Sempre by J.M. Darhower

Haven Antonelli and Carmine DeMarco had vastly different childhoods. Haven, a second-generation slave, grew up isolated in the middle of the desert, her days full of hard work and terrifying abuse. Carmine, born into a wealthy Mafia family, lived a life of privilege, never having to answer for anything he did.

Both now seventeen, a twist of fate causes their worlds to collide, making them question everything they ever believed. Entangled in a web of secrets and lies, they learn that while different on the surface, they have more in common than anyone would think.

Let me start by saying that I have put off reading this book for a very long time. It has sat on my wish list for over a year. It went on sale, I still didn't buy it. Why? Honestly, from the synopsis I just felt there was no way to make this book modern and to get me involved with the characters. I would hear how wonderful it was and yet still, I never one-clicked it. So, when I found it on Net Galley for review, I decided to throw my caution to the wind and take a chance on it. Lesson learned! I sure wish I had snatched this one up a lot sooner and jumped in.
While this book is quite long (approximately 570 pages according to Amazon), it is the perfect length. We get to know the stories of all the characters so well and from there understand them. Unfortunately since I do not have the finished copy I am unable to share any quotes from the book. I highlighted so much of this book. There were so many beautiful parts to it that I just couldn't help myself. The book does get a bit slow for awhile however, once the action starts, the pages just fly by.
I won't bother telling you what the book is about. You read the synopsis. What I do want to tell you about is what it made me feel. There is no one word answer. I felt ashamed of society, pride in Haven for being a survivor, disgust of the world these men were involved in, sympathy for everyone involved. I felt every moment of heart break and every moment of love. I felt hope, angst, anxious, pain. I felt like my heart and soul had been ripped out of my body, put through a shredder, and then sewn back together. I wish I could write my review as beautifully as this book was written, but alas, I have nowhere near enough talent or skill to do so. What I do know however, is that this book will remain with me Sempre (forever). I highly recommend everyone go pick this book up immediately and start reading NOW. It is certainly bargain priced for just $1.99 and the sequel is also out now called Sempre: Redemption. It is going to the top of my TBR pile. I will let you know that this book does not end with a cliffhanger. You can read it and not have to read the sequel although, I don't see how anyone would not want to. Thank you to the publisher for approving my request to review this book.