Brokenly Blessed:

by Ragain Renee

Brokenly Blessed is the second book in The Backroad Series of interconnected standalones.



Do you know that theory about the

three big loves and how everyone experience's them.

Fairytale.

Lesson.

Unexpected.

I'd like to add another to that bunch, it's called the Imaginary.

I was so blind by love and the idea of always having it.

That when I thought I couldn't have the one my heart yearned

for I forced myself to imagine that in another.

It doesn't matter how the love story started, it only matters how it ends.



If you love best friends to lovers, right person wrong time, different worlds and summer love then you're gonna love Alex and Neil's epic love story.

312 pages, Paperback

Published June 30, 2024

Reviews

[Amity Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Alex & Neil’s story.

Best friends to lovers
Love at first sight
Right person wrong time
Different worlds
Love triangle

I am so thankful I was able to read this!! Love at first sight & friends who fall fast, but time and distance keep them apart. I loved how the book brought awareness to mental health and grief process, while also bringing the aspect of hopeless romantic and all things love for books! The perfect combination.

I wish I had gotten a little more of Neil’s view, but still this book was a 4 ⭐️ for me!

[January Embers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had such a fun time reading this book. I love summer romances. The friends to lovers and "right person, wrong time" trope was just perfect.

I do wish we got more of Neil's POV, but what we did get I really enjoyed. I also loved his friend group. I would not be mad if we got stories about the side characters. I LOVE side characters for some reason. I also am extremely jealous of Alex's friendships. I love that she has so many awesome gals in her life.

Something that really touched me is Alex's battles she faced.. The tough choice she had to make after the frat party really took my breath away. I cannot imagine, but my heart went out to her. Her step dad's story also really punched me in the gut. This story is based off the author's real love story, I hope if these two events are true events that she is healing. <3

Overall, such fun and easy read. I love the lake house summer vibes, perfect summer time read. Can't wait to see what else the author is cooking up.

[Ginny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best friends to lovers – long distance style.

This is the story of Alex and Neil. Alex lives in Texas and meets Neil while on high school summer vacation in Illinois. Their attraction is immediate and quickly become more than friends. They are separated by distance and their age so they remain friends through the years. Alex settles with a person living close to her while Neil is resigned to stay in the friend zone.

This story follows the ups and downs of their friendship over 5 years and leaves you wondering ‘when will the timing ever be right for these two?’. It’s worth the wait and I enjoyed their journey. I especially liked some of the secondary characters. They added to the story.

This is part 2 of a series. It was fine as a standalone story but I think you’ll get more enjoyment from reading the first.

[Amanda ✿ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️s

Best Friends to Lovers ✔️
Right Person, Wrong Time ✔️
Different Worlds 🤯; I didn’t think I’d like this trope but ✔️✔️✔️

Hi, it’s me a hopeless romantic and this book hit the mark. I cried lots of tears: happiness, sadness and frustrated. This book also had me laughing out loud at times! I felt all of the emotions when the author touched on mental health and the grieving. I fell in love with Neil and Allie’s (Alex/Alexandra) story and so sad that it’s over. This author had my heart breaking every time Allie had to leave, not me still wiping my tears over here because I’m an emotional mess. I’m looking forward to more, but be sure to put this on your TBR list if you’re a hopeless romantic like me!

[Margaret Weber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the opportunity to read this book from Ragain Renee and it was a well written story about the right person wrong time, long distance friendship turned into lovers. Alex goes to visit her dad in Illinois and meets Neil and the two become inseparable. As time and distance go on, Alex finds herself spiraling out of control after the loss of her step-dad. We see Alex and Neil's relationship go from friends to lovers to distant friends and finally Alex realizes it is now or never to get the guy she has loved since childhood. This was a beautifully written book that had me in all the feels and wanting more of Alex and Neil's story at the end. It is a story about love, loss, grief, mental health, family, and such more.

[Misty Warner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. This is the 2nd book in The Backroad Series. Each book can be read as a standalone.
Alex goes to visit her dad and meets Neil. They are drawn to one another instantly and spend all summer together. When she goes home her life starts spinning out of control. Nothing seems to help pull her from the dark surrounding her until she goes back to her dad's and Neil is there for her.
How can she go back home when the only light is going to be miles away?
Get your tissues ready for this book. I loved it and can't wait for more from this series.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review
Brokenly Blessed is the story of Alex and Neil. She lives in Texas but her dad lives in Illinois. When visiting her dad for the summer she meets Neil. They both have an attraction but call themselves best friends. She visits every summer and every summer they continue where they left off.
At home, she starts seeing a long time friend, Johnny. She loves Johnny but it's never like her love for Neil. After graduation, Neil and Alex grow about, only talking a few times a year.
Years ago by and they both try to move on but can't. After 5 years, will it finally be their time?

[Mandy’s Spicy Book Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4/5 ⭐️
Spice: 1/5 ⭐️
eARC

I loved Alex and Neil’s story. A young love between two high school kids who instantly become best friends. Never establishing what their relationship was beyond BF, these two live two lives. Every year Alex spends summers with her dad’s family, but before school starts she returns to her Texas home with her mom. It is a story that pulls at your heart. A slow burn through high school and after. I was happy, sad and angry. I cried like a baby. A great love story.

❤️Best friends to lovers
❤️Right person wrong time
❤️Different worlds
❤️Slow burn
❤️Young love