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A review by queerlitloft
Breaking Down Her Walls by Erin Zak
5.0
This is the first solo book i've read by Erin Zak - i've previously read her colloboration with other authors, in the book titled Swift Vengenance (go read it, it's ace!)
I really enjoyed Breaking Down Her Walls, i'm not a huge romance reader but i feel like Zak could be the one to win me over to reading more from this genre.
There's a unique style to Zak's writing that i can't quite put my finger on, but it makes for great story telling.
Breaking Down Her Walls is an emotional journey for all involved, but particularly the main characters, Julia and Elena. Their individual and shared journeys to overcome their past traumas and to learn to trust again is touchingly sweet. It's also set over what i feel, is a realistic timescale, and as such you'd probably consider this a slow burn romance.
That's not to say that the heat doesn't ramp up - Zak clearly knows how to take sexual tension to the brink and back again, before skillfully writing the inevitable explosion of hotness.
Aside from the main romance arc, there's a few supporting characters that fit well into the overall plot, in particular Cole and Elijiah are firm favourites - who add a dash of light heartedness and humor inamongst all the angst and emotional tension.
Zak also does a really good job of providing just the right level of information about ranching and riding horses. It's enough to properly set the scene and bring you, and all your senses, into the story without being so detailed as to be overbearing and detract from the story being told. The depiction of Julia's relationship with her horse Leia, is another level entirely and made me want to go ride a horse by the time i'd put the book down.
Overall, a really great read. An emotional rollercoaster on all fronts, but with a healthy dose of heat and light heartedness in there too.
Plus i picked up a new word - 'lollygagging', which is always a welcome bonus!
I really enjoyed Breaking Down Her Walls, i'm not a huge romance reader but i feel like Zak could be the one to win me over to reading more from this genre.
There's a unique style to Zak's writing that i can't quite put my finger on, but it makes for great story telling.
Breaking Down Her Walls is an emotional journey for all involved, but particularly the main characters, Julia and Elena. Their individual and shared journeys to overcome their past traumas and to learn to trust again is touchingly sweet. It's also set over what i feel, is a realistic timescale, and as such you'd probably consider this a slow burn romance.
That's not to say that the heat doesn't ramp up - Zak clearly knows how to take sexual tension to the brink and back again, before skillfully writing the inevitable explosion of hotness.
Aside from the main romance arc, there's a few supporting characters that fit well into the overall plot, in particular Cole and Elijiah are firm favourites - who add a dash of light heartedness and humor inamongst all the angst and emotional tension.
Zak also does a really good job of providing just the right level of information about ranching and riding horses. It's enough to properly set the scene and bring you, and all your senses, into the story without being so detailed as to be overbearing and detract from the story being told. The depiction of Julia's relationship with her horse Leia, is another level entirely and made me want to go ride a horse by the time i'd put the book down.
Overall, a really great read. An emotional rollercoaster on all fronts, but with a healthy dose of heat and light heartedness in there too.
Plus i picked up a new word - 'lollygagging', which is always a welcome bonus!