4 Love for the Win Stars! 
 Source: eARC for Honest Review Courtesy of Author and Ardent PRose 
 Genre: Contemporary Romance 
 Standalone 
 My Tortured Review . . . 
 After reading the synopsis it was a bit reminiscent of Collared and I LOVED that book so I jumped at this opportunity. Plus it was Nicole Williams so that's always a YES for me as well. 
 In Tortured we have Brecken and Camryn whom are high school sweethearts. Brecken is off to war and Camryn is home waiting for him. Once he gets home they plan to marry. The only problem is Brecken doesn't make it home. 
 "If we start dulling our pain-looking for ways to mask it-we become no better than those who caused it to begin with." 
 Now years later Camryn is living in hell. The only thing keeping her going is her son Keenan. Then one day she finds out that Brecken is truly alive and coming home. But unfortunately her life took a different turn and both of them have been tortured in their own ways. 
 "I do know what's it's like. I do know what it's like to love someone, to think of them every second of every day, thinking I'd never see them again, only to see them and have to accept they aren't mine to love anymore." 
 Brecken is broken when he comes home, but being near Camryn helps. Even if he can't have her, being near is close enough. While Brecken and Camryn becomes neighbors he finds out what Camryn has been living through and vows to make everything right in both of their worlds, no matter the consequences. 
 "Our scars prove we're strong. They testify to what we can endure. It's not weakness carved into them-it's strength." 
 Camryn's just surviving and dealing with her life choices but her heart knows it wants more. 
 "Don't you want to do more than just survive? More than just 'make it'?" 
 I truly did like this book. I loved Brecken and Camryn's love for each other and all the sacrifices they had to go through to find any slice of happiness. The whole time I was trying to guess what Camryn's secret was. I had a hunch but the complete details of why did surprise me but also made perfect sense. 
 Torture comes in many forms and for these two they may have been different but they were also parallel to one another. The story was heartbreaking but there was hope and happiness as well. Worth the read for sure. :)