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

by K.A. Tucker

[Angie]

I received an ARC through NetGalley.

Ten Tiny Breaths turned out much differently than I was expecting. Well, actually I didn’t know what to expect at all, so it was a very pleasant surprise. I think there’s this misconception that all New Adults are generally the same and basically amount to hot college age people having lots of sex with a sprinkle of deeper issues. Well, this is not that. Kacey is holding on to a lot of anger. It’s totally understandable, if not the healthiest way to live. She’s packed up herself and her fifteen year old sister to move out on their own after some problems occur at their aunt and uncle’s home. Here’s where she can start over and build a better life, and possibly find love with the sexy neighbor.

Kacey is a tough girl to get to know. She keeps people more than arms length away at all times. Sometimes literally since she can’t even tolerate the idea of someone shaking her hand. She does kickboxing to relieve that pent-up anger, but she does nothing to rid herself of it and that causes major issues for her and those around her. Of course, Kacey doesn’t realize this until way too late. Kacey has never dealt with her grief after the accident that nearly took her life and stole away her loved ones.I really liked how the author presented PTSD. Often people associate it with soldiers coming back from war, but it happens to so many other people for a variety of reasons.

The most unexpected part of Ten Tiny Breaths was one of the settings: a strip club! When Storm first offers Kacey a job there, I worried it would be a cheesy gimmick to bring in more sex. I was super wrong! I felt like Kacey at first, a little weirded out about being in a place with so much nudity, but then we both relaxed and it mostly felt normal. It was just another setting, much like the apartment or the Everglades. It did bring in plenty of entertainment though, particularly Storm’s act. It’s also the setting for one of the more important scenes where we see how much help Kacey really needs.

Of course there’s a romance. A steamy one at that! Trent is beyond hot, but from the very moment I met him, I knew something was off. I felt like he tried a little too hard to win Kacey’s affection, and always seemed to be appearing out of nowhere. A few more chapters in and several clues later, I had my theory. At the end when all is revealed, I was right! This situation is beyond screwed up, but it all makes perfect sense, even if I can’t for a second understand what the heck is happening in that man’s brain.

Ten Tiny Breaths isn’t all gloom and doom though. There’s plenty of humor spread throughout, even if a lot of it is from Kacey to cover up her real feelings. I also really enjoyed the supporting characters, especially Storm and Ben. They each play an important role in helping to balance Kacey. While it didn’t blow me away, I still very much enjoyed Ten Tiny Breaths and look forward to more from this author!

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.