Ten Tiny Breaths (The Ten Tiny Breaths, #1)

by K.A. Tucker

[kimbacaffeinate]

Ten Tiny Breaths by K. A. Tucker kept a little piece of me when I closed the book. The tale was powerful, tragic, heartbreaking, and romantic.

The tale begins four years after a horrific accident that took the lives of Kacey Cleary’s best friend, boyfriend and parents. As the sole survivor of the wreck, she has been plagued by nightmares. She and her fifteen year old sister have just arrived in Miami, Florida after escaping from their aunt’s house. Twenty-one year old Kacey has just enough money to set them up in small furnished apartment while she looks for work. The shabby little, Melrose inspired apartment complex is about to change this hardened woman’s life as her neighbors and one smexy neighbor in particular worm their way into her heart. Filled with touching moments, unspeakable secrets and hope this book kept me enthralled until the last page.

Kacey Cleary is one tough cookie, and about as fragile as one. She has this snaky, I don’t give a shit exterior and a jagged past as she spent the last four years in a drug and sex induced stopper to control the pain and lose she feels. Her love of her fifteen year old sister has changed all that and for once she is going to hold it all together as her guardian. Kacey really tears at your heartstrings, while making you laugh your ass of the in the next sentence. The author did a wonderful job of fleshing her out, sharing her fears and making her real for me. Livie her sister is sweet, and she really holds it together. Kacey and Livie befriend their next door neighbor single mother Storm and her five-year old daughter Mia. They had their own storyline that intertwined with Kacey’s giving this book almost a small town feel. Trent lives on the other side of Kacey’s apartment and boy howdy is he smexy. He is very sensitive to Kacey and her issues and I immediately felt a connection to him. Trent’s complicated, and seems perfect and you just want to bite him. He is a good guy but you sense his pain. There was no insta-love and in fact, very little smexy time but it was such a beautiful and touching romance. I laughed, I cried and ooh how I cheered them on.

Tucker really did a wonderful job of sharing Kacey’s turmoil, her post traumatic distress order and ultimately her road back to herself. The relationship between her and Trent was sweet and intense and yet this tale was so much more than a romance. It spoke of forgiveness, finding peace, faith and redemption. I refuse to give away any details but I had this ah-ha moment where the pieces clicked and I became frantic with my need to confirm. With twists and interesting subplots I was so caught up that time and reality slipped away. I laughed aloud, and silently cried and the next minute I was bursting with joy. I love when a book moves me and I literally checkout from the world around me. Tucker’s smooth writing style and expressive ability to capture raw emotions delighted me as a reader. The ending is one I am sure most will enjoy as it gives closure.
ARC provided in exchange for unbiased review
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