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The Broken Souls #1
Save Me
We were two kids lost in a system that didn't care. He was my protector, my best friend, my first love. He kept the shadows away the best that he could. Now it’s my turn to return the favor. I found him finally, but I didn't find him quickly enough. I'm lost again, but this time it’s without him by my side.
I'm broken.
My life is one mess after another and I can’t find which way is up. I don't know how to navigate my feelings for the three broken, protective assholes that are breaking down my walls. I can't fight the demons that haunt me in my dreams. Add in a stalker hell bent on showering me with gifts that bring back painful memories and there's disaster looming on the horizon.
How can I save, not only myself, but the men that are starting to mean the world to me?
Maybe I'm still that little girl that needs someone to save me... or maybe, just maybe, I can finally save myself.
Save Me is the first book in The Broken Souls series. This book contains sexual scenes, violence, and coarse language. Must be 18+ to read. Please read the trigger warning at the beginning of the book, contains mentions of sexual abuse, suicide, and more.
I'm broken.
My life is one mess after another and I can’t find which way is up. I don't know how to navigate my feelings for the three broken, protective assholes that are breaking down my walls. I can't fight the demons that haunt me in my dreams. Add in a stalker hell bent on showering me with gifts that bring back painful memories and there's disaster looming on the horizon.
How can I save, not only myself, but the men that are starting to mean the world to me?
Maybe I'm still that little girl that needs someone to save me... or maybe, just maybe, I can finally save myself.
Save Me is the first book in The Broken Souls series. This book contains sexual scenes, violence, and coarse language. Must be 18+ to read. Please read the trigger warning at the beginning of the book, contains mentions of sexual abuse, suicide, and more.
178 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 15, 2021
About the author
S.A. Mackenzie
15 books113 followersS.A. Mackenzie is a Canadian writer of all things love and steam. She has been a hopeless romantic all of her life and loves to read and watch every sappy romance and rom-com she can find. In her downtime she likes to kick back with a good book or enjoy some couch potato time with her hubby. S.A. is the wife to one amazing man and the mother to a cheeky little boy that lights up her life.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
April 4, 2021
Emotional, raw, honest, and gripping- Save Me is hands down S.A. Mackenzie’s best work to date, and I suspect it will be a career defining moment for her as a newly established author. You can feel Mackenzie’s heart and soul bleeding out on the page with every word. This story hurts, it’s traumatic in places and heartbreaking in others, but there is a beautiful beacon of hope that permeates it, too. Because at its heart, this is a story (or at least the start of one) about healing and the power of connection in the face of incredible pain, grief, and trauma.
Please do take note of the trigger warnings. SA brings a brutal but important realness to this story when it comes to dealing with sensitive topics- she goes there, she does not hold back. PTSD, abuse, suicide, emotional and physical trauama, and dark elements all make their way to the pages of this story. SA is giving us an unflinching look that characters are in varying degrees of despair and emotional rock bottomness. It is hauntingly beautiful and tragic, and it is emotionally consuming and heavy. But her honesty pays off- as long as you are a reader who can handle these triggers. This is by far her most complex, most emotionally dynamic cast of characters to date. They are so real, so captivating, and so honest. There is a real integrity to the story telling- these are characters confronting their own pain from both the past and the present- and we FEEL it all.
This is also a slower burn- and one that I think makes a lot of sense for who these characters are. The result is that SA really invests in their emotional chemistry- she doubles down on the emotional intimacy that our heroine and heroes develop as they start to open up and lean on each other, as they become more vulnerable. And it’s really a beautiful thing- I feel so hard for our heroes, and I feel such a kinship for Alayna. They do connect quickly, but SA then builds dynamics and nuance to their original spark. And, when we start to understand more about everyone and their own baggage, we start to see how they feel such affinity for one another- because of their connection to emotional pain and loss.
As the story progresses, we also start to see some dark mystery and suspense unfold, a nice parallel to the emotional journey of our characters. As they continue to confront the parts of their past weighing them down in the present, our present day mystery action will likely not only catalyze that growth but also inspire more closeness among them.
While I know this story will get much harder emotionally before these characters find a semblance of an HEA, I’m ready for more. This is powerful and vulnerable story telling, and most certainly is a testament to talents of SA Mackenzie and what we can expect in this next chapter of her writing career.
Please do take note of the trigger warnings. SA brings a brutal but important realness to this story when it comes to dealing with sensitive topics- she goes there, she does not hold back. PTSD, abuse, suicide, emotional and physical trauama, and dark elements all make their way to the pages of this story. SA is giving us an unflinching look that characters are in varying degrees of despair and emotional rock bottomness. It is hauntingly beautiful and tragic, and it is emotionally consuming and heavy. But her honesty pays off- as long as you are a reader who can handle these triggers. This is by far her most complex, most emotionally dynamic cast of characters to date. They are so real, so captivating, and so honest. There is a real integrity to the story telling- these are characters confronting their own pain from both the past and the present- and we FEEL it all.
This is also a slower burn- and one that I think makes a lot of sense for who these characters are. The result is that SA really invests in their emotional chemistry- she doubles down on the emotional intimacy that our heroine and heroes develop as they start to open up and lean on each other, as they become more vulnerable. And it’s really a beautiful thing- I feel so hard for our heroes, and I feel such a kinship for Alayna. They do connect quickly, but SA then builds dynamics and nuance to their original spark. And, when we start to understand more about everyone and their own baggage, we start to see how they feel such affinity for one another- because of their connection to emotional pain and loss.
As the story progresses, we also start to see some dark mystery and suspense unfold, a nice parallel to the emotional journey of our characters. As they continue to confront the parts of their past weighing them down in the present, our present day mystery action will likely not only catalyze that growth but also inspire more closeness among them.
While I know this story will get much harder emotionally before these characters find a semblance of an HEA, I’m ready for more. This is powerful and vulnerable story telling, and most certainly is a testament to talents of SA Mackenzie and what we can expect in this next chapter of her writing career.
April 24, 2022
Amazing, but the cover is offensive
I really love this book as I have a kind of weird fascination with broken FMC😅 Yes, I like crying with them and seeing how they can grow up and override their trauma.
Be careful because in this book they are a LOT of trigger warnings! What Alayna and Declan have been through is brutal but luckily not described with too many details (phew!). But just let me say that only after 11% of the book, I was already a crying mess😔
I don't really understand why the author chose to make Adam being an assh*ole and then, just after being punched by Alayna, turn him into a sweet guy🙄🧐 What the point??? The change of behaviour was too quick and didn't add anything to the storyline. No need here for a bad guy, things are already too dramatic for that.
I just have one very big issue with this book: it's the cover. The cover doesn't reflect at all what kind of person Alayna is! I mean, Alayna has been sexually abused and tortured so do you really think that she will take a sexy pose just wearing underwear???? That's a stupid choice of cover from the author and quite disrespectful and offensive to the FMC. I really don't get it and really would like to have the opportunity to say it to the author. Really, the cover must be change!
Anyway, I really enjoyed this book, cried a lot but also see a lot of hope for Alayna and her guys. Really happy to read the next book!
I really love this book as I have a kind of weird fascination with broken FMC😅 Yes, I like crying with them and seeing how they can grow up and override their trauma.
Be careful because in this book they are a LOT of trigger warnings! What Alayna and Declan have been through is brutal but luckily not described with too many details (phew!). But just let me say that only after 11% of the book, I was already a crying mess😔
I don't really understand why the author chose to make Adam being an assh*ole and then, just after being punched by Alayna, turn him into a sweet guy🙄🧐 What the point??? The change of behaviour was too quick and didn't add anything to the storyline. No need here for a bad guy, things are already too dramatic for that.
I just have one very big issue with this book: it's the cover. The cover doesn't reflect at all what kind of person Alayna is! I mean, Alayna has been sexually abused and tortured so do you really think that she will take a sexy pose just wearing underwear???? That's a stupid choice of cover from the author and quite disrespectful and offensive to the FMC. I really don't get it and really would like to have the opportunity to say it to the author. Really, the cover must be change!
Anyway, I really enjoyed this book, cried a lot but also see a lot of hope for Alayna and her guys. Really happy to read the next book!
December 3, 2021
liked the premise, very poor execution. one and a half stars, rounded to two.
there are a lot of things i can say about this book. i'm also going to be entirely honest, the first chapter and a half were the only things i read in actuality and just skimmed the rest, so bear with me here.
i liked the originality of killing declan. to be entirely honest, it may be the only reason why i pushed forward with the book. given the premise (and i probably should've looked closer to not get my expectations so high,) i was expecting two things:
✦ more concise writing style - meaning less streams of conscious thought like Catcher in the Rye -esque and more edited, professional writing
✦ less insta love and insta lust
i didn't really get much of either. the romance moved way too fast. i can handle insta lust, but not insta-lust on speed, especially for victimized and traumatized characters, situations that are delicately fragile and ususally end up falling negatively. for a woman who's gone through the things that alayna has, i'm surprised she's managing to let people in and be vulnerable while dealing with the trauma of A, losing the love of her life, to which she dedicated being a stronger, more worthwhile individual to for a decade, and B, dealing with a psychotic stalker, because is it really reverse harem without a stalker or two?
i liked also the originality in some of the trauma stories of the MMCs. the personality types are the stereoptypical, predefined roles in most reverse harems (leader, protective sweetheart, and the alphahole with trust issues the size of a black hole that has a soft spot for the heroine.) still, i liked how the author prioritized mental health in all of the main characters, not just the female. it was nice to see vulnerability on all sides of the relationship.
there were a few plotholes and just some general chronological and pacing issues. we went from experiencing days and nights with a character to suddenly missing weeks to only a few hours at a time - all of it just needed an editor who not only thought about small details, but bigger pictures and how the overall story connected together.
overall, i didn't really like this novel. i debated giving it a one star but thought of Ghost Bird and decided it's substance bumped it up one, and all of the other issues i had knocked it down half a peg. maybe i just had my expectations set way too high, but i really just wish the novel promised the same maturity the premise did.
there are a lot of things i can say about this book. i'm also going to be entirely honest, the first chapter and a half were the only things i read in actuality and just skimmed the rest, so bear with me here.
i liked the originality of killing declan. to be entirely honest, it may be the only reason why i pushed forward with the book. given the premise (and i probably should've looked closer to not get my expectations so high,) i was expecting two things:
✦ more concise writing style - meaning less streams of conscious thought like Catcher in the Rye -esque and more edited, professional writing
✦ less insta love and insta lust
i didn't really get much of either. the romance moved way too fast. i can handle insta lust, but not insta-lust on speed, especially for victimized and traumatized characters, situations that are delicately fragile and ususally end up falling negatively. for a woman who's gone through the things that alayna has, i'm surprised she's managing to let people in and be vulnerable while dealing with the trauma of A, losing the love of her life, to which she dedicated being a stronger, more worthwhile individual to for a decade, and B, dealing with a psychotic stalker, because is it really reverse harem without a stalker or two?
i liked also the originality in some of the trauma stories of the MMCs. the personality types are the stereoptypical, predefined roles in most reverse harems (leader, protective sweetheart, and the alphahole with trust issues the size of a black hole that has a soft spot for the heroine.) still, i liked how the author prioritized mental health in all of the main characters, not just the female. it was nice to see vulnerability on all sides of the relationship.
there were a few plotholes and just some general chronological and pacing issues. we went from experiencing days and nights with a character to suddenly missing weeks to only a few hours at a time - all of it just needed an editor who not only thought about small details, but bigger pictures and how the overall story connected together.
overall, i didn't really like this novel. i debated giving it a one star but thought of Ghost Bird and decided it's substance bumped it up one, and all of the other issues i had knocked it down half a peg. maybe i just had my expectations set way too high, but i really just wish the novel promised the same maturity the premise did.
March 13, 2021
Believe me when I say, y’all aren’t ready for this.
.
This hard hitting emotional roller coaster will hit you hard. This book deals with ptsd, abuse of all kinds, grief, pain, trauma and so much more. Please read the trigger warning careful before diving in because y’all are in for a ride.
.
Right off the bat I was hit with the pain, my heart was heavy reading this and I was consumed by this story. I haven’t been emotionally impacted like this reading a book in a while, to the point that I may have been sweating from my eyeballs but that for me just made the read feel more raw and genuine. There’s something truly beautiful about this story even with how tragic it is. All these characters have their own demons and seeing them trying to live their lives and over come their demons was an experience I won’t forget.
.
An unexpected surprise for me was the mystery, suspense and intrigue. For some reason I didn’t expect that so that was a pleasant surprise. It definitely added a new element and broke up the heavy and emotional aspect which was great. I loved seeing the characters gel together and especially for Alayna, learn to open up to people and not expect the worse at every turn. I had worried that maybe their relationship had moved too fast but there were aspects and moments that showed them sliding back into their old habits and behind walls so it made up for it.
.
This was an incredible read and a world that shows that not everything is rosy. I loved the originality, the realistic nature in some aspects and that no matter how dark life can get, never close yourself off to the light in it as well. I can’t wait for book 2!
.
This hard hitting emotional roller coaster will hit you hard. This book deals with ptsd, abuse of all kinds, grief, pain, trauma and so much more. Please read the trigger warning careful before diving in because y’all are in for a ride.
.
Right off the bat I was hit with the pain, my heart was heavy reading this and I was consumed by this story. I haven’t been emotionally impacted like this reading a book in a while, to the point that I may have been sweating from my eyeballs but that for me just made the read feel more raw and genuine. There’s something truly beautiful about this story even with how tragic it is. All these characters have their own demons and seeing them trying to live their lives and over come their demons was an experience I won’t forget.
.
An unexpected surprise for me was the mystery, suspense and intrigue. For some reason I didn’t expect that so that was a pleasant surprise. It definitely added a new element and broke up the heavy and emotional aspect which was great. I loved seeing the characters gel together and especially for Alayna, learn to open up to people and not expect the worse at every turn. I had worried that maybe their relationship had moved too fast but there were aspects and moments that showed them sliding back into their old habits and behind walls so it made up for it.
.
This was an incredible read and a world that shows that not everything is rosy. I loved the originality, the realistic nature in some aspects and that no matter how dark life can get, never close yourself off to the light in it as well. I can’t wait for book 2!
March 24, 2021
****Please read and review the trigger warnings before starting as they are not to be taken lightly****
Writing reviews are always hard for me as I struggle to put my thoughts into words and this book is no exception as well as one of the hardest ones I have written. The topics talked about are very near and dear to my heart and she conveyed them in such a devastatingly beautiful way. There's a rawness to the writing that transports you into the world and thoughts that are Alayna, Rhys, Adam and Riggs and even Declan at times. This book has everything you could possibly need in a read and I hope you take a leap of faith to try it out. The guys were what really brought this book to life I think because they were different than anything else I've ever read. I'd also like to remind people that everyone has different experiences and there is no right or wrong way to react.
I don't know how to put into words the book impacted me and the way I felt every single heartbreak, grief, sadness, anger and finally laughter throughout reading as if it was my own. If I could stand by your side and make you read it I certainty would without a doubt.
Writing reviews are always hard for me as I struggle to put my thoughts into words and this book is no exception as well as one of the hardest ones I have written. The topics talked about are very near and dear to my heart and she conveyed them in such a devastatingly beautiful way. There's a rawness to the writing that transports you into the world and thoughts that are Alayna, Rhys, Adam and Riggs and even Declan at times. This book has everything you could possibly need in a read and I hope you take a leap of faith to try it out. The guys were what really brought this book to life I think because they were different than anything else I've ever read. I'd also like to remind people that everyone has different experiences and there is no right or wrong way to react.
I don't know how to put into words the book impacted me and the way I felt every single heartbreak, grief, sadness, anger and finally laughter throughout reading as if it was my own. If I could stand by your side and make you read it I certainty would without a doubt.
Read
October 27, 2022Mind the content warnings, people, especially if you're sensitive to anything even remotely related to sxxcide. This isn't one of those books where you can just skim over the upsetting parts. I tried, and the next thing I knew, I had skimmed my way through the whole book.
I won't be rating this book because I didn't enjoy it, but that was because of the subject matter more than anything else, and I have only myself to blame. I had originally marked this book as one I should pass on, but then book 3 caught my eye, so I decided to read this book after all. Tbh, I'm still going to push forward and try to make it to book 3. Maybe after a palate cleanser book though. In many ways, this book was about sxxcide instead of just including mentions of it, but I'm hoping (probably foolishly) that theme won't be as prevalent in the later books.
Because I did so much skimming, I don't have much to say about the writing itself. I normally wouldn't bother leaving a review in this situation, but I wanted to reinforce the content warning.
I won't be rating this book because I didn't enjoy it, but that was because of the subject matter more than anything else, and I have only myself to blame. I had originally marked this book as one I should pass on, but then book 3 caught my eye, so I decided to read this book after all. Tbh, I'm still going to push forward and try to make it to book 3. Maybe after a palate cleanser book though. In many ways, this book was about sxxcide instead of just including mentions of it, but I'm hoping (probably foolishly) that theme won't be as prevalent in the later books.
Because I did so much skimming, I don't have much to say about the writing itself. I normally wouldn't bother leaving a review in this situation, but I wanted to reinforce the content warning.
December 27, 2021
Please check TWs before reading this book!
It definitely wasn’t an easy read for me at times, but it was a really interesting story. I liked that Alayna is such a strong independent character even after all the awful things she has been through. The guys are definitely a**holes in the beginning of this book, but they start to become really protective of Alayna and very understanding of what she has been through. Declan….. Well, I won’t spoil anything, but that part of the story really broke my heart. I really enjoyed this unique story even though it had some hard parts to read. It is definitely not for the faint of heart. It’s a very heartbreaking and graphic story, but the writing is very well done. And in this book it shows that Alayna is trying her best to stay strong and keep going everyday. The guys are great and I think they will be really helpful to Alayna in the next one.
Overall I’d give this one 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It definitely wasn’t an easy read for me at times, but it was a really interesting story. I liked that Alayna is such a strong independent character even after all the awful things she has been through. The guys are definitely a**holes in the beginning of this book, but they start to become really protective of Alayna and very understanding of what she has been through. Declan….. Well, I won’t spoil anything, but that part of the story really broke my heart. I really enjoyed this unique story even though it had some hard parts to read. It is definitely not for the faint of heart. It’s a very heartbreaking and graphic story, but the writing is very well done. And in this book it shows that Alayna is trying her best to stay strong and keep going everyday. The guys are great and I think they will be really helpful to Alayna in the next one.
Overall I’d give this one 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
October 4, 2021
Wow - this book really hit me on the feels :) you can feel the pain Alayna has been in and goes through. The guys also have their brokenness and I loved seeing how they each propped each other up when the needed it. The story does end on a bit of a cliffy, but thankfully book 2 is out now :)
September 28, 2022
i didn’t know that it was possible to have a dnf books also be a 5 star read but in less than 50 pages i am bawling my eyes out and i can’t do this it’s too good but so damn sad i can’t breathe
March 24, 2021
I have never read something that grabbed my heart and squeezed it so much!!!! I can't even describe how much I wanted to cry but all swoon over this book. I loved the main character and I love her harem! Just be warned that this is not for the faint of heart!
March 20, 2021
🖤Interesting, Intriguing, Dark, Heart wrenching, Roller coaster of emotions that's the definition of this amazing book.
🖤My recommendation is to get to this book blind the less you know the better. You will get on the deep feels of all of the emotions with all of the Characters.
🖤We start with Alayna's past and we get to see a little bit of the things that she have to suffer while she was in foster home. We see the love she have for Declan and how heart broken they where when they got separated. She promise her self that she will find him. Then we get to the present and there is where things get crazy. She is in her journey of healing and she have to face him in order to close that chapter of her life and get closure. But her plans get twisted and she have to confront a lot more that she had plan.
🖤This book was amazing to the point that I was crying at the end of it. Is very hard to find books where you get everything that you look fowars in a book. And let me tell you this book right here have all of it.
🖤Alayna is an amazing character you will feel all of the emotion with her. Im so proud of her even though she is a fictional character but I feel a deep conection with her and her story. She is amazing and strong I can't get enough of her.
🖤Rhys, Adam and Riggs are very well written you know who is who without the mention of the name. They are very unic and have very different personalities. They all have their own demons and dark past. I love them.
🖤 I loved so much how they are all misfits and they fit together like a puzzle. And It make me thing of a quote of a book from TM Frazier.
"THE BROKEN DON'T NEED TO BE PUT BACK TOGETHER, THEY NEED TO BE LOVED FOR ALL THEIR PIECES"
-TM FRAZIER 🖤
🖤Thank you to S.A. Mackenzie for writing this amazing book you make me feel each word that I read of this book. You got me feeling everything. When Alayna gets panic attack I was feeling it with her, everything she laugh I was laughing with her and everytime she cried I cry with her. And that's what an amazing Author is when you feel every little thing that you are reading about. So Thank you for that.
🖤One of my favorite frase or quotes from the book.
"Motherf*cking butterflies swooped in and fucking destroyed those nerves like machete wielding badass bitches" 🖤
🖤My recommendation is to get to this book blind the less you know the better. You will get on the deep feels of all of the emotions with all of the Characters.
🖤We start with Alayna's past and we get to see a little bit of the things that she have to suffer while she was in foster home. We see the love she have for Declan and how heart broken they where when they got separated. She promise her self that she will find him. Then we get to the present and there is where things get crazy. She is in her journey of healing and she have to face him in order to close that chapter of her life and get closure. But her plans get twisted and she have to confront a lot more that she had plan.
🖤This book was amazing to the point that I was crying at the end of it. Is very hard to find books where you get everything that you look fowars in a book. And let me tell you this book right here have all of it.
🖤Alayna is an amazing character you will feel all of the emotion with her. Im so proud of her even though she is a fictional character but I feel a deep conection with her and her story. She is amazing and strong I can't get enough of her.
🖤Rhys, Adam and Riggs are very well written you know who is who without the mention of the name. They are very unic and have very different personalities. They all have their own demons and dark past. I love them.
🖤 I loved so much how they are all misfits and they fit together like a puzzle. And It make me thing of a quote of a book from TM Frazier.
"THE BROKEN DON'T NEED TO BE PUT BACK TOGETHER, THEY NEED TO BE LOVED FOR ALL THEIR PIECES"
-TM FRAZIER 🖤
🖤Thank you to S.A. Mackenzie for writing this amazing book you make me feel each word that I read of this book. You got me feeling everything. When Alayna gets panic attack I was feeling it with her, everything she laugh I was laughing with her and everytime she cried I cry with her. And that's what an amazing Author is when you feel every little thing that you are reading about. So Thank you for that.
🖤One of my favorite frase or quotes from the book.
"Motherf*cking butterflies swooped in and fucking destroyed those nerves like machete wielding badass bitches" 🖤
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 8, 2021
Broken
Ok first time reading anything from this amazing author and her incredible writing
This book is so strong with triggers
Story is based on a character Alayna who has spent most of her life in a abusive foster care, either families not giving a care in the world for their foster children and just want the money, abusive verbally and making the children feel worthless, blamed for him living etc or the families that sexual abuse the children
Well the last family our female character has with her best friend Declan is a couple who are all three of the sick traumatic.
She’s been abused in so many ways and flash back 10 years ago gives us the insight of how bad it was for them
10 years on she’s on a mission to get her life back and find her best friend Declan
Without ruining it for anybody who hasn’t read the book, it’s a rollercoaster of all kinds of emotions
This book is not for the faint hearted and is trigger sensitive
It’s full of triggers from chapter one
It’s deep, cruel and dark
Alayna finds some kind of comfort and trust with three men Rhys, Rigg and Adam
There’s a Evil stalker who goes by the name J
There is few suspects with having initials with J so it’s like a guessing game
It’s somebody who knew Alayna from when she was in the foster system and he wants her and I wanna know who it is just like Alayna and the three guys
Be warned it really is a emotional and traumatic book
It’s hard for anybody to find a happy ending with triggers and a traumatic past
To take each day as they come is so hard for a lot of people and just living that one day is a huge achievement for some
I feel like this book relates in a lot of ways with mental health
It’s a eye opener and I think you can learn a lot from this alone
It’s a huge must read from me ☺️
Ok first time reading anything from this amazing author and her incredible writing
This book is so strong with triggers
Story is based on a character Alayna who has spent most of her life in a abusive foster care, either families not giving a care in the world for their foster children and just want the money, abusive verbally and making the children feel worthless, blamed for him living etc or the families that sexual abuse the children
Well the last family our female character has with her best friend Declan is a couple who are all three of the sick traumatic.
She’s been abused in so many ways and flash back 10 years ago gives us the insight of how bad it was for them
10 years on she’s on a mission to get her life back and find her best friend Declan
Without ruining it for anybody who hasn’t read the book, it’s a rollercoaster of all kinds of emotions
This book is not for the faint hearted and is trigger sensitive
It’s full of triggers from chapter one
It’s deep, cruel and dark
Alayna finds some kind of comfort and trust with three men Rhys, Rigg and Adam
There’s a Evil stalker who goes by the name J
There is few suspects with having initials with J so it’s like a guessing game
It’s somebody who knew Alayna from when she was in the foster system and he wants her and I wanna know who it is just like Alayna and the three guys
Be warned it really is a emotional and traumatic book
It’s hard for anybody to find a happy ending with triggers and a traumatic past
To take each day as they come is so hard for a lot of people and just living that one day is a huge achievement for some
I feel like this book relates in a lot of ways with mental health
It’s a eye opener and I think you can learn a lot from this alone
It’s a huge must read from me ☺️
Read
October 24, 2021I shouldn’t be reading this book.
Sometimes I get weepy when reading a book, but not that often. This one had me looking like a puffy eyed monster the day after I read it because I cried like a big ol baby. Anyways, I think my reaction to this book had more to do with personal experiences, however, the writing was good too.
I will say this, as someone who has dealt with suicide, reading this book, it is obvious that the author knows what she's writing about. It was authentic if that makes any sense. Reading this and feeling the characters' feels was similar to a lot of the emotions I went through when dealing with losing someone to suicide. It was rough. It wasn't just words for me, I felt like I was grieving again reading this and that's a good thing and a bad thing.
This book isn't for the faint of heart. It's heavily centered on suicide and abuse. If you can't handle those, I highly suggest you don't read this. I should've listened to the trigger warnings, but I see a TW and think "challenge accepted," because yeah, I'm an idiot.
So yeah, don't be like me. Heed the warnings.
Anyways, this was a good book. The ONLY reason I probably won't read the second book/rest of series is because it all just hits too close to home for me. It brings back too many emotions that I actively work on "healthily" stuffing down and ignoring.
So, if you can handle this, this is a great book. If you're like me and don't like being reminded of unpleasant feelings... maybe not read this? Or read it... whatever.
Sometimes I get weepy when reading a book, but not that often. This one had me looking like a puffy eyed monster the day after I read it because I cried like a big ol baby. Anyways, I think my reaction to this book had more to do with personal experiences, however, the writing was good too.
I will say this, as someone who has dealt with suicide, reading this book, it is obvious that the author knows what she's writing about. It was authentic if that makes any sense. Reading this and feeling the characters' feels was similar to a lot of the emotions I went through when dealing with losing someone to suicide. It was rough. It wasn't just words for me, I felt like I was grieving again reading this and that's a good thing and a bad thing.
This book isn't for the faint of heart. It's heavily centered on suicide and abuse. If you can't handle those, I highly suggest you don't read this. I should've listened to the trigger warnings, but I see a TW and think "challenge accepted," because yeah, I'm an idiot.
So yeah, don't be like me. Heed the warnings.
Anyways, this was a good book. The ONLY reason I probably won't read the second book/rest of series is because it all just hits too close to home for me. It brings back too many emotions that I actively work on "healthily" stuffing down and ignoring.
So, if you can handle this, this is a great book. If you're like me and don't like being reminded of unpleasant feelings... maybe not read this? Or read it... whatever.
March 13, 2021
Save me is a 10 star book! 5 stars are simply not enough for this fantastic roller coaster. From the very first sentences it sucks you right in. It holds you like a prisoner until you just... break. I cried for a good 50% of this masterpiece. I don’t mean small tears slipping, I mean full blown sobs! Today was a very tough day mentally and it was so worth it. Alayna is such a strong character you can’t help but absolutely love her. Yes of course there are the men in her life but she took that spot light like she owned the world. Now, Dec is a gift. To be able to be strong enough to want to protect someone even when you life is just as messed up is a gift! He made sure to give her whatever strength he had left and ultimately I think that’s what saved Lay. Her new guys are just as fantastic. No one’s perfect, everyone has their demons... please be kind to people. You never know what someone’s been through. This story makes you open your eyes. It’s not all just misery though. There’s danger and death, threats and some very sexy chemistry... drama and suspense. Over a fantastic book, I can’t wait for more.
March 16, 2021
Magnificent & Beautifully Heartbreaking
Words are not enough to describe this piece of work. Even if you never cry when reading a book, you will cry over a dozen times just in the first 3 chapters alone. The tears are a cleansing of the soul while you read Alayna's heartbreak. A good cry that you feel her devastation, but you will be there every step of the way to power through with strength right along with her. The men of this book are a completely different type of creature than what you might be used to. Yes, you will get the typical men's attitudes and behaviors at the beginning. BUT... you will see a side that I personally never seen a male character in any RH novels. I laughed, cried, cried some more, fell in love with each character, ugly cried, and felt a movement of my soul to the tragedies these characters have gone through in the past and present. I beg anyone to read this book. Even if you don't care for deep, emotional books, please give this a chance. I don't normally read these types of books, but this is one of my new top reads.
Words are not enough to describe this piece of work. Even if you never cry when reading a book, you will cry over a dozen times just in the first 3 chapters alone. The tears are a cleansing of the soul while you read Alayna's heartbreak. A good cry that you feel her devastation, but you will be there every step of the way to power through with strength right along with her. The men of this book are a completely different type of creature than what you might be used to. Yes, you will get the typical men's attitudes and behaviors at the beginning. BUT... you will see a side that I personally never seen a male character in any RH novels. I laughed, cried, cried some more, fell in love with each character, ugly cried, and felt a movement of my soul to the tragedies these characters have gone through in the past and present. I beg anyone to read this book. Even if you don't care for deep, emotional books, please give this a chance. I don't normally read these types of books, but this is one of my new top reads.
April 1, 2021
The author really captured Complex PSTD in this book. It’s one that is lesser known and people tend to not understand. I hope other readers will keep this in mind while reading. It’s called Complex for a reason, differs from PTSD. SA Mackenzie really captured what it’s like to live with c-ptsd and it’s strangeness one’s actions. Along with that, the realistic reactions to a sudden death of someone you love and a rollercoaster of emotions to deal with when you are left to try to understand why and how. Thank you for tackling such a difficult subject with so much grace and realism!
Anywho... the characters are all broken in some way and I felt a connection to each one of them as glimpses of their pasts come up through the book. I found myself crying and angry right along with them. This book has some mystery, blooming love, friendship, and darkness that made it one I didn’t want to end. I really look forward to the next book and getting to know the men a little more. Excellent book worth more than 5 stars for how such a delicate subject was handled.
Anywho... the characters are all broken in some way and I felt a connection to each one of them as glimpses of their pasts come up through the book. I found myself crying and angry right along with them. This book has some mystery, blooming love, friendship, and darkness that made it one I didn’t want to end. I really look forward to the next book and getting to know the men a little more. Excellent book worth more than 5 stars for how such a delicate subject was handled.
March 15, 2021
This book is intense, dark and soul reaching. - TRIGGERS
It starts out dark and then Lay finds a little light in her life, but the past doesn't stay in the past and a love promise needs to be fulfilled. This promise comes with gut wrenching heartache, loss, redemption and mystery.
The past doesn't want to stay buried and it is up to Lay and her new found protectors, friends and lovers to solve before it comes back to try and reclaim her.
You can feel all the emotions that S.A. Mackenzie poured into this piece of art.
Please read this book with an open mind so that you can understand the thoughts, feelings and trauma these characters have and will go through; they can help you to understand and help those who struggle with life and depression. There is life after darkness; just open your eyes take a breath and you will see the beauty of love, life and joy that surrounds you.
It starts out dark and then Lay finds a little light in her life, but the past doesn't stay in the past and a love promise needs to be fulfilled. This promise comes with gut wrenching heartache, loss, redemption and mystery.
The past doesn't want to stay buried and it is up to Lay and her new found protectors, friends and lovers to solve before it comes back to try and reclaim her.
You can feel all the emotions that S.A. Mackenzie poured into this piece of art.
Please read this book with an open mind so that you can understand the thoughts, feelings and trauma these characters have and will go through; they can help you to understand and help those who struggle with life and depression. There is life after darkness; just open your eyes take a breath and you will see the beauty of love, life and joy that surrounds you.
March 11, 2021
Save Me is a roller-coaster of emotions. Please take the trigger warnings in this book seriously and read responsibly. Even with all of the trauma going on, the author manages to slip in well-timed humor that will have you smiling through the tears. Alayna is a wonder. She has gone through so much, yet she pushes hard to overcome her past. When she meets the guys, it's not insta-love because as soon as she meets them, her whole world is turned on its side. The guys have to overcome their own barriers in addition to wearing down Alayna's walls to win her over. In the midst of their relationships forming and the grief they already face, come hit after hit of more trouble than they can handle. The end leaves us feeling like the worst is yet to come for Alayna, Riggs, Rhys, and Adam. The feels in this book hurt SO good! The next book cannot come fast enough!
March 15, 2021
“Tell me do you like the smell of lavender and decay...”
This book. This book? This book! Definitely needed a box of tissues because I cried.
The emotions that the author allows the characters to express, and the writing is so personal and real. The world building, the character development, it’s like an onion and each chapter they just keep revealing layer after layer.
The characters stories aren’t just stories, I want to jump in the book and give them all a big hug and say you’re doing great, you’ve survived and thrived through so much.
But... there’s always a but... their struggles don’t seem to be over... this is the beginnings of an RH mystery thriller...cliffhangers! Ugh...
Warning: does contain hard, cringe worthy subjects, scenes, and elements (death, mutilation, suicide, depression, rape, and all kinds of abuse).
This book. This book? This book! Definitely needed a box of tissues because I cried.
The emotions that the author allows the characters to express, and the writing is so personal and real. The world building, the character development, it’s like an onion and each chapter they just keep revealing layer after layer.
The characters stories aren’t just stories, I want to jump in the book and give them all a big hug and say you’re doing great, you’ve survived and thrived through so much.
But... there’s always a but... their struggles don’t seem to be over... this is the beginnings of an RH mystery thriller...cliffhangers! Ugh...
Warning: does contain hard, cringe worthy subjects, scenes, and elements (death, mutilation, suicide, depression, rape, and all kinds of abuse).
March 27, 2021
This book was move then I imagined it would be. It defiantly can have some triggers for people, and how it is written seems so real. The books sucked me right in from page one.
This year has been a year of personal struggle for me. I have been all about powerful female leads, and Alayna is just that. She has this horrible past that everyday she wakes up, and battles her way through. She has a plan for how to she wants her life to go, and when that plan crumbles before her she keeps going. I find so much strength in books like this. I think so often us romance reads are told that these books are silly, or lacking but it’s books like Save Me that prove they are full of power!
Save Me is a most read for any women who is struggling to find her power, and need to feel she can over come anything!
This year has been a year of personal struggle for me. I have been all about powerful female leads, and Alayna is just that. She has this horrible past that everyday she wakes up, and battles her way through. She has a plan for how to she wants her life to go, and when that plan crumbles before her she keeps going. I find so much strength in books like this. I think so often us romance reads are told that these books are silly, or lacking but it’s books like Save Me that prove they are full of power!
Save Me is a most read for any women who is struggling to find her power, and need to feel she can over come anything!
November 6, 2022
The series came to satisfying end. The beginning of this book was a little slower than the first two and took me awhile to get in to but the ending was well worth it. There was so much emotion packed into the last quarter of this book, I spent it crying and hyperventilating - panicking for the ending to come and save me!!! While I will forever be sad that Declan didn’t make alive into this series, I love that one of the twins is named in his honor and that he will live on in their relationship. And I truly love how Kevin’s ending was handled, kudos for being an amazing human S. A. Mackenzie and writing this story for all of those who have ever endured horrible traumas but found ways to move forward and heal however they found best for themselves. Here’s hoping we get to read Jule’s story sometime in the future!
March 24, 2021
Oh my heart...
This novel took my heart and chewed it up in a blender. So many horrible things Alayna has survived and when she finally has her life in order she goes looking for her best friend/savior Declan. Only to find she is 3 days too late (I cried at this part because she was so close to seeing him again and she was robbed of her reunion. She finds solace his Declan’s roommates Riggs, Rhys and Adam although she is very resistant at first because of her trust issues) Be warned there is a twist at the end that literally made me gasp out loud and ends as a cliffhanger. I cannot wait for the next book in this series to see what happens next!! Bravo to SA Mackenzie on another knockout novel series that has sucked me in completely!
This novel took my heart and chewed it up in a blender. So many horrible things Alayna has survived and when she finally has her life in order she goes looking for her best friend/savior Declan. Only to find she is 3 days too late (I cried at this part because she was so close to seeing him again and she was robbed of her reunion. She finds solace his Declan’s roommates Riggs, Rhys and Adam although she is very resistant at first because of her trust issues) Be warned there is a twist at the end that literally made me gasp out loud and ends as a cliffhanger. I cannot wait for the next book in this series to see what happens next!! Bravo to SA Mackenzie on another knockout novel series that has sucked me in completely!
March 28, 2021
5 stars isn’t enough
Holy moly. I haven’t been sucked into a book like this in forever! I literally couldn’t put this book down and am immediately writing this review. First of all - TRIGGER WARNING- suicide, past physical, emotional and sexual abuse. This book did such justice to insight of both men and women being survivors of prior abuse, PTSD, death of a close one and mental health issues that the rest of the world likes to pretend don’t exist or are a sign of weakness. There were several parts of this book that I felt in my bones. The author did an amazing job with such intense and delicate subject matters. This is a story of love, loss and finding love in an unexpected place. Ends on a cliffhanger but I can not wait for the next book.
Holy moly. I haven’t been sucked into a book like this in forever! I literally couldn’t put this book down and am immediately writing this review. First of all - TRIGGER WARNING- suicide, past physical, emotional and sexual abuse. This book did such justice to insight of both men and women being survivors of prior abuse, PTSD, death of a close one and mental health issues that the rest of the world likes to pretend don’t exist or are a sign of weakness. There were several parts of this book that I felt in my bones. The author did an amazing job with such intense and delicate subject matters. This is a story of love, loss and finding love in an unexpected place. Ends on a cliffhanger but I can not wait for the next book.
March 14, 2021
OMG I loved this heart wrenching tale of love and strength and overcoming trauma and loss. So many tears while I read this beautiful story. Definitely take notice of the trigger warnings as this story does go to some dark places, but it is so worth it as the author has really gone deep into the thoughts and emotions these characters feel as they reach rock bottom. I also loved the mystery running behind this reverse harem love story and I need the next book so I have more information asap. I just loved how real this story feels and how deep the pain is. This harem of guys is absolutely the sweetest and the love and care they eventually come to show is perfect.
March 10, 2021
Omg this book, how on earth did I manage to read it all without having a mental breakdown.
The first half of this book had me crying like a newborn baby, Lay(alayna) the main female character has literally been through hell and back and her only saving angel was her first love and now after finding him again she has to go through hell all over again.
My heart broke for her and also want to say thank you for the dedication at the beginning of this book as a fellow mental health sufferer it's great to see someone acknowledge it
The first half of this book had me crying like a newborn baby, Lay(alayna) the main female character has literally been through hell and back and her only saving angel was her first love and now after finding him again she has to go through hell all over again.
My heart broke for her and also want to say thank you for the dedication at the beginning of this book as a fellow mental health sufferer it's great to see someone acknowledge it
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 19, 2021
Heartbreaking story that captivates you from the openingssentence. I couldn't put this book down and I felt everything Alayna felt. If you have triggers be sure to read them since this book does come with a warning but if you have no triggers this has all the feels. Life can be hard sometimes and it really is for Alayna. You will fall for this book and I can't express how awesome this is in so many ways. Pick it up. Oh as for the guys, yes they are guys that behave in a certain way for sure but you'll see a different side as well. So amazingly done!
March 25, 2021
Lots of triggers but amazing!! loved the way it was written and how it flowed together. Alayna is a super strong emotional mc. I loved how she handled herself and was able to overcome her past in a big way. On her journey to find her happy ending she has discovered tragedy and struggles to overcome her guilt. Rhys, Riggs and Adam are a big part of her being able to come to terms with the loss of Declan and to trying to build a new future. Cant wait to see how the story continues and how Alayna overcomes her past!
January 8, 2022
Alayna is finally on her feet after years of abuse in foster homes after the death of her parents. She’s finally tracked down her one love from their time in foster homes together. But she’s too late. His best friends, Riggs, Rhys, & Adam, feel drawn to her. There’s a lot of mystery to solve, which I love. I like their connection and how they fit together. Adam threw me though with how suspicious and grumpy he was initially to the really goofy guy. It’s very at odds in my head. There’s something holding me back from giving it a 4 but I’m not sure what it is
December 20, 2022
Hello everyone, It is true that all is fair in love and war. I cried and almost lost my job when my husband left home for almost a month and he only said few words to me before he left. Earthly problems require earthly solutions. I met Dr. Aluya online and he promised to help me get him back which he did. Right now I'm with my husband in peace and love. I am very grateful to you for bringing my husband back to me. Fight for your love and your goals in life its true that the persistent shall conquer. Thank you sir. His WhatsApp :
https://wa.me/message/LDD2UWZHCZ3NI1
https://wa.me/message/LDD2UWZHCZ3NI1
March 15, 2021
This book made me feel so much. If you have any triggers make sure to read the trigger warnings. I was crying from chapter 4 until halfway through the book. Then a little more throughout. I won’t spoil it, but I had a feeling what was going to happen in the beginning and it still tore me apart. There is some humor thrown in there too so it wasn’t all tears for me. It was so well written and I could picture the events happening clearly. A book has never made me feel for a character so much. Then there is a suspense added in there that made me not put the book down because I wanted to find out what was going to happen. I can’t wait for book two.
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