She was my best friend’s little sister—and the woman who ruined my life.O’Neal Jones was the last person I expected to run into on this mountain in the middle of nowhere.I wanted her, even if it was a bad idea.But this thing between us was dangerous. It tore through flesh and bone to sear my soul. Then, in the course of one night, she worked her way into my tent and my sleeping bag…The question … tent and my sleeping bag…
The question was, could I heal my wounds enough to let her into my heart?
Loving the Wounded Warrior is a sexy standalone novella, in the Love at Last series.
Originally published in the Rogue Affair anthology, this edition has been expanded with new material.
more
Kurt had a history with O’Neal, and it wasn’t all pleasant. Yes, he was best friend’s with her older brother, Jared, but Kurt hadn’t met her until being injured during a football game and needing to go to the hospital. It was there, he met, and started falling for O’Neal. But then she betrayed the trust he gave her that night when he shared about previous injuries and used that knowledge to basically out him, therefore, in his eyes, ruining his life.
O’Neal is inquisitive by nature, which makes her a darn good reporter, even if she did have to travel before finding an open position, and then again continue traveling for her stories. When she’s driving after one such assignment, she can’t help but be curious about why the lone man is pushing a wheelchair. Unable to stop herself, even after it’s clear he doesn’t want to talk about it, she asks why. It was nice to see them both grow individually and as a couple while helping Kurt cope with his new reality and the past that haunts him.
Kurt doesn’t want to talk about it. He just wants to be alone, which is way he’s in the middle of nowhere on his self-appointed journey. And when he realizes it’s O’Neal hounding him with questions, it brings back memories of last time he confided in her…as well as the feelings he was starting to experience for her before being warned off by her brother.
That day, O’Neal was his savior and destroyer all in one. But there’s still just something about her that calls to him, and it’s mutual. O’Neal always had a thing for the older Kurt, but never assumed it would be returned. When she shared what he’d told her that day, she didn’t realize she shouldn’t have. Didn’t know the consequences it would have on Kurt’s life and plans.
Thankfully, after explaining her intent wasn’t to hurt him but instead to help, he forgives her and she camps out with him, assisting him in whatever he feels he must do. Their close proximity brings their previous feelings for one another roaring back, and time hasn’t dulled them at all. In fact, it just may have strengthened them, showing that this is their time, and it wasn’t before.
Can O’Neal help Kurt make peace with his time in the Marines? Can she help him cope with what happened to him and his friends? Will O’Neal once again be his savior? Or will she yet again unknowingly bring about his ruin? What happens when her older and protective brother, Jared, learns about their relationship? Is a HEA possible?
One-click now and follow along as two people realize you can move forward and live, even when all hope may seem lost. I like that Kurt and O’Neal have a history, even if it’s one that kept them apart based on a lack of communication. I think both needed to continue their lives separate before living them together. Kurt’s struggle with what grief and memories rang true, and the author portrayed him fighting those demons well. As for O’Neal, I think she was running from her own, even if she didn’t realize it.- By Elizabeth
Ready for a heart wrenching and very sexy novella? This is a sequel to Loving The Secret Billionaire, but can be read as a stand alone. This story is about O’neil, a reporter who is on her way back from a assignment when she almost runs a man over on the road. He looks like a wanderer. Then she recognizes his eyes. He is Kurt Anderson. Her older brother’s best friend growing up and the boy who she had a huge crush on. But he isn’t that boy anymore. He is man now. A sexy one. But there is so much pain in his eyes. And she is curious why he is the climbing the mountain with a wheelchair so she decides to follow after him. She is determined to get his story.
This is a quick read. And I guarantee readers won’t be able to put it down. I felt my heart grippen as this story unfolded and all the questions I had were quickly being answered. I already loved Oneil from Loving The Secret Billionaire. She is a strong, stubborn and hilarious woman. But Kurt sees through her tough exterior at who she is. And they quickly have chemistry. Both aren’t relationship people. But maybe all they were missing was the right person.
And romance fans, get ready for steamy love scenes. I found myself blushing and almost sweating. But that just shows how good this author is. She makes the writer feel everything. And that makes the reader so much closer to the story and it’s characters.
I also loved that the story dealt with real issues. One of them being the veterans and their issues. Kurt is veteran who just wants to help others like him. That touched my heart as the daughter of Vietnam vet. Another reason to totally love Kurt and this book.
If you happen to stumble upon your childhood crush on the side of the mountain there’s no way you’ll just hop back on your car and leave it at that. Considering that O’neal is also a journalist, her insatiable behavior to tell a story has been engaged as well. But Kurt Naderson is a man who has a lot of things going on and to finally be confronted by the girl who was off limits to him in high school was something that needed to be left in the past. This was way harder to do than climbing a mountain with your dead comrade’s wheelchair.
Loving A Wounded Warrior is a novella by the wonderfully talented Adriana Anders. It’s about second chances and letting go of baggage to learn to live again. It deals with PTSD, depression, self-esteem but most of all, it deals with love. For some readers, the romance might be more insta-love than is quite believable but it’s the honesty of the emotions between Kurt and O’neal that really stays with you. It’s definitely erotic but it’s also funny, poignant and sweet as well. A truly worthwhile read.
I love a stand alone that delivers!!!
The last thing O’Neal expected to see as she came down off the mountain was a lone man pushing an empty wheel chair up the mountain. After a near miss of a wreck brings her face to face with her adolescent crush she just knows this is the story of a lifetime. The one thing she’s been looking for her whole career.
Kurt has been on a mission. A mission to right the wrongs of his past but of which there is no absolution and no answers at the end of the journey. When the young spunky girl of his past won’t leave him alone, he finds himself inviting to stay at his camp for the night. This is all kinds of wrong but he can’t seem to let her go.
Despite this being a novella, it had a lot of heart and angst and power within it. Offering up an important message it shines a light on what’s so wrong with the system when it comes to our country’s vets. My heart hurt for Kurt and his total sense of loneliness and loss. O’Neal was a tough heroine but Kurt touched something soft in her and she allowed herself to open up to him.
Obviously this is fast paced but very well developed for its length. There is no time lost on secondary characters and the steam was flaming. I would have enjoyed a little epilogue at the end to have made this a perfect short read. The resolution was well rounded and satisfying and I was so happy to see Kurt find his purpose.
Overall, this is a very enjoyable read, deeper than most novellas and I would recommend it to anyone who likes a broken hero.