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Madness
I never wanted to fall in love.
I lived a life tainted by mental illness and the stigma that came with it. That illness almost claimed my life once and I had a promise to keep, a promise that I would live, no matter how much it hurt. All I craved in life was marginal happiness, a little success, and an unfractured mind. I longed for the normalcy that the rest of the world thrived on while fearing the intimacy that could snap the thin thread with which I held onto sanity.
I may not have had it all, but I was close...until he crashed into my world.
He turned everything upside down and shifted the scales of my balanced world. He was charming and charismatic with a healthy dash of trouble and volatility rolled in. He was completely and perfectly damaged. I tumbled hard and fast.
I fell in love with Rory O’Neill and our world was little more than madness....and it was fucking beautiful.
**Intended for mature readers, age 18+, due to explicit language and sexual situations. **
I lived a life tainted by mental illness and the stigma that came with it. That illness almost claimed my life once and I had a promise to keep, a promise that I would live, no matter how much it hurt. All I craved in life was marginal happiness, a little success, and an unfractured mind. I longed for the normalcy that the rest of the world thrived on while fearing the intimacy that could snap the thin thread with which I held onto sanity.
I may not have had it all, but I was close...until he crashed into my world.
He turned everything upside down and shifted the scales of my balanced world. He was charming and charismatic with a healthy dash of trouble and volatility rolled in. He was completely and perfectly damaged. I tumbled hard and fast.
I fell in love with Rory O’Neill and our world was little more than madness....and it was fucking beautiful.
**Intended for mature readers, age 18+, due to explicit language and sexual situations. **
- GenresAdult
ebook
First published September 1, 2014
About the author
J.L. Vallance
6 books70 followersJ. L. Vallance is a wife, mom, and nurse by day, while posing as a writer by night. Plagued with an overactive imagination, a lover of all things supernatural in nature, she has an extraordinary flair for the dramatic that adds flavor to life. There’s little in her world that Otis Redding and buttercream icing can’t fix. And of course, coffee always helps too. True story.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 21, 2014
I was given this ARC copy to read and give an honest reveiw. I fell in love with this book. Frankie is a tough women on the outside and soft and sweet on the inside. You will fell in love with her right away. I had a hard time putting this book down. I is well worth the read.
September 9, 2014
this is an amazing book !!! again the author knocked this one out of the park!! Love this story. couldn't put the book down. read this in one day !!! amazing !!
September 29, 2014
4.5 Star Review by Jen Skewes
There are not enough words to describe how much I loved this book. It was such a wonderful story about two people, one who is mentally ill and the other who is battling addiction. Together they find comfort in each other but their road to happiness is anything but easy. Madness is the story of Frankie and Rory, two beautifully broken people who have to fight the madness in their life to be able to come out whole, and happy. While this is a wonderful love story it is also a story of real life.
Frankie was such a wonderful heroine. She has been dealing with her mental illness and depression since she was younger. But when she lost one of the most important people in her life she made a promise, one she intended to keep. Frankie lives her life with these walls up. She is afraid of letting anyone in for fear of it breaking her. She has her best friends Karleigh and Karleigh's brother Lucas. She doesn’t date or have an sexual encounters with random men. She has an arrangement with a friend that works perfect for her, there are no complications and no feelings involved. While at times she craves the normal life that others around her have, she is content with the place that she is in right now. Until Rory O’Neill comes crashing into her life and turning her world upside down.
Rory was such a sweet and kind person with a huge heart. I couldn’t help fall in love with this beautiful damaged man. He has been carrying around this guilt over a tragic incident that happened a few years ago. That guilt and grief has lead him down a road of destruction. He copes the only way he knows how. When he meets Frankie his world changes. He wants her, and in so many ways he needs her. Frankie has walls up and at first refuses to let him in. But as time goes on things change. Frankie starts to “feel” which is something she swore she would never do. She has friends that are there to help her and protect her. But with Rory it is different. He understands her, and in a way he is just like her. It’s almost as if they complete each other. But they both have baggage, which in the end can only hurt them. Will they both be able to get through the madness and the struggles that is their life and learn to be happy?
Madness was such a beautiful story. Frankie and Rory were so amazing together. They were simply made for each other. Rory could be cocky and arrogant but so sexy. He knew what he wanted and he went for it and didn’t give up until Frankie gave in. At times I wanted to hurt him for his decisions but you realize that some of his decisions came from his heart. And that is what I loved about him. Beneath the cocky, flirtatious, and sexy exterior was a damaged man with a heart. I felt his pain and everything that he went through. Frankie was his perfect match. She was sarcastic and did not take his shit. Together they were perfect.
I loved the supporting characters. I felt bad for Lucas and would love to see him get the happily ever after that he deserves. Karleigh was an amazing best friend and the both of them were great support systems for Frankie. Madness is a must read. It wil make you laugh, cry, and at times frustrated. But in the end you will be left with a smile. You will fall in love with Rory and Frankie. Fantastic job by JL Vallance!
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
There are not enough words to describe how much I loved this book. It was such a wonderful story about two people, one who is mentally ill and the other who is battling addiction. Together they find comfort in each other but their road to happiness is anything but easy. Madness is the story of Frankie and Rory, two beautifully broken people who have to fight the madness in their life to be able to come out whole, and happy. While this is a wonderful love story it is also a story of real life.
Frankie was such a wonderful heroine. She has been dealing with her mental illness and depression since she was younger. But when she lost one of the most important people in her life she made a promise, one she intended to keep. Frankie lives her life with these walls up. She is afraid of letting anyone in for fear of it breaking her. She has her best friends Karleigh and Karleigh's brother Lucas. She doesn’t date or have an sexual encounters with random men. She has an arrangement with a friend that works perfect for her, there are no complications and no feelings involved. While at times she craves the normal life that others around her have, she is content with the place that she is in right now. Until Rory O’Neill comes crashing into her life and turning her world upside down.
Rory was such a sweet and kind person with a huge heart. I couldn’t help fall in love with this beautiful damaged man. He has been carrying around this guilt over a tragic incident that happened a few years ago. That guilt and grief has lead him down a road of destruction. He copes the only way he knows how. When he meets Frankie his world changes. He wants her, and in so many ways he needs her. Frankie has walls up and at first refuses to let him in. But as time goes on things change. Frankie starts to “feel” which is something she swore she would never do. She has friends that are there to help her and protect her. But with Rory it is different. He understands her, and in a way he is just like her. It’s almost as if they complete each other. But they both have baggage, which in the end can only hurt them. Will they both be able to get through the madness and the struggles that is their life and learn to be happy?
Madness was such a beautiful story. Frankie and Rory were so amazing together. They were simply made for each other. Rory could be cocky and arrogant but so sexy. He knew what he wanted and he went for it and didn’t give up until Frankie gave in. At times I wanted to hurt him for his decisions but you realize that some of his decisions came from his heart. And that is what I loved about him. Beneath the cocky, flirtatious, and sexy exterior was a damaged man with a heart. I felt his pain and everything that he went through. Frankie was his perfect match. She was sarcastic and did not take his shit. Together they were perfect.
I loved the supporting characters. I felt bad for Lucas and would love to see him get the happily ever after that he deserves. Karleigh was an amazing best friend and the both of them were great support systems for Frankie. Madness is a must read. It wil make you laugh, cry, and at times frustrated. But in the end you will be left with a smile. You will fall in love with Rory and Frankie. Fantastic job by JL Vallance!
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
September 19, 2014
Oh. My. God. Just. Seriously. Oh. My. God. J.L. Vallance just blew my heart into a million billion pieces and then pieced it back together again with her beautiful new book, Madness.
I have loved every single book that I’ve read of J.L. Vallance’s books, so when I found out that she was veering away from her paranormal series (which I love and freaking adore with all of my bookish heart) and writing a contemporary novel – I was beyond curious and excited to see what she would come up with. And while I knew that it would be amazing (cuz’ it’s J.L. Vallance!) I didn’t know that I would love, love, love freaking love it!! Add in the fact that I was lucky enough to beta read it and I am in book heaven!!
Madness is a story about two very broken individuals and the madness that is love. Oh me, oh my, but I seriously freaking loved this book. I’m having a hard time containing my giddy happiness over the awesomeness that I just read. Soooo soooo good.
The prologue hooked me on an emotional level, ripping into me and making me feel everything. Right from the get-go I understood Francesca ‘Frankie’ Winters, she is a young woman who has fallen into the web of mental illness. Suffering so much from it that it has consumed her life and colored the way she has relationships and deals with things. Frankie is one of those characters that I thank the literary gods for placing into an authors hands, especially this author. J.L. Vallance did a beautiful job bringing Frankie to life. Her feelings are so real, the nuances of her mental illness are perfectly and respectfully brought to life. But my favorite thing about her is her strength. I love how strong she is and that she doesn’t get how strong she is. I loved Frankie, one of my favorite characters of ever.
When Frankie’s sister gets married, she is appointed maid of honor and when she meets the best man – holy crap, I need a fan! – the chemistry between them explodes in glorious, hilarious fashion. As they fall into to each other it becomes very evident that all is not right for Rory and that he himself deals with some hefty dark skeletons. As the story progressed my heart broke for them both, and I just wanted to reach into my Kindle and hug both Rory and Frankie. Both of them are so utterly, stunningly awesome.
Together these two are a beautiful mess, and believe me it is beautiful.
And complete Madness.
I loved every moment of this story.
Every. Single. Moment.
This was a knockout of a book and I can’t recommend it enough. Seriously, take the time to read this beautiful gem of a story. Be ready to fall into the Madness of this beautiful, wonderful, stunning story. I loved it.
Originally posted on Me, Myself & Books
I have loved every single book that I’ve read of J.L. Vallance’s books, so when I found out that she was veering away from her paranormal series (which I love and freaking adore with all of my bookish heart) and writing a contemporary novel – I was beyond curious and excited to see what she would come up with. And while I knew that it would be amazing (cuz’ it’s J.L. Vallance!) I didn’t know that I would love, love, love freaking love it!! Add in the fact that I was lucky enough to beta read it and I am in book heaven!!
Madness is a story about two very broken individuals and the madness that is love. Oh me, oh my, but I seriously freaking loved this book. I’m having a hard time containing my giddy happiness over the awesomeness that I just read. Soooo soooo good.
The prologue hooked me on an emotional level, ripping into me and making me feel everything. Right from the get-go I understood Francesca ‘Frankie’ Winters, she is a young woman who has fallen into the web of mental illness. Suffering so much from it that it has consumed her life and colored the way she has relationships and deals with things. Frankie is one of those characters that I thank the literary gods for placing into an authors hands, especially this author. J.L. Vallance did a beautiful job bringing Frankie to life. Her feelings are so real, the nuances of her mental illness are perfectly and respectfully brought to life. But my favorite thing about her is her strength. I love how strong she is and that she doesn’t get how strong she is. I loved Frankie, one of my favorite characters of ever.
When Frankie’s sister gets married, she is appointed maid of honor and when she meets the best man – holy crap, I need a fan! – the chemistry between them explodes in glorious, hilarious fashion. As they fall into to each other it becomes very evident that all is not right for Rory and that he himself deals with some hefty dark skeletons. As the story progressed my heart broke for them both, and I just wanted to reach into my Kindle and hug both Rory and Frankie. Both of them are so utterly, stunningly awesome.
Together these two are a beautiful mess, and believe me it is beautiful.
And complete Madness.
I loved every moment of this story.
Every. Single. Moment.
This was a knockout of a book and I can’t recommend it enough. Seriously, take the time to read this beautiful gem of a story. Be ready to fall into the Madness of this beautiful, wonderful, stunning story. I loved it.
Originally posted on Me, Myself & Books
September 11, 2014
I can't even say how much I loved this book. I read it in one sitting! Frankie is one bad-ass chick! I aspire to be more like her when I grow up. ;-) Such relate-able characters and a very yummy bad boy to swoon over. I will warn you though, this is NOT a sweet fairy-tale love story, but a messy complicated one that depicts real life more than fiction. Kudos to the author for taking the subject-matter to heart, displaying how ugly addiction can be, life altering depression can be, and that there can be hope found in this messed up world.
September 26, 2014
I LOVE this story. Two people broken somehow find one another. Francesca a strong woman who won't let her illness completely take over her life. Rory a man running from ghost that haunts him every day and drives him to addiction. a must read!!!!
September 16, 2014
Loved it!~
January 13, 2015
This is a beautiful, heart wrenching love story that makes you think about living life to the fullest!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews