REVIEW: The Space Between Us by Melanie Summers

The Space Between Us by Melanie Summers: Gwen Fox is obsessed with the mysteries of outer space. Gwen loves the unknown. The opportunity to explore more of the vast universe is all she has really ever wanted, but now with her funding about to be cut she needs to do something drastic, even if that means flying to Peru, to convince their billionaire backer Ty Sterling not to cut the S.E.T.I project. Traveling to the wilds of Peru was one thing but winding up stranded alone with Ty in the middle of the Amazon rainforest was definitely not on Gewns agenda. With little to no choice but to rely on each other these two have to find a way to bridge the gap between their hate/lust relationship if they hope to survive the wild Amazon.

I’m already such a big Melanie Summers fan but this book truly stole my heart, there was spice, drama, mystery and some amazing characters! I loved the entire premise behind this book and getting to see it unfold was pure gold. Summers balanced out the enemies to lovers trope with a bit of forced proximity and adventure to create an entertaining and exciting fun romance novel. I think the only thing that I did not love was the slow burn build up to Ty and Gwen finally getting together, this in my opinion was a tiny bit to drawn out but all in all I still enjoyed the book.

I really liked Gwen, she was easy to relate to and I loved her passion to explore the unknown. She was super loyal and caring, I really liked that one of her biggest goals was to make her family proud of her as a woman in science. I loved that Summers added so much of information on Astro Biologists, this was something new to me and I truly enjoyed getting to learn about something new as I followed Gwen on her journey. As for our hero Ty, well once we got to know him a bit more it was hard not to like the guy. He was far from your typical stuck up, bossy billionaire and I for one loved that about his character. I really enjoyed getting to see the Ty behind all the money and expectations. I loved his relationship with his brother and the amount of care and love that they shared.

I really enjoyed the relationship build up between Ty and Gwen, while there was loads of tension and you could see clear as day that these two had something brewing, I really liked that the majority of their time together focused on their growth as individuals. Gosh did these two have banter, there was so much of tension between them, that I just could not wait for their inevitable combustion!  I will say that I do wish the scene with them getting lost in the jungle had lasted a bit longer but it all played out perfectly in the end. I will say I do wish that the spice factor had been one or two notches higher but this is just a personal preference. I will say that I loved the subplot that brought Ty and Gwen together, the entire idea of having all the nonprofit attendees going on an adventure to commemorate the life of one of the biggest donors was a really nice added layer to this book.

The Space Between Us was a good read, there was room for improvement but overall I really enjoyed this cute play on the enemies to lovers romance trope. If you are looking for a cute low drama read then I would definitely recommend this book to you!

Book Info:

Nishj| 4 Stars | HJ Recommends | No |
Publication: February 2, 2024 | Indigo Group |

He’s a self-made billionaire. He’s cynical, stubborn, and he gets what he wants. Until he met her…

Gwen Fox is obsessed with the mysteries of outer space. But her project’s billionaire backer is obsessed with shutting her team down.

About to lose everything, Gwen is forced to travel to Peru to change the mind of the man she loves to hate—Ty Sterling. Her mission to save her team takes an unexpected turn when the pair find themselves stranded alone together in the jungle.

Forced to rely on each other, the space between enemies and lovers begins to collapse. As their bickering reaches new heights, so does their undeniable attraction. Gwen starts to see that Ty’s heart may not be as cold as interstellar space after all.

But could he possibly be the love of her life?

*** The Space Between Us is a swoon-worthy, adventure-filled, laugh-out-loud tale of a woman who will do anything to save her job and the stubborn billionaire who dared to get in her way. It comes complete with baby alpacas, pink dolphins, and the world’s most awkward hallucinogenic tea ceremony. It’s a standalone rom-com with a little more spice than a regular Melanie Summers book. ***

***WHAT TO EXPECT:
– Enemies to lovers
– Billionaire meets S.T.E.M. romance
– Lush, romantic settings, adventure and a little danger
– Forced Proximity/only one bed
– A secret cinnamon roll hero
– Loads of witty banter and delicious tension