Review: Broken and beautiful! I loved it!!! 5 Stars
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 11 3, 2013
From the first page, I was captivated by this story. I love how this novel started in present time with a VERY steamy scene and then went back six months to fill in the gaps. About halfway through, the stories meet again and the sparks start to really fly! I am drawn to books with broken characters dealing with troubled pasts and finding the happiness they deserve. This was phenomenal!Riviera Benson is an amazing heroine. Her past is plagued with pain, torture, and abuse but she manages to survive and is determined to move forward. She is an extremely talented artist which allows her to easily find work. She meets Benjamin Shandon on a job site and after a bumpy start they begin to spend a lot of time together. Due to years of suffering, Riviera finds it difficult to trust people but eventually allows Shan into her life. I appreciate the structure of their relationship because it seemed real to me. It isn't easy and flawless but it definitely shouldn't be in this situation.I am crazy about their names! Riviera and Shan were fantastic characters and I devoured their story. I definitely cringed through tough sections but Shan brought light and peace. He hasn't had the perfect life either and drives himself hard so past mistakes won't catch him. Riviera is able to help Shan forgive himself while he encourages her to let go of the past demons choking her. Together they really heat up the pages and bring happiness to each other. Will the past stay buried or find them after their walls finally crumble?Parts of this book are gruesome and difficult to read but I felt it was necessary to make the story more realistic. The heroine has a terrible past but it made her into the strong woman she is throughout the pages. The author did an outstanding job describing the horrible life she lived before finding her escape. I could feel her pain and suffering through the exquisite writing and precise details. I loved Riviera and Shan! The title is absolutely perfect for the story. Snag this amazing novel today and get lost in their journey.