A great powerful read about a woman who faced her fears, believed in herself and learning her worth. It was well written and easy to pick up and not want to put down.

This was a touching and heartbreaking story about a woman’s journey through being abused by her husband. It was difficult to witness the anguish of someone going through domestic violence, but it was extremely well written.

Thank you to NetGalley and Publishers for an early eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is so important. Lucas does such a wonderful job portraying emotional and physical abuse in an accurate light. Abusers aren't abusers 100% of the time. Sometimes it's subtle. When they're kind and loving they can be so kind and so loving. They break you down and gaslight you until you feel lie you're crazy or it's your fault, They isolate you from friends and family so that you have no way out, so that it's not as easy as just leaving. The trials Lina went through happen every day and many women have less of a support system and safety net than what she had. I slept on this book too long because I thought it was going to be super sad but the contrast between Lina's relationship with her abusive husband and the growing love between her and Noah kept the book from being too heavy. There were hard moments but there were also moments of joy and hope and love. Also, Bhani Turpin is a goddess of a narrator so the audiobook is the way to go! I couldn't put it down. 100% recommend.

A powerful read! I could not put this book down. I was rooting for Lina from the beginning. Her resilience, despite the gaslighting and terror from her husband, is amazing. Her strength of character for her children is incredible. Lina captured my heart. I am so glad I got to read this!

'Paper Doll Lina': 4⭐

(Thank you to @netgalley, @robynlucas and the publishers for allowing me to read this eArc copy in exchange for a review.)

Okay, this was a debut novel? WHAT?! What a strong start of a career in writing, let me tell you! A beautiful word-telling and so, so accurate that tells the story of how emotional abuse can impact you. It's a hidden crime nowadays and it's very hard for people around us to notice when we're being abused.

Lina and David are an example of this. Lina wants to make David happy but she can't seem to do so. No matter how much she tries, he keeps bringing her down, keeps bullying her and she feels she is nothing more than a paper doll!

Very important read!

Well written, touching story about a womans journey out of being abused by her husband. Good character development. A bit slow at times but very much worth the read.

4 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the Author and publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

"𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘰𝘭𝘭. 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘶𝘱" - Robyn Lucas, Paper Doll Lina

💜𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁
-On the outside, Lina Henry appears to ‘have it all’ living with her charming investment banker husband David, two teenaged children in an affluent Atlanta suburb.

-On the inside, Lina likens herself to a fragile paper doll who wears the clothes to her husband’s tastes and is easily crumbled and torn.

-Lina, and eventually the kids, walk on eggshells whenever David is home, anxious that any words or action may trigger him.

-The kids have developed a website for teens that has gained some national attention, and they are invited to appear on a famous talk show. While in LA, Lina meets famous superhero film actor Noah Attoh, and they begin an unlikely friendship.

💜𝗜 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁
-This may be a difficult book for anyone who has experienced domestic violence, especially emotional abuse but there are also moments of light and hope.

-Lina’s husband showers her with lavish gifts and family trips to Disney but, at the same time, isolates her from her friends and colleagues., There’s a growing sense of dread as his manipulative behavior intensifie.

-Lina finds solace in a friendship she forms with a handsome movie star, Noah. As unlikely as this scenario seems, their relationship provides some lighter moments that offer hope but not necessarily the solution.

-A best friend from college, Nancy, comes back into Lina’s life at the right time providing support as Lina starts putting the pieces of her life back together.

-This book feels authentic because parts are based on the author & survivor’s own experiences.

Thank you to @robynlwriter @kccpr @amazonpublishing and @letstalkbookspromo for the eARC of this book. Opinions are mine.

Paper Doll Lina by Robyn Lucas is a breathtaking work of fiction that mirrors the reality of so many people.

Lina Henry is the wife of David Henry, a successful and very well connected investment banker. They have two teenage children and on the outside, their family is picture perfect; what has been kept hidden however, is the real David, the narcissistic David that is abusive to his family. Throughout the novel, Lina desperately tries to hold on to her dream of celebrating milestone wedding anniversaries while trying to reconcile David’s toxic behavior. The reader is able to see what happens behind closed doors in this marriage and the whirlwind that abuse truly is. Robyn Lucas showcases, with authenticity, why “just leaving” is never as simple as it sounds and illustrates with care, the scars of not only physical abuse but the psychological affects of emotional abuse as well. Because this novel is categorized as a contemporary romance, there is much needed levity. However, before Lina can fully embrace what she truly deserves, she must “breathe life back into Paper Doll Lina. To transform herself from David’s two dimensional puppet to something better …greater”.


Review has been submitted to Goodreads Amazon and Barnes and Nobel and will soon be featured on my bookstagram Instagram page @balancedbookshelf where I highlight diverse authors and genres. If there are other preference platforms please advise and I will post the review there as well. Thank you for this amazing story and please keep me in mind for future ARCs.

A phenomenally written book. Poignant and oddly beautiful given the subject matter this is a book. I will recommend this book to all for years to come. It is such an important read for all.

I am of two minds regarding this book. On the one hand, it is heartbreaking and so difficult to see Lina go through literal hell. I had such a hard time reading all of this, honestly I hated it in a lot of parts. It’s terrible to watch the pain and anguish of someone going through domestic violence. It hurt my heart.

On the other hand, it was well written and very thoughtful, does a good job delving into Lina’s psyche. I also loved how supportive Lina was of her kids efforts, and how supportive her friend Nancy was.

Overall, this is not a book I will reread.

The book gives off vibes of the Stepford wives and I enjoyed it until the end. Nothing is it seems from the beginning and you don't know whether to have sympathies with the main character or not... Recommended.

A well done portrait of a woman coping with an abusive husband and then freeing herself. Lina's life might have looked perfect to others but she knows, as do her kids, that her husband David is emotionally and verbally abusive. Now, though, she's developed a relationship with Noah which surprises her in so many ways and forces her to look at how she''s been living. It's not sugar coated. Thanks to netgalley for the arc. A good read.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle by Lake Union Publishing and #NetGalley for my honest opinion.

This is a phenomenal look into abusive relationships. Things aren’t always what they seem, the grass isn’t always greener. Abuse comes in many forms. Don’t assume anything.

This was a compulsive, fast paced read, while also being difficult emotionally. My heart broke for Lina and her children as David manipulated them and continually found new and increasingly cruel ways to belittle and control them. I could not help but cheer her on as bit by bit she found the strength and resolve to find a way out.

While this is fiction, I really believe this novel is important. It highlights the many forms of abuse from financial to physical and also sheds light on the mental turmoil victims go through, and why they stay.

I highly recommend this book, it’s one that will stay with me.

Thank you to @robynlwriter @kccpr @amazonpublishing and @letstalkbookspromo for the complimentary eARC

This was an intense and captivating page turner that grabbed my attention and kept me reading until I reached the end. In addition to being a great read, perhaps the best aspect of this novel is how accurately it depicts the subtle nuances of abusive relationships. I believe this book will help many people, and I’m grateful to the author for her skilled storytelling..

Thanks to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book.

This was also another really gripping read. I could see it being chosen for Reese’s Book Club or something to that effect
Premise
Lina Henry is a wife and mother who likens herself to a pretty paper doll. She lives in a beautiful home in the Atlanta suburbs. Her husband, David, is a well-to-do investment banker. She’s raised two wonderful teenagers. To the outside world, the Henry family is perfect. What no one knows is that Lina’s paper doll life is being torn apart in a controlling and abusive marriage. When Lina develops an unexpected friendship with another man, and reconnects with her former best friend, she begins navigating a way out of the emotional minefield that is her home.
It kind of reminded me a bit of Jennifer Lopez’s Enough and the determination and skillful ness that it took to escape the abuse in her life. It was a very thought provoking and difficult read, but very gripping and a page turner that kept me reading into the early morning.

𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘱 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘺 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦.

𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭!

An intense, raw and difficult to read story about abuse.
Full of emotion this story kept me turning pages from start to finish, what a great debut. A great read, well written, with a good storyline and strong characters.

Thank you Netgalley, Robyn Lucas, Kathleen Carter Communications, Amazon Publishing and Let’s Talk Book Promo for this gifted copy.

𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦: 𝘗𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘞𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯’𝘴 𝘍𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘈𝘥𝘶𝘭𝘵 𝘍𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦.

https://www.instagram.com/booksandcoffeemx/

Paper Doll Lina covers a very difficult and emotional topic that many readers will resonate with - an emotionally abusive relationship. We read about family life and the toll of daily struggles in a unhappy and abusive marriage, the impact this has on children and slowly unwind how they relationship got so bad and how Lina can possibly escape from it intact.

The story also has the subplot of children who code and create a very successful sporting website and through this get elevated to low level stardom.

The book also includes race and interracial marriage, family and friendship tensions, corrupt cops and celebrity dating - THIS WAS ALOT, in my opinion some aspects of this really detracted from the story, personally I think the book would have been much more powerful without the celebrity encounters.

The book is very readable although the content is tough to read at times, the characters are portrayed well - I especially thought Lina wasn’t too whingeing which is difficult when someone is really questioning their life choices and I wanted to know what happened even if the ending was a little predictable.

Lina Henry has been married to David for years; he provides for her and their two teenage children very well. From the outside, they may even look like the perfect family. But Lina never knows which David she will get from moment to moment. She must dance on eggshells with her words and actions as to not evoke David’s jealousy, anger and verbal assaults. She feels as if she’s being held hostage in her own life.

When Lina gives her kids an opportunity to shine, it puts her and the kids straight in the path of David’s fury. Fortunately, a new friendship and the rekindling of a trusted old friend may be the saving grace Lina needs to escape this cruel marriage once and for all.

Paper Doll Lina is a powerful, heartbreaking story of what countless women go through in abusive relationships. Lucas expertly conveys the fear and terror of verbal and emotional abuse, gaslighting, and physical harm as well.

𝘐 𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴, 𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯.

💟 No one has the right to make you feel less than or unworthy. 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿! If you feel unsafe or are in an abusive relationship, please get help.
NATIONAL DOMESTIC ABUSE HOTLINE: 1-800-7999-SAFE

Thank you to @robynlwriter @kccpr @amazonpublishing and @letstalkbookspromo for this gifted copy.

Be warned- this is an emotional ride. This is a powerful story about one woman’s struggle to find herself among the chaos that is behind closed doors. The author did a fantastic job with the characters and bringing to light domestic abuse and the many forms it can take. The psychological aspect is completely unnerving and will unfortunately hit home for so many readers. Nancy, Lina’s best friend, was a side character I particularly loved. It seemed to be the turning point in the book-everyone needs a Nancy in their lives.

Thank you for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review