The Savage

Boys of Richland #1

by Daniela Romero

I know her as the unconscious girl I found bleeding out on the locker room floor.
I got her help. I saved her life.
You’d think she’d be grateful.
She isn’t.
The next time I see her, she makes it clear she wants nothing to do with me.
Too bad.
I didn’t go through the trouble of saving her life just for her to throw it away all over again.


***Content Warning: If you have triggers, please review the list featured in the beginning of book.

Genres: Sports Romance, Sports, Romance, Dark Romance, College, Dark, College Romance

356 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 18, 2022

About the author

Daniela Romero is a USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. She enjoys writing steamy, new-adult and paranormal romance that delivers an emotional roller coaster sure to take your breath away.
Her books feature a diverse cast of characters with rich and vibrant cultures in an effort to effectively portray the world we all live in. One that is so beautifully colorful.
Daniela is a Bay Area native though she currently lives in Washington State with her sarcastic husband and their three tiny terrors.
In her free time, Daniela enjoys frequent naps, binge reading her favorite romance books, and is known to crochet while watching television because her ADHD brain can never do just one thing at a time.
Stop by her website to find all the fun and unique ways you can stalk her. And while you’re there you can check out some free bonus scenes from your favorite books, learn about her Patreon, order signed copies of her books, and swoon over her gorgeous alternative cover editions.
www.daniela-romero.com
You can join her newsletter by visiting
https://hi.switchy.io/VIP

Reviews

[Rain]

DNF. Made it just past 40%. I think the author was going for a bully/enemies to lovers theme?

Possibly spoilers and HUGE triggers below:
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*
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Immature characters and dialogue
Idiot parents - they had NO clue what was happening??
Graphic description of drug overdose
Graphic description of suicide
Graphic description of suicide attempts
Graphic description of gang “date” rape
Graphic description of harassment of rape victim

Not to mention multiple inaccuracies throughout the story made it impossible to continue. Did this story take place in an alternate universe?

[Tiffany aka Chai Tea And Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whewwwww buddy. I was not prepared. I felt all the emotions listening to this one. It does cover heavy subjects, including some major triggers like self harm and S. Assault, so make sure you check the full content warning list before diving in. These two main characters had my heart. The trauma both of them went through and the broken pieces they weren’t hiding very well were so evident in the writing. The way these two were drawn to each other and the feelings they had were palpable. I was not in any way shape or form prepared for the ending, and I am so glad I have the second one queued up and ready to go, because in not done with these two yet.

❤️ Tropes ❤️
💋who hurt you?
💋 touch her and ☠️
💋 soccer player MMC
💋 previous cheerleader FMC

Gabe only knew her as the girl he discovered bleeding out in the locker room, but now thanks to his teammate he knows her name. Cece, he calls her. But she corrects him to Cecelia and she walks away. Something isn’t right there, and his teammate’s story isn’t matching her actions. When he sees her in the pool, he realizes she is going to try again. And he isn’t going to let her. He might not have been able to save his twin, but he is going to save Cecelia.

Thank you to Hambright PR for the copy of the audiobook, all thoughts are my own.

[Rhonda Ziglar · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 SAVAGE STARS!! Wow, I really loved this book it kept me flipping pages. Gabriel and Cecilia have one heck of a story to tell you and you can't put it down. I need the next book like I need to breath.

[Ainival · Rating 3 out of 5]

Drag

This book drags on and on and it just ended with no resolution to anything. It really could easily be one book. I felt like it went no where. This was a disappointing buy.

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Maybe we can be broken together? It might make the pain hurt a little less."

Guess what? I spent six hours straight reading and listening to this audiobook and I didn't remember when my last time being so devoted to a book was. This book drew me in with its tantalizing synopsis as you might know, I was a masochistic who liked broken characters and heartbreaking tear-jerkers. To my satisfaction, The Savage did not let me down!

I don't know if I can help her. And it's pretty clear she doesn't want me to. But, I think I owe it to my brother to try.

To begin with, I always had a soft spot for thoughtful heroes who rescued the damsels in distress and this book was all about that. Gabriel was a soccer player on campus and he saved the life of Cecilia, a girl who didn't want to be saved because of a horrific trauma happening three months ago in a party. The story started with vivid descriptions of what happened to Cecilia in the party and everything pretty much revolved around the incident and how she was holding up afterwards.

It hurt me to see Cecilia struggle to get back to normal after being so helpless and hopeless due to all kinds of obstacles when trying to make herself heard. There was power play, dirty little secrets behind the scenes of the attackers and herself, and sadly, this part of the book was unfortunately the exact reflection of the society we lived in. Bad people usually got away with it and it was always the good who suffered from the consequences.

Thankfully, Gabriel stuck around and was determined to lift her up when she was at the rock bottom. He had his personal demons to battle against but thanks to his best friends, Julio and Felix, he managed to get through the worst. One thing I absolutely loved about this story was the concept of familia; it was important to have friends who truly got your back no matter what your status in life was, and for that, I was glad Gabriel brought Cecilia to his group and all of them accepted her and became her most solid support system.

This book was insanely addictive to me as I didn't put it down (like, literally) during the entire six hours reading sprint (!). The writing was great and I kept wanting to know what was going on next. Although sometimes Gabriel's overprotectiveness and eager to label his relationship with Cecilia felt a bit suffocating to me, I appreciated he tried his utmost to take care of her and see if she'd trust him enough to finally open up about what went wrong in that party.

However, of course that wasn't how this story went, and what took me aback was probably the last 10%~15% of the book when Gabriel and Cecilia just...had sex naturally. Don't get me wrong, we all wanted that to happen eventually BUT she was just raped and apparently still lived in trauma with sporadic panic attacks, and what's worse, she even wasn't the one telling the truth to Gabriel. And then what? They just got it on???!!! Anyways, that last bit of the story came out of the blue and don't get me started on the cliffhanger. I was never a fan of cliffhangers and even though I knew there'd be one for this book as Gabriel and Cecilia's story wouldn't be complete after this trilogy ended, I still didn't see why it needed to spread into three full-length novels for the storyline. I meant, honestly, there wasn't much going on aside from Cecilia's tragic incident so unless there were more plot twists in the next two books, I genuinely thought this book could draw to an end somehow.

That said, I thought I'd still give the rest of the series a shot as I did like Gabriel and Cecilia in general. I hated that she had to push him away to find herself but I hoped they'd manage to work out this precious relationship, despite built on broken pieces.

Lastly, there were trigger warnings that may cause discomfort in this book so please consider yourself warned before diving in! You can find them in the beginning page of the book or here: Trigger warnings: mild sexual assault scenes, rape, alcoholism, drug abuse, physical violence, explicit sex scenes, and vulgar language.

***Thanks to Hambright PR and the author for kindly providing me with a digital and an audio copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.***

[What.Nikki.Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

⚽ MMC Soccer player
🏊🏻‍♀️ FMC swimmer
⚽ College
🏊🏻‍♀️ Trauma bonding
⚽ Heavy topics
🏊🏻‍♀️ Who did this to you?
⚽ He falls first
🏊🏻‍♀️ Book 1, cliffhanger
⚠️ Check triggers many on page events and off page topics

Cecilia and Gabe

Alright I loved this one buttttt oh my goodness did it have some heavy triggers!! Please check them or at least read the blurb.

"Maybe we can be broken together? It might make the pain hurt a little less."

He is her savior, rescues the damsel in distress. But she didn't want to be saved and she keeps on pushing against his attempts to help her.

I can't saw too much a lot of it is spoilers but I LOVED the audio and can't wait for book 2!

Thank you for this ALC @hambright_pr and @authordanielaromero

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was not a fan of this one. Mostly because of the issues that I had with Gabriel. I thought he was so wrong for some of the things that he did and that he was a bit toxic. What really made me mad was that he was so forceful and couldn't wait for her to open up about her experience so he went behind her back and found out. He just seemed like a very problematic character and not in a good way. I liked Cecelia and I felt so bad for her and everything she went through. This book was emotional and a bit dark, but there were still some funny and joking moments. Overall, just was not the book for me.

[Judy Portelles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gabriel and Cecilia have dealt with some heavy trauma in their lives. These two took me on an emotional journey, this does end on a cliffhanger and it broke my heart.

The audio was so good, I listened to this in one sitting. Ramona Master and Noah B Perez did such an amazing job bringing these characters to life. Highly recommend the audio.

[Catarina Vieira | umlivroduplicado · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25

I listened to this one because if there's anything you should about me, it's: I am a Noah B. Perez fan first and a human second. And let me tell you: he nailed it AGAIN.

This story is so powerful, and I was not ready for how deep the plot was. When I decided to pick up this audio, I was expecting a cheesy sports romance with a lot of soccer, and that is not, at all, what the book is about.

Do not get me wrong: I adored this book, and I need to start book two asap. Even tho it was not what I was looking for, the story became a favorite, and I am so glad this book was everything but a cute romance.

Gabriel and Cecilia bond was undoubtedly my favorite part of the book, and I loved how Daniela decided to tell us both of their stories - traumatic ones I must add.

Both of the narrators nailed the audiobook with a passionately and emotional performance!

And now I am on my way to start book two and cry my eyes out AGAIN.

You need to pick this book asap, there's some tropes you can find:
❤️‍🩹 traumatic past (both);
⚽️ popular guys - member of the soccer team;
✨️ found family (the Gabriel's friend group!!)
🫶🏻 a mmc who speaks spanish

Thank you so much Hambright PR & Daniela Romeronthe ALC 🫶🏻✨️

[Sammy 💗 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this one on audio and it was narrated so well. I did listen to this in one sitting.

This book was heavy. Both Cecilia and Gabriel have dealt with trauma that they are carrying until they find each other. The way Gabriel wants to protect Cecilia and help her warmed my heart. What they both go through broke my heart to pieces, but I still loved their story. Since this book ends on a cliffhanger, I definitely need to read the next book to find out what happens.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want to start off with please check the trigger warnings your mental health matters.

This book starts off by punching you in the gut. Cecilia goes through something very traumatic and then later attempts ☠️. I was in tears reading those first few chapters of Cecilia and Gabriel. Gabriel decides he's going to help Cecilia and uncover what happened to her.

I flew through this book. I couldn't put it down. She also finds family within Gabriel's friends and it felt like a safe haven. Cecilia makes a hard decision and I really commend her for it. I need to know what happens after that ending. I just wish this book was a smidge longer to get some more development in there. I read both the e-book and listened to the audiobook and both were done well.

[Ive · Rating 2 out of 5]

YA - Me ❌ why do I ever try YA? I am too old for this BS behavior. And worst I even read the second book because I want justice, but I can't stomach the third. The blurb is totally misleading so be aware of trigger. Drugs, rape, attempted suicide, suicide, ....
The characters are so superficial and childish (is that the one key figure to match as YA book?). every fucking thing in this book is rushed. why pick authors this heavy topic and are unable to make it believable?
spoiler ahead: She's having a panic attack because of course she's traumatized by recent rape. she sees the guys and flips out. but then she wants to get fucked by Gabriel (MC) which is a this time not her boyfriend. when my timeline is correct they know each other for only a week, maybe two. like really? and what about the fmc losing track of time and don't remember what happened, she suddenly finds her self in her room and can't remember the whole day? it was mentioned and I thought "okay maybe she really has mental health issue" which I would understand, but it is never mentioned again. what? why? she's not talking with her parents and she doesn't talk with her therapist. why? because it's young adult...

[Rachel (rachellynnreadss🪩🩵) Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

4🌟
2.5🌶

*edit to add audio review 4⭐️

Gabriel & Cecilia… just wow. I read the start of their story in an anthology last year & immediately knew I wanted more from them! This book hit me in the heart so hard & I just admired the heck out of Cecilia. She went through a lot & it was heartbreaking to see just how invisible she wanted to be. Gabriel… ugh he won my heart. The way he was with her & never gave up on her just made me smile so freaking hard. I enjoyed getting to see these two fall in love & overcome their obstacles. The plot was good, never got bored or anything. I just wanted to see these two make it to that finish line so badly!

The chemistry between these two was fire from the get go! The tension was super hot & I may have melted for Gabriel a little bit…🥵 I really love Daniela’s writing & I’m super excited to read even more books by her!

[Paula Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book first off was amazing as for me lately, I have struggled to get into romances as every romance I have tried has felt blah and just not grabbing me at all. I was a little nervous going into this book as I had previously loved Daniela's Sun Valley Devils series and was anxious that this wouldn't grab me but it surprised me as I loved this book. In parts, yes I was angry as the guys who deserved punishment got away with it but all I could think was - one day that they will get their karma for being jerks, etc. The other thing I think why I loved this book was as the main female character Cecelia suffered the same fate we saw Allie in the Sun Valley series and I quickly connected with Cecelia the character as well as Gabriel who we had seen bits of in Sun Valley along with Felix, Julio and even Allie guest-starred in this book and it mentioned where Roman was now too which made me smile. The Savage had all the feelings as Gabe's twin brother have sadly killed himself and then the way he meets Cecelia is that he finds her just as she tried to kill herself and he saves her. When he sees her that first day at University, he knows it's a sign to try and save her - a second chance for himself as he couldn't save his brother but he could save her, it's a bonus as he likes her romantically as well. Due to Cecelia's hurt, her bullies happen to be popular guys at the university and she sees no way out but to try again, however with Gabe on her tail - she can't seem to get any time alone. I have to admit, I loved this book so much that when it came to the end I was like NOOOOOO !!! as it ended of course with a cliffhanger and now I have to sit patiently and wait for Book #2 - the downside of enjoying a book and being a fast reader - the wait can seem like forever. Anyway, overall if you love New Adult Romances with a bit of grit, then check out The Savage by Daniela Romero as you will enjoy it as much as I did.

[Irma *Irma The Book Whisperer* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Daniela threw a tsunami of emotions to my face with this one.

I couldn't stop reading. From the first line the book traps your attention and never lets you go. I felt the terror Cecilia felt. The despair that followed, her giving up and accepting of what was left...
I was on high alert through most of it; the person who harmed Cecilia is still freely roaming the school halls, cornering her every change he gets. She still has no peace...

Until Gabriel comes along, a boy who sees her, a boy who belives her. He's hurting too, he couldn't save a person important to him, and he's not going to fail again!

The story had my heart racing and that prevented me from stopping to read.

Amazing story, the characters were impeccably written. The Savage exceeded all my expectations.

I can not wait get my hands The Striker to see how the story unfolds.

[Jamie Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

AHHH! The HOLDDDD this book had on me from start to finish! Full disclosure I went in blindly, it's just my thing.. but if you have triggers please check them.
@authordanielaromero did an incredible job writing this, and I have to do straight to the next book to find out what happens next. Is the Audio coming soon? 😅

I don't want to say a lot, to give things away. This book deals with very dark moments, very real moments and mental health. It also has hope, found family and HE FALLS FIRST!

I very much recommend, but maybe read the blurb to prepare yourself.

The narrators did an exceptional job, I could feel the pain Cecilia and Gabe were going through separately, and the passion they both held for each other.

Thank you to Daniela Romero and Hambright PR for the ALC!!

[Katja ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, OMG!!! Gabriel and Cecilia meet through terrible circumstances and bond through shared trauma that no one at their age should go through.
The emotions in this book were thick and raw and not for the faint of heart. I don’t want to say too much to spill the beans, but this is definitely a book I recommend for anyone without triggers who loves sports romance. The side characters (Gabriel’s friends) are super laid back and trustworthy and I felt like they also play a big role in the book alongside the FMC and MMC. The cliffhanger has me on the edge of my seat, I need to listed to book 2 ASAP!!!!

*definitely check for trigger warnings*

[Lark _thebookchamber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely check trigger warnings beforehand if there are any topics that are sensitive to you!

I enjoyed this audiobook a lot! This story was emotional and raw at times, but still had happy warm moments scattered throughout! The characters were good. I loved Cecilia and my heart latched onto her so hard for what she had gone through. Gabriel was good too! I loved how caring and protective he was- however I felt like he pushed a little too hard for Cecilia to open up. Their chemistry was there and I enjoyed seeing them work through their trauma together and be able to confide in one another to overcome those obstacles to their best ability 💖

Thank you Hambright PR for the gifted audiobook! I look forward to reading more from this author ☺️

[Abbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What have I just read... my heart I broken and I've cried. Why has Cecilia broken her own heart like that. Gabriel is just amazing and I love Julio and the way he's so tough looking and sensitive and Felix is ca closet psycho they need to rein in. I'm hoping cecilua phones Allie and they can help each other heal

[Michellelovesreading · Rating 5 out of 5]

(⚠️⚠️Check all TW before reading ⚠️⚠️) This book was so good

[Janine Vuong · Rating 4 out of 5]

guys I had no clue what I was going into when I read this ARC but WOW it is INCREDIBLE!! the angst was insane and all my emotions were running on a high with every chapter!! I love Gabe, Julio, and Felix sm 😭 and Cecilia 🥺 I feel for her so much <3 This was an absolute heartbreaking story that highlights sensitive topics so be aware of the TWs if you read it but the author does such a wonderful job at portraying the conflicting thoughts of those who experience trauma. There was a little bit of everything and I was so hooked by the storyline and found family. It’s a complex read but one that I think many people will appreciate.

I was worried this book would end abruptly and be super rushed but thankfully there’s another book and I have the ARC 🥺 Already started it because I need to know what happens next!!

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Be forewarned! It ends with a cliffy!

[Lexi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Maybe me accidentally deleting my review from the notes app is just a sign from the universe to me .. Oh well.

So in short - I know this is a fiction book but the topic the author chose to tell was a difficult one in my opinion. I really hoped until that last page it would get better or the characters would change somewhat. But no. It get worse (totally my fault this time) bc there’s another book where their story continues and I can‘t life through hell again.


Basically Cecilia went through hell and back and instead of having her parents support her (the author chose to display them as the ones whiteout any clue as to what happened to their daughter), or giving her the help she really needed Cecilia got crap parents. It seems like the easier option to me which makes this story a big part of unrealistic. They then agree to her getting back to the same College where she obviously suffered her trauma?!?!???! There’s this one scene where Gabe drives her home (even though she feels very uncomfortable) and wants to force her to speak to him. She panics and wants to run away from him but he just follows her into her home where she screams at him to go away and let her alone and the parents are there too so he calms asks them to let him speak to their daughter alone AND THEY FUCKING LEAVE??!??? Like Hellooo she was screaming to a guy to leave and the first reaction the parents have is to leave them both alone?!??!? I got so mad after reading this scene that I had to pause for a few minutes. I felt so sorry for her the whole book and really wanted to jump into the book and hug her and protect her.


And to top it all off (which is definitely veeeery loosely summarized) there’s this guy (Gabe) that now has an eye on her cause he can‘t deal with his own trauma and instead of getting help he fixates on Cecilia and the WHOLE BOOK he talks like it’s ok?!?!!???? Like he apparently* has a crush on her but won’t allow her to do things on her own?!???!! (Also he calls all girls and also Cecilia chicks/a chick until the very end of the book which is such an arrogant behavior imo)


*I say apparently bc this seemed more like there’s the disgusting horrible guy but then it’s another disgusting horrible guy 😤



Yes it’s fiction. And I will only once complain that they never talked protective before getting spicy (it’s really my pet peeve). But this whole book is a big no for me. Big red flag. It was very upsetting to read how Celeste got treated even from people she thought will be there for her and protect her.
For trauma survivors I can only imagine how disheartening it must feel to read this story and bc of that I gave it this low rating. There is really nothing to romanticize about behavior or people like this.



1 ⭐️

[FS Meurinne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cecilia and Gabriel's story is a spin-off series from Devils of Sun Valley, these two broken souls have gone through a lot, it's an emotional rollercoaster you can't stop reading. This story has some trigger warnings for some readers. The story will captivate you, and make your heartache and your mind wander into their world. Their past is not easy. Gabriel's protectiveness will have you falling for him, they have great chemistry and I can't wait to find out how their story continues.




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[Mechelle Ross · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was really excited to read this book after having read Roman and Allie's story, Wicked Devil, in the Devil of Sun Valley series. This book really disappointed me and I DNF at 62% of the book. The Savage is part 1 of Gabriel and Cecilia's story. Cecilia was physically attacked, forcibly drugged, and sexually assaulted by 3 frat brothers. The school and her friends dismissed her complaint and accused her of lying and being "slut." She had to deal with the continual torment of her attackers and the threat of her rape video being released on the internet. Cecilia reaches her breaking point and attempts suicide. And the reader is supposed to believe that Cecilia would welcome a sexual advance from Gabriel after only meeting him 3 times. And this encounter happens not even an hour after she has a panic attack from just being near Gabriel and his two friends. I'm sorry that's BS. As someone who has worked with sexual assault survivors, I can tell you from experience that this encounter is highly unlikely. Cecilia doesn't even trust Gabriel, especially considering she believes he's friends (and teammates) with her attackers. And I'm not saying Cecilia shouldn't enjoy sex after being attacked. I'm just saying that it most likely wouldn't happen until she developed trust between her and Gabriel.

I lost all kinds of respect for Gabriel when he initiates a sexual encounter with Cecilia after just learning she was sexually assaulted. Sorry, but that just makes him a jerk in my eyes. So, for me this book just didn't seem realistic, which was surprising after the way the author handled the sexual assault issue in Wicked Devil. I know this is fiction and not reality, but I couldn't overlook this issue. I really tried.

[Life on Readpeat · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐠𝐞 by Daniela Romero 𝐅*𝐂𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 wrecked me. It abso-𝐅*𝐂𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆-lutely 𝐖𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐃 me to the core and left me an emotional mess deep throughout my entire soul. This author's 𝐑𝐀𝐖 and 𝐆𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐘 storytelling was breathtakingly beautiful and I was left completely breathless by Gabriel "Gabe" Herrera and Cecilia Russo's emotionally captivating journey. It's so 𝐅*𝐂𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 hard to believe that this is 𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘 part one of their story...and my heart will certainly resemble a mangled mess by the time Daniela Romero is through with us, but I have no doubt that she will give Gabe and Cecilia their happily ever after in the end, even if she has to set our hearts aflame a few thousand times in-between.

My broken soul wept for Cecilia. I could feel the emotions she felt deep in my bones. The trauma she endured was tragic and something that no woman should 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 have to go through. When she tries to end her suffering, 𝐚 𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥, intervenes and he refuses to let go down that path again. Gabriel couldn't save his twin brother, but he won't let Cecilia slip through his fingers. He will do anything to protect her and show her how much she will be missed if she has succeeded. Together these two lost souls will heal one another...and I am 𝐅*𝐂𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 here for it! I cannot wait to see how their story ends in 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐫 (release 𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐) because I am ready for all the 𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐒𝐓 that Daniela Romero will surely bring!

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

How not to help an abuse survivor

I had to double check that this book was written by a women cause WTF? The FMC has been drugged, abused, and raped by three ppl and is bullied and tormented after being dismissed by authorities and the MMC’s solution to help her is to bully her more, rob more of her agency, ignore what she wants and voices more all in the spirit of doing what’s best for her???

The FMC is basically being bullied into killing herself and bullied into living in misery at the same damn time. I am flabbergasted. I really don’t know how I feel about the story.

As of the style and structure, there are typos and grammatical errors but not a distracting amount. There is a lot of repetitive internal dialogue that could’ve been left out. A lot of explaining what happened in the characters head vs reading about it in realtime on the page.

[Book Life With Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

another fabulous addition to this world!

The Savage, the first book in the Boys of Richland series by Daniela Romero was another fabulous addition to a phenomenal world that Daniela masterfully created and was nonstop full of heartbreak, drama, intrigue and endless angst for the ultimate of roller coaster rides!

[Karin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gabriel and Cecilia story was tragic cause they both are breaking on the inside but for different reasons that they are keeping deep down in a vault but when Cecilia comes back to school not who she once was, one look at her was all it took for Gabriel’s demons to see hers and now there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for them to battle together!!

[Alysha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did NOT know this wasn’t a completed series or a stand alone so I’m pissed at myself for that 😂
Anyways, damn this book hit me in my feels. Chapter 1 we find out Cecilia was raped by none other than the golden boy and his 2 friends. He threatens her to keep her mouth shut. This poor girl goes through hell alone and tries to kill herself. But she’s found and saved by Gabriel. She doesn’t know him at the time and he doesn’t know her. But he sees her trauma and wants to save her. He inserts himself into her life in some stalkerish ways but only to try and help. Cecilia refuses to open up but it isn’t hard to put 2 and 2 together to figure out something bad has happened. Gabe, along with his friends Julio and Felix take her under their wing and offer her friendship. The lines begging to blur for Gabe and Cecilia but she isn’t quite ready for a relationship yet. Her rapist is still on campus, threatening her and making her life hell at every opportunity. Gabe works out it’s someone on the soccer team and starts working with his friends to figure it out. When they do figure out, chaos ensues. Cecilia never wanted him to find out, let alone to figure out who it was. Just as they start to make a breakthrough with each other, Cecilia tells him they have to end things. She doesn’t want Gabe to be a crutch for her. She wants to learn to stand on her own 2 feet and not rely on someone else to make her happy. She knows that Gabe can give her that, but she doesn’t want it. Gabe knows she is lying to him and doesn’t want to end things. He calls bullshit on everything she is saying but she isn’t backing down.

I can’t wait to see how their story plays out.

Gabe is very broken too. His twin brother committed suicide in the same way that Cecilia tried to. She calls him her guardian angel and he wants that for them but she doesn’t.

Cecilia’s parents piss me off. They should have figured out what happened and why she tried to kill herself. She went from a popular cheerleader to withdrawn and distant and depressed.

This book is definitely a rollercoaster of emotion. Can 2 broken people heal each other?