Scarred by Love by C.A. Harms

Riley thought she was in love. She thought she found the perfect guy until his aggressive behavior became too much to handle and she ran.
Becoming withdrew from the world and hiding from the chance of loving again. Having four older brothers and a determined best friend she had no choice but to stand strong.
Over time Riley was able to open up once again. She had no idea that the one person she needed was right under her nose.
She was guarded and hesitant when it came to bad boys...after all it was a bad boy that shattered her once before.
Zander wanted the girl from the party. He wanted to be near her even though she continued to push him away. He couldn’t let go of the gorgeous girl with those stormy eyes.

They both had secrets they kept hidden from one another. They found it easier to talk to others than to confide in each other. Riley begins to realize Zander isn't who she thought he was and falling for the sexy voiced Lead Singer/Guitar player may be just what she needs.

They struggle through hard times and learn to trust again. But will the love that grows be enough to hold them together or will the heartache they suffer drive a wedge between them forever.
They could be toxic to one another or they could heal the wounds that run deep within their souls.

THIS BOOK COTAINS ADULT CONTENT AND IS MEANT FOR MATURE AUDIENCES

Riley met Parker and had what she thought was a great relationship, till his drinking made him become aggressive.  After a few slaps, insults and shoves, his abuse took a turn for the worse.  Battered and bloody she made her escape from his house to her brother Carson’s place.  That is when big brother took over and made sure Parker never bothered Riley again. 

After taking a break from school Riley picked up the pieces and moved in with her best friend Kate.  She started college again and met Grant.  Not feeling the spark she stayed with him for a little while because he was safe she thought.  Zander, the tough guy, had his sights on Riley.  Z was the kind of guy that Riley would normally go for yet she wasn’t sure after her last situation. She was careful with him but she felt deep in her heart there was something about him. 

As the story goes on we find that Zander and Grant have a connection, it isn’t a good one.  Zander was raised by his single mother who recently passed away.  His father decided it was time for him to step in to be a dad but Zander was livid about it.  With the anger that he felt towards his father and that family, he took it out on Riley verbally. This was a constant battle for them because she refused to ever be in an abusive relationship again, but Zander didn’t know her past.  Zander was clearly a man who was trying to figure things out, how to have a relationship when he had never witnessed a healthy one.  He was forced to let go of the past with him mom, while the present with his dad was invading every part of his world.  Getting on his bike and going at high speeds, being reckless was his only therapy until he found Riley.  All he wanted was to love her, but would his kind of love be acceptable to her with her fear of picking the wrong guy again?

I love how the author wrote Riley, she could have been a victim throughout the whole book but she wasn’t, she was a survivor who learned a hard lesson and refused to go down that road again.  I fell in love with Zander.  His best friend Beth I could have done without but then I understood their loyalty to each other.  Carson and Kate were hilarious together.  I always laughed when Riley would worry about what she was going to find when she opened the front door.  I really enjoyed this book, it wasn’t a long read, I didn’t feel a great deal of intensity, but true to C.A Harms writing style she gave ups characters that we could invest in and care about.  We had strong people who never quit, trying to find their way in life with determination and humor at times.