Broken Knight by L.J. Shen

You guys...I am broken! My heart has shattered and I don't know what to do. Someone please send help because I.AM.CRYING! L.J. Shen has given us a book full of broken hearts and possibilities. She took it to the next level and I can't deal. All of her books have been favorites of mine but this one...this one is the first to EVER make me sob like Will Ferrel in the telephone booth.

Let's get to the review:

Not all love stories are written the same way. Ours had torn chapters, missing paragraphs, and a bittersweet ending. 

Luna Rexroth is everyone’s favorite wallflower. 

Sweet. 

Caring. 

Charitable. 

Quiet. 

Fake. 

Underneath the meek, tomboy exterior everyone loves (yet pities) is a girl who knows exactly what, and who, she wants—namely, the boy from the treehouse who taught her how to curse in sign language. 

Who taught her how to laugh. 

To live. 

To love. 

Knight Cole is everyone’s favorite football hero. 

Gorgeous. 

Athletic. 

Rugged. 

Popular. 

Liar. 

This daredevil hell-raiser could knock you up with his gaze alone, but he only has eyes for the girl across the street: Luna. 

But Luna is not who she used to be. She doesn’t need his protection anymore. 

When life throws a curveball at All Saints’ golden boy, he’s forced to realize not all knights are heroes. 

Sometimes, the greatest love stories flourish in tragedy. 

nkjm

From here on till the end of this review, it will be full of spoilers because I need it!

Roses were red. The sun rose in the east. A seahorse could move its eyes in opposite directions (Moonshine told me that herself), and Luna Rexroth was going to be my girlfriend, then fiancée, then wife. 

Knight Cole, you little sneak! When he revealed that he was a virgin this whole entire time because he was waiting for Luna was shocking. I assumed he had already lost his virginity because during Pretty Reckless he was very...affectionate with the opposite sex. But nope, homeboy was waiting for Luna. Knight fits his title perfectly. He is broken, shattered beyond repair for most of the story, spiraling into an abyss. He hides behind the perfect facade, punishing himself with his love for Luna. Like his heroine, it is hard to watch the self-destruction, hard to see this compassionate, caring soul crumble under the weight of perceived unrequited love and loss. Plus seeing him going through the process of knowing his mother, his other love, dying was just...ugh.

“Sorry to disappoint. Then again, I was adopted. Mom, at least, had a choice.” “There was never any doubt you were a Cole, Knight. You weren’t a choice; you were destiny.” I waved her off. 

Luna Rexroth is small and silent, but mighty. She is a force, and as the novel progresses she develops her own power, no longer being the weak one or the one who needs protection, but the one who protects and cares for others. Her development over the course of the novel is phenomenal, one of the best I’ve seen from Shen, because her evolution is about needing to be an equal in a relationship. Luna recognizes that the power dynamic between her and Knight isn’t right, she makes hard and mature decisions for them both which aren’t always received well, but are needed nonetheless. I am so in love with the person Luna becomes, the rock she is for her family, and the love she emanates for all those around her. She fills a vital role that is needed by all in this book.

“Some?” “You. Edie. Knight.” “Since when?” “Since…a few weeks ago.” “Luna,” he whispered. “Dad.” “Say it again.” “Dad.” I smiled. He closed his eyes. Took a deep breath. “Again? Please.” “Dad.”

Rosie LeBlanc Cole...I'll miss you. I have been crying for the past hour and I don't know how to cope with her death. She has been my second favorite character in L.J. Shen's world and to know that she is gone...yeah I was a mess. Her and Dean's last moment together was what set the waterworks off. All scenes with Rosie and Dean hurts. I couldn't highlight anything in their chapters. I found it heartbreakingly beautiful that Rosie only wanted Dean when she took her last breath. No Knight, no Lev, no Millie. Just Dean, the love of her life. I honestly don't know how I will ever recover from this. When their chapter ended, Knight and Luna's finally began.

“Thank you.” My wife had smiled up at me. “For this life.” 

“Thank you,” I’d answered. “For making me worthy of giving it to you.” 

BITCH!


Plus, we got scenes of Vaughn! I am so excited for his book to come out. Like hurry up already. I already know he's going to ruin all these guys for me. If he's anything like his father then...yep he's going to own me. The Vaughn moments in the book. I died because I know he wasn't trying to be funny, but he was hilarious. The way Knight described him, and seeing him from Knight and Luna's POV, that was so funny. I'm still so curious about him. Why doesn't he eat in front of people? Why only blow jobs? Knight said he didn't like people touching him. He clearly cares about Knight. Vaughn said to Luna he didn't care with his heart, but I think he does.

“I bet he carved his name on the walls of your uterus, too, warning off any potential future siblings. The bastard.”

I do love how the book was wrapped up in a beautiful orange bow. Knight and Luna are going to be together forever and no one is going to pull them apart. Daria and Penn finally got married. Vaughn will get his head messed with his new girl. What I am having a problem with is Dean getting together with Knight's real mom. Like no, my girl Rosie is NOT going to be replaced.

“It started with an abandoned toddler in a soiled diaper, but the plot twist was a boy with busted knuckles and a heart of gold…” 

Rating: ★★★ ★ ☆

Overall, this is one of the best books of 2019. I know it's going to be on my top five and it will also be one of the saddest books I've read so far. This book had so much love and angst that it was basically made for me (sorry Sassy Sparrows). This book is a total recommend to anyone looking for heartbreak, loss, and just romance, get this book. Luna and Knight's romance both faded and bloomed in this book in a way that made sense. There were some parts where I wanted to scream at them to just talk but communication was hard for them at a time. Anyways, this book was amazing and such a good read that I know I am going to be rereading it after my therapy sessions due to this book.

He kissed my ear, trailing the kisses down my neck. “Ride or die,” he whispered. “Ride.” I closed my eyes, smiling. “Always ride.” 

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