The story starts with Emma Cooper losing her family home after the death of her mother. Her mother's dying wish is to have her remains scattered on a Texas river by herself and an acquaintance of her mother's, Emma has yet to meet, and that leads her to a real adventure of a road trip and learns a truth she hadn't expected.
Aiden Sheffield has had a difficult past, he was a marine, he's now a MMA fighter and he works with dogs, rescuing them. When Emma shows up with her request, his past comes back with a rush, and Emma is part and parcel to his sad tale.
Written in duel POV, the story unfolds with emotional drama's that had me misty eyed right from the start, moving, fun times as their friendship grew and developed into passionate love scenes and gruesome encounters as tense suspenseful horrors unfolded. I loved this book, extremely entertaining. I highly recommend it!

If you want all the feels, read this book. Wow, so freaking good. I was not at all ready for the emotional rollercoaster that was Aiden and Emma. I loved the intensity between them from the moment they met. I couldn't help but cry for Aiden. I loved that Emma made him face the hard things he had been through but was there to heal him at the same time. They're both such strong characters and they complimented each other beautifully. This story is so complex and real. It's gritty and heart-warming but extremely sexy. I absolutely loved this book.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

***5 ‘In Between Moments’ Stars***

My whole reason, not WHOLE, but the main reason I took a closer look at The Scars Between Us was the cover, I loved/love the look and tone of it and then I read the description. That was the hook. I needed to find out what the deal with Linx, Texas was and the little mystery of how Emma’s mom knows Aiden and from the first page I was hooked. I did the “I’m just gonna peek at it” Peek...yeah. I ended up reading about 5 or 6 chapters. This book had it all for me: Characters I cared about, moments that brought out all kinds of feels and a nice little mystery that kept me turning the pages until the very end.

I adored Emma. This woman has been dealt so many emotional gut punches in a short span of time that it’s a miracle she hasn’t just curled up in a corner and shut the world out. This isn’t to say that she has a handle on everything, because she isn’t, but she hasn’t allowed her grief to consume her. I loved her strength, determination, sass and compassion.

Aiden. It was hard not to love and then adore Aiden. He’s curt, something of an a&%hole and definitely gives off a ‘don’t come near me’ vibe, but much of it has to do with his past, which was quite heartbreaking. But under all of that is a man with a gentle, genuine and compassionate heart and soul with a slightly quirky sense of humor and takes protecting those he calls his own very seriously.

I really enjoyed watching their relationship evolve from strangers to sort of friends to lovers. There were the ups and downs, but for the most part the angst was low and the way everything played out felt natural. As much as I loved Aiden, and believe me there is a lot to love about the gruff man, Emma took center stage for me because she was full of surprises and really brought out the man that Aiden was always meant to be without realizing it. The smexy was hot, but it was watching as they got to know each other and became more intertwined on an emotional level that really did it for me.

This is my first book by M.K. Schiller and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The writing was engaging, the book flowed well and at a good pace and the dual 1st person POV was excellent. The twists and turns throughout the book were done very well, some I saw coming, while others were total surprises, so it was a good mix. There are things in this book that will be triggers for some, but they are handled well and are necessary to the storyline and character development. The secondary characters were all well written. I loved Mac and I’m keeping my toes crossed that Carson may get his own book in the future. But regardless, I’ll be keeping an eye on Ms. Schiller and what books she’ll be putting out in the future.

when emma meets aiden in the scars between us everything changes. her plans. her feelings. her expectations. because she was imagining she'd meet some old, spurned lover. but instead, this guy is in his twenties. and he's not happy to see her. but she promised her mother she'd ask him to release her mother's ashes at the river in linx, texas. and you can't go back on someone's dying wish.

emma isn't what aiden expects at all. they are connected in ways that emma has no idea about, and aiden hesitates to tell her because he figures it would do her no good to know the truth. he's survived a childhood filled with trauma and torture and then joined the marines and saw things that reaffirmed his sense that the world is filled with dark, unpleasant things.

but now they are on this road trip that will take him back to the place where all the pain in his life began and he knows that he has to find a way to protect emma from it. he'll do anything for her. he'll die for her. incredible that meeting her would bring light back into his world. but she's an optimist at heart, even when she's lost everything in her world, she still expects things to get better. there's no way he'd ever shatter those illusions.

and what's amazing in this romance is that it doesn't matter. secrets like the one's aiden is trying to keep never stay buried. eventually he has to tell her everything and turn her world upside down. but even in those moments, these two never let go of each other. the connection between them only gets stronger as the walls come down. because they may have not spent much time together, but they still know who the other person is down to their bones. their need for each other, to love and protect and save each other will keep them going. i loved it. i loved their relationship. i loved how there wasn't a big blow up or grand gesture required to prove their love.

what they go through is bigger than that. it's horrifying and devastating and deeply traumatizing. but it's about how they survive. it's about how they find a way to love each other. it's about healing and moving on from the past. it's emotional and oh-so-beautiful to find something to hope for after so much pain.

4.5 stars!

This is my first read by this author, and I am so glad I picked this book up! The blurb intrigued me, and I am happy to say that the story was everything that I was hoping for and more. A raw and emotional character-driven story that is both deeply profound and so much fun, with the different aspects balanced perfectly to create a read that had me laughing, swooning and falling in love, at the same time breaking my heart with its dark and gritty drama. It was a wonderfully immersive story, and I loved it!

After tragically losing both of her parents in the space of a year, 20-year-old Emma Cooper is carrying out her mother’s last wishes by seeking out a man named Aiden Sheffield, and travelling with him to the small town of Linx in Texas to scatter her ashes. She has no idea who Aiden is or how he is linked to her mother, but she is determined to keep the promise she made. When she travels to Oregon to find Aiden, he is far from what she was expecting. She assumed he would be a past love of his mother’s, but instead he turns out to be a handsome young man that instantly sets Emma’s heart racing. But far from being welcoming, he is a broody asshole who appears to want nothing to do with her.

Aidan is the hot-guy-romance-hero trifecta – he’s an ex-SEAL, an MMA fighter, and he runs a dog shelter (*swoon*). So from that alone we know he’s tough and strong with a heart of gold. His attraction to Emma is as immediate as hers is for him, but he resents her coming into his carefully constructed life and reminding of a past he has worked so hard to overcome. But he shares some of his past with her, and after she ends up staying at his ranch with him for a few days and he spends some time with her, he knows there is no way that he can allow her to return to the town that almost destroyed him, so he agrees to go with her.

His smile is sad. “You've been carrying it for a long time, Emma. Let someone else carry it for a while.”


Road trip! I freaking love road trip books! There is something about the experiences of travelling, and the intensity of two people being together all day every day that creates a wonderful set up for a romance. Add in the ridiculous chemistry that sizzles between Emma and Aiden, and the stage is set for some awesome fireworks!

I absolutely loved the relationship between these two. Yes, there is darkness and drama, but there is also a fantastic sense of fun, and the teasing, flirting and banter is sensational!

“Do you really think I’d risk my lovelies being strewn all over the internet?”
“Well, no. Wait what do you mean by lovelies?”
The pretty blush crawls across her collarbone. “Shut up. Don’t make fun of my euphemism.”
“You can say a word like euphemism, but not vagina.”
She makes a disgusted face. “It’s an ugly word.”
But it’s such a beautiful thing.
“I prefer to call my stuff lovelies. The bottom line is my lovelies are for my own private enjoyment not public consumption.”
I nod slowly. “Uh huh. How about you replay that sentence in your head again, Cooper.”
“What I said…” She face palms herself. “Shit, it makes me sound like I masturbate a lot.”
“Yeah, it does, but there’s nothing wrong with it. It’s nice we have so much in common.”


The story is written in dual POV so we get to see where both of them are at, and I loved the opportunity to get inside of their heads – experiencing the light and the not-so-light moments right along with them.

I buy us hot dogs and try not to watch Emma eat hers. I’m must full of great ideas these days. Yeah, buy her some phallic food and dare your dick not to jump. What a fun game this is. In fact, why stop here? I’m sure she could go for a banana or, better yet, a Popsicle. Shit, what the hell is wrong with me?

I don’t want to care for her. I want to be indifferent, pretend she does not affect me in any way, but she makes it impossible…because she affects me in every way.


The emotion between them builds quickly but realistically, and I could feel each little shift in their relationship, and I loved every fun, sexy moment of it! From reluctant allies to friends to lovers, their open acceptance of each other, and of all that happens between them, is absolutely beautiful to read.

“There is nothing in the world that can make me forget you. There is no ignoring what I’m feeling. There is no letting you go.”


But their road trip is leading them down a dark path, and as they slowly fall for each other, Aiden starts to open up about his past and all that he has been through, and it is absolutely heartwrenching. This book has some incredibly dark themes and it’s not always an easy read. It’s graphic and disturbing, and there are definitely some triggers to be aware of (physical and emotional abuse of both children and adults), but it’s written with heart and emotion, and it really allows you to understand all that Aiden has been through and how much he has overcome. My heart ached for him, and it made him all the more incredible for being able to open himself up to Emma so completely.

Cut me a break, Emma. I’m in new territory with no map or compass. Give me a second to find my way to you...please.


And that darkness that haunts Aiden so deeply becomes all too real as they reach their destination. Will they be strong enough to face the horrors of the past head-on, or will it destroy them and all that they have managed to build together?

I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. “Don’t let me lose you.”
“You won’t.”


I loved this book. It’s a heart-pounding ride, and the blend of dark drama and sweet, fun, chemistry-filled, sexy romance is really well done. Emma and Aiden are wonderful characters, and their journey – both literal and figurative – is beautifully written. My heart ached for them and all that they went through, and I feel like I experienced it all alongside them as they deal with the past, experience the present, and move towards their future.

I wasn’t ready to let these characters go, but the book ends in a great place, and I finished this book with a huge grin on my face.

Absolutely beautiful – 4.5 stars.

A deeply emotional story of two people who have a deeper connection than they realize at first glance. In fact, Emma has no idea why her mother wanted her to include Aiden when she spread her mother's ashes or why they had to spread them in Texas.
The scars that are revealed are both literal and metaphorical. Aiden has multiple visible scars, while Emma has internal, emotional scars. The journey these two go on while discovering not only themselves, but each other, as well, is poignant.
Can two people who never met and have a shared connection find a way to build a future together? Or, will the scars of the past keep them apart?
The Scars Between Us delves into the topics of abuse, family and trust. I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest, voluntary review.

Thank you to the Publisher and the author for allowing me to read THE SCARS BETWEEN US via NetGalley.

THE SCARS BETWEEN US touched me in ways I least expected. I wrestled with a myriad of emotions while reading this book. At first blush, the beginning bothered me - I struggled with the way Emma spoke with her mother and the manner in which things came to light. But then, I turned a page. And another. Suddenly, the whip-smart dialogue and the way Emma and Aiden came together held my interest. Sometimes you come across a person and without a shred of doubt, the world just stops and divides into before and after meeting this person. I knew about three-fourths of the way through the story that there had to be more layers to their journey than the insta-attraction between Emma and Aiden. I suspected a deep secret lurked below the surface, and I felt compelled to read more even though I worried about what I'd find. There was a twist, and then there was another. Holy moly - I wasn't sure I could go on reading. But, I reveled in the strength of Emma and Aiden and just like them, I faced down my fear of what would happen next.

THE SCARS BETWEEN US isn't just another new adult love story or a story about traveling across the country to fulfill a sworn duty. It's a journey full of both wonder and pain; but more than that, it's a story about forgiveness. So much so, that in the very end, your heart swells with hope. Highly recommend.

This is my first read by Ms. Schiller and I really wasn’t sure what I was getting into with it, but I thought it sounded a bit mysterious, so I decided to give it a shot. Unfortunately, I was really bored with most of the book, to the point where I had to force myself to keep reading it.

I had a hard time connecting with the characters overall, which wasn’t helped by the alternating point of view. I got confused about who was speaking more often than not! I did get a good connection out of the animal rescue scenes more than any other part of the book, which I don’t think was the author’s intention! Emma seemed more like a high school student, than a former college one, so I kept having to remind myself of her situation. Aiden’s mystery just didn’t captivate me like it should have.

All things considered, I’m not that impressed by the author’s work and will likely avoid it in the future.

M.K. Schillers latest release is about forgiveness, the kind that changes everything and shapes you into someone new. It's heartbreaking, but hopeful, a book that will put a smile on your face right after you wipe the tears away. Told from the perspective of main characters Emma and Aiden, The Scars Between Us is a complex story that features a well-developed story line and engaging dialogue. It does focuses heavily on some serious subject matter, including emotional and physical abuse, and some readers might find that Schiller's descriptive writing could be a trigger. I found myself aching alongside the characters as their past hurts weighed heavily on them, as they pushed through a sad trip that took them into a life one never wanted to revisit and one never could have imagined.

"His smile is sad. 'You've been carrying it for a long time, Emma. Let someone else carry it for a while.'"

The Scars Between Us was such a fantastic read, it was character driven, and Emma and Aiden have some significant development as the novel progresses. I really enjoyed that the events of the book didn't carry the story, but rather how the character reacted to those events did. Oftentimes a book has just too much going on, but each time a bit of Aiden's past was revealed Schiller focused on how he overcame it, how he used it moving forward, and how Emma had to process it to truly understand how the events affected her life without her even knowing it. Emma's attitude about her mom's true past felt so accurate, though I have never been in a similar situation the writing gave me a sense of what it might have been like. Aiden, on the other hand, is so kind and giving, despite his prior struggles. His wisdom about life is based on a life no child should ever have, yet he makes it through and fights each day to be better. Emma and Aiden's connection is unusual, he's so much more than just the guy her mom asked her to take along when she scattered her ashes. The twists this novel takes, the ugly truths it reveals, only make the book that much more beautiful. As the two face the past they find comfort in each other and they find that trusting another with their story can open the door to love.

"What I want is him. He knows it. I hate him for it."

The events that unfold in the novel are hard to read, they're ugly and raw, things we don't want to imagine, and M.K. Schiller makes these overwhelming scenes come to life. I loved being in the moment, even though it broke my heart to read it. I did find, however, that some of the overly descriptive writing was also a negative. Some of the adult nature of the book was a detriment to the overall story. While the characters are adult, the story feels more coming-of-age than adult, contemporary romance and the smut scenes did feel like a bit too much. Overall though, it is a read that won't leave me anytime soon, I felt like it lived it too.

"It's time to forget the broken roads of the past, and look toward the bright horizon line.
I should know better.
i learned a long time ago, you can't outrun darkness."

The Scars Between Us is my first M.K. Schiller novel, but it won't be my last. It was well-developed and held my interest from start to finish. Contemporary romance fans will love this thought-provoking release about love, loss, and life.

Gahhhhh. I'm trying to catch my breath and sound coherent at the same time. This book was amazing!! So so fantastic. It had humour, passion, love, a broody alpha male (THAT WAS EVERYTHING), a sassy heroine that took all the names while she handed you your ass and SO MANY SECRETS. Lord. The revelations in this book will blow your mind until the very end. It is honestly one of the best books I have read this year because at all times my heart was racing, my nerves were on edge or I had a smile on my face from ear to ear. It was such an incredibly emotional and poignant book that I had to take deep breaths at some points to continue. I could not get enough! 

When Emma Cooper decided to go on a roadtrip to fulfill her mother’s dying wish to scatter her ashes with Aiden Sheffield in Linx, Texas, she never knew it would change her life. She had no idea who this damaged and broody stranger was or the connection he had to her Mother but already on edge and grieving from losing both her parents, she was hellbent on finding out. But what happens when she learns that the secrets and torments from this young Marine's past and his connection to her mother will undoubtedly crush her and change everything?

I absolutely loved this novel! While not being a light read by any means, this novel was filled to the brim with light hearted moments that had me laughing out loud many times. It perfectly balanced the heavy and intense moments with witty, sarcastic and fun back and forth banter. I absolutely fell in love with Emma and Aiden and never wanted their story to end! It was so emotionally captivating that it completely won me over. I felt like I was on a magical journey of two people falling in love, coming to terms with the past and discovering shocking revelations that refused to stay in the dark. All in all this was a breathtaking read as I quite literally am still taking deep breaths upon finishing this book! I know it will stay with me for a long time. Bravo! 4.5 stars! ~Ratula

I would like to thank Entangled Publishing for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review!

Holy cow! I cannot tell you how awesome this book is. Definitely a must read! This is my second book by this author. With as much as I enjoyed Eight Days in the Sun, I knew I would like this one. But let me tell you, it by far surpassed my expectations.

This is one of those stories that you think you know how things are going to go, then they don’t, then they do again, then you’re making so many faces and so much noise while reading that your spouse asks you if you’re okay. The answer I gave…NO! Don’t worry, it’s not so intense through the whole book. Well, it is but in different ways.

The push/pull Aiden and Emma have within themselves with each other is written so brilliantly. I could feel what they were feeling. My gut was in knots one minute and full of butterflies the next. Ms. Schiller is a magician with words and I truly appreciate her talent.

There is really not much more that I can say without giving away a plot point. With this book, I think it’s best if you unfold every little detail for yourself. I didn’t want to put this one down and would have sat curled on my couch and read it straight through if I had my way. So be ready with some tissues and time before you dig in, but definitely dig in.

My first read by this author and it was by no means an easy one. The book starts with Emma trying to fulfill her mother's last wishes, her ashes to be sprinkled in the lake in Linx, TX. After her mother dies she also finds the name and address of someone her mother told her she needed to go see and ask for forgiveness in her pain medicated induced haze. After her mothers death Emma loses it all. House, no job, packs up the pick up and begrudgly sets off to find the mystery man Aiden, who she entertains her mother having an affair with.
That's not what she finds when she gets to Oregon, she's greeted by Mac, an older man who runs to dog rescue and at first Emma is confused, mistaking him for Aiden. When Aiden does appear, Em just about drops her teeth, he's been out for a run with his dogs, who are his "pack" not unlike his SEAL team. He's rude, belligerent and downright nasty to Em. A SEAL and an MMA fighter, who fights for something to do... and runs the dog rescue. Em rolls with the punches here and Aiden can dish them out. And when he finds out who she is..... puts a whole new spin on things.
She explains to him that she's going to TX and his response is he's rather go to Hell, but she asks him to go with, was what her mother wanted. There's no way he's going back. Until he gets a phone call from his one and only friend still there and he can't in good conscience send Emma there alone. Knowing what awaits her.
This book had so many twists and turns. I did like the way Emma handled Aiden and seemed to draw him out of his permanent state of anger and resentment. Yet there's always an undercurrent there and Aiden isn't exactly forthcoming with her either. I skimmed through the sex. It wasn't necessary to the story and a bit overdone and the dialogue made me choke a little...sounded like, never mind.
When the proverbial hits the fan when they get to Texas, he does tell her a little about his childhood.
Still omitting a great deal and the abuse was appalling as was the violence. Especially with no warning. For people with triggers, they need to be aware that this book does contain serious child abuse as well as violence which also extends to Emma. I'm not sure it needs large warnings, I just think a note to the reader that there is the explicit history and present day as well.
I gave it a 4 because I liked the beginning and the character development to an extent. This one is a tough review for me. I'm on the fence and it's a place I don't like to be as a reviewer.

**arc from NetGalley and Entangled in exchange for a fair review**

Fantastic!! A book that once you start reading it you will not want to put it down. (There may have been snarling when hubby interrupted me!) I adored Aiden! Who doesn't love a gruff MMA fighting former marine? His transformation throughout the story is a thing of beauty and as you learn about the events of his life your heart can't help but beat a little faster. Then there's Emma. Oh how I love Emma. She's a little broken, a lot lost, but determined to push through and really start living again. With these amazing characters and a fantastic story this is a book for everyone's must read list. I highly recommend it.

This story is about two people that have each have a past. If you want to go on a journey with two people that go on a journey themselves, then this book is the book for you. You will love these two stories merging and the surprises that are along the way. There is an air of suspense that I wasn't expecting but it did surprise me quite a bit. This was a great read!

The Scars Between Us, MK Schiller

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: New Adult, Romance

The only book I'd read by this author was Where the lotus flowers grow, and I loved that so was eager to read this. But for me it was..well, a good story but not one I could connect with.

There's lots of questions around who is who, how they connect, what happened in the past, but very few answers.
I found the story really hard to get into, although on the surface it has all the elements that attract me. Somehow I just couln't understand of feel for Emma or Aiden. I liked them but that's about it, and all the hints and mysteries about their pasts I found irritating, annoying instead of tantalising, and some of the dialogue was cheesy, kind of forced feeling. 

The drama at the end when all the secrets come out is good, but even then there were parts I found myself rolling my eyes at - thinking "really? The whole town???"
Its like the author had a good idea but had to milk it to the fullest, and to me that makes it feel just false and overdone. Sometimes Less if More ;-)

Still, that's just my view, and I can see others love this story, that's its really resonated, impacted them.
That's the way it goes, everyone want's different things so while this was a fail for me you may love it. 

Stars: Two, a god, well written novel but it just didn't engage me. You may feel otherwise. 

ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers

I loved the voice in this book. It was perfect. Sometimes I'm not into alternating view points, but this was well done. I couldn't put the book down, wanting to find out how Emma would find out what Aidan knew about her mother. I didn't see the twist of who each of their biological fathers were! The kidnapping at the end feels a little out of place compared to the rest of the story, but it certainly took care of any loose ends with Emma/Aidan's father.

DNF at 25%

I just could not get into this book. This is my first read (well, sorta) by Schiller and it came highly recommended by a friend but I was really bored. And when I wasn't bored I was cringing at some of the cheese dialogue.

It's an intriguing plot -- rescue dogs and an MMA fighter and the woman that finds herself connected to him in a surprising turn of events after the loss of her mother -- but between the writing on the wall RE Emma's boyfriend and the total vagueness of this mysterious evil mystery is in the town they're journeying to in order to spread Emma's mother's ashes.. I just didn't care.

I may try this later when I'm not suffering from total book antipathy but for now it's going in the DNF pile.

Title: The Scars Between Us
Author: MK Schiller
Publisher: Entangled Publishing: Embrace
Release Date: July 17, 2017
Rating: 4/5
*Received a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The fact that I liked this book so much as nothing to do with the main heroine sharing my name (well, maybe a little). From the first chapter this story drew me in and I was hooked until the final page. The characters kept off the page and their interactions were fantastic, the dialog was on point, and the emotion felt real. I loved the characterization going on and how so many dogs were in this story. I was never bored and the novel was so engaging. Toward the end, for me personally, the story became a little convoluted but I still really enjoyed the ending. If you're looking for a fantastic NA contemporary, look no further than The Scars Between Us.

Aiden doesn't ask for much, “what are you making me?” he asks, his body pressing against mine , his lips against my ear. “Whatever it is, it better be a lot, ’cause I’m starving.” Aiden doesn't like neing interrupted, "...she claims me with her kiss. It’s a kiss that heals the darkness of the past and holds a promise of our future. Then someone clears their throat. I glare at the women who interrupted us..." Aiden doesn't like when his dogs get his girl's attention first, "...the dogs all jump up and down for me to pet them. “Sit,” Aiden commands. “I get the first greeting. You guys should know that by now.” They all sit. Some whine but Aiden silences them with one admonishing look. “Hi, angel. I missed you today.” I really liked this book, Aiden just needed someone to believe in him and Emma was that person.

**4-4.5 stars**
When I started this book, I knew it wasn’t going to be a light read judging by the synopsis, but it went even deeper than I thought it would. M.K. Schiller writes about hard, heartbreaking subjects in this one, but it’s also a story of hope, forgiveness and trying to heal emotional wounds; seeing that there can be goodness and love, even with all the ugliness that one can go through.

I really felt for both of Emma and Aiden. Their journey to fulfilling Emma’s mother’s dying wishes was not going to be an easy road, but along the way they found strength in each other. Emma was such a strong character and she could see the goodness in Aiden and that the wrongs of the past didn't make him like his father. Aiden may have tried to put the walls up to protect Emma at all costs from her being exposed to the ugly truths of his childhood, but she would do anything to break through those walls.

One of things I also loved about this book were the dogs. Aiden rescues dogs that have been abused and gives them a loving, safe environment and the hope of adopting them out to their forever homes. I’m a big dog lover and this really touched my heart. They were also really good for Aiden in his adult life. He was wonderful with them and it showed a lot about his character.

Add in some “OMG” moments I didn’t see coming, this book had me totally invested in it.

This is my first read of M.K. Schiller’s and I will continue to read her books in the future. This wasn’t an easy read by any means, but I am glad I read it.

Warning: This story does deal with the subject of abuse.