A review by nicholeb84
Souls Unfractured by Tillie Cole

4.0

Tillie Cole really said: Let me put the small, quiet, scared girl together with the large, quiet, neurodivergent man. Let's put the girl who suffered the most violent abuse from the cult with the guy who

Spoiler

was physically, emotionally, mentally, and sexually abusedby his father and now

believes his mere touch turns people. Let's have the girl believe she "belongs" to him, because he saved her from her abusers and he "belongs" to her, because he's spent months sitting outside her door and standing below her window - watching and protecting her. It'll be perfect!

It probably shouldn't work. And, in real life, I would highly suggest these two get therapy. But, within this novel - it works. This is the most character driven of the novels, but it is also the one that dives into the aftermath of abuse the most. Flame and Maddie actually have conversations discussing what they can and cannot do together.

Somethings were rushed.

Spoiler

Flame killing his abusive father, the elders of his abusive church, and finding his half-brother/

. And somethingss were stupid.

Spoiler

Another girl from the cult shows up and they take her in? The cult tries and kidnap the girls again? Cain is still totally blind to the cult's abuses?

Still, the story was still enjoyable and really set up the next few novels.

Spoiler

Cain has been replaced with his evil twin! What will happen? How will this guy be redeemed?

I did take off a star because half of Flame and Maddie's conversations went like this:

"Flame..."
"Maddie..."
"Flame..."
"My Maddie. My Maddie."
"Flame. My Flame."

I shouldn't have (because they were emotional scenes) but I rolled my eyes and laughed everytime those lines came up.