What do you think?
Rate this book
The Fractured
Dean Moretto can't remember a time when his life was ever easy, and now it seems his past has caught up with him. Between his life of illegal fighting, being forced into cooperating with an investigation, and wanting the comfort of his renewed relationship with Lily, he is ripped in too many directions and desperate to keep his life together before the inevitable happens - losing everything he loves.
Haunted by the memories of her accident, Lily is finding ways to cope with the trauma while being there for her friends as a recovering people pleaser. But it slowly begins to take its toll, and no matter how many times she tells herself it'll be okay, there is a darkness telling her otherwise as she watches everyone move on.
Kira is learning how to trust her heart again. She knows she falls too quickly into love, but it's a habit that is hard to shake, especially when the right person comes along. Meanwhile, Seb, the man who can never shut up, finds himself struggling to speak to the girl he's falling for. He wants to be a good friend, but he can't seem to find where that line of friendship ends and where the one for something more begins.
The Fractured picks up right where The Wallflower left off, throwing everyone back into the world of underground fighting and mob bosses. Except now the stakes are higher, the romance is steamier, and not everyone will make it out unscathed.
Book two in the series.
This book contains mentions and depictions of anxiety/panic attacks, body image problems, controlling parents, death of a parent/s, child abuse, deportation threat, domestic violence, drug and alcohol use (briefly), mild gore, mild torture, misogyny, PTSD, sexual harassment, sexual themes/content, self-harm, sex scenes, strong language, suicide (implied), trauma-based miscommunication, violence.
Please read at your own discretion.
Haunted by the memories of her accident, Lily is finding ways to cope with the trauma while being there for her friends as a recovering people pleaser. But it slowly begins to take its toll, and no matter how many times she tells herself it'll be okay, there is a darkness telling her otherwise as she watches everyone move on.
Kira is learning how to trust her heart again. She knows she falls too quickly into love, but it's a habit that is hard to shake, especially when the right person comes along. Meanwhile, Seb, the man who can never shut up, finds himself struggling to speak to the girl he's falling for. He wants to be a good friend, but he can't seem to find where that line of friendship ends and where the one for something more begins.
The Fractured picks up right where The Wallflower left off, throwing everyone back into the world of underground fighting and mob bosses. Except now the stakes are higher, the romance is steamier, and not everyone will make it out unscathed.
Book two in the series.
This book contains mentions and depictions of anxiety/panic attacks, body image problems, controlling parents, death of a parent/s, child abuse, deportation threat, domestic violence, drug and alcohol use (briefly), mild gore, mild torture, misogyny, PTSD, sexual harassment, sexual themes/content, self-harm, sex scenes, strong language, suicide (implied), trauma-based miscommunication, violence.
Please read at your own discretion.
463 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 31, 2025
15 people are currently reading
86 people want to read
About the author
Sally Louise
4 books83 followersI do not check Goodreads anymore.
For all updates, follow me on Instagram (@author_sallylouiseofficial) or visit my website.
————————
————————
About the author:
Sally Louise is an artist and author who lives on the mid-north coast of Australia with her menagerie of pets.
When she isn't writing, she is drawing. And when she isn't drawing, she is working her way through her extensive TBR.
Despite popular belief around the usual creative person (in writing and/or art), she did not excel in English or Visual Arts in school. Mostly because the creative writing she handed in wasn’t exactly suitable for her catholic school’s curriculum, and the art she produced for her art teacher was rarely ever what they were practicing in class.
It wasn’t until after leaving high school early that she dove into that creativity and began molding it into a potential career.
Since 2015, she has been running her own business with commission work - drawing portraits - and continued her creative writing on Wattpad. It wasn’t until 2019, when she began posting the chapters for her first full length novel, The Wallflower, that she realised the life of an author was just in reach. So she knuckled down in finishing that story on Wattpad and talking all about it through social media and her own artworks of her characters.
In 2024, she officially became a self-published author with her book The Wallflower.
Sally is currently working on The Wallflower’s sequel and has plans to publish a romantasy trilogy in the coming years.
For all updates, follow me on Instagram (@author_sallylouiseofficial) or visit my website.
————————
————————
About the author:
Sally Louise is an artist and author who lives on the mid-north coast of Australia with her menagerie of pets.
When she isn't writing, she is drawing. And when she isn't drawing, she is working her way through her extensive TBR.
Despite popular belief around the usual creative person (in writing and/or art), she did not excel in English or Visual Arts in school. Mostly because the creative writing she handed in wasn’t exactly suitable for her catholic school’s curriculum, and the art she produced for her art teacher was rarely ever what they were practicing in class.
It wasn’t until after leaving high school early that she dove into that creativity and began molding it into a potential career.
Since 2015, she has been running her own business with commission work - drawing portraits - and continued her creative writing on Wattpad. It wasn’t until 2019, when she began posting the chapters for her first full length novel, The Wallflower, that she realised the life of an author was just in reach. So she knuckled down in finishing that story on Wattpad and talking all about it through social media and her own artworks of her characters.
In 2024, she officially became a self-published author with her book The Wallflower.
Sally is currently working on The Wallflower’s sequel and has plans to publish a romantasy trilogy in the coming years.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
September 28, 2025
✨ARC REVIEW✨
4.5✨
This was a perfect sequel/end to this story. Not perfect in "everyone has a happily ever after" kind of way but perfect in a "yeah, this ended how it needed to end and was done so dang well" kind of way.
I fell in love with Sally's writing in The Wallflower. The way she told that story had captured me completely. I fell in love with characters and I was so hooked on knowing how that book would end. Left with a cliffhanger, I knew I needed more from Dean and Lily...and Kira and Seb.
This book was full of suspense and I was genuinely nervous throughout it. I was just always waiting for the next shoe to drop because when dealing with shady people and mob related hobbies...you tend to think shit will hit the fan at any given moment. And it did. I was invested.
I love where this book picks up. I did have to reread the last few chapters of The Wallflower before starting this because it had been a long time since I read it. But I picked up right where I left off and felt like I never forgot these characters and the tone of the story.
Dean is just so damn dreamy. Like, it hurts how dreamy this man is REGARDLESS of his criminal behavior 🤭🙈 Like, Lily...I get it girl. I get it. And that mask scene...dear lord 😍😩🤤
I just loved the whole coping and dealing with trauma elements in this book. I just wanted all of their pain to go away and let these guys heal. It was just one thing after another and I was like "damn, are they ever gonna catch a break?!" But it made for a damn good story.
The only reason this is half a star lower than book one for me is for a few minor reasons.
1. I needed more of Sebastian. The way I LOVED this man in book one and was obsessed with his humor and golden retriever personality. I love that we got chapters in his POV but I needed a full on book for him. I almost would have preferred more of a slow burn for him and Kira and THEN he gets his own book making that happen. I mean, I'm still happy with what we got but yeah...I had to get that off my chest 🙈
2. I felt like Dean going undercover was left a little open-ended. Like, I have questions but I don't want to spoil anything. Maybe open-ended is the wrong word but it felt a little unimportant by the end. I don't know if I'm explaining this correctly. Also, Lily's dad Mark kind of sucked at his job with this whole thing not gonna lie 😂 Like where was this man for all the shit?!
Lastly, 3. Some things started to feel a tad repetitive BUT nothing that would be a deal breaker of any kind.
I do appreciate that this book was shorter than book one. Don't get me wrong - I LOVED BOOK ONE AND HOW MUCH WE GOT but I'm glad this story didn't take a thousand years to tell it. We already had a sense of who everyone was and the setting and what has been going down for years. We didn't need to retell it and I loved that. I loved that this was straight to the point.
I am going to miss these characters and so I secretly hope that maybe there's another story to tell. I just really love that Dean and Lily got what they deserved in the end and honestly that's just peace. Also, justice for one character in particular and I'm not gonna say who but damn, just know it stung Sally, okay???
Can we talk about the spice factor in this? Heavenly. We don't have to fully talk about it but let's talk about it. Dean Moretto, you sexy, sexy man. I think that's really all I need to say. Also yay for Seb too 😉
This book is dark toned but filled with lots of love and important themes of healing from trauma. I love how Sally wrote it and I hope so many more people discover these books.
Thank you so much to Sally Louise for the e-arc copy!
4.5✨
This was a perfect sequel/end to this story. Not perfect in "everyone has a happily ever after" kind of way but perfect in a "yeah, this ended how it needed to end and was done so dang well" kind of way.
I fell in love with Sally's writing in The Wallflower. The way she told that story had captured me completely. I fell in love with characters and I was so hooked on knowing how that book would end. Left with a cliffhanger, I knew I needed more from Dean and Lily...and Kira and Seb.
This book was full of suspense and I was genuinely nervous throughout it. I was just always waiting for the next shoe to drop because when dealing with shady people and mob related hobbies...you tend to think shit will hit the fan at any given moment. And it did. I was invested.
I love where this book picks up. I did have to reread the last few chapters of The Wallflower before starting this because it had been a long time since I read it. But I picked up right where I left off and felt like I never forgot these characters and the tone of the story.
Dean is just so damn dreamy. Like, it hurts how dreamy this man is REGARDLESS of his criminal behavior 🤭🙈 Like, Lily...I get it girl. I get it. And that mask scene...dear lord 😍😩🤤
I just loved the whole coping and dealing with trauma elements in this book. I just wanted all of their pain to go away and let these guys heal. It was just one thing after another and I was like "damn, are they ever gonna catch a break?!" But it made for a damn good story.
The only reason this is half a star lower than book one for me is for a few minor reasons.
1. I needed more of Sebastian. The way I LOVED this man in book one and was obsessed with his humor and golden retriever personality. I love that we got chapters in his POV but I needed a full on book for him. I almost would have preferred more of a slow burn for him and Kira and THEN he gets his own book making that happen. I mean, I'm still happy with what we got but yeah...I had to get that off my chest 🙈
2. I felt like Dean going undercover was left a little open-ended. Like, I have questions but I don't want to spoil anything. Maybe open-ended is the wrong word but it felt a little unimportant by the end. I don't know if I'm explaining this correctly. Also, Lily's dad Mark kind of sucked at his job with this whole thing not gonna lie 😂 Like where was this man for all the shit?!
Lastly, 3. Some things started to feel a tad repetitive BUT nothing that would be a deal breaker of any kind.
I do appreciate that this book was shorter than book one. Don't get me wrong - I LOVED BOOK ONE AND HOW MUCH WE GOT but I'm glad this story didn't take a thousand years to tell it. We already had a sense of who everyone was and the setting and what has been going down for years. We didn't need to retell it and I loved that. I loved that this was straight to the point.
I am going to miss these characters and so I secretly hope that maybe there's another story to tell. I just really love that Dean and Lily got what they deserved in the end and honestly that's just peace. Also, justice for one character in particular and I'm not gonna say who but damn, just know it stung Sally, okay???
Can we talk about the spice factor in this? Heavenly. We don't have to fully talk about it but let's talk about it. Dean Moretto, you sexy, sexy man. I think that's really all I need to say. Also yay for Seb too 😉
This book is dark toned but filled with lots of love and important themes of healing from trauma. I love how Sally wrote it and I hope so many more people discover these books.
Thank you so much to Sally Louise for the e-arc copy!
June 24, 2025
Guys, I can handle this omfg. When I heard Sally Louise was sending out ARCs for the second book of this series I almost lost it. I adored The Wallflower by her and had read it when it was still in its Wattpad days. That book blew me away and I absolutely fell in love with the story However the cliffhanger from it should have been illegal which is where The Fractured comes in. I was so excited I actually screamed when I saw it in my inbox. This was so fucking amazing. Dean Moretto is an Italian illegal fighter for a notorious mob boss. He's had a shitty life and his only happiness comes from his sweet survivor mother. That all changed when he met Lily, an anxious daughter of a detective who is struggling with the confines of her overbearing mother. When she joins the club Dean works at to gain some independence she never expected she'd be falling for one of the fighters. This leads to a whirlwind of romance and trouble that is continued in The Fractured where Lily and Dean are trying to have a life for themselves but struggle to do so due to the nature of Dean's life. Gosh, I loved it. Sally has such a beautiful way of writing. Dark horrible and miserable things could be happening but somehow she wraps it up in a little lavender bow that makes you forget about any sadness. Like absolute hell and pain is inevitable abd you have so much shit you should be stressing for but it doesnt feel like it matters because Dean and Lily are so in love making a cute dinner together and watching movies with Seb and Kira. Like it's really remarkable how Sally can make you forget all the bad stuff to come. Speaking of Seb and Kira. oml. I love them so much. I already knew I was addicted to the funny bundle of joy that Seb is but seeing how he brought out that side of Kira too was beautiful. This was just so amazing. I just want to live in this book universe forever omg. It's so unique. I feel like these mob/mafia books can be repetitive but Sally has such a special way of doing them you can't help but love it. Dean and Lily have my entire heart they are so unbelievably in love and the same goes for Seb and Kira. I can't even express how much I loved this. I would also like to say that, no spoilers, I sobbed for ages and ages about the lavender. Sally, you have wrecked me. Absolutely wrecked me. This was as sad and depressing as it was sweet and wholesome. This was phenomenal. Sally is so unbelievably talented. Not to mention she does the art for her covers and characters as well! She's remarkable.
June 24, 2025
I nearly screamed when I got my hands on an ARC of The Fractured. Dramatic? Maybe. Justified? Definitely.
I discovered The Wallflower last year thanks to a special edition drop, dove in with zero context—and zero regrets. It wrecked me in the best way. So when the sequel showed up? Full-body chills.
The Fractured picks up right where book one left us: emotionally shattered. It’s dark, raw, and chaotic, with new villains, mafia drama, and surprising moments of hope. Lily and Dean still bring the angst and heat, but now we get Kira and Seb’s POVs—and they deliver.
Bottom line: this book hits hard. If you haven’t read The Wallflower, start now. And on October 31, 2025, make sure The Fractured is at the top of your TBR. You’ll thank me.
I discovered The Wallflower last year thanks to a special edition drop, dove in with zero context—and zero regrets. It wrecked me in the best way. So when the sequel showed up? Full-body chills.
The Fractured picks up right where book one left us: emotionally shattered. It’s dark, raw, and chaotic, with new villains, mafia drama, and surprising moments of hope. Lily and Dean still bring the angst and heat, but now we get Kira and Seb’s POVs—and they deliver.
Bottom line: this book hits hard. If you haven’t read The Wallflower, start now. And on October 31, 2025, make sure The Fractured is at the top of your TBR. You’ll thank me.
October 26, 2025
This was a very anticipated read for me, I first discovered The Wallflower by chance, following the author for her art and then finding out she was writing on AO3. I can honestly say that The Fractured held me in just as much of a vice grip as The Wallflower. There is just something about Sally's characters that you immediately connect with and witnessing Lily and Dean fall in love and all their roadblocks to get to the ending of this story that I can't describe.
We pick up in this book right where we were left off, and everything is turned up to eleven. The stakes are so much higher, we get delicious spice, the love is getting bigger, so much action and drama. While this is a mafia story, I will say it's mafia light, Sally knows how to embrace the dark romance but makes it accessible for those who don't constantly hit the dark romance button.
We now not only follow Lily and Dean but also their best friends Sebastian and Kira as we navigate through mental health, family, first loves, finding yourself and so many more growth and hardships. It was truly beautiful to see Lily grow into herself and find confidence not just through her relationship with Dean but enough to finally stand up for herself and what she needs and wants. Dean learning to trust, loving Lily so deeply and fighting for a better life.
I also really appreciated the relatively open but not so open ending to the story, it was sort of a smile and settle into the idea of the next stage. Just enough to maybe (HOPEFULLY SALLY PLEASE) to come back to this world and have more stories to tell. Perhaps a spinoff with Seb and Kira please? maybe?
I just cannot express how much I love Sally's writing, and the world she created here with these characters. I could see myself a lot in Lily, these characters have a special place in my heart. This book is dark toned, again, so please remember to check trigger warnings. I am so sad to see this duet end, If you happen to have stumbled upon these books Please pick them up! More people need to discover these books.
I had the absolute pleasure of being a beta and arc reader for this book. Thank you so much Sally Louise. All opinions are my own.
We pick up in this book right where we were left off, and everything is turned up to eleven. The stakes are so much higher, we get delicious spice, the love is getting bigger, so much action and drama. While this is a mafia story, I will say it's mafia light, Sally knows how to embrace the dark romance but makes it accessible for those who don't constantly hit the dark romance button.
We now not only follow Lily and Dean but also their best friends Sebastian and Kira as we navigate through mental health, family, first loves, finding yourself and so many more growth and hardships. It was truly beautiful to see Lily grow into herself and find confidence not just through her relationship with Dean but enough to finally stand up for herself and what she needs and wants. Dean learning to trust, loving Lily so deeply and fighting for a better life.
I also really appreciated the relatively open but not so open ending to the story, it was sort of a smile and settle into the idea of the next stage. Just enough to maybe (HOPEFULLY SALLY PLEASE) to come back to this world and have more stories to tell. Perhaps a spinoff with Seb and Kira please? maybe?
I just cannot express how much I love Sally's writing, and the world she created here with these characters. I could see myself a lot in Lily, these characters have a special place in my heart. This book is dark toned, again, so please remember to check trigger warnings. I am so sad to see this duet end, If you happen to have stumbled upon these books Please pick them up! More people need to discover these books.
I had the absolute pleasure of being a beta and arc reader for this book. Thank you so much Sally Louise. All opinions are my own.
July 15, 2025
4 STARS ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to Sally Louise & her publisher for the ARC, it was such an honor to be able to read this early! The Wallflower was definitely one of my top books of 2024, and there is just something about Lily and Dean’s relationship that is gonna do it for me every time. The Fractured focuses on their relationship developing, Dean’s journey to redemption, and there is a LOT of talk about the mafia—definitely check trigger warnings before reading, this book has much heavier content than the first. I thought there were a lot of great discussions about mental health and some great analogies of what it feels like to be trapped in your own mind, and that’s something I’ll always appreciate.
There were some parts of this book that felt overdone or repetitive, and I also would like more diversity in descriptions of settings, feelings, etc., just to have more depth to the book if that makes sense, but Sally Louise is a new author, and for her books to impress me this much now—the more she writes, the better she’ll get, and I have no doubt I’ll read the next book she comes out with. I’m super impressed with these books as a duology, and I’ll say like I did with the first one—these books are for the vibes. I’m reading them for fun, romance, and action, not for groundbreaking, poetic writing or a plot I’ve never heard of. And for those expectations, they are very good, solid books. I can’t see a third book being necessary, and have no idea what the plot would be, but I would read it if Sally wrote one. Lily and Dean will be a couple I think about once a week :)
Thank you again for the ARC❤️
Thank you to Sally Louise & her publisher for the ARC, it was such an honor to be able to read this early! The Wallflower was definitely one of my top books of 2024, and there is just something about Lily and Dean’s relationship that is gonna do it for me every time. The Fractured focuses on their relationship developing, Dean’s journey to redemption, and there is a LOT of talk about the mafia—definitely check trigger warnings before reading, this book has much heavier content than the first. I thought there were a lot of great discussions about mental health and some great analogies of what it feels like to be trapped in your own mind, and that’s something I’ll always appreciate.
There were some parts of this book that felt overdone or repetitive, and I also would like more diversity in descriptions of settings, feelings, etc., just to have more depth to the book if that makes sense, but Sally Louise is a new author, and for her books to impress me this much now—the more she writes, the better she’ll get, and I have no doubt I’ll read the next book she comes out with. I’m super impressed with these books as a duology, and I’ll say like I did with the first one—these books are for the vibes. I’m reading them for fun, romance, and action, not for groundbreaking, poetic writing or a plot I’ve never heard of. And for those expectations, they are very good, solid books. I can’t see a third book being necessary, and have no idea what the plot would be, but I would read it if Sally wrote one. Lily and Dean will be a couple I think about once a week :)
Thank you again for the ARC❤️
November 5, 2025
Review The Fractured
Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
""
Tropes:
Friends with benefits
Illegal fight club
Open door romance
1x established relationship
Friends to lovers
Dark themes, fluffy romance
The fractured picked up right were the last book The wallflower left of, with extra pov's from Seb and Kira. I absolutely loved the first book and could not wait to dive furter into this story and get more from these characters.
I just loved this story so much, there was never a dull moment for sure!. So the story picked up were we left, with in this book an extra enemie to watch out for besides
Dean and Lily have to navigate their relationship after going trough something very traumatic, and that doesn't without bumps in the road. Their relationship was defintitely tested even more in this book than the first, but in the end they for sure are soulmates and perfect for each other.
And then there's Seb and Kira, omg I am so happy that Sally added them to this book and gave them pov's. I loved Seb from the first moment I met him and when he was with Kira omg SO CUTEE!. Kira definitely deserves Seb and the way he treats her and a happy ending with him.
These two books were such a rollarcoaster like, I went trough ALL the EMOTIONS, Sally puts us trough it!. But in the end it was all worth it, the ending was kinda sad but Dean and Lily had their very own kinda happy ending and I think it was very fitting for the story. I would have loved a little sneak more into te future but the ending was satisfying either way!.
I am so sad to say goodbye to these characters, but definitely found a new author to look out for!. I love the way Sally writes and created these characters.
If you love a good dark romance with many plottwists than definitely read this book but start with The wallflower that´s were this story starts.
Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
""
Tropes:
Friends with benefits
Illegal fight club
Open door romance
1x established relationship
Friends to lovers
Dark themes, fluffy romance
The fractured picked up right were the last book The wallflower left of, with extra pov's from Seb and Kira. I absolutely loved the first book and could not wait to dive furter into this story and get more from these characters.
I just loved this story so much, there was never a dull moment for sure!. So the story picked up were we left, with in this book an extra enemie to watch out for besides
Dean and Lily have to navigate their relationship after going trough something very traumatic, and that doesn't without bumps in the road. Their relationship was defintitely tested even more in this book than the first, but in the end they for sure are soulmates and perfect for each other.
And then there's Seb and Kira, omg I am so happy that Sally added them to this book and gave them pov's. I loved Seb from the first moment I met him and when he was with Kira omg SO CUTEE!. Kira definitely deserves Seb and the way he treats her and a happy ending with him.
These two books were such a rollarcoaster like, I went trough ALL the EMOTIONS, Sally puts us trough it!. But in the end it was all worth it, the ending was kinda sad but Dean and Lily had their very own kinda happy ending and I think it was very fitting for the story. I would have loved a little sneak more into te future but the ending was satisfying either way!.
I am so sad to say goodbye to these characters, but definitely found a new author to look out for!. I love the way Sally writes and created these characters.
If you love a good dark romance with many plottwists than definitely read this book but start with The wallflower that´s were this story starts.
September 24, 2025
“It was a moment painted in gold.”
The Fractured picks up right where the Wallflower ends and I loved every second of this book. I didn’t want it to end. I was grinning through most of it bc we got to see a different side of Lily and Dean’s relationship with more of those small moments they were treasuring.
We also get Seb and Kira’s POVs which I am here for. I loved getting to read how close they also were getting and how Kira was healing.
But Lily and Dean have my heart. I didn’t want this book to end but I did love the ending. I almost cried bc it was over. The way these two are just there for one another made me want to hold them closer and just keep them. I loved how more of Lily’s’ personality shone through in this book. Dean also seemed like he was a more relaxed person with Lily. I will never be over these two.
This book also has fast paced action in it and I was on the edge of my seat for some of it. I just had to keep going.
The quote on the top of page really made me think about those small moments in life that don’t seem significant at the time but we pull out of our pockets on a rainy day. The two MMC’s are living a dangerous life. Both Lily and Dean really reflect on the little moments they get to have bc they don’t know when it will be their last. I loved that they really thought about those moments and held them in their hands.
Tropes:
✨Mafia
✨Illegal fight club
✨Open door romance
✨Friends to lovers
✨Dark themes, fluffy romance
The Fractured picks up right where the Wallflower ends and I loved every second of this book. I didn’t want it to end. I was grinning through most of it bc we got to see a different side of Lily and Dean’s relationship with more of those small moments they were treasuring.
We also get Seb and Kira’s POVs which I am here for. I loved getting to read how close they also were getting and how Kira was healing.
But Lily and Dean have my heart. I didn’t want this book to end but I did love the ending. I almost cried bc it was over. The way these two are just there for one another made me want to hold them closer and just keep them. I loved how more of Lily’s’ personality shone through in this book. Dean also seemed like he was a more relaxed person with Lily. I will never be over these two.
This book also has fast paced action in it and I was on the edge of my seat for some of it. I just had to keep going.
The quote on the top of page really made me think about those small moments in life that don’t seem significant at the time but we pull out of our pockets on a rainy day. The two MMC’s are living a dangerous life. Both Lily and Dean really reflect on the little moments they get to have bc they don’t know when it will be their last. I loved that they really thought about those moments and held them in their hands.
Tropes:
✨Mafia
✨Illegal fight club
✨Open door romance
✨Friends to lovers
✨Dark themes, fluffy romance
October 11, 2025
This was such an amazing way to finish up the duet and I have been not so patiently waiting for more Dean and Lily (and Seb and Kira)!!! As a reminder, you do need to read The Wallflower before diving into this one otherwise you might be a bit lost on the characters, plot, and backstory.
I fell in love with Dean and Lily in The Wallflower and they continued to have a tight grip on my heart throughout their entire story! The stakes are so much higher in this one, the spice is spicy, the love is bigger, the drama is there, and the action is nail biting. This toes the darkness without being too overwhelming and was honestly just such an amazing read! Dean is one of the first MMCs that I fell head over heels for and he just gets better over time. So much of the book feels real and deals with real issues (mental health, family, falling in love, finding yourself, etc...) that so many readers face and I loved that about this story.
I'm leaning a bit closer to 4.5 starts only because of a few small items related to pacing and some plot details (but I'm probably also nitpicking). I also wanted more of Seb and Kira and would have loved (or maybe it'll still happen) a short follow-up of them!
I highly recommend both The Wallflower and The Fractured to contemporary romance lovers who love a bit of mafia/underground fighting/darkness with swoon worthy MMCs and FMCs finding their strength!
I received an eARC of this book, but any reviews are entirely my own.
I fell in love with Dean and Lily in The Wallflower and they continued to have a tight grip on my heart throughout their entire story! The stakes are so much higher in this one, the spice is spicy, the love is bigger, the drama is there, and the action is nail biting. This toes the darkness without being too overwhelming and was honestly just such an amazing read! Dean is one of the first MMCs that I fell head over heels for and he just gets better over time. So much of the book feels real and deals with real issues (mental health, family, falling in love, finding yourself, etc...) that so many readers face and I loved that about this story.
I'm leaning a bit closer to 4.5 starts only because of a few small items related to pacing and some plot details (but I'm probably also nitpicking). I also wanted more of Seb and Kira and would have loved (or maybe it'll still happen) a short follow-up of them!
I highly recommend both The Wallflower and The Fractured to contemporary romance lovers who love a bit of mafia/underground fighting/darkness with swoon worthy MMCs and FMCs finding their strength!
I received an eARC of this book, but any reviews are entirely my own.
August 19, 2025
First & foremost I want to say thank you to the author for blessing me with a copy of her new book, Fractured. It has been an honor to read & review this for you. Get your copy on Halloween 🎃👻
Second, WHAT IS IN THIS SERIES BECAUSE I AM ADDICTED. I loved the first book, Wallflower but I found a couple things I personally didn’t like. However, Fractured? Perfect. Chefs kiss. No notes.
The way the author portrays PTSD, trauma, DV, SA & family trauma was so personal. I felt like I was there with the characters & I could feel every emotion they were going through. When Lily was having her panic attacks I felt like I couldn’t breathe. When a character died I was also mourning their loss. I felt the tension, heartbreak & joy from each character. They all had depth & a heartbreaking back story. There were no pointless side characters or missing plot holes. This story came fully around for what could be a perfect ending (or the beginning to the next book??) The main story of the mafia romance / mob boss drama was executed flawlessly. There was the perfect ratio of smut to plot. The personal struggles they went through were written with so much thought & I have so much respect for the way the characters grew & built relationships with each other in all phases of their life. Like the title, this book fractured my heart so many times. I am absolutely obsessed. Just waiting to see if @probablysmutbookclub will be doing a special edition before I preorder my own copy!
Second, WHAT IS IN THIS SERIES BECAUSE I AM ADDICTED. I loved the first book, Wallflower but I found a couple things I personally didn’t like. However, Fractured? Perfect. Chefs kiss. No notes.
The way the author portrays PTSD, trauma, DV, SA & family trauma was so personal. I felt like I was there with the characters & I could feel every emotion they were going through. When Lily was having her panic attacks I felt like I couldn’t breathe. When a character died I was also mourning their loss. I felt the tension, heartbreak & joy from each character. They all had depth & a heartbreaking back story. There were no pointless side characters or missing plot holes. This story came fully around for what could be a perfect ending (or the beginning to the next book??) The main story of the mafia romance / mob boss drama was executed flawlessly. There was the perfect ratio of smut to plot. The personal struggles they went through were written with so much thought & I have so much respect for the way the characters grew & built relationships with each other in all phases of their life. Like the title, this book fractured my heart so many times. I am absolutely obsessed. Just waiting to see if @probablysmutbookclub will be doing a special edition before I preorder my own copy!
June 30, 2025
Absolutely PERFECT! THIS BOOK!!!!! It has everything a book needs: action, plot, mystery, romance, aaaand heartbreaking events, shocking events. This book was like a rollercoaster. My heart felt so much, from happiness to panic, anger, relief, shock, and raw sadness, all mixed and in different rounds.
The minute I saw the email with the ARC, I screamed with pure happiness and joy. The waiting for this second book was killing me :))) The fact that it started right where we're left off in the previous book was perfect. I just finished my reread of the first book and was so eager to continue their story. I was so happy to see multiple POVs and see how they fought for a better future, a healthy future, and how their process was going, and how they grew so beautifully.
I won't spoil anything, but I will say only this: I loved every page of it. I'm so happy I received an ARC for this book, and I want to thank Sally Louise for writing this amazing story, for the healing, and for every emotion I felt reading this one.
The minute I saw the email with the ARC, I screamed with pure happiness and joy. The waiting for this second book was killing me :))) The fact that it started right where we're left off in the previous book was perfect. I just finished my reread of the first book and was so eager to continue their story. I was so happy to see multiple POVs and see how they fought for a better future, a healthy future, and how their process was going, and how they grew so beautifully.
I won't spoil anything, but I will say only this: I loved every page of it. I'm so happy I received an ARC for this book, and I want to thank Sally Louise for writing this amazing story, for the healing, and for every emotion I felt reading this one.
July 3, 2025
Just finished this ARC from @author_sallylouise, let me tell you, if you havnt read The WallFlower, get on it. This is coming out this year. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. The story starts off right where we were left with Dean and Lily, both surviving after trauma, pain, abuse, and loss. I may have cried when the 3 siblings to mob boss they both worked for seeks revenge. Our story begins with Dean and Lily trying to get into a routine after the The Den burnt down. Antonio seemed to lay low until the text comes out to his old workers. Lily is dealing with her own trauma , finding release in pain. The emotions and the pain are felt through her anxiety and lack of able to communicate. Antonio’s three kids are selfish to seek what is owed to them and also try to take down their father one of his old employees at a time. Adventure, trauma, emotion and on the edge of your seat. Thank you for the chance to read this arc. #sallylouise #booktok #instabook #bookstagrammer #booksbooksbooks #bookreviewer #bookarc #arc #arcreader #deanandlily #mob
July 8, 2025
Love love LOVE!
It was such a joy to read this book! I had the pleasure of reading Sally Louise’s debut novel The Wallflower, and thoroughly enjoyed it. The Fractured is such a satisfying conclusion to the story of Lily and Dean, as well as a wonderful journey through the relationships of Kira and Seb.
While some of the story was a little predictable (what book doesn’t have moments like that?) there were definitely twists that I wasn’t expecting, and I can admit I definitely teared up or had to adjust my reading position more than once (okay, okay, more than a dozen times 😅).
I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy of this story (hopefully a probably smut edition to match my Wallflower copy 🤞🏼), and see what else Sally has to offer her readers.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It was such a joy to read this book! I had the pleasure of reading Sally Louise’s debut novel The Wallflower, and thoroughly enjoyed it. The Fractured is such a satisfying conclusion to the story of Lily and Dean, as well as a wonderful journey through the relationships of Kira and Seb.
While some of the story was a little predictable (what book doesn’t have moments like that?) there were definitely twists that I wasn’t expecting, and I can admit I definitely teared up or had to adjust my reading position more than once (okay, okay, more than a dozen times 😅).
I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy of this story (hopefully a probably smut edition to match my Wallflower copy 🤞🏼), and see what else Sally has to offer her readers.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
October 31, 2025
Ugh, I missed Lily and Dean! ♥️
After recovering from being shot, Lily hasn’t quite been herself. She is very self-conscious of her body and still gets triggered with PTSD. As Dean tries to comfort her in her journey of healing, he is also being blackmailed by her father, to give mafia related information to them. For his cooperation, his jail time will be lessened.
That means there is a time limit on how much time Lily and Dean have together.
As backs are stabbed, things get messy and not everyone will survive this one…
I would also just like say that I am so sad now that I know what the cover of the book means. 😢
After recovering from being shot, Lily hasn’t quite been herself. She is very self-conscious of her body and still gets triggered with PTSD. As Dean tries to comfort her in her journey of healing, he is also being blackmailed by her father, to give mafia related information to them. For his cooperation, his jail time will be lessened.
That means there is a time limit on how much time Lily and Dean have together.
As backs are stabbed, things get messy and not everyone will survive this one…
I would also just like say that I am so sad now that I know what the cover of the book means. 😢
June 25, 2025
I have been waiting for this book! I fell in love with The Wallflower when I got it in for a PS book box and just knew I needed to read the second book! I am honored to be an ARC reader for this book. Dean and Lilly owns my whole heart! This book was brutal and depressing BUT also swoon worthy and healing! I will never not be over them and I want some more! From the love these two shared to the dark parts of this book was just 100% amazing!
July 5, 2025
🦋ARC REVIEW🦋
⭐️ 4 stars ⭐️
🥲
I love Lily and dean so much😭😭 this book was filled with love and pain and I couldn’t have asked for a better ending to dean and lilys love story 🩷
Loved the fact that we got kira and sebs POVs as well and seeing kiras growth with seb was everything!🥰
Some parts of this book were painful to read but I’m just glad that through it all, they had each other 💘
⭐️ 4 stars ⭐️
🥲
I love Lily and dean so much😭😭 this book was filled with love and pain and I couldn’t have asked for a better ending to dean and lilys love story 🩷
Loved the fact that we got kira and sebs POVs as well and seeing kiras growth with seb was everything!🥰
Some parts of this book were painful to read but I’m just glad that through it all, they had each other 💘
June 29, 2025
This was the perfect ending to Lily & Deans story. It has the perfect amount of suspense & romance while still covering some tough topics well. I highly recommend reading this duology.
August 14, 2025
I couldn't wait to get my hands back on Lily and Dean. The emotions this book gives you with all the turns really keeps you on edge and never expecting what will happen next. I absolutely loved it !
November 9, 2025
Not as good as the first one but still amazing
November 17, 2025
no one ever leaves the mafia. or do they?
December 8, 2025
Such an awesome book! It’s a fantastic continuation of the story, I loved every minute of reading it!
July 22, 2025
I was so excited to get an ARC of The Fractured by Sally Louise after absolutely falling in love with The Wallflower last year. That book was one of my top reads of 2024 and I had high hopes going into this second book. I’m happy to say The Fractured delivered everything I was hoping for! It was a great follow up to The Wallflower and picked up right where it left off. I also loved getting to see Seb and Kira’s relationship grow and getting their POV. Overall this was a great follow up to the Wallflower and I can’t wait to read more from Sally!
November 8, 2025
Wooooaaaahh spicy!!
really loved
the continuation. Lily went through hell and her healing journey was portrayed so well in this story. I am a huge fan of grumpy v. sunshine. So Dean's perspective made me laugh sometimes. The new POVs were refreshing, and I was glad it wasn't too much into the story. I was all in for Lily and Dean.
really loved
the continuation. Lily went through hell and her healing journey was portrayed so well in this story. I am a huge fan of grumpy v. sunshine. So Dean's perspective made me laugh sometimes. The new POVs were refreshing, and I was glad it wasn't too much into the story. I was all in for Lily and Dean.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews