Reviewed by Valerie
TITLE: Bruised But Not Broken
SERIES: Spark of Hope #1
AUTHOR: Nicole Dykes
PUBLISHER: Self-Published
LENGTH: 239 pages
RELEASE DATE: May 31, 2022
BLURB:
Ben
Spark of Hope: A bi-weekly trauma support group.
This is my nightmare. When I think of a support group, I think of sad people sitting around talking about their feelings and nothing changing.
And yet, when my brother and his best friend, who happens to be a therapist, presented the idea of holding the meetings at my gym, I caved.
Because I, Benjamin Price, have always tried to rescue the people in my life. But I can’t. I’ve usually failed them.
Now, I’m hosting a trauma support group and desperately trying not to fall into my old habits—of attempting to save everyone.
And then, he walks in.
Bruised. But not broken. No matter how exhausted he may feel, a strength in him calls to me.
And there’s no way I can ignore the need deep inside me to at least try.
Colby
I’m tired. I’m afraid. And I don’t want to go back.
Not to the abusive relationship I told myself I was okay with for years.
But what am I supposed to do?
I have no real life skills. All my life, I’ve been told I’m pretty and that’s it.
Then I walk into a gym, looking for a job, but I find so much more.
I don’t want to trust Ben. I don’t believe his help doesn’t come with a price.
But what choice do I really have?
One thing’s for sure . . . Neither of us are getting out of this intact.
What we lose though, that’s anyone’s guess.
REVIEW:
This is an enjoyable hurt/comfort, bi-awakening romance that focuses on trauma of many kinds, most specifically domestic violence.
Ben is a gym owner with a tragic past of his own. When his brother, Roman, and friend/therapist, Andrew, suggest Ben host a twice-weekly support group at the gym for victims of trauma, he’s hesitant. In addition to helping others, they both feel Ben could benefit from it personally. Ben has a long-held hero complex and suffers from not being able to protect two loved ones in the past.
Colby is Bruised But Not Broken when he shows up at Ben’s gym looking for a job. He arrives at the gym with a black eye and busted lip after having run away from an abusive boyfriend of four years. Ben the caretaker immediately hires Colby and offers him a safe, free apartment above the gym. It doesn’t take long for a mutual attraction to develop even though Ben identifies as straight.
Colby still has emotional healing to do, though, and he doesn’t know how to trust anyone anymore. He still hears his ex’s voice in his head telling him he’s worthless. He grapples with self-blame and self-loathing for not having walked away from his ex sooner. He likes Ben but is afraid Ben only sees him as a project – someone to save. He doesn’t want to be a appear as a victim and doesn’t want to be kissed out of pity. And he certainly doesn’t want to be Ben’s gay experiment. It’s no experiment for Ben, though. He doesn’t question that he has feelings for a man and when they do have sex, it’s the most intense arousal he’s ever experienced.
Even though Ben wants to keep Colby safe and take care of his heart, he doesn’t view him as a victim. In fact, he thinks Colby is incredibly courageous for leaving a horrible situation and starting over with no place to live, completely broke, and without any skills or possessions.
The trauma group is open to anyone who has experienced events such as attacks, abuse, death of loved ones, bullying, natural disasters, shootings, and more. Even though the subject matter is dark, this is not a heavy, angsty, depressing book. The topic is treated respectfully and the focus is on the characters, not the trauma
This is a well-written book with an interesting storyline and likable characters. It ends with Roman and group member, Brooks, poised for the next story in the Spark of Hope series, and there are other characters being set up for future books. If you like a hurt/comfort theme, this book should appeal to you. Recommended.
RATING: 
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