Review and Giveaway: Mangled Hearts

Synopsis

Francesca and Cade

Can two loves find their way back to each other despite an addiction and a hardened heart? Will their love overcome it all?

Francesca Taymon is young, successful, and broken. A tragic accident years ago haunts her to this day, and she blames only one person--the one that holds her heart. When she finally gets her first case, will she be able to handle seeing him again? Can she do her job and keep her heart intact?

Cade Kelling doesn’t take life seriously. He’s reckless and irresponsible, drinking all his problems away. When his parents bail him out for the last time, will he be able to handle seeing Francesca after all of these years? Will he be able to tell her what really happened that night five years ago or will he lose her forever?

And the most important question….

Can these mangled hearts be mended?

4.5 star review by Jen Skewes 

Francesca is a lawyer who has been working at a law firm , but has not had any cases of her own.  She basically does the grunt work while everyone else does the job she has dreamed of doing.  Until one day her boss calls her in and offers her her very own case, which she is more than happy to take. Until she realizes who her client will be, and as much as she wants to say no, this is an opportunity that she cannot just pass by.  Her client is the boy who she gave her heart to when she was 16 and the same guy who completely shattered it into pieces.  It's been years since she has seen Cade Kelling, and she is not sure what her reaction will be when she sees him.  A part of her hates him for hurting her and blames him for the tragic accident involving her sister.  But at the same time she wonders if she still loves him?  And how will Cade feel when he sees her.  

What can I say about Cade Kelling, other than I loved him.  He is one of those characters that you instantly love from the moment you "meet" him.  He has his fair share of problems and issues though, but that never got in the way of how I felt about him.  Cade started drinking at an early age and is basically an alcoholic at this point in his life.  He always manages to screws things up and is never good enough for his father.  His life is basically meaningless and he drowns any feelings that he has in a bottle of alcohol.  He gets by day to day, wondering where he is, trying to remember what he was supposed to do that day and some days wondering how the day just passed him by, until he sees the empty bottle and then it all comes back to him.  But beneath the drinking is a young man who is hurt and broken and hides it all behind a bottle.  When he gets himself in trouble once again, he parents agree to help him one last time, by hiring him a lawyer to fight his case and keep him out of jail.  But he never expected his lawyer to be the one and only girl to ever hold his heart, the same girl whose heart he broke all those years ago.

Cade has loved Francesca from the moment he met her in high school.  There was just something about her that drew him to her.  But even back then Cade never thought he was good enough for her and pushed her away, broke her heart.  But that didn't mean that he stopped loving her.  Seeing her again sparks all those feelings that he had for her.  He still loves her and will do whatever it takes to keep her in his life.  He let her go once and will never let her go again.  

Every feeling that Francesca had for Cade comes back to her when she sees him.  She wants to believe that he loves her and wants to be able to trust him.  But he hurt her in ways that she is not sure she can get past.  Aside from breaking her heart, she blames him for what happened to her sister.  When Cade finally tells Francesca exactly what happened that night with her sister will she be able to move past it and have a future with Cade?  

Mangled Hearts was an emotional story about love, addiction, loss, forgiveness and redemption.  Francesca and Cade have always loved each other even after being a part for so many years.  But when they see each other again you feel the love and the chemistry between the two of them.  But they can't just push aside the past and move on and suddenly get their happily ever after.  It is something that they have to work and fight for.  They both have to come to terms and admit the feelings that they have had for each other and still continue to have, they need to move on from the past and learn to forgive.  But most importantly Cade needs to deal with his addiction not only for Francesca but for himself.  He needs and wants to be a better person in hopes of winning Francesa's heart.  

"Francesca...the night you stayed with me was the best night of my life.  I've never felt more alive, more loved, happier, that when I hold you in my arms.  Seeing your face makes my heart beat faster, in a good way, and I feel this calmness come over me."

Felicia Tatum wrote a beautiful and emotional story. Cade was sweet and caring and you never doubted for one second that he loved Francesca, he was just broken and dealt with it the only way he knew how.  There were moments when you just wanted to hug him.  He let the alcohol take over and when he finally realized it, he decided to fight and fight he did.  The moments between him and Francesca especially through letters will completely melt your heart.  Cade truly is an amazing person.   I loved Francesca.  She was a strong and successful woman who has her own insecurities that most woman can relate to.  This book will make you laugh, cry and warm your heart.  It is told in alternate POV between Cade and Francesca which I love.  I always love to see both sides of the story.  I also loved the flashback scenes to when they were teenagers, which helped you understand their relationship.  I loved Cade and Francesca's story and was rooting for them from the beginning to find their happily ever after.  Ms. Tatum did a wonderful job with the characters and the connection to their story.  I cannot wait for the next one in the series. 

"You're so beautiful and you don't even know it.  Those girls that are mean to you...they've broken your self-esteem.  I wish you could see you the way I do.  A gorgeous girl with the most amazing brown eyes I've ever seen."



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