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Broken #0
Broken Bones
Dan Tolliver, the adopted son of alpha pack leader Jeremiah Tolliver, has suffered his last moment of abuse by his lover Keith Mulligan and finds himself in the hospital. There he meets dark and sharp-tongued Dr. Aiden Kavanaugh, who believes Dan needs some of his straightforward kind of medicine. Still, there is something different about the doctor.
Aiden is a sandman, a weaver of dreams, and has been on earth far longer than even he knows. He's at the end of his time, ready to transition, and needs a human mate to keep him connected to the world he’s grown to love. Only he hasn’t found a special person who makes him want to stay. He doesn’t despair, because not every sandman has the chance to choose, but he knows if he doesn’t find a partner, he will soon lose his physical form and exist only in dreams.
When Aiden realizes Keith is a far greater monster than Dan has any idea, they grow and work together using the support of the pack—and Dan’s inner strength—to overcome impossible odds.
Aiden is a sandman, a weaver of dreams, and has been on earth far longer than even he knows. He's at the end of his time, ready to transition, and needs a human mate to keep him connected to the world he’s grown to love. Only he hasn’t found a special person who makes him want to stay. He doesn’t despair, because not every sandman has the chance to choose, but he knows if he doesn’t find a partner, he will soon lose his physical form and exist only in dreams.
When Aiden realizes Keith is a far greater monster than Dan has any idea, they grow and work together using the support of the pack—and Dan’s inner strength—to overcome impossible odds.
197 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 4, 2015
7 people are currently reading
259 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
May 7, 2015
Look out folk's!! There's an amazing new author on the screen that goes by the name of Deja Black! ! I had the privilege of being a Beta reader for this book and have to say I was pleasantly surprised, stayed very much engaged and could NOT believe Broken Bones was a debut novel from Ms. Black. My reviews are a tad bit different from most. .. I do not give out 4.5 or 5**** unless the author has hit on some key points for me. Mainstream, Erotica, Para, etc., doesn't matter. ..I have to feel connected to the character's. I have to "see" them while I'm reading and remember them while I'm doing something else and especially after I'm done and close my Kindle. Broken Bones checked all my boxes. Now, I do not recap a book chapter by chapter or rewrite the blurb already provided. Plus I know that there are some reviewers here that can do a much better and more elaborate job than I can ever hope to. What I can do is highly recommended this novel to those looking for a fast paced, intriguingly sexy m/m paranormal book that's not only different in content but more than holds it's own with established author's works. This is a well thought out story-line, no lag time or unnecessary fluff and the M/C's will grab ahold of you until the very end. (I'm kinda lookin for my own Dream Keeper now...). I do believe that you fellow reader's will be impressed with this "first" novel (. .. i can't believe this is a FIRST novel! ! ... ) and you'll be as eager as I am for the next! Yes. . I'm already stalking Ms. Black and asking for a sequel or at least more from this amazing world she's crafted. ..
(she's promising more will follow, and the next will be darker, grittier and sexier! ) Ohh YEAH! !!!
So. .. keep an eye out for Broken Bones by Deja Black, coming soon from DSP. I'm going to take some liberty here and recommend checking out her blog for updates and sample readings. .. and hope she doesn't kill me for that! (Grin)
(she's promising more will follow, and the next will be darker, grittier and sexier! ) Ohh YEAH! !!!
So. .. keep an eye out for Broken Bones by Deja Black, coming soon from DSP. I'm going to take some liberty here and recommend checking out her blog for updates and sample readings. .. and hope she doesn't kill me for that! (Grin)
August 21, 2015
2.5 stars
It's hard for me to formulate what I thought about this book. As a debut, to me this fell under 'not bad yet not great' category. The idea and the plot were intriguing; the execution though, it felt to heavily be decorated with loopholes.
Stories about wolf shifters have been in abundance. Or human taken in and lived as part of the pack. Daniel Tolliver was one. Almost beaten to death by his sanctimonious father for being gay, Daniel had found family and love in Iroquois pack; the Alpha even adopted him as son. Only, it turned out, Daniel was no mere human. He was a coimeádai, the keeper, a mate to the watcher - a sandman. This made another vile dreamwalker preyed on him and wanted to master him.
That was about the gist of the story, the plot that I fell for, told from Daniel Tolliver's voice in third person. I'm not sure what to think about Daniel. He's a 28 year old English teacher, who sounded much younger than his age. The love interest, Dr. Aiden Kavanagh, was an older and bigger man. The dynamic between the pair was confusing and exhausting; a catch-me-then-I-ran sort, over and over, that went both ways. The giving and receiving between these two were chancy, and it's more than their being versatile. One moment either appeared weak and helpless, then turned assertive and dominant. The personalities switch was bewildering.
As a contemporary paranormal the telling style was a mix of flowery, formal and casual-modern. The author threw quite some modern references in the form of TV series/movies (The Walking Dead, Phineas and Ferb, and Frozen), songs (Katy Perry's Roar and Pharrell Williams's Happy), or company (Amazon and Netflix), then had the sort of outdated tone for the conversations and word choices. Those made for somewhat awkward feel for me. I think this was a first time son of the Alpha were referred to as Prince. It's not a big deal, I know, it just... felt like an itch somehow. There was also pack connection that puzzled me, as in: if the wolf pack was THAT close to one another, how come nobody felt Daniel was being abused and did something about it??
On another note, I was also hoping for a kind of kick-ass battle to defeat the villain, who was described as very evil and powerful. Alas, despite the talk of how difficult it was to find the bad guy and how all must unite and help Daniel and Aiden, the story sticked too long on their issue as a couple and disregard the threat to humankind. The showdown was anticlimactic and very rushed
All in all, I was not saying this was a fail read for me. It could have been better, though.
Note:
ARC was kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
It's hard for me to formulate what I thought about this book. As a debut, to me this fell under 'not bad yet not great' category. The idea and the plot were intriguing; the execution though, it felt to heavily be decorated with loopholes.
Stories about wolf shifters have been in abundance. Or human taken in and lived as part of the pack. Daniel Tolliver was one. Almost beaten to death by his sanctimonious father for being gay, Daniel had found family and love in Iroquois pack; the Alpha even adopted him as son. Only, it turned out, Daniel was no mere human. He was a coimeádai, the keeper, a mate to the watcher - a sandman. This made another vile dreamwalker preyed on him and wanted to master him.
That was about the gist of the story, the plot that I fell for, told from Daniel Tolliver's voice in third person. I'm not sure what to think about Daniel. He's a 28 year old English teacher, who sounded much younger than his age. The love interest, Dr. Aiden Kavanagh, was an older and bigger man. The dynamic between the pair was confusing and exhausting; a catch-me-then-I-ran sort, over and over, that went both ways. The giving and receiving between these two were chancy, and it's more than their being versatile. One moment either appeared weak and helpless, then turned assertive and dominant. The personalities switch was bewildering.
As a contemporary paranormal the telling style was a mix of flowery, formal and casual-modern. The author threw quite some modern references in the form of TV series/movies (The Walking Dead, Phineas and Ferb, and Frozen), songs (Katy Perry's Roar and Pharrell Williams's Happy), or company (Amazon and Netflix), then had the sort of outdated tone for the conversations and word choices. Those made for somewhat awkward feel for me. I think this was a first time son of the Alpha were referred to as Prince. It's not a big deal, I know, it just... felt like an itch somehow. There was also pack connection that puzzled me, as in: if the wolf pack was THAT close to one another, how come nobody felt Daniel was being abused and did something about it??
On another note, I was also hoping for a kind of kick-ass battle to defeat the villain, who was described as very evil and powerful. Alas, despite the talk of how difficult it was to find the bad guy and how all must unite and help Daniel and Aiden, the story sticked too long on their issue as a couple and disregard the threat to humankind. The showdown was anticlimactic and very rushed
All in all, I was not saying this was a fail read for me. It could have been better, though.
Note:
ARC was kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 16, 2015
2.5 stars
Daniel Michael Tolliver is in hospital again having been seriously beaten by his partner Keith, but this time his friend Kelly intervenes by phoning Daniel's shifter family. Daniel was adopted by the wolf shifters after his mother died but he was too embarrassed to ask his father and brother for help and suffered the escalating violence alone.
As Daniel's family take steps to deal with his abuser they sense that a new presence has come into Daniel's life but Daniel is just relieved to have escaped from the nightmare of a relationship and a new relationship is far from his mind.
As time goes on it appears this wasn't just a relationship gone wrong but Daniel is caught in something involving other paranormal creatures. Something that could be loving and wholesome or dark and violent.
I haven't read anything by this author before and I have mixed feelings about this book. I liked the way the story deals with serious issues such as abuse and domestic violence, and family but I think it took far too long to get to the substance of the story.
The real details began to emerge about halfway through and it just took so long to get there. The first half of the story should have been much shorter because it made the story drag and I became bored.
I really liked having a shifter/urban fantasy story which explores serious contemporary issues but it needed a better pace. This is a pity because the writing was ok.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a review.
Daniel Michael Tolliver is in hospital again having been seriously beaten by his partner Keith, but this time his friend Kelly intervenes by phoning Daniel's shifter family. Daniel was adopted by the wolf shifters after his mother died but he was too embarrassed to ask his father and brother for help and suffered the escalating violence alone.
As Daniel's family take steps to deal with his abuser they sense that a new presence has come into Daniel's life but Daniel is just relieved to have escaped from the nightmare of a relationship and a new relationship is far from his mind.
As time goes on it appears this wasn't just a relationship gone wrong but Daniel is caught in something involving other paranormal creatures. Something that could be loving and wholesome or dark and violent.
I haven't read anything by this author before and I have mixed feelings about this book. I liked the way the story deals with serious issues such as abuse and domestic violence, and family but I think it took far too long to get to the substance of the story.
The real details began to emerge about halfway through and it just took so long to get there. The first half of the story should have been much shorter because it made the story drag and I became bored.
I really liked having a shifter/urban fantasy story which explores serious contemporary issues but it needed a better pace. This is a pity because the writing was ok.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a review.
April 7, 2019
Just when you think you have read everything about paranormal, you get one more variety… sandmen! This story handles the sensitive subject of domestic abuse and rape quite well but is specific, so please do not read if you have triggers. The storyline and plot were well thought out and had much potential. The actual story itself fell a bit flat with too much filler and slow pace. The beginning quarter was intriguing as well as the last quarter, but the middle half was just filler. The pace of the story didn’t flow well and took too long to get the real substance. I would love to see a full edit and reworked as this story had so much potential but fell just a bit short. I did enjoy Dan’s family and their bond. Even though this is my first time reading this author, it won’t stop me from reading other stories by this author, as I can see the real potential. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.
Received this from the author for my honest opinion.
Received this from the author for my honest opinion.
July 24, 2016
Disappointing. This could have been a great story, the premise was so good. Full review coming soon.
October 29, 2016
This book started out awesome. I mean, totally, heartbreakingly awesome with Dan, victim of repeated domestic violence, sitting in the ER and waiting to be seen by a doctor. I was drawn in from the word go, I suffered with Dan, I shared his pain and fear. After an intriguing blurb, I rejoiced at the haunting narrative, refined language and promising beginning I expected to enjoy this book.
Well.
My problems started precisely at the moment as Dr. Kavanaugh made his first appearance onscene. For one, he was described as wearing slacks. This might seem petty, but it bothered me to no end, because in which universe do ER doctors wear slacks? Just, nope. Then, the way he talked to Dan. Sure, Dan was almost a regular at the ER, but I just can’t picture any medical professional scoffing at a patient like this. Next, Dan’s Family. His loving, warm, caring (adoptive) family of big badass werewolves who appear four or five strong in the hospital after Dan got beaten half to death by his abusive boyfriend to whisk him away back into the fold, but who apparently let the abuse go on for two years and didn’t care enough to intervene. Also, they had this stilted, old-fashioned manner of speaking which on the other hand they didn’t keep up consistently—the abrupt changes in diction jarred me out of the story more than once.
All of this was a bit confusing, but I still wanted to get to the sandman part (which I found really imaginative and unique) so I ignored my bewilderment and read on.
And was rewarded with a truly fascinating fantasy concept introducing the sandmen, a race of beings I’d never given much thought to before. The idea was brilliant, as far as I’m concerned—ethereal, immortal beings clad in flesh for a limited period of time unless they can find a human keeper, a soul mate, who claims them. As the story continued, the lore was mentioned and considered several times—leaving me more confused with each explanation, though. Without going into too great detail, there were just too many contradictions for me to wrap my head around.
But my biggest issue was the one-eighty both Dan AND Aiden did about halfway into the book with Dan going from perpetual victim and submissive bottom to fierce fighter, to aggressor even and Aiden from condescending, smug all-powerful demigod asshole to vulnerable and almost shy.
Over the course of the story, the plot kept contradicting itself and got more convoluted, prose and dialogue both became more flowery while Aiden and Dan got wrapped up into the same argument over and over, interspersed with (admittedly well-written) sex scenes. Urban fantasy elements intermingled with references to anime, movies and pop culture (complete with one particularly memorable scene that had me laughing out loud because it reminded me so much of a certain Disney/ Pixar movie).
Broken Bones was a promising book that fell somewhat short in terms of execution. There was so much crammed into this story, it felt like trying too hard and consequently failing overall. Might be of interest for fans of the genre.
Reviewed for Prismbookalliance.com
Well.
My problems started precisely at the moment as Dr. Kavanaugh made his first appearance onscene. For one, he was described as wearing slacks. This might seem petty, but it bothered me to no end, because in which universe do ER doctors wear slacks? Just, nope. Then, the way he talked to Dan. Sure, Dan was almost a regular at the ER, but I just can’t picture any medical professional scoffing at a patient like this. Next, Dan’s Family. His loving, warm, caring (adoptive) family of big badass werewolves who appear four or five strong in the hospital after Dan got beaten half to death by his abusive boyfriend to whisk him away back into the fold, but who apparently let the abuse go on for two years and didn’t care enough to intervene. Also, they had this stilted, old-fashioned manner of speaking which on the other hand they didn’t keep up consistently—the abrupt changes in diction jarred me out of the story more than once.
All of this was a bit confusing, but I still wanted to get to the sandman part (which I found really imaginative and unique) so I ignored my bewilderment and read on.
And was rewarded with a truly fascinating fantasy concept introducing the sandmen, a race of beings I’d never given much thought to before. The idea was brilliant, as far as I’m concerned—ethereal, immortal beings clad in flesh for a limited period of time unless they can find a human keeper, a soul mate, who claims them. As the story continued, the lore was mentioned and considered several times—leaving me more confused with each explanation, though. Without going into too great detail, there were just too many contradictions for me to wrap my head around.
But my biggest issue was the one-eighty both Dan AND Aiden did about halfway into the book with Dan going from perpetual victim and submissive bottom to fierce fighter, to aggressor even and Aiden from condescending, smug all-powerful demigod asshole to vulnerable and almost shy.
Over the course of the story, the plot kept contradicting itself and got more convoluted, prose and dialogue both became more flowery while Aiden and Dan got wrapped up into the same argument over and over, interspersed with (admittedly well-written) sex scenes. Urban fantasy elements intermingled with references to anime, movies and pop culture (complete with one particularly memorable scene that had me laughing out loud because it reminded me so much of a certain Disney/ Pixar movie).
Broken Bones was a promising book that fell somewhat short in terms of execution. There was so much crammed into this story, it felt like trying too hard and consequently failing overall. Might be of interest for fans of the genre.
Reviewed for Prismbookalliance.com
August 5, 2015
Actual rating is 2.5 Stars, but I'm being mean so only 2 stars for now.
Ugh. I don't know what to say or think about this book. I have a lot of mixed feelings. Namely because it had its moments of decency, and even really funny or memorable ones too, but overall? It was just such a mess. I wanted to like it... wanted to LOVE it, really... but I guess that just wasn't meant to be.
**Will have a proper review up later.**
Ugh. I don't know what to say or think about this book. I have a lot of mixed feelings. Namely because it had its moments of decency, and even really funny or memorable ones too, but overall? It was just such a mess. I wanted to like it... wanted to LOVE it, really... but I guess that just wasn't meant to be.
**Will have a proper review up later.**
May 13, 2019
First and foremost, you know what's coming. There are some SEVERE triggers in this book. The first few chapters start out with major physical, verbal and emotional abuse. Physical to the point of almost death. It's bad. If this is a trigger for you, please be careful.
Whenever I read a book, I often go to other people's reviews just to see what the opinions are and if they match mine, or whatever. They never change my opinion, just a curiosity thing. I know most of the reviews were from years ago, so I'm not sure how the book has changed since it was first released. But if it hasn't changed much, the one thing that surprises me about people’s comments were that they didn't seem to get the dynamic of Dan and Aiden and why they acted the way they did. I don't want to give much away so bear with me. The only thing that bothered me about the whole thing, was that the family, friends, and even the hospital staff never stepped in to help. No police, no nothing. BUT after reading about what Keith was able to do with some other people, maybe that was why as far as the humans were concerned. Dan's family and best friend, still make no sense to me. Especially his very best friend, who even had a key to his house and a way to get him out.
So, Dan has been severely abused for several years. To the point the hospital know him by name. When he was beaten almost to death this time, his best friend stepped in and called his family. It was time to take action. When Aiden saw him in the waiting room, he took him back to a room and basically told him, in nicer terms, it was time to shit or get off the pot. If he wanted to leave the life of abuse, he had to take the steps to do so. When Dan's family comes in, they are upset with him for not reaching out, but vow to make it right. Starting by taking him home to pack lands. Being human, he couldn't shift but his mom was the love of his alpha’s life and Jeremiah adopted him as one of his own.
Jeremiah made arrangements with Aiden to come talk with Dan and treat him, because nothing they were doing was drawing Dan out of his shell. And with the nightmares Dan was having, he was getting worse. Eventually, the truth of everything comes out, including why Dan went through the hell he did. Little by little, surrounded by love, support and safety, Dan comes out of shell and is more like himself. And the lure of Aiden is drawing him closer, making him want things he never wanted before. But his abuser, Keith, doesn't want to give him up and is more than willing to kill Dan than give him up. It's up to Dan and Aiden to fight the evil that is Keith, before Keith destroys them and everyone around them.
Ok. So. A lot of the comments I saw were that Aiden more or less acted like a dick, and went from being strong to venerable and shy almost, while Dan was the victim, who was weakened by abuse, ended up stronger and a fighter. The dynamics changed. There's two different things going on here. One, when you have to be strong all the time, when you have no time to relax or be at peace because someone is creating havoc, you tend to be seen as strong and forceful. Intimidating. When you find that someone who is your intended, and you don't want what that entails, even if it makes you lonelier, you fight. You run. You sneer, you act like a dick. Anything to push away what you fear. But when you find out you really do want and need that intended, but you have to show them the scariest parts of you, you have to let your guard down, submit, be vulnerable to them, it does make you that very thing. Vulnerable, shy, scared. Terrified. As is Aiden.
On the other hand, you have Dan. So beaten down and abused, he's terrified everyone will see him as weak or unworthy. That's for anyone who is an abuse victim. Especially when they are supposed to be strong. They are ashamed, guilty. In this case, he feels worse because his family is a pack of wolves. When he gets back home on pack lands, he is surrounded by love, acceptance, support, and everything. But abuse is not something to get over overnight. It takes a lot of time, therapy. But after a time, not always, but sometimes when those victims finally feel the love and support, etc. that they need, it empowers them. They become stronger, willing to stand and fight. I've seen some become advocates.
The case with both of these guys, is what they've been through in their times, have left them scarred and feeling broken. Even though, Aiden comes across cocky and assinine at times, he's actually quite soft hearted. They just needed someone to show them they were worth it. It was ok to be 'weak’ or to ask for help. It was ok to rely on others to get them through. And the result was beautiful. They opened up and became different people. Freer. Happier.
I'm glad I got to read this. It was so good. And the start of what looks to be like an interesting series. I want to see if my suspicions about the alpha are correct as well.
http://lovebytesreviews.com/
Whenever I read a book, I often go to other people's reviews just to see what the opinions are and if they match mine, or whatever. They never change my opinion, just a curiosity thing. I know most of the reviews were from years ago, so I'm not sure how the book has changed since it was first released. But if it hasn't changed much, the one thing that surprises me about people’s comments were that they didn't seem to get the dynamic of Dan and Aiden and why they acted the way they did. I don't want to give much away so bear with me. The only thing that bothered me about the whole thing, was that the family, friends, and even the hospital staff never stepped in to help. No police, no nothing. BUT after reading about what Keith was able to do with some other people, maybe that was why as far as the humans were concerned. Dan's family and best friend, still make no sense to me. Especially his very best friend, who even had a key to his house and a way to get him out.
So, Dan has been severely abused for several years. To the point the hospital know him by name. When he was beaten almost to death this time, his best friend stepped in and called his family. It was time to take action. When Aiden saw him in the waiting room, he took him back to a room and basically told him, in nicer terms, it was time to shit or get off the pot. If he wanted to leave the life of abuse, he had to take the steps to do so. When Dan's family comes in, they are upset with him for not reaching out, but vow to make it right. Starting by taking him home to pack lands. Being human, he couldn't shift but his mom was the love of his alpha’s life and Jeremiah adopted him as one of his own.
Jeremiah made arrangements with Aiden to come talk with Dan and treat him, because nothing they were doing was drawing Dan out of his shell. And with the nightmares Dan was having, he was getting worse. Eventually, the truth of everything comes out, including why Dan went through the hell he did. Little by little, surrounded by love, support and safety, Dan comes out of shell and is more like himself. And the lure of Aiden is drawing him closer, making him want things he never wanted before. But his abuser, Keith, doesn't want to give him up and is more than willing to kill Dan than give him up. It's up to Dan and Aiden to fight the evil that is Keith, before Keith destroys them and everyone around them.
Ok. So. A lot of the comments I saw were that Aiden more or less acted like a dick, and went from being strong to venerable and shy almost, while Dan was the victim, who was weakened by abuse, ended up stronger and a fighter. The dynamics changed. There's two different things going on here. One, when you have to be strong all the time, when you have no time to relax or be at peace because someone is creating havoc, you tend to be seen as strong and forceful. Intimidating. When you find that someone who is your intended, and you don't want what that entails, even if it makes you lonelier, you fight. You run. You sneer, you act like a dick. Anything to push away what you fear. But when you find out you really do want and need that intended, but you have to show them the scariest parts of you, you have to let your guard down, submit, be vulnerable to them, it does make you that very thing. Vulnerable, shy, scared. Terrified. As is Aiden.
On the other hand, you have Dan. So beaten down and abused, he's terrified everyone will see him as weak or unworthy. That's for anyone who is an abuse victim. Especially when they are supposed to be strong. They are ashamed, guilty. In this case, he feels worse because his family is a pack of wolves. When he gets back home on pack lands, he is surrounded by love, acceptance, support, and everything. But abuse is not something to get over overnight. It takes a lot of time, therapy. But after a time, not always, but sometimes when those victims finally feel the love and support, etc. that they need, it empowers them. They become stronger, willing to stand and fight. I've seen some become advocates.
The case with both of these guys, is what they've been through in their times, have left them scarred and feeling broken. Even though, Aiden comes across cocky and assinine at times, he's actually quite soft hearted. They just needed someone to show them they were worth it. It was ok to be 'weak’ or to ask for help. It was ok to rely on others to get them through. And the result was beautiful. They opened up and became different people. Freer. Happier.
I'm glad I got to read this. It was so good. And the start of what looks to be like an interesting series. I want to see if my suspicions about the alpha are correct as well.
http://lovebytesreviews.com/
September 9, 2016
I love shifter stories. I like the addition of a special being in this story. I appreciated the love and acceptance of the pack to their adoptive pack member who was not a shifter. It is this pack relationship that made this story move me.
Being gay among the wolves wasn’t a thing, wasn’t the big travesty Matthew had believed. Wolves believed in allowing the fates to determine their mate, the children that would be born, blessed with talents or even the destiny that would unfold. They did not believe the fates forced an individual to choose the wrapping in which his or her mate would be gifted. While in the human world, men and women strove to live in little imaginary boxes built by society, the pack existed for itself and thrived upon its unified force, a force that would not be torn apart by what was considered “man’s ignorance.”
I liked the MCs and I liked the Alpha and his men. The characters got to me emotionally. I loved that.
Being gay among the wolves wasn’t a thing, wasn’t the big travesty Matthew had believed. Wolves believed in allowing the fates to determine their mate, the children that would be born, blessed with talents or even the destiny that would unfold. They did not believe the fates forced an individual to choose the wrapping in which his or her mate would be gifted. While in the human world, men and women strove to live in little imaginary boxes built by society, the pack existed for itself and thrived upon its unified force, a force that would not be torn apart by what was considered “man’s ignorance.”
I liked the MCs and I liked the Alpha and his men. The characters got to me emotionally. I loved that.
February 26, 2019
wow this was really interesting.. it was wonderful and i loved the adoptee aspect as well.. being adopted i have a soft spot for people who adopt people not their own.. it was so much fun.. and different type of paranormals made me happy. i loved this
August 22, 2015
I really liked it. very different story about shifters. sometime difficult to read, but english is my third lenguage so, maybe it is just me.
May 17, 2019
Really interesting and I loved the uniqueness💙
I received this book by the author and this is my honest opinion.
I never read about sandmen so was excited to see where the author would take it. Although I'm not knowledgeable about this kind of myth, what I did read was intriguing and just really good and loved the details.
A sandman has a certain time to find their mate that binds them to the earthen planes otherwise instead of walking both, the dream planes plus earthen they become corporal and instead must live there existence in the dream world. It's fascinating that I got to read about something new and the author has me hooked.
Dan is human but got adopted into a wolf pack. Being abused by his boyfriend he gets admitted into hospital and thus meeting aiden. This has the story of darkness lurking to destroy them but equally has all the magical elements and of course creatures as well. A really well written world and I really recommend it, slightly dark but as in all good fairy tales love and friendship conquers all💖
I received this book by the author and this is my honest opinion.
I never read about sandmen so was excited to see where the author would take it. Although I'm not knowledgeable about this kind of myth, what I did read was intriguing and just really good and loved the details.
A sandman has a certain time to find their mate that binds them to the earthen planes otherwise instead of walking both, the dream planes plus earthen they become corporal and instead must live there existence in the dream world. It's fascinating that I got to read about something new and the author has me hooked.
Dan is human but got adopted into a wolf pack. Being abused by his boyfriend he gets admitted into hospital and thus meeting aiden. This has the story of darkness lurking to destroy them but equally has all the magical elements and of course creatures as well. A really well written world and I really recommend it, slightly dark but as in all good fairy tales love and friendship conquers all💖
April 8, 2019
I normally read pretty quickly and devour books. This book took me a while to read, and it was all for good reasons. The story was pretty complex, but it was really interesting and kept my attention the whole time. Daniel is in an abusive relationship and is finally able to escape after almost dying. He is the son of a wolf alpha (even though he is human), so he knows there are other beings out in the world, but he has no idea the extent of it. He has this strange connection to his hospital doctor, and eventually, they realize that they are more to each other than they ever thought possible. This took some twists and turns, and there were times I had to slow down to process everything that was happening, but I thought it was really interesting.
I am voluntarily reviewing an ARC provided by LesCourt Author Services
I am voluntarily reviewing an ARC provided by LesCourt Author Services
February 8, 2019
Broken Bones by Deja Black is an intriguing and entertaining story that sucked me in and kept my interest. Dan and Aiden are great characters and I loved them together. I loved the paranormal aspect of the story and found it unique... I havent read about a Sandman before. The supporting characters were great too and I want their stories. Drama, danger, sexiness, sweetness, family, love... this story has the ingredients for a wonderful story and it delivers on that promise.
I received an advanced reader's copy of the book and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review and recommendation.
I received an advanced reader's copy of the book and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review and recommendation.
March 1, 2019
A promising book but it didn’t work for me the writing was okay. I found parts confusing there was a lot of back and forth as well as personality changes. I think the idea was great just that the book didn’t fulfill it with justice. The plot was entertaining and it was steady throughout the book. Dan Tolliver and Dr. Aiden Kavanaugh are the MC’s of this book. I voluntarily read an advance copy of this book for an honest review.
April 7, 2019
Wow.... What an awesome read that starts so strongly yet shockingly! This might be triggers for some but i feel its was necessary for the story that follows. Loved the interplay, loved the intrigue and loved the sexy hotness. Deja has weaved a wonderful set of characters within a wonderful story line that managed to keep me completely engrossed to the end.
August 4, 2015
2.5 stars
Broken Bones“YOUR ABUSIVE PARTNER DOESN’T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH HIS ANGER; HE HAS A PROBLEM WITH YOUR ANGER.
One of the basic human rights he takes away from you is the right to be angry with him. No matter how badly he treats you, he believes that your voice shouldn’t rise and your blood shouldn’t boil. The privilege of rage is reserved for him alone. When your anger does jump out of you—as will happen to any abused woman (or man) from time to time—he is likely to try to jam it back down your throat as quickly as he can. Then he uses your anger against you to prove what an irrational person you are. Abuse can make you feel straitjacketed. You may develop physical or emotional reactions to swallowing your anger, such as depression, nightmares, emotional numbing, or eating and sleeping problems, which your partner may use as an excuse to belittle you further or make you feel crazy.” ― Lundy Bancroft, Why Does He Do That?: Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men
“I am living in hell from one day to the next. But there is nothing I can do to escape. I don't know where I would go if I did. I feel utterly powerless, and that feeling is my prison. I entered of my own free will, I locked the door, and I threw away the key.” ― Haruki Murakami
I used to watch them walk into the emergency room. The walking wounded. Bruises. Broken bones. Concussions. Sometimes they couldn’t walk – they crawled. And sometimes? Sometimes they came in to my department. The basement. The stark white walls. The bone saws. The scent of formaldehyde and rotting flesh. The scent of death. Death from the battering fists, the kicking feet, the burns and beatings and brutality and death death death. . . They found their way to my table, where I arranged their broken bodies, cleaned them, prepared them for the final indignity, the indignity that we tried our best to save them from, but was indignity all the same. The opening of the body. The cataloging of the wounds. The removal of organs and weighing of the heart . . . the broken, battered, desiccated husk of the heart.
Dan knows this. As he sits in the cold, stiff, uncomfortable chair in the hospital waiting room he has crawled into once again, he knows.
“He didn’t know what to do, and he had to admit, after this last beating, he was terrified of what could come next. Would he even have a warning, or would Keith just kill him?”
But still, he knows he will go back. Back to the beatings, the verbal assaults, the brutality, the rapes. Back ‘home’ – where he would have to scrub his blood from the walls. Men, you see, can be victims, just as women are. And Dan? Oh, yes. He has “victim” down to a science. As the nurse in the ER tells his friend Shelly:
“Your friend? He’s not dying, and this is not his first visit. We all know M. Tolliver very well, and if he ever wants to stop being a living punching bag; we will applaud him. Now, why don’t you have a seat and wait until he is called, or the nice security guards can ensure you wait for him elsewhere.”
Dr. Kavanaugh, the ER physician, has an idea. Stepping in front of a bus would be faster, and way less painful. Less painful than the beating, and the rape, that he has suffered this night. And Dan, Oh, Sweet, Sweet Danny Boy, you still try to hide it. Still try to cover up the horrors you suffer from all those who truly love you. . . excuses. Excuses and lies. All the fairy stories the abused hide behind.
Something has to change. And then?
And then, the dreams come. And suddenly, Daniel isn’t alone any longer. And here is where the story pretty much runs off the rails for me.
The scenes in the beginning of the book are absolutely heart-wrenching. I bled for Daniel and understood what was in his mind. Believe me, I know all about domestic violence. And the story could have been good from that angle, or from the Sandman angle. But the author seems too ‘scattered’ to me. Daniel is taken in and raised by a wonderful Alpha (yes, wolf shifters . . . did the author really have to go there?) but clings to the same type of relationship he had with the brutal monster whom he was born to – allowing himself to be brutalized by another monster, Keith, no matter the friends, family and pack who would protect him and help him learn to stand on his own two feet.
A Sandman who wants to continue his life on Earth, a brutal abuser, a loving family of wolves. There was just too much going on, too many storylines, too many wonky plot holes, too many times the story ran off the track. There is a nasty brutal Sandman who is apparently determined to end the world – a plot point that never really came to anything. I hate to use this term, but the whole thing seems just too, too precious.
I wish I had a better feeling about the book after everything was said and done, but I found myself skipping whole sections to get to the end. I wish the author the best – and hope that the publisher will consider an experienced Content Editor to smooth out the rough edges, plot holes, and overall precious nature of two-thirds of the book.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a realistic review. All thoughts are my own.
Broken Bones“YOUR ABUSIVE PARTNER DOESN’T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH HIS ANGER; HE HAS A PROBLEM WITH YOUR ANGER.
One of the basic human rights he takes away from you is the right to be angry with him. No matter how badly he treats you, he believes that your voice shouldn’t rise and your blood shouldn’t boil. The privilege of rage is reserved for him alone. When your anger does jump out of you—as will happen to any abused woman (or man) from time to time—he is likely to try to jam it back down your throat as quickly as he can. Then he uses your anger against you to prove what an irrational person you are. Abuse can make you feel straitjacketed. You may develop physical or emotional reactions to swallowing your anger, such as depression, nightmares, emotional numbing, or eating and sleeping problems, which your partner may use as an excuse to belittle you further or make you feel crazy.” ― Lundy Bancroft, Why Does He Do That?: Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men
“I am living in hell from one day to the next. But there is nothing I can do to escape. I don't know where I would go if I did. I feel utterly powerless, and that feeling is my prison. I entered of my own free will, I locked the door, and I threw away the key.” ― Haruki Murakami
I used to watch them walk into the emergency room. The walking wounded. Bruises. Broken bones. Concussions. Sometimes they couldn’t walk – they crawled. And sometimes? Sometimes they came in to my department. The basement. The stark white walls. The bone saws. The scent of formaldehyde and rotting flesh. The scent of death. Death from the battering fists, the kicking feet, the burns and beatings and brutality and death death death. . . They found their way to my table, where I arranged their broken bodies, cleaned them, prepared them for the final indignity, the indignity that we tried our best to save them from, but was indignity all the same. The opening of the body. The cataloging of the wounds. The removal of organs and weighing of the heart . . . the broken, battered, desiccated husk of the heart.
Dan knows this. As he sits in the cold, stiff, uncomfortable chair in the hospital waiting room he has crawled into once again, he knows.
“He didn’t know what to do, and he had to admit, after this last beating, he was terrified of what could come next. Would he even have a warning, or would Keith just kill him?”
But still, he knows he will go back. Back to the beatings, the verbal assaults, the brutality, the rapes. Back ‘home’ – where he would have to scrub his blood from the walls. Men, you see, can be victims, just as women are. And Dan? Oh, yes. He has “victim” down to a science. As the nurse in the ER tells his friend Shelly:
“Your friend? He’s not dying, and this is not his first visit. We all know M. Tolliver very well, and if he ever wants to stop being a living punching bag; we will applaud him. Now, why don’t you have a seat and wait until he is called, or the nice security guards can ensure you wait for him elsewhere.”
Dr. Kavanaugh, the ER physician, has an idea. Stepping in front of a bus would be faster, and way less painful. Less painful than the beating, and the rape, that he has suffered this night. And Dan, Oh, Sweet, Sweet Danny Boy, you still try to hide it. Still try to cover up the horrors you suffer from all those who truly love you. . . excuses. Excuses and lies. All the fairy stories the abused hide behind.
Something has to change. And then?
And then, the dreams come. And suddenly, Daniel isn’t alone any longer. And here is where the story pretty much runs off the rails for me.
The scenes in the beginning of the book are absolutely heart-wrenching. I bled for Daniel and understood what was in his mind. Believe me, I know all about domestic violence. And the story could have been good from that angle, or from the Sandman angle. But the author seems too ‘scattered’ to me. Daniel is taken in and raised by a wonderful Alpha (yes, wolf shifters . . . did the author really have to go there?) but clings to the same type of relationship he had with the brutal monster whom he was born to – allowing himself to be brutalized by another monster, Keith, no matter the friends, family and pack who would protect him and help him learn to stand on his own two feet.
A Sandman who wants to continue his life on Earth, a brutal abuser, a loving family of wolves. There was just too much going on, too many storylines, too many wonky plot holes, too many times the story ran off the track. There is a nasty brutal Sandman who is apparently determined to end the world – a plot point that never really came to anything. I hate to use this term, but the whole thing seems just too, too precious.
I wish I had a better feeling about the book after everything was said and done, but I found myself skipping whole sections to get to the end. I wish the author the best – and hope that the publisher will consider an experienced Content Editor to smooth out the rough edges, plot holes, and overall precious nature of two-thirds of the book.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a realistic review. All thoughts are my own.
April 6, 2019
Though I dind't get to connect with the characters, the story is quite interesting and original. I enjoyed it.
March 20, 2017
1.5 stars
September 5, 2015
2.5 Heart Review by Dan
This book left me feeling confused. At first I really liked it, but as I progressed through the book, things got a little unbelievable, then they just ended up being odd. Let me explain.
When the book opens we meet Dan Tolliver who has just been beaten and raped by his partner. Whoa, triggers for some folks, and all before we even get to Chapter 1! But let’s get past that. When Dan is able to get to his phone, he calls his best friend Shelly who gets him to the emergency room to be seen. He is severely beaten, but doesn’t disclose the anal bleeding or rape, so he sits in the waiting room as a lower priority. Part of the reason for the wait is the ER staff’s familiarity with Dan. He has been there repeatedly for mysterious bruises, broken bones, etc., and the staff all know it is domestic abuse, but Dan won’t admit it.
Dan finally gets to be seen, and we (and he) are introduced to Dr. Aiden Kavanagh. There is something about Aiden that seems to draw Dan to him. Dan is the adopted human son of an alpha werewolf and was raised in the pack, in fact he is even considered one of the Princes of the pack. (That was a little odd terminology to me, as wolf packs don’t usually have “princes”). So Dan is used to the mating rituals of his pack, but he is human…so why is he instantly feeling something from Aiden?
The truth comes out and Aiden turns out to be a Sandman, as in “Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream…” It turns out that Dan’s father knew about sandmen but had never mentioned them. Convenient. Next it turns out the abusive ex is also a Sandman, but one of the bad guys, where Aiden is one of the good guys. Then we find out there is also something different about the best friend Shelly, which we don’t get answered until the end of the book, when it has absolutely zero importance to the plot or storyline. Like I said, a little odd, and odd enough to have me second guessing my really liking the beginning.
Overall I felt the writing was OK for a new writer. There is some action and drama related to the ex-boyfriend, and the rape/non-con items that I warned you about above, which did not show up in the blurb and could cause reader distress. I’m not sure where Ms. Black is going with this story from here. It seemed incomplete, like maybe she was setting it up for a sequel, but I don’t know that for sure.
I will have to give this one a rating of “It was OK” and wait to see where the author takes the story in the future.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
This book left me feeling confused. At first I really liked it, but as I progressed through the book, things got a little unbelievable, then they just ended up being odd. Let me explain.
When the book opens we meet Dan Tolliver who has just been beaten and raped by his partner. Whoa, triggers for some folks, and all before we even get to Chapter 1! But let’s get past that. When Dan is able to get to his phone, he calls his best friend Shelly who gets him to the emergency room to be seen. He is severely beaten, but doesn’t disclose the anal bleeding or rape, so he sits in the waiting room as a lower priority. Part of the reason for the wait is the ER staff’s familiarity with Dan. He has been there repeatedly for mysterious bruises, broken bones, etc., and the staff all know it is domestic abuse, but Dan won’t admit it.
Dan finally gets to be seen, and we (and he) are introduced to Dr. Aiden Kavanagh. There is something about Aiden that seems to draw Dan to him. Dan is the adopted human son of an alpha werewolf and was raised in the pack, in fact he is even considered one of the Princes of the pack. (That was a little odd terminology to me, as wolf packs don’t usually have “princes”). So Dan is used to the mating rituals of his pack, but he is human…so why is he instantly feeling something from Aiden?
The truth comes out and Aiden turns out to be a Sandman, as in “Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream…” It turns out that Dan’s father knew about sandmen but had never mentioned them. Convenient. Next it turns out the abusive ex is also a Sandman, but one of the bad guys, where Aiden is one of the good guys. Then we find out there is also something different about the best friend Shelly, which we don’t get answered until the end of the book, when it has absolutely zero importance to the plot or storyline. Like I said, a little odd, and odd enough to have me second guessing my really liking the beginning.
Overall I felt the writing was OK for a new writer. There is some action and drama related to the ex-boyfriend, and the rape/non-con items that I warned you about above, which did not show up in the blurb and could cause reader distress. I’m not sure where Ms. Black is going with this story from here. It seemed incomplete, like maybe she was setting it up for a sequel, but I don’t know that for sure.
I will have to give this one a rating of “It was OK” and wait to see where the author takes the story in the future.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
August 17, 2015
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.75 stars
Broken Bones was an exploration of abuse with an intriguing, paranormal twist. The author does a good job of portraying Dan’s struggle to escape his dangerous ex and the pain he suffers. He is far from weak and that he continues to survive, in spite of all that he has endured, makes his character truly admirable. His fear is realistically portrayed and so too is the power it has over him. I appreciated how the author conveyed that Dan was a victim, yet he was never victimized.
Aiden is a sandman, an entity that enters, controls, and even alters the dreams of humans. He and his brethren either choose to help humanity or to prey upon them, which given the power they weld makes them rather terrifying. Aiden has chosen to walk the better path, but without Dan, he will fade from the world. Though the fated mating is a little too hackneyed to truly be considered original these days, it was handled fairly well in Broken Bones. I especially appreciated that Aiden was reluctant to even consider bonding with Dan because he didn’t want the man to regret his decision later down the road.
The language here is occasionally a bit challenging. When the characters speak, especially Aiden and those in Dan’s family, who figure prominently, the style and cadence of their speech is almost antiquated. Though at times it is stilted and slightly exaggerated, it usually works in context. But then the characters will suddenly switch to a more modern parlance and the result is rather jarring. More than once I was jerked out of the story by these rather awkward combinations. It doesn’t distract completely from the storyline, but the overall voice of Broken Bones is less than smooth. The only other issue I had with the book was the end, which felt rushed and too melodramatic. Broken Bones had serious overtones all through and most of the time they seem appropriate or at least they fit well enough to work during a given scene. But the end just seemed silly and rather than drawing me deeper into the action, it completely disengaged me. Combined with the fact that it ended so abruptly, it was rather unsatisfying.
Read Sue’s review in its entirety here.
3.75 stars
Broken Bones was an exploration of abuse with an intriguing, paranormal twist. The author does a good job of portraying Dan’s struggle to escape his dangerous ex and the pain he suffers. He is far from weak and that he continues to survive, in spite of all that he has endured, makes his character truly admirable. His fear is realistically portrayed and so too is the power it has over him. I appreciated how the author conveyed that Dan was a victim, yet he was never victimized.
Aiden is a sandman, an entity that enters, controls, and even alters the dreams of humans. He and his brethren either choose to help humanity or to prey upon them, which given the power they weld makes them rather terrifying. Aiden has chosen to walk the better path, but without Dan, he will fade from the world. Though the fated mating is a little too hackneyed to truly be considered original these days, it was handled fairly well in Broken Bones. I especially appreciated that Aiden was reluctant to even consider bonding with Dan because he didn’t want the man to regret his decision later down the road.
The language here is occasionally a bit challenging. When the characters speak, especially Aiden and those in Dan’s family, who figure prominently, the style and cadence of their speech is almost antiquated. Though at times it is stilted and slightly exaggerated, it usually works in context. But then the characters will suddenly switch to a more modern parlance and the result is rather jarring. More than once I was jerked out of the story by these rather awkward combinations. It doesn’t distract completely from the storyline, but the overall voice of Broken Bones is less than smooth. The only other issue I had with the book was the end, which felt rushed and too melodramatic. Broken Bones had serious overtones all through and most of the time they seem appropriate or at least they fit well enough to work during a given scene. But the end just seemed silly and rather than drawing me deeper into the action, it completely disengaged me. Combined with the fact that it ended so abruptly, it was rather unsatisfying.
Read Sue’s review in its entirety here.
August 6, 2015
After reading the intention and desires of the author after the book, I understand the basis in forming the characters of the story but felt she fell short of her goals. The seed of the story has a good hold in the love/vengeance/hero paranormal category, but the characters are unbelievable and the plot up in the air.
The story begins with Daniel who was the victim of abuse by his father and lover-a great attention grabbing start. However his character then morphs into the hero/whiner/coward/hero/victim/hero/aggressor and the rapid cycling is hard to keep up with or believe. Then enters his adopted family (wolf shifters) and best friend. The wolves' manner of speaking doesn't ring true-far too upper class gentry and the molly coddling that takes place seems unrealistic. Then we get to meet Dr Aiden Kavanagh-a sandman whose days on earth on are numbered unless he can find his keeper and soulmate to bind him. Again-a bit of a fluffy character.
The pace of the story was slow until the final battle-then poof-if you blinked you missed one of pretty much the most important scenes. The "Land of Dreams"-bit immature. And then there were the sex scenes-I am definitely not a prude when it comes to a story needing these, but to have so many and in such graphic terms-there was nothing in the bio to prepare me for them-seemed to take up more than the important parts of the story. Using words like susurrus and fulgent and then following them with clichés- "drooling with anticipation" and "thinking about your melons"? Just no. Also if you are going to go to the trouble of using words like coimeádai to keep the authentic tone then use crêpe and not crape.
So two questions
An average debut for the author but the stories and characters need a lot more work and the editor needs to catch the verb tenses that don't always correspond.
The story begins with Daniel who was the victim of abuse by his father and lover-a great attention grabbing start. However his character then morphs into the hero/whiner/coward/hero/victim/hero/aggressor and the rapid cycling is hard to keep up with or believe. Then enters his adopted family (wolf shifters) and best friend. The wolves' manner of speaking doesn't ring true-far too upper class gentry and the molly coddling that takes place seems unrealistic. Then we get to meet Dr Aiden Kavanagh-a sandman whose days on earth on are numbered unless he can find his keeper and soulmate to bind him. Again-a bit of a fluffy character.
The pace of the story was slow until the final battle-then poof-if you blinked you missed one of pretty much the most important scenes. The "Land of Dreams"-bit immature. And then there were the sex scenes-I am definitely not a prude when it comes to a story needing these, but to have so many and in such graphic terms-there was nothing in the bio to prepare me for them-seemed to take up more than the important parts of the story. Using words like susurrus and fulgent and then following them with clichés- "drooling with anticipation" and "thinking about your melons"? Just no. Also if you are going to go to the trouble of using words like coimeádai to keep the authentic tone then use crêpe and not crape.
So two questions
An average debut for the author but the stories and characters need a lot more work and the editor needs to catch the verb tenses that don't always correspond.
February 17, 2019
This is an interesting book. The story was fairly entertaining, and the descriptions of some of the of the action is really fantastic.
At first, I thought I was really going to be able to relate to the characters. The problem I found was that both of the characters change personalities pretty quickly.
Dan starts out in an abusive relationship, an admitted bottom, and needing help. Aiden starts out giving tough love, arrogant, and aloof.
When Dan's family, a powerful pack, comes to bring him home and avenge his trauma, his father and brother know there is more to Aiden than meets the eye. Once home, Dan does not recover from his fears, and is hunted by a monster that he and his family cannot defeat.
Jeremiah, Dan's alpha and father, realizes that Aiden is the only one who can help Dan fight this battle, and that he is more to Dan than any but he and Aiden know. Aiden comes to the compound, and begins to bring Dan out of his nightmare.
This is where I disconnected with the MCs. Dan becomes aggressive and decides he is now going to be a power top. This is also when we start to see Aiden become more submissive. I suppose this has to do with their supernatural roles, but it did not sit well with my mind.
The two must work together to vanquish the sandman who has tormented Dan for years. In the meantime, Dan treats Aiden badly, and Aiden tries to slow things down, but Dan basically forces himself on Aiden. So the kind man from the beginning of the story has now become an a$$, and the arrogant man has become weak and fearful.
The battle rages, and innocents are used as pawns. Eventually, it is revealed why the characters' roles have become what they are, but I wish that had been made known before hand.
Overall, the book has promise...It is not a bad story. The characters could, and probably are, my personal hang-up. If you have read the other story(ies) in this series, you will most likely enjoy the book.
* I received an ARC of this book. *
At first, I thought I was really going to be able to relate to the characters. The problem I found was that both of the characters change personalities pretty quickly.
Dan starts out in an abusive relationship, an admitted bottom, and needing help. Aiden starts out giving tough love, arrogant, and aloof.
When Dan's family, a powerful pack, comes to bring him home and avenge his trauma, his father and brother know there is more to Aiden than meets the eye. Once home, Dan does not recover from his fears, and is hunted by a monster that he and his family cannot defeat.
Jeremiah, Dan's alpha and father, realizes that Aiden is the only one who can help Dan fight this battle, and that he is more to Dan than any but he and Aiden know. Aiden comes to the compound, and begins to bring Dan out of his nightmare.
This is where I disconnected with the MCs. Dan becomes aggressive and decides he is now going to be a power top. This is also when we start to see Aiden become more submissive. I suppose this has to do with their supernatural roles, but it did not sit well with my mind.
The two must work together to vanquish the sandman who has tormented Dan for years. In the meantime, Dan treats Aiden badly, and Aiden tries to slow things down, but Dan basically forces himself on Aiden. So the kind man from the beginning of the story has now become an a$$, and the arrogant man has become weak and fearful.
The battle rages, and innocents are used as pawns. Eventually, it is revealed why the characters' roles have become what they are, but I wish that had been made known before hand.
Overall, the book has promise...It is not a bad story. The characters could, and probably are, my personal hang-up. If you have read the other story(ies) in this series, you will most likely enjoy the book.
* I received an ARC of this book. *
March 17, 2016
Nightmares And Fantasies
This seems to be a stand alone novel. I wish it wasn't! I definitely will read more books by this very talented author :)
Dan picked the WRONG mate... Not that he can truly remember picking Keith. It just sort of happened. He was leaving because he knew he deserved better... That was until Keith found out and brutalized him. Now he is fighting for his life as well as his self worth and dignity. Will he ever feel strong again? Who is this doctor who is taking such good care of him? Why does he feel this way about him after only seeing him once? Will he ever escape Keith for good? Will his adoptive family ever forgive him? Will he ever forgive himself? What is with all the nightmares and vivid fantasies?
Aiden is a doctor because he enjoys helping humans. He wants to heal people not hurt them. Finding his intended mate almost dead and abused to the edge of death by his evil brother has left him furious. Will he ever be able to tell Dan the truth of what they are meant to be to each other? Or will he give up and go back to the other side forever? Will he be able to help Dan heal and protect him from Keith? Or will his fear keep him alone and lonely forever?
***This book is suitable for adult readers of the non squeamish variety who enjoy a large helping of graphic horror (including rape, attempted murder and psychological abuse by a domestic partner) in their m/m LGBTQIA paranormal romance urban fantasy with a HEA that leaves you happy but wanting to know more about all the supporting characters :)
°°°NOT for the homophobic or closed minded!°°°
This seems to be a stand alone novel. I wish it wasn't! I definitely will read more books by this very talented author :)
Dan picked the WRONG mate... Not that he can truly remember picking Keith. It just sort of happened. He was leaving because he knew he deserved better... That was until Keith found out and brutalized him. Now he is fighting for his life as well as his self worth and dignity. Will he ever feel strong again? Who is this doctor who is taking such good care of him? Why does he feel this way about him after only seeing him once? Will he ever escape Keith for good? Will his adoptive family ever forgive him? Will he ever forgive himself? What is with all the nightmares and vivid fantasies?
Aiden is a doctor because he enjoys helping humans. He wants to heal people not hurt them. Finding his intended mate almost dead and abused to the edge of death by his evil brother has left him furious. Will he ever be able to tell Dan the truth of what they are meant to be to each other? Or will he give up and go back to the other side forever? Will he be able to help Dan heal and protect him from Keith? Or will his fear keep him alone and lonely forever?
***This book is suitable for adult readers of the non squeamish variety who enjoy a large helping of graphic horror (including rape, attempted murder and psychological abuse by a domestic partner) in their m/m LGBTQIA paranormal romance urban fantasy with a HEA that leaves you happy but wanting to know more about all the supporting characters :)
°°°NOT for the homophobic or closed minded!°°°
April 16, 2016
Wow, just wow, this book is amazing! I love the strength of the character profiles, you can picture them in your mind vividly, and the hot and sexy moments are just that, very hot and sexy indeed!
Dan has been victimized brutally by someone he thought he loved, and it isn't the first time, but hopefully with his family and Dr. Aiden Kavanaugh encouraging him, it will be the last!
Dan knows he has been a victim too long, it takes strength to break the hold Keith has on him, a hold that is far more dangerous than he realized! Aiden is there for Dan, and Dan begins to realize that there is more to Aiden than meets the eye!
Aiden needs a mate to stay in human form, but not just anyone will do, Dan is special. Can Aiden get Dan to see just how special he is? Can these two make it work, and if they do can they be happy or is there someone who will stop at nothing to see Dan suffer?
No spoilers from me, but I will say that there are many jaw dropping moments in this book, and the love scenes, holy crap are they hot!! You don't want to miss this one for sure! Thanks Deja, for a book that is a wonder to read!
Dan has been victimized brutally by someone he thought he loved, and it isn't the first time, but hopefully with his family and Dr. Aiden Kavanaugh encouraging him, it will be the last!
Dan knows he has been a victim too long, it takes strength to break the hold Keith has on him, a hold that is far more dangerous than he realized! Aiden is there for Dan, and Dan begins to realize that there is more to Aiden than meets the eye!
Aiden needs a mate to stay in human form, but not just anyone will do, Dan is special. Can Aiden get Dan to see just how special he is? Can these two make it work, and if they do can they be happy or is there someone who will stop at nothing to see Dan suffer?
No spoilers from me, but I will say that there are many jaw dropping moments in this book, and the love scenes, holy crap are they hot!! You don't want to miss this one for sure! Thanks Deja, for a book that is a wonder to read!
March 26, 2019
This was a new to me author & I really enjoyed it. Poor Dan, what Keith did to him broke me. But it was even sadder that everyone at the hospital knew who Dan was and why he was there, again. I hated everything about Keith and he had no redeemable qualities. I loved Aiden from the very first time we met him. Dan had an amazing family and even though he is adopted, and human, he is loved as if he was born to this family. Aiden is a Sandman & I don't think I have ever read a story about one. Dan & Aiden have to come to terms with their bonding & what that all entails as well as having to battle Keith who has really gone off the rails. I loved their dates, it was so cute to see them act like just any other couple who are trying to get to know each other. I can't wait to read more of the other characters as I enjoyed all of them.
ARC provided by LesCourt in exchange for an honest review.
ARC provided by LesCourt in exchange for an honest review.
March 29, 2019
This book is very good and entertaining, even if it doesn’t start that way.
Dan has been brutalised by the man who will never let him leave, realising he needs help his friend, takes him to hospital, where he meets the very mysterious Dr Adrian Kavanagh, who needs Dan just as much as Dan needs him. This story is different in so much as well as shifters there are Sandmen, who are not typical subjects of romance stories and not something I know anything about although I will be researching more.
This book is a little dark and scary in places and is very well written some of the subject matter is hard-hitting but handled sensitively I believe that this is a prequel to a series that I very much look forward to reading.
Dan has been brutalised by the man who will never let him leave, realising he needs help his friend, takes him to hospital, where he meets the very mysterious Dr Adrian Kavanagh, who needs Dan just as much as Dan needs him. This story is different in so much as well as shifters there are Sandmen, who are not typical subjects of romance stories and not something I know anything about although I will be researching more.
This book is a little dark and scary in places and is very well written some of the subject matter is hard-hitting but handled sensitively I believe that this is a prequel to a series that I very much look forward to reading.
February 25, 2019
I loved this story about growing into your destiny!! Shifters, sandmen and so much more The intrigue of the paranormal world and the human world intercepting was creative and interesting. The characters were well developed and i so enjoyed this story-line.
Dan and Aiden are wonderfully complex characters and they grow and change into a partnership as the book progresses. i enjoyed how Dan could see the need that Aiden had for someone to take care of him. The honesty of Aiden's early choices was poignant and yet became the impetus of a great love affair.
I was gifted this book from the author and i freely give my review.
April 26, 2017
This book was pretty good. I found the beginning and end to be the best. It was interesting when Dan was trying to figure out Aiden and at the end with Keith. I just found the middle to be a little long. It seemed like about 50 pages took forever. It may have been because I was reading during the day and it can get loud around the house. I didn't quit reading though and was glad for it. I ended up enjoying the book a lot. It is the first book by this author I have read and I am eager to try another.
February 8, 2019
Broken Bones by Deja Black is an intriguing and entertaining story that sucked me in and kept my interest. Dan and Aiden are great characters and I loved them together. I loved the paranormal aspect of the story and found it unique... I havent read about a Sandman before. The supporting characters were great too and I want their stories. Drama, danger, sexiness, sweetness, family, love... this story has the ingredients for a wonderful story and it delivers on that promise.
I received an advanced reader's copy of the book and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review and recommendation.
I received an advanced reader's copy of the book and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review and recommendation.
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