One girl. Two brothers.Crippled love blooming in the aftermath of the horrific event.
College freshman Alana Novak still lives at home with her controlling father. She has a baking blog and a habit of breaking curfew, especially since she met her first love, Dakota Bennett. But fate has other things in mind. And when unspeakable tragedy snuffs out Dakota’s life, Alana turns to the only person … Dakota’s life, Alana turns to the only person who shares her grief.
For years, guitarist Mikah Bennett’s existence has revolved around his band, Midnight Rust—he knows they’re about to break out. So when lead singer, Dakota, his younger half-brother, is killed, he’s shaken to his core.
Survivor’s guilt brings Mikah and Alana closer and as they spend more time together, they realize their connection runs deeper than just a trauma bond. The emotion simmering below the surface should feel wrong, but it doesn’t.
Sadly, the deck is stacked against Alana and Mikah. Can love win or are they destined to go their separate ways?
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Severance is a standalone new adult romance written in a dual timeline. This book covers a number of sensitive subjects including gun violence, depression, and PTSD. Please see reviews for guidance.
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Club shooting leaves 24 dead and Alana’s boyfriend is one of them. How will she handle life without him? Will she find love again? I felt all the emotions in this book. Kept me captivated from the start. Loved it!!
This gritty and heartbreaking story of a sheltered young girl caught in a love triangle between two rocker brothers—one living, one dead—grabbed me with a single sentence and held me captive till the very last page.
At eighteen, and still living at home with her overprotective parents, Alana is the last heroine I’d expect to feel a connection to, but I was drawn to her immediately. Written to perfection, her every thought, every action is so honest and genuine you cannot help but root for her.
As for choosing a hero to root for? Don’t even bother. Dakota and Mikah will own your heart in equal measure.
A tragic event separates the before and after, and I was blown away with the skill and finesse in which Ms. Britt handles both. If you read her debut, Rapture, earlier this year, you already know how talented she is. With Severance, her sophomore effort, she drives that fact home.
I loved this. Absolutely loved this. Definitely one of my top reads of the year so far.
OMG!! SPEECHLESS!! SERERANCE by N.N. Britt BLEW ME AWAY with this One and She is a New Author for me! I was intrigued from the Very Beginning of the Book and devour it in ONE Sitting!!
It was such a Rollercoaster ride of Emotional distress and Heartwreching Aches that will Leave you SPEECHLESS!! Also So Beautifully Written and Overwhelming at times so bring out the Tissues!!
Definitely a Must Read Book and looking forward to read more of her Writing!!
This new-to-me author gave me a gut-wrenchingly emotional story that tried real hard to drive out one of my coveted tears. It didn’t, but it was a great effort.
At 18 years old, Alana still lives at home with her overprotective parents, striving for a bit of independence and grabbing every chance for escape she can get. One night takes her to a rock concert, meeting an up and coming rock star, and eventually falling in love. Unfortunately their love doesn’t last forever and with him gone, her life is in shambles. Her parents want her to get over it, her friends are trying to help her push through it, and her grief wants her to just give up. When her dead boyfriend’s brother offers an ear, she grasps onto it as tightly as she can, because he gives her hope, freedom, and honesty. Where will this new friendship take her when Mikah’s grief proves to be so much deeper than she imagined?
The writing? Brilliant! As hard as this story was to read, it was beautifully written. Alana got on my nerves, which only tells me that the author did a great job of depicting a young girl on the brink of adulthood. She was irrational, irreverent, ungrateful, disrespectful, entitled, spoiled, and everything was about her. Sounds accurate. I was all about Mikah. This dark and mysterious boy was the one in the most pain and it was difficult to really understand it when viewed from Alana’s juvenile perspective. She didn’t comprehend that while she was grieving for a man she knew for three months, Mikah was grieving for a man he’d known his whole life. Different pain, girl. Not to say her pain was irrelevant, but she couldn’t grasp that what he felt could possibly be more horrible than what she did. Regardless, this was an interesting story of young love and living in and then powering through grief. It was tender and sensitive and had its own bit of unique charm.
Would I read from this author again? Most definitely. I recommend this story to anyone looking to for an emotional read.
Severance by N. N. Britt
I am voluntarily reviewing this ARC.
Alana is from a conservative home. Her first boyfriend is the lead singer in a rock band. This sheltered “church girl” gets immersed into the world she was always warned against. Until the unthinkable happens and she is at the scene of a mass shooting. The story is narrated in a “before” and “after” alternating sequence and is the most heartbreaking, compelling, thought provoking, beautiful piece of literature. I could not put this down, even as I read through tears in my eyes.
This book is all heart, it’s all raw sincerity. This is a book that you feel well after you read it. I loved it and give a standing ovation to N.N. Britt for this amazing five star read.
I’m at a loss for words-correct phrases to describe completely how I feel after reading this! Severance was so real-raw. I love this specifically about reading N.N. Britt’s work. This is her second book baby and I am in love! It’s so realistic and emotional. I really did feel so much for Alana and the rest of the characters. It took me a good minute to read the book simply because of its emotion. It had so much depth I had to process all of it. Severance gained a special place in my bookshelf but also my heart.
Severance is a book that will smash your heart apart but will also put it back together. Micah and Alana’s story is heartbreaking and makes you realise that life is short and you should do everything you want when you want. I was concerned that before and after chapters would drive me insane but they are necessary for you to know their whole story another beautiful written book by N.N. Britt
Beautifully tragic!
You only have to read the book’s description to know this story is going to be gut wrenching and heartbreaking, but it is also written in a way that is achingly beautiful.
This book starts out with a literal bang…gripping and captivating me with it’s intensity. The “Before” and “After” chapters gave me an insight into Alana’s relationship with Dakota prior to that ill fated night, as well as just who Mikah was and their interactions when she was just his brother’s girlfriend. Before and after is also a good representation of how life for all those involved is now divided. This isn’t a pretty romance, and at times it was hard to read. Alana and Mikah are both incredibly broken, but helping each other heal and giving into their intense feelings makes their messy journey that much more incredible.
I became a fan of N.N. Britt after reading her debut, Rapture, and Severance has just solidified my fandom!
I now believe that N.N. Britt owns the market on heartbreakingly beautiful stories. Those two words are the perfect description for this book. It is relatable in so many ways. There’s love, loss, trauma, self-discovery, and healing. You will most likely go through a box of tissues while reading this book, but it will be so worth it. Truly a beautiful masterpiece!
Severance was absolutely amazing! I couldn’t put it down! It’s the first book in a long time that made me ugly cry. It was so heartbreaking, intense and raw. I couldn’t help but feel every emotion of these characters. N. N. Britt has written Alana and Mikah’s story so beautifully. I loved it! My new favorite N. N. Britt book!
This is a definite must read!
“THEY SAY YOU HEAR A POP…..”
Severance is the story of a group of friends and how they deal in the aftermath of a mass shooting. Told in a non linear format from Alanas perspective. N.N. Britt writes with grace and respect for the topics at had it deals with mass shooting, PTSD, depression, and anxiety.
Alana lost her boyfriend, Mikah lost a brother and in dealing with the grief and healing they find each other. I personally am a very emotional person and I felt all the things the characters went thru.
N.N. Britt is a weaver of words that suck into the world she has created.
I was given an ARC for my honest review.
5 amazing stars !!! This book was so beautifully written , I loved every emotional, intense and heartbreaking word of it ! This is a story about loss , grief and healing but also about love and finding yourself too. My heart literally ached for Alana having been a survivor of gun violence too it was easy for me to relate to what she went through being a survivor and suffering from PTSD and depression.
I simply could not put it down!
This is a amazing Rockstar romance a must read filled with angst and steam to get you through the heartbreak and loss with a guaranteed HEA ending ! This story will definitely stick with me for a while and will be hard to move on from I received an arc for my honest review
***5 Stars***
That was intense.
An understatement and, admittedly, one that probably didn’t need to be said if you’ve read the blurb, but this book was intense in every way possible. It was also heartbreaking and heart melting and sweet, swoon worthy and all kinds of addictive as you follow the wild, chaotic and, at times, dark, journey these characters go on to find a way to move on with their lives.
I loved Alana. We get to see her before and after the shooting and in both instances I saw a girl who is, down to her very core, a really good person and is doing her best to navigate her way through the labyrinth of life and find herself. What I ended up loving about her is that while some of her decisions were suspect, she fought. She fought for herself and found a way to pick up the pieces of her life and start to move forward with it.
As for the romance part of this story, we do get the before and after, so we get as much of a sense of who Alana and Dakota were to each other as who Alana and Mikah are to each other and while I did prefer one relationship over the other ~ won’t say which ~ they both worked for me and regardless of which couple I preferred, I really liked how things ended up.
I know some will think this is a love triangle and it isn’t, not really, it’s more of a triangular second chance romance type thing (I just read a duet where that was how things were described and it fits here pretty well), which means that there was interest, but nothing ever came of it.
Severance isn’t an easy read by any means and the author lays it all out there in the description, so no one can say they didn’t know going in. For me, it was heavy but I think the author did an amazing job showing all the ways people cope, or don’t, with experiencing something so life altering and all of the ups and downs one could go through. There is no one way anyone will grieve or cope and she gave that to us. But the story isn’t all dark, she balances things out well with light and sweet moments, as well as moments of triumph as the characters slowly start to heal.
~ Copy provided via NetGalley & voluntarily reviewed ~
My heart is in pieces over this book. It just proves to me that pain is beautiful. I have no words. I’m left with an ache in my chest that I can’t shake. Get ready for some ugly crying, there’s just no controlling it. This is seriously a top read for me for this year!
Severance is a story that is not only heartbreaking but also heartwarming. Mikah and Alana are tied together by loss, tragedy and love. The devastation they suffer will shatter you to the core but like a phoenix rising from the ashes, these two may discover a new life, love and future. This is a story that you won’t be able to put down and the fact I have resigned to only having two hours sleep is proof of that. As we flick between the then and now, connections will be felt, love will be dominant and guilt and confusion will reign. Their story made me cry, my heart race and my anxiety was on high alert. However it also gave hope, inspiration and had me feeling the love and healing that was Mikah and Alana. I did have one negative…… the book ENDED, I didn’t want to leave these characters and their story. This is a book that will not sever itself from your heart and your mind, it will be firmly attached even after the last page has come and gone.
**4.5 stars**
Severance was my first book by N.N. Britt and let me say she blew me away with this hauntingly real new adult romance.
Severance tackles sensitive topics such as shooting and PTSD. N.N. Britt has created a very authentic story which slowly crept under my skin and wouldn’t leave.
Alana and Mikah survives a shooting but 24 others don’t including Mikah’s younger brother Dakota who’s also Alana’s boyfriend.
Severance is Alana’s story. Her before and after. Both parts equally important for the story, for Alana and who she was and now is becoming.
She and Mikah are forever changed after that fateful night. They now share a connection and even though Alana didn’t have a friendship with Mikah she seeks him out. To still have something of her boyfriend and for the feeling Mikah gives her. Anything but lost and the endless disconnect she feels whenever she’s around her deeply religious parents or her best friend Jess, who’s also a survivor, but on a different path than Alana.
The author portrays Alana with an authenticity that felt too real at times. Alana and her anxiety, nightmares and wanting justice for her boyfriend and the other victims was flawlessly portrayed. The feeling of being lost and scared was something that was always present throughout the story.
Alana and Mikah share a connection but it’s so much more than that. The Before and After chapters just work. They give me a sense of who Alana was and how she saw Mikah. It’s not just Alana substituting Dakota for his older brother Mikah. It’s about moving on and finding comfort in others that helps you do that. For Alana Mikah is what she needs but it’s not easy when he’s also battling his own demons. Their chemistry is electrifying and always sizzling just beneath the surface. When they give in to one another it’s like a lightning bolt.
N.N. Britt is a new to me author but after finishing Severance she’s an author I will look forward to reading more from. Very impressive and fabulous.
4.5 Cupcake Queen Stars.
I received this book free from the author.
N.N. Britt is a new author to me. Based on the synopsis, I went into the book with higher hopes than what I got unfortunately. Given the details, I was hoping for deep angst and heartbreak and of a strong romance. Instead, I found a lot of it fell short.
At first, the switch from present to past I found to take away from the ongoing present story, but the more the book progressed, the more that the past and present reflected one another. Or a reference would be made about the past and then we would get the chapter to explain it. So in the end, this aspect was well done and really started to show the brothers in different lights.
The thing I disliked the most was Alana’s “voice”. This is a NA book so I was expecting a character that sounded her age. Instead, I found that she had a voice too young for her. That at times, it sounded as if I was reading a YA book instead. I think this is what dragged the book down for me the most as I couldn’t picture the current problems when I was
“hearing” a teenager. I’m unsure whether this is the author’s writing in general or it’s just this book.
The thing the author did amazingly was create the trauma and emotions. My heart did break for Alana and I think her heartbreak was done super well. I felt her sadness with her and I found this to not be downplayed at all. At the same time, sometimes, I wonder if it was too upplayed. Given the time that she actually was with Dakota.
To cover my letdown over the angst, I felt like neither characters tried a whole lot. Mikah left at the appropriate time, to allow Alana to get over his brother’s death and see Mikah as Mikah, someone to want to be with. So the situations were great, but I felt like the angst and emotions fell short here.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and it was a good read. It just wasn’t a great read for me.
Evocative.
Insightful in a number of different ways: religious zealot – you may be but your views should not be brainwashed, negatively enforced or guilt-ed into your children. Parents really have no idea now emotionally fragile their children are – children do not ask to be born; they need nurturing. Major emotional mishap on a large scale – ways we all cope or not; each heal in different ways and at different speeds. She takes you inside the catastrophe; ramifications/repercussions of such a tragedy on the survivors – interesting paranoia comes to light but under the circumstances are understandable.
I voluntarily received an advance review copy of this novel via Booksprout and I am leaving an honest and unbiased review. I have no affiliation to this author.
this book is so good in it way .. it has hard subjet to deal with .. the main character have a chemistry that is strong but at same tie they are grieving ..will they be to get over and make it work has a couple .. it a must read .
I absolutely adored the overall feel and message i took away from this book, i loved the characters and how they’d developed throughout the whole book and loved them all individually and then as one also The only thing that got me personally was the back and forth of the setting of the books its not a personal preference to me but the whole book itself was amazing!