5 stars!! 
 Wow! This book was so much more than I imagined, and without giving anything away I will just say it is an emotional rollercoaster -- by turns gut wrenching and hopeful, grief filled and funny, heavy and light. This review will be fairly short, as so much of what I wish I could talk about is too much of a spoiler. It is best to go into this book with as little information about the plot and characters as possible. 
 Porter and Charlotte both hold a darkness inside them born of past pain. Together they find some solace, but the even though Porter helps Charlotte's pain, only she can heal it. But letting people in isn't easy for either one. Charlotte is a work-aholic who has given herself almost no free time in the past 10 years, while Porter is a single father working to open yet another restaurant. 
 This story had me tearing up almost from the beginning, and though I tried to read in public a couple times because of necessity, I found I couldn't keep it up for very long due to the stinging in eyes and warning signs of more tears. I picked this book up as often as I could and raced to the finish, wiping my eyes the whole way. 
 But for all the heavy emotions, there is plenty of light as well. I loved watching Porter and Charlotte get to know each other through text messages. Porter's awkward sense of humor was the perfect touch for several of the heaviest moments. 
 But as this is the first of a duet, it ends on an absolute bomb of a cliff. Both points of view narrating the story mean readers know what both characters are thinking and feeling, but by the end I feel like there are still so many questions and mysteries! I cannot wait to get my hands on The Brightest Sunset in order to find out what happens next in this world. 
 I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.