Nova and Quinton had a challenging beginning and both have many issues past and present (Breaking Nova). Their time spent together the past summer opened the door to a connection that was unexpected, significant, erratic, and overwhelming. And it left a mark on both on them. It all came to a breaking point and they parted. Nova has worked hard to break free from her past, get healthy, and try to move on. But she cannot shake the fact that she left Quinton behind in a bad situation.

And in her absence, Quinton has sunk into a downward spiral that he cannot seem to recover from...a haze of drugs, depression, meaningless encounters, and no direction. He is on a path of destruction and embracing the peace of dying sooner rather than later. He does not care. He does not want to feel anything. But unfortunately he does feel feel negative things...terrible loss, guilt, hopelessness, and unworthiness. 

It is up to Nova to chase him down and make him face his demons and fight for him even when he does not want to fight for himself. But he is barricaded behind near impenetrable walls of his own making. He is numbing his pain to keep it buried. He has a death wish. He feels unworthy. He does not feel like he deserves, happiness, Nova, or a good life due to his past mistakes. 

But Nova was not able to save her boyfriend, Landon and she is determined that she is not giving up until she saves Quinton. She is a girl on a mission...a dangerous, scary, and frequently disappointing one. She is persistent, fearless, pushy and provides Quinton a sliver of hope. Although Quinton does not want to admit or truly embrace it. My heart broke again for Quinton. The man who feels such guilt and loss for his past actions that he can barely face living and has walls up protecting him from feeling anything good. 

It is dark, depressing, out of control and seems hopeless. There is danger swirling around and drugs to try to numb the pain. Not only is Quinton sinking lower and lower, but so are Tristan, Delilah, and Dylan. Noah wants to save Quinton, but can she if he does not want to be saved? And he's not the only one that needs saving. During this whole ordeal can a fragile Nova keep herself together or will she be destroyed again  by loss and guilt?

This first book Breaking Nova was truly Nova's journey towards healing and facing her past. She really has come a long way from the girl we met in the first book that was barely holding herself together and was in the same hopeless darkness of loss, pain, and guilt. This book is Quinton's difficult and painful journey to break free of the past, bad habits, and find something to want to live for. But getting to him is not simple or easy. He is a young man that has been through so much and is so damaged that he sees no escape. In his own way, he tries to protect Nova as well because he thinks he is not good for her either. There are small glimpses into a boy who had potential, but one mistake sent him spiraling so off course that he has never been able to recover.

I was hoping to get to see more healing and light in this one, but we are not there yet. And Quinton's story is not done. Their story is not complete. Hopefully the third book Nova and Quinton: No Regrets will finally give them the full healing they both desperately need, but at times do not think they deserve. I was also interested in his cousin Tristan's story during this book. He was really struggling through this story as well. This was a very raw, gritty, emotionally dark book. It was not pretty, happy, sappy, or romantic. It drags you right into all of the darkness and pain. It was raw, depressing, frustrating, disappointing, but also had shreds of hope, inspiration, love, and redemption. But through the turmoil, these characters grew on me more during this installment, and I cannot wait to read the conclusion to their story.

Thanks to Jessica Sorensen for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.