ARC Book Review: Scarred Regrets by Adelaide Forrest

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Scarred Regrets
Bellandi Crime Syndicate #5
Author:Adelaide Forrest
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Mafia Romance|Contemporary Romance
Released: 30/12/2021
Review Source: Provided by author

Broken men don’t fall in love.

We linger in the darkness, consumed by the sins that define us.

Irina is the sole reason my heart beats. She’s everything that matters in a world filled with evil that a woman so good and pure should never have to see.

She’ll add another scar to my collection — this one engraved on my heart.

When she’s taken by our enemy to use for his vengeance. Even knowing she can never be mine, I’ll stop at nothing to see her safe.

The Irina I rescue isn’t the same feisty woman they stole.

Her soul is broken. Her heart is hollow like mine, because of the things she’s seen. She needs me in a way I’ve never known.

And I will destroy the man who shattered what’s mine.

*check the trigger warnings for Scarred Regrets before reading*

Scarred Regrets is the fifth installment in the series and it was my favourite book yet. It was very different in comparison to the others but packed a punch in a way I feel the other novels lacked. It was an emotional journey and took us through the before, during and after of Irina's trauma and we experience every stage of Scar and Irina's relationship.

Both characters are battling their own demons. Scar come from a broken childhood and romanticly he keeps everyone at a distance. As a boy, he witnessed and went through things that nobody should ever experience in a lifetime and it left an imprint. Meeting Irina was not planned, and although he wants her, he keeps his feelings and emotions locked down.

You want things that I can't give you."

"I just want somebody to love me."

Irina is the sweetest, most selfless character. The things she experienced just to save other people? Like?! I love her and my heart broke at what she experienced at the hands of the enemies. It was hard to read in some places as Irina's journey was not an easy one but it was one that I'm glad the author explored. 

As a whole, it was a great novel and Irina and Scar got the happy ending they deserved. We got to know so many sub-characters that I really hope get their own books. If you liked Calix then you can read his novel in Dreams of the Vengeful.

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