Beautifully Broken by Laura Lee

Review by Cattigan

(ARC book)

I never knew reader/book events existed until I put myself into the middle of Alex Strong's life.  I just bought my books at the store or online and went on my merry way.  Never had I ever followed anyone on social media.  I had no idea what I was missing! You meet authors, pick up their awesome swag, get their autographs, meet cover models... I've become the ultimate fangirl!

At Passion in Portland 2016, I chatted with just about every author and assistant who would listen. I looked at covers, read the backs of books, name dropped other authors, who I worked for, and what other events I had been to.  I hate to admit it but I seriously judge a book by its cover.  I have a thing about covers... I'm trying to change.  It's a 12 step process really.

One author was so nice when I drooled over her covers AND her and her assistant Jamie talked to me.  Complete sentences and a full conversation! Laura Lee's cover for Beautifully Broken fits perfectly with the story.  And what's not to love about her Deal Breakers' cover.  The foot kicked out signifying what I can only imagine as a really deliciously fabulous kiss. <sigh>


Book Blurb:
I KNEW HE WOULD RUIN ME FROM THE MOMENT WE MET.
Everything about the man screamed confidence. Sensuality. Intelligence. Worldliness. But it was how he saved me that ruined me most.

Through him, I learned to end my path of self-destruction. I no longer needed to numb the pain with mindless one-night-stands and drunken blackouts. He made me feel worthy. Treasured. Optimistic about my future.

Here I stand four years later, in a coffee shop a world away, still broken…but beautifully so. My scars no longer hold me back. Instead, they give me strength and enrich my appreciation for the good things in life. I have hopes and dreams…faith that anything is possible. I am no longer the lost little girl fighting for survival. I have direction. I have courage. I am not without possibility.

I’ll always have Gavin to thank for that—Mr. Cooper, I remind myself. That’s who he is to me now: just a former teacher. I know what you’re thinking, but don’t worry. I was eighteen when we first met. Legally, we did nothing wrong. Morally? Well, I guess that depends on how flexible your morals are.

My name is Kat and this is my story.

 

Boy, did I ever need caffeine the morning after reading Beautifully Broken! I started and finished this book in one night…well, early morning. Can 2:53am really be considered night?

Kat has had curveball after curveball thrown at her to where she is beautifully broken. Her focus is to come out ahead of it all. Author Laura Lee’s Kat is a character I had mixed emotions about; loved her, related to her, was puzzled by her, rooted for her.  I was a little nervous at first considering the age difference between our lovers and a few non-truths as to how the story was going to play out.  There are quite a few “awwww” and “I’m so glad that happened” moments. I was really cheering for Kat at the end. The story completely came together really nicely… hence the 2:53 am end time.  I just had to know what happened and needed to read just one more chapter until I got through all of them!