 Broken… Shattered… How can you begin to live again when you’ve already been forced to… die? Evangelina Ricci is trapped in a world that’s a never-ending nightmare, a constant ache in which consumes her every breath. Unable to bear the torture any longer, she does the one thing she can to take back control. Run. With her best friend Jace in tow, Evangelina attempts to escape her darkened past by leaving for college and diving head first into an aggressive schedule, determined with everything she is to make a name for herself. There’s only one problem—she can’t run away from the demons she struggles with. The demons that’ll forever be there, locked inside, battering her soul. Hiding behind a flawless façade, Evangelina faces her ghosts until her world is turned upside down, invaded by… him. Blake Turner. Sweet, witty, flirtatious and drop-dead gorgeous, he finds Evangelina at every turn. Scared he’ll uncover the truth she keeps so well guarded, Evangelina tries her best to put on her act, deterring him like she has so many times before—only this guy’s different. He’s relentless. Utterly, absolutely and completely relentless. He sees her and he wants her and won’t stop until she’s his. Will Evangelina succeed in pushing Blake away? Or will he break down her walls and be the person to make her realize life is worth living? 5 Star Review by AshleyI have been sitting on this title for a few weeks but am so glad that I finally decided to dive in. Celeste Grande went for it big in her debut. The writing was superb in this emotionally packed story. Geez- what a way to start a book- my heart was in my throat from the first page and I had to know what would become of the frightened girl. Eva, what a tragic mess she is. She is so wonderfully flawed, she thinks she is broken but that is far from the truth; scarred- yes, broken- not at all. The things she has put up with and endured are horrendous, but prove her strength. She is given a brief reprieve from her situation and is finding herself while she is at college. Thankfully she has her trusty sidekick Jace there to help her transition. This guy is hilarious and everyone needs a friend like him- supportive but unafraid to tell it like it is. And its a good thing too because he helps push Eva to see and go for what she really wants and that is to try with Blake. Blake Turner, cue the perfect man images. Smart, patient, sexy, funny, giving and forgiving...the list is endless. After their completely random, and embarrassing first meeting, he is drawn to Eva in a way he can't quite explain. Lucky for him she just happens to be in his path one day and by being his charming self, he wears down her defenses. It wasn't the grand gestures either, it was the small moments, the walks in the park and the photos that allowed Eva to open up her world to him. Blake brought out a light side of Eva that she didn't think existed anymore. She was laughing, smiling and not living in the fear of her past but in the joy of the present. She got to experience college. The cram sessions. The parties with friends. The panic over a bad grade. The hangover headaches. Finding a job. Making true and meaningful relationships. Blake gave that to her, and she embraced it head on. It was beautiful to see this transformation within her. There were so many tender moments between these two that showed their true character. The date night, the poetry and Thanksgiving dinner were all big hilights for me. And Blake's Christmas gift to her, insert happy sigh- it was perfectly him and them. I loved how he gave her the gentle nudge she needed to open up to him about any and everything, well almost everything. Her secrets had the power to destroy everything new and happy that they had built. When it all comes to a head Eva does the one thing she knows how to do best, run. UGH! I just wanted to jump into my device and shake some sense into her (and comfort Blake). And maybe knock a few heads, you'll know who I'm talking about. Live Me, completely captivated and blew me away. It was an emotional roller coaster that looped more times than I can count. The highs were high and just when you think the ride is over, the lows swoop even lower. I laughed and cried with and for Blake and Eva. For their joy, their struggles, their pain, their love...Oh, and this book has a killer playlist to accompany it! Music plays a big role in the development of Blake and Eva's story. If this is how Celeste Grande wrote her debut, I can't wait to read along with the bright future she has ahead of her. Here is your warning though, yes this is a cliffhanger. Yes- I need the rest of their story- now would be good. About the Author  Celeste Grande grew up loving words. From an early age, it was easy for her to open her heart through pen and paper and come away with something poetic. She never thought anything more than releasing her emotions would come of it though. A workaholic that can’t keep still, in her ‘real’ life, she’s a Certified Public Accountant who dreams of writing sexy books all day long. When she isn’t working, she’s reading, writing, mommying and being a wifey to the love of her life.
She lives in New York, and is still putting pen to paper. Live Me, a new adult contemporary romance, is her debut novel. Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1HbYRhO website: http://www.celestegrande.com
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