I was not aware this book was the second in a series until I was a fair way through it but it did not harm my comprehension of the story at all. I loved the flawed hero it made him that much more attractive to me. She was a bit annoying I must say until she finally managed to sort herself out. Compelling characterization made up for a slightly predictable story. ( )

Before You Break surprised me in many ways. I read Lee’s [b:Promise Me This|22077246|Promise Me This (Between Breaths, #4)|Christina Lee|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1402555544s/22077246.jpg|41184181] which is another book in her Between Breaths series. I enjoyed that one. I knew I’d like Lee’s writing from that novel alone, and it came through in Before You Break, as well. What I wasn’t expecting is for Lee to have another set of characters that I didn’t want to stop reading about.

The characters weren’t the only compelling things in this book. The portrayal of their stories, both the trouble pasts and their current issues, felt very real and relatable on many levels (even if readers haven’t gone through the exact experiences). I also appreciate the pace the romance took. It was as far from an instalove as you can get, but wasn’t frustrating to wait for either.

There’s a small detail that irked me a bit while reading the book, but at the same time I was able to push it aside because of how amazing everything else in this story was. It’s rare that I can ignore a detail like this one, but the fact that it didn’t ruin my reading of this book (when it could have) shows me the strengths in Lee’s writing and will keep me coming back to each of her books in this series and more. ( )

I'm going to skip the book summary and just jump in. I didn't enjoy this one as much as the previous book in this series. Quinn and Ella lacked chemistry. The story in itself was interesting enough but their romance buildup was flat for me. It almost would have read better without the romance due to that. (I didn't connect to the characters so I wasn't as caught up in rooting for them.)

This book had moments of sweetness but I didn't love it as a romance.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. ( )

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Quinn and Ella. Oh how very rare it is to be utterly captivated with two characters from the very first page. I absolutely love when authors allow us to experience dual POV’s, and Christina Lee’s Before You Break did not disappoint. These characters were real. They portrayed emotion that just flitted across the pages. Their sorrow and heartache was raw and ripped through me as only good books can. I was with them in every step of their journey as they grew into themselves and recognized love and forgiveness.

But for this singular, mesmerizing moment, as the moonlight filtered through the gleaming pine needles, I wanted-I needed-this final, toe-curling kiss.

Quinn is a new character to this series, but Ella was Avery’s best friend from the author’s debut novel, All For You. Keep in mind now; All For You was one of my top reads last year so I had high expectations coming into this book. I put it on the proverbial pedestal and by the end, that’s exactly where it deserved to be. Ella’s character just had so much love to give. Though she was confident, her love was wasted on the wrong person and it was a joy to watch her realize that she was okay just being her. Too often we watch characters struggle with self doubt and low self worth, but not Ella. Here was a girl who was curvy, unashamed of her feelings, and fought for what she wanted, consequences be damned.

Getting to know Quinn was just as equally exhilarating. Even more than dual POV’s, I love being able to get into the mind of men. I love when they aren’t afraid to show or talk about what they are feeling. I love that Quinn went through the struggles that he did because I truly believe it only made him a stronger person. People can tell you until they are blue in the face what they think you should already know, but until you figure it out for yourself, you will never believe it. This was never truer than with Quinn. He had to come to some hard realizations before he could truly grow up and give all his love to another. And though at times the wait was painful, the payoff more than made up for it.

Kissing Ella was like coming home.

In my opinion, this was a stellar book, and another notch to add to Lee’s ever growing belt of accomplishments. She truly hit this one out of the park, and Quinn and Ella are characters that won’t be vacating my heart any time soon!
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I enjoyed Christina Lee’s ALL OF YOU and when asked to participate in the blog tour for BEFORE YOU BREAK I didn’t think twice. BEFORE YOU BREAK is a heartbreaking journey and one where two people will unknowingly save one another.

We have good character development. Even though we first meet Ella Abrams in Lee’s ALL OF YOU, it was a real treat getting to know her in BEFORE YOU BREAK. Ella wants to make a difference and is a psychology major. She also volunteers at a suicide hotline and comes from a large loving family. It’s very easy to see why Ella has such good friends and you’ll even want to be her friend. Daniel “Quinn” is a star baseball player living in the shadows of his past. Everything he’s done is in memory of his best friend Sebastian and the life he didn’t get to have. I loved Quinn! He has elements of a bad boy, but is very much the good old American boy next door. Quinn is trying to move past Sebastian’s death, but can’t. We have several secondary characters that play a vital role. Fans of ALL OF YOU will be pleased to see Avery and Bennett along with Rachel make an appearance.

Narration is first person told through Quinn and Ella’s perspective and I really appreciated the dual POV because it gave us insight to what both were thinking. While I still prefer third person narrative because it allows a reader to experience exactly what a character is feeling and thinking, I do believe the use of dual first person POV eliminates some of the guesses. We get to fully experience the moment as it happens. As narrators, both are trustworthy and I can’t imagine BEFORE YOU BREAK being told in any other format. We need both narratives because BEFORE YOU BREAK is an emotional journey that Ella and Quinn need to experience.

What I really liked about Lee’s BEFORE YOU BREAK is that this story could have gone either way, really over the top cheesy or just right and in this case, it’s more than just right! I loved the positive message Lee conveys and handles a sensitive subject matter with class. Often times friends and family members left behind after a loved one commits suicide has them thinking of why and what they could have done differently. While Ella does hold on to the past by keeping Joel around since he is tie to her brother Christopher, I loved that she made it her mission to help others. She wasn’t preachy or a hardcore advocate (not that there’s anything wrong with passionate advocates because they believe in their cause and are there to make change happen), but rather she is sympathetic and had a plan. Although suicide is at the heart of BEFORE YOU BREAK, it’s not a depressing subject matter and it could have easily weighed down the narrative, but it didn’t.

Overall, I just adored Quinn and Ella getting to know each other. While they shared a mutual attraction, they took things slowly and ah I loved this so much! Sure the lust and sexual tension they feel is there, but I really liked how Quinn needed to forgive himself before moving on. Both characters grow and it is rare to get that amount of character depth from both main protagonists. Can I also say how much I freaking adored Ella’s family? Especially her father and it was a precious scene when he meets Quinn for the first time.

A quick note regarding the possibility of cheating-I know some readers turn away from any cheating even if it is implied. Although Joel isn’t a saint and Quinn makes references to it at no point do Ella and Quinn act on their attraction until Ella is done with Joel.

If you’re a fan of New Adult and looking for a book with a little more depth than your average NA novel, I highly recommend Christina Lee’s BEFORE YOU BREAK. ( )