Piecing It Together

Sterling Protectors #1

by Mackenzie Madden

One love.

One betrayal.

One last chance to put the pieces back together.

Gracie learned early on that love never comes easy, but Braxton challenges that truth when he stumbles into her life. He carefully dismantles the walls she’s built around her heart, and she lets him, convinced he is worth the risk.

Braxton knows at first glance that Gracie is his—the person who will become his everything. They begin building a life together, based on trust, loyalty, and love.

Until the past rears its head. Gracie watches on as Braxton makes a choice that throws their life into turmoil, leaving her devastated by the betrayal. She walks away, and he is faced with one last decision.

Fight for the woman he still loves, or let his past win?

Genres: Second Chance, Contemporary, Romance, Contemporary Romance, Small Town Romance, Family Drama, Steamy

484 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 25, 2026

Reviews

[Capt. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not gonna explain much since my lovely friend Alina has already explained and wrote a very detailed review for this; go read it 💜

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Have to include this review since it made me laugh 🤣
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Danny Lea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. The ow was a snake and I loved to hate her. Brax the H who developments an emotional affair after a traumatic accident pushes h Gracie away while she warns him to stop communicating with ow. OW is the younger sister of his friend. He doesn't listen. Did I think he was redeemable? Absolutely! Both characters for me had flaws they needed to overcome, and it showed with how they weren't always honest with each other. Definitely moreso Brax hence him confiding in ow instead of his girlfriend. They seperate. Brax continues with overcoming his trauma with help from his family and therapy and is celibate. While Gracie leaves and starts hooking up with her ex. Which you're probably scratching your head somewhat, but it made sense for her character seeking comfort and validation from someone she was comfortable with after losing trust in the man she fell in love with. Once she's back Brax and her start reconciling. Overall it was enjoyable, and I think this is this author's best work so far. I look forward to reading more stories in the future.

[Snafuzled · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m really into the angsty, OW, emotional cheating trope right now. If you don’t like that genre, you’ll hate this with the passion of 1000 fiery suns. I live for those gut punches, so I loved it.

Spoilery thoughts…

I really liked that it showed us this couple loved up at the beginning. Often in these tropes they drop you right into the heartache and I feel it makes it harder to root for the couple.

I did have grave reservations for the for first 40% and didn’t think the hero would be redeemable, especially after reading some other reviews. However, he turned it around for me and I was happy with their HEA.

I absolutely loved how she wrote the OM drama. It was enough to drive the MMC crazy for all that he lost, but it wasn’t a true love triangle. More FWB, and I dug that.

I didn’t like how the FMC started acting like a martyr towards the end in taking partial responsibility for their relationship problems. I didn’t agree at all. She may have had some of her own issues regarding her family, but the destruction of the relationship was ALL on him. I thought her decision to cut and run was 100% valid.

I really hope she’s writing Nick’s story, sounds juicy. Plus there are definite open ends I want to see resolved.

Overall good read. Thanks for the push, Nikki! ❤️

[Serialbookstarter:Marla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe it’s just me but I Got bored with this one .When H’s ex crush shows up he gets all googly eyed . The ow starts sewing seeds of discord. The H is a dumb firefighter! Don’t get allup in my biddness for telling the truth! He keeps falling Into OW’s hugs and kisses. The fmc breaks up with him and he sees the light. Grovel grovel to hea.

[Rappaccini's Daughter · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the 3rd cheating book I've read in the last two months where the hero emotionally cheats (and maybe kisses the OW, but no p-in-v action), so then the heroine goes off and fucks her ex while the hero is waiting around for her to make up her mind if she's going to forgive him.🙄

Unpopular opinion, but I HATE that. Way to lose the moral high ground.😏👍

[Shell · Rating 3 out of 5]

⚠️MAJOR SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW⚠️

The H, Braxton is a firefighter. He endures a major trauma at work and chooses to keep his struggles to himself including keeping his girlfriend in the dark. At the same time his ex interest (not ex girlfriend) returns after 4 years away. She is also his best friend’s little sister. He feels confused and leans into her when he shouldn’t. He 100% emotionally cheats and lies to the h, Gracie, several times. He also shares his trauma with the OW. He absolutely does wrong. He deserves a long separation, therapy, coming clean, lots of grovel… etc. However the reason this book is a 3 for me is because the h runs away and sleeps with another man. I know this is an unpopular opinion but it ruined the book for me. I couldn’t get past it. I am not being sexist or misogynistic, I dislike this in any character, male or female. She didn’t bother to have a discussion with him she just took off and landed in bed with her ex. Then brings her ex back with her, he lives in the house that was their dream house and helps fix it up. I just couldn’t enjoy the book with this added part. No sex I would’ve rolled with it just fine. I like this writer and will continue to read her work. My rating is solely based on my enjoyment level, not her quality.

[Izzie d]

This is a contemporary second chance romance that deals with some distressing themes. Please read and take care of your mental health before all else.
Explicit language and sexual themes
References to childhood trauma, with emotional neglect
Child death—off-page, described in dialogue
Themes of PTSD
Physical assault and violent language
Emotional affair

The Hero has an emotional affair of sorts with a childhood friend, while they are broken up, the heroine seeks comfort with her ex. No details.
The Hero isn't with anyone else in the time of separation.

[Debbie DiFiore · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a train wreck extraordinaire and a little bit too long. It took forever to read. I really cried in this one. The hero was an idiot and he totally pulled back from the heroine and let another woman in. Not all the way but enough to really hurt her. She was his teenage crush but they never hooked up. He told her he loved her but she went away to college and didn't come back for four years and now she wants him and she plays dirty. The hero let her too. There is so much stupidity in this book and it really angsted me out. I loved his family though. I would have kept them too. His mom is just amazing. Dad too. I really liked his best friend nick too. He was Paisley brother but he told the H he was being an idiot! While they broke up, she hooked up with her ex boyfriend for a weekend it sounded like and they had sex. good sex too according to her. I was not happy with that. I want them both to be celibate but what can I say. He seemed tone a good guy too. The whole book was good. Except the non celibate thing but it was too late in the book and I had to finish it. I wish that hadn't happened. But Braxton stayed celibate and went to counseling and put in the work. He really did love her. He was just dumb to let an old crush distract him.

[Mona · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ug full disclosure I skipped chapters after the 51% mark then I read reviews.— I shouldn’t have done that but I’m glad I did bc I think I would’ve been pissed if I invested more time. Maybe I’m not In the right mood for rage reading right now — I don’t know -The mmc emotional cheated and the fmc while on break slept with someone else - for some reason that puts a damper on things for me even though the mmc deserved her distance it still sucked the chemistry out for me, not that what he did wasn’t ick too. Like how can you come back from all that !?! Anywayss , aside from this the writing was engaging and I was wine sweating so, gonna give it 1.5 stars.

[drew · Rating 5 out of 5]

IN LOVE with this book. Going back to reread immediately.

[Ame Nunamaker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book! I had to force myself to put the “book” down at 3 am so that I could get some sleep. It’s hard to find a good betrayal/grovel book that focuses on the parts of that trope that interest me the most and this book definitely was spot on. It didn’t start at or skim over the betrayal. It lead up to it perfectly. The author wasn’t redundant, great characters that you feel invested in and can relate too, perfect amount of humor, grovel, and ending. I didn’t give 5 stars bc it’s EXTREMELY difficult and rare for me to give.

[Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good angst! The OW Christmas scene was so freaking entertaining!!

I loved how the Hs family really stood by the h.

The pacing on this one was kind of weird though. The timeline felt a little wonky, I had no idea they were split up for as long as they were lol. It kind of felt like no time had passed at all or like time stood still. Idk, just kind of off in the execution for me. It got laggy in parts too especially after she came back from her hometown and the H was giving her space and when they start really coming back together again. He played things very safe here. I wanted more from this bit—more development, more action from the H, more emotion from the h. We moved from scene to scene, week to week just too fast for me to get invested. I wanted to see how played out but I was more engaged with the first half than I was with the second half.

I hope we get Nicks story soon! If things are going the way I think they’re going then his book is going to be fun!

[Kazzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️
If you love OW drama, angst and relationship troubles this is for you.
-OW drama
- second chance
- relationship betrayal (not infidelity)
- small town
- found family

Our H betrays the love of his life when he emotionally cheats. H is a firefighter and dealing with a traumatic event which causes him to pull away from his loved ones… he does however confide in his best friend’s younger sister… who just moved back to town, who he grew up with and H is blind to her other motives….
Gracie our h feeling betrayed and walks away when enough is enough… I felt her heartache.
I loved the drama, angst and H family, Gracie’s family are selfish assholes- all she wanted was to be loved unconditionally… she finds a family with him until it all blows up… I must say I was entertained for the most part… near the end though I got a little bored, it easily could have been 100 pages shorter… I did however like our side stories- Nolan, Nick, Ryan and Annie… I hope the author continues the series….

[Stefanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Braxton and Grace

I'm a huge fan of this author, Ms. Madden. I love her writing!

If you want OW drama, angst and a huge betrayal, then this is for you! I like be how you get the gut-wrenching punch and the OW drama from the beginning. She doesn't give up and knows exactly what she's doing. Her responded and planned meetings. And our H as messed up as he was knew exactly what he was doing. The lies, half truths it always comes out.

But that Christmas scene was brutYal!! And that was the tipping point for everyone. It changed everything for everyone. Friendships were list and new ones gained. H knew things had to change if he wanted h back.

I will say I loved, loved this one!! Highly recommend

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emotional

There is so much that happens in this book that to call it just a romance or a second chance romance is doing the plot a disservice.

The book is s as bout family both blood and chosen. It’s about self doubt and lessons Learning to stop the self doubting tendencies, it’s watching relationships implode and new relationships start. It’s about letting go but also about embracing love.

You want to read in one sitting but life gets in the way and you rush and get back into the story!

A great read!!!

[Mariana Ponce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hice muchos corajes con este libro y para explicarlo, voy a escribir todo lo que pasó, por lo que está lleno de SPOILERS:


El libro comienza con Gracie y Braxton hablando y teniendo sexo, ella nota que tiene moretones pero Brax no dice nada. Brax es bombero. Gracie dice que ella trabajaba en una cafetería(luego se menciona florería ) él entró ahí, donde se conocieron, le pidió una cita y poco a poco fue cediendo hasta terminar juntos. Van a una fiesta de navidad con familia de Brax, su mejor amigo y sus padres, una cosa que ella nota lejana, pues sus padres no la querían y ahí en la fiesta llega Paisley, hermana de Nick, mejor amigo de Brax, que regreso después de 4 años. Ella los ve muy cercanos y no sabe cómo reaccionar. Lo deja pasar, pero cuando regresa de ayudar a recoger los escucha hablar y como ella le dice a Brax que si le contó de ella, ya que Brax se le declaró a Paisley antes de que se fuera, ella se intenta acercar, le tiemblan las rodillas a Gracie. Nick llega y ella está así. Cuando van a casa y están durmiendo, Brax se la pasa pensando en Paisley, que fue su todo y no se que. Después sale con Nick, le advierte de Paisley y está llega, le dice que pueden volver a ser amigos y él cede. Empieza a cambiar con Gracie, lo nota, lo confronta y él solo dice que es porque tiene que cubrir a compañeros de trabajo en la comisaría pero ella sabe que algo más pasa. Bridget, su amiga la ve triste, la consuela y la lleva a un bar a tomar. Se encuentra a Paisley y esta le dice que siente que no haya ido a tomar algo con ellos el domingo, claramente, Brax no invitó a Gracie, lo que le duele porque dijo que iba con Nick. Brax le llama y llega por ella, ve a Paisley. Está se le cuelga y le dice que la lleve a casa, él llama a Nick. Al día siguiente, ella le cuenta que lo escuchó y las mentiras sobre Paisley, mentir por omisión, es mentir. Él dice que no siente nada por ella, y promete que guardara las distancias. Van a ver la casa que llevan tiempo queriendo ver. Gracie confía en el. Van a ver la casa y ella habla de tener un hogar que nunca ha tenido(sus padres no la querían). Hablan y Brax decide que no puede decepcionarla. Follan y se dicen te amo. Brax está en un trabajo, su jefe le dice que hable con alguien, algún terapeuta del accidente, y pregunta por Gracie, él no le dijo nada. Va a casa cuando ve a Paisley. Hablan, ella dice que nadie tiene tiempo para ella, él piensa en Gracie pero dice que Paisley es parte de su vida y no se alejara así sea lo que Gracie quería, le promete que seguirán siendo amigos. Visita a sus padres, le dicen que hable del accidente con Gracie. Habla con ella de su día pero no le cuenta de Paisley. Paisley va a verlo a la estación de bomberos, le lleva comida, empieza a cuchichear de Gracie y que quiere que sean cercanos. Se acercan y él se aparta. Otra vez, se dice que no pasó nada, no hay nada que ocultar y no le dice a Gracie, que va y le lleva comida a todos. Solo acepta ir a ver a un terapeuta, Gracie le pide que le explique que pasó, él le dice que esa noche no hablara del accidente, pero resulta cortante, cambian el tema y quedan en una cita, fin. Saliendo de la terapia se topa a Paisley, que dice que estaba de compras por ahí casualmente y a ella si le puede contar todo lo del accidente donde iba una familia y murió una niña que no sacó a tiempo por así decirlo, luego Paisley se lo lleva de compras cuando con Gracie nunca tiene tiempo. Después se fue a ver películas con ella y dejó a Gracie plantada. Dejó que Paisley lo abrazara, se recargara en él y lo tocara, aunque se sentía culpable. Luego ella sugirió que se quedarán en un hotel a ver películas juntos, eso ya no lo aceptó. Llegó a casa, Gracie lo olió, no dijo nada y él solo dijo hablamos mañana. Al despertar ella ya no está, va a ver a sus padres y le dicen que Esther(madre de Nick y la zorra) les dijo que pasó él día con esa zorra. Sus padres lo regañan por no hablar con Gracie y le dicen que perdió la casa que iban a comprar, pues no mandó los documentos por estar con Paisley. Sus padres le dicen que está arruinando todo. Sabe que algo anda mal pero en vez de arreglarlo se va a tomar con Nick, llega Paisley, quien le ha insistido en verse y él no marca límites, hasta toman y ella va a decirle a Gracie que pasaron la noche tomando y se quedaron en casa de Nick, aprovecha para entregarle el celular que Brax dejó esa noche. Reconoce su aroma de como olía Brax la noche que llegó tarde. Bridget le dice que lo termine y no se deje caer en eso. Decide pasar navidad con ellos como despedida y llega la zorra que se hace víctima y cuenta todo: que comió, tomó y que Brax le contó muchas cosas. La familia la apoya e insultan a Gracie. Ella le da su regalo a Brax, el saco que le prestó a Paisley. Ella está decepcionada, se va y la madre de Brax la acompaña. El estúpido no comprende que hizo mal JAJAJAJA para mí si fue infiel, aunque sea emocionalmente, pero lo fue. Su familia lo regaña y su madre le pide que deje en paz a Gracie. Paisley lo busca y el le dice que ya no son amigos, ella dice que sabe que la quiere pero él le dice que no lo busque más. Días después, Theo su compañero y él hablan, él le dice que busque la micro infidelidad. Le manda un mensaje a Gracie para recordarle un evento al que la invitó. Gracie recibe fotos de él en ese evento besándose con Paisley y llora. El sigue justificando lo que pasó por su accidente, empieza a tomar, ve que Gracie no llego y la zorra lo besuquea, Nick lo golpea. Raewyn (madre de Braxton) la busca, le pide perdón por lo que hizo su hijo, no lo quiere ni ver y le dice que ellos compraron la casa, se la quiere regalar. Gracie pide permiso para irse de la ciudad un tiempo y le pide que no le diga nada al infiel. Nick le dice a Brax que le pegó por qué le faltó al respeto a Gracie, le cuenta que Paisley estuvo años en una relación con un hombre casado y que no se lo dijo para no lastimarlo. Va ver a sus padres, su madre no le quiere decir donde está Gracie, sus padres lo regañan y le dicen que se está destruyendo. 10 días después, Gracie, visita su casa pero cuando su madre se pone a decirle que si se esfuerza pueden confiar en ella se va al restaurante con Elyse, su amiga. Ahí aparece Nolan, su ex. Hablan y quedan de volver a verse. Raewyn llama y le pide que escuche. Pasó un mes y Gracie bloqueó a Braxton. Ahora el está en boxeo. Es un poco más consciente de lo que hizo. Habla con Nick, quien está mal porque las familias se distanciaron y sabe que Paisley es mala. Cuando sale ve a Gracie, pero no está sola, está con un hombre. Gracie fue a su nueva casa, la que compartiría con Brax pero que ahora es suya por regalo de los padres del mismo. Nolan la ayuda y dice que en dos meses se acercaron y dejó que la curara con una noche de sexo, se acostaron. Sus ex suegros la visitan. Regresa a la florería y va a verla Esther(madre de Nick y Paisley). Llega Braxton, ella le recrimina las cosas que hizo y queda que hablarán otro día. Braxton va con sus padres, les cuenta y ellos le dicen que le están rentando la casa a Gracie, que no está sola, dicen el nombre Nolan y el lo identifica, esta con su ex. Se los encuentra y le dice que luchará por Gracie. Gracie está trabajando y se meten a robar. Llama a la policía. Nick le avisa a Brax. Él llega, ella está herida. Nolan llega y le duele que Gracie lo llamó a él, así como él hizo con Paisley. Van a visitarla a casa. Quedan en hablar. La policía la interroga. Habla con Brax del accidente y él pregunta por Nolan, ella le cuenta que se acostó con él, que son
amigos. Él se tensa pero no le reprocha, pues no eran pareja en ese momento. Le dan fotos a Gracie para identificar al ladrón y ubican al tipo y a su hermana, Halsey, ella es inocente. Sale a comer con Bridget y Nolan, se alejan un poquito cuando aparecen Paisley y Esther, le echan la culpa y la confrontan por atacar a Brax y su acoso sexual. Finalmente la dejan humillada. Llegan sus ex suegros, Nick, Brax, la defienden y las víboras se van. Brax pide hablar con Gracie. Hablan y prácticamente la convence de que si lo intentan luchará por ella, yo siento que si volvería a caer porque es débil. Huye al primer problema, y entiendo que tenía un trauma pero eso no justifica la traición y minimización de los sentimientos e inseguridades de Gracie. Poco a poco se van acercando, Gracie sigue conviviendo con Joseph y Raewyn(padres de Brax). Nick les presenta a Halsey y Brax temerarios que la este usando para llegar a su hermano, Halsey es buena persona. Se siente en familia con ellos. Brax le dice que le va a demostrar que puede confiar en él y tendrán una cita. La lleva a patinar porque recordó una anécdota que ella le contó y el cariño que le tiene al patinaje. Terminan la cita y se besan, con la promesa de otra cita, justo el día de su cumpleaños. Le lleva flores, hace una fiesta sorpresa e incluso aunque es un tema difícil, invita a Nolan. La escucha hablar con sus padres, les dice que es su cumpleaños y que no los necesita, Gracie lo besa. Él le regala un cuadro de su casa, lo mandó a hacer. Se van a casa y lo pasan juntos. Él le chupa el coño y luego la penetra. Dedos, por detrás, etc. En la madrugada repiten. En la mañana llegan sus padres y están felices por ellos. Joseph le dice que Gracie es su hija, es familia, no por sangre, por elección. En el epílogo, 5 meses después: siguen juntos, poco a poco van construyendo algo. Analise(hermana de Brax) se hizo muy amiga de Gracie, salen a tomar y llegan Brax y Nick. Es navidad y Gracie le da la llave de su casa, se muda con ella y son felices. Fin.


Cómo dijo, infidelidad, es infidelidad, ya sea física o emocional, aquí hubo y Brax era tan egocéntrico que solo pensaba en él, no puedo creer que después de toda la separación y así, ella finalmente volvió con él como si nada, me faltó arrastre y dolor para él.

[Alyson Munion · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good

I really liked this book. Gracie and Braxton seemed like they had a decent relationship in the beginning but you immediately feel something up with Braxton and the reluctance from Gracie in the situation. Braxton screwed up in, what I feel, is the worst way in this type of situation. I loved how supportive Bridget was for Gracie and Nick was for Braxton. I also really liked Nolan and his role in the story! But I absolutely loathed Paisley from the very second she was introduced. And her mother, just ew. I really loved that Gracie took time for herself and didn’t become a doormat. I hate when the FMC doesn’t stand up for themselves. So that alone helped make this a recommendable book!!

*******************

Possible spoiler:
I feel that it should have also had one more TW/CW as I feel that this was more than just an emotional affair. There should definitely be physical affair added. While Braxton didn’t willing kiss Paisley and they were never intimate in a that way, they still went on what I considered at least 2 dates, whether Braxton wanted to admit it or not. On one of those dates he lets her wear his coat then the other he spends all evening ignoring his GF while he’s out with Paisley in another town, shopping, eating, going to the movies, holding hands, cuddling…. Then has the audacity to crawl into his GFs bed late af and smelling like another woman. Just because they didn’t have s*x doesn’t mean he didn’t physically cheat. Holding hands is a physical act. Holding hands = physical cheating which. Making this a physical and emotional affair.

[Jenny · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 ⭐️’s

This book had so much potential. It started out great with the juicy kind of angst that I love. (There will be SPOILERS in this review btw)….. Braxton emotionally cheats on his girlfriend Gracie with his best friend’s sister (Paisley) after she comes back from college and he hasn’t seen her in four years. He once thought he loved her, but they were only friends and when he professed his love to her, she rejected him and left.

So, here we are four years later and Paisley shows up at Thanksgiving (home for good) and at first Braxton is blindsided and kind of star struck. He shuts that down pretty quick but Gracie still notices his reaction to her. Anyway, things escalate between Braxton and Paisley but only because Paisley relentlessly chases him and manipulates him into being alone with her. He keeps all this from Gracie (making excuses that he has a history with Paisley and it’s harmless) but he ultimately crosses the line when he completely ghosts Gracie one night and spends the evening with Paisley and lets her hold his hand and cuddle up to him. (He never wanted Paisley though. He never sought her out or texted her— that was all Paisley).

Anyway, it all comes to a spectacular head on Christmas when dummy Paisley tries to embarrass Gracie and but actually ends up exposing all Braxton’s lies to the entire family. It was incredibly satisfying to read. So Paisley’s exposed, Gracie breaks up with Braxton, Braxton’s devastated and can’t believe Gracie would break up with him. Braxton’s family fully sides with Gracie and bends over backwards to support her.

This all happens by 40% of the book. The rest of this book d r a g g e d. This book is almost 500 kindle pages and there was absolutely no need for it. There’s even a whole chapter of Braxton just playing video games with his friends. There just seemed to be so many filler chapters that weren’t needed. His grovel is so incredibly lame because he basically just waits around for her to come to him.

For a book that started out so good (IMO), it ended up being such a let down and I truly had to push through to finish it.

[Saunders · Rating 2 out of 5]

save me from adults characters who haven't grown up.

[JillyB · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, I love this story! This is going in my coveted “will read again” pile. It has that beautiful combination of angst, passion, emotional turmoil, and humor. Mackenzie Madden has a way of not only getting the reader invested in the hero and heroine but also the supporting characters. Don’t mistake that for meaning the supporting characters take over the story, because they do not, but they enrich the story the way you want your supporting characters to do.(however, on a side note some of the side characters will be getting their own stories, and if they weren’t I would be camped out on the author’s lawn demanding it LOL even if her lawn was in Antarctica! )

Themes that I love that are in this story:

My initial interest in this story came from the fact that the ow was not only an unrequited love for the H, but it was the whole she is like a “sister” to me trope! Those little “sisters” can cause a lot of destruction

Overheard and uncovered

Micro cheating-emotional only

Supportive family and friends(but they call you out on your crap)

Om drama….but the good kind

Second Chances

OW DRAMA:
BFF baby sis(she is the one that got away, but is now back to stake a claim)
She seems sweet, but is up to no good, but hero is blinded
Sows seeds of doubt in heroine
Has secrets that get exposed, and she goes down!!!

So here is a general overview: Gracie is our heroine, and she has been with Braxton our hero for almost 2 years. They do not officially live together yet, but they are looking for a home in the small town that Brax has always lived. Meanwhile, they spend as much time together as possible when he is not on firefighting duty, and she is not working at the floral shop. In flashbacks we see how they met and their cute interactions with each other. We also get some of the passionate scenes that will have you tilting your phone so no one can take a look!

Gracie has trust issues. Her parents were never affectionate and were always worried about the optics. A child was inconvenient, unless they could use her as a trophy or status symbol of some sort. Braxton’s family is warm and inviting. His dad(Stephen) is a a retired firefighter, his mom(Raewyn)a SAHM and his younger sister is currently in college. They love Gracie with all their heart, and when Braxton screws up they do not abandon Gracie. They support her while giving their son support he needs as well.

Braxton’s parents are very good friends with Nick, his bff’s parents(Esther and Joseph). It so happens that Nick has a younger sister Paisley. Braxton’s unrequited love interest. She dismissed him and his feelings 4 years ago, and hasn’t seen him since. She is back in town and staying for good. She is ready to put down roots. The problem is she is “rooting” for a taken a man. The man whose heart she broke once. The man who is currently looking for a house with his girlfriend. Paisley is quite sure his feelings for her can be resurrected, and she goes all out!

Meanwhile, Braxton is fighting some internal demons that have nothing to do with unrequited childish -love. Yet Paisley represents a time in his life that was carefree and simple, before there were grown up responsibilities and boo boos that could be cured with a bandaid and a kiss. Nope, life has gotten very real for Braxton, and his inability to deal with it head on has resulted in a fracture within his relationship with Gracie.

What unfolds is a series of events and betrayals. The betrayals by Braxton are not loud or in your face. They are silent, and insidious. It is what he doesn’t say, or what he purposely withholds. It is his actions or inactions. The events are often calculated by the ow. She knows how to take a situation and make it, shall we say, questionable! She says things, she does things, and to some it may seem innocent, just a friend reconnecting with a friend, an ear for listening. Nothing wrong with that, right? This combined with Braxton pulling away emotionally for other reasons not connected to h or ow, create the perfect storm. It sows the seeds of mistrust. By the time Braxton gets hit with the full impact of his mistakes, and how many boundaries were crossed, it is too late. Gracie leaves him, and she does some reconnecting of her own👀.

When Gracie returns to their small town several weeks later, she is renewed and reenergized even though she still has a broken heart. During this time Braxton started getting some much needed help. He also realized that in order to win back Gracie he needed to fix what he had broken. IT helps that he has such a wonderful family, I would take him back just for them alone lol!


I realize I am leaving out the nitty gritty and spoilers. I can tell you I had the opportunity to read this story a couple of different times. The first time I read it, it was chapter by chapter drops. I got all my coworkers involved as I retold them the latest chapter. They would ask for updates(even the guys in my department lol)The second time I read it , the story was complete with chapters being reworked. I thought I loved the story the first time, but the second time put it in a whole different category. There was no skimming, I was glued to it like the first time. Why? Well for one, the author puts forth a lot of heart in the story without it becoming a Hallmark special of the week. I loved most of the characters she wrote about and the ones I didn’t love, I wasn’t supposed to! She also infuses humor throughout. The characters felt real and authentic, not caricatures of people! I had many LOL moments. In addition to this she did not shy away from the passionate moments as well! It was, um, great to see Braxton and Gracie connect in all ways 😜She also infused the very real issues of stress, and intense moments that can mess with a person’s mind to the extent that they are able to go through the motions of living, but miss out on essential cues. Especially men who are often told to suck it up! Not all things are meant to be dealt with on your own, and yes even though it may be obvious to open up to the one you love the most it doesn’t always happen that way. (Bartenders and hairdressers can attest to that!) Mackenzie Madden also kept up the pace in this book. In stories you expect that there is the rising action(angst galore) leading to the confrontation, and then there is the aftermath, the time where the character needs to make amends. Sometimes an author can lose their readers a little bit in the aftermath. That was not the case here at all. And she did not need to add little tricks or unnecessary drama(however, there was still some drama, and the comeuppance! I do so love a comeuppance) Basically this story had me hooked from the beginning to the end. Finally, one of the most prevalent features in this story is love. I always felt Braxton’s love for Gracie even when he was being completely stupid, mainly because I knew he was struggling. I also felt Gracie’s love for Brax. In addition to this the supporting characters, such as his parents and Nick were so forthright and loving. I don’t know how many more books I will end up reading this year….but I already know that this is in my top 5 favorites! I don’t care what comes out, this will not relinquish its spot!

[Margerm, Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 1/2 stars. One of my favorite tropes. H withdraws from his girlfriend h when a first love comes back to town. The H is a firefighter who experienced trauma at the scene of a car accident. He tries to deal with it on his own despite many offers of support because he doesn't want to appear to be weak. The h is a florist and settled in the small town looking for community, friends and a family that she didn't experience growing up. She thought she had found it with the H and his warm family until the OW who he once thought he loved returns after four years. The OW is mean to the h and insinuates herself back into the H's life. Likely suffering from PTSD, the H enters into an emotional affair with the OW despite warnings from the h and others. Everything comes to a head on Christmas and the h ends it. She leaves town for a few months to find herself and reconnects with her ex. It feels like the stories of some of the characters will be continued in future books.

[BiblioDarling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Piecing It Together
Sterling Protectors Book #1
Mackenzie Madden

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating System (as of 8/14/2025):
⭐: It was a struggle to read. I almost DNF
⭐⭐: This could have been so much better.
⭐⭐⭐: Good/Average
⭐⭐⭐⭐: Great book. I will probably reread it.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: I absolutely loved this book.
***********************************************************************
Triggers:
🚩Assault
🚩Armed Robbery
🚩Death of Child

Tropes:
💕MF Romance
💕Small Town
💕OW Drama
💕Betrayal to Grovel
💕HEA
💕Part of a Series (Book #1)
💕Found Family
**********************************************************************
Spice: 🔥🔥🔥
Spice Level Rating System (as of 9/4/25)
🔥: Clean. Handholding. Kissing.
🔥🔥: Non-Descriptive/Implied on Page Sex
🔥🔥🔥: Hot-Descriptive on Page Sex
🔥🔥🔥🔥: So Hot—Do Not Read in Public
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥: Oh My-BDSM. Blood Play. Smut.
************************************************************************
THIS IS THE FIRST BOOK IN THE SERIES

Quote:
"Yes. We'll take it slow, but...Take me on a date, and we'll go from there."

Summary:
FMC and MMC are about to buy a home together and continue building their lives together. The ow (his best friend's sister} returns to town. Combine that with issues due to the MMCs job and it breaks the couple up. Eventual HEA.

Review:
This story was all that and then some. It draws you in from the start. You know the MMC is going to mess up but you pray he doesn't. The stakes are too high. I loved the MMCs family and how they rallied around the FMC. I loved that the FMC had moments with her ex-boyfriend instead of wallowing.

This authors stories keep getting better and better. I look forward to reading more of her stories.

Grovel to HEA Romance Authors Recommendations:
Groveltohea (Wattpad Author)
Maya Alden
Natasha Anders
Cate C Wells
Christine Michelle

BIBLIODARLING | BOOKISH LIFE, TBRs & READING CHALLENGES GROUP (GOODREADS)
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[Meggi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mackenzie Madden continues to be a favorite author of mine. Once again she has written a book I love! 💜 She knows how to write emotional betrayal better than just about anyone! This one provides an emotional gut punch. The betrayal is brutal, but the ensuing grovel and then redemption and HEA really made up for it. Braxton showed real emotional growth. While he made multiple selfish mistakes that he wrapped up in “protecting” Gracie, he did come around and finally treat her as the queen he should have from the beginning.

My heart hurt for Gracie and I wanted to punch Braxton for being so blind where his best friend’s sister was concerned. The OW drama was on point! I’d say that Paisley’s manipulation of him was deft, however anyone with any kind of emotional maturity would have seen what she was doing and how it hurt Gracie. The things he hid from Gracie and shared with a woman who was not his girlfriend were inexplicable to me. He even gave the snake ammunition to use against Gracie! I loved the Christmas scene! It was one of the sweetest takedowns I have ever read! I actually cheered in the middle of my living room! It was très magnifique!

I loved Braxton’s family! Stephen and Raewyn were the best parents and I loved them unofficially adopting Gracie into their family! I was so glad they stuck by her, because Gracie did not need any more rejection in her life after dealing with her own biological family. They took care of her and loved her in a way that she needed in her life.

Braxton made soooo many mistakes. I did not think I could ever forgive him for not sharing important details of his life with Gracie and not being honest with her. Lying by omission is still lying. He did not protect Gracie as he should. He definitely does learn from his mistakes, though. I never doubted his love for Gracie, even when he showed the emotional intelligence of a potato. His trauma did actually start softening me towards him, especially when he actually sought help. I went from wanting to hurt him to wanting to hug him.

This was an excellent start to a new series! I love the characters and I can’t wait to read more of their stories! There are still so many more stories to tell about the people of Sterling!

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me start this review by saying I love some ow drama. It makes my heart race and my blood pound and my Apple Watch rail at me that I might need emergency medical attention bc my pulse rate just spiked like crazy. Piecing it Together takes a typical ow drama trope and turns the reasoning on its head for the *why* of it that the MMC keeps messing up. I don’t want to spoil it, but I always appreciate different takes. It shows creativity and uniqueness, which can be hard to find for betrayal/grovel books.

Gracie, our h, has not had a steady past of love, but Braxton steals her heart and she loves him. Gracie has been embraced whole heartedly into his family and the beautiful town they live in. They’re living their best lives together when Braxton faces a tragic situation that knocks him completely off his axis. He can’t find a way to move forward and he looks for support in the wrong person. A childhood friend named Paisley (or Crazley as I like to call her) that he used to have a major crush on. Obviously, Paisley didn’t return Braxton’s feelings their entire childhood or he wouldn’t be with Gracie now. Braxton, being in emotional turmoil, and spinning out of control, leans on the comfort that Paisley offers him when she conveniently happens to be near somewhere he is. Cue eye roll.

As I’m sure you can imagine, things spiral out from there and Gracie is left heartbroken by Braxton’s choices. I really loved Gracie strength and belief in herself and what she deserved, because some people with her background might overlook red flags so they don’t lose their found family and the town they love, along with their partner. But not Gracie. Gracie was done. She tries and tries and tries to be there for Braxton, but he won’t lean on her. He sees it as a burden, but Braxton can’t find his way out of the darkness he’s in. I loved that particular aspect of the ow drama, that it wasn’t just a guy being stupid and thinking noooo I wouldn’t cross a line like that. There were deep wounds from the awful experience Braxton and that doesn’t excuse it, but it’s also a reason grounded in reality and something I could see happening.

A slippery slope still, but with a pivotal moment that starts the snowball downhill, rather than the typical some girl from his past showed up to town and he high tailed it after her forgetting the love of his life until he didn’t lol.

Braxton and Gracie find their way back to each other so beautifully after all the chaos and somehow, Madden always manages to make me forgive them!

[Storm · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I appreciated most in this read was that the author understood physical cheating is not the only form of devastation. Braxton’s betrayal came through emotional displacement, dismissed boundaries, and repeatedly failing to make Gracie feel emotionally safe or prioritised. Even after she was open about why the OW made her feel uncomfortable and exacting a promise from him of controlled proximity and transparency. Watching Gracie slowly break, as she realised that she was losing her place in his life hit far harder than shock-value drama ever could.

Braxton’s redemption was genuinely well earned. Once he finally understood the magnitude of what he’d done, the book shifted naturally into repair rather than endless punishment. The grovel felt proportionate to the offence, which I appreciated. The author allowed him accountability without turning the story into repetitive misery.

I also thought Gracie was handled with a lot of care. Her tendency to shut down and run when hurt wasn’t ignored or romanticised, but neither did the narrative blame her for Braxton’s failings. Both characters felt emotionally human.

And controversially perhaps, I thought Gracie sleeping with an old flame during their separation was entirely understandable. It wasn’t written as revenge or spite. It felt grounding and cathartic — a moment of emotional safety and self-reclamation for a woman who had spent too long feeling emotionally abandoned and uncertain of herself.

The emotional gut punch in this book proves that emotional betrayal can be just as painful as physical cheating when written well.

The ending satisfied me overall, although there were a few lingering questions surrounding side characters that felt unresolved.

A solid 3⭐ read for me.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gracie and Braxton are planning to get married and buy a house. All is going well until a family friend, that Braxton used to have a crush on, shows up. Gracie overhears their conversation during a family dinner that included Braxton's parents, Braxton's best friend and his parents, and Parsley (her name is Paisley but those of us that follow on Mackenzie's FB group renamed her Parsley) who is his best friend's sister. Gracie is wary of Parsley and rightly so because Braxton starts to distance himself from Gracie. Braxton suffers a traumatic situation on the job and starts to spiral, enter Parsley who manipulates and fabricates situations where she just happens to be where Braxton is and be a shoulder to lean on.

Gracie asks for transparency and boundaries where Parsley is concerned, and Braxton promises to give her that. But he lies, break promises, erases boundaries, and just disrespects Gracie. There comes the breaking point where Gracie has enough and just left.

What I love about this story:

Braxton's parents - they love Gracie and support her choices. They also love their son and provide support and love to him as well but not in any way that dishonors Gracie.

Braxton's best friend - he does not support how his sister, Parsley, and his parents treat Gracie and he makes sure Braxton know that his actions are unacceptable as well.

Gracie - though her family is toxic, I loved how she was able to find her inner strength, know her worth, and become unwilling to accept Braxton's treatment anymore.

Braxton finally seeks and accepts help to heal from his trauma and cut the toxin from his life.

Thoroughly enjoyed this story.

[Hrl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked that FMC (Gracie) warned him and set boundaries first. The second time he broke the boundary, she was over his shit and broke up with him.

Like I added in Shattering Her Illusion by this author and I'm also going to add it here, I usually like when either both MCs stay celibate during the separation after the breakup or both have a proper relationship or hook up. Basically I don't like things feeling unbalanced but here I liked that FMC tried to move on. She slept with OM after the breakup but it was okay because MMC (Braxton) broke her irrevocably. MMC emotionally cheated and crossed so many boundaries with OW while they were in a relationship. FMC deserves some of the reprieve. She moved on believing that she would never forgive MMC. Also I really liked OM (Nolan). He was better than MMC but FMC didn't want him like that.

I like that MMC took most of the responsibility and the author didn't fully blame OW because MMC let her have that power. He also told FMC that it was not her running away when he was the one who repeatedly broke her rules.

Another thing I liked is that when OW forcefully kissed MMC, it was treated as sexual assault instead of being pushed under the rug as MMC’s fault and no one was mad at MMC for that. They were only mad at him for the other things he was actually wrong about. I wish MMC had taken legal action against her.

The only issue I have with this book is that it kinda dragged at the end. I would've been okay if they had deeply talked about stuff but it felt more like filler than actual content and then it was followed by three sex scenes.

[Carole Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rumpel and her Firefighter

A wonderful book from an awesome author who is finding her feet from Wattpad and Patreon to Kindle. The world building is vivid and enthralling with a great range of side characters that are so supportive and grounding in their quest to help our two leads. The story underlying the tale is deliciously poignant, angsty and riveting, begging you to dive in and travel along with the journey.

Gracie has had a tough home life that has caused her to not ask for help and keep people at a distance, until she fell all-in with Braxton. Then he took the stable floor out from under her and left her hurting, confused, with her walls becoming impenetrable steel and shutting her found family out.
Braxton is a firefighter who has suffered a catastrophic event and with keeping his head buried in the sand, he mistakenly shares pieces of himself with the wrong woman. This sets the stage for their long and involved journey, through all the angst and heartbreak to a very believable and hard-won HEA.

From soulful and teary moments and heartbreaking drama to loving values - this tale made me face a gamut of emotions and is told with heart and heat. The words of this tale simply reinforced the strength and endurance of all the much-loved characters in this world.

This was an amazing tale crafted by a wonderful author and I have thoroughly enjoyed the hours of respite this reading has gifted me. I thank the author for giving me the opportunity to enjoy the arc and provide my voluntary review.

[Luli · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the privilege of beta reading Piecing It Together, and I absolutely loved it.

From the very beginning, the story pulled me in. Gracie and Braxton are beautifully written characters, each carrying their own struggles and emotional weight. Watching their journeys unfold and slowly intertwine was incredibly engaging.

One of the things I appreciated the most was the beautiful and realistic portrayal of Braxton as a firefighter and the mental struggles that can come with that profession. It felt very authentic and added an important layer of depth to his character.

Gracie is such a strong and resilient protagonist, and I love a strong female character. Despite her own family trauma, she had the courage to walk away when she felt betrayed, and that made her character even more powerful. At the same time, I appreciated that she was able to recognize that some of her reactions were influenced by her own past. The story does a great job showing that Braxton made his own choices and that those choices were separate from her trauma.

I also liked seeing Braxton work on himself and try to grow from his mistakes. That journey of accountability and growth added a lot of emotional depth to the story.

Overall, this is a very emotional, character-driven story about healing, accountability, and love. The characters feel real, flawed, and human, which makes their journey even more meaningful.

If you enjoy romance stories with depth, strong characters, and emotional growth, this is definitely a book worth reading.

[UH1340 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Piecing It Together is such a heart-wrenching yet beautiful story about Gracie and Braxton. I originally read it on Wattpad, and even then it completely pulled me in—but this updated version adds so much more depth and emotion. Even if you’ve read the original, it’s absolutely worth the reread.

Braxton is a firefighter struggling after a devastating call that really shakes him. Instead of leaning on Gracie, the person who loves him and wants to support him, he turns to someone from his past—his childhood best friend, Paisley. While everyone around him can see that he’s spiraling, Braxton refuses to face it or get the help he clearly needs.

Paisley (the OW) quietly takes advantage of his vulnerability, inserting herself into his life in ways that feel intentional and manipulative. Gracie sees what’s happening and asks for something completely reasonable—boundaries. But even when Braxton tries, he ultimately falls short, and that’s what makes everything hurt even more.

What really stood out was Gracie’s journey. She’s dealing with her own past trauma, yet she still tries to be there for Braxton until she realizes she’s losing herself in the process. Watching her take a step back, reflect, and choose her own peace was honestly one of the most powerful parts of the story. Her growth felt real, emotional, and so well-earned.

This story is full of love, pain, and hard choices, and it doesn’t shy away from the messy parts of relationships. It completely pulls at your heartstrings, but in the best way. I highly recommend it!