I have just finished this book 5 minutes ago. I am currently feeling a whirlwind of emotions because I loved the ending so much, it resonates with parts of my own past. I follow Abbie's youtube channel and love her passion for writing and storytelling. I do have to say that the pacing of the middle part was rather slow comparsd to the rest of the book, I'd say I struggled to follow through from about 30-60% of the book (in kindle-terms). The beginning was amazingly interesting, and the end was filled with twists and turns that kept me turning the page late into the night. But the middle, I kept reading purely because I love Abbie, I wanted to see if it gets better, and I wanted to give this honest review. I hope this comment is not disheartening to the author, perhaps I am the only one who feels this way and other readers will love the book through and through. The deep POVs were fantastically done, there was a distinct voice for each character, it was never confusing as to which character POV I was reading, the voices always has a subtle representation of their respective characters, I think it was beautifuly done.

This story was so such a whirlwind of emotions. So many times I found myself not knowing who to side with, Jack or Adam. To me they were both right when it came to Orca. I feel in a way I can relate to how Orca felt about things. The only things I will say that I didn’t care for was the pacing. It was a bit too slow me, but that’s more of a personal preference. And also that the concept of someone falling in love with someone within a few days. Then wanting to marry them. I don’t really think that’s realistic. That and she’s only ever met him and one other person. To say she loves him sounds like more of an infatuation.
She needs to explore life a little bit more before, wanting to marry the first person she saw. So that’s where I feel like Jack was in the right.

Reading Otherworld by Abbie Emmons is like watching a Disney Fairytale. Once I wrapped my head around that concept, I was able to fully embrace the characters and tale without questioning some of the real-world limitations my mind wanted to put on things.

Orca is an 18-year-old girl raised on an uninhabited lighthouse island with her father who she calls Papa. She does not remember ever living in the “Otherworld” and her father has warned her that it is a “place full of danger and darkness…People can change from light to dark in a moment, without warning.”

Papa reminds me of a few Disney characters. The first being Marlin from Finding Nemo. The overprotective Father:


Orca wants to visit the “Otherworld” and is entranced by the mysticism of what is out there – very much Rapunzel vibes. In fact, she likes to run around barefoot, wears her hair in a long braid, has the same naive innocence, and longs to explore just like Rapunzel. In many ways, this could be Rapunzel’s story if she was raised in a lighthouse rather than a tower.


Papa warns her against the Otherworld and will not take her there - Mother’s Know Best vibes, except this would be Papa knows best.


The Disney parallels continue. Orca longs to be part of that world.


She gets her connections with the Otherworld when her father is gone from the island longer than intended due to a storm and a pilot washes up. Before meeting the pilot in person, she finds his cell phone and is connected with his brother, thus introducing a love triangle. Who will she choose – the older, responsible, and philosophical brother, Adam, or the young free spirit, Jack?

Jack is definitely reminiscent of Alladin and even tells her he wants to, “show her the world.” Eventually even taking her flying in a jet.


Jack also literally says: Do you trust me?


I can’t find a good Disney match for Adam, the philosophical older brother. He is ten years older than Orca. Honestly, he’s a mix of old-school princes like Prince Charming and the wise tree in Pocohantas.


I really liked Adam and his philosophical talk. The butterfly effect and khaos were articulated beautifully here by Emmons through Adam. I had a bit of trouble getting past the age difference. While it was only ten years, her naivety paired with his maturity made it seem more like a 15 yo and a 30 yo. Every time he’d kiss her on the forehead, I’d cringe. Orca's father also kissed her on the forehead in the book.

Speaking of Disney Fairy Tales. The word love is used awfully quickly here; a week into the romance – very love at first sight vibes.



When Orca wants to visit the Otherworld with Jack and Adam. Papa harnesses his inner King Triton.



There is also an intriguing plot point relating to Orca’s dead mother here that hooked me as the reader. In fact, Orca had never even seen a photo of her mother until one was found. It was this plot point that finally hooked me as a reader - about page 170.

I had some trouble accepting that Orca would not know what fireworks were or fiction but she knows the words flirting and making love. It seems that if she’d really been isolated from people and television/media for her whole life she’d be a bit more feral. I’d have a better time belieiving some of her language and actions if she’d perhaps been secretly watching some television or seeing more things from the Otherworld.

While the ending is predictable, it is a beautiful ending. I love the purity of the love story overall. Thank you Abbie Emmons for avoiding the smut so prevalent in other mainstream romances. In the words of Nataniel Hawthorne, “easy reading is damn hard writing.” Emmon’s labored efforts are evident throughout and it is by far the best Indie published book I’ve read to date.

NetGalley provided the arc of this story in exchange for my honest review. (I found fabulous GIFs to go with my review but they will not post on NetGalley so I'll upload the images to Goodreads when I see it posted there later.)

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS

First I want to thank Abbie Emmons and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book through an ARC copy.

Book blurb:
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.
Growing up in a lighthouse on a remote island, Orca has lived isolated from the world… until one day when she finds a cell phone washed up on the beach. Orca has her first conversation with Jack Stevenson, a young man whose older brother, Adam, has gone missing after crashing his seaplane off the coast. Orca becomes Jack’s lifeline and his reason to hope that Adam is still alive. While her father is away, she scours the island for the missing pilot—determined to help Jack find his brother and prove to her father that she’s strong enough to take on the world.
One stormy night, Orca finds Adam Stevenson collapsed on her doorstep. As she nurses him back to health, she finds herself spellbound by his inquiring mind and rugged good looks. Simultaneously, Adam is captivated by her wild beauty and pure heart. But with a ten-year age gap between them—and her father’s determination to keep Orca protected from outsiders—Adam knows they can never be together.
Resigned to give Orca up, Adam returns to the mainland—but Jack refuses to leave her trapped at the lighthouse. Blind to the fact that his brother is in love with her, Jack offers to show Orca the world she’s always dreamed of. But when she leaves her island for the first time, Orca begins to realize that the mainland may hold more dark secrets than she ever imagined… and the two brothers she helped bring back together may be the very people she tears apart.

Book review:
I really wanted to love this book, but unfortunately, I could not. I have stayed up the whole night to finish it not because the story compelled me, but because I was desperately trying to find a redeeming quality in the plot.

Orca:
I loved the beginning, as Orca is so inexperienced and curious about everything it truly is sweet how she approaches the world. That moment until she meets Adam is very cute and sets the story up for a good premise but I was hoping and praying that the story didn't include a love triangle between brothers as I expected. And unfortunately it did. The most annoying part is that I could understand why adaam fell for the girl, as she represents an ideal of purity and goodness that in 2023 is objectively hard to find, but in the time where the story is set should not have been as hard to find, as we are taking about the late 90s.
I loved that she was rural and very into doing everything herself in the house as she always did in the island, including chopping wood which is something Adam deems a man's work and sends her inside to do even though he has a sprained ankle and broken ribs.
Through the progression of the story, she has a complete parallelism to Rapunzel and her journey, except she doesn't. Rapunzel in the story is able to beat up enemies, be very smart and accepting and make everyone fall in love with her weirdly. On the other hand, here we have kisses, and other things that take away from the innocent gestures that Rapunzel performs, using the holding hands as a turn on for the characters that leads to kissing ver early in the story.
Also, she becomes incredibly cunning and experienced in one second and when she decides to go back to the island she embraced the love for the father, that has seen reason, but believing she knows what she wants in a way the most basic disney princess would.
I would have loved more acwardness and fun in her discovering the marvels of the world, but instead we are presented a montage of experiences the reader knows but that would have been a lot more special if they were experienced in depth from the character's POV.

Adam:
Anyway, I liked that and I can see how the story was going making him the loner, perfect guy that hasn't had any sexual experience either. However, the fact that he is 28 should have made him the mature person in the story and he clearly wasn't as he proposes to orca after barely a month since they met each other and declared their unconditional love for each other.
Also, he wants to be the neutral third party but fo once he was so ready to give her up just because her father said so, talking about true love, and as a middle man takes the side of the father ad he wants to explain why he is acting as a jerk keeping her prisoner on the island against her will.
That seemed a lot like hormonal 18 year old falls for lonely older man searching for true love, and he falls too because why not, she is pretty and young.
I also found the philosophy they talk about in the story excessive, and mind you I am someone that LOVES deep thinking.

Jack:
This is such a conflicting point, as I totally saw the young guy in him in the way he believed he was the centre of the world, but there were several things about hm that did not sit well with me.
For once, he swears a lot, and disrespects his parents a lot with the excuse that I see so many young people hide behind nowadays: I am old enough, I am an adult and have the right to decide for myself.
I cringed so hard at that and I can not accept this, I saw It in my sister with me in the past but never with my parents as is fair because they must be respected, especially at 18. I also did not like at all the whole love triangle plot point as the kiss he gives Orca and her saying oh no you should not be sorry at all. Are we crazy? Yes he should be sorry because even if you happened not to be involved with his brother, you should have waited for her consent, and yes not everyone does but I found it so unnecessary.
His POV offers little to the story as we are clearly supposed to root for the romance of Adam and Orca. Just no, the in between siblings rivalry was interesting under the line of a concept of inferiority compared to Adam, but not also in romance.

Overall, despite my best efforts, I could not bring myself to like this book, and this is such a pity as I loved Abbie Emmons's first book "100Days of Sunlight" and the sequel "Tessa and Weston the Best Christmas Ever". I really hope this is not a trend of how the next releases are going to be like because I loved this author and wish to love her work in the future.

I really wanted to like this book. I love Abbie, I think she is an amazing teacher and I love watching her writing videos on Youtube. I enjoyed her debut novel 100 Days of Sunlight, so when I heard she had another book coming out, I was really excited and had high hopes for it. Unfortunately, The Otherworld did not live up to my expectations.

As much as I think Abbie is a great writer and I value her writing knowledge, I feel like this book came off as cliche and uninteresting.

My first issue was with the characters. I didn’t find any of them to be likeable and thought they were all quite annoying. I didn’t find myself rooting for any of them throughout the book, I didn’t feel attached to them and didn’t really care what happened to them. I found Orca to be annoying, needy, and basic. She did not come off as a strong female character, instead coming off as weak and helpless and I found myself growing to resent her. Next was Adam, who was a perfect, know-it-all who I did not find a connection with. Last was Jack, who was impulsive and full of himself which was how he was supposed to be, but he did not come off as likeable at all and I did not like the way he treated Orca. Not to mention, I did not like the way stereotypical gender roles were portrayed in this book as it caused me great frustration.

One of my biggest problems with this book was the insta-love. I’m sorry, but it does not take 3 days to fall in love with somebody. The quick relationship had me rolling my eyes everytime these characters interacted and made their relationship seem corny and meaningless. Not to mention the constant mention of the trope “she’s not like other girls” which is so played and outdated it made me angry.
There was supposed to be a love triangle in this book, but I didn’t see one. From the beginning of the book it is clear who Orca is going to end up with, making her other suitor more a third wheel then a love interest.
I felt this book also lacked subplots which made it boring and I felt the 90’s nostalgia was really lacking, with only a few off mentions here and there.

Another issue I had was the dialogue. It was extremely unrealistic and I found myself cringing anytime a character spoke because the words out of their mouth were meant to be meaningful but sounded laughable. I also found there to be more tell and less show, as the characters were constantly talking about their fears and desires which became mundane to read about.

The overall plot left me wanting more as well. The book was very slow and repetitive and the plot twist did not carry the powerful punch I was expecting.

I did enjoy the descriptive writing, especially of the Island, but unfortunately that was about it.
I encourage others to give this book a read if you want a fluffy, cute, Rapunzel-esque romance novel.

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

A story of a girl living a secluded life with her Father on an island where they call a Lighthouse "Home". She gets brought in to the outside world or "The Otherworld" when she finds on the shore a cellphone where she is able to contact Superman AKA Jack who has made multiple calls to the phone belonging to his brother Adam who has gone missing in a plane crash. Abbie Emmons takes on on quite an emotional journey. I could NOT put the book down. The characters are unique in their personality traits and they add to the story perfectly.
The only thing I wasn't a fan of at the beginning is the constant use of "The Otherworld" term with people that she knew did not understand what she was referring to... HOWEVER, after getting to know her character a bit better as the book went on, looking back, it's just a reflection of her personality.
I really enjoyed this book, I think the story and it's twists and turns was built to perfection. And maybe the vibe of the book just went along with my current mood which really makes it that much better. Looking forward now to reading more from this author.

After following so much of Abbie’s writing advice, I thought it only made sense to read some of her work—plus the blurb really drew me in. Thanks to Net Galley for providing the ARC!
The Otherworld is a character-focused romance with all of the PNW lighthouse-in-a-storm vibes you would want, and the vividly described setting made me feel like I was right there with everybody. The beginning was enrapturing and I felt that the story was set up well, especially with all of the characters and their different voices, personalities, and journeys. I really do like Orca. She is tough, self-reliant, and honest. At first, I also really liked Jack (this changes drastically later on). He was charismatic and fun, ready to bring Orca out of her shell. Adam was alright, and I really don’t have much to say about him. He could’ve had a bit more of a personality, but his romance with Orca really was sweet. Maybe a little unrealistically rushed. I am also a big fan of the dialogue and banter between everybody, really.
Some issues I had: The plot was a little too slow, especially in the middle. Additionally, I don’t mind love triangles, but when it’s between two brothers, it’s a little bit icky for me. However, I’m not sure why it is marketed as a love triangle because it was very obviously towards one guy. And don’t get me started on the age gap, it’s way too much. Five years instead of ten would’ve been less creepy and still would’ve had the same effect. I also heavily disliked how the boys talked about Orca, especially Jack when he kept saying she was “not like other girls.” Maybe Abbie meant to portray Jack that way on purpose, but I still struggled with the cliché view of an innocent, untouched virgin girl. Yuck.
Other than that, I was very moved by this story and it properly pulled on my heartstrings. I ate it up fast because I was excited to see what happened next, and genuinely rooting for the characters to get their shit together. And honestly, all of the emotions and drama was just what I needed. If you like the emotional, character-driven fiction and romance of Kristin Hannah, then you would definitely like The Otherworld.

Well, where do I even begin with this book!? It threw for so many loops, twists, and turns it left my head spinning-in a good way! I was extremely impressed with the amount of detail Ms. Abbie Emmons gave to her characters, especially Orca! She is so innocent, so inquisitive, so upfront and honest it was very refreshing to read! Adam is an old soul, a handsome, serious yet deep thinker whose age threw me the first I read it, but age is but a number. He grew on me the more I got into the book. Their romance blossomed quickly, and I was eager to see what happened! Jack was the immature yet fun kid brother who was eager to show Orca what the Otherworld had, and I enjoyed watching Orca's fascination with everything she tried. I felt so bad for him when he was in the dark about his brother and Orca. The author mentioned a love triangle, but boy it wasn't the one I was thinking about!

It was deeper than I thought it would get. Philosophy, Latin, the butterfly effect.... but it all worked together. I enjoyed the little tidbits that made up Orca's island: her fun-loving dog Lucius, her carved driftwood orca pod from her dad-whose backstory was so sad I felt so sorry for him, the greenhouse, the beach... I was so immersed!

Overall, this story was a refreshing drink of water, no pun intended! There were so many elements that worked so well together! The characters were such a delight to read and by the end, I was smiling and inwardly rejoicing!

As it's my first time reading work by this author, It was a beautiful and breathtaking love story that I'm so fortunate to read! Well, done Ms. Abbie Emmons!

While this story takes place in a very real San Juan Islands of Washington State in the late 90s, Abbie Emmons creates an emotional and romantic fantasy reminiscent of The Little Mermaid and Rapunzel. In the real world, experiencing the world and falling in love does not happen in one week - in a fantasy, it is romantic and poetic. Emmons' beautiful writing and well-crafted characters make for a cozy and thought-provoking story, infused with Greek mythology and philosophical musings. The story teeters towards the "born-sexy-yesterday" trope but Orca is a strong and intelligent character that prevents it from falling too far. Unfortunately, both male POVs often push Orca into the "not-like-other-girls" mold. I wish there had been more time for Orca to experience the world outside of the love triangle. There are several women that Orca meets (no spoilers) and I think it would have been interesting to have more interactions between her and them.

Ultimately, this story is a perfect fit for those looking for a character-driven romance. I believe the story seems well suited for teenage readers because of the family aspect and introduction to myths and philosophy - except for the age-range issue. While I think Emmons handles the story well, I would feel uncomfortable recommending this to younger readers when age gaps at that age present real power dynamic issues.

“So many adventures, waiting to be had. So many mysteries, waiting to be discovered.
So much more, just beyond my reach.
Today is the beginning of it all”

The story is about a girl named orca who has only ever known the lighthouse and the endles ocean for her entire life but that all changes when she finds a bag at the shore with a cellphone in it.

The story is written beautifully, there are three different POVS and I love that. The characters have been written so good that you don’t even have to look at the top to see who it is. There is also such a difference between between Adam and jack, so it was difficult to be like, he is the best For orca. it was also always one character she wanted, so even tho she went on dates with the other brother she kept thinking of him but I kinda like that. It is not like the stories were she likes both brothers but it is that both brothers like her.

I really love parts of this book, but there was also a thing that I liked a little bit less. I felt like that the romance was really fast paced, normally I don’t really mind it, but orca hasn’t seen another human other than her dad for 18 years so I feel like that the words “ I love you” were a bit of a shock to read bc they only knew each other for a few days. I felt like there needed to be a bit more of a struggle

but other than that I really liked this book, so that is why I gave it 4,5 stars. I hope this story gets the recognition it deserves, It has a love triangle, an age gap and tangled vibes so what more could you ask for!

Thank you to Abbie Emmons and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I will start off with the caveat that this is not my usual genre and it happens to focus on several tropes that I normally dislike (love triangles and instalove soulmates). However, I thought the first trope was well executed and I ended up enjoying that plot.

The book was very well written - the prose was easy to read but also beautiful, in a simple way. The characters were all distinctive and had clear flaws and conflict, and all grew along the way. I could tell whose chapter I was in by the writing style, which was very helpful for multiple first person POVs.

The premise of the story was intriguing, if unoriginal - a girl who was raised completely outside the modern world with only her father longs to go see the “Otherworld” for herself, but it comes (literally) crashing onto her island first. The plot was well-paced and interesting, and kept me reading the book pretty much nonstop. Even though the “twists” were all very predictable, I still wanted to keep turning the page to see what happened next.

The main issue for me was the romance. And again, I’m really not a fan of “instalove” plots, so maybe I’m just too much of a cynic to enjoy it. But to me it felt like the love on all sides was too fast and based on very little. In Jack's case, this was acknowledged and led to character growth. But in Orca's and Adam's cases it just led to magical happily ever after that felt unearned and unrealistic. I wish there had been more time spent developing a deeper emotional and personality connection and less time on purely physical desire. Basically all we got was that they both like talking about philosophy and appreciate the ability to do things for themselves. That's not quite enough for a lifelong relationship, and I wished we had seen a little more of how their dreams and interests and thoughts aligned.

I’m also not a fan of the large age gap, especially given Orca’s complete innocence and ignorance about the world. It feels much too close to grooming, even though it’s well established that Adam wouldn’t be like that. But she’s still so child-like in many ways, and she JUST turned 18 like 2 days before they met. Which just gives me the ickies. The ending alleviates this a bit, in that Adam goes to her world to learn from her instead of the other way around. But it’s still just a bit squicky for me. I think a little more time spent between the two of them on the island with Orca being the one showing Adam around and how to do things would have helped fix both this and the instalove problem. They could bond over enjoying those activities, setting a stronger foundation for a life together on the island, and it would be more clear that Orca is far more mature and capable than her age would suggest.

But aside from these issues, I enjoyed the book and sped through it in less than a day! I'm definitely going to go pick up Abbie's last book next!

I DNFed The Otherworld by Abbie Emmons at 23%.

While I definitely appreciated the Content Guide Abbie provided, I was still shocked by the amount of profanity in the book. There were 43 instances of either profanity or taking the Lord's name in vain in the short amount of the book that I read.

I think Abbie’s love of the movie Tangled came through a bit too clearly in this book. I found the similarities annoying, and it made the plot rather predictable.

I really did not like how families were portrayed in the portion of the book I read. While I understand each person grows up with a different family/family experience, I prefer books that support family, rather than portray them as controlling villains. As a tangent(ish), it is NOT illogical for Jack's mental stability after the (believed) loss of his brother. A study performed in Denmark and Sweden found that children who lost an immediate family member between infancy and 18 years of age were 39% more likely to develop schizophrenia. While I know schizophrenia often takes years to reveal itself, it generally first appears in young adulthood and may accelerate genetic predispositions. (I'll cite my sources at the end of this review.)

Many of Orca's decisions came off as juvenile. As soon as Orca turns 18, she feels she is ready to take on whatever the world throws at her. This belief made her seem quite juvenile. In the movie version of Prince Caspian, when Aslan refers to Caspian as a King of Narnia, Caspian replies that he does not feel ready. Aslan responds by telling him that Caspian IS ready because he knows he has room to grow, room to improve, flaws to perfect. A mark of TRULY being ready to face the world is being aware that you are not fully ready to face the world, you will still need help and guidance. While this could be an area where Orca grows throughout the book, I did not see any indication of it even being portrayed as a conflict she would need to resolve.

Another instance of Orca's immaturity is when she feels she can help Adam when he is injured. As well as he could be helped in a hospital. Orca had no way of doing an adequate health assessment on Adam. It was selfish of her to keep Adam to herself and not think of his need for hospital care. No, I did not complete the book, but Adam would've had a much better chance of making a full recovery if he had at least seen a doctor or something.

Overall, I did not think it would be worth my time or effort to continue reading this book. I believe it would benefit the author to do a thorough rewrite of the story to make it more suitable to readers of all ages (especially since she targets a teenage audience). While I do not hope to insinuate that her characters must be perfect, I hope she will also be able to improve her characters to make them more relatable.

Liang, Hong et al. “Early Life Bereavement and Schizophrenia: A Nationwide Cohort Study in Denmark and Sweden.” Medicine vol. 95,3 (2016): e2434. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000002434

You guys!!! I don’t know why or how but I knew going into this book I was going to cry and feel all of the emotions. I did just that.⁣
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“𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘴 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘶𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘦.”⁣
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Orca doesn’t know a lot about the modern day but she knows more about the universe itself. Her heart is so pure.⁣
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Jack craves adventure. He is a burst of energy, which isn’t always a good thing but he will give you a thrill. ⁣
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Adam is compassionate and understanding. He cares deeply for the people he loves. Just like Orca, Adam has an old soul. ⁣
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I love all three of them with my whole heart. So much happened from the beginning to the end. Abbie Emmons did an amazing job telling a love story but not just about two people falling in love. There’s a love story about friendship written in these pages.⁣
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I can’t wait for y’all to get your hands on this book. Mark your calendars for September 19th!

Before anything, I would like to thank you for the ARC. I am extremely grateful and feel honored to have read this book before the release. I was really hoping to give it 5 stars, I'm sorry I couldn't.

For the first 30% of the book I felt like this was going to be a 5 stars review. After that, my excitement was fading gradually the more I progressed in my reading. For the last 30% I was only reading because of a sense of obligation.

The theme is well executed. The way the imagery is created, the beach related words being used to describe feelings and actions, the template of the back-and-forth between present and past... It was beautiful to read. However, the world-building only seemed to go as far as the island. The scenes in the Otherworld felt like they were a movie montage and only being thought as they were written.

The characters are interesting enough, having defining qualities and a very characteristic way of speaking and thinking. They feel alive, but not enough for me to care about them. The only character I could actually care about was Jack, and by the end of the book I didn't like even him anymore.

The romance feels rushed and forced, with a lot of telling instead of showing. Orca loves Adam for no reason way too quickly, and throughout the whole book I keep trying to understand why. I lost it when I read a passage from a few days after she met Adam in which she says she had never loved anyone as much as her father until she met Adam. That's not how love works at all.

I was constantly angry at the black-and-whiteness of the thinking, with Jack reproving Lawrence's actions and Adam embracing them when it obviously should be a middle ground. You can understand someone's reasoning without agreeing with them. Orca could still love her father and follow her own wishes. It was wrong of him to hide the truth about her mother, it was wrong of him to keep her in the lighthouse when she wanted to meet other places. Orca shouldn't feel any guilt at all for chasing after what she wanted and she had the right to be angry at her dad for not telling her the truth about her mother. She could be angry and do things without putting him before herself but also still love him and want to live with him. It's not all or nothing and I hate how the ending of the book makes it seem like Orca was in the wrong when she obviously wasn't.

Jack was a great character at the beginning, making me laugh out loud and want to keep reading only to see more of him. He was ruined for me when he started being controlling and when he literally thought the sentence "She's not like other girls". I can't take a character — or a book — seriously when this phrase is used unironically.

Adam was bland and felt like every guy I went to high school with who thought he was deep for reading philosophy books and playing the guitar. Every time I saw his name under a chapter, I groaned a little bit. His thoughts were boring and his actions even more. He brought nothing to the table and I still don't understand why he was the chosen brother when jack had so much more going on for him. He shouldn't have been a love interest at all, unless the intent was to convey a message at the end, which it clearly was not.

Is 2023, we should know better than to romanticize age gap romances like this. Orca had barely turned 18 while Adam was 28. The human brain is developing until 25 years old. Before then we're way more prone to make impulsive decisions and that's why is predatory in a way for an older adult to pursue a teenager, even when they're technically legal. Not only that, but Jack, who's the same age as Orca, says he sees Adam as a father figure multiple times, explains how he is a mentor to him in almost every aspect and go as far as to say he felt like Adam was a grown up his entire life, which makes sense considering Adam was already 10 when Jack was born.

The way both Jack and Adam keep describing Orca as pure, naive, and innocent should say it all. Adam even says he "loves her even more" after she does something that he thinks shows her innocence. I felt constantly grossed out by this almost 30 year old man talking about the pureness of the barely 18 year old girl he was pursuing. Adam himself keeps saying he's too old for her but still dates her regardless of that. His self-awareness doesn't make it any better, if anything it only makes it worse. He's aware that what he's doing is wrong but he still goes and does it anyway.

As a girl who was 18 and a month when I started dating a soon to be 24 year old, I know by experience the kind of power dynamic these age gaps hold. And ours wasn't even as big as theirs. And I haven't lived in a secluded island my entire life to aggravate it even more. It's just not okay.

I am very disappointed because one of the things I loved about 100 Days of Sunlight was the fact that it was age appropriate. I even said on my review of that book that it was the bare minimum but it was still great to see, since it is uncommon to see in romance novels.

Thank you to NetGalley and Abbie for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

All I can say is wow. I’m always nervous to read books written by author/booktubers, but this exceeded my expectations and was easily one of my favorite reads of the year so far! Orca’s inner turmoil and emotional journey felt so realistic, and I genuinely did not see the plot twists coming. I’m usually not a fan of age gap romances or love triangles, but Abbie handled both really well and I ended up enjoying it!

Abbie’s prose was gorgeous and made me want to get on the next plane to the PNW asap. I can’t wait to see what she writes next!

This book is everything that Abbie promised - the Brothers' banter, romance, and a cozy lighthouse.

A perfect blend of Orca's innocence, Jack's playfulness and Adam's maturity.

Orca and her father's relationship is so warm and beautiful.

I had a constant smile on my face during the Lighthouse part of the book, the comfort it offered.

The story unwinds perfectly as the otherworld comes into the picture.

I wish Orca had more scenes with Mrs. Stevenson sharing the motherly bond.

Overall, a fast-paced comfort read that you can read in a day or two.

Thank you Netgalley and Abbie for sending over the ARC. I absolutely enjoyed it 😊

I finished this new standalone novel called The Otherworld today and I am still feeling giddy about it! This was the sweetest book I have read in a long time and I absolutely adored it! It is about a girl who lives in a lighthouse with her protective father, and two brothers' lives whose lives are forever changed by that girl... We meet simple and naive Orca, fiery and carefree Jack, and mature and passionate Adam. The interactions and relationships between these three was constructed and portrayed so brilliantly and perfectly, I love them and would love to continue reading about them (hint hint Abbie)!

I would say this novel could be classified as young adult genre, but definitely not limited to that by any means. It is honestly so sweet and tender, and so incredibly hard to put down. I fell in love with every single one of the characters, with the amazingly interesting storyline, and just everything about this book.

Abbie Emmons has a true talent for turning storytelling into cute romance novels with poignant streaks of truth running through them. I just love her writing style and hope to read more by her!

#theotherworld #netgalley #bookreview #abbieemmons

I thoroughly enjoyed diving into this book! It’s not only a romance with a juicy love triangle, but it’s also a well-told story about family relationships, particularly the profound love between parents and children and how those bonds change as children move into adulthood. All the characters feel like real people and the dialogue is dynamite throughout. There were moments that brought me to tears – it was particularly poignant to see how the love between the two brothers evolved over the course of the book.
I thought from the title that there might be a sci-fi angle to the story, but that is not the case. Orca has been brought up in total isolation on a small island where her father is the lighthouse keeper. The “Otherworld” mentioned in the title is the rest of the world, which Orca has never seen. Although she loves the simple life they live on the island, she longs to explore the secrets and treasures of Otherworld. (I was reminded somewhat of The Little Mermaid at times, especially because of the ocean theme of the story.)
The story opens on Orca’s 18th birthday, a milestone she believes will lead to her being able to visit Otherworld because she is now an adult. Her father soon discourages her of that belief. Orca’s father has filled her with stories of the dangers of Otherworld and does not want her to ever visit there. Eventually she does, of course, and it’s so much fun to see 1990s Seattle from her unspoiled point of view. The author has thoughtfully recreated that world with its music, movies, and the overall optimism of a simpler time before 9/11 and without smartphones or social media.
When her father temporarily leaves the island for a few days of training, he leaves Orca in charge of the lighthouse. In his absence, she finds a waterproof survival bag washed up on the shore and inside is a phone and identification for Adam Stevenson. Her curiosity is aroused and she sees that there are many missed calls from “Superman” on the phone. She decides to break her father’s rules about having no interactions with the outside world and calls Superman back. This sets her on a life-changing course that propels her towards her future and a greater understanding of her past.
No book is perfect, but my complaints are minor. A couple of points in the beginning of the book seem a bit implausible. And sometimes the story seemed a bit rushed, such as when Orca is searching for her roots.
Despite those minor points, the story captivates with truly engaging characters, plenty of plot twists, and an entirely satisfying ending.

There is magic to be found for the one opening the cover to this story. I, for one, was transported to a world shrouded in mystery. Orca Monroe has spent the entirety of her 18 years on an unnamed island with her lighthouse keeper father. He's labeled everything outside of their island home as, 'The Otherworld', "...where people can change from light to dark without warning." To protect her from the people who inhabit this otherworld--who are so volatile it's like they have thunderstorms inside themselves--Orca has never met another human being or been off the lighthouse island.

As the story unfolds, WE (the Reader) aren't sure of what The Otherworld is like, because Orca has virtually no context with which to frame her initial encounter, and we see everything through her eyes (1st Person POV). The only difference between Orca and a stone-age tribesperson encountering 21st Century life for the first time is the boat that supplies the island once a year, the airplanes she sees flying in the distance, and a few, carefully selected books her father has used to educate Orca.

This isolation not only keeps 'The Otherworld' a mystery for Orca, but it's had a profound effect on her character and nature as well.

BUT, if I reveal the kind of person Orca is, or much else about the story . . .

I fear

the magic which I experienced

when reading the story

fresh for the first time

Will

Be

Lost

For you.

It would be like opening Schrödinger's Box and looking inside. (If you're not familiar with that thought experiment, Schrödinger's Box has a cat inside, which might be alive or dead. While the status of the cat's health is unknown, all kinds of possibilities exist for philosophical exercise. But to be of value, the box must remain closed....)

Viewing Abbie Emmons’s “The Otherworld" when the box is already open might reveal a dead cat. There’s no magic in a dead cat. ;)

That darned cat . . . .

So I will leave the box closed and offer no further insight as to what's inside Orca's story....

...EXCEPT, I will offer these general observations:

*I wish the genre could be left blank throughout the Reviewer-verse. (And any multiverses where spoilers might be discovered.) This delightful story could occupy one of several genres, right up to the final scene. Recommendation to the industry: Add ‘TBD by Reader’ as a genre.

*If you have read a previous novel by this author (with a bright yellow cover), think of the setting in that story as occurring in one of those peep-hole boxes, or dioramas. That world is tidy, contained, with well-defined boundaries. Now imagine the box blown apart. That’s what happens when you open the cover of this story. Delicious khaos! Are you excited yet?!!!

*Never has a heroine whose hairstyle is repeatedly described as ‘messy’ been so captivatingly beautiful. Female readers will envy her; male readers will fall hopelessly in love.

That brings me to...

*Ladies, you will WANT your man to read this story. ‘Nuff said.

Note: This reviewer read “The Otherworld" in one sitting on the author’s birthday—he doesn’t recommend waiting until next June, but some extra magic may be attributed to astronomical alignments….

Finally, I DO recommend “The Otherworld". Wholeheartedly. Even if, like this reviewer, you’re not a regular fan of Romance Fiction. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Thank you to NetGalley and Abbie Emmons for sending the digital ARC of “The Otherworld" for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Quite simply, this book is outstanding. From the first page, it grabs hold of you and refuses to let go. The pacing is perfect, the plot is gripping and so, so relatable and familiar, and the characters are personable and real to the extent that I fell in love with all of them at their first mention. Abbie has such a unique way of creating suspense, too, suspense that grabs hold of you and forces you to read into the wee hours of the morning because you just cannot put the book down. This is an excellent read, and I say that as someone who never reads romance. As much as I would have loved to give this book five stars, though, there was one thing that ruined the immersion for me: the excessive use of adjectives, adverbs, and similes. I feel that these parts and figures of speech have their place and can make a book a fun read, but when used too often, they can rip the reader out of the immersion of the fictional world and back into the real world as they struggle to form the simile image in their minds, especially if they are fast readers. Other than this, though, I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a thrilling tale of a love triangle and a girl trapped in a world that she doesn’t feel like she belongs to.