Broken Bastard

Broken #1

by A.L. Simpson, Susan Horsnell

Present Day My name is Tyler Maxwell Alexander. I'm twenty-eight years old. A few months ago, I had it all. An executive job in a prestigious investment firm owned by my father. Ha! Yeah, right - father. I'll explain about that later. I lived in a waterfront apartment overlooking the harbor and drove a Mercedes convertible. Then, in the blink of an eye, it was gone. All of it. Everything, except the fucking clothes on my back. I was broken. A bastard. Did I mention, I'm gay? No? Oh well, I have now. This is the story of how my fairytale life turned to shit in the blink of an eye.......

Genres: M M Romance, Romance

258 pages, Paperback

Published February 23, 2017

About the author

I write Hot Contemporary Romance, M/M, Menage, BDSM and Shapeshifter under my pen name - A.L. Simpson.

I have panty melting m/f romance and c*** hardening m/m romance where they always experience adversity but eventually find their way to each other.

The lovin' is HOT and not for the faint hearted. I have a story where the men's coming together in Greece is actually true but we threw in some gun running, murder and drugs to make things a whole lot more interesting. (Destined to Shatter)

In my menage, a m/m/f the heroine refused to stay around so she dies a gut wrenching death leaving the men to cope with a new-born babe. Life got a whole lot more interesting for them. (Diamond Rainbow.)

My shapeshifter takes the form of an Eagle and is out to save the heroine from a drug cartel deep in the forest of South America. (When Eagles Soar)

The Born Series covers social issues and what it's like to be raised in an unsavory area. I explore the mindset of never being good enough.

The Broken Series has Broken Bastard out and Broken Bitch coming soon. These books are about people who are pushed until they break. Book 1 is a m/m. Book 2 is an MC and hopefully will be out late 2017 or early 2018.

Other books on offer have a mistreated, disfigured heroine, a strange cult, a disbabled friend and so much more.

I hope you have the opportunity to check out my offerings.

You can find me at:

Website - https://alsimpson79.wordpress.com/

Blog: https://alandvixen.wordpress.com/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/alsimpsonaut...

I will always respond to emails and you can send to: alsimpson79@yahoo.com.au

HAPPY READING :)

Reviews

[Lelyana's Reviews · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sudah curiga dari awal kalo buku ini bakal bikin lelah. Bayangin aja si Tyler ini kerjaannya nangiiiis terus. Baik pada saat dia brantem sama papinya, putus sama pacarnya dll. Mana penulisnya gak bikin trigger warning, ada perkosaan dan kekerasan dalam penjara.

Mana begitu ketemu belahan jiwanya di penjara, ni anak langsung mau aja di cipok. Trus jatuh cinta dong pada cipokan pertama.Kan dia di perkosa nih di penjara, standard lah, abis itu di siksa sampe hampir mati, koma sampe beberapa minggu gitu. Sadar2 langsung seger, keluar dari RS langsung minta colok, gak ada trauma2nya abis di perkosa secara sadis di penjara coba.

Gak si Tyler, gak pacar nya dua2nya sangat suka menagis.
Ada apa dengan cowok2 di buku ini ya, selama baca bawaanya pengen nampar terus saya.
Kasian sih sama si Tyler, tapi maleslah, ceritanya terlalu drama dan terlalu lebay, gak di tulis dengan skill nulis yang bagus. Kok bacanya berasa baca buku tulisan anak2 SMP di wattpad.
Jangan2...???

Ya sudahlah, Hayati lelah bang bacanya, gak usah kasih ratinglah ya, kasian juga sama penulisnya. Mumpung bula puasa, agak murah hati dengan gak ngasih rating dan review pake bahasa emak saya. Padahal ini ARC. Super gak tega kan?
Dadah.

[Sawyer ❤ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew I would read this book as soon as I saw the cover. It didn't matter what the book was about; I needed to know about those abs. Look at them, can you blame me? As much as I make book decisions based on the cover (model), it only works out about half the time. Let me tell you, this is one of those times when it worked out wonderfully.

There were a lot of things I liked about this one:

It was flawlessly formatted - I know it sounds like a little thing but it makes the reading experience so much better.

The synopsis tells us everything we need to know but doesn't tell us where the books is going. I was very surprised to learn the direction this story took. It was one of those things that made me think eek, maybe I don't want to read this but I couldn't put the book down. I cared about Tyler and I needed to know what happened.

The romance was sweet; the author appeared comfortable with what they were writing - again a little thing, but so important. The steamy scenes were emotionally charged and hot as heck.

This is the first MM romance I've read (granted I don't read all that much) that incorporates the insta-love trope. Generally, I don't enjoy the insta-love thing and if I'm being honest I didn't exactly enjoy it here either. However, it was a welcome change of pace.

There were a few things I'm not sure how to feel about.

Let me start by saying this book was much darker than I would normally entertain. Thankfully it does have a happy ending which was much appreciated after the darkness I had to endure to get to the end. It's not a secret that bad things happen in prisons, those things are especially bad if you're a gay man. I hated reading about those parts and I wish this book had a trigger warning so I could have prepared myself for it. At times, I wanted to throw my Kindle down and say it's not worth it. Those parts were quite graphic and horrifying. But, I couldn't bring myself to look away either. This book had me hooked, and I needed to know how it ended - I needed Tyler to get his happily ever after.

Lastly, there were a couple things I didn't like.

The last 30% of the book looks like the editor ran out of coffee. The quotation marks are misused or not used at all. It didn't take away from the story, but it messed with my reading groove and had that occurred at the beginning instead of the end, I wouldn't have finished the book.

The main source of tension throughout this book resolved much too easily for my liking. It was a journey, it was just so convenient and neatly tied up. It left me unsatisfied.

I feel as though I'm constantly repeating myself with this. But when you're with a new partner, the decision regarding whether to use a condom should never be made in the heat of the moment. That is not a decision to make when you aren't thinking straight. This is especially important when one, or both of parties (as was the case in this book) have spent time in prison. HIV and Hepatitis are both quickly spread in that environment and although both men said they had clean tests, I'm not sure enough time had passed for them to be able to say that for sure. I cared about Tyler, and it makes me sad that he put himself at risk in that way.

Although reasonable, both characters cried way too much for my liking. Whether happy, sad or scared it seemed their default response was to cry.

Overall, Broken Bastard was a unique tale that kept me interested from beginning to end. The author took the tried and true insta-love trope and set in in a prison, which I think is very unique. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a steamy read that's a little dark but still provides the much needed happily ever after.

[Laura Nelson (Tangents and Tissues) · Rating 3 out of 5]

***3.5 stars***

I’m struggling to put my thoughts and feelings about this book into words. Well, words that will actually make sense. As a reader I love to be surprised, but what is they say? Not all surprises are good *nods knowingly* The author literally took the wind out of my sails.

Tyler Alexander has it all, or at the least on the surface. The ‘black sheep’ of the family, he’s never felt like he truly belonged. His whole world gets ripped away from one day to the next. How much worse could things get? Yeah, let’s not even go there... *hides eyes*

I’ll be honest and say that this story made for uncomfortable reading for me at times. My heart was in my mouth (not in a good way!), and I’m almost positive my blood pressure spiked. I have to say, if I’d had prior knowledge of Tyler’s plight, I can’t say for sure if I would have read it *shrugs* Yet, not once did I stop reading. I had to know what happened next. It made for a compelling read.

Thanks heavens for Bailey...

I know I’m being a bit vague, lol. But this is definitely a case of less is more. I can see this story polarising readers.

I had a few niggles with this book, but please bear in mind that this is just my personal opinion. I felt some issues were unresolved, and some questions I had left open-ended.

That being said, this was my first read of A.L. Simpson’s work, and I would like to try more of her books in the future. I’ll just be ready to expect the unexpected.

Note: Copy read via Kindle Unlimited

[Leanne ~ Tales From The Heart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story, I'm always a little hesitant with MM as it's not my fave but this book had a solid story line. Tyler is a successful business man working for his father, living in the best apartment and driving fancy cars. He's only a young man when his father dies and secrets are exposed, his entire life is a lie and all is lost. He's not only homeless but sent to prison for a crime he didn't commit. This story is about his brief stint in prison, the love he finds there and the brutality he faces as a gay man. It's not all doom and gloom when he is released his life becomes very different and prison as an innocent man has given him a new look on life.
The story was so intense at times that I couldn't put it down. The characters, well you love some and hate others.
I highly recommend this book.

[Kay Maree · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm usually not one MM books, but this one just drew me in. Loved the story line. I have found myself going back and reading it again and again xx
What a fantastic read

Kay Maree xx

[Tracy~Bayou Book Junkie]

DNF'd at 37%, no review

[Sandra]

DNF at about 50%, no rating.

[Xanthe · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is quite a hard one to write as I struggled to connect and fully enjoy the story.
I know obviously as works of fiction things are make believe and anything can happen but parts of the story were quite unbelievable - the huge and widespread set up of Tyler's downfall, the way Tyler and Bailey connected, everything is solved by a visit from the lawyer.
I struggled to connect with the characters themselves. Tyler was good at his job and seemed a truly nice guy but seemed to move on easily from one love of his life to the next. Bailey was quite adorable, a guy in prison for doing the right thing though a little extremely. Their instant attraction and faced paced relationship goes with the basis of the story but doesn't hit me with the impact that I would of expected.
There is a section of the book where we switch to Bailey's POV and that's quite interesting to read as he experiences the stress and worry of being with Tyler, especially during that part of the book. I love his family and how loving and positive they are for him and the relationship of the MC's.
As a sucker for HEA's though, my favourite part is what they decide to do towards the end of the story, though I can't say to you whether of not it's worth reading through the book to get to that part.
There is one scene in the book that is hard to read! Possible trigger warning - rape, attack.
I received an ARC and am giving an honest review.

[Lori]

Dnf at 20%, so no rating.

[Dara Nelson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Here’s my problem with this one: yes there was sex, yes there was love talk (over the top love talk) but there wasn’t any emotion , I felt like i was reading stereo instructions. It was devoid of anything that would make me feel. I need all of that when I read a book. With this one I had none.

[Amy Dufera - Amy's MM Romance Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Broken Bastard is my first time reading a novel by AL Simpson. I had no idea what to expect going into it, and I have to admit I was impressed.

Tyler is a fascinating character. He's been raised and living in luxury. He works for his father, and with his brother, but they are both hostile towards him. Too bad for Tyler that they are actually vindictive, as he soon finds out.

I find this to be an absolutely riveting and emotional story. I don't want to give away any of the plot, but let's just say, it is an interesting journey of someone hitting absolute rock bottom and managing to somehow survive. It is a compelling turn when he finds someone who believes in him and wants to help him.

This book takes twists and turns that kept me surprised and on the edge of my seat. I find myself constantly changing from being content, sad, mad, concerned, happy, etc.

I am thrilled to have found this little gem by AL Simpson. Broken Bastard is not an easy read, but it is interesting and well worth the ride.

[R · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tyler works for his father in an investment firm. Hates his father and his brother. When his father dies unexpectedly his life changes. He finds out that his whole life has been a lie. The man he called father really wasn't. Charged with embezzling, he is sent to jail. Afraid and alone he is befriended by Bailey. An inmate advocate who helps Tyler try to adjust to prison life. They start to get close when Bailey is paroled, leaving Tyler by him self.

He is brutally attacked and the doctors don't give him much of a chance to live. Bailey is right there, by his side, day after day. Hoping he will get the chance at a life with the man he loves.

This was a strange book. The story was ok and the characters were likable. There was just something off about it.

Review Copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blown Away

This is my first book by this author and I have to say that I was blown away. The horrors that exist in the prison system are downright atrocious. Tyler found out the hard way. Thank goodness for Bailey coming into his life. It's sad that in this day and age people are so cruel to each other. I'm glad that Tyler got justice although it almost cost him his life. I loved Bailey's family and how supportive they were which is how a family should be. All ends well with a HEA so go grab this wonderful book. You won't be disappointed.

[Kim Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

New to me author. This is a mm contemporary story with a few graphic trigger points. Overall a good story but some parts I felt unbelievable. Many formatting issue. Happy to read more from this author.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

M/M contemporary romance

LGBT unconventional romance with triggers of rape.
Fast paced and well thought out story. Tyler, the main character, is wrongfully imprisoned. Jesse saves his life. It's a touching love story with HEA.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a M/M novel, it was well written and flowed easily. It was very surprising in parts....This book was very enjoyable with a happy ever after. I would be happy to reccomend this book...

[Kaila · Rating 5 out of 5]

i freakin loved this.. it was dark and light.. it was horrible and amazing.. it was all the emotion shoved together and it was.. wonderfully written and amazing.

[TL · Rating 3 out of 5]

story is kind of rush and the relationship between the 2 leads are not very convincing, but was able to finish the book.

[Linda Samuals · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of a young man who seemingly has everything but in a twist of fate, he loses it all.
The prison scenes are gut wrenching and realistic.
The scenes between Tyler and Bailey are heartbreakingly touching.
This is a beautifully crafted story, very well written with excellent character development.
The first book in this series has set an extremely high standard.

[Robyn Corcoran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! I've had to sit here and just ponder for a bit after this amazing story.

The topics in this story are deep and varied, from coming out as a homosexual to family loyalty to greed and misjustice. All beautifully executed in this story.

I have to say I hated Tyler's father straight away and wanted to smack him a good one across the face! Now I'm not normally a violent person but this is the level of emotion that this author evokes.

Tyler is wrongfully imprisoned and what happens there is eye opening but so real. The characters are superbly described as are the scenes and events making you, the reader, feel a part of the story.

I don't want to say too much to give it away however I can't wait for the next book Broken B*tch.

[Natosha Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a sad read. The things this poor man went through was horrible. But the fact that something bad came from something so awful is such an amazing thing. This is a book about a broken man that figures out that being broken and putting himself back together again instead of giving up can lead to something amazing. Great book!!!

Tyler is a man that seems to have it all. Including a family he has to hide his true self from. A father that is mean as hell and a younger brother who is quickly following in his footsteps. A mother who really does not have a thing to do with him. Though he has a great job, he has a nice car, a nice apartment, and a boyfriend....he has to hide who he is from everyone and hope that his father never finds out. If he was to find out then he would lose everything.

When things start to seem like they are picking up and his boyfriend has finally told him he loves him, Tyler finally decides it is time to show his boyfriend who he really is stature wise. Only problem is his boyfriend does not like rich people so Tyler is nervous rightly so about telling him.

The worst happens and his boyfriend leaves him. This is just the start of what is to come. After that it seems like his life is going to the drain. A string of very bad things happen to Tyler and if he is lucky he may get away still intact.

How can a man that has lost everything find his way back from a situation that seems hopeless? Will he ever be the same if he does?

This book is a very sad read with a happy ending. The pain, heartache, and fear that Tyler feels through this read is so intense that me as the reader, felt every emotion that he felt. I truly enjoyed this read. A.L. Simpson did an amazing job on this book.

Was given this galley copy for free for an open and honest review

[Bookish AF • Kris · Rating 1 out of 5]

Broken Bastard had the beginnings of a great story and then those beginnings just went *poof*. Lost, no where to be found. I was really liking the main character Tyler Alexander. A sexy man who had the world at his fingertips. His relationship with his family was strained and he tried to be everything they wanted him to be, including straight.

Tyler is in a somewhat cute relationship with Ryan. I say somewhat cute relationship because while Ryan and Tyler believe they are in love Tyler hasn't been fully honest with Ryan. Tyler is rich and Ryan hates the rich. Don't ask me why. It's his prerogative. As soon as Ryan finds out about this flaw he runs, not just home but runs from the country. Seriously!!

Tyler gets framed for a crime he didn't commit (This could be an amazing plot if fleshed out). And this is where Simpson lost me. Everything happened so fast, that I wasn't able to keep up. The characters after Ryan felt like a rush job and there was real promise there. Bailey could have been such an amazing character, I felt like Simpson barely skimmed the surface with him.

I hate that Broken Bastard could have been something spectacular and ended up not even coming close to it's full potential.

This review was originally posted on My Blissful Books

[Shymsal · Rating 1 out of 5]

It didn't work for me and I had to DNF almost as soon as I started. The writing style created too great a distance between the reader and the characters from the start. Major info dumps. Then, Tyler put me off him right away, bragging about how much money he had. Hating on everything in sight. Falling deeply "in love" with Ryan yet a) not being truthful to him and b) pretty much displaying, with that choice, all the privilege Ryan hated so much. I'm very sorry. The ideas sounded great, but this one was just not for me. YMMV.

[Claudia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't mind a bit of Insta love, but this story has a lot of Insta everything...
Evrything felt rushed and too unbelievable...
I couldn't connect with the mc's or to the whole story...

[2kasmom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tyler starts out about to get everything he always wanted. He is in line to inherit the company, so he can make it better. He has a boyfriend. All seems really good.

Then his father dies, and the truth comes out. So much goes wrong. He loses everything. He meets Bailey as he hits the bottom. Bailey wants to help him learn to live again. Friendship is welcome, but maybe it can be more?

This story has so much going on. Many phases of the main characters life. A true story of support, friendship, and how to persevere when it all goes wrong. I was impressed with how the author handled some very awful subjects. Has a good pace and prepare for mild violence. Great start for the Broken series.


***This ARC copy was given in exchange for an honest review.

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Review An Alisa Review:

This was a story that kept my attention and there was always something going on. Tyler finds out that he isn’t really his father’s son and to top it all off he is accused of stealing from his family and is sent to jail. There he meets Bailey who is to help him transition to prison life, but becomes much more quickly.

Both of these characters are sweet maybe just a bit to perfect for my tastes. Tyler goes through so much in a short amount of time, but comes out of it just as quickly if I followed the timeline correctly. Bailey meets Tyler at the very end of his sentence and has to leave him behind. I had trouble connecting with the characters even though I could feel their pain and worry everything just seemed to come together to easy once the hard stuff was mostly done. While I has some issues with it I still greatly enjoyed the story and even look forward to the second story in the series and I don’t often read stories with female MCs. I do however want to point out there were quite a few editing errors (jelly instead of jello and a lot of missing quotations).

The cover art is nice and catches your eye.

[Brandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story keeps you interested for the 2nd chapter! I liked the story and really liked the main character Tyler was confident in the beginning but you couldn't help but love the story as it moved forward. This story was really solid story and was not just a bunch of love sense with an end that was no let down.

[Erika Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not one much for reading M/M. But was glad that I decided to give this book a go.
What a great storyline AL Simpson has created.

Tyler Maxwell Alexander I just wanted to wrap this guy up in my arms and tell him that it was all goinbg to be alright. I had tears in my eyes feeling Tyler's pain. A great book that all M/M lovers will love and will hate to put down. As for as you get further in the book. Just just need to know what else is install for poor Tyler.

<3 a great M/M read that has me on the edge of my seat.

[Behind Closed Doors Book Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amount of sex 3 / 5
How explicit 3 / 5
Story 4.5 / 5
Overall: 4.5 / 5
Review: Tyler Maxwell Alexander lives a very comfortable lifestyle and is openly gay, but not to his family. He works with his brother at his Grandfather’s business, which their father has handed down. Tyler has had to hide who he is at work and with his family in fear of them finding out. What Tyler doesn’t know is that the family has gone behind his back and planned something so horrifying. You will need to read this book to find out what happens!! I will say that during Tyler’s difficult time, he meets Bailey… his silver lining.
Broken Bastard is a captivating MM romance with a unique and well – paced story line and I was immediately sucked in. The characters are engaging and well developed and they had me feeling emotional throughout the book.
A wonderful story and a definite add to your TBR list!
** Voluntarily reviewed from an advanced copy **

[Christina Wade]

I'm not sure what's going on with this book. Every version on GR has a different publisher. One is listed as 'pronoun'? Another lists 'Published by Susan Horsnell t/a Cocky Romance Publishing'...and the pub date is different for each as well. I honestly feel like I've been tricked into reading this and I owe it to our followers to warn you.

I didn't rate this book because I only made it 17% before giving up - and even if I don't like a book, I'll usually at least finish it because I'm curious about the outcome. The writing and the story was just bad.