The ups and downs and tensions of this are seriously exciting! Megan's ability to put you right there in the middle of an adventure of a lifetime really gives a depth to her stories!

The characters and relationships are also far from lacking depth. Emily is a girl who has lived an isolated life, either alienated by others for being different as a child, or climbing remote mountains with her father. It isn't hard to appreciate her hardships and want her to get some sort of a happy ending, despite her naivete and sometimes-frustrating anxiety over things outside her comfort zone.

And Luke, sweet and often the opposite of Emily in ways, having been born in Nepal and then going to Washington, able to assimilate with ease. He constantly forces himself past HIS comfort zone. It is really a joy to see these two reunite and push & pull at one another. And the sweetness of their romance! *sigh*

There are also a handful of supporting characters that really flesh out the story, and I was just as invested in their side stories!

The cultural aspects, and the attention to the details of something like climbing Mt Everest were the real star of this story. I feel that the mountain was a character itself.

Highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys adventurous romance!

A different read then my usual but was not disappointed. We meet Emily a girl who loved her outdoors. She was shipped off to live with her dad in Himalayans and loved climbing mountains. Her goal was to climb the Summit 5 and also to have her friend Luke by her side. Emily is also a lost girl in life being shuffled around and then finding stuff out that her dad hid from her. When she takes a job with another hiking company things get interesting and Emily discovers her true self. This was a good story about growing up and realizing things aren't always what you think. Honest review in exchange for ARC.

I loved Megan Westfield's debut novel, Lessons in Gravity (read my full review here) so when I was offered the chance to read her second novel I jumped at the chance. I'm happy to say, this novel doesn't disappoint.

I fell in love with Emily and Luke and spent the entire time rooting for them as they struggled to figure out their relationship. Emily and Luke have known each other for years, as their lives frequently intersected on the Mount Everest climbing circuit. They've secretly harbored feelings for each other for years, and as they work together guiding clients on Mount Everest summit bids they start to navigate those feelings.

One of the things I loved the most is how this isn't just a romance story. There's a beautifully written, tense and nail-biting moment towards the end that had me on the edge of my seat. The setting, writing and the adventure adds so much to the story, which is what makes the novel so great.

Leaving Everest by Megan Westfield gives the reader such vivid descriptions of the Himalayan mountains and the families that help guide mountain climbers to their summits for a small window of time each year. Since I live in the beautiful state of Washington myself I loved how the hero and heroine both attend college here. I'd give the entire book a 4.8 stars for its beauty and its more of a coming age story with out of this world scenery.

Emily Winslowe is at the end of her gap year from college and is trying to find the right time to tell her guide father that she doesn't want to go back. But when her father tells her his own news, she decides to go straight to work for another guiding company instead of achieving her goal of being the first woman to summit 11 mountains. But Emily is also trying to sort through her feelings about Luke Norgay who has come home to see if his feelings for her and work guiding a group of climbers. But when he finds out that Emily has a secret regarding her mother will they both be able to put anger away and learn how to grow as a couple? There's a very tense moment towards the end that will have you reading well into the early AM just to see how it all ends.

Luke Norgay grew up in the mountains often going with his parents as they worked for the companies leading climbers to the top of the highest mountains of the world. But he's now spent two years away at the University of Washington taking Pre-Med classes to become a doctor. He's known Emily since she was 10 years old and came to live with her father after her mother's issues became too much. But in the past year they've traded photos of places via the Circ app guessing where they are in the photo. However, his feelings have graduated beyond friends and he must try to understand why both Emily and her father never talked about her mom. Can he convince Emily to return to school and pursue a career beyond climbing? Will they work through their hurt feelings and see where their new love

Leaving Everest
Megan Westfield
Review: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥❣

Emily has experienced life many only dream of. She has the survival skills to tackle the largest mountains and the determination to match. Her father wants her to get a good education and Emily has already taken a gap year. One more trip and she is going to break the news to him. She wants to work the mountains and leave America in the past.

Luke is her best friend and she has always had a crush on him. He is gaining his education and spends his free time visiting beautiful places. They constantly communicate via pictures but Emily knows little about his reality. She doesn't even know if he has a girlfriend.

As the start of the educational year approaches Emily is forced to see the bigger picture, but that doesn't mean she will accept her fate. The mountains are her home and she wants to live her dream. Unfortunately, her dreams are expensive and there are others to consider. Emily thinks of America as the life she left behind. It brings up bad memories relating to her mother.

Leaving Everest is a becoming of age novel. The storyline is really interesting and Emily has a unique life. She has a lot of love around her and she is determined to make her dreams come true, but she needs to be realistic. Finding a place in the world comes with compromise.

Emily and Luke are a perfect duo. There love is complicated and the ride is hard. Can they make their lives fit together or do they only have Everest?

This book has so much to offer and I really liked the geographical setting. 4.5 stars out of 5. This was a unique gem.

*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Adventure romance with more than meets the eye. If you are looking for something different this book hit the nail on the head.

ebook £4.71, 200 pages

Expected publication: February 19th 2018 by Entangled Publishing, LLC (Embrace)