Meet Lea & Austin in this amazing love story!
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Lea Lamb and Austin Wolf were young when they fell in love. They never imagined the future could hold anything other than together-forever.
When Lea’s father dies in a tragic fishing accident, she’s crushed under the weight of her grief and catches a glimpse of another type of future, one she knows she’s not strong enough to face.
Austin is angry. For the past fifteen years, he’s believed the woman he loved with every ounce of his soul left him without so much as a backwards glance.
When Lea unexpectedly returns to their hometown, all the years of heartache inside Austin bubbles to the surface and presents itself as blinding rage.
Faced with the truth about the past, a newly discovered secret, these former lovers will learn that if they want to have any chance at the future they’d given up on all those years ago, they will have to rescue one another from drowning in pain so debilitating it will leave them both fighting to breathe.
My Review
“Sometimes in life, you’re only given the shot at something beautiful once, and when you have it in your grasp, you’ll do anything to keep it, even if you end up crushing it in the process.”
Beautiful. Emotional. Gripping. Heartbreaking. This is one of those books that I know will be staying with me for a long time. Aurora Rose Reynolds took me on such a great journey, that I’m still fighting to find the words to do this review justice. All I can do is give it my best try.
Fighting to Breathe follows the story of Lea Lamb and Austin Wolfe. Lea and Austin were high-school sweethearts. They were so in love and had plans to get married. That was until one day, tragedy struck and changed their course forever. Lea’s father was killed in a boating accident and she let her grief consume her. She was terrified that Austin would meet the same fate as her father and didn’t have the strength to stick around. Now 15 years later, Lea has come home because her mother is dying….Austin was devastated when Lea took off 15 years ago. Even though Lea broke his heart, he’s never been able to move on. When Lea returns home, it’s as though no time has passed and all those feelings they thought were buried, have come to surface. Lea and Austin must face the past if they ever have a chance of moving forward. When Austin learns of a secret that Lea’s mother has been hiding, it changes everything. Everything he thought he knew is wrong. Now, Austin has been given a second chance with Lea and he’s not going to let her go. This time he’s going to fight for what’s his….
Fighting to Breathe captivated me from the very first page. Lea and Austin’s story was beautiful. You could just feel the love that those two had for each other. My heart broke when Lea left Austin, but I understood why. She was young and couldn’t understand the depth of her grief. She thought she was saving herself heartbreak, but she was wrong. Boy was she wrong. When Lea returns home, you can feel the pain and love she has towards Austin. It’s heartbreaking seeing them apart, especially when you find out the secret that Lea’s mom has been hiding. You can’t help but root for Lea and Austin to find their way back from to each other.
Austin just stole my heart. He was lost when Lea left, but he never gave up. Deep down, his soul knew that one day, Lea would return. He tried so hard to hate Lea for the pain she caused the both of them, but he knew he could never hate her. When Austin learns of a truth that has been kept for him, the change in him, is amazing. Gone is the bitter and angry man. Now we have a determined Austin. An Austin is is going to fight for what he wants and this time, he’s determined to not let Lea get away.
I loved Lea and Austin’s journey. It was beautiful and heartbreaking. It was exactly how a second chance romance should be. Their connection, so real, so palpable. You just knew that what they had was inevitable. It was one of those romances that wild horses couldn’t stop. Their road to HEA wasn’t an easy one. They both had a lot of anger and grief to get past. But, the journey was so worth it in the end. Their story is one that gives you hope and reminds you that life is too short. Not many people are offered a second chance and if you are one of those lucky ones that gets that second chance, you should grab on to it with both hands and never let it go. “Everyday, I work at giving him a fraction of what he has given to me, but really, how can you ever repay the person who breathed life back into you?”
Fighting to Breathe was such an amazing, emotional read. Lea and Austin’s story was so powerful. It pulled at my heart and gave me so much hope. I was consumed by their story. I got lost in the pages. The writing was brilliant, sucking me in and not letting me go until I finished every last word. Fighting to Breathe is a story of love, loss, and second chances. I loved everything about this story; from the characters to the story-line, it was just amazing. If you are a fan of Aurora Rose Reynolds or love second chance romances, I highly recommend checking this one out.
*I was provided an ARC copy of this book via TRSOR Promotions, in exchange for an honest review*
Excerpt
“CAN WE STOP by the liquor store on the way to dinner?” Mom asks from the passenger seat of my car.
“Should you be drinking?” I frown then turn onto the main road—well, really the only road in town.
“What’s it going to do, kill me?” she jokes, making me inhale a sharp breath. “Honey,” she says quietly, and I look at her briefly,
wondering how the hell she can be so casual about this. “I’m dying. When it will happen, only the good Lord knows, but it is happening, and there is nothing you or I can do about it. I have made my peace with it, and I want you to do the same.” She reaches over to pat my thigh.
“Make peace with it?” I repeat, shaking my head in disbelief.
“Yes, make peace with it. If you think about it, I’m lucky. I know I’m going to die. I know that sooner rather than later God is going to come take me home, and when he does, I will be ready. I will have had a chance to say goodbye to the people I care about and right any wrongs I’ve caused. I’m lucky, honey.”
“What about me?” I wring my hands on the steering wheel, feeling my chest get tight as I fight back tears.
“I love you, honey. I loved you before you were even a sparkle in my eye, and I will always be with you. I know this isn’t easy for you. I know there are going to be a lot of tears shed, but we’re lucky, honey.”
I press my lips together to keep from saying something I might regret. I’m not lucky; in fact, I’m unlucky to the tenth power. How many people have I lost, how many people do I have to loose before it’s enough.
“Oh look! Sheryl!” She yells, pulling me from my thoughts as she reaches over, pressing the horn on my steering wheel while her other hand shoots across me so she can wave out my window. Looking to where she’s waving my heart begins to beat wildly against my ribcage when I see not Sheryl, but Austin walking into one of the many bars that litter Main Street, only it’s not just Austin—it’s him and a woman with her arm wrapped around the back of his waist as he holds the door open for her.
Even from the distance separating us, my lungs compress at the beauty that is him. The years have been good to him. His hair is still shaggy, only now a little lighter; his face is tan and covered in a beard that makes his crystal blue eyes stand out even more. My eyes travel from his face to his torso, which is covered in a dark green thermal that shows off the muscles of his arms, chest, and tapered waist, then down to his denim-covered thighs. When my gaze sweeps back up, his eyes are on me, and I see them crinkle in confusion then realization that soon turns into anger.
“You missed the liquor store,” my mom complains as I speed up.
About the Author:
Aurora Rose Reynolds is a navy brat who’s husband served in the United States Navy. She has lived all over the country but now resides in New York City with her Husband and pet fish. She’s married to an alpha male that loves her as much as the men in her books love their women. He gives her over the top inspiration everyday. In her free time she reads, writes and enjoys going to the movies with her husband and cookie. She also enjoys taking mini weekend vacations to nowhere, or spends time at home with friends and family. Last but not least she appreciates everyday and admires it’s beauty.
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