I LOVE a good friends-to-lovers romance! Even better is this best friend's little sister situation. David and Beth are an interesting couple and the angst in this book is so good! Beth has really been through it. I wasn't thrilled with some of David's choices, but he redeems himself. I highly recommend reading the previous book in this series, In Ruins, to understand all of what is happening here. Good read! 4 stars!

In Pieces is a good fit for those seeking an emotionally charged story of self-discovery and healing, following a young woman's journey to overcome her past and find love and acceptance in unexpected places.

Hello

Apologies for the late notice, but I have decided not to review this title. While I am certain it's obvious by now, I wanted to also clear this off NetGalley, so it's not showing as open for either of us.

Thanks,
Laura

A great combination of heartwarming and angsty story!
A touching friends to "brother's best friend romance.
Fast paced easy to follow story, the characters were well developed and the chemistry between Beth and David was fun to see evolve.
This slow burn romance had some unexpected surprises that that gave the story some depth and complexity.

The end was a little rushed but I really enjoyed this one. I loved the push/pull between Beth and David. They had great chemistry. And I love a good brother's best friend romance. That's so my romance jam.

DNF @ 32%

Unfortunately, I never connected with these characters. I am sure it's a case of "it's not you, it's me", but I have tried to go back to this book several times and still can't get into it.

Thank you so much for the ARC and I will continue to try this author to see if I connect with another of her titles.

This book started out good, the opening made me really want to read it. I liked the characters and the story line concept but as I kept reading I found myself reading the same thing over and over again. It was a bit repetitive and struggled through the last 1/3 of the book.

I received an ARC for an honest opinion.

A tale of heartache and second chance at finding happiness again. One person trying to be strong and another being there when they least expect it.

Blown away at the depth in this story. Danielle’s writing style captures you from the first few words, leaving you wanting more. Her strong storyline keeps you invested from beginning to end, and takes you on an amazing journey throughout. This story is raw and heartbreaking at times, warm and wonderful at others. Bea had her heart broken at an early age, and didn’t handle it well. Danielle captures those emotions – overwhelming grief, that no one else can understand the depths of heartache, wanting to be free from feeling anything at all – and she writes them in a sensitive manner. But I also love that she shows the aftermath – seeking help, gaining strength, valuing yourself, resolve, and the hope that comes with moving on one day at a time. Bea grew up with David, her brother’s best friend. Having been a part of her life from an early age, he is very protective of her and aware of the struggles she has been through. David and Bea’s relationship is rocky at times, sweet and beautiful at others. Danielle does a beautiful job of addressing issues faced by young people every day. A great read!!

What was the story about?

In Pieces was about the supposedly fragile girl Beth and the boy that never wanted to see her sad David. David is Beth’s brother best friend. They have both had a crush on each other since they were kids. Beth and David end up attending the same college. Beth is a freshman while David is a Junior.
David feels that he is obligated to ensure that Beth is safe always. Is it because she is his best friends sister or is it due to the affection he has towards her.  David’s has good intension and just want to protect his “Hope Diamond”.
As they venture through the first semester of Beth’s college life Beth and David are faced with situations that has David on the edge. David becomes a bit, no let me correct that. He becomes very over protective.
Through continuous situations that Beth and David are in there love and need for each other grows into something more.
How will everyone around them react if they decided to be together?

Did the main characters run into any problems?

What are you serious, throughout the entire book. I can’t say though, you just must read it.

Who was your favorite character? Why?

I liked both Beth and David. I felt that they complimented each other well. I liked the way they challenged each other. The dynamic between them was great. Throughout the book you were able to get a sense of how their love grew.

Have you ever done or felt some of things, the characters did?

I have been depressed but I don’t think unto extent of Beth, but who has never been depressed. Right???

Did you like the book?

I did enjoy the book. It was easy to read. The characters were likable. The different angst kept me engaged.

An absolutely wonderful young adult story of strength, self-empowerment, family, survival and loyalty. In Pieces is a standalone within the Something More series. I read the original Something More trio (Normal, ReCap, Okay) about two years ago, and was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it, considering that it was set in high school. Danielle Pearl wrote a wonderful coming-of-age story, and I fell in love with Sam and Rory, so I was excited to get my hands on In Pieces, which is the story of Cap's little sister, Beth, and one of his best friends, David.

In the original series, we saw bits of Bits/Beth, as she struggled to put her life back together after a "bad breakup" -- In Pieces is set three years later, where Beth is now attending the same college as David. And David has taken it upon himself to be her protector and bodyguard -- perhaps because he can't have her the way he really wants Beth, because Cap would never forgive him.

As David and Beth move from friends into friends-with-benefits territory, the playboy realizes that his Bea just may be worth risking his friendship for. The story was beautifully told, we see how much Bits has grown up and healed as she encounters Brian, the ex who shattered her, over and over again on campus and there is just the right element of suspense with the creepy stalker-type character Brody. That was a twist I didn't see coming!

Excuse me while I go back to re-read Normal and Okay, and see what kind of clues DP dropped there about teenage Beth and Dave! I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

3.5 stars
This is the second book by Danielle I've read, and what I can say is that there was just enough angst to make me want to finish the book. I had to know what happened and how it all ended. Where this book fell short... communication or the dialogue. Beth and David were so frustrating in their lack of communication that it really took from the story for me. And what really bothered me is how much David struggled to communicate when he was going to college to be a writer... even if he isn't much for voicing his feelings or thoughts, I kind of expected some epic letter that never came.

The overall writing is definitely good. One area Danielle has not disappointed me in.

"So many things in this life, even the things that appear the most beautiful--especially the most beautiful--fall apart when viewed up close. They reveal flaws and imperfections, hidden truths that change your entire perception of them."

The epilogue was definitely a nice touch to tie together the loose ends and to see where David and Beth end up.

Everything by Danielle Pearl is AMAZING. I absolutely ADORED this New Adult Romance!

I have been patiently waiting for Beth and David’s story. Oh my goodness was it worth it. Im a huge fan of everything this author puts out, Rory and Cap will always hold a special place in my heart but I will say that this is my favorite book that Pearl has written so far.

If your familiar with the something more series, you get tiny little peaks at Beth’s character. You know she’s been through some hardships and that she dropped out of school because of it, but that’s about it. And still every time she was mentioned it piqued my curiosity further. Her character completely blew me away. She had an incredible strength about her, which made me connect immediately. Beth was determined to have a fresh start and prove to everyone that she was capable of living on her own. It’s truly a second chance for her.

David on the other hand was a complete mystery. You know that he’s one of her brother’s best friends and it pretty much ends there. He’s taken on the role of looking out for Beth in her first year of college, but quickly finds out that she doesn’t need saving. I loved that he always had her safety as his priority. Dave has had feelings for Beth for years, but unfortunately for him she’s absolutely off limits.

There is this fantastic simmering attraction between these life long friends, so when things start to heat up it’s not just in a sexual way. They are both stubborn and don’t back down easily. It makes for some really great push and pull between them.

Pearl always excels at touching on topics that young adults are actually going through in real life. She never makes the characters poor pitiful victims, but rather survivors who learn to live with the past and become stronger because of it. In this case she gave what I feel was an incredibly accurate look at some very important topics. (Vague I know, but I’m never one to spoil a book for a potential reader)

This story had fantastic depth and the character growth was amazing. This is absolutely the kind of story that you can loose yourself in, which is just what I’m looking for when picking up a book. I’m truly sad for this book to end, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I will read more about them in the future.

I adore stories written by this lady and this book was brilliant. It pulled me in from the beginning, showed me characters I had missed and introduced me to Sam !!
A great angst ridden read that I’m so pleased I picked up

4 Stars

Donna
4TLOReading

This was great for the most part, but a bit convoluted with all the drama. I saw the surprises from a mile away, though I suppose might be just me.

All in all, an enjoyable story with believable characters. David and Beth's different voices were very clearly distinct, which worked well.

This book wasn't exactly my style ... the characters have enough appeal to draw you in somewhat, and the angst that continues throughout keeps you reading to find out what happens ... but the writing was tough to appreciate. It feels like it's geared towards a younger audience in fitting in with their lingo and trends, but the language is truly too much to be appreciated if anyone is gauging what that young adult is reading. I'm not offended by the F bomb at all, but there is such a thing as over-use ... and this book knocked it out of the park (750+)!

Received in exchange for a honest review.

Loved David. he never felt he was good enough for Beth but wanted to try. He was good enough and than some. He had such a low self esteem due to so many factors and his BFF being how he was towards him and his feelings toward his sister was understandable but wrong. David is a good guy just a little lost and angry. So very protective of Beth. He is a great guy and his love for Beth you can see in every word and action and knows no bounds.

Beth is stronger than she thinks. She goes through a rough patch in high school and comes out a tough cookie. Starting college was to be her fresh start. Only things don’t always go as we want. She has some tough moments. I love how honest and open she is. After all she has gone through she gives people chances and forgives. Her and David are fun and awesome together.

The banter between the two is great. And seeing them try to fight their attraction and succumb is really entertaining. you see how much they trust one another and rely on each other for support, friendship and understanding. David trusts her and believes in her. Watching him be her rock at the end was wonderful.

their is some mystery in this but it is a good one. I loved how Beth stood up to her family and showed them she isn’t a fragile flower. I also loved how David stood up for his love for Beth and risked it all for her.

The story is wonderful. We get both Beth and David’s POV and I think I like David’s more. he is unpollished and real. What you see isn’t always what you get. He is angry and you can see that he wishes his parents were more supportive. He is very talented and caring as well. He truly respects and loves Beth. Seeing him take care of her and show her he will fight for her is amazing and so intimate. Their story is a journey in which both in a way are in pieces and become whole with each other’s love.

I started to really fall in love with romance through books like Wait for You, Taking Chances and the Callie and Kayden books and this brought me right back to that place. All the angst, all the feels but also all the overwhelming possibility of young love. All the doors that are opened once you head off to that college campus and the promise of a fresh start. This is what brought me to romance and this is definitely what lured me into In Pieces.

Beth is ready for college, she’s ready to start somewhere new and get a full college experience. The only setback is David. Beth has always had a crush on David, but David is her older brother’s best friend. David takes on the duty of protecting Beth once she arrives at school. He wants to be around her and make sure she’s safe. When David and Beth end up in closer quarters, they end up having to confront all the feelings that each has had building up for the other.

I loved Beth and David so much!!! Beth has been through so much and you can really see how she’s strong and resilient and confident now. I loved seeing her stand up for herself and realize that she is capable of speaking up for what she deserves. David is such a sweetheart!!! I mean... he has a bit of a player past and puts it all behind the moment Beth steps foot on campus. Even before he knows it, he’s getting ready to go after what he’s always wanted. They do have a bit of drama and misunderstandings but what kind of college romance would it be without it. I just loved how Beth and David communicated and supported each other (except that one time... but like... I get it...)

There were a couple of twists, one I kind of saw coming, one I certainly wasn’t ready for and I loved that. I like when books can keep me on my toes. This book is definitely one you’ll want to add to the top of your TBR!!