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The Broken #1
Shattered Hearts
She is his angel.
He is her devil.
Hallie Cox was low for a long time, and now she’s ready to chase a high… whether she finds it between the sheets or at the bottom of a bottle doesn’t matter to her. The only problem is that nothing is enough anymore.
Until him.
Just when she thinks her path to self-destruction is coming to an end, she meets Zayne.
He quickly becomes her newest addiction, but she should know by now that with the best highs come the worst crashes, and he will drag her down to the lowest pits of hell.
Zayne Wolfe lives his life in the moment, and he’s quickly spiraling out of control. He has a haunting past too, but Hallie believes all of her broken pieces fit perfectly with his, and together they could be whole again.
What starts out as an obsession turns into a lifeline for both of them. But it’s only a matter of time until their volatile relationship detonates, and the fallout will be catastrophic.
Will their love be enough to help them rise from the ashes?
Or will the embers left behind incinerate them completely?
Will their love be enough to help them rise from the ashes?
Or will the embers left behind incinerate them completely?
He is her devil.
Hallie Cox was low for a long time, and now she’s ready to chase a high… whether she finds it between the sheets or at the bottom of a bottle doesn’t matter to her. The only problem is that nothing is enough anymore.
Until him.
Just when she thinks her path to self-destruction is coming to an end, she meets Zayne.
He quickly becomes her newest addiction, but she should know by now that with the best highs come the worst crashes, and he will drag her down to the lowest pits of hell.
Zayne Wolfe lives his life in the moment, and he’s quickly spiraling out of control. He has a haunting past too, but Hallie believes all of her broken pieces fit perfectly with his, and together they could be whole again.
What starts out as an obsession turns into a lifeline for both of them. But it’s only a matter of time until their volatile relationship detonates, and the fallout will be catastrophic.
Will their love be enough to help them rise from the ashes?
Or will the embers left behind incinerate them completely?
Will their love be enough to help them rise from the ashes?
Or will the embers left behind incinerate them completely?
340 pages, Paperback
Published March 28, 2022
552 people are currently reading
8084 people want to read
About the author
Shae Ruby
13 books786 followersAuthor of dark romance & toxic love.
Sometimes diverse.
International Bestselling Author in five different countries, Shae Ruby spends their time writing, mostly queer, books that make you feel. Shae's stories come from deep within their bleeding heart, and they let the drops flow into their words.
Shae is represented by Lunar Literary Agency.
For all subsidiary rights, contact Angie Ojeda-Hazen.
Connect with me!
Facebook Reader Group: rubysdarkling
Facebook Page: authorshaeruby
Instagram: @authorshaeruby
TikTok: @authorshaeruby
Goodreads: authorshaeruby
Goodreads: authorshaeruby
Sometimes diverse.
International Bestselling Author in five different countries, Shae Ruby spends their time writing, mostly queer, books that make you feel. Shae's stories come from deep within their bleeding heart, and they let the drops flow into their words.
Shae is represented by Lunar Literary Agency.
For all subsidiary rights, contact Angie Ojeda-Hazen.
Connect with me!
Facebook Reader Group: rubysdarkling
Facebook Page: authorshaeruby
Instagram: @authorshaeruby
TikTok: @authorshaeruby
Goodreads: authorshaeruby
Goodreads: authorshaeruby
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 292 reviews
April 28, 2023
Devastatingly beautiful
*THIS IS A DARK ROMANCE, CHECK TRIGGERS!*
This book was so beautifully written. Shae’s writing had me hooked from the prologue.
There were a lot of parts in this story that really hurt to read, especially after falling so hard for the characters. I literally cried for an hour at 2am in bed and couldn’t stop but had to finish.
While I do love the two main characters, they’re both very much broken. The MMC definitely does things that I, in real life would draw a line to. I really hope things get better for these two. They deserve to be happy. 🥹
This book shattered me into pieces, I am going to have to continue the series in the hopes that I’ll somehow be put back together?
*THIS IS A DARK ROMANCE, CHECK TRIGGERS!*
This book was so beautifully written. Shae’s writing had me hooked from the prologue.
There were a lot of parts in this story that really hurt to read, especially after falling so hard for the characters. I literally cried for an hour at 2am in bed and couldn’t stop but had to finish.
While I do love the two main characters, they’re both very much broken. The MMC definitely does things that I, in real life would draw a line to. I really hope things get better for these two. They deserve to be happy. 🥹
This book shattered me into pieces, I am going to have to continue the series in the hopes that I’ll somehow be put back together?
May 28, 2023
I haven't read a book that physically pains me in SUCH a long time.
No, this isn't the bad kind of pain though. It's the one where you feel so deeply for a character and the circumstances they're in that you literally feel your heart shatter into a million pieces. All that is left is this empty void. I'm going to need a minute.
Shattered Hearts is my first read by Shae Ruby alongside with Bound by Mischief book tours.
I wasn't expecting to love this book as much as I did. I became so obsessed with it.
This book brings us along the crazy ride that consumes Hallie and Zayne. Both seemingly normal people at a glance, but both have darker traumas that consume their nights.
I loved the change throughout the book. I loved the reality of it. I've never experienced loving someone with an addiction, and if this is anything close to the reality (which I'm sure it is), it makes me thankful.
Starting from a "happier" place and then slowly seeing the self-destruction take place, it really hurt to read. However, it was written so well that I could not put the book down.
Initially, I loved the possessiveness of Zayne and I loved the intensity of his want for Hallie, even if it was an obsession. I thought, "okay, this isn't too bad, give me some more", and well... I got more indeed.
"I know he will break me again, I let him tape me back together. I let him rearrange my broken pieces and fit them with his own".
This. This is what love is sometimes about. Knowing the danger and still letting it happen.
"I was scared you wouldn't want me. You keep leaving me behind, Hallie".
Undoubtedly, this is everyone's fear. Being left behind by those you love.
I don't think I can really explain how I felt reading this book. I felt everyone at once. The brokenness, the lies, the empty promises, the betrayals. I completely resonated with Hallie and applaud her so much for being strong and for having the courage to do what she had to do. I believe several people struggle with knowing what to do and not being able to do it until you reach a breaking point. The love between the two main characters was disastrous at its worst and Heaven sent at its best.
This book dives into the harsh reality that I'm sure many people experience, and therefore, it is not intended for everyone. Please read with caution and take into serious consideration any Tw's that come included.
Overall, this book is quite literally a masterpiece, even with all the mess that it contains. I will definitely continue this series in hopes that everything works out for out MCs.
No, this isn't the bad kind of pain though. It's the one where you feel so deeply for a character and the circumstances they're in that you literally feel your heart shatter into a million pieces. All that is left is this empty void. I'm going to need a minute.
Shattered Hearts is my first read by Shae Ruby alongside with Bound by Mischief book tours.
I wasn't expecting to love this book as much as I did. I became so obsessed with it.
This book brings us along the crazy ride that consumes Hallie and Zayne. Both seemingly normal people at a glance, but both have darker traumas that consume their nights.
I loved the change throughout the book. I loved the reality of it. I've never experienced loving someone with an addiction, and if this is anything close to the reality (which I'm sure it is), it makes me thankful.
Starting from a "happier" place and then slowly seeing the self-destruction take place, it really hurt to read. However, it was written so well that I could not put the book down.
Initially, I loved the possessiveness of Zayne and I loved the intensity of his want for Hallie, even if it was an obsession. I thought, "okay, this isn't too bad, give me some more", and well... I got more indeed.
"I know he will break me again, I let him tape me back together. I let him rearrange my broken pieces and fit them with his own".
This. This is what love is sometimes about. Knowing the danger and still letting it happen.
"I was scared you wouldn't want me. You keep leaving me behind, Hallie".
Undoubtedly, this is everyone's fear. Being left behind by those you love.
I don't think I can really explain how I felt reading this book. I felt everyone at once. The brokenness, the lies, the empty promises, the betrayals. I completely resonated with Hallie and applaud her so much for being strong and for having the courage to do what she had to do. I believe several people struggle with knowing what to do and not being able to do it until you reach a breaking point. The love between the two main characters was disastrous at its worst and Heaven sent at its best.
This book dives into the harsh reality that I'm sure many people experience, and therefore, it is not intended for everyone. Please read with caution and take into serious consideration any Tw's that come included.
Overall, this book is quite literally a masterpiece, even with all the mess that it contains. I will definitely continue this series in hopes that everything works out for out MCs.
April 17, 2022
Obsession at its finest
So, let me start by saying I don’t normally read this genre and only did to support the author who I follow on IG. The book is pretty good. There are very few writing mistakes I found and the story itself is pretty well done. The intensity is beautifully done to showcase just how strong obsession and its grips are.
Now for my issues… and again this is MY problem and may not effect other readers. The story starts great. We got a girl with a traumatic background. We have to read on to see what kind of trauma and how she handles life now. Then school starts and she locks eyes with a boy(which was awkwardly written) and it takes this very abrupt deep dive. And never comes up for air. I do get that it was supposed to give that vibe but let me just say… I wasn’t prepared. It was ridiculously scary to me that this was entirely possible and that some people really do live close to this. It made me consider if I had triggers just because I was uncomfortable reading some of the content in its depravity.
Alas, I overall think Shae Ruby did a remarkable job putting raw, unfiltered emotion out there. Showing the truth without the prettiness that’s too often nonexistent anyway.
Lastly, she deserves another star. I can’t give it to her because of where my feelings are with the book but I hope others do. I hope it gets into the hands of those who need a book like this. Job well done girl.
So, let me start by saying I don’t normally read this genre and only did to support the author who I follow on IG. The book is pretty good. There are very few writing mistakes I found and the story itself is pretty well done. The intensity is beautifully done to showcase just how strong obsession and its grips are.
Now for my issues… and again this is MY problem and may not effect other readers. The story starts great. We got a girl with a traumatic background. We have to read on to see what kind of trauma and how she handles life now. Then school starts and she locks eyes with a boy(which was awkwardly written) and it takes this very abrupt deep dive. And never comes up for air. I do get that it was supposed to give that vibe but let me just say… I wasn’t prepared. It was ridiculously scary to me that this was entirely possible and that some people really do live close to this. It made me consider if I had triggers just because I was uncomfortable reading some of the content in its depravity.
Alas, I overall think Shae Ruby did a remarkable job putting raw, unfiltered emotion out there. Showing the truth without the prettiness that’s too often nonexistent anyway.
Lastly, she deserves another star. I can’t give it to her because of where my feelings are with the book but I hope others do. I hope it gets into the hands of those who need a book like this. Job well done girl.
July 22, 2023
5⭐️
4🌶️
This book was DEVASTATING.
Devastatingly good and devastatingly dark. The highs were so high and the lows literally shattered my heart.
We follow Hallie (FMC) and Zayne (MMC), both with terribly dark pasts and struggling with mental health illnesses. Their connection was instant, almost as if their souls knew they could dance together in the depths of hell. So they did. They danced, twirled, and intertwined until nothing was left.
The mental health rep in this book was phenomenally written. I can’t stress that enough. Shae really gave us a way to understand the realities of such disorders through her characters minds. It was so intense.
I fell in love with the characters, I fell in love with their love, but I also hurt so bad for them. I sobbed for them and I’m utterly terrified for them.
This is one of the darkest books I’ve read so please check TW!
You might like this book if you enjoy
🖤Toxic relationships
🖤Possessive MMC
🖤Mental health rep
🖤University setting
🖤Bad boy / good girl vibes
🖤Spice
4🌶️
This book was DEVASTATING.
Devastatingly good and devastatingly dark. The highs were so high and the lows literally shattered my heart.
We follow Hallie (FMC) and Zayne (MMC), both with terribly dark pasts and struggling with mental health illnesses. Their connection was instant, almost as if their souls knew they could dance together in the depths of hell. So they did. They danced, twirled, and intertwined until nothing was left.
The mental health rep in this book was phenomenally written. I can’t stress that enough. Shae really gave us a way to understand the realities of such disorders through her characters minds. It was so intense.
I fell in love with the characters, I fell in love with their love, but I also hurt so bad for them. I sobbed for them and I’m utterly terrified for them.
This is one of the darkest books I’ve read so please check TW!
You might like this book if you enjoy
🖤Toxic relationships
🖤Possessive MMC
🖤Mental health rep
🖤University setting
🖤Bad boy / good girl vibes
🖤Spice
September 17, 2023
I love toxic romances but this one wasn’t it. I felt 0 chemistry between them and their love and obsession for each other came out of nowhere and developed waaaay too quick. Plus the writing felt choppy and it didn’t flow.
May 31, 2024
“𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘰𝘬𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘰𝘬𝘢𝘺, 𝘏𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘦. 𝘓𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵.”
𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘶𝘱 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘸𝘪𝘤𝘦. 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘸 𝘮𝘦 𝘶𝘱, 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩. 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘶𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴, 𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘦’𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘵.
WOW! This series has been on my TBR for a while and I’m so glad I finally decided to dive in. The characters and story pulled me in right away. This book was as deep as it was spicy. 🥵
Zayne and Hallie will stay with me for a long time. Such a tragic and beautiful read about a tragic/toxic love, fighting our inner demons, and trying to find peace and happiness after trauma.
Highly, highly advise looking up TW/CW beforehand because some parts of this one HURT and hit a little too close to home for me. 😅 You find yourself hurting so much for both MCs.
I can’t wait to continue on with this story and I will definitely be reading more from this author. ✍🏻
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘯𝘰 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦, 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦… 𝘯𝘰 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘵.
✨
𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘶𝘱 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘸𝘪𝘤𝘦. 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘸 𝘮𝘦 𝘶𝘱, 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩. 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘶𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴, 𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘦’𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘵.
WOW! This series has been on my TBR for a while and I’m so glad I finally decided to dive in. The characters and story pulled me in right away. This book was as deep as it was spicy. 🥵
Zayne and Hallie will stay with me for a long time. Such a tragic and beautiful read about a tragic/toxic love, fighting our inner demons, and trying to find peace and happiness after trauma.
Highly, highly advise looking up TW/CW beforehand because some parts of this one HURT and hit a little too close to home for me. 😅 You find yourself hurting so much for both MCs.
I can’t wait to continue on with this story and I will definitely be reading more from this author. ✍🏻
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘯𝘰 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦, 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦… 𝘯𝘰 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘵.
✨
June 1, 2025
bitch, i am fucking HOLLERING because this book is atrocious. holy shit, it’s so bad. i had to dnf at 15%.
i wish the other reviews warned me that the writing would mimic that of a 13 year old girl who just discovered wattpad for the first time. idek where to start.
the way zayne and hallie meet for the first time was so jarring and abrupt, it gave me whiplash. so we have one scene where hallie can’t sleep due to her trauma and she has to take xanax to go to sleep. the scene jump cuts to her in the school hallway staring at pictures, and then boom, zayne is watching from her afar and suddenly becomes obsessed with her. mind you, he doesn’t know her, she hasn’t done anything for him to feel this way about her, and we barely get to know him before he starts obsessing over her.
now, i’m not saying he can’t obsess over the fmc at the beginning of the story, but we need a good reason for why he’s obsessed. what’s so special about hallie that zayne feels she, out of every girl that exists in this imaginary universe, is the chosen one that should receive all his attention?
another critique i have is both characters, especially zayne, repeating over and over how bad they are for one another and how broken they are. like okay, we get it! instead of telling us how flawed they are ad nauseam, show us. calling zayne a "devil" in the prologue truly falls flat here when we never see him exhibiting devilish behavior outside of him acting unhinged over hallie (which was insane btw because again, he barely knows this girl).
also, the dialogue is, for a lack of better words, trash. zayne talks like a 14 year old edge lord. for example, “Baby, this collision will be so destructive that when the black hole swallows us we will leave a blaze of glory behind us as we fall to our demise.” um… annie are you ok? wtf is he even talking about? no real human speaks like this. if a man said this to me, i would pack my shit and dip.
in summary, this book isn’t even mid—it’s trash and not the good kind. i was trying to give this book a chance, but the cringey writing, bad character arcs, and weird plot development forced my hand into dnf’ing. read at your own risk. 😅
i wish the other reviews warned me that the writing would mimic that of a 13 year old girl who just discovered wattpad for the first time. idek where to start.
the way zayne and hallie meet for the first time was so jarring and abrupt, it gave me whiplash. so we have one scene where hallie can’t sleep due to her trauma and she has to take xanax to go to sleep. the scene jump cuts to her in the school hallway staring at pictures, and then boom, zayne is watching from her afar and suddenly becomes obsessed with her. mind you, he doesn’t know her, she hasn’t done anything for him to feel this way about her, and we barely get to know him before he starts obsessing over her.
now, i’m not saying he can’t obsess over the fmc at the beginning of the story, but we need a good reason for why he’s obsessed. what’s so special about hallie that zayne feels she, out of every girl that exists in this imaginary universe, is the chosen one that should receive all his attention?
another critique i have is both characters, especially zayne, repeating over and over how bad they are for one another and how broken they are. like okay, we get it! instead of telling us how flawed they are ad nauseam, show us. calling zayne a "devil" in the prologue truly falls flat here when we never see him exhibiting devilish behavior outside of him acting unhinged over hallie (which was insane btw because again, he barely knows this girl).
also, the dialogue is, for a lack of better words, trash. zayne talks like a 14 year old edge lord. for example, “Baby, this collision will be so destructive that when the black hole swallows us we will leave a blaze of glory behind us as we fall to our demise.” um… annie are you ok? wtf is he even talking about? no real human speaks like this. if a man said this to me, i would pack my shit and dip.
in summary, this book isn’t even mid—it’s trash and not the good kind. i was trying to give this book a chance, but the cringey writing, bad character arcs, and weird plot development forced my hand into dnf’ing. read at your own risk. 😅
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 9, 2022
͏𝙎𝙝𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨 by Shae Ruby
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“I like to think that my trauma recognized hers, that fucked up people attract each other, even when they don’t look to.”
ARC Read - Thank you Shae Ruby for my gifted copy!!
Wow. Then she says her book is a ‘Dark Romance’, believe her people!! Mental illness, physical abuse, trauma, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, self harm, obsession, drug and alcohol use, addiction, suicidal ideation…. It’s intense. But, that’s not to say it’s not an excellent read, just heed the trigger warnings. This book is extremely well written and the author has a way of making you fall in love with the characters despite their obvious flaws and unforgivable actions.
Hallie and Zayne’s story is full of raw truth and deep passion. They hold nothing back but in turn have a tendency to hurt the other in one way or another. They are both damaged and trying to work through their own personal demons while also trying to help each other. An uphill battle.
Unforgettable. Dark. Delicious. Thought Provoking. Beautifully Broken. Consuming.
(And don’t even get me started on how GORGEOUS the cover of this book is!! Kudos to Shae Ruby all the way around!!).
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“I like to think that my trauma recognized hers, that fucked up people attract each other, even when they don’t look to.”
ARC Read - Thank you Shae Ruby for my gifted copy!!
Wow. Then she says her book is a ‘Dark Romance’, believe her people!! Mental illness, physical abuse, trauma, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, self harm, obsession, drug and alcohol use, addiction, suicidal ideation…. It’s intense. But, that’s not to say it’s not an excellent read, just heed the trigger warnings. This book is extremely well written and the author has a way of making you fall in love with the characters despite their obvious flaws and unforgivable actions.
Hallie and Zayne’s story is full of raw truth and deep passion. They hold nothing back but in turn have a tendency to hurt the other in one way or another. They are both damaged and trying to work through their own personal demons while also trying to help each other. An uphill battle.
Unforgettable. Dark. Delicious. Thought Provoking. Beautifully Broken. Consuming.
(And don’t even get me started on how GORGEOUS the cover of this book is!! Kudos to Shae Ruby all the way around!!).
January 26, 2023
Put simply, this is X-rated YA.
That’s a neutral statement, mostly. YA isn’t bad, X-ratings are welcome. I’d bet anyone who’s read it would at least know what I mean in saying that. It’s riddled with angst & immature, adolescent vibe, but gorged on graphic ‘adult’ content. This is Crank (Ellen Hopkins) & Cut (Patricia McCormick) taken up a few notches. I’m still not convinced books like those are helpful or healing, but they feel good in the same way pressing on a bruise does.
I respect the author for taking the time to include hotline resources as well as a detailed CW in the front of the book. I will also be forever thankful for “she smells like flowers, but probably really ugly ones” because I still remember the cramp I got from laughing at that, in context.
That’s a neutral statement, mostly. YA isn’t bad, X-ratings are welcome. I’d bet anyone who’s read it would at least know what I mean in saying that. It’s riddled with angst & immature, adolescent vibe, but gorged on graphic ‘adult’ content. This is Crank (Ellen Hopkins) & Cut (Patricia McCormick) taken up a few notches. I’m still not convinced books like those are helpful or healing, but they feel good in the same way pressing on a bruise does.
I respect the author for taking the time to include hotline resources as well as a detailed CW in the front of the book. I will also be forever thankful for “she smells like flowers, but probably really ugly ones” because I still remember the cramp I got from laughing at that, in context.
July 21, 2025
Beautifully written, painfully real.What hurts most is knowing this happens in real life, every day
January 30, 2024
I’m speechless. Truly. I have never read a book that depicted addiction, mental illness, and self harm so tragically beautiful. Shae wrote these scenes so vividly combined with inner dialogue that is so broken but so authentic. It’s beautiful in the most heartbreaking way. Zayne and Hallie are chaos, tragic, beautiful, raw, overwhelming and down right intoxicating for one another. By the end of this book, I had chills thinking about what’s to come for them in book 2. I know I’m in for a ride, but you couldn’t stop me from reading the next book if you tried. 5 stars to my broken, beautiful couple.
December 13, 2022
Before you dive into this book, please read Shea’s trigger warnings. She’s very clear on what you are getting into with Zayne and Hallie. They are the ultimate toxic relationship, with gut wrenching moments, mental health struggles, trauma, and substance abuse. Their story is not for the faint of heart or those looking for a sweet and funny romance. Shea captures these incredibly broken souls magnificently. I was hooked from the epilogue. Not all love stories have a HEA, I’ll be interested to see what happens next for them. I’ll be diving into the ARC fro Battered Souls next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 4, 2025
DNF at 29%
Idk the way this story is written bothered me & the MC’s were already getting on my nerves.
Idk the way this story is written bothered me & the MC’s were already getting on my nerves.
October 9, 2023
Dnf at 35% bc this book was trash. The amount of times I rolled my eyes in the first 6% of this book is actually crazy
December 7, 2025
Hallie and Zayne were characters I could relate so hard too. Hallie and her OCD. And the addiction problems. The intrusive thoughts. All of it.
Each book was so different. Especially with the storyline. So I’ll be rating them separately in each review.
This one was such a twisted heartbreak kind of book. The constant tug and pull. I love them together and separate. And the authors ability to depict each POV do well. It felt like you were Zayne when he talked about Tina. And the same with Hallie and what it’s like to love fire but also fear it.
Beautiful. Loved it.
Each book was so different. Especially with the storyline. So I’ll be rating them separately in each review.
This one was such a twisted heartbreak kind of book. The constant tug and pull. I love them together and separate. And the authors ability to depict each POV do well. It felt like you were Zayne when he talked about Tina. And the same with Hallie and what it’s like to love fire but also fear it.
Beautiful. Loved it.
July 17, 2024
I got so much anxiety with this book omg...
but i loved it!! I was on the edge of my seat the whole time!
Just every action they chose to make is wrong! And i was screaming and crying and panicking in their place.
Now i'm even more stressed for book two and three.
Guys definitely read your trigger warnings with this one, because this is a dark and heavy book!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
but i loved it!! I was on the edge of my seat the whole time!
Just every action they chose to make is wrong! And i was screaming and crying and panicking in their place.
Now i'm even more stressed for book two and three.
Guys definitely read your trigger warnings with this one, because this is a dark and heavy book!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
December 18, 2023
3.8 ⭐️
May 6, 2024
This book could not have been more of a gut-wrenching emotional roller coaster with two characters who were so toxic for each other.
What to expect
- dark romance
- college age
- breath play
- ch0king
Zayne are so fatal for each other. Beyond toxic relationship and co-dependency where they try to heal each other’s broken parts 💔 This is a very dark romance and I’ll be honest, I cried! I desperately need an HEA for them 🥺
I enjoyed the plot and themes of the book. Some of it felt a little repetitive. I almost wish more time was spent on the tiny little details and then it would have been perfect!
CW/spoilers:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
What to expect
- dark romance
- college age
- breath play
- ch0king
Zayne are so fatal for each other. Beyond toxic relationship and co-dependency where they try to heal each other’s broken parts 💔 This is a very dark romance and I’ll be honest, I cried! I desperately need an HEA for them 🥺
I enjoyed the plot and themes of the book. Some of it felt a little repetitive. I almost wish more time was spent on the tiny little details and then it would have been perfect!
CW/spoilers:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
April 3, 2022
DNF at 42%. The writing was good and the story was compelling, but the drug use scenes are a lot. I’m a big fan of dark romance, but I find hard drug use triggering, and I didn’t expect it in this novel. If graphic descriptions of drug use are triggering for you, then I do not recommend this read.
July 20, 2025
5 ⭐️ I don't want to talk about it actually. 😕 I cried my eyes out and I’m scared of the second book.
“I want to get lost in his eyes.
I want to get lost in him.
I would crawl under his skin and stay there if I could.
I would bury myself in his chest and live next to his heart for the rest of my days.
I give him the last few cells of my body that don’t already belong to him.
I just hand them over.
He can fucking keep them.” 🖤
Literally the best quote I've read in quite some time now!
“I want to get lost in his eyes.
I want to get lost in him.
I would crawl under his skin and stay there if I could.
I would bury myself in his chest and live next to his heart for the rest of my days.
I give him the last few cells of my body that don’t already belong to him.
I just hand them over.
He can fucking keep them.” 🖤
Literally the best quote I've read in quite some time now!
October 23, 2023
This book was absolutely phenomenal, heart breaking and completely soul shattering. This story hit so close to home. It was so raw, vulnerable and hauntingly beautiful. I absolutely commend Shae for being able to write in such a way and delivering it the way she has. I cannot wait to see where this series goes and go on this journey with these characters. *Check the trigger warnings*
April 30, 2024
Beautifully written toxic book first off, loved everything about it!!
Now, when I searched tiktok for a toxic, life shattering, heart breaking, snot running down my nose, crying for the life of me, dr book and this popped up… I was excited. I got to the last part of the book and last page and I was honestly disappointed 😭😭😭
Now, when I searched tiktok for a toxic, life shattering, heart breaking, snot running down my nose, crying for the life of me, dr book and this popped up… I was excited. I got to the last part of the book and last page and I was honestly disappointed 😭😭😭
May 1, 2023
"The funny thing about shattered hearts is how no one warns you about this being the outcome, because when it comes to love… no one comes out intact."
Wow. This book is a dark romance through and through. It's fucked up. It's raw. And the way the story was told was refreshing, I've never read something like it. Though it was giving me whiplash throughout the whole story.
If you look up "intense" in the dictionary, Zayne will be there. But Hallie is not that far behind. This is really about a toxic relationship, from both sides. Holy shit. It wasn't an exaggeration at all. It was almost too much to handle, and I'm not easily impressed. Despite everything, I couldn't bring myself to hate Zayne. Nor love him.
It was hard to keep up with all the ups and downs, but the writing was so addictive - it's not lost in me the irony of that statement. I was like Hallie the entire book; waiting for the other shoe to drop. And it always did. It was painful, gut-churning, and heart-wrenching, my heart literally ached for Hallie. Undoubtedly, sometimes, love can be more destructive than any drug.
I need 12 hours of sleep after that.
And yeah, make sure you check the TW. I don't say this lightly.
Wow. This book is a dark romance through and through. It's fucked up. It's raw. And the way the story was told was refreshing, I've never read something like it. Though it was giving me whiplash throughout the whole story.
If you look up "intense" in the dictionary, Zayne will be there. But Hallie is not that far behind. This is really about a toxic relationship, from both sides. Holy shit. It wasn't an exaggeration at all. It was almost too much to handle, and I'm not easily impressed. Despite everything, I couldn't bring myself to hate Zayne. Nor love him.
It was hard to keep up with all the ups and downs, but the writing was so addictive - it's not lost in me the irony of that statement. I was like Hallie the entire book; waiting for the other shoe to drop. And it always did. It was painful, gut-churning, and heart-wrenching, my heart literally ached for Hallie. Undoubtedly, sometimes, love can be more destructive than any drug.
I need 12 hours of sleep after that.
And yeah, make sure you check the TW. I don't say this lightly.
July 17, 2024
If I can resume my feelings:
Send help
This is one of the hardest book I've read.
Zayne and Hallie are both struggling with their own life.
Zayne is a hardcore addict.
Hallie suffers from severe PTSD related to her repetitive abuse when she was a child.
Now you know where you are heading to if you want to dive in this torturous toxic relationship of two lost soul mates.
As someone who used to be a social worker, I was amazed by the accuracy of the mental illness description. Everything felt right even if everything was wrong.
The toxicity consumes you as it consumes people who suffer from these conditions.
The spice (🌶️🌶️🌶️) is also particulary sensual and well written.
TW:
Mental illness (depression / bipolar)
Drugs use / OD
Obsession
Addiction
Suicide attempt
Self harm
Child abuse 🚩🚩🚩
Send help
This is one of the hardest book I've read.
Zayne and Hallie are both struggling with their own life.
Zayne is a hardcore addict.
Hallie suffers from severe PTSD related to her repetitive abuse when she was a child.
Now you know where you are heading to if you want to dive in this torturous toxic relationship of two lost soul mates.
As someone who used to be a social worker, I was amazed by the accuracy of the mental illness description. Everything felt right even if everything was wrong.
The toxicity consumes you as it consumes people who suffer from these conditions.
The spice (🌶️🌶️🌶️) is also particulary sensual and well written.
TW:
Mental illness (depression / bipolar)
Drugs use / OD
Obsession
Addiction
Suicide attempt
Self harm
Child abuse 🚩🚩🚩
May 24, 2023
✨𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Format: Physical
Before you go into this book please be aware that this is very heavy on addiction, mental health, drug use, cheating, cutting, abuse, suicide. Please be mindful going into this book if you are not in a good mental place.
That being said, I fucking consumed this book, it is so hauntingly beautiful. Hallie & Zayne are both broken in different ways. Her traumatic past haunts her & his bi-polar disorder and extreme drug usage strips him of the life & relationship he wants with her.
Shae does such an amazing job of not only capturing mental illness and addiction but also the emotions from the people that have to watch their loved ones spiral into the darkness. When do you say enough is enough and when do you stay to help them battle their demons?
This book really did shatter me, it’s very rare that I cry & IT FUCKING GOT ME. I literally am FLYING into the second book.
𝑻𝒓0𝒑𝒆𝒔:
🖤 DARK Romance
🖤 Toxic Love
🖤 "You’re Mine" HOT AF MC
🖤 Instant Obsessed
🖤 Steamy
🖤 Emotional Rollercoaster
🖤 Beautiful Writing
🖤 Dual POV
𝑭𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝑸𝒖𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔:
“Your darkness fucking loves me, and I can wait this out.”
“I choose you.”
“Our jagged pieces fit together, even if they don’t quite line up and there are cracks in the middle.”
“Would you rather love someone and lose them, or never love at all?”
“I’d rather lose you than never love you.”
“The monster just laughs as he sinks his claws into my heart.”
As I stated before, please check the TWs!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Format: Physical
Before you go into this book please be aware that this is very heavy on addiction, mental health, drug use, cheating, cutting, abuse, suicide. Please be mindful going into this book if you are not in a good mental place.
That being said, I fucking consumed this book, it is so hauntingly beautiful. Hallie & Zayne are both broken in different ways. Her traumatic past haunts her & his bi-polar disorder and extreme drug usage strips him of the life & relationship he wants with her.
Shae does such an amazing job of not only capturing mental illness and addiction but also the emotions from the people that have to watch their loved ones spiral into the darkness. When do you say enough is enough and when do you stay to help them battle their demons?
This book really did shatter me, it’s very rare that I cry & IT FUCKING GOT ME. I literally am FLYING into the second book.
𝑻𝒓0𝒑𝒆𝒔:
🖤 DARK Romance
🖤 Toxic Love
🖤 "You’re Mine" HOT AF MC
🖤 Instant Obsessed
🖤 Steamy
🖤 Emotional Rollercoaster
🖤 Beautiful Writing
🖤 Dual POV
𝑭𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝑸𝒖𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔:
“Your darkness fucking loves me, and I can wait this out.”
“I choose you.”
“Our jagged pieces fit together, even if they don’t quite line up and there are cracks in the middle.”
“Would you rather love someone and lose them, or never love at all?”
“I’d rather lose you than never love you.”
“The monster just laughs as he sinks his claws into my heart.”
As I stated before, please check the TWs!
Read
March 11, 2024DNF - i have so many thoughts, questions, concerns 🤣
i can't even explain how much i tried and wanted to love this. the emotional depth here was so heavy and the characters had so much interal turmoil that this could have been so good, had it been written better
zayne has a world of mental health trouble (bipolar disorder, depression, schizophrenia, etc) and hallie has a ton of childhood trauma along with depression, anxiety & OCD herself. i love mental health rep in a book, but i don't think it was done well here.
these characters are 23, but act 16. this book is meant to be toxic, which it was, but it more stemmed from just pure immaturity than anything. their inner monologues drove me absolutely bonkers
zayne's disorders cause him to be obsessive, which makes sense, however his obsession with hallie stems from essentially nowhere. he doesn't even speak to her prior to deciding "she's mine" and i just need more substance than that. hallie also folds to him extremely easily despite her major trust issues which didn't add up.
this book is a giant cycle of assumption/misunderstanding, irrational kneejerk reaction, never communicate/ignore each other for days, beg for forgiveness, get back together, repeat. i was so tired lol
there were several weird moments that were completely looked over; the waitress slipping hallie a napkin saying "order water if you need help" while out to dinner with zayne.... this was completely unprovoked and we have no idea who this waitress is lmao like????
then zayne also just nonchalantly has a joint laced with fe*tanyl that he smokes with hallie, WITHOUT telling her bc he "thought she'd like it" (quite literally made me drop my kindle and say what the f*ck), she gets mad, then they never speak about that moment ever again. it made zero sense
zayne is also addicted to ad*erall. hallie sees him w/ another girl at the bar one night (misunderstanding), leaves him there without even saying anything, he freaks out, assumes she'll never speak to him again, so he leaves with the girl bc she says she has something similar to ad*erall (it turns out to be f*cking M*TH), and he gets addicted to it bc of that wholllleeee stupid situation. like... what.
i genuinely felt like i was on a rollercoaster that was giving me whiplash. this book had so much potential, but this writing was absolute garbage, imo.
i can't even explain how much i tried and wanted to love this. the emotional depth here was so heavy and the characters had so much interal turmoil that this could have been so good, had it been written better
zayne has a world of mental health trouble (bipolar disorder, depression, schizophrenia, etc) and hallie has a ton of childhood trauma along with depression, anxiety & OCD herself. i love mental health rep in a book, but i don't think it was done well here.
these characters are 23, but act 16. this book is meant to be toxic, which it was, but it more stemmed from just pure immaturity than anything. their inner monologues drove me absolutely bonkers
zayne's disorders cause him to be obsessive, which makes sense, however his obsession with hallie stems from essentially nowhere. he doesn't even speak to her prior to deciding "she's mine" and i just need more substance than that. hallie also folds to him extremely easily despite her major trust issues which didn't add up.
this book is a giant cycle of assumption/misunderstanding, irrational kneejerk reaction, never communicate/ignore each other for days, beg for forgiveness, get back together, repeat. i was so tired lol
there were several weird moments that were completely looked over; the waitress slipping hallie a napkin saying "order water if you need help" while out to dinner with zayne.... this was completely unprovoked and we have no idea who this waitress is lmao like????
then zayne also just nonchalantly has a joint laced with fe*tanyl that he smokes with hallie, WITHOUT telling her bc he "thought she'd like it" (quite literally made me drop my kindle and say what the f*ck), she gets mad, then they never speak about that moment ever again. it made zero sense
zayne is also addicted to ad*erall. hallie sees him w/ another girl at the bar one night (misunderstanding), leaves him there without even saying anything, he freaks out, assumes she'll never speak to him again, so he leaves with the girl bc she says she has something similar to ad*erall (it turns out to be f*cking M*TH), and he gets addicted to it bc of that wholllleeee stupid situation. like... what.
i genuinely felt like i was on a rollercoaster that was giving me whiplash. this book had so much potential, but this writing was absolute garbage, imo.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 5, 2022
3.5⭐️
READ THE TRIGGER WARNING
Zayne is Bojack in every way.
This book was messy. it was fast paced. it was just so much in 300+ pages.
firstly this was an instant obsession story. can’t even say instant-love because it wasn’t love, it was obsession. idek where it came from.
I think Zayne is so similar to Bojack in the sense where he knows he’s self destructing, he knows he’s self sabotaging and he knows he’s hurting his loved ones but he still does it. he lies to them, he’s selfish and he victimizes himself again and again. don’t get me wrong, he’s been dealt a hard hand but sometimes he needs to take accountability for his actions which he never does. he always expects hallie to forgive him even though time and time again she shouldn’t because he’s hurting HER.
hallie… poor hallie. she’s also been dealt a hard hand and in fact, she’s not dealing with it any better than zayne in but she still tries to make the best of her life regardless even though she’s still fighting to keep her head above water. she’s weak when it comes to zayne and zayne is obsessed with it comes to her.
they’re toxic.
zayne and hallie are messy and chaotic and reading this book felt like a drug rush because everything was up then it was down. the highs were high and the lows were really low. i want them both in therapy and i want them separated. there both bad for each other but at the same they believe that they’re the best thing for each other.
all in all. wanna read book two.
January 17, 2023
Okay so GoodReads doesn’t do half starts, so I’ll say that I give this a 3.5/5 stars.
I have mixed feelings. I know the entire point of the book was to show case the ultimate toxic relationship and their struggles both as individuals and then together but there was never a come up for air moment and I think I was starting to lose interest a bit because of that.
I share a lot of similar trauma history with Hallie so I was really excited going into this one because I found a lot of representation of myself in this book. I think her portrayal of the trauma and how Hallie copes with it was done beautifully. I think Zayne and his mental health issues as well as his drug use and the portrayal was captured beautifully with him as well. Literally, spot on excellent job with the character development/story lines.
But when they were together it just felt suffocating. Again, I know that was the point. Maybe it was a lack of plot development and I didn’t feel like there was entirely any direction with the book. It just centered around these 2 characters’s day to day with their struggles. The back and forth between the two and the on/off of the relationship also became exhausting at one point.
I just wish there was a bit more substance as far as plot with the book. Make sure to check triggers because this book definitely has heavy content.
I have mixed feelings. I know the entire point of the book was to show case the ultimate toxic relationship and their struggles both as individuals and then together but there was never a come up for air moment and I think I was starting to lose interest a bit because of that.
I share a lot of similar trauma history with Hallie so I was really excited going into this one because I found a lot of representation of myself in this book. I think her portrayal of the trauma and how Hallie copes with it was done beautifully. I think Zayne and his mental health issues as well as his drug use and the portrayal was captured beautifully with him as well. Literally, spot on excellent job with the character development/story lines.
But when they were together it just felt suffocating. Again, I know that was the point. Maybe it was a lack of plot development and I didn’t feel like there was entirely any direction with the book. It just centered around these 2 characters’s day to day with their struggles. The back and forth between the two and the on/off of the relationship also became exhausting at one point.
I just wish there was a bit more substance as far as plot with the book. Make sure to check triggers because this book definitely has heavy content.
July 17, 2023
TOXIC - HELL YESS
I love a good toxic romance but this was not it .
I feel the author was just trying to force chemistry when there wasn't any. I mean stating that they're so in love with other and all that shit is fine but it needs to be backed up. Anyways I tired and frustrated not at the book but I really wanted a good new read and now I here bookless and bored. Sigh!!
I love a good toxic romance but this was not it .
I feel the author was just trying to force chemistry when there wasn't any. I mean stating that they're so in love with other and all that shit is fine but it needs to be backed up. Anyways I tired and frustrated not at the book but I really wanted a good new read and now I here bookless and bored. Sigh!!
January 11, 2025
DNF
I tried so hard to read this, I wanted to love it.
The writing was choppy and just didn’t flow.
I was also not happy with the mental health representation, especially the way Zayne’s Bipolar was walked about ( as someone diagnosed bipolar this was not good)
I tried so hard to read this, I wanted to love it.
The writing was choppy and just didn’t flow.
I was also not happy with the mental health representation, especially the way Zayne’s Bipolar was walked about ( as someone diagnosed bipolar this was not good)
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