Queen B’s Decree: Pieces of Us felt less like a romance and more like a coming of age story. I was surprised by how much of the story happened while Zeke and Ethan were teenagers. They first meet when the Deckers and the Hades clans find them and push them together.
Which is my first criticism of Pieces of Us. I feel like the Coop is intended to be this safe haven, saving broken kids and helping them heal and grow. But it felt more opportunistic. The Deckers and Hades adults find these kids and provide them a home and stability, but did they ever get them a therapist? Ethan went through something extremely traumatic and yet none of the adults ever thought “oh, we should provide him therapy.”
And the way the band is created is Ethan and Zeke are essentially forced into learning a musical instrument and guided into forming this money-making group. And then these teenagers sign a severely one-sided contract that favors the Deckers. No independent lawyer to protect their interest? Just “sign here because you feel indebted to us.”
Sorry for the rant but I was disgusted by how that went down.
Moving onto Zeke and Ethan’s relationship, I really felt for Zeke. He was open and honest and communicated well, but Ethan was troubled, broken, and scared. Their early relationship was so sweet and adorable but Ethan felt stuck. Even when Zeke tries to move on and bury his unrequited love, Ethan somehow keeps popping up. It almost felt cruel.
Reading back over my words you may think I didn’t enjoy Pieces of Us and that would be false. It was beautifully written and highly emotional. Claudia Burgoa touched on some very deep topics and handled them very well. I was hooked on Zeke and Ethan’s story from the first page and was completely enthralled. Can’t wait for the second in the duet after that massive cliffhanger.
Complicated and heartwrenching, Pieces of Us is worth the read.
Book: Pieces of Us by Claudia Burgoa
Series: Second Chance Sinners #1
Genre: Contemporary/Rock Star
Hotness: mild-medium salsa
Plot Devices/Tropes: friends-to-lovers, gay