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Irreparable #1
Irreparable Damage
Despite being the illegitimate daughter of a Chicago Mafioso, Willow Kensington hasn’t exactly lived the life of a gangster’s progeny—she hardly ever speaks to her father. Instead, she leads a nice, quiet existence at home with her family, surrounded by friends and a steady boyfriend. Her biggest problem is having to pick which college to attend.
Until the day after her 18th birthday, when Willow is abducted by a group of sex-traffickers.
Private investigator Ethan Wilde has too many responsibilities to put his life on the line for a paycheck, but when his latest job has him infiltrating a sex-trafficking ring to rescue a missing girl, he ends up doing just that. Before he can safely extract himself from the violent band of criminals, his loyalties are put to the test, and Ethan ends up getting in much deeper than he ever intended.
Despite the heinous acts he’s witnessed and partaken in, Ethan knows their only means of escape is playing out his original scenario—even if a pair of accusing gray eyes might be haunting him for the rest of his life. Even if he’s not so sure he’s one of the good guys anymore. Even if she makes sure everyone knows he isn’t.
Her salvation could be his downfall.
He’s determined to save her anyway.
**This is a DARKER ROMANCE, intended for readers 18+ due to possible triggers and mature/sensitive themes and content. Please see sample for details.
Until the day after her 18th birthday, when Willow is abducted by a group of sex-traffickers.
Private investigator Ethan Wilde has too many responsibilities to put his life on the line for a paycheck, but when his latest job has him infiltrating a sex-trafficking ring to rescue a missing girl, he ends up doing just that. Before he can safely extract himself from the violent band of criminals, his loyalties are put to the test, and Ethan ends up getting in much deeper than he ever intended.
Despite the heinous acts he’s witnessed and partaken in, Ethan knows their only means of escape is playing out his original scenario—even if a pair of accusing gray eyes might be haunting him for the rest of his life. Even if he’s not so sure he’s one of the good guys anymore. Even if she makes sure everyone knows he isn’t.
Her salvation could be his downfall.
He’s determined to save her anyway.
**This is a DARKER ROMANCE, intended for readers 18+ due to possible triggers and mature/sensitive themes and content. Please see sample for details.
232 pages, ebook
First published October 25, 2014
104 people are currently reading
1642 people want to read
About the author
Sam Mariano
49 books4,844 followersFollow Sam Mariano on Facebook, Instagram (@sammarianobooks), or check out her Blog! If you need to email her, she can be reached at sammarianoauthor@gmail.com (but she is sometimes tardy about checking email. Mateo is very demanding).
Sign up for Sam's mailing list (to stay up to date on current projects--she won't spam you! Only for notification of new releases or book sales.)
All of Sam's books are available on Amazon! (And don't forget to follow Sam's Amazon Author page to get notified about the newest releases.)
Sam Mariano has been writing stories for as long as she can remember. She lives in Ohio and has a sweet and wonderful daughter.
Because of You was her first finished story (she started writing it when she was 18) and due to a full-time work and college schedule, it took her years to finish. She has also been telling people for years that there would never be a sequel (sorry, guys!)…which turned out to be a lie.
Sam Mariano is currently working on Dante’s book (if you’re a Morelli reader) and some other WIP.
Feel free to find her on Facebook, Goodreads, or her blog—she loves hearing from readers!
Sign up for Sam's mailing list (to stay up to date on current projects--she won't spam you! Only for notification of new releases or book sales.)
All of Sam's books are available on Amazon! (And don't forget to follow Sam's Amazon Author page to get notified about the newest releases.)
Sam Mariano has been writing stories for as long as she can remember. She lives in Ohio and has a sweet and wonderful daughter.
Because of You was her first finished story (she started writing it when she was 18) and due to a full-time work and college schedule, it took her years to finish. She has also been telling people for years that there would never be a sequel (sorry, guys!)…which turned out to be a lie.
Sam Mariano is currently working on Dante’s book (if you’re a Morelli reader) and some other WIP.
Feel free to find her on Facebook, Goodreads, or her blog—she loves hearing from readers!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
June 7, 2017
This book was dark, taboo and offensive. Accordingly, I thought that it was a fantastic read! Not the best dark captivity story out there, but definitely not the worst either. If you enjoy darker stories and don't shy away from controversial subject matter, then 'Irreparable Damage' is worth a read.
The first in a series, this book tells the story of Willow Kensington. Willow is abducted right after her 18th birthday by sex traffickers. Her father is a powerful Mafioso and her captors think that they can use her to get at her father. Innocent Willow is caught in the crosshairs, despite having almost no interaction with her father.
While undercover trying to locate another missing girl, private investigator Ethan Wilde runs across another girl whose picture recently came his way. He hadn't accepted Willow's case yet, but fate has their paths crossing. Unfortunately, to maintain his cover he must harm Willow before he can save her.
Following Willow's rescue, she struggles with the after-effects of her captive experience. Her healing is only made more difficult by the fact that she will not discuss everything that happened to her at the hands of her captors. She is torn by the fact that her rescuer was also the man who committed the worst crimes against her. She won't condemn him, but she can't cope either.
Returning to his wife and children, Ethan faces his own demons following his most recent case. He cannot stop thinking about the girl that he assaulted. He wonders how she is doing and whether she hates him. He waits to be held accountable for his crimes, but with each day that passes it becomes increasingly clear that Willow isn't going to turn him in - no matter how much he deserves it.
Ethan's guilt transforms into an obsession, masked as concern. Before long, he's stalking the teen online and "checking up on her". The lies begin to pile up and he is drifting away from his wife.
Of course, Ethan isn't the only one that can't get Willow's trauma in captivity off their mind. Willow is finding that her nightmares surrounding her assault are turning increasingly erotic. Yep, she's fantasizing about her assailant. (This is smutty, dark erotica, not non-fiction after all! Know that what you're signing up for isn't a harrowing, true-to-life account.)
Willow and Ethan begin meeting up to vent and discuss their feelings about what transpired. It seems that they are the only two people that can relate to one another. Admittedly, I rolled my eyes at the idea of the victim actually consoling the attacker and vice versa. However, even as I was rolling my eyes I was anxiously flipping pages to see where the story would go.
This story was pure, smutty goodness! It was definitely a "guilty pleasure" type of read for me. It was unbelievable, taboo and hot. Clearly, this isn't a book that you choose for intellectual enlightenment. It was dirty, sexy and fun.
Check out more of my reviews at www.bookaddicthaven.com
The first in a series, this book tells the story of Willow Kensington. Willow is abducted right after her 18th birthday by sex traffickers. Her father is a powerful Mafioso and her captors think that they can use her to get at her father. Innocent Willow is caught in the crosshairs, despite having almost no interaction with her father.
While undercover trying to locate another missing girl, private investigator Ethan Wilde runs across another girl whose picture recently came his way. He hadn't accepted Willow's case yet, but fate has their paths crossing. Unfortunately, to maintain his cover he must harm Willow before he can save her.
Following Willow's rescue, she struggles with the after-effects of her captive experience. Her healing is only made more difficult by the fact that she will not discuss everything that happened to her at the hands of her captors. She is torn by the fact that her rescuer was also the man who committed the worst crimes against her. She won't condemn him, but she can't cope either.
Returning to his wife and children, Ethan faces his own demons following his most recent case. He cannot stop thinking about the girl that he assaulted. He wonders how she is doing and whether she hates him. He waits to be held accountable for his crimes, but with each day that passes it becomes increasingly clear that Willow isn't going to turn him in - no matter how much he deserves it.
Ethan's guilt transforms into an obsession, masked as concern. Before long, he's stalking the teen online and "checking up on her". The lies begin to pile up and he is drifting away from his wife.
Of course, Ethan isn't the only one that can't get Willow's trauma in captivity off their mind. Willow is finding that her nightmares surrounding her assault are turning increasingly erotic. Yep, she's fantasizing about her assailant. (This is smutty, dark erotica, not non-fiction after all! Know that what you're signing up for isn't a harrowing, true-to-life account.)
Willow and Ethan begin meeting up to vent and discuss their feelings about what transpired. It seems that they are the only two people that can relate to one another. Admittedly, I rolled my eyes at the idea of the victim actually consoling the attacker and vice versa. However, even as I was rolling my eyes I was anxiously flipping pages to see where the story would go.
This story was pure, smutty goodness! It was definitely a "guilty pleasure" type of read for me. It was unbelievable, taboo and hot. Clearly, this isn't a book that you choose for intellectual enlightenment. It was dirty, sexy and fun.
Check out more of my reviews at www.bookaddicthaven.com
September 21, 2019
DNF at 60% because I just can't do it. Of all the books I've read where cheating has never bothered me, I'm afraid I've just hit my cheating hard limit so am not going any further with this one. It's making me uncomfortable and I'm starting to dislike Ethan and I don't think there'll be any coming back from what he's doing with Willow.
Willow - I really dislike her. She KNOWS he's a married man and a father yet is quite comfortable playing the sex siren after being raped?? On what planet does this chick live, seriously?????
Whilst I fully understand they are both victims and dealing with their issues as best they can, this is sadly not working for me.
Willow - I really dislike her. She KNOWS he's a married man and a father yet is quite comfortable playing the sex siren after being raped?? On what planet does this chick live, seriously?????
Whilst I fully understand they are both victims and dealing with their issues as best they can, this is sadly not working for me.
Read
April 18, 2017http://amzn.to/29D8eL8
Okay, while I'm thinking of it, here's my PSA for this book.
This is not a book everyone is going to love. (I mean, no book is a book everyone is going to love, but...)
The relationship in this one is taboo. It isn't shocking or anything (I don't write for shock-value) and it is absolutely not "their eyes met and they were in love," but it isn't going to be for everyone. If the events that unfold within this book didn't happen, these characters would never, ever come together. Ever. They would just be strangers walking past each other in the grocery store.
I like my characters a little fucked up. A little bit hardened. A lot human. (If they don't emerge as people in my mind, I don't publish.) They are not perfect, they are damaged, sometimes they're selfish, sometimes they're selfless. They don't live black and white lives. They live in the gray area. This is NOT a light-hearted contemporary romance.
Most of all, I implore you to read the sample before buying it if you're worried about triggers. Chapter two is a bit brutal. If you're sensitive to the topic of rape, I would advise you NOT to read this book. There is no "her traitorous body" response. It is brief, but it is not softened.
For the best results, go in with an open mind. :)
No official blurb yet (because it will take me literally four days to write that) but to give you an idea, this will be "a (somewhat) dark romance featuring Ethan, a private investigator who goes undercover to retrieve missing girls from a ring of sex traffickers, and Willow, the illegitimate daughter of a rival crime boss who gets mixed up in it."
Okay, while I'm thinking of it, here's my PSA for this book.
This is not a book everyone is going to love. (I mean, no book is a book everyone is going to love, but...)
The relationship in this one is taboo. It isn't shocking or anything (I don't write for shock-value) and it is absolutely not "their eyes met and they were in love," but it isn't going to be for everyone. If the events that unfold within this book didn't happen, these characters would never, ever come together. Ever. They would just be strangers walking past each other in the grocery store.
I like my characters a little fucked up. A little bit hardened. A lot human. (If they don't emerge as people in my mind, I don't publish.) They are not perfect, they are damaged, sometimes they're selfish, sometimes they're selfless. They don't live black and white lives. They live in the gray area. This is NOT a light-hearted contemporary romance.
Most of all, I implore you to read the sample before buying it if you're worried about triggers. Chapter two is a bit brutal. If you're sensitive to the topic of rape, I would advise you NOT to read this book. There is no "her traitorous body" response. It is brief, but it is not softened.
For the best results, go in with an open mind. :)
September 19, 2021
Anyone who knows my reading preferences knows that when it comes to Sam Mariano, I am a rabid fangirl. So this rating really hurts my soul.
I will say that this is a very early work of hers, and I feel like she wrote herself into a corner with this one. While I think that today she totally has the chops to write herself out of any corner, when she wrote this, she just wasn’t there yet.
This book has a much more dark tone than her other books.
It’s missing the irreverent charm that I’m used to.
These characters just aren’t likable. By the end of the book, the only person I liked was the H’s wife. That’s not a good omen.
If it was just that, I could have given this 3-stars, but there is a completely incomprehensible scene that really makes this book crash and burn. ⚠️SPOILER AHEAD⚠️
⚠️The H and his wife and little girl were held at gunpoint by the h’s mobster dad. The dad plays a video for everyone in the room that shows the H raping the h (under duress, but that is inconsequential to this scene)…then the dad calls the h and she pleads for the H’s life and tells the dad (while on speakerphone) that she has been having an affair with the H and she loves him. The dad lets him go, but of course the wife, who he was happily married to, is horrified and traumatized. The child is equally hysterical. So, the wife says she’s leaving him to get her head together. He’s devastated. So devastated, that literally as soon as she pulls out of the driveway, he’s suggesting to the h that they get a hotel room to bang. 👀😐 And that’s exactly what they do. Five seconds after his entire world implodes and a crazy man had his baby daughter at gunpoint. 🤬🤯🤬🤯🤬🤯⚠️
Say what?!
And that’s how you get a crazed fangirl to give a book from her favorite 2 stars. 😩
⚠️SAFETY SQUAD SPOILERS⚠️
- cheating? Well, the h and H are cheating together. The H is presented to us as happily married to a good person. He has 2 small children. Sam does not make it clear if he’s also having sex with the wife during the time he’s cheating with the h. He does wear a condom with the h, so I guess that’s a small blessing. 🤷🏼♀️
- no sharing
- noncon - H is forced to rape the h while undercover, taking her v-card - essentially they are both raped (since it wasn’t consensual for him either) and traumatized
- OW drama - he’s happily married
I will say that this is a very early work of hers, and I feel like she wrote herself into a corner with this one. While I think that today she totally has the chops to write herself out of any corner, when she wrote this, she just wasn’t there yet.
This book has a much more dark tone than her other books.
It’s missing the irreverent charm that I’m used to.
These characters just aren’t likable. By the end of the book, the only person I liked was the H’s wife. That’s not a good omen.
If it was just that, I could have given this 3-stars, but there is a completely incomprehensible scene that really makes this book crash and burn. ⚠️SPOILER AHEAD⚠️
⚠️The H and his wife and little girl were held at gunpoint by the h’s mobster dad. The dad plays a video for everyone in the room that shows the H raping the h (under duress, but that is inconsequential to this scene)…then the dad calls the h and she pleads for the H’s life and tells the dad (while on speakerphone) that she has been having an affair with the H and she loves him. The dad lets him go, but of course the wife, who he was happily married to, is horrified and traumatized. The child is equally hysterical. So, the wife says she’s leaving him to get her head together. He’s devastated. So devastated, that literally as soon as she pulls out of the driveway, he’s suggesting to the h that they get a hotel room to bang. 👀😐 And that’s exactly what they do. Five seconds after his entire world implodes and a crazy man had his baby daughter at gunpoint. 🤬🤯🤬🤯🤬🤯⚠️
Say what?!
And that’s how you get a crazed fangirl to give a book from her favorite 2 stars. 😩
⚠️SAFETY SQUAD SPOILERS⚠️
- cheating? Well, the h and H are cheating together. The H is presented to us as happily married to a good person. He has 2 small children. Sam does not make it clear if he’s also having sex with the wife during the time he’s cheating with the h. He does wear a condom with the h, so I guess that’s a small blessing. 🤷🏼♀️
- no sharing
- noncon - H is forced to rape the h while undercover, taking her v-card - essentially they are both raped (since it wasn’t consensual for him either) and traumatized
- OW drama - he’s happily married
March 6, 2025
nts
See box-set for my full review / full shelves
https://bit.ly/3JzWcCs
🚨SPOILERS🚨
Ethan is a 32 year old PI married for almost a decade, to his college gf.
They have 3 kids aged between 1 month and 8 years. He’s hardworking, sympathetic and charming. A good husband and a hands-on father. His family means everything to him.
Working undercover on a trafficking case, he’s forced to choose between raping an 18 year old girl or being killed.
Willow is the girl he rapes:
Beautiful, strong and FEISTY, stubborn and broken, confused and vulnerable. She’s dealing with the aftermath of the ordeal in her own way. She has loving moms who would go to the ends of the earth for her.
The Hxh bond over their shared trauma and their relationship grows into a sexual on-off one. Their connection is deep and dark and funny. Sexy and angsty, forbidden and wrong on so many levels. They are drawn to each other despite knowing they can’t be. No commitments are made. She even has a new bf and Ethan’s main aim is to get his family back together because:
It turns out that Willow is the daughter of a mafioso. A particularly vile man whose moral code is non existent. That revenge scene is like nothing I’ve read before, mostly because the Hxh are linked to the Morelli family in the author’s book world. Mostly because it’s a scenario I had never read before and it totally blindsided me. Mostly because, if their lives had gone off course before the kidnapping and rape, it veers completely out of control in ways only this author can plot and execute.
For me, very few writers capture the realness of the physical and emotional violence like Ms Mariano. I was literally there, watching it all unfold. The trafficking, the rape, the guilt, the shame. The breaking of hearts and lives. The wrecking of a marriage and family bonds. The long road to healing and mending and hope for the future. All this is portrayed in such a relatable way that made for a satisfyingly inclusive reading experience.
Amanda, Ethan’s wife, now hates him for not only the choice he made, but also because Willow is still very much a part of his life. She can’t reconcile the Ethan she knows with the man who rapes a teenager. DESPITE the reason that he agreed to the rape (at gunpoint) was because of not wanting his family to suffer without him. I understand her disgust and admire her as a mother but she’s no innocent as she’s now seeing a collage friend of theirs, while Ethan is waiting for her to decide whether to let him back into the family. Their married friend. So her holier than thou persona grated on my nerves.
Eventually Ethan and his wife decide to part ways. Willow follows her dream to New York. Ethan, no alpha, but gorgeous and endearingly bewildered by his obsession of Willow, waits for her to come home. She does and they live happily, apart from their minor connections with the mafia, ever after.
I love catching up with them in the Morelli world. Every glimpse of them is a treasure. I’ve re-read this duet too many times to count yet have never gotten around to reviewing it because I wasn't ready to share them with anyone yet.
NTS
Neaten review; esp tenses
See box-set for my full review / full shelves
https://bit.ly/3JzWcCs
🚨SPOILERS🚨
Ethan is a 32 year old PI married for almost a decade, to his college gf.
They have 3 kids aged between 1 month and 8 years. He’s hardworking, sympathetic and charming. A good husband and a hands-on father. His family means everything to him.
Working undercover on a trafficking case, he’s forced to choose between raping an 18 year old girl or being killed.
Willow is the girl he rapes:
Beautiful, strong and FEISTY, stubborn and broken, confused and vulnerable. She’s dealing with the aftermath of the ordeal in her own way. She has loving moms who would go to the ends of the earth for her.
The Hxh bond over their shared trauma and their relationship grows into a sexual on-off one. Their connection is deep and dark and funny. Sexy and angsty, forbidden and wrong on so many levels. They are drawn to each other despite knowing they can’t be. No commitments are made. She even has a new bf and Ethan’s main aim is to get his family back together because:
It turns out that Willow is the daughter of a mafioso. A particularly vile man whose moral code is non existent. That revenge scene is like nothing I’ve read before, mostly because the Hxh are linked to the Morelli family in the author’s book world. Mostly because it’s a scenario I had never read before and it totally blindsided me. Mostly because, if their lives had gone off course before the kidnapping and rape, it veers completely out of control in ways only this author can plot and execute.
For me, very few writers capture the realness of the physical and emotional violence like Ms Mariano. I was literally there, watching it all unfold. The trafficking, the rape, the guilt, the shame. The breaking of hearts and lives. The wrecking of a marriage and family bonds. The long road to healing and mending and hope for the future. All this is portrayed in such a relatable way that made for a satisfyingly inclusive reading experience.
Amanda, Ethan’s wife, now hates him for not only the choice he made, but also because Willow is still very much a part of his life. She can’t reconcile the Ethan she knows with the man who rapes a teenager. DESPITE the reason that he agreed to the rape (at gunpoint) was because of not wanting his family to suffer without him. I understand her disgust and admire her as a mother but she’s no innocent as she’s now seeing a collage friend of theirs, while Ethan is waiting for her to decide whether to let him back into the family. Their married friend. So her holier than thou persona grated on my nerves.
Eventually Ethan and his wife decide to part ways. Willow follows her dream to New York. Ethan, no alpha, but gorgeous and endearingly bewildered by his obsession of Willow, waits for her to come home. She does and they live happily, apart from their minor connections with the mafia, ever after.
I love catching up with them in the Morelli world. Every glimpse of them is a treasure. I’ve re-read this duet too many times to count yet have never gotten around to reviewing it because I wasn't ready to share them with anyone yet.
NTS
Neaten review; esp tenses
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 10, 2017
This book was only barely darkish for a bit at the very beginning. It had a taboo element but not one that kept me interested. Unfortunately, after the halfway point, I started skimming and then just gave up all together around 77%. I just didn't care about the characters or what was happening. Perhaps because the situation didn't really come off as believable and the risk the main male character was taking by cheating on his wife just didn't feel worthy enough. DNF but I will rate as the story was pretty much just "okay" for me the whole time until I gave up.
Read
October 28, 2014This didn't work for me but please don't let this one sentence of mine hinder you from checking out this book.
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
October 30, 2020
Obvious triggers aside, this was an enjoyable book with a serious and questioning story held within it. I know some people will baulk at the prospect of rape and cheating but these are small facets to a story with a strong psychological undercurrent.
Kidnapped and raped by a man reluctant to go through with the act, 18 year old virgin, Willow, now freed faces a recovery from her traumatic experience with unexpected challenges. Ethan, an undercover PI, infiltrated a group, responsible for kidnapping women and children, when he comes across Willow. Not the girl he was sent in to free but another victim he was aware about, Ethan decides to break both girls out. Unfortunately for Ethan, the kidnappers start to become suspicious and tell him to rape Willow. Torn with blowing his cover, getting himself killed and being able to safely free the girls, Ethan agrees to take Willow but the prospect horrifies him, especially being a married man with children of his own. He tries to detach himself from the scene but is unable to do so especially when he realises he has taken Willow’s virginity. Afterwards, Willow sees something in Ethan that she doesn't expect and that's remorse. As a result, she doesn't disclose her rape to her family or the authorities. Both distraught by the act, Willow and Ethan struggle to come to terms with what they shared. Willow starts to build an attraction to Ethan through her dreams and Ethan can't forget the girl whose innocence he stole.
After being brought together, innocently, by Willow’s mothers, the two start to open up to each other and Willow finds a peace she is unable to reach without the help of a counsellor. Texting soon becomes face to face meetings and Willow shares with Ethan that she fears she will never trust anyone again. Ethan is heartbroken that his actions have brought about this change in Willow and despite seeing her many male admirers via her social media accounts, finds himself wanting her to spend time with him.
It begs the question: how would you replace an unpleasant and painful experience and the conclusion they both reach is to repeat the scene, albeit with consent this time. Ethan convinces Willow that she can trust him and if she says no he will stop his actions immediately. Deciding to try his suggestion out, Willow and Ethan meet and soon find their bodies reacting in a positive way to each other's ministrations. Ethan is torn over hurting his family and helping Willow, and himself, to overcome their memories and sees his connection with Willow as a separate part of his life. Willow knows she can never have Ethan as her own, aside from the fact his is married he is also a lot older than her, and so takes whatever he can offer her.
Willow sees Ethan initially as the person who can overwrite bad with good but it's not long before their feelings grow into something neither can explain. Trying to end their unhealthy connection, they are thrust back together with Willow’s father finds video evidence of her attack and sets off to punish Ethan, and his family. But it's Willow who saves the day when Ethan knows that in order to save his wife and family, they must admit to the feelings they have for one another.
This was definitely a book which had my mind whirling throughout. Despite by raped by Ethan I can appreciate Willow’s subsequent connection to him. I can also appreciate Ethan struggling to continue with his life as he knows it. This book is certainly not just about rape or cheating, it's about so much more. The rape is handled sensitively and is not overly embellished. It's merely the starting point of Willow and Ethan's story. How they handle the aftermath is where this story focuses its attention. It's also not a story just about cheating, although it does clearly take place. With so many facets to focus on in this story, most of which are hidden in your own mind, the story pulls you along and makes you question right from wrong.
I was a little stunned by the ending of this book as I wasn't expecting there to be a cliffie but that was my fault for not realising that the next book is due to be released shortly. Overall I enjoyed the book but it lacked some depth at times. Characters could have benefitted from more insight into their minds and daily lives. For some reason I didn't feel that I knew or had connected with the characters by the end of the story. The Mafia connection, which initially attracted me to this story, didn't materialise apart from the brief scene with Willow’s father so hopefully that will pick up in the next book.
So, if you love books which make you question right from wrong then this is definitely a story for you. It is also a tender love story, despite how Willow and Ethan's story starts out. Willow comes across much older than her years and it's that maturity and level headedness which draws Ethan to her. I can't wait to see where their story takes them to next.
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Kidnapped and raped by a man reluctant to go through with the act, 18 year old virgin, Willow, now freed faces a recovery from her traumatic experience with unexpected challenges. Ethan, an undercover PI, infiltrated a group, responsible for kidnapping women and children, when he comes across Willow. Not the girl he was sent in to free but another victim he was aware about, Ethan decides to break both girls out. Unfortunately for Ethan, the kidnappers start to become suspicious and tell him to rape Willow. Torn with blowing his cover, getting himself killed and being able to safely free the girls, Ethan agrees to take Willow but the prospect horrifies him, especially being a married man with children of his own. He tries to detach himself from the scene but is unable to do so especially when he realises he has taken Willow’s virginity. Afterwards, Willow sees something in Ethan that she doesn't expect and that's remorse. As a result, she doesn't disclose her rape to her family or the authorities. Both distraught by the act, Willow and Ethan struggle to come to terms with what they shared. Willow starts to build an attraction to Ethan through her dreams and Ethan can't forget the girl whose innocence he stole.
After being brought together, innocently, by Willow’s mothers, the two start to open up to each other and Willow finds a peace she is unable to reach without the help of a counsellor. Texting soon becomes face to face meetings and Willow shares with Ethan that she fears she will never trust anyone again. Ethan is heartbroken that his actions have brought about this change in Willow and despite seeing her many male admirers via her social media accounts, finds himself wanting her to spend time with him.
It begs the question: how would you replace an unpleasant and painful experience and the conclusion they both reach is to repeat the scene, albeit with consent this time. Ethan convinces Willow that she can trust him and if she says no he will stop his actions immediately. Deciding to try his suggestion out, Willow and Ethan meet and soon find their bodies reacting in a positive way to each other's ministrations. Ethan is torn over hurting his family and helping Willow, and himself, to overcome their memories and sees his connection with Willow as a separate part of his life. Willow knows she can never have Ethan as her own, aside from the fact his is married he is also a lot older than her, and so takes whatever he can offer her.
Willow sees Ethan initially as the person who can overwrite bad with good but it's not long before their feelings grow into something neither can explain. Trying to end their unhealthy connection, they are thrust back together with Willow’s father finds video evidence of her attack and sets off to punish Ethan, and his family. But it's Willow who saves the day when Ethan knows that in order to save his wife and family, they must admit to the feelings they have for one another.
This was definitely a book which had my mind whirling throughout. Despite by raped by Ethan I can appreciate Willow’s subsequent connection to him. I can also appreciate Ethan struggling to continue with his life as he knows it. This book is certainly not just about rape or cheating, it's about so much more. The rape is handled sensitively and is not overly embellished. It's merely the starting point of Willow and Ethan's story. How they handle the aftermath is where this story focuses its attention. It's also not a story just about cheating, although it does clearly take place. With so many facets to focus on in this story, most of which are hidden in your own mind, the story pulls you along and makes you question right from wrong.
I was a little stunned by the ending of this book as I wasn't expecting there to be a cliffie but that was my fault for not realising that the next book is due to be released shortly. Overall I enjoyed the book but it lacked some depth at times. Characters could have benefitted from more insight into their minds and daily lives. For some reason I didn't feel that I knew or had connected with the characters by the end of the story. The Mafia connection, which initially attracted me to this story, didn't materialise apart from the brief scene with Willow’s father so hopefully that will pick up in the next book.
So, if you love books which make you question right from wrong then this is definitely a story for you. It is also a tender love story, despite how Willow and Ethan's story starts out. Willow comes across much older than her years and it's that maturity and level headedness which draws Ethan to her. I can't wait to see where their story takes them to next.
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July 9, 2017
Ok I am thinking everything this author writes is a train wreak!.....it is truly horrifying, yet I have to keep watching.
This is truly truly one F-ed up story. Messed up. Am I going to read the next...you bet your life!
This is truly truly one F-ed up story. Messed up. Am I going to read the next...you bet your life!
July 13, 2016
4.5 Stars
"We're not good or bad, either one of us, we're just straddling a line down the middle."
This is not a butterflies in your stomach, heart fluttering, soul melting love story. This is a story about two very complicated people and the dangerous, unhealthy relationship they find themselves in.
Willow is your typical high school girl. She has a boyfriend, loyal friends and a loving family. Shortly after her 18th birthday she is abducted from her home and held captive, along with several other girls, by a group of sex-traffickers. Seeing the other girls used and abused daily by the men holding her, Willow is terrified and counting down the minutes until it is her turn.
Private investigator Ethan Wilde is working undercover to rescue one of the girls being held along with Willow. In order to keep his cover and rescue the girls before he is found out, he must do the unspeakable ……..
The story that follows between Willow and Ethan is thought provoking, addictive and a complete page turner.
Willow is a hard character to read, one minute her internal monologue is open and honest but then her external actions don’t always match what you expect from her. This may frustrate some readers but for me it just added another level of complexity and interest. She is just a teenager after all. Confusion, anger, wrong choices and immaturity is expected and it's what makes her character so full.
Ethan is your typical man, the type of guy you would expect to see picking up milk at the grocery store on his way home from work. I think his “normalness” is what makes his character so believable. He isn't some over the top alpha bad ass. He is a family man with a wife and kids. He is someone who could be married to any one of us and what he did and what he is now going through is both scary and in its own way heartbreaking.
Author Sam Mariano did a great job at expressing the many facets of these characters emotions. The guilt, fear and obsession were written so well that you could feel it. You know that the relationship between Willow and Ethan is wrong on so many levels but maybe that’s what makes it right? Reading this book was kind of like watching a really juicy drama on Lifetime. But as we all know books are always better.
I love finding authors who aren't afraid to think outside the box and write something that may not appeal to the masses. Sweet love stories are nice but when I read I like to travel outside of my comfort zone. I want a book to take me to a place that is far from my real life. I like the escape, I like taboo and grit and having something to sink my teeth into. I love books that make me uncomfortable and cause me to think. Then when it is over I like the feeling of gratefulness I have for my real life love. Lucky for me I found Sam Mariano. Irreparable Damage gave me lots to sink into. I took a big ole' bite and loved every minute of it.
More people need to read this book. If you are unafraid of something different and don't necessarily need that HEA all tied up in a pretty bow then I would highly recommend you give this book a try.
An ARC was kindly provided by the Author for an honest review.
Review posted at Love Between the Sheets
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"We're not good or bad, either one of us, we're just straddling a line down the middle."
This is not a butterflies in your stomach, heart fluttering, soul melting love story. This is a story about two very complicated people and the dangerous, unhealthy relationship they find themselves in.
Willow is your typical high school girl. She has a boyfriend, loyal friends and a loving family. Shortly after her 18th birthday she is abducted from her home and held captive, along with several other girls, by a group of sex-traffickers. Seeing the other girls used and abused daily by the men holding her, Willow is terrified and counting down the minutes until it is her turn.
Private investigator Ethan Wilde is working undercover to rescue one of the girls being held along with Willow. In order to keep his cover and rescue the girls before he is found out, he must do the unspeakable ……..
The story that follows between Willow and Ethan is thought provoking, addictive and a complete page turner.
Willow is a hard character to read, one minute her internal monologue is open and honest but then her external actions don’t always match what you expect from her. This may frustrate some readers but for me it just added another level of complexity and interest. She is just a teenager after all. Confusion, anger, wrong choices and immaturity is expected and it's what makes her character so full.
Ethan is your typical man, the type of guy you would expect to see picking up milk at the grocery store on his way home from work. I think his “normalness” is what makes his character so believable. He isn't some over the top alpha bad ass. He is a family man with a wife and kids. He is someone who could be married to any one of us and what he did and what he is now going through is both scary and in its own way heartbreaking.
Author Sam Mariano did a great job at expressing the many facets of these characters emotions. The guilt, fear and obsession were written so well that you could feel it. You know that the relationship between Willow and Ethan is wrong on so many levels but maybe that’s what makes it right? Reading this book was kind of like watching a really juicy drama on Lifetime. But as we all know books are always better.
I love finding authors who aren't afraid to think outside the box and write something that may not appeal to the masses. Sweet love stories are nice but when I read I like to travel outside of my comfort zone. I want a book to take me to a place that is far from my real life. I like the escape, I like taboo and grit and having something to sink my teeth into. I love books that make me uncomfortable and cause me to think. Then when it is over I like the feeling of gratefulness I have for my real life love. Lucky for me I found Sam Mariano. Irreparable Damage gave me lots to sink into. I took a big ole' bite and loved every minute of it.
More people need to read this book. If you are unafraid of something different and don't necessarily need that HEA all tied up in a pretty bow then I would highly recommend you give this book a try.
An ARC was kindly provided by the Author for an honest review.
Review posted at Love Between the Sheets
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October 24, 2024
“I’m not like a lot of other girls” oh brother and the cheating part they are so oblivious to reality, the consequences and feelings of other people and they justify themselves by the trauma they experienced. Generally, I don't mind cheating because after all, it is fiction, but this is wrong in every aspect.
November 16, 2014
5 forbidden stars!
Wow. I loved this book. This book is so different from any other book I've read, even including both of this author's other books.
I haven't read a ton of darker books. I have a lot of my list and I've started a lot of them, but sometimes it feels like a lot of the same and I lose interest. When I read the blurb on this one, I had a certain idea about what kind of book this was going to be, and I was about 90% wrong. I would say the overall theme of this one is dark, but the story itself is more tabboo than dark. I also don't really have any tabboo storylines that I won't touch. I think, if written carefully and convincingly (see: well) I can be pertty open minded with fiction. This book could surely be outside the bounds of a less open reader's comfort zone, but it wasn't outside of mine. I love the gray area. And writing a book in the gray area that still doesn't piss off any of my romantic ideals is that much more impressive . (I'm not sure if that's considered a spoiler but just to be safe.)
Let's start with my Ethan.
Yes, he's beautiful but that's not why I love him. (And make no mistake, I love Ethan Wilde.) Ethan is what I'm going to call everyday-damaged. He's not some over the top alpha hero who exhales testosterone and rips a shirt every time he gets angry. He's real. He's got his own issues and he's not perfect, but he's an overall good guy who gets mixed up in a bad situation and has to make an impossible choice. And he's no martyr. He doesn't fall in love with the heroine as soon as she blinks at him, and all of a sudden he's ready to die for her. None of that crap. I'm also going to go ahead and apparenlty be the first one to address this elephant in the book.
Male rape. Willow was not the only one who got the short end of the stick there, and I think she's the only person in the whole book who (later) acknowledges that. I get that she's young and a girl and...it's a very complicated situation (especially since she's the one who has the rape victim reaction), where he's older, a man, used as a tool to hurt her, AND at no point does he think of himself as a victim, but not everyone does, and given how things went I don't think he would have thought of it that way, but if a woman is coerced into having sex she doesn't want, she was raped, so if a man is coerced into having sex he doesn't want... Again, he doesn't think of it that way, and that's fine, it's his experience, he can deal however he needs to, but I don't think it's fair to call him a bad guy when he had no more choice in the matter than she did. In this book the bad guy is actually circumstance.
Willow. I'm pretty intrigued/impressed with Willow. I can definitely see how Ethan, even being older and not predisposed to thinking of her that way, could get stuck on her. To me Willow read like exactly the kind of girl you can see guys getting stuck on, and I thought the way that was presented was very well done. Willow is young and beautiful and unique and confident...and she knows that. She's not some mousy heroine who doesn't realize she's appealing until the hero sweeps in and tells her. But she's also not obnoxious about it. We are shown instead of being told about Willow's appeal, and that way it doesn't grate on you and make you think she's an arrogant jerk. She isn't. Willow is down to earth but she's very realistic. She makes a joke at one point about being mature for her age, and in some ways I think she is. Dealing with her awful experience probably made that even more true.
There are a few quotes like that scattered throughout that give you pause, times where she either makes light of serious shit or drops a one-line reality bomb into an otherwise pleasant moment that brings you back down, makes you wonder what's really going on in her head/if she's really doing okay.
She's also still a bit of a mystery to me. I think I have her mostly pegged, I honestly think she just likes Ethan and is playing it cool, but I guess that's open to interpretation. And sometimes I was as unsure as Ethan was, but let's be honest, that's part of why he likes her.
Suffice it to say the characters are complex. I expected no less, but even having read Sam Mariano's other books, I was still surprised by the complexity of these characters. Now that I've finished the book I'm actually a little sad, because I want to read something else just like it, but I don't know of anything else that is like it. I might even just reread it again lol.
The romance. I love these two together, but the story is not heavily romantic. The characters had a lot to deal with in this book, hurdles everywhere, but they began a sort of fucked-up friendship (sort of?) with moments that satisfied my need for romance. If there would have been a lot more romance given their situation, it wouldn't have been realistic, and I also felt the catalyst that pushed them over the line was very realistic. (And there is romance, just not as much of it as some might hope for.)
And the sex.
I'll have what she's having.
The sex was hot. And at times sweet. And perfect for them.
I loved Ethan's not-overbearing-but-very-much-present possessive side. I'm kind of a sucker for the "I have no right to be possessive of you but I am anyway" schtick.
My absolute favorite thing about this story though, was the subtleties. I noticed so many subtle details that made the characterization what it was. Little things, like an impersonal gift card in place of a notecard in a bouquet of flowers from an absentee father. Like the fact that Ethan, the man, had I think three scenes involving grocery stores/running household errands, and it was not an event. It was just something he did every day. He plays with his kids and changes diapers and respects women, and none of this is presented as anything but ordinary. (It's also not written in great detail to where you're like, "OMG this is boring," it's usually how a scene starts so it's brief but it shows you this information about the characters.)
I just loved it. It's a story that really makes you think and it's a couple I have no problem rooting for. I can't wait to see what happens in the next book.
(I found an abundance of gifs that I felt went with this story lol. I actually didn't even use some of them.)
Wow. I loved this book. This book is so different from any other book I've read, even including both of this author's other books.
I haven't read a ton of darker books. I have a lot of my list and I've started a lot of them, but sometimes it feels like a lot of the same and I lose interest. When I read the blurb on this one, I had a certain idea about what kind of book this was going to be, and I was about 90% wrong. I would say the overall theme of this one is dark, but the story itself is more tabboo than dark. I also don't really have any tabboo storylines that I won't touch. I think, if written carefully and convincingly (see: well) I can be pertty open minded with fiction. This book could surely be outside the bounds of a less open reader's comfort zone, but it wasn't outside of mine. I love the gray area. And writing a book in the gray area that still doesn't piss off any of my romantic ideals is that much more impressive . (I'm not sure if that's considered a spoiler but just to be safe.)
Let's start with my Ethan.
Yes, he's beautiful but that's not why I love him. (And make no mistake, I love Ethan Wilde.) Ethan is what I'm going to call everyday-damaged. He's not some over the top alpha hero who exhales testosterone and rips a shirt every time he gets angry. He's real. He's got his own issues and he's not perfect, but he's an overall good guy who gets mixed up in a bad situation and has to make an impossible choice. And he's no martyr. He doesn't fall in love with the heroine as soon as she blinks at him, and all of a sudden he's ready to die for her. None of that crap. I'm also going to go ahead and apparenlty be the first one to address this elephant in the book.
Male rape. Willow was not the only one who got the short end of the stick there, and I think she's the only person in the whole book who (later) acknowledges that. I get that she's young and a girl and...it's a very complicated situation (especially since she's the one who has the rape victim reaction), where he's older, a man, used as a tool to hurt her, AND at no point does he think of himself as a victim, but not everyone does, and given how things went I don't think he would have thought of it that way, but if a woman is coerced into having sex she doesn't want, she was raped, so if a man is coerced into having sex he doesn't want... Again, he doesn't think of it that way, and that's fine, it's his experience, he can deal however he needs to, but I don't think it's fair to call him a bad guy when he had no more choice in the matter than she did. In this book the bad guy is actually circumstance.
Willow. I'm pretty intrigued/impressed with Willow. I can definitely see how Ethan, even being older and not predisposed to thinking of her that way, could get stuck on her. To me Willow read like exactly the kind of girl you can see guys getting stuck on, and I thought the way that was presented was very well done. Willow is young and beautiful and unique and confident...and she knows that. She's not some mousy heroine who doesn't realize she's appealing until the hero sweeps in and tells her. But she's also not obnoxious about it. We are shown instead of being told about Willow's appeal, and that way it doesn't grate on you and make you think she's an arrogant jerk. She isn't. Willow is down to earth but she's very realistic. She makes a joke at one point about being mature for her age, and in some ways I think she is. Dealing with her awful experience probably made that even more true.
"I don't know that I deserve the dress either, to be honest."
Willow merely shrugged. "We don't get what we deserve out of life, Ethan."
There are a few quotes like that scattered throughout that give you pause, times where she either makes light of serious shit or drops a one-line reality bomb into an otherwise pleasant moment that brings you back down, makes you wonder what's really going on in her head/if she's really doing okay.
She's also still a bit of a mystery to me. I think I have her mostly pegged, I honestly think she just likes Ethan and is playing it cool, but I guess that's open to interpretation. And sometimes I was as unsure as Ethan was, but let's be honest, that's part of why he likes her.
Suffice it to say the characters are complex. I expected no less, but even having read Sam Mariano's other books, I was still surprised by the complexity of these characters. Now that I've finished the book I'm actually a little sad, because I want to read something else just like it, but I don't know of anything else that is like it. I might even just reread it again lol.
The romance. I love these two together, but the story is not heavily romantic. The characters had a lot to deal with in this book, hurdles everywhere, but they began a sort of fucked-up friendship (sort of?) with moments that satisfied my need for romance. If there would have been a lot more romance given their situation, it wouldn't have been realistic, and I also felt the catalyst that pushed them over the line was very realistic. (And there is romance, just not as much of it as some might hope for.)
And the sex.
"You certainly haven't blurred the lines on your own, Willow."
I'll have what she's having.
The sex was hot. And at times sweet. And perfect for them.
"I'm not right for you," he told her.
He wasn't wrong. She just didn't care."
I loved Ethan's not-overbearing-but-very-much-present possessive side. I'm kind of a sucker for the "I have no right to be possessive of you but I am anyway" schtick.
My absolute favorite thing about this story though, was the subtleties. I noticed so many subtle details that made the characterization what it was. Little things, like an impersonal gift card in place of a notecard in a bouquet of flowers from an absentee father. Like the fact that Ethan, the man, had I think three scenes involving grocery stores/running household errands, and it was not an event. It was just something he did every day. He plays with his kids and changes diapers and respects women, and none of this is presented as anything but ordinary. (It's also not written in great detail to where you're like, "OMG this is boring," it's usually how a scene starts so it's brief but it shows you this information about the characters.)
I just loved it. It's a story that really makes you think and it's a couple I have no problem rooting for. I can't wait to see what happens in the next book.
(I found an abundance of gifs that I felt went with this story lol. I actually didn't even use some of them.)
January 23, 2016
This book is not what I expected, but I mean that in a good way. I was hooked from the first chapter. It reminded me of On the Island by Tracey Garvis Graves. Although the subject matter is totally different, both books deal with two people in tragic circumstances who would never have gotten together if it weren't for those circumstances. Even after the situation has resolved, both couples have trouble dealing with normal relationships in society because of all they had been through.
Willow-I thought her introspection was wholly realistic. Everyone deals with trauma differently and I can see how she wanted a "do-over" to replace the bad memory with a good one. I can even see why she fixated on Ethan. I didn't like the choices Ethan made, but I didn't hate him either.
Ethan-It's very hard for me to say this, but I do think Ethan had no other choice but to in the opening chapter. If he had not complied, he would have been killed, his family possibly targeted, and Willow would have suffered a much worse fate at the hands of her abductors. And I get that he is consumed with guilt. But it's what he does with the guilt that starts him down a dangerous path. His thoughts progress from guilt, obsession, fantasizing, rationalizing, to crossing the line. He convinces himself that he's helping Willow.
"I don't think of this as...cheating. That's probably my own f***** up way of rationalizing, but when I'm here, with you, I don't feel like...I feel like our past, our relationship is separate. It's this whole life that Amanda knows nothing about, a life separate from her. Regular rules don't apply right here, right now. If they did, I wouldn't be here.
For this couple, lust is conceived in their brains not their body parts.
The ending is not a surprise. The people I feel most sorry for are Ethan's wife and kids. They did nothing to deserve what happened to them. I hope Ms. Mariano writes a second book to see what happens with Ethan.
Willow-I thought her introspection was wholly realistic. Everyone deals with trauma differently and I can see how she wanted a "do-over" to replace the bad memory with a good one. I can even see why she fixated on Ethan. I didn't like the choices Ethan made, but I didn't hate him either.
Ethan-It's very hard for me to say this, but I do think Ethan had no other choice but to in the opening chapter. If he had not complied, he would have been killed, his family possibly targeted, and Willow would have suffered a much worse fate at the hands of her abductors. And I get that he is consumed with guilt. But it's what he does with the guilt that starts him down a dangerous path. His thoughts progress from guilt, obsession, fantasizing, rationalizing, to crossing the line. He convinces himself that he's helping Willow.
"I don't think of this as...cheating. That's probably my own f***** up way of rationalizing, but when I'm here, with you, I don't feel like...I feel like our past, our relationship is separate. It's this whole life that Amanda knows nothing about, a life separate from her. Regular rules don't apply right here, right now. If they did, I wouldn't be here.
For this couple, lust is conceived in their brains not their body parts.
The ending is not a surprise. The people I feel most sorry for are Ethan's wife and kids. They did nothing to deserve what happened to them. I hope Ms. Mariano writes a second book to see what happens with Ethan.
July 1, 2018
4 What did I read stars?
This book was wayyyy out there and it’s usually not my cup of tea because of but for some reason I couldn’t stop reading. I had to know how everything ends.
This is a duet book so I knew there would be a cliffhanger. The cliffhanger isn’t too bad and the second book is out so there you go.
The book really sucks you in and I found myself not able to stop reading until I finish. I did find some parts a little slow and draggy, like when Ethan and Willow getting to know each other, even though I like dialogue in books.
Willow is 18 and is kidnapped to become a sex slave. Ethan is a PI and he’s undercover to save kidnap people for a fee. Long story short stuff happens and it forever changes Ethan and Willow. The thing is, how do they go back to normal when everything is over?
I have to say, I love a single parent in a book, but man reading the relationship between Ethan and his kids and his wife is pretty brutal. You feel for EVERYONE in this book and I liked that the theme of the book is that there are no good or bad people, there are just people in between.
I’m starting to like this author a lot and I already found myself binge reading a lot of her books.
This book was wayyyy out there and it’s usually not my cup of tea because of but for some reason I couldn’t stop reading. I had to know how everything ends.
This is a duet book so I knew there would be a cliffhanger. The cliffhanger isn’t too bad and the second book is out so there you go.
The book really sucks you in and I found myself not able to stop reading until I finish. I did find some parts a little slow and draggy, like when Ethan and Willow getting to know each other, even though I like dialogue in books.
Willow is 18 and is kidnapped to become a sex slave. Ethan is a PI and he’s undercover to save kidnap people for a fee. Long story short stuff happens and it forever changes Ethan and Willow. The thing is, how do they go back to normal when everything is over?
I have to say, I love a single parent in a book, but man reading the relationship between Ethan and his kids and his wife is pretty brutal. You feel for EVERYONE in this book and I liked that the theme of the book is that there are no good or bad people, there are just people in between.
I’m starting to like this author a lot and I already found myself binge reading a lot of her books.
November 15, 2014
I was gifted a copy of the book in return for an honest review.
This book was very well written, and had a very different plot from anything I have ever read (and I have read a lot of books). However, the plot was just too much for me, especially as a romance. I felt torn the whole time I was reading on who I should be routing for, and it was very hard for me to get past the beginning scenes of the book.
I have to give this author major credit for putting out a story like this. While it just was not my cup of tea, it really is well written. The book held a lot of emotion, and was written so well everything was very vivid. I was sucked in and constantly wanting to know what was going to happen. However I just couldn't stop from thinking, together, not together, should they be shouldn't they be.
While I am only giving this book 3 stars, I would recommend it to someone wanting to try something new with alot of angst.
Reviewed for MNP, by Chandra
This book was very well written, and had a very different plot from anything I have ever read (and I have read a lot of books). However, the plot was just too much for me, especially as a romance. I felt torn the whole time I was reading on who I should be routing for, and it was very hard for me to get past the beginning scenes of the book.
I have to give this author major credit for putting out a story like this. While it just was not my cup of tea, it really is well written. The book held a lot of emotion, and was written so well everything was very vivid. I was sucked in and constantly wanting to know what was going to happen. However I just couldn't stop from thinking, together, not together, should they be shouldn't they be.
While I am only giving this book 3 stars, I would recommend it to someone wanting to try something new with alot of angst.
Reviewed for MNP, by Chandra
January 30, 2022
2.5 ⭐️ Normally cheating in books doesn’t bother me that much but neither of the characters gave two shits about what they were doing. Y’ALL ARE CHEATING WHILE YOUR WIFE AND TWO MONTH OLD IS AT HOME. YOU DICK ASS MOTHERFUCKA 😤😩🔪😒 I DESPISE him, I don’t Like either of the characters only person that I actually cared about was the wife and the kids. It’s not even like the wife was a bad wife she wasn’t. For crying out loud she just had his baby and then he going and gets some teenage pus- I mean girl😐🙄 Really the only thing bad that he said about his wife was that she’s wouldn’t eat off his plate and the girl did 😤😤😤😤😤😤😤
That’s all I’m done
That’s all I’m done
March 11, 2020
Hated both the H and h....the H is a married father of three and the h is the teenager he cheats with...his wife and kids didn’t deserve how he tore the family apart and nearly got them killed...I had hoped he and the teen h would somehow die a horrible death in the second book (Which I skimmed), but alas, it’s wasn’t so, they got their HEA..I loved a few of SM’s other books, but this duet just pissed me off
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2021
4.6 stars
August 17, 2024
what in the fucking ever loving fuck
August 30, 2016
This story has no basis in reality, but erotica rarely does. No one would be able to recover so quickly from the ordeal that Willow suffered. Yet I really liked the emotional connection between her and Ethan. This is probably as far as I can venture into dark erotica. Ethan can be a love interest, because he was forced to do this awful thing. Betraying his wife later is another matter, but I can overlook that in this book since I'm not taking this story too seriously.
Be forewarned that there are triggers in this book for victims of abuse. If you can deal with a scene like that, then the rest of the scenes are consensual. I liked the love story enough to want to read the sequel.
Be forewarned that there are triggers in this book for victims of abuse. If you can deal with a scene like that, then the rest of the scenes are consensual. I liked the love story enough to want to read the sequel.
December 2, 2024
A Heart-Wrenching Masterpiece
I'm still reeling from the emotional depth of this book. The complexity of the characters and their relationships is six feet under kind of deep - it's a gut-wrenching, soul-crushing exploration of trauma, love, and redemption.
Ethan's character development is truly remarkable. His transformation from the beginning to the end of the book is a masterclass in growth, depth, and nuance. His impossible situation is heartbreaking, and his struggles to cope are both poignant and relatable.
And then there's Willow - oh, Willow. My heart aches for her strength, resilience, and unwavering determination. Her emotional journey is a rollercoaster of feelings, and her relationship with Ethan is a beautiful, albeit flawed, exploration of love born from trauma.
The way the author weaves together the threads of their story is nothing short of magic. It's a wrong kind of beautiful, a messy, imperfect, and utterly captivating portrayal of love, loss, and redemption. If you're looking for a book that will leave you breathless and emotionally drained, then "Irreparable Damage" is the book for you.
I'm still reeling from the emotional depth of this book. The complexity of the characters and their relationships is six feet under kind of deep - it's a gut-wrenching, soul-crushing exploration of trauma, love, and redemption.
Ethan's character development is truly remarkable. His transformation from the beginning to the end of the book is a masterclass in growth, depth, and nuance. His impossible situation is heartbreaking, and his struggles to cope are both poignant and relatable.
And then there's Willow - oh, Willow. My heart aches for her strength, resilience, and unwavering determination. Her emotional journey is a rollercoaster of feelings, and her relationship with Ethan is a beautiful, albeit flawed, exploration of love born from trauma.
The way the author weaves together the threads of their story is nothing short of magic. It's a wrong kind of beautiful, a messy, imperfect, and utterly captivating portrayal of love, loss, and redemption. If you're looking for a book that will leave you breathless and emotionally drained, then "Irreparable Damage" is the book for you.
February 4, 2022
Wow. This story was so mental and I’ve only read book 1. I couldn’t put it down. 18 year old Willow, daughter of a mob boss, gets kidnapped by traffickers. 32 year old Ethan, is currently undercover trying to rescue another girl. When he is forced to do something unspeakable to save both himself and Willow, it changes the trajectory for both of them. After they both make it out, they are both traumatized and slowly turn to each other for support. What slowly grows into much more has the ability to blow everything up.
This is taboo, forbidden, and crazy on so many levels. I couldn’t vet enough if it. I can’t believe this is one of Sam Mariano’s first books?! Onwards to part 2.
Full RTC once I’ve completed the duet
This is taboo, forbidden, and crazy on so many levels. I couldn’t vet enough if it. I can’t believe this is one of Sam Mariano’s first books?! Onwards to part 2.
Full RTC once I’ve completed the duet
December 9, 2014
** JOSIE'S 4 STAR REVIEW **
Let me start of my saying this book is not a hearts and flowers kind of love story. There are some touchy matters that occur and events that some might find offensive. It is somewhat of a dark read, now that being said I got to say I really enjoyed this read. It was different. The author spins what happens and takes us on a journey on the aftermath of an abduction, the healthiness of relationships and the guilt. It was interesting and held my attention from the start to finish.
Willow is the daughter of a high profile Chicago Mafiso. She has no communication with him, she lives a pretty quiet life, dates and goes out with her friends. The day after her 18th birthday her life takes a dramatic from her quiet life. Willow is kidnapped from her home and taken by human sex traffickers. While there Willow witnesses’ horrible things happen to other girls.
Ethan Wilde is undercover trying to bust and rescue a missing girl and Willow. He has never questioned his job, until one night, he is forced to make a decision to either save their lives or die. Ethan has to do the unthinkable and he will never forgive himself for the part he played on that night. Ethan has it all. He loves his career, his wife and their children he never once thought his job might take him away from it all.
The story is told in Willow and Ethan’s POVS, however for most of the story it from Ethan’s POV. I enjoyed hearing it mostly from him because when there was times where I wanted to strongly dislike him, I couldn’t because of how he felt and how much things clearly affected him. The guilt Ethan feels takes him on journey that questions everything he believes in. He is unable to confide in his wife because of this job. He never wants her to know how deeply he was involved. Ethan seeks comfort and forgiveness in the one person he should stay away from.
I felt for Willow’s character. She is and was clearly affected by the events of her kidnapper and her age doesn’t help matters. She is confused most of the time and wants to act and be treated like normal, but at night the nightmares consume her. Her actions after that night are confusing and honestly when you read what happened you can see why. She has no sense of worth or focus, she is all of over the place trying to find a sense of norm. Being 18 years old and surviving an abduction, almost being sold into the sex trafficking world is a lot for any person to deal with but when it is a teenager where do you fit in. Willow’s character goes through a different set of emotions throughout the book; she is confused, angry, hurt, and lonely and constantly makes poor decisions until one person tries to help her.
The author did a good job with this book. She details and offers readers the different issues the characters face after being involved in a dark and dangerous world. She writes in a way that you can feel the guilt, distress and passion that each of the characters go through. I don’t want to give the story away but there is so much that happens in the story and you know it really shouldn’t but you can see why it is happening. I am reader that loves a book that challenges my emotions and takes me away from the common love story. There is a second book in this series and I’m curious to see where and how Ethan, Willow and their families’ lives will turn out.
Let me start of my saying this book is not a hearts and flowers kind of love story. There are some touchy matters that occur and events that some might find offensive. It is somewhat of a dark read, now that being said I got to say I really enjoyed this read. It was different. The author spins what happens and takes us on a journey on the aftermath of an abduction, the healthiness of relationships and the guilt. It was interesting and held my attention from the start to finish.
Willow is the daughter of a high profile Chicago Mafiso. She has no communication with him, she lives a pretty quiet life, dates and goes out with her friends. The day after her 18th birthday her life takes a dramatic from her quiet life. Willow is kidnapped from her home and taken by human sex traffickers. While there Willow witnesses’ horrible things happen to other girls.
Ethan Wilde is undercover trying to bust and rescue a missing girl and Willow. He has never questioned his job, until one night, he is forced to make a decision to either save their lives or die. Ethan has to do the unthinkable and he will never forgive himself for the part he played on that night. Ethan has it all. He loves his career, his wife and their children he never once thought his job might take him away from it all.
The story is told in Willow and Ethan’s POVS, however for most of the story it from Ethan’s POV. I enjoyed hearing it mostly from him because when there was times where I wanted to strongly dislike him, I couldn’t because of how he felt and how much things clearly affected him. The guilt Ethan feels takes him on journey that questions everything he believes in. He is unable to confide in his wife because of this job. He never wants her to know how deeply he was involved. Ethan seeks comfort and forgiveness in the one person he should stay away from.
I felt for Willow’s character. She is and was clearly affected by the events of her kidnapper and her age doesn’t help matters. She is confused most of the time and wants to act and be treated like normal, but at night the nightmares consume her. Her actions after that night are confusing and honestly when you read what happened you can see why. She has no sense of worth or focus, she is all of over the place trying to find a sense of norm. Being 18 years old and surviving an abduction, almost being sold into the sex trafficking world is a lot for any person to deal with but when it is a teenager where do you fit in. Willow’s character goes through a different set of emotions throughout the book; she is confused, angry, hurt, and lonely and constantly makes poor decisions until one person tries to help her.
The author did a good job with this book. She details and offers readers the different issues the characters face after being involved in a dark and dangerous world. She writes in a way that you can feel the guilt, distress and passion that each of the characters go through. I don’t want to give the story away but there is so much that happens in the story and you know it really shouldn’t but you can see why it is happening. I am reader that loves a book that challenges my emotions and takes me away from the common love story. There is a second book in this series and I’m curious to see where and how Ethan, Willow and their families’ lives will turn out.
January 1, 2015
Loved it!
I debated putting this one on my dark shelf, but it really isn't that dark, it's just different. This book was so different from everything else I have read--and I really liked that. It definitely was not the dark romance I thought it might be when I first put it on my to-read list. The relationship is much less typical than I'm accustomed to in romances, the characters were real and complex.
I was really feeling the pace too. I was reading another book before this one but it was moving so slow I needed a break. This one is not, it's very on point, the story/relationship moves right along. I really loved the realness of the characters too. I liked how they were complex, but they were also believably consistent-when they screwed up, when they lost their cool, when they made bad decisions, every bit of it made sense.
The heroines parents were in the story more than many other stories that involve a teen. I liked how Lauren was obviously the parent who refused to see her little girl as growing up and how neither of her parents seemed to know how to deal with Willow changing after her experience. Struck me as very accurate and reminded me a little of my own mother actually.
Oh, and another thing I liked was the added relationship realism of how the hero and the heroine seemed to be on different pages when they were left to their own devices, but when they were together they seemed so in sync. It kinda of lends itself to that feeling of them being meant to be, despite the roadblocks. (I was also glad there were actual reasons for the couple not to be together, and not some stupid misunderstanding/miscommunication.) Ethan and Willow are a totally human couple and I'm eager to see how things go in the next book.
I can't wait for the sequel!
I debated putting this one on my dark shelf, but it really isn't that dark, it's just different. This book was so different from everything else I have read--and I really liked that. It definitely was not the dark romance I thought it might be when I first put it on my to-read list. The relationship is much less typical than I'm accustomed to in romances, the characters were real and complex.
I was really feeling the pace too. I was reading another book before this one but it was moving so slow I needed a break. This one is not, it's very on point, the story/relationship moves right along. I really loved the realness of the characters too. I liked how they were complex, but they were also believably consistent-when they screwed up, when they lost their cool, when they made bad decisions, every bit of it made sense.
The heroines parents were in the story more than many other stories that involve a teen. I liked how Lauren was obviously the parent who refused to see her little girl as growing up and how neither of her parents seemed to know how to deal with Willow changing after her experience. Struck me as very accurate and reminded me a little of my own mother actually.
Oh, and another thing I liked was the added relationship realism of how the hero and the heroine seemed to be on different pages when they were left to their own devices, but when they were together they seemed so in sync. It kinda of lends itself to that feeling of them being meant to be, despite the roadblocks. (I was also glad there were actual reasons for the couple not to be together, and not some stupid misunderstanding/miscommunication.) Ethan and Willow are a totally human couple and I'm eager to see how things go in the next book.
I can't wait for the sequel!
November 8, 2016
I decided to read this book as a friend gave an amazing review of it which tantalized and intrigued me. The story has a gritty start which will perhaps stop some people in their tracks, however, I recommend putting this first reaction behind you as the story becomes amazingly good.
A young girl, kidnapped and raped, but is then released back to her family. She does not tell them about her ordeal but attempts to resolve her issues alone. Enter into her life, the PI who rescued her....an amazing relationship follows, each with their own demons to conquer which makes for an incredible read.
This writer has developed the budding relationship between these two flawed people in such an amazing manner it was simply genius and incredibly real to me whilst I read it.
Warning, this story ends with a cliff hanger with a second book to follow and I think you will want to go out and buy the second straight away, I know I did.
Whilst a rape is not the ideal reason to start a relationship, this one becomes so very special and the manner in which they each dealt with it, is incredible and awe inspiring.
Highly recommended and I will be looking for more books by this author.
A young girl, kidnapped and raped, but is then released back to her family. She does not tell them about her ordeal but attempts to resolve her issues alone. Enter into her life, the PI who rescued her....an amazing relationship follows, each with their own demons to conquer which makes for an incredible read.
This writer has developed the budding relationship between these two flawed people in such an amazing manner it was simply genius and incredibly real to me whilst I read it.
Warning, this story ends with a cliff hanger with a second book to follow and I think you will want to go out and buy the second straight away, I know I did.
Whilst a rape is not the ideal reason to start a relationship, this one becomes so very special and the manner in which they each dealt with it, is incredible and awe inspiring.
Highly recommended and I will be looking for more books by this author.
July 10, 2017
My first book from this author. The story about Willow and Ethan was an intense, heartfelt and beautifully ugly journey.
Aside from some minor spelling mistakes, i was drawn into it from the start. It was a compelling read. And i couldn't put the book away, i read it in one go.
The characters were wonderfully flawed and authentic. Struggling life and the cards they were dealt with.
I enjoyed their banter immensely, it was wonderfully written.
Some would or have just simply dismissed the book because of the infidelity occurring. But it would be a shame and a mistake to do so. Because not all is black and white. I think it was a wonderful dark love story i wouldn't want to have missed out on.
Aside from some minor spelling mistakes, i was drawn into it from the start. It was a compelling read. And i couldn't put the book away, i read it in one go.
The characters were wonderfully flawed and authentic. Struggling life and the cards they were dealt with.
I enjoyed their banter immensely, it was wonderfully written.
Some would or have just simply dismissed the book because of the infidelity occurring. But it would be a shame and a mistake to do so. Because not all is black and white. I think it was a wonderful dark love story i wouldn't want to have missed out on.
March 28, 2022
BOOK REVIEWING: IRREPARABLE DAMAGE (IRREPARABLE, BOOK #1)
TROPE: DARK, TABOO ROMANCE
AUTHOR: SAM MARIANO
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/ 5
HERO: ETHAN
HEROINE: WILLOW
STEAM: 🔥🔥🔥/5
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻/5
STORYLINE: 🙂😊😊😊/5
BOOK COVER: 🖤🖤🖤/5
SERIES/STAND-ALONE: SERIES
HEA: TBC
AFTER THOUGHTS/NOTES:
Hero is 33 years old
Heroine is 18 years old
⚠️ Check for trigger warnings people ⚠️ this book sure has it all and I liked it. Such a different read from what I’m used too and a great change of pace but man was it hard to read at times
TROPE: DARK, TABOO ROMANCE
AUTHOR: SAM MARIANO
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/ 5
HERO: ETHAN
HEROINE: WILLOW
STEAM: 🔥🔥🔥/5
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻/5
STORYLINE: 🙂😊😊😊/5
BOOK COVER: 🖤🖤🖤/5
SERIES/STAND-ALONE: SERIES
HEA: TBC
AFTER THOUGHTS/NOTES:
Hero is 33 years old
Heroine is 18 years old
⚠️ Check for trigger warnings people ⚠️ this book sure has it all and I liked it. Such a different read from what I’m used too and a great change of pace but man was it hard to read at times
June 28, 2023
this book sounds like its bot even written by Sam. Its so dissapointing. The female character, she handles everything so stupid and unrralistic.... its just not worth reading .
July 27, 2017
I read a lot of dark erotica so it's rare that I'm surprised but the primary dark scene that takes place early in this book really threw me for a loop! Even better, that wasn't the only curveball Mariano throws in this riveting, intriguing, jaw-dropping story! This was my first book by Mariano who proved to be extremely talented. In IRREPARABLE DAMAGE, Mariano has created intricate, complex characters and what easily could have been a convoluted story, combining both into an easy to read, highly enjoyable book that I could not put down. It was a really pleasant surprise and I can't wait to find out what happens in book #2!
March 17, 2019
Went into this wondering what the fuss was all about. Wasn't too excited about the reviews/blurb either.
Ended up with my mind blown in a good way as author dragged me kicking and screaming into a grey area that made a whole lot of sense even if it made me super uncomfortable. Definitely not a "hearts & roses* type of read.
On to book 2! I need to know how it ends.
Ended up with my mind blown in a good way as author dragged me kicking and screaming into a grey area that made a whole lot of sense even if it made me super uncomfortable. Definitely not a "hearts & roses* type of read.
On to book 2! I need to know how it ends.
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