Extremely slow-paced book with uninteresting characters. I finished the book because the writing wasn't that bad but the experience of reading it was utterly unmemorable.

This was an enjoyable read although some of it was a little confusing - particularly the dates and times flicking from past to present and back again. I liked finding out more about the differing cultures. It was readable but I didn't like it quite as much as The Note.

This was just beautiful from start to finish. Although the timeline got a little tricky to follow at times, once you twigged, it was just so lovely. Cecilie and Hector are utterly adorable, and I loved their bond so much. My only gripe would be not really understanding the relevance of Kate and George to the story, seemed like a bulker, however I loved it.

This book is a tad rambly for me, a lot of describing of irrelevant things I dont need to know about and have no bearing on the story line. The back and forth timeline was also confusing.

A wonderful read with charming characters and an engaging plot!! I look forward to reading more by this author.

Nice book. Nice premise. Bit confusing with the jumping from one to another as each chapter seemed to cut off very quickly. Makes me a bit intrigued to read her other stuff now, though.

The character development from Zoe Folbigg is excellent. The nuanced detail that goes into every part of Cecile's and Hector character means they are so distinctive yet easy to picture. They aren't stereotypes, they are real life people.

It's also clearly well researched as the details about Mexico and Norway are true to life. It's an interesting take on a romance novel.

Firstly I have to say sorry to Aria Fiction and Zoe for the delay in this post. Due to crazy headaches, hayfever and a bit of a headcold I lost a solid week of reading which has meant I have been playing catch up but I still wanted to honour the tours I had said yes to. I really thought I would have got this up late last night but it just wasn’t meant to be. Reading alongside work and my day to day life and the heat just wore me out.

Many people will know Zoe Folbigg for her stunning debut The Note – which ashamedly it’s one of those books that I just haven’t given the time to but what I have read is truly adorable and I will be going back to it.

For me The Distance starts at a lot slower pace than The Note. As a reader you are getting the viewpoint of Cecilie, Hector and Kate. It’s told in a timeline which goes back and forth which as long as you are concentrating isn’t too bad. Each individual had their own drama, hope and experiences and in some ways they all link. There were many OMG moments especially for Kate and for Hector. Cecilie is an extremely laid back young woman who has a lot of love to give. And as a reader you’re hoping she gets her happy ending. There will be no spoilers from me. I devoured this read in a few days. If I hadn’t been exhausted and had more free time this could have been finished in a sitting.

This is a book of hope, love, empowerment, wanderlust and loneliness. Sometimes you find love in the strangest of places even as far as the northern lights without even leaving the house. Social media has a lot to answer for. I loved how Cecilie and Kate both realised their worth and they both fort for what they wanted. Although I must admit Kate was empowered which was inspiring but I would have loved to have had more closure for her. I love how Hectors character evolved – he realised exactly what sort of man he wanted to be and he made sure he got that life.

A heartfelt novel that left me wanting to travel and to open my heart. If you’re looking to be swept away this summer ‘The Distance’ will not disappoint you.

I struggled with the story and the characters. Sadly, the book was not for me, let down by poor writing.

A decent contemporary story. A good relationship plot with good character dynamics but not quite enough growth/development. Would recommend.

The Distance tells the story of three main characters; Hector, Cecilie and Kate. 3 people living their lives in 3 separate countries.

When we’re first introduced to Hector he is in his mid thirties, living in Mexico and about to marry. Hector as a character definitely grew on me as the story went on and we learnt more about his history and the changes he made to his life.

Cecilie was my favourite character within the story. I found her a really interesting character with an interesting family dynamic. I particularly loved her relationships with her best friend and her twin’s partner. She was certainly the character I hoped would get her happy ending. Cecilie’s chapters definitely left me wanting to visit Tromsø and see all the sights and experience the Northern Lights from the island.

Kate’s character confused me at first I couldn’t really work out how she fit into the story. Kate is a housewife living in the London commuter belt, whose children are growing up and feels a little lost. I really felt for Kate’s character, it seemed clear to me she wasn’t happy with the way her life was and I really wanted her to find some confidence and happiness by the end of the book.

The story was told in quite an interesting way, with chapters focusing on the different central characters. The story isn’t linear though so pay attention to the date changes at the start of some chapters! The timeline moves backwards and forwards through the years and it definitely caught me out on one occasion and left me slightly confused!

Would I Recommend?
I found The Distance to be an enjoyable summer read. There are some topics covered in the book that may be triggering for some people; suicide is mentioned, and drugs are also discussed with one character overdosing. I really grew to like Cecile and was rooting for her throughout the book. Does she get her happy ending? You’ll have to pick up The Distance to find out!

From the description I thought that this book had potential, however, whilst I finished this book, I have to say it was a struggle. If I weren’t reviewing it, I think I would have given up.
There were times when I thought the plot line might have potential but I’m afraid I found it lacking and quite slow. I didn’t really engage with the characters or their interaction with each other. I appreciate that in groups some people can be flaky but I didn’t feel a connection between any of the characters in the book. This might have been deliberate to demonstrate the fragile nature of relationships under harsh conditions but I just don’t think I ‘got it’.
Unfortunately not one that I could recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book, however it just wasn’t for me.

I loved Zoe's first book so was looking to reading this one! It was sweet and I enjoyed it. The characters were nice and the whole book was just a feel good read

Overall I enjoyed this although I did find it quite difficult to get into. I felt the characters were a bit under developed but this didn't really distract from my enjoyment. Overall a good read.

This was a real struggle for me.
The characters were bland, unable to engage me and the story line boring.
Utter rubbish.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read Zoe Folbigg's The Distance. The story of two people on opposite ends of the world who meet in a chat room and slowly fall in love is a sweet, wise exploration of how miles and life can come between people even in today's shrinking technological world. At times the story moves slowly for its relatively short length and the flashbacks over the five years from their first meeting to the end of the story can get confusing. I kept having to look back up at the chapter title to understand the stage of their relationship was being related. Also, I'm not quite sure if the character of Kate and her story was really necessary but she did add an extra twist toward the end. I especially enjoyed learning a bit about the cultures of Hector's Mexico and Cecilie's arctic Norway.

Thank you to Netgalley and Aria for the chance to read and review this book.

From time to time I turn away from my usual genres and read a bit of romance. This time I wish I hadn't.
I just couldn't warm to the characters of this story. A guy who doesn't know what he wants, a woman who needs to step up and do the hard thing and another woman who is very self entitled. Nothing appealed to me about them and therefore I found myself not caring about their stories.
While the characters were an issues for me, the real issue I had was the timeline. The Doctor would be impressed with the timey whimey timeline that weaved and backtracked more than spaghetti junction. I found myself flipping back to check details and times.
And the ending, it just felt dismal.
I'm sure there is someone out there that will go the distance with this book and really love it, but I was looking for a detour or a short cut.
Grab this book and a note book because you may need a flow chart to figure out the timeline and how the people fit together. Good luck

Lovely feel good novel, follow your heart even if it takes years. I loved the characters in this book and was keen to see their journey through to the end.

The idea of following a relationship across the world is good. The differences between our two main characters lives is enormous. One lives on the edge in Mexico, the other is a pretty straight Girl in Norway. The Story would be better if it just stuck with These two. The third character who lives in England has such a big part of the book spent on her, however, she really does not Impact anyone in any great way. Our main plot is developed well with their lives and Dramas, however the ending with paths crossing and just missing each other on several ocassions is old and dated. Could have been good, is just ok.

This book was a very difficult read for me and I honestly couldn't finish it. It may be a good read for some, but I found the writing style hard to follow. You can't enjoy every book you read.