Release Day Reviews: Broken Rules (Mended Hearts #2) by Michaela Grey (Broken Halo Reviews)

Title: Broken Rules
Series: Mended Hearts: Book 2
Author: Michaela Grey
Release Date: July 24, 2018
Category: Contemporary, BDSM
Pages: 215

Dreamspinner Press

Sanyam Desai is a Dom, a master of his craft. He knows exactly how to make a person beg, and he does it for a living, but he has no idea how to be in love.

Sterling Reynard is in desperate need of manners and someone who cares enough to take him in hand, but he knows he’ll never be loved.

When Sterling’s world crumbles around him, he turns to the one person who’s never asked for anything from him but his trust. But their relationship is built on quicksand, and one careless word will bring the whole thing down.

3.75 Stars!

I liked this second book a bit better than the first book in the series.

We saw Sanyam very briefly in Broken Halo, but I don't think you really need to read it before this book.

I admit I didn't really like Sanyam that much after the short scene he has in Broken Halo. In this book, it still took me a little while to warm up to him. He is a professional Dom, recently moved from India to Vancouver. He seems really removed from everyone emotionally until his armor starts to show its chinks with Sterling.

Sterling was a hard one to read initially. He seems a very spoiled, rich brat that seemed to have everything. He is not nice to anyone, but Sanyam sees something in Sterling that no one else does. Their first several interactions seemed really odd; I couldn't see how Sanyam was so certain that Sterling would keep coming back, but he was right. Sterling is hurting, and he pushes people away before they can hurt him. I really liked Cricket, Sterling's sister and her twin also seemed pretty cool too. Nevertheless, even they unintentionally hurt Sterling at times. I was glad to see Sanyam call them out on it, even if it was a little late.

The twist in this book was not one that I saw coming, but the way that Sterling and his siblings adapt to the changes in their lives was pretty amazing considering everything. I'm not sure that most people in their shoes would have moved forward so easily or well. I'm so glad that Sterling finds someone that he can confide in, Amparo seems like a wonderful lady and a great mother figure for the siblings.

I was happy to see them work things out and be more honest about what they needed from each other moving forward. I was a little surprised that Sanyam didn't want Sterling to be more honest with him earlier, considering that Sterling was completely new to BDSM. Building trust with someone so adept at pushing people away shouldn't have been so easy. By the end of the book, I liked both men and thought that they would move forward well together.

*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by the Dreamspinner Press for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. *** 

4 stars 

I really enjoyed the first book in this series and was excited to read this one. Just like the first one, this book was incredibly well-written and the storyline was very interesting. The author does a great job of taking a flawed character and making you like them. Fox was definitely a spoiled jerk so it was nice to see him in a role that put someone else in charge. He was still defiant during their D/s scenes, which was exactly his personality so it made sense.

Sanyam was honorable and understanding and an easy character to like. Both characters brought out good in each other. The book was emotional at times but it was also sweet. Sterling (Fox) had a lot of growing to do and it was nice to see that growth throughout the book.

The supporting characters were interesting and funny and good addition to the book. It was also nice to see the MCs from book one, Devon and Micah. We get a little glimpse of them that wraps up a HEA in my opinion, which I was very happy about!

The last chapter of this book was a good wrap up and while it was more of a HFN, I was completely happy with it.

*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by the Dreamspinner Press for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***

* ~ * ~ *

Title: Broken Halo
Series: Mended Hearts: Book 1
Author: Michaela Grey
Category: Contemporary, BDSM

Dreamspinner Press

A Mended Hearts Novel

Micah Ellis is an affluent businessman, comfortable in his life and work, as long as nothing happens to shake up his routine. Which is exactly what one Devon Mallory does, with his bright blue eyes and dirty skin and the forceful personality that’s everything Micah desperately needs but is too afraid to ask for.

Micah and Devon enter into a Dom/sub relationship and navigate the world of BDSM and Micah’s crippling insecurities as they gradually fall in love. But Micah’s past is coming back to haunt him, and they must face it together—and that means learning acceptance and discovering that they both deserve love their way and on their own merits.

3.5 Stars!

This book was my first by this author. I enjoyed a good portion of the book, but there were things that bothered me.

Micah is a very successful headhunter. When his car breaks down, he takes his car to the nearest shop and meets Devon. Their initial interaction went horribly, but when they run into each other later in the day by pure accident, they both apologize and restart their acquaintance.

I liked both Devon and Micah. Devon is the perfect book boyfriend: sweet, nice, nonjudgmental, good looking. He's almost too perfect. Micah is a mess. Between his childhood and abusive ex, he has a hard time believing Devon really wants him and all his "quirks". I liked that Micah pushed outside his comfort zone with Devon, even though it was difficult. I liked that Devon was so willing to help Micah and give him what he needed. However, I had issues with the way that Devon seemed to just research being a Dom and then handled Micah during scenes with almost no issues. I also couldn't figure out how all the things that crippled Micah in the first two-thirds of the book seemed to melt away and disappear after they break up. There was so much invested in the story building up how difficult some many things were for him and then it seemed suddenly they were no longer a problem. I also really don't know how to describe my feelings about the abusive ex part of the story, it just felt disjointed to me.

That being said, I loved the much more functional and confident Micah we got at the end of the book. I am equally glad that Devon took some time and then came back for Micah. When they are together, they are a great couple.

*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by Dreamspinner Press for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***

4.5 stars

This was a first-time author for me and I really enjoyed the writing. It was well-written and the characters had me interested from the very beginning.

This book had a couple of silly times which kept it sweet and even with Micah being a jerk when we first met him, after you get to know him you understand his character so much more. Devon was, of course, charming and perfect. He was sweet and understanding of Micah's quirks and insecurities.

The sex scenes were HOT. Like super hot in the sense that I was definitely fanning myself during a couple of them. The sex scenes were great but the plot and storyline were great as well. The writing was unassuming but fluid and impactful. The story was emotional at times when seeing Micah think so little of himself. Even with Devon being incredibly sweet and loving towards him, Micah could not see his worth which caused the big conflict in the story. After the conflict, when they are together and even right before, seeing the change the author made in Micah was incredible. He went through so much character growth and it was nice to see that after seeing him down himself for most of the book.

I did not want to let these guys go! I just wanted to see more of them together and happy. I will definitely be reading more from this author in the future.

*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by Dreamspinner Press for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***