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Wrecked #3
Shameless
Two things I know for sure:
1. Cheerleading absolutely prepared me to become a US Navy SEAL
2. Heath Treadway hates my guts
Let’s just say that this beautiful bear’s hatred for me involves a high school nickname and possibly a limerick. #badtwink
Now, he's back in my life. And all I wanna do is show him that I’ve changed.
My attempts so far have ended in hospitalization, second-degree burns, and a destroyed towel rack. To be fair, I blame that last one on the hate sex.
Worse than all of that? I’ve started to catch feelings, and if he finds out about the military op that forever changed me, it might be game over.
I mean… can he forgive me if I can’t even forgive myself?
Shameless is post-military enemies-to-lovers MM romance set in a gym for combat vets. It features muscled twinks, beautifully-bellied bears, and a four-year-old with a lisp.
Note: This book depicts military violence, but the HEA is guaranteed.
1. Cheerleading absolutely prepared me to become a US Navy SEAL
2. Heath Treadway hates my guts
Let’s just say that this beautiful bear’s hatred for me involves a high school nickname and possibly a limerick. #badtwink
Now, he's back in my life. And all I wanna do is show him that I’ve changed.
My attempts so far have ended in hospitalization, second-degree burns, and a destroyed towel rack. To be fair, I blame that last one on the hate sex.
Worse than all of that? I’ve started to catch feelings, and if he finds out about the military op that forever changed me, it might be game over.
I mean… can he forgive me if I can’t even forgive myself?
Shameless is post-military enemies-to-lovers MM romance set in a gym for combat vets. It features muscled twinks, beautifully-bellied bears, and a four-year-old with a lisp.
Note: This book depicts military violence, but the HEA is guaranteed.
242 pages, ebook
First published May 26, 2020
258 people are currently reading
444 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 159 reviews
June 21, 2024
re-read June 2024
ooooh, just reading in my own review that there was a bonus short with them playing with other beloved characters. Need to find that one again. It has to be somewhere on my kindle...
4**** stars
you know, I didn’t intend on reading anything in this series and I’ve met Heath & Roly as a couple a few times in other books by KF but they never piqued my interest particularly. But then there was a bonus short where these two came to play with the three guys from Warwick and it was hot as hell. Somehow I loved their dynamic then and suddenly needed their love story.
Talking about sex. There was a lot of angry hate-sex involved in this one. But if you ask me it was not really infused by real hate but by a lot of frustration with Roly on Heath’s part. *lolll I am a pretty big fan of good dirty talk during the sex scenes but honestly, the one time where there was ABSOLUTE SILENCE, not even a "Hello" - man, that was hot!
Roly - the "Bear Killer"
Heath - a Bear
This book has a slight bully-theme, with Roly making fun of Heath’s size in Highschool and being in general a pretty cocky and arrogant bastard. But when Roly in his time as a Navy SEAL went through a very traumatic event on an op, he comes back a changed man and tries since to make amends. And he works pretty hard on that. His family and friends say, too hard, but he is convinced they don’t understand. But the only man he just cannot get on his good side is the beautiful Bear he admires since school - no matter how hard he tries.
Despite the angry sex this is pretty slow-burn but also so lovely. I loved how both, Heath and Roly, were able to break down the other man’s defences bit by bit.
**************
When I read Hard Target a few weeks back I thought I had a pretty good grip on the story but I must say, that this book (the events are prior to "Hard Target") gives a lot more perspective to the conflict we see in "Hard Target" between Roly and Rafi, so I went back and re-read the scenes about it.
ooooh, just reading in my own review that there was a bonus short with them playing with other beloved characters. Need to find that one again. It has to be somewhere on my kindle...
4**** stars
you know, I didn’t intend on reading anything in this series and I’ve met Heath & Roly as a couple a few times in other books by KF but they never piqued my interest particularly. But then there was a bonus short where these two came to play with the three guys from Warwick and it was hot as hell. Somehow I loved their dynamic then and suddenly needed their love story.
Talking about sex. There was a lot of angry hate-sex involved in this one. But if you ask me it was not really infused by real hate but by a lot of frustration with Roly on Heath’s part. *lolll I am a pretty big fan of good dirty talk during the sex scenes but honestly, the one time where there was ABSOLUTE SILENCE, not even a "Hello" - man, that was hot!
Roly - the "Bear Killer"
Heath - a Bear
This book has a slight bully-theme, with Roly making fun of Heath’s size in Highschool and being in general a pretty cocky and arrogant bastard. But when Roly in his time as a Navy SEAL went through a very traumatic event on an op, he comes back a changed man and tries since to make amends. And he works pretty hard on that. His family and friends say, too hard, but he is convinced they don’t understand. But the only man he just cannot get on his good side is the beautiful Bear he admires since school - no matter how hard he tries.
Despite the angry sex this is pretty slow-burn but also so lovely. I loved how both, Heath and Roly, were able to break down the other man’s defences bit by bit.
“Sexy Papa Bear, when did you know that we could be like this?”
“I don’t know if you’ll like my answer.”
“Oh, well, now you definitely have to tell me.”
“When I knew that I could hurt you.”
“That’s…bleak.”
“That’s only because as soon as I knew that I could hurt you, I knew that I’d never want to.”
♡♡♡
**************
When I read Hard Target a few weeks back I thought I had a pretty good grip on the story but I must say, that this book (the events are prior to "Hard Target") gives a lot more perspective to the conflict we see in "Hard Target" between Roly and Rafi, so I went back and re-read the scenes about it.
May 29, 2020
When I read the first book in this series, I knew the author was onto something good. I really liked the story, but all the little mistakes that weren't picked up in the editing/proofing coupled with the sometimes awkward writing style caused me to give the second book a miss. When I saw this book come up for grabs, though, I got it right away. I knew I wanted to read Roly's story because he was very likeable in the first book and I also kind of forgot about the writing style in the meantime, so I went back and read the second and then this one...and there's still the same problem: good story, clunky execution.
The story is told from the first-person (dual) perspective, which is fine, but instead of having the action unfold in real-time with showing instead of telling, the author sometimes decides to break the fourth wall and have the character speak directly to the readers himself with a recap of recent action instead of just showing him in a scene experiencing it in real time. The first time the author does it, she's having Roly tell us what happened when Roly tries to help the other MC (Heath) move houses. It has JUST happened to him as he tells it, so why not just avoid that awkward break in the fourth wall and SHOW the scene to us as it's happening? Why write it as a recap at all? Why have your character speak to the readers 10% of the time and give us real time action with no narrator the other 90% of the time? It's such a strange approach to novel-writing and gives the book a ragged, uneven, unpolished feel.
Just a few short chapters later the author shows us Roly in a scene with Heath trying to cook him dinner. It's a funny scene as the house-moving scene is meant to be, but it's so much better than the first for being portrayed on page rather than recapped in narration. So it's clear that the author knows how to show us what's happening rather than telling us what's happened, but she just doesn't do it all the time. I think having the character speak directly to the readers is a very amateur technique, I didn't like it, it's very jarring, and it pulled me right out of the story. It's also the thing that happened in the first book that put me off reading the second (where it also happened).
In the end, I don't know how to rate this book because I do really love the stories in this series and the author makes me feel legitimate emotion. I ugly cried a couple of times during this one, and that's a true talent on the author's part. On the other hand, the way these books are written sometimes drives me right up the wall and my little editor's brain won't let me enjoy them properly. So I guess here's where it's at: For romance and emotion: all the stars. For writing technique: medium stars. For editing: not so much with the stars.
Bottom line: If you are in it for the romance, go forth with no fear. If one of your favorite websites is Grammarly, proceed with caution.
The story is told from the first-person (dual) perspective, which is fine, but instead of having the action unfold in real-time with showing instead of telling, the author sometimes decides to break the fourth wall and have the character speak directly to the readers himself with a recap of recent action instead of just showing him in a scene experiencing it in real time. The first time the author does it, she's having Roly tell us what happened when Roly tries to help the other MC (Heath) move houses. It has JUST happened to him as he tells it, so why not just avoid that awkward break in the fourth wall and SHOW the scene to us as it's happening? Why write it as a recap at all? Why have your character speak to the readers 10% of the time and give us real time action with no narrator the other 90% of the time? It's such a strange approach to novel-writing and gives the book a ragged, uneven, unpolished feel.
Just a few short chapters later the author shows us Roly in a scene with Heath trying to cook him dinner. It's a funny scene as the house-moving scene is meant to be, but it's so much better than the first for being portrayed on page rather than recapped in narration. So it's clear that the author knows how to show us what's happening rather than telling us what's happened, but she just doesn't do it all the time. I think having the character speak directly to the readers is a very amateur technique, I didn't like it, it's very jarring, and it pulled me right out of the story. It's also the thing that happened in the first book that put me off reading the second (where it also happened).
In the end, I don't know how to rate this book because I do really love the stories in this series and the author makes me feel legitimate emotion. I ugly cried a couple of times during this one, and that's a true talent on the author's part. On the other hand, the way these books are written sometimes drives me right up the wall and my little editor's brain won't let me enjoy them properly. So I guess here's where it's at: For romance and emotion: all the stars. For writing technique: medium stars. For editing: not so much with the stars.
Bottom line: If you are in it for the romance, go forth with no fear. If one of your favorite websites is Grammarly, proceed with caution.
August 13, 2022
3-3.5 stars
Solid end to this series.
It was interesting to see Roly being a bully (in the past) I didn’t expect that from him. I am glad that Heath and Roly decided to give it a go, it was a rough road but fun to watch.
I do wish we had more with the girls, but ehh what can you do!
Solid end to this series.
It was interesting to see Roly being a bully (in the past) I didn’t expect that from him. I am glad that Heath and Roly decided to give it a go, it was a rough road but fun to watch.
I do wish we had more with the girls, but ehh what can you do!
October 10, 2022
Czekałam na historię Roly'ego - tej pełnej życia kulki niespożytej energii, niezmordowanej w swojej miłości do Bearsów/Miśków oraz rodziny i przyjaciół, która praktycznie nigdy się nie zatrzymywała ani nie odpoczywała, bo istniało prawdopodobieństwo, że przy zatrzymaniu się i posiadaniu czasu na jakiekolwiek myślenie i wspomnienia, rozpadnie się na kawałki. Takie przynajmniej miałam wrażenie po pierwszych dwóch tomach i czekałam na te warstwy, które miałam nadzieję, że zostaną rozpakowane.
Tymczasem dostałam zupełnie inną historię - niestety, źle inną. Owszem, powody zostały wyjaśnione, ale... dostałam dwóch dorosłych facetów, tak między 35-40 lat, którzy zachowywali się jak rozwydrzone nastolatki przez przynajmniej połowę książki - z całą małostkowością, humorami, złośliwością, zachowaniem, napadami złości, obrażaniem się, braniem odwetu itd. - wręcz podręcznikowymi dla tego wieku. Jak naprawdę lubiłam Roly'ego po pierwszych tomach, tak tutaj - puff! - cała moja sympatia do niego rozwiała się jak dym... I choć później odrobinę odrobił, to było to za mało i za późno. A Heatha niespecjalnie lubiłam od samego początku...
Zatem rozczarowanie 😕
Tymczasem dostałam zupełnie inną historię - niestety, źle inną. Owszem, powody zostały wyjaśnione, ale... dostałam dwóch dorosłych facetów, tak między 35-40 lat, którzy zachowywali się jak rozwydrzone nastolatki przez przynajmniej połowę książki - z całą małostkowością, humorami, złośliwością, zachowaniem, napadami złości, obrażaniem się, braniem odwetu itd. - wręcz podręcznikowymi dla tego wieku. Jak naprawdę lubiłam Roly'ego po pierwszych tomach, tak tutaj - puff! - cała moja sympatia do niego rozwiała się jak dym... I choć później odrobinę odrobił, to było to za mało i za późno. A Heatha niespecjalnie lubiłam od samego początku...
Zatem rozczarowanie 😕
June 14, 2020
Amazon
Roly is a changed person since he came back from Iraq. Something happened over there while he was deployed that forever altered his course in life, altered his entire being. And when he runs into the man he had a crush on in high school, but was horrible to, he wants to make amends, and maybe even more, if Heath will let him in. Unfortunately for Roly, Heath does not seem so inclined to forgive and/or forget how Roly treated him in high school. He's having none of Roly's attempts at apologizing, or even just being around him. But Roly wasn't a Navy SEAL for nothing - he's determined and wants to atone. So his cheerful, energetic personality will make a difference to Heath if it's the last thing Roly does.
Or perhaps a little bit of hate fucking between two men just might help them get the other out of their minds. Or not. Because does that ever work? When Roly's adorable personality makes Heath's kids fall in love with him. When every time they're together implants Heath deeper into Roly's heart. Can Heath learn to forgive? Can Roly learn to let go of his guilt and realize he's deserving of forgiveness and love?
This story was a kick to the heart and soul I tell ya. What Roly went through in Iraq, combined with what he put Heath through in high school - it's a double whammy, and I could see both men's sides and felt so for both of them. The emotional impact this story had on me was unusually high, and I still loved every page of Roly and Heath's journey. Not only are they beyond hot together, they are so perfect for each other once they let go of their individual baggage. It was good being back in the Wrecked world. I relished it and want to be back there again soon.
ARC via Gay Romance Reviews for an honest review.
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January 11, 2025
I think Roly and Heath may just be my favourite couple of this series.
They had much more going on between them, they went from enemies to lovers over the course of the story, and the emotional impact hit me much more strongly with this book than the previous ones in the series.
I really liked how we got to see there were a lot of layers to Roly, and there was some definite humour where I probably shouldn't have laughed but I did!
They had much more going on between them, they went from enemies to lovers over the course of the story, and the emotional impact hit me much more strongly with this book than the previous ones in the series.
I really liked how we got to see there were a lot of layers to Roly, and there was some definite humour where I probably shouldn't have laughed but I did!
May 24, 2022
Ah, Roly. What even is there to say about you? Shameless is easily the most humorous of the 3 books in the Wrecked series, and it is solely because you get so much of Roly. If you read Sanctuary and Surrender, you have seen bits and pieces of Roly, and if you're anything like me, you were already a little bit in love with him. [If you haven't read the first two books, what are you waiting for?!]
And Heath. Oh, the hurt, guarded, sweet man that is Heath. And god how Roly loves him. How Roly shows Heath that everything about him should be loved...it makes me a little teary just thinking about it. This book is such a perfect combination of laughs and tears - it just hits you in the feels all over the place.
I've said it before and I will say it again - Kelly's writing is phenomenal. I wait with bated breath for anything and everything she writes. Do yourself a favor and read these books today.
And Heath. Oh, the hurt, guarded, sweet man that is Heath. And god how Roly loves him. How Roly shows Heath that everything about him should be loved...it makes me a little teary just thinking about it. This book is such a perfect combination of laughs and tears - it just hits you in the feels all over the place.
I've said it before and I will say it again - Kelly's writing is phenomenal. I wait with bated breath for anything and everything she writes. Do yourself a favor and read these books today.
May 19, 2024
Surprisingly, I really enjoyed this one. I wasn't a huge fan of the last book, so took almost a year break before reading this one.
Roly is dealing with PTSD from his time overseas. I loved seeing him try to make things up with Heath. There were many times he had me laughing. Heath is just dealing with the feelings of being overweight and not accepted for who he is. But deep down, it's very clear these two really like each other.
I loved the relationship Heath had with his ex-wife Ashley. It's so refreshing to have this great co-parenting between them. I also loved their three girls. Roly was so great with them too.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed it.
Roly is dealing with PTSD from his time overseas. I loved seeing him try to make things up with Heath. There were many times he had me laughing. Heath is just dealing with the feelings of being overweight and not accepted for who he is. But deep down, it's very clear these two really like each other.
I loved the relationship Heath had with his ex-wife Ashley. It's so refreshing to have this great co-parenting between them. I also loved their three girls. Roly was so great with them too.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed it.
May 31, 2020
DNF at 47%
I try really hard to finish books because I absolutely hate quitting at anything and I try to give all books a real chance to improve later on, but something about the way this was written just got in the way. It felt like I was dropped into the middle of a story with no way of understanding the context. To be fair, I only realized afterwards that this was the third book in the series, but it also didn't seem to be advertised as not being a stand-alone. Nevertheless, there was an insanely large cast of secondary characters who were impossible to keep straight for me. Sometimes, this works, but here it felt like I couldn't connect to anyone. (While I will say that part of the problem was me starting in the middle of the series, a whole lot of characters were external to the whole series, so it's not all on me I think.)
Also, for whatever reason, I really disliked Roly. I'm not entirely sure why, but something about him just got to me in a bad way, and it was hard to recover from that. The writing was also really choppy, and I found it difficult to stay engaged as I read. I started skimming about 30% of the way in and then eventually skipped to the end before putting it down. All in all, this book just wasn't for me, though others have clearly felt differently.
I try really hard to finish books because I absolutely hate quitting at anything and I try to give all books a real chance to improve later on, but something about the way this was written just got in the way. It felt like I was dropped into the middle of a story with no way of understanding the context. To be fair, I only realized afterwards that this was the third book in the series, but it also didn't seem to be advertised as not being a stand-alone. Nevertheless, there was an insanely large cast of secondary characters who were impossible to keep straight for me. Sometimes, this works, but here it felt like I couldn't connect to anyone. (While I will say that part of the problem was me starting in the middle of the series, a whole lot of characters were external to the whole series, so it's not all on me I think.)
Also, for whatever reason, I really disliked Roly. I'm not entirely sure why, but something about him just got to me in a bad way, and it was hard to recover from that. The writing was also really choppy, and I found it difficult to stay engaged as I read. I started skimming about 30% of the way in and then eventually skipped to the end before putting it down. All in all, this book just wasn't for me, though others have clearly felt differently.
May 25, 2020
Oh my Roly!!!!!
Roly has been my favorite character in this series and I was so excited to read his book. Roly is the little comedian, ray of sunshine, totally likeable, Bear Killer - save for one person - who Roly will do "anything" to make it up to... including accidently almost killing him... whoops!
Heath has been tormented his entire life, and this is all thanks to Roly's charming high school persona, so running into him as an adult brings up some not so latent aggression, anger, and outright hate. So why does that confuse things down south?
Roly and Heath are the ultimate enemies-to-lovers trope... so much passion that turns into steamy moments that completely melted my kindle. They both need to confront their own demons before an HEA can even be considered. Enter meddling family and friends, some painful memories and ugly emotions here.
Five stars -- Kelly Fox not only delivered but far exceeded my expectations for Roly and Heath. I loved every single thing about this book and I cannot wait for even more from this series and this author!
Roly has been my favorite character in this series and I was so excited to read his book. Roly is the little comedian, ray of sunshine, totally likeable, Bear Killer - save for one person - who Roly will do "anything" to make it up to... including accidently almost killing him... whoops!
Heath has been tormented his entire life, and this is all thanks to Roly's charming high school persona, so running into him as an adult brings up some not so latent aggression, anger, and outright hate. So why does that confuse things down south?
Roly and Heath are the ultimate enemies-to-lovers trope... so much passion that turns into steamy moments that completely melted my kindle. They both need to confront their own demons before an HEA can even be considered. Enter meddling family and friends, some painful memories and ugly emotions here.
Five stars -- Kelly Fox not only delivered but far exceeded my expectations for Roly and Heath. I loved every single thing about this book and I cannot wait for even more from this series and this author!
November 12, 2024
A beautiful story about how words can hurt more than anything and how people can change for the best.
Roly is the sweetest man but he wasn’t always like this. Going through a traumatic event made him look closely into who he is and who he oughts to be. When someone from his past comes back in his life, he tries to make him see that he has changed.
Heath doesn’t want anything to do with Roly because he was his bully in school. He tries to avoid him at all costs but the stubborn man just keeps invading his life. He slowly starts realising that Roly might not be the same person.
I loved the redemption arc. Roly deserved everything good in the world and he finally got the bear of his dreams.
Roly is the sweetest man but he wasn’t always like this. Going through a traumatic event made him look closely into who he is and who he oughts to be. When someone from his past comes back in his life, he tries to make him see that he has changed.
Heath doesn’t want anything to do with Roly because he was his bully in school. He tries to avoid him at all costs but the stubborn man just keeps invading his life. He slowly starts realising that Roly might not be the same person.
I loved the redemption arc. Roly deserved everything good in the world and he finally got the bear of his dreams.
June 9, 2020
Ghaa, I really wanted to enjoy this book because I really liked the others in the series but there were just so much about how Heath acted that made me dislike him and continue to dislike even when he let go of things from the past. I felt for Roly and his struggle but had trouble when he would revert to childish name-calling at times.
August 1, 2020
You know what happens when you try too hard with the banter and the implausible characters?
You write a shit book.
No, a Navy SEAL should not read like a 13 year old girl in a tutu fainting at a Boyzone concert.
That was a pile of dog shit I couldn’t bear to finish.
You write a shit book.
No, a Navy SEAL should not read like a 13 year old girl in a tutu fainting at a Boyzone concert.
That was a pile of dog shit I couldn’t bear to finish.
June 10, 2020
This is a book to make you laugh and cry, really bringing to the front mental health. It's not just the physical injuries that can affect a person home from combat and Kelly Fox has done an amazing job in showing that with Roly's character.
Even without knowing the whys and hows until later on in the book, my heart was breaking for Roly with how much he is trying to atone for past actions and work towards being a better man as promised to someone important to him that he met whilst serving as a Navy SEAL. He does his best to show Heath how he's changed and to make up for how he bullied him during high school but more often than not it just ends in disaster. Heath is fully justified in his feelings towards Roly and how he hurt him in the past but that changes as a purely physical relationship starts up between them. Of course, Roly's nature sneaks beneath Heath's defences and he starts to notice how different the other man is in his behaviours and attitudes. He especially notices this when Roly interacts with his daughters, full of positivity, encouragement and friendship towards them.
There's a lot of strong emotion to take on throughout the whole of this book but especially the second half as things spiral for Roly and then have the possibility of more between the two men. I love this series and I think this may be my favourite as we deal with hard issues, especially about when it comes to forgiving yourself. I just adore Heath's daughters, they are the real heart of his family. The Wrecked family really come through for their brother, showing how much he means and is worth to them but also to himself. It's also a great story in showing love for a larger body. Heath's bear body is such a turn on for Roly, you can really tell in his actions with how much it turns him on and comforts him.
I cannot recommend this series enough and this book brings out another tough subject when is comes to recovery from serving your country.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
Even without knowing the whys and hows until later on in the book, my heart was breaking for Roly with how much he is trying to atone for past actions and work towards being a better man as promised to someone important to him that he met whilst serving as a Navy SEAL. He does his best to show Heath how he's changed and to make up for how he bullied him during high school but more often than not it just ends in disaster. Heath is fully justified in his feelings towards Roly and how he hurt him in the past but that changes as a purely physical relationship starts up between them. Of course, Roly's nature sneaks beneath Heath's defences and he starts to notice how different the other man is in his behaviours and attitudes. He especially notices this when Roly interacts with his daughters, full of positivity, encouragement and friendship towards them.
There's a lot of strong emotion to take on throughout the whole of this book but especially the second half as things spiral for Roly and then have the possibility of more between the two men. I love this series and I think this may be my favourite as we deal with hard issues, especially about when it comes to forgiving yourself. I just adore Heath's daughters, they are the real heart of his family. The Wrecked family really come through for their brother, showing how much he means and is worth to them but also to himself. It's also a great story in showing love for a larger body. Heath's bear body is such a turn on for Roly, you can really tell in his actions with how much it turns him on and comforts him.
I cannot recommend this series enough and this book brings out another tough subject when is comes to recovery from serving your country.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
October 14, 2021
Is it hate…or something else?
This is another great installment in this series. I love these guys and Roly and Heath did not disappoint. I love a good redemption story! Roly was horrible to Heath when they were younger but he has learned how to be better. Great one and I highly recommend it.
This is another great installment in this series. I love these guys and Roly and Heath did not disappoint. I love a good redemption story! Roly was horrible to Heath when they were younger but he has learned how to be better. Great one and I highly recommend it.
May 27, 2020
Nice.
May 28, 2020
I’ve been looking forward to Roly’s story and suffice to say, that it was everything I imagined it to be and so much more.
Heath’s past and the impact it had on him emotionally, hit home on so many levels. What he went through cut deep because the damage it caused stayed with him. His hurt, anger and pain at being ridiculed, laughed at because of his weight resurfaced quickly when he bumped into Roly and who could blame him.
Roly was a talking, walking, accident prone disaster around Heath and it was both amusing and painful to watch. Roly went to great lengths to earn forgiveness and he was genuinely remorseful. His heart was in the right place every time he made at attempt to make things right. Heath made him work for it but in the end, he ended up regretting it with the disastrous turn of events. Heath was mean and he definitely achieved what he wanted to: putting Rolly down a few pegs but sadly, it didn’t bring him satisfaction when he saw, poor Roly breaking down. I wanted to hug Roly so badly; he needed to be loved properly not hate banged.
Rolly and Heath had great chemistry when their differences were put aside. Meany Heath wasn’t very nice but sweet, affectionate Heath was perfect for Roly. I had a massive smile on my face when a very peeved off Heath started banging on Roly’s door because he snuck out after Heath went to sleep.
This was a fantastic enemies to lovers story and I really enjoyed it. Definitely my favourite book in the series!
*I voluntarily read this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else's*
Heath’s past and the impact it had on him emotionally, hit home on so many levels. What he went through cut deep because the damage it caused stayed with him. His hurt, anger and pain at being ridiculed, laughed at because of his weight resurfaced quickly when he bumped into Roly and who could blame him.
Roly was a talking, walking, accident prone disaster around Heath and it was both amusing and painful to watch. Roly went to great lengths to earn forgiveness and he was genuinely remorseful. His heart was in the right place every time he made at attempt to make things right. Heath made him work for it but in the end, he ended up regretting it with the disastrous turn of events. Heath was mean and he definitely achieved what he wanted to: putting Rolly down a few pegs but sadly, it didn’t bring him satisfaction when he saw, poor Roly breaking down. I wanted to hug Roly so badly; he needed to be loved properly not hate banged.
Rolly and Heath had great chemistry when their differences were put aside. Meany Heath wasn’t very nice but sweet, affectionate Heath was perfect for Roly. I had a massive smile on my face when a very peeved off Heath started banging on Roly’s door because he snuck out after Heath went to sleep.
This was a fantastic enemies to lovers story and I really enjoyed it. Definitely my favourite book in the series!
*I voluntarily read this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else's*
May 29, 2020
As with the first two books in this series, I loved it! The series is definitely best read in order b/c the characters all intertwine, but the focus of the story itself stands on its own. This is Roly and Heath’s story and to get where they are today you need to understand that they knew each other in high school. And it was not a pleasant experience, especially for Heath who has always been a bear with a bit of a belly. Roly on the other hand was a twink-sized cheerleader with a cutting attitude. Present time Heath is a recently divorced father of 3 who is just feeling comfortable with his bisexuality. Roly is an out and proud former Navy Seal who co-owns Wrecked, a gym catering to combat vets, who spreads himself too thin trying to make everyone happy to escape his self-imposed shame. The shame he feels from the time he was held captive in Iraq and has kept hidden from all who know and love him. While Roly feels this is his chance to make up with Heath, the man he has always had a crush on, Heath can’t stand the sight of him and just wants him to go away. Enemies to lovers, well-meaning mishaps that end in hospitalizations, hate sex galore and finally a forgiveness of self that leads to understanding and true acceptance. I loved the dynamic between these two men and my heart hurt for the misunderstandings between them. In the end though, through the meddling of family and one grumpy old man, they get their hard won HEA. I hope the series continues because there are definitely others I want to see get their HEA too ❤️
February 9, 2025
2.5 stars
I don't like the MCs' childish behavior; above all, that charming ball of energy that was Roly in the previous stories becomes almost unbearably immature here.
If we add the implausible amount of coincidences (a trait that already comes from Surrender), and this book ended up being somewhat disappointing,
But I want to finish highlighting that in my Kelly Fox marathon, I appreciate the diversity of her characters the most.
I don't like the MCs' childish behavior; above all, that charming ball of energy that was Roly in the previous stories becomes almost unbearably immature here.
If we add the implausible amount of coincidences (a trait that already comes from Surrender), and this book ended up being somewhat disappointing,
But I want to finish highlighting that in my Kelly Fox marathon, I appreciate the diversity of her characters the most.
June 4, 2020
I really enjoyed this third book in the Wrecked series. It has all the feels and I spent a good deal of the time either with a heartache or with tears flowing. Fox knows just how to write to get you wrapped up completely in her characters’ emotions.
The MCs this time around are Roly, the co-owner of the gym Wrecked and Heath, a man who despises Roly for the way he treated him when they were all in high school. Of course, Roly has always had a crush on Heath and now Heath fits the perfect mold of the men (bears) that Roly is interested in. Roly has made significant changes in his life as a result of an awful incident suffered while he was a Navy SEAL in Iraq. He has tried to be a better person and it kills him that Heath doesn’t like him. He tries a number of times to make things up to him, with awful results.
As the story progresses, we learn much more about the backgrounds of the MCs and while Roly’s high school behavior isn’t excused it is explained as are the incidents that led to his reformation. I’m not sure I quite get the connect between his actions at a party in Iraq and the subsequent horrendous event and I don’t see why Roly is punishing himself the way he is but I do get that Roly feels it and that is what is most important. The crisis moments are raw and emotionally gutting. The issue that comes to a head related to Roly’s war experience is a bit harder for me to wrap my head around. Maybe it needed more background from the other character’s perspective as it seems to undercut the previous versions of the story that we’ve heard. (Why would that character have that opinion or information if the other person involved did not hold a grudge?)
Those are minor issues and possibly just my own brain cells not connecting the dots as well as someone else’s might. There are also several editing issues and proofreading issues which I always find bothersome but even more so when there are specific author notes thanking someone for their editing and proofreading services.
None of those things are enough to take away the emotional impact of this story and the important message it sends, like the previous books in the series, about the plight of so many veterans. I was completely sucked in by the story, staying up all night to finish it as I didn’t want to put it down. These kinds of next-day book hangovers are the best kind.
I highly recommend this book, in fact the whole series. I’d recommend reading the books in order in order to fully appreciate the role of the other characters in this book’s storyline.
**I voluntarily read an ARC and this is my objective review.**
The MCs this time around are Roly, the co-owner of the gym Wrecked and Heath, a man who despises Roly for the way he treated him when they were all in high school. Of course, Roly has always had a crush on Heath and now Heath fits the perfect mold of the men (bears) that Roly is interested in. Roly has made significant changes in his life as a result of an awful incident suffered while he was a Navy SEAL in Iraq. He has tried to be a better person and it kills him that Heath doesn’t like him. He tries a number of times to make things up to him, with awful results.
As the story progresses, we learn much more about the backgrounds of the MCs and while Roly’s high school behavior isn’t excused it is explained as are the incidents that led to his reformation. I’m not sure I quite get the connect between his actions at a party in Iraq and the subsequent horrendous event and I don’t see why Roly is punishing himself the way he is but I do get that Roly feels it and that is what is most important. The crisis moments are raw and emotionally gutting. The issue that comes to a head related to Roly’s war experience is a bit harder for me to wrap my head around. Maybe it needed more background from the other character’s perspective as it seems to undercut the previous versions of the story that we’ve heard. (Why would that character have that opinion or information if the other person involved did not hold a grudge?)
Those are minor issues and possibly just my own brain cells not connecting the dots as well as someone else’s might. There are also several editing issues and proofreading issues which I always find bothersome but even more so when there are specific author notes thanking someone for their editing and proofreading services.
None of those things are enough to take away the emotional impact of this story and the important message it sends, like the previous books in the series, about the plight of so many veterans. I was completely sucked in by the story, staying up all night to finish it as I didn’t want to put it down. These kinds of next-day book hangovers are the best kind.
I highly recommend this book, in fact the whole series. I’d recommend reading the books in order in order to fully appreciate the role of the other characters in this book’s storyline.
**I voluntarily read an ARC and this is my objective review.**
March 13, 2023
➡️Edit : March -13-2023, a couple of hours after my first review
Well, I've pushed through and read the whole book , so I'm rating it with 2.5⭐.
🟡 I loved the bully aspect and I expected for that to be a bigger deal than it was. Some angst, being enemies for a longer time and then reluctantly or passionately coming together.
🟢 They did come together and had hate-sex, but it wasn't the good hate, angry sex, it was degrading and again, not in a good way.
🔴 I loved Rory as a character and I couldn't wait to read his book and him finding his very own bear, but this bear was an asshole and I didn't like him.
🟣 I fast tracked through all the rest in the book, because it was boring and not engaging, I get that in part it was a foundation for the spin-off series, but i felt like Rory's story would be so much better if it revolved solely around him being a high school bully and with a little bit of angst and a lot of great passion coming together with Heath .
🔵 The ending was sweet and it finally felt Heath and Rory were on the same level, but I think they didn't have enough interaction and you know, again with my least favourite - the single dad trope, his bunch of kids and how they like the new guy 🙄, but Rory basically didn't spend any time with those kids , so I definitely wanted the story to be more about them as a couple.
I really liked Rory and I'm very much disappointed this book didn't give him the epic love story he deserved, many times over I felt like he simply settled.
________________________________
➡️March -13-2023 - first review
🟣NO RATING🟣
DNF at 51%
You know what, I was really looking forward to Roly's story, especially since it's also somewhat of a bully trope.
I did like the development until him and Heath started having sex. I absolutely didn't like it, something just wasn't working for me and now, at 51% I come to the part where Roly picks him above others, they have amazing sex and Heath just throws him off himself, Rory lands on the bed, he stands up, picks up his clothes and gets dressed and leaves, goes to the car and cries.
Like...what? I mean, I am definitely not invested in their happy ending anymore, no way .
I might fast track through the book because there are also other characters here that are going to be in Wrecked : Guardians, but other than that, I'm done with this series, I don't wanna know about Morris either.
Well, I've pushed through and read the whole book , so I'm rating it with 2.5⭐.
🟡 I loved the bully aspect and I expected for that to be a bigger deal than it was. Some angst, being enemies for a longer time and then reluctantly or passionately coming together.
🟢 They did come together and had hate-sex, but it wasn't the good hate, angry sex, it was degrading and again, not in a good way.
🔴 I loved Rory as a character and I couldn't wait to read his book and him finding his very own bear, but this bear was an asshole and I didn't like him.
🟣 I fast tracked through all the rest in the book, because it was boring and not engaging, I get that in part it was a foundation for the spin-off series, but i felt like Rory's story would be so much better if it revolved solely around him being a high school bully and with a little bit of angst and a lot of great passion coming together with Heath .
🔵 The ending was sweet and it finally felt Heath and Rory were on the same level, but I think they didn't have enough interaction and you know, again with my least favourite - the single dad trope, his bunch of kids and how they like the new guy 🙄, but Rory basically didn't spend any time with those kids , so I definitely wanted the story to be more about them as a couple.
I really liked Rory and I'm very much disappointed this book didn't give him the epic love story he deserved, many times over I felt like he simply settled.
________________________________
➡️March -13-2023 - first review
🟣NO RATING🟣
DNF at 51%
You know what, I was really looking forward to Roly's story, especially since it's also somewhat of a bully trope.
I did like the development until him and Heath started having sex. I absolutely didn't like it, something just wasn't working for me and now, at 51% I come to the part where Roly picks him above others, they have amazing sex and Heath just throws him off himself, Rory lands on the bed, he stands up, picks up his clothes and gets dressed and leaves, goes to the car and cries.
Like...what? I mean, I am definitely not invested in their happy ending anymore, no way .
I might fast track through the book because there are also other characters here that are going to be in Wrecked : Guardians, but other than that, I'm done with this series, I don't wanna know about Morris either.
February 6, 2021
I really disliked this. After reading the first 2 books, I was so excited to read Heath and Roly’s story. Heath was a wonderful side character in book 2 and I had thoroughly enjoyed Roly “Bear Killer” Martinez in both book 1 and 2.
This was not the story I anticipated...at all. :( Out of all the tropes, enemies to lovers, is waay down on the list so I was unhappy pretty early in the book. My unease started with Roly’s flippant comment when he notices that he has accidentally switched coffee drinks with Heath. It grew as Heath was rude when Roly showed up to apologize and it just went absolutely downhill from there.
Roly in books 1 & 2 was snarky and sarcastic and it was fun to see him interacting with the Wrecked crew, his found family, and the Wrecked gym members. But the Roly in this book isn’t funny, he’s moronic. He can’t take a hint that he should cool his jets and act a little less like a teenage boy and more like a mid 30 year old man who happens to be a former SEAL.
In the other books, I appreciated how the PTSD and trauma was acknowledged and dealt with. In this book, for some reason, it’s treated as an afterthought and even Jean-Pierre who advocated strongly for trauma therapy in book 2, stays silent when Roly insists he’s fine when it is evident to EVERYONE that he’s running from the demons in his head.
I chose not to DNF because I wanted to see the previous characters but this one is going to sit wrong when I move on to the next series. :(
This was not the story I anticipated...at all. :( Out of all the tropes, enemies to lovers, is waay down on the list so I was unhappy pretty early in the book. My unease started with Roly’s flippant comment when he notices that he has accidentally switched coffee drinks with Heath. It grew as Heath was rude when Roly showed up to apologize and it just went absolutely downhill from there.
Roly in books 1 & 2 was snarky and sarcastic and it was fun to see him interacting with the Wrecked crew, his found family, and the Wrecked gym members. But the Roly in this book isn’t funny, he’s moronic. He can’t take a hint that he should cool his jets and act a little less like a teenage boy and more like a mid 30 year old man who happens to be a former SEAL.
In the other books, I appreciated how the PTSD and trauma was acknowledged and dealt with. In this book, for some reason, it’s treated as an afterthought and even Jean-Pierre who advocated strongly for trauma therapy in book 2, stays silent when Roly insists he’s fine when it is evident to EVERYONE that he’s running from the demons in his head.
I chose not to DNF because I wanted to see the previous characters but this one is going to sit wrong when I move on to the next series. :(
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 28, 2020
As good as the first two books in the Wrecked series are, this one is better.
I recall vividly reading those first few chapters of Sanctuary, thinking oh HECK YEAH, I have found a new author who writes with rhythm and wit and heat, an author whose work I know from the first sentence I'm going to love.
This book, this funny, smoking hot, poignant, entertaining book, made me laugh and cry and laugh while I was crying. Heath and Roly made their appearances in the first two books but you could read this without having taken those journeys - you shouldn't, but you could. As a Texan, I appreciate the accurate portrayal of our state capital. As a reader, I appreciate the attention to detail, the easy tone, the honesty and the realness of the characters.
I'm putting this on my re-read shelf.
I recall vividly reading those first few chapters of Sanctuary, thinking oh HECK YEAH, I have found a new author who writes with rhythm and wit and heat, an author whose work I know from the first sentence I'm going to love.
This book, this funny, smoking hot, poignant, entertaining book, made me laugh and cry and laugh while I was crying. Heath and Roly made their appearances in the first two books but you could read this without having taken those journeys - you shouldn't, but you could. As a Texan, I appreciate the accurate portrayal of our state capital. As a reader, I appreciate the attention to detail, the easy tone, the honesty and the realness of the characters.
I'm putting this on my re-read shelf.
May 30, 2020
This book has some of the most explosive hate sex I've ever read!
The pain and resentment that has been penting up for years between Heath and Roly fueled their chemistry in an incendiary way, and for some time angry sex seemed to be the only way these men could connect. And while I could understand why Heath would hate Roly , I wished he hadn't clung to it for so darn long. Some things could have been so easily averted, so much unnecessary hurt avoided.
Heath and Roly had to go through a whole process of mending past damage, although at times it looked like they were only harming each other more. It was an emotional ride for them and for me, until they managed to put their pasts behind them and started to work together for a future filled with happiness.
So, if you're looking for an incredible enemies to lovers romance, pick up Shameless. You won't regret it.
The pain and resentment that has been penting up for years between Heath and Roly fueled their chemistry in an incendiary way, and for some time angry sex seemed to be the only way these men could connect. And while I could understand why Heath would hate Roly , I wished he hadn't clung to it for so darn long. Some things could have been so easily averted, so much unnecessary hurt avoided.
Heath and Roly had to go through a whole process of mending past damage, although at times it looked like they were only harming each other more. It was an emotional ride for them and for me, until they managed to put their pasts behind them and started to work together for a future filled with happiness.
So, if you're looking for an incredible enemies to lovers romance, pick up Shameless. You won't regret it.
May 6, 2024
4.8 ⭐ Another great one in the series! I have loved every one of them. Just wish I had read them in order. My own fault bc book 5 caught my eye first, and then I hopped around. Still hopping with 2 more to go and a new release tomorrow.
Reread/audiobook and still agree with above.
Reread/audiobook and still agree with above.
May 31, 2023
This was ok - couldn’t quite mesh with the style of writing but the book made me cry, so that redeemed it a bit!
March 21, 2023
❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋💋
Funny , but with a very serious edge, love these two, triggers to
Bullying
Verbal abuse
Torture
MM romance, with sweet and hard storyline
💋💋
Funny , but with a very serious edge, love these two, triggers to
Bullying
Verbal abuse
Torture
MM romance, with sweet and hard storyline
May 27, 2020
Kelly Fox's Shameless, the third book in the Wrecked series, is fabulous.
All the emotions come out in this story of second chances and redemption.
This is a story of attraction and hate sex. It's a story of not being able to admit one's feelings. It starts with some animosity, as these men where enemies in high school.
In the beginning, it's tough to figure out who was the bad guy. Of course, it ends up neither is. Roly was a jerk in high school and his mocking of the large sized Heath came with lasting effects. Heath is a bear who has always been heavy, and Roly made his life hell.
I love Roly, especially his reason for being attracted to bears now. It's so damn touching.
Their story is one of a whole lot of hate sex. At first.
This story includes PTSD, guilt, and more, all of which is well developed. There are self esteem and self worth issues. As with the previous books in the series, the author includes a wonderful, large group of friends in this story. They are all lovable and add immensely to the fun. Basically, if you're a fan of series with returning friends, you'll enjoy this one a lot.
In a touching subplot to the tale, Heath's daughter faces many challenges, and her story will break your heart.
And in the end, the author explores the power of words, as they have been used against people and capable of scarring people for years. It's poignant and an important thing to remember.
Shameless is a stellar tale that reinforced that people grow and change. If you enjoy seeing character growth, you will love Shameless.
All the emotions come out in this story of second chances and redemption.
This is a story of attraction and hate sex. It's a story of not being able to admit one's feelings. It starts with some animosity, as these men where enemies in high school.
In the beginning, it's tough to figure out who was the bad guy. Of course, it ends up neither is. Roly was a jerk in high school and his mocking of the large sized Heath came with lasting effects. Heath is a bear who has always been heavy, and Roly made his life hell.
I love Roly, especially his reason for being attracted to bears now. It's so damn touching.
Their story is one of a whole lot of hate sex. At first.
This story includes PTSD, guilt, and more, all of which is well developed. There are self esteem and self worth issues. As with the previous books in the series, the author includes a wonderful, large group of friends in this story. They are all lovable and add immensely to the fun. Basically, if you're a fan of series with returning friends, you'll enjoy this one a lot.
In a touching subplot to the tale, Heath's daughter faces many challenges, and her story will break your heart.
And in the end, the author explores the power of words, as they have been used against people and capable of scarring people for years. It's poignant and an important thing to remember.
Shameless is a stellar tale that reinforced that people grow and change. If you enjoy seeing character growth, you will love Shameless.
September 29, 2022
Wrecked is a great, inclusive gym, and terrific place for veterans to work out. This story is about co-owner, Roly.
Roly is an ex-Navy SEAL, black hair,
brownish skin, Hispanic, and served in Iraq with his cousin Nick. His scars are unseen, but there. He's a changed man.
Heath, a big burly bear, is a Business Manager,
has three kids and dogs. He's got thick brown hair, reddish beard, and is both refined and rugged looking.
We begin with instant enemies. Roly bullied Heath in High School and Heath is not going to forgive him. So, Roly who is trying to hard to get back as maybe new friends, screws up with a series of mishaps, and stirs the hate that Heath won't let go of. Roly does everything in his power to apologize but Heath holds firm. We watch, listen, and still Heath's hate is there.
Roly is affected by his captivity in Iraq, and Nick carries guilt. Roly had made a promise to someone overseas.
It's tough to see the anger directed at Roly, because he's changed a lot since school days, and he's a good man now. How will this turn out, especially with the deeds gone wrong?
Hate-sex, I've only read about a few times, buy these two men are on fire with their hate-filled sexy time.
This is a tough love, healing tale, and both sides are learning lessons and are having deep thoughts.
In the end, we get an HFN, and warmed hearts.
Enjoy !
=======
Roly is an ex-Navy SEAL, black hair,
brownish skin, Hispanic, and served in Iraq with his cousin Nick. His scars are unseen, but there. He's a changed man.
Heath, a big burly bear, is a Business Manager,
has three kids and dogs. He's got thick brown hair, reddish beard, and is both refined and rugged looking.
We begin with instant enemies. Roly bullied Heath in High School and Heath is not going to forgive him. So, Roly who is trying to hard to get back as maybe new friends, screws up with a series of mishaps, and stirs the hate that Heath won't let go of. Roly does everything in his power to apologize but Heath holds firm. We watch, listen, and still Heath's hate is there.
Roly is affected by his captivity in Iraq, and Nick carries guilt. Roly had made a promise to someone overseas.
It's tough to see the anger directed at Roly, because he's changed a lot since school days, and he's a good man now. How will this turn out, especially with the deeds gone wrong?
Hate-sex, I've only read about a few times, buy these two men are on fire with their hate-filled sexy time.
This is a tough love, healing tale, and both sides are learning lessons and are having deep thoughts.
In the end, we get an HFN, and warmed hearts.
Enjoy !
=======
June 1, 2020
I was a bit trepidatious about this book, truth be told. Roly’s moniker of “Bear Killer” made me nervous that there would be a lot of shallow and stereotypical interactions. I needn’t have worried. Fox crafts a story that is rich and pure and true. Roly is legitimately attracted to larger men, and goes out of his way to ensure they know he finds them sexy. This story is layered and intense and beautiful.
Heath is insecure about his build and follicle-abundance; he’s unfortunately experienced lovers who liked him “anyway”. It’s a long road for him to believe that another experience could occur.
There’s a lot of hurt in the history of these two people, both as individuals and as former acquaintances. At times, some of this baggage seems insurmountable. Once again, the Corner of Heavy Things comes to the rescue. Even as Roly breaks (breaking me just a little bit), the most amazing hope shines.
Heath’s children are lovingly crafted and realistically portrayed. The dogs are a perfect touch.
With a lot of commentary on trauma, I loved the author’s approach that these vets “deserve” the very best — a mindset that we often fall short on in modern society.
This book also offers appearances by many beloved (& tolerated) characters from the first two stories in the series. Their personalities, motivations and patterns of speech remain soothingly consistent (failure to achieve this in a series may be a pet peeve).
Heath is insecure about his build and follicle-abundance; he’s unfortunately experienced lovers who liked him “anyway”. It’s a long road for him to believe that another experience could occur.
There’s a lot of hurt in the history of these two people, both as individuals and as former acquaintances. At times, some of this baggage seems insurmountable. Once again, the Corner of Heavy Things comes to the rescue. Even as Roly breaks (breaking me just a little bit), the most amazing hope shines.
Heath’s children are lovingly crafted and realistically portrayed. The dogs are a perfect touch.
With a lot of commentary on trauma, I loved the author’s approach that these vets “deserve” the very best — a mindset that we often fall short on in modern society.
This book also offers appearances by many beloved (& tolerated) characters from the first two stories in the series. Their personalities, motivations and patterns of speech remain soothingly consistent (failure to achieve this in a series may be a pet peeve).
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