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Broken
Is it a betrayal to those you lost to move forward? Can you find moments of joy amid devastating loss? And does living mean forgetting?
Allison had it all - A great marriage, a beautiful daughter and a future she was excited for - until it was all ripped away.
It’s been six months since she lost her family in a car crash and all she has now is the anger she wears like a shield to protect her from feeling anything else. She has used it to drive away everyone in her life that cares about her - everyone but her mother who stubbornly refuses to be pushed away. Forced into therapy Allison must not only deal with the profound grief she has been avoiding, but the questions and self-doubt that arise as she starts to live again.
Allison had it all - A great marriage, a beautiful daughter and a future she was excited for - until it was all ripped away.
It’s been six months since she lost her family in a car crash and all she has now is the anger she wears like a shield to protect her from feeling anything else. She has used it to drive away everyone in her life that cares about her - everyone but her mother who stubbornly refuses to be pushed away. Forced into therapy Allison must not only deal with the profound grief she has been avoiding, but the questions and self-doubt that arise as she starts to live again.
287 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 4, 2023
4 people are currently reading
99 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
August 7, 2023
I loved this book!!!! It was so emotional and the writing felt so honest. The conversations that the characters had felt like things real people would say to each other. I 100% recommend this book!!!
May 1, 2023
Writing a review for an independent author is always the most difficult review to write for me. There is so much more need for a thoughtful review. I feel the burden of the author's hard work and emotional connection to the story. This one is no different.
Broken by Dawn Michele is a book about love, loss, grief, and healing. When we meet the main character she is in pain and everyone knows it. Her husband and 3 year old child died in a car accident, and she is angry. She is angry at the teenaged boy who caused the accident. She is angry at herself for sending her husband on the errand. And she is angry at her friends for trying to show her compassion. She is buried deep in guilt, pain, sadness. She is mourning. Her mother convinces her that she needs to see a therapist, and luckily she commits herself to the process. We are able to see the ways she takes steps towards healing, and how her life changes as time passes.
I asked the author where she found her inspiration, and her connection to the process of grieving. I was convinced that this story had to be personal. Real. Lived experience. But, the idea came from a news story she heard years ago, and the story was from her imagination.
I have grieved. I have found myself in that morass of guilt, sadness and anger. I have thought that I might never get past it. And this book was so thoughtful, realistic, painful and therapeutic. I found both heart-wrenching and heartwarming. I found it to be empathetic, compassionate and redemptive.
I highly recommend this one.
Broken by Dawn Michele is a book about love, loss, grief, and healing. When we meet the main character she is in pain and everyone knows it. Her husband and 3 year old child died in a car accident, and she is angry. She is angry at the teenaged boy who caused the accident. She is angry at herself for sending her husband on the errand. And she is angry at her friends for trying to show her compassion. She is buried deep in guilt, pain, sadness. She is mourning. Her mother convinces her that she needs to see a therapist, and luckily she commits herself to the process. We are able to see the ways she takes steps towards healing, and how her life changes as time passes.
I asked the author where she found her inspiration, and her connection to the process of grieving. I was convinced that this story had to be personal. Real. Lived experience. But, the idea came from a news story she heard years ago, and the story was from her imagination.
I have grieved. I have found myself in that morass of guilt, sadness and anger. I have thought that I might never get past it. And this book was so thoughtful, realistic, painful and therapeutic. I found both heart-wrenching and heartwarming. I found it to be empathetic, compassionate and redemptive.
I highly recommend this one.
April 25, 2023
Broken will break you and then out you back together again. It’s a page turner that you will need tissues with. From the first chapter to the last, I was attached to the characters and wanted to know what was next for them.
Such a good book!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Such a good book!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 14, 2023
This book took me on an emotional rollercoaster. As someone who experienced an unexpected loss within the last 8 months, I found I related to Allison, and connected with Broken, on a deep level. I cried with Allison, I laughed with her and I found myself feeling pride in reading about her learning how to live through her loss.
For anyone who has experienced a loss of a loved one unexpectedly, this should be on your TBR.
For anyone who has experienced a loss of a loved one unexpectedly, this should be on your TBR.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2023
Broken is a debut novel from author Dawn Michele. The one-word title and heart illustration on the cover of this book had me curious what the pages would entail. I truly enjoyed this book. The writing style is one the makes the reader want to continue on to the next chapter and has one rooting for the main character. This book is about love, tragedy, and overcoming emotions for a chance at life. Without giving any spoilers away… Broken details the journey of Ali and how she handles the lemons that life has thrown at her. Through the help of her mom, friends, fur-babies, and Dr. Whitman she finds her strength. I look forward to reading other books from this author. Thank you to Dawn and Booksprout for sending me a copy of this book to read.
May 23, 2023
Wow! What a debut novel!! Get ready to have a lot of tissues on hand while reading this, as you'll be on an emotional rollercoaster throughout.
Dawn did a fantastic job in making you feel emotionally invested in the well being of Allison. I was rooting for her the whole book!!
I will say that seeing the growth of Allison from beginning to end was remarkable.
It starts with Allison losing her husband and 3 yo daughter to a car accident. It shows how much pain she suffers in the beginning and the different stages of grief she goes through, beginning with anger. Unfortunately, Allison stalled at this stage, pushing everyone away. Until one day her mother had enough and made her go to a therapist. The book continues on, showing the recovery steps and healing process Allison went through. Her therapist helping her along the way by giving her "homework" was an incredible way to help her heal and regain her life back, without her realizing it right away.
Now as heartbreaking as this story is, there are some funny parts also sprinkled in. Mainly with Allison and her friends conversations. You'll see when you read the book! As the book goes on you get to see Allison go through the stages of grief, so there will be joyous times also.
Dawn did an incredible job with this book. This is a must read. Dawn is a new author to me and I'm so glad I found her and her book! Can't wait until her next one!
Dawn did a fantastic job in making you feel emotionally invested in the well being of Allison. I was rooting for her the whole book!!
I will say that seeing the growth of Allison from beginning to end was remarkable.
It starts with Allison losing her husband and 3 yo daughter to a car accident. It shows how much pain she suffers in the beginning and the different stages of grief she goes through, beginning with anger. Unfortunately, Allison stalled at this stage, pushing everyone away. Until one day her mother had enough and made her go to a therapist. The book continues on, showing the recovery steps and healing process Allison went through. Her therapist helping her along the way by giving her "homework" was an incredible way to help her heal and regain her life back, without her realizing it right away.
Now as heartbreaking as this story is, there are some funny parts also sprinkled in. Mainly with Allison and her friends conversations. You'll see when you read the book! As the book goes on you get to see Allison go through the stages of grief, so there will be joyous times also.
Dawn did an incredible job with this book. This is a must read. Dawn is a new author to me and I'm so glad I found her and her book! Can't wait until her next one!
April 22, 2023
I found the beginning of this book a little bit harder to get through than I had anticipated- not because of the subject matter - I thought the author handled the topic of abject grief with great care - but because it was so deep for longer than I was comfortable with. I also recognize that someone who has experienced a devastating loss might find it very cathartic going through this every step of the way with Ali.
That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed the second half of the book. I loved her therapist and her friends, her relationship with her mom, and her ability to come to a level of understanding regarding Justin. I think that forgiveness is so very difficult, but understanding and compassion can be more easily/honestly given. The bear!!!
Seeing Ali grow, stumble and get up and try again was wonderful and I found myself cheering for her. I am glad she found her way.
A first book from a new author. I am excited to see where her writing takes her next.
That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed the second half of the book. I loved her therapist and her friends, her relationship with her mom, and her ability to come to a level of understanding regarding Justin. I think that forgiveness is so very difficult, but understanding and compassion can be more easily/honestly given. The bear!!!
Seeing Ali grow, stumble and get up and try again was wonderful and I found myself cheering for her. I am glad she found her way.
A first book from a new author. I am excited to see where her writing takes her next.
July 1, 2023
This one was such an emotional read but I loved it. I felt a connection to it, more than I thought I would. I didn't lose a child or spouse but I lost my dad and he was everything to me.
It's so hard to go forward, when I smile or laugh, I feel guilty because he should be here smiling, laughing at things and just being happy. A part in the book made me feel not so alone, she spoke out loud to her husband as if he was around and could hear her, like he's there. That's exactly what I do, I talk out loud to my dad like he's around and can hear me, I bring up my favorite memories of us together and tell him things. I laugh and I cry at the same time and it's an odd feeling. I miss him so much and this book somehow helped and just made me feel better. I'm glad the author made this, it was such a good read, even made me cry a couple of times.
It's so hard to go forward, when I smile or laugh, I feel guilty because he should be here smiling, laughing at things and just being happy. A part in the book made me feel not so alone, she spoke out loud to her husband as if he was around and could hear her, like he's there. That's exactly what I do, I talk out loud to my dad like he's around and can hear me, I bring up my favorite memories of us together and tell him things. I laugh and I cry at the same time and it's an odd feeling. I miss him so much and this book somehow helped and just made me feel better. I'm glad the author made this, it was such a good read, even made me cry a couple of times.
April 15, 2023
I just finished this book. AMAZING! I will say at times I was almost in tears since it brought back many memories of the grief I went through when my ex and I split and I became a single mom. But I do want to say that the strength you were able to give Allison in this book and how she was able to work through every step and became a stronger women is amazing, and reminds me that we are all very strong when we have the right support to get us through what ever grief period we have been given in any point of our life and be able to take what ever time we need to grieve and that there is no timeline on finding our new happiness, it will happen when you are able yo let it happen. I am very looking forward to reading more of your future books.
April 20, 2023
You’ll need a full box of tissues for this book. I didn’t exactly know what I was in for when I started reading this book. I cried a lot, especially during the first half. It was scary to even attempt to relate to the main character, because no one wants to imagine what it’s like to live through that kind of loss. By the end of the book, I felt some relief for the character, but the story really stuck in my soul. I hope I never experience anything like this in my life and I have to admit, it’s my worst fear. I highly recommend this to pretty much everyone, because it will make you appreciate your loved ones even more than you do now.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 3, 2023
Heartbreaking and Inspiring at the same time. Allison’s life changed in a single day, not only did she lose the two most important people in her life but she died inside, also. Anger, hatred, and depression has caused her to push away everyone that is important to her. As she goes through each step in her grief, she learns how to not feel guilty and learns how to live again, laugh again, and how to accept that her husband and daughter would have wanted her to be happy. But the hardest part is realizing that the person responsible isn’t a monster and that he has to live in pain probably more than she is. This book had me crying and cheering for Allison with each triumph she made. I definitely recommend this amazing book
April 15, 2023
This book wrenched my heart out so many times....the first mention of the burial? Oscar and Felix? The bear?? Not me sitting in my car on my lunch break, sobbing, while I read this!
This book is thoughtful, heartbreaking, relatable, and despite the sobbing, also funny.
More than once, I felt it had been written by someone who had gone through these experiences, and my heart would break all over again.
The only reason I didn't give 5 stars was because there were some times it felt a bit repetitive in rehashing the details of things and I found myself skimming, but I definitely don't think it took anything away from the impact of this story.
This book is thoughtful, heartbreaking, relatable, and despite the sobbing, also funny.
More than once, I felt it had been written by someone who had gone through these experiences, and my heart would break all over again.
The only reason I didn't give 5 stars was because there were some times it felt a bit repetitive in rehashing the details of things and I found myself skimming, but I definitely don't think it took anything away from the impact of this story.
August 13, 2023
I feel privileged to have read this beautiful, heartbreaking story, possibly the most heart-wrenching book I’ve ever read. Allison’s pain feel so real, my heart was breaking for her with every page. It’s not an exaggeration to say that I cried for at least the first two-thirds of this book. It was so raw, so real, that I often had the sense of literally listening in on someone’s therapy sessions. I read this one book form, but hope some day to own a physical copy, because I believe that this book could help people in their own grief. Thank you, Dawn Michele, for allowing me to read your book. It was incredible.
April 15, 2023
This book broke my heart in pieces and it was slowly put back together at the end. A woman loses her family due to a terrible accident and her life spirals out of control. Her journey of grieving is a rollercoaster of emotions and trials. The ups and downs brings her to many revelations. But this debut author blew me away with how she presented this story. It was beautifully written and you feel every feeling in your bones. I highly recommend reading this book to experience the path of healing after a life altering experience.
April 21, 2023
Broken was hard to put down! The book felt like a giant therapy session and I loved every minute. It was interesting to read about the grieving process through someone going through it and the thoughts they have. The therapist Ali meets with has excellent advice that could be related to other tough life situations as well. The emotions, characters and events were all very real. The support system Ali had was truly amazing. Broken is a beautifully written, quick read that will have you looking at life a little differently.
April 18, 2023
I don’t think I have ever felt so emotional reading a book before.. I cried and had to put down this book so many times because all the feels were so much!!
If you want a real tear jerker don’t sleep on this book!
It was such an amazing and inspirational story about losing loved ones and working through the tragedy, grief, and all the emotions that come with it.
Trigger warning though.. it was about the loss of a spouse and child!
If you want a real tear jerker don’t sleep on this book!
It was such an amazing and inspirational story about losing loved ones and working through the tragedy, grief, and all the emotions that come with it.
Trigger warning though.. it was about the loss of a spouse and child!
April 20, 2023
What an emotional roller coaster! I laughed, I cried, I loved. Amazing story line, great characters, believable and gripping. The writing style was a bit repetitive and I felt the repetition got in the way of the story at times but man, I spent half a day reading this. What great emotions this book gave me!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 3, 2023
4/5 ⭐️
I didn’t realize this book was going to be so emotional. Like for real, if I was writing this review on paper the paper would be soaked with my tears.
The characters, the story, the overall character development was just all well rounded.
Only thing that I struggled with was the beginning of the book. It was hard to originally follow however, once I got past the beginning it was a beautiful story.
I didn’t realize this book was going to be so emotional. Like for real, if I was writing this review on paper the paper would be soaked with my tears.
The characters, the story, the overall character development was just all well rounded.
Only thing that I struggled with was the beginning of the book. It was hard to originally follow however, once I got past the beginning it was a beautiful story.
April 19, 2023
This book ripped my heart out in every chapter. You can feel the grief Allison goes through and it’s heart wrenching. The only reason I did give it 4 starts is it does need a tad more editing.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 14, 2023
I loved this book from the start. I was unable to read it for a few days and I craved reading this book, getting back to the characters and what was happening. It is a great read on growing and perspective. I truly enjoyed this book and will pass it on to others to fall in love with it too.
May 22, 2023
This book is so beautifully written! You are pulled in from the start to experience first hand what the main character is going through. So real on every level you should expect this to be a great tear jerker with the ability to induce some good comic relief as well. Amazing read and recommend to everyone!
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews