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There were shadows I was running from.
\nOnes that haunted and taunted.
\nOnes that made it so I had no choice but to disappear.<\/p>\n
I\u2019d spent years hiding from the world.
\nMy little island haven, the only assurance of safety.<\/p>\n
It all changed the moment he showed up at my door.
\nThe hint of pain in his eyes told me that something haunted him, too.
\nAnd I couldn\u2019t help but be drawn closer.<\/p>\n
But finding the person I needed most came with risks I never expected.
\nAnd when our ghosts find us again, neither of us may make it out this time.<\/p>\n
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Add to Goodreads<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n 4.5 stars<\/b><\/p>\n This is a beautifully emotional love story that captured my heart and swept me up in a world of swoon as two darkly traumatised characters find something incredibly special together, and then fight like hell to hold on to it. It\u2019s another wonderful addition to the Wrecked<\/i> series, and I loved it!<\/p>\n Shay is a young woman who has endured unimaginable heartbreak and torment, but she has found peace on a small island in the Pacific North West, where she literally hides away from the world. She is the caretaker for a privately owned island that is a short distance away from the larger island where the first three books of this series take place \u2013 there is some character crossover in this book, but nothing too spoilery so you could read this one as a standalone (the other books are amazing though, so don\u2019t miss out on those!).<\/p>\n Brody is a successful artist living in NYC who has just come through his own trauma. Desperate for a fresh start, he buys the island where Shay lives and moves to what he is hoping is his own private hideaway, where he can find his artistic inspiration once again.<\/p>\n Shay is wary of Brody when he first arrives, but with Shay continuing her caretaker duties, the two of them strike up an easy friendship and become a part of each other\u2019s daily lives \u2013 sharing meals, quiet walks and conversation. They slowly start to open up to each other, and gradually share the secret horrors from their pasts, and their friendship slowly, naturally and easily blossoms into something neither of them expected.<\/p>\n Something told me that if I let myself fall, Brody James could make me feel more alive than I ever had before. <\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n God, I love these two characters! They\u2019ve both been damaged by what they\u2019ve been through, and there is a vulnerability to the both of them, but there is also incredible strength. They\u2019re both putting the past behind them and working to find joy in their lives rather than falling into a hole of despair, and I love that about them! And when it comes to accepting what\u2019s happening between them, there\u2019s no holding back.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s something between us. It pulled at me from the second I got off that boat. A strand of something weaving us together. And I\u2019m not cutting that cord. And you could try, but I don\u2019t think it would work.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n But it\u2019s a slow journey. Shay has lost so much, and she\u2019s been able to keep going by protecting herself, literally going into hiding and not forming connections. Brody has easily become a part of her life, but she\u2019s terrified to let him in fully only to lose him, but Brody is the most beautiful, gentle soul who knows exactly what Shay needs \u2013 supporting and caring for her, while gently pushing her to start living again\u2026 with him. And oh, I fell hard for him and all of his sweetness.<\/p>\n \u201cAnything new is a little scary, and this just feels like one giant leap.\u201d Swoon! It\u2019s sweet, sexy, and blessedly functional, and it\u2019s an absolutely beautiful journey for both of them as they find the courage to grab hold of each other and move forward.<\/p>\n For once in my life, I was taking the risk anyway. I had no choice. The pull was too strong, and I <\/i>wanted to reach for my happiness.<\/i><\/p>\n I couldn\u2019t imagine a greater gift. To have someone see all the things that you were terrified to show the world and still love you. And not just in spite of them, but because they were a part of you.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n But while Brody and Shay and figuring themselves out, the horrors of their pasts are still very much present. Shay is receiving threatening letters, and people are being killed, and with the danger seemingly getting closer, there is a strong suspense storyline in this book that kept my heart pounding, wondering who was after them, and what was going to happen. And there\u2019s an exciting and dramatic climax that brings the story to a head, and oh, my heart!<\/p>\n As I said earlier, characters from the other books in the series all appear, and I loved catching up with them again. They accept Brody and Shay into their world openly, and it\u2019s beautiful to see the two of them get to experience friendship like that. And of course the crew are there to take their backs when they need them.<\/p>\n I loved this book. It\u2019s an exciting romantic suspense with a gorgeous love story, and a great addition to the series. I\u2019m so excited for Hunter\u2019s book up next!<\/p>\n 4.5 stars.<\/p>\n An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.<\/i><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Reckless Memories (#1) Perfect Wreckage (#2) Wrecked Palace (#3) Reckless Refuge (#4) Beneath the Wreckage (#5)<\/strong> <\/p>\n Prologue<\/strong><\/p>\n Shay<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n PAST<\/p>\n It burned. Everywhere and nowhere. Slices in my skin that made it feel as if hot lava had been poured into my flesh. I couldn\u2019t count them, had lost track after the tenth. I tried to move, to somehow escape. Only my fingers twitched.<\/p>\n Sounds. Voices. Hovering above me. They were everywhere and yet nowhere. \u201cMiss? Can you hear me?\u201d<\/p>\n I managed a low moan. I only wanted the pain to stop. The agony tearing through my body. I craved a blanket of nothingness. An endless sea where I would cease to exist altogether.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m an EMT. You\u2019re safe. We\u2019ve got you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHurts.\u201d It was the only message I cared about getting across. This woman might have the power to lessen the burn.<\/p>\n A hand slipped into mine, blood sliding down my arm to bind us together, the liquid already growing tacky with the passage of time.<\/p>\n \u201cI know. Just hold on.\u201d<\/p>\n I didn\u2019t want to hold on. I wanted to float away to a world where none of this was real. \u201cCan you tell us who did this to you?\u201d<\/p>\n My eyes fluttered. My cracked lips parted. I could only manage two words.<\/p>\n \u201cMy brother.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Connect with Catherine:<\/p>\n Amazon\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0Facebook\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0Twitter\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0Pinterest\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0Instagram\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0Goodreads\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0Bookbub\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0Website<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
\nReview<\/b><\/h4>\n
\nBrody tilted my chin. \u201cThen let\u2019s leap together. I want you, Shay. In any way you\u2019ll let me have you. As a friend. A companion. A lover. But we go at your pace.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\nWrecked<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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\nExcerpt<\/strong><\/h4>\n
\nPinpricks of light, like glimmering stars on the darkest night.<\/p>\n
\nWhere pain didn\u2019t exist\u2014only light and peace and relief.<\/p>\n
\nAbout Catherine<\/strong><\/h4>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Catherine-Cowles-e1610374981733.jpg?resize=158%2C198\")
Writer of words. Drinker of Diet Cokes. Lover of all things cute and furry, especially her dog. Catherine has had her nose in a book since the time she could read and finally decided to write down some of her own stories. When she\u2019s not writing she can be found exploring her home state of Oregon, listening to true crime podcasts, or searching for her next book boyfriend.<\/p>\n