Review: Heartbreaking story filled with hope, steam, and forgiveness.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 02 18, 2014
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: Heartbreaking story filled with hope, steam, and forgiveness. New adult romance fans will really enjoys this emotional roller costar ride.Opening Sentence: Daddy, please.The Review:Ella Abrams wants to make a difference in her life. While she was in high school one of her brothers committed suicide. Ella has always wondered if she could have done something different that may have helped him change his mind. Now she is in college where she is majoring in psychology and works for a suicide hotline. She couldn’t save her brother, but maybe she can save someone else. One night she receives an anonymous call and the broken boy on the other end just might be that one person she can really help.Daniel Quinn is the star catcher of the college baseball team and on the outside his life seems perfect. But Quinn has a dark past full of regret and heartache. All these years he has kept everything bottled up and letting anyone in his heart is out of the question. Sometimes he wonders if it is even worth living anymore. Then he gets to know the beautiful Ella, and something about her makes him realize that he might just deserve happiness. But if he is going to ever really be with her he has to tell her everything, and she may not like the man she sees underneath.Ella is one of those girls that just shines. She has had some serious heartache in her life, but she turned it into something positive. She genuinely cares about other people and is going into a profession where she will be able to use her experiences to help others. I admired her strength and hope that she always seemed to possess even during the tough times. But she was also a normal girl with normal insecurities that made her easy to relate to.Quinn is a very diverse character because it’s like he’s living two lives. In one life he is the confident, hot star baseball player. Then there is the broken boy that has never been able to get over his tragic past, and contemplates committing suicide. It was interesting to see how his two sides blended together and the way it affected him. I actually felt really bad for Quinn and found that he was easy to like. It was beautiful to watch how love and just someone to talk to can completely change your life.This was a heartbreaking book full of hope, forgiveness, and love. Even though there were some pretty serious subjects covered in this book, Lee did a great job of lightening the tone so it wasn’t a really depressing read. The characters were developed well and very likable. The romance had the perfect amount of steamy moments mixed with tension. It was a pretty short read and I found that once I picked it up, I flew right through it. I have thoroughly enjoyed all of Lee’s books that I have read and I’m excited to see what she comes out with next. I would highly recommend this to anyone that is looking for a great heartfelt new adult romance series.Notable Scene:Her eyes skated over my shoulders, down my chest, to the front of my shorts. If she hadn’t had a clue how much she’d affected me, she would now,Gazes pinned on each other, we both seemed to lose the ability to form coherent sentences. I was close enough to draw her into my arms and kiss the hell out of her, but I restrained myself.The air between us was charged. It was obvious and imposing. My knees quivered as my urge to hold her amplified. To press my nose along her collarbone and taste her skin.Ella was biting her lip so hard, I wondered if she’d draw blood.Looking into her bright-blue eyes, I noticed her dark and thick lashes, the pretty rose color splashed across her cheeks, and the dainty hop earrings she wore in her ears.Both of our fists clenched tight, it was a if time stood still. Waiting on something to happen. For one of us to make a move. For someone to walk in and spot us huddled so closely together.My own breaths were broken and rough and all at once Ella squeezed her eyes closed and inhaled sharply.“Ella…” I closed the distance between us and placed my fingers on her warm arm. “Are you…”I didn’t even know what I was asking. I was los in her earthy smell, her soft skin beneath my touch, and her lips, moist because she had run her tongue across them.I noticed how her nipples had pebbled beneath her swim top.“Do you want…” I skimmed my hand up her shoulder to the nape of her neck and she shivered against my touch. She gazed into my eyes and took firm breaths through her nose.FTC Advisory: Intermix/Penguin provided me with a copy of Before You Break. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.