Review: T.K. Leigh's 'A Tragic Wreck'

A Tragic Wreck by T.K. Leigh

Beautiful Mess #2

Publication Date: January 27, 2014

Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense

Synopsis:

NEW CONTEMPORARY ROMANTIC SUSPENSE!

RECOMMENDED FOR AGES 18 AND UP DUE TO STRONG LANGUAGE, EXPLICIT SEXUAL SITUATIONS, AND MILD VIOLENCE.

Sequel to T.K. Leigh's "A Beautiful Mess."

How can you continue living when you’re living a lie? How can you convince your body to stop feeling, your soul to stop caring, and your heart to stop beating?

Haunted by her past, Olivia Adler flees Boston for a beach in Florida, leaving everyone behind, trying to shut the world out. Remaining a relative recluse in her self-imposed prison, she tries to turn everything off, wanting to feel nothing. But a new acquaintance won’t let that happen. After being away from Alexander for a month, his voice constantly ringing in her head, reminding her that her inability to confront her demons will not only destroy her, but also him, can she really be expected to want to feel again when it brings nothing but pain?
Back in Boston, everywhere he turns, Alexander Burnham is reminded of Olivia… His Olivia… He tries to dull the ache left in his heart the only way he knows how… in the bed of a beautiful woman. But Alexander isn’t about to lose his Olivia. After a clue comes to light regarding Olivia’s whereabouts, can he convince her to return to Boston with him? When a force that has laid dormant for months resurfaces, can Alexander still protect her from the unknown danger? And when Alexander comes face to face with a shadow of both his and Olivia’s past, will he be able to tell her the secret that is threatening to tear them apart?

"A Tragic Wreck" is the continuation of T.K. Leigh’s heartbreaking "Beautiful Mess" series.

My Review:

I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Holy crap! Ok, I honestly wasn't sure what to expect going into this one. I read and adored 'A Beautiful Mess' to the point where I was a little apprehensive of this follow-up novel because I was worried there was no way it could be as good as the first book. I hoped it would live up to its predecessor and somehow T.K. Leigh managed to surpass the greatness that is 'A Beautiful Mess'. I seriously loved this book. Once I started reading I couldn't put it down and ended up finishing the whole thing in one very emotional sitting.

In this book Alex and Olivia are estranged. Olivia is hiding out as a hermit in Florida and Alex is in Boston having meaningless sex. Olivia is trying to hide both physically and emotionally and Alex is determined to find her. He finally gets a break and tries everything he can to get her back. Romance, danger, and drama ensue as Alex and Olivia fight both for each other and for themselves, and for their safety.

This book took me on an emotional rollercoaster ride. One moment I was laughing and the next I was literally crying (I think my husband might think I've totally lost my mind). And in between the laughter and crying I was swept up in romance and the suspense of it all. T.K. Leigh manages to bring me to my knees emotionally through her obviously carefully selected words. I don't know how to explain it any better than that really. Her writing sucks you in and makes you feel so deeply for these two characters. I had to constantly remind myself they aren't real, they're fictional just so I could get through the novel without ending up with some sort of clinical emotional problem. I worry that sounds insulting, but I don't mean it to be. It's a rare talent that can make me feel so deeply through words alone.

As much as I love both Alex and Olivia they also drive me a little insane. They both manage to do so many stupid and frustrating things that make me want to yell at them and ask them just what the hell they think they're doing. They are perfect for one another and I want them to be together so badly, but they both just keep messing it all up. I have read books in the past that I hated due to characters like this, but Leigh manages to make me still care about them enough that even though I want to slap them both sometimes I still loved this book and care very deeply about what will happen next for Alex and Olivia.

The suspense is making me a little nutterbutter. I seriously cannot wait until the third book. I don't want to give anything away, but so much has been set up and built up that I am counting down the days until book 3 comes out and I might get both answers and closure. Leigh knows how to grab a reader, suck them in, and keep them begging for more. After reading and loving this book as much as I did, I am optimistic about Leigh's ability to live up to the high standards she has set for herself in the third book in the series. Needless to say this book is a must read. Once you start you will NOT be able to stop. I give it a solid 6 stars out of 5. That's right, for the second time since I started reviewing books I'm giving this book a 6 out of 5 star rating. It really is just that good.