Imme van Gorp's Reviews > Broken Pieces

|| 3.5 stars ||

This book was divided into three parts and they were all very different to me.

The first part is about Mateo and Josiah when they were both teenagers living together in a foster home and after that, on the streets. And my god. Their love was so fucking epic. My heart couldn’t stop hammering in my chest, and my stomach had constant butterflies. I was damn well swooning. They both cared about each other so much. Both so scared to let the other in at first, but both so desperately wanting to. Mateo would literally do anything to protect Josiah, to keep him safe and keep Josiah with him. Mateo would honestly rather cut out his own tongue than say something that would hurt him; ugh, ultimate swoon. When they finally got together I was so damn happy, but their lives were still so hard. And then finally my heart absolutely broke when Mateo had to do what he did.. They deserved so much better.

“Goodbye, my precioso. Te amo.”

The second part is about Tristan and Josiah: it’s five years later and Josiah is still struggling with everything that happened before. He can’t get over the past and he can’t forget Mateo. Tristan is also a complex person with his own deep-rooted issues. They form a tentative bond, which, after a very long time, leads to them getting together. I have to say that I had trouble getting into their relationship; Josiah was obviously still in pain and I didn’t feel like Tristan treated him all that well. They didn’t speak often and seemed uncomfortable around each other. It also took them way too long to get together. I hated how Tristan refused to let Josiah in, and how Josiah just made due with the scraps he got. Josiah deserved a better love than that; he deserved a love like his and Mateo’s.

“I was sixteen when I met him. The first time he walked into the room, I thought he would kill me… but he didn’t. He saved me. He loved me.”

Then part three happened, and it followed all three of them: Josiah, Mateo and Tristan. I cannot tell you how loudly I squealed when Mateo and Josiah were finally reunited after nine god damn years apart, but of course they had the ‘past’ to deal with first.. Nonetheless, it was so obvious that they were still so perfect together: their love has always been so pure and it clearly still was. The way Mateo loved Josiah so fiercely, adored him, treasured him, would have done anything for him.. I immediately wished Tristan would just disappear into thin air, and Mateo and Josiah could get their happily ever after ALONE. It’s like… you have this epic love and then there’s also this random other guy who doesn’t belong. I honest to god felt angry when Mateo and Tristan started to connect: I almost wanted to scream. I wanted Mateo (and Tristan) to only have eyes for Josiah, and it made me sad when they were so quick in their interest for each other: I felt like it totally cheapened both of their love for Josiah.. The fact that Mateo even thought about Tristan that way when he finally had Josiah back.. How could that even occupy his mind? Why was he not fighting tooth and nail to get Josiah for himself? Why was he so turned on by Tristan? I honestly felt like Tristan and Mateo took over the entire story, and Josiah was pushed into the backseat. Ugh. Anyway, I guess I was happy enough that Mateo and Josiah at least found their way back to each other, even if it was with Tristan too. Doesn’t mean I didn’t still wish Tristan would go the hell away.

“Don’t let me lose you. Whatever you’re thinking right now, come back to me Jay. You’re here. Dios, I can’t fuckin’ believe you’re here.”

Long story short, I completely loved the first part of this book, found the second part pretty good, yet the last part honestly just pissed me off so much and made the whole thing lose most of its charm and sparkle from before.
This book went from something I thought could be one of my best reads to something I almost despised. Such wasted potential, and I'm honestly a bit sad about it.

It’s like this: Mateo and Josiah make my heart happy and swoon uncontrollably, and Josiah and Tristan were okay as a couple, but Tristan and Mateo together? I HATE IT. SO MUCH. I want both of them to only love Josiah. And for them to then just open their hearts up to each other so quickly?? I’m raging. I almost felt like they were betraying Josiah by how intense their feelings for each other were.

And truly, this is why I never like to read about polyamory in books; I always end up favouring one duo, and then I get angry when they start to care about the third person too. I’m too possessive for this stuff.

Mateo and Josiah's love deserved their own story.