Set in the Cresthill Alumni universe. Taylor and Alex’s story. All books can be read as standalone.TaylorHi, I’m Taylor and I’m a drug addict. Oh, wait. This isn’t NA, is it? Then I’m just Taylor, a Brit living in America. Secrets. My family has many. My dad’s an abusive alcoholic. My mom finds her solace in her boss’s bed. But me? My secret’s the worst of all: I’m gay. I was raised to believe … worst of all: I’m gay.
I was raised to believe that it’s wrong to feel this way about men.
But then I met Alex, the sexy bartender with the Southern twang. And no matter how hard I try, I can’t fight my attraction to him.
How can something so wrong feel so right? And how can I keep fighting it when he keeps lending me his strength so I can live to fight another day?
Alex
The plan was simple.
Move to Cresthill, New York.
Open my bar.
Recover from the relationship I wish I could forget.
And then he walked in. Hot British Dude. Even covered in bruises, he took my breath away.
The more I get to know Taylor, the sweet Brit who has as many demons as I do, the more I feel the need to keep him safe from everything that’s hurting him.
Maybe I’ll never be whole again. Maybe Taylor won’t either. But maybe, just maybe, together, we can be the glue that puts all our shattered pieces together again.
Trigger Warning: This book deals with the subjects of substance abuse, domestic violence, child abuse, and suicide.
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Life Isn’t Always Easy But It’s Better With The Right Partner…
by and1515
Taylor lives in a dysfunctional family filled with addictions,abuse and chaos. His only escape from his nightmarish home is fantasy games and drugs.
Alex was finally seeing his dreams come true ever since his friend Daniel rescued him from the disaster his life had been.
However his family leaves little to be desired most of them are fakes and condescending pricks and the way his sister-in-law clearly hates him. But the sweets moment was between Alex and his niece Vi who adores him, he let her know everything would be okay and he’d always be there for her.
For Taylor he was starting to realize that what he thought he was suppose to like did nothing for him and the way he beats himself up mentally for fearing what he does.
Alex still has issues dealing with a past relationship that had been detrimental to his health and mental well being and it’s effects on his ability to date but his mind keeps wandering back to the time he saw the guy with the British accent.
Unfortunately Taylor learns some very hard truths that rock his world leaving him trying to comprehend why.
Alex and Taylor have been dancing around each others orbit for what seems like forever but the old adage good things come to those who wait and boy did they.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A Wonderful Read!
This is the first for me and this author and I wasn’t disappointed. I will say it took me a while to finish the book but I’m glad I did. This book had me all in my feelings with Alex and Taylor. These two wonderful souls found each other and was able to heal each other.The romance was great, and after I got into the story it was a page turner. A very lovely ending. 5 STARS
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This book was amazing and very heartfelt. This book had so many different emotions that you don’t know what to feel when you are reading it. Alex and Taylor are two broken people that just want to expected for who they are. Taylor turns to drugs to numb is pain and Alex drinks to numb his pain.This story is beautifully tragic, soul shattering, uplifting and these two characters take you on a breathtaking journey of love and redemption. The chemistry between these two is hot, intense and steamy. Alex and Taylor are just trying to find a place in the world that expects them for who they are. This book was a great way to start of this new series.
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I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This book comes with a warning about triggers so it was no surprise that it tugs on your heartstrings and at times even takes your breath away. What the warning doesn’t prepare you for is an amazingly raw and honest story about finding yourself, finding real love and then facing a world that seems to be completely against you. Taylor and Alex’s story made me feel all the feels. I laughed, I cried and let’s not even mention the number I times I got legit goosebumps. This story was so perfectly written, I loved every single word.
A fabulous read, I thoroughly enjoyed it. This book drags you through a full array of feeling. One minutes butterflies flutter with happiness and excitement and the next your sobbing. It was a ride that I recommend other take.
A story of two tortured souls, each thinking they are more broken than the other, and how they become who;e again. Accepting who they are and who they love.
I can’t wait to read more of this series.
Taylor and Alex are the main characters in this heart wrenching book of addiction, pain, broken relationships and a myriad of instability. Struggling with addiction is never easy for anyone. To live it through the pages of a book is surreal.
Some of the situations Taylor finds himself in are rather surprising and unfair. For instance, the experimental Chad. I will leave it there as to not reveal excess spoilers.
Taylor – comes from a dynamic of incredibly abusive, dangerous, and toxic parents. Addiction seemed an obvious step to escape the daily horrors of his life. Struggling with his sexuality didn’t help to keep his daily wars under control.
Alex – also reeling from find love of his own – battles the demons of his dad and forces him to question his attraction to men. “Men aren’t supposed to find love with other men. I mean, it’s Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve.” “It’s homo sapiens, not hetero sapiens,” in retort to his father’s distasteful comment.
I became enthralled with every waking moment, cheering, hoping, laughing and sighing feelings of relief. For Taylor and Alex, nothing will come easy. The climb will be an uphill battle.
A well-deserved happy ending for these two.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Shattered Pieces is a beautifully written story about tragedy, broken trust, abuse, self acceptance, self healing, finding love, recovery, and found family. Have tissues handy you will need them as this story will take you on an emotional roller coaster. I love this book even though it was hard to read at times. It’s not for everyone as the subject matter at times is quite intense and disturbing. I’m so glad Taylor and Alex found each other and had the strength to be what the other needed. Taylor and Alex were able to heal each other, and will continue to do so. I’m so glad they got to raise Penny, that sweet baby girl, I was so afraid for her.
I highly recommend this book as two beautiful souls find each other and don’t let go.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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(¸.¨*.¸¸.•`¤Taylor was straight until he met Alex.¤¨*.¸¸.*ˑ˞
“Have you ever been so in love with someone, so consumed by their appearance, their scent, their taste, their very being, that you’d die without them? That’s me with Taylor. He’s the air I need to breathe, the sustenance my body craves, that cool drink of water to quench my thirst. Without him, I wouldn’t survive.” ~Alex
I kind of knew this book would gut me. I tried to be brave and watched the scenes unfold and my heart broke for both Alex and Taylor. Taylor, so young but carrying so much on his shoulders, and trying to survive life, including abuse and a baby sister who needed him. And Alex, who was starting over after abuse had become his life and rescued by his best friend Daniel. Theirs was not an easy romance, but both men had to allow himself to being open to what was in front of themselves, and in the end, it was worth it. As Alex stated of Taylor: “…you took all my shattered pieces and put me together again…”
I cannot literally wait to do another read of this book sometime soon. A great introduction to this new to me author.
I voluntarily and honestly reviewed this book without bias or persuasion from the author through Booksprout.
There are a few times in life where you read something, and it speaks not only to you but goes straight to your soul. This book, for me, was one of those times. I feel gutted, sad, wrecked. The reality that people in their ignorance and spite hate or dislike someone based on who they are makes me sad. On the flip side, I feel my heart mending because not everyone is sick and evil. There are so many people who are accepting, open, loving, and kind. My eyes are red, my heart is stuttering after reading this, and I just have to say kudos and thank you to this author with the gift of writing something so poignant and moving.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.