2 out of 4 stars
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Heartaches 2 by H.M. Irwing focuses on the relationship between Anna and Rafe. They both have troubled pasts where they were the victims of abuse and sexual assault. They help one another deal with their pasts through a deeper level of understanding for what the other has been through. They continue to seek justice for what was done to them by confronting their abusers.
The author did a good job of portraying the emotions of Anna and Rafe. The conflicting feelings of anger and desire for their abusers made the reader empathize with how they felt. I enjoyed that they were such complex characters, instead of being one note. Despite understanding their difficult histories, at times their relationship seemed unhealthily codependent.
The first half of the book seemed especially slow moving. It focused around a fight between Rafe and Eric, as well as smaller confrontations with Eric and the Prestons. It wasn’t until the second half of the book that there was a big revelation and the plot picked up. Readers that enjoy plot twists and turns may enjoy the unpredictability of the second half of the book.
The author focused on building secondary characters in the book. Pat, Anna’s best friend, had his own subplot revolving around his family and love interest. We were also introduced to a maid named Suzi. I was confused when the book turned to Suzi’s point of view, and what purpose she served to the story. At the end of the book, Suzi overheard a conversation between Anna and one of her abusers. Anna further confides in her about Eric and the Prestons. I found it hard to believe that she would share her and her boyfriend’s history of sexual assault with a stranger. It was also far fetched that Suzi offered to help them seek revenge on their abusers in exchange for getting her own revenge on her boss.
Overall, there were some redeeming qualities in the second half of the book. I became more engaged when the plot picked up. However, it’s hard to look past the several grammatical and spelling errors, slow pace of the first half of the book, and confusing secondary character. There were times when these issues took away from the story, and for that reason I rate it a 2 out of 4 stars. Readers should also be aware that content in the story includes references to rape and sexual assault. If this is a trigger for them, they may want to pass on this book. I think the book will appeal to readers that enjoy emotionally driven stories.
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Heartaches 2
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