Nova, #3
by Jessica Sorensen
Release Date:
April 7th, 2015 (Print)
Publisher:
Forever Romance
Source:
Publisher via NetGalley
eARC received in exchange of honest review
Synopsis:
Today is the first day of Quinton Carter's new life. The toxic guilt of his past left him in pieces-but one girl unexpectedly put him back together. Thanks to Nova Reed, Quinton can finally see the world with clear eyes. She's the reason his heart is still kicking behind the jagged scar on his chest. And he would love to have her in his arms every minute of the day . . . but he's not ready yet. by Jessica Sorensen
Release Date:
April 7th, 2015 (Print)
Publisher:
Forever Romance
Source:
Publisher via NetGalley
eARC received in exchange of honest review
Synopsis:
Playing drums in a band and living with her best friends are just some of the highlights of Nova's life. But the best new development? Talking to Quinton on the phone each night. She wishes she could touch him, kiss him, though she knows he needs time to heal. Yet shocking news is on the way-a reminder of life's dark side-and Nova will need Quinton like he once needed her. Is he strong enough to take the final leap out of his broken past . . . and into Nova's heart?
Review:
When I started reading the Nova series a couple of days ago, I had no idea that it would be such a heartbreaking reading journey. It was hard to catch my breath sometimes. My heart was broken for everything that Nova and Quinton had to go through.
If you have not read the two previous books of this series, you might find some spoilers in this review. I highly suggest that you read Breaking Nova and Saving Quinton before you read this installment. This book picks up exactly where book two left off. Quinton is finally able to go home. He's been in rehab for his drug addiction and he now has to face the real world. One day at a time. His road to recovery is far from easy, but he's found the determination and courage to overcome some of the hardest obstacles that life has thrown his way. One thing that does not change and is still very present in his life his Nova's support. She has been a light in his life when the darkness was too much to handle. Every moment that they shared together is like a soothing balm to his soul.
Being far away from Quinton is not easy. Nova knows that his recovery will take time, but she wants to be close to the man that has stolen her heart and her every thought. She's back in school and his living with her best friend Lea, and Quinton's cousin, Tristan. As days go by, Nova and Quinton start to reconnect again. Their daily phone conversations and texts bring them closer, but Quinton still has to fight the demons of his past every single day. Will he be able to let go of the past and give his heart to the person that made him feel alive again?
Like I mentioned before, this was a heartbreaking journey. It was hard to see them go through such tragic events at their young age. Life has not been easy for them. I am so proud of the way they have both grown. Even if they are apart from each other for most of the book their connection to each other grew stronger and I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. My heart was beating fast and I was crossing my fingers that the past was in the past and that they could both start a new life together.
The supporting cast of characters in this book was amazing! Wilson, Lea and Tristan were there for Nova and Quinton when they needed them the most. I loved how Wilson shared his story with Quinton. He made him see that life goes on and that you he had to let go of the guilt he was feeling. Nova had some stuff to deal with as well. She learned that she can't fix everything in life. Sometimes people make decisions that she might not understand, but that is their choice and there is nothing she could do or say that would change those decisions.
This was a learning and healing journey for Nova and Quinton. Fighting against the darkness is never easy. It has a way to drag you down deeper if you even let go of the light for a split second. This was an emotional story to read and I learned a lot from both of these characters. It's not an easy story to read, but I am so glad that I gave this series a chance. Jessica Sorensen writing style is captivating. She made me feel all kinds of emotions while reading about Nova and Quinton.
Rating:
I give, Nova and Quinton: No Regrets, by Jessica Sorensen, 4 powerful, emotional, hopeful, healing stars!
Excerpt:
Prologue
Nova
December 28, the day of the funeral
Prologue
Nova
December 28, the day of the funeral
It’s a strange feeling, getting ready to watch someone get put under the ground into their final resting place. I’ve been to enough funerals to know that my senses always become hyper-aware of everything going on around me: the touch of the wind seems stronger, the sun a little more blinding, the smell of the leaves, grass, and fresh dirt overpowering. It’s like my mind is reaching out and trying to grasp each aspect of the moment, when part of me wants nothing more than to forget.
I’m actually at the church earlier than I’m supposed to be and I don’t even know why, other than that sitting home for a second longer just didn’t seem possible. So I left the house without telling anyone and got in my cherry-red Chevy Nova, the car my dad left to me when he died, and drove it to the church where my dad’s and Landon’s funeral took place. And in just a bit, I’ll say good-bye to another person I once knew and will never see again.
Now that I’m here, staring at the brick building with a white tower pointing to the sky, I’m not sure what I should do. I’m three hours early to a funeral, which might say a lot about me. A lot of people would likely show up late, wanting to avoid death for as long as possible, but I’ve become so familiar with it it’s unsettling.
After sitting in the car for about ten minutes, watching snowflakes fall from the sky and frost the grass and the windshield, I decide to take video instead. I didn’t bring the fancy camera my mom gave me, but the one on my phone works and honestly I use that one a lot more because it’s handy for sporadic recording, which seems to be my specialty.
I blow out a deep breath as I sit back in the seat, aim the camera at myself, and hit record. I have the screen flipped to me and my image immediately pops up. I look tired. The bags under my eyes are pretty obvious, even though I’ve tried to cover them up with makeup, and my brown hair wasn’t being cooperative so I ended up pulling it up into a ponytail. I’m wearing a black dress and earrings and the contrast with my fair skin makes me look pallid.
“It’s amazing how everything can seem so perfect one moment and then suddenly it’s not. How quickly perfection can evaporate… how rare it is.” I pause, gathering my thoughts. “I’ve seen a lot of death. More than the normal person, probably. I watched my father’s life vanish in front of me within minutes. Found my boyfriend’s body right after he took his own life. Too early. Too suddenly. Both of them. I never had time to prepare myself and I thought it was the worst feeling in the world. I always wondered how different it would be, if it ever happened again. If maybe the third or fourth time around, I wouldn’t hurt so badly. If it’d be easier letting someone go now that I’ve had so much practice.” I tuck a fallen strand of my bangs behind my ear and swallow the lump in my throat. “And maybe it has gotten easier… but it still hurts. I still shed tears… it’s still agonizing… painful…” I trail off as a few tears slip from my eyes and roll down my cheeks. “Even now, just thinking about some of the stuff I saw… I should have stopped it… should have done things differently…” I trail off, staring at the window. “But I didn’t… and now they’re gone forever.”
I’m actually at the church earlier than I’m supposed to be and I don’t even know why, other than that sitting home for a second longer just didn’t seem possible. So I left the house without telling anyone and got in my cherry-red Chevy Nova, the car my dad left to me when he died, and drove it to the church where my dad’s and Landon’s funeral took place. And in just a bit, I’ll say good-bye to another person I once knew and will never see again.
Now that I’m here, staring at the brick building with a white tower pointing to the sky, I’m not sure what I should do. I’m three hours early to a funeral, which might say a lot about me. A lot of people would likely show up late, wanting to avoid death for as long as possible, but I’ve become so familiar with it it’s unsettling.
After sitting in the car for about ten minutes, watching snowflakes fall from the sky and frost the grass and the windshield, I decide to take video instead. I didn’t bring the fancy camera my mom gave me, but the one on my phone works and honestly I use that one a lot more because it’s handy for sporadic recording, which seems to be my specialty.
I blow out a deep breath as I sit back in the seat, aim the camera at myself, and hit record. I have the screen flipped to me and my image immediately pops up. I look tired. The bags under my eyes are pretty obvious, even though I’ve tried to cover them up with makeup, and my brown hair wasn’t being cooperative so I ended up pulling it up into a ponytail. I’m wearing a black dress and earrings and the contrast with my fair skin makes me look pallid.
“It’s amazing how everything can seem so perfect one moment and then suddenly it’s not. How quickly perfection can evaporate… how rare it is.” I pause, gathering my thoughts. “I’ve seen a lot of death. More than the normal person, probably. I watched my father’s life vanish in front of me within minutes. Found my boyfriend’s body right after he took his own life. Too early. Too suddenly. Both of them. I never had time to prepare myself and I thought it was the worst feeling in the world. I always wondered how different it would be, if it ever happened again. If maybe the third or fourth time around, I wouldn’t hurt so badly. If it’d be easier letting someone go now that I’ve had so much practice.” I tuck a fallen strand of my bangs behind my ear and swallow the lump in my throat. “And maybe it has gotten easier… but it still hurts. I still shed tears… it’s still agonizing… painful…” I trail off as a few tears slip from my eyes and roll down my cheeks. “Even now, just thinking about some of the stuff I saw… I should have stopped it… should have done things differently…” I trail off, staring at the window. “But I didn’t… and now they’re gone forever.”
