BEHIND THE SCANDAL
(Reluctance #2)
by M.A. Stacie
ARC Review
Release: July 31, 2014
My rating: 4 of 5 ⭐️
After his brother and father clued in to the depth of his addiction, Taylor Reese was shipped off to his uncle's ranch, away from the temptations of the big city and the draw of his questionable friends. With issues that run deeper than his addiction, anger is the only emotion Taylor knows. But with lines firmly drawn in the sand by his family, he has no choice but to toe the line. Hard farm work helps him let off some necessary steam and he finds himself reassessing his life.
After his brother and father clued in to the depth of his addiction, Taylor Reese was shipped off to his uncle's ranch, away from the temptations of the big city and the draw of his questionable friends. With issues that run deeper than his addiction, anger is the only emotion Taylor knows. But with lines firmly drawn in the sand by his family, he has no choice but to toe the line. Hard farm work helps him let off some necessary steam and he finds himself reassessing his life.
When Libby Karlin and her young son found work on the ranch years ago, she had finally found a safe place to call home. And yet, the arrival of the angry and abbrasive Taylor did not make her feel threatened. Both Libby and her son seemed to be able to see more goodness in him than he believed he posessed. Aware of his reasons for being there, Libby starts to fall for the good but vulnerable man who emerges.
Taylor realizes there is more to Libby's own history than she has shared, but it isn't until her past catches up with her, that she finally opens up. Compelled to protect the woman who has captured his attention, Taylor has to overcome some of his own barriers to make sure nothing will ever touch her or her son. But where will that leave them?
*****
Another wonderful novel by M.A. Stacie!! And yet so very different from the first one in this series.
We met Taylor in BENEATH THE SURFACE, the story that focused on his older brother, where Taylor was justly portrayed as a flailing, spoiled and self-indulgent rich boy. All very accurate descriptions at the time. But here we get a closer look at some of the events that lead him down that path, and also a more accurate assessment of his character. Not so much self-indulgent as escaping. Rejection, neglect, hurt and lack of coping skills were a potent cocktail. Ultimately it seemed that some tough love, and some unconditional faith in him from his uncle, Libby and her son, was enough to instill some belief in himself. Not only had it been good for him to get out of the city to get away from temptation, but also to get away from low expectations and lack of faith he was instilled with daily there.
Libby has already had struggles of her own and made huge leaps of faith by herself, and she is strong enough to trust herself to make the right judgement in Taylor. Both for herself and for her son, of whom she is very protective. Her instincts serve her right, because for all the strength she shows in support of Taylor, when it comes time where she finds herself weak and on the virge of losing her faith - it is Taylor who is able to hold her together.
Beautiful emotional journey of a man who had become unrecognizable by his addiction and struggles to find his will, his identity, his strength - himself. Written with a great amount of insight and understanding by M.A. Stacie. The book is very moving, but there are also lighter times, some tense and scary moments and a variety of decidedly hot and explicit encounters.
It is possible to read BEHIND THE SCANDAL as a standalone novel, but you would miss out on some of the back story and a lot of the family dynamics. So I would highly recommend reading BENEATH THE SURFACE first.....and you won't regret reading either one!! But I'll say it again, they have a very different feel, each perfect for the brother they describe.
✨A sensitive, sobering and sexy tale of pasts catching up.✨
**Copy provided in return for an honest review.**
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