ARC Review: FRAGMENTS OF ASH by Katy Regnery

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.**

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Fragments of Ash is part of the ~a modern fairytale~ collection: contemporary, standalone romances inspired by beloved fairy tales.

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MY REVIEW

★★★★☆

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