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e_dav_29's review against another edition
4.0
Awesome start. I'm looking forward to the next one. I love each of the guys they really balance ecahother out. Lay reactions at the funeral nearly made me cry so warning to those who don't like sad parts, this book will definitely hit you in the feels, but it's worth it.
bookwormbetty's review against another edition
5.0
so good
So good, and heart breaking. This story has it all, and you don’t know what is coming next. The characters are great and well developed. I can’t wait to read more.
So good, and heart breaking. This story has it all, and you don’t know what is coming next. The characters are great and well developed. I can’t wait to read more.
debbie2232's review against another edition
4.0
Please check TWs before reading this book!
It definitely wasn’t an easy read for me at times, but it was a really interesting story. I liked that Alayna is such a strong independent character even after all the awful things she has been through. The guys are definitely a**holes in the beginning of this book, but they start to become really protective of Alayna and very understanding of what she has been through. Declan….. Well, I won’t spoil anything, but that part of the story really broke my heart. I really enjoyed this unique story even though it had some hard parts to read. It is definitely not for the faint of heart. It’s a very heartbreaking and graphic story, but the writing is very well done. And in this book it shows that Alayna is trying her best to stay strong and keep going everyday. The guys are great and I think they will be really helpful to Alayna in the next one.
Overall I’d give this one 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It definitely wasn’t an easy read for me at times, but it was a really interesting story. I liked that Alayna is such a strong independent character even after all the awful things she has been through. The guys are definitely a**holes in the beginning of this book, but they start to become really protective of Alayna and very understanding of what she has been through. Declan….. Well, I won’t spoil anything, but that part of the story really broke my heart. I really enjoyed this unique story even though it had some hard parts to read. It is definitely not for the faint of heart. It’s a very heartbreaking and graphic story, but the writing is very well done. And in this book it shows that Alayna is trying her best to stay strong and keep going everyday. The guys are great and I think they will be really helpful to Alayna in the next one.
Overall I’d give this one 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
kfriend's review against another edition
5.0
Emotional, raw, honest, and gripping- Save Me is hands down S.A. Mackenzie’s best work to date, and I suspect it will be a career defining moment for her as a newly established author. You can feel Mackenzie’s heart and soul bleeding out on the page with every word. This story hurts, it’s traumatic in places and heartbreaking in others, but there is a beautiful beacon of hope that permeates it, too. Because at its heart, this is a story (or at least the start of one) about healing and the power of connection in the face of incredible pain, grief, and trauma.
Please do take note of the trigger warnings. SA brings a brutal but important realness to this story when it comes to dealing with sensitive topics- she goes there, she does not hold back. PTSD, abuse, suicide, emotional and physical trauama, and dark elements all make their way to the pages of this story. SA is giving us an unflinching look that characters are in varying degrees of despair and emotional rock bottomness. It is hauntingly beautiful and tragic, and it is emotionally consuming and heavy. But her honesty pays off- as long as you are a reader who can handle these triggers. This is by far her most complex, most emotionally dynamic cast of characters to date. They are so real, so captivating, and so honest. There is a real integrity to the story telling- these are characters confronting their own pain from both the past and the present- and we FEEL it all.
This is also a slower burn- and one that I think makes a lot of sense for who these characters are. The result is that SA really invests in their emotional chemistry- she doubles down on the emotional intimacy that our heroine and heroes develop as they start to open up and lean on each other, as they become more vulnerable. And it’s really a beautiful thing- I feel so hard for our heroes, and I feel such a kinship for Alayna. They do connect quickly, but SA then builds dynamics and nuance to their original spark. And, when we start to understand more about everyone and their own baggage, we start to see how they feel such affinity for one another- because of their connection to emotional pain and loss.
As the story progresses, we also start to see some dark mystery and suspense unfold, a nice parallel to the emotional journey of our characters. As they continue to confront the parts of their past weighing them down in the present, our present day mystery action will likely not only catalyze that growth but also inspire more closeness among them.
While I know this story will get much harder emotionally before these characters find a semblance of an HEA, I’m ready for more. This is powerful and vulnerable story telling, and most certainly is a testament to talents of SA Mackenzie and what we can expect in this next chapter of her writing career.
Please do take note of the trigger warnings. SA brings a brutal but important realness to this story when it comes to dealing with sensitive topics- she goes there, she does not hold back. PTSD, abuse, suicide, emotional and physical trauama, and dark elements all make their way to the pages of this story. SA is giving us an unflinching look that characters are in varying degrees of despair and emotional rock bottomness. It is hauntingly beautiful and tragic, and it is emotionally consuming and heavy. But her honesty pays off- as long as you are a reader who can handle these triggers. This is by far her most complex, most emotionally dynamic cast of characters to date. They are so real, so captivating, and so honest. There is a real integrity to the story telling- these are characters confronting their own pain from both the past and the present- and we FEEL it all.
This is also a slower burn- and one that I think makes a lot of sense for who these characters are. The result is that SA really invests in their emotional chemistry- she doubles down on the emotional intimacy that our heroine and heroes develop as they start to open up and lean on each other, as they become more vulnerable. And it’s really a beautiful thing- I feel so hard for our heroes, and I feel such a kinship for Alayna. They do connect quickly, but SA then builds dynamics and nuance to their original spark. And, when we start to understand more about everyone and their own baggage, we start to see how they feel such affinity for one another- because of their connection to emotional pain and loss.
As the story progresses, we also start to see some dark mystery and suspense unfold, a nice parallel to the emotional journey of our characters. As they continue to confront the parts of their past weighing them down in the present, our present day mystery action will likely not only catalyze that growth but also inspire more closeness among them.
While I know this story will get much harder emotionally before these characters find a semblance of an HEA, I’m ready for more. This is powerful and vulnerable story telling, and most certainly is a testament to talents of SA Mackenzie and what we can expect in this next chapter of her writing career.
bookish_dandan's review against another edition
5.0
Oh my gosh, my heart and all the feels! This book hits for the word go! The author breaks you, only to put you back together again! Such important topics, that aren’t spoken about when something like this happens, show up in this book to educate while you read! I loved this book and I can’t wait for the next one!
daleyjel's review against another edition
5.0
Wow! Save Me was dark and raw but so good! It has several triggers so be warned but it was quite the page turner. Can’t wait for the next book!
redsbookreads's review against another edition
5.0
Wow. This book is amazing. Make sure you read the trigger warnings first as this may trigger some people. The storyline however is just amazing and hits you hard. I don’t think I’ve read another book where the first in the series hits you so hard - I was crying fairly early on I have to admit. The way the mental health was approached was respectful and realistic without being purely for shock factor or to draw the story out and the same was done for the history and back story for the characters. I love how you got to slowly understand the emotions and motivations of the men as well. I can’t wait to see how the rest of the series evolves. 100% recommend this book.
nessan651's review against another edition
5.0
Omg this book, how on earth did I manage to read it all without having a mental breakdown.
The first half of this book had me crying like a newborn baby, Lay(alayna) the main female character has literally been through hell and back and her only saving angel was her first love and now after finding him again she has to go through hell all over again.
My heart broke for her and also want to say thank you for the dedication at the beginning of this book as a fellow mental health sufferer it's great to see someone acknowledge it
The first half of this book had me crying like a newborn baby, Lay(alayna) the main female character has literally been through hell and back and her only saving angel was her first love and now after finding him again she has to go through hell all over again.
My heart broke for her and also want to say thank you for the dedication at the beginning of this book as a fellow mental health sufferer it's great to see someone acknowledge it
literarypostcards's review against another edition
2.0
I finished this book five days ago and I’ve forgotten what it’s about and what my thoughts were.
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