Worth It

It #1

by Nicki DeStasi

Anna lives every day the best she can while struggling against the demons that threaten to consume her and drag her back into the darkness of her very troubled past. The last thing she needs right now is a guy, especially one as sweet and sexy as Jed. When the attraction becomes too strong to resist, she gives into it. Even when she knows it’ll only end in disaster and leave her even more her scared and broken than she was before.

Jed wants to find the right woman and he’s drawn to Anna by carnal magnetism, but she also brings out an Alpha side of him that he’s never known. When his alpha rears its head, it triggers memories in Anna and her carefully crafted wall of protection begins to show cracks.

When fate and misunderstandings threaten the already delicate relationship, can they survive? When Anna’s demons threaten to be unearthed and Jed’s inner alpha only seem to make them worse, can they overcome?

Is it even worth it?

This book contains graphic violence, sex, and adult language.

Genres: Abuse, Romance, New Adult, Dark, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Young Adult

383 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 28, 2014

About the author

Author Bio
Nicki DeStasi, Author
Nicki DeStasi was raised in a small town in Massachusetts. She attended Fitchburg State College and studied Early Childhood Education. As a child, she enjoyed reading, and continued to enjoy literature through her years growing up. As the indie author world exploded, she enjoyed the varying stories that world produced. In 2010 she began beta reading for indie authors, some prominent. She has always had an inventive imagination and finally decided to put those ideas on paper for others to enjoy. Worth It was Nicki’s first self-published book. Screw It, a spin-off of Worth It, will be published in November of 2014. Nicki rolls her eyes and giggles when writing about herself in the third person.
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Reviews

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagine spending your whole life thinking your worthless. Not good enough. Never feeling worthy of love, affection, only pain. Going through life believing you will never be worth it.

Anna has never had anyone show her real love. Her real father never showed any interest in her. Her mom and stepdad weren’t really a big part of her life. Her mom was always working and she didn’t feel all that comfortable with him.
Sure she has friends, but she’s in desperate need of true love.

She meets Todd and thinks the sun rises and sets with him. He’s hot, tells her she’s pretty and says things to her that makes her “stand a little straighter.”

“This is the first time in my life when I’ve felt special and wanted, and I cling to it.
I cling to him”

Little does she know, he will ruin her, destroy her self-confidence and rip her heart to shreds. Everything she thought, everything she dreamed about, is torn away from her. She tries so hard to please him, to make him happy. But again, she’s not worth it—or so she believes. The pain he physically causes her is nothing compared to her need for him in her heart. She craves him in any way she can have him. Until one day, he’s gone.

Anna struggles with her feelings of being abandoned and tries to move forward in her life, She struggles to put the pieces of her broken heart back together. She goes to great lengths to bury the pain and begins to do things to herself that broke my heart.

“Why can’t I be stronger?
Why can’t I shoulder this?
What the fuck is wrong with me?”

The pain and agony I felt for Anna hurt me so deeply. It was like a knife in my heart. I wanted her to heal. To see the beauty in herself, but couldn’t.

After another failed relationship, Anna finally meets someone who may help her realize that she is worth it. Jed. Jed is pure perfection. Tall, beautiful body, droolworthy smile, just WOW. He’s kind, funny, and he uses these lines that would have had me dropping my panties, that’s for sure!!

“Did it hurt when you fell from heaven
If I could rearrange the alphabet, I’d put U and I together.”

Of course he’s joking around, trying to make her feel comfortable, but he is just that freakin adorable that I fell in love!!
Their relationship continues with both of them developing really intense feelings for each other. He tries to show her how worthy she is. How she deserves to feel love and cherished.

“You want to know what I see? I see a beautiful woman with a big heart. I see a hard worker who has a passion for her dreams. I see a woman who’s smart and funny. I see a woman who I want to know.”

Did you just die? I seriously think he dropped out of Heaven because he is just pure perfection.

There are bumps in the road, and Anna’s past makes it so difficult for her to trust and feel safe and secure in Jed’s love. The ghosts haunt her and leave her struggling with being able to move forward.

Will Anna be able to have a future with Jed? Will she finally realize that she deserves love and happiness?

Take the journey with these characters because this book is worth it. I laughed, cried and at one point was literally shaking!! Nicki DeStasi’s first novel was fantastic. She pours her heart into her writing, and it shows. What an incredible debut novel from this amazing author! I loved it and can’t wait to see what she has in store for us in the future!

[❥ KAT ❥ Kitty Kats Crazy About Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

MY RATING: ☆☆☆☆☆ "WORTH IT" by Nicki DeStasi

5 Zombie Gazillion Gut-wrenching, Roller-Coaster, Emotional, Thought provoking stars!!



This has been on my kindle forever waiting for that time when I could read it and finally that day came and fuck this book is so "Worth it" don't just think about reading this, take that plunge and read it!!

A downward spiral into self destruction, like a ticking time bomb waiting to detonate, into the darkness where nothing and no one could hurt her, where she hid her pain and emotional suffering as best she could, how many times could she get knocked down only to dust herself off and get back on the bandwagon of life again only to be knocked off it again and left even more broken than before..



I'm not "Worth it" my own biological father rejected me as a child



From that point onwards is what triggered her self mutilation



I've found a new drug, my blood is my pain, and by releaseing a small drop of blood, I release the pain, cutting takes away the bad-emotions- the pain, the anxiety, the feeling of worthlessness



"I can't let anyone see the blackness rotting deep inside of me"



"Sex has always been a way to gain affection, a way to feel loved, it was something that was expected of me, but now, I understand, I understand the passion, the pleasure that can come from opening up to another person for more than just the relief from loneliness."



This book brutally took me captive and ripped out my heart bit by bit and tore it to pieces, stomped it into the ground as I drowned in my sea of tears!! This book didn't hold back one bit with it's emotional gut wrenching roller coaster of a wet tissue ride!!

[Alison Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worth It had everything, angst, suspense, humor, romance, heartbreaking events, and joy. From chapter 1 I immediately felt this story. I don't think I've read a book that made me feel something this quickly. We meet Anna, the main female character, first off and I loved her and wanted to hug her. Then there are several characters I hated with a passion, but I was supposed to. They were horrible people. Then we have sweet Jed. He's a real guy. He's not a millionaire, he doesn't always say the right thing, he wants a relationship with a future, and he wants Anna. The chemistry between Anna & Jed was real, honest and fantastic. Nicki DeStasi did a great job with the detail and keeping you wondering about when a certain character (one I hated) was going to show back up in Anna 's life. Then the end....well I'm not going to say anything. I highly recommend Worth It.

[Āwhina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewer for Kitty Kats Crazy About Books

5 ★★★★★ Totally Worth It Stars!!!

I've been meaning to read this since the Blog Tour, caught my attention something Wicked! the Synopsis totally drew me in amongst the majority of the 5 star reviews. I am soooo glad that I finally got a chance to read **Yay

I really enjoyed this, it was Beautifully written. The story really grips at your heart with all the crap that Anna had to endure **have some tissues handy (╥﹏╥)
It had the makings venture into the really Dark & Gritty side, aaaand has some really soul crushing incidents but the way Jed was written into the story put some much needed lightness to it **laughs to self cause' he really is a HornBall! (¬‿¬)

Apart from Jed being such a HornDogg he was/is THE Best thing that could have came into Anna's life.

**Jed needing to have conversation with his Dad

I like the idea of helping her, of being her protector. I want to be the man of the house, the defender and the provider. I'm not saying she needs to stay at home, barefoot and pregnant, popping out babies, but I like the idea of being her rock, someone who she can depend on.
Fucking hell. My throat tightens. What the shit is this woman doing to me? One day, I'm a raging asshole, and the next, I need box of tampons. I really need to talk to my Dad.

It was Amazing to see her evolve from the young battered & abused girl to the Strong, Remarkable Woman she became with the help of Jed.

I'm not going to go into depth because this is a definite must read so I'm not going to give anything away (>‿◠)✌
Except to say.... make sure to add this to your TBR OR better yet, get your one click on and start this now!

I will be keeping an eye out/ stalking Author Nicki DeStasi for further books!
You really are an Aweeeesome writter Nicki. can not wait! to read more from you (✿◠‿◠)

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of THE BEST book I have ever read. When a book pulls at every emotion, you know it’s a gem and Worth It is one that will do it. I laughed, I cried, I thought why is the author torturing me, and then when I thought I couldn't take any more my heart just melts! It takes you to crazy ugly cries to a beautiful love story all in one. This is a duel POV from the female and lead characters.

We start with Anna who believes failed relationships are her specialty and deals with them in ways most of us cannot imagine. Then she meets Jed. He is unbelievable handsome and they fall hard and fast for each other. She struggles with the fact she would able to catch a guy like him. He is smart, funny, and hot! She thinks she only deserves the losers that she has had in the past. The writer does an amazing job taking us their journey of new love and discovery that is not only smoking hot it will make you literally laugh out loud.

When Anna’s past makes an appearance it throws everything into a tailspin and I literally lost it! I cried my eyeballs out but loved every second of it! Anna’s has a lot of growing to do from being the continual punching bag of the men that have been in her life. Is she able to handle Jed’s love for her and how will she react when her past comes back to her haunt her. Will she finally believe she is worth it in the end? This is a FANTABULOUS debut novel by Nicki Destasi and I cannot wait to see what else is in the works from her.

[Lustful Literature · Rating 5 out of 5]

**TARA'S REVIEW**



*5 Beautifully Written Journey to Self Discovery Stars*

This is the story of Savannah Matuszak. A typical teenage girl dealing with the emotions involved with her estranged father. Never feeling she had the acceptance of her father or any male role model in her life, Savannah involves herself with Todd during High School. Savannah spends two years with Todd trying to earn his love by allowing Todd to do whatever he wants to her. She accepts his verbal and physical abuse and endures unspeakable things to try and feel loved. When Todd suddenly disappears, Savannah is left feeling rejected again.

"If I give him this, he'll love me."



Looking to escape the pain that being rejected by all of the men in her life, Anna turns to self harm as a means to dull the pain. When the reality of her life and what she is doing to herself becomes clear, Anna sets out on a path of repair her broken heart.

"One step in front of the other-it's the only way to move forward when everything is falling down and crumbling to pieces."

When Anna meets Jed. Jed is immediately drawn to Anna and can't get enough of her. He quickly realizes there are some underlying issues holding her back and gives Anna everything he has to make her feel his love.

"There's something about her that makes me want to find out what it is."

As their relationship unfolds, and secrets are shared, their love is tested. Can Jed finally get Anna to see she is Worth It?

"I want his heart to beat for me and mine for him, but the further I fall, the more panic grips my lungs."



As utterly heartbreaking as this whole book is from start to finish, it is a beautifully written masterpiece. Nicki did an amazing job with every single aspect of this book. You will be ripped raw with emotions and wanting to wrap Anna in your arms and just hold her. There has only been one book prior to this that has ever made me ugly cry with snot running down my face, this book did just that for me.

The therapy aspect of this book will have you re-evaluating your own life, and how you have handled situations. It is obvious that there was research done on this portion of the story, as I felt like I was sitting in my old therapist's office.

"If I'm not really this horrible person I've always thought I was, then who am I?"

There is alot of very loving, caring, amazing sex scenes between Anna and Jed, that are sure to moisten your panties a little bit. These two just can't keep their hands off each other. Their quirky little banter will have you giggling, and who doesn't love a few well place movie quotes!

I would highly recommend you picking up this book, even though some of the subject matter may be hard to digest, I assure you the way it is written will help ease the blow. The HEA is the best outcome for Anna, and while getting there can be tough on your emotions, I promise everything turns out amazing for Anna.

This book contains physical and mental abuse, rape, and self harm, please approach with caution if you are sensitive to this subject matter.

*An ARC was received in exchange for an honest review*

[Romance Readers Retreat · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG I loved this book, favourite read of 2014 so far, its fantastic!
Anna is a damaged young woman, as a child she craved love and attention but never got it. At 15 she meets Todd, he's older than her, what follows is a sexually violent controlling dominant relationship. Anna thinks she needs him, loves him and is dependent on him so she takes everything he does to her to keep that. One day he just disappears and leaves Anna heartbroken she slips back into her depression and harming herself to deal with the pain she feels, this part of the book is hard hitting, as are the rape scenes but not over done, as the years go by Anna has few failed romances then in comes Jed. OMG I loved him! He's not damaged, not broken, not alpha male, he's just a sexy loving man. I could write a ten page review about this book but I'll keep it shorter. They end up going out, Jed is smitten but knows Anna has secrets and things she keeps hidden. They fall in love and Jed's there every step of the way to help her overcome her insecurities and problems of the past. He encourages her to open up and talk and seek help. Their love is sexy, hot and passionate! There is a twist which I wont go into because I don't want to spoil this amazing book for anyone. I loved these two characters, maybe Jed just that bit more....its heart-breaking, soul searching, I laughed and I cried. If I could give this book 10 stars, I would. Nicki has written a fantastic debut book and I look forward to her future work. Read this book, its definitely "worth it "

[deb22luvsbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

If anyone has ever been treated badly, you know how that can mess with your head. This is a story about a girl who had insecurities as a young girl because of the rejection by her father. These insecurities made her crave love and takes her on a dark journey. She is abused by an older boyfriend, she is used while in college and her relationships always seem to be me sided. She struggles with having confidence. It is sad. But this story is also about learning to be strong, learning to accept the right kind of love and most of all, loving yourself.
Be warned, this book contains scenes of abuse, rape and self harm. If these are triggers you may want to be cautious with this book.

[Lorena · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5 stars

[Melanie Charlesworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome, awesome, AWESOME!!!!

I don’t want anyone to know how damaged and worthless I am. - Anna

Anna has been through so much in her life and is so broken. Her mother is there but is completely absent. He father is an alcoholic and doesn't know her. Her step-father is a closed book and her first boyfriend beat the crap out of her, verbally abused her and raped her. She has no self-worth and no self-esteem. She hates herself and thinks that she deserves all of the bad things that happened to her.

I sob harder and harder with the feeling of worthlessness. I have nothing, and no one loves me. I’m falling deeper and deeper into a hole of blackness...

Jed is tired of the dating scene and is ready to find a good women the settle down with. When he sees Anna the first thing he thinks is that she is beautiful. So when his uncle tells him that she is the girl that he wants to introduce the two of them, Jed excited to meet her. But when he does she is very shy and doesn't go for his normal pick-up tactics, he is not sure how to approach her. When fate steps in and she needs a ride home from work, he is more than happy to help her out.

I’m so fucking confused. I don’t know what it is about this chick that makes me want her so bad. I get that she’s hot, really hot, but there’s something else. Maybe her shyness is a challenge for me to get her to open up? I don’t know what the fuck is going on in her head. She’s hot and then cold. She’s shy, I get that, but I don’t think that’s it. There’s something about her that makes me want to find out what it is. - Jed

Anna doesn't understand why someone as hot as Jed would want anything to do with her. Her abusive ex-boyfriend told her that she was a worthless piece of shit for so long that she believes it as true. So when he wants to spend time with her she is a little bit freaked out.

“Why do you want to take me out? I don’t get it.”
“What don’t you get?”
“I don’t get why you’re so interested in me.”
He seems to struggle with his words for a moment. He glances at me with narrowed eyes, like he’s trying to figure me out. “I don’t know, Anna. I like you. You’re beautiful and funny. Something about you draws me in.”
I can’t do this to myself. I don’t understand his game. There’s no way hereally wants to be with me, so I know his words can’t be sincere. The idea that he just wants to fuck me crosses my mind....

This book is so good! It is hard to believe that this is Nicki's first novel! The pain that Anna is in of much of the book is heartbreaking. The self-hate is hard to read sometimes. Jed is the best medicine for her. He heals her and helps put her back together. He encourages her to get help and helps her through her pain. He is defiantly on my top best book boyfriends list because he is beyond yummy in every way imaginable.

“You want to know what I see? I see a beautiful woman with a big heart. I see a hard worker who has a passion for her dreams. I see a woman who’s smart and funny. I see a woman who I want to know.” I run a hand through my hair, struggling for words. I’m not good at this shit. I’ve only known this woman for a few hours, but even I can see how awesome she is. I take a deep breath as I step closer to her. In a softer voice, I say, “We didn’t even order dinner for half an hour because we kept talking. That’s a connection, baby. You’re so different from any woman I’ve ever known.” I reach up to stroke her cheek, and I see her body relax a little. “Do you get me?”

[Angela DeMarco · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book for me was one of my favorites I have read to date. Not only did I laugh, I cried, I wanted to throw my kindle at someone in particular because of there hurtful behavior, this person deserved the hatred I felt. This story has so much to offer from, humor, romance, angst, suspense, to heartbreak all rolled into one little ball. In all seriousness it does in fact deal with some heavy issues, verbal, sexual, physical abuse, rape, self inflicted pain. There may be people right now in this world who may be dealing with the same issues but just know you are so "Worth It" you have the strength within yourself to pick yourself up and get out and get the help you need. Who knows there may be a "Jed" waiting in the wings for you.

We first meet Anna as a teenager girl on her way to meet her biological father, who bolted completely out of her life when she was two. For most of her childhood he has not once wanted to see her again until now. She has high hopes that she can build a relationship with him, of course he promise's her that and when he makes no effort he completely reject's her yet again. Enter Todd who is much older than Anna, there relationship is sexually violent controlling dominant. Anna is so dependent on him, loves him, needs him, she really doesn't know what love is all about she feels Todd is showing her that. Until one day he just disappears and leaves her heartbroken and devastated, she slips back into her depression, and this is the part of her life when all the ugly starts to happen to her. Ask yourself how much pain and suffering can one person take in life.

Jed he's undeniably gorgeous, male perfection, sweet, caring, not alpha male, your typical down to earth kind of guy. Who wants someday to find the right woman and settle down with. Jed meets Anna at the pizza parlor she works at and is instantly attracted to her there is something about her he can't seem to shake.
They end up going out and start spending a lot of time together, Jed knows Anna is hiding something and he's determined to help her at all cost. Eventually they fall in love and what a beautiful love it really is. Jed is there every step of the way for Anna, he wants to help her overcome her ugly dark past, insecurities, and helps to open up and talk and seek help for herself.

You want to know what I see? I see a beautiful woman with a big heart. I see a hard worker who has passion for her dreams. I see a woman who's smart and funny. I see a woman I want to know.

The way her smile lights up her already beautiful face is awesome.

Of course every story has some bumps along the way, with Anna's past constantly in her mind she finds it so difficult to trust and feel safe with Jed. A part of the past does come back into her life, I don't want to spoil any of it, you just have to read this amazing book/story for yourself.

Can Anna overcome her past and move forward with Jed?

Will Anna finally realize that she is "Worth It" and deserves love and happiness?

Kudos to Nicki DeStasi on her debut novel, please do not let the subject matter steer you away from reading this book, Nicki expressed herself in her writing and wrote a beautiful touching love story.

I want you to reach in and grab you, the wonderful, beautiful you and embrace yourself. Put you into your heart and love yourself with all you have.

[Tracey Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the first page, Anna’s life will break your heart. She had none of the love or support that she deserved from her family as a child, so Anna always felt abandoned and alone. This left her vulnerable to accept affection in any way possible, even if it came with horrific abuse. Anna went back time and time again, and although this made me angry, it was so heartbreakingly understandable since she had no one she could lean on - and no one to tell her that she didn’t deserve the awful things that a boy was saying or doing to her. She escapes that horror, only later to be taken advantage again. Anna is still alone, believing the very worst things about herself and even resorting to self-harm to dull the pain. But with all Anna went through, she somehow managed to move on with her life, find friends, and fight like hell to quiet the demons that followed her everywhere.

Enter Jed. Gorgeous, funny, and kind hearted Jed. Jed is everything Anna always needed and deserved but was cheated out of all her life. He’s someone who sees all she has to offer, the strong quiet beauty that she has inside and out, but can see that something has damaged her more than she’s ready to admit. Anna starts to let down her walls slowly as she very cautiously lets herself get closer to Jed. Love from Jed is what starts to heal her, and finally Anna starts to realize maybe she’s not all those awful things she was called or deserve the terrible things that were done to her. But for Anna, the past isn’t all in the past, and she needs to figure out if she wants happiness enough to fight for it.

This was fantastic debut novel from Nicki DeStasi. Scenes from Anna’s past are difficult to take because they are so real. You feel yourself breaking right along with her each time she gets rejected and abused. Jed was a beautiful character, he truly loves Anna and doesn’t push her to reveal what she’s hiding. He won’t stand for her getting mistreated by anyone, including herself. What made me love him was how enraged he when he learned about what happened to her. Someone finally thought she was worth protecting, and I felt more anger at her parents for not caring enough to take that same interest in her all those years ago. Anna was a tough as nails heroine, but she needed to know what happened to her was wrong, and seeing how someone like Jed could fall for her made her start to realize that could be true. I was so happy she had a chance to finally see that she was “Worth It.”

[ReadAlongWithSue recovering from a stroke★⋆. ࿐࿔ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me start off by saying how I got to read this book.

My friend Philomena, we manage an authors Facebook page together called 2 friends promote with authors. We also have a Facebook page where we add our reviews, along with each of us separately running our own blogs. We also help out with Blog Tours.

Philomena has a blog tour, whereupon she read and reviewed this book, seeing her review and knowing we have similar tastes, I decided to purchase it.

Now to the book!

Once opening the book I was lead right into very deeply the content of this story. As soon as I started to read this I just knew, by experience that I was going to love this to the end. I knew it had left Philomena gasping and I thought she was exaggerating. SHE WASN'T.

WORTH IT. She didn't think she was WORTH IT. No one treated her like she was WORTH IT. So she had no confidence, self esteem and she felt WORTHLESS. I was inside Anna, I was walking in her footsteps, felt her pain, felt her torture and felt heard in my head her reflections on the aftermath of things that happened to her. WORTH IT, she felt WORTHLESS.

I'll move along to when she met Jed, what a fantastic guy. So good for Anna and so patient. I can't give the story away, I feel like rambling on and on and on.......yes its that good.

There is a twist in the story, no...there are a couple of twists.

I was left holding my Kindle to my chest and gasping out loud several times throughout this story, texting my friend Philomena and saying OMG or WTF, I was open mouthed in many places within this book.

You HAVE to read it.

I can't find any other books written by this author Nicki DeStasi, so I am assuming its her debut book, if this is the case, then blimey!!! god help us for any further books from her.

As a reader and reviewer and blogger, I read a lot. I usually go straight into my next book, but this one has blown my socks off, and that only happens on occasions, this is ONE of them.

[Miria Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
You know that feeling when you went on a swing set and you'd try to go as high as you could and you could feel your stomach drop when it went back and then the stupid grin on your face when it felt like you were reaching the sky? That's what it felt like to read this book. My emotions were all over the place. In some scenes, my stomach dropped and I cringed on endless occasions at the atrocities Anna went through. If you are sensitive to violence and graphic descriptions, I advise you this is not the book for you. Anna's period of self-harm and the things that went through her head got to me in more ways that I care to describe. It was raw, gritty and painful. The times she held the blade in her hand , I wept for her. But even at her lowest points, and let me tell you they were LOW, there was this sparkle of determination within her that shined through the writing, that made me root for her the entire book through.
I'm not going to dwell on the negative characters, her exes, because well, they are truly evil characters are way too common in real life. I can almost guarantee you know someone who behaves like these men do.
And then , there's Jed.
I am stunned at the author's ability to bring to life these characters so fully in a pretty fast-paced storyline, none more so than Jed. He is tall, dark and handsome. He is sweet, sexy and laid-back. At times he is impulsive, he jumps to conclusions and not-so-perfect. He tries his best to get to Anna. Every scene he's in made me grin like an idiot. The steamier scenes in this book are insanely hot and exquisitely written.
So overall, a phenomenal book with everything you could possibly need for an awesome read that'll stay with you for a long time.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book fits the title perfectly because if you want to read it, it’s definitely worth the read!!

My heart just broke for Anna at the horrible hands she had been dealt with in her life. Not only was she destroyed by her father not wanting her, she had really been put through hell in her past relationships. She was abused physically and emotionally and I was hooked on this book from start to finish in hopes her life would get better.

Once Jed came into the picture, her whole world changed and he was the one person who saved her and made her heal. Jed knew he was ready for a solid relationship and knew he wanted Anna from the beginning. She was so gun shy and not wanting to trust another guy after what she’d been through and I can’t say I blame her at all. Jed was persistent and I really fell hard for him myself.

“You’re beautiful and funny. Something about you draws me in.” – Jed

This book deals with abuse and really pulled at my heart to see what this young girl experienced and I was really touched at how much she grew and changed in this book. She really blossomed and became stronger than ever.

Even when a part of her past caused her to be in danger, she dealt with it and tried to move on. Jed is such a sweetheart and the lengths he goes through to help her emotionally was so touching. He seemed to pull her out of the darkness she was in and brought her into the light.

For a debut novel, this book was beautifully written and I must say I am looking forward to reading more of her work. This book is not for the faint of heart and deals with some really emotional issues.

[Emma & · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worth it - Nicki DeStasi

5 stars

We were given an arc of this book in return for an honest review.

I loved this book and it is totally worth 5 stars if not more. It tells the story of Anna her childhood amiss of love and affection, when she's 15 she meets Todd who's older than her, He's aggressive, violent to her mentally and sexually and Anna thinks she cant exist without him. There are graphic scenes in this book (but not too graphic) which are needed to give you the story of what Anna endured. One day Todd has gone, no words, no letter just gone and a dependent Anna is devastated she self harms to deal with her pain and emotional problems as the years roll by her few relationships never amount to anything till Jed.

Jed is a wonderful character not a biker, not screwed up, not alpha just a normal down to earth sexy man who falls for Anna as soon as he lays eyes on her. They build a relationship but Anna insecurities get in the way and what follows is a beautiful story on how Jed helps her, talks to her, listens and encourages her to see someone for help which she does.

There is some twists and turns which i wont mention as it will spoil a wonderful story.

I highly recommend this book its sad, hard hitting, heart-breaking and gritty but also wonderful and loving sexy and passionate these two certainly are hot !!!

I look forward to more from this very talented author in the future.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding debut novel by Nicki DeStasi. Keeps you on the edge till the very last page. Many taboo topics brought too light. Anna growing up feels not lovable, biological father wants nothing to do with her, mom drifts away mentally, first boyfriend abuses her physically, mentally and sexually. Anna turns to "cutting" to relieve the pain that is torturing her, the low self esteem is eating away at her and she feels she has no where else to go. Then she is in college and goes to a party, she is drugged and raped. I can only imagine how broken someone could be after this, how many children and adults are living or have lived thru this. Then along comes Jed, meets a beautiful, sweet, sexy girl not knowing the kind of pain she is going thru. Anna can't believe he wants anything to do with her because she has been put down by everyone she loves she is afraid to be loved. Jed sees underneath there is more to her and he is there for her and slowly she comes out of her shell realizes everything in her past is NOT HER FAULT. Life is good with a little bumps in the road for our happy couple til the one person who broke her in her past returns and he will not stop till he has her back with a vengeance. Last two chapters you will want to throw something yell at the top of your lungs and cry. Can't wait to see what Nicki has up her sleeve for her next book.

[Heather andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anna has some issues when it comes to zombies but I'm sure Jed really doesn't mind, "once I have better control over my terror and heart rate, I peek up at him, and he's barely controlling is laughter. I'm practically sitting on him, my face is inches from his, and I'm clutching his shirt for dear life. "Sorry," I apologize sheepishly as I uncurl my fingers from their death grip on his shirt." Jed that boy sure likes to show affection, "his hand moves to my a**, and he pulls me to him, so I can feel his need for me. I can't help the slight moan that leaves me." I loved how Jed would reassure Anna the things he likes, and that with him Anna doesn't need to worry about things that she had to in her past, "no," I say. "Do not be embarrassed about the - ever. I love hearing the noises you make. It tells me I'm doing the it right. Not to mention, it's effing hot." He's protective as hell, "between what she told me last night and him effing with her, enough for her to threaten him, I'm getting pi**ed. She became my girl the moment I sank my di** in her, and this effer needs to back off." I loved reading this book some of the content hit home because Anna and I had some similar experiences, so it was great to see her grow more confident and less afraid thanks to Jed's help.

[Philomena Callan Cheekypee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Talk about starting with a bang. This author has just thrown be in the deep end of an angsty book from page one and just left me to hyper ventilate through this book on my own. In the last year I've read some heart wrenching books that I seriously think the author should be here holding my hand... Or maybe letting me vent at her lol
I jumped into this without reading synopsis or review. Not sure that was a good idea as I certainly wasn't prepared for the rollercoster ride!
Anna the main character is a fantastic character. After what she went through im surprised she could handle a relationship. Jed the main male character is brilliant. I totally loved him.
This book is angst yet has romance in it & I did find myself smile on several occasions.
The storyline is based on self harm and abuse. This is not a romantic book. It's certainly not for the faint hearted. Even at 95% when I thought I could breath again this author had me in knots.
Fantastic piece of writing with subject matters that should be talked and read about more.
I will certainly be recommending this book.

[Drea · Rating 1 out of 5]

Got about 44 pages in before I had to stop. The writing style was just not engaging at all, way too much telling and not enough showing. And this is just a pet peeve of mine, but I'm really tired of books with dual POV's and the guy doesn't stop talking about how super hot and sexy the girl is, and then talks about his dick twitching or jumping just from her flipping her hair or something. I get it: she's hot. No need to remind me five million times.

There were also way too many time jumps that never transitioned smoothly. And it bums me out because the plot sounds okay. I thought that the author described the self-injury part pretty well. She accurately explained the thought process one goes through. But other than that, the overall voice of the story is just bland. I know I'm in the minority here but oh well.

[Jolene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow what an emotional roller coaster ride the main character Anna was on. How the author portrayed the bad things that happened to her and how she coped and how she felt she deserved this treatment was fantastic and very well written. Her way of thinking and how this story was portrayed made it so effortless to read. Although so many parts were hard to read and although she put up with so much, I found her very strong not to give up so easily with all the bad surrounding her. Was very hard to stop once you start this book, every chapter leaves you wanting the next. Loved the Hero Jed, what a wonderful book boyfriend he is, sad their story is over but it's been a fantastic read.

[Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wowza! This girls life was rough! Your heart breaks so much for her. Just when you think she gets away from it all some thing else happens to the poor girl! Finally in walks Jed. Love him from day 1 and while this story has a lot of bumps along the way ur happiest when reading about the 2 of them together! Jed is so very very sweet and caring and understanding. A beautiful male character. Anna is damaged and it's no wonder! It's so rewarding watching her get stronger each day after meeting Jed. This was a great story. Well worth it!!!

[CeCe · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just could not connect with the heroine. I am not sure why the hero would want the heroine.
Heroine is a cutter.

Mother got pregnant at 15 years old. The father left her at 2 years old. Her father agrees to meet her 14 years later. She meets her father. Her mother starts crying and runs to the car. The daughter leaves, but not before father promises to call and write. He does neither three months later. The heroine feels unworthy and so the self destruction and other stuff begins.

I just did not care.

[Tabitha Willbanks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been blessed to be a part of this book from the beginning of the first round of beta reads. Worth It, by, Nicki DeStasi is just one of those books that will stick with you. As a reader, you are going to run the gamut of emotions. And here's your warning now: you will cry; and it will be the ugly cry, but it is so worth it. Anna and Jed are going to capture your heart just like they did mine. Thank you Nicki for such a beautiful story, and for letting me be a small part of it.

[Stacia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worth It grabbed me in from the first chapter and I was emotionally hooked through out the book. It is filled with angst, suspense, horrific subjects, but also still has humor, romance and a SEXY leading man.
Nicki Destasi did an amazing job on her debut novel and I recommend you picking this one up!!

[MAI · Rating 1 out of 5]

oh my i can't believe i actually read this darn thing but when you have a quota of how many "dnf" a month you can actually do. i had no choice but my dear baby fish this book was all types of cluster duck :o

[Joni Furman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing

I love the book, it is heart warming, and a amazing story, if I could I would love to meet the author

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Great story!

[Tara · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF 64%

[Rebecca Woodrum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emotional and gripping

I was captivated from page one by the heroine's emotional journey. I cried, laughed and was really touched by this story.