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Damaged Like Us cover art

Damaged Like Us

By: Krista Ritchie,Becca Ritchie
Narrated by: Alexander Cendese,J. F. Harding
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Summary

Don't date your bodyguard.

It was the one rule he had to break.

Maximoff Hale is a force of nature. A ship unwilling to be steered. Headstrong, resilient, and wholly responsible - the 22-year-old alpha billionaire can handle his unconventional life. By noon, lunch can turn into a mob of screaming fans. By two, his face is all over the Internet. Born into one of the most famous families in the country, his celebrity status began at birth. He is certified American royalty.

When he's assigned a new 24/7 bodyguard, he comes face-to-face with the worst case scenario: being attached to the tattooed, MMA-trained Yale graduate who's known for "going rogue" in the security team - and who fills 1/3 of Maximoff's sexual fantasies.

Twenty-seven-year-old Farrow Keene has one job: protect Maximoff Hale. Flirting, dating, and hot sex falls far, far out of the boundary of his bodyguard duties and into "termination" territory. But when feelings surface, protecting the sexy-as-sin, stubborn celebrity becomes increasingly complicated. Together, boundaries blur, and being exposed could mean catastrophic consequences for both.

Damaged Like Us can be listened to and enjoyed without listening to any of Krista and Becca's other novels.

©2017 K. B. Ritchie (P)2017 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about Damaged Like Us

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  • SS
  • 12-02-20

Wow shockingly disappointing

Gay erotica can go one of two ways be either great or massively underwhelming.
If the authors of this are actual women or men writing under a pseudonym I don’t know. But if it’s actual gay men writing this for shame on you.

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12 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Dreadful

This book has no real story line - the characters are without substance. The sex between the two of the men is like a bad porno. Move on - there are much better books to fill your time

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11 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars

A bit too smutty, and not enough story.

The two main protagonists 'relationship' is too focused on the physical, than the emotional, for my liking.
It made it difficult for me to empathize with the characters, or care about their relationship.
The character were also too perfect, no real flaws to their personalities.
And there's little going on outside the relationship to tease my interest.
It's not a bad story, just not a good one. It has a good basic plot that wasn't taken advantage of.
The idea of a world famous billionaire celebrity, falling in love with his bodyguard, against his better judgement. Makes for an interesting story. I was excited to check this one out, but was left disappointed.

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5 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars

sweet

Narration is good, story is reasonably sweet if a little incredulous and over the top.

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3 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Enjoyable, but....

I liked listening but was annoyed that every woman in this book talks like a toddler and has a lisp.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

I love this story so much

What made the experience of listening to Damaged Like Us the most enjoyable?

I just love the flow of the story Krista and Becca pull the reader/listener in and take you on one hell of a ride.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I love Both Maximoff and Farrow they are great together and are both Alpha so they don't give in to each other which makes for a fantastic story. I love all the other characters and they all add something to the story.

Which scene did you most enjoy?

I love when Maximoff is asking his dad and uncles for advise on lube and Farrow walks in. Poor Maximoff is mortified but it's so funny.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

when they came out to everyone I found very touching.

Any additional comments?

Another great book by the Ritchie sisters. I can't wait to see how the story unfolds.

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3 people found this helpful

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Unbelievably Great

I’m actually kind of shook. This story is just... impeccable. Truly amazing. Everything anyone could ever want from a romance! I’m so glad I stumbled across this. I need a 15 book series or something because I have SO MANY FEELINGS about this world and the people in it!!! Likeee... wow

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    1 out of 5 stars

No story, No action. Rather silly.

Very disappointing. There was no real story or action. The whole mechanics of being a bodyguard was all wrong, they don't work like that at all. The only likable characters were the MM, all the others particularly the women were awful. Hard to have any sympathy for 2 grown men who can't have a discussion about how to run their lives. In short, the whole book was rather ridiculous. One laugh-out-loud scene only. Even the sex scenes were ridiculous. Who puts rough sex into a porn site as their first choice? JF Harding was great as Moffy but the other narrator did a really poor job. Not clear why it needed 2 narrators. Harding would have been better for both.

Oh and the french was so bad I am glad they translated it all because I couldn't understand a word of it.

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1 person found this helpful

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Terrible

I could not finish this title, the narrator is so boring and really nothing happened.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

gripped

This book had me hooked from the start. would highly recommend and would definitely listen to again.10/10

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  • Christy Baldwin BBU
  • 30-09-17

The narration really did the story justice!

Reading another book with my favorite fictional family in it feels like coming home. Loren and Lily Hale are probably my #1 favorite book couple ever. Damaged Like Us is their son, Maximoff Hale’s, book. This can be read as a stand-alone, but I think for those of us that are huge Addicted fans, it will be even more special!

Moffy was born into fame. Privacy is something he’s used to not having. A body guard is something he’s had his entire life, so it’s nothing new to him. When Moffy’s bodyguard he’s had for the longest time retires, he’s a bit anxious to get a new one. You spend a lot of time with this person and he was used to who he had. He was comfortable. Farrow Keene, his teenage crush who used to be his mother’s bodyguard, is not someone he wants protecting him. But that’s who he ends up with.

The chemistry between these two was hot from the start. You could feel the sexual tension between Farrow and Moffy from the beginning. I loved their banter and connection. I loved that Farrow really saw Moffy, who he was, not just as a famous person. Being with Farrow changed Moffy. The sparks between them flew. I didn’t know how the twins would do writing a m/m romance, but I thought they did a fantastic job.



Moffy is the oldest of the Hale kids and since he’s the oldest, he’s always been the one his siblings and cousins turn to. I love the family dynamic in this book. Getting to see the old Addicted gang, and the new generation made my heart so happy. I loved the relationship between Moffy and his cousin, Jane. I can’t wait to get her book as well! I was a little anxious about Farrow at first, but I was so glad I ended up loving him as much as Moffy.

Damaged Like Us is a book I would recommend to all fans of the Addicted series, m/m lovers, and lovers of romance alike. It was a great start to this next generation series and I can’t wait to read more!!!

I thought the audio version of this book was FANTASTIC! The narration really did the story justice. Highly recommended!

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  • Dawn K.
  • 03-11-17

Horrible

Think really bad fan fiction meets bad lifetime movie. Besides being overly dramatic, the unbelievable aspects of the story were humorous when they weren't meant to be. I lost count of how many times someone flipped someone off. Truly bad. I kept waiting for it to get better. The only good part of this audible book was the narration. oh , and when it finally ended.

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  • Wil Loves Books
  • 27-09-17

Loved everything about this!!!!

Oh man, the audiobook was even better than the book! They totally nailed it with the voices!

This book is absolute Perfection! I’m so in love with this book. I know I normally say that when I absolutely love a book I just read but it’s the honest truth! All the love! It’s not a secret I’m a huge fan of the Addicted Series, huge. It’s one of my top series ever. It’s also not a secret, if you read my reviews, that this series snuck up on me and took over my heart. I wasn’t an insta-fan. I wasn’t a fan of the first 2 books, they were difficult and hard. But there was still something about them that kept me coming back, something about these characters, they just felt so real. And boy was it worth it, once I got deeper into the story I fell in love with these characters and I knew they would hold a place in my heart forever.

Where do I begin describing all my feelings while reading this book? The one constant in my mind while reading the book was HAPPY. I was so happy the entire time! Had this huge grin on my face. While this was a little angsty at times, this was overall such a light, beautiful book. If you’ve read the Addicted books, you’ve met the child version of Maximoff (Moffy) Hale, he is Loren and Lily’s son. Let me tell you, Maximoff was everything I was hoping for: beautiful, strong, self-assured, smart, dorky (he’s a Hale!) and caring. Oh, so caring. He is truly Lily and Lo’s son. His love for his family, for his parents, siblings, cousins is everything. My heart was full reading about it. It was also a testament to the great writing of Krista & Becca, and the fact that these characters are so well developed you can’t help but being fully invested in their lives.

And the romance, oh man the romance part was all sorts of awesome! You see Moffy has grown up in the spotlight. His family has always been in the limelight and now is stronger than ever. He lives no ordinary life and so he requires 24/7 security, as many other high-profile celebrities do. When his teenage crush, Farrow Keene, gets assigned as his bodyguards, it completely changes his life. I guess you need to read to understand why, what type of person Moffy is, what type of family he comes from and why he’s chosen to be so morally correct.


Anyway, Farrow and Moffy are at odds since the beginning. For one, they’re both super alpha. For two, they’re both trying to hide their attraction to each other. I loved the angst and the anticipation and all the sexual tension! The banter between them was also priceless!


I’m completely in love with Farrow! I thought he was definitely the right fit for Moffy. The only one that could tame him, and the one who could keep up. They’re equals and opposites all at the same time. A perfect match!

Anyway, the book explores romance from a different perspective. Maximoff’s fame is a real issue and it plays a central part in how he’s chosen to live his life. Because of this Moffy has chosen a life of one-night stands, instead of pursuing a relationship.That is, until Farrow comes along. Because Farrow is his bodyguard, and because he’s in such proximity to him 24/7. He feels like he finally can explore those feelings. And when he realizes what he could have in his life, it’s simply amazing!


This book is beautiful, hot and extremely romantic. It also explores things like fame, family and privacy. I also love how gutsy Krista and Becca were when exploring some themes in here, I definitely didn’t find anything out of character or was surprised by anything. I also think that this was amazingly written MM. I’m no-nonsense when it comes to these things. I read lots of books every year, a lot of them are MM. I’ve read MM by established MM authors and there are some I haven’t liked. Similarly, I’ve read MM by established MF authors and I’ve loved them. So I make no distinction when it comes to a good writer. A good writer is a good writer and a good book is a good book. I don’t immediately discard a book because the writer “typically” writes a different genre and so on. This was just perfect. The more I read Krista & Becca Ritchie, the more I fall in love with their books, their impeccable writing and their attention to detail.

Damaged Like Us ends on a happy note, but it's still Book 1 on a series, there will be more than one book. This can be read as a separate series from the Addicted Series although it's a spin-off. The authors have gone above and beyond to explain everything where the new reader won’t feel so lost. However, I think that your experience with this story would be so much better if you’ve read the Addicted Series. Or maybe, I just selfishly want everyone to read those awesome books! Absolutely recommend!!

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  • Heather K (Dentist in my Spare Time)
  • 30-04-19

Didn't work for me.

DNF at 45%

Damaged Like Us is my first book from the Ritchies (Krista Ritchie and Becca Ritchie) and I really struggled with it.

First of all, it's billed as a stand-alone when it's ANYTHING but. You really need to have read the Calloway sister series to follow along, and even then you should have a chart or map or something. I was totally, 100% lost when it came to the characters, and I eventually gave up trying to figure out who was who.

I really enjoyed the narration from J.F. Harding, who is a rock star in my book, but the narration from Alexander Cendese really bothered me. Alexander Cendese has a great sort of "tough" voice, but it didn't fit for the son of super upper class doctors, IMO.

I often struggle with contemporary romance, but it seems like M/M romance from primarily M/F authors tends to bother me the most. I just didn't buy anything about the story, and I had no problems with my decision to put it down at 45% and never pick it back up again.

Not for me.

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10 people found this helpful

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  • Jeff S.
  • 27-09-17

This one was a head-scratcher for me.

I kept hanging on until the bitter end of this book thinking something would actually happen. The climax of the book was a baseball thrown through a window and cats getting out of the house. I mean, seriously? This book was nothing but rich people being rich and bitching about how hard it was to be famous. And all these dag on body guards... I mean the story line was completely absurd and unbelievable. The best thing about this book was the narration. And that. was. it.

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9 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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  • W.F.
  • 04-10-18

Engrossing and layered

Damaged Like Us is a unique and engaging story. I enjoyed the complexity and the multiple layers of the characters and their emotional journey of discovery , love and friendship . The plotline and sub-plotlines were thought provoking, offbeat and interesting as it many of the characters reactions and actions dealt with how Social Media and the image we put out there.

Even though I haven't read/ listened The Addicted and The Calloway Sisters Series, yet; and I know I am missing a lot of the background stories, it don't feel it impacts on me enjoying Maximoff and Farrow story.

And if I loved it so much , why the 4 stars instead of 5 stars , you ask? That's because , the actor playing Farrow . I feel he was shouting throughout the entire book. There was not inflection, subtleties, charm . Maximoff voice actor was much better.

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  • Jesse
  • 27-07-21

Listen to some of the other reviews....

I know this is a romance, so it's supposed to be fluff. But everyone is too perfect, and the "don't mess with so-and-so" gets way too repetitive...

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    3 out of 5 stars
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  • AAHickman
  • 12-12-18

One of the most ridiculous & inaccurate books ever

If it wasn't for the narration I doubt I would have finished this. Everyone is beyond perfect, beyond beautiful, beyond intelligent, beyond caring, beyond outstanding in everything they do, they are beyond beyond. I spent most of the time trying not to laugh at it all. The "if you do something to this family member I'm going to maim/kill you" asides were ridiculous. Normally books like this get chucked into the "not in a million lifetimes" pile immediately, but the quality of the narrators and the way they totally bought into the ridiculous amused me more than it annoyed me. I might even keep listening to the other books, if they have the same narrators.

I'll definitely be looking for more from both of the narrators.

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    1 out of 5 stars
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  • Anitta
  • 19-11-18

Terrible parody of the Kardashians

The protagonists are unrealistic and very un-relatable. So much so that even the Kardashians seem like an actual documentary.
There was not much happening throughout the plot, resembling the Ks. Unlike them though, the story makes me very uncomfortable all the way. The constant unnecessary break of the fourth wall was a huge nuisance to me.
Subpar writing with an abundance of meaningless dialogues.
The voicing could be better if the two actors were swapped.
I did a bit of research and realised that this is a spinoff from a straight romance series. No wonder why this is so unappealing to me.
I do not recommend this to any gay men.

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  • swordboy
  • 01-06-18

really not my style

I really just didn't like the overall story consept, its just over played, and boring, "oh I'm rich, and have everything, but here comes the handsome brute to change my life, and I love him" it has been written, and rewritten, and ishould to have gotten it

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