Review: Once Loved - Cecy Robson

He’s the campus golden boy. She’s picking up the pieces of her broken past. But in Cecy Robson’s scorching novel of second chances—perfect for readers of Monica Murphy and J. Lynn—their differences only make their connection more explosive.

Every memory Lety Tres Santos has from her childhood comes with a scar—some emotional, some physical. Her father is an abusive drug addict, and her mother enables his destructive behavior. College offers Lety a fresh start . . . until her father finds a way to ruin that, too. Now, after losing her scholarship to kick off junior year, Lety must somehow stay in school, pay tuition, and turn a deaf ear to the whispers that follow her. And she intends to do it all without Brody Quaid’s help.

Brody is a lacrosse star, a 4.0 student—and as a freshman, he fell hard for the beautiful and spirited Lety. But their relationship crashed and burned because he couldn’t break through the walls she’s put up around her heart. With Lety hurting more than ever, Brody strives to win her back and make her believe in real love and true partnership. That will mean opening up secrets locked away in his own past—and trusting someone more than he’s ever dared.

Lety knows how painful it can be to depend on the wrong man. She also knows how much Brody wants to do this the right way. But it takes more than sizzling desire to move on and build a future together.

Shattered Past Series:
Once Perfect
Once Loved
Once Pure

O'Brien Family Series:
(Characters were introduced in the Shattered Past series but this series can be read separately)
Once Kissed
Let Me
Crave Me
Feel Me
Save Me

Visit Cecy Robson's website for more information.

Review:
Once Loved is the second book in Cecy Robson's new adult Shattered Past series and it's a real emotional roller coaster of a story. The series is just getting better and better and I absolutely loved both of these characters, Lety and Brody have been through so much but they're survivors who refuse to let their pasts define them.

If you've read Once Perfect you'll already have met both characters, Lety is Mateo's sister so we've already seen some of her horrific family history. Her father is a drunk and a bully who regularly beats on his wife and his children. Lety has suffered verbal and physical abuse for the majority of her life and even though she's now moved out of the family home to go to college she still can't quite escape from her father's clutches. It's heartbreaking to see everything that Lety goes through but I was so proud of her for the way she copes with everything that happens. She is brave enough to make a stand even when her mother won't and I was cheering her along from the sidelines. Lety has worked hard to get her scholarship to study nursing but she also works as a carer to earn enough money to pay her bills. You have to admire her determination to make something of her life and the way she tries so hard to stand on her own two feet.

On the surface Brody's life looks perfect, he's the son of a wealthy family so he has plenty of money and the freedom to do whatever he wants and he's also one of the popular guys at the college. What most people don't see is that he is still damaged from a major event in his childhood. He keeps his emotional scars well hidden but they're definitely there and Lety is the only person who he feels understands him. I think what I loved most about Brody is that he's such a great guy, he's sweet, kind and doesn't have a mean bone in his body. I've started to get a little bored of the bad boys and players so coming across a guy like Brody makes a really nice change. Lety and Brody were a couple when we first met them but after an incident with her father Lety pushed Brody away to protect him. Brody cares deeply for Lety though, he knows they had something special and he is determined to win her back and show her that together they can survive anything.

I don't want to say too much more about the plot but I have to tell you what an adorable couple they are. I loved seeing the two of them together, they have a great relationship and they're both surrounded by supportive friends which was great. I liked how protective they are of each other and I was glad that their relationship is so solid with very little angst between the two of them. Both of their family situations were heartbreaking but there were some really sweet moments both with Brody's family and with Lety's siblings. We get to see some incredibly sweet moments between Mateo and Evelyn which made me smile and we are given a further glimpse at the next couple Sophia and Killian. Once Loved is a fantastic story and I'm already desperate to get my hands on the final book Once Pure, I've had a feeling from the beginning that Sophia and Killian will be my favourite couple but it's going to be hard for them to knock Lety and Brody off the top spot.

Source: Received from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

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