Review: Breaking Nova by Jessica Sorensen

KINDLE

Breaking Nova (Nova #1) by Jessica Sorensen
Contemporary / New Adult
Forever (September 3, 2013)

Rating: B
Heat: Sweet

Heroine: Nova Reed – Interested in Filming, Lost Boyfriend 
Hero: Quinton Carter – Sketch Artists, Lost Girlfriend

 

 

 

Synopsis:

Nova Reed used to have dreams-of becoming a famous drummer, of marrying her true love. But all of that was taken away in an instant. Now she's getting by as best she can, though sometimes that means doing things the old Nova would never do. Things that are slowly eating away at her spirit. Every day blends into the next . . . until she meets Quinton Carter. His intense, honey brown eyes instantly draw her in, and he looks just about as broken as she feels inside.

Quinton once got a second chance at life-but he doesn't want it. The tattoos on his chest are a constant reminder of what he's done, what he's lost. He's sworn to never allow happiness into his life . . . but then beautiful, sweet Nova makes him smile. He knows he's too damaged to get close to her, yet she's the only one who can make him feel alive again. Quinton will have to decide: does he deserve to start over? Or should he pay for his past forever?

Review:

"People say that time heals all wounds, and maybe they’re right."

 

Nova Reed and Quinton Carter have both suffered major losses. Their lives have been shattered by these deaths and find it hard to live a normal life in the aftermath. Nova used to have a carefree and strong spirit, who looked at life optimistically, until her boyfriend Landon committed suicide. Now she is sad all the time and has formed OCD. She counts rocks, cracks, tiles, and so on – just to keep the memories buried. Quinton was a really good guy with a bright future ahead of him, until one tragic night when he lost control of his car and killed his girlfriend and another friend of his. He nearly died that night but got a second chance at a life. However, he doesn’t feel lucky to be alive. The person he used to be died on the side of the road that night. In place of the old Quinton is an emotionless and broken man, who numbs his pain with drugs. These two broken souls are drowning in their grief and never thought they could feel something other than sadness and pain until they meet each other.

Nova goes home for summer break from college with her friend, Delilah. Being home means facing the haunting memories of her deceased boyfriend. Coming to terms with his death and the fact that he took his own life has been a tough road. She’s doesn’t understand why he gave up on life. Why he left her behind. Were the signs there already and she just didn’t notice? She’s been fumbling through her life for a year trying to find the answers to all the questions she desperately doesn’t understand. She’s confused and unsettled and wants to piece her life back together. Then she meets Quinton, who changes everything that summer. He makes her feel things again. When she sees how much he is suffering, she can’t make herself walk away from the anguish she sees in his eyes. It’s the same type of anguish she saw in Landon.

Quinton never meant to kill anyone. It was an accident. But he refuses to forgive himself. He left home after his father kicked him out and moved in with his cousin. He now lives a life where he uses drugs, doesn’t work, and wishes to be put out of his misery. He doesn’t feel like he deserves anyone to care for him or for him to care for anybody. He doesn’t want to feel anything. But things start to change inside him when he meets Nova. This girl is the only person he has let himself feel anything for in over a year. She makes him smile and feel alive again. But his guilt and despair is eating him alive. Will he let himself move on from the tragedy that changed his life forever?

From the moment Nova and Quinton meet, there is an instant spark of attraction and interest between them. They grow close the more time they spend together and eventually become friends. They are drawn to one another. They understand each other. They feel comfortable together. They become consumed with each other. And soon the void in their broken hearts starts to fill with caring feelings. Yet, even with the positive they can bring into each other’s lives, they both fight the pull they have towards each other. Well, mostly Quinton does. He thinks Nova is way too good for him since the life he’s living now is corrupted by drugs and bad people. But when they go to an outdoor concert together, the friendship they have formed develops into something more. Things between Nova and Quinton become more intense. As they lose themselves in drugs, alcohol, rock n’ roll, and passion, both their lives start to spiral out of control. Will they be strong enough for each other or will they crumble when things become too much?

Once again, Jessica Sorenson has created another heartbreaking series that will leave you emotionally wounded and craving the next story. I always feel like I need a hug after reading one of Sorenson’s books. The angst is always so brutal on the heart. This book is not a stand-alone. Jessica Sorenson doesn’t write perfect happy endings in the first book of a series. Instead, she takes you on a journey of healing that is dark, gritty, and emotionally painful. Her characters tend to always experience realistic and complicated issues that are not easily fixed. The characters have a hard time accepting love and hope and peace in their lives – which makes the romance complicated.

In Breaking Nova, Jessica Sorenson takes another ballsy chance with her characters and takes the reader over to the dark side by writing about suicide and drugs – two very real issues that some young adults experience growing up. This story focuses on both Nova and Quinton’s issues, but this story was more about Nova finding her way again. While Nova does find a type of peace in her life by the end of the story, Quinton becomes more lost than ever. This series will continue on with the next installment that comes out sometime in 2014. I really wish that I could have the next book sooner rather later, especially with the little sneak peak of what’s to come added at the end of the story. I was left salivating to read more!