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Scarred #3
Forever Scarred
An alternate cover edition can be found here.
The long awaited sequel to Running Scarred.
Working alongside his ex-veteran friends in the isolated French chateau where he doesn’t have to explain how his face was destroyed, suits Joe perfectly. Barely able look at his own reflection let alone show himself to anyone else, the longer he can remain secluded from the outside world the better he likes it.
But Joe wants the same as any man, he same things his friends have found and when a party of salesmen descends upon the chateau for a team building course, Joe’s resolve to keep out of the spotlight is put to its hardest test yet. The chief executive’s beautiful secretary is exactly the woman he is looking for, but he knows that she is unlikely to spare him even a glance.
Her life is complicated enough and embarking on any liaison is the last thing on Lucy’s mind but something about the huge ex-soldier has kept her heart pounding and her stomach fluttering from the moment she laid eyes on him. Joe’s scarred face pales into insignificance as she finds his potent strength, his gentle sincerity and his genial mood far too beguiling.
Can Lucy escape from her blackmailing boss and take what her heart desires without leaving herself destitute? Will Joe rise above his own crushing insecurities long enough to rescue Lucy not only from her own fears but from her handsome but lecherous employer, or will his lack of self-esteem and long practiced avoidance tactics prevent him from opening his heart and him keep him Forever Scarred?
Suitable for young adult upwards. Contains some swear words and beautiful sex.
The long awaited sequel to Running Scarred.
Working alongside his ex-veteran friends in the isolated French chateau where he doesn’t have to explain how his face was destroyed, suits Joe perfectly. Barely able look at his own reflection let alone show himself to anyone else, the longer he can remain secluded from the outside world the better he likes it.
But Joe wants the same as any man, he same things his friends have found and when a party of salesmen descends upon the chateau for a team building course, Joe’s resolve to keep out of the spotlight is put to its hardest test yet. The chief executive’s beautiful secretary is exactly the woman he is looking for, but he knows that she is unlikely to spare him even a glance.
Her life is complicated enough and embarking on any liaison is the last thing on Lucy’s mind but something about the huge ex-soldier has kept her heart pounding and her stomach fluttering from the moment she laid eyes on him. Joe’s scarred face pales into insignificance as she finds his potent strength, his gentle sincerity and his genial mood far too beguiling.
Can Lucy escape from her blackmailing boss and take what her heart desires without leaving herself destitute? Will Joe rise above his own crushing insecurities long enough to rescue Lucy not only from her own fears but from her handsome but lecherous employer, or will his lack of self-esteem and long practiced avoidance tactics prevent him from opening his heart and him keep him Forever Scarred?
Suitable for young adult upwards. Contains some swear words and beautiful sex.
268 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 27, 2013
22 people are currently reading
405 people want to read
About the author
Jackie Williams
78 books118 followersI was born in Essex England during the mid sixties but I missed all the fun. Being only young I assumed that all Beatles were six legged creatures and Flower Power was something to do with the vigorous way my mother kneaded the bread dough.
My wonderful parents brought me up with a huge love of books. We read anything and everything. Bedtime stories were a treasured time of adventure and mystery. My sister and I sat wide eyed in wonder and to this day I worry about Dinah and Dorinda being pricked with pins because they grew so fat, and I never pull faces at the a waning moon (or was it a waxing one?) just in case my chops stay that way . (The Wind On The Moon)
I began reading romance while still at school. The fuel for many a teenage fantasy leapt from between the covers of wildly romantic books and my passion still lingers now for all those dark haired heroes.
My own beautiful teenage daughter persuaded me to write my first romance. She was only fourteen at the time and between books for children and adults. She couldn’t find anything that ticked all her numerous and particular boxes and so she asked me to write a book, with all the exact ingredients just for her. Though not just a book for teens, she enjoyed the resulting tale so much that she shared it with her friends and I eventually published A Perfect Summer as an ebook on amazon.
But I have discovered that writing is not easily stopped once you start. It has turned into a grand passion that I just cannot hold back. The fingertips start tapping the keys and ideas suddenly come flooding, far too many for just one book and so I began another and then another. Nine books later I am still nowhere near done. Book ten is on its way and only just the other night I woke from a wild and wonderful dream with book eleven fully formed in my head.
Romance will always be my first love but recently I was so influenced by a tiny polished plaque on a sea wall that I gave paranormal romance a try. (Echo Beach) Mixing the two genres was a real challenge for me but I was delighted with the result. Historical romance is going to be my next genre. All those fabulously titled and passionate men are impossibly hard to resist.
All of my books are Easy Reading Romance, intended only to while away a few hours with some light entertainment.
They are not meant to teach you anything or to stay with you for years after reading. Please do not read or review them if you are expecting anything deeper or more meaningful.
I hope you enjoy all of my efforts and I look forward to your comments and reviews.
My wonderful parents brought me up with a huge love of books. We read anything and everything. Bedtime stories were a treasured time of adventure and mystery. My sister and I sat wide eyed in wonder and to this day I worry about Dinah and Dorinda being pricked with pins because they grew so fat, and I never pull faces at the a waning moon (or was it a waxing one?) just in case my chops stay that way . (The Wind On The Moon)
I began reading romance while still at school. The fuel for many a teenage fantasy leapt from between the covers of wildly romantic books and my passion still lingers now for all those dark haired heroes.
My own beautiful teenage daughter persuaded me to write my first romance. She was only fourteen at the time and between books for children and adults. She couldn’t find anything that ticked all her numerous and particular boxes and so she asked me to write a book, with all the exact ingredients just for her. Though not just a book for teens, she enjoyed the resulting tale so much that she shared it with her friends and I eventually published A Perfect Summer as an ebook on amazon.
But I have discovered that writing is not easily stopped once you start. It has turned into a grand passion that I just cannot hold back. The fingertips start tapping the keys and ideas suddenly come flooding, far too many for just one book and so I began another and then another. Nine books later I am still nowhere near done. Book ten is on its way and only just the other night I woke from a wild and wonderful dream with book eleven fully formed in my head.
Romance will always be my first love but recently I was so influenced by a tiny polished plaque on a sea wall that I gave paranormal romance a try. (Echo Beach) Mixing the two genres was a real challenge for me but I was delighted with the result. Historical romance is going to be my next genre. All those fabulously titled and passionate men are impossibly hard to resist.
All of my books are Easy Reading Romance, intended only to while away a few hours with some light entertainment.
They are not meant to teach you anything or to stay with you for years after reading. Please do not read or review them if you are expecting anything deeper or more meaningful.
I hope you enjoy all of my efforts and I look forward to your comments and reviews.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
April 25, 2015
Sequel to Running Scarred; we find ourselves back at the chateau in France, meeting the characters five years onwards. Forever Scarred applies to the H, but the h likes him just the way he is. No magic wand to make his facial disfigurements disappear before the end of the book.
She has huge problem with her boss, who is a most despicable character -even worse than Ellen's (ex-)boyfriend in Running Scarred.
H's group of friends come to the rescue in the nick of time, and so we get to know a lot of other characters just waiting to get their own story in the Scarred series. Jackie Williams, please keep them coming!
She has huge problem with her boss, who is a most despicable character -even worse than Ellen's (ex-)boyfriend in Running Scarred.
H's group of friends come to the rescue in the nick of time, and so we get to know a lot of other characters just waiting to get their own story in the Scarred series. Jackie Williams, please keep them coming!
September 7, 2014
I just finished Forever Scarred and absolutely adored it. As with an especially delectable meal, I didn’t want it to be over, which is my litmus test for a truly entertaining read. In addition to protagonists Joe and Lucy, budding lovers I now consider my friends, the novel is peopled with strong, likable characters who are too bold and interesting themselves to be termed peripheral. Author Jackie Williams’ has an eye for detail, and she lets us intimately see her world in all its romantic splendor and angst.
January 20, 2015
I really couldn't finish this book. I think that the author completely slipped away from the main plot that was supposed to be about Joe and Lucy, by writing too much and in details about a "team building course". Not only it was completely boring but it also stole promising romance between characters. No wonder that Lucy and Joe had a quick sex (it was actually hilarious! They both felt asleep in the same bed and "accidently" Joe f.. her!
December 9, 2018
I've loved this series from the beginning and this next installment is just as good if not better than the others. War heroes, broken, and scarred - these men endure the hardships of PTSD, seeking love and acceptance, and the ridicule and ignorance of those who don't understand or try to understand the trauma involved with injuries sustained during combat and active service. I truly commend the author for her insight and beautifully written words that tug on the heartstrings.
Book 3 is about Joe and Lucy and their budding romance. It skips ahead a few years and I loved to see the progression of Patrick and Ellen's story as well as David and Geraldine. A wonderful read that had me rooting for the good guys and hoping the blackmailing boss got what was coming to him. I think this one was my favorite so far.
A perfect 5 star read for fans of romance and military stories. On to book 4!
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Word Building: 5/5
Story Flow: 5/5
Picky Bitches OVERALL SCORE: 5/5
August 10, 2016
"Forever Scarred" by Jackie Williams is simply smashing. The book concerns a very serious and important issue: The life of physically scarred people and how we and they live with their challenging looks.
Within the first few pages I was hooked and drawn into the mindset of
Joey, an ex-service man whose face has been disfigured by a bomb. His thoughts about surgery and his future were eye opening and give a lot more food for thought than I would have expected.
The storyline could almost become secondary to this pressing and well handled central issue. It involves a group of ex-service men, a country retreat and amongst other things a very complicated love situation.
Williams however has packed in a lot more into this book than the topic of scars. The plot and the writing are perfect to work out the many aspects of the central theme and the well chosen characters show how much more there can be, must be and is to life.
A gripping story that stayed with me long after I have finished reading it; a great achievement and a highly recommendable work.
Within the first few pages I was hooked and drawn into the mindset of
Joey, an ex-service man whose face has been disfigured by a bomb. His thoughts about surgery and his future were eye opening and give a lot more food for thought than I would have expected.
The storyline could almost become secondary to this pressing and well handled central issue. It involves a group of ex-service men, a country retreat and amongst other things a very complicated love situation.
Williams however has packed in a lot more into this book than the topic of scars. The plot and the writing are perfect to work out the many aspects of the central theme and the well chosen characters show how much more there can be, must be and is to life.
A gripping story that stayed with me long after I have finished reading it; a great achievement and a highly recommendable work.
Read
August 30, 2015This one just didn't grab me. I really do enjoy a Beauty and the Beast story line but they do need to have something about the characters to make them special. This one just did not pull me in quickly enough. The insta- lust was a bit corny and it sounded a little bit too sappy and cliche and I am just not in the mood for that at the moment.
October 28, 2013
Not bad, but needs editing.
October 26, 2014
I've enjoyed this entire series!
December 31, 2017
Good story line, scarred hero, spunky heroine - check, check, check...BUT for some reason I just could not get into this story. DNF @ 27%.
September 21, 2017
The world sees only the scars on the man’s face, but when she looks into his eyes, she sees only her world.
Joe has finally decided that he has had enough. No more plastic surgery. No more dreaming about a wife and family. It is time to face up to the fact that no one in their right mind would fall in love with someone like him. And if by some small chance a woman did show an interest, he feared it would only be because she felt sorry for him.
Lucy's life is falling apart. Blackmailed by her boss and with crippling debts, Lucy is balancing on the edge of bankruptcy. When her boss demands that she arrived a day early to the French Chataue for a team building exercise, she expects to be met with hostility by the staff, but instead she meets Joe, and her heart is suddenly beating a little too fast. There is something about this scarred ex-soldier that draws her in. But with her life about to fall apart, she has no right to start a relationship.
I am so LOVING this series. But I I particularly LOVE Joe's story. Forever Scarred (Scarred #3) by Jackie Williams is one of those books where you really need a couple of hours, a warm blanket, a cup of hot chocolate and absolutely no interruptions. Talk about a compelling page-turner.
I adored the characterisation of Joe. He is, on the face of it, a very confident man, but because of how he now looks he is incredibly self-conscious. The way people act when they first meet him is heartbreaking. It was no wonder he distrusts Lucy when she appears to not take any notice of his scarred face. Likewise, Lucy is very well portrayed. She is caught between a rock and a hard place, but she is determined to shoulder her troubles alone. The last thing she wants to do is drag Joe into the disaster of her life.
Forever Scarred is certainly my favourite book in the series thus far. The romance, the pain, and the evil antagonist, all made for a very enjoyable read. This book is certainly on my to read again list!
I Highly Recommend.
Joe has finally decided that he has had enough. No more plastic surgery. No more dreaming about a wife and family. It is time to face up to the fact that no one in their right mind would fall in love with someone like him. And if by some small chance a woman did show an interest, he feared it would only be because she felt sorry for him.
Lucy's life is falling apart. Blackmailed by her boss and with crippling debts, Lucy is balancing on the edge of bankruptcy. When her boss demands that she arrived a day early to the French Chataue for a team building exercise, she expects to be met with hostility by the staff, but instead she meets Joe, and her heart is suddenly beating a little too fast. There is something about this scarred ex-soldier that draws her in. But with her life about to fall apart, she has no right to start a relationship.
I am so LOVING this series. But I I particularly LOVE Joe's story. Forever Scarred (Scarred #3) by Jackie Williams is one of those books where you really need a couple of hours, a warm blanket, a cup of hot chocolate and absolutely no interruptions. Talk about a compelling page-turner.
I adored the characterisation of Joe. He is, on the face of it, a very confident man, but because of how he now looks he is incredibly self-conscious. The way people act when they first meet him is heartbreaking. It was no wonder he distrusts Lucy when she appears to not take any notice of his scarred face. Likewise, Lucy is very well portrayed. She is caught between a rock and a hard place, but she is determined to shoulder her troubles alone. The last thing she wants to do is drag Joe into the disaster of her life.
Forever Scarred is certainly my favourite book in the series thus far. The romance, the pain, and the evil antagonist, all made for a very enjoyable read. This book is certainly on my to read again list!
I Highly Recommend.
October 2, 2015
Lovely read, just like the other books in this series. I like the two MCs and the other characters. The basic storyline is similar to the previous books but that doesn't matter because I still wanted to know how the MCs get back together. And this time it was simply hilarious! I love that bunch of battered ex-army guys (and woman).
Like with the previous books: The only downside is all the missing commas (and there are hundreds of them missing, not just a dozen or two!) and the misspelled and redundant words. Give the manuscript to a bunch of friends for proof-reading before it's being published and the problem is to 99% solved. English is not my first language but this really annoyed me. It interrupts the flow of the story.
Like with the previous books: The only downside is all the missing commas (and there are hundreds of them missing, not just a dozen or two!) and the misspelled and redundant words. Give the manuscript to a bunch of friends for proof-reading before it's being published and the problem is to 99% solved. English is not my first language but this really annoyed me. It interrupts the flow of the story.
February 7, 2014
I was fortunate enough to read the first in this series, Running Scarred and really enjoyed it. It was with great anticipation that I began reading Forever Scarred, and I must say it was well worth the wait. The character of Joe was beautifully written and it was good to be reunited with the original team in the chateau. The story's nastier characters were so well written it was as if I knew them and could picture them in my mind very clearly. The book was a true page turner in the sense that it set a cracking reading pace, and I had to find out how everything would end up for all involved. JW does it again.. Brilliant.
March 3, 2017
Waste of time...
May 2, 2019
After reading “Running Scarred” I was delighted to find out that there’s a sequel to this story and of course I just had to pick it up because I wanted to reconnect with characters that I enjoyed reading about so much. What I love the most about this particular series is that Ms. Williams doesn’t shy away from difficult subjects such as PTSD and physical trauma that soldiers have to live with; also, she paints her characters not as some invincible and unrealistic heroes but as real and multidimensional people who you would love to meet in real life.
In “Forever Scarred” we return back to the château which is now smoothly run by the veterans and their wives, only now the plot revolves around Joe - a badly injured vet, and Lucy - Carter Freeman’s secretary trapped in quite a difficult situation. As Freeman’s team arrives at the château, there’s no denying the mutual attraction between Joe and Lucy; however, her arrogant boss may have plans of his own on her account.
It was a pleasure to get reacquainted with already familiar characters and fall in love with the new ones. My heart went out to Lucy and her predicament and I couldn’t be happier at how the situation with Freeman was dealt with at the end. Authentic and steamy in all the right places, spiced with humor and some action, this romance will be a perfect choice for all fans of the genre. Looking forward to reading more books in the series!
In “Forever Scarred” we return back to the château which is now smoothly run by the veterans and their wives, only now the plot revolves around Joe - a badly injured vet, and Lucy - Carter Freeman’s secretary trapped in quite a difficult situation. As Freeman’s team arrives at the château, there’s no denying the mutual attraction between Joe and Lucy; however, her arrogant boss may have plans of his own on her account.
It was a pleasure to get reacquainted with already familiar characters and fall in love with the new ones. My heart went out to Lucy and her predicament and I couldn’t be happier at how the situation with Freeman was dealt with at the end. Authentic and steamy in all the right places, spiced with humor and some action, this romance will be a perfect choice for all fans of the genre. Looking forward to reading more books in the series!
September 7, 2018
Williams surprised me with this one--at first I thought I really wasn't going to like Lucy. There were a few moments that made me think she was going to be a weak, damsel-in-distress-looking-for-her-prince (and I'm not one to forgive weak female characters). At one point I even found myself miffed that Joe was so inexplicably attracted to her. But as the story unfolds, Lucy stands up and very clearly says she's not looking for a man to save her.
I disagree with the reviews that judge this for being a poor retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Williams's first book in this series is very much B&TB, and it captures the charm and spirit of the classic. This story is something different. The focus is much more on the camaraderie between the characters we already know and love and developing those relationships alongside the Joe/Lucy romance.
Geraldine and Gemma shine out in this.
I disagree with the reviews that judge this for being a poor retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Williams's first book in this series is very much B&TB, and it captures the charm and spirit of the classic. This story is something different. The focus is much more on the camaraderie between the characters we already know and love and developing those relationships alongside the Joe/Lucy romance.
Geraldine and Gemma shine out in this.
September 24, 2018
This was a second read of the novel for me and I am shelving it as a to read again still. I love military scared and/or disabled hero romance stories. This is by far one of the tops for me in this genre. I usually like a bit more hell yeah sex but the heat more than compensates the lack of erotica. I swear the storyline and the major and minor MC's will have you binge reading the whole series.
July 11, 2018
Perfectly written! It's always a pleasure reading one of Jackie's military books. I believe this one is my favorite by far. I loved Joe and Lucy's story extremely.
October 26, 2020
Definitely will read more from this author! Loved the premise of this book!
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews