Broken at Love blog tour: favorite quotes and review
Broken at Love (Whitman University #1) by Lyla Payne
New Adult contemporary romance*Paperback/eBook, 338 pages
Published March 12th 2013 by Createspace (first published March 8th 2013)
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
When a knee injury ends twenty-year-old Quinn Rowland’s pro tennis career, he’s not only dumped by his hot Russian girlfriend but ordered to attend college by his disinterested billionaire father. A rich kid who’s not used to being disappointed by life, Quinn and his sociopathic half-brother Sebastian create a frat house game intended to treat girls how they see them—as simple game pieces to be manipulated for their pleasure.
College sophomore Emilie Swanson knows Quinn’s reputation—after all, he did send one of her sorority sisters into therapy earlier in the semester—but the game and his charm bring them closer together and soon she starts to believe there’s more to Quinn than people think.
But what if the more is something darker than a game of toying with emotions and breaking hearts?
Quinn and Emilie might be falling for each other, but there are secrets he’s not ready to tell—and lifestyle changes he’s reluctant to make. She willingly stepped on the court, but if Emilie finds out she started out as nothing as a pawn in Quinn and Sebastian’s twisted game, she might never forgive him.
To his surprise, Quinn finds that he might finally care about someone more than he cares about himself…even if that means letting Emilie walk away for good.
Some of my favorite quotes from Broken At Love:
- The memory of my body, pulled toward his like he had magnets under his skin, made me tingle all over again. The last time I was attracted to a guy that strongly was...never.
- "You're attracted to me. I can feel your pulse throbbing. Why are you running away?" Quinn asked, as though this were a normal question.
- The painting behind her whispered my name, calling me back to the canvas.
- A mixture of emotions--embarrassment, irritation, and that fucking pity--warred on her face before she settled on a small smile. It affected me in ways I didn't expect, the way she smiled like she wasn't sure she wanted to. I wanted to make her sure.
- If my father had taught me anything, it was that a good poker face could hide your emotions so well you'd forget where you stuffed them. So I smiled back.
- My curiosity increased with every moment we spent together. The thing was, so did my fear.
- Why on earth that bothered me, I'm sure I didn't know, but the tears in her eyes wrenched something loose that had been tied down long ago. It flapped around like torn rigging in the wind, slapping painfully against my insides. I hated it, and her, in that moment.
About the author:
Lyla Payne
I’ve long had a love of stories. A few years ago decided to put them down on the page, and even though I have a degree in film and television, novels were the creative outlet where I found a home. I’ve published Young Adult under a different name, but when I got the idea for Broken at Love (my first New Adult title), I couldn’t wait to try something new – and I’m hooked. In my spare time I watch a ton of tennis (no surprise, there), play a ton of tennis, and dedicate a good portion of brain power to dreaming up the next fictitious bad boy we’d all love to meet in real life.
There are some bad boys that I just can't stand. No amount of redemption can change my opinion of them--there's something so awful about them I can't be a fan girl. I'll admit I was conflicted about Quinn Rowland in Lyla Payne's Broken At Love, a tumultuous yet gripping New Adult contemporary romance.
Quinn is the ultimate bad boy: gorgeous, vain, wealthy, cold and unfeeling. He's a celebrity tennis player forced to put away his racket due to an injury. I had such mixed emotions about him and the horrible game he played along with his stepbrother Sebastian and their fraternity brothers, luring in campus girls to use as sexual pawns so they can bet on whether or not this modern day Casanova can bag her. I may be in the minority here but my feelings for Quinn didn't really change throughout the book. The reason I remained glued to this story and wound up liking Mr. Rowland (a little bit) was all because of Emilie Swanson.
Emilie is a good, decent, intelligent young woman. A sophomore at Whitman University, she is determined to make a career for herself in the art world. She wants to be an artist, much to her parent's displeasure. She meets Quinn and is immediately attracted to the rich playboy but she's also aware of his 'type' --these guys don't love, they use. But, and there's always a "but," she sees something beyond the sexy, confident facade. There's a sadness mixed with other emotions beneath the layers of this complex and broken guy. Can she get through to him?
Their story is certainly a roller coaster of emotional highs and lows. Emilie and Quinn meet, and eventually hook up. Game over, right? She is not the innocent unknowing girl, she's savvy and knows what she's dealing with. He is instantly smitten by her refusal to play along with his rules of the game. This girl is a game changer but can he do anything but use her like all the others? Not accustomed to feeling loved, Quinn is a scarred, scared boy lost inside the body of a suave playboy.
Lyla Payne's writing is smooth and emotionally there--intensely in the moment--flowing from scene to scene. The characters emotions make the reader feel for them. I did. I was hooked by the time Emilie fell for the brothers' ruse. What I didn't get was the fact that the girls used in their games never talked to each other about their experiences or got the the word out about these users. Emilie is such a likable character, strong, wanting her independence from a domineering father, creative, good hearted, talented and loving. She recognizes Quinn for what he truly is and still wants to be his friend. He is the one who makes her feel and she falls in love, knowing his type doesn't settle down but still hoping he can want to change.
There is an established pattern in these NA romances featuring the bad boy and the nice loving girl who wants to help change them. Some of the guys in these books aren't lovable at all. I'm on the fence about Quinn and though this story is told from both character's points-of-view, Emilie was my favorite. Certain to get under the skin of any reader, Broken At Love is a study in determination, redemption and love. The path to a happily ever after isn't always paved with warm fuzzies, roses and chocolates. Sometimes there's lots of heart break, great sex, and need (besides other things), but getting to the end makes the journey worthwhile. This is one of those unforgettable journeys and worth every second reading it. What's next, Ms. Payne?
Rating: 4
Cover comment:
Gorgeous. Sexy as all heck. Love the intensity of the couple's pose and their gaze.
Book source:
I received a promotional copy in return for my honest review.
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