Summary
“Maybe I could use the darkness like a blanket? I could wrap myself in darkness and maybe the darkness would protect me.”
Against all odds, I had found my One; the love of my life. A man who saw me for who I was and who loved me, broken and all. But my past soon reared its ugly head. The past began to haunt me and interfere with my new life. Just because I married and started a family didn’t mean I would automatically live a happily ever after. I was trapped in the past; reliving awful moments I couldn’t push away anymore. I had to deal with it, not only for me but for my family. But could I ever let it go and be free from my torturous past?
* Note: This book is the first book in the Beautiful Series Novella with a cliffhanger. The story continues in Beautiful Love.
** Please Note: This series deals with sexual abuse and rape. It may be triggering for some. Reader discretion advised. 18+
Overall
Crystal is the main character, it is all from her perspective. There is a raw unfiltered feeling to the novel. No punches are pulled and everything is laid out in terrible and acute detail. It deals with how a person deals with extreme trauma and how a person could bury it to continue to function. At times it felt like Crystal was in my living room telling me her story, that’s how real she was; how real the story felt as you moved through Crystal’s life. There is no magic wand to fix this and her struggle to deal with what happened to her is very real. I loved the romantic elements and how they were together, it was very sweet. The end of the book leaves many unanswered questions, I certainly would pick up book 2 to see the conclusion of this heartbreaking but compelling story.
***This is NOT for children or those who are triggered by certain stories (see above). This is very detailed and explicit in its descriptions of sexual abuse, and the affect it has on the main character. To the point at times I wanted to avert my gaze, as though I could turn away from the horror Crystal was experiencing.
Rating
4 stars
This is a heartbreaking but compelling story with the resilience of the human spirit and how one good person can make all the difference in someone’s life.
Where did I get a copy?
Kindle Unlimited
Creating Worlds with Words 