Review by Elle Howard -- Heartaches 3 by H.M. Irwing

[Elle Howard]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Heartaches 3" by H.M. Irwing.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Heartaches 3: Bad Boy Vibes is the final novel in a series of romance novels written by H.M. Irwing. It is the culmination of the love story of rape victims Anna Walters-Simmons and Rafe (Raphael) Brown. This novel is categorized as a romance. However, there is a sufficient amount of action, adventure, and mystery to make this book appealing to fans of those genres.

We first met the main characters, Anna and Rafe, in Heartaches: Bad Boy Vibes. They were dealing with the aftermath of being brutally raped by people that they trusted. While trying to get justice against Anna’s attackers, they learned that the legal system tends to blame the victim. In Heartaches 2: Bad Boy Vibes, Anna and Rafe were enjoying being a couple and trying to put the past behind them. They had made powerful enemies that were joining forces to separate the couple. Their friends rallied around them and plans were made to get revenge against their tormentors. Heartaches 3: Bad Boy Vibes resumes where the second novel ends. Anna has matured into a strong, decisive woman. She seems to be coping with her sexual assault and is trying look forward to her future after graduation. She continues to have nightmares about her role in her rape. Rafe also struggles with ugly demons from his past. He clings to Anna as she is the only person he feels he can trust. Anna and Rafe launch the plan to avenge their rapes and ensure that no other person falls victim to their tormentors. But will pursuing revenge bring them closer together or will it tear their relationship apart?

I am a huge fan of this series. I love the characters and how realistically the author has written them. I also like how each novel proceeds exactly where the previous novel ends. Every character in this series plays a role in progressing the story. As I read Heartache 3: Bad Boy Vibes, I was amazed at how well the author integrated even the seemingly minor characters from the first two books into this final novel. Every character in this series has been selected with a purpose. You will not know what that purpose is until you finish reading this final novel in the series. This book was the shortest of the three novels and the most action packed. It reads quickly and I was completely immersed in this story. You do not have to read the previous books to enjoy this novel. However, to fully appreciate the complex relationships between the characters, I would recommend reading the other novels first.

If I had any criticism of this novel, it would be that the main characters, Anna and Rafe, spend a lot of time blaming themselves for being sexually assaulted. Their relationship is based on the bond they share from being assault victims. I would like to have seen some mention of professional counselling or at least more involvement of their families. Their love story is beautifully written but there is a lot of shame and embarrassment that probably could have been used to educate on organizations that assist victims of sexual assault and abuse.

Heartaches 3: Bad Boy Vibes is the final novel in a well-written and highly entertaining series. The novel seems to have been professionally edited and is well organized. This book is relatively shorter and faster paced than the other two novels. The plot moves very quickly as many of the mysteries from the first two novels are revealed. I was entertained from cover to cover and happily rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. It is my hope that the author might consider writing additional books using these amazing characters. Please be advised that there is a lot of graphic sexual content in this novel. If you are opposed to alternative sexual orientations, then this probably is not the book for you.

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Heartaches 3
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