by Amber Torney

Release Date: November 2020

Genre: Polyamorous, Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult, Reverse Harem

**Phoenix**

Shhh ... don’t scream

I prayed the hand over my mouth would suffocate me

before I ever had to tell my best friend the truth.

I loved Logan Ducane—he was everything to me.

But my secrets ripped our families apart.

I’ve spent the last four years trying to rebuild a life worth living,

and trying to find my voice after I’d lost so much.

Four years of progress ...

GONE.

I thought I had nothing left to lose,

but I was so wrong.

My bags are packed, and I’m on my way,

to let another Ducane boy finish ripping me to shreds.

He says I’m the enemy ...

but if only he knew.

**Logan**

The last time I saw her she was scared, crying, and bloodied,

my cousin’s cold and lifeless body at her feet.

Four years ago, everything I thought I knew was uprooted and shattered.

The girl I thought I loved was the cause of so much pain and angst.

Her lies destroyed everything we had,

but now I get my chance to make her pay.

Four years of hate, anger, and pain—all ready to be released.

Shattered Dreams is a Young Adult, Dark Bully Enemies to Lovers, Reverse Harem Romance. This book contains Dark and often confronting themes that some may find TRIGGERING.

Shattered Dreams is the debut book for Amber Torney, and also the first book in the breakout Crew series. As an overall, before we dive into a more in depth review, I would like to say that this is a good start for a series I will definitely be following. However, I think there are a few gaps that could have been fixed, but hope these get mended in book 2.

WARNING: This book contains triggering topics such as rape, stalking and bullying. So before you dive into this story, be aware that these topics are the main focus of Phoenix's story.

Just as a quick summary, we follow Phoenix's story (since everything that happens and new characters only get introduced into the story when she moves around) from different POVs, which always help understand what are the intentions when there are some bullying scenes in the story. Logan and Phoenix were best friends as kids. Their moms were best friends and everyone thought they would end up together. However, one day something really bad happens (trying not spoil anything here, even though it's quite obvious...) and ends up with Phoenix's dad in jail, and Logan loosing all contact with Phoenix and even blaming her for the death of someone in his family.

Fast-forward to now, after years of therapy and trying to be comfortable around people, Phoenix's on the right path when tragedy strikes again. Forcing her to move to the States with her guardian: Logan's parents. That's when Logan starts to unfold "his plan" to ruin Phoenix's life like "she did 4 years ago".

I have a few problems with the story and it doesn't have to be necessarily with the author's writing:

1) The parents. Logan's parents believed that not telling what really happened four years ago was "for the best" since he already lost so much... *insert eye roll* I am not a parent, so I am not sure what I would do, but I want to say not telling Logan the truth was an absolute and out of touch for what Phoenix had to go through. Ending in Logan not truly understanding the situation and hence seeking revenge. I suppose otherwise we wouldn't have this story...

2) Logan. A scene that really, really bothered me was when he was looking at the live recording happening in Phoenix's room and when she was having the night terrors triggered by her experience 4 years ago, he LITERALLY THOUGHT THOSE WERE CAUSE BECAUSE OF A GOOD DREAM. So freaking disconnected from reality this guy.

3) The guys we are shipping. So 3 are clear: Stryker, Logan (cause duh) and Jonah (?). But then I thought the other 2 in Logan's group were in Phoenix's sexy radar? I don't know if it was me just misinterpreting the whole thing or not, but if they are they were literally non-existent in this story. So I suppose I would like to see more of their POVs in book 2 and see a somewhat relationship with Phoenix that can justify her being with them.

4) The relationships. This is related to the previous topic, but when Phoenix calls her friend Angel back in Australia she says "she likes them all". Hang on girl, define all. As in all of Logan's friends, him included AND Jonah? If so, why? Because the interaction throughout the whole book was with Logan, Stryker and Jonah. Maybe I misread this bit, but as of now I cannot understand why would she like the other 2 unless it's just a physical attraction.

The ending was quite abrupt and left in a cliff-hanger. However, "the revealing" at the end wasn't really a massive shock to us readers. I suppose it's more about Phoenix actually talking to someone and saying it out loud what happened all those years ago the shock factor.

Overall, it was a good read, don't get me wrong. I will be definitely grabbing book 2 and reading more about Phoenix's story. There are a lot of unanswered questions that the author left unanswered aside from the boy drama that really caught my attention and I want to know more. It was definitely a quick read and would recommend it to anyone who's looking for a YA RH bully romance with difficult topics that will make you think about the characters decisions.