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leahana's review against another edition
4.0
Yay for Oliver and Genevieve! They were just what the other one needed. They both needed to be seen and learn that its ok to be real. I loved their kind hearts and their determination to deal with the ugly stuff that relationships and being famous inevitably bring.
The song lyrics were a nice touch to show how the characters were feeling in another form of expression.
Sometimes I laughed, sometimes I was angry, sometimes I was awhhhing. (Trust me thats a word - I promise
The song lyrics were a nice touch to show how the characters were feeling in another form of expression.
Sometimes I laughed, sometimes I was angry, sometimes I was awhhhing. (Trust me thats a word - I promise
amor_fati's review
5.0
This book is a WOW. Like a knock you on knees with all the emotions book. Alyson brings us this touching journey of Genevieve and Oliver, both fighting themselves and demons of their own to become stronger.
There are moments in this book were I was left breathless. It has these poignant moments where you feel all of what Genevieve is feeling and all of what Oliver has gone through that is the magic of Alyson’s writing, she puts you into the words. She brings you into the experiences they are in and while they may be different than what you go through you feel.
Breaking South is this brilliant book of two souls searching their path for their home, their safety and finding it were they never expected. Sometimes you need to look deep within face all your fears, face yourself screaming for your dreams and when you do you realize the strength that you have is immense. Genevieve and Oliver’s story gives you all that and more.
There are moments in this book were I was left breathless. It has these poignant moments where you feel all of what Genevieve is feeling and all of what Oliver has gone through that is the magic of Alyson’s writing, she puts you into the words. She brings you into the experiences they are in and while they may be different than what you go through you feel.
Breaking South is this brilliant book of two souls searching their path for their home, their safety and finding it were they never expected. Sometimes you need to look deep within face all your fears, face yourself screaming for your dreams and when you do you realize the strength that you have is immense. Genevieve and Oliver’s story gives you all that and more.
823sisi's review
4.0
This is an ARC review. All opinions are solely my own.
Breaking South by Alyson Santos is book 3 of the Turner Artist Rocker series. I had not read the other books in the seried (yet) but these are stand alones. It did not distract from the book.
Genevive and Oliver could not be more different. Their love story was just pulling on all my heart strings. The way Oliver completely fell for this pop princess who didn't know how to be love or love herself was beautiful.
As a musician I was thoroughly impressed with Alyson Santos' musical knowledge and the way she intertwined her obvious love of music was just breathtaking.
I can't wait to read the rest of this series.
Breaking South by Alyson Santos is book 3 of the Turner Artist Rocker series. I had not read the other books in the seried (yet) but these are stand alones. It did not distract from the book.
Genevive and Oliver could not be more different. Their love story was just pulling on all my heart strings. The way Oliver completely fell for this pop princess who didn't know how to be love or love herself was beautiful.
As a musician I was thoroughly impressed with Alyson Santos' musical knowledge and the way she intertwined her obvious love of music was just breathtaking.
I can't wait to read the rest of this series.
sophielizzie's review
5.0
Arc in exchange for an honest review.
WOW. This book. This book! I was not prepared for the amount of emotions I would feel whilst reading this book, it so makes me want to dive into the rest of the series and into any other of Alyson's books!
What starts out as a celebrity romance almost, turns into something so raw and real it's hard not to get teary eyed whilst reading this book. It shows that life isn't all sunshines and roses, that there are struggles and things don't always end up how we want it. The important thing is to keep trying and never give up on your dreams and being you.
Genevieve was such an important character, her development across the book was so beautiful and the fact that Oliver was always there to help her become the real her was amazing. Oliver was a great character, definitely one of the favourite hero's I've read. I love how emotional he would be and be unashamed of his feelings. He was a great character. Their relationship was beautiful and being able to witness their HEA in the end felt like such an accomplishment!
You don't want to miss this book when it comes out September 24th!
WOW. This book. This book! I was not prepared for the amount of emotions I would feel whilst reading this book, it so makes me want to dive into the rest of the series and into any other of Alyson's books!
What starts out as a celebrity romance almost, turns into something so raw and real it's hard not to get teary eyed whilst reading this book. It shows that life isn't all sunshines and roses, that there are struggles and things don't always end up how we want it. The important thing is to keep trying and never give up on your dreams and being you.
Genevieve was such an important character, her development across the book was so beautiful and the fact that Oliver was always there to help her become the real her was amazing. Oliver was a great character, definitely one of the favourite hero's I've read. I love how emotional he would be and be unashamed of his feelings. He was a great character. Their relationship was beautiful and being able to witness their HEA in the end felt like such an accomplishment!
You don't want to miss this book when it comes out September 24th!
lindseydomokur's review
5.0
HANDS DOWN my favorite Alyson Hero. I'm in love with Oliver and you will be too.
Oliver’s hockey status right now is on the injured reserve, Genevieve’s at that point too, but it isn’t her body that’s the problem. Can two broken people mend each other?
Genevieve is a superstar. The fans love her, her label loves her but no one knows who she is. When she meets Oliver she thinks he’s just another guy who wants her for her persona. Little by little he chips away the exterior of lies she has built around herself so that she can become the person she is on the inside.
Oliver doesn’t have time for fixing a pop star right now. Not when his recovery and his career are on the line. Too bad he’s drawn to her from the moment he sees her and nothing can keep him from making sure the world sees her light.
I’m in love with these two. Every word was more perfect than the next and I sat there holding my kindle for an embarrassing amount of time with tears in my eyes after I was done.
Oliver’s hockey status right now is on the injured reserve, Genevieve’s at that point too, but it isn’t her body that’s the problem. Can two broken people mend each other?
Genevieve is a superstar. The fans love her, her label loves her but no one knows who she is. When she meets Oliver she thinks he’s just another guy who wants her for her persona. Little by little he chips away the exterior of lies she has built around herself so that she can become the person she is on the inside.
Oliver doesn’t have time for fixing a pop star right now. Not when his recovery and his career are on the line. Too bad he’s drawn to her from the moment he sees her and nothing can keep him from making sure the world sees her light.
I’m in love with these two. Every word was more perfect than the next and I sat there holding my kindle for an embarrassing amount of time with tears in my eyes after I was done.
jessreads333's review
3.0
"Who will carry the weight of knowing
The patch overflowing with could-have-beens
Light eyes dark with angry sparks
When bitter farce claims victory
Regret so quiet
Amidst the screams
Fear clawing wild and free
Who will carry the weight of knowing
A mirrored girl's longing
Now staring sadly at me"
Genevieve Fox has always been apart of the spotlight as a young child she was told who to be how to act and how to perform... She is crying out for help on the inside but the words never escape from her mouth until she meets Oliver a hockey player who sees who Genevieve really is. Oliver helps her open her eyes and show her she deserves more, and that she can accomplish anything she wants. He helped her find her voice and helped her find who she really is. I really liked Oliver's character even when he wasn't able to play hockey due to a horrible knee injury, he put himself second to help Genevieve at any second she needed him.
I did like this story, i wish there was more steam between Oliver and Genevieve... Also her parents were horrid, they legit made me cringe!
The patch overflowing with could-have-beens
Light eyes dark with angry sparks
When bitter farce claims victory
Regret so quiet
Amidst the screams
Fear clawing wild and free
Who will carry the weight of knowing
A mirrored girl's longing
Now staring sadly at me"
Genevieve Fox has always been apart of the spotlight as a young child she was told who to be how to act and how to perform... She is crying out for help on the inside but the words never escape from her mouth until she meets Oliver a hockey player who sees who Genevieve really is. Oliver helps her open her eyes and show her she deserves more, and that she can accomplish anything she wants. He helped her find her voice and helped her find who she really is. I really liked Oliver's character even when he wasn't able to play hockey due to a horrible knee injury, he put himself second to help Genevieve at any second she needed him.
I did like this story, i wish there was more steam between Oliver and Genevieve... Also her parents were horrid, they legit made me cringe!
adanna_h's review
4.0
Genevieve Fox is a pop icon. Instead of being on top of the world, she is on the verge of a major meltdown ala Brittney Spears. She's so unhappy but her inner circle either doesn't recognize it or they don't know what to do about it. Enter Oliver Levesque, a professional hockey player, and star in his own right. He's undergoing a lengthy rehab for an injured knee. The two meet at a charity event and feel an immediate connection. Oliver catches a glimpse of the woman behind the manufactured image and he's pursuing her. Can he help Genevieve find her authentic self?
I really can't say enough good things about this book! First, Oliver. We all need someone like him in our lives. He's a genuinely nice guy who puts everyone else's needs before his own. He stands beside Genevieve giving her the strength to face the darkness that surrounds her and the courage to be the best version of herself. His support of her is touching and heartwarming!
Genevieve is a beautiful soul who is unsure who she really is because she's been so focused on the sculpted version of herself. I cheered for Genevieve as she battled to get rid of her fake persona and find her real self. On some level, everyone can relate to Genevieve's struggle to find herself.
I couldn't put this book down. I read it in one day; I was so immersed in Genevieve and Oliver's story. Breaking South is a special, beautifully written story that I highly recommend!
Thank you to the author for an advance copy of this book. I volunteered to provide a review. All opinions are my own.
I really can't say enough good things about this book! First, Oliver. We all need someone like him in our lives. He's a genuinely nice guy who puts everyone else's needs before his own. He stands beside Genevieve giving her the strength to face the darkness that surrounds her and the courage to be the best version of herself. His support of her is touching and heartwarming!
Genevieve is a beautiful soul who is unsure who she really is because she's been so focused on the sculpted version of herself. I cheered for Genevieve as she battled to get rid of her fake persona and find her real self. On some level, everyone can relate to Genevieve's struggle to find herself.
I couldn't put this book down. I read it in one day; I was so immersed in Genevieve and Oliver's story. Breaking South is a special, beautifully written story that I highly recommend!
Thank you to the author for an advance copy of this book. I volunteered to provide a review. All opinions are my own.
the_librarians_daughter's review
5.0
This book .... I don’t think I was even two chapters in before it had me by the throat.
Ms. Santos has an incredible talent in focusing in on her characters to bring them to life in your head. This book was a heart breaker, a gut twisting, make you cry and heal you story.
The very high level base of the plot is that Genevieve Fox is a pop star on the top of the world. She has the career that all artists crave, the attention, the fans, the wealth...but she doesn’t have HER. Genevieve is a 22 year old shell of a human. Each day she is struggling with what is really inside her. What PERSON is she? She knows how to be all the things she needs to be for different people..but she doesn’t know how to sit in a room, look herself in the eye and just be. It’s frightening and gut tearing to read her mounting anxiety, the panic attacks, the depth of despair and loss. Even by chapter three you want to grab her by the hand, tell her to scream and cry into the void, and then hold her.
Oliver Levesque is a young NHL goalie taken out in his rookie season by a desperate attempt at a save. Which didn’t work out for him OR his team. The puck slid past Ollie as a player landed on his leg and brutally tore apart his knee as well as his dreams. Ollie is a hard working, focused, driven, and determined young man. Granted, you don’t make it to professional level sports without those traits, but Ollie’s are all focused solely on playing to support his family back in Canada. Due to tragic losses in his life at young ages, he feels the burden of providing for his siblings. While he’s busy trying to be Superman to them, his younger sister Camille is begging him to just BE. To be Ollie, to be her brother, to be human. She forces him to realize that there is so much more to him than just his ability and worth to his team. As she tells him “I just need you to be my brother.”
Ollie and Gen meet at a publicity event for a children’s charity. Gen is wandering the practice facility prior to the event attempting to run from her latest anxiety spiral and catches Ollie arguing with his trainer while pushing too hard on his rehab. Gen watches the by play between the two men, soaking in the concern, the masks that Ollie used to get his trainer to let him be, and finally that unmasked moment of sheer pain and fear once the trainer leaves. Ollie has no idea that Gen sees all of this.
He’s drawn to her, when they are out on the ice, and Gen reaches over to help him when she notices him hiding his pain and struggling with balance. A short conversation post event and the two set up a date.
The date is, disastrous. Gen doesn’t know what part she’s supposed to be playing with Ollie. She knows that he brings color and safety to her when he’s near so she desperately wants to hold onto him. Ollie doesn’t want or need fake. He’s disappointed to find Gen isn’t the caring person who saw his pain, quietly helped him, and then later asked after the man and not the injured athlete.
The plot of the book winds around Ollie pushing Gen to be herself. Her true self. To feel. To share with him. In a world filled with people who depend on her being what they need her to be, Ollie pushes her to be the person she wants to be. This doesn’t mean there isn’t a push and pull or that Ollie is perfect. He goes through dark phases as well. Cutting Gen off only to help her as the breaks finally start to come. Ollie’s teammates are very much less than thrilled with the additional burden they feel she’s adding to Ollie’s life. He’s living with his captain who is fiercely over protective of his rookie. Sandy and his wife are the best momma bears ever. They are the first people to step up and take care of Ollie knowing he takes care of so many others. While momma bears have their places, they can also inadvertently become blinded and not see what their kids need. Their protective tendencies hinder the couple at times as well.
I honestly didn’t want this book to end.
The plot just kept digging deeper and deeper into Ollie and Gen. The utter lack of love and support in Gen’s life isn’t in your face, but it’s in the very minuscule things that continue throughout the story. Ms. Santos writes an extremely accurate depiction of panic attacks, anxiety, untreated depression and loss of self. It was heartbreaking to watch from the outside, but at the same time, soothes any reader who struggles with these illnesses. You will feel a connection to Gen. You are very definitely seen by this character. Ollie’s emotional journey as well as physical injuries are also perfectly and bluntly displayed. You can feel the physical pain he’s battling. His emotional needs and pain are softly layered in, however and again it’s in a way that makes you just want to cry. It’s rare that these characters throw their missing pieces at you. It’s all in the little yet poignant daily things. The things that chip at you. This type of writing drives these emotions deeper as you relate human to human with the characters.
Breaking South ends with a realistic and happy ending. Nothing is magically fixed. The characters don’t magically change into their perfect best selves. You get a real relationship with supportive partners who act as each other’s lode stones. They do have wins. You are able to see them start to piece their better life together. This is a realistic couple who overcome real issues - while living extraordinary lives. They ARE a pop princess and an NFL goalie after all.
Ms. Santos has an incredible talent in focusing in on her characters to bring them to life in your head. This book was a heart breaker, a gut twisting, make you cry and heal you story.
The very high level base of the plot is that Genevieve Fox is a pop star on the top of the world. She has the career that all artists crave, the attention, the fans, the wealth...but she doesn’t have HER. Genevieve is a 22 year old shell of a human. Each day she is struggling with what is really inside her. What PERSON is she? She knows how to be all the things she needs to be for different people..but she doesn’t know how to sit in a room, look herself in the eye and just be. It’s frightening and gut tearing to read her mounting anxiety, the panic attacks, the depth of despair and loss. Even by chapter three you want to grab her by the hand, tell her to scream and cry into the void, and then hold her.
Oliver Levesque is a young NHL goalie taken out in his rookie season by a desperate attempt at a save. Which didn’t work out for him OR his team. The puck slid past Ollie as a player landed on his leg and brutally tore apart his knee as well as his dreams. Ollie is a hard working, focused, driven, and determined young man. Granted, you don’t make it to professional level sports without those traits, but Ollie’s are all focused solely on playing to support his family back in Canada. Due to tragic losses in his life at young ages, he feels the burden of providing for his siblings. While he’s busy trying to be Superman to them, his younger sister Camille is begging him to just BE. To be Ollie, to be her brother, to be human. She forces him to realize that there is so much more to him than just his ability and worth to his team. As she tells him “I just need you to be my brother.”
Ollie and Gen meet at a publicity event for a children’s charity. Gen is wandering the practice facility prior to the event attempting to run from her latest anxiety spiral and catches Ollie arguing with his trainer while pushing too hard on his rehab. Gen watches the by play between the two men, soaking in the concern, the masks that Ollie used to get his trainer to let him be, and finally that unmasked moment of sheer pain and fear once the trainer leaves. Ollie has no idea that Gen sees all of this.
He’s drawn to her, when they are out on the ice, and Gen reaches over to help him when she notices him hiding his pain and struggling with balance. A short conversation post event and the two set up a date.
The date is, disastrous. Gen doesn’t know what part she’s supposed to be playing with Ollie. She knows that he brings color and safety to her when he’s near so she desperately wants to hold onto him. Ollie doesn’t want or need fake. He’s disappointed to find Gen isn’t the caring person who saw his pain, quietly helped him, and then later asked after the man and not the injured athlete.
The plot of the book winds around Ollie pushing Gen to be herself. Her true self. To feel. To share with him. In a world filled with people who depend on her being what they need her to be, Ollie pushes her to be the person she wants to be. This doesn’t mean there isn’t a push and pull or that Ollie is perfect. He goes through dark phases as well. Cutting Gen off only to help her as the breaks finally start to come. Ollie’s teammates are very much less than thrilled with the additional burden they feel she’s adding to Ollie’s life. He’s living with his captain who is fiercely over protective of his rookie. Sandy and his wife are the best momma bears ever. They are the first people to step up and take care of Ollie knowing he takes care of so many others. While momma bears have their places, they can also inadvertently become blinded and not see what their kids need. Their protective tendencies hinder the couple at times as well.
I honestly didn’t want this book to end.
The plot just kept digging deeper and deeper into Ollie and Gen. The utter lack of love and support in Gen’s life isn’t in your face, but it’s in the very minuscule things that continue throughout the story. Ms. Santos writes an extremely accurate depiction of panic attacks, anxiety, untreated depression and loss of self. It was heartbreaking to watch from the outside, but at the same time, soothes any reader who struggles with these illnesses. You will feel a connection to Gen. You are very definitely seen by this character. Ollie’s emotional journey as well as physical injuries are also perfectly and bluntly displayed. You can feel the physical pain he’s battling. His emotional needs and pain are softly layered in, however and again it’s in a way that makes you just want to cry. It’s rare that these characters throw their missing pieces at you. It’s all in the little yet poignant daily things. The things that chip at you. This type of writing drives these emotions deeper as you relate human to human with the characters.
Breaking South ends with a realistic and happy ending. Nothing is magically fixed. The characters don’t magically change into their perfect best selves. You get a real relationship with supportive partners who act as each other’s lode stones. They do have wins. You are able to see them start to piece their better life together. This is a realistic couple who overcome real issues - while living extraordinary lives. They ARE a pop princess and an NFL goalie after all.
annareadshere's review
5.0
Synopsis: Popstar Genevieve Fox is losing herself and while trying to find that part of her that she lost years ago, she meets professional hockey player Oliver Levesque. And his love for her and their love for each other might be the only thing that saves them both. But at what cost?
Review: I was introduced to Alyson Santos’ Turner Artist Rocker series totally by accident thanks to Instagram. And in Rising West, I met characters that I absolutely fell in love with. While I haven’t read Falling North yet, it’s on my TBR and I’m going to dive into that as soon as I possibly can. But what I really loved about Rising West and Breaking South was the music. As a musician herself, Alyson is able to take you through the world of professional music and show you how it’s done backstage, how recording is done and what the world of a musician or band is like. But also, the lyrics. Every chapter of Breaking South begins with lyrics and every set of lyrics is absolutely beautiful. I finished the book and then I went back and read all the lyrics and soaked them up. Did I find lyrics I wanted to tattoo on my skin? Most certainly.
Breaking South is an angsty, find yourself romance that features two absolutely incredible characters. The blurbs of these books give you the briefest of inklings of what is going to happen during the course of your reading, but nothing ever truly prepares you for what you’re in for when you are deep in the book. It’s a powerful book about letting go of the things that are holding you back and taking control of your life to find yourself. It’s about trusting in yourself and giving yourself a chance to love and be loved in return. It’s about being true to who you are and not letting anyone else bring you down. Like I said, it’s a powerful book and it’s a book you cannot miss.
Genevieve Fox is the world’s favourite pop star. She’s made a name for herself singing hit after hit and everywhere she goes, people flock to her. Genevieve is also gorgeous, with flaming red hair and a beautiful face. But the music she’s singing is not what she wants to be singing. Genevieve wants to write her own stuff and make music that speaks to her soul as opposed to what the label and the public wants. She’s trying to find the girl in the mirror.
And that’s when she meets Oliver Levesque. Professional hockey player for the LA Trojans, Oliver is off the ice because of a knee injury. He’s struggling and doing his best to hold it together so he can get back on the ice and play again. Oliver has always had to stay strong, for himself, for his family, for his team - and all of that is wearing him out. But that doesn’t mean he’s going to stop working harder than necessary to be there for everyone.
Oliver and Genevieve meet at a meet and greet with kids and right away, sparks fly. I loved Oliver, he was such an interesting character. You can tell that while he’s drawn to Genevieve and her beauty and all of that sex appeal, he sees beyond that to the girl that lurks beneath. But of course he’s got enough on his plate and he doesn’t have the patience or the strength to help Genevieve fix her life. Their relationship happens fast and while trying to find themselves and find each other, there are things in the world looking to destroy them too.
I got so lost in this story, in watching Genevieve and Oliver fall in love, that I forgot about the world around me for a few hours. Their love, their story is so relatable. It’s so beautiful. Genevieve’s lack of confidence shatters you and to watch this incredible woman doubt herself and her music is just heartbreaking. But then you have Oliver, who is there to pick her up and make sure that every step of the way, she’s able to find herself.
Oliver is such a beautiful character, you guys. Book boyfriend material and everything. He’s kind, he’s generous, he’s passionate, he’s hardworking and he’s so genuine. His feelings for Genevieve scare him, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to walk away. If anything, he’s more determined to help her and ensure that she finds her way. But Oliver’s got responsibilities, including getting his knee healed and back on the ice and everybody in Genevieve’s life uses that as a way to keep them apart.
You go into this book expecting a Hollywood-esque, sports romance, but it’s so much more than that. It’s such a deep book that deals with everything from self-doubt to self-confidence, and anxiety. It’s so heart wrenching and raw. Every emotion that Genevieve feels, you can feel it too. That’s just how intense this book is with the feels.
Alyson Santos knocked this out of the park and I got so invested in the lives of these characters! Such beautiful writing, incredible storytelling and brilliant characters. Breaking South is joining my list of absolute favourites this year, because it has been a refreshing and stunning read that I didn't see coming.
Thanks to Alyson Santos and Wildfire Marketing Solutions for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Find this and more reviews on anna reads here
Review: I was introduced to Alyson Santos’ Turner Artist Rocker series totally by accident thanks to Instagram. And in Rising West, I met characters that I absolutely fell in love with. While I haven’t read Falling North yet, it’s on my TBR and I’m going to dive into that as soon as I possibly can. But what I really loved about Rising West and Breaking South was the music. As a musician herself, Alyson is able to take you through the world of professional music and show you how it’s done backstage, how recording is done and what the world of a musician or band is like. But also, the lyrics. Every chapter of Breaking South begins with lyrics and every set of lyrics is absolutely beautiful. I finished the book and then I went back and read all the lyrics and soaked them up. Did I find lyrics I wanted to tattoo on my skin? Most certainly.
Breaking South is an angsty, find yourself romance that features two absolutely incredible characters. The blurbs of these books give you the briefest of inklings of what is going to happen during the course of your reading, but nothing ever truly prepares you for what you’re in for when you are deep in the book. It’s a powerful book about letting go of the things that are holding you back and taking control of your life to find yourself. It’s about trusting in yourself and giving yourself a chance to love and be loved in return. It’s about being true to who you are and not letting anyone else bring you down. Like I said, it’s a powerful book and it’s a book you cannot miss.
Genevieve Fox is the world’s favourite pop star. She’s made a name for herself singing hit after hit and everywhere she goes, people flock to her. Genevieve is also gorgeous, with flaming red hair and a beautiful face. But the music she’s singing is not what she wants to be singing. Genevieve wants to write her own stuff and make music that speaks to her soul as opposed to what the label and the public wants. She’s trying to find the girl in the mirror.
And that’s when she meets Oliver Levesque. Professional hockey player for the LA Trojans, Oliver is off the ice because of a knee injury. He’s struggling and doing his best to hold it together so he can get back on the ice and play again. Oliver has always had to stay strong, for himself, for his family, for his team - and all of that is wearing him out. But that doesn’t mean he’s going to stop working harder than necessary to be there for everyone.
“Because this woman doesn’t need to do anything to get a man’s attention. Walk in a room. Breathe the same air. Turn her head in my direction, and I was riveted.”
Oliver and Genevieve meet at a meet and greet with kids and right away, sparks fly. I loved Oliver, he was such an interesting character. You can tell that while he’s drawn to Genevieve and her beauty and all of that sex appeal, he sees beyond that to the girl that lurks beneath. But of course he’s got enough on his plate and he doesn’t have the patience or the strength to help Genevieve fix her life. Their relationship happens fast and while trying to find themselves and find each other, there are things in the world looking to destroy them too.
I got so lost in this story, in watching Genevieve and Oliver fall in love, that I forgot about the world around me for a few hours. Their love, their story is so relatable. It’s so beautiful. Genevieve’s lack of confidence shatters you and to watch this incredible woman doubt herself and her music is just heartbreaking. But then you have Oliver, who is there to pick her up and make sure that every step of the way, she’s able to find herself.
“You bring colors, Oliver. Did you know that? When I’m around you… I don’t know. Everything isn’t gray anymore. I feel like I can breathe.”
Oliver is such a beautiful character, you guys. Book boyfriend material and everything. He’s kind, he’s generous, he’s passionate, he’s hardworking and he’s so genuine. His feelings for Genevieve scare him, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to walk away. If anything, he’s more determined to help her and ensure that she finds her way. But Oliver’s got responsibilities, including getting his knee healed and back on the ice and everybody in Genevieve’s life uses that as a way to keep them apart.
You go into this book expecting a Hollywood-esque, sports romance, but it’s so much more than that. It’s such a deep book that deals with everything from self-doubt to self-confidence, and anxiety. It’s so heart wrenching and raw. Every emotion that Genevieve feels, you can feel it too. That’s just how intense this book is with the feels.
“Because the girl in the mirror is a diamond, Genevieve. She’s so full, she glows from the inside, bright enough that even the gray world around her can’t dim the fire. She may not recognize herself yet, but only because she’s never looked. Once she does, there will be no stopping her.”
Alyson Santos knocked this out of the park and I got so invested in the lives of these characters! Such beautiful writing, incredible storytelling and brilliant characters. Breaking South is joining my list of absolute favourites this year, because it has been a refreshing and stunning read that I didn't see coming.
Thanks to Alyson Santos and Wildfire Marketing Solutions for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Find this and more reviews on anna reads here
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