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.
{ exclusive extras can be found at } :
{ excerpt } .
Grace moved closer, shifting her body so she could reach my face more easily. She ended up practically standing between my legs, brushing up against my injured one whenever she rinsed off the razor.
"Take a breath, Merrick. I haven't cut you. Not yet," she chuckled.
I breathed in her sweet scent, my head swimming with arousal. She had no idea what she was doing to me. All those months shaving with a tiny mirror stuck to the wall in my CHU had been frustrating as hell. I couldn't see shit in that thing. Now I very literally couldn't see shit and she was in front of me smelling like she did, being as gentle as she was, and all those memories didn't seem like such a horrible thing.
Because now I was experiencing something even more torturous.
She positioned the razor under my nose and expertly removed the coarse hair above my lip. What would she do if I just leaned in and devoured her mouth? Would I miss her lips completely or would she meet me halfway?
She gently turned my face and started on the other side. I didn't think having her shave my face would be this intimate. In fact, I was planning on it being annoying as hell since I thought she wouldn't really know what she was doing. Asking my mother had been an option, but I didn't want her leaving Mitch either.
"Almost there. You need a haircut, too." Her voice was rough and sexy, and I had to hold back a groan when it sent blood rushing straight to my groin. "I can style it for you so it stays out of your face, but I'm no good with cutting hair."
"That sounds good," I replied. God, if she didn't finish soon, I was going to do something stupid.
She raised my chin and carefully shaved my neck. When her fingers stroked my skin to check for any areas she missed, I swallowed thickly and lost the battle completely.
My injured and stiff hand found her wrist, slowly pulling the razor away from my skin. Her gasp sent my semi-erection shooting straight up to painfully hard. The skin of her wrist was like silk under my fingers, the tiny bones so fragile. I worried that if I was too insistent, I would hurt her with just a touch.
"Merrick?" she breathed, her sweet breath caressing my chin.
"Grace ..."
I felt her racing pulse under my fingers and pulled her forward until I could feel the heat of her face so close to mine. I raised my other hand to her waist and made a cautious path up, until I gripped the back of her neck. She didn't struggle or protest, and I hoped her accelerated breaths were telling me that she was feeling the same intense pull I was.
My dry throat finally found the strength to speak, even if it was just a whisper. "I would give anything to be able to see you right now." I pulled her face closer, until the tip of her nose touched mine. The sound of the razor falling to the floor, briefly registered in my mind.
"Take a breath, Merrick. I haven't cut you. Not yet," she chuckled.
I breathed in her sweet scent, my head swimming with arousal. She had no idea what she was doing to me. All those months shaving with a tiny mirror stuck to the wall in my CHU had been frustrating as hell. I couldn't see shit in that thing. Now I very literally couldn't see shit and she was in front of me smelling like she did, being as gentle as she was, and all those memories didn't seem like such a horrible thing.
Because now I was experiencing something even more torturous.
She positioned the razor under my nose and expertly removed the coarse hair above my lip. What would she do if I just leaned in and devoured her mouth? Would I miss her lips completely or would she meet me halfway?
She gently turned my face and started on the other side. I didn't think having her shave my face would be this intimate. In fact, I was planning on it being annoying as hell since I thought she wouldn't really know what she was doing. Asking my mother had been an option, but I didn't want her leaving Mitch either.
"Almost there. You need a haircut, too." Her voice was rough and sexy, and I had to hold back a groan when it sent blood rushing straight to my groin. "I can style it for you so it stays out of your face, but I'm no good with cutting hair."
"That sounds good," I replied. God, if she didn't finish soon, I was going to do something stupid.
She raised my chin and carefully shaved my neck. When her fingers stroked my skin to check for any areas she missed, I swallowed thickly and lost the battle completely.
My injured and stiff hand found her wrist, slowly pulling the razor away from my skin. Her gasp sent my semi-erection shooting straight up to painfully hard. The skin of her wrist was like silk under my fingers, the tiny bones so fragile. I worried that if I was too insistent, I would hurt her with just a touch.
"Merrick?" she breathed, her sweet breath caressing my chin.
"Grace ..."
I felt her racing pulse under my fingers and pulled her forward until I could feel the heat of her face so close to mine. I raised my other hand to her waist and made a cautious path up, until I gripped the back of her neck. She didn't struggle or protest, and I hoped her accelerated breaths were telling me that she was feeling the same intense pull I was.
My dry throat finally found the strength to speak, even if it was just a whisper. "I would give anything to be able to see you right now." I pulled her face closer, until the tip of her nose touched mine. The sound of the razor falling to the floor, briefly registered in my mind.
{ 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.
SO AMAZING! Thank you so much for participating in the blog tour for Vivid and for that incredible review!! <3 WOO HOO! I am so grateful to you for taking a chance on me and I'm so thrilled you loved Vivid :) Thank you thank you thank you!!
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