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alexperc_92's review
5.0
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Review can be found on the blog tour post on *Milky Way of Books*
The Debt could be summarized in few sentences with ununderstandable words and lots of tears and some smiles.
As one of the stand-alone stories from the Pact series, this beauty is also one of the most emotional, strongest books I've ever read by Karina Halle. Keir and Jessica both fight their own demons, he from his memories in Afganistan and she from the horrible incident which left her crippled.
And both try to find solace in each other, which leads them to gradually fall in love. But the point with this book is not just the swoon-worthy hero who looks a lot like Gerald Butler, nor the Scottish landscapes which are a challenge themselves.
Is the way Karina represents issues like PTSD, the survivor's guilt and how difficult relationships can be when two people don't know what they want from each other. It tore me to see Jessica try to come to terms with her situations and how Keir's horrible nightmares made him feel like he sometimes didn't deserve to be alive.
But I also loved how both, in the end, wanted to continue living to battle their demons and survive. This book was strong, a true gem in setting representation to issues many people deal with every day and they fear to speak to their loved ones.
I hope Karina Halle will always be one of the authors who will write not only about sexy heroes and heroines but also represent issues of this society and how these people can overcome them.
Truly recommended! ;)
The Debt could be summarized in few sentences with ununderstandable words and lots of tears and some smiles.
As one of the stand-alone stories from the Pact series, this beauty is also one of the most emotional, strongest books I've ever read by Karina Halle. Keir and Jessica both fight their own demons, he from his memories in Afganistan and she from the horrible incident which left her crippled.
And both try to find solace in each other, which leads them to gradually fall in love. But the point with this book is not just the swoon-worthy hero who looks a lot like Gerald Butler, nor the Scottish landscapes which are a challenge themselves.
Is the way Karina represents issues like PTSD, the survivor's guilt and how difficult relationships can be when two people don't know what they want from each other. It tore me to see Jessica try to come to terms with her situations and how Keir's horrible nightmares made him feel like he sometimes didn't deserve to be alive.
But I also loved how both, in the end, wanted to continue living to battle their demons and survive. This book was strong, a true gem in setting representation to issues many people deal with every day and they fear to speak to their loved ones.
I hope Karina Halle will always be one of the authors who will write not only about sexy heroes and heroines but also represent issues of this society and how these people can overcome them.
Truly recommended! ;)
hijinx_abound's review against another edition
4.0
Karina knows how to write an heartbreaking romance the right way. None of her couples have an easy time but man the books are really good. I loved Jess and Kier. Broken and running from pasts they can’t out run. The way their stories intersected was not something I’d read before and there were several times where I held my breath waiting for the implosion. I love this series and can’t wait to read more by this author.
mandy_pandy's review against another edition
5.0
I've read a lot by this author but I think this might be my favorite book of hers. There is something so special about these characters. Both of them are broken in their own ways but they are incredibly strong and bring out the best in each other. Keir McGregor is the ultimate book boyfriend. I adored Keir - he is handsome and strong but he struggles with his guilt and PTSD. I really loved Keir and Jessica together, and the steamy scenes were super hot. I honestly can't find the words to describe how beautiful this romance was. This author does a really fantastic job of bringing out your emotions while reading and bringing these characters to life. I can't recommend this book enough! It was fantastic! This is a top pick of 2016 for me and a book I look forward to re-reading in the future.
thewordslinger's review
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Apathetic 3 stars.
It wasn't bad. Coming from the last book, it's fucking Shakespeare. It's predictable, and I wish Halle had spent as much time on this one as she did with Lachlan and Kayla's story. The topic of PTSD is a deep and difficult one to represent properly in such a short novel.
Reader's Notes:
[Prologue: Already this book has more substance than the last one. And we haven't even gotten into the book properly. PTSD is a real thing, and too many of our soldiers suffer and get lost in the system. This is both horrific and terribly sad.
Chapter 2: I don't really know why Kier has decided to track this Jessica woman down, it seems like a flimsy excuse to have a meet cute. I think I would have preferred if they'd met by happenstance and he hadn't known at first who she was. The fact that he's been looking for her feels forced.
Chapter 5: I will say that so far this seems pretty realistic for military life and those who get out feeling adrift without any real way to start over as a civilian.
Chapter 10: Probably not the best idea to have two people suffering from acute PTSD dating each other lol. I think I would have preferred if one or the other wasn't like this... the way it is, it almost feels like a competition.
This woman is so vain. "Nobody's gonna love me because my leg's ugly" ... I mean I get the PTSD and the physical therapy being a bitch... but honestly?
God the toenail painting scene is super cute. Although, I never thought I'd be reading about a foot-fetish lol.
Chapter 14: Woof. Really? Another pregnancy bomb? It's not the same, exactly, but God.
Chapter 15: I will say this road trip is making me want to travel Scotland. The descriptions make the scenery sound stunning.
Good god these secrets are way too heavy for such a short book... and I'm not sure us finding out about Jessica's sister's trauma is... right. Or necessary.
Chapter 17: So she's all righteously angry about his lie, when she lied to him first. This is always the part of these books that I loathe. It's never a good reason for a break up. The women are always emotional idiots. The men are always weak, stupid morons who don't do the right thing. It never freakin' changes. I just don't care any more.
Chapter 20: Let's remember they've been together a grand total of 3 weeks, folks.
It wasn't bad. Coming from the last book, it's fucking Shakespeare. It's predictable, and I wish Halle had spent as much time on this one as she did with Lachlan and Kayla's story. The topic of PTSD is a deep and difficult one to represent properly in such a short novel.
Reader's Notes:
[Prologue: Already this book has more substance than the last one. And we haven't even gotten into the book properly. PTSD is a real thing, and too many of our soldiers suffer and get lost in the system. This is both horrific and terribly sad.
Chapter 2: I don't really know why Kier has decided to track this Jessica woman down, it seems like a flimsy excuse to have a meet cute. I think I would have preferred if they'd met by happenstance and he hadn't known at first who she was. The fact that he's been looking for her feels forced.
Chapter 5: I will say that so far this seems pretty realistic for military life and those who get out feeling adrift without any real way to start over as a civilian.
Chapter 10: Probably not the best idea to have two people suffering from acute PTSD dating each other lol. I think I would have preferred if one or the other wasn't like this... the way it is, it almost feels like a competition.
This woman is so vain. "Nobody's gonna love me because my leg's ugly" ... I mean I get the PTSD and the physical therapy being a bitch... but honestly?
God the toenail painting scene is super cute. Although, I never thought I'd be reading about a foot-fetish lol.
Chapter 14: Woof. Really? Another pregnancy bomb? It's not the same, exactly, but God.
Chapter 15: I will say this road trip is making me want to travel Scotland. The descriptions make the scenery sound stunning.
Good god these secrets are way too heavy for such a short book... and I'm not sure us finding out about Jessica's sister's trauma is... right. Or necessary.
Chapter 17: So she's all righteously angry about his lie, when she lied to him first. This is always the part of these books that I loathe. It's never a good reason for a break up. The women are always emotional idiots. The men are always weak, stupid morons who don't do the right thing. It never freakin' changes. I just don't care any more.
Chapter 20: Let's remember they've been together a grand total of 3 weeks, folks.
laceyslibrarybooksta's review against another edition
4.0
Very, very intense. The perfect combination of romance and angst. This book is highly emotional and definitely a good read. Take caution in the prologue, that's where the book really shows what happens to the main character, Jessica. After is just how she deals with what she went through and is honestly one of the strongest characters I've ever seen is a book.
sbauer16's review against another edition
5.0
Karina has always been my favorite authors when it comes to contemporary romance. Her writing is always so beautiful! While reading The Debt the trip Keir and Jessica took was so detailed it seemed like I was there with them.
I absolutely loved everything about this book and wouldn't change a thing. My heart was pounding when I first started reading it. Karina sure knows how to start a book! Both Jessica and Keir are broken in some way or another, but it didn't make them any less strong characters. It was amazing when both of them were together and healing each other through their demons.
Sadly I think this is the last McGregor, but I'm hoping and praying that will change sometime in the future. These books are just so incredible I can NEVER get enough of them.
jdmoates23's review
5.0
Unlike any other book
I loved this book. It was so different and so raw. So many emotions! Karina never disappoints! Must read this!
I loved this book. It was so different and so raw. So many emotions! Karina never disappoints! Must read this!
syndi3's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It has been a while since last time I read McGregor's series. I have tk re read my own reviews on the other books in this series.
The Debt certainly have that appeal. A romance that started from guilt and then became real. I love Keir. Even his name is sexy. But Jessica.... she needs a while for me to sink in. She is a drama queen. Because of her drama queen character, it took me a while to understand her.
At the end, I still feel lukewarm toward her.
Miss Halle done a fantastic job describing Scotland. Such fantastic and romantic place.
The Debt certainly have that appeal. A romance that started from guilt and then became real. I love Keir. Even his name is sexy. But Jessica.... she needs a while for me to sink in. She is a drama queen. Because of her drama queen character, it took me a while to understand her.
At the end, I still feel lukewarm toward her.
Miss Halle done a fantastic job describing Scotland. Such fantastic and romantic place.