"Damaged does not equal unworthy."
I'm having a difficult time putting this story into words, but that quote pretty much sums it up.
You know that a book is going to be good when the prologue makes you cry. I don't believe that I've ever been so touched, so heartbroken, so drawn into a story from just the first few pages. That is the impact of Where We Went Wrong by Kelsey Kingsley.
Where We Went Wrong is Vinnie Marino's story. Although this can be read as a stand-alone novel, we first meet Vinnie in The Life We Wanted which is his brother Zach's story. They have both been dealt an unimaginable loss and have struggled with drug addiction, but while Vinnie continues to battle his demons, his brother seems to have his under control.
Vinnie crosses paths with Andrea (Andy) more than once before they begin to build a relationship. At first, life seems to be going well for both of them, but then Vinnie's life takes an unexpected turn. He begins to lose his fight, and Andy is keeping secrets of her own. Together, they find themselves in a downward spiral that could destroy both of their lives.
I have said it before, and I will continue to scream it from the rooftop...Kelsey Kingsley is one of the most underrated authors that I've ever read. She writes stories that make you feel, stories that make you question, stories that make you understand. Her characters are so real that you feel like they could be your friends. The worlds that she creates are ones that you could find yourself living in.
While Vinnie's story is darker than some of her previous works, it's not dark in the "taboo, forbidden, shock factor" sense. No. This story is dark in the "this is life sometimes and it's not always pretty" sense. Then, amongst the brutal reality, is another entire element that will make you question everything and just might make you believe. Beautifully told, 5+ star read!