Return to Us

Letters to Nowhere #4

by Julie Cross

Previously in RETURN TO YOU (Letters to Nowhere Part 3)

“Slowly, I turn toward him, sifting through a dozen different emotions. Before I can process or stop myself, I’m lifting a hand, balling up my fist, pulling back wind-up style, and then planting my knuckles hard into TJ’s jaw.”

RETURN TO US (Letters to Nowhere Part 4)

30,000 word novella and part 4 in the 2014 RITA Finalist Letters to Nowhere series

Summer is definitely heating up...

So yeah, that really happened. Karen’s fist connecting with TJ’s face.

Not only is TJ dealing with a decent sized bruise on his face where Karen gave her best attempt at a knock-out match, now he’s got some explaining to do after Jordan finds out what happened.

Karen’s not ready to forgive TJ for his tough-love tactics to help get her bar routine back in full swing, but she is ready to figure out how to get through to Jordan. He’s being a complete idiot, not dealing with his health issues, forcing her to keep things a secret from Coach Bentley.

With her teammate, Stevie’s, help Karen comes up with a plan to steer Jordan in the right direction—all she needs is a night alone with him and the hiking and camping expedition he promised her weeks ago might be the perfect opportunity.

Or her plan could backfire and he could slip further away from her.

While Karen and Jordan are out playing lumberjack couple in the Pocono Mountains, TJ is dealing with a stranger trying to give him advice on his tumbling, some pretty overt advances from one of Nina Jones’ gymnasts (aka: off limits), and a random hook-up that will most likely end up being a big mistake.

Genres: Young Adult, Sports, Contemporary, Romance, New Adult

100 pages, ebook

First published May 26, 2014

About the author

Julie Cross is a NYT and USA Today bestselling author of New Adult and Young Adult fiction, including the Tempest series, a young adult science fiction trilogy which includes Tempest, Vortex, Timestorm (St. Martin's Press). She's also the author of Letters to Nowhere series, Whatever Life Throws at You, Third Degree, Halfway Perfect, and many more!

Reviews

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novella was mainly about Jordan being ill, and Karen trying to do anything to make him change his mind about the surgery he needed. I found the first part of this quite slow, but then it picked up a bit in the second half. I did have to smile at one of Karen’s embarrassing questions though –

“Is the diameter of your index finger equal to or greater than the diameter of a super absorbency tampon?”

What boy knows how big a tampon is? I'm a girl and I don't even know how big a super-absorbency tampon is!

[Fanny · Rating 2 out of 5]

Claramente el error imperdonable de estas novelas es que la autora no se centrara solo en Karen y Jordan, quiso meter tanta informacion en tan pocas paginas que al final varias tramas quedan en el aire, ademas los capitulos desde el punto de vista de un personaje ocasional no aportan nada, hubiese preferido tener mas escenas de la pareja protagonista.

Resumiendo, este ultimo tomo me dejo debiendo, sobretodo porque no tiene un final o un epilogo que cierre totalmente la trama, pese a eso, Jordan y Karen son adorables.

2.5 Estrellas!

[Claire Binkley · Rating 1 out of 5]

So, I wouldn’t even call this a novella. It was only 50 pages. I guess you could call it a short story.

But, in book #4, Jordan and Karen finish out camp. Karen masters a gymnastics skill and the pair goes camping. They also come up with a solution to Jordan’s sickness. That’s it! I paid $3 for something that could of been summarized in a few sentences. I would’ve liked to see more evolve with TJ and Stevie and in the end I felt as though the story was still incomplete because Karen and Jordan never figured out what would happen when Jordan went to college. Once this story ended, I still had questions.

Honestly, Julie cross should have just made the novellas into another full length book.

Don’t waste your time with this!!

[Taylor · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't understand why she has the next 3 books as these short stories that end at weird places and not all as one book. And then this book just ends. Where is the rest of the story!? What happens with Karen and her gymnastics and what happens between her and Jordan when he goes to college!? And she put TJ in with his perspective like she was gonna write a book about his life and with what was going on in this book I'm guessing put him and Stevie together. It looks like there was supposed to be another one but I'm not seeing anything published. Which makes me wish I would've just stopped reading after the first book. Come on Cross!!!

[ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

i actually found the continuation of this series on wattpad but it’s still unfinished, hasn’t updated since 2019 and it’s genuinely fucking killing me inside. i love these characters so bad and i really need to see the rest of their story. hopefully julie cross will pick it back up someday and i want this series to get republished with books 2-4 combined.

continuation: https://www.wattpad.com/102134784-ret...

[Anita]

Enjoyable series, such a shame though as I feel there should be more books in the series but this appears to be it. Really hate when authors do this leave you hanging with unfinished works. Would love to know what happens with Karen, Jordan, Stevie and T.J.

[Kahlan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't enjoy the Ty parts as much, but love Jordan and Karen.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won’t ever get enough of Jordan and Karen. 😍💜

[G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will there be a 5th edition?

I want to know TJ's backstory he's there but there's no information about him?
The scenes with Karen and Jordan in the woods camping are done really well, because often times a lot of books don't draw the hesitation and questioning that Karen does, which makes me really happy!!! since I am around her age (well I am Jordan's age, nevertheless)

And honestly Jordan's respecting of Karen's limits is admirable, it's sad that it has to be admirable because male characters usually force or get fed up with waiting. So yeah Jordan I love him too, Karen.

[Jennifer Shanahan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the first on of this series and the second one pretty good too. However it seems like the 2,3,and 4 books end like in the middle of something each time and then you pretty much have to buy the next one just to finish the story line---plus they are really short. I think books 2,3,4 could all be one book and that would be better than three short books. Kind of disappointing all around and reading 60 pages then buying another 60 page book ruined the story from the first book. I liked the first one the best--the story is really good.

[Cristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm giving this 4 stars only because of the TJ chapters. I really dislike him. As for the rest I enjoyed the development of Karen and Jordan's relationship. Boy, how I wish there were guys like him in real life! It's so weird when she asks him all of those questions about sex cause some are legit but others made me go like "why would you ask him that, girl?!". Waiting for the next book.

[Rajiv Yandamuri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Witty and sexy.
I'd love to hear more of Karen and Jordan. But I feel there is big turning point coming up in their lives. TJ is an enigma. sure he's great but still we can't get to pin him as something.
I really hope the Love between Karen and Jordan stays that way but mature a bit more. It'd be a loath to separate them.

[Randee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like this story, but the format is really frustrating. The first book was a full length novel and the following 3 stories have been novellas which are rather unsatisfying. I would prefer all of them to be combined into a full length novel. The snippets are just enough to get hooked and then it's over.

[Terri Markham · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had some great spots, like Jordan and Karen's camp out, but still too much gym and I don't care to waste what few pages the author gives us with TJs POV- no thank you.

Ugh, wish these would be FULL LENGTH and come QUICKER!

[Nath · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 (B)

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG I LOVE IT I WANT MOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRR

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ugh, these are just way to short!! I need so much more!!

[Jenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was way to short. I still liked the writing and the characters but there's nothing happening in this book. If you don't read it you probably wont miss anything important.

[Zareena · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Aisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

These stories are just too short! I need more Karen and Jordan, like now.

[SteFi_Art · Rating 4 out of 5]

Waiting for the next book and more TJ!

[Nicki Small · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it needs to be longer.