Review: 4 to 4.5 damaged stars
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 09 25, 2013
(Quote)If we allow it to, the numbness can drown out everything, even the spark of life inside us. And eventually the person we once were is nothing but a vanishing memory.Two broken people trying to numb the pain from terrible losses and guilt. they both have ways of coping, not all of them healthy and they have disconnected themselves from feelings and others.Nova has suffered terrible losses under difficult circumstances. She used to be a happy, vivacious girl. But now she isolates herself except for her new best friend, Delilah and has multiple psychological and anxiety issues stemming from her past. She uses control to manage her anxiety and pain."People say that time heals all wounds, and maybe they're right....But what if the wounds don't heal correctly, like when cuts leave behind nasty scars, or when broken bones mend together, but aren't as smooth anymore? ...Does it mean they're really healed?"Quinton feels guilty, sad, lost , and adrift. He used to be the good, responsible, son but one day changed everything and sent his life spiraling out of control. He moves in with his cousin, Tristan and friend Dylan. His past has irrevocably scarred him and left him a changed young man with little support and no life plan. He really feels dead and wishes he was. Some of the glimpses we see of the sweet, humorous Quinton I loved, but other times I just wanted to shake sense into him. I really felt the good guy was still in there though he did not believe it.(Quote)I get high, I draw meaningless shit, and I f***. That's it. Because if I do anything else, my life will have purpose, and I deserve to be miserable until my life comes to an end, which is hopefully soon.Nova and Delilah begin hanging out with Dylan, Tristan, and Quinton. Slowly, Nova and Quinton forge a tentative friendship. They are both guarded, fearful, and feel guilty about making new connections or showing any feelings. But alcohol, drugs, avoidance only numb for awhile and they are never truly free of the darkness from their pasts. But as they spend more time together and open up, they find common thread in their pasts and present. But their lives are complicated by both present circumstances and the past. And in order to truly move on, they must face their past head on and quit hiding.But will they be able to do that or continue down the destructive path?My heart broke multiple times for both of them. Their lives were changed and damaged by events they had no control over. But they both blamed themselves and suffered terrible guilt and heart break. they were confused, lost, and struggling to cope. But through the pain and heart break we begin to see small seeds of change and hope.(Quote)Stuff happens. We get lost. We try to control what will happen. We give up. We do things that don't make sense. We search for thing in the wrongest of ways. We lose our way, but sometimes, if we're really , really strong, we manage to find our way back.We already know that Jessica Sorensen writes about damaged couples. But I honestly think Nova and Quinton were the most dark and damaged so far...and that is saying something if you look at Ella and Micha and Callie and Kayden! It was so hard to reach them and even their connection and romance was not as strong as the other couples simply because they did not have the ability to truly feel, give, and face all they needed to in order to progress. But there was no doubt they touched each other in a deep way when they both needed it.I have to admit that I got a little sick of the drug use and it was hard to like some of the characters due to their behavior. It kept me tense, sad, and heart broken. I was angered and frustrated often. Sometimes it made me happy and other times made me tear up from the strong emotions and pain. It was gut wrenching, raw, difficult, and definitely not a pretty sweet romance story. This was truly Nova's story and journey of self discovery, and not a true romance. It was about making connections, opening up, forgiveness, hope, and trying to find a way to look forward and move on. Their story is not over. Quinton's story is definitely not over. I am looking forward for them developing more in the next book .