Best Kind of Broken (Finding Fate, #1)

by Chelsea Fine

[Raven]

The copy of this book was provided for free from Netgalley. I pre-ordered it back in September, but now I get to read it early. Thanks Netgalley!

Pixie and Levi share a secret, a dark horrible painful secret that makes them certain that staying far away from each other is in the best interest of everything. But when Pixie moves into her Aunt's inn for the summer, she is stuck sharing a bathroom with Levi. Tension, guilt, and feelings long buried surface through the summer, can they find a truce and heal each other, or are they meant to stay broken?

OMG. Only Chelsea Fine. Seriously, the woman is basically a drug dealer, hooking you on her stories until you are addicted. No worries, you don't need rehab, this is the very best type of drug, after all. I will forever read anything she puts out. I have read everything she's put out, but yeah, the trend will continue. Only Chelsea Fine can make me cry like a baby and laugh like a mental patient in the same paragraph. This book took me too many hours to read, but the fault was because I kept having to stop to wipe my eyes and blow my nose. At one point, my husband asked if I was reading a good book or having a pregnancy induced hormone episode. He doesn't understand literary perfection.

Chelsea amazed me with her Archers of Avalon series, by showing she could weave strong characters with darker themes without leaving you feeling depressed. She has only strengthened this skill with Best Kind of Broken. The story is a sad one, about two broken people afraid to heal together because they are so certain that there is hate on the other's part. The story is heart-wrenching, and if you plan to make it through, you better have a box of tissues handy. The secret they share is slowly introduced and is done in such a flawless way, that you feel their pain. The build up of the story is perfection, a perfect speed that keeps you glued to the pages and invested in the story.

Pixie and Levi are brilliant characters. They are so weak and so strong all in the same breath. I found myself loving them more and more as I got to know them on the pages. They are so perfect together, and for each other, and the longer it takes them to get their act together, the more you just want to scream. The other characters in the story aren't the focus, but they are all just so sweet. They work perfectly into the story and make the book feel so real without needing to be focused on.

My only complaint, is the tiniest thing ever. I always fall for the best friend's in Chelsea's books. I did it with Heather in the AoA, and now there is Jenna in Best Kind of Broken. She is perfect and sassy and amazing and I love her because she kind of reminds me of me. I really would've loved to hear a bit more about her and Jack, at least in the epilogue, but that's fine. I can live. Pixie and Levi were the key characters. I am perfect with things as they were.

In case it's not insanely obvious, I totally recommend this book. There is talk about drinking, drunk driving, and some fairly mild sexytimes (well, insane tension aside) so it is for a mature audience. So do yourself a favor and go get this book. And then her other books. And then count the seconds until the next one comes out. Because Chelsea Fine can do no wrong.

Originally posted at arielavalon.com