The blurb as seen on Goodreads:
Release Date: August 7, 2012
Publisher: Harlequin
288 Pages
Being a single dad was never on Michael Young's agenda. Yet with the sudden loss of his wife, that's exactly the role he has. On his best days, he thinks he can handle it. On his worst… Luckily, family friend Angie Bartlett has his back, easily stepping in to help out.
Lately, though, something has changed.
Michael is noticing exactly how gorgeous Angie is, and how single she is. She's constantly in his thoughts and he feels an attraction he never expected. Does he dare disrupt the very good thing they have going? If they have a fling that goes nowhere, he stands to lose everything—including her. But if they make it work, he stands to gain everything!
WARNING: THIS BOOK CONTAINS MATERIAL UNSUITABLE FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 18.
Review:
Release Date: August 7, 2012Publisher: Harlequin
288 Pages
Being a single dad was never on Michael Young's agenda. Yet with the sudden loss of his wife, that's exactly the role he has. On his best days, he thinks he can handle it. On his worst… Luckily, family friend Angie Bartlett has his back, easily stepping in to help out.
Lately, though, something has changed.
Michael is noticing exactly how gorgeous Angie is, and how single she is. She's constantly in his thoughts and he feels an attraction he never expected. Does he dare disrupt the very good thing they have going? If they have a fling that goes nowhere, he stands to lose everything—including her. But if they make it work, he stands to gain everything!
WARNING: THIS BOOK CONTAINS MATERIAL UNSUITABLE FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 18.
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Review:
Within Reach was amazing. I was instantly hooked on the characters and the story that the author gives us. This book is honestly one of the best contemporary romance novels that I have ever read. The reason for this is most likely because nothing about the plot seems unrealistic. I may not have witnessed a story like this, but I know that the subject of this book does happen in real life.
There were so many things that I loved about this novel. It wasn't perfect, but Within Reach is a sweet read that still gives me the swoony swoons! The characters and plot are executed very well. The basis of this novel is definitely romance, but it's also about overcoming grief and learning to live your life after a tragedy.
Michael and Angie, our two main characters are so… real. As cheesy as that sounds, they were relatable and honest. This novel felt like it could really exist because it has strong characters and a strong plot line. Ladies and gentlemen, we finally have a real, independent woman for a main character! Angie is rational, funny, sweet, proud and allows herself to cry when she needs it. She knows her feelings towards her best friend's widower aren't as platonic as they should be, but she also is able to grasp that her best friend would want them to be happy. I can't remember that last time I read about a women that is so in control of her thoughts and emotions. Michael, the main male character, is the one that has the hardest time dealing with these new feelings. It's heart-wrentching to watch this wonderful man struggle with taking care of his children and grieving over his dead wife, all the while falling in love with his wife's best friend. Of course, he feels like what he's doing is wrong. It's very hard to come to terms with all of these new emotions. As the story goes on, we see the love and attraction between these two grow until the point where the audience will feel like they are going to explode. There were several points in my notes where I said, "All this sexual tension! When are they finally get to it and realize what's happening between them?!"
What I seriously loved about Within Reach is it's not your average romance story. There was no insta-love. Shocking, right? The love between Angie and Michael happens slowly, naturally. It didn't begin as soon as Billie, Michael's wife and Angie's best friend, dies. They both grieve and adjust to the situation at hand before they even realize they have feelings for each other and even when they realize that they have feelings for each other, they are terrified to act on them. I couldn't help but root for these two, and I think that anyone who reads this story will feel the same. (Plus the sex scenes are really hot.) I'm winking slyly at the computer… I apologize if you find this creepy.
This will not be the last Sarah Mayberry novel I read. I hope that I can be as impressed as I am now by her work in the future! She's a phenomenal adult contemporary romance author! This book is highly recommended to people looking for a sweet, realistic romance with a little bit of achy heart syndrome.
I received and e-copy of this novel from the publisher through Netgalley for my honest opinion and review.
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