Fragile Bonds
By Sloan Johnson
"Without trust, we have nothing."
These are the words which have haunted Melanie Erickson for six years. When she walked out of the house Xavier Ross bought as their forever home, she thought she was closing that door permanently, but fate had other plans.
Xavier Ross tried to keep everyone at a distance until Melanie came into his life. The more he tried to fight his feelings for her, the more he fell in love. One rash decision fractured the trust that was essential to their relationship.
Six years later, she is the last person he expects to see walk through his front door. Will Xavier and Mel be able to learn to trust one another again so they can fulfill a dying woman’s wish?
... everyone has that one person in their lives that can affect them, even if it’s been twenty years and they separated on bad terms, and Xavier is mine. I know that, but that doesn’t mean I want to do anything about it or that I am that person for him... Being near him, taking in his natural scent, feels easy and right. Comfortable. And that’s what scares me. - Melanie
This book had my emotions all over the place! It is one of
those books that had me thinking about it when I wasn't reading it and then I
was sad when it ended even though it had a HEA. The story is told from Melanie and
Xavier's POVs and a small portion of Alyssa's POV.
Melanie and Xavier were a couple for many years when they
broke up and never heard from each other again.
Six years have gone by and Melanie shows up at the home that Xavier and
his wife share with their four year old son. It is also the same house that
Xavier had bought for Melanie all of those years ago. She isn't trying to cause trouble by showing
up because she is now a caregiver for the sick and dying providing passionate
care for a dying patient and the family dealing with the crisis.
Melanie and Xavier both agree to put their past behind them
and make Alyssa the main priority. Get some tissues ready because everyone
knows that when hospice is called, someone is nearing the end of their journey
on this Earth.
I’m sick of smiling when I would rather scream. I’m tired of being strong. I’m fucking dying here and trying to act like that thought doesn’t scare the shit out of me. My hands shake as I pull on a sweatshirt and skinny jeans. The jeans that used to fit me like a glove are now baggy on me, a stark reminder that the cancer is literally eating away at my body. - Alyssa
As Alyssa begins to deteriorate, she pushes Xavier and
Melanie to spend some time together. They both hesitatingly agree, and soon
find out that what they each thought about the breakup and the period of time
right after, was not what it would have seemed. They learned that someone betrayed
them both into believing that the other
didn't want to reconcile.
There is so much I’ve fucked up when it comes to you and I’m not sure you’ll ever know how much I regret my decisions.” - Xavier
... there’s no doubting his sincerity. It also confirms that this is a conversation we can’t be having. Not now, maybe not ever. Seeing his life as it is today is what gave me the strength to finally let go of the “what-ifs” and accept that there is a reason why we didn’t get to have our forever.
Fragile Bonds is a tear jerker, and it will take you on
a roller coaster ride of emotions. I fell in love with Xavier and his son
Jacob. I admire Alyssa for her bravery and grace at such a terrible time in her
life. And I am in awe of Melanie's strength and compassion. She was in love
with Xavier but she never acted upon that love until appropriate and she never
pushed him more than he needed to be pushed. I don't think that I would have
been able to be that strong. She didn't take the assignment out of malice, she
took it because someone needed her help. She would have never stepped over
those lines.
I liked this story because it wasn't your typical romance
novel and it gives you hope that there are still good people in this world and
that love and life sometimes comes full circle.
Seeing Melanie walk through my front door settles something inside of me. It’s something about the way she nearly floats through the rooms, as if this is where she belongs. And in those moments when I’m not pissed off at the world over the fact that it should be Alyssa who is here with me, I feel like this is where Melanie belongs. - Xavier
5 STARS
Sloan is a Midwestern mom who began writing nearly seven years ago as a way to make money while staying home with her daughter. Now, with two kids in tow and having written more articles on how to assemble various pieces of furniture than she can count, she is reaching to make her dreams come true.
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