Where Sea Meets Sky

I have been a fan of Karina Halle\’s writing since taking a chance on her first book in the EIT series….I fell in love with her style of writing and how well developed her characters and story lines were….but with that said…..WSMS just did not make me sit up and want to devour every page because I couldn\’t wait to see what was on the next page. Her experience as a travel writer was evident as I felt I was backpacking my way through New Zealand and found myself googling some of the sights….now I have New Zealand on my vacay bucket list! Josh and Gemma…..hmmmm….there were some beautifully written moments shared by these 2 young adults and then there were times when I wanted to toss them off the side of those cliffs they were hiking on. I\’m don\’t consider myself a prude but the opening sentence of WSMS was an instant turnoff….I know sex sells but, REALY? Some of my favorites…. \”I think I ache for things I may never get. I long for purpose, for life and yet sometimes I think Im too afraid to live .\” Some people may expect nothing. Most people expect something. But you, you , should expect everything.\” \”But I will say this . . . if you find that person who makes you feel like everything going forward is worth living, hold on to her. \”Will you destroy something before you have a chance to lose it?\” \”I love you , I think as my heart seems to expand inside me. And youll hurt me. Youll burn me. Youll mark me.\” \”However much in love with her I was a few moments ago, Im more in love with her now. And with each radiant smudge, each beautiful design, the feeling grows. And grows. And grows.\”

Karina has done it again with this beautiful story. She is one of those rare authors that makes you experience every sense profoundly. And believe that instant connections can be made with perfect strangers. Josh and Gemma met at a Halloween party, both fully costumed. It was her last night in Canada so why no go out with a bang? Never could either imagine seeing one another again, but Gemma sparked something in Josh. Was it wanderlust or simply lust? Was it the lack of direction and adventure and excitement in his life? Probably all of the aforementioned. So on a whim, with little money to his name and no desire whatsoever to be stuck spending yet another holiday season with his single workaholic (almost heartless) mother he decides to buy a ticket to New Zealand. He\’ll be there until just after the first of the year when he must return to start classes at the art school to which he was just accepted. With the help of three guys he meets at the first hostel he stays at and with only her first name and the vague recollection of her working at a gym owned by a former rugby player to go on, they track her down. Of course it can\’t be as simple as they see each other once again, realize their connection from that one night was real and make a go of a real relationship. Of course, there\’s a boyfriend in the picture (though a jackass at that) and a cousin in town that Gemma has promised to take on tour of the some adventure hot spots. Josh is invited, pseudo boyfriend decides to go along afterall (even though he had declined previously) and the four of them are off for what turns out to be the trip of a lifetime filled with self-discovery, dormant realizations and the wondrous world around them. There\’s the requisite angst and humor (Karina is clever, wicked and witty – just follow her on Instagram) and an undercurrent of want that neither Gemma or Josh will outwardly admit. And there\’s also a tie in to her Love, In English book (another favorite) as Josh is Vera\’s brother, which gave the story even greater depth. This story made me long for my youth and the adventures I wish I\’d had the chance to experience. It made my heart heavy given the forces that kept them from share their true selves with each other. It made me want to go to New Zealand which until now was not even on my bucket list radar. Most of all, it made me feel as though I was right there with them on this journey, transcended to a time and a place that was beyond my imagination yet oh so tangible. This was a page turner for me. A love story that was painful at times, extraordinarily real and in the end so emotionally rewarding. It resonated with me and touched my soul. I JUST LOVED IT!

MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS – I\’m baffled why this book didn\’t receive stellar ratings. I know Gemma & Josh aren\’t perfect, there are some boring moments, there are some frustrating moments. But I felt these two down to my core & felt like I\’d just been whisked away to New Zealand to live vicariously through their love affair. So Josh is Vera\’s brother (Love, in English), a struggling young artist living in Vancouver. He meets up with exotic stunner Gemma from New Zealand & it is instant attraction, to her body, her personality, her free spirit for traveling most of North America on her own. Their one-night-stand was hot but also created an intense connection. Josh is super gorgeous & a great dirty talker but he is also very respectful of Gemma, as sweet as can be. That\’s something she never got from her ex Nick. Gemma & Nick are back to sleeping together when Josh finds his way to New Zealand, can\’t stay away from her. Thus begins an adventure across New Zealand with Gemma & Nick, Josh, & her cousin Amber. Uncomfortable! Poor Josh can hear them screwing, how heartbreaking is that?? Thank God Nick finally shows his true colors, gets jealous & tells Gemma that she\’s beneath him & ugly. Now there are 3 on the road trip & Josh & Gemma bond – and fight – along the way. They desperately want each other, have crazy monkey sex, but there is still that deep connection where Josh looks into her soul & finds the loneliness & pain there. Even during sex he begs her to really feel him, and he\’s not talking just sexually. Sadly his love can\’t fix her & Gemma breaks his heart when she is cold as ice, seriously pushing him away. \”Will you destroy something before you have a chance to lose it?\” Apparently so, and Gemma falls apart. Her grandfather\’s advice, \”Sometimes you have to bulldoze something to the ground before you can rebuild.\” And that is what Gemma does, figures out if her career can actually be something she\’s passionate about, if she can leave her heartache behind & start fresh. When she finds her passion & her soul, she then shows them to Josh, vulnerable & raw but honest & real & full of love. \”Welcome home\” he says & holds her tight. Beautiful, beautiful story! So many wonderful moments where Josh strips Gemma bare, literally & figuratively, & tries to burrow his way into her heart. I loved when he\’d talk dirty (love to f&ck her raw) and then follow that up with sweet talk (everything has a new meaning with you). Josh is swoon worthy & yes, Gemma doesn\’t deserve him but she\’s working on it. Love, love, love!

Was quite surprised when this book arrived on my kindle as I couldn\’t remember pre-ordering it or why. I looked back to see what else if anything I had by this author and low and behold it was Love in English the book which I had loved about Vera who had travelled to Spain from Canada on a holiday job to teach conversational english to Spanish business people and who fell in love with Mateo an older married man. Well I thought ok this story would be good too. I was chapter or so in when the penny dropped and I realized this story was about Josh who was Vera\’ s brother in Canada that\’s why I had ordered this book. Josh is obsessed by a one night stand with Gemma a girl from New Zealand on her last night in Canada and decides on a whim to follow her back to NZ and try and find her with the scant information he has. Of course he does find her quite quickly but she has reunited with her former boyfriend. Despite this she invites him on a backpacker tour with her boyfriend and visiting cousin Amber. So the adventures began of their memorable journey and the rocky path to love. The author clearly has a knowledge and love for NZ and I mostly thought more was given to the spectacular scenery and tourist attractions than the characters, hence I feel the story got lost along the way. It\’s a shame really because the storyline was good and I just loved Josh, but personally I would have liked more story less travel guide. However having said that the writing was excellent and you did feel as though you were there on the \’Big Orange bus\’. I recommend this book if you have been to NZ and even if you haven\’t and would like to go. No epilogue always upsets me also so hence a 3 star review. I believe Amber gets a shot next so I will try again.

Another great read by Katrina Halle. I loved the whole thing! The journey, the love story. I want to go to new Zealand! This was a beautifully written just as Vera and Mateo\’s story, I am eagerly awaiting Amber\’s story next. I\’m only sorry to have finished it, I\’ll have a book hangover for some time!

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