Tuesday, August 26, 2014

[REVIEW] The Scars of Us by Nikki Narvaez


BUY ME: http://amzn.to/1ltjXxj

SYNOPSIS

Kaiya Marlow has always been cautious, precise in every decision she makes. When her dark past threatens to resurface, she decides to take precautions to protect herself by enrolling in self-defense classes at her gym.

Her instructor, Ryker Campbell, is the tattooed womanizer everyone warns about. Kaiya attempts to resist Ryker's advances, but the more time they spend training together, the harder it is for Kaiya to resist him.

Ryker's view on relationships is simple: strictly sex, nothing more. Haunted by demons from his past, he never allows himself to become attached to any woman. No attachment means no weakness, no vulnerability, no pain. He doesn't realize that his whole world is about to be turned upside down when Kaiya enters his self-defense class. Determined to have her, at least for one night, Ryker sets a plan into motion that will change both of their lives forever.

Will love be able to heal their scars, or are they too deep to overcome?




4 Star Review

****ARC PROVIDED FOR HONEST REVIEW!****
[ONE minor spoiler may be mentioned, but you'd have to have read the story to pick up on it]

I always love when I'm approached by an author to read their book. I love it more when I LOVE the book! I'm not gonna lie...I'm always terrified that any book I read for review, is going to end up being a huge flop and that I'll hate it and have to come up with some horribly awkward way to tell the author that I hated it and blah blah blah...But I am happy to report that I don't have to this with The Scars of Us!

Kaiya AKA "Warrior" has had a tough hand dealt to her. Not unlike most female leads in books these days, but this one took quite a turn I haven't quite seen in many books. A turn that's super twisted and unexpected. I definitely had my suspicions and initially I was like...WAYYY off...

Afraid of basically EVERYONE, Kaiya has a tough time forming relationships of any sort, her small circle of people including her brother Kamden and her best friend Nori, indicate just how small that circle is. How do you trust anyone, when one of the people you're supposed to trust most, betrays you? Kaiya doesn't trust...not anyone. Not even the only two people left in her circle. Not fully anyway. 

Not until Ryker that is. 

Ryker is a sexy as sin self proclaimed man-whore and personal trainer/self defense teacher at the gym Kaiya and her brother go to. But he's got demons of his own that have kept him closed off from forming relationships with anyone either. His view on trust is just as skewed as Kaiya's is. But when she walks into his gym, the last thing he's expecting is for her to turn his world upside down.

When the demons from Kaiya's past threaten to resurface she's thrown into a panic. Terrified as to what may happen if she's forced to face her past, Kaiya decides to sign up for the self defense classes that her gym offers. That Ryker offers. 

The relationship that blooms between the two of them is absolutely positively beautiful. Both of them attempting to push away their demons and doubts, watching them grown and develop as characters AND a couple was really cool to watch. Nikki Narvaez does an astounding job pulling you into the story, and making it impossible for you NOT to connect with the characters. Throughout the whole book, I found myself rooting for Ryker and hoping like hell that he would break through Kaiya's seemingly impenetrable armor. I also found myself wanting to BEG Kaiya to just open up and give Ryker a chance. 

I was starting to think that the climax I thought this book was heading towards would never happen, and I was totally thrown off when it finally did. Heart stopping, breath hitching, chest clutching drama ensues and in the end, true love prevailed, proving to be stronger than a shot to the heart. 

Needless to say, I loved this book, and Nikki Narvaez has made a fan out of me! I look forward to reading anything else you put out :)

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read and review your book! Good luck to you in the future! 

No comments:

Post a Comment