Breathe Me by C.R. Jane & Ivy Fox - "You four are like the magnets in a compass. You might be pulling in your own different directions, but remain tied together at the very center..."

Book Blurb:

They say that true love only comes once in a lifetime.
In my case, they were wrong.
I gave my heart away three times.
To the blue eyed sensitive soul, who read poetry when he thought no one was looking.
To the green eyed jock, who made you laugh as hard as he made you cry.
And to the dark eyed boy, whose dark heart only ever beat for me.

They were my everything, until suddenly they weren’t.
They asked me to choose, but they were asking the impossible.

Now it's my turn to ask for more than what they are willing to give.
I only have three months left, and I just want to spend it with them.
Will they accept my offer, or will four hearts live the remaining days of their lives in regret of what could have been?

The letters have been sent.
All that remains is for me to wait.
Wait to see if their hearts are still mine.

Because for as long as mine beats, it will always belong to them.

The book wrecked me in the best possible way. Valentina’s story has so many beautiful aspects. But it is sooo painful at the same time. C.R. Jane & Ivy Fox painted such vibrant pictures of the characters. Their struggles and emotions. The dialogue. The book contained all of the aspects that lead to a good story. I fell in love with Valentina and her men: Logan, Carter, and Quaid. And her dad, Mr. E. Valentina has the most beautiful relationship with her dad.

The best part of this story is it feels like a real life scenario. Real life is messy. Valentina battles with an illness and has been given an awful prognosis. She is struggling. Personally, I’ve seen what this disease does. It wreaks havoc on you and your loved ones. It is truly awful. I love that the authors weren’t afraid to delve into the nitty gritty and share this story. Life isn’t always wrapped up in a neat and tidy bow with a “The End” stamp on it.

I was immediately sucked into this reverse harem love story. At the beginning, we meet Valentina in the present after she has gotten horrible news regarding her prognosis. Valentina sends her men letters inviting them to meet up with her at a dream destination. She needs one final chance with them. She hasn't seen Logan, Carter, or Quaid in 10 years. Ten years since she left them all behind. Now, her time is running out. 

This book jumps between the present and the past. This first part of the duet lays a lot of the foundation showing the build up of their friendship and the beginnings of the relationships. You see how deep the boys bond is. They are friends. You see them build a bond individually with Valentina, also. Valentina and Logan. Valentina and Quaid. Valentina and Carter. Each part creates a whole. Each piece of their puzzle is unique and completely necessary for completion. If one piece is missing they can't be whole. Breathe Me paints a picture of how and why everything fell apart. Why Valentina decided to leave them behind. 

Valentina's father, throughout everything, has the best advice for his young daughter. He is very protective, but also not judgmental. Right away he realizes the four friends have a unique bond like no other. He recognizes how rare and precious it is. He wins the best father award for encouraging her to be true to herself and the love they share, but he also cautions Val to be mindful and careful of her actions.

In the present time, we see where Logan, Quaid, and Carter are and why they decide to meet up with Valentina. It's not exactly an easy decision for all of them to make. They all are angry with Val for leaving them. These characters are all a mess in their own way. They either need answers, closure, a second chance. They need something from this reunion. Like most people, they all have issues and struggles. Secrets they're keeping. The relationships are still very complicated, but some parts are easy. Valentina struggles with symptoms and tries to hide her illness from her men. As the days pass, that becomes harder for her to do. She wonders how long can she hide this from them?

Logan and Quaid seem to accept this second chance and seem to want to run with it. Carter is a lot more reserved. He is holding onto his anger as tight as possible. He loves Valentina so much and he struggles with the fact that she can't ever seem to just choose him. If she loves him why can't she choose him? Carter can't wrap his mind around the fact she loves them all equally. 

Although, the story isn’t done, as this is a duet, I enjoyed how C.R. & Ivy ended the first part of this duet. At the end, there was some closure or resolution after a climactic event. But there’s more. What will happen next? How will Valentina's illness play out? Where will they go from here? Is there anywhere for them to even go? I was left on the edge of my seat! I can't wait for the continuation of their story in Breathe You. I'm very grateful to C.R. Jane and Ivy Fox for not torturing us too much. Breathe You is set to release of July 30, 2020. Only one month to wait.  Bravo, ladies!

RATING: 5/5 STARS ✰✰✰✰✰

Website:
        Ivy Fox - https://ivyfoxauthor.wixsite.com/ivyfox
        C.R. Jane - https://www.crjanebooks.com/
Facebook:
        Ivy Fox - https://www.facebook.com/IvyFoxAuthor
        C.R. Jane - https://facebook.com/CR-Jane-Author-1578293098960589
Facebook Group:
        Ivy Fox - https://www.facebook.com/groups/188438678547691
        C.R. Jane - https://www.facebook.com/groups/C.R.FatedRealm
Instagram:
        Ivy Fox - https://www.instagram.com/ivyfoxauthor/
        C.R. Jane - https://www.instagram.com/crjaneauthor/
Buy this book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Breathe-Me-Duet-ebook/dp/B086J9QQ8T/

Happy reading!