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.

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.

**I received a copy of The Scars Between Us from Net Galley in exchange for a voluntary and honest review**

The Scars Between Us by MK Schiller is a wonderful story of forgiveness, an encompassing love that builds between Emma and Aiden but most of all completing her mother's last dying request. However, I do think that there should be a little warning as it deals with physical and emotional abuse of a child, wife and as a adult. But it's a wonderful story and I'd give it 4.8 stars.

Emma Cooper made her mother a dying promise to find Aiden Sheffield and that they both go to Linx, Texas and spread her ashes in the river. Little does she know how Aiden fits into her mother's life before marrying her father and that she will heal Aiden and his scars with her love. It's a very emotional journey from By the Falls to Texas with several surprises along the way. But will they both be able to fight the demon who hurt all of their lives and live to tell about it?

Aiden Sheffield has a rescue dog sanctuary that he runs with his friend Mac. He also is a up and coming MMA fighter who is training at the farm. When Emma shows up with mothers urn and tells him of her mom's last wishes. Will he and able to return to a place that gave him so many of his scars? He left that city after years of abuse from his father and even though he enlisted into the Marines, he's not sure why the request from her mother gave her because when she learns the truth will she be able to handle the information. There are a lot of secrets that were never told to Emma and he knows he'll do anything to save her from the monster who has made everyone's lives miserable.

Their road trip will bring them closer together than they've ever imagined but first they have to survive their visit to Linx, Texas. I loved how the ending wrapped up everything including their new found family.