Review: Beauty is so much more than skin deep
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 02 12, 2014
Scarred Beautiful is a sweet story about how physical and mental scars define a person's life until s/he meets someone who is willing to look beyond the scars - beyond the surface and see what is truly inside - the beauty of it all - the sunshine - the little spark.Fran's mental and physical scars are due to her father's abuse when she was a child, and while her father is no longer a factor in her life, the trauma of those experiences still hold Fran a prisoner in her own skin. But Fran's wounds run deeper than just her father - she has also lost someone who saw past those scars and made sure she understood that there was nothing wrong with her. The memories of those events as well as her insecurities has forced her to "play it safe" for far too long. One week in Los Angeles helps her to break free from her old self and form a connection with a man who sees all of her beauty like no one ever has before.Matt's scars, while not apparent on his body, are just as significant as Fran's. Matt has suffered tremendous loss, and it has turned him into a man whose need for control and order defines every part of his life. Fran forces him to "live" for the first time and now that he knows what it's like to feel again, he refuses to let that feeling go, which means he has to do whatever he can to prove to Fran that all he sees his beauty when he looks at her."'Your day may have marked your body in horrible, unthinkable ways, but your soul, Fran, your soul is intact, and it's beautiful.'""'I don't see your scars when I look at you. I only see your heart.'"Scarred Beautiful is such a heartwarming story. Fran and Matt heal each other's scars and teach one another that defining moments can be filled with love and passion, not just ugliness and loss. Fran deserves a happily ever after, and thanks to Matt's relentless pursuit and drive to get Fran to open up and show him her true self, her tragic life becomes so much more than beautiful. I really enjoyed Fran and Matt's story; their witty banter and off the charts chemistry make it an entertaining story, and the duel POVs allow readers to understand the depth of the pain as well as the love they both feel. Peyton and Caleb are also great additions to the story...perhaps, they'll get their own story???Thank you, Beth Michele, for showing that beauty is so much more than skin deep.Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for an honest review.4 poison apples (The Fairest of All Book Reviews)