Left Drowning by Jessica Park

From Goodreads.com:
What does it take to rise from life's depths, swim against the current, and breathe?
Weighted down by the loss of her parents, Blythe McGuire struggles to keep her head above the water as she trudges through her last year at Matthews College. Then a chance meeting sends Blythe crashing into something she doesn't expect - an undeniable attraction to a dark-haired senior names Chris Shepherd, whose past may be even more complicated than her own. As their relationship deepens, Chris pulls Blythe out of the stupor she's been in since the night a fire took half her family. She begins to heal, and even, haltingly, to love this guy who helps her find new paths to pleasure and self-discovery. But as Blythe moves into calmer waters, she realizes Chris is the one still strangled by his family's traumatic history. As dark currents threaten to pull him under, Blythe may be the only person who can keep him from drowning.

   Blythe starts out in her own world of grief still dealing with the death of her parents. She has alienated herself from her brother and is drowning herself in alcohol. When Sabin sits down with her in the student union one morning acting like he's known her forever, he's the first person who makes her feel something since. That same morning she walks down to the lake and runs into Chris. She inexplicably feels drawn to these two boys, comfortable with them, like she hasn't felt in years. I liked Blythe, I liked Chris, but I loved the Shepherd siblings, Sabin, Estelle, and Eric. They accept Blythe without question and treat her like she's been a sibling their whole lives. 

   Left Drowning is a little saucier than my normal read. It is ONLY recommended for readers over the age of 17. That being said, read this book. I couldn't care less about the sex in this book. I liked that it has a solid plot. There's actual meat to this story, unlike a few of the other books I've attempted. Overall this is a book about grief, strength, healing, and the people who are family even if they aren't blood. If you are one of the many who enjoyed the Fifty Shades trilogy, I recommend giving this book a try.