Fragment by Ellie Wade is a heart wrenching story about a girl's struggle to become whole again after a horrendous sexual assault left her broken.
Campbell Stevens is on the road to becoming a hugely successful adult. A hard worker all her life, she's looking forward to escaping her dead end life in Jacksonville, Florida and going to one of the many universities that have offered her a full scholarship. Campbell is a girl with no real family connection. She has no knowledge of who her father is and is not close to her mom at all. She's worked hard all her life to get where she is. Cam definitely had to grow up before she should.
During Spring Break in Mexico, Cam's world comes crashing down around her. Left by her best friend Lexi at a club one night, Cam is violated by a college boy and that changes everything Cam thought she was or could ever be. Cam never tells Lexi what happened to her and kind of resents Lexi for being so selfish and leaving her (I would too).
Five years later, Cam is a college graduate working as a bartender in Chicago. She has no ambition to use her degree and no interest in having a normal healthy relationship, as she calls it. She has arrangements with men, without having any feeling or letting emotions get involved, until she runs into Deacon Montgomery outside of her favorite coffee house. He is the only man she's ever felt any sort of connection to and it scares her senseless.
Deacon Montgomery is perfection all wrapped up in a firefighter's uniform. Unbelievably handsome, sweet, and loyal, Deacon is the complete package. He sees Cam outside the coffee shop that day and is immediately struck by her beauty. What he can't figure out is why she looks like she's scared to death of him.
The two meet one night at the bar where Cam works. After an awkward introduction, Cam does her best to avoid Deacon. She's frightened of the way her body reacts to him. Cam knows she can't ever have a normal relationship (crazy right?). Deacon is completely enamored with Cam. He can't get her out of his head and has to make her his.
On a bet, Deacon wins a date with Cam. Reluctantly, Cam goes on the date and even though her walls are up high, she has a good time with Deacon and it freaks her out. She knows she's broken and she'll never be able to have a normal life. She doesn't think she's worthy of love and that's just heart breaking.
Deacon sees through Cam's walls and even though she won't let them down, Deacon wants Cam more than he's ever wanted anyone. He tells Cam he'll take her anyway he can get her and that works out for them. Until one night Cam has a nightmare about the time she was attacked and loses it.
This book really touched my heart. It was heartbreaking and yet it was also sweet. Cam never realized how strong and remarkable she is and Deacon wanted nothing more than to help her see that.
I don't have enough words to describe how perfect Deacon is. Everything about him was good. His loyalty to his friends, his dedication to his job, his love for his family and the way he cares about Cam brought me to tears. If there was a book boyfriend I ever wished was real, it's Deacon Montgomery.
Now, you know I left out a bunch of important stuff because I want you to read this book. I have to give Fragment a five lip smack review. I can't even explain how much this story moved me and how invested I became in the characters. I also want to add, I think this would be a beneficial read to anyone that's ever been in Cam's position in life. Thank you Ellie Wade!!
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