The Bad Girls Team review 'UNBREAK ME' by Lexi Ryan

Unbreak Me

by Lexi Ryan

The Bad Girls team collectively review a book once a month.  

Our August review gave us the chance to meet Maggie, Asher and Will from Unbreak Me.     
Lexi Ryan was a new author for the team to read.  

So it was an exciting opportunity to see how we would find this piece of work.  

Keep reading to see the team's thoughts on Unbreak Me, 

but before you do - if you haven't read it yet, 

here is a teaser (and slightly explicit) trailer created by our 
very own uber talented Ms Lola D Lovegood.  

Does that make you interested?  If so - read on to see what the girls thought, 
and see who their dream cast is!  

Before you read the individual reviews and their horndog rating,  

the average Bad Girls Horndog rating 

for this book was a massive

Reviews by the Bad Girls Team

Kimberlyn Kandie:

I kept putting off reading Unbreak Me and I could kick myself for it. You so cannot put this book down.  From the first page Lexi already has you hooked wanting more and more of Asher and Maggie…

*Spoiler Alert*

Unbreak Me is a strong passionate emotional love story bringing two strangers together with their own painful secrets only to realize they are not strangers after all. They have met before on a river bank were Asher helps out Maggie thinking she had slit her wrists only to find out she’s pregnant and bleeding and rushes her to the local hospital.  Asher leaves her there not knowing what happened to her.….

12 months later Asher unknowingly becomes Maggie’s date at her sister and ex-finance’s wedding reception.  As Asher and Maggie dance at the reception he tells her that he knows her from somewhere but does not know where. Maggie thinks it’s just a pickup line.  Soon they both will realize where they have me before.

Maggie’s story will tear at your heart strings as she tries to overcome her painful past and figure out she is worth being loved.  Asher is so amazing to Maggie, teaching her that she is not what the town says she is “The Town Slut”.  That what happened to her at 15 was not her fault.  

On our horndog scale I give this book a very solid 8. The story line alone is unique and different from all the other triangle love stories with curves you did not see coming. Plus Asher is stunning and delicious from all aspects!!!

“I found you, sweetheart. You don’t need to hold together anymore. I found you.”  ~~Asher~~

Collage by Lola D Lovegood

Mia Rose:

Wow, Where do I start with this one. Ok so Unbreak me tells the story of Maggie Thompson who has returned home after a year away to be a bridesmaid at her oldest sister Krystal's wedding. Unfortunately this isn't just another family wedding for Maggie, as her sister is marrying William, the man Maggie was set to marry a year earlier, but she ended up calling it off two days before the big day and left town. She's had no contact with William or her family since then. 

Maggie has been dealing with so many demons all her life because of some bad choices she made as a teenager, it's heartbreaking. She thinks she's broken and cannot be fixed. The walls she's built around herself are going to take more than a hammer to knock down.  I didn't like how everyone, including her mother, made Maggie out to be the bad guy, yet her sister is the one who moved in on her man the first chance she got.  I'm sorry but where I'm from that's a line you don't cross when your sisters!!!

"When I was young, I was just one of the Thompson girls, but now the labels aren't so innocuous. Black sheep. College dropout. Slut."~ Maggie

There is a love triangle in the book between, William, Asher, and Maggie.  So lets start with William, he's the ex-fiancé, who's about to marry the sister.  Now I didn't mind Will, I even thought he was quite cute in places, and felt quite sorry for him, but the very fact that he was going to marry Maggie's sister didn't sit well with me at all.

"I am an addict and Maggie Thompson is my drug" ~ William

Then we move on to the lovely, sexy Asher.  I was Team Asher all the way it has to be said, he was just the sweetest guy ever!!!  He comes with his fair share of issues himself and has this whole mysterious thing going on.  The thing I loved most about Asher, was that he didn't want to fix Maggie, he just wanted to show her what real love felt like, show her that she is a good person, and worthy of his love, and all he asked for in return was that she open up to him and not shut him out the way she did everyone else. This was no easy task for Asher, as Maggie struggled between wanting to spill her guts to him, and tell him every secret and demon she has, and not wanting him to know some of the things she'd done as a young girl just in case he can't deal with them and leaves her. 

"There are plenty of gorgeous woman in this world. Maggie is more than that. She's a study in contradictions and I am an eager student." ~ Asher

I really liked that we got Will's POV as well as the leading characters Maggie and Asher.  It gave us a real insight into his feelings for Maggie and the reasons he got engaged to Krystal in the first place.

The only real issues I had was that we had to wait until 67% into the book for Asher and Maggie to finally take things further in the bedroom department, and it ended up being a real anti-climax for me.  There was very little detail and it was literally over within a few sentences. That was a big disappointment for me, as it had been built up from the beginning, with all the sexual flirtation and foreplay going on between them.  And I also would've liked the epilogue to have been a little longer than it was.

"I like you Asher. But if we're going to keep this up, whatever this is, you need to know my life is a little fucked up. I'm fucked up." ~ Maggie 

"Then we're a great match." ~ Asher

The rating I'm giving Lexi Ryan's - Unbreak me is - 8 Horndogs!!! 

Shaggy Catch-Twentytwo:

Oh Man, Oh man I love when I read a book that even after I have finished reading it, I still can't stop thinking about it.  This was my first Lexi Ryan book....and sure as heck wont be my last good lord that woman had me wanted to throat punch like I was in the Octagon.  Maggie, oh how I wanted to smack her around at times and yell at her and pull my own hair, and scream at her "are you effin shitting me"!!!!!!!! even though, I still fell in love with her, I felt Maggie the whole entire time. 

Maggie has a sordid past to say the least,  she takes off for a year after canceling her wedding to William just days before the nuptials are to take place.  And the douche awards go to... that's right... Her sister Krystle and William! Sweet lord I thought I was going to jail, I wanted to punch them both in their special places. 

At one of the crappiest times in any woman's life in walks Asher (fans myself) Where can I get me some Asher???  So far this year my favorite book boyfriend goes to Asher!!!!!!!! 

Just the amount of patience this man had dealing with Maggie at times, he is the stuff fictional legends are made of. I wanted to kiss this man all over. I don't want to give too much away but sweet lord if you want a book that will make you forget you have kids to cook and clean for.....well here ya go!!!!!! This one is for you, you won't want to put it down. 

10 horndogs for me!

Kimmy Sparkles:

Let me tell you this book hooked me right away after reading the first page. Its setting is in New Hope, Indiana and being a girl from Indiana it was a done deal for me. Major props to my fellow Hoosier, Lexi Ryan for keeping it close to home.  

Lexi Ryan captivates you with these characters they make you laugh and make you cry but you will fall in love with these characters. The main girl Maggie has such a broken soul and has dealt with so much heart ache weather you can relate or not you feel for her and actually feel her pain. You just want her to find her happiness in life. Then she meets Asher and oh man he is like chocolate covered caramel, hard chocolate shell on the outside but soft a caramel on the inside. 

Collage by Kimmy Sparkles

He has that bad boy appeal but that sweetheart wants nothing more than to break down the walls around Maggie’s heart.  Oh and he also will melt your panties right off he is super sexy and things he says WOWZERS its hot stuff.  Note to self: have husband read line and whisper these things in my ear. 

Not only do you love the main characters but you also love all the supporting characters in this book from her sisters, her mother, her ex-fiancé and her granny they make such a great cast of characters and really add to the story. For the story itself kept me going,  wondering “Oh my god what happened to this girl” and finding out along the way just tugs at your heart strings. 

On the cover it should read WARNING YOU WILL CRY! (at least I did).  I am definitely adding this one to my favorites.   I give this book 10 out of 10 Horndogs.  If I could give more I would it is just that good. 

Scooby Review:

So this book had me hooked from the start.  It was one of those stories that I connected with and needed to see where it went. So I started it in the afternoon and at 3am when my eyelids were winning the battle to close, I thought I would have to finish it the next morning.  As luck would have it, I was ever determined, and I won.  Unbreak me was read in less than a day!

So given I was that hooked, what was it that hooked me?  More like what didn’t hook me!

Well hell, who couldn’t love Asher!  He is the gorgeous rockstar with baggage (so much baggage!) and a heart of gold, also with great perception and understanding. 

We have Maggie, the black sheep of the family who only knows how to function by being free with her body, but keeping her mind and heart protected.  She is clearly a troubled soul who acts as she believes is expected of her.  Her life experiences form who she becomes, but the unexpected events that unfold leaving her making decisions that affect every aspect of her, and others lives.

We have William, Maggie’s first real love, that knows much of her story, and cares enough to fix her…  but with Maggie continuing to break, she leaves William behind (like literally, two days before she is due to marry him!).  William finds comfort in Maggie’s sister – but never gets over his love for Maggie.

Edit by Lola D Lovegood

With these dynamics, it is easy to see why ever page pretty much turned itself.  Maggie is so very broken, and Asher was the perfect man to come into her life and try to help her heal.  Asher is that little bit older, had already lived a life full of drama which helped him read between the lines with Maggie.  These two were steamy together!

I loved that not one of the main characters in this book was perfect.  They all had flaws, which made them so much more relatable.  The situations that the story presented really unpacked how early life experiences can have such a profound effect on who we are to become, and how we form our relationships with our family, friends and new acquaintances.   I truly believe that it was this message that connected so deeply with me.  I mean it get it.  I get Maggie, and I so wanted her to get herself.  For her to see that she was someone who was lovable.  But in order for that to happen her story of self destruction needed to unfold.

The old mantra of “if you hear something often enough, you start to believe it yourself” is definitely an apt fit for poor Maggie, it was such a joy to see her story go full circle, with the aid of Asher.  

My only criticism of this story was the epilogue.  The end was so picture perfect that it left me flat.  There was emotional drama on top of drama throughout this whole story, but as we got to the HEA – it was TOO perfect!  I mean I get that these characters deserve their HEA, my goodness, Maggie so deserves her time, but my heart had been in knots for the whole book, and then it was like…that’s it?  Really? *sigh*! 

Don’t get me wrong – this is a recommended read.  I loved it, I felt it, I thought the author’s tone and style was great, I loved the multiple POV's that it was told from, I loved the intrinsic character links which all led Maggie to her realisation.  I hated characters with a passion for their manipulation and abuse of power…. There was SO much to love about this story!

I give this 8 horndogs…had the epilogue been just as intense, I easily would have rated this one higher! Lexi Ryan, I love your style, and I am easily a new fan!

Mimi Durham:

This is the first Lexi Ryan novel I have read & I was surprisingly delighted. It was very well written & the development of the characters were great. Lexi pulls you into the story so you become very emotionally invested in the characters & find yourself rooting them on. This is a story of a young woman learning to love herself & letting go of the past.

*Spoiler Alert*

Maggie has gone through so much in her young life. How can you make a 15 year old responsible for the actions of an adult?  At this point her father disowns her. Maggie is the black sheep.  After the last traumatic event in her life, she runs away at the age of 20.

She returns one year later to be a bridesmaid in her sister Krystal's wedding. Her sister is marrying Will, Maggie's ex-fiancé of a year ago.  Due to a glitch, the ceremony was halted but the reception went on as planned at their mothers house. This is where Maggie meets a mysterious & awesomely sexy stranger, Asher. 

Asher, the hot, tattooed, pierced, rocker who just happened to live next door to Maggie's mother.  He helps her "save face" during the reception & a connection begins. Asher truly cares for Maggie.  Although it is hard, he is resisting her sexual advances until she gets over being hung up on another guy.  He wants more & he sees beyond her screwed up past. 

Through lots of tenderness & words of wisdom, Asher is able to break down the walls that Maggie has so rigidly constructed. Asher wants Maggie without all of the baggage. Asher has issues of his own that he is working through & has to be careful. Not to mention his manipulating ex-wife to contend with.

I was so glad there was no cliffhanger. Is there a HEA? You will have to read it to find out. I promise you, it will be worth it. I just want to know where I can get my own Asher!

Happy Reading! It's an 8 Horndog read for me!

Collage by JD Nighthawk

Lola D Lovegood (aka Dragon) & JD Nighthawk:

"I'm afraid I'll shatter."

He lifts my hand to his lips and kisses along the line of the stitches running down my palm. "If you shatter, I'll find you."

Do you hear that?  It’s the sound of my heart shattering  because this book had to come to an end!   I absolutely loved loved LOVED this book!  It literally had my attention from the first damn page where you find out poor Maggie is just a bridesmaid in her sister’s wedding to her ex-fiancé.  WOAH! Now that is one way to start a book!  I can’t say that I’ve ever been so immediately gripped by a book.  It had me in its grasp immediately and didn’t let go.

Maggie is a sad girl hiding behind a broken past and a disconcerting future.  On one hand she has her ex-fiancé, Will who she never really got over, and now he’s ready to marry her sister. He’s sweet, he’s loyal and he’s always been there to fix her when she breaks down.  But let’s not forget, he’s marrying her sister. 

And then there’s Asher. OMG I love Asher.  Asher is a bad boy ex-rocker with a heart of gold. He wants Maggie to know that it’s okay to break and he wants to help her pick up the pieces. Does Maggie want the old comfort of someone trying to fix her?  Or the new fresh breath of air of someone who’s encouraging her to break so she can put back the pieces of her poorly battered beautiful soul?   

They both have their stories to tell and it’s a wonderful and unpredictable read.  Also, I have deep respect for an author that can make me love all three characters in a crazy love triangle! That is no easy feat and Lexi makes it seem so natural.  I couldn’t get enough of this book and was crushed when it ended.  I really felt for the characters and felt every emotional part of their journey.  

Hot tears slip from the corners of my eyes and roll into my ears. "What if no one can fix me?"

"You don't need fixing." He gives a sad smile and wipes a tear away with his thumb. "It's like your mosaics. The beauty is already there, you just find it. Let go, sweetheart."

My bestie, Nighthawk and I felt very much the same.  We instantly fell in love with this story.  

Hey Nighthawk… Share a little with us would ya?

Oh lord Dragon! This book was.... Wow.

To say that 'OMG' was used a lot between the two of us while reading Unbreak Me would be an understatement.  

I still can't believe that we had the exact same response to not only the beginning of the book but to the book as a whole.  The characters are so well written and the story line was such a change to what I have been reading lately; I loved it!

I really enjoyed the fact that I couldn't guess what was going to happen.  Some parts I could, but the writing was so good that I was second guessing myself right up to the actual event (as you could tell from the myriad of messages and freak outs sent to your pm box Dragon).

I think I have highlighted at least a paragraph on almost every single page.  Asher makes my heart flutter and swell.  There are so many beautiful words that come out of that man’s mouth.......sigh. I liked the way Lexi portrayed his character & the fact that we got to see him after the typical rock star bad boy behavior - he was at a very deep and introspective stage in his life.  This to me was the perfect balance to Maggie's crazy life.

Collage by Lola D Lovegood

I really felt for Maggie. To me, she was a strong woman, she just had to hide that strength and deal in the only way she knew how. I can't imagine having to survive what Maggie had to live through.

Will - how can I be in love with two characters as much as I was with Will and Asher? My heart bled for Will. Lexi please, please give us more Will. I have to see him again. I have to know he will be happy.

Overall I really really liked this book. My only gripe is that I just wanted more.   Just a little more to round out the stories for me.  I wanted an epilogue set later down the track. The ending we were given was pretty much perfect, but I still wanted more.

We loved Unbreak Me and for us it was 9 Horndogs.

So this ends another monthly review for the team.  As you can see we loved this book and think you would too!

Don't forget that Asher himself is stopping by the Bad Girls office for a chat, and we have some great questions from our friends to put to him!  Be sure to check it out in the coming days!  All the links you will need to get your hands on Unbreak Me and Lexi Ryan are listed below - now go and get your heart smushed in a gripping story xxxx

Links

Unbreak Me

Goodreads ~ Amazon (US) ~ Amazon (UK) ~ Nook

Lexi Ryan

Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Website ~ Amazon