Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Turns out naked and hungover on the floor is not the most strategically sound place to be when your dad comes home early. Take it from someone who learned the hard way: nineteen-year-old Lysander Shepherd – son of movie stars, spoiled brat, enthusiastic proponent of drugs and orgies... and now, unwilling resident of Oak Hill Manor, a retreat for troubled teenagers.

Before he knows what's happening, his designer duds have been switched for tie-dye shirts in therapy team colors, and he is surrounded by an assortment of misfits: a timid nerd, a mute girl, a hyperactive kid... and captivating loner Cai Fields, who is admittedly pretty hot, but seems to hate the world in general and Lysander in particular.

Soon Lysander struggles with lies, withdrawal, and several uncomfortable revelations that he never intended to make, but he also gains surprising amounts of support right in the middle of secret late-night parties, fisticuffs over doing the dishes, and, of all things, croissant blackmail. Even as Cai and Lysander finally give in to the irresistible attraction between them and make a grasp for happiness, their darkest secrets remain – secrets with the power to destroy everything they've fought so hard to have.

 

Book Review

It's sometimes hard to find the words to express just how much I loved a book. In the case of this debut by Sage C. Holloway, however, I had the opposite problem—condensing everything that captivated me about the story into a few coherent paragraphs. Still, I've done my best. Two beautiful, broken boys; a protagonist with a uniquely recognizable voice; a compelling plot of romance, secrets, and lies…the author has taken the elements that most appeal to me and combined them in such a way as to land this novel straight on my favorites shelf.

Nineteen-year-old Lysander Shepherd is living the high life. Literally. His mother may be dead and his father too wrapped up in being a movie star to give a damn about him, but Lysander has long since developed a coping mechanism. Surrounded by luxury and lacking in parental supervision, he loses himself in a haze of shopping, drunken parties, and drug-fueled orgies. That is until his dad returns home early to discover him naked and hungover on the living-room floor and packs him off to Oak Hill Manor, a retreat for troubled teenagers.

Amidst the therapy sessions, team activities, and kitchen duties, Lysander encounters Cai Fields. Tough and intimidating on the surface, vulnerable and compassionate underneath, Cai gets to Lysander like no one else ever has. It isn't merely his brooding good looks, or the fact that the sex between them is incredible. From their first heated kiss, they share a connection that transcends any physical intimacy. Yet, Lysander hasn't been entirely honest with Cai, and he fears the deception could shatter their all too fragile happiness.

Anyone who follows my reviews will know I adore character-driven novels, and 'Spectacularly Broken' certainly falls into this category. Besides Lysander and Cai, who completely stole my heart, there are some wonderful secondary players—Finn, who gives Lysander a chance despite their contrasting backgrounds; Lexa, so traumatized that she has erected a wall of silence against the world; Jarrett, overweight and wholly without confidence. Their journey as they gradually opened up, forming unlikely alliances and helping one another to grow, is truly heartwarming.

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by Loose Id for the purpose of a review.

 

Additional Information

Format	ebook
Length	Novel, 60390 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	03-March-2015
Price	$5.99 ebook
Buy Link	http://www.loose-id.com/spectacularly-broken.html