Azu is Reading Crossing the Line by Heather Garvin
High school may have been three years ago, but Claire Ackerman and Aiden Lewis know each other more than they’re willing to admit. Their past created a tie between them that neither thought they’d have to acknowledge again, and when Claire unknowingly storms into the bar Aiden frequents in their hometown of Beacon, New York, they’re both thrown off by the sudden reunion.
A lot has changed since high school.
Aiden is shut off from the world, and Claire has just had the rug ripped out from under hers. But even though he finds her a little uptight, and she finds him a little rude, the pair end up on a train to Florida together regardless. Claire gets on board as a way to celebrate her newfound independence, and Aiden joins because, even though he swore he’d never go back to Florida after what happened, he’s worried about the girl from high school that he could never fully forget.
The two have a plan, and they have rules, but things don’t turn out how they expect.
Because rules are made to be broken.
And even the boldest of lines are meant to be crossed.
Review
I think I’ve been pretty lucky, getting to be part of the ARC teams of amazing writers. Heather Garvin is another of those and since the first moment I crossed with her book, I knew I would have an exceptional time. I just didn’t know how great it would be. So for that I’m doing a review now in exchange.
This is a book I will not only have in my favorite shelf but in the one of my comfort readings too. But it is that I’m weak for men like Aiden Lewis, Claire Ackerman is a lucky girl. They have a long journey, being this a story about second chances. It made me hopeful about second chances. Not all of them are bad and not because they’re a second is doomed. Well, the conditions are always important for the outcome, and at least to me, they had exceptional conditions.
It doesn’t even seem romantic, very fateful and coincidental, but not strictly romantic. It felt like an adventure, and each step an opportunity of now or never (as all opportunities really are). They did go through almost all the steps consecutively, and I was surprised at how willing they (he in special) were to talk about things. If you read the book, you will say I’m lying, I know, but I said they were willing, and they were. They really tried to do so. Because, well, misunderstandings happen, too often, and in an equally stupid way; in that we had an experience very close to reality, so close it hurts. That’s why communication is key and we not only have to be willing and try, but really make it happen to avoid outcomes like those.
Even with all that they both made me go through, I love them. I’m sorry I have favorites, but it is that Aiden Lewis… sigh. He doesn’t seem like it, but he’s worthy, especially if he’s with the love of his life (because I don’t steal other people’s men, that’s low, no matter they’re all fictional -cry-). It’s not only a figurative journey, this book. If you board this train, I’m warning you will go through all the emotions you can feel paired with love, and not only the good ones. The positive part about it is that that’s the way we grow.
Phrases that I liked so much that I marked them while reading
«There are people who love their lives, and then there are people like me.
It makes you think that it’s time to reevaluate your life.
And that’s the last thing I need.»
— 1.«and I kind of want to break something.
Or scream.
Yeah, maybe I’ll just scream.»
— 2.«Don’t do it.
Don’t you dare chase after that girl.
Mind your own damn business, Aiden.»
— 5.«He looks left and then right before he spots me leaning against the wall a few feet away, and his posture immediately relaxes.
One hand holds a brown jacket as the other runs through his loose waves. “You’re still here.”»
— 6.«And for whatever annoying-ass reason, the thought of her going on this trip makes my stomach twist. Which pisses me off because whether or not Claire Ackerman goes to Florida shouldn’t be any of my damn business.»
— 7.«It’s more like I feel like I have to — like someone has to, and I’m the only idiot around to do it.»
— 7.«Life is so much easier when you don’t give a shit.»
— 7.«Before I can stop myself, I blurt out, “Why are you doing this?”
“I have no fucking idea.”»
— 8.«“What if we go all the way there, and it’s raining?”
It probably will be because Florida sucks.»
— 9.«“I remember because after I saw you, I wondered if all the girls who lived there were as beautiful as you. For the record — they’re not.”»
— 12.«She smiles, and I’m surprised how much I like the fact that I’m the one who put it there.»
— 13.«She falls quiet again. I don’t know why her silence eats at me. I usually can’t wait for people to stop talking.»
— 13.«“I have a fear of dying in some type of freak accident.”
His face falls. “That’s morbid.”
With a roll of my eyes, I say, “I’m not saying I think I will. It’s just a fear. Like every time I ride the subway, I think about how terrible it would be if something went wrong with the tracks and we collided with another train.”
“You think about that every time you get on the subway?”
My cheeks burn, and I backpedal. “Well, I don’t dwell on it or anything, but it usually crosses my mind at some point.” I wave my hand in the air dismissively.»
— 14.«“I only want to hear things about you.”»
— 14.«Sitting here in silence for the last fifteen minutes was driving me crazy; there’s no way I could take, however many hours we have left, with her not speaking to me.»
— 15.«I laugh because her last lie would have been more than believable for most of the girls I know. It just wasn’t believable coming from her.»
— 15.«all I can focus on is how wrong I was about him, and if this is the real him, I’m glad to be over a thousand miles away.»
— 20.«She doesn’t meet my eyes as she says it, and I hate it. I want her to look at me.
I want to see her smile again. I want to be the one to make her smile again.»
— 21.«but there’s only one place that would have the audacity to be this bright so early.»
— 31.«and groan as I get out of the hammock. There’s no graceful way to get out of a fucking hammock.»
— 31.«The only movement on the streets below comes from the early risers walking their dogs, riding bikes, and doing whatever else mentally stable people do this early.»
— 31.«Chances are the guys aren’t even awake yet, and this view isn’t something to rush.
I wonder what view Claire is waking up to this morning.
Hopefully, it’s one like mine.
I think she’d enjoy it.»
— 31.«Chad snaps his fingers. “Ethan, control your woman.”
“She calls the shots,” Ethan says with a shrug of his shoulders.»
— 33.«Seeing her makes me happier than I’ve been all day.»
— 35.«She looks different.
Holy hell does she looks different.
I don’t even know how, but damn. If Florida has ever done anything right, it’s whatever it did to Claire Ackerman.»
— 35.«She’s staring at me like I’m an idiot.
Probably because I am an idiot.»
— 35.«She’s made it clear she doesn’t want anything like that from me — so clear that she made a fucking rule about it.
Which I know is for the best.
But that doesn’t mean I have to like it.»
— 39.«I don’t know what the fuck just happened.
But I need more of it.»
— 43.«I like her too much to just be the guy that helps her get over him.»
— 45.«I know how Aiden Lewis operates, and there’s a good chance that I won’t hear from him again.
Aiden: Come outside.»
— 46.«I’m still on the bottom step, staring at her like an idiot.»
— 47.«I thought I’d be ready to see her, but I wasn’t expecting her to look this good in the morning.»
— 47.«Em smiles at her friend before looking at me and mouthing be nice.
This is the shit that pisses me off. I shouldn’t have to be nice.
I will.
But I shouldn’t have to.»
— 55.«“Do you think we can go somewhere and talk?”
Part of me wants to flat out answer no, but another, more curious part takes control. “Yeah, I guess.”
And this is how curiosity killed the fucking cat.»
— 55.«Em widens her eyes at me while Claire isn’t looking, but I have no idea what she’s trying to tell me. She’s probably telling me that I’m stupid, but I already know that, Em. Thanks for nothing.»
— 57.«Aiden rubs a palm against his chest like I’ve punched him. “Jesus, Claire, no warmup? You just go straight for the kill?”»
— 60.«I’m not used to anyone looking at me the way he is. Like he wants to possess me but feels like he’s at my mercy. But I love it.»
— 62.«This past year, I’ve been gambling with a string of one-night stands and casual hookups, and now, because of sheer, dumb luck, I feel like I’ve won the jackpot.»
— 63.«I carefully move out from under Claire, doing my best no to wake her up. It turns out that not waking her isn’t difficult. This girl is passed the fuck out.»
— 63.«I guess, no matter how much you think you know the facts, there’s always that chance that none of it is real.»
— 66.«It’s easier to keep myself together when no one asks me if I’m okay.
Because I am definitely not okay, but I’ll pretend for as long as I can.»
— 74.«Those blue eyes pin me in place the same way they always have, and I’m too intrigued to know what lies behind them to do anything about it.»
— 86.«Locking eyes with him steals the breath from my lungs and makes my heart race. The longer he looks at me, the harder it beats in my chest.»
— 86.«I want to tell her how badly I want this.»
— 87.«I’m like a kid who wants to touch a pretty object but knows there’s a good chance he’ll break it — and the last thing I want to do is break her more than I already have.»
— 87.«She deserves someone who will stay and fight for her, and that’s who I want to be.»
— 89.«She might not know if she can trust me, but she laughed.
And I’ll take it.»
— 89.«“We’ll have to figure out how to see each other.”
“I’ll visit whenever you want.”
“¿You will?”
“Claire, I’ve already gone to fucking Florida for you, and that was before you knocked me on my ass. Now that I’ve fallen, I think it’s safe to say two hours on a train won’t be an issue.”
“Tell me more about this falling.”
“To be fair, I didn’t stand a chance.”
“¿No?”
“When you flipped me off on that beach, I was done for.”
“I should have known that would be the way to your heart.”»
— 90.«She’s his greatest adventure, and it’s only just beginning.»
— Epilogue.
