We're thrilled to spotlight Where Sea Meets Sky (Live now!), a new adult novel that perfectly captures the existential angst of your early twenties with raw wit, fresh insight, and true feeling from a critically adored New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Karina Halle.
We had the pleasure of reading an advance copy & adored this total escapism love story. The writing is stunning and the romance between Josh and Gemma is heartrendingly addicting & filled with Karina's signature descriptive and sensual storytelling. Read Karina's thoughts and description of the Where Sea Meets Sky playlist and enter to win a fabulous giveaway. Happy reading and enjoy!
We had the pleasure of reading an advance copy & adored this total escapism love story. The writing is stunning and the romance between Josh and Gemma is heartrendingly addicting & filled with Karina's signature descriptive and sensual storytelling. Read Karina's thoughts and description of the Where Sea Meets Sky playlist and enter to win a fabulous giveaway. Happy reading and enjoy!
“Let it be wild, let it be messy. It’s the first sunrise of many more to come. You can’t screw it up. If you do, there’s always tomorrow.”
- Where Sea Meets Sky by Karina Halle
Where Sea Meets Sky Playlist
A lot of my books are greatly influenced by music and Where Sea Meets Sky is no exception. When I first traveled to New Zealand, I was eighteen years old and alone. But I never felt completely alone because I had a soundtrack to my entire trip – the soundtrack to the movie Almost Famous. Listening to the songs even now brings me back to sitting on the back of the bus, careening down the narrow roads of the South Island.
I wanted my characters Josh and Gemma to have something equally as epic to accompany their journey, combined with the timeless quality of classic rock. They happen to journey through the country in Gemma’s uncle’s loaned orange VW bus, nicknamed “Mr. Orange” and they only have a few cassette tapes to listen to…
“But,” Gemma says, flashing me a quick smile in the rear view mirror, “my uncle left us all his cassette tapes. I hope you like Pink Floyd because he only has The Wall, Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, and Meddle.”
I do like Pink Floyd, though I can tell the music will color the trip a little differently. But driving round New Zealand in an old VW van seems like the perfect time to listen to them.
Later on in the story, they get one more cassette tape added to the mix, The Best of Free by Free (Paul Rodgers is the bomb), but it’s still a very 70’s rock feel.
Without further ado, here are some of the more poignant songs used during the book, as well as some extras I may have listened to for mood and content.
(PS, just as music forever colors my travel memories, I can’t listen to Pink Floyd now without thinking I went to New Zealand with Josh and Gemma…funny how that works).
- “One of These Days” – Pink Floyd (from Meddle) – this song is the first that they hear on their trip, slowly setting the tumultuous mood.
- “Fearless” – Pink Floyd (from Meddle) – being fearless become somewhat of a theme in this book and Josh latches onto this song.
- “Breathe (In the Air)” – Pink Floyd (from Dark Side of the Moon) – this calm, spacey jam is the music you’d hear while driving past sheep-filled green hills underneath a dizzying blue sky
- “Time” – Pink Floyd (from Darks Side of the Moon) – Because time is what you’re always running out of on vacation, isn’t it? The countdown to heartbreak is on for Josh and Gemma and this song especially resonates with Gemma later in the book.
“And you run and you run to catch up with the sun but it's sinking
Racing around to come up behind you again
The sun is the same in a relative way, but you're older
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death.”
- “Shine on You Crazy Diamond” – Pink Floyd (From Wish You Were Here) – Because Gemma is a wee bit crazy but Josh can’t seem to keep away.
- “Wish You Were Here” – Pink Floyd (From Wish You Were Here) – Cuz things get sad.
- “Mother” – Pink Floyd (from The Wall) – Josh and Gemma both have some mother issues
- “Young Lust” – Pink Floyd (from The Wall) – the title pretty much sums it up. Young Lust for both of them.
- “Hey You” – Pink Floyd (from The Wall) – “Hey you ! don't help them to bury the light
Don't give in without a fight” Josh tries many times to break through Gemma’s thorny defenses, to keep her open and prevent her from shutting down and shutting him out. It’s not always easy. He thinks this song about her.
- “Comfortably Numb” – Pink Floyd (from The Wall) – This is Gemma’s song. She sings it often and it epitomizes every part of her. She is numb, she is shut down, and it’s going to take a passionate, tireless boy like Josh to finally break her free.
- “Fire and Water” – Free (from The Best of Free) – “I don't wanna say goodbye mama
But look at the way you made me cry
Every way that's nice you show
You've got a heart that's made of ice
And I know.” – Josh slow dances on the beach with Gemma to this song. So very fitting for her.
- “All Right Now” – Free (from The Best of Free) – Because, finally, things are freaking all right…now!
- “Damned if She Do” – The Kills (from Blood Pressures)
- “Nail in my Coffin” – The Kills (from Blood Pressures)
- “I’m Not Driving Anymore” – Rob Dougan (Furious Angels)
I wanted my characters Josh and Gemma to have something equally as epic to accompany their journey, combined with the timeless quality of classic rock. They happen to journey through the country in Gemma’s uncle’s loaned orange VW bus, nicknamed “Mr. Orange” and they only have a few cassette tapes to listen to…
“But,” Gemma says, flashing me a quick smile in the rear view mirror, “my uncle left us all his cassette tapes. I hope you like Pink Floyd because he only has The Wall, Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, and Meddle.”
I do like Pink Floyd, though I can tell the music will color the trip a little differently. But driving round New Zealand in an old VW van seems like the perfect time to listen to them.
Later on in the story, they get one more cassette tape added to the mix, The Best of Free by Free (Paul Rodgers is the bomb), but it’s still a very 70’s rock feel.
Without further ado, here are some of the more poignant songs used during the book, as well as some extras I may have listened to for mood and content.
(PS, just as music forever colors my travel memories, I can’t listen to Pink Floyd now without thinking I went to New Zealand with Josh and Gemma…funny how that works).
- “One of These Days” – Pink Floyd (from Meddle) – this song is the first that they hear on their trip, slowly setting the tumultuous mood.
- “Fearless” – Pink Floyd (from Meddle) – being fearless become somewhat of a theme in this book and Josh latches onto this song.
- “Breathe (In the Air)” – Pink Floyd (from Dark Side of the Moon) – this calm, spacey jam is the music you’d hear while driving past sheep-filled green hills underneath a dizzying blue sky
- “Time” – Pink Floyd (from Darks Side of the Moon) – Because time is what you’re always running out of on vacation, isn’t it? The countdown to heartbreak is on for Josh and Gemma and this song especially resonates with Gemma later in the book.
“And you run and you run to catch up with the sun but it's sinking
Racing around to come up behind you again
The sun is the same in a relative way, but you're older
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death.”
- “Shine on You Crazy Diamond” – Pink Floyd (From Wish You Were Here) – Because Gemma is a wee bit crazy but Josh can’t seem to keep away.
- “Wish You Were Here” – Pink Floyd (From Wish You Were Here) – Cuz things get sad.
- “Mother” – Pink Floyd (from The Wall) – Josh and Gemma both have some mother issues
- “Young Lust” – Pink Floyd (from The Wall) – the title pretty much sums it up. Young Lust for both of them.
- “Hey You” – Pink Floyd (from The Wall) – “Hey you ! don't help them to bury the light
Don't give in without a fight” Josh tries many times to break through Gemma’s thorny defenses, to keep her open and prevent her from shutting down and shutting him out. It’s not always easy. He thinks this song about her.
- “Comfortably Numb” – Pink Floyd (from The Wall) – This is Gemma’s song. She sings it often and it epitomizes every part of her. She is numb, she is shut down, and it’s going to take a passionate, tireless boy like Josh to finally break her free.
- “Fire and Water” – Free (from The Best of Free) – “I don't wanna say goodbye mama
But look at the way you made me cry
Every way that's nice you show
You've got a heart that's made of ice
And I know.” – Josh slow dances on the beach with Gemma to this song. So very fitting for her.
- “All Right Now” – Free (from The Best of Free) – Because, finally, things are freaking all right…now!
- “Damned if She Do” – The Kills (from Blood Pressures)
- “Nail in my Coffin” – The Kills (from Blood Pressures)
- “I’m Not Driving Anymore” – Rob Dougan (Furious Angels)
Where Sea Meets Sky, Synopsis and Purchase Link
(stand-alone, no cliffhanger)
Joshua Miles has spent his early twenties spinning his wheels. Working dead-end jobs and living at home has left him exhausted and uninspired, with little energy to pursue his passion for graphic art. Until he meets Gemma Henare, a vivacious out-of-towner from New Zealand. What begins as a one-night stand soon becomes a turning point for Josh. He can’t get Gemma out of his head, even after she has left for home, and finds himself throwing caution to the wind for the first time in his life.
It’s not long before Josh is headed to New Zealand with only a backpack, some cash, and Gemma’s name to go on. But when he finally tracks her down, he finds his adventure is only just beginning. Equally infatuated, Gemma leads him on a whirlwind tour across the beautiful country, opening Josh up to life, lust, love, and all the messy heartache in between. Because, when love drags you somewhere, it might never let go—even when you know you have to say goodbye.
It’s not long before Josh is headed to New Zealand with only a backpack, some cash, and Gemma’s name to go on. But when he finally tracks her down, he finds his adventure is only just beginning. Equally infatuated, Gemma leads him on a whirlwind tour across the beautiful country, opening Josh up to life, lust, love, and all the messy heartache in between. Because, when love drags you somewhere, it might never let go—even when you know you have to say goodbye.
Author Bio: Meet the Fabulous Karina Halle
Karina Halle is the New York Times bestselling author of Where Sea Meets Sky, The Pact, Love in English, and other wild and romantic reads. A former travel writer and music journalist, she lives on an island off the coast of British Columbia with her husband and her rescue pup, where she drinks a lot of wine, hikes a lot of trails, and devours a lot of books.
Find Karina Online
Website: authorkarinahalle.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Karina-Halle/140649372629593
Twitter: @metalblonde
Instagram: @authorhalle
Find Karina Online
Website: authorkarinahalle.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Karina-Halle/140649372629593
Twitter: @metalblonde
Instagram: @authorhalle