“I am irrevocably in love with IN HARMONY.” —Katy Regnery, New York Times Bestselling AuthorThe root of all madness is an unbearable truth… their posh penthouse in New York City to the tiny town of Harmony, Indiana, Willow becomes more untethered and lost under the weight of her secret. On a whim, she auditions for a part in the community theater’s production of Hamlet and unexpectedly wins the role of Ophelia—the girl who is undone by madness, and her love of Hamlet…
Isaac Pierce is from the ‘wrong side of the tracks.’ The town bad boy. Girls pine for his attention and guys are in awe of him. That he’s an acting prodigy only adds to his charisma. Isaac utterly disappears into his characters; the stage is the only place he feels safe from his own traumatic home life. He wants nothing more than to escape to Broadway or Hollywood, and leave Harmony behind for good.
No one can play Hamlet but Isaac, and when the director pairs him with Willow in acting class, they clash again and again—neither willing to open their hearts to anyone. But clashing leads to breaking, breaking leads to the spilling of terrible secrets, and soon Isaac and Willow find Shakespeare’s words mirroring their lives. When they are cruelly torn apart, neither know how this play will end—with madness and heartache? Or healing, love, and the discovery of who they are truly meant to be.
In Harmony is a standalone NEW ADULT love story, and is intended for readers 18 and up. PLEASE NOTE, this book contains sensitive material such as physical abuse, and the aftermath of sexual assault (off the page). Reader discretion is advised.
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In Harmony is another outstanding book by the very talented Emma Scott. I loved this book so much, it had ALL the feels, from sympathy, to heartbreak, to complete disgust and anger. Willow is a shell of her former self after something horrific happens to her, she keeps her pain and self loathing to herself, she has no interest in anything. Her parents move her to small town Harmony, and she falls in love with the town. She meets Angie, and Isaac her first day of school. As much as she doesn’t want to, she really likes Angie and slowly starts letting her in. Angie gives Willow the backstory on Isaac and they go and see him in the play he is currently in and it touches something deep in Willow. She tries out for the next play which is Hamlet, and gets the part of Ophelia. Isaac gets the part of Hamlet, so they really get to know each other better through the play. Of course her parents don’t like that, they don’t want her associating with him at all, because of their preconceived ideas about Isaac and his father. You will have to read this book to find out what happens, and trust me…you will want to read this book!! Emma Scott’s talent is mind blowing, and can’t wait to see what she comes out with next!!!
I’ve had this book on my kindle for some time and for one reason or another I hadn’t got around to reading it. I wish I had read it a lot sooner as it was amazing. I absolutely loved it!
It is raw and beautiful even though it was dealing with a very sensitive topic which was written in a very good way.
I adored Willow and Isaac and together they made the story. Exceptional writing, I adored everything about this book. Definitely recommend it and if like me you also have it but haven’t read it yet then bump it to the top of your list. You won’t regret it!!
Emma Scott has not disappointed with any of her books that I have read and this certainly is no different. Heart wrenching, angst, and emotional are adjectives I would use to describe this book. Basically any book she writes as well.
You have two main characters who are battling two different things in their lives but somehow find each other through the darkness. I don’t want to give too much away concerning their battles but they are certainly major topics in today’s society. So, if you have any triggers, I’d suggest reading cautiously. With that said, this book is still absolutely amazing.
The writing just flies off the pages like you are right there. I’ve never really been in a play but I could picture myself up on that stage just like they were. Emma Scott has such a talent of really making you feel the emotions along with the setting.
The only “negative” thing I can say about this book is the endearment of “baby” is used and I am just one of those people who can’t stand that. For some reason, I don’t mind “babe” but “baby” is just weird to me and I don’t care for it. Like I said previously, that is just my preference.
Another great one by Emma Scott 🙂
My review could never do any justice to the brilliance of the story Emma Scott has written with In Harmony. Horrible things happen and to have it happen to a child is unthinkable. When your heart breaks just from reading the Prologue you know you are in for a bumpy ride. Her writing is so descriptive you can picture exactly what Willow Holloway and Isaac Pearce look like, you can visualize their surroundings and feel their attraction, suffer their pain. Two lost souls looking for healing to break free from the hell they are in. Both are trying to find their “normal.” And she gives you the perfect side characters. They are stellar. Willow’s grandma who gives her the story she needs to keep going. Angie, the quirky friend Willow really needs and the eclectic group she hangs out with. Benny, the kid Isaac needs to feel his worth. Willow and Isaac’s relationship plays out through their production of Hamlet. The writing is pure genius. The story is engrossing and captivating. Like every book I’ve read by Emma Scott, it was sheer enjoyment with a side of angst and made my heart happy.
This book deserve 6++++ stars ….
From the opening chapter, it has continues to blow my thoughts.. My emotions were all over like a puzzle…
When you wake up from a bad dream… you tend to deny .. oh its just a dream.. this book have some sensitive topic.. it rocked my world… Issac and Willow didnt grow up easy… everything isnt as good as you see until you know the real thing.
It breaks my heart when I am struggling to gather my thought… why it is so hard to move on?
i would recommend this book to everyone..until you are in their shoes… Pain and suffering doesnt put you down… either it kills you or it will made you stronger and courage …
Even though I finished this book a few days ago, I still feel this burning love for it, I’ve been trying to find the right words to express that, because just saying that I loved it or giving it 5 stars doesn’t seem good enough.
In Harmony made my heart skip a beat from the very beginning. There was so much angst in just the first few pages that made my heart and head hurt a lot.
As you move forward into the story you realize how strong Willow is. All I wanted to do is befriend her and give her a hug. And then, there is Isaac who just makes it impossible not to love him. He is such a great guy, and deserves all the love in the world. Without looking for it or even thinking about it, these two found in each other their other half. They fit so perfectly together. Willow and Isaac accept each other for who they really are, flaws, fears and everything included. They both have such kind hearts. I can’t tell you enough how breathtaking their slow burn romance was. And when they finally gave in their feelings, sparks fly, fireworks explode and you are left speechless.
This is a story filled with heartbreak, angst, swoon worthy moments, and the beauty of falling in love.
A powerful, beautiful and emotional work of art
Another strong, well built and engaging story of Emma Scott and this time she managed to get all the tension from Hamlet to her work.
Willow holds within herself a deep pain and a moment that has devastated her life and is eager to start again in the small town of Harmony.
Isaac had a life of physical and emotional deprivation and suffering. When faced with the suffering soul of Willow, he realizes that the girl has a scar hidden under her beautiful and angelic face.
Thanks to Hamlet, both managed to release their voices to the world and to get deeply involved.
A beautiful, romantic, harrowing and exciting love story. Every detail was perfectly fitted to bring a unique plot. So In love !
This book soooooooo beautiful.
I can’t write long review, I can’t described it into long word and sentences.
Once again Emma Scott takes her reader on very very emotional rollercoaster, and I Never Doubt it.
I think this is the best NA I ever read.
I eagerly read this book, devouring word after word. It brought forth so many emotions- pain, angst, and lastly….hope. From the very beginning, these two characters were drawn to each other. They each recognize pain in one another as well as the potential to heal.
This story deals with some very heavy topics but Ms. Scott did an amazing job of showing her characters navigating them. This book is simply beautiful & incredible! I am in complete awe and speechless after finishing this story.
This is my third book by Emma, and she is fast becoming on of my go-to authors, because you know, you just know, how awesome and riveting the story is going to be. This one I went in blind to read, not knowing much about it, but was utterly captivated within the first few pages. Such an emotional and heartbreaking read!!!
Willow was going places, until one night changes her whole life. A year later, a completely changed person, with her not having told anyone what happened, and her parents move her across the country to start afresh. She meets a handsome but brooding boy in her class, Isaac – a boy with problems of his own, having lost his mum and is living with a drunken and violent dad. Isaac has a bad reputation and doesn’t mix with anyone, but lets himself be himself by acting in the local theatre, where he wows his audience with his utter and absolute passion. Willow auditions for a part in a new play, and slowly their relationship blossoms.
I loved this, completely and utterly. Again this is one book that you need to read for yourself to experience just how well written, mesmerizing, enthralling and emotional this story really is. How cleverly done the ‘Hamlet’ part is, against what is going on in their world – these scenes are just breathtaking!! My heart felt like it had been ripped out several times by the time I was done, the FEELS in this book!!!
Emma deals with some harsh realities of life in this book, its not pretty, but its life – and she does it outstandingly well!! Take heed of her warning at the start of this book if you are sensitive to these reading topics.
An utterly fantastic 5 star read yet again, compelling, emotional and riveting.
*4,5 stars*
It was my first read from this author but I’ve heard so many great things about her but never got around to read her until now and I definitely was not dissapointed! I really liked the story, how it was told and developed. It really had those moments where I had tears in my eyes and that’s what makes a story come to life in your mind.
Don’t think this will be my last read from the author 🙂
Willow has been torn apart for a long time now and doesn’t know how to get through what she has gone through but hasn’t said anything to anyone about what happened. Even though it’s killing her on the inside and she’s screaming from within, her appearance is still all smiles. When her father needs to move the family from NY to a little town, she doesn’t have any feelings regarding it. Even though her parents try to get her to socialize in her new school, she doesn’t want anything to do with anyone. But then she meets Isaac and it all changes. With their involvement in the play they’re rehearsing for, Willow finally finds a way to get all her darkness out in the part and slowly Isaac is helping her to fnally breathe again… But her dad doesn’t want her anywhere near Isaac. Will she break free from the hold her past has over her?… Will Isaac be her savior and above all find the one thing he’s always been missing too?..
“Your talent is on a different level. It’s like you cast a spell, tricking us into believing we’re somewhere else. That’s a gift. Sometimes people need a break from their own lives. You give that to them.”
This is what Willow says to Isaac after she’s watched him perform on stage for the first time.
This is exactly what Emma Scott makes me feel when I read her words. Her stories. She transports me to another world. Makes me experience every emotion. It’s real and vivid. It’s ugly and it’s beautiful. Her prose and construction of In Harmony is flawless and meticulously executed.
Isaac and Willow have both lost their voices from different outside forces. Not only has Willow’s voice been repressed, her light has been snuffed out because of a sexual assault. Their journey back to rediscovering themselves, reclaiming their voices and power are executed masterfully with the incorporation Shakespeare’s Hamlet. On stage they both find their voices. Together they find solace and trust in one another. They become a unity.
Emma Scott captures something real, authentic and current with In Harmony. Every voice matters. Find the strength to stand up and voice it. Willow’s journey is raw, poignant and emotional. It has to be given the seriousness of the topic. It’s not to be taken lightly and In Harmony is a roller coaster of emotions. It’s a long road towards the light. Willow and Isaac face a lot of resistance and hate but they never give up on one another and themselves.
Thankfully they have a wonderful support system from some pretty amazing people. These secondary characters become as important as Willow and Isaac. Willow’s bestie , Angie and The Fords – Marty and Brenda. They play an integral part to them fighting back and becoming more. A new and stronger version of Willow and Isaac. Two lights that can fight against the wind.
It’s no secret that Emma Scott has cemented herself as a favorite author of mine years ago. In Harmony is her proving that to me once again. The message of this book is powerful and unequivocal. She achieves it with an original storyline and the end result left me feeling hopeful and confident. Not just about today but about the future.
I’m going to end my review with this quote from In Harmony. “I want to thank you for taking me somewhere else for a couple hours. I needed it.” Willow couldn’t have said it any better.
5 BadAssDirtyNeverDoubtStars
When you pick up a book by Emma Scott you just know that you are in for an emotional roller coaster ride.Her characters are always easy to love .Her words flow like poetry
I had this book in my TBR list for quite a while and on a beautiful night by the campfire this was the perfect story to read. A 5 unique star story that captured my undivided attention from the first page read.
This story is about Willow who moves away to another state and she falls for the “bad” boy, Isaac. This story is mostly told and relived through screen plays. They pour their emotions into their roles. Now years later they get to live their real roles.
I’ve never read anything quite like this before. It was gut wrenching to read at times because both Willow and Isaac were living through the unimaginable . Wonderfully written with a storyline that flowed well. The characters were perfectly created for this story.
Standalone told in a dual POV with an HEA. I strongly recommend this story.
This book is intense. I was in tears and just shy of trembling. The raw emotion and unfiltered feelings that erupt from the characters are palpable and tangible as if you could hold them in your hand. It’s an ache, a longing, and a love that ‘never doubt’.
In Harmony is not your typical story of boy meets girl. It’s not even the dream fairytale. It’s a realistic portrayal of life at its highs and lows. in Harmony is it’s own beautiful tragedy rewritten by actors in need of more…Doesn’t make sense?! Okay, how about this:
In Harmony is it’s own version of Romeo and Juliet rewritten for all those poor souls who need more than just a hopeless ending. It’s a cathartic release and a badge of courage. In Harmony is what you make of it.
4.5 STARS!!!
In Harmony is not my first Emma Scott book. I had no doubt that I would enjoy this story, I just had no idea how much I would. It was an absolutely enjoyable read. It was so different from other book I’ve read. I enjoyed Willow, Angie, Benny, Martin and Brenda but I absolutely loved Isaac. Isaac was handsome, sweet, caring, protective and had a heart of gold even with everything going against him and weighing him down. He was determined to succeed and not just for him but for others. Willow had strength, she just had to get to that right place; mind, body and soul. There are a lot of things I liked about this story and things I disliked; Xavier, Isaac’s dad and Willow parents. With that being said, this was such a great romance story with a happy ending that I look forward to reading any book from this author in the future. I only wish was that there was an extended epilogue or something to show us the family as a whole after the surprises. Would I recommend this book? Absolutely!
In Harmony is a beautiful love story.
Willow and Isaac come from two different worlds. But both find solace on stage. Willow has gone through something horrible, that has torn her apart. But when moving to Harmony, she finds some peace. She finds an unbreakable love and kind friends. The story is anything less than epic. It’s an epic love story, and Shakespeare is involved. Their bond is what keeps their love together.
Scott has been a go-to author for me, for awhile. She brings these broken characters to life. They feel real, and in turn, you feel their emotions, Their struggle, their love. It is quite heartbreaking but in the end, your left with a beautiful story. I loved watching these characters grow. Willow is one of those characters that you can’t help but love. She goes through something, that is just horrific. But in the end, she has the strength, the will to fight for everything. Isaac is a fantastic character as well, just the way he views the world, the way he see’s willow is mesmerizing.
Overall, I have to give this Five Boundless Stars.
h my stars, what another great one by Emma Freakin’ Scott! I don’t know what it is about her writing, but it moves this girls black heart. Ugh. I hate and love it at the same time. I’m not a fan of emotions cause they’re EW, but the books that make me feel said ew emotions, I will remember forever. I just want to hug half the characters and yell bravo. I started this late last night and it sucked me right it, I didn’t want to put it down. I don’t know what else to say besides I loved it. My feels are spilling all over the place. I’ll clean them up later.
I wish I could find the words, but I am just trying to remember how to breathe, that’s what Emma Scott does, she goes to a place inside of you and pulls all the emotions to the surface leaving you exposed and vulnerable.
Isaac and Willow are both trapped inside their lives for different reasons, through acting they learn to express themselves using someone else’s words. The parallels between the play and real life add to the depth of the story and reveal the pain of these two characters. Isaac is a genuinely good person, he is strong and kind and special but that isn’t the reputation he has. Willow is just existing, closed off to everyone – Thank goodness for Angie, everyone needs a friend like Angie. As always the secondary characters cannot be ignored with Angie, Bonnie and Marty playing pivotal parts, and then there is Harmony itself, a small town with a big heart.
We know from the blurb that this story includes a sexual assault off the page, Scott perfectly describes the agony, the emptiness, the raw hollow chewing at your insides and the power of telling your story and trusting that someone will listen. This is a story of growth, of survival, of empowerment and it will stay with you long after you finish that last page
This was my first book by Emma Scott. After seeing so many rave reviews, and enticing blurbs, I found myself lucky enough to receive a copy of this on Netgalley and so began my first foray into Ms. Scott’s captivating, enchanting writing.
This was not necessarily an easy book to read. I mean, it’s beautifully written and the storytelling is nearly flawless – but the subject matter is tough to read and the angst sometimes hurt my heart so much, I wanted to scream.
I mean, that’s some powerful storytelling, right?
Indeed.
And it seems perhaps even more powerful as we get to experience the characters through not only Ms. Scott’s writing, but also within the writings of other masterful storytellers: most notably Shakespeare, and Ibsen. There are, at times, stories within the stories here and they all come together to paint this striking, raw, honest picture of these two completely lovable characters as they struggle their way through their story arc. I felt it with them, every step of the way: heartbreak, perseverance, and redemption.
I felt them. The desperation of their love, the hopelessness of their circumstances. The joy of their happily ever after. And gah, you guys, the whole thing was just a poignant, beautiful ride. I’m so so glad I took it. And without question, this will not be the last time I get lost in Ms. Scott’s wonderfully told stories. ~ 4.5 Stars