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A Castle in the Sky: Fern & Connor
Fern thought marriage meant partnership, love, and the quiet safety of family. For four years, she's tried to believe that-tried to ignore the sharp edges of a mother-in-law who never wanted her, an ex who had moved too close for comfort and a husband who is always looking the other way.
But when her husband's negligence leaves their little girl in a hospital bed, Fern can no longer swallow the excuses. She is done being the afterthought in her own marriage.
Her husband Conner insists he loves her, but love doesn't keep their child safe. Love doesn't silence a mother-in-law's whispers or stop an ex from poisoning the air of every family gathering. Love isn't enough-not when Fern's entire world has been built on the shaky ground of compromise.
And as the fractures in their marriage widen into fault lines, Fern has to face the question she's been afraid to ask-
What if walking away is the only way to save herself and her daughter?
But when her husband's negligence leaves their little girl in a hospital bed, Fern can no longer swallow the excuses. She is done being the afterthought in her own marriage.
Her husband Conner insists he loves her, but love doesn't keep their child safe. Love doesn't silence a mother-in-law's whispers or stop an ex from poisoning the air of every family gathering. Love isn't enough-not when Fern's entire world has been built on the shaky ground of compromise.
And as the fractures in their marriage widen into fault lines, Fern has to face the question she's been afraid to ask-
What if walking away is the only way to save herself and her daughter?
298 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 23, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
May 30, 2026
FMC - Fern
MMC - Connor
Daughter - Coral
OW - Madeline/Maddie/Matty
OW's Son - Jacob
This was more like a 2.5 stars for me but I rounded up because this author is a genuinely nice person and I like her writing and story ideas but unfortunately they just always leave me dissatisfied.
If I had to use one word to describe this book, it would be "disconnected". The book starts out basically in the middle of the FMC's marital crisis. She has been dealing with her husband prioritizing his ex and her son over his wife and their daughter for FOUR YEARS. It finally all came to a head when Fern asked Connor to pick up Coral from school just this one time because she had a meeting for work. She is always the primary parent for Coral because Connor is too busy fucking off and being a dad to Jacob to be an active participant in his own kid's life. Well, OW calls him and begs him to take Jacob to his game because she has an interview (spoiler alert, she didn't have an interview). So of course he prioritizes this other kid once again. He asks his mother to pick up Coral and she does but she has a very very important Bridge game to go to so she dumps Coral off with the OW Matty. (By the way, his mother hates Coral and Fern so that was a great idea for him to put his innocent 4 year old special needs daughter in the care of a woman who would rather she had been aborted). Anyway, Coral gets seriously burned while in Matty's care. Fern is called and spends all night at the hospital with her....unable to reach shitbag Connor because his phone is dead and he's very busy taking Jacob to dinner and not worrying about checking in with his wife. He finally gets to the hospital after midnight and Fern goes off on him, telling him she's done and wants a divorce. Thus begins Connor's wakeup call.
The premise of the story is pretty great, it hooked me in immediately. I love getting the gut punch and drama right off the bat. Connor is just a piece of shit, there is no two ways about it. He has a "reason" for being at his ex's beck and call but when it's revealed, it's pretty lame and was not an acceptable reason for the way he treated his wife and daughter and let his mother treat his wife and daughter. Connor was a pathetic, gross WIMP.
While Fern had a pretty good backbone after the injury, she's obviously a doormat for putting up with this shit for FOUR YEARS. I guess I'm mean because I just don't have any compassion for this kind of person. She's clearly enjoying being her husband's last priority, she's getting something out of it because there is no other reason to put up with it for that long. She wasn't stuck because of finances or lack of support. She has a good job and a father who is there for her. In fact, they moved away from her awesome father so that Connor could put them smack in the middle of this toxic bullshit. What I'm saying is that I was already annoyed with both Fern and Connor right off the bat and it did not get better.
The problem is, we get nothing that gives us any kind of connection to the marriage in order to root for them. We don't see them during the good times or experience any reason why Fern would even love this loser. We don't get to live through any of the bad times either but we get enough details that I thoroughly hated Connor. I just did not feel his love for Fern or Coral at all, his actions state that he really couldn't give a fuck. In the beginning he's even saying how he sometimes wishes Coral was an easier child like Jacob. He chose Matty and Jacob every. single. time. Over and over. He lied to Fern for their entire relationship. He moved her away from her support system and then abandoned her to be treated like shit and raise their kid practically alone. He claims he loves Fern so very much but there is no evidence of that. None.
Fern stayed strong for a while but something I've noticed about this author is that her FMC's soften very quickly over literally nothing. Do you want to know how Connor "groveled"? Umm...he started being a present father. Wow Like the bare fucking minimum here. You don't get special credit for doing what you should have been doing all along! He also went to therapy but woopty freaking doo, that is not groveling.
He cut off his mother and the ex but here's the thing that always strikes me with these situations of the MMC putting OW before the FMC and not listening to her concerns or caring that he's hurting her. He never actually chose his wife over Matty. The only reason he did anything about the situation was because he was forced to. Coral was injured and everything blew up. But if she hadn't been injured, if Fern had not left him, he never would have chosen on his own to prioritize his family over Matty and Jacob. If you only choose your wife by default because you find out OW is crazy and you have no choice, it renders any redemption null and void and I'm so tired of authors ignoring this fact.
I did not believe in the HEA at all and I did not root for it. It left me wondering what the point was in Fern even acting like she was going to divorce him. Evidently he could do whatever he wanted including almost getting his daughter killed and she was never going to actually leave him.
He wasn't even the one that made sure Matty was held accountable for what she did to Coral. Fern had to do that because god forbid Connor grow some balls and take responsibility for bringing that monster into their lives. He was too busy moping around and feeling sorry for himself and realizing that he's missed pretty much ALL of his own daughter's milestones. It actually pissed me off that Coral was so attached to her dad. She was always asking for Connor and I didn't understand why when he was not a present parent to her. Once again, he got off scott free. Didn't have to even suffer from his daughter turning him away because of his neglect. Oh but he did have trouble sleeping because Fern wasn't in bed with him, that is literally the only repercussion he had to deal with.
So, like usual with this authors books, the grovel was pitifully inadequate and the FMC quickly went back to her doormat ways. The MMC suffers absolutely no consequences for how he treated his wife and daughter. He suffers no consequence for his daughter being horrifically burned and needing surgery because he was too busy being daddy to his ex's kid. How do you forgive that??
Unfortunately I think I'm done with this author because I just can't vibe with the non-existent consequences/groveling and weak FMC's. I did really like her book Second Best Again because the FMC gets herself a new man. If she writes more books where the FMC moves on, I would probably read them because I do like her writing. There were some editing errors but I'm so numb to that anymore, it didn't affect me.
Safety: I consider this pretty safe with one exception. No OM drama. There is OW drama obviously but Connor does not like or want the ex. However, she constantly dresses in barely there lingerie and revealing clothing. The FMC accuses him of always staring at the ex but he says he only looks because it's like a shock thing. Like if someone flashes their tits in front of you, you look because it's right there and surprises you but he wasn't *looking looking*. But here's the thing, he's full of shit.
In the very beginning when he is going to drop Jacob off at his house, Matty is standing outside dressed in lingerie and her nipples are showing. He internally talks about how gorgeous she is, how she still looks the same as when they were teenagers, how her body is so sexy, etc. So tell me again how you weren't looking at her in a lustful way Connor. (by the way he NEVER describes his wife in that way where he is so overwhelmed by her beauty and sexiness) Also, if someone is notorious for dressing provocatively, why would you be so shocked every time to the point that your wife sees you staring? You should know you're gonna probably see tits and nipples and be prepared to avert your eyes. God I hate this man.
MMC - Connor
Daughter - Coral
OW - Madeline/Maddie/Matty
OW's Son - Jacob
This was more like a 2.5 stars for me but I rounded up because this author is a genuinely nice person and I like her writing and story ideas but unfortunately they just always leave me dissatisfied.
If I had to use one word to describe this book, it would be "disconnected". The book starts out basically in the middle of the FMC's marital crisis. She has been dealing with her husband prioritizing his ex and her son over his wife and their daughter for FOUR YEARS. It finally all came to a head when Fern asked Connor to pick up Coral from school just this one time because she had a meeting for work. She is always the primary parent for Coral because Connor is too busy fucking off and being a dad to Jacob to be an active participant in his own kid's life. Well, OW calls him and begs him to take Jacob to his game because she has an interview (spoiler alert, she didn't have an interview). So of course he prioritizes this other kid once again. He asks his mother to pick up Coral and she does but she has a very very important Bridge game to go to so she dumps Coral off with the OW Matty. (By the way, his mother hates Coral and Fern so that was a great idea for him to put his innocent 4 year old special needs daughter in the care of a woman who would rather she had been aborted). Anyway, Coral gets seriously burned while in Matty's care. Fern is called and spends all night at the hospital with her....unable to reach shitbag Connor because his phone is dead and he's very busy taking Jacob to dinner and not worrying about checking in with his wife. He finally gets to the hospital after midnight and Fern goes off on him, telling him she's done and wants a divorce. Thus begins Connor's wakeup call.
The premise of the story is pretty great, it hooked me in immediately. I love getting the gut punch and drama right off the bat. Connor is just a piece of shit, there is no two ways about it. He has a "reason" for being at his ex's beck and call but when it's revealed, it's pretty lame and was not an acceptable reason for the way he treated his wife and daughter and let his mother treat his wife and daughter. Connor was a pathetic, gross WIMP.
While Fern had a pretty good backbone after the injury, she's obviously a doormat for putting up with this shit for FOUR YEARS. I guess I'm mean because I just don't have any compassion for this kind of person. She's clearly enjoying being her husband's last priority, she's getting something out of it because there is no other reason to put up with it for that long. She wasn't stuck because of finances or lack of support. She has a good job and a father who is there for her. In fact, they moved away from her awesome father so that Connor could put them smack in the middle of this toxic bullshit. What I'm saying is that I was already annoyed with both Fern and Connor right off the bat and it did not get better.
The problem is, we get nothing that gives us any kind of connection to the marriage in order to root for them. We don't see them during the good times or experience any reason why Fern would even love this loser. We don't get to live through any of the bad times either but we get enough details that I thoroughly hated Connor. I just did not feel his love for Fern or Coral at all, his actions state that he really couldn't give a fuck. In the beginning he's even saying how he sometimes wishes Coral was an easier child like Jacob. He chose Matty and Jacob every. single. time. Over and over. He lied to Fern for their entire relationship. He moved her away from her support system and then abandoned her to be treated like shit and raise their kid practically alone. He claims he loves Fern so very much but there is no evidence of that. None.
Fern stayed strong for a while but something I've noticed about this author is that her FMC's soften very quickly over literally nothing. Do you want to know how Connor "groveled"? Umm...he started being a present father. Wow Like the bare fucking minimum here. You don't get special credit for doing what you should have been doing all along! He also went to therapy but woopty freaking doo, that is not groveling.
He cut off his mother and the ex but here's the thing that always strikes me with these situations of the MMC putting OW before the FMC and not listening to her concerns or caring that he's hurting her. He never actually chose his wife over Matty. The only reason he did anything about the situation was because he was forced to. Coral was injured and everything blew up. But if she hadn't been injured, if Fern had not left him, he never would have chosen on his own to prioritize his family over Matty and Jacob. If you only choose your wife by default because you find out OW is crazy and you have no choice, it renders any redemption null and void and I'm so tired of authors ignoring this fact.
I did not believe in the HEA at all and I did not root for it. It left me wondering what the point was in Fern even acting like she was going to divorce him. Evidently he could do whatever he wanted including almost getting his daughter killed and she was never going to actually leave him.
He wasn't even the one that made sure Matty was held accountable for what she did to Coral. Fern had to do that because god forbid Connor grow some balls and take responsibility for bringing that monster into their lives. He was too busy moping around and feeling sorry for himself and realizing that he's missed pretty much ALL of his own daughter's milestones. It actually pissed me off that Coral was so attached to her dad. She was always asking for Connor and I didn't understand why when he was not a present parent to her. Once again, he got off scott free. Didn't have to even suffer from his daughter turning him away because of his neglect. Oh but he did have trouble sleeping because Fern wasn't in bed with him, that is literally the only repercussion he had to deal with.
So, like usual with this authors books, the grovel was pitifully inadequate and the FMC quickly went back to her doormat ways. The MMC suffers absolutely no consequences for how he treated his wife and daughter. He suffers no consequence for his daughter being horrifically burned and needing surgery because he was too busy being daddy to his ex's kid. How do you forgive that??
Unfortunately I think I'm done with this author because I just can't vibe with the non-existent consequences/groveling and weak FMC's. I did really like her book Second Best Again because the FMC gets herself a new man. If she writes more books where the FMC moves on, I would probably read them because I do like her writing. There were some editing errors but I'm so numb to that anymore, it didn't affect me.
Safety: I consider this pretty safe with one exception. No OM drama. There is OW drama obviously but Connor does not like or want the ex. However, she constantly dresses in barely there lingerie and revealing clothing. The FMC accuses him of always staring at the ex but he says he only looks because it's like a shock thing. Like if someone flashes their tits in front of you, you look because it's right there and surprises you but he wasn't *looking looking*. But here's the thing, he's full of shit.
In the very beginning when he is going to drop Jacob off at his house, Matty is standing outside dressed in lingerie and her nipples are showing. He internally talks about how gorgeous she is, how she still looks the same as when they were teenagers, how her body is so sexy, etc. So tell me again how you weren't looking at her in a lustful way Connor. (by the way he NEVER describes his wife in that way where he is so overwhelmed by her beauty and sexiness) Also, if someone is notorious for dressing provocatively, why would you be so shocked every time to the point that your wife sees you staring? You should know you're gonna probably see tits and nipples and be prepared to avert your eyes. God I hate this man.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2026
This one starts with a bang and will make a mama’s heart bleed. The rage I felt! It was very well done. I won’t even get into the betrayal because it’s… well, a LOT. This is probably a good one to go in blind. I was shocked, so that was fun! This author is getting better and better. I’m glad she’s team ‘Angst & Betrayal’. She truly has a gift.
Tropes:
Marriage in trouble
Secrets
No cheating
Second chances
Evil OW and MIL
I couldn’t put this down. Highly recommend to my angsty friends! ❤️
Tropes:
Marriage in trouble
Secrets
No cheating
Second chances
Evil OW and MIL
I couldn’t put this down. Highly recommend to my angsty friends! ❤️
April 23, 2026
I can’t actually remember how I first came across this author – I think it was on Wattpad – but since then I’ve pretty much worked my way through most of her books on Kindle. This one had been on my radar for a while because I read a little intro of it on Wattpad, and I was hooked straight away. I even had a timer set for the release… and honestly, it did not disappoint.
This is Connor and Fern’s story. They’ve been married around five years and have a daughter together who has some learning difficulties. The story starts in Connor’s hometown, where they moved back to a few years earlier after meeting in Manchester. And it doesn’t ease you in gently – it goes straight into the crisis. Their daughter ends up in hospital with burns after being left in Matilda’s care… Matilda being Connor’s ex.
From that moment, everything just unravels.
We learn pretty quickly from Fern’s POV that Connor has been completely neglecting his family since moving back. He’s always running to Matilda whenever she calls, spending time with her son, prioritising them over his own wife and child. And the one time Fern really needed him – to pick up their daughter – he lets her down. That decision is what leads to the accident, and honestly, the hospital scene where it all comes out? Heartbreaking. Fern just reaches her limit and you can feel it. She’s done.
What I really loved about this book is that it wasn’t your typical “other woman” situation. Connor didn’t have feelings for Matilda at all. The truth, when it comes out, is so much more complicated and honestly quite dark. It all goes back to their teenage years – family affairs, a house fire, manipulation, and Matilda holding a very serious accusation over Connor’s head. From that point on, she essentially controls him through threats, and he’s been living with that for years.
And yes, he absolutely should have told Fern. That’s the whole point. It’s not cheating, it’s not desire – it’s lies by omission, fear, shame, and poor choices. He admits that himself. He kept putting it off because he didn’t know how to explain something like that without it sticking to him.
Fern’s reaction felt so real to me. She doesn’t just forgive him because he’s sorry. She sets boundaries, she chooses herself and her daughter, and she walks away. She tells him to sort his life out, find out the truth about Matilda’s son, and she moves back to Manchester. I loved that strength in her.
From there, you really see Connor step up. You feel how much he loves Fern, how ashamed he is, and how much he wants to be better. He cuts ties where he needs to, faces everything head-on, and actually puts the work in. It’s not rushed, and I appreciated that. By the time they find their way back to each other (almost a year later), it feels earned.
There were also some really good twists – especially towards the end with Matilda – and I liked that there were still loose ends being tied up, like Connor potentially reconnecting with his dad.
The only reason this isn’t a five-star for me is because of the way some of the services and assessments were portrayed. I think because I work in that kind of environment, it just didn’t feel quite right to me, and it pulled me out of the story a bit. But that’s a very personal thing.
Overall though, the writing was amazing – as always with this author. She just has a way of making you feel everything. Even when the storyline isn’t 100% my usual thing, her writing always pulls me in.
This was easily a four-star read for me, and definitely one I’d recommend if you love a messy, emotional “marriage in trouble” trope with real consequences and growth.
This is Connor and Fern’s story. They’ve been married around five years and have a daughter together who has some learning difficulties. The story starts in Connor’s hometown, where they moved back to a few years earlier after meeting in Manchester. And it doesn’t ease you in gently – it goes straight into the crisis. Their daughter ends up in hospital with burns after being left in Matilda’s care… Matilda being Connor’s ex.
From that moment, everything just unravels.
We learn pretty quickly from Fern’s POV that Connor has been completely neglecting his family since moving back. He’s always running to Matilda whenever she calls, spending time with her son, prioritising them over his own wife and child. And the one time Fern really needed him – to pick up their daughter – he lets her down. That decision is what leads to the accident, and honestly, the hospital scene where it all comes out? Heartbreaking. Fern just reaches her limit and you can feel it. She’s done.
What I really loved about this book is that it wasn’t your typical “other woman” situation. Connor didn’t have feelings for Matilda at all. The truth, when it comes out, is so much more complicated and honestly quite dark. It all goes back to their teenage years – family affairs, a house fire, manipulation, and Matilda holding a very serious accusation over Connor’s head. From that point on, she essentially controls him through threats, and he’s been living with that for years.
And yes, he absolutely should have told Fern. That’s the whole point. It’s not cheating, it’s not desire – it’s lies by omission, fear, shame, and poor choices. He admits that himself. He kept putting it off because he didn’t know how to explain something like that without it sticking to him.
Fern’s reaction felt so real to me. She doesn’t just forgive him because he’s sorry. She sets boundaries, she chooses herself and her daughter, and she walks away. She tells him to sort his life out, find out the truth about Matilda’s son, and she moves back to Manchester. I loved that strength in her.
From there, you really see Connor step up. You feel how much he loves Fern, how ashamed he is, and how much he wants to be better. He cuts ties where he needs to, faces everything head-on, and actually puts the work in. It’s not rushed, and I appreciated that. By the time they find their way back to each other (almost a year later), it feels earned.
There were also some really good twists – especially towards the end with Matilda – and I liked that there were still loose ends being tied up, like Connor potentially reconnecting with his dad.
The only reason this isn’t a five-star for me is because of the way some of the services and assessments were portrayed. I think because I work in that kind of environment, it just didn’t feel quite right to me, and it pulled me out of the story a bit. But that’s a very personal thing.
Overall though, the writing was amazing – as always with this author. She just has a way of making you feel everything. Even when the storyline isn’t 100% my usual thing, her writing always pulls me in.
This was easily a four-star read for me, and definitely one I’d recommend if you love a messy, emotional “marriage in trouble” trope with real consequences and growth.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 27, 2026
Pretty good
There was a lot to process in this. Dysfunctional families galore. Very sad. Connor was totally afraid of Matilda but he didn't want her anymore. He never cheated but he put Matilda first because she was blackmailing him. Also lying to him. She was a sick piece of work. And what was the ending? Is she going to try again? She was just messed up and vile. Connor and Fern made it through the battle but it was a long long journey. Lots of angst and mental illness. I really think this might be closer to 3 stars but I rounded it up for no cheating.
There was a lot to process in this. Dysfunctional families galore. Very sad. Connor was totally afraid of Matilda but he didn't want her anymore. He never cheated but he put Matilda first because she was blackmailing him. Also lying to him. She was a sick piece of work. And what was the ending? Is she going to try again? She was just messed up and vile. Connor and Fern made it through the battle but it was a long long journey. Lots of angst and mental illness. I really think this might be closer to 3 stars but I rounded it up for no cheating.
April 29, 2026
Emotional
This is the journey of Fern and Connor coming together stronger in the end. . What an emotional ride it was. They have been through so much especially Connor, however it effects Cora and Fern. What happens to Cora is something else. Connor had a long journey of earning trust back.
This is the journey of Fern and Connor coming together stronger in the end. . What an emotional ride it was. They have been through so much especially Connor, however it effects Cora and Fern. What happens to Cora is something else. Connor had a long journey of earning trust back.
April 24, 2026
Earning Forgiveness
Castle in the Sky is not your typical marriage in crisis book. It grabbed a hold of me from the beginning and didn’t let go.
My heart broke over and over again for both Fern and Connor. I was initially super angry with Connor, but it turned out that all was not as it seemed with him. I never doubted his love for Fern, although he epically failed Fern and Coral. I never thought he had any sort of feelings for Matilda either.
Fern was such a strong MFC. I loved that about her. She was a fierce mama bear protecting her cub. Her love for Coral was apparent in everything she did. She had so much patience for Coral. I hurt with her through out the book and was happy that she was able to work things out by the end.
Kayla was a truly terrible human being. I could not believe her selfishness and utter lack of care towards her grand daughter. Her devotion to Matilda was mind boggling and drove me crazy. I was not a fan of Matilda, but at least I kind of understood her and what drives me her and broke her. Kayla was just a heartless monster.
I loved this book! 💜 I have read it multiple times and it was just as good every time. Raegan has a way of writing heartbreak that just draws you in and makes you feel with the characters.
Castle in the Sky is not your typical marriage in crisis book. It grabbed a hold of me from the beginning and didn’t let go.
My heart broke over and over again for both Fern and Connor. I was initially super angry with Connor, but it turned out that all was not as it seemed with him. I never doubted his love for Fern, although he epically failed Fern and Coral. I never thought he had any sort of feelings for Matilda either.
Fern was such a strong MFC. I loved that about her. She was a fierce mama bear protecting her cub. Her love for Coral was apparent in everything she did. She had so much patience for Coral. I hurt with her through out the book and was happy that she was able to work things out by the end.
Kayla was a truly terrible human being. I could not believe her selfishness and utter lack of care towards her grand daughter. Her devotion to Matilda was mind boggling and drove me crazy. I was not a fan of Matilda, but at least I kind of understood her and what drives me her and broke her. Kayla was just a heartless monster.
I loved this book! 💜 I have read it multiple times and it was just as good every time. Raegan has a way of writing heartbreak that just draws you in and makes you feel with the characters.
July 17, 2026
This is one of those books where you question if you would know whether your partner has hidden a fked up past and if there were signs you’ve over looked.
I thoroughly enjoyed the plot and wanted to know if the evil OW has future plans to insert herself again.
MMC had a fkd up childhood, emotional abuse more-so than physical. His mother and BFF sister (OW) were the villains in this book and were both manipulative “see you next Tuesday” type of people. The BFF was just in denial and wasn’t really a true BFF given he didn’t tell the MMC what his sister was really like.
We have a strong FMC which is always great to see, she has a good support system in her BFF and Dad. She put their child first and put her hurt aside.
We get angst and grovel and of course a HEA with the original couple. No physical cheating but emotional cheating was questionable. There were twists and disclosures that explain why MMC was such a coward and easily manipulated. Don’t want to spoil the book as it’s best going in blind.
My heart goes out to Coral - their 4yo who was the true victim in this fkd up situation. Loved her development in the end and demonstrated how resilient children can be.
I thoroughly enjoyed the plot and wanted to know if the evil OW has future plans to insert herself again.
MMC had a fkd up childhood, emotional abuse more-so than physical. His mother and BFF sister (OW) were the villains in this book and were both manipulative “see you next Tuesday” type of people. The BFF was just in denial and wasn’t really a true BFF given he didn’t tell the MMC what his sister was really like.
We have a strong FMC which is always great to see, she has a good support system in her BFF and Dad. She put their child first and put her hurt aside.
We get angst and grovel and of course a HEA with the original couple. No physical cheating but emotional cheating was questionable. There were twists and disclosures that explain why MMC was such a coward and easily manipulated. Don’t want to spoil the book as it’s best going in blind.
My heart goes out to Coral - their 4yo who was the true victim in this fkd up situation. Loved her development in the end and demonstrated how resilient children can be.
May 8, 2026
This is the story of Fern and Connor and it is a marriage on crisis book that you are going to love.
Let me tell you the gut punches start from the opening scene where Fern is sitting in a hospital room with her daughter after Connor left her with his neglectful mother so he can take another woman's son out. Fern has had enough so she decides that she needs to do what is best for her daugther and if that means leaving Connor then so be it.
Before you decide that Connor needs to go remember this is just the start of the book and Connor's story will unfold over the course of the book. Raegan is the Queen of giving as a MMC that you cannot help but get on board with. The grovel is on point and Connors story is heartbreaking. If you have never read a book by Reagan you cannot go wrong starting here.
Let me tell you the gut punches start from the opening scene where Fern is sitting in a hospital room with her daughter after Connor left her with his neglectful mother so he can take another woman's son out. Fern has had enough so she decides that she needs to do what is best for her daugther and if that means leaving Connor then so be it.
Before you decide that Connor needs to go remember this is just the start of the book and Connor's story will unfold over the course of the book. Raegan is the Queen of giving as a MMC that you cannot help but get on board with. The grovel is on point and Connors story is heartbreaking. If you have never read a book by Reagan you cannot go wrong starting here.
April 23, 2026
It was a difficult story to read. The trauma that the MMC had to endure was heartbreaking.
Same for Matty and Sawyer. However, you can’t feel too sorry for Matty and the Monster in Law!
The plot and drama was really well written and researched.
But I must say how it was written was very boring and difficult to not loose track. I had to skip all the descriptions and details narrated at the third person! Sometimes I wasn’t sure if I was reading from Fern or Connor’s POV! I had to skip a lot to get to the end which felt like it was unfinished: about Connor and his dad, and what does Marty’s ending means?!!
Not my cup of tea.
Same for Matty and Sawyer. However, you can’t feel too sorry for Matty and the Monster in Law!
The plot and drama was really well written and researched.
But I must say how it was written was very boring and difficult to not loose track. I had to skip all the descriptions and details narrated at the third person! Sometimes I wasn’t sure if I was reading from Fern or Connor’s POV! I had to skip a lot to get to the end which felt like it was unfinished: about Connor and his dad, and what does Marty’s ending means?!!
Not my cup of tea.
May 30, 2026
Fern and Connor moved back to his hometown and the book jumps in when their daughter Coral is hurt and in the hospital. You find out Connor is often running to help his ex and her son and his mother is terrible too. Their daughter is hurt because he is helping the ex’s son and his mother leaves Coral with the unstable ex.
I’ve been out of my comfort zone a little lately because this has plenty of ow drama in the form of an ex, but I was able to stomach it because I really didn’t get the sense Connor had any feelings for her.
When you really delve into things, you realize why and see the extent of his traumatic past and her instability.
I really liked Fern and how when she hit her limit, she fought back, protected her daughter, and didn’t let Connor back in.
I actually did forgive him by the end.
It wasn’t always the smoothest writing - for instance at the end a friend pops up and you’re told about Fern’s job for the first time, other things were a bit over the top, but it was still enjoyable and I did like her character.
I’ve been out of my comfort zone a little lately because this has plenty of ow drama in the form of an ex, but I was able to stomach it because I really didn’t get the sense Connor had any feelings for her.
When you really delve into things, you realize why and see the extent of his traumatic past and her instability.
I really liked Fern and how when she hit her limit, she fought back, protected her daughter, and didn’t let Connor back in.
I actually did forgive him by the end.
It wasn’t always the smoothest writing - for instance at the end a friend pops up and you’re told about Fern’s job for the first time, other things were a bit over the top, but it was still enjoyable and I did like her character.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 26, 2026
👌🏼
Well written with a few errors. Fern was a mama bear and she roared and it was what should have been done. She didn't falter and I loved that.
Harlan is a great dad and the support and strength he lends Fern and Coral is 🙌🏼
And Fern, with the most boss attitude telling Connor that the only thing she needed him to win back was his spine was perfection.
We didn't get much back story to their life before Cora landed in the hospital. I don't know what would change for me if we did. If he was always a spineless twat then I'd probably side eye Fern a bit. If he wasn't, and only turned into a spineless sycophant after the move, then...I don't know. Truly don't. But I do know that he wasn't redeemed in my eyes.
Well written with a few errors. Fern was a mama bear and she roared and it was what should have been done. She didn't falter and I loved that.
Harlan is a great dad and the support and strength he lends Fern and Coral is 🙌🏼
And Fern, with the most boss attitude telling Connor that the only thing she needed him to win back was his spine was perfection.
We didn't get much back story to their life before Cora landed in the hospital. I don't know what would change for me if we did. If he was always a spineless twat then I'd probably side eye Fern a bit. If he wasn't, and only turned into a spineless sycophant after the move, then...I don't know. Truly don't. But I do know that he wasn't redeemed in my eyes.
May 31, 2026
This is actually different from most marriage-in-crisis books. When I first read the summary, I was confused because there were so many characters. In the end, I decided to just start reading and see how it went.
I honestly liked how the story jumped straight into the plot instead of spending too much time on backstory or unnecessary details. The pacing kept me interested from the beginning.
I really liked the female lead. I am glad she stayed firm and did not immediately forgive Connor. She waited until she truly believed he deserved another chance. As a mother, she acted exactly the way I expected her to. Coral was also such a sweet little girl, and I loved every scene with her.
I also liked her father. One thing I appreciated was that the people around the female lead did not pressure her into making a decision. They gave their opinions when needed but ultimately allowed her to think for herself and choose what was right for her.
Now, Connor is a different story. I understand that he went through traumatic experiences when he was young, but I still could not bring myself to like him. One scene that especially stayed with me was when he picked up Jacob and drove to Matilda's house:
"Even now, she looked like she'd stepped out of some fever dream he'd once had at seventeen. Her wine-red hair tumbled over bare shoulders. She had that same feline face—heart-shaped, with slanted green eyes that looked half amused, half wounded. Time had barely touched her. Cynically, he thought she had the perfect figure wrapped in lavender silk, the hem of her robe whispering against long legs. He could see the shadows of her nipples through the silk. But he knew her too well to be fooled or affected again."
This description honestly disgusted me. Throughout the book, Connor kept talking about Matilda's beauty whenever he got the chance. Even when he was explaining his past to Fern, he seemed almost excited to describe how beautiful Matilda was and how she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Yet I cannot remember him expressing the same level of admiration for Fern. That made his feelings very hard for me to believe.
Another statement that bothered me was:
"She had been his love for most of his life and now he was left with no choice… none."
The problem is that what we later learn about their relationship does not support that statement at all. They were not childhood sweethearts. They were not deeply in love. They never even said "I love you" to each other. Their actual relationship was a secret affair that lasted about a year, and before and after that there was very little between them. So when Connor talks about her as if she was the love of his life, it feels exaggerated and inconsistent with what the story later reveals.
Then there is this line:
"They'd all grown up together; it was what he had always been expected to do. And Matilda... she was fragile. He owed her, didn’t he?"
This made even less sense to me. Later we learn that Connor knew exactly how manipulative Matilda was. He knew she mocked him, belittled him, emotionally damaged him, blackmailed him, stopped him from getting a DNA test, threatened him, and even threatened his family. So where does this idea that she was "fragile" come from? And why would he owe her anything?
From my perspective, if anyone owed someone, it was Matilda who owed Connor. She spent years controlling and manipulating him. Connor constantly acted as if he was responsible for her suffering when he had done nothing to deserve that burden.
Something else that frustrated me was how much Connor still cared about Jacob. He barely cared about his own daughter when she was in the hospital with second-degree burns, yet he continued worrying about a boy who might not even be his son and whom he had not bothered to see for years before returning. That made him look weak and inconsistent to me.
As for his mother, I do not even want to get into that discussion because she was beyond frustrating.
Do I feel sympathy for Matilda? A little, but only because her childhood and environment were terrible. However, we also have to remember that she knew exactly what she was doing. She was not confused. She was not manipulated. She made conscious choices.
She blackmailed people, lied, manipulated everyone around her, and ultimately tried to harm a small child. All because of jealousy and revenge.
I know the author probably wanted readers to feel sympathy for her by including that final chapter, but it did not work for me. I saw a dangerous and deeply manipulative woman who would continue causing harm if given the chance. The fact that she does not want to talk about Jacob does not erase what she did. To me, Jacob was never a child she loved. He was a tool she used to control Connor, his mother, and the entire situation.
The end line was everything:
"Matilda was lost in thought. A slow smile unfurled- one that didn’t reach her eyes.
The game was just beginning."
That is not the ending of someone who has learned from their mistakes. That is the ending of someone who is already planning the next move.
Yes, her childhood was tragic. Yes, her environment failed her. But after a certain point, her actions became her own responsibility. No one forced her to do what she did.
I was also glad that the author let Jacob go in the end. For Fern and Connor to have any chance at a healthy future, they needed to leave the past behind. Keeping Jacob in their lives would have kept Matilda's shadow hanging over everything forever.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. The story moved quickly, the female lead was strong, and Coral was adorable. However, Connor never fully won me over, and Matilda's tragic past was not enough to make me forgive her actions. In the end, the strongest parts of the book were Fern's resilience and her determination to protect her child above everything else.
I honestly liked how the story jumped straight into the plot instead of spending too much time on backstory or unnecessary details. The pacing kept me interested from the beginning.
I really liked the female lead. I am glad she stayed firm and did not immediately forgive Connor. She waited until she truly believed he deserved another chance. As a mother, she acted exactly the way I expected her to. Coral was also such a sweet little girl, and I loved every scene with her.
I also liked her father. One thing I appreciated was that the people around the female lead did not pressure her into making a decision. They gave their opinions when needed but ultimately allowed her to think for herself and choose what was right for her.
Now, Connor is a different story. I understand that he went through traumatic experiences when he was young, but I still could not bring myself to like him. One scene that especially stayed with me was when he picked up Jacob and drove to Matilda's house:
"Even now, she looked like she'd stepped out of some fever dream he'd once had at seventeen. Her wine-red hair tumbled over bare shoulders. She had that same feline face—heart-shaped, with slanted green eyes that looked half amused, half wounded. Time had barely touched her. Cynically, he thought she had the perfect figure wrapped in lavender silk, the hem of her robe whispering against long legs. He could see the shadows of her nipples through the silk. But he knew her too well to be fooled or affected again."
This description honestly disgusted me. Throughout the book, Connor kept talking about Matilda's beauty whenever he got the chance. Even when he was explaining his past to Fern, he seemed almost excited to describe how beautiful Matilda was and how she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Yet I cannot remember him expressing the same level of admiration for Fern. That made his feelings very hard for me to believe.
Another statement that bothered me was:
"She had been his love for most of his life and now he was left with no choice… none."
The problem is that what we later learn about their relationship does not support that statement at all. They were not childhood sweethearts. They were not deeply in love. They never even said "I love you" to each other. Their actual relationship was a secret affair that lasted about a year, and before and after that there was very little between them. So when Connor talks about her as if she was the love of his life, it feels exaggerated and inconsistent with what the story later reveals.
Then there is this line:
"They'd all grown up together; it was what he had always been expected to do. And Matilda... she was fragile. He owed her, didn’t he?"
This made even less sense to me. Later we learn that Connor knew exactly how manipulative Matilda was. He knew she mocked him, belittled him, emotionally damaged him, blackmailed him, stopped him from getting a DNA test, threatened him, and even threatened his family. So where does this idea that she was "fragile" come from? And why would he owe her anything?
From my perspective, if anyone owed someone, it was Matilda who owed Connor. She spent years controlling and manipulating him. Connor constantly acted as if he was responsible for her suffering when he had done nothing to deserve that burden.
Something else that frustrated me was how much Connor still cared about Jacob. He barely cared about his own daughter when she was in the hospital with second-degree burns, yet he continued worrying about a boy who might not even be his son and whom he had not bothered to see for years before returning. That made him look weak and inconsistent to me.
As for his mother, I do not even want to get into that discussion because she was beyond frustrating.
Do I feel sympathy for Matilda? A little, but only because her childhood and environment were terrible. However, we also have to remember that she knew exactly what she was doing. She was not confused. She was not manipulated. She made conscious choices.
She blackmailed people, lied, manipulated everyone around her, and ultimately tried to harm a small child. All because of jealousy and revenge.
I know the author probably wanted readers to feel sympathy for her by including that final chapter, but it did not work for me. I saw a dangerous and deeply manipulative woman who would continue causing harm if given the chance. The fact that she does not want to talk about Jacob does not erase what she did. To me, Jacob was never a child she loved. He was a tool she used to control Connor, his mother, and the entire situation.
The end line was everything:
"Matilda was lost in thought. A slow smile unfurled- one that didn’t reach her eyes.
The game was just beginning."
That is not the ending of someone who has learned from their mistakes. That is the ending of someone who is already planning the next move.
Yes, her childhood was tragic. Yes, her environment failed her. But after a certain point, her actions became her own responsibility. No one forced her to do what she did.
I was also glad that the author let Jacob go in the end. For Fern and Connor to have any chance at a healthy future, they needed to leave the past behind. Keeping Jacob in their lives would have kept Matilda's shadow hanging over everything forever.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. The story moved quickly, the female lead was strong, and Coral was adorable. However, Connor never fully won me over, and Matilda's tragic past was not enough to make me forgive her actions. In the end, the strongest parts of the book were Fern's resilience and her determination to protect her child above everything else.
April 27, 2026
surprised me
I went into this book thinking, eh and not expecting much. It actually surprised me in a good way. My heart really went out to the mmc. He annoyed me to no end. He was weak. Spineless. However, when it delved into the background, you could understand why. The fmc was strong when she needed to be. She took no prisoners and stood up for her child. The OW. While I couldn’t stand her, I also had pity for her. Her childhood shaped her into what she was.
I really really enjoyed this book. My emotions and who I sympathized with were all over the place through most of it!
I went into this book thinking, eh and not expecting much. It actually surprised me in a good way. My heart really went out to the mmc. He annoyed me to no end. He was weak. Spineless. However, when it delved into the background, you could understand why. The fmc was strong when she needed to be. She took no prisoners and stood up for her child. The OW. While I couldn’t stand her, I also had pity for her. Her childhood shaped her into what she was.
I really really enjoyed this book. My emotions and who I sympathized with were all over the place through most of it!
April 23, 2026
Raegan never fails to write an emotionally impactful story. This was poignant and visceral in equal measure. Fern and Connor had to really put in the work to build a stronger foundation and boy was it a ride!
May 8, 2026
I enjoyed reading this on Wattpad especially as the book starts off in my neighbourhood. I bought a copy when it was released and really enjoyed the extra that was added about Matilda. I needed to get in her head.
Really enjoy this author's work
Really enjoy this author's work
Did Not Finish
July 1, 2026Not my kind of angst so not for me
April 29, 2026
Good writing but the MMC is a giant red flag and the FMC should have gotten as far from him as possible. He knowingly put his family at risk to protect himself.
April 24, 2026
A Castle in the sky is the story of Connor and Fern. Is he a negligent father still in love with his high school sweetheart? Or is there more to it. Well short answer….there is definitely more to it.
Raegan uses her own medical background and research to give us a beautifully, woven tale that deals with sensitive topics such as:
Child abuse
Child neglect
Mental health struggles including but not limited to bipolar disorder
Infidelity in a marriage(not main characters)
The story opens with the unspeakable. A mother, alone, in a hospital, sitting at her young daughter’s bedside trying to soothe the little girl who came in with burns on her hand. Now accidents happen everyday…I think most parents have had that scary “oh no” moment. This was not one of those moments. This was one of the parents willingly giving the child to another adult, an adult who only thinks of herself, who belittled her own son as a child because he had learning difficulties. Kayla, may be Connor’s “mom”, and Coraline’s “grandmother” but she is anything but nurturing. The one time Fern, a doting mother, a frustrated wife needs her husband to take care of their daughter, he chooses to take Maddie’s (ow) son. to his game, then dinner, while his phone is dead and calls are missed. Meanwhile, the mom not wanting to be bothered with her less than perfect “granddaughter” pawns her off onto another woman, and that woman is none other than the buzzed, drugged out Maddie!
I am sure you are thinking that there is no way that Connor will be redeemed. Maybe for some people he isn’t. But this is just the beginning of Connor’s story. His sad story starts as a young boy where he is often left alone with his dismissive, emotionally abusive mother as his father travels for work. Then one day the father leaves for good. His closest friends are Sawyer and his twin sister Maddie. But Maddie has her own demons. There is unrest in her own house when She and her brother loses both parents to a fire at a young age. She is beautiful, cruel and knows how to manipulate others to get what she wants. Connor, with his low self esteem, lack of dad, and being raised by a callous mother easily falls into Maddie’s web. She likes to play with her prey, and in her world everyone is prey! When Maddie goes too far, and reveals “truths”, he runs away at 17.
He eventually meets Fern, she is the opposite of every woman he has ever known. She is warm, loving, and encouraging. He has cut off everyone from his past, and never shares it with Fern, being half afraid that she would run for the hills. Then, in a moment of weakness he calls his mom to tell her about this fabulous woman he met and how he wants to make her his wife. That connection to his past opened him up to Maddie’s game playing ways! You see she wasn’t done with Connor yet. Fern ends up pregnant, they marry in a small ceremony. Maddie is still holding on to those “truths”, and she basically blackmails him to move back. So he convinces Fern that moving back to be near family would be best for her and her baby. Fern is close to her father, but he drives truck and is gone for long stretches at a time.
This is the beginning of Fern’s nightmare. Coraline, their daughter, develops a little slower/differently than other children her age. So, Obviously Grandma Kayla has no interest in her as a grandchild. And based on Coraline’s drawings etc she is attached to her dad. But Connor starts spending more and more time with the ow’s child. When the story starts, Fern has been dealing with this for years and now her child is hurt because of the choice Connor made. Fern….is ….done!
So you may be wondering who the new hero is? There isn’t. Connor spends most of the book making the changes needed to be the husband and father he should have always been. He shares with Fern all the “truths” that Maddie was holding over his head and it is heartbreaking. Connor is currently in his late 20’s. He has never dealt with the trauma he was dealt as a child. And yes he grew up with trauma not only from his mom’s emotional abuse, his dad leaving, but also the evil manipulations of Maddie who used his crush for her against him. He grew up to be a scared young man, always looking over his shoulder. He finally found comfort, love, and stability with Fern only for the past to rear its ugly head again and he reverted back to the insecure, scared boy he was at 17. Fern is able to see this. This doesn’t mean she accepts him back based on his sad story, she doesn’t . She makes him work for it. But along the way she helps him slay those demons of the past! They finally work together as a couple with no secrets keeping them apart.
This story was intense and beautiful. As I said, Raegan doesn’t shy away from tackling the hard subjects and along the way there is a lots of love between our two main characters. ‘She also makes sure to deliver karma to those who earned it and hope for those that should have a second chance. In addition to this we get to know Fern’s dad and all I have to say is I hope he gets his own book so I can get to know him more.
I know that I didn’t delve too deeply into the details. I didn’t spill the secrets, because I really feel that in this case spilling those would not translate well. They delivered some hard hits when you read the story, and I live for those hard hits.
Many people go into this story despising Conor in the beginning, only to feel for all he has to overcome in the end. This story has a lot of drama and quite a bit of angst in the beginning. It is not always an easy read but it made me want to read up more on some of the topics it discussed. I also enjoyed reading the additional chapter about Maddie in the end…it is truly dizzying to be in her mind!
Raegan uses her own medical background and research to give us a beautifully, woven tale that deals with sensitive topics such as:
Child abuse
Child neglect
Mental health struggles including but not limited to bipolar disorder
Infidelity in a marriage(not main characters)
The story opens with the unspeakable. A mother, alone, in a hospital, sitting at her young daughter’s bedside trying to soothe the little girl who came in with burns on her hand. Now accidents happen everyday…I think most parents have had that scary “oh no” moment. This was not one of those moments. This was one of the parents willingly giving the child to another adult, an adult who only thinks of herself, who belittled her own son as a child because he had learning difficulties. Kayla, may be Connor’s “mom”, and Coraline’s “grandmother” but she is anything but nurturing. The one time Fern, a doting mother, a frustrated wife needs her husband to take care of their daughter, he chooses to take Maddie’s (ow) son. to his game, then dinner, while his phone is dead and calls are missed. Meanwhile, the mom not wanting to be bothered with her less than perfect “granddaughter” pawns her off onto another woman, and that woman is none other than the buzzed, drugged out Maddie!
I am sure you are thinking that there is no way that Connor will be redeemed. Maybe for some people he isn’t. But this is just the beginning of Connor’s story. His sad story starts as a young boy where he is often left alone with his dismissive, emotionally abusive mother as his father travels for work. Then one day the father leaves for good. His closest friends are Sawyer and his twin sister Maddie. But Maddie has her own demons. There is unrest in her own house when She and her brother loses both parents to a fire at a young age. She is beautiful, cruel and knows how to manipulate others to get what she wants. Connor, with his low self esteem, lack of dad, and being raised by a callous mother easily falls into Maddie’s web. She likes to play with her prey, and in her world everyone is prey! When Maddie goes too far, and reveals “truths”, he runs away at 17.
He eventually meets Fern, she is the opposite of every woman he has ever known. She is warm, loving, and encouraging. He has cut off everyone from his past, and never shares it with Fern, being half afraid that she would run for the hills. Then, in a moment of weakness he calls his mom to tell her about this fabulous woman he met and how he wants to make her his wife. That connection to his past opened him up to Maddie’s game playing ways! You see she wasn’t done with Connor yet. Fern ends up pregnant, they marry in a small ceremony. Maddie is still holding on to those “truths”, and she basically blackmails him to move back. So he convinces Fern that moving back to be near family would be best for her and her baby. Fern is close to her father, but he drives truck and is gone for long stretches at a time.
This is the beginning of Fern’s nightmare. Coraline, their daughter, develops a little slower/differently than other children her age. So, Obviously Grandma Kayla has no interest in her as a grandchild. And based on Coraline’s drawings etc she is attached to her dad. But Connor starts spending more and more time with the ow’s child. When the story starts, Fern has been dealing with this for years and now her child is hurt because of the choice Connor made. Fern….is ….done!
So you may be wondering who the new hero is? There isn’t. Connor spends most of the book making the changes needed to be the husband and father he should have always been. He shares with Fern all the “truths” that Maddie was holding over his head and it is heartbreaking. Connor is currently in his late 20’s. He has never dealt with the trauma he was dealt as a child. And yes he grew up with trauma not only from his mom’s emotional abuse, his dad leaving, but also the evil manipulations of Maddie who used his crush for her against him. He grew up to be a scared young man, always looking over his shoulder. He finally found comfort, love, and stability with Fern only for the past to rear its ugly head again and he reverted back to the insecure, scared boy he was at 17. Fern is able to see this. This doesn’t mean she accepts him back based on his sad story, she doesn’t . She makes him work for it. But along the way she helps him slay those demons of the past! They finally work together as a couple with no secrets keeping them apart.
This story was intense and beautiful. As I said, Raegan doesn’t shy away from tackling the hard subjects and along the way there is a lots of love between our two main characters. ‘She also makes sure to deliver karma to those who earned it and hope for those that should have a second chance. In addition to this we get to know Fern’s dad and all I have to say is I hope he gets his own book so I can get to know him more.
I know that I didn’t delve too deeply into the details. I didn’t spill the secrets, because I really feel that in this case spilling those would not translate well. They delivered some hard hits when you read the story, and I live for those hard hits.
Many people go into this story despising Conor in the beginning, only to feel for all he has to overcome in the end. This story has a lot of drama and quite a bit of angst in the beginning. It is not always an easy read but it made me want to read up more on some of the topics it discussed. I also enjoyed reading the additional chapter about Maddie in the end…it is truly dizzying to be in her mind!
May 9, 2026
A Castle in the Sky: Fern & Connor
Raegan Salander
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating System (as of 5.8.26):
⭐: DNF/Almost DNF
⭐⭐: Had Potential. Fell Short.
⭐⭐⭐: Good. Something Was Missing.
⭐⭐⭐⭐: Great Book. Strong Overall Story.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: Loved. Reread Worthy. Recommend.
—-------------------
Tropes/Vibes:
💕MF Romance
💕Betrayal/Grovel/HEA
💕Small Town
💕OW Drama
💕Marriage in Crisis
💕Second Chance
💕Wattpad to Published
Triggers:
🚩Child Abuse
🚩Mental Health
Spice Level (as of 5.8.26): 🔥🔥🔥
🔥: Clean
🔥🔥: Mild
🔥🔥🔥: Spicy
🔥🔥🔥🔥: Very Spicy
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥: Explicit/Kink-Heavy
—----------------------
Quote From Book:
"Right now," she said softly, "the only thing I need you to win back is your spine. If you manage that, then we'll see about the rest."
Writing Style Rating: Simple
Simple: Flows Quickly/Easy Reading
Descriptive: Lots of Imagery/Detailed
Lyrical: Feels Poetic/Pretty Sentences
Heavy: Dense/May Have to Reread Sentences
Pace Rating: Medium
Slow: Takes Time to Build
Medium: Things Move Steadily
Fast: Things Happen Quickly
—-------------------------
Summary:
FMC and MMC are married. MMCs childhood friend is causing issues in their marriage. MMC is always leaving to take care of her and her son. But there is more to it. It all comes to a head when the MMC and FMCs daughter is hurt by the OW (childhood friend).
Review:
I believe I read this book or a version of it on Wattpad some time ago. The writing is good it draws you in and keeps you engaged in the story. I really found myself being really upset with the MMC. My heart hurt to have an innocent child hurt due to her father's negligence. I was so grateful for the OW and mom getting their just due.
Want to read this for yourself? Grab your copy here:
Kindle: https://amzn.to/4uCVGIS
Hardcover: https://amzn.to/4u1TTNm
Paperback: https://amzn.to/4wz38GK
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Join the community and read with me: https://bibliodarling.substack.com
Raegan Salander
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating System (as of 5.8.26):
⭐: DNF/Almost DNF
⭐⭐: Had Potential. Fell Short.
⭐⭐⭐: Good. Something Was Missing.
⭐⭐⭐⭐: Great Book. Strong Overall Story.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: Loved. Reread Worthy. Recommend.
—-------------------
Tropes/Vibes:
💕MF Romance
💕Betrayal/Grovel/HEA
💕Small Town
💕OW Drama
💕Marriage in Crisis
💕Second Chance
💕Wattpad to Published
Triggers:
🚩Child Abuse
🚩Mental Health
Spice Level (as of 5.8.26): 🔥🔥🔥
🔥: Clean
🔥🔥: Mild
🔥🔥🔥: Spicy
🔥🔥🔥🔥: Very Spicy
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥: Explicit/Kink-Heavy
—----------------------
Quote From Book:
"Right now," she said softly, "the only thing I need you to win back is your spine. If you manage that, then we'll see about the rest."
Writing Style Rating: Simple
Simple: Flows Quickly/Easy Reading
Descriptive: Lots of Imagery/Detailed
Lyrical: Feels Poetic/Pretty Sentences
Heavy: Dense/May Have to Reread Sentences
Pace Rating: Medium
Slow: Takes Time to Build
Medium: Things Move Steadily
Fast: Things Happen Quickly
—-------------------------
Summary:
FMC and MMC are married. MMCs childhood friend is causing issues in their marriage. MMC is always leaving to take care of her and her son. But there is more to it. It all comes to a head when the MMC and FMCs daughter is hurt by the OW (childhood friend).
Review:
I believe I read this book or a version of it on Wattpad some time ago. The writing is good it draws you in and keeps you engaged in the story. I really found myself being really upset with the MMC. My heart hurt to have an innocent child hurt due to her father's negligence. I was so grateful for the OW and mom getting their just due.
Want to read this for yourself? Grab your copy here:
Kindle: https://amzn.to/4uCVGIS
Hardcover: https://amzn.to/4u1TTNm
Paperback: https://amzn.to/4wz38GK
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Join the community and read with me: https://bibliodarling.substack.com
April 24, 2026
Notes for me
Connor
Fern
Married a few years have a 4 year old daughter, Coral.
They’ve moved back to his home town. He spends most of his time with his ex, Matilda, and her son Jacob. Takes Jacob to rugby, runs to Matilda any time she calls.
His mother always calls Matilda the one that got away and is cruel to Fern.
Story opens with a gut punch. Coral is in the hospital with 2nd degree burns on her hand. A neighbor teen found her crying. Fern had asked Connor to pick her up from school due to an appointment. She never does this. Takes care of everything herself.
Matilda had called Connor saying she had a job interview and he needs to take Jacob to rugby. Connor has his mom pick Coral up and she drops her off at Matilda’s.
Matilda who has substance abuse issues and hates Fern and Coral. The burned hand is the result.
Connor’s phone died. He shows up at mom’s to get Coral and finds out about Matilda. He had dropped Jacob off earlier and Matilda is stoned, drunk and dressed in lingerie.
He rushes back over, she tells him there was a small issue and she’s at the hospital.
Fern is DONE. In her mind her husband has most likely been sleeping with Matilda, prefers her and Jacob over his own family. Child Protective Services (called something different but same concept) is involved and she wants all 3 of them to go down. She’s moving home with her dad.
Connor finally tells her the truth. It’s better and worse than she feared.
I enjoy marriage in trouble stories without cheating. This book, while in that genre, is quite a bit different.
Read TWs as it deals with dark subjects.
Connor
Fern
Married a few years have a 4 year old daughter, Coral.
They’ve moved back to his home town. He spends most of his time with his ex, Matilda, and her son Jacob. Takes Jacob to rugby, runs to Matilda any time she calls.
His mother always calls Matilda the one that got away and is cruel to Fern.
Story opens with a gut punch. Coral is in the hospital with 2nd degree burns on her hand. A neighbor teen found her crying. Fern had asked Connor to pick her up from school due to an appointment. She never does this. Takes care of everything herself.
Matilda had called Connor saying she had a job interview and he needs to take Jacob to rugby. Connor has his mom pick Coral up and she drops her off at Matilda’s.
Matilda who has substance abuse issues and hates Fern and Coral. The burned hand is the result.
Connor’s phone died. He shows up at mom’s to get Coral and finds out about Matilda. He had dropped Jacob off earlier and Matilda is stoned, drunk and dressed in lingerie.
He rushes back over, she tells him there was a small issue and she’s at the hospital.
Fern is DONE. In her mind her husband has most likely been sleeping with Matilda, prefers her and Jacob over his own family. Child Protective Services (called something different but same concept) is involved and she wants all 3 of them to go down. She’s moving home with her dad.
Connor finally tells her the truth. It’s better and worse than she feared.
I enjoy marriage in trouble stories without cheating. This book, while in that genre, is quite a bit different.
Read TWs as it deals with dark subjects.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2026
Wow, another great book from the author. I loved reading this marriage in trouble story and so will you. Fern is an amazing FMC whose young daughter Cora is injured because her husband trusted his mother to watch over her while he took his ex's son to his baseball game. She in turn decided to hand Cora over to the toxic OW ex (and close family friend) to watch instead, resulting in Cora sustaining a bad burn on her hand and sending her to the hospital.
Fern and Cora had been uprooted and moved to the MMC's home town a few years ago and had already been suffering coming in second to the needs of the OW ex and her son time and time again. Enough is enough and Fern is ready to take on anyone to protect her girl. Connor can take his mother and his ex who the MIL loves to call "the one who got away" and ..... you can fill in the rest of the sentence with your favorite saying.
As usual the story has amazing characters, especially Fern's dad who I hope gets his own book sometime in the future because he is great. Connor, the MMC, has made so many mistakes before and during his marriage that drive the story. There is a lot of backstory that led to his bad decisions and his secrets but it will be up to the reader to decide if he redeems himself or not in their eyes. He did for me.
Fern and Cora had been uprooted and moved to the MMC's home town a few years ago and had already been suffering coming in second to the needs of the OW ex and her son time and time again. Enough is enough and Fern is ready to take on anyone to protect her girl. Connor can take his mother and his ex who the MIL loves to call "the one who got away" and ..... you can fill in the rest of the sentence with your favorite saying.
As usual the story has amazing characters, especially Fern's dad who I hope gets his own book sometime in the future because he is great. Connor, the MMC, has made so many mistakes before and during his marriage that drive the story. There is a lot of backstory that led to his bad decisions and his secrets but it will be up to the reader to decide if he redeems himself or not in their eyes. He did for me.
June 6, 2026
OW drama = H's mom was supposed to pick up his kid from school and watch his child, but he would rather take care of his ex's son than be bothered with his own child so asked his mother to get his kid. His mom had more important things to do, like bridge club so she punted the kid to H's toxic ex to do the task. Child ended up in the ER. Ex and mom were leeches to the H and he had let it happen. Come to find out the ex was blackmailing/coercing the H. The ex said her kid was the H's (he wasn't), threatened to claim H had SA/R'ed her (he didn't), she intentionally hurt the H/h's child, etc. H's mom never liked the h and kept pushing the ex onto the H in the hopes of breaking up their marriage.
Grovel = h literally forced the H to wake up and take responsibility for the misery her life was and for the way he had been treating his child. H had a lot of trauma (CPTSD) to unpack but he did immediately agree and take responsibility for his actions and lack of communication. H understood what his actions resulted in and worked/assisted in making sure his mother and the OW were held accountable. H agreed to whatever the h needed, but he made sure she understood he would follow her anywhere (and he does). h was fierce and strong.
Originally read on Wattpad.
Grovel = h literally forced the H to wake up and take responsibility for the misery her life was and for the way he had been treating his child. H had a lot of trauma (CPTSD) to unpack but he did immediately agree and take responsibility for his actions and lack of communication. H understood what his actions resulted in and worked/assisted in making sure his mother and the OW were held accountable. H agreed to whatever the h needed, but he made sure she understood he would follow her anywhere (and he does). h was fierce and strong.
Originally read on Wattpad.
April 24, 2026
The h and H have been married for five years and have a four year old daughter. The teenaged H left home after the OW revealed her pregnancy. He finds out that the OW was not exclusive with him and she refuses to agree to a paternity test. While living in another city, he meets and marries the h. He persuades the h to move back to his hometown. The OW and her son become a priority over his wife and child. The story begins with his daughter hospitalized due to neglect by the OW and the H's mother. In most other books with the second best trope, more time is spent providing examples of the neglect to build the angst. I think that was missing for me. This book is the first time that I came across the term 'enmeshment'. The H's sisters used this term to help the H understand how dysfunctional his relationship with his mother was. There are several intertwining plot connections between the H, the OW and the H's mother that the H kept secret from the h. The OW and the H's mother are both extreme in creating drama. Most of the book is the H's remorse and grovel.
April 27, 2026
Rarely disappointed by this author - another great read
I found this author the first time on Wattpad and I have followed her through her transition to Kindle. I do get very frustrated with her MMC‘s but what she does that a lot of other authors are incapable of is she actually shows the reader how apologetic the MMC’s are and how while it’s not an excuse there’s often a reason behind their behavior.
I’m still not sure I would always forgive the MMC‘s if I was in the book, but I rarely read one of her stories and feel like it was a rage read and they shouldn’t have been forgiven. Which is really quite a feat because I find that 75% of the books that I read that are betrayal and grovel I’m just sitting there going you’ve got to be joking me.
I really think this author has figured out the formula how to write very angsty books with just enough spice, just enough misery, but just enough happiness. I always set reminders for when her books come out so that I can download them right away. No regrets here and I highly recommend this book.
I found this author the first time on Wattpad and I have followed her through her transition to Kindle. I do get very frustrated with her MMC‘s but what she does that a lot of other authors are incapable of is she actually shows the reader how apologetic the MMC’s are and how while it’s not an excuse there’s often a reason behind their behavior.
I’m still not sure I would always forgive the MMC‘s if I was in the book, but I rarely read one of her stories and feel like it was a rage read and they shouldn’t have been forgiven. Which is really quite a feat because I find that 75% of the books that I read that are betrayal and grovel I’m just sitting there going you’ve got to be joking me.
I really think this author has figured out the formula how to write very angsty books with just enough spice, just enough misery, but just enough happiness. I always set reminders for when her books come out so that I can download them right away. No regrets here and I highly recommend this book.
July 2, 2026
How much grovel is too much?
This book was a giant grovel fest.
For readers that enjoy that this is the perfect book for them. The story starts with the four year old daughter of the main characters in the hospital after being burned on her arm. She gets burned after being left with the MMC's ex/ the OW by her paternal grandmother while the MMC is with the OW's son. The FMC is of course justifiably furious with her husband who was supposed to be with their daughter when this happened.
This angsty bit is maybe 2% of the story.
After that its all grovel, all the time.
I, am not a fan of books where the grovel exceeds the crime and lasts ages. I get bored, its hard for me to push through and then I get annoyed. This was definitely not for me.
Imo I feel like the MMC had understandable reasons for his behavior. Was he right? Heck no! But I did sympathize with him when I should have been sympathizing with the FMC who was somehow less relatable.
I can't say i enjoyed this.
This book was a giant grovel fest.
For readers that enjoy that this is the perfect book for them. The story starts with the four year old daughter of the main characters in the hospital after being burned on her arm. She gets burned after being left with the MMC's ex/ the OW by her paternal grandmother while the MMC is with the OW's son. The FMC is of course justifiably furious with her husband who was supposed to be with their daughter when this happened.
This angsty bit is maybe 2% of the story.
After that its all grovel, all the time.
I, am not a fan of books where the grovel exceeds the crime and lasts ages. I get bored, its hard for me to push through and then I get annoyed. This was definitely not for me.
Imo I feel like the MMC had understandable reasons for his behavior. Was he right? Heck no! But I did sympathize with him when I should have been sympathizing with the FMC who was somehow less relatable.
I can't say i enjoyed this.
May 6, 2026
MFC ruined it for me
The writing was good and I was enjoying the story but I felt the MFC kept focusing on the wrong things and forgetting what happened to the MMC. How Matty traumatized and threatened him. The MFC kept accusing the MMC of “checking out” Matty, having a physical and emotional affair with her when that was the farthest thing from the truth. He wasn’t attracted to her at all and was actually repulsed by her and she was threatening him w accusing him of rape so he was stuck doing what she wanted. Granted, he should’ve told his wife about it but otherwise that’s the only thing he really did wrong. If he had told her, they probably would’ve been able to come up w a plan so he wasn’t at her beck and call. But the MFC just kept getting angry over and over at him over things that weren’t true. I just couldn’t handle it anymore so I stopped reading it. The FMC needed to get a grip and focus on the actual facts.
The writing was good and I was enjoying the story but I felt the MFC kept focusing on the wrong things and forgetting what happened to the MMC. How Matty traumatized and threatened him. The MFC kept accusing the MMC of “checking out” Matty, having a physical and emotional affair with her when that was the farthest thing from the truth. He wasn’t attracted to her at all and was actually repulsed by her and she was threatening him w accusing him of rape so he was stuck doing what she wanted. Granted, he should’ve told his wife about it but otherwise that’s the only thing he really did wrong. If he had told her, they probably would’ve been able to come up w a plan so he wasn’t at her beck and call. But the MFC just kept getting angry over and over at him over things that weren’t true. I just couldn’t handle it anymore so I stopped reading it. The FMC needed to get a grip and focus on the actual facts.
April 24, 2026
I adore this author and she writes some of the best angst. And indeed, I was furious for this little girl's trauma she endured at the hands of a lunatic in the beginning of this story. But the story started going downhill for me towards the second half. I felt awful for what the Hero went through with this psychopath woman from his past, and I felt horrible for the son she had too. But the story got really boring towards the second half for me.
What I liked:
The OW drama was great in the beginning.
The Hero's evil Mother added a lot of fury to this story too.
I LOVED the heroine's awesome kickass father!
And even though I'm not a huge fan of kiddos in a story, this little girl was adorable.
The story is good though. I was definitely getting impatient for something more during the second half of the story.
What I liked:
The OW drama was great in the beginning.
The Hero's evil Mother added a lot of fury to this story too.
I LOVED the heroine's awesome kickass father!
And even though I'm not a huge fan of kiddos in a story, this little girl was adorable.
The story is good though. I was definitely getting impatient for something more during the second half of the story.
April 27, 2026
love a Raegan Salander
Salander has a great way with characters and storytelling. I do hate the miscommunication or really the lack of communication trope. Connor could’ve saved everyone so much trouble if he had told Fern the truth.
I appreciated that we were dropped into the drama instead of having to work our way there. I’m glad that I had all my questions answered in regards to Connor’s relationships with all these people that let him down and dragged him down.
Jack/jake a victim we didn’t really get to see get justice. Matilda is terrifying. I have no idea if the bipolar disorder was correct but it was a lot. His mom was also awful. Glad we had some closure on the dad, but I wish we had more. I’m glad we were done with Sawyer too.
Glad they found their way back to each other.
Salander has a great way with characters and storytelling. I do hate the miscommunication or really the lack of communication trope. Connor could’ve saved everyone so much trouble if he had told Fern the truth.
I appreciated that we were dropped into the drama instead of having to work our way there. I’m glad that I had all my questions answered in regards to Connor’s relationships with all these people that let him down and dragged him down.
Jack/jake a victim we didn’t really get to see get justice. Matilda is terrifying. I have no idea if the bipolar disorder was correct but it was a lot. His mom was also awful. Glad we had some closure on the dad, but I wish we had more. I’m glad we were done with Sawyer too.
Glad they found their way back to each other.
May 31, 2026
Weirdly blackmailed…
I’m not exactly sure what I want to rate this with, because most of the book was pretty good. I didn’t interpret this story the same way other reviewers did. In trying to put myself in the FMC’s shoes it seemed to me that their love for each other let her give him some grace that other readers didn’t feel he deserved. Maybe it’s because I’m from a very different generation, but divorce isn’t the first thing that comes to mind.
Matty was not just bipolar. She clearly had mental issues and was self medicating. Connor was cowardly but his mother was just a huge biotch. Talk about narcissistic!
KU and I’ve decided this was better than average and four stars is merited. I’ve only read one other book by this author, I think, and that had a very passive FMC. This woman was not!
I’m not exactly sure what I want to rate this with, because most of the book was pretty good. I didn’t interpret this story the same way other reviewers did. In trying to put myself in the FMC’s shoes it seemed to me that their love for each other let her give him some grace that other readers didn’t feel he deserved. Maybe it’s because I’m from a very different generation, but divorce isn’t the first thing that comes to mind.
Matty was not just bipolar. She clearly had mental issues and was self medicating. Connor was cowardly but his mother was just a huge biotch. Talk about narcissistic!
KU and I’ve decided this was better than average and four stars is merited. I’ve only read one other book by this author, I think, and that had a very passive FMC. This woman was not!
April 25, 2026
Love a strong FMC!
Great story, couldn’t put it down. Fern’s character was fierce, had put up with enough and pushed past her limits when her daughter was hurt. Love how she handled those responsible, and also how she dealt with her husband as she balanced protecting her daughter, standing up for herself, and still supporting him as his own issues come to light.
Looking forward to Harlan and Gracie’s story (I hope!). Thought Matilda was getting set up for a redemption arc, but looked like she’s going to lean into being the villain even more, and I’m here for it!
Great story, couldn’t put it down. Fern’s character was fierce, had put up with enough and pushed past her limits when her daughter was hurt. Love how she handled those responsible, and also how she dealt with her husband as she balanced protecting her daughter, standing up for herself, and still supporting him as his own issues come to light.
Looking forward to Harlan and Gracie’s story (I hope!). Thought Matilda was getting set up for a redemption arc, but looked like she’s going to lean into being the villain even more, and I’m here for it!
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