Heart of Light Review

September 5. 2014

Heart of Light

by:T.K. Leigh

BLURB ~ Twelve years ago, Jolene’s adoptive mother died. Twelve years ago, a man showed up at Jolene’s door and promised to take care of her. Twelve years ago, Jolene was happy. Then it all changed…
Jolene Bergio has spent the last twelve years of her life asking one question… Why? Why was she left in the custody of a man who would sell her each and every night to the highest bidder? After a few years, she shut off, giving up hope that anyone would ever find her. Until her luck changed one night and she escaped.

Twelve years later, she finally feels something she hasn’t felt in a long time… Free.

Almost.

Scared that her past will find her unexpectedly, she hides away in a rented beach house, trying to distance herself from everyone… Until Dr. Cameron Bowen enters her world and slowly tears down the walls that she has built up over the past twelve years of her captivity. Jolene begins to learn to love again.

And trust again.

But when a man from Jolene’s past emerges, will she be able to keep her identity hidden? When lies are told and hearts are broken, will the truth surface in time to bring Jolene back from the shadows that threaten to expose who she really is?

Heart of Light is a captivating story of love, strength, and survival.

My Review & Rating

4 Heartbreaking Stars

After reading the Beautiful Mess Series I rushed through with so many fluttering emotions that I could not even write a review. I never expected Cam(eron) to get his own story but now having read Heart of Light is not all roses and flowers. There are some haunting scenes that will leave you with more than just goose bumps. The heroine is and has been held against her will for the better part of ten years. During this time she is forced to perform sexual acts and is thusly treated as a sex slave, but still unluckily the favorite girl of the bunch.
it, I couldn’t be any more thrilled.

Normally I’m not too big on books with multiple POV’s over two. But this needed that extra element to add dimension to the story. The whole way through there’s this big mystery surrounding Jolene’s past. All she knows is one day her dad never came home but a new man did, one with papers proving he was now her guardian. What’s a teenager going to say to that when she readily assumes it to be true considering all her father does is drink since her mother was killed when she was a baby.

As Jolene escapes her horrible life, someone from that life follows her. Jolene’s pain is about to start anew and having feelings for the gruff but endearing Cam should be out of the question. But how can anyone deny those eyes that suck you in until your drowning in a pool at his feet. Though Jolene’s past was certainly not of the norm, her hormones finally prove that they are real. Sure she’s slept with hundreds of men, maybe more, but it was never her choice. Cam is her choice.

I felt so many feelings while reading this book I was all over the place. One minute you’re disgusted and sickened by it all until something overly sweet catches you off guard and before you know the drama sneaks back in. Throw in some interesting chapters with her father trying to make amends and find his daughter still after ten years I couldn’t help rooting for him. I was overly excited and reminded the story blended into a mix between CSI and some sappy soap opera.  But as much as I was sickened by the storyline I couldn’t stop reading and I was so immersed a plane falling out of the sky would have escaped my notice.

It was so good to see Adam again and witness him getting his own HEA even if it was equally hard to watch him have to fight so hard just to get it. After the shit storm and heartbreak left from Olivia, Cam needs a kick in the ass to motivate him back into himself. When Jolene rents his cottage, she’s just the cure he unknowingly needs.

I loved how there was an insta-attraction between the characters. There certainly was no insta-love as you can imagine with Jolene having just escaped being a sex slave and Cam just coming back to himself. These two are so hot for each other it’s ironic they find time to argue but boy do they.

I absolutely loved the side characters in this story. Not only did they provide new storyline but as a reader it was nice to witness such close friendships and people who though they may live on an island, will still go out of their way to help a girl in need.

Overall I loved this book. It’s certainly different than the Beautiful Mess series, I’d say about ten times darker and ten times better. Where Olivia was a constant thorn in my side with her running and Alex being ex Seal with a superiority complex was too much. Heart of Light made me wish I enjoyed the series more. Though it’s not necessary to read the Beautiful Mess Series I would suggest it, especially if you want more of Cam, the resident island shrink.

WARNING: This book will lead to a.....

☮ PEACE LOVE & HAPPY READING!!!