Review of The Dark Light of Day by T.M. Frazier

Synopsis: Warning: This is not your typical romance. The story of Abby & Jake contains disturbing situations, graphic violence, sex, rape, strong language, drug use, and all types of abuse.

Abby has been through hell and has survived one of the most brutal childhoods imaginable…barely.

To the outside world she's just a loner with an attitude.

When her grandmother dies in a tragic explosion, Abby is left with questions-and nothing else.

Homeless, sleeping in a junkyard, and on the run from a system that has failed her over and over again, she meets Jake, a tattooed blue-eyed biker with secrets that will rival her own.

Two broken souls that can't be healed. They can't be saved.

Abby & Jake must reveal to one another their most guarded secrets and discover if they can embrace the darkness those secrets hold-and the darkness within themselves.

If they can accept one another for who they really are, they might be able to learn that love isn’t always found in the light.

*stand alone novel, HEA in a twisted kind of way, no cliffhangers, no sequel.

5 Twisty Stars!

Review: Abby's story is heartbreaking. I don't know that there is another story for it. Before being placed with her grandmother, all she ever knew was a mother and father that did not care about her, who mistreated her and let others mistreat her, as well. She had no self-worth, to speak of, and she definitely trusted no one. It was so sad to read about her getting to her grandmother and not even really believing that her grandmother could love her. It took quite a few years for her to even really believe that her grandmother could care about her. Meanwhile, she kept her distance from everyone, physically and mentally. 

Then, the unimaginable happens and Abby's grandmother dies in a horrible explosion, amid many questions and allegations that she was involved in something illegal. Abby has a difficult time believing that her grandmother could have done something wrong, but she has no time to dwell on it, as she is now looking at becoming a ward of the state, which she knows will be the end of her. She knows what happens in the foster care system, so she runs and hides. For a quick place to stay, Abby stays in her grandmother's car, which happens to be in the lot at Jake's father's garage. Jake has just come back into town after being away for several years. 

Jake. Wow. I'm not even sure where to start with him. Jake left town many years ago, due to his father's mental and verbal abuse of him. Jake's family, too, has had it's share of heartbreak, and his father did not deal well with that - blaming Jake. He became an abusive alcoholic, so Jake left. Jake came back to help his dad out, however, when he heard that the business was in trouble. He takes Abby in to give her a place to stay until she is 18 and back on her feet. Jake and Abby begin to grow close, however, as they both see something in the other that was lacking in their lives. They seem to really see one another - even through the darkness that exists within each of them. 

Then, something absolutely horrible and heartbreaking happens to Abby, and she has no one left on her side, except Jake's dad. Jake misunderstands what happened and just disappears for several years while Abby is, again, left to pick up the pieces of her life. When Jake does come back, he must deal with what happened to Abby and learn to forgive himself for his part in it. Then, he takes up for her in the only way that he knows how, which is something that Abby has never had before. As mentioned, there is a HEA, but there are some definitely questionable and illegal things that happen that make Jake an anti-hero - the kind that we all love, despite his darkness.
Jess