BOOK REVIEW: Beauty In The Ashes by Micalea Smeltzer

(Standalone Contemporary Romance)

Author: Micalea Smeltzer

Released Date: July 15th, 2014

Source: Goodreads

Standalone Dark Contemporary Romance

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.

REVIEW

"People like us, we didn’t fall in love, and we certainly didn’t get a fairytale ending."

I have mixed emotions, I mean I truly appreciate the author's effort going back to Caelan and Sutton’s story and finished it once and for all.. I did like her writing style it's poetic and somewhat lyrical and of course how the representation of (view spoiler) I'd say the book is more on characters driven than plot. I like how the characters find forgiveness and second chances in a seemingly chaotic life.

"We were a sick pair, destined to meet and destroy each other."

One thing that I will say is I did not expect the last 20% mark plot twist to happened, because I thought somehow it will lead back to the usual plot, the author did an impeccable job in building a supposedly "EPIC" story between our main characters in the first 70% book mark, who would've guess the events will take a different turns. It took me by surprise.

I know we’re fucked up and neither of us is whole—” she bit her lip “—we’re a mess, Caelan. Together we’re like a damn war. I know in a war there are casualties, but fuck it if I don’t want to try.”

And to be honest I did not see (view spoiler) I will very much appreciate though if the author just focus on letting Caelan's character to flourish and healed all at once.

Regardless I did like the story and usually this kind of turning point is not my cuppa tea, still, I'm so glad I took a leap of faith and went blind reading the book because I felt all the emotions that the author wants to convey. Yes the happy ending isn't the conventional one but I felt like its the right one.

"I understood now, that even when everything crumbled and your world turned to ash, there was still beauty—just like a phoenix rising from the ashes."

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐