One catastrophic night, Shelly Jordan's world was ripped to shreds. Now, living in an isolation of her own making, she's slipping away from everything and everyone she once loved. She can't piece the remnants of who she was back together with who she is now. Shelly can barely get through the next hour, let alone the whole day, and no one blames her for it. She tells the world she's fine, afraid to lose the only family she has. After all, there's no place in an MC for a used up club whore who can't bear to be touched.
He's Torn...
Ghost has had a thing for Shelly since first laying eyes on her. Still, Ghosty-boy don't share, and as a club slut, Shelly gives it up to whoever asks. If only she'd knock off her slut-tastic ways... But now she's hurt and he's torn in two. If he'd been less of a jackass, she wouldn't have run from the safety of the fireside - his side - that night. Ghost feels responsible for the horrible things he said that drove her into the predator's hands. Now he wants to man up and make it right.
Can Ghost stitch Shelly back together again when all he's ever really been good at is ripping things apart?
**Mature Audiences Only (18+)** **Language, Sexual Content, Graphic Violence, and Strong themes such as sexual assault.**
A.J. Downey is a Pacific Northwest girl living in an East Tennessee world who finds inspiration from her surroundings, through the people she meets, and likely as a byproduct of way too much caffeine. She specializes in real and relatable romance stories featuring that real-life kind of love that everyone craves.
Reading Tip: I HIGHLY recommend you read this series in order and DON'T skip or skim. This book, even the short novella, holds a lot of information and it all is one continuous story in regards to the danger Sacred Hearts are in with the Suicide Kings. The S.K MC shows up in book 2 and carries the series out into book 6. I wouldn't claim any book in this series to be a standalone, especially book 3.5 - so much NEW stuff happens to carry the story forward.
Shelly- who was the club slut, has always had one dream- to be an Ol' Lady. When Derek- aka Ghost, starts coming around the MC, Shelly changes her tune, though she has to pretend to keep up her appearances to stay on with the club. After all, she's not anyone's Ol' Lady, yet! Ghost doesn't know that Shelly has changed, because these two have communication problems- which serve to cause them major issues as the story goes along and it doesn't help that Ghost has some insecurities of his own to add fuel to the fire.
In book 3, something horrible happens to Shelly, and it really changes her and how she is. Ghost feels like a real jackass and sets to change things between him and Shelly. He tries hard but sometimes, he was really an idiot!!
The Suicide Kings aren't done with the Sacred Hearts MC and some things happen- and Shelly has to step up for her self. Speaking of Shelly- at one point in the story, while at the club, I thought Shelly did something pretty awesome.
Shelly and Ghost have a dysfunctional relationship, but somehow they manage to be good for each other.
I'll be totally honest.....I love this series & I was a little worried that the author may not be able to keep up with the great quality with continuing on with this series......well.....she out did herself!! I was totally excited!! This series just keeps getting better & better!!! Where do I start.....Shelly love her! I was interested to see how the author handles Shelly's trauma.....she wrote it beautifully.....I could feel the pain & turmoil Shelly was struggling with uhhh. I laughed, I cried, I wanted to throw my iPad....it was great!! Swoon for Ghost......steaming HOT! I also enjoyed seeing the other characters from the previous books grow & change & meet new characters. Omg...so many great one liners....don't want to spoil it, but I caught myself laughing out loud a few times....hilarious! HEA yeah!! NO Cliffhanger yeah!! I did receive a free copy for my honest review.....if you enjoy this series, or enjoy hot mc alpha males....this books for you! Can't wait for the next one!!
I was lucky enough to receive an early copy of Tattered & Torn from A.J. Downey and all I can say is WOW! This book features Shelly & Ghost's story. In order for the story to make sense to you I highly recommend reading the Sacred Heart Series in order.
How A.J. handles the sensitive topic in this book was phenomenal and how Ghost's & Shelly's love story was played out in the book was nothing short of amazingly beautiful. I love all of the Sacred Heart Series and A.J. knocked it out of the park with the latest installment of the series. You will not be disappointed it is an amazing book!!
Ok, so I just finished this and the first thing that came to mind was "that was GOOOODDDD." Second thought was "when's the next one coming out..." Great character development, LOVED the overall evolving storyline with the club in general and the sexy times were HOT yet heart-warming. If I could ask for anything more it would have maybe been a clearer resolution between the main characters for this installment of the series but I'm not even sure if that would have been possible. Again my gut reaction was that this was a really good read and I'm looking forward to more from the Sacred Hearts MC!
I've been waiting for this book since the horrible thing happened to Shelly. I knew she would be screwed up, knew she would fight anyone who wanted to help her, it was her version of self defense. Yet I wanted her to be happy to have true friends, to have love in her life, she deserved it.
I liked that someone talked to Ghost and told him to be the person that Shelly needed in her life, not what she thought she needed. By starting small, being around her, giving her common courtesies, like opening her doors, taking her out to eat basic meals that seemed to break through Shelly's tough shell.
I liked that Reaver talked to Ghost, to make sure that he was sure, that Shelly couldn't handle any more rejection and how Ghost answered, he was all in.
Sure there were bumps along the way, both have histories that color how they look at things, but they were able to work through them.
I did like how Shelly took back herself, first by yelling at a guy who was yelling at a mother and kid and later with force after someone was trying to hurt her. I also loved how everyone was asking Shelly to do their books. It was good in a couple of ways, first Shelly is good at it and they needed the help. It was a win all the way around.
Things are getting more serious with the Suicide Kings. Some of the things that happened had me laughing, some not so much. I really don't want people to get hurt, but think it might be inevitable.
Okay, so as a female it doesn't matter if your a girl next door wholesome person, a junkie looking for her next fix, a slut, whore, prostitute or just a woman who enjoys sex as much as a man...none of that shit matters if the woman says no! Sexually assaulting a female just because you have the power to do so is no fucking exception. What happened to Shelly was wrong on so many levels, her being a club slut should not have even factored into the situation because she chose to screw the SH brothers, no one forced her and she had the right to say no, club slut or not!
Now here's the thing, while I felt horrified at what happened to Shelly at the hands of not one but two of the Suicide Kings members, I honestly just did not care for her character. Like I see where AJD tried to portray Shelly as a tough as nails gal, with the shit upbringing and the club slut background, but let's just call it what it is, Shelly was a huge ass bitch. She was a bitch before the attack and a bitch after as well. Her character just wasn't likable, she was just a hot fucking disaster who treated people like shit and didn't have any care about herself, so always put herself in dangerous predicaments, its like she was blinded by peoples harmful intent towards her, so for a street smart gal...she sure was fucking stupid at times!
Ghost/Derek...damn this fucking guy was just plain boring. I can't really even put my finger on why I feel that way, its just...I don't know...he didn't have that spark that the other males in this series has. Him and Shelly both were just blah...their story too. So far I've mostly enjoyed this series but this book just put me to sleep various times, it dragged on to long...I literally skimmed through like three chapters just to get to the end because this couple just didn't do it for me..
I received a copy of Tattered & Torn as I am one of AJ's very lucky Beta Readers! Unfortunately (for AJ), I was so entranced by this story that I forgot to look for mistakes!(sshh! don't tell) Ok, here goes... Following the tragic events in Cracked & Crushed, Shelly is a little bit broken, understandably so! The style of AJ's writing allows you to feel what Shelly feels. You connect with her whilst she comes to terms with what happened and tries to figure out who she is now. Shelly's struggle is realistic and handled with the sensitivity and patience the situation deserves. That being said, she isn't one to play the victim and her strength and determination really shine through. And then there's a guy, I mean, there's always a guy, right? Ghost, oh Ghost, with his guilt and regrets and 'what ifs'. He believes he played a part in Shelly's nightmare and is determined to help her any way he can. He will be whatever she needs him to be and do whatever it takes to see her smile again. He is equal parts patient and pushy, knowing when she needs a gentle nudge or just to be left alone.
The question is- Is Ghost just acting out of guilt, a misguided sense of responsibility? Or is it more? Will Shelly believe his answer? Or allow her new insecurities to cloud her judgement?
This is book 4 of The Sacred Hearts Series. I would recommend reading the other books first so you will be familiar with the characters and events that take place leading up to this book. This is Shelly and Ghost's story. Shelly is Reavers cousin and a club bunny. She had a terrible childhood, all she wants is someone to love her. When tragic events take place she wonders if anyone will ever be able to want and love her. Ghost is a marine buddy of Triggers. When he leaves the marines to come home and discover his girlfriend is pregnant with another mans baby, he heads to join the Sacred Hearts with Trigger. Ghost falls for Shelly at first sight but she is a club bunny and he doesn't share. Shelly wants Ghost and only Ghost but he keeps turning her down. Can they find their way together? Can he help her heal and find herself again? This is a wonderful book and wonderful series! You will not be disappointed.
Loved it!!! A well written storyline that hold your attention. It's emotional and raw at times pulling on the heartstrings while covering a real life topic. I think that's part of what makes the story seem more realistic. Shelly's life was ripped apart after one night's horrific event leaving her a shell of the person she used to be and feeling scared and unworthy. Ghost has a thing for her and feels responsible. He realized too late there was more to Shelly than the front/appearance she always showed at the MC. He wants to help heal what's broken and possibly build a relationship with her. Definitely one of my favorite in the series.
4.5 Stars. Another fantastic rollercoaster ride of a love story written by the lovely AJ. Downey. I always liked Shelly, but finally reading her story and seeing deep how her and Reaper's connection is mad me love her. Derek aka "Ghost" oh, how I wanted to jump inside my Kindle app and bitch slap him to the next century, but even the biggest idiot can turn it around. I am looking forward to more stories about The Sacred Hearts MC. I am especially looking forward to seeing if Dragon ever finds another lovely lady to tame the his inner beast.
Each book gets better than the last Ghost and Shelly this book had my emotions all over the place. Ghost wants Shelly a club girl., but he doesn't share. Shelly is broken bad. She thinks because of everything that has happened to her, Noone wants her for more than a night..Ghost is out to prove her wrong, but then a misunderstanding has him accusing her of something she didn't do. Will she ever find someone who loves her unconditionally, can ghost be that one? Can he fix what he messed up Really like this series
This has been one of my favourite MC biker series. This book however is my least favourite so far, I still really liked it, I just didn't connect with the H and h that well and where as normally I struggle to put down these books, I didn't have this problem with this particular one. Still can't wait for the next one though!
How long is long enough? Grieving is such a personal thing....not just grieving a loss but grieving a decision and having to relive the moment that your life changed forever. Can you ever truly be whole again.... Who knows but this book is one of redemption, of clawing back some of who you are and in the midst of all the craziness finding a little happiness.
Another great read from this author. A very sensitive subject, handled very delicately. The journey these characters travelled to get their happy ending was well worth the read :) Looking forward to reading more :)
I really enjoyed this one, I did not know how this story was going to unfold as we all know the place Shelly held within the M.C! I should have known that A.J could and would pull it off.
Ghost and Shelly get off on the wrong foot to start but there is definitely an attraction between them. But then things get extremely ugly when Shelly approaches Ghost while the club is at the lake he rejects her in front of all the guy's and says some really awful things to her. She runs away and ends up getting raped by the President of the Suicide Kings MC who's club was invited to join them at their lake run. Ghost has feelings for Shelly but because she's a club whore he holds back. He has been badly burned by two women in his past and unless Shelly gives up all the other guys he doesn't want anything to do with her but little does he know she had given them up long ago because she only wants him. So after the rape he is kicking himself in the Ass for the way he treated her. However now it may be too late because she closes down from everyone and shuts them all out especially Ghost. She can't stand to be touched by anyone except her cousin Reaver. So now it's all about Ghost getting Shelly to forgive him and get to know her better and basically bring her back to the living. This book is not as intense as the others. This is a really sweet love story. It's quite a struggle for these two to get past their demons and find their life together. I really loved this book but not as much as he others. I love the excitement. I highly recommend this series to everyone.
Wow Ghost aka Derek can be a real jerk at times. I had thought once he got over himself and decided to make a move on Shelly he might just be growing up but no, when she decides to give him a chance first thing he does is accuse her of cheating even after she explained what had happened the reason he found a shirt in the wash. I mean how did he know it wasn't hers? But she told him and he still screamed obscenities at her. I think Shelly should have walked away when he did that, because apparently, he won't ever trust her even after she told him and Reave told him that she was fiercely loyal to a fault. He should have walked away and never looked at her again when he had a problem about her way of life. What fascinated me about this story was that Reaver had more respect for his cousin then he does for his own wife. He likes to terrorize his wife to get off but he treats Shelly like a lady. I just think Shelly would be better off with someone who can move on from her past. And wow I have never seen so many short guys in one spot at a time.
I had issues with the language from book 3.5 (Disney’s book) regarding how he was referred to and in general, gay men. It continued into this book, however the author also uses many other unkind / derogatory descriptors including gay slurs and non inclusive language. I’ve read many many MC set books and series, and I wanted to continue to see the story over arching story arc to its completion, however it won’t happen. Too many typo’s and poor editing also within this book.
This was a bit of a tough read but I really loved Shelly and Ghost's story. And I really loved the relationship between Shelly and Reaver (her cousin).
There were a lot of twists and turns and some definite edge of your seat moments. There were times I just wanted to drop kick Ghost into the stratosphere. But in the end, he pulled his head out and gave Shelly the love and security she needed.
Great book. Really looking forward to Fractured and Formidable!!!
After everything that happened at the lake run, it was a guess as to what would go on between them. I think that the two of them needed to communicate in the worst way, From the start and it would be solved a lot of issues. It was good to see them learning, and working together. Shelly learned to stand on her own, and Ghost got over his hangup from the past.
Ghost is amazing in this book for Shelly sweet kind and there for her when she needs him she was broken and didn't know if she could put her pieces back together and ghosts just wanted her to see him love this MC series highly recommend this book and author
Another 1 bites the dust The series is so delicious I only got a couple more books left but I'm very happy that this author has a gift when it comes to story telling Loving her
An emotionally heartbreaking, raw and intense ride to go on with Ghost and Shelly. My heart broke for Shelly but the way Ghost treated her was everything she deserved and needed. I enjoyed this story.
Only 2 stars. Rev and Derek were slow burning. Really slow reading because, well they were kinda boring. Same things repeated... A lot. Can't read any more of this series.