Damage Me (Crystal Gulf, #2) by Shana Vanterpool

Jun 11, 2016 Diana rated it it was amazing

Dylan Meyer is waiting to be released from the hospital after being wounded in Afghanistan. He is a broken man, both emotionally and physically. When his ex-best friend, Bach, shows up to take him home, his anger and self-hatred escalate. Dylan asked Bach to take care of Dylan’s girlfriend, Harley, while Dylan was overseas. Unfortunately, things didn’t turn out the way Dylan expected, and now Dylan is alone. He thinks he deserves everything that has happened to him and just wants to go home and ...more

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Apr 05, 2016 Rebecca Woodward rated it it was amazing

Shelves: finished

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jul 07, 2016 Sybil aka Lala rated it it was amazing

Damage me is not an easy read.

It is not fluffy.

It is not cute.

It is not even romance from start to finish.

It is sad and depressing at times.

It is frustrating at other times.

It’s about a character I’ve grown to dislike.

It’s about a seemingly unapologetic liar.

It’s about a guy who is caught up in his own self-loathing.

It’s about a guy caught up in his own sense of entitlement.

It’s about someone I didn’t think would survive himself.

It’s about another character I didn’t always understand.

It’s about ...more

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Mar 08, 2016 Shana Vanterpool rated it it was amazing · (Review from the author)

Shelves: new-adult, romance, contemporary, contemporary-romance, bad-boy, love, fiction, new-adult-romance, romance-contemporary, love-story

A story that is so much more than a romance.
It's about healing, dealing with and accepting your broken parts, and finding your own way out of the darkness.

A broken solider.
A fallen angel.
A journey to heal them both.

Info coming soon!
...more

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Jul 07, 2016 French Press Bookworm Blog rated it it was amazing

Shelves: a-little-angst-never-hurt, alphas-on-top, dark-and-broody-alpha, emotional

Dylan is bitter, angry, and kinda jaded

'It was just me, what I'd lost and what would never be"

Hilary is funny, quirky, and a total rule follower

" Danger! they screamed. In danger of rule breaking. Back away while morals are still intact"

When we first met Dylan in the previous book ill admit....I hated the guy. Respected him but honestly just ddint seem like id like him. He proved me wrong in this one. His attraction to Hialry is instant...in the midst of his anger and bitterness and on a path of ...more

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Jul 05, 2016 Melissa Mendoza rated it really liked it

Shelves: alpha-book-club, 30-days-of-summer, romance, military

Title: Damage Me
Author: Shana Vanterpool
Series: Crystal Gulf Series, Book 2
Publisher: Swoon Romance
Reviewer: Melissa
Release Date: July 5, 2016
Genre(s): Military Romance
Page Count: 315
Heat Level: 4 flames out of 5
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
Blurb:

A broken soldier …

Dylan Meyer lived his life fast and hard, doing anything to keep his emotions masked. In Crystal Gulf, Texas, women, drugs, and alcohol are in abundance. After all, it’s a college town. But eventually, his lifestyle caught up to him. The

...more

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Mar 12, 2016 Michelle Krystel rated it it was amazing

Arc provided by author for honest opinion. I will start off my saying Dylan was not in my good books from desroy me. Now that I gave gotten to him inside out, my heart has done 180. This man is a war hero. Went to war to give his daughter I better life. I respect him more than anything for that. No i don't agree with his lies, but really I felt like he had no other choice. I believe he was going to lose Harley no matter. Cause Harley and Bach were made for each other. So Dylan had redeem himself ...more

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Sep 03, 2017 Sierra Clothier rated it it was amazing

This was Dylan redemption story, and after returning from Afghanistan wounded, he finds nothing is how he left it or hoped it would be. PTSD haunts him, as well as anger from losing the love of his life to his best friend. It took a catalyst to jump start his life. Within a terrifying event comes love in the most unexpected way.

Dylan's monologues were very stream of consciousness, which makes sense as he struggles with guilt, anger and pride. I have never had PTSD, but the writing made sense to ...more

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Mar 09, 2016 Sandra Shipman ~ Two Book Pushers rated it it was amazing

Damage Me is the second book in the Crystal Gulf Series. It can be read as a standalone but I do suggest reading Destroy Me if you want the full story of the secondary characters and how they intertwine with the story. They might be supporting characters but they are very much important to the main characters. They are family. Now that I got that out of the way, I wanted to say that Shana has become one of my favorite authors. I know when I open one of her books, I will be taking a unique and tw Damage Me is the second book in the Crystal Gulf Series. It can be read as a standalone but I do suggest reading Destroy Me if you want the full story of the secondary characters and how they intertwine with the story. They might be supporting characters but they are very much important to the main characters. They are family. Now that I got that out of the way, I wanted to say that Shana has become one of my favorite authors. I know when I open one of her books, I will be taking a unique and twisted rollercoaster ride of emotions. Her character are not perfect. The are beautifully flawed. They are real. I also know it will not be an easy read but will be totally worth it. This is Dylan and Hillary's story...

Dylan has been in the hospital for the last six months. He was injured in the line of duty. He feels broken. Worthless. Damaged. And still betrayed. Betrayed by his best friend Bach and the only woman he ever loved, Harley. And now, with a leg that might not ever heal, he has to go home. He doesn't even know what home is anymore. Never really has. Then, the one person he doesn't want to see shows up to take him away from the prison he has been in for the last six months. Bach has stepped up even though Dylan has pushed him away. Hard. It seems the bond is still there but Dylan doesn't want to see it. He wants to hate Bach. He wants him to just go away. But Bach has other plans. But first...he needs to save his sister. The one Dylan didn't even know his best friend had. And the minute he saw her, he knew she was an angel. His angel. The one he didn't deserve.

Hillary didn't want to go to this party. She was a good girl. She didn't break the rules. She was also loyal to a fault and that is why she went. Too bad her best friend Piper wasn't as loyal as she thought. Hillary was left to the wolves when she entered the frat house. She went in an 18 year old innocent girl and left a damaged soul. Then, she woke up in her brother's beach house with a total stranger in the living room. She should have been scared after the nightmare she lived through but what she felt was...safe. And when she fell apart in front of him, she knew she would never want to leave his arms. He was her escape. The man that would help her forget.

Dylan warned her. She should stay away from him. He was not good enough for her. He was a liar. He was darkness while she was light. But, they made a deal. They would help each-other. He needed help to heal and she needed a place to feel safe. When she discovered what made her feel safe, and to forget things get complicated. She shouldn't want him. He is the last thing that she needs in her life. He doesn't deserve her. He can't make it through another broken heart. That was what is in his mind. But Hillary didn't see a broken man. She saw a strong, loving father that needed to find his way. She wished he saw what she saw in him. A beautiful man that needed to believe in himself. To forgive himself. A man that could do anything. And even though Hillary doesn't see it, Dylan wants the same for her. He doesn't want her to change into a woman that she thinks he would want. She is what he wants. He just doesn't think he deserves what she can give.

Dylan has so many obstacles that he has to go through after his time in the military. He was injured. He leg will never be the same. His life will never be the same. He could be better if he let it. He not only has himself to think about. He has his daughter, Aubrey. He wants her to have the life he never had. To feel loved. Always. To be surrounded by family. To never feel worthless. But first, he needs to fix himself. Can he forgive Bach and Harley? And more importantly, can he forgive himself for surviving?

Hillary has grown up feeling loved by her mother but she never knew her father. Recently, she found out about her brother. She has always followed the rules. Listened to her mom. But now, she wants to make her own mistakes. Make her own choices. She also needs to forgive herself? Can she? Can she open her wings and fly?

I loved this story!! It's not only about love. It's about forgiveness. Family. Friendships. Healing. And breaking a few rules. Finding your way through the darkness into the light. It's a beautiful, twisted, heartbreaking, and heartwarming story that I will not forget. It gave me all the feels. I cried. I laughed. I got hot and bothered. I always wanted to throw a few throat punches. I also wanted to give out some big hugs.

Quotes:

“You’re not as damaged as you think.”

“So you know everything about me? You know what kind of women I like, what I want from them, and that you’re not on my list? What if you’re wrong, Hillary?”

No one had ever looked at me like that. Like I was worth looking at.

...more

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May 29, 2016 Inked Belle’s Book Blog rated it really liked it

Synopsis:
"A broken soldier …

Dylan Meyer lived his life fast and hard, doing anything to keep his emotions masked. In Crystal Gulf, Texas, women, drugs, and alcohol are in abundance. After all, it’s a college town. But eventually, his lifestyle caught up to him. The birth of his daughter, Aubrey, forced him to grow up and take responsibility for his actions. He let his vices go, cleaned up his act, and allowed himself to fall for Harley Evans.

But Dylan is a liar.

He lied to himself. To Harley. To ...more

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Apr 13, 2016 Mignon Mykel rated it it was amazing

We met Dylan in the previous Crystal Gulf book. We saw his sweet side, but then we saw when all his lies came out and quite frankly, we saw the mean man he had the ability to be -- something that Harley didn't realize he had, something she scoffed at Bach for telling her.

Bach was redeemed when Harley fell for him. It's Dylan's turn.

Pairing Dylan with equally broken Hillary, the half-sister Bach only learned about in the last book, made for some tense moments. Both were incredibly broken but foun ...more

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May 25, 2016 Kayla rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 5-stars

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review

This is the first book i have read by Shana Vanterpool and from the Crystal Gulf series ( this book can be read as a stand alone). So because i didn’t read the first book of the series, i found i went in with a different opinion of Dylan and of Bach (as well as Harley lol) I went in pissed of right along with Dylan. The scenes at the beginning of the book between Dylan and Bach made me so angry for Dylan. I just wanted to scream and punch Bach ...more

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Mar 08, 2016 Dita rated it it was amazing

4.5 amazing stars for my broken soldier ❤❤❤❤❤

This is a heartbreaking book.

This book is packed with emotions, full of struggles and pains.
The story of broken soldier and traumatized girl, trying to heal, to forget, to move on, to have their lights back.

At first Dylan is not my fav character, I kinda hate him in the first book, he needs a lot of groveling to do. And damn in this book he's crawling into my heart. He's my hot broken soldier. He's so lost, he lives in darkness and nightmares, he alwa ...more

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Mar 27, 2016 Erica rated it really liked it

Dylan wasn't someone I initially liked in Destroy Me especially at the end of the book. It was much the same in the beginning of Damage Me. He was bitter and angry over everything that happened to him and wasn't easy to like at all. However, weird as it seems, it was actually his desperation that got me. I think I even like him more than Bach now! His imperfections were what made him beautiful because you could see how much he struggled yet tried so desperately to break free from all the hurt he ...more

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Apr 30, 2016 Martha Ramadita rated it it was amazing

Survived.

yes, I'm survived..
I'm so broken when I read Damage Me, you know.. it feel like Dylan's emotion crawling into my skin and make a deep wound into my heart.

at first, I can't stand with Dylan's anger, sometime I thought Dylan has anger management issue. but the more I read it, the more I know why Dylan becoming Dylan right now. He's suffer too much, from Afghanistan, from his love story, his daughter issue.. Idk so much problem to a man.

The best thing is Hillary, I love how Shana made Hill ...more

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May 20, 2016 Betty G. rated it really liked it

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Fall and rise again.
Believe in love in the middle of the adversity.

A fallen soldier.
An angel with broken wings.

Dylan, a bad boy.
Hillary, a good girl.

Hillary and Dylan met at the worst time of their lives, and inadvertently they found "a safer place" on each other.

This is a really good story!
Honestly, I enjoyed reading this book. I want to say so much more than this but I can't find words to say how much I liked it. ...more

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May 25, 2016 Danielle Robbins rated it it was amazing

Damage Me is book two in the Crystal Gulf series. This was about Dylan and Hillary. I can honestly say that I didn't really like Dylan in the previous book but after reading this I loved him! I loved how Hillary only felt safe with Dylan after the trauma she had. I really enjoyed this book and I didn't want it to put it down!
ARC received ...more

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Apr 07, 2019 thebooksmicaelareads rated it did not like it

After I didn’t really enjoy the first book in this series I have no idea why I decided to carry on with the series because this was TERRIBLE.

The blurb makes it sound better than it actually is, Hillary is sooo whiney and childish, I know she was a victim but the whole book she whines about how overbearing her mom is, no you ungrateful kid your mom works her ass off to provide you a good life!

Every time her dad was brought up I thought I was watching a bad episode of Paternity Court, her dad wa ...more

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Jan 05, 2018 Vicky Ott rated it it was amazing

Shelves: bad-boy-contemporary-abuse

I just can't get enough of this author! I'm so glad I was able to find out what happened with Dylan. Even though at times I just wanted to beat Dylan over the head, I found this to be a good read.
I liked the character profiles and I loved how the characters from the previous book bled over into this one. It really helped the story have more substance and define the background of the current one.

Can't wait to find out what happens with Jona and Justine... Should be another interesting read. ...more

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Jan 27, 2018 Janet Hammons rated it it was amazing

5 Beautiful Stars

I love love love this book. I love Dylan even though in the first book I wanted to strangle him. And Hillary is an amazing young woman. The dark to the light. I also am so happy that Bach and Harley finally got their ending.

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Jun 09, 2016 Celeste rated it really liked it

Shelves: contemporary, damaged-goods, military, new-adult, arc-or-galley, macmillan, dirty-talkers, 2016

4 stars
I loved this. And you will too if you loved book 1. Yes, it was a very similar story to Bach & Harley's but this time Dylan and Hillary had the spotlight. However, Bach still played a role (YAY!) but wait... I have to say that was weird because he wasn't the Bach I knew from the first book. Yes, I know he changed, but he wasn't the same Bach at all to me. It was Dylan from the first chapter of book 1. I took it with a grain of salt and enjoyed Dylan's story, and it was so very good.

Dylan

4 stars
I loved this. And you will too if you loved book 1. Yes, it was a very similar story to Bach & Harley's but this time Dylan and Hillary had the spotlight. However, Bach still played a role (YAY!) but wait... I have to say that was weird because he wasn't the Bach I knew from the first book. Yes, I know he changed, but he wasn't the same Bach at all to me. It was Dylan from the first chapter of book 1. I took it with a grain of salt and enjoyed Dylan's story, and it was so very good.

Dylan had demons, and let me tell you that's putting it lightly. However, it didn't mesh with his personality from book 1. I wish he hadn't appeared like he had his shit together in book 1 100%. I wish he seemed a tiny bit lost, or at least have that alluded to. That part didn't jive for me, but if I had only met him here he was amazing and I loved his broken heart and wanted to heal him.

Hillary was great. I was kind of surprised that she was so strong, yet at first let her friend(s) boss her around so much. As in boss her around where she got into a situation she typically would have avoided. It felt out of character for her to agree to so much up front and I wish it had been done differently, but I also still went with it.

The romance was chemistry from the get go. Some times there was so much over thinking and they got stuck in their heads, but I felt like their love and lust was really true. Dylan was one hell of a dirty talker and he brought his A game. I maybe should have been shocked but I was honestly just too busy enjoying his filthy mouth. #SorryNotSorry.

The ending was good (but a little dragged out, and I can't even believe I'm saying this, but it was). So if you love epilogues this is the jackpot. You will be able to roll around and starfish in your HEA, but it was probably just a little over the top for me.

Ultimately this was a bit of a clone of book 1 with the names switched around, but in the end I still loved it AND the way it was written. I was totally absorbed and enjoyed the second go round, but as I'd seen it before it wasn't quite as magical even though it really was still spectacular.

Rec this? YES! I thoroughly enjoyed it and all its smuttiness and even though it was familiar I would 100% rec it.

Happy reading!
This review was originally posted on The Book Hookup here.

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Aug 01, 2016 BookHookup rated it really liked it

4 stars
I loved this. And you will too if you loved book 1. Yes, it was a very similar story to Bach & Harley's but this time Dylan and Hillary had the spotlight. However, Bach still played a role (YAY!) but wait... I have to say that was weird because he wasn't the Bach I knew from the first book. Yes, I know he changed, but he wasn't the same Bach at all to me. It was Dylan from the first chapter of book 1. I took it with a grain of salt and enjoyed Dylan's story, and it was so very good.

Dylan

4 stars
I loved this. And you will too if you loved book 1. Yes, it was a very similar story to Bach & Harley's but this time Dylan and Hillary had the spotlight. However, Bach still played a role (YAY!) but wait... I have to say that was weird because he wasn't the Bach I knew from the first book. Yes, I know he changed, but he wasn't the same Bach at all to me. It was Dylan from the first chapter of book 1. I took it with a grain of salt and enjoyed Dylan's story, and it was so very good.

Dylan had demons, and let me tell you that's putting it lightly. However, it didn't mesh with his personality from book 1. I wish he hadn't appeared like he had his shit together in book 1 100%. I wish he seemed a tiny bit lost, or at least have that alluded to. That part didn't jive for me, but if I had only met him here he was amazing and I loved his broken heart and wanted to heal him.

Hillary was great. I was kind of surprised that she was so strong, yet at first let her friend(s) boss her around so much. As in boss her around where she got into a situation she typically would have avoided. It felt out of character for her to agree to so much up front and I wish it had been done differently, but I also still went with it.

The romance was chemistry from the get go. Some times there was so much over thinking and they got stuck in their heads, but I felt like their love and lust was really true. Dylan was one hell of a dirty talker and he brought his A game. I maybe should have been shocked but I was honestly just too busy enjoying his filthy mouth. #SorryNotSorry.

The ending was good (but a little dragged out, and I can't even believe I'm saying this, but it was). So if you love epilogues this is the jackpot. You will be able to roll around and starfish in your HEA, but it was probably just a little over the top for me.

Ultimately this was a bit of a clone of book 1 with the names switched around, but in the end I still loved it AND the way it was written. I was totally absorbed and enjoyed the second go round, but as I'd seen it before it wasn't quite as magical even though it really was still spectacular.

Rec this? YES! I thoroughly enjoyed it and all its smuttiness and even though it was familiar I would 100% rec it.

Happy reading!
This review was originally posted on The Book Hookup here.

...more

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Aug 07, 2016 Liz Gavin rated it it was amazing

5**** Gritty, realistic, and brilliant

***I received a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review***

It took me a while to connect with Hillary and Dylan; but not for lack of talent on the writer’s part. On the contrary. Her fair warning that the book contains triggers and sensitive issues must not be taken lightly. For the first third of the book, I cringed and even skipped a few paragraphs because the emotions were too raw for me to process. I wasn’t embarrassed at all. The reason wasn’ 5**** Gritty, realistic, and brilliant

***I received a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review***

It took me a while to connect with Hillary and Dylan; but not for lack of talent on the writer’s part. On the contrary. Her fair warning that the book contains triggers and sensitive issues must not be taken lightly. For the first third of the book, I cringed and even skipped a few paragraphs because the emotions were too raw for me to process. I wasn’t embarrassed at all. The reason wasn’t sexual content but Dylan’s PTSD and Hillary’s assault. Reading from their perspectives, because the story is told in alternating POVs, made it all too personal and too real. Again, only talented writers are able to pull that off, and Shana Vanterpool does it brilliantly.

Although Damage Me is a standalone, I felt I would have understood the dynamics of the love triangle involving Dylan, Bach, and Harley better if I had read the first book in the series – Destroy me. Shana does fill the reader in on the important aspects of it, but I’m sure I would have had a different perspective on their story. I guess I’ll just have to read it now. LOL

Without giving away spoilers, I can say Damage Me is a great book even though it’s not your everyday kind of sweet romance. It’s raw, it’s gritty, it’s realistic. It’s gut-wrenching and heart-warming. It makes you teary, enraged, elated. The author takes us on a crazy ride from moments like Dylan’s terrifying nightmares to the first kiss with which he pecks Hillary’s cheek. Again, no spoiler so I won’t reveal the circumstances other than it was such a sweet moment! Awnn…

Both main characters are damaged in body and soul. They have the lowest self-esteem you can imagine but with reason. They’ve sustained physical wounds and suffered psychological traumas that are hard to overcome. Their pain is so in our faces; their actions are so visceral; and their struggles so intense, it’s impossible not to care for them. You get sucked in and have no other option than rooting for a happy ending for their trials.

I rarely quote the books I review but I can’t help doing it here. Dylan’s thoughts sum up his inner battle and his self-image so clearly, “So I leaned my head away because the last thing I needed was to inhale her good. The bad in me would rebel.” When you’re talking about damaged souls, it can’t get much better than this war between darkness and light. Damage me brilliantly exemplifies that.
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Feb 13, 2017 Valeen Robertson (Live Thru Books Blog) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arcs

I loved Damage Me. Hillary and Dylan's relationship is a roller coaster of emotions. I got so into their story that I felt as if I experienced all their emotions with them. Dylan is a soldier finally back home from Afghanistan, but he's badly injured and feeling depressed for more than one reason. He lost his girl when he was in Afghanistan. His best friend Bach, whom he had asked to watch over his girl while he was gone, did more than watch over his girl, he stole her right out from underneath ...more

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Jul 04, 2016 Jamie Zishka rated it really liked it

Damage Me was the second book in The Crystal Gulf Series, although this is a second book it can be read as a standalone but I would highly recommend reading Destroy Me first because it will set the picture and pretense for this book. I was really skeptical about reading this story because honestly I truly didn't like Dylan in Destroy Me, but she completely redeemed him in my eyes and made me see him in a different light. I would give this book a 4 stars and highly recommend to others.

Dylan was ...more

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Sep 11, 2016 Jo rated it really liked it

If you come to this book expecting a hearts and flowers romance, then you will be disappointed. It is not that story. This is a tale of two people, each broken in different ways, but with an element of commonality. Both are struggling.

Hillary is beyond naive, young and sheltered. Dylan is more mature, but weary. I have to say that her behaviour at times is difficult to understand, her motives difficult to fathom. And their actions whilst together are occasionally jarring.

That said, this is a re ...more

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Mar 25, 2016 Maria Vickers rated it really liked it

Damage Me by Shana Vanterpool is book two of the Crystal Gulf series and I had a hard time putting this one down. After book one, I didn’t have much hope for Dylan, but he completely redeemed himself in this installment.
Dylan Meyers came back from war wounded only to find his best friend and girlfriend had fallen in love with each other. He is broken and angry.

Hillary Hayes follows the rules, but that doesn’t mean she completely agrees with all of her mother’s rules. She wants more and differe ...more

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Oct 03, 2016 Cinthia rated it liked it

I highly recommend this amazing and heartbreaking romance story. I am so glad that I stumbled upon this series because Shana Vanterpool has become one of my new favorite authors. Damage Me is the second book in the Crystal Gulf series. Even though this book can be read as a standalone, I would recommend that you read the first book (Destroy Me) to get a better understanding of the story and characters. Even though I didn't like Dylan in the first book, he definitely redeemed himself in the secon ...more

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Jun 26, 2016 Krista rated it really liked it

4.5 stars

I love reading an author from the beginning and watching their story telling evolve. And that is how I feel about Shana. I loved the first one and was curious to see how Dillon's story would play out.

Dillon was a liar. He went and enlisted and left. He left with many secrets that cost him when he came back. He was injured in a roadside blast resulting in major injuries as well as PTSD. He comes back more broken then when he left. Feeling all hope is lost until he meets Hillary.

Hillary i ...more

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Sep 10, 2016 Lissa Smith Reads'~A Bookaholics Bookshelf rated it really liked it

Shelves: 4-magnificently-great-stars, in-2016

4 Stars:
Among some of my favorites. Outstanding literary work. The characters are well developed, interesting. The liked characters are likable and the hated are unlikable. The writing is captivating enough to keep you interested until the end and leave you wanting more. It has a fairly original or uniquely well-developed plot. The pretense and romance was well balanced and done with properly distributed amounts of hints, behaviors and chemistry. Not so much predictable if at all. Overall, love ...more

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