Blog Stop, Review & Giveaway: Guarded Hearts by L.A.Corville

GOODREADS 

 

I want nothing but to escape the bitterness and emptiness surrounding me....

I'm, Olivia Rey, a product of an unwanted pregnancy and since that day forward my world has not beeneasy. My mother's anger at not being able to hold on to my 'father' made her lash out all her hatred and venom at me growing up. So, I did the only thing I could to survive, I enclo...sed my heart until I can be in the light.

All I want is to be surrounded in darkness to not feel...

I'm, Phoenix Ryan, I have lived a life of privilege with no boundaries making me feel invincible. Then when I was on a high, tragedy came crashing down on me and cast me into a world where I was left numb. So I did the only thing I could to survive I enclosed my heart, so I could walk into the darkness.

Will theses two guarded hearts eclipse into each other to find love, or will they be forever guarded.

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 I was around four years old the last time I cried. I had fallen outside my friend Mandy’s house. I scrapped my knee and the blood was running down my legs and onto my new socks. I didn’t cry from the pain; I cried because my mother was going to be so upset that I ruined my new socks. She was either going to spank me or put me to bed without dinner.

Mandy’s mom picked me up and sat me on her lap while she sent Jenny to get a wet paper towel and some Band-Aids. She told me to stop crying, that she knew it was going to sting, but it was going to feel better in a bit. She hugged me tight and cuddled me while we waited. I had never felt that kind of warmth before; my mother never hugged me and she certainly never cuddled me. Those were the best three minutes of my life, it felt so nice that I didn’t care if I went to bed without dinner for a whole week or got spanked.

“Olivia! Where are you? Aye wuerca,” I heard my mother yell from the front yard. Mrs. Scott was just putting on my Band-Aid when my mother knocked on the door.

“Vicki, she’s here. She just fell and scraped her knee, but she is okay now,” Mrs. Scott told my mother. As she set me on the floor she kissed my head, I cried some more, but it was happy tears this time. Mandy was so lucky.

“Well, thank you, Barbara, for taking care of my pumpkin,” she replied with her fake smile.

She extended her hand towards me so that I could take it, and as soon I did she squeezed it hard and I started crying again, and we started to walk towards our trailer.

“Olivia, I told you to stop crying. Do you want me to give a reason to cry? Only weak, pathetic people cry. If you keep crying La LLorona will come get you because she will think you are her niña.

You won’t want to be taken by her, because even though you are afraid of me I would never kill you like she killed her children, so be grateful to me, bastardita,” she told me.

I still didn’t know if I should have been grateful or not, because I still hadn’t seen the light in life.

I'm instantly drawn to both Nix and Olivia because their story and journey to adulthood appeals to my compassionate side. Olivia has endured an unhappy and abusive childhood in the hands of her alcoholic, drug-taking whore of a mother. Nix on the other hand is dealing with the consequences of his actions; he's partially to blame for the tragic death of his best friend and is struggling daily with the guilt as each new milestone in his life, brings back memories of the loss of a young life.
The author is successful at showing character growth and development. As both Olivia and Nix struggle to find their identities, whilst dealing with the complexities for their mutual feelings for one another. As a reader we feel their emotions whether good or bad. I love the unexpected twist in the storyline and whilst I despair at the heartbreak is causes one character, I equally applaud the responsibility and maturity of the other. And then there is Mandy, who stayed true to her roots but who in the end, couldn't cope with the results of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Overall Guarded Hearts has all the qualities I love in a story. Likable and relate-able characters, angst and romance with added heat & sizzle. I'm wondering if we'll hear more from Olivia, Nix and Mandy in the future, because for me, there is at least one unanswered question, however that didn't detract from my overall pleasure of reading this book.
***Arc received in exchange for an honest review.***

Leli and Aimee are Texas-Natives who reside in the Rio Grande Valley. They work in the medical field and have evolved into New Adult Romance authors. Both share a passion for HEA.
Their love for books helped them decide to purse their dream of writing. When they are not working or writing, Leli spends her day reading and adding new book boyfriends to her list, her kindle/iPad is never far from her. Aimee spends her time with her kids being a taxi to their various extra-curricular activities and her iPad is never far either.

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