Author: Nicole Williams
Series: The Outsider Chronicles
Acquired: Bought
Genre: New Adult
Publisher: Nicole Williams
Release date: 8th September 2014
When Liv Bennett left home she thought it would be the start of a brand new life for herself. She planned on never going back but that only lasted for three years. Liv is forced back home to look after her younger sisters who her addict mother has abandoned.
Liv has one rule: don't date local guys and do not fall in love with one.
Will Goods grew up in the trailer next door but all Liv remembers is that the Goods boys were trouble. Will has changed though and Liv can't quite figure him out but she knows he might be worth breaking her rule for.
Review
You may have noticed that I review Nicole Williams' books quite often and that's because I love them. I've been through a bit of a catch up recently and read a fair few that I was behind on.
Damaged Goods is told from protagonist Liv's point of view. She knows she hasn't had the best upbringing and is trying her best to move on from her trailer park life. After moving to the city and branching out on her own, Liv finally feels like she is living the life she wants for herself, even if she has to send money back home to look after her little sisters. It was so nice to see what Liv would do for her sisters in the hopes that they wouldn't go without like she did when she was growing up.
This book throws Liv's quite happy life into shock when her mother abandons her two younger sisters. Liv is forced to go back home and take care of them because it's clear that no one else will. Problem is, Liv is far from happy about being back in a place where she instantly dislikes people due to her preconceived notion of them. She judges people before she gets to know them and this was one of her characters traits that I really disliked. I could kind of understand why she was that way though but I just found her to be a bit harsh at times, especially when people are nothing but nice to her when she returns home.
Living next door in a trailer with his mother is Will Goods, one of the boys Liv stayed away from growing up. The Goods boys have reputations and she wants no part of it. However, Will quickly becomes a surprise as he's looking after his ill mother, has returned from being in the army and constantly works on cars. Will challenges Liv in so many ways and this was one of the best aspects of the book for me. There is a lot in this one about identity and self perception and Will makes Liv question everything about herself and the people around her.
There is a massive twist in this book that I did not see coming at all. I actually read this particular part and said 'What?!' out loud because I couldn't believe what I was reading. Going back through the story though the twist makes a lot of things make more sense and it was so well done. I can't really say more than that without giving it away but I loved the twist.
Unfortunately, there are a few things about Damaged Goods that didn't really work for me. The pacing seemed to be a bit off at times as some things were rushed when they could have been drawn out a bit more, making certain things more believable. However, this was still a really good read although not my favourite Williams book so far.
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