Review: Flawed by Kate Avelynn

Edition: ebook
Pages: 337
Publish Date: April 3, 2014
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Series: No
Goodreads Rating: 3.77 (3,223 ratings)

Well that was a stupid idea...
After reading Forbidden by Tabitha Susuma and crying my eyes out, what part of my brain thought looking at the recommended books based on Forbidden was a good idea.
And then I find a review that said be prepared for no HEA...I don't know why I do this to myself.
Needless to say I really did love this story, it follows two physically abused children, now in their teens. The older brother James has always been protective of Sarah, sometimes to the extreme. Sarah, always being the quiet invisible girl, isn't so invisible anymore. James's best friend, and Sarah's life long crush, Sam, finally confesses his feelings for her. 
This is where everything goes wrong. 
it's just a few innocent touches and awkward kisses, but Sarah knows it's wrong. And after their Mother finally dies after many years of hiding away, ignoring her children's screams, and popping too many pills, James is pushed over the edge. Getting involved in the same boxing and fighting clubs his father was a part of, Sarah sees the resemblance...like father like son.
New love gives her hope for a future, but she still has that long ago promise to James, and he held up his end, keeping her father away from her. But James's protectiveness has turned, or maybe it was always this way, he doesn't want her seeing anyone, nevermind his best friend, but not because he wants to protect her, but because he wants her for himself.

This story is so heartbreaking, all the characters were so well developed and made you fall in love with the story even more. Though the end broke my heart, I feel like being prepared helped a lot. This is a dark and twisted book, yet an absolute breakthrough of true survival and triumph. Even after losing everything, there was still a life to be lived for Sarah, though it may never be as beautiful as it could have been if her past was different or if Sam was with her, but she's moving forward, and that's all that matters.