A Review of Heartaches by H.m Irwing

In the book Heartaches by H. M Irwing, Anna Walter Simmons has had a treacherous upbringing. Even as her step father is being buried, she is not at all remorseful. It is not a loss but a relief. One that is short lived upon setting eyes on Brian, the son to her step father whom she believes is responsible for his father's death. However, not much is said in the novel about this murder. Despite her mother Jane Simmons and her living in constant fear of the troublesome Brian, Anna has to put up with the bullying she encounters in her vocational college. In a state of low self-esteem, she finds solace in the arms of one Matt Preston and ends up doing everything humanly possible to please him as her first boyfriend. The relationship only lasts for six months. Anna's miserable situation further worsens when her boyfriend, Matt Preston together with his brother Jason Preston and father Peter Preston drug the rape her. Heartbroken, in dispair and having lost the will to live, Rafe Brown comes to her rescue. Anna opens up to Rafe then moves out of her mother's house to stay with him and his aunt Bella, a friend to Anna's mother. Rafe is also fighting his demons and has had his share of turmoil in life. He has faced gang rape in his millitary training in Syria. He saw the same pain and torture in Anna and dedicated himself into helping her even when nobody would come to his aid. They both embark on a journey to face their deepest fears and find justice for themselves. These bruised souls unite and find themselves loving each other unconditionally amidst their awful experiences.

Heartaches-Bad Boy Vibes is not your usual cup of tea. Upon reading the title, my expectation was a bad-boy-breaks-her-heart scenario and the lady is left pondering on her miserable love life. This is not the case with this novel. It is emotionally deep and very intense. I would therefore commend the author for exploring a path not taken by many with regards to writing bad boy romance novels. Furthermore, the author defies the norm in which a lady is always the victim in instances of rape. The character Rafe, a well-built man is subjected to this painful ordeal. For these reasons, I would rate this book 3 out of 4stars. I am particularly fascinated by the fact that the lead male character Rafe Brown is not the typical hero; he too is dealing with his torturous experiences. He is therefore better placed to fully understand what Anna is going through. His love story with Anna is quite realistic, they gradually fall in love as time passes by. As the story develops, so is the bond between them. The novel contains several erotic scenes that may be a bit overwhelming for a reader so I would strictly recommend it to adults. Kids and those who may be affected by reading rape cases should keep off this book.

In my analysis, the novel tends to lag at the beginning but quickly picks up as the turn and twist of events unfold. Having read the first part of the story, I am left yearning to read the second part in order for the curiosity within to be satisfied. What happens to Brian and the Prestons? Is Anna able to stand up for Rafe as his past catches up with him? Will Anna and Rafe sail through this storm successfully? The story flows from one chapter to another in a well-organized manner hence the author sustaining the reader throughout the entire novel. The boldness of the author in writing on the topic of rape is to be appreciated as well since it is hardly talked about in the society. This novel is a must read for those who love romantic novels.