Review: Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker

Goodreads Summary:

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.

Publication Date: December 11, 2012

Just a warning, this is going to be a gushing review where I basically declare my love for this awesome book! I loved everything about it! This was definitely a character driven novel and so many of the scenes left me emotionally spent.

Kacey, the main character, has been through hell and back. A horrific drunk driving accident rips her parents, boyfriend and best friend from her in an instant. Kacey is the sole survivor, living with the emotional and physical repercussions from the accident. After her uncle tries to molest her little sister Livie, they take off to start over in Miami.

Kacey is very closed off emotionally at the start of the novel, but it’s easy to see glimpses of her softer side when it comes to her interactions with Livie. She’d do anything for her sister, including making an effort to befriend the neighbors that live in their new apartment building.

When Kacey meets her sexy new neighbor Trent, I was expecting the book to turn into scene after scene of the two of them doing it. This was so not what the book was like. Although there’s definitely some sexy scenes, a favorite being where Trent saves Kacey from a snake in the shower, it was really a story about two damaged characters learning how to heal and live and love again.

I did guess the twist, but it still didn’t make it any less heart wrenching. I wasn’t sure if I could handle Kacey not getting a happy ending. She really pulled at my heart and it was obvious how much of a risk she was taking by letting Trent in and opening up to him.

The secondary characters were all awesome and well written. Storm could have come off as a cliché, but she didn’t at all. I loved her and her daughter and was glad when the possibility of romance came into her life as well.

Loved the writing style too. The emotions of Kacey jumped off of the page and I felt like I was drowning in the pain, right alongside her. I honestly can’t praise this book enough, it was an absolutely fabulous NA book!

Rating: 5/5 Stars

A few favorite quotes:

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

“I barrel into his arms, my mouth connecting with his. Seizing him. Feeling him. Loving him.”

“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.”

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book for review!