Random Review . . . Shatter Me by Alex Grayson

Will her past finally shatter her?

Originally released in 2015, Shatter Me - book one in The Jaded Series by Alex Grayson - is available exclusively on Amazon and is #FREE for Kindle Unlimited subscribers!

CHECK IT OUT NOW: US → http://amzn.to/2zmWBW1 UK → http://amzn.to/2A7tinu CA → http://amzn.to/2il8ctV AU → http://amzn.to/2gTkycm

Pain.

That’s a word Bailey Winsor knows well, having endured it since she was a child from the people who were supposed to protect her. Just when her life appears normal, something Bailey has never experienced, she meets a man and falls in love.

Love can be deceiving.

Bailey jumps from the frying pan that was her childhood into the burning bowels of hell, which is her sick and twisted husband. It’s hopeless. Suffering more years of abuse, Bailey eventually realizes she has no choice but to run. Forced to stop in a small town in Ohio, Bailey encounters a town full of people that welcome her with open arms, especially Jaxon Walker, the tattooed and pierced local bar owner. Bailey has secrets she’s unwilling to reveal. Jaxon senses her fear and refuses to give up trying to discover them.

Will Bailey be brave enough and learn to trust Jaxon with her deepest secrets? Will Jaxon be strong enough to protect Bailey when her past comes knocking at her door?

Although book one in Alex Grayson's debut series, Shatter Me may be read and enjoyed as a standalone.

***TRIGGER WARNING! This book contains vivid violence, sexual abuse, and emotionally volatile situations and may not be appropriate for all readers. It is intended for mature audiences ages 18+ only.

 

My Review:

3.5 stars

This book was a bit hard for me to review because I couldn't decide if I should give it 3.5 stars or 4 stars. Ultimately, I went with 3.5 because while I really like it, there were too many things I couldn't look past.

There's a strong difference between sexual abuse and sexual torture; for me Bailey was sexually tortured for the majority of her life. She struggled and I was extremely glad that she found the strength to escape. I felt like she deserved some good in her life and the scene where she's behind the bar with Jax approaching her - OMG!! While the emotion didn't overwhelm me, the thought of her being that afraid, that terrified, struck deep and I found myself so emotional. I loved the feel of the small town "adopting" her as their own. That juxtaposed so much negativity in her life that there were good people in the world. I loved that Jax was so fiercely protective of his family and that while he had his own issues, he was still able to be such a sweetheart. I also liked the author's note at the end and her explanation behind some f the scenes.

The issues I had with this book:1 - The trust and ultimately the relationship development between Jax and Bailey. Within a week or so, she trusted him. Their relationship deleted slower, but my issue comes with the fact that Bailey was tortured in the worst way possible her ENTIRE life. She had no counseling. She had no outlet. I don't think she would have trusted him so soon considering her background. Jax's sisters and mom and Gram, yes, but not necessarily Jax.2 - Stephen (Steven?) and his background. Where did his crazy come from??? How could he be so abusive and no one suspect it with him so in the limelight?3 - Missing the obvious. When Stephen finally made his move, how did no one suspect that???? On that same note, I found it unrealistic that absolutely no one blamed Bailey for what happened. Grief and anger makes people irrational, so I couldn't see not one person casting blame in that aspect.

Overall, I liked the book and would definitely read more from the series. I look forward to hearing Nick's story.

**I received an ARC and reviewed voluntarily.**

About Alex:

Alex Grayson is the bestselling author of heart pounding, emotionally gripping contemporary romance including The Jaded Series, The Consumed Series, and two standalone novels. Her passion for books was reignited by a gift from her sister-in-law intended to distract Alex and help her pass the time while her husband was away for work. After spending several years as a devoted reader and blogger, Alex decided to write and independently publish her first novel in 2014 (an endeavor that took a little longer than expected). The rest, as they say, is history. Originally a southern girl, Alex now lives in Ohio with her husband, two children, two cats and dog. She loves the color blue, homemade lasagna, casually browsing real estate, and interacting with her readers. Visit her website, www.alexgraysonbooks.com, or find her on social media!

Find Alex Online! Amazon: http://amzn.to/2h412hf BookBub: http://bit.ly/2upSbrK Facebook: http://bit.ly/2qs61qF Facebook Group: http://bit.ly/2qXiwOc Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2rHxjxL Twitter: http://bit.ly/2qXlMsZ Website: http://www.alexgraysonbooks.com