Title: Cut Too Deep
Author: KJ Bell
Release Date: May 27th
Blurb ~ A woman traumatized by her past, beaten, battered, and unwilling to trust.
A man held captive by his greatest failure, lost, and self-destructive.
Letters that unexpectedly bind them together.
Is their bond strong enough to survive each other?
As a web of deceit is revealed, will they be able to determine what’s real, and what’s worth fighting for? Or will they crumble under the weight of secrets that cut too deep?
Can Miller forgive himself and move beyond his fear of failing the one he loves?
Can Hadley accept the love she desperately wants but doesn’t believe she deserves?
My Review
4 Love Letter Stars ★★★★
Copy Provided by Author for Honest Review
April 20, 2014
Hadley has the world’s biggest crush on Miller Genetti, then
again, who doesn’t? The best and
brightest part of her day is when he she catches a glimpse of the CEO hottie.
Like a stalker, Hadley can’t get enough. But Hadley has never said a word to
Miller and she never plans to. Sometimes fate has other plans.
After a scary
debacle in Thailand, Miller is detained by authorities and Hadley is more than
worried she’s lost her chance to get to know him. This is where my favorite
part of the book comes in. Is there anything more romantic than getting to know
someone via personal letters, in Miller’s case, that’s his only mode of
communication and Hadley is the only one he wants to talk to. The letters
between Hadley and Miller -eventually text messages- were oftentimes romantic
but still outwardly hilarious, and in Miller’s case they bordered on X-rated.
It’s very clear
Hadley has demons in her past, some even haunting her still. Throughout the
course of the book we learn more about Hadley’s past and what haunts her. At
this point there are some graphic and mildly disturbing moments Hadley
suffered, so the weak hearted may need to skip this one.
I loved the
connection between Hadley and Miller. Unlike most stories, Miller and Hadley
don’t experience insta-love since Miller is being held across the world. There
relationship builds slowly and more deeply since we all know it’s easier to be
honest on paper or with a keyboard. This type of build-up is just what she
needs. Her past keeps her from building any relationships and the anonymity and
fear for Miller allows her to earn his trust without being overwhelmed by his
presence. The same can’t be said for his return home. **wink, wink**
Hadley was a very
interesting character. With the limited but sometimes scary details of her past
she was easy to like. Even with shadows chasing her, Hadley is passionate about
what she does, especially when she is dancing. Though she carries a blanket of
guilt around she refuses to blame anyone else. At times I wanted to strangle
her to fight more, not give in and let her life be controlled. But Hadley keeps
herself in a corner, with her eyes pointed each direction. Miller also blames
himself for issues that are out of his control. When he blamed himself for
his wife being an addict , I wanted to shake
him. No matter what she did in the end it was her decision and he just couldn’t
see that. Then again the reasons for his being in Thailand in the first place
were rather shocking. But at the end of the day Miller is more than a
privileged CEO. He cares about taking care of his loved ones in any way he can
and it’s rather admirable the lengths he will go to.
The shocking moments
don’t end there. Miller feels like he knows Hadley. She reminds him so much of
someone he used to know. Luckily Miller has connections and the drama keeps
comin’. The end was even more shocking and disturbing than I expected. Emotions
were all over the place and I just wanted Hadley and Miller to get the HEA they
deserved. There may not have been high-speed car chases but my adrenaline was
pumping just the same.
Overall I enjoyed
Cut Too Deep. This was my first from author KJ Bell but certainly not my last.
The dual POV’s and natural flow of the story made it easier to connect with the
characters and keep me interested. There were a few parts that were predictable
and others such as Miller’s family connections seemed forced but still played
well within the storyline. Hadley and Miller are two long lost souls that
unfortunately have to suffer until they once again find each other but once
they do, the sky’s the limit. I wasn’t overwhelmed with the conclusion of the
story but I thought the re-emergence of a minor character really helped
everything come full-circle and offer both the characters and reader’s a
believable and happily, ever after.
Excerpt
“Miss, are you coming?” Miller asked.
Hadley dragged her gaze from his neatly pressed trousers,
stopping at his rugged and handsome face. Miller’s come-hither smile suggested
he could make all of her fantasies come true. Not that she would ask him to.
She sought out the jagged scar that started in the middle
of his chin and disappeared under his sharp jaw. It intrigued her. She had a
similar one on her right cheek, faded and usually covered with foundation. His,
thicker and more prominent, reflected a whisper of imperfection on an otherwise
perfect male specimen. Only the stubble that typically shadowed his chin,
hinted it bothered him. Hadley often wondered how he got it, but dared not ask.
In truth, Hadley dared not speak to him, period.
“Miss,” Miller repeated, “are you coming?”
Am I coming?
Of course, Miller meant into the elevator with him, but
Hadley interpreted it with an alternate meaning. His question rang out
literally—the way Hadley dreamt about the previous night, Miller making her
come until she begged him to make love to her. Her trembling thighs had woken
her from the tantalizing dream.
About the Author
K J Bell currently lives
in California with her husband and three children. As a mother of three, when
she’s not writing, she’s usually carting one of her children to their various
activities.
She enjoys reading, and
music, and is equally addicted to both.
Writing is a passion she
simply can’t live without.
She loves hearing from
her readers and can be found on various social media sites
Instagram:
kjbell_author
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