ARC Review of Fragile by Meghan Hollie

Fragile by Meghan Hollie

Fragile by Meghan Hollie is a friends-to-lovers romance genre that delves into substance abuse and how one overcomes it. The story centers on Quinn Dawson, a cheerleader who has been in love with her brother’s best friend, Miles Cooper since they were kids. Despite years of unspoken feelings, Quinn has never dared to reveal her love. As the tension builds, questions linger: Will she finally confess her feelings to Miles? Does he secretly feel the same spark? And how will Quinn’s brother react if their friendship blossoms into something more?

The story centers on how the relationship between Quinn and Miles develops over time. It also addresses several serious issues, such as the struggles of addiction and the impact of a strained father-son relationship. Miles’ father has always been more of a coach than a father to him, which affected Miles more than he thought it would. The pressure and constant criticism from his father, led him down the path of substance abuse as he struggled to meet the high expectations placed upon him.  The story then revolves around the question, “Will Miles muster the courage to reach out to those who genuinely care for him and seek a path to recovery? Or will he give in to the urges and spiral down” While all of this is going on, Miles is hit with a realization that Quinn isn’t just a friend to him, she has been his anchor for so long that he was too blind to see what’s in front of his eyes. What was he going to do with this realization? Will he act upon it or stay away from her out of respect for his best friend?

Though I enjoyed the book, I felt that the book was a little slow-paced that it took me longer than my usual reading time to finish this book. For those of you looking for a rapid-fire, chapter-cliff-hanger-every-five-minutes experience, you might find yourself sidetracked here and there (and yes, I may have put the book down once or twice to binge some reality TV). But don’t get me wrong, the story’s slower pace has its perks. It lets the characters breathe, and you really feel their journeys.

And about the gang, Quinn, Miles, Hudson, Jay, Seb, and Indie, they give us the kind of banter that’ll make you chuckle out loud. They’ve got that “found family” vibe that’s both hilarious and grounding, making the heavier themes feel less like a gut punch and more like a warm hug.

I hadn’t read Seb and Indie’s book beforehand, and while I think it could’ve added some nice backstory, I didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything major.

Rating 4/5, 

The only reason is that it was sloooow paced, it took me a hot minute to get through. But I absolutely loved the tension between Miles and Quinn, and a special mention of Miles’ jealousy and acting skills😂 and the way Hollie doesn’t shy away from the darker aspects of addiction and family pressure.

Fragile by Meghan Hollie is a story that’s equal parts sweet and heavy, dealing with hard truths about family, addiction, and young love. If you like slow-burn, friends-to-lovers romance with a side of deep character introspection, this book’s got your name all over it. Plus, if you’re into friends who roast each other in times of joy and sorrow, you’re in for a treat.

Happy Reading!

Thank you Love Notes PR for the opportunity!