SYNOPSIS
The Way We Break is the stunning
continuation of the bestselling Story of Us series from New York Times bestselling author Cassia Leo.
The truth about Hallie has torn Houston
and Rory apart for a second time. Houston is finally unburdened of the secret
his sister confided in him, but now he must deal with the aftermath.
He has vowed to set things right for
Rory, and he's determined to get her back. But the destruction left in the wake
of Hallie's letter is not the only obstacle he must face. Houston must find a
way to win Rory back by showing her their story isn't over yet.
In her desperation to move past the anguish of
Hallie's secret and Houston’s lies, Rory seeks solace in Liam. When Liam is transferred
to another tech company in California, Rory jumps at his invitation to leave
Portland, and her broken heart, behind. In California, Rory finds a friend who
opens new doors for her in the literary world. But does this new friend have
ulterior motives?
The Way We Break is the second book in The Story of Us
Series, which follows the tumultuous love story of Rory and Houston. The third
and final book in the series, The Way We Rise, will be released September
2015.
4.5 Star Review by Jen Skewes
The Way we Break is book two in this series and the continuation of Rory and Houston’s story. It has been five years since they have seen each other but the love that they had for each other never died. The two of them reconnect and hope for a future together. But there is one thing that could destroy everything. Houston has a secret that he has been holding onto for the past five years. It’s a secret that can break Rory and any relationship that they have. But in order to move forward he needs to tell her the truth.
At the end of the first book Rory finds out what that secret is and she is completely broken, not just because of Houston’s lies and betrayal but because of the the secret itself. At the end of the book I needed more. I wanted this book so badly because I needed to know what would happen next. And believe me I know that after dropping a bomb like that on someone, things will not just miraculously work itself out. I knew there would be struggles but I still hoped that all things would work out for Houston and Rory. But then I read the blurb and saw that Rory decides to move to California with Liam!!! What? Did I read that correctly? And then I thought to myself could I handle this? Her moving with another guy? What about Houston? Oh the questions I had and the anxiety I felt.
Well let me tell you that the blurb did not lie. After Houston came forward with the truth of what happened five years ago Rory couldn’t face him. She needed space and time. So when Liam asked her to move to California with him she said yes. Do I agree with her decision? Probably not but I understood it. I understood her need to escape what had happened. I think deep down she knew she loved Houston and that Liam was a distraction but she needed to try to move forward and forget Houston and the past.
Meanwhile Houston is back home and will do everything he can to get Rory back. He still loves her and needs her and is not giving up. He knows that he needs to fix things in his own life first and that he needs to give her time. But he is determined to get Rory to give him a second chance. But her moving to California has just made things more difficult. But he has a plan one that he enlists his new best friend Kenny to help him with. Will his plan work? Will he get his second chance with Rory? Or has he lost her again?
I want to say that I love Houston. Did he screw up by keeping his secret? Maybe. But I completely understood why he did and I can’t fault him for it. But he is trying so hard to fix things, to make it better and be the man that Rory deserves. He truly loves her and deserves a second chance. I am rooting for him all the way.
I really love Rory and honestly feel bad for all that she is now dealing with. I think she ran but I understand why. But at the same time I wanted her to see how much Houston loved her and that his love was real. Houston’s secret was the mother of all secrets and affected her is so many ways. How does one come back from that and recover? But I think Rory will find a way because she has people who love her and are there to support her. She has also made a new friend in Hannah who is exactly what Rory needed. She was a perfect addition to this cast.
I am going on the record and stating that I am not a fan of Liam’s at all. Something about him that I just didn’t trust or like. But that is all I will say about him.
I am going on the record and stating that I am not a fan of Liam’s at all. Something about him that I just didn’t trust or like. But that is all I will say about him.
I am a huge fan of Cassia Leo’s. I love the characters that she creates, the stories she tells and the drama and angst that she always manages to add to her amazing stories. And this series is no different. I was on the edge of my seat with this one. I read as fast as I could because I needed to see what happened. I had those moments where my heart raced, knots formed in my stomach and I was afraid to turn the page. I felt it all with this one. I felt what these characters were going through and just hoped it would all work out. And the ending!! Ms. Leo left me with my mouth open. I need the next book, because no matter what the outcome of this little cliffhanger we are left with is, I know it is going to be a bumpy ride. There are still some missing pieces to the puzzle and there are things that I think Rory and Houston still need to work out. I will be waiting patiently to find out how their story ends. Another fantastic series by Ms. Leo.
**EXCERPT**
It was New Year’s Eve. Troy had wanted us to
join him at a frat party, but I knew Rory would feel more comfortable ringing
in the New Year just the two of us. The restaurant was packed with people who
either had the same idea as us, or who just wanted to take advantage of the
free New Year’s Eve beer sampler. I parked my truck in the back of the
restaurant, which stood like a giant two-story box in the center of a dark
corner lot.
The front of the restaurant was lit up by a
gaudy neon sign and the sodium yellow glow of a solitary street lamp. But the
back of the restaurant was flush in dark-blue shadow, and the occasional glint
of moonlight on chrome. There was one other car parked back there, but it was a
brand new Lincoln SUV. Probably belonged to the manager or the owner of the
restaurant. They wouldn’t come out until the place closed down at two or three
in the morning.
“Do you think they’ll have champagne?” Rory
asked, grabbing her phone out of her purse and tossing the handbag into the
truck cab.
“Doesn’t matter. You won’t be able to drink it,”
I said, reaching into the cab to grab an old blanket I kept back there out of
habit, tossing it on top of her purse to further conceal it.
“You don’t know that. I don’t always get
carded.”
I can barely see the arc of her cheekbones
through the hazy moonlight. “I don’t know. It’s New Year’s Eve. They might let
you slide.” I reach forward, my fingertips skimming over her knee-high tights,
landing softly on the top of her thigh. “Or they might take one look at you in
that skirt and those schoolgirl socks and decide you’re just too much of a
risk.”
Rory and I had never role-played, but ever since
I saw her slink into this outfit, I’d thought of nothing else but bending her
over a desk and fucking her as if our grades depended on it. Being three years
apart, Rory and I didn’t share any classes. But that didn’t change the fact
that I thought of nothing but her while sitting through hours of boring
lectures. Fucking her in that schoolgirl outfit would make up for all the times
I’d sat in class trying my damnedest not to get hard while fantasizing about
her mouth around my cock.
I began sliding my fingers beneath her wool
tartan skirt, but she grabbed my hand. “Stop trying to distract me.”
She threw open the passenger door and twisted
around to get out. My eyes locked on the curve of her hips, the bounce of her
ass as she plopped down onto the asphalt. It hadn’t quite been twenty-four
hours since we’d last fucked, but I was already hungry for her again. I stepped
out the truck and headed her off near the tailgate.
“What are you doing?” she said, making a move to
sidestep me.
I moved with her, my hands reaching forward to
grab her waist. “Don’t move.”
“Houston.”
My gaze fell on her chest, the rise and fall of
those soft mounds. The way they curved down into her waist made me dizzy. The
snug cream sweater she wore left just enough to the imagination. My eyes raked
over her entire body, landing on her lips, my mind lingering on the memory of
the sweet taste of her. Finally, I looked up, and the moment our eyes met she
knew.
Her arms stretched up, latching onto my neck as
I bent down, my arms locking around her thighs to lift her up. Her legs
clenched around my waist as our mouths collided in a hot fervor of passion. I
carried her past my truck, toward the back wall of the restaurant, my muscles
saturated in my need for her.
“What if we get caught?” she whispered.
I pressed her against the brick wall, leaning my
weight into her as I kissed her deep and hard. Without saying a single word, I
was answering her question: Who gives a fuck?
“Fuck me,” she breathed as I ground my hips into
the wet cotton of her panties.
“Not yet. I want to watch you come undone.”
I set her down on the asphalt and knelt before
her. Her chest heaved with anticipation as she watched me lift the edge of her
skirt. Sliding my hand behind her thigh, I lifted her leg to rest it on top of
my shoulder, opening her up to me.
“Oh, God,” she whimpered, as I slid her panties
to the side.
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AUTHOR BIO
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author
Cassia Leo loves her coffee, chocolate, and margaritas with salt. When she’s
not writing, she spends way too much time watching old reruns of Friends
and Sex and the City. When she’s not watching reruns, she’s usually
enjoying the California sunshine or reading – sometimes both.
Come chat with her on
You can also follow
her blog at http://cassialeo.com to stay up to date on new releases and
giveaways.
THE STORY OF US SERIES ON
GOODREADS
The Way We Fall (Book One):
The
Way We Break (Book Two):
The
Way We Rise (Book Three):
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