Blinded

Breaking Free #1

by Maya Hughes

When Alex left Gabe, he knew she walked away with his heart, he didn't know she'd walked away with more than that - his baby.

Alex fell for Gabe Stevens before he opened his mouth. His striking green eyes and easy style had her tripping over her coffee pot the minute she laid eyes on him. But he was more than just a pretty face. Her good-looking customer just happened to be a rising movie star on the fast track to fame.

A whirlwind romance sweeps Alex off her feet, eventually taking them to LA where everything falls apart. When she thinks he wants nothing to do with her she leaves, finding herself on her own... and pregnant.

Once he discovers the truth he'll do everything it takes to win her back and make a life with her and their new daughter. But it's not always easy to get a second chance with love, and some wounds are hard to heal.

This standalone romance is the first in a series and guarantees an HEA.

Genres: Romance, Second Chance, Second Chance Romance, Contemporary Romance, Short Stories, Childrens, Contemporary

216 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 11, 2017

About the author

Maya Hughes is an Amazon Top 20 author of swoon worthy, laugh out loud, and emotional new adult and contemporary romances.

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Reviews

[★ Belle The Bibliophile ★]

Okay this isn't the reason why I DNF'ed this book so early on but it just got me thinking a little:

What is up with authors making people who wear glasses as "ugly"-- that in order for them to be prettier is to wear contacts? It's just weird, in my opinion. I don't understand it. Also baby fat is considered ugly too? Hmm.

[Venessa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pov: male & female

Main characters: Gabe & Alex

Minor characters: Emma (their daughter),

My thoughts:

This was a perfectly fine story. I couldn’t see Gabe and Alex as grownups though. He’s supposed to be a successful actor, but there wasn’t much development from young Gabe to mature Gabe.

There was also so much emphasis placed on her pancakes. The characters got over the top excited about her pancakes. It was so out of place with the tone this story was trying for.


Synopsis:

Alex works as a waitress in a diner. Her mom was flighty and Alex hated it.

A movie is shooting nearby and Gabe comes in. They’re taken with each other immediately. He comes in all the time. He invites her to set. She meets his costar and becomes friends. They spend all their free time together.

His shoot is almost over and he asks her to come to LA with him. She decides to go and they fall in love.

The movie was expected to be a flop but after reshoots the studio thinks it’s going to be huge. It’s expected to be a blockbuster franchise. His agent informs him the studio wants him and his costar to be in a pretend relationship. That Alex has to be kept hidden.

Gabe doesn’t like it but he’s told if he doesn’t agree it’s a breach of contract. That he’d owe the studio millions. He thinks Alex will understand.

Alex does not understand and hates the idea. She feels like he’s ashamed of her. She walks out on him.

He’s devastated and gets wasted. His costar comes to check on him and he pukes on her. She uses his shower while he rests on his bed.

Alex calls her friend back home and tells her everything. Her friend tells her she needs to talk to Gabe and not assume things. That it’s not the end of the world. She realizes she was wrong and goes back to the hotel.

She walks in and hears a woman in the shower and sees Gabe on his bed. She realizes he slept with his costar and is devastated. She goes back home.

She finds out she’s pregnant and tries to contact Gabe. His agent tells her he’s not available. A few months later she goes to the studio to find him. His agent tells her Gabe wants nothing to do with her. That he’s filed a restraining order against her. She’s visibly pregnant and the agent offers her money to go away. She accepts it.

She has Emma and starts writing Gabe a letter each year on Emma’s birthday. She never hears back.

7 years pass and Gabe’s movie is a smash hit. He becomes an A list movie star. He keeps getting more action hero roles. Years pass and he wants to direct and do more dramas.

A writer he works with mentions a script he sent that Gabe never received. He goes to his agents office looking for it and finds an email from his agent to the writer saying he wasn’t interested. He starts snooping and finds all the letters from Alex. He realizes he has a daughter.

He finds their address and shows up at Alex’s house. Alex is furious. He explains he didn’t know. That he just found out. She decides to introduce him to Emma as long as he promises to be in Emma’s life. He agrees.

He has a week before he has to report to Scotland for a movie. Alex lets him stay in her guest room so he can spend all his time with Emma.

He asks Alex to come to Scotland with him. She decides they’ll go, for Emma’s sake.

His agent comes to Alex’s house for him and he kicks him out. He tells Alex the agent made up the clause about him and his co star. That the studio wasn’t going to sue him.

He never mentions the cheating, which bothers her and helps her keep her distance.

They go to Scotland and she takes the custody papers she had drawn up years ago. They’re like a security blanket for her.

They have a great time in Scotland sharing a house. They end up having sex.

He starts production and hates being away from Alex & Emma all day.

He has a meeting with his agent and let’s him know he’s fired.

He invites his old costar over, thinking Alex will be glad to see her again. Alex is furious.

He’s confused and she tells him she knows he slept with the costar, that she walked in on them in the hotel room after they broke up. That it was worse when she found out she was pregnant and he refused to see her.

He tells her what really happened with the costar and that he didn’t know she tried contacting him.

She tells him his agent told her she’d be arrested if she got near Gabe and how she was offered money to go away.

She tells him they can’t be together. That she doesn’t trust him. That he can be a father to Emma but that’s it.

The costar comes over and explains what happened. That she never slept with Gabe. Alex forgives him.

She decides to let it all go so they can move forward together.

They confess they love each other.

The press finds out about Emma and labels Alex a gold digger who kept his child from him. She packs up to go home and he finds the custody papers she had drawn up demanding full custody and limited visitation for him.

He’s devastated. He thought they were building a future together. She tells him they can work out a new agreement. He tells her he doesn’t want that, that he wanted them to be a family.

He sends her and Emma back to america. He explains they need space to figure out what they want.

They are all miserable.

His agent tries to sue for breach of contract. Gabe’s new lawyers show up and one of them is Alex’s best friend. She explains how his agent kept Alex and Emma away from him, and provides proof.

His agent loses his job.

Alex’s friend explains how the custody papers were created when Emma was a baby and Alex was terrified. That Alex loves him and wants to be with him.

He rushes to Alex’s house to apologize. Alex was on her way to see him.

They apologize and declare their love for each other. He explains he’s going to act less and produce more. That way he can be home with them. He plans to relocate to Alex’s house.

His first movie as a producer wins an Oscar.

They’re pregnant and thrilled.

[Cheryl O'Harney · Rating 4 out of 5]

*This book was reviewed for Summer's Eve Reads*

Title: Blinded (Breaking Free Book 1)
Author: Maya Hughes
Genre: Second Chance Romance
Rating: 4/5

Blinded is the first book in Maya's Breaking Free series it's a book that's filled with misapprehension and misunderstandings which sees the main characters being kept apart after having a brief romance.

The heroine Alex was left with more than just heartache when she walked away from the hero Gabe but 7yrs later they find themselves reconnecting and discovering the feelings they once had are still there.

This was my first time reading a book by this particular author and I did enjoy the storyline, like I said before there are misunderstandings there's angst, rage and violence not forgetting love too. Maya has a way of making you feel every emotion alongside the characters the only downfall was the ending not the way it ended but they way in which it felt rushed it was a bit of an anticlimax. With all that being said I look forward to seeing what's in-store from Ms Hughes.

[Giselle]

ARCs can be requested here: [closed - other review opportunities found here]

[♡ Jeri's Book Attic ♡ Jeri the Romance Bibiliophile ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

to predictable to be more than a 3 star read - the blurb almost gives away everything behind the story - Pity ....

[Patricia (Spellbound Stories Trish) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful love story! I am absolutely enamored with this amazing story! Though it’s a little more fast pace than what I would’ve liked I have to say it’s still a very beautiful read that will take your breathe away and put a smile on your face!

[Laura Hampton · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I saw and then read a blurb for Blinded I knew I just had to get my hands on a copy. Since I read and review for a blog, I went out on a limb and contacted Maya. She was so great to chat with. After explaining that I help run a blog, one that would love the chance to read and review her book, she put me in touch with the blog/company that was hosting the tour for Blinded. I may have only had a few days to read it since I got signed up so late in the game, but I am so glad I took the chance on a new author. I really enjoyed Maya's writing style and for her second release she did a great job. Her characters were well developed and I felt connected to them as well. Now I need to go back and read her very first book, Passion on the Pitch.

Alex spends her days working in a diner and studying. She has not had the easiest life. Living with her mother who could have cared less about her made life miserable for Alex. Burying herself in schoolwork she manages to graduate high school early and with the help of her best friend and her father, she manages to be emancipated. Alex is not afraid of hard work and has made plans for what she wants out of life. That is until Gabe Stevens walks into the diner one night. No man has ever captivated her like he does and the feeling seems to be mutual. Little does she know Gabe is a rising star in the film/entertainment industry. What starts as a friendship quickly turns into something more, but will the bright lights and fast paced life be to much for Alex to deal with? When push comes to shove and misunderstandings are not resolved, Alex flees and with her one of the biggest secrets of her young life.

Gabe Stevens is a college student getting his feet wet in the world of movies. On a dare he tries out for the lead part in a movie and is cast. Now he finds himself in a little New Jersey town by the shore, getting ready to shoot scenes for his first film. There isn't much to this small, dreary town, until he meets Alex. From the moment he saw her through the windows of the diner, he knew he had to get to know her. There was just something about her that made him feel good. And knowing her could only make his life better or so he thought. I really liked Gabe's character, he was down to earth and caring. He knew how to have fun and showed Alex what she was missing out on by always having her nose in a book. Taking her back to LA with him seems to be the next logical step.

Together Alex and Gabe are awesome. I loved the connection that they had with one another. The way their story comes together and falls apart will have your heart aching at times. There are twists and turns and new beginnings turn into second chances. And the biggest surprise of all is eventually revealed. I have a soft spot for books like this and I think Maya did a wonderful job with the way she portrayed her characters and the trials that they had to deal with to find happiness in the end. After all, where would a lot of us be without second chances of our own?

4.5 Stars

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish that I could tell you that I loved this book, I really do.  The synopsis interested me, and although the entire plot of the story is laid out right there, I was still drawn to the book.

However.

I'm afraid that for me, the execution of the tale didn't live up to the promise of the summary.  With some stories, the reader is drawn in develops a connection with the characters.  You invest in their story.  You want them to find their HEA.

With this couple, I simply could not grasp the apparent depth of their connection. It just wasn't there for me - I didn't feel the chemistry.  The break up tension felt a little forced and the reconciliation rushed.  

It wasn't all bad - the highlights for me were probably the interactions with the child.  I'm afraid that I just didn't make an emotional link with this story or its characters.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book.

[Mia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rushed but Alex and Gabe & Emma were cute. Anyways my favourite character was Jen.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Missed the mark

I usually love this authors work, but this book just seemed to be so different from her others. I’m usually addicted to her books, but I had a hard time with this one. I had to force myself through it. It just seemed slow. The drama was very meh. The steam just wasn’t there. We don’t actually learn a lot about the characters. It almost felt emotionless sometimes. Other charters Maya has written have easily become my book boyfriends, but Gabe totally missed the mark.
This was also done in a completely different writing style than her other books. This is probably one of her earlier projects.
I gave it 2 stars because I love the author.

[Christie · Rating 3 out of 5]

During the first third of this book I had serious doubts about whether I would finish this, because the writing just didn't seem up to par with the other Maya Hughes books I've read in the past, and I couldn't feel the connection between Alex and Gabe at all. But I honestly think it's a testament to how much her writing has improved since then!

After the time jump, I felt like this book really hit its stride and I could finally start to feel a little more connection between Gabe and Alex, and seeing Gabe bonding with Emma was so adorable. The last two thirds of this book definitely made up for my earlier doubts and overall I ended up quite enjoying this.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

 Alex is working as a waitress in a sleepy tourist town that is ready to shut down for the season. Gabe is in town for filming a movie he is starring in as an up and coming actor. Alex and Gabe have a whirlwind romance. Gabe wants it all his acting career and Alex. His agent gives him the news that he can't date Alex publicly but must pretend to date his co-star for publicity. When he breaks the news to Alex she runs little did she know she was running away with his child. Years after a successful career at acting Gabe finds that he is a father and its been kept by him from his agent. Gabe does everything he can to make up for lost time to his daughter and to Alex. 

In an Oyster Shell - An enchanting storyline with great characters making this a classic story. 

The Pearls - I liked this book from the opening. Alex is trying to make ends meet while going to college. Gabe is trying to get his acting career off the ground. Them meeting and falling love are dreamy. The real story happens when they are separated and come back together. It was a well-crafted story that gets a well-deserved raving review from me. 

The character really makes this story. Alex captivated me from the beginning. She was a strong character but had a softness about her that was appealing. Gabe was vulnerable in the beginning and in turn, had me being very receptive to him. Alex's college roommate was a great supporting character and has her own book next in the series. I am very tempted to read it. 

The romance was sweet. It was a whirlwind at first and seemed liked insta-love. Some people don't like that but I feel like it can have its place. The romance is put on hold for awhile and then they have to fight to get it back. I really liked this story and is my current favorite of the moment. 

Full Review: Writing Pearls

[christyheartsbooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gabe is making his acting debut but before the movie can wrap he is sent to a quiet town on the Jersey shore to shoot a few last minute scenes. When there he finds Alex, working at the small town's diner. They both feel an instant connection and spend as much time together during his 3 weeks there. When he has to go to LA for the promo of the movie he asks Alex to come with him. She does and there the Hollywood life and Gabe's contractual obligations get in the way. They have an emotional break up and don't see each other for 7 years where Gabe finds out he has a daughter with Alex. He is set to win them both back.

First, this is in 3rd person POV. Not my favorite. Second, I didn't see or feel anything between Alex and Gabe. I was told everything. When in LA they went on all of these adventures but not once did we see it, we were just told it happened. They are in love, really because I didn't see or feel that at all. This was a case of all tell no show. Third, there are a lot of inconsistencies that I found distracting. The blurb says "5 years ago Alex turned my life upside down . . . ." In the book the separation was for 7 years so I think that the blurb is wrong. One other instance that I remember off the top of my head is Gabe mentions having an en-suite bathroom in the guestroom at Alex's house but then like 3 pages later Alex says she bumped into him leaving the bathroom with nothing but a towel on. Which is it? Was she hanging out in his room while he was in the shower?

I think this story had huge potential and I really loved the idea of it from the blurb but the execution just wasn't there.

[Jennifer Pierson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alex was always the shy, and yet, smart girl in school, but it made it hard for her to interact with men. She fell for Gabe the first time that she set eyes on him, and he swept her off of her feet. When he breaks her heart into pieces, as she believes that he wants nothing to do with her, she thought that would be the end, but little did she know that she carried home a piece of him when she found herself pregnant. Years later, Gabe is a super successful actor, and learns that the girl that he never stopped thinking about had his kid, and he was clueless. So he decides it's time to go and find her, to win her back, not to mention to convince her that he never knew that she had his baby. I LOVED this story, as it pulled out many dramatic emotions, including rage and violence. See, I blame Gabe for a lot of it, as he never tried to fix things before the years passed, and yes I know that he was clueless, but still. That doesn't change the fact that I fell for him hard at the beginning, so I took it personally as much as Alex. And I LOVED Alex, even though I wanted to shake her once or twice after Gabe found her again. Yes I know that I sound like I was there, but Maya Hughes' talented writing style transported me in to the middle of their story. My one big issue was how the ending seemed a bit too rushed for me after all the emotional upheaval and angst levels. With all of that being said, I cannot wait to read more by Ms. Hughes, and HIGHLY RECOMMEND Blinded to all!

[FMR Book Grind · Rating 4 out of 5]

FLAVIA'S REVIEW
4 STARS

Alex was a student, working in a restaurant. Gabe was an actor who just happened to fall into his roll as he was a student too. So his movie was re-shooting some of the scenes in Alex's town. When he met her he felt an attraction to her, Alex felt it too.

As Gabe was only going to be in town for a short time he and Alex started spending time together. And for the short amount of time they were together they fell in love. But Gabe's life was changing and he was becoming famous and due to a misunderstanding they broke up. Alex walked away but she also took something with her when she left.

A few years later, Gabe found out a secret and his whole life changed, but how will he be able to convince Alex that he has changed and that he regrets what happened with them.

My first book by thus author and I loved it. Some of the stuff was a bit much, like how Gabe couldn't explain himself properly and that cause Alex to walk away. And also when they got back together, instead of talking about things they just believe the worse.

But all in all I enjoyed it and would definitely read the next book in this series.

[Lager Lefse Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blinded is a second chance love story that surrounds, Gabe & Alex. Their initial meeting was when Gabe was an actor just starting in the business and Alex was a college student that worked at a diner. They had an ‘insta-love’ attraction with each other from the word go.

They are soon separated, but Gabe left a little piece of him with Alex ;). After some time passed, Gabe soon realizes why he has never heard from Alex and decides to go win her back.

Now I should admit that I’m not usually a fan of second chance romance stories, because I know where the story goes (to a second chance), however, Maya Hughes wrote a book that was much more than this type of story. She pulled out many emotions from her characters that inevitably pulled them out of you. Now don’t get me wrong, that there were times that I was so frustrated with Gabe and Alex that I just wanted to give them a shake to wake them up, but that is a sign of good writing!

Good job, Maya, I’m looking forward to the next in the series.

[Veronica Bellaorev Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

BLINDED by Maya Hughes

This Maya first book from her series Breaking Free . Is a second chance romance. We get to meet Gabe( Gabriel Stevens) and Alex( Alexandra Davies). Gabe is an actor just starting his career and Alex is a student working on a dinner.

It's a book full of love. A love at first sight and all consuming love but that love will be test by a lot of misunderstandings and misconceptions.

Gabe and Alex have to part and it's a few years later that A MAYOR CHANGE will bring them back together. Will this time around be better, will they finally get to share the love they have or would the years apart change them and bring more KAOS to their life??!!! Want to know right?! GO GET THE BOOK JAJAJAJA!!!

If you love romance and happy ever after with twist and turns this book it's for you. I enjoyed meeting this two love birds.

ARC generously gifted in exchange for a honest review

[Barbara Lack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blinded is a second chance romance. Gave was an actor shooting his first movie. Alex was a waitress and college student. Alex went back to LA with Gabe. They both fell in love and because of assumptions and miscommunications they break up. The story then skips ahead seven years to a big surprise to Gabe and a long awaited reunion.
This story has a lot of twists and turns. There is a lot of miscommunication. For those that like daddy stories this one is for you. I liked the story. Sometimes the writing got a little off course, but overall a really good solid story. Looking forward to Jen's story. This is a standalone book.
****I voluntarily received a copy of this audiobook for my honest review.****

[Ree · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm all for second chances and the rekindling of love, and this story provided that.

Young and financially-struggling Alex falls for new movie star Gabriel aka Gabe almost immediately after they meet. After a whirlwind romance, misunderstandings get in the way of a steady, permanent relationship. Fast forward seven years, and the pair meet again, only to realise that some feelings never really changed.

I enjoyed this romance, despite my opinion that some of the issues in the book could've been avoided by a simple face-to-face convo, but then, most things in life are rarely ever simple.

I voluntarily read & reviewed an ARC of this book, and I look forward to book 2.

[Theresa Alberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blinded: Breaking Free Book 1 is the first in this series! This was a book of love riddled with misconceptions and misunderstandings that continually kept Alex & Gabriel apart. But when hey are finally reunited after seven years of silence, they both realize that the feelings they had for each other are just as strong or if not stronger. There are a few twists and turns in this story that make it intriguing and have you turning each page to discover what happens with this couple. I look forward to reading Jen's book next!

3 stars

[Alison Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so good, second chance romance at its best. It had everything I love in second chance books, the first encounters and first time love. The misunderstanding and heartbreak which leads to all of the sadness and angst and the best part....the second chance, when two people come back to each other and realize they still love each other and need to be together....I love it when this part of the book isn't easy too but with hurdles, bumps, devastation and angst.....then when love prevails....swoon!!!!!

[Read.Review.Repeat Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blinded by Maya Hughes was a steady paced book that had my attention throughout. Even when I was yelling in my head at the characters for being so stubborn. These two Alex and Gabe were great together, but when something doesn't go right, they don't communicate which drove me nuts. If they would have just communicated maybe some of the drama would not have happened. Of course there was an outside source causing more problems but at least they found each other again and did it for the right reasons.

[Crissy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was excited to read Blinded because this author is new to me and I had no idea what to expect. The story flowed too slow for my taste. Alex and Gabe's relationship moved fast but the story seemed to drag at the same time. I didn't feel any type of connection between the main characters, so there wasn't enough chemistry between the characters for me. Its hard for me to enjoy a story if I feel as if the characters lack any type of chemistry. I didn't even feel a connection between Gabe and Emma. I really wanted to like this story but as much as I wanted to enjoy it, I didn't.

[Jennifer Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blinded by Maya Hughes was a steady paced book that had my attention throughout. Even when I was yelling in my head at the characters for being so stubborn. These two Alex and Gabe were great together, but when something doesn't go right, they don't communicate which drove me nuts. If they would have just communicated maybe some of the drama would not have happened. Of course there was an outside source causing more problems but at least they found each other again and did it for the right reasons.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a sweet story between Alex and Gabe with a decent storyline. However, the relationship build up lacked the chemistry to convince me how deep their feelings ran for each other and how that managed to carry over through the years. There wasn't much angst when there could've been more and the drama always resolved fairly quickly. So if you like the kind of story where things progress without being too drawn out or coming to a head without actually feeling too strongly about anything and prefer the simplicity, this is that book.

[Kelly Fountain · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed it. This was a quick fall in the beginning of the book but I bought it because they were young and feelings can be a bit overwhelming at that point in your life. Their circumstances were set up for the perfect fall..apart that is. So many issues stacked against them. Then we flash forward seven years, there’s so much neither of them knew. It almost seems hopeless but there’s always away and this is their story. It’s heartbreaking, unbelievable at times, angsty, sexy and there’s plenty of romance. A great book to get lost in for awhile.

[Taranjit Sidhu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alex and Gabe met in Alex's work place, fell in lust, and eventually love. But they had many hardships due to Gabe's career and this caused a huge explosion that the story was based on. I enjoyed this story and loved to see how Maya wrote the story of Gabe, Alex, and Emma. I liked the way in which Maya took the story and I am looking forward to the next one.

*ARC received in exchange for an honest review.*

[Robin Shawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh

While I enjoyed the overall plot of this book the execution fell flat to me. Everything happened too quickly. They had pancakes one time and then were falling in love. I couldn't understand what they felt for each other because it was rushed. It was the same way throughout the story. The plot was there it just needed some more buildup.

[Yolanda McGee~Veronica's Reading Vault · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love second chance romance stories and this author definitely did not disappoint. I really liked this book, the plot and the characters from beginning to end. This is a nice, smooth and refreshing read that kept me very interested. I can't wait to get my hands on the next book in this series.

[Chasidy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading Gabe and Emma’s story. It’s amazing that a misunderstanding can ruin lives quickly. I lost myself in the characters and couldn't wait to see how their story unfolded. I would definitely recommend Blinded to read.