Bend Me, Break Me

by Chelsea M. Cameron

One girl.
Lonely.
Broken.
Lost.

One boy.
Determined.
Guilty.
Lost.

Two hearts.
One terrible secret.
It will either bring them together or tear them apart.

A New Adult Romantic Suspense, coming soon!!!

Genres: Romance, New Adult, Audiobook, College

236 pages, ebook

First published February 7, 2016

About the author

Chelsea M. Cameron is a New York Times/USA Today/Internationally Best Selling author from Maine who now lives and works in Boston. She's a red velvet cake enthusiast, obsessive tea drinker, former cheerleader, and world's worst video gamer. When not writing, she enjoys watching infomercials, eating brunch in bed, tweeting, and playing fetch with her cat, Sassenach. She has a degree in journalism from the University of Maine, Orono that she promptly abandoned to write about the people in her own head. More often than not, these people turn out to be just as weird as she is.

Reviews

[Yvo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Es ist kein Geheimnis, dass ich jedes Buch von Chelsea M. Cameron beinahe sofort am Erscheinungstag kaufe und auch lese. “Bend me, Break me” war ein ziemliches Überraschungsbuch, dessen Erscheinen ich sogar beinahe nicht mitbekommen hätte.

Chelsea schlägt bei diesem Buch eine andere Richtung ein. Es ist nicht so sehr New Adult, wie man vielleicht glauben mag, denn in diesem Buch gibt es zum Beispiel keine einzige Sex-Szene. Das ist nicht schlimm, denn der Fokus liegt hier mehr auf den Charakteren und der Geschichte. Ich für meinen Teil fand die Hintergrundgeschichte mal wieder ein wenig zu dramatisch – ich verstehe nicht, wieso das immer so ein riesen Unglück sein muss. Es geht bestimmt auch eine Nummer kleiner, dafür aber realistischer. Deswegen gibts in dem Punkt leider ein wenig Abzug in der B-Note.

Dafür hingegen fand ich Ingrids Position sehr gut dargestellt. Es ist eben nicht immer alles schön und so gibt es eben auch Menschen, die unter Depressionen leiden oder mit ihren Dämonen nicht klarkommen. Die sich abkapseln und glauben, dass sie nichts Gutes verdienen. Diejenigen, die es im Leben schwer haben und es doch irgendwie schaffen. Diejenigen, die manchmal ein bisschen Hilfe brauchen.

Dass Ingrid und Coen zusammen treffen, hat auch mit der Hintergrundgeschichte zu tun, was ich wiederum sehr gewollt fand. Zudem ist es ein wiederkehrendes Muster in Chelseas Büchern und ich mag das eigentlich nicht mehr lesen. Manchmal wäre es ganz schön, wenn nicht alles zum Schicksal deklariert wird, sondern wenn auch mal der Zufall zum Zug käme. Der hat nämlich ganz bestimmt auch was zu bieten und meiner Meinung nach sogar mehr Potenzial als eine konstruierte Geschichte, die irgendwie zusammen passen muss.

Coen ist ansonsten aber ein toller Typ. Manchmal eher unsicher, aber gerade das macht ihn so süß und auch sein Charme ist nicht von schlechten Eltern. Es ist wundervoll mit anzusehen, wie er um Ingrids Aufmerksam kämpft und wie hart er sich ihre Freundschaft und ihr Vertrauen erarbeitet. In Ingrid konnte ich mich durch die Erzählweise auch sehr gut hineinversetzen. Sie ist ein zerbrechliches Mädchen mit dem Herzen am rechten Fleck.

Was ich immer wieder ein bisschen doof finde, ist dass so viele Andeutungen gemacht werden, für die später keine Zeit mehr ist. Bei geschätzten 210 Seiten mag das kein Wunder sein, aber ich würde mir wünschen, dass sich Chelsea ein bisschen mehr Zeit für ihre Bücher nehmen würde. Wenn man ihrem Twitter-Account folgt, weiß man wann sie welche Filme sieht und wenn diese dann im nächsten Buch als Referenz auftauchen, kann man sich ausrechnen, dass diese und jene Szene gerade mal 2-3 Wochen (wenn überhaupt) vor Veröffentlichung geschrieben wurden. Das ist zu wenig Zeit. Dass Selfpublishing ein hartes Geschäft ist, steht außer Frage, genau wie die Tatsache, dass man sein Buch natürlich am liebsten sofort aller Welt zugänglich machen will. Aber man merkt eben, dass der Text hätte besser sein können, wenn man ihm noch ein bisschen mehr Zeit gegeben hätte und das ist schade. Deswegen kann ich nur an euch appellieren: Seid bereit, das Geld für diese Geschichten zu zahlen, um es den Autoren zu ermöglich, dass nächste Buch noch besser zu machen. Seid aber auch so fair, sowas in euren Rezensionen anzusprechen. Selfpublisher reagieren darauf.

Alles in allem ist “Bend me, Break me” eine eher düstere Geschichte, deren überaus dramatischen Hintergrund man sich hätte sparen können, die sich aber vor allem dann lohnt, wenn man nicht allzuviel Wert auf eine schöne Liebesgeschichte sondern die Etwicklung der Charaktere legt.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bend Me, Break Me is a very difficult story to review without affecting the plot in any way. Emotionally poignant dealing with the drastic effect tragedy can have on altering the person we are, our identities are shaped by our life experiences and unfortunately it includes the ones that tear us apart.

Ingrid is in a very bad place mentally and emotionally following a traumatic incident; gone is her outgoing personality replaced by depression, anxiety and the weight of survivors guilt. Ingrid is quite literally weighed down by the emotions she is experiencing, barely surviving she has pushed everyone away in attempt to protect herself from ever experiencing the level of devastation she has been subjected to.

Coen reached out to Ingrid and slowly but surely breaks through her barriers. They are drawn together, however, Coen has an ulterior motive for connecting with Ingrid making you question the sincerity of his actions and emotions. As the plot unfolds it is obvious as to the connection between Coen and Ingrid and while indirect and Coen's honourable desires the secrets he keeps are damaging nonetheless.

It is hard to reconcile such a tragic event can bring such love and happiness into your life. The question of why is one that reverberates through the narrative.

I absolutely adored the way books are portrayed as being emotionally cathartic and an effective healing tool, it is something I relate to personal and try to encourage students to do. the choice of books used to reinforce this point was another stroke of genius, especially as I have read them :)

Bend Me, Break Me is a quick read with short, sharp chapters hitting the emotional mark time after time. Definitely a book to add to the list of being emotionally healing, if you suffer from depression or know of someone who does - give them this book, it proves there is light at the end of the tunnel.

[Melinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

**more at http://melenasreviews.wordpress.com**

TOP 10 RECOMMENDED

I have to say this one was a tough one and have to say Chelsea M. Cameron shined in this book. It is a topic that everybody sometimes go through in life and we have to learn how to cope and move on. Coen is one sneaky devil and have to say his persistence is in a way truly romantic. The love he has for Ingrid is what she needs to move on and make her be the girl she was supposed to be all this time. Chelsea I have to say never give up and know that through darkness there is light. Knowing that Ingrid is going through right now can reflect in my past the darkness when I lost my father. Family is important but so is the love that is at the end to make us stronger than ever. Loved it.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally posted to Jen in Bookland

4.5 stars

Bend Me, Break Me was an incredible read. I picked it up one morning to just read a little bit before working on some chores and didn't put it down until I finished. I was just drawn right in and man...Ingrid and Coen are just so amazing together. He is so sweet and just what she needs. Oh I loved this story.

Ingrid has suffered some tragedies pretty recently that have left her broken. She tries to stay within herself, not letting anyone else in, not letting herself be happy, just trying to be just by herself. That way no one can hurt her. She doesn't think she should be happy, she doesn't think she should be the same person she was before. She doesn't think she is allowed to be that person.

"I only allowed myself so many smiles a day and that was my second. I only had one left. One smile to spend on something."

She is going to school because that is what her parents would have wanted for her. She doesn't really know what she is doing, what she will get a degree in, but she is there. She writes poems sometimes, gets her feelings out that way, but shares them anonymously online. She is perfectly fine being by herself and in her own world until Coen starts showing up.

Coen was so amazing. Sure you know right from the start that he is hiding something from her, that he knows what happened to her because he is somehow connected, but he just wants to help her. Plus he likes her. Really likes her. Probably too much. She is so skittish at first, so not used to feeling things that they have a rough go of it. But he was incredible. He is always there for her, always willing to take her back and be friends again no matter what happens. He just...he is wonderful. He tries to get her to open up some, to let other people in and start to live again. He knows she has a lot that has happened, but he also sees how strong she is and what an amazing person she is. How she can deal with what happened and still have a life of her own. He usually let her make all the decisions, trying not to push her too far, but sometimes he couldn't help it. Sometimes he did push just a little and it was wonderful to watch. It was wonderful to see Ingrid slowly start to come out of her shell and open up to him.

You know that there will be a bad section when she finds out Coen already knew her before they met, but it was just really well done. It was...I loved it. I cared so much for these characters, both of them, and you could really see the connection between them (even if neither of them realized/would acknowledge how strong that connection was). One of my favorite parts is how the author dealt with what happened to Ingrid, how that was talked about whenever it came up, whenever she would think about snippets of her past, and what details we learned/didn't learn through the story. It was so well done. It felt natural and organic. I just loved this book to pieces. It is sweet and innocent and painful and broken and hopeful and lovely and just everything wrapped all together. A really wonderful read.

Oh one last thing - it was nice to see a vegan character that wasn't just mocked for their choices and actually ate food that was good. Food that the other characters liked. You don't see that often and it was a welcome addition since vegan food can be very tasty just like any other kind of food.

*Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Kristen Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was curious about this book at first glance of the synopsis, my mind already guessing at what I would find inside. I pieced together parts of the story, but didn't guess it all.

Coen stands out from the start of the book, the hottie has an agenda based around secrets, that much we know. He wants to find an in to quell something in himself, guilt I assumed at first, which is part of the truth, but also, he's pulled in Ingrid's direction as well.

Ingrid wants to be alone, she wants to go to classes, figure out her future and do it all while pulling herself away from anyone and anything that could be lost. Ingrid's been through a tragedy, and in the face of such events, she's pulled back from living. She's sad and upset, and hurt, but mostly she's afraid to allow herself the chance of ever feeling this way again. Ingrid keeps herself locked as tightly inside as she can, which is why she can't understand Coen's desire to start a friendship with her, but she also can't keep him away.

Bend Me, Break Me is full of emotional twists and turns, devestating events have cast a pall over both Coen and Ingrid's lives though in different ways. While Ingrid wants nothing more than to isolate herself, Coen wants nothing more than to pull her out of herself, to show her that its okay to still live her life. She can be happy, she can move on and its worth the risks involved.

There are secrets and buried truths between these two and of course they pop up and cause problems, but I really like how Coen and Ingrid engage each other, how they seem to be just what the other needs, even when they feel they aren't helping any. Chelsea M. Cameron has written these two characters so well, that their feelings are palpable, with each piece of the puzzle revealed, there is a pull towards them, the need to hug each character and tell them that it will be okay.

Coen and Ingrid are bound together by a tie, a tie neither of them would have wanted, a tie that has the ability to hurt and unravel, but they also share much more and together they prove that Love is stronger than hate, stronger than fear, and together you can fight against even the most invisible of enemies, those that remain in your head.

[Beauté De Livres (Vivian Freeman) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bend Me, Break Me is my first Chelsea M. Cameron book. Lured in by the cover I went into this book blind. From the beginning I was hooked, desperate for answers and sucked into the world of Ingrid and Coen. Told in dual POV's the book doesn't lead into the story slowly, from the get go readers are aware that there is something different about these two characters and that secrets fill the pages of this story.

The connection between Coen and Ingrid was fascinating. As Coen tries to coerce Ingrid out of her shell, Ingrid does her best to maintain indifference and keep her guard up. Using gifts and Tea Coen manages to break into Ingrid's world and Ingrid finally realises that she is enjoying "feeling" again. Realising that their connection is deeper than friendship Ingrid and Coen must battle personally with the need to preserve their secrets or fulfil the hearts desires.

Chelsea M. Cameron is attentive to detail and manages to express the feelings of loss, pain, guilt and happiness with ease and delicacy. However for a story that is filled with many layers, a deeper exploration each layer that each character possessed, may have assisted with the fluctuating pace of the story.

The romance lover in me wanted more when it came to the ending, but in order to remain genuine to the story, the characters, their insecurities and secrets, Chelsea M. Cameron appropriately ties up the loose ends to this heartbreaking love story.

[Ellen Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where to start here. First, I will say I had never read anything written by Chelsea M. Cameron before. After reading her acknowledgements at the end, I understand that this is the first she has written of this type.
I want to start upfront, by being honest and admitting that I read this at a hard time in my life, so bare with me if I don't seem to make sense at times.
I find Ingrid and Coen's story unique, not in it happening, but in the fact that we don't usually see these things addressed quite so well in stories and definitely none that are focused on it. It seemed to start out really slow for me, and stayed that way until we started to finally get into more of their stories coming out. When that happened, I seemed more drawn to it and not wanting to put it down until finished. This is one of those cases that prove a point I'm always trying to make. You can't give a real review unless you read the entire book.
Ms. Cameron, thank you for bringing the subject of depression out in the open. A problem shared by so many of us, but one we all try to hide from others. I give this book 3.7 stars.
**This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review**

[Stacie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I need more info about some things that happened in the story. I think there were some plot points that weren't resolved and that left me feeling underwhelmed.

[Shalisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book: Bend Me, Break Me
Author: Chelsea M. Cameron
Format: ebook
Source: Pub Date: 2016



I am not quite sure how to rate this book. Of course, I can applause Chelsea M. Cameron on her ability to tell an engaging tell, weaving in what some consider to be the elements of storytelling: Action, Conflict, Resolution, Protagonist & Antagonist. Those elements differ based on which Google site you land. Nevertheless, where elements are added or removed, the basis is still the same.

Bend Me, Break Me was very different from the other books I have had the pleasure of reading by Chelsea M. Cameron. It was angst riddled of course, but mostly for me I found the story – sad. Honestly after reading all of the wrist slicers I have read in the last few years, I was able to decipher Ingrid’s issue (which I will not spoil) pretty soon after starting the book. But, that did not deter me from finishing the book – sort of like eyeing a nice shoe, or purse (with matching wallet of course), it has to grab me, engage me and FORCE me to want to walk to the counter, credit card in hand. That is what this book did for me.

While reading the book, to be quite honest, it felt a bit uncomfortable. As if I was snooping through someone’s personal effects and searching for deep dark secrets they held behind tight lips. That all made sense once I finished and read the authors acknowledgements. I have not been online to have any insight to the “concerns” in Chelsea M. Cameron’s life. Therefore, I strongly suggest that you read past the last page of the book and thoroughly take in the authors thoughts regarding the story. It is indeed eye opening.

So, again, no review of the actual story, but for the authors decision to be vulnerable to her audience, to snub the idea that she may hear “Oh, no this is too different, this is not why I read her” and be true to herself and situation – I say 5 stars and “Bravo” as I anxiously await her next book.


My disclaimer:
My review, is simply that - mine, my opinion. My taxes, death, student loans and opinion should not in any way offend anyone as they are only personal to ME and absolutely should NOT be considered an attack on the wonderfully gifted author nor the readers whose opinion may differ - we were all created different for a reason, to make the world go round.

I read because the line was too long when the Creator was handing out the skills, talent and imagination to write. And to that I quote Antonio Salieri from Amadeus,

“All I wanted was to sing to God. He gave me that longing…and then made me mute. Why? Tell me that. If He didn’t want me to praise him with music, why implant this desire? Like a lust in my body! And then deny me the talent?

[Megan’s Endless Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to say that Bend Me, Break Me was a good book, but I just couldn't get into it the way I wanted to. So going into this book, I definitely had no idea exactly what the book was about because the blurb was pretty vague. I really like going into books when the blurb is vague because it really gives the book a chance to reveal everything and make it seem more unique and new. Also, sometimes a blurb can be too revealing and give away the most important parts of the book which makes it feel boring and washed out. Bend Me, Break Me kept the blurb pretty light so I was really hopeful that there would be tons of surprises and a really intriguing plotline.

As much as I hate to say it, for me, it was the characters themselves that kind of fell flat. They were both really almost basic and I felt like the switching perspectives actually lessened the value of the plot because one character knew too much which hinted at what would happen later in the book. After a couple chapters, I could pick up what would eventually happen and what the big reveal was going to be. Being able to guess where the book was going, is where this book lost stars for me. Otherwise, this book was pretty good and I do think there were qualities that kept my interest.

So this book went through the emotions and meetings of two people who were affected by something in their past which drives both of them to act a certain way. For her, she was so deeply affected by her past that she pushed away everyone else in order to gain control of her emotions and keep herself from any future pain. Her complete devotion to this task made it really hard to sympathize with her because she was just determined to not feel and I felt like she was allowing her pain to control her life and I wasn't ever given the story behind that pain so it didn't feel quite as real as it could have.

For him, he was equally as affected by something in his past, but instead of internalizing it, he focused his attention on someone else and helping them. For this reason, it was really easy to read his parts in the book because he was so focused and sweet in his intentions. Yet at the same time, I was a little creeped out because he clearly knew the girl but pretended he didn't and decided it was a good idea to get really close to her because he knew what happened to her and wanted to make her feel better. I just couldn't get into this book and the creep factor was a big reason why.

Overall, this book was a good read but it wasn't my favorite and there were elements present in the story that just turned me off for this book. There was either too much information given away too early or the characters themselves were hard to like and understand because their past was so sketchy and undetermined. But maybe this book will speak to you better than it did to me so if it sounds intriguing... I say go for it and let me know if I just definitely missed the parts of the books that made this a 5 star read.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I started to read Bend Me, Break Me, I was not sure what to expect because the synopsis was a bit vague. Chelsea has quite an array of storytelling and her mind can jump from one genre to the next. I was curious as to what kind of story I was getting myself into, but as always, I was not disappointed. This book delves into some heavy sadness, a few situations that are horrifying, exemplifying the best and worst of humanity. When you meet Coen and Ingrid you cannot help but be intrigued. The way Chelsea introduces her characters and the story is mysterious. You understand there is so much more than what you see. The story slowly unfolds and the reality is hard to swallow. I will not spoil the details, since they are what makes the story so gripping, but I will say that this book is brimming with suspense in such a way that you are anxious to see where the author leads you.

The maturity, and at times, the lack thereof, and the resilience of these two main characters is well displayed and beautifully written. I loved getting to see who Ingrid is. Her life is full of tragedy and heartache. To see who she is as a result and to see glimpses of who she was before is eye opening. I loved that she digs deep and feels it all. You can tell that Chelsea dug deep into her emotional reservoir to write this character. Ingird is brilliant in her pain and warped world view. She is suffering and learning to cope in new ways every day. Watching her take baby steps throughout the day builds an admiration you cannot deny. Her journey is the beauty of this story and I longed to see her work through the harsh moments and come out stronger than before.

Coen is such a sweet character. You question his motivations from the very beginning, understanding that he is hiding something. When the reveal happens it is like an explosion of heartache and emotions. Coen is the perfect balm to Ingrid’s pain but these two have to decide if their pasts can be overcome. These two are seemingly opposite, but their shared grief and heartache allows the reader to see what could be in numerous different scenarios.

This emotional new adult story is full of conflicting emotions and deep characters. As emotionally charged as Chelsea’s other stories have been, I feel like this book digs deeper than ever before and shows a raw side to her storytelling. This book covers a wide range of human emotions, one that leaves you reeling and feeling. Bend Me, Break Me is a beautiful story of tragedy, hope, heartache, and second chances.

[Erry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

First Sentence: I always loved Bubbles.

Bend Me, Break Me, tells the story of Ingrid, a character broken by the pain of past events. She's trying with all of her might to go on in life, and live life. Ingrid however, can't live the quit existence that she wants due to the fact that she encounters Coen. Coen, on the other hand is a character that's trying to rectify the events of the past so that he might be able to move on in life. Between these two characters lies a deep secret.

The book intrigued me greatly too put it lightly. I mean look at the summary, if that isn't the definition of vague than I don't what is... That's probably the reason that I wanted to read it, however I got really busy with this lovely creature, and so when I realised that I needed to read a book and write the review in a single day, I kinda freaked out. But thanks to the lovely author, Chelsea M. Cameron, I soon realised that I had nothing to worry about.

Let's start with writing. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to make it through this book due to the fact, I've never read any other books by the author and I was afraid that she would have interesting writing skills. However, Chelsea M. Cameron has a writing style that's easy to devour in one sitting and the words flow in a completely easy way. For that I was thankful.

The plot to this book was really entertaining to read. It pretty much followed the formula of most all NA/YA books, and thus was rather predictable. However, it wasn't boring in that way, and rather had more strength in its character.

The main character, Ingrid, is a character that has a great many hardships in life. She's quit and reserved. In all honesty I had no complaints against the character of Ingrid. She was a well written character, and made reading this book a joy. She was an easy character to resonate with and I enjoyed reading her character.

The other main character, Coen was interesting character. I thought that he was adorable and cute and super dorky. He was so sweet and probably would have made it as one of my book best friends, if not for one fact. He's hiding a secret through the majority of the book, and so many of his actions seemed kinda stalkerish, a fact that is eventually dealt with. But I gave Coen the benefit of the doubt and put that aside to find an adorable boy child.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Review copy received form the author for an honest review*

3.5 “For her” stars!

Hmmm….I liked Bend Me, Break Me but I didn’t love it. This is not a new author for me and in the past I have loved her stories. Not loving it is not a bad thing, though, so don’t start thinking I didn’t enjoy Coen and Ingrid’s story. I was just surprised. It wasn’t exactly what I thought it was going to be. But, it’s a sweet romance, just with a BIG secret.

“I used to smile. I used to laugh. I used to be a lot of things. Now I didn’t know who I was and didn’t plan on figuring it out.”

Don’t dive into this story thinking it’s an action packed book, guys. It’s more of a sweet love story with a difficult secret. Do I think Coen was right for keeping the secret?!? Not necessarily. But, do I totally understand their relationship?!? Nope, not that either. But, boy oh boy, Coen is a sweetie pie. Teas, coffees, presents, and not forget, all the patience. I guess that’s why I couldn’t be mad at him ;) He meant well.

“She was Ingrid, and she was important.”

Now Ingrid….wow!! I wasn’t sure if I wanted to hug her or shake her. Obviously she had been through a lot, and I think I would have liked a tad bit more from her back story. That might have helped me understand her better.

But, anyways, like I said, it’s not action packed but it’s sweet and I enjoyed it. Overall the story kept my interest, and the writing is smooth. Plus, you have that secret that keeps you wondering most of the story. 

So, give it a try and let me know your thoughts!

[Jennifer Pierson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ingrid has been through a tragedy that has affected her so much, she isolates herself from living life. She's afraid to let anyone or anything she could lose near her, so she keeps herself locked up tight, only expressing her feelings through writing poetry. Coen is a hottie with secrets swirling all around him, who can't stop thinking about Ingrid. He can't stay away from the beautiful but wounded girl, even though she won't give him the time of day. However, the more he chases, the harder it gets to stay away from him, as they have a strong connection. But will it be enough for her to let go of the past and start living again?

As much as I enjoyed this story, I really had a hard time getting in to it. But once I did, it took off for me. The character development is good, with a suspenseful, full of angst, and well written storyline that flows smoothly. Chelsea M. Cameron does a great job weaving together layers of mysterious suspense that made it hard for me to guess what was coming up, as it unraveled bit by bit. Her easy writing style made it easy for me to feel the abject pain the characters felt like it was my own. I will be reading this author in the future, so I highly recommend this powerful story of forgiveness.

[Julie Reveles (Juls ~ ILST BLOG) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars!


“I like the way you see me, Coen,”

“I see what’s there, Ingrid, but only because you let me. Even though you tried not to. I could see you and what I saw was so beautiful. You are beautiful, Ingrid. In so many ways.”


Talk about devouring a book! Once I started, I couldn't put it down! I finished it in one sitting! To say that I enjoyed it would be an understatement. After I read the acknowledgments, I liked it even more. I loved Coen, and even though he was hiding something, he was still the sweetest thing. I liked them together. The friendship they had was cute and brought tears to my eyes. I was sad when it ended. I really wanted to read more about Coen and Ingrid and their relationship! I think I can read about them over and over. This is definitely on my list of books to re-read! I also liked that another book, which is one of my favorites, was mentioned in this story. I think that book would have been perfect for Ingrid! This is the first novel that I have read by Chelsea M. Cameron, and I can't wait to read more from this amazing author!


-Juls

[Crazychriss889 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where are all the good ratings for this book?

This one really took me by surprise.

I think the plot was intriguing and it just kept me going.
Plus, the writing style was really good.
And the characters were just adorable, especially Coen with his charme and humorous nature.

Ingrid is shattered, she avoids everyone but there is this one guy who doesn't let her push him away. He is always there, always trying to help, trying to be her friend. But when she finally gives in, will she be ready to open her heart?

I really liked the characters. Sure, some might say, gosh, why can't Ingrid just get over what happened to her? Because life sucks and if something earth-shattering like that happens to you, you can't just go on as if nothing had happened.

Coen is such a lovely guy. He really seems to care about Ingrid and I think his initial thoughts were really honorable so I just couldn't be angry with him. Sure, he lied to her but I think it really killed him that he had to.

I really loved the eding because it was made clear that not everything was just fine afterwards. You have to work to be well again and to feel again. Really well thought out.

All in all, thanks for this book :D

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read the full review on Bookaholics Not-So-Anonymous.

Note: This ARC was provided by InkSlinger PR in exchange for an honest review.

This was a story with a great deal of angst and understandably so. It's clear early on that Ingrid is dealing with very heavy burdens, and it's also obvious that Coen's reasons to get close to Ingrid aren't as innocent as they may seem. We do see the progression of their hesitant friendship, and this allows readers to observe how Coen earns the trust of this girl who doesn't offer it up to anyone and for good reason. Getting to know both Ingrid and Coen is part of why it's difficult to really pass judgment on Coen, even though he may have taken a tad too long being totally honest with her. He's the one who helps her have faith in herself and the world around her again, but he could very well be the same one to wipe away all her progress and have her return to how she once was. Bend Me, Break Me was one poignant, four-star read. ♥

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ingrid versucht unsichtbar zu sein und zu bleiben, aber Coen sieht sie trotzdem.
Nach einem kompletten Fehlstart wartete er vor jeder Vorlesung mit einem Tee und einem kleinen Geschenk auf Ingrid. Und Ingrid kann sich seinem Charme nicht lange entziehen....

Keine Ahnung, wie oft ich es schon gesagt habe, aber ich bin ein riesiger Fan von Chelsea M. Cameron und dieses Buch ist mal wieder ein guter Beweis, wozu sie fähig ist.
Die Geschichte ist süß und zieht einen in ihren Bann. Auch wenn ich innerhalb kurzer Zeit mehrere Bücher zum Thema Depression gelesen habe und einige intensiver und tiefer in die Materie gehen, fand ich dieses Buch mit der bezaubernden Geschichte zwischen Coen und Ingrid einfach wunderbar und sehr positiv.

Immer lesenswert!

[Witchy Richey's Booktastic Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story. Amazing characters and just enough wonder to keep you going.

The story of a girl and a guy. The girl has lived through something horrible and is terrible broken.
The boy has a mission, an obligation. He must know this girl, he must help this girl. He didn't plan on loving this girl. BUT...
The boy has a secret. A secret that could ruin everything

A great college read about Ingrid and Coen. A perfect HEA if you will. Somewhat predictable as I saw the ending coming. I wish I could have had more of the gory details. The why's of Ingrid's heartache, the nitty gritty. I would have liked more about Coen's Mom's past, also.

This is a feel good read that I was immersed completely in. I fell into there world, I really enjoyed the read. I just needed a little bit more.

[Maria Lazarou · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very different read for me, at first it was slow moving and a bit hard to get in to. This is a very different read by Chelsea and not like any of her other books.


Ingrid has lived through tragedy, losing everything that mean to her in her life. Deciding to go off to college and keep to herself in order to protect herself.

Coen has secrets and his desire to attend a certain college not for the education but for a person. He feels he needs to protect someone, someone that was affected by the sins of another.

This is filled full of angst, tragedy and forgiveness.

***Copy received in exchange for an honest and unbiased review****

[Elsa Gomes (BookishAurora) · Rating 5 out of 5]

One girl.
Lonely.
Broken.
Lost.

One boy.
Determined.
Guilty.
Lost.

Two hearts.
One terrible secret.
It will either bring them together or tear them apart.


Rate: 5/5 stars


A very beautiful, heart wrenching book just like I love them to be. I really loved this dispite it being so sad, the love between Ingrid and Coen just made it more powerful and lovely to read. You should know by now these are my favorite kind of books. They break my heart but they mend it at the same time. So this was perfect in my opinion, and if you usually like these type of books too, you should definitely give it a read loves.

[Emmbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was slightly darker than I expected it to be. Darker probably is the best word, maybe heavier?

Two main characters with secrets and huge issues from their pasts that are impacting them today.

Beautiful writing from an author that I always one-click. Chelsea has a wonder way of making the words flow on the page.

I'm being deliberately vague about the story here, but as you can see from the blurb, that's the best way to go into this story.

Not a light, entertaining read but one that will stay with you after the last page.

[Jacqueline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow is all I can say

Man this was some story. The trauma that Ingrid had gone through was really big, and Coen just felt as though it was, his job/ place to fix everything or make it right. Almost like he blamed himself when it wasn't his fault. Ingrid, was really hard to crack at first and getting her to let her walls slowly come down was even harder. But as time went on you could see how perfect they were for each other. It was really sweet. The ending felt a little blah but I liked everything else. Not a bad book, I'd say it's recommendable.

[Paula Wallis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, it reminded me of other authors, similar writing style.

[Maureen Mayer · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

[Laura Eva Gauthier · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have loved to give this book 5 stars, as it started off really good. But I felt cheated near the ending--it lacked more depth, more information.