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Stone Bay #1

Shattered Sun

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When your heart was split in two, how did you choose who to love more?
 
As a young girl, I never imagined a day without Benjamin Wilks by my side. Ben had been more than my best friend. He’d been my person. The ordinary to my quirky. The smart to my foolish. The quiet to my loud. Regardless how opposite we were in personality, together we clicked.
 
Then tragedy struck and changed my life forever. And when Mom could no longer bear the memories our house held, she moved us to Stone Bay. For years, I rebelled. Spilled my hurt in the form of ugly words.
 
In time, I healed and learned to love the lavish small town and the people that called it home. In its borders, I met my soul sisters. I made a life for myself. And I had the attention of the hottest police officer in town.
 
Travis Emerson was more than an attractive man with a badge. Travis was part of the Stone Bay Seven—the town’s founding families—and that title came with responsibility. Though we flirted daily, our relationship never evolved beyond friendship.
 
Then Ben showed up in Stone Bay and swept me off my feet. Literally. In response, Travis growled his displeasure and all but claimed me in front of the town gossip mill.
 
One anonymous, disturbing note later, I learned Ben and Travis weren’t the only ones vying for my attention. Days after that, when the body of a woman was discovered in the woods, the whispers around town regarding my love triangle fizzled out. In its place… townsfolk claimed I resembled the lifeless woman.
 
Determined to protect me, Travis inserted himself more in my life. And my heart. But as I rekindled my relationship with Ben, I learned it was possible to love more than one person.
 
Before it’s too late, I needed to decide which of them I loved more. Because time wasn’t on my side.

341 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 17, 2023

15 people are currently reading
96 people want to read

About the author

Persephone Autumn

49 books325 followers
USA Today Bestselling Author Persephone Autumn lives in Florida with her wife, crazy dog, and two lover-boy cats. A proud mom with a cuckoo grandpup. An ethnic food enthusiast who has fun discovering ways to veganize her favorite non-vegan foods. If given the opportunity, she would intentionally get lost in nature.

For years, Persephone did some form of writing; mostly journaling or poetry. After pairing her poetry with images and posting them online, she began the journey of writing her first novel.

She mainly writes romance and poetry, but on occasion dips her toes in other works. Look for her non-romance publications under P. Autumn.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
Profile Image for Books, Booze & Bon Voyage (Krista Webster) .
1,106 reviews35 followers
October 18, 2023
Shattered Sun by Persephone Autumn is the first book in her new series, set in the small town of Stone Bay. The story revolves around Kirsten Sparks and the two men vying for her attention. Benjamin Wilks, her childhood friend and Travis Emerson, a local police officer. This is a romantic suspense because you don’t know who she is going to choose but it is also a thriller as Kirsten has a stalker and there is a murder to be solved. Will it be a friends to lovers or a second chance love?

Kirsten and her mother moved to Stone Bay thirteen years ago after suffering a tragic event back at their home in Smoky Creek. Life has totally changed for both of them but Kirsten is still haunted by the past. She now works at Polk the Yolk and enjoys interacting every morning with all the customers, but Travis is her favourite. He instigates the flirting with her while getting his breakfast and for the last four years her smiles have made his day. He is still recovering from his last relationship so is scared of his feelings for her. Ben arrives in town with his construction crew to work on the library extension and is surprised to see his childhood best friend from back home.

The author gives us an interesting but complicated love triangle as Kirsten is excited to be reunited with Ben. They were inseparable growing up so all the emotions come racing back for both of them. At the same time her friendship with Travis is developing into something more so she is confused because she’s never had a serious relationship with anyone. Can they move from friends to lovers and put their insecurities aside. Travis finds watching Ben with her brings out his domineering and possessive side, but also increases his doubts and worries over falling in love again. Ben is determined to rekindle their love and get her back. While we enjoy the three trying to work things out, we learn Kirsten has a stalker and then things take a turn for the worse when a girl is murdered. I loved how both men want to protect her when the stalker’s actions escalates.

Persephone is so good at writing likeable characters and the secondary characters in this are great. We first met Kirsten’s best friends in the series prequel Broken Sky so it was lovely seeing how Skylar and Lawrence were doing. Delilah and Oliver are both suffering from unrequited love so I look forward to their stories. Ben’s workmates are amusing and the banter is good as they tease him over Kirsten. I thought Officer Pepper was great and Trixie was adorable.

I found all the snippets about Stone Bay, the founding families and it’s gossiping residents informative. I thought the chapters from the stalkers POV brought a creepy and chilling vibe to the story. The forced proximity and a growly Travis made me laugh. I loved all three main characters and at some point my heart went out to each of them. The past affects all of them in some way and it was fascinating following them trying to overcome their memories and make new ones. One thing that really stood out for me was the analogy about childhood toys by Travis, it was such a poignant and thoughtful way to describe what was happening between the three of them. Who will she choose if she survives her stalker? Enjoy the ‘sparkles’ and ‘sunshine’ this book brings.



Profile Image for Elizabeth Satala (ElizaJayneReads).
453 reviews8 followers
October 18, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶🌶

Kirsten’s life imploded thirteen years ago when tragedy struck her family. Her and her mother couldn’t bear to stay in their once loved home, so Kirsten’s mother made the difficult decision to move to Stone Bay. Not only did Kirsten have to leave the only town she knew, but she also had to leave her best friend Benji. She was distraught and lashed out for a long time until she found hope in the form of great friends, a great small town, and having the attention of the hottest police officer in town. For years, Travis came into the diner Kirsten worked at, only paying attention to her. He started to realize that what they had was more than a friendship, and that made him be extra-growly when Benji shows up in Kirsten’s life again. With the whole town on edge because of a murder, Travis goes into protection mode. Kirsten not only has the attention of Travis and Ben, but also an anonymous stalker that keeps leaving her notes. With Travis and Ben both protecting her, she must decide who she loves because time is not on her side.

🏠 small town
🔪 stalker/k!ller on the loose
🔺️ love triangle
🚔 police/protector
👫 childhood friend
💞 forced proximity

I really felt for Kirsten in this book. She lost a lot of things in her life all at once. She lashed out in a way that was harmful to herself, then found the will to live life again. She started to embrace her job, friends, and things she loved, like making videos of make-up. Her walls were up so high that she didn’t think love was in the cards for her. She found comfort in Travis and let herself fall for him little by little. Travis was the same way. He had his heart broken, his walls up, and was afraid to fall for Kirsten, yet he couldn’t stay away. Ben was the totally opposite of Travis. He was all in right from the get-go, but Kirsten couldn’t seem to commit to him. She wanted her best friend back, and he wanted more. It led to a lot of confusion and realization. All three of them had stuff to work out, but ultimately, they were all on the path they were meant to be on.

If you like a little spice with your suspense, this book is for you!
Profile Image for Anna || The bookblondie.
16 reviews6 followers
October 28, 2023
Shattered Sun - Persephone Autumn
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
🌶️🌶️

After a tragedy, Kirsten is forced to move to Stone Bay.
Over time, she healed and learned to love the lush town and the people who called it home. In the borders she met her soul sisters. And had the attention of the hottest police officer ;-)

When both Ben and Travis “fight” for Kirsten's heart, someone else competes for Kirsten's attention, but not in a good way

As love bubbles, tension rises for Kirsten's safety. Will she stay safe, can the men protect her and even worse, who will ultimately protect and cherish Kirsten with his life?

The story is beautiful, exciting and loving.

The author gives us an interesting and complicated love triangle as Kirsten is excited to be reunited with her childhood friend "Ben".    They were inseparable growing up, so all the emotions come back for both of them. At the same time, her friendship with ''Travis'' develops into something more, leaving her confused as she has never been in a serious relationship with anyone. Can they go from friends to lovers and put aside their insecurities? Travis finds that watching Ben with her brings out his dominant and possessive side, but also increases his doubts and worries about falling in love again. Ben is determined to rekindle their love and get her back. While we enjoy the three trying to solve things, we discover that Kirsten has a stalker and things get even worse when a girl is murdered. I loved how both men want to protect her when the stalker's actions escalate.

I loved how the stalker POV chapters brought a creepy and chilling atmosphere to the story. Loved all three main characters and at some point my heart went out to each of them. The past affects them all in some way and it was fascinating to follow them as they tried to overcome their memories and create new ones. Who will she choose if she survives her stalker? I want to thank @theauthor.agency and the Author @persephoneautumn for receiving this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I loved every part of the story and can't wait to read the second book in the "Stone Bay serie"
Profile Image for Rachel.
395 reviews18 followers
October 19, 2023
☆☆☆☆
🌶️🌶️🌶️

This was my first book by Persephone Autumn but it definitely won't be my last! This book had spice, angst, and suspense!

We meet Kirsten in this story and she has moved to a small town to start over after losing her father tragically. She has never had a real relationship as she mainly sticks to hook ups so she doesn't have to open herself up to anyone.

After a night of drinking she ends up in her bed but with no recollection of the night before. She tries to tell herself that she's fine but she gets an eerie feeling when she knows anything could have happened to her.

Fast forward to now and Kirsten works at the local diner. She constantly flirts with the cute cop that comes in named Travis. They both don't do relationships but that doesn't stop them from making eyes at each other. They are friends...nothing more. That is until someone from Kirsten's past makes an appearance. Ben was Kirsten's childhood best friend until she moved away, now ten years later he is back and wants to pursue Kirsten.

After figuring out that both guys want a chance with her she has a decision to make but there is just one thing...now she is getting notes on her car and packages at her doorstep. WIth a stalker on the loose, Kirsten is paralyzed with fear and not sure where to turn. When things start to go sideways she goes to the two men in her life. They decide to head to the outskirts of town and stay hidden for awhile...nothing can go wrong right?

OMG! This book had me on the edge of my seat! Although I did see some of the twist coming it was still suspenseful and I ate it up! Definitely will be reading more from Persephone Autumn!

𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦:
🔥 Small town romance
🔥 Forced Proximity
🔥 One Bed
🔥 Stalker on the loose
🔥 Friends to lovers
Profile Image for Amber Brooks.
143 reviews2 followers
October 17, 2023
This book had a little bit of everything. Twists and turns, suspenseful moments, POVs you didn’t know you needed, and a love triangle that gives you all the feels. Kirsten and Ben grew up together but when Kirsten’s dad tragically passed away when she was ten years old her mom moved them to Stone Bay to start over. Now she is 23 years old working at the town’s diner as a waitress, with the best friends she could ask for, and the police officer, Travis, she loves to flirt with. But little does she know she has a stalker. One day Ben rolls into town to work on a job and since their little reunion everything begins to escalate. The stalker is on edge, Travis wants to claim her, and Ben wants to go back to what they had when they were kids. With Kirsten in the middle of a love triangle the stalker starts leaving her very disturbing notes. The boys will do anything to protect Kirsten and that is the only thing Ben and Travis can agree on. I loved this book and these characters and I can’t wait for more from Stone Bay.

Tropes:
•Small Town
•Stalker/Killer on the Loose
•Friends to Lovers
•Forced Proximity
•Romantic Suspense
•Possessive Hero
•Hand necklaces
•Love Triangle
•Multiple POV

Quote: “Life doesn’t come with a guide on what what to do and when to do it. We make it up as we go and for the best. A ring on your finger doesn’t equal happiness. Doing what feels right in your heart…that is happiness.”

Rating: 4⭐️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Profile Image for Theresa.
666 reviews11 followers
October 13, 2023
Shattered Sun is about Kirsten, Travis and Ben.

Kirsten and Ben grew up together before her father passed away when she was ten years old, and her mom moved her to another town.

Thirteen years later, Kirsten works at a diner called Polk the Yolk where she serves Travis, a police officer, breakfast every morning. Ben works in construction and comes to their town to work on extending the town library. Ben and his co-workers go into the diner for breakfast and Ben and Kirsten are reunited. Both men want Kirsten and it’s Kirsten’s decision who she ends up with.
While all of that is going on, there was a woman murdered in the woods that looks exactly like her, as well as Kirsten is getting disturbing notes, and it is concluded that she has a stalker.

Oh, this book had me sitting at the edge of my seat! The suspense was high, and I loved it! I loved how the author added a chapter here and there from Kirsten’s stalker, I feel like it just added to the suspense and the need to know who he was. I loved the love triangle and how it was distinctive who Kirsten was going to end up with. So, I think it’s safe to say I enjoyed the plot! There’s great spice and I loved how possessive Travis was of her.
Profile Image for Whitney Honadick.
47 reviews
October 16, 2023
Shattered Sun provided a suspenseful and steamy read for sure! This is probably my first love triangle book and I really liked it! I loved the FMC Kirsten, she was very Strong and independent, even with her difficult background. It really added to her layers. Then you have the hot cop Travis who has spent years flirting with Kirsten but things never went further. I like the chemistry that was built up between them and the playful banter. Then comes along a long lost friend - Ben who sort of disrupts the bond building between Kirsten & Travis but adds another layer of angst and tension for sure! Especially since Ben has been smitten with Kirten their whole lives. Beyond the love triangle, the suspense has me on the edge of my feet wondering who is murdering people and stalking Kirsten. you get multiple POVs in this story and each one helps you dive deep into everything going on. Even with all the suspense, they story moves at a great pace so you’re not left hanging for too long. Also loved the small town vibes - always a sucker for small town!
Profile Image for Nicole (all_bookedup).
489 reviews22 followers
October 18, 2023
4 Stars
3 Chili Peppers

Tropes:
Friends to Lovers
Second Chance
Possessive Hero
Small Town
Love Triangle
Stalker

Multiple POV

"Life doesn't come with a guide on what to do and when to do it. We make it up as we go and hope for the best."

I will admit that I am usually not a fan of the Love Triangle trope, but it worked in this book. I loved how possessive Travis was and how he made sure that Kirsten was okay and safe.

I really liked that we got chapters from "Seeker." Getting their perspective added to the story. However, I was able to figure out who it was.

One thing I didn't like was the amount of inner dialogue there was. Now hear me out. I know that this is important in a book, but it felt like there was way too much of it during conversations. Sometimes there were 2-3 pages of inner dialogue before the conversation even continued. But that was my only issue with this book. Other than that, I really liked it.

I cannot wait for book 2.

Thank you to Persephone Autumn and The Author Agency for this ARC
Profile Image for Carmela Dimattia.
1,910 reviews22 followers
October 18, 2023
I loved this book so very much. Everything about it had my heart in my throat and the characters were all so warm and loveable. I had goosebumps and was constantly checking over my shoulder when all the mystery started. A murder mystery that included a love triangle was not what I was expecting but it certainly blew me away. Ms Autumn always gives us an outstanding read and this book is no doubt my favourite but it is the endearing characters that will steal your heart. I was heartbroken with Kirsten’s choice at the end but I know that we will not be left wanting for too much longer for more in the Stone Bay series. A must read!!!

I received an arc copy from the author and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Profile Image for Camille Newman.
535 reviews6 followers
October 15, 2023
My first book by Persephone Autumn and it was enjoyable.

A love triangle between a new love and a childhood friend for Kirsten, proves confusing at times.

The secret notes, terrifying chills, and the feeling someone is always watching you adds suspense to this story.

Kirsten has a stalker that she holds close to her and doesn’t tell anyone until it becomes to much.

Travis a town cop tried his best to hide his feeling from Kirsten. Then his feelings are shown when Ben, Kirsten’s childhood friend,rolls into town adding his name in the mix

Full of angst, emotions, suspense, and drama. It was a good read.

I did read this as an ARC for an honest review.
Profile Image for Daisy Nijs.
1,020 reviews15 followers
October 17, 2023
Shattered Sun is about a love triangle between Kirsten, Ben and Travis. Ben and Kirsten knew each other from when they were kids and now, years later, they run into each other again at the diner where Kirsten works.
At that diner, is also the place where she meets Travis, a police officer. Both men show interest in her. But then there is a murder, and Kirsten is getting these notes that are concerning.
This book is filled with suspense, banter and emotions. I was captivated by this book from the beginning. It is a friends to lovers romance with the suspense of the stalker that makes the book a great read.
Profile Image for Peggy Hogan.
1,253 reviews15 followers
October 19, 2023
Shattered Sun is the first book in the new Stone Bay series by Persephone Autumn. It's a love triangle with a mystery surrounding a murder, and it was amazing! It had the perfect combination of romance and suspense, and I honestly never wanted it to end, but at the same time, I couldn't wait to see how it ended! This is the second book I've read by this author, and I am hooked! I can't wait to read more books by this author, but in the meantime, this one is highly recommended with a million stars!
Profile Image for Rebecca.
580 reviews18 followers
October 12, 2023

What a good read!

This book focuses on Kirsten who has unfortunately caught the eye of a stalker!

Her childhood friend comes to town and queue love triangle while trying to protect her! I loved the alpha male and grumpy x sunshine vibes. When the big reveal happened, I was like I knew it!!! My serial unaliver radar is on it haha. This was quite tense in parts and the suspense was real.

Pepper is such a good girl and Trixie! What a cutie.

There are a couple of spicy scenes but it doesn’t take away from the plot at all.

Overall, great read!
427 reviews14 followers
October 17, 2023
I freaking loved Shattered Sun! It is a page turner. It had 2 of my top 3 favorite tropes, love triangle and small town.

Am I a little sad yes, why because how can you choose in a love triangle??? I knew it was gonna end how it did but I am now left wishing it was a why choose situation. Not to spoil anything but Ms. Autumn you know who needs a book now (even though we get a glimpse of his life in the bonus content) 🤣

The suspense added to the story and I am glad we got a few pieces of the stalkers POV it really added to the story.

I can’t wait to see where the rest of the series goes ♥️
Profile Image for Vivien Richards.
1,451 reviews20 followers
October 14, 2023
This story is a love triangle between Kirsten, Ben and Travis. It is also romantic suspense. The heroine is in danger and has two men vying for her affection while also trying to protect her. I enjoyed the story very much and have enjoyed all of Persephone's books I have read. The story does have a HEA but this time the heroine did not end up with the guy I was rooting for, which left me feeling a little deflated. I only hope he gets his happily ever after in another book.
Profile Image for Brooke.
234 reviews3 followers
October 16, 2023
Shattered Sun is a romantic thriller. The love triangle was really entertaining. The suspense was so good. This story is about a small town girl who has a tragic past, moves to a new town with her mom for a new beginning. Here is finds friends and a fresh start. Then her past catches back up with her and creates some drama. The spice is perfect, the suspense left me on the edge of my seat, and I love this group of characters. Can’t wait for book 2!
Profile Image for Brittany Rose.
353 reviews10 followers
October 30, 2023
This book had me sitting at the edge of my seat! The suspense was high, and I loved it! I loved how the author added a chapter occasionally from Kirsten’s stalker, I feel like it just added to the suspense and the need to know who he was. I loved the love triangle and how it was not obvious who she was going to end up with. So, I think it’s safe to say I enjoyed the plot! There’s great spice and I loved how possessive Travis was of her and the stalker part was so scary!
Profile Image for Candace P..
1,105 reviews8 followers
October 15, 2023
This was my first book by the author, and the stalker / serial killer aspect had me on the edge of my seat! I am totally into small town and romantic suspense right now, so this book checked all the boxes.

I loved how over the top protective and possessive Travis was of Kirsten and would do anything to keep her safe.
Profile Image for Kate Schaeffer.
29 reviews1 follower
October 17, 2023
Who doesn’t love a tortured heart and two men who would do anything for her??!! Say hello to Kirsten, Travis and Ben!! Oh and don’t forget the added twist of a secret admirer ;) This book checked every box for me!! This is one of the best romances suspense books I’ve read! I’m so honored to have read the ARC and I will be adding ALL of Persephone Autumn’s back log to my TBR!!
Profile Image for She’s Just Lucky Roberts.
95 reviews1 follower
July 6, 2025
I had such high hopes for Shattered Sun. The cover is absolutely stunning, the characters were ones that sounded like they’d have depth to them and the overall storyline had so much potential. With that said, this book fell short for me and my initial expectations; it simply did not deliver.
The book was about 200 pages too long, it had so much unnecessary detail and not enough of the information needed to fully draw me in….. and that’s saying something considering it is only a 400 page book. There was great potential for developing the relationships between characters, their background stories and giving each one their own layer of substance but I was left wanting. I kept waiting for it to pick up and “get good” but it never happened so the book continued its horizontal trajectory from start to finish. Disappointing to say the least.
I know this is book 1 to the Stone Bay series so I hope that there is a lot more development as the series continues, unfortunately I won’t be reading it any further to find out.

⭐️⭐️ .5
Profile Image for Danielle Melo .
317 reviews6 followers
November 2, 2023
Absolutely all the yes! Kirsten, Travis, and Ben. Love triangle, Suspense, stalker... and hot, hot, hot!

Kirsten finds that her quiet small town with her local cop Travis is about to have her world tipped upside down. In more ways than one. Her long-lost childhood best friend Ben comes into town and they get reacquainted but childhood friendships and new adult friendships can be an interesting adjustment.

The adventure of the story has you continually flipping the pages to have you guessing what's next and who Kirsten is going to pick. Persephone Autumn does it again with an amazing storyline and the constant question of what comes next.
Profile Image for Maureen.
786 reviews3 followers
April 30, 2025
This story was so exciting from beginning to end. My first ever read from Persephone and I will say that it has piqued my interest to read more for sure. Genre bending romantic suspense and extremely well written. This specific multiple POV gives you such a unique outlook and really brings some different to the experience. I really and truly enjoyed this as it was so much different than I anticipated it would be, but in the best way possible. 4.5/5 stars.
Profile Image for Ashley Thornton.
149 reviews
February 20, 2024
There were definitely some really good scenes in this book, but the pacing and transitions were off to me. A lot of parts felt out of the blue and awkward.
Profile Image for tiffany.
110 reviews1 follower
October 18, 2023
4️⃣.6️⃣⭐️
Tropes:-
🔥Small Town
🔥Stalker / Killer on the loose
🔥Friends to Lovers
🔥Forced Proximity
🔥Romantic Suspense
🔥Possessive Hero
🔥Hand necklaces

Shatter Sun is my first book by Persephone Autumn and the first book in her newest series, Stone Bay.

This is a small town, friends to lovers, love triangle romance with a st@lker on the loose! Oh, and, let’s not forget the hand necklaces ;)

As a young girl, Kirsten never imagined a day without Benjamin Wilks by her side. Ben had been more than her best friend. He’d been her person. The ordinary to her quirky. The smart to her foolish. The quiet to her loud. Regardless how opposite they were in personality, together they clicked.

After a tragedy that changed their lives forever her mom moves them to Stonebay for a fresh start. Kirsten healing starts and she learns to love and cherish her new home and new found friends. And she also gets the attention of Travis Emmerson the hottest polive officer in town.

Travis was part of the Stone Bay Seven—the town’s founding families—and that title came with responsibility. And though they flirted daily, their relationship never evolved beyond friendship. Then Ben her childhood friend showed up in the same town.

Kirsten then starts receiving disturbing notes from a stalker on the loose qho us also vying for her attention. Each note worse than the previous one. Determined to protect her Travis inserts himself more in her life. Ben also starts showing intrest in being more than just friends with her…so who will she choose??

“Is it wrong that part of me wants to keep both Travis and Ben? No it’s not….But its not who i am!” In her own way she loves them
Both.

I almost shipped this three into the relationship i had thought they’d have but Travis was right! To Kirsten the feelings she thought she had with Ben are just comparable to finding a toy you had as a child. One you lived deeply then cried over when you lost it. Reminisce over all the good times wondering what your life would have been if you hadn’t misplaced it.

Ben then realises it is true that maybe Kirsten was just caught in the moment of seeing her long lost childhood friend. And he decides its time to let go of the notion that he and kirsten would ever be more than friends.
Kirsten had made her choice and it wasnt him. Now he needed to move on.

Am really so glad with how this book ended so calmly no drama and everyone gets to live their life happily. (Hopefully Ben does too and we get to see it in the future) The spice and the stalker scenes were so beautifully written and the characters even more beautifully represented.

This book is available and if the above tropes are your thing feel free to read this🥰
Profile Image for Joy  Avery.
1,311 reviews159 followers
February 18, 2024
Rating: ☆☆☆☆ Spice: 🌶🌶

Angst: 💔💔💔

Cliffhanger? ❌️

Do I recommend it? ✔️

Tropes: romantic suspense, small town romance, friends to lovers, second chance, opposites attract, forced proximity, stalker, possessive heroes, one bed, love triangle

As a young girl, Kirsten Sparks never imagined a day without Benjamin Wilks by her side. Ben had been more than her best friend. He’d been her person. Regardless of how opposite they were in personality, together they clicked. Then tragedy struck and changed her life forever. And when her mom moved them to Stone Bay. For years, Kirsten rebelled. Spilled her hurt in the form of ugly words. In time, she healed and learned to love the lavish small town and the people that called it home. And she had the attention of the hottest police officer in town. Travis Emerson was more than an attractive man with a badge. Their relationship never evolved beyond friendship. Then Ben showed up in Stone Bay and swept her off her feet. In response, Travis all but claimed her in front of the town gossip mill. When the body of a woman was discovered in the woods, the whispers around town regarding her love triangle fizzled out. In its place, townsfolk claimed she resembled the lifeless woman. Determined to protect her, Travis inserted himself more in her life. And her heart. But as she rekindled her relationship with Ben, she learned it was possible to love more than one person. Before it’s too late, she needed to decide which of them she loved more. Because time wasn’t on her side.

Shattered Sun was an entertaining but difficult journey for three special characters. For the most part, this was a love triangle but not a painful one to experience. When it comes to Kirsten, Ben, and Travis, nothing comes easy. They all have endearing qualities. When you added in the mystery & intrigue of a stalker, I struggled putting it down. The overall plot was enjoyable, and I was happy with how things turned out. As a dark romance junkie, I really loved that we got the stalker's POV. I certainly recommend this romance. This is my honest opinion, freely given.
Profile Image for Veronica Antonia.
49 reviews
February 7, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶

Okay. I'll start with the positives.

🏘Small town
🔺️Love triangle
💕Second chance romance
🔪Stalker

This story really captivated me and made me devour the book.

However, it was like a puzzle where the pieces could be right, but it's not an exact fit. *SPOILERS*

FMC, Kirsten, has been living in this small town since she was ten, and MMC#1 is a founding family of the town and similar age to Kirsten, yet their only connection is him eating at the diner she works at? They didn't at least know of each other in school or neighbors or anything?

The prologue didn't fit. The stalker didn't fit. I didn't even catch that the stalker was the same guy in the prologue until they referenced it again near the end. I spent the whole book wondering when we were going to get back to that, and it was like a forgotten piece they randomly made fit.

Also, we can't be shocked when the stalker is reveled when they are barely even referenced in the book. It's not a twist when they said one line the whole book, and then suddenly they're the bad guy.

Travis was too much. A toxic jealous and not in the "good" way. He annoyed me, and the actual growling from jealousy gave me second-hand embarrassment.

Ben was unimportant. Meh. Could have gone the whole book without his character. I don't know. All the characters felt really flat.

All of this to say, I'm still giving this book 3 stars because I did WANT to keep reading, I stayed up late just to see what happened. But once it was over, I was kind of disappointed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Courtney.
1,986 reviews210 followers
October 17, 2023
Shatter Sun is my first book by Persephone Autumn and the first book in her newest series, Stone Bay.

I really enjoyed this romantic suspense. Persephone does a great job of blending the romance with stalker suspense and not taking away from either aspect throughout the book.

This is a love triangle, but not in a terrible way. Kirsten and Ben were best friends before her mom moved them away after a tragic accident.

Fast forward many years, and now Kirsten is a waitress at the local diner, and over her time working there, she has struck up a flirtatious relationship with Travis, a local police officer. It never goes beyond the flirting, but the chemistry is definitely there.

Ben happens to come into her hometown for work and finds her working at the diner when he and his crew stop in breakfast. And seeing these two together is like coming home. I loved it so much.

Suddenly, both men are vying for her attention, but then her stalker also comes into the mix. I love how Persephone weaves all of this together – the suspense, the chemistry, and spice – just all of it flowed nicely. What I loved even more was that it became obvious who Kirsten was going to choose.

Shattered Sun is a great start to this new series and definitely a great first read by this author for me. I am looking forward to more from this series.
Profile Image for Persephone.
Author 49 books325 followers
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October 17, 2023
Shattered Sun is available now on all book retail platforms and in Kobo Plus!

You'll love Shattered Sun if you love...
⛅︎ Love triangle ⛅︎ Childhood friends ⛅︎ Police/Protector romance
⛅︎ Friends to lovers ⛅︎ Forced/close proximity ⛅︎ Only one Bed
⛅︎ Who hurt you vibes ⛅︎ Small town romance ⛅︎ Hand necklaces
⛅︎ Opposites attract ⛅︎ Affluent town with secrets
⛅︎ Stalker / killer on the loose ⛅︎ Possessive heroes

Diving deep into the Stone Bay world with this first standalone was such a joy. The setting, the cast of characters, the overall vibe of the town... it's like nothing I've experienced while writing previous books. I hope you love the story as much as I do!

Read Shattered Sun today!
https://books2read.com/ShatteredSun

If you love paperbacks, you have two options ♥︎ The couple cover or the cabin cover. Which is your favorite?

Profile Image for Lemmy.
150 reviews26 followers
November 6, 2023
“What is it about the way this woman calls me officer that gets me fired up? Hell if I know. But I live for the way she makes my pulse soar. “Always, sunshine.”

Kristen is happy in life - she loves her small town, has a great group of friends and rocks at her job and side hustle of being an influencer. She also spends her mornings flirting with a hottie police officer.

Then one day a friend from her past…a painful past comes to town and now that they are no longer kids, feelings are bubbling between the two.

So Kristen now has two men battling for her attention and affection but that’s not all. There is another watching her…Seeker. He is leaving anonymous, disturbing notes for her and things escalate when a body is found in the woods of a woman who looks eerily similar to Kristen.

This causes both men in her life to go on alert and now they are fighting for her safety and heart.

And let me just say…the Seekers POV had me freaking out every time 😳

If you like your romance with suspense, a killing stalker, a love triangle in a small town setting then Shattered Sun should be added to your list!
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