Book Review: White Trash Damaged

White Trash Damaged, by Teresa Mummert.

If someone asked me a few months ago if I would ever have made it out of the trailer park alive, I would have smiled and told them the lie I told myself every day: I will make it out and have a better life for myself. I don't know if I ever honestly believed it, but it was the one thing that kept me from breaking down and giving up on life. Physically, I've left the trailer park and all of the things that were slowly killing me. But it is all still with me.

I stared off at the charcoal remains of my past. The ground was scorched and dead. All of my memories and the horrors that went on inside those four walls eviscerated with a tiny flame that flickered inside of my heart for Tucker.

I had a copy of White Trash Beautiful, the first in this series, from NetGalley, and I finally read it before I read this book, its sequel. It was definitely an interesting story, and I was glad I had White Trash Damaged to delve into right away. Damaged is not quite as good as Beautiful, but it's a good read if you've read Beautiful and want to know more about Cass and Tucker's relationship and where it goes.

Official synopsis:
Rocker Tucker White saved down-and-out waitress Cass Daniels from everyone in her life who was hurting her—except herself. In the much-anticipated follow-up to White Trash Beautiful, Teresa Mummert’s New York Times and USA Today bestseller, Tucker and Cass are finally together, but does that mean they get their happy ending?

Living on a tour bus with your boyfriend’s rock band is nothing like living in a trailer with your drug-addicted mother—except for the drama. After all the pain and grief that marked the beginning of Cass and Tucker’s relationship, they’re finally building a life together—just the two of them, his three bandmates, some groupies, and thousands of screaming fans. And not everyone is as happy about the couple’s reunion as they are.

The last thing Cass wants to do is create friction within the band—especially when Damaged is on the brink of achieving the success Tucker has worked so hard for. She’s thrilled to finally be with a man who loves and protects her as much as he does. But how can she carve out a place for herself in this new rock star world . . . without being swallowed by the shadow of Tucker’s fame?
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In the first book, Tucker saved Cass from her life as a waitress diner with a druggie mother and an abusive boyfriend (also a drug addict). In this novel, Cass has to adjust to life on the road with Tucker and his band, and connect with his bandmates and their new manager as well.

I have to say that I did like Beautiful better than this one; there was more going on, although Damaged brings its fair share of conflicts as well. I was going to give this book 4 out of 5 stars, but the ending is a little abrupt - I'm hoping that White Trash Love Song, the next book in the series which focuses on the love life of Eric (another band member), will give us glimpses of Cass and Tucker as well.

I will say that Mummert manages to create convincing people and situations, and I liked that about both books. Definitely read Beautiful before you read this novel, as well, otherwise you will be missing out on a lot of back story, especially Cass's. Tucker continues to be an enigma as we don't receive much information about him, but you could argue that this is mostly Cass's story, as it's written in first-person from her POV, so that might be why he's still a mystery.

3.5 stars out of 5.

*Disclosure: I received a copy of this novel for reviewing purposes. The opinions expressed here, however, are my own.