Fragments of Ash

by Katy Regnery

"Braveheart is Katy at her storytelling best and I could not put it down!" --Mia Sheridan, New York Times Bestselling Author

From New York Times bestselling author Katy Regnery comes a dark and twisted tale of an innocent caught in a madman’s evil plans.

My name is Ashley Ellis…

I was thirteen years old when my mother – retired supermodel, Tig – married Mosier Răumann, who was twice her age and the head of the Răumann crime family.

When I turned eighteen, my mother mysteriously died. Only then did I discover the dark plans my stepfather had in store for me all along; the debauched “work” he expected me to do.

With the help of my godfather, Gus, I have escaped from Mosier’s clutches, but his twin sons and henchmen have been tasked with hunting me down. And they will stop at nothing to return my virgin body to their father

…dead or alive.

** Contemporary Romance. Due to profanity and very strong sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.** Formerly published as Fragments of Ash.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Dark, New Adult, Retellings, Abuse

300 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2018

About the author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Katy Regnery has a heart for smart romance featuring strong women and decent men. Almost exclusively self-published, Katy claims authorship of over 60 titles, including three RITA® finalists. Translated into French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, and Turkish, Katy has sold over 1.8 million books worldwide.

Reviews

[The Sassy Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

 

~WRITING - PLOT - PACE~
I haven't read anything by this author in a long while, but I was super intrigued by the unconventional Cinderella retelling (evil step-father, step-brothers, fabulous and gay fairy godfather) plot. So when the author approached me, I said; "send it my way tout suite!" (lol). I LOVED it. Seriously L-O-V-E-D it! From beginning to end it was total perfection. The writing was excellent. It is told in a dual POV format. We also get a bit of insight into TIG (the heroine's mother) through her diary entries. The pace was impeccable. The plot was engaging, and more importantly...UNIQUE. Last, it was all wrapped up in a very sweet ending. I MAYBE would have liked a further into the future epilogue for this couple, but I ain't going to complain too much. ;D


~HERO~
JULIAN...Julian was such an ASS to Ashley when they first meet. I wanted her to give him a giant kick in the nuts. That said, he does get his head out of his ass fairly quickly, and from then on he is an amazing hero. He was sweet. He was protective. He was caring. I adored him.


~HEROINE~
ASHLEY...I adored Ashley just as much as I did Jules (although there were a couple of times were her naivety was maybe a bit hard to believe). However, given her upbringing and the circumstances of her schooling for the past five years, I cut her some slack.  Her character was just so sweet and heartbreaking. She had a huge heart for sure, and I couldn't help but root for her to get a happily ever after.


 


~SECONDARY CHARACTERS~
There wasn't a ton of secondary characters in this book, but the ones we got were amazing. I loved Gus. I loved his relationship with Ash. I loved Julian's sister. I loved Jock, Gus's partner. I even may have shed a tear or two for Anders. That said, I never warmed up to Tig. I felt bad for her at times, but I thought she was a crap mother and a shitty human being.


~HEAT LEVEL~
LOW...this was a seriously S-L-O-W burn romance, and you know what? I hate slow burn romances, but this is the second book I have read recently that had a super slow pace to the romance, and both times I haven't been bothered by it. Color me surprised, but again, it just worked in the context of the story. On top of that, the story was just so engaging it kept me interested even without there being a ton of sex.


~ANGST LEVEL - SEXUAL HISTORIES~
LOW...this wasn't a very angsty read at all. I would say it was fairly insta in fact. Although, like I mentioned the hero was an ass for a brief bit when they first meet. But there really isn't any pushing away or anything like that. The heroine is a virgin. Not a fan of virgins usually, but again, in this instance given her age (just turned 18) and her reality for the past five years, it was a totally believable scenario. The hero was 24 (not a virgin), but also not a manwhore. It had been weeks since he had slept with anyone, and there was no OW or OM drama.


~IN THE END~
Did I enjoy it? SOOOO very much YES!   
Was it perfect? It was for me. 
Would I recommend it? YES! YES! YES! 
Who would enjoy this book? Pretty much everyone.

 
 

[Patty ~ Wrapped Up In Reading Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

*****4.5 STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}


We are living in a fairytale world, my love and me. But the day will come when, like a fragile piece of glass dropped to the ground, our world will shatter around us. Until then, we steal our piece of heaven, quietly hoping that the strength of our growing love can trounce the hounds of hell, knowing all the while it can’t. Nothing can hold back what is coming.






Katy Regnery’s ”Modern Fairytale” series is what brought this brilliant author’s works into my life. I have loved every installment that I’ve read so far. These are not ”hearts and flowers” romances. They’re dark and sometimes almost impossibly bleak. Her characters are flawed, but there is deep beauty in their brokenness. They suffer through great adversity but in the end, they are rewarded with a once in a lifetime unconditional love that sets them free from their painful pasts. FRAGMENTS OF ASH is Katy’s haunting twist on the beloved childhood fairytale, ”Cinderella”.






There isn’t a fairy godmother with a magic wand, glass slippers, or a royal prince charming in Ashley’s life that will come to save her, but she does have a loving godfather, who was her mother’s gay best friend, and a beautiful but sullen ex-secret service agent turned glassblower that will fight to the bitter end to protect her.






The story starts with Ashley facing a very dire and grim future. Her mother has just passed away and it’s on the day of the reading of her will that her stepfather makes his vile plans of debauchery for her known. In her eighteen years of life, Ashley has only felt love and a brief stint of happiness when she lived with her godfather, Gus, for a few weeks while her mother was in rehab. But for most of her life, she’s gotten used to being treated as a burden and a symbol of her family’s greatest shame. Ash knows her situation is grave and she manages to escape to Gus who has just the place to hide her while they try to figure out how to handle her stepfather. It is at this beautiful cottage in the country that she will meet her Prince Charming, Julian.





Julian is anything but hospitable in the beginning. Having been burned in the past, he’s not quick to trust any woman. But as time passes the two find that it is quite impossible to fight the feelings growing between them. The slow burn to the overwhelming passion they share was almost too much to endure! These two are on borrowed time. Will Julian be able to protect Ash from the evil that intends to own her body and soul?







This story had me on the edge of my seat. I couldn’t put it down nor could I stop feeling deep anxiety, wondering how Ash was ever going to be able to live her life happily without always having to look over her shoulder for impending danger. I truly love Katy Regnery’s dark romances and I think she’s amazing for donating a part of her profits to good causes. 5% of the gross profits from the ebook and paperback sales of this title from now and throughout October, will be donated to the “Women’s Center of Greater Danbury”, helping women and children of that area who are seeking refuge from abusive circumstances.




Here are my overall ratings:

Hero: 5
Heroine: 4.5
Plot: 4.5
Angst: 4
Steam: 4
Chemistry Between Hero & Heroine: 5




FRAGMENTS OF ASH releases on October 1st! Pre-Order it now for $2.99!

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[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars!!

We are living in a fairytale world, my love and me.

I love modern fairy-tale retellings. Fragments of Ash was inspired by Cinderella, but a little darker and with a few twists! Ash is very clearly our Cinderella, but the evil step-mother comes in the form of a very evil and disgusting evil step-father. And of course, the fairy god-mother is the all too fabulous fairy god-father, Gus. I loved this little spin on the story!

Ashley Ellis's life may seem glamorous to some. Her mother was a super model and she grew up in LA. It was anything but that. She loved her mom, but they had their issues. Then her mom married an awful man when Ash was 13. Her life changed even more after that. Shortly after Ash's 18th birthday, her mom dies. It's sudden and unexpected and Ash doesn't believe the story her step-father is spinning. All she knows is she has to get away from him before he puts his vile plans for her in place.

Ash could never escape on her own, but thankfully she has her god-father, Gus to help her out. I adored Gus and his relationship with Ash. He was wonderful. Ash ends up hiding with a friend of Gus's partner, Julian. Julian is an artist and seems a little stand-offish and broody at first, but once you get to know him, you see why. He and Ash keep their distance at first (more his doing) but with time, her sweetness wears him down.

Julian and Ashley broke through each others barriers and really got to know one another and started to fall for one another. Ash is not experienced at all when it comes to men, but Julian was patient and sweet with her. It was nice to get these moments between them when everything crazy was happening. I'd like to say it was easy for them, but with the evil step-father threatening to surface at any moment, things were complicated.

I loved both Ash and Julian. I loved their slow burn romance and the purity of their relationship, even though there was so much on the outside that could have tarnished it. This story had a sweet romance, but it was also twisty, angsty, a bit dark, and kept you on the edge of your seat. Katy Regnery did a fantastic job writing it and I'm looking forward to getting to more of her fairytale retellings. I've loved the ones I've read so far!

[Dana Ilie · Rating 5 out of 5]

First: I have to tell you this: I almost lost my shit when I read the message from Katy, in which she offered me this ARC. But because I'm a lady I kept my cool... Thank Lord I did not embarrass my self by saying something stupid.
Second: I don't have any issue with the fact that the bad guy is Romanian.
I love the characters, the story and the plot. This chick (Katy Regnery) can write a story that remains with you over the years.
Ash is a strong girl, becoming a even stronger woman, she did not let life and the evil people from her life beat her down. She concentrated on the good people, and instead of being a pity party, she give strenght to others. Julian is the perfect man, beautiful and strong with a big heart.
If you want a very well written story with suspense, intrigue, slow burn love, and a happy ending, don't hesitate to pick any book by Regnery. She will not let you down.

Thank you Katy for your trust in me to do justice to your work, I'm honored that you pick me, and any time you need a honest opinion, I'm here, next to you in Romania.

Now I can faint from the excitement!!!

[Wendy'sThoughts · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 No Need for a Glass Slipper Stars
* * * * * Spoiler Free
If you are hoping for a cutesy version of Cinderella with a contemporary twist, this is is not that story. There is no big ball or glass slipper to try on...Instead we are given a story with a level of depth that will grab you from the very first page and not let go till the last. This story takes all of the elements of the traditional fairytale and flips it, twists it, and creates something dark, horrific yet shining in goodness, strength, and love.

Think how devastating it would be at 15, pregnant, and from a very conservative family. Your parents turn their backs and you have to figure out to handle it all. Instead of taking ownership of the baby, it is decided this baby will be presented to the world as your sister. Yet, the parents are no real support and hold the sins of the mother against the innocent child.

The mother was discovered for the distinct beauty she was...blazing blue eyes, natural platinum blond hair, porcelain skin, and an amazing long-legged body. She was a human wonder... a woman-child who the camera loved and she loved it back. It was a time of supermodels and major indulgence. The phrase sex, drugs, and rock n roll had nothing on the fashion industry at the height of her reign.

Tig was this woman who never had the unconditional love they are supposed to have from their parents. This absence and then the turning their back on her, caused her to have moments of resentment of her daughter and gravitate to those who acted as if they cared. Little did she realize it was all part of the fashion game...and then when she had been sucked into the fast life of coke, booze, and nameless sex ... she was in too deep.

Tig did have one person who tried to steer her right, Gus, her make-up/hair person. He was there to pick up the pieces and did over and over again. Tig trusted him so much, she named him Ashley's Godfather and when things became so out of hand and a trip to rehab was necessary, Gus was the one to look after Ashley.

Ashley was this mini-me of Tig in looks. Her face was unforgettable and sweet. She was like a young colt growing up with long legs, arms, hair, and big blue eyes. She was a child of the sun, loving swimming, nature, and everything around her. She had an old soul, though. Living with a mother in chaos, a role deemed as Sister instead of Daughter would do that to a young girl. Ashley saw much too much of how her mother would lose herself in men and drugs. She learned at a very young age to adapt...how to become invisible and not get in the way. How to take care of a hungover mother.

When Tig finds herself out of money, out of answers, and no idea of how to make do, she receives an offer too good to be true. A man is interested in her, a very wealthy older man wants to marry her and seal the deal with a signing bonus and a new fancy life. Tig saw it as a way to take care of the ugly reality of where she and her thirteen-year-old daughter were...So Done Deal.

This done deal turned out to be something very different then what Tig thought she and her daughter were promised. The sweet respectful older man who promised the world delivered hell on earth. Tig had a rude awakening of the level of terror she was now experiencing and was thankful when this monster decided to send Ashley to a formal, conservative Catholic boarding school.

This school became the home and normalcy Ashley craved. For five years she was sheltered from much of the worldly things most take for granted. No cell phones, no unlimited internet use, no television watching, and limited visits home. Sex education was only to explain everything was sinful unless it was within marriage. Ashley loved learning and felt at home there.

Ashley did see her mother on visits. She was uncomfortable around her stepfather and his twin sons. The only thing that was good during her last trip was that her mother was still religiously clean and sober. Then she is notified her mother is dead from a drug overdose. Nothing makes sense. She is now in the clutches of this evil stepfather and she needs to figure out a way to getaway.


Julian is a man who has run from everything he knows. He had pain early when his mother left his father, sister, and him. His father was an amazing artisan whose glassblowing was renowned all over the world. The father would take time to show Julian how to work with the glass and these times together meant the world to him. Julian was close to his sister and when the father died, Julian stepped up, put his own plans aside, and provided her with the security she needed. Once the sister was off to college, Julian pursued his career dream; to be a Secret Service Agent. He went through all of the training, was on the fast track to make his mark, and then a woman caused it all to disappear. Hence his hiding out in Vermont in Gus' wooded country home.

Ashley and Julian end up under the same roof when Gus is able to hide Ashley away from the heinous stepfather. This was not what Julian had planned or wanted. One look at eighteen-year-old Ashley with all her goodness, innocence, and raw unassuming beauty hits Julian hard. He has learned to trust no woman except his sister. Why is this person here...His life is about to become mental chaos.

This story had all the pacing to have you on the edge of your seat. You anticipate the fear... you anticipate the developing relationship between Ashley and Julian. You find yourself learning bit by bit about how all of this came to be and having retching feelings for the mother's mistakes.

And then we have Julian and Ashley together. He is her protector and finds his truth through her. She grows, stands strong, and becomes who she needs to be. We also are given excellent secondary characters, fully formed, and full of life.

I started this as soon as I was lucky enough to receive it and didn't stop reading until I was done. It Was That Good.

The Vixen and the Vet (A Modern Fairytale Book #1)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Never Let You Go (A Modern Fairytale Book #2)
Ginger's Heart (A Modern Fairytale Book #3)
Dark Sexy Knight (A Modern Fairytale Book #4)
Don't Speak (A Modern Fairytale Book #5)
Shear Heaven (A Modern Fairytale Book #6)
Fragments of Ash (A Modern Fairytale Book #7)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Swan Song (A Modern Fairytale Book #8)
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~~~~~ Before Reading ~~~~~
We all know the Disney Version of Cinderella...
Well, Hold on...
Because Katy Regnery has taken that Tale...
And Turned it on its Ear...

Wicked StepMother, Ha!
Think Evil Crime Boss...
Crappy Stepsisters, nothing to be concern about...
Think Twin Sons talented in Killing...

But Our Gal does have a Godfather looking out for her...
He has Two Snaps to make it all happen...
So she is able to find her Protector...

Making sure she doesn't become just...

Fragments of Ash (A Modern Fairytale #7)- October 1st 2018

A gifted copy was provided by author/publisher for an honest review.

For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways

[DJ Sakata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Favorite Quotes:

I place a premium on being heard, since so few people in my life have cared to listen.

That boy gives you tingles in the tinderbox? Well, hell. Let him strike a match already.

My Review:

A clever title for Ashley’s tragic and angsty tale of woe, one she later learned that had actually been far worse for her deceased mother. In a creative flip from Cinderella, Ashley had a vicious and malevolent stepfather and twin stepbrothers. She fled to her only source of support and found herself in hiding with a sumptuous yet cranky and disgraced ex-Secret Service Agent. I enjoyed this engaging fairytale retelling, which was laced with elements of suspense, a coming of age and slow burn romance, loads of family drama, and a delightful bit of steam near the end. The characters were intriguing, the premise was entertaining, and the writing was emotive, heart-squeezing, and well paced.

[Natalie ~ The Biblioholic · Rating 4 out of 5]

We are living in a fairytale world, my love and me.

Fragments of Ash was a story so different from anything else I've ever read!! It was a little bit dark and gritty while retaining its sweetness and swoon-worthy romance. It reaffirmed my belief in hard-fought happy endings.

Ashley's whole life was flawed. She never had a 'normal' upbringing, she's recently discovered what her new 'normal' will be if she stays with her stepfather, and now she's on the run hoping to one day create her very own version of 'normal'. My heart broke for this young girl. Her sister/mother had just died and she had virtually no one to turn to except for her godfather as her real family were either dead or had abandoned her. Once she learned of her stepfather's true intentions, she runs to the only person she can trust.

Julian is ex-Secret Service who left a blossoming career under a cloud of embarrassment. He's living a life of isolation, forging glass perfection, taking care of his sister, and NOT getting intimately involved with women ever again. But then Ashley drops into his self-imposed exile and her appearance is surrounded by mystery. He doesn't immediately trust her and treats her rather callously. Thankfully his cold reception doesn't last long as he's not able to resist Ashley's charms and he joins the team in keeping her safe.

I'll admit that I found it hard to find the similarities between this story and Cinderella. Aside from the wicked stepfather, one evil stepbrother, a stepbrother who had a heart, and a hero that created beautiful glass sculptures, there wasn't much else to compare. So I'll tell you that this story is very loosely based on the beloved classic and I absolutely loved what Regnery did with it. She created a protective and caring 'Prince Charming' in Julian and a heroine that everyone will hope escapes the bad guys. If you're looking for a story that is well-written and full of suspense and romance, then look no further than Julian and Ashley's journey to their happily ever after.

Release: 10.01.2018
Genre: Fairytale Retelling - Cinderella
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat: 3
Standalone - A Modern Fairytale #7

☆.｡.:* ARC provided for an honest review .｡.:*☆

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[⊱✿⊰ Alicia ⊱✿⊰ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Cenusă Stars

Okay, so a modern-day take on a fairy tale is not my type of read at all, or so I thought. This story ended up being nothing like I thought it would be and I LOVED it!!

So even though it's not my usual read I went in with an open mind and the story sucked me right in. Although I got a little annoyed with Ashley's ignorance at times it seemed to make me more interested in the story.

Ashley has had a rough life, growing up in the shadow of her ex super model, addict mother who everyone thought was her sister. Life was only going to get worse when her mum Tig meets and marries a much older Romanian man named Mosier, who was cold, calculating and controlling. Under Mosier's control Tig gets sober, so when she is found dead from an overdose it doesn't make sense to Ashley. What Ashley doesn't know is just how bad her life is going to go now that Tig is gone.



I loved reading Tig's diary entries, it bought so much more depth to the story. It also made for a tragic love story within this sweet one.

Everybody should have a 'fairy' godfather like Gus-Gus to call on. You can tell that man loves Ash like a daughter. When Gus helps Ash hide, I'm thinking he knew what he was doing and what would or could happen between Ash and Julian.



Julian was a total sweetheart, even when he was trying to be angry or mean you could see his sweet side. Not really my type of hero but he made the perfect prince for Ashley. I liked that he was a glass artist and the way that ties to Cinderella, my favourite part was always when the slipper fit perfectly.



Fragments of Ash was a fantastically written unique story with elements of suspense, romance and a touch of dark.

[Pavlina Read more sleep less blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 STARS

Such a beautiful,sweet and heartwarming story.I’m a big fan of fairy tale retellings and when I start reading Fragments of Ash I was hooked.

The story of Ash and Julian is unique and original.Their story gave me all the feels.They were intense and I loved the build up between them.

"sometimes love isn’t in the words we say, but in how we give and what we sacrifice, and in the hundreds of quiet, unsung actions we make on behalf of someone else, someone we care about more than ourselves. "



 

  

[Dawn Nicole Costiera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fragments of Ash by Katy Regenery is a part of her modern day fairytale series. All of which are on the darker side but all end in a happily ever after. It's loosely based off off the classic Cinderella. In Katy's version, our Cinderella is Ashley. She's a lonely young lady who was always made to feel unloved and unwanted. She's had an extremely sad life and after her super model mother passed away it only got worse. She quickly learned that her deranged criminal of a stepfather had plans for her. His plans made my stomach sick. I hated this man and his twin sons! Poor Ashley, she is so lost. With no where to turn, she goes to the only person she can trust, her wonderfully gay fairy godfather Gus and his boyfriend Jock.... The come up with a plan to save her!! I LOVED Gus and Jock. They brought the fun and love to this book. Ashley's mother Tig was heard through her journal... She brought realness and grit to the story. My heart hurt for her too.

Our Prince Charming Julian is far from a prince! He is a reclusive and brash glass blower, who is living in a house that Jock owns in the woods of Vermont. Julian has had his share of life altering drama in his past. All of which has made him build a wall around his heart. He rather live off the beaten path then deal with people. He is just as lost as Ashley. So, when Gus brings Ashely to his doorstep, Julian is far from charming. He's down right mean. He wants no part of her, but as Ashley's sweetness starts to win him over, we see a different side of this man. Ashley and Julian's relationship was a slow build and I just needed a bit more from both of them. However, I did love how they were with each other. Julian was protective and patient with Ashley. While she was understanding and genuine with him. Two people who desperately needed one another.... While they were discovering each other, there was a always foreshadowing danger in the background. Can Julian and Gus keep Ashley safe? Can Ashley & Julian overcome their obstacles? Be honest with their secrets? All questions were answered just a bit too quick for me. I wanted more....

Fragments of Ash was another unique and entertaining read from Katy Regnery. It wasn't my favorite in her series, but it did keep me turing the pages and intrested.

[Pam Godwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS is why I read romance.
A gripping, gritty, unforgettable fairy tale that sets the senses on fire and burns its way into the heart.
Magically written and beautifully realistic. I highly recommend. 5 stars!

[Bookgasms Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Katy Regnery's fairytales are some of my favorite books ever written. Even so, I forget sometimes how hard they can punch, how much they toy with my heart, and how utterly captivating they are.

This cleverly nuanced re-telling of Cinderella is a fair bit darker than both the original, and most other books by Ms. Regnery. It builds slowly and there are threads of gritty suspense and a sort of emotional desperation running through the story. It's smartly layered - both in character development and in plot. And when the romance starts to develop, it is everything.

GAH. So so good! So deliciously romantic. So perfectly swoonworthy. So unapologetically unputdownable. The burn is slow, but the chemistry is there immediately and once that burn ignites, my heart never even stood a chance. Ashley and Julian were impossible not to love. Between her sweet, genuine innocence and his gruff alpha protectiveness they were a perfect match and my heart enthusiastically attached itself to their love story from their first, decidedly unromantic, exchange.

And this deeply romantic love story set against both Ashley and Julian's thrilling and compelling backstories? Fan-freaking-tastic! I literally could not put it down. Fragments of Ash was original, intense, and utterly phenomenal. This is Cinderella like you've never seen her before, and I cannot shout loudly enough about how badly you need to read it! ~ Shelly, 5 Stars

[Katy Regnery · Rating 5 out of 5]

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[✰ Bianca ✰ BJ's Book Blog ✰ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ash has spent the last five years at a Catholic boarding school. Before that, her life was a little crazy. Her mom - who had her when she was only 16 - was a world-famous supermodel. But drugs and alcohol destroyed her career. Then she was 'saved' by a rich guy when Ash was 13. He married her mom and sent Ash to boarding school. Now her mom is dead. And her stepfather - who thinks she's her mother's little sister - wants to marry her and do unspeakable things to her. WTF?

With the help of her favorite priest and her godfather Gus, Ash tries to stay hidden from her crazy stepfather! They put her in a rental property owned by Gus's boyfriend Jock in Vermont as a roommate to a guy who isn't very welcoming ... but very sexy!

Let the fun - and dangerous - times begin! ☺



═══════════════════





Well ... that was ... interesting. And different. I loved it!

You immediately fall in love with Ash and you feel sorry for her and her life. And of course we immediately hate her stepdad!! And we love uncle Gus and Jock and ... Julian. Phew. Julian! 🔥

He's living in that house with his art and his cute dog. He's all alone except for his adorable sister who visits from College now and then. He's extremely attracted to Ashley, but he's been betrayed very badly only recently - which lost him his career ... But he has to help Ashley - he can't just let her get hurt on his watch! So very adorable!

I really enjoyed reading this book. I'm not really totally in love with the cover - it didn't fit the story ... it looks like some kind of icy sports romance thing. Even though those are just normal Cinderella shoes and not ice skatey shoe thingies, but still! ☺ I think some people might walk right on by in the bookstore.
BUT we don't judge a book by its cover. And the story inside the book was really great. Exciting. Adorable. Sad. Heartbreaking. A bit funny. Sweet. Sparky. Dangerous. A tiny little bit too much religion was in it for me, but it wasn't preachy or anything too bad. I could live with it.☺

It was a great first-love-finding-yourself-romantic-suspense story with some very dark elements in the form of Ashley's stepfather! I even cried some little tears - especially while reading mom's diary entries. Heartbreaking!

FRAGMENTS OF ASH was such a beautifully sweet & innocent and exciting & dangerous love story! I adored Ashley and Julian! Run to your nearest amazon for your own copy - it will be sold out in no time!

♡ ♡
♡ ♡

[Deanna❤Pink Lady❤️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are times when you read a book and it has superb writing, an interesting plot and is fast paced and engaging but you just don’t connect on that love level. Fragments of Ash fell into that category for me. I have always loved this author’s modern fairytales. She writes from the heart and the premise of the dark version of Cinderella, with a wicked stepfather and stepbrothers and a fairy godfather instead of godmother was very exciting to me. But sadly, I had a hard time connecting with the heroine, Ashley(Cinderella). It may have been her age or just her naivety that at times just didn’t add up for me. So while I enjoyed the story, I had some issues with parts of the story that kept me from fully embracing this tale.

There are many 5 star reviews so it maybe it’s just me and not this book. I look forward to this author’s next fairytale Swan Song because Katy Regnery is still a must read author for me. ❤️

*advanced copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

[The Book Bee · Rating 2 out of 5]

REVIEW: 2 FRUSTRATING STARS

There is nothing more frustrating than reading a book that you were really excited about reading and it flopping for you. I honestly don't know how or where to start with this one, and I know that this review will come from a place of frustration. The sad part is, I don't know where the frustration should stop and the anger starts. But it should never be that way, right? I mean, the eye-rolls were abundant with this one and I am very upset because this series is my favorite of Katy's. This book touched on so many points on my "I hate seeing this in a book" list that it just rubbed me all wrong. I just never thought I'd feel this with one of her books and it really upsets me. I guess I just expected more from this one. But, CLEARLY this is a me issue since so many are loving it, but I sighed so much....

I will say this FIRST: the storyline of this book was a good one. It was very page-turn-worthy in the very beginning, but then it just fell apart for me. And fast. The love between Julian and Ashley is obviously one that fairytales are made of and Katy always does a love justice with her words, once we got to that point - it was just getting there that was the uphill battle for me. But I think this is where the love for the book ended. I'm so sad.

First off, a family that is so over the top rude to each other is a BIG, huge, massive NO in my book. I literally cannot handle those - especially when it involves a kid. That doesn't make me feel bad for the kid, it pisses me off about the story. This book hit that nail three different times. I can understand being upset at family, I totally can. And yes, having a baby out of wedlock is frowned upon in some cultures, and I get that 100%. But the way the 'mother' (I use that term verrry lightly) treated her and the way the grandparents treated her as well? NO. By this point, I'm pissy moving along in the book, so clearly it didn't start off on a good foot.

Immaturity in the characters? I don't read a lot of YA for this very reason. They are supposed to be young and immature, so I really try to avoid those as much as I can. I know my limitations, ok? But at what age do you stop snooping in rooms? BOTH of these characters did that to each other....one after the other. Umm....really? NO. For being so religious and supposedly one that has to follow all the rules, you're snooping? Really? I don't understand why there is a pick and choose option as to what vein of meek/weak we are going to follow, or what level of good and pure we are going to pretend to be, or what strength and curiosity side of life we are going to explore...so that made it frustrating. If you are going to follow a set pattern or a rule, you're usually consistent and this book just wasn't on so many levels.

I didn't understand why Ashley was torturing herself with her mother's diary....either rip off the bandaid and read the damn thing, or go through life wondering. But to read a page or two, whine and cry about it and then ask a ton of questions that you can easily get the answer to, whyyyy?? Why? Why. That was so aggravating!!! Get your answers and then work through whatever emotional trauma you are going to inflict upon yourself because your mother was a horrid specimen of life, your grandparents are a laughable excuse for grandparents, and your "stepfather" is the dictionary definition of nasty. By doing this, this created a lot of unnecessary drama for the sake of drama...and there was already enough drama as it was. All it did was drag the story along. I sound angry, but I promise you I am not. I am so very upset that it took this route.

So we have a very shy and timid heroine, and we have a very gruff, rude, and very over the top mean Hero. Like, he's so mean to her face, but then he talks about how his "cock [will] twitch" for the "waif" upstairs. I just didn't feel any love towards him and he was just a jerk. I have no other word to call him. Was there a reason? Of course there was....there's always a reason, but I think his anger was a lot more embellished than it needed to be. I had this discussion with a friend the other day, but there is a point of being rough around the edges and being a straight up jerk. And for the way Julian treated Ashley, I cannot even begin to fathom how they fell in love. I can't. I just can't.

I am not sure I can pinpoint why this one felt so forced. I don't understand why things were repeated in different spots to "reinforce" what was just said previously. I don't understand why she was so....soooo? I don't even know how to explain this heroine. She was not my favorite of Katy's and I always see some redemption for her characters pretty quickly. I am sure my frustration didn't allow for the wide-eye "gotcha" moment, but I wasn't a fan of hers.

I was so excited for this one. I freaking love Cinderella!!!! I saw where she was taking it and I understood and loved that aspect of this book. Her living in the attic, doing the cooking/cleaning/household duties. It all fell in line so perfectly. I could just cry....I really can. I am so upset. I will still give away a copy because I reviewed this as an ARC, and I stand behind my promises, but this one just didn't work for me. I know that this comes across as mean, and I don't mean for it to sound that way, but I guess I feel so let down. I have never read a book this crass from Katy. Her words were so harsh compared to her others and her storyline was a sweet and lovable ending, but the words she used were at odds with the emotions she was trying to express. It didn't work for me when I am so used to the perfection she has always given me.

I'm going to stop right here because all I'm doing is getting upset even more. Frustrated is the name of the game today, and I hate feeling that way about a series I hold near and dear to me. I just need to walk away.....with my head down.

I'm just going to hinge my bets that this was a me thing and that Swan Song is going to turn my world upside down with the HERO being the Ugly Duckling of the story. I just know it. At least, I'll cross my fingers for so....

~A VERY SAD BEE

[Stacie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2 "She is so beautiful, she breaks my heart." -Julian Stars!

This was surprisingly intense, but satisfyingly sweet. This was Cinderella like I have never read or scene before. Very good!! Happy reading! 👠

[Sunseeker☀️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 Stars

[JudyCa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fantastic! It had a dark side that made me unable to put it down. I loved Ashley's resiliency and genuine strength. This is for sure one of my fav's in the Fairytale series!

[TeriLyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

**Fragments of Ash generously provided in exchange for an honest review.**

3 ”But after a lifetime of wandering…” Stars

Katy Regnery’s newest modern fairytale is a unique spin on the timeless class Cinderella. The aptly name Fragments of Ash provides us the story of a young girl who’s always been lost to her family but mostly to herself. She is strong in her vulnerability and charming to those few who really take the time to know her. After an inevitable tragedy strikes her life, Ash searches for answers to a freedom she’s always wondered about.

This story takes unexpected twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. The element of surprise Regnery produces far surpassed my original thoughts and I loved how she drove the plot through to the end. Her vision for her female lead was a coming of age, coming into one’s self type story that was refreshing for me and the character. There were some circumstantial parts of the book that left me confused on who knew what and when and why didn’t Ash realize, that I can’t quite get into without spoilers so I won’t. But those parts sent me for a loop and I’m unsure I really received the answers.

And while I enjoyed the story I wasn’t overwhelmed with the romance of it. Unlike others in this series where I felt completely connected to the love story that feeling didn’t happen in this. The romance took a back seat to Ash’s story of how she invents herself and I never felt truly secure in that part of the book which is fine because the plot held me. With new adult characters and how Ash continually fights and rolls with the circumstances of her life had my complete attention though. A lovely story and easy to read.

[AC Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH WOW! This was one hard book to read! Fragments of Ash is a modern fairy-tale inspire by Cinderella. I did not expect the storyline to be so dark and twisted though. Let me tell you, it’s so GOOD - addicted, a page-turner. I was too much of a nervous wreck to take a break, I had to find out what happen at the end – totally devoured this book in no time!!! Ash was thirteen when her retired model, druggie mother Tig married to an older man – a Raumann crime family. Now why would a man like that want a woman like Tig? Well, Tig is not the only woman Mosier wants to own. Tig came in a package and Mosier plan to have them both!!! SO FREAKING GROSS and DISTURBING that SOB! When Ash about to graduate from high school, Tig mysterious died from a cocaine over dose. Once Ash found out Mosier’s plan for her, she escaped. With the help of her God-Father Gus, Ash went to live in a secluded cabin with a mysterious man Julian. Julian is an enigma. He is cranky, broody, rude, a real jerk. There is a reason Julian is so angry with the world and he trusts no one. The last thing Julian wants is Ash invading his space and disturb his piece. But deep down Julian is a good man and has a protective side. Well, the name Julian – he can’t be the bad guy, right? (Love that name). Slowly, Ash and Julian learned to trust and lean on each other especially the Raumann is not giving up on finding Ash, dead or alive.

I have to say Katy Regnery is such a talented, amazing writer. This story is so fascinating, completely captivate my attention from beginning until the end. My heart races and my stomach was a mess throughout the book. Over all Fragments of Ash is a heart-warming romance with a bit of suspense, angst, dark, and gritty … nothing too gorgy but not rosy or sunshine either. There is a beautiful love story in there – unconditional love based on hope, trust, respect. Edgy storyline and brilliant writing as usual!

[Lynsey A · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always enjoy a good retelling of some of my favorite fairy tales. Katy Regnery always has a unique spin on each fairy tale. I've loved some and not loved others. My favorite will always be Don't Speak followed by the Vixen and the Vet. This book is inspired by Cinderella. It was definitely a twist on the old tale for sure. In this adaptation, Ashley's mother was married to a cruel man, becoming the wicked step-father and boy was he wicked. The things he wanted made me sick, hence my skeevy shelf addition for this book.

I enjoyed this book but wasn't wowed by it like I've been for previous books. This one felt a little shorter and about the first 25 to 30 percent was the build up to when Ash and Julian meet. It took too long for me. I wanted a little more time with them and a little more than we got with them.

A fast, good read but I felt it could've been a bit better. Something was missing for me.

[Ursula · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 stars rounded up.
An unconvincing story with a virginal, innocent, illegitimate 18 year old in the clutches of a filthy talking, brutal Romanian gangster thug – her step-brother/father.
She is raised as her mother’s sister, her mother is just gross (alcoholic, drug-addicted, promiscuous and plain horrible to her daughter), and there are a lot of truly vile descriptions of sexually degrading activities with the accompanying foul language.
Was just yucky and the resolution happened in about 2 seconds. A real anti-climax.
There was even an inept FBI guy (what a useless bastard- America is in more trouble than I thought, apparently, given the calibre of agent here!)) and the hero, Julian, was supposedly doing Homeland Security at 23 years of age, protecting the VP – yeah. Right, like that's gonna happen. Of course, he stuffed up and got kicked out. Bitter, much?
Just didn’t buy the whole melodrama.

[TJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

LOVED the story up until the FBI agent showed up and turned it into the keystone cops. (We’re to believe ONE agent is sent to apprehend a world-threatening, vile villain the entire FBI has been after forever...And, it goes downhill from there, folks) There are also a plethora of dangling threads (not chads) that leave any thoughtful reader scratching their heads as that last page closes.

Before that, however, it was fabulous!!

[Jane super booklover📚 · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Books in this series didnt appeal to me because of the fairtale thing and the cover. But theyre amazing. These are new stories who are inspired but really twisted in something different. This one was real smart and i envy the author for making this up out of the fairytale. So smart. And twisted. Its dark. I hare dark books but the love is so great it makes up for it.

[Naadira Moodley (BookedMercy) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was such a haunting take in Cinderella. This was definitely not a fairytale. Although the hero did somewhat rescue the heroine in the ending.

Ashley has not had an easy life and it gets worse when he mother suddenly dies. She is left alone with her wicked stepfather and her stepbrothers who are always in the background. Her stepfather has plans for her. Plan she has to follow by wish or by force. This is not the way Ashley wants to live her life. She is scared and so alone so she manages to run away to her godfather, Gus, with some help. Gus is the only person Ashley has left who loves her and he would always protect amd take her in. He takes her someplace where no one will find her and there she meets the hero, Julian. He is definitely no Prince Charming in the beginning. He finds her insanely beautiful so he is a complete asshole to her. He doesn’t trust her. Especially the vulnerable innocent act he thinks she has going on. Ashley has secrets. Dangerous secrets and Julian realises he wants her to open up to him. He realises pushing her away is not what he wants and when he finds out the truth, he will do whatever it takes to protect her.

This book started off great for me. But it when downhill after the hero was introduced. I found the heroine to meek for me. I didn’t like the relationship dynamic between the protagonists. She irritated me and I just wanted to hit the hero at times. Especially when he was thinking with dick which was most of the time. The plot of this book was good and that was the saving grace.

[Livros A Go-Go ~Joyci ~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bem bléeee. Mas vale para distrair.
O argumento é legal mas a forma como conduziu foi descuidada.

[~Nichole~ Sizzling Pages Romance Reviews · Rating 2 out of 5]

This didn't work for me at all. So many elements that made me want to just throw my kindle down in despair. Everyone has what they like. I respect that others liked this. I didn't like the hero at all especially since the heroine needed just one person to want her for the right reasons but he wanted her because he hadn't had sex in a couple weeks. That's how it started and that's all I saw he felt. Physically drawn. That's it. I didn't like that she's told her faith and beliefs are wrong either.
I liked this authors writing style. It is smooth and has a very emotional feeling. I just didn't like the characters at all.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Living a Lie

Katy Regnery has a way with writing words of love and I think I have found my new favorite romance author.

In Braveheart Ashley is the daughter of a famous model, but is forced to pose as her sister. Her mother, Tigen, was never accepted or truly loved by her strict Welsh parents, even though they happily lived off the money she made modeling. In her search for love and acceptance she eventually to turned to the wrong things until Hollywood turned on her, and suddenly she was desperate.

When Tigen was desperate with a child to support, a dark man named Mosier swept her away with all his money, but still she was never happy again. Ashley was sent to a strict all girl Catholic school until one day her mother was dead from an overdose. Ashley was shocked because she knew her mother had been clean for years.

Now it looks like Ashley’s disgusting stepfather wants to marry her and isn’t planning to wait a respectable time after her mother’s death. Ashley runs away to her godfather Gus, who puts her up at his house in the country where a former secret service agent turned glass blower lives.

Julian is quite the artist, but he’s also grumpy and like a hermit doesn’t want to talk to anyone. He very unpleasantly informed her that he didn’t want her in his way, so when she cooked and made extra she knocked and hurried away, leaving a plate behind. Julian has his scars too. It bothers Julian too much that he is drawn to the sadness in Ashley’s eyes and that he automatically wants to step in like a white knight.

This has some spice and Ashley’s stepfather is nasty so this is definitely not for anyone under 18.

[Philomena Callan Cheekypee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve only read one other book from this series and I’m kicking myself as I know I should have read more. This is A Modern Fairytale series in which the author puts her own twist on fairy tales.

Fragments of Ash is inspired by Cinderella.
My heart broke for Ashley. I seriously didn’t know how she was going to find peace. She has already been through so much but can she escape from her horrid step father. I was so rooting for her.

I love how we got the point of view indirectly from Tig. This added so much to the story.

This is such a great read. It’s book seven but each can be read as a standalone as they are based on different fairy tales.

Superb read. I’ve truly had a lovely day reading this story. I seriously didn’t want to put my kindle down. So so good. I’m off now to 1-click more of this series.