Braking Brandon by Elizabeth Reyes
Breaking Brandon - Fate Series by Elizabeth Reyes
Book 2 of The Fate Series, introduces us to what happened to Brandon Billings following him leaving for the Marines.
"The Past is Prologue" is Brandon's mantra, and the past has been far from kind to him. A loner for much of his life in the same neighbourhood as the Moreno family, Brandon was always on the fringes - tolerated by the brothers and befriended by Sofia the sister, he was accepted as the odd ball but he had a bit part in their life - which was more than he had in his own.His feelings for Sofia were strong enough for him to believe that he loved her - only to have the brothers turn against him when on a home visit from the Marines to visit his sick father, he tries to convey his feelings to her.
His father was a cold man who showed no affection for this son, a fact that would mould Brandon into shape that was unsustainable.When his father died - Brandon barely said goodbye - and as he walked away from the cremetry he determined that he would never visit his fathers grave again. Selling up and relocating - Brandon experiences the most hidious of events - the horrific death of this mother, he closes down and does the only thing he can cope with -he reports for duty!
Brandon takes deployment back to California and at the airport and briefly encounters the unforgetable Regina Brady. Regina is returning home to California from New York following the death of her husband, taking with her a sea of darkness and an unreasonable hatred for motorcycles, Regina settles in to her new job at on the local militay base only to come accross the brooding Gunnery Sergeant Billings- again!
The relationship between Brandon and Regina is far from conventional - Brandon has rules that he lives by- both those of the Marine Corps and his own. Regina has her own demons and a family that like to play their part.
A brutally honest relationship between the two of them sets off on an unconventional footing but is both passionate and completely sensual until the past rears its ugly head.
Regina's ties to the Monero family are unbreakable but Brandon's history with Sofia gives cause for concern but larger events envelope their lives and the circumstance is not kind to either Regina or Brandon. In her moment of need - his past has strained their relationship and in her moment of sorrow she can only see his pain.
Two souls forever destined to hold each other together - Brandon and Regina's story is lovely - Brandon is not an easy person but then again I doubt any of us would be if we had been through what he had. His character has an honesty about him that is engaging- my empathy for him was complete. Regina's past was heartbreaking and I liked her from the off - a strong woman who buried her pain and got on with life but who I never forgot.
A great addition to the library of work by Ms Reyes, easily devoured and utterly charming.
Rating 4.5 out 5