Rowena’s review of Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf.
Main Character: Allie
Love Interest: Blake (highlight to see)
Series: None
Author: Facebook|Twitter|Goodreads
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.
This book turned out to such an intense read. I mean, I knew that it would be pretty intense but I wasn’t exactly prepared for the story that I got (if that makes any sense). This book was dark and it held secrets and I was anxious to uncover it all. You see, Allie’s boyfriend died in a car accident that should have killed her but didn’t. She was able to get away and everything would be okay if she could remember what happened the night that Trip (the boyfriend) lost control of the car and died but she can’t.
It’s like her mind has blocked out the unpleasant memory of that night and she either doesn’t want to remember or she’s hiding something. Turns out, it’s both. Trip Phillips was the most popular guy in school. He was the town sweetheart and everyone loved him. His father was rich and so everyone loves the rich guy, right? And when Allie first met him, she was already in serious like with another boy who wasn’t in town that summer and he missed out on her because the summer he wasn’t around was the summer that Trip Phillips came into her life and Trip was a whole lot of boy that she couldn’t resist.
Not everyone is happy about Trip and Allie being a couple. There’s Hannah, the girl that Trip dumped for Allie. She was used to being part of the golden couple and when Trip dumped her, that went out the window so it’s no big secret that she hated Allie but along with Hannah, there’s someone else that’s back in town that isn’t too thrilled about Trip and Allie as a couple. Blake. The guy that got left behind. Oh, and then there’s Allie’s twin brother, he doesn’t like them together either.
As Allie’s story unfolds, you realize just how big of a jerk Trip was. The Trip that everyone knew and loved wasn’t the guy that Allie knew. He was hurtful and abusive and just an all out asshat. I hated him and I was so glad that he was finally out of Allie’s life. I thought that Jennifer Shaw Wolf did a fabulous job of telling their story and getting the reader to see how it must have been to be Allie. Seeing the person she was and then seeing that person disappear day after day of being with someone like Trip. Their relationship did some serious damage to the way that Allie felt about herself and through it all, you can’t help but want things to get better for Allie.
This book was times frustrating because people couldn’t help Allie because she wouldn’t confide in anyone. There were times that I wanted to plead with Allie to tell someone, something. If only she had the confidence to step up and say something, the help she so desparetely needed was there for the taking but she was too scared to take it. I really grew attached to the characters in this book and with that, I was delighted when things went good for them but I was also bummed out when things happened that I would never want someone so young to go through.
Each character in this story played a different part for Allie and I appreciated the additions. From her family, wanting to be there for her and not knowing how to be to Blake and his Grandmother giving her something to do to inch slowly back into the world of the living to Blake being there for her, emotionally and physically. Even Hannah with her being such a stupid b word, forcing Allie to realize that they were never friends and would never be friends. I thought this was a well written novel about coming to terms with things that happened in your life and moving on. I’m glad that I was able to read it because I really enjoyed it.
I definitely recommend this book.
..and that’s your scoop!
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Book cover and blurb credit: http://barnesandnoble.com
Fabulous review. I have this one on my shelf and after reading your review I have to read it as soon as possible. It sounds like my kind of book!
I know, I so wanted her to confide in someone.
Thanks for review.
Brandi from Blkosiner’s Book Blog