REVIEW: "The Butterfly Project" by Emma Scott (New Adult, Romance)

THE BUTTERFLY PROJECT by Emma Scott
	Genre: New Adult, Romance Publication Date: February 28th 2017
Categories:
Friends to Lovers, Creatives in Love, Finding Yourself, Heavy Subjects, All the Feels
Other Books by Emma Scott
My Review
Description from Publisher:
"Where you are is home..." At age fourteen, Zelda Rossi witnessed the unthinkable, and has spent the last ten years hardening her heart against the guilt and grief. She channels her pain into her art: a dystopian graphic novel where vigilantes travel back in time to stop heinous crimes—like child abduction—before they happen. Zelda pitches her graphic novel to several big-time comic book publishers in New York City, only to have her hopes crash and burn. Circumstances leave her stranded in an unfamiliar city, and in an embarrassing moment of weakness, she meets a guarded young man with a past he’d do anything to change... Beckett Copeland spent two years in prison for armed robbery, and is now struggling to keep his head above water. A bike messenger by day, he speeds around New York City, riding fast and hard but going nowhere, his criminal record holding him back almost as much as the guilt of his crime. Zelda and Beckett form a grudging alliance of survival, and in between their stubborn clash of wills, they slowly begin to provide each other with the warmth of forgiveness, healing, and maybe even love. But when Zelda and Beckett come face to face with their pasts, they must choose to hold on to the guilt and regret that bind them, or let go and open their hearts for a shot at happiness. The Butterfly Project is a novel that reveals the power of forgiveness, and how even the smallest decisions of the heart can—like the flutter of a butterfly’s wings—create currents that strengthen into gale winds, altering the course of a life forever.
My Rating:	Heat Rating:
I am having a hard time putting into words just how *wonderful* this book was. From the very beginning where Zelda has a really crappy day trying to get her graphic novel published and being not-so-nicely introduced to the perils of New York City, I was drawn into the setting and how hard the city can be for people with dreams. Then, we meet Beckett, busboy and bike messenger with a criminal record, who has an edge but is ultimately this compassionate and selfless sweetheart. The way these two come together and then the way their relationship grows and grows is a kind of magic. The slow burn that really focuses more on who these two are and what they start to mean to each other is such an absolute joy. There is an initial attraction, but they take their time and have the best foundation.... and then when they allow themselves to take that next step, it's sexy and passionate and full of emotion. Seriously, what more could you want from a romance?! I loved how they each had some baggage, similar in ways yet very different. How they matured and reconciled what had happened in their pasts was a strong part of this story and the way they made each other better... The message of forgiveness, woven in in a variety of ways, was powerful and poignant. The side characters were present and a nice, genuine layer to show us more about who Beckett and Zelda were. Everything about this story was rich, deep, and I wish I had more of it to read because it's the kind of book you can't wait to finish, but never want to get to the end!
My Source: Bought this one from Amazon because I liked Emma Scott's "Full Tilt". My opinion is unbiased and 100% my own.

About the Author: Emma Scott
I write romances with flawed characters, characters with artistic hearts: builders, poets, and writers of various makes and models. I love to write book lovers; those who have found refuge, companionship, and escape in books, much as we do in real life. I like realism, honesty, authenticity in storytelling. I love to write about enduring love, soul-deep love, in as real a setting as I can make, but with big smooshy HEAs. I believe in diversity, open-mindedness, and inclusion. I like sweetness mixed with steam, love conquering all, and above all, hope. Love always wins.