Queen B’s Decree: In hindsight, I might not have been in the best head space for Fall to Pieces. It started out angsty and emotional and heartrendingly painful. And despite my having read the blurb, I was still surprised by how agonizingly heartbreaking this story was.
August came home from work one day to find her boyfriend’s body in their bathroom after a fatal and purposeful overdose of alcohol and medications. From there, she tries to understand how he could have chosen his addiction over her and so she goes to the corner bar daily to drink away her pain. That is where she meets Chance, a sweet and caring man who does his best to live a life where he can make a difference and help others.
It was the first half of this book that ripped the heart out of me. It’s as if we are reading someone’s journal of them going through the grieving process.
After an accident, August stops drinking and becomes better friends with Chance. Their romance felt like it progressed rapidly, but traumatic experiences have been known to bond people together.
Overall, I’m not sure I would have classified this as a romance, as that felt secondary. Fall to Pieces was an intriguing and deep read, but the romance felt out of place; like a square peg in a round hole.
Book: Fall to Pieces by Shari J. Ryan
Series: standalone
Genre: Contemporary
Hotness: mild salsa
Plot Devices/Tropes: addiction, angst