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Breaking Cycles

By: Nikki A. Lamers
Publisher: Atmosphere Press
Publication Date: October 10, 2023
ISBN: 979-8891320284
Reviewed by: Rebecca Jane Johnson
Review Date: October 5, 2023

Grant Young makes love to women then leaves them. He moves from one temporary situation to the next, working as a motorcycle mechanic, and quickly abandons any person or place that tries to get too close to him. During one of his escapes, a hurricane thrusts high winds, forcing Young to lose control of his bike. Hit, he is dragged by his bike while his head bounces on pavement.

A beautiful, blonde young waitress named Gabriella witnesses this cyclist’s accident, and rushes to his rescue. Amidst the chaos of this near-fatal accident, Grant and Ella exude passionate chemistry. Grant sees her as his angel, and Ella feels a mysterious pull to help him, a pull that only grows the more she gets to know him.

In the days that follow, Ella visits Grant in the hospital. Gradual revelations of details from their pasts show reasons why Grant may be a bad boy, and his reasons for running. This book inspires compassion. Not only does Grant like to express his edgy attitude with frequent use of the f word, but he copes with a mystery from his past that unfolds gradually, adding tension and depth to the narrative.

Dynamically opposed is Ella, who has survived her particular battles to come out of it knowing what it means to be grateful to be alive. While Ella continues to remain strong in her dedication to help Grant, each new chapter tests her resolve and her ability to help. When the depths of Grant’s problems develop to reveal the extent of his damage, the reader understands why the pain he suffers due to shattered bones, broken ribs, and a failed kidney from a motorcycle accident are minor compared to the pain of his troubled past.

Breaking Cycles is a thought-provoking read that delivers a satisfying emotional arc. Readers should be prepared for some developments that contain graphic sexual abuse. The novel would have been a bit more compelling if the back story did not slow down the pace of the forward-moving, present day storyline. That said, it is the relatability of the characters that keeps a reader turning the pages and eager to learn what happens.

Quill says: Breaking Cycles is a romance that keeps it real with universal sympathies and a touching story that resonates contemporary truths about what it might look like, today, when a good girl falls for a bad boy; and, both need to learn ways for passion to join forces with compassion.