Review: A Toucing & Poignant Story With A Swoon Worthy Romance!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 18, 2014
THE STORY:This is certainly a very intense and emotional story. Quinn is struggling to deal with the pain and guilt from a tragedy years earlier, and is living a life he never really wanted. He's confused and alone and calls in a desperate moment calls a helpline after contemplating suicide. On the other end of the line is Ella, and over several phone calls they build a connection, with Ella helping him learn how to forgive himself and heal.Meanwhile at college, Ella and Quinn, begin a new friendship, unaware their paths have already crossed. As they get to know one another the heat and attraction between them is undeniable and they embark on a intense and emotional romance. However when they discover their unlikely connection, will it bring them closer together or break them apart forever?THE CHARACTERS:Ella is an incredibly compassionate and caring character. She's had such a terrible loss at a young age, and through tragic circumstances, but instead of breaking down she uses it as motivation to help others. She's not perfect and does make mistakes, but that just made her all the more relatable.Quinn is such a tortured soul and racked with guilt. He has such a low image of himself, he can't even see how incredible he really is. He doesn't feel worthy of Ella and is reluctant to become intimate with her until he can completely commit to her. He's a very genuine and kind guy, and it was so rewarding to watch him overcome his issues and forgive himself.THE ROMANCE:The chemistry between Quinn and Ella was perfect. From their first scene together, you could feel their attraction, but it the beauty of their romance was the slow burn. It developed slowly, building their relationship with a perfect mix of sweet and steamy interactions. It was beautiful to see that the romance is kept separate from the 'healing' part of the story. Neither character's issues where resolved purely because they fall in love. They support and help one another, but ultimately they heal themselves, and for me that made their romance so much more special!THE WRITING:With most books it takes at least a few of chapters for me to start to connect with the characters and their story. However within the first couple of pages I was already emotionally invested and teared up at their very first conversation. THAT is an example of how amazing Christina's writing is. I also felt she respected the very serious topic of suicide. She doesn't gloss over it or simplify it to make the subject more palatable, instead it's the centre of the story and highlights how it effects so many people is so many different ways.FINAL WORD:Before You Break is a touching and poignant story of heartbreak, forgiveness and the power of letting go.CONTENT:Sexuality: medium / some descriptive sex scenesViolence: mildLanguage: medium / some f wordsDrugs & alcohol: medium / characters drink ad get drunk in one sceneOther: suicide is a major theme throughout the book