Review: Broken Rebel by Lora Richardson #NewRelease #YAContemporary

 

August was not the best reading month for me and everything I was reading felt pretty mediocre. The result was that I was starting to feel slumpish. Enter just the right book at the right time. Lora Richardson and her latest YA contemporary to the rescue! Once I started Broken Rebel I read it in just two or three sittings (something I never do) but that's what happens when you fall into a story that is just so completely readable. (Is readable even a word? It is now.) Richardson pulled me right out of that slump and gave me what I'd been missing all month: characters I loved, who were kind, decent people, and who were imminently easy to pull for. I got all that and more in Broken Rebel. Now, read on while I gush some more and tell you why you need to pick up Broken Rebel, too.

BROKEN REBEL

Lora Richardson

Publication date: September 3, 2020

Series: Sparrow Sisters Book 2

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Format: eARC

Source: Author

4 Stars

GOODREADS  *  AMAZON

S Y N O P S I S

 

He’s a reformed bad boy who wants the good girl. Lucky for him, she craves excitement.

Audrey Sparrow lives her life the way other people want her to. She dates the boy her parents like, she studies hard, and she never gets into trouble. Scared of the secret desires deep within her, she pretends she’s happy with the way things are. Then one day, a boy on a motorcycle drives up and asks her if she wants a ride.

Johnny Bright can’t outrun his reputation. No matter what he does, people in this town will always judge him based on his reckless past. He’s been enchanted by Audrey for as long as he can remember, but there’s no way she’d be seen with a guy like him.

Both misunderstood, both searching for something, Johnny and Audrey are drawn to each other. Can they make it work even though the entire town is against them?

TOP 5 REASONS YOU NEED TO READ BROKEN REBEL

#1 - A Totally Relatable and Likable Main Character

Audrey was a sweet girl and so easy to like. I felt such a kinship with her. As a teenager I, too, kept the peace and made decisions based on others' expectations. I loved seeing her slowly exercise her own voice and make her own choices even when they weren't understood or accepted by some people in her life. 

#2 - A Sweet and Swoony Misunderstood Boy

Every girl should be so lucky to have Johnny Bright as their first love. There were plenty of people in town who were determined to keep Johnny pegged as a troublemaker even though that was in his past. He actually had a heart of gold and was determined to be worthy of Audrey.

#3 - A Setting That Makes Me Want to Move to a Small Town

I'm a lifelong city girl girl, but Lora Richardson's portrayal of small town life has me ready to chuck it all and start a simpler life in a little hamlet like Alden, Indiana. Her descriptions of the small town made it feel like another character in the story. Audrey's family home with the wide front porch, the Meadowlark Creamery where Audrey served up ice cream treats, Gladiola Park where the residents gathered for a 4th of July picnic... they all painted a picture of a place I want to see.

#4 - A Cast of Secondary Characters That I want to Be My Neighbors

I enjoyed getting to know more of the residents of Alden. Audrey's sisters Cat (whose story was told in Broken Hollywood) and Valerie, her loving parents, her friend Ruby, her Aunt Glory, Johnny's hard-working mother... they all made for a richer story.

#5 - A Soft Romance That Melted My Heart

Audrey + Johnny gave me total heart eyes. It's as simple as that. They were so good together - and so good for each other. Johnny didn't want Audrey to be anything other than what she was and encouraged her to speak her mind and make her own choices. And Audrey never judged Johnny for his past and pushed him to see his own worth. I loved how Johnny viewed Audrey as something special and the careful way he handled her heart.

All that's left to say is this: if you're looking for a sweet, YA contemporary, look no further than Lora Richardson's Broken Rebel. You won't be disappointed.

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. This does not impact my opinion of the book or the content of this review. I received no compensation and my review is voluntary.