Review: Breaking Him (Love is War, #1) by R.K. Lilley (Goodreads Author)

Breaking Him by R.K. Lilley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The journey that R.K. Lilley’s latest book, Breaking Him left me with a feeling of great elation, an euphoric high, euphoric high giddy, fuming, ticked-off, happy, excited, anticipation, hopefully, sad, hateful…….hell, talk about an emotional overdrive!!!!

I became hooked on R.K. Lilley after reading her incredible Up in the Sky Series and I cannot miss out on any of her books, so I was so so excited to begin page 1 of Breaking Him which is #1 of her Love is War duet.

I have so much feelings about this story and I want to share them with you….look, I’ll try to keep it short…but I don’t think that may be possible because…too many becauses!!!

This is a story of two people who you can see were destined to be together but just keeping f@@@@@ up things that causes them heartbreak and pain. Friends to lovers. Who are given a second chance to finding each other again and seem to continue on yet another destruction road.

Page 1…..I am beyond “on a high”…..Scarlett is a flight attendant…………my absolute most favorite heroine character…and yes one of the reasons being that I so feel connected to these people…after all, I was once part of that glam world …so let’s just say I have a soft spot for someone like me….well, the flight attendant part…so okay, this job is only temporary until she’s discover and becomes a movie star!!!!!!

And how could I not love someone like Dante? There’s something mysterious about this sexy and gorgeous man…..that makes me want to know what’s going on in his head. But this is Scarlett’s story told from her POV.

The first time we meet these two is when Dante boards Scarlett’s flight. The scenes and their interaction was a total blast……

I kept thinking….gee, I hope that the other passengers in the vicinity can’t hear or see Scarlett’s customer service skills…..she just made Dante’s trip with her “the flight from hell”!!! This guy must have done something really bad for her to be so snarky and disdainful towards him!

Yes, he did and she did too!!! What happened in their lives that could turn into something so destructive? What did Dante do that made Scarlett feel such hatred for him? Why? What?

Scarlett and Dante met as children and became close friends when he stood up for her during one of her very many verbal and physical attacks by her schoolmates. Ridiculed, scorned and mocked for being found in a trashcan when she was a baby, she has endured so many bad things in her life. She was unwillingly taken in by her horrible grandmother, who lives and works for Dante’s family.

She’s had to be a fighter all her life and is not afraid of kicking ass. The only people who cared about her and helped her were Dante and his grandmother aka Gram, a retired movie star icon. They have always been there for her. And when she’s told that Gram has died, Scarlett feels her whole world is spinning out of control. She’s lost the person she’s loved and who loved her the most in her life.

After many years, she goes back to her old home to attend her beloved Gram’s funeral. Back to seeing the people who had caused so much heartbreak and pain in her life. And when we meet some of those characters…….how did Scarlett even survive their wickedness?

Dante’s mother – this is a truly evil person. The malevolence and malice she shows towards Scarlett and how she manipulates to keep Dante and Scarlett apart is really scary.

Scarlett’s grandmother – what a cruel and malicious person that begs you to think that Scarlett could never be related to someone like her.

Tiffany, the ultimate bitch who had played some part in the reason for Scarlett and Dante’s present situation. I loved the way Scarlett took this horrible and despicable character down….

“He was mine before you ever had him, and even when you did, know this, a part of him as still mine. You never got what I had. You had what was left when I was done with him.” –Scarlett to Tiffany

I was praying that this Tiffany had never got her claws into him!!!

Gram was one of my favorite characters in this story. She was a bright and shiny light in Scarlett and Dante’s lives and she truly believed that the two were destined to be together forever.

She had the most amazing attitude to life and I loved her wisdom and kindness so much. I was sad that she was no longer here to be with the two people she clearly and dearly loved.

It was painful watching Scarlett and Dante together again and perhaps just maybe they could resolve the things in the past and be together again…..but with the interference by the people who are determined to keep them apart, how will it ever come right??Is it too late? Is there nothing that can be fixed? I felt for these two people…so much pain, so much loss……is one ever able to survive???

I just felt there was some sinister secret that caused Scarlett and Dante to be apart and that his mother had a part in it. And as I anxiously turned the next page for the revelation……..what happens??? Yes, the end….left with a cliffhanger that drove me absolutely nuts!!!! How long must I wait to discover what the secret is ?????

Dante and Scarlett’s story is intense, emotional and yes, even sad. Anger, passion, pain, hate and love and a sense of hope as well.

I loved the writing style, the pace of the story, the flashbacks from past to present, the sensual and well-written sex scenes, the incredible dialogue and great character development.

This is a book I will definitely read again.

One of the quotes that touched me…..oh there were a lot of them…but this one…..unforgettable!!!

There is only one heart in this universe that calls to mine, and it does call. Constantly, relentlessly, it sings out to me in a captivating, resonating voice.
Day after day, year after year, it calls to me.
But I won’t listen to it. It belongs to a liar.”

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