Release Blitz & Book Review: Broken Dreams by Callie Anderson

Broken Dreams

by Callie Anderson
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: April 27th, 2017

Cover Design: Sarah Hansen / Okay Creations, Photo Credit: Franggy Yanez Photography

Synopsis:

Ethan is the boy who climbed into my bedroom every night.

He's everything I love.

Laced with everything I despise.

He's every happy memory.

And every shattered dream.

He's my everything.

But he broke every part of me.

I'm supposed to hate him.

But I can't.

I don't know how.

Buy now:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2p5OmHP
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2pBgeVN
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2q9pwb3
Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2pjVgYg

About the author:

Callie Anderson is a wife, mother and writer, who embraces the truth, then weaves it into a magical tale of romance and heartache.

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Giveaway:

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My review:  

Callie did it again! She absolutely blew me away with this amazing read! I should probably mention that I might be a little biased because I always wanted to be a ballerina. =P So, I could relate to Leslie easily from the very beginning. But it wasn't just that. The characters were just perfect. Leslie and Ethan shared a special bond and they pulled me right into their bubble when they were kids.

It was heartbreaking to see then, how one moment changed so many lives drastically. And, like in real life, the characters had it in their own hands on how huge an impact it had on their lives. Because in the end everyone has to decide on their own how to deal with it.

'There's no point in dwelling on the small stuff.

But Ethan wasn't small. Oh, God, not at all. He was the “what if” in my life.' 

The story was told from Leslie's POV and switched between past and present, which made the story a lot more interesting IMO. It was also really easy to follow because both timelines moved forward and weren't just randomly mixed. If you get what I mean.

The Story:

It has been eight years since Leslie saw Ethan the last time. Now she's back in her home town which she couldn't leave behind fast enough all those years ago after what happened. It's not just where she left behind so much but where her dreams shattered and her heart had been broken.

Now it's time for Leslie to face those dark chapters of her life again. Can she overcome what happened and forgive? And most importantly, will she be able to face Ethan again and keep her feelings buried inside?

'But what I felt for him was an all-consuming, pure and innocent first love. The kind you never forget. The kind of love you store in a box, making sure you throw away the key and then toss into the deepest end of the ocean. It's a love that haunts you. It's what you compare everything too.'

Thoughts:

This was such an emotional read on so many levels. I loved how Ethan found a safe haven with Leslie and I loved that she had him as her friend in her otherwise strict life. I adored those two kids and their story even if it was hard on Leslie with the constant pressure from her parents but it was especially tough for Ethan.

Ethan had obvious problems in his family, which I don't want to get into detail because you'll read all about them in the book. I think that the problems between Leslie and her parents were a lot more complex and while they differ in the past and present, their relationship stayed strained all the same. I think that the author handled their struggle really well and she'd found a good way to weave it into the story without it being the main focus but still one of the tougher parts in Leslie's life. I also enjoyed how the family slowly found a way to take steps towards each other at the end.

I was positively surprised at how much I loved the switches between past and present because they were woven together so perfectly. Most times when the present awoke memories in the characters from the past, we could experience them first hand with the time switch in the next chapter. I loved this because I prefer to read about the actual situation rather than just the biased memory from one character.

This being said, I highly recommend this read! I could go on and on about how much I love the characters but that would be a waste of time because it would be never ending *haha* It's just better when you go and read this amazing story for yourself while I go right back and re-read it myself =)

'I inhaled and exhaled slowly before the music began. My eyes closed and I let the movements pour out of my body. Each step was delicate. Every movement crisp and defined'

-- I received an ARC of this book from Sassy Savvy Fabulous PR in exchange for an honest review. --

My Rating: 5 of 5 stars
View review on goodreads