Bad For Me (Rock Canyon)

Callie Jacobsen we hear her name from time to time, but more as a background character. I was curious about her because she has a big dog that she is never far away from. This for me sent up a red flag that she had some past issues that I wanted to know. Callie is an accomplished woman who works at the local country station as a DJ. She hasn’t lived in Rock Canyon her whole life but she does like the small town. Gossipy old bitties and all. She is friends with the whole cast of character we have met so far. She I started to like in Return of the Bad Girl because she befriends Caroline no questions asked. Her voice and calm attitude on the air attracts attention from yet another person we don’t hear of enough for my taste, another ex-marine and the big brother to Justine Silverton.Everett Silverton is the local hero, people talk about him in honored soft tones, but the man himself doesn’t want any of it. He served his country, lost people, has is face scared, and had his wife leave him. He wants to be left alone, except for Callie, who he has called every morning for so long he doesn’t know how not to. Something changes in his last call that makes him want more. He is tired of being alone and wants more out of life, his PTSD is a lot better and it’s time to start living.Everett and Callie are two complex people; they have survived horrors no person should ever have to face. They both live with their scars and yet want to try to live life again. The problem is, the past can be scarier than a pit bull that has locked its jaw. (disclaimer: I love all dogs and pits can be sweethearts, this is just an example.) No matter how much a person wants to move on sometimes they need help first. I loved this book because Codi Gary doesn’t gloss over the pain, or say true love will fix it. She shows that sometimes in order to be in a relationship both people have to be healthy mentally as individuals before they can be a ‘we’. This is very true and adds a reality element to this fictional story. Don’t miss this great story of overcoming the world’s crappy odds!

Callie Jacobsen learned the hard way that love was not for her and she has the scars to remind her. As a part of getting her life together, Callie moved to Rock Canyon in search of a new beginning, one which does not involve a man. She likes her life as it is now, focusing on her friends and her dog and she enjoys her job as a DJ at a small-town radio station. The highlight of her days is when her mystery caller ‘Rhett’ calls in to the show and she gets to chat with him for a few minutes. ‘Rhett’ is actually former Marine Everett Silverton. Everett returned from Afghanistan with both physical and mental scars. In spite of being hailed a war hero by all, Everett does not feel worthy of the praise and battles the guilt of surviving when his best friend did not make it back and has channeled his energy into his organization, counseling and helping vets struggling with PTSD adjust to life back home. He is interested in Callie and looks forward to the daily chats with her, even though he has never met her and has no idea what she looks like. In such small town and with friends in common, Callie and Everett surprisingly never had an opportunity to meet each other because they both prefer their own company to hanging out with friends, but a chance encounter changes all that.I had some difficulty finding the words to express how I feel about this book. Not that the story is a bad one, but the usual words – fun, flirty, lighthearted, etc.- do not really fit. This is a very intense and emotional story of two people with a lot of emotional baggage, two people with vastly different ways of coping with the trauma in their pasts. While Everett faced his demons and was motivated to help others who had gone through the same experiences as he had, Callie buried her issues and never fully dealt with them. It took Everett coming into her life to make her realize that her main issue was that she blamed herself for what had happened years ago and has never really forgiven herself. In order to reach out for the future she could have with Everett, she had to learn to forgive herself and move on.Bad for Me is a great story on personal healing and finding love after a traumatic past and even though the story revolves around weighty issues like PTSD, alcoholism and survivors’ guilt, they do not overwhelm the romance. The characters are very realistic and it’s so easy to get caught up in the story. Ms. Gary writes a great character in Callie. The depth of emotions and her personal journey were quite difficult to read, but she had Everett to lean on and she also found supportive friends. Everett was just perfect for Callie: calm, patient and steady. I like that he knew what he wanted – a future with Callie – and was not afraid to go for it.My recommendation: Be sure to keep the tissues handy for this one.*I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.*

***I received this book in exchange for an honest review***Rock Canyon, Idaho may be a small town with a nosy Miss Know It All who has advanced to blogging - but there is still so much love left to be had. Especially when it is for the voice behind the early morning radio show on Kat Country that he calls into everyday like clockwork. Who is he, you ask? None other than Rock Canyon's very own, Everett Silverton. Silverton you say? Yes - we have recently met the handful that is his brother, Justin. Everett, known to his family as 'Rhett', finds himself oddly at ease when talking to Callie Jay."It was a hell of a reaction to have to a woman he'd never actually met."After years of living in the same town without even a bump into at their local Hall's Market. The bumps in they faced now seemed inevitable since she would be DJ'ing his brother's wedding and the other small fact - Rhett was smitten. (And, me as a reader was beyond smitten with him!) Living in a small town like Rock Canyon, their worlds are sure to intertwine. Perhaps not to the extent that these two do, but surely they will have friends and acquaintances that run in the same circles. While both might prefer the comfort of their jobs behind the phone/microphone - their loved ones are determined to bring them back to the land of the living and crazy in Callie's case. The ladies of RC are a riot, to say the least. And Caroline is my favorite of the crazy bunch."What's wrong with being picky or discreet?" Callie said, her voice rising. "Just because I don't advertise my conquests, doesn't mean I'm not getting any. I am conquering all kinds of a$$.""Fine, I'll just call you Callie, the as$$conqueror," Caroline said as she parked in front of Jensen's.Friends like the ones that Callie has found herself adopted by are the kind of sitcoms. (Which is appropriate for our Big Bang Theory loving author!) This brings me to Dalton. I hope to see more of Dalton (and maybe a younger Andrews girl?) in a future book or short story. It is obvious to everyone but Callie that this kid has it bad for her, and it offers some serious teasing material."Um, do you not see the look in his eyes? It says, 'Oh please, older and more experienced hot woman, I need you to show me the ropes and teach me a few new tricks.""Will you shut up?""Ride it, my pony.""I am going to take out your windpipe."Codi Gary loves her characters. You can see that with most authors, but the love she writes into her characters is breathtaking. Your hero will never be perfect, but she loves all his imperfections. Your heroine may focus on her flaws, but the strength that shines through shows the love that has flown through the pen of the author onto the page you are reading. (And re-reading because it's THAT GOOD!) The time taken to watch the relationship blossom shows unconditional love from the author like that of a mother and her child. You can't help but fall in love with even the most sinister of people in the story. Usually in a romance, I dread the bumps. I am so eager for the HEA, that the awkward attempts of showing interest are read quickly, but Everett... Geez."Maybe it's about time you let someone else take the wheel." And with that piece of advice, he placed the flowers in her lap and shut the door on her surprise.And then Callie. Callie is my book BFF. Has only happened a few times in my life before that I find a female character I like so much that I am dying to be friends with them. Callie is in my gang now. Straight up dork. Coffee addicted. Great taste in men. Awkward homebody. We are homies for life!"I take it back; she is my mortal enemy. Initiate Mortal Kombat fighting stance." She punched the air above her in some kind of crazy fighting style.Back to the way the author handles the stories she writes. (Yes, I know I am scatter-brained when it comes to writing this review!... I am a reader, NOT a writer!) I am obsessed with the way she ties music into every book. Each book has a clear soundtrack to the love story. My favorite mention of music in this installment was a more subtle one. The nod to Blake Shelton's 'Austin.'"Hey, it's Everett. Leave your message at the beep...and Whiskey?" - Callie's breath and heart stopped - "I'm still waiting."Ummm...SWOON! Ok, so before I become a book pirate for quoting the ENTIRE book, I am going to let you go with this one piece of advice that I am sure even Miss Know-It-All herself would back me up on:READ THIS SERIES! Geez. The town is lovable. The characters are so approachable and real. The love is that of EPIC 'Say Anything' size grand gestures. And the author is one talented doll. With each book, the story gets deeper, the writing gets better and the love is even grander. (Is that a word?!?) FIVE STARS from this lover of books.

I love Codi Gary's work. I have read it all and when I tell you this is by far her best work I mean it! Rock Canyon has its own charm, but he people who live in Rock Canyon, Idaho make it an awesome place to live. In Bad For Me we are better introduced to Everett and Callie. Everett is the older brother of Justin Silverton, he is an ex Marine who tried to save the life of his best friend in Afghanistan, he is a sufferer of post traumatic stress disorder, and most importantly he is a single man living his private life in Rock Canyon. Callie is a local DJ at the local country station. She has the morning shift and host Callie Jay's request in the mornings. She is a very private person. She has a past and wants to keep it in the past and keep it secret. Callie lives with the love of her life. Ratchet, her dog. Where ever Callie goes Ratchet is there with her. One day fate decides to bring these two together. What will happen? Will Everett blow the introduction? Does Callie want anything to do with Everett? Will PTSD raise it's ugly head and try and ruin a chance for these two? I was honestly delighted by the research that Codi did for this book. I suffer from PTSD and to have someone write about it made me skeptical. I am happy to say that Codi put my fears to rest and she did her research about this disorder and wrote about it brilliantly! She didn't shove it down your throat or use it as an excuse not to live life. Instead she wrote an amazing book about two characters that share this disorder and how they live through it and find comfort in each other.My recommendation is for you to buy this book and enjoy it as I did! I give it 5 stars!

In Bad For Me, it was back to Rock Canyon, Idaho we go, where the heroines are sassy, fun and kind of messed up, and the heroes are too sexy for their own good :).Bad For Me is Everett Silverton’s and Callie Jay’s story. Everett and Callie, both battle-scarred and fighting their own demons, can’t deny the special connection between them. Everett’s been hurt in the past by his ex-wife, but is open to the possibility of love again and is very interested in exploring the spark between him and Callie. Callie has not fully recovered from a horrible tragedy in her past and is afraid to trust again. She’s dead-set against getting involved with Everett. However, Everett with his charming ways and caring heart make it damn near impossible for Callie to resist him.Everett is the stuff romance hero dreams are made of. A former Marine, he was injured by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan that left him badly burned and scarred on over 39% of his body including his face. After battling with his own PTSD, he started a non-profit counseling group for Veterans to help them make the often difficult transition back into civilian life. He’s a caring and kind man with a wicked sense of humor. He pulls no punches and tells things exactly as they are, which is a quality I love and respect. Everett was fiercely protective of Callie and seemed to know exactly what she needed, when she needed it. Oh and did I mention he was romantic too and sexy as hell? I could totally go on, but to sum it up, he had me swooning again and again with not only his words, but his actions too.Callie was a character that I could not help but root for. She’d physically survived an unthinkable tragedy, but was still battling with the emotional fallout. Her struggles felt real to me and I cried for what she’d been through and was still going through. Her journey was a difficult, heartbreaking one, but I was glad she had a wonderful man like Everett beside her every step of the way. And the way she saw Everett for the beautiful, strong, caring man he was and not someone to be pitied because of his scars, totally endeared her to me.Bad For Me deeply touched my heart and made me feel. I felt all the love, caring and patience Everett showed Callie. I felt the anger, pain and guilt Callie felt over the horrible tragedy she survived. And I felt the hope, trust and lightness Everett brought into her life. There were so many times I sat and read while fighting back tears or with them running down my cheeks.Bad For Me is the fourth book that I’ve read in this series (I skipped one along the way!) and I have to say the best one yet. It was a beautiful, emotional story of love and healing and the author’s words were powerful and moving.*An ARC was provided to me by the publisher via Edelweiss for my honest review.*