Author: K.A. Tucker
Published: February 12th 2013
Publisher: Atria Books
Format: eBook | Pages: 262
Genre: NA, Contemporary, Romance
Source: Amazon
★★★★★ (5/5) Stars!!!
K.A. Tucker | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
Just breathe, Kacey. Ten tiny breaths. Seize them. Feel them. Love them.
Four years ago Kacey Cleary’s life imploded when her car was hit by a drunk driver, killing her parents, boyfriend, and best friend. Still haunted by memories of being trapped inside, holding her boyfriend’s lifeless hand and listening to her mother take her last breath, Kacey wants to leave her past behind. Armed with two bus tickets, twenty-year-old Kacey and her fifteen-year-old sister, Livie, escape Grand Rapids, Michigan, to start over in Miami. Struggling to make ends meet, Kacey needs to figure out how to get by. But Kacey’s not worried. She can handle anything—anything but her mysterious neighbor in apartment 1D.
Trent Emerson has smoldering blue eyes, deep dimples, and he perfectly skates that irresistible line between nice guy and bad boy. Hardened by her tragic past, Kacey is determined to keep everyone at a distance, but their mutual attraction is undeniable and Trent is determined to find a way into Kacey’s guarded heart—even if it means that an explosive secret could shatter both their worlds.
I had a feeling before I started that this was going to be a tough read. I didn't expect I'd have to take a break around 81% that would end up lasting a month. The only things I knew for sure going in were there was a lot of hype surrounding it and there was going to be a sexy guy named Trent that all the ladies seem to be swooning over. So with those things in mind I had always planned on some day picking up this book to see what all the fuss was about. Finally around the end of August I had that urge to finally start and I was sucked in instantly. The more I read though, the more I was filled with anxiety. I thought I figured out the secret early on and I didn't want it to be true. I kept thinking to myself, "Please! Just no..." Then at about 81% it happened. It was true.
Before Kacey died four years ago, and all that's left is a mess.
Kacey was really tough for me. There were times I was just downright burning with frustration over her. She's just so hard and so cold at times. Then other's she would whip out these sarcastic comments that had me laughing out loud. I had to continually remind myself of everything she went through and then put myself in her shoes before the aggravation would ease and I'd realize...I'd probably be walking that very same line she does. Closed off to the world, angry. It isn't until you see her interact with her sister Livie that you see glimpses of Before Kacey and the type of person she probably was. Because there is no doubt about the fact that she loves her deeply and would do anything for her. It really touched my heart.
"I want to make you smile. For real. Always."
Oh mercy... Trent. If I haven't made this perfectly clear at any point before this I do love the boys who are beautifully broken and mysterious and secretive the best, weird thing to say I know but it's true. Trent turns out to be all those things and more. Deep in my heart I know this guy has the best of intentions, as clouded and misguided as his judgement of the situation may have been. I was highly attached to him that was for sure. At times when he had every opportunity to take advantage of the situation and Kacey, instead he'd step back and try to pull the real her out, pull some emotion out of her, make her whole. Sure he makes mistakes but I definitely see what all the fuss and swooning is about.
I wink, putting on a brave face for her. "See you above water."
Since I literally knew next to nothing about this series going in I was shocked by the ending and then the epilogue being 3 years later. Not in a bad way, I guess I had always assumed that maybe the series would continue on with Trent and Kacey so I did something I never like to do. Normally I like to continue with a series and be surprised by everything so I never read the blurbs but I had to know what I was getting into so I rushed to Goodreads and read enough of each of the remaining books in the series to see who they were about and I am so freaking excited! If you've never read this series, you have no idea the amount of awesome secondary characters there were in this book and I found myself craving to know more about each and every one of them. I cannot wait to dive into each and every one of their stories and read their happily ever afters. This was such a good and emotional start to a series I'm already in love with. Time to hit up Amazon!
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