Unbreak Me - Lexi Ryan

4.5 stars -- Im rounding it up to 5 because of Asher.

Every girl deserves one like him.

Unbreak Me is a story of survival and triumph. Of learning how to trust and tearing down walls. A story about how words and gossip in a small town can become so corrosive that they become the "truth" until they no longer matter.

Maggie Thompson is a victim of her past choices (and lack thereof). Backlash has her convinced that she is a whore, that she is a disgrace, that she is a failure. Back in town for her sister's wedding (to Maggie's ex-fiance - talk about a slap in the face) Maggie has one thing on her mind -- turning over a new leaf and surviving.

But that takes time and during a well needed respite from the wedding reception, she runs into Asher Logan.

Asher Logan. Gah!

Asher is an outsider. He lives in the house next door, but hasn't been around much. One benefit of being an outsider is that he isn't prejudiced by the gossip, the rumors, the resulting Scarlet Letter that Maggie has branded upon herself. He sees a girl who hurts.

Wounded by his own choices, he helps Maggie tear down the walls she has built to protect herself and realize that maybe she isn't a total disappointment. That her past doesn't need to define her and that she is worthy of being loved.

This story broke my heart. Reading it took me back -- not because my past was like Maggie's (thank goodness) but I know what it is like to have so little self-worth. To have walls. To not trust.

I remember the first time somebody tried to break down my walls.  I totally wasn't ready and 21 years later I remember the conversation like it was yesterday.  Reading Maggie struggle with letting Asher in - it brought back so many feels.

One thing I will say about Maggie, is that while she has a negative self-image, she is NOT a doormat. I felt sorry for her, but I did not pity her. She is witty and snarky and the back and forth with Logan was totally believable.

I do wish there had been a little more of Asher's back story in this book -- a little insight into why he was able to understand and forgive so easily. The things he says, the way he cares for Maggie and the way he allows her to slowly trust...and then, when he's sitting in jeans, shirtless and barefoot strumming a guitar...a'wkjfda;askjrfdsalsa;.

All in all, this book was a really good read. I started and finished it in the same day and will definitely search out other books from Ms. Ryan.