Another boy in the program has it out for JC, and a brewing storm threatens the safety of the group. Also, the nicknames Kelsie bestows on each program participant seemed to interfere with clarity and my connection to the characters.īut once the plot kicks into gear, I was riveted. I thought the story took a while to get going. Therefore, the novel consists of flashbacks, which might not have been the best choice for the pacing of the plot. Keslie tells her story to the woman hired to keep her safe-Marta-after she finishes the program. He’s athletic, light-hearted, and also blames himself for a loved one dying.

JC is the young man who captures her attention the most. But the counselor Chris knows just how to handle her, and Kelsie settles down enough to get through the first day, eventually growing closer to the other teens in the program. She is ill-prepared and ticked off, with her huge suitcase and even bigger attitude. To try to curb her harmful behavior, Kelsie’s father sends her to a wilderness therapy program. While cutting oneself is horrifying, I didn’t fully appreciate the horror until I was right there with Kelsie, feeling her pain and her disgust from taking it out on her body. To numb her emotional pain, she starts self-injuring.

Her best friend died in a car accident, and Kelsie unfairly blames herself. Kelsie is a 17-year-old cheerleader who’s a hot mess. This New Adult romance will be released 8-1-14, and the psychological aspects of the story enticed me to read an advanced copy. It’s free on Amazon 8/1 and 8/2…get after it HERE.įirst is my review, then an interview with the author.

Breaking Free by S.M. Koz