Tearrific Reads: Review: WHEN I BREAK by Kendall Ryan

When I Break
by Kendall Ryan
Series: When I Break #1
Genre: New Adult Romance
Published February 24th 2014 by Kendall Ryan Books
Format Acquired: Kindle Edition
Source: Purchased from Amazon
Purchase Links: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Kobo / The Book Depository

(This book is intended for a mature reading audience and contains adult language and themes.)

Knox Bauer's life has unraveled to the point of no return. Fighting to fill the emptiness inside himself, he seeks solace in unfamiliar beds with unfamiliar women. As guardian to his three younger brothers, he can't seem to do a thing right. But this can't go on...they look up to him in every way and all he’s done lately is prove how messed up he really is. Needing a change, he attends a local Sex Addicts Anonymous meeting, where he finds himself tempted by the alluring instructor, McKenna.

Twenty-one year old McKenna is trying to make amends. After losing her parents in a horrific accident, she knows if she can just be good enough, maybe she can forgive herself for what happened. With her newly acquired degree in counseling, she begins leading a sex addicts group where she meets the troubled Knox and her life takes on complications she never bargained for. She doesn't have time for a bad boy who only wants to take her to bed, even if her body disagrees. The fixer in her wants to help, but trusting Knox's true motivations might take more courage than she has.

**Please note this is not a standalone, as the story continues in book 2.

Note: Contains a stubborn alpha male with addiction issues and loads of sexual tension between two damaged characters. Read at your own risk.

MY REVIEW

I'm very picky when it comes to reading New Adult novels. I'm a bit judgmental on the covers and the titles. I read the synopsis very carefully before I finally decide whether to read it or not. And well, this book passed my "standards" when it comes to reading NA titles. LOL.

When I Break is about Knox and McKenna, two persons living in two complete different worlds. Knox, having the playboy and badboy image, is a sweet older brother to his siblings. Yeah, contrary to his other side. He works for their living ever since his mother died and their father ran away. However, he uses sex to temporarily get away from his problems.

Then he decided to join Sex Addicts Anonymous, a group for sex addicts who wants to change their course of life. This is where Knox met McKenna, the leader of the group. She likes to spend her time volunteering and she's a virgin. Yes. That kinda surprised me out too, the counselor of a sex addicts group is a twenty one year old virgin. I mean, how can she give pieces of advice to these people when she doesn't even have experience at all? How can she relate to them if she doesn't know what it feels like?

The day they met, an instant sparkle lit up between them. There's something about each other that made them want to know more about their lives. So when McKenna had the chance to know more about Knox' life, she didn't waste the chance. It's not so long before she fell in love with him, which is, of course, against her work or what she do as a sex addicts counselor. On the other hand, Knox wants to stay away from McKenna as possible, because he doesn't want to ruin such an innocent girl like her. He knows he's fucked up.

"I hated hearing him admitting defeat, for not fighting for this -- for me. When he was ready to change and grow, he would. I'd wanted to be part of his growth process, but it seemed I hadn't been. I wasn't the girl to change him."

Overall, this is still a good read. It's not that long and boring that I finished this in one day. It's just very ironic that the counselor of a sex addicts group is a virgin. It also lack sexy scenes. Hehe. And that mother friggin' cliffhanger at the ending!!! I just really hope that my assumptions were wrong. Please, Kendall? Please!!!

MY RATING