Review: Unbroken by Melody Grace

Unbroken

Beachwood Bay #1

Author: Melody Grace

Publication Date: March 11, 2013

~Synopsis~

Juliet McKenzie was an innocent eighteen-year old when she spent the summer in Beachwood Bay—and fell head over heels in love with Emerson. Complicated, intense Emerson, the local bad boy. His blue eyes hid dark secrets, and just one touch could set Juliet ablaze. Their love was demanding and all-consuming, but when summer ended, tragedy tore them apart. Juliet swore she’d never go back, and she’s kept that promise… Until now.

Four years later, Juliet’s done her best to rebuild the wreckage of her shattered life. She’s got a great boyfriend, and a steady job planned after she graduates. Returning to Beachwood to pack up her family’s beach house to prepare it for sale, Juliet is determined that nothing will stand in the way of her future. But one look from Emerson, and all her old desire comes flooding back. He let her go once, but this time, he’s not giving up without a fight. And Emerson fights dirty.

A heartbreaking history. An unstoppable passion. Torn between her past and future, Juliet struggles to separate love from desire. But will they find a way to overcome their tragic secrets—together? And after so much damage has been done, can a love remain unbroken? 

*This book contains adult situations and explicit content.*

~Prelude~

I have been eyeing Unbroken for a while but just hadn’t picked it up. After I had the cover reveal for Unafraid, book 2 in the series, on my blog, I decided I was going to read it before Unafraid was released. This is yet another book where I am asking myself why I waited so long. I should have read this months ago.

~Review~

I have been eyeing Unbroken for a while but just hadn’t picked it up. After I had the cover reveal for Unafraid, book 2 in the series, on my blog, I decided I was going to read it before Unafraid was released. This is yet another book where I am asking myself why I waited so long. I should have read this months ago.

“My mom always said there are two kinds of love in this world; the steady breeze, and the hurricane.”

After getting to know who Juliet really was, it was obvious that she had changed so much and become someone she really wasn’t. She had become reserved and drawn into herself. She was so open and free before. I was surprised by how nervous and timid she became when she saw Emerson again. It was obvious that his presence unsettled her but I couldn’t blame her because no matter how much she pretended that she was happy with her life, she was clearly deluding herself. All it took was one look from Emerson to completely unravel the lies she has been telling herself.

“You don’t have anything to prove,” I whisper, “You’re my hurricane, Emerson Ray. I’ll always be yours.”

I love Emerson. He is sweet and loving and he is head over heels for Juliet from the moment he meets her. He is obviously torn up about how things ended between them but I wanted to punch him in the throat for some of the cruel things he said to Juliet in an attempt to push her away. He thought he knew what was best for her but he went about “protecting” her all the wrong way. He was hot and cold and made decisions for her that he had no business making, back then and again now. However, I could get over his craziness because it was clear how much he really loved Juliet and that he would do anything for her. He proved that he could be somebody and make a better life for himself despite the home life he had.

“Emerson kisses me like it’s the end of the world, like we’ve only moments left to live, and there’s nothing he wants more than to possess me, completely.”

Juliet’s best friend, Lacey, was wild and fun and she was always there for Juliet. However, she couldn’t understand her crazy connection with Emerson or how she could give up the good guy, Daniel, for a guy like Emerson. However, she supported her in the end which was important. I actually liked Daniel. I didn’t want to because he was the guy between Juliet and Emerson but he was kind and caring and understanding. He accepted her love for Emerson and the fact that she had never stopped loving him and he was always the only one. He was still there for her when she needed a friend for support. Brittany has grown up since Juliet last saw her and she is a little bit of a fireball now. She is a great sister and she doesn’t want to see Emerson get hurt so she is a little aggressive with Juliet. In the end, she reveals the secret that has kept Juliet & Emerson apart and helps put them back together. I can’t wait to get to know Brittany better in Unafraid where she gets her chance at a happily ever after

“You’re mine,” he says again fiercly. “Not his, not anyone else’s. You can try and pretend you don’t feel it, but you do. You’ll always be mine.”

This book seriously broke me. It put me back together at the end but not before shattering me into pieces. Just when I thought the worst was over, it came back and slapped me in the face. I definitely wanted to see Emerson and Juliet find each other again and I loved the passion that re-ignited between them. The revelations of all the events that happened that summer that broke apart Juliet and Emerson was heart-breaking. While I was sad to see how much Juliet had changed, I loved that she re-discovered herself back in Beachwood Bay and Emerson was able to remind her of the girl she really is. I was also happy to see the life that he had made for himself and I can’t help but wonder if he stayed with the hopes that Juliet would make her way back to him someday.

“There was no slow fall for us; no gentle hesitant dates, and shy flirting. Right from the start, loving him was like hurling myself off a tall cliff and hoping like hell he would be there to break my fall.”

When this book ended, I had a satisfied smile on my face. I finished it in bed and I won’t lie, I woke up with an undeniable book hangover the next morning. This book really got to me and the first thing I did when I got up was start a new book to try and get over this one. I loved everything about Unbroken from the characters to the setting to the plot. Melody really knows how to write a tumultuous book that she can still wrap up with a satisfying conclusion. I CANNOT wait for Unafraid.

~IPOD Picks~

“The House that Built Me” by Miranda Lambert

“Easy” by Rascal Flatts

“Then” by Brad Paisley