Summary:

"No one tried to get involved with me, and I kept to myself. This was the place where everything was supposed to be safe and easy. How could Evan Mathews unravel my constant universe in just one day?"

In the affluent town of Weslyn, Connecticut, where most people worry about what to be seen in and who to be seen with, Emma Thomas would rather not be seen at all. She’s more concerned with feigning perfection while pulling down her sleeves to conceal the bruises - not wanting anyone to know how far from perfect her life truly is. Without expecting it, she finds love. It challenges her to recognize her own worth - but at the risk of revealing the terrible secret she’s desperate to hide.
Reason to Breathe is an electrifying page turner from start to finish, a unique tale of life-changing love, unspeakable cruelty, and one girl’s fragile grasp of hope.
Summary taken from http://rebeccadonovan.com/index.html

My Review:

I was completely engrossed in this book from start to finish. Rebecca Donovan is an amazing writer. Plain and simple. What's not plain and simple is the story of Emma Thomas. Her's is a story that is heart breaking, gut wrenching and beyond intense. You can't help but to feel for Emma and yearn for her to find happiness in the midst of all the ugliness in her life.

There are definitely parts in this book that are not for the faint of heart, but through all of Emma's pain and suffering you find hope and love in her relationship with Evan. The struggle that Emma goes through to let Evan in was moving and at times frustrating due to her extreme trust issues and obsession with protecting her awful secret, but nonetheless, Evan's love for Emma is like a ray of light in what is an incredibly dark situation.

Even though I really enjoyed this book, I did find myself feeling a little disappointed in the ending (I am a sucker for a happy ending). However, I instantly felt better once I realized that this book is part 1 of a trilogy and Emma's story isn't over. (Cue sigh of relief)

This book was beautifully written and I highly recommend it, as well as Barely Breathing, which is book 2 in the series. Warning: Get the tissues ready for both. (I boohooed big time... especially in book 2. Prepare yourself!!)

The third and final installment of this series is entitled Out of Breath and will be released July 2, 2013.

Happy Reading =)