Review: Out of Focus by L.B. Simmons (Chosen Paths #2)


Note: This ARC was provided InkSlinger PR in exchange for an honest review.

"I've been watching you long enough to know something broke you. Something you keep hidden, something that weighs on your soul. You pretend, but your eyes betray you. There's pain hidden within them, but when you smile, really smile, the pain is gone and you're you. Not the person you pretend to be. And like I said earlier, I find that very interesting. I want to know what makes you smile, how to make you smile, and how to keep that smile a permanent fixture on that gorgeous face of yours. And more importantly, I want to know why you feel unworthy of that smile, and how to fix that too."


He gives me a crooked grin and shakes his head. "I guess what I'm saying, is I would very much like the chance to get to know you, if you'll let me."


I went into Out of Focus knowing it was a spin-off sequel of Under the Influence, both books belonging to the Chosen Paths series, and I had an idea what deep, dark, long-held secret Cassandra Cooper was keeping from everyone around her, but there's something that happens in the story that caught me by surprise, and if you're as much of a fan of L.B. Simmons as I am and you know which of her books is my absolute favorite, you'll absolutely understand why I was fangirling when I came across it. But that's only one of the reasons why this heartrendingly emotional story got to me. If Spencer Locke had to learn to live her life again after her heart was irreparably broken after Dalton Greer's disappearance in Under the Influence, her best friend Cassie has been living the life of someone whose very soul was torn piece by piece as a child, and while she may still have those tattered pieces, she doesn't believe she'll ever be able to put her spirit back together again. Then Cassie meets Grady Bennett and a foreign feeling blossoms: hope.

Cassie has been forced to keep a secret and as much as she tries to put a smile on her face and laugh at herself and the world around her, the damage that kept secret has caused her has spanned so many years that she no longer believes she deserves love or happiness. This Cassie is a revelation because it's clear that she needs someone in her corner, someone to give her something believe in--exactly what she was for Spencer when her best friend was struggling with the loss of Dalton. What I loved most about this book is that while Grady becomes the catalyst for Cassie to see that there hope is something that still burns within her and she just has to fan those flames and experience a phoenix-like rebirth from the ashes of her eight-year-old self, she makes the decision to do something about the state of her life for her own peace of mind. It emphasizes what we tell people who need to make a change--that they need to do it for themselves and not just for other people--but then when you're in the position Cassie was in, that's easier said than done.

Surviving something that has irrevocably changed our lives is an incredible feat, and Cassie Cooper has certainly survived. She's gone on to live a life, but not the kind of life that she would have ever dreamed of herself at twenty-three. Maybe it's because Grady Bennett is six years older than her and there's a greater sense of maturity, patience, and understanding there that makes it a bit easier for her to espouse what he says, but when reality comes crashing, even his love for her isn't enough to fight the demons and darkness back. Cassie is a survivor, but what she had to learn was how much of a fierce warrior she was and that confronting what happened to her as an innocent child and giving a voice to the pain and heartache was necessary for her to move forward. Not acknowledging her past kept her shackled to the bad memories, and the one who held the key all along was Cassie herself. L.B. Simmons once again broke my heart and then handed it back whole again with this inspiring tale and 2016 favorite. Five-plus stars for Out of Focus. ♥

Release Date: 19 February 2016

Date Read: 18 February 2016

Learn more about L.B. Simmons.

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