Fractured Things {a review}

Folkestone Sins is a series of interconnected duets.
Fractured Things is the second book in the Folkestone Sins series.
Ongoing questions about Stella and Poe will be answered throughout
all of the books in the series.

I'm going to throw this out there now, it's bold I know, but Folkestone Sins is going to be one of my favorite series of 2021. Yep, I said it. I truly believe it will be in my top 5. So thank you, Samantha Lovelock for creating this wonderful series.

Now that I've made that declaration, let's talk about Fractured Things. Well I mean, I can't talk about it in depth, but we can discuss a few things. I'm not about to spoil anything if I can help it. 

Before I say something I shouldn't, let's start with the book blurb:

Stella:
Poe Halliday could have been my everything. The boy who allowed me to dream again.

Over as quickly as it began, one night ended it all with a dark secret spit from cruel and twisted lips.
The secret that stole her from me.
After spending my entire life living with my mother's demons, I refuse to let them take anything else away from me.
I'm stronger than they think I am, and the only way I can escape this nightmare is to fight.

This time it will be on my terms.

I have to go back.

Poe:
Stella Bradleigh shone like the brightest star. Able to keep my shadows at bay with nothing but her smile.

I've been unknowingly living under the same roof as the devil incarnate--the architect of a horrific event kept secret for so long.
The secret that stole her from me.
When she left, my world turned cold again.
From the day she arrived, I knew my heart belonged with hers, and even though I tried to push her away, she became a part of me.
The shadows in this town are no match for the ones I carry. I'll stand by her side and fight.

This time it will be on her terms.

She has to come back. 

So if you remember how Fragile Things ended, you know that was a doozy of a cliffhanger. You also know that Stella ran, and rightfully so. She had a lot to process.

Fractured Things picks up right after all that occurred. The "Poe-logue" gives us a quick refresher into what happened. It does get one key piece of information wrong though, but that won't be revealed until sometime in chapter four. Ahem. Oh and Poe is keeping a secret that will be shared later. Well not in this blog post, but in the book.

Anyway, Poe goes after Stella. I had a feeling it would happen, but part of me wondered if he might not. So when Poe, Payne, and Mr Halliday head to New York, I had a bit of a smile on my face. When the guys find Stella and Sunday (because you know there was no way she was letting Stella go by herself!), they eventually make their way back to the apartment. Things happen there (with the sleaze ball landlord), and even though the girls are holding their own, Poe and Payne come with the assist. I had to smile when Poe said:

"You're a tough one, Stella Bradleigh, and I'm grateful for that. No more scrapping though, okay? Thank you for proving once again you can take care of yourself, but you'll give me a heart attack before I hit my twenties if you keep this up."

As they all are leaving the apartment, Sunday says this to Stella:

"This is not your home anymore. I don't think it was ever really anything more than a stopover. We are your home: me, Payne, Poe, Cecily--all of us. Folkestone is your home. It's time to leave this place behind." 

Yes! Give Stella the family she needs. Remind her that you all are her people, and that you care for her. 

When the group finally lands back in California, Poe made me laugh. Seriously.

"We need to work on your fear of flying because I want to travel everywhere with you. Recreate our first meeting in as many airports as we can find." 

If you recall their initial meeting in Fragile Things, then it might make you laugh too.

There is this whole thing that happens in Holt's (Mr Halliday) office, and oh my heart.  That reveal was just everything. I may have teared up a little. So when you come to chapter ten, come back and talk to me.

I want to tell you about Stella and Poe, and what happened after Stella's meeting with Holt. I want to tell you what Poe revealed to Stella, because oof it was a lot.

I also want to tell you how I cried a bit in chapter sixteen, because hello emotional. 

There is an epic scene in chapter eighteen with Stella and Hali, and oh how I want to share it all. But I can't, because spoilers.  Just know, Stella comes out on top. It is in this chapter when we learn a little tidbit about Sunday as well. More of her story will come out in Restless Things, so we need to be patient.

There is so much I want to talk about. Like what happened in chapter twenty at the hospital. Seriously, what was that?  Or the party, and the whole thing that happened outside. Um what? Why? But also, tell me more. My gut tells me this is important information for Restless Things.

Also this little piece I pulled from the book just sums up the pain that Poe is dealing with when it comes to his relationship with Stella.

What do you do when it feels like half of you is missing? Not missing like you can never see them again, but missing in the sense that you're forced to see them all the time, but they aren't beside you anymore. I think that's almost worse. That feeling of desire, of want, of a craving you can't satisfy. Having to watch them live their life without you keeps twisting the knife a little deeper.

Don't worry though. This graphic should tell you a bit about Poe and Stella, and the status of their relationship. 

Anyways, a lot of stuff went down in this book. All of it put together makes an incredible story. The fact that Fractured Things left off on another cliffhanger, that hurts. But it also sets the stage for Sunday and Payne. I'm excited to see Stella and Poe as side characters and focus on the relationship between Sunday and Payne. I'm curious about their past, and how the last few chapters for Fractured Things will play into Restless Things.

If you like new adult romance that has a bit of mystery and suspense to it, grab this series! I cannot recommend it enough. Oh and if you're wondering about the steam factor, there is a bit to be had. Really though it was the rest of the story that drew me in, and held me captive. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go add the paperbacks to my wishlist, so they can eventually come home to me.

Happy Reading,

Thank you to Wildfire Marketing for providing me with an e-arc of Fractured Things in exchange for review.

I am loving this series and the characters.