A review by read_on_reader
Tortured Souls by Nikki J. Summers

5.0

Brandon Mathers is the epitome of a bad boy who doesn’t care what others think and isn’t afraid to let them know exactly how he feels. He is loyal to his best mates, the other Renaissance Men, and would do anything for them, that was until he thought they all abandoned him. From the ending of Renegade Hearts, I knew my heart was in for one h3ll of a ride and I was not wrong. Brandon is hotheaded and there are times when his anger blinds him, sending him on a rage, but deep down there is also a broken soul just wanting to be loved.
When his life seems to have completely imploded, he is left all alone hiding in the shadows watching as everyone else moves forward in their lives while he is stuck with pain and anger. My heart bled for Brandon because even though at times he flew off the handle or said things that could be harsh, I just knew he was masking his own pain and fears. When a tragic event sent him running, he found a new obsession other than fighting that kept him from going off the deep end and it came in the form of Harper.
Harper and Brandon’s path intersects in more than one way and even though they start as enemies they have a lot in common, but the pain they carry at the top of that list. Harper struggles with her grief and it is slowly eating away at the person she was creating a monster of revenge. She is determined to clear some things up but when things are brought to light will it be Brandon that brings her out of the darkness, or will he be her ultimate downfall?
This book packed a lot of punch in the emotions watching as two characters struggle with inner demons that eat away at the core of them. It also carries a bit of suspense that has twists coming out of left field that had me shocked. In Renegade Hearts I stated that I read the books all out of order and I did except I read this one after RH and I didn’t hate any characters as much in this one as I did in book 1, but at times I found Harper a struggle to tolerate. I understood her pain and process for grieving yet there were times she irritated me. I still love these characters and their stories; Brandon definitely deserves all the love.