ARC REVIEW: Beautiful Broken Girl by Rachael Tonks
How far did I get? Who found me? Were they here to take me back? Starting a new life, Kennedy never thought she could find true happiness. Until him. Cole was perfectly content coasting through life with no purpose, no real connections. Until her. "I don't know what you are running from, but I can promise you I am nothing like your past. I'm your future, Kennedy. Does that scare you? Are you scared of falling?" Will the love between them be enough to help Kenndy move on from her past? Enough for Cole to see a real future? Or will the past always be there to haunt them?'
Beautiful Broken Girl is a tense read that will provoke a LOT of emotion from people I think. Personally for me, the themes in this book are ones which make me angry. I don’t want to spoil the plot so this will be a hard review to write.
The characters are completely lovely and you are gripped from the start by Kennedy’s story. It’s tense from the moment the book starts, I was drawn to Kennedy and I wanted to know what happened to her. I never could have predicted the horror that Kennedy went through, I’ve read and loved a lot of dark erotica but this was just horrific. I think what made it worse is that I’m positive it actually happens which just made me feel sad and helpless.
The consequences of her torture since birth also spark another debate (sorry for being so cryptic). I wanted it to go the other way to how it went in the story, but then the book would be over pretty quickly if that happened! I like that the author tackled it and put the choice out there and her reasoning behind it. I understood how Kennedy felt and I found I was so emotionally involved that I was actually angry about the whole situation!
Cole is an incredibly sweet guy, he’s very jocky at first and he seems very adult and alpha but he struggles a lot with the consequences of what happens to Kennedy. He acts out at his emotions and doesn't make the best decisions, I think he's got a bit of growing to do, but his heart in the right place and my god is he HOT!
There were incredibly sexy bits, where I got a bit hot under the collar, it's passionate and tense. The connection they have is electric...but then you get a metaphorical bucket of water chucked over your pants when we’re taken back through Kennedy’s past. It’s a really hard read, one minute you’re turned on and then you’re repulsed and frustrated.
I found myself angry at how the book was going which isn’t because I hated the story, I know I’d feel the same if I read it in the news, it’s just that the topic is such an emotional one and the book is written so well that you’re completely pulled in with no choice but to feel for these characters!
I’m very sure that readers will love this book, it's perfect for anyone who wants to get absorbed into the story and have their heart pulled out, people who like to torture themselves basically! :)
PROLOGUE
I wake to nothing but the sound of beeping.
Am I dead?
My head feels like it’s been slammed against the ground a thousand times. I can’t move my body. What the hell happened to me? Think Kennedy, what’s the last thing you can remember? I slowly open my eyes, wincing at the bright lights, carefully taking in my surroundings. I look to the right and realize the source of the beeping is a machine attached to my chest. I look around and see four white walls and all I can smell is disinfectant. That’s when it dawns on me; I am in a hospital. Everything comes crashing back and the memories flood my mind. How far did I get? Who was it that found me? Were they here to take me back?
I hear voices coming from outside the room and panic instantly grips me. Inside my head I’m screaming. I won’t go back; I can’t go back. I’m careful not to let anything slip from my mouth; I don’t want them to hear me. I can hear my heart beating; it feels like it’s coming out of my chest. The machine starts to beep faster which causes me to panic even more. Desperately clutching at the wires attached to my chest, I rip them off one by one; flinching at the burning sensation it leaves on my skin. I look down to see the one last obstacle attaching me to the bed. A needle in the vein of my arm connected to a drip. I hear knocking at the door. I stop dead in my tracks, stop breathing completely. This is it, it’s over.
I look over as it slowly opens. It’s a woman and she is smiling. She is dressed immaculately and has the most amazing fresh face and curly brown shoulder length hair.
Why is she here? Who is she?
“Hello Kennedy, how are you feeling?”
The panic inside me intensifies as this unfamiliar face walks towards me. I suddenly begin to cry and start shouting, “No! Please let me go, they will find me here, you have to let me go!”
The unknown woman walks closer to me, small steps at a time, reaching her hand towards me she sweetly whispers, “Kennedy you are safe now. My name is Jocelyn and I’m here to help you; please let me help you.”
There is a genuine sound of care and the smooth tone to her voice has a mild calming effect on me. A thousand thoughts run through my mind. How did I get here and where exactly am I? All I remember is running, escaping and the tremendous fear of trying to break free. The woman named Jocelyn points to the chair at the side of the hospital bed. “Do you mind if I sit?” she asks. “Maybe we could talk a while? I can see you’re upset and I really want to help; try to understand. Do you know where you are Kennedy?”
“Why would you want to help me? You don’t even know me! I don’t deserve your help! Just let me out of here,” I lash out.
My breaths are short and shallow and I feel like the walls are closing in on me. I look around searching for an escape route; maybe an open window.
“Nobody is keeping you here. You are at Hoag Hospital Newport Beach and we are trying to help you. You were in such a terrible state when I found you Kennedy; unconscious, covered in blood and near death.”
She found me. Did I get far enough? Did I actually succeed?
