Between the Ocean and the Stars

by M.M. Cochran

If he could be her tragedy, I could be a better one.
As a newcomer on Ophelia Island, Florida, Sam Carter is distraught about moving away from his life in West Virginia. But the moment he lays eyes on the mysterious diner girl, Georgia Gabehart, he can't help but surrender to her bewitching allure.
Sam is mesmerized by Georgia, even as she steals sailboats at night and breaks into lighthouses-the master of playing with knives and not getting cut. Until she's trapped in the tight grip of her boyfriend with a dark side.
When a dangerous hurricane sweeps Sam into a police investigation and Georgia is nowhere to be found, Sam gives himself only one love, even if loving might end in tragedy.   This dazzling coming of age debut novel from award-winning fiction writer M.M. Cochran will take your breath away.

Genres: Mystery, Romance, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Book Club, Young Adult, Suspense

327 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2022

About the author

M. M. Cochran is an award-winning investigative journalist and bestselling author of her debut novel Between the Ocean and the Stars, a young adult mystery romance. She also authored The Button Collector, a psychological thriller. While she likes the idea of her biography saying something like “she enjoys the outdoors and being in nature,” Cochran can realistically be found fitting author stereotypes such as curling up in her blanket, reading a book, and drinking a cup of coffee.

Cochran lives with her husband in Franklin, TN, as a full-time newspaper journalist.
Keep up with her on Instagram @m.m.cochran_writer

Reviews

[Beccy Whaley · Rating 5 out of 5]

M. M. Cochran crafts a beautiful and mysterious story of the ties that bind us to each other and the secrets that often hide just beneath the surface, threatening to disrupt our carefully laid plans. The protagonist, Sam, falls hard for a girl who has more secrets than Ophelia island itself, and the story follows a wonderful and intricately twisted path through storms, inner darkness, and young love trying to make sense of it all.
I loved this book for its setting and slightly ephemeral feel-technology is for the most part absent (or largely secondary), so this book could easily fit in a time frame anywhere from 10 years ago to the present day, and this timeless quality makes it feel slightly removed from reality. It's easy to place yourself in Sam's shoes and feel his hurt and confusion as he tries to make sense of his last summer before college.

[Nursebookie · Rating 5 out of 5]

TITLE: Between the Ocean and the Stars
AUTHOR: M M Cochran
PUB DATE: 10.18.2022 Now Available

Heartbreaking
Poignant
Emotional

It’s the summer before college, and Sam Carter falls hard. Meeting Georgia changes his life - she lives life in reckless abandon. In the midst of hurricane Boris, Sam’s life is thrown into a whirlwind.

I enjoyed Sam’s voice and point of view as he tries to find his place and navigating his feelings. Cochran writes an emotional and gripping story of young love and how far we would go for love.

[m.c. pending · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! from beginning to end, I was hooked. I loved how the characters felt really real. they weren’t perfect and they made mistakes and that’s exactly what people do. consider me an m.m. cochran fan 🤩

[Lacie Rippee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was heartbreakingly beautiful. This is one of those books where you feel so connected to the characters that you feel the loss of them when the story is over. Highly recommend!

[Aliya Bowden · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect read for summer romance. Even though the characters haven’t known each other long, their friendships will be memorialized through the experiences they shared on Ophelia Island. M.M. Cochran did a beautiful job conveying what it feels like to yearn for something just out of reach. Whether that be a person or a life beyond your circumstances. It brought me back to how powerful connections and emotion can be when you’re a teenager. Loved it!!!

[Joseph Nicoletti · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an exceptional novel by an author who clearly has a passion for writing. The blend of romance and crime/suspense works way better than I expected.

Worth every penny

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moving is never easy and it’s particularly difficult during the teens years. Sam has to leave all he knows in West Virginia and finds himself in some podunk town in Florida and thinks all is lost until he spies Georgia.

But will Georgia bring him what he is seeking or will she take him places he really does not want to go? At this point in his life Sam does not care. All he is looking for is something in his life to make some sense even if that something makes no sense at all.

Intrigued?

This is a YA book and yet I was not bored. Nor did I feel as if I was reading a teen angst type of book. It kept me intrigued and turning the pages until the end. It’s not your typical romancy type of book and sometimes that is just what you need even though you don’t realize it.

This is a good, thought provoking book.
4.5

I received a free copy for my honest review

[April · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. This turned out to be a YA romance/mystery. While it was entertaining, parts were not plausible making the story fall apart a little bit for me. But an easy summer read about a boy moving to an island in Florida the year before he starts college and falls in love with a local girl and they get embroiled in a murder mystery. A hurricane hits and all hell breaks loose. At least it did not have a sappy ending.

[Amelia E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A super engaging story; kept me hooked pretty much all the way through!

Content-wise: I would definitely say this is for older teens/young adults due to the content.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came across this book recently on TikTok and decided to give it a try. What. A. Great. Read. 🥹 Go read it. Just do it. You won’t regret it ❤️

[Haily · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 Stars!!

I really did enjoy this book. It was happening during the summertime in the POV of a boy who just graduated from high school and moved to an island right off the coast of florida.

The author did a great job of putting me in that summer vibe setting. The main character meets a girl and is enamored with her.

I really enjoyed the way she was able to describe the crush from the perspective of that boy in an uncertain place for an uncertain summer before he starts college. I highlighted a goodddd amount of sentences that felt poetic in their own little special way.

If you’re looking for a good palette cleanser - this is it! I enjoyed almost every aspect of it. If you do read this book - put urself in the mindset of someone who just got out of highschool.

It had its fair share of tragic things and fair share of frantic young emotions. But i think that overall the story and all of that weaved so well together and its definitely worth a read if youre looking for something that has somewhat serious topics but isnt just about that and has some lighter notes - this has exactly that :)

(Not 4 stars just because the way we found out the big “what happened?” Moment wasnt as plot twist as i felt but it was still good overall)

[Maddie Dowdall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Between the Ocean and The Stars was a book I happened to stumble across while browsing Amazon. I typically gravitate toward fantasy novels, but every now and then I like a good palate cleanser, and this one ended up being exactly that.

Reading it felt like watching a summer romance unfold on screen. It had all the elements of a great coming-of-age love story with heartbreak, mystery, tragedy, and the complicated emotions that come with first love. It brought me right back to my teenage years and reminded me of the excitement, uncertainty, and heartbreak that often accompany young relationships.

What I enjoyed most was how relatable the characters felt. Georgia was a character I could never quite figure out, which made her intriguing from start to finish. Sam, on the other hand, felt like the embodiment of first love. hopelessly devoted and willing to hold on to something even when it seemed to be slipping through his fingers.

Overall, this was a heartfelt and emotional read that felt both nostalgic and bittersweet. If you’re looking for a story that captures the intensity of young love and the lasting impact it can have on us, this one is worth picking up.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book must buy

[Eve · Rating 2 out of 5]

Teenage love story that was supposed to have a mysterious twist but was under whelming. Any easy read for the beach or pool.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

M.M. Cochran has created something beautiful with her first novel.

Between the Ocean and the Stars is a story of love and longing between two perfectly imperfect souls.

There's a storm swirling around Sam and Georgia, and it isn't just the hurricane. The story wends and weaves with highs and lows, just the way real life unfolds. Through it we see young love, loyalty in uncertainty and reckless courage. And you might recognize the familiar ache of looking hard for someone else, just to end up finding yourself.

[Cassidy Lappin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Between the Ocean and the Stars is one of those books I can’t stop thinking about after finishing it. I’m finding more and more to unpack.

This wasn’t exactly a satisfying read, glad as I am to have read it. But that’s the point. It captures a certain angle of real life—of core memories, of exhilarating experiences, of disappointment, of taking chances, of keeping secrets, of letting go—that you can’t help but feel. Because that’s how life goes. We’re not in love with every part of it, but it’s worth going through it anyway.

The characters are such believable personalities—not outstanding, not totally good or totally bad. They have conflicting motivations. They don’t feel good about all their choices. I was proud of them at times, disappointed at others. And that made me want to understand them, not just read about them.

The plot perfectly corresponds with Sam’s perception of his life: at first slow (but not too slow to enjoy reading), then cranked into high gear, and then you pace alongside Sam as he’s faced with difficult choices that require bold and unhesitant action. The mystery element of this story had me reading the entire second half of the book in one sitting, through the night.

If you’re wanting a cute little romance with a predictable ending and all the warm and fuzzy feels, keep looking. If you’re up for a love story that has to fare through broken homes, police investigations, and hurricanes, you’ve come to the right place.

[Olivia Kirkland · Rating 4 out of 5]

“If he could be her tragedy, I could be a better one.”

This book hit me like a hurricane. In a whirlwind of teenage love and thrilling mystery, M. M. Cochran crafted a beautiful tragedy that left me spinning. The way the plot suddenly shifted gears was truly masterful, and I was speechless. One second it was an adorable romance and the next it was a “WHAT JUST HAPPENED” kind of book. (No spoilers!) If you love roller coasters for plot lines, read Between the Ocean and the Stars!

P.S. Logan was the MVP

[Chris Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's the most realistic book I have read in years. I'm older but feel like I just stepped onto the island with Sam. Loved the book and highly recommend it for all ages.

[Grace Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great book! I loved the twists, turns, and mystery with a sweet, young love story. The detail poured into Sam’s character was outstanding. A must read! Can’t wait for the next one!

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 stars. Cute but a bit cringey. I’m not the target reader here; 18/19 year olds romance. Writing felt odd and of course the parents are basically cardboard cutout nothings.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

M. M. Cochran has created a wonderful debut novel about young adult love and all the ways it heals and hurts. The MC of BTOATS is Sam and due to his newness as an Ophelia resident, he provides a good lens for us to explore Ophelia and get to know its residents too. His desperation and declarations make him a relatable YA protagonist and his struggles will be empathized by many teens. When we're young, we don't always make the best choices even though our intentions are to help those we love.

The mystery aspect was well done, creating a thread to follow all the way to the end, and created much needed movement in the story. As Sam investigates and finds potential clues, he advances the story at a good pace and many readers will appreciate that this novel is far from slow. I appreciated that the story wasn't predictable and provided some fun theorizing as we learned information alongside Sam.

The mental health representation was an interesting choice to create our complicated antagonist to Sam and Georgia. Mat didn't get much sympathy due to his unpredictable and violent actions which was warranted since the main focus was on Sam's devotion to Georgia - I suppose my issue lies in the potential for misunderstandings regarding the diagnoses of Bipolar and Schizophrenia, along with the behaviors exhibited by those who are labeled with those diagnoses. However, the information of mixing alcohol and medication causing harmful side effects was accurate, and a fair warning to younger audiences. Having mental health issues doesn't make you a bad person, yet people with mental health issues can choose harmful actions.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and look forward to any other writing by this author. I'd recommend to those who enjoy the ups and downs of teen romance and the suspense/uncertainty of not knowing who to trust.

[Mike Diener · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book IS a hurricane.

The raw power of the emotions in Between the Ocean and the Stars is something you can’t explain, you can only experience it. I was truly lost in the story, hanging onto the characters and the storylines just hoping they wouldn’t slip away.

When it was over, I just sat there feeling everything. I can’t explain it much more without spoiling things, but I felt EVERYTHING. The author made me connect with these characters so deeply, and I didn’t want to let them go.

Like picking up the pieces after a heavy storm, I find myself still thinking about the characters and trying to make sense of everything I’m feeling. Good books can’t do that. Only great ones can.

Romance and suspense aren’t genres that I read very often, and I was hesitant to even start this one. Between the Ocean and the Stars blew away my expectations. I’ve never read a more relatable character than Sam. Ever. Period. The thoughts in his head were almost word-for-word the thoughts I had when I was 18. It was so real and so raw and so emotional. Georgia was such a powerful character, and the more we got to know her, the more I felt Sam feel for her. The characters were so compelling. And honestly, I just really liked Logan. He was the perfect addition to fill out the story.

It’s possible that there were issues with things, but I didn’t notice any. I was too wrapped up in the story, reeling from what had just happened or wondering what was going to happen next (or screaming at the characters).

You either experience a hurricane, or you get out of its way. Between the Ocean and the Stars is an emotional hurricane. If you’re ready to get wrecked, you need to read this book.

[Melissa (Nissa_the.bookworm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔
💕 enjoy YA romance
⛈️ have ever experienced a hurricane
💋 remember your first love
🧇🍦 love waffles and ice cream

• 𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐂𝐊 𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄

After Sam and his family move down to Ophelia Island off the coast of Florida, he quickly finds himself falling for a local girl named Georgia.

• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓

Sam just graduated from high school and his parents decided to move down to Ophelia Island. Starting over with no friends, Sam decides to go out and explore the island. That’s when he stumbles across Georgia, whom he is instantly smitten with. As Sam tries to get closer to Georgia, he’ll discover some dark secrets she’s hiding. But Sam will do anything to prove his love and affection for Georgia, even if it means getting into all kinds of mischief.

• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒

This was a super cute YA romance. I liked that it was clean as it is definitely something I probably would have enjoyed when I was around 16 or 17 years old. Even though I am not 19 anymore, I still felt like the characters were very relatable. I, like most people, have suffered from all kinds of heartbreak in my life, so I really understand how Sam felt in this story. I also liked that it was all told from his POV, as it’s rare to read romances from the male’s POV. The DV that Georgia experiences also made this story all the more raw and real.

[Dive Into A Good Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

What would you do for love? That first taste of fizzy, floating on air feeling. The absolute need to be with the person. Sam and his family have just moved to Ophelia Island, Florida. He misses home and is not loving the island. All that changes when he lays eyes on Georgia. She isn't like any girl he has ever met, and he needs her, to be near her, to drink her down with his eyes. She is his oxygen and the only need to get up in the morning.

When a hurricane is projected to hit their small island. Sam is forced to leave with his parents, while Georgia decides to ride it out with her boyfriend. Sam feels like there is something off about him, he is not a good guy. As the winds pick up, and the drenching rains begin, Sam is left to his own imagination about what is going on the island. Will everything be the same when he returns?

This is an intense first love story that will leave you yelling at the characters. The story is vibrant, the characters are well developed, and the setting is phenomenal. Thank you to MM Cochran, Ingram Elliott, and TLC Book Tours for gifting me this book.

[Abidao · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading my fair share of YA novels I was, as always, excited and nervous to start this one. We all know it's very easy to find a poorly written YA novel, but not this one! Cochran does a fantastic job at pulling you in slowly, letting you soak in the environment and vibe before pushing you into a storm of mystery and excitement. I genuinely enjoyed devouring this book as I felt I could feel the sand under my toes, humidity in my hair and deep love of Cochran creation. This is a great story of the complexities and multidimensional-ism that is being human and learning what that means and a young adult; learning how to not always act out of passion but reason and logic (but a little sprinkle of it too 😉). Looking forward to more of her works!

P.s. don't skip out on the playlist that goes along with the book 🌊

[Catie Abels · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stumbled upon this book on Tiktok. Between the Ocean and the Stars was such a beautiful reminder of what it felt like to love when I was young. It captured that all consuming kind of love that makes the rest of the world fade away…the passion, the recklessness, and the certainty that nothing could possibly matter more in that moment. It brought back the bittersweet nostalgia of loving with your whole heart before life teaches you to overthink every decision.

The characters felt genuine, the emotions were raw, and the story stayed with me long after I finished the last page. If you’re looking for a heartfelt read that transports you back to the intensity and innocence of first love, I can’t recommend this book enough. Supporting indie authors means discovering stories like this, and I’m so glad I picked this one up

[Becky • bookmarked by becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I loved:
✨Sam’s POV - rarely do I read romance books from a young man’s perspective unless it’s LGBTQ lit. Here, Sam falls hard for Georgia. The pure innocence of young love consumes Sam, his thoughts, and his actions. All of which feel real.
✨Blended Genre - you know me, I love mixed genres! This story blends romance, mystery, and coming of age. The mystery doesn’t start until mid-story, which I wanted sooner. But that's just a personal preference. The romance is both sweet and heartbreaking. Some romance tropes include First Love, Summer Love, and Save Me. Overall, the story is well-balanced and perfect for any YA fan.

3.5 stars rounded up!

[Kayla Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hate sad endings. But somehow this one felt right. This book was a heart wrenching read, with an unpredictable ending that had me smiling sadly until the very last page. I really enjoyed this book, well done M M Cochran! I'm super proud of you.

From a writers perspective, the dialogue and character descriptions were a little bumpy. But I absolutely loved the setting and poetic style of storytelling. Definitely some great lines and themes in this novel! Looking forward to the author's next work.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book from my local Barnes and Noble when I met the Author! I wasn’t sure about it because my usual genre is fantasy. But I genuinely enjoyed this book! The storyline is amazing and the characters are well crafted. There were somethings about this book that surprised me. But overall I liked that about this book. It made it feel different than things I have read before. I would absolutely recommend this to others and I am glad I took a chance on this book. I hope to be able to read another by M.M. Cochran.

[Alannah Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book was so beautifully written! it truly captures all the feelings and thoughts that come with falling for them, and all the crazy things you’d do for them. the friendships, the backstory, it all just comes together so perfectly! i finished this book in under 24 hours and still didn’t see the ending coming! the way this book catches glimpses of imperfect lives and shows how other people can truly come to fix them, even if they are only temporary in your life.

this is easily one of my favorite books i’ve picked up this year!