“I do.”Two words woven in love. In sickness and in health. For better or for worse. Til death do us part. And death dragged us apart. We both said those vows.But neither of us kept them. This is not one of those happy stories.Life isn’t made of simple choices and happily ever afters.It’s a dark place.It’s not easy.It’s full of mistakes and lessons.It hurts.And in the end, those two words said in … lessons.
It hurts.
And in the end, those two words said in love,
are the same ones said in hate.
“You want a divorce?”
“I do.”
more
Inhale, Exhale by C.L. Matthews is the First book in the Hollow Ridge Series. This is the story of Lo and Jase. Their story is not a easy one to read for sure. This book will hit close to real life for some with all of life’s issues but somewhat different maybe in how they were handled. For some there maybe some hard limits with how the hero handled some of the issue that they were having. It is hard to judge what you would do in a similar situation. I would hope for the high road and handling things better but sometimes our vision is clouded in emotions and bad decisions. So much so that your child might have to point out how much you are lacking to be there for your family and your bad decisions. Definitely a book that will have you go through some hard emotions. This book does lead into the next book in the series.
This book…requires therapy
When they authors note warns the reader about everything in the book, I usually scoff and get a devious glint in my eyes and boast a “bring it on” smirk. Inhale, Exhale. I did. I smirk. I said bring it on. I dove right in with my greedy desire to explore it all. I was wrong. I am your cautionary tale.
C.L. Matthews didn’t warn you in vain. It wasn’t a challenge. It wasn’t a tease. It was a mother fluffing promise of pain, agony, and hopelessness. She tried to tell me it would hurt. She showed that love is pain. She tried to give us the door Rose floats on and offer us the other side. (Unnecessary Titanic reference aside) I didn’t want to share the life raft. I metaphorically patted her hand and told her I would be fine. I WAS WRONG. Inhale, Exhale. BREATHE.
I have only had to distance myself for a handful of the thousands of books I’ve read. Only a select few have caused such trauma that I’ve needed to take breaks while reading, this is one of those books. To process the pain and keep from going numb or completely losing myself to the overwhelming emotions, I physically had to disconnect from the words and book. I switched on a mindless game and lost myself in the monotony while I processed. I couldn’t go about my day. I just switched off. I feel like Lo and I’m mildly embarrassed by that.
CL Matthews gave us two characters whose world will never be the same. We got to experience their fall into a love so wonderous and then we watched it shatter like a champagne flute dropped from the 10th floor.
I don’t think I will ever be able to read this book again. The emotional attachment is too strong but I love it in all its pain and beauty. I love the forgiveness that I’m still struggling with. I love the hope and faith it brings me. One word at a time. Inhale, Exhale. BREATHE
The best books are the ones you struggle to find the words for after reading.
When love is just not enough
This is a such heart breaking story. I have to say this will be one of my top books for 2019. The story is so beautiful, sad and so many other emotions in between. This books talks about real life situations and how some people tend to respond to them.
For me this book dragged me in, and held me hostage for one hell of a ride with these characters and their struggles. There were parts in this book that I felt like , I was Loren since I had gone thru some similar struggles and i had responded very similar to her. And of course there’s Jase I did sympathize with him sometimes other times I just wanted to smack him in the face. And ahh Toby is just as broken as the other characters but he will always hold a very special place for me. Just a warning this book will make you feel so much and will make you cry and also smile. If your ready for a great emotional read then this is the book for you. You will not be disappointed I can’t wait to read more about the other characters specially Toby. 5 stars review
I’ve got a book here that is emotionally driven in a way a book hasn’t done for me since… I’m not even sure. Let me preface though that this is not a book for everyone. CL Matthews has a book here that is tragically and beautifully painful in all the ways I absolutely love.
It will make you face fears about love that you may not be ready to face and will have your emotions in a tangled mess. But it’s raw and it’s moving – it’s a book that is going to forever have a piece of my heart and my soul for as long as I know.
Jason and Loren met in high school. Loren always kept boys out of her life because she wanted to focus on school and graduating. But first she met Toby, Jason’s brother, and her forever best friend. Jason took her heart by storm and between the two of these boys she found protection and love that she never expected. That is until a marriage, two kids later and a whole lot of loss. Jason and Loren have been through hell and back and life isn’t done throwing curve balls at them.
You will find depths of heartache and pain like you’ll never imagine in this story, but it’s not meant to be frilly or sweet, it’s the haunting truths about loving deeply and losing everything that seemed to matter. How do you find yourself again and how do you love after the biggest betrayals in your life come true?
If this sounds like something you would like, then I HIGHLY recommend reading it – but like I said, this is not for just anyone. I’m a lifer for C.L. Matthews at this point and nothing will change my mind.
This book was so real and relatable. Anyone who has been married for any length of time could relate to this. Loren and Jase have been together since high school. This book timelines their entire relationship and the reasons why those words come out. “I want a divorce” Such an emotional read and beautifully written.
Jase and Loren both make epic mistakes and the emotional journey of the characters was epic, I was utterly invested in the outcome of this story. The build up of all the little mistakes and big ones and how they shape a marriage and can wreck your life was amazing. This is not a book for everyone in that it is highly emotional and doesn’t shy away from punching you in the gut with the truth. it is a real look at marriage and the rise and fall of a relationship. Does have a HEA but it will get you in the feels for sure. Highly recommend this one.
I read the blurb and was instantly hooked. This book is best going in blind. Do not read spoilers or reviews.
This book is emotional, angsty, heartbreaking, and so much more. It deals with really tough topics, so be warned.
Ace is definitely my favorite of the whole book. He had so much put on his young shoulders. No kid should have to be responsible like he had to be.
This was my first read by this author and definitely will not be the last.
Inhale,Exhale (Hollow Ridge #1)
By C.L.Matthews
This book was raw,gritty and poignant. It grabbed me right from the beginning and held me captive. Loren “Lo” and Jason’s “Jase” love story wasn’t happy go lucky far from it. It was an emotional rollercoaster, brutal full of curveballs, heartbreak, betrayals of many kinds ,abandonment, loss,infidelity and so much more. The dynamics between the other characters were at times frustrating and felt like they were plotting to ruin them where I wanted to scream enough. Lo and Jase were both from dysfunctional families and brought a lot of baggage to their relationship without even realizing. It was hard to read at points my heart hurt I cried and felt their pain. It truly was so well written that you felt like you were there experiencing everything that they were going through. On a side note I loved where their son Ace had his own chapters to explain his experiences and feelings. This was my first book by this author but definitely won’t be my last especially since I need it find out what happens with Toby in her next book Breathe (Hollow Ridge #2)
Five beautifully raw gritty
Words could never perfectly describe the abundance of emotions that took complete control over my body, mind, and soul while inhaling (pun totally intended) this breathtakingly captivating and heart shattering story. It’s been days since I have had the ability to read anything else and I am still attempting to catch my breath because this story totally sucked the life right out of me. I think this author might have just ruined me for all other books (okay so we all know that’s not completely true because I could never give up books, but let’s just say this story will ALWAYS hold a special place deep inside my heart). C.L. Matthews brilliantly constructed a unique tale so unlike anything I have ever read before…and probably unlike anything I will ever be fortunate enough to read again for as long as I live. This story gave me all the feels and it’s nearly impossible to accurately comprehend everything I experienced and the pain my heartstrings are enduring right now.
Inhale, Exhale shows the true side of human nature…the dark side we all try to hide because we don’t want others to see and judge. The author’s words were poetic and the storyline gripped my heart. These characters are beautifully flawed and you see that intertwined throughout the pages of this story. You will never be the same after reading this story and I cannot wait for you all to dive in!!!
3.5
This book gave me anxiety, fucked me up with so much pain and fear with each page.
I pushed myself to get through but it was so damn hard! Because I’m not a big fan of cheating but I can read them especially when it’s written a certain way. But Fuck me this book killed me with it. Its ugly, raw and so fucking human that it hits you in the face with having to face how utterly messed up, flawed and scared we are as humans.
Don’t think for one point that these characters aren’t flawed because they so are and the emotions that they have you feel everything.
C.L Matthew’s makes you fully read and feel this topic in so much depth.
I had a bit of a hard time with the different character point of views, in someway it was helpful with being able to seen everyones points. However the flashback style and all of those points of view made it hard for me to read at some points.
This isnt an easy book to read and I won’t necessarily call it a full on HEA because even though some might say it’s HEA I wasn’t okay with how it ended tbh. And that’s okay because I felt like every one of these characters in there flawed ways were just trying to do the best they could in the fucked up situation that they created. I might not agree with how it played out but its not my story.
Even with my rating I still would recommend this book I believe that you should go into blind and come out with your own personal opinion on how it made you feel.
There’s a poem by Gwen Flowers and an Author’s Note at the beginning of this book. Read it. Memorize it. Read it again. Then, and only then, read this book.
The last time I read a book by this author I stated “There are no rainbows and I ate all the gumdrops” in reference to the book. As I sit to write a review for this book my mind only wants to tell you “There is still not a rainbow in sight, and I challenge you to find even a stray gumdrop.” That’s neither a good thing nor a bad thing, it’s just what it is.
I can’t in good conscience say this is a romance fiction book, but I can say that this is a life book and there’s nothing fiction about it. Obviously, there’s a romance element in the book, #duh, but it’s not really what matters about this story. This is the story of Loren and Jase: the good, the bad, and everything in between. It is a lifetime yet only the beginning of them. It is respectful to the struggles of life. It is relatable and it is realistic. It’s a story of the dark edges of life and the shadows that follow us thru our journey. It is a story of the struggles that make the triumphs considerable and pronounced. It is a story of the triumphs that make our struggles negligible and frivolous.
This isn’t an easy story, but it is triumphant. It is hopeful and it is relevant. Your emotions will be everywhere most of the times and nowhere some of the times. It’s the nowhere that is unpredictable, just like the story of Loren and Jase.
There’s an air of anticipation that surrounds this story. This seems to be this author’s trademark, or at least it’s been my experience with her work. She makes the story unpredictable even in its inevitability. It’s a ride kids … Good luck 🙂
Copy provided in advance of the blog tour for Breathe.
This took me through the ringer. Jace and Lo just about broke my heart. This is an emotional story that will have you on a rollercoaster of emotions. I couldn’t put this down, no matter how much my eyes hurt from crying. This is one of those stories that I would re-read.
This book is real.
This book is honest.
This book is life.
There is no sugar coating how rough life can be. Even when you have found your other half, your soulmate, life will hit you where it hurts and then throw salt in the wound.
There is no better way to describe this book. It will break you, but it is real, raw, honest life.
This book is hard to read. It is full of so many emotions that is hurts. But, it is so worth the read.
C.L. Matthews did an amazing job with the characters, their emotions, and their actions in this book. Having recently delivered a stillborn baby girl, I related to Lo and her depression on an intimate level. This book actually helped me to truly appreciate my husband and how he pushed me through our loss. It also opened my eyes more to what he is most likely feeling and going through, as well as my oldest child.
So much happens to these characters, and the way they struggle with life, and learn to live, love and fight for each other is utterly amazing. This book will break you, but it is so worth the read.
Jase and Lo
Heart breaking, Mending. Lovely. Deep Connection. Real
Those are just a few words I can say about Inhale, Exhale.
I felt so many emotions reading Lo and Jase’s story. From high school through adulthood. Real life settings. i could have been Lo in some of her situations. Know people who were similar to other characters. You will FEEL while reading. I am still shocked at certain twists. I can not wait for more.
Overall Rating – .5
I don’t really know how to start this review so I’ll just dive in. This book broke my heart and I hurt so much with all the emotions this book brought out in me, but once I started reading I could not stop.
A huge part of the book is about cheating so if your not comfortable with this then I would not read this book.
The journey of Jase and Lo is split into three parts, Inhale, Exhale and Breathe.
In the beginning, we get to fall in love with young Jase and Lo. Jase knew Lo would always be his from the moment he saw her, although his brother was her best friend and also wanted her to be his.
We then jump ahead in time to adult Jase and Lo, who are now married. This is where the heartache began for me. Lo was at such a low point in her life, mourning the loss of her mother and was so lost in her life and in a dark place, where at times she felt she couldn’t go on, even though she had Jase and two kids to love her. This is where the reality that her marriage is failing and her suspicions of her husbands’ infidelity come to life and although I knew it was coming, the betrayal still gutted me.
We then move on to Lo finally taking care of herself and making choices to help her heal and deal with the betrayal and although I didn’t agree with what she did I understood her need to feel and take back some power.
This book will take you on such a journey of emotions you will be happy, sad and most times angry but the angst filled journey is so worth it. It’s also goes to show that everyone’s love is different and forgiveness helps to heal those open wounds when two souls are meant to be. A must read!
ARC received for an honest review – thank you
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Overall Ratings;u2063
First Sex Scene – 25%
POV – Duel
Hero –
Heroine –
Story –
Steam –
Chemistry –
Jase and Lo’s story was so difficult to read. The raw emotion written through the pages made my heart ache. The pain, anger, love…all of it was felt like a physical being in my heart. I only gave this 4 stars because it was very triggering material. There is a warning at the beginning of the book but I figured I could handle it. I was mistaken. Nonetheless, this was an amazing story. Be prepared to swoon, slam the book down in anger, and cry.
This is my first book by CL Matthews and WOW. I am completely blown away by this story. It is tragic and heartbreaking and also loving with a touch of suspense.
This book is told in several POV’S which I enjoyed immensely. This story revolves around Jason & Loren but the secondary characters play large roles in the story as well. This book has cheating in it, but it is so much more than that. My heart galloped during this book and my emotions just kept swaying. I felt like an emotional wreck reading this amazing book. Its tragic what this family goes through.
I am holding my breath waiting for the next book. Don’t miss out on this captivating story! This book may contain triggers for some.
4*
Lo is best friends with Toby he’s always wanted more but she doesn’t.
Jase is usually the good time guy drinking, girls etc he’s also Toby’s brother.
When Jase meets Lo he’s determined to make her his.
A complicated love story with betrayal and hurt.
Brilliant moving story
Raw, emotional, and devastating from loss of life to loss of love. What’s left after everything comes crashing down with every piece now laid out bare for all to see…
This book was suspenseful and so raw with emotions with how the lack of communication and the will to fight for more is tested in so many ways. Everyone copes with a death differently but what one doesn’t understand is when you lose someone so profound to your own fundamental existence it becomes so much more difficult to understand the grief and heartache.
This book gutted me at times because you watch a mother fall apart after losing her mom/her best friend and then lose her baby just days apart. I could even imagine such horror and how much devastation that poor Loren would feel. I think I could empathize with her when she just turned off everything and fell into the nothingness of her hollowed out heart. But the problem I had was she also had two other kids that needed a mom. I felt like yes she needs her time to grieve and no one ever knows how long that will take but to not try to move on for her kids was a hard pill to swallow at times.
I feel like I was doing exactly what this title says “inhale, exhale” so many times with Jase, just not understanding his wife’s devastation and just saying he needed to feel something anything from someone else. His character broke my heart because he came from such a tragic family background that you would’ve thought he would do better but he ended up just like the men he despised most in his life. I honestly was so irritated with him going outside his marriage for pleasure seeking when he should have manned up and either fought to help his wife and family or just left before he stepped out knowing what he was about to do. I hate cheating and I never feel there is any justification or reason for it because if you don’t want what you have then leave don’t sneak around and then try to pity yourself and blame the other person.
This book has characters flawed from the start but it’s the actions they all take that prove how truly messy their situation becomes. Yes Jase is a cheater and liar but he does have some undeniable love for Loren that eventually makes him regret his actions. Loren has her own faults that make you feel she crossed an emotional line of cheating in ways and with not only it being her best friend but her brother-in-law. So yes this is a absolute mess of a love story but it is raw and to the point of being realistic issues many people have faced. So if your looking for a love story and HEA this book does contain those things but it has the more gut wrenching, heartbreaking, with twists of suspense mixed into the storyline. I found this book from an angsty reading challenge, and it definitely gave me that all consuming quest to keep reading, and hoping that these people could find away to overcome all the obstacles they have faced from past to present, along with helping their own children navigate this messing environment they all made.
The author was direct and to the point on what this couple will face and how they choose to face the aftermath of such tragedy and sorrow. This is not a sweet love story or even a dark romance, it’s more of a epic betrayal of the heart and if there is any love worth fighting for by the end of each disastrous actions each of them take. So I definitely recommend it if you want something realistic and with broken pieces of a life that once held so much promise. It’s raw, real, and gritty but it has a promise of more.
”I’m going to fuck you until this bed is drenched with our sins.”
Inhale, Exhale is such a complicated story to try and summarize and the feelings that come with it are even more difficult to put names to and relay into a review but I have to try so here we go.
This book will hurt, and I’m not talking about reactions such as “oh no”, “that sucks” and I’m not talking about a little booboo on your reader’s heart. I’m speaking of punch after punch after punch to the gut kind of pain, red in your vision kind of anger, curl up in a ball and cry kind of sadness. I had to put this book down multiple times because the emotions this book evoked from me became overwhelming so I just had to hit pause and let me body and mind sit with them and work through it.
All of these characters (Loren, Jason, Tobias, Eleanor, and even a few side characters) will make you wanna scream in frustration and anger. They are all extremely flawed and make stupid fucking decisions. They are incredibly selfish in their own ways. But the flaws make them feel real and I could relate especially to Loren. I haven’t had the same things happen to me but depression is a bitch no matter how you slice it. So to see someone go through such a brutal depressive episode, see how she describes it, feel what she is feeling, and hear her say to herself some things I’ve definitely said to myself in the past during my own battle with depression struck such a chord in my heart in the way that I felt like we were kindred spirits. I may not have agreed with some of the things she did or said but I was in her corner and cheering her on the entire reading experience.
There are so many levels to the relationships inside the pages of Inhale, Exhale. There are lines that shouldn’t be crossed, lines that stayed blurred for way too long, toxic relationships, jealous friendships, betrayals, and love that is seriously hemorrhaging.
This is not a romantic love story but it’s a love story filled with trauma, pain, resentment, anger, and yes a love that can hurt, break, and bleed but it’s a love that overcomes all and it’s a love story that needed to be told.
CW/TW: death of a parent, cheating, physical abuse, mental abuse, emotional abuse, on page childhood physical/emotional/mental abuse, alcoholism, abuse of prescription pills, miscarriage, suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, kidnapping, attempted murder, talk of divorce, panic/anxiety attacks, heavy themes of grieving
*there was a scene that was so close to something I experienced when I was a teen in high school and it almost triggered me so please take these warnings and your mental health seriously ok?
Overall rating 5 stars
Steaminess 3 stars (kissing, fingering, cunnilingus, penetrative vaginal sex)