Some stories are a fairytale…but this isn’t one.

Caelan Gregory’s life fell apart the night he went home and opened the door to find his whole family murdered. Since then, his life has held no meaning. He’s angry. He’s bitter. He’s barely human anymore. There’s nothing left to remind him of the straight A student, and football quarterback he once was…but he wasn’t a good person then, and he’s certainly not a good person now.

He’s retreated into a world where all that exists is numbness and his passion for painting.

When Sutton Hale moves into the apartment across the hall from Caelan she’s not prepared for her reaction to him. Something in his broken blue eyes calls to her—after all she’s always had an irrational need to fix everything.

But Caelan doesn’t do relationships or feelings. He does drugs and alcohol. However, he can’t ignore his desire to get to know the raven-haired woman across the hall.

Two broken souls trying to mend one another.

But not everything can be fixed.

In the end, Caelan and Sutton will have to learn that there is beauty in the ashes.

About the Author

Micalea Smeltzer is a twenty-something author from Northern Virginia. When she’s not writing you can catch her with her nose buried in a book.

Review

Let’s start off by saying that I am a HUGE fan of Micalea’s and absolutely couldn’t wait for this book! The cover and the blurb alone sucked me in and I just HAD to devour it! Okay, now that’s been said…HOLY SHIT! What did I just read??!??? This book is FAR from what I ever expected! I thought this would be your typical romance, with a little angst….WRONG!!! So wrong! The author actually warned me in saying that this book was nothing like her previous works and I should have listened!

So, let’s start off with Cael and Sutton. From the prologue, I was hooked! I even shed a little tear, which is RARE because I am not a crier. Their relationship is fresh, emotional, tortuous, but most of all, its real. Their feelings and observations speak volumes and I totally fell in love with both of them. I found myself rooting for them and prayed that through all of the B.S., they would overcome the obstacles and end up together. Then the plot twist happens, and all those hopes were thrown out the damn window! Then the tears started flowing and I completely lost it. Kudos to the author for making me cry. She should be proud!

This book has it all, love, angst, drama, heartbreak, hotness, humor, suspense, and mind-blowing twists. I literally had to pick my jaw up off the floor! Micalea really threw me for a loop!

HUGE props to the author for creating such an original and compelling love story. This is her best work yet and one of the best books I’ve read this year. Yes, it’s not your typical HEA, but that’s what I loved about it. This story is fresh and outside of the box. It’s a must read.