| Title | : | Out of Reach (Love Hurts, #2) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0992466512 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780992466510 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 207 |
| Publication | : | First published May 7, 2014 |
Watching him slowly fade away, ever closer to his final breath, made me so incredibly angry. I knew there was nothing I could do to change it--I had given in to despair, but Andy had not. He had one last hand to play.
He wasn't going to simply sit back and wait for Death to claim him--not Andy. He was going to live life until he couldn't hold his eyes open any longer.
Andy didn't want to die in some sterile hospital and asked me to take him and Emily to the beach. It would be our last road trip together.
Emily. Emily was a problem for me.
I harbored a secret that would have torn our friendship apart. I was in love with Andy's girl, and had been since she'd walked into our sixth grade class, so many years ago.
So what kind of person am I? My best friend is dying, and it's awful--but my heart still aches for his girl. I hate myself for thinking beyond Andy's death and whether there could ever be a future for Emily and I, but I can't help it.
I'm in love with her.
Out of Reach (Love Hurts, #2) Reviews
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Title: Out of Reach
Series:Standalone
Author: Missy Johnson
Release Date: May 7, 2014
Rating:4 stars
Cliffhanger:No
HEA:
This book right here…it will slay you. God. I can’t even explain how emotional I got. Through half the book I was blinking my eyes, gritting my teeth, and attempting to swallow the lump that was lodged in my throat in an attempt to hold back the avalanche of feels this book causes.
I started out thinking this was going to be a forbidden romance-a type of love triangle between three best friends only there’s a curveball thrown in. One of them is dying. How do you even pursue that girl that you’ve been in love with for as long as you've known her-14 years, if doing so feels like a betrayal to both of your friends who you’d lay your life down for? That’s just it. You don’t. And he hasn’t. Seth is a good guy-period. He’s loved Emily for as long as he can remember but he keeps that little fact to himself and watches while his best friend takes care of and cherishes her.
He’s not resentful or angry, he accepts it, but he can’t move on from his feelings either. They’re uncontrollable. He knows everything about her: her likes and dislikes, her embarrassing stories, her habits…she’s everything he’s ever wanted and could never have. Especially after Andy was diagnosed with Cancer at 17. Emily and Andy became even more devoted to each other. Unbreakable. But then, he wouldn’t have it any other way.
What I thought was going to be a forbidden love story turned out to be so much more. Really, it was a look at the absolute, unselfish and unwavering love between three best friends. It's the kind of love that all of us wishes we could experience in our lives. It focused on death, grief, and learning to open your mind to all the possibilities of life-to live as if each day was your last.
As Andy gets close to the end, he convinces Emily and Seth to come with him and complete some things on his bucket list for him. He doesn't have the strength anymore but he wants to experience everything through them. And above all, he wants his friends to be ok with him leaving them. He wants to know that they're going to be alright and that they will take care of each other. He's always gotten his way-he's just the kind of person that doesn't take no for an answer and he has quite a surprise for these two later on.
Emily isn't coping too well with the last days of her best friend, her first and only love, and the man who's slipping away faster than she anticipated. She fought with him for years, but now all she feels is unprepared. How can she ever move on when a piece of her is gone?
Emily goes through all the stages of grief and she just feels so lost. She's stuck-in anger, depression, and indifference. She still feels like he could walk through the door any minute like nothing's changed. Nothing seems to matters anymore.
Seth is in pain as well but he knows that Emily needs him and he's there for her for whatever she needs. They decide to go and try to finish Andy's bucket list that he never got to complete. Seth also in the back of his mind is hoping that somehow they can find a way to get past the guilt and attempt something more than friendship together. Could they even do that? He has mixed feelings, but all he can do is support her and see where things go. There were some beautiful, touching scenes in remembering Andy, and honoring him. I loved the hot balloon ride and all the other crazy things they did-for him.
One thing I wish there was less of was the amount of flashbacks to Andy and Emily's relationship during happy times. All their firsts and special moments. I enjoyed that but I felt like I needed more focus on Seth and Emily and more build up of her romantic feelings towards Seth. Overall, this was quite the emotional ride and was about more than a simple love story. It was more about the love of three friends and everything they sacrifice and give to each other. I very easily gave it 4 stars since this book had me choking up with tears literally running down my face. There are very few books that can do that to me, but you just can't escape it here. You WILL feel so many emotions reading this book. Check this one out-but keep some tissues handy.
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This was one of those books that was beautifully painful. I hated every minute of the pain and loss. But when I come out on the other side, I was so grateful that I read this little gem. Please don't let the heavy subject matter scare you away. It was totally worth it.
Andy and Seth have been friends for as long as they can remember. They grew up with each other and are as close as brothers. Emily moved to their neighborhood and they took her into their duo and they became a trio. When Emily and Andy started dating, Seth took a backseat. His feelings for Emily were put on hold. He could never express them for fear of loosing his two best friends.
When Andy was in college, he was diagnosed with cancer. He got treatment and he got better. He and Emily became closer. As he went through college and law school, he continued with his remission. Until one day the cancer came back. The doctors gave him a few months at best. Andy makes it his mission to do everything in his power to make sure that Emily is cared for when he is gone.
As the end draws near, Andy, Emily and Seth take off to a beach house to spend their remaining time living life to the fullest.
Andy has made peace with his fate. He wants to spend his remaining days with those he is closest to.
His heart breaks for the future that will never be. He knows that Seth can care for Emily now that he can not.
Emily can't cope with Andy's rapid decline. She does everything she can to remember the good times. Andy tries to get her to focus on the positives.
There are no words for the pain that Emily must cope with.
As time moves on, Emily finds herself pulling away from everyone.
Emily is strong, but with Seth she is stronger.
Months later, they are still grieving and learning lessons
Emily must decide if she is willing to take a risk with Seth.
This book wrecked me! There were numerous times where I had to stop and grab the tissues. The author did an amazing job of bringing these wonderful characters to life. The narrative was told through all three main characters points of view. It was absolutely gut wrenching. I don't want to give away the ending but It was a satisfying ending for me.
I usually read books with less sad and more sex. This one was definitely on the mild end sexually but I didn't even notice. The rest of the story was so well done that I really didn't miss it. When we finally do get some steam, it is glossed over. I will say, normally I would deduct for that, but this time, I just didn't care. I loved this book so much. There is something about knowing you are going to die and dealing with it at such a young age that just rips your heart out. Life can be so cruel.
I would gladly advise you to grab your tissues and read this one. I had to remind myself that this was a fictional book and no-one actually died. I was that sucked in. Well done!
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Out of Reach by Missy Johnson
4.5 stars!!!
“Life was just a game and the end result was death. There was no way around that. No restarting things because you were playing it badly. You had one shot, and that was it. I wasn’t sure I wanted to play anymore.”
I have to admit that this is my first book by Missy Johnson but I can honestly say it won’t be my last. This is one of those books that you know you have read, personally I had a lump in my throat from start to finish, copious amounts of tears and tissues later I can say that I made it to the end…but only just…it is hard to read through the tears! Yes this is an emotional tear jerker (as you know one of my favourite kind of reads) but this book is full of other life changing messages, this book will have you thinking a lot, many what if’s and what would I do’s?
I have to say the first line of the blurb had me worried, after all “My best friend was dying and I was in love with his girl” left me feeling a bit urgggghhh…you can’t help but think the worst…best friend steals girlfriend from dying man or at best, best friend is there for best friends girl and takes advantage…but I must say, this book was nothing like that whatsoever, this book was a beautiful story about a dying man wanting to carry out his bucket list and taking his best friends on that extremely emotional journey and most of all he wanted his best friends to be happy once he had passed.
The selflessness that Andy displayed throughout this book was awe inspiring, his bravery while fighting a cruel and debilitating illness was extraordinary and just went to prove what an amazing man Andy truly was. He was courageous, valiant and fearless, fighting till the end. This was more than just a love story, this was a story of staring death in the face, telling cancer to go f**k itself, making the most of the time you have left, easing the burden and grief of those left behind, grieving, healing and finally, learning to live and love again.
“You guys are never going to forget me. I’m going to make sure of it.”
Yes this is emotional, but no matter who tackles this subject, you know that is never going to be pretty but this story is truly beautiful. Andy, Emily and Seth had been best friends since they were kids, they were always together, they were a dynamic, a trio who were inseparable. It was not long before Andy and Emily fell in love, it was a natural progression but unbeknown to Emily and Andy, Seth loved her too. Seth being the caring and considerate person he was, never let his feelings be known, instead he sat back and watch his two best friends live out the life that he so desperately wanted. Fate however had other ideas, not long after Andy was diagnosed with cancer, he was strong however and fought it and won, but now it was back and this time, the cancer was winning.
“Friendships like ours were rare. They didn’t come along often, so when they did you had to make the most of them. The uniqueness of ours was we were like three pieces to a puzzle; it didn’t feel right if one was missing.”
I really do not want to say any more about the story as it is one of those that needs to be read and savoured for yourself. Every emotion, every word, needs to be felt and devoured. You need to feel and experience their journey, no matter how difficult and truly appreciate the pilgrimage that this story takes you on. Perfectly paced, this book will draw you in and you won’t be able to leave until the end, but make sure you have tissues at the ready because I am sure that even the hardest of hearts will have a job keeping the tears at bay with this one. A poignant and thought provoking story that will leave a lasting memory in your mind and a lasting mark on your heart.
“I held her hand and tried to force myself not to think about the electricity pulsating through my body at the feel of her touch. It was hopeless. It was like standing in a rainstorm and pretending you weren’t getting wet.”
www.theromancecover.com -
MY RATING: ☆☆☆☆ "OUT OF REACH" by Missy Johnson
Complimentary copy provided by the author "Missy Johnson" in exchange for an honest review.
First of all what is it with these bloody authors trying to make me cry!! I didn't blubber cry but I did leak a few!! This is such a sad, funny, emotional story..
My best friend Andy was on his death bed and I had it bad for his girlfriend Emily, these two guys had been friends since they were about 8 years old so they were pretty tight..
Andy didn't want to live his last days in the hospital so he coerced Emily and Seth to sneak him out of his parents home and take him to the beach..
"I remember the day of his diagnosis as the doctor explained how the melanoma they'd found on his little toe had spread to his pancreas."
Terminal
"Without them by my side, I wouldn't have fought for this long."
Everything was slowly starting to shut down
"He had been sick for six years, terminal for six months."
In no time at all with Andy getting sicker as the days went by Emily went from his girlfriend to being his caregiver.
"Every morning was bringing us one step closer to death"
Seth has been fighting his feelings for Emily for years "The sound of her voice, her name, her loyalty to Andy...everything about Em, I loved.
"You guys are never going to forget me. I'm going to make sure of it."
So this is where the fun part begins Andy makes up some sort of bucket list, but he won't be taking part in any of the activities due to him being ill, so that's where Seth and Emily come into it..
"I'm making these two live out my bucket list while I'm still alive to enjoy it."
Some parts are sad but some parts in this will have you in giggles "She's scared of heights, he said pointing to Em, and he's just a pussy."
"Trying to get back into a normal routine without Andy was hard, because life without Andy wasn't normal. It was different, and scary and lonely."
This is my second book I've read from this author but I can honestly tell you that it definitely won't be the last, she is logged into my GPS stalkers route on Facebook!! :P -
I stopped reading at the 30% mark and just skimmed the rest. Out Of Reach was a poor excuse of a book to raise sympathy out of readers. This book was unrealistic and held no emotion.
I was disgusted when Em said she loved Andy, but wasn’t sure if she was IN love with him anymore because he was dying—this was said after she took notice of the days they had not had sex, and how his illness had affected his appearance. How fucking heartless!
“Two hundred and forty-eight days: that was the last time we were intimate together.[…]Thoughts like this flew through my mind on a daily basis.[…]I reached out and touched his arm. His skin, clammy and so cold, hung off him. He’d lost so much weight.[…]I loved him so, so much, but was I still in love with him?”
Her inner monologue had me fucking fuming!
And Seth was no better, all he could think about was how “pretty” Em was, and how having her lips wrapped around a bottle made him aroused, rather than focusing on the final days with his best friend—“supposed” best friend I should say, since his actions and thoughts weren’t very considerate, not towards a best friend and especially not towards one who is on their death bed.
I thought it was very convenient that the author suddenly made Andy come to the realization that Seth and Em loved each other. It was too forceful and fake, and obviously was only there as a way to make us readers feel okay about Seth and Em forming a relationship once Andy was gone. Big fail there, though.
The writing style was very unemotional, immature 90% of the time, descriptions were lacking considerably, the connection between the characters wasn’t very obvious or even all that interesting—poor characterization and talent on Missy Johnson’s part. When Andy died, I felt nothing. A scene like that should have been heart-breaking, but Missy Johnson did a weak job at bringing across emotion through her writing. I felt the relationship between Seth and Em was very wrong; I understand the whole concept of not always being able to choose who you love, because love chooses you (or something like that), however in Out Of Reach the connection and the general relationship between Em and Seth was not executed well at all, and it made them seem careless and insensitive.
A very badly written book, the whole thing was a major cop-out. I don’t know if Missy Johnson is emotionless—she shouldn’t skirt around serious topics as if they’re nothing—or if she just sucks at writing, but Out Of Reach is the first and final book I’ll be reading from this author.
After reading all the gushing Reviews for this book, it's clear I'm in the minority. -
This is the first book I have read by Missy but now have all her books on my wish list. This book is a keeper, will definitely read again and again.
Extremely emotional read, great writing, I felt like I was Emsky. I so loved Andy, witty, charming and caring. At times I resented Seth but also wanted Seth to have his HEA. Lots of tissues required. Forever, "I will remember you" Andy. -
Hole-E-Crap. That was awful. And it was amazing. And emotional. And heart breaking.
The first time I saw a teaser for this book, I knew I had to read it. But the more teasers and facebook posts I saw about it, I got scared. It’s never a good sign when writing a book makes the author cry. I mean, if it does that to her, what’s it going to do to me!? The answer: Gut me. Completely.
I’m not giving anything away by saying that someone dies. That information is in the blurb. It’s also stated on the first page of chapter 1. But knowing someone dies didn’t lessen the impact. I tried to steel myself from becoming attached. But damn it, I became attached anyway. *shaking fist* Curse you for doing that to me Missy Johnson! ;)
I really liked Seth, Andy and Emily. They were such great friends. And I loved the flashback/memory scenes. And I loved that even at the worst times, Seth and Andy could joke around and be complete dorks together.
Because of the looming death, I found myself in a really weird position. On one hand, I wanted to smack Emily and tell her to open her eyes to what was right in front of her. But on the other hand, what she had with Andy was so good, so I was cursing the author for killing him.
My one issue with this book is that I really wanted to know when Andy had figured out Seth’s feeling for Emily. Other than that, I had no issues. This book is definitely another must read from Missy Johnson. One that will keep you up all night reading if you make the mistake of starting it to read just one chapter before bed. At least that's what it did to me. But being a zombie the next day was totally worth it. :) -
4 Stars
This is a story that although quite short is packed full of emotion. It's a story that makes you think about life, about how the people around you contribute to making it the best it can be. It's also a story that tears your heart apart, stamps all over it and hands you back the broken pieces to put back together.
Emily, Andy and Seth have been inseparable for the last 14 years. Even though Andy and Emily are a couple Seth has always been a huge part of their lives. But Seth holds a secret, he's been in love with Emily since the moment they met, out of shear love for his best friend he's sat back and watched the happy couple.
Andy has once fought cancer and won, but this time around he's lost his battle. With weeks to live Andy takes his friends to the beach for however long he has left. Armed with a bucket list he sets out to show them how amazing life can be and how much they mean to each other.
This truly is an emotional roller coaster that had me laughing one minute and crying the next, it makes you question what you would do in each of their shoes, how you would cope in their situation and that Life isn't always heart and flowers, bad things do happen to the most amazing of people.
“Just because a person has gone, it doesn’t mean they won’t live on in your heart forever.” -
5 Tearjerker Stars!
ARC received for an honest review
I would like to start my review by saying… prepare your heart, mind, and soul and have a box or two of tissues for your tears and a fluffy pillow to embrace when you start reading this book. Effin’ amazeballs, Missy Johnson!
Out of Reach is a stunning, poignant, extremely moving story about friendship, life, death, acceptance and love.
There is not enough words I can write on how much I was left awestruck and a sobbing mess while and after reading Andy, Emily, and Seth’s beautiful, touching story. Maybe because I’ve been there, too. Maybe because while reading, my memories of my own loss resurfaced and the emotions become fresh once again. Maybe because Missy Johnson just made a painful, real life situation, and turned it into something remarkable. Or maybe it’s all of these things that moved me.
I started reading this before bedtime and the only pause I made was to sleep, work, and then I resumed to 5% onwards. Missy Johnson pulled my heart out off my chest at Page 1 until the very last word. This is not about cheating or love triangles; Andy, Emily, and Seth’s story is about living life to the fullest, telling the people you love and care about how you feel about them, braving through life’s challenges, loving life, trusting your friends, and wanting what’s best for everyone even after you’re gone.
While all 3 characters are special to me, Andy holds my heart the most. He is a brave man for going through life even after finding out about his illness. He remained as fun and lively and as his old self as much as he can. Andy is a positive person and I admire his strength to face death as easy and memorable in a good way for his loved ones.
Seth is one of the best best friends every guy is lucky to have. He respects his best friends, Andy and Em, even to the point of keeping the more-than-friendship love he has for Emily just because he sees them both happy and contented and because he loves them both. Seth is unselfish, supportive and the rock that Andy and Em depended on during the painful and heartbreaking times and the fun guy who eases the tension and awkwardness of it all. I loved him because of all these things. He didn’t made me feel anything bad about him.
And Em, this girl had been through a lot of loss and tears and it broke my heart reading it happening to her all over again but her strength is also one of her good traits. The emotions she expressed were realistic and understandable. She tried to put on a happy face, she got mad and upset and showed her pain when the situation deserves, and all these made her an even more beautiful person.
Two-thumbs up for making me cry, not just the simple tears rolling down my cheeks but full blown sobbing, shoulders shaking, hiccuping and nose blowing mess, the whole enchilada!
Stars: 5 stars!
Recommended to: Everyone who has loved, lost, and loved again.
POV: First person. Dual POV. And a surprise POV.
Series: No.
Cliffhanger: No.
EXTRA COMMENT: While writing this review, I had to stop a couple of times because I’m crying again.
Review on behalf of Give Me Books -
Out of Reach is one of those books that will stay in your thoughts for a long time. It's a beautifully poignant story that had me feeling strong empathy for all three characters or should I say friends. The way Missy wrote this book made me feel like I was going through every painful bittersweet emotion with them.
Andy has terminal cancer and his last dying wish is that his girlfriend Emily and best friend Seth find happiness together once he's gone. All three of them have known each other since school so there is a strong bond between them. The thing is Andy knows that Seth has held strong feelings for Emily for years, she just see's him as a good friend. With the last of his strength Andy has set up a little road trip for them at a cottage near the beach. It's here that he springs his bucket list on them and in doing so Seth and Emily face their fears to make Andy's last weeks memorable for them all.
I know It's a very sensitive subject matter but this is such a wonderful uplifting story even though tinged with sadness. I just could not put this book down and It totally deserves a five star status. -
On .99c for a limited time!! -->
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4.5 Heartwrenching Sobbing Touching★
This book...this little book made my heart hurt so bad I wanted to hide in a hole and never come back out. I was in pain. I was suffering. I could feel the unfairness of life through the pages; through the emotions of the characters. This is one special story that will stay in my heart forever.
I knew when I read the blurb that this book will tear me up...but it was worse. It felt as if someone was poking me nonstop with a needle, right in my freaking heart.
This is not a love triangle... this is not about stealing someones girlfriend -It's the total opposite.
It's caring for the people you love. Cherishing the ones you care about.
About a friendship that runs deeper than anything else.
The book starts off with a prologue that made me already tear up:Death. It is the only certain thing in life
I had nothing else to fight with because it had taken everything. ...
I couldn't save myself, but I could make sure the people I loved were taken care of.
This became less about what I was losing, and more about what I could gain.
You see, this came out of Andy's mouth... Andy has cancer and little time left. He loves his girlfriend, Em, dearly and it breaks his heart to leave her...and mine *sobs*
...I love her with everything I have in me...she was my best friend, my lover, my confidante, my partner in crime, and there wasn't anything I wouldn't do for her.
Andy has a plan and he's determine to fulfill it before he dies.
3 best friends that love each other dearly; who would do anything for the other are now facing to lose one of the most important people in their circle-their best friend. Andy and Zeth have been bff's since 15yrs and Em joined the group a few years later. The 3 of them were inseparable.
Andy and Em were a couple because Zeth never declared his feeling for Em and would never hurt his best friend or stand inbetween his happiness.
So when Andy had one last wish both of them didn't want to let him down and took him away for his last vacation with his best friends.
I can't spoil too much, but this book took a serious toll on me.
You see, this book broke my heart. Written in mostly in 2 povs, but on occasions Andy's pov is there as well and it was painful to read it. I'm still tearing up thinking about it -reading through my notes is a slow death to my heart.
"I'll always be with you, Emsky. No matter where you are, or what you're doing, I'll be right there with you." ~Andy
Gosh, I was bawling my eyes out.
Andy so loving and thoughtful, wanting only the best for the girl he loves...even when he's gone. Even when she didn't quite understand his action or last wish. His whole plan was thought-out and I admired him for it. I could feel how hard it was for him, saying goodbye to the person he loves, and his best friend. Andy is the leading force to make things happen...between Zeth and Em.
This was the first book I've read by Missy Johnson and I was blown away. I don't do romance well because the recent YA/NA trend isn't mine but this was brilliant. I'll keep on checking her books in the future.
This book will stick with you for a long time -the characters emotions, actions and selflessness will touch your heart. Missy Johnson created an story packed with so many emotions that I was glued to my kindle."I love you, Em. I love you so fucking much," I wihispered. She craweld back into my arms and began to cry. i told myself I'd be strong, that I'd never let her see me cry, but there was nothing I could do right now then to stop the tears as they rolled down my cheeks.
"I'll always love you, Andy. Forever."
Copy kindly provided by the author. -
Wow what a beautiful story. A must read.
This is the story about three best friends and a love so real and beautiful. This is the story of Em, Andy, and Seth.
What do you do when your best friend is dying? What do you do when your boyfriend is dying?
Andy has the love of his life and his best friend and life would be great if he wasn't dying of Cancer. Knowing he only has a few short weeks to live he pulls the two people that matter the most to him to live out his bucket list.
Andy, Seth, and Em go to a place on the beach and spend time together before Andy's last day. Though they are all dreading it, they are there with one another, spending his last weeks together. Andy wants nothing more than to make sure Em, the love of his life is taken care of once he's gone. But how do you get her to move on when your still here?
Seth has loved Em since the first day he seen her, but never made a move and has never voiced his feelings because he loves his best friend and her friendship too much to lose either one of them.
The three go through item after item on Andy's bucket list and as hard as it is for Seth to be around Em so much, he wouldn't want it any other way. Is it bad to enjoy the time you have with your best friends girlfriend?
When the truth comes out, thanks to Andy, Em feels betrayed and hurt, but also conflicted because she doesn't want things to change between her and Seth but she also can't help how she feels about him.
After Andy's death everything comes to a head. Can Seth and Em be together and be happy? Will their families accept them as a couple? Or has everything Andy worked so hard for gone completely wrong?
This is a wonderful story of how moving on is possible and though one may be gone, they are never forgotten. -
Missy Johnson, my lord woman! You turned me in to a big blubbering mess while reading this book. I didn't just cry at one part, I cried pretty much throughout the entire book. You have penned a beautiful story of life, love, loss and second chances.
These characters are so true to life, I felt like I was right in the scenes and going through the same emotions they were. I cried, I laughed, I cried and then I cried some more. But at then end of the story I was left smiling. What a bona fide amazing story.
~ Erin, 5 stars
I would like to start my review by saying… prepare your heart, mind, and soul and have a box or two of tissues for your tears and a fluffy pillow to embrace when you start reading this book. Effin’ amazeballs, Missy Johnson!
Out of Reach is a stunning, poignant, extremely moving story about friendship, life, death, acceptance and love.
~ Mara, 5 stars
I have a love hate relationship with cancer books. I love them so much because they are always good. But they make me ugly cry EVERY. TIME. Out Of Reach was no exception. Missy Johnson did an excellent job with this book. It was a quick read but it was packed to the brim. It was emotional, heartbreaking but also heartwarming.
~ Jordan, 5 stars
This was my first book by Missy Johnson and it hooked me from page one.... This is an amazing, emotional, tear-jerking read. I highly recommend this book, but make sure you have your tissues with you!
~ Tiffany, 4 1/2 stars -
I love Missy Johnson's work, but this has to be the best one yet.
Right from the prologue I had tears in my eyes and they continued pretty much throughout.
Andy has accepted that he's dying, but what he can't accept is leaving his girl, Em behind. He NEEDS to know that she's taken care.
The trip he asks his girl and best friend to take him on is for their benefit mainly. He doesn't want them to remember him as being sick, he wants them to remember his final days as being happy. So with a weird sense of humour he tries to accomplish that, until he can't do it anymore.
Both Em and their best friend Seth try to full fill Andy's wishes, which isn't always easy, especially with the feelings Seth tries to keep buried for Em.
I loved every word of this story and thought the author has done a wonderful job of portraying Andy, and the agony Seth and Em go through.
Well done Missy!!!
The book is very emotional and very well written -
Soooo...pretty much look like a baby crying right now. It's not a good sight to see if I'm being honest lol.
I need some time to write my review after reading something that was so deep and meaningful. Out of Reach was such a beautiful book. Will I even be able to give it justice??
I sure hope so.
*Review copy given to me by author in exchange for an honest review -
Book Gifted for Honest Review
Tissues... do not go into this book without them... they're a MUST because this one will have a lump firmly lodged in your throat from start to finish and the waterworks will definitely come no matter how hard you try to suppress them. This was such an emotional yet beautiful story that will absolutely touch your soul and make you appreciate every second you have with those you love.Life was a game and the end result was death. There was no way around that. No restarting things because you were playing it badly. You had one shot, and that was it.
After reading the synopsis, as much as I was intrigued, I was also slightly dubious as to the direction "Out of Reach" would take, my main worry being either the possibility of cheating or the cliched scenario of best friend jumping into dead boyfriends shoes. I'm so glad neither of those things happened. Instead, Missy Johnson wrote this book realistically and tastefully, with heart and emotion. And as events unraveled, they seemed natural for the progression of the story. Not once did I feel the any aspects were rushed nor did I at any point feel uncomfortable with what I was reading. If anything, I was sucked into this book, captivated by how everything unfolded before my eyes.You can't choose who you fall in love with, but you can choose whether you act on those feelings. And I chose not to.
"Out of Reach" told the story of childhood friends, Andy, Seth and Emily, each of them learning to come to terms to death. You see, despite fighting a long, hard battle with cancer, Andy was at the end stages of the disease... he was terminal. He'd accepted that his time was almost up and so wanted his last weeks to be spent creating precious, happy memories with those he loved (his girlfriend and his best friend). It was difficult not to be affected by Andy's character. He was just such a beautiful, selfless, loving person, always putting Emily and Seth before himself. The time he had left was about making sure they would be OK after his death and so he put his master plan to work! I loved his bucket list and I loved that he completed the tasks vicariously through his loved ones... just brilliant considering most of the tasks involved them overcoming their fears!!! LOL.Friendships like ours were rare. They didn't come along often, so when they did you had to make the most of them. The uniqueness of ours was we were like three pieces to a puzzle; it didn't feel right if one was missing.
I was touched by Emily's character. She loved Andy, heart and soul and I don't think there's anyone who reads this book that would think otherwise. I felt every ounce of what she was going through, every crack in her heart, every tear spilled as she watched the man she'd loved for as long as she could remember slowly deteriorate. Truly soul destroying. And Seth... most will have made up their minds about him just from reading the synopsis but this man is so far from what you might initially think it's untrue. He sacrificed a lot ... putting friendship before all else. I couldn't begrudge the thoughts he had on occasion... he was only human after all... but the fact remained... he kept those feelings locked tightly away knowing the hurt they could cause.It was hopeless. It was standing in a rainstorm and pretending you weren't getting wet.
"Out of Reach" wasn't primarily a love story (not for me anyway). Yes there was a element of that, but this was more about embracing life, it was about friendship, sacrifice, death, grieving and healing. There were moments I was close to tears but there were also uplifting moments, moments that made me laugh. Unfortunately, the undercurrent of what was to come was always there in the back of my mind though, laying heavy on my heart.
This was a beautifully written, perfectly paced, poignant, heart moving story and I rated it 4 Hearts. -
3.5 cried my eyes out stars!!
This story will have you crying, smiling, and sighing once it's all over. Andy, Seth, and Emily have been best friends since grade school. Andy and Emily have been a couple since high school, but Seth has loved Emily since the first time he saw her as the new girl walking into their classroom. Only Seth never did anything about his love for Emily and because of his loyalty to Andy he pushed his feelings aside.
At the age of 26, Andy is dying of cancer! He knows his days are numbered and he decides instead of sitting in a hospital dying that he would rather take the two most important people in his life and have them live out his bucket list!
Andy's Bucket List
#Cliff jumping
#Get a tattoo
#Ride a bull
#NASCAR
#Dinner in a Michelin-Star restaurant
#Camping in the backyard
#Learn another language
#Swim with the sharks
#Spend the night in a jumping castle on the lake
#Hot air ballooning over the ocean
#Get drunk and make prank calls
#Help Seth and Em move on
#Tell Em that I love her every single day.....
This was a short, sad, but sweet story. The love and friendship that these three had for each other was beautiful, but this story reminded me of a Lifetime Channel movie. Don't get me wrong, it was good, but it was predictable. The book could have used another scrub of editing since I came across so many typos and mistakes. For example, Emily was described
as having blue eyes and then in the next page she had green eyes. With that being said, this story was very touching and I'm glad I read it. -
4.5 Stars
F*ck Cancer! This is the overwhelming theme in Out of Reach by Missy Johnson. I've personally witnessed a loved one suffer with this awful disease. The author does such an outstanding job describing the physical and emotional aspects of cancer, that I imagine she has experienced the same in real life.
This is the heartbreaking AND heartwarming story of 3 best friends, Andy, Seth and Emily, inseparable since middle school. Eventually Emily and Andy fall in love, and sadly find out he has cancer soon after. Seth, however, is in love with Emily too, and he's hidden it from both of them for years. What could be worse than loving your dying best friends girlfriend?
Andy surprises Seth and Emily with a getaway so they can spend his last days together. Andy uses this time to not only say goodbye but to create memories that Seth and Emily can carry with them once he is gone.
Andy, Seth and Emily play an equal part in this book, and it is written from all three point of views. They are all dealing with their own issues and emotions and each voice is unique. The relationship between Andy, Seth and Emily is incredibly strong and they've been there for each other through terrible tragedy and illness. I felt a real connection with all three of them.
Be prepared with some tissues by your side, especially once you've hit the halfway point. Don't get me wrong though, there is also a sweet and beautiful story to be told. I'm very thankful to have had the opportunity to read this wonderful story.
An ARC was kindly provided by the Author for an honest review.
Review posted at
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This is one of the most emotional books I've ever read! It hurt my head to read it at times. Emotions are all over the place!
Amazingly beautiful and tragic story line. I love books like this, I felt every word in my heart with this story!
You can’t choose who you fall in love with, but you can choose whether you act on those feelings.
***
Just because a person has gone, it doesn’t mean they won’t live on in your heart forever.
Have your tissues ready, because they will be needed!!
“You know, I’m okay with dying. I’ve come to terms with that. It’s the thought of leaving her that I can’t stand.” Andy -
Such a very sweet, sad, story about dying and how loved ones move on after. The love story between Emily and Andy is sweet and sad and you'll more than likely shed a few tears, the maid in our host home in Guatemala was watching me like something was wrong with me. :) Then there is Seth, sigh, he was sweet and actually understanding of a lot of things and when he finally gets to be happy with Emily I was very happy for all three of them.
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One of the saddest books I've read in a long time, but still a lovely read.
Emily's letter to Andy at the end just finished the story of perfectly. -
heartbreaking and emotional!
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What a book! I laughed, cried, and everything in between. As caretaker to someone who passed, some of the scenes were tough to get through. I loved how the story unfolded and the characters developed. The friendship and love territory was hard to navigate but it was done well.
All in all a wonderful journey. -
I know it’s going to sound strange due to the fact that one of the characters is dying of cancer, but this is one of the most heartwarming stories I’ve read in a long time. Yes, it’s tragic, and I teared up more times than I can count, but at the end of the story, I had the biggest smile on my face. This book epitomizes the idea of making every day count…of living life to the fullest because life is short, and it’s meant to be appreciated and experienced fully. It’s about facing fears and overcoming them. It’s about telling a disease to fuck off and letting it know that even though it may ravage your body and take you from this earth way too early, it’s going to be on your terms with every last breath you take.
Andy, Emily, and Seth have been best friends since childhood. Their bond is unbreakable, and even though both Andy and Seth love Emily more than life itself, Andy made the first move all those years ago, so Seth has had to watch from the sidelines, wanting everything that Andy has with Emily but knowing that he can never have it. When Andy is diagnosed with cancer, both Emily and Seth fight alongside Andy to beat it, and he does the first time, but shortly after his first battle, the cancer comes back and consumes his body, so there’s no winning this time around; there’s only conceding and coming to terms with Andy’s fate, which Andy does gracefully. But Emily and Seth don’t want to face that reality because that means their best friend…the life of the party…the one who forces them out of their shells and lives life out loud is going to leave them and force them to move on without him.
But before Andy loses his battle with cancer, he has one more adventure to take Emily and Seth on, and to him, it’s the most important quest they’ve ever taken together because Andy’s going to ensure that the two people he loves the most are taken care of after he’s gone. He knows he doesn't have much time to complete his bucket list, so he coerces Emily and Seth to help him finish his tasks, and through their journey together, Andy will have the satisfaction of leaving his two best friends in the very capable hands of each other.
Out of Reach blew me away. I’ve read many of Missy Johnson’s books, and while I’ve enjoyed them all, this book is phenomenal. It’s a bit different than any of Missy’s other books, and even after I read it, it stuck with me for days. The way that Missy portrays Andy’s mental and physical deterioration due to the cancer is so well written and realistic. Emily and Seth’s reactions to Andy’s dwindling time also appropriately illustrates what loved ones go through as they watch someone they love die. The frustration, anger, depression, and sadness all three experience is clearly shown through their multiple perspectives, and I’m so glad that Missy gives readers sections from Andy’s viewpoint because it allows us to see everything from every angle.
Andy, Emily, and Seth’s story is an emotionally driven story that’s message will resonate with any reader who has watched someone you love do battle with a disease that ultimately takes his/her life. But it’s also a heartwarming look into what selfless love can accomplish even after someone dies. There are many ideas that a reader can take away from this story, but if there’s one to always remember, it’s to never let a day go by without appreciating it and appreciating those around you!
A complimentary copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 poison apples (The Fairest of All Book Reviews) -
Read and reviewed for: Perusing Princesses Blog
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Out OF Reach is a powerful and beautifully written story of love, loss and new beginnings. A final destination and one dying man's wish will touch your heart, brand your soul and live with you long after the final page. Touching, funny, honest and emotionally charged, invest in tissues because this is a 2014 must read!!! ~ Kelly, Perusing Princesses Blog.
It's been a while since a book has really touched me. A while since I have had to stop what I'm reading and take a deep breath in order to continue knowing that the inevitable is going to happen whether I want it to or not. This story is real. These characters are real. Fucking cancer is real, therefore Out of Reach felt more than just another complicated 'fictitious' love story; it felt real, like I was living a memoir told by three exceptional friends, and that in itself is what made this book shine.
There are no villains here. This is no formulaic love triangle. This book depicts love in its various forms - Best Friend love, intimate love, unconditional parental love and the sickening pain and crushing grief that love brings when it is taken away from you. How, working through the motions and living life precariously through a dying man's bucket list can open another door to your heart, knowing it's what the one person you care about most, wanted. But, when it comes to saying goodbye, the hardest part will always be letting go... giving yourself permission to move forward without guilt is not generally something you prepare for in the wake of the death of a person you loved so deeply, and certainly not quite so soon.
The dynamics of this story may sound a little off-kilter and could quite possibly warn some people off, but trust me when I say it shouldn't, because it works! Missy Johnson has done an exceptional job. The portrayal of her characters and the challenges each one faced was raw and believable but tinged with underlying hope. We know from the offset that a pivotal and much loved character is going to die and there is no escaping that, and yes, it really fucking hurts but she gave these characters dignity and a dying man a voice, and God how I loved that!
Andy, Seth and Emily's story is truly unforgettable and one that should be treasured and experienced for yourself, hence my lack of a full plot overview. If you pick up any book today, then my advice: make it this one!
5 unforgettable Stars!!! -
OUT OF REACH by MISSY JOHNSON
This is my first Missy Johnson & I must say she nailed it. She delivered and delivered good.
Out of Reach is a story of friendship, love, loss and moving forward and loving again. This story is quite emotional and I think with stories similar to this, it will always be emotional and will give you that lump in your throat while reading the whole book. I finished this in one sitting. Every scene, every chapter will make you somewhat feel what the characters are going through and how difficult it is for everyone.
"The worst part isn’t the thought of dying itself, it’s everything you’re going to be leaving behind."
3 best of friends. One is dying and one is in love with his dying friend’s girlfriend. It may seem messy but it is not. And yes, of course so intriguing and enticing too. I cried most of the time. The story and the characters in this story dealt with the reality of losing the one they love and in the moment where the person is terminal and only have weeks to live. Imagine that and imagine you going through that. I can’t. It’s terrible and sad and beyond imagination but Missy Johnson wrote it with subtlety and finesse. No one really wants to talk about death because it is scary and all sad things you can come up with with the word death but I think the most scary part are people you are going to leave behind. They are the ones who deals with the loss and it is scary.
The ending and how things turned out for the better is pure joy and love. But I guess, when you lose someone no matter how long it may have been, that person will always stay with you no matter what and reading that epilogue made my heart swell with both joy & sadness because of what could’ve been and what ifs. But I am happy with it, it’s just that there will always be that emotion that lingers somewhere in your heart. And I felt that with Em’s character.
This book, I truly recommend. A MUST-READbut a book I will not read again. One happy-sad tears book at a time. :)
♥♥♥♥ 1/2
** Also posted on my TUMBLR account & AMAZON
http://xoxopimpimxoxo.tumblr.com/post... -
I don't know about everyone else, but whenever I'm down and feel the need to have a cry, I have a movie I watch - A Walk To Remember. I haven't read the book yet, only seen the movie, but it makes me cry like a baby EVERY SINGLE TIME I watch it!
I feel similar about Out of Reach by Missy Johnson. Now don't get me wrong, I don't mean it in a bad way. Out of Reach has become my go to book for when I want to experience the depth of emotion in a story. What I mean is, this book made me FEEL, and I LOVED it!
It started with compassion and empathy. I felt for Seth and Emily having to watch their best friend and boyfriend suffering with pain and slowly fading away. I empathised for Andy knowing he was going to depart from this world soon and would never get to experience all of life's joys as everyone should.
Then came some joy and happiness. It was delightful reading how Andy pushed both Seth and Emily to their limits by making them live out HIS bucket list. I was happy because Andy was happy, and because deep down Seth and Emily loved what he was making them do. Now call me heartless and inconsiderate if you must, but I also enjoyed finding out that Seth had been in love with Emily all along. And, I got flutters whenever little things were mentioned about Emily having feelings for Seth.
Next up was heartbreak and anger. I was heartbroken when the time finally came for Andy to depart from this world. And I was angry! I felt grief, cried uncontrollably and was so angry that it could happen to somebody so young! Yes, we all know that it was coming, but it didn't make it any easier!
And as the story progressed, and life after Andy went on, I got to experience the happiness again as Seth and Emily worked out how to live their lives without Andy in them.
The story was great, and one I'm sure is close to many people's hearts. Missy Johnson is an amazing author with a great writing style. She has the ability to engage you in her stories from the very beginning and hold you captivated until the very end.
I received an ARC as part of the Blog Tour in exchange for an honest review. -
Despite the heartbreaking premise of this story, the triangle of Andy, Emily and Seth is one I can stand behind. Told from each character’s point of view, this story begins with an impossible conflict. One which I won’t repeat here because the synopsis set it up so brilliantly. These three friends have spent most of their childhood and the beginning of their adulthood together, practically inseparable. It is a given that they all love each other, but both men are in love with the same woman.
Going in, you know this isn’t going to end well for one of them, and there, as they say, is the rub. Missy Johnson does an excellent job drawing these characters. She uses just the right balance of action and putting us into their head space. Anyone who’s ever lost someone to cancer knows just how debilitating the illness can be. It robs one of vibrancy, of health, and of dignity in such short order, both the patient and his/her loved ones witnesses the toll it takes with startling clarity. And if it is an aggressive strain, startling brevity.
Johnson shows us how Andy, Emily and Seth each grapple with his prognosis. Andy suggests a unique way to spend his final days, which he strong-arms Seth and then Emily into agreeing to help him execute. Making this decision is sure to make the older generation unhappy, but these friends do everything within their power to honor this young man’s final wishes without doing irreparable harm to the parental relationships they maintain with Andy’s mother.
Out of Reach brings the emotion, thoughts, and believable resolution to a story that seems to have none. If you want a high-octane romance without the superfluous tears and melodrama that a story like this could have, you should really give this one a shot.
4.5 out of 5 stars
