Damaged

By: Jeanne St. James

Narrated by: B.B. Franklin

Length: 5 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's Summary

Two scarred souls: one physically, one mentally. Both on the mend, hiding from their pasts....

Mace Walker can't wait to get home.

Being buried deep undercover for the past two years, on the most complex case of his career, has torn him down physically and mentally. Now the FBI agent has come home to recover after having his leg badly injured from a gunshot wound. Arriving home late one night, his relief is short-lived as he's faced with a stranger pointing a gun to his head, acting like he is the one who doesn't belong there!

Colby Parks, a biochemist at the local university, had come to town a year earlier to escape an abusive relationship. She vows never to put herself in that situation again.

Then the perfect opportunity comes along: housesitting for Mace's sister while making the house she purchased habitable. But she couldn't anticipate this big snag: the one wearing the tight Levi's and worn leather jacket, looking like he had just escaped prison.

Being forced to share a house creates sparks between them in more ways than one. However, things take a turn when their pasts catch up to them, threatening to pull them apart forever.

Note: This book was previously published under the title Banged Up but has been re-edited for this release.

©2017 Jeanne St. James (P)2018 Jeanne St. James

Excellent Hot Romantic Suspense

Damaged was an excellent romantic fast hot Listen. This audible is well written and perfectly preformed I am continually surprised at Jeanne St. James ability to write stories that pull you in with great details , great plots, that are very addictive, extremely intense, and emotional. I love this story I highly recommend it. I also would recommend any of her work its rare for me to say I havent come across not one of her books that I havent completely loved.

I wanted to feel more be more have more

Updated and de-caveman. I read lots of Jeanne St. James' stories. I read this one years ago under its original name and then it was just a little something under-whelming about the two scarred people and the story they weaved together. I always felt like there were somethings missing from the story. I know. Its a short, what could be missing. Well, I feel with the new added pieces things don't seem so far off. These are two damaged souls, physically and mentally, that find each other in all of their messed-up-ness. The forge a connection with each other and they both find something new does not always mean hurt. But neither knew the way their past would comeback and try hard to take away the new they were working on building.

I found it very honorable that an author that was willing to go back an revise work that was already created and made it better. 'Banged Up' got a new title and an uplift to the drama, action, and intensity this quickie brought.

Narration was matching the story with clarity and the flow/cadence of the diction Easy to follow along and increase the audio speed. This was no slow pace ride. Things moved fast and the audio allowed the listener to keep pace, at their own pace.

Damaged!

Mace and Colby compliment each other so well in this action, heat, and mystery packed story! From the moment it started I wanted to know more about Mace and I was not disappointed! Mace being this hot FBI agent and Colby a determined woman out to take care of herself. The slow burn and then explosive chemistry between Mace and Colby really made this a fun listen. B.B Franklin did a great job showing all the emotions throughout this book! I didn’t want it to end with all the twists and turns it took.

Awesome book to listen to

This story was such a great audio book, the narrator brought the characters to life and the listener cannot help but be sucked in. Mace needed to come home to recuperate from a gun shot wound, not knowing that his sister left for her honeymoon and left Colby as the house sitter. Being in such close quarters, the two have instant chemistry that explodes. But will that relationship put Colby in harms way with the men who are trying to kill Mace? Or will the issues from her past relationships keep Colby from falling in love? This was a great story with great characters and a fast moving plot that was a joy to listen to. Another great audible from Jeanne St. James.

Exciting!

I really liked the story and the love and action it had. The narrator did a good job but I really like to hear a deep voice when the male characters are done.

Broken Souls

This was alot in one book. So much emotions with on fire chemistry. The MC's were amazing and you could feel how broken they were and so happy to see them find their forever in the end. I really loved the sexy times as well as the serious and suspense times. The narrator did a great job!

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
AudiobookObsession

I’d have liked more plot and less hotness

I don’t know what to think of this book. Narration was good. Characters were interesting. Their struggles too. But everything seemed to be just an excuse to write very hot sex scenes.

Don’t be mistaken, I enjoyed those scenes. They were hot as hell, with lots of experimentation from the characters. Never boring. But they kind of ruined the story. Like I was reading two very different books–one a thriller, the other one only smut–badly meshed together.

Why was Mace attracted that fast and that hard to Colby? He wants to make her his within minutes of her threatening him with a gun. So much for realistic. I’d have liked something more slow burn. It’s not even insta-love. It’s insta-lust. I mean, why not? I’ve read such things before–am actually reading something like that at the moment–but with so much potential in the plot, I felt it was the wrong choice of relationship.

As for the plot things that I liked, I found interesting the undercover agent looking for some calm at home after a very bad injury, and the way his last mission follow him home. It could have created a great atmosphere. And Colby’s struggles with past abuse, and her ex following her, were also interesting points, resolved much too quickly.

I still enjoyed it because the narrator was really good. She gave different voices to the characters, and I was never confused. And she knew how to read hot scenes, let me tell you!

Not a bad read all in all, but I’d have liked more plot and less hotness.

Great story...too much sex for me

I really wanted to like this more than I did. It seems to be the beginning of a great story. So much could happen and go wrong. Sadly the majority of this book was sex. Some is good so we can get the feel for the emotions of the character but too much just ruins it and takes away from the main story. Which was great by the way. Colby has a great job with an abusive past. He is an undercover FBI agent coming home to rest up after getting shot. Funnily the two are at the same house..he owns it. She is renting from his sister. So their first meeting was crazy as she thought he was an intruder. Each has a shady past that can rear its ugly head at any time.
I did listen to this On audio and BB Franklin did a nice job narrating. This is my first book by this author.

Oh My!

I was so into this story that I was not prepared when it ended! To me, that's the sign that the story AND narration had me sucked in! I loved it!
I requested this free audiobook and am giving the unbiased review voluntarily!

Enjoyable

3.5 stars
Overall, an quick enjoyable audiobook. It was heavy on good hot sex scenes and light on story and meaningful dialogue.

Perfect title!

Colby and Mace are truly damaged from their lives. when they are forced to cohabitate, the sparks start to fly. When they get together, their chemistry is intense. But as with all great stories, there are forces trying to keep them apart. THese forces bring suspense and angst. I was sucked into the world of Colby and Mace and I could not let go until the end. I found myself hoping they would find their HEA. Jeanne St. James always delivers intense romances that bring all the feelings and keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. Damaged brings it all!

BB Franklin has a great voice for this story. This is my first listen to this narrator. Franklin is able to keep all the characters distinct. Her male voice is smooth and easy to follow. Through her inflictions, Franklin brings out the suspense and angst just as I like them to be. Overall, this was a great performance.

You will enjoy this

I liked this book. It kept my interest peeked the whole time. Colby is on edge b/c of an abusive ex-boyfriend and Mace is FBI. He comes home unannounced while she is house sitting and she is having none of it. There’s not a ton, but some pretty good heat in this book. I enjoyed the characters and the narration was great. I recommend this book.

🎧Audiobook Obsession

Loved this!!

Jeanne St James is a very talented writer. I have not read a book of hers that I did t like. This one is no exception. Mase come shame after being. One for two years undercover work and there’s a feisty redhead in his home who holds him at gun point. Colby is house sitting for Masons sister and she isn’t sure whether to believe him when he says he owns the house.

What happens after is a little bit intrigue, a little bit mystery, and a lot love story. Masons job finds him and Colby... and there’s a lot happening in this well written, interesting reading tale of these two strong individuals!

It is so very much worth the read!! I recommend it highly!!

damaged

Love listening and reading books by this author. Good read and romance. I can't wait to see what's next.

Fast-paced romantic suspense

Over the last few months I've listened to several audiobooks by Jeanne St. James and have really found myself enjoying her books. Damaged is fill of suspense, fantastic characters Mace and Colby), romance, and just packed with sexy times! I loved how Mace and Colby started to lean on each other and healed their inner demons.

I'm not sure if I've listened to BB Franklin previously or not. However I really enjoyed the narration. This is a fast-paced and suspenseful romance and I felt the narration portrayed it very well.

#AudiobookObsession

5 Stars!

Damaged is a steamy romantic suspense with lots of danger and some hot chemistry. It grabbed my attention at the very beginning of the story and held it all the way until the end. I loved both Colby and Mace. I wish there had been an epilogue but it was a great story so it's still a 5 star book for me. B.B. Franklin did a great job bringing this story to life.

🎧AudiobookObsession 

2x Damaged

Damaged is an action pack story with Mace trying to recover from an FBI operation and Colby a scientist hiding from her own predator. Trust doesn't come easy from either character yet there is definitely sexual attraction. While Mace and Colby both struggle with their own secrets their passion increases. It isn't until their lives are in danger that they both realize that they trust one another and they both realize how lonely they are.

I really enjoyed this story, I listened to it all in one sitting. BB Franklin did a fantastic job narrating this story bringing fear, strength and angst into Colby's voice, and compassion combined with determination for Mace.

Loved this storyline

Great action packed book right here. From the start you know the chemistry is very high with this couple. Fantastic graphic details that are very realistic! Thank you Jeanne, you know how to write a brilliant Alpha.

An Actionpacked Romance!

This is a great story of Colby Parks and Mace Walker. While housesitting for a friend Colby is
woken up one night when a handsome hunk FBI Undercover agent lets himself in. Mace had been injured and had come home to recuperate.
This book has everything Suspense, plenty of Hot Sex, and Romance. A great story that has plenty to keep you entertained. We also have dual narration hearing from both Colby and Mace. The Damaged in the title refers to both Colby and Mace, being together they finally start to heal each other. Colby is a great character which keeps Mace on his toes.
We only have one narrator who manages to keep me attached to my earphones.

A good suspense filled romance.

Rating. Writing 3.5 / Narration 4 / Overall 3.75

This story had all the makings to be a great story. I really liked the concept and plot and overall I enjoyed the audiobook. Initially there were aspects that I did not enjoy. 

In the first chapter the male protagonist, Mace, lets Colby wrongly assume that he was about to sexually assault her. He is an undercover cop who has been injured and has come home to convalesce and finds a strange woman in his house, so I accept that he had to use everything in his arsenal to ensure she was not there for revenge. What made me uncomfortable is that he was sexually excited during this initial encounter. 

Colby has escaped an abusive relationship so it didn't feel real to me that after such a fearful initial encounter, she would very quickly be open to unclad fun times.

I did like the plot but it took me a few paragraphs to get past my discomfort of those initial criticisms.  Once I got past those however. I immersed myself into the story and did enjoy it. I am fine with erotica (this isn't the book for you if you are not) and enjoyed the bond growing between Colby and Mace.

The thriller aspect of this book was very good and had me more than a little tense at times. People are out to get Colby and Mace and their pasts come at them from all angles. I won't spoil this for you.

What I will definitely say about Damaged is that if you can get past that initial part then you will get to listen to or read a really good book.

I thought that B.B. Franklin did a sterling job as the narrator. She kept the story flowing at a great pace and the characters had clear voices. Franklin dealt with the sexual scenes without overacting them but still managed to instil the right amount of tension in every single part of Damaged.

I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Jeanne St. James. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.