Bound By Shame

by Julia E. McColgan

Genres: Why Choose, Dark Romance, M M Romance, M M F

430 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 7, 2026

Reviews

[Hailey P · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I’m here. I’m sorry it took so long. You feel like a missing puzzle piece slotted into place. Like home.”


ARC Review!!

Okay I loved this so much!! I seriously devoured this!! The banter, the tension, the hurt-comfort >

These 3 had so much religious trauma I wanted to give them all a hug 😭

I loved each of these characters however, what keeps this from a 5 star is that I didn’t feel the chemistry between Seba & Andrea 🥲 it felt a little forced at times (in my opinion!!) but the dynamic between Cade & Sebastian? No notes. Their chemistry was off the charts and flowed naturally.

I adored the little Remy & Win cameos too🥹 they forever have a special place in my heart ♥️

I can’t wait for book 3!!

[ashlee ❤ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andrea, Cade, + Seba

-love triangle >> mmf throuple
-pastors daughter
-stepbrothers
-slow burn
-religious trauma
-“if i can’t have you, no one can”

mannnn...the religious deconstruction in this one was beautifully well done & the dynamics between these tree developed perfectly!! i love them your honor!! the set up with the separate part names & the chronic pain & mental illness that was handled in such a gentle yet natural way in its healing...i love julia & how she sets up stories & writes them & even tho she always wrecks me with this damn time jumps...its always needed & makes the most sense! im always obsessed with everything she writes & this one was no different!!

[Denay Peters · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars
This book hit me so deeply from so many directions. It’s not an easy light read but worth it. If you grew up in the church and subsequently broke yourself out as an adult, you will see so much of your own struggle in these pages. Julia has done an incredibly raw and insightful job writing each of these 3 characters and i found myself comforting buried parts of myself as they came up while reading.
The snark and sass and banter in between all the hard stuff was perfect. Loved every bit.

Thank you Julia for the advanced copy to read and review!

[Jenny Marshall · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC Review 3.75 ⭐️

I enjoyed this book! The only thing missing for me was a bit more character development to really feel invested in these characters and their story. The foundation was there, but it felt like I only scratched the surface of each character and their individual struggles. They clearly shared a strong bond, but the time jump made it harder to fully connect with how those relationships became so deep.

Cade was the character I loved the most. His pain and trauma felt visceral. His energy infectious and endearing. Andreas’s strength in breaking away from her father and the church was incredibly moving, and I would have loved to learn more about Seba and his past as well. He had such a gentleness to him and fiercely protective. It was great to get tiny moments of Remy and Win and too. 💕

I also thought the author handled the religious trauma with care and nuance. I’m definitely curious to see where the story goes in book three!

[✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ ARC review ✨

🍊 Bound By Shame by Julia E. McColgan 🐍

“Damn her. Damn him. Damn me. Damn us all.”

OH. MY. GOD. 😭 let me start by saying, this is now one of my favorite reads of the year!! my emotions are all over the fucking place, and i couldn’t be happier about it. i wasn’t expecting to feel so DEEPLY reading this book. i mean yeah, the content warnings were there, but i am now and forever will be attached to these characters. i saw myself a little in each of them and im so glad they got their HARD EARNED happy ending. they truly deserved it.

Bound By Shame brings us Seba, Cade, and Andrea.. three people who are so different, yet so alike in some ways. they question themselves, the world around them, and even each other at times. religion and the corruption that sometimes goes with it is a huge aspect of this book, and the way the author shows how it changes people really hit me hard. to watch Seba question his faith, Cade struggling to cope at times, and Andrea rebel against everything she was taught reminded me so much of myself.

Seba is, at first, the devout Christian who recently gained a new stepbrother who happens to be an atheist (Cade). when Cade pushes all of Seba’s buttons, it takes a tremendous amount of control for him to not give in. it’s wrong. it’s a sin. he can’t..
..but he does. and when that fire ignites, it turns into a whole fucking inferno. the LOVE between these two, even before they admitted it to themselves, was so passionate, so all consuming. were there rough times? of course. the roughest. poor Cade dealt with more shit than he ever deserved. but Seba stuck through it, even when he was doubted. but he has some help..

..from Andrea. the pastors daughter gone wild. the girl in the window. man. this girl.
I wasn’t sure about her at first, but I love her so much. she too has been through some shit, with her asshole parents to blame. mainly the pastor. OHHH FUCK THAT GUY. AND NOT IN A GOOD WAY.
Andrea ends up stealing the hearts of both Seba and Cade, which, at first, is a bit of a clusterfuck because they are all still trying to figure out themselves. but then sweet chaos gremlin Cade plants an idea in their heads that maybe they can all three be together, and the rest… well, gets even more complicated from there lmao.

i loved how Julia did the scary thing with this book and just WENT FOR IT!!! and also wrote letters to the characters at the end of the book (cue EVEN MORE TEARS) 🥹 ugh i just wanna hug and kiss Cade so bad. (don’t tell Seba or Andrea i said that. 👀)

SIX. FUCKING. STARS. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‼️CHECK THE WARNINGS BEFORE READING PLZ‼️

some tidbits:
🍊 MMF
🐍 stepbrothers x pastors daughter
🍊 Andrea being a badass rebel girl
🐍 Cade being a chaos gremlin
🍊 Seba being a protective, yearning angel (or uh, maybe not so much an angel.. hehe)
🐍 mental illness rep
🍊 chronic illness rep
🐍 religious t r a u m a

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐
Julia McColgan's writing is what captivated me most about Bound by Shame. Her prose is beautiful and, at times, almost poetic. Every scene felt immersive, and she has a remarkable ability to draw you so deeply into her characters that you don't just understand what they're feeling, you feel it alongside them. Even when the story tackles its heaviest moments, there's a quiet beauty to the way she writes that kept me completely invested from beginning to end.

Religion serves as a central thread throughout the novel, shaping each character's experiences and the paths they take. It naturally weaves through themes of identity, shame, sexuality, trauma, and mental health, allowing those conversations to unfold in a way that felt thoughtful and intentional.

I really enjoyed Seba's journey as he came to terms with his sexuality. Watching him slowly untangle the shame he'd carried and embrace who he was felt authentic and heartfelt, and I loved seeing his relationship with Cade grow alongside that journey.

Andrea was an absolute powerhouse and one of my favorite characters. I appreciated that her chronic illness never defined her. It was simply one part of a resilient, compassionate, and fully realized woman, and Julia handled that aspect of her character with so much care and integrity.

Cade absolutely broke my heart. Julia's writing allowed me to step inside his mind and glimpse both the darkness of his mental health struggles and the beauty of his resilience. His journey was harrowing, but it was portrayed with such compassion that I fell in love with him as a person. Protect Cade at all costs.

Julia's writing never fails to amaze me. Every book of hers finds a new way to pull me in, immerse me completely in her characters, and remind me exactly why I fell for her writing in the first place. Bound by Shame is just one more reason I'll keep picking up everything she writes, no hesitation.

[Alexis Kirby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought I loved Win & Remy but dare I say, I think I love the Holt-Warren's more!!!! I took notes but bailed halfway through because their story absolutely sucked me in:

• Not the Christ Crispies!!! 🤣
• Blue and black
• "I wanna be in bicep jail" 🤣
• I CANNOT with the Baby ! A virgin top?! Im melting
• CAN SOMEONE GET ME A CIGARETTE
• Yellow 🥲

Cade's character literally took my brain by storm. He is such a beautiful, complicated soul but I shockingly found myself relating to him a little bit. I absolutely loved the fact that Julia included a snippet of his experience and thoughts while going through therapy. It definitely gave the effect I believe she was going for.
Sebastian is a badass. Period.
Andrea is hot as hell! I wish there was an indefinite solution to her "problem" in this story though. First world girl problems and I want answers for her! Lol I guess it just comes down to Seba's magical hands lol

Thank you for letting me ARC read 🖤

[Eve · Rating 5 out of 5]

6 STARS. ⭐️

Where do I even start?! Okay, firstly, I devoured this. I couldn’t come for air and I was in a trance the entire time.

The loss of faith / athistem / religious trauma was so well done, I started to think Julia had hidden cameras in my brain because I have never felt more seen. This was healing in so many ways for me because as someone who still struggles with religion trauma, this hit close to home but in a comforting way. No shock here, tears were shed (did you feel them Julia?) 😩 but also smiles, giggles and swooning.

This was absolute perfection in the form of a book even the mental health rep was perfectly done. These souls fount each other when they needed it the most. They’re a piece of each other’s missing puzzle. 🥹

[Devon · Rating 5 out of 5]

”Damn her. Damn him. Damn me. Damn us all.”

Listen, if Julia’s gonna write it, I’m gonna read it. It’s been such a long time since I devoured a book in two sittings (and it was only two sittings because I’m too old to pull an all-nighter anymore and I know my limits 😂). This was good. This was toxic. As someone who has been deconstructing for most of my life, the portrayal of religious trauma was raw and honest, and diabolically destructive and healing all at once. This was the kind of story that consumes and I know I’ll be thinking about Cade, Seba and Andrea for a long, long time.

“I’m here. I’m sorry it took so long. You feel like a missing puzzle piece slotted into place. Like home.”

(While this story can be read as a standalone, I HIGHLY recommend you read Ruin my Life first, not only because it’s brilliant, but to avoid spoilers regarding a few side characters.)

[Devin Isamoyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW
That was beautiful. I can say with my full chest that this is one of those books that will stick with me for a long time to come. Sebastian, Cade and Andrea were made for each other and the love they fought to hold onto was magical.
Not only was this one of the most romantic stories I’ve read in a while, but the overarching plot that continued from Ruin My Life really came to a head in this story and seeing more behind the scenes was really wild.
Oh and Seba…. IYKYK 🥵
10/10 READ THIS
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️♾️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

*ARC Review* I devoured this book! You can feel every rollercoaster of emotion in each of the characters. I felt that it was relatable as well. I also loved the format it was written in. Can’t wait for more!

[ameliabetweenrealms · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review

Oh be still my heart 🥺 I need Cade to be protected at all costs, his characters story was so heartbreakingly harrowing that all I wanted to do was reach into my kindle and give him a bear hug and tell him it’ll all be okay 🥺 I adored the way Seba was with him and just understood him, it warmed my heart 🥺

I loved Andrea in ruin my life so it was nice to properly meet her and read her story! I loved the way she loved loudly without care of what anyone thinks. 🫶🏼

Don’t get me wrong these babies are a teensy bit toxic and this book had some hard to read topics so please do check the trigger warnings but overall I loved the characters and thought they were what eachother needed 🤍

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a phenomenal book that I don’t even know where to begin. This book pulled so many emotions out of me for very personal reasons. I grew up in a heavily religious home quite like Andrea’s. I really resonated with her character the most. Julia’s writing is flawless in her ability to humanize these characters and evolve them to a controversial theme. This was beautifully written and isn’t just another MM stepbrothers romance, love triangle or why choose journey of religiously repressed characters. I feel Bound by Shame to be a heartwrenching story with a captivating plot. I couldn’t put this book down and wish that I could read it for the first time again.

We originally met Andrea in Ruin My Life. She was a really good friend to Remy and stood up for Remy and Win. She exuberated strength, femininity, and a give no fucks attitude but she also had a mysterious vibe about her. I found her character intriguing and was so ready for her book.

Andrea is the daughter of a pastor and part of a conservative middle class family in Southern Florida. She’s the good girl, the church girl and always does the right thing. She’s become jaded and stunted in her faith after watching her best friend, Remy, struggle with his mental health and Win leaving. She feels unseen by her peers and that God doesn’t hear her. She meets two stepbrothers, Sebastian & Cade, who move in next door. Sebastian and Cade are different and she develops a friendship with each of them.

Sebastian and Cade’s parents are newly married and moving in together for the first time. Sebastian’s father and Cade’s mother are dead and each of them copes with that loss differently. Sebastian holds to his faith like it's a lifeline to keep him from veering off the path. Meanwhile, Cade laughs and taunts Sebastian, his religion and anyone who has religious beliefs.

As the story unfolds, this trio faces adversity and show significant growth. Their relationship also develops into something more. There were so many parallels to southern life and conservative religious upbringing that really had me in my emotions. I found Julia’s depiction of this and the characters’ interactions as they navigated through to be profound and impactful. Bound by Shame was a refreshing take on southern gothic romance and was pure PERFECTION.

Tropes: MMF, Stepbrothers (yes, the swords ⚔️), Pastor's daughter, love triangle -> throuple, Ethel Cain vibes / southern gothic, switches/verse, Bi-awakening, YEARNING, chronic pain rep, mental illness rep, religious traûma, slow burn, "if I can't have you, no one can", fighting as 4play

[Susan (Purplegalaxyreads94) · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, I want to thank the lovely Julia McColgan for the gifted eARC of Bound By Shame to read and provide my honest, spoiler free review.

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My Thoughts:
Julia has done it again. Bound By Shame has instantly consumed my entire soul and I am so happy I had a chance to be able to review this early before it is released. The first book in this series, Ruin My Life, severely broke my heart and pieced it back together only for Bound By Shame to come along and do the same exact thing to me.

Andrea, Seb and Cade were such a relatable trio. Every single one of them was flawed in some way, shape or form but found solace and comfort in one another. Pair that with the religious trauma background and these three will just find a forever home in your heart. The attraction, the pure love between these three and the trauma bonding and healing that they all went through together was just so tragically beautiful that I found myself on edge the entire time, especially due to the religious trauma background.

Religion is one of the most powerful things in the world. It shapes people and their thoughts and beliefs on what’s considered right or unholy. While I respect religions, when it comes to love, I feel like love should be the one thing that isn’t ruled by rules of religion. That’s how these three struggled a lot in this story. The strict rules, the power of having a pastor for a father and just the way that everything was forced upon them to either repent or never be forgiven just drove a wedge between people, especially family members.

Cade was so beautiful yet broken and he truly represented trauma and healing the most. He needed a strong anchor and when Seb and Andrea became that for him, I was so happy. Seb was the classic martyr that wouldn’t let anything hurt the only two people he truly loved and cared about. Andrea suffered at the hands of her pastor father but even when she escaped him, she carried so much stress and tension that it caused her physical pain. When the three of them came together, it was like the most blissful feeling while reading. I also really loved the therapy sessions that were included as well as the use of colors being able to indicate your emotions.

Overall, this book was fantastic and I cannot wait to see what more stories Julia brings to the table.

[Claudia Simeone · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is truly an amazing book that made me feel so deeply. If you’ve read Ruin My Life then you know Julia writes such raw stories. We met Andrea- Remy’s best friend in the first book in the Mangled Masterpiece series. In Bound by Shame we learn Andrea is the pastor’s daughter, met with expectations heavily influenced by her father’s religious beliefs which she no longer shares. Across the street two step brothers move in, Cade and Seba. Cade is unapologetically himself, an atheist, and is not repressed by anyone’s expectations. An artist who is unpredictable with deep trauma, but a beautiful soul.  Cade is a temptation to Seba, who reluctantly tries to shut that part of himself down. Seba is weighed down by expectations such as religion and by the version of himself he thinks he needs to be. When these three finally give into temptation together, it’s filled with such passion but leads to tragedy and someone needs to be the martyr. 

I loved these characters so much, but if I had to pick a favorite it would probably be Seba. How he takes care of others and protects them is just so alluring. When Seba stops caring what others think and does what he wants it’s honestly so beautiful.  Our Gemini boy Cade, the trauma he goes through and the healing he does will make you fall in love with him. My heart broke more than once while reading this. Andrea is honest and raw and brings so much to the story and their relationship. She protects the people closest to her and is highly empathetic to those she cares for. Mental health and religious trauma are heavy themes throughout this book. The spice in this book is impeccably done I do not blush often but I did in a certain church scene. We also get glimpses of Remy and Win throughout this book which I loved.

I know you will love these three as much as me. They are very clearly meant to be together, and complete each other. Bound by Shame was written so well, with shorter chapters and multiple POV. This is the type of story that will consume your mind, it was written so beautifully and will make you feel so deeply. I am so honored to have read this as a street team member. Thank you so much ❤️

[Chenoa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arc Review:

♾️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Yep, so Julia has done it again.
Bound by Shame absolutely wrecked me in the best possible way.
I finished this book with happy tears in my eyes, and that feeling you get when you've just read something that's going to live in your head for a very long time.

I've been waiting for Andrea's story ever since Ruin My Life, and wow, it was worth every second of the wait. Andrea, Cade, and Seba completely stole my heart. These three have been through so much, and the way Julia wrote their pain felt so raw and real. I loved that each character had their own healing journey that they were going through and didn't just spot light one.

There were so many moments where I just wanted to reach into the pages and give them all a hug... and a few other moments where I wanted to throw hands on their behalf.
Pastor Sinclair when I get you!!
He was just the worst. I have plenty of unholy words to say to that man.

The religious trauma woven throughout this story was heartbreaking, and uncomfortable at sometimes but nonetheless powerful.
The things that Cade & Andrea went through honestly had me in tears.
Multiple times. And in some of those moments they were hitting close to home.

This story was about three people carrying years of hurt, guilt and shame while trying to figure out who they truly were outside of all that pain.
It was beautiful watching them find their way to each other and being able to heal, trust and accept themselves as they truly are.
But this wasn't all hurt! The chemistry and romance between Andrea, Cade and Seba was off the charts!!
Oh and the tension between them?
You could cut it with a knife. The slow burn had me kicking my feet and the banter was top tier between them all.
The sweet moments were heart warming. And the spice? Damn it was HOT. The three of them were perfect for eachother. I love them all so so much.

Also getting to see little glimpses of win and Remy was such a nice little bonus too.

I can easily say this is going into my top reads of 2026!! 🤍🤍🥹

[Candice Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arc Review
Bound in Shame- Julia E. McColgan
Release date July 7th 2026

This book does not shy away from religious trauma, deconstructing religious beliefs and mental health. It is HEAVY on the hurt in the hurt/comfort trope. If you are sensitive to triggers make sure you read the warnings for this!
From the first page you are held captive and rooting for our MMCs and FMC. The dynamic of their relationship is interesting to me. In most MMF books I have read the woman in this case Andrea helps bridge the relationship for our MMC here being Sebastian and Cade. However what Julia does is have Cade be the bind that brings them all together. Whether intentional or not it really works here. This is not to say that Andrea doesn’t hold an important place role in their throuple but rather the strongest of pairings is Cade and Seba.
Andrea, the pastors daughter that starts doubting her faith in large part because of what is happening in her best friend Remys life (if you haven’t read Ruin my Life, I highly recommended as this book does run on an overlapping time line). Seba a devote, finds himself with a new step brother who gets under his skin and has him questioning his faith and his sanity at times. Cade sweet Cade, he is an atheist that has some very deep rooted trauma and mental health issues, just wants to ok.
The three of them fit together so perfectly and even with time passing while they find themselves and heal the love these 3 have for each other never fades. Not to mention the spice is spicing and the tender moments are heart melting.
I don’t want to give anything away as this book would best be read blind (just know there is a HEA but they have to fight for it and each other).
This book is so well written, it’s brutal, real, and there are moments of real sweetness in its pages. These characters and their fight will stay with you long after you are finished with the epilogue.

[Brittany Torres · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a freaking journey. I will admit this took my longer to read just to process my own unresolved issues with the church and religion as a whole.

That being said if religion is a trigger for you this might be one you want to skip however I love books that explore relgious trauma and I ate this one up.

If you didn’t know this is a garden of eden retelling and this did not disappoint. I fell in love with these characters so hard. You meet them as teenagers when they first start to question everything from their sexuality to what they believe in. Struggling to make sense if something is deemed a sin or its wrong why it feels so right for them.

Cade is chaos and an unhinged ray of sunshine who can see into Seba and Andrea’s souls like his own. He has mountains of trauma but he’s bonded to these two like they are the missing pieces to his puzzle. He’s quick witted and so funny and honestly the perfect person to free Seba and Andrea from what they think they need tk be.

I think I related most to Seba. He’s shy and quiet but drawn to two people who embody the chaos of his own emotions. The way he struggles with what he was taught to what he actually knew to be true hit so close to home especially growing uo in the church.

And finally Andrea. The girl who saw the corruption first hand who embodies all the rage and recklessness you expect her to but who also loves those around her so fiercely. I adored her.

This was everything I needed it to be and so much more. Be prepared to cry and maybe feel seen in your own religious trauma because I know I did.

What you can expect:

🖤Forbidden (step siblings/ pastors daughter)
🍊 Remy and Win cameos
🖤Mental Health Rep (DID, depression, anxiety)
🍊Chronic Pain Rep
🖤Garden of Eden Retelling
🍊Friends to Lovers to Strangers to Lovers
🖤Second Chance
🍊MMF (MM, MF, MMF scenes)
🖤Grief
🍊Trauma

[Jodi Veronica · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW
Bound By Shame by Julia E McColgan
Series: Mangled Masterpieces
5⭐️
Pages: 431

* Religious Themes & Trauma
* Why Choose / MMF
* Step Brothers
* Pastors Daughter / Artist / Jock
* Bi- Awakening
* Mental Health Rep / DID
* Chronic Pain Rep
* Yearning
* Slow burn
* Found Family
* Hurt / Comfort

I cried 50% in. Unheard of.
I think it says a lot about this book that I had been looking forward to it and hyping it up in my head for 6 months and it was still even better than what I expected.


I was hooked on every word.
There’s so much I want to say but I really don’t want to ruin it.

So I will say this, the descriptions and storytelling of certain things were impeccable and original, I’ve never read interpretation like that.
This (and Ruin My Life) are two books I will push on people to read forever.

JUST READ THE BOOK! LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO NOT EXPERIENCE THIS!!

Cade 🖤
You stole my heart from the beginning! Forever unapologetically yourself, standing up for what you believe in, sarcastic and fearless!
Then we discovered more of you.. you are perfect and lovable and worthy 🖤

Andrea🖤
My girl!!! My fierce, loyal, loving girl 🖤 You might have lost your faith but you gained so much more! Finding love in two unlikely individuals was not on the agenda but neither was sitting back and accepting life as dictated by your father. You are the strong woman with a soft heart we all want to be!

Seba🖤
Oh Seba… you really went through it with your faith and finding your own meaning of faith, right and wrong. You were pulled in so many different directions, and did it all out of love. A fierce protector who always wants to do the right thing. The man we all wish we had in our lives 🖤

I think Julia is an incredibly talented writer and storyteller and Ruin My Life and Bound By Shame are some of my favourite books I’ve ever read.

Ps I remember how much I hate Grant, Jessica and Marcus.


______________________________________
🩷 My inbox is always open
💚Always check the trigger warnings!
🖤Hobby reviewer only. All reviews are directly impacted by my own life experiences, likes and dislikes. 80% vibes.

[Chrissy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful. Just stunningly beautiful. I fell in love with Win and Remy last year in Ruin my Life and this year Cade, Seba and Andrea have ruined me...in the best possible way.
A story about stepbrothers who discover each other in a heavily clocked religious town and the Preachers daughter, Andrea next door, who's trapped by a tyrannical father and a God she struggles to continue to believe in. Seba has always had his faith but it's tested by what he deems impure thoughts...about his stepbrother Cade. It's a want that he knows would never be allowed but even God can't see in the dark...
Andrea becomes a fixation of Seba's ever since he saw her looking out of her window on that heat maddening day...and he hasn't been able to think much of anything else since....except Cade, in the next room over, a tortured soul, whose art and chaos is what he knows and his need for Seba and Andrea is what he craves.
Andrea is a girl who comes into her own, and I love her for that.
Seba is my strong, gentle giant. A heart of gold and a love that encompasses everything.
And Cade? My little star. I saw parts of me in Cade. The dark parts. The funny parts. The laughter to cover the pain. And he is written with care, love and delicate precision in a world where mental health is still questioned.
This book is a joining of three teenagers, discovering who they are. With or without the the confines of a world where they're told religion is a certain way. Dominant. To be feared. And to not be who you truly are. It's about three teenagers discovering how to break the ties that bind and know that family and love isn't only found in blood.

Read this book. It truly is wonderful.

[pleasuremyshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

.
when Julia dropped the first snippet of Mangled Masterpiece i knew i this book shattered me, i knew i loved andrea, sebastian and cade with all my heart and soul like i loved win and remy. but hey i was broke when i read Ruin my life but Julia was like : oh you thought you were broke ? hold my fucking beer and my pop corn honey i have something to write. and she wrote Bound by shame …
.
first of all Julia, thank you for the arc because it became one of my favorite book ever, became one of my top three of this year, and i met one of my favorite character ever Cade Warren. second of all Julia : i have nothing to say, besides this book was perfect in every aspect, seba was fighting with himself, with his attraction for his stepbrother ; thinking it was wrong because he’s a man and he’s devoted to God. and you have andrea, who’s fighting everyday of her life finding herself to survive in this life she didn’t choose, she just want to live her life. and cade, oh my baby cade i feel like a mother hen to him, he needs protection at all costs, seeing the world differently, he’s so pure and the world is so bad towards him.
.
when their three worlds collides it’s a beautiful explosion, it’s painful, and oh did i scream at julia for what she did to them. this book is purely emotional, a rollercoaster, one second you’re reading the most beautiful scene of 3some, or MM, or MF and the the next page you have this need to throw yourself out in the window. but fortunately they got their HEA, it’s slow, with all the angst and yearning i love.
.
#boundbyshame #bookish #book #books #bookworm

[Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Review of Advanced Copy*

Well well well, Julia. You have gone and done it again! While Remy and Win will ALWAYS be my #1, these 3 chaotic messes will be a close 2nd. I hate religion. Like despise it. So when I was at 20% I was ready to throw the book. It pissed me off. I pushed through and carried on and was NOT disappointed. I will be the first to admit that slippin an F into the mix with my MM romances is not usually how I roll (usually find the F to be annoying and in the way), BUT it was not the case with these beauties.These 3 needed each other. In all ways. I did find the connection between Seba and Cade to be a little stronger for obvious reasons (I love them so much), however, the love was equal between all three. I gave this 5 stars easily. BUT I would have loved to have seen MORE character & relationship development. I know I know. A book can only be so long and it really is selfish of me to want so much more. But I won't apologize for loving the way an author writes. If this was an 800 page book, I would have still eaten it up like candy but it would have taken me 2 days instead of 1. The spice was top tier and of course, I just wanted more. Maybe a bit more settling in the afterglow?? I found this with Remy and Win as well. I wanted to see them have more time after all the sexy stuff (depending on the situation of course).
I loved this book and Julia will always be one of my faves! Ya'll need to read this book!!

[Nany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bound by Shame was an incredible read from start to finish.

Julia created a story that felt emotional, heartfelt, and impossible to put down. While the book tackles heavier topics such as religious trauma, mental health, and self-discovery, it never felt overwhelming. Instead, it felt like a story about healing, acceptance, and finding the people who make life a little easier to carry.

Andrea, Cade, and Seba completely won me over. Andrea was strong, determined, and impossible not to root for. Cade absolutely stole my heart, and all I wanted was to wrap him in a blanket and protect him. And Seba? He grew on me more and more with every chapter until I couldn’t imagine this story without him.

What I loved most was watching these three fall in love. Their relationship developed so naturally, and I loved seeing each bond grow throughout the story.

The chemistry between them was incredible, the emotional moments hit exactly when they needed to, and the spice? Let’s just say Julia definitely knew what she was doing. 🫠🔥

This was a beautiful MMF romance filled with healing, growth, found family, and characters who felt real. By the end, I wasn’t just invested in the romance—I was invested in them.

A story full of heart, hope, and love in all its forms. ❤️‍🩹


ARC Review

[Anatasia McCoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got the honor to read this as an arc. This review and these thoughts are my own.
Buckle tf up.
When I first met Andrea in Ruin my life. I knew she was going to be a favorite. Shes funny, sassy and fiercely protective of those she loves. But her backstory is painful.
Truthfully I don't believe her dad got the justice he deserves for all the shit he put her through growing up. My heart broke for her and her sisters reality. They deserved so much more.
And my poor baby cade. I wanted to chuck my kindle several times with his pov. Hes so far from unlovable it's not funny. Hes unique in a very special way. And I hated how much people around him tried to put that out. He deserves to take up so much space.
And Seba? My poor Seba. The war he fought within himself between what he was taught and how he feels tore me to shreds. He had me screaming me at my kindle. To ask the hard questions. To let go. To question what he knew and what he had been told. He is probably the most infuriating one in this entire book.
All of them earned the hea they got. And then some. I could ramble forever about these three. And this series.
Please read your trigger warnings. This is not a light fluffy read. Shes heavy. And deals with heavy topics that wont be for everyone. Proceed with caution.

[Chrissy_reads2727 · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️

MMF Why Choose Romance, second book in the Mangled Masterpieces Series. A devastatingly beautiful and spicy retelling of the Garden of Eden.

Julia knows how to make it hurt but in a way that has you begging for more, this book is no different 😩

Seba (Sebastian), Cade, and Andrea's worlds collide when Seba's mom marries Cade's dad, making them reluctant step-brothers. Seba is obedient and religious, Cade chaotic and reckless. Andrea is the pastors daughter next door. What could possibly go wrong? 😈

All three of them harboring pain, trauma, and internal battles. If only finding solace in each other wasn't a sin.

Cade is temptation in a bottle. Seba tries to resist but when that church boys walls finally come down, an absolute animal lives underneath. Andrea fits in perfectly with her fiery attitude and whole-hearted acceptance of their dynamics.

Unfortunately they can't outrun their demons and someone has to repent for their sins. This book is tragic and devastating but that makes the healing that much more beautiful and potent. It's also effortlessly hilarious and hot af. It checks all my boxes, but it's Julia, I knew she'd deliver exactly what I needed.

[Emily Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review

This was such a captivating read. Everything from the religious trauma to the complex and toxic relationship dynamics. And it was spiccccyyyyyy!

Seba moves in with his new stepdad and stepbrother, Cade, who he is instantly intrigued by. They are polar opposites. Seba is a religious man who is trying to find all of his answers in a higher power, whereas Cade is a free-spirited atheist with a baggage of religious trauma. Seba is already fighting demons in his mind regarding his sexuality and Cade isn’t making it easy for him. Then we throw in Andrea, the girl across the street who also happens to be the Pastor’s daughter.

Everything about their relationship was so heart wrenching. The way they all loved and wanted each other but had so many things fighting against them. Cade’s trauma and mental health, Andrea’s religious trauma from living with her dad, and Seba fighting an internal battle between what he wants and what he thinks he can’t have. The way they all healed each other and held each other up was so beautiful.

Annnnd I’ll never complain about getting a few doses of Remy and Win!

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG THIS BOOK!!!
I have been dying for Andrea's story since Ruin My Life. And this book and Andrea, Cade and Seba, they will live in my heart forever. The amount of trauma these three experienced was so gut wrenching and raw, I felt their hurt and the anger I had on their behalf well to say they were put through emotional turmoil is an understatement.
What I love about Julia's writing is her set up, each character had their own story, their own pain and their own path of self discovery. The religious trauma is not for the fair of heart and at times unimaginable for me - it was Andrea's story that broke my heart the most, her father - ugh I can't even with that man.
And the love between these three was spicy, sweet and pure perfection - their chemistry was so well written (as was their snarky banter), loved every single second of this slow burning love they had for each other. It was also nice to have a glimpse of Remy & Win. Adding this book to my best of 2026, I highly recommend this book, definitely grab your tissues!! You will need it.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

LOVED these characters. I was so iffy on Seba for so long and then he ended up being my favorite. Love Cade. Love Andrea. Love how the timeline overlaps with Ruin My Life so we can once again see how out of it Remy is that he had no idea what was going on with his best friend. Loved the forgiveness between all of them and how Andrea and Cade had different journeys to forgiving Seba. It was all just really, really beautiful and painful and great. I'm giving this a reluctant 4 stars because I didn't feel like the relationship was as balanced as it could have been. I mean, we're meant to believe it is, but I just didn't feel the connection between Seba and Andrea and between Cade and Andrea like I did between Seba and Cade. She often felt a little bit like a 3rd wheel. I did LOVE when Cade called her out on implying he had to choose. Let's be real though, he would've chosen Seba... and that's the issue. Still a very good story with the sweetest HEA.

[Maricruz Nunez · Rating 4 out of 5]

The characters and story instantly captivated me. From the religious trauma to the complex relationship dynamics, I was hooked from the very beginning. Seba and Cade couldn't be more different. Seba is deeply religious and always strives to do what's right, while Cade completely stole my heart. The trauma he endured and continued to live with had me wanting to protect him at all costs. Andrea, the pastor's daughter and the girl next door, was also carrying her own burdens. Even after gaining her freedom, the trauma and stress she experienced continued to affect her physically. The chemistry between the three of them was undeniable from the start, and watching their connection slowly deepen pulled me in even more. When they finally gave in to their feelings, the twist after that broke me. Their story was a beautiful journey of love, healing, and unwavering protection. Watching them accept each other completely and become one another's safe place was incredibly moving. Seba's character growth especially left me in awe. Seeing him embrace who he truly was and wholeheartedly love both Cade and Andrea made this story all the more unforgettable.

[Christa Strange · Rating 5 out of 5]

BBS is heavy and impactful in a deeply dark way. However, within the depths of the raw, jagged bits, the storyline weaved together the beauty of found family, and discovering faith in ways that can only come with the deconstruction of what's already been ingrained in you. After reading "Ruin My Life" I thought I was prepared going into BBS....
NOPE! It was devastating in its own way. I did like the dynamics of the MMF relationship but at times felt like it could've solely been an MM romance as it seemed the spotlight was more so on them. While at times I did miss the dual timeline that we got from RML, by the end the storyline and character arcs blossomed well. Having religious trauma myself, I can say this book dug deep into what I believed to already be healed. As always, trigger warnings should be considered and be sure to always take care of yourself.