Fractured

by TL Combs

She was meant to be mine...

Kayleigh Morgan had it all—pageant queen, voted most likely to succeed, adored by everyone. Especially by Jordan Bradenton, her quiet, loyal best friend. But the night Jordan finally worked up the courage to ask her to prom, his older brother, Charlie, stole the moment. How could Kayleigh resist the charm of a college guy? Jordan’s heart shattered, and by graduation, he vanished without a trace.

Fifteen years later, he’s back—standing in the shadows at his brother’s funeral. Kayleigh is now a widow, raising two daughters, still as breathtaking as ever. But Jordan? He’s changed. Hardened. Determined.

As whispers swirl about the dark secrets of her marriage, Kayleigh must face the man who left her behind and the truth about the man she married. Can love rebuild the pieces of a shattered past? Or will the wounds created leave them...Fractured—

A gripping tale of love, betrayal, and second chances, with a twist that will chill you to the core.

188 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 23, 2025

Reviews

[Tracy Booktalk · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must read. I have no issues reading books with these content warnings but TLs writing was so perfect it was hard to not be affected by all the trauma. I am keeping this book in my read-again category. And that ending …. WOW!

[Courtney House · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was super amazing to read. Some of the content hit close to home but it was still an amazing reading experience and I am grateful to have been an ARC Reader for it.

Kayleigh and Jordan were best friends until Charlie, Jordan’s older brother, asked out Kayleigh, causing the two to drift apart. Jordan comes back into Kayleigh’s life at an unexpectedly needed time, but Kayleigh is uncertain if she is going to have the same experience with Jordan just leaving her again.

Mentions of R8pe, and pregnancy through the action but it is not detailed.

[K.C. Norton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I spent the first half of this book feeling like it was too linear and predictable, the third quarter getting all emotional and misty-eyed, and the last quarter absolutely LOSING MY MIND. I don’t want to say too much about where it goes, but I was a big fan of Kay’s emotional arc throughout the book. Jay felt a bit more vague to me, but that was okay given that this isn’t pure romance.

I’m still a little weirded out by the idea of falling for the brother of your dead abuser (believe me when I say that that’s not a spoiler, that part is obvious from the get-go) and I do feel like the first half of the story could benefit from more specifics. That said, I enjoy when a book surprises me, and I did not see the end coming, though there were hints here and there throughout.

I’ve enjoyed Comb’s not-quite-historical fiction, and I have the first two books in her fantasy trilogy. Both stylistically and tonally, Fractured was pretty different, but I appreciated how she handled the heavier emotional content of the story in particular. It is quite a bit darker than her historical fiction, so be prepared and check content notes, especially re: domestic violence.

I received this book as an ARC from the author.

[James Stadig · Rating 4 out of 5]

TL Combs is a master of story telling whether she's weaving a fantasy, a Bridgerton-esque romance, or the story of a woman finding her strength to fight back and learn to love again.

Fractured is the story of Kayleigh, a woman who is desperate to stand on her two feet after the sudden death of her abusive husband, Charlie. When Charlie's brother Jordan pops in unannounced years after disappearing from her life, the truth of Charlie's will turns her plans to dust. Charlie left her nothing, and Jordan must live with her for six months to lay claim to the inheritance, or it goes to charity. As Kayleigh and Jordan begin living together, struggling to handle both the fractured past and present, dark secrets lurk in the background.

Fractured hit home for me in a lot of ways and was a very hard but good read.

Please read the CW before reading.

[Natasha Chudakova · Rating 2 out of 5]

The number of times I found myself saying, “Every single one of you needs therapy,” was unreal. Nearly every character leans hard into victim mentality, and the miscommunication trope is so constant it started to feel like the entire plopt hinged on it.

And then there’s the random stalker “twist.” It felt completely out of place and shattered whatever flow the story had built up. Instead of adding suspense, it derailed the plot and left me more frustrated than invested.

Not the read I was hoping for.

[Jaris Boothman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a good read! I felt like it was a bit slow in the beginning, but once it picked up speed, i could not put this book down! It tugged on my heart! I cannot wait to read more from this author in the future! I would definitely recommend this book to everyone! My heart broke for the FMC, but i smiled at the end! Love it! 10/10!!!

[Serra Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book threw me into the story from the first page. I immediately connected to the FMC and it took me awhile to work out why. Kayleigh's trauma was so real. So raw.
Kayleigh and Jordan were so well written I couldn't put the book down. (Reading on the train and almost missed my stop) I needed to know their story and needed their HEA.

[Leslie Kilpatrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a beautifully written story. It was so heartbreaking but heartwarming at the same time. T. L. Combs is a master at taking difficult topics and writing them delicately in her novels. I did feel this was a bit slower to get me hooked in the beginning, but it was definitely worth it in the end.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful, Heartwarming, and an incredible story about resiliency and a mothers love.
I also was on the edge of my seat at the end. TL Combs knows how to write a book👏👏👏

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartbreakingly beautiful. TL Combs isn't afraid to deal with tough topics and handles them in such a delicate way. Absolutely wonderful book!