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Broken Dreams
Ethan is the boy who climbed into my bedroom every night.
He's everything I love.
Laced with everything I despise.
He's every happy memory.
And every shattered dream.
He's my everything.
But he broke every part of me.
I'm supposed to hate him.
But I can't.
I don't know how.
He's everything I love.
Laced with everything I despise.
He's every happy memory.
And every shattered dream.
He's my everything.
But he broke every part of me.
I'm supposed to hate him.
But I can't.
I don't know how.
262 pages, Unknown Binding
First published April 27, 2017
321 people are currently reading
776 people want to read
About the author
Callie Anderson
13 books795 followersCallie Anderson is a wife, mother and writer, who embraces the truth, then weaves it into a magical tale of romance and heartache.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
May 17, 2017
Broken Dreams by Callie Anderson is a standalone second chance romance about two people that meet as kids, grow up together, fall in love, and then have their lives torn apart in one fell swoop. It’s told completely in the heroine’s point of view flashing back from past to present throughout the entirety of the book. I’d never read a book by this author before this one, but I am going to make sure I don’t miss out on any in the future! I was completely invested in this story almost immediately, and I read the entire book straight through from start to finish!
Leslie didn’t know the night she invited Ethan to climb into her bedroom window that he would climb into her heart as well. Ethan’s father was being abusive towards his mother, and Ethan was on his deck crying when he heard the girl next door call out to him. She offered him refuge inside her bedroom, and he quickly took her up on her offer. The kindness she showed him was more than anyone else had ever done, and after that night, they became inseparable.
All of Leslie’s life her mother groomed her to be a prima ballerina. She was more her ballet instructor than her parent. Leslie was extremely talented, and her mother’s dream for her soon became her own. She worked day and night forsaking a social life with the hope that her hard work would pay off one day in the form of acceptance into Julliard. Ethan helps her with her audition, and he plans to accompany her to New York if she gets in. They want their futures to be together more than anything, but one night obliterates those dreams and separates them for eight long years.
A family tragedy brings Leslie home, and it isn’t long before Ethan finds her. Though they were apart for all that time, their feelings for one another have never gone away. Leslie wishes she could run into Ethan’s arms and never let go, but with everything that has happened between them in the past, do they stand any chance at a future?
Broken Dreams is well-paced, emotional, and captivating. I loved reading about Ethan and Leslie. I could feel every word they spoke to one another, and I found myself smiling from ear to ear when Leslie would swoon over something Ethan did or said. Their love was touching, sweet, and beautiful. I fell for both of them from the moment they were introduced, and I was routing for them the whole way through. The only thing that bothered me about the story was Ethan’s reason for staying away the first time. It just seemed stupid, and I didn’t like something else that I can’t speak about without giving away a major spoiler. However, I still had an amazing time reading this book! The good certainly outweighed the bad here, and like I said earlier, I won’t hesitate to pick up anything else by this author! I recommend this one to any fans of second chance romance!
Leslie didn’t know the night she invited Ethan to climb into her bedroom window that he would climb into her heart as well. Ethan’s father was being abusive towards his mother, and Ethan was on his deck crying when he heard the girl next door call out to him. She offered him refuge inside her bedroom, and he quickly took her up on her offer. The kindness she showed him was more than anyone else had ever done, and after that night, they became inseparable.
All of Leslie’s life her mother groomed her to be a prima ballerina. She was more her ballet instructor than her parent. Leslie was extremely talented, and her mother’s dream for her soon became her own. She worked day and night forsaking a social life with the hope that her hard work would pay off one day in the form of acceptance into Julliard. Ethan helps her with her audition, and he plans to accompany her to New York if she gets in. They want their futures to be together more than anything, but one night obliterates those dreams and separates them for eight long years.
A family tragedy brings Leslie home, and it isn’t long before Ethan finds her. Though they were apart for all that time, their feelings for one another have never gone away. Leslie wishes she could run into Ethan’s arms and never let go, but with everything that has happened between them in the past, do they stand any chance at a future?
Broken Dreams is well-paced, emotional, and captivating. I loved reading about Ethan and Leslie. I could feel every word they spoke to one another, and I found myself smiling from ear to ear when Leslie would swoon over something Ethan did or said. Their love was touching, sweet, and beautiful. I fell for both of them from the moment they were introduced, and I was routing for them the whole way through. The only thing that bothered me about the story was Ethan’s reason for staying away the first time. It just seemed stupid, and I didn’t like something else that I can’t speak about without giving away a major spoiler. However, I still had an amazing time reading this book! The good certainly outweighed the bad here, and like I said earlier, I won’t hesitate to pick up anything else by this author! I recommend this one to any fans of second chance romance!
April 19, 2017
BROKEN DREAMS: This flits from Past to Present swiftly and is spoken in singular POV.
THEN: Leslie and Ethan met under unusual circumstances, he was just the boy she tried to save, and she was just the girl he tried to show that there was more to life than ballet.
At age ten new neighbours move into the house right across from theirs, a family with two boys, one boy in particular catches her attention when she sees him on their porch seeming to be crying, she calls out to him asking him if he’s ok, seeing he was a person in need she told him to climb into her bedroom window, that was the outset for a beautiful friendship. From then on out whenever he needed an escape he’d make his way over to her house and through her bedroom window where he would bunk down for the night on her floor.
He was the boy who crawled through my window and captured my heart.
Thinking they are going to have the happy ever after they deserve sadly things don't go to plan and we see them going their separate ways never to see each other for many years.
My dreams shattered..My destiny destroyed..A cruel twist in my fate..
NOW: Leslie is now living in Arizona and hasn’t been back to her hometown in over eight years, she’s also turned her back on the only boy she ever loved and a mother who just never understood her. But that one phone call begging her to come home because her father has taken ill has her racing across country on Christmas Eve.
This was a real enjoyable read, had all the feels all you could want in a second chance romance, it does flit from past to present chapter to chapter which generally I don't tend to mind, but with this book I think it could be done better, instead of one year later, one month later etc it would flow better if just says 'Past' other than that minor detail I wouldn't change anything about this book, this wasn't just a boy meets girl, girl meets boy lada lada book there was so much more going on in this book.
So to sum this book up, if your after all the feels, angst to feed your soul, a boy that will capture your heart then I highly recommend this book come release day. This is definitely one author you'll want to keep an eye out for..
September 11, 2017
4 "Be mine, Freckles" Stars
Leslie and Ethan met each other when they were ten. Ethan’s father owned most of the town, he is an abuser, not just to his family but to all the people who stand on his way. Leslie, from her childhood, wanted to help Ethan, to be his anchor.
"I didn't know if it was the sadness I saw in his eyes or the fact I was desperate for a real friend, but I felt a need to protect Ethan."
Leslie’s wish was to be a ballerina and she was the best at dancing. Her mother was her coach. She was more a coach than a mother. Her whole thought was that Leslie would go to Juilliard.
"Be better, she would say. Be extraordinary. Prima ballerinas don’t have the luxury of taking days off. Toughen up."
But everything will not stay good forever. Before she and Ethan could leave the town and go to find their dreams something happened, something really bad. Leslie left the town alone and never looked back. She cut her contact with everyone even her mother and her friends.
Now after eight years she have to return to that place again and…
"My dreams shattered.
My destiny destroyed.
A cruel twist in my fate."
Broken Dreams is an emotional second chance story, it’s well-written and a little fast-paced with likable characters. Two broken souls who try to heal each other. The story alternates between the past and the present chapter to chapter. I liked its writing. It’s told in Leslie’s POV, 1st person and it’s a stand-alone. I liked it, hope you enjoy it as well!
Leslie and Ethan met each other when they were ten. Ethan’s father owned most of the town, he is an abuser, not just to his family but to all the people who stand on his way. Leslie, from her childhood, wanted to help Ethan, to be his anchor.
"I didn't know if it was the sadness I saw in his eyes or the fact I was desperate for a real friend, but I felt a need to protect Ethan."
Leslie’s wish was to be a ballerina and she was the best at dancing. Her mother was her coach. She was more a coach than a mother. Her whole thought was that Leslie would go to Juilliard.
"Be better, she would say. Be extraordinary. Prima ballerinas don’t have the luxury of taking days off. Toughen up."
But everything will not stay good forever. Before she and Ethan could leave the town and go to find their dreams something happened, something really bad. Leslie left the town alone and never looked back. She cut her contact with everyone even her mother and her friends.
Now after eight years she have to return to that place again and…
"My dreams shattered.
My destiny destroyed.
A cruel twist in my fate."
Broken Dreams is an emotional second chance story, it’s well-written and a little fast-paced with likable characters. Two broken souls who try to heal each other. The story alternates between the past and the present chapter to chapter. I liked its writing. It’s told in Leslie’s POV, 1st person and it’s a stand-alone. I liked it, hope you enjoy it as well!
December 18, 2018
What I really loved about this book:
the heroine WASN'T celibate during 8-year separation! Yes! Yes! Yes!
Amazing!
But as every 2nd chance it wasn't perfect.
Their conflict wasn't solved completely.
He never explained why he neither visited her at the hospital (after his farher attacked her and she broke her ankle) nor answered her phone calls.
She jumped almost immediately in his bed after their sudden reunion.
They never used condoms and there was no health status talk.
Unplanned pregnancy... *cough cough*
Miscarriage.
Drama.
Finally he chased her.
Reunion.
Another unplanned pregnancy year later *eye roll*
HEA
One thing that bothered me much and was never spoken about - he slept with her nemesis during their long separation. I couldn't forgive him. It was ok not to live as a monk for 8 years, but it was a low blow to "date" h's enemy.
the heroine WASN'T celibate during 8-year separation! Yes! Yes! Yes!
Amazing!
But as every 2nd chance it wasn't perfect.
Their conflict wasn't solved completely.
He never explained why he neither visited her at the hospital (after his farher attacked her and she broke her ankle) nor answered her phone calls.
She jumped almost immediately in his bed after their sudden reunion.
They never used condoms and there was no health status talk.
Unplanned pregnancy... *cough cough*
Miscarriage.
Drama.
Finally he chased her.
Reunion.
Another unplanned pregnancy year later *eye roll*
HEA
One thing that bothered me much and was never spoken about - he slept with her nemesis during their long separation. I couldn't forgive him. It was ok not to live as a monk for 8 years, but it was a low blow to "date" h's enemy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 20, 2020
I do not like nor hate this book. The story is promising. A second chance in love for 2 persons whose dream were tore apart. The plot is good enough.
However the wording needs to be edited or smoothed better. I feel like reading a draft or unfinished book. The character chemistry also need more development. There is not much connection between Ethan and Leslie. And when they do have some vulnerable connection, ot was cut short/ jumped around.
Overall I do not hate it nor like it either.
3 stars
However the wording needs to be edited or smoothed better. I feel like reading a draft or unfinished book. The character chemistry also need more development. There is not much connection between Ethan and Leslie. And when they do have some vulnerable connection, ot was cut short/ jumped around.
Overall I do not hate it nor like it either.
3 stars
April 2, 2017
5+++++ STARS!!!
This book....OMG.
I love Ethan more than Weston - yeah, you heard me!!!!!
This book....OMG.
I love Ethan more than Weston - yeah, you heard me!!!!!
April 27, 2017
Friendship…..it’s the catalyst of a childhood. The person that is always there for you when no one else is. Leslie met Ethan when they were just kids. A new neighbor that needed a safe place. Nightly visits through Leslie’s window provide the escape that Ethan needs to escape the horrific things that lurk behind the windows of his home. It was a friendship filled with hopes and dreams.
That friendship slowly evolved into that innocent love of your youth. Ethan was always the supportive arm that Leslie needed in her life. With a mother that pushed her to consume her life with dance, Leslie relied on Ethan for the sunshine she so desperately needed. Two battered souls on the inside. Desperate for the peace the other gives from the things that haunt their lives. The rock that was unbreakable. The calm before the storm.
Leslie and Ethan were determined to live out their dreams together. An escape from the lives they both wanted to desperately to change. Then one fateful night changes it all. Dreams were crushed, and the friendship that once consumed them was no more. Time has passed without so much as a word. Now Leslie finds herself returning to the town that she dreads with all her heart. Coming face to face with the past is going to be harder than Leslie could ever imagine.
Broken Dreams is the latest novel from Callie Anderson. It’s an unexpected glimpse into a tragedy that had extreme consequences. It’s an emotional story that touches you to your core. Broken dreams from another that pull at your heart so deeply. A journey into the past to free a soul tainted by a betrayal. It’s a story that should not be missed.
That friendship slowly evolved into that innocent love of your youth. Ethan was always the supportive arm that Leslie needed in her life. With a mother that pushed her to consume her life with dance, Leslie relied on Ethan for the sunshine she so desperately needed. Two battered souls on the inside. Desperate for the peace the other gives from the things that haunt their lives. The rock that was unbreakable. The calm before the storm.
Leslie and Ethan were determined to live out their dreams together. An escape from the lives they both wanted to desperately to change. Then one fateful night changes it all. Dreams were crushed, and the friendship that once consumed them was no more. Time has passed without so much as a word. Now Leslie finds herself returning to the town that she dreads with all her heart. Coming face to face with the past is going to be harder than Leslie could ever imagine.
Broken Dreams is the latest novel from Callie Anderson. It’s an unexpected glimpse into a tragedy that had extreme consequences. It’s an emotional story that touches you to your core. Broken dreams from another that pull at your heart so deeply. A journey into the past to free a soul tainted by a betrayal. It’s a story that should not be missed.
April 25, 2017
The feels.... review to follow ❤
Callie Anderson managed to break my heart and piece it back together in Broken Dreams. This emotionally gripping second chance romance was heartbreakingly beautiful and full of the feels. Don't miss this one-click worthy new release.
Callie Anderson managed to break my heart and piece it back together in Broken Dreams. This emotionally gripping second chance romance was heartbreakingly beautiful and full of the feels. Don't miss this one-click worthy new release.
March 7, 2018
Broken Dreams by Callie Anderson is a beautiful story full of second chances and love. It was my first book by this author and I truly devoured this complex and intense story. In parts it reminded my of the earlier books written by Colleen Hoover but there was still a tiny spark missing to her magic.
This comparison I made should ensure you of one thing …. This plot will hurt.
One thing I am not a fan of is the “now and then” storyline, but this is an issue I have in general as to me it is quite clear what will happen once the contemporary part of the story has started so I hate going back all the time because that feels like watching Titanic.
I darn well know that ship will sink – if you get what I mean. I don’t mind an “then” start that changes to a “now” storyline, it is just the constant switching that I am not a fan of. Because of the way the story was woven into each other I had some problems to connect everything, I am not sure if the author really used the optimal way to present the plot.
Still – the plot is great no question about it and I will fully recommend the story to lovers of Colleen Hoover books as a “light” version / similar thinking style…. The complexity of this story is remarkable and you should make sure you have enough time to dive into this book as undisturbed as possible.
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April 20, 2017
Callie did it again! She absolutely blew me away with this amazing read! I should probably mention that I might be a little biased because I always wanted to be a ballerina. =P So, I could relate to Leslie easily from the very beginning. But it wasn't just that. The characters were just perfect. Leslie and Ethan shared a special bond and they pulled me right into their bubble when they were kids.
It was heartbreaking to see then, how one moment changed so many lives drastically. And, like in real life, the characters had it in their own hands on how huge an impact it had on their lives. Because in the end everyone has to decide on their own how to deal with it.
'There's no point in dwelling on the small stuff.
But Ethan wasn't small. Oh, God, not at all. He was the “what if” in my life.'
The story was told from Leslie's POV and switched between past and present, which made the story a lot more interesting IMO. It was also really easy to follow because both timelines moved forward and weren't just randomly mixed. If you get what I mean.
The Story:
It has been eight years since Leslie saw Ethan the last time. Now she's back in her home town which she couldn't leave behind fast enough all those years ago after what happened. It's not just where she left behind so much but where her dreams shattered and her heart had been broken.
Now it's time for Leslie to face those dark chapters of her life again. Can she overcome what happened and forgive? And most importantly, will she be able to face Ethan again and keep her feelings buried inside?
'But what I felt for him was an all-consuming, pure and innocent first love. The kind you never forget. The kind of love you store in a box, making sure you throw away the key and then toss into the deepest end of the ocean. It's a love that haunts you. It's what you compare everything too.'
Thoughts:
This was such an emotional read on so many levels. I loved how Ethan found a safe haven with Leslie and I loved that she had him as her friend in her otherwise strict life. I adored those two kids and their story even if it was hard on Leslie with the constant pressure from her parents but it was especially tough for Ethan.
Ethan had obvious problems in his family, which I don't want to get into detail because you'll read all about them in the book. I think that the problems between Leslie and her parents were a lot more complex and while they differ in the past and present, their relationship stayed strained all the same. I think that the author handled their struggle really well and she'd found a good way to weave it into the story without it being the main focus but still one of the tougher parts in Leslie's life. I also enjoyed how the family slowly found a way to take steps towards each other at the end.
I was positively surprised at how much I loved the switches between past and present because they were woven together so perfectly. Most times when the present awoke memories in the characters from the past, we could experience them first hand with the time switch in the next chapter. I loved this because I prefer to read about the actual situation rather than just the biased memory from one character.
This being said, I highly recommend this read! I could go on and on about how much I love the characters but that would be a waste of time because it would be never ending *haha* It's just better when you go and read this amazing story for yourself while I go right back and re-read it myself =)
'I inhaled and exhaled slowly before the music began. My eyes closed and I let the movements pour out of my body. Each step was delicate. Every movement crisp and defined'
-- I received an ARC of this book from Sassy Savvy Fabulous PR in exchange for an honest review. --
April 18, 2017
Broken Dreams reminds us that no matter the time or place, love shows up when we need it most, and maybe in an unexpected way. ~ Heather, White Hot Reads
Seriously you guys! Ahhhhhh! Callie Anderson is my go to author when I need to feel. And by feel I mean each and every word... deep in my soul! This is true yet again in Broken Dreams.
"But what I felt for him was an all‑consuming, pure and innocent first love. The kind you never forget. The kind of love you store in a locked box, making sure you throw away the key and then toss into the deepest end of the ocean. It’s a love that haunts you. It’s what you compare everything too." <----- THIS!!
Flipping he-l-l Callie! This stole my breath away!
Ethan and Leslie are childhood best friends and I fell in love with them from the beginning because what they had was simple and pure. Their vulnerability shined through and I felt a pull towards them. Young Leslie, made me want to be a better woman.
If you are a feeler and love to experience that through the words on the page, down to your deepest core, grab Broken Dreams. You'll get everything you need and more!
Seriously you guys! Ahhhhhh! Callie Anderson is my go to author when I need to feel. And by feel I mean each and every word... deep in my soul! This is true yet again in Broken Dreams.
"But what I felt for him was an all‑consuming, pure and innocent first love. The kind you never forget. The kind of love you store in a locked box, making sure you throw away the key and then toss into the deepest end of the ocean. It’s a love that haunts you. It’s what you compare everything too." <----- THIS!!
Flipping he-l-l Callie! This stole my breath away!
Ethan and Leslie are childhood best friends and I fell in love with them from the beginning because what they had was simple and pure. Their vulnerability shined through and I felt a pull towards them. Young Leslie, made me want to be a better woman.
If you are a feeler and love to experience that through the words on the page, down to your deepest core, grab Broken Dreams. You'll get everything you need and more!
April 23, 2017
ARC ❤️📚
I am madly in love with this book!
The author nails it out the park once again with this one and I think it may be her best work yet.
Sometimes you get a story that touches your heart and stays there for long time. Sometimes you star a book and in the first few pages you know it is going to be the one of those books you will connect with the characters, Broken Dreams was one such story for me.
Kudos to you Callie for another awesome and beautiful love story.
Totally recommend this book!
Beautiful, heartbreaking, pure, every word was amazing from to start to end...every page was a perfection. 💕💕💕💕
I am madly in love with this book!
The author nails it out the park once again with this one and I think it may be her best work yet.
Sometimes you get a story that touches your heart and stays there for long time. Sometimes you star a book and in the first few pages you know it is going to be the one of those books you will connect with the characters, Broken Dreams was one such story for me.
Kudos to you Callie for another awesome and beautiful love story.
Totally recommend this book!
Beautiful, heartbreaking, pure, every word was amazing from to start to end...every page was a perfection. 💕💕💕💕
April 27, 2017
Leslie was to be the best ballerina. Friends, boyfriends are not in the picture well, if her mother had her way, but what happens when the new boy next door needs a place to escape his father? Can she just be the friend he needs or will she fall for the broken boy next door?
Ethan has a troubled life. He desperately doesn't want to be like his father, but is that something he can stop?
I felt for Leslie and Ethan I really did. Their story was sad and at times tragic, but I couldn't help but root for them since page one. They had so much going against them. At times I thought how can they possibly make this work?
My heart broke for Leslie and at times I wanted to slap Ethan around, but this was a good love story.
*I was provided an ARC in exchange for my honest review* ~Alison
Ethan has a troubled life. He desperately doesn't want to be like his father, but is that something he can stop?
I felt for Leslie and Ethan I really did. Their story was sad and at times tragic, but I couldn't help but root for them since page one. They had so much going against them. At times I thought how can they possibly make this work?
My heart broke for Leslie and at times I wanted to slap Ethan around, but this was a good love story.
*I was provided an ARC in exchange for my honest review* ~Alison
April 12, 2017
this a great second chance at love read. Ethan has a home life not so perfect til he meets his neighbor Leslie, she offers him place to crash and every night from then on she's been his light in the dark but nothing is perfect. Leslie is train g for julillard but it's more her mom's dream so went that chance is taken away e everything and one she loves let's her down, now she's back home after 8 years and her love for Ethan is as strong now as they where then and he's not letting her go this time. I loved it.
April 19, 2017
3.5 Stars
Review by Lisa Kane
Leslie first laid eyes on Ethan when she was a child. His family had just moved on next door and the first thing she saw and heard was Ethan’s father slapping and yelling at his mother. Ethan ran out the door, Leslie called to him and told him to climb up to her bedroom. This was the start of their relationship. Ethan’s father, Jerry was a powerful, dangerous man who had the police force in his back pocket. Years of abuse followed. But Leslie and Ethan grew closer and friendship turned to love. Leslie’s life revolved around her dream to be a great ballerina. Her mother was obsessed with her training and Leslie’s hopes to go to Julliard were about to be realized. Only what happened the night of her graduation party killed her dreams for her career and for her and Ethan.
I didn’t know it then. But Ethan would be the first boy I ever loved and the first one to break my heart.
Eight years later Leslie has come home. Her father suffered a heart attack she needs to see him. She hasn’t seen or talked to her mother in all that time. When her dreams of being a dancer died, so did her relationship with her mother. Of course it’s only a matter of time until she sees Ethan again. Finding out that he still lives in the same town means a run in with him is inevitable. All these years later and her anger towards him hasn’t lessened. Not really.
Anger and hatred boils through my veins as the hurt of his betrayal threatens to resurface.
Most of the story concentrates on both their past and the present. How they got to where they are at now, why Leslie finds it hard to forgive Ethan and is still stuck; unable to connect with anyone new but unwilling to risk her heart again with him.
Some wounds don’t ever heal. I’ll learn to live with them. There are some bumps in the road you can never overcome, so you learn to turn yourself around and find a new road.
I have to admit I adored Ms. Anderson’s previous stories. I had a difficult time with Ethan’s character. He blows hot and cold, and his excuses just don’t cut it with me. The author is a talented writer and her words flowed as their story progresses. I just couldn’t connect with Him-I wish I had felt more invested in their story.
Sometimes you need to hit rock bottom, shatter your dreams in order to create new ones.
Review by Lisa Kane
Leslie first laid eyes on Ethan when she was a child. His family had just moved on next door and the first thing she saw and heard was Ethan’s father slapping and yelling at his mother. Ethan ran out the door, Leslie called to him and told him to climb up to her bedroom. This was the start of their relationship. Ethan’s father, Jerry was a powerful, dangerous man who had the police force in his back pocket. Years of abuse followed. But Leslie and Ethan grew closer and friendship turned to love. Leslie’s life revolved around her dream to be a great ballerina. Her mother was obsessed with her training and Leslie’s hopes to go to Julliard were about to be realized. Only what happened the night of her graduation party killed her dreams for her career and for her and Ethan.
I didn’t know it then. But Ethan would be the first boy I ever loved and the first one to break my heart.
Eight years later Leslie has come home. Her father suffered a heart attack she needs to see him. She hasn’t seen or talked to her mother in all that time. When her dreams of being a dancer died, so did her relationship with her mother. Of course it’s only a matter of time until she sees Ethan again. Finding out that he still lives in the same town means a run in with him is inevitable. All these years later and her anger towards him hasn’t lessened. Not really.
Anger and hatred boils through my veins as the hurt of his betrayal threatens to resurface.
Most of the story concentrates on both their past and the present. How they got to where they are at now, why Leslie finds it hard to forgive Ethan and is still stuck; unable to connect with anyone new but unwilling to risk her heart again with him.
Some wounds don’t ever heal. I’ll learn to live with them. There are some bumps in the road you can never overcome, so you learn to turn yourself around and find a new road.
I have to admit I adored Ms. Anderson’s previous stories. I had a difficult time with Ethan’s character. He blows hot and cold, and his excuses just don’t cut it with me. The author is a talented writer and her words flowed as their story progresses. I just couldn’t connect with Him-I wish I had felt more invested in their story.
Sometimes you need to hit rock bottom, shatter your dreams in order to create new ones.
April 26, 2017
ARC kindly provided by author.
I think all lovers of second chance romance will love this one!
I know I did. Whenever I get my hand on angsty, heartwrenching romance, I usually devour it in one sitting. This had all the feels and amazing characters.
Leslie and Ethan met as kids and right from the very beginning they had this magnetic connection. One you just can't escape... one that marks you for the rest of your life.
He was Leslie's neighbour, a damaged kid who grew up with an abusive father, and she was a talented ballerina who suffered a great deal herself, under her mother's perfectionism and relentless aspirations for her. They were basically inseparable souls, who had a couple of things in common and their friendship turned to love.
Sadly, after one tragic event, they spend eight years separated.
When Leslie come back to town, following her father's heart attack and after her dreams of ever becoming a dancer get shattered, she is back in a place she never thought she'll be again.
Her relationship with her mother is strained and she is certainly not ready to face the demons from her past. But Ethan won't stop pursuing her.
Can she face him again, and more important can she forgive him?
At one point, she realises he has been looking for several times in the last eight years, and she also realises she needs to find him too, and I don't mean only on a physical level.
I don't intend to reveal anything else, but do yourself a favor and read this one!
The book is told from Leslie's POV and swithed from past to present.
I highly recommend it!
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I think all lovers of second chance romance will love this one!
I know I did. Whenever I get my hand on angsty, heartwrenching romance, I usually devour it in one sitting. This had all the feels and amazing characters.
Leslie and Ethan met as kids and right from the very beginning they had this magnetic connection. One you just can't escape... one that marks you for the rest of your life.
He was Leslie's neighbour, a damaged kid who grew up with an abusive father, and she was a talented ballerina who suffered a great deal herself, under her mother's perfectionism and relentless aspirations for her. They were basically inseparable souls, who had a couple of things in common and their friendship turned to love.
Sadly, after one tragic event, they spend eight years separated.
When Leslie come back to town, following her father's heart attack and after her dreams of ever becoming a dancer get shattered, she is back in a place she never thought she'll be again.
Her relationship with her mother is strained and she is certainly not ready to face the demons from her past. But Ethan won't stop pursuing her.
Can she face him again, and more important can she forgive him?
At one point, she realises he has been looking for several times in the last eight years, and she also realises she needs to find him too, and I don't mean only on a physical level.
I don't intend to reveal anything else, but do yourself a favor and read this one!
The book is told from Leslie's POV and swithed from past to present.
I highly recommend it!
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May 2, 2017
Another captivating story by Callie Anderson full of intense emotions, a once in a lifetime type of love that makes you want to turn the pages and discover how broken dreams can be healed. Full review to come on release day.
July 13, 2018
Ethan and Leslie have history. And when I say history, I mean all the way back to childhood. They were neighbors. They were friends. They were companions. They were each other’s shoulders. Until they weren’t ….
Eight years later and we have ourselves a second chance. Maybe. You would think that enough time may have passed that past events could be forgiven, but wounds run deep and scars never really go away in life. The story of Ethan and Leslie is told from past to present and back again. I can’t say that’s my favorite, but it fit this story perfectly. As the events unfolded of the past, it added depth to the story in the present. With every twist and turn or their relationship I became more and more invested in these two. I was captivated and on edge with this one. It reads really quick because you just can’t wait to discover the … what now?
This is more than just the story of Ethan & Leslie. It’s a journey of life. It’s about forgiveness and compromise. Love and friendship. And most of all trust.
Copy provided for blog tour review
Eight years later and we have ourselves a second chance. Maybe. You would think that enough time may have passed that past events could be forgiven, but wounds run deep and scars never really go away in life. The story of Ethan and Leslie is told from past to present and back again. I can’t say that’s my favorite, but it fit this story perfectly. As the events unfolded of the past, it added depth to the story in the present. With every twist and turn or their relationship I became more and more invested in these two. I was captivated and on edge with this one. It reads really quick because you just can’t wait to discover the … what now?
This is more than just the story of Ethan & Leslie. It’s a journey of life. It’s about forgiveness and compromise. Love and friendship. And most of all trust.
Copy provided for blog tour review
April 27, 2017
Broken Dreams by Author Callie Anderson is a second chance romance novel.
Ethan and Leslie met and fell in love at a young age. They were each other's everything, friend, confidant, first love, and place of escape and comfort. They had plans. They had dreams. Until those were destroyed and destruction was all that remained.
Broken Dreams was a touching second chance at love. Ethan and Leslie deserved an HEA that would overshadow anything from their past. There was an edge of the unknown. Despite feeling goosebumps with every sweet notion, there was also a feeling of apprehension that clung to me, fearing the possibilities. There were some points in the story which I felt were predictable and some that I didn't expect, but almost seemed out of place. However, it was a good story, with easy-to-connect-to characters, and a stamp of elation in the end.
#shinebright
Ethan and Leslie met and fell in love at a young age. They were each other's everything, friend, confidant, first love, and place of escape and comfort. They had plans. They had dreams. Until those were destroyed and destruction was all that remained.
Broken Dreams was a touching second chance at love. Ethan and Leslie deserved an HEA that would overshadow anything from their past. There was an edge of the unknown. Despite feeling goosebumps with every sweet notion, there was also a feeling of apprehension that clung to me, fearing the possibilities. There were some points in the story which I felt were predictable and some that I didn't expect, but almost seemed out of place. However, it was a good story, with easy-to-connect-to characters, and a stamp of elation in the end.
#shinebright
April 21, 2019
I couldn't wait to dive into this book & see how these two young lives played out. The setting is Arizona, & Leslie, at ten years old has been trained by her mother to dance ballet. Her life consists of school, ballet, homework & sleep. On a vigorous schedule for as long as she can remember, Leslie's food is even monitored. Thin, with her ribs showing, her mother is somewhat of a tyrant. She has one goal...Leslie IS GOING TO JULLIARD. With no friends to speak of, her mother's rigid ways has scared everyone off, Leslie has resigned herself to this life. One night while looking at the sky through her opened window, Leslie hears the slam of the new neighbour's back door, the yelling from inside & spots a young boy (Ethan) around her age crouched down, hugging his knees with his face buried. She invites him to climb up to her room to escape the volatile situation in his home hoping to help but also hoping to make a new friend.
A story with many twists in these young lives, their long friendship develops into a romantic relationship. Because of Leslie's mother & her strict rules & also the unscrupulous, shady & violent tendencies of Ethan's father, the pair decide to keep everything about their relationship a secret. While they move from childhood to their teen years they share their hopes, their plans & how they will both one day get out of this town, together.
The story moves back & forth from past (childhood) to the present (eight years after they've seen each other) & the author lets us know gradually how our hero & heroine got to where they are today. I loved the closeness of these two as they grew up. They were each other's lifeline, their amusement, their joy. Even the occasional disagreement couldn't tear them apart. After high school graduation, tragedy, temperment changes & broken promises have a dire effect on what Ethan & Leslie assumed were best laid plans.
Some might find the pace of this book to be a little slow, especially in the middle. I became more invested in the story as it added to the much loved character development. The author added secondary characters that brought much needed humour & spice to a book with very serious issues.
This is a stand-alone with a HEA. I truly enjoyed reading this book.
A story with many twists in these young lives, their long friendship develops into a romantic relationship. Because of Leslie's mother & her strict rules & also the unscrupulous, shady & violent tendencies of Ethan's father, the pair decide to keep everything about their relationship a secret. While they move from childhood to their teen years they share their hopes, their plans & how they will both one day get out of this town, together.
The story moves back & forth from past (childhood) to the present (eight years after they've seen each other) & the author lets us know gradually how our hero & heroine got to where they are today. I loved the closeness of these two as they grew up. They were each other's lifeline, their amusement, their joy. Even the occasional disagreement couldn't tear them apart. After high school graduation, tragedy, temperment changes & broken promises have a dire effect on what Ethan & Leslie assumed were best laid plans.
Some might find the pace of this book to be a little slow, especially in the middle. I became more invested in the story as it added to the much loved character development. The author added secondary characters that brought much needed humour & spice to a book with very serious issues.
This is a stand-alone with a HEA. I truly enjoyed reading this book.
June 7, 2017
BANGOR BELLE BOOK BESTIES..
Oh Wow, this book gives you all the feels, it gives you all the heartache, it gives you all the tears and it gives you an amazing roller coaster of emotions you won't soon forget. I could say so much about this story but i really don't want to give too much away or spoil this experience.
Leslie and Ethan first meet at 8 years old, he's the boy next door but his life is no fairytale. Then again Leslie's life isn't so great either, she has an overbearing mother that pushes Leslie constantly to be the best of the best at her ballerina classes. To become a top class ballerina, nothing less is acceptable. As the years progress Leslies dreams of becoming what her mother wants becomes harder for her as she starts to question life. The one thing she is sure about is her love for Ethan and his love for her. It all comes crashing down when a tragedy occurs that changes their paths forever.
Now eight years later Leslie has to return home, and is absolutely dreading it, and desperately hoping she won't run into Ethan, she hates him for abandoning her, yet she can't stop her heart still wanting him.
This book is told in both past and present. I couldn't put it down. Ethan was just everything you want from a hot sexy book boyfriend and more!! Leslie was such a likable character, my heart twisted for her. This is their journey, of losing and fighting to survive, to reclaiming their lives, of love, of forgiveness, and learning that sometimes the heart wants what it wants whatever the cost! How each of them have dealt with the cards they were dealt is written so emotionally you can't help but to be fully captured and invested in this couple. There were so many times i had tears without even being aware i was so wrapped up in the pages, and yet the author keeps us guessing as to the outcome. Ethan rocks it, what an amazing guy!!! Life doesn't always go as we plan or dream, but this book truly is a lesson that Broken Dreams can sometimes be for the perfect reason and turn out to be your true destiny !!! Grab this book you won't regret it!!!
Oh Wow, this book gives you all the feels, it gives you all the heartache, it gives you all the tears and it gives you an amazing roller coaster of emotions you won't soon forget. I could say so much about this story but i really don't want to give too much away or spoil this experience.
Leslie and Ethan first meet at 8 years old, he's the boy next door but his life is no fairytale. Then again Leslie's life isn't so great either, she has an overbearing mother that pushes Leslie constantly to be the best of the best at her ballerina classes. To become a top class ballerina, nothing less is acceptable. As the years progress Leslies dreams of becoming what her mother wants becomes harder for her as she starts to question life. The one thing she is sure about is her love for Ethan and his love for her. It all comes crashing down when a tragedy occurs that changes their paths forever.
Now eight years later Leslie has to return home, and is absolutely dreading it, and desperately hoping she won't run into Ethan, she hates him for abandoning her, yet she can't stop her heart still wanting him.
This book is told in both past and present. I couldn't put it down. Ethan was just everything you want from a hot sexy book boyfriend and more!! Leslie was such a likable character, my heart twisted for her. This is their journey, of losing and fighting to survive, to reclaiming their lives, of love, of forgiveness, and learning that sometimes the heart wants what it wants whatever the cost! How each of them have dealt with the cards they were dealt is written so emotionally you can't help but to be fully captured and invested in this couple. There were so many times i had tears without even being aware i was so wrapped up in the pages, and yet the author keeps us guessing as to the outcome. Ethan rocks it, what an amazing guy!!! Life doesn't always go as we plan or dream, but this book truly is a lesson that Broken Dreams can sometimes be for the perfect reason and turn out to be your true destiny !!! Grab this book you won't regret it!!!
April 26, 2017
I Voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book
I enjoyed this book so much...
This book alternates between the past and the present.
Leslie is on her way home after her mother asked her to come hom as her father had a heartattack. She hasn't been home in 8 years. And now to go back to a place that holds a lot of happy as well as sad memories she is not preparted for it and the reason for that is because of Ethan.
Leslie met Ethan one night when they were ten years old. Ethan was Leslie's new neighbor and Ethan did not have a happy home. He's father was abusive and beat his mother and Ethan on occasion. So that night Leslie invited Ethan into her bedroom to keep him safe. And from that night every night that he's father would be in one of his moods Ethan would climb into Leslie bedroom and stay the night. They became best friends from then on. But later they also fell in love until a something tragic happened and all Leslie's dreams were crushed. And Ethan broke her heart!
This story deals not only with Leslie and Ethan's past and present but it also deals with a girl who's dreams of becoming a ballerina was crushed and how she moved on from that dream to become something different. About Ethan and Leslie working through what happened in the past and maybe finding their happily ever after.
Definitely a Favorite. Emotional and heartbreaking story
Reviewed on behalf of
I enjoyed this book so much...
This book alternates between the past and the present.
Leslie is on her way home after her mother asked her to come hom as her father had a heartattack. She hasn't been home in 8 years. And now to go back to a place that holds a lot of happy as well as sad memories she is not preparted for it and the reason for that is because of Ethan.
Leslie met Ethan one night when they were ten years old. Ethan was Leslie's new neighbor and Ethan did not have a happy home. He's father was abusive and beat his mother and Ethan on occasion. So that night Leslie invited Ethan into her bedroom to keep him safe. And from that night every night that he's father would be in one of his moods Ethan would climb into Leslie bedroom and stay the night. They became best friends from then on. But later they also fell in love until a something tragic happened and all Leslie's dreams were crushed. And Ethan broke her heart!
This story deals not only with Leslie and Ethan's past and present but it also deals with a girl who's dreams of becoming a ballerina was crushed and how she moved on from that dream to become something different. About Ethan and Leslie working through what happened in the past and maybe finding their happily ever after.
Definitely a Favorite. Emotional and heartbreaking story
Reviewed on behalf of
April 21, 2017
Broken Dreams by Callie Anderson
Years ago, Leslie was just a girl comforting a boy named Ethan who was crying on his front porch. After inviting him to climb through her bedroom window, a close friendship begun to form. Over the years when Ethan needed to escape his reality, he would climb through Leslie’s window while showing her that there’s more to life than ballet.
Until her dreams where shattered.
Eight years since then, Leslie is living in Arizona. She hasn’t been back to her hometown or talked to the Ethan, but that all changes when she gets a call from her mother begging her to come home since her father is ill. Dropping everything, she steps back into town and once again, into Ethan’s life.
Broken Dreams is a book that will forever latch onto you. It’s been a while since I read a book that reflected so many emotions. I can’t tell you how desperately I wanted to see Leslie and Ethan to overcome things in the past and future, but unfortunately some things aren’t easy to forget and forgive. The storyline was well established and flow was effortless. The only thing that I didn’t care for was when every chapter started, I wish it would just state when it was in the past or present instead of starting the chapter with “two years ago” or so on. However, that didn’t take away from the story.
I recommend Broken Dreams to anyone who enjoys emotional stories that leave a mark.
Tempting Sexy Thoughts
**ARC for an Honest Review**
Until her dreams where shattered.
Eight years since then, Leslie is living in Arizona. She hasn’t been back to her hometown or talked to the Ethan, but that all changes when she gets a call from her mother begging her to come home since her father is ill. Dropping everything, she steps back into town and once again, into Ethan’s life.
Broken Dreams is a book that will forever latch onto you. It’s been a while since I read a book that reflected so many emotions. I can’t tell you how desperately I wanted to see Leslie and Ethan to overcome things in the past and future, but unfortunately some things aren’t easy to forget and forgive. The storyline was well established and flow was effortless. The only thing that I didn’t care for was when every chapter started, I wish it would just state when it was in the past or present instead of starting the chapter with “two years ago” or so on. However, that didn’t take away from the story.
I recommend Broken Dreams to anyone who enjoys emotional stories that leave a mark.
Tempting Sexy Thoughts
**ARC for an Honest Review**
April 27, 2017
I loved Broken Dreams! Another great read from Callie Anderson! I enjoyed Leslie in the Love Letter series and was happy to read her book...and what a book it was! I am a sucker for second chance love stories and HEAs, so this was right up my alley. It had the perfect amount of angst I have come to expect from Callie, and it had ALL THE FEELS!!! I had happy tears by the end. Great read! I really liked Ethan, but he is no Weston!! ;)
July 1, 2017
Second chance/childhood friend to high school lovers. This was amazing!! I loved everything about this story. Ethan and Leslie are high school lovers and so in love they have their future all planned out. A tragedy breaks that plan apart and they go their separate ways. Eight years later and circumstances bring Leslie back to her old life and to face her past. Loved these characters and this story so much. Emotional and captivating. You bet I'll be reading more if this authors work.
Read
January 31, 2023Triggers aside.
He slept with the h's nemesis in separation. Yes, he knew she was his ex-wife's(hs) nemesis.
*clicks tongue*
He slept with the h's nemesis in separation. Yes, he knew she was his ex-wife's(hs) nemesis.
*clicks tongue*
April 27, 2017
What a very emotional ride! Ethan and Leslie are fast childhood friends who grow up to fall in love. But tragedy strikes breaking their bond and their dreams. 8 years later Leslie returns home to find out her assumptions of those last weeks were wrong and that neither of them stopped loving the other. It's a very long path to get back to their forever,but Ethan won't let her go this time. The author jumps back and forth from past to present in thus story. But the story flows really well. And you can't help but love Leslie and Ethan. Their story is amazing.
April 27, 2017
I love a second chance romance ! This you don't know where or what will happen! Young love gone wrong so wrong you don't know why! There is so much hurt between Leslie and Ethan . I love a broken boy and Ethan was . Leslie is just the little girl to fix him . Things are never as they seem . MY DAMN HEART! Once again you're on a roller coaster of emotional anxiety. You are going between the past and present ( I LOVED) and when start to see how it unravels ... well READ THE BOOK !
April 7, 2017
To be honest, there was a moment in the book where I did start to lose interest. But overall, I loved the book. I would say this is a must read book.
-NightWolf Book Blog
-NightWolf Book Blog
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