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Synopsis

Every scar tells a story…
Some are etched on the skin, for the whole world to see.
Others are buried deep, so deep, only the heart can truly find them.

Dean Sutherland was the quintessential guy next door. Strong and dependable, with a heart of gold, he knew exactly where his life was headed. Until one fateful night at sea ripped away everything.

Now he’s adrift, a man without a purpose.

Cora Carpenter thought she had the perfect life. A successful career, an affectionate husband and a daughter who adores her. But soon that perfect world is crashing down around her, and she’s in need of a fresh start. Moving to a remote town on the coast of North Carolina seems like the perfect plan. That is until she finds herself face to face with a kindred soul from her past.

Dean and Cora have more in common than either are willing to admit. Both deeply rooted in their pain, they can’t help but find hope in each other’s eyes and passion entwined with every touch. But can two broken hearts make a whole?

Will the scars they’ve bared to one another poison their happily ever after, or can love truly heal all?

 

 

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Review

“Someday, you’re going to realize your life didn’t end … Someday, you’re going to look past those wounds and scars that ripped open your body and realize you have more to give, more to live, and more to love.”

3.5 stars!

I really enjoyed this book. With a gorgeous yet tormented hero, and a heroine who is a strong yet damaged single mother, this is a sweet, heartfelt love story between two broken people, and a gorgeous story of healing from the past and finding happiness

You could easily read this book as a standalone, but be aware that you will be missing some of the backstory and context that takes place in the first book in the series – The Choices I’ve Made.

We were introduced to Dean in the first book and saw him go through a trauma which left him scarred inside and out, and I was so excited to see that we would be getting his story in full. It’s been three years since the accident that changed his life, and in the present day – and through his past journal entries – we get to see just how much it has altered him, how lost he feels, and how hard he is finding it to find his new normal.

I thought I could go back.
Back to my life.
Back to normal.
But what is normal now?

Cora is a single mother who is newly divorced and starting a new life for herself and her young daughter. She is also scarred from all that she’s been through, and her life is a bit of a mess as she’s keeping some pretty significant secrets, but she has high hopes for her move to the small island of Ocracoke, starting with a new job with none other than Dr Jake Jameson (hero of book #1).

Dean met Cora while he was in hospital recovering from his injury. She was his nurse and he fell for her in a big way, but she wasn’t available, and her absence from his life felt like another loss. So when she shows up on his island, he is both stunned and excited, knowing that this may be the second chance he never thought he’d get. But he can see that she’s been through hell and is also struggling to find her place.

I didn’t know what had happened to Cora in her life since I’d been her patient, but I recognized wounds and battle scars, and the woman who stood in front of me was bathed in them.

This is such a gorgeous story. Dean and Cora are gorgeous together, with great chemistry. Obviously there are issues there that they need to deal with, but the drama is handled well, and they don’t let their baggage get in the way of them getting to know each other again. Instead they slowly open up and help each other to heal, and though they have their back and forth, it’s all understandable and their love story is functional, sweet, emotional and sexy. It moves at a great pace, and I was easily swept up in it all.

“And then what?” he asked.
“And then…everything.”
“Everything?”
I nodded. “Everything. I want it all. With you.”

Adding to the wonderful dynamic is Cora’s daughter, Lizzie. She plays a huge part in the story, and the adorably precocious, genius five year old is not only a gorgeous addition to Dean and Cora’s love story, but she’s a wonderfully developed character all on her own. I particularly loved seeing her develop her relationship with Dean. She’s a true scene stealer, I just loved her.

Lizzie organised her backpack for the tenth time. There were literally three things in there, but she was convinced it was necessary to know exactly where they were at all times.
How I’d managed to give birth to the female version of Sheldon Cooper was beyond me.

I also loved the inclusion of Jake and Molly from book #1. They have some great story progression, and I really enjoyed seeing the dynamic between them and Dean. It’s unusual, but they handle it well. The two boys in particular have a great friendship, and I laughed out loud at their antics and banter.

I really enjoyed this book. It’s a quick, sweet and easy read, and I’m looking forward to getting to know more of these characters as the series continues.

3.5 stars.

An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

 

By the Bay

 

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Excerpt

By the time I arrived at the inn for dinner, I was a goddamn mess. Sweat was running down my back from the heat, even after changing my shirt twice. I’d changed my mind three times on whether to bring flowers for Cora, doubling back to the house at the last minute to grab them after I firmly decided to leave them at home.

When I finally arrived, I was a solid twenty minutes late and probably looked like a psychopath from all the sweat and the mangled flowers in my hand.

But all of this was forgotten the moment the door opened, and Cora greeted me.

“Jesus,” I cursed, giving her a once-over before she even had the chance to say hi. “You look insane.”

“Insane is good?” she asked, pink staining her cheeks.

I’d never seen her in anything beyond scrubs and shorts. Granted, this woman could wear a paper bag and be the hottest woman in the room. Tonight though, she’d dressed up, wearing a short, strappy number with tiny pink flowers dotting the fabric.

“Insane is really good,” I clarified.

 

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Meet J. L. Berg

I’m a California native, who lives in the South – Virginia to be exact. I still prefer sushi to fried chicken, avocados to okra, and I absolutely loathe humidity. I do love watching the seasons change though. My husband and I have been here for over a decade, and I still get giddy like a school girl every time it snows. It’s magical!

I’m married to my high school sweetheart, and we’ve been blessed with two beautiful daughters and two rescue pups I like to call my “coworkers”. I’m obsessed with chocolate, minions, anything Harry Potter and I love to watch re-runs of Friends and Gilmore Girls!

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