Book 1 in the Scarred Series.He once had it all, but for three years retired special services expert, Patrick Reeves has hidden himself and his terrible war wounds from the world. But when a bright, beautiful woman buys the ruined château and estate on which his own home stands, it is more than Patrick’s unerring control can bear. For her to flinch from his injuries would be terrible, but for her … terrible, but for her to pity him would be the final insult. His only option is to make sure she never sees him at all.
Ellen doesn’t give a damn what Patrick looks like. With one glimpse of his shaded figure, one touch of his work roughened hands, and one hint of his masculine scent, she is his. Forever.
Buying the abandoned French château had been a dream, her only desire since her brother was blown up in Afghanistan, if she could only capture the elusive Patrick, her world will be complete.
But Patrick is hiding from far more than himself.
Devastated when her wounded hero abandons her for a flame haired beauty, and terrified when her selfish ex fiancé reappears, Ellen discovers that she might not only lose her lover but also her life.
Can Patrick escape in time to save the woman who loves and accepts him exactly as he is, or will she be lost to him forever while he has been Running Scarred for far too long?
2015 revised edition. Running Scarred is a sensual military romance, gently exploring the emotions stirred by disability caused by war. Suitable for age 16+
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Despite the book cover, this is a sweet romantic book.
It is a well-written story that carries you along on a lovely journey.
Fabulous to read a book about men who aren’t perfect (physically) but are absolutely great, lovable characters, for this point alone I would have to give it 5 stars.
I really enjoyed the French setting and often dream of doing up a rambling old mansion myself so this was right up my street.
Patrick has been through Hell in the war, and once he’s out, he doesn’t think he can be loved. He’s damaged, both inside and out, and doesn’t trust that anyone will be able to see him for who he is. Cue Ellen, a hopeful woman who’s no stranger to the atrocities that a war can provide. It’s her dream to find a place where people who are suffering can find a place of peace. She doesn’t count on finding romance, but instead, it finds her in the form of Patrick.
So, I’m not sure which is more prominent of this author’s writing style—her elaborate descriptions or the depth that she’s able to write her characters with. It was very easy to see just about every aspect of the worldbuilding from the chateaux to the ground around it. For as easy as it was to place myself in the scene of the French countryside thanks to the author’s vibrant painting of the settings, it was even easier to find myself feeling for the characters. Ellen was a likeable character. Strong and compassionate and able to see things differently from everyone else. I loved her romance with Patrick and found them to be quite the likeable couple.
Also, to me the interesting part of this story is the author’s focus on the wounds and scars left by war, both emotional and physical. This made the characters even more real by presenting real issues that I don’t see in a lot of romance.
I thoroughly enjoyed this! Reminiscent of Beauty and the Beast and takes place in France. Patrick is a war hero that has been hurt not only by a suicide bomber but his wife as she left him for being disfigured. He hides from the world in a cottage in a forest near an old chateaux, but fate has other plans as Ellen literally barged through his forest, distraught by her greedy fiancee, and gets lost. Patrick’s greatest fear is that this beauty will never see him, just his scars. There’s plenty of drama, tension, and romance that will keep you turning the pages just to see how it will play out. A great start to a brilliantly written series. I highly recommend this one!
Tackling the tender issue of rehabilitating soldiers, Jackie Williams spins a tale that is inspiring and beautiful. Loved the inclusion of the grand building, it was the perfect symbolism!
Heart-warming and touching romance
This story is a wonderfully well-written romance that contrasts the relationship between Ellen and her selfish fiance with that of the genuine love and attraction she finds she has for Patrick despite his injuries. It was very refreshing to read about love and attraction being more than based on looks alone and instead showing that true strength, beauty and passion is a lot deeper.
The story line and characters were well-described and completely believable and the descriptions of the scenery, surroundings and buildings such as the derelict chateau were wonderfully described, making it feel like you were there yourself!
All in all, a great read.
With a modern-day take on Beauty & the Beast, Running Scarred proved that ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder.’ In this instance, Ellen didn’t see Patrick’s external scars because his attractiveness came from within. They both had a strong connection from the start and although they progressed very slowly, it didn’t negate the fact that they truly cared for one another. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you intrigued and glued to your seat. All in all, Ms. Williams did a fabulous job with a captivating remake and I’d recommend Running Scarred to all romance lovers of all ages.
Running Scarred was such an amazing read. God, how do I put it? Jackie Williams did a wonderful job writing this one. It was a delicate love story between a wounded solider with scars from war. He hid himself until he found Ellen. I loved Ellen. She never saw his scars. Nope, she looked at the man in front of her.
Such a touching story that I couldn’t put down.
Running Scarred (Scarred Series Book 1)
Patrick lives in his isolated just-off-the-cute-French-village estate (though not quite the castle) and wants nothing to do with society. He’s convinced that his war-torn body has made him unlovable. Ellen is the fabulously wealthy, fabulously beautiful soul who sees through what’s on the outside. The Gaston character is truly a slimeball of epic proportions. My favorite aspect of the book is Ellen’s brother and his band of friends–there are obviously more stories to come from this set of characters and I look forward to seeing those unfold.