I don’t care about your scars . I see peace in your eyes, and it makes me feel happy.
RJ Scott
The Gardener and the Marine
Format:
ebook
Publisher’s Synopsis:
Harrison is alone and hurting with his memories gone, but Toby shows him that love can heal even the most broken of hearts.
After losing his entire team in a roadside bomb, Harrison is left with a traumatic brain injury, a broken body, and scars on his heart that might never heal. Staying at the Ellery Mountain Veterans Center is the first step in healing, but short-term memories evade him, and the only thing he trusts is the love of Barney, his support dog.
Until he meets Toby.
Toby lands the chance of a lifetime, using his horticultural skills to aid in working with veterans during their physical and mental recovery. Meeting Harrison on his first day goes badly, but there is something between them that could be more than just friendship.
With time, it could even become love.
Point of view:
3rd person. Alternating by chapter between Harrison & Toby’s perspectives.
Rellim’s Thoughts:
Note: I read through this series during a time I was incredibly ill. Unfortunately my reviews are quite lacking. Please do not view this as an indicator that I didn’t enjoy the books or would hesitate to recommend them. I truly enjoyed the entire series and consistently appreciate Scott’s writing.
I really enjoyed this one. Possibly my favorite of the series. Scott handled TBI with a great deal of respect – Harrison’s experiences were so real, heartbreaking, and understandable. I enjoyed that she made Toby understanding and caring without becoming a martyr.
Toby & Harrison’s relationship evolves slowly and it was such a treat to watch it bloom. I like that there was no miracle cure or instantaneous perfection. While Harrison did heal quite a bit – things will never be “normal” for him. I cried a few times sharing in the frustration and setbacks. However, I absolutely believed in Harrison & Toby’s HEA.
I’ve loved binging this series. The only problem is that now I have to wait until next year for Adrian & JC’s story, The Soldier and the Bodyguard. (it can be read as a weekly serial for Scott’s newsletter subscribers – but I prefer not to be “book edged” that way and will wait til the full book is released.)
About the author:
RJ is the author of the over one hundred novels and discovered romance in books at a very young age. She realized that if there wasn’t romance on the page, she could create it in her head, and is a lifelong writer.
She lives and works out of her home in the beautiful English countryside, spends her spare time reading, watching films, and enjoying time with her family.
The last time she had a week’s break from writing she didn’t like it one little bit and has yet to meet a bottle of wine she couldn’t defeat.
You can connect with RJ Scott here:
My Favorite Quotes
The last time I’d been this nervous, I was five and about to step out as sheep number one in the Ellery Elementary Christmas Nativity play. – The Gardener and the Marine by @Rjscott_author #SmallTown #Romance #ElleryMountain #MM
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Toby. Toby. Toby. I will remember his name. Because it was suddenly the most vital thing I had to do. – The Gardener and the Marine by @Rjscott_author #SmallTown #Romance #ElleryMountain #MM
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I don’t care about your scars. I see peace in your eyes, and it makes me feel happy. – The Gardener and the Marine by @Rjscott_author #SmallTown #Romance #ElleryMountain #MM
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Rellim Reads 