Chapter by Chapter

Drowning In You by Rebecca Berto broke my heart at many different points in the book.  Especially with the interactions with the kids and the father.  Ugh, I ended up misty eyed!

Can you imagine having a huge crush on some guy in high school for the longest time only to find out that he was the one who may have been responsible for the death of your parents?  Would you be able to forgive him?  Would you even still be crushing on him?  I honestly don’t know how I would answer those questions.

Charlee May’s life is turned completely upside down after she finds out that her mother is dead and her father is on his death bed in the hospital.  After a freak accident at a ski lodge, Charlee finds herself in the role as mother to her little brother, and spends a majority of her time with her father in the hospital where his internal injuries are so extreme that the chances for his survival are pretty slim.  That’s quite a bit for a young girl to take on.

All of a sudden, Charlee seems to have gotten the attention of bad boy, Dexter Hollingworth.  A bad boy that she has been crushing on since throughout high school and whom, she feels, did not even know she existed.  But the twist?  Dexter Hollingworth was behind the controls of the ski lifts the day that Charlee’s parents plummeted to their deaths.  So why all of sudden does he notice her now?

Told in the alternating point of views between Charlee and Dexter, Drowning in You by Rebecca Berto told a tale of forgiveness.  And it actually delved into the dangers of not taking care of yourself if you have Diabetes.

One of the things that irked me was that Dexter (hot, bad boy, sexy Dexter) knows he’s diabetic.  He knows the signs, he knows the consequences, and he knows the dangers of not watching his levels.  And with that in mind, he still goes out constantly without his candy, and instead of asking for help, just goes with the motions of his attack until someone one “hopefully” comes by.  I couldn’t get over that!  Hope many “hypos” does he end up having in the duration of this book, and how many times did he have the sugar that his body needed?  Ummm, yah….

BUT, self-medicating on the side, Dexter is one sexy beast.  Who doesn’t love a bad boy with heart?  And the way in which he pursues Charlee was hot.  Okay, so he just walked into her house and helped himself to her sweets in her pantry…and he just took it upon himself to go in her pool without being invited and watch her like a stalker.

The sexual tension and the attraction between Dexter and Charlee is pretty hot.  But there were times where I was annoyed with Charlee.  I felt like she was stringing Dexter along and not at all appreciating the little things that he did for her.  Like staying with her at the hospital…or even just holding her when she needed it the most.  Nope, instead, she thinks about Dexter’s best friend and seeks him out so that she can get her mind off of Dexter.

What I did find endearing were the moments between Charlee and her father at the hospital.  And OMG the letters!  I seriously bawled… Nothing gets to me more than relationships between fathers and daughters.  Now, throw in the fact that the father is dying in hospital and he tells his kids of his love for them while on his death bed…omg you guys…my heart couldn’t handle it!

I recommend this read to those who want to witness the pain of watching your father dying and hearing about the amount of love he has for his children, and to readers who want to read about the importance of forgiveness, and how much it can change lives.