Ten Tiny Breaths by K A Tucker

Goodreads
262 pages, NA Contemporary
Ten Tiny Breaths #1
My rating: 5 stars

Synopsis

Kacey Cleary’s whole life imploded four years ago in a drunk-driving accident. Now she’s working hard to bury the pieces left behind—all but one. Her little sister, Livie. Kacey can swallow the constant disapproval from her born-again aunt Darla over her self-destructive lifestyle; she can stop herself from going kick-boxer crazy on Uncle Raymond when he loses the girls’ college funds at a blackjack table. She just needs to keep it together until Livie is no longer a minor, and then they can get the hell out of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

But when Uncle Raymond slides into bed next to Livie one night, Kacey decides it’s time to run. Armed with two bus tickets and dreams of living near the coast, Kacey and Livie start their new lives in a Miami apartment complex, complete with a grumpy landlord, a pervert upstairs, and a neighbor with a stage name perfectly matched to her chosen “profession.” But Kacey’s not worried. She can handle all of them. What she can’t handle is Trent Emerson in apartment 1D.

Kacey doesn’t want to feel. She doesn’t. It’s safer that way. For everyone. But sexy Trent finds a way into her numb heart, reigniting her ability to love again. She starts to believe that maybe she can leave the past where it belongs and start over. Maybe she’s not beyond repair.

But Kacey isn’t the only one who’s broken. Seemingly perfect Trent has an unforgiveable past of his own; one that, when discovered, will shatter Kacey’s newly constructed life and send her back into suffocating darkness.

My 2 cents


This book was an emotional roller coaster ride!  I fell in love with it--Kacey, Livvie, Trent, little Maia, Storm, and crazy funny Ben!  The story made me experience every emotion.  I was laughing out loud on some pages, drooling over Trent in others, and tearing up by the end.  Just know if you read this, you might want to read it in the privacy of your bedroom, not out in public.  People will be staring at you!

Our MC, Kacey, has had a tough time of things.  She was in a horrific car crash when she was 16.  Her parents, best friend, and boyfriend all died in the crash.  She was the only survivor, but she was badly injured, and underwent many surgeries and physical therapy.  4 years later, she has buried all of out down deep, and has run away with her little sister, Livvie, who is 15, to Miami.  Their current guardians were not good at all, so Kacey vows she will get a job and take care of her sister.

She doesn't expect to meet so many great people who care about her and Livvie in Miami.  Especially Trent, her new next door neighbor, who does things to her no one have ever done before.  Trent was yummy goodness all wrapped up in a somewhat "bad boy" exterior.  The romance in this one was fabulous, and not typical at all, which I enjoyed.

The story has an amazing cast of characters, and they are what made the book for me.  Kacey's neighbors, boss, and sister make up as much of the story as Trent does, which was refreshing.  The story felt so real, and I think that was in part to the characters.

But this book is all about Kacey, and her trying to find her way after tragedy.  She is full of rage and hurt, and the book bounces around a lot, depending on her mood swings.  She thinks she has it all figured out, but she's not even close!  There is a major twist at the end that I did not see coming at all!  The ending was perfect.  The entire book was perfect.   I think this may have been the best book I've read so far this year!