Review: Sweet Romance
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 02 22, 2014
I gave Before You Break 3.5 Stars."This boy-this man-was asking for the moon and the stars. And I was willing to shoot us straight off the map. And offer him the entire universe."As soon as I read the very first page and the tears formed, I knew I was in for an emotional read, Ella's story grasped me straight away and I couldn't wait to read more.Quinn has been consumed with guilt since the death of his best friend. A chain of events led to the accident that took Sebastian's life, yet Quinn could only see himself as the cause. Quinn couldn't see a way out of the darkness and entertained suicidal thoughts. When he reached out for help via a suicide prevention helpline, little did he know, Gabby would bring him back from the brink, in more ways than one.I really liked the subject matter of the story, I think suicide is prevalent in society today and I loved that this subject was highlighted and brought to the forefront. The story was about acceptance; for Quinn to accept this his friend was no longer alive and that he could not live Sebastian's life for him. Above all, it was about Quinn coming to terms with the accident and accepting that he was not to blame. With Ella's physical presence and Gabby's listening ear, Quinn was able to find hope in the darkness that once consumed him.Ella was a tough girl with plenty of issues of her own. She had grieved for her brother and turned his suicide into something helpful, she dedicated her life to helping others, no matter how small her role may be, she wanted to reach out and make a difference to people when they were at their lowest. Ella was a strong, independent girl but she had to work up the courage to sever the last link to her brother. She held on to her boyfriend Joel for all the wrong reasons and I was glad when she finally came to her senses.I did have one little issue with the story, ok it might be a slightly big one, as it was the crux of the storyline but I struggled to believe Ella and Quinn didn't recognise each other's voices when talking via the helpline. At first, perhaps they wouldn't have known each other that well but they did socialise in the same circles before they got intimate and I questioned why they wouldn't recognise each other. Especially when Ella knew Daniel's voice so well, "I didn't know anything about him except how his voice sounded during the different emotions he'd expressed. How it was rougher when he was on the verge of tears. Had a dignified inflection when he was more optimistic." couldn't the same be said for Quinn's? That was my personal little niggle and perhaps it held me back loving Quinn and Ella's story completely but it would in no way impede your enjoyment of their journey.I enjoyed Christina Lee's writing style; the dual point of view worked well and enabled me as a reader to connect to both characters. The chemistry between Quinn and Ella was captured greatly and the sexual tension was palpable. I found myself highlighting many passages as they were beautifully phrased and really captured the romance between Ella and Quinn. I would have liked more depth with regards to Ella's relationship with her friends Avery and Rachel, I felt their closeness was a little forced at times, I didn't feel their lifelong connection and felt that could've been nurtured more. This would've helped the build up for Rachel's story next. With that being said, Christina's writing has grown wonderfully since the first book and I do look forward to reading more of her work.Before You Break was a good new adult story, fans of the genre will enjoy reading about Ella and Quinn and their emotional journey they embark on. It's definitely worth a read. ~Ava*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*