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Hollow Ridge #2
Breathe
You’d think five years would be enough time to cope and move on.
It’s not.
If anything, it’s given me more unrealistic ways to deal with my loss.
More pain.
And even worse, a woman I don’t love.
A woman that isn’t her.
I hate her.
She hates me, too.
My life’s a mess.
My heart’s nonexistent.
My soul was lost long ago.
Worst of all, I no longer have any fucks to give.
They say you find your true love after you lose your first one.
I call bullshit.
It’s not.
If anything, it’s given me more unrealistic ways to deal with my loss.
More pain.
And even worse, a woman I don’t love.
A woman that isn’t her.
I hate her.
She hates me, too.
My life’s a mess.
My heart’s nonexistent.
My soul was lost long ago.
Worst of all, I no longer have any fucks to give.
They say you find your true love after you lose your first one.
I call bullshit.
391 pages
Published April 14, 2020
About the author
C.L. Matthews
42 books1,792 followersC.L. Matthews is a USA TODAY Bestselling Author who lives in lala-landia with their husband and invisible friends. They're queer and Mexican-American, and love to write as many diverse characters as they can. They want to riot the lack of authentic Mexican food in their state but will settle for cooking their own dishes in the meantime. They enjoys tacos, Red Bull, and warm water, because they're crazy. They're an oddball and realize it’s been mentioned before, just go with it. Their joys in life consist of writing unconventional romances, making book covers, causing havoc to her reader’s hearts, and genre-hopping when they need a change of scenery. They're a special kind of weird and enjoy every moment of it.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 155 reviews
February 24, 2020
Full of depth and emotion, Breathe is beautifully written. The pain and angst drip from each page, spreading through your chest in the best of ways.
I’m so proud of C.L., not just because she’s one of my best friends, but because with each project, she proves she’s an incredibly talented writer. Her ability to dig deep and make you love her characters, flaws and all, is truly something special.
I’m so proud of C.L., not just because she’s one of my best friends, but because with each project, she proves she’s an incredibly talented writer. Her ability to dig deep and make you love her characters, flaws and all, is truly something special.
April 18, 2020
This series is just not for me.
The writing style is dramatic and the story is a train wreck.
The Hero, if we can call him that, is the other man from book 1, he and the heroine have such a toxic relationship.
It's one of those books that you read and really feel they would have been better off with other people as they have set about to hurt each other so much that there is no coming back from it.
The book deals with alcoholism and cutting, not huge detail on the cutting, it's more about the drinking.
The Hero and heroine end up married.
The book is split to past and present and jumps back and forth all the time, every few chapters, they are all marked clearly.
The Hero thinks the heroine has cheated on him and despite her denying it, he doesn't believe so he regularly has sex with other women, even sending her pictures.
Isn't he a peach??
He has all sorts of warped up issues that lead to this behaviour.
What amazes me is the heroine has a tragic story too, her father's treatment of her and she was attacked and raped with awful consequences when she was younger but
instead of her now being treasured by a man who adores her she is treated like this.
And she didn't cheat but is only with the Hero after meeting him while he gets to have loads of sex with random women, but it's okay as he thinks of his wife while he is.
When he returns even though he smells of another woman and she knows he's cheating, she lets him have sex with her too.
They regularly have hate sex, there is a lot of sex after all she can't resist when he touches her.
She finally has enough but the grovel for me isn't big enough.
There is some history from book 1 and the couple from that book appear to sort out issues with the Hero from this book.
Some intimate scenes with other women, some detail.
HEA.
If you believe it.
Breadcrumbs dropped for another toxic relationship for a future story. I think I'm going to call it a day on the series.
For me some Heroes go beyond redemption.
The writing style is dramatic and the story is a train wreck.
The Hero, if we can call him that, is the other man from book 1, he and the heroine have such a toxic relationship.
It's one of those books that you read and really feel they would have been better off with other people as they have set about to hurt each other so much that there is no coming back from it.
The book deals with alcoholism and cutting, not huge detail on the cutting, it's more about the drinking.
The Hero and heroine end up married.
The book is split to past and present and jumps back and forth all the time, every few chapters, they are all marked clearly.
The Hero thinks the heroine has cheated on him and despite her denying it, he doesn't believe so he regularly has sex with other women, even sending her pictures.
Isn't he a peach??
He has all sorts of warped up issues that lead to this behaviour.
What amazes me is the heroine has a tragic story too, her father's treatment of her and she was attacked and raped with awful consequences when she was younger but
instead of her now being treasured by a man who adores her she is treated like this.
And she didn't cheat but is only with the Hero after meeting him while he gets to have loads of sex with random women, but it's okay as he thinks of his wife while he is.
When he returns even though he smells of another woman and she knows he's cheating, she lets him have sex with her too.
They regularly have hate sex, there is a lot of sex after all she can't resist when he touches her.
She finally has enough but the grovel for me isn't big enough.
There is some history from book 1 and the couple from that book appear to sort out issues with the Hero from this book.
Some intimate scenes with other women, some detail.
HEA.
If you believe it.
Breadcrumbs dropped for another toxic relationship for a future story. I think I'm going to call it a day on the series.
For me some Heroes go beyond redemption.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
April 21, 2020NOW LIVE!
Breathe can be read as a STANDALONE. You don't have to read Inhale, Exhale to enjoy Breathe, it only creates a deeper emotional connection.
Amazon: mybook.to/breathe
Breathe can be read as a STANDALONE. You don't have to read Inhale, Exhale to enjoy Breathe, it only creates a deeper emotional connection.
Amazon: mybook.to/breathe
April 14, 2020
Breathe By C.L. Matthews
(Hollow Ridge #2)
5 TRUE LOVE STARS ⭐️
Another book to be add to my list of the best 2020.
I don’t know how to start this review, this book has everything I love in a book , ANGST, FEELS , CHEMISTRY , MEMORABLE SCENES , I CANT ASK FOR MORE.
Toby is a character I’m going to take the boldness to call a Villain , no because he’s bad but because he is so Broken and damaged by someone on his past , that to survive he has to protect his really damaged heart and put it really far away with no keys so no one can open it again but Joey a very young chef finds the keys to that beautiful man heart , It’s that enough ? That’s the question here but to know the answer you have to put yourself to a ride of broken hearts and intense feelings.
This two people , they were beyond chemistry Ufffff SO MUCH PASSION , I thought my IPad was about to explode with some scenes specially the sex ones 🔥 & let’s no talk about Joey background cuz I’m gonna start crying again 😭
I haven’t read anything like this series and I am greedy for more so I need Francis story like RIGHT NOW.
I’m gonna take the time to admire this author style and writing , I’m so glad I find her so now I need everything she puts out cuz the kind of heart on those story’s is not something you can find so easily.
____________________________ SPANISH
Otro libro que añadir a mi lista de lo mejor del año.
No se de que manera empezar esta reseña, pero este libro tiene todo lo que yo aprecio de una historia , DRAMA, SENTIMIENTO , ESCENAS MEMORABLES , NO PUEDO PEDIR MAS.
Toby es un personaje que voy a tener el atrevimiento de llamar villano no porque sea malo sino porque esta tan roto y dañado por alguien de su pasado que para sobrevivir el tuvo que proteger su corazón y ponerlo bastante lejos sin llaves cerca para que nadie lo vuelva a tocar pero Joey una joven chef encuentra esas llaves. Será eso suficiente ? Esa es la pregunta aqui pero para contestarla tendremos que embarcarnos en un viaje de corazones rotos y bastante sufrimiento.
Estos dos personajes estaban mas allá de la química , DEMASIADA PASIÓN , pensé que mi iPad iba a explotar en cualquier segundo especialmente en las escenas de sexo 🔥 y no hablemos del pasado de Joey porque comienzo a llorar de nuevo 😭
No había lido nunca nada como esta serie y necesito mas , no puedo esperar para el siguiente libro.
Me tomare el tiempo de de admirar el estilo y palabras de esta autora , estoy tan contenta de haberla encontrado y necesito todo lo que publique porque esa clase de corazón es los libros es difícil de encontrar.
________________________
(Hollow Ridge #2)
5 TRUE LOVE STARS ⭐️
Another book to be add to my list of the best 2020.
I don’t know how to start this review, this book has everything I love in a book , ANGST, FEELS , CHEMISTRY , MEMORABLE SCENES , I CANT ASK FOR MORE.
Toby is a character I’m going to take the boldness to call a Villain , no because he’s bad but because he is so Broken and damaged by someone on his past , that to survive he has to protect his really damaged heart and put it really far away with no keys so no one can open it again but Joey a very young chef finds the keys to that beautiful man heart , It’s that enough ? That’s the question here but to know the answer you have to put yourself to a ride of broken hearts and intense feelings.
This two people , they were beyond chemistry Ufffff SO MUCH PASSION , I thought my IPad was about to explode with some scenes specially the sex ones 🔥 & let’s no talk about Joey background cuz I’m gonna start crying again 😭
I haven’t read anything like this series and I am greedy for more so I need Francis story like RIGHT NOW.
I’m gonna take the time to admire this author style and writing , I’m so glad I find her so now I need everything she puts out cuz the kind of heart on those story’s is not something you can find so easily.
____________________________ SPANISH
Otro libro que añadir a mi lista de lo mejor del año.
No se de que manera empezar esta reseña, pero este libro tiene todo lo que yo aprecio de una historia , DRAMA, SENTIMIENTO , ESCENAS MEMORABLES , NO PUEDO PEDIR MAS.
Toby es un personaje que voy a tener el atrevimiento de llamar villano no porque sea malo sino porque esta tan roto y dañado por alguien de su pasado que para sobrevivir el tuvo que proteger su corazón y ponerlo bastante lejos sin llaves cerca para que nadie lo vuelva a tocar pero Joey una joven chef encuentra esas llaves. Será eso suficiente ? Esa es la pregunta aqui pero para contestarla tendremos que embarcarnos en un viaje de corazones rotos y bastante sufrimiento.
Estos dos personajes estaban mas allá de la química , DEMASIADA PASIÓN , pensé que mi iPad iba a explotar en cualquier segundo especialmente en las escenas de sexo 🔥 y no hablemos del pasado de Joey porque comienzo a llorar de nuevo 😭
No había lido nunca nada como esta serie y necesito mas , no puedo esperar para el siguiente libro.
Me tomare el tiempo de de admirar el estilo y palabras de esta autora , estoy tan contenta de haberla encontrado y necesito todo lo que publique porque esa clase de corazón es los libros es difícil de encontrar.
________________________
April 14, 2020
You guys … ALERT … still no gumdrops buuuuuuuuuuuut there might be a rainbow!!
:)
Ohhhh Toby Toby Toby …. Whaaaat are we gonna do with you?! Man, you make it almost impossible to like you and give us little choice but to root for you all at the same time! You are ridiculous! But also, a fictional character so I should probably stop the trajectory this is going in. LOL
If you’re read Inhale, Exhale, then you already know, maybe / probably / mostly, why Toby is so much. If you haven’t, do not fear, the author does an exceptional job for weaving the past and the present in the book to make sure you get a good solid picture. Truth be told, she’s exceptional at her craft. Her writing is relevant and respectful, always. At least the books I’ve read have been. She is meticulous and thorough in her storytelling, leaving no stone unturned. Every side and depth that makes up Toby the man today, is laid out for us in painstaking detail. The good, the bad and everything in between.
Joey may be young, but she has lived a lifetime. She is a young woman forced into the trenches of adulthood by the circumstances of her life, past and present. She is strong and fearsome and does not back away from the challenges of life.
Together, Joey and Toby, are perfect in their imperfections. They fit together seamlessly yet they are oil and water. *shrug* Their passion sparks off the pages, not always in a positive and nurturing way, but passion nonetheless! It is their imperfections that make this story unique and formidable, painful in the most glorious of ways and inspiring!
I’m not going to say this book is not a romance journey like I did with Inhale, Exhale because I believe the core of this story is love. Not the perfect Candyland kind, but the real kind. The kind that hurts sometimes. The kind that seems unforgivable at times. The kind that has flaws and imperfections, dark edges and shadows. The kind that mirrors life at its core. That’s what this book is about. And it is glorious! (and exhausting) lol you’ve been warned.
C.L. Matthews has proven time and time again that she is a powerhouse with her craft. I haven’t read a whole lot of her work, but what I have read has been outstandingly real and representative. She does her research and does not shy away for the dark corners of life. She puts it all out there and she does it respectfully. I won’t say this book is dark in the conventional definition, but it’s also not light. It deals with serious themes that can be triggering. You’ve been warned. Again :)
Ohhhh Toby Toby Toby …. Whaaaat are we gonna do with you?! Man, you make it almost impossible to like you and give us little choice but to root for you all at the same time! You are ridiculous! But also, a fictional character so I should probably stop the trajectory this is going in. LOL
If you’re read Inhale, Exhale, then you already know, maybe / probably / mostly, why Toby is so much. If you haven’t, do not fear, the author does an exceptional job for weaving the past and the present in the book to make sure you get a good solid picture. Truth be told, she’s exceptional at her craft. Her writing is relevant and respectful, always. At least the books I’ve read have been. She is meticulous and thorough in her storytelling, leaving no stone unturned. Every side and depth that makes up Toby the man today, is laid out for us in painstaking detail. The good, the bad and everything in between.
Joey may be young, but she has lived a lifetime. She is a young woman forced into the trenches of adulthood by the circumstances of her life, past and present. She is strong and fearsome and does not back away from the challenges of life.
Together, Joey and Toby, are perfect in their imperfections. They fit together seamlessly yet they are oil and water. *shrug* Their passion sparks off the pages, not always in a positive and nurturing way, but passion nonetheless! It is their imperfections that make this story unique and formidable, painful in the most glorious of ways and inspiring!
I’m not going to say this book is not a romance journey like I did with Inhale, Exhale because I believe the core of this story is love. Not the perfect Candyland kind, but the real kind. The kind that hurts sometimes. The kind that seems unforgivable at times. The kind that has flaws and imperfections, dark edges and shadows. The kind that mirrors life at its core. That’s what this book is about. And it is glorious! (and exhausting) lol you’ve been warned.
C.L. Matthews has proven time and time again that she is a powerhouse with her craft. I haven’t read a whole lot of her work, but what I have read has been outstandingly real and representative. She does her research and does not shy away for the dark corners of life. She puts it all out there and she does it respectfully. I won’t say this book is dark in the conventional definition, but it’s also not light. It deals with serious themes that can be triggering. You’ve been warned. Again :)
April 14, 2020
⭐️ 5 “Love The Hate Out Of Me” Stars ⭐️
Where do I start with this review? There’s so many emotions flowing through me right now that I don’t exactly know how to put into coherent words my impressions on Breathe. Gah… this book! I live for stories that hurt and make me an emotional mess before getting to the healing part. The ones that twist me with all the highs and lows. Well, Breathe is that type of story! C.L. Matthews, with her stunning prose dripping with words of ache and passion, obliterated my heart time and time again with Toby and Joey’s stormy love story!
I won’t enter into too much details about the storyline, because it just needs to be experienced. It’s not an easy read, some scenes will have you raging and hurting, but others will have you fanning yourself from the pure hotness. Others will have you swooning over the romance of this couple when they’re in sync, but you’ll also shed tears when they’re breaking. And yes… there’s a lot of breaking between these two damaged people!
Toby is a character I really enjoyed in Inhale, Exhale. I was so sad about his relationship with Lo that only made him bleed from the inside out, and was definitely curious about his own story and possible happily ever after. I wished for him to finally heal from all this heartache. Breathe clearly shows that he’s a broken man, but not only from Lo’s treatment. His brokenness comes from very early on in his life and left a destructive mark on him. Maybe that’s his wrecked heart that recognizes Joey’s own despair at first glance. They certainly share a deep bond from the start and I loved their connection. There’s an important age gap between them, but they just click! Their relationship is certainly a rollercoaster, but I loved this intensely passionate ride.
Breathe is a book you need to read! If you love books that shows you the beautiful as much as the ugly, the sad and the happy, I’m sure you’ll enjoy this novel! Even if it's not required, I highly recommend to read the first novel in the Hollow Ridge Series to better understand this novel and the dynamic between the characters.
** ARC received in exchange for an honest review **
April 17, 2020
***4 "Just keep breathing!!!" stars***
AVAILABLE NOW
"Broken people find broken people. It's a matter of fate."
This wasn't an easy story to read...
It was suffocating you and making you angry with some of the behaviors of our main characters, and especially Toby's.
It was a book that had many triggers inside, but the plot could grab you and hold you its hostage...
The same goes with the heroes... Heroes full of flaws and vices and trouble to communicate...
This was a harsh story full of heartache and difficult situations...
A story full of darkness which is determined to guide you through the light...
"You breathe life back into me... It's my turn to do the same for you."
I have to admit that even though i wanted to read "Inhale, exhale" first, i couldn't find the time so i dove in here blindly...
The truth is that it will be much better if you will get to experience the first book before this one, but still... I understood very well what transparent in the first book, a book that Toby, our main character, had a big part and this past is still haunting him...
Now, after five years, everything is a freakin' mess for once again...
"The past has the ability to destroy you if you don't leave it behind.
Scars don't define you, not if you don't allow them that right."
In this book, we saw Tobias struggling with his addiction and his long love lost by his brother...
For years, he was torturing himself while stucked in the past and to someone that never was his...
And then, out of nowhere, Joey tumble into his life and she brought some kind of color in it...
And the things were great for a while... and then, they weren't!!!
And he was the one who had the most fault in here...
In a way, he became a man he was loathing, a man like his brother and he was destroying Joey and himself in the process...
"Purify my sins, sous. Ease them like only you can and replace them with you... Erase every memory, sous. Every touch and taste before you, make them dissolve. Love me until it's only you and me."
Honestly, i don't know what more to say about this story...
Our heroes were punishing themselves and each other and it was agonizing to witness it...
I was so fuckin' angry with the situation.... I was so angry with Toby and his stupidity...
I was so angry with what he was doing to Joey and himself over and over again and i'm accusing his previous experience in love!!!
"Love is weakness.
It's retribution.
It's my burden.
It's my death sentence."
As for Joey??? This girl was too good for Tobias... He claimed her light with his darkness and i didn't like that!!! He didn't deserve her and still, she was staying beside him and she was tolerating every nasty thing that he was doing to her...
Yes, when they were together, they were very good! But their relationship was toxic as hell!!!
"I fell in love with the lies, marrying the pain.
He's divorced to the truth, addicted to acrimony.
We cheated love, lusting after aspiration.
There's no savior for our damnation, no hope for our salvation, and no justice for our actions."
The author was bringing us back and forth through present and past and even though in the beginning i thought that i was missing things, she gave me all the answers that i needed and i liked how she was handling things...
Yep, this was a heartbreaking story and i was hurting for the heroes, especially Joey, but i was so angry with them... for everything!!!
They made such a mess because of a misunderstanding...
I believe that this couple had too many trust issues and lack of communication between them!!!
"I hate her.
I love her.
I want to destroy her.
Then when there's nothing left, I want to fix everything."
"Why do I hate and love you?"
"How do I love the hate out of you?"
Overall, it was a very good story and i'm dying to read Ace and Gray's turn!!!
Even though i might die if he will do the same mistakes as the two men that they are sharing the same DNA with him, and i might start throwing punches!!! Arrrrrrr...
"He calls Gray his storm. It's not a bad name, but it definitely isn't kind either." {Joey for Ace}
*****************************************
"When life gets impossible, take a moment. And don't forget to breathe."
***I received an ARC for the exchange of an honest review***
AVAILABLE NOW
"Broken people find broken people. It's a matter of fate."
This wasn't an easy story to read...
It was suffocating you and making you angry with some of the behaviors of our main characters, and especially Toby's.
It was a book that had many triggers inside, but the plot could grab you and hold you its hostage...
The same goes with the heroes... Heroes full of flaws and vices and trouble to communicate...
This was a harsh story full of heartache and difficult situations...
A story full of darkness which is determined to guide you through the light...
"You breathe life back into me... It's my turn to do the same for you."
I have to admit that even though i wanted to read "Inhale, exhale" first, i couldn't find the time so i dove in here blindly...
The truth is that it will be much better if you will get to experience the first book before this one, but still... I understood very well what transparent in the first book, a book that Toby, our main character, had a big part and this past is still haunting him...
Now, after five years, everything is a freakin' mess for once again...
"The past has the ability to destroy you if you don't leave it behind.
Scars don't define you, not if you don't allow them that right."
In this book, we saw Tobias struggling with his addiction and his long love lost by his brother...
For years, he was torturing himself while stucked in the past and to someone that never was his...
And then, out of nowhere, Joey tumble into his life and she brought some kind of color in it...
And the things were great for a while... and then, they weren't!!!
And he was the one who had the most fault in here...
In a way, he became a man he was loathing, a man like his brother and he was destroying Joey and himself in the process...
"Purify my sins, sous. Ease them like only you can and replace them with you... Erase every memory, sous. Every touch and taste before you, make them dissolve. Love me until it's only you and me."
Honestly, i don't know what more to say about this story...
Our heroes were punishing themselves and each other and it was agonizing to witness it...
I was so fuckin' angry with the situation.... I was so angry with Toby and his stupidity...
I was so angry with what he was doing to Joey and himself over and over again and i'm accusing his previous experience in love!!!
"Love is weakness.
It's retribution.
It's my burden.
It's my death sentence."
As for Joey??? This girl was too good for Tobias... He claimed her light with his darkness and i didn't like that!!! He didn't deserve her and still, she was staying beside him and she was tolerating every nasty thing that he was doing to her...
Yes, when they were together, they were very good! But their relationship was toxic as hell!!!
"I fell in love with the lies, marrying the pain.
He's divorced to the truth, addicted to acrimony.
We cheated love, lusting after aspiration.
There's no savior for our damnation, no hope for our salvation, and no justice for our actions."
The author was bringing us back and forth through present and past and even though in the beginning i thought that i was missing things, she gave me all the answers that i needed and i liked how she was handling things...
Yep, this was a heartbreaking story and i was hurting for the heroes, especially Joey, but i was so angry with them... for everything!!!
They made such a mess because of a misunderstanding...
I believe that this couple had too many trust issues and lack of communication between them!!!
"I hate her.
I love her.
I want to destroy her.
Then when there's nothing left, I want to fix everything."
"Why do I hate and love you?"
"How do I love the hate out of you?"
Overall, it was a very good story and i'm dying to read Ace and Gray's turn!!!
Even though i might die if he will do the same mistakes as the two men that they are sharing the same DNA with him, and i might start throwing punches!!! Arrrrrrr...
"He calls Gray his storm. It's not a bad name, but it definitely isn't kind either." {Joey for Ace}
*****************************************
"When life gets impossible, take a moment. And don't forget to breathe."
***I received an ARC for the exchange of an honest review***
Shelved as 'avoid-this-trainwreck'
April 18, 2020WTF. I would never have forgiven this cheating scumbag man-baby. There was no effort to win her back, IMO. This epic celibate doormat forgives all in the last chapters of the book. Hard to respect women this weak with little self-worth. Sad thing is she knows and acknowledges this.
"The fact that I'm still here says how weak I've become. I love him so damn much, even as he finds his pleasures in others, I still want to be the one he comes home to. I want to be the only one. Why won't I walk away? "
"My stomach clenches. It's not news to me that this the floor where Toby f*cks his women. He thinks I'm stupid, but in reality, I've seen the invoices, the card charges, everything. I know what he does in there and the names of the women he does it with."
"My eyes go to that night almost a month ago. It goes to the image he sent me. The woman beneath him. The one he fu*ked"
Don't know why she didn't just move on. Just pathetic. This douche was NOT worth it....
"I f*cked other people," he hisses. I f*cked other women, and while you stayed home cried. I cheated when you were suffering. I picked everyone but you."
"It's better that you left. I'd have just f*cked up even more. Probably slipped inside another hot cunt and got them pregnant."
"They never kissed me", I admit, needing to get this off my chest. Tears slip past her eyes, and I know it's because of pain, not relief.
"It's not really something I thought I'd ever be explaining, but we always wore protection. I never went down on them".
She shakes her head, closing her eyes as they pool with tears. "It doesn't matter that you never licked their p*ssies or that you never let your lips touch theirs. It's the fact that you f*cked them instead of me," she all but hisses. "Was I not enough for you?"
There were serious subjects going on also. Joey was a cutter, they lost a child. But for all she had to endure because he was hung up on a women in his past? And his assumption that Joey cheated just cause he saw her hugging another man? He can grovel to the end of time and I wouldn't have taken him back. EVER. *shudders in disgust*
"The fact that I'm still here says how weak I've become. I love him so damn much, even as he finds his pleasures in others, I still want to be the one he comes home to. I want to be the only one. Why won't I walk away? "
"My stomach clenches. It's not news to me that this the floor where Toby f*cks his women. He thinks I'm stupid, but in reality, I've seen the invoices, the card charges, everything. I know what he does in there and the names of the women he does it with."
"My eyes go to that night almost a month ago. It goes to the image he sent me. The woman beneath him. The one he fu*ked"
Don't know why she didn't just move on. Just pathetic. This douche was NOT worth it....
"I f*cked other people," he hisses. I f*cked other women, and while you stayed home cried. I cheated when you were suffering. I picked everyone but you."
"It's better that you left. I'd have just f*cked up even more. Probably slipped inside another hot cunt and got them pregnant."
"They never kissed me", I admit, needing to get this off my chest. Tears slip past her eyes, and I know it's because of pain, not relief.
"It's not really something I thought I'd ever be explaining, but we always wore protection. I never went down on them".
She shakes her head, closing her eyes as they pool with tears. "It doesn't matter that you never licked their p*ssies or that you never let your lips touch theirs. It's the fact that you f*cked them instead of me," she all but hisses. "Was I not enough for you?"
There were serious subjects going on also. Joey was a cutter, they lost a child. But for all she had to endure because he was hung up on a women in his past? And his assumption that Joey cheated just cause he saw her hugging another man? He can grovel to the end of time and I wouldn't have taken him back. EVER. *shudders in disgust*
April 13, 2020
I just need.... a minute to collect myself. What an incredible journey.
I’m just gonna add to this, as I work through things in my mind.
Age gap is not what I reach for ordinarily. But. I fell in love with Hollow’s Ridge in IE, and knew I needed to return.
Toby & Joey are so much MORE.
It’s not just love/hate. It’s not an open and shut case of how things came to be where they are.
This entire crew is an EXPERIENCE.
Secrets, lies, bitter truths, ugly omissions. It’s all there.
No pretty bow on a neat little package, this is more like when you overpack for a trip and have to sit on your suitcase to zip it. It’s overflowing. And you know you aren’t gonna need it all, but what if you do? You do. Need it all.
Idk if most of this is gonna make sense to anyone but me, and that’s fine.
The fact of the matter is that this book snatched my wig, blew the doors off my barn, and whatever else you can think of, because it was just that incredible.
I’m just gonna add to this, as I work through things in my mind.
Age gap is not what I reach for ordinarily. But. I fell in love with Hollow’s Ridge in IE, and knew I needed to return.
Toby & Joey are so much MORE.
It’s not just love/hate. It’s not an open and shut case of how things came to be where they are.
This entire crew is an EXPERIENCE.
Secrets, lies, bitter truths, ugly omissions. It’s all there.
No pretty bow on a neat little package, this is more like when you overpack for a trip and have to sit on your suitcase to zip it. It’s overflowing. And you know you aren’t gonna need it all, but what if you do? You do. Need it all.
Idk if most of this is gonna make sense to anyone but me, and that’s fine.
The fact of the matter is that this book snatched my wig, blew the doors off my barn, and whatever else you can think of, because it was just that incredible.
April 2, 2020
I finished this book only moments ago, and I already wish I could go back and read it again for the first time. I'm a jumbled mess of feelings with tears streaming down my face, but my heart is so happy. This book isn't for the faint of heart; there are definitely triggers, and it's certainly not an easy book to read .. But life is the exact same way. The highs and lows, the good and bad, the happiness and pain, it's all intertwined.
I fell in love with Cassie's writing when Inhale, Exhale was released last year, and even though that's a heartbreaking book on its own, nothing could prepare me for the onslaught of emotions I felt while reading this book. Our author kicked everything up 1000%, to the point where my heart physically ached. Cassie isn't afraid to go to the dark, depraved and ugly side of love that's often glossed over and ignored. Love and hate are two sides of the same coin, and often times you can't have one without the other. Love doesn't always stay happy, and taking a deep look into the real struggles so many people face gives a much needed breath of fresh air. Love isn't easy, and when it becomes a mangled, filled with equal amounts of beauty and pain, what you do in the aftermath is what truly counts. For better or for worse.
There were times where I absolutely hated Toby .. if I thought that Jase needed dick punched, then Toby needed something even worse. And then Cassie would pull back another one of his layers, making me love him even more. He's so flawed, filled with anger, resentments, deep set abandonment issues, fear of never being enough, of never being worthy always drives his actions to make the absolute worst and decimating decisions. There is one scene where he remembers what started his alcoholism that absolutely destroyed my heart, and you truly get a fundamental understanding of how he turned out the way he did, even when he tried like hell not to.
Joey is hands down one of my all time favorite heroines. She is jaded, emotional, pessimistic, open, beautiful, closed off, so fucking strong.. She is everything. She's only nineteen when we first meet her, but her young age is nothing compared to the pain she had endured. She is the epitome of a survivor, and I loved her more and more with every page I read.
There is so much more I want to say, but I don't want to spoil a second of this beautiful book.. It's one that will stay with me forever, and one that I will always come back to. It's a story of love, pain, forgiveness, betrayal, hope and beauty. It's definitely one of the best books of the year, and one of the best books of all time.
I can't wait for both Francis and Ace's book! And maybe even Nates? *wink wink!!*
**I received an ARC of this book and these are my honest opinions!**
*********************************************
Here are some of my favorite quotes from the book that deserves to be shared:
"That’s the one thing we never have. Time. It tricks us, thinking we have it, own it, and have the capability to manipulate it, but that’s the biggest lie of all. It has us. It owns us. It manipulates us. We’re just too dumb to see it."
"You don’t know true pain until you’re making love with the man of your dreams, and his mind is stuck on the one woman he’s always loved most."
"We both have vices. His is alcohol; mine is his torturous love. They’re both hurtful and detrimental for our health, but neither of us have the willpower to win."
"Alcohol is his medication, his loaded gun, and he continues to fill the chamber with bullets, pulling the trigger on his personal roulette game. He hurts himself more than I ever could. But we stay. We fucking stay, and it makes no sense."
“This means nothing,” she whimpers. “Hate can feel just as good as love.”
"Pain isn’t an easy emotion to tamper, it’s one as invasive as a disease, it spreads and consumes, killing its host once its destination is reached."
"That’s the problem with hope, though. You fool yourself into thinking you're meant to be, but reality has a harsh way of showing you how wrong you are."
“Love me more than I hate myself."
I fell in love with Cassie's writing when Inhale, Exhale was released last year, and even though that's a heartbreaking book on its own, nothing could prepare me for the onslaught of emotions I felt while reading this book. Our author kicked everything up 1000%, to the point where my heart physically ached. Cassie isn't afraid to go to the dark, depraved and ugly side of love that's often glossed over and ignored. Love and hate are two sides of the same coin, and often times you can't have one without the other. Love doesn't always stay happy, and taking a deep look into the real struggles so many people face gives a much needed breath of fresh air. Love isn't easy, and when it becomes a mangled, filled with equal amounts of beauty and pain, what you do in the aftermath is what truly counts. For better or for worse.
There were times where I absolutely hated Toby .. if I thought that Jase needed dick punched, then Toby needed something even worse. And then Cassie would pull back another one of his layers, making me love him even more. He's so flawed, filled with anger, resentments, deep set abandonment issues, fear of never being enough, of never being worthy always drives his actions to make the absolute worst and decimating decisions. There is one scene where he remembers what started his alcoholism that absolutely destroyed my heart, and you truly get a fundamental understanding of how he turned out the way he did, even when he tried like hell not to.
Joey is hands down one of my all time favorite heroines. She is jaded, emotional, pessimistic, open, beautiful, closed off, so fucking strong.. She is everything. She's only nineteen when we first meet her, but her young age is nothing compared to the pain she had endured. She is the epitome of a survivor, and I loved her more and more with every page I read.
There is so much more I want to say, but I don't want to spoil a second of this beautiful book.. It's one that will stay with me forever, and one that I will always come back to. It's a story of love, pain, forgiveness, betrayal, hope and beauty. It's definitely one of the best books of the year, and one of the best books of all time.
I can't wait for both Francis and Ace's book! And maybe even Nates? *wink wink!!*
**I received an ARC of this book and these are my honest opinions!**
*********************************************
Here are some of my favorite quotes from the book that deserves to be shared:
"That’s the one thing we never have. Time. It tricks us, thinking we have it, own it, and have the capability to manipulate it, but that’s the biggest lie of all. It has us. It owns us. It manipulates us. We’re just too dumb to see it."
"You don’t know true pain until you’re making love with the man of your dreams, and his mind is stuck on the one woman he’s always loved most."
"We both have vices. His is alcohol; mine is his torturous love. They’re both hurtful and detrimental for our health, but neither of us have the willpower to win."
"Alcohol is his medication, his loaded gun, and he continues to fill the chamber with bullets, pulling the trigger on his personal roulette game. He hurts himself more than I ever could. But we stay. We fucking stay, and it makes no sense."
“This means nothing,” she whimpers. “Hate can feel just as good as love.”
"Pain isn’t an easy emotion to tamper, it’s one as invasive as a disease, it spreads and consumes, killing its host once its destination is reached."
"That’s the problem with hope, though. You fool yourself into thinking you're meant to be, but reality has a harsh way of showing you how wrong you are."
“Love me more than I hate myself."
February 16, 2020
I’ve salivated first this book since I first read Inhale, Exhale (Hollow Ridge #1). That one is a standalone, just like this one.
I though that CL Matthews outdid herself with Inhale, Exhale until the moment I read the first page of Breathe. CL Matthews is quickly becoming the one author I turn to for books that are emotional, heart-wrenching, angst, and filled with matters of real life. I’ll be honest, I loathed the main character of this book when I read the first in series. I still haven’t decided how I feel about him. I can say however, I am in love with Joey. Strong, witty, and snarky, I fell for her hard as her character grew throughout the book. Even Toby’s character growth was remarkable to witness, and I don’t even like him. My eyes leaked a watery substance while I read this one. The situations the characters went through were powerful and meaningful. Overall, I proud of CL Matthews and her storytelling abilities. I’m proud that she takes the situations she does and her characters overcome their struggles they do. I can’t wait for the next in this series (again standalone but best read in order).
I though that CL Matthews outdid herself with Inhale, Exhale until the moment I read the first page of Breathe. CL Matthews is quickly becoming the one author I turn to for books that are emotional, heart-wrenching, angst, and filled with matters of real life. I’ll be honest, I loathed the main character of this book when I read the first in series. I still haven’t decided how I feel about him. I can say however, I am in love with Joey. Strong, witty, and snarky, I fell for her hard as her character grew throughout the book. Even Toby’s character growth was remarkable to witness, and I don’t even like him. My eyes leaked a watery substance while I read this one. The situations the characters went through were powerful and meaningful. Overall, I proud of CL Matthews and her storytelling abilities. I’m proud that she takes the situations she does and her characters overcome their struggles they do. I can’t wait for the next in this series (again standalone but best read in order).
April 12, 2020
When I first opened up the book on my Kindle and saw the length of it, I was intimidated. But once I started reading, I could not out this book down! Every chapter had a purpose, every word was meant to add to the story.
If Inhale, Exhale (the first book) broke you, Breathe will destroy you.
The stories are interconnected, so it is best if you read the first book first. This is Toby's story. I will be honest, I did not like or care for his character in the first book. I was hesitant about this book just because of that, but this story stole my heart. It's not a story of a perfect love. It's not even about perfect, flawless characters. No. This book is full of people who make mistakes, have vices and hurt people. They hurt them because of a misunderstanding or because of their troubled past and their inability to see past it.
The book handles various sensitive themes with great respect, in my opinion. There are triggers such as addiction, trauma, cheating and violence.
Josephine, our heroine, surprised me with her strength. She is a woman with a difficult past, with no family to support her and yet she managed to love a very difficult person. Because Tobias is not easy to love. He is cruel at times, he makes mistakes, he hurts her but at the same time he hurts himself as well. He cannot see past his heartache and unrequited love for a woman who loves his brother.
The book goes back and forth, in terms of timeline. That is what I loved the most. I adored how the author connected everything and made us feel for her raw, human and flawed heroes.
I was up until late last night finishing this book, so it is safe to say that it's one of my most favorite books EVER.
I REPEAT that this book may not be for everyone. It has themes that may turn people off, but for me, these are the books that shine the brightest. It's not the characters ' perfection that makes them relatable to me, it's their flaws.
I recommend this book. It' s not easy, it will probably have you throwing your Kindle at the nearest wall, but trust me. It's worth it.
5 Stars.
P. S: I hope we get a book about Ace. I am SO up for that. Please?
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
If Inhale, Exhale (the first book) broke you, Breathe will destroy you.
The stories are interconnected, so it is best if you read the first book first. This is Toby's story. I will be honest, I did not like or care for his character in the first book. I was hesitant about this book just because of that, but this story stole my heart. It's not a story of a perfect love. It's not even about perfect, flawless characters. No. This book is full of people who make mistakes, have vices and hurt people. They hurt them because of a misunderstanding or because of their troubled past and their inability to see past it.
The book handles various sensitive themes with great respect, in my opinion. There are triggers such as addiction, trauma, cheating and violence.
Josephine, our heroine, surprised me with her strength. She is a woman with a difficult past, with no family to support her and yet she managed to love a very difficult person. Because Tobias is not easy to love. He is cruel at times, he makes mistakes, he hurts her but at the same time he hurts himself as well. He cannot see past his heartache and unrequited love for a woman who loves his brother.
The book goes back and forth, in terms of timeline. That is what I loved the most. I adored how the author connected everything and made us feel for her raw, human and flawed heroes.
I was up until late last night finishing this book, so it is safe to say that it's one of my most favorite books EVER.
I REPEAT that this book may not be for everyone. It has themes that may turn people off, but for me, these are the books that shine the brightest. It's not the characters ' perfection that makes them relatable to me, it's their flaws.
I recommend this book. It' s not easy, it will probably have you throwing your Kindle at the nearest wall, but trust me. It's worth it.
5 Stars.
P. S: I hope we get a book about Ace. I am SO up for that. Please?
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 14, 2020
I trust C.L.Matthews explicitly with my heart. In the sense that she will invariably break it and then soothe it with truest emotions! Breathe is more than a love story. It's a life story. Toby and Joey's angsty and beautifully devastating love story owns a piece of me permanently now. This was raw and it hurt like hell. The characters have toxic emotions and intense emotions. They tear each other apart like they cannot hate each other any worse but they hold on to each other like they cannot breathe without this love.
I have met Toby in Inhale, Exhale and he is a complicated character. He has toxic emotions because his life was a chaotic mess. Fear of abandonment. Issues with using addiction as coping . His relationship and feelings about his best friend and brother's wife Lo. He is a broken man. Torn apart. Shredded. Joey has come as air for his suffocating life. She is too young but her life experiences has matured her. The problem is she has own demons and scars behind her spitfire personality. So it's basically a toxic and twisted love story of two twisted people who doesn't really know how to love. They hurt each other beyond redemption but their love is so epic that they get back to each other. Broken, bruised and perfect. And oh the physical part was just explosive. Sensual, dirty, filthy, scorching hot and intense - like their love!
Romance stories should be a reflection of the loves we have felt ourselves. And if you have ever gone through heartbreak in love, Breathe by C.L.Matthews is something you will instantly and helplessly fall in love with. Intriguing characters. Heartaching emotions. Mindblowing and gritty writing.
I have met Toby in Inhale, Exhale and he is a complicated character. He has toxic emotions because his life was a chaotic mess. Fear of abandonment. Issues with using addiction as coping . His relationship and feelings about his best friend and brother's wife Lo. He is a broken man. Torn apart. Shredded. Joey has come as air for his suffocating life. She is too young but her life experiences has matured her. The problem is she has own demons and scars behind her spitfire personality. So it's basically a toxic and twisted love story of two twisted people who doesn't really know how to love. They hurt each other beyond redemption but their love is so epic that they get back to each other. Broken, bruised and perfect. And oh the physical part was just explosive. Sensual, dirty, filthy, scorching hot and intense - like their love!
Romance stories should be a reflection of the loves we have felt ourselves. And if you have ever gone through heartbreak in love, Breathe by C.L.Matthews is something you will instantly and helplessly fall in love with. Intriguing characters. Heartaching emotions. Mindblowing and gritty writing.
April 26, 2020
2 Stars!
After reading Inhale, Exhale, I must say that I also love Toby's character from that book, his funny and caring personality.. and did I mentioned hot? Yes, he is. That's how I see him.. Now, what happened???
I have high hopes in reading his story, but where as Inhale, Exhale is an emotional read, I cannot say the same for this one. Why? It lacks romantic aspect. Instead of reading how he and Joey fell in love, it just happened. Unlike the first book where you understand how he fell I expected the same here, but sadly, it's all about f*cking. Their exhibition tendencies, her desire to be manhandled and their insatiable appetite for sex. A lot of chapters, and I mean A LOT were dedicated to sex. No offense, I'm not against it, I just prefer story depth over it.
Sorry, but try as I may, I really cannot see or believe how much Toby loves Joey.. I just can't. For me, it's all about lust. I cannot see how Toby became who he is, how he hurts Joey. Toby, sweet Toby? No! I mean, even Ace can't believe what he did.
Also, the similarity of Book 1 and 2 is so apparent. like there's no other option.
The lack of ending/ knowledge on some side characters made me questions why they were even brought there in the first place.
Also, the constant jumping of time frame once again, is really not helpful. I really hope the next book will not be written in this manner.
***Although this book could be read as a standalone, I highly recommend that you read Inhale, Exhale first as that is where the history / background of Toby's character begins.***
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review
After reading Inhale, Exhale, I must say that I also love Toby's character from that book, his funny and caring personality.. and did I mentioned hot? Yes, he is. That's how I see him.. Now, what happened???
I have high hopes in reading his story, but where as Inhale, Exhale is an emotional read, I cannot say the same for this one. Why? It lacks romantic aspect. Instead of reading how he and Joey fell in love, it just happened. Unlike the first book where you understand how he fell I expected the same here, but sadly, it's all about f*cking. Their exhibition tendencies, her desire to be manhandled and their insatiable appetite for sex. A lot of chapters, and I mean A LOT were dedicated to sex. No offense, I'm not against it, I just prefer story depth over it.
Sorry, but try as I may, I really cannot see or believe how much Toby loves Joey.. I just can't. For me, it's all about lust. I cannot see how Toby became who he is, how he hurts Joey. Toby, sweet Toby? No! I mean, even Ace can't believe what he did.
Also, the similarity of Book 1 and 2 is so apparent. like there's no other option.
The lack of ending/ knowledge on some side characters made me questions why they were even brought there in the first place.
Also, the constant jumping of time frame once again, is really not helpful. I really hope the next book will not be written in this manner.
***Although this book could be read as a standalone, I highly recommend that you read Inhale, Exhale first as that is where the history / background of Toby's character begins.***
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review
March 12, 2020
I read an early beta copy of this book and I am already planning to read it again. I provide this review voluntarily. Have you ever. read a book you know will be the bar for books to come? That is Breathe. It is brutally raw and honest and it will shatter you. But what else can be expected from a really good book. To say I love this book is sinfully inaccurate. It is a masterpiece of absolute emotion and pure perfection. It's everything I expected and more. You will hate Toby, you will love him, you will want to ink his name off the pages. If you have read Inhale, Exhale. Breathe is a must.
April 14, 2020
Listen, I’m going to give it to you straight: C.L. Matthews has come for all our hearts and souls with her latest novel, Breathe! This book is heart achingly honest, painfully real, and dripping with emotion. And since it’s C.L. Matthews it’s perfectly sexy as well.
This story left me breathless! From the onslaught of emotions to the way she made me connect with characters that I didn’t think I could love, this story was remarkable! Plus, the writing is spectacular! Matthews infused so much feeling into her writing that I didn’t just read the story, I felt it all right along with the characters. This author truly gets better with every single book. 5 stars.
This story left me breathless! From the onslaught of emotions to the way she made me connect with characters that I didn’t think I could love, this story was remarkable! Plus, the writing is spectacular! Matthews infused so much feeling into her writing that I didn’t just read the story, I felt it all right along with the characters. This author truly gets better with every single book. 5 stars.
April 4, 2020
I’m so happy C.L. Matthews decided to give Toby a voice! I just KNEW he had a story of his own to tell – one that didn’t paint him as his older brother Jase’s shadow.
If I had to describe Breathe using three words, I’d say… Emotional. Angsty. Sexy.
Matthews didn’t hold back with this one and wrote Toby and Joey’s story true to their characters. A chance encounter. Steamy AF scenes. Loss. Heartbreak. My heart was put through the wringer before it was put back together, piece by piece.
Tobias “Toby” Hayes is the hero you hate to love. He is cruel, he is cocky, he is possessive. He is also… riddled with a ton of abandonment issues, an alcohol addiction, and unrequited love. It’s safe to say he has definitely met his match in Josephine “Joey” Moore, the girl you want to root for. She is feisty, she is fierce, she is strong. She is also… broken. They say broken people are drawn to each other. But these two together? They’re an explosion.
I loved seeing the characters grow and mature into themselves from start to finish. The angst and heartbreak was written so well, you could FEEL your heart breaking with them. The cameos from my favourite Hollow Ridge characters was the cherry on the top.
I’m so stoked there are more books planned for this series!
**Breathe is a standalone novel, second in the line-up of interconnected standalone novels in the Hollow Ridge series where each book is focused on a different couple and ends with a HEA.
If I had to describe Breathe using three words, I’d say… Emotional. Angsty. Sexy.
Matthews didn’t hold back with this one and wrote Toby and Joey’s story true to their characters. A chance encounter. Steamy AF scenes. Loss. Heartbreak. My heart was put through the wringer before it was put back together, piece by piece.
Tobias “Toby” Hayes is the hero you hate to love. He is cruel, he is cocky, he is possessive. He is also… riddled with a ton of abandonment issues, an alcohol addiction, and unrequited love. It’s safe to say he has definitely met his match in Josephine “Joey” Moore, the girl you want to root for. She is feisty, she is fierce, she is strong. She is also… broken. They say broken people are drawn to each other. But these two together? They’re an explosion.
I loved seeing the characters grow and mature into themselves from start to finish. The angst and heartbreak was written so well, you could FEEL your heart breaking with them. The cameos from my favourite Hollow Ridge characters was the cherry on the top.
I’m so stoked there are more books planned for this series!
**Breathe is a standalone novel, second in the line-up of interconnected standalone novels in the Hollow Ridge series where each book is focused on a different couple and ends with a HEA.
April 14, 2020
I have read the first book of hollow ridge so I waited for this book and because of that i had a high expectation with this one. I thought I was gonna cry my eyeballs out like I did the first book, I was wrong. It was well written but the story did not just do it for me. I read the teasers yes but i did not know it till be just this. Still has cheating which i hate and it really has a similar story line or idea from the first one. And some parts didnt really make a sense, first Toby suspected his wife cheating bcos he saw them kissing but they explained that nothing happened anymore than that. And then Toby was furious so he cheated for like 2 years!!? With different women??? And then something light happened and decided that he will love his wife again. Wth. The plot is very shallow to lead to so many heartbreaks.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 13, 2020
I love this author. She's the queen of making it hurt so good. When I finished reading Inhale Exhale by her, I didn't want to read Toby's story. I was still angry with him and how he did what he did in that book. But man, she wrote one hell of a redemption story. It's still full of the twist and turns and angst that you should come to expect from this author, but by the end of the book I felt sated and healed.
There are so many things that I loved and hated in this book. Not that I hated this book at all, but the actions of the characters and twists that this author there in made me want to damage my Kindle again. I love who Joey was and who she became for Toby. I love how they were two lost souls that found each other. And I hate how seemingly small misunderstood things caused so much pain.
For me, this story was about how a misunderstood, hurt, and mistreated person will often self-jeopardize and ruin their own chance at happiness. When these two souls reached out and touched each other, the love story that grew was so breathtakingly perfect. Toby was everything that Joey needed, and Joey was everything that Toby needed. But oh the twist-and-turns that this author took us on to get an HEA were tough to read sometimes.
It's like these two were perfectly imperfect for each other. Their fire, their lust, and their zeal were such a joy to read. And their heartache, their pain, and their self-imprisonment were so perfectly written that I was glued to the pages, waiting to read how this author would tie it all together.
In the end, as stated above, I felt healed and sated. The closure that I was given at the end of this book was beautiful and hard-fought in a lot of ways, but beautiful nonetheless.
There are so many things that I loved and hated in this book. Not that I hated this book at all, but the actions of the characters and twists that this author there in made me want to damage my Kindle again. I love who Joey was and who she became for Toby. I love how they were two lost souls that found each other. And I hate how seemingly small misunderstood things caused so much pain.
For me, this story was about how a misunderstood, hurt, and mistreated person will often self-jeopardize and ruin their own chance at happiness. When these two souls reached out and touched each other, the love story that grew was so breathtakingly perfect. Toby was everything that Joey needed, and Joey was everything that Toby needed. But oh the twist-and-turns that this author took us on to get an HEA were tough to read sometimes.
It's like these two were perfectly imperfect for each other. Their fire, their lust, and their zeal were such a joy to read. And their heartache, their pain, and their self-imprisonment were so perfectly written that I was glued to the pages, waiting to read how this author would tie it all together.
In the end, as stated above, I felt healed and sated. The closure that I was given at the end of this book was beautiful and hard-fought in a lot of ways, but beautiful nonetheless.
April 13, 2020
Brace yourself people because you are about to be put on an emotional roller coaster that will break your heart and absolutely wreck your soul and then comes back around. It is a long book, but you do not feel that it is long when you become completely invested in it. This is the 2nd book in the series and features secondary characters from the first book which is applicable to mention.
It is awesome to get into Toby's head after meeting him in the previous book, let's just say this guy has some deep seated issues, but lets be honest, no one's perfect. Joey is amazing and I adored her from the very beginning, but she is not without her flaws either. These two's broken pieces just fit together, that doesn't mean it is easy though, NOPE!! Not at all!!
All in all this book will steal your soul and heart in the best possible way and take your "Breath" away. I give this book 5 stars for sure, I loved it and cannot wait for more from the author!
PS: Thank you to CL Matthews and Give Me Books PR for allowing me an advanced copy of the book to read and review honestly.
It is awesome to get into Toby's head after meeting him in the previous book, let's just say this guy has some deep seated issues, but lets be honest, no one's perfect. Joey is amazing and I adored her from the very beginning, but she is not without her flaws either. These two's broken pieces just fit together, that doesn't mean it is easy though, NOPE!! Not at all!!
All in all this book will steal your soul and heart in the best possible way and take your "Breath" away. I give this book 5 stars for sure, I loved it and cannot wait for more from the author!
PS: Thank you to CL Matthews and Give Me Books PR for allowing me an advanced copy of the book to read and review honestly.
April 14, 2020
"We'll slay our demons together. Our love will set the world on fire."
This was a tough read. No wine and roses here, gritty, raw, and heart achingly emotional, the journey between these two broken souls had me unsettled, warring with myself over how I felt, yet unable to look away or put this book down. Going back and forth on whether they would or even should be together, I was lost in the complicated whirlwind that was this couple. I will be honest and say I had a lot of difficulty reconciling all the carnage and destruction, but all in all it was intense, gripping, and engrossing. I thank the Author for providing a copy to review!!
"Bound and destined by our troubles and thrown together in hopes we could fix and not further ruin each other. He's my disease. I'm his addiction. We're catastrophe, but in the chaos, it's always him."
~~~Erika, Book Haven Book Blog
This was a tough read. No wine and roses here, gritty, raw, and heart achingly emotional, the journey between these two broken souls had me unsettled, warring with myself over how I felt, yet unable to look away or put this book down. Going back and forth on whether they would or even should be together, I was lost in the complicated whirlwind that was this couple. I will be honest and say I had a lot of difficulty reconciling all the carnage and destruction, but all in all it was intense, gripping, and engrossing. I thank the Author for providing a copy to review!!
"Bound and destined by our troubles and thrown together in hopes we could fix and not further ruin each other. He's my disease. I'm his addiction. We're catastrophe, but in the chaos, it's always him."
~~~Erika, Book Haven Book Blog
April 10, 2020
What a fabulously sticky angsty adventure.
I love a hero you want to simultaneously smack and smooch. Who doesnt love a good hatef*ck, eh?
I love a hero you want to simultaneously smack and smooch. Who doesnt love a good hatef*ck, eh?
Read
November 19, 2022Dnf
Hate the author’s writing style
Hate the author’s writing style
April 1, 2020
Let me start by saying CL Matthews is one of the very few authors I read. She has never let me down. This time around was no different. Breathe is the kind of book that makes you want to shut the world out so you can devour every word.
Raw, real, and beautifully written from the beginning till the very end.
Breathe is officially my first favorite of 2020.
Raw, real, and beautifully written from the beginning till the very end.
Breathe is officially my first favorite of 2020.
April 16, 2020
❖ 𝘽𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝗕𝗲𝘁𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 ❖
𝘚𝘰��𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘵 ➖ 𝘚𝘢𝘧𝘢𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘴
𝟭𝟬 ⭐️
𝗜’𝗺 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗛𝗦 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲. 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟬 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗜 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗜 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟭𝟬𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲.
𝗜 𝘀𝗮𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗝𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗼𝗻𝘆 𝗴𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲, 𝗜 𝘀𝗮𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗜’𝗺 𝘀𝗼 𝗱*𝗺𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗺𝘆 𝗼𝘄𝗻.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗝𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗼𝗯𝘆 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝘂𝗻, 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝑩𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆..
𝗖𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗜’𝗺 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 🖤
➖ Safaereads
𝘚𝘰��𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘵 ➖ 𝘚𝘢𝘧𝘢𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘴
𝟭𝟬 ⭐️
𝗜’𝗺 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗛𝗦 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲. 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟬 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗜 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗜 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟭𝟬𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲.
𝗜 𝘀𝗮𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗝𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗼𝗻𝘆 𝗴𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲, 𝗜 𝘀𝗮𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗜’𝗺 𝘀𝗼 𝗱*𝗺𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗺𝘆 𝗼𝘄𝗻.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗝𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗼𝗯𝘆 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝘂𝗻, 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝑩𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆..
𝗖𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗜’𝗺 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 🖤
➖ Safaereads
May 19, 2020
“Love isn’t this easy or kind.
There’s weight to every choice, repercussions for every action, and consequences no one plans for.”
Intense, raw, real. A rollercoaster of emotions.
This story is filled with flawed characters that are fighting their inner demons.
A Toxic and passionate relationship.
I was angry, heartbroken and content. Amazing writing again by CL Matthews.
You may hate these characters actions at some point but no matter what you think of them you will feel something with and about them.
“Love the hate out of me, Toby.”
He shifts us so we’re eye to eye. “
“Love me more than I hate myself, Sous.”
Contemporary Romance, multi POV, emotional, cheating, self harm, loss.
There’s weight to every choice, repercussions for every action, and consequences no one plans for.”
Intense, raw, real. A rollercoaster of emotions.
This story is filled with flawed characters that are fighting their inner demons.
A Toxic and passionate relationship.
I was angry, heartbroken and content. Amazing writing again by CL Matthews.
You may hate these characters actions at some point but no matter what you think of them you will feel something with and about them.
“Love the hate out of me, Toby.”
He shifts us so we’re eye to eye. “
“Love me more than I hate myself, Sous.”
Contemporary Romance, multi POV, emotional, cheating, self harm, loss.
February 19, 2020
My feelings.
More to come.
More to come.
June 23, 2021
WHAT THE HELL?! LET ME JUST START BY SAYING I NEED TO HIT SOMEONE STAT AND PROBABLY BEGIN WITH THE AUTHOR! SHE DID TOBIAS DIRTY IN HERE, LIKE SERIOUSLY, WTF SIS?!
I guess the author never learned from the first book. Still a lot of things going on like cheating, miscarriage, alcoholism, suicide, and toxic people all wrapped into this novel that I'm getting whiplash. You see, it doesn't matter how many issues you throw in the story as long as you can keep up with it but the more it goes, the worse the writing gets. It's miscarriage one chapter, the cheating after then the secret child the next. Still I'm surprised I was able to feel Tobias and Josephine's connection, that's all that matters.
In the first book, I wanted Tobias to save himself from toxicity by cutting himself off of Jase and Loren. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that the author would make TOBIAS AS JASE 2.0! I mean, come on! Alcohol, suicide, age-gap, love and hate? ALL YES to those storylines a hundred and ten percent but making cheating 2.0 like Jase the trash?! Nuh-uh, I wanna hit someone right now!
Tobias was a listener, a carer, and a lover. The most considerate person in their fucked-up story. He did that all for years, for Loren. So now tell me, what in the world got to the author for her to make Tobias cheat just because of miscommunication?! That's how ironic it gets.
But no matter what, I love the story of Tobias and Josephine. Because we all know love isn't always pretty, most of the time it's hateful and ugly. They love with hate and hate with love, and for me that shows real love. If you can hate your partner as much as you love him/her, then you're STILL in love because it means you CARE. Twisted isn't it? Well most loves are.
Josephine's suicidal nature. I FEEL THAT. Maybe that's why this connects to me more than the first book. Sometimes people who feel numb do it for the sake of feeling alive which no one who is as broken as them would ever understand. I feel for Josephine, really. I just hope the author focused more on Tobias and her issues and not with everything else. I love how imperfect they are, battling their own demons while trying to love each other. Gahd, I'm seriously the worst hopeless romantic book reviewer.
Most readers will read this book and DNF it because it's absurd, foolish even if you've read the first book. But when you try to feel the characters emotions, see their pains and shortcomings from your perspective, that's how shit gets real with this book. If I were to read this book again in the future, I'm reminding myself now with this review, to disregard the cheating that's written because there're so much more to this than that.
PS. Well if I'm gonna compare Jase's cheating to Tobias, no one can compare to Jase's; that one is fuckery in all accounts. Still, cheating is cheating which is a massive CHOICE, yeah?
I guess the author never learned from the first book. Still a lot of things going on like cheating, miscarriage, alcoholism, suicide, and toxic people all wrapped into this novel that I'm getting whiplash. You see, it doesn't matter how many issues you throw in the story as long as you can keep up with it but the more it goes, the worse the writing gets. It's miscarriage one chapter, the cheating after then the secret child the next. Still I'm surprised I was able to feel Tobias and Josephine's connection, that's all that matters.
In the first book, I wanted Tobias to save himself from toxicity by cutting himself off of Jase and Loren. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that the author would make TOBIAS AS JASE 2.0! I mean, come on! Alcohol, suicide, age-gap, love and hate? ALL YES to those storylines a hundred and ten percent but making cheating 2.0 like Jase the trash?! Nuh-uh, I wanna hit someone right now!
Tobias was a listener, a carer, and a lover. The most considerate person in their fucked-up story. He did that all for years, for Loren. So now tell me, what in the world got to the author for her to make Tobias cheat just because of miscommunication?! That's how ironic it gets.
But no matter what, I love the story of Tobias and Josephine. Because we all know love isn't always pretty, most of the time it's hateful and ugly. They love with hate and hate with love, and for me that shows real love. If you can hate your partner as much as you love him/her, then you're STILL in love because it means you CARE. Twisted isn't it? Well most loves are.
Josephine's suicidal nature. I FEEL THAT. Maybe that's why this connects to me more than the first book. Sometimes people who feel numb do it for the sake of feeling alive which no one who is as broken as them would ever understand. I feel for Josephine, really. I just hope the author focused more on Tobias and her issues and not with everything else. I love how imperfect they are, battling their own demons while trying to love each other. Gahd, I'm seriously the worst hopeless romantic book reviewer.
Most readers will read this book and DNF it because it's absurd, foolish even if you've read the first book. But when you try to feel the characters emotions, see their pains and shortcomings from your perspective, that's how shit gets real with this book. If I were to read this book again in the future, I'm reminding myself now with this review, to disregard the cheating that's written because there're so much more to this than that.
PS. Well if I'm gonna compare Jase's cheating to Tobias, no one can compare to Jase's; that one is fuckery in all accounts. Still, cheating is cheating which is a massive CHOICE, yeah?
August 11, 2021
4.5⭐️
Alright, this is book 2 in the Hollow Ridge Series. This is a standalone, but as always to enhance the reading experience read book one first which is called Inhale, Exhale.
⚠️TW: SA, rape, cheating, alcohol addiction, miscarriage, loss of a child, self harm, attempted suicide, & more.⚠️
Toby gmfu. Period. He made me as mad as his dumb brother made me🙄 Toby is hurting because the people he loves in his life always leave him. He is always second choice. And when he believes that his wife has made him #2 he does what men do best. He hurts her without letting her explain.
Joey has always been left behind. Until she meets Toby who loves her so fiercely. Then it all comes crashing down. Joey has been through so much and on top of that the person she loves the most in this world hurts her.
There is a lot of assuming on Tobys part and Joey tries to clear it up but when he doesn’t listen, she just stops trying and eggs him on. This frustrated me so much, I almost pulled my hair out. When Toby would open his mouth, I wanted to throw my ipad at the wall.
This book is very angsty and emotional. But also very real and that’s why I loved it😂 Also, I gave the 4.5 rating bc I dont think his grovel game was A1, but it’s ok—we move
Alright, this is book 2 in the Hollow Ridge Series. This is a standalone, but as always to enhance the reading experience read book one first which is called Inhale, Exhale.
⚠️TW: SA, rape, cheating, alcohol addiction, miscarriage, loss of a child, self harm, attempted suicide, & more.⚠️
Toby gmfu. Period. He made me as mad as his dumb brother made me🙄 Toby is hurting because the people he loves in his life always leave him. He is always second choice. And when he believes that his wife has made him #2 he does what men do best. He hurts her without letting her explain.
Joey has always been left behind. Until she meets Toby who loves her so fiercely. Then it all comes crashing down. Joey has been through so much and on top of that the person she loves the most in this world hurts her.
There is a lot of assuming on Tobys part and Joey tries to clear it up but when he doesn’t listen, she just stops trying and eggs him on. This frustrated me so much, I almost pulled my hair out. When Toby would open his mouth, I wanted to throw my ipad at the wall.
This book is very angsty and emotional. But also very real and that’s why I loved it😂 Also, I gave the 4.5 rating bc I dont think his grovel game was A1, but it’s ok—we move
April 14, 2020
This is the second book in the series and must not be read as a standalone. If you enjoyed the emotional turmoil of book one and thought the author would go easy on her readers this time think again. Toby really was a character I didn't like at all but I needed to read his story to see how his life changed in the intervening years. I'm not going to say anything about the storyline at all because that would do a disservice to the hard work done by the author. I can sum up my feelings by saying it felt like they were in a bottle and someone shook it until it fizzed over. There is so much turmoil in the pages at times it was like watching an unstoppable car wreck you know you shouldn't look but you can't turn away. C.L. writes flawed characters with such depth and emotion and I hope she never stops. I cannot wait to get Ace's book I really don't think we are ready for him.
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