Genre

Romance / Young Adult

Audience

Young Adult

Author’s Worldview

Catholic

Year Published

2024

Themes

Music, Best friends to lovers, Trust in God, Sisters, Adoption, Family Drama, Betrayal, Confession, Redemption, Forgiveness

 

Reviewed by

Tiffany Buck

Brilliant violinist Evie has what it takes to be a great musician. She has perfect pitch and once landed a full scholarship for music. So, how did she manage to become a college dropout working at a music store? Sadly, her troubled past and trust issues always seem to get in the way of her goals. When things get messy, Evie’s coping mechanism is to run away. The first time she ran away, she was only seventeen. How could she stay in a house with a family that lied to her about being adopted? 

Evie’s friend and co-worker, Finn, invites her to a Fourth of July party.  What should have been a laid-back, fun party quickly turns into something unexpected for Evie. First, she runs into the man who broke her heart in college. Seeing her old crush and remembering their past makes Evie uncomfortable at the party. Leaving the party comes to mind until Finn suggested they entertain the guests with music. Evie plays and Finn sings. Evie never heard Finn sing before and she likes the sound of it. A feeling of something a little more than friendship began to stir in Evie’s heart. How awkward will it be with the two of them working together? 

These two things seem rather small compared to the opportunity of meeting her little sister, Sam. All of this is just a little too much for her to handle. After all, Sam was the daughter her birth parents chose to keep. Besides, will meeting her change anything for the better? What if they hate each other?  That would be horrible. Will Evie run away again, or stay and meet her sister and possibly confess her feelings for Finn?

680 Miles Away is the kind of book you don’t want to put down. It’s enjoyable from beginning to end.  Tara J. Stone uses first person point of view (POV) for Evie and Sam. The flashbacks allow the reader a closer look into the emotions of the characters. Evie’s flawed character makes her relatable. Stone captures the drama and fear of rejection that many young adults go through, but she also resolves this in how she writes the other characters. Finn is a sensitive and protective suitor, ready to forgive and be of assistance to the girl of his dreams. Despite their parent’s failings, Sam turns out to be a wonderful friend.  One thing they all have in common is their Catholic faith. Both Evie and Sam frequent the Sacrament of Confession. Finn wants to use his musical talents to study sacred music.

Music is at the heart of 680 Miles Away. So much so that I wish the pages would come alive, so I can hear this brilliant violinist, Evie, play. Knowing that her readers may feel this way, Stone included an official playlist on Spotify. Listening to the songs from the list offers the reader a closer connection to the characters.

I highly recommend this captivating novel to all Catholic romantics out there. It’s chaste with just the right amount of drama. The characters are root-worthy and make you wish they were your friends.

Pinocchio and Reflections on a Father’s Love by Franco Nembrini and Carlo Collodi

Delicious literary spumoni of 19th century Italian fairytale, Catholic theology, and reflections on the life of faith.

Three Reformers: Luther, Descartes, Rousseau by Jacques Maritain

Reaching back to a forgotten era of integrated Christian philosophy, Maritain retrieves concepts that could solve the dissolution of postmodern society.

Woman: My Confession by Marianne Collins

In her memoir, Marianne Collins pulls no punches in presenting the mistakes she made in her journey to find a fervent and lasting love

By Violence Unavenged by Annette Young

A Catholic Historical Epic to Rival The Sound of Music.

June & July Book Releases

The hottest new books in Catholic fiction

The Wistful and the Good by G. M. Baker

Two weeks after the sacking of Lindisfarne, Norse traders aren’t welcome in Northumbria. But they’re here. Does a Viking really have a chance with an English noblewoman?

Absence by Kaye Park Hinckley

Absence will chill you with the stark reminder that human beings are not just bodies, but souls whose spiritual influence cannot be suppressed, even when the bodies have gone missing.

Best Catholic Books of 2017

2017 was an awesome year for Catholic literature. Here are our best finds for every genre.

Unconditional Surrender By Evelyn Waugh

We should not invite evil as a means to display our courage.

North Pacific: A Story of Life, Love, Suffering, and Grace by Michael Steffan

Joseph & Miku’s love was already illegal. Then WWII began. Now home, disabled, and questioning God’s love, he still searches for her.

Lying Awake by Mark Salzman

A cloistered nun confronts her faith when she realizes that the private revelations she has been given might be the product of epilepsy.

The Fisherman’s Tomb; The Story of the Vatican’s Secret Search by John O’Neill

The untold true story of the greatest treasure hunt of the century, all done under the noses of the Nazi invasion.

The Wind That Shakes The Corn: Memoirs of a Scots Irish Woman by Kaye Park Hinckley

Sold into slavery on her wedding night, an 18th-century Irishwoman struggles to free herself from her thirst for vengeance.

A Life Such As Heaven Intended by Amanda Lauer

A chance encounter with an amnesiac soldier leads Brigid to discover the realities of the Civil War.

The Lost Vessel by Mark Adderley

McCracken joins a treasure hunt for Captain Nemo’s lost ship in this exciting adventure that adds another chapter to Jules Verne’s greatest creation.

My Name is Philomena By Fr. Peregrine Fletcher, O. Praem

Who was St. Philomena, daughter of light?

Demons are Forever by Declan Finn

Marco flees from his fears of hurting Amanda by taking a job to train Vampire Hunters in San Francisco. Should be a quiet job right?

The Wish Thief by C.D. Verhoff

Glory steals an unusual gem to save her family but winds up threatening an entire world.

Shadow of the Bear by Regina Doman

An intriguing story that will enchant with a sweet romance and take you on a thrill ride through the Gothic version of modern-day New York City.