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Wounded #1
Wounded
War has taken everything from me. My family. My home. My innocence. In a country blasted by war and wracked by economic hardship, a young orphan girl like me has very few options when it comes to survival. Thus, I do what I must to live, to eat, and I try very hard to not consider the cost to my soul. My heart is empty, and my existence brutal. The one impossibility in my life is love. And then I meet HIM. ~ * ~ * ~ War is hell. It takes a chunk out of a man's very soul to do the kinds of things war demands of you. You live with fear, you live with guilt, and you live with nightmares. If you haven't been through it, there's no understanding it. War leaves no room for love, no room for tenderness or softness. You gotta be hard, closed off, and ready to fight every moment of every day. Lose focus for a split second, and you're dead. Now the only thing that can save me is HER.
270 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 16, 2012
About the author
Jasinda Wilder
144 books11.9k followersJasinda Wilder is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of more than 100 titles including the #1 Amazon bestseller Falling Into You, the Audie Award-winning (best audiobook) Alpha, and the beloved, 17-book Badd Brothers series. She and her husband Jack Wilder have sold more than 7 million copies and have been translated into more than 20 languages worldwide. You can find them at their fairy tale cottage by a lake somewhere in Michigan with their 6 kids, 5 dogs, 2 cats, 2 bunnies, and way too many ducks and chickens.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 922 reviews
April 10, 2013
Absolutely BRILLIANT book!
Wounded was a beautiful, realistic, heart-wrenching and erotic love story that took me out of my comfort zone, wrapped me up in the characters’ journey and worked its way right into my heart.
It was absolutely NOT what I was expecting on so many levels but I LOVED IT!!!!
I’m done the book but I can’t even think about moving on yet, my mind keeps drifting back to Rania and Hunter….
This book caught my attention because it just seemed so DIFFERENT from so many others I’d read. I mean, its a romance between an American soldier and an Iraqi girl from two completely different worlds, on opposite sides of a war, with no common language, meeting by chance and falling in love . Yup. It had my undivided attention to the point where I actually dropped all my other reading plans for it, and let me tell you… it was SO worth it!!
The writing style is absolutely beautiful. The vivid descriptions just instantly transport you straight into the middle of the war zone during which the story takes place. I mean, You. Are. THERE. Right there.
The author has a simple but evocative way of allowing you to see every side of the conflict, every perspective – both the cold brutality and the intense emotions resulting from it. The senselessness, the unfairness, the destruction of lives, homes and spirit.
The story is about an Iraqi girl, Rania, whose home and family were torn apart in the war. Alone, starving, and unable to support herself, she resorts to selling the only thing anyone will buy – her body. She hates it with all her heart, but its that or death and she is a survivor through and through.
Hunter is an American soldier whose heart was recently crushed by his cheating ex-girlfriend only a few days before he was deployed. Coincidence leads him to a brutal gunfight right in front of Rania where he is critically injured. Drawn to him and unable to leave him to die, she drags him back to her humble dwelling and tries to help him heal.
Oh my gosh, guys. I can’t tell you how much this book touched my heart!! Here they are in the middle of this horrible war. He’s critically wounded. She’s selling herself for money. They don’t understand a word of each other’s language. But you can’t HELP but just FEEL their connection!! Its just the most unlikely combination ever but it so totally worked for them!
And I’m sure you can only IMAGINE the degree of protectiveness this all calls out of Hunter. Holy Alpha male! I mean, wow! His drive to protect her is just so strong and so deep but he’s fighting against it, I mean, he barely knows her but he’s just falling for her… and ohhhh the swoon!
And after all the horrors of her life and what she’s had to do to survive, he’s the first man to ever make her feel warm and safe and actually care for HER.
Because of the the contrast of the grit and destruction of war and their situation, everything beautiful between them was felt even more strongly. And the more they fell in love, the harder their situation became…. Gah!! My heart!!!
“A kiss, a kiss, just a kiss. But god, so incredible. I’m electrified, wired, hardened by the taste of her, the feel of her. Intoxicated by her. I’m shaking all over from the effort to keep my hands to myself, to keep the kiss chaste. Its an impossible losing battle. Then her hand leaves her lap and touches my face… A simple, innocent touch, but so meaningful. This woman who sells touch, who much find men to be such nasty creatures, this woman who has seen the worst monsters that are men, she’s kissing and touching me.”
Wounded has a gritty, heavy feeling to the story. However, it also flows smoothly and has no slow points. If I had had the time, I would have easily read it in one sitting.
This book is also HOT!! And I mean H.O.T. !! Like, woah hot. I have to say this was something I was NOT expecting from this. Simply given where the story took place and the nature of what was happening, I don’t know why, but I just did not expect it. But holyyy hotness! I’m serious. The first love scene went from 64-71% in the book and was absolutely beautifully portrayed, emotionally charged, intensely hot but also just so incredibly intimate. You could just FEEL how strong and deep their connection was. Totally made my heart pound.
Rania was such a wonderful heroine. She was strong and smart – an absolute survivor. I felt so terrible watching her have to do what she did to survive but admired her resilience. She truly deserved her happy ending.
“Of course, I know nothing of such things, having never had sex with a man who has not paid me for it. Perhaps all sex is paid for in some way. I think it is true. A man who takes a woman to dinner first, takes her to drink, tells her she is beautiful, pays her father to arrange a marriage to her… this is paying for sex. It is cloaked in custom and tradition, but the result – sexual domination of the man over the woman – is still prostitution.
I am not willing in this. I did not choose this life. I do what I must to survive. It is this, or starve.”
Hunter… ohhh my God I so totally loved him! He was protective and Alpha but in a very realistic way. The jealousy, disgust and possessiveness he felt listening to her ‘working’ just ate at my heart! And despite being this badass Marine, he was just so tender and patient and utterly sweet with her ♥ There were several moments when he fought for and protected her that brought a smile to my face there was this one absolutely BADASS moment (and I’m even grinning as I write this) where you literally watched him switch from tender lover to hardcore Marine that just gave me CHILLS!!!!! LOVED IT!
“I don’t know what to say to her. I’m in battle mode. Shut down. Hard. I’m not Hunter anymore. I’m Lance Corporal Lee, USMC. Semper fi, bitches.“
I loved that he didn’t care about her past – that when he looked at her, the only thing he saw was HER. And I loved watching her grow to trust him to take care of her even though really, she was also saving his life.
He lays me down on the bed and leans next to me. He does nothing but look at me for a moment.
“You are so beautiful,” he whispers. “Do you know that?”
I shake my head. “I know that men think –”
He cuts me off with a kiss. “Man. One man. Me. I’m all that matters. No one else can have you. You’re mine.”
I shiver at his words. “Do you promise me?”
“Yes, my love. I promise.”
Everything about this book felt real. The pacing was perfect and absolutely everything about the story made sense. No moments of eye rolling or wanting to throttle characters.
It was a beautiful, character-driven story about two scarred people finding love in the most unlikely of places and ultimately saving each other. This book is definitely going to make my list of favorites for 2013!
The story is told in alternating POV’s which are clearly marked at the beginning of the chapters. The author’s writing captures the distinct voices of each of her characters so vividly that you can’t help but instantly connect with them and feel like you are right inside their thoughts.
Ok, I’m also going to try and answer a few question that I’m anticipating you’ll have…. About the war. Yes, its gritty and horrific and I know that some of you are wary of reading war stories but please don’t let that bother you here. The war is the setting for the story but it does not tear them apart. Yes, Hunter gets wounded several times but from the time they meet in the story, they are never separated. Yes, there are instances of rape and violence (well, its not exactly rape, its more that she’s forced to sell herself to survive) but they are not descriptive or gruesome – they are more just telling you what happens to her. It sickened me that it happened to her but the author did a great job about how she presented it – there are no extended rape scenes or anything like that.
I also loved that the book didn’t just end with them leaving the war zone and getting to safety. I loved that we got to see them build a life together after.
The story also has a happy ending complete with an epilogue so really, your heart will be safe.
“I love you, Hunter. Please do not stop. Not ever.”
“I won’t, I promise. Never. I’ll love you forever. I’ll make love to you until there’s no me and no you, only us together like this forever.”
Its a heavy read. Definitely not fluffy at all, but its hot and erotic (in the second half, once their relationship is established) and the story keeps you totally engaged all the way through. Its well-written and the kind of story that stays in your mind and heart even after you’ve finished your read.
I highly recommend it!
5 stars!
CASTING:
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January 2, 2014
A million amazing stars! This book consumed me!
Okay, here it goes but right now my expression is a bit like.....
Literally, reading this book was the...
What makes this book so extraordinary? It's totally unlike anything I've ever read. Once I started it, I could not put the damn kindle down. Why oh why I waited this long to read it, I don't know.
The book is based during the Iraqi War. It's alternating POV between a Marine Corporal Hunter Lee.....
and an Iraqi girl Rania....
The book starts out early on in Rania's life...giving us a history of the woman she becomes for the bulk of the book. She has lost both of her parents in the war, has one brother Hassan who is just itching to be a soldier and lives with an older aunt. When her aunt passes on, she's forced to care for her and her brother with no resources. She lives in a one room house and nobody will spare her food or money to survive. As the years pass, she's forced to offer her body for money to survive. She has no choice but to be a whore or die......
Hunter has been in the Marine Corps for a few years. He's been cheated on by his high school sweetheart and his parents have passed away. All he has in this world is his best friend, and fellow corps buddy Derek. On one of his last days of enlistment, his group is fired upon. Insurgents are shooting from everywhere. When Derek gets hit, Hunter throws his body over him, shielding him as bullets and shrapnel riddle his own body. Suddenly a young Iraqi girl is at his side, pulling him from Derek. Trying to offer him cover in her home.....that's all he remembers until his world goes black.
When he awakens in Rania's home, he's confused why the enemy would risk her life to help him. She dresses his wounds and stares across the room wearily at him. When he speaks to her, he realizes communication is a mute point. He knows no Arabic and she knows no English. But her eyes....there's something about her that draws him in.
Rania and Hunter gradually learn to communicate. Hunter uses her langauge as much as he can to find out her story. It's just her....this beautiful girl in this house. He knows what she does to make money for food..he watches her change into a mini skirt, low cut blouse, dyed blonde hair....he hears her fake moans and the moans of the johns next door. He can't believe she's a prostitute. She deserves so much more....he see's her shame when she returns. Surely there's something else she can do to survive. Now she's working to feed them both. There's nothing he can do now. He's seriously wounded and stuck in the middle of enemy territory.
This is a love story of epic proportions. They come from different worlds, speak in different tongues, are essentially enemies and they learn to trust each other through their hardships. Hunter knows Rania saved his life...he owes her everything. She continues to risk it daily harboring an American soldier. Rania is drawn to this beautiful man, one that looks at her with compassion instead of hunger. She is slow to trust he doesn't want to use her body but gradually her walls crumble and she begins to, for the first time in her life, feel love.
This book has to be experienced. So many events happen between these two. So many forces against them. Their love is a slow angsty build that had my heart racing throughout. When things get more physical, woah, those scenes were such a gradual climb to combustion, I was practically panting.
What also needs to be noted is that although this is far from a light, fluffy read, it isn't horribly graphic with the war scenes. The author did a great job putting us there, making us feel the dirt below his face when he falls, feel his angsty desire to protect Rania from her johns but its not gruesome or appalling. It's enough to put you there but not repulse you. I cannot express my amazement with her writing style throughout. Editing was near perfection. Seriously - nothing, NOTHING I would change about this book. It will remain on my best of the best shelf for quite some time.....
Oh and the fact that we get our HEA with a spectacular epilogue..... And a stand-alone at that!
January 26, 2013
Let's play a game of 'Spot Stacia' with this picture.
Yep. That's about how I feel right now. Do you need a parade rained on? Give me a call and I'll trek on over with my portable cloud.
I wanted to like this book. I was hesitant going in but dammit, I wanted to like this book. I was the one who even suggested reading Wounded to a friend because it seemed like this might be one of the few hyped books which would actually work for me.
The slight recap that I'm about to give you will probably echo at least a couple of friend's sentiments because of recent/ongoing discussion about this book and if something overlaps between my opinion and theirs, it was absolutely unintentional for me to do this in my review and it happened by complete accident.
Starting out - the first couple of chapters of this book had such a hook! So what happened after that? It was as if all of the research put into recreating the environment of Rania's life somehow disappeared when she became her alternate self and there was the crutch of staying in one location. This made the story feel like it lacked authenticity, almost as if the author did a short wikipedia search to gather a few basic facts, then was able to let it go once we could settle down into a complacent spot. I felt like we were almost getting a textbook view of the location instead of an insider's view.
Let's talk about Rania's transformation. I didn't believe this girl's voice sounded like how a real person would react in the exact same situation. There were glimpses of hesitancy and speech translation issues which were well portrayed...but then we'd switch over "Romance Lingo 101" in the blink of an eye and I'd wonder when this chick had the time to read books about being wanton (and other such terms which don't seem like they'd be commonplace for anyone who hasn't spent time devouring romance novels).
Hunter was a likable guy. Sure, he was horny at strange times, but yeah...I know guys who could get hard on their deathbed. So that didn't much bother me. :p
This book would have benefited greatly from giving more time for Raina and Hunter to truly discover one another.. An extra 50 or so pages could have afforded time for this couple to get to know each other better. With little to no knowledge to go off of, the connection felt shaky. I see the draw of "woman nurses man back to health" as a plot point, but Tristan and Isolde this is not.
I won't touch on the military or religious authenticity because I don't know how accurate these points were. I had seen a couple of friends' comments which made me wonder if everything was addressed correctly, but again, I don't know enough to say anything on that front.
You might have seen at least one or two other people mention a possible ick factor : and I'll say that this was also a "wait, what?" moment for me.
I felt like this book catered strictly to an unrealistic fantasy, yet we were reading a contemporary/non-fantasy book. Yes, romance is a fantasy in and of itself but the best realistic romances are the ones which are tempered with enough plausibility to make them feel like you're actually intruding in on someone else's life as fly on the wall. I never felt like this was the case as I was reading.
Back on the fantasy aspect, there seemed to be too much of a "hollywood action movie" feel at times. Impossible fight scenes - check. People - check. "Go big or go home" didn't really pan out this time.
There is one big upside : This book is a sweet romance story about two people finding comfort in each other through patience and understanding. Many people have loved this book and I can see why. The power of love and its ability to overcome great obstacles is always inspiring. It's also a huge draw to see a tough, protective man who will do anything to keep the woman he cares about safe. If you love those things in a book, then you might be one of the masses who adores Wounded. In fact, I'm pretty sure that many hardcore romance fans will find plenty to cheer about.
If you're not sure, go take a spin through the many positive reviews and you might find a couple which will sell you on this story. And if you do decide to give it a try, I can honestly say, "happy reading!"
September 21, 2013
You're going to have to excuse my language... This book. Is Fucking Amazing!!!
"You are so beautiful. Do you know that?"
"I know that men think - "
"Man. One man. Me. I'm all that matters. No one else can have you. You're mine."
Honestly, I've never read anything like it and I can not get it out of my head. Sometimes, I wonder if I'm a little too free with my 'Five Stars', and this book only compounds those worries, because it's in a league of it's own. Five Stars. Six Stars. Ten Stars... it was epic.
"You are so beautiful. Do you know that?"
"I know that men think - "
"Man. One man. Me. I'm all that matters. No one else can have you. You're mine."
It's brutal. And so bold and nonconformist! It's a story so horrifically corrupt, yet so beautifully pure, in equal measures. I was addicted to each and every page and could not put this down. I finished it last night, dreamt about it, thought about it when I woke up and I just can not shift it from my mind.
There is nothing 'standard' about this book. It is not a boy meets girl, boy and girl fall in love, something messes it up, they overcome said something and live happily ever after. This is so much more and no review I write will do it justice.
Wounded is a book about survival at the most basic of levels and meanings. Not the kind of survival people endure after splitting up with a significant other or losing a job. This is day to day, putting food in your mouth, avoiding bullets/bombs/murder kind of survival. Survival in the darkest, poorest, most desolate corners of our world, when just survival itself is merciless.
I am not a woman, I am a thing. An object, a servant for their needs. Sex is a tool.
Hunter and Rania's story is touching, heart breaking, overwhelming and unforgettable. About finding love and saviour in the most unlikely and destructive of places. When the love you find is not only the one thing that can save you, but also the one thing that makes the danger consuming your life, all the more deadly.
Such awful timing. There's a dead man in the bathroom, and I'm trying not to kiss Rania. What the fuck is wrong with you, Hunter?
I fell completely in love with both characters and just didn't want the book to finish. You know, those books, where you read the last chapter excruciatingly slowly to try and ward off the inevitable impending end. This was that book.
"I will always love you. You saved me, Rania."
"No, you saved me."
"We saved each other, then,"
The ending was utterly adorable. It had me melting and 'aaah'ing all over the place. Rania is endearing beyond words and Hunter is just... *sigh* Hunter. Perfect. And their relationship is impossibly cute.
"What is the word for this kind of underwear? Boxings? Something like that? I cannot think of it."
"Boxings? Oh, god, Rania. That's funny. Boxers. They're called boxers, sweetheart."
I'd absolutely love to hear that there will be a sequel to this book. I really think there would be call for one. Without including spoilers, all I will say is, Rania has quite a journey ahead of her and I'd love to witness it.
"Baby? I am not a baby."
"No, I know. It's...a term of endearment. It's like 'honey' or 'sweetie'. It just means I love you."
"If you say so, but it is strange, to call the woman you love as a baby. But then, Americans are strange."
There is nothing left to say other than, read this book! Honestly, it will stay with me for a long time to come and I will definitely be getting the hard copy, as this is one that needs to sit on my shelf for me to look lovingly at for ever and ever.
"I am not Sabah. I am Rania. And I feel."
"Good. No more Sabah. Only Rania."
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December 30, 2015
As I write this review, I'm feeling a little bit torn. I listened to the Audible version and I think that I would have enjoyed this story more if I had read the Kindle version. Somewhere around 75% in, the male narrator seemed to go into a "roid rage" or something. Both the narrators seemed to become extremely animated, making the story, especially the sex scenes, seem overdone. The male narrator, especially, killed it for me. He was just too much! He took an emotional, heartfelt and serious story and turned it into a comedy, when nothing about this story was meant to be funny.
However, aside from the turn for the worse in the narration, the story was gripping. This is one of those stories that tugs at your heart and makes you feel grateful for your blessings. Up until the narrator turned into some hyped-up Rambo, even the narration was fantastic.
Telling the story of a young Iraqi girl that is forced to prostitute herself to survive, this book spans over a decade, beginning during the first Gulf War and picking up again during the second. Once a scared 12 year-old forced to trade her body for food, she is now a young lady that has been trapped in her trade by social stigmas. She hates the things that she must endure, but knows that it is the only thing keeping her from starving on the streets.
Haunted by the murder she committed years earlier, when she witnesses a different American soldier in need of help, she sees a chance to redeem herself. Acting in the spur of the moment, she decides to hide the soldier away and help him heal. She knows that her choice places her in grave danger, but it is a risk she's willing to take.
As she slowly nurses her soldier back to health, their relationship grows more intimate. He doesn't like the things that she is forced to do to survive, but admires her strength and kindness. It takes everything he has not to defend her from these predatory men that she sells her body to, but he can barely stand, much less fight.
Eventually, things come to a head and their secret comes out. From that point forward, the story gets pretty unrealistic, although it remains entertaining. Everything works out in the end and we get a HEA.
Overall, I give it 3 1/2 stars, rounded up. If it hadn't been for the over-the-top narration, I probably would have enjoyed it more. It was a great story, but avoid the audio unless you could use a good laugh.
However, aside from the turn for the worse in the narration, the story was gripping. This is one of those stories that tugs at your heart and makes you feel grateful for your blessings. Up until the narrator turned into some hyped-up Rambo, even the narration was fantastic.
Telling the story of a young Iraqi girl that is forced to prostitute herself to survive, this book spans over a decade, beginning during the first Gulf War and picking up again during the second. Once a scared 12 year-old forced to trade her body for food, she is now a young lady that has been trapped in her trade by social stigmas. She hates the things that she must endure, but knows that it is the only thing keeping her from starving on the streets.
Haunted by the murder she committed years earlier, when she witnesses a different American soldier in need of help, she sees a chance to redeem herself. Acting in the spur of the moment, she decides to hide the soldier away and help him heal. She knows that her choice places her in grave danger, but it is a risk she's willing to take.
As she slowly nurses her soldier back to health, their relationship grows more intimate. He doesn't like the things that she is forced to do to survive, but admires her strength and kindness. It takes everything he has not to defend her from these predatory men that she sells her body to, but he can barely stand, much less fight.
Eventually, things come to a head and their secret comes out. From that point forward, the story gets pretty unrealistic, although it remains entertaining. Everything works out in the end and we get a HEA.
Overall, I give it 3 1/2 stars, rounded up. If it hadn't been for the over-the-top narration, I probably would have enjoyed it more. It was a great story, but avoid the audio unless you could use a good laugh.
April 20, 2015
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.”
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.”
August 12, 2014
5 Beautiful Stars
Wounded is the beautiful story of Rania and Hunter.
Rania, an Iraqi girl, has lost everything. Her family has been killed, her home destroyed, and she has no hope of survival. There is one thing Rania has, and when she is offered food for her body the only choice she has is to sell herself or die.
Hunter joins the Marines after losing his family in a car accident. The only semi-family he had was his girlfriend and shortly after joining he loses her too. During his tour in Iraq he is wounded, and taken in by Rania.
Hunter is obviously attracted to the beautiful Rania, but above everything he wants her safe and to be taken care of. Rania doesn’t know what it is like to be wanted for anything other than her body, so when she takes in Hunter she doesn’t know what to expect.
Together in the Iraqi desert, in the middle of a war, these two have to figure out how to survive.
This story is one of the most touching books I have read. Within the first few pages my heart was breaking for the characters. I loved Hunter and Rania’s will to survive. I enjoyed seeing them learn to communicate with each other. Both of the characters are strong, self-sacrificing, and willing to do anything to protect the other.
This is a quick read and well worth your time. Wounded is an emotional read but also uplifting, definitely recommend!
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
Wounded is the beautiful story of Rania and Hunter.
Rania, an Iraqi girl, has lost everything. Her family has been killed, her home destroyed, and she has no hope of survival. There is one thing Rania has, and when she is offered food for her body the only choice she has is to sell herself or die.
Hunter joins the Marines after losing his family in a car accident. The only semi-family he had was his girlfriend and shortly after joining he loses her too. During his tour in Iraq he is wounded, and taken in by Rania.
Hunter is obviously attracted to the beautiful Rania, but above everything he wants her safe and to be taken care of. Rania doesn’t know what it is like to be wanted for anything other than her body, so when she takes in Hunter she doesn’t know what to expect.
Together in the Iraqi desert, in the middle of a war, these two have to figure out how to survive.
This story is one of the most touching books I have read. Within the first few pages my heart was breaking for the characters. I loved Hunter and Rania’s will to survive. I enjoyed seeing them learn to communicate with each other. Both of the characters are strong, self-sacrificing, and willing to do anything to protect the other.
This is a quick read and well worth your time. Wounded is an emotional read but also uplifting, definitely recommend!
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
May 15, 2014
“Hearts Live By Being Wounded”
― Oscar Wilde
Hackhackhack …an AK-47; crackcrackcrackcrack… an American M16A2 returning fire.
this book triggers me by a prayer and I let myself sink into it and I was I caught in the crossfire.
The gut-wrenching depiction of war is crucial to read and I cried most part in the book..I felt the emotions ripping in both main characters.
...no one has a bullet proof heart,numbness might be a façade but deep down you'll be Wounded.
sold her body to fight hunger...disgust raging on what she does for a living..hatred to the men who use her body..no way out..no one wants to hire her..no one..its the only thing to Survive
until she saved an American soldier...Wounded
he was cheated by his longtime girlfriend, went to his last patrol as a soldier with a broken heart..
hackhackhackhachack...crackcrackcrack
sticky blood on sand, his bestfriend saved him from the blast..unconscious.
until he was saved by a girl.. Wounded
in an abandoned Mosque she does her job,guilt and sorrow, struggling with his injured body to save her from hell.
He wanted to show her how to live again and how to love and to be free.
This book gonna stay on my head and heart for a while..I will never forget the love story that bloom amidst war:)
― Oscar Wilde
Hackhackhack …an AK-47; crackcrackcrackcrack… an American M16A2 returning fire.
Be Your Everything - Boys Like Girls
Four letter word
But I don't have the guts to say it
Smile 'til it hurts
Let's not make it complicated
We've got a story
But I'm about to change the ending
this book triggers me by a prayer and I let myself sink into it and I was I caught in the crossfire.
The gut-wrenching depiction of war is crucial to read and I cried most part in the book..I felt the emotions ripping in both main characters.
...no one has a bullet proof heart,numbness might be a façade but deep down you'll be Wounded.
sold her body to fight hunger...disgust raging on what she does for a living..hatred to the men who use her body..no way out..no one wants to hire her..no one..its the only thing to Survive
until she saved an American soldier...Wounded
he was cheated by his longtime girlfriend, went to his last patrol as a soldier with a broken heart..
hackhackhackhachack...crackcrackcrack
sticky blood on sand, his bestfriend saved him from the blast..unconscious.
until he was saved by a girl.. Wounded
I'll be your shelter
I'll be your storm
I'll make you shiver
I'll keep you warm
Whatever weather
Baby I'm yours
Be your forever, be your fling
Baby I will be your everything
in an abandoned Mosque she does her job,guilt and sorrow, struggling with his injured body to save her from hell.
He wanted to show her how to live again and how to love and to be free.
We used to say
That we would always stick together
But who's to say
That we could never last forever
Girl, got a question
Could you see yourself with somebody else?
'Cause I'm on a mission
And I don't wanna share
I want you all to myself right now
And I just wanna scream it out
I'll be your shelter
I'll be your storm
I'll make you shiver
I'll keep you warm
Whatever weather
Baby I'm yours
Be your forever, be your fling
Baby I will be your everything
No matter what you do
I'll be there for you
And every time you close your eyes
I will be by your side
'Cause every time you make me sing
Baby I will be your everything
I'll be your shelter
I'll be your storm
I'll make you shiver
I'll keep you warm
Whatever weather
Baby I'm yours
Be your forever, be your fling
Baby I will be your everything
This book gonna stay on my head and heart for a while..I will never forget the love story that bloom amidst war:)
December 28, 2012
ABSOLUTE PERFECTION!!!!!!! 5 BEAUTIFUL STARS!!!
If there were 6 stars available.. this book would get 6 of them , hands down one of my all time favorite books and definitly my favorite book this year. I cannot stress how perfect this book was. It was so gritty and so dark for the first half..really the first three quarters.. but there were slivers of hope through out the darkness...
She was a wounded soul in a war ravaged city.. selling her body was the only way she could prevent herself from starving to death. Still innocent on the inside, almost child like.... but the body of a woman letting men take from her everything..using , abusing, and treating her like dirt...
He is a wounded soldier who has watched his friends die and has seen unspeakable violence.... he thought he loved once but was betrayed. He has no one left in the world, but his brothers in the line of fire.
She finds him and helps to heal his injuries.. keeping him hidden from enemies.. she didnt know she was healing his heart at the same time. He helped her learn that there was more to her than she could ever imagine and took her heart and made it is own to love and protect forever.
Such a beautiful story that will stay with me for a long long time.....
If there were 6 stars available.. this book would get 6 of them , hands down one of my all time favorite books and definitly my favorite book this year. I cannot stress how perfect this book was. It was so gritty and so dark for the first half..really the first three quarters.. but there were slivers of hope through out the darkness...
She was a wounded soul in a war ravaged city.. selling her body was the only way she could prevent herself from starving to death. Still innocent on the inside, almost child like.... but the body of a woman letting men take from her everything..using , abusing, and treating her like dirt...
He is a wounded soldier who has watched his friends die and has seen unspeakable violence.... he thought he loved once but was betrayed. He has no one left in the world, but his brothers in the line of fire.
She finds him and helps to heal his injuries.. keeping him hidden from enemies.. she didnt know she was healing his heart at the same time. He helped her learn that there was more to her than she could ever imagine and took her heart and made it is own to love and protect forever.
Such a beautiful story that will stay with me for a long long time.....
August 8, 2013
5 Stars
I need your kisses to make the memories disappear
OMGAH, where do I begin?
Disclaimer - I finished Wounded while I was on vacation, which was over a week ago, I usually like to write my reviews the day or day after I finish a read so it’s fresh on my mind so… I promise I’ll do my best to write a justified review.
First off, if you haven’t done this, PUT JASINDA WILDER on your list of Authors to watch out for!
I absolutely loved Falling Into You, and I was a little hesitant with Wounded, only because I usually don’t like modern WAR stories. I like to read about WWII or historical romance fiction, BUT I needed to see if Wilder was a one trick pony and SHE IS NOT. She’s the real deal and if you haven’t read any of her books, STOP what you are doing and read them!
Okay, enough gushing… on to the review, let’s start with the summary
[Summary]
I really don’t want to give a detail summary because I think it’s best to just go into Wounded with little information, to me, the read will be more epic and shocking.
This is Hunter and Rania’s story. Everyone in Rania’s life has left her. She’s all alone and doesn’t know what to do for income. On the brink of starving to death, Rania becomes a prostitute to earn money for food. Hunter is an American soldier who doesn’t have anyone either, prior to leaving for Iraq, Hunter and his longtime girlfriend break-up.
Hunter becomes wounded in an ambush and Rania recuses Hunter by bringing him back to her home to take care of him. Despite the language barrier and dire circumstances, Hunter and Rania form a bond.
[Review]
Wounded is not for the faint of heart, it’s RAW.EMOTIONAL.SHOCKING and so much more. Yes, it’s highly unrealistic; HOWEVER, it’s my fictional fantasy, which makes me LOVE IT MORE!
[Rania]
I LOVED Rania. I.FELT.FOR.RANIA. You just wanted to reach through the book and give her a big hug. I wouldn’t change anything about her. Rania was the perfect Heroine. I loved how damaged and multi- layered her character was. There was one part, where your heart just breaks for her. I loved how there were two sides of her. There was the strong Rania who had to put up a front to deal with her situation and then there was the venerable side and let’s just face it, I love the whole damsel-in-distress character, so I was all for this.
[Hunter]
Hunter is a great Hero. Who doesn’t want an alpha-male to protect you? I’ll admit, I’m not a fan of the whole solider thing, but oh my gah, Hunter is just too yummy. You felt for all the wounds he endured. Yes, most of the tragedies are Rania related, but I liked how Hunter had his issues as well. I loved reading his internal struggles and how he just wanted to do the right thing.
I’m in battle mode. Shut down. Hard. I’m not Hunter anymore. I’m Lance Corporal Lee, USMC. Semper Fi, bitches.
[Overall]
Wounded was just a fantastic read and I say that because I do not like modern War stories, but I could not but love it! Also, I am a HUGE fan of titles with double meanings or being referenced in the story. I thought Wounded was titled perfectly, in the sense, there was no explanation needed. We all know wounds are not always internal and I loved how it was used as a double meaning (at least for me).
Wounded is a beautifully written intense love story.
This is a can’t-put-it-down read and I 100% recommend!
For more reviews, visit http://jacquelinesreads.blogspot.com
January 17, 2013
This book...I can't even.
It's pretty heavy, the subject of it. It's certainly different than anything I've read before. It made me feel for the heroine so much.
The blurb is pretty vague, so I'm going to tell you what it's about (no spoilers or anything about how the story unfolds).
And it's somehow heartwrenching. I mean, you have this woman who has never known anything resembling happiness or love, and this man that literally has nothing of his own but a weapon. They don't make sense, at all, but then somehow they make perfect sense.
It was horrible reading about Rania's life. She deserves so much better, but she has absolutely no choice. She is so strong! I wanted to just make every bad thing in her life go away.
It was horrible reading about Hunter knowing what she did and that she was doing it partly for him. His guilt over it, his disgust and then his jealousy, they were killing me. I loved Hunter, all of his thoughts seemed so realistic somehow, even the errant ones.
If it weren't for the strange circumstances, I'd say that the way they get together was reminiscent of a real couple. The camaraderie, the shyness, the protectiveness, the way they slowly ease into it without even realizing. But they were strange circumstances, and that makes the story even stronger because there are things between them that are so hard to get over. Everything that happened made sense, especially the way it ended. I loved the way he didn't care about any of it, just her. And that she trusted him enough to let him take care of her.
And then, when they are finally together - I can't even call them sex scenes. I'm talking that first time, but it was every.single.time. I can honestly say that, for the first time in my life I felt...not embarrassed, but uncomfortable, reading a sex scene in a book. I read this stuff several times a week. It makes no sense that I should feel uncomfortable. But it felt so wrong to witness that kind of pure intimacy, even on paper. Seriously, that's what it was. They have this special connection, you can feel it and it was so intimate it felt wrong to be reading it.
I guess it's a testimony to Jasinda Wilder's writing. You can make a clear distinction between Rania and Hunter's voices. I loved the way Hunter switched to Marine mode, his voice changed, too. Or how Rania sounded detached every time she was Sabah. It was great. The sex is very graphic. Just a heads up for those who don't like that sort of thing.
I thought it would be hard reading about war, and yeah, it's a considerable part of this story, but it didn't bother me as much as I thought it would. I definitely recommend this.
It's pretty heavy, the subject of it. It's certainly different than anything I've read before. It made me feel for the heroine so much.
The blurb is pretty vague, so I'm going to tell you what it's about (no spoilers or anything about how the story unfolds).
And it's somehow heartwrenching. I mean, you have this woman who has never known anything resembling happiness or love, and this man that literally has nothing of his own but a weapon. They don't make sense, at all, but then somehow they make perfect sense.
It was horrible reading about Rania's life. She deserves so much better, but she has absolutely no choice. She is so strong! I wanted to just make every bad thing in her life go away.
It was horrible reading about Hunter knowing what she did and that she was doing it partly for him. His guilt over it, his disgust and then his jealousy, they were killing me. I loved Hunter, all of his thoughts seemed so realistic somehow, even the errant ones.
If it weren't for the strange circumstances, I'd say that the way they get together was reminiscent of a real couple. The camaraderie, the shyness, the protectiveness, the way they slowly ease into it without even realizing. But they were strange circumstances, and that makes the story even stronger because there are things between them that are so hard to get over. Everything that happened made sense, especially the way it ended. I loved the way he didn't care about any of it, just her. And that she trusted him enough to let him take care of her.
And then, when they are finally together - I can't even call them sex scenes. I'm talking that first time, but it was every.single.time. I can honestly say that, for the first time in my life I felt...not embarrassed, but uncomfortable, reading a sex scene in a book. I read this stuff several times a week. It makes no sense that I should feel uncomfortable. But it felt so wrong to witness that kind of pure intimacy, even on paper. Seriously, that's what it was. They have this special connection, you can feel it and it was so intimate it felt wrong to be reading it.
I guess it's a testimony to Jasinda Wilder's writing. You can make a clear distinction between Rania and Hunter's voices. I loved the way Hunter switched to Marine mode, his voice changed, too. Or how Rania sounded detached every time she was Sabah. It was great. The sex is very graphic. Just a heads up for those who don't like that sort of thing.
I thought it would be hard reading about war, and yeah, it's a considerable part of this story, but it didn't bother me as much as I thought it would. I definitely recommend this.
April 19, 2021
Ending was abrupt. 0.5 stars off right there. Something, can't put my finger on it, was missing. But overall, gritty, real, emotional book. Lots of sex (to make up for all the non-sex I guess, for the first 70% of the book) in the last 30%, which was fine by me.
But EXHAUSTING! Like chapters upon chapters of sex, from her POV, then repeated from his POV, then the next part from each POV. NEVER ENDING! I love reading about emotional sex. But this wore me out.
But EXHAUSTING! Like chapters upon chapters of sex, from her POV, then repeated from his POV, then the next part from each POV. NEVER ENDING! I love reading about emotional sex. But this wore me out.
May 16, 2013
What an amazing book. I knew from reading the synopsis this book would be different. I am so glad I read it. It did not disappoint. This was an amazing book. I loved ever page it kept me engaged from the beginning until the very end. Job well done Jasinda Wilder. I will be looking to read more of your work. A huge 5 stars!!!
May 27, 2018
3/5 stars
"I will always love you. You saved me, Rania."
"No, you saved me."
"We saved each other, then."
This was such a unique and interesting love story. As soon as I read the blurb I knew that I had to read it, because I was certain that this would be a touching and heartfelt story (spoiler, it was). It was emotional, heartbreaking and difficult to read sometimes. All of the three stars are aimed towards the concept, premise and emotional anguish of this book, which is what really made it enjoyable to read. I do think that a lot of things were over-simplified for the point of the story, which sometimes got in the way of my enjoyment. I also wish that this book was longer, as I was really enjoying the story and think it wouldn't have been all the more touching if it had been fleshed out more. Despite its flaws, I still think this is a beautiful book about a love the defies culture and language.
Rania doesn't remember a time without war and hunger, if that time even existed. Form the time she was very young, she had to fight to survive and keep her family alive. But when Rania finds herself completely alone, without even her brother to help her, she must learn how to provide for herself. The only was open to her was prostitution, and that's how she became a favourite prostitute in her town in Iraq. Hunter is an American soldier, deployed in Iraq. After a bomb blast that resulted in him getting injured and his comrades being left behind, the only reason why Hunter survived was a mysterious Iraqi women who saved him. Rania has been looking after Hunter, despite the trouble she should be on it people found that she was harbouring an American solider. But their relationship takes a turn away from being platonic, and Hunter can't stand to see Rania continuing her work as a woman on the streets.
“Some things are free, Rania. My love for you is free. All you have to do is take it. Accept it.”
This was a beautiful romantic story with a heartfelt love that transcended war, culture and language. There was an undeniable connection between Rania and Hunter that began to develop as soon as they met. I was immediately drawn into their story and was fully attached within chapters. I absolutely loved seeing their story unfold as their relationship grew stronger. Despite Rania and Hunter having different languages and culture, they were able to understand each other on a whole different level. The author was fantastic and making me yearn for these characters and wanting nothing more than them to be together and have a happy ending. I was so invested in their story, despite this book being quite short. It's safe to say that the shortness of the book did nothing to lessen my love for these characters.
Despite loving the relationship and the concept behind the book, I feel like the execution is where I found a lot of faults. As the book was short, it felt very rushed and simplistic. The speed at which the characters learnt each other's language was borderline ridiculous. The relationship itself was also very fast, so this did impact on my enjoyment of the book. I absolutely adored the idea and the characters, but it was undeniably fast and therefore unbelievable. I also think everything was just too simplistic for such a complex concept. The idea of crossing cultures and the relationship between the warring nations was not really commented on enough and was tied together too nicely, just to accommodate for the relationship. I also think the fact that Rania was a prostitute wasn't fleshed out either. I doubt whether she would be so open to having sex with Hunter soon after she was essentially used and raped by other men. There were quite a few more small details like this that circulated my mind while I was reading and stopped me from loving the book as much as I could have.
Overall, I did really love the romance of the book and the overall concept behind it. It was just small details that really bothered me and stopped me from enjoying the book as much as I would have liked to. I still really enjoyed the book and would love to read more from this author in the future.
“Her beauty has captured me, imprisoned my capacity for language. All I can do is pay homage to the temple of her body.”
January 20, 2013
What a beautifully heart wrenching devastating real love story.
”The greatest thing you will ever learn is to be loved, and to be loved in returned.”
Set in Iraq in 1993 – 2003.
1993
Rania has lost her parents to the war. Killed by American Soldiers.
She has lost her Uncle to the war. Killed by American Soldiers.
Her Aunt is next to go, from a broken heart for her husband who was killed by American Soldiers.
When trapped and shot at herself, Rania kills an American Soldier.
Her brother Hassan decides he wants to kill American Soldiers. So he runs away to join the war.
Leaving her alone.
A 14 year old girl, alone, scared and helpless in war torn Iraq.
She is determined to survive.
Dying of malnutrition after not eating for a week, first time she begs a man, Malik for food she realises her mistake.
Nothing is free in this world.
As a 14 yr old she is forced to have sex with the drunken Malik, for payment of the one mouthful of food he gave her.
She hates every minute of it.
Afterwards he gives her food and money.
It jumps to a month after and she is once again starving. With no other options she returns to Malik.
He advises that what he did was wrong but he does it again. He takes her to an abandoned house and fixes the electricity for her giving her somewhere to live. He tells her after this time she is on her own. He will not be back, he will however send someone to her if this is the choice she wants to make.
True to his word he sends people to her who give her money in exchange for sex.
Because of this Sabah the whore is born.
10 years later…….
We meet Hunter Lee when he is home from the Army on R&R.
He has had a hard life, his parents died when he was 14. He was an only child. His closest friend Derek and his parents are the only family he has.
Hunter has been with Lani since high school.
He has always been faithful to her, and when on leave stays with her. He has bought a ring, but this trip home feels different. He doesn’t know why but has his suspicions.
3 days before deployment back to Baghdad, Hunters suspicions are confirmed. He catches Lani in the middle of sleeping with someone else.
Jump to Baghdad.
Rania has only seen Hassan once in all these years.
He was sent to Sabah as a “client” once.
She told him she has to do what she has to do to live as he left her and sent him away and to not speak of it nor mention her real name to anyone.
As the cruel world would have it the next time sees Hassan he is about to ambush the American soldiers in the middle of the street.
The fight comes out of nowhere and she hides in a doorframe.
She watches the bloodshed.
Iraqians killing Americans.
Americans killing Iraqians.
She also watches as the Americans kill Hassan.
All she can think about is the American that she killed all those years ago.
She sees one American boy and something about his eyes call to her.
Before she knows what she is doing she is dragging him away from the ambush and to her house where she tends to his medical needs with what little she has.
When Hunter regains consciousness he can’t believe the beautiful poor girl that is helping him is risking her life.
Hunter is very badly hurt. He can hardly move with broken ribs, bullet holes etc, So as he floats in and out of consciousness he can’t stop thinking about Rania.
She doesn’t speak English.
He doesn’t speak Arabic.
He does learn that she is a prostitute as he sees and hears the men come and go.
He doesn’t like it.
In fact he hates it.
Hates that he is too weak to do anything about it.
Hates that she has to do it to support herself, and him.
As he starts to slowly mend they start to form a relationship. What starts out as a game of charades and mimes trying to understand each other soon turns into them learning each other languages.
A beautiful relationship blossoms between these two.
Hunter needs to heal quickly as it is too dangerous being there, especially since most of Sabah’s clients are Iraqi Military Men.
But if he heals, he will have to leave her.
Surely he will be sent back to the USA to heal. He can’t leave her, can he?
MY HONEST OPINION
AY-MAZE-ING!
Beautiful characters
Beautiful story
Beautifully written.
Just beautiful.
A love story between two very different people.
An Iraqi whore and an American Soldier.
For moments in this story you forgot that they were in war torn Baghdad and they were in danger, you were just so into this book.
Then when you were brought back to reality. You were REALLY brought back.
Hunter was very much and Alpha male.
When seeing him from Raina’s POV we saw that he was patient and kind and sweet and nurturing, although we saw the fire in his eyes. The same scene from his POV?
He was RAGING on the inside! Swearing his head off at things, holding himself back as to not scare Raina.
I just fell in love with the writing.
I basically just fell in love with these two.
Hassan redeemed himself in my eyes and I’m glad to Raina grew to be Raina again and banished Sabah, and learned to love Hunter. And Hunter showed her the difference between love and sex.
"I love you, Hunter. Please do not stop. Not ever."
"I won't, I promise. Never. I'll love you forever. I'll make love to you until there is no me and no you, only us together like this forever."
The first time they hook up?!
BOOOOOMMM!!! It goes for like 8% or something like that. AND.IT.IS.WOW!
The phrase of his, to come in reference to orgasm, it is perfect, so right the experience of reaching orgasm with the man you love. You are not merely finding a physical release, you are coming into a new realm, coming into heaven, coming into him, becoming him.
Highly recommend!
”The greatest thing you will ever learn is to be loved, and to be loved in returned.”
Set in Iraq in 1993 – 2003.
1993
Rania has lost her parents to the war. Killed by American Soldiers.
She has lost her Uncle to the war. Killed by American Soldiers.
Her Aunt is next to go, from a broken heart for her husband who was killed by American Soldiers.
When trapped and shot at herself, Rania kills an American Soldier.
Her brother Hassan decides he wants to kill American Soldiers. So he runs away to join the war.
Leaving her alone.
A 14 year old girl, alone, scared and helpless in war torn Iraq.
She is determined to survive.
Dying of malnutrition after not eating for a week, first time she begs a man, Malik for food she realises her mistake.
Nothing is free in this world.
As a 14 yr old she is forced to have sex with the drunken Malik, for payment of the one mouthful of food he gave her.
She hates every minute of it.
Afterwards he gives her food and money.
It jumps to a month after and she is once again starving. With no other options she returns to Malik.
He advises that what he did was wrong but he does it again. He takes her to an abandoned house and fixes the electricity for her giving her somewhere to live. He tells her after this time she is on her own. He will not be back, he will however send someone to her if this is the choice she wants to make.
True to his word he sends people to her who give her money in exchange for sex.
Because of this Sabah the whore is born.
10 years later…….
We meet Hunter Lee when he is home from the Army on R&R.
He has had a hard life, his parents died when he was 14. He was an only child. His closest friend Derek and his parents are the only family he has.
Hunter has been with Lani since high school.
He has always been faithful to her, and when on leave stays with her. He has bought a ring, but this trip home feels different. He doesn’t know why but has his suspicions.
3 days before deployment back to Baghdad, Hunters suspicions are confirmed. He catches Lani in the middle of sleeping with someone else.
Jump to Baghdad.
Rania has only seen Hassan once in all these years.
He was sent to Sabah as a “client” once.
She told him she has to do what she has to do to live as he left her and sent him away and to not speak of it nor mention her real name to anyone.
As the cruel world would have it the next time sees Hassan he is about to ambush the American soldiers in the middle of the street.
The fight comes out of nowhere and she hides in a doorframe.
She watches the bloodshed.
Iraqians killing Americans.
Americans killing Iraqians.
She also watches as the Americans kill Hassan.
All she can think about is the American that she killed all those years ago.
She sees one American boy and something about his eyes call to her.
Before she knows what she is doing she is dragging him away from the ambush and to her house where she tends to his medical needs with what little she has.
When Hunter regains consciousness he can’t believe the beautiful poor girl that is helping him is risking her life.
Hunter is very badly hurt. He can hardly move with broken ribs, bullet holes etc, So as he floats in and out of consciousness he can’t stop thinking about Rania.
She doesn’t speak English.
He doesn’t speak Arabic.
He does learn that she is a prostitute as he sees and hears the men come and go.
He doesn’t like it.
In fact he hates it.
Hates that he is too weak to do anything about it.
Hates that she has to do it to support herself, and him.
As he starts to slowly mend they start to form a relationship. What starts out as a game of charades and mimes trying to understand each other soon turns into them learning each other languages.
A beautiful relationship blossoms between these two.
Hunter needs to heal quickly as it is too dangerous being there, especially since most of Sabah’s clients are Iraqi Military Men.
But if he heals, he will have to leave her.
Surely he will be sent back to the USA to heal. He can’t leave her, can he?
MY HONEST OPINION
AY-MAZE-ING!
Beautiful characters
Beautiful story
Beautifully written.
Just beautiful.
A love story between two very different people.
An Iraqi whore and an American Soldier.
For moments in this story you forgot that they were in war torn Baghdad and they were in danger, you were just so into this book.
Then when you were brought back to reality. You were REALLY brought back.
Hunter was very much and Alpha male.
When seeing him from Raina’s POV we saw that he was patient and kind and sweet and nurturing, although we saw the fire in his eyes. The same scene from his POV?
He was RAGING on the inside! Swearing his head off at things, holding himself back as to not scare Raina.
I just fell in love with the writing.
I basically just fell in love with these two.
Hassan redeemed himself in my eyes and I’m glad to Raina grew to be Raina again and banished Sabah, and learned to love Hunter. And Hunter showed her the difference between love and sex.
"I love you, Hunter. Please do not stop. Not ever."
"I won't, I promise. Never. I'll love you forever. I'll make love to you until there is no me and no you, only us together like this forever."
The first time they hook up?!
BOOOOOMMM!!! It goes for like 8% or something like that. AND.IT.IS.WOW!
The phrase of his, to come in reference to orgasm, it is perfect, so right the experience of reaching orgasm with the man you love. You are not merely finding a physical release, you are coming into a new realm, coming into heaven, coming into him, becoming him.
Highly recommend!
August 3, 2016
3.5 Stars
I had to pause before actually rating this.
I really like stories that are set to occur in situations such as this. Mostly because you run the gamut of human emotion that you won't likely find in fictional Homecoming Dances or a filthy bar where the heroine works. I loved how the author depicted war-time Iraq with believable grit and vividness it was hard to not pay attention. When she describes Rania's clients and when they are doing their business, you can SMELL the place AND the person.
However, this is not my first Jasinda Wilder read and the one I read before this one, didn't really spark my interest. She has this way of telling a story that sounds... telegram-ish (for lack of a better term) in my mind. Sometimes it comes out really muddled:
He will let me touch him because he thinks, correctly, that I am doing what I believe he wants, expects. So instead he shows me what I want. He knows what I want, even though I do not. How strange.
So when the story involves a Marine who has been a soldier since he came out of high school and an Iraqi prostitute who doesn't speak English, and the story comes from their alternating perspectives, that halting inner dialogue ('Me Tarzan, you Jane' sort of thing) sort of worked. I usually like alternate POVs but here, some of the scenes overlap: like a scene would happen from Hunter's perspective and the next section is the same scene from Raina's. Not a fan of those (especially in sex scenes), unless one of the characters have some secret evil plan. Speaking of the sex: and all I can think of was:
Not to be all Judgy McNuggets here but she IS a prostitute. In war-time Iraq. That can't be the most EPIC idea.
I had to pause before actually rating this.
I really like stories that are set to occur in situations such as this. Mostly because you run the gamut of human emotion that you won't likely find in fictional Homecoming Dances or a filthy bar where the heroine works. I loved how the author depicted war-time Iraq with believable grit and vividness it was hard to not pay attention. When she describes Rania's clients and when they are doing their business, you can SMELL the place AND the person.
However, this is not my first Jasinda Wilder read and the one I read before this one, didn't really spark my interest. She has this way of telling a story that sounds... telegram-ish (for lack of a better term) in my mind. Sometimes it comes out really muddled:
He will let me touch him because he thinks, correctly, that I am doing what I believe he wants, expects. So instead he shows me what I want. He knows what I want, even though I do not. How strange.
So when the story involves a Marine who has been a soldier since he came out of high school and an Iraqi prostitute who doesn't speak English, and the story comes from their alternating perspectives, that halting inner dialogue ('Me Tarzan, you Jane' sort of thing) sort of worked. I usually like alternate POVs but here, some of the scenes overlap: like a scene would happen from Hunter's perspective and the next section is the same scene from Raina's. Not a fan of those (especially in sex scenes), unless one of the characters have some secret evil plan. Speaking of the sex: and all I can think of was:
Not to be all Judgy McNuggets here but she IS a prostitute. In war-time Iraq. That can't be the most EPIC idea.
July 24, 2014
OMG, what a beautiful, beautiful story! Set against an Iraqi war zone, it is the story of two lost souls from very different lives who are thrown together in vicious circumstances, and end up saving each other.
We meet Rania when she is a child, growing up in war-torn Iraq. She has lost both of her parents to the war, and is left with just her younger brother and a mentally absent Aunt. By the age of 14 she is alone, homeless and starving. Without any other options, she turns to prostitution in order to feed herself. Her story is tragic, and she hates what is having to do, but she is a fighter, and is determined to survive.
Fast forward ten years and we meet American soldier, Hunter Lee. Back on tour in Iraq after being dumped by his girlfriend while home on leave, he is badly injured while on street patrol. Left for dead in the street, he is dragged to safety by the beautiful but mysterious Rania who takes him to her home and does what she can to treat his wounds.
What follows is an incredible story about two people coming together in an intense situation and falling for each other against insurmountable odds and it is beautiful!!!
Their first osbstacle is obviouly the language barrier, and watching them learn to communicate gave us a lot of insight into these two characters, with so much attention paid to looks, and body language, as they tried to figure each other out. And thank God, it is written in dual POV so we know exactly what is going on with both of them.
Rania’s life as a whore is all she has ever known. But despite her profession, there is a beautiful innocence about her. She has never known gentleness or tenderness, never had anybody to care for her. So when she starts to develop feelings for Hunter, and he shows her a gentleness that she has never known, she can’t even begin to imagine that he would feel anything for her.
“What are you doing to me, American? It is as if you are crawling underneath my skin, somehow. I feel you in my heart, and I do not know you. Your eyes see into me. I hate it, and I love it. I do not want you to see me. I am dirty. I am ugly inside. Men see my beauty, but not my ugliness. Or perhaps they do see it, and that is why everyone hates me, except when they want to pay me for sex, pay me for my beauty … I wonder what you see, when you look at me. Do you want me? Do you want to touch me? Do you want me to be the whore for you?”
Hunter is absolutely incredible! Mesmerised by Rania, and her strength, from the very beginning, he feels intensely protective of her, and as his feelings for her intensify, he wants nothing more than to save her from the brutal life she is living. But he goes slowly with her - patient and gentle, he never pushes her, instead showing her gentleness and tenderness that she has never had before, and it’s heartbreaking watching her reaction to somebody treating her like that (their first kiss totally made me tear up!). But when his girl is in danger, OMG, Hunter is epically badass.
“I’m in battle mode. Shut down. Hard. I’m not Hunter anymore. I’m Lance Corporal Lee, USMC. Semper Fi, bitches.”
And witnessing Hunter in all of his badassery, and his overwhelming love for Rania, the last few chapters had me on the edge of my seat! The plot moved so quickly, from extreme to extreme, and I loved every minute of it.
I read this book in one sitting, unable to put it down. The battle scenes seemed incredibly real and were brutal, and the reality of life for a poor, abandoned Iraqi girl were horrific. But the overall themes of love and hope keep this book from being too depressing, and it’s all wrapped up in a beautifully happy ending… with an epilogue.
I loved it – 4.5 stars.
We meet Rania when she is a child, growing up in war-torn Iraq. She has lost both of her parents to the war, and is left with just her younger brother and a mentally absent Aunt. By the age of 14 she is alone, homeless and starving. Without any other options, she turns to prostitution in order to feed herself. Her story is tragic, and she hates what is having to do, but she is a fighter, and is determined to survive.
Fast forward ten years and we meet American soldier, Hunter Lee. Back on tour in Iraq after being dumped by his girlfriend while home on leave, he is badly injured while on street patrol. Left for dead in the street, he is dragged to safety by the beautiful but mysterious Rania who takes him to her home and does what she can to treat his wounds.
What follows is an incredible story about two people coming together in an intense situation and falling for each other against insurmountable odds and it is beautiful!!!
Their first osbstacle is obviouly the language barrier, and watching them learn to communicate gave us a lot of insight into these two characters, with so much attention paid to looks, and body language, as they tried to figure each other out. And thank God, it is written in dual POV so we know exactly what is going on with both of them.
Rania’s life as a whore is all she has ever known. But despite her profession, there is a beautiful innocence about her. She has never known gentleness or tenderness, never had anybody to care for her. So when she starts to develop feelings for Hunter, and he shows her a gentleness that she has never known, she can’t even begin to imagine that he would feel anything for her.
“What are you doing to me, American? It is as if you are crawling underneath my skin, somehow. I feel you in my heart, and I do not know you. Your eyes see into me. I hate it, and I love it. I do not want you to see me. I am dirty. I am ugly inside. Men see my beauty, but not my ugliness. Or perhaps they do see it, and that is why everyone hates me, except when they want to pay me for sex, pay me for my beauty … I wonder what you see, when you look at me. Do you want me? Do you want to touch me? Do you want me to be the whore for you?”
Hunter is absolutely incredible! Mesmerised by Rania, and her strength, from the very beginning, he feels intensely protective of her, and as his feelings for her intensify, he wants nothing more than to save her from the brutal life she is living. But he goes slowly with her - patient and gentle, he never pushes her, instead showing her gentleness and tenderness that she has never had before, and it’s heartbreaking watching her reaction to somebody treating her like that (their first kiss totally made me tear up!). But when his girl is in danger, OMG, Hunter is epically badass.
“I’m in battle mode. Shut down. Hard. I’m not Hunter anymore. I’m Lance Corporal Lee, USMC. Semper Fi, bitches.”
And witnessing Hunter in all of his badassery, and his overwhelming love for Rania, the last few chapters had me on the edge of my seat! The plot moved so quickly, from extreme to extreme, and I loved every minute of it.
I read this book in one sitting, unable to put it down. The battle scenes seemed incredibly real and were brutal, and the reality of life for a poor, abandoned Iraqi girl were horrific. But the overall themes of love and hope keep this book from being too depressing, and it’s all wrapped up in a beautifully happy ending… with an epilogue.
I loved it – 4.5 stars.
January 8, 2013
Cannot deal with the perfection that comes with this book. I was taken back to the feelings and emotions I felt when I read 'The Bronze Horseman' and when a book manage to get UP THERE with that series I AM GONEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. EUPHORIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's 3:08am, will review at a normal hour.
EDIT:
Omg you guyssssss, you have to read this story! It is so AMAZING, HEART WRENCHING, MOVING, TENDER, EMOTIONAL and overall just FLAWLESS. LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! It kept me up till the early hours of the morning because I just had to read it one sitting. Could not, would not put it down!
In the middle of the horrible Iraq war, a love so tender, raw and precious blooms amongst the war field between our beautiful heroine, Rania an Iraqi woman and an American marine soldier, Hunter. Rania and her brother has lost everyone they have ever known and cherished. The only adult remaining left in their lives is their aunt however, after losing her husband she falls into her depression and weathers away. Her little brother eventually leaves her as well, choosing to join in the war instead of sticking by her to protect each another. All alone, Rania attempts to find work for food to survive but is unsuccessful and eventually sells her body away for money because to her it seems to be the only way and option left. She was only fourteen at this time :(
Years pass and she has long created a mask for herself and now goes by the name of Sabah. She dyed her hair to blonde and dresses everything to look every bit a prostitute does. Everything she does now is like a routine day after day and it hurts my heart when she endures what those disgusting pigs does to her. No wonder she hates all men and think they're all the same who want the same, need the same and think the same. Fucking vultures they are.
"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."
Enter Hunter, a strong, brave, intelligent and all alpha material marine with demons and betrayals of his own. It was during a battle between his soldiers and her very own brother's where Rania first saw him. It was when she carried and took him into her home to heal and tender his wounds and damages. It was when she wasn't afraid to show him what she does in order to survive. It was when they spoke to one another as though the language barriers were not there. It was the first touch they made which brought fire and sparks to every fibre and pore of their skin. It was the sacrifices she made to protect him. Was when I knew he was in deep and he could not, cannot go back. NUP. Now he didn't know that then of course but I knew he wouldn't fail me. And he didn't, not in the SLIGHTEST, even at the end. They are meant to be and they have to save each other and that was freaking IT.
Due to betrayal from the love Hunter has ever known it was hard for him to open his heart again but fate wanted a different story and god forbid, he could not control his emotions or his hands and lips off Rania :3 Once their love happened, it was so genuine and pure that to me she was untouched until Hunter came, despite what she did to live. He removed her walls, her mask, resurrect the Rania that once was and touched her like literally TOUCHED her, grabbed the beauty she hid underneath and it was the most refreshing thing ever! I literally melted.
"I feel you in my heart, and I do not know you. Your eyes see into me. I hate it, and I love it. I do not want you to see me. I am dirty. I am ugly inside."
“I love you, Hunter. Please do not stop. Not ever.”
“I won’t, I promise. Never. I’ll love you forever. I’ll make love to you until there’s no me and no you, only us together like this forever.”
HOW TO DEAL WHEN HUNTER SPEAKS LIKE THIS??? So my heart decided to explode. This love story is going to stay with me for a very very long time and I plan to reread this forever LOL.
It's 3:08am, will review at a normal hour.
EDIT:
Omg you guyssssss, you have to read this story! It is so AMAZING, HEART WRENCHING, MOVING, TENDER, EMOTIONAL and overall just FLAWLESS. LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! It kept me up till the early hours of the morning because I just had to read it one sitting. Could not, would not put it down!
In the middle of the horrible Iraq war, a love so tender, raw and precious blooms amongst the war field between our beautiful heroine, Rania an Iraqi woman and an American marine soldier, Hunter. Rania and her brother has lost everyone they have ever known and cherished. The only adult remaining left in their lives is their aunt however, after losing her husband she falls into her depression and weathers away. Her little brother eventually leaves her as well, choosing to join in the war instead of sticking by her to protect each another. All alone, Rania attempts to find work for food to survive but is unsuccessful and eventually sells her body away for money because to her it seems to be the only way and option left. She was only fourteen at this time :(
Years pass and she has long created a mask for herself and now goes by the name of Sabah. She dyed her hair to blonde and dresses everything to look every bit a prostitute does. Everything she does now is like a routine day after day and it hurts my heart when she endures what those disgusting pigs does to her. No wonder she hates all men and think they're all the same who want the same, need the same and think the same. Fucking vultures they are.
"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."
Enter Hunter, a strong, brave, intelligent and all alpha material marine with demons and betrayals of his own. It was during a battle between his soldiers and her very own brother's where Rania first saw him. It was when she carried and took him into her home to heal and tender his wounds and damages. It was when she wasn't afraid to show him what she does in order to survive. It was when they spoke to one another as though the language barriers were not there. It was the first touch they made which brought fire and sparks to every fibre and pore of their skin. It was the sacrifices she made to protect him. Was when I knew he was in deep and he could not, cannot go back. NUP. Now he didn't know that then of course but I knew he wouldn't fail me. And he didn't, not in the SLIGHTEST, even at the end. They are meant to be and they have to save each other and that was freaking IT.
Due to betrayal from the love Hunter has ever known it was hard for him to open his heart again but fate wanted a different story and god forbid, he could not control his emotions or his hands and lips off Rania :3 Once their love happened, it was so genuine and pure that to me she was untouched until Hunter came, despite what she did to live. He removed her walls, her mask, resurrect the Rania that once was and touched her like literally TOUCHED her, grabbed the beauty she hid underneath and it was the most refreshing thing ever! I literally melted.
"I feel you in my heart, and I do not know you. Your eyes see into me. I hate it, and I love it. I do not want you to see me. I am dirty. I am ugly inside."
“I love you, Hunter. Please do not stop. Not ever.”
“I won’t, I promise. Never. I’ll love you forever. I’ll make love to you until there’s no me and no you, only us together like this forever.”
HOW TO DEAL WHEN HUNTER SPEAKS LIKE THIS??? So my heart decided to explode. This love story is going to stay with me for a very very long time and I plan to reread this forever LOL.
December 31, 2012
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee
Say your ten hail marys because this story will grab you from the first word and not let go until the last…
Intense, rapid-fire emotions: Raw. Disgust. Sad. Beautiful.
An incredible portrayal of the atrocities of war through the eyes of an Iraqi young women and an American soldier; both souls broken by the hand that life has dealt them. Hunter and Rania find themselves together in a situation of survival and fall in love as they save each other from the pain of their past and present.
This is the first book I have read by this author and I am looking forward to reading more from her. I really liked the alternating POV’s of the MC’s and the detail she wrote the scenes was so palatable that I was able to feel the pain, fear and love; what I look for in a good book and this was a very good book. One that will stay with me for a long time.
Say your ten hail marys because this story will grab you from the first word and not let go until the last…
Intense, rapid-fire emotions: Raw. Disgust. Sad. Beautiful.
An incredible portrayal of the atrocities of war through the eyes of an Iraqi young women and an American soldier; both souls broken by the hand that life has dealt them. Hunter and Rania find themselves together in a situation of survival and fall in love as they save each other from the pain of their past and present.
This is the first book I have read by this author and I am looking forward to reading more from her. I really liked the alternating POV’s of the MC’s and the detail she wrote the scenes was so palatable that I was able to feel the pain, fear and love; what I look for in a good book and this was a very good book. One that will stay with me for a long time.
January 17, 2013
BEAUTIFUL...TRAGIC...PURE..DARK...INTENSE..PERFECTION
Wounded was far more gripping, dark, beautiful, captivating than i imagined it would be.
We are introduced to two characters who are in a very dark place in their lives.
Rania- Is a beautiful dark haired brown haired beauty, living in the war torn country of Iraq, she finds herself losing everyone she cares about: father,mother,aunt, uncle, brother. She is left to fend for herself, wandering the streets looking for food, water, shelter. Unfortunately she discovers at a young age, that the only way to do this..is to give away her body. And here is where the heartbreak really begins! The author unfolds her tragic life so beautifully, that you completely understand and sympathizes with the heroine's decision to either sell herself or die.
Hunter- Oh my Hunter! I LOVE YOU!!!!! He is a skilled, lethal Marine, enjoying his break with his best friend and fellow comrade since 7th grade Derek and his long time girlfriend Lanie since high school, whom he plans of proposing to, only to walk in to find his whole world collapsed! So he returns to Iraq for his last tour, heartbroken, alone and confused.
One dreadful afternoon in Iraq is where their lives collide and everything changes!
Rania doesn't know the look, touch, voice or feel of a gentle man. She has been shackled to live her life as an object, a thing to be used for the pleasures of men. Being haunted by her past, she makes a decision of compassion that changes her life forever. Hunt was fully expecting to die that afternoon, but he opens his eyes after a shower of bullets, to find this beauty staring down at him.
Not only are they in the middle of a war, but they have to overcome their language barrier(which reminded me of The Golden Dynasty by Kristen Ashley~AMAZING!!) and find themselves experiencing a beauty and innocence that they never believed existed.
Their scenes are intense, angsty, emotionally charged, seductive and beautiful. He helps her overcome her barrier over herself as only being worthy of being a "whore" with his beautiful love for her.The love, patience and tenderness he shows her is breathtaking! She shows him an innocence and a strength that he never saw before, and helps him heal his damaged broken heart. This was an absolute splendid, dark, twist love story told with heart, tragedy, love, hope...JUST AMAZING!!!
Characters: depth, strength, love!
Plot: Gripping, intense, dark, beautiful!
Steamy scene: YES!! YES!! YES!! YES!!
Fav. Scene: All Rania and Hunt scene
Wounded was far more gripping, dark, beautiful, captivating than i imagined it would be.
We are introduced to two characters who are in a very dark place in their lives.
Rania- Is a beautiful dark haired brown haired beauty, living in the war torn country of Iraq, she finds herself losing everyone she cares about: father,mother,aunt, uncle, brother. She is left to fend for herself, wandering the streets looking for food, water, shelter. Unfortunately she discovers at a young age, that the only way to do this..is to give away her body. And here is where the heartbreak really begins! The author unfolds her tragic life so beautifully, that you completely understand and sympathizes with the heroine's decision to either sell herself or die.
Hunter- Oh my Hunter! I LOVE YOU!!!!! He is a skilled, lethal Marine, enjoying his break with his best friend and fellow comrade since 7th grade Derek and his long time girlfriend Lanie since high school, whom he plans of proposing to, only to walk in to find his whole world collapsed! So he returns to Iraq for his last tour, heartbroken, alone and confused.
One dreadful afternoon in Iraq is where their lives collide and everything changes!
Rania doesn't know the look, touch, voice or feel of a gentle man. She has been shackled to live her life as an object, a thing to be used for the pleasures of men. Being haunted by her past, she makes a decision of compassion that changes her life forever. Hunt was fully expecting to die that afternoon, but he opens his eyes after a shower of bullets, to find this beauty staring down at him.
Not only are they in the middle of a war, but they have to overcome their language barrier(which reminded me of The Golden Dynasty by Kristen Ashley~AMAZING!!) and find themselves experiencing a beauty and innocence that they never believed existed.
Their scenes are intense, angsty, emotionally charged, seductive and beautiful. He helps her overcome her barrier over herself as only being worthy of being a "whore" with his beautiful love for her.The love, patience and tenderness he shows her is breathtaking! She shows him an innocence and a strength that he never saw before, and helps him heal his damaged broken heart. This was an absolute splendid, dark, twist love story told with heart, tragedy, love, hope...JUST AMAZING!!!
Characters: depth, strength, love!
Plot: Gripping, intense, dark, beautiful!
Steamy scene: YES!! YES!! YES!! YES!!
Fav. Scene: All Rania and Hunt scene
January 26, 2013
He fills me. My heart, my soul. He fills the horrible emptiness that has gaped inside me all my life. The moment that he slid into me, I knew. It has just taken me this long to understand the strange feeling flowing in my veins in place of blood: Happiness.
Wounded has me a little torn. There are parts of this book that had me mesmerized, unable to tear my eyes from the words. Then at time I felt like it was an US Marine recruitment video. In the end I split the star rating between these two and went with 3 stars because this story of Rania's life before she met Hunter is heartbreaking and tragic. When they come together it's magical and beautiful.
Here is what I thought...
The romance between Hunter and Rania is HOT. It's my favorite part of the story and I believe the most well written and honest part of Wounded. How gentle and honest they both are with each other was so sweet to read. The rotating POV's between Hunter and Rania on added to the depth of the story. Ms. Wilder was able to convey Rania's struggle to communicate with Hunter is such a wonderful and realistic way. Rania is so broken and damaged that simple touch is associated with selling herself to survive. She has never known true kindness of giving. Everything had a price and she paid dearly for it for the last 10 years.
I hear it, the sound that will become my life: a belt jingling.
The story about Rania and Hunters past before they meet each other was very interesting to read. Although, having never been to Iraq I'm not sure if it's accurate. At times Rania seems to have super strength, she lifts and AK47 and shoots a man, multiple times in order to defend her brother. Later when she's and Hunter are surrounded by bad men, Hunter takes on a team of 50 with himself and 3 clips of ammunition. Now, like I said before, I've never been to Iraq or even to war but a man gravely wounded and hardly able to walk being able to take on that many soldier just seems far fetched. Even the fact that Hunter survived all this injurers with just Rania cleaning his wounds was almost hard to believe.
I know the answer when he speaks my true name: I do not want him to know Sabah, the prostitute. I want him to know Rania, the woman.
Towards the end of wounded the relationship between Hunter and Rania goes from hidden glanses and thoughts of desire to love that will last a lifetime. For me that was not very believable, it seemed rushed and fast and next thing you know their
“Some things are free, Rania. My love for you is free. All you have to do is take it. Accept it. If you want to work, I’ll help you find a job. But not because you have to earn your keep. You’re my wife. What’s mine is yours now.”
Ms. Wilder writing style was distracting from the story. Short multiple sentences chopped up the flow of the book. I found myself wondering if we were hearing Rania's accented language or was this mean on purpose. In sections it ruined the mood and it was hard to get past.
In the end, Wounded was a moving story about survival. I'm glad I read it and hope to read some of Ms. Wilders other books.
January 30, 2013
This was a completely different read from so many other novels I've read and not what I had expected but I really loved it!
This book is about a romance between an American soldier Hunter and an Iraqi girl Raina who are from two completely different worlds, both broken and lonely and are in the middle of a horrible war.
Rania is selling herself for money to survive, she was such a wonderful heroine, she was strong and smart an absolute survivor as she has known a life only of struggle and pain. Hunter is critically wounded, he is protective and despite being a badass alpha Marine, he was just patient, kind, sweet and nurturing. They do not speak each others languages and at first they do not entirely understand each other but you can see the connection between them is there and their relationship progressed from the moment they locked eyes to the moment they made love.
I love how the descriptions draw you in instantly and transports you straight into the middle of the war and keeps you engaged throughout the story.
Wounded is an emotional, heart-wrenching, absolutely enthralling book, it was quite surprising and a refreshing change of pace!
This book is about a romance between an American soldier Hunter and an Iraqi girl Raina who are from two completely different worlds, both broken and lonely and are in the middle of a horrible war.
Rania is selling herself for money to survive, she was such a wonderful heroine, she was strong and smart an absolute survivor as she has known a life only of struggle and pain. Hunter is critically wounded, he is protective and despite being a badass alpha Marine, he was just patient, kind, sweet and nurturing. They do not speak each others languages and at first they do not entirely understand each other but you can see the connection between them is there and their relationship progressed from the moment they locked eyes to the moment they made love.
I love how the descriptions draw you in instantly and transports you straight into the middle of the war and keeps you engaged throughout the story.
Wounded is an emotional, heart-wrenching, absolutely enthralling book, it was quite surprising and a refreshing change of pace!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 20, 2020
Gulf war, a wounded American Marine and an Iraqi female who has been through he||.... I am sure there are thousands of stories about romances formed in this manner, but this was my first, and it absolutely blew my mind! Rich, detailed description portraying how it feels to go without something to drink and losing the will to live while residing in a city constantly being bombed with no loved ones for emotional support or a penny in her pocket… I felt like I was in the midst of the suffering! It was absolutely incredible!!!
I don’t read paranormal or fantasy because I want my books to be very plausible, realistic and believable. Unfortunately, I found it very very, very, very hard to believe that the main characters taught each other their native languages in just a few days simply by miming.
Luckily, I was able to force myself to ignore that and enjoy the story! Aside from this communication issue, WOUNDED was absolutely amazing!!!!
I don’t read paranormal or fantasy because I want my books to be very plausible, realistic and believable. Unfortunately, I found it very very, very, very hard to believe that the main characters taught each other their native languages in just a few days simply by miming.
Luckily, I was able to force myself to ignore that and enjoy the story! Aside from this communication issue, WOUNDED was absolutely amazing!!!!
October 13, 2021
Rating:4/5⭐
Where do I begin with?I was actually putting off reviewing it because it was unique with all the feels.Absolutely unique!
Love amidst the war.Rania an Iraqi girl who lost her soul and self for hunger helps an American soldier Hunter hurt in the midst of a scandal.Hunter having been ditched by his lover lost hope in the idea of love but however things change when Rania mends his wounds and helps him out bedridden.The best part is Rania speaks only Arabic and Hunter, English.There is some sizzling Spark between them which is yet to be ignited but how because they don't speak each others language?Each day Hunter watches Rania loose a part of her in ways no woman would dare to.Can they find what they feel for each other in the hardest of times?
Where do I begin with?I was actually putting off reviewing it because it was unique with all the feels.Absolutely unique!
Love amidst the war.Rania an Iraqi girl who lost her soul and self for hunger helps an American soldier Hunter hurt in the midst of a scandal.Hunter having been ditched by his lover lost hope in the idea of love but however things change when Rania mends his wounds and helps him out bedridden.The best part is Rania speaks only Arabic and Hunter, English.There is some sizzling Spark between them which is yet to be ignited but how because they don't speak each others language?Each day Hunter watches Rania loose a part of her in ways no woman would dare to.Can they find what they feel for each other in the hardest of times?
December 30, 2012
4.5 stars
One of the most realistic, breathtakingly beautiful books I have ever read. Jasinda's brilliant and vivid depiction of the horrors of war serves as the dark, gritty canvas for this epic love story. Rania's fight for survival amazed me, Hunter's quiet resilience astounded me, and their undying devotion to one another overwhelmed me.
To risk everything for love is a timeless tale, fraught with a myriad of emotions - hope, fear, joy, sorrow. But Rania and Hunter prove that the beauty is in the journey and to never fight, to never try......will leave you Wounded.
One of the most realistic, breathtakingly beautiful books I have ever read. Jasinda's brilliant and vivid depiction of the horrors of war serves as the dark, gritty canvas for this epic love story. Rania's fight for survival amazed me, Hunter's quiet resilience astounded me, and their undying devotion to one another overwhelmed me.
To risk everything for love is a timeless tale, fraught with a myriad of emotions - hope, fear, joy, sorrow. But Rania and Hunter prove that the beauty is in the journey and to never fight, to never try......will leave you Wounded.
January 26, 2013
This book was truly one of a kind! I had no idea what I was going to get when I started, I had read reviews where readers were saying they were physically sick.. I get it, and I completely understand why now that I have finished. However, I managed to refrain from running to the nearest toilet.. that doesn't mean it was easy though. It wasn't, it was very hard at times, it was so raw, so gritty.. so real.
Wounded is the story of two broken souls from polar opposites of life, coming together in the most tragic of circumstances to help each other, heal each other, and finally be free.
Rania has spent ten years, from the age of fourteen, being a prostitute. She is alone in the world and the only way she can survive, the only way she can afford to feed herself, is to lay down on her back and morph herself in to Sabah, the prostitute. This is the only life Rania has ever known.
Hunter is an American soldier with just as horrific a past as Rania. He has grown up alone in the world, with only a best friend to call his family. His parents dead, his girl friend a liar and a cheat, he has nothing anymore.
Right smack bang in the middle of a war zone, these two meet. Hunter lying half way to death, and Rania feeling it her responsibility to save him. Days pass and Rania is nursing Hunter, but she is starting to feel things she has never felt before - attraction for a man, lust. When Hunter is finally awake and they spend their days teaching each other words of their own language, which I have to say were some of my favourite scenes, he starts to feel these things too but he knows there is no way it can possibly be.
Wounded isn't just a book about doom and gloom and war, yes there is a lot of that, and quite honestly some of it was really just so shocking I had to stop and read. But in the midst of all that tragedy was one of the most heart-warming love stories I have ever had the joy of reading. The relationship between Hunter and Rania was so real, so honest, so totally beautiful.
I honestly could not recommend this book enough to people. It isn't an easy read by any means but it is a truly beautiful one that will stay with me for a long time.
Wounded is the story of two broken souls from polar opposites of life, coming together in the most tragic of circumstances to help each other, heal each other, and finally be free.
Rania has spent ten years, from the age of fourteen, being a prostitute. She is alone in the world and the only way she can survive, the only way she can afford to feed herself, is to lay down on her back and morph herself in to Sabah, the prostitute. This is the only life Rania has ever known.
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Hunter is an American soldier with just as horrific a past as Rania. He has grown up alone in the world, with only a best friend to call his family. His parents dead, his girl friend a liar and a cheat, he has nothing anymore.
Right smack bang in the middle of a war zone, these two meet. Hunter lying half way to death, and Rania feeling it her responsibility to save him. Days pass and Rania is nursing Hunter, but she is starting to feel things she has never felt before - attraction for a man, lust. When Hunter is finally awake and they spend their days teaching each other words of their own language, which I have to say were some of my favourite scenes, he starts to feel these things too but he knows there is no way it can possibly be.
"She needs Prince Charming to carry her away from this hell of dust and sin and war, and I am not him."
Wounded isn't just a book about doom and gloom and war, yes there is a lot of that, and quite honestly some of it was really just so shocking I had to stop and read. But in the midst of all that tragedy was one of the most heart-warming love stories I have ever had the joy of reading. The relationship between Hunter and Rania was so real, so honest, so totally beautiful.
Hunter touches my cheek, kisses my chin. "I will always love you. You saved me, Rania."
I shake my head. "No, you have saved me,"
"We have saved each other then," he says.
I honestly could not recommend this book enough to people. It isn't an easy read by any means but it is a truly beautiful one that will stay with me for a long time.
January 25, 2013
OMG! Wow! That was unexpected! Reading the synopsis of this book I'm thinking this is a love story of a girl struggling to get by meets a military guy dealing with the demands of being in the war... Boy was I ever wrong!! I was hating this book & loving this book at the same time! Hating it because my heart went out to Rania and what she had to endure from the early age of 12. From losing both her parents, her uncle and then her aunt to deaths. Then her little brother leaves her to join the war but he he is a child himself. The story takes place on the first Gulf War, Iraq in 1991. Rania now left alone has to find a way to survive, she has no one to take care of her, no one will hire her for she is only a child. She finally finds something to get her enough food to get her by when a older lady hires her to do her laundry and clean up after her, until that lady passes away. Rania is once again has to look for a way to get food to live. Sometimes you have to do what is necessary even if its selling yourself, for survival... My heart aches for her, it was so hard to read sometimes, I had to stop and give myself a break before picking it up again.
Then we meet Hunter Lee, he's A US Marine home on leave but he's about to be deployed into the 2nd Iraqi War. He's at home with his best friend Derek that he's known since he was in 2nd grade. They've been through and done everything together even enlist together and even ended up in the same unit. Hunter has no one, he's an only child, lost his parents to a car crash. All he has is Derek and his high school sweetheart Lani, but he loses her when he finds her in bed with someone else before he has to be deployed!
Then when out on a Routine Cp with his unit, including Derek is when we are finally introduced to Rania & Hunter's story. Of course it doesn't come without a price. They are thrusted together, two souls who lost so much, even lost themselves... Can they help heal one another? Can Rania heal Hunter not only of his battle wounds but of his broken heart? Can Hunter help heal Rania, this broken girl, who sees herself worthless only as a body and nothing more?
I love how Jassinda switches back and forth from Rania & Hunter's POV, it helps you understand & learn more about each characters. Never once in a book I've read where I've felt so much for the heroine of the story. Usually I am hating the girl or thinking how weak she is... This is not the case at all with Rania, all I felt for her was sadness. I just wanted someone to come find her and take her away from it all & love her!! That's why Hunter was PERFECTION!! He was so sweet with Rania, even with their language barrier. He never judged her even after he learned of what she did. He instead wanted to protect her & take care of her, remove her from this life. I loved the development of their relationship, how they established trust, how they tried to learn each other's languages.
One of the BEST scenes in the book is when Hunter although he's injured goes at any length to protect Rania...
"I'm in battle mode. Shut down. Hard. I'm not Hunter anymore. I'm Lance Corporal Lee, USMC. Semper Fi, bitches!"
Geez, I think this is the longest review I've ever written! What else can say but this a dark but beautiful story... It was beyond amazing! I didn't want it to end, I hope that Jassinda somehow writes another book to continue with Rania & Hunter's story because I'd like to know where this journey will take them... If you haven't yet, go out and READ IT!!!
Then we meet Hunter Lee, he's A US Marine home on leave but he's about to be deployed into the 2nd Iraqi War. He's at home with his best friend Derek that he's known since he was in 2nd grade. They've been through and done everything together even enlist together and even ended up in the same unit. Hunter has no one, he's an only child, lost his parents to a car crash. All he has is Derek and his high school sweetheart Lani, but he loses her when he finds her in bed with someone else before he has to be deployed!
Then when out on a Routine Cp with his unit, including Derek is when we are finally introduced to Rania & Hunter's story. Of course it doesn't come without a price. They are thrusted together, two souls who lost so much, even lost themselves... Can they help heal one another? Can Rania heal Hunter not only of his battle wounds but of his broken heart? Can Hunter help heal Rania, this broken girl, who sees herself worthless only as a body and nothing more?
I love how Jassinda switches back and forth from Rania & Hunter's POV, it helps you understand & learn more about each characters. Never once in a book I've read where I've felt so much for the heroine of the story. Usually I am hating the girl or thinking how weak she is... This is not the case at all with Rania, all I felt for her was sadness. I just wanted someone to come find her and take her away from it all & love her!! That's why Hunter was PERFECTION!! He was so sweet with Rania, even with their language barrier. He never judged her even after he learned of what she did. He instead wanted to protect her & take care of her, remove her from this life. I loved the development of their relationship, how they established trust, how they tried to learn each other's languages.
One of the BEST scenes in the book is when Hunter although he's injured goes at any length to protect Rania...
"I'm in battle mode. Shut down. Hard. I'm not Hunter anymore. I'm Lance Corporal Lee, USMC. Semper Fi, bitches!"
Geez, I think this is the longest review I've ever written! What else can say but this a dark but beautiful story... It was beyond amazing! I didn't want it to end, I hope that Jassinda somehow writes another book to continue with Rania & Hunter's story because I'd like to know where this journey will take them... If you haven't yet, go out and READ IT!!!
August 26, 2014
Rania is an Iraqi girl that has been thrown into the depths of war. The war has ripped through her country and cost her a great deal of pain. She has lost both of her parents, her aunt, and her younger brother has even left her to take up a rifle and fight the big bad American Forces.
Rania is left struggling to feed herself and keep herself clothed. She is forced into a life of prostitution. She is degraded to selling her body in order to stay alive. Rania knows how to put up the mask when she is working. She has disassociated herself from the job.
“I feel like everyone who sees me knows what I am. As if it is written on my forehead in bold black ink. Perhaps it is written on my soul, now, and they can see it in my eyes, those windows to my soul.”
One day while in the slums, some American troops make their way through her town. There is gun fire, grenades, and blood loss. Rania is drawn to a soldier who is injured and decides to save him. She drags him back to her house. She cares for him.
Hunter is shaken up and injured. He is trying to assess his situation. Overall, the beauty Rania encompasses overcomes him. Although these two do not speak the same language, they learn to communicate through their actions. They teach each other their native tongues. Rania teaches Hunter beauty. Hunter teaches Rania the true meaning of love. It is a slow and tender story.
“There is so much. I had no clue I could feel this way, this much. It's like some deep well opened up inside me, and now all the love in all the world is being poured through me into her.”
I truly adored this book. The writing was descriptive and the pacing was just right. I felt like I was right there in the war zone. I felt proud of our soldiers. I felt sorry for the people torn up by the war. The only reason this book wasn't a 5 star for me was because I would have enjoyed a bit more of their happy ending. These two had been through hell and I wanted to see them together in heaven just a little longer. Overall, an amazing read! For anyone that likes action and romance, don't miss out on this jewel!
February 25, 2013
This book was so well written, I had tears in my eyes half the time. I almost didn't finish reading because I found it so hard to read some parts in the book, but I couldn't stop because I needed to know what was going to happen. I thought this book was so beautiful and real. The only thing I could say is wrong with this book is the cover, its misleading this book is not a raunchy, trashy read. Its one of the best books I've ever read, its a story about love, loss and overcoming the worst kind of hardship and that's why I feel the cover did not do it justice. I'll definitely read again that's how good it was!
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