Review: In Review: Pieces of Olivia (Charleston Haven #1) by Melissa West
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 15, 2014
I really, really enjoyed Pieces of Olivia. It packed an emotional punch, but was never TOO much. I’m all for angst, but I definitely wasn’t in the mood for that when I picked this book up. It made me feel the feels without feeling hopeless and I can’t really ask for more than that.Olivia was a great character. The reader didn’t know her full story for quite awhile into the book and I enjoyed learning bits and pieces as the truth was revealed. Her past was a painful one and my heart broke for her. I can’t imagine going through all she did and still remaining upright. She was strong… just how I like my main female characters. I freaking loved Preston. Talk about a totally swoon-worthy book boyfriend. He was hiding a painful secret from his past, as well. Olivia and Preston had a ton of chemistry and they could easily relate to each other because of their pasts. I loved the slow build of their relationship from acquaintance to friendship to more. It made it all the more realistic.There was no love triangle, but Olivia’s friendship with her roommate and Preston’s best friend, Kara, was an obstacle. Olivia didn’t know full extent of Preston and Kara’s history, but she suspected it was more than just friendship. Regardless, she didn’t want to make things awkward with Kara or Preston, even if they were just friends, so she tried to fight her attraction to Preston. You can guess how well that worked out.The characters in Pieces of Olivia all had their own secrets to keep. Some of them were shocking, others not so much. The big “twist” wasn’t that much of a surprise to me. It did, however, make things a little awkward for the reader… and the characters, too, I would imagine. The minor characters like Kara and Olivia’s therapist played a huge role in this story and the growth of the characters. Even with the secrets being kept and the gut-wrenching reaction I had to one of them, I still managed to like all the characters. I hope to get more of each of their stories in the upcoming books in this series.This is the first of Melissa West’s books that I’ve read and I assure you it won’t be the last. I’m excited to read more of her Charleston Haven series. The next book is Kara’s and I’m interested to see where it goes. Come on, December!I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.