Sometimes the only way to salvation... is to take a leap of faith
What would you do if you had no place to go and no one you could trust?
"The lyrics are about you, Lena," he confessed, and I watched his mouth as the tip of his tongue moistened his lips before he leaned his head down. Then those beautiful lips were on mine, soft, tender at first, then his tongue glided over my lips, breaking the seal. My pulse throbbed and quickened as his tongue swirled around mine. Taking and controlling, and... and I wanted this, needed his touch. I went limp in his embrace, and the heat rose under my skin, my body vibrated against his strong powerful one. Was this really happening?"
Jackson Beaumont prides himself on being a nature-loving, guitar-strumming, carefree sort of guy. When the mysterious Lena Benton walks into his bar looking scared and defeated, it's not something he can ignore. He's immediately consumed by concern for her and driven by his desire to help. She's just so beautiful. So wounded.
After being shuffled from one foster home to another growing up, Lena Benton dreamt of finding her prince charming. When the captivating Troy Harington sweeps her off her feet shortly after high school graduation, she's certain she's found her happiness. Unfortunately, Troy's true colors surface shortly after their marriage and things turn ugly. Lena only has one choice. She has to leave him. She has to run...
Lena's escape has brought her to Jackson, and he clearly wants to be there for her, but can she trust anyone again after what she's gone through? And will Jackson be able to help her heal without losing his heart?
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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The blurb influenced my decision to read this title. I read the author’s work prior to this, but that was in the paranormal genre and I was curious to see how she would handle the contemporary romance genre. She did not disappoint and I have concluded that BEAUTIFULLY WOUNDED by Susan Griscom is the type of story that will own your heart and have you thinking about it for several days yet.
I knew from the moment I began reading that I would be embarking on an emotional journey. From the very first paragraph readers are transported into a tension-filled environment that has you biting your nails as the scenes unfold. This story tugged on my heart and held me in its grip until the very end.
One cannot help but feel and see what Lena went through at the hands of her abuser.
“You think you can get a better lay than me? You’re wrong. Nobody else will have you. Nobody else wants you. You’re a stinking dirty whore! That’s what you are.”
It made me sad and angry. Lena’s strength and courage in the midst of her abusive environment was remarkable. I admired her determination to get away from it all. She recognized that as long as she remains she was one step closer to receiving the same fate as her mother. She was determined that she would not be a statistic. Her courage opened new doors to a life that she never thought possible. A life where she would find unconditional love. I was eager to discover where her journey would lead her.
Jackson is the type of person who is always seeking to help the wounded, be it human or animal. As such, it was only natural that upon seeing Lena he would want to help her. From the moment she walked through the door of his pub, he knew that she was running away from her demons. He is caring, warm and selfless. It was these characteristics that pulled Lena in and led to her opening up to him about all she had been through. He was determined to keep her safe. He was so sweet and patient with her.
BEAUTIFULLY WOUNDED is more than a romance. It’s a story of survival, hope, patience, self-discovery, healing, and friendship. The story was well written and it flowed well. It is evident that the author poured out all she had into this story. I liked the fact that it was told from a dual POV. I was able to gain more insight into what each character was thinking and feeling.
If you are in the mood for a story that will engage your emotions, then give this title a try. –
Award winning author, Susan Griscom, writes paranormal and contemporary romance. She’s hooked on gritty romances and is a huge fan of superheroes and bad boys confronted with extraordinary forces of nature, powers, and abilities beyond the norm mixed with steamy romance, of course. She loves those days when she gets to sit around in her sweat pants, doing nothing but writing emotionally charged stories about love and violence and drinking coffee. She lives in Northern California with her romantic husband and together they have five great superhero kids and eight mini-superhero grand kids, so far.
Nadene's addiction to reading began at an early age, when a family friend gifted her a copy of Wuthering Heights. From that moment she was never without a book.She will read anything as long the material is compelling enough to hold her attention. She gained many experiences through the pages of the books she had the opportunity to read.She created this blog to share her love of books with like minded individuals hopes that in sharing reviews of the books read visitors to the blog will discover their next addictive read. When not reading, Nadene enjoys cooking, listening to music and watching television.
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