Hearts and Bruises

Hearts Series, Book 1

By: A.M. Brooks

Narrated by: Addison Barnes, Benjamin Charles

With love comes pain.

And with pain comes scars.

Believe me, I have had my share of it all.

After my mother's death, my father couldn't deal.

So once again, we're moving.

To a town full of lies, darkness, and corruption.

All masked in sunshine and money.

But then I meet him....

My biggest mistake.

My biggest temptation.

A royal pain-in-the-ass.

And Darrian King is no prince.

He's controlling, aggressive, and downright wrong for me.

But what he dishes out, I give right back.

After all, love hurts.

And so do we.

©2019 A.M. Brooks (P)2020 A.M. Brooks

So much teenage angst

Let me start by saying I did enjoy the book and while I felt like it was a trainwreck waiting to happening I couldn’t put the darn thing down. The only reason this book didn’t get five stars from me is because the main character couldn’t seriously be that dumb lol. I felt like it was pretty much a Scream movie moment when they are discussing that the idiot always runs upstairs when they should run out the front door. I thought you can’t really be that dumb one to many times so I had to take a star away. She does grow a backbone and does a heroic thing no one else in the school has the guts to do so she’s earns some brownie points. But that epilogue, seriously I am already wishing book two was in audible because like wtf I need to know what happens. It was a jaw dropping moment that has me like noooooo!!!! I like the narrator and love to listen to books once I start because a good voice can make the book that much better! It’s well written, heartbreaking, angsty and had those awe moments that get you in all the feels.

such a great ride

Wow. Its hard to find words to say how incredible this book is. Heartbreaking, romantic, devastating, I could not stop reading. A.M. Brooks once again did a beautiful job of putting you in the shoes of her MC and letting you feel every moment. This is perfect for bully romance lovers, and NA lovers. I cannot get to Hearts and Flowers fast enough!

I couldn't put the book down!!!

Addiction is powerful, whether it be drugs, love or power, making it easy to identify with many charecters for a wide range of individuals.

Extremely well written, I couldn't put it down! The narrator was great as well!

I can't wait for the next book to come out!

Difficult listen

I'm going to be honest and admit that this story was tough to get through. I really think it needs a content warning for drug abuse and addiction. If that type of theme bothers you please skip this book. I didn't dislike the story but I'm content to wait for the next book on audio as I think it will be a while before I'm ready to hear the continuation. The relationship between the main characters is 95% toxic. I don't want to give any spoilers but let's just say that Darrian does some really awful things to Nora multiple times. You don't really get to see anything good about their relationship and since we don't hear any of Darrian's pov until the epilogue it's hard for me to even imagine that he actually cares for Nora at all. I love a good bully romance but this is all bully, heartbreak, and no romance. Nora has been through too much and she deserves so much better.

5 stars for the narration. Both of these performers are new to me. Addison was amazing and I can't tell you how much I appreciate a teenage character being voiced by someone that sounds the part. Benjamin was a perfect Darrian but fair warning for anyone that was specifically searching for one of his books, he only reads the epilogue. I hope to hear more from him in the next book.

I really like this but man, brutal

I liked this book ALOT.
The bullying was rough.
The drama was so intense I had anxiety for about 75% of the entire story. The relationship was just so toxic, normally I want the heroine to get with the hero but with this story I just wanted her to leave him. He was awful to her. Especially at the end. I was SHOCKED at that last thing he did. WOW. All I have to say is, Nora you better give Darrian hell in this next book! I am actually very excited to listen to the next book. The book itself had everything a great angsty bully romance should.