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The Breakup
In The Breakup, Aja Rain has sliced all ties with her controlling boyfriend. She accidentally used a knife, and now she has become something of a media sensation. Her family wants her ex-boyfriend to pay an even steeper price for his transgressions against Aja, but she won't be a part of it.
To flee the media attention and the conflict between her family and Stephen, her ex-boyfriend, Aja flees to Italy. There she finds vineyards, golden landscapes, Marco and Pietro. It is time to put her life back together.
She does not know her ex-boyfriend is on his way. He is not finished with her yet.
The Breakup is a romantic tale of a woman who longs to be with the right man, only to realize that searching for Mr. Right has led her down the wrong path. Will she find what she is looking for? Will Stephen get his revenge?
To flee the media attention and the conflict between her family and Stephen, her ex-boyfriend, Aja flees to Italy. There she finds vineyards, golden landscapes, Marco and Pietro. It is time to put her life back together.
She does not know her ex-boyfriend is on his way. He is not finished with her yet.
The Breakup is a romantic tale of a woman who longs to be with the right man, only to realize that searching for Mr. Right has led her down the wrong path. Will she find what she is looking for? Will Stephen get his revenge?
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 5, 2012
44 people are currently reading
518 people want to read
About the author
Brenda Grate
5 books7 followersBrenda Grate is the author of four novels spanning women's fiction and young adult genres. Her upcoming releases include The Mediterranean Herbalist, a comprehensive herbal guide, and a travel memoir.
As a certified herbalist, novelist, and artist, Brenda draws on her diverse experiences to create rich, authentic narratives and characters. Her extensive travels, herbal training, and wildlife art have cultivated a deep connection to the natural world. A lifelong learner, she continually explores new storytelling themes and pushes creative boundaries.
Currently residing in Greece with her husband, Brenda shares her farm life with her cats Diego and Molly, who are constant companions in her creative and herbal adventures.
As a certified herbalist, novelist, and artist, Brenda draws on her diverse experiences to create rich, authentic narratives and characters. Her extensive travels, herbal training, and wildlife art have cultivated a deep connection to the natural world. A lifelong learner, she continually explores new storytelling themes and pushes creative boundaries.
Currently residing in Greece with her husband, Brenda shares her farm life with her cats Diego and Molly, who are constant companions in her creative and herbal adventures.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
January 23, 2013
This is one of those books where a good story goes way wrong. There was so much potential here and it just fell flat. Really, really, really flat.
You get a story of an adult female who feels as though she is coddled by her family and they won't allow her to stand on her own 2 feet. She is the victim of an attack from a boyfriend where she ends up in a precarious situation with the ex. So, this girl decides to flee to Italy and become self sufficient.
She proceeds to flee, meet a guy, get a job, meet a second guy, fall in love, and get engaged while still having the crazy ex around in a manner of weeks. I.KID.YOU.NOT. She is anything but independent and trying to stand on her own feet. There is absolutely no development when it comes to the character (she doesn't grow, she doesn't become independent or self reliant, nope, she just falls for a man and follows his dream). The man in question, you know nothing about him.
How do you write a love story when the Hero of the story is in maybe a handful of scenes and there is nothing except for 2 kisses, 1 conversation, and a blow up fight after the hero decides to be the good guy and walk away before they end up having sex (after maybe the 3rd time they have ever talked)? That's right, you don't.
I learned more about some of the supporting characters (Mia, Mother, Father, Orlando, hell even Juli and Peitro) than I did the supposed hero (Marco) of this story. The ending flew up and crashed and burned. I couldn't believe I was at the end of the book and the way Stephan is handled just left me laughing. Which is sad, cause it was a serious part of the book and not really laughing material, but it was so unexpected and just didn't fit (although, maybe it did - I really have no idea what Marco is like).
Anyway, I think this book needs an overhaul. It needs more focus, a bit more attention to detail and development, and maybe a real love story written between the hero and heroine.
You get a story of an adult female who feels as though she is coddled by her family and they won't allow her to stand on her own 2 feet. She is the victim of an attack from a boyfriend where she ends up in a precarious situation with the ex. So, this girl decides to flee to Italy and become self sufficient.
She proceeds to flee, meet a guy, get a job, meet a second guy, fall in love, and get engaged while still having the crazy ex around in a manner of weeks. I.KID.YOU.NOT. She is anything but independent and trying to stand on her own feet. There is absolutely no development when it comes to the character (she doesn't grow, she doesn't become independent or self reliant, nope, she just falls for a man and follows his dream). The man in question, you know nothing about him.
How do you write a love story when the Hero of the story is in maybe a handful of scenes and there is nothing except for 2 kisses, 1 conversation, and a blow up fight after the hero decides to be the good guy and walk away before they end up having sex (after maybe the 3rd time they have ever talked)? That's right, you don't.
I learned more about some of the supporting characters (Mia, Mother, Father, Orlando, hell even Juli and Peitro) than I did the supposed hero (Marco) of this story. The ending flew up and crashed and burned. I couldn't believe I was at the end of the book and the way Stephan is handled just left me laughing. Which is sad, cause it was a serious part of the book and not really laughing material, but it was so unexpected and just didn't fit (although, maybe it did - I really have no idea what Marco is like).
Anyway, I think this book needs an overhaul. It needs more focus, a bit more attention to detail and development, and maybe a real love story written between the hero and heroine.
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August 14, 2013...........I have really got to stop downloading free kindle books. Don't judge.
September 3, 2013
A wasted read. Silly, sophomoric and filled with every cliche you've ever read.
October 30, 2012
I found this book was horrible. At times I shouldn't be laughing, I was laughing. It drove me nuts, when I tried to keep it serious, as it should be, I just couldn't. Not to mention the specifics weren't really written out, I would of liked to know about Marco being Bella's father. The ending was really crappy, I would NOT call it a happy ending. More like lamest cop out for an ending.
January 22, 2013
This story had a lot of potential, but fell flat. The whole story was rushed. I thought the ending was abrupt. It felt like the author didn't know how to end the story, so she just wrote something generic so she could be done with it.
January 24, 2017
Aja had trouble with her boyfriend that caused her to defend herself with a knife. After the incident she decided on a trip to Italy. She made some good friends in Italy that helped her out. Her ex-boyfriend followed her there. This a good book .
January 12, 2013
This book was great! It was a very realistic story line... I don't normally read romantic novels, but read this as a recommendation from a friend. I couldn't put it down! Loved it!
January 27, 2013
I'll second the comments that this could have been a great story, but got muddled throughout, and then was completely rushed at the end. Very sloppy :(
February 7, 2014
Don't know how I managed to finish this.
It was just.... Ridiculous.
Weird bunch of characters.
It was just.... Ridiculous.
Weird bunch of characters.
January 22, 2022
Unrealistic
To be honest it’s my own fault I kept in reading behind a certain point but this was such an unrealistic premise and parts of the plot were rushed. I guess this is what happens when you get free kindle books.
To be honest it’s my own fault I kept in reading behind a certain point but this was such an unrealistic premise and parts of the plot were rushed. I guess this is what happens when you get free kindle books.
March 4, 2017
amazing!
i loved this book! i cant wait to read the rest of her work!!!!!!! she has a way with imagery!!
i loved this book! i cant wait to read the rest of her work!!!!!!! she has a way with imagery!!
June 4, 2021
Interesting
Book kept my Interest. It didn't take long to like the main characters. It was fun reading about Italy and the country.
Book kept my Interest. It didn't take long to like the main characters. It was fun reading about Italy and the country.
August 10, 2013
Oh my, how bad this was.
Aja gets beaten up by her abusive ex and after a few days, he sends a hitman after her. Since he is such an a**hole, the hitman hates him, and spares her life. Could happen, right? Hitman with conscience?
She then fleds the country, without telling anyone about the hitman or her leaving and goes to Italy. Of course, Euros are way too exciting for her and she has no idea how to use them. She stays in Rome for a few days and leaves it to go to Siena.
In Siena she decides it's time for her to grow up and get a job. Since she's never had one. At age 25. And she keeps on telling how she's not spoiled... How is that possible, if your daddy pays for everything? She of course gets the first job she applies to (at a wineyard), no matter she has no experience what so ever.
There are two guys in the story already, Pietro and Marco who both seem to think they can do whatever they wish with Aja and she just goes with it. It really doesn't seem to bother her to be kissing them both even if she makes a scene after each event.
Somehow her ex finds her; how, it's never revealed. Of course she uses her credit card to call home (rookie mistake, anyone??). The ex just loiters around and warns the new guys about her, since she almost cut his penis off during their last fight.
There's a bit of scaring the ex, which doesn' work and after just a week at most, Marco asks her to marry him. Because they are so much in love after 2 kisses and 3 discussions. Yeah. Right.
The ex then sets the wineyard on fire, kills Marco's mom (it wasn't quite clear whether he really killed her or if it was the fire?? She's just dead all of a sudden), tries to kill Aja and dies trying.
Happy couple then mourns for a while and decides to move back to Canada. Or Marco does, Aja just follows him because she can't make one original decision to save her life.
The writing itself was ok, not many mistakes I could find, but the story was just bad. It had some potential, but would have needed a lot more work. The characters were annoying most of the time and the lovestory was just unbeliveable.
So this one was definately not for me.
Aja gets beaten up by her abusive ex and after a few days, he sends a hitman after her. Since he is such an a**hole, the hitman hates him, and spares her life. Could happen, right? Hitman with conscience?
She then fleds the country, without telling anyone about the hitman or her leaving and goes to Italy. Of course, Euros are way too exciting for her and she has no idea how to use them. She stays in Rome for a few days and leaves it to go to Siena.
In Siena she decides it's time for her to grow up and get a job. Since she's never had one. At age 25. And she keeps on telling how she's not spoiled... How is that possible, if your daddy pays for everything? She of course gets the first job she applies to (at a wineyard), no matter she has no experience what so ever.
There are two guys in the story already, Pietro and Marco who both seem to think they can do whatever they wish with Aja and she just goes with it. It really doesn't seem to bother her to be kissing them both even if she makes a scene after each event.
Somehow her ex finds her; how, it's never revealed. Of course she uses her credit card to call home (rookie mistake, anyone??). The ex just loiters around and warns the new guys about her, since she almost cut his penis off during their last fight.
There's a bit of scaring the ex, which doesn' work and after just a week at most, Marco asks her to marry him. Because they are so much in love after 2 kisses and 3 discussions. Yeah. Right.
The ex then sets the wineyard on fire, kills Marco's mom (it wasn't quite clear whether he really killed her or if it was the fire?? She's just dead all of a sudden), tries to kill Aja and dies trying.
Happy couple then mourns for a while and decides to move back to Canada. Or Marco does, Aja just follows him because she can't make one original decision to save her life.
The writing itself was ok, not many mistakes I could find, but the story was just bad. It had some potential, but would have needed a lot more work. The characters were annoying most of the time and the lovestory was just unbeliveable.
So this one was definately not for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2015
Contemporary romance after a terrible abusive boyfriend which is where the story begins where Miss Aja Rain has just survived a bad situation and she had cut up Stephen's boy bits.
So needless to say Stephen, the really bad ex-boyfriend is more then a little mad at Aja. So he hires a hit man to kill Aja, but he doesn't know that the hired killer hates him more so he lets her go. Aja figures that this is a good time to run away, and why not Italy as she still has family.
I really like that she calls her three brothers, The Brothers like they are part of some crazy mafia association although they seem like just regular loving brothers.
So we go to Italy, but of course the evil Stephen isn't going to forget easily about the girl that tried to cut off his special bits. So he follows to Italy to make trouble. Luckily Aja has already met a few great people Juli, Pietro (Juli's brother) and Marco (the boss, Nona's son). So she has people watching her back, but if I were her parents I would have been on the next plane to protect her and take her home because there is a crazy psycho loose (read: crazy vindictive ex-boyfriend). As exciting as the plot and progession could be, I got a bit bored with the back and forth of the triangle (Aja, Marco and Pietro).
256 pages and kindle freebie
2 stars
So needless to say Stephen, the really bad ex-boyfriend is more then a little mad at Aja. So he hires a hit man to kill Aja, but he doesn't know that the hired killer hates him more so he lets her go. Aja figures that this is a good time to run away, and why not Italy as she still has family.
I really like that she calls her three brothers, The Brothers like they are part of some crazy mafia association although they seem like just regular loving brothers.
So we go to Italy, but of course the evil Stephen isn't going to forget easily about the girl that tried to cut off his special bits. So he follows to Italy to make trouble. Luckily Aja has already met a few great people Juli, Pietro (Juli's brother) and Marco (the boss, Nona's son). So she has people watching her back, but if I were her parents I would have been on the next plane to protect her and take her home because there is a crazy psycho loose (read: crazy vindictive ex-boyfriend). As exciting as the plot and progession could be, I got a bit bored with the back and forth of the triangle (Aja, Marco and Pietro).
256 pages and kindle freebie
2 stars
January 28, 2013
Oh, my! Aja a cute little woman, the baby of the family, and the only daughter so she feels she has something to prove. In an attempt to gain some sort of control over her life, poor Aja keeps getting herself into trouble. Stephen is a total disaster and the epitome of why parents, in reality, should not give their children everything they desire. Kudos to Aja for working up the courage to venture into the unknown.
I really loved the way Mia's story complements Aja's story. The Brothers are also a fantastic edition. I would love to read more stories about these characters. Italian sausage, yes please!
I really loved the way Mia's story complements Aja's story. The Brothers are also a fantastic edition. I would love to read more stories about these characters. Italian sausage, yes please!
September 12, 2013
The plot had some potentially interesting ideas. I had a hard time taking in or liking the characters (her acting like she was taking care of herself by living in Italy and spending a trust fund??). The romances happened so quickly and without any real sensical reasons. The choices made by Aja about Stephen were so irresponsible. It was a short read and it went quickly because I was curious.
July 29, 2013
In the beginning you are not sure where the story is going but once the main character got to Italy it was a cute story. Sometimes a little unbelievable with the criminal part... but I love fiction and it was entertaining.
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February 10, 2016196pgs, contemporary, The Breakup is a romantic tale of a woman who longs to be with the right man, only to realize that searching for Mr. Right has led her down the wrong path. Will she find what she is looking for? Will Stephen get his revenge?
October 12, 2012
Free on kindle. This started out pretty good. Then it folk a sharp turn and slowed way down. I felt a little muddled with the plot.
January 23, 2013
Fast read. a little choppy and sometimes hard to follow . But I liked the characters.
February 5, 2013
It was a good book, but it ended too fast.. I was looking forward to a og end and Thon it stopt..
February 11, 2013
The concept is funny (really, she cuts off his penis!?) but the story is just okay. Nothing great.
February 26, 2013
I liked this book, I wish the ending would have been a little different. Sad to have seen Marcos mom die because of that bastardo Stephen. overall it was a good book.
May 24, 2013
Good beach read. Cute characters, beautiful setting.
July 13, 2013
Very fast read. Fun book a little rushed for me but I enjoyed it. Will this be a series? I'd like to read more about Aja & Marco, Olly & Juli, and Mia too.
July 20, 2013
I'm wondering if there will be a follow-up book to this one. cause if julianna is moving to a different country, you know Pietro will too. great story potential for Mia & Olly!
September 11, 2013
Good read.
December 2, 2013
A waste of my time.
April 13, 2015
Good read
Easy read. I enjoyed the characters and love interests. It is a sweet book. Would read others by this author.
Easy read. I enjoyed the characters and love interests. It is a sweet book. Would read others by this author.
Want to read
January 23, 2013Amazon (ebook) freebie 1/23/13
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews