Little Pieces of Light

Castle Hill Academy #1

by Emma Scott

From USA Today and Wall St. Journal bestselling author Emma Scott comes an all-new emotional, angsty coming-of-age love story.

“The love I felt for Emery could not be measured or formulated into an equation. It wasn’t a finite particle but an infinite wave that rippled out into forever.”

After meeting at ten, a lonely genius and a kind-hearted girl promised to stay in touch. But Xander’s letters never reached Emery, leaving them both feeling betrayed and heartbroken.

Seven years later, Xander returns to Castle Hill and crosses paths with the girl he never forgot. The academy’s rowing team offers a diversion from caring for his ailing father—but can it distract him from her?

Emery Wallace is popular and wealthy, yet beneath her flawless exterior she is crumbling under her father's high expectations. He controls her life with an iron grip, while her mother disappears into alcohol, drowning in grief over losing her eldest son.
When their worlds collide again, neither can ignore the magnetic pull that ignited the moment they met. While Xander finds solace in logic and certainty, Emery reveals the humanity in our universe, showing him that, like light, we exist as both particles and waves—individual yet infinite, broken yet whole.

Xander and Emery must battle forces determined to keep them apart. As Xander’s orderly life unravels and Emery’s future slips away, can their light find each other and endure?

Genres: Romance, Friends To Lovers, Young Adult, Second Chance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Coming Of Age

432 pages, Paperback

Published October 7, 2025

About the author

Emma Scott is a USA Today and Wall St. Journal bestselling author whose books have been translated in seven languages and featured in Buzzfeed, Huffington Post, New York Daily News and USA Today’s Happy Ever After. Her first MM romance, Someday, Someday won the Utopia Con Award for LGBTQ Book of the Year. Emma writes emotional, character-driven romances in which art and love intertwine to heal, and in which love always wins. If you enjoy emotionally-charged stories that rip your heart out and put it back together again, with diverse characters and heroes who treat their heroines like gold, you will enjoy her novels.

RECENT RELEASES all available now and FREE with KU

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Someday, Someday M/M romance (Winner! LGBTQ Book of the Year, Utopia Con)

A Five-Minute Life


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Reviews

[♥︎ Heather ⚔ (Semi-Hiatus-attempting return) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it, but I didn’t love it. This is a coming of age story of sorts, but the romance remained kinda YA for a good chunk of the story.

3.5 Rounded up bc I love Emma.

My only complaint is really that it just felt too young for me, that’s my own fault for not reading the description first lol saw a new ES and grabbed it.

It’s definitely worth the read if it’s what you’re looking for.

Thank you Tantor Media for the very last minute audio advanced copy . I’m so desperate for something good and I know Emma Scott won’t let me down.

Here I go 🤸🏻‍♀️

10/7/25 release date

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

Emma Scott does it again with Little Pieces of Light. A breathtaking, emotional romance that completely blew me away.

Xander and Emery first meet as kids, and from that moment, there's a spark between them that never quite fades. Years pass without contact, but neither ever forgets the other. When they reconnect at 17, Emery is the popular girl in high school with the picture-perfect life, and Xander is the quiet genius, the new kid from the wrong side of town. They don’t run in the same circles, but the magnetic pull between them is undeniable.

Beneath Emery’s seemingly perfect exterior lies a home life that’s far from easy. Meanwhile, Xander’s home is filled with love, but he’s carrying burdens of his own. I was so drawn to both characters. They were strong, yet flawed, and beautifully real. There were so many great secondary characters. Like Xander’s dad, who absolutely stole my heart. The entire cast is memorable, each character adding depth to the story.

I adored this couple. There’s just something about a first love story that gives me butterflies, and this one hit in all the right ways. Their connection felt genuine, and all I wanted was for them to be together and get their happy.

Emma Scott’s writing, as always, is stunning. Poetic, emotional, and utterly immersive. She has a gift for crafting stories that make me feel, and this one is no exception. Little Pieces of Light is heartfelt, romantic, and unforgettable. If you’re looking for a book that delivers all the feels, this one is an absolute must-read. Highly, highly recommended!

[yuvi • ia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omfg. I LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS BOOK SMMMM.

I've read 7 books by emma scott so far. And i've only hated one of those. Ngl, Emma really does have a way with words.
Well, tbh, this book is not w/o its faults but i adore it smmmm despite that lol.

(cs don't get me wrong but it was a bit difficult to take them srsly as they got married when they're my age lol😭😭okay it's fine. who am i to judge. But srsly, idk maybe it's bc mit is my dream uni. but it's a bit annoying when ppl turn down MIT for someone else😭😭😭but like i said, who am i to judge. altho he did get into caltech. so yayyy?
Yeah but I do get why he'd do that. Plus it was so sweet watching(?😭) him take care of his father.)

So yeah despite all that.
Xander has my heart. I love him smmm. We're basically the same lol. (except that he was a genius at 10 and I didn't even know the difference between general and special relativity until I was 12😭😭)
Xander and Emery were the sweetest and they didn't deserve any of that. neither did dean and xander's father, tbh. I didn't expect to cry as much as I did. But oh god. I cried smmm while reading this book.
i'd like harper's book now pls 🙋🏻‍♀️🫴🏻

Sacrificing my happiness for hers would be the hardest thing I could do, and yet there was nothing easier.

[❥ KAT ❥ Kitty Kats Crazy About Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ STARS....

📚'𝙼𝚈 𝚁𝙴𝚅𝙸𝙴𝚆 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙾𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚁𝚂'📚 can also be found on my blog:
╰┈➤KITTY KATS CRAZY ABOUT BOOKS

☀︎ 𝙻𝙸𝚃𝚃𝙻𝙴 𝙿𝙸𝙴𝙲𝙴𝚂 𝙾𝙵 𝙻𝙸𝙶𝙷𝚃 ☀︎ Is a full length coming of age romance book by author Emma Scott. Spoken in Dual POV's (Xander and Emery)

Grabbed this release day, love the author, the cover, the blurb, gonna love the feels I know will hit me like freight train which is what this author does to me with her books! Emma Scott fast became one of my unicorn authors, one where I'll purchase the ebook without question.

Always giving us readers stories beyond unique in a world where those are hard to come by. She never ceases to amaze me with her storytelling. As soon as I started this, my heart strings were yanked, this book is everything I I needed, wanted, craved, I fell down that vortex of love for this story, these characters, their heartbreak, their strength, their love.

Xander and Emery meet in a park at the age of ten on the weekend of the 4th of July, this day would forever change them, a day which started in heartbreak turned into something beautiful as these two became fast friends. Solemnly swearing at the end of their meeting that they would write to each other.

Those letters Xander painstakingly wrote to Emery never reached their destination. But years pass between them with neither forgetting the other.

Now they're both attending the same school.

She's the popular barbie doll at school, dating the popular good looking jock, posing as the picture perfect persona she represents to her fellow classmates. But delve deeper and things within Emery's life are anything but perfect, living with an overbearing controlling father who pulls her strings for his own gain into prosperity. Her life is his, from who she dates, to which classes she takes, to which university she'll be attending. He has her whole life planned out for her. His very own stepping stones into making more money if she'll only just tow the line..

... “𝑰'𝒅 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒕 𝒂𝒕 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒅𝒂𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒆𝒓/𝒔𝒕𝒖𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕/𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒍𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒈𝒍𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒔𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝑿𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒅 𝒑𝒖𝒕 𝒄𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒂𝒅𝒆. 𝑰 𝒇𝒆𝒍𝒕 𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒈𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒂 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒂𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒐𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝑰'𝒅 𝒇𝒆𝒍𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄. ”

Xander is the nerdy handsome genius, the poor boy residing on the wrong side of the tracks, termed as a bend, he's back in this town to buy his father more time as his health declines.

Even though these two come from vastly different worlds, it doesn't take them long to jump back into that easy going friendship bond they had created when younger.

Closing out of that last page, I really want Harper’s story.

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[Joanne Ragona · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been reading Emma Scott since 2015. I’ve read every book she’s ever written and have shed countless tears from the beauty of her complex but authentic characters that grace the pages of her stories with their unique artistry, personalities, humor and paths to true love. Little Pieces of Light is her latest novel which embodies all that we’ve come to expect from an Emma Scott book. This may be marketed as YA but the story and emotions conveyed in her words will resonate with everyone. It is a precious love story that is beautifully crafted and deeply touching.

Xander Ford and Emery Wallace have the sweetest meet cute. Two ten year olds strike up a conversation in a Rhode Island park and form an unlikely friendship based on no pretenses, no judgement and no conditions. All they share is a mutual bad day, kind words, and feelings of safety in each others presence. Even at ten years old, they both know that something special has sparked between them and vow to write to each other. Xander takes the idea of pen pals very seriously and pours his heart out in letter after letter. And never gets a reply.

Seven years later Xander and Emery are attending the same high school. Bitterness flows between them as they think the other never bothered to stay in touch. It was apparent when they were ten, but it’s even clearer now that Xander and Emery come from very different backgrounds. Xander is the son of a brilliant physicist and living in the poor part of Castle Hill. He is also brilliant, with multiple college degrees and a future in astrophysics. As his father deals with declining health, Xander is hopeful their return to Rhode Island will benefit his dad. Emery is the daughter of Grayson Wallace, one of the richest and most influential men in Castle Hill. He is intimidating and ruthless and always expects to be obeyed. Emery has dreams for her future that her father does not agree with. She lives in a home filled with material possessions but not love. These stark differences between Xander and Emery create a strain in their friendship but they soon realize the pull of their connection is too strong. As Xander becomes Emery’s calculus tutor, they find themselves entangled in the deep feelings that took root when they were younger.

Tragic pasts, difficult home lives, concerns about the future, worries about losing people you love and two hearts that never forgot one another will paint a profound story of first love and an undeniable connection that the universe bestows upon only the brightest stars. And Xander and Emery are absolutely luminous. Their young love is tender and poignant and so beautifully captured. Emma Scott’s storytelling shines as this story spotlights the innocence of first love…the heartache, the butterflies, the sparks, the intensity and the powerful emotions. You will adore Xander and Emery as they navigate more adversity than any 18 year olds ever should. Little Pieces of Light entered every little piece of my heart leaving me with such admiration for this deeply moving and beautifully told story.

“Some part of me recognized a part of you that day—as if I had found a missing piece of myself.”

Many thanks to NetGalley, Bloom Books, and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Mira · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5⭐

I love Emma Scott and YA romances, so I requested this book without hesitation, but unfortunately, it was a miss for me.

The main characters meet for the first time when they’re ten years old and spend about an hour together, yet somehow they fell so deeply in love that they couldn’t forget each other seven years later. Is that even possible? And can this truly be called a second-chance romance?

The FMC felt very typical—a blonde cheerleader dating an athlete, dreaming of becoming a designer, with a terrible father who controls her entire life, while she does everything she can to earn his approval. I liked Xander more—he’s the son of a genius and a genius himself, already set to enter graduate school, but he chooses to return to high school to care for his father. I usually love when the MMC is a bit of a nerd, but in this case, it wasn’t enough to raise my rating. I didn’t believe in their relationship—there wasn’t enough chemistry between them, and I didn��t feel an emotional connection to the story.

The audiobook, narrated by David Lee Huynh and Amanda Troop, was overall enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Media (Tantor Audio) for the ALC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[anuelina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy five stars. Though on sidenote this is more an NA book than YA book.

I have said this earlier, but I love the way Emma Scott writes. I love how she brings the characters to life. Her storytelling is amazing.

Xander and Emery meet when they're 10 years old and feel connected immediately. Seven years later they meet again and they still feel the connection, but life isn't so easy and there are things trying to keep them apart.

I loved the main characters connection. I liked the side characters. I don't know much about physics, but I loved Xanders passion towards it. I liked how Xander explained himself to Emery and how Emery seemed to make sense in his life.

I wish I could express my feelings in Finnish, because it would be easier. But I'll try to do this in English. The way Emma Scott made these characters brought so much Joy and heartache. I believe that the book is good, when it makes you think. This book made me think a whole lot of things; about universe, how we see each other and the world around us. What it takes to pursue your dreams even when it's scary.

I hope that everyone sees the good around them. Even the small things. I also like to believe that there's always light among the darkness. It feels wrong to if there's not.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sadly extremely disappointed with this one. I felt like it was a bit all over the place in my honest opinion and I just could not connect with the story.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emery Wallace and Xander Ford are the sweetest lovebirds. When they meet at just age 10, it’s like they found the other half of their souls.

I loved the science geek in Xander, but I also loved the super hot, muscled rower. He’s pretty damn perfect. He’s a caring son, a thoughtful friend and he loves Emery with a passion. There is nothing I didn’t like about him. Excellent book boyfriend material.

The science geeky content in this book is fabulous. I loved how Xander embraces and owns his superior intellect. He’s very intelligent and he knows it and is proud of it.

I’m not usually a big fan of young adult books, I want older more mature characters, but I love how Emma Scott crafts a story, and I could tell from that very first meeting that I was going to love Emery and Xander’s story. I adored some of the other characters too. Dean was my absolute favourite closely followed by Harper (I hope she is going to get a book). If she does, and it involves Orion, I want to be beta reader so I can get rid of some of the bloodys!

Having a parent with dementia is tough. Emma Scott dealt with that aspect of the story very, very well.

A lovely read that will live long in my thoughts.

[Carvanz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This book with its storm of raw, unfiltered emotion wrecked me in every way. Ms. Scott captured every ounce of high school angst, romantic tension and family wounds, tangling them all together in the most powerful way. These characters don’t just exist on the page, they bleed, they hurt, they rage, and they love. And I felt every drop of it. They felt so real, so bruised and raw, that I couldn’t help but ache with them. In addition, she has crafted a rich, layered story with writing that’s just as lush and piercing as the emotions it conveys. It’s heavy, it’s beautiful, it offers glimmers of hope and connection and I know that it will stay with me for a long time.


Dual POV
Safe no ow drama; om is h’s current boyfriend who she is in a relationship due to outside forces; h and H are both virgins
Triggers possible issues this story deals with: dementia/early-onset dementia, grief and loss, suicide and suicidal ideation, parental control and emotional abuse, anger and mild violence, socioeconomic struggles, teen drinking/recklessness

[Malene · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautiful story about soul mates and true love took my breath away.
Emery and Xander were meant to be. Their first meeting when they were ten years old captured me immediately, that I was so excited but also nervous for what’s was to come. They had their obstacles to overcome but one thing was set in stone. Their love and connection. Infinite!

Xander is the kind and intelligent guy. He’s the one you root for and I definitely did. Emery had so much going against her yet she cared and loved so hard and never gave up. She’s a fighter. This couple and their love story was an emotional roller coaster and I enjoyed every twist and turn. What a ride!

The writing was flawless as it always is when you pick up an Emma Scott book. So effortless and riveting.
The side characters were very well written too and a good foundation was laid for more stories in the series. I’m ready and want more.

[Maren’s Reads]

DNF @ 35% - it’s don’t think it’s the book in this case, but rather me. I’ve tried repeatedly to read this much anticipated book via audio, but for some reason, I’m just struggling to connect to the characters and the story as a whole.

I have enjoyed other books from this author, and have read many glowing reviews for this book. I definitely recommend giving it a try if it’s been on your radar.

Thank you Tantor Audio for the advanced copy.

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

I adored this book. It had everything I love in an emotional romance. These characters go through real struggles that were, at times, difficult to read about. I particularly loved Xander’s character and the ways in which science/physics served to complement the love story. Highly recommend.

[Jen ♥]

I'm so glad this wrapped up with a happy ending, but ngl, this book drained the heck out of me! 😩

It’s definitely emotional, like one drama after another, and it just seemed like it would never stop.

I was just so exhausted every time something major went down. I mean, can't these characters get a breather?

Well, at least I can say their love story was surely a hard-fought battle, and they still won at the end. Still, I really don't want to go through this again.


Book info:
- First love
- Highschool romance
- Controlling parent
- Mention of suicide
- Mention of drug OD
- Mention of self harm
- Parent abandonment
- Parent with early onset dementia
- Grief
- Loss of loved one (on and off page)
- Push and pull
- No cheating*, OW, separation
- Marriage of convenience
- Dual V (but the h has fooled around with her bf)
- HEA (5 yrs later, then 3 yrs later, still married, just found out they're pregnant)


Notes:
- They met when they were 10 and apparently fell in love, or close to it— at that moment. They promised to write each other, but things got in the way, and they met 7 years later; now they're in high school.
- OM. The FMC has been in a relationship up until 48% of the book, and there were on-page scenes of her with the OM (kissing, groping). They did some things, but she never went all the way. Idk, this left a bad taste because if the roles were reversed, I would've hated it too. Her father forced this OM on her, and being the people pleaser she is, she went along with it. In the present time, they've already been together for 6 months.
- Cheating. Since she was in a relationship at first but then started something with the MMC while pretending to be just "friends," I’d say what she did feels like emotional cheating. She can deny it all she wants, and while I know she wasn't really concerned about the OM, the fact that there are emotions tied up in her interactions with the MMC still feels like a betrayal to me

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 galactic stars - A whole sky full!

"The answer to life, the universe, and everything...
Of course. The simplest solution is usually correct."

Ever love a book SO MUCH that you want to share it with everyone that you know and everyone that they know, but at the same time you don't want to share the book with anyone else because you love these characters SO MUCH you want to keep them for yourself? But also want to share these deep feelings you are having with all the readers out there so they can have the same feeling? But also...*phew* That was long winded. You see my dilemma though, right?!?!

My heart feels like a speeding comet heading straight to Earth and ready to distroy all semblance of human kind. (Too much??)

"So you don't beleive in true love?"
"I don't believe it's forever. I believe it exists in finite moments, not infinite waves."
"I used to think that way too until..."
"Until what?"
You came back.

Emery Wallace and Xander Ford.
They simultaneuosly shattered my emotional heart into a trillion star particles




Now, I know I'm not the target demographic for this book. I mean, I can be their mothers!
However, there is something about going back into one's youth, your teenage years, and live vicariously through these characters of similar age.

A time when being carefree and in young love would consume your every being.
A time when your laughter floated in the breeze and would tickle the fallen leaves of the nearby trees.
A time when you would see sunlight in the eyes of those you held so dear to your heart.
A time that was so long ago, yet you remember so much of it like it was just yesterday.

That's what makes this book so beautiful.



Shout out to one of the best BFFs on this planet. Can we get a happy ending for Harper Bennett too please?!?!?

And yes, Alexander "Xander" Ford has made it into the coveted Book Boyfriend Hall of Fame!

***Many thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC ***
(because someone *cough* NetGalley *cough* was holding it hostage on their end)

[Mora]

DNF 20%


The MCs met ONCE when they were 10 years old. There was an instant connection between them and they fell madly in love with each other! (I know, that’s completely unrealistic! 😂). They promised to be pen pals and meet again after a year. But three years passed and the FMC never heard from the MMC. He never wrote or showed up as he had promised. So she finally decided to forget about him and move on.

“I had to push away all those memories and feelings. Push away the sense that we’d known each other forever and had just been apart for a little while. I had to shove it all into a secret room in my heart and lock the door.”

(Btw this came from a 13 yo kid 😂).


You can see the misunderstanding coming…

The MMC had been writing to the FMC for years with no reply, so he thought she just wasn’t interested and decided to ignore him. After five years, he finally stopped writing but he still couldn’t get her out of his head. Now, seven years after they first met, they meet again in high school and both of them think the other one was the one who did the ignoring!

I just felt like their feelings were a bit over the top for my liking. I mean, they were literally just kids who’d only met once! Who on earth realizes they’ve found their true love at ten years old? 😐 And then they go through all that heartbreak and abandonment as KIDS because he thought she was ignoring him and she thought he’d abandoned her?? I’d get it if they were older, but at 10? Come on.

Anyway, I don’t think I’m the target audience for this book.
______

Safety for the first 20%:

— H / h (17)
— Misunderstanding but it got cleared up around 20%
— OM:
The h has a boyfriend, and he kisses her on-page but there’s no really descriptive scene.
She doesn’t love him and doesn’t want him, but she’s expected to date him.
Her boyfriend bullied the H when they were ten, so he’s probably gonna cause some trouble!
— Another review mentioned that both MCs are virgins.


Trigger :

— Loss of loved one (the past)
— Controlling father (the h’s father)
— Abandonment (the H’s mother)
— Mention of cheating!!
The H’s mother had an affair with another man and left (seven years ago).

[NMmomof4 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Opinion Breakdown
The Good: The premise, the uniqueness of the characters, and the astrophysics talk.

The Not-So-Good: The ending could've had more on-page struggle/working out their new lives.

The Bad: The lack of emotional connection I felt.

Overall: I think I did this to myself. I have been contemplating re-reading Full Tilt for a while now because I've been wanting some good angst and it is one of my favorites. So when I saw this and it had great ratings from my friends, I jumped right in! Only I didn't get as emotionally connected as I had hoped. I liked the class differences and the super genius and savior H aspects, but I didn't really get emotional at all. There was even an event that was similar to another of my favorites, Loving Mr. Daniels, that always has me crying, but I didn't shed one tear. Again, I think my own expectations did this to me and I'm sure you'll love it if you give it a try!

Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Emery and Xavier's story. They meet when they are ten on one of their worst days; Xavier's mom left him and his dad, and Emery's brother went missing. Years later, they are reunited and can't help but feel the pull towards one another that they felt that day. Only there are some big obstacles in their way. There is some family drama, some sweet and sad scenes, some big life changes, and a few sexy times...and they get a HEA ending.

Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Emery and Xavier's POV.

Overall Pace of Story: Good, I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well. However, I would've liked to have the ending fleshed out a little more.

Instalove: Yes. They connect strongly when they are 10 and later say it was love.

H (Hero) rating: 4 stars. Xavier. I liked him and how strongly he felt for others even though he thought he shouldn't.

h (heroine) rating: 3.5 stars. Emery. I appreciated how she always saw the beauty in things even when she was sad.

Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed. This was my biggest disappointment tbh.

Push/Pull: Yes there is some pushing away (h more) and they both pursue the relationship at times

Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story. They are each other's first.

Descriptive sex: Yes

OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes the h is forced to date a senator's son by her father

Sex scene with OW or OM: No, but near the h's boyfriend tries to get oral and sex from her (few different scenes), but she declines

Cheating: No

Separation: Not what I would call a separation because they weren't technically together

Possible Triggers: Yes Child abandonment (briefly on page), loss of a loved one to accidental drug OD (on page), loss of a loved one to suicide (off page), emotional abuse/control by parent (on page), parent with dementia (on page), and social/socioeconomic difference in mcs (on page)

Closure: This ends with a cute epilogue and what I would call a HEA ending they're married and she's pregnant, but I think I wanted more of them figuring things out on page.

Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers

- Does Not have cheating
- Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM
- Does have both the h and H pushing away
- Does Not technically have a "separation" between the h and H
- Does Not have abuse by mcs
- Does have a HEA ending

[Hulya Kara Yuksel · Rating 4 out of 5]

FTCL


*** I voluntarily listened to an ALC of this book and I'm leaving an honest review. Thanks to Tantor media team.🙏❤️

[Aimee Crant-oksa · Rating 5 out of 5]

An emotionally gripping story of two connected souls that came together with fears, wants and in need of healing from the past. Emery and Xander met when they were ten years old. Xander, a nerdy science prodigy with a famous scientist father, a mother that left them and from the poorer side of town. Emery is vibrant, has a controlling non-caring father and is from the richer side of town. Tragedies in their lives, shape their future and dictate their lives. Their pull towards one another, even though it started as children was felt throughout the story. Their love is pure and meaningful in the world around them filled with tragedy. The way Xander saw Emery from the start as a light and someone he was connected to and loved was everything.
I went in to this book only knowing that Emma Scott wrote it and it’s the best way.
Emma Scott tells stories like no other. Her words are gripping and emotional. You just feel the characters struggles with every word she writes.
Her words are felt in your heart and soul. Prepare to have your heart shred reading this story as Emma so often does with her words. This story will stay with me for a while!

[୨୧ carissa ୨୧ · Rating 4 out of 5]

**minor spoilers**


🎀tropes: childhood friends, second chance, forbidden romance, separate social groups


3.5⭐️ i wanted to absolutely love this one since i bought it but i just didn’t like it as much as i was expecting. don’t get me wrong this was great book, but just not what i was expecting. i felt so horrible for emery bc of her father, and honestly i felt like for her father he should’ve maybe noticed smt was wrong with how he was parenting if all of his children left him? and for xander seeing his mom again just for her to deny him was so heartbreaking, and xanders dad was just waiting for someone who had a totally different life and was never coming back

[BOOKLOVER_81 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anything Emma Scott touches is liquid gold!! I love love love this book!!! 💕

Little Pieces of Light is a story of soul mates, loss, love, grief, growth, healing, acceptance and ugly truths. There were so many layers to this story and my emotions were bouncing from love and elation to fury and hatred and several others between and then back again.

Our main characters are Xander who is a boy genius and Emery a kind spirited girl full of life and love. They first meet when they are 10 years old and their connection is instant. Xander comes in to their meeting having just experienced a life changing event and Emery leaves their encounter entering her own life altering event. During their brief time together they decide to become pen pals and then meet at the same place the following summer. Unfortunately life happens and when Xander sends Emery his letters, she never receives them. He also isn’t able to return to their spot. They don’t reconnect until 7 years later. At which point so much has happened to both of them, taking them down paths they didn’t see themselves on. They both have family duties that are at the front and center of their lives. With so much stacked up against them will they be able to find their way back to each other and that connection they shared or will the people and circumstances in their lives keep them apart?

I was also strongly invested in several of the side characters. They brought to the story enough to have me hoping for them to get their own books and a deeper look into their lives. Fingers crossed!

Libby 🎶

[Mandiisbooked08 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much Bloom for the E-ARC of this book.

4.5/5
I love this author so much and find her books so rich and engrossing. There is always so much depth to her characters and this story followed the same magical recipe.

This book is very much YA and insta-love. While falling in love when you are 10 and spend 7 minutes together is the definition of insta-love, somehow it works here. Xander is an Einstein level genius and Emery is a billionaire's daughter that for all intents and purposes should be a major brat. However, in true Emma Scott fashion, she has a warmth and light that radiates off the page.

There is a very parallel storyline to that of Romeo and Juliet that defies time, reason, class, and age.

I fell head over heels in love with Xander and loved his character arc. There are heavy themes in this book including abandonment, caring for a parent with Alzheimer's, mental abuse, and overdose.

Despite some heavy topics, I felt like this was definitely a lighter, less devastating read than previous novels from this author. I kept waiting to be emotionally destroyed, but I wasn't. I was emotionally invested and am so happy to learn there will be more books coming in this universe.

[ambersometimesreads · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️'s. this was adorable and for such a long romance, it flew by. this follows emery, the rich, popular girl in school and xander, a poor, very nerdy boy. they meet one day at 10 years old and decide to meet back at that same place next year but when emery shows up, he isn't there. she continues to show up for a few years and then eventually gives up. this is definitely HEAVY on the insta love trope. they claim they fell in love that one day at 10 years old and then continued to be in love the whole time they weren't in communication.

usually I'd hate a book like that but I think the family drama and deep topics that were discussed were done really well and kept me interested. almost a boys of tommen family dynamic.

I will say though, I don't think this should be in the young adult section at all, there is very detailed spice.

[✰ Bianca ✰ BJ's Book Blog ✰ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emery + Xander

They met as ten year olds seven years ago.
Just a few hours spent together in a park on the 4th of July. But they clicked and wanted to be friends forever. But his letters never reached her.
Now they're both at the same school for the last year of highschool - until genius Xander can finally go to MIT.
But she's dating the rowing captain and he has to take care of his dad. And those are only two tiny obstacles in their way...

LET THE 'FUN' TIMES BEGIN ...

══════════════════




That was so adorable and utterly heartbreaking!
I really enjoyed reading this.
You basically start crying on page one and it never stops!
Ugh! Poor kids!
They just belong together.
They already knew it at only ten years old. But 'things' stopped them from being friends. And those problems are not out of the picture now that they're almost 18. The whole world seems to be against them. At least they have each other and their closest friends and their hopes and dreams.
It was so heartbreaking to read about all those horrible people and moments and all that soulcrushing stuff.
Such a beautiful love story.
Such a beautiful pair of kids with so much to overcome.
I loved reading this and I so want to see this on tv one day!

LITTLE PIECES OF LIGHT was such a sweet + heartbreaking + just beautiful YA/NA love story. Please run to your nearest book dealer for your own Xander - this one is MINE!

If you can't click the buy-links
from your phone - click ► HERE!


💜 💜

[Chay Charita Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emma Scott has a way with words that I immensely enjoy and reflect on in each of her stories.
The fluidity of the narrative had me totally engrossed from the first page of Little Pieces of Light. Meeting Xander and Emery was illuminating because their light shined through the pages of this book!

The detail and depth of this emotional story with its flawed yet strong characters is unforgettable. It evoked so many feelings because their electric connection and genuine chemistry despite them having distinctly different personalities and circumstances was palpable. From their first meeting at age 10 they were linked.

Emery was warm and vulnerable and eager to please her father with a constant search of being recognized for her compliance to her father’s demands and expectations and subsequently his love and acceptance. Her family was clearly in the higher classes yet she couldn’t care less about status or money. She maintained a facade to keep up appearances (again, mostly for her father) but it was slowly eroding as time went by. Reconnecting with Xander after years of misconceptions, on both of their parts, brought her closer to breaking free from her restrictive life. She realized that she felt safe with Xander and ultimately her brave light shined through.
“Because he’s mine. And I’m his. Since always and into forever.”

Xander was a genius, logical and brilliant, very much like his father. He was extraordinarily honorable and cautious with his feelings dealing with the unexpected circumstances and feelings of abandonment by his mother and his father’s unending love for her. His father’s mental decline was heartbreaking. As time went by, he realized it was hard to break away from his and Emery’s entanglement, their waves and particles of energy and entanglement. A velocity they couldn’t control nor escape. For Xander, Emery was his illumination.
“What happens to you happens to me”

This is an intriguing story with depth and insight that must be read!

[Brandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are a few constants in my life:

1) I will continue to review books and tell everyone I know what books I love
2) I will tell anyone and everyone about my dogs
3) Emma Scott books will make me bawl my eyes out.
4) I will read EVERYTHING Emma Scott writes

MY NEW FAVE AUTHOR.

Let me just say that this is my third Emma Scott book to review, and every book I read is better and better. I love the way she writes and evokes such passion and emotion into the story where you feel as if you are not just reading it, you are living it like you are a part of the story. Like I said- NEW FAVE AUTHOR! These books have completely dethroned some of my long time faves.

In this book, we see a story of a ten year old boy and girl who meet by chance and hit it off. They write to each other during the years which doesn’t go as they planned as they never receive the letters.

Fate, has other plans when they meet again in an elite high school. Emery and Xander are just teens, but their feelings have never faded from years ago when they were just kids. Emery is the kind popular girl from a rich influential family and daughter of a controlling father. Xander is a genius from a less prominent family, but his dad, a genius too, has his health failing.

This story is heart breaking and soul crushing- and then in true Emma Scott fashion, she mends it all together in a beautiful way. It’s like through the mud and dirt and rain, a beautiful flower grows to show that sometimes to grow we have to be buried. I found myself smiling and laughing, and hurting along with the main characters. I felt almost every bit of emotion they did (which is a testament to the author and narrators of the audiobook). Ugh! This book gripped me by the heart and wouldn’t let go! I think it’s etched itself there along with her previous ones: ‘Full Tilt’, and ‘All In’ which is fine. I’m saving a place for all her books in my heart as the previous ones are there, and this one is now among some of my fave books I’ve ever read. This one, like the others, made me cry! BIG TIME!

If you like an emotional read with heart, please do yourself a favor and read this book. This book is heavily influenced by Romeo and Juliet (with a happy ending) with a hint of The Notebook. If you are fans of those, I think you’d love this one. I know I did. I don’t think I will forgot it anytime soon.

Themes/tropes: grief, heartbreak, family expectations, controlling parent, acceptance, found family, friendship, bonds, promises, forgiveness.

Audiobook was wonderful. Once again they chose the right narrators. It was dual narration and both did an amazing job giving life to the characters and evoking such emotion in their production.

[Deanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.

If you're a fan of Maxton Hall, Little Pieces of Light should be your next read. I'm saying that as a fan of that series, but also a long time fan of Emma Scott's books.

This book was set in a wealthy town with a private high school filled with a bunch of rich kids and a few poor kids. There was a ton of drama and trauma, but this book was also brimming in the raw emotion Scott delivers in her books. I felt the strong emotional connection Emery and Xander had. The things they saw and celebrated in each other were so special. I hated but appreciated the hard things they went through apart and together. Their young romance was sweet.

All of the side characters added so much to the story. The dynamics between everyone were so well thought out and made them shine. I loved the "good" people and hated the "bad" guys. Some of the relationships were hard to experience for multiple reasons, but they made this book even stronger.

Overall, this was another fantastic mature YA romance from Scott. I loved it.

[Amity Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up.

Narration by David Lee Huynh & Amanda Troop. I loved the emotion they brought to this book!

This was a story about connected souls and a couple meant to be. They meet at 10 years old and this story had so much of a rollercoaster of what their characters went through. While I enjoyed it, I do think I expected a little more from it! Xander was such a chaotic but brilliant MMC and Emery was such a beautiful and strong FMC! It was a book about moving past the things life throws at you and overcoming it all in the end. I have absolutely loved Emma Scott’s previous writing, so I had really high expectations for this one. It didn’t quite hit like I expected. However, I’d still recommend!

Thank you Emma Scott and Netgalley for this ALC opportunity

[Sharon ∞❥ is an emotional book junkie ❥∞ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐️'s

This book is all about drama and then some but Xander and Emery are really sweet and they make you want to believe in soulmates, love at first sight and of course, happy ever afters.

They meet as ten year olds and have quite the connection, promising to keep in touch. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen but they do get back in touch ten years later.

There were some things that happened that I didn’t understand why. One was really sad and the other just broke your heart.

Thankfully, it ends well. I wouldn’t mind a book for Harper.

[Jennifer Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars ⭐️