Review: Pieces of Me by Carrie Ann Ryan (The Wilder Brothers #9)

February 22, 2025

Note: An advance reader copy (ARC) was provided by the author.

Take my heart, why don't you, Carrie Ann Ryan?! Goodness, but how she put it through the wringer with the ninth novel in the Wilder Brothers series. Pieces of Me is falling-for-your-best-friend's-sibling, friends-to-lovers, accidental pregnancy romance, and it's the penultimate book in the series. And did I mention that the male main character is a rock star? Yep, Gabriel Wilder is finally getting his story told, and the lead singer of Wilder experiences devastation before he gets to that happily-ever-after that most of his brothers and cousins have already claimed for themselves. (Side note: this book is also a crossover between two series--The Wilder Brothers and the upcoming Ashford Creek series, but more on that later.)

Rock star Gabriel Wilder always knew his best friend's younger sister was off-limits, but once he'd crossed the line with songwriter Briar Ashford, he knew it might cost him Mal's friendship. Unfortunately, it cost Gabriel and Briar more than they could have ever imagined. Months after tragedy hit, Gabriel finds himself face to face with Briar--and the realization that their one night together have led to an unexpected result. Now, he's going to have to answer certain questions he can no longer avoid. Is there a future for the band without Mal as part of it? How does he deal with the guilt of what happened the night he and Briar were discovered to have slept together? And is there any chance for he and Briar to have something more than being co-parents? It's time for Gabriel to pick up the pieces of his fragmented life.

I'm a firm believer in the idea and knowledge that hope can be found after despair, and that is more than evident in Gabriel and Briar's story. Carrying guilt alongside our grief isn't all that foreign, sadly enough, and I empathized with the main characters. I know how it feels to lose your brother unexpectedly, and I admired Briar's strength and conviction. Gabriel's journey was stuck in neutral for quite a bit, but Briar showing up was like a light in the darkness for him, whether he realized it or not. I loved having the Wilders around, and I'm curious to learn more about the Ashfords, which is why I'm looking forward to checking out their series once book one is released. For now, it's all about the five-starred Pieces of Me.

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Read my reviews for the Wilder Brothers series: