When it comes to dark romances, I’m all for anything. Using fictional novels to escape the real world is something I tend to do on a daily basis. Romance happens to be one of my favorite genres; however, a lot of it has become the same and feels repetitive. One of my favorite authors is Emily McIntyre, who’s known for writing romances with slow burns and questionable morals. That is exactly what “Scarred” by McIntyre gives through and through.
Beginning with an unusual twist, the female protagonist, Sara, is marrying King Micheal Faasa to ultimately kill him and get revenge for the death of her father. This takes an interesting turn when Trisan Faasa, the prince, is introduced into the book. Tristan is actively trying to overthrow his own brother for the crown; although, neither Tristan nor Sara knows what the other is up to.
This book took me about a week to get through, which is extremely impressive for a slow reader like myself. The beginning is a bit of a stretch to get through, but when you get to past the world building and character introductions, it ultimately feels like crack. Quite literally, “Scarred” felt like I was addicted to reading.
The twists and turns within the thick of the novel are absolutely to die for. Not to mention, McIntyre’s writing style is something that I can never get over. She is one author who has such a way with words: detailed, beautiful and meaningful all at the same time. The combination of the storyline between the main characters, as well as what’s happening underneath that, makes this book even more enjoyable.
Before “Scarred,” I had actually fallen into quite the reading slump. Somehow and some way, McIntyre pulled me out of it immediately. There’s nothing better than a slow burn, dark romance to get you through the thick and thin of everything that life has to offer, and “Scarred” was just what I needed.
Something else that I really enjoyed about the book is the beginning and end. Before you even start reading, McIntyre includes a list of possible triggers. I think this is extremely beneficial for dark romances, because you never quite know what to expect. The end of the book contains various attributes of each character, making the reader feel as if they know them on a personal level.
All in all, if you’re someone who is into dark romances, in a reading slump or just needing some time away from life for a few moments, “Scarred” is a great choice for exactly that. Overall, I would give this book a 4 out of 5 for the amazing storyline, well-developed characters and the guaranteed feeling of not putting your book down.