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onceuponahardback 's review for:
Left Drowning
by Jessica Park
4.5 DROWNING STARS
I have been racking my brain for the right words to clearly describe my love for this gut-wrenching, amazing, brilliant novel. I've thought and thought about it, and yet nothing can quite fit the bill. I can only compare it to the feelings I had when I read Hopeless by Colleen Hoover. I was left feeling overwhelmed by the tragedy these characters faced. My chest ached (I caught myself rubbing my chest to try to alleviate the discomfort quite a few times), my heart hurt and my brain was buzzing with all kinds of emotions. Left Drowning is the perfect combination of angst and sex with a story-line that is gripping, thought-provoking, tortured and dark
Blythe McGuire breaks my heart. To say she is an emotional wreck is an understatement! Her life was changed forever when a fire took half of her family. I can't even imagine how one would live with a tragedy like that. She drinks to numb herself from the emotional pain she carries around. She's haunted by a brother, who she was once extremely close to, and now isn't. You can feel her desperation in wanting to be forgiven for her actions the night of the fire. Blythe is closed off, shut down and barely functioning when she meets Chris Shepherd. Almost instantly, Blythe feels a connection to Chris that leaves her reeling, wanting more, and suddenly... hopeful. Hopeful that she can pull out of her despair and be normal again. Hopeful that she and Chris can become something more.
Blythe becomes close to Chris and his siblings, since they all attend the same college together. As they become their own little family, Blythe finds herself coming to terms with her past and finally allows herself to begin the grieving process and heal. Chris is instrumental with the healing. He knows just the things to say to allow her to cope and keep moving.
Chris Shepherd is just as screwed up as Blythe is, he's just better at hiding it. He's built walls so high even his feelings for Blythe can't get past them. Blythe makes him feel something real, too real. Chris can't deal with anything other than being numb, so he closes himself off from Blythe. Even after a weekend of letting their guards down and really getting to know each other, Chris can't cope. So he runs. And he hides. And he gives Blythe the ultimate slap in the face.
I think it was at this point in the story where the tears flowed almost constantly. I was overcome with such a deep sadness for what Blythe had been through, and yet, I admired her strength and determination to become a new version of herself.
Blythe and Chris have a connection that sizzles off the page. You can feel it in your fingertips as you turn the pages. This is one of those books that will stick with you. You'll be talking about it months later and recommending to your friends as a "must read".
This is what makes me want to give the book 4.5 stars though. Spoilers ahead if you haven't read the book yet!
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I would recommend this novel
He puts his hand on my cheek. "You were left drowning"
I nod again.
"And you're struggling to breathe"
I am. It's a constant struggle to stay near the surface I have just enough air to stop me from going totally under, but not enough to thrive.
"So do it. Breathe. Just Breathe."
I have been racking my brain for the right words to clearly describe my love for this gut-wrenching, amazing, brilliant novel. I've thought and thought about it, and yet nothing can quite fit the bill. I can only compare it to the feelings I had when I read Hopeless by Colleen Hoover. I was left feeling overwhelmed by the tragedy these characters faced. My chest ached (I caught myself rubbing my chest to try to alleviate the discomfort quite a few times), my heart hurt and my brain was buzzing with all kinds of emotions. Left Drowning is the perfect combination of angst and sex with a story-line that is gripping, thought-provoking, tortured and dark
Blythe McGuire breaks my heart. To say she is an emotional wreck is an understatement! Her life was changed forever when a fire took half of her family. I can't even imagine how one would live with a tragedy like that. She drinks to numb herself from the emotional pain she carries around. She's haunted by a brother, who she was once extremely close to, and now isn't. You can feel her desperation in wanting to be forgiven for her actions the night of the fire. Blythe is closed off, shut down and barely functioning when she meets Chris Shepherd. Almost instantly, Blythe feels a connection to Chris that leaves her reeling, wanting more, and suddenly... hopeful. Hopeful that she can pull out of her despair and be normal again. Hopeful that she and Chris can become something more.
Blythe becomes close to Chris and his siblings, since they all attend the same college together. As they become their own little family, Blythe finds herself coming to terms with her past and finally allows herself to begin the grieving process and heal. Chris is instrumental with the healing. He knows just the things to say to allow her to cope and keep moving.
"You need songs that make you feel. Some make you string, some make you weak. Some build determination, some tear you apart. But you need all of those...Run through the pain."
Chris Shepherd is just as screwed up as Blythe is, he's just better at hiding it. He's built walls so high even his feelings for Blythe can't get past them. Blythe makes him feel something real, too real. Chris can't deal with anything other than being numb, so he closes himself off from Blythe. Even after a weekend of letting their guards down and really getting to know each other, Chris can't cope. So he runs. And he hides. And he gives Blythe the ultimate slap in the face.
“you're just....You're everything"
His words are perfect, but the tone in his voice is not right. Wistful. Apologetic.”
I think it was at this point in the story where the tears flowed almost constantly. I was overcome with such a deep sadness for what Blythe had been through, and yet, I admired her strength and determination to become a new version of herself.
Blythe and Chris have a connection that sizzles off the page. You can feel it in your fingertips as you turn the pages. This is one of those books that will stick with you. You'll be talking about it months later and recommending to your friends as a "must read".
This is what makes me want to give the book 4.5 stars though. Spoilers ahead if you haven't read the book yet!
Spoiler
I gave this book 4.5 stars but for me, I think it deserves 4 and the reason for that being is that I didn't like what happened after the hotel chapters.*Girls, if you read those steamy scenes you get what I'm talking about)! I think Chris should have just been alone. Why even get in a relationship with another girl after? Why even propose to said rebound girl? Why not just be alone? If he didn't want to marry heroine, why would he have wanted to marry safe girl? The heroine just forgave him for all that pain that he put her through, and the issue was just kinda glossed over, and that's always gonna bug me. Oh yeah, and then he had the audacity to say, "Well, I'm glad you haven't been with anyone else, cause it would have driven me crazy!" Really? Really? It's okay for her to put up with all that suffering, and then you just expect forgiveness? That was so wrong on so many levels. He didn't have to have a girlfriend right after they separated, there was no reason for that, and it upset me greatly. Kinda took away from their epic heartbreaking love story really. Didn't ruin it, but dampened it for sure. Sorry, Jessica Park but I think you shouldn't have put that in the book. Kinda ruined things. However, this was a fantastic book overall, and it's getting added to my favorite list <3~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.
I would recommend this novel