Ten Tiny Breaths by K. A. Tucker: The Review

Title: Ten Tiny BreathsAuthor: K. A. TuckerPublisher: Atria BooksBuy This Book: Book Depository / 

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 neighbour 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. 

Ten Tiny Breaths by K. A. Tucker = My First Ever Galley (Courtesy of NetGalley). Sorry for the caps and underlining there but it's kind of a big deal. I have been really interested in getting galleys for a long time. I work in a library and it would be amazing to be able to have books in mind to order in before they have even been published and way before customers start coming in to request them. This is perfect. I can read the book, then get the joy of reviewing, whilst also deciding if it's something we should have in our library. So when I got my first ever approval I have to admit I was rather excited. Probably embarrassingly so. There may have been some fist in the air, diving for the kindle, screaming "I got one" moments. Ten Tiny Breaths caught my eye for one reason & one reason only: The amazing cover! It really is just strikingly beautiful and did it's job. I immediately stopped my browsing and read the blurb for it.It sounded intriguing, was under young adult fiction (my favourite kind) and, although maybe not entirely my type of book, I immediately wanted to read it. 

Kacey Cleary's life fell apart the night a drunk driver hit her parents car; killing her parents, boyfriend and best friend.She has been haunted by dreams ever since, reliving it over and over and over again. She shuts everyone out and turns to drink, drugs and meaningless sex to cope. When she moves with her sister to Miami she is prepared for everything, well everything but the people she meets there. It never occurred to her that after so long of pushing people away; she might actually find someone she wants to let in. 

I absolutely loved Storm, Kacey's new next door neighbour. When she first burts onto the scene in this book I was sure she would be a secondary character that pops in and out; that I have absolutely no like or dislike for. I was surprised to find that this character was given much more than that, and I absolutely grew to love her and her little girl Mia. 

Kacey's sister Livvie is another character that I found myself falling in love with. She seemed so real and the way she was struggling to deal with the change in her sister since the accident seemed so believable to me.

Trent is the guy from apartment 1D and Kacey is immediately attracted to him. But she is still determined to not let him get close to her. But Trent is persistent and eventually breaks down all the walls Kacey has built for herself. As characters go, I must admit that Trent was actually my least favourite. I fell in love with the secondary characters so much more, Mia, Storm & Livvie stole my heart.

 This was classed under Young Adult Fiction but I think it is more suited for a higher age range. I think it would actually be perfect in my library as we have has a steep increase in the number of people looking for romance books like this. I believe it's from the fallout of the whole Fifty Shades of Grey craze.

As I have mentioned in previous books, I am not the biggest fan of romance books and less so of the kinds of books that have begun filling the bookshelves since Fifty Shades. We've all seen them, the black covers with a random object on the front; like a shoe, a necklace, a tie etc. and words like seducing, forbidden and secret in the title.

I have read a few and mostly found them badly written, with characters that have 0 substance and that I want to hit rather than root for. Most I read seemed like badly written trash- Thoughtless by S C Stephens & Fifty Shades to jump to mind. To the ones that had great potential that were absolutely ruined - The Boy Who Sneaks in my Bedroom Window being one example. It was absolutely rare that I found one that I genuinely enjoyed; Slammed by Colleen Hoover is absolutely amazing and I loved it; even the bits I audibly cringed my way through (soppy romance is so not me)

Thankfully in this case I had characters I loved, good writing and a decent storyline that even though you can see where it's going at times you don't mind. I would definately buy it in at the library for our romance collection, personally wouldn't buy it for my own collection. But if you are a fan of romance, need your next fix since Fifty Shades, Thoughtless and so many others than this book is definately for you. 

3/5 Stars

*I received a copy of this novel from the author/publisher/publicist via Netgalley in exchange for a free and honest review and received no monetary compensation for this review.