Blurb
Matt Bowers’s life ended at sixteen, when a vicious betrayal by someone who he should have been able to trust left him a shell of himself, fighting OCD and PTSD, living in constant fear and always running. When he buys a remote tract of land, he thinks he’s found the perfect place to hide from the world and attempt to establish some peace. For ten years he believes he’s found a measure of comfort, until the day a stranger begins to run on Matt’s road.
He returns every day, an unwelcome intrusion into Matt’s carefully structured life. Matt appeals to the local sheriff, who cannot help him since the jogger is doing nothing wrong. Gradually, after tentatively breaking the ice, Matt begins to accept the man’s presence—
But when the runner doesn’t show up one day, it throws Matt’s world into chaos and he must make the hardest decision of his life.
Review
My Rating - 5 Stars!
Parker Williams' Runner is an absolutely amazing romance. I was drawn to the blurb, but the book ended up being so much more than I could have ever imagined. I am elated to have discovered this raw journey of reclaiming one's life.
It's an incredible story of healing and recovery. When we meet Matt, he's been isolating himself for years, scarred by the "incident." He's so damn broken, spending his life looking over his shoulder. A tough read, the attempted rape is written in detail. Thrown for a loop when Charlie starts running by his house, his world is soon upended.
This is a story of abuse and attempted rape, as well as the resulting anxiety and OCD. The anxiety, panic attacks, and OCD are written in an excellent manner, as they're written realistically and with care. I could feel Matt's anxiety and could feel his need to follow his OCD routines. My heart broke for him and his need for order and control.
Their story involves the raw pain involved with letting someone in. It's a powerful tale of showing faith in others and being reminded that not everyone is bad.
As for the character of Charlie, he definitely seems too good to be real. His understanding of Matt's issues, his ability to fit into Matt's life without causing too much anxiety, and his absolute love and devotion are extraordinary.
The writing is superb. The author adds some twists and turns that will keep you riveted. Fantastic first time sex scenes, as Matt slowly learns to trust his body with someone else. Tender and emotional, these scenes are written with understanding, compassion, and care.
Runner is absolutely beautiful. Parker Williams excels in this tale of transformation of Matt from a mere shell of a man to living a life full of love and hope.
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