REVIEW: The Damaged by Tijan

In The Damaged (The Insiders Trilogy #2) by Tijan (2/8), Kash Collelo learned quickly at a young age how to protect himself, given his messed up childhood. Now in the public eye in a way that is jarring and dangerous, he not only needs to focus on taking control of the family businesses to push his corrupt grandfather out, but Kash also needs to ensure his girlfriend Bailey’s safety. Because she means absolutely everything to him. He’s never felt a connection with someone as he does with her. And he is very aware that it unfortunately makes Bailey a bullseye for his enemies. Something Kash does not take lightly.

‘I wasn’t used to thinking about someone else’s feelings when it came to business. It was black and white to me. Bailey was good. Everything else about me was in the dark. No gray.
But, Bailey.’

Better late than never seems to be the theme lately for Bailey. She’s behind in starting her graduate courses at Hawking University. And she’s just now finding out who her dad is, as well as getting to know her half-siblings. Then there’s Kash. He came into her life like a hurricane and hasn’t let go since. Not that Bailey minds, considering he’s proven to be one of the best things to ever happen to her. And even though she knows Kash has darkness in him, with danger surrounding him, Bailey has to believe that the depth of the love constantly growing between them will be enough to win out over everything and everyone trying to keep them apart.

‘His words were soft.
He was looking at me with such tenderness.
I was almost not able to handle him looking at me that way. A girl could cry, seeing love like that looking back at her.’

The second explosive book in Tijan’s The Insiders Trilogy ran along at breakneck speed and had enough plot twists to keep me fully engaged. Add in a passionate, sexy romance where the couple had each other’s back the whole time? Yep. The Damaged was a full on page-turner.

‘When he came out of the shadows, the entire world took note. They took note of his connections, his wealth, and he was catapulted into being even more powerful than my father–and that said a lot.’

First, I should caution you to read book one, The Insiders, because holy wow…there was a LOT going on here. And a ton of characters. Plus, The Damaged picked up directly where the previous book left off so it would be helpful to know the full backstory for Kash and Bailey. Second, I think readers will love the close bond between the hero and heroine. It was still relatively new, but their relationship was solid–even with others trying to plant seeds of doubt in their minds. The best part was watching Bailey and Kash be there for each other physically *and* emotionally while also protecting one another. With the enemies they had coming after them, that was an extremely helpful thing for them to work so well together as a team.

There’s not a lot plot-wise that I can get into without giving spoilers. Aside from the exciting twists and turns Tijan created, I think the secondary cast and how they wove into Bailey and Kash’s lives was what held my attention. From Bailey’s newfound siblings to her parents and the students at the university plus Kash’s family, there was always something going on and someone creating drama. And I honestly enjoyed every minute. Even the ending of this installment was shocking without having a huge cliffhanger–more of a big teaser as to what’s to come in the final book of the trilogy.

QOTD: Do you like it when authors include teasers in the final chapter of an installment for a duet, trilogy, or series, or do you prefer a happy-for-now ending?

Book Info:

Publication: February 8th 2022 | St. Martin’s Griffin | The Insiders Trilogy #2

The world knows about Kash.

Both Bailey and Kash were used to living in the shadows, but now they must live in the public eye.
Kash is figuring out his new found role against his grandfather, and Bailey is starting her graduate program late. At university, everyone is watching Bailey, and some are wondering if her legendary father, Peter Francis, bought her way into the elite program.

Meanwhile, Bailey’s former stepmother is in jail and at home, a mysterious aunt is living with them while Bailey’s mother and Peter are sleeping together. Again?!
But then, a new treasure trove of secrets is revealed and Bailey and Kash must decide if they will trust each other or take on the world alone.