ARC Review: Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf

by Carmen Shaw 3:35 AM 1 comments

Allie lost everything the night her boyfriend, Trip, died in a horrible car accident—including her memory of the event. As their small town mourns his death, Allie is afraid to remember because doing so means delving into what she’s kept hidden for so long: the horrible reality of their abusive relationship. 

When the police reopen the investigation, it casts suspicion on Allie and her best friend, Blake, especially as their budding romance raises eyebrows around town. Allie knows she must tell the truth. Can she reach deep enough to remember that night so she can finally break free? Debut writer Jennifer Shaw Wolf takes readers on an emotional ride through the murky waters of love, shame, and, ultimately, forgiveness.

Overall Thoughts:
Such a heavy, yet thrilling read!

Breaking Beautiful is about a young girl named Allie Davis who used to be the girlfriend to abusive, moody, aggressive Trip Phillips. That is, until one night he died in a tragic car accident. Then, she becomes the town's charity case. She shuts down after his passing, not knowing whether or not to be relieved or devastated or both. Her parents try to give her some space; Andrew, her loving and disabled twin brother constantly worries about her; even her closest friend, Blake, who was distanced from her before, shows his concern. The whole town turns suspicious when people start to wonder if Trip's "accident" was just that or a murder... caused by someone close to Allie.

What I liked about this book:
This story grabbed my attention from the very beginning. Everything was very believable and intense and emotional. I also loved that there was some mystery to it; I kept wondering, "Who done it?!" until the very end when everything was finally revealed.

My favorite character had to be Andrew, Allie's disabled twin brother. Even though he had to live out his life in a wheelchair and use a voice box, he was still protective of his sister and was sort of like a guardian angel to her. He surprised me a lot in this book!

What I disliked about this book:
Allie's parents annoyed me a bit. Her father used to serve in the military and made it a mission to protect the people he loved, but he was too oblivious to see his daughter getting physically abused by her boyfriend... What?

Verdict:
This was such a powerful story. It's deep and touching and if you need a good emotional read, pick this book up!

4 TARGETS!