Molly-Mae: Behind It All - Part 2
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Susan Mac Nicol
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Worth Keeping Kindle Edition

by Susan Mac Nicol (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 out of 5 stars 360 ratings
Abused horrifically as a boy, Nick Mathers has come to terms with his existence as a man. Mostly. Other days life seems a little much. Especially when Nick knows he’ll always be alone. On those days his thoughts turn black. He walks the Norfolk coast and considers the frigid embrace of the waves.

And then, one stormy night, he finds someone who’s tasted just that. The beautiful stranger on the beach is near death, and Nick rushes him home to slowly nurse back to health. As he does, he finds a love unlike any other.

Owen Butler’s body is as warm as the sea was cold, his heart as big as an ocean. And Owen is a man who swears to repay the favor. Nick can yet be saved from himself, and he will see that he is indeed a man…worth keeping.
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  1. Print length
    308 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    22 Dec. 2013
  4. File size
    472 KB
  5. Page Flip
    Enabled
  6. Word Wise
    Enabled
  7. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Product description

About the Author

Sue Mac Nicol was born in Leeds, Yorkshire, in the United Kingdom. At the age of eight, her family moved to Johannesburg, South Africa where she stayed for nearly thirty years before arriving back in the UK in December 2000. She has written nine novels, two novellas and a screenplay since February 2012 and clearly believes in keeping herself busy. She has found herself wanting to stay in the genre that is M/M Romance so more can definitely be expected. Sue is a member of Romance Writers of America and Romantic Novelists Association in the UK. She is also a member of a rather unique writing group, called the Talliston Writer’s Circle, which in itself has a story all of its own to tell and lives in the rural village of Bocking, in Essex, with her family. Her plan is to keep writing as long as her muse sits upon her shoulder. Her dream is to one day make enough money to give up the day job and get that big old house in the English countryside overlooking a river, where she can write all day and continue to indulge her passion for telling stories.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00HGZE238
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Boroughs Publishing Group (22 Dec. 2013)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 472 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 308 pages
  • Customer reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 360 ratings

About the author

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Susan Mac Nicol

Susan Mac Nicol

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Susan writes steamy, sexy, often dark and occasionally witty contemporary romance books. She’s dabbled in varied genres, both MF and MM, and has written paranormal, urban fantasy and romantic suspense stories.

Whether you’re looking for a heart-pounding romantic suspense or a deeply emotional love story, Susan’s portfolio has something for everyone.

Screenplay Success and Hidden Talents

Susan doesn’t just stop at novels. She’s an award-winning screenplay writer, with several scripts based on her published works. Her screenplay ‘Sight Unseen’ has garnered no less than ten awards, and her TV pilot ‘Reel Life,’ based on her debut novel ‘Cassandra by Starlight,’ was a winner at the Oaxaca Film Fest. Talent and passion together have propelled her into the spotlight of multiple creative fields.

Personal Touch: Fun Facts About Susan

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Susan is a person of diverse interests and experiences. She loves attending live music concerts, especially if her man-crushes Adam Lambert or Sam Smith is performing. Her leisure activities include lazing with a good book, enjoying a fine gin and tonic, and watching reruns of ‘Silent Witness.’

Her colourful past includes being chased by a rhino in Kenya, mistaken for a prostitute in Johannesburg, and being kicked out of a youth club for encouraging free thinking. With such a vibrant background, it’s no wonder her stories are packed with excitement and life.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
360 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book's story engaging and well-written, with one review noting its thought-provoking style. Moreover, the book is filled with emotion, making it heartwarming, and the characters are believable.

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19 customers mention ‘Story quality’15 positive4 negative

Customers enjoy the story of the book, finding it an interesting and engaging read, with one customer noting it is well-written and thought-provoking.

"...The characters were believable, the story very addictive so this is a must read for anyone that enjoy' s m/m books with a good romance...." Read more

"...said, I'd certainly recommend giving her books a shot, they're a great leap forward from the sort of depressing stuff one used to read, where the..." Read more

"...can't think of the right word that fits so going with...issues is equally beautiful and painful. Its all so well written...." Read more

"...This was a heart rending story with the longed for HAE, a chance walk and the even smaller chance of meeting a suicidal young man and saving him,..." Read more

8 customers mention ‘Heartwarming’8 positive0 negative

Customers find the book emotionally engaging, with one customer noting it's not without mental and emotional scars, while another mentions it can be devastating at times.

"...in a way that the book is so easy to read yet still deals with intense emotional issues... I had to keep telling my self that I was actually reading..." Read more

"...word love it was a brilliant read, at times very moving, tense and uplifting...." Read more

"This novel warmed my heart and made me sigh in adoration for the protagonists...." Read more

"...The backgrounds of the main characters was gripping and engaging - heart wrenching and heart warming. A fantastic book." Read more

4 customers mention ‘Characterization’4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the characterization in the book, finding the characters believable, with one customer noting the gripping backgrounds of the main characters and another highlighting their vulnerability.

"...The characters were believable, the story very addictive so this is a must read for anyone that enjoy' s m/m books with a good romance...." Read more

"This novel warmed my heart and made me sigh in adoration for the protagonists...." Read more

"...The backgrounds of the main characters was gripping and engaging - heart wrenching and heart warming. A fantastic book." Read more

"...Both main characters are vulnerable but strong at the same time!..." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Tracy Shayler
    5.0 out of 5 stars Another Winner!!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 December 2013
    Verified Purchase
    This is not the first book I have read by Susan Mac Nicol and have to say I really do enjoy her style of writing!
    Worth Keeping is another 5 star book that will grab your attention from the first page and keep your senses on high alert till the end. The story line although emotional and sad in places gave me lots to think about. The Two main characters are both trying to cope with past issues and you find yourself wondering if the scars are too deep for them to ever actually get past. It certainly made me realise that no matter what demons a person is dealing with there's always hope they can eventually be put to rest. I found during the second half of this book I could feel the suspense growing and was waiting and wondering what was going to happen next. This author manages to write in a way that the book is so easy to read yet still deals with intense emotional issues... I had to keep telling my self that I was actually reading fiction.
    The characters were believable, the story very addictive so this is a must read for anyone that enjoy' s m/m books with a good romance. But be prepared it's not all plain sailing!
    Highly recommended!!
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  • Wildheart
    4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Read, But A Bit Like Soft Porn With A Good Plot.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 May 2014
    Verified Purchase
    I really enjoyed this.

    Having avoided gay fiction for a number of years, I felt the urge to dive back in and read some and see if there was any improvement over some of the stuff I'd read over the years and, as this was going cheap, decided to give it a shot.

    I'm glad I did, it's an interesting read, even though it's pretty telegraphed as to what's going to happen and how it's going to turn out.

    The real gripe I have with it and with another book I've just downloaded by the same author is the apparent lack of any gay characters who seem to be just average blokes.

    So far as I've read, all of her gay characters seem to be beautifully built and gorgeous and always "at the ready," so to speak.
    There are endless descriptions of what they "get up to," to the point where I think it interferes with the development of the plot.
    It would be nice to read a book where Mr average appears from time to time.

    Also, what is this obsession with long thick manes of hair?
    From my experience it's not a thing I've observed on the gay scene, where a preference for short, if not cropped hair seems to be the "norm," whereas a number of Ms Nicol's characters seem to have long flowing locks..but then, perhaps, that's her fantasy of the ideal man, it's certainly not mine! :O)

    That said, I'd certainly recommend giving her books a shot, they're a great leap forward from the sort of depressing stuff one used to read, where the only ending was the inevitable death of the main character..
    One person found this helpful
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  • Debbie Attenborough
    5.0 out of 5 stars oh, just oh.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 February 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I bought this book because a friend recommended it, and I was suffering from a mahoosive hangover from a previous book. On reflection, its probably not the best book for a hangover cure, since now I;m doubly hungover!

    While contemplating ending his own life, Nick saves Owens, and by extension, his own. But both Nick and Owen are carrying some pretty horrific emotional and physical scars. I'm talking heart breaking reading here, sobbing in your lunch break, red eyes all afternoon at work.

    The way Owen reacts to and deals with Nick's ....can't think of the right word that fits so going with...issues is equally beautiful and painful. Its all so well written. Each and every time Nick breaks down, Owen picks him up. Nick pushes, Owen pushes back. That Don , Nick's dad, can see how good Owen is for Nick on thier first meeting is amazing. Owen just needs to make Nick see that he is worth keeping and worht loving.

    There are some lighter moments along their journey. The smuggling of adult toys was hilarous, and the day is saved by a very cheeky little monkey called Socks.

    Its told from both Nick and Owen's POV and as morbid as this may sound, we get some of Brad, Nick's ex, too. AND I LOVED that! I did. Its not often we get inot the minds of the bad guy, and I am so glad we did here.

    The book does carry some difficult lines, abuse, rape and child sex rings. Some readers may find it difficult reading. The scene where Nick hurts himself, on purpose, was a little close to home, and so very sensitively written.

    There has been a lot of research done by the author into the after effects of child abuse and how that carrys into adulthood, and it shows. IT SHINES thoughtout the book. It shows, that no matter how bad it was, it CAN get better.

    5 stars.
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  • Mrs P
    3.0 out of 5 stars Not as good as previous books
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 March 2014
    Verified Purchase
    To start with, I can understand inventing a town or village for your characters, it goes with creative license, but moving a whole lighthouse (which does exist on the Norfolk coast) half a mile out to sea when its actually inland was pushing it. Also, whilst Nick' s background was fleshed out, I felt I knew hardly anything about Owen, let alone why he came to try and kill himself. I was disappointed with the book overall as it wasn't up to the standard of the previous ones, especially with a comic book villain.
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  • Phase58
    5.0 out of 5 stars A definite keeper
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 August 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Five stars means you really love the book, whilst I wouldn't use the word love it was a brilliant read, at times very moving, tense and uplifting.
    Abuse of any kind is hard for people like me from a happy stable background to understand - how someone is capable of such atrocities inflicted on a child is beyond me.
    This was a heart rending story with the longed for HAE, a chance walk and the even smaller chance of meeting a suicidal young man and saving him, then the story unravels from there.
    I think the author dealt with this subject really well, I read the note at the end and she did her research. Child abuse if horrific but it goes on as we well know from the current celebrity revelations. Hopefully there will be a time when its stamped out but unfortunately I don't think that will ever be the case.
    Nick was and is worth keeping, Owen thought so and I do too - so is this book. It's made me want to read more of her work, plus she's a Yorkshire girl - there's none better LOL
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Alan Arthur Katz
    5.0 out of 5 stars One Of The Best I've Read In A Long Time
    Reviewed in the United States on 12 May 2014
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    I've recently had some issues with British authors writing unconvincing American novels, but I do love a British author writing about Brits in the UK. And Ms. MacNicol is a star among them.

    This brilliantly written and profoundly beautiful book is not an easy read. Not because of language or characters or dialogue, but because of the deep suffering that one of the main characters (Nick) still endures as a result of horrendous sexual and physical abuse as a child, and later, from a sadistic "lover".

    He is living the life of a hermit, as a lighthouse keeper on the Norfolk coast. When his dreams torment him, he walks the cliffs and contemplates jumping, to put an end to the endless pain that reverberates from his youth, and the mother who pimped him out to feed her drug habit.

    One day, he spies a body washed up on the beach. Barely alive, Owen had gone overboard and washed up, literally, at Nick's feet. Nick takes him in, tends to him, and the rest is well, a difficult journey to happily-ever-after.

    Owen is a stunning character, so full of compassion and care, so patient, so empathetic with Nick's suffering that, in saving Nick, he saves himself.

    One other remarkable character is Nick's "dad", the policeman who saved his life, as an adolescent, adopted him, and raised him as his own son. This huge bear of a man is so filled with love and acceptance that he is all that's kept Nick alive these past ten-or-so years. Now it's Owen's turn.

    I know my synopsis (a poor substitute for the real thing) sounds like melodrama, but there's nothing melodramatic about this book. The writing is absolutely first-class, the characters so lovingly and realistically drawn that any pathos is both understandable and authentic. Ms. MacNicol has really gotten inside the mind and soul of an abuse survivor, and beautifully evokes his emergence from the depths of despair.

    As I said, it's not an easy read. The abuse the young Nick suffered will break your heart. His progress comes in fits and starts, interrupted by anger and self-loathing, though less and less, as the relationship between the two men grows.

    When all is said and done, this is a beautifully written, important book about survivors and survival. It will warm your heart and leave you with hope.

    Do not miss this one. It's a gem.
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  • S Veldhuis
    5.0 out of 5 stars Hard but some beautiful moments
    Reviewed in the Netherlands on 19 September 2023
    Verified Purchase
    4.5 stars. I hadn't read this for quite some time and long before I started writing reviews so I was happy to have the chance for a reread. This is a good double hurt/comfort, and while including a whole lot of awful past events has quite a few humorous moments too. It felt really odd that Owen changed from suicidal to not so quickly and the story would have done just as well without Brad. There were some absolutely beautiful phrases in there which still stuck with me and were one of the main reasons I loved this book and added the extra star.
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  • Alice
    5.0 out of 5 stars Worth is the word
    Reviewed in Italy on 26 March 2019
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    The scenarios make the difference here. Not only naturalistic ones, but also psychological ones. Strong topics treated with grace and delicacy.
    I can't and won't add anything to the plot described, not because of the spoilers but because this is an experience to do in the dark, because it's really worth it. In the first instance, I chose this novel because of the promise of a good dose of angst, but what I found was much more, to the point that I can say, without fear of being denied, that if the book had another 100 pages it would have been an added value.
    A great job. Recommended.
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  • Sue
    5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible m/m redemptive romance
    Reviewed in Canada on 9 July 2020
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    Sometimes I just wish I had an extra star button to push in cases like this when a book just hits you so hard because it is so great. This is a real redemptive romance with two men who are wounded in different ways coming together to help each other. Susan Mac Nicol has obviously done a terrific amount of research both to create an amazing setting for this story and to understand all of the characters, both good and bad, and the motivations behind the ways they behave. There are very dark parts to this story as she delves into some of the most awful things that humans do but there is also the light that people can bring to each other and the redemptive power of love in its many forms.
    It seems funny to put an emphasis on this but the pacing of this book is amazing. When you are writing a book about such a heavy topic it is a real challenge to balance all the sad/happy/heavy/ laughable/bad/good parts and Ms. Mac Nicol does a spectacular job. From the world building, the pacing, the characters and even the atmospheric weather this story is pitch perfect.
    If you think you can handle the bad parts this has to be one of the best books that I have read this year. I recommend this book highly.

    I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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  • Smitten with Reading
    4.0 out of 5 stars B+ rating....
    Reviewed in the United States on 16 January 2014
    Verified Purchase
    My Review:

    I wasn't sure if I wanted to read this book just because, from the description, both heroes sounded so damaged. I like angst, but having TWO wounded heroes is tough. But the reviews for the book were all good, so I decided to give it a go.

    It was a good book and yes, both heroes are desperately wounded, but the author handled it well. The book has moments that are tough, but I didn't feel like it ever got too depressing or harsh. BOTH of these guys are emotionally fragile, but they prop each other up. They are both well aware how close the other guy was to ending it all and there's a certain strength they each gain from that. Knowing that someone else is watching and counting on them makes each of them stronger.

    This is Nick's home and he's definitely the most wounded of the two after years as a youth spent tortured and abused. He has issues...serious, deep issues, but overall, this is a guy coping with what life handed him pretty well. And life has really not been very kind to him....until Owen washes up on his beach. Besides his adopted father Don, this is his first break that life has handed him.

    Two years ago, Owen's partner died. He has never recovered, but he has a connection, a shared pain, with Nick....and then it begins to morph into more as they discover their sexual chemistry and eventual friendship. This guy has the patience of a saint, but he seems to understand Nick and what Nick needs. He doesn't handle Nick with pity or loathing like so many before. He sees what Nick's gone through with compassion and admires the man he's become despite the pain. The two of them together are good... most the time.

    Like I said, this is a complex book and the author handled the psychology of it all very well. She didn't sugarcoat Nick's issues nor did he have a miraculous recovery brought on by love. What she did with that aspect of the story felt real, both the up's and the down's of it.

    It's an interesting love story and certainly not the norm. Most love stories don't begin with joint attempts at suicide, but it works. I certainly wouldn't want to read a book like this every day because it does have heavy overtones, but it was nice to delve into the angst for a break after all the sugary sweetness of my Christmas reading list.
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