This story had me hooked from the start! I really enjoyed the mc growth all the way to the end! I really felt like I was watching all of this go down in front of me like a movie! Katherine Turner is so talented and was able to create a movie in my mind just with her writing. I will definitely be buying this book when it comes out!

Madly Deeply Wildly
by Katherine Turner

I thought the book was ok. I liked how it did show the traumatic effects of physical and sexual violence in a domestic setting. I did love how hard Chad tried and put his all into showing Rhetta he could be trusted and went above and beyond. Sad how Chad was becoming hurt too often.

I am grateful to NetGalley, Josha Publishing and author Katherine Turner for approving my request to read the eARC of this book.

Trigger warnings: physical and sexual violence in a domestic setting.

This is a story of survival, learning to love yourself and standing up for yourself. Renata has finally moved out of an abusive relationship and is determined to start over in the town where she grew up and has fond memories with her father. On her own, she is focused on trying to get back into the career she loved while finding a job to support herself. The people she meets along the way add to her journey of healing and provide an understanding and loving circle.

I fell in love with the characters, one by one, as they were introduced. This story is very character centric and the connections between the characters and their bonds drive this story forward. The story will take the reader on an emotional journey as we unravel everything Renata has dealt with, how the past is affecting her present, how she sees herself and how she works towards healing herself. Everything Renata has been through will resonate with the reader, but I believe that her journey after shows her strength and determination, proving that she is not a victim but a survivor.

This was indeed an emotional read for me, but I enjoyed every page and every moment spent with the characters. Caroline was a delight and I loved how she drew Renata out of her shell, supporting her but being quite candid in her opinions and advice. The best part of this story is the bond among the characters and the found family that Renata gains as a result. This is the best support she has and it helps to build her back up. Her second chance at love also adds to the story and is pivotal to helping her find herself. Chad is a wonderful character and indeed someone we would love to read about.

The style of writing ensures that the reader is hooked and invested in Renata's journey. There is also a lot to learn from this journey and some messages for the reader that are delivered in a simple manner through the character interactions and journey. Overall I really enjoyed reading this book and the way in which it was written and strongly recommend it to all who enjoy a good romance read!

I really enjoyed the story, and the idea was really good, but (and I want to remind you this is just my opinion) the writing style was not one of my favorites. With that said I think the characters were well developed, I would have liked more depth for their emotions, everything was a bit too cliche.

What I really liked was how the traumatic abuse was addressed, how it shows that despite everything you can heal and find support and stability when you least expect it, and I really liked the MMC, not too much of an Alpha type, but more of an emotional support one.

🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
4 stars out of 5
Told in first person, this book is full of heart. A survival story, a book that touches on the insecurities of those touched by abuse and the fact that the story doesn't end at the leaving if the abusive situation and it also doesn't end once you find live again. It's a long fight for stability in yourself and this book shows that beautifully and with kindness and emotion. The love interest is a great one, he brings a sincerity and stability that is often missing in these books usually. Not an Alpha but more of an emotional support who realises he also has things he needs to work out to find stability in his own life despite having no traumatic abusive past. That's probably my favourite part of this book, after the sensitive way it touches on abuse survival, is that it reminds that everyone, no matter what, needs to work on themselves to realise a functioning healthy life. The author also explains the loss of parents very well, empathetically and smoothly.
And really, you just can't go wrong with such a warm, comforting, guaranteed HEA book where even the angst has real puprise, not just angst for angst sake. A definite need for your tbr list.

TW: physical and sexual violence
— abusive ex fiance

Renata's mom passed away due to a hemorrhage when she was just a baby, her dad died in a car accident when she was fifteen.

She lands a job at a local café in her hometown and begins dating Chad.

As she finds her writing voice again, Renata realizes she can't keep lying to Chad and comes clean about her past.

About Renata's writing project, it's deeply personal and was inspired by her own experiences with domestic abuse. Renata hopes that her story will provide comfort and support to other survivors, letting them know they are not alone.

This book incredibly amazing and well written. The author has a way with words that kept me hooked from start to finish. Thank you to Josha Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an advance reader copy.

I read this book in one day and it gave me ALL the feels! My long review follows because I have a lot to unpack.

On the surface, love between partners presents as the main theme but as I read more I felt that self-love was the real anchor of the story. And love this I did! It's a well-written novel and more character-driven with a good plot. As the author notes to readers in the beginning of the book, it does contain descriptions of domestic, sexual, and physical violence. As a former court advocate for victims of abuse, I felt the she did a great job in the realistic portrayal of these serious issues, including the lasting, complex effects on victims and their loved ones. This is deep and heavy at times but balanced out very well with uplifting, lovable, funny moments and fleshed-out, layered, characters that made it a pleasure to read.

A while after leaving her abusive ex and starting her life over, Renata meets Chad at her new job and the two hit it off. What follows is a happy, angering, joyful, sad, yet admirable journey through the ups and downs of their budding relationship. I felt some of those very emotions and more on behalf of/for them while reading and even cried a little which is rare for me! I also liked the supporting characters and the roles they played as support systems for Renata and Chad. The character development for those two though, was fantastic and I enjoyed seeing their growth as individuals (Renata especially) while witnessing their relationship evolve. The slow build up to, and the eventual intimate love scenes between them were well done and respectful given some of the subject matter involved. I couldn't help but root for Chad and Renata as they navigated through the real threat that her ex Damien still posed, alongside the aftereffects of the trauma she was left with because of him. The story flowed well with good pacing and (without giving spoilers) had a very satisfying ending. I've added this to my list of favorite books this year.

I highly recommend to anyone who likes emotional, realistic fiction romances with depth to them, and is comfortable reading about the sensitive topics mentioned. Katherine Turner is now an auto-buy author for me going forward!

Thank you to Josha Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.