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Shattered
Liam Cochrane no longer belongs. He lost his youth and his brother on the battlefields of Europe. Now he’s home in Halifax, Nova Scotia, trying to dull his pain with liquor and the occasional willing woman. He’s become a stranger in the North End neighbourhood where he grew up.Alice O’Neill has never belonged. Able to read notes, but not words, she dreams of teaching music – and of Liam, who has held her heart for years and never known. But Liam has shadowy ties in England that he’s revealed to no one, and in that fall of 1917, Halifax is on a collision course with fate. On December 6, a horrific accident of war will devastate the city’s North End. What will be left for Liam and Alice when their world is shattered?
270 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 24, 2011
11 people are currently reading
187 people want to read
About the author
Jennie Marsland
9 books34 followersI'm a teacher, an amateur musician and, for over thirty years, a writer. I fell in love with words at a very early age and the affair has been life-long. I write historical romance, drawing on my love of the Westerns I grew up with and on stories of life in rural Nova Scotia in earlier times, passed down by my parents and grandparents. When I'm not writing, I garden, play guitar, spend time with my DH and cater to the whims of our two spoiled Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
April 5, 2012
This is set in an era and a location that I've never read or heard that much about. The historical facts were fascinating and I really enjoyed it.
October 1, 2011
Some mild spoilers for those of you who may not be aware of the history of Halifax Nova Scotia during WW1.
It's hard to describe Jennie Marsland's writing - it bridges the realm between historical romance and historical fiction - but however you want to classify it, I love it. She has a knack for capturing the gritty flavour of an era - in this case, Halifax during WWI. The title of the book refers not only to the historical event that looms over the story, but to a cast of characters who are shattered - physically and emotionally by events both large (The Great War) and more close to home. Marsland captures the landscape of Halifax, of its people—warts and all—which adds more flavor and honesty to the story.
The story centres around Liam Cochrane, a soldier returned home from the fields of Belguim and France, suffering from shrapnel wounds and survivor’s guilt, and Alice O’Neill, who carries a shameful secret and tries to keep the fragile fabric of her family life from falling to pieces. As their relationship develops over the summer and fall of 1917, they each discover that the strength they need to heal is within them, but it is their love for each other that enables them to unlock it.
It would be interesting to see a review written by someone who didn't know the history of Halifax during this time. As someone who knows it well, I found that that the tension was heightened because I knew the dark event coming, and it made my interest in the characters even more gripping. Every road they walked on was frought with unseen danger, even tender moment threatened by an event beyond their control. It added an extra layer of tension for me as the reader. Pick it up – I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
It's hard to describe Jennie Marsland's writing - it bridges the realm between historical romance and historical fiction - but however you want to classify it, I love it. She has a knack for capturing the gritty flavour of an era - in this case, Halifax during WWI. The title of the book refers not only to the historical event that looms over the story, but to a cast of characters who are shattered - physically and emotionally by events both large (The Great War) and more close to home. Marsland captures the landscape of Halifax, of its people—warts and all—which adds more flavor and honesty to the story.
The story centres around Liam Cochrane, a soldier returned home from the fields of Belguim and France, suffering from shrapnel wounds and survivor’s guilt, and Alice O’Neill, who carries a shameful secret and tries to keep the fragile fabric of her family life from falling to pieces. As their relationship develops over the summer and fall of 1917, they each discover that the strength they need to heal is within them, but it is their love for each other that enables them to unlock it.
It would be interesting to see a review written by someone who didn't know the history of Halifax during this time. As someone who knows it well, I found that that the tension was heightened because I knew the dark event coming, and it made my interest in the characters even more gripping. Every road they walked on was frought with unseen danger, even tender moment threatened by an event beyond their control. It added an extra layer of tension for me as the reader. Pick it up – I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
November 22, 2011
Shattered is a beautiful historical romance set around the Halifax explosion in 1917. It's a smooth read with identifiable characters all struggling with everyday issues and relationships. Yet all the while you're reading about budding romances and family situations mending, the tension of the explosion is ever intensifying in the background.
I'm new to the historical romance genre, but found this a very rich read and really enjoyed seeing Halifax as a backdrop to this lovely story. I highly recommend this book.
I'm new to the historical romance genre, but found this a very rich read and really enjoyed seeing Halifax as a backdrop to this lovely story. I highly recommend this book.
November 17, 2024
4.5 stars rounded up
I enjoyed Jennie Marsland's Shattered. It depicted an authentic image of Halifax and life in the city during the First World War. Marsland did her research and kept the story true to the time period, straddling the line between historical fiction and historical romance.
With the story beginning in September 1917 and knowing that the world’s largest man-made explosion to that date was to occur in three months' time, the tension of what was going to happen and how it was going to happen built fast.
I liked Alice and Liam’s characters, both working to overcome life’s obstacles. I especially enjoyed walking or taking the tram with them around World War I Halifax and seeing the city in 1917 through their eyes. I am looking forward to reading about Alice’s brother and her sister in the next two books of the series.
I also wanted to add, that the cover of Shattered was perfect, with a woman who we assume is Alice on the front with the Halifax Town Clock in the backdrop.
I enjoyed Jennie Marsland's Shattered. It depicted an authentic image of Halifax and life in the city during the First World War. Marsland did her research and kept the story true to the time period, straddling the line between historical fiction and historical romance.
With the story beginning in September 1917 and knowing that the world’s largest man-made explosion to that date was to occur in three months' time, the tension of what was going to happen and how it was going to happen built fast.
I liked Alice and Liam’s characters, both working to overcome life’s obstacles. I especially enjoyed walking or taking the tram with them around World War I Halifax and seeing the city in 1917 through their eyes. I am looking forward to reading about Alice’s brother and her sister in the next two books of the series.
I also wanted to add, that the cover of Shattered was perfect, with a woman who we assume is Alice on the front with the Halifax Town Clock in the backdrop.
March 3, 2017
This was a pretty good read but so somber and serious in tone that it bordered on being melodramatic. I don't believe I smiled even once nor did I feel like crying...it did not evoke strong emotions one way or another for me. I thought, based on the blurb description, that the explosion that took place in Halifax in 1917 would be the backdrop for a major part of the story. The explosion did not even happen until at the 87% mark and therefore only served to wrap up some story lines (a little too conveniently for one of them) and was not a major part of the storyline.
The good: both MC were likeable and I was hoping they would overcome their inner demons and find happiness together. Also, it was nice reading a story where the setting was Halifax, Nova Scotia...something different for a change.
The good: both MC were likeable and I was hoping they would overcome their inner demons and find happiness together. Also, it was nice reading a story where the setting was Halifax, Nova Scotia...something different for a change.
December 9, 2011
Although historical romance isn’t my usual reading stock, I was drawn to this novel when I read the sample because of its strong, vivid writing style and a glimpse of flawed characters that I hoped would find their strength and develop in the course of the story.
Well, I was not disappointed. Both protagonists, Liam and Alice, start out very weak and desperate – Liam crippled by his war experience, the death of his younger brother and his war injury, and Alice with her low self confidence made worse by her dysfunctional family and inability to read. But the novel follows the change in their characters, two perfect arcs of improvement, as the events propel them along until they manage to take charge of their lives. I must say that this in itself was immensely satisfying for me as a reader.
The setting felt very real and the secondary characters were also three-dimensional and believable. There was no black and white, no evil and perfect people, only people coping with personal tragedies each in their own way and coming into conflict with others.
The atmosphere of the time was palpable in the pages of this novel and to my joy I was transported back into time to this small town devastated by the effects of a war so distant and yet so near, a war taking away their sons and leaving behind widows and orphans. Everything, from the balls to the masses at the church to the hospitals and the beliefs of the society were consistent and created a world in which I happily lived for a few days.
Although it is mostly sweet romance, the novel does include a few sex scenes, well written and not overly explicit, but certainly not for children. They are not gratuitous; they work well in the story and advance the relationships between characters.
The novel has a good pace, neither too slow nor too fast. No big surprises awaited in its pages, everything went as I imagined it would, but that is not necessarily a bad thing: seeing the way the author handled situations and conflicts was for me the best thing about this novel.
A final note: I was surprised with the events in the final pages of the novel (the Halifax explosion) but was pleasantly surprised to find a historical comment at the end of the book explaining that these events are real and detailing what we know about them.
This is a well-researched and well-written book, and I highly recommend it to lovers of the genre and to everyone who likes a good, character-driven story.
(reviewed for the Good Book Alert site)
Well, I was not disappointed. Both protagonists, Liam and Alice, start out very weak and desperate – Liam crippled by his war experience, the death of his younger brother and his war injury, and Alice with her low self confidence made worse by her dysfunctional family and inability to read. But the novel follows the change in their characters, two perfect arcs of improvement, as the events propel them along until they manage to take charge of their lives. I must say that this in itself was immensely satisfying for me as a reader.
The setting felt very real and the secondary characters were also three-dimensional and believable. There was no black and white, no evil and perfect people, only people coping with personal tragedies each in their own way and coming into conflict with others.
The atmosphere of the time was palpable in the pages of this novel and to my joy I was transported back into time to this small town devastated by the effects of a war so distant and yet so near, a war taking away their sons and leaving behind widows and orphans. Everything, from the balls to the masses at the church to the hospitals and the beliefs of the society were consistent and created a world in which I happily lived for a few days.
Although it is mostly sweet romance, the novel does include a few sex scenes, well written and not overly explicit, but certainly not for children. They are not gratuitous; they work well in the story and advance the relationships between characters.
The novel has a good pace, neither too slow nor too fast. No big surprises awaited in its pages, everything went as I imagined it would, but that is not necessarily a bad thing: seeing the way the author handled situations and conflicts was for me the best thing about this novel.
A final note: I was surprised with the events in the final pages of the novel (the Halifax explosion) but was pleasantly surprised to find a historical comment at the end of the book explaining that these events are real and detailing what we know about them.
This is a well-researched and well-written book, and I highly recommend it to lovers of the genre and to everyone who likes a good, character-driven story.
(reviewed for the Good Book Alert site)
September 6, 2016
Centered around World War I and the Halifax Explosion - still the biggest man-made, non-atomic/nuclear explosion ever - this is a sweet story. But it is also a gritty, emotionally difficult, dark, painful, and loss-filled story.
Liam has seen the horrors of war and come home, broken both in spirit and body. It's bad enough he is broken, but to make it all worse, his hometown is full of people going on about their lives, wartime lives to be sure, but they can never know and never understand him.
Alice is broken in her own way. Though not clearly defined in the book, she is dyslexic and has been dismissed by her family as dumb, useless, insignificant, and a drudge. Unfortunately for Alice, she's always loved Liam, who just happens to be "stepping out" with her sister.
This is primarily a very sensitive look at soldiers returning from "The Great War". While the end of the war and the final return of so many soldiers was a seminal political moment in Canadian history, we do not yet see that played out. This is the human side, the PTSD ("shellshock"), the drinking and despair, the wounded and broken.
The Halifax Explosion doesn't come until the end of the book and since that's the part I was especially interested in, I was disappointed. I had hoped for more about the event itself and more of the aftermath.
That doesn't take away from the wonderful book it was, just means that the blurb focused more on an even that took up almost no space in the book.
Liam has seen the horrors of war and come home, broken both in spirit and body. It's bad enough he is broken, but to make it all worse, his hometown is full of people going on about their lives, wartime lives to be sure, but they can never know and never understand him.
Alice is broken in her own way. Though not clearly defined in the book, she is dyslexic and has been dismissed by her family as dumb, useless, insignificant, and a drudge. Unfortunately for Alice, she's always loved Liam, who just happens to be "stepping out" with her sister.
This is primarily a very sensitive look at soldiers returning from "The Great War". While the end of the war and the final return of so many soldiers was a seminal political moment in Canadian history, we do not yet see that played out. This is the human side, the PTSD ("shellshock"), the drinking and despair, the wounded and broken.
The Halifax Explosion doesn't come until the end of the book and since that's the part I was especially interested in, I was disappointed. I had hoped for more about the event itself and more of the aftermath.
That doesn't take away from the wonderful book it was, just means that the blurb focused more on an even that took up almost no space in the book.
November 28, 2011
Shattered - Embittered and wounded both physically and emotionally by his stint in the army during the Great War, Liam Cochrane returns to Halifax in 1917 as a near-cripple and feeling like a misfit in civilian society. The demons that haunt him return again and again as he struggles to find place and purpose for his life, a task both eased and complicated by his blossoming relationship with Alice O'Neill, a gifted but illiterate pianist whom Liam has known all her life, but never really known.
Set against the backdrop of wartime Halifax and the Halifax Explosion, Jennie Marsland's Shattered portrays the grim realities of soldiers and their families trying to cope with the fallout of war and offers a story of love between characters who recognize their weaknesses and rise above them in new strength and hope. A good read, particularly for war history buffs.
Set against the backdrop of wartime Halifax and the Halifax Explosion, Jennie Marsland's Shattered portrays the grim realities of soldiers and their families trying to cope with the fallout of war and offers a story of love between characters who recognize their weaknesses and rise above them in new strength and hope. A good read, particularly for war history buffs.
October 11, 2012
Really liked the book, especially the part about the Halifax Explosion in 1917. Loved the interaction between the characters.
March 16, 2017
4.5 Stars
What drew me to the book was a personal disappointment, but this was made up for by a fantastic portrayal on other aspects I wasn't expecting. The Halifax explosion of 1917 is one of those forgotten events in history, outside the community where it happened. Hardly anyone nowadays seems to know about it which is a tragedy since it had such an impact, was so large, and killed so many. When I read it was incorporated into this title, I was eager to start. After finishing, I was pleased ultimately by a fantastic tale, great characters, and vibrant relationships.
Disappointment was aroused by how little the explosion actually played a part in the story. This is a personal quibble, as that's what drew my attention to the book in the first place. Yet, this massive event was smooshed onto the end, feeling like it was a tacked on afterthought rather than an integral part of the story. What we got was devastating and illustrated how this event wiped out an entire community and brought untold destruction and tragedy. I guess I was just looking for more exploration on how this event impacted the community and people who live there overall. Still, stacked against everything else, this is a small and personal quibble.
That being said, the rest of this book was fantastic. The characters shine as strong individuals, especially Alice. I loved her special blend of vulnerability and steely core. While she comes off as a bit of a doormat in the beginning, as the story gets rolling she matures into a strong woman who doesn't take gruff from anyone. She overcomes a dysfunctional, borderline abusive home situation and disability to make her own path in life, with her own goals and choices.
I also love Liam and his strength of character to overcome some truly tragic mental health issues. With a severe case of PTSD from the trenches of World War I Europe, he found the inner strength to overcome dark thoughts and build a life for himself. His family and Alice help him along the way, creating a truly inspiring tale of self-healing and overcoming obstacles.
Liam and Alice together make the story. Their depth of emotion for each other and strength in supporting each other create a vibrant relationship. Liam creates the strong bulwark Alice needs against her family’s violence and emotional damage. Alice is a well of love and acceptance for Liam as he faces the demons of war and heals. Together they are an example of historical romance done right.
But it's in the area of the World War I vets that this book really shines, unexpected for me. The author surprises in her in-depth portrayal of men caught in the horrors of war and bloodshed, then coming home to peacetime and family life. Not everyone is able to cope and some get lost along the way. The author shows the varying degrees of success, or not, that the different men have in dealing with the horrors. From Alice's brother to Liam to Liam's friend, the reader is taken on an emotional journey that reflects strongly on the plight of veterans and servicemen today.
This book was a pleasant surprise overall. The author takes us on an emotional journey of self-healing and strength in the face of adversity. Both Liam and Alice grow throughout the book, creating intriguing character arcs that can't be resisted. The only downer is the lack of details on the explosion itself and its importance on the story. It's tacked on nature at the end seemed rushed and an afterthought to me. Yet, that's a personal disappointment and may not stand out as strongly to another. I’d still highly recommend this book for its strong characters and emotional depth. This novel stands as an example of self-publication at its best.
What drew me to the book was a personal disappointment, but this was made up for by a fantastic portrayal on other aspects I wasn't expecting. The Halifax explosion of 1917 is one of those forgotten events in history, outside the community where it happened. Hardly anyone nowadays seems to know about it which is a tragedy since it had such an impact, was so large, and killed so many. When I read it was incorporated into this title, I was eager to start. After finishing, I was pleased ultimately by a fantastic tale, great characters, and vibrant relationships.
Disappointment was aroused by how little the explosion actually played a part in the story. This is a personal quibble, as that's what drew my attention to the book in the first place. Yet, this massive event was smooshed onto the end, feeling like it was a tacked on afterthought rather than an integral part of the story. What we got was devastating and illustrated how this event wiped out an entire community and brought untold destruction and tragedy. I guess I was just looking for more exploration on how this event impacted the community and people who live there overall. Still, stacked against everything else, this is a small and personal quibble.
That being said, the rest of this book was fantastic. The characters shine as strong individuals, especially Alice. I loved her special blend of vulnerability and steely core. While she comes off as a bit of a doormat in the beginning, as the story gets rolling she matures into a strong woman who doesn't take gruff from anyone. She overcomes a dysfunctional, borderline abusive home situation and disability to make her own path in life, with her own goals and choices.
I also love Liam and his strength of character to overcome some truly tragic mental health issues. With a severe case of PTSD from the trenches of World War I Europe, he found the inner strength to overcome dark thoughts and build a life for himself. His family and Alice help him along the way, creating a truly inspiring tale of self-healing and overcoming obstacles.
Liam and Alice together make the story. Their depth of emotion for each other and strength in supporting each other create a vibrant relationship. Liam creates the strong bulwark Alice needs against her family’s violence and emotional damage. Alice is a well of love and acceptance for Liam as he faces the demons of war and heals. Together they are an example of historical romance done right.
But it's in the area of the World War I vets that this book really shines, unexpected for me. The author surprises in her in-depth portrayal of men caught in the horrors of war and bloodshed, then coming home to peacetime and family life. Not everyone is able to cope and some get lost along the way. The author shows the varying degrees of success, or not, that the different men have in dealing with the horrors. From Alice's brother to Liam to Liam's friend, the reader is taken on an emotional journey that reflects strongly on the plight of veterans and servicemen today.
This book was a pleasant surprise overall. The author takes us on an emotional journey of self-healing and strength in the face of adversity. Both Liam and Alice grow throughout the book, creating intriguing character arcs that can't be resisted. The only downer is the lack of details on the explosion itself and its importance on the story. It's tacked on nature at the end seemed rushed and an afterthought to me. Yet, that's a personal disappointment and may not stand out as strongly to another. I’d still highly recommend this book for its strong characters and emotional depth. This novel stands as an example of self-publication at its best.
December 22, 2020
Romance and family drama in the shadow of the First World War, set in Halifax, Canada. Nothing really wrong with it apart from the fact that I was bored out of my mind and never developed any attachment to any of the characters - and when even a massive explosion shattering the characters' lives can't spark any reaction other than "Huh. Okay then.", it's a pretty good indicator that I'll likely have forgotten everything about this story by this time tomorrow.
April 28, 2022
it was a sweet story overall
I think I wouldve appreciated it more if the main relationship wasnt so rushed
I think I wouldve appreciated it more if the main relationship wasnt so rushed
December 13, 2013
This was a very melancholy book. The tone was somber and the love story was slow to bloom. This book was fraught with tragedy. Get yourself a box of tissues if endeavor to read this book. It is well worth the puffy eyes and snotty nose.
November 21, 2024
Jennie has such a lovely writer voice and her books are sweet but short on emotion. This story, set during the 1917 Halifax Explosion, is a tender romance that will satisfy lovers of the genre as well as illuminate a key moment of Canadian history through the eyes of two lovely characters.
November 24, 2012
I really enjoyed this book, knew very little about the Halifax Explosion of 1917. Read this book before my cruise to Canada and New England.
May 1, 2015
A lacklustre Great War romance with a dull and plodding storyline. I just couldn't warm up to the characters. Gave up at 30%.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews