Jessica Wilde | October 11, 2015 | Military Romance
★★★★1/2
SOURCE: ALWAYS BEHIND A BOOK
Merrick Thatcher went through a hell that no one could possibly imagine. He fought to protect his country, his family, and the men standing at his side, but it wasn't just being a soldier overseas that changed him. He watched his friends die in front of him, felt indescribable pain, and lost his sight in the very same moment.
Badly injured, blind, and angry, he's done with war, but now he’s fighting his own battle. So, he’s waiting for it to end, spending his days and nights in a thick darkness no light can penetrate. Until Grace walks into his life and his broken eyes open to a woman that changes everything for him.
A story about two flawed souls finding love amidst the grief. A love that shines vividly, even in the dark, and discovering that sometimes being broken is how the light gets in.
For readers 18+ due to language, violence, and sexual situations
{ add to goodreads } .
Like many other foundations, the Special Operations Warrior Foundation provides assistance to injured soldiers as well as their families. SOWF also focuses on one of the most important challenges those families face; 'getting to their hospitalized loved ones as quickly as possible'. With grants immediately provided to the family, they can travel to be bedside with their loved one, especially for those crucial first days. SOWF also provides a scholarship program, family services (including clinical social workers, scholarship counselors, and family services counselors). With on-going support and helpful counseling to all families of fallen members in every branch of the military, they are able to help in all the ways that count. The SOWF was highly recommended to me by a recent veteran who served in Iraq. Therefore, I am thrilled to be able to help them in any way possible. Every little bit counts.
{ about jessica wilde } .
I live in Morgan, Utah with my husband, beautiful daughter, and a couple of spoiled pups. If I'm not deeply involved in writing my next book, then I'm probably reading in the safety and quiet of my closet. I love yoga – which I now practice regularly – playing hide and seek with my daughter (only to have my hiding spots revealed by one of the pups), and I love Fruit by the Foot, Twizzlers and Peace Tea. These are great ways to bribe me into revealing secrets about what's to come.I have an unhealthy obsession with Supernatural, The Walking Dead, and The Big Bang Theory. I also enjoy talking about them, so if you like them, too, come find me.
Writing has become an enormous part of my life and every book I write holds a special place in my heart. If you read one of my books, I hope you have the same experience.
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{ excerpt } .
I felt her hand rest on my arm, stopping me from rolling away and getting the hell away from her before I said something stupid.
"I know you don't remember me from before, but I ..." Her words trailed off, her fingers constricting against my skin.
God, if I could just touch her, I wouldn't need to ask questions. I would be able to feel every soft curve and edge, and I wouldn't need anything more than that. If I could just touch her.
"I was never one of those girls that you found yourself with all too often."
I frowned and leaned forward, waiting for an explanation. I had no idea what she was talking about. Of course she wasn't one of those girls. She was real and sweet, compassionate and smart. Those other girls were just fake. The pretty was only on the outside.
"I was never really pretty. At least not the pretty that everyone would have seen. I was kind of awkward and nerdy, but rounder in areas where other girls were flat. Still am. Does that make sense?"
I hesitated before nodding my understanding, grinning when I envisioned her. "So you're telling me that you look like a real woman and not a stick?"
She gasped and pulled her hand away from my arm. "I didn't say that."
I waited for her to continue. Anything that would give me a better picture of her. She stayed silent. I was starting to feel like the air around me was too thick to breathe.
Grace cleared her throat and shifted in her chair. I wanted to know what she was doing with her hands. Was she wringing them together? Were they in her lap? In her hair? Was she looking at me or trying to avoid that?
"I'm just me," she said, quietly.
"You're beautiful." The words left my mouth without my prompting, but there was nothing inside of me that wanted to take them back.
She released a self-deprecating laugh and, again, I wondered what she was doing with her hands.
"I may be blind, Grace. But I can still see some things."
"I know you don't remember me from before, but I ..." Her words trailed off, her fingers constricting against my skin.
God, if I could just touch her, I wouldn't need to ask questions. I would be able to feel every soft curve and edge, and I wouldn't need anything more than that. If I could just touch her.
"I was never one of those girls that you found yourself with all too often."
I frowned and leaned forward, waiting for an explanation. I had no idea what she was talking about. Of course she wasn't one of those girls. She was real and sweet, compassionate and smart. Those other girls were just fake. The pretty was only on the outside.
"I was never really pretty. At least not the pretty that everyone would have seen. I was kind of awkward and nerdy, but rounder in areas where other girls were flat. Still am. Does that make sense?"
I hesitated before nodding my understanding, grinning when I envisioned her. "So you're telling me that you look like a real woman and not a stick?"
She gasped and pulled her hand away from my arm. "I didn't say that."
I waited for her to continue. Anything that would give me a better picture of her. She stayed silent. I was starting to feel like the air around me was too thick to breathe.
Grace cleared her throat and shifted in her chair. I wanted to know what she was doing with her hands. Was she wringing them together? Were they in her lap? In her hair? Was she looking at me or trying to avoid that?
"I'm just me," she said, quietly.
"You're beautiful." The words left my mouth without my prompting, but there was nothing inside of me that wanted to take them back.
She released a self-deprecating laugh and, again, I wondered what she was doing with her hands.
"I may be blind, Grace. But I can still see some things."
{ review } .
Nothing pulls me deeper into a story than a thoroughly thought out character. Make that a wounded character, and I'm completely there, start to finish.
Grace and Merrick had grown up neighbors, but had little to no interaction. Grace, quiet and shy, never spoke to him, even though they shared three classes their junior year; their one moment was when he'd helped her start her car one morning before school. Merrick had been the good guy, the popular guy, the one who could be sweet when called for, but the smart-assed, asshole popular guy in the next breath. Last Grace heard, he'd joined the Army.
Now he's home -- and deeply scarred.
The last thing Merrick saw plays on a continuous loop behind his now-blind eyes. Jessica did such a great job writing this wounded man. His feelings, his grief... and then later, his awe and disbelief in what he was lucky enough to receive... I truly enjoyed this man. I loved the journey Grace and he went on, as Grace was learning to trust and open her heart again, and Merrick was learning how to be, what he thought was, half the man he'd been prior to his last tour.
I loved the strength Grace had. Even when she was overcoming her own brokenness, she didn't let Merrick's grief and bitterness drag her down. She was there for him and allowed him to learn to accept life as it was.
The end to this story was so beautiful; I loved every moment of Grace and Merrick's journey and truly loved the symbolism of cracks and light the Merrick applies to life.
Grace and Merrick had grown up neighbors, but had little to no interaction. Grace, quiet and shy, never spoke to him, even though they shared three classes their junior year; their one moment was when he'd helped her start her car one morning before school. Merrick had been the good guy, the popular guy, the one who could be sweet when called for, but the smart-assed, asshole popular guy in the next breath. Last Grace heard, he'd joined the Army.
Now he's home -- and deeply scarred.
The last thing Merrick saw plays on a continuous loop behind his now-blind eyes. Jessica did such a great job writing this wounded man. His feelings, his grief... and then later, his awe and disbelief in what he was lucky enough to receive... I truly enjoyed this man. I loved the journey Grace and he went on, as Grace was learning to trust and open her heart again, and Merrick was learning how to be, what he thought was, half the man he'd been prior to his last tour.
I loved the strength Grace had. Even when she was overcoming her own brokenness, she didn't let Merrick's grief and bitterness drag her down. She was there for him and allowed him to learn to accept life as it was.
The end to this story was so beautiful; I loved every moment of Grace and Merrick's journey and truly loved the symbolism of cracks and light the Merrick applies to life.
Thank you so much for participating in the release blitz for Vivid and for this incredible review! I am so happy you enjoyed the book and so grateful for your help in spreading the word :) <3
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