Braking Hard

“Braking Hard”, by Gloria Joynt-Lang, (The Wild Rose Press), was a very enjoyable read, with well developed, unique and lovable characters. I loved the author’s dry humor and I found myself laughing several times.
The writing and the storyline were great. The slow-burn romance moves slowly but steadily, as our beloved hero breaks all the obstacles (and having to battle his own demons in the end).
Having read recently a few books featuring heroes with ADHD, I found this story the most in-depth approach to the condition. Gage’s struggle is shown – there’s lots of showing – through several situations and problems and the depiction of the condition seems very thorough and realistic. I loved how the author weaves details about ADHD into the narrative to tell Gage’s story.
Gage is such a sweet, handsome man! The characterization is amazing and I also created a visual image of him. Falling head over heels for our original heroine is so endearing.
Eden is great, too. The setting, their work, the shop, the secondary characters are also engaging.

Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the chance to read and review Breaking Hard by Gloria Joynt-Lang prior to publication. A fascinating glimpse at a young man living with severe ADHD. My opinions are my own and are not influenced by receiving a complimentary e-copy.

Breaking Hard caught my attention from the first page and kept me enmeshed until the end. The pacing is fast when the story calls for it and slower at other times, making this book an entertaining reading experience. Her characters are well-developed, and the author made them so appealing, I easily fell in love with them. I only found one other book by Ms. Joynt-Lang, which is only available in print, or I would be downloading it!

Eden Sampario’s character has plenty of guts. Her occupation is not typical for a woman, but Eden is determined to prove she’s an expert mechanic in a male-dominated career. While I’m not normally enthused by a heroine with an occupation like hers, Ms. Joynt-Lang had me liking her from the start and made her career choice perfect for her. It was easy for me to become vested in her character.

Gage O’Neill is one of the most unique heroes I’ve stumbled across in a romance novel. He is engaging in a quirky way. Not only is he attractive, he’s a truly nice guy who understands his limitations due to his challenges. He suffers from ADHD. Ms. Joynt-Lang either did a ton of research or knows someone who suffers from this affliction. She paints an accurate picture of the disorder. I loved this aspect of the story because it made me fall in love with Gage immediately.

I too have individuals in my life who suffer from ADHD. When she describes Gage’s issue with tactile sensory overload, I identified right away. Sensory Integration is a very real issue for individuals with ADHD. I have two grandchildren with this disorder, each on a different end of the spectrum.

The romance between Eden and Gage is lovely, and I truly wanted them to find their happy ending. While there is a strong physical attraction between the couple, their emotional connection is what I enjoyed the most. I loved Eden’s easy acceptance and willingness to understand Gage. I also loved Gage’s acceptance of Eden into male-controlled environment. They are perfect for each other!

If you are looking for an engaging romance between unique characters that will tug at your heart from the start, and one with more substance than is normally found in contemporary romance, then you will love Breaking Hard as much as I did. I strongly urge you to read this amazing novel. Happy reading!

Well written.
Interesting storyline even though a bit slow.
Good chemistry between the characters. A story that makes you feel.

I loved it and was into it from page one.

Beautiful cover. And great line : "Welcome to Big C's automotive shop, a place where more than cars overheat."

Thank you to NetGalley and The Wild Rose Press for the ARC of this book. This is my honest review. All opinions are my own.