Books & Spoons Review: CRUSHED by Katherine Garbera

Heath “Con” Connelly is back in San Clemente after three stints in the Middle East with the Navy SEALS. Despite the fact that he’s known to his “brothers” at Preach’s Place for being better with his hands and dangerous when angered, he’s trying to turn over a new leaf. And that’s going…well, not great when he bumps into Mia Santos and notices someone has been beating up the beauty who was always the woman he could never have.

Mia Santos, daughter of one of the most dangerous drug lords, finds herself in the cross-hairs of a turf war. Knowing she put herself there by making bad decisions when deep in a tequila bottle has sharpened her resolve to keep anyone—especially Con—from getting involved in the bloody and dangerous world that is her own. But Con’s not walking away and danger is like a second skin to him. He intends to protect his “family” and claim Mia, unless he gets crushed beneath the dual instincts of lust and rage…

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The dark, dangerous, and edgy tone of the story is rather addictive.
The life at the beach is rough and rocky. The turf wars between drug lords and families has come a personal matter, and brings out the primitive side of life - it's a matter of life and death, and the law seems to have very little influence in the matter.
There are several bloody, cruel, detailed confrontations between the brothers and the gang, while Con is trying to protect those he considered his family.
Mia and Con live every moment as it could be the last, not knowing how the fight will end. The desperation and anxiety is evident. The intensity of the story, the gory fights, the fear, the frantic sex, it all underlines the violent inflection of the story.
But in the midst of all the darkness, there's a hope for a better future, wish to control and balance in life, a promise of love and companionship, and a three legged rescue dog named Buttercup. Cause sometimes family is not formed by blood, but by those people you can trust.
~ Four Spoons