REVIEWED by Jen B.
TITLE: Unbroken
SERIES: The Protectors #12
AUTHOR: Sloane Kennedy
PUBLISHER: Sloane Kennedy
LENGTH: 2075kb
RELEASE DATE: May 3, 2018
BLURB:
Everything was supposed to go back to normal when I was rescued. It hasn’t. And I’m starting to think it never will because I don’t even know what normal is anymore…
It’s been two years since Aleks Silva was rescued by his older brother from the dark underworld of sex trafficking and every day since then has been a battle. Leaving the house, interacting with people, even doing something as boring as deciding what clothes to wear or what to eat for breakfast are tasks that most people take for granted. But for Aleks, they’re torture. Because freedom and choice are things that once came at a steep price and survival meant submitting to the whims of those who only saw him as a possession and plaything.
Until there was one man who saw him as something more…
I knew from the moment I saw him that I was going to get him out. But I also knew once I did, I’d need to let him go…
He’s known as Vaughn and nothing more. His job is to make sure secrets don’t get out and the possessions he’s been tasked with guarding never escape and tell their story. After eight years in a world where innocent kids are used to feed the darkest of depravities, Vaughn has seen things that would break even the strongest man. But he’s played it smart and built up a wall between himself and the darkness that threatens to consume him.
It wasn’t until he met a young man who had to be a thousand times stronger to survive the life he was forced into as a child that the first crack appeared in his carefully constructed wall.
Vaughn’s only job was to make sure young Aleks Silva remained the ugly little secret of one of the most powerful men in Chicago. It was one job he was more than happy to fail at, and when he eliminated the threat against Aleks and set him free, he was sure their paths would never cross again.
But fate has other plans…
Vaughn is the only man from my other life who never had a starring role in my nightmares… but he’s been in every one of my dreams. And I don’t know why…
When Aleks is suddenly abducted after leaving work one quiet spring evening, he’s certain he’ll never see his brother and family again. But terror quickly turns to relief when a familiar face once again comes to his rescue, along with all the feelings he’s always had but never quite understood around the dangerous, older Vaughn. Certain that Vaughn will make everything okay again like he did once before, Aleks knows he doesn’t even need to ask Vaughn to take him home. But when he does anyway, nothing he’s ever experienced prepares him for Vaughn’s answer… or the brutal betrayal that comes along with it.
I’m sorry, Aleks, I can’t do that.
Trigger Warning: Sexual Assault Against a Minor
*Can be read as a standalone novel but if you have not read any books in this series, you may want to at least read Book 6, Atonement, first. Atonement is the story of Aleks’s brother, Dante, and both brothers appear in each other’s books so it is helpful to know their backstories.
The Protectors series crosses over with some of my other series, so for the most enjoyment, they should be read in order, but it is not required. You can find the correct reading order at the beginning of each book. I’ve also bundled all my series in the correct reading order under the title of A Family Chosen: The Protectors and Barrettis.
Yet another winner by Ms. Kennedy. This one was a toughie though, but we have had some time to prepare for it. We met Aleks a few books ago as Dant’e younger brother who had been abducted when he was young. He had been a sex slave for 10+ years before being rescued. That was two years ago, and while he has been recovering and trying to get a normal life back, after two years, Aleks things he should be doing better. He puts up a good front not wanting to disappoint Dante, but he is far from fine. He still struggles with every day decisions and suffers from flashbacks, though he has not actually gone through any intensive therapy after his ordeal. Unfortunately, his past comes back to haunt him and he is abducted once again. But not is quite what it seems.
Vaughn played a part in Aleks’ rescue, but it was a much bigger role he was playing undercover trying to locate his missing nephew, Gio, who was taken just as Aleks was. Over the years, he has helped save countless kids, but one regret he has is not being able to get Aleks out sooner than he did. He actually thwarts the second attempt and ends up taking Aleks as a means of keeping him safe. He works hard to gain Aleks’ trust back, but seeing how much Aleks is still going through is tough. He plays a very big role in helping Aleks to gain more control of his life and his problems. It isn’t easy, and it takes many baby steps, but Vaughn is determined to do whatever he can for Aleks.
But Vaughn’s nephew is still missing, and his brother, Luca (Gio’s father), is determined to find him by any means necessary. Fortunately, their other brother, Con, is there to keep the peace. Tensions are high all around, and while Gio remains the sole focus, some more than others are not willing to let Aleks pay the price to get him back.
In a turn of events, Aleks makes some choices of his own and decides to go ahead and help, even if it means stepping back into the world he waited so long to be free from.
I love this series, and while many of these guys share similar stories, Ms. Kennedy always manages to find a way to make each character’s struggles unique. This story continues down an ugly path with the child sex trafficking, but it is so easy to become engrossed and care for these characters. We meet some new ones, but it is always great to see the previous characters and get little update tidbits on how they’re doing. It looks like we have a new spinoff to look forward to, and if it follows suit, it is sure to be another hit. Definitely recommend this entire series.
Great review – just borrowed from KU and I wouldn’t have known the book was out if I hadn’t read this.
Thanks! Hope you enjoy it! 🙂
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