Review: Sweepingly romantic tale
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 16, 2014
"Running Scarred" by Jackie Williams is a modern-day turn on Beauty and the Beast. It even takes place in the forests of France in an imposing chateau located close to a quaint village. Ellen, the flawlessly beautiful heroine (both inside and out) wants to turn the old chateau into a resort of sorts for severely wounded (scarred) war veterans, chief among them her brother David. She has inherited a gazillion dollars to do this with. She sets about the task with a headstrong and undeterred will. But her nefarious and vain former boyfriend schemes to make her fortune his. Enter Patrick (the beast) a dreadfully disfigured war hero who owns the cottage behind the chateau and simply wants to live there alone and in peace. He's not looking for love - until he rescues a lost Ellen one dark night in the woods. She sees only the purity of his heart beneath the scars. From this foundation the story spins into an entertaining and romantic battle of wills and ambitions with twists and turns that keep pages turning late into the night. Ellen is guided by her heart more than anything else, making this a sweepingly romantic novel, something Ms. Williams makes no apology for in her narrative. It is a story told with bold conviction and who can ask for more in a book? Highly recommended.