These books are not for the faint of heart! Lizzy Ford has written a heart wrenching story. These novellas are written in the first person perspective of Mia Abbott-Renou, and are so beautifully written that I am in awe. Mrs. Ford bravely took on several sensitive topics such as rape, and the politics surrounding Rape that we've heard in the news in recent years, and did it with such grace that you have no choice but to feel empathy for Mia.
After reading both novellas in one night I sat thinking about how to write this review in a way that would do this story Justice. In Broken Beauty, the first of the novellas, it starts with a very confused Mia just having been assaulted. The first scenes were written in such great detail that you can feel her confusion and pain. Throughout the first chapters you go through the experience with Mia,from waking up feeling confused, to the humiliation of being photographed at the hospital. Imagine going through all of this as a 17 year old like Mia? Throughout the first Novella you will see Mia try to deal with her Rape and the aftermath. She realizes to late that the people in her life she trusts the most to look out for her have ulterior motives, Her daddy,who is in the middle of a re-election campaign sends what amounts to his clean up team in when she's in the hospital to let them know that because in his eyes "you can't get pregnant from rape" he will not be giving his consent for the morning after pill. When Mia finally makes it home she is given a statement to read to the press by one of her half siblings that basically says she's sorry for being raped. There were parts in both of these books that had me in tears, wanting to scream at the top of my lungs that what's happening is not fair. I was so frustrated with the way this girl was being treated by the people who are supposed to be protecting her, while instead they were treating her as though she's a pawn in some game of political chess. By the end of Broken beauty I was Heartbroken but determined to find out what was going to happen next. Broken World picks up right where Broken Beauty left off, which is nice as most sequels jump forward a bit. Throughout Broken World you watch as Mia starts to find her voice again. She has so much strength and courage that it really is inspiring. Again and not surprisingly, Lizzy Ford paints you a vivid picture of the trials Mia is facing and she does it in a way that makes you want to cheer her on. Typically I would feel uncomfortable reading about someones assault, but this story was written with such care that not once did I feel like I was intruding on someones private experience. Broken world finds Mia in a compromising position, defy her father, who she has only ever wanted approval and understanding from, or disappoint her hero, the man who found her broken and bleeding and has stood by her side since. Mia finds some unlikely allies in this novella, who even in their attempts to help her are still using these attempts to manipulate the situation for political gain. Will Mia find the support she's looking for to be able to stand up and do what she believes is the right thing, or will she continue to let her father manipulate the situation for her so that it will all just go away? Thank you Mrs. Ford for having the courage to share this story! I am eager to read what happens next for Mia! Who doesn't love the idea of being able to go to your 10 year high school reunion and show your ex exactly what he or she missed out on?
Savannah Garrett, Home for her 10 year Reunion and a job interview, has made absolutely sure she wont see her high school sweetheart turned ex, while she's home. The problem is that they all ran in the same circles and after A girls night out at Roy's ( the local hangout) turns sour when she see's HIM there, Sam Reynolds. An of course he looks amazing.... Well in the words of Georgia, Sav's Younger crazier sister "shits about to hit the fan", and boy does it ever! I loved this book for so many reasons, MR Joseph has a way or grabbing a hold of you and taking you on a journey back in time. The playlists, talk about awesome, I know we have all heard a song and it made us think of a certain someone or something. This book made me remember what it felt like in high school surrounded by your crew who would back you up on anything in a heart beat, who knew you better than you knew yourself sometimes because of this It was easy to relate to. Now if only the guys we all knew in high school knew how to talk to a woman the way Sam Reynolds does we'd all be big piles of mush :) with lines like, "You look into the person's eyes that you love the most in this world and you thank your lucky stars that those eyes are looking back at you." Who wouldn't be? I can't give you much more without ruining the story for you, but I can tell you that MR Joseph doesn't leave you hanging in the end! Take a returning soldier with PTSD with a taste for crown, and a fiery, dark haired woman with tattoos and a past filled with fear an you'd think you'd have a recipe for disaster.
When what you get is a story about two people with their own scars to heal. Content to drink his pain away night after night, Timber Nelson has a severe case of survivors guilt from his time in Iraq. He moves away from his dad, the only family he has left, to work in a oil field during the day, leaving him just enough energy to drag his ass home to his apartment still filled with unpacked boxes, and drink himself to sleep. Kat Pierce works at a little hole in the wall bar She has been running from her fear of another attack for the last 6 years. Living above the bar where she works isn't ideal, but the fact that she knows every regular in the place and the owner has hired what basically amounts to personal security for her helps her start to feel more secure. Until the day Timber walks through the door, having known each other in high school but hanging with different crowds the Kat is immediately put on her guard while Timber is left with visions of her instead of his nightmares in his dreams. Will someone from their past, someone who even now has something to hold over the both of their heads, tear them apart before they can help each other start to heal? I'd give this book 5 stars, Stacy Borel is an amazing story teller! There was never a dull moment, the characters had depth, they felt very real almost as if these could've been people from my high school, which made the book feel that much more intense, and not just the main characters either, it seems as though you get a small piece of every characters story. I loved that about this book! I've personally never read a book that covers such serious topics with the gentleness that Mrs. Borel does. This was the first book by Stacey Borel that I've read, and I can tell you it will not be the last! If you haven't read it yet go grab it! Ariel Anson, a smart, young paralegal with a successful yet predictable fiance, meets sexy PI/ bounty hunter Chad Garrett. She will find out all that she's thought she wanted may not be everything she needs. This book was the very first one I read by Mrs. Roughton, and let me tell you I was hooked from the very first line," No lightning bolt streaked from the sky the day my life as I knew it began to end"_. War-N-Wit the witch is a fun and sexy read even if you're not a big paranormal romance fan (I happen to be) . Ariel's 1st person POV keeps you turning the pages, but the magic happens when Chad and Ariel meet, literally! Mrs. Roughton has created a cast of characters that are easy to fall in love with. The witty banter between Chad "magic man" and Ariel makes their relationship seem more realistic than most love stories you read. I love the personal touches to the story, like the fact that the synopsis of the book Ariel sends Chad is for Down Home, another of Mrs. Roughton's books and another great read! All in All this book has an amazing mix of humor, romance, action , and adventure to keep the reader not only interested but wanting more! Which you will get in the next 3 books in the War -N- Wit series I am new to the blogging world, However, I am a quick study and hope to have it down in no time! I'm excited to tell you all about the amazing books that I've read, and introduce you to some of the coolest and most talented indie and small press authors that I've had the privilege of meeting. I'll be putting up a review after every book I read so at least 3 a week, and if I can manage, I'll attempt a giveaway at the end of every month.
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