Review: Beautiful and tragic
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 23, 2014
This review was kind of hard to write.  Not because I didn't like the book -- I loved it.  But because it was such an emotionally charged read.  I haven't quite settled on where to begin.Ash and Pete are very different guys with VERY different backgrounds.  Pete had a pretty normal upbringing and he's got an education and a good, but stressful, job as a paramedic.  Ash, on the other hand, grew up in foster care and then on the streets.  He has had a very tough go at life.  It is really amazing he made it to adulthood alive, much less mostly functioning.  He has deep mental issues and scars that tell of a history of abuse and self harm.My heart continually broke for Ash while reading this book.  He's been through so much.  Pete is one of the few people that Ash trusts, and even then, he does not talk about his past.  Watching his relationship with Pete develop is both beautiful and tragic.  Pete is really good for Ash, but in spite of his paramedic training, he doesn't always see what is going on with Ash.  At least until Ash breaks.  Watching that happen was pretty tough.I can already see that Garrett Leigh is going on my auto buy list.  Her writing is really fantastic.  This story is full of depth and angst and the characters - all of them, not just the MC's - are vividly drawn.  Definitely worth the read.