Review: Written in Scars by Thom Collins

Title: Written in Scars

Author: Thom Collins

Length: 68 Pages

Category: Contemporary

At a Glance: There were a few stumbling blocks but they didn’t take away from this story. As always, I am entertained by Mr. Collins’ novellas and look forward to more.

Reviewed By: Maryann

Blurb: Pain fades but the scars remain.

When Logan Crawford, a former war correspondent turned best-selling author, appears on TV to promote his latest thriller, he is knocked out by his fellow guest, Sam Radcliffe. Logan’s travels around the world have opened his eyes to many things, but nothing as attractive as the man he meets that night. Sam was the victim of a vicious stabbing in his youth and is now an active campaigner against knife crime and violence. He is perfect in every way but one: the wedding band he wears. That’s a complication Logan doesn’t need.

Sam’s life is far from happy. His husband is addicted to hard-drugs and casual sex: a devastating combination. Johan was once the shining light in Sam’s life. Now he brings nothing but darkness. But Sam respects the vows they made. For better or for worse. The attraction Logan feels for him is mutual. Ruggedly handsome and engagingly smart, Logan is hard to resist. Sam will need to overcome the anguish of his past and barriers of his present if he’s to stand a chance with Logan.

Review: Logan Crawford, at the age of thirty-nine, is confident, charismatic, and a successful author. At one time, he was also a journalist and war correspondent. He isn’t much of a city boy, and he has left the partying behind for the solitude of a country setting. But he does miss human companionship. Hunter, his cat, is lacking in that area.

Luckily, Logan has an interview to promote his new novel on North-East Tonight, in the area of London he calls home. While waiting backstage to go on, he meets a young man by the name of Sam Radcliffe. Sam explains to Logan that he’s there for a cause, knife amnesty, as he’s taken aback about how knifing incidents have plagued London. Logan is also shocked that he was unaware of Sam’s tragic story. Logan finds a certain magnetism in Sam, and can’t stop thinking about him, but a wedding band stands in Logan’s way. Sam is trying to hold up to a commitment he made to his husband, Johan Teague.

Because this is a short novella, and the blurb details much of the story, I’ll not add much more. The story is focused on how Logan, Sam, and even Johan, look at the importance of commitment. Each character also has to make choices in order to better their life, or not. The story is well written, intriguing, has passion and drama, and addresses mental abuse through some tense moments between Sam and Johan.

I’ve read many of Mr. Collins’ books, but Written in Scars is somewhat different as it deals with serious issues. There were a few stumbling blocks but they didn’t take away from this story. What I found really interesting was the Meet the Author back matter. It answers a lot of facts about Thom Collins and where he got the idea for this novella. As always, I am entertained by Mr. Collins’ novellas and look forward to more.

You can buy Written in Scars here:
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