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Scarred #5
Scarred Survival
An alternate cover edition can be found here.
Gemma’s long awaited love story.
She’s been a civilian for two years but only now does she realize that she’s been ‘one of the boys’ for far too long. Her prosthetic arm isn’t helping with her shattered self-esteem either. Things that never bothered her before are certainly bothering her now and that’s even before the arrival of the temperamental new guest at the rehabilitation centre.
She’s there to do a job and she’s determined to succeed. She’s a survivor, a fighter, certainly not a quitter, but even she can’t understand the way her emotions ebb and flow as swiftly as the tides in the beautiful bay of Roscoff.
Aqua-eyed flight-god, Aaron Thomas is an angry man. His life has been pulled apart, turned upside down and now he’s about to have his career ripped out from under his cockpit seat. He needs to concentrate on the truth, needs to make a plan, needs to get through the next few weeks without losing his mind or his job, but he hasn’t reckoned on the delightful distraction of the stunning, dark-eyed beauty who greets him at the centre’s door.
She’s there to help these wonderful, brave men find their place in the world now that their injuries have thrown them from their intended course. When Aaron’s being his most irritable, she is still determined to help him, but even he is surprised at the lengths to which she will go when he is confronted by an exceedingly suspicious Major Patrick Reeves VC for the first time.
Throw in a mixture of determined amputees, a wax wielding beautician, an over-abundance of silk dresses and several bowls of chocolate mousse and Gemma can see her life going rapidly downhill from here on in.
Will Gemma finally let down the walls that have guarded her heart for so long? Can Aaron face the truth even if it means that he will lose the only woman he's ever wanted to be with?
Scarred Survival is book 5 in the Scarred Series. It can be read alone, but is probably best enjoyed in conjunction with the rest of the series due to previous character involvement.
All the books are easy read romance with plenty of humour, some typical army guy language and a few sensual sex scenes. All the books are suitable for ages 17 and up.
Running Scarred, Patrick’s story (book 1)
Scarred Beginnings, How it all began (Yes, this is book 2)
Forever Scarred, Joe’s chance for love (book 3)
Scarred Horizon, Will Paul ever see what stands right in front of him? (book 4)
Gemma’s long awaited love story.
She’s been a civilian for two years but only now does she realize that she’s been ‘one of the boys’ for far too long. Her prosthetic arm isn’t helping with her shattered self-esteem either. Things that never bothered her before are certainly bothering her now and that’s even before the arrival of the temperamental new guest at the rehabilitation centre.
She’s there to do a job and she’s determined to succeed. She’s a survivor, a fighter, certainly not a quitter, but even she can’t understand the way her emotions ebb and flow as swiftly as the tides in the beautiful bay of Roscoff.
Aqua-eyed flight-god, Aaron Thomas is an angry man. His life has been pulled apart, turned upside down and now he’s about to have his career ripped out from under his cockpit seat. He needs to concentrate on the truth, needs to make a plan, needs to get through the next few weeks without losing his mind or his job, but he hasn’t reckoned on the delightful distraction of the stunning, dark-eyed beauty who greets him at the centre’s door.
She’s there to help these wonderful, brave men find their place in the world now that their injuries have thrown them from their intended course. When Aaron’s being his most irritable, she is still determined to help him, but even he is surprised at the lengths to which she will go when he is confronted by an exceedingly suspicious Major Patrick Reeves VC for the first time.
Throw in a mixture of determined amputees, a wax wielding beautician, an over-abundance of silk dresses and several bowls of chocolate mousse and Gemma can see her life going rapidly downhill from here on in.
Will Gemma finally let down the walls that have guarded her heart for so long? Can Aaron face the truth even if it means that he will lose the only woman he's ever wanted to be with?
Scarred Survival is book 5 in the Scarred Series. It can be read alone, but is probably best enjoyed in conjunction with the rest of the series due to previous character involvement.
All the books are easy read romance with plenty of humour, some typical army guy language and a few sensual sex scenes. All the books are suitable for ages 17 and up.
Running Scarred, Patrick’s story (book 1)
Scarred Beginnings, How it all began (Yes, this is book 2)
Forever Scarred, Joe’s chance for love (book 3)
Scarred Horizon, Will Paul ever see what stands right in front of him? (book 4)
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 5, 2015
13 people are currently reading
71 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 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 23, 2019
“Scarred Survival” is the fifth book in the series, to which I grew immensely attached. This time we get to “meet” Gemma, a veteran who lost her arm in a tragic helicopter accident and is now working in the chateau with the rest of the team. I honestly couldn’t be happier with the choice of the protagonist as it helped the readers better understand what women have to go through while they recover from their trauma and PTSD. Understandably, Gemma’s PTSD included the fear of flying and everything connected to helicopters, so when an injured helicopter pilot Aaron appears in the chateau, she struggles with mixed signals her brain is sending. Instant attraction but lack of trust can be enough to deal with, but when one of the veterans suspects that Aaron is not who he says he is, Gemma decides to get to the bottom of Aaron’s story before things get too serious between them.
I loved the intrigue surrounding the events of the past which happened to connect Gemma and Aaron in such an unexpected twist of fate. I was rooting for both but at the same time but couldn’t help questioning myself, much like Gemma did, whether to trust Aaron or not. A final couple of chapters were incredibly intense and I applaud the author for her ability to always make me want to turn the pages faster. Another wonderful book in the series, which I highly recommend to all fans of the military romance genre.
I loved the intrigue surrounding the events of the past which happened to connect Gemma and Aaron in such an unexpected twist of fate. I was rooting for both but at the same time but couldn’t help questioning myself, much like Gemma did, whether to trust Aaron or not. A final couple of chapters were incredibly intense and I applaud the author for her ability to always make me want to turn the pages faster. Another wonderful book in the series, which I highly recommend to all fans of the military romance genre.
March 11, 2015
Gemma and Aaron's story doesn't take place at Ellen’s château but instead at the rehabilitation centre run by Paul and Amy. I was worried that I would miss the seclusion and beauty of the other place, but I found the new facility and the bay of Roscoff to be just as lovely and wonderful. It kept intact the same welcoming, accepting and positive atmosphere as the château I had grown to love in the previous books. The change of locale was brilliant and really added to the depth and richness of the story.
I have adored each and every book in the Scarred Series, but I have especially enjoyed Scarred Survival. Gemma is an incredible character. Although all of these soldiers have moved me and stolen my heart, the circumstances surrounding her injuries were extremely potent. Why? Because it takes a special inner strength to accept and cope with a life-altering, traumatic injury that could have been prevented. When you literally lose a part of yourself because you were in the wrong place at the wrong time, on the wrong helicopter with the wrong pilot, that's a hard pill to swallow. But not only did she accept her circumstances and cope gracefully with her injury, she spends her time and energy trying to help other scarred soldiers on the path to their recovery and new beginnings.
The most amazing part of the story is the romance that develops between Aaron and Gemma. Given how she sustained her injury and her distrust of pilots, it was a stroke of ironic genius for the author to put these two together. As always, Jackie Williams has woven a rich tapestry of heart-felt, soul-moving romance. She has created another memorable story of healing and second chances while managing to pepper it throughout with the key ingredient of humor. I highly recommend Scarred Survival. And, if you’ve not read the previous books in the series, do yourself a favor and download them all. Each one is a romantic treasure that’s sure to leave you feeling happy, satisfied and inspired.
I have adored each and every book in the Scarred Series, but I have especially enjoyed Scarred Survival. Gemma is an incredible character. Although all of these soldiers have moved me and stolen my heart, the circumstances surrounding her injuries were extremely potent. Why? Because it takes a special inner strength to accept and cope with a life-altering, traumatic injury that could have been prevented. When you literally lose a part of yourself because you were in the wrong place at the wrong time, on the wrong helicopter with the wrong pilot, that's a hard pill to swallow. But not only did she accept her circumstances and cope gracefully with her injury, she spends her time and energy trying to help other scarred soldiers on the path to their recovery and new beginnings.
The most amazing part of the story is the romance that develops between Aaron and Gemma. Given how she sustained her injury and her distrust of pilots, it was a stroke of ironic genius for the author to put these two together. As always, Jackie Williams has woven a rich tapestry of heart-felt, soul-moving romance. She has created another memorable story of healing and second chances while managing to pepper it throughout with the key ingredient of humor. I highly recommend Scarred Survival. And, if you’ve not read the previous books in the series, do yourself a favor and download them all. Each one is a romantic treasure that’s sure to leave you feeling happy, satisfied and inspired.
February 13, 2017
Far too wordy
It's far too wordy, the conversations don't seem real because of this. In the middle of a crisis situation it seemed wrong that the characters would give a detailed explanation of something fairly trivial. A ruthless editing would vastly improve the book.
The story was still good and I do enjoy this series, but it needs some additional editing.
It's far too wordy, the conversations don't seem real because of this. In the middle of a crisis situation it seemed wrong that the characters would give a detailed explanation of something fairly trivial. A ruthless editing would vastly improve the book.
The story was still good and I do enjoy this series, but it needs some additional editing.
April 25, 2015
Catching up with the characters from the previous books was great, and Gemma and Aaron had their own interesting story.
Unfortunately this book had more than a handful of typos, which is unusual for Jackie Williams' books. For that would give it 3.5 stars.
Unfortunately this book had more than a handful of typos, which is unusual for Jackie Williams' books. For that would give it 3.5 stars.
September 18, 2018
This is not where I pictured the a series that began with an updated take on Beauty and the Beast going. And I couldn't be happier. The bones of each individual story are familiar now - take a wounded vet, add a love interest (with varying levels of patience) that sees past the scarring--yadda, yadda, yadda--a happy ending at the magical chateau/rehab complex. What continues to stand out is the development of the relationships outside of the central romance plot. At this point, I think I'm reading more for the serial development of the world and plot at large than the individual love stories (though the ongoing love stories are an added bonus).
The obstacle in Gemma and Aaron's way is a doozy--it's one that's easy to see coming as soon as they have their first conversation and the tension of knowing what Gemma doesn't know underlies every interaction they have. Take two characters with quick flare tempers and completely opposing views on helicopters, add a cooking competition and stowaways in need of a daring rescue, and pass me the popcorn.
The obstacle in Gemma and Aaron's way is a doozy--it's one that's easy to see coming as soon as they have their first conversation and the tension of knowing what Gemma doesn't know underlies every interaction they have. Take two characters with quick flare tempers and completely opposing views on helicopters, add a cooking competition and stowaways in need of a daring rescue, and pass me the popcorn.
September 4, 2018
Wow. I really liked this one. Gemma has been one of the boys for far long that she's forgotten pieces of herself and how to be a lady sort to speak. That's unlit a handsome man, a pilot, Arron, needs rehab. Or does he? The two characters have great chemistry together. The plot thickens when emails start coming about and David's son thinks he older than nine. (love those tots!) Will Gem get her HEA? Of course!
This was a wonderful addition to the series, heartwarming and written tastefully.
This was a wonderful addition to the series, heartwarming and written tastefully.
August 9, 2020
3.5 stars
Currently reading
July 8, 2018Five books through I cannot stop reading (listening). Wonderful characters and storyline. The author has captivated me (even with the lack of a must for me ... detailed sex), the intimate moments are so well written that my own imagination whirls with the unwritten text.
About the 75 percent mark, there is a bit with the men getting hair wax removal, very funny!
Cheers
About the 75 percent mark, there is a bit with the men getting hair wax removal, very funny!
Cheers
February 19, 2019
I love this series and I was excited to finally read Gemma's story. She's been one of the guys far too long and since the devastating accident that stole her arm and a bit of her self-esteem, she's been floundering and trying to get by. Enter Aaron Thomas - the sexy good-looking flight jockey with an attitude and too many skeletons in his overflowing closet. Their chemistry is hot and off the charts but both have a lot to overcome.
One of the things I LOVE about this series and author is her ability to transport the reader into the mind of her characters - flaws and all. You feel their emotions, experience their trauma, live through their fears, and overcome their hurdles. The resulting love stories and romance are heart warming, steamy, and aren't rushed. Williams takes her time building her characters and world with an expertise that few writers master.
These military stories will touch your heart while delivering exciting, intriguing plots too. Excellent book from an excellent author. Highly recommended!
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Word Building: 5/5
Story Flow: 5/5
Picky Bitches OVERALL SCORE: 5/5
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews