We all have secrets.
Secrets well buried.
Until we find the one soul who makes the burden of such secrets just that little bit easier to bear.
Lexington "Lexi" Hart is a senior at the University of Alabama. Surrounded by her best friends, her loving family and having fulfilled her life-long dream of making the Crimson Tide cheer squad, everything is going exactly as she always dreamed it would. But beneath her happy exterior, demons lurk, threatening to jeopardize everything Lexi has worked to achieve. When events in her life become too much to cope with, Lexi finds herself spiraling down into the realm of her biggest fear. Lexi falls hard, victim once again to the only thing that can destroy her and, on the way, finds herself falling straight into the dangerous tattooed arms of a guy from the wrong side of the tracks.
Austin Carillo, starting Wide Receiver for the Alabama Crimson Tide, must get picked in this year's NFL draft. He needs it. His brothers need it. Most importantly, his mother desperately needs it. Brought up in a world where the poor are forgotten, the sick are left to fend for themselves and no hero miraculously appears to pull you out of hell, Austin had no other choice but to make a living on the wrong side of the law—until football offered Austin the break to get his life back on track. But when a family tragedy drags him back into the clutches of the gang he believed he had left far behind, Austin finds himself falling. Falling back into criminal ways and falling deep into a suffocating darkness. Until a troubled yet kindred spirit stumbles across his path, where Austin quickly finds he is falling for a young woman, a young woman who might just have the power to save him from his worst enemy: himself.
Can two troubled souls find a lasting peace together? Or will they finally succumb to the demons threatening to destroy them?
Secrets well buried.
Until we find the one soul who makes the burden of such secrets just that little bit easier to bear.
Lexington "Lexi" Hart is a senior at the University of Alabama. Surrounded by her best friends, her loving family and having fulfilled her life-long dream of making the Crimson Tide cheer squad, everything is going exactly as she always dreamed it would. But beneath her happy exterior, demons lurk, threatening to jeopardize everything Lexi has worked to achieve. When events in her life become too much to cope with, Lexi finds herself spiraling down into the realm of her biggest fear. Lexi falls hard, victim once again to the only thing that can destroy her and, on the way, finds herself falling straight into the dangerous tattooed arms of a guy from the wrong side of the tracks.
Austin Carillo, starting Wide Receiver for the Alabama Crimson Tide, must get picked in this year's NFL draft. He needs it. His brothers need it. Most importantly, his mother desperately needs it. Brought up in a world where the poor are forgotten, the sick are left to fend for themselves and no hero miraculously appears to pull you out of hell, Austin had no other choice but to make a living on the wrong side of the law—until football offered Austin the break to get his life back on track. But when a family tragedy drags him back into the clutches of the gang he believed he had left far behind, Austin finds himself falling. Falling back into criminal ways and falling deep into a suffocating darkness. Until a troubled yet kindred spirit stumbles across his path, where Austin quickly finds he is falling for a young woman, a young woman who might just have the power to save him from his worst enemy: himself.
Can two troubled souls find a lasting peace together? Or will they finally succumb to the demons threatening to destroy them?
***
Overall Thoughts:
If you want a book that pulls at your heart strings and leaves you feeling raw and constantly thinking about beautiful characters then please please pick up this book!!
Concerns:
I guess my only concern for this book was that I've never read anything like it before so I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about it. Usually I pick up books where I can relate to the main character because then I really get involved with the book and can fully escape into their world. I've never had the thoughts Lexi had and I've never experienced something so heartbreaking as Lexi but I couldn't put down this book because I NEEDED her to have a happy ending.
Praise:
I give all my love to this author because this book was so beautifully written and portrayed. This book has honestly stayed on my mind for a couple of days now. I can't stop thinking about Lexi and Austin. I want to go so far into depth about everything I had read and really discuss it but I'd hate to be the one to ruin anything but I will mention two things without ruining everything.
I first read the "Forward" that the author had wrote saying that the disorder Lexi has, the author also has. She said in order for Lexi to be authentic, the author wrote from a very personal place and it felt like I was reading the author's soul. I think this is what made this feel so raw to me. It wasn't just a random person trying to describe what it's like to have this disorder, but from a person who suffered with this before writing from experience. I just want to hug both Lexi and this author and tell them how strong and beautiful they are!!
The second thing that left me raw was Austin's story. Someone he loves in the book is currently dealing with a disease that has no cure. I know someone that's father is currently dealing with this same disease and having read details about what victims of this disease have to go through just brought tears to my eyes.
Tillie Cole shined a light on two very serious and relevant situations that I feel like don't get discussed as often as they should. I'm so happy I read this book because it dragged you through basically every emotion you can think of.
Thank you, Tillie Cole, for such an amazing read.
Who I Imagined:
Favorite Quotes:
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"I prayed that same little blond girl didn't grow up to be insecure. That she didn't count calories religiously before putting a spoonful of food in her mouth, check the nutritional information on packages for the carbs, the sugars, the saturated fat. Didn't hide her true beauty because she couldn't stand the sight of her natural face. Didn't freak out when that same little boy who is showing her so much affection as a six-year-old grows up and wants to kiss her some more...Didn't grow up to let a throwaway comment from that boy she liked rob her of her childhood and shred her self-esteem."
***
Just realized my quote probably spoiled a little bit but I had to put it because I loved it and it really touched me so I hope you don't mind too much!
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