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Within Reach

by Sarah Mayberry (Goodreads Author)

3.99 of 5 stars 3.99 · rating details · 351 ratings · 101 reviews

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...more

Mass Market Paperback, Harlequin SuperRomance #1795, 288 pages

Published August 7th 2012 by Harlequin SuperRomance (first published August 1st 2012)

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Oct 15, 2012 UniquelyMoi *Dhestiny* BlithelyBookish rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-for-review, reviewed-for-netgalley, reviewed-at-blithelybookish, reviewed-by-me, widow-widower, friends-to-lovers, sudden-loss-to-death, architect, jewelry-artist, 2012-reads, 4-5-stars, author-sarah-mayberry, harlequin-super-romance, location-australia, keepers, hero-swoonworthy, hero-take-home-and-love-better, heroes-id-do, celibate-hero-widower

Within Reach is one of the best, most poignant, most beautiful contemporary romances I’ve read to date. The very nature of this story sets this up to be heartbreaking and tragic on so many levels, but it is also inspiring and hopeful and uplifting, too.

When Billie Young died, she left behind her two small children, Eva and Charlie, a devastated husband, Michael, and her best friend, Angie. The pain and the shock of her sudden death left them all reeling, but it's the loneliness and emptiness whi...more
Within Reach is one of the best, most poignant, most beautiful contemporary romances I’ve read to date. The very nature of this story sets this up to be heartbreaking and tragic on so many levels, but it is also inspiring and hopeful and uplifting, too.

When Billie Young died, she left behind her two small children, Eva and Charlie, a devastated husband, Michael, and her best friend, Angie. The pain and the shock of her sudden death left them all reeling, but it's the loneliness and emptiness which Michael can't seem to overcome that threatens to destroy what's left of his family. Angie can no longer watch the slow disintegration of these people she loves so much, so she decides to step in and do what she can to bring them back to the land of the living.

I was so impressed with the level of compassion and sensitivity given to the telling of this story. Angie's and Michael's struggle to move forward was such an emotional journey and I loved how they helped each other through it. Their physical attraction to one another didn't happen overnight, but was a natural, gradual... awakening. Their passion and sexual chemistry was combustive and felt right because the grieving process wasn’t rushed. In fact, everything about this story flowed well, and I felt as though I was part of it somehow. As though these people were my friends and I was right there with them as their story unfolded.

The bottom line: For as long as I can remember, Harlequin novels have had a reputation of being nothing but cheesy, melodramatic short stories, but trust me on this; the Harlequin of today is not your mama’s Harlequin! The stories address today’s issues, today’s lifestyles and relationships, and do so in a believable, entertaining way. I’m so glad I decided to give these books another try because they’ve turned out to be some of my very favorite, most enjoyable reading experiences, and books like Within Reach are the reason why. Thought provoking, uplifting, inspiring... this story has made it to my "keepers" shelf and Sarah Mayberry is an author who I will absolutely be reading more of.

4.5 of 5 stars.

My thanks to netgalley.com and Harlequin for providing me with a copy of this beautiful story in exchange for an honest review.(less)

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Jul 27, 2012 willaful rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of friends to lovers stories

Shelves: netgalley, free-to-be-a-family, o-performer-artist-creative, rebecca-syndrome, sexy-beta

In Mayberry's last book, Her Best Worst Mistake, I thought the heroine's guilt about hooking up with the guy her best friend had dumped was overdone. This book also features a guilt-ridden heroine, but you really can't blame her, since in this case the best friend was a beloved wife who died much too young.

Angie is doing her best to fill the hole left when her friend Billie died, leaving behind a devastated husband and two young children. She and Michael had never been particularly close, but no...more

13 likes · like · see review

Jan 06, 2013 Shawna rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of emotive contemporary romances

Shelves: contemporary-romance, harlequin-blaze-silhouette-romance, sarah-mayberry, hh-widow-or-widower, rt-book-reviews-4-and-a-half-stars, hero-single-dad, friends-to-lovers, kids-cute-faves-prominent-in-story, tearjerker-tugs-at-heartstrings, made-me-cry, heartbreaking-gutwrenching-romance, angsty-dark-heavy-lotsa-drama, hero-celibate-virgin-virginesque, heroine-free-spirit-quirky, hero-silent-quiet-type-reticent, heartwarming, 2013-reads, 5-stars, ending-abrupt-poor-epilogue-needed, hero-abused-scarred-tortured-angst, hero-beta, hero-gentleman, hero-nice-guy-gets-the-girl, heroine-i-adore, hero-im-gaga-over, i-read-library, offlimits-bf-likekidsister-jailbait, steam-3-hot, sweet-romance-left-smile-on-my-face, syrupy-sweet-sentimental-schmaltz, favorite-love-scenes

5 stars – Contemporary Romance

I wish I had time to fully review this to give the proper notice it so richly deserves. But since I don’t, I’ll simply say that Within Reach is a powerful, poignant, bittersweet, and satisfying read that embodies what I love so much about a great romance. I highly recommend this touching gem to all my romance-loving friends. It’s another well-written, memorable read from the talented Ms. Mayberry. 5 stars!

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Aug 05, 2012 steph rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley, books-read-in-2012, contemporary-romance, e-book, favorites, fiction-family, made-me-grin-like-a-lovesick-fool, own, romance

4.5 stars

Now, I see why everyone reads Sarah Mayberry! First, before I begin, let me say that as a result of my friends on Goodreads, I have been meaning to read Sarah Mayberry for about 2 or 3 months now but being fickle and lazy and somewhat cheap when it comes to books, I had never gotten around to picking up one of her stories. IF ONLY I HAD KNOWN WHAT I WAS MISSING. Because this book tugged at my heartstrings and made me what to read more by her.

I loved Michael and Angie. I loved the pain t...more 4.5 stars

Now, I see why everyone reads Sarah Mayberry! First, before I begin, let me say that as a result of my friends on Goodreads, I have been meaning to read Sarah Mayberry for about 2 or 3 months now but being fickle and lazy and somewhat cheap when it comes to books, I had never gotten around to picking up one of her stories. IF ONLY I HAD KNOWN WHAT I WAS MISSING. Because this book tugged at my heartstrings and made me what to read more by her.

I loved Michael and Angie. I loved the pain they had on losing their wife/best friend -it came right off the page. I loved seeing the hurt and the guilt and the anger that came with the loss of Billie. I love that Angie helped Michael get back to the land of the living and Michael helped Angie as well. I love that they are friends and as such, both are horrified when they start to develop sexual awareness of the other person. And the guilt that quickly followed. Yet all of it was handled in such a genuine, realistic way that I can't help but root for them knowing that all the while Billie was rooting for them too.

This book hit another chord with me however, as it slightly mirrors my own family life. I was five months old when my biological mother died of a seizure brought on by complications due to diabetes; my older brother was 2 and a half years old. Overnight, my dad was suddenly left a widower with two small children. When I was eight months old, he hired a co-worker who knew both him and his late wife, to babysit his small children. By the time I was one and a half they were dating. Three weeks after my third birthday, they were married in a ceremony that included my brother and I. In the next few years that followed, more babies were added to our household. As of today, my parents have been married twenty two years and have raised five children together. Within the next few weeks, they will became grandparents for the first time and are over the moon about that. So this story hits a quiet chord with me as I imagine a lot of emotions and feelings and thoughts that Angie and Michael went through are also what my parents went through as well and I thank Sarah Mayberry for the delicate and natural and wonderful way she wrote this story. Now excuse me. For I have to lend my Kindle to my mom so she can read this story. For this is her story as well.

*ARC PROVIDED BY NETGALLEY.
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Aug 14, 2012 Victoria rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

5++ stars! A Heart felt story and an awesome read!

I fell in love with this book from page one. Sarah Mayberry is a very talented writer. In Within Reach, she weaved a wonderful story of overcoming tragedy and grief and the risking it all for love again. This book was heartbreaking, sweet and charming, and hot and steamy. If you are looking for a good romance with a great realistic story, then this is the book for you! You won't be disappointed!

5 likes · like · see review

Jul 18, 2012 Saly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: category-romance, celibate-hero, harlequin-silhouette, harlequin-super-romance, read-in-2012

This was an excellent book about grief, about friendship and how the people left behind deal with it. When the book opens Angie is celebrating her best friend Billie's birthday with her two kids and husband and that happy picture is gone the same day, Billie dead of a heart defect.
It is ten months later then and when Angie visits the house the picture is very different, there is no joy and instead there is dust and Michael, who took time off work to help his kids and who seems to walk through a...more This was an excellent book about grief, about friendship and how the people left behind deal with it. When the book opens Angie is celebrating her best friend Billie's birthday with her two kids and husband and that happy picture is gone the same day, Billie dead of a heart defect.
It is ten months later then and when Angie visits the house the picture is very different, there is no joy and instead there is dust and Michael, who took time off work to help his kids and who seems to walk through a fog because his wife of six years is dead and at the age of 35 he is a widower with two kids. He isn't dealing with things well and it takes Angie to wake him up, Angie who has been a rock these past few months, Angie who also lost her best friend who was more like a sister. He doesn't take it that well when she tells him that maybe he needs to go back to work, that may help him move forward but when his daughter tells him about the things he has forgotten to do for her, he wakes up because he needs to move on for his kids.

I felt Michael's grief was depicted extremely well in the book. He struggles to function at first, he looks after his kids and that is all but going back to work gives him something else to do. His identity was tied so closely with being a husband and father and now half of it is gone. He thinks that he will spend his life being a father so it is a shock to him when he has a sex dream and it fills him with disgust and guilt.

Angie was a friend to Michael but they were never close, in her mind he was always Billie's husband and never a hunk so when the first time she notices him it fills her with horror and disgust. She tries to draw away but Michael notices something is wrong and she vows to keep her thoughts to herself. It takes longer for Michael to notice her in a sexual way and when he does, he lashes out, he is not ready for what he is feeling. What is made very clear from the start in this book was that both of them had never had any untoward feelings before and they both loved Billie.

They do acknowledge their new feelings and vow not to act on them because in their minds it is a betrayal and then they do act on them and the guilt does rise up. They both can't stop getting involved but their is an understanding between them. Angie fits into their lives, the kids love her and Michael loves having her around but when Angie comes to see she has fallen for him she draws away which makes Michael see that things between them has been one sided with her giving and giving and Michael just taking. He isn't ready for anything but somehow without him knowing love snuck in, it wasn't something they both wanted and were ready for.

I found this book emotional as hell, the way their friendship, grief and gradual love was depicted was amazing. The moment at the cemetery when his daughter is talking to her mother, was so emotional. I know some people may feel Angie was a second choice but she wasn't. Michael never saw her coming so it takes him a while to see what was under his nose all along those long grief filled months. I never found the relationship dirty or taboo but these two had a lot to overcome because they felt that.(less)

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Sep 07, 2012 Sara HarlequinJunkie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: top-pick, favorites-shelf

Reviewd by: HarlequinJunkie Romance Reviews

This book made me cry tons, there is an underlying thread of sorrow attached to this book but also a big rainbow of sunshine and hope.

Death can be devastating to a family, especially when you loose the “Glue” that holds the family together. For Michael, Billie was that Glue; his beloved vibrant young wife was snatched away out of the blue leaving him distraught with sorrow and with two young children to raise.

Angie, Billie’s best friend has been a rock...more

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Jul 20, 2012 Holly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 200-books-in-2012, july-2012, read-in-2012

What a heart-wrenching story. I love that Mayberry took the time to explore something that seems taboo in our society. I was fully entrenched in their battle between guilt and attraction. I even cried a couple of times.

6 likes · like · see review

Jan 23, 2013 Book rated it 3 of 5 stars

Sometimes a book is just the perfect three star read. It's not too annoying; it's not too trite; it doesn't make you want to throw your Kindle across the room and swear off ever clicking on Amazon again. But nor does it linger; nor does it make you think; nor do you learn anything, nor get a flash of illumination, nor do you bond with characters you wish lived next door.

WITHIN REACH is that three star read: smooth and enjoyable, goes down easy, but I was completely happy when it finished and wou...more

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Dec 03, 2012 Kmont rated it 4 of 5 stars

Warning: this book made me sob like an out-of-control hormonal mess of a reader. And the weird thing was I couldn't put it down. I started it in the late afternoon and read it almost straight through till midnight the same day. It was heart-wrenching (not to mention a little alarmingly close to home - not the romance, another part) and I cried, then I laughed, then I felt woozy and romantic and then I cried some more, then I pretty much sobbed, and I think my dogs were concerned (I know the cat...more

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Nov 26, 2012 Tqwana rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I loved her handling of such a touchy subject. I can see how the people involved might consider it a betrayal, but I'm of the opinion that its more of a betrayal to the memory of the dead to stop living. Guilt is just the devil. Forgot where I heard that, but I believe it.
I can't really speak from the POV of a dead wife, but I'd want my spouse to move on - in an appropriate time, of course - and a year seems about right. But, can you really put a timeframe on healing or love?
And why not a best...more

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Nov 18, 2012 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Sarah by: Rebeca

Shelves: because-rebeca-said-so, shut-up-and-do-not-judge-me, surprised-i-liked

Awhile back Renegade reviewed this book for us on "Clear Eyes, Full Shelves and absolutely loved it. I was cynical because 1) the cover is ridiculously bad (I know, I know... don't judge a book by its cover and all that) 2) the jacket description sounded kind of melodramatic and 2) it's a category romance and I have an aversion to them because the few I've encountered have felt formulaic.

Well, I should have listened to Renegade, because this book is really super.

I picked up Within Reach when i...more Awhile back Renegade reviewed this book for us on "Clear Eyes, Full Shelves and absolutely loved it. I was cynical because 1) the cover is ridiculously bad (I know, I know... don't judge a book by its cover and all that) 2) the jacket description sounded kind of melodramatic and 2) it's a category romance and I have an aversion to them because the few I've encountered have felt formulaic.

Well, I should have listened to Renegade, because this book is really super.

I picked up Within Reach when it was a freebie on Harlequin's website last week and didn't plan on reading anytime soon. But, last night I left the paper book I was reading in the living room and was too lazy to haul myself out of bed to go it (it's been a loooooong week) so I picked up my Kindle (not really mine, since my husband accidentally broke my Kindle--this is his that I've commandeered) and Within Reach was sitting at the top of my "Recent" collection so I figured I'd read a few chapters and crash. Except I accidentally read the entire thing.

Renegade's review pretty much covered why this book is so good, and I echo all of her thoughts. I was so surprised by what a sad book this is, despite that it's a romance, and you know a happy ever after is a given. What struck me the most is how much both Angie and Michael love Billie, who died suddenly at 32. Nothing feels forced or rushed, as both have to figure out who they are without their best friend and wife, respectively. The two having to figure a way forward for themselves as individuals first made Within Reach feel emotionally authentic, which is my litmus test for romances. Both are also decent people, who want to do the right thing by Billie's memory and for Michael and Billie's children.

My only niggle (aside from the one in the spoiler below--which isn't really a spoiler, but more a discussion of one of my hot-button issues) would be that there's a huge time jump between the first chapter when we see Billie's death and the second, which takes place ten months in the future. I would have liked to see more about the immediate aftermath of losing Billie, because it would have created more context for the connection between the two in terms of losing Billie. But, despite that, this is definitely one I'd put on my yet-to-be-developed list of Romance for People Who Think They Don't Like Romance.

(view spoiler)
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Aug 31, 2012 Susan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-books-read, romance, series-romance

This was one of the best Supers that I have read in a long time. The book starts with Angie at her best friend Billie's house with Billie's husband and two kids, celebrating Billie's birthday. At the end of the evening Billie collapses and dies. Ten months later, Angie is doing her best to help Michael. Both of them are still reeling from Billie's death, but Michael is still walking around in a fog and his family is suffering for it. Angie steps in and works to get Michael back to the land of th...more This was one of the best Supers that I have read in a long time. The book starts with Angie at her best friend Billie's house with Billie's husband and two kids, celebrating Billie's birthday. At the end of the evening Billie collapses and dies. Ten months later, Angie is doing her best to help Michael. Both of them are still reeling from Billie's death, but Michael is still walking around in a fog and his family is suffering for it. Angie steps in and works to get Michael back to the land of the living. She doesn't tell him to "get over it" she is just there to help him do what needs to be done to move forward. When they start to notice each other as more than friends, both are filled with guilt and self disgust. This was one incredibly emotional book. The way that their grief was handled was very realistic to me. The slow developing of their feelings for each other was natural. They decided they would do nothing about it in hopes that it would just fade away. They continued to behave as friends, but the underlying tension was there and just kept intensifying. They finally gave in to the passion, but tried to convince themselves that it was physical only. Unfortunately the guilt was still tearing Michael up, and he was still certain that he would never love another. When Angie realized that she had fallen in love with Michael and knew that he would never be able to love her the same way she had to put distance between them. I was so impressed with Angie's compassion for Michael and the kids. She always seemed to know exactly what was needed. Michael was a character that just kept tugging at my heartstrings. He was so incredibly lost when Billie died that just making it through the days was a struggle. When his daughter pointed out to him, and later Angie, just how many ways he'd dropped the ball, he realized he had to make changes. He was furious at Angie's suggestions at first, but then realized that she was right. He still considered himself Billie's husband, even though she was gone and his attraction to Angie made him crazy with guilt. As the weeks went on, the guilt remained but he found himself happier than he'd been. When they began to enjoy their physical relationship, he spent time trying to come to terms with it and ended up just taking it day by day. When Angie broke things off, telling him that she'd fallen in love with him and knew it wouldn't go anywhere he was stunned. It took him days to realize that he had fallen in love with her and to figure out what to do about it. I loved the way they resolved their issues. I shed a lot of tears in this book, especially in the last few chapters. There were some great scenes with Michael's daughter and the way she opened her father's eyes.(less)

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Aug 21, 2012 Becky Moe rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, netgalley

I really, really liked this one. I'd heard about Sarah Mayberry's books from multiple sources, saying she was a must read. I'd even picked up two of her ebooks prior to this one, but this is the first of her novels that I've actually read. Based on this experience, I'll definitely be reading the others soon!

I felt she did a wonderful job with Michael, Angie, and young Eva's grief. Their internal and external dialogue really read true to me. I liked their characters, how they dealt with each othe...more

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Aug 20, 2012 Brie C. rated it 2 of 5 stars

Originally posted at Romance Around the Corner

I’m sure you’re tired of hearing me say how much I love Sarah Mayberry’s books, but it’s true. I love them so much, that I’m willing to read a story that revolves around my least favorite trope. Unfortunately for me, not even Ms. Mayberry could make me enjoy it.

Michael and Angie had one person in common: Billie -- his wife and her best friend. One day Billie died, and just like that their lives changed. Almost a year later, Angie is ignoring her pai...more Originally posted at Romance Around the Corner

I’m sure you’re tired of hearing me say how much I love Sarah Mayberry’s books, but it’s true. I love them so much, that I’m willing to read a story that revolves around my least favorite trope. Unfortunately for me, not even Ms. Mayberry could make me enjoy it.

Michael and Angie had one person in common: Billie -- his wife and her best friend. One day Billie died, and just like that their lives changed. Almost a year later, Angie is ignoring her pain and Billie and Michael’s children are coping, but Michael is a mess. He doesn’t take care of the house, makes the same dinner every night and forgets promises he made to his daughter. Basically grief has rendered him useless. When Angie sees what a mess he’s become, and how the kids are suffering because of it, she wakes up from her own pain. Little by little they help each other put their lives in order, regain some normalcy and deal with their loss. Then the attraction begins. Subtle and unwelcome at first, they get to the point in which they can’t deny what’s happening. They both feel like they are betraying Billie, Michael isn’t ready to let go, and Angie doesn’t want to fall for a man whose heart belongs to someone else. Saying this is a tricky situation is putting it mildly.

There is a lot of grief in this book. Everyone was in pain, including me. Michael and Angie were interestingkkk, complex characters and I liked them a lot. It was difficult seeing them suffer so much and I wanted them to be happy again. They had many things in common as well as great chemistry. So in a way, they were better suited than Michael and Bille ever were. Yet, it was obvious that Michael was head over heels in love with his wife. This is not one of those stories in which the hero feels guilty because he didn’t really love the dead wife, something I’m sure fans of the trope will appreciate. Within Reach is about a man losing the love of his life. So the reader has to accept that part of his heart will always belong to someone else. But Michael falls head over heels in love with Angie too, because the story is also about a man finding love again. It was a realistic portrayal of a tragic situation.

However, I didn’t enjoy the book at all. A big part of the fault is mine, because as much as I love Ms. Mayberry’s books, I hate the trope even more. But I think the main issue I had with the story was the timeframe. One year is not enough to get over such a devastating loss. This guy was a wreck and even though he struggles a lot with his feelings towards Angie and their romance isn’t easy, I’m not sure he was ready to fall for someone else. Billie is a big part of the story, Michael is constantly haunted by her memory —understandably so—and the whole time I felt like I was reading about the love triangle from hell where everyone ends up shortchanged: Michael doesn’t get to grow old with the love of his life; Angie has to share Michael’s heart with her dead best friend; and the poor kids don’t get their mother. I understand that theirs is a different love story and that Angie is the love of Michael’s new life, but I was in pain throughout the whole book.

If you enjoy the widowed hero trope, you should get this one right now (especially if you like it when the hero has sex with the heroine and then wakes up cuddling her and thinks she’s his dead wife. Oh yeah, there’s a scene like that. Good times!). It had some flaws but overall was an interesting, honest portrayal of grief, loss and second chance at love and life. It just wasn't the book for me.

Grade: 2.5

Source: we received an e-ARC of the book through NetGalley for review purposes.(less)

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Aug 11, 2012 figuranta rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

when i start reading this book i was impressed that the author started the book with billie bithday party when she dies of undiagnosed congenital hear defect leaving Michael with 2 kids to bring up.as advanced i got in the book it was obvious that they will start to get attract to each other and was nothing wrong with that.I liked the way she described michaels feelings nd angie's, they feeling that they were going to betraied billie even if she was dead and they never been attracted to each oth...more

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Aug 05, 2012 Rebeca rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

{Originally reviewed on Clear Eyes, Full Shelves}

What happens when the center of your universe dies?

Scientists determine the location of black holes by watching the behavior of the matter that surround them. They’re impossible to see on their own as they suck down all light or any probes that might trace their perimeters.

Billy is at the center of Sarah Mayberry’s Within Reach, her death the black hole. She is the impetus for the plot, the invisible force that sets events in motion, but the book...more

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Jul 22, 2012 becky (rtgirl) rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was fortunate enough to get an ARC of Within Reach and am so glad I didn't have to wait to read this book! This is my first experience reading anything by Sarah Mayberry and I can say I'll definitely be coming back for more.

WIthin Reach is a story that I just couldn't help but be curious about. A dear friend of mine from college died unexpectedly a couple of years ago and when her husband (also a dear friend) moved on, I just couldn't help but wonder what all he must have gone through to get t...more I was fortunate enough to get an ARC of Within Reach and am so glad I didn't have to wait to read this book! This is my first experience reading anything by Sarah Mayberry and I can say I'll definitely be coming back for more.

WIthin Reach is a story that I just couldn't help but be curious about. A dear friend of mine from college died unexpectedly a couple of years ago and when her husband (also a dear friend) moved on, I just couldn't help but wonder what all he must have gone through to get to that point emotionally, what his new wife would face "in the place" of our lost friend.

This book isn't afraid to make you feel every single emotion you can possibly have. Easy comfort and sisterhood between two women who have been best friends for years. Utter grief and devastation in the loss of a spouse, mother and friend. Gratitude for the help and advice a good friend gives that winds up making them an even better friend and life saver. Curiosity and intrigue when when basic male/female awareness kicks in. Guilt over that same awareness. Lust, desire, craving, needing...loving.

I could go on and on. There were some times that I caught myself thinking that some of the characters' thoughts and feelings were getting a little repetitive, but then I'd remind myself that that's how guilt and grief work, especially when they are so very entwined like they are in this story. You don't just decide to get over it and move on, especially with your best friend's spouse...or your dead spouse's best friend. I can't imagine how difficult it would be to have to get to that point, of realizing that the person who passed away is truly no longer an option.

It's the acceptance that is so hard. And when Michael visits Billie's grave and finally lets her go...it's what he needed and what Angie needed him to do.

I loved it! It was the kind of book that kept me turning every page because of the raw emotion I knew I'd find with every encounter. It was sweet, sad, raw and yes, even hot!(less)

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Jul 21, 2012 Maldivianbookreviewer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sarah-mayberry, against-the-wall-smexing, widowed-hero, angsty-read, architect-hero, bareback-smexing, commitment-phobic-hero, contemporary-romance, controlled-hero, emotional-wrangler, endearing-heroine, endearing-hero, explosive-passion, favorite-alpha-heroes, favorite-heroes, favorite-heroines, forbidden-romance, grieving-hero, grieving-heroine, haunted-by-the-past-hero, hot-as-sin-hero, hottest-first-kiss, hottest-sex-scenes-ever, independent-heroine, intense-connection-between-hh, larger-than-life-hero, protective-hero, sizzling-sexual-tension, single-father-hero, tortured-hero, tortured-heroine, unforgettable-hero

Within Reach by Sarah Mayberry focuses on one of my favorite tropes in romance. A widowed hero who finds love in the most angst-ridden situation one can find and thus Within Reach by Sarah Mayberry is a superb read and delivered exactly what I wanted in the right doses.

Michael loses his wife of 6 years to an undiagnosed congenital heart defect and devastation doesn’t even begin to cover what he goes through in the process of picking up the pieces of his life as his two kids demand that he be a p...more Within Reach by Sarah Mayberry focuses on one of my favorite tropes in romance. A widowed hero who finds love in the most angst-ridden situation one can find and thus Within Reach by Sarah Mayberry is a superb read and delivered exactly what I wanted in the right doses.

Michael loses his wife of 6 years to an undiagnosed congenital heart defect and devastation doesn’t even begin to cover what he goes through in the process of picking up the pieces of his life as his two kids demand that he be a pillar of strength rather than breaking down and digging himself a hole somewhere, which is exactly what he feels like doing.

Angie Bartlett loses her best friend when Billie dies at the age of 32. Her vivacious friend whose zest for life and color, whose life was so abruptly cut off leaves Angie reeling from the loss of it all. And it takes her a timeout from the situation back at Billie’s household to realize the rapid escalation towards crisis it was veering off to.

Helping out in the process of moving forward means Angie finds herself spending a lot of time at Michael’s, and both start to face that unsettling discovery that there might be more to their feelings towards each other than just mere friendship. Angie feels as if she is betraying her best friend by feeling desire of such ferocity towards Michael. And Michael who has vowed never to forget nor love any other woman except Billie finds himself torn apart by the strength of his desire to possess and be possessed by the woman who is slowly driving him insane with want. Though Michael wants nothing more than to ignore the feelings that Angie invokes and bury his head in the sand, the answering need that flares to life in Angie’s eyes proves to be his undoing every single time.

Sarah is an author who certainly gets everything right when it comes to developing lovable characters. She has that uncanny ability to deliver characters that we the readers can relate to, characters who are flawed, yet comes with redeeming qualities that just makes them seem so real and larger than life. For me, both Angie and Michael’s characters were equally appealing. Angie in my opinion is kindness itself, and she earned my love from the very beginning of the novel. Angie might be reserved when it comes to being openly affectionate, but she has a mighty tender spot for Billie and her family and that shines throughout the story, even way before she starts developing feelings for Michael. I loved how Angie seemed to be able to give, expecting nothing in return, even when she knows that the ultimate conclusion of a relationship with Michael might mean irreversible heartbreak for her.

Michael is such a delicious hero. The way Sarah brought him to life through Angie’s eyes, those things about an attractive man that we all notice and take a second look at coupled together with that innate sense of fairness and kindness deep inside of him makes him one of the most drool-worthy heroes I have read this year. I love a man who is larger than life, and that is exactly how I envisioned Michael as I read along. And let me tell you, Michael might seem a bit hesitant when it comes to taking the “plunge” with Angie, but when he does, oh boy does he do it well!

The only thing that disappointed me a bit was the lack of an epilogue. There was so much angst in the book that the lump in my throat refused to go away each time I picked up the book. Even from chapter 1 itself I knew that Within Reach was going to end up breaking my heart a bit, but then I trusted Sarah enough to put it back together. The ending itself wasn’t bad, but I wanted something to keep with me, something to dream about a bit during the moments of semi-wakefulness that I go through when I am right about to fall asleep. And I wanted just a bit more for Angie which I know might not convey the message that I want to, but I wanted to see Michael and Angie’s happily ever after, a happily ever after worthy of someone like Angie.

Nevertheless, Within Reach was an amazing read, and Sarah Mayberry is an author that always never fails to deliver.

Recommended highly to fans of Sarah Mayberry, fans of widowed hero themed romances that love a good angst-ridden read!

Rating=4.5/5 (less)

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Jul 19, 2012 Lexi rated it 4 of 5 stars

I received this ARC from NetGalley

Within Reach by Sarah Mayberry

Within Reach is a beautifully written book by Sarah Mayberry that looks at people finding love after a tragedy. Angela and Billie are best friends and have been since their days in boarding school. Angela designs jewelry, travels and lives the single life while Billie is a woman who has it all: a wonderful husband, two wonderful kids and a life full of fun. On her thirty-second birthday, Billie suffers a heart attack and dies. Her h...more I received this ARC from NetGalley

Within Reach by Sarah Mayberry

Within Reach is a beautifully written book by Sarah Mayberry that looks at people finding love after a tragedy. Angela and Billie are best friends and have been since their days in boarding school. Angela designs jewelry, travels and lives the single life while Billie is a woman who has it all: a wonderful husband, two wonderful kids and a life full of fun. On her thirty-second birthday, Billie suffers a heart attack and dies. Her husband Michael and her two children Eva and Charlie are left to pick up the pieces and find a way to carry on.

Angela spends as much time as possible with Michael and the children, providing support and heling them get through the days immediately after Billie’s death. Ten months later, Angela shows up at Michael’s house and finds him and the children living what she calls a ‘half-live.’ She goes out on a limb and tells him as much and encourages him to go back to work and start living again, that Billie wouldn’t want him to be miserable.

Eva and Charlie are Billie and Michael’s amazing children and both Angela and Michael do everything they can to support the children and get them through their loss. Eva is a whirlwind, much like her mother, and often sees more than the adults do within the story. Angela loves spending time with the children and Michael, it helps her feel like she is doing something to help them all move forward.
What began as a tentative friendship between Angela and Michael grows into something much more. Both are shocked and scared of the feelings that develop between them as time goes on, but in the end they find it’s far more painful to be apart than to wade through their murky feelings and see what they really mean. In the end, they find a love that is real and based on the future, without forgetting Billie and how important she was in both of their lives.

Within Reach had me laughing and crying through and through. The way Angela interacts with Billie and Michael’s children and deals with the harsh realities of their loss is amazing and very human. She isn’t perfect, she makes mistakes as does Michael as they try and understand the new feelings they have for one another. What Sarah Mayberry wrote is a beautiful story of overcoming loss to find what is waiting in the future. I highly recommend it, just make sure you have some tissues nearby…

Thanks for Reading my Mind
http://readingmymindreviews.blogspot.... (less)

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Feb 24, 2013 Arlena rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 5-stars, adult-read, death, ebooks, excellent-book, fiction, my-reviews, romance, harlequin, contemporary

Author: Sarah Mayberry
Published By: Harlequin
Age Recommended: Adult
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: 5
Review:

"Within Reach" by Sarah Mayberry was a very good sweet contemporary romance... a death had happened so suddenly very early in the novel making it a sad read in the beginning, however it did take off and oh my goodness what a good read it was. This novel reads like something that could happen to any of us when death comes a calling. Michael Young has lost his wife Billie suddenly of a heart...more

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Aug 01, 2012 Jaime rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, contemporary, romance

~This review is of the ARC supplied by Netgalley~

Within Reach by Sarah Mayberry is a satisfyingly meaningful contemporary romance. It deals with the issue of two characters forging a relationship together after they've lost someone they loved deeply. As it happens, the individual each has lost is one and the same person. Michael's beloved wife was Angie's most cherished friend, and both have been reeling from the devastation caused by her sudden death. Though dependent upon one another to help M...more

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Oct 01, 2012 Lenore Kosinski rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: harlequin

OK, I will start this by bragging a little that I managed to develop some courage and facebook messaged the author to reveal my super fandom...and she sent an autographed copy of this book to my hotel room in Melbourne when we were through visiting. Definitely a squeal moment.

I'm not sure how to capture Sarah Mayberry's books and what they mean to me in words. She just takes characters and makes them REAL...with real situations that are hard and unexpected and heart wrenching. The dynamics betwe...more

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Aug 07, 2012 Jaime Arkin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit, ebook-format, have-this

So I've been thinking about my rating all morning... I am giving it a solid 3.5 stars - with a lean towards 3 instead of 4. I'm struggling with that though to be honest because I truly thought this was a lovely story and well written and the the characters were well developed.

We meet both Michael and Angie at the birthday of Billie both wife to Michael and best friend to Angie. When the unthinkable happens and she dies suddenly, they are both devastated.

Angie seems to be holding it together an...more So I've been thinking about my rating all morning... I am giving it a solid 3.5 stars - with a lean towards 3 instead of 4. I'm struggling with that though to be honest because I truly thought this was a lovely story and well written and the the characters were well developed.

We meet both Michael and Angie at the birthday of Billie both wife to Michael and best friend to Angie. When the unthinkable happens and she dies suddenly, they are both devastated.

Angie seems to be holding it together and moving on with her life better than Michael who, when we see him next, 10 mos later, is barely living. He is functioning for his children and that seems to be it. The pain and shock of her loss is threatening to destroy his family and so Angie steps in to help, both opening Michael's eyes to what he is doing to his children and also to himself.

For Angie, while Billie was alive, Michael was only her best friends husband... someone in her life because of her friend. The same was true for Michael. This was his wife's best friend and that was all he ever viewed her as. As time progresses, they find they have a mutual attraction to each other and maybe what they are feeling for each other isn't just appreciation for the opposite sex. And this is where I started to get impatient. Their relationship certainly didn't happen overnight - it was slow and gradual and built on emotion and chemistry.

In what I feel is very realistic fashion, they deny their feelings, hide them, ignore them. Anything in order to not acknowledge them... and then they do acknowledge them, they talk about it but both agree that acting on them is out of the question it's too soon, and it wouldn't be right because of Billie and what she meant to them. They aren't meant to have that kind of relationship. And while it is incredibly realistic for the situation, it felt incredibly repetitive to me, the continual denying of the emotional and physical draw that these two had to each other. I found myself skimming at times, and that is why, in my head I went down to three stars instead of up to four. But the kicker here is that I couldn't put this book down. I started it at like 8pm and stayed up until almost 1am reading!!

I completely understand that this is most likely realistically written, but it just felt too drawn out for me. I mean, they don't even act on a single thing until 61% into the book. I get that the guilt and grief would be so overwhelming after being married to someone and losing them unexpectedly, and the author did an incredibly job of conveying that and showing how much of a struggle it was for Michael.

So all that being said, as I said above, I think this story was wonderfully told. If you're someone who loves the slow burn, this is definitely for you. But I think anyone who is looking for an emotional, touching story of grief, friendship and love this is definitely for you.

Annnnnd After I reread all this - I think I may have talked myself into a 4 star review....

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin for the ARC

Review can also be found on my blog at

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Sep 10, 2012 Alex rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: aussie, contemporary, for-review, net-galley, romance

At First Sight: It has been almost a year since Angie Barlett's best friend Billie died suddenly of a heart defect when they were still at her birthday party. In the months since, Angie has tried to be a friend and a support for Billie's widowed husband Michael and their two kids, Eva and Charlie.

Michael never thought he would be raising two small children on his own, and the last few months have taken a big toll on him as he clings to his grief and tries to keep caring for his kids. It isn't un...more At First Sight: It has been almost a year since Angie Barlett's best friend Billie died suddenly of a heart defect when they were still at her birthday party. In the months since, Angie has tried to be a friend and a support for Billie's widowed husband Michael and their two kids, Eva and Charlie.

Michael never thought he would be raising two small children on his own, and the last few months have taken a big toll on him as he clings to his grief and tries to keep caring for his kids. It isn't until Angie returns from a work trip with a little of outsider's perspective that he realizes that being there isn't enough, that he needs to be really present for them.

Angie tells him things he doesn't really want to hear, but that turn out to be just what he needed to return to the world of the living, which results on Angie spending more and more time with him and the kids and they start to become true friends.

Before Billie's death they were only aware of each other as they related to Billie's life, Michael saw Angie as Billie's best friend and Angie saw him as Billie's husband, but as they try to move forward now, they become aware of each other in new ways that spell trouble...

Second Glance: A couple of months ago I read Her Best Worst Mistake and it left me wanting to read more of Sarah Mayberry's writing so when I saw Within Reach pop up in Net Galley I quickly decided to give it a try.

And I'm happy to report that, over all, I really enjoyed the book and that I think Sarah Mayberry is becoming one of my new favorite authors.

I loved Angie, she was fun, warm and independent, and she loved Billie's kids fiercely without ever trying to replace their mom. She doesn't want her feelings for Michael to change and she's really conflicted when it happens but I was still rooting for her.

Michael was a bit harder to like sometimes because he's really disconnected from his feelings - something he had to do to survive losing Billie - and it takes him a while to admit that he's moving forward and he hurts people in the process. Still, he was a good dad and a decent human being.

I loved Eva and Charlie, they added to the story and really did sound like kids.

Bottom Line: Within Reach was a solid contemporary read with likable characters in a difficult situation that are just trying to do the best they can under the circumstances. It could have used a little more romance but it was a good story all in all.
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Jul 18, 2012 Kaetrin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, ebook, netgalley

Why I read it: I'm a fan of Sarah Mayberry and snatched it up when I saw it at NetGalley. Release date: August 7 2012.

What it's about: (from Goodreads) 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...more

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Dec 03, 2012 Babyfishmouth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: category-romance, contemporary-romance, kindle

I've yet to read a book by Sarah Mayberry that I didn't really enjoy. This one is no exception. Her characters feel real and occupy a place in the world that I can understand.

What I like about this book is the honest way Angie and Michael communicate with each other. They struggle under the giant angst-filled cloud that is his dead wife and they both react in ways that are believable and valid. A good therapist may have been able to shave off several chapters but what would be the fun in that?...more

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Aug 02, 2012 Jess rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-all, 2012-new, ebook, romance-contemporary, romance, romance-category

4.5 stars, really.

I did not mean to read this so quickly. I didn't mean to read it at all, but the historical I was reading wasn't holding my attention so I figured I'd give something contemporary a whirl. And I loved it. That and the fact that my cat woke me up at 4:00 am and I never fell back to sleep meant that it was over far too soon.

The pacing of this one was great, because it's both a compressed time frame and not. We get to see Angie and Michael before their loss, and then suddenly it's...more

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Aug 12, 2012 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, romance

Within Reach gets your emotions working in this book. You'll be laughing, crying or getting mad at a certain character (coughs)...Michael. I love the author's writing. She has been one of my favorites since I first read Her Best Friend. The author always writes with a bit of tenderness and humor. I enjoy reading her books. Angie and Micheal seem to work in a way that Michael and his wife Billie didn't. Angie is more like him. Calm and steady. Billie was wild and free. Angie and Michael were neve...more Within Reach gets your emotions working in this book. You'll be laughing, crying or getting mad at a certain character (coughs)...Michael. I love the author's writing. She has been one of my favorites since I first read Her Best Friend. The author always writes with a bit of tenderness and humor. I enjoy reading her books. Angie and Micheal seem to work in a way that Michael and his wife Billie didn't. Angie is more like him. Calm and steady. Billie was wild and free. Angie and Michael were never really friends when Billie was alive but somehow in her death they have come together. Whether it is for the kids or what, either way the friendship grows. They hesitate in letting it go to far because each of them thinks that they are hurting Billie in some way. When they are together they work. They click in a way that I think Michael and Billie didn't. Angie is a great character with a big heart. When her best friend Billie dies suddenly she steps in and helps take care of Micheal and the kids. She changes with Michael, in a good way. She always saw her life as being filled with work. Relationships beyond friendship were not needed. Being around Micheal and the kids more and more shows her what she is missing out on and what she wants. Micheal, Micheal, Micheal. What can I say. He spent so much time after his wife's death not really living. When he started to actually live again he did it with conditions and kept people at arms length. He then strung Angie along. She was the one person who stuck by him from the beginning and he pushed her away. He puts himself at risk of loosing it all again all because he is scared. I loved the story. It spans a year+ so it is not as fast paced as most books. You really get to know the characters. The kids add a lightheartedness to the story. They tone down the seriousness at times. I enjoyed reading it and can't wait to read more of her books. I recommend this book as a good weekend or beach read.

I received this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.(less)

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Aug 06, 2012 A Tasty Read/ Sweet Reads Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, first-reads, netgalley

This is such a true account of trying to move on from the loss of a spouse, and the ups and downs of "moving on" with your life. What if you started to grow attracted to your dead wife's best friend? This is what happens with Michael Young and Angie Bartlett, and the push and pull of emotions and feelings that they have for each other is excruciating to read. Your heart just breaks and breaks and breaks.

I truly enjoyed this upcoming release by Sarah Mayberry, and yes...It had me tearing up at l...more

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About Sarah Mayberry

Sarah Mayberry was born in Melbourne, Australia, and is the middle of three children. From the time that she first “stole” paper from kindergarten and stapled it together to make “books,” Sarah has always wanted to be a writer. In line with this ambition, on graduation from high school she completed a bachelor of arts degree majoring in professional writing, then sat down to write a book. When ins...more Sarah Mayberry was born in Melbourne, Australia, and is the middle of three children. From the time that she first “stole” paper from kindergarten and stapled it together to make “books,” Sarah has always wanted to be a writer. In line with this ambition, on graduation from high school she completed a bachelor of arts degree majoring in professional writing, then sat down to write a book. When inspiration didn’t strike, she began to wonder if, perhaps, she needed to live some life first before writing about it.

This still left the burning question of how to pay the rent. She found her way into trade journalism, working off the principle that it was better to write anything for a living than nothing at all. Her time there lead to the opportunity to launch a new decorator magazine for one of Australia’s major retailers, an invaluable and grueling experience that she found very rewarding.

But the opportunity to write fiction for a living soon lured Sarah away. She took up a post as storyliner on Australia’s longest running soap, Neighbours. Over two years she helped plot more than 240 hours of television, as well as writing freelance scripts. She remembers her time with the show very fondly — especially the dirty jokes and laughter around the story table — and still writes scripts on a freelance basis.

In 2003 she relocated to New Zealand for her partner’s work. There Sarah served as storyliner and story editor on the country’s top-rating drama, Shortland Street, before quitting to pursue writing full time.

Sarah picked up a love of romance novels from both her grandmothers, and has submitted manuscripts to Harlequin many times over the years. She credits the invaluable story structuring experience she learned on Neighbours as the key to her eventual success — along with the patience of her fantastic editor, Wanda.

Sarah is revoltingly happy with her partner of twelve years, Chris, who is a talented scriptwriter. Not only does he offer fantastic advice and solutions to writing problems, but he’s also handsome, funny and sexy. When she’s not gushing over him, she loves to read romance and fantasy novels, go to the movies, sew and cook for her friends. She has also become a recent convert to Pilates, which she knows she should do more often. (less)

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Anything for You (Harlequin Blaze, #278)

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Quotes from Within Reach

“She ate toast in bed, then reread a favorite book, taking comfort from a story where she knew the outcome would be good and just and right.” — 11 people liked it

“He wasn’t sure who moved first, her or him. There was the thunk of her bag sliding down her arm to hit the floor, followed by the muted clank of her keys a split-second later, then he was pulling her into his arms and she was lifting her face to kiss him.
She tasted of salt and fresh air and life and he spread his hands across the small of her back and pulled her closer, need an urgent tattoo drumming through his blood. She felt so good, so strong and supple, and they fit together perfectly.” — 2 people liked it

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