Battered and Torn

Title: Battered and Torn

Series: Love and Danger in St. Claire #4

Author: Allison Pearl

Genre: Suspense

Publisher: Self-published

Source: Justreads Publicity

My review:

When I saw that JustReads was doing a reviewer tour for Battered and Torn, I immediately applied.

I was planning to meet Allison Pearl (and did!) at a vendor event. It was also a great excuse to catch up on the series. While Battered and Torn can be read as a stand-alone novel, I highly recommend reading all the books set in St. Claire!

I loved this book. It had just the right amount of suspense, mystery, and intrigue to keep me glued to the pages. I loved Nora but it took a hot minute to warm up to Archie. I think that is intentional. The opening scene (prologue) is pretty intense, and it takes a while for the story to work its way back to that point. It is worth the wait!

One of the things I really enjoyed about this book is that Archie's character growth was slow. He did not change immediately just because he and Nora started talking. I will warn you that the story will leave you on a cliffhanger and only partly satisfied 😂. So, jump on the St. Claire train, start at the beginning, and maybe by the time you get to this book, number five will be out. If not, we can commiserate together!!

Thank you to Justreads Publicity and the author for the opportunity to read this book. I was not required to provide a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

★★★★/5

Synopsis (Goodreads): 

As just another staff member in the mansion of billionaire Archie Hamilton, Nora’s finally found a place to hide from her murderous family. But when the handsome bigshot asks her out on a date, she worries Archie’s interest—no matter how thrilling—will blow her cover and shoot up a flare for those hunting her. And if she can’t squash his crush, only God will be able to keep him out of danger.

When Archie turned in his scalpel to run the family business, life became too busy to go home and deal with his grief. But when he discovers a suspicious hire at his ancestral estate, he’s forced to confront the situation as well as his anger at God for taking not only his family, but his dreams. Despite his objections, his grandmother is determined to keep Nora on staff, but that isn’t going to stop him investigating her on his own—no matter how attractive he finds her. But the more he digs, the more questions he has.

Drawn to Nora again and again, Archie wonders if she’ll help lead him back to the truth or get him killed. Is trusting a beautiful stranger worth the risk to his family, his life, and his heart? And when Nora’s past catches up with them, will anyone be left alive?