Anything But Broken by Joelle Knox (Hurricane Creek #1)
Releases: August 25, 2015
New Adult
Self Published

Reviewed by Mandi

What does Moira Rogers and Kit Rocha have in common? Joelle Knox! Yes, the writing tea of Bree and Donna have added another pen name to their collection – Joelle Knox writes new adult. It’s less erotic than Kit Rocha. It’s a contemporary, unlike their paranormal romance as Moira Rogers and it’s a voice I absolutely loved. They give us angst, a heroine struggling to find herself, and a hero who is a solid rock for her – AND a sexy race car driver. Vroom vroom baby.

Hannah grew up with very wealthy, to-do parents. Parents who tried to micro-manage her life and were all about appearances. Hannah kept her head down and went about her life, even with her father drinking himself to death most days. Her older sister, Cait was the more rebellious one with the bad-boy boyfriend named Sean. Sean really wasn’t that much of a bad-boy, but their relationship was often rocky. Cait was not the most stable of people, and when she dies suddenly, it throws everyone into a tailspin. Sean refuses to talk about it and Hannah is devastated.

Now years later, Hannah is forced to come home from college when her parents get into a very serious car accident. Her father is dead and her mother is on life support. Hannah has to make some very serious decisions and as you can imagine, this is a very heavy and dark time for her. While she drinks away her troubles at a bar one night she can’t believe she sees her sister’s ex, Sean.

I meet his eyes for the first time, really meet them, and this is why girls can’t stop looking at Sean. Because he’s rough around the edges and exudes bad boy, but when he notices you, even just for a few seconds, you’re the center of his world, and you know things aren’t as bad as they seem.

Sean now owns his own auto repair shop and is a successful local race car driver. He is all grown up – and Hannah can’t help but notice how sexy he is. Sean has an eye out for Hannah too, but his best friend Gibb reminds Sean, time and time again….and again, how crazy his life was when he was with Cait. He does not want a repeat of that with Hannah. But she is hurting, and Sean feels the need to be there for her.

Hannah comes back to bury her father and deal with her mother, but for so long she has distanced herself from her parents, their situation impacts her, but the grief does not destroy her. She truly didn’t like her parents. But the guilt – ah that darn guilt. The guilt eats away at her. She should be more sad. She should know all the answers to tell the doctors at the hospital. But she doesn’t. Instead she soothes herself with drinking and eventually with Sean. Hannah is a heroine who is lost and trying to figure out her life. She never whines or comes across immature. But she is definitely lost and confused.

Sean falls hard for Cait, against his best friend’s warnings but Sean knows Hannah is nothing like her sister. Sean becomes Hannah’s rock as she struggles through this hard time. He is a very “good guy” hero. Hard working. Manners. Mature. Good in bed *wink*

This is full of angst, and a sexy romance and also really good supporting characters. Sean’s BFF, Gibb is surly and cranky and underneath it all a good dude. He has this love/hate relationship with Hannah’s roommate Evie (who is absolutely adorable) and I can’t wait to see how their story unfolds. He also has a lot of secrets.

I hope to continue to see Sean and Hannah. While their romance is believable, Hannah still has a lot of stuff to figure out in her life as this book ends. I hope to see their journey continue together.

Grade: B

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