Book One), Shatter Me (The Jaded Series

Such an amazing story. Filled me with so much emotions I didn't want to stop reading the story. Yes, parts of the story are somewhat jarring but, it engages your thinking about life and fuels your emotions. It definitely enrages you, fills you with hope and makes you cry.

I don't know that I would have paid $2.99 for this book again....lots and I mean LOTS of misspelled words and the wrong words used with grammatical errors. Would have been nice if someone edited the book before charging money to wade through all the mistakes and misspellings. This distracted from the story for me.....

This book really, really needs a good editor. There are numerous typos throughout. The most glaring example is near the end when aroused is used instead of roused, considering the context it was particularly cringe worthy. Beyond the typos, the story is bogged down by so much unnecessary detail. Every time Bailey walks into a room she describes it in painstaking detail. There was just so much mundane life stuff that it made my mind wander. Really, the book could be shortened by a third.

Honestly, the best parts of the book were the dark parts (and the part at the end with Anna and Nick), because these were the parts that made me feel something. I felt sadness, rage and violence, I wanted to rip off Stephen's face with my fingernails. But the rest of the book didn't make me feel much of anything, except annoyance and disbelief.

Jax and Bailey's relationship happened way too fast, especially considering the Bailey had been abused (in the most horrific ways) her entire life. The day after Jax meets her he starts calling her angel and he's always touching her face. I find that creepy, why doesn't a woman who's terrified of men? And I found Jax's lines so cheesy. But he's not always cheesy, he also has rage issues, which is the last thing an abused woman needs in her life.

Andrew seemed to exist only to be the cliche gay friend. He has a huge crush on Jax, but Jax is NOT GAY! I know because it's pointed out numerous times that it could never happen. I get it, Jax is straight!

As horrific as Bailey's life with Stephen is portrayed, I can't help but be skeptical. She was hospitalized numerous times and no one noticed she had scars all over her body. Doctors are required to report that kind of stuff. I get Stephen was a well connected lawyer, but come on, it's not like he could have all of law enforcement in his back pocket. That's the kind of stuff that takes me right out of the story.

When I read the description and the sample of this book I thought I would thoroughly enjoy it. In reality, I felt as if the majority of the pages were repeated thoughts reworded. It all involved her fear of men, how she felt for Jaxon, and how she would need to leave soon. When it came to the men they all terrified her, even Jaxon until the next day she was for the most part fine. I understand the point of it being an attraction with the special spark, but she would refer to him as a good friend or a really nice guy without much backstory. Her recent husband was a really good guy until after they were married, so wouldn't she be more leery of men doing nice things for her? I seem to be one of the few to feel this way but the writing drove me insane with the constant same 5 thoughts running on a track with very little actual character interaction. I only made it to 46% and I want to stop at 20%. I couldn't read anymore so I don't know if it got better.

I hated this book. The ending killed me. I can deal with dark and violent as long as there is a happy ending. Not to be found with the twist thrown in at about 80%. At this point, the graphic writing of the twist turned me off from the book, and I was ultimately pissed. Sorry, it wasn't badly written, just not what I expected.

Not a bad story line, just not believable. The abuse happens, but the timeline, male main character not saving his sister's life before a virtual stranger and lack of resentment is unbelievable. I will not read the remaining two in the series.

I'll be the first to say that this book wasn't great. I was excited to read it with all the great reviews and thought I may find a great book in my slump, this was not it! First, after all that abuse through your whole life and you can trust someone within a week? It happened way to fast for me and i feel with the rest of the book it was trying to give us that "WOW" factor, like she was trying to make this the most sexually abusive book you could read. I also skipped a lot in this book, it was just too unreal for me, she walks into a town and everyone loves her and wants to take care of her? and what about the end where his sister is dying?? I feel that was just all glossed over, your sister is dying and you don't go over and be with her? No one blames her at all for the death of his sister, really??

Shatter Me completely wrecked me! I mean, I read the reviews and thought, it can't be that bad, right?! I've read some books that completely ruined me and thought there was no way that a debut novel could do that (no offense, Alex Grayson!) but holy s***! This book put me through the ringer!

It starts off with Bailey stopping off in Jaded Hollow just long enough to get some more money so she can keep running from her abusive husband. But it's in this small town that Bailey learns that there are kind, loving, gentle people in the world... Especially Jaxon.

Sigh! Jaxon is quite possibly the most loving, understanding, not to mention sexy character that I've read about in a while. He knows Bailey's been hurt and waits patiently for her to trust him enough to tell him and let him protect her.

Their relationship is slow going because Bailey is so tormented by her ex that she finds it hard to trust anyone, especially men. But at the same time, you can tell from the beginning that their love is going to be epic.

I won't go into too much detail but there were definitely some big, fat, ugly tears going on at one point in the book and my heart literally ached... Even just thinking about it while writing this review brings tears to my eyes.

The ending, however, left me with happy tears streaming down my cheeks that kinda made up for the beating my heart took a little earlier.

Seriously, read this book! Like NOW!

*ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.

Oh Jesus. I'm kind of trying to keep myself in check here because there's so much I would love to say, yet I can't. Well, I could, but then there'd be spoilers and they are the devil. So I'm just going to start off by saying this— Shatter Me is one of those books that you need to approach with caution. I've had a bit of a dark run in terms of books this week, so my mind feels a little blown. It's in a bit of a weird spot with how it's processing things and this book just took it to a whole new level. Please understand that I'm not hating on this book, the very opposite actually. I love Alex Grayson so much, whether it's her solo work or co-labs with other authors, I just adore her writing and her storytelling. This book was every bit as incredible as every other one I've read from her and in some ways it was even better. She has this thing where she gets better with every book she writes, and when you take into consideration that she's been fantastic from the off...well, I'll let you do the math.

So the plot for this book is a little complex in that it has a story within a story within a story. So you have Bailey's childhood backstory which is interwoven with her adult backstory and then both of these intricately weave through the present. I'm hoping I'm making sense here. There isn't a single part of this story that is easy to read. Even the romance has this weighted bittersweetness to it because of the issues surrounding it. This is a dark and sinister plot that has this rawness and grittiness to it that'll either completely draw you in or make you run a mile. The topics and situations within the plot are heinous in unthinkable and soul destroying ways. Now, I've read a lot of dark romances, and believe me that when I say a lot I mean A LOT, but there's only one other story that's hit me this hard and it was also from Ms. Grayson. If you've read Pitch Dark and you loved it, you stand a good chance of loving Shatter Me too. I'm not saying that the plot is like for like, however the topics addressed are somewhat related and bear a great resemblance. I did find the twists and turns of this plot a little harder to stomach, I found myself at times gobsmacked and revolted. Here's the thing, as hard to read and stomach as this story is, it is written so graciously and with sensitivity towards those hard subjects. I really am in awe of Alex Grayson's ability to conjure every single feeling and emotion within the reader so that it mirrors that of the characters' on the pages. Not to mention that her plot progression is verging on faultless.

Let's talk cast. The characters of this story are epic. Regardless of whether you love them or hate them or are somewhere in between about them...these characters are so well written that at times it's hard to keep in mind that they are fictitious. I want to start with Bailey because she's the star of this plot. I feel like this book is her journey, even when Jax comes on the scene it's still about her. At first I struggled a bit with her character. I couldn't understand why she didn't do something about her situation, but then as I got to know her I began to understand why she wasn't in the position to take action sooner. If you read this book (and I hope that you do) you'll understand what I mean. You know, this woman has been downtrodden her whole life by the people that were meant to have her back. the people that were meant to love her and care for her and nourish her strength within herself were the people that abused their roles and took advantage of her. This is very much one of those times where if enough people treat you like nothing, you believe that you are nothing. I felt like that played a big role in her reasoning and I couldn't fault her for it. So once that sunk in I actually couldn't help but love her, and then when she got the strength to push back and take her life back into her own hands I was rooting for her as though she were my own sister. There was something so special about seeing this shell of a woman build herself up to be this strong and withstanding figure. There was something so empowering and enthralling to see it happen. I think a lot of readers will question her character and why she took everything she did, and I hope that they will grow to love and admire her as I did. She endures more than most can fathom and she pulls through, yes, she has a great anchor in Jax, but she takes the first steps herself. I think for me Jax was very much the alpha-male hero, at first I found some of his actions a little OTT and I couldn't understand why he was so neurotic and officious. However, again as I got to know him and his past every piece of the puzzle fit perfectly. He is the angel to Steven's (Bailey's ex-husband) demon.

Shatter Me isn't by any means a quick read. If you're someone that prefers more of a direct approach you may have reservations about the descriptive detail that Ms. Grayson goes to. If you've read The Lord of The Rings the only thing I can say is that her detailing is on par with Tolkien's. Ok, so she doesn't spend three chapters going on about a forest, but what I'm trying to say is that there is a helluva lot of detail. Personally, I didn't mind it and I felt that it added to the suspense of the story, but I can see where some readers might feel it drags. All I can say is that the devil is in the detail and in the end it's worth it! The thing to bear in mind here is that every single component of this story serves a purpose and adds to the sinister ebb and flow. Now, would I read this book again? I want to say yes, because this story is so incredible, however I can promise that it won't be any time soon. This is one of those books that impacts you in some pretty dark ways and although I'd like to re-read it, I know that I'll have to be in good frame of mind to do so. Saying that, I can't stress how much of a must read this book is. It'll break you down, tear you apart and then it'll piece you back together bit by bit.

This book was a bit hard for me to review because I couldn't decide if I should give it 3.5 stars or 4 stars. Ultimately, I went with 3.5 because while I really like it, there were too many things I couldn't look past.

There's a strong difference between sexual abuse and sexual torture; for me Bailey was sexually tortured for the majority of her life. She struggled and I was extremely glad that she found the strength to escape. I felt like she deserved some good in her life and the scene where she's behind the bar with Jax approaching her - OMG!! While the emotion didn't overwhelm me, the thought of her being that afraid, that terrified, struck deep and I found myself so emotional. I loved the feel of the small town "adopting" her as their own. That juxtaposed so much negativity in her life that there were good people in the world. I loved that Jax was so fiercely protective of his family and that while he had his own issues, he was still able to be such a sweetheart. I also liked the author's note at the end and her explanation behind some f the scenes.

The issues I had with this book:
1 - The trust and ultimately the relationship development between Jax and Bailey. Within a week or so, she trusted him. Their relationship deleted slower, but my issue comes with the fact that Bailey was tortured in the worst way possible her ENTIRE life. She had no counseling. She had no outlet. I don't think she would have trusted him so soon considering her background. Jax's sisters and mom and Gram, yes, but not necessarily Jax.
2 - Stephen (Steven?) and his background. Where did his crazy come from??? How could he be so abusive and no one suspect it with him so in the limelight?
3 - Missing the obvious. When Stephen finally made his move, how did no one suspect that???? On that same note, I found it unrealistic that absolutely no one blamed Bailey for what happened. Grief and anger makes people irrational, so I couldn't see not one person casting blame in that aspect.

Overall, I liked the book and would definitely read more from the series. I look forward to hearing Nick's story.

**I received an ARC and reviewed voluntarily.**

I’ve never ever had to stop and put down a book so many times to get a hold of my emotions while reading a book. I knew this story was dark with a mixture of other things but I never ever expected to read the things that happened to Bailey the heroine.

Bailey was running from a psycho husband and ended up in the small town of Jaded Hollow. There she met the hot tattooed Pub owner Jaxson. Bailey didn’t want to get close to anyone because she wasn’t planning on staying around long. Jaxson knew there was something special about the beautiful new town member with the scar on her face but he also knew she was hiding something and that she was hurt before. He just didn’t know how badly.

Jaxson and Bailey very, very slowly started getting close but Bailey was extremely afraid of letting any man in. Their feelings kept progressing and she kept wondering why this hot as sin guy was interested in such a broken woman like her. Jaxson didn’t care and knew she was going to be his. When Bailey finally let her guard down she’s never been so happy. Jaxson was extremely protective of her. But then the unthinkable happened, her past caught up to her.

When Bailey finally revealed everything that she went thru I couldn’t continue reading. It was too much and I felt such anger and sadness all at the same time knowing that this person never was protected not even as a child. I was sick to my stomach reading the horrors she’s faced. That only strengthen their relationship and his family and friends were extremely protective also.

But then the saddest thing happened and I couldn’t stop the tears. This incident close to the ending was not what I was expecting and it was a complete surprise with so much sadness. With this heartbreak it strengthen the bonds of everyone even though I thought it would’ve had a different outcome.

The epilogues were the only part that I wasn’t angry or sad. It was a little bit but it was more smiles for me.

I accepted an ARC at no cost to the author.

What an emotionally gripping tale! Bailey’s story was heartbreaking yet beautiful, torturous at times, and full of hope. She was such a strong woman to endure all that torment as a child and a woman. At times, her story seemed a little far-fetched, but it’s not beyond me to imagine the reality that many go through every day in this world.

I can’t express how much Jaxon meant to Bailey’s healing or how much I loved him for her. He was so gentle and caring, always giving her exactly what she needed. His past experiences helped him be the man she needed. And as scared and withdrawn as Bailey was, she willingly opened herself up to the possibilities that Jaxon, his family, and the other residents of Jaded Hollow represented. It was wonderful to witness how they accepted her and comforted her through it all.

I think what I loved most about this story was how real the author was in her portrayal of Bailey and Steven. She didn’t sugar coat the abuse, nor did she hold any punches in the end. You’ll definitely need some tissues and a bottle of wine (or tequila) to get through it. To say I was shocked by the outcome would be an understatement. I cried for Bailey’s pain as well as her happiness. I wanted so much for her to find peace and the family she had always dreamed of. I was also thankful that the author allowed us to go on Bailey and Jaxon’s journey without throwing too much angst our way.

I’m excited that we will continue our journey through Jaded Hollow and have the opportunity to watch her grow beyond the meek and frightened woman she’d been until she finally found her place in the world. And I can’t wait to get to know the other characters.

I struggle with reviews because I have so much damn respect to anyone who can take a thought and put it down on paper, the drive, the commitment, the talent. That said, I am an avid reader with specific likes and dislikes so I will write my review solely from the perspective of a reader. UGH!! it's like this book was written by two people who have two entirely different points of view. The first half is engaging, somewhat unrealistic, but then again, that is what we read for anyway. But the themes and issues here are deep. The notion that the love of a good man is going to erase a lifetime of deep and tragic issues is ridiculous. Especially when there is no evolution or sense to his deep love and devotion save his own pain and loss. The dialog devolves from something normative to a sickeningly sweet parlay that sound like children talking to one another. UGH! The end was totally absurd and I was annoyed that I was drug through the entire book for such a silly pink bow ending. Come on, there would be no forgiveness for the things that came to pass, rather rejection and more pain. The premise was stupid and enough to put the book on my kill it with fire shelf. That said the first half and plot line were intriguing to one who enjoys the dark side so it goes on the Meh shelf. Don't take me on a tour though the darkside only to drag me kicking and screaming into the land of sunshine and rainbows. It doesn't play. I'll read more Grayson at any rate, because there was good there too. We'll see what happens next.

Shatter Me is the first book in Alex Grayson’s Jaded series. A warning to readers, this book deals with abuse, (both verbal and physical), and rape. There are some pretty heavy scenes of violence against the heroine in this book, so if you have triggers against these things, then this may not be the book for you.

Bailey is on the run from her husband Steven. He’s hurt her, and if she didn’t run, he’d kill her. She’s just barely made her way to Jaded Hollow, Ohio, where she stops outside a diner. She meets a perky waitress named Anna, who not only feeds her, but points her in the direction of a job.

Jaxon is the owner of Jaxon’s Pub. He hires Bailey and after inducing a panic attack by just walking towards her, he does everything he can to protect her. But Bailey refuses to tell him what happened to her or why she’s on the run. She knows Steven will find her, and she doesn’t want anyone else hurt. But the town of Jaded Hollow protects their own. Can Jaxon and the town protect Bailey from her psychotic husband?

This was a difficult read at times. Bailey has gone through a lot in her life, especially with her husband, and as the book goes on, we learn just how awful Steven is. But Jaxon turns out to be probably one of the best book boyfriends ever! Not only is he a tall, dark, tatted and pierced hottie, but he’s sweet, loving and protective towards his people, especially Bailey, and his sisters Anna and Mia. The ending is a bit hard to take, but this was an incredible read! I’m very much looking forward to Mia and Mac’s book.

OK, so first and foremost, let’s talk about the triggers in this book. I know some people are sensitive to particular subjects and this book is bursting with sensitive subjects! We have rap, domestic abuse, sodomy, and just plain violence… all in a nonconsensual manor. There’s also a bit of sexual abuse in the book. So it is detailed throughout the book and not just in the beginning. It explains the main female character’s previous life and her struggles… who wouldn’t?! So, if you can remember that this is a book of fiction and aren’t sensitive to these subjects, I would definitely recommend this book.

So this is not an easy read… I mean, it is titled SHATTER ME. And Shatter Me it does do! Seeing the realistic abuse that women go through daily is so difficult to read and process even though you know it is fiction. However, Jaxon is a total dream! Every single person that has dealt with domestic abuse deserves to find a Jaxon after… it should be mandatory!

I love how strong Alex Grayson makes this book for survivors. She says that “no one should ever be embarrassed or ashamed of being abused.” She really gives you this fierce feeling as a person, as a society. You want to protect those in need. I loved this book. The story is one that will pull at your heart and make it break. I went through so many emotions reading this book… hurt, like sobbing hurt, anger, like fierce anger, anxiety, like I felt my heart accelerating! Grayson’s story flowed, it was emotional. In the end, it turns sweet and right but still has the angst that will pull at you!

Wow, this book blew me away once I started it was hard to put down.
Bailey ever since she was born has suffered a life being abused at the hands of her drug-addicted parents. When she is older she finds the love of her life in Steven. Unfortunately as soon as he has ring on her finger he changes and Bailey horror begins and she suffers at the hand of a different abuser. She finally manages to get away from him one day with the help of her best friend Chris. Eventually after days on the run finds herself in the town of Jaded Hollow and the people are so friendly she decides to stay there for abit. Due to the fact her money is running low and she needs to find a job to get some more funds for her new life on the run.
She finds a job at Jaxsons bar when he gives her a chance to show she can do the job. She ends up with a job at Jaxsons bar and when he finds she is living in her car gives her an empty apartment he has above the bar. She is living a life of new found freedom and no fear in this small town of people who open their arms to her. Until one day her past catches up with her and her fear and need to run begins all over again.
I was given a copy thank you (Alex Grayson) for an honest review for Naughty Nightie Book Blog. Be warned there is an ugly cry so have the tissues handy. Also this is a dark book with sexual abuse, and rape scenes with very graphic descriptions, so if these are triggers for you maybe not the book for you. I can't wait to read the rest of the books in the series in Jaded Hollow find about more about the pasts of the people we meet in this book.

A good chunk of this book was 5 stars for me, but some descriptions were too specifically detailed and so overlong they pulled me out of the story. This happened less as I got further through what, overall, is a well written book. It is a book full of potential triggers and whilst the romance side isn't dark, huge chunks of the story are.

A part of my wonders if the heroine having suffered abuse both as a child and in her marriage was a little too much. But it probably has happened to someone somewhere, so it would be disrespectful to say it was unbelievable.

I did believe in the characters, I liked both Bailey and Jaxon and their attraction for each other. I would have liked more Bailey/Jackson spending sex-free but romantic time together. There were brief references to this having happened but I would have liked some more actual scenes that showed them falling in love. That's a personal preference though and in no way weakens the story.

There are no punches pulled in this book, we 'witness' horrific sexual abuse via the heroine's nightmares and in 'real time'. I appreciated that the author didn't gloss over the details, no it wasn't easy reading and at times it was down right unpleasant BUT it was a necessary part of the story. (I also believe that watering it down is an insult to survivors of abuse.)

Whilst I think the author's work has improved (this was her first release) it is still a very hard hitting, well written and captivating read.

Are you looking for a book that shatters you?  This is that book and so much more.  Bailey has had a very rough past and she is just trying to make her way at life and trying to be happy.  Jaxon comes in like a hurricane.  She doesn't want to want him but sometimes you are just drawn to someone it is as if they have a piece of your soul.  While Jaxon still has some demons of his own, he understands Bailey's hesitancy and doesn't try to push her and yet he can't help but continue to want to get closer to her.  Bailey is afraid to let him in because she doesn't want HIM to get hurt.
 
Bailey still has terrible nightmares, and with those we get a glimpse at her past with Steven.  And while it isn't pretty we slowly start to see how Jaxon is a calming presence in her life.  This book literally ripped my heart out and I am not over it yet.  The author has this way of writing that just sucks you in and you have way too many feelings and may need some tissues before you have finished.

This book is a book about two souls trying to heal and overcome their past.  A soul mate may not come to you when you are ready, but nothing you can do that stop them from being in your life.  Bailey needed more then a "man"...she needed people who loved her, and she has that from the moment she steps foot in this small town.  This book is amazingly written and there are no details left out, both good and bad, and I loved it.

Bailey has suffered tremendous pain and suffering at the hands of those who were supposed to love and protect her. She thought the atrocities that were committed against here would come to an end when she left home to attend college however they were only a warm up to what her husband did to her. She has escaped but she knows that she needs to keep moving as he will find her again but in the interim she winds up in Jaded Hollow.

When Bailey approaches Jaxon, the owner of a bar, he realized right away that she was different from anyone else he had ever met. He can sense that she is scared and all he wants to do is protect her and know everything about her.

He wants so much more than to be her employer but he is patient and she slowly begins to trust him and believes that not everyone that she lets close will only hurt her but what happens when her past catches up with her because she knows it will it is only a matter of time…

I loved both these characters as Jaxon is so patient and understanding the resilience that Bailey shows is inspiring. This is an emotional suspenseful journey that doesn’t disappoint. I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

*read an ARC of this book and leaving a honest review*
If this book is any example of what is come in the rest of this series, I believe that Alex Grayson has produced an epic series riddled with emotional fire storms. Bailey is on the run from her ex-husband, Steven, and she finds herself in Jaded Hollow, Ohio. The hot, tattooed pub owner, Jaxon, has just hired Bailey, but, unfortunately, he has triggered Bailey to go into a panic attack. Seeing her panic at him approaching on her has Jax wanting to protect her from the evil that has her bound. Bailey is certain that Steven will find her, but she doesn't know that the people of Jaded Hollow protect their own and Jax will do everything in his power to make sure no one shatters her.
This book was just riddled with triggers, secrets, sadness, pain, abuse, and heartbreak. I cannot express how much I enjoyed Alex Grayson's writing this story. Before you say "But it's just a woman running from ex-husband and being saved by a hot stranger", I suggest you rethink this train of thought because even though author follow similar tropes, they don't follow one another word for word, twist for twist, turn for turn. Alex Grayson took the high, difficult road and I loved every minute of it.

I was going to give this 3 stars but then I decided to change it to 4 because I think my reaction to this book was what the author intended so that means she did her job. This book was written well but it was a lot to take. I had a hard time reading the details of the abuse Bailey went through at the hands of her sadistic bastard of a husband. I know this is just a story but I think about all of the women who suffer abuse at the hands of their husbands and it makes me sick! I love her strength though and that she ran and got away from him. Talk about being in Hell with the devil himself! Luckily she finds herself in a small town where she meets amazing people who want to help her. It is also there she meets Jaxon and his amazing family and falls in love with them all. Unfortunately her nightmare was far from over. I honestly didn’t think I could take much more but thankfully the ending was a happy one, mostly.

I absolutely loved this book! This Author goes into such great detail to describe the scenes and the characters so well I could totally picture them in my mind as if I were there. Jaxon is not only gorgeous, but kind, caring, strong, and trustworthy and especially protective of all those he loves. And he most definitely falls in love with Bailey. Bailey is a lost soul that has had to endure such torture her entire life and never know what it feels like to be loved only abuse. When Bailey pulls into the small town of Jaded Hollow she never expected to be welcomed so openly and treated like she had lived there all her life. Bailey has grown to never trust anyone especially men. She has been so mentally and physically abused her whole life, even by her parents. Just as she begins to settle, the past finds her and her new life gets blown sky high. My only complaint about this Author is that she doesn't get to a climax in the story until your over 75% through the book. By that time the ending seems alittle rushed. At times I was so shocked at what Bailey endured. I can't imagine in my lifetime how someone could suffer such torture and live to tell about it. At times it was so heart wrenching I felt like my heart would split in two. I cried so hard I couldn't catch my breath. Bailey quickly befriends Jaxon's family especially his sister Anna. A woman so beautiful inside and out that she shines and everyone who meets her can't help but love her instantly. For fear of giving anything away I will stop. I EXTREMELY recommend this book to everyone!! I can't wait to get on to the next book. ?

4.5 Stars from Renee!

I was pulled right into this story. The story flowed well and kept you interested. The story has pain, sadness, secrets, abuse, and heartbreak.

This is Bailey and Jaxon’s story. Bailey is no stranger to pain and abuse. Just when she thought she escaped from all the pain she got married to a monster. He made sure to make her suffer all the time. She finally runs to get away from all the pain. In the small town she meets a man named Jaxon. He wants to know what causes all the pain and fear in her eyes. She is not about to give up her secrets. She knows her past is going to find her at some point and she will have to run again. Jaxon is determined to uncover all her secrets and keep her safe. But when her past comes calling will he be able to keep her safe or will he lose her forever?

I loved all the characters in this series. It’s great to see how the other couples are doing from the earlier books.

I highly recommend this book.

This book is a wonderfully written book that will take your emotions on a emotionally dark and twisted ride. Its like most of the ride is taken underground in a dark and twisted tunnel and at the end you finally get to come up and see the light. So much of her life is full of abuse and so much more and when she comes to this new town she is finally able to find the light in her life. Find people who want her to be happy and to find that happiness with her.

If you aren't comfortable reading very detailed accounts of abuse then this wouldn't be for you but Alex did such a wonderful job. This book is dark and will have you feeling as if you are experiencing everything she does as you are reading but that is what makes her finding her happy ending that much more specialy because you can feel it as well.

I highly recommend this book. Alex did such a great job and I can't wait to read more by her in the future!

I absolutely loved this book. There are no words to express what i felt reading this book. This book was emotional. Full of so many different emotions. It was heart wrenching and really made you feel what the characters were feeling. Bailey is an amazing woman.From the beginning she was strong no matter what was put in front of her. After everything that she has been through she believed with all her heart that she could love again once she found the right one. I absolutely loved how the people in this town took her in and never once judged her. Jaxon oh my god. Yummy. Not just yummy you knew there was something about him from the beginning. Something that drew Bailey to him because she knew in her own little way that he was going to be safe for her. I absolutely loved how gentle and soft he was with her through everything. I cant wait to read more from Alex. I am looking forward to reading the next ones in this series

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review for Stephanie's Book Reports.

Shatter Me is the first book in The Jaded Series but is a standalone. Each book though focuses on a different character who are present thought the series.

Bailey Windsor is living in a world full of unimaginable things to most people. She's in danger every second of every day even after she runs. Raised with parents who had no business with a child anywhere near them. She thinks she's found her salvation in Steven and marries him. Just when life looks perfect it all falls to pieces when Steven shows his true self. Running and knowing that if Steven catches her, she arrives in the small town of Jaded Hollow Ohio. Bailey has no choice but to find a job to have more money to keep running.

Jaxon "Jax" Walker is the owner of the local bar and meets Bailey when she comes looking for a job. The second he lays eyes on Bailey his attraction to her is immediate and he knows there are huge secrets Bailey is keeping from everyone. Jax wants nothing more than to protect Bailey It's been a long time since he's met a woman he wants to make his own and he will do whatever it takes to make Bailey his and safe.

Can Bailey trust the people of Jaded Hollow and most especially Jaxon and his friends or will she never open up and run again?

I really enjoyed this book. There are some heavy bordering in dark elements to this book so it may not be for everyone. Bailey is a character that is probably one of the strongest there is to survive like she has. You just don't get the story of Jaxon and Bailey but meet a whole cast of characters your going to fall in love with. From Chris who is Baileys best friend and help to Jaxon sisters Mia and Anna with her boyfriend Nick and the Sheriff of the town Mac, you will fall in love with them all. It's a small town and they are close knit and extra protective of everyone in the town. This book will have you laughing and crying and certainly on the edge of your seat.

The only reason I didn't give it five stars is I felt it was way to wordy. I didn't need to know every minute detail of every thought that went through Baileys head before she said a sentence. I found myself skimming at times to get through a conversation. That's said though if you feel yourself feeling like I did don't give up because of it. It's a story well worth reading and you will be breathless by the end of the book.

This book was a first by this Author for me and I couldn't be happier that I was able to start Shatter Me!

Holy hell - what a rollercoaster of pain, healing and more pain......
The highs were high but the lows absolutely ripped my heart out!
For all the heartbreak that came with this story the book itself was written perfectly - there was such a brilliant balance of angst with some of the most heartfelt written scenes!

I literally finished this book and then without taking a breath dived into the next book in the series!!

I couldn't be happier to have been introduced to the books by Alex Grayson!

Loved loved loved everything about this book and this series!

I couldn't recommend it more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bailey is a college graduate, married to a prominent public defender. Her life on the outside looks picture perfect; however looks are deceiving. Bailey has lived a life of torment, sexual abuse, not to mention mental and physical torture. Her best friend since the third grade, Chris, has been her constant life line, and the one who helps her escape from the clutches of her husband, Steven. Can Bailey out run him?

Bailey goes from town to town, exhausted but too scared to stay in one place for very long or make friends for fear of her husband finding her. Until she gets to Jaded Hollow, where she sees how close and accepting the community is and brings out longings she has of staying in one place if she wasn’t running from her husband. Low on money, Bailey gets a job at the local pub despite how she feels being around men.

Jaxon, Bailey’s new boss, is six foot plus and built like a brick house. He’s a good guy although no one should cross him. He is drawn to Bailey and wants to protect her from whomever has hurt her. It only gets worse when he witnesses her panic attacks when men approach her, including him. He’s determined to be patient and hope that she will come to trust him and open up to him. Jaxon has his own demons that make him wary of relationships, but he can’t ignore the pull to Bailey. What happens when the truth comes out? His determination will leave even Bailey reeling and questioning everything she’s ever known.

This heartbreaking, horror life that Bailey has lived will leave the reader rooting for her, it’s a journey that not only shows human suffering, but resilience that will give anyone hope of a better life if your determined to be open and let people in. I was riveted and couldn’t put this down until I finished it. This book isn’t for the faint at heart, and deals with rape, incest and suicide, but don’t let that keep you from the journey that shows that if you’re willing and able to believe that things do get better they will. Never to give up and keep going, because there are good things in life worth fighting for.

I would definitely recommend this book!

This book is for over 18 and has explicit sexual content. May even trigger some people who deal with rape, incest and suicide.

“I close my eyes, knowing what’s coming next: him kissing my forehead. I’m looking forward to it. It’s such a sweet thing for him to do, and for someone like me who hasn’t had much sweet in her life, I love it all the more.”

5 dark stars! This book ripped my heart out, I’m still reeling from it!

Bailey has known nothing but pain since she was a child. She’s never been able to trust anyone close to her. She’s slowly trying to get her life together and meets a man she falls in love with. Things are looking up right? The man she fell in love with is not the man he is. Now having to endure even more years of abuse, she decides she has no other option but to run...far. She ends up in a small town in Ohio, where she meets tattooed, pierced, bar owner Jaxon and instantly there’s an attraction, but she doesn’t act on it. Jaxon knows there’s something wrong with Bailey and he’s not willing to give up on her. Can he keep her safe and help her with her dark past?

To say I loved this book would be an understatement! I don’t think I can put together enough words to say how beautiful this book is. The sensitive subjects are handled well and with such grace. It’s dark and twisted, but I loved it! I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!

Received a copy in exchange for an honest review. Read and reviewed by Melissa for Alpha Book Club**

I'm thinking 4.5 but I will round up to five.
This book comes with a warning ****This book contains content like rape, drugs, and hard situations that may trigger bad memories for those that has been in similar situations. Not suitable for anyone under 18.**** and take this to heart because there are multiple scenes that are upsetting for anyone to read by if it's a trigger it wouldn't be good.

With that being said I loved this book and the emotion in it. The story is gritty and ugly at times and hopeful and romantic at others. Bailey Windsor has gone through more ugliness and terrible things. Yes, she is a very broken woman who never really learned what normal relationships of any kind are like but she is not a weak character. She is very strong and she goes through hell again for the people she cares for. There were so many times that this book and Bailey's past broke my heart and yes I cried for her. Her husband Steven has gained a list up towards the top of my most hated, evil characters. I wanted to throw my kindle because of his twisted torture at times.

Every girl loves a white knight on a horse riding in to save the day. For Bailey that came in the form of Jaxon Walker in his ripped jeans, black shirts, and piercings. Instead of riding up on the white horse he walked towards he causing a panic attack. He is just what she needs he knows that she has a past and he is very kind and patient with her. She doesn't even have to tell him he just knows that she needs to go very slow. He is so sweet yet tough I love Jaxon.

The rest of the people in the town are amazing as well and it warms my heart how they all introduce Bailey to what it is like to be loved and cared for.

You need to get this story and experience all of the emotion from the evil to the smoldering romance.

I have been wanting to read this novel since I saw the first teaser of it in an author's event a while ago. I knew this book was going to be good..I was wrong..it is extraordinary! I haven't actually cried while reading a book since I was in High School. Not only did I cry, cringe, be angered, but i was shattered, but in a good way. With out giving anything away I will compare reading this as learning history in school and being told of slavery but not learning the emotions of what a slave actually went through until reading novels like Uncle Tom's Cabin and A life of a Slave Girl. We all see ads, pictures and hear about child abuse,domestic violence, and domestic sexual abuse but we do not know what actually goes on for these victims emotionally or physically unless god forbid you are one of the victims. It is a tough subject. This book enlightened me to a glimpse of the world for these precious souls and am forever changed by this book.

As a debut novel I cannot believe how powerful the writing was. I felt like I was hovering over Bailey and watching and hearing what was going on in her life. Not many authors can give that effect. Now this book is not all dark..there are lighter parts that will get you laughing and gives you a break from the angst of this emotional roller coaster which you need. I would definitely recommend this novel to anyone that can handle the topic of this novel. It is exceptionally written, but not for the faint of heart or easily disturbed. This novel took me out of my bubble and put new perspectives to the lives of society that people tend to look the other way. If Alex Grayson's debut novel can do this to me, I cannot wait to read more of her works.

Thank you Alex Grayson, to opening my eyes on how many people live.

Grab your Kleenex and buckle your seatbelt for this amazing and emotional ride! Shatter Me absolutely shattered me. Alex Grayson has written a story that is raw, gritty, and emotionally captivating. I was hooked from the first page and refused to put it down until I was done. Once I started my emotions were all over the place and the amazing characters kept me reading late into the night. Bailey's story is dark and twisted but her absolute resilience and willingness to trust again is amazing. Shatter Me is a must read if you love dark and emotionally gripping books. Though this is my first book to read by this author it will definitely not be my last and I can't wait to read the next book in this series.

This is a well written,very detailed fictional account of one woman's horrifying physical and sexual abuse,first at the hands of her parents and then her"husband".When Bailey is on the run,she happens into a close knit ,small town that take her under their wing.It is Jaxson and his family in the lead on this ..caring and wanting to protect this damaged human being.Jaxon has painfull elements in his past that magnetized their relationship each falling for the other very quickly and allowing Bailey to develop love and trust for he and his family Jaxson is a sweet,loving,patient beautiful man inside and out.Bailey basks in his love and for the first time in her life is able to experience a loving physical relationship .The author is sensitive in her portrayal,but not lacking in heat!
Alas,Steven,her evil abusive ex finds her and Bailey finally ,fearing for her safety and that of her new love and family,opens up about her past.The storyline intensifies ,danger ,suspense and heartbreak abound with Steven's attempts to get Bailey back into his evil clutch. Although It is book 1 ,it is complete storyline. I will move on now to book 2,the tale of another couple we met during Bailey and Jaxons saga.

Alex Grayson's debut novel, Shatter Me, is an intense, emotional roller coaster that you're going to want to read. Bailey Winsor is a young woman who has dealt with abuse, rape, and drugs. After spending years dealing with a unimaginable life she finally is able to break free, but spends her days on the run from a life she never wants to go back to. Low on money, she stops in a town that is going to change her life. A chance meeting leads to her meeting people like Jaxon Walker and his family, who give her hope that a better life is out there. Despite, trying to finally live a life she has dreamed about, her past comes back, haunting her.

What transpires over the course of this book is a dark tale that will leave you beyond shocked. Alex Grayson does a good job telling Bailey's story and leaves you gutted as you hear all the things she has been through. Despite all the darkness there is hope and love in the story. You have Jax, a man who fiercely protects those he cares about. Life isn't perfect and this is one book that showcases that perfectly. It does start off a little slow, but once it kicks in you are not going to want to put this down. You'll want to know what happens and when the ending comes, you'll more than likely need a few tissues. If you're looking for a darker, edgy story, with hope and redemption, pick up Shatter Me by Alex Grayson.

I dont even know what to say that will be good enough for this book. Yes it is dark. Most of it is in flashbacks. I dont think i would have been able to read it straight through without the promise of the good things to come being the focus and all of the horrible things Bailey went through being flashbacks. My heart hurt for her throughout this book.

Lets talk about Jaxon - im pretty sure that everything about him is perfect. The ultimate BBF protector. He did everything right. Tall, strong, pierced and tattooed. Everything that her "upstanding" lawyer evil husband was not. The dichotomy ..... Amazing. We cant stop with Jaxon. His family and friends were incredible as well. The other "secondary" characters were awesome. I LOVED Andrew. With every new t-shirt he wore, i would stop and tell my husband what they said. They were hilarious - and the brother-in-law that she thanked in her acknowlegements deserves it. Anna, Nick and Mia were amazing characters as well - you will see when you read it.

Now for Bailey. You could see her getting stronger from one page to the next. I was so proud of her. I know, she is a fictional character in a book - but when i get emotionally invested in a book, they become real to me.

I will say there were a couple of things in the book that could have been better - however, Im not going to sit here and tell you that they ruined the book or anything like that. I will say that towards the end of the book sucked and pissed me off big time and i hated that it ended that way. It was horrible and so wrong. I just hope that there is a book later on that makes it better. That being said, i havent read the second book yet, so maybe things start to get better there.

Either way, Alex Grayson is now on my list of must read authors. This was an amazing debut!

This book is a heart wrenching story that made me ugly cry in several parts. As warned there are parts of the book that are difficult to get through because no one should have to go through that much pain and abuse. For Bailey, the people in her life that are supposed to be there to love, care, teach and nurture her are the very people who abused her or let her be tortured. It started so early on in her life that Bailey had no feeling of worth that it made her stay in a place she needed to escape.

Once she was able to get away from her horrible home, she went off to college and moved in with her best friend Chris. Bailey had some reprieve from abuse for a brief time until she met Steven. Steven when she started dated him seemed like the perfect guy to fall in love with and marry which she did. She did not realize what a depraved person he was but she learned quite soon after they married that she thought that she got out of hell (living with her parents) to find out that the fire of hell was even hotter in her new residence.

Bailey thought many times of leaving her living hell/prison several ways but was deathly afraid of Steven and the repercussions once he located her. She also contemplated suicide but just couldn't bring herself to do it.

After being brutally abused Bailey found herself in the hospital and realized the next time Steven taught her a lesson for what he called bad she would probably be dead. With the help of her best friend she leaves early from the hospital and runs away. Her first attempt he finds her but she is able to escape from him again. She drives for awhile and finds a quaint little town and decides that she needs to find a job so she could save money and continue running by moving from place to place.

In Jaded Hollow, she can't believe how wonderful these strangers are to her and she can't understand why they are being so kind. She never received kindness from others with the exception of her friend Chris. She starts working as a bartender and begins feeling somewhat safe with the family members of the bar and other locals. She starts to develop feelings for Jaxon who seems to have a fierce need to protect those he loves like his family and woman who are abused but should be taken care of and treasured. She doesn't tell the new friends she has made about the horrific abuse and that her husband is searching for her and will probably kill her once he finds her. They all know she is hiding something and is very jumpy around men. Jaxon realizes she must have been abused but doesn't know how bad the torture she has been through. She is afraid that Steven will find her and hurt the people she has come to care for and them her. He offers to listen and try to help her stay safe.

I recommend you read this book if you like dark reads. Steven is seriously a depraved man and so are many of his friends and the horrible treatments he puts his wife through. Find out what happens with Bree and Jaxon. Is she able to let Jaxon in after she has sworn off me and intimacy? Does she pick up and move on like she planned to do to stay ahead of Steven? Does Steven find her and what happens when and if he finds her? This is a really good book that will keep you turning the pages to see what happens next. I finished this book in a few hours but I had to put it down more often then I would have wanted. Grab your copy today!

Bailey’s life is so messed. The things she faced and running from would have broken most people. She has always lived in a life of pain. With no one to turn to, she does the only thing she can do, run. Her life on the run leads her to a small town in Ohio. While that town would serve as her hiding place and refuge from her past, she finds much more than she every anticipated, Jax. This man has just as many skeletons in his past as Bailey does, but he knows from the very second he lays his eyes on her that he’ll do anything to protect her and keep her safe from her past. These two are about to embark on an emotionally draining yet healing rollercoaster ride together that will leave you breathless and ugly crying.

Shatter Me is quite possibly one of the best debut novels by a new author that I’ve ever had the privilege to read. This book is so well written, plotted and developed that you could never guess this was written by a debut author. Alex Grayson has literally left me a sobbing mess in my favorite reading chair as Shatter Me left me emotionally striped raw. Grayson doesn’t shy away from the harsher aspects of abuse which only adds to the real life visions of this story that played in my head as I read. With this book, Grayson has definitely added a fan to her following. I cannot wait for book #2!

Wow this book was amazing. The abuse and violence was so realistic along the lines of what people go through as well as over come. I know I'm an over comer. The triggers alone could take a lifetime to overcome but with good family support it happens. This book portrays that to preciseness that it's unreal. It's well written with a plot that has awesome twist that you would never see coming. Shatter Me has definitely made its name because not only is the character shattered but it leaves you feeling such empathy that you're a mess. Alex is phenomenal in grabbing the reader and sucking you in to the characters lives. She doesn't just show you what readers want to hear but also covers the hard parts of life that people have to overcome. To me it's such a healing tool because people that do relate can see beyond the hurt and picture a better tomorrow. It's both raw and emotional with a spice of sugar and cinnamon giving it a perfect balance. It's especially profound because this was Alex Grayson debut! Wow awesome Job Alex! You are one talented person!

The emotions run high through out the story putting you on that roller coaster of events in your mind. While this book is not for everyone, a person can see it as a way to a brighter side of things. The characters seem to create strong bonds with each other and lasting friendships and relationships that are few and far between.

Angel ,as Jaxon calls her, has experience the horror story of a lifetime not just childhood but on into adulthood, but develops strong will out of it and trust that she never thought she would have. Jaxon is the same in his own little world has experienced lost and pain. I didn't expect the end!

Wow this ending left me a blubbering mess lol. Lost is not new to me so I totally related to this. It is something that causes spurts of pain through a life time. This story shows what a good support system can do for you though.

Jaded Hollow is a special place that holds dear in your heart once you read this. It's not just a town but a family that creates a safe place for each to come too. Jaxon can protect me anytime lol. This is a book that's not just about abuse. That's just the story, it's about finding yourself and believing in something bigger the you are. Alex is an exceptional writer that has managed to pull me into to her world. I've read thousands of books and not many leave me such a mess but wanting more. I can say Alex Grayson has managed that. Way to go Alex! I'd read anything of yours lady!

***THIS BOOK WAS GIVEN TO ME IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW***
***Contains graphic sex and language. Not for young readers***
***Cassandra Delorie #NerdGirlLola’s Review***

Disclaimer: This book does contain graphic depictions of physical, sexual, and metal abuse. It is not written to glorify it in any way just to show the reader what goes on in the mind of a victim. HUGE TRIGGER WARNING!!!! If these are subjects that make you uncomfortable or could trigger something in your own mind, please do not attempt to read this book.

I absolutely loved this book. Even with all the graphic displays of violence and abuse. In my opinion it does not glorify the abuse, it is simply written to give the reader a view at what goes on in an abusive relationship. But everyone has their own opinions.

The book is extremely well written especially for a debut novel. I’ll admit when I found out it was a debut I was sure that the author was writing under a pen name but this is not the case. This is one of the best first novels I have read.

The emotions run very high with this one. I must confess that was I was given a heads up by one of my blog mates prior to reading. She didn’t give me any spoilers but just let me know that this was going to be an emotional rollercoaster. In fact she told me to keep a box of tissues close to me in case of waterworks. I’m surprised that I did not cry more at this novel. Usually I get so wrapped up in the story that I feel as if I’m living it with them. But I think subconsciously I knew not to get too caught up in this one, most likely because it would have destroyed me.

All in all this is one of the best debut novels I have read in recent memory. This book is not for everyone. I highly suggest reading the author’s disclaimer and mine as well prior to purchasing. The worst thing a reader can do is read a book they have no business reading and leaving a bad review based on their own issues, even after being forewarned.

I will definitely be looking forward to any other novels by this author.

***Review has been done in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official. For more information regarding our reviews please visit our Fan Site:

Read and remember that this book contains rape, abuse, drugs and some very hard situations that my trigger bad memories for those that has been thru this hard life. Definitely for those over 18. Even though this has a very hard content in it I recommend you read this because this is part of the real world we live in and it shows how one young women can overcome the life she went thru and there is happiness out there you just got to trust the right people.

Bailey Winsor is on the run from her past. Its trying to shatter her.
She has dealt with so much abuse from a very young age to her adult married life. She has spent more time hurt and abused than any one person can deal with. This last time did her in and she left....left the life and the town and the people who have made her build walls around her that she will never let back down. Walls that cant be shattered.

Her childhood friend from school, Chris has helped her with money and a way out. Bailey is on the road far, far away. She has very little money to go on too. But when she is down to her last few dollars she stops in a town to build up her cash reserve and then go back on the run. But this town she has stopped at has captured her heart and she doesn't even know it.

She finds a job at a local pub. She was a bartender back in college and is pretty sure she can handle it again. Or can she? She meets the nicest bunch of people and the kindest hearts she has ever seen. She just doesn't know if its a show or are these people truly as kind as they seem?

She starts at the pub and right off she is determined to get it but she is so desperate she has to convince the owner to hire her.
Jaxon is the hot man that owns this establishment and she almost loses her breath around him. She finds out that the whole town here knows everyone and everyone is so nice to her.

The heat fires up once Jaxon finds out that she is sleeping in her car till she can save money for her own place. Jaxon wont have that. He is the type to protect women. But he has endured some major heart aches in his past and he isn't letting his guard down either. He has his own walls built up.

Jaxon is protective of his mother 2 sisters and his gram's. Since his father was gone he felt it was his place to protect them. And it seems Bailey is now one of the women he wants to protect. But she has walls built up and trusts no one.

Bailey finally finds trust in Jaxon along with some other feelings she cant explain since she has never felt this way before.
One day her past find her and she has to decide to either run of face it head on.

I started this book and couldn't put it down. It held me captive till the very last page. It may be dark but it has a story that will make you cry sad tears and happy tears. But one thing it will teach you that behind every dark cloud there truly is a silver lining. It will teach you all men aren't alike and that there are really some very kind people in the world. Which Bailey would have never known since she was always kept away from the world and hidden and not allowed to associate with other people.

I highly recommend this story if not the fact that it does have a super great HEA. It has some very awesome characters in it and they all have a heart bigger than ever. This book being Alex Grayson's first book will shock you. Its very well written and had to be a extremely hard story to write. 5 stars plus from me on this one and I cant wait to read the next book in this series.

I went into reading this book knowing there were a lot of triggers and horrible things. This book is all consuming. There are no words that I could ever say to do this book justice.

I don't think I've ever been rendered speechless by a book, yet here we are.

Baileys story is tragic and amazing.

There were times I would have to put the book down, walk away, and come back hours later just to wrap my head around it. Yes it was graphic and a lot but society always feels the need to cover these things up, sugar coat them, not talk about it because it's just "too much" but the reality is; while this book is fiction (extremely well written at that) it's reality. It's facts. It happens every single day. I know that just from reading this book, I'll be a little more cautious with how I perseve people in certain situations.
How anyone could not give this book 5 stars is beyond me. Id give it 20 if I could.

**Warning: If you have domestic violence and/or rape triggers please read the disclaimer at the beginning of the book and some of the reviews. This is a really good book but we want everyone to know that reading this can be pretty tough**

I am a DV survivor and this was a hard book for me in a lot of areas but I just reminded myself it’s a book. And a very well written book!

As mentioned in a review by Stephanie J Brasher Daley:

“We all see ads, pictures and hear about child abuse, domestic violence, and domestic sexual abuse but we do not know what actually goes on for these victims emotionally or physically unless god forbid you are one of the victims. It is a tough subject.”

Alex did her research in regards to domestic violence and these other horrendous crimes towards women. She didn’t just fluff the subject. She got down and dirty. I had some insane emotions going through me and a lot of tears.

Shatter Me is an insanely intense roller coaster that flies off the tracks. It is a heart breaking story. It shows a journey of absolute horror and also resilience and trust. For this being Alex’s debut novel I can only say Holy s***, I can’t even imagine her future novels. I read Shatter Me in one sitting. Thank goodness for being home sick from work.

I don’t like to be a spoiler so I don’t get into the whole story and the characters much because that is what the author’s book description is for. I will say that I love the Characters that were created for this story. I MEAN LOVE LOVE LOVE THEM!!!!! They all flow together wonderfully. Alex created the perfect support team for Bailey in the perfect order. Bailey is a victim of extreme violence at the hands of her husband and his so called associates. I would say she has been to hell and back but unfortunately she was never able to leave Hell. Until now…. Trying so hard to be free but she has to keep looking over her shoulder. All she had was her BFF Chris and one chance to RUN! That is until she came across Jaded Hollow, OH where she was going to stay long enough to earn some money, regroup herself and then she would be on to the next temporary safe haven. Jaxon is a protector of what is his and hot hot hot. Andrew is HILARIOUS!!!! I love his shirts. I have a BFF who popped into my head as soon as he was mentioned and I absolutely adore them both. I love that I have a real life Andrew. His name even begins with an A. Anna is soooooo sweet. It’s like she knows something is wrong without being told. She can read it on Bailey’s face that Bailey is broken and needs help. Anna tries to be sly when helping Bailey. I have an Anna in real life too but she is an Erin. She saved me and I am still blessed to have her. I even found a Jaxon. I would say I am as lucky as Bailey.

Not only did Alex bring a very tragic story to life, she brought the characters to life.

Shatter Me is real life. It is someone's nightmare. As sad as it is for me to say, this is real life. Someone at some time has had to live through this, is still living through this.

This book made me laugh and cry and cringe and squeeze my fists in anger.

Watching Jaxon and Bailey's story unfold was awesome and terrifying at the same time. I loved the detail in this book because it pulled me into the characters lives, i also hated that same attention to detail at times because it made me tear up. I will definately read this book a few times! And i cant wait for the rest of the series!

Bailey is one of the strongest female characters ive ever had the pleasure of getting to know through her story. To see a woman so unbelievably broken physically and mentally at times come out so strong is an amazing thing to watch happen. I suffered with her at times and cheered her on at every step she took. I actually felt pride in her accomplishments. This book tore me apart at times and then rebuilt me back up!

Jaxon is the man of my dreams! He has his own hidden pains and nightmares but he sees in Bailey the same thing that all of us readers see, a woman that with the right support and encouragement will see what a beautiful and strong woman she is on the inside.

I will say first off that any abuser of a child should automatically be killed. PERIOD!!! This book was well written. A little bit too descriptive but well written. Bailey moved or ran away to Jaded Hollow from an abusive sick husband. Jaded Hollow is a small town in ohio. Everyone knows everyone . Bailey meets Annna, a totally outgoing woman in a diner. She helps Bailey get a job at a bar. Happens to be Jaxon, Anna's brother. The abuse this woman suffered is extreme. burns, rape, whips. Her and Jaxon end up falling in love but not without problems. Steven is a lawyer with a lot of power. So he gets away with this. He ends up following her and kidnapping Anna and torturing her till he gets Bailey to go to him. Then he re tortures Bailey. What happens next is heartbreaking. I have read and cried over a lot of books. This is the most extreme heartbreaking one ever. So Far. Truly if rape, abuse, torture is a trigger DO NOT READ!!! Perfect writing for this author. I just wonder how you got through it enough to write a book 2.

If I could rate this more than 5 stars I would. Congrats to making this the first book of 2015 to make me cry. This story of Bailey's will run you through an emotional ringer. From the synopsis you know that this is going to be a tough story. Bailey is running for a bad past that includes abuse. Her husband is a monster. As she is running she stops in Jaded Hallow, OH. Here she finds the kindness of strangers. Bailey has a hard time accepting this kindness because she has not had that in her past. The longer she stays the more she likes the friendship and the relationship she is forming with Jax.

The characters in this book were so real and just like people you would want to be friends with. I grew up in a small town and this was just like going home. Everyone befriended Bailey and could see the good in her. Therefore she starts to believe in herself. As for Jax "sigh" everyone needs a protector like Jax in their life. He know bad things had happened to Bailey but never pushed her. He always waited for her to open up or be comfortable. Bailey is always waiting for her husband to show up. Throughout the whole book you are on the edge of your seat waiting for the other shoe to drop. Waiting for something bad to happen. When it does, Holy He!! it was not what I was expecting and it made my cry huge crocodile tears.

This was an incredible book that did put your emotions on a roller coaster ride. It deals with so much from abuse to believing in yourself and from true friendship to true love. Kudos to Alex Grayson for writing a gripping emotional roller coaster story that will make you not want to stop reading until the end. She certainly has a fan for life in me.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Whoa! Alright so one word: INTENSE! If you're a action packed full throttle thrill seeker then sink your teeth into this whooper. Now its a story you see, there's violence and rape scenes that will make your heart thump and your tears flow.

The thing I like the most about this Author style of writing is there is a no holds barred sorta tell it like it is and spread some awareness to all dirty birds out there abusing any and all angels. I thank Alex Grayson the most for the simplicity in coming out and stating these facts.

Now on to the heat factor, the emotional level on this one makes your thighs about go up in flames and Jaxon is truly swoon worthy, my gawd, piercing and tattoos! ~thud~

This story has the most creep-tastic villains I have ever read before, they make you want to carry a loaded gun around with you and make sure you lock every window and bar every door before bedtime! And I dig that about you Alex Grayson you writing style is exactly what I was looking for!

Ok, now that I have gathered myself after being sucked in to Bailey's story! Yes , I said sucked in, because I couldn't put the book down!!!!
First let me start off by saying this book takes you to a very dark place and if that isn't something you're comfortable with , then Shatter Me is not for you. However that being said Alex Grayson has done an amazing job telling a very difficult story and shedding light on a very sad and scary situation.
Ok, so I will not give away any spoilers air retell the story in my own words for you in this review, because I don't believe in taking away from the hard work that the author put into the story and let's face, it's beeterbto have the story firsthand!

Bailey has not had an easy life by no means, it seems as though she is just destined to suffer through the entirety of it. She is a very scared young woman, and with very good reason, who has never had anyone she could rely on, save one friend. That is until she moves to Jaded Hollow. She intends to only stop long enough to pull herself together and earn some money to carry her over, what she finds along the way is much different then she ever expected .

From the first time Jaxon Walker meets Bailey he is drawn to her, the need to protect her is overwhelming. She is not at all what he's expected, he knows she's been hurt, he knows she's hiding, but from what he has no clue. When she finally tells him, he is determined to put a stop to the past that just won't let her go. She's his now, HIS, and protects his at all cost. 
I love the characters in this story, all of them, not just Bailey and Jason. From Anna, the first person she meets in Jaded all the way to Gram!!!!
Cannot wait to see what Author Alex Grayson brings us next. I have a feeling she will be sitting on my favorites list!!!!!

Book 1 of the Jaded series Shatter Me . I truly believe that this book should be rated with more than 5 stars. I don't even no where to begin there were good and bad parts of the story so here it goes. Bailey was abuse as a small child she ran away from home and paid her way through collage from a waitress job. She than met Steven who became her husband in a short period of time soon after they married his dark side started coming out. He because beating Bailey and rapping her. When that wasn't good enough he had his friends come over and they did the same to her. He degraded her to no end. Bailey finally gets enough of courage to finally leave Steven she comes to a small town and soon falls in love with the town and the people. Bailey meets Jaxon and finds a way to finally love again.. until Steven comes back into her life and more hell breaks loose. I highly recommend this book I thing the Author put a lot of thought and heart and sole into it. I say we'll done

Shattered...Baily is on the run to save herself. She can't get close to anyone and needs to keep moving. Until she runs out of money. She decides to pick up a job in the next town to earn some money to get back on the road. What she doesn't expect is the people of Jaded Hollow and one person in particular, Jaxon.
The writing was fantastic and flowed smoothly. The characters are strong and very easy to get emotionally attached to. It can be read as a standalone, but you'll be left wanting more of the town of Jaded Hollow.
There are triggers all over this very dark read. There is graphic details of abuse. While it was very hard to read, I'm glad Alex Grayson wrote this book. I'm not a victim, but many people are. I hope this book gives someone the strength to know there are people out there who will support them and help them get away.
Reviewed on behalf of Once Upon an Alpha.

Shatter Me was an amazing debut novel by Alex Grayson! Like the title, this book shattered me a bit.

Have those tissues ready as this story is not for the weak! Happy and sad tears were shed as this book takes you on a roller coaster ride of emotions! Shatter Me is slightly scary, thrilling, intense, raw, sweet, and hot. It's a modern-day fairy tale that touches on harsh and scary topics and I loved every minute!

This story takes you through the lives of Bailey and Jaxon, and is narrated mostly by Bailey, though I wish the book featured more chapters told by Jaxon and contained alternating viewpoints that are my favorite as the reader can easily grasp the characters' thoughts.
Violet and blue-eyed Jaxon is a tall, muscular, sexy, tattooed, pierced, sweet, and protective...an alpha male...the whole package...can you say hot?!? Bailey, a brunette beauty, has overcome hell is finally gaining strength to fight for herself.

Both Bailey and Jaxon experience life-altering tragedies and struggle to leave their past lives behind. Jaxon is Bailey's super sexy knight in shining armor who will protect her at all costs from the evil that has embodied her life for so long.

"It's hard to believe I can smile after the phone call I received tonight, but I blame it all on Jaxon. He makes me feel different. Happy. More confident. Relaxed. He brings light into my dreary life."

This couple has earned a happily ever after, if their pasts will let it happen.

5 scary, sexy, and sweet stars!

I was gifted a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review for MNP.

Bailey has had a very hard life. She has never had anyone that would or wanted to love her. Only people who wanted to use her but that would change after her escape. She has met Jaxton and her world has change completely. She wanted into Jaxon bar need a job to make a little money before she got back on the road. Jaxon has his eyes set on Bailey from the beginning. He knew that she has secrets and she isn't willing to share them yet. But can she escape her past or will her past pull her back in for the last time.

I loved Jaxon and his want to take care of everything. His gram said from the beginning that he protects anything that is his. Bailey is a woman that has been through hell and back. She has decided that she is going to get away. I loved how the author describes everything that is going on. You get to know all the characters and their traits, their expressions and their lives. This book is intense and will maker your heart race. Your feel for Bailey and her situation. You want her to get everything in life that has been taken away from her. This book flowed nicely and I was pulled in from the beginning. There were parts of this book that make me want to look over my shoulder to see who was there. This book well written I can't stress that enough. Lindsey, reviewer for MNP.

I have absolutely no words to describe the feelings that reading this book invoked in me. It has, like the title implies, shattered me. It is dark subject matter indeed and may not be for everyone. If you have difficulty reading about darker aspects of the violence done to women, you WILL have a difficult time with this one BUT, there is light in this book too. You learn the strength of a person's character when faced with saving those he or she loves. You see how the love of a truly good person or persons can change you, re-direct your life in a way that was never expected or even imagined. Did I cry ugly? You bet your sweet a** I did but this ride is not over...there is more to read and learn about the characters in the book and the author! I am ready for the ride.

HeadTripping Book Blog received an ARC of this book for an honest review.

Shatter me by Alex Grayson

My heart aches writing this review and it's also how I felt while reading this book.

In this story Bailey is running from her past but on the way find her future.
She is almost out money and must find a job. She stops at a small town where she meets
some great people including Jax who instantly has a pull towards her, and try to help her but Bailey is afraid to trust anyone.

I instantly felt in love with jax, he is a protector and i love to see that in a man even if he is fictional. I dont want to say too much, or give anything way so you will have to read it.

I really enjoy reading this story, I had some many emotions that i had to take a break but at the end, it was worth it I even had tears running down my face.

Please be aware that there are very strong subject through out the book so if you are easily offended or can't handle abuse then I don't recommend this book to you, but if you do go enjoy it has much as a did. I feel honor that I was able to read this book before release day

Bailey never had a normal life. She went from a horrible childhood, to falling in love with a man and marrying him, to find he wasn't who she thought he was. After years of living with the sick and twisted abuser, she realizes the only was to survive is to run. When she runs low on money and stops at a bar for a job, she meets Jaxon.
Omg I can't even begin to explain how this book affected me. I laughed at some of the banter and antics from the guys. I cried for the pain and torment that Bailey suffered...a lot. This book led me to a new author for me, and an amazing series that I completely fell in love with. It's definitely an ugly cry book and oh-so worth it. Pick it up, you will not want to put it down.

**Warning: If you have domestic violence and/or rape triggers, DO NOT EVEN ATTEMPT THIS BOOK!

I have to admit, this took me by surprise. I don't have triggers, AT ALL. But the abuse and rape scenes were at times too much for me. There was a time or two or maybe even three, where I was cringing and almost put this one away as a DNF.

It's hard to believe that this is a debut novel. Shatter Me is very well written and honestly, I didn't have many issues with it all. The main reason for the 3 Star rating is because of the graphic abuse scenes. They kept pulling me out of the story and weighing on my mind, so much so, that I couldn't enjoy the relationship developing between Bailey and Jaxon. I think if they were toned down a bit and if one particular thing had not happened towards the end, I could've rated it higher.

I did notice that the setting descriptions were way overdone. Everything in each place was described in great detail, and it really wasn't necessary.

One thing didn't make sense to me in the story and that was Bailey's phone. I don't want to say too much about it, but given today's technology and the fact that the a$$hole has major connections, she should have been switching out her phones A LOT.

Those are minor issues, as I said before, the abuse was just too much for me. I was left a little hollow at the end, given what happened and I can't even tell you what happened. I was upset, I was more than upset. While I was reading, I was hoping and hoping for a different outcome and then Alex hit me with it and I just didn't know what to do. It just didn't sit right with me.

I know that sounds cryptic, but I don't want to give any spoilers.

All in all, if you think you can get past the abuse, then you may want to try this one. But if you have even a little niggle of doubt that you can handle it, you may want to think twice.

*Copy received from author for review purposes.

Shatter Me by Alex Grayson is the first book in the Jaded Series.
Meet Bailey Winsor. She's had a bad childhood and is now captured in her husbands hell. She has no choice but to run and hide. She leaves and in a small town she meets Jaxon Walker, the tattooed bar owner. They have this great insta chemistry.
But her past shows up and threatens her and her loved ones.
Shatter Me deals with sensitive subjects and is not for the faint of heart.
I loved the book, the story and the characters. I give 5 stars.

Alex Grayson Shatter Me Review

I was so lucky to be able to beta read this book for Alex Grayson. I don't want to spoil the story for anyone because I think that this is a book that you have to experience for yourself. It will change you and it will stay with you long after you finish the last page.

I was absolutely blown away by this story. This is by far one of the best and emotionally captivating books that I have read. This is the story of Bailey, a woman who is running. She's running in order to save herself. She has scars both inside and out and has to constantly keep moving in order to survive. She ends up in a small town where she meets Jax, a man that has his own demons he's trying to live with.

This story had me laughing out loud, feeling anxiety, and crying (large, ugly tears).

READ THIS BOOK!!! It is absolutely amazing! After you finish you will wonder how this could be Alex Grayson's first book. It reads like she's been writing and publishing for years.

I'm all for the dark romanace and while this had me cringing at
times, You cant help hurting for Bailey. It was raw and realistic.
Horrifying at times. And i just wanted happiness for her.

Bailey whom has been abused for years struggles to
leave her past behind. Running from her horrid life she stops in a
small town to find work so she can continue on her path to get
away from all she has endured.
Jaded Hollow offers hope and a very sexy Jaxon. A slow relationship
builds and with the help of all the other characters - we can see
Bailey changing. But OMG Anna - I hurt for Nick.
Cant wait to find out whats behind Mia and Mac's story

When I first heard of this book, I don't know the author and had never heard of her, I love testing out new authors to broaden my reading.. While alex was in a takeover on a blog she was talking about this book, she gave us a teaser and it drew me in, I was shocked and excited I won the book... This book is written so well, it will pull at your emotions, if you have problems reading about rape or abuse then this is not your book, however if your like me and pretty much have no limits, then this is a book you need to read.. I love the fact that two of the main characters didn't touch and poof a spark and they were in love ( lol ) this book is about a domestic violence victim and her search for safety and happiness.. Does she get it? You will laugh ( mostly at Andrew ) you will cry, but most of all you will fall in love with the characters and the book.... I'm now a fan of alex Greyson and can't wait to get ahold of book two.. Great Job Alex!!! 5+++++ stars... Loved it

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

From page one you call in love with Bailey and Jax pretty much from page one. Bailey definitely can't catch a break and she really needs one. Jaxon needs someone like Bailey to stand up to him and challenge him. Jaxon was the perfect gentleman and sigh, if only he were real. Bailey was a strong character who allowed Jaxon to help her even though she didn't think she'd be around very long.

This was very painful to read but it was well worth it. The story was moving and painful and sad and tore my heart out but it also made me smile, laugh and sigh over the romance. Shatter Me has everything for those who aren't always wanting to read happy go lucky romances. But do please pay attention to the trigger warnings.

Find this review and many more at Reading Shy With Aly(http://readingshy.blogspot.ca)

Omg!! Emotional roller coaster right here, this book had me up and down , crying laughing crying some more, I'd better warn you before deciding on this book you need the stomach for it and be prepared for some tears a tight chest and some smiles, I must say I've never really read a book that's made me really egg on characters shouting in my mind , very gripping drama that's been written well , it's the kinda story that I had to put down but pick back up cause I needed to know! Jaxon wow I love him he's every woman's fantasy, bailey one of the strongest woman ever! Anna!!! Love her, I did have a lot of in answered questions but Alex kindly answered for me snd yay book 2 out that will clear it all up! I'm giving this a 5 star because it really did get my emotions going which don't happen often, well done Alex!!

The reason for my review title is because this story will pull every single emotion out of you over and over again. I felt like a toddler with my fists balled up and shaking lol. What an intense read. I mean that in the holy sh**t what, what way. I loved that the evil mo fo got what he deserves and Jaxon and Bailey sigh they are just perfect!! Reading this book made me want to hug, punch and examine Alex's head! She makes you aware of every surrounding and that just pulls you into the story deeper. This book does contain triggers for certain situations but she puts disclaimers out before the first page. I am still messed up from this book in a good way. Alex Grayson is going to take the Indy book world by storm.

The warning for this book was extremely accurate. Many extremely violent sexual situations were scattered throughout the story. Honestly, I did think it was a tad overdone for the shock value and somewhat melodramatic at times, but I was hooked on the characters so I just turned on my suspended disbelief and went with it. Jaxon, especially, was one of my favorites. By his description, you would expect him to be on the fringe of society, but instead he was everybody's hero. Who can resist a pierced and tatted up hunk of an alpha with a super sweet gentle side? Obviously, not me. In any case, I don't want to give away the story, so I will just say if you can wade through the graphically violent scenes, give this a chance because book two is even better.

This is the second book I have read by this author. Absolutely amazing writer! This book is dark and filled with triggers but the story being told needs to not be sugar coated. She does an amazing job of telling it with compassion and truth. Jax and Bailey's story warms your heart and pulls you in from the beginning. Have to admit though part of the end broke my heart but loved this book and looking forward to the rest in the series.

So at first I was like great another book that will be hard to follow. Although there are quite a few grammatical errors and a few spots they need a bit more editing, it was a good read. It did start off a little uneasy with the author elaborating on unimportant things but then it picks up. This book was so good that I could not put it down. Yes it is dark and there are many instances or horrible things happening but it is well worth it. I am already downloading the next in the series!!

Impressive debut novel for Alex Grayson, but more importantly what an excellent read!
Intense, suspenseful, emotional thriller sprinkled with well timed sexiness.
Bailey escapes her abusive and sadistic high powered attorney husband and finds herself in the middle of nowhere ready to start a new life. She ends up finding not only a new home, but newfound understanding about the meaning of self worth and love. She meets Jaxon who is the epitamy of bad boy, but turns out to be her savior, her friend and the love of her life.
Unfortunately sometimes things can seem to good to be true and when her past catches up to her the sacrifices she's willing to make have serious consequences.
This novel was well written, the characters were well developed and it was a real emotional roller coaster!

Reclaim Me is the first book in a series written by an Author that I have never read before. I spent a whole day searching for something new and original to read. From the moment I started reading this book, I could not put it down. If you are looking to read something that is original, heart gripping, and wonderfully illustrated, this is the book for you. The fact that it's a series has moved it to a 200% rating for me. I felt the characters in this book. I cannot wait to start book two (Reclaim Me) and intend on doing so as soon as this review is submitted. Thank you Alex Grayson for this series. It's not for the faint of heart (I was outraged and angry and crying at times) but refreshingly original.

Shatter Me .... yup, that's exactly what Alex did to me! The feels!! I'm still reeling and not even sure I'm able to write this review in a way that will actually do the book justice.

OK, this will not be a book for everyone (physical & sexual abuse), although I think everyone should read it because it's just great - well until Alex shattered me! Everyone is dealt a s***ty hand or two in life. Bailey is dealt a s***ty life - period. From drunk, druggie parents to an abusive husband. Bailey finally finds the courage to escape Steven's clutches and is on the run, moving from town to town. When Bailey happens upon Jaded Hollow, low on money and hope, she never expects to find people that actually care about her and place she can finally call home. Or will Steven catch up with her and shatter her dreams again?

This book was just beautifully written in every way. The love, suspense, healing, angst, ugly crying, twists and turns you won't see coming, all of it just beautiful!
Jaxson is might just be my favorite book boyfriend now! He is so patient, kind and sweet while also being sexy and Alpha! Bailey and Jaxson's story is one that love can conquer anything and heal even the most broken spirits.
You will ugly cry, you will laugh and scream and possibly want to throw your kindle! But that is what makes a great book and this book has all the feels and then some! I won't give any spoilers, just read it and you won't be sorry!
I LOVED this book so much!!

A beautiful, heartbreaking, and soul shattering read. If you don't truly love dark romance, this book is not for you. I, myself found it beautifully written and extremely addicting.

The pain. The torture. The love. This book has it all . This makes me so excited for the rest of the series. I love Alex Grayson and will be following her for year to come. Always a guaranteed amazing read!

WOW! I am a typical reader that even though I don’t know the details and how it will get there, I like to be able predict the ending. I have changed my author following a bit and so glad that I have because I found Alex Grayson and The Jaded Series. Shatter Me was a perfect fit into this series due to Bailey’s shaky past that left her with a jaded view on life. There were a lot of twist and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat wanting more. And a few scenes of my eyes glued to the book and then having to sit the book down for a few minutes to absorb what I just read. I really enjoyed Jaxon’s character and how he supported and pushed Bailey through some trying time when he had also a very cynical look on “relationships” himself. This book shows where someone can be at that point of giving up with no more strength or want of carrying on can be nudged back into action with just a lil bit of support from family and friends. Great read and looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Wow!! Shatter Me is so raw, dirty, twisted, and oh so damn good!! The emotional journey of Bailey's story not only shattered me, but absolutely wrecked me. This was one hell of an emotional roller coaster, but one that was well worth the ride.

This is a dark read and may not be for everyone, but if you are a fan of dark reads, I highly recommend.

Happy Reading Everyone!!

One of This year's best reads -
A devastating Raw story of one woman's fight too find freedom from the pain
Be prepared for moments of pure anger - heart breaking pain and unconditional love
Contains graphic scenes that are intended for mature readers
On my tablet full review to follow

Man oh man did this book have me on pins and needles. There were parts of this book that made me cringe, parts that made me laugh, parts that made me cry, and parts that left me screaming at the pages. Alex Grayson has a way of bringing you into real life situations and showing you the painful truth of how hard some people have to fight everyday simply to survive. If your looking for a romance that takes you beyond the everyday cookie cutter drama, this one is for you. But be prepared to cry, scream, and have your heart ripped out repeatedly. But don't worry, as sure as Alex can rip you apart, she puts you back together just as well. I loved it from start to finish!

Lots of triggers and some explicit detail of abuse.

All in all a great story. I feel like the lovey sweet scenes got a little too cheesy. Jaxon is nice but he doesn’t have a lot of depth and Bailey, bless her, is waaaaaay too trusting after all that has happened. Also, wtf is with the ending?? Good read but I’m hoping the next one is better.

I was gifted a copy of Shatter Me in exchange for an honest review. First everyone must know this book isn't for those faint of heart with abusive situations.
I was emotionally spent for a couple days after reading SM. I don't recall a story where I sobbed more than a couple times during it. much less have a full out ugly cry! Ms. Grayson ' s writing was so realistic, that I felt I was in the scenes experiencing the characters emotions. I don't want to give anything away as far as spoilers, but I was pleased that happily ever afters weren't gratuitously handed out. I look forward to the next book in this series. 4.5/5 stars

I had high hopes for this book after reading a couple of reviews that said this was amazing.

To me the romance between the two main characters was not real and not written well. When the character, Bailey, meets Jaxon and he all of a sudden knows he wants her to be "his" is not realistic for a book that details abuse so vividly. The way he acts with her is unbelievable because she literally just moved to town.

I would not recommend this book to read.

Enjoyed the characters and suspense. Started the book at 11:00pm to read one chapter. It is now 2am and I need to be at work by 7am, but I wanted to know how it ended! Nice to not end with a cliffhanger, but a happy epilogue (actually 2).

Story - A (good drama by itself with well told back story)
Possible spoiler below:
Streamy Scenes - A (a little flowery on sex language, but not too distracting, some intriguing additions with some male piercings).

High measurement on the "hot and bothered" Reader meter with a great story too. Recommend.

This book is a very beautifully written book. At times it was hard to read from the tears in my eyes. Jaxon was the best thing to happen to bailey. For bailey to get a HEA after the pain she lived from childhood to a horrible huusbed. I loved to read the story unfold it kept me on the edge the whole time couldnt turn the pages fast enough. I can't wait to read more and hope to see all of the characters in the next books. I highly recommend this book

This held such potential to me. The abuse is horrific, but due to the warning I was prepared. How the main plot line ended was so disappointing. (not the follow up rushed “happy ending”) I guess the author had a chance to prove a point that abuse doesn’t just affect the main victim (which she chose) but it’s just not the type of ending I’m okay with. Such potential...

This one is really dark. It's better than the second book (even though I liked Mia and Mac way more than I like Jaxon and Bailey).

Bailey is running from her past when she stops in Jaded Hollow. She gets a job at a bar, falls in love with the owner and her past comes back to haunt her.

There's a lot of rape in this book. A lot of awful men. If you aren't prepared for that, don't read it.

This tells the story of a horrifying tragedy. Emotionally scarring, riddled with physical mental and sexual abuse. I can relate to the female character in a profound way. Captivating, enthralling, and beautiful are just a few words I'd use to describe this book. I was hooked from the first word.

Very dark and disturbing at times, but I love Jaxon and Mia. Love truly conquers in this story. It's a very tragic tale, lots of hurt and sadness, but friends who are there at your worst become family later on. This devastating story of domestic violence and child abuse spins a tale like none I have ever read. I was immediately captivated and didn't put the book down till it was over. my emotions were drug all arounf for this poor girl, I was really looking forward to her rising up and overcoming her past. Must read!

Four-point-five stars for Shatter Me! This book turned me into a wreck. I won this copy during a release party on Facebook and the teasers I saw had me filled with excitement, anticipation, and maybe even a little fear. Bailey endured a journey so far from what most people could ever imagine and she fought to come out on the other side. It was a beautiful story watching her grow and change from a terrified shell of a woman into a strong, courageous fighter. My heart beat like crazy through several parts of this story and I had to put my kindle down towards the end just to be able to breathe. Jaxon was a beautiful character that stole my heart from the very beginning, along with most the town of Jaded Hallow.

Speechless, this book pulls you in from moment one and tears you up inside and then sets you back together. Such a satisfying read but only if you are open to have real emotion provoked and aren't looking for a fluffy read. Well written, you fall in love with Alex Grayson's characters.

Loved the story. Loved the characters. I think the only things keeping this book from being a 5 star read would be 1) The Author described every detail about everything. It got a bit old. 2) The ending was very rushed. It could have been a bit more dramatic and the detail throughout the book just wasn't there at the end. Overall, I really liked it. If you have a few hours, it does keep your attention.

This is a very dark read, but I totally loved it. It broke my heart, patched it, then broke it again over and over. If you are sensitive of rape and violence towards women, then this book is NOT for you. But if your like me and prefer darker reads, then I highly recommend it. I couldn't put this down until I was finished reading it. I am looking forward to reading the next one in this series!

This was a hard book to read. Very graphic and very emotional. Bailey has been through so much I can't imagine ever getting over something like that. As the story progressed, she became stronger and stronger. Able to trust more in the people around her, including Jaxon. Love the story. I can't wait for the next one in the series.

Oh my the tug on my heart strings. This book has so many elements. Its sad, scary and loving, and hot. The character's here show understanding love and everything you would want in a small town. The understanding of friends and a town just makes you want to move there. Amazing read. As a sexual assault victim it helps you to relate and also see the determination and knowing the love and support of the right people will help you get through the dark.

I enjoyed reading Shatter Me, I was able to connect with the characters and the storyline is engaging and captivating. I'm not one to give much about the book so I won't. I will say that my emotions were all over the place with the twist I did not see coming! Beware there are trigger subjects written.

Review by Raychel

Definitely read the disclaimer before you buy this book!!!!

I have to admit that there were definitely parts that were extremely hard to read about, but so necessary. I found myself hoping for some thing & praying others wouldn't happen. In the end, I fell n love with the town & the characters in the book...I was both sad & happy with the ending.

O my... This book has made me feel all the feelings. There are some parts I couldn't read because they were triggers for me but I knew there is warning in the description. Still this is a roller coaster of a book but good read

Wow. There's not enough words to describe this book. Thanks so much for sharing this with us I know it took courage and know that what Bailey goes through that it happens in real life. You can't help but fall in love with her. And as far as jaxon is concerned OMG he is amazing...don't want to let spoilers but this is so worth the one click in my opinion.

Shatter me is exactly what this book did to me!!! At times the situation was just horrendous and if felt so sick and upset but other times I wanted to jump up and down with happiness!! Top say this book it's what roller coaster of emotions it's a understatement but what a lovely and sweet story if was. Very well written

I will never read another of this author's books. Not only is this story extremely corny (he won't hire her; the next second he's in love with her and calling her "Angel"...UGH!!!). The climax of the story is disgusting and to let (SPOILER ALERT!) - Anne die?!! Why?!? That was pointless. Just pointless. And I'm sorry, but it's tough to imagine Jaxon falling in love with Bailey when the author describes her as he does!!!
I get there is abuse and domestic violence in the world but still, this book sucked. A few hours of my life I'll never get back...

There are books that tear your soul..this is one of those. You will cry, cheer and lose yourself in this story. It is well written and draws you in.
Please know if violence is a trigger for you, you will want to pass on this one.

Gripping tale with horrific circumstances. It saddened me about Anna, loved nick and Andrew, grateful on the support for main character, and J was patient. My hang was the never ending paragraphs, it's my quirk not the authors. I wanted more dialogue less inner dialogue. Book 2 looks good, can't wait to read.

I won this book at rebels and readers and wasnt for sure aboutwhat it was about but i liked thecover. This book is so good. I just loved Jaxon, with all of the tattoos and piercings. Can I just say yummy. This was a great book to read!! It would be a 5* but there were aot of errors in it.

I am wrecked. I knew this was going to be a hard read getting into it, but, damn woman! That was a mess, a beautiful mess! It's like riding an emotional roller coaster. Ugly cries, to funny characters, and hot moments, this book was hard to put down. If only life wasn't in the way, I would have finished this in one sitting.

Before I start, does anyone have any objections for me to steal, love and marry Jaxon? Nope... brilliant! He's mine, he's dreamy, Hot, kind, caring, protective and just amazing!
Shatter Me is raw, it's gritty, it's heartbreaking. I don't know how to explain my feelings except that ending killed me! It was just... wow.
#2OCCAB

I don't even really know what to say!
I loved this book, just heartbreaking-ly beautiful.
I ugly cried, big time!
Jaxon, Bailey and all the town really, are such brilliant characters! Fantastic story line and ending.
Will definitely be reading more from this author!

Wow! What an amazing book! I was at the edge of my seat the whole time, a complete emotional roller coaster! A lot of it was hard to read but it was done in such a way that it really added to the story. First book I've read from this author and I am definitely going to have to check out her other books.

Wow this was a seriously dark and disturbing book but it also had hope. This book dragged me in and kept me there until the very last page. Definitely worth the read and I'm going to get the 2nd book.

This book was beyond amazing. It was real. It was sad, heart breaking, fun, full of love and hard realities. This book will make you think about people who have been abused in every way possible and feel their pain and make you want to change the world. I would recommend this book to anyone over the age of 18. Truly fantastic book, I can't wait to read the rest of the series. Baileys story is one that I will never ever forget.

I loved every page of this book. There were times when I wished I could jump in the pages and become a part of the story just so that I could kill Baileys parents for not protecting the innocent baby that she was. I so wish this story could continue. I would love to see a relationship begin with Nick and Chris (Baileys friend). I also wanna know what happened between Mia and Mac. Overall, it's an amazing book and I was so happy for Bailey and Jaxson finally getting their HEA.

I loved everything about this book. The plot, characters and twists and turns. I can't wait to read the other books in this series. It was my first time reading this Author's work and I will be reading more. Would recommend to others.

I cannot praise the author enough for a job well done. Vivid details bring to light a struggle so many are immune to in their own lives. This struck my heart for many reasons and I hope that the message reaches far and wide. Beautifully written by someone with a talent I only wish I had myself.

This story touched my heart. It has very descriptive scenes that are hard to read, but the subject is one that needs awareness and Alex Grayson does an amazing job at doing so. The book is very well written and edited.

Tissues please! Holly crap an exalant rollercoaster of a story! Although its not appropriate for everyone because of graffic content and traumas they have faced, I appreciate not sugar coating a horrable thing and bringing awareness to it!

I stepped outside of my normal genre to give this a try and I'm VERY glad I did!!!! The real truth that was laid out on the pages touched a special place in my heart! Thank you Alex Grayson for not sugarcoating the impact on the human mind and soul of the victim!

What an emotional read. So true and heart wrenching to know that this really happens each and every day. Alex Grayson does an exceptional job with telling Bailey's story. I can't wait to read the next book.

This book had me from the first paragraph. A complete emotional rollercoaster. I loved it!! Completely recommend it! I haven't put it down since I started and am starting on the next one already. Just wow!

Think this was the work of trying too hard and the outcome was the most outrageous and rediculous over the top.
I don't understand how "Angel" was able to overcome all of her fears so rapidly. For someone who suffered so much abuse she sure jumped into a relationship and fast forwarded into everything she swore against. Insta-love at its worst. Jaxon was a pu$$y, he fell fast and hard. In the end he forgot the world around him just for his "Angel".
Poor Anna got dumped off out of left field. I am sure the next book will be about Nick and Chris since she's moving to Ohio. I will not be reading it

This one was slow going. I was a little bored, so I stopped and started it. Kind of been there, read that so many times. The abuse is written almost OTT and like a checklist. I had no connection with characters...I skimmed and rolled my eyes a bit. Someone that traumatized falls in lust/love that quickly?

Interesting storyline but clearly not realistic... I personally have never been the victim of sexual assault (thank God!) but common sense tells me that everything in this story is unrealistic. And in the end, nobody seems to be upset over the death of an innocent character. Not what I consider a happy ending....

I really enjoyed reading this book! It's a must read. I would recommend it highly! Jaxon is something else! I can't wait to read more. Alex Grayson is a terrific writer! It surely will keep you wanting to read. And you won't want to lay your book down at all. Exciting!

This may be a hard book for some to read because of the abuse, but the love and protective behavior Jaxon gives Bailey is heartwarming!! I thoroughly enjoyed this read, and will be reading more by this author.

I'm generally not a stickler when it comes to random editing mistakes, but the writing in this book makes me think the author is really unfamiliar with the English language. "Convenient store", "diluted" instead of "deluded", "worse nightmare", etc. Add that to an overuse of "big" words in the dialogue and narration, and it becomes distracting and impossible to connect with the characters.