Book Review – Breathe (Colorado Mountain #4) by Kristen Ashley

“It was wild. Abandoned. Rough. Wet. Intense. Fiery. Thorough. Exquisite. Heart-pounding. Blood-singing. Soul-rocking. Life-altering.
Lucious.”

• Buy BREATHE on KINDLE (Amazon)

WOW!  Holy. frak! That was an incredibly BEAUTIFUL book!! Love Love LOVED it!!!!! I have been reduced to a hyperventilating, tear-streaked, deliriously happy puddle of goo. It was just one swoon/drool/squee-worthy scene after another. An absolute GEM. Its going on the top-fav pile!

I read a large portion of this book with a huge mega-grin plastered on my face, my heart fluttering uncontrollably and barely able to contain my squees! BRILLIANT!!!

It was KA at her absolute best. This book was heart-meltingly awesome, off-the-charts HOT, beautifully emotional and totally PERFECT!!!!!! I wouldn’t change one single thing about it. It left me breathless and in happy tears!

This book starts out grittier than the others in this series with the hero on the trail of his ex-wife’s murderer/rapist. Regardless of the fact that theirs was a loveless marriage that he was forced into, the thought of what was done to her still makes him sick. And that is his general feeling towards life at this point. Everyone in it has screwed him over and dumped necessary cruelty on both him and the people around him. Then, he crosses paths with Faye, the town’s virgin librarian who has had a crush on him since he first came to town when she was 16. She loves her books, her stories and their worlds and is holding out for a hero of her own. Over the years, she has seen all the pain and heart-ache that Chase has gone through and wants to help him move on.

Faye is totally one of us. She is not afraid to be herself. She loves to read and isn’t afraid of showing that. She is shy and yet incredibly strong, talks back, is quick, witty and has a huge heart. She chats on forums with friends she is very close to but as never met (sound familiar anyone?? lol), she reads swoony books, loves her TV shows and movies (seriously, her first word is “Frak”.. how can you not love her?!), and is an utter romantic to the core of her being. Definitely one of my top favorite heroines EVER!

I UTTERLY L.O.V.E.D Chase!!! What a gorgeous character! He was absolutely, heart-stoppingly  incredible. Open, tortured, honest, forward, totally Alpha and swoony as all hell with a tender, gentle that that just melted my heart. But at the same time with a lot of demons, a lot of anger underneath a hugely strong sense of duty, protectiveness and caring.

“ … He bent his head towards hers and whispered, “Breathe, Faye.” 

At first, he was a bit of an ass, but he doesn’t want to be and apologizes very quickly. He’s totally enamored with her but also feels like his life was too screwed up and that he lost his shot at true happiness. And at the same time, he can’t help himself being drawn to her and how quickly she is stealing his heart.

“What’s happening?” Her question was quiet.
“Honey, cast your mind back,” he urged gently. “Two minutes ago I was kissin’ you, three days ago I was dancin’ with you. You know whats happening.”

And he calls her honey, darlin’, baby… seriously, its impossible for it not to melt your heart.

I just loved that the book starts out from his POV. This is a first from any of the 17 KA books I’ve read. Getting into the hero’s head right from the start and being able to understand him and see Faye the way he saw her was incredible.

And its clear very early on that they are perfect for each other and they don’t really waste time with their relationship. They fight it a little at first, but its pretty evident its a battle they are both gonna lose.  Watching them come together, work together, be together, deal with stuff together, balance each other out was so funtional, beautiful, swoony and HOT!! … I mean really hot. Their sex is off-the-freaking-charts hot! Everything is very ‘new’ and extra uber passionate. Faye was inexperienced in physical love, and Chase was inexperienced in emotional love and watching them help each other learn and never give up on each other left me breathless.

“Do you love me?”
“Yes,” I breathed…
“Always?”…
“Always.”

And seeing such a refreshingly functional couple who may have been dealing with some very serious, painful things but one way or another never let anything come between them just warmed my heart to its core. BEAUTIFUL!!

He is so careful with her. He knows she’s never been with anyone, never been in a relationship before, and he does everything in his power to make her feel safe, comfortable and loved.

“Faye, darlin’, I want you to hear this and get it, what you just gave me was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever been given in…my…life…With me, anytime, anywhere, you’re safe. But of the anytime and anyplace you’re with me, the place you’re safest is right here, in my bed…You can react how you want. You can be who you are. If I’m doin’ something you don’t like, you can stop me. Nothin’ will ever happen in this bed that you’ll be uncomfortable with. I swear to you, baby. You’re safe here and you always will be.”

And there is an amazing twist at the end. I don’t want to say anything but HOLYYYYY!!! When I read it, it gave me chills, had me hyperventilating, crying, shaking, grinning, squeeing… I was a mess! And I LOVED it!!

Not to mention that this book was chock full of cameos! Seeing characters from the previous books all coming together and working, living, helping each other out has me in swoon and squee overload! Definitely be sure to start your reading with the first book of this series The Gamble.

Chase and Faye’s journey was beautiful. One of the best I’ve read. I don’t have the words to express properly express how much I loved this book.

“I’ll let you in on a secret, honey. The knight who has serious chinks in his armor but never falls is the true hero. That means he’s won battles and doesn’t waste time polishing his armor so he can good while he rides in parades that are tributes to his glory. He just drags himself back on his steed and keeps right on battling…. The best heroes inspire loyalty. The best heroes keep fighting the good fight, tirelessly, quietly. The best heroes always have scars. If they didn’t, the heroine would have nothing to do. It’s her job to help the hero let all that stuff go in order that her man can be strong enough to fight on but when he’s with her he’s free to just ‘breathe’.”

And what an epilogue!! Utterly beautiful and long. I love how at the end of these books, you feel 100% completely satisfied. The perfect HEA. A perfect book. Love. Love. LOVE!!  🙂

Rating: 6 HUGE STARS!!!!

• Buy BREATHE on KINDLE (Amazon)

** COLORADO MOUNTAIN SERIES **

Note that the series is in the process of being traditionally published so the covers are still switching over.

    

Book #1 — THE GAMBLE (Max & Nina)
Buy for Kindle | Buy in Paperback | Read my Review

Book #2 — SWEET DREAMS (Tate & Laurie)
Buy for Kindle | Buy in Paperback | Read my Review

Book #3 — LADY LUCK (Ty & Lexie)
Buy for Kindle | Buy in Paperback | Read my Review

Book #4 — BREATHE (Chase & Faye)
Buy for Kindle | Buy  in Paperback | Read my Review

Book #5 — JAGGED (Ham & Zara)
Buy for Kindle | Buy in Paperback

Book #6 — KALEIDOSCOPE (Deck & Emme)
Buy for Kindle