Rend: A Novel

Holy Moly! Roan Parrish doesn't just tug at the heartstrings, she gives them a good, solid yank and twists until it hurts. Rend is emotional, raw, and at times, absolutely heartbreaking. The writing style combined with the character development make it impossible to not become invested in this couple, which makes the emotional aspect that much more of a roller coaster ride. The good news is the author also gives us a light at the end of that dark tunnel by way of hope, love, friendship, and family. The romance is a bit different than what we usually see. Matt and Rhys are into the second year of their marriage at the start of the book, so while we don't get that new relationship angst, there's still a whole lot of getting to know each other. Especially for Matt, who has grown up in a world where everyone leaves. His feelings of abandonment and the surety that everyone is going to disappoint him are well-founded, but that doesn't make his feelings of being unlovable any easier to read. Combine that with Rhys' determination to be Matt's protector only to find out that he doesn't always see the signs of a problem, and we have plenty of angst for this couple. In spite of that angst, or maybe because of it, there are some truly beautiful moments between Matt and Rhys as they figure out what each needs from the relationship. We also get to catch up a bit with Theo and Caleb from the first book in the series. Each book can be read as a standalone, but it's always nice to revisit past favorites. To sum it up, if you're a crier, expect tears - both the happy kind and the not so happy. But it's also a wonderful story of finding that special someone who can help lead you through the maze of this difficult life. All in all, a great addition to the series.

This just about broke me but I loved it. Rend is the second book in the Riven series but it is also a standalone. Characters from book one, Riven, appear but you won't be lost if you haven't read it. If you've read any of my reviews, you're probably tired of hearing me say that a book broke me and then put me back together again. Sometimes I just don't know any other way to describe what a book did to me. Rend was such a heartbreaking, emotional read but in a good way. Matt had a difficult childhood which left him emotionally scarred. Even though he and Rhys have been married for a year or so he just can't believe that it will last – everyone he ever loved left him and he expects that Rhys will, too. Rhys always wanted a close, loving relationship like his parents have and he loves Matt more than he can say – if only he can get Matt to believe that it will last. It was so hard to read Matt's feelings and internal conversations when he was struggling to not fall apart. As long as Rhys is around, he's pretty much OK but after Rhys leaves to go on tour all of his old doubts and fears come rushing back and he pretty much has an emotional breakdown – he just doesn't tell anyone how bad things are. When Rhys finds out that Matt has been keeping things from him, he gets so angry that he has to leave for a while. This is what Matt always knew would happen, no matter how much Rhys had told him he would never leave. Writing a book review is sometimes really difficult because when a book makes me feel things so much, I just don't have the right words to express how it made me feel. Rend had my eyes leaking more throughout the story than most I've read lately. It may be crazy but this is a sure sign that I loved it. The story was so compelling I couldn't put it down once I started it. Lucky for me it was a crappy day weather wise when I read it and other planned activities were cancelled so I was able to devote my entire day to reading without a bit of guilt! I looked over my review for Riven (from May 2018) and see that I also said it was a very emotional story. So, while you most certainly can read and enjoy Rend without reading Riven, I recommend it because it was also a great book if you like emotional stories which I certainly do. 😊 A review copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley but this did not influence my opinion or rating of the book.

I was so in the mood for an established couple romance! I hadn’t really put it all together when I was reading Riven, but Caleb‘s ex-partner and best friend, Rhys, is married to Matt. I remember Theo being kinda uncomfortable reaching out to Rhys when he needed help with Caleb and Matt was there... Anyway, don’t worry about any of that, Rend can be read as a standalone. We see Theo and Caleb a fair bit, but none of their story will be spoiled if you read this one first. There were so many things that made this novel incredible. Matt’s narration of his life story is a heart breaker, and beautifully done. Thinking of everything this young man went through and how he’s processed it, it's humbling to see where he is at the start of this novel. I enjoyed watching Rhys come to understand Matt’s story, and reevaluate his own life. What it adds to him as a person, and what it does for their relationship is powerfully moving. Of course Rend is full of all the gorgeous prose I expect from Roan Parrish. I highlighted so many meaningful statements and poetic thoughts… reading over them now, it’s too hard to pick just one to share here. I’ll take the easy way out and simply encourage everyone to read this truly stunning novel. It was some of the most beautiful angst I’ve ever read, and it was a journey I’d happily take again.