Into the Nothing by B.T. Urruela is the first book in the Broken Outlaw series. This is the story of Xander and Paige. It has romance, it has a few steamy moments but it is so much more than just a romance. It is a tragic tale of mistakes and mistaken identity, of loss and love, and of taking each day as it comes and just moving forward as best you can. 
 Xander is a modern day nomad. He has a vehicle and a dog, Rowdy, but he never stays in one place too long. Having grown up in the foster system he's had his share of hard knocks but when he winds up in the small town of Truman Valley, Missouri, he never expected to find his home. 
 Paige has a loving family. Two parents that are as much in love today as they were when they first fell in love. Home life is good, there are moments with the angsty teenage brother that could be better, but overall life is good. When Xander shows up in town and Paige's father takes a strong liking to him they welcome into the family fold. Paige cannot help her attraction to Xander and when he steps in when her abusive ex shows his face she starts to let her walls down and let Xander in. 
 This story begins at the end and walks you through how exactly Xander got to where he is. It's tragic and heartbreaking and just when you think the pain is finally done something else happens. It is well-paced and well-written and the characters reach out to you. I was pleasantly surprised by the story, the depth of emotion, and the characters. 
 While this story can stand alone it does lead you at the end into the next book in the series, Into the Blood.