Live Me (Pieces of Broken, #1)

by Celeste Grande

[whisperingchapters]

This review was originally posted on Latte Nights ReviewsEva has a past filled with demons that she can't outrun. Everything in her present is a reminder of what happened, whether it's a word, a phrase, an object. She is ready to leave it all behind and focus on school with the help of her best friend, Jace. Her walls start crumbling down when she meets Blake, someone who is very persistent in wanting to be her friend but will Eva let her walls fall completely or will she stay stuck in the past forever?

This story was all kinds of intense and emotional. Eva is a character who has gone through a lot and reading about her past and how it still affects her in the present personally, socially and emotionally was heart-breaking. She's trying to get away from the past but she doesn't seek help and she isn't really coming to peace with it. She's basically shoving it away and eventually, that will catch up to her. Even with Eva's background, I found it hard to like her. I felt sympathy for her in more ways than one but her character was one that I couldn't really deal with. She ended up becoming a whiny martyr. I know it's not easy for someone like her to move on so quickly, that's not what I'm getting at but I could've done without all the whining. Once I reached half the story, we start to see her trying to have a life, trying her best to move on and be happy and that's what I wanted to see from the beginning. She has been molested and raped by her sister's boyfriend ever since she was 14-years-old. She only ever told her best friend, Jace and then Blake.

I loved Blake's character. He never pushed Eva for something more. From the very beginning he was attracted to her but all he ever asked from her was friendship. When they kept spending lots of time together was when he told her he really liked her but still, he would take it slow and wait for her to be ready. He was so patient with her and so very loving and caring. The romance wasn't thrown in our faces out of nowhere and it took time to build. Months passed before they uttered those three words to one another. I was happy to see it all come to play in a realistic matter. Now, not everything was realistic. Blake was incredibly charming but some stuff he would say were way over the top and I know guys can get all mushy and say those in real life but Blake took them to the other level and the gestures he would do for her. Their first date was a dream and I wish those things would happen in real life. For the date, he paid someone to bring breakfast to her apartment, paid so she could get a massage so she could be relaxed for their date. Then he paid so she could get mani/pedi and her hair done and then gave her a red dress. Am I done? No. Wait for it..................................................... White horse and a carriage. Their romance was also steamy as hell! Definitely not for young eyes. Still, Blake is a good BBF that you will definitely want to have in your life.

Out of all of the characters, I have to mention Jace. He made the story so much fun! He is Eva's gay best friend and I freaking adored him! He is the perfect best friend to have. He is there to make you laugh or to lend a shoulder to cry on. He is so sweet and so funny. I wish he gets a happy ending because that guy deserves it!

Let me warn you. This story isn't a stand-alone. I didn't know that so imagine my frustration when I finished it only to end in a cliff-hanger. I need to get my hands on the second book where I hope everything gets resolved. If you're looking for a hot, emotional, intense, tragic story with the message of learning to move on from a horrible past, then this one is for you!This review was originally posted on Latte Nights Reviews