Christy's Reviews > Wounded

This book blew me away! I cannot stop thinking about it! Hunter and Rania’s story touched my heart. I absolutely loved this book!

In the middle of a war zone, love blossoms.
Hunter is an injured American Marine who speaks no Arabic.
Rania is an Iraqi prostitute who doesn’t speak English.
An unlikely romance sparks between two people from two totally different worlds. They meet by chance and fall in love.



Rania has lost her entire family to the war. Her parents, uncle, aunt... all dead. She has even lost her little brother, Hassan to war when he chooses to become an Iraqi soldier. She is all alone in life. And starving to death. Determined to survive, 14 year old Rania stumbles into a group of Iraqi soldiers. She sees a man, Maliki, with food. She begs him for some, she hasn’t eaten in over a week. He gives her some food, but he expects payment. Rania learns that nothing in this world is free. She is a 14 year old virgin who is forced to have sex with a drunken Maliki for her food. After it is over, he gives her enough money and food to last her a while. She feels violated. Disgusting. She hates what she did. The food and money last her a little over a month, but she is in the same position. Hungry and desperate. She goes back to Maliki, who now sober feels remorseful for what he did. He helps Rania set up and abandoned house, providing her with electricity and running water. Next to an old Mosque to entertain clients. She has looked everywhere for work. She has no other choice.
”I am a whore.” 
“Yes, I suppose you are. There are worse things to be.” 
“Like what?” 
“A soldier. A killer. It is worse to be dead too.”

Although Maliki feels bad for what he has done, he helps Rania by sending her clients, men and soldiers that will pay to have sex with her. Its the only thing she can do to stay alive. She tells them her name is Sabah.

Rania... she is no more. She did not die, she just does not exist anymore. I am Sabah now. Sabah is strong. Sabah knows what men like and how to give it to them.

Ten years later, and Rania is no more. There is only Sabah doing the same thing. Sex for money, just trying to survive. That is until she meets Hunter Lee.

This is who I pictured as Hunter while reading...


Hunter is a marine who is home from active duty. Hunter doesn’t have any family. His parents died when he was a teen and he only has his best friend Derek and his girlfriend Lani. After a few days at home and some suspicious behavior, Hunter finds out his girlfriend has been cheating. Hunter and Lori break up, and he and Derek return to Iraq.

Rania is out and about when an ambush happens in the streets. People are shooting at each other, then she sees Hunter. She is drawn to him. There is something in his eyes that reminds her of an American photographer from her past. He is hurt badly. Before she can ever register what she’s doing, she drags him back to her home. She risks her life to hide him, feed him, and nurse him back to health.

Hunter wakes up to the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. He doesn’t know how he got with Rania, but he is grateful. He quickly figures out what Rania does for a living. He hates it, but he understands. He doesn’t judge her.
Maybe he see’s me as a woman, a person. No surely not. Why would he?
After a while, they figure out how to communicate with each other. Rania is Rania with Hunter. For the first time in a long time, she is not Sabah, but Rania. Rania is having trouble with one of her clients, he is being abusive. Hunter is too hurt to do anything about it. He wants to, but is not physically able.
He wants to protect me. He sees me hurt, and there is pain in his eyes, anger for me. He does not know me. He doesn’t not truly speak my language, nor I his.

Hunter and Rania have a connection. Hunter wants to protect Rania, he is falling for her. Rania doesn’t know how to feel. She has never had feelings for any man, besides hate and disgust. Neither know what to do with their feelings. Both know it will only be a matter of time before they are caught, or Hunter is strong enough to go, and then what?

Wounded is by far the best book I have read this year! It is real and intense. It is not a ‘light’ read, but it is fantastic!

Hunter is wonderful. He is protective of Rania in a good way. Even though he is a tough marine, he is tender with Rania and patient with her. He never pressured her, and always made her feel comfortable. He never saw her as Sabah the whore. To him, she was just Rania. He showed Rania that love does exist, and sex can be more than just sex.
”Some things are free, Rania. My love for you is free. All you have to do is take it. Accept it.”

Rania’s story broke my heart. She was one of the strongest heroines I have ever read about. She was truly resilient. No matter what life threw at her, she was a survivor. She had a horrific life, but she was able to rise above it. In the ned, she was able to find and accept love, even in the worst circumstances.
He does not just full my body. He fills me. My heart, my soul. He fills the horrible emptiness that has gaped inside of me all my life.

This was not an easy read- It had a lot of hard topics, it was a heavy read... but its was so worth it. It captivated me from the beginning. I loved the dual pov’s from Rania and Hunter. The writing just flowed. The story was emotional and beautiful. I was really shocked with how hot it was. I wasn’t expecting the steamy hot scenes, but after the first half of the book- wow!

This was a beautiful story with beautiful characters. You will fall in love with Hunter and Rania. I was sad, happy, devastated and moved while reading this. The story was heartwarming and heartbreaking. The ending was perfection.

A MUST READ!!!!!

“I will always love you. You saved me, Rania.”
“No, you saved me.”
“We saved each other, then.”