Rating:★★★★★ starsDate published: October 28th, 2014
Publisher: Self Published
Synopsis: Two strangers.
Two broken hearts.
One night to set each other free.
Almost dying from an undiagnosed heart condition means every second of your life is a precious gift to be guarded.
Lena Pettitt was born a miracle.
And her parents never let her forget it.
Even if that daily reminder kept her from experiencing the one thing they were trying to protect most--her life.
Gabriel Martinez’s heart has been ripped out.
His pride has been stomped on.
Oh, and he now has an arrest record that’s caused an even bigger rift between him and his DA mother. All for a love that wasn’t really true.
Now he’s exiled to his grandmother’s, working on his late grandpa’s old Corvair when a shivering girl knocks on the garage door. Lena, left alone for the first time ever, has locked herself out of her house--in the snow. Gabe knows he could help this girl get back inside her house--but that may mean missing the next train to Boston to pick up the part he’s spent eight weeks tracking down. She can wait for him at his grandmother’s or…
A few hours, an aluminum valve cover, and some strong coffee later, neither Gabe or Lena can feign disappointment when they race to the station and arrive just as the last train home from Boston is pulling out.
As jaded as he is, Gabe can’t deny the fact that he’s excited to spend the night exploring a city he knows nearly every corner of, with a girl who sees magic in the simplest things.
Lena has been waiting for her tiny world to crack open her entire life. Now that it’s finally happened, she finds the only thing she can focus on is the unexpected tour guide who opens her eyes to possibilities she never imagined.
All they have is this one night, together, under the bright moon in a city full of hidden beauty.
It’s one night that will change how they see the world and the paths their hearts will take forever.
What I Thought:
If I had to summarize this book with only a single word, it'd be: Beautiful. Thankfully I can use more than one word, because beautiful is not enough to encompass this amazing story. Everything about it is beautiful, from the cover, to the characters, to the journey they take. I thought I was in for a story that was going to leave curled up and sobbing. Instead, I found a story that certainly filled my eyes with tears, but none fell. Instead I finished this book with this sense of wonder and amazement.
Lena and Gabe are two of the most unlikely people to ever become a couple, but somehow fate manages to introduce them to each other. I think Gabe and Lena are, were, perfect for each other. Lena is looking to break free from the confines of her parents and Gabe is looking for the love he used to have while trying to deal with the disappointments of his mother and ex-girlfriend, all while he tries to figure out who he is and wants to be. I love that this book was told through both their view points. It made the reading experience so much richer.
I've never been to Boston, but I feel like I got to a little part of it through this book. I loved reading about the places Gabe took Lena and even the people, well most of them. I loved reading and experiencing Lena's sense of wonder and Gabe's too at being with Lena. I absolutely love Lena had this grand adventure and on one was aware of it.
Not all moments in this book were light and happy. There were moments of sadness and moments when I was furious. I do wish Gabe's mother would realize what she was doing to her son and to herself by being selfish. My heart trembled when Gabe spoke of missing his father and grandfather, but broke when his Babci spoke to him, but didn't know what was going on. I loved they way he cared for his grandmother and his grandfather's car.
If there ever was a story that made me appreciate my family and the love others have for me, this is it. We always seem to want more, not realizing how much we have. Steph Campbell has written a book that will stay with me for a long time. I loved reading this book and sincerely hope Steph will continue with Lena and Gabe's story. I'd also like to thank her for writing about something that's so personal to her and sharing it with us all.
About the Author:
Steph Campbell grew up in Southern California, but now lives in the hot, humid south. She has one husband, four children and a serious nail polish obsession. When she's not writing or taking care of her brood, she's reading or scouring travel sites, always ready for life's next adventure.
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorstephcampbell
blog: stephcampbell.blogspot.com
twitter: @stephcampbell_
instagram: _steph_campbell
*Thank you to the author for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for them in any manner. Thank you to Wordsmith Publicity for the teasers.*
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