was portrayed as a decent man. I really liked Orca and Jack initially, but felt when it was set in the mainland they almost changed personalities. Jack became less of an exciting free spirit and more of a hormonal teenager, who seemed to have only ever met one type of girl before and I went from liking him to finding him really annoying,
Orca changed from seeming a mature young lady to a silly girl who had no qualms about spending lots of time with Jack and flirting with him then returning to Adam. If she had been torn between the two it might have made more sense.
I also felt there were some inconsistencies about what she found surprising about the Otherworld and what she seemed to already know.
Some saw the father cast as a villain but I never saw him like that. He seemed a good complex character that I would like to have known more about.
I was rather unconvinced about the ending for any of the characters but it did draw the story to a close.

So overall an enjoyable tale but not the best.. I would like to go and read her other books, which from what others say were better.

Orca's want was simple - to be "Part of your (our) world".

Orca Monroe, the long-lost cousin of Rapunzel and Ariel, wished to visit "The Otherworld" on her 18th Birthday. Her wish came true when a man crash-landed on the little island she lived (trapped) with her Dad. I guess this is where the Butterfly Effect first took place. She became Jack's lifeline and Adam's lifesaver.

I have been watching a large portion of Ms Abbie's YT to help me in writing.

Is her sophomore novel the testament to her advice?

Well, there is no perfection, but Ms Abbie's writing comes pretty darn close.

Ms Abbie's vivid descriptive writing style masterfully transports readers to the reclusive island (The first chapter guys! It tells it all) and then she immerses us in the nostalgic charm of the 90s lifestyle she wants us to experience. It evoked my memory of playing with cassettes, pulling those tapes and ruining them. TMI, my most played cassette tape was Hillary Duff's "Metamorphosis".

Back to the author, she employs a triple point-of-view narrative (The first time for me) in this love triangle romance and it is a clever move. It allows readers to dive deep into the minds and hearts of Orca, Jack and Adam, understanding each character's desires, conflicts and growth.

One of the most important feats in this novel is Ms Abbie's skilful balance between the central love plot of the two MCs and the compelling dynamics of the brother/family relationship between Adam and Jack (and their parents). [I almost cried a little at that ah-ha moment which lead to the brotherly scene at the port]. I was more compelled by the brother's interaction as the tension happening there was more “splashing” than Orca with her family drama. 👁👄👁

But I have a mixed reaction to the last plot twist at 90% of the book 💔🏥. Was it necessary? 🤷🏻‍♀️

Before I cracked open this book, I had my detective hat on, ready to predict the big 'dark' secret hidden in The Otherworld. The way that secret unfolded was like unwrapping a sad mystery gift that kept on giving – unexpected and appalling at the same time.

But that scene in that Penthouse thought me one thing – What brings one person happiness may not be the same for another.

Some love to live like Bilbo Baggins. Some love to live like the Gollum. 💁🏻‍♀️


THE CHARACTERS
Orca Monroe – she is 18, young and naïve, adventurous but her innocence brought a wedge between the brothers. Is she relatable? A little (at that age) with her naivety to the concept of love and how the otherworld works. She is a housewife material – and so do I.
Jack Stevenson – 18-year-old, short-tempered, stubborn, mischievous, adventurous and thrill seeker.
Adam Stevenson – 28-year-old, mature man, logical thinker, introspective, mostly calm.


THE ROMANCE
The first act witnessed the budding romance between Orca and one of the brothers. However, as a reader who sometimes prefers a slow burn in vanilla romance novels, I was taken aback by the 'I love you' moment that occurred between the MCs as they barely knew each other well. However, Ms Abbie did her best to develop the bond between the MCs in that short encounter in comparison to what we usually see in Insta love where physical infatuation is solely the drive of this weak romance plot point.

The Love Triangle (Adam VS Jack Stevenson)
I was misled at the beginning as to who Orca's love interest was. I came in, not reading the full summary. I thought it was him. But after reading down a couple of more chapters, it dawned upon me. Ah - the other brother is the one.

So whose team am I?

Jack is someone I would get caught up with by Dad for staying past curfew.
Adam is someone I caught with my Dad, sitting down with for a late-night conversation, sipping tea whilst talking about life, politics and family.

So needless to say, I'm team Adam. 😎

What I love about this book
1. Ms Abbie did her research on aviation and philosophy - and it matters to me when authors put that effort into their novels.
2. The Poem.
3. The brother relationship dynamic and growth.
4. The triple POV in love triangle trope romance.


SUMMARY
I love this book. I do recommend this book for someone who seeks a good love triangle novel with spectacular writing skills.

Thank you for the ARC!