Blog Tour: UNBREAKABLE by Rebecca Shea {Review + Giveaway}

Welcome to our stop on the UNBREAKABLE tour hosted by Shh Moms Reading. Be sure to check out Hootie's review of UNBREAKABLE and don't forget to enter the giveaway! Thanks for stopping by!

Genre: New Adult Contemporary

Publication Date: July 30th 2013

Author: Rebecca Shea

Format: Kindle

Source: ARC provided by author for tour

Jessica Harper is the epitome of perfection. She’s a good daughter, makes excellent grades, and always strays on the safe side of life. The last thing she thought would ever happen was falling in love with her best friend’s brother. But sometimes fate just has a way of bringing two people together. Wide receiver for the University of Arizona, Gabe Garcia, seems to have it all. When his feelings for Jessica come to surface, Gabe will give up everything to be with her. But what happens when a tragedy abruptly changes the course of your life? For Jessica and Gabe, everything they thought they knew about each other will be questioned. Sometimes, there are scars in life that are cut too deep to completely heal. Will their love prove to be unbreakable, or will it shatter and prove fate is just another lie? *This book contains mature subject matter and is not intended for those under 17 years of age.*

My Take:

Unbreakable was a highly emotional read from beginning to end. The story of Gabe and Jess was at times beautiful and romantic and others heartbreaking and sad. The first half of the book details their relationship from the start. When Jess' mother died and her father threw himself into his job to get away from the pain she was taken in by the Garcia family. Over the years of living with them she developed feelings for their son Gabe. When he confesses he has felt the same way they begin a truly beautiful relationship. As the first half continues Gabe and Jess become a solid foundation you don't think anything can tear down, but a small argument and a night alone jogging changes everything for this couple. 

The midway point. Everything was fine until this moment. A pivotal moment in the story where Gabe and Jess are dealt a TKO that sends Jess running away to North Carolina for a college internship and straight into the arms of Landon. A dominating cop with a cocky attitude and thoughtful blue eyes.

This was the point in the story where I developed and kept a sickening knot in my stomach. I was so upset by Jess leaving Gabe in California I almost didn't want to finish the book because I didn't see how it could work out. She doesn't just leave him though she leaves everyone who cares about her. The people that love her and want to help her, she left. I was very upset with Jess' character despite what she goes through at this point. She needed time to heal and figure out what she needed to do to get herself back together and I understood that. What I didn't understand was her selfishness in pushing away the one person who loved her and wanted to help her the most. When she meets Landon almost immediately after she arrives in North Carolina her attraction to him made me sick. I'm am still torn on how I actually feel about her character all together. I did love her and felt bad for what she went through but at the same time she pissed me off and made me sad. The healing process she goes through is probably the hardest part in the book and her courage to fight through it was inspiring. 

Gabe Garcia. That. Is. All. All Day. All Night. His character was the bright spot in this book for me. He was a beautiful, loving and caring man to Jess and his determination was unreal. It's never easy to see a male character I love so much be hurt so badly and I loved Gabe! With my whole heart, from the very start. Watching him detail his deep love for Jess and then having that tested completely broke me. There is so much suffering in this book but Gabe's pain hurt the most. He feels guilty about what happened and partly responsible because he worked so much to provide for Jess and their future. All he wanted was to give her everything she ever dreamed of in life. What I loved about Gabe was that he never gave up. Even when I wanted him to, he still kept fighting. The whole time she was gone he threw himself into building a future for them even if she never came back to him he still worked hard for her. How can you not love a man like that? Do they even exist? I hated that Gabe felt like he didn't do enough to fight for Jess to stay. That's one of the things I got mad at her for. Bottom line was, Gabe made this book for me no question.

Landon. When he came into the story I already hated him. Getting a peek inside his mindset actually scared me because of the way he projects himself toward women I was instantly wary of him. He was cocky, pushy and NOT GABE! I didn't understand his involvement in the story and wanted to put the book down even more at this point thinking Jess would end up with him. What I didn't realize at the time is that Landon serves as the catalyst in the story. He helps Jess heal in a way that pissed me off and broke my heart even further. The more time I spent inside Landon's head the more I fell in love with him. From what you read about him you gather that he has his own issues with relationships and doesn't fall in love. I didn't think it was possible to love two guys in the same story but I was completely torn. While my heart and loyalty was with Gabe, I found myself hating that Landon was getting the shaft. He became this amazing guy once you got past the douchebag cop routine and I fell really hard for him. Watching him help Jess heal was brilliant on the authors part. Towards the end of his run in the story I was getting angry thinking he would just be discarded after falling for him so hard but the author surprises you at the end with a Landon treat.

 I get extremely attached to characters that I love and Gabe and Jess captured a piece of my heart. Their story was beautifully sad and painful but at the same time it was endearing. The truly tragic things in this world are no match for true love and Shea painted that picture so clearly in this book. Unbreakable doesn't have a happily ever after. There is no such thing in all reality. It was bittersweet and intense. It was heartbreaking and renewing. It was extremely real and honest in showing that fairy tales only happen in Disney. Even though this book pissed me off, made me sick and broke every already damaged piece of my battered heart, I did like it. It was one of those stories that no matter how tough it got I couldn't put it down until I was done. It's absolutely a book I would recommend you read. This was my first experience with this author but I can honestly say I am looking forward to more from Rebecca Shea now.

Quotes:

I could have laid on top of that hill all night with him. Every dream, every wish, every hope of mine came true tonight. ~ Jess ARC 15%

"We will get through this, together. You and I. Nothing will break us, ever. Not this. Do you hear me, Jess? Nothing. We're unbreakable." ~ Gabe  ARC 42%

"Never be afraid to feel. It's the only way to really live. If you don't feel, there is no way you can love, heal, or forgive." ~ Landon ARC 86%

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Giveaway:

Rebecca is giving away:

·5 ebooks

·10 signed paperbacks

·$25 gift card (Amazon or B&N)

·GRANDPRIZE is a Kindle Paperwhite

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About The Author:

Rebecca Shea lives in Phoenix, Arizona with her family and her first “kid” her beagle, Miles. From the time Rebecca could read she has had a passion for reading and books. Rebecca spends her days working full-time in the financial industry as a marketing manager. Born and raised in Minnesota, Rebecca moved to Arizona in 1999 to escape the bitter winters. When not working or writing, she can be found on the sidelines of her boys football games, or watching her daughter at ballet class. Rebecca is fueled by insane amounts of coffee, margarita’s, Laffy Taffy (except the banana ones), and happily ever after’s. 

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