Marked by Rebecca Sherwin
I'd been born into a life of torture and I walked the lonely road of torment, praying for mercy. I was scarred mentally. I was deformed physically. I was mutilated emotionally.
I was a sailor lost at sea, a soul lost in limbo, a shell of a man with no hope.
Until I found her. My fiery-haired, crystal-eyed little one who brought light to a life that knew nothing but darkness.
But she had dark shadows of her own. A past filled with anguish and brutality. A future that promised nothing but the barren life I understood too well.
We were two victims. Two loveless souls searching for something to live for. We were monsters. We were evil. We were doomed.
Our scars ran deep and our grasp on each other depended only on the search for punishment - for the next slice of pain that made us feel alive. We lived for the hurt, we lived for the anger. We lived to mark each other with intensity, belonging, and our own messed up version of recovery.
This isn't a love story. It's a story that cuts. It's a story that captivates. It's a story that questions morals and crosses the line of sanity.
It's a twisted story, one you won't see coming until it's too late...
Please be advised - Marked contains content that some readers may find disturbing.
**Marked is a STANDALONE novel**
This is a very intense, raw and dark story about Benton "Benny" Wright. The whole book is from his POV and starts when he is a toddler. It then takes us through his harrowing teenage years and on to his life on the streets of London. His story is heartbreaking as it is one of childhood abuse, both mentally and physically. There are graphic and violent scenes as well as various sexual situations readers may find disturbing. Your heart will go out to Ben and my maternal instincts just wanted to cuddle and help him as he deserved a better life.
After an incident while he sleeping rough, he meets Faith and she is very aptly named, as she gives him someone to have faith in. She has also had a horrendous childhood so they are both victims trying to survive their demons. Can two broken people help each other and have a relationship or will it cause more problems? They both have an evil and deviant side which they use as a coping mechanism and you are left trying to work out if they are the monsters they think they are. I felt they were still just two kids who never got to grow up properly and were adjusting to adulthood as best they could. I totally understood them needing each other as they shared experiences and had an understanding of what the other had been through.
Faith is a fascinating character and has a sweet philosophical side. As the story continues we find out more about her life and also more details of what Ben went through. She wants to help Ben and he wants to protect her but can they find a way to deal with their needs as both feel they can never be normal human beings.
The last part of the story is very emotional and in places some readers may find it hard to read, but it is very relevant and keeps to the dark theme that has run through the whole story. There are times you will need the tissues as it will make you cry but it is an amazing book I thoroughly recommend.
I must mention the authors notes at the end of the book as they are well worth reading because she explains about writing this book and how many people experience the life Benny did - " Life isn't a fairytale"
About the author:
Rebecca is a London born and bred mother, writer and psychology student. She is the author of summer romance, Second Chance Hero, and the psychological romantic-suspense series, Twisted. An avid reader and lover of stories that keep you guessing, Rebecca writes tales that will challenge your perceptions and toy with your emotions. Rebecca's stories invite you to open your mind and dig deeper into the meanings of the lives of each and every character you meet. She entices you into their world – to feel with them, to grow with them, to love with them. She asks you to become a part of them and allow them to become a part of you.
Rebecca would like to express her thanks to everyone who reads her stories, and would love to hear from you!