Book Review: Breaking Perfect

• Book Blurb

  Bestselling and award-winning author Lydia Michaels unleashes a scorching psychological romance that breaks the rules of fidelity and redefines perfect in a why-choose love story that delivers!

  On the outside, our life looks perfect.

  Inside, I’m screaming.

  I crave order because I want to be a good girl. But good girls aren’t broken, and I’m shattered in ways I’ve spent my entire life hiding. One day, the bad secrets inside of me will slip out.

  My husband saved me from a monster, so I want to make him proud. I live for his praise. I do as I’m told, and I never let the pain inside of me breathe anymore. But it’s there, dormant and waiting to get out.

  When an unexpected guest shows up unannounced, I discover my husband has secrets from his past, too. For the first time, I fear I might lose him. My version of perfect is no longer a priority as I try to become everything I think he needs to save our marriage.

  What we’re doing is wrong. What does it say about me if–deep down–I enjoy the depravity?

  I want to revel in the pain as much as I need to escape the chaos. My fear of losing Mason consumes me. The ache, the sting, the burn…I’m falling apart, and nothing seems to ground me except for his touch–but HE is not my husband, and yet he seems to be the key to our future.

  I existed for years, content to please one powerful man. Could I please two? That’s not something a good girl would do.

  Bestselling and award-winning author Lydia Michaels unleashes a scorching psychological romance that breaks the rules of fidelity and redefines perfect in a why-choose love story that delivers!

  On the outside, our life looks perfect.

  Inside, I’m screaming.

  I crave order because I want to be a good girl. But good girls aren’t broken, and I’m shattered in ways I’ve spent my entire life hiding. One day, the bad secrets inside of me will slip out.

  My husband saved me from a monster, so I want to make him proud. I live for his praise. I do as I’m told, and I never let the pain inside of me breathe anymore. But it’s there, dormant and waiting to get out.

  When an unexpected guest shows up unannounced, I discover my husband has secrets from his past, too. For the first time, I fear I might lose him. My version of perfect is no longer a priority as I try to become everything I think he needs to save our marriage.

  What we’re doing is wrong. What does it say about me if–deep down–I enjoy the depravity?

  I want to revel in the pain as much as I need to escape the chaos. My fear of losing Mason consumes me. The ache, the sting, the burn…I’m falling apart, and nothing seems to ground me except for his touch–but HE is not my husband, and yet he seems to be the key to our future.

  I existed for years, content to please one powerful man. Could I please two? That’s not something a good girl would do.

• My review

  I looooove spicy books… but sometimes I love beautiful stories and beautiful writing even more. That’s why you’ll find books on this blog with almost no spice rated five stars, like Wolfsong.

  Breaking Perfect is my kryptonite. It’s erotic, kinky, but also so sweet. There’s something about the writing that’s just beautiful. The characters are so complex.

  The story

  This is the story of a neurotypical husband and a neurodiverse heroine, and it’s mostly centered around her. At first we don’t know exactly what’s happening, but we can see into Liberty’s mind: the way she thinks, the way she processes things. As the book progresses, we start to understand. But the way it’s presented is so clever. I love books that don’t assume you’re not going to figure it out, Michaels give you hints, and you start picking them up like a detective. And she is so adored, flaws and all. Mason almost doesn’t seem real for how perfect he is for her.

  Who will enjoy this book?

  Infidelity is such a front-row topic in this book that I feel like it needs to be said here, not just left to the content warnings. This is genuinely an exploration of the lengths we’re willing to go for the people we love, and the complexities of those feelings when infidelity is involved. But make no mistake, this is a depiction of a healthy relationship. Just maybe a different version of healthy than we’re used to.

  This is not a book for everyone. You need to be interested in a neurodiverse heroine and curious about her mind, and her family’s struggles alongside hers. You need to like high spice; this book is very, very spicy, entering erotica territory. You need to be okay with age gaps, dominance and submission dynamics, and topics surrounding pain. Some people might think Liberty is subjected to something she doesn’t want just because she’s more submissive, but that’s really not the case. You need to be open to, or knowledgeable about, dynamics where there’s a dominant partner and a submissive one. If you are, and if you’re the right reader for this, this is going to be one of your favorite stories ever.

  The characters

  I really love Liberty as a protagonist. I love her name. She’s presented as quirky by her husband, but she’s also this tiny blonde with clear blue eyes. I picture her a lot like Sabrina Carpenter, a bit older. She’s 28 and doesn’t work, she takes care of the house and supports Mason, and she’s genuinely happy doing it. That kind of femininity is very hard to find in books nowadays. But I find it refreshing, a big part of feminism is having the autonomy to decide that’s what you want with your life.

  Mason is 38 and a doctor. He is dominant, well-rounded, and so observant. I think that’s the sexiest part of him. He absolutely adores Liberty. Sean is our disruptor: playful, a little dark, and very caught up in labels, which is his struggle. He might be introduced in a way that makes some readers uncomfortable, but I really enjoyed him.

  Final thoughts

  I’ve read this book three times and I don’t get tired of it. It’s the best book of its kind I’ve ever read… and I’ve searched. If the right reader finds this, it’s going to be their favorite story forever.

  I looooove spicy books… but sometimes I love beautiful stories and beautiful writing even more. That’s why you’ll find books on this blog with almost no spice rated five stars, like Wolfsong.

  Breaking Perfect is my kryptonite. It’s erotic, kinky, but also so sweet. There’s something about the writing that’s just beautiful. The characters are so complex.

  The story

  This is the story of a neurotypical husband and a neurodiverse heroine, and it’s mostly centered around her. At first we don’t know exactly what’s happening, but we can see into Liberty’s mind: the way she thinks, the way she processes things. As the book progresses, we start to understand. But the way it’s presented is so clever. I love books that don’t assume you’re not going to figure it out, Michaels give you hints, and you start picking them up like a detective. And she is so adored, flaws and all. Mason almost doesn’t seem real for how perfect he is for her.

  Who will enjoy this book?

  Infidelity is such a front-row topic in this book that I feel like it needs to be said here, not just left to the content warnings. This is genuinely an exploration of the lengths we’re willing to go for the people we love, and the complexities of those feelings when infidelity is involved. But make no mistake, this is a depiction of a healthy relationship. Just maybe a different version of healthy than we’re used to.

  This is not a book for everyone. You need to be interested in a neurodiverse heroine and curious about her mind, and her family’s struggles alongside hers. You need to like high spice; this book is very, very spicy, entering erotica territory. You need to be okay with age gaps, dominance and submission dynamics, and topics surrounding pain. Some people might think Liberty is subjected to something she doesn’t want just because she’s more submissive, but that’s really not the case. You need to be open to, or knowledgeable about, dynamics where there’s a dominant partner and a submissive one. If you are, and if you’re the right reader for this, this is going to be one of your favorite stories ever.

  The characters

  I really love Liberty as a protagonist. I love her name. She’s presented as quirky by her husband, but she’s also this tiny blonde with clear blue eyes. I picture her a lot like Sabrina Carpenter, a bit older. She’s 28 and doesn’t work, she takes care of the house and supports Mason, and she’s genuinely happy doing it. That kind of femininity is very hard to find in books nowadays. But I find it refreshing, a big part of feminism is having the autonomy to decide that’s what you want with your life.

  Mason is 38 and a doctor. He is dominant, well-rounded, and so observant. I think that’s the sexiest part of him. He absolutely adores Liberty. Sean is our disruptor: playful, a little dark, and very caught up in labels, which is his struggle. He might be introduced in a way that makes some readers uncomfortable, but I really enjoyed him.

  Final thoughts

  I’ve read this book three times and I don’t get tired of it. It’s the best book of its kind I’ve ever read… and I’ve searched. If the right reader finds this, it’s going to be their favorite story forever.

Character & romance details

Who will love this book

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