Title: Stained
Author: Chris T. Kat
Genre: Contemporary, Abuse
Length: Novella (112 Pages)
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (June 1, 2016)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts
Blurb: Blair Clark has reached his breaking point. Forced to leave one job because of sexual harassment, he’s having difficulty finding another. Since no one believes what happened, Blair’s left with a stain on his employment record that he can’t get rid of. He’s had to move back home with his mother. As if that’s not bad enough, he realizes his crush, Travis, is simply using him. His romantic life looks as hopeless as his job search.
Jack Ross is sure he’ll never find anyone who’ll love him for who he is. All anyone sees is the port-wine stain on his left cheek—not the man behind it. Even his mother thinks he should get rid of it. But the procedure is difficult and painful.
When Blair applies for a secretarial position with Jack’s firm, both men learn that beauty is, indeed, in the eye of the beholder. It’ll take a lot of trust to chase away their insecurities, but if they take a chance on one another, love will find a way.
ISBN: 978-1-63477-051-4
Product Link: Dreamspinner
Reviewer: Lisa
Review: This story is about not looking at what’s on the outside but what is on the inside, and about finding the beauty beneath the skin. It is about abuse, acceptance, love and friendship plus a bit more that I find intriguing. Now to me this story felt a bit rushed and is not my normal type of love story.
Blair had been told by his company to vacate after he tried to bring his boss up on sexual harassment at work. It made it difficult to find a job. To top it off his friends-with-benefits was not turning out to be so good, or at least for him. Let’s just say it, his creepy friend is an abusing asshat who should be taken out and shot. Thankfully he ends up in a job that might just be perfect for him; however I would have loved to find out what was going to happen when the secretary came back after two years.
Jack was born with a port-wine stain on his left cheek. He had been called all sorts of names, screamed at, laughed at and picked on most of his life. Even his mother gave him a hard time with it. Then his first impression from Blair was shock, it turned out that he was refreshing in a way. Now I have to say that I think the whole boyfriend stage came to fast for some as did the ‘I love you’, but then again it isn’t really a long story.
Now this is a really cute story and it flowed pretty good. However the development was a bi off. It seemed to be missing some crucial parts to make it a perfect story, at least to me. Other than my issues with it though I found myself enthralled with it. I loved the characters and the way they just seem to complement each other. I enjoyed reading it and would recommend it. Although I have to admit though, that I can’t see myself reading this more than once which was a shame, it is a really cute story.