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Broken Girl
My name is ROSE NEWTON, and I sell my body on the streets of San Francisco. I’m what you call society's dirty little secret. On the outside, I'm in control, the woman who makes her own rules and gives nothing away for free. Inside, I’m broken and numb. Torn and shattered by my past, my life is nothing more than the lost fragments of what's left of me.
SHANE WEST represents everything that’s foreign to me. He’s brave, kind, funny, gorgeous and persistent. When fate brings us face to face, an undeniable attraction blazes between us. He becomes the constant I've never had and the only man I'll ever trust.
There is nothing simple about falling in love when you're keeping a secret like mine.
*Reader's discretion advised. Certain content might not be suitable for some readers.
"Broken Girl is a raw and gritty story about the ways in which we are all so very fragile. But even more so, it is a story about the ways in which love can make us courageous." ~ Mia Sheridan—New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal best-selling author
“With a heartbreakingly raw, gritty, yet beautiful storyline paving the way, Mrs. de la O manages to open not only your eyes but your soul to the dark, haunting truth consuming the reality of one too many innocent lives walking this earth. Gripping in every way possible, Broken Girl left her scars all over me. The end result is de la O’s finest work yet!” ~ Gail McHugh—New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal best-selling author of the COLLIDE series
“This book was unlike any other I've read. Gritty, honest, and in your face! Five stars!” ~ Ellie is Uhm a Bookworm
“Gretchen de la O creates flawed characters bound by painful circumstances, creating a beautiful, stunning five-star read.” ~ D. Flirty and Dirty Book Blog
“It's been a long time since a book has made me FEEL like this! Five huge, beautifully broken stars.” ~ Adriana Locke—USA Today best-selling author
“This emotionally charged and gritty novel will captivate you from page one. The way that author Gretchen de la O brings to life a story of a truly broken woman is honest and authentic without exploiting the character’s history.” ~ Art, Books, & Coffee
“Every once in a while, you read a book that you know will stick with you for a long time. Broken Girl is one of them.” ~ Kathy from Panty Dropping Book Blog
“Dark. Gritty. Raw. Real. All of the things I love to read. I devoured this book and relished every last word!” ~ Up All Night Book Addict
“A jaw-dropping, heart-pounding story that you won't soon forget. Gretchen pulls you in from the first word and holds you hostage to the end.” ~ C. A. Book Whores Obsession Book Blog
“This story is as raw and painful as they come, but what impressed me most about the book is the absolute honesty the author uses to bring Rose to life.” ~ The Pleasure of Reading Today Book Blog
“Gretchen de la O’s words pull you into a world filled with heartache and warmth. Broken Girl is beautifully written story filled with depth, devotion, and love.” ~ J. Three Chicks and Their Books Blog
“Big O has done it again! I felt the anguish and pain ... I felt the fear and shame and guilt. Such a deep, deep read.” ~ Tiffany, Goodreads review
SHANE WEST represents everything that’s foreign to me. He’s brave, kind, funny, gorgeous and persistent. When fate brings us face to face, an undeniable attraction blazes between us. He becomes the constant I've never had and the only man I'll ever trust.
There is nothing simple about falling in love when you're keeping a secret like mine.
*Reader's discretion advised. Certain content might not be suitable for some readers.
"Broken Girl is a raw and gritty story about the ways in which we are all so very fragile. But even more so, it is a story about the ways in which love can make us courageous." ~ Mia Sheridan—New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal best-selling author
“With a heartbreakingly raw, gritty, yet beautiful storyline paving the way, Mrs. de la O manages to open not only your eyes but your soul to the dark, haunting truth consuming the reality of one too many innocent lives walking this earth. Gripping in every way possible, Broken Girl left her scars all over me. The end result is de la O’s finest work yet!” ~ Gail McHugh—New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal best-selling author of the COLLIDE series
“This book was unlike any other I've read. Gritty, honest, and in your face! Five stars!” ~ Ellie is Uhm a Bookworm
“Gretchen de la O creates flawed characters bound by painful circumstances, creating a beautiful, stunning five-star read.” ~ D. Flirty and Dirty Book Blog
“It's been a long time since a book has made me FEEL like this! Five huge, beautifully broken stars.” ~ Adriana Locke—USA Today best-selling author
“This emotionally charged and gritty novel will captivate you from page one. The way that author Gretchen de la O brings to life a story of a truly broken woman is honest and authentic without exploiting the character’s history.” ~ Art, Books, & Coffee
“Every once in a while, you read a book that you know will stick with you for a long time. Broken Girl is one of them.” ~ Kathy from Panty Dropping Book Blog
“Dark. Gritty. Raw. Real. All of the things I love to read. I devoured this book and relished every last word!” ~ Up All Night Book Addict
“A jaw-dropping, heart-pounding story that you won't soon forget. Gretchen pulls you in from the first word and holds you hostage to the end.” ~ C. A. Book Whores Obsession Book Blog
“This story is as raw and painful as they come, but what impressed me most about the book is the absolute honesty the author uses to bring Rose to life.” ~ The Pleasure of Reading Today Book Blog
“Gretchen de la O’s words pull you into a world filled with heartache and warmth. Broken Girl is beautifully written story filled with depth, devotion, and love.” ~ J. Three Chicks and Their Books Blog
“Big O has done it again! I felt the anguish and pain ... I felt the fear and shame and guilt. Such a deep, deep read.” ~ Tiffany, Goodreads review
298 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 29, 2016
14 people are currently reading
770 people want to read
About the author
Gretchen de la O
12 books426 followersGretchen enjoys self-publishing her work and is truly learning to let go with every curve and bump in the creative process. Gretchen enjoys writing about first loves and first times, in the first person. She is a firm believer that anything is possible if you set your mind to it; and what you expect out of life, always finds a way of showing up.
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http://amzn.to/1X7auM8 BROKEN GIRL (NEW RELEASE)
http://amzn.to/1SWfJsi WILSON MOONEY BOXSET
http://amzn.to/1U3OYHp ALMOST EIGHTEEN (book1)
http://amzn.to/1rcRoIK EIGHTEEN AT LAST (book2)
http://amzn.to/1U3P6GO BEYOND EIGHTEEN (book 3)
http://amzn.to/1SWgykL PROTOTYPE (Possession Series)
www.gretchendelao.com
www.facebook.com/booksbygretchendelao
www.twitter.com/gretchendelao
www.pinterest.com/delaogk
www.instagram.com/gretchendelao
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
May 16, 2016
°°° REVIEW °°°
BROKEN GIRL by GRETCHEN DE LA O
Rose is a beautifully broken girl, no self esteem, no self worth, she just doesnt believe life is good, it wont get any better than selling herself on the streets with her only friend and the only person she considers family Sybil...
She meets Shane one night in a back alley behind a laundromat he owns when he saves her friend Crystal from being beaten. They connect immediately, their chemisty undeniable, with the life Rose leads though there is no room for love and she has a wall solidly built around her heart.
Its a dirty, gritty story of a broken girl who got delt a shitty hand of cards in life. Shes been let down, betrayed and abused by everyone who was suppose to build her up in life.
I really liked this story... its so different to what i usually read. I usually read the typical girl saving the broken bad boy stories, i really enjoyed it being the other way around and the boy trying to save the broken bad girl. Excellend read. I am so grateful to have received and ARC of this. Make sure you one click when it becomes available on April 29th!!
BROKEN GIRL by GRETCHEN DE LA O
Rose is a beautifully broken girl, no self esteem, no self worth, she just doesnt believe life is good, it wont get any better than selling herself on the streets with her only friend and the only person she considers family Sybil...
She meets Shane one night in a back alley behind a laundromat he owns when he saves her friend Crystal from being beaten. They connect immediately, their chemisty undeniable, with the life Rose leads though there is no room for love and she has a wall solidly built around her heart.
Its a dirty, gritty story of a broken girl who got delt a shitty hand of cards in life. Shes been let down, betrayed and abused by everyone who was suppose to build her up in life.
I really liked this story... its so different to what i usually read. I usually read the typical girl saving the broken bad boy stories, i really enjoyed it being the other way around and the boy trying to save the broken bad girl. Excellend read. I am so grateful to have received and ARC of this. Make sure you one click when it becomes available on April 29th!!
June 13, 2016
3.5 Stars
Rose grew up with on of the worst childhoods you can imagine. Until she ran away at sixteen she endured a life none of us even want to imagine. She's broken, damaged, and has no self-esteem to speak of. She sells her body to make a living, thinking she has no other options. Then she see's Shane care enough about her friend, a complete stranger to him, to stop her from being hurt. After that she become obsessed with finding out more about him.
Rose can't stop thinking about him and tries to see him whenever she can. She catches his eye too and he wants to know her also. When they start hanging out together Rose starts to feel emotions she never knew she could feel for a man before. He's everything she's not and she wants to know more. But she doesn't feel worthy of him, so how can she stick around?
This book is one that takes you into a very real world that you usually don't see in books. It shows you the dark alley's that we usually skip over and like to pretend don't exist, and brings them to the forefront of your mind. Makes you sit up and pay attention to the broken people that we usually like to ignore. I liked Rose's character a lot, and really enjoyed the way the author portrayed her. Despite her damaged soul, and lack of self worth I still found her strong and admired her for keeping her head up throughout the book.
Shane seemed more like a secondary character to me, rather than the male protagonist I thought he would be. It was both a good thing and a bad thing, for me. While I liked how he didn't take over the story that was clearly Rose's to tell, I also wanted to know a lot more about him. I think I just wanted him to be in the story more than he was because of how much Rose brought him up and wanted to see more of them together before their proclamations of love came about.
Rose's past was, of course, brought up a lot and I thought it went well with the story to see exactly why she was struggling. Her childhood wasn't easy to hear about but I liked that we got to see it. The only past parts I didn't fully understand were from a recent past that was brought up, and I didn't fully get why it was part of the story. I kept thinking that the more we saw, the more I would understand. But by the end I was still confused why we were getting that story of hers.
Overall, Broken Girl was a good read that I think anyone that wants to delve into the darker parts of the world will enjoy. Rose was a very intriguing character and from the first page I found myself wanting to know more and more about her. Her story isn't pretty, but it's beautifully broken.
Review copy kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
Rose grew up with on of the worst childhoods you can imagine. Until she ran away at sixteen she endured a life none of us even want to imagine. She's broken, damaged, and has no self-esteem to speak of. She sells her body to make a living, thinking she has no other options. Then she see's Shane care enough about her friend, a complete stranger to him, to stop her from being hurt. After that she become obsessed with finding out more about him.
Rose can't stop thinking about him and tries to see him whenever she can. She catches his eye too and he wants to know her also. When they start hanging out together Rose starts to feel emotions she never knew she could feel for a man before. He's everything she's not and she wants to know more. But she doesn't feel worthy of him, so how can she stick around?
This book is one that takes you into a very real world that you usually don't see in books. It shows you the dark alley's that we usually skip over and like to pretend don't exist, and brings them to the forefront of your mind. Makes you sit up and pay attention to the broken people that we usually like to ignore. I liked Rose's character a lot, and really enjoyed the way the author portrayed her. Despite her damaged soul, and lack of self worth I still found her strong and admired her for keeping her head up throughout the book.
Shane seemed more like a secondary character to me, rather than the male protagonist I thought he would be. It was both a good thing and a bad thing, for me. While I liked how he didn't take over the story that was clearly Rose's to tell, I also wanted to know a lot more about him. I think I just wanted him to be in the story more than he was because of how much Rose brought him up and wanted to see more of them together before their proclamations of love came about.
Rose's past was, of course, brought up a lot and I thought it went well with the story to see exactly why she was struggling. Her childhood wasn't easy to hear about but I liked that we got to see it. The only past parts I didn't fully understand were from a recent past that was brought up, and I didn't fully get why it was part of the story. I kept thinking that the more we saw, the more I would understand. But by the end I was still confused why we were getting that story of hers.
Overall, Broken Girl was a good read that I think anyone that wants to delve into the darker parts of the world will enjoy. Rose was a very intriguing character and from the first page I found myself wanting to know more and more about her. Her story isn't pretty, but it's beautifully broken.
Review copy kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
November 14, 2017
Rosalie Newton is a small rosebud of a girl . Her childhood should have been spent frolicking and playing with her friend Tami, but a wolf lies in wait to devour her . One fateful day , he corners her and she's
Torn.
apart.
In seconds.....
These Three words, just broke my heart .
She turns to street when 16 , hustling on her Six Squares Of Sidewalk, that dictate her life
"on the corner of I need to eat and Who wants to pay my water bill."
Her life is devoid of hope and love and once bitten, by Mr.C , she's shy to open her heart for hope .
she finds " It was easier to placate my pain than it was to provoke anyone’s love."
"I’d been trained by circumstances to be the girl who looked like she didn’t give a fuck"
Hence she's wary of Shane Weston, who quietly slips into his life. First as a saviour, then as his laundry helper. They meet every Thursday in the laundromat and form a sweet bond.
" He had become my comfortable, sharing my Thursdays and filling my Mondays with conversation."
Her comfort with Shane transforms into love but she can't commit to it , because of her own insecurities and that causes major heartache . One day the brutal reality of her existence is slapped in her face and she has to choose between the two recourses- to continue and soon be a part of statistics or get away and survive.
she has to get out of shadows of shane to find her heart before she opens it to him.
In all this turmoil Key Brigg is her moral compass and protector.
"We keep pushin’ people away ‘cause we’re scared to let them see our weakness. That we actually have a heart and that it’s lonely."
Here I have to point out an important turn.
The ending is not triggered but thought out instead. In the sense that nothing triggers the change in Rosalie course of action, she thinks it through. Her quest to find herself is such a mature way of writing , I rarely see in other books. The words are strung beautifully, the struggles of rose's and Shane 's hearts are so real that you feel their dilemmas .
It's a very clear and well developed story and handled with care . There is no clear villian per se but Rosalie 's life, her situations, her sarroundings are villians itself.
Her baggage of her stark truths of her life choices becomes her 'Dirty Laundry' , and Shane the Laundromat Man helps her sort it out and clean it and carry it for her. !!
My first read by her and definitely I'm hooked
“I love Complicated Rose.”
“I love Persistent Shane.”
Mended.
Healed.
A Glimpse of Strength .....
5 Spring Clean Stars
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Torn.
apart.
In seconds.....
These Three words, just broke my heart .
She turns to street when 16 , hustling on her Six Squares Of Sidewalk, that dictate her life
"on the corner of I need to eat and Who wants to pay my water bill."
Her life is devoid of hope and love and once bitten, by Mr.C , she's shy to open her heart for hope .
she finds " It was easier to placate my pain than it was to provoke anyone’s love."
"I’d been trained by circumstances to be the girl who looked like she didn’t give a fuck"
Hence she's wary of Shane Weston, who quietly slips into his life. First as a saviour, then as his laundry helper. They meet every Thursday in the laundromat and form a sweet bond.
" He had become my comfortable, sharing my Thursdays and filling my Mondays with conversation."
Her comfort with Shane transforms into love but she can't commit to it , because of her own insecurities and that causes major heartache . One day the brutal reality of her existence is slapped in her face and she has to choose between the two recourses- to continue and soon be a part of statistics or get away and survive.
she has to get out of shadows of shane to find her heart before she opens it to him.
In all this turmoil Key Brigg is her moral compass and protector.
"We keep pushin’ people away ‘cause we’re scared to let them see our weakness. That we actually have a heart and that it’s lonely."
Here I have to point out an important turn.
The ending is not triggered but thought out instead. In the sense that nothing triggers the change in Rosalie course of action, she thinks it through. Her quest to find herself is such a mature way of writing , I rarely see in other books. The words are strung beautifully, the struggles of rose's and Shane 's hearts are so real that you feel their dilemmas .
It's a very clear and well developed story and handled with care . There is no clear villian per se but Rosalie 's life, her situations, her sarroundings are villians itself.
Her baggage of her stark truths of her life choices becomes her 'Dirty Laundry' , and Shane the Laundromat Man helps her sort it out and clean it and carry it for her. !!
My first read by her and definitely I'm hooked
“I love Complicated Rose.”
“I love Persistent Shane.”
Mended.
Healed.
A Glimpse of Strength .....
5 Spring Clean Stars
#BookBistroBlogApproved
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FB - https://www.facebook.com/groups/BookB...
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This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 28, 2016
MY EXPERIENCE WRITING BROKEN GIRL:
BROKEN GIRL is my quantum leap into understanding how intimate, personal, damaging and healing writing truly is. Parts of this book pull from the personal wounds that scar my soul and other parts of this book are experiences I’ve plucked from the fray of humanity. I dove deep into the good, bad and ugly, splaying myself open while letting the world take a gander.
I can never dance on the outside edge of my creative writing abyss again. Surging with love and sadness, hate and compassion, fear and strength, I had to learn how to surrender to my vulnerability in order to find out who I was as a writer. Through writing BROKEN GIRL, I learned that I must be completely invested. No more teetering back and forth on the edge of the creative process and my own personal fear.
I hope BROKEN GIRL touches and changes you as much as it has me.
BROKEN GIRL is my quantum leap into understanding how intimate, personal, damaging and healing writing truly is. Parts of this book pull from the personal wounds that scar my soul and other parts of this book are experiences I’ve plucked from the fray of humanity. I dove deep into the good, bad and ugly, splaying myself open while letting the world take a gander.
I can never dance on the outside edge of my creative writing abyss again. Surging with love and sadness, hate and compassion, fear and strength, I had to learn how to surrender to my vulnerability in order to find out who I was as a writer. Through writing BROKEN GIRL, I learned that I must be completely invested. No more teetering back and forth on the edge of the creative process and my own personal fear.
I hope BROKEN GIRL touches and changes you as much as it has me.
April 15, 2016
Every once in a while you read a book that you know will stick with you for a long time. Broken Girl is one of them. The slashing words so eloquently written on these pages left me in tears at times. However, with a Gretchen book, you find yourself being repaired. Those slashes healed and not a single scar remains.
I would love to delve into this creative gifted Authors words with you. To go into detail about the many things that Rose has dealt with in her life to get her to the point where she feels she cannot bounce back from. I can't. It's one of those books you have to read to experience it all for yourself. To see the beautiful Rose that has yet to bloom.
I encourage you all to read this. Gretchen has a gift with making you feel every emotion.
I'm grateful for being able to read this book and to call this her best work.
I would love to delve into this creative gifted Authors words with you. To go into detail about the many things that Rose has dealt with in her life to get her to the point where she feels she cannot bounce back from. I can't. It's one of those books you have to read to experience it all for yourself. To see the beautiful Rose that has yet to bloom.
I encourage you all to read this. Gretchen has a gift with making you feel every emotion.
I'm grateful for being able to read this book and to call this her best work.
June 14, 2016
**4.5 STARS**
"I will never stop fighting for you, never. You're soaked into the marrow of my bones, and you'll be there until the day I take my last breath".
This was an amazing read. This is one of those books that captivate you since the first word and grips your heart all the way to the end. The tittle of this book is pretty self-explanatory; Broken Girl is about a broken girl. A very broken girl that has endure so much on life from a very early age and at the point that we encounter her she’s at the lowest of lows. But she is so much more than that, she’s strong, courageous and a fighter.
I know I say this a lot, but this is definitely a book that you have to experience for yourself to understand the story and the struggles of the heroine. If I spoil it, then it would be a disservice to the author. There’s a lot of this story, loss, pain, struggle, passion and love. I will say that this is not your typical hooker story. It is more raw and gritty than erotica, something I definitely appreciated since I was not expecting.
More than anything, this is Rose’s story. Rose stole my heart from the prologue. She had such a hard life from childhood. Poor thing went through unimaginable things. She’s so lost and broken, but yet she’s hopeful and longs to be loved the way everyone should be loved.
“My whole life, I was never anyone’s number one.”
Enter Shane. Oh, how I love Shane! He was so great in general and so amazing to Rose. He’s definitely swoon-worthy.
“You’re my number one, Rose. You’re my number one, my number two, every number that exists in my number line.”
Obviously, because of her past, and her profession, Rose feels like she’s unworthy of love and unworthy of Shane. The rest of the story you have to read to find out, but I promise this is a great read. This is my first book by Gretchen de la O, but it definitely won’t be my last. Her writing is very beautiful and very engaging. Her descriptions of things and events are so vivid and raw; it makes you feel like you’re there. My only (little) complaint is that I wanted more! More Rose and Shane, an epilogue would’ve been great. Regardless, this book is great. I absolutely recommend!!!
“It didn’t matter who we were, everyone at one point or another has been broken, and you could either sweep up the pieces and throw them away, or find some crazy glue. But through our unspoken words; his-the injustice of war and mine-the hidden marks of abusive parents we found a safe haven in each other’s company.”
**An ARC was generously provided by the author and InkSlinger PR in exchange for an honest review**
"I will never stop fighting for you, never. You're soaked into the marrow of my bones, and you'll be there until the day I take my last breath".
This was an amazing read. This is one of those books that captivate you since the first word and grips your heart all the way to the end. The tittle of this book is pretty self-explanatory; Broken Girl is about a broken girl. A very broken girl that has endure so much on life from a very early age and at the point that we encounter her she’s at the lowest of lows. But she is so much more than that, she’s strong, courageous and a fighter.
I know I say this a lot, but this is definitely a book that you have to experience for yourself to understand the story and the struggles of the heroine. If I spoil it, then it would be a disservice to the author. There’s a lot of this story, loss, pain, struggle, passion and love. I will say that this is not your typical hooker story. It is more raw and gritty than erotica, something I definitely appreciated since I was not expecting.
More than anything, this is Rose’s story. Rose stole my heart from the prologue. She had such a hard life from childhood. Poor thing went through unimaginable things. She’s so lost and broken, but yet she’s hopeful and longs to be loved the way everyone should be loved.
“My whole life, I was never anyone’s number one.”
Enter Shane. Oh, how I love Shane! He was so great in general and so amazing to Rose. He’s definitely swoon-worthy.
“You’re my number one, Rose. You’re my number one, my number two, every number that exists in my number line.”
Obviously, because of her past, and her profession, Rose feels like she’s unworthy of love and unworthy of Shane. The rest of the story you have to read to find out, but I promise this is a great read. This is my first book by Gretchen de la O, but it definitely won’t be my last. Her writing is very beautiful and very engaging. Her descriptions of things and events are so vivid and raw; it makes you feel like you’re there. My only (little) complaint is that I wanted more! More Rose and Shane, an epilogue would’ve been great. Regardless, this book is great. I absolutely recommend!!!
“It didn’t matter who we were, everyone at one point or another has been broken, and you could either sweep up the pieces and throw them away, or find some crazy glue. But through our unspoken words; his-the injustice of war and mine-the hidden marks of abusive parents we found a safe haven in each other’s company.”
**An ARC was generously provided by the author and InkSlinger PR in exchange for an honest review**
May 12, 2016
Broken Girl is precisely that, a tale of a girl who has been completely broken. De la O’s “hooker book” surprisingly has little sex and much more emotion. I was expecting an erotic ride and although you know she is a hooker, what you feel more than anything is that she is a woman and she once was a girl, a girl who was hurt.
There is a beauty that shines through all of the pain.
“It didn’t matter who we were, everyone at one point or another has been broken, and you could either sweep up the pieces and throw them away, or find some crazy glue. But through our unspoken words; his-the injustice of war and mine-the hidden marks of abusive parents we found a safe haven in each other’s company.”
See that right there…yep so good. Gretchen de la O shares her wisdom and her heart with followers on a daily basis through her blog posts, but in Broken Girl she shares it in an entirely new way.
There is an innocence to the love story, that although complicated it’s really quite simple, and with that simplicity, I would recommend giving Broken Girl a chance.
There is a beauty that shines through all of the pain.
“It didn’t matter who we were, everyone at one point or another has been broken, and you could either sweep up the pieces and throw them away, or find some crazy glue. But through our unspoken words; his-the injustice of war and mine-the hidden marks of abusive parents we found a safe haven in each other’s company.”
See that right there…yep so good. Gretchen de la O shares her wisdom and her heart with followers on a daily basis through her blog posts, but in Broken Girl she shares it in an entirely new way.
There is an innocence to the love story, that although complicated it’s really quite simple, and with that simplicity, I would recommend giving Broken Girl a chance.
June 12, 2016
ARC Kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
Title: Borken Girl
Author: Gretchen de la O
Category: Romance, Dark
POV: Heroine's POV
Plot: 4
Characters: 4.5
Scorching Level:4
HEA: Not telling
I love dark, gritty and twisted storylines and this book had it all! A tortured heroine, pain, loss, passion and ultimately love.
Rose sells her body because it's the only thing she owns. She doesn't expect anything from her dark life and she knows that emotion is not something she will ever find. Her dreams have been stomped on and now she knows never to invest on people. She sees herself as this broken girl that no one wants.
Prince Charming didn't exist in my world because there was nobody willing to invest anything more than money to fuck me.
Her life and views change when a handsome, strong man enters her life. Shane attracts her like a moth is drawn to a flame. But she knows that she can never be what he wants. She decides to hide what she is, but can she keep it a secret for long?
Follow our heroine on this difficult journey of survival, pain and love.
I loved how the author skillfully developed this intricate plotline. I loved that we get to know more about Rose as the story went on. Her mysterious Mr. C, the man who broke her heart for the first time, and all those who left her helpless.
Great story, with gritty settings and excellently written! I highly recommend this if you want something different!
4.5 Stars!
April 27, 2016
I'm not sure how to write this review. There wasn't one thing specifically that I can pinpoint that made me love this story. It was a package deal sort of thing. It was a "these words have resonated and seeped into me" kind of read.
Gretchen de la O took a very sad story idea and made the sun shine on it. Broken Girl had the potential to be stereotypical and cliche yet Gretchen worked magic with this story, filling it with hope and a reality that change has to happen. Even when that change is scarier than being in a go nowhere, down-and-out situation.
She created characters that most people would love to judge or condemn and made you fall in love with them, to see their side of the story and made the reader want to cheer them on and wait at the finish line to tell them how proud they made you.
While reading Broken Girl, I could feel the passion and the sincerity of de la O in the words and while this is a work of fiction, it was almost like reading someone's memoirs. There was an edge and rawness to the words yet they were draped with grace and heart. Broken Girl was a thoughtful read woven with parts of sexiness, angst and "shit is going down" moments- a well balanced book that keeps the reader invested in the story and searching for more. I didn't want the story to end.
If you've read a Gretchen de la O book before Broken Girl, then you already know she is a talented writer. But BROKEN GIRL? She found new talent, and something from within to make this an incredible story.
D 5/5
Gretchen de la O took a very sad story idea and made the sun shine on it. Broken Girl had the potential to be stereotypical and cliche yet Gretchen worked magic with this story, filling it with hope and a reality that change has to happen. Even when that change is scarier than being in a go nowhere, down-and-out situation.
She created characters that most people would love to judge or condemn and made you fall in love with them, to see their side of the story and made the reader want to cheer them on and wait at the finish line to tell them how proud they made you.
While reading Broken Girl, I could feel the passion and the sincerity of de la O in the words and while this is a work of fiction, it was almost like reading someone's memoirs. There was an edge and rawness to the words yet they were draped with grace and heart. Broken Girl was a thoughtful read woven with parts of sexiness, angst and "shit is going down" moments- a well balanced book that keeps the reader invested in the story and searching for more. I didn't want the story to end.
If you've read a Gretchen de la O book before Broken Girl, then you already know she is a talented writer. But BROKEN GIRL? She found new talent, and something from within to make this an incredible story.
D 5/5
May 20, 2016
I spotted this blurb on facebook one day of this book that really caught my attention by a new to me author. Broken Girl...
My name is ROSE NEWTON, and I sell my body on the streets of San Francisco. I’m what you call society's dirty little secret. On the outside, I'm in control, the woman who makes her own rules and gives nothing away for free. Inside, I’m broken and numb. Torn and shattered by my past, my life is nothing more than the lost fragments of what's left of me.
SHANE WEST represents everything that’s foreign to me. He’s brave, kind, funny, gorgeous and persistent. When fate brings us face to face, an undeniable attraction blazes between us. He becomes the constant I've never had and the only man I'll ever trust.
There is nothing simple about falling in love when you're keeping a secret like mine.
This book was so well written, had such depth in the writing and held me tight turning the pages from start to finish. Throw in a couple boxes of tissue at the end and bam, you have a book that left you with serious feelings for each and every character in the book!
Would LOVE to have a second book about Kean <3 <3 <3 Just wishful thinking out loud here :-)
Thank you Gretchen de la O for this fabulous book!!! Well Done!
My name is ROSE NEWTON, and I sell my body on the streets of San Francisco. I’m what you call society's dirty little secret. On the outside, I'm in control, the woman who makes her own rules and gives nothing away for free. Inside, I’m broken and numb. Torn and shattered by my past, my life is nothing more than the lost fragments of what's left of me.
SHANE WEST represents everything that’s foreign to me. He’s brave, kind, funny, gorgeous and persistent. When fate brings us face to face, an undeniable attraction blazes between us. He becomes the constant I've never had and the only man I'll ever trust.
There is nothing simple about falling in love when you're keeping a secret like mine.
This book was so well written, had such depth in the writing and held me tight turning the pages from start to finish. Throw in a couple boxes of tissue at the end and bam, you have a book that left you with serious feelings for each and every character in the book!
Would LOVE to have a second book about Kean <3 <3 <3 Just wishful thinking out loud here :-)
Thank you Gretchen de la O for this fabulous book!!! Well Done!
April 28, 2016
I was honored to be able to have an early copy of Broken Girl entrusted to me by Gretchen de la O; it was truly a privilege.
Broken Girl was a very unique book. By just read the synopsis you may think that you know how it is all going to end, maybe even think it's a familiar trope. I assure you, you're mistaken. I went into this book believing I knew exactly what I was getting myself into; I didn't. It was so much more than I could have anticipated. More than I could have asked for.
The characters: Shane, Rose, Sybil, and Kean, were all brilliantly written. Broken Girl is written in dual POV, and both Shane and Rose had very distinct voices. Too often only the perspective from which we are witnessing the story changes, however, Gretchen de la O was able to encompass fully the feelings of the characters in the words and phrasing she used for each character; this is nothing compared to the deep intensity of each character's personality. I felt completely immersed in each of their lives and was left with the desire to know more about each and every one of them. To delve into each past, to know every facet of their beings. For me, having that desire to know more than could possibly be fit in the pages of a novel is the sign of a well-written character.
Gretchen de la O starts this book running. The initial scene is so dark, so intense; it sets the tone for the rest of it. I was impressed that she never let up with that level of intensity. Even in the lighter moments there is an undercurrent that is waiting to pull you straight back into the darkness. It is a rare thing for me to not figure out the twists in a book, and I was positive I saw the direction Broken Girl was heading. I was so wrong; the book took turns I never saw coming. It kept me on my toes and was a completely exhilarating ride.
Ms. de la O did a remarkable job with this novel. There is a level of passion written into the pages that is completely palpable. She was so loyal to each character and the intricacies of their personalities it was a breath of fresh air. There were plenty of time where she could have taken the easy route and made this a flowery love story, but she kept on the dark and twisting road that was true to her characters, and I am a little bit in love with her for doing that.
Broken Girl was a very unique book. By just read the synopsis you may think that you know how it is all going to end, maybe even think it's a familiar trope. I assure you, you're mistaken. I went into this book believing I knew exactly what I was getting myself into; I didn't. It was so much more than I could have anticipated. More than I could have asked for.
The characters: Shane, Rose, Sybil, and Kean, were all brilliantly written. Broken Girl is written in dual POV, and both Shane and Rose had very distinct voices. Too often only the perspective from which we are witnessing the story changes, however, Gretchen de la O was able to encompass fully the feelings of the characters in the words and phrasing she used for each character; this is nothing compared to the deep intensity of each character's personality. I felt completely immersed in each of their lives and was left with the desire to know more about each and every one of them. To delve into each past, to know every facet of their beings. For me, having that desire to know more than could possibly be fit in the pages of a novel is the sign of a well-written character.
Gretchen de la O starts this book running. The initial scene is so dark, so intense; it sets the tone for the rest of it. I was impressed that she never let up with that level of intensity. Even in the lighter moments there is an undercurrent that is waiting to pull you straight back into the darkness. It is a rare thing for me to not figure out the twists in a book, and I was positive I saw the direction Broken Girl was heading. I was so wrong; the book took turns I never saw coming. It kept me on my toes and was a completely exhilarating ride.
Ms. de la O did a remarkable job with this novel. There is a level of passion written into the pages that is completely palpable. She was so loyal to each character and the intricacies of their personalities it was a breath of fresh air. There were plenty of time where she could have taken the easy route and made this a flowery love story, but she kept on the dark and twisting road that was true to her characters, and I am a little bit in love with her for doing that.
April 19, 2016
Raw and Gritty!
"Broken Girl" by Gretchen de la O is a thought provoking and emotional story. From the first pages the words produce a mental image that strangled me with it's intensity. Rose's story was heart wrenching. The secondary characters wore their wounds bravely and enriched the story with a pungent spice. Although my heart was breaking with each chapter, I truly enjoyed being drawn into Rose's world. In my opinion Ms. de la O painted a vivid picture of a flawed and darker side of humanity.
"Broken Girl" by Gretchen de la O is a thought provoking and emotional story. From the first pages the words produce a mental image that strangled me with it's intensity. Rose's story was heart wrenching. The secondary characters wore their wounds bravely and enriched the story with a pungent spice. Although my heart was breaking with each chapter, I truly enjoyed being drawn into Rose's world. In my opinion Ms. de la O painted a vivid picture of a flawed and darker side of humanity.
April 14, 2016
Final Score - 5 Oh My Aching Heart Stars!
*received ARC from author in exchange for an honest review*
I need to sleep on this one to gather my thoughts. Review to come in the a.m.
***EDITED TO ADD IN***
Wow! Just... wow! My mind is blown away by this book. Gritty, honest, in you face. That how I describe Rose. She's a warrior. Life has continually knocked her down, but she doesn't go down. She fights, but she's built walls that are impenetrable... because she's had to. Betrayed by the people who are supposed to love you unconditionally. God, the things she went thru, it was enough to make me cry, which happened continuously through out the book.
Rose wants what every one wants - to be accepted. To be believed. To be loved & cherished. To know that her life/death would mean something to someone.
That came in the form of Shane. I truly believe he came into her life at a time where he was necessary for her to not loose that last part of her that was human, capable of feeling. He's a balm to her wounded soul. You couldn't help but root for them - for Rose to come clean about her life and what had happened to her, for Shane to knock thru those carefully constructed walls, for life to just cut Rose a break and give her that desired out from the life she was living on the streets, but most of all, YOU wanted her to not feel like that broken 9 year girl, who was so brutally shattered into pieces, never to be put fully back together again.
This book was unlike any other I've read - I felt as if I was reading my own life in words. As a survivor of childhood sex abuse, while I was never raped, I understand Rose's thoughts and feelings - they were/are to a degree my own. I couldn't help but relate to her and what she needed to do in order to survive. And while my life parallels to her - to a degree - the similarities are both striking and haunting.
Normally, I would like to have seen an epilogue - but this book didn't need it. I like to see things tied up in a perfectly formed HEA, but again - THIS BOOK DIDN'T NEED IT. I don't even care if her parents get redeemed, nor do I want to know! This book has the ending it was supposed to have, so very different from how it started and that to me was the most perfect HEA I could have ever asked for.
This book will DEFINITELY stay with me, both on my radar (to be re-read again at a later date) and also in my heart & mind, for a long time to come!
*received ARC from author in exchange for an honest review*
I need to sleep on this one to gather my thoughts. Review to come in the a.m.
***EDITED TO ADD IN***
Wow! Just... wow! My mind is blown away by this book. Gritty, honest, in you face. That how I describe Rose. She's a warrior. Life has continually knocked her down, but she doesn't go down. She fights, but she's built walls that are impenetrable... because she's had to. Betrayed by the people who are supposed to love you unconditionally. God, the things she went thru, it was enough to make me cry, which happened continuously through out the book.
Rose wants what every one wants - to be accepted. To be believed. To be loved & cherished. To know that her life/death would mean something to someone.
That came in the form of Shane. I truly believe he came into her life at a time where he was necessary for her to not loose that last part of her that was human, capable of feeling. He's a balm to her wounded soul. You couldn't help but root for them - for Rose to come clean about her life and what had happened to her, for Shane to knock thru those carefully constructed walls, for life to just cut Rose a break and give her that desired out from the life she was living on the streets, but most of all, YOU wanted her to not feel like that broken 9 year girl, who was so brutally shattered into pieces, never to be put fully back together again.
This book was unlike any other I've read - I felt as if I was reading my own life in words. As a survivor of childhood sex abuse, while I was never raped, I understand Rose's thoughts and feelings - they were/are to a degree my own. I couldn't help but relate to her and what she needed to do in order to survive. And while my life parallels to her - to a degree - the similarities are both striking and haunting.
Normally, I would like to have seen an epilogue - but this book didn't need it. I like to see things tied up in a perfectly formed HEA, but again - THIS BOOK DIDN'T NEED IT. I don't even care if her parents get redeemed, nor do I want to know! This book has the ending it was supposed to have, so very different from how it started and that to me was the most perfect HEA I could have ever asked for.
This book will DEFINITELY stay with me, both on my radar (to be re-read again at a later date) and also in my heart & mind, for a long time to come!
June 23, 2016
Life hasn't been easy for Rose since she was a little girl as she was molested by a friend's stepfather. Often when we read stories like this , we have an understanding about what road they will take and how they become so broken and damaged. For Rose Newton , her life took the road of becoming a prostitute - though she took the route of being her own woman and not having a pimp or someone supposedly looking out for her. One night while out with the girls , she witnesses a guy standing up for one of the new girls Crystal. She watches the interaction intently and he notices her briefly. Turns out that he is the manager of the local laundromat - Shane West. I have to admit at first it was weird seeing his name like this as all I could think about first was the actor Shane West and what happened to him as haven't seen him in any movies lately. Anyway, back to the story - Shane West has been noticing Rose when she comes in to do her laundry and is trying to get up the guts to ask her out. Rose doesn't do dates and it takes a lot of persistence from Shane for Rose to agree for a meal which she does reluctantly as she views herself as the type of person that is never meant to fall in love. Love for people like her doesn't exist. What will happen though when she tries to keep her two lives separate as she starts to fall for Shane and vice versa ? What will happen when both of them come crashing down after the death of a close friend and it turns out that Shane is a very good friend of the family's ? I have to admit I did like how this book turned out and that after her world crashing down around her moment, the author didn't have Rose go back to Shane straightaway as often I hate reading books where it feels instantaneous as you are like "really, that wouldn't happen in real life" . One thing that did bother me a little in this book was the fact that the author only glanced over Mr. Chadwick's packages and to what was in them as was hoping we would get a bit more of a present glance into Mr.Chadwick's reasoning of still sending the packages. Other than that if you are in the mood for a Dark Romance, then check out Broken Girl by Gretchen De La O
June 14, 2016
Five Emotional Stars! Rose has lived with some unbelievable horrors since she was young and she lives on the streets prostituting herself now. Rose knows about abuse but when it comes to love and goodness she knows very little. Shane is love, goodness and decency, but when Rose meets him she is unsure how to act. Rose's roommate is violently murdered, and Shane will find out Rose's profession, which then causes Rose to think about changing. Can Rose go from the darkness, which is something she has been use to for a very long time, to the light, which is foreign to her? First I have to say this is a dark story, so beware there are triggers. I was caught up in the book from the first chapter and could not put the book down until the end. The author has written a very emotional story with unexpected twists and turns. I will be looking for more by this author. Highly recommend!
I received this book as an ARC for an honest review. This book was read and reviewed by Annamaria for Alpha Book Club.
Plot: 5
Chemistry: 5
Pacing: 5
Ending: 5
Character Development: 5
I received this book as an ARC for an honest review. This book was read and reviewed by Annamaria for Alpha Book Club.
Plot: 5
Chemistry: 5
Pacing: 5
Ending: 5
Character Development: 5
May 5, 2016
Oh Gretchen de la O how I love thee. Is it possible to love Persistent Shane more than Max? I think I may need to go back and read the Wilson Mooney series a second time just to make sure. I don't even know where to begin or what to say after reading Broken Girl. Gahhh not only did you make me cry once but several times. I love books that make you feel every single emotion the characters feel. The way Shane talks to Rosie is so beautiful! SWOON! I can listen to him all day! I loved it! I'm gonna squeeze you tight like Key when I see you again! LOL <3
I don't want to say too much without giving it away but this part shattered me :'(
"I never asked for this life. I just want to be free, I want to give you everything I am," she answers, her body contradicting her words. "I don't want to fear losing you to my past. I want to believe I deserve you. I want to trust your words, I want to make love to you, but I'm so f****** scared you'll never forgive me for who I was."
I don't want to say too much without giving it away but this part shattered me :'(
"I never asked for this life. I just want to be free, I want to give you everything I am," she answers, her body contradicting her words. "I don't want to fear losing you to my past. I want to believe I deserve you. I want to trust your words, I want to make love to you, but I'm so f****** scared you'll never forgive me for who I was."
June 19, 2016
Holy stilettos on a street corner, THIS book is EVERYTHING you need in your bibliophile life!
Little girls who make men touch them are nothing but whores. Rosalie Newton didn't want to be a whore. But the choice was torn from her as a child and now she's broken. She sells herself on the streets to disgusting pigs who call themselves men, vowing to get out when she makes enough money. When she meets laundromat owner Shane West, she doesn't want to fall for him. But he wears her down with his sweet attitude and his lollipops and for the first time in a long time, she starts having hope that her life could be different. Rose is broken, and Shane wants desperately to fix her. Can she let him?
BROKEN GIRL is my first novel by Ms. de la O, and WHEW is it a doozy. This is NOT a pretty, flowery love story full of sweet nothings and epic romance; it's gritty and raw and emotionally thick. It rips you open and makes you wonder if your own long forgotten wounds can ever heal. Witness:
Let's face it, life wasn't always about finding something beautiful in a heaping pile of shit. I fucked for money; I made guys come because their wives or girlfriends didn't have the gall to do half the kinky shit their men fantasized about. So their boyfriends or husbands found me on the corner of Geary and Taylor and paid a fistful of dead presidents to live out their kinkiest fantasies. There was nothing noble or life-altering in what I did. I'm a whore.
So that happened. And so much more. BROKEN GIRL feels so honest and real that my heart just broke for Rose and the circumstances of her life that lead her to the choices she made. She made no apologies for her career choice…it was sell herself or live homeless and starving. Shane doesn't change her worldview or priorities, but she enjoys him more than she feels she has a right to. I have to say I'm totally surprised by the sexless relationship between Rose and Shane…while respectful, the horrors that they go thru together seem to me that sex would be a natural progression in their relationship. At the same time, it was this underlying adoration and love that permeates the book because of Shane's fearless love for Rose. It was all very interesting, sad, funny in parts, eliciting the feels from page one. BROKEN GIRL will make you more empathetic for what prostitutes go through mentally and physically when making the choice to turn in that direction.
Bottom Line: This one is a true piece of passion, and it's simply flawless. - See more at: http://erotic.theromancereviews.com/v...
- See more at: http://erotic.theromancereviews.com/v...
Little girls who make men touch them are nothing but whores. Rosalie Newton didn't want to be a whore. But the choice was torn from her as a child and now she's broken. She sells herself on the streets to disgusting pigs who call themselves men, vowing to get out when she makes enough money. When she meets laundromat owner Shane West, she doesn't want to fall for him. But he wears her down with his sweet attitude and his lollipops and for the first time in a long time, she starts having hope that her life could be different. Rose is broken, and Shane wants desperately to fix her. Can she let him?
BROKEN GIRL is my first novel by Ms. de la O, and WHEW is it a doozy. This is NOT a pretty, flowery love story full of sweet nothings and epic romance; it's gritty and raw and emotionally thick. It rips you open and makes you wonder if your own long forgotten wounds can ever heal. Witness:
Let's face it, life wasn't always about finding something beautiful in a heaping pile of shit. I fucked for money; I made guys come because their wives or girlfriends didn't have the gall to do half the kinky shit their men fantasized about. So their boyfriends or husbands found me on the corner of Geary and Taylor and paid a fistful of dead presidents to live out their kinkiest fantasies. There was nothing noble or life-altering in what I did. I'm a whore.
So that happened. And so much more. BROKEN GIRL feels so honest and real that my heart just broke for Rose and the circumstances of her life that lead her to the choices she made. She made no apologies for her career choice…it was sell herself or live homeless and starving. Shane doesn't change her worldview or priorities, but she enjoys him more than she feels she has a right to. I have to say I'm totally surprised by the sexless relationship between Rose and Shane…while respectful, the horrors that they go thru together seem to me that sex would be a natural progression in their relationship. At the same time, it was this underlying adoration and love that permeates the book because of Shane's fearless love for Rose. It was all very interesting, sad, funny in parts, eliciting the feels from page one. BROKEN GIRL will make you more empathetic for what prostitutes go through mentally and physically when making the choice to turn in that direction.
Bottom Line: This one is a true piece of passion, and it's simply flawless. - See more at: http://erotic.theromancereviews.com/v...
- See more at: http://erotic.theromancereviews.com/v...
June 16, 2016
I have just finished Broken Girl and my emotions are all over the place. This is my first book by Gretchen and let me say now that it will most definitely not be my last. I love her writing style, she keeps you gripped from the prologue as you slowly slip into the world she's created within the pages of a heart wrenching, but beautiful story.
Rose suffers a horrific event early on in life and this is how we're introduced to our heroine, fast forward years later, we find her as the broken girl she believes she is. Not everyone will be able to read this since it is a darker read, but when you find yourself immersed in Rose's life, and how she takes everyday that life throws at her and pushes through the pain, the agony, and the mind numbing doubt, you feel as if you're either a part of her, or you're right there beside her.
Every girl, every woman has a little bit of Rose in them. Not necessarily what she's been through, but that self doubt, that part of you that never feels 'enough'. As if you're not deserving of happiness, or love, because of your past, or the choices you've made.
Gretchen weaves a story that makes you want to believe you are worthy. She makes you believe that even though Rose is a broken, no, shattered girl, there is something beautiful in those fragments that her past has left behind. That in those broken pieces of the woman she now is, that she can find love.
The question remains, will she be able to accept it? Or will the demons from her past convince her to walk away from the one thing that will bring her happiness?
I don't want to say too much about the story, I want you diving in head first, blindly, because nothing can prepare you for the ride you're about to embark on, but I promise you, it will be well worth the ride. This book has left me with emotion overload, a book hangover of note, and it is on my must read list for 2016. Loved, loved, loved, every moment of this rollercoaster!
Rose suffers a horrific event early on in life and this is how we're introduced to our heroine, fast forward years later, we find her as the broken girl she believes she is. Not everyone will be able to read this since it is a darker read, but when you find yourself immersed in Rose's life, and how she takes everyday that life throws at her and pushes through the pain, the agony, and the mind numbing doubt, you feel as if you're either a part of her, or you're right there beside her.
Every girl, every woman has a little bit of Rose in them. Not necessarily what she's been through, but that self doubt, that part of you that never feels 'enough'. As if you're not deserving of happiness, or love, because of your past, or the choices you've made.
Gretchen weaves a story that makes you want to believe you are worthy. She makes you believe that even though Rose is a broken, no, shattered girl, there is something beautiful in those fragments that her past has left behind. That in those broken pieces of the woman she now is, that she can find love.
The question remains, will she be able to accept it? Or will the demons from her past convince her to walk away from the one thing that will bring her happiness?
I don't want to say too much about the story, I want you diving in head first, blindly, because nothing can prepare you for the ride you're about to embark on, but I promise you, it will be well worth the ride. This book has left me with emotion overload, a book hangover of note, and it is on my must read list for 2016. Loved, loved, loved, every moment of this rollercoaster!
May 1, 2016
FOUR*** STARS!!!!
I read the blurb of this book and it automatically drew me in.
My name is ROSE NEWTON, and I sell my body on the streets of San Francisco. I’m what you call society's dirty little secret.
SHANE WEST represents everything that’s foreign to me. He’s brave, kind, funny, gorgeous and persistent.
There is nothing simple about falling in love when you're keeping a secret like mine.
I knew this wasn’t going to be light and funny read, but something that would take you into the underbelly of society and the broken souls that live there.
Rose is strong, independent, complicated, and broken. Shane is loyal, kind, sweet, and persistent. Although there is an immediate attraction, the love between the characters progresses slowly due to Rose’s secrets and insecurities. How can a prostitute be deserving of love? Especially from someone who deserves the best woman possible. How can Shane look past her profession?
Broken girls always ached to be loved, even if it wasn’t perfect.
You’re my number one, Rose. You’re my number one, my number two, every number that exists in my number line.
Swoon.
This story was raw, complicated, and realistic. Even at the lowest point in life, it is ok to have hopes and dreams, and believe that you are worth it.
This was a great story with a great message.
I read the blurb of this book and it automatically drew me in.
My name is ROSE NEWTON, and I sell my body on the streets of San Francisco. I’m what you call society's dirty little secret.
SHANE WEST represents everything that’s foreign to me. He’s brave, kind, funny, gorgeous and persistent.
There is nothing simple about falling in love when you're keeping a secret like mine.
I knew this wasn’t going to be light and funny read, but something that would take you into the underbelly of society and the broken souls that live there.
Rose is strong, independent, complicated, and broken. Shane is loyal, kind, sweet, and persistent. Although there is an immediate attraction, the love between the characters progresses slowly due to Rose’s secrets and insecurities. How can a prostitute be deserving of love? Especially from someone who deserves the best woman possible. How can Shane look past her profession?
Broken girls always ached to be loved, even if it wasn’t perfect.
You’re my number one, Rose. You’re my number one, my number two, every number that exists in my number line.
Swoon.
This story was raw, complicated, and realistic. Even at the lowest point in life, it is ok to have hopes and dreams, and believe that you are worth it.
This was a great story with a great message.
May 16, 2016
4.5 stars
I am not sure where to start with this review other than I loved this book. It has taken me a little while to wrap my brain around the entire concept of the book and to figure out how to formulate what I want to say. It is a beautifully written book that can help teach you how to put yourself back together after you have been broken. Rose is such a strong main character. Despite the fact that she has been forced into her current circumstances she knows that it isn’t something she is going to do forever.
I can honestly say that I had a hard time reading parts of this book because of my past, however with my past I can understand how Rose feels and the emotions and thoughts that run through her head and why she feels the way she does. On some level this book was very cathartic for me to read.
I love how the author can string the words together and make them flow so beautifully. This is truly one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. Bravo.
I am not sure where to start with this review other than I loved this book. It has taken me a little while to wrap my brain around the entire concept of the book and to figure out how to formulate what I want to say. It is a beautifully written book that can help teach you how to put yourself back together after you have been broken. Rose is such a strong main character. Despite the fact that she has been forced into her current circumstances she knows that it isn’t something she is going to do forever.
I can honestly say that I had a hard time reading parts of this book because of my past, however with my past I can understand how Rose feels and the emotions and thoughts that run through her head and why she feels the way she does. On some level this book was very cathartic for me to read.
I love how the author can string the words together and make them flow so beautifully. This is truly one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. Bravo.
April 30, 2016
Raw...gritty....emotional...powerful...
Gretchen brings all the punches in this book! Have kleenex handy. I was a hot mess a few times reading this book!
I'm not a fan of dark reads but this book is just WOW! How she develops Rose, the trials that she goes thru to get to where is she today. How her past is dark. Her wishing that her future could turn around. Shane is the glimmer of light. He brings her happiness.
The book is one that is a MUST read.
Gretchen brings all the punches in this book! Have kleenex handy. I was a hot mess a few times reading this book!
I'm not a fan of dark reads but this book is just WOW! How she develops Rose, the trials that she goes thru to get to where is she today. How her past is dark. Her wishing that her future could turn around. Shane is the glimmer of light. He brings her happiness.
The book is one that is a MUST read.
May 13, 2016
There arent many books that take me on this extreme emotional rollercoaster.. And im glad i read it while everyone else was sleeping... cause they would have disturbed me with questions about why i was crying...
With that said i loved this book.. and if i keep typing i will give away spoilers... and i really dont like giving spoilers...
Just read this and let it take you on that rollercoaster...
With that said i loved this book.. and if i keep typing i will give away spoilers... and i really dont like giving spoilers...
Just read this and let it take you on that rollercoaster...
July 12, 2016
Just wow!
I didn't really know what to expect when I started reading this but OMG I absolutely loved it. It is heartbreakingly beautiful. Great job Gretchen de la O!!!
I didn't really know what to expect when I started reading this but OMG I absolutely loved it. It is heartbreakingly beautiful. Great job Gretchen de la O!!!
June 5, 2017
OMG! At first I wasn't sure what to expect, and when this book about Rose started off so dark and sad...I felt like I was in for a really painful story...and I was right. Only after she met Shane, her ray of hope for a better future, did I breathe a little easier, but it was still a long and gut-wrenching journey to get to the end of the bitter road.
This was one tough book to read (no little girl should have to live Rose's life) but I really did appreciate the thought and passion and honesty of the author to write something that could have just been gratuitous sex and perversion, and turned out to be so much more.
A really good psychological mind thrill of a love story with some thought provoking narratives.
***** 4.5 ***** "she's not who you think" stars
This was one tough book to read (no little girl should have to live Rose's life) but I really did appreciate the thought and passion and honesty of the author to write something that could have just been gratuitous sex and perversion, and turned out to be so much more.
A really good psychological mind thrill of a love story with some thought provoking narratives.
***** 4.5 ***** "she's not who you think" stars
June 12, 2016
In the last two years I have met Gretchen de la O at several book signings. Each time I spoke with her she told me she was working on something very different and very dark. She said it contained some very heavy subject matter and that it was a very difficult book to write. She couldn't put an exact time frame as to when the book would release because she wanted to get this story right. She didn't want to take the easy road with Rose's story. She wanted to give Rose the voice that would tell her story .
Broken Girl by Gretchen de la O is quite different from the books I usually read. It's a dark, gritty look inside of a truly broken person. It's a harsh reality with ugly truths, jagged revelations, and deep emotional scars. This is not a fun, fluffy romance book where love fixes all. Quite honestly I wouldn't even consider this book a romance at all. It's a vivid portrayal of a young girl's journey into a dark twisted adulthood. A lost little girl existing beneath the layers of betrayal, abuse,condemnation, and self destruction. If you are looking for light reading, this may not be the book to choose. If you have hard limits in your reading preferences, don't read this book.
Broken Girl contains childhood sexual abuse, violence, physical abuse, drug abuse, and self abuse. It is vividly graphic. It has hardcore subject matter that is quite disturbing. Although most of the content is very dark there is also a progression to the light. A broken individual finally finding the path to her own personal self redemption. Take off your rose colored glasses and brace yourself.
Rose Newton never really had a chance in life. Her childhood was horrific. She encountered abuse on every level. It's only natural that her childhood would lead to a life of prostitution. Prostitution gives her the power to control the abuse. It's the only source of income she can earn to survive in a very expensive world. She's not living in luxury, in fact she lives in poverty. She views sex as a means to an end, no emotional or physical attachments.
She's worked the streets since she was sixteen years old. She has no illusions of a grand future. She doesn't have hopes and dreams for the future. Her life is pathetic. The few friends she has are people like her, living in the dark shadows of society. Their friendships are conditional. Each of them guards their inner secrets, emotional demons, and past lives.
Rose accidentally meets a handsome young man in a laundromat after he saves another prostitute from harm. She's intrigued that a stranger would help a person like her. Her curiosity leads her to return to laundromat and to a reluctant friendship with Shane. This is the first choice that will begin to take Rose in a different direction in life. It will be the first step into her journey of self discovery. It may be her only chance at being truly loved.
As Rose's journey begins to progress, her current life will spiral out of control. She will start to experience real emotions and eye opening events.
Rose has to learn to forgive and love herself before she can attempt to becoming a whole person. She has to learn that she is worthy and entitled to love just like every other person. She has to find out who Rose is capable of becoming.
I admit this was a very hard story for me to read. I had a very heavy feeling throughout the book. Some parts appalled me, others broke me. I did not find this entertaining but was fully engaged in the story. It was the type of book that was based upon some very heavy issues and dark subject matter. What made me give the books 5 Stars is it's brutal honesty and realistic solutions.
Gretchen de la O wrote a very honest, brutal accounting of a broken girl's life. It's not a pretty story. It's a girl finding the glue to put herself back together. It's a lesson of self respect and becoming whole.
April 21, 2016
This story is about Rose. With a name representing beauty, you would think her life would be filled with it. Sadly no, Rose's life is fragile and full of thorns that have pricked her heart and soul. She is so broken, that if she wasn't as strong as she is, she would have been swallowed up by the darkness. She is a prostitute. She lives in the dregs of hell that most of us will never know. She is a survivor! She has a broken support system who are all just trying to survive.
She guards her heart because once, although she lives in a very cruel and real world, she opens a little window and felt hope, fell in love. She fell for the fantasy that someone would save her just like in a fairytale... instead, she was broken even more.
Shane is a good man who meets Rose one night as she is in a back alley. He comes to the assistance of her and a friend. Rose is stunned with him.. his beauty, his nobility, his sincerity. Those types of people just do not exist in her world. As hard as she tries, she can't get him out of her mind. So she goes about in meeting him as her, just a girl, not a prostitute. They strike up a sort of friendship, he is relentless, but the secret between them is just too much. She knows he would be disgusted by the fact that she sells her body to survive. Who would ever look past that shameful existence and see the actual soul within that same girl. Absolutely inconceivable right?
I loved this book, it is original, raw and beautiful. The journey that Mrs. de la O takes you on is filled with pain, anguish, and heartache. It is also full of hope and love.
Do yourself a favor and read it!
She guards her heart because once, although she lives in a very cruel and real world, she opens a little window and felt hope, fell in love. She fell for the fantasy that someone would save her just like in a fairytale... instead, she was broken even more.
Shane is a good man who meets Rose one night as she is in a back alley. He comes to the assistance of her and a friend. Rose is stunned with him.. his beauty, his nobility, his sincerity. Those types of people just do not exist in her world. As hard as she tries, she can't get him out of her mind. So she goes about in meeting him as her, just a girl, not a prostitute. They strike up a sort of friendship, he is relentless, but the secret between them is just too much. She knows he would be disgusted by the fact that she sells her body to survive. Who would ever look past that shameful existence and see the actual soul within that same girl. Absolutely inconceivable right?
I loved this book, it is original, raw and beautiful. The journey that Mrs. de la O takes you on is filled with pain, anguish, and heartache. It is also full of hope and love.
Do yourself a favor and read it!
May 27, 2016
When Gretchen asked if I wanted to read Broken Girl I was elated! And then I was immediately deflated within the first few pages of her book because of the sadness that this entire story exudes. I haven't been this sad or depressed reading a story in a long time so thanks Gretchen for giving me my fix!
Rose's story of abuse is hard to read and will make you want to scream or hurl into a bucket. Gretchen's use of words and the way she portrays a young Rose in the past is captivating. Although it was tough for me to read I couldn't get enough and I flew through the pages of this book because I needed to find out how it would affect her in the present day.
What I really enjoy about of Gretchen's work is her characters. They're always so full of life and they are so realistic. Rose and Briggs were phenomenal characters and I enjoyed them immensely! They were so well developed and had incredible depth. Even though Briggs was one scary dude, I would love to be friends with him! Shane was sweet enough for me and Sybil I think could have used an extra punch.
But what's bothering me the most was that I didn't get anything more from Mr. C. He was there and then he vanished. I felt he should have been brought back in some way in the story. I feel like I got cheated.
All in all though, if you're looking for something that is NOT a happy read but will make you turn pages at lighting speed then Gretchen de la O's Broken Girl is IT for you! Give it a GO!
4 out of 5 Strolling Blushes
Rose's story of abuse is hard to read and will make you want to scream or hurl into a bucket. Gretchen's use of words and the way she portrays a young Rose in the past is captivating. Although it was tough for me to read I couldn't get enough and I flew through the pages of this book because I needed to find out how it would affect her in the present day.
What I really enjoy about of Gretchen's work is her characters. They're always so full of life and they are so realistic. Rose and Briggs were phenomenal characters and I enjoyed them immensely! They were so well developed and had incredible depth. Even though Briggs was one scary dude, I would love to be friends with him! Shane was sweet enough for me and Sybil I think could have used an extra punch.
But what's bothering me the most was that I didn't get anything more from Mr. C. He was there and then he vanished. I felt he should have been brought back in some way in the story. I feel like I got cheated.
All in all though, if you're looking for something that is NOT a happy read but will make you turn pages at lighting speed then Gretchen de la O's Broken Girl is IT for you! Give it a GO!
4 out of 5 Strolling Blushes
May 1, 2016
The beauty that is Broken Girl...its hard to form words after reading this incredible raw and gritty story. Like no other story iv been given the honor to read this book left me shattered in all the best possible ways. Rose Newton isnt like some of the other female characters Iv read about. The heart ache and struggles life has given this girl would bring most people to their knees but not Rose. This girl fights with everything she has and does what she needs to do, fights tooth and nail for everything she has even when she doesn't always feel like she deserves it. I was so sucked into this world and blown away by the intensity that I couldn't put it down. I just had to know every little detail on this world and life and everyone that was introduced into Rose life. I think bringing in Shane made a world of difference. Not like your typical male Shane is your what every women could only dream of having. Sweet, caring, romantic everything Rose doesnt believe she deserves and Rose is everything Shane can dream of having. Roses story takes you on such a journey on like anything iv ever read, tearing at my hear and soul. This is by far one of my all time favorite reads. Gretchen does such a beatiful job at capturing such raw emotion that this life is raw and gritty and not all rainbows and unicorns. Sometimes in life that even in that all that darkness theres light and beauty.
May 26, 2016
Do you trigger easily? If so, please be careful reading this book. That is my only disclaimer. I, myself, am a Survivor. This book hit SO very close to home for me. My story doesn’t exactly mirror Rose’s, but there are pieces of Rose that I still feel in my soul to this day, and I always will. This story was so powerful for me, in some ways, at some moments, it threw me back there. It wasn’t necessarily a trigger, but the depression, the lack of self-worth, the lack of self-esteem, the feeling of hopelessness, those are Survivor universal truths. This book may be fiction, but so many parts of it are a memoir for so many of us. This story is compelling, gut-wrenching, and the whole time you are reading it, you will be sitting there shaking your head at Rose because we have been there, and know all the crap we had to do to pull ourselves up, and some of us are still fighting that daily struggle to pull ourselves up. This book is an amazing masterpiece and I can’t say enough good about it. I recommend everyone to buy it. So far, this is going to be my Book of the Year. Gretchen de la O managed to fracture my soul with this book. At the end, she puts it back together again, but this was one book I think I cried a lot of healing tears all the way through it.
May 25, 2016
It took me a while to write this review, why? Because there were so many things I wanted to say that I didn't think it would be fair to rush into a review until I had my feelings in check. That being said, this book was phenomenal.
Gretchen takes us on a road trip into a world that we try to pretend doesn't exist. Where there's little hope of things ever getting better. Where we learn that even the money that is made, isn't worth the turmoil that they endure day in and day out.
It's gritty and raw. It will have you have you in tears, it will break your heart.
At times, I could feel myself connecting with Rose on a personal level, not because of what she does or what she's been through, but because who she is and the thoughts that run rampant through her mind. It shows us that we're all a little broken and that's okay, it's what we choose to do with that brokenness, and whether or not it defines our future or makes us stronger. It teaches us that our pasts may hurt, but moving passed it and persevering through what has broken us in our own individual way.
I absolutely loved this book.
Gretchen takes us on a road trip into a world that we try to pretend doesn't exist. Where there's little hope of things ever getting better. Where we learn that even the money that is made, isn't worth the turmoil that they endure day in and day out.
It's gritty and raw. It will have you have you in tears, it will break your heart.
At times, I could feel myself connecting with Rose on a personal level, not because of what she does or what she's been through, but because who she is and the thoughts that run rampant through her mind. It shows us that we're all a little broken and that's okay, it's what we choose to do with that brokenness, and whether or not it defines our future or makes us stronger. It teaches us that our pasts may hurt, but moving passed it and persevering through what has broken us in our own individual way.
I absolutely loved this book.
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