BLOG TOUR STOP: Perfectly Damaged by E. L. Montes: Review, Book Trailer, Teaser, and Giveaway

Along with E.L. Montes, we are very excited to share with you her new release “Perfectly Damaged”. Make sure to watch the TRAILER, check out the TEASERS & enter the GIVEAWAY for Amazon Gift Cards below!

Author: E.L. Montes

Book Title: Perfectly Damaged

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Stand-alone Novel

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Schizoaffective disorder: a mental illness in which a person experiences a combination of mood disorder and schizophrenia symptoms.

I know about this illness—very well—because I suffer from it. It’s been four years since my diagnosis, and ever since, I’ve been living in a dark hole. Voices constantly invading my thoughts. Hallucinations. All of which force me to question if what I’m experiencing is even reality.

But here I am, still hanging on, still breathing and living through it.

That is, until he stumbled into my life. Logan Reed. I don’t want any part of him. I’ve pushed him away, but he isn’t easily deterred. I’ve told him I’m different, but he doesn’t care. He’s trying to slowly break me down. I’m trying just as hard not to let him. He doesn’t know how truly damaged I am; what will happen when he does?

I know the truth—he’ll never be able to look at me the same way again. Just like everybody else.

BN: http://tinyurl.com/mpw8s4b

Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/lrnelg8

Review

Judgments…Imperfections…Rejection…Facades…Triggers…Episodes…Weakness

These are the things that have dominated Jenna McDaniels’ life for the past four years. Since her diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder and the death of her older sister, Brooke, Jenna has merely been existing and struggling to not allow herself to be consumed by the voices and the darkness that constantly overwhelm her. Besides her best friend, Charlie, Jenna does not have much of a support system because her father works all the time, and her mother is embarrassed by her, so any interaction with her is counterproductive. Jenna is extremely anti-social because being in large groups is a major trigger for her, and she’s unwilling to let down her walls and allow anyone close to her because allowing her emotions to consume her usually leads to an episode; plus, Jenna’s fear of rejection makes having a relationship too much of a risk to take. But when Logan Reed enters her life, Jenna finds herself feeling more alive than she has in a really long time. But will Jenna’s insecurities and fears prevent her from taking a chance with him, and once Logan finds out about her disorder, will it be more than he’s willing to handle, proving to Jenna once again that she’s too different for anyone to love?

Perfectly Damaged is an amazing read. E.L. Montes does a fantastic job of shedding light on a topic that is rarely explored in the romance genre. I would consider mental illness, at least some types, to still be a bit of a taboo issue; a subject that people would rather not talk about, which leaves those who are diagnosed to suffer in silence for fear of embarrassment or shame – all over something they have no control over. Readers can tell that Montes did her research, and it’s clear that she wanted to show the reality of mental illness because the story clearly illustrates its devastating effects and its control of a person’s life. Every aspect of Jenna’s life seems to be defined by her disorder. She sees herself as a damaged girl unworthy of love; her self esteem is extremely low, and she struggles daily to not succumb to the voices in her head. The highs and lows Jenna experiences is a clear indication of how devastating living with schizoaffective disorder can be, and it’s illustrated beautifully through E.L. Montes’ words.

Jenna and Logan’s story blew me away. Logan truly sees who Jenna is, which says a lot about him not only as a man but as a human being. Yes, he knows there’s something different about her, but he sees her imperfections as being a part of what makes her so special. Readers can tell how much they want to be together by how they act around one another, and even though it drove Logan crazy to keep being “friend zoned” by Jenna, he never gives up on her. He definitely makes mistakes and lets her down at a very pivotal point in the text, but he more than makes up for it by his patience and his ability to comfort and calm her when it matters most.

Perfectly Damaged is definitely a book worth reading. There’s so much depth to the storyline as well as the characters that readers will easily be swept up in it all. While this is a romance story, it’s also an in-depth look into mental illness as well as a testament to how love and acceptance can heal the deepest wounds. Finding Logan helps to heal Jenna in so many ways, and even though the path is definitely not an easy one for her, it’s one that brings her out of the darkness and helps her to see how deserving she is of a life filled with living not simply existing.

A complimentary copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

5 poison apples