The Marcy Series Box Set: Books 1-3 by Linda Burson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Marcy Box Set contains books one through three featuring Marcy Jenson and her journey navigating trauma while facing reality through a different lense., Marcy is a business owner of her own cafe and has been dating Brad Preston for two and half years. The last four months she has been having nightmares that disrupt her sleep. When her best friend, Jill, mentions that her temper has even caused customers to leave the cafe, Marcy tries to dismiss it as everyone is being too sensitive. Brad dumps her after she shoves him during an argument.. The following evening, Marcy is held at gunpoint by a robber in a gas station. Thankfully, she has professional training and disarms the stunned gunman and beats him down. When the police arrive, she gives her statement and is trying to leave when she is accosted by news crews. She is approached by Liam who would like to speak to him in private. He tells her about his life and the trauma of losing his family and believes she can help him take on the bad people. Marcy begins therapy with Dr. Bengali who claims that they need to find the underlying cause of her rage.

Brad proposes to Marcy and she accepts. The following Monday, Brad is gone on a business trip, Liam contacts Marcy again. He provides her with a burner phone and tells her to meet him at a park after dark. Marcy is used as bait for a group of thugs that Liam executes. On Wednesday, Liam gives her a gun and they take on a gang. Marcy doesn’t shoot one of them but hits them with the gun. At home, Marcy realizes she hasn’t checked her phone for messages from Brad. She listens to them as they become more angry that she hasn’t answered his calls.. Marcy becomes distraught and experiences a breakdown causing her to go to the hospital. Brad flies home and sees her at the hospital where he ends their engagement.. Liam had told her about a cabin in Vermont where he would teach her how to use a gun. She spends two weeks with Liam and they fall in love. Liam dotes on her, but due to his work, they have to keep their relationship secret. While she has been gone, Brad has been trying to find her. Jill claims he has been calling the cafe too.

Marcy returns home and tells Brad she is in love with Liam. However, she can’t deny that she still loves Brad. Brad tells her to no longer see Liam. Liam goes to California to finish his revenge on the men that murdered his family. Marcy follows him and spends time with Liam and Will. Before Liam executes the plan for the men, Marcy returns home. She continues therapy and is stuck with deciding what man she should spend her life with. With nobody to confide in, Marcy’s nightmares and confusion intensify. Dr. Bengali and Marcy have made several breakthroughs in her therapy. However, the revelations are certain to alter Marcy’s life forever.

Intense suspense builds through each book and there is a smooth transition between each edition. Marcy’s relationships are complex and dominate her entire life. Meanwhile, Dr. Bengali seems to be the voice of reason. Marcy is so codependent that she doesn’t miss a beat by running to Brad or Liam when she fights with one of them. While she can’t handle the thought of either of them being with another woman, Marcy doesn’t see herself manipulating them. She refuses to accept accountability for her own actions by blaming them for the predicament.

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