Flawed

by Kate Avelynn

[Angie]

There were two ways I expected Flawed to go based on the description. It's clear that Sarah's brother isn't stable, since he takes their closeness way too far. I figured that she would either go along with an incestuous relationship to keep him happy, or she would end up falling for him, too. Well, neither of those are exactly what happens. Sarah's conflicted feelings about her brother are much more subtle than that. It's always been just him and her, so she's never seen anything wrong with their relationship. But then she starts dating Sam, and James becomes more unhinged, and Sarah can see that the future she planned with her brother isn't normal.

I really liked Flawed a lot, but it never fully "went there" for me. Like I said, Sarah's feelings are a lot more subtle but they're there. James has always saved her from their abusive father. They both have scars, physical and mental, from what he's done to them. It's no wonder that Sarah and James have become so close, but for James, they're more than just siblings. He does kiss her, and he touches her in ways that aren't exactly inappropriate, but aren't quite brotherly either. And Sarah likes it to an extent. She knows it's wrong, but James always brings her comfort. It's definitely a one-sided romance, if you can even call it that, but Sarah does struggle at times with if she does want to carve out a future somewhere far away with James, or if she wants to live her own life with Sam.

The one thing I wasn't really expecting from Flawed, and wished had gone into more depth, was that James was abusive toward Sarah. He doesn't hit her or force her or anything like that. Like I said, he takes beatings from their father for her, and comforts her. But he's controlling and emotionally manipulative. When they were kids, he made her promise to never leave him, and she's kept that promise despite wanting more from life. It's really her taking care of him, and Sarah feels like she can't leave. James won't let her date, have friends, or even get a job to help them save up to move away. He yells at her and makes her feel bad for wanting these things. Sarah doesn't see it though. I wish she had. All she thinks about is the fact that he loves her more than as a sister, but she doesn't realize that he's nearly as abusive as their father even if he doesn't touch her.

Flawed was really good. It's not a happy book at all. There is a sweet romance between Sarah and Sam, as he shows her that there's more to life than just James. I also really liked her interactions with Sam's mother, since Sarah's own mother had been absent even if they lived in the same house. This is one of those books with a tragic ending. It's obvious something happens based on the first chapter, but I really didn't see all of that coming. There is a feeling of hope at the very end though, so it's not totally depressing.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.