Rotten by JL Brooks

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Momma's Rating:

5 Amazing Stars!

 

Synopsis:

 

Growing up on the outskirts of Las Vegas as the daughter of notorious strip club owner, Stephen Knox, and a mother who abandoned her at birth, life was less than kind to a young Antoinette.

After a failed teenage suicide attempt, Toni hit the road in search of a life free of undeserved cruelty and any resemblance to her past.

Years later, Toni finds herself in a dead end marriage and makes a painful confession that sends her back to the one place she always wanted to escape. But can she really right the wrongs that haunt her? Toni soon finds that the only place where things stay the same is in your mind.

When her path crosses with David Stark, childhood playmate turned one night stand, she cannot deny the spike in temperature she feels every time he's near or the scorching dreams that flood her at night.

Digging through the years of heartache, Toni soon finds herself torn between the man she is committed to and the one who has always held her heart. As each layer unfolds before her, she discovers the root cause of her pain. Always believing the source was external, nothing could prepare her for the truth.

Momma's Review:

*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

 

Talk about being blindsided by a book!  This is another book that I chose to read without reading the synopsis and holy shit was I knocked on my ass by this one!  The first chapter had me in tears and my head spinning.  I've been vocal in the past about experiences that I had with bullying while growing up and the way that Toni's story was written hit so close to home that it made me reach out and thank J.L. Brooks for writing it. 

 

Toni was such an amazingly complex character that I immediately fell in love with her.  She's strong, independent and a total spit fire, the problem is that she's been hiding her true self.  As you watch her rediscover herself you can't help but root for her the entire time.  And while there were a few times in the book I wanted to smack her with my kindle I still loved her! Then add in David Stark, a sweet, dark, playful, romantic, teasing, sexy beast!  The angst in this book was one of the parts that I liked the most.  No one jumped straight into bed and because of that you find yourself holding your breath for the next move.

 

The other thing was the fact that religion was used so freely in this book.  I'm Catholic, I've confessed this to you all before.  I've also been vocal about the fact that I HATE when authors use any form of religion in a book as a negative.  It totally turns me off.  And at the same time I hate when authors use it for no reason, like it's just another plot point.  But I was so extremely happy while reading this book.  While the religious beliefs of the main heroine are openly discussed in the book at no time does it feel like the main focal point, the way it's written makes it just so normal....like an everyday thing.  That my friends is hard to do!

 

Rotten by J. L. Brooks is so incredibly well written.  When I write a review I sit down and talk with myself about all the pros and cons, the characters, the plot points and the pace of the story.  I couldn't find a single flaw!  J.L. Brooks has easily jumped on my list of must read authors and I can't wait for her next project!

Momma's Recommendation:

Anyone that has seen my Facebook page in the last week can tell how in love I am with this book!  To say that I highly recommend this book is a complete understatement.  It's easily made my must read list of 2013 and maybe of all time!