Scar: Code Names #2

by Jess Turner

355 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 25, 2026

Reviews

[Kayla Simonson]

*I received this as an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review*

“But trauma has a way of humbling you when you least expect it.”

Ugh I LOVED everything about this book! My only complaint is that I wish it was longer! lol I was so not even close to being ready to be done with Scar and Eli’s story.

“I’m not sure when it happened. Maybe when I saw her smile for the first time. Or when she drew that first bead of blood. Or maybe it was when I saw her eyes light up as she practiced the bass. But somewhere along the way, somewhere in our hatred for each other, I decided that I would do this all over again if it meant she would end up happy, even if we weren’t endgame.”

Scar was a badass with a story to tell in Red (book 1), but after hearing the shit that happened to her, she deserves every aspect of the badass title!

“I feel safe in his arms. More than the blades strapped to my thigh, more than riding my motorcycle, more than playing with the band. I would do anything to continue feeling this again, every day, every waking minute of my life. I would let him hold me while the broken parts of me mended from his touch. He’d held every piece of me in his hands long before I knew exactly what his touch felt like.”

I didn’t know if Eli was going to meet the bar for what I felt that Scar would need. BOY was I wrong! He is everything and more. The way he takes everything he observes about her and tries to make her as comfortable as possible in their forced relationship before he even knows why he’s there to protect her. He’s also got a super mysterious bad boy vibe at the beginning.

“‘You’re dangerous, you know?’ When she pins me with a skeptical look, I gesture to the knives on the counter. ‘You have the capacity to tear people apart, limb from limb, but instead, you go after yourself. You tear your heart and soul apart without giving yourself a chance to breathe.’”

Oh and their banter was fantastic the entire way through! It had me giggling every time!

“‘Your face is loud,’ I counter. He snorts. ‘So is yours.’ I spin fast, grab a knife from my thigh on the way, and lazily point it at him. ‘I can make yours quieter.’”

I also loved getting to see more of the rest of the band and getting to see the journey they continue to go on. Although I wish we got to see a bit more of Mili and Lincoln. I’m so excited to see whose story is next and continue on this journey with them! The foreshadowing has me really needing more from Augusts POV, I’m also getting really curious about Teddie’s story, I am a bit scared for Wilder’s POV because I’m just obsessed with him and don’t know if I can handle him having any heartbreak lol.

[Breanna Smith]

*ARC Review*
This really put you through the wringer. You want to be on Scars side because you understand what she’s going through and why she’s so stand offish. You also want to be on Eli’s side because he’s trying to do what his best friend asked of him and he’s just being pushed away. I was really rooting for them to let their trauma out to each other so they would find their way to each other. It was a roller coaster of emotions, that I would gladly ride again.

[A.R. Stern]

I loved every word of this book. It has some very tough and dark topics that are addressed which may be difficult for some readers.

Scar fascinated me in the first book of this series, and finally diving into her head is everything I expected and more. She is a dominant character with a traumatic background with less than healthy coping mechanisms. Turner does a fabulous job diving into the trauma response and how it affects those long after the event has passed.

The male love interest, Elias, has his own seedy past that follows him years later. The weaving of both plots compliments the other. And the dynamic between Scar and Eli is a complicated one filled with hilarious banter and heartwarming moments.

This book is raw and heartbreaking and has you feeling every emotion the character does. And it is worth every second of it!

[Rose Lillian]

What's better than a bodyguard romance? One where she threatens the bodyguard with knives and he get's all hot and bothered.

Every time I read one of these books I try my hardest to accurately articulate why I love these books but I give up. Just know I love this series and the found family of the band.

Thank you to the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[vienna]

Scar piqued my interest from her first appearance in Red; she’s got this cool alternative aesthetic with her dark blue hair, dark clothing, tattoos, and a standoff-ish demeanor. What really caught my attention was the fact that she always has three knives strapped to her thigh. It turns out that the knives on Scar’s thigh are more than just for the look, and serve a very real purpose.

Scar is closed off to everyone except her close friends, so it’s exciting to experience her point of view to learn more about her. While Scar can be a bit frustrating and meaner than necessary to Eli at times, her behavior makes sense based on what she’s been through. Even though she makes some questionable choices in the heat of the moment when her alarm bells sound, I can’t help but root for her and wish for her to feel safe. She’s also just extremely cool.

Eli is fresh out of prison, but his criminal record doesn’t define his character. He’s committed to starting anew and building a better life for himself. What I love most about Eli is his patience. He is incredibly protective of the people he cares about, and even strangers. Scar is NOT happy about the bodyguard arrangement, and she sure does make Eli aware of this! Throughout everything Scar puts him through, Eli is committed to keeping her safe no matter the cost. He is so caring and patient with Scar, and does everything he can to make sure she feels comfortable, even when he doesn’t know why she is so guarded and scared.

This book flowed so nicely and it was hard to put it down! I’ve been loving all of Jess’s work so far and I’m excited for what’s to come in this series. I’ve loved Wilder since book 1, and this one made me love August too. Teddie is the most mysterious band member of all so far since she’s the newest, and I’m just so excited to learn more about these characters.

Thank you so much for Jesss and her team for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[SimplyGracyy]

*Received copy as ARC Reader*

Wow. I read this book in a few days and every time o kept reading I couldn’t put it down.

I resonated with Scar a lot and her fears and self doubts and the way Eli turned them around, handled them, didn’t let them fool him healed something in me too 🤍

They were like two broken pieces, not trying to fix each other but filling the holes life left in them and I absolutely loved it but also shed some tears 🥹🫶🏼

I loved red, but Scar has to be my favorite of the two. Great job and thank you for this wonderful book!

[Leah]

It feels like Jess Turner’s writing reaches a new level with every release, and Scar is proof of that. The story completely hooked me. Scar’s journey is deeply relatable, and Eli’s protective nature provides a perfect, comforting balance to the heavier parts of the plot. More than anything, it’s a comforting reminder for anyone facing similar battles that they aren't alone. That being said, it does cover some sensitive topics, so please look over the content warnings before reading. It's a genuinely powerful and stunning novel.

[Alissa]

The banter. The bodyguard. The found family. SCAR.

I received an ARC of Scar in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book also touches on some heavy subjects, so I highly recommend checking the trigger/content warnings before reading.

Okay, first of all: Scar. I LOVE her. She’s relatable in a way that made me feel both incredibly seen and occasionally personally attacked, while also being such a little badass. She’s complicated, vulnerable, funny, strong, and so easy to root for.

And Eli? Sir. SIR. He was everything I (and Scar of course) needed him to be. That’s all I’m saying because you deserve to experience him for yourself.

THE BANTER. *chef’s kiss* The chemistry and banter had me grinning at my book more than once. And then add in one of my favorite tropes of found family, and I was sold.

I’ve read every one of Jess Turner’s books, and I’ve loved watching the subtle evolution of her storytelling. She’s always been great at what she does, but there’s a confidence and depth to her writing that continues to grow with each book. Scar feels like another step forward while still feeling unmistakably Jess.

Funny, heartfelt, swoony, badass, and an easy five stars from me. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Billie Saunders]

I received this as an advanced readers copy.

When two people are working through their own issues and yet can perfectly help the other without even trying.

[Mega]

**I was given an ARC by the Author**

Now I’ve read my fair share of romance books. And typically, I lean more towards the Dark Romance when it comes to Modern settings.

However, I devoured Scar.

Scar herself is a badass, survivor who knows who she is and what she wants. She’s not afraid to tell people to f-off and is careful to let people get close. Scar feels very real and honest throughout the whole book. A friend you want to know and end up loving at the end.

Although there isn’t much of the band together in scenes, we do get to see more of August (the drummer) and his relationship with Scar. I liked getting hints of his personality, and potentially what his book is going to be about. And August was a nice framing device within the book. He’s the one that tells Eli to help Scar out. The unintentional matchmaker.

Going into the book, I didn’t feel like I was going to enjoy Eli. Based purely on his character design, and vibe. I wasn’t expecting to like him. To be completely honest, I thought Scar was bisexual at least, and would end up with a woman. So when this golden retriever type guy who was still tough as nails and could take her anger and still care so deeply for her, I was hooked. Eli grew on me, just like he grows on Scar.

All in all, I loved it and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series when they come out.



Plot specific thoughts - Do not read if you don’t want minor vague spoiling

If you ever thought to yourself, “this is probably a situation that only I have ever been in, and I have lingering trauma from it,” you are not alone. Scar handles this in the best way, approaching a scary or triggering past from a place of understanding and heart. Turner builds up the tension as well as preps the audience for when the incident is finally revealed. As someone who has faced an experience like the one Scar experiences, it was done with a lot of care.

As such, when dealing with such a difficult topic, there aren’t that many “smut scenes” in the book. This isn’t a negative about the book, it works on its own. The “smut scenes” that are included add to the plot, they aren’t just haphazardly thrown in there. This is how these kinds of scenes are supposed to be. Plot relevant. Turner does this well, giving us just enough of a taste within story beats while also not giving you too much all at once. The yearning is what we want. It makes that “first kiss” moment so much better.