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Before We Break
College freshman Tess is ready to start over three thousand miles away from a life not worth remembering. She's keeping her head down and definitely not going to frat parties. Well, except for the one where the hottest guy on campus spills his beer all over her. Jake is obnoxiously gorgeous and a bit too chatty for her liking. And even though Tess tries to avoid him, his charisma sucks her in.
That is, until they cross a boundary neither of them is ready for.
Now, Tess is dating Brayden, Jake's best friend. Brayden's calming energy is impossible not to fall for and Tess finds herself feeling comfortable and safe for the first time in her life.
When Brayden falls ill, Tess and Jake find themselves leaning on each other. The potential problem? The all-consuming connection with Jake that Tess can't ignore, despite how much she loves Brayden.
As the cracks in their relationships start to show, Tess, Brayden, and Jake will be forced to face the truth about how they each feel about each other. Will their hearts survive the wreckage?
That is, until they cross a boundary neither of them is ready for.
Now, Tess is dating Brayden, Jake's best friend. Brayden's calming energy is impossible not to fall for and Tess finds herself feeling comfortable and safe for the first time in her life.
When Brayden falls ill, Tess and Jake find themselves leaning on each other. The potential problem? The all-consuming connection with Jake that Tess can't ignore, despite how much she loves Brayden.
As the cracks in their relationships start to show, Tess, Brayden, and Jake will be forced to face the truth about how they each feel about each other. Will their hearts survive the wreckage?
316 pages, ebook
Published August 5, 2025
20 people are currently reading
209 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
July 18, 2025
𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸
"𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯… 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦. 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘦𝘵, 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘯’𝘵. 𝘚𝘦𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵 𝘶𝘱 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘱. 𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘢 𝘨𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘴𝘰𝘯. 𝘉𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭."
Tess wants a quiet, fresh start far from her past — but everything changes when Jake, the most popular guy on campus, sets his eyes on her.
Things get more complicated when she starts dating his best friend, Brayden — the boy with a charming smile and a pain he tries to hide. But some sparks are too strong to ignore, and Tess finds herself torn between loyalty and undeniable chemistry.✨
⚠️ Content Warnings
• Cheating
• Substance use (drugs & alcohol)
• Illness (cancer)
• Suicide
• Death
• Grief
• Emotional trauma
• Moral conflict
• Loss of a parent
💫 Tropes
🔥 Love Triangle
🎓 College Romance
🩺 Sick Boyfriend
🧲 Undeniable Chemistry
😖 Torn Between Two Lovers
🚫 Forbidden Romance
👣 Found Familly
👀 Popular Boy & Quiet Girl
💬 Emotional Angst
💔 Stolen Moments
👫🏼 Best Friend’s Girl
💔 My thoughts:
I truly enjoyed reading this book — at least until the last 20% ❤️
Up to that point, I was fully invested, but somewhere near the end, I stopped enjoying it the way I had before 😕💔
It absolutely shattered my heart. I couldn’t stop crying 😭; at one point, I had to put it down because I couldn’t see through my tears 🥲
The story starts off fast, and I immediately loved Jake and Tess together 💞. Their chemistry was undeniable.
But then… I got so angry at Jake for what he did 😠.
It became really hard for me to accept him with Tess again after that.
And through it all, I just felt deeply sorry for Brayden — the boy who was suffering in silence while no one really saw him 🥀.
Jake is the charming, popular guy on campus — confident, magnetic, and used to getting what he wants.
But to be honest, I didn’t like him at all. He was frustrating, impulsive, and did and said so many hurtful things. No matter how charming he appeared, his actions left a bitter taste I couldn’t shake.
And honestly? He was an awful friend to Brayden. Brayden was clearly suffering right in front of him — and Jake chose to ignore it. He looked the other way when his best friend needed him the most, and that broke my heart even more. 💔
🌪️ Tess is the girl who’s been through too much, too young — shaped by a traumatic childhood, unsure of who she really wants to be: the quiet, closed-off version of herself or the wild, loud one she hides deep inside.
Then there's Brayden — the shy best friend who lives in Jake’s shadow. He carries a pain so heavy, yet refuses pity from anyone 💔.
✍🏻 Writing Style:
The writing is easy to follow and flows smoothly — definitely the kind of book you can finish in one sitting. I especially appreciated the short chapters; they kept the pace quick and made it hard to put down.
📚 This book isn’t just a college romance. It’s messy, emotional, and raw.
It explores identity, guilt, grief, and the ache of being seen — or completely overlooked.
And in the end… sure, it was a happy ending.
But for them — not for me.
I couldn’t accept how quickly everything was brushed over.
It felt too fast, too easy… and my heart wasn’t ready to move on that quickly. 💔
✨ A beautiful, heartbreaking read that stays with you.
Thank you to BookSirens for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review! 🩷✨
"𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯… 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦. 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘦𝘵, 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘯’𝘵. 𝘚𝘦𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵 𝘶𝘱 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘱. 𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘢 𝘨𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘴𝘰𝘯. 𝘉𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭."
Tess wants a quiet, fresh start far from her past — but everything changes when Jake, the most popular guy on campus, sets his eyes on her.
Things get more complicated when she starts dating his best friend, Brayden — the boy with a charming smile and a pain he tries to hide. But some sparks are too strong to ignore, and Tess finds herself torn between loyalty and undeniable chemistry.✨
⚠️ Content Warnings
• Cheating
• Substance use (drugs & alcohol)
• Illness (cancer)
• Suicide
• Death
• Grief
• Emotional trauma
• Moral conflict
• Loss of a parent
💫 Tropes
🔥 Love Triangle
🎓 College Romance
🩺 Sick Boyfriend
🧲 Undeniable Chemistry
😖 Torn Between Two Lovers
🚫 Forbidden Romance
👣 Found Familly
👀 Popular Boy & Quiet Girl
💬 Emotional Angst
💔 Stolen Moments
👫🏼 Best Friend’s Girl
💔 My thoughts:
I truly enjoyed reading this book — at least until the last 20% ❤️
Up to that point, I was fully invested, but somewhere near the end, I stopped enjoying it the way I had before 😕💔
It absolutely shattered my heart. I couldn’t stop crying 😭; at one point, I had to put it down because I couldn’t see through my tears 🥲
The story starts off fast, and I immediately loved Jake and Tess together 💞. Their chemistry was undeniable.
But then… I got so angry at Jake for what he did 😠.
It became really hard for me to accept him with Tess again after that.
And through it all, I just felt deeply sorry for Brayden — the boy who was suffering in silence while no one really saw him 🥀.
Jake is the charming, popular guy on campus — confident, magnetic, and used to getting what he wants.
But to be honest, I didn’t like him at all. He was frustrating, impulsive, and did and said so many hurtful things. No matter how charming he appeared, his actions left a bitter taste I couldn’t shake.
And honestly? He was an awful friend to Brayden. Brayden was clearly suffering right in front of him — and Jake chose to ignore it. He looked the other way when his best friend needed him the most, and that broke my heart even more. 💔
🌪️ Tess is the girl who’s been through too much, too young — shaped by a traumatic childhood, unsure of who she really wants to be: the quiet, closed-off version of herself or the wild, loud one she hides deep inside.
Then there's Brayden — the shy best friend who lives in Jake’s shadow. He carries a pain so heavy, yet refuses pity from anyone 💔.
✍🏻 Writing Style:
The writing is easy to follow and flows smoothly — definitely the kind of book you can finish in one sitting. I especially appreciated the short chapters; they kept the pace quick and made it hard to put down.
📚 This book isn’t just a college romance. It’s messy, emotional, and raw.
It explores identity, guilt, grief, and the ache of being seen — or completely overlooked.
And in the end… sure, it was a happy ending.
But for them — not for me.
I couldn’t accept how quickly everything was brushed over.
It felt too fast, too easy… and my heart wasn’t ready to move on that quickly. 💔
✨ A beautiful, heartbreaking read that stays with you.
Thank you to BookSirens for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review! 🩷✨
July 18, 2025
3.5 rounded up to 4
Love triangles always suck me in, and to the detriment of my nervous system, I went in blind to the final choice our FMC Tess makes. Her choices are southern boy Jake who becomes her best friend despite her bad attitude. She doesn’t start out nice, but by the end of the story she’s made a complete transformation. Jake introduces her to his childhood best friend and roommate Brayden, who she connects with right off the bat. Honestly I liked them both for different reasons. Each brought something different to Tess so it was hard….until it wasn’t. No spoilers here. Author gives a content warning at the beginning I’d advise you listen to if you have triggers. There’s some sensitive content.
Thanks to BookSirens for this ARC, I’m leaving my opinion voluntarily.
Love triangles always suck me in, and to the detriment of my nervous system, I went in blind to the final choice our FMC Tess makes. Her choices are southern boy Jake who becomes her best friend despite her bad attitude. She doesn’t start out nice, but by the end of the story she’s made a complete transformation. Jake introduces her to his childhood best friend and roommate Brayden, who she connects with right off the bat. Honestly I liked them both for different reasons. Each brought something different to Tess so it was hard….until it wasn’t. No spoilers here. Author gives a content warning at the beginning I’d advise you listen to if you have triggers. There’s some sensitive content.
Thanks to BookSirens for this ARC, I’m leaving my opinion voluntarily.
May 28, 2025
I read this book as part of an eARC selection. The opinions in the review are my own.
To begin with, I started this book at 11pm with plans to read a couple chapters just to get going. I stayed up until after 3am reading this book, and would have kept on reading if I could have stayed awake. I woke up early and finished it the very next morning. This is a fast paced read, with easy to follow dialogue and content.
This book absolutely crushed my heart. There is love, and there is a happy ending, but this is NOT a feel good romance novel. This is a journey of self discovery, pain, loss, and healing.
Katie Karambelas does a fantastic job keeping the characters in this story true to their age. These are 18-20 year old college students. They mess up, they make bad choices that hurt themselves and others, they’re insecure and unsure of themselves. They also still hold that buoyancy in life that young adults tend to have. I appreciate that we didn’t get a book where the young adults have the wisdom of a life they haven’t lived yet.
**everything beyond this is content spoiler**
Our main female, Tess, has had a challenging youth. She lost both her parents to drugs, and spent the remainder of her childhood in foster care. Now, as a young adult, she’s chosen a college on the other side of the country to start over. She goes in with the goal of self preservation. No attachments, no connections, no opportunities to get hurt, just focus on school.
Then she meets Jake, who decides that she needs to be his new BFF, her own plans be damned. Through Jake she meets Brayden, who she has a bit of a connection with from the start. True to the book summary, she falls in love with both.
We see Tess navigate the different relationship she has with each guy, one as a partner and one as a friend. We see her learn how to love through pain and loss when she learns her boyfriend is sick and dying. We see her heal with friendship and love after he commits suicide. And through all of it we witness her growth. She learns more about who she is, why she’s run away, why she’s afraid to make connection. We see her find strength in allowing others in, and loving them.
To begin with, I started this book at 11pm with plans to read a couple chapters just to get going. I stayed up until after 3am reading this book, and would have kept on reading if I could have stayed awake. I woke up early and finished it the very next morning. This is a fast paced read, with easy to follow dialogue and content.
This book absolutely crushed my heart. There is love, and there is a happy ending, but this is NOT a feel good romance novel. This is a journey of self discovery, pain, loss, and healing.
Katie Karambelas does a fantastic job keeping the characters in this story true to their age. These are 18-20 year old college students. They mess up, they make bad choices that hurt themselves and others, they’re insecure and unsure of themselves. They also still hold that buoyancy in life that young adults tend to have. I appreciate that we didn’t get a book where the young adults have the wisdom of a life they haven’t lived yet.
**everything beyond this is content spoiler**
Our main female, Tess, has had a challenging youth. She lost both her parents to drugs, and spent the remainder of her childhood in foster care. Now, as a young adult, she’s chosen a college on the other side of the country to start over. She goes in with the goal of self preservation. No attachments, no connections, no opportunities to get hurt, just focus on school.
Then she meets Jake, who decides that she needs to be his new BFF, her own plans be damned. Through Jake she meets Brayden, who she has a bit of a connection with from the start. True to the book summary, she falls in love with both.
We see Tess navigate the different relationship she has with each guy, one as a partner and one as a friend. We see her learn how to love through pain and loss when she learns her boyfriend is sick and dying. We see her heal with friendship and love after he commits suicide. And through all of it we witness her growth. She learns more about who she is, why she’s run away, why she’s afraid to make connection. We see her find strength in allowing others in, and loving them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 20, 2025
➳ 2.5 ★ (rounded down)
This book was definitely not it for me.
The writing is mediocre at best, the dialogue is juvenile and cringey, and the characters are 2D. I finished the book, but I can’t say that I liked it 🫠
Thank you to Katie Karambelas for this ARC.
This book was definitely not it for me.
The writing is mediocre at best, the dialogue is juvenile and cringey, and the characters are 2D. I finished the book, but I can’t say that I liked it 🫠
Thank you to Katie Karambelas for this ARC.
June 25, 2025
OMG I loved this book!
This story made me feeling all the feelings! But you got me sobbing with the Epilogue, in a good way! Brayden's story was heartbreaking but damn I loved that ending!
Would definitely recommend this one!
This story made me feeling all the feelings! But you got me sobbing with the Epilogue, in a good way! Brayden's story was heartbreaking but damn I loved that ending!
Would definitely recommend this one!
September 1, 2025
Literally could not put this book down!
July 2, 2025
Nothing in the description of this book could have prepared me for the emotional damage to come.
This is definitely not a light fluffy romance read. There are some heavy topics written on these pages.
I just finished and I’m not sure I can put exactly into words how i feel about these characters and the story. I cried multiple times. I also hated them and at the same time was rooting for them. There were points where I felt like I got emotional whiplash from how big the swings were between Tess’ feelings for Brayden and Jake. Overall, I do not regret reading this book even though it certainly was not as expected. I would encourage people to read the content warning at the beginning of the book and decide if they are in the right headspace to read this one
This is definitely not a light fluffy romance read. There are some heavy topics written on these pages.
I just finished and I’m not sure I can put exactly into words how i feel about these characters and the story. I cried multiple times. I also hated them and at the same time was rooting for them. There were points where I felt like I got emotional whiplash from how big the swings were between Tess’ feelings for Brayden and Jake. Overall, I do not regret reading this book even though it certainly was not as expected. I would encourage people to read the content warning at the beginning of the book and decide if they are in the right headspace to read this one
June 26, 2025
4⭐️ Star with 1🌶️Level
I honestly don’t know where to begin. This book is fast paced, witty and it will make you cry. I am just having a hard time putting my thoughts together which is not a bad thing.
Actually, Before We Break is the first book I read this year to make me shed actual tears. Not just tear up, Tears. Seniorta Katie wrote a compelling storing that addresses some tough subjects. There is a scene in particular that happens in Chapter 41 that left me gasping for actual air.
Before We Break tropes:
✨ 3POV
✨Suicide (On page description)
✨Cancer
✨Found Family
✨Best-friends Fall for FMC
✨Strong FMC with Issues to Address
This books focuses on the FMC and her relationships between two best friends. It is messy, brutal in some areas, and basically describes the life of young people in college which their thought process is still all over the place. However despite all that their story is soo compelling that for me once I started reading I couldn’t stop. I will say this story does have a heart breaking happy ending.
So if all I said interests you the please put this on your TBRs, want to read list or simply pick it up.
For me. It’s worth the read. Thank you Katie for writing this story. You left me in my feelings and my heart somewhat heavy.
I honestly don’t know where to begin. This book is fast paced, witty and it will make you cry. I am just having a hard time putting my thoughts together which is not a bad thing.
Actually, Before We Break is the first book I read this year to make me shed actual tears. Not just tear up, Tears. Seniorta Katie wrote a compelling storing that addresses some tough subjects. There is a scene in particular that happens in Chapter 41 that left me gasping for actual air.
Before We Break tropes:
✨ 3POV
✨Suicide (On page description)
✨Cancer
✨Found Family
✨Best-friends Fall for FMC
✨Strong FMC with Issues to Address
This books focuses on the FMC and her relationships between two best friends. It is messy, brutal in some areas, and basically describes the life of young people in college which their thought process is still all over the place. However despite all that their story is soo compelling that for me once I started reading I couldn’t stop. I will say this story does have a heart breaking happy ending.
So if all I said interests you the please put this on your TBRs, want to read list or simply pick it up.
For me. It’s worth the read. Thank you Katie for writing this story. You left me in my feelings and my heart somewhat heavy.
May 26, 2025
I LOVED this book. I devoured it in less than 2 days. No spoilers but I love how this book changes point of view so you get inside the head of all 3 main characters. This is the perfect read and left me emotional a few times. I could really relate to the characters and couldn’t put it down because I wanted to know what was going to happen in the story. Great job Katie.
May 21, 2025
eARC review! This book! Read straight through it in two days! The ups and downs and twists and turns. What a journey to be on with these characters watching them grow and learn about themselves. AND EACH OTHER! I laughed, I cried, I did all of the above! Great job Katie! 🫶🏻
May 24, 2025
Oh my gosh! I wasn’t sure what to think going in but that was one of the most beautiful love story. I laughed and I cried. I experienced some of those things and it was healing to read about it. Thank you.
July 9, 2025
I was not ready for Brayden’s story I was sobbing but I still loved the book! But honestly I was rooting for Her and Jake from the beginning! I loved the authors writing style and I can’t wait to read more from her!
June 29, 2025
A sweet, emotionally honest romance with well-drawn characters and an irresistible setting. Before We Break captures the messy beauty of healing, dreaming, and falling in love.
June 23, 2025
I love this book so much. It's just perfect. I read it in two days (only because I'm a mom and work full time). It's addictive. The story was perfect and sad. They put you on a rollercoaster of emotions in the most beautiful way. I loved Tess and Jake, but also Tess and Brayden. The ending was exactly what my heart needed.
June 20, 2025
I just wanna say that I had the pleasure to arc read this book and I would 10 out of 10. Recommend it to anybody! They have only been a couple of books that have broken my heart and then put all the pieces back together like this book. She did such an amazing job making you fall in love with all of the characters in this book. I cannot wait for everyone to get to read it. Cannot wait for my physical copy to get here in August! Definitely read the trigger warnings!
June 15, 2025
I didn’t know I needed to read this book , I have lost a lot of close people to tragedy or and illness and this story was amazing. The perspective of a loved one and a personal perspective. I cried and by the end was happy to know there is love after loss. It may come slowly or fast but remember don’t shut it down. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 26, 2025
I’m usually a fantasy girly, but this story pulled me in with its charm. It’s a sweet and sad romance..bittersweet in all the right ways. The characters felt real, the emotions lingered, and by the end, I was fully invested. If you're in the mood for something heartfelt and tender, this one’s worth the read. Maybe grab a few tissues as well.
June 4, 2025
I had the best incredible experience with this book! The emotional depth described, especially its complex love triangle between Jake, Tess, and Brayden, really resonates with alot of us. The theme of being broken and seeking connection is such a poignant exploration of human relationships. It's amazing how a story can evoke such strong feelings and keep you fully engaged from start to finish. Your reflection on living life to the fullest adds a beautiful layer to your reading experience. If this book sounds like something you would love to explore I would highly recommend it.
May 30, 2025
Would recommend this book for a good read. Well written.
May 28, 2025
I loved this book! I liked the development the characters went through. It was such an enjoyable experience reading this. I loved the plot and enjoyed the journey the characters went through. This book is full of different emotions that kept me hooked until the end! Definitely give it a read!
August 6, 2025
Fantastic. Tess grow so much from childhood.
Suicide, death, illness, drugs, sex.
Lot of emotions, but love win at the end!!
Suicide, death, illness, drugs, sex.
Lot of emotions, but love win at the end!!
August 12, 2025
A heart breaking romance following an unusual group of friends. Brayden and Jake have been friends for years, roommates, part of the same frat, and both in love with the same girl, Tess.
Tess- having no one in her corner for her entire life, Tess did what she did best, hustle for money, stay independent, and rely on no one. In enters Jake- basically a Greek god and the apple of every girls eye. Instantly drawn to her beauty and tenacity. Brayden- a complete 180° of his best friend, almost like a golden retriever that quickly fell for Tess but has a huge secret he’s hiding.
Throughout this story, the love could be felt between all 3 MCs, from that of friendship to love. A slow burn, little spice, but full of heartache, truths, sadness, and love.
4✨
1🌶️
Tess- having no one in her corner for her entire life, Tess did what she did best, hustle for money, stay independent, and rely on no one. In enters Jake- basically a Greek god and the apple of every girls eye. Instantly drawn to her beauty and tenacity. Brayden- a complete 180° of his best friend, almost like a golden retriever that quickly fell for Tess but has a huge secret he’s hiding.
Throughout this story, the love could be felt between all 3 MCs, from that of friendship to love. A slow burn, little spice, but full of heartache, truths, sadness, and love.
4✨
1🌶️
July 24, 2025
eARC Review
I loved this book. It was a fast paced read, I read it in just two days and proceeded to order the book immediately. I laughed and I cried. I was able to relate to the characters in some ways specially Tess who growing up didn't really have anyone and had to face a lot of struggles throughout her life. Brayden's story was sad and had me in tears. I loved the connection and friendship Tess, Jake and Brayden had and I loved that the story had a HEA ending. This is one of the most beautiful love story that I have read and I loved the author’s writing style. I sure recommend this story.
Trigger warnings:
Death by suicide
Terminal illness
Death, Grief
Substance use
Excessive drinking
Cheating
Thank you to Katie Karambelas for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review! 🩷
Book comes out August 5th - pre-order your copy @
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/befo...
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Before-We-Brea...
I loved this book. It was a fast paced read, I read it in just two days and proceeded to order the book immediately. I laughed and I cried. I was able to relate to the characters in some ways specially Tess who growing up didn't really have anyone and had to face a lot of struggles throughout her life. Brayden's story was sad and had me in tears. I loved the connection and friendship Tess, Jake and Brayden had and I loved that the story had a HEA ending. This is one of the most beautiful love story that I have read and I loved the author’s writing style. I sure recommend this story.
Trigger warnings:
Death by suicide
Terminal illness
Death, Grief
Substance use
Excessive drinking
Cheating
Thank you to Katie Karambelas for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review! 🩷
Book comes out August 5th - pre-order your copy @
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/befo...
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Before-We-Brea...
July 15, 2025
Attention Besties!
Are you ready for some emotional damage reading.
If you answered Yes, then get yourself a copy of Before We Break by Katie Karambelas. It is so worth a box of tissues, a bottle of wine and some reflective time to process the story ofTess, Jake and Brayden and their special relationships.
This book has a love triangle that will at times make you weep, laugh and go wow to the friendship that they all have.
Jake is the hot guy on campus with all the girls flocking to be hear him and wanting to ‘his girl’, they are jealous of the friendship that Tess has with Jake.
Both Jake and Brayden are roommates and longtime friends as well as they are both in love with Tess.
Tess, is in love with both of them. She has some hidden childhood traumas that keep her from opening up and makes her feel like she is unloveable and her ability to run away when things get too real.
I am so glad that I had the opportunity to read Katie Karambelas’ beautiful book and even though I have finished this book a few days ago, the characters are still living in my head rent free and I love it!
Due out August 5
(Really hoping that there is a follow up ☺️)
Are you ready for some emotional damage reading.
If you answered Yes, then get yourself a copy of Before We Break by Katie Karambelas. It is so worth a box of tissues, a bottle of wine and some reflective time to process the story ofTess, Jake and Brayden and their special relationships.
This book has a love triangle that will at times make you weep, laugh and go wow to the friendship that they all have.
Jake is the hot guy on campus with all the girls flocking to be hear him and wanting to ‘his girl’, they are jealous of the friendship that Tess has with Jake.
Both Jake and Brayden are roommates and longtime friends as well as they are both in love with Tess.
Tess, is in love with both of them. She has some hidden childhood traumas that keep her from opening up and makes her feel like she is unloveable and her ability to run away when things get too real.
I am so glad that I had the opportunity to read Katie Karambelas’ beautiful book and even though I have finished this book a few days ago, the characters are still living in my head rent free and I love it!
Due out August 5
(Really hoping that there is a follow up ☺️)
May 26, 2025
eARC review Spoilers ahead
I got this as an ARC and started reading it pretty much immediately. While I did not like it, I’m sure people will, just not my cup of tea. Starting out I thought Tess was going to be a bad ass take no shit kinda girl and for the first few chapters I she was. All the characters don’t seem to have much improvement as the book went on. I absolutely hated Jake and thought he was a douche bag that Tess unfortunately would fall for and his best friend would get jealous and start rumors to ruin the relationship. Turns out Jake IS a douchebag and a cheater. I genuinely did not enjoy this book at all. The story seems so interesting how ever with the lack of character development it was not something I enjoyed and actually at one point they are in the car during a blizzard and hoped they would wreck because they are all such horrible people. I feel like with the 3 POVs some of the traits of Jake, Tess, and Braydon get confused and change through out. I do appreciate getting the opportunity for an ARC though.
I got this as an ARC and started reading it pretty much immediately. While I did not like it, I’m sure people will, just not my cup of tea. Starting out I thought Tess was going to be a bad ass take no shit kinda girl and for the first few chapters I she was. All the characters don’t seem to have much improvement as the book went on. I absolutely hated Jake and thought he was a douche bag that Tess unfortunately would fall for and his best friend would get jealous and start rumors to ruin the relationship. Turns out Jake IS a douchebag and a cheater. I genuinely did not enjoy this book at all. The story seems so interesting how ever with the lack of character development it was not something I enjoyed and actually at one point they are in the car during a blizzard and hoped they would wreck because they are all such horrible people. I feel like with the 3 POVs some of the traits of Jake, Tess, and Braydon get confused and change through out. I do appreciate getting the opportunity for an ARC though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 7, 2025
This contains spoilers!
Definitely check your triggers. Some irritate me but weren’t enough to not be able to continue. But for some they may be too much.
When I started this book I had a hard time connecting to the characters, however as their story progressed and really loved Jake and Tess together, their chemistry was very real. I feel bad for not loving Braydens story but I understand he was important part of the story to bring Jake and Tess full circle together however I wished for different things there.
Overall this feels so very accurate for 18 year old girl riddled with trauma and a privileged young white man. You witness naive moments, lack of understanding, superficial moments but you witness young love turn into forever love and you see Tess overcome some deep insecurities and find family. You see a young man put others before himself.
The author did a fantastic job of putting you in the mind of young college kids just trying to figure it out.
This is a debut novel by a local author to where I live and I am hopeful for more from her soon! Definitely read this!
Definitely check your triggers. Some irritate me but weren’t enough to not be able to continue. But for some they may be too much.
When I started this book I had a hard time connecting to the characters, however as their story progressed and really loved Jake and Tess together, their chemistry was very real. I feel bad for not loving Braydens story but I understand he was important part of the story to bring Jake and Tess full circle together however I wished for different things there.
Overall this feels so very accurate for 18 year old girl riddled with trauma and a privileged young white man. You witness naive moments, lack of understanding, superficial moments but you witness young love turn into forever love and you see Tess overcome some deep insecurities and find family. You see a young man put others before himself.
The author did a fantastic job of putting you in the mind of young college kids just trying to figure it out.
This is a debut novel by a local author to where I live and I am hopeful for more from her soon! Definitely read this!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 10, 2025
Before We Break by Katie Karambelas is a beautiful story of love, loss, and love gained. The cover alone is absolutely stunning and immediately caught my eye, but the story inside is just as captivating. This was such a good book to read…once you really get deep into the relationship, you don’t want to put it down because you just have to know what happens next.
The back-and-forth between the love interests was a lot at times, but it made the emotional journey hit even harder. There were moments that made me laugh out loud and others that brought me to tears, which is one of my favorite things in a book (I love a good cry!).The character development was so well done; each character had their own struggles, and watching them grow in their own way made the entire journey worth it.By the end, it wasn’t just about romance…it was about healing, self-discovery, and learning to move forward. And the ending… it was truly something special. This is one of those books that stays with you after you finish the last page.
The back-and-forth between the love interests was a lot at times, but it made the emotional journey hit even harder. There were moments that made me laugh out loud and others that brought me to tears, which is one of my favorite things in a book (I love a good cry!).The character development was so well done; each character had their own struggles, and watching them grow in their own way made the entire journey worth it.By the end, it wasn’t just about romance…it was about healing, self-discovery, and learning to move forward. And the ending… it was truly something special. This is one of those books that stays with you after you finish the last page.
September 24, 2025
I’d give this one a solid 3.75 to 4 stars. I’m very selective with my 4- and 5-star ratings, so that says a lot. I was fortunate to receive an advance copy through Book Funnel—and I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity! With that said...Nothing prepared me for the emotional impact this story would have. This is not a light or fluffy romance—it dives into some incredibly heavy and complex themes that hit hard.
I just finished, and honestly, I’m still trying to process how I feel about these characters and everything they went through. I cried multiple times. I loved them, hated them, and rooted for them—all at once. At times, the emotional swings between Tess’s feelings for Brayden and Jake felt like whiplash, and that intensity made the story feel all the more real.
While this book wasn’t what I expected, I don’t regret reading it. It’s powerful, raw, and deeply affecting. That said, I strongly recommend reading the content warnings at the start and making sure you're in the right headspace before diving in. This one stays with you.
I just finished, and honestly, I’m still trying to process how I feel about these characters and everything they went through. I cried multiple times. I loved them, hated them, and rooted for them—all at once. At times, the emotional swings between Tess’s feelings for Brayden and Jake felt like whiplash, and that intensity made the story feel all the more real.
While this book wasn’t what I expected, I don’t regret reading it. It’s powerful, raw, and deeply affecting. That said, I strongly recommend reading the content warnings at the start and making sure you're in the right headspace before diving in. This one stays with you.
August 6, 2025
✨️ARC Review ✨️– Before We Break by Katie Karambelas - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Okay, I did not sign up to have my heart shattered like that.
This book dives into a love triangle that quickly gets messier thanks to a few unexpected complications, but it’s all handled really well. Our FMC, Tess, has built walls sky-high after a tough childhood and time in foster care—she pushes everyone away. But Jake, our first MMC, is persistent. From the moment they meet, he sees something in her and refuses to walk away.
Then there's Brayden—quieter, more thoughtful, and the perfect contrast to Jake. He’s Jake’s best friend, but he also finds himself drawn to Tess and wants to be part of her world.
Watching these relationships unfold as Tess begins to let both guys in was emotional and beautifully done. The third-act drama and the absolutely heartbreaking moment that takes one option off the table? Gut punch. The epilogue tried to stitch me back together, but honestly, I’m still wrecked.
Okay, I did not sign up to have my heart shattered like that.
This book dives into a love triangle that quickly gets messier thanks to a few unexpected complications, but it’s all handled really well. Our FMC, Tess, has built walls sky-high after a tough childhood and time in foster care—she pushes everyone away. But Jake, our first MMC, is persistent. From the moment they meet, he sees something in her and refuses to walk away.
Then there's Brayden—quieter, more thoughtful, and the perfect contrast to Jake. He’s Jake’s best friend, but he also finds himself drawn to Tess and wants to be part of her world.
Watching these relationships unfold as Tess begins to let both guys in was emotional and beautifully done. The third-act drama and the absolutely heartbreaking moment that takes one option off the table? Gut punch. The epilogue tried to stitch me back together, but honestly, I’m still wrecked.
September 11, 2025
If you prefer your romance served with a side of heartache, Before We Break by Katie Karambelas is for you.
All Tess wants in college is to be left alone, her secrets safely buried in her past. Enter Jake and his best friend, Brayden. Tess is drawn to both of them in different ways, and grapples with her decision between the them.
But Tess is not the only one holding secrets, and no one's life will ever be the same once the truth is revealed.
Thoughtful, often humorous, and told with pitch-perfect accuracy recounting the bittersweet freedoms of college, readers will fall in love with Tess, Jake, and Brayden as each recounts their side of a remarkable tale of first loves and eternal connections.
Karambelas writes with a deep respect for her characters and their choices. Deals with heavy themes in full detail, so read your trigger warnings carefully.
All Tess wants in college is to be left alone, her secrets safely buried in her past. Enter Jake and his best friend, Brayden. Tess is drawn to both of them in different ways, and grapples with her decision between the them.
But Tess is not the only one holding secrets, and no one's life will ever be the same once the truth is revealed.
Thoughtful, often humorous, and told with pitch-perfect accuracy recounting the bittersweet freedoms of college, readers will fall in love with Tess, Jake, and Brayden as each recounts their side of a remarkable tale of first loves and eternal connections.
Karambelas writes with a deep respect for her characters and their choices. Deals with heavy themes in full detail, so read your trigger warnings carefully.
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