Madness
By J.L. Vallance
Blurb:
I never wanted to fall in love.
I lived a life tainted by mental illness and the stigma that came with it. That illness almost claimed my life once and I had a promise to keep¬¬, a promise that I would live, no matter how much it hurt. All I craved in life was marginal happiness, a little success, and an unfractured mind. I longed for the normalcy that the rest of the world thrived on while fearing the intimacy that could snap the thin thread with which I held onto sanity.
I may not have had it all, but I was close...until he crashed into my world.
He turned everything upside down and shifted the scales of my balanced world. He was charming and charismatic with a healthy dash of trouble and volatility rolled in. He was completely and perfectly damaged. I tumbled hard and fast.
I fell in love with Rory O’Neill and our world was little more than madness....and it was fucking beautiful.
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There are not enough words to describe how much I loved this book. It was such a wonderful story about two people, one who is mentally ill and the other who is battling addiction. Together they find comfort in each other but their road to happiness is anything but easy. Madness is the story of Frankie and Rory, two beautifully broken people who have to fight the madness in their life to be able to come out whole, and happy. While this is a wonderful love story it is also a story of real life.
Frankie was such a wonderful heroine. She has been dealing with her mental illness and depression since she was younger. But when she lost one of the most important people in her life she made a promise, one she intended to keep. Frankie lives her life with these walls up. She is afraid of letting anyone in for fear of it breaking her. She has her best friends Karleigh and Karleigh's brother Lucas. She doesn’t date or have an sexual encounters with random men. She has an arrangement with a friend that works perfect for her, there are no complications and no feelings involved. While at times she craves the normal life that others around her have, she is content with the place that she is in right now. Until Rory O’Neill comes crashing into her life and turning her world upside down.
Rory was such a sweet and kind person with a huge heart. I couldn’t help fall in love with this beautiful damaged man. He has been carrying around this guilt over a tragic incident that happened a few years ago. That guilt and grief has lead him down a road of destruction. He copes the only way he knows how. When he meets Frankie his world changes. He wants her, and in so many ways he needs her. Frankie has walls up and at first refuses to let him in. But as time goes on things change. Frankie starts to “feel” which is something she swore she would never do. She has friends that are there to help her and protect her. But with Rory it is different. He understands her, and in a way he is just like her. It’s almost as if they complete each other. But they both have baggage, which in the end can only hurt them. Will they both be able to get through the madness and the struggles that is their life and learn to be happy?
Madness was such a beautiful story. Frankie and Rory were so amazing together. They were simply made for each other. Rory could be cocky and arrogant but so sexy. He knew what he wanted and he went for it and didn’t give up until Frankie gave in. At times I wanted to hurt him for his decisions but you realize that some of his decisions came from his heart. And that is what I loved about him. Beneath the cocky, flirtatious, and sexy exterior was a damaged man with a heart. I felt his pain and everything that he went through. Frankie was his perfect match. She was sarcastic and did not take his shit. Together they were perfect.
I loved the supporting characters. I felt bad for Lucas and would love to see him get the happily ever after that he deserves. Karleigh was an amazing best friend and the both of them were great support systems for Frankie. Madness is a must read. It wil make you laugh, cry, and at times frustrated. But in the end you will be left with a smile. You will fall in love with Rory and Frankie. Fantastic job by JL Vallance!
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
Excerpt
“What do you want from me, O’Neill?”
Rory released a heavy sigh, leaning back
in the chair. He studied me carefully, as if he were attempting to solve a
puzzle. He could try for the rest of his life; I was one jigsaw he’d never be
able to solve.
“To date you,” he replied simply, and I
belted out a laugh.
“Why?” I asked, continuing without
allowing for an answer. “You are the type that goes on dates to get the prize
at the end. You got the prize, buddy. You didn’t even have to work for it. If
you are coming back because you think I’m a big skank-bank and you can get a
withdrawal whenever you want, you’ve got the wrong girl.”
It was his turn to laugh. It was an
erotic sound that put my already frayed nerves on a higher, more precarious
edge than they had been. I followed his posture and leaned back, but instead of
holding my stomach in gut busting laughter, I crossed my arms over my chest.
“Is that what you think this is?” he
gasped. “Christ, I could have slept with at least seventy women since you.”
“Is that supposed to win me over?”
“Yes,” he answered seriously. “I have no
problem picking women up.”
I didn’t doubt that. Hadn’t since the
night I’d met him. It was the charisma, the mega-watt smile, the sultry
sex-filled voice. His body, smile, voice, and touch promised a good night in
the making if one simply took his hand.
I want to
take his fucking hand. . .
“Good, then you won’t be alone tonight,”
I replied, moving to rise from the table when he reached out and grabbed my
arm, stopping me.
“I don’t want other women, Francesca. I
want you,” he said, the smile missing from his face.
“I’ve wanted nothing but you since
November.”
I shook my head.
“I’m not like other women, Mr. O’Neill.”
“Please, call me—”
“Rory, it doesn’t matter what I call you.
The message will remain the same.”
“Didn’t you ever stop to think that maybe
that’s what I like about you?” he countered.
No, no I didn’t. Being different is what
set me apart—in a bad way. That’s what makes people dislike me. Not that I mind that—being disliked. I’ve spent the
majority of my life being different,
being an outsider. I am the woman that I am, with the issues I have, and that
fact will never change. I’m proud of the obstacles I have overcome and look
forward to defeating the ones that are waiting in the wings.
“You don’t know me to know whether you
like me or not,” I argued. My dad had always told me I’d be great for the
debate team.
“I know what I felt with you.”
“You felt tequila,” I replied. “And my
vagina. Go find some Cuervo and a willing participant and repeat.”
“First, I have a high tolerance. That
tequila barely touched me. Quit trying to downplay what happened between us.
Take a little responsibility.”
“Ha!” I belted, placing a hand over my
mouth. “Listen, we had a really great time. But I don’t date, I don’t do
romance or happily ever after. That’s not written in my stars.”
“What is written in your stars?” he asked
with a quirk of the brow.
“A bright future with me, myself, and I.”
About the Author
J. L. Vallance is a wife, mom, and nurse by day, while posing as a writer by night. Plagued with an overactive imagination, a lover of all things supernatural in nature, she has an extraordinary flair for the dramatic that adds flavor to life. There’s little in her world that Otis Redding and buttercream icing can’t fix. And of course, coffee always helps too. True story.
Giveaway
One single anchor bracelet
One anchor and infinity bracelet
One anchor necklace with stamped pendant that says "You are my anchor".
One necklace with a gun charm and a stamped pendant that says "I keep a close watch on this of mine".
And two ecopies of Madness
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