The Otherworld by Abbie Emmons, ARC read.
Rating: five stars
“Perhaps we are all butterflies, and the world is our hurricane.”
Strap in everyone, you’re going to be here a while!
I first discovered Abbie Emmons through her writing YouTube channel a few years ago. Upon learning about her debut novel, I immediately ordered it, read it, and lent it to a friend to read because I felt the need to share Abbie’s work. I loved reading 100 Days of Sunlight and have used Abbie’s Youtube videos to help me on my own writing journey. Suffice to say when I found out about The Otherworld I freaked out, and immediately applied to be an ARC reader. I feel so grateful to have had the opportunity to read this brilliant, beautiful book before it comes out this September. And even though I have already read the book I will most definitely be pre-ordering my own physical copy.
So, where do I begin?
One of the first things that drew me into The Otherworld is the beautiful, romantic setting and ~vibe~ if you will, that this book exudes. The lighthouse, the island, growing produce in a greenhouse, chopping wood, wearing cloaks and linen, collecting shells on the beach, singing to the wales, and singing sea shanties. . . I was immediately swept away into a world that drew me in and I never wanted to leave. It’s amazing how Abbie was able to write such BEAUTIFUL prose and create such clear imagery of life living on the island without pages of boring descriptions. She created the absolute perfect balance of swoon worthy prose & description, with shorter lines that packed a punch, and dialogue that made me want to swoon, laugh, shout or cry. I highlighted SO MANY lines from this book and I think it’s proof how talented Abbie is as a writer.
Now, I will admit I had two reservations going into the read: The first, was that it had a love triangle (involving a pair of brothers), which I’m generally not a huge fan of. The second, was that there is a large age gap between the main character and one of her love interests. I have to say that by the end of the book, I didn’t have a problem with either one of these things because of how well they were written and handled. Speaking on the love triangle–I kept going back and forth throughout the book on whether I was #TeamAdam or #TeamJack. At first I was 100% #TeamJack. Then Adam came into the picture and I was #Team Adam. Then I was #TeamJack again then #TeamAdam. (Adam has my heart ultimately, but that’s just me). What I appreciated about the love triangle was how likable both leading men were and how each possessed qualities and weaknesses that complimented the other. They brought out different qualities in Orca, our leading lady. Adam and Jack each understood different parts of her, and complimented her in different ways. One brother’s strength was another brother’s weakness and vice versa. This made for an enticing, conflicting, yet balanced love triangle that was also handled and resolved very well.
Onto the age gap: When you find out Orca is 18 and Adam is 28 please don’t be scared off! I was initially put off by the age gap but honestly it didn’t really feel like a huge gap and it was done very well. Once again, the characters balanced each other out. Yes, Orca is young and pure, and naive for her age. On the other hand, she is strong and intelligent and is wise beyond her years. And despite her being deprived of the modern world in a lot of ways, she took on a lot of responsibilities and hard work and proved time and time again she could take care of herself and others. And Adam, despite being 28, still lived with his parents and little brother, his softboi personality and lack of lots of romantic experience paired well with Orca in the way that the age gap just….worked. It was also an interesting contrast to see Orca with Jack, who was the same age as her and had a lot of similar passions and brought out a youthful adventurous spirit, but also showed immaturity at times, likely due to his young age. There were pros and cons to being with a 28 year old and a 18 year old.
And then seeing the relationship between the brothers unfold, their love for one another, their conflicts and how they both grow. . .Like I said before, the characters just all balanced each other out in such a satisfying way, but not without all the juicy drama and conflict.
Onto Orca Monroe. She has easily become one of my favorite heroines of all time. She was like the perfect mix between Rapunzel (Disney’s Tangled version) and Anne Shirley. She’s so pure and innocent and yes, a bit naive, but also filled with wonder and passion and goodness. She sees the beauty in so many things, and sees the goodness in others. I loved her relationship with her dog (Abbie literally made a dog have such a clear personality and a full on character, it was amazing) and the family secrets and drama with her father was just *chef’s kiss*. Orca was such a lovable character, filled with sunshine and I will never stop raving about her.
Overall, this was such a feel-good read, made for the escapists and the romantics.I loved all the twists and turns, several of which I was not expecting and made me gasp and bite my knuckles. It was the perfect mix of feel good romance and OH MY GOD DID THAT JUST HAPPEN?!
I cannot recommend this enough, and quite frankly it’s going to be difficult to get over the book hangover that reading The Otherworld has given me. I’m not quite ready to move on. I also need someone to talk to about this book who has also read it because I need someone to discuss spoilers with. ;)
Thank you Abbie Emmons and NetGalley for letting me read this amazing book early! I am so grateful and feel so privileged to be in the first group of readers to get to experience the romantic brilliance of Abbie Emmons.
10/10 recommend!

I dare you not to fall in love with this story.

“The Otherworld” is an absolutely gorgeous book. From the first page, it swept me off my feet and into Orca’s world. The romance, characters, and aesthetic are spellbinding, and everything about this tale is perfection.

This story is a gem waiting to be discovered. The protagonist is free-spirited and ethereal, yet strong and intelligent, and I have never seen any character quite like her. Every single one of the characters was magnificently fleshed out and three-dimensional, with deep internal conflict and desires (and we can expect no less from Abbie :D). I found myself caring deeply for the characters right from the start, and seeing them develop was blissfully satisfying. Watching the relationships between characters grow and blossom is like enriching the layers of your heart.

Everyone with a heart needs to read this book.

Thank you, Abbie, for sending this story out into the world.

The Otherworld by Abbie Emmons was a lovely surprise of a comfort read. The coziest of comfort reads. Every scene carried you along with built in tension and had me eager to find out what would happen next. I loved the overall mood and the thoughtful character dynamics and settings. It was just stunning and thought-provoking and the romance was *chef's kiss*

Characters: 8/10
Romance: 8/10
Writing: 7/10
Adam: 100/10

I INHALED this book in one day, three sittings.
Let me just start off by saying the vibes in this book are IMMACULATE! Seriously, the way this is written, with the lovely descriptions and metaphors, really sells the whole seaside vibe of this book, which I adored. I loved Orca and Adam's relationship, and though it was corny, it's a breath of fresh air to read something that's so sweet and light compared to other romance books out there.

Honestly, I think this was mismarketed as a love-triangle romance. I'm sorry for saying this, because every other character was loveable, but anytime Jack's name popped up I wanted to put a bullet through his skull. If that was Abbie's intention, she did it amazingly.
God, he was such a manipulative asshole who I felt saw Orca as so much of an object- a collectible- and his feelings towards her were so shallow. He was willing to have her destroy her relationship with her beloved Papa just to drag her out somewhere she was reluctant on going when he asked. Seriously, I could go on about my intense hatred for him for another three paragraphs, but I'll just list his horrible traits. He's manipulative, impulsive, violent, selfish, arrogant- ugh. I liked that he acknowledged how much of a jerk he was at the end, but I honestly still hate him. He was…okay, in the first few chapters.

The first few chapters! Another thing I'd like to talk about. I felt (and I'm sorry for this, but I promised an honest review) that this book began in a way that made me cringe pretty hard. The way she kept repeating how much she wanted to see the outside world and everything- it's probably just me, but I felt that she came off as a five year old in a Disney show who's trying to be cool but is not. I also felt that the pacing was slow, but the amount of time the story itself took place within was incredibly little. I'm swooning over how sweet and how in love Orca and Adam are, but I felt it happened extremely quick. This book would've definitely had a higher score for me in terms of writing had the events developed a little less quick, as I felt it was unrealistic to catch such strong feelings. Not just Adam and Orca, the way Jack talked about her around chapter 10 I believe. Where he kept gushing about how smart and strong and funny she was- but they had only talked over the phone, like, once? Another thing I noticed was how often the characters' names and last names were said (not in the narrative itself, in the dialogue). Honestly? It degrades the quality of Abbie's pretty writing- and makes everything feel as though it was written for children. Dialogue I also felt was unrealistic and clunky at times.

While I understand Orca didn't have prior experiences with dating, and she didn't really know what she was doing- I don't like how she sort of lead Jack on. That was another thing I kind of frowned at.

I loved that this book had a small cast of characters; that made it feel very cozy and closed off. A lot of books have my brain working overtime with a LOT of characters every which way, and it's a pain to remember who did what and what's going and blah blah blah. Just a personal preference, but I liked it :).

This book was not perfect, but a good, enjoyable read and an experience that'll leave a fuzzy feeling in your chest afterwards. I'll definitely be buying a physical copy when it comes out, and rereading it some time. One of my comfort books, now!
Compared to other books I've read, the amount of things that pissed me off was relatively low. Pat on the back to the lovely Abbie.

Plot was a little lacking, not much going on externally, but a book that was more character driven was nice!! Oh, and I forgot to point out: I LOVE ADAM. ADAM #1 FAN FOREVER.
Seriously, he's so considerate and sweet and caring and lovely- I can see how Orca fell for him quickly. Did I mention how poetic he is? That's lovely, as well. Not everyone wants a man that's like 👹…but softer men, you know? Adam was wonderfully written.
Note: the ten year age gap was a little uncomfortable for me, would've been nicer if it was a little closer, but it was a very minor issue and didn't affect the book much at all.

To wrap up this review, here are some of my favorite lines/bits of nice writing:

-"Looking at everything else in my life, I can't
find a comparison to the immensity of love I
feel for him.
It frightens me because tomorrow he will be
gone-yet my feelings for him will remain. I
will be torn in two and I fear I will bleed
inwardly. I will be forever cursed with an
invisible wound that I have no remedy for."

-"After all this time, do you really not know
how beautiful, how priceless you are to me?
God, if only you knew how much I've battled
with myself to not want you. To let you go and be free to find yourself. I didn't want
you to make the same mistake your mother
did, marrying an older man, not knowing
what you really wanted. I didn't want you to wake up one day and regret your decision.
But now I realize I can't let you go. From the moment I first met you, I never wanted to leave your side. I love you with every
breath I take, Orca, You're like a wildfire I can't put out-you've consumed me, body and soul."

-"I should have told her the truth-that she is
the most beautiful woman I've ever met.
Not just on the outside, Not just the way the light sparkles in her eyes like turquoise
and gilds the soft folds of her hair, not just
the lilt of her voice or the music of her
laughter, not just the elegant shape of her
body, like a marble sculpture straight out of
Michelangelo's proficient hands.
She is beautiful because she is one of a kind -a single, glorious star lighting up her own
Solar System. Beautiful because she lives in
this hidden utopia, far from the madness of
the world she desperately, foolishly yearns
for."

-"She's honesty. She's grace. She's even more
of a mystery to me than I am to her. She is
a forest so perfectly serene and untouched,
I am torn between the desire to explore this
new wonder of the world and the fear of
polluting its holiness by so much as
breathing on it."

-"'Exactly, 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.'
'Maybe it's not someone who's preordained.'
I murmur, thinking aloud. 'Maybe some
people just make soulmates. They find
Someone and love them so much that they
Sort of… become part of that person. And
it's not that they were one being before,
but they are now, and that's why it hurts
when one of them goes away. Because it
only hurts when one of you goes away,
right? Not before you ever meet them.'"

-"Perhaps true confidence is not found in
sparkling charisma, but in quiet strength
and steadiness, like the unwavering glow of
a lighthouse on a distant shore."

-"'If were the butterflies," Orca muses,
"then we decide what the void will be, right?
Maybe it's not nothing. Maybe it's just…infinite possibilities'."

-"He looks down at our
entwined fingers, gently tracing his thumb
over my knuckles. 'And whoever you end up
falling in love with, he'll be the luckiest
man in the world.'"

-"But even thunderstorms have another side to
them- a terrifying sort of beauty, when rods of
white lightning split the sky into pieces and flash
on the swells of the black ocean below."

That's all from me! I'd love to know whether this review was satisfactory, and I'd like to give a million thanks for giving me the honor and the privilege to read this book before publication.

I. Am. Obsessed.

I had to get corrective eye surgery in the middle of reading this book and HAD TO WAIT THREE WHOLE DAYS until I could see again and keep reading.

In the beginning, the first 30% was torture to get through because of the lack of events. I had to force myself to keep going. Once I hit the 38%ish mark things picked up though and I enjoyed it.

The plot? Delicious. The characters? Wholesome. THE ENDING? ATE AND DID NOT LEAVE ANY CRUMBS.

The elephant in the room: the age gap. Orca is very obviously, very truly wiser and older than she really is, thanks to her secluded lifestyle on the island. Her and Adam are quite literally a perfect match, personality wise and mentally. I haven’t physically smiled and kicked my feet at a book in a really long time.

Also! There was no miscommunication trope! WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT? And the story was so intriguing I would NOT have guessed I’d enjoy it.

The characters are very lovable. Even Jack (shocking, I know.) His redemption arc was realistic, interesting, and tied everything together in the end. Everything was so coherent and … goodness. 10/10

The only thing I hoped was that the synopsis didn’t spoil the fact that Adam survives. I feel like it would have been exciting to live the “Is he alive? Is he dead?” Stress with Jack. To be fair I don’t know how the synopsis could be altered to exclude this piece of information so … compromise I guess.

I love Orca. I love how Emmons fleshed out her personality; wise beyond her years yet still malleable and has a boat-load of child-like curiosity. How she behaved with Jack (trying new things, exploring past her comfort zone) versus with Adam (finding someone on the same wavelength as her, relating to someone so wholly.)

I love the healthy family dynamics, the healthy relationship between the family members, and the realistic fleshing-out of characters, how people actually act their age. Sigh …

Recommend this book for any romance lover who’s so sick and tired of the cutout so-called “rom coms” trending nowadays. Abbie, I used to like you as a YT creator but now I like you as an author, too.

THANK YOU to the author and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review! This has been really fun (especially the honest review part lol)

A gripping tale with deeply considered characters and a strong message. The prose is the part of this novel that shines brightest.

Having followed Abbie Emmons on YouTube for a considerable amount of time I was very excited to read the The Otherworld. I will not have any spoilers In this review as I do not want to ruin the plot for anyone reading this as there is a dramatic and heartbreaking twist in the middle of the story and towards the end, Despite not being a fan of romance novels I really enjoyed this book. Abbie Sets up the beginning exceptionally well and dives straight into the plot. From the start I was asking questions, especially about Papa and his motives from keeping her from the mainland or as it is known in the book, the otherworld. The descriptive parts of the story are absolutely stunning and is beyond beautiful. I feel transported to this island with every word. The pain Jack and his family are going through is clearly one of the best sequences and she shows the frustration extremely well. I rooted for Orca and Adam from the start. The connection between them is striking and reflected well in the writing. Unfortunately the pacing seemed very fast which is likely why I finished the book so quickly. Also the blurb reveals quite a lot of the story. I enjoyed seeing the story through three different points of view. It's interesting to see how the other feels within the scene. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and I will happily give this book 5 stars.

I so wanted to love this story! I think Abbie is so amazing at analysing stories, and is so brilliant at teaching the craft of writing, however there was so much of this story I just couldn't get on board with! I don't want to delve too deeply in this review, as I'm sure others will be able to see past all the issues I had with this story, so I'll just say - this was not for me, but I wish Abbie the best, and I'm glad her author dreams are coming true.

i received an e-arc from net galley in exchange for a honest review. (spoilers below!)

this is really hard bc i love abbie. i was obsessed with her blog, and i love her youtube videos, and i adore 100 Days of Sunlight .

firstly, abbie is an incredible writer. i love her writing style, and how cozy the book is. she also did a great job with the three POVs. each character's voice was so unique, and i could tell the difference without even seeing the chapter indications. also the chapters all had titles! and i loved the rapunzel vibes. but, there were some aspects that i did not enjoy.

the age-gap romance. this was communicated up front, so i was aware of it going into the book, so i'm not reducing my rating bc of this alone. i personally am not a fan of age-gap romance, but i wanted to still give it a chance bc it's abbie. however, i still found the age-gap problematic, especially since orca is so naive. adam is fully an adult (28!), while orca (18) has had no experience at all with men other than her father. she doesn't even know how to kiss?? all of their scenes (especially the first kiss scene) were uncomfortable for me, as she would ask "am i doing it right" etc. 🥴 also, adam kept describing her as "pure" and "untouched", which is true (bc hello, real life rapunzel), but also gave me uncomfy vibes.

i will say, the insta-love makes sense in this book bc of orca's character and her secluded life on the island.

i also really did not like orca's dad, and how adam (and his parents!) kept defending him. yeah, he may have a good reason to keep orca secluded on an island, but it's still wrong to shelter her that much, especially without any explanation. and of course orca is going to want to experience the real world. it's perfectly natural. idk, just really didn't like how adam kept defending her dad despite jack making some valid points.

i also was very team jack for the first half of the book (until he became a jerk), bc he felt the most normal? like, he met a girl secluded on an island who desperately wanted to experience the real world, and he wanted to help her. i feel like that's a very natural reaction?? <spoiler> but then he became a jerk and a douchebag when he tried to 'make' orca fall in love with him. also, kissing her without her consent? not cool, especially since he thought it was the first time she kissed anyone. like, dude, ask her first. c'mon. </spoiler>

lastly, this is a major spoiler so i'll mark it w/ tags, but <spoiler> i really did not like how orca's mom was portrayed as a villain merely for wanting a career. like yes, she was cold and cruel to orca when she came to see her and that's wrong, but miriam's implication that orca's dad basically tricked her into having a child? idk if that was how it happened, but that's what i got from it. and that is not okay. and orca kept saying that her mom was unhappy and unfulfilled, merely bc she decided she didn't want to live as a recluse and instead wanted a career? not okay. </spoiler>

all in all, i was not a huge fan of this book, which is really sad bc i wanted to love it. but i will continue to read abbie's other works, as she is an incredible writer. and just bc it wasn't my cup of tea doesn't mean it's not yours!

Abbie Emmons’ The Otherworld about Orca Monroe who has grown up in a lighthouse on an island her whole life. One day she finds a cellphone washes up on their beach and she has a phone conversation with Jack Stevenson and after a few days, Jack’s brother Adam, collapses on Orca’s doorstep and she nurses him back to health. The rest of the story forms the love triangle between Jack, Adam and Orca.

The strongest part of the book was Abbie's writing. It maintained a perfect balance between lyrical and descriptive and purple prose. The pacing was fantastic. There was not a single moment where I felt like the speed was going up or down.

The characters and their internal conflicts are very clearly portrayed which makes them very realistic and layered, adding more depth to the story. And Orca's confusion with respect to the Stevenson brothers seems to mirror her internal conflict and this was done brilliantly. While I am not usually a fan of love triangles, I found Orca to be very clear headed in this aspect thus making the trope good. Her forays into the Otherworld and her own past was interesting and I wish this had been explored more.

Coming to the other side, I found the insta love to be a little too quick in this story. Her father's justification to keeping Orca away from the mainland, and Orca's inconsistent understanding of things from the mainland were some other minor issues I had with the story.

While 100 Days of Sunlight remains to be my favourite book by the author so far, this was still a great story. I enjoyed many parts of it and I gave it four stars. I thank the author and Netgalley for providing me with an E copy to read and review. As someone who has been following Abbie’s Youtube channel for a long time, I am thrilled that “The Lighthouse Book” (as it was originally nicknamed) has finally found its way to the world!

I have a more detailed and elaborate review on the same on my blog and I've linked it here, so do read that!

SOOOOOOOOOO… my heart is so full of joy and warmth.

15% of the way into this book i already knew i would adore it. orca is one of the sweetest and most likeable protagonists i can remember reading about in the past several years. if rapunzel is your favorite disney princess, you’ll like orca monroe. :)

also, it has been a long time since i was actively anticipating/excited for a book that promised a love triangle… BUT IT WAS SO GOOD, it was handled beautifully, each character is unique and grows immensely from the beginning of the novel to the end. especially jack. my sweet jack :,,))))

this is the first book by abbie emmons i’ve read but i’m excited to read more. her style is whirlwind, captivating, and beyond beautiful. 5/5 10/10 100/100

*thank you so much to netgalley and to the author for the advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review!! ♡*

Abbie Emmons has given me so much valuable advice on her YouTube channel. Based on her masterful understanding of the craftsmanship that goes into structuring a novel, I was SO excited to receive an ARC copy of The Otherworld.

What I liked:
Emmons really understands how to structure a novel well, and she has a gift for creating unique metaphors in character voice. I read the book in about a half day and I enjoyed seeing how Emmons uses the techniques she teaches online.

What I didn’t:
I wanted to love it. But I had some issues that I couldn’t overlook. The protagonist, Orca (I didn’t like her name, but that’s just personal taste) is extremely sheltered and it is explicitly indicated that her only significant relationship is with her father. She has no friends, male or female, and knows nobody her own age. This is a setup with great dramatic promise. I was eager to see her develop friendships, learn more about the world, develop some deep, powerful platonic friendships, and above all explore what it really means to be an adult. These things would have given her the tools necessary to enter into a healthy romantic relationship.

Unfortunately, Orca barely has any really conversation with anyone other than the two love interests. Her aunt didn’t really take the time to get to know her, and the brothers’ mom seemed interested only in encouraging a romance with her older son rather than learning about Orca and offering her either friendship or mentorship. I found it inappropriate that Jack is the one to take Orca shopping for a red bikini rather than his mom taking her to a store and allowing her to pick something that made her feel comfortable. It felt predatory, with him assuring her that “everyone does it” so that she’d get basically naked for his enjoyment. I also don’t believe that a highly sheltered girl of 18 could strip down to a bikini and indicate that she felt mostly naked, but also just fine with it… people tend to hang on to what they were raised with, even if it’s only in the form of guilt. Orca struggling with a sense of doing something inappropriate or wrong and then gradually ignoring it, etc. would have felt truer to the character for me.
Orca seemed to have no choice between total rebellion against her dad and total acceptance of his overly controlling attempts to keep her permanently isolated. I wish I could have seen a more nuanced response to this dilemma.
A number of other reviewers have said it already, but n an age gap romance is actually dangerous for Orca, given how extremely sheltered she is. The power dynamic will always skew in favor of the man who has 10 years greater life experience and 100% greater worldly knowledge. It’s also not clear to me that she understands the mechanics of sex (I’m not looking for explicit content, but she didn’t know that she was feeling attraction initially and described it in a way that suggested this conclusion). She can’t give full consent to an engagement when she doesn’t understand what she’s agreeing to. Adam and her father should support Orca traveling to the mainland, maybe to get a job and live with her aunt for a while. She needs a mentor (preferably female) to help her gain both independence and information so that she can give informed consent to any romantic relationship.

I am grateful to have received an ARC copy of this book. I am giving an honest review that reflects my impressions of the book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, NetGalley and Abbie Emmons for this ARC.

Let me start by saying that I love Rapunzel (especially Disney’s Tangled). This book was like a retelling of the story in a more modern version. I feel that it was too obvious and it took away some of the originality. I found myself comparing the 2 stories too many times.
I loved the worldbuilding and Abbie did an amazing job here. The description of the Island made me feel I was there and I had a smile on my face imagining all the beauty.
I don't want to give away a lot of spoilers, so try to be vague.
Orca wants to see the ‘Otherworld,’ which is the mainland. There were some pretty funny moments her discovering it. The love triangle between her and brothers Adam and Jack....what to say about that. I didn't like Jack (sorry). I loved Adam, so team Adam it was for me. I don't mind age gap at all, probably as I can relate to that. There were some moments that I thought: that's not really how love works.
There was some ‘bad language,’ in the book (which Abbie disclosed in the content guide). It didn't bother me, but it might not be for everyone. If you can't handle bad language or if you are very Christian and don't like ‘GD,’ you better skip the book.
Overall I enjoyed reading the book. I also want to say that I love the cover!!

Thank you Abbie and NetGalley for this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Abbie Emmons for giving me an ARC of this book in advance.

Note: this review was also posted on Goodreads.

Orca Monroe is a 18-year-old young woman who has lived all her life isolated on an island with her overprotective father. She has only wanted one thing: to discover what she calls "the Otherworld" - the mainland across the sea that her father has always forbidden her from visiting.
One day, she finds a backpack and a phone. This is when she gets in touch with Jack Stevenson whose older brother, Adam, has gone missing after crashing his plane. One night, Orca finds Adam collapsed on her doorsteps. This sets in motion a chain of events that will introduce her to the Otherworld.

I have to applaud the writing style, which was very poetic and revealed a beautiful imagery.

I was really enjoying the read for the first third of the book, thanks to the poetry of the writing style in particular. However, it quickly turned out to be cliche and tropey: the insta-love and the predictable love triangle negatively impacted my reading experience.
The story is told via the 3 POVs, and if I enjoyed each character individually in the beginning, they each slowly turned into tropey version of themselves.

The romance felt rushed and forced. It is hard to see what they exactly like each other for. And the age-gap, which is recognised as a problem by the love interest in his POV chapters, felt predatory. This could have been easily solved if the author had aged up Orca by a few years.

If Orca had her own agency in the first act, her character took a more passive role the further we advance in the story, and was reactive most of the plot. Further down the line, it becomes harder to care about the character the less proactive she becomes.

I also have to point out the subtle sexism that unfortunately impacted my enjoyment of the book and without which my rating would have been higher. The two male protagonists several times would applaud Orca as being "not like other girls" for doing basic things like eating pizza or "not wearing make up". In some chapters (especially in Jack's POV), Orca would also be described in very objectifying terms which was uncomfortable to read. I feel this promotes harmful stereotypes about women and girls which is a pity for a novel advertised at young adults.

Loved the book. It is really good. A story settled in the late 90s with the plot of Rapunzel. It’s a masterpiece. Orca is my favorite character through the book. I love the love triangle trope that the book uses. When I am reading this, I feel myself being the character. The language is fairly impressive. I think this is a good book and I can recommend it. Four stars cause she is with the wrong character.

What a beautiful story. It was elegant, if I ever have to describe it one word. The writing style perfectly reflects the elegance of the plot. It reminds me so much of The LittleMermaid and Tangled. If those two had a mashup, it would be this book, but this is also unique in its own way.nI truly, truly enjoyed the way it was written, especially Orca’s point of view. I could see pieces of Abbie in the main character’s personality and those tiny moments meant so much to me. My favourite scene will always and forever be when Adam and Orca visit the greenhouse together. It is so simple but so pretty. The imagery is everything, and that’s something I’d like to talk more about.

The imagery is beautiful and it is so evocative, I could hear the waves of the ocean outside my window while reading. All that aside, I do think the internal thought processes of each of the main characters start sounding monologue-y and those are the points where I wish there were more descriptions of the outside world, like the environment or the things they are seeing. Maybe it’s just me because I did feel like I would be more immersed if the story was in third POV. Sometimes I felt too close to these characters for comfort, Inhope that makes sense!

Other than that the only thing I didn’t like was the interaction with her mom. It was too short and it happened too fast. I sort of wish the book was longer so there could have been more space to explore that aspect of the journey because it does feel rushed. Just a bit. And also, I’m not a fan of age gap romance so I rooted for Jack for the first half of the book, but then Adam grew on me and I kind of let him in. Part of that has to do with Orca’s determination to pursue him, which I adore. It’s very cute of her haha. His character is so fleshed out and well written. That’s the case for all the characters though, but Abbie is amazing at character voice is my point.

The relationships explored in this book are so fragile and they’re handled with so much care, I am in awe. Although, I would say that the family dynamics felt a bit congested for me? I feel like that’s pretty much all the boys lives that are seen in the book- oh and they go to work but I wanted to see more of their own individual lives as separate from the family. Their thoughts were constantly attached to just each other and that made me wish they had more to them you know?

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to go on a roller coaster of emotions. Don’t say I didn’t warn you! I’m proud of you Abbie and I wish I had requested an ARC for 100 days of Sunlight and the Christmas spin-off. In short, this book filled me with coziness and butterflies :)

This review is based on an ARC.

The story of Orca Monroe was a fascinating look into someone raised away from modern society. Orca is both incredibly knowledgeable about the ocean and the natural world and yet incredibly innocent about inter-personal interactions and how to be "human" in the modern world.

Into Orca's cloistered existence come the Stevenson brothers, Adam and Jack. They literally crash into her world: Jack through a cellphone that Orca finds in a lost backpack and Adam when she discovers him on the tiny island on which she and her father live alone.

The story spun out beautifully and fairly believably. Some things were romanticized a bit, but I didn't find that they detracted from the overall enjoyability of the story. And, let's be honest here: the idea of a young woman raised alone on an island her entire life suddenly meeting and falling in love with a man is, in and of itself, a very romanticized idea.

Abbie Emmons has crafted a beautiful, heartfelt story of figuring yourself out and learning to live in a world you can't predict, about finding someone perfect for you and figuring out how to accept that you're perfect for them, and about letting go of a dream.

I loved all the main characters and found myself a little sad when I finished the book. I missed visiting with Orca, Adam, and Jack. Their twisted and intertwined lives were fun to poke around in.

This is a wonderful story well-worth the time it takes to read it. I highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of Abbie Emmons, romance, or getting lost in a story for awhile.

Abbie Emmons' "The Otherworld" takes readers on a captivating journey filled with mystery, romance, and self-discovery. Set against the backdrop of a remote island and the allure of the forbidden mainland, this novel weaves a spellbinding tale of love, family, and the pursuit of one's dreams.

At the heart of the story is Orca Monroe, a young woman who yearns to experience the Otherworld—a mysterious mainland forbidden by her father. Living in isolation on a remote island, her world expands when she discovers a washed-up cell phone and begins a conversation with Jack Stevenson, whose brother Adam has gone missing after a seaplane crash. As Orca becomes Jack's lifeline and partner in the search for his brother, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery and resilience, determined to prove her strength to her father.

Emmons skillfully depicts the evolving relationship between Orca and Adam as she nurses him back to health. The undeniable chemistry and connection between them captivate both characters, despite the ten-year age gap and her father's protective nature. Their shared moments of vulnerability and mutual admiration ignite a deep longing, making their love story both tender and heart-wrenching. The author's portrayal of their relationship is infused with emotion and depth, allowing readers to become emotionally invested in their journey.

As the story unfolds, the complexities of Orca's relationships with both Adam and Jack come to light. Emmons explores themes of loyalty, sacrifice, and the consequences of secrets. The tension builds as Orca grapples with the realization that her actions may inadvertently tear apart the very people she brought together.

Emmons' writing effortlessly transports readers to the island setting, immersing them in the beauty and isolation of Orca's world. The allure of the forbidden Otherworld adds an air of mystery and intrigue, drawing readers further into the narrative. The author's descriptive prose brings the settings and characters to life, creating a vivid and engaging reading experience.

In conclusion, "The Otherworld" by Abbie Emmons is an enchanting tale that blends romance, mystery, and self-discovery. The exploration of forbidden love, family dynamics, and the desire to pursue one's dreams creates a compelling narrative that resonates with readers. Emmons' evocative storytelling and well-developed characters make for an engaging read, drawing readers into Orca's world as she navigates the complexities of love, loyalty, and personal growth. "The Otherworld" is a delightful and thought-provoking novel that will captivate fans of heartfelt and introspective storytelling.

(Cross-posted from Goodreads)

I received The Otherworld as an ARC from Abbie Emmons and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Rating: 3.5 stars.

This book was a delight to get lost in. The prose was gorgeous, drawing me into the setting and atmosphere almost immediately, and the character voices distinct, as each of the main characters have their own ways of speaking and viewing things. I quite liked Orca as a protagonist, and I loved the detail given to flight and aviation.

Unfortunately, I wasn't sold on the romance -- for both of the brothers. I felt that both Jack and Adam had a tendency to put Orca on a pedestal where she's a damsel in distress and/or a perfect angel (and not like other girls). Because of this, I ended up rooting for Orca to reject both of them -- or at least wait until she's thought about the matter a little more. I think I would probably have appreciated a moment for the brothers to see Orca as the flawed human that she is rather than a pure, sheltered girl who can do no wrong. [SPOILER: I also felt that Jack ended up being shoved to the side near the end of Act 3 to make way for Orca and Adam, which while understandable, was a bit of a shame.]

Despite my criticisms, I was pleasantly surprised to call the twist near the end of Act 2 and I liked how easily it fit into the overall story. I also cannot stress how lovely I found the atmosphere and prose, and how much they added to my enjoyment of the book. While the story may not have been entirely for my liking, I still had a great time with it and it definitely held my attention the whole way through. I will be thinking about eating that prose with a teaspoon like it's sorbet.

I went into this book blind, having seen only the cover and genre. Within the first ten pages, I was intrigued. By the time I got past 25 pages, I was hooked.
This story follows coming-of-age Orca Monroe’s situation being isolated from the rest of the world raised by her father on an island off the PNW coast. Her heart longs for the “Otherworld,” (her name for the rest of the world she has yet to experience).
This book tackles family systems in a way I found both tasteful and thought-provoking. I loved the way Abbie didn’t shy from going “there.” Family dynamics were addressed, tackled, and wrestled to the ground. Characters were given the time (great pacing) to come to their own conclusions. In my experience with fiction books taking on family dynamics, conclusions feel rushed to me, if not forced. That was not the case with this book.

I’ve been sitting on this for several days, thinking about how to best summarize what it was Abbie Emmons did to capture my heart with her story, because this story profoundly impacted me in a way I can’t quite put my finger on. Her characters lift up off of the paper—they feel so real. Paired with great dialogue, Orca, Jack, and Adam felt like friends of mine.

I hope readers will go in blind as I did. The romance component of this novel unraveled so beautifully. I’m so glad I didn’t have any insight as to what type of romance was unfolding (love triangle!). All I know is, I didn’t know how it was going to end, and Abbie didn’t disappoint.

The Otherworld, in many ways, is more than just a love story between two people, but a love story between brothers, and a love story between a daughter and her father. After reading this book, I hope readers can love a little deeper. And go give their Dads a big hug!