Jana is tired of feeling lonely but afraid of ever loving a man. She has good reason for who would love a woman who has one leg, scarred, deaf and has a sister who is working her like a slave. She lost her leg one night in an accident that killed her mother. Since the accident, she has been paying for the death of her mother by her sister Visalia and her father. She has worked hard to prove that she will do anything to get the love she used to have but knows that her father will never love her. It comes as a surprise when she meets Dan in a ranch where her sister is supposed to participate in a rodeo. With Dan she starts believing that maybe one day she will know what it is to be loved by a man. She is afraid of ever loving someone for she wouldn’t know whether it was real love from the man or just pity because of her looks.

Dan has never known a woman like Jana. For one she is courageous, kind-hearted and beautiful to him. The only thing is that she is deaf and though he knows sign language, Jana enchants him for he has never known a woman like her. Like Jana he has a past one that he is afraid of letting her know. What he doesn’t understand is why Jana stays with her sister when Visalia treats her like crap making her work as a slave instead of doing things herself. Can he prove to Jana that his love is for real, and he’s not one to care about the beauty outside but within?

In the Runes: The Beauty Within by Leanne Karella is a beautiful tale of a man and a woman who are both looking for that second chance in life. I loved the heroine, Jana for not only is she courageous but she has a heart of gold that shows throughout the book. Here she is scarred and deaf afraid that nobody will love her like a woman only showing her pity. The thing I hated the most was her whining sister Visalia for here is a woman who readers will love to hate. I mean you can feel Jana’s heart is breaking trying to forget about her mother’s death and her sister keeps reminding her. I loved Dan for he too is trying to forget about his past. These two are meant for each and readers will enjoy the latest In the Runes book for each one will make you want to know more of this series and enjoy each one as much as ever.

Reviewed by: Lena C.