Well, I have had to switch gears a little bit here today. One of the things I had on my to-do list was to write my review of Until I Break by M. Leighton (Michelle) and have it go live tomorrow. The switching of gears is to revise my review a bit and post today since there was an announcement that Michelle has decided to pull out of circulation “Until I Break” that was released earlier this week. Today will be the LAST opportunity you have to purchase this book – so if you were intending on getting this book, you may want to do so immediately, as it is your last chance. Here is the link to Michelle’s announcement and reasoning of why she made this tough decision. While I am sad that she is removing this book from circulation, I stand by and support her in her decision to do so. Please take the time to read my review below to see what I thought about this book.
“From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Down to You, Up to Me and The Wild Ones comes a story of pain, redemption and healing, and the love that two broken people can find in each other’s arms.Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance, subject matter not suitable for younger readers.In love, sometimes what you fear most is exactly what you need. Laura Drake is an author. She writes bestselling paranormal romances that continue to top the charts. She is sharp. She is confident. She is in control.
And she doesn’t exist.Samantha Jansen is the woman behind the wig, the woman most of the world doesn’t know exists. She is shy. She is insecure. She is nothing like her main character or her alter ego. She is scarred—deeply scarred—by a past she can’t let go of and a present she can’t make peace with.Samantha’s dreams are consumed by one man, the broken hero from her books. Mason Strait is both her wildest fantasy and her most terrifying nightmare. When Samantha meets Alec Brand, a corporate consultant, it is as though Mason has come to life. Alec is handsome to a fault, as elegant as he is arrogant, and more intense than any man has a right to be.Samantha is soon sucked into a world that mirrors the fiction she writes. Just like her main character, Daire Kirby, Samantha finds herself unable to resist the forbidden lure of Alec. And just like Daire, she also finds that she is faced with taking a chance on a man who could either set her free or destroy her.The scale tilts toward destruction when Samantha finds out that Alec is as much a work of fiction as Mason. And he has scars of his own, scars that could ruin them both.**This book may be read as a stand-alone, as the story of Alec and Samantha comes to a conclusion in this book**
Brandee’s Review:
First, let me say that I was so excited when M. Leighton asked if I was interested in reading and reviewing Until I Break. Of course, I said “YES PLEASE!!!” She sent me a paperback ARC of this stand-alone book she was going to be releasing soon.I had not gone into reading this book with any expectations at all, since this was not a series and I had nothing to go on besides the book summary.Until I Break was certainly a different read, and I have to say that I personally really enjoyed the book. This was not a storyline I have read before and that alone is refreshing. I get so tired of reading the same things all the time so while reading this I felt the opposite as it was different.Until I Break was in no way predictable as it had its own twists and turns. As with any book, this read will not be for everyone. With that being said, I believe that everyone expects and wants something different out of their reads, and that is why we all have different reviews on our books. Reading is a different experience per reader, while some people love a book others may not like that same book. Isn’t that what reading is all about?In my reading experience, I tend to switch around with different genres depending on my mood. I like to see that authors can switch up their genres and writing styles too. This is not a typical M. Leighton read, but that is what makes me like it all the better……stepping out of your zone and switching things up. Sure, I am thinking for some of her fans, it may be darker than they would like. I saw this one being compared to 50 shades…..I don’t see that at all and in no way can compare. I do not want to spoil anything, but will say that there are some BDSM situations, but I do not consider it as a BDSM book, as I have read those too and they are not in the same spectrum.“The things I’m going to do to you, the things I’m going to show you have nothing to do with your jor or your family or where you spend your time. It’s just about you. And me. And all the pleasure we can give each other.”Alec, the male character, has a darker side to him and he is a damaged soul with his scars from his past. Samantha has her scars of her own from her childhood and is trying to work those out. Together, they are good and bad for each other. There is chemistry between them and M. Leighton has certainly captured that.“Maybe he can break through your walls, heal all your wounds, banish all your insecurities”Can those that are damaged still get their HEA? Sure they can! Not saying that this book has a HEA or not, but watching the journey of “trying” to get there, that is what captures me and why I continue to read….to see if I can get to my hearts and flowers HEA LOL. Sometimes yes, sometimes no….but I don’t want to be told that, I am not the type to read the last page of a book before starting…..I try not to read spoilers….and sometimes won’t even read the book summary as I don’t want to be clued in on what is going on in a book…..I want to get there on my own.On a final note, we do not have to agree with what characters do and we don’t have to fall in love with them either. If an author has the ability to make me feel something whether it is making me laugh, cry, swoon for a character or even get me frustrated or sick, they are doing their job. There have been so many stories I have read where I cannot relate to the characters, cannot stomach what they are doing and cannot figure out how I am even supposed to like the characters or how they can even redeem themselves, and if it is the author’s intention to get me feeling these things, then they are doing their jobs.M. Leighton did a wonderful job of stepping out of the box and gave me a different read, which I always love to come across! I very much enjoyed reading this book and the story of Samantha and Alec – damaged souls trying to get their Redemption ~ Acceptance ~ Healing ~ Love ~ Happily Ever After!
ABOUT MICHELLE:
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, M. Leighton, is a native of Ohio. She relocated to the warmer climates of the South, where she can be near the water all summer and miss the snow all winter. Possessed of an overactive imagination from early in her childhood, Michelle finally found an acceptable outlet for her fantastical visions: literary fiction. Having written over a dozen novels, these days Michelle enjoys letting her mind wander to more romantic settings with sexy Southern guys, much like the one she married and the ones you’ll find in her latest books. When her thoughts aren’t roaming in that direction, she’ll be riding horses, swimming in ponds and experiencing life on a ranch, all without leaving the cozy comfort of her office.About Michelle: I love coffee and chocolate, even more so when they are combined. I’m convinced that one day they could be the basis for world peace. I also love the color red and am seriously considering dying my hair.
See my Author Page for more information about M. Leighton and her books CLICK HERE
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, M. Leighton, is a native of Ohio. She relocated to the warmer climates of the South, where she can be near the water all summer and miss the snow all winter. Possessed of an overactive imagination from early in her childhood, Michelle finally found an acceptable outlet for her fantastical visions: literary fiction. Having written over a dozen novels, these days Michelle enjoys letting her mind wander to more romantic settings with sexy Southern guys, much like the one she married and the ones you’ll find in her latest books. When her thoughts aren’t roaming in that direction, she’ll be riding horses, swimming in ponds and experiencing life on a ranch, all without leaving the cozy comfort of her office.About Michelle: I love coffee and chocolate, even more so when they are combined. I’m convinced that one day they could be the basis for world peace. I also love the color red and am seriously considering dying my hair.
Vanessa
I was so sad she is pulling it, it was a very good book and yes it was different thats what I liked about it.