RoseWhore. Slut. Tramp.I don’t want to believe the words, but they’re true. Having sex with strangers temporarily affords me the necessary control to quiet the demons from my nightmares. But each unfulfilling encounter leaves me more emotionally empty than before. I’m trapped in a dead, brown shell, unable to break free.Until the day he walks into my life.Colin is everything that’s good and … life.
Colin is everything that’s good and pure–a beacon of light to my dark, lost soul. His music is a soothing balm, warming long-frozen places inside me. His kindness disarms me, making me long for more. But to have more, I’d need to reveal the horrors of my past.
And I can’t tell anyone. It’ll tear me apart.
Colin
I’ve been waiting for her all my life.
From the moment I laid eyes her, I knew Rose was my soul mate. I’m drawn to her inner beauty and yearn to show her the love she’s never known. The pain reflected in her lovely amber eyes rouses emotions deep within me, stirring the music in my soul and making my fingers take flight over the keyboard.
But Rose is a woman holding closely guarded secrets.
More than my next breath, I want to quell the haunted look in her eyes … heal her broken spirit and make her whole again. She doesn’t believe that’s possible. But I won’t give up.
Not until she lets me love her–all of her.
Warning: Contains graphic descriptions of abuse that may distress some readers.
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Butterfly Serenade by Julianna Douglas is a veryy tough read due to the subject but such a sweet story you will not be able to put it down. This story of abuse and a sweet love is strongly but tactfully handled by Douglas. Colin is the best book boyfriend ever and such a sweet soul, lightness to fill Rose’s dark spaces. This book could not have been more aptly named as I saw the simile as the dark chrysalis changes into a beautiful butterfly so Rose changes into the woman she was always meant to be. Don’t get me wrong there is much darkness and hatred and soul searching before Colin convinces Rose she is worth being loved by him. As she slowly becomes part of his life and family she learns to stick up for herself. This story shows the true strength of the human spirit and how out of darkness a truly beautiful person can grow. Loved it.
This may be a tough read for some people. Rose has had a tough life. She see’s herself in an awful life but she is much more than she gives herself credit for. Colin is there to help her realize who she really is and who she can become.
This was a tear jerker for me but I loved Colin, he was so sweet, patient, and kind. What a wonderful story.
What an emotional journey that really broke my heart, all that this woman has been through from the abuse to the healing is so much more than my mind can wrap around. The author gives you a compelling read of young hearts with a woman that has seen it all. It takes a lot to heal a broken soul that so many have put down. That is until the day Colin came barreling and just about knocked her down the stairs. I fell in love with this man from the start with his sweet and kind ways. As the author takes us on a journey of new love blossoming she throws in a few twists that keeps the story interesting and the reader invested. Will love win or will Roses past take away the one thing that could change her life forever?
Rose is a very complex person the author gives you a hint of what she has gone through as you get more into the story you learn more. I doubt you can read this and not be touched deeply in some way. Rose is her own worst enemy it’s like she can’t believe any good will come her way, and she is hell-bent on destroying her life. As I came to know her I really just wanted to hold her, hug her and give her the love and support she needs. Rose is a good example of what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. She has unbelievable strength if she only believed in herself. Colin is so patient with her, he sees so much more in her than she does herself. There are a mixture of characters good and bad, some you will love other you wish you could do some damage to. It is well written and well-balanced that pulls you in and takes you into the dark world that Roses has lived in.
It has been a long time since I have read something this emotional, you feel each up and down the characters go through. My emotions were all over the place. I enjoyed the twists and turns as well as the romance. It is a very compelling read of pain, sorrow, and then turns into learning, healing and love. The author took a lot of time thinking this plot over giving in-depth details with a very believable story. I was hooked from the first page.
5 out of 5 stars
I will say that this book was a heart breaking book to read . The author really takes you on an emotional journey through heart breaking abuse to healing just a little . Rose has heard it all , the ugly names others call her . She tried to let it roll off her shoulders . Until the day she met Colin , the sweet young man that nearly ran her over on the stairs . The young man that helped her out . The one man that might be able to break through her barriers . But when they start to fall for each other will the trauma of Roses past break them apart or will Colin’s love pull them through the darkness into the light .
This book has some really well written characters . The main characters are very complex . Rose is a young woman that has been through the worst things imaginable . You get a glimpse of it at the beginning . She is very self destructive and you kind of want to shake her a little . But as you dive deeper into the book , you really start to understand why she is doing what she is doing . You see her at her worst and you see her at her best . You will want to wrap here up in a warm blanket and just hug her . You don’t realize the strength she has . Colin well what can we say about this young man . He is sweet beyond words and sees something special in Rose that she can’t see . He is patient and so kind , and kind of sexy in the all American boyfriend way . He knows that Rose is his soulmate but he has to get through to the sweet girl he sees . Olivia is Roses best friend and the only person that knows what actually happened to Rose . She is a sweet girl but is also getting frustrated with Rose and her self destructive behaviour . There are so many good and evil characters that surround Rose and Colin . You will love them and want to hurt the evil people that hurt Rose .
This is a very emotional read, I actually had to put the book down and read something funny for a bit . The author takes us on an emotional journey with twists and turns . I had a really ugly cry while reading this book . Trust me have a box of tissue with you while you read this one . My emotions run amuck during this read . One min I wanted to shake Rose and say open your eyes girl, then I wanted to wrap her up in my arms and hug her . Then you want to do some damage on all the people that hurt her . This is a inspirational story of the power of healing and the power of love . The therapeutic aspects of this book are done with great care and realistic . The author did a great deal of research to get it accurate. I recommend this book to anyone should read if you want an ugly cry . Put this one on your summer reading list . But be prepared to cry and hug your children tight ,