What do you think?
Rate this book
Scars #1
Scars
Jace, an injured ex-soldier suffering from PTSD, saves Nathaniel, a nineteen-year-old street kid, from a beating. In doing so, he has no way of knowing that he will find his own salvation.
Jace came home from the war scarred in more ways than one. The physical scars that he carries are nothing compared to the mental ones. Struggling with PTSD, he has closed himself off from the rest of the world. The last thing that he ever thought to do was fall in love... Nathaniel has lived on the streets since he was thirteen. When he wakes up in a strange apartment after being badly beaten, he has no idea how he got there. Little does he know that his rescuer, the large man with scars crisscrossing his face, could hold the key to healing the scars that they both have.
Jace came home from the war scarred in more ways than one. The physical scars that he carries are nothing compared to the mental ones. Struggling with PTSD, he has closed himself off from the rest of the world. The last thing that he ever thought to do was fall in love... Nathaniel has lived on the streets since he was thirteen. When he wakes up in a strange apartment after being badly beaten, he has no idea how he got there. Little does he know that his rescuer, the large man with scars crisscrossing his face, could hold the key to healing the scars that they both have.
300 pages, ebook
First published September 5, 2012
9 people are currently reading
265 people want to read
About the author
Lynley Wayne
9 books28 followersLynley Wayne is the pen name of a thirty-something female living on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. In 2014 she was a Lambda Literary Awards Finalist. When not writing, she can usually be found reading and thinking up creative ways to avoid housework.
While Lynley Wayne may be a pen name, the woman behind it is very real and believes everyone is entitled to their own version of happiness; no matter how it may differ from the norm. She writes characters she wants to read and hopes others like reading about them as much as she enjoyed writing them.
It is her hope that one day society will be able to look past the labels and see the person behind them. That they will realize we are all the same. Until that time comes, she will continue telling stories of a love others may believe is wrong, but she thinks is nothing short of beautiful.
While Lynley Wayne may be a pen name, the woman behind it is very real and believes everyone is entitled to their own version of happiness; no matter how it may differ from the norm. She writes characters she wants to read and hopes others like reading about them as much as she enjoyed writing them.
It is her hope that one day society will be able to look past the labels and see the person behind them. That they will realize we are all the same. Until that time comes, she will continue telling stories of a love others may believe is wrong, but she thinks is nothing short of beautiful.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
February 28, 2023
Re-read February 27, 2023.
I would probably rate it between 3.5 and 4 stars today. It's been over tens years since I've read this book, and I still liked it. Jace and Nathaniel make a good couple...they might be a little too perfect, but it was sweet and romantic and I enjoyed it. (Even with the rushed ending)
I would probably rate it between 3.5 and 4 stars today. It's been over tens years since I've read this book, and I still liked it. Jace and Nathaniel make a good couple...they might be a little too perfect, but it was sweet and romantic and I enjoyed it. (Even with the rushed ending)
September 16, 2012
I had some problems to get into the story, but at some point I just had to read on. I especially liked the way it dealt with the PTSD. It was very gripping later on in the book. Like MandyM pointed out, it was insta-love but I was in the mood for that:) and yes, there was lots of sex; overall I have to say, I'm waiting for Rocky's story.
dnf
March 27, 2013DNF at 16%
I was in the bad mood initially when I picked this up, since I experienced so-so stories one after another.
The premise is interesting, but the story lost its appeal for me quick, when Nathaniel acted so mature (he was only 19 years old) and was able to 'sort-of-heal' Jace's issues and persuaded Jace to meet the family when Jace's best friend and brother couldn't even do it -- all within the first 50+ pages.
When I rolled my eyes because Jace said to Nathaniel "Then you fall into my life and are this ray of sunshine, showing me the way to salvation." after only a couple of days (the reason of my DNF) ... it was a sign that this story wouldn't be my cup of tea. With this kind of premise, I am expecting the angst and emotion and journey towards healing to stretch a lot longer than that.
I'm sure other readers won't find this as an issue. I might actually missing a good story by DNF-ing. But I need something extraordinary at this current moment. I blame my bad mood.
So please check other opinions first because I'm sure they will do better to review this book.
I was in the bad mood initially when I picked this up, since I experienced so-so stories one after another.
The premise is interesting, but the story lost its appeal for me quick, when Nathaniel acted so mature (he was only 19 years old) and was able to 'sort-of-heal' Jace's issues and persuaded Jace to meet the family when Jace's best friend and brother couldn't even do it -- all within the first 50+ pages.
When I rolled my eyes because Jace said to Nathaniel "Then you fall into my life and are this ray of sunshine, showing me the way to salvation." after only a couple of days (the reason of my DNF) ... it was a sign that this story wouldn't be my cup of tea. With this kind of premise, I am expecting the angst and emotion and journey towards healing to stretch a lot longer than that.
I'm sure other readers won't find this as an issue. I might actually missing a good story by DNF-ing. But I need something extraordinary at this current moment. I blame my bad mood.
So please check other opinions first because I'm sure they will do better to review this book.
September 25, 2012
I dont even know where to start, I guess I will go with the good.
The good points:
* The author gave a graphic but I think well researched depiction of a man with chronic PTSD. I truly felt for him and his horror/sorrow.
* I enjoyed the two as a couple.
* The age gap was NEVER an issue for me (I usually hate them)
* The sex was hot and there was epic amounts of it.
* Its a long book so the author took time to develop Jace's character and to built a romance between the two MCs (even if I had issues)
The Bad points:
* It was to perfect, apart from Jace having PTSD the rest of the book was super easy. There was no challenges because everything turned out perfect.
* There was to many cliches
* We never really got to understand how Nathaniel survived on the streets. He had money in his shoe but where did he get it from. He never did tricks and he said he had no jobs ever so where did it come from and how did he survive.
* It was unrealistic how perfect Nathaniel was - could he just have ONE fault??
* There was parts that the author glossed over, like details about farming - how big and/or rich they were for the farm to support 4 sons each with their own truck??? no girlfriends nothing...it seemed a bit weird for me and showed a lack of research.
* I hated how Jace treated his parents, after finally getting back to the farm and seeing his family the first thing they do is lock themselves up in the room and fuck. Then when the parents walk in on them and then they get the shits at the parents. Hell if I was their mum I would have been in there hours before wanting a god damn hug.
Conclusion:
I really wanted to rate this higher because I did like the beautiful love between the two characters, however there was just to many issues that I listed that just frustrated me. I would have loved to have seen more of a fragility to Nathaniel or some kind of fault. However I do think that this is one of those books that can only be judged by reading it. I recommend this book to anyone that likes a wounded hero and insta love.
The good points:
* The author gave a graphic but I think well researched depiction of a man with chronic PTSD. I truly felt for him and his horror/sorrow.
* I enjoyed the two as a couple.
* The age gap was NEVER an issue for me (I usually hate them)
* The sex was hot and there was epic amounts of it.
* Its a long book so the author took time to develop Jace's character and to built a romance between the two MCs (even if I had issues)
The Bad points:
* It was to perfect, apart from Jace having PTSD the rest of the book was super easy. There was no challenges because everything turned out perfect.
* There was to many cliches
* We never really got to understand how Nathaniel survived on the streets. He had money in his shoe but where did he get it from. He never did tricks and he said he had no jobs ever so where did it come from and how did he survive.
* It was unrealistic how perfect Nathaniel was - could he just have ONE fault??
* There was parts that the author glossed over, like details about farming - how big and/or rich they were for the farm to support 4 sons each with their own truck??? no girlfriends nothing...it seemed a bit weird for me and showed a lack of research.
* I hated how Jace treated his parents, after finally getting back to the farm and seeing his family the first thing they do is lock themselves up in the room and fuck. Then when the parents walk in on them and then they get the shits at the parents. Hell if I was their mum I would have been in there hours before wanting a god damn hug.
Conclusion:
I really wanted to rate this higher because I did like the beautiful love between the two characters, however there was just to many issues that I listed that just frustrated me. I would have loved to have seen more of a fragility to Nathaniel or some kind of fault. However I do think that this is one of those books that can only be judged by reading it. I recommend this book to anyone that likes a wounded hero and insta love.
January 20, 2013
This was a sweet romance that I sat down and read in one sitting. Parts were a little unrealistic, but they didn't take my enjoyment away at all.
Jace is a retuned soldier who has come home from war with scars, inside and out. He suffers from extreme PTSD, which causes him panic attacks that leave him curled up in a ball crying, unable to stop his tears, and nightmares that have him waking up in a cold sweat and a sore throat from screaming. With this happening to him, he still has the inner strength to keep on getting up and making htrough another day.
We all have scars. Only some of us wears ours on the inside. They don't change who we are, only who we might've been
Nathaniel is a young homeless boy who is so much wiser then his years. He should have had such a terrible attitude after surviving his horrid childhood, but he was instead the most loving and caring man you can imagine.
Jace hears the sounds of someone being beaten, when he is out on one of his early morning walks. Going to investigate he ends up saving Nathaniel, and takes him home with him so he can take care of him.
Jace starts to have feelings for Jace that he can't understand. He has never been attracted to a man before, but can't deny that he is starting to have very strong feelings for Nathaniel.
I believe we're attracted to who someone is on the inside more then the packaging they come in. The sex of the person isn't as important as their heart.
The two of them start a love affair, and we get to watch Nathaniel's love start to heal Jace. I was moved by this story very much, and wish the book never had to end.
Jace came from a farming family, who had five sons and I enjoyed all these characters. My only wish is that there was more books to continue this story. I would enjoy seeing more of Jace and Nathaniel, and seeing how there lives together went.
I will be looking for more from this author.
Jace is a retuned soldier who has come home from war with scars, inside and out. He suffers from extreme PTSD, which causes him panic attacks that leave him curled up in a ball crying, unable to stop his tears, and nightmares that have him waking up in a cold sweat and a sore throat from screaming. With this happening to him, he still has the inner strength to keep on getting up and making htrough another day.
We all have scars. Only some of us wears ours on the inside. They don't change who we are, only who we might've been
Nathaniel is a young homeless boy who is so much wiser then his years. He should have had such a terrible attitude after surviving his horrid childhood, but he was instead the most loving and caring man you can imagine.
Jace hears the sounds of someone being beaten, when he is out on one of his early morning walks. Going to investigate he ends up saving Nathaniel, and takes him home with him so he can take care of him.
Jace starts to have feelings for Jace that he can't understand. He has never been attracted to a man before, but can't deny that he is starting to have very strong feelings for Nathaniel.
I believe we're attracted to who someone is on the inside more then the packaging they come in. The sex of the person isn't as important as their heart.
The two of them start a love affair, and we get to watch Nathaniel's love start to heal Jace. I was moved by this story very much, and wish the book never had to end.
Jace came from a farming family, who had five sons and I enjoyed all these characters. My only wish is that there was more books to continue this story. I would enjoy seeing more of Jace and Nathaniel, and seeing how there lives together went.
I will be looking for more from this author.
October 23, 2012
A good idea with a disappointing result. I so badly wanted to like this. Injured veteran with PTSD falls for young homeless man? It's like the m/m equivalent of catnip for me. Unfortunately, it suffers from a lack of subtlety. There's over-the-top instalove, endlessly flowery overanalysis from the main characters, and a plot device I really dislike, . I think the author's intentions were probably very heartfelt, and the writing isn't bad, but a good editing could have toned this down and made it more nuanced.
June 18, 2013
Sometimes I surprise myself.
This book had tons of stuff that normally drives me bonkers, insta-love, a gfy guy that takes to it like a duck to water, a total sex-a-thon, an annoyingly nosy pokey family with no boundaries, then the super supportive turn of said family, even going so far as to offer the college fund of their children to the new lover of one month. And a
Everyone is perfect and great ( except people, even IF YOU HAVE A KEY, that doesn't mean you have to use it and walk in on people).
And I know some of the things in this story aren't quite possible as they were portrait, I mean I'm sure Jace gets disability, but how does he have all this money? and a seven day a week therapist? And don't get me started on the Blake situation, and like I said, all of this with the guy he's been with a month..ONE month, and he's not gay, he's just in love with Nathaniel...
Ok, now I'm just rambling, but seriously, despite all of that, once I started this story I couldn't put it down.
It's a looonnnggg book, but I sat down and read it all the way through thinking this book is not what I like, it has all this stuff that I actually dislike, but for some reason I still really liked it.
Can't explain it, don't even want to try, but it's nice to know I can still surprise myself and when the next one comes out, I'm guessing Rocky and Landon, ..I'm gonna read it.
This book had tons of stuff that normally drives me bonkers, insta-love, a gfy guy that takes to it like a duck to water, a total sex-a-thon, an annoyingly nosy pokey family with no boundaries, then the super supportive turn of said family, even going so far as to offer the college fund of their children to the new lover of one month. And a
Everyone is perfect and great ( except people, even IF YOU HAVE A KEY, that doesn't mean you have to use it and walk in on people).
And I know some of the things in this story aren't quite possible as they were portrait, I mean I'm sure Jace gets disability, but how does he have all this money? and a seven day a week therapist? And don't get me started on the Blake situation, and like I said, all of this with the guy he's been with a month..ONE month, and he's not gay, he's just in love with Nathaniel...
Ok, now I'm just rambling, but seriously, despite all of that, once I started this story I couldn't put it down.
It's a looonnnggg book, but I sat down and read it all the way through thinking this book is not what I like, it has all this stuff that I actually dislike, but for some reason I still really liked it.
Can't explain it, don't even want to try, but it's nice to know I can still surprise myself and when the next one comes out, I'm guessing Rocky and Landon, ..I'm gonna read it.
October 11, 2012
This is a tough one to review. I liked the characters and the story but I felt like it was an enjoyable flat line of a ride. There weren't any huge actions in the book. It was a lot of PTSD, sex, more PTSD, more sex, etc. I didn't believe that Nathaniel had been on the street for so long and hadn't had to compromise himself more to survive...I wanted to know more about him. Overall, though, I liked the characters and the story. It could have been shorter and more powerful I think.
January 2, 2016
***This review is absolutely a case of it was me, not you, dear author, as the reviews I've seen confirmed.
So close, yet so far away. I love the tortured soul, the wounded soldier story, but I also need to have a little more realism in my books. Jace and Nathaniel were just a little too unbelievable to be true. The author did an amazing job of depicting the PTSD that Jace was suffering, and I was totally enraptured by this struggles. Knowing that such a big man could be so tormented is a weakness of mine and it’s what drew me to this story. What pulled me out was Nathaniel, the insta-love, and the family drama.
Don’t get me wrong, the story is good, but you really need to suspend belief..a lot. Jace is the suffering ex-military man and Nathaniel is the nineteen year old homeless youth that saves Jace from himself. Both have horrid pasts but only Jace’s is thoroughly depicted. Nathaniel is just too perfect. Here is an uneducated, street kid who instinctively knows how to ground someone suffering from panic attacks, PTSD induced nightmares, who stands up to Jace’s father without even knowing the man. Maybe it’s possible, but Nathaniel is the epitome of the perfect person and that never works for me, especially when he was unloved and homeless since age thirteen. By all rights, Nathaniel should have needed some kind of help himself.
Jace’s family is suffering right alongside him because he shuts them out. So when he finally does go home, he ends up treating them terribly. Yes, he has major issues, and yes his family needed to back off a little, but Jace needed to man up and explain why he didn’t come home after he was released back to the states…not just treat his parents liked they were spoiled toddlers. It gets better, but the fact that Jace and Nathaniel chose to stay in their room and have sex, over and over again, instead of spending time with the family that has been worried sick just reeks of disrespect and entitlement. Plus, the fact that Jace carried Nathaniel everywhere just about did me in. My eyes were just about rolling out of my head. Nathaniel is a man, not a girl and not a child, so please authors allow men to be men.
The ex-girlfriend story line was just a big no. I can’t even go there because it felt off from the start to the end. The fact that a baby is involved was fine; the fact that two men who have severe emotional and psychological issues, are in a new relationship, can so easily decide to take on a newborn together just did not work.
I am sorry that this sounds like I hated it and turned the review into a major critique, and I usually am better at being a little more constructive in my not so stellar reviews, but I cannot get past too many aspects that consistently took me out of the story. I know this is book one of a series, and I really liked both Landon (Jace’s friend) and Rocky (Jace’s brother), so I might try book two to see if their story works better for me.
So close, yet so far away. I love the tortured soul, the wounded soldier story, but I also need to have a little more realism in my books. Jace and Nathaniel were just a little too unbelievable to be true. The author did an amazing job of depicting the PTSD that Jace was suffering, and I was totally enraptured by this struggles. Knowing that such a big man could be so tormented is a weakness of mine and it’s what drew me to this story. What pulled me out was Nathaniel, the insta-love, and the family drama.
Don’t get me wrong, the story is good, but you really need to suspend belief..a lot. Jace is the suffering ex-military man and Nathaniel is the nineteen year old homeless youth that saves Jace from himself. Both have horrid pasts but only Jace’s is thoroughly depicted. Nathaniel is just too perfect. Here is an uneducated, street kid who instinctively knows how to ground someone suffering from panic attacks, PTSD induced nightmares, who stands up to Jace’s father without even knowing the man. Maybe it’s possible, but Nathaniel is the epitome of the perfect person and that never works for me, especially when he was unloved and homeless since age thirteen. By all rights, Nathaniel should have needed some kind of help himself.
Jace’s family is suffering right alongside him because he shuts them out. So when he finally does go home, he ends up treating them terribly. Yes, he has major issues, and yes his family needed to back off a little, but Jace needed to man up and explain why he didn’t come home after he was released back to the states…not just treat his parents liked they were spoiled toddlers. It gets better, but the fact that Jace and Nathaniel chose to stay in their room and have sex, over and over again, instead of spending time with the family that has been worried sick just reeks of disrespect and entitlement. Plus, the fact that Jace carried Nathaniel everywhere just about did me in. My eyes were just about rolling out of my head. Nathaniel is a man, not a girl and not a child, so please authors allow men to be men.
The ex-girlfriend story line was just a big no. I can’t even go there because it felt off from the start to the end. The fact that a baby is involved was fine; the fact that two men who have severe emotional and psychological issues, are in a new relationship, can so easily decide to take on a newborn together just did not work.
I am sorry that this sounds like I hated it and turned the review into a major critique, and I usually am better at being a little more constructive in my not so stellar reviews, but I cannot get past too many aspects that consistently took me out of the story. I know this is book one of a series, and I really liked both Landon (Jace’s friend) and Rocky (Jace’s brother), so I might try book two to see if their story works better for me.
Read
June 28, 2013Scars is a story about a man who needs to learn how to deal with his internal and external scars and of the man who will help him doing so. This is the main focus of the novel and the target is completely achieved, the narration of Jace’s PTSD is good and realistic, with the right dose of emotion without trying to exploit the drama to make them more sensational. As the author says in the preface, she researched a lot and is near people who went through the same attacks, and you can say that from the way she described them.
Lynley Wayne is someone who apparently writes about things she know or experimented, and considering her other book is about a LGBT family, I have the feeling she experienced that is possible to build such family, maybe with some difficulties, but not impossible. Also in Scars there are various developments of the concept of LGBT family: Jace will have the chance to confront his own family with the reality of him being in a relationship with another man, will they accept his partner or not? The love they clearly have for their son will be corrupted by this news? And the same Jace, who had never once considered the possibility to be gay, will be able to accept to be in love with another man? To not give out too much of the story, I will not go further, but there are even more deployments of the concept of family in the story, more or less all of them with a positive insight.
So yes, while the story’s incipit is dramatic, the development is positive, always with a good perspective, always with a light at the end of the tunnel. It’s not an easy path for Jace, but Nicholas is near him, leading him through the nightmares, helping, but above all giving him a reason to fight. I liked this side of the story, even if someone else could think it was too positive: as I said, I have the feeling the author experimented that reality is possible, or at the minimum, she strongly believes it possible.
If I have to find something that didn’t ring right to me, it was in Nicholas’s past, a 13 years old runaway that 6 years later is still innocent and naïve; unfortunately, too often we see that in such occurrences, young boys are used and abused, sometime even by the system that should protect them. 6 years on the streets is a long time, and for how much I would like for Nicholas to be able to preserve his innocence, I highly doubted it. But probably the author didn’t want to charge too much drama into the story, and considering Jace had already a lot of burden to go through, she wanted for Nicholas to be a more steady figure, someone who could give love, patience, comfort.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1608207609/?...
Lynley Wayne is someone who apparently writes about things she know or experimented, and considering her other book is about a LGBT family, I have the feeling she experienced that is possible to build such family, maybe with some difficulties, but not impossible. Also in Scars there are various developments of the concept of LGBT family: Jace will have the chance to confront his own family with the reality of him being in a relationship with another man, will they accept his partner or not? The love they clearly have for their son will be corrupted by this news? And the same Jace, who had never once considered the possibility to be gay, will be able to accept to be in love with another man? To not give out too much of the story, I will not go further, but there are even more deployments of the concept of family in the story, more or less all of them with a positive insight.
So yes, while the story’s incipit is dramatic, the development is positive, always with a good perspective, always with a light at the end of the tunnel. It’s not an easy path for Jace, but Nicholas is near him, leading him through the nightmares, helping, but above all giving him a reason to fight. I liked this side of the story, even if someone else could think it was too positive: as I said, I have the feeling the author experimented that reality is possible, or at the minimum, she strongly believes it possible.
If I have to find something that didn’t ring right to me, it was in Nicholas’s past, a 13 years old runaway that 6 years later is still innocent and naïve; unfortunately, too often we see that in such occurrences, young boys are used and abused, sometime even by the system that should protect them. 6 years on the streets is a long time, and for how much I would like for Nicholas to be able to preserve his innocence, I highly doubted it. But probably the author didn’t want to charge too much drama into the story, and considering Jace had already a lot of burden to go through, she wanted for Nicholas to be a more steady figure, someone who could give love, patience, comfort.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1608207609/?...
September 21, 2012
This story teaches a lot about soldiers suffering from PTSD, which is actually pretty awesome. But I have to admit, the main storyline here lost this intense pull as soon as Jase & Nathaniel started to mess around with each other. For starters, Nathaniel is homeless kid without anything, as such this Instant love between both MC's is definitely unrealistic.
At the beginning I actually liked it a lot, but then all went down the drain. I don't get it, why so much sex, sex, sex. For my taste it was simply to much of sex scenes compared to problems both Jase & Nathanie were dealing with. Anyway this wasn't story for me. This sweet HEA at the end wasn't satisfying.
At the beginning I actually liked it a lot, but then all went down the drain. I don't get it, why so much sex, sex, sex. For my taste it was simply to much of sex scenes compared to problems both Jase & Nathanie were dealing with. Anyway this wasn't story for me. This sweet HEA at the end wasn't satisfying.
October 31, 2013
** Spoilers, I guess. **
I wanted to like this one. But in truth the only part here that works is the depiction of PTSD. The story as such sadly does not. For me.
Perspective in the first half belongs almost exclusively to Jace, with two half-page snippets of Nathaniel. In the middle this changes to a bit more from Nathaniel, but Jace clearly retains the main focus. In general, viewpoints also turn messy.
I admire the description of Jace’s PTSD. It will be different for everyone, of course, but for such a severe case I don’t think I’ve often encountered a depiction as detailed. In particular, this part of him is not neglected for sake of the plot. In inevitably keeps happening, never turns into an afterthought.
On the other hand, maybe all of this is a bit too much like reading a textbook on the issue. It ends up being preachy, with people giving edifying speeches. Still, nice work up to a point.
From the first moment, the main characters are both oddly forthcoming with their most private and embarrassing information, employing oddly formal or refined speech, too, when I would have expected something more raw and perhaps halting.
Nathaniel in particular strikes me as astonishingly balanced and well-spoken for someone who’s been raised negligently and been on the streets since he was thirteen. He is just unbelievably perfect. And I truly mean he’s not believable. With his upbringing he should not have that kind of education and not that kind of insight into how families work. He’s way too Zen, without providing justification for having become that way.
I liked Jace in the beginning but he kept losing points throughout the story. The more overtly clingy and dependent on Nathaniel, the more grabby and narrow-mindedly focused he becomes, the less I liked him.
Worse, though, his treatment of Cassie is awful.
This is totally and purely a gay-for-you story. I don’t know if I’m right but this seems pretty rare these days in realistic stories (i.e. outside of forces like fated matings and the like).
The whole idea of “the person inside matters more than their gender” is all fine and beautiful as a thought. I just don’t experience it that way, since, no matter how much I might love another woman as a person, sexual attraction is something I can’t see happening. In this story? It’s fine that some characters live by this opinion or propagate it, but when it’s coming from both a protagonist and a psychiatrist (i.e. the authority on such matters within the story) then it is being presented as the state of things rather than a possible variation. Not so much suggesting possibilities, as giving an explanation. I’m not appreciating that.
What I did like is that Jace’s thoughts on being attracted to a guy kind of made sense to me. He pushes it away a lot when he gets caught up in the moment, which is what arousal tends to do to a person. Then he worries a bit, and he feels ashamed when among others who might judge him even casually. But it just needs another bout of arousal to get him back on track. XD
He also stupidly gets hug up on the gay or not gay question, when he should already know that at the least he’d be some variation of bisexual. Gay’s not even an option, frankly. But this is all in his head and I know that sometimes people get stuck in that sort of nonsensical loop.
Later on, though, he’s suddenly almost stupidly fine with everything. Granted, time has passed at that point so I suppose the change is justified. In the story it still feels somewhat abrupt.
At that point it’s too fast, way too fast. The point of “he’s always been there for me, countless times; he is the reason I can keep fighting; I know I will never be alone again” is reached too damned fast, making it sound much longer than it has been.
There is a lot of sex. Surprisingly much, given the generally gentle and contemplative tone of the story.
Also, there’s zero tension between the protagonists. Not just a lack of even tiny disagreements of differences of opinion, but no sexual friction either. (Unless you count the actual rubbing. Lots of that going on.)
Their relationship is symbiotic. (Aside from too mushy and unlikely lovey-dovey – admittedly in a nice way.) They have to do everything together and spend entire days just gazing at one another or fucking. It’s not a practical thing, but feels like the honeymoon stage instead. Which makes me wonder how this is supposed to work out once real life resumes.
I expected more reciprocal comfort from this story, given that Nathaniel’s background is possibly as traumatizing or at least as alienating as Jace’s. But it was all about Jace, which left Nathaniel a little empty as a person.
So many sex scenes. So utterly bored. I had to start skimming them for relevant moments, or I’d have been unable to finish.
It boggles my mind that after all those descriptions of sex and sex and some more sex, the actual climactic discussion of staying together forever and reassuring Nathaniel that he is more than just a charity case for Jace is dealt with in summary. This book has some weird priorities.
A strange thing happened, too. I swear, one of the later nightmare scenes seemed to be lifted straight out of a het romance I once read, one that also dealt with a hero disfigured by war. Of course I doubt any actual lifting happened here; it just gave me the weirdest sense of recognition.
And because I am picky like that, allow me to say that I’m really not a fan of “tears streaming down faces”. Try “wet with tears”, or maybe “dripping”, have them sniffle loudly and be stuffy-nosed, red-nosed. Hell, snot works really well. Have their eyes burn with the heat of the tears. Having the tears just streaming down is so… lazy and melodramatic, taking away from the actual impact of an emotional moment, particularly when it happens repeatedly and to different characters.
Well, that’s it for my disappointed fifty cents. I’m off now into my exile from reading.
I wanted to like this one. But in truth the only part here that works is the depiction of PTSD. The story as such sadly does not. For me.
Perspective in the first half belongs almost exclusively to Jace, with two half-page snippets of Nathaniel. In the middle this changes to a bit more from Nathaniel, but Jace clearly retains the main focus. In general, viewpoints also turn messy.
I admire the description of Jace’s PTSD. It will be different for everyone, of course, but for such a severe case I don’t think I’ve often encountered a depiction as detailed. In particular, this part of him is not neglected for sake of the plot. In inevitably keeps happening, never turns into an afterthought.
On the other hand, maybe all of this is a bit too much like reading a textbook on the issue. It ends up being preachy, with people giving edifying speeches. Still, nice work up to a point.
From the first moment, the main characters are both oddly forthcoming with their most private and embarrassing information, employing oddly formal or refined speech, too, when I would have expected something more raw and perhaps halting.
Nathaniel in particular strikes me as astonishingly balanced and well-spoken for someone who’s been raised negligently and been on the streets since he was thirteen. He is just unbelievably perfect. And I truly mean he’s not believable. With his upbringing he should not have that kind of education and not that kind of insight into how families work. He’s way too Zen, without providing justification for having become that way.
I liked Jace in the beginning but he kept losing points throughout the story. The more overtly clingy and dependent on Nathaniel, the more grabby and narrow-mindedly focused he becomes, the less I liked him.
Worse, though, his treatment of Cassie is awful.
This is totally and purely a gay-for-you story. I don’t know if I’m right but this seems pretty rare these days in realistic stories (i.e. outside of forces like fated matings and the like).
The whole idea of “the person inside matters more than their gender” is all fine and beautiful as a thought. I just don’t experience it that way, since, no matter how much I might love another woman as a person, sexual attraction is something I can’t see happening. In this story? It’s fine that some characters live by this opinion or propagate it, but when it’s coming from both a protagonist and a psychiatrist (i.e. the authority on such matters within the story) then it is being presented as the state of things rather than a possible variation. Not so much suggesting possibilities, as giving an explanation. I’m not appreciating that.
What I did like is that Jace’s thoughts on being attracted to a guy kind of made sense to me. He pushes it away a lot when he gets caught up in the moment, which is what arousal tends to do to a person. Then he worries a bit, and he feels ashamed when among others who might judge him even casually. But it just needs another bout of arousal to get him back on track. XD
He also stupidly gets hug up on the gay or not gay question, when he should already know that at the least he’d be some variation of bisexual. Gay’s not even an option, frankly. But this is all in his head and I know that sometimes people get stuck in that sort of nonsensical loop.
Later on, though, he’s suddenly almost stupidly fine with everything. Granted, time has passed at that point so I suppose the change is justified. In the story it still feels somewhat abrupt.
At that point it’s too fast, way too fast. The point of “he’s always been there for me, countless times; he is the reason I can keep fighting; I know I will never be alone again” is reached too damned fast, making it sound much longer than it has been.
There is a lot of sex. Surprisingly much, given the generally gentle and contemplative tone of the story.
Also, there’s zero tension between the protagonists. Not just a lack of even tiny disagreements of differences of opinion, but no sexual friction either. (Unless you count the actual rubbing. Lots of that going on.)
Their relationship is symbiotic. (Aside from too mushy and unlikely lovey-dovey – admittedly in a nice way.) They have to do everything together and spend entire days just gazing at one another or fucking. It’s not a practical thing, but feels like the honeymoon stage instead. Which makes me wonder how this is supposed to work out once real life resumes.
I expected more reciprocal comfort from this story, given that Nathaniel’s background is possibly as traumatizing or at least as alienating as Jace’s. But it was all about Jace, which left Nathaniel a little empty as a person.
So many sex scenes. So utterly bored. I had to start skimming them for relevant moments, or I’d have been unable to finish.
It boggles my mind that after all those descriptions of sex and sex and some more sex, the actual climactic discussion of staying together forever and reassuring Nathaniel that he is more than just a charity case for Jace is dealt with in summary. This book has some weird priorities.
A strange thing happened, too. I swear, one of the later nightmare scenes seemed to be lifted straight out of a het romance I once read, one that also dealt with a hero disfigured by war. Of course I doubt any actual lifting happened here; it just gave me the weirdest sense of recognition.
And because I am picky like that, allow me to say that I’m really not a fan of “tears streaming down faces”. Try “wet with tears”, or maybe “dripping”, have them sniffle loudly and be stuffy-nosed, red-nosed. Hell, snot works really well. Have their eyes burn with the heat of the tears. Having the tears just streaming down is so… lazy and melodramatic, taking away from the actual impact of an emotional moment, particularly when it happens repeatedly and to different characters.
Well, that’s it for my disappointed fifty cents. I’m off now into my exile from reading.
January 29, 2024
I wanted to love this book but instead found myself rolling my eyes repeatedly. It was too unrealistic. A kid on the streets isn't going to immediately spill his guts about his sad life story the moment he locks eyes with you. It all felt too weird and somewhat flat. I didn't get invested in either of the MMCs
January 8, 2018
4 stars for the first part... but the second one, after the big surprise, is rushed and unrealistic....
January 18, 2013
http://top2bottomreviews.wordpress.com/
5+ Kisses!
This is one of the first books I received to read for the MLR Press spotlight. Once I glanced over the blurb, I immediately had to read this book, and was swept up into Jace and Nathaniel’s lives. I ended up reading it in one sitting and once I finished it, I immediately read it again. Since then, when I’m in the mood for an emotional driven romance with heroes who I would be proud to call friends in my own life, I find myself reaching for this book time and time again. The blurb does an outstanding job at describing the book, so I won’t rehash it. Instead I thought I’d write about why I love this story and why it’s a desert island keeper for me.
As I mentioned before, I ended up falling in love with the heroes. Both Jace and Nathaniel are humanly flawed, well-written heroes that really lived and breathed off of the written page. When they meet, they are both going through their own personal set of pain. Jace is an ex-soldier who suffers from PTSD and is also dealing with the physical scars he received. His PTSD and the scars on his face have almost crippled him from living life. He has separated himself from his family, lives alone and has to make himself get out of the house to go to therapy every day. When people stare at him because of his physical injuries, it makes him feel that much more isolated and alone. Top those feelings off with his nightly nightmares and panic attacks; even Jace knows he’s a total wreck.
Enter Nathaniel. Nate has lived off of the streets and although he is young he is quite street savvy and highly intelligent. When he is attacked, Jace saves him and immediately takes him under his care. While Nathaniel is healing from his wounds, he and Jace become very close. Jace doesn’t judge him. Jace looks out for him and gives Nathaniel an unconditional friendship that Nathaniel’s never received before. The two men quickly start relying on this friendship they have, and soon their feelings start to grow and blossom into love.
I loved the way these two men communicated with each other. While reading this story, I really felt like they were friends and enjoyed watching their friendship evolve into love. There is a true camaraderie and affection between them that jumped off of the written page. I adored watching them ease from friendship into something very special between them. Although Jace has never had a relationship with a man before, he quickly accepts his attraction and feelings for Nathaniel because he instinctively knows that Nathaniel is right for him and he actually trusts the love and friendship he has for him. I liked that there wasn’t a lot of internal conflict that Jace went through. I loved how he just knew Nathaniel was the right person for him, so he just went with it.
I also loved the way these two men really brought out the best in each other. Together both men really grow as people and into stronger, better men. I loved watching these two characters evolve into amazing men and I found myself quickly rallying behind them and hoping that these two heroes would come out to be capable men that were not only more secure with themselves, they also knew their love was on a firm, stable ground.
I appreciated how Jace’s PTSD and anxieties were not pushed under the table. I really enjoyed watching these two men work together to help Jace deal with his illness. I also liked how Jace’s family also became a very strong supportive factor in both of their lives. As you can tell, I really loved this book. I adored the heroes and thought the storyline was well-told and perfectly paced. It kept me on the edge of my seat as I read it and I will continue to re-read this book when I’m in the mood for an emotionally driven romance.
Beautifully written with amazing heroes that will live with you long after this book is over, Scars is a unique and emotionally driven romance. Make sure you have plenty of hankies with you because it is a roller-coaster ride of angst and drama, but Ms. Wayne balances this out with just the right amount of lightness and romance. This is the first book I’ve read by Ms. Wayne and it definitely won’t be my last! I’m looking forward to reading more books by this author and will actively be looking for more of her stories in the future. Highly Recommended!
5+ Kisses!
This is one of the first books I received to read for the MLR Press spotlight. Once I glanced over the blurb, I immediately had to read this book, and was swept up into Jace and Nathaniel’s lives. I ended up reading it in one sitting and once I finished it, I immediately read it again. Since then, when I’m in the mood for an emotional driven romance with heroes who I would be proud to call friends in my own life, I find myself reaching for this book time and time again. The blurb does an outstanding job at describing the book, so I won’t rehash it. Instead I thought I’d write about why I love this story and why it’s a desert island keeper for me.
As I mentioned before, I ended up falling in love with the heroes. Both Jace and Nathaniel are humanly flawed, well-written heroes that really lived and breathed off of the written page. When they meet, they are both going through their own personal set of pain. Jace is an ex-soldier who suffers from PTSD and is also dealing with the physical scars he received. His PTSD and the scars on his face have almost crippled him from living life. He has separated himself from his family, lives alone and has to make himself get out of the house to go to therapy every day. When people stare at him because of his physical injuries, it makes him feel that much more isolated and alone. Top those feelings off with his nightly nightmares and panic attacks; even Jace knows he’s a total wreck.
Enter Nathaniel. Nate has lived off of the streets and although he is young he is quite street savvy and highly intelligent. When he is attacked, Jace saves him and immediately takes him under his care. While Nathaniel is healing from his wounds, he and Jace become very close. Jace doesn’t judge him. Jace looks out for him and gives Nathaniel an unconditional friendship that Nathaniel’s never received before. The two men quickly start relying on this friendship they have, and soon their feelings start to grow and blossom into love.
I loved the way these two men communicated with each other. While reading this story, I really felt like they were friends and enjoyed watching their friendship evolve into love. There is a true camaraderie and affection between them that jumped off of the written page. I adored watching them ease from friendship into something very special between them. Although Jace has never had a relationship with a man before, he quickly accepts his attraction and feelings for Nathaniel because he instinctively knows that Nathaniel is right for him and he actually trusts the love and friendship he has for him. I liked that there wasn’t a lot of internal conflict that Jace went through. I loved how he just knew Nathaniel was the right person for him, so he just went with it.
I also loved the way these two men really brought out the best in each other. Together both men really grow as people and into stronger, better men. I loved watching these two characters evolve into amazing men and I found myself quickly rallying behind them and hoping that these two heroes would come out to be capable men that were not only more secure with themselves, they also knew their love was on a firm, stable ground.
I appreciated how Jace’s PTSD and anxieties were not pushed under the table. I really enjoyed watching these two men work together to help Jace deal with his illness. I also liked how Jace’s family also became a very strong supportive factor in both of their lives. As you can tell, I really loved this book. I adored the heroes and thought the storyline was well-told and perfectly paced. It kept me on the edge of my seat as I read it and I will continue to re-read this book when I’m in the mood for an emotionally driven romance.
Beautifully written with amazing heroes that will live with you long after this book is over, Scars is a unique and emotionally driven romance. Make sure you have plenty of hankies with you because it is a roller-coaster ride of angst and drama, but Ms. Wayne balances this out with just the right amount of lightness and romance. This is the first book I’ve read by Ms. Wayne and it definitely won’t be my last! I’m looking forward to reading more books by this author and will actively be looking for more of her stories in the future. Highly Recommended!
November 20, 2013
I liked this story and I didn't. I think it could have been a third shorter with the same impact and also maybe not quite as many conflicts that kept coming up once Jace visited home.
Nathaniel was sweet, but what 19 year old kid, who's been on the streets for six years, talks like that? I had to keep reminding myself that he wasn't like 30. He's perfect and knows exactly what to say to help Jace from the start. Right.
And I hate to say it, but there was too much sex in this...I was skimming past near the end. Their sex was amazing from the get go, despite it being first times for both of them. Heck, I would have loved to have read something a bit funnier where there is some fumbling and awkwardness the first couple of times as they learn.
Having said that, I love Jace and felt so much for him with his PTSD and nightmares. He is what kept me reading this story, I wanted him to get his HEA and really heal. Along the way, we had to deal with stupid family members (dad especially), making out with Nathaniel in front of his family (really?), and along the way, but he made it! And how does he support himself?
So, I did enjoy it, but I think there was a bit too much of a desire to make everything PERFECT in this. Still, I'm looking forward to Rocky's story!
Nathaniel was sweet, but what 19 year old kid, who's been on the streets for six years, talks like that? I had to keep reminding myself that he wasn't like 30. He's perfect and knows exactly what to say to help Jace from the start. Right.
And I hate to say it, but there was too much sex in this...I was skimming past near the end. Their sex was amazing from the get go, despite it being first times for both of them. Heck, I would have loved to have read something a bit funnier where there is some fumbling and awkwardness the first couple of times as they learn.
Having said that, I love Jace and felt so much for him with his PTSD and nightmares. He is what kept me reading this story, I wanted him to get his HEA and really heal. Along the way, we had to deal with stupid family members (dad especially), making out with Nathaniel in front of his family (really?), and along the way, but he made it! And how does he support himself?
So, I did enjoy it, but I think there was a bit too much of a desire to make everything PERFECT in this. Still, I'm looking forward to Rocky's story!
February 10, 2017
Without wanting to sound weird, I do like stories where the characters are having to deal with psycological issues as much as physical issues and I liked how the author dealt with Jace's nightmares and panic attacks. I had not thought before that such issues would get worse when the sufferer is in a safe environment but it does make sense that it would happen this way.
I liked how Nathaniel was able to gentle Jace through his panic attacks and can see how having someone to help ground you through such attacks would be helpful.
I wasn't so enamoured by the personal story elements, it being a bit too rose tinted glasses and swooning maidenish for me, especially for Nathaniel who having lived on the streets for 6 years I would expect to be more harder and independent (more like when he faced down Jace's dad).
I would have liked more on the issues Jace had (and why he didn't have a panic attack on seeing Ethan) and would have been happy to loose some of the sex scenes for this.
So, overall I enjoyed it, some bits more than others but not as much as I was expecting
I liked how Nathaniel was able to gentle Jace through his panic attacks and can see how having someone to help ground you through such attacks would be helpful.
I wasn't so enamoured by the personal story elements, it being a bit too rose tinted glasses and swooning maidenish for me, especially for Nathaniel who having lived on the streets for 6 years I would expect to be more harder and independent (more like when he faced down Jace's dad).
I would have liked more on the issues Jace had (and why he didn't have a panic attack on seeing Ethan) and would have been happy to loose some of the sex scenes for this.
So, overall I enjoyed it, some bits more than others but not as much as I was expecting
March 1, 2014
★★★ - Decent, if somewhat unremarkable.
June 29, 2015
First, the ptsd and other traumatic issues described on the book, might be helpful to let us know how to recognize them.
Second, why Nathaniel had to be Jace's lover?! I Was soooo rooting for Landom! Plus, whats their age difference?! It wasnt mentioned at all! Also, why Nathaniel was pictured so damn perfect?!
Third, we all know how parents can be annoying, but Jace was injuried and kept hidden from them for like over an year and he gets pissed of with them cause all he could think about was have sex with Nathaniel!!!!!
Summing up, this book has a great premise but some situations were solved like the world was perfect and everybody has an open mind! I don't disliked it, yet it wasnt the best book I've read. However, i must say i almost quit reading it. Just kept it because i have the other 2 books.
Second, why Nathaniel had to be Jace's lover?! I Was soooo rooting for Landom! Plus, whats their age difference?! It wasnt mentioned at all! Also, why Nathaniel was pictured so damn perfect?!
Third, we all know how parents can be annoying, but Jace was injuried and kept hidden from them for like over an year and he gets pissed of with them cause all he could think about was have sex with Nathaniel!!!!!
Summing up, this book has a great premise but some situations were solved like the world was perfect and everybody has an open mind! I don't disliked it, yet it wasnt the best book I've read. However, i must say i almost quit reading it. Just kept it because i have the other 2 books.
February 23, 2015
** Books 60 - 2015 **
this books is to accomplish New Author Reading Challenge 2015
3,6 of 5 stars!
Actually I have randomly picked up this M/M Novel and gambled whats the inside is but wow.. the story is interesting, sweet, lovely couples and maybe too good too be true LOL
No one escapes this life without scars. Some of us have scars everyone can see, while others’ scars are hidden. The internal scars are easier to hide, but they are also oftentimes harder to heal and easier to reopen.
The scars we carry help to make us who we are. They are a reminder to ourselves that we survived. We may have been knocked down by life, but it hasn't stopped us from living. We may be battered or broken, but there is always hope for a better tomorrow.
There is Jace, a man who is broken both physically and mentally since he was back from war. He know that the war will haunting him especially his best friend, Sean ripped apart in front of him and he can't do anything..
review menyusul lagi..
this books is to accomplish New Author Reading Challenge 2015
3,6 of 5 stars!
Actually I have randomly picked up this M/M Novel and gambled whats the inside is but wow.. the story is interesting, sweet, lovely couples and maybe too good too be true LOL
No one escapes this life without scars. Some of us have scars everyone can see, while others’ scars are hidden. The internal scars are easier to hide, but they are also oftentimes harder to heal and easier to reopen.
The scars we carry help to make us who we are. They are a reminder to ourselves that we survived. We may have been knocked down by life, but it hasn't stopped us from living. We may be battered or broken, but there is always hope for a better tomorrow.
There is Jace, a man who is broken both physically and mentally since he was back from war. He know that the war will haunting him especially his best friend, Sean ripped apart in front of him and he can't do anything..
review menyusul lagi..
December 8, 2013
I really liked this. It was a lot sappier than I thought it would be, but I didn't mind it. For me, this didn't gloss over PTSD at all. We got all the gritty details. We got the nightmares, the panic attacks, the emotions, the therapy, etc.
I REALLY liked Jace and Nathaniel. However, I wanted more about Nathaniel. I loved how Nathaniel was small, but fierce. He stood up for Jace, even to his family. I also liked how he wasn't ashamed of his past.
As far as Jace, for me, his reactions were so real. I felt for him. I actually cried for him. His family was great, but I had mixed feelings about Travis. I want to know more about Grady--he was such a loner, I want to know more.
Overall, this is a seriously sweet and sappy story, but I loved it :)
I REALLY liked Jace and Nathaniel. However, I wanted more about Nathaniel. I loved how Nathaniel was small, but fierce. He stood up for Jace, even to his family. I also liked how he wasn't ashamed of his past.
As far as Jace, for me, his reactions were so real. I felt for him. I actually cried for him. His family was great, but I had mixed feelings about Travis. I want to know more about Grady--he was such a loner, I want to know more.
Overall, this is a seriously sweet and sappy story, but I loved it :)
January 26, 2014
this book deals with what it is like to heal. and how people heal in their own way. everyone has scars but how we use them to live and die is up to us. i really liked the fact that it shows the healing process of any scar isn't pretty it can open up again but with the help of those you love and who love you it makes the healing process better, no always easier but better.
This was a love story I could get into I truly felt the pain of Jace our ex soldier and main character. This was his stpry. I would have like to see some more development of his Nathaniel and maybe a little more jeopardy for their relationship, but that would have made for a very very long book, one which I know i would have kept reading.
The end comes a little fast for my tastes but it still kept me wanting more. I hope their is more to this story
This was a love story I could get into I truly felt the pain of Jace our ex soldier and main character. This was his stpry. I would have like to see some more development of his Nathaniel and maybe a little more jeopardy for their relationship, but that would have made for a very very long book, one which I know i would have kept reading.
The end comes a little fast for my tastes but it still kept me wanting more. I hope their is more to this story
March 21, 2013
A very sweet and emotional read. I really loved the love story. And Jace and the PTSD is portrayed very real.
Nathaniel is a little bit too good to be real especially with his own history. He is nothing but sweet, supportive, smart and nice.
The end is a little bit rushed for me.
But anyway a very nice read.
Nathaniel is a little bit too good to be real especially with his own history. He is nothing but sweet, supportive, smart and nice.
The end is a little bit rushed for me.
But anyway a very nice read.
March 11, 2015
Oh I wanted to love this. If you are looking for cavity sweet, perfectly unrealistic dialogue and plot, don't pass this up. It is good despite all that, just too much for me. Loved the characters, subject manner and story. Might be enough for me to pick up the next in series, when I need this type of comfort. Any issue is not the authors fault and my preferences alone.
January 24, 2013
2.5 stars
October 9, 2014
4 fluffy stars - this starts out like a heart breaking romance with the PTSD, but it's really more fluffy warm fuzzies. An enjoyable read.
dnf
June 24, 2013DNF
September 30, 2013
An entertaining read. Intriguing characters and story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews