Before You Break

Between Breaths, Book #2

By Christina Lee

ISBN# 9780698141261

Author’s Website:  http://www.christinalee.net

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Jerjen

Before You Break by Christina Lee is a book about forgiveness, second chances and hope.  It takes a very serious topic and looks at it in a bit of a different perspective.

Ella works for a suicide hotline and is studying to become a psychologist.  Growing up she has had to deal with the death of her brother, who committed suicide while in high school.  Ella has taken her tragedy and is attempting to turn it into a positive.  Her family has received help to deal with the suicide so Ella knows that counseling works.  She takes her work at the hotline very seriously and has made it her goal to help anyone who calls, even if it is just to listen.  I like the fact that this book stressed the importance of listening and being available to offer support, which is something any person can do.  I think during the course of our busy lives we tend to forget the importance of these things, and this book is a good reminder.  You do not need to be a medical professional to offer these things to friends or family that might need it.

Danny is a catcher for a college baseball team and he seems to have a great life.  Little do the people around him know that he is carrying around a dark secret.  A secret that is so dark that at times he feels the need to end his life because he is not worthy of living.  He calls the hotline that Ella works at, and over time, they begin to build up a relationship and Ella begins to help Danny deal with his secret.  This is all done anonymously and neither realize that outside the hotline, the two know each other and are starting to have feelings for each other.  Will Ella be able to accept Danny’s secret and help him forgive himself or will it be so terrible that Ella wants nothing to do with him?

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is a an easy, quick read.  I like the fact that the book is written in two different perspectives, that of Ella and that of Danny.  Each chapter tells the story from one of those two angles.  The characters are well developed and well rounded and they pull at your heartstrings.  You cannot help but to feel for Danny and hope that he can forgive himself and move on with his life.  And you want Ella to find a love in her life and find happiness.

I could tell when reading the book that the author either has first hand experience with suicide or has done a lot of research on the subject.  After reading about the author, I found out that she has had a previous career as a clinical social worker and the knowledge that she gained from this career shines through with her writing.  She was able to take the serious topics of suicide and death and tell the story of two people who were affected by them.  It is a story that needs telling and she does a good job telling it.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys adult fiction with romance and steamy scenes.  Also anyone who has any desire to read about suicide and how it affects those left behind.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*