“He broke down all the walls I had around my heart without me even noticing.”Protecting my heart was the only way… After the childhood I survived, I built a wall and locked it away. I would never let anyone in. Never let anyone close enough to take more than I was willing to give. Starting over in a new town is hard, but running from my past left me no choice. I was desperate to say goodbye to … me no choice.
I was desperate to say goodbye to the memories that held me captive. The pain I’ve experienced is more than anyone should have to bear.
Then I met him…
He takes my breath away. I can’t ignore the way he makes me feel. I know he has the power to destroy me.
And that’s what scares me the most.
Author’s Note: This is Book One in the Heart’s Compass series. It can be read as a standalone and has a HEA. Due to strong sexual content, coarse language and mature subject matter, this book is not suitable for under the age of 18.
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I loved Callum & Ellie’s story. It’s an intense book. This book is about child abuse & hope. It’s a touching story, heartbreaking yet heartwarming. I can’t wait to read the next book
This is an amazing story about love, surviving abuse, and broken relationships. I laughed and I creied while I was reading this book. Callum and Ellie are an amazing couple together but Ellie has overcome so much in life that she is afraid to love and trust again. But when she meets Callum her walls that she has put up comes crashing down and it scares the mess out of her.
Ellie is ready to say goodbye to the past and hello to her future with Callum. Callum is ready to give Ellie what she needs and what she deserves. Callum is ready to love Ellie like she has never been loved before.
This is an amazing story that I don’t want to give to much away because this is a must read story that will warm your heart and keep you wanting to read more about Ellie and Callum.
Ellie was robbed of her innocence, those closest to her were supposed to protect her, and they failed. So she has taken matters into her own hands, and decided to never leave her safety in the hands of another, she is her sole protector. What she lost that day has caused her more pain that anyone should have to endure, the nightmares are constantly lingering, and she finds herself looking over her shoulder at every turn. Trust is something she is rarely capable of giving, figuring if she keeps everyone at arms length then she doesn’t have to worry about them getting close, and breaking the barrier she has around her heart.
But she never planned on meeting someone quite like Callum, when he is near she feels like she can breath, and let her guard down a little. It’s a foreign feeling to her, she has been on her own for so long, never letting anyone one, but he has found a way to sneak past all her defenses. He makes her want things she has never wanted before… now she just has to find the courage to let go, and feel.
Where I Found You is heartbreaking tale that will seep into your heart and leave it forever moved. Each word is beautifully crafted, doused in emotion, and meant to make you feel the pain and love endured by it’s characters. And I can fully attest to the fact that it hits it’s intended mark! I guarantee as soon as you meet these characters, you will have a hard time letting them go, their story will pull you in, and have you fully invested in their lives. I truly loved every moment of this one, it was intense, dramatic, romantic, and deeply touching. I highly recommend it!!
What a whirlwind and emotional read!!!
I absolutely love Ellie & Callum. You could feel their connection through out the book!
While this book has some dark content that may be sensitive for some, it flowed perfectly. Brooke’s writing was perfection!
I can’t wait to dive into the next Heart’s Compass book!
Where I Found You is Brooke O’Brien’s wonderful debut novel. Her writing captured my attention and had me devouring Callum and Ellie’s story from the first page. I DEVOURED this novel. When I was busy adulting and unable to read, I was wishing I could hide in a closet and dive into this book. This story will have make your heart break, then make you laugh, then give you the warm and fuzzies. I cannot wait to see what O’Brien’s next novel has in store!
Recommended for readers 18+ due to strong language and topics of abuse that could cause triggers.
Awesome debut novel told in dual POV. I really enjoyed reading this story.
Ellie has been dealt some bad cards in the game of life. She is dealing with death (father, grandmother), her mother’s alcoholism and subsequent abusive boyfriends, as well as life in general.
Callum is dealing with his father’s alcoholism and the toll it took on him. Thankfully his step-father step in at the right time and helped him discover a better path to follow.
Both of these characters have horrible pasts. Walls are up, can they come down? Ellie and Callum have a brief meeting at a bus station in Chicago where they both feel the pull and the connection to one another, but Ellie is still unsure about people in general. When they happen to bump into each other a few months later….holy chemistry! A beautiful story with a ton of feels!
This story just really reminds me that families really do come in all shapes and sizes, blood type and DNA not required. I am really glad that Ellie and Callum and found their home and family.
Can’t wait to read the next book in this series!
I absolutely loved this book!! I loved all the twists and turns this book took while reading it. When reading a book, I enjoy when an author can really get you to feel what the characters feel in the book. When reading this book, that was exactly how the author Brooke O’Brien made me feel. I felt all the different emotions while reading and I loved it! Once I started reading this book I literally could not put it down and finished this book in a day. I highly recommend reading this book and falling in love with the characters just as much as I did! You can just tell that they were meant to bump into each other at the bus station and fall in love with each other, no matter what obstacles were thrown there way. They battled through it all in order to find there HEA.
I really loved this book from the beginning. I enjoyed the character development and how well each character is written in this story. I finished this book quickly and am on to the next in the series.
Who knew running into a sexy man at the bus stop would forever change her world in a awesome way! She was so scared and messed up from her past and he glued her all back together. Sweet story of healing. Some really tough/sad parts but it only strengthens this binds and love.
This story was sweet with a bit of spice and a side of mayhem. Wasn’t sure what to expect going in as this is my first book by O’Brien. I was not expecting the details from the “mayhem” portion of the book and it definitely filled the angst portion perfectly. While I’m sure others wouldn’t connect with Ellie, I did. I completely understood the why’s even when I’m yelling at her in my head to DON’T DO IT. Lol. All said and done pretty solid storyline, crazy fun characters and I look forward to reading book two!
Suffering at the hands of her abuser wasn’t enough, she also suffered the betrayal of her mother. Alone and fumbling she stumbles into his life and heart and he looses her just as fast. When they do meet up again her past may be the thing that keeps them apart. This author gives us a story that is suspenseful with a good plot and also point to the trauma imposed and the lasting effects. The joy of finding love, being strong enough to accept it, and healing while releasing the ties that bind you. Great read from this author you will absolutely love the characters as they win your heart with their strength and commitment.
4.5 stars!
I’d had this book on my Kindle since it released, so I have no idea why it’s taken me so long to pick it up! I also wasn’t sure what to expect from this book because the synopsis doesn’t actually give too much away! Anyway, I started reading this book one day when I had some free time from review books and I’m so happy that I did because I loved this book! I was intrigued by the plot from the first chapter and it only took me a few sittings to read! I actually read the first 60% in one sitting lol! The plot also developed at a nice pace and it kept me wanting to read on! The romance was also very beautiful and led to some seriously hot scenes in the plot too! I wasn’t expecting so many hot scenes lol, but they were really, really hot! There was a bit of action and suspense near the end of this book too! This added a lot to the plot and made things even more interesting! The characters were also amazing and made this book even better! Ellie was the main female character, and in this book she had been through a lot in her life, so my heart completely went out to her! It explained a lot about why she was the way she was as well! Ellie started fresh in this book though and she found a group of people that loved her and cared for her! Ellie also found her strength in this book and she showed how far she had come, especially in the action scenes! I loved Ellie in this book and she came a long way! Callum was the main male character and love interest of Ellie! I loved Callum a lot in this book! He was seriously hot and such a sweetheart! Callum had also been through a lot in his life and I could completely understand why he didn’t talk to his father and had tension with his brother! Callum learned a lot in this book though and he went through a lot of realisation! I loved the way Callum was with Ellie too! It was easy to see how much he loved her and he was very protective of her too! I loved that this book was written from both Ellie and Callum’s point of views! I wasn’t sure if it was going to be because the synopsis made it sound like it was only going to be written from the female character’s point of view, so I was really happy when Callum’s point of view came into it too! It helped me connect and understand both characters more and it allowed for more things to happen in the plot too! I also can’t wait to read the next book in this series! I know that it’s going to focus on a secondary character from this book and take place at the same time as the plot of this book, but this has me even more excited to read it! I’m really happy that it’s already released because this means that I can make it my next read! The cover for this book is also stunning! It definitely drew me to the book and made me want to read the story behind it! The models are also the perfect Ellie and Callum and the cover really suits the book too!