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When We're Broken
Two decades after divorce, high school sweethearts come together to learn how it all went wrong in the sweeping, romantic women’s fiction saga, When We’re Broken.
How many years apart are too many for a first—and only—love?
Catherine didn’t just lose her father at She lost everything. From her mother refusing to grieve, her brother distancing himself in all the worst ways, and her best friend abandoning her in her time of need, to becoming a social outcast amongst her peers—Catherine was buried beneath the rubble of her own life.
Meeting Glen—the arrogant, attention-seeking new kid from Chicago—was just the thing she didn’t need, until he befriended her brother, and she was left wondering…what if?
From a whirlwind teenage romance to their escape into young newlywed bliss, neither foresaw how the impacts of trauma they didn’t understand would lead to decades of for each other, for the lives they were meant to lead, and for the people they were meant to be.
A southern, multi-generational story of love, loss, and life that What happens when two people who can’t be together—but also can’t be apart—find each other one last time, after their scars are healed?
When We’re Broken is the second novel in the Women of Asher series, following Shawna Holly's debut novel, The Stories We Keep.
How many years apart are too many for a first—and only—love?
Catherine didn’t just lose her father at She lost everything. From her mother refusing to grieve, her brother distancing himself in all the worst ways, and her best friend abandoning her in her time of need, to becoming a social outcast amongst her peers—Catherine was buried beneath the rubble of her own life.
Meeting Glen—the arrogant, attention-seeking new kid from Chicago—was just the thing she didn’t need, until he befriended her brother, and she was left wondering…what if?
From a whirlwind teenage romance to their escape into young newlywed bliss, neither foresaw how the impacts of trauma they didn’t understand would lead to decades of for each other, for the lives they were meant to lead, and for the people they were meant to be.
A southern, multi-generational story of love, loss, and life that What happens when two people who can’t be together—but also can’t be apart—find each other one last time, after their scars are healed?
When We’re Broken is the second novel in the Women of Asher series, following Shawna Holly's debut novel, The Stories We Keep.
428 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 15, 2024
8 people are currently reading
1735 people want to read
About the author
Shawna Holly
2 books77 followersShawna Holly is an Okie who now lives outside of San Antonio, Texas, with her husband and three young kids.
Prior to venturing into fiction writing, she served in the U.S. Air Force, worked as a government contractor, wrote a hyper-local blog focused on the beautiful Texas Hill Country, and owned a boutique web design and digital marketing firm (not all at once, of course).
When not writing, editing, publishing, or marketing, she can likely be found napping, over-caffeinating, taxiing her kids around town, procrastinating, or cheering at the baseball field.
Keep in touch at shawnaholly.com.
Prior to venturing into fiction writing, she served in the U.S. Air Force, worked as a government contractor, wrote a hyper-local blog focused on the beautiful Texas Hill Country, and owned a boutique web design and digital marketing firm (not all at once, of course).
When not writing, editing, publishing, or marketing, she can likely be found napping, over-caffeinating, taxiing her kids around town, procrastinating, or cheering at the baseball field.
Keep in touch at shawnaholly.com.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
October 6, 2025
When We’re Broken by Shawna Holly is one of the most emotional books I have ever read. It tells the story of people who are dealing with real pain and deep heartbreak. The main characters are not perfect. They are hurting and trying to find a way to keep going after everything in their lives has fallen apart. The story talks about hard things like grief and trauma and mental health in a way that feels honest and real. There were parts that made me stop and take a breath because the emotions were so strong. It felt like I was right there with them feeling what they were feeling. This is not a book that is easy to read but it is a book that truly means something.
Even though this story is heavy it is also filled with hope. Shawna Holly shows that even when someone feels completely broken there is still a chance to heal. The way the characters slowly begin to trust and open up to each other was one of the best parts of the book. The writing is simple but it hits you right in the heart. Every word feels like it matters. This book made me cry but it also made me feel strong. It reminded me that pain does not mean the end. It can be the start of something new. If you are ready for a story that is raw and real and full of heart then When We’re Broken is a book you need to read.
Even though this story is heavy it is also filled with hope. Shawna Holly shows that even when someone feels completely broken there is still a chance to heal. The way the characters slowly begin to trust and open up to each other was one of the best parts of the book. The writing is simple but it hits you right in the heart. Every word feels like it matters. This book made me cry but it also made me feel strong. It reminded me that pain does not mean the end. It can be the start of something new. If you are ready for a story that is raw and real and full of heart then When We’re Broken is a book you need to read.
October 19, 2025
Very Good
I really enjoyed reading Catherine's story. She is like a neighbor you would want as a best friend. You go with her through her ups and downs and her rebounds.
I really enjoyed reading Catherine's story. She is like a neighbor you would want as a best friend. You go with her through her ups and downs and her rebounds.
November 2, 2024
Shawna Holly has done it again with another incredible book! I absolutely loved the storyline and the way that this book, When We're Broken intertwined so wonderfully with her first book, The Stories We Keep: A Novel of Motherhood, Mental Health & Hope! I truly struggled to put the book down every time I picked it up. The character development and storyline were so wonderfully done that I was able to picture all of it as if it was playing out in front of me. I truly appreciated how real this story felt and how it showed different ways of working through so many of life's struggles and that things aren't always easy, but always worth it. This book gets 10 out of 10 from me and I can only hope there will be more books to come in the future by this very talented author!
January 1, 2025
This is book two of the Women of Asher series and the main characters are Cat (Catherine) Fraser and Glen Lewis, high school sweethearts who had a hard time in their lives. They came together some months after he moved to the school from Chicago, at first with her ignoring him as he seemed to be quite a player with the girls. Her one best friend deserted her after her father died in an accident at work when she was sixteen and her younger brother Bo didn’t take it well. Glen was the only one who stuck around with her during this time. Bo had first become friends with Glen, always having him back to the house where they would work on his truck. He slowly wore away at her and they became a couple, but not without a few others not being so happy about their relationship. Her mother tries to take on everything her husband used to do around the house, as well as providing for them all alone! Her best friend tries to make amends for leaving her all alone for so long, a pariah amongst her classmates, but it may be too little too late. Both have had trauma in their pasts and as they go ahead and marry as soon as they can, it all starts to fall apart.
Cat has to trust that Glen is not the player her best friend tells her he still is, and not the one who will break her heart according to her mother. They manage to get their first house together and seem to be settled, until a baby comes along. Glen seems happy with the news and Cat certainly is, but their early months with a baby who never seems to stop crying, soon begins to tear them apart. Glen becomes distant, then starts going from drinking after work, to disappearing for hours, then days, weeks and longer! Trauma is added to the stress when his long distant half sister calls. Glen falls apart completely and is determined to realise he should never have been a father and absents himself from their home. Cat refuses to let him leave her completely, she still loves him and always will, whilst he had told her he would never leave her, but that is exactly what he is doing. His keeps his word by making her push him away, as he still loves her, but can’t remain in their family because of his past and what he believes he has inherited from his own father. He refuses to seek any help or therapy and just continues to disappear from Cat and his daughter’s lives for years. We witness her mother and Cat herself have complete breakdowns, Cat whilst trying to start again in another town and struggles to make ends meet. She wanted to move away from the memories and get a fresh start, but it almost kills her!
This is a hard read at times, as everything is laid out bare as the years pass and they don’t seem capable of coming back together even though neither has loved anyone else. Their daughter Jenna realised something was different about her parents set up when she was about twelve and had her best friend round to visit. Even when she thought her father was gone, he was in fact keeping a close eye on her achievements from afar. Eventually, Glen will have to force her to leave by doing something that hurts her badly. They have periods of being friends once again, but she gets to a stage where she can no longer be with him, as it hurts so much. Until he sorts out his massive issues about his father, she can’t take him back and she needs to stand strong to this decision. It will take a few decades before he turns up in her life again, but he is finally able to work on himself and his issues form the past. He doesn’t return immediately, and it is years later when another family event leads him back to town, that he turns up in her life again. His father badly affected his life, that of his half-sister and later on his own daughter, but Cat suffered her own issues with abandonment after her father’s death. The journey back to each other is a long and difficult one, almost being the end of both of them, but true love certainly pulls them back together, no matter how long it takes. Lots of suffering and teenage angst at the start, with life decisions about relationships made at an early age when maybe, they weren’t able to realise how their lives would end up!
Hard to read and see them struggle, with the decision he can’t be a father at one stage, changing as the story progresses and another life event happens. The two of them waste so many years struggling apart, when they haven’t faced the issues that made them as they were and have such huge hurdles from their pasts to overcome. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout, and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
Cat has to trust that Glen is not the player her best friend tells her he still is, and not the one who will break her heart according to her mother. They manage to get their first house together and seem to be settled, until a baby comes along. Glen seems happy with the news and Cat certainly is, but their early months with a baby who never seems to stop crying, soon begins to tear them apart. Glen becomes distant, then starts going from drinking after work, to disappearing for hours, then days, weeks and longer! Trauma is added to the stress when his long distant half sister calls. Glen falls apart completely and is determined to realise he should never have been a father and absents himself from their home. Cat refuses to let him leave her completely, she still loves him and always will, whilst he had told her he would never leave her, but that is exactly what he is doing. His keeps his word by making her push him away, as he still loves her, but can’t remain in their family because of his past and what he believes he has inherited from his own father. He refuses to seek any help or therapy and just continues to disappear from Cat and his daughter’s lives for years. We witness her mother and Cat herself have complete breakdowns, Cat whilst trying to start again in another town and struggles to make ends meet. She wanted to move away from the memories and get a fresh start, but it almost kills her!
This is a hard read at times, as everything is laid out bare as the years pass and they don’t seem capable of coming back together even though neither has loved anyone else. Their daughter Jenna realised something was different about her parents set up when she was about twelve and had her best friend round to visit. Even when she thought her father was gone, he was in fact keeping a close eye on her achievements from afar. Eventually, Glen will have to force her to leave by doing something that hurts her badly. They have periods of being friends once again, but she gets to a stage where she can no longer be with him, as it hurts so much. Until he sorts out his massive issues about his father, she can’t take him back and she needs to stand strong to this decision. It will take a few decades before he turns up in her life again, but he is finally able to work on himself and his issues form the past. He doesn’t return immediately, and it is years later when another family event leads him back to town, that he turns up in her life again. His father badly affected his life, that of his half-sister and later on his own daughter, but Cat suffered her own issues with abandonment after her father’s death. The journey back to each other is a long and difficult one, almost being the end of both of them, but true love certainly pulls them back together, no matter how long it takes. Lots of suffering and teenage angst at the start, with life decisions about relationships made at an early age when maybe, they weren’t able to realise how their lives would end up!
Hard to read and see them struggle, with the decision he can’t be a father at one stage, changing as the story progresses and another life event happens. The two of them waste so many years struggling apart, when they haven’t faced the issues that made them as they were and have such huge hurdles from their pasts to overcome. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout, and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
October 31, 2024
When We’re Broken by Shawna Holly
Have you ever loved someone so much that you make decisions that will change the trajectory of both your lives? Even if you have never experienced abandonment, young love, jealousy, depression or heartbreak, as you read the book you feel yourself inside the main character's hearts and souls.
This is the second book written by Shawna Holly. The first, The Stories We Keep, focuses on Jenna. The second book tells the story of her mom, Catherine. If you read the first book, you got a sneak peak of the members of the extended family. You do not have to read the first book to get swept away with Cat’s story in the second. She calls it a “life story”. You'll laugh, cry and maybe appreciate your life a little more after reading. Don’t wait, get your copy today!
Have you ever loved someone so much that you make decisions that will change the trajectory of both your lives? Even if you have never experienced abandonment, young love, jealousy, depression or heartbreak, as you read the book you feel yourself inside the main character's hearts and souls.
This is the second book written by Shawna Holly. The first, The Stories We Keep, focuses on Jenna. The second book tells the story of her mom, Catherine. If you read the first book, you got a sneak peak of the members of the extended family. You do not have to read the first book to get swept away with Cat’s story in the second. She calls it a “life story”. You'll laugh, cry and maybe appreciate your life a little more after reading. Don’t wait, get your copy today!
September 15, 2024
I was so fortunate to be a beta reader for this novel. Y'all! This book is SOOO good! You're going to absolutely fall in love with Cat, her Mama, Aunt Kitty, & Liza. You might even find you like Glen! This can be read as a standalone, but I highly suggest you read The Stories We Keep first.
When We're Broken returns us to the world of Asher, when Jenna's mama, Catherine, was a teenager. You'll stay engaged start to finish in this story of family, the one you're born into and the one you find. You'll feel all feels... love, heartbreak, & hope, as you read about Cat's teen years through adulthood. Then you'll want to share this with your best reader friends!
PS - don't miss the Spotify playlist as well!
When We're Broken returns us to the world of Asher, when Jenna's mama, Catherine, was a teenager. You'll stay engaged start to finish in this story of family, the one you're born into and the one you find. You'll feel all feels... love, heartbreak, & hope, as you read about Cat's teen years through adulthood. Then you'll want to share this with your best reader friends!
PS - don't miss the Spotify playlist as well!
October 1, 2024
I couldn’t set it down. From the very beginning, I believed I knew where the story would end and yet regardless of that, I was completely enthralled. It is quite a feat for an author to begin a story with its end and then keep the reader engaged as we go back into the characters’ pasts and learn what brought them there. A traditional story of love and loss with an excellent portrayal of generational trauma, and the hurdles that ww all hope to overcome and heal, Shawna Holly has brought the lives of two high school sweethearts and their families to life. I look forward to reading more. Just wonderful.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 15, 2024
Fall in love with Catherine, Glenn, Michelle, heck all the family! The story is a page turner. You will experience ALL the emotions. True everlasting love does exist for better or for worse, and sometimes it's ugly and sometimes its beautiful. There was a different love story, one of mother for daughter, that stood out to me. My favorite line from the novel was, "It seemed cruel that the last time had come and gone without even realizing it was the last time." The Women of Asher series is great, and I look forward to reading more from Shawna Holly! If you haven't done yourself a favorite and get her debut novel, The Stories We Keep.
October 15, 2024
You'll really get to know the main characters in this story thanks to its fantastic character development and the author's relatable writing.
Getting a glimpse into Cat and Glen's early years and seeing what pivotal moments shaped them is incredibly interesting and engaging.
This book offers a thought-provoking look at trauma's lasting impact and the healing process, making for a truly unforgettable read.
I want to thank the author and Voracious Readers Only for providing an early copy of this book. I'm voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion in this review.
Getting a glimpse into Cat and Glen's early years and seeing what pivotal moments shaped them is incredibly interesting and engaging.
This book offers a thought-provoking look at trauma's lasting impact and the healing process, making for a truly unforgettable read.
I want to thank the author and Voracious Readers Only for providing an early copy of this book. I'm voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion in this review.
October 5, 2024
A Beautifully Heartfelt Story of Love and Healing
"When We're Broken" was such a fantastic read that I found myself completely absorbed in the characters' lives. Catherine’s story was so moving—I cried along with her through all the tough moments and cheered when things finally started looking up. Shawna Holly really knows how to write characters that feel real, and I connected with them on such a deep level.
The way Catherine deals with grief, from losing her father to feeling abandoned by her friends and family, is written in such an honest, raw way. It felt like I was living through those emotions right alongside her. Then, when Glen comes into the picture, things take such an interesting turn. Their relationship is so complicated, but also incredibly relatable. The ups and downs they go through as they grow together (and apart) really pulled at my heartstrings.
This book isn’t just about romance—it’s about how trauma and life experiences shape us, and how we sometimes have to fight not just for love, but for ourselves. The emotional scars the characters carry make their journey toward healing so powerful. I found myself rooting for them the whole way, hoping they’d find happiness in the end.
By the time I finished the book, I felt like I had been on such an emotional journey. When We're Broken is one of those stories that sticks with you long after the last page. It’s about love, loss, and the messy but beautiful process of healing. If you're looking for a book that will hit you right in the feels, this one’s definitely worth the read. I’m already excited for what’s next in the Women of Asher series!
"When We're Broken" was such a fantastic read that I found myself completely absorbed in the characters' lives. Catherine’s story was so moving—I cried along with her through all the tough moments and cheered when things finally started looking up. Shawna Holly really knows how to write characters that feel real, and I connected with them on such a deep level.
The way Catherine deals with grief, from losing her father to feeling abandoned by her friends and family, is written in such an honest, raw way. It felt like I was living through those emotions right alongside her. Then, when Glen comes into the picture, things take such an interesting turn. Their relationship is so complicated, but also incredibly relatable. The ups and downs they go through as they grow together (and apart) really pulled at my heartstrings.
This book isn’t just about romance—it’s about how trauma and life experiences shape us, and how we sometimes have to fight not just for love, but for ourselves. The emotional scars the characters carry make their journey toward healing so powerful. I found myself rooting for them the whole way, hoping they’d find happiness in the end.
By the time I finished the book, I felt like I had been on such an emotional journey. When We're Broken is one of those stories that sticks with you long after the last page. It’s about love, loss, and the messy but beautiful process of healing. If you're looking for a book that will hit you right in the feels, this one’s definitely worth the read. I’m already excited for what’s next in the Women of Asher series!
October 4, 2024
This book has ALL the feels. And while it could definitely stand alone, I highly recommend reading the first book in the Women of Asher series to get the full effect. You understand Jenna even more even though this book is about her mama. It is a beautifully imperfect love story that portrays the very real effects trauma has on the generations making it a must read for everyone!
October 16, 2024
grief and hope
Reading this book touched me deeply, all the pain and setbacks Catherine had to suffer, it´s just so sad when we can´t find healing from old wounds, how thoroughly trauma can destroy lives. I´m thankful the author shone a light on this dark element of life but still gives us hope there is healing and happiness to be found.
Reading this book touched me deeply, all the pain and setbacks Catherine had to suffer, it´s just so sad when we can´t find healing from old wounds, how thoroughly trauma can destroy lives. I´m thankful the author shone a light on this dark element of life but still gives us hope there is healing and happiness to be found.
January 27, 2025
I was given this book free from Voracious readers only. I love this book, it take you through the twist and turns of the life of cat and Glen. We journey through love loss and grief. This book is a page turner. Keeps you engaged through the book. I hope you enjoy the book as much as I have. Happy reading.
September 16, 2024
I loved reading Catherine’s story. It’s relatable in places and revelatory in others. I think we can all see aspects of ourselves and loved ones in these characters, and this book leaves you with hope for healing. I’m looking forward to seeing which women of Asher we get to know next!
October 14, 2024
The 2nd book in this series and I loved it. This book was a real page turner! I really related to the characters and the storyline about relationships set in the 1980’s.
October 18, 2024
The story of Cat, Glenn and their families captured me from the beginning. The book kept me guessing on what would happen next and I felt the emotions coming through the pages. Excellent read!
October 5, 2024
Loved following along with these characters loves, losses, lives, and learning more about their backstories (as well as where they have been since we left some of them in book 1) can’t wait to see what comes next!
November 14, 2025
This book will take you on a long journey of longing, loss, love and grief. It’s a beautiful story the characters are so relatable and compassionate. I would definitely recommend this beautiful book
October 15, 2024
When We're Broken by Shawna Holly is a beautifully written story. The author does an incredible job of making you care about the characters by pulling you into their lives and struggles. There are moments that made me laugh and others that brought tears to my eyes. Holly's writing is heartfelt and immersive, making this book a page-turner from start to finish. I am already looking forward to the next book in the series.
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