Ten Tiny Breaths Review

Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker
Series: Ten Tiny Breaths #1
Published by Papoti Books on December 11, 2012
Genres: New Adult
Format: eARC
Source: Netgalley
Goodreads

Kacey Cleary’s whole life imploded four years ago in a drunk-driving accident. Now she’s working hard to bury the pieces left behind—all but one. Her little sister, Livie. Kacey can swallow the constant disapproval from her born-again aunt Darla over her self-destructive lifestyle; she can stop herself from going kick-boxer crazy on Uncle Raymond when he loses the girls’ college funds at a blackjack table. She just needs to keep it together until Livie is no longer a minor, and then they can get the hell out of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

But when Uncle Raymond slides into bed next to Livie one night, Kacey decides it’s time to run. Armed with two bus tickets and dreams of living near the coast, Kacey and Livie start their new lives in a Miami apartment complex, complete with a grumpy landlord, a pervert upstairs, and a neighbor with a stage name perfectly matched to her chosen “profession.” But Kacey’s not worried. She can handle all of them. What she can’t handle is Trent Emerson in apartment 1D.

Kacey doesn’t want to feel. She doesn’t. It’s safer that way. For everyone. But sexy Trent finds a way into her numb heart, reigniting her ability to love again. She starts to believe that maybe she can leave the past where it belongs and start over. Maybe she’s not beyond repair.

But Kacey isn’t the only one who’s broken. Seemingly perfect Trent has an unforgiveable past of his own; one that, when discovered, will shatter Kacey’s newly constructed life and send her back into suffocating darkness.

   Rose’s Review        

“Just breathe. Ten tiny breaths … Seize them. Feel them. Love them.”  

 I got lost in this book. I loved it. The main characters were exactly what I liked. Kacey is tough as nails and hard hitting (no, like literally, she kick boxes!) She uses her meanness as a defense mechanism to keep everyone at arms length, well perhaps even further. She has an issue with touching. She wants no one to touch her, especially not her hands. While this is odd, her back story makes this phobia completely plausible.

“You don’t want me, Ben. I’m seven layers of fucked up with a side of bullshit.”

Enter Trent. Sigh. He is my idea of the perfect hero. He is intelligent, strong (he can bust down not one, but TWO doors!!!) good looking (of course) and very sweet to Kacey. His one major desire is to help Kacey be whole again, to help her heal. I am a sucker for a guy who wants to be a girl’s hero. Couple that with Trent never drinking and always trying to be respectful and in control of his actions, and he is a super sexy book boyfriend.

“I don’t hate you. I could never hate you. Give me your heart, Kacey. I’ll take everything that comes with it.”

“I’ll make you whole again, Kacey. I promise you, I will.”

The secondary characters were likable as well. Single mom Storm and her daughter Mia are easily loveable as is Kacey’s sister, Livie. In fact, there were no characters in this book that I didn’t find interesting. The book built slowly, but was never boring. At the climax of the plot I guessed what was coming, but up until that point, I never saw it!!! It hit me all at once and I literally exclaimed out loud and stared slack jawed at my kindle. I did not want to believe it to be true. I was impressed with Ms. Tucker’s writing style and technique. She completely caught me off guard. I knew something had to happen because things were a little too perfect, but was surprised that the author was able to stun me.

“I can feel his very existence as if it’s wrapping its hand around my soul, cradling it, trying to protect it from harm and I’m terrified. Terrified because I don’t ever want the feeling to end.”

The only thing I did not like about this book was that it ended. I wanted to keep reading! I cannot wait to read the next book in this series. Even though the next book is about Livie, I am still hoping we get a little more information on Kacey and Trent. So the ultimate question, did I get my HEA? Well, you gotta read it to find out!!! I promise you, if you liked The Edge of Never by J.A. Redmerski or Flat Out Love by Jessica Park, try Ten Tiny Breaths. (These books are not necessarily the same, but they have the same feel to them, or perhaps they affected me on somewhat of the same level.)

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