The Inevitable Collision of Birdie and Bash by Candace Granger

* * 1/2

Birdie never meant to be at the party. Bash should have been long gone. But when they meet, a collision course is set off they may never recover from.

Sebastian Alvaréz is just trying to hold the pieces together: to not flunk out, to keep his sort-of-best friend Wild Kyle from doing something really bad, and to see his beloved Ma through chemo. But when he meets Birdie Paxton, a near-Valedictorian who doesn’t realize she’s smoking hot in her science pun T-shirt, at a party, an undeniable attraction sparks. And suddenly he’s not worried about anything. But before they are able to exchange numbers, they are pulled apart. A horrifying tragedy soon links Birdie and Bash together—but neither knows it. When they finally reconnect, and are starting to fall—hard—the events of the tragedy unfold, changing both their lives in ways they can never undo. Told in alternating perspectives, The Inevitable Collision of Birdie & Bash by Candace Ganger is a beautiful, complex, and ultimately hopeful teen novel that will move you to the very last page.

Source: advance e-galley provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review



The Inevitable Collision of Birdie and Bash is about two people whose lives intersect at different times, each time with a different impact and outcome. 

Bash is the child of a single immigrant mother whose health is ailing. It's no wonder that he's hardly doing well at school and hanging with the wrong person, namely his friend Wild Kyle, who happens to be the son of his mom's former employer. He meets Birdie at a party and the two engage in some comical banter. Unfortunately, their encounter doesn't have the chance to go anywhere because Bash is pulled away to take care of his friend. So they're stuck wondering about each other. Birdie has more on her mind than just the mysterious boy from the party. She's unsure about her future and doesn't know how to break it to her mother. She also has the added pain of not getting along with her out of control younger sister. At the very moment that Birdie decides she has to speak to her mother about a secret she's been holding, her family's world collapses. Birdie is left with the guilt of causing the accident and Bash is left with the heavy weight of the truth about what happened.

I'm not going to sugarcoat it: this was a tumultuous read. At any moment you're either gutted for Bash because life has been so cruel to him or ticked off at him because he's being an ass or boneheaded about something. Birdie's a mess because she's been unhappy for a while and sometimes she becomes almost detached from her life when she becomes so analytical. Then there's that odd moment of lightheartedness between them that makes you wish you could wrap them up in a bubble and keep them there. The somber truth about what connects them outside that bubble is inescapable. Granger takes our emotions all over the place as we watch Bash and Birdie pick up all the broken pieces of their lives and make attempts at moving on or in Bash's case, redemption. I was close to tears several times. If it weren't for that glimpse of hope down the road I don't know that I could have kept my composure.

I'm in between on this book. The events that transpired got me emotionally but otherwise I have mixed feelings about these two characters. I didn't feel a strong connection to either of them but rather I felt I was looking in from the outside the entire time. I will add that I'm glad that I read it as it's a reminder that everyone's life is more complicated than what we assume we know, and that Birdie and Bash are as complicated as can be.

~ Bel

How To Mend A Broken Heart by Anna Mansell

* * *

A compelling, heartbreaking tale that will make you laugh, cry and believe in the kindness of strangers. Perfect for fans of Jojo Moyes, Lucy Dillon and Miranda Dickinson.

Life is good for nurse Kat. That is until the man she intended to marry legs it, she’s unexpectedly promoted to a position with too much responsibility, and a patient arrives on her ward under strange circumstances.

Susan is a mystery. She refuses to speak or interact with anyone, she’s obsessed with a book of fairy tales, and the only name in her diary is that of Rhys – a plumber she barely knows.

Down-to-earth Rhys is trying to get his life back on track after the death of his beloved brother. His mum is his priority, and she needs him as much as he needs her. Or at least she did, until she starts disappearing, leaving him to find comfort in the form of his brother’s girlfriend.

Complicated is an understatement.

As the lives of these three lost strangers intertwine, will they find a way to lay ghosts past, present and future to rest? And when the chance comes to mend their broken hearts, will they be brave enough to take it? 


Source: advance e-galley provided in exchange for an honest review


How To Mend A Broken Heart is the story of three unrelated people - Kat, Susan and Rhys - who are brought together by an accident. The result is life-changing for all three of them. 

Kat, a nurse returns from vacation hoping that the time spent away from her ex would help ease her heartbreak over their horrible breakup. It's not easy to erase several years invested in a relationship that eventually turned to dust. Coming back to work to a promotion is the distraction she needs. One of her cases is Susan, who was brought in earlier after surviving a scary accident. This is her toughest case yet as Susan has not uttered a word since she's been at the hospital. Racking her brain to figure out how to help her, Kat comes across Rhys' phone number amongst Susan's possessions and calls him. Rhys who's drowning in his own drama after his brother's suicide, barely knows Susan. He and his brother used to do some repair work at her house but when he sees Susan at the hospital, he recognizes something in her. That sense of deep loss and closing in on oneself. Rather than walk away, he sticks around hoping that in helping her, he can gain some insight into why his brother gave up on life. None of these three individuals is ready for the impact of what's to come. 

Grief for some people can be debilitating and this story explores how Kat, Susan and Rhys grapple with theirs. It's the way each of them is handling it that's fascinating. What makes some fight while others simply want to give up? What kind of heartbreak can be so devastating that there's no recovering from it?  When and how does that moment of clarity amid the chaos come? As heart-wrenching of a read as this was, it was also an illuminating look into our own natures. 

This is a lovely debut from Mansell that features plenty of heart. While I didn't get the ending that I was expecting, I love how she developed these characters that eventually learn to embrace their past and look forward to the future. Sometimes you have to look hard at the ugly parts to get to the beautiful.

~ Bel

Since Drew by J. Nathan

* * * 1/2

All Andi Parker has ever wanted, all she’s ever dreamed of, is a spot on the Olympic track team. But when an accident leaves her hospitalized with serious injuries and shattered dreams, she’s not only uncertain what her future holds but also completely alone.

Drew Slater is a wanted man. Professional football teams want him for his arm. Women want him for his good looks and magnetic personality. But the well-crafted disguise he wears, the one that helps him score on and off the field, hides secrets. Conceals lies. Threatens the happiness of everyone around him.

One chance encounter brings Andi and Drew together, changing their worlds in ways they never thought possible. Unfortunately, what they thought they knew about themselves—and about each other—might just be the biggest lie of all.

I will admit without shame that it was this ridiculously fit guy on the cover that drew my attention to this book. Seriously, this guy is ripped! I didn’t even pretend to read the blurb on what this story was about!  I’m glad I didn’t though because it allowed me to just enjoy the story as it unfolded.

Since Drew is about one ambitious athlete who meets another disillusioned one because of an unfortunate accident. Andi, who has dreamed of being an Olympian all her life and has worked towards that goal with fervent determination, finds herself banged up in the hospital after being hit by car while on a run. Drew, a talented and hotly-pursued college football star whose next move could make or break his career, is also in the hospital but won’t disclose why he’s there.  They’re accidentally put in the same room together which is how these two very different individuals are thrown into each other’s orbit.

All Andi can think about is how soon she can return to running. Not even an injury as significant as hers can deter her from her plans. Drew’s presence and nonchalance around the hospital is a distraction from her boredom, their banter keeping her from going crazy. Drew confides his deepest thoughts to her about the pressures he’s under to make a decision about his football future. So much is riding on him going pro that he doesn’t think that choosing to do what he believes will make him happy is even an option.  It’s so different from Andi’s world where she’s in control of her own future.

There’s obviously a mutual attraction here and they enjoy baiting each other.  Sometimes I did wonder how it could be real because some of the conversations and actions bordered on unbelievable.  But that’s where J. Nathan cleverly turned things upside down steering the storyline in a new direction. When this happens, Andi has to work twice as hard at her connection with Drew. Even when a breakthrough comes, there’s still the danger of a bigger secret coming out, and when it does it could be worse than the accident that changed Andi’s life.

Andi and Drew go through some heavy stuff together. Andi has always known what she has wanted to do and has always had the backing of her family. Drew has never had that. Andi bolsters his confidence and gives him the stability he needs. In turn, Drew shows Andi that her life isn’t over just because she can’t compete for the Olympic team this time around.  It’s just wait and see as to whether they can survive through the changes in their lives and the secret that threatens them.

Since Drew has all the sizzle and funny get-to-know-you moments you’ll enjoy. It also has moments anyone can appreciate. Who hasn’t gone through setbacks, disappointments, indecision and uncertainty? Who hasn’t been afraid to voice the truth and go for what they really want?  Behind this gorgeous cover, is a story well worth getting into!

~ Bel

Check out an excerpt and enter the giveaway for a chance to win an ebook copy of Since Drew. The giveaway is open internationally. Enter here!