| Title | : | Circle of Hurt |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 229 |
| Publication | : | First published March 13, 2020 |
Except now a new storm rages in the distance - one I have no choice but to pass through. I have no idea if the child I'm carrying belongs to my husband... or to the man I've betrayed him with - a man I've come to love but whose name I don't know.
What I do know is that I'm a cheat. A liar. Undeserving of this baby inside me.
I don't know how this will end. But I do know it won't be without casualties, because this is a story in which a true happy ending cannot exist.
A story of how my love for one grew into three but must end with only two.
Circle of Hurt Reviews
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I’ve read cheating before and believe me it’s not right. But if an author can make me believe that they are right for each other and just have to be and in the end they are. But this is not the case here. So I need to just move on.
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CIRCLE OF HURT is my first book by this author and I'm glad I read it, I know many people stay away from books with Cheating but it's never been a deterrent for me but it's also not something I go out and look for in a book either. This story was Raw, Heartbreaking, and Real. CIRCLE OF HURT had me hoping for one outcome while praying for another.
You can read my full review along with an Excerpt and enter a giveaway here:
bit.ly/NBReviewCOH
Where you can find me:
https://linktr.ee/NadineBookaholic -
Circle of Hurt will release on 3/13. I apologize if any of you got an alert today announcing publication. The release date was moved. Thank you for your patience <3
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I took a couple of days to bring high of emotions down. Circle of Hurt cut in deep. I have dabbled in a few books that go around with this trope. But it never felt so raw as in Circle of Hurt. The choice that is the hardest to make. I am still shaking after the roller coaster we went through.
The angst and drama hit me square in the eyes. I was soaking in the words and energy. I don't want to give any spoilers. But I have to sing this books praises.
Angst ...Check
Hurt....Check
Hard to breathe...Check
Frazzled at the end..Check Check Check! -
Morgan and Aaron were once a happily married couple, now they struggle to communicate, spend very little time doing things together, and their love life has become solely focused on trying to have conceive, instead of enjoying their intimate time with one another. Their struggle to have a child has started to drive a wedge between them, and push them in different directions.
It ultimately pushes Morgan to fall into the arms of a stranger, and make decision to will change their lives in unimaginable ways...
The pages of Circle of Hurt hold an emotionally charged story that will break your heart and leave your emotions in complete disarray. There is no way that you can read this story without feeling something for these characters, it's words will have you fighting back the tears the whole way through. This one might not be for everyone as it has elements of cheating in it, but if you go in with an open and non-judgmental mind then I believe you can fully understand what leads them to make the decisions that they do. This is my first story from this author, and I have to say what she created here is pure literary magic, I loved every word of it! I liked it's brutal honesty, that it was messy and had a real life feel to it, and that it pushed boundaries a little bit, even ending without a typical happily ever after. I highly encourage you to take a chance on this one, it's destined to touch your heart!!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion. -
This one HURTS. Do not underestimate the title. If you're looking for a HEA this isn't really the place - there's an ending, and not a totally catastrophic one, some might even say happy but... yeah. It's one that is very real.
The writing is nothing short of masterful. Completely engaging and just beautiful to read.
Recommend, but be ready for all the emotions! -
Lauren Campbell always writes unique storylines. I'm always just so enthralled waiting to see what's going to happen.
Now with this book..
There is cheating which isn't really my jam but it doesn't bother me. I wouldn't consider the ending a HEA. At least not how I thought it would go with the two main characters. I see what the author was trying to do but for me to be OK with that ending I needed to see more of the connection between the significant others. Plus the whole mystery-solving aspect of the book had me doing a lot of skimming. I just didn't really care. All and all I liked it but I didn't love it.
UPDATE AND A SPOILER:
I’ve been thinking about this book and the ending just really makes no sense. OK so in the end Morgan tells Ryan that they need to be with their significant others. not exactly how I wanted it to end but I get the concept. What I don’t understand is WHY would Ryan be OK with not knowing if Morgan was carrying his child!?!? He’s a good dad! This guys daughter meant everything to him. It just isn’t feasible that he wouldn’t care if he had another child out there. -
Wow, what a rollercoaster ride with plenty of emotions. This book has you wanting to read it all in one sitting.
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To say that Morgan and Aaron are unhappy is an understatement. The toll of infertility has wreaked havoc on their marriage and she reacts by cheating with a man she meets, Ryan. But she and Ryan don't give each other their real names, so they don't know how to find each other other than their secret cell phones. And then one day she gets pregnant. Yep...and she's not sure who the father is. It's like a soap opera or something except it's much more real and much more painful to read than a cheesy soap.
Who she chooses and why is not something I'll spoil. But I will say that this is a hard story to read. Cheating isn't a hard limit for me in my reading (although in my every day life, it definitely is), so I wasn't hesitant to read this at all, and I'm glad I did even if it was painful to read. It's one big clusterfuck of messy, sloppy emotions and pain. Sigh...Morgan and her choices will certainly not be for everyone, but I understood why she did what she did. Can't say I liked it, but I understood and sympathized. Now, do I like who she chose? Not exactly, but it was probably for the best that she chose him. In the end I decided this is a good story. Not great, and the ending is WAY too rushed, but it's good, if super emotional and angsty af.
ARC via Give Me Books Promotions for an honest review.
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Circle of Hurt by Lauren Campbell was my first book from her and whoa. If you love angst this is the book for you!
This is a spoiler free zone so of course this is going to be super vague. This story hurt so good. It squeezed my heart and made it hurt a little, but surprisingly left me feeling whole and content. Still, you get a wild ride of emotions before you get there. These characters are so real and their choices aren’t cut and dry. I myself couldn’t choose and I think that speaks to the wonderful writing and storytelling. This story grips you and doesn’t let go. The ending is satisfying, but not a cookie cutter HEA.
I definitely recommend, just get ready to have your emotions wrung out. I’m excited for more from Lauren Campbell. 4 stars. -
I don't deliberately seek out books about cheating & at the same time I don't avoid them either. The author did a wonderful job with the characters, accessing all the struggles between the two couples, as well as the cheaters without me hating any of them. I wasn't fine however with some of their choices, some behaviors, the lack of decisiveness, the lies. No, these indiscretions did not sit well with me but truthfully, the thing that had me turning the pages was the human side of this book. I felt for each & every character, understood their reasoning without condoning it & was forced, yes forced because I had to find out how this big mess was resolved. This is a stand-alone & I could have happily read a few more chapters, wanted a deeper glimpse into the future but as the author pointed out in her final summary, she felt the ending was exactly how she wanted to leave things. I wouldn't say this had the perfect happy ending but had a solid conclusion. I cried at the end & I'm not sure why, maybe it was that the author gave us a genuine human sense of reality & that not everything goes as planned.
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This book was so so good!! Very unlike Lauren Campbell's other books for sure. Her other releases were more light hearted, funny, CRAZY, ya know how Lauren writes. But THIS BOOK. MAN...It had so many feelings wrapped up in all these pages. I was torn between both guys. This book was so utterly heartbreaking AND at the same time, it made your heart happy. There were no right or wrong choice in my eyes. She had a husband that she loved and been through hell with on one side, then she had this new tasty treat of a man that made her feel things she hadn't felt in a long time on her other side. Then you have the unsettling situation in the middle that brings everything together. Her wanting something for so very long & finally getting it and not knowing what to do. My heart hurt for her there.
Most of the time, when I am reading a book and there is a situation where I need to choose which man I want my heroine to be with, I choose right away and I am rooting for that couple until the very end. The great thing about this book was, I COULDN'T CHOOSE. And I bet when you read this you will see what I mean. Oh and another thing, secret baby romances are not my favorite. I typically dont choose them over other romances. But this one was written so effortlessly, it was an instant 5 stars for me.
I know some people are saying the ending was rushed but to me, it ended exactly how it was suppose to. No need to drag out the story further. No need to keep picking the scab. I like that it ended how it did because it was open ended and you never know what could happen.
I love this authors writing, I love her stories, I love her humor & I love her thought process. I will be recommending this to everyone just like I do with every one of her releases. -
The end…tears. Written so beautifully. I was torn. If I was the wife, who was pregnant with someone’s husband’s baby. How would I feel? Confused. If my husband got another woman pregnant, how would I feel? Angry and hurt. I loved how the description of the affair was used in the book.
This was the first book I read by this author and it won't be the last. Awesome book!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.
Recommend this book? Yes! Author? Yes!
Read more from this author? Yes!
Happy Reading!
Melissa -
Circle of Hurt was a real, heartbreaking and angsty read. The characters were real and their choices and struggles were palpable through every emotion-filled page. My heart hurt as I imagined myself in their shoes and realized I would have been just as torn. I found myself hoping for their story to unfold one way yet still holding out for another outcome. My emotions were a bit wrung out by the time I was done. If you love angsty reads that will leave you torn and feeling a bit raw then prepare for the emotional rollercoaster Circle of Hurt will take you on.
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Circle of Hurt was not my normal read, cheating usually ends up a topic I can't forgive or forget, but this book was worth it. All the characters had their real life flaws, human urges, and need to be loved. It's angst ridden, heartbreaking, real life drama that sucks you in from the first page. Lauren Campbell has a way with her words that you see directly into the character's minds with each chapter. A great read that's original and something new.
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Wow wow wow! This book blew me away. Not sure what I was expecting but this was so not it. Well written and great way to spend some time. Cheating is in this book, so if it is a trigger... complements to the author, I didn’t know who to root for, they all had their own issues that they needed to work on.
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Circle of Hurt by Lauren Campbell is one of those books that will stay with you after you turn the last page. It's a heartbreaking story and I'm not really even sure how I feel about how it all ended. It was realistic, it was understandable, but I'm not sure that it's what I was hoping for. Very well told story.
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First off left me just say there is a lot of cheating in this book so if that’s not your thing this book is not for you. It really isn’t your typical romance. While I liked the writing, I didn’t really click with any of the characters. The story itself is engaging & keeps you reading to find out how it will all work out.
The ending to me was not what I’d call a happy one. It’s definitely a more realistic ending but I read to get away from reality so maybe that’s why I wasn’t a huge fan of it.
I received an arc of this book in return for an honest review. -
I don't normally read books that involve cheating, but this book intrigued me. I could not put this book down. I cried for both characters at the heartbreak they both endured and the love the lost in both their marriages and their love for each other. Definitely worth reading imho.
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A Must Read!!!
I read this book from start to finish in one sitting. That’s just what you do with a Lauren Campbell book; you can’t stop reading until there’s nothing left to read. I can’t praise this author enough. I’m obsessed with everything she releases! -
This book was a complete surprise to me. I didn’t see it coming. But I was blown away. You could feel the emotions bleeding through the pages. There’s not much I didn’t like about this book. It was so addictive. Being that this was the first book I’ve read by this author I will be sure to invest in more.
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I couldn’t put this book down. Such a great read. Many twists and turns making you wonder what would happen next. Only to be surprised in the end. I love that all of Lauren’s books are so different, yet I can’t help but devour them all.
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I really enjoy stories that tell the hard truths about marriages. This story presented a lot of troubles that people experience. It's not easy to read. If that is not your thing, you might want to pass. But, I felt like this story was so well-written that you could honestly put yourself in the place of any of these characters and understand how they felt and the choices they made. And the ending left me feeling conflicted. It wasn't really what I was hoping for, but definitely left me thinking about it for days!
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I’m in LOVE with everything Lauren Campbell writes and Circle of Hurt was no exception! This story is full of raw emotion. It’s heartbreaking and real. I don’t want to say too much in my review because you definitely want to go into this book blind! READ 👏🏻 THIS 👏🏻 BOOK👏🏻
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***Possible spoilers if you didn't read the blurb***
I feel like I've been waiting for this book for 84 years. You know, like the Rose from Titanic meme...
A lot of people hate books with adultery. A lot of people don't go out looking for books that have adultery in them. A lot of people will one star or DNF a book with adultery. I am not one of those people. I love it.
However, Circle of Hurt is about SO MUCH MORE than adultery.
Morgan is our heroine. She's married and a school teacher. She wants to have a baby with her husband, but they have fertility issues and when we start the book, they haven't had any success. This puts a HUGE strain on their marriage. Morgan finds that a lot of the habits that Aaron has are quite annoying. This doesn't help either. She doesn't go looking to cheat. I'm not excusing the behavior of a cheater, but this is fiction, and I can separate that from real life.
Ryan is our hero. He's also married and has a little girl. He's a cop. Bad stuff happens when you're a cop and he finds himself at the bottom of a bottle every now and then. His being a cop and his tendency to come home late from the bar puts a strain on his marriage. Again, he doesn't go looking to cheat.
I'll leave it at that and not give anymore details.
Circle of hurt was EVERYTHING I'd hoped it would be. It's raw, and though it's fiction, it's real as hell. People make mistakes when they're unhappy. I don't care if they end up together, or if they go back to their spouses. I care if the author can make me FEEL something, and Lauren absolutely did. I felt the love, the pain, the heat, the self-loathing. I felt it all and I absolutely LOVED it. -
