Friday, June 19, 2015

Book Review : Broken by A. E. Murphy

Broken by A. E. Murphy
Published April 19, 2014
Kindle Edition
Amazon / Goodreads

Caleb is perfect in every way, almost too perfect and Gwen has never felt so happy. He is hers and she is his. Life can't get much better and their love can't get any stronger. That is until mistakes are made and their world comes crumbling down. She's left alone with no money, no home and a growing person invading her stomach. How will she survive? 

Forced to leave culinary school, the job she needs and the home they made together. Gwen finds a knight in the most unlikely source. Caleb's brother Nathan. A complex man with a phobia she doesn't understand and mannerisms that aren't of this day and age, will she be able to melt his seemingly frozen heart and become his friend? Or will he forever push her away and wallow in his loneliness and self loathing?



My final reaction to this book was somewhere along the lines of oh look, another book that everyone loved that I seem to want to throw against a wall. How peachy. 

My reaction to this book was quite similar to my reaction to TRUE LOVE STORY. The characters frustrated me, but the writing style made up for where they let me down. So, I'll start out with the good.

This book, was in no way, shape or form rushed. Which is fantastic. I really appreciate that. For some reason it seems to me like I've been reading some books where either the plot is hidden in the conclusion or everything is shoved at me at once. So the pace of BROKEN was refreshing and super de duper nice. I also really liked how well all the characters were developed. I knew who they were (even if I wanted to whack most of them with a frying pan) and what they liked and disliked. I knew what made most of them tick. That is awesome.

I also thought that Murphy conveyed the mental illnesses- the extreme phobia and depression- is a pretty decent manner. It wasn't great, but that was more of because I didn't approve of how the characters dealt with any of their issues, rather than the constructing of the issues.

I suppose I'll talk about the issues I had with BROKEN now. Most of the characters and I have a like/ hate relationship. This is all except for the lady who tends to Nathan's house. I really do like her and her reactions to Nathan's irrationality. She is a lot like the one rational thing in his completely screwed up (due to something I can't name) life and heartbreaking phobia. But, still that is no excuse for how he lets his killer mood swings affect the people he cares about *cough* Gwen *cough*

Please excuse that tickle I had in my throat.

But then there is also Gewn, who made me want to punch her more often than not. After having a complete insta-love with Caleb (who made me want to gag), getting pregnant, engaged and then watching Caleb die, she's had her fair share of life throwing her curve balls. And sweet Lord, no one judges that she has more bad days than good days. Her and Nathan together, it was toxic. And there is a super hot type of toxic and then there is the toxic that makes me want to get them both help and hope that they never see each other again.

This 'romance' between Gwen and Nathan is the latter. No me gusta. Nope.

With the ista-love, the toxic love, and the more cringe moments than awh moments, this book didn't connect with me like it did the majority of readers.


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