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Broken #1
Broken People
“On my very best days, I’m hanging from a very delicate thread, walking an even more delicate line over a river of broken things that I’ve barely managed not to let consume me. I do this by existing behind a veil of biased facts I tell myself about what happens when you expect better from people and what they can do to you when you let them in. Despite all of this, somehow, he had made it in…”
Ruby Vaughn lives her life by a certain set of rules. One of these rules clearly states that things like love and greatness—anything beyond basic contentment, really—was meant for other people, but not for her. A freelance writer by day and a bartender by night, Ruby spends what spare time she has watching her best friend, Evie, live a dream that’s always going to be just out of reach for her and the man she’s in love with, Alex, fall in love with someone else.
She’d resigned her fate to living a little smaller—a little safer—to keep her darkness to herself, but then she meets Jake, and nothing will ever be the same.
Raw with emotion and beautifully flawed, Ruby, as the antihero of her own story, is bound to captivate and resonate with readers who know what it’s like to lose and feel lost, and to find themselves again in the most unexpected of places.
Ruby Vaughn lives her life by a certain set of rules. One of these rules clearly states that things like love and greatness—anything beyond basic contentment, really—was meant for other people, but not for her. A freelance writer by day and a bartender by night, Ruby spends what spare time she has watching her best friend, Evie, live a dream that’s always going to be just out of reach for her and the man she’s in love with, Alex, fall in love with someone else.
She’d resigned her fate to living a little smaller—a little safer—to keep her darkness to herself, but then she meets Jake, and nothing will ever be the same.
Raw with emotion and beautifully flawed, Ruby, as the antihero of her own story, is bound to captivate and resonate with readers who know what it’s like to lose and feel lost, and to find themselves again in the most unexpected of places.
Kindle Edition
Published March 1, 2023
91 people are currently reading
545 people want to read
About the author
Elle Mitchell
12 books565 followersKnown as the (mostly benevolent) Queen of Angst, Elle Mitchell writes new adult contemporary romance ranging from shades of grey to morally pitch black with a hint of taboo. A mix of plot and spice, her books follow flawed, relatable characters as they rage against the machine or struggle against the darker parts of humanity and themselves. They’re messy—like real life—and emotional.
She can’t promise that all her books will depict what a healthy relationship should look like at every turn. She rejects purity themes. The best she can do is promise an eventual HEA when it’s all said and done.
When she isn’t reading or writing, it’s unlikely you’ll find her anywhere. She’s probably at home with her family, minding her own business.
Find her on IG and TT: @ellemitchellbooks
She can’t promise that all her books will depict what a healthy relationship should look like at every turn. She rejects purity themes. The best she can do is promise an eventual HEA when it’s all said and done.
When she isn’t reading or writing, it’s unlikely you’ll find her anywhere. She’s probably at home with her family, minding her own business.
Find her on IG and TT: @ellemitchellbooks
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
December 11, 2022
This book was amazing, every sentence of hurt was raw and relatable. It was well written, the author wrote in a way so detailed and mind capturing. I couldn't put it down since the beginning, I was immersed in it.
March 1, 2023
The title says it all…
Very compelling, dark and… broken. I loved the main FMC and her storyline, and just wished she would find her happiness from the off!
Very compelling, dark and… broken. I loved the main FMC and her storyline, and just wished she would find her happiness from the off!
December 19, 2022
Broken People - Elle Mitchell 5/5
Playlist Mood:
The winner takes it all - Mack Loren, Corps Meteore
Back to Black - Eve St. Jones
Claire De Lune - Chopin
The one that got away - Katy Perry
Hurt - Christina Aguilera
Float - Luttrell
Wow. What a story! Ruby and Jake not even close to a typical kind of relationship. This book has so much depth and then some. I straight up cried through most of it and I cant believe how much pain Ruby and Jake go through before they can be as happy as they can be. Ruby's character is absolutely relatable in ways where she's so broken that you can almost see the cracks in her. But as Jake puts those cracks back together she starts to become whole again. I really liked this style of writing, it gave me Colleen Hoover vibes of "Ugly Love". I would highly recommend reading Broken People to anyone who wants to feel an emotion that felt buried or something that was missed. Overall this book was a solid 5. Can't wait to read whatever Elle Mitchell has to give us!
Playlist Mood:
The winner takes it all - Mack Loren, Corps Meteore
Back to Black - Eve St. Jones
Claire De Lune - Chopin
The one that got away - Katy Perry
Hurt - Christina Aguilera
Float - Luttrell
Wow. What a story! Ruby and Jake not even close to a typical kind of relationship. This book has so much depth and then some. I straight up cried through most of it and I cant believe how much pain Ruby and Jake go through before they can be as happy as they can be. Ruby's character is absolutely relatable in ways where she's so broken that you can almost see the cracks in her. But as Jake puts those cracks back together she starts to become whole again. I really liked this style of writing, it gave me Colleen Hoover vibes of "Ugly Love". I would highly recommend reading Broken People to anyone who wants to feel an emotion that felt buried or something that was missed. Overall this book was a solid 5. Can't wait to read whatever Elle Mitchell has to give us!
February 9, 2025
I absolutely loved this book! I was confused about selecting a person to believe. I was torn between Alex and Jake. I had no idea who to trust. This book was an emotional roller coaster and I LOVED every single part of it. A truly wonderful novel which brings out a lot of empathy, this is one of the best books I have read this year.
What I liked about this book
🔸 The plot - 5/5
🔸 Well-developed characters
🔸 The twists and how the book maintained a bit of mystery
🔸 The ending👏
🔸 Evie!
What I didn't like
Nothing!
Will I recommend this book?
Yesss!
(Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book.)
What I liked about this book
🔸 The plot - 5/5
🔸 Well-developed characters
🔸 The twists and how the book maintained a bit of mystery
🔸 The ending👏
🔸 Evie!
What I didn't like
Nothing!
Will I recommend this book?
Yesss!
(Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book.)
March 22, 2023
Broken People is appropriately titled. The story revolves around Ruby our FMC & exploring her mental & emotional baggage while trying to decide on her direction in life. To complicate matters our lead who seems acceptant to be alone & basically go through the motions of life while struggling to balance her bartending job & the side pursuit of her passion as a writer, is suddenly faced with not one but two very different guys competing to be her leading man. Ruby must try to decide which guy is right for her, if anyone, & she must work to balance her happiness while sorting through her many self-doubts & feelings of being unworthy.
I’m not much of a romance reader. I love romance but I like it to be tied more into either action, sci-fi, fantasy, or comedy something that gives a little more excitement to the plot. This book isn’t a standard romance. It doesn’t have lots of the normally cutesy moments of Hallmark stories. It also doesn’t have the explicit sex of Cinemax after dark. There’s certainly some sappy emotional parts & there’s enough steam to hold the interest of people looking for a little of that. The story is mainly driven by the deeply emotional back stories of our characters. It’s set in Seattle & it feels like it’s anchored in the weight of the 90’s alternative rock scene, the exploration of hopelessness and loss, the aimless travels of youth seeking to find a compass to guide them where they need to be.
I love the development of the characters. The story plays out like a standard look into the daily life that many of us can relate to from our own lives or the lives of our friends or family. It could be slow & boring for some, but I found the characters to hold my interest. I think the writer also gave us enough mystery to never be fully comfortable with any of the characters so it keeps you guessing on where the story will go & who you can trust. I give this book 4.5 stars. I personally would’ve liked a little more digging into the characters stories. I felt like all of them deserved to have slightly more detail added to their full journey. The conclusion feeling a little cut short & the lack of any fictional elements are the other things that keeps me from saying it was an absolute homerun! I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes stories that explore real life situations & emotions of trying to find our place in the world & who we want to share our journey of life & the pursuit of happiness with. I look forward to reading future stories by this author because she captures the human psyche beautifully & I can’t wait to read more characters she brings to life. Thank you for writing this book, Elle!
I’m not much of a romance reader. I love romance but I like it to be tied more into either action, sci-fi, fantasy, or comedy something that gives a little more excitement to the plot. This book isn’t a standard romance. It doesn’t have lots of the normally cutesy moments of Hallmark stories. It also doesn’t have the explicit sex of Cinemax after dark. There’s certainly some sappy emotional parts & there’s enough steam to hold the interest of people looking for a little of that. The story is mainly driven by the deeply emotional back stories of our characters. It’s set in Seattle & it feels like it’s anchored in the weight of the 90’s alternative rock scene, the exploration of hopelessness and loss, the aimless travels of youth seeking to find a compass to guide them where they need to be.
I love the development of the characters. The story plays out like a standard look into the daily life that many of us can relate to from our own lives or the lives of our friends or family. It could be slow & boring for some, but I found the characters to hold my interest. I think the writer also gave us enough mystery to never be fully comfortable with any of the characters so it keeps you guessing on where the story will go & who you can trust. I give this book 4.5 stars. I personally would’ve liked a little more digging into the characters stories. I felt like all of them deserved to have slightly more detail added to their full journey. The conclusion feeling a little cut short & the lack of any fictional elements are the other things that keeps me from saying it was an absolute homerun! I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes stories that explore real life situations & emotions of trying to find our place in the world & who we want to share our journey of life & the pursuit of happiness with. I look forward to reading future stories by this author because she captures the human psyche beautifully & I can’t wait to read more characters she brings to life. Thank you for writing this book, Elle!
December 26, 2022
I enjoyed this book so much. For me, it was super relatable especially when it came to the main character having issues from her past that had a major effect on the way she lives her life and her self esteem. For anyone that has ever felt like they weren’t good enough, or find themselves self sabotaging when things seem like they’re going to good or because they believe they don’t deserve good things, I think you’ll like this one!
October 22, 2022
This book is dark. It is raw, it is real, it is angsty and our heroine is deeply flawed. Even if you can't relate to Ruby's background, you can relate to her. She embodies that dark space in our brain, where doubt and insecurity grows. She is also represents the potential in each of us when we decide to no longer feed the dark parts of our identities.
I loved this story and would love to be able to give it five stars but the editing was sorely lacking. I do acknowledge this is an ARC and hope that this is resolved before the final copy is published.
Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
I loved this story and would love to be able to give it five stars but the editing was sorely lacking. I do acknowledge this is an ARC and hope that this is resolved before the final copy is published.
Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
November 18, 2022
I received a digital ARC of this heart achingly beautiful book! Ruby was such a compelling character. The author wrote Ruby’s story with rich detail and filled with complexity. I felt like I understood Ruby and all the pain and all the fear she carried. Her character arc was amazing to watch. Her personal growth made me cry. I liked how this book was centered on Ruby and her journey. I thought the secondary characters were also well written and added depth to the story. I enjoyed the descriptions of Seattle through Ruby’s eyes. It made it feel like Seattle was a character in the story as well! The plot was paced perfectly and unfolded in an organic and very real way. The storylines with Jake and Alex were paced well and kept me invested in the book. Things got messy and complicated and toxic, but those aspects were written about with care and honesty. It made the story all the better. I also felt the way mental health was explored in this book was relatable and important. The ending was hopeful and fitting. I selfishly wanted more pages just to see what happens next!
I recommend this one to anyone who enjoys a complicated heroine just trying to live her best life. But, check the trigger warnings first!
I recommend this one to anyone who enjoys a complicated heroine just trying to live her best life. But, check the trigger warnings first!
December 10, 2022
It's a beautiful raw emotion filled story that I loved EVERY page of!
It's filled with trauma and fighting your way out of the darkness that can fill your head. Having felt this myself, especially recently. I felt this book hit home and hard.
Ruby was dealt a hand that wish nobody had to deal with. Depression. Family problems/ trauma. Loving someone who doesn't love you back. She felt like it wasn't worth living anymore.
I loved being able to read a story about a character who has mental illness and doesn't completely ignore it and "get over it" like most stories are.
This romance is different than your usual stories, it's real, it's emotional, it's a five star read. can't wait to read more from Elle.
It's filled with trauma and fighting your way out of the darkness that can fill your head. Having felt this myself, especially recently. I felt this book hit home and hard.
Ruby was dealt a hand that wish nobody had to deal with. Depression. Family problems/ trauma. Loving someone who doesn't love you back. She felt like it wasn't worth living anymore.
I loved being able to read a story about a character who has mental illness and doesn't completely ignore it and "get over it" like most stories are.
This romance is different than your usual stories, it's real, it's emotional, it's a five star read. can't wait to read more from Elle.
January 13, 2023
I liked Ruby and Jake’s until their mistakes. His mistake, which was first and then lied about it, was easily written off. Ruby does the same exact mistake and she’s to blame for the relationship ending. No, that’s not how any of this works. Their story feels incomplete. Was hoping the second book was a duet but it’s a standalone.
November 9, 2022
* I read this in an author book exchange for an honest review, but all opinions are my own*
When I first decided to read this book, I thought it would be a simple sweet romance book were the girl falls in love and all her problems go away.
Yeah, I was wrong.
This book is written in one person's pov, which normally is not my favorite but, in this book, I feel like if it was in both of their pov it would be too much.
The main characters name is Ruby Vaughn, and she lives in Seattle trying to make it as a writer and works at a bar at night.
She struggles with depression and has a hard time trusting people till she meets Jake.
I don't want to spoil the book, so I won't say anything more.
This book has plot twists that you'll never see coming and you get to read about to people falling in love and dealing with real life problems.
It deals/talks about people who had a rough childhood and how the cope with their problems.
This book is beautifully written, and you really can feel the characters emotions.
The only thing that I would say about it is (this is me being really picking apart the book because there's really nothing wrong with it) maybe be a little more descriptive about like what people look like, clothes and places the characters are at.
I really suggest reading this book this book you won't regret it!!
Thank you so much Elle Mitchel for reaching out to me about your book! It was amazing and I'm so glad I read it.
I can't wait for the second book!
Age Ratting: 17 and up
When I first decided to read this book, I thought it would be a simple sweet romance book were the girl falls in love and all her problems go away.
Yeah, I was wrong.
This book is written in one person's pov, which normally is not my favorite but, in this book, I feel like if it was in both of their pov it would be too much.
The main characters name is Ruby Vaughn, and she lives in Seattle trying to make it as a writer and works at a bar at night.
She struggles with depression and has a hard time trusting people till she meets Jake.
I don't want to spoil the book, so I won't say anything more.
This book has plot twists that you'll never see coming and you get to read about to people falling in love and dealing with real life problems.
It deals/talks about people who had a rough childhood and how the cope with their problems.
This book is beautifully written, and you really can feel the characters emotions.
The only thing that I would say about it is (this is me being really picking apart the book because there's really nothing wrong with it) maybe be a little more descriptive about like what people look like, clothes and places the characters are at.
I really suggest reading this book this book you won't regret it!!
Thank you so much Elle Mitchel for reaching out to me about your book! It was amazing and I'm so glad I read it.
I can't wait for the second book!
Age Ratting: 17 and up
February 2, 2023
"Society takes it for granted, operating under the assumption that everyone knows what it’s like to be loved, but some of us don’t."
Ah!! I love Ruby's story so much! This quote really stuck with me from the book so I wanted to share it. Elle's books make me reflect on my own life, I love it. They dive into the deep shit I'm too busy to think about. I love that even though Ruby has had a hard upbringing, she chooses to stay strong. She really tries not to compare herself to others(but the struggle is real) and be her best self.
I've never read books that are so close to real life until Broken People and Broken Reverie.
Also, the romance is so cute. I was so happy with the ending 🥰 makes me want to reread Broken Reverie just to see them again.
Ah!! I love Ruby's story so much! This quote really stuck with me from the book so I wanted to share it. Elle's books make me reflect on my own life, I love it. They dive into the deep shit I'm too busy to think about. I love that even though Ruby has had a hard upbringing, she chooses to stay strong. She really tries not to compare herself to others(but the struggle is real) and be her best self.
I've never read books that are so close to real life until Broken People and Broken Reverie.
Also, the romance is so cute. I was so happy with the ending 🥰 makes me want to reread Broken Reverie just to see them again.
December 7, 2022
4.5 stars!
This book was full of so much raw emotion! It makes you feel everything. Dealing with PTSD, trying to heal through and after the trauma, removing yourself from toxic situations, and learning who you are and who you can become.
Ruby has been neglected most of her life and has never learned what real love is or looks like. She self-destructs and retreats as a defense mechanism. When she meets someone who truly loves her, she can’t even cope and turns to a toxic situation that she truly believes she deserves. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Ruby learns she is deserving of so much good in her life.
I devoured this book and could not put it down. I had to know what was going to happen and I loved the message the author brought out. We are all worthy of love and kindness and should never settle for less.
***Please note that this book can be triggering for those who have suffered mental and emotional trauma.***
This book was full of so much raw emotion! It makes you feel everything. Dealing with PTSD, trying to heal through and after the trauma, removing yourself from toxic situations, and learning who you are and who you can become.
Ruby has been neglected most of her life and has never learned what real love is or looks like. She self-destructs and retreats as a defense mechanism. When she meets someone who truly loves her, she can’t even cope and turns to a toxic situation that she truly believes she deserves. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Ruby learns she is deserving of so much good in her life.
I devoured this book and could not put it down. I had to know what was going to happen and I loved the message the author brought out. We are all worthy of love and kindness and should never settle for less.
***Please note that this book can be triggering for those who have suffered mental and emotional trauma.***
February 10, 2024
4.5 ⭐️
Once again, Elle hits my soul with her story.
The way I could connect with Ruby hurt in more ways than one.
Ruby believes she's broken...I know what she means I truly f*cking do. But she tries so hard to be better. Despite all the hell she went through. She just wants to be a better person. For herself. And for her friends.
I'm proud of her, for everything she went through, she still found the strength to be better. To find happiness in the little things. To follow her dreams of becoming a writer.
She did it.
The ending was wonderful too. 🥰
Once again, Elle hits my soul with her story.
The way I could connect with Ruby hurt in more ways than one.
Ruby believes she's broken...I know what she means I truly f*cking do. But she tries so hard to be better. Despite all the hell she went through. She just wants to be a better person. For herself. And for her friends.
I'm proud of her, for everything she went through, she still found the strength to be better. To find happiness in the little things. To follow her dreams of becoming a writer.
She did it.
The ending was wonderful too. 🥰
February 9, 2025
literally WTF just happened ?????
November 25, 2022
I was engrossed in this book I’m not sure I looked up for a full day. Wonderful leads, well written dialogue and side characters I can’t wait to learn more about. I typically despise angst as it’s hard to write without it being too contrived but this was very well done - angsty but in an understandable and believable way.
October 12, 2022
Broken people is not your average Contemporary romance book. Unfortunately, life has dealt our female main character a cruel hand cards. From depression caused by family trauma to being in love with a guy who doesn't love you back, things are arent looking great until, suddenly, they are...
Though the female MC has not had it easy, she is very self-aware that she isn't perfect and doesn't wholly blame past trauma on her current actions. Most romances have this perfect model female character, so it was refreshing to read about a character who 1. She has flaws 2. is aware of them and owns up. Throughout the book, you get glimpses of the self-sabotaging flaw and, in my case, relate to the MC even more. I am not sure I would say this book has a happy ending. It's complicated. I waited a week to write my thoughts about it, and I have thought about this book a lot. The ending is raw/real and will be polarizing for many readers. This was the first book where I was glad the end wasn't wrapped up in a pretty bow. I enjoyed all the emotions and realness this book had to offer, and if anyone is looking for a slightly deeper romance read, PICK THIS BOOK UP.
Please look at the trigger warnings.
Thank you, Booksirens and Elle Mitchell, for sending me this ARC in return for an honest review.
Though the female MC has not had it easy, she is very self-aware that she isn't perfect and doesn't wholly blame past trauma on her current actions. Most romances have this perfect model female character, so it was refreshing to read about a character who 1. She has flaws 2. is aware of them and owns up. Throughout the book, you get glimpses of the self-sabotaging flaw and, in my case, relate to the MC even more. I am not sure I would say this book has a happy ending. It's complicated. I waited a week to write my thoughts about it, and I have thought about this book a lot. The ending is raw/real and will be polarizing for many readers. This was the first book where I was glad the end wasn't wrapped up in a pretty bow. I enjoyed all the emotions and realness this book had to offer, and if anyone is looking for a slightly deeper romance read, PICK THIS BOOK UP.
Please look at the trigger warnings.
Thank you, Booksirens and Elle Mitchell, for sending me this ARC in return for an honest review.
December 10, 2022
I LOVED how well written this novel is. The author portrayed everything so well that I felt like I was one of the people in the novel.
Not to mention he friendship between Ruby and Evie reminds me of the friendship I have between and one of my best friends.
I’m definitely recommending it to. My friends to read!
Not to mention he friendship between Ruby and Evie reminds me of the friendship I have between and one of my best friends.
I’m definitely recommending it to. My friends to read!
May 18, 2024
Good Story. Falls flat
I kinda liked the jist of the story but it was kind of lacking. I didn’t like the methodical 1st person introspective POV. The whole book is told from mind of the FMC so you don’t read about Ruby and the things that she goes thru. Instead you read about what Ruby thinks about the things that she goes through. Because it’s all her thoughts, the story is lacking in character interactions and conversations. All you get is Ruby’s self deprecating, depressed, repetitious thoughts. The jist of the story is interesting but there isn’t any meat on the bones to make it satisfying.
I kinda liked the jist of the story but it was kind of lacking. I didn’t like the methodical 1st person introspective POV. The whole book is told from mind of the FMC so you don’t read about Ruby and the things that she goes thru. Instead you read about what Ruby thinks about the things that she goes through. Because it’s all her thoughts, the story is lacking in character interactions and conversations. All you get is Ruby’s self deprecating, depressed, repetitious thoughts. The jist of the story is interesting but there isn’t any meat on the bones to make it satisfying.
November 10, 2022
I received this as an ARC. I get that the point is that both characters are flawed but have good intentions but this book was so bland it hurt. Thankfully it was short so it was a one-day read, if it had been longer, it would have been a DNF most likely. The characters were stereotypical, the banter was only so-so, the spice was mediocre. It definitely had potential but I wasn't sold.
Want to read
July 18, 2023🎁 FREE on Amazon today (12/6/2022)! 🎁
September 30, 2025
An angsty read about trauma, MH, learni g to love yourself and live again.
Ruby is a survivor of a really shitty childhood, she had a drug addict mum, an absent dad and was abused and neglected. She's never had the money or the will to go to therapy and just copes by keeping herself small, locking herself away, going to work in a bar and writing in her free time. She sees her friends and peers living their dreams and it just makes her feel even worse. She's got chronic low self esteem and social anxiety.
Her only true confidante is her neighbour, best friend and crush Alex, but Alex dates other women and told Ruby they were too messed up to be together. One night she meets Jake, handsome, wealthy, privileged, everything Ruby feels insecure about and they have a fling, which leads into something more. In the meantime Alex is now single and confesses he loves Ruby.
Poor Ruby is so relateable, she's a kind, loving, talented person who cant see her own worth. She self sabotages and pushes people away. Never having experienced love she has trouble detecting who is genuine or fake, her character reading skills are sorely lacking. There is OW drama, a toxic relationship and lots of angst.
There is also cheating, by both parties so be careful if that is a trigger. Its not for me , people are flawed and messy ultimately.
SPOILER ALERT
Jake cheats first, on an out of town trip, which he confesses, and they break up. Ruby turns to Alex and sleeps with him but Jake gets really pissy, which seems hypocritical to me. You get the idea Jake was a playa and a love em and leave em type. He has no business being hurt or angry because at least Ruby had genuine feelings for Alex, whereas there was no reason given for Jake's infidelity. This did make me lose liking for him.
I also liked the fact that after their seperation Ruby goes to therapy and its several months and a relationship in between for both of them before they get their happy ending. Showing healing and forgiveness doesnt happen overnight.
Overall a good read, highlighting important themes of MH.
Ruby is a survivor of a really shitty childhood, she had a drug addict mum, an absent dad and was abused and neglected. She's never had the money or the will to go to therapy and just copes by keeping herself small, locking herself away, going to work in a bar and writing in her free time. She sees her friends and peers living their dreams and it just makes her feel even worse. She's got chronic low self esteem and social anxiety.
Her only true confidante is her neighbour, best friend and crush Alex, but Alex dates other women and told Ruby they were too messed up to be together. One night she meets Jake, handsome, wealthy, privileged, everything Ruby feels insecure about and they have a fling, which leads into something more. In the meantime Alex is now single and confesses he loves Ruby.
Poor Ruby is so relateable, she's a kind, loving, talented person who cant see her own worth. She self sabotages and pushes people away. Never having experienced love she has trouble detecting who is genuine or fake, her character reading skills are sorely lacking. There is OW drama, a toxic relationship and lots of angst.
There is also cheating, by both parties so be careful if that is a trigger. Its not for me , people are flawed and messy ultimately.
SPOILER ALERT
Jake cheats first, on an out of town trip, which he confesses, and they break up. Ruby turns to Alex and sleeps with him but Jake gets really pissy, which seems hypocritical to me. You get the idea Jake was a playa and a love em and leave em type. He has no business being hurt or angry because at least Ruby had genuine feelings for Alex, whereas there was no reason given for Jake's infidelity. This did make me lose liking for him.
I also liked the fact that after their seperation Ruby goes to therapy and its several months and a relationship in between for both of them before they get their happy ending. Showing healing and forgiveness doesnt happen overnight.
Overall a good read, highlighting important themes of MH.
September 6, 2025
Main Characters: Ruby, Jake, Alex
Hot take: This book was not a smut book with plot, the was a work of fiction that happened to have smut. I liked it. I think it depicted depression well, which made it really difficult for me to enjoy. Hitting too close to home and what not. 🤷♀️ I can see why Ruby fell for both men and didn’t see the red flags that Evie did. It all seemed to work out in the end, though it was left up to interpretation.
Plot: Ruby has depression. Doesn’t matter her upbringing, although that didn’t help. She was a victim of child abuse and neglect, but she made it out, though not completely unscathed. Alex is her best friend, he claims to have had a similar upbringing wrought with foster home neglecting abuse. Jake comes from a life of privilege, but he also has depression. Ruby has been in love with Alex since they met 2 years ago. He strings her along but never commits. Ruby meets Jake and quickly falls for him, though she doesn’t feel like she belongs with him. So self sabotage it is. Jake cheats on her, she cheats on him. Alex enjoys the spoils only to find out he is kind of a stalking psychopath.
Hot take: This book was not a smut book with plot, the was a work of fiction that happened to have smut. I liked it. I think it depicted depression well, which made it really difficult for me to enjoy. Hitting too close to home and what not. 🤷♀️ I can see why Ruby fell for both men and didn’t see the red flags that Evie did. It all seemed to work out in the end, though it was left up to interpretation.
Plot: Ruby has depression. Doesn’t matter her upbringing, although that didn’t help. She was a victim of child abuse and neglect, but she made it out, though not completely unscathed. Alex is her best friend, he claims to have had a similar upbringing wrought with foster home neglecting abuse. Jake comes from a life of privilege, but he also has depression. Ruby has been in love with Alex since they met 2 years ago. He strings her along but never commits. Ruby meets Jake and quickly falls for him, though she doesn’t feel like she belongs with him. So self sabotage it is. Jake cheats on her, she cheats on him. Alex enjoys the spoils only to find out he is kind of a stalking psychopath.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2024
Beautiful, exciting. Just what I need to start the year.
* ⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⭑ 5
* Society takes it for granted, operating under the assumption that everyone knows what it’s like to be loved, but some of us don’t. Some of us are out here completely fucking blind, and we’re just making it up as we go along. We’re doing our best, but there’s bound to be a learning curve.
This was a fun read, I totally eat this on a day and it was the perfect New Year read. There was so much surprising stuff going on, that I didn’t know what to believe. Elle played me right there and here for it!
Ruby was a very good character, she was clever and she definitely had a past I feel for her, I wanted at times to wrap her in a blanket and hug her. I absolutely love her. The plot was original as I never read a story like that. For ages, I was having this pain that the story wouldn’t end on a happy note but thank God Elle gave me what my heart was begging for ✨🥰
What I wish was more than anything was if this book was double pov as I would to be inside Jake's head ( I know is a novella in his POV I just wanted more ) but other than that this was a very beautiful interesting book and I can’t wait to read Evie story 🤩📖🍇
* ⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⭑ 5
* Society takes it for granted, operating under the assumption that everyone knows what it’s like to be loved, but some of us don’t. Some of us are out here completely fucking blind, and we’re just making it up as we go along. We’re doing our best, but there’s bound to be a learning curve.
This was a fun read, I totally eat this on a day and it was the perfect New Year read. There was so much surprising stuff going on, that I didn’t know what to believe. Elle played me right there and here for it!
Ruby was a very good character, she was clever and she definitely had a past I feel for her, I wanted at times to wrap her in a blanket and hug her. I absolutely love her. The plot was original as I never read a story like that. For ages, I was having this pain that the story wouldn’t end on a happy note but thank God Elle gave me what my heart was begging for ✨🥰
What I wish was more than anything was if this book was double pov as I would to be inside Jake's head ( I know is a novella in his POV I just wanted more ) but other than that this was a very beautiful interesting book and I can’t wait to read Evie story 🤩📖🍇
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February 19, 2024listen. i loved the plot, i loved ruby but i didn’t love jake.
from the beginning i had a hard time trusting him, i didn’t wanna judge him from what other people were “warning” ruby about, but.. weren’t they kinda right at the end?
i didn’t understand why he got so MAD when he found out she slept with alex because.. didn’t he do the EXACT SAME THING??? i know ruby had issues and she does self-sabotages a lot but sleeping with alex wasn’t that for me. sorry but jake lied to her and cheated on her and like she said, how is she supposed to trust him after that? and they did break up and she slept with another guy, at least she was single when she did it, unlike jake… it really pissed me off how he went and made her the bad guy when HE started everything. i love ruby and i wished she loved herself enough to realise she deserves better.
everyone went mad over alex being a psychopath plot twist but i saw that coming from the start. it’s the sweet jake turning into a cheater that had me gagging at the end really i wish i could say i saw it coming but i had hope..
from the beginning i had a hard time trusting him, i didn’t wanna judge him from what other people were “warning” ruby about, but.. weren’t they kinda right at the end?
i didn’t understand why he got so MAD when he found out she slept with alex because.. didn’t he do the EXACT SAME THING??? i know ruby had issues and she does self-sabotages a lot but sleeping with alex wasn’t that for me. sorry but jake lied to her and cheated on her and like she said, how is she supposed to trust him after that? and they did break up and she slept with another guy, at least she was single when she did it, unlike jake… it really pissed me off how he went and made her the bad guy when HE started everything. i love ruby and i wished she loved herself enough to realise she deserves better.
everyone went mad over alex being a psychopath plot twist but i saw that coming from the start. it’s the sweet jake turning into a cheater that had me gagging at the end really i wish i could say i saw it coming but i had hope..
September 14, 2023
I jumped into this book after seeing another author promote Elle Mitchell and to say I loved it is an understatement. Ruby is SUCH a relatable FMC - going through trials in life and not really having an understanding of certain things happens to all of us. Relying on other people or friendships to help us along and not seeing the damage or harm that they are actually causing is also something that happens to all of us. Myself included. Sometimes we see what we want in people, that we become blind to red flags they are showing (don't get me wrong though I love a good red flag guy - but Alex WASN'T it :) ). Elle this book was amazing...I loved the inner transformation and strength that Ruby displayed. Onto the next!
February 23, 2025
Different
I liked this more than the 3 stars would indicate. I liked it because it was different and the characters weren't perfect. However I could rate it higher because I didn't really get to connect with it. The author tells us what happened way more than she shows us and it's hard to really invest in the story that way. It's also a little disappointing that her intimacy with Ales was so much more enjoyable for her than her intimacy with Jake. Alex is who she clearly wanted if her had his demons under control. Jake felt like a consolation prize. I'd still like to see more of their story.
I liked this more than the 3 stars would indicate. I liked it because it was different and the characters weren't perfect. However I could rate it higher because I didn't really get to connect with it. The author tells us what happened way more than she shows us and it's hard to really invest in the story that way. It's also a little disappointing that her intimacy with Ales was so much more enjoyable for her than her intimacy with Jake. Alex is who she clearly wanted if her had his demons under control. Jake felt like a consolation prize. I'd still like to see more of their story.
February 2, 2026
I think im gonna settle with an okay 3 stars for this. It was well written but wasnt better than the other book I read by this author. I didnt like that the H slept with someone else after they had started seeing each other and lied about it. I didnt like that the h went and did the same, cuz fuck that guy. However, it was too short to develop those 2 important plot points tho, so they both jst ended up pissing me off. It would have created more angst had this book been longer. I did like how the h worked on herself but I think not having the H’s POV made it difficult to emotionally connect with both MCs, which I didnt do. So yeah, overall a miss.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 9, 2022
This book is full of depth and angst!
Ruby's character is far from perfect, a fact she is highly aware of.
It was refreshing to have a character who is aware of their own flaws and the mental health aspect of this story was realistic and relatable.
Highly recommended for readers seeking complex characters and something a lil' different.
(Check TW before diving in as it has some PTSD/darker elements.)
Ruby's character is far from perfect, a fact she is highly aware of.
It was refreshing to have a character who is aware of their own flaws and the mental health aspect of this story was realistic and relatable.
Highly recommended for readers seeking complex characters and something a lil' different.
(Check TW before diving in as it has some PTSD/darker elements.)
November 7, 2023
OMG. I felt EVERY EMOTION with this book and I’m so happy with all of it. I feel happy and sad but angry and happy 😂 This book was short, straight to the point and REAL. I felt every character, I was there with them, coping with all the struggles and self-sabotage of the FMC. I was obsessed with the story I ate it quickly! Now I’m obsessed with Elle Mitchell 😂 I wish there is more story from Ruby and Jake, they deserve another book!!! But I’m happy with the ending.
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