BOOK REVIEW: BEAUTIFUL BROKEN MESS BY KIMBERLY LAUREN

Title: Beautiful Broken Mess
Author: Kimberly Lauren
Genre: Romance, New Adult
Published on: April 7, 2015 by Montlake Romance (first self-published in 2013)

Jace Riley and Audrey Mills had a tender and irresistibly passionate romance…until Audrey shattered his heart. Years later, she still can’t stop thinking about him. They shared kisses that she’ll never forget, and one brief, explosive encounter that she wishes she could. But no boy could rescue Audrey from her nightmarish home life, so she rescued herself, got through college and got into graduate school…only to find herself at the same school as Jace and his identical twin brother, Jaxon, who has his own complicated history with her.

It takes only one glimpse of Audrey’s long legs and brown eyes for Jace to ache for her once more. Yet he’s determined not to fall for her again. She ripped apart his heart and betrayed his brother…or so he thought. But what if Jace made a terrible mistake about Audrey? And what if he has one last chance to fix it?

After a few sporadic appearances in Beautiful Broken Rules, a minor character returns as a protagonist. She’s Audrey Mills, a young woman attending college. Beautiful Broken Mess takes place after book one, but the beginning is from an earlier time. It introduces readers to twins Jace and Jaxon Riley before they met Emerson Moore. The Riley brothers are from a wealthy Texas family. In contrast, Audrey lived in a trailer park with a seriously abusive father.

One day, Audrey meets Jace Riley by chance. The two quickly hit it off and agree to stay in touch. Later, Audrey goes to a party Jace invited her to. Things become an absolute mess that day. Audrey makes an inadvertent mistake she’ll regret for years to come. She distances herself from the Riley family and goes on to become a model college student. Audrey hasn’t forgotten Jace, though. Despite having known each other for a few hours, they left a lasting impression on the other.

BOOK REVIEW: BEAUTIFUL BROKEN RULES BY KIMBERLY LAUREN

Title: Beautiful Broken Rules
Author: Kimberly Lauren
Genre: Romance, New Adult

Published on: April 7, 2015 by Montlake Romance (first self-published in 2013)

The most valuable lesson Emerson Moore ever learned was from her parents: Never get too attached to someone else. That’s why this hard-partying college student plays by her own code of bedroom conduct, refusing to stay with the same guy for too long. She gets all the pleasure of having a good time without the messiness of a relationship.. So what if frat house–hopping has earned her a certain reputation around campus? At least no one gets hurt this way—especially her.

When ridiculously gorgeous Jaxon Riley moves in next door, Emerson’s not sure how long her vow against emotional intimacy can last. Jaxon’s tattoo, muscles, and sexy voice make him tempting, but he also seems to really understand her…until his jealous ex-girlfriend and Emerson’s life-changing discovery about her parents get thrown into the mix. After everything she’s been through, can Emerson handle a real relationship? Or will breaking her rules just lead to a broken heart?

One of the things that drew me to Beautiful Broken Rules is the cover art. It looks great in its simplicity, because it’s neither messy nor bland. Another is the heroine, Emerson Moore. She’s as interesting and alluring as her name is unconventional. Em (the way she prefers to be addressed) attends an unnamed California college with her stepsister/roommate, Quinn. Although Em is guarded with her emotions, she’s promiscuous. And it’s not in a slut kind of way; Em’s just comfortable with her sexuality.

The book starts shortly after one of Em’s hookups. Someone put her clothes out of reach. Em decides to go to her car for her spare outfit. She almost stops when she notices three guys outside. Steeling herself, Em keeps walking in her underwear. She knows two of the guys (one’s her best friend Cole) but the other is a newcomer. Em later sees him in her journalism class. He introduces himself as Jaxon Riley, a new arrival at the college. Jaxon gets to know Em after the professor pairs them into groups for an assignment.