Shadows of Scars and Sorrow by Mary E. Palmerin: Review and Interview
Mary Palmerin is an amazing woman. I am honoured to be a part of her writing journey and even more honoured to have the privilege of calling her a friend.She has a full-time job which isn’t easy, two beautiful boys who have everything they deserve because she works tirelessly to give it to them and she writes, reads and reviews books like there’s no tomorrow!In less than a year she has released two novels (the second, which I’m about to review, went live today!) and a novella.
Her talent and determination is inspirational and she is a prolific writer and an incredible role model for her children.
And then we get to The Sorrow Series. I was first introduced to Mary’s debut back in September and I lapped up the story of Lyla and Everett because it was a story that gave me everything I wanted in a series: love, romance, steamy sex, angst, twists and turns, and the unexpected. Succumbing to Scars and Sorrow got a solid 5-stars from me with the criticism that I wanted more Everett Brown. I’m rather impatient when it comes to a man in a suit who is a closet romantic and possesses certain, ahem, skills.
Everett Brown has secrets. Secrets that Lyla has been waiting for him to tell her for months. He has successfully evaded them, but Lyla is becoming impatient.
With the vicious attack of his beloved still fresh in his mind along with the painful loss he feels, his emotions play a battle against one another, testing his strength and his ability to hold himself together.
Will the secrets that he keeps jeopardize his relationship to the woman who has his heart? Or will he learn to cope with memories that resurface with a vengeance and move on to the next phase of his life… marriage.
In this second novel of this beautifully tragic series, Everett Brown will face the family he thought he knew, a past he tries so desperately to disassociate himself from, and the potential for his life to be turned upside down again. But is he strong enough to make it through another nightmare?
With Michael Thomas and Davis Moore still free, justice has yet to be served. In this whirlwind contemporary erotic romance novel, this young couple’s relationship will be tested with several wicked curveballs and twists that even they aren’t prepared for.
Shadows of Scars and Sorrow did not disappoint and certainly satisfied my craving for Everett and a cracking good read. Mary does a great job delving into the mind of a ‘real’ man and in turn gives us yet another powerfully beautiful tale to add to the rapidly growing collection of her work. I’m not one who falls for the tough exterior men try to trick us with and it was refreshing and insightful to be in Everett’s mind. He mourns the loss of their baby in book one, he deals with Lyla’s past and the effect is has on her and their relationship and he opens up his own investigation to try to find the people who almost took her from him, while trying to stay strong and build a life for the woman he loves. I loved seeing what he saw and feeling what he felt and physically swooned at the part I will give away as ‘my heart beats only for you’. Men feel pain, regret, fear and love as strongly as women and Mary portrayed that realistically and with honest, relateable conviction. She has a way with words that will leave you with tears in your eyes and a lump in the back of your throat.
We see the strength of Lyla and the pain of what she has had to face through the eyes of the man who loves her more than anything. This is not a mushy ‘we love each other and we’re going to run away to Happily Ever After Land’ kind of book. Their relationship teeters on the edge of collapse more than once and has you wondering if they’re going to make it. it is real, it is graphic, it is raw and it is smoking hot, and is the perfect display of love being able to conquer the past.
As in the first instalment, Shadows of Scars and Sorrow is about more than just the love between Lyla and Everett. Old demons rear their heads and new troubles arise, interwoven with a frightening sub-plot, hope and fear of what’s to come and the ending will have you an emotional wreck, gripping your armrests.
It is a psychological thriller, it is an erotic romance and it is a five star must-read. The story of Lyla and Everett is not over and as always I’m eager for more of them and the other characters in The Sorrow Series.
Interview
1. For readers who aren’t familiar with The Sorrow Series, can you tell them what to expect when they dive into it?First, I just want to say thank you for having me over on your blog. I’m honored and grateful. In order for everyone to fully understand the multi-faceted Sorrow Series, it is important that I start from the very beginning.I never planned on sharing Lyla’s story with anyone, let alone publish it without a pen name for the whole world to see. Her story was burned into my mind. I knew what I wanted to write, but knowing and doing are two different things. So, I came up with the title of my debut first. The title fits her life because she succumbs to many incubi that plagued her for years. Heartache that was an all-too familiar feeling for the young woman that never lost hope. Such a beautiful feeling, yet hard to hold on to at times. Then I wrote it, and I am damn glad that I did. She meets a man, her savior, a man that believes in the woman beneath the surface. Then there is the cliffhanger at the end of book 1. I knew that I wanted to create a series of four books, but I was not at all planning on the four additional novellas. The other characters within the series were screaming “Tell my story!” So I am. I have since released Lyla’s prequel novella. I have three other novellas planned, one telling Garrett’s story, one for Rosalynn, and one for Everett prior to meeting Lyla. While reading my series, be prepared to be traumatized. I am not the type of writer that omits details out of fear or judgment. I write to tell a tale that is real and true. Women like Lyla Harper deserve their place in the world of HEA. Real life is messy and heartbreaking, but Lyla’s story shows that through all of that, there is hope for something beautiful; and she finds that with Everett Brown.
2. What is your writing process? I don’t have a set writing process, as every project is different and unique. With book 1, I just typed. With book 2, I suppose I was more organized. I wrote/edited/shared with my beta readers chapter by chapter. With my prequel, I wrote and published it in a very short time. It depends on my mood as well as the content. With novella 2 (Garrett’s story) I am just writing as I go, as the story plays out in my head like a movie. I feel the urge to just write so I do. I will tell you my most challenging piece was book 2, and I believe that was solely due to confidence. Once I allowed the negativity to release itself and basically say “fuck off” to the people that didn’t support what I was choosing to do, my work really improved. The fluidity and transitions melded together better than before. I also had dozens of drafts and multiple endings to book 2. Hopefully everyone enjoys it just as much as I did creating it. I worked tirelessly and passionately on this piece, just as all of them, however book 2 is dear to me because it was hardest for me to write.
3. The Sorrow Series will consist of 4 novels and 4 novellas. I can’t wait to see how everything ties together. What’s next for you when the series is complete? While working on book 2, I also had other projects that I was working on. As you know, I became slightly overwhelmed, so I put the other projects on the back burner to focus all my attention on the series. I don’t want to give away too much, but I will tell you one project is a historical romance novel. It is also a stand-alone and I am in love with the leads. The other is also a bit controversial, but let’s face it, I love controversy. The twenty-something female lead is much younger than her older lover.
4. What is the most rewarding/satisfying aspect of writing? Knowing that someone has been touched by the stories that I create. I have had dozens of emails from women that are like Lyla, beautiful survivors living and breathing in the world. They have overcome adversity, as many do, and live life to the fullest. That, in itself is a dream I never thought I would touch. Being able to affect people with the tales that I write is indescribable, and beyond words.
5. If you could change one thing about your writing/publication process, what would it be?What an excellent question. Honestly, I don’t think I would change a thing. I believe that everything happens for a reason. The only I would wish for is more confidence in myself. It wasn’t an easy thing to be thrown into. I was oblivious to the publishing world. I was only certain of two things; I love to write and I love to read. Of course not everyone will enjoy what I write, that’s inevitable. The world would be a boring place if everyone liked the same things. It’s the ruthlessness that I wasn’t quite prepared for. But, my skin is getting thicker by the second, and I would not change a moment of the journey that God has blessed me with.
Let's Get Personal... 1. Describe yourself in three words.Passionate, giving, strong-willed2. What would the title of your autobiography be?Phases of a Selfless Heart3. Name one thing people would be surprised to know about you.I have saved a handful of lives before.4. It’s the weekend and you’re celebrating with friends/family. What song do you put on to get the party started?What a hard question! I am a huge music lover, as are all my friends and family. If it is a day out at my mother’s property and we are lounging by the pool or are on the boat on the lake, it would definitely be something by Jack Johnson. My brother is the controller of all music, lol. There is not much better than the harmonious voice of Jack Johnson. He is lovely and definitely one of my favorites.5. What is one material possession you couldn’t live without?Paper and pens. A laptop would one day die or become outdated. I have my hands, my mind and thoughts, and a pen and paper. I can create any story that I want.6. True or false? All’s fair in love and war?Ah, you are quite the philosopher, Ms. Sherwin. I love that, because I am as well. This is a great question. I would have to say false. I think it is deceitful, honestly. A person doing whatever they want in order to get what they think they deserve. I suppose it also depends what aspect you look at it, as every situation is different. Furthermore, I am not a competitive person, I am far from it. I see myself as selfless. I believe in helping people, embracing one another to achieve a common goal. Unfortunately, the world is full of selfish people who don’t see life the same way. I can only tell you that I couldn’t hurt or deceive another individual for personal gain.7. You’re stranded on a dessert island. What three things do you need to stay sane?Well, if other people don’t count (such as family and friends), I would have to say a pen, an endless supply of paper, and coffee or wine J8. Is the glass half empty or half full?You want honesty, I will give it to you. Everyone has flaws. One of mine is being a bit too hard on myself. If it is a situation that I am in, I have a tendency to see it as half empty, but it is something that I am continuously working on. I strive to be a better person with each passing day and I am also trying to believe in myself more and increase my confidence. I am lucky to have some pretty amazing people in my life, along with my family, I have a few girlfriends that I trust with my life. They tell me how it is. I know that this is something that I need to work on, and I am trying my damndest!9. What is in it?Coffee in the morning. Shiraz at night.10. True or false? No man is an island.False. I believe it is crucial for an individual to be loved. I also think that human beings thrive on the existence of others, learning lessons and attributing those to their own life. Isolation is never a healthy thing, not entirely. Of course it is important to have time alone to rest and reflect, but not interminably.
Download The Sorrow Series Succumbing to Scars and Sorrow
Secrets of A Broken Girl (Free until March 2nd)
Shadows of Scars and Sorrow
Stalk Mary
Twitter
Facebook
Goodreads
Blog
Her talent and determination is inspirational and she is a prolific writer and an incredible role model for her children.
And then we get to The Sorrow Series. I was first introduced to Mary’s debut back in September and I lapped up the story of Lyla and Everett because it was a story that gave me everything I wanted in a series: love, romance, steamy sex, angst, twists and turns, and the unexpected. Succumbing to Scars and Sorrow got a solid 5-stars from me with the criticism that I wanted more Everett Brown. I’m rather impatient when it comes to a man in a suit who is a closet romantic and possesses certain, ahem, skills.
Everett Brown has secrets. Secrets that Lyla has been waiting for him to tell her for months. He has successfully evaded them, but Lyla is becoming impatient.With the vicious attack of his beloved still fresh in his mind along with the painful loss he feels, his emotions play a battle against one another, testing his strength and his ability to hold himself together.
Will the secrets that he keeps jeopardize his relationship to the woman who has his heart? Or will he learn to cope with memories that resurface with a vengeance and move on to the next phase of his life… marriage.
In this second novel of this beautifully tragic series, Everett Brown will face the family he thought he knew, a past he tries so desperately to disassociate himself from, and the potential for his life to be turned upside down again. But is he strong enough to make it through another nightmare?
With Michael Thomas and Davis Moore still free, justice has yet to be served. In this whirlwind contemporary erotic romance novel, this young couple’s relationship will be tested with several wicked curveballs and twists that even they aren’t prepared for.
Shadows of Scars and Sorrow did not disappoint and certainly satisfied my craving for Everett and a cracking good read. Mary does a great job delving into the mind of a ‘real’ man and in turn gives us yet another powerfully beautiful tale to add to the rapidly growing collection of her work. I’m not one who falls for the tough exterior men try to trick us with and it was refreshing and insightful to be in Everett’s mind. He mourns the loss of their baby in book one, he deals with Lyla’s past and the effect is has on her and their relationship and he opens up his own investigation to try to find the people who almost took her from him, while trying to stay strong and build a life for the woman he loves. I loved seeing what he saw and feeling what he felt and physically swooned at the part I will give away as ‘my heart beats only for you’. Men feel pain, regret, fear and love as strongly as women and Mary portrayed that realistically and with honest, relateable conviction. She has a way with words that will leave you with tears in your eyes and a lump in the back of your throat.
We see the strength of Lyla and the pain of what she has had to face through the eyes of the man who loves her more than anything. This is not a mushy ‘we love each other and we’re going to run away to Happily Ever After Land’ kind of book. Their relationship teeters on the edge of collapse more than once and has you wondering if they’re going to make it. it is real, it is graphic, it is raw and it is smoking hot, and is the perfect display of love being able to conquer the past.
As in the first instalment, Shadows of Scars and Sorrow is about more than just the love between Lyla and Everett. Old demons rear their heads and new troubles arise, interwoven with a frightening sub-plot, hope and fear of what’s to come and the ending will have you an emotional wreck, gripping your armrests.
It is a psychological thriller, it is an erotic romance and it is a five star must-read. The story of Lyla and Everett is not over and as always I’m eager for more of them and the other characters in The Sorrow Series.
Interview
1. For readers who aren’t familiar with The Sorrow Series, can you tell them what to expect when they dive into it?First, I just want to say thank you for having me over on your blog. I’m honored and grateful. In order for everyone to fully understand the multi-faceted Sorrow Series, it is important that I start from the very beginning.I never planned on sharing Lyla’s story with anyone, let alone publish it without a pen name for the whole world to see. Her story was burned into my mind. I knew what I wanted to write, but knowing and doing are two different things. So, I came up with the title of my debut first. The title fits her life because she succumbs to many incubi that plagued her for years. Heartache that was an all-too familiar feeling for the young woman that never lost hope. Such a beautiful feeling, yet hard to hold on to at times. Then I wrote it, and I am damn glad that I did. She meets a man, her savior, a man that believes in the woman beneath the surface. Then there is the cliffhanger at the end of book 1. I knew that I wanted to create a series of four books, but I was not at all planning on the four additional novellas. The other characters within the series were screaming “Tell my story!” So I am. I have since released Lyla’s prequel novella. I have three other novellas planned, one telling Garrett’s story, one for Rosalynn, and one for Everett prior to meeting Lyla. While reading my series, be prepared to be traumatized. I am not the type of writer that omits details out of fear or judgment. I write to tell a tale that is real and true. Women like Lyla Harper deserve their place in the world of HEA. Real life is messy and heartbreaking, but Lyla’s story shows that through all of that, there is hope for something beautiful; and she finds that with Everett Brown.
2. What is your writing process? I don’t have a set writing process, as every project is different and unique. With book 1, I just typed. With book 2, I suppose I was more organized. I wrote/edited/shared with my beta readers chapter by chapter. With my prequel, I wrote and published it in a very short time. It depends on my mood as well as the content. With novella 2 (Garrett’s story) I am just writing as I go, as the story plays out in my head like a movie. I feel the urge to just write so I do. I will tell you my most challenging piece was book 2, and I believe that was solely due to confidence. Once I allowed the negativity to release itself and basically say “fuck off” to the people that didn’t support what I was choosing to do, my work really improved. The fluidity and transitions melded together better than before. I also had dozens of drafts and multiple endings to book 2. Hopefully everyone enjoys it just as much as I did creating it. I worked tirelessly and passionately on this piece, just as all of them, however book 2 is dear to me because it was hardest for me to write.
3. The Sorrow Series will consist of 4 novels and 4 novellas. I can’t wait to see how everything ties together. What’s next for you when the series is complete? While working on book 2, I also had other projects that I was working on. As you know, I became slightly overwhelmed, so I put the other projects on the back burner to focus all my attention on the series. I don’t want to give away too much, but I will tell you one project is a historical romance novel. It is also a stand-alone and I am in love with the leads. The other is also a bit controversial, but let’s face it, I love controversy. The twenty-something female lead is much younger than her older lover.
4. What is the most rewarding/satisfying aspect of writing? Knowing that someone has been touched by the stories that I create. I have had dozens of emails from women that are like Lyla, beautiful survivors living and breathing in the world. They have overcome adversity, as many do, and live life to the fullest. That, in itself is a dream I never thought I would touch. Being able to affect people with the tales that I write is indescribable, and beyond words.
5. If you could change one thing about your writing/publication process, what would it be?What an excellent question. Honestly, I don’t think I would change a thing. I believe that everything happens for a reason. The only I would wish for is more confidence in myself. It wasn’t an easy thing to be thrown into. I was oblivious to the publishing world. I was only certain of two things; I love to write and I love to read. Of course not everyone will enjoy what I write, that’s inevitable. The world would be a boring place if everyone liked the same things. It’s the ruthlessness that I wasn’t quite prepared for. But, my skin is getting thicker by the second, and I would not change a moment of the journey that God has blessed me with.
Let's Get Personal... 1. Describe yourself in three words.Passionate, giving, strong-willed2. What would the title of your autobiography be?Phases of a Selfless Heart3. Name one thing people would be surprised to know about you.I have saved a handful of lives before.4. It’s the weekend and you’re celebrating with friends/family. What song do you put on to get the party started?What a hard question! I am a huge music lover, as are all my friends and family. If it is a day out at my mother’s property and we are lounging by the pool or are on the boat on the lake, it would definitely be something by Jack Johnson. My brother is the controller of all music, lol. There is not much better than the harmonious voice of Jack Johnson. He is lovely and definitely one of my favorites.5. What is one material possession you couldn’t live without?Paper and pens. A laptop would one day die or become outdated. I have my hands, my mind and thoughts, and a pen and paper. I can create any story that I want.6. True or false? All’s fair in love and war?Ah, you are quite the philosopher, Ms. Sherwin. I love that, because I am as well. This is a great question. I would have to say false. I think it is deceitful, honestly. A person doing whatever they want in order to get what they think they deserve. I suppose it also depends what aspect you look at it, as every situation is different. Furthermore, I am not a competitive person, I am far from it. I see myself as selfless. I believe in helping people, embracing one another to achieve a common goal. Unfortunately, the world is full of selfish people who don’t see life the same way. I can only tell you that I couldn’t hurt or deceive another individual for personal gain.7. You’re stranded on a dessert island. What three things do you need to stay sane?Well, if other people don’t count (such as family and friends), I would have to say a pen, an endless supply of paper, and coffee or wine J8. Is the glass half empty or half full?You want honesty, I will give it to you. Everyone has flaws. One of mine is being a bit too hard on myself. If it is a situation that I am in, I have a tendency to see it as half empty, but it is something that I am continuously working on. I strive to be a better person with each passing day and I am also trying to believe in myself more and increase my confidence. I am lucky to have some pretty amazing people in my life, along with my family, I have a few girlfriends that I trust with my life. They tell me how it is. I know that this is something that I need to work on, and I am trying my damndest!9. What is in it?Coffee in the morning. Shiraz at night.10. True or false? No man is an island.False. I believe it is crucial for an individual to be loved. I also think that human beings thrive on the existence of others, learning lessons and attributing those to their own life. Isolation is never a healthy thing, not entirely. Of course it is important to have time alone to rest and reflect, but not interminably.
Download The Sorrow Series Succumbing to Scars and Sorrow
Secrets of A Broken Girl (Free until March 2nd)
Shadows of Scars and Sorrow
Stalk Mary
Goodreads
Blog
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