wasn’t totally sure what to expect going into Only Portal Away, but I ended up really enjoying it. It’s one of those stories that mixes sci-fi and emotion in a way that really works—yes, there’s talk of portals and alternate realities, but at the heart of it, it’s about love, grief, and the choices we make.

The writing had a quiet beauty to it, and while the pacing was a little slow in places, I didn’t mind too much because the characters and emotional depth kept me hooked. It gave me a lot to think about and stuck with me more than I expected.

If you like speculative fiction that leans more character-driven and reflective, this is a great read!

1.25/5 stars! The concept of this story was super fun, but the payoff wasn't there. I'm not sure if this was a debut but it read like one. It felt like the author didn't know what to do to connect her plot points, which led to it reading as repetitive and dull. I would give this book another shot in the future if it was significantly revised by the author.

Unfortunately I was unable to download this book before the archive date, so I'm not able to leave a review. I look forward to reading and reviewing books by this author in the future.

The premise of *What Would You Do if You Came Home to Find Your Favorite Fictional Character in Your Living Room?* offers an intriguing concept that has potential for a fun and adventurous fantasy, but the execution falls a bit short. The idea of a tired college student, Aliya, encountering her favorite fictional character, Crown Prince Enzo al'Deran, in her own home creates an immediate sense of mystery and excitement. The question of whether or not she should believe Enzo’s claims that he’s from another world sets the stage for a captivating story, blending the lines between fiction and reality.

However, the story struggles with pacing and character development. Aliya, as a protagonist, feels somewhat flat, and her reactions to the bizarre situation she finds herself in often seem more detached than what would be expected in such a high-stakes scenario. The idea that she questions her own sanity while a fictional character literally stands before her is intriguing, but her skepticism becomes tiresome. Given the circumstances, her acceptance of the situation and her willingness to help Enzo feel rushed and not fully explored, especially considering the stakes of a life-threatening maniac chasing them.

Enzo, as a character, also falls into familiar tropes without adding much depth. The mysterious, somewhat aloof prince with a hidden past could have been more compelling, but his interactions with Aliya sometimes feel more like a list of plot points rather than a natural character arc. The relationship between Aliya and Enzo, which could be the heart of the narrative, feels underdeveloped. Their dynamic lacks the chemistry and tension needed to elevate the emotional stakes of their journey.

The plot itself, while interesting, feels a bit too reliant on convenience and fantastical elements that are introduced too quickly, leaving little time for world-building. The concept of portals and a chase across worlds could have been explored in much more detail to enrich the story. The villain, though threatening, remains one-dimensional and doesn’t feel as much of a true challenge to the protagonists, which weakens the overall conflict.

The idea of blending fantasy and reality is a solid one, but the book misses opportunities to fully immerse the reader in the fantastical world of Indresal and the emotional weight of Aliya’s decision. The stakes are high, but the plot doesn’t delve deeply enough into the consequences of Aliya’s choices or the impact they have on her character development. The narrative feels rushed, with the characters and their relationships not given enough room to evolve naturally.

Overall, while the premise is intriguing and filled with potential, the story lacks the depth and development needed to make it truly engaging. The characters feel underdeveloped, the pacing uneven, and the emotional stakes fail to reach their full potential. With more time spent on character arcs, world-building, and emotional development, this story could have been a captivating fantasy adventure.

This book was a wild card for me. I usually pick up books that have covers that catch my attention. I picked this cook up based off the blurb alone. It did not disappoint!

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

What if you're favorite character could been bought to live? And knows that you had a lot of naughty fun with him?? Yeah that's what you're going to find here, I had a fun time and the book was great has a palate cleanser

Wow, just wow! Aliya, the main character, discovers her favorite fictional character, Prince Enzo, injured in her living room. He needs her help to return to his world, but a dangerous enemy has followed him to Earth. Now, Aliya must decide whether to risk everything for someone who might just be a figment of her imagination.

Sadly dnf’d relatively early into the book, I will give it another go another time to give it a stronger chance as I loved the concept

Only a portal away was a okay read that I did enjoy but didn't like the writing all that much. It was hard to get into.

This is the most unique book I've ever read. Who would ever think one would come home to see their favourite fictional character in their lounge room in real life? Cause I'd really like that to come true !!

The premise of this book was great, but I felt we kept getting caught up in the descriptions/dialogue rather than the story line and character development. I didn't really feel connected to Aliya as I *still* feel I don't know her very well, even by the end of the book.

I would have loved a little more "meat on the bones" for this novel, however I enjoyed it all the same. That cliffhanger though!?!?

Great premise not so great execution. Aliya is a college junior and finds her favorite book character Enzo in her living room injured and confused. This just read younger and Aliya, who is suppose to be a super fan doesn't even use her knowledge of the books to help. This one just didn't pan out like I hoped it would. 2.5 stars

The idea of this book is really interesting, but the delivery was a bit underwhelming.

I liked how the FMC was obsessed with the whole franchise and had lots of merch. I like that still was more level-headed in comparison with the Prince, but they are both quite immature, and it is even stated in the book. I liked Sienna's backstory and her relationship with her wife.

What I didn't like however was the pacing, which was a bit too fast, the fact that the writing was repetitive. The leaps between reality/dream/past were a bit confusing at times. And I still don't understand why was Enzo so interested in Aliya, or why was she risking her life for him? I get that she liked the character super much, but he was kind of an a-hole and from liking a fictional character to doing everything to protect them is quite a bit of a leap.

For me, this book deserves a 3.5 stars. I would have loved to be able to give it more stars, but it still needs to be refined a bit, so it can really shine.

I really love the idea behind this book, but unfortunately the writing style was hard for me and I was unable to make it through this book.

I am sure this would have been a good read, but unfortunately I did not get a chance to get to this before the title was archived. I would be interested in finding a reasonably priced physical copy when I get a chance!

Enough cannot be said about how great the premise of this novel is! Your fictional crush shows up in your home and needs your help, what's a girl to do? Help obviously! The book started off great with Prince Enzo and Aliya meeting, him seeing all her collectibles, merch, art, fanfictions, etc. their kinda awkward and hilarious and Enzo trying to figure out how things work on Earth was great! The writing was veryyy fast paced and did get confusing towards the end with some changing timelines and all the jumping back and forth. Because of how fast paced it was, the character development wasn't the best but it is also the first in a series so there's time! The writing was often a little repetitive but overall it's a very fun story!

Unfortunately this book just wasn't for me. I tried really hard to get through it but found myself at 57% and forcing myself which really affected my enjoyment overall.

DNF'd but I can definitely see this being for someone else.

Only a Portal Away, tells the story of Aliya, a college junior, whose world turns upside down when her favorite fictional character becomes real.

Rating: 3 stars.

I really loved the concept of this and it could have been really good if it had more editing. Some of the paragraphs are choppy and the dialogue feels unnatural in a few places. With edits to fix these, I think this book could be really good.

Thank you to the author and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Only a Portal Away by Akira Varma was a really good story.
The development of the story was good and it moved at a good pace. I liked all of the supporting characters and felt that they were all good additions to the overall plot.
The writing was so beautiful, I absolutely loved the characters.

Thank You NetGalley and Akira Varma for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

meh. This wasnt something I thought about while not reading. I didnt crave the book if that makes sense. I feel like it definitely has potential but its lacking that fire i think. Unfortunately I did not finish and reading the other reviews Im glad due to the ending. Thank you for the read.