Between the Lines: REVIEW: Breakdown By, Ellie Grace

October 20, 2014

REVIEW: Breakdown By, Ellie Grace

Amy Porter has had a thing for her twin brother’s best friend since she was a teenager. After being considered “one of the boys” throughout her childhood, he’s the first guy to look at her and see past the tomboy she used to be. Unfortunately, he’s also completely off-limits. She does her best to move on as the years go by, but it’s not until her life takes a drastic turn that she finally accepts the fact that they aren’t meant to be. However, as her world crumbles around her, Nate always seems to be close by to help her pick up the pieces.

Nate Miller knows that Amy is the one girl he can never have. No matter how badly he wants her, he won’t risk destroying his friendship, or the promise he made to look out for her when her brother goes overseas with the Marines. As life continues to get in the way and keep them apart, the only logical choice is to give up… but giving up is the last thing he wants to do.

With so many obstacles stacked up against them, can they find a way to make it work or are they headed for a breakdown?

This is my first Ellie Grace read. I am not familiar with her first two books but when I read the synopsis to this book I couldn’t resist reading it. Falling in love with brother’s best friend is probably one of my all-time favorite plot lines. I was definitely interested when I found out the story starts at their very beginning. Not just the start of their relationship but the start of them.

“My entire life, I’ve been part of a set. An eternal duo. A pair. One half of a whole.”

Amy Porter has always been one of the guys. When you have parents that give you your brother’s hand-me-downs to wear, and your only friends are boys it’s going to happen. Amy has always been Dex Porter’s twin sister. The sister that has been off limits to every boy in her high school. That doesn’t change that she has had a crush on the one boy more off limits than the rest of them. Nate Miller. Dex’s best friend. Amy has been in love with him since he showed up at her house and never looked at her as one of the guys. But she gives up because he will never see her as anything other than Dex’s sister.

“He’s not simply taking someone else’s place, or filling a vacancy, because it has always been his.”

Nate Miller has been a friend of the Porters since High School. He knew there was something about Amy that was different. She was down to earth and he could talk to her. She’s off limits but that is not going to stop him from noticing her. But it is going to stop him from doing anything about it. Not Nate just has to find a way to let her go. To forget about her. Before Dex finds out and it ruin’s their friendship forever.

“No one else will make me feel the way that she does. She’s it.”

Over the years Nate and Amy will have multiple run-ins. Amy keeps giving him the chance to take their relationship past friends but Nate isn’t willing to fight for her. Now they have to figure out how to let each other go. When Amy comes home with an even bigger reason to leave the opposite sex alone she can’t help but want Nate.

“Nate finally chose me.”

This book was definitely about how love never changes. When you find that one person you are meant to be with time and space isn’t going to change that. Nate and Amy are soul mates, there isn’t going to be any one else for them. They just needed to take the years that they were apart to grow into the adults that they are. They needed to see that they can’t fight fate. Their relationship was a complicated one that was six years in the making.

“I’ll do whatever it takes to show you that this…us…is as real as it gets.”

They also had Dex to worry about. The over-protective Marine brother. He has good intentions. He wants Amy to find a guy that is willing to fight for her. No matter what. And he does a good job. Dex was an amazing big brother. He was caring and sweet. I loved that the author also gave us pretty big glimpses into his life as well. Nate bothered me a little bit only because he wasn’t willing to fight for her. He was all about finding true love and everything but when he saw it he wasn’t willing to fight for it. I actually really liked Amy though. She was willing to take on her brother to keep Nate. She knew what she wanted and never really gave up. Sure she dated other people and when Nate wanted to be there for her she pushed him away but she did the right thing. Amy taught herself that she can do it alone and that made her a stronger person.

“In this moment I know that I want her to be mine. I want them to be mine.”

This book is told from both Nate and Amy’s POV. I really enjoyed the alternating POV. The story flowed well and the writing was beautiful. If you want a book about the power of true love this is the one for you.

“I’m finally prepared to fight for her.”