Break Her by S.G. Harlen

Break Her

By: B.G. Harlen

**4 Stars**

 

It’s the illusions we have about ourselves that destroy us. If we don’t have them, we can’t be destroyed.

Let me begin by saying this… Holy shitballs batman. That was one insane read. This novel is definitely not for the weak-stomached. It revolves around raping, which is not something everyone can handle. I admit, I had to skim a few spots, it gets extremely graphic and haunting. I was shocked it was able to keep my attention, the timeframe is pretty short, but you can feel there is more to the story than meets the eye. The characters are nameless. There is a victim, and a sadist/rapist/hitman/crazyassmotherfucker.

The victim is a woman. She has endured more loss in 2 years than most people experience in a lifetime. She is strong. Too strong. She wants to break, to not feel any longer. Love and loss are front and center in her brain. The girl wakes up one morning to the worst imaginable scenario, a penis inside of her. That would be quite the shocker, for the record. She must do whatever it takes to play the game and win.

All she was left with was the determination that she was going to come out of this alive, not because she had any particular desire to go on living, but because she sure as shit wasn’t going to let this asshole or any other be the one doing the deciding.

The rapist, he is the singlemost fucked up character I have ever read. It was an experience trying to figure him out. He was hired by somebody he refers to as “they,” to rape the girl until she breaks. He is experienced and is a pro. He says he is not there to kill her. Just do his job and get out. He never realized he was walking into the hardest job he’s had.

He’d believe he was winning no matter what she did. That was it. That was the secret. He always believed he was winning. Somewhere in there was his weakness.

This victim has already been brought to the brink of sanity, she has yet to break. She is strong and smart. It is a battle of the wits; there are times we have no idea who is playing who. The rapist might be holding the key, but the victim is holding some ammunition.

We follow their story for the time they are together trying to find out who wins at the end. Does the rapist end up breaking her, killing her? Does the girl appeal to his human side and get away? Does she hold any secrets? Will we ever find out who hired him?

This book is a very dark read. So be ready. It’s you stumbling around in a pitch black room with landmines everywhere to avoid. It is the epitome of psychological thrillers. This is NOT a romance. I don’t even know what to classify it as. Messed up, that’s what. Be ready to google the movies they reference, there are a lot of movie quotes used throughout, which gave such a creepy story a sense of humor. Perfect book for me, I enjoyed the whole thing (minus the butt-licking.)

Everyone wants to be a survivor, but they seldom realize how very high the cost is.