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Broken in Soft Places
Some mornings, Sara Chambers wakes in bed next to her girlfriend and her girlfriend’s lover wondering how she ended up there. Beautiful, successful, and a force to be reckoned with at her Atlanta law firm, Sara is still powerless in her attraction to the rebellious and reckless, Rille Thompson.
As college girlfriends, Sara and Rille’s relationship had been incendiary, burning away Sara’s innocence and self-respect even as it widened her world beyond her wildest imagination. Now, almost twenty years later, Rille still pushes Sara beyond her limits, bringing a third lover into their bed and domestic lives when their monogamy gets stale. The hold Rille has over Sara—and their new lover—becomes as powerful as it is dangerous. Can Sara pull herself free in time, or will her life turn to cinders in the wake of Rille’s powerful flame?
As college girlfriends, Sara and Rille’s relationship had been incendiary, burning away Sara’s innocence and self-respect even as it widened her world beyond her wildest imagination. Now, almost twenty years later, Rille still pushes Sara beyond her limits, bringing a third lover into their bed and domestic lives when their monogamy gets stale. The hold Rille has over Sara—and their new lover—becomes as powerful as it is dangerous. Can Sara pull herself free in time, or will her life turn to cinders in the wake of Rille’s powerful flame?
264 pages, Paperback
First published May 14, 2013
18 people are currently reading
128 people want to read
About the author
Fiona Zedde
56 books409 followersJamaican-born Fiona Zedde is the author of several novellas and novels of lesBiQueer love and desire, including the Lambda Literary Award finalists, Bliss and Every Dark Desire. She loves French pastries, English cars, Jamaican food, and currently lives in Spain.
Her novel, Dangerous Pleasures, received a Publishers Weekly starred review and won an About.com Readers' Choice Award for Best Lesbian Novel/Memoir. Her latest book, Just Like Her, is out now. Find out more about her catalog of 30+ books at www.FionaZedde.com.
Her novel, Dangerous Pleasures, received a Publishers Weekly starred review and won an About.com Readers' Choice Award for Best Lesbian Novel/Memoir. Her latest book, Just Like Her, is out now. Find out more about her catalog of 30+ books at www.FionaZedde.com.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
May 20, 2023
Broken in Soft Places by Fiona Zedde is a case study of LGBTQ+ relationships and how decisions can impact one another.
I picked this book up at my local, indie bookstore and initially thought it was a romance. The cover and summary made it seem like I was going to be following two women in their passionate relationship, but that's not exactly what I got. There is definitely romance in this book, but it's not the main focus - it's more of the setting.
Sara is a first year college student away from home after her brother disappeared. She meets Rille, a fourth year who has many lovers and can't help but stray. Sara's feelings for Rille are intense, and the two develop a complicated relationship, with both women in very different spots in the relationship. Sara wants Rille to be loyal and compassionate, while also being who she is, but Rille cannot help but stray and wants to live her life with any and all freedom. We follow the two through the years as they reconnect and eventually even have a polyamorous relationship with a man, but their struggles in being themselves bring very intense emotional layers to this story.
Fiona Zedde's writing is intoxicating. She writes with deep emotions and documents the coming of ages and journeys for these characters so well. I am now determined to pick up more books by Fiona. What a marvellous writer who I had never heard of before! I'm thrilled that I've discovered her, and I'm also thrilled that her books feature LGBTQ+ characters. The intensity of this book is so incredible and what a reading journey I had!
The ending hits you like running head first into a wall. It's very impactful and makes you think, but gosh darnit I hate endings that stop like that! That's a personal take, but it works very well with this story.
Five out of five stars. This book blew my away!
I picked this book up at my local, indie bookstore and initially thought it was a romance. The cover and summary made it seem like I was going to be following two women in their passionate relationship, but that's not exactly what I got. There is definitely romance in this book, but it's not the main focus - it's more of the setting.
Sara is a first year college student away from home after her brother disappeared. She meets Rille, a fourth year who has many lovers and can't help but stray. Sara's feelings for Rille are intense, and the two develop a complicated relationship, with both women in very different spots in the relationship. Sara wants Rille to be loyal and compassionate, while also being who she is, but Rille cannot help but stray and wants to live her life with any and all freedom. We follow the two through the years as they reconnect and eventually even have a polyamorous relationship with a man, but their struggles in being themselves bring very intense emotional layers to this story.
Fiona Zedde's writing is intoxicating. She writes with deep emotions and documents the coming of ages and journeys for these characters so well. I am now determined to pick up more books by Fiona. What a marvellous writer who I had never heard of before! I'm thrilled that I've discovered her, and I'm also thrilled that her books feature LGBTQ+ characters. The intensity of this book is so incredible and what a reading journey I had!
The ending hits you like running head first into a wall. It's very impactful and makes you think, but gosh darnit I hate endings that stop like that! That's a personal take, but it works very well with this story.
Five out of five stars. This book blew my away!
April 10, 2021
I enjoyed Broken In Soft Places. It’s about Sara, a lesbian who comes out in college and ends up in a threesome with her first girlfriend Merrill (Rill) and a gay man. She does this because she can’t give up Rill and Rill cannot give up having many lovers so they have polyamory. I was very drawn in despite the fact that this kind of relationship that includes a man does not appeal to me. It doesn’t appeal to Sara either but she struggles with it for years ( not continuously).
Fiona writes well about flying emotions and sexuality. We also get a picture of the family backgrounds of the main characters and how the living and the dead ones affect them. I found this novel, set in mostly in Atlanta, very engaging. The jumps in time did not interfere. The intensity of the triangle and interactions is reminiscent of James Baldwin’s writing. Thanks for another good read, Fiona.
Fiona writes well about flying emotions and sexuality. We also get a picture of the family backgrounds of the main characters and how the living and the dead ones affect them. I found this novel, set in mostly in Atlanta, very engaging. The jumps in time did not interfere. The intensity of the triangle and interactions is reminiscent of James Baldwin’s writing. Thanks for another good read, Fiona.
January 29, 2014
I loved this book… I even loved the format of how Fiona told the story and engulfed me into it. I really appreciate her delicate handling of several topics, Bisexuality, Death, Respect, Love of Self, Aids, and especially the inter workings of a Poly Relationship and the perspectives from the characters. I really enjoyed this book!
The one thing that sits with me about the novel is one of the main characters Rille. It seems easy to me to understand how some may read this and feel a certain way about her role, they may see her in a negative light. However, I think Fiona did a very realistic approach to this character's development and the way her story is presented from the other character's perspectives… I think that was the true key as to why this story carried so much weight for me. Each of the main three characters in the novel have choices which they can and do choose as far as their participation in the relationship, and with that said its interesting how they feel within the relationship. This book surfaced a lot of feelings from me on bisexuality as a whole, and I appreciated Fiona's handling of the subject. I'm still thinking about the ending and last few chapters… the sign of a great book I'm still engrossed in it well after Im finished reading it!
The one thing that sits with me about the novel is one of the main characters Rille. It seems easy to me to understand how some may read this and feel a certain way about her role, they may see her in a negative light. However, I think Fiona did a very realistic approach to this character's development and the way her story is presented from the other character's perspectives… I think that was the true key as to why this story carried so much weight for me. Each of the main three characters in the novel have choices which they can and do choose as far as their participation in the relationship, and with that said its interesting how they feel within the relationship. This book surfaced a lot of feelings from me on bisexuality as a whole, and I appreciated Fiona's handling of the subject. I'm still thinking about the ending and last few chapters… the sign of a great book I'm still engrossed in it well after Im finished reading it!
January 5, 2014
Complex
Fiona Zedde’s “Broken in Soft Places” delves into the complicated relationship of Sara, Rille, and Stephen. This read was a departure from what I’ve become accustomed to with Zedde’s work. It took a little while longer than normal for me to get into, a little slower pace, but it was worth it.
Moving with deep layers of emotions, “Broken in Soft Places” is a vivid portrait of a destructive relationship and its causalities and one woman's journey of self. While off the beaten path, Fiona doesn’t disappoint and continues to solidify herself as a true storyteller.
Loved the title!
Reviewed by: Toni
Fiona Zedde’s “Broken in Soft Places” delves into the complicated relationship of Sara, Rille, and Stephen. This read was a departure from what I’ve become accustomed to with Zedde’s work. It took a little while longer than normal for me to get into, a little slower pace, but it was worth it.
Moving with deep layers of emotions, “Broken in Soft Places” is a vivid portrait of a destructive relationship and its causalities and one woman's journey of self. While off the beaten path, Fiona doesn’t disappoint and continues to solidify herself as a true storyteller.
Loved the title!
Reviewed by: Toni
November 29, 2013
Normally I would have read this book in less than 2 week's time. I had to stop a few times because Rillie one of the main characters was just so manipulative she really gave me pause. This was a well written story of 2 people caught up in one woman's web of deceit & desire to have whatever and whoever she wanted no matter the cost. Every chapter left you to wonder if Sara would win the struggle to find herself and live her life through her own eyes.
June 24, 2018
one of those books where you wonder why you forced yourself to finish it. I was hoping for somethings - a book about a poly situation however it just showed poly as something that is either done out of selfish disregard and recklessness or out of brainless giving up of yourself. I was so angry at all the characters.
November 20, 2013
I like how the author describes a variety of relationships, and in particular- a poly relationship, with all of the complexity and mixture of feelings that comes with. An enjoyable and captivating read.
September 22, 2014
I enjoyed this thoroughly, however the only problem for me was going back and forth between characters and time periods. It had me slightly confused. However, a great idea woven into a great book.
December 15, 2021
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I got this book for free when the Pacific Center was cleaning out their bookshelves. It sounded like this was going to be a romance novel about three women in an open relationship. I was super intrigued. I was ready. I was disappointed and impressed.
I was disappointed because I was wrong. This was not about an open relationship. Instead it was about someone sacrificing themselves for love and a relationship. Sara knows that Rille cheats on her and does ridiculous things. She thinks that she can keep the relationship more solid and less painful if she agrees to letting Rille have someone else, but she even makes it a point to tell the guy to take a hike at one point. Sara is not ok with how things are and I don’t blame her.
Rille is self-absorbed and doesn’t really care about other people. She only cares about what other people can give her. She is not good for Sara or anyone else that she comes into contact with. She is very self-destructive and fascinating. Rille would have been able to do the same things to me, without a doubt. She is charming and powerful. Rille is a force.
Sara is more timid, but not less powerful. She doesn’t realize her power for a great deal of time. She, to me, is much more fascinating of a character. She is dealing with a trauma and it helps push her into Rille’s control. There are a lot of issues with their relationship, such as Rille cheating on Sara and contracting HIV. This book is filled with flawed people that are coming together to burn hotter than the sun, but when things burn they burn out. This was such a fascinating story and one that I didn’t want to put down.
The writing was superb. I am going to be passing this book around to my friends that like books for pretty writing more than plot, because this book has such amazing writing.
My only issue with this book is that I didn’t get to read it sooner.
I got this book for free when the Pacific Center was cleaning out their bookshelves. It sounded like this was going to be a romance novel about three women in an open relationship. I was super intrigued. I was ready. I was disappointed and impressed.
I was disappointed because I was wrong. This was not about an open relationship. Instead it was about someone sacrificing themselves for love and a relationship. Sara knows that Rille cheats on her and does ridiculous things. She thinks that she can keep the relationship more solid and less painful if she agrees to letting Rille have someone else, but she even makes it a point to tell the guy to take a hike at one point. Sara is not ok with how things are and I don’t blame her.
Rille is self-absorbed and doesn’t really care about other people. She only cares about what other people can give her. She is not good for Sara or anyone else that she comes into contact with. She is very self-destructive and fascinating. Rille would have been able to do the same things to me, without a doubt. She is charming and powerful. Rille is a force.
Sara is more timid, but not less powerful. She doesn’t realize her power for a great deal of time. She, to me, is much more fascinating of a character. She is dealing with a trauma and it helps push her into Rille’s control. There are a lot of issues with their relationship, such as Rille cheating on Sara and contracting HIV. This book is filled with flawed people that are coming together to burn hotter than the sun, but when things burn they burn out. This was such a fascinating story and one that I didn’t want to put down.
The writing was superb. I am going to be passing this book around to my friends that like books for pretty writing more than plot, because this book has such amazing writing.
My only issue with this book is that I didn’t get to read it sooner.
February 21, 2014
Eh, I didn't like this book. I've read a few of Fiona Zedde's books in the past and I've become a real fan. But I feel like she tried to do too much in this one. At some point it just got all too dramatic. I don't know what the real theme of the book was. I was left with a ton of questions and no real answers. I feel like the story put the character Rille on such a pedestal, that it became too much to bear. I found the dynamic between Sara and Stephen completely unrealistic.
Also, I didn't like the way that HIV was dealt with in the book at all.
Also, I didn't like the way that HIV was dealt with in the book at all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 14, 2018
Intense
May 14, 2013
Excellent, well written informative & real! I'm a Fiona Zedde addict!
June 21, 2018
I'll post a review later.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews