What do you think?
Rate this book
Shattered Hearts #6
Chasing Abby
The heart-stopping conclusion to the New York Times and USA Today best selling Shattered Hearts Series.
Five years, six months, eight days…
It’s been eighteen years since Abigail was born with a hole in her heart. Five years since she collapsed on the soccer field. Five years, six months, eight days since she found out she was adopted.
Abby has spent five years wondering about the family she never knew and waiting for her eighteenth birthday. When she shows up on the doorstep of Chris and Claire Knight, her birth parents are overjoyed to see the little girl they lost eighteen years ago.
One summer is all they have to make up for the years they lost. But a summer of love soon turns into a summer of heartache.
Five years, six months, eight days…
It’s been eighteen years since Abigail was born with a hole in her heart. Five years since she collapsed on the soccer field. Five years, six months, eight days since she found out she was adopted.
Abby has spent five years wondering about the family she never knew and waiting for her eighteenth birthday. When she shows up on the doorstep of Chris and Claire Knight, her birth parents are overjoyed to see the little girl they lost eighteen years ago.
One summer is all they have to make up for the years they lost. But a summer of love soon turns into a summer of heartache.
372 pages, Paperback
First published September 29, 2014
104 people are currently reading
4729 people want to read
About the author
Cassia Leo
96 books6,841 followersNew York Times and USA Today bestselling author Cassia Leo grew up in California and has lived in three different countries. She loves to travel and her dream is to one day score a record deal based on her awesome shower singing skills. She is the author of the Shattered Hearts series (Relentless, Pieces of You, Bring Me Home). She is also the author of the popular Luke and Chase series.
Come chat with her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorcassialeo or Twitter:www.twitter.com/AuthorCassiaLeo
Or you can follow her blog at http://cassialeo.com to stay up to date on new releases and giveaways.
Thanks for reading!
Come chat with her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorcassialeo or Twitter:www.twitter.com/AuthorCassiaLeo
Or you can follow her blog at http://cassialeo.com to stay up to date on new releases and giveaways.
Thanks for reading!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 432 reviews
October 2, 2014
Often times, you read a book or a series and, at the end, you feel there is something that feels undone. That moment you endured along with the characters. That moment that changes everything. That moment that has you long for a sense of closure of something that you felt was the most pivotal part of a story; so pivotal that without it, the story would cease to exist. Some authors tend to deny us the answers to our questions and the information to ease the aches we still carry; those moments necessary to drown our curiosity in closure.
Fortunately, this time, the baby we have all loved and longed for comes to us with her story. A story so necessary and so poignant that you will find yourself feeling every emotion under the sun. Emotions like nostalgia, excitement, nervousness, anticipation, anger, fear, overwhelming love, heartache, complete shock, devastating heartbreak and a need so strong to dive within the pages of the book just so you can stand beside these characters we have come to love so you can defend them, fight for them and with them.
This author takes such incredible care in her cultivation of Abby’s journey from birth until her 18th birthday. Those molding moments in her development that shaped her life as an adopted child, leaving her feeling, broken, disconnected and unsatisfied…like the life she was trying to be grateful for was continuing to pass her by unlived. It is only when she meets Caleb that the sanitary bubble she was put in began to become decorated in understanding, love, hope, dreams and a deeper love of life, filling the massive voids that those years leading up to her 18th had plaguing them. But when she discovers that she was adopted, her internal struggles are now mixed with feelings of being unloved and unwanted by the parents that gave her away.
Now, here it is, 18 years after we met and fell in love with Chris Knight, and his epic and unwavering love of Claire Nixon is stronger than ever and their life full…well, almost full. The only thing missing is the little girl they had to leave behind.
So they live day to day loving each other, building a family, sharing dreams, encouraging each other and their children, all while reserving a place in their life for the little girl who was the very first to own a piece of their heart. She is never out of sight, always in their thoughts, and forever nestled safely in their hearts…until they can meet again.
The parallels between Abby and her biological parents, Chris and Claire, is not only evident to the reader, but to characters. She seems to have been blessed with the very best qualities of each of her parents, as well as the fortune of finding her own epic love; that one person who loves you above all things, in spite of all things and because of all things. It is because of this love, understanding, endless support and constant unselfishness that Caleb feels and shows his Abby that she is able to find the strength to hope, to dream, to love, to feel, to embrace, to fight, to aspire, to endure and, ultimately, to live.
This book is the epitome of sacrifice, undying love, trust, faith, pain and hope. But most of all, it is a book displaying all the elements of surviving. Whether surviving the consequences of our actions, the results of our choices, the lies we tell, the secrets we keep or the experiences we endure, this book displayed every facet of those realities; those very things that each of us understand because they are all a fixture in life.
This author stayed true to her characters and their path. The natural indecision and internal battle of confusion during their adversities was evident, as was their integrity during their triumphs. All the emotional elements were there for each character during every necessary phase of this journey, as characters seeming to appear secondary or supportive take center stage when life calls for them to rise to the occasion.
A beautiful story full of consistency, behavioral believability, necessary fears, required sadness, hard decisions and unwavering love…all of which is methodically woven into the very fabric of this story and these characters. Nothing is overlooked, no one is forgotten and no heart is left unaffected in one way or another.
Just….
Perfect.
Fortunately, this time, the baby we have all loved and longed for comes to us with her story. A story so necessary and so poignant that you will find yourself feeling every emotion under the sun. Emotions like nostalgia, excitement, nervousness, anticipation, anger, fear, overwhelming love, heartache, complete shock, devastating heartbreak and a need so strong to dive within the pages of the book just so you can stand beside these characters we have come to love so you can defend them, fight for them and with them.
This author takes such incredible care in her cultivation of Abby’s journey from birth until her 18th birthday. Those molding moments in her development that shaped her life as an adopted child, leaving her feeling, broken, disconnected and unsatisfied…like the life she was trying to be grateful for was continuing to pass her by unlived. It is only when she meets Caleb that the sanitary bubble she was put in began to become decorated in understanding, love, hope, dreams and a deeper love of life, filling the massive voids that those years leading up to her 18th had plaguing them. But when she discovers that she was adopted, her internal struggles are now mixed with feelings of being unloved and unwanted by the parents that gave her away.
Now, here it is, 18 years after we met and fell in love with Chris Knight, and his epic and unwavering love of Claire Nixon is stronger than ever and their life full…well, almost full. The only thing missing is the little girl they had to leave behind.
So they live day to day loving each other, building a family, sharing dreams, encouraging each other and their children, all while reserving a place in their life for the little girl who was the very first to own a piece of their heart. She is never out of sight, always in their thoughts, and forever nestled safely in their hearts…until they can meet again.
The parallels between Abby and her biological parents, Chris and Claire, is not only evident to the reader, but to characters. She seems to have been blessed with the very best qualities of each of her parents, as well as the fortune of finding her own epic love; that one person who loves you above all things, in spite of all things and because of all things. It is because of this love, understanding, endless support and constant unselfishness that Caleb feels and shows his Abby that she is able to find the strength to hope, to dream, to love, to feel, to embrace, to fight, to aspire, to endure and, ultimately, to live.
This book is the epitome of sacrifice, undying love, trust, faith, pain and hope. But most of all, it is a book displaying all the elements of surviving. Whether surviving the consequences of our actions, the results of our choices, the lies we tell, the secrets we keep or the experiences we endure, this book displayed every facet of those realities; those very things that each of us understand because they are all a fixture in life.
This author stayed true to her characters and their path. The natural indecision and internal battle of confusion during their adversities was evident, as was their integrity during their triumphs. All the emotional elements were there for each character during every necessary phase of this journey, as characters seeming to appear secondary or supportive take center stage when life calls for them to rise to the occasion.
A beautiful story full of consistency, behavioral believability, necessary fears, required sadness, hard decisions and unwavering love…all of which is methodically woven into the very fabric of this story and these characters. Nothing is overlooked, no one is forgotten and no heart is left unaffected in one way or another.
Just….
Perfect.
Want to read
October 1, 2013OMG THERE'S A FOURTH BOOK??!!
October 29, 2014
“Hope: The biggest four-letter word in the English language. It’s bigger than despair. Bigger than resentment. Bigger than scepticism. Four letters that, when combined, can hold a broken heart together for eighteen years.”
A devoted fan of the Shattered Hearts series since its very beginning, I have to admit that I have always been a little anxious about finally getting to hear Abby’s story, knowing that its very premise would have the power to annihilate me emotionally. The tale of an adopted young woman’s journey into adulthood as she discovers and learns to embrace her origins—this is a story about family, about grabbing life by its horns and never giving up, and it is a story about the true meaning of unconditional love. I was ready for the heartbreak, I was ready for the ugly tears, but nothing in my wildest dreams could have prepared me for the sheer beauty of every single facet of this story. A perfect ending to a truly outstanding series, this was the ‘icing on the cake’ that made the entire cake for me.
“I don’t want to be fragile anymore.”
This is a story told from many sides, all essential to understanding the heroine in this book and to fully grasp the endless love that has surrounded her since birth. Abby is the biological child of Chris and Claire Knight, a couple we have seen fight for their happy ending and thankfully find it, but giving up Abby, their firstborn, has always remained a painful stain in their blissful happily-ever-after. Raised by Brian and Lynette, a childless but loving middle-class couple, Abby has grown into a happy and kind young woman, but her congenital heart defect has also prevented her from living a normal life, the life of a careless child who does not have to fear her heart giving up on her.
“This heart is a ticking bomb inside my chest.”
Abby has known of her adoption ever since she was thirteen years old, but it is on her eighteenth birthday that she discovers the identity of her birth parents through the contents of a safety deposit box created for her by the very people who have never stopped loving her or thinking of her as their own.
“These are my parents… This is the family I never knew I had.”
Even though Chris and Claire have always wished for an open adoption, Abby’s adoptive parents have never stopped struggling with their own feelings of inadequacy given the other couple’s celebrity lifestyle, any comparison to the Knights only further feeding their insecurities and fears of losing her. When Abby discovers all that their apprehension has kept her away from, this only drives a deeper wedge between them, making an already troubled relationship even more strained.
“It’s like… like you’ve always belonged here.”
Faced with a whole new family, a lifetime of love she was not even aware of, Abby leaps at the opportunity to experience being part of that family, as short-lived as it may be, discovering that regardless of her absence, her very existence has shaped the lives of everyone in it. Through the constancy of their love, she discovers herself, her purpose in life, the courage she never thought she possessed, and she learns that what she wishes the most out of life is to… live. And to be worthy of all the love surrounding her.
Now, I am intentionally omitting any mention of one of the most important characters in this book, the person who teaches Abby the true meaning of love, as his role in this story is something every reader should discover on their own. It is one of the most moving aspects of this story, one I still cannot find words to do it justice, and it is also what sets this story apart for me because it pushes the reader to see the true significance of every emotion it forces us to feel.
“I love you, my little blackbird. You should know by now that I’ll never say no to you.”
Even days after finishing this stunning tale, I am still incapable of handling the intensity of some of those emotions, but I am grateful for every single one of them. A flawlessly woven storyline connecting several interrelated but distinct voices into one unified human experience, this is a story that will never leave me and its beautiful message of hope and courage is one I wish for every reader to capture.
“You can be anything you want to be… Chase your dreams, Abby.”
See this review on my blog! | Follow me on Facebook! | Follow me on Twitter!
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/Zaa4e2
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1mpo7qc
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1rrJUyb
September 21, 2014
Wow… Where do I begin? This has been such a beautiful, emotional story and I cannot begin to tell you how much I loved Chasing Abby. I have loved all the books in the Shattered Hearts series. I loved the beginning of this series with Forever Ours, the tender love story of Chris and Claire; a story of love, hope, loss, and sacrifices. This beautiful series continues in Relentless, Pieces of You, and Bring Me home. And as I read each book, I fell more in love with the storyline and the characters. Now the journey has come full circle, and what a moving journey it has been.
Chasing Abby will have you hooked from the first page. Like all the other books in the series, Cassia Leo once again brings the characters to life. They will become a part of you. When they are sad, you will be sad. When they laugh, you will laugh. This is Abby's story, and it was absolutely beautiful. All of your favourite characters are back and you also get to meet a very special character in this book: Caleb.
Caleb is a kind-hearted, beautiful soul who will steal your heart. He is Abby’s other half. This is a stunning story of a family separated by fear and many years, coming back together and making new memories and dreams. It will have you laughing and crying. There will be many OMG moments. This is a touching, emotional and well-written story, and I know it will stay with me forever. I cannot speak highly enough about this book, Just make sure you read it with a big box of tissues.
other
May 19, 2014Compelling write up--how could I not want this?
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Untitled
by
Cassia Leo
Want to Read
Rate this book
1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
Untitled (Shattered Hearts #4)
by Cassia Leo (Goodreads Author)
4.0 of 5 stars 4.00 · rating details · 11 ratings · 3 reviews
If this book reaches 5,000 TBR adds, this book will be published in Spring 2014.
Expected publication: 2014
edition languageEnglish
seriesShattered Hearts #4
other editions
None found
all editions | add a new edition | combine
...less detailedit details
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Untitled
by
Cassia Leo
Want to Read
Rate this book
1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
Untitled (Shattered Hearts #4)
by Cassia Leo (Goodreads Author)
4.0 of 5 stars 4.00 · rating details · 11 ratings · 3 reviews
If this book reaches 5,000 TBR adds, this book will be published in Spring 2014.
Expected publication: 2014
edition languageEnglish
seriesShattered Hearts #4
other editions
None found
all editions | add a new edition | combine
...less detailedit details
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
May 16, 2015
"Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for an honest review."
I have been waiting for Chasing Abby for a year. Waiting to see if that happily ever after for Claire, Chris and Abby would come. It has been a long year. I imagined every single scenario. The how, when, where of the parents ( Chris and Claire ) and their firstborn ( Abby ) 1st meeting. I have stalked *coughs* followed Cassia's status and wait. wait. And the Wait was over last night night when i got my ARC. I started reading and nothing else mattered. I stopped everything i was doing and began this journey. If you have read "The Shattered Heart Series" you know what I'm talking about
I have to say this series is the best and most complete series ever. If you haven't read it yet I Strongly Recommend you go and buy it. You won't regret it
Back to "Chasing Abby". This book wasn't what i expected. It was more. Unexpected. Captivating. Emotional. Heartbreaking. Beautiful. Intense and Inspirational "Chasing Abby" is about LOVE The many levels of love. Selfless love. Unconditional Love. Selfish Love even. I'm just naming a few. This books is full of emotions. It will pull you in and won't let you go until your heart can't take it anymore. Because don't doubt for a minute that they won't be ugly cry here. It's there. Sad tears and Happy tears. Get ready for that.
This story. The Shattered Heart Series comes full circle with Chasing Abby. It's the kind of story that will stay with you forever and will touch your soul
How far are you willing to go for love? What are you willing to sacrifice?
Buy the book 9/29/14 and Find out!
"Dance like nobody’s watching.”
I have been waiting for Chasing Abby for a year. Waiting to see if that happily ever after for Claire, Chris and Abby would come. It has been a long year. I imagined every single scenario. The how, when, where of the parents ( Chris and Claire ) and their firstborn ( Abby ) 1st meeting. I have stalked *coughs* followed Cassia's status and wait. wait. And the Wait was over last night night when i got my ARC. I started reading and nothing else mattered. I stopped everything i was doing and began this journey. If you have read "The Shattered Heart Series" you know what I'm talking about
I have to say this series is the best and most complete series ever. If you haven't read it yet I Strongly Recommend you go and buy it. You won't regret it
Back to "Chasing Abby". This book wasn't what i expected. It was more. Unexpected. Captivating. Emotional. Heartbreaking. Beautiful. Intense and Inspirational "Chasing Abby" is about LOVE The many levels of love. Selfless love. Unconditional Love. Selfish Love even. I'm just naming a few. This books is full of emotions. It will pull you in and won't let you go until your heart can't take it anymore. Because don't doubt for a minute that they won't be ugly cry here. It's there. Sad tears and Happy tears. Get ready for that.
This story. The Shattered Heart Series comes full circle with Chasing Abby. It's the kind of story that will stay with you forever and will touch your soul
How far are you willing to go for love? What are you willing to sacrifice?
Buy the book 9/29/14 and Find out!
"Dance like nobody’s watching.”
September 30, 2014
I would give this book a 10 star rating if I could. Cassia had taken my heart, ripped it to pieces and then put it all back together again. There are a few things you must know upfront. #1. This is not a stand alone book. YOU MUST READ the series in order to truly appreciate this story to it's fullest. #2. This book gave me the BIGGEST UGLY CRY OF MY CAREER!! Seriously - have kleeenex and preferably a loved one near by to help sooth you while you completely lose it! (Thanks hunny!) and last but not least #3. I will not tell you what happens! :)
Ok so CHASING ABBY is the book that we have all been waiting for. Will Abby finally get to meet her biological parents and how will her adoptive parents react? And oh my....what a ride you get taken on with this book. Abby goes on quite the journey, learning for the first time at 13 that she is adopted...to finding out WHO her biological parents are. Questioning all the while, everyone's involvement (and lack there of) in her life.
My heart bleed for everyone in the story. And Cassia does such an amazing job of putting you in each and everyone's shoes...the FEELS for this book is HUGE!!!
Like I said, I would give this book 10 stars and maybe even beyond. My heart was full by the end, but the my journey along with Abby was really beyond the words I can even describe. FIVE HEART FELT STARS!!!
Ok so CHASING ABBY is the book that we have all been waiting for. Will Abby finally get to meet her biological parents and how will her adoptive parents react? And oh my....what a ride you get taken on with this book. Abby goes on quite the journey, learning for the first time at 13 that she is adopted...to finding out WHO her biological parents are. Questioning all the while, everyone's involvement (and lack there of) in her life.
My heart bleed for everyone in the story. And Cassia does such an amazing job of putting you in each and everyone's shoes...the FEELS for this book is HUGE!!!
Like I said, I would give this book 10 stars and maybe even beyond. My heart was full by the end, but the my journey along with Abby was really beyond the words I can even describe. FIVE HEART FELT STARS!!!
September 30, 2014
Now REALLY this is the FIRST time I've wanted to give 0 stars as my rating. And trust me that's a novelty as I basically discriminate while selecting my genres, I have my preferances and I rarely stray from those. So knowing Shattered Hearts so far I was expecting a huge romance, some (or more) twists and a happy ending.
So even though Abby succeeded in being happy with both of her families my heart is just too broken over Caleb to be happy for her. Of course I'm glad she finally has her both families and a bright future ahead of her, but without Caleb that's just a piece of the happilyeverafter feeling.
This said, even if it was extremely emotional, no - devastating, heartbreaking and soulwrentching, it was beautifully written. And most important of all - it made me think about life. About how within a second or two it can be OVER, and how you can wake up one day just to find out your heart has been shattered in billion pieces, without anything to fix it. It made me want to be a better mom, appreciate my kids more, be aware that their presence, their health and happyness is a blessing beyond blessings. It also made me more grateful that I have a loving husband, the type that didn't laugh his ass off because I was "crying over a silly book" but being the man he is, he held me close and realised it was not about the book or a fictional story, but about life. About us. About today, about living and loving, giving and taking. About tomorrow.
Enough is enough, if I go on I might consider taking on another book just in order to try to at least conceal my broken heart, which I don't want to do, I want to remember this a while.
So therefore, Cassia Leo, I give you 5 stars for Chasing Abby, 5 romantic, devastating, heartbreaking and soulshattering stars.
Thank you!
So even though Abby succeeded in being happy with both of her families my heart is just too broken over Caleb to be happy for her. Of course I'm glad she finally has her both families and a bright future ahead of her, but without Caleb that's just a piece of the happilyeverafter feeling.
This said, even if it was extremely emotional, no - devastating, heartbreaking and soulwrentching, it was beautifully written. And most important of all - it made me think about life. About how within a second or two it can be OVER, and how you can wake up one day just to find out your heart has been shattered in billion pieces, without anything to fix it. It made me want to be a better mom, appreciate my kids more, be aware that their presence, their health and happyness is a blessing beyond blessings. It also made me more grateful that I have a loving husband, the type that didn't laugh his ass off because I was "crying over a silly book" but being the man he is, he held me close and realised it was not about the book or a fictional story, but about life. About us. About today, about living and loving, giving and taking. About tomorrow.
Enough is enough, if I go on I might consider taking on another book just in order to try to at least conceal my broken heart, which I don't want to do, I want to remember this a while.
So therefore, Cassia Leo, I give you 5 stars for Chasing Abby, 5 romantic, devastating, heartbreaking and soulshattering stars.
Thank you!
April 9, 2014
This entire series, from page 1, book 1, pulled me in and didn't let go...it still hasn't let go!!! Thus why I'm anxiously awaiting the release of not only Chasing Abby but also Forever Ours. I read book 1, 2, 3, & 3.5 in a matter of 3 days! I couldn't put it down! I laughed, and I cried, and I loved the characters through it all! Each one pulled me in and made me love them! Claire, Adam, Chris, and Tristan all had a depth to them because of and in spite of their pain! While my heart was breaking as I read, it absolutely made me love and appreciate them in a very special way! Senia was very special also. For some reason, both Adam and Senia touched my heart deeply, and it was very important to me that they have their happy ever after!
Absolutely one of the BEST series I've read in a while! Thank you Cassia Leo for sharing your gift of writing! Please keep writing!
Absolutely one of the BEST series I've read in a while! Thank you Cassia Leo for sharing your gift of writing! Please keep writing!
September 29, 2014
4,25 stars.
I wish I could erase what happened around 80%. It's no secret that I'm a sucker for happy endings and this story has one, but not the exact one I would have liked...
When I read what happened, I couldn't believe it, I immediately thought it was unnecessary drama. I was so sad. But the epilogue and Caleb's lyrics made me changed my mind. Now I see why Cassia Leo chose this path for her book.. And I respect it. It's a beautiful ending !
"You're the sun that shines down on this carnival of hearts
The ray of light that breaks though when the curtains part
You're the healing breath waiting for me to surface"
I wish I could erase what happened around 80%. It's no secret that I'm a sucker for happy endings and this story has one, but not the exact one I would have liked...
When I read what happened, I couldn't believe it, I immediately thought it was unnecessary drama. I was so sad. But the epilogue and Caleb's lyrics made me changed my mind. Now I see why Cassia Leo chose this path for her book.. And I respect it. It's a beautiful ending !
"You're the sun that shines down on this carnival of hearts
The ray of light that breaks though when the curtains part
You're the healing breath waiting for me to surface"
June 10, 2016
This story got me hooked from the begging. The characters had a very long journey to get to their HEA, but every tear they shed was all worth it.
Every shattered heart had to endure more than its fair share of pain and sorrow to get what they most desired.
I think this is one of the most complete stories I have read so far. All questions were answered there were no loose ends. I fell in love with each character, just as I got to hate them a little bit sometimes.
His story put me through an emotional roller coaster!! I am a mess!!! But I wouldn't have it any other way.
Every shattered heart had to endure more than its fair share of pain and sorrow to get what they most desired.
I think this is one of the most complete stories I have read so far. All questions were answered there were no loose ends. I fell in love with each character, just as I got to hate them a little bit sometimes.
His story put me through an emotional roller coaster!! I am a mess!!! But I wouldn't have it any other way.
October 7, 2014
Beautiful and heartfelt. A must-read for fans of the Shattered Hearts series.
I’ll be honest. I wasn’t sure if I needed to read this book. I loved the Shattered Hearts series deeply. I shed tears with those characters. Loved those characters. Felt their pain, their heartache, their love and their loss. I just wasn’t convinced I need another book. I know some of you feel the same. But I’m here to convince you to read it. Because if you’ve loved Chris and Claire’s story, this book—Abby’s story—is a must read. It fills a hole I didn’t realize I still had. Completes a story that was left unfinished. Now that I’ve read it, and shed more tears, and realized just how much I needed it, how much I loved it, I can’t imagine their story… their happily ever after without this final, wonderful, heart-wrenching piece. It may even be my favorite of the entire series. It’s that good. Abby’s story doesn’t only belong to her. It belongs to the Knights. To the Jensens. To Caleb (whom you’ll meet and fall in love with). And to so many others who shared in Claire and Chris’ heartache when their baby was given up for adoption. When amidst tears, and as their hearts broke all over again, they said goodbye to their first baby girl. Eighteen years later, Abby shows up at the Knights and everything changes once more.
Abby grew up with a broken heart. Minutes old, she was rushed to surgery. Surgery after surgery and medication after medication, Abby lived her life muted in fear of damaging her heart permanently and dying. Her boyfriend Caleb was always at her side. He knew her like no other and together, they grew up and fell in love, deeper each day. We see the tense dynamic between Abby and her parents. It’s clear they love her, but their fear of losing their only daughter has consumed their every thought and action, curbing Abby’s freedom to the point of resentment. When Abby learns of her adoptive family, she decides to wait on reaching out. What would the experience of meeting her biological parents be like? Why would they give her up? How could they?
But one night her father’s words pierce deeper than intended, and she finds herself at the Knights door.
This story is expertly imparted through multiple point of views, buttressing the statement I made above… Abby’s story belongs to so many. Her life means so much to many people and we see their hearts react, their thoughts process, their actions speak as the story continues to unfold. I can tell you that from this point forward, my tears fell unabashedly as all the feelings from the other books flooded my senses. The story morphed into unadulterated, raw feeling. It was all emotion and I felt my heart balancing on a razor’s edge as the story continued to take turns I didn’t expect.
Abby’s inner turmoil struggles with who she is, who she wants to be, who her parents want her to be. Her sense of self is adrift, but somehow, with the Knights, she feels wanted and treasured and a certain freedom she needed so badly.
At one point, I can say I felt shocked and breathless and utterly heartbroken. This girl goes through so much, but the beautiful thing is that despite living a life full of questions and doubts and sickness and an incessant need to belong at a soul-deep kind of level, one fact remained clear. Abby was so loved. So wanted.
Her story is one of love and loss, forgiveness and acceptance, belonging and family, heartache and heart-fullness. It’s about second chances and surviving the impossible. It’s about feeling broken, but learning to fly. And it was beautiful. Beautifully penned, beautifully evocative, and beautifully concluded. Cassia Leo does an amazing job with this finale to Claire and Chris’ story as all the pieces of their happily ever after fit together finally and forever. It was simply wonderful and I loved every moment.
For more reviews, visit my website at Vilma's Book Blog and connect with me on Facebook.
I’ll be honest. I wasn’t sure if I needed to read this book. I loved the Shattered Hearts series deeply. I shed tears with those characters. Loved those characters. Felt their pain, their heartache, their love and their loss. I just wasn’t convinced I need another book. I know some of you feel the same. But I’m here to convince you to read it. Because if you’ve loved Chris and Claire’s story, this book—Abby’s story—is a must read. It fills a hole I didn’t realize I still had. Completes a story that was left unfinished. Now that I’ve read it, and shed more tears, and realized just how much I needed it, how much I loved it, I can’t imagine their story… their happily ever after without this final, wonderful, heart-wrenching piece. It may even be my favorite of the entire series. It’s that good. Abby’s story doesn’t only belong to her. It belongs to the Knights. To the Jensens. To Caleb (whom you’ll meet and fall in love with). And to so many others who shared in Claire and Chris’ heartache when their baby was given up for adoption. When amidst tears, and as their hearts broke all over again, they said goodbye to their first baby girl. Eighteen years later, Abby shows up at the Knights and everything changes once more.
“For eighteen years, I was the sickly, fragile daughter of Brian and Lynette Jensen. Now… I don’t know who I am.”
Abby grew up with a broken heart. Minutes old, she was rushed to surgery. Surgery after surgery and medication after medication, Abby lived her life muted in fear of damaging her heart permanently and dying. Her boyfriend Caleb was always at her side. He knew her like no other and together, they grew up and fell in love, deeper each day. We see the tense dynamic between Abby and her parents. It’s clear they love her, but their fear of losing their only daughter has consumed their every thought and action, curbing Abby’s freedom to the point of resentment. When Abby learns of her adoptive family, she decides to wait on reaching out. What would the experience of meeting her biological parents be like? Why would they give her up? How could they?
But one night her father’s words pierce deeper than intended, and she finds herself at the Knights door.
“Hope: The biggest four-letter word in the English language. It’s bigger than despair. Bigger than resentment. Bigger than skepticism. Four letters that, when combined, can hold a broken heart together for eighteen years.”
This story is expertly imparted through multiple point of views, buttressing the statement I made above… Abby’s story belongs to so many. Her life means so much to many people and we see their hearts react, their thoughts process, their actions speak as the story continues to unfold. I can tell you that from this point forward, my tears fell unabashedly as all the feelings from the other books flooded my senses. The story morphed into unadulterated, raw feeling. It was all emotion and I felt my heart balancing on a razor’s edge as the story continued to take turns I didn’t expect.
Abby’s inner turmoil struggles with who she is, who she wants to be, who her parents want her to be. Her sense of self is adrift, but somehow, with the Knights, she feels wanted and treasured and a certain freedom she needed so badly.
“When I’m with my biological parents, I don’t feel like the frail girl I was eight weeks ago. I’m different. I’m the girl who got away. The girl who was strong enough to capture my parents’ hearts in a single twenty-minute meeting and hold them captive for eighteen years.
“That’s the girl I want to be. I don’t want to be fragile anymore.”
At one point, I can say I felt shocked and breathless and utterly heartbroken. This girl goes through so much, but the beautiful thing is that despite living a life full of questions and doubts and sickness and an incessant need to belong at a soul-deep kind of level, one fact remained clear. Abby was so loved. So wanted.
Her story is one of love and loss, forgiveness and acceptance, belonging and family, heartache and heart-fullness. It’s about second chances and surviving the impossible. It’s about feeling broken, but learning to fly. And it was beautiful. Beautifully penned, beautifully evocative, and beautifully concluded. Cassia Leo does an amazing job with this finale to Claire and Chris’ story as all the pieces of their happily ever after fit together finally and forever. It was simply wonderful and I loved every moment.
“You can be anything you want to be now. Chase your dreams, Abby.”
For more reviews, visit my website at Vilma's Book Blog and connect with me on Facebook.
October 3, 2014
* ARC PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR FOR AN HONEST REVIEW *
(even though I pre-ordered and got it on release day as well)
I went into this story knowing it would be an emotional ride. All of Cassia’s previous books in the Shattered Hearts series are, but what I didn’t expect was just how emotional of a ride it would be.
If you’ve read the rest of the series, or even just the first book, you know who Abby is and what she means to the Knight family, so I’m not going to rehash that here. What I will say is that you don’t know this Abby. You don’t see the world through her eyes, experience what she experiences and really feel what she feels until you’ve read this book.
Even thinking about this now, a few days after I finished the story brings tears to my eyes. I can remember every instance as if I just read it again now, it left that much of an impression, or a footprint if you will, on my heart.
One of the best things about this book is the POV’s. While for some, having more than a couple of them can be confusing, here it was PERFECT. You could see everything taking place from all of the Points of View that mattered as it pertains to this book and the series as a whole. Claire, Chris (their kids), Abby, Caleb (and her adoptive parents), it was all just there and tied the book up so eloquently. I really felt like I got the complete experience because of this.
Caleb may be the best lead character of a book of this nature that I’ve read in forever. He was perfect. Flawed in ways, yet so epically perfect that it felt almost magical every time he was in a scene or had a POV. If there is anyone for Abby to have given her heart to, I’m glad it was him.
I won’t spoil this story because it’s an experience you just HAVE to take, but know this before going in. Bring tissues. Boxes and boxes of them and for goodness sakes, don’t put them away when you’re done because this book is going to stay with you long after you turn the last page. It is that beautifully written.
Cassia, thank you for writing such a beautiful book, as well as a series, and also for allowing readers like me the chance to get a look at it before the release day. Even though this review comes after the release date (and me buying it lol), I do appreciate that you sent me the ARC and let me fall in love with your characters all over again. It was worth every second (and tear!) spent and shed.
(even though I pre-ordered and got it on release day as well)
I went into this story knowing it would be an emotional ride. All of Cassia’s previous books in the Shattered Hearts series are, but what I didn’t expect was just how emotional of a ride it would be.
If you’ve read the rest of the series, or even just the first book, you know who Abby is and what she means to the Knight family, so I’m not going to rehash that here. What I will say is that you don’t know this Abby. You don’t see the world through her eyes, experience what she experiences and really feel what she feels until you’ve read this book.
Even thinking about this now, a few days after I finished the story brings tears to my eyes. I can remember every instance as if I just read it again now, it left that much of an impression, or a footprint if you will, on my heart.
One of the best things about this book is the POV’s. While for some, having more than a couple of them can be confusing, here it was PERFECT. You could see everything taking place from all of the Points of View that mattered as it pertains to this book and the series as a whole. Claire, Chris (their kids), Abby, Caleb (and her adoptive parents), it was all just there and tied the book up so eloquently. I really felt like I got the complete experience because of this.
Caleb may be the best lead character of a book of this nature that I’ve read in forever. He was perfect. Flawed in ways, yet so epically perfect that it felt almost magical every time he was in a scene or had a POV. If there is anyone for Abby to have given her heart to, I’m glad it was him.
I won’t spoil this story because it’s an experience you just HAVE to take, but know this before going in. Bring tissues. Boxes and boxes of them and for goodness sakes, don’t put them away when you’re done because this book is going to stay with you long after you turn the last page. It is that beautifully written.
Cassia, thank you for writing such a beautiful book, as well as a series, and also for allowing readers like me the chance to get a look at it before the release day. Even though this review comes after the release date (and me buying it lol), I do appreciate that you sent me the ARC and let me fall in love with your characters all over again. It was worth every second (and tear!) spent and shed.
December 10, 2014
Spoiler alert in this review: This book was pretty good until it got to the climax and then everything changed. I really like the series and this last volume seemed like it was going to be the perfect conclusion until the story took an unrealistic turn that kind of just ruined the book. We get this is a shattered heart series but the author took the theme too far. I wish someone could explain the ending to me. How are we supposed to believe that a healthy 19 year old would think about death by preparing a living will gifting his heart to his girlfriend who has a heart condition. I mean she is the sick one and would die first. Is he planning to kill himself? But of course he gets into an accident at the same time she does and does die and gives her his heart. It was just ludicrous. But it does not end there. Giving someone your heart is not gift enough. Of course they were a perfect match so he could be a donor. He leaves her videos of songs he wrote for her and she becomes a music star because of his work. Disappointing end to this book and a series that I otherwise really liked.
October 4, 2014
Chasing Abby
First let me say I LOVE this series. Chasing Abby was big surprise to me. I loved it. I laughed and I cried. I couldn't believe you did what you did to Caleb but in the end it was perfect. I highly recommend this book/series to everyone who loves a great book with true meaning. I do hope we get more in the future.
First let me say I LOVE this series. Chasing Abby was big surprise to me. I loved it. I laughed and I cried. I couldn't believe you did what you did to Caleb but in the end it was perfect. I highly recommend this book/series to everyone who loves a great book with true meaning. I do hope we get more in the future.
Want to read
October 13, 2013I have my fingers crossed for an Abigail book finding her birth parents... Please let that be it.
September 29, 2014
*I received an ARC from the author or publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
I'm wiping tears from my eyes as I type this. This story was heart-breaking, emotional, and beautiful. I didn't see what happened coming. Make sure you have a box of Kleenex ready before reading this.
FULL REVIEW:
Chasing Abby is a beautifully written story. It did a number on my heart though. My heart raced with anticipation during some scenes, it felt full of happiness, and then it was ripped apart piece by piece.
Chasing Abby is Cassia’s best work, in my opinion. The story impacted me. It made me feel all the emotions that the characters felt.
If you haven’t read the previous books in the Shattered Hearts series, then you definitely need to read those books before reading Chasing Abby.
We all know how Chris and Claire’s love story ended- they got their happy ever after. But what happened to their daughter that Claire gave up for adoption all those years ago? Well, in Chasing Abby we find out. Chasing Abby isn’t Chris and Claire’s story, this is Abigail’s story.
Abby is 18 years old and has recently found out that she is adopted. She is going through a lot, she has a heart condition and needs a transplant.
To say that Chasing Abby blew me away would be an understatement. I didn’t see the twist coming at all. It took my breath away, shredded my heart, and turned me into a sobbing mess.
Don’t let what I just said fool you into thinking that this is just an emotional book because it’s so much more than that. It’s beautiful, captivating, intense, mesmerizing, and it shows us that when you love someone there isn’t anything that you wouldn’t do for them.
After Abby finds out that she is adopted, she goes in search for her birth parents. She ends up at Chris and Claire’s home.
I’m not going to go into much detail about the story because you need to experience it without knowing a whole lot about the plot beforehand. Just have some tissues on hand when you do begin reading.
This story is written in multiple point-of-views, and we get to know each of the characters a little better and understand what they are feeling.
After I finished Chasing Abby, I couldn’t think about another book for a few days. This story consumed me.
Chasing Abby is a touching, well-written, beautiful story. It’s unforgettable and high on the emotions.
This is a must-read if you’re a fan of the Shattered Hearts series. If you haven’t read that series, you should check it out.
Rating: 4.5 stars
I'm wiping tears from my eyes as I type this. This story was heart-breaking, emotional, and beautiful. I didn't see what happened coming. Make sure you have a box of Kleenex ready before reading this.
FULL REVIEW:
Chasing Abby is a beautifully written story. It did a number on my heart though. My heart raced with anticipation during some scenes, it felt full of happiness, and then it was ripped apart piece by piece.
Chasing Abby is Cassia’s best work, in my opinion. The story impacted me. It made me feel all the emotions that the characters felt.
If you haven’t read the previous books in the Shattered Hearts series, then you definitely need to read those books before reading Chasing Abby.
We all know how Chris and Claire’s love story ended- they got their happy ever after. But what happened to their daughter that Claire gave up for adoption all those years ago? Well, in Chasing Abby we find out. Chasing Abby isn’t Chris and Claire’s story, this is Abigail’s story.
Abby is 18 years old and has recently found out that she is adopted. She is going through a lot, she has a heart condition and needs a transplant.
To say that Chasing Abby blew me away would be an understatement. I didn’t see the twist coming at all. It took my breath away, shredded my heart, and turned me into a sobbing mess.
Don’t let what I just said fool you into thinking that this is just an emotional book because it’s so much more than that. It’s beautiful, captivating, intense, mesmerizing, and it shows us that when you love someone there isn’t anything that you wouldn’t do for them.
After Abby finds out that she is adopted, she goes in search for her birth parents. She ends up at Chris and Claire’s home.
I’m not going to go into much detail about the story because you need to experience it without knowing a whole lot about the plot beforehand. Just have some tissues on hand when you do begin reading.
This story is written in multiple point-of-views, and we get to know each of the characters a little better and understand what they are feeling.
After I finished Chasing Abby, I couldn’t think about another book for a few days. This story consumed me.
Chasing Abby is a touching, well-written, beautiful story. It’s unforgettable and high on the emotions.
This is a must-read if you’re a fan of the Shattered Hearts series. If you haven’t read that series, you should check it out.
Rating: 4.5 stars
October 20, 2014
Well, that was quite an emotional read. As far as emotions are concerned it was 5-stars. I guess the reason I didn't give it an overall 5-stars was because I found the time reference confusing, I think I need to revisit and figure out if it is referring to when Abby discovers who her parents are, her 18th bday or the other major event. Maybe that is my fault as I was too eager to learn how this ends, but I tend to get frustrated when there is time jumping that isn't very clear or requires the reader to keep track of dates. I also felt I would have liked to have known more about Caleb's background. I also kind of feel like I would have appreciated the adults being a bit more...well, adult. Lynette was quite ridiculous, and it all could have been explored a bit more, I don't know. Otherwise, beautiful book, even if heart breaking. I guess the title is truly fitting.
I am editing this a couple of weeks after reading and re-rating to 3-stars from 4-stars. While I still say this was emotional, I realize this book didn't seem like a complete story. I mean, we are 15-plus years after book 3 and we really don't know much about Abby at all. Her heart issue has defined her. There is a very basic outline given, for both Abby and Caleb, and I really am not sure it was enough to make me feel this was a full book. I guess what kind of turns me off is that we get a very brief glimpse into Abby's life, the summer spent with her biological family was even told in snippets. We did not get to see the family bond with Abby or Caleb except briefly, and it felt superficial in a lot of ways, then...BAM...we get a bunch of emotional stuff. I realize now that had we not known Claire and Chris from the first 3 books, It might have been difficult to feel these emotional parts because we really don't know the Abby or Caleb characters well enough to feel much of anything for them. Of course, basic shock or disbelief that that much crap can happen in a few months time, but to really feel emotional about it; it doesn't seem as plausible if the first three books were not read first. That's the reason for the 3-stars.
I am editing this a couple of weeks after reading and re-rating to 3-stars from 4-stars. While I still say this was emotional, I realize this book didn't seem like a complete story. I mean, we are 15-plus years after book 3 and we really don't know much about Abby at all. Her heart issue has defined her. There is a very basic outline given, for both Abby and Caleb, and I really am not sure it was enough to make me feel this was a full book. I guess what kind of turns me off is that we get a very brief glimpse into Abby's life, the summer spent with her biological family was even told in snippets. We did not get to see the family bond with Abby or Caleb except briefly, and it felt superficial in a lot of ways, then...BAM...we get a bunch of emotional stuff. I realize now that had we not known Claire and Chris from the first 3 books, It might have been difficult to feel these emotional parts because we really don't know the Abby or Caleb characters well enough to feel much of anything for them. Of course, basic shock or disbelief that that much crap can happen in a few months time, but to really feel emotional about it; it doesn't seem as plausible if the first three books were not read first. That's the reason for the 3-stars.
October 6, 2014
I fell in love with Chris and Claire since the first book and even read the whole series twice, despite tons of unread books waiting for me. Their journey wasn't an easy one, and I can't say they found their happily ever after, though they were at such a good place in the last book.
Why? Because there was a little girl out there that would always hold their hearts. So to say I've been eagerly waiting for this book was an understatement. Just like Chris and Claire, I needed this closure too.
I knew this would be an emotional read. I was expecting it. The first time they met Abby? It gutted me. i didn't just cry. It was an all-out chin-quivering bawlfest. There was also a part somewhere in the story where I had to stop reading for a while because I was crying my eyes out. So yes, this was a tear-jerker, but don't be scared to read it, don't let it scare you off. Because this was such a beautiful story.
Cassia has a gift of bringing her characters to life. In Chasing Abby, I felt the characters' struggles as if they were my own. I jumped for joy with their triumphs. And I grieved for their heartaches. Cassia didn't write the story based on what the readers would want. She wrote it based on what would make sense, and boy, did it make so much sense! The path she chose the story to go gave a more poignant, heartwarming ending.
Chasing Abby was about unconditional love. Second chances. Sacrifices. But best of all, it was about hope. My favorite quote in the book said it all:
“Hope: The biggest four-letter word in the English language. It’s bigger than despair. Bigger than resentment. Bigger than skepticism. Four letters that, when combined, can hold a broken heart together for eighteen years.”
September 28, 2014
You know when you've read a damn good book. Your heart and emotions are all over the place and Abby Chris and Claire's story was no exception.
On Abby's 18th birthday she finally finds out who her biological parents are. With her boyfriend Caleb's help she tracks them down and this is where both Abby and my heart strings were pulled. Abbie is pretty sick she has a poorly heart that will eventually give out and she will one day need a transplant. But that doesn't hold her back from trying to live the life she needs to live.
It was great to see Chris and Claire's other children interact with Abby. All with a mixture of their personalities in them.
I also liked the way Cassia let us see Abby's adopted parents point of view and how hard it was for them to reveal the truth of her birth.
Caleb is a wonderful caring boyfriend even at 18 he is very mature for his years. His relationship with Abby is beautiful and heart warming. When you finally get to The Event it will hit you hard, I didn't see it coming but I was so wrapped up in Abby Caleb Chris and Claire's story it took me by surprise.
Cassia has written a 5 star page turner here. I've loved the shattered hearts series and I'm now looking forward to Adams story.
On Abby's 18th birthday she finally finds out who her biological parents are. With her boyfriend Caleb's help she tracks them down and this is where both Abby and my heart strings were pulled. Abbie is pretty sick she has a poorly heart that will eventually give out and she will one day need a transplant. But that doesn't hold her back from trying to live the life she needs to live.
It was great to see Chris and Claire's other children interact with Abby. All with a mixture of their personalities in them.
I also liked the way Cassia let us see Abby's adopted parents point of view and how hard it was for them to reveal the truth of her birth.
Caleb is a wonderful caring boyfriend even at 18 he is very mature for his years. His relationship with Abby is beautiful and heart warming. When you finally get to The Event it will hit you hard, I didn't see it coming but I was so wrapped up in Abby Caleb Chris and Claire's story it took me by surprise.
Cassia has written a 5 star page turner here. I've loved the shattered hearts series and I'm now looking forward to Adams story.
October 7, 2014
I picked up the Shattered Hearts series and immediately took a shine to Chris Knight. I loved his story with Claire and I couldn't help feeling that I wanted more. I wanted to see how Abby grew up and I wanted to see if she ever did get to find out about her birth parents. This story delivered on that and so much more.
Cassia Leo did such an amazing job with this series. You felt for all these characters! I was on the edge of my seat when Abby went to get that safe deposit box and when she found those pictures. What would she do? How did she feel entertaining the idea of meeting the parents who gave her up while trying not to hurt the parents who had raised her.
Cassia did such a great job of giving us both points of view---of Abby, of Chris & Claire and Brian & Lynette. There really was no real villain here. I just cannot say enough about what an amazing conclusion this was to this fantastic series.
And Caleb....your heart will just melt for Abby's boyfriend and the rock she leans on while all this goes on around her.
Thank you, Cassia, for giving us Claire, Chris and Abby. Bravo!
Cassia Leo did such an amazing job with this series. You felt for all these characters! I was on the edge of my seat when Abby went to get that safe deposit box and when she found those pictures. What would she do? How did she feel entertaining the idea of meeting the parents who gave her up while trying not to hurt the parents who had raised her.
Cassia did such a great job of giving us both points of view---of Abby, of Chris & Claire and Brian & Lynette. There really was no real villain here. I just cannot say enough about what an amazing conclusion this was to this fantastic series.
And Caleb....your heart will just melt for Abby's boyfriend and the rock she leans on while all this goes on around her.
Thank you, Cassia, for giving us Claire, Chris and Abby. Bravo!
September 27, 2017
Actual Rating = 5 amazing sobbing stars
Why did I even read this one?? Why?? My heart is basically in pieces. Yes it was a sort of happy ending but it broke my poor heart. I can't seem to get over my stupid heart break. I see why everyone was saying this was the best book in the series cuz believe me it is. Despite my aching heart. I picked up this book for the sole reason of seeing older Chris and Claire and their family antics. At least I got that. It shouldn't have happened. Everyone was supposed to have a HEA. That's how it works in Cassia Leo's books. I was expecting a sweet ending. I'm never picking up more Shattered Heart books. This one shattered my heart.
Now I'll have to look for one of those funny books like Neanderthal Seeks Human or Amazing Chemistry to get over my ripped out heart. God I haven't felt sadness over a book like this in ages.
Ms. Leo job well done. No sarcasm intended though. Wished I could have seen more Tristan and Senia. They did make an appearance but I wanna see their family life too.
Why did I even read this one?? Why?? My heart is basically in pieces. Yes it was a sort of happy ending but it broke my poor heart. I can't seem to get over my stupid heart break. I see why everyone was saying this was the best book in the series cuz believe me it is. Despite my aching heart. I picked up this book for the sole reason of seeing older Chris and Claire and their family antics. At least I got that. It shouldn't have happened. Everyone was supposed to have a HEA. That's how it works in Cassia Leo's books. I was expecting a sweet ending. I'm never picking up more Shattered Heart books. This one shattered my heart.
Now I'll have to look for one of those funny books like Neanderthal Seeks Human or Amazing Chemistry to get over my ripped out heart. God I haven't felt sadness over a book like this in ages.
Ms. Leo job well done. No sarcasm intended though. Wished I could have seen more Tristan and Senia. They did make an appearance but I wanna see their family life too.
November 22, 2014
Any book that can suck me in and make me sob yes sob deserves 5 stars. This is the final installment in the Shattered Hearts series, and what a way to end. My heart was captured by Caleb from the minute he is introduced. This amazing person will rest in my heart for a very long time.
This is a must read. Highly recommend!!!!
This is a must read. Highly recommend!!!!
July 17, 2016
Omg loved this book, seriously emotional!
October 11, 2019
This book is honestly deep soul shattering at time. There will be many tears shed reading Abby and Caleb’s story. And the tears won’t stop until the very last page. Loved this whole series.
January 15, 2018
Uhao......before this series i’ve never read a book from Cassia Leo,and i’ve found myself crying....laughing...without breathe...all in this series!!! Tnks so much for give me all that Emotions!!!
I’d like to tell you more but you have to find yourself what these characters gives you! All my respect Cassia!
I’d like to tell you more but you have to find yourself what these characters gives you! All my respect Cassia!
October 9, 2014
CHASING ABBY (SHATTERED HEARTS 4) by CASSIA LEO
Emotional, heartbreaking & beautifully written story.
In my honest opinion, Chasing Abby is Cassia Leo’s BEST work so far. She nailed it. She delivered and gave the fans of this series more than what is expected. She did it again and did it sooooooooooo freakin good. I don’t even know here to begin. There’s so many beautiful and heartbreaking scenes in this book that I can’t even fathom how she was able to write those scenes coz it will break you. It broke me. It really did. Every detail, every word was well thought of. I think Cassia Leo is one of the BEST storytellers out there. You know we all have stories to tell but not all can write it and make it into a beautiful book that will capture not just the heart but the raw emotions of its readers and Cassia Leo have. Her writing prowess is undeniably and undoubtedly flawless. There’s not enough words to describe how talented she is and how truly and remarkably good she is at what she does.
This book is the story that we fans of Shattered Hearts series have all been waiting for. This is about Claire and Chris, the family that they built while waiting for Abby, the side of Abby’s adoptive parents, and this is also Abby’s journey to life and love, and I think this is also a story of forgiveness and then acceptance and most importantly of love and living. I love and appreciate the fact that Cassia Leo wrote this book in different POVs. It helped me as a reader to understand (maybe not all) but take it as it is because that’s just it, it is what it is. And there may be scenes that is so heartbreaking that I had to question why but I later on accepted because the whole thing is part of the story and I respect the author for writing it. At first I wasn’t able to digest the whole thing and it shattered me for awhile but it does not mean I don’t appreciate and that I am not grateful for what the author did in this book. As much as it is a strangle on my part (as a reader), I know it is way more sad and heartbreaking for Cassia when she was writing it, for sure.
You will love this story, you will not like it at some point, you will cry, sob, smile, feel giddy, definitely laugh and then sob some more and then smile again. Every emotion is here and you will feel it. And that’s the point, I think. For readers to feel the emotions the author went through when she was writing the book. Like I said, Cassia Leo nailed it. Once again. Flawless writing, brilliant storyline, heartbreaking & moving love story and an ending that will sure stay with you forever. I savored every feeling I felt when reading this book. Every smile, every tear and every giddy feel is worth it. Stories like this is one of the best things in life and I will NEVER change a damn thing about the story. It’s perfect as it is.
Shattered Hearts series is surely in my top 10 even top 5 best series that I have ever read. The first book was so captivating and it just keeps on getting better through time. Every installment is as beautiful as the first and have always been a fave. It’s a journey inside a book, inside a story that was beautifully and flawlessly and genuinely written with such raw emotions of love, losing, sorrow, living and hope. Cassia didn’t title the book as SHATTERED HEARTS for no reason…
Chasing Abby is a story that will stay with you for hours maybe even days. That’s how unforgettable, deep, raw and moving it is. It is satisfyingly heartbreaking and so worth reading. There’s not enough words nor stars to describe and rate this book. You will love it from the beginning til the end and you will close your eyes, breathe deep and smile once you have finished it because once again you have read a beautiful and brilliant story.
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
** Also posted on my TUMBLR account & AMAZON
http://xoxopimpimxoxo.tumblr.com/post...
Emotional, heartbreaking & beautifully written story.
In my honest opinion, Chasing Abby is Cassia Leo’s BEST work so far. She nailed it. She delivered and gave the fans of this series more than what is expected. She did it again and did it sooooooooooo freakin good. I don’t even know here to begin. There’s so many beautiful and heartbreaking scenes in this book that I can’t even fathom how she was able to write those scenes coz it will break you. It broke me. It really did. Every detail, every word was well thought of. I think Cassia Leo is one of the BEST storytellers out there. You know we all have stories to tell but not all can write it and make it into a beautiful book that will capture not just the heart but the raw emotions of its readers and Cassia Leo have. Her writing prowess is undeniably and undoubtedly flawless. There’s not enough words to describe how talented she is and how truly and remarkably good she is at what she does.
This book is the story that we fans of Shattered Hearts series have all been waiting for. This is about Claire and Chris, the family that they built while waiting for Abby, the side of Abby’s adoptive parents, and this is also Abby’s journey to life and love, and I think this is also a story of forgiveness and then acceptance and most importantly of love and living. I love and appreciate the fact that Cassia Leo wrote this book in different POVs. It helped me as a reader to understand (maybe not all) but take it as it is because that’s just it, it is what it is. And there may be scenes that is so heartbreaking that I had to question why but I later on accepted because the whole thing is part of the story and I respect the author for writing it. At first I wasn’t able to digest the whole thing and it shattered me for awhile but it does not mean I don’t appreciate and that I am not grateful for what the author did in this book. As much as it is a strangle on my part (as a reader), I know it is way more sad and heartbreaking for Cassia when she was writing it, for sure.
You will love this story, you will not like it at some point, you will cry, sob, smile, feel giddy, definitely laugh and then sob some more and then smile again. Every emotion is here and you will feel it. And that’s the point, I think. For readers to feel the emotions the author went through when she was writing the book. Like I said, Cassia Leo nailed it. Once again. Flawless writing, brilliant storyline, heartbreaking & moving love story and an ending that will sure stay with you forever. I savored every feeling I felt when reading this book. Every smile, every tear and every giddy feel is worth it. Stories like this is one of the best things in life and I will NEVER change a damn thing about the story. It’s perfect as it is.
Shattered Hearts series is surely in my top 10 even top 5 best series that I have ever read. The first book was so captivating and it just keeps on getting better through time. Every installment is as beautiful as the first and have always been a fave. It’s a journey inside a book, inside a story that was beautifully and flawlessly and genuinely written with such raw emotions of love, losing, sorrow, living and hope. Cassia didn’t title the book as SHATTERED HEARTS for no reason…
Chasing Abby is a story that will stay with you for hours maybe even days. That’s how unforgettable, deep, raw and moving it is. It is satisfyingly heartbreaking and so worth reading. There’s not enough words nor stars to describe and rate this book. You will love it from the beginning til the end and you will close your eyes, breathe deep and smile once you have finished it because once again you have read a beautiful and brilliant story.
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
** Also posted on my TUMBLR account & AMAZON
http://xoxopimpimxoxo.tumblr.com/post...
September 29, 2014
Holy Canolini!
Wow what a heart breaking but truly wonderful story; when Abby finally meets her birth parents Chris and Claire, we all thought it would be emotional, and it was, but you made it feel like we were in the same room experiencing all the emotions you knew Abby would be feeling.
Obviously we were going to get more of Chris and Claire, and you didn't disappoint. We also got to meet Jimi, Chris Jr and Ryder, who were all great and very grounded kids. Jimi and rightly so, was apprehensive about meeting her big sister Abby, after all she had known of Abby's existence all her life. This whole family lark was very new to Abby, so yes Jimi was being a spoilt brat, but was so pleased she saw the error of her ways and that they began to build on their relationship.
OOH Caleb, what an absolute selfless man he was. He really only wanted Abby to be a happy and carefree teenager and was there for her for four and a half years, enduring the anger she felt for her illness, but was always there when she needed bolstering up, even when she didn't think she needed it. The his final gesture - On my word! good job I was in the bath reading this. Even writing this review my throat is thick with emotion.
I really didn't like Abby's adopted parents Brian and Lynette, although they were fearful of losing her, they really were very selfish. I sorta feel like they didn't want Abby to get better so that she would have to depend on them for the rest of their lives. It took like Caleb's selflessness for them to finally begin to let Abby live her life, her new life doing what she wanted. I did come around to Brian and Lynette eventually.
The summer Abby and Caleb spent at the beach although bittersweet was still filled with love and compassion, so naughty but lovely first being made for them both.
After Abby fled the beach house in Jimi's car you knew it was not going to end right and to say I was a bit shocked was an understatement, but after reading more, there really was only one way that was going to end.
It was lovely that Abby got such a wonderful gift, but flipping heck heart wrenching.
The epiloges were great, for all concerned; Brian & Lynette, Chris and Claire and Jimi, Chris Jr and Ryder but more importantly for Abby.
This has truly been a heart crushing series, with all the angst and drama at the beginning between Claire - Adam - Chris. Then getting to know Abby its sad to say that this is the end, although we get to swoon a bit more over Adam. I admit I was team Adam from the start but the story went in the totally right direction. Can't wait to catch up with him.
This has been of the them 'stay with you forever' series.
Wow what a heart breaking but truly wonderful story; when Abby finally meets her birth parents Chris and Claire, we all thought it would be emotional, and it was, but you made it feel like we were in the same room experiencing all the emotions you knew Abby would be feeling.
Obviously we were going to get more of Chris and Claire, and you didn't disappoint. We also got to meet Jimi, Chris Jr and Ryder, who were all great and very grounded kids. Jimi and rightly so, was apprehensive about meeting her big sister Abby, after all she had known of Abby's existence all her life. This whole family lark was very new to Abby, so yes Jimi was being a spoilt brat, but was so pleased she saw the error of her ways and that they began to build on their relationship.
OOH Caleb, what an absolute selfless man he was. He really only wanted Abby to be a happy and carefree teenager and was there for her for four and a half years, enduring the anger she felt for her illness, but was always there when she needed bolstering up, even when she didn't think she needed it. The his final gesture - On my word! good job I was in the bath reading this. Even writing this review my throat is thick with emotion.
I really didn't like Abby's adopted parents Brian and Lynette, although they were fearful of losing her, they really were very selfish. I sorta feel like they didn't want Abby to get better so that she would have to depend on them for the rest of their lives. It took like Caleb's selflessness for them to finally begin to let Abby live her life, her new life doing what she wanted. I did come around to Brian and Lynette eventually.
The summer Abby and Caleb spent at the beach although bittersweet was still filled with love and compassion, so naughty but lovely first being made for them both.
After Abby fled the beach house in Jimi's car you knew it was not going to end right and to say I was a bit shocked was an understatement, but after reading more, there really was only one way that was going to end.
It was lovely that Abby got such a wonderful gift, but flipping heck heart wrenching.
The epiloges were great, for all concerned; Brian & Lynette, Chris and Claire and Jimi, Chris Jr and Ryder but more importantly for Abby.
This has truly been a heart crushing series, with all the angst and drama at the beginning between Claire - Adam - Chris. Then getting to know Abby its sad to say that this is the end, although we get to swoon a bit more over Adam. I admit I was team Adam from the start but the story went in the totally right direction. Can't wait to catch up with him.
This has been of the them 'stay with you forever' series.
September 28, 2014
To say I was looking forward to reading Chasing Abby is a HUGE understatement. From the moment Cassia announced she was writing it, I have been waiting (not so patiently) to see where Abby’s life had taken her and to find out whether or not Abby, Claire and Chris would finally be reunited. Even now, 5 days post Chasing Abby, my emotions are overwhelmed with all this story made me feel.
When I first fell in love with these characters, I had no way of knowing the secret that intrigued me to meet Claire and eventually Chris, would take me on such an emotional journey. It was worth every moment of frustration, every aww, every laugh, every smile and certainly every tear that I cried…and there were lots of tears with this series.
Abby’s life had not been an easy one, per se. With her heart condition, she had her share of obstacles. But along the way she met an incredibly wonderful young man named Caleb. He doted over and cared for her in the way that only a soul mate can do and I was thrilled for Abby to have that kind of love in her life. She needed the support that only Caleb was capable of giving her when she decided to seek out Chris and Claire.
The Jensen’s loved Abby, no doubt. But their own fears and reservations rendered them incapable of fully understanding Abby’s need to meet her birth parents. While I was frustrated with them at times, I can’t imagine what they must have been going through. My heart hurt for them as Abby worked through her thoughts and feelings once the truth about her birthparents was in the open.
I fell in love with Chris Knight in this book. It’s no secret I am an Adam girl. But Chris absolutely stole my heart as I watched him interact with Claire and all of their children. I loved getting to spend time with the Knights and the short visit with the Pollocks was great. Chris and Claire were transparent with Abby at a time when she needed it most and their reactions to her appearance was one of the most emotional reunions I have ever experienced.
I don’t want to ruin the experience of this story for anyone so I will leave you with the following thoughts. If you have come this far with the series, you know Cassia Leo writes heartfelt stories – the kind that stick with you long after the final words. Without a doubt, my heart is full and the tears I cry even now are mixed with happiness for where it ended and sadness that the journey is complete.
I was provided a complimentary copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
When I first fell in love with these characters, I had no way of knowing the secret that intrigued me to meet Claire and eventually Chris, would take me on such an emotional journey. It was worth every moment of frustration, every aww, every laugh, every smile and certainly every tear that I cried…and there were lots of tears with this series.
Abby’s life had not been an easy one, per se. With her heart condition, she had her share of obstacles. But along the way she met an incredibly wonderful young man named Caleb. He doted over and cared for her in the way that only a soul mate can do and I was thrilled for Abby to have that kind of love in her life. She needed the support that only Caleb was capable of giving her when she decided to seek out Chris and Claire.
The Jensen’s loved Abby, no doubt. But their own fears and reservations rendered them incapable of fully understanding Abby’s need to meet her birth parents. While I was frustrated with them at times, I can’t imagine what they must have been going through. My heart hurt for them as Abby worked through her thoughts and feelings once the truth about her birthparents was in the open.
I fell in love with Chris Knight in this book. It’s no secret I am an Adam girl. But Chris absolutely stole my heart as I watched him interact with Claire and all of their children. I loved getting to spend time with the Knights and the short visit with the Pollocks was great. Chris and Claire were transparent with Abby at a time when she needed it most and their reactions to her appearance was one of the most emotional reunions I have ever experienced.
I don’t want to ruin the experience of this story for anyone so I will leave you with the following thoughts. If you have come this far with the series, you know Cassia Leo writes heartfelt stories – the kind that stick with you long after the final words. Without a doubt, my heart is full and the tears I cry even now are mixed with happiness for where it ended and sadness that the journey is complete.
I was provided a complimentary copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
September 28, 2014
This may be one of the hardest reviews I have to write. I don’t want to not do this book any justice at all. It is my favorite book In the Shattered Hearts Series. The Author Cassia Leo has out done herself with Chasing Abby.
In the beginning of the book we Meet Abby as a Seventeen year old, She has a boyfriend named Caleb. They are also best friends Caleb knows Abby better than anyone, So it’s only natural for them to go off to collage together and live together. Right? Well Abby’s Parents Brain and Lynette would have to disagree with that. They or I should say Lynette got to me a lot in the first bit of Chasing Abby she truly meant well but she…. Well, was just too clingy to Abby and wouldn’t let Abby live. I felt so bad for her, but then when you know your adoptive daughters 18th birthday is approaching and everything could change in a blink of an eye, I may act a bit crazy also! But Lynette and Brain at times went over board and pushed to far one day and an argument sent Abby running to the one place they didn’t want her to go. Right to the Knights door step, they’ve waited 18 years for this moment, now that it’s here Chris is filled with joy that Abby came back to them. Claire is also thrilled to finally see Abby after so many years.
Though when they find out the true reason she’s on the door step, Chris and Claire are torn on what to do. After all Abby is 18 now, but the Jensen’s are Abby’s parents. This is where thing get right down tricky and sticky!! Lol I’m joking but to say that the Jensen’s are not very pleasant with the knight … now that would be ….. you’ll have to read to find out!!! ;)
We get to see Abby grow over the summer, We get to see her meet the siblings she never knew she had and create amazing memories with Caleb, that will always stay with her! Abby and her whole family experience something that no one could have seen coming it’s breathtaking beautiful, but at the same time heartbreaking, soul crushing in some ways. But Cassia Leo and the amazing Talent she has managed to put all that back together and make it even more heartfelt and Breathtaking with all the healing and love this family shares. I may be rambling and I’m sorry for that, I don’t want to give to much away and I may have already I really hope not! I highly recommend Chasing Abby this is the last book in the Shattered Hearts Series and should be read as. I give CHASING ABBY 5+++ STARS I would give 100 if I could this is my fav. To date!!!! A must read!!!!
Full 5+ star!! This is by far My Favorite book in the Shattered Hearts Series!
In the beginning of the book we Meet Abby as a Seventeen year old, She has a boyfriend named Caleb. They are also best friends Caleb knows Abby better than anyone, So it’s only natural for them to go off to collage together and live together. Right? Well Abby’s Parents Brain and Lynette would have to disagree with that. They or I should say Lynette got to me a lot in the first bit of Chasing Abby she truly meant well but she…. Well, was just too clingy to Abby and wouldn’t let Abby live. I felt so bad for her, but then when you know your adoptive daughters 18th birthday is approaching and everything could change in a blink of an eye, I may act a bit crazy also! But Lynette and Brain at times went over board and pushed to far one day and an argument sent Abby running to the one place they didn’t want her to go. Right to the Knights door step, they’ve waited 18 years for this moment, now that it’s here Chris is filled with joy that Abby came back to them. Claire is also thrilled to finally see Abby after so many years.
Though when they find out the true reason she’s on the door step, Chris and Claire are torn on what to do. After all Abby is 18 now, but the Jensen’s are Abby’s parents. This is where thing get right down tricky and sticky!! Lol I’m joking but to say that the Jensen’s are not very pleasant with the knight … now that would be ….. you’ll have to read to find out!!! ;)
We get to see Abby grow over the summer, We get to see her meet the siblings she never knew she had and create amazing memories with Caleb, that will always stay with her! Abby and her whole family experience something that no one could have seen coming it’s breathtaking beautiful, but at the same time heartbreaking, soul crushing in some ways. But Cassia Leo and the amazing Talent she has managed to put all that back together and make it even more heartfelt and Breathtaking with all the healing and love this family shares. I may be rambling and I’m sorry for that, I don’t want to give to much away and I may have already I really hope not! I highly recommend Chasing Abby this is the last book in the Shattered Hearts Series and should be read as. I give CHASING ABBY 5+++ STARS I would give 100 if I could this is my fav. To date!!!! A must read!!!!
Full 5+ star!! This is by far My Favorite book in the Shattered Hearts Series!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 432 reviews