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.

MK Schiller is a new author to me and one I am definitely interested in reading more from.  This story follows Emma, as she carries out her journey to scatter her mother’s ashes in Texas, with a complete stranger, Aiden.  The Scars Between Us is a well told story rich in character chemistry and a story line that pulls you in to the lives of both characters.  Have your tissues ready as it will take you on an emotional ride.  You will “live” and learn their lives through the bearing of their scars, stories and pains.  You will also follow along with healing of those scars and wounds through forgiveness and of course love.  This story is truly one that will stay with you long after the last page….I know it will for me.  
**I received a copy from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review**

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.

A road trip and a dark journey into the past
3.5 stars
Only by the end of the book do we grasp the whole meaning and implications of this beautiful title. MK Schiller tells a story about past scars, hurt and violence, counterpointing it with a solid present trust and the unwavering bonds between hero and heroine. But Aiden and Amy’s stories are just so sad.
I really liked both main characters (Aiden and Emma) and the way the romance developed, how they built a consistent relationship between them; what separated them was related to past events and baggage and wasn’t the usual artifices and misunderstandings in New Adult fiction.
I loved how this “wildly beautiful” hero is so strong when he could be just the standard broken and damaged/wounded hero. I loved that he's protective and romantic (singing Gordon Lightfoot’s “If You Could Read my Mind” to Emma), and how he’s so sweet with her, buying her nail polish and candy only because she’s upset.
I also liked that this is also a story about people and dogs, and a road trip, where we get to see a little of the places Aiden and Emma travel through, and, above all, a dark journey into the past. 
Having said this, I thought that the succession of facts revealed in the last part of the book, dramatic that they are, make for a bit convoluted plot with some far-fetched dimensions. The evil character is too evil and his reappearance and power seem too “Deus-ex-machina” for my taste.
I really didn’t care much for the sex scenes. And the use of the “f…” word was overdone, if its use was intended to be realistic, then I could do without it.

I enjoyed reading this story, it was like a mixture between romance, mystery and drama with a bit of a twist at the end. While there were cliché elements such as, hot guy with troubled past and semi-innocent girl who changes him for the better, I still felt glued to the pages. Part of the reason is that Aiden and Emma's connected past is revealed more and more as the story goes along and the mystery of it kept me interested. 

The development between the two characters in the beginning was a good pace too, because it gave me the chance to care about them. Especially the dog rescuing part. It really catapults you into liking the characters and seeing beyond the walls they were both holding up for one another. The attraction between Aiden and Emma was always there too, but it didn't officially take off till about halfway through the book. I liked that because even though it was an instant attraction, there was a build-up to them actually taking action. On the other hand, that's the one part where I had an issue with the story. 

Once the relationship does become sexual, the love scenes felt more gratuitous than necessary. Perhaps because leading up to it, the story and character development was thoughtful and emotional so the detailed love scenes just felt cheap. From the beginning I just didn't get the vibe that it was that kind of story, so the detail felt out of the blue. A scene change with mild sexual description seemed like a better fit.

Overall the push and pull of Emma and Aiden's relationship was a good balance and they really did bring out the best in one another. They both learned how to forgive and move on from a very troublesome past. I wish the story could have gone on longer because I grew just a wee bit attached to them and wanted to read more about their lives. I will definitely keep it on my Kindle bookshelf.

4.5 Stars

Wow! This story was so much more than I was expecting. Both Emma and Aiden have heart-breaking stories. Emma was the girl who grew up in the ideal family with loving parents who stove to give her a safe and happy environment. Still, she has experienced her share of pain. Aiden's upbringing was hell on earth and he carries some serious baggage around with him, preferring to surround himself with animals rather than people in adulthood. His demons are not dead, and in order to put them to eternal rest, Emma is going to suffer through a journey in hell with Aiden.

The author does an excellent job of slowly letting us into the minds and hearts of Aiden and Emma while dropping in bits and pieces of backstory through dream sequences. There are definitely scars between the two protagonists, both physical and emotional. Every new detail is more shocking than the last. I did NOT see the black moment coming and felt both Emma's and Aiden's pain. Just wow!

Overall, I loved Emma and Aiden's journey. The relationship developed at a reasonable pace and we got a lot of deep POV with both characters. But honestly, this is more Aiden's story than Emma's. He is so broken and it's wonderful to see how Emma helps him put himself together again. 

A couple of the scenes didn't work for me, and these two characters were more mature than a typical new adult story. At one point Emma acted in a way that felt completely at odds with her personality. Unfortunately that pulled me right out of the story at a critical point. But the author brought the story back on track quickly for me. The ending was truly beautiful and satisfying.

I highly recommend this book. Thank you to the publisher and author for a complimentary copy on NetGalley in exchange for my voluntary and honest review.

loved this book.

Such potential and tru pain on the pages, sadly I the style of writing just didn't capture the emotions as much as I would of liked.

Wow! And, Wow! again. There is so much to this book that I was engrossed by page one. Just the magnitude of the burden of information one character, Aiden, knows and carries is tremendous. And, you never know when he is going to drop another bomb. 
Emma is mourning the death of her mother who has requested Emma find Aiden. This is the first time Emma has ever heard of Aiden and armed with an address, tracks him down in Oregon at a dog sanctuary. He is not what Emma thought he would be. Instead of being a man her mother’s age, Aiden is not much older than she and very intimidating. Her mission is to tell him about her mother’s passing and then to travel to Texas to release her ashes. Again, Emma has no clue as to why Texas.
Things in Emma’s life are not the best and mainly up in the air. She reluctantly agrees to allow Aiden to travel with her and an adventure plus relationship begins. If you don’t like steamy scenes, try to pass over them as the story itself is so worthwhile.

I am reeling from this book, and probably will be for days. The realistically flawed characters, riveting storyline, and numerous secrets make this book difficult to put down. I devoured every single word. Despite the dark undercurrents, the book still had plenty of light and hope, which thankfully won out in the end. As a dog lover and rescuer, I absolutely loved that part of the story and felt that it added so much because I know how healing the love of a pet can be. I adored Aiden and was so glad that he and Emma found their HEA. This is the first book I've read by this author; I look forward to reading more!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️What An Unexpected Gem
New to MK Schiller, I wasn't sure what to expect, what I got was another author in my life to fangirl over.  What a truly inspirational read. The story follows Emma Cooper shortly after her world has been turned upside down following the death of her mother and the loss of her family home.  Fulfilling her mother's dying wish to scatter her ashes on a river in Texas with a complete stranger, she goes on the road trip of all road trips.  A road trip that will change her life forever.  Aiden Sheffield didn't have a good upbringing in any sense of the word, but with a stint in the marines and his current job working with dogs, he's found his lot in life. However, his life takes an unexpected turn when Emma walks into it bringing his tumultuous past right back with her.  A story of tragedy, love, loss and determination.  Beautifully written in dual POV, we follow their tormented journey to the place that started it all.  With some gruelling scenes, some super sexy scenes and some emotional scenes this book had me gripped rom the very first chapter, and oh, what an explosive end.  I sure hope there aren't too many towns like Linx, I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy, evil does exist, and it lives in Linx.  A sexy, heartwarming, highly emotional read.  I loved it.
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was exactly the book I needed right now! Having been in a bit of a book slump for a few weeks, I was beginning to wonder if I would have another book to add to my Favorite Books of 2017 list, and I am happy to report that this gem is now on that list. It had everything that I love in a story - a scarred hero, a courageous heroine, cute dogs, and a love that surpassed all obstacles thrown in its path. Inspiring and heart-wrenching, it made me believe that while time may not heal all wounds, perhaps true love can.

Emma Cooper is homeless, broke, and in mourning. Following her mother's wishes, she sets out on a road trip to find a man named Aiden Sheffield, who is to accompany her to Linx, Texas to spread her mother's ashes. She expects to find suave casanova who her mother fell in love with years ago, but what she finds instead is a young veteran with scars inside and out, who throws up shields to keep others at a distance. His gruff demeanor doesn't phase Emma, especially when she sees how he treats the dogs with affection at the rescue where he works. Setting out on a reluctant journey to mark the end of her mother's time on this earth, they find something they didn't see coming: a love that will bring them full circle to face their pasts and build a future together.

While both Emma and Aiden created a story that will stick with me for a long time, Aiden was really the star of this book. His emotional journey brought up so many emotions in myself, as I sorted through which emotions were my own remembering of past hurts and which emotions were brought about through my empathy with Aiden. I wanted to climb right into the book and beat the crap out of his father, and eventually, I wanted to scream at Emma's mother for her part in Aiden's pain. I am a huge dog lover, having volunteered at several rescues over the years and grown up with dogs, and I can tell you - dogs are excellent judges of character. As soon as I saw how Aiden interacted with his "pack", I knew this would be a hero against which all future heroes would be measured. Here is a man who, despite all odds, managed to come out of trauma swinging and still have a heart. Emma was a beautiful soul, inside and out, who saw Aiden's true self buried beneath his scars. Once she was able to draw him out with patient compassion and humor, it was amazing to see his character blossom. 

This is the first book I have read by this author, and it most certainly will not be the last. M.K. Schiller is a gifted storyteller with an insight into the human soul not often seen in modern literature. I would recommend this book highly to any one of my friends or family. It teaches great lessons of healing, love, and compassion.