Review: Brilliant author and wonderful book
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 11 21, 2013
How do you start over in life when guilt is your go to emotion?  When running is the first solution you have when life becomes to much?  That is what part of this story is about.  It also dives into how you can lose yourself when you focus on others expectations for you and forget you had your own dreams.  Two young adults, strapped in guilt and responsibilities that aren't even theirs to own, try to find out their new normal together.Sophia finally finds the courage to leave her parents house and run after years of knowing she will never live up to who they want her to be.  She finds a new place to call home and tries to forget the nightmares and memories that consume her every day.  She lives on nerve medication and fear and even though she believes she can build a new Sophia in a new place, she doesn't understand she has to find the REAL Sophia first.  She has to let go of past events and learn to live in the memory of those she lost, not try to forget them.Corbin is tied down to his life in this small town by memories, anger, lies and knowing he has to protect everyone in his life.  He is proof that it is easier to take care of others than to learn to take care of yourself.  He was lost, he had no clue who the real Corbin was any more.  He resented what he did for others, but he knew his guilt was already to much to accept.  Why would he try to live his life for himself and create more guilt?  He had to decide if he was even worth trying to break free from the chains of his past.Sophia caught is attention and he was confused as to why she invaded his every thought.  She was a bundle of crazy, taking pills, panicking at times that made no sense to him.  She was hiding something and even though he didn't think he wanted to find out what those secrets were, his heart demanded he try.  He knew if they were to make it in life he would have to share his shameful secrets, could he do that?TJ Hannah did a brilliant job with her character development.  She wrote a story about  a group of people who all have their own baggage but they came together to create a family.  They prove that sometimes the family you build is stronger than the family you were born with.  She showed us characters that were so lost in the negative tapes that constantly played in their heads, they forgot to see that they had good qualities too.  We watched Sophia and Corbin realize that they have to let people love them. To accept that they are lovable and most of all they have to accept that once the truth is out, they can truly find themselves and build the life they want.As I was half way through the book I felt that this was going to be another book of two tragic lives, finding each other and live happily ever after, but about two thirds of the way into the book, the author gives us a huge shake up and finally all of the pieces come together and we see this story was more intense than I expected.  Once Corbin exposes the lies he has carried his whole life and accepts the truth, it was like I had found my way out of the maze.  I am impressed that the author was able to write a story that created the same emotions and feelings for both the readers and characters.  The curtain had been pulled back and we feel a sense of relief when we get the message the author was trying to give us.  I have to be honest, I adore this book.  I learn a lot about myself while reading it, I saw the same characteristics in Corbin as I have in myself.  He realized that sometimes protecting others is just another way of protecting yourself from accepting the truth and dealing with confrontation, but you are never truly free till the lies are gone.  I HIGHLY recommend this book, I can hardly wait to read more of her work.She is on my list of brilliant and insightful authors.