Title: Before You Break
Series: Between Breaths
Author: Christina Lee
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
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Synopsis:
A sexy, emotional New Adult romance about a bad boy on the edge and a good girl about to lose control…
The star catcher of the college baseball team isn’t supposed to have skeletons in his closet. But Daniel Quinn is hiding a guilty past so dark he refuses to let anyone get close. Except there’s something about gorgeous, studious Ella Abrams that goes beyond the electric attraction between them—something that makes him want to open up.
Ella has suffered enough heartache and guilt to fill one of her psychology textbooks, but she keeps that part of herself hidden behind a bubbly exterior. Until she receives an anonymous call while working the suicide helpline and the voice on the other end touches something inside of her that she can’t ignore.
Soon Ella and Quinn’s physical connection heats up, even as their deep and revealing hotline talks intensify. But by the time Ella realizes that her seductive jock and her sensitive caller are the same guy, it might be too late to save him—or to stop herself from falling too far.
Review:
Sometimes when you’re lost, only the right person can help you find yourself.
There are books that change your life, that touch you in a deeper way. This was one of them. It changed my view on many things, and it helped me look at life differently.
I can’t figure out how to put into words the way I feel about this book. It hit very close to home, because just like Ella, I’m a suicide survivor.
Before you break made me reflect on how much around us really stops us from breaking.
“We all have moments we wish we could take back… Our actions may change the course of someone’s life, without us realizing it.”
Ella comes from a big polish family who survived a tragedy. Her brother Christopher committed suicide. After much therapy and time, she has been able to resume her life, volunteering at a suicide prevention center, attempting to stop others from taking their life as her brother did.
But Ella hasn’t really quite moved on. She’s stuck in the wrong relationship just to feel closer in a way, to her brother. When she starts falling for Quinn, she starts seeing the possibility of real happiness.
Daniel Quinn comes from what seems to be the perfect family. But the only son of a politician carries a burden, and an amount of guilt the size of a blue whale. Three years ago Quinn got into an accident where his best friend was killed. He has yet to forgive himself and believes that it was his fault, making him consider taking his own life. He shouldn’t be alive if his best friend died at his hands.
“And that kind of devastation is the hardest to bear,” she said with such empathy in her voice. “I know.”
“But… how can I live if he’s dead?’
‘Because you just have to. For you. You, Daniel… To make your life mean something. No matter how small. And it can’t mean anything if you’re walking around dead.”
When he starts falling for Ella, he begins to feel hopeful about the possibility of more.
“Do you think you deserve her?”
“I’m not sure, but I’m sure as hell trying to be worthy of her.”
Fate brings Quinn and Ella together in a way you do not expect and while getting to know each other, they get to know themselves.
The emotions in this book were so REAL! I sympathized with both characters. Guilt is a powerful emotion and it can make us consider doing things we would never in a million years think about. This was a beautifully crafted story that touched me in such a big way. It’s hard to move on and be happy when loved ones are missing. It makes you feel like you’re cheating them if you enjoy life without them. Quinn and Ella realize that if those gone truly loved us, they wouldn’t want us to be miserable at all.
As Quinn and Ella spend more time together they fall in love. Which is good because sometimes when life is so dark, love is the only way we can see the light.
“The day I can bury myself inside of you is the day I know for sure that you’re mine. All mine. Only mine. And anything other than that isn’t good enough.”
Christina Lee wrote a beautiful story that is not only touching but also brings awareness to a delicate subject. I loved every word and it’s positive message of how important it is to forgive in order to heal.
Her writing is addictive and I cannot wait for more.
About the Author
Mother, wife, reader, dreamer. Christina lives in the Midwest with her husband and son–her two favorite guys.
She’s addicted to lip gloss and salted caramel everything. She believes in true love and kissing, so writing romance novels has become a dream job.
Author of the Between Breaths series from Penguin/InterMix. ALL OF YOU and BEFORE YOU BREAK available now, WHISPER TO ME on May 20th, 2014.
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To win a copy of Before You Break, enter the Giveaway below.
The Breakfast Blog 
Thank you so much for the post and giveaway! Before You Break sounds so different than anything I’ve read, and I’d love the chance to win a copy. Fingers crossed! 🙂
This is a wonderful review. Nice job Schedar! ❤
I am excited to read this book, hopefully soon! 😀
Just by the synopsis I’m drawn in, and with your thoughts, I think I’ll look into buying this book. Great review.