2 out of 4 stars
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Heartaches 2: Bad Boy Vibes is a dark romance by H. M. Irwing, the second book in the Heartaches trilogy.
Anna and Rafe are two broken souls trying their best to fight their way out of a life of trauma, abuse, and depression. Finding each other and falling in love seems to be the only anchor which keeps them connected to some sense of normalcy. Both, victims of rape and abuse, Anna and Rafe are perfectly placed to understand the struggle the other is going through. They vow to use their love as a medium to healing and growing strong enough to face their enemies.
Meanwhile, the Preston family continues its business of crime and intimidation, and while Anna is no longer the weak, trusting and helpless victim she once was, it still is a tough task to bring them to justice. Every encounter with the Prestons leaves Anna feeling raw and riddled with self-doubt. It is only having Rafe and her best friend, Pat, by her side that keeps Anna determined to continue the fight. Rafe, on his part, continues to battle his personal demons and remains focused on bringing Eric Dayton, his abuser, the punishment he deserves.
Pat is Anna's best friend and enjoys the curious distinction of causing both Anna and Rafe to be jealous of him. Rafe is jealous of Pat's close friendship with Anna, while Anna resents the frankly appreciative way Pat looks at Rafe. Pat is gay and has his own troubles to deal with. He despairs of ever finding true love and is terrified at the prospect of having to tell his parents the truth about himself.
A strange twist of fate brings all the villains under one roof and certain astonishing facts emerge about the Prestons that could shake the very foundation of Anna and Rafe's relationship. Do Anna and Rafe manage to keep the darkness at bay? Does their relationship survive? The story builds up to a very interesting and tense situation, bringing in some new, interesting characters and ending at the brink of a great showdown.
I read this as a stand-alone book and did not have the background on Anna and Rafe's story from book one. I could understand most of Anna's past and torment, but Rafe's story remains a mystery, with book two only making interesting references to certain events and actions that have happened before. Among all the characters, I liked Pat best. I felt he has a wider range of emotions than either Anna or Rafe. Anna and Rafe are so caught up in each other, seeming, at times, almost dependent on each other, that it is difficult to get a sense of them as individuals. The romance between them is beautifully written and it is everything sweet and steamy and exciting. As this is essentially a romance novel, it scores well on that account. There was a surprisingly refreshing shade of grey to Matt Preston's character - the villain who is riddled with doubt, self-loathing and almost remorse at the part he had to play in Anna's torment.
The major problem with the book is that it needs better editing as the number of errors in the text, be it spelling or choice of words or getting the characters confused in certain critical scenes, is quite jarring! This story is supposedly set in Australia, but there isn't much in the way of visuals, locations, food or people that gives the reader a feel of Australia.
I liked the fact that this is not a typical "boy meets girl" romance - it is dark, the characters are troubled, and it brings in the psychological complexities involved with victims of rape and abuse. I rate Heartaches 2: Bad Boy Vibes 2 out of 4 stars and recommend it to anyone looking to read something more than a fairytale romance.
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Heartaches 2
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