4 Stars

Genre: New Adult

Publisher: Papoti Books

Pages: 262 pages

The Target Audience (IMO): College and up. There is some sex in this book, but it’s not very graphic. It’s fairly mild compared to an adult romance novel, but it’s still there. Some heavy language at parts, and adult situations.

I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Good Reads Summary:
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.

I think I’ve said this before, but I am continually impressed by the New Adult genre. Now, if you don’t like hurt/comfort stories with some sex/language thrown in, this genre is NOT for you. New Adult almost always has a main character (usually a girl) who is trying (and usually failing) to cope with some traumatic experience in his or her past. Now that is an EXTREMELY broad and general definition, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s not true.

So, I’m just going to throw some things out there that are in this book: PTSD, a strip club, drunk driving, naked acrobatics, alligators, creepy old men.

Still want to read it?

I really enjoyed Ten Tiny Breaths. I thought Kacey, the main character was interesting; the reader can see so much about her the entire time that she doesn’t see in herself until the end. She is unreasonable, moody, angry, desperate, and extremely stubborn. I found myself annoyed with her because she refused to cope with her trauma in a healthy way. But that’s the entire point of the book. Her road to healing is actually quite nice. Long, but comforting and refreshing.

However, before she admits she has a problem, anytime anyone mentions her issues, she’s a lot like this octopus.

Enter Trent. Gorgeous, motorcycle riding neighbor living in Apartment 1D. You seemed too good to be true. You save women from snakes in their showers, take a girl to see alligators in the Everglades on a first date, and hang out at strip clubs to watch the bartender (AKA a fully clothed Kacey) rather than the strippers. You MUST have some deep dark secret.

And then, the OH MY GOSH I CAN’T BELIEVE WHAT I JUST READ reveal happened.

Seriously though. I was NOT expecting what happened. At all. In any universe. It almost made me bump my rating up to 5 stars. Because that was a brilliant plot twist. That alone should make you want to read this book. Because I was shocked. And I immediately thought “K.A. Tucker FTW”. Seriously.

I loved the cast of supporting characters. Storm, the adorable next-door neighbor who practically takes Kacey and her little sister Livie in was such a nice addition to this tale of misery. Storm and her 5 year old daughter Mia are as good of friends as they can be to Kacey, and I loved them for it. Livie helps keep Kacey together as best she can, and is a perfect angel in all circumstances. She is sweet, helpful, and cares deeply about Kacey.

So, if you like New Adult, this is a MUST READ for you.