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Distance #5
Here
She made a choice she can’t take back. He walked away from the things he loved. Two broken souls trying to heal in all the wrong ways.
Naomi
I told myself I could handle playing the role. Because pretending was easy. Feeling is dangerous.
Brandon
Cooking used to be my escape. Now, it’s just another thing I can’t touch. But then she walked in, and suddenly, I’m starving for something I shouldn’t want. Again.
Naomi Smith has spent her life keeping things under control. The devoted girlfriend. The corporate daughter. The woman who never lets the cracks show. But when she agrees to a deal with Brandon Milton, she quickly realizes she’s in over her head, because with him, control isn’t just slipping through her fingers... she’s starting to like the way it feels.
Cooking was Brandon's passion, his art, his everything. Now it's just a painful reminder of the dreams he abandoned after loss tore his world apart. When Naomi walks back into his life—when she looks at food like it’s both her greatest enemy and her deepest craving—he starts to remember why he loved it in the first place.
They fight, they pretend, and somewhere along the way, the lines start to blur. Because beneath all the resentment, there’s something else pulling them back together, something they haven’t been able to shake since college.
But some things don’t stay buried forever. And when the truth finally comes to light, their carefully built façade may come crashing down for good.
Perfect for fans who crave sharp banter, reluctant alliances, protective heroes, fake relationships that become beautifully real, BDSM dynamics woven through emotional healing, dark angsty romances where broken characters find salvation in each other's arms, and slow-burn chemistry that refuses to be ignored.
The steamy food billionaire romance 'here' is the fifth book of the interconnected Distance series, but it can be read as a standalone. Happily Ever After (HEA) is guaranteed. Dual POV. Please check the content note before reading.
Naomi
I told myself I could handle playing the role. Because pretending was easy. Feeling is dangerous.
Brandon
Cooking used to be my escape. Now, it’s just another thing I can’t touch. But then she walked in, and suddenly, I’m starving for something I shouldn’t want. Again.
Naomi Smith has spent her life keeping things under control. The devoted girlfriend. The corporate daughter. The woman who never lets the cracks show. But when she agrees to a deal with Brandon Milton, she quickly realizes she’s in over her head, because with him, control isn’t just slipping through her fingers... she’s starting to like the way it feels.
Cooking was Brandon's passion, his art, his everything. Now it's just a painful reminder of the dreams he abandoned after loss tore his world apart. When Naomi walks back into his life—when she looks at food like it’s both her greatest enemy and her deepest craving—he starts to remember why he loved it in the first place.
They fight, they pretend, and somewhere along the way, the lines start to blur. Because beneath all the resentment, there’s something else pulling them back together, something they haven’t been able to shake since college.
But some things don’t stay buried forever. And when the truth finally comes to light, their carefully built façade may come crashing down for good.
Perfect for fans who crave sharp banter, reluctant alliances, protective heroes, fake relationships that become beautifully real, BDSM dynamics woven through emotional healing, dark angsty romances where broken characters find salvation in each other's arms, and slow-burn chemistry that refuses to be ignored.
The steamy food billionaire romance 'here' is the fifth book of the interconnected Distance series, but it can be read as a standalone. Happily Ever After (HEA) is guaranteed. Dual POV. Please check the content note before reading.
466 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 31, 2025
2 people are currently reading
51 people want to read
About the author
Gigi Vale
8 books17 followers🍬😈🌶️ A mix of sweet, dark and spicy
GIGI VALE is an indie author who blends sweet, dark, and spicy elements to craft captivating contemporary romances. She’s been dreaming up stories since her teenage years, but only recently found the courage to share them with the world. Now, she’s on a mission to bring the characters that live rent-free in her mind to life, fulfilling her passion for storytelling one book at a time.
GIGI VALE is an indie author who blends sweet, dark, and spicy elements to craft captivating contemporary romances. She’s been dreaming up stories since her teenage years, but only recently found the courage to share them with the world. Now, she’s on a mission to bring the characters that live rent-free in her mind to life, fulfilling her passion for storytelling one book at a time.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 15, 2025
Gigi has a unique gift, capturing the readers attention and never letting go until the final page. I have loved each and every book in the distance series and couldn't wait for Brandin and Naomi's book. Brandon cooks for the Distance boys he has looked after them, feeding them throughout each trauma.
He meets Naomi a composed, self assured women. Underneath she wants to be seen, really seen for herself, flaws and all. This is what Brandon also wants, he doesn't want to take over from his dad's business now he has died. They both have secrets, reluctant to let anyone in, but slowly they learn to trust and fall in love. Healing together. Loved this series, reading Brandon get the deserved happiness was the icing on the cake. Can't wait to read more from Gigi.I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
He meets Naomi a composed, self assured women. Underneath she wants to be seen, really seen for herself, flaws and all. This is what Brandon also wants, he doesn't want to take over from his dad's business now he has died. They both have secrets, reluctant to let anyone in, but slowly they learn to trust and fall in love. Healing together. Loved this series, reading Brandon get the deserved happiness was the icing on the cake. Can't wait to read more from Gigi.I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 18, 2025
I was really looking forward to reading this book. After reading the previous four books, I knew this was going to be a brilliant story, but it was even more compelling than I expected. Naomi is composed, perfectly dressed, and totally in a controlled woman to all those looking at her. But if you look deeper, then maybe just maybe you'll see the cracks she keeps well hidden. Always trying to prove herself, always maintaining the perfect image, but never quite getting her father's approval just being dismissed. Brandon has to prove himself, he's given up so much to make his father proud off him. But now his father is dead and he needs to try to tow the line and keep the family business growing, even if it's not His dream. There's only one person who makes him feel anything. One person who he truly sees flaws and all. But they both have secrets and neither will trust or left there walls down. Can Brandon help Naomi to see her true worth. Will the past spoil any chance of a future for them. Will hidden secrets not only ruin her life but will others be drawn into the mess. Sometimes perfect isn't always what you need and being imperfect and messy is what works. Sit back and enjoy this spicy read. I would recommend reading the previous books to get the full fill for this series. Gigi has certainly given us yet another brilliant story I'm certainly looking forward to reading more from her.
May 26, 2025
here by Gigi Vale is the final story of the Distance series, and it was another intense, moving story in this series about an extended group of friends with all of their flaws and problems. This book covered Brandon and Naomi’s story. Naomi has eating disorders, and Brandon is still trying to be the perfect son even though his parents have passed.
As with the other books in this series, the intense nature of the main characters’ connection and dysfunction keep you glued to the page. I devoured all five books in this series in a week, they were that good. There is a note from the author at the end that says the series is complete, but I don’t want it to be over. I want to know the stories for these characters: Ella (Mary’s sister), Novalie (Elijah and Brandon’s sister), Levi (Lil’s brother), Blake (Naomi’s friend) and Elliot (Brandon’s friend).
If you wish to read an engrossing series featuring flawed individuals who all discover better ways to live and love, I highly recommend this entire series.
I received an ARC of this book, and I am voluntarily leaving an unbiased review.
As with the other books in this series, the intense nature of the main characters’ connection and dysfunction keep you glued to the page. I devoured all five books in this series in a week, they were that good. There is a note from the author at the end that says the series is complete, but I don’t want it to be over. I want to know the stories for these characters: Ella (Mary’s sister), Novalie (Elijah and Brandon’s sister), Levi (Lil’s brother), Blake (Naomi’s friend) and Elliot (Brandon’s friend).
If you wish to read an engrossing series featuring flawed individuals who all discover better ways to live and love, I highly recommend this entire series.
I received an ARC of this book, and I am voluntarily leaving an unbiased review.
August 12, 2025
I loved this book. Now I'm so invested in Anne and Landon!!! WHEN WILL WE GET A BOOK ABOUT THEM? 😭😭
May 31, 2025
I have loved this series, and now we get Naomi and Brandon's story. Naomi struggles with her family, longing for a bit of respect and occasional praise from her father, as well as love from her cold mother. Brandon, an amazing chef, has given up his dream of opening his own restaurant to help his brother run the family business after their father passed away. Naomi and Brandon have always been there for each other—she’s his "cupcake"—and now they’re pretending to be a couple. This is their story; it will make you laugh and cry. The chemistry between them is incredible, and I can’t wait to see what the author brings us in her next book!
June 20, 2025
I am obsessed with this series, and I love Brandon and Naomi's story!! Once she helps Brandon remember why he loved cooking (and her) in the first place. The banter is top tier, and the slow burn is deliciously slow!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 21, 2025
Here by Gigi Vale absolutely wrecked me in the quietest, most devastating way.
This is the final book in the Distance series, and honestly? Brandon and Naomi were worth the emotional wait. Gigi Vale has this way of grabbing your attention and not letting go — not with drama for the sake of drama, but with feelings that sit heavy in your chest.
Naomi is the kind of FMC who looks put together from the outside — composed, sharp, always in control — but the cracks are there if you look closely. Her eating disorder, tied to a past she’s never fully escaped, is written with so much restraint and care. It’s not loud. It’s not romanticized. It’s just… there. Lingering. Hurting. And that made it hit harder.
Brandon? God. He’s grieving, suffocating, and stuck trying to become the son his father wanted instead of the man he actually is. Cooking is his love language, his escape, his truth — and watching him fight to hold onto that while being dragged into a future he never chose was painful in the best way.
What I loved most is that neither of them is trying to “fix” the other. They’re both deep in their own mess, but together? They make sense. Healing happens slowly — through food, through patience, through showing up again and again. Naomi eating what Brandon cooks isn’t just romantic, it’s intimate. It’s trust.
And the Distance boys? Still elite. Still the backbone of this series. This book doesn’t just wrap up a love story — it closes a whole found-family chapter, and I was not emotionally prepared for that.
This wasn’t perfect. It was messy, tender, intense — and that’s exactly why it worked. It reminded me that healing isn’t linear, and love doesn’t arrive when you’re “ready.” Sometimes it shows up when you’re barely holding it together and says, stay anyway.
I didn’t want this series to end. I wanted more pages. More moments. More of these beautifully flawed people.
And honestly? Brandon and Naomi might just dethrone my favorites - Lil and Bash.
This is the final book in the Distance series, and honestly? Brandon and Naomi were worth the emotional wait. Gigi Vale has this way of grabbing your attention and not letting go — not with drama for the sake of drama, but with feelings that sit heavy in your chest.
Naomi is the kind of FMC who looks put together from the outside — composed, sharp, always in control — but the cracks are there if you look closely. Her eating disorder, tied to a past she’s never fully escaped, is written with so much restraint and care. It’s not loud. It’s not romanticized. It’s just… there. Lingering. Hurting. And that made it hit harder.
Brandon? God. He’s grieving, suffocating, and stuck trying to become the son his father wanted instead of the man he actually is. Cooking is his love language, his escape, his truth — and watching him fight to hold onto that while being dragged into a future he never chose was painful in the best way.
What I loved most is that neither of them is trying to “fix” the other. They’re both deep in their own mess, but together? They make sense. Healing happens slowly — through food, through patience, through showing up again and again. Naomi eating what Brandon cooks isn’t just romantic, it’s intimate. It’s trust.
And the Distance boys? Still elite. Still the backbone of this series. This book doesn’t just wrap up a love story — it closes a whole found-family chapter, and I was not emotionally prepared for that.
This wasn’t perfect. It was messy, tender, intense — and that’s exactly why it worked. It reminded me that healing isn’t linear, and love doesn’t arrive when you’re “ready.” Sometimes it shows up when you’re barely holding it together and says, stay anyway.
I didn’t want this series to end. I wanted more pages. More moments. More of these beautifully flawed people.
And honestly? Brandon and Naomi might just dethrone my favorites - Lil and Bash.
June 1, 2025
Oh my word!! This story was so beautiful. I went into the story, expecting very little, but my expectations were met and the story left my heart, broken and then healed into little beautiful and broken pieces. Naomi‘s trauma and pain was unimaginable. I was definitely caught off guard in a good way, Naomi in the story starting out, came off totally different from the broken and unloved and unseen woman that she was. After going through something traumatic that an eight year-old should never have to go through, Naomi has just been drifting in life, trying so hard to protect and please everyone just to get them to love her. Little does she know Brandon has been seeing her and watching her and loving her for years. Brandon had his own personal battles of not feeling accepted and feeling like a failure due to the way that his dad would always talk down on him and treat him. Their story was just so beautiful. I loved seeing two broken people come together and make a beautiful whole. I loved seeing Brandon there for Naomi every time she needed him during her weakest moments and seeing Naomi there for Brandon every time he needed her. These two are the very definition of a match made in heaven and a perfect couple that will forever be for each other. I give this book a wonderful and tearful 5 stars. This was written so raw and beautifully. Gigi did an incredible job! Thank you Gigi!
I received a copy of this book for free and I’m voluntarily leaving my honest review.
I received a copy of this book for free and I’m voluntarily leaving my honest review.
June 11, 2025
@TrishSparklerReads Bookstagram:
“Here” by Gigi Vale
Series: Distance Series Book 5, Can be read as a standalone
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Rating: 5⭐️
Spice: 4🌶️
Darkness: 3🩶
POV: Dual
Highlights:
💙Fake Dating
💙Billionaire MMC
💙He Falls First
💙Friends to Lovers
💙Power Play
💙Sp@nking
💙Mental Health Rep
Thoughts:
I really liked this spicy emotional romance. I loved how they discovered together that love means not fixing each other, but being supportive of each others needs. They both started the book so dysfunctional, but slowly with time they fell for each other. I liked how he didn't let her loose herself in their intimacy but only let them move forward a bit at a time until she trusted he would always be there for her. This learning process was hard to watch, especially in terms of her eating disorder- but watching their love bloom was worth it in the end. There are some really dark and some super angsty moments in this book, so be prepared to do some crying. I loved when they finally realized they were enough for each other as they are, mess and everything.
🛑Please read all the author warnings as themes and events in this book could be triggering. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
“Here” by Gigi Vale
Series: Distance Series Book 5, Can be read as a standalone
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Rating: 5⭐️
Spice: 4🌶️
Darkness: 3🩶
POV: Dual
Highlights:
💙Fake Dating
💙Billionaire MMC
💙He Falls First
💙Friends to Lovers
💙Power Play
💙Sp@nking
💙Mental Health Rep
Thoughts:
I really liked this spicy emotional romance. I loved how they discovered together that love means not fixing each other, but being supportive of each others needs. They both started the book so dysfunctional, but slowly with time they fell for each other. I liked how he didn't let her loose herself in their intimacy but only let them move forward a bit at a time until she trusted he would always be there for her. This learning process was hard to watch, especially in terms of her eating disorder- but watching their love bloom was worth it in the end. There are some really dark and some super angsty moments in this book, so be prepared to do some crying. I loved when they finally realized they were enough for each other as they are, mess and everything.
🛑Please read all the author warnings as themes and events in this book could be triggering. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 1, 2025
I have really enjoyed this book. I love how Naomi and Brandon compliment each other and how they learn to get over their past and just live. It is a bit shaky between them at first but sparks fly and, when they do, it's a chemistry so hot, you'll need to cool off. They help each other out by just being there and not leaving. Listening and give advice when they can.
Naomi has lived a troubled past that she can't get out of her head. For years, she has had an eating disorder that happens whenever it's something she can't control or the horrible memories come up. She is living with a secret that she feels she needs to carry. Nothing helps in this time of need, except for one thing.
Cue in Brandon. A man who wants to be a chef and have his own restaurant until he father tells him it will be a failure. For years, his father has wanted him to be in his footsteps but Brandon hates the corporate world and would rather make food to make a world a better place than going to board meetings. He tries to be the son his father wants him to be. When his father passes, he realizes that he should step up in his father's business but at what cost. He misses his mother and he misses cooking. He loves Naomi and wants her in his life. But how will he do that?
Will they be able to fight the urge to not come together or will they decide that being apart isn't an easy feat? Will Naomi get over her eating disorder and will Brandon be who he wants to be without disappointing anyone?
This book is a must read! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Naomi has lived a troubled past that she can't get out of her head. For years, she has had an eating disorder that happens whenever it's something she can't control or the horrible memories come up. She is living with a secret that she feels she needs to carry. Nothing helps in this time of need, except for one thing.
Cue in Brandon. A man who wants to be a chef and have his own restaurant until he father tells him it will be a failure. For years, his father has wanted him to be in his footsteps but Brandon hates the corporate world and would rather make food to make a world a better place than going to board meetings. He tries to be the son his father wants him to be. When his father passes, he realizes that he should step up in his father's business but at what cost. He misses his mother and he misses cooking. He loves Naomi and wants her in his life. But how will he do that?
Will they be able to fight the urge to not come together or will they decide that being apart isn't an easy feat? Will Naomi get over her eating disorder and will Brandon be who he wants to be without disappointing anyone?
This book is a must read! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
June 11, 2025
The Distance series has been a marvelous experience. This series was my first introduction to Gigi Vale and I enjoyed reading every word. Naomi and Brandon are the central characters in this book, Here. The chemistry between these two made me really happy, they deserve to be happy after all that they have been through. Broken when apart, but perfectly put back together when they are with each other. Incredible book series.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews