Ten Tiny Breaths, by K.A. Tucker

4 out of 5 stars

I received an ARC from netgalley in exchange for an honest review...

One night someone who had too much to drink made the decision to drive home anyways.  This one small decision made a really big impact.  The same night a teenage girl lost her mom, dad, best friend and boyfriend.  She may have physically survived the accident but the girl she once was died in the car that same night alongside of the people she loved.

After the accident Kacey and her little sister Livie must move in with their Aunt and Uncle.  The Aunt constantly pushes church onto Kacey not knowing how to deal with a bad attitude teenager who copes with alcohol and sex.  To make matters worse her Uncle looses all their inheritance in a card game and is trying to force inappropriate advances on Livie.

She may not be the girl she once was but Kacey knows Livie deserves more so they run-away in the middle of the night to Miami, seeking a fresh start.

It's in Miami where Kacey begins to take the breaths she needs to actually live again.  In Miami she chooses to be responsible, gives up boys and even slowly allows people to get close to her again and if she's honest with herself Kacey realizes she cares about them as well.  It's also in Miami she meets Trent.  The incredibly hot bad-boy neighbor who only has eyes for Kacey, who wants nothing more than to be the one who makes her happy again.

Of course just as things start looking up and Kacey starts living again her world comes crashing down. Will her mother's advice be the key to saving her life, "Just breathe.  Ten tiny breaths...Seize them.  Feel them.  Love them." or will she forever live in the tragedies of her life?

K.A. Tucker doesn't waste any time, right from the get-go you are thrown and sucked into this story.  Told from Kacey's perspective you journey with her through all the stages of grief.  You re-live her tragedy, you struggle as she struggles to make sense of one person's bad decision.  You join her on the bumpy road to true forgiveness and shout for joy once the journey is made and Kacey finds the way back to herself.

Kacey comes across as a strong character physically, never making excuses for her self, putting her sister's needs above herself, but emotionally she is weak and incredibly vulnerable.  She also realizes this about herself and as a result makes it her life's mission to never let herself get attached to anyone else because she isn't sure she could survive another heartbreak.

Her sister Livie was an integral part of her recovery and I loved how strong she was for Kacey, I love all the silent support she gives, then at one point she gets completely real and calls her out, begging her to get help, forcing her to see that she wasn't the only victim the night their parents died.  I couldn't help but loving her character and their bond as sisters.  She may not have been the star of this book but the story wouldn't have been as good without her character.

If you are like me you enjoy a good steamy love story so, don't worry the chemistry between Kacey and Trent is on fire.  These two cannot help but be drawn together and you're going to get fireworks!

I was able to figure out the plot twist pretty early on in the story and while I still enjoyed the journey I would have preferred to be challenged with it a little longer.  I also thought the last part of the book kind of felt rushed to wrap everything up, but you do get a pretty great epilogue which gave the story a nice ending. K.A. Tucker really uses the plot to force readers to think.  I love a book that makes you think and Ten Tiny Breaths is a story not easily forgotten.