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Ever experienced darkness? Inside and out?

I have lived in this darkness for a long time feeling like I wake up in a cave and have been living there for years.

But even in this dark life I still find whatever ray of light I can get. To see myself. To show everyone who I am.

This is what I thought I would be doing when I got the chance to participate in a dance performance in London. To go and live my dream. But what I didn't know is that my life was about to change.

By him. Herold.

I know I should have stayed away from him. Everyone warned me and so did he. But there was something about him that made me want to be with him.

We both had our own secrets. We both shared them. But I never should have fallen in love with him. I never should have made such mistake. He came into my life being more than just a ray of light. He made me see the world through his eyes.

But I was a fool to even think I could have a normal life with him. Because at the end, he did what he promised he would do if I stayed. He promised to destroy me.

And now...I am destroyed by him.

Kindle Edition

First published July 15, 2019

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About the author

Shanjida Nusrath Ali

20 books414 followers
Shanjida Nusrath Ali is an English Literature student by day and an aspiring independent, dark romance author by night. Known for her debut mafia romance book, Cross My Heart, she loves to write about characters going through a dark and rough path to love with consequences at every turn and come out stronger in time. Her characters and story mostly focus on psychological and physical abuse, showing a heartbreaking journey for her characters. She likes to dip her toes in various tropes to give a unique story to her readers with every new book. Whether its dark romance between a bad boy and a blind ballerina, or a patient falling for a priest in an abandoned mental asylum, Shanjida's stories has intense and jaw-dropping plots that keeps the readers hooked in every page.

Other than reading books and writing, Shanjida loves dancing and stage drama, along with listening to any music that gives a kick to her mood.
Even though she sucks in singing. She is a huge Schitt's Creek and Brooklyn 99 fan, that she has lost count of the times she re-watched them. She is now busy focusing on her university studies and working on her upcoming books to wreck her readers heart and soul.

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5 stars
12 (26%)
4 stars
17 (36%)
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12 (26%)
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2 (4%)
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3 (6%)
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
Profile Image for Judith/books.series.forever  .
337 reviews76 followers
December 22, 2019
description

Spanish:
“Destroyed” de Shanjida Nusrath Ali es el primer libro perteneciente a “Dark Love Duet”. También es su primer libro publicado, aunque tiene varias novelas escritas en Wattpad. Este libro es un romance con personajes con un pasado dañino y con algo de suspense.

Hope Davis, 21, perdió la vista después de que la atacaran hace 3 años. Ahora se embarca en un viaje a Londres para poder seguir su sueño y seguir bailando, pero dejará a su madre y a su abuela atrás después de tanto que han hecho por ella. Pero cuando llega a la compañía de baile aparece en su vida Herold Anderson.

La relación de Herold y Hope es un contante tira y afloja por parte de él. Desde el primer momento me pareció bien, aunque después me daban ganas de gritarle a ambos, porque eran muy pesados y al mismo tiempo eran un amor. Pero al final del libro se va aclarando la trama, aunque no es auto concluyente, pero creo e intuyo la razón de todo lo que hace Herold por Hope.

Después de todo lo que hemos pasado, al final, él destruyó

Aun así, ese final me dejo destrozada, no puede ser verdad. Ya estoy deseando leer el siguiente libro y saber cómo sigue esta historia.
⚜Rate: ★★★★✩

English:
"Destroyed" by Shanjida Nusrath Ali is the first book belonging to "Dark Love Duet". It is also his first published book, although he has several novels written in Wattpad. This book is a romance with characters with a damaging past and some suspense.

Hope Davis, 21, lost her sight after she was attacked three years ago. Now she takes a trip to London to follow her dream and keep dancing, but she has to leave her mother and grandmother after so much they have done for her. But when she arrives at the dance company, Herold Anderson appears in her life.

Herold and Hope's relationship is a constant tug of war. From the very first moment, it seemed fine to me, although later I wanted to yell at both of them, they were cute. But at the end of the book is clarifying the plot, although it is not self conclusive, but I believe and suspect the reason of everything Herold does for Hope.

After everything we've been throught, in the end, he destroyed

Even so, that ending left me devastated, it can't be true. I can't wait to read the next book and find out how this is going.
⚜Rate: ★★★★✩
Profile Image for Nikki J Summers.
Author 19 books1,386 followers
August 12, 2019
The angel is forbidden to see the devil....

I have my suspicions about Herald & I don’t think we’ve seen the last of him. Hope was a fantastic heroine, I really felt for her. A great debut novel & I’m so glad the author reached out to me to read this. I love a good dark romance. I’ll be eagerly awaiting book 2 now.
Profile Image for Lindsey Powell.
Author 32 books513 followers
August 15, 2019
Destroyed is a book that left me with mixed emotions.
Hope is the leading lady, and she is left blind after suffering an abusive attack a few years earlier. She is a true heroine in the sense that she carries on with her life and tries to make the best of it, and she doesn’t give up on her dream of dancing.
Dancing leads her to Herold. A man that is extremely dark, and definitely left me hating him one minute and warming to him the next.
Herold blows hot and cold constantly. His actions confused me at times, but with a dark past and a low opinion of himself, I guess he was confused too. He didn’t expect to fall for Hope. Albeit he makes some questionable choices with regards to her.
Towards the end of the book the story picks up pace, and it had me wanting to see what the end game was for these characters.
I will say that there are some grammatical errors, but it didn’t spoil my understanding of the story.
A debut that shows promise for book number two, where I hope that we find out the answers to the secrets that have yet to be revealed...
Profile Image for Bozena.
829 reviews17 followers
October 7, 2019
This was an interesting and intriguing short story. This book is definitely a page-turner. The story gives a creepy vibe, but was told in a nice and friendly manner. I can't explain it, but I was constantly waiting that something terrible would happen.
I didn't like Herold, but his demons and mind fights were the intriguing part and has given the story a creepy and mysterious vibe.
I don't really know if the second book will reveal the reason for his behavior, but I hope so. The story was promising, but ended so abruptly that I fell like it missed something. I hope the second book in the series will give Hope a little more self confidence and "intensity".
It was definitely an interesting plot and a unique story and I'll definitely read the second book as soon as it will be available.
Profile Image for Sherri Lupton Hollister.
Author 22 books364 followers
November 9, 2019
This is a little darker than my normal taste. I liked the strong characters. Both Hope and Herold have a lot of darkness and pain in their past but while Hope is seeking a happier future, Herold cannot let go of the past.
He knows he shouldn’t allow himself to fall in love with Hope, but he cannot resist her. She is the balm to his soul. As Herold works to make Hope whole, he knows in the end he will destroy her for that is what he is, the destroyer.
A story full of heartache and anxt that brings you on the brink of hope for a happy ending only to dash it away on the rocky cliffs of life’s unexpected twists and turns.
This book is not for the feint of heart. Violence, rape and graphic sex.
Profile Image for Lili Grouse.
Author 16 books26 followers
December 8, 2019
This is the first part in a duet, and in a way, it can be read as a standalone. The characters are interesting and intense and you can tell the author has worked hard at creating a compelling storyline with a thread of mystery running through the entire book. You will need to read the second book to unravel the full backstory of one of the characters.
Profile Image for bookreviewer_98.
210 reviews3 followers
July 15, 2019
Firstly,I have to thank the absolutely wonderful Shanjida Nusrat Ali for providing me the ARC of this book. This is my first time reading one of her books and I have to say that I loved it. The name of the book is totally justified. The dark color accurately represents this dark romance.And its a truth universally acknowledged that love can 'destroy' us. This book is just a starting of the story between Hope and Herold. In the begining we get to meet Hope, a blind but brilliantly talented dancer. She lives with her granny and mom and has recently been offered a chance to perforn at the Peacock Theatre. Hope takes a leap of faith and arrives in London with her bestfriends Liam and Liz.While in London, she is introduced to the elusive,seemingly hot,bad boy Herold.Hope and Herold takes immediate liking to each other. But Herold's hot and cold attitude,playboy ways,his reluctance to give their relation a chance is a major issue through the whole book.We also get to know the incident of physical abuse by her high school bofriend and his friends which ultimately led to Hope's blindness and I was really gutted by it. It seems so unfair but at the same time,shows that our protagonist came a long way and is a very strong girl despite being blind! Herold is such a mysterious character and he leaves you with more questions than answer at the end of the book! The good news at the end is that Hope gets her eye sight back but it does not have a HEA. Sure Hope and Herold get married and spent a blissful few days with each other. Its also true that Herold is the one to push Hope in the right direction,to empower her. But He mysteriously leaves her behind once she gained back her eyesight . But it is hinted that Herold did something terrible. The ending leaves you hanging with so many questions that I am dying for the book 2 in this series! This book has it all,a strong heroine,a damaged hero,bestfriends,family,set in the backdrop of London city,streamy scenes,late night dance,marriage proposals,heartbreaking moments and ofcourse an air of mystery that leaves you hanging. I finished it in one go! And I am rooting for Hope and Herold. I want to see their happily ever after❤
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Ga Books LoverX.
2,390 reviews26 followers
August 5, 2019
I absolutely freaking loved this book and totally give it a 4.5 outta 5. I was entranced from the very beginning and was completely immersed in the story.

Hope has been blind the past 3 years after a horrific incident, it is admirable how she does not let that diminish her love of dancing and even receives an offer to go abroad for a unique expo. Nothing prepared her to meet Herold though. The show coordinator immediately has a hold on her that she cannot understand but it makes her throw caution to the wind and LIVE. But was it worth it??

All in all, I am so EXTREMELY impressed that this was the author's first published story due to how thought out the story line and real the characters felt, great job Shanjida Nusrath Ali! I loved seeing Hope so strong but at the same time she is also just a girl experiencing feelings extremely foreign to her. Herold is an enigma (also might be a little bit bipolar) but man does that drive me to find out everything I freaking can about him, I get it Hope, legit! These two have some crazy hot chemistry and I could practically feel the sparks between then. Also, heads up, this IS a duet so you know there is going to be something at the crazy at the end of the book and GEEZ it completely gutted me! If you like books with a splash of mystery, an interesting plot, intriguing characters, and super hot chemistry- I recommend you checking this book!

Quick note, there are a few grammatical errors, but it did not deviate from how good the story was- I was extremely impressed!
Profile Image for Andrea.
Author 7 books106 followers
July 22, 2019
This is the authors debut novel and I'm so excited to read more from her. This book brought all of the angst, it had me screaming at my Kindle. Herold was so frustrating and a total asshole but I loved it. And when we find out why he's so dark and damaged, it adds a few dozen layers to this character. The twist and turns, the heart break, the whole story was unlike anything out there right now. And the sex scenes in this book! Gah! So. Freaking. Hot! I never knew a man named Herold could be so sexy but there I was--a hot flustered mess! The dialogue and connection between Hope and Herold was believable and kept me hooked. There are some grammatical errors that sometimes threw me off but those are easy fixes and easy to look past. All in all, sexy and dark read that left me wanting to read more from the author.
Profile Image for AutumnRose.
52 reviews8 followers
August 12, 2019
This book has left me utterly shell shocked! It was so dark and brilliant! Destroyed is the first book in the duet! The cliffhanger is one of the most shocking I have ever read! The story is of Hope a blind but brilliant dancer and Herold the womanizing coordinator for The Peacock Theatre in London! There were so many twists and turns, I was thrown off a few times by how brilliant the author was for writing this amazing story!!You won’t find a soft love story in this book but a raw and gritty relationship between two unlikely people! I’m so excited for the second one to come out!
Profile Image for Nannette Kreitzman.
Author 38 books51 followers
October 17, 2019
Cliffhanger ending.

This is a compelling story that kept the pages turning, full of raw emotion and dark secrets. I must add the disclaimer that the grammar is a bit rough and the prose could use some polishing. That being said, the reader is rewarded with a building suspense that draws you to an unexpected, cliffhanger ending. I’ll have to wait for the next book for my curiosity to be satisfied.
Profile Image for ReadingInPyjamas.
610 reviews
September 24, 2019
"I am made for this. I was born for this. And I can never be weak, ever. Weakness only brings death. Never forget. Don't be weak, don't fear anyone. Never fail."

{3.5 stars}

Destroyed is the first book in the Dark Love Duet by Shanjida Nusrath Ali, and I have to say I devoured it pretty quickly because the plot was interesting and the characters were intriguing. The chapters were short and concise and the writing style was easy to follow but there were some mistranslations that I couldn't shake off.

The story is written from Hope's point of view with a paragraph at the beginning of each chapter, showing Harold thoughts, which I found really awesome, because the man was an enigma, and I needed so badly to get a glimpse inside his head. I found Hope to be a strong young woman but so naive at the same time. After going through a traumatic experience, which left her blind I didn't expect her to put her trust and fall so easily for a man whom she knew for only a few weeks. And Harold threw out so many mixed signals. He went from hot to cold so fast and the way he sometimes treated her was frustrating and I couldn't really decide if I liked or hated him. But by the end of the book, after he shared his past with Hope I began to understand why he was acting that way and my heart shattered for him.

Destroyed ends with a jaw-dropping cliffhanger, that left me with so many questions. I have a few theories about what happened but I'm really excited to see how Shanjida will wrap up this story.

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
August 21, 2019
This book will definitely 'destroy' your heart. I mean come on this book is amazing!!!! the characters, the background, and god the dark past? i literally cried. Hope has went through such a hard time and she still stays strong to follow her dream...now thats what I call a strong woman character. And Herold made me both hate and love him at the same time!
and my god the cover is so SEXY! DARK! HOT!
I was surprised that this the author's FIRST kindle book. She did an amazing job! well done! But I hate her for the cliffhanger...I feel like reading the second book right away because I really wanna if it was true or not xD Destroyed (Dark Love Duet #1) by Shanjida Nusrath Ali
Profile Image for Krista Harper.
Author 7 books87 followers
September 9, 2019
This debut book was definitely a 3 1/2 stars read. The characters were fascinating and the storyline held my attention but the translation and grammatical errors pulled me out of the story at times, leaving me unsatisfied. Hope was a true heroine that has survived so much! And Herold had so many dark secrets, it kept me asking questions. While some of his actions were cruel and/or questionable towards Hope, it only made me more curious of his past. I'm excited to see the second book in the series come out and plan to read it. Hoping for some answers about Herold and his mysterious past! Great debut Shanjida Nusrath Ali!
Profile Image for C.C. Ann.
Author 5 books60 followers
August 29, 2019
This story was so good, grabs you from the beginning; it doesn’t move to fast that you feel the plot is rushed but, it’s not a real slow build up either. I was glad for that. Definitely wasn’t expecting Hope to be blind, that was a nice and refreshing take on a plot. And Herold does not disappoint with his dark and mysterious bad boy ways. Their chemistry is undeniable. The cliffhanger has left me wanting more, and I can honestly say I would not have guessed that ending at all. Can’t wait to find out what happens in the continuation!
Profile Image for Yana Herbosa.
60 reviews
July 29, 2019
I love the plot. Two lost souls finding love again. I was hooked the moment I read it. The pacing was definitely too fast. I feel like I would have connected with the characters as well as the story even more if the author took her time in the development in the story. Other than that it was a really good read. It was really sweet and dark at the same time. The ending messed me up so bad and I desperately need to read the second book!! Definitely would recommend!
Profile Image for Natalie Clarke.
Author 10 books41 followers
May 8, 2020
Just finished Destroyed and I am very impressed!
I love Hope's character, despite her being blind, she is so strong and brave, I have to admit I was welling up a little in places. As I was reading it felt as though I was in her shoes.
I have mixed feelings towards Herold, I like him one minute, but hate him the next, he's so frustrating. I could have literally killed him in one part, but I guess he redeemed himself in the end.
Profile Image for Haley Rhoades.
Author 37 books234 followers
September 11, 2019
Who can you trust? How soon can you trust them? Do you trust easily? Author Shanjida Nusrath Ali's damaged characters lure you in and hook you right away. Hope, a blind woman, has a traumatic past. She loves dance and follows her heart in that career. Hope trusts Herald quickly, too quickly in my opinion. I can't wait to see if the outcome of book #2 is what I think it is.
Profile Image for Evelyn Medrano.
Author 3 books3 followers
October 21, 2019
Amazing read

This story is indeed a great read. A story about dark romance, yet made so inviting with real characters looking for love, and finding love while fighting their own dark demons. A fabulous work that keeps you wanting for more. Ms. Shanjida Nursrath Ali, you are very talented. I can't wait to read book 2.
16 reviews
December 18, 2019
Great read

I really enjoyed the storyline. This book is darker than what I normally read, but I truly enjoyed it. At times I had to put it down and walk away just to catch my breath from the intensity, but not for long. Hareld was questionable at first, but by the end of the book I was ready to allow him a place among my other book boyfriends! I look forward to the next!
Profile Image for Vee.
23 reviews
August 23, 2019
I absolutely can not wait until part 2 the author captured my attention from start to end. I normally dont read dark romance but this one I couldn’t put down. Destroyed is what he truly did in every aspect and i loved every second.
4 reviews1 follower
August 26, 2019
Loved this book from start till end. Both characters were broken with their own past but still strong when together. The love, the attraction, the chemistry was super HOT. And the cliffhanger was too much for me that I want the second book right away!!!!
Profile Image for Sixtine.
9 reviews1 follower
July 20, 2020
I am going to write this review in French because it's more easy for me because I am French sorry.

Ce livre m'a transporté pendant les 300 pages vraiment. A la fin j'ai eu envie de pleurer tellement je m'étais attaché aux personnages. Hope est une ballerine aveugle. C'est super intriguant de la suivre ca change d'avoir une héroïne comme elle.

La tension entre Herold et Hope est tellement forte qu'ils arrivent pas à ne pas succomber. Le personnage de Herold est misterieux : ou je peux trouver un Herold s'il vous plait ?

Hope est forte. Elle sait ce qu'elle veut et elle n'est pas prête à laisser tomber.

Heureusement que j'avais le tome 2 avec moi car je ne pouvais pas m'arrêter après cette fin.

L'auteur est l'une des auteurs les plus adorables que j'ai pu rencontrer. Je vais lire l'ensemble de ses histoires à partir de maintenant tellement j'ai été transporté dans celle ci. Malgré le fait que je sois française j'ai compris la majorité des éléments de cette histoire.

Je vous recommande +++++++ cette histoire

For u Shanjida Nusrath Ali because you deserve few words : you are my new favorite author. With this book you made me cry, laugh, and be scary. I couldn't stop reading. You made some perfect characters. Hope and Herold are my fav. For now, I am going to follow all of your work. Thank you so much for this book really.
Profile Image for Andie.
Author 34 books11 followers
January 15, 2020
A dark, brooding character study of two damaged people who carry traumatic secrets from their pasts into an obsessive, fast-paced romance. Hope and Herold’s dysfunctions fit each other, drawing out hidden aspects of their personalities and twists in the plot. The short chapters build suspense and the story ends with quite a cliffhanger.
Profile Image for Roxanne Tully.
Author 18 books273 followers
October 5, 2020
A beautifully written, deep, heartwrenching and intense read that I just couldn't put down.
Hope is such a brave and admirable character. She is strong and inspiring, even at her age and her situation.
Herold...Every time he spoke, it was electric. It was like I could feel what Hope was feeling when he's around. The author does an amazing job setting the mood.

I love how each chapter opened giving us a teaser into Harold's mind... it was nothing short of brilliance. And the few words he had were chosen so carefully and were exactly what the reader needed. Nothing more... nothing less.
I developed deep compassion for both characters and (in fear of giving too much away) I'll only say this...I can't wait for book 2!
Profile Image for Candy.
415 reviews1 follower
August 12, 2019
It was ok..

The story line was good. There were a couple of misspellings, but they weren't a deal breaker for me. Hope is blind, and we find this out pretty early. We just don't find out how she became blind until the end. I didn't feel like I could relate to the characters. Hope was very trusting of Herold in a short amount of time. I guess when you're blind, you rely on your other senses more.
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