The Depth of Their Scars: The Depth Series Book 1

by E. Lynn

Jaqueline “Jackie” Martinez has spent the last nine years growing from the woman she was. Avoiding her past has become her life’s mission. If she never falls in love again, she will never feel the same pain, right?
When an argument with her family leaves her feeling more alone than ever, she is more determined to achieve her goals. Get the promotion. Move to California.
***
Darrin wants nothing more than to take over the business created in his mother’s memory. When Jackie begins to act suspiciously at work, he makes known he needs to determine her viability of taking on this new position. At the moment it looks doubtful.
When he realizes the reason for her strange behavior, he knows he must step in.
***
Someone is unwilling to let the past remain where it is, and they devise their ultimate revenge. Jackie becomes their ultimate target. Darrin and Jackie find out vengeance is a powerful motivator, and it’s been brewing for far too long.
Can he protect her from a past she couldn’t have prevented? Will they identify her assailant before it’s too late?
Will they both bring down their walls to give one another a chance?

309 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 15, 2025

Reviews

[Tara Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the very first chapter, this story pulled me in. Jackie Martinez is a woman who’s spent years trying to outrun her past, and you can feel the weight of that in every page. One line that really stuck with me was:

“Avoiding her past has become her life’s mission.”



That sentence set the tone for everything that followed. Jackie’s strength and fear felt so real — the kind of pain you can’t just shake off overnight. And then there’s Darrin, who sees past the walls she’s built and slowly becomes the one person willing to face her demons right alongside her.

What I loved most was how this book blended raw emotion with just the right amount of suspense. It’s not your typical romance — it’s heavier, deeper, and a little darker. It’s about healing, learning to trust again, and realizing that sometimes love isn’t soft and easy… sometimes it’s the thing that helps you face what’s been breaking you all along.

There were a few predictable moments, sure, but it didn’t take away from the heart of the story. By the end, I felt proud of Jackie — and honestly a little emotional — watching her finally stop running and start living again.

[Casanova_RN · Rating 4 out of 5]

Main characters? Walking bundles of scars, but also heart-stealers. You want to shake them, hug them, and then bonk yourself for getting so invested. Side characters? Low-key scene-stealers who add flavor (and occasional comic relief) to keep the angst from knocking you completely out.

Biggest Strengths:
• Emotional depth so heavy it could bench-press your soul.
• Complex, layered characters who feel painfully real.
• A balance of heartbreak and healing that earns every cathartic tear.

Weak Spots
• Sometimes the angst drags longer than necessary (I got BONKED one too many times by repetition).
• Certain resolutions feel a bit quick compared to the long emotional build-ups.

[Brittany Waldron · Rating 5 out of 5]

A slow burn romantically but the mystery of it kept me reading! The ending was definitely unexpected. The FMC and MMC has such great chemistry. This was the perfect
Pallet cleanser after the darker romance I finished before this! I’m excited for book two!!! This is the first book of this authors that I’ve read but I’ll be reading the rest of her collection!