Bright Side (Bright Side #1)

by Kim Holden (Goodreads Author)

Secrets.
Everyone has one.
Some are bigger than others.
And when secrets are revealed,
Some will heal you ...
And some will end you.

Kate Sedgwick’s life has been anything but typical. She’s endured hardship and tragedy, but throughout it all she remains happy and optimistic (there’s a reason her best friend Gus calls her Bright Side). Kate is strong-willed, funny, smart, and musically gifted. She’s also never believed in love. So when Kate leaves San Diego to attend college in the small town of Grant, Minnesota, the last thing she expects is to fall in love with Keller Banks.

They both feel it.
But they each have a reason to fight it.
They each have a secret.

And when secrets are revealed,
Some will heal you …
And some will end you.

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Source: Kindle

Genre: NA Contemporary

Part 1 in an ongoing series

My Bright Side Review ...

When reading Bright Side, here is what you will need:

1) A whole box of tissues

2) A whole bottle of wine

3) Water proof make up

4) The next day off from work to recover from all the heartache.

This book was .... gah, so devastatingly beautiful. This book was amazing but full of heart ache and beauty.

"God, how can the most positive person I know not believe in love? You're such a contradiction. . . ."

Kate is one of the brightest stars. She's positive and uplifting. She makes lemonade out of lemons. Even though she has had a shit life, she never ever let it get her down. She tries to find the beauty in everything. But like attracts like and the friends that Kate has are amazing. I thought Kim Holden's character development of ALL her characters were amazing. You were encaptured with everyone good or bad. But the good were all just so great.

"She's the poster child for positivity. She's a freaking ray of sunshine. She doesn't just look on the bright side ... she lives there."

We first have Gus. Ugh! I LOVE GUS. His heart is so huge. He and Kate have been best friends basically all their lives and their bond is so deep and profound.

"It's just that the world's a more beautiful place when you play. That's all I'm saying."

When these two are together nothing else matters. Nothing but their love shines through.

"Outer space. There's not another one like her. The both of them, really."

"It's Kate, man. She's his muse. Always has been. You saw what they just did together. No one else brings that out in him. They feed off each other. I've never seen anything else like it. Musically they're so in tune with each other, it's like they can read each other's minds. But, you're right. What we just witnessed was un-fucking-believable . . . even for them."

Then we have Clayton. What a sweet soul. Loved him and his friendship with Kate.

Then Pete. Such a sweet gentle being.

Then Shel. So hard but a softy in the inside.

Then Duncan. Sweet and loyal.

Then the band (Franco, Jamie & Robbie). All of them are sweethearts.

Each and every characters has such a strong piece within in this story.

"Bright Side, you know I love you all happy and adorable in your little world of sunshine and rainbows, but you're kinda hot when you're angry. I dig aggressive chicks. And that was crazy aggressive."

Even though my heart belongs to Gus as their bond was so amazing, we also get to fall in love with Keller. I was always rooting for Gus but Kate needed a best friend and a love because that girl deserved as much love as she could get.

"You have such great friends, Katie."

"I know. I'm so fucking lucky," She means it.

I kiss the top of her head. "We're the lucky ones."

This book is a journey. And everyone should take it. I can't be properly review it otherwise it will give away the story, and we can't have that. Because this book needs to be experienced without fully knowing what you are getting into. Just know it is beautiful, raw, magical, profound, amazing and devastating.

Show time, Katie...