A few weeks after Fortitude Smashed ends, Daisy and Chelsea’s clocks are ticking closer and closer to timing out, only a few days apart. While the girls parse through their conflicting feelings, Aiden and Shannon continue to struggle with exploring their relationship.

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Why this book?: I adored Fortitude Smashed.

I would like to thank the people at Interlude Press for allowing me to receive an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Where do I even start with this book?

If you look back at my Fortitude Smashed review, it’ll be pretty obvious that that book ruined me. Curved Horizon did the same exact thing, except much more brutally. Where FS was subtle yet strong, CH was strong and distinct. Both books deal with similar heavy topics, like depression and abuse and sexual assault, but you get a much wider view of how it has affected each character. You get to learn much more about the characters that were central or introduced in the first novel, because while we got the majority of their backstory before, we get to hear how it affected them.

Curved Horizon follows Daisy and Chelsea, who were both introduced as close friends to Aiden and Shannon about halfway through Fortitude Smashed. At first, I have to admit, both characters seemed like very obvious stereotypes, but as you learn more about them in CH, Brooke will flip those stereotypes on their head. Chelsea is the stereotypical jealous, perfect ex-girlfriend with blond hair and a rich family. Daisy is the stereotypical goth girl BFF. But in CH, you learn so much more about these two characters, and how they break those stereotypes so forcefully that you can’t even comprehend how they fit into that mold originally.

Just as I mentioned before, The Camellia Clock Cycle deals with some heavy topics, and Taylor Brooke does not shy away from them. I love how, despite these horrible events happening, the characters help each other through them, and are able to heal–not because they’re in love, but because these relationships allow them to talk about and discuss what happened. Brooke’s portrayal of these events and how a survivor heals from them was so honest and inspiring.

Final Rating: ★★★★★

Overall?

Taylor Brooke once again crushed my heart with this book. I love the characters so much, especially their complex relationships and lives. I love how the story is more character driven rather than plot driven, because I don’t read many character driven stories anymore. Taylor’s stories and characters seem so much more authentic with her writing style, as well as the setting and story. I need another one. Please?

Would I Recommend?

Definitely. These books are so, so important with how they deal with abuse, depression, and sexual assault. If you’re looking for it, there’s also on-page representation — Aiden is pansexual, Chelsea and Shannon are bisexual, and Daisy is demisexual. Before, this wasn’t explicitly said, but in this one, it is.

Trigger warning for discussion of parental abuse, discussion of off-page sexual assault, depression, major character injury, and description of off-page sexual assault.

If I missed any, please refer to the Author’s Note in the beginning of the book, which has all the triggers listed, as well as the chapter they appear in.

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Additional Information:

Published: March 8th, 2018

Publisher: Interlude Press

Page Count: 356

Genre: Contemporary/New Adult/Romance

Synopsis: via Goodreads

Curved Horizon picks up a few weeks after the conclusion of Fortitude Smashed with Daisy Yuen and Chelsea Cavanaugh, whose Camellia Clocks draw close to timing out.

Navigating the in’s and out’s of love is hard enough as strangers destined to be soul mates and proves even more complicated when Daisy shares ugly, dark secrets that linger in her and Aiden’s past.

Meanwhile, Shannon and Aiden continue to explore their own new relationship. With Fall comes an unforgettable one year anniversary, but when Shannon suffers a life-threatening incident on the job, Chelsea, Daisy, and Aiden must find a way to let go of their pasts to make room for their futures.