Best Kind of Broken by Chelsea Fine
Release Date: March 4, 2014
Publisher: Hachette Book Group
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
ISBN: 9781455583133
Source: NetGalley
Add it to Goodreads

Pixie and Levi haven’t spoken in nearly a year when they find themselves working—and living—at the same inn in the middle of nowhere. Once upon a time, they were childhood friends on the brink of becoming something more. But that was before everything went to hell.

All they want to do is avoid each other, and their past, for as long as possible. But when they’re forced to share a bathroom, and therefore a shower, keeping their distance from one another becomes less difficult than keeping their hands off each other. Welcome to the hallway of awkward tension and sexual frustration, folks. Get comfy. It’s going to be a long summer.

Having enjoyed the The Archers of Avalon trilogy by Chelsea Fine, I couldn’t wait to read her next book, Best Kind of Broken. Now, these are two completely different stories in different genres for different age groups. But I love that Fine’s enthusiasm and passion for her characters and stories jumps off every page which is why I knew even before this book was announced that I’d read what came next from Fine.

How different is this read for me exactly? Well, this is my first New Adult or “NA” read. New Adult focuses on actual young adults, not teenagers and because of the older, more mature audience, there’s typically more profanity and there are definitely no fade to black sex scenes. New Adult is sexually explicit. It’s raw. It’s everything Young Adult is with an edge, with a little more to bare so to speak. In other words, if YA is a PG-13 teen movie, NA is a hard R rated teen movie.

That said, it’s not all about getting hot and heavy. Instead, I’d go so far to say that this is a selling point. This is how some readers will be reeled in. You think you’re getting one thing but my oh my. At least for this NA book, Best Kind of Broken is about so much more. It’s about love and loss, abandonment and grief. It’s about scars and healing and not understanding or even knowing each other’s pain and guilt. Not at all what I was expecting. In fact, I didn’t know what story to expect but I’m so glad I took a chance on New Adult and so glad Chelsea Fine was my gateway into this category of books because New Adult isn’t great just because it’s edgier. There are great stories here. And I don’t want anybody who’s heard of New Adult but hasn’t tried it to forget that.

In fact, when I started reading Best Kind of Broken, it was very easy to imagine this world. Pixie and Levi work at an inn. Simply put, if you’ve ever wanted to follow two college aged employees in a Gilmore Girls style inn only let’s drop that inn in Arizona, this is the book for you. Our main characters, Pixie and Levi share quite a history so when Pixie comes to work at her Aunt’s inn that Levi already works at… the reunion doesn’t bring any smiles. What’s wonderful about their history… Chelsea Fine takes what you’re expecting and completely turns those expectations upside down. It’s remarkable. I don’t want to spoil what happens because I want you to be as surprised as I was. All I will say is that this is worth the read.

The story is told through Pixie and Levi’s points of views. I absolutely love Pixie’s voice. Pixie is hysterical. She’s honest. She’s strong willed. Still, she’s patient with others. She’s broken and she’s trying to fit the pieces back together as best she can. She’s growing.

Levi is more impulsive and sometimes that’s good, sometimes not so much. Add on his grief, his anger and well… he’s clear headed but what’s in his mind doesn’t always make it out his mouth the same way and that’s what often gets him in trouble. He means well, he wants to do the right thing. He does the right thing and still often finds trouble. He’s broken and avoiding, running, finding somewhere to settle and figure out his next step until he’s ready to see the world as so much greater than himself…

I’ll admit, it was a struggle to read his POV at times because I wanted him to win, to open his eyes. To appreciate what remains before him. Perhaps the best kind of broken is having someone by your side as you walk on your journey to be whole. But maybe the best kind of broken is being so close you can taste it. It’s torturous in the moment, which is probably why I was especially rooting for and passionate about Levi. But it’s also a moment filled with so much hope. I feel hope on every single page of this book through every character.

The dynamics among all of the relationships in this book were so strong, so complete. Pixie and her boyfriend, Matt. Pixie and her best friend, Jenna. Pixie and her mother. Her mother is a piece of work. Pixie and her Aunt, Ellen who will do anything for her. Pixie and Levi and Levi’s sister, Charity. I felt so connected to each and every character as well as each and every relationship among them. The characters and the story really grabbed me.

The only fault for me was the amount of telling and by telling I mean recapping backstory. This book stands alone but there are two upcoming companion titles and as a stand alone, there was a lot the reader needed to know for this story to be complete. My only wish is that the background information had been weaved in more fluidly. Aside from this, I absolutely enjoyed Best Kind of Broken and would recommend this to anyone who has not yet read New Adult and doesn’t know where to start. This is the perfect place to start.

Best Kind of Broken by Chelsea Fine is available now.