Living in Your Hell: Shattered Lives Book 5, Barb Shuler

Our childhood has a way of defining us as adults for better or worse.  When your nightmares revolve around your formative years how can you find a way to move on, to heal, to thrive?  Even with all the love and support in the world sometimes you still find yourself slowly descending into your own personal hell.

Shelby was given verbal abuse instead of food, pain instead of encouragement, scars instead of love.  When she finally finds success, love, and a home all it takes is a familiar face to threaten it all.  She thought she escaped her past but it turns out that her past has come back to show that her escape was an illusion.

Charlie loves Shelby with everything he has.  He also has a calling as a Sherriff's deputy.  When his two worlds collide he's willing to do everything he can to protect Shelby.  But how can he protect her from something he can't see?

I loved that Shelby was intelligent, determined, fierce, protective, and so full of love for her chosen family.  She was a kick-ass woman both literally and figuratively.  When there's something worth fighting for she's all in.  With an awesome cast to support her and love her through her trauma as it slowly comes to light she thrives.  Her confrontation with her past makes her fierce before she gives in to shock and fear.  The way she can keep her head in a crisis is both admirable and a surprise especially because the crippling fear that comes from a child is what she's struggled her whole life to get a handle on.

Her love and partner in Charlie is a great choice.  He's willing to help her through all the crazy as well as be there for her during the quiet.  His love for her is apparent in everything he does and he's a good man.  I do think he's a little hot under the collar when it comes to protecting Shelby, though, because he goes from level-headed to so heated that he would make terribly rash decisions if not for the control and guidance of some of his coworkers, family, and friends.

The entire cast was unfamiliar to me because I started with this book, book 5 in the series.  I'll definitely need to go back and read the rest to get to know each of these women and the community that accepts, supports, and loves them.  As for the drama in this book, I was glad that it was mostly streamlined.  It kept the story focused and allowed the progression to flow well.  The additions to their make-shift village were essential to the individual's growth and healing as well as the plot itself.  Each person played a role that was vital to the MC's situation and made for a much more cohesive story.  Overall it was an intense ride from start to finish and I'm looking forward to more.

*$2.99 on Amazon or FREE on KU!