Title: Anything But Broken
Series: Hurricane Creek book #1
Author: Joelle Knox
After five years, tragedy brings Hannah Casey back to Hurricane Creek to bury what’s left of her family. She’s flunking out of college, haunted by scandal, and the only person who cares is Sean Whitlow, an irresistible bad boy with a soft spot for her. The problem? He’s her dead sister’s ex.
Sean doesn’t bleed red, he bleeds motor oil. During the week, he struggles to turn his auto repair shop into a profitable business. But when Saturday night rolls around, he’s the reigning stock-car king of the local race track. He doesn’t know how to lose–or how to walk away and leave Hannah alone with her grief.
Between her grades and her wealthy family’s dark secrets, Hannah’s barely holding her life together. And the last thing Sean needs is to get tangled up with another Casey girl. As the attraction between them spins out of control, they’ll either find a love with no limits–or go up in flames.
My Thoughts:
Anyone who has followed us here on The Book Reading Gals knows that we are huge Kit Rocha fans. I don’t read a lot of dystopia but when I see one of their dystopian books coming out I’ll pick it up every time! So when I got the email announcing a new pen name, Joelle Knox, which they would use to publish contemporary, new adult books, I immediately signed up!!
Side Note: I’ve learned over the last several months not to say that I don’t enjoy New Adult because I have had many instances where I have been proven wrong on that account… a prime example would be The Deal by Elle Kennedy (you MUST read this book if you haven’t already) and now I’ll add Anything But Broken to the “proved me wrong list”. At this point I will say, yes I like New Adult but I don’t like when new adult characters act immature-ishly.
Hannah has been alone for so long and forced to hide herself from the world that she really doesn’t even know who she is. Because she had been forced into a box, an expectation of what she should be and act like, I could feel her hesitancy to take the reins of her life. How is she to know where she wants to go in life when she has finally been given control for the first time in 20 years?
Sean is living life. A business owner, a stock car racer – he wasn’t looking for anything else in his life when Hannah walked back into it. But there is a connection between the two of them and despite what his friends and family may think, that connection has very little to do with her deceased sister, Cait.
Anything But Broken is angsty… But in the ways that make sense. Hannah hates her mom and beats herself up over the fact that she does but we learn as the story unfolds that she has every right to hate her… Hell, I hate her mom too and she’s a fictional character! Sean beats himself up over the conversation he had the last time he saw Cait alive… Lots of angst but it’s not over done or overwhelming to the story… in my opinion it’s just a way to explain that when these two get to their HEA they have earned it in every way possible!
It’s worth mentioning that there are some tough subjects covered in this story, alcoholism and mental illness to name a couple. Not only was the proper treatment touched on but this duo wrote about the ways that some families choose to deal, or not deal, with these issues. The tactful and sometimes harshly, realistic way that it was covered should be applauded.
Grade A+
I’m really looking forward to more in this sub-genre from the fantastic BFF duo of @mostlybree & @donnajherren
AKA Joelle Knox – Goodreads Amazon
AKA Kit Rocha – Goodreads Amazon
AKA Moira Rogers – Goodreads Amazon
Find ANYTHING BUT BROKEN – Amazon B & N iTunes
