Only the Small Bones: Volume 1
Forbidden Slow Burn Romance
Published on 16. March 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
288 pages
978-1-964264-32-5 (ISBN)
Description
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.
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.
Reviews / Votes
"The complexity of Harris' characters and themes elevates Only the Small Bones from genre fiction to something more profound - a story about boundaries, relapse, growth and love that learns to wait." * Booktrib * "Only the Small Bones will resonate with readers who appreciate M/M romance with a dark edge, a slow-burn structure, and a relationship built through negotiated trust." * Booktrib * "Harris opens her tale with urgency, then settles into something more intimate: the hours after crisis, the strange quiet after survival, and the painstaking work of redefining what "safe" means." * Booktrib * "Some romances race toward the first kiss. Only the Small Bones by C.P. Harris takes the longer road - the one lined with rules that exist for a reason." * Booktrib * "CP Harris writes with a rare blend of heart and intensity, crafting emotionally rich stories that stay with you long after the last page. Her characters are unforgettable, and her voice is both powerful and deeply human. With every story, Harris delivers an emotional punch wrapped in beautifully crafted prose. Her writing is fearless, authentic, and brimming with soul, leaving readers captivated and craving more." -- <I>Lambda Literary Nominee</I> M.A. Wardell "C.P. Harris' ability to form the most eloquent words, together, on a page, is unmatched. Captivating her audience from beginning to end, Harris' range of storytelling is filled with high stakes and an even higher reward, the romance and the reality co-existing in an addictive way. Book after book, C.P. Harris ensures her stories are unforgettable, always leaving readers breathless and wanting more." -- <I>USA Today</I> bestselling author Marley Valentine "One word comes to mind with every CP Harris book I've ever read: longing. With each project, Harris presents a master class in writing angst, lust, and unbearable longing. This longing leads to a presentation of love that feels undeniable and inescapable. I read her books on the edge of my seat, heart clenched tight in my chest, just waiting for the dam of deep emotions to finally break. Her characters are always complex and layered, their struggles real, and their love more than earned. Suffice it to say, CP Harris is an auto-buy author for me." -- <I>New York Times</I> bestselling author Emily RathMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Publishing group
Meredith Wild LLC
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Dimensions
Height: 225 mm
Width: 150 mm
Thickness: 23 mm
Weight
358 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-964264-32-5 (9781964264325)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
When not writing, C.P. Harris can be found reading about the flawed, possessive characters often reflected in her own work. She prefers her love stories a little toxic, a lot complicated, with a happily ever after well worth the struggle it took to get there. If being wrecked by romance is your jam, then C.P. may be the author for you.