Review: Exceptionally well done
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 6, 2013
First off, I must inform you that I received this book for free as a beta-reader. That does not effect this review in any way whatsoever. In fact, a review was not required at all, but I felt compelled to provide one anyway. I read a LOT of books - short stories, novels, and somewhere in between - from established, bestselling authors and from new, never-before published ones, too. While some of these authors have impressed me over the years with their talent, very few of them could match Avery Stark in this title.This book was not just written; it was woven together beautifully and told in a way that is not only interesting, heart-warming, and at times even tragic, but I found it to be exciting and sensual as well. The author certainly knows what she is doing here and it's hard to believe that this is her first release!I was pleased to find a plot that was more than just your typical romance. A young girl dealing with a painful past finds herself emotionally broken and finding her way through it while helping out at the family's large inn for the summer. She doesn't know what to do, where to turn, or if she should just give in, but finds the work and the guests she meets as a way to start moving on. When she meets a handsome artist who's come for a room and a breath of fresh country air, there's a glimmer of hope and she feels herself longing for something once more.All of the characters staying at the inn are flesh and blood and so very real. They leap out of the pages at you - and sometimes I felt as if I were sitting right beside them, a secret, casual observer to their conversations and going-abouts. The love scenes are smoldering and carnal, but not overly explicit. I found myself turning page after page to see what would happen next in the story, and I have to say, that sort of thing doesn't happen nearly enough these days with a lot of books!If you haven't guessed it by now, this book comes highly recommended. For readers who enjoy a well-crafted story with realistic, living characters that suck them in, Broken to Pieces should not be ignored.