Stay With Me - A Marine's Promise, A Survivors Fight
She was running from the past.
He was carrying the dead on his back.
Neither expected to find love in the wreckage.
After escaping her abusive ex, Erin has nothing left but the clothes on her back, the trauma she hides, and the son she’d do anything to protect. A domestic violence shelter is her last safe haven. Trust is a luxury she can’t afford, not anymore.
James Cole is a Marine with nothing but ghosts. The war took his brothers, left him breathing, and buried him in guilt so heavy he doesn’t know how to come up for air. He isn’t looking for redemption. He isn’t looking for anything at all.
But fate has other plans.
When their lives collide in a quiet Ohio town, what begins as cautious glances and broken conversations slowly becomes something more. Erin sees the pain James tries to hide. James sees the strength behind Erin’s fear. And her little boy, Jamie, sees a hero in the man who never meant to become one.
But healing isn’t simple. Love doesn’t erase the past.
And some endings come too soon.
****Inspired by a true story, Stay With Me is a heartbreaking, unforgettable love story about survival, sacrifice, and the kind of love that stays long after the last page. Stay With Me contains plot driven open door scenes.
Reviews From Readers
★★★★★ Marie Ortega (goodreads)
WOW! This story broke my heart. It was so well written. I had the pleasure of reading this as an arc for my girl Katie and I’m so glad I did. My emotions were everywhere. I felt every emotion that each of the characters felt. This is definitely one of my top reads of this year. This is a book I will recommend a thousand times to everyone. Katie, you out did yourself, this book was absolutely amazing and heartbreaking at the same time.
★★★★★ Katie (goodreads)
Wow. Way to totally wreck my soul. I was like imma get a cute nice romance (going into it totally blind like I do most books) NOPE! Sitting there fishing and had to put the pole down I was crying so hard. The way the store is written it pulls you in immediately. As a survivor of DV my heart bleed for Erin. This story is one of PSTD (both from different situations), found amazing and safety. And just wow. Start to finish amazing! I did have to set it down and switch stories to go to bed because by page 50 I was bawling; by page 375 my heart wasn't sure if it was ever going to be put back together. Amazing!!!
★★★★ Kassie Jones (goodreads)
Oh, my freaking gosh with that ending. No spoilers from me but the gasp I gasped!
Stay With Me is a fast-paced, emotional story full of complex topics that really make you feel what the characters are feeling.
Erin, James, and Jamie are immediately lovable and you really root for them from the start. It's not just another love story, it's a beautiful redemption and healing experience.
The story is good and I could see it playing out in a movie or mini series, and that ending? Easy 4 star rank because of that alone. The spice/steam is thoughtful and feels important, this isn't spice for the sake of spice. There are only a couple scenes and it isn't over-the-top descriptive, so it lands in the 2 pepper range for me.