Review of Shattered

[Chelsey Coles]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Shattered" by Anne Beck.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Shattered by Anne Beck is a romance novel. The protagonist, Tessa, is a Deputy U.S. Marshal. She’s a deadly woman, highly skilled in jujitsu and marksmanship. Though physically strong, she is “shattered” on the inside. It’s been a decade since she fled her abusive, alcoholic, misogynist father—now she’s returning to confront her demons. Tessa is tired of the nightmares that plague her. She vowed never to let a man lift so much as a finger to control her. She has three sources of hurt she is dealing with all at once: her ex, her father, and her last dangerous case.

On her journey to confronting her past, Tessa meets a mysterious, handsome man: Logan. She ends up wrestling him at the local bar and flipping him over when he tries to pursue her! Instead of giving up, Logan recognizes Tessa’s deep strength beneath her muscles and yearns for her all the more. He ends up getting entangled in her previous personal drama. Shockingly, he vows that he will always protect her and never run away. As they evade the trouble hot on their heels, Logan and Tessa have a battle of their own. She fights to maintain her independence from all men—especially this one.

The book’s positive aspects are the developed characters, descriptive language, and a strong female lead. Beck makes it easy to envision complex scenes and facial expressions that invoke emotions. The novel ignites the imagination and it reads akin to watching a movie because it is so vivid. The writing is elegant and colorful, simply written, and easy to follow. It is inspiring to read about Tessa’s road to independence and inner strength, especially as a single woman scarred by abuse. She realizes that she must open herself up if she wants room for love. It’s a beautiful message for women!

My rating is 3 out of 4 stars. I removed one star because I found more than ten errors, including grammar and punctuation. There are misspellings and missing periods, so I do not think this book was professionally edited. However, it is worthy of the other three stars as far as plot development and entertainment. Shattered deserves the remaining stars because Tessa and Logan have an enduring love that was not immediately successful. They imitate a genuine couple that reaches love and cares for one another organically. The supporting characters also fit into the puzzle of the plot well and have their development. With the addition of action and vivid descriptions, it remains a page-turner.

I recommend this book if you are looking for and appreciate strong female protagonists. There is quite a bit of violence, gore, and abuse that will not appeal to more sensitive audiences. Along with love and romance, there are mature scenes, but they are not overly detailed. The writing style remains classy in this respect. If you’re in the mood for action blended with romance, Shattered will be a great choice. There are plenty of fight scenes and political corruption, giving the feel of your favorite action/thriller movie. During these exciting scenes, Tessa and Logan find ways to express their love to one another. This story is layered and sentimental on many fronts.

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Shattered
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[The frant1c reader]

Romance novels aren't my thing. But this sounds worth a try. Thank you for such a detailed review!

[Reader Chavez]

I'm not a huge fan of romance novels, but this one seems like a really good one, with a great plot. Thanks for the great review. I'll recommend it to my sister who loves romance novels.

[k_madhu_jha]

I will add this in my want to read shelf. I partially love romance novel. And would love to read this one too. Thanks for suggesting.

[Aarti Jha]

Romance novels are completely my thing.Thank you for developing my interest in this through your well-articulated review!