Beautifully Scarred

by P. Rayne

Growing up, all we had was each other.
Jimmy’s always been the one who protected me—at any cost. I was content to let him clean up my messes. And when he kept his promise to get us out of our hometown and living the lives we always dreamed of, I was happy to pretend everything would be okay... for a while.
While Jimmy was able to leave the past behind, mine felt like a tattoo I could never scrub clean.
Jimmy thinks he can fix me—he tries, and tries, and tries.
Sometimes love isn’t enough to heal all the wounds from the past. Sometimes even your savior thinks you’re not worth saving.
And he’d be right… until everything changed. I’ve loved Lilah for as long as I can remember.
And for as long as I can remember, she’s pushed down the traumas of her past until they became poison running through her veins, infecting everything she touched.
Watching the woman you love destroy herself piece by piece is the slowest, most painful form of torture I know.
Giving her up may be the only way to save her. But how do I just walk away from the one person I love most in this life?

This book was previously published as All We Were/All We Are by Elisabeth Grace and Michelle Lynn.
Trigger warnings are available on the author's website under the P. Rayne tab.

Genres: Dark Romance, Second Chance, Romance, Friends To Lovers, Dark

624 pages, Paperback

Published January 24, 2023

Reviews

[Dora Koutsoukou · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 🙄🤔⭐️s

There was so much toxicity in the first part to last for a few lifetimes…
I could feel what the mcs had been and still going through, I am sorry, yet I couldn’t and didn’t want anymore to deal with that journey. I was at the verge of dropping it.
Then I thought to give a chance to the second part which turned out to be unbelievably predictable and cliche.

Moreover, it was so long winded that I couldn’t read fast enough to get to the last page. 🦸🏻‍♀️

[♡Gabi♡ [life & work is chaotic hiatus] · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This book truly took my breath away and put me through all the emotions. PAIN being a big one. 😫 Jimmy’s and Lilah’s story is so heart wrenchingly beautiful and touching. Jimmy was truly Lilah’s soulmate & protector in every sense of the word and I knew Lilah after working through her trauma and pain would be able to fully love Jimmy properly, fiercely, and in an all consuming way. There were twists I never saw coming and I was shocked when we got that time jump between them…most of all DEVASTATED, but I can see how that needed to happen to the both of them and how it especially added to Lilah’s character arc/journey. This book eventually brought me back together again and it was just everything and more. 🫶🏼🥹

Definitely check TW!

[Nadine Bookaholic · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Beautifully Scarred Stars

Beautifully Scarred is a far cry from the Contemporary Romances we have come to love from the writing duo Piper Rayne hence the new pen name P. Rayne but these ladies did a wonderful job with delving into the world of dark and taboo.

Lilah and Jimmy have moved to LA to start their lives over and leave their past behind them only for Lilah that's harder than she hoped it would be. Addiction has plagued her life for years and at times it put a strain on her relationship with Jimmy. Their love for one another was so deep I don't think anyone in their lives understood why he continued to stand by her the way he did but there were circumstances that bonded them together for life.

I loved the first part of this book and I am truly thankful that the authors left Lilah's abuse off page, it was a heartbreaking read that you will feel deep in your soul. The second part of the book takes place six years later and we see how Lilah turned her life around and she is thriving, she still battles the demons but she is clean and healthy. The two parts of the books show the before and after of Lilah's transformation beautifully, addiction is a disease and not one that is easily stopped and we get to see her struggles through it all.

Jimmy shows some growth but he pretty much stays the same which was fine by me since he was always a solid rock when it came to Lilah, there is one incident that pushes him to cut ties but that just gives us the break needed between the two parts and the six year gap.

There are trigger warnings for this book and to find them you need to go to Piper Rayne's website and look under the P. Rayne tab, they lay it all out for you and as I mentioned the abuse that Lilah suffered through as a child was done off page but there are times where she flashes back to them but again we do not get the gory details of it all.

I would recommend this book to those that enjoy Steamy Dark Romances, Childhood Sweetheart Romances, Second Chance Romances, or Celebrity Romances.

Happy Reading!!!

Find out more here ➡ https://bit.ly/NBReviewBS0



**I have voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Readers Copy of this book for my Blog, Nadine's Obsessed with Books
You can find me here:  https://linktr.ee/NadineBookaholic

[PP's Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully Scarred by P. Rayne was a messy, raw and heartbreaking love story full of hard hitting emotions and with a beautiful and moving ending. Lilah and Jimmy went through the deepest part of emotional hell and had to battle their demons before they find their happily ever after.

Hollywood's new golden boy James "Jimmy" Crawford and LA's hottest upcoming model Lilah Robbie have come a long way from their dark small town life. But the past still haunts them. Jimmy works hard to leave it behind while Lilah takes the help of addiction to forget. They are more than best friends. But Jimmy can only do so much to save her. And just when they thought they are seeing light...something happens to tear them apart completely. Will they ever find their way to each other again? And if yes, at what cost?

This story handles difficult and sensitive subjects like addiction, mental health problems, abuse and many more. You can check the author's website for full details. This story is divided into two parts with a six year long time gap in between. Part one just wrecked me. Lilah's pain and depression and everything just cut me deep. She was drowning is pain and guilt and shame and pure depression. My heart was being pulverized for this girl. Jimmy has always protected her and she is his everything. But Lilah felt she is too damaged to be loved. It was epic angst in every way.

Part two was a lot different. I was delighted to see Lilah saving herself and trying to be strong and stable with everything. Second part was about Jimmy's redemption and how he found his way to Lila. But it was not an easy journey. It was a bit fast and I felt everything got solved a bit too easily. Jimmy had to grovel a lot and he got away with a lot less. Lilah had to sacrifice a lot and my heart still breaks for them. I definitely loved how they found their happily ever after and it still wrecked my heart all over again. If you love a gritty romance, Beautifully Scarred by P. Rayne is a must read for you.

I reviewed an early copy voluntarily

[Daisy Nijs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully Scarred is a heartbreaking story between two lovers/best friends.
Lilah and Jimmy, best friends since they were kids, the only other person they could rely on.
Now as adults, they both escaped their miserable childhood lives, but the trauma still lingers. Lilah suffers with addiction, and Jimmy tries to de everything he can to help her clean up her act, and to trust in him, in them being more.
This book sucks you in from the beginning, it was really hard to put it down. But eventually, when it was 4 A.M., I needed to stop reading.
The push and the pull between Lilah and jimmy sometimes wanted to make me scream at them. And the persistence that Jimmy has, to keep pushing her, helping her, made me fall so hard for him.
But then, my heart got ripped out and smashed to pieces. The beginning of part two, I did not see that coming, at least not all of it. Then it was Jimmy that I kept telling “open your f** eyes”.
At the end of the book, I finally understood the whole meaning of the title, it fits perfectly.
If this is the dark romance P. Rayne will write, I’m definitely up for the ride. Can’t wait for the next series to start.

[Sarah~Book Obsession Confessions · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 STARS

Lilah and Jimmy’s story spans from their traumatic childhood together, their tumultuous young adult years trying to make it in Hollywood and the years after Jimmy has become an A-List actor.
It’s a bit gritty, exceptionally emotional and heart wrenching.
It’s a story of two damaged people who share extremely painful experiences, secrets and a one of a kind love.
Jimmy is the stable, caretaker of the two. Lilah is self destructive and she numbs her pain with vices.
Both, are flawed in different ways. Their love is never a question, it’s very special and yet, their relationship is so very toxic at times.
I found myself riveted by their messy, yet beautiful friendship and relationship. They are complicated characters, I never judged their “bad” behavior. They were doing the best they could given a really terrible start in life.
It’s a story of survival and loving yourself enough to do the right thing.
The tragic and tumultuous times were balanced with enough lighter scenes between the characters and enough loving beautiful moments to be enjoyable, not so dark that it was depressing to me.
It has plenty of pain, it’s what makes the beautiful things shine brighter.
I really love these characters and their beautifully written journey of love in many forms.

[Reading In the Red Room · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will be with me for awhile, this was an incredible emotional journey. Jimmy and Lilah were everything to each other they were friends, lovers, confidants and so much more. This book tells a story that take place throughout several years and is definitely a journey of two damaged souls. Saying that they had rough childhoods would be a major understatement. They each chose to channel the emotion baggage in a different way. Lilah chose years of drugs and alcohol abuse. Jimmy tried every thing in his power to help her, but it wasn’t enough. Lilahs pain was to deep even for the intense love he had for her, she had to get clean for herself. Part one of this book was emotionally draining and so incredibly raw. So many delicate subjects were talked about and handled. Part two was powerful and tied everything together so well. This book had so many great layers that told an important story. The characters were well written and had great depth. I truly loved this book and the story it told. I highly recommend this amazing book and can’t wait to read more books from this author.

[Crystal's Book World ~ Crystal Cordova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully Scarred draws the ugly and gritty details of what only life can bring. I had a lot of push and pull of emotions when I was reading this book. It was raw and uncensored. Dark and full of battles. Emotionless but yet your heart and soul is invested. My mind is a cluster F&*$. I could not stop reading the train wreck that was happening from page to page. I ended up hating the heroine about 75% of the time. I could not get her away fast enough from my mind. I guess in some ways I was stuck like the hero in the story. Hoping that she will be saved by the said hero. But in the end, she was the only one that could save herself. I just wished she had knew her worth. But there were too many demons in the way.

I am talking about Lilah and Jimmy. Their relationship was so toxic. On the outside looking in, I was screaming for Jimmy to be done with her. But from the inside looking out, you just kept holding out for hope. These two had to make it.

This story teeters on the dark side of addiction. Of loneliness, depression, and hopelessness. A lot of heartache comes through these pages at the beginning. And even though the pain dulls, you are just waiting for the last pin to drop at the end.

Beautifully Scarred will engulf you into the darkness. You feel like you are bleeding for these characters and have a slither of hope that they will get a HEA. Even if it means Lilah and Jimmy have to go their separate ways. They have to fight like their lives depend on it. In the end, I fell for Lilah and Jimmy. You never know what one is battling. I have one humongous book hangover that I am sure will last for days to come. I whole heartedly loved this story! #MustRead2023

[Amy [Book Addict Reviews] · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book absolutely gutted me. Lilah and Jimmy’s story is an emotional, heartbreaking roller coaster that you don’t want to escape.

Lilah, I adored her. She struggled hard with addiction and really she struggled a lot in her early life. She has so much more strength than I think she even realizes. Her growth throughout this story was amazing. Jimmy may seem perfect to those who know him in Hollywood, however, he is far from it and he knows it. He has is own issues. Lilah and Jimmy have a connection that is much deeper than friendship, these two were with each other at the lowest of lows and the highest of highs.

I loved the connection and the chemistry between these two. There were times where I loved Lilah, where I loved Jimmy, but then there were also times where they were both frustrating. There is so much more to their story than I expected. Part one gutted me and broke my heart, but part two slowly rebuilds everything, though it still isn’t an easy road and there are plenty of struggles for both of them.

There are things in the story that may be difficult for some people to read so make sure you check out the warnings.

If you’re looking for a dark, emotional, friends to lovers, second chance romance this is one to check out.

[alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book tore me apart. the way that lilah’s addiction (which isn’t a spoiler because it’s revealed in the first chapter) is written is so so so realistic and well done. everything about the way her illness is discussed to her recovery is heartbreaking and beautiful and so accurate. i’ve spent a lot of time around people with addictions so this book hit close to home. the authors did an incredible job of writing about addiction while keeping the toxic, stereotypical ideas about it out of the story.

they also did incredible at writing the way addiction impacts the other people in one’s life and holy fuck—when i say jimmy’s love for lilah made me sob, i’m not joking. the two of them had such a toxic relationship in the first half of the book but it was so clear that the love was real for both of them. i hated jimmy at the end of part one but i also felt for him so much because he had spent so long trying to fix lilah that it was eating away at him too. but seeing the way they both grew in the future was so beautiful. everything about this book was beautiful 😭

one thing i will say—everything felt like it happened so fast. i don’t wanna give spoilers, but there were whole months that were skipped to keep with the story. i just would’ve liked to see how jimmy and lilah were coping with everything individually during those months. that being said, things still flowed nicely and i was still captivated the entire time. i did, however, guess what happened on “that night” before it was revealed.

anyway, 10/10 would recommend. i loved this book so much. i will say i liked the first half a bit more than the second, but the whole thing was truly incredible. go read this. right now.

thank you to valentine pr for an arc of this book!

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully Scarred is the debut novel for @authorprayne , the author duo has written dozens of light hearted romance books but have decided to branch out into some dark romance books. This story was about childhood friends, Jimmy and Lilah, they went through extremely difficult times as children and that followed them into adulthood whether they wanted the reminders or not.

Lilah is very difficult to like at times. Especially in Part 1. She was addicted to drugs and was constantly making Jimmy’s life more and more difficult as he tried to make it in Hollywood and make their dreams come true. They had constant peaks and valleys throughout their relationship and when Lilah finally gets clean it still isn’t smooth sailing. In the end they do get their HEA and Lilah has truly turned her life around, even dedicating time to helping others like herself.

I’ll be honest, throughout the book I had very mixed feelings. They were both very complex characters. However after completing the book I read the acknowledgments my opinion was firmly in the camp of these two people were real. Obviously not every relationship deals with everything these two dealt with but their issues were hard and real. Neither were truly bad people, they were handling what life dealt them as best they could. This was a great debut novel for P. Rayne!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Lourdes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jimmy and Lilah have been close since childhood. Growing up in a dirt poor mountain community both with abusive fathers, Jimmy always looked after Lilah until they managed to leave that life behind chasing after dreams of stardom in Hollywood. Years later, Jimmy aka James Crawford is on the verge of making it big, but is being sidetracked by the ever present Lilah Robbie, now a model who likes to party hard in the most dangerous ways.
When my favorite duo disclosed they had written a story so different from their usual fun and sexy rom-coms, of course I wanted to dive in without even reading the blurb, but in the long run, it’s been a little hard to reconcile this story with them.
On one hand, this is a good read about a troubled couple with a highly toxic relationship. It’s a story about trauma, heartbreak and a love so unconditional that transcends time and space. The reader is bound to hate the characters, especially Lilah, but you’ll also feel for her and Jimmy.
On the down side, it was mostly predictable for me and very few twists surprised me, but the worst part was that I found it way too long. Though it made sense at the end, I feel the same story could have been told in a shorter book.
Still, it was good, unexpected from these authors and I can’t wait to venture into the mafia series coming up next.



3 stars

[Hazel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve just finished my arc copy of Beautifully Scarred, the first venture into dark romance by better known contemporary light hearted duo Piper Rayne.

Writing under the pen name P.Rayne they have delivered a gritty dark romance which features aspects of abuse and addiction and non consensual experiences.

Jimmy and Lilah have been through everything together the good, the bad and the horrific! Their journey is a long twisting path filled with betrayal, pain, despair, poverty, neglect, fame, hope, love and endurance.

This story gave me everything I had hoped for. Even though both main characters made bad decisions at times it was for what they thought were the right reasons.

I would definitely recommend this book and I can’t wait to read more dark romance from P. Rayne. Thanks so much to #valentineprlm and #prayne for the opportunity to read and review

Beautifully Scarred by P. Rayne, releasing on January 26th!
Pre-order your copy today!
Amazon: https://bit.ly/3W8kEht
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/3W9sZ4y

#prayne #darkromance #kindleunlimited #beautifullyscarred #DarkRomance #AdultRomance #ContemporaryRomance #Angsty #Blackmail #ChildhoodSweethearts #LoveTriangle #Protector #ReunitedLovers #SecondChance #SoulMate #WillTheyorWontThey #TragicPast #TorturedLead

[Closet Romance Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoa!! I was completely blown away! The title sums this entire book up perfectly. It was raw, full of emotions, and absolutely heart wrenching!

Lilah had a rough childhood which followed her through life. Just when she thought she could overcome, the demons would grab grab ahold and drag her back down. Jimmy seemed to be the only one that cared but eventually even he could no longer help. Would it finally be the end or would life throw her one last lifeline?

I wasn’t sure what to expect since I knew going in it was going to be different than other books from Piper & Rayne. I should never have worried because I was hooked from the start. My heart was torn in two with everything these two went through but it was slowly pieced back together by the end. So many emotions! I loved this book and it is one of those ones that will not be forgotten!! (There are tough subjects so if you are worried, check out their web page for trigger warnings)

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an emotional touching story. Lilah and Jimmy grew up together in the backwoods. Both coming from abusive upbringing. Jimmy has always been there for Lilah, through her ups and downs. And their love for each other has never changed. They both managed to leave the town they grew up in. Now Jimmy is an up and coming actor and Lilah a successful model. But it’s not as easy for Lilah to move forward and leave her past in the past, and she does whatever she can to numb the pain. And Jimmy’s has always been there to rescue her. But there is only so much he can take. This is told from dual pov, so even though I didn’t care for Lilah you could see where she was coming from and the battle within that she was fighting. And why Jimmy stuck around. His love for Lilah was unconditional. This is definitely a read that will stay with you. The writing was amazing!

[Cam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to P. Rayne and Valentine PR for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This isn't a type of book I usually read (it's a little too heavy for me) but I love the authors' writing style so I decided to give this a try. It's such an emotional and heartbreaking journey and I thought the authors did such a great job with the character arcs. Lilah and Jimmy's relationship was so toxic and unhealthy. However, their story was written so realistically and I couldn't help but desperately want them to work things out with each other. Although this isn't something I would usually pick up, I'm giving it 4 stars because of how raw and heartbreaking yet beautiful the story is. I did think the whole thing with Adelaide was almost cliché though and I wished it was something more unique.

[B. Milligan · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOAH!!! I don't even know where to start with this review!!!
This book was my very first dark romance. They aren't my style of books but I decided to give it a try since I have read 90% of Piper Rayne books!
I have a hard time finding a book that I can't put down...this was the one that I couldn't put down. I had so many emotions while reading this book! Sadness, anger, confused, happy, awed...the list goes on and on.
I was so happy to see that Lilah and Jimmy got their HEA. It wasn't easy for them but they finally got it. I think the important message behind this story is not not give up and to fight for your own happiness. Also, people can do some messed up things but they can change! ♥♥♥♥♥ I absolutely LOVED this story!

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully Scarred is an emotional, angst-filled romance that I couldn't get enough of! I was instantly hooked on the connection between Jimmy and Lilah right from the start. Both characters drove me nuts at times and made some questionable choices, but after the way they grew up, I know they were only trying to survive the only way they knew how.

The book was definitely a tale of two halves, as the first part needed to set up their relationship and set up the break that led to everything in the second half. I never doubted the love that these two shared and I knew that no matter what, or who, was in their way - these soulmates would always find their way back to one another.

[Kristi · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know you’re in deep when you feel drained after reading. I love when a book has the ability to both tear you down and lift you back up. There were moments when I felt a true vulnerability in the character’s emotions which in turn had me tied up in knots. I appreciate that the author didn’t shy away from the sensitive subjects, but instead took us on a raw and real emotional journey. An incredible story that I highly recommend.

[MJ's Book Blog and Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review by: Jennifer
(5 Stars)

Never doubt the power of this dynamic duo! Giving us something completely different, this isn't anything like they have written before. Lilah and Jimmy's rags to riches story is a brutal read, we get some really dark subjects that are not for the faint of heart. I inhaled this story in one night, I could not get enough of Lilah and Jimmy. This may have been a rough read but the end result was indeed beautiful. I give this 5 stars.

[Michele Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark and Emotional

I could not put this book down. Jimmy and Lilah have so many obstacles to overcome that you are never quite sure they’ll get their HEA.

[Amanda Gregory · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had me hooked by the end. But the entire first part is slow. That part 1 cliff hanger though was a good one. I loved part 2 and the way the story ended, obviously. But a LONG book that takes awhile to get into.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Complex, heart wrenching, hard fought happiness.
This was not the typical sunshiny bright, feel-good romance we normally see from Piper Rayne, Jimmy and Lilah had to work really hard for their HEA. It was however, written with their easy to read, flowing writing style, so it was easy to get engrossed in the story and get carried along for the ride.
Life’s hard and it’s complicated and Jimmy and Lilah’s story never let us forget that!
Jimmy had been Lilah’s protector since they were kids growing up together in a dirt-poor mountain town, both had suffered abuse in their family situations and these backgrounds form who they are when we first meet them. Jimmy has fulfilled his dreams and well on his way to Hollywood super stardom; Lilah on the other hand, is still allowing the demons of her past to rule her life, numbing her feelings by drowning them in booze and drugs.
She constantly turns to Jimmy to bail her out and he does because he loves her. She’s not a very likeable character while she’s using and even after she gets sober, when she gets caught with the movie producer and lies to Jimmy about it, this is like the straw breaking the camel’s back, and he tosses her out of his life. I’m surprised he hadn’t cracked prior to this.
The producer is an interesting side plot mirroring real life events that fueled the #metoo movement, nicely woven into the story as Jimmy and Lilah’s breaking point in a very realistic way.
Years go by and a glimpse of Lilah in a news story spurs Jimmy into finding her and getting closure for past hurts.
After the pain, hurt, and anguish that the authors left on the pages of the first part of this book, the second part has a more hopeful tone.
Lilah’s doing well having left most of her past behind her and with different motivation to stay sober, she now has a stable life. Jimmy coming back into it has the potential to upend all that.
Their path to each other was no easier now than it was in the beginning but for different reasons.
The story was long. The story was complex, with so many different layers. At times I loved the characters , at others, not so much, but it was real and heart wrenching and so wonderfully satisfying in the end, after all they’d been through they deserved their happiness.
Beware of the possible triggers, there is drug abuse, sexual abuse and mental problems dealt with in the text, but I felt all were sensitively handled and would highly recommend this wonderful, complex story.

[Maryger Chacon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully Scarred is a heartbreaking story between Lilah and Jimmy, they have been best friends since they were children and they only counted on each other when since their childhood they have both experienced terrible things, as they grow up they find themselves battling with the wounds and trauma that their childhoods gave them. They left, especially Lilah, who you're going to sympathize with for everything the poor thing has been through. Jimmy is a character you can't help but fall in love with, always giving everything for Lilah. His love is so deep that you sigh and get emotional.
This book grabs you from the beginning and you don't want to leave the story until you know what will happen. It is a story full of hard moments, unexpected twists.
This story definitely caught me and leaves me wanting more from this duo of writers. Highly recommended. *Thanks to P. Rayne and Valentin PR for my ARC. I voluntarily leave my honest review*

Beautifully Scarred es una historia desgarradora entre Lilah y Jimmy, han sido los mejores amigos desde que eran niños y solo contaban el uno con el otro cuando desde pequeños ambos han experimentado cosas terribles, a medida que crecen se encuentran batallando con las heridas y trauma que les dio su infancia. Se fueron, especialmente Lilah, con quien te vas a solidarizar por todo lo que ha pasado la pobre. Jimmy es un personaje del que no puedes evitar enamorarte, siempre dándolo todo por Lilah. Su amor es tan profundo que lo ves y te emocionas.
Este libro te atrapa desde el principio y no quieres dejar la historia hasta saber lo que va a pasar. Es una historia llena de momentos duros, giros inesperados.
Esta historia definitivamente me atrapó y me deja con ganas de más de este dúo de escritores. Recomendada. *Gracias a P. Rayne y Valentin PR por mi ARC. Dejo voluntariamente mi reseña honesta*

[Lisa Spofford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whew! It took me longer to read this one than I expected. This is a newer, edgier, darker version of the writing duo Piper Rayne, but not in the way I expected. This is not the sensational tale of a thruple or some kind of 50 Shades of Grey imitation. This is the story of a boy and a girl who grew up together under terrible circumstances, finally escaping to a new life. But while the boy is able to move on past the awfulness of their past and become very successful, the girl seems unable to do so. Her experiences were even more terrible than those of the boy, and she seeks unhealthy, destructive coping mechanisms to numb the pain of her life experiences. These two share a bond stronger than almost anything, but the girl’s mistakes,and those who use those mistakes to manipulate her, drive a wedge between them which results in a long separation and secrets. It is deep and very realistic for the most part. The mistakes each of them make on this journey to happily ever after (because of course it is still a romance novel) made each of them very real to me. There were villains in this tale who were easy to hate, but despite some humdingers in the bad judgement department, the hero and heroine were not villains to me. It is easy to pass judgement on a person who seems unable to get his or her life together or keeps secrets that he/she has no right to keep to him/herself. However, I hope that this book will bring home the fact that diseases, such as addiction, are just symptoms of much more deep rooted trauma. I hope that we can learn empathy for those, like Lilah, who are so very lost for reasons that were beyond her control. I also hope that the Lilahs out there who see themselves in the pages of this book can treat Lilah gently and in the process recognize her strength and realize that even as beautifully flawed as Lilah was she was able to find that strength to grab into her future. That they can do it too. I am voluntarily submitting this review after reading an advanced complementary copy.

[Toni Benton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark but somehow so sweet

Lilah & Jimmy are two scarred souls who have suffered more in one childhood together than many suffer in life. Their sordid background slowly comes to light the further in you read, but every revelation is gut wrenching & a burst of heartache.

In this 2 part book, we see Lilah & Jimmy as twenty something’s living a life in LA just trying to catch their break. Lilah is a model & Jimmy is an actor. As Jimmy’s big break is on the horizon, Lilah is knocked down a leg with an eviction notice. Where Jimmy seems to have put himself together after his horrific childhood, whereas Lilah has reverted to turning to drugs & alcohol to help herself cope. Jimmy finds himself time & again being her protector, just as he was when they were kids.

I don’t want to spoil too much, but tragedy strikes again causing some major changes to take place in Lilah’s life, and as always, Jimmy is her supportive rock…until he can’t be anymore.

In part 2 of this book, we find Jimmy 6 years later finding himself in a situation where his connection with Lilah of the past needs to be snuffed out. We also find Lilah in a situation where she’s been able to pick herself up & become a better person. She’s handled her addiction with grace and finesse & is thriving in the small Kansas town she’s chosen to call home. Fate brings them back together & they’re able to rekindle their old friendship.

Will they be able to find a common ground & make this friendship last? Will this friendship and the circumstances surrounding it bring them back to the love they once knew?

I absolutely loved this debut novel my P.Rayne. I’m a big fan of their contemporary romance books as Piper Rayne, so when I saw this opportunity I jumped in with both feet & a backpack! I couldn’t put this book down. I was actually a little mad that I had to go to sleep last night so I could work today. These ladies wanted to branch out, & I support this decision 100000%.

[Jennifer Leigh (jenjenbookfan) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully Scarred by P. Rayne is a heart-wrenching foray into the dark romance genre that features the story of Lilah and Jimmy, two best friends/childhood sweethearts who have been with each other through some of the most devastating situations life can throw at a person. I feel like I should give potential readers a Trigger Warning, as the book deals with difficult issues like abuse, child SA, and addiction. The authors handle these subjects very well. The world building is on point, and the writing brings out authentic emotions and empathy for the characters. Lilah is literally drowning in the shame, pain, and depression from the demons of her past, and Jimmy is fighting tooth and nail to save her, even if he derails his own life. At a certain point, he has to realize that he can’t save someone who doesn’t want to be saved. The high angst and push and pull between Lilac and Jimmy broke my heart. These two characters survived childhoods that no person should ever experience, and their bond is one for the ages. Will they be able to build a future before their past destroys them, or new obstacles disrupt their journey forever?

The book is a roller coaster ride of angst, drama, tears, love, scorching passion, and some plot twists and secrets that add yet another layer of intrigue. It’s hard to write a review for a book like this, because I pride myself on not giving away the plot, and so much happened in this book that I would love to talk about! I’ll just say, if you like dark romance with tons of angst, overflowing emotion, and fiery passion, this book is a must read for you!! It includes a great time-jump epilogue, but there’s also a bonus scene that you can download. I, for one, am looking forward to more from this author.

I received an advanced review copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully Scarred is one of those books that will remain with me for some time to come. When I went into this one, I had a feeling it would be emotional, but I wasn't prepared for just how much of an emotional rollercoaster P. Rayne was going to take us on.

Lilah, who a model, and Jimmy, who is an actor, were everything to one another; best friends, lovers, confidants, and more. They grew up together, they saved each other, they loved each other, they broke each other and they helped each other. They had horrible childhoods and they live with the trauma from that every single day. Now as adults and living in Los Angeles, Lilah suffers from addiction and Jimmy will do anything in his power to try to save her and to help her get clean. That and he wants them to be more than occasional friends with benefits. He wants them to give their relationship a real shot. While Jimmy wants to help Lilah, Lilah had to want to get clean for herself. Circumstances end up driving a wedge between Jimmy and Lilah, one that may never be able to be overcome.

I feel like less is more with this review. There is so much that happens in this book and it was so real and raw for me that I feel like the book is best read that way. The authors did such an amazing job of telling this story given the important themes it covered. They were handled with care and this felt real, raw and was undeniably heartbreaking. I did not want to put the book down once I started reading and I'm very much looking forward to the next book they pen for us.

**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title in exchange for an honest review**

[Kaya · Rating 4 out of 5]

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
SPICE: 🔥🔥🔥



As an avid reader of many romance books, I know all too well that the journey to happily ever after is not linear. Sometimes, books also like to remind us that love also goes hand-in-hand with timing.

Lilah and Jimmy had grown up together in a small town from which both have managed to escape. Leaving their dark pasts behind, they are now taking L.A. by storm. Jimmy is Hollywood's new action hero, and Lilah is an up-and-coming model.

Unfortunately, Lilah's coping mechanisms are not as stable as Jimmy's so she leans on addiction and recklessness to numb her pain. Soon Lilah has become a liability to Jimmy's rise to fame, but can Jimmy walk away?

This book had so much angst and heartache. Jimmy and Lilah's struggles with juggling L.A. social expectations and dealing with their demons have brought them so many problems, but I love that we also get to see them rise above it all.

Lilah's character arc was my favorite. This read started from me disliking her a lot and wondering what someone like Jimmy could see in her. But P. Rayne takes us on this redemption ride with Lilah that will have you cheering for her in the end.

** I am voluntarily reviewing an advance copy of this book. Thank you to P. Rayne and Valentine PR and Literary Management for providing an ARC. **

[Sunny Shelly Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully Scarred is quite a different story than the lighthearted contemporary romcoms I've come to know and love from Piper Rayne. Writing as P. Rayne, these co-authors do a fabulous job of presenting an emotional best-friend romance between Lilah and Jimmy — a darker, more intense tale touching on a whole host of deep and somewhat taboo subjects.

At their best and at their worst, Lilah and Jimmy have an intense, binding connection. Yet as their careers rise -- he's Hollywood's latest golden boy and she's a rising superstar model -- their friendship veers off to different paths. While he does his best to be there for her, Lilah falls deeper into addiction as a way to cope with the trauma of her childhood. Her history is heartbreaking and even though most of it happened off-page, the way it has affected her is there in every move that she makes. And P. Rayne did a great job of portraying the heartache and pain in this character.

Beautifully Scarred takes place in two parts with a six-year time jump as these two damaged souls find their way back to one another. It's a long and bumpy road for Lilah and Jimmy to find peace, and there is a lot of growth from both characters on the journey. This book is a whopper of a story at nearly 80 chapters -- it was originally released as a duet several years ago before being repackaged --but it grabbed me from the start. I will definitely come back to read this angst-fest again!

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.