Too Beautiful to Break by Tessa Bailey is one of my most anticipated books of the year and, if you've followed along with the author’s Romancing the Clarksons Series, I wouldn't have to explain why. I have been dying for Sage and Belmont’s story. DYING! Mostly because the romance between these two characters has been teased from the start of the series, gaining additional momentum with each new book. I viewed every tension-filled, damn-near heartbreaking interaction between Sage and Belmont as a prelude of what was to come, so suffice it to say, I was looking forward to Too Beautiful to Break with an obsessive fervor. I have to say…it did not disappoint.

Belmont Clarkson, the strong, silent backbone of the Clarkson family is the sole sibling left on the long-winding road trip on which the Clarksons set off in Too Hot to Handle. Sage Alexander, Belmont’s unassuming, diminutive shadow, has been along for the journey for Belmont’s benefit, but the time has come for her to face her own demons. Too Beautiful to Break is a journey of self-discovery for both Sage and Belmont, with each trying to determine who they are together and as individuals. These are two multifaceted characters whose story is the most gut-wrenchingly emotional, most heart-meltingly sweet, most hopelessly romantic book I've ever read.

I expected Sage and Belmont's story to be emotionally devastating and, while it was to a certain degree, it’s also incredibly sweet and hopeful. Their romance is pure and innocent, yet deliciously naughty and erotic. Belmont worships Sage with a breathtaking intensity that creates this all-consuming, overwhelmingly intense, completely inescapable, soul-deep passion between them. Theirs is a love story that filled my heart to bursting and I didn’t know whether I wanted to laugh, cry, or swoon at any given moment. Usually it was a combination of those emotions, which meant my thoughts and feelings were all over the place. And I loved every minute of it.

Realistically I know that Belmont Clarkson is a fictional character but that hasn't stopped this tortured hero from stealing my heart. Previous books in the series have only scratched the surface of his complex character but Too Beautiful to Break delved into the deepest recesses of his soul. Belmont had a direct line to my heartstrings, making me sigh, swoon, tear up, smile, then repeat the cycle all over again. It’s his character and his impact on the Romancing the Clarksons Series series as a whole that made every sentence of the book a truly unforgettable reading experience.

*complimentary copy provided by publisher for an honest review

Rating: 6 Stars

Sadly, not the best entry into the Clarkson series. Maybe it was impossible to live up to the build up? I reviewed with the Book Queen at her site.

I devoured this book yesterday. Despite having a review copy, I bought the audiobook and started listening at work — a risk, considering I was pretty sure Sage and Belmont were going to totally ruin me. I made it through about 70% during the work day and I had plenty of surprises and feels along the way. But it was the last 15% or so where I found the most intense feels — and an ugly cry or two.

I still don’t have words for what this book did to my heart. I’ve been trying to come up with them for hours now, to no avail. I knew going in Too Beautiful to Break would be intense and, quite frankly, that it would probably break me. It did — but in the most perfect way possible. There’s something special about Sage and Belmont and the connection they share. Their story was all I wanted and more. I’m not going to get into all the details, though. The bottom line here is I think you just need to experience this book — and the rest of the series — on your own. It’s extraordinary. There’s a whole lot of heart poured into each book in the series and it definitely earned a place in mine along the way.

I’m so conflicted about this being the end of the Romancing the Clarksons series. I fell hard for these characters and loved celebrating their triumphs and commiserating with them during the tougher times. I’m a feeler when I read, but I swear this was a whole different level. I’m so happy with how this series ended, but I hate that it’s over. I guess I can always reread when I need more, right? I suspect fans of the Romancing the Clarksons series will love this book as much as I did. I wouldn’t change a single thing about it.

FAVORITE QUOTES

“Your heart asked mine. And mine was already begging.”

“Wherever you’re going, Sage, every time you walk into a strange room, remember that you might be the smallest person in it, but you’re the strongest and most beautiful. Right down to the deepest parts of your heart. But if you ever get scared or lost or lonely, know that I’m one phone call away. Whether it’s tomorrow or fifty years from where we’re standing, I’ll come. I’ll come before you know it.”

“Goodbye, my heartbeat.”

“There’s never been anyone like you, Belmont. There never will be again. How lucky am I that I get to love you?”

That was the thing about gaining strength from the ones who loved you. You held onto it wherever you went.

3 Stars

I hate to say it but . . . Bel's book was a let done. Maybe it's BECAUSE I was so excited to get his story, I set myself up for disappointment, at least partially? I do enjoy Bailey's books, and I still liked this one, but it fell a bit flat for me.


Jen and I have a double review/discussion up on the blog now. Be warned: there are some spoilers there, so maybe hold off if you've not yet read the book!

I must admit that Belmont and Sage have been the two characters that intrigued me the most.These two have a unique bond.They were so intense and cute.I love every moment they had together.

If you have read the previous books in this series you know how difficult Belmont's back story was going to be.He is a tortured and broken hero.The romance was too good and the back story.I loved everything about it.

Overall it was a unique and heartbreaking story.I love Tessa Bailey's books.She has an amazing way with her words.She always bring out to me many feelings.

book 4 in the romancing the clarksons series was always leading to belmont and sage. from the moment sage is introduced in too hot to handle you knew that there was something between them. something that burns so hot, so deep, so painfully, so exquisitely.

in too beautiful to break, sage knows they've reached their breaking point. there is too much between them. love. aching need. trauma. emotional scars. she tries so hard to leave belmont behind. to protect him. to free both of them from the ties that bind them together. she's not sure that it's really love. she doesn't want to be his crutch. she doesn't want him to be hers.

but belmont can't let her go. even though he knows he must in order to let her breathe. he can't breathe without her. without her he isn't whole. loving her is the only way he knows to go forward. he would face down anything, everything for her. in so many ways he proves that what he feels for sage is something real and strong and wonderful.

they are both so afraid. they've both endured trauma. they're broken souls who work so beautifully every moment they are together. this series has been deeply emotional throughout. these characters are all healing and renewing themselves by finding love throughout their journey. they started out in san diego fractured and aimless and when they finally jump into the icy waters in new york city they have found happiness and peace. i am so sad to see this series end, because it was such an experience to be immersed in the clarksons' world.

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Too Beautiful to Break by Tessa Bailey
Book Four of the Romancing the Clarksons series
Publisher: Forever Romance
Publication Date: September 26, 2017
Rating: 2 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

A love of a lifetime . . .

Leaving Belmont Clarkson is the hardest thing Sage Alexander has ever done. From the moment they met, she knew Belmont was the one, and getting up close and personal with him on his family's epic road trip has taken her desire to a new, even hotter level. But there's no way she can go there---not without revealing secrets that could devastate them both.

Losing Sage is not an option. Belmont's heart is hers, has always been hers. He knows she's hiding something from him, but nothing will stand in his way of telling her just how much she means to him. Finding her is easy---saving her from her past could cost him everything.

What I Liked:

I have so many mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, it wasn't horrible, and I can see readers enjoying it. On the other hand, I didn't really like it. I love Tessa Bailey's books, and I have been a huge fan of hers for a long time. But this book just didn't do it for me.

This is the fourth and final novel in the Romancing the Clarksons series, and it features Belmont Clarkson and Sage Alexander. They have been circling each other during this entire series, but never together romantically. At the start of this book, it's just Belmont and Sage, since the other three Clarksons have taken detours during the trip, and will meet Belmont in New York for the Plunge. But Sage knows she can't stay with Belmont for this trip - she needs to take care of some business at home. Business that she knows Belmont won't like. She uses their dependency on each other as an excuse, but really, she needs to go back to her sad, terrible life in Sibley, Louisiana, so she can make things right. But Belmont will follow Sage to the ends of the earth, and he stops at nothing to help her when he learns of her situation. They both have a lot standing between them, but their love is stronger than they know.

Things I liked about this book: the characterization. I may not have loved Belmont like most readers of this series, but I can really appreciate how unique and different he is. Bailey has made him stand out completely, compared to the rest of her heroes of her various romance books, and in the romance world in general. Belmont is one of a kind. We can clearly see his character development in this story; he goes from putting Sage on a pedestal, to understanding her and loving her all the same. He overcomes some of his fears, and begins to understand his own self better.

The same can be said about Sage. She goes through a lot in this book, and she learns a lot about herself, and about Belmont. From start to finish, she is working towards a healthier, stronger relationship with Belmont. She also works through a lot of feelings she had stored up from her past, dealing with her parents and her childhood. She didn't have a traumatic or "terrible" childhood, but let's just say she had to come to terms with forgiving her parents, for a lot.

As always, Bailey writes a good romance. The chemistry between these two was always there, from the beginning of the series. This romance was interesting because Belmont and Sage clearly already love each other, but they were never together, so it's not a second-chance romance. They are a simmering fire together, and there is a pretty awesome part of the romance that I loved (but I won't say because it's something cool to discover). I wouldn't say this is one of Tessa's hottest books, but the chemistry is still good.

I liked how the book ended, for Belmont and Sage, and for the rest of the characters. We always expect a HEA from romance novels, but this book (and series) had a great HEA, and for everyone. This book was a quick read and while I didn't totally love it, I'm glad I gave it a chance.

What I Did Not Like:

If I'm being honest (which I always am!), I never really loved Belmont, like most readers I've seen. People were dying to read his story and I was just... kind of ambivalent? I didn't really care to read his story. The whole I'm-so-devoted-to-her thing that Belmont has going on was strange and sometimes a turn-off, because it was too intense. You'd have to read one of the books to know what I mean. Belmont is obsessed with Sage's well-being, her happiness, her family's situation. All of this sounds good on paper, but it's weird and a little unhealthy.

Cue my next complaint: how Belmont decides to take on Sage's burden himself (and the fact that she let him). The whole thing is that Sage goes home because her father is physically unwell, because his mining job is too demanding. So Sage goes to his employer (a mean, spiteful man) and offers to work in her father's place. And guess what Belmont does, when he shows up to Sibley? He offers to take Sage's place. I hated this. Keep in mind, Sage felt responsible because she borrowed money years ago from the man in order to get out of Sibley and to San Diego, and didn't pay him back. Her father took on her debt, as well as added his own, and he worked for the man in the deep of the mines.

It seemed incredibly unfair and unrealistic that Belmont would take Sage's place in the mines. And the fact that she let him? That's honestly ridiculous. I would never in 1000 years let a friend or a friend's brother do that (which was what Belmont was to her, at the time - not "boyfriend" yet). I definitely wouldn't let my boyfriend or husband do that. It's my responsibility, and no one would talk me out of it. Not even creepy Belmont who was obsessed with Sage's well-being. He'd have to suck it up and deal with the fact that I will pay off my and my family's debts. By myself. I would never endanger my partner like that, especially knowing he hates underground.

And to begin with - there were SOOOO many options such that Sage wouldn't have to take her father's place and work in the mines? Like, get a loan from a larger bank? From Sallie Mae? Bring in law enforcement or a legal team? Better yet - take your family and move? Or even better - pay your debts? It would be hard to leave family to suffer, but that's an option too (not a good one, obviously). My point is, there were so many better options than offering to take someone's place in the mines. And then there is the fact that Sage got a day's worth of training, before going into the mines. You need licenses and certifications to operate heavy equipment and machinery and whatnot... Sage couldn't have obtained any of that in a day. That just isn't plausible. And even if the owner were doing some illegal/shady business by letting Sage go into the mines with one day of training, that's when I would bring the law into it. You see how this makes no sense?

AND there is the fact that Belmont ended up working for MONTHS in the mines, while Sage went back to San Diego to do her wedding planning business thing. (I think? This wasn't entirely clear but that was the impression I got.) You're joking, right? I wouldn't let anyone replace me for any of my debt to begin with, but even if I did, I wouldn't just leave the man in my hometown and go? I would stay with him? This literally made no sense.

In essence, nothing about the plot made sense. This whole plot could have been dismissed, had Sage paid the debts back, or called the police, or simply walked out of there and let her parents reap what they sowed (most of the debt came from her parents and their alcohol addiction).

Would I Recommend It:

I don't really recommend this book. It's not a steamy, swoony love story. It's not even a satisfying story in general. The story frustrated me to no end and I couldn't connect with Belmont, or Sage. I liked how Tessa Bailey developed their characters and shed a lot of insight into their personalities and minds, but I just didn't connect. This romance novel didn't do anything for me. It wasn't enjoyable and I don't even know how I would recommend the book (like, in what situation or context). I feel like only fans of Tessa Bailey would try this book? It's not that compelling of a story if you're not a die-hard Bailey fan. Which I am. I'm so sad I didn't really like this book.

Rating:

2.5 stars -> rounded down to 2 stars. It's a shame. I started the review thinking that I would give this book a 3-star rating. But the more I think about it, the less I enjoyed the book. I wanted to like it, but I pretty much knew, as soon as Sage offered to take her father's place, that I wouldn't enjoy this book (because I knew that Belmont would offer to take hers, and the whole story was doomed from there). At least the story ends well... to a point. I'm glad this series is over because I don't think I would read the next book (if there were a fifth book).

In a series where it had been building up to this fourth book and its characters since book one, and where the entire premise of the series as a whole was to conclude in it, it meant that there was a lot of ground to cover in Too Beautiful to Break. The ‘torture’ of waiting until the end was worth it in every sense of the word. And while the story can stand on its own, I would highly recommend starting from the beginning because each Clarkson family member is so complex, their family as a whole so functionally dysfunctional, that it would be a shame to miss their growth to this point as siblings as well as in learning the beauty of who Belmont was from the start of the road trip to now.

Belmont and Sage were pivotal characters from the get-go; two people so in-tune with each other that the rest was just noise. He was an enigma of a man, someone so affected by a defining moment in his past that his reliance on sheltering himself from anything and anyone was crucial to his mental stability. Bailey captured the essence of him from the very beginning, growing the perplexity of him as the stories went on with apparent ease. Belmont’s connection with Sage had been visceral and larger than the box of a descriptive word from the start, but it was so much more powerful here–the kind that carried butterflies from page one until the final page was reluctantly turned. But the wonderful nature of their relationship wasn’t on the ‘crutch’ they formed with one another, but in how that closeness helped the two of them find the strength they needed to overcome their individual hurdles on their own.

With many moments of truly gripping emotions as well as the original Bailey Hotness we love, Too Beautiful to Break was a fantastically written love story and conclusion to a series that has been very dear to my heart. The most powerful thing to take away was that the support of a person, your person, can be life-changing in helping to allow yourself to be in a place of vulnerability in order to overcome any powerful issues you’re facing, and Sage was the embodiment of that for Belmont–his safe place to fall and to get back up. They were enchanting together, but still shone when apart and had the kind of soul-deep love we all search for in our books and in real life. Then to see their reason for road-tripping finally play out? Breathtaking. Powerful. And I can’t help feeling bereft at letting them go, but I find solace in knowing there are always re-reads. It was the best way to end a series and to somehow find a new way to showcase unique characters and an all-consuming love.

3.5 Stars. I was all over the map with this book. Parts of it were a five star read and then parts of it were a two star read. I found some parts so frustrating but other parts so wonderful. To be fair I've been waiting for Belmont's book since the first book in the series and sometimes when you are looking that forward to a book you build it up to be too much and maybe I did that.

I have been fascinated with Belmont since the the moment he showed up in book 1. He is this intense, quiet, smart but obviously broken man. He suffers from anxiety and Sage seems to be able to ground him. Honestly, Sage seemed to be very put together through the last couple of books so it really threw me off when in this book we discover that Sage also depends on Belmont. That their relationship is really a bit dysfunctional and codependent. I wish that had been a bit clearer in the build up for this book I think I would have been better prepared for the direction this book took.

This story concludes the journey by the Clarkson siblings and I don't think you can really enjoy it to the full depth without having read the previous books. Along the way the other siblings have found their happy endings and have stayed behind although all agreeing to meet up for the New Year's Day Polar Plunge that was their ultimate destination. It's down to just Belmont and Sage but Sage has another destination and needs to leave Belmont behind. I was truly heart broken for Belmont when Sage left him and I still didn't really get the whole it's for his own benefit. Again if I had understood the nature of their relationship better I think I would have gotten why Sage needed to leave although it was more for both of them then just for Belmont.

Of course, they don't stay apart for long and Belmont ends up going to Sage and this is where he discovers her past and the issues that Sage faces. Again, this is where I had a few issues with the relationship. It turns out Belmont really doesn't know Sage that well, he's put her on a pedestal and she's kept a lot from him. Belmont was such an interesting character but I had a hard time reconciling the childlike side of him with the alpha side and the sexual side. Sage realizes her relationship with Belmont isn't healthy and it reminds her too much of her parents relationship. Belmont of course is extremely protective of Sage and can't help but want to solve her problems for her. However, Belmont isn't willing to give up and if he needs to change to be with Sage then that's what he will do. I loved that Belmont realizes he needs to face his past and deal with it in order to be in a healthy relationship with Sage but this is where the book felt rushed to me.

I really wanted to see a bit more of a conclusion between the relationship between Belmont and his brother Aaron and also more when he finally meets up with his father. All of this was rushed and then a quick epilogue wraps everything up between Sage and Belmont. I also wish the revelation about Belmont's childhood would have been addressed more. It was so huge and then it just went nowhere.

However, even with my frustrations and the rush at the end of this book I enjoyed this story and Belmont is a character that will stick with me for a long time to come. This entire series was a great read and I enjoyed all of them.

I could tell from the first book in the Romance the Clarksons series (Too Hot to Handle) that Sage and Belmont’s story would be the last one - because I wanted to read it so badly. In Tessa Bailey’s latest series, four siblings take a cross-country road trip to honor their deceased mother (Belmont, Rita, Aaron and Peggy). There was something so broken and needy about Belmont that called to me from the start. Of course, this made me a bit nervous about Too Beautiful to Break because I was worried about whether or not it could live up to my expectations for it. Fortunately, this book was everything I wanted it to be - an angst-filled romance with a joyful ending for the entire family.
 
When this book opens, Belmont, the oldest and most remote of the siblings, is left alone with Sage in the suburban to make the final push to New York City to swim in the ocean on New Year’s Day (as per their mother’s last request). Sage is sibling Peggy’s BFF who came along for the ride and ended up becoming Belmont’s touchstone - that thing which helped to keep him sane. Belmont is a nearly silent monolith who has trouble with any and all social interaction (especially interaction with his siblings). He had deep-seated emotional scars from being trapped underground as a child and from how this event impacted his relationship with his family (he has a different father than his other siblings). Belmont assumes everything will be fine as he and Sage continue the trip, but Sage has other plans.
 
While Sage is better at social interaction than Belmont, she is harboring just as many secrets; secrets that can’t be contained any longer because her family is in trouble. It turns out that Sage fled from her family and a very difficult situation. Her parents were never very strong people, and they tended to be very wrapped up in their own relationship. Sage was the odd woman out; and she also had to take care of her parents who could never seem to function as adults. When they get into some serious trouble with her father’s petty and mean-spirited boss, Sage feels compelled to return to Louisiana to help. Sage’s family situation is brutal, emotional exhausting and even maddening (i.e. I wanted to shake the parents). So Sage returns home to help, leaving Belmont feeling bereft. He of course follows Sage as soon as he can. Sage’s pain when Belmont arrives to help and learns about her past is heartbreaking. And I could see how Belmont was going to rush in to help despite his own fear of closed spaces (think mines) - one of the most selfless romance-hero acts that I’ve ever read.
 
This book is truly an emotional roller coaster ride that will tie your heart up in knots several times over before finally making it burst with love and joy. The angst is off the charts as is the sexual tension between Sage and Belmont. And while Belmont is not an experienced lover, once he let’s go, he become a trademark Bailey hero dominant, dirty talking and very naughty.
 
Too Beautiful to Break is a perfect conclusion to the Romancing the Clarksons series. The four siblings make it to Coney Island and find something precious that they were missing: love and family. I would recommend reading the series in order to get the most out of the journey and out of Belmont and Sage’s romance.

***4 ‘You’re the Tide’ Stars***

I must admit that Belmont and Sage have been the two characters that intrigued me the most throughout the series because their relationship is so tense and...unique. With each book I made note of anything that could give me a clue into what was going on with them, but no solid answers were given. So, yes, I was all kinds of excited to get my hands on Too Beautiful to Break to FINALLY get some answers, and for them to FINALLY get their HEA, and what a ride it was. I wasn’t prepared for what was revealed, but it totally worked, especially when you look at just who Sage and Belmont are, and I loved experiencing each step in the evolution of not only their relationship, but themselves as individuals.

I’ve really liked Belmont and Sage throughout the series, but it was more in the context of their unique relationship rather than as individuals, so finally learning about who they are separately from each other was an enjoyable, though heartbreaking, journey. They’ve both experienced darkness and have done what they deemed was best for themselves and those around them to pretend it never existed. So when they have no choice but to face it, things get very interesting. It was absolutely fascinating to watch as they confronted their issues and how it brought out their real selves and transformed them into the people they were always meant to be. The process was sweet, smexy, frustrating and pulled out all the feels and I really liked where they were at in the end.

If you haven’t read any of these books, I highly recommend that you read all of the books in order ~ you don’t have to, they can be read as standalones, but it would definitely be worth your while since this series isn’t just about the romance, but about the growth and evolution of the relationships between the Clarkson siblings. This was a fun and smexy series, with well written and unique character. I enjoyed being apart of each of their journies and really liked where they were all at in the end.

If you are a Tessa Bailey fan this is the book you have been waiting for. This is the book that is the soul of the entire Romancing the Clarkson's series and for a fan of this series the makes this book their soul so you can imagine how exciting this day is for all the Bailey's Babes, the readers that have been swooning, fawning, and biting their nails over our beloved Belmont and Sage. I can almost guarantee that by the end of the day today there will be a collective sigh heard round the world as readers close the back cover and clutch this book to their chest both pleased at the end to the series and sad that it has all come to an end.

The one thing you need to know about this book is it is utterly sigh worthy. As always with a Tessa Bailey book all the swoon and romance is there, but there is also a softness to this story, a deep sadness that is both heart breaking and beautiful. Too Beautiful to Break is a book about fears, about discovering them, concurring them, accepting them, and letting them go.

If you have read the previous books in this series you know how difficult Belmont's back story was going to be. He's a broken man, broken in such a way that the only ease he finds from his hurt and fears is either on the water or in the presence of Sage Alexander. There is a peace that he brings to her that he can't find anywhere else and he has needed her badly during his and his siblings cross country adventure, a trip that has taken him away from the contentment his work and the water give him and put him through an emotional hurricane. Once Sage arrives he can finally breathe but then everything changes when she leaves him standing at train station lost and confused. That moment with Belmont, it broke my heart as much as it broke his. Imagining him completely lost with out his anchor pulled me right into his hurricane of emotions and had me clutching my heart over his pain.

Sage has to leave Belmont behind, she has to get home, home to a life she tried to run from but was always tethered to, one she knew she would always have to return to. She has to run from Belmont because he offers her too much safety. He offers her a way to lose herself in his arms and in his love, but it's an unhealthy dependency that she fears finding herself in with him, the same type of dependency she lived through with her parents, parents she loves but can not let herself become like.

I love this story, I loved the heartache, I loved the back story, I loved the romance, I LOVED Belmont, I loved almost everything...the one thing that keeps me from giving Too Beautiful to Break a 5 star rating is that I didn't love Sage as much as I wanted to. You know how sometimes you wait so long for a book, there is so much build up, that the book can ultimately disappoint you because it just isn't everything you craved and hoped for, a little of this happened here but it was only with one character, everything else hit the mark. For me Sage was just a little too wishy-washy. Of all the characters to give everything to and then rip it all away Belmont is the last one it should ever be done to. I struggled a little to see her side of things for some reason this idea that she could allow herself to be so totally immersed in another person, that she's strong enough to walk away from him, that she is strong enough to fight a battle for her family, but she isn't strong enough to set up a life with Belmont that supports them both with out losing one another seemed strange to me. It may just be that due to my own independence I can't understand where she is coming from but it hurt to see the way she pulls and pushes Belmont through life. But honestly this challenge for me is just a drop in the bucket of a beautiful story, one that deserves to be read and loved.

I highly suggest reading this series from start to finish particularly when it comes to reading Too Beautiful to Break, you need to know Belmont before going into this story, you need to see how he loves his family, how he depends on them, but how he fights for them and fights to give them their happiness. You need to see his quiet and heart breaking interactions with Sage so you can feel the true force of his book. You need to see that he is the soul, the pillar of this family and that of everyone his happiness is what this whole series has ultimately been leading up to. That this sad little boy, this broken man gets the chance to find happiness, safety, and love.


~ HAPPY READING

Everything about this series has been worth the read!! If you have read the first 3 books...pick them up. I've been a fan of this series since it began and was waiting on this one. I've always wanted this story and I had to wait til the fourth book but it was worth it. Sage is a complex female character and I liked it. She wasn't simpering or whining about things, but she was flawed and strong. It takes a strong guy to rope that in. I think the author wrote Belmont really well with that. Overall, it gelled with the rest of the series and it wasn't out of place. If you're a fan and have kept up with the series - you'll want to read this book.

I was given an ARC copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own and do not reflect anyone else's.

Too Beautiful to Break is the story of the last Clarkson sibling, Belmont. Belmont has always been a loner; he feels cut off from his siblings and struggled with addiction in the past. However, he has built a solid business for himself and wants nothing more than to share it with his sister Peggy's best friend, Sage. Sage has her own secrets though, and they will tear these 2 apart.

Belmont and Sage made me feel TOO much. The tears that fell were unavoidable because my heart broke for these two. Neither wanted to speak up about their feelings and they buried it all until it explodes in Sage leaving. Thankfully, even though Belmont doesn't really understand whats happening, he realizes that he has to tell Sage she is his whole world. These two are so stubborn through. Belmont doesn't deal well with change, large groups, and a large list of other triggers. Sage feels like a fraud who abandoned her parents when they needed her. She refuses to abandon them again and feels that her relationship with Belmont is toxic because they are using each other. Belmont has always loved Sage but had no idea how to tell her. It made me so sympathetic with their struggles. Belmont reminded me of so many of my students on the Autism spectrum. Sage reminded me of so many girls from poor towns who want better. These two were so real to me because Bailey has written two damaged, secretive, lonely, stubborn people that tugged at me on such a deep emotional level.

If you want a book that will pull you in so deep you never want to leave, Too Beautiful to Break is that book. I want to follow Sage and Belmont for the rest of their lives because they have come to mean that much to me.
Link Live on 9/28

This book, wow, I barely I have any words. I read Too Beautiful to Break during a weekend binge of Tessa Bailey books. This was the only one I cried start to finish. After following Sage and Belmont through three previous books, I had been anxious for their story. Both are two very damaged people who found strength within each other. Belmont was suffering from a traumatic childhood experience where he was trapped in a well for days. Sage’s family life was tough and both she and Belmont were scarred by their past. They meet before this book when Sage was hired to plan Belmont’s sister’s Peggy’s wedding. They quickly developed a co-dependent friendship which continued through the cross-country adventure of the previous three books. However, Too Beautiful to Break starts with Sage making the tough choice to leave Belmont and go back to face her past in her hometown.
Of course, their separation does not last long and Belmont quickly shows up in Sage’s hometown. He discovers, to his horror, that she’s taken over her dad’s job in the coal mine. This book is a love story but more than that, it is about two scarred people who learn to overcome the horrors of their past. While at times their co-dependent relationship seems unhealthy, they both recognize this and are able to find a healthy balance. Both Belmont and Sage are forced to face their pasts and make the decision to not that define their future. This was truly a cathartic and emotional read. However, didn’t let the heaviness scare you away. On top of that, the switch into a romantic and physical relationship was off the charts steamy! Tessa Bailey is one of the masters of dirty talk in her sex scenes and Belmont does not disappoint. It’s always the quiet ones who are secretly the naughtiest!
The entire Romancing the Clarksons series was one of self-discovery for the characters and that what made it an amazing and emotional read. I truly recommend the whole series!

I love Tessa Bailey’s family-centric series, Romancing the Clarksons, in which four siblings take a road trip across the country to fulfill their mother’s last wish. Each Clarkson has their own book, and I’ve anxiously awaited the fourth and final book, Too Beautiful to Break, featuring the oldest brother, Belmont. I am happy to say it is everything I expected and more, and it’s the perfect ending to a phenomenal journey of love, family and friendship.

Belmont had a traumatic childhood that continues to haunt him. He’s quietly intense, emotionally inaccessible and complex with a fierce need to take care of the people he loves. Sage Alexander is his little sister’s best friend, and there is something about her that soothes Belmont’s troubled soul. He finds solace simply by being near her, and he does everything he can to keep her close by.

Sage has fallen in love with Belmont but doesn’t believe he’ll ever feel the same about her, and she realizes his unrelenting need for her isn’t healthy for either of them. When she suddenly leaves him to return to her childhood home, Belmont is shaken to his core, and he follows her hoping to show that he loves her more than he needs her. He yearns to prove to Sage, and to himself, that he is worthy of her, and his determination to heal is incredibly moving. Sage and Belmont are consumed by their feelings for each other, and their relationship evolves with both a tenderness and a passion that is mesmerizing. Tessa Bailey has created an enthralling love story with two unique and endearing characters, and Too Beautiful to Break is a spectacular whirlwind of emotion that is unforgettable.

I have enjoyed the rest of this series and I was really looking forward to Belmont and Sage's story. Their relationship is not always conventional but they have their own unique bond and a connection that works for them. Sage's past is explained, Belmont wrestles with his demons, and the Clarkson siblings complete their cross country journey to fulfill their mother's last wish to discover that she did have a grand plan behind it after all. I am disappointed to say that although I mostly stuck with it until the end, unfortunately this book was just not for me overall and I skimmed through a lot of it to find out how it all ended.

My 4 star review is posted on Goodreads and will be posted on blog and social media for release tour. Links will be updated at that time. UPDATED LINKS 9/25/17

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33818837-too-beautiful-to-break?ac=1&from_search=true

4 stars
I was fascinated by Belmont when he was introduced in Too Hot to Handle and I was so excited to get his story.

He is a quiet, stoic, sad gentle giant so full of anxiety. He has demons from his past and triggers. But two things calm and soothe him and that is the water, which is why he is a salvage boat captain, and Sage Alexander, his sister's best friend. Just being near Sage or touching her seems to calm him, but as they spent more time on their road trip, he did not make it clear that he had other feelings for her too. He comes off as concrete, innocent, rigid, and childlike in some ways, but he is also protective to the point that Sage is worried about being smothered.

But Sage has her own secrets...and her own triggers, and being co-dependent or relying too much on someone top the list. She realizes she needs to try to put some distance between the two of them because they are beginning to rely on each other too much. She is not sure where she really stands with him as he has always been a gentleman with her and puts her up on a pedastal. She is caring and kind, but scared and ashamed of her background. And she knows that Belmont will do anything to protect her, and she does not want to drag him into her life that is getting more complicated.

But facing the loss of her from his life might just be the thing to push Belmont really out of his comfort zone and make him take a stand. These two really do need each other to keep grounded and calm, but at the same time it scares them due to the intensity. They are two people with difficult, lonely childhoods that still have fears, issues, and insecurities. And they both are inexperienced in relationships, sex, and love.

The connection between these two was soul deep and could be felt. It was like they could not take a full breath without each other and their need to touch was sometimes almost painful. I adored them together. Belmont is not a typical bossy, unfiltered, alpha hero...he is a sensitive soul that keeps himself guarded, but feels deep and will protect those he cares about to his own detriment. And Sage is strong, determined, and has a beautiful, loving heart. Together they are such a sweet, tender, passionate couple with a unique understanding of the other's struggles and limitations. They push the other to reach for what they need and not settle, to express locked down emotions and pain, and to be okay sharing their true selves with others. I liked seeing the progression of their communication, humor, understanding, emotional involvement, and physical bond.

This ties up this series about siblings on a cross country journey to follow their Mother's final requests and their individual stories of finding love along the away. The siblings Rita, Aaron, and Peggy have stopped in various locations as they paired up, but they are still available when needed. This family truly re-bonded over shared time, adventures, obstacles, and improved communication and understanding. Belmont and Sage are the final couple trying to sort through their feelings, deal with life's complications, and figure out where their paths will lead them. These two especially have a need to develop inner peace and contentment, pride, and empowerment in order to find themselves again and their true soul mate. They have both internal and external issues to fight that at times seem insurmountable. It is a beautiful story of strength, healing, trust, sacrifice, and love.

I've been with this series since the beginning and it just keeps making me want more from these characters. Especially Belmont and Sage who had my attention instantly and I've been secretly rooting for them this whole time.

Belmont and Sage complimented each other in a completely unexpected way. They both had issues but they were always there for one another when that happened. I really liked that Belmont could be broody and standoffish in a way, but with Sage he let her be there for him. I felt like it really spoke to how strong their connection was.

As much as I liked these characters I pushed my rating down to 3.5 because the ending felt too rushed. I wanted to see the true Happily Ever After for Belmont and Sage and instead it just felt like it was cut off before that happened. I still loved their characters, I guess I just wanted more of them at the end.

I'm actually really sad to see this series go. I feel like each book is made ten times better by being a part of this series. They all take you on a journey and makes you live with these characters and as a whole it is truly spectacular. I actually want to go back and re-read all of these books over again so I can experience them all together.