Rehabbing the Beast

Avelyn McCrae · Abbie Zanders

Jan 2019 · Abbie Zanders Romance

About this ebook

Hard to kill. Even harder to love.

Army Ranger Seth O’Rourke is more than just a man. Inside him lives a beast who knows he can trust no one but himself to survive, and that it is his duty to protect those weaker than himself. When a selfless act of heroism leaves him dependent upon others, his world crumbles around him. The only spark of light in a world of darkness and pain is the woman who foolishly refuses to give up on him.

Quinn Brennan is more than just a woman. She has a rare and special gift: she can heal through touch. She knows she can trust no one with her secret because many will misunderstand and fear her powers. Seth is the exception. She’s willing to risk everything for him, because the same ancient ancestry that provided her gift insists that he is the other half of her soul.

When a tragic mishap puts her in the hospital, Quinn is forced to return to the only place she’s ever felt accepted. Will her absence be the catalyst Seth needs to bring himself back into the light and save them both? 

Ratings and reviews

Beauty hath charms to sooth the savage Beast... to paraphrase, or something like that. Quinn is indeed beautiful, and Seth has alienated all the other Physical Therapists with his beastly behavior, but there's something else going on here. There's a darkness to these characters that lends a touch of bitter sweetness to the tale. For Seth, it's easy to see it right away, but for Quinn it takes a bit longer for that darkness to be revealed. Their romance is resolved in satisfying fashion, though I'm still pondering a few questions about Seth, to a certain extent. (I'll leave the specifics out, so as not to spoil anything.) I hope that this is the beginning of a series, because the town and its inhabitants were interesting, and tidbits of info about Seth, Quinn, and her Grandmother hinted at a much deeper world that I'd love to learn more about.

Seth O’Rourke is angry at the whole world and takes it out especially on Quinn Brennan, his physical therapist. Quinn has extraordinary healing capabilities, and although she knows Seth is her soulmate, when she’s injured in an accident as a result of Seth’s behavior, she returns home to not only heal her body but her heart. This starts rather intense and harsh due to Seth’s lashing out at the world as he attempts to cope with his body’s need for rehabilitation and the loss of his career. Quinn understands where Seth’s anger is coming from and usually has the strength to not let it get to her until she, too, needs healing and then her instincts for self-preservation kick in. Seth and Quinn’s love story is quite a roller coaster ride with some ups and downs and a few twists and turns. It’s full of anger and angst to begin which in the end turns to hope and love. There’s plenty of emotions and drama with a few light-hearted moments, some steamy passion and ultimately everlasting love. The characters are appealing and interesting, although it may take you a bit to warm up to Seth. The storyline is fast-paced and will keep you engaged from start to finish. This is a very enjoyable romance.

You can’t go wrong with a hero who you both hate and love and sweet, quiet but strong heroine! I’m not a huge fan of jerks as the love interest, but Seth is more than his actions. He has so much depth as a character that you can’t help but fall in love with him. Quinn is so quiet and sweet that you are surprised when she shows her inner strength. These two are complete opposites that in the end work so well in a relationship.

About the author

Avelyn McCrae is the somewhat darker alter ego of USA Today Bestselling Author Abbie Zanders. Like Abbie, she promises her readers two things: happily ever afters, always, and no cliffhangers, ever.

Born and raised in the mountains of Northeastern Pennsylvania, she has degrees in Computer Science and Mathematics. She worked for more than twenty-five years as a software engineer, designing and writing financial applications, though she has also held second jobs as a deli clerk, pub waitress, restaurant baker, and secretary that she draws upon to give real-life dimension to her characters.

Abbie has been crafting stories since elementary school, though she has only recently decided to start sharing them with others. When she's not escaping into another world of her own creation, she's a busy wife and mother of three, including a set of identical twins. Besides being an avid reader and writer, she loves animals (especially big dogs), American muscle cars, and 80's hair bands.