Review: So far, So Very Good!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 12, 2013
[Emotional Rating: 4.5 stars]The Merrick family has strong abilities that target them for termination. Their parents died trying to protect them, causing a shift in family roles. Each brother also carries the burden of guilt, which manifest in various ways. Michael, the oldest, is the struggling caregiver trying to keep his family together. Gabriel is the problem child, lashing out and struggling to control his fire element. Chris, the little brother and quiet one, misses the closeness he felt to his oldest brother and feels left out of the twin's bond. Nick's role as peacekeeper plays throughout the novels. Balancing his brothers tempestuousness with his control; mediating Michael and Gabriel's skirmishes. Nick has his own issues. This short story reveals his secret thoughts and feelings.Breathless, another well-written story, proves critical to the series. Nick's secrets will impact his family, especially his twin. In previous books, his character seemed the least interesting of the bunch. Not anymore! Nick's private struggles are absolutely gripping! Of all the brothers, his character has been the most contained, except for one episode in Spark. Boy, do his passions run deep! Being the rock of the family makes his `issues' all the more riveting. There's so much on the horizon for the Merricks and Elementals. Another positive of Breathless is Quinn, Nick's girlfriend and best friend to Chris's girlfriend Becca, finally demonstrates depth of character.The intensity is amped up in this young adult paranormal romance series. I want more!Quote"And then she recognized the uncertainty in his eyes, the mixture of worry and fear and panicand need. She struggled with acceptance every day--she'd never considered that someone like Nick Merrick would be struggling with the same thing. He's seemed like such a rock, such a steady, put-together guy, and she'd latched on to him, hoping to find some security.He was really just as screwed up as she was."