Burned

Millie Clare #1

by Emeline Quill

“I love the quiet power before and after a storm rips through. They’re so out of our control, but they have the power to change everything in the blink of an eye. Did you know that some trees can get hit by lightning and burn from the inside out? People don’t even know they’re on fire until it’s too late.”

Millie Clare was raised to be a chaste woman of God, but when a fundamental piece of her is taken, she must go on a journey to find out who she really is and how that fits within who she is expected to be. The plan that's laid out since she was a little girl is destroyed in an instant and she can't figure out how to put it back together until Adam walks into her life. Caught in the whirlwind of that first all-consuming love, Millie and Adam must weather the storm together or watch everything they built be burned to the ground. Unfortunately for Millie, she isn't the lightning in the storm- she is the tree.

Burned is realistic new adult fictional romance book written in a time hop style in which we follow Millie from the end of Middle School into College and features explicit scenes intended for mature audiences only. A full list of triggers is available on our website or included in any copy of the book.

462 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 1, 2022

Reviews

[Jessica]

Not really sure how I feel about this one. I don't mean in a bad way. The story is detailed and gives you an inside into Millie's world but I think I am biased about the time hopping. My going into it, not a fan of the format, had to have warped my reading experience leaving me with questions that might've been answered that I missed.

Some of the characters are aggravating but I can see their behaviors mimicking real life. That's the crazy part. I said I would not read the next one because of the format but I might because there's some things I'm wondering about

[Melanie Gilbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this as an ARC reader and when I tell you I cannot wait for the next one..! Millie’s story pulls you in and you find yourself feeling everything right beside her. You cheer with her, you ache with her, you want to reach into the book and hug her. Quill’s ability to effortlessly timehop through Millie’s story while keeping the reader on top of every detail is remarkable. A perfect balance of humor, steamy romance, and real life, gut-punching strife.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this as an ARC reader and Absolutely loved this book; I couldn’t put it down! Reminded me of falling in love for the first time all over again and the trials and tribulations that come with that love. Well written characters and I loved the glimpses into the future and past that had me guessing at what changed and then getting those answers as I read on.

[Hayley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was an ARC reader of this novel and I really enjoyed it! Millie's story takes us through a journey of self-discovery and being independent in a community that demands conformity. Told through time jumps, we come to learn about Millie, her friends and family, and her life in high school and college. Millie's quest to be true to herself and love herself in an environment that doesn't truly appreciate her will ring true to all of us who have felt like an outsider or struggled to love ourselves. Heartfelt, steamy, and genuine.

[Sarah Dobbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this as an ARC reader and thoroughly enjoyed it. This is a beautiful coming of age story with some steamy scenes for good measure.

Millie was the perfect balance of flawed but likable. Sometimes I was internally screaming “nooooo!” because I knew she was making mistakes or I was full of righteous anger on her behalf, but I just really wanted her to be happy and ok.

When I say I was invested in this story, I really mean it. It was so engrossing, I couldn’t put it down and sacrificed some precious sleep to this title. Totally worth it though!

[Stephanie EM · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an ARC reader for the book, I absolutely couldn't put it down and messaged the author immediately that she needed to start writing the second one. The story telling and dialogue were very realistic, the characters well developed, and the pace had me flying through page after page. I'd consider this a mature young adult fiction-- perfect for the adult reader who still remembers those difficult and complicated formative years.

[Taylor Parrish · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most amazing and beautiful story I’ve ever read. As someone who finds it hard to pick a favorite anything I can confidently say this is my favorite book!

I see other reviews saying the find the time jumping from chapter to chapter difficult to follow.. it was confusing for me the first few chapters but once you get the first few chapters down there is definitely a flow to the time jumps and it’s not difficult to follow.

This story to me is a coming of age story.. about a girl (Millie) who is raised to be a devoted Mormon and to follow the life and expectations and rules of the Mormon faith. Through trauma and growing up she realizes that the expectations and the rules of this religion don’t feel right to her. This story follows Millie through high school into college. Along the way she falls in love (for the first time), experiences heartbreak, tries to heal and find herself through that heartbreak only to find herself still in love with this man, Adam. I really avoid spoilers so I won’t say much more on that relationship.

Millie is left with an uncertain future and she needs to find herself again.

It is such a beautiful story and I can not wait to read the next book in the series, Ashes.

[Abigail C · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is a very emotional, raw and thoughtful coming-of-age story. Millie was raised as a very conservative Mormon, and throughout the book she grapples with the juxtaposition of her current life stage and that upbringing. She decides to shed the unrealistic expectations put upon her and become her own person. I spent most of the book wondering which potential love interest she would choose, only the realize I didn’t really like ANY of them deep down, and then discovering that the book isn’t a happily ever after when it comes to a relationship, that this book is about living yourself and growing up into a strong, intelligent person.

TW- I know the author includes trigger warnings on her website, but I’ll add them here too-this book does describe the events of a rape and the trauma surrounding that affects the main character. it is not very graphic but can still be upsetting. There is also some substance and drug abuse.

[Kaitlin Brock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing

This story was phenomenal and heart wrenching and just so so MUCH. I can't even put into words how much I loved this, especially as a former member of the LDS church like Millie was. Seeing how her raising and her experiences shapes who she was and how she interacted with others and how that bled into her life and her choices just blew me away. Absolutely worth the read

[Marcella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intriguing, spicy, body positive coming of age. I can't wait to read more about Millie. Read TW before you start this book.

Millie is intriguing and raw. The format of this book allows the reader to live through the character development and connect deeply to all aspects of her "coming of age." Spicy romance scenes and rebellion abound as well as love, tender friendships and betrayals.
I eagerly await the remaining books in the series and all this emerging author has to offer.

[Cara Comparone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Burned was such a good read!! So relatable in many ways and you truly feel the intensity of Millie’s emotions throughout. A beautiful story that makes it incredibly hard to put down.