Only the Small Bones

Slow Burns & Tragic Beginnings, Book 1

“What makes him so special?”

“He reminds me of someone I once knew…”

As the founder of Freedom Fighters, famed music composer, William Mayes, is often the first port of call when the FBI needs assistance with human trafficking victims.

After receiving such a call one night, William abandons everything to catch the next flight home. Arriving at Manhattan Memorial, he finds a beautiful young man restrained to a gurney. His eyes are wild with fear, and blood stains his skin. No one has been successful in getting him to speak.

When even he can’t get the young man to cooperate, William does something he may later come to regret—he extends an invite to his home.

The young man is non-verbal, angry, and at times openly hateful. All of which gives him control over William’s emotions.

William slowly begins to spiral from his own struggles with his tormented past. His nightmares return, sleep becomes a lost cause, and the dark voices in his head are out for blood.

Amid their co-dependent isolation, William’s feelings evolve. Lines are blurred, and then crossed altogether as they start down a path riddled with secrets and lies of omission.

The only thing that can set them both free is the truth. But maybe some things are better left buried. Because if the ugliest parts of William are ever unearthed, no one will be spared.

Only the Small Bones is an MM romance, and book one in the standalone series Slow Burns & Tragic Beginnings. This story features a non-verbal MC with touch aversion, and mental health representation. Please visit the author's website for a full list of content warnings.

©2024 C.P. Harris (P)2025 C.P. Harris

Tissues required!

I NEVER expected what it was that William was hiding 🫢 the story is so heartbreaking and beautiful. The way it all comes together in the end is just phenomenal!

Narrator: wonderful job! I felt all the feels. Truly wonderful performance 👏🏼

I’m an emotional wreck

I knew I wouldn’t be ok after this book😭

Yet I had to listen to it. I don’t even know how to express the heartache I felt listening to this book.

William and Ryan were kidnapped together when they were young. Though he was a child too, William took great care of Ryan. He protected him as well as he could from their captors but it wasn’t enough.

Given the opportunity to escape, William and Ryan tried to run away but only one of them made it. Ryan was too tired and weak to keep up with William and fell behind.

William couldn’t take Ryan with him and was forced to leave him promising that he would come back for him. The guilt and shame of his actions followed him through his adulthood.

After years of being captive, Ryan is found but he’s emotionally unstable and doesn’t speak. William takes him home offering him shelter.

The anger and resentment Ryan feels towards William is a constant battle. William punished himself for not being able to save Ryan. He can only try to amend his mistake by helping others through his foundation.

The moment they both realize who each other is, it’s nothing short of gut wrenching. The pain and agony from both of them just broke me. To hear Ryan recount his hell broke my heart into a million pieces.

Seeing them heal after everything that happened was so rewarding. Despite everything they went through, they found each other again mending their broken hearts. It was a long journey but they made it through.

Emotional Rollercoaster

Let me start by saying I truly appreciate the author’s storytelling skills. I’ve respected each character experience in all of her books. Yet, this reading experience really brought on strong sorrowful emotions when confronted with how cruel individuals can be. Conversely, I admired the characters’ strength, determination and resilience when dealing with adversity. Respecting how the writer displayed the effort it takes to rise above the ashes. Pay attention to the trigger warnings and read this book when you’re emotionally stable so that you may appreciate the characters’ healing journeys.

Never felt so much Pain and emotion.

I have never felt such pain and anguish listening to this. Absolutely the most powerful and beautiful story I have ever ever encountered. I felt all the pain of the characters. This book broke me.

This made me cry.

You need to go all the way through to understand how the two main characters think and feel.