Katy Regnery

From New York Times bestselling author Katy Regnery comes a dark and twisted retelling of the beloved fairytale, Cinderella! My name is Ashley Ellis

(inspired by Cinderella)

Fragments of Ash

Totally Addicted to Reading

Fragments of Ash by Katy Regnery is the seventh book the Modern Fairytale series. The books need not be read in order as they can work as a standalone. This is Ashley and Julian’s story.

The story began with Ashley at her mom’s funeral. He mom died from a drug overdose at age 34
Ashley is 18. The world thought they were sisters. Her grandparents blame her for her mother’s death, which of course is ridiculous. They have abandoned her to the mercy of her stepfather who has nefarious plans for her.

Ashley finds an opportunity to escape with the help of the priest from the school she attends. She links with her godfather who offered her sanctuary. Then she meets, Julian, who has sworn off women and wishes she would go away.

My heart went out to Ashley. She has been through a lot for a girl of eighteen. She witnesses her mother’s poor decisions involving drugs and prostitution. Exposed to the ugly side of the celebrity world, and when she thought things could not get any worse, she finds herself in the middle of the criminal underworld. To add insult to injury now that her mother is dead, her stepfather wants her for himself. How sick is that? 

I admired her strength in the face of adversity. She never allowed her situation to break her.
I loved how she dealt with Juliann She did not allow his irascible behavior to run her off. Instead, she showered him with kindness. 

I could not believe how angry and jaded Julian was for someone so young. When I learnt of the experiences, which made him this way, things became clearer. Ashley managed break through the walls he erected with her innocence and inner beauty.

I loved that I got to see the story not only through Julian and Ashley’s eyes but also from Teagan’s perspective. It made her appear human and allowed me to understand the reasons for her decisions and her state of mind upon until the moment she died.

I enjoyed the romance despite it moving at such a quick pace. I found it to be sweet and adorable. Julian proved to be a warm, caring and protective when he let his guard down and allowed Ashley to worm her way into his heart. 

I have to admit I was on the edge of my seat dreading the moment Ashley’s stepfather would find her. (The man is pure evil.) Therefore, you can imagine my disappointment when this aspect of the story was wrapped up in a rush. I believe the climax and the ending could have used more details.

Conclusion/ Recommendation
This was an entertaining read and one I would recommend to fans of fairy tale retellings and contemporary romance.

Fragments of Ash (inspired by Cinderella)

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