The Scars I Bare

Oh my gawd!!! I absolutely loved this book!!! It quite literally caused my heart to hurt and my gut to churn before flinging me up and away in the most amazing freefall of emotions. Dean lost his arm three years ago in a ferryboat explosion. During the long and painful days of recovery, he found Cora to be a bright spot of color and hope. Now he’s struggling daily to find some reason as to the purpose of his life. He is rambling throughout his days without any clear destination. The locals consider him a hero but he knows the truth. He is quite broken and there will never be any coming back from that fact. Cora has finally left her previous life behind her and is moving to Ocracoke, a small island in the outer banks. Years ago a patient shared stories of the island and when the time came for her to make the decision to move her daughter and herself away from Virginia, it was this idyllic place that she chose. She is broken in spirit despite the front she puts on for her child. When these two meet again things get…awkward. Each of them must deal with their own emotional and physical scars even as they yearn for more. Trust does not come easily to either of them but they slowly begin to build a relationship that has the potential to be the stuff of dreams. I adored both Cora and Dean. Dean’s pain is felt in every word of his journal entries even as Cora’s blog masks her own pain and lies. They each must face their pasts, despite their fears, in order to find healing and ultimately a forever kind of love. The actions of doing so was immensely moving and gut wrenching as they both take a step forward and then two steps back before finally leaping into the future. Lizzie, Cora’s daughter, was quite a character. Not your typical 4/5 year old. She is quite literally a genius and adds depth to the story that most child characters are unable to accomplish. I loved her sheer honesty in spite of her scary intelligence. This was a well written story that never bogged down. Filled with exemplary secondary characters, angst from mostly inner turmoil, a smattering of humor, a slow burn relationship and the most perfect HEA, this is definitely worth checking out.

This is the second book I have read by J.L. Berg and with The Scars I Bare, she did not disappoint. I have become quite a fan with her books. The emotional side of this book was on point. The main character Dean has so much to overcome, and what he feels I felt all the way to my bones. I could never imagine the monsters he had to face against himself. He broke me and at the end healed me with this story! Argh, have you ever read an emotional book that you had to take a break for a day to gather your bearings? This book did that for me. When Cora and Lizzie show up, I knew they were the missing pieces that Dean needed to become complete. Cora and Dean are complicated in their own ways. They have scars that you can never see completely. At the same time, I felt that these characters did it for each other. Lizzie was my favorite little girl with a lot to say! The Scars I Bare is not only one of my favorites on my list, but a definite must read!

Wow! This was my first book by Ms. Berg and what a book to start!!!! From the very first page of the Prologue, I was enthralled! Dean (yes, he has been added to my growing list of BBF’s) is such a strong man. He has endured so much pain, I was silently cheering for him in my head. Cora.....she is a very determined and strong woman to rise about the scars she bares to make a better life for her and her daughter. The title, The Scars I Bare, is a perfect description of the story of Dean and Cora. I have since one-clicked the first book and a book from another series by the author. I would recommend this book ❤️. Reviewed by: Dana D.