BROKEN – REDEMPTION BOOK #1 by LAUREN LAYNE

18 April, 2015

SYNOPSIS

Lauren Layne’s New Adult novel tells the story of a girl with secrets, a guy with scars, and a love that could save them both… or destroy them.

When Olivia Middleton abandons the glamour of Park Avenue for a remote, coastal town in Maine, everyone assumes she’s being the kind do-gooder she’s always been. But Olivia has a secret: helping an injured war veteran reenter society isn’t about charity—it’s about penance. Only, Olivia’s client isn’t the grateful elderly man she’s expecting. Instead, he’s a brooding twenty-four-year-old who has no intention of being Olivia’s path to redemption . . . and whose smoldering gaze and forbidden touch might be her undoing.

Paul Langdon doesn’t need a mirror to show him he’s no longer the hotshot quarterback he was before the war. He knows he’s ugly—inside and out. He’ll do anything to stay in self-imposed exile, even accept his father’s ultimatum that Paul tolerate the newest caretaker for three months or lose his inheritance. But Paul doesn’t count on the beautiful twenty-two-year-old who makes him long for things that he can never have. And the more she slips past his defenses, the more keeping his distance is impossible.

Now Paul and Olivia have to decide: Will they help each other heal? Or are they forever broken?

´♥´♥´♥

Reviewed by Jenny

Rating: ✯✯✯ 1/2

“Your soul’s more crippled than your leg.”

Broken was an easy story to become lost in. Not to mention that I’m a sucker for a retelling of Fairy Tales, and with the theme of this story being based on Beauty and the Beast…even better and for the I did enjoy this story.

We meet our hero Paul who was disfigured after being injured during his time in Afghanistan. His outward scars are only a fraction of the emotional scars and pain he harbours inside. Retreating from life and choosing to live his life in seclusion rather than risk the ridicule and stares from people on the ‘outside.’

‘The worst of my scars aren’t the ones I see in the mirror.’

Escaping her own issues, Olivia takes on the role of caregiver to Paul; little did she know the impact this man would have on her life.

Broken is told in dual POV’s which enabled me to experience each characters feelings which was essential to the story as Paul could be quite the trying character at times and for me, getting inside his head was a necessity.

“That’s how it works, Paul. You deal with shit however you need to, and then you get over it. You move on.”

There was an immediate sexual chemistry between Paul and Olivia that leapt off the pages, yet their friendship was allowed to develop at a beautiful slow pace, with both taking baby steps to earn each other’s trust.

“Hell yes, I need something. I need someone to care.”

Olivia had such a beautiful heart and a tenacious spirit and lucky she did because she needed great fortitude where Paul was concerned. It was testament to her ability to see beneath the tough exterior, because Paul could be quite cutting and cruel at times to Olivia and for this reason I found him a bit difficult to completely connect with.

I did enjoy Broken but have to honest and admit I had a bit of a problem with Paul and found it a little a difficult to warm to him and by the time I did it was a late in the story. Perhaps more ‘afters’ would have cushioned my feelings for him. His treatment of Olivia grated on me at times which hindered my overall enjoyment of this story. So whilst I enjoyed Broken, I didn’t love it as much as I had hoped. However I adored this authors writing style and will be diving into Crushed asap!

Broken was a sweet and engaging story of two damaged people seeking redemption and love with the right amount of drama, emotion and heat.

**Reviewed from an ARC copy provided via Netgalley, with thanks**

´♥´♥´♥

THE REDEMPTION SERIES by LAUREN LAYNE

♥ ISN’T SHE LOVELY – BOOK #0.5
Amazon US || Amazon UK || Amazon AU

♥ BROKEN – BOOK #1
Amazon US || Amazon UK || Amazon AU

♥ CRUSHED – BOOK #2
Amazon US || Amazon UK || Amazon AU

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