Three Chicks and Their Books: Blog Tour: Perfectly Damaged by E.L. Montes

Along with E.L. Montes, we are very excited to share with you her new release "Perfectly Damaged". Make sure to watch the TRAILER, check out the TEASERS & enter the GIVEAWAY for Amazon Gift Cards below!

Author: E.L. Montes

Book Title: Perfectly Damaged

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Stand-alone Novel

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Schizoaffective disorder: a mental illness in which a person experiences a combination of mood disorder and schizophrenia symptoms.

I know about this illness—very well—because I suffer from it. It’s been four years since my diagnosis, and ever since, I’ve been living in a dark hole. Voices constantly invading my thoughts. Hallucinations. All of which force me to question if what I’m experiencing is even reality.

But here I am, still hanging on, still breathing and living through it.

That is, until he stumbled into my life. Logan Reed. I don’t want any part of him. I’ve pushed him away, but he isn’t easily deterred. I’ve told him I’m different, but he doesn’t care. He’s trying to slowly break me down. I’m trying just as hard not to let him. He doesn’t know how truly damaged I am; what will happen when he does?

I know the truth—he’ll never be able to look at me the same way again. Just like everybody else.

4.5 Star Review by Lisa Kane

Jenna McDaniel is a tortured soul. This is an understatement. Diagnosed with schizoaffective, she has wrestled with the demons in her head, the voices, since her senior year in high school. I can not imagine what it must be like for someone to have little or no control over their brain. She has had years of therapy, has been institutionalized several times and has recently been discharged from another stay.

She learned at an early age that it is better to feel nothing. Safer for her. Her father is the CEO and co-founder of one of the largest financing and marketing companies in the tri-state area. He has empathy for her and wants her to get the best treatment, but he is always on the go, on his cell, at a conference. Her mother, Laura is a social climber who can destroy this girl's soul with a few words and often does. She is passive/aggressive, seeming to be concerned with her welfare, but really it is all smoke and mirrors. Jenna once allowed herself to love when she was younger. But when she had one of her episodes, Eric cut and ran. Lesson learned, she won't make that mistake again.

Fear is one of my most battled emotions. Fear of the unknown, of never knowing where each step I take will lead...it terrifies me. For me a risk can ruin me. To avoid triggers and potentially damning consequences, I keep hidden, locked behind my door.

She can add hallucinating to her list of manifestations for her illness now. Her sister Brooke died recently. We don't know how, but we do know she adored her and since her death, her illness has escalated. Her therapist tells her to return to painting, that she finds peace there, and she needs to find peace. So that is what she is doing.

When you lose the only person who made sense in your life, the only person who helped you fight your battles, the one who helped you with your struggles, the only person you felt sane around, your entire world comes crashing down.

Her mother's latest past time is spent designing a guest house on the grounds of their estate and she keeps trying to involve Jenna in the process. She would rather paint, or maybe hang out with Charlie who was her sister's best friend, but since her death; the two have gotten closer. After one of these design meetings, a gorgeous guy shows up looking for a toolbox that was left behind. Jenna is in the pool, desperately looking for a bracelet her sister gave her that must have slipped off. She finds that the water is pulling her under when said guy grabs her and gets her out of the pool. Far from grateful, she clashes with him. Sparks fly, there just may have been a passionate kiss involved and both Jenna and Logan's interests are peaked.

Over the course of weeks, these two are slowly drawn to each other. This causes friction in many circles, but Logan doesn't care. Even though he knows she is a client's daughter, he is intrigued by her. He has his own demons that he has faced in the past, but for some reason, Jenna makes him feel at ease and safe. It's only a matter of time until she has another episode. How will Logan handle it? Can he possibly want to stay in a relationship with someone so unstable? Why can't Jenna remember all the details of Brook's death?

"I'm falling for you. Hard. And it's not some bullshit girl-next-door crush." He stumbles back two steps. "I mean a real fucking hardcore, madly-sinking-for-you kind of fall."

This book moved me on so many levels, at times I was gutted. Mental illness may be treated, but in Jenna's case it will never really be gone. There are so many hurdles she and Logan will have to face, these are boulders not bumps in the road. The passages with Brooke and about Brook just tore me apart. I really had to take a deep breath and stop reading for a little while. My stomach felt sick and my head was pounding. These are the signs of a great book-one that draws you in so deep that you feel what the character is feeling; the fear, the pain, the utter terror.

You will not be the same reader you were when you started this book. Ms. Montes' work is on a whole new level, it is obvious she poured her heart and soul into this and this is evident on each page. To be able to understand the illness and to be able to convey it to the reader makes this a wonderful read. For those so afflicted by mental illness can there ever be an HEA, maybe the best anyone can hope for is a happy for now.

"You know, I'm learning a lot, and there are times where it's hard to love myself, but every time I think of you, I always think, if someone else can dig deep and fall in love with even my damaged side, then there is hope for me after all." His fingers graze my face. "I didn't have to dig deep to love you, Jersey girl. Digging takes work, Falling in love with you was the simplest thing I've ever done."