Nice guys finish last.At least that’s how I feel when I watch my ex-girlfriend marry someone else. But when I’m showing a prime piece of real estate and in walks the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen, I don’t really think about nice or my ex or anything but how to get to know her better.Cort Sellers has baggage of her own—secrets she’s not ready to reveal, and a career that puts her whole life … her whole life on display—but the more I get to know her, the more I’m willing to do anything it takes to win her heart.
A novella spin-off of 5,331 Miles
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This is Miles Stark’s so deserved HEA!
I loved the way Miles and Cort fell in love and how fierce he is when he loves someone deeply as he loves Cort.
He protected and respected her since the start, showing how loyal he is.
Cort is in a bad place. She’s an actress and struggling with some personal problems in the industry. The #metoo movement is one of the subjects in this book.
Together they discover unconditional love!
I also loved Mira and Jaxson in this book and the hints Willow gives us for the future!
This is book 1.5 of the La Jolla Series and focuses on Miles and Cort. Miles was introduced in 5,331 Miles as the other guy fighting for Mira’s affection. Ultimately she chose the other guy and Miles isn’t sure he will ever get over her.
The beginning of Miles Ahead is with Miles watching the wedding of Mira and Jaxson from the shadows of the beach where they are exchanging their vows.
Two years later, fate gives Miles another chance at love when he meets Cort during a walk through of a mansion he is trying to sell. Due to his lack of confidence in himself, he isn’t sure what to do with the instant attraction he feels for her. Cort is going through her own personal hell and isn’t willing to let anyone in, but fate doesn’t care about circumstances, it creates its own.
This novella was just what I needed because I was truly hoping that Miles would get his happily ever after, especially with the way 5,331 Miles ended. You can’t help but fall in love with him and Cort as they work their way around each other.
I also love that unlike book 1, this book was shown from both points of views so you get a look at what Cort is going through as well as Miles.
All in all, this was a beautiful quick read that gives you the answers you were wanting after reading the first book in the series. I look forward to seeing what else the author has up her sleeve for this series.
4 stars for this novella.
If you have read 5,331 Miles by Willow Aster than you have met Miles and probably fallen in love with him just like me.
I was so excited to hear that Willow was going to write a HEA for Miles. I loved his character in 5,331 Miles and I loved him in this story too.
Miles Ahead could be considered a standalone novella. I don’t think you have to read the first book but I would highly recommend it. This story is told in Dual POV and actually touches on a subject that is pretty prominent right now. I was surprised the author pulled it into their story but it worked. I thought the flow and pace of the story worked well since this was a novella. I will say this book could be considered an insta-love since there isn’t much time before they say the words, but like I said it worked for these characters.
In this story we follow Miles and Cort. This story is 2 years after the end of 5,331 Miles. Miles is a realtor and is trying to sell this big mansion. So when he shows up to the showing and sees Cort, he is captivated by her. Cort is a famous actress who has taken a step away from the acting world due to devastating circumstances. My heart hurt for her after finding out what happened to her. She is looking for a place that has privacy. When she meets Miles at the showing, the attraction is is instant. Will these two be able to get their HEA?? What happens when Cort’s past comes to light?? Read this quick love story to find out.
If you like Willow Aster I would highly recommend reading her La Jolla Series, this is a lighter side to her writing. I absolutely LOVED both of these stories and can’t wait to see what is next from her.
Miles Ahead is a quick and fun read, but has a serious subject that has been on the rise lately.
When Miles was heartbroken at 5,331 Miles, I hoped he would find his happy ending and this story didn’t disappoint.
When Cort Sellers appears before Miles, he has no thoughts about his ex and being nice, he just wants to know her better.
They both have an immediate connection and try to ignore it to protect themselves, but neither can resist their attraction. And Miles will do everything to win her heart for good.
I loved the story and the characters. I recommend the reading.
I love that we got to see more of Miles! He totally deserved his own HEA.
I wasn’t a huge fan of the instalove between Miles and Cory but I slowly became ok with it.
I loved that this had a #metoo aspect to it. I think everyone needs to know they are never alone no matter how scary it is.
This was such a beautiful continuation, the characters were so sweet! I wanted more.
I am a huge fan of Willow, and I love her newsletter stories and I was so happy to see Miles get his HEA. While I didn’t love him in 5,331 miles, he really grew on me this book. It does prove to me that when he does love, he loves fiercely. It was nice to get a glimpse of Mira and Jaxson as well. This was a cute novella that had some hard hitting issues and in the end it shows us love is stronger than anything else.
In this sweet–and delightfully spicy!–novella, Willow Aster does what she needs to do: she gets straight to the story, doesn’t drag out the melodrama, and treats you to some steamy romance.
We met Miles Stark in 5,331 Miles, when he did not get the girl. Thankfully, Willow Aster knew just the woman he needs, and she delivers her in Cort Sellers, an actress trying to hide from troubles that follow her, thanks to a lawsuit she levied against a former coworker. That particular plotline is well done, giving you insight into the strength it takes for women to defend themselves, as well as the fears of reprisal that haunt them.
I enjoyed this side of Miles, and I loved seeing him realize that what he thought he had with Mirabelle was neither the love he needed or deserved. I also enjoyed Cort, who helped me better understand the sacrifices people make in the name of justice.
Overall Grade:
Willow Aster has released her published version of her newsletter story, Miles Ahead. This is a novella inspired by Miles Stark, the spurned character from Aster’s 5,331 Miles. In this tale, Miles finally finds his happy ending in a way that is inspiring and sweet. Miles Ahead is an endearing little nugget of a story about resilience.
Miles is a real estate agent, still mourning his unrealized relationship with Mirabelle. This story begins with his attendance at her and Jaxson’s wedding, and his belief that he will never find anyone to fulfill her place. Fast-forward in time and Miles is preparing to show a home as a means to sell it. He meets Cortlyn “Cort” Sellers as a potential buyer. From their first meeting, Miles feels pulled to her. After a quick look, Cort decides to buy the big home, and Miles believes it will be the last time he sees her, even though it saddens him. However, while running one day, he encounters her again. They begin to meet each other for running until there is a misunderstanding, and Miles’s past hurt feelings over Mira threaten to derail his burgeoning connection with Cort. Additionally, Cort, a retired film actress, is enduring a difficult, painful situation, potentially interfering with any future with Miles. Will Miles and Cort move beyond their pasts and find a happy ending together?
I am a personal fan of newsletter stories. The delayed gratification of them reminds me of old-fashioned serials. Having to wait for the newsletter to earn a little bit of story is exciting to me. However, as a novel or novella, I struggle with them especially if the author fails to “add” to the story. For its basic premise, Miles Ahead is an interesting story. It’s good to see Miles get more story after Mira chooses Jaxson over him in 5,331 Miles. However, Cort’s story in this romance is an important one. She represents the #metoo women and their stories, and it felt glossed over in this novella. Since this is a novella, Miles and Cort’s characterizations seemed underdeveloped, and I simply wanted more. Their development is missing dimension. I don’t know Aster’s intention for this series, the La Jolla series, but I think more space could have been given to make us care more for Miles and Cort. This story attempts to develop an emotional connection with the reader, but that connection never develops beyond a surface feeling.
Even more, Aster presents her lesson of enduring trauma and empowering women to tell their stories in the face of their painful plights. However, it occurs late in the story. The lesson is there, but it’s momentary. There is a resolution to Cort’s tribulation, but, again, like the characterization, I thought it could have used more development. I know this is the danger with novellas, but I think novellas work best when they are smaller ideas or tighter stories. Since the message of this romance is necessary, Aster should have developed this into a full length novel, in my opinion.
I am a fan of Willow Aster’s storytelling. Her ideas and insight seem necessary for romancelandia. I am also thankful that Miles Stark had his “day in the sun” and finds his happy ending. Miles Ahead is a sweet story. You will fall in love with Miles’s consideration and “nice guy” persona, and he acts heroically in this book. Cort too is the representative strong heroine enduring the travesties of her life and fighting for women everywhere. You will appreciate her struggle throughout the story. However, I personally would have liked more story here. Again, that’s the danger of a novella. If you like a short read with a sweet hero, a resilient, empowered heroine, and a journey back to La Jolla, then you’ll definitely want to read Willow Aster’s Miles Ahead.
I was so excited when I found out Miles was getting a book and it did not disappoint!! Miles and Court’s story was everything I wanted it to be! Perfect HEA for Miles! LOVED!!!