Blurred: A Connections Novella by Kim Karr @authorkimkarr

Arc received from author in exchange for an honest review   4.5 Stars Finally… The Story I’ve longed for… The lying, cheating bastard that is Ben Covington – the man most have come to resent in the Connections Series, tells his story. Alas, an insight into the dysfunctional mind of a character that both frazzled my emotions and caused great angst. Why was I anticipating his story? Because deep down, I believed there was hope for him – that there was more to his persona. I wanted to believe that Karr’s giftedness could change how I felt about the man who claimed to love Dahlia, yet destroyed all love’s beauty by surrendering to lustful temptations, lies and deceits. And as suspected, placing my trust in this author’s hands had me walking away pleased. Now, it wasn’t easy for me to come to terms with Ben’s character. After reading “Torn” I wanted to gut him like a fish and fillet his balls. But something nagged at me – A teeny-tiny part of my heart wanted to reach out to him. I can’t imagine why since I found his actions truly deplorable. Nevertheless, I took the plunge, put my apprehension aside and dove head first into Ben’s world.  And what I discovered surprised me. He forced me to understand his pain, his turmoil.  I was sorrowful for how he single handedly destroyed all the good in his life. Convinced that he loved Dahlia, but somehow lost his way and regrets the pain he had caused.  That things happen for a reason and his temptation may be his salvation. His losses pulled on my heartstrings. In “Blurred”, we see all the fractured pieces of his drunken life; His struggle to crawl up from rock bottom; His quest for closure and redemption; His willingness to turn his life around to be a better man; To earn the affections from his seductress, Bell. It was admirable. I learned that I don’t have to love a character to enjoy their story, but simply appreciate their strife and path to betterment. I did not walk into this story adoring Ben. However, I connected with his blurred and broken soul and now wholeheartedly believe that he is worthy of a second chance. Kim Karr has done the impossible. The “bad guy” she created morphed into a character that does deserve a chance to achieve a “happily ever after” in my opinion. This was no small feat; Ben still behaved like an ass throughout most of this story. He needs to work hard to win me (and Bell) over in “Frayed”. Nonetheless, all the struggles I experienced reading his tale were well worth it.  I realize “Blurred” will be difficult for some readers. My advice, if you are a fan of the series, place trust in Karr’s vision and the path she will set forth for her characters. The journey will begin with a blur, but will end with clarity into the heart and soul of Ben. For me, the experience was gratifying. Another great read from the imagination of Kim Karr. Looking forward to the next installment…the story of Bell and Ben in “Frayed”. Amazon