Title: Souls Unfractured
Author: Tillie Cole
Series: Hades Hangmen #3
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: August 11, 2015
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Dark Romance, Erotic Romance
More Info: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon US
Purchase: Amazon UK
Purchase: iTunes
Purchase: Kobo

"For fractured souls are like magnets.

Drawn to collide into an impossible bliss…"

Labeled a ‘Cursed’ woman of Eve from birth, Maddie has endured nothing but pain and repression at the hands of The Order’s most abusive elder, Moses. Now living with her sister in The Hangmen’s secluded compound, finally, Maddie, is free. Free from the suffocating faith she no longer believes in. Free from endless years of physical and mental torment.

Just… free…

At age twenty-one, the timid and shy Maddie is content to live within the confines of her new home—safe from the outside world, safe from harm and, strangely, protected by the Hangmen’s most volatile member; the heavily pierced and tattooed, Flame.

Flame.

The man who ceaselessly watches over her with his midnight dark and searing eyes. The man who protects her with a breath-taking intensity. And the man who stirs something deep within her numbed heart.

But when circumstances conspire for Flame to need HER help, Maddie bravely risks it all for the broken man who has captivated her fragile soul.

The Hangmen’s most infamous member, Flame, is ruled by one thing—anger. Plagued by haunting demons from his past, an all-consuming rage, and isolated by an abhorrent hatred of being touched, Flame's days are filled with suffocating darkness, pierced only by a single ray of light—Maddie. The shy, beautiful woman he cannot purge from his thoughts. The woman he has an overwhelming need to possess…

... the only person who has ever been able to touch him.

Flame’s mission in life is to protect Maddie, to keep her safe. Until a trigger from his troubled past sends him spiraling into madness, trapping him in the deepest recesses of his disturbed mind.

His Hangmen brothers fear that Flame is beyond saving.

His only hope of salvation: Maddie and her healing light.

Title: Souls Unfractured

Series: Hades Hangmen #3

Author: Tillie Cole

Age group: New Adult

Genre: Dark Contemporary Romance

Release date: August 11th

Excerpt

I sat bolt up right in the chair and stared at the dark line of the forest. My heart slammed against my ribcage when a figure emerged from the heavy foliage.

My breathing paused, fear taking hold, then a familiar pair of leather boots and trousers entered the moonlit lawn. Blades hung at his sides, and his torso was naked under the heavy leather cut.

Flame.

My heart, that was already racing, seemed to beat at an impossible speed. And then Flame lifted his head, and it ceased to beat at all.

The frown that was on his face instantly blanked. His lips mumbling something under his breath, stilling mid-speech.

I clutched the blanket lying over my knees to my chest. I remained frozen, as did Flame. I had not expected him to come tonight, his friend had taken him back to his home. I could see from my window how exhausted he had been.  I could see, even in the haze of moonlight, how tired he was still.

Flame’s hands clenched at his sides. His chest heaved with movement that was too quick, then he abruptly turned on his heel, and with a rigid back, he headed back into the forest.

My stomach sank as he turned to leave, and without conscious thought, I slammed my sketchpad shut, shuffled to the edge of the seat and called out, “Wait! Do not go!”

Flame stopped dead.

As did I.

Swallowing back my nerves, my shock at what I had just done, I said, “Please, Flame. Do not go… I… I am glad you are here.”

Flame’s fingers curled and uncurled at his side, then straightening his shoulders, he slowly turned. His large frame was rigid as he faced me once more. Then he just stood. Stood at the end of the forest, his attention fixed forward.

But I wanted him closer.

Still perched on the edge of my seat, I asked, “Would you like to come closer? I… I have been sitting out here alone as I could not sleep. It…” I took a deep breath, fighting my natural instinct to flee, and continued. “It would be nice to have some company.”

Flame remained still, his rigid body convincing me that he would not come any nearer. Then, to my surprise, he began walking, his powerful legs bringing him closer to where I sat.

In the still and silent night, I could hear him counting his steps one to eleven, then repeating it back to himself under his breath. My head tilted to the side as he approached, a swirl of anticipation and fear mixing in my stomach.

His skin on his arms looked newly cut, and I could not help but feel sad for him. For whatever had happened to make him need to harm himself in such a way.  Grasping the blade in his hand, his fingers tightened on the handle. Like he needed the blade as a comfort.

As though he was nervous to be here with me now.

Inhaling a long breath, I asked quietly, “Would you like to sit?” I pointed at the chair to in front of mine. Flame looked at the chair through his long black lashes, and exhaling sharply through his nose, sat beside me. I smelled the oil and leather. I smelled the rich musk and spice scent that only belonged to Flame and warmth filled my bones.

He was sat beside me.

Flame was sitting right beside me.

Dropping my eyes to the frayed edges of the gray blanket wrapped around me, I played with the clustered strands of wool just for something to help with the nerves accosting my body.

But Flame was absolutely still. Absolutely silent.

Then I glanced to the side only to see him watching. As soon as our eyes met, he dropped his. A blush raced to fill my cheeks, and for some unknown reason, a whisper of a smile pulled on the corner of my mouth.

Lifting my head, I stared at the large moon, and found the courage to speak, “I did not think you would be coming to see me tonight.”

After several seconds of silence, I believed Flame would not respond. Until I caught him shift in his seat, and he said roughly, “I couldn’t stay away.”

My pulse raced at his response and I whispered, “Why?”

Flame’s shoulder shrugged, then focusing back on the blade in his hand, he said, “I couldn’t stop thinking about you. And I…” Flame trailed off.

“And what?” I pushed.

“I needed to be near you. I needed to know you were safe.”

My Review

My heart broke at the unfairness. The unfairness of us two, so fearful of what nightmares the deliberate touch of each other might evoke.

If there is one thing out of all others that I could pick to love about a story, it would without a doubt be broken characters. I love their uncertainty in life, the circumstances that made them who they are, the road to possible redemption. I simply cannot get enough. Not only did Tillie deliver in spades with this book, she gave us two of the most broken characters I have ever read. And the magic they brought each other had me in tears multiple times throughout their story. I found myself wanting to read slower because I just didn’t want it to end. I even went so far as to do a re-read of the previous two books in the series because they are THAT good. Readers have desperately been waiting for the tale these two characters will bring, and let me tell you, it was worth the wait!

But the Flame spread his fingers and threaded them through mine. His grip, at first was soft, then his fingers tightened on min…and we simply breathed.

We stared.

But we breathed.

Flame…the man, the myth, the legend. You never really learn the technical term for what Flame may have had, but if I had to guess I would say he may have started out slightly on the spectrum. Notice I say started out, because everything after that I feel can be attributed to the circumstances he was subjected to. I realize that the two religions represented in this series are a small part of the total picture, but with each book it just solidifies how much I detest organized religion and the sheep mentality. Because if you thought you had read some messed up stuff in the previous books, and whew..it was certainly abhorrent, Flame’s story will be the icing on the cake. The proverbial nail in the coffin. And when you finally learn his whole story every fiber of his being will make sense. I truly fell in love with these characters faster that I ever have before. There was something about the obvious pain and underlying desire to not want to be alone that spoke to my heart. I loved how honest and open they were with each other, trudging through both of their horrific tales. Their struggle with something as simple as touch, which we all take for granted, fueled the flames of my soul. The strength that Maddie exhibited, even though she was battling her own demons, it broke my heart in two. These two people just wanted to enjoy the simple things in life and even those were ripped from them. Their whole belief systems were decimated and together they had to find their way to a happy normalcy, or as normal as two broken souls can be. And find it they did.

And it had to be true, because in front of me was my Flame…and I was his Maddie. Two fractured souls made whole only by the other’s unconditional love.

And yet through it all, there was perfection in their imperfections. Their love wasn’t an easy road to travel, but once you arrived at your destination, you found no truer thing than it. It was blinding. Honest. Raw. Magical. Bust most of all, it was real. But what I also fell in love with was all the love that the other men in the MC had for Flame, especially Viking and AK. When you learn how they came into play in his life, you will melt. Tillie, I don’t think you could have improved on this book even if you tried. It was absolute! I eagerly await more books in this series. I have no clue who will be next, but I’ll be first in line waiting for it!

Giveaway

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It Ain’t Me, Babe

(Hades Hangmen, #1)

Amazon US

Sinning never felt so good…

A fortuitous encounter.

A meeting that should never have happened.

Many years ago, two children from completely different worlds forged a connection, a fateful connection, an unbreakable bond that would change their lives forever…

Salome knows only one way to live—under Prophet David’s rule. In the commune she calls home, Salome knows nothing of life beyond her strict faith, nor of life beyond the Fence—the fence that cages her, keeps her trapped in an endless cycle of misery. A life she believes she is destined to always lead, until a horrific event sets her free.

Fleeing the absolute safety of all she has ever known, Salome is thrust into the world outside, a frightening world full of uncertainty and sin; into the protective arms of a person she believed she would never see again.

River ‘Styx’ Nash knows one thing for certain in life—he was born and bred to wear a cut. Raised in a turbulent world of sex, Harleys, and drugs, Styx, unexpectedly has the heavy burden of the Hades Hangmen gavel thrust upon him, and all at the ripe old age of twenty-six—much to his rivals’ delight.

Haunted by a crushing speech impediment, Styx quickly learns to deal with his haters. Powerful fists, an iron jaw and the skillful use of his treasured German blade has earned him a fearsome reputation as a man not to be messed with in the shadowy world of outlaw MC’s. A reputation that successfully keeps most people far, far away.

Styx has one rule in life—never let anyone get too close. It’s a plan that he has stuck to for years, that is, until a young woman is found injured on his lot… a woman who looks uncannily familiar, a woman who clearly does not belong in his world, yet a woman he feels reluctant to let go…

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Heart Recaptured

(Hades Hangmen, #2)

Amazon US

Even salvation can be delivered through the love of the damned…

Beauty can be a curse.

Faith can be a cage.

Only love can set you free.

A few long weeks after being reluctantly ripped from the comforting embrace of her sacred prophet’s religious commune—the only life she has ever known—a terrified Delilah is thrust into a world enveloped by evil and swimming in sin.

Steadfastly devout in her faith, and retaining the deep belief that her soul is innately tarnished as a branded ‘Cursed woman of Eve’, Delilah is determined to find her way home to her people in The Order and away from the corrupt and damned outlaw motorcycle club—The Hades Hangmen—who hold her at their secluded compound for her protection—a ‘protection’ she strongly resents.

Delilah yearns to return home, convinced that only amongst her own people, and under the holy guidance of the Lord’s revealed prophet, can her Satan-spawned soul be truly saved. Conditioned her entire life to believe she is a witch… a life-long temptress… the devil’s whore… Delilah increasingly resents her beautiful face, her shapely body and her sensuous effect on men. But when a man of the motorcycle club—a deeply sinful yet stunningly beautiful man—is charged with her care, Delilah begins to see that this dangerous and moralless sinner from the ‘outside’ may offer her something she did not know could truly exist: unconditional love.

Kyler ‘Ky’ Willis loves his life: a daily abundance of brotherhood, liquor, the freedom of the open-road and—best of all—his pick of hot women. Raised a biker brat and now VP of the most notorious MC in the States, Ky has no shortage of club sluts warming his bed; a situation he takes full advantage of… until a certain blonde enters his life… a gorgeous pilgrim-blonde he can’t get out of his head… a pilgrim-blonde he and his club recently-rescued from some backward religious cult… and a pilgrim-blonde he’s been ordered to keep the hell away from and his whorish hands off.

When yet another in a lengthy line of drunken blunders forces Ky to reluctantly take charge of the pilgrim-blonde’s care, he realizes that there could be more to this woman than just supermodel looks and a stacked set of tits. He begins to see that she could be the woman who could do the impossible—tame his wild ways and capture his reluctant heart.

But the unyielding bonds of Lilah’s past are strong, her ‘people’ determined and, with a new Prophet in charge and hell bent on revenge, they are mightily reluctant to let her go…

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