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Vows We Broke: A Left-at-the-Altar, Second Chance Romance
An emerald ring is replaceable. Trust is not.
After mold forces us to move into his parents' mansion, everything changes.
The problem? The Thompsons aren’t just rich. They’re cruel, and to them—whether I’m engaged to their son or not—I am an outsider. Meanwhile, standing in the wings is Amanda—the perfect, pliable ex-fiancée his parents never stopped wanting.
But the real betrayal isn’t his family’s malice. It’s Skyler’s silence.
Determined to "keep the peace," the man I love becomes a stranger. He ignores the insults slung at me. He watches his mother dismantle my dreams. He even allows his ex to take a front-row seat at our wedding.
I begged him to be a husband. He chose to be a dutiful son, instead.
So, at the altar, I make a choice. In a room filled with silver, lilies, and lies, I deliver the one word the Thompsons can't No.
Now, the shock has finally severed Skyler’s silence. He’s traded his designer suits for a hammer, his inheritance for a basement apartment, and his pride for a chance to crawl back to me. He’s desperate to prove he’s the man I need, but I am no longer the woman who will settle for second place.
Vows We Broke
Relationship-in-crisisLeft-at-the-altar/She leaves firstOther Woman Drama Betrayal & GrovelRedemptionClass ClashSecond Chance Romance
After mold forces us to move into his parents' mansion, everything changes.
The problem? The Thompsons aren’t just rich. They’re cruel, and to them—whether I’m engaged to their son or not—I am an outsider. Meanwhile, standing in the wings is Amanda—the perfect, pliable ex-fiancée his parents never stopped wanting.
But the real betrayal isn’t his family’s malice. It’s Skyler’s silence.
Determined to "keep the peace," the man I love becomes a stranger. He ignores the insults slung at me. He watches his mother dismantle my dreams. He even allows his ex to take a front-row seat at our wedding.
I begged him to be a husband. He chose to be a dutiful son, instead.
So, at the altar, I make a choice. In a room filled with silver, lilies, and lies, I deliver the one word the Thompsons can't No.
Now, the shock has finally severed Skyler’s silence. He’s traded his designer suits for a hammer, his inheritance for a basement apartment, and his pride for a chance to crawl back to me. He’s desperate to prove he’s the man I need, but I am no longer the woman who will settle for second place.
Vows We Broke
Relationship-in-crisisLeft-at-the-altar/She leaves firstOther Woman Drama Betrayal & GrovelRedemptionClass ClashSecond Chance Romance
325 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 7, 2026
About the author
Audrey Halliwell
20 books124 followersAudrey Halliwell writes messy, twisty, can’t-look-away romance.
The kind where the other woman has secrets, the ex-fiancé still lingers, and the plot twists slap you like a betrayal at brunch. If you’ve ever screamed at your Kindle, rewritten endings in your head, or fallen in love with a character who absolutely should’ve known better, you’re in the right place.
Audrey blames her obsession with dramatic romance on her mother—she was watching soap operas in elementary school and devouring V.C. Andrews and Gossip Girl by middle school. Armed with a college degree and an unapologetic love for emotional chaos, Audrey writes stories where women stumble through heartbreak, betrayal, and obsession before reclaiming their power.
Her heroines might be messy, but they always find their glow-up.
When she’s not plotting angsty love triangles or crafting emotionally ruined men with great hair, you’ll find her designing something on Canva or rereading her favorite tropes like it’s self-care.
The kind where the other woman has secrets, the ex-fiancé still lingers, and the plot twists slap you like a betrayal at brunch. If you’ve ever screamed at your Kindle, rewritten endings in your head, or fallen in love with a character who absolutely should’ve known better, you’re in the right place.
Audrey blames her obsession with dramatic romance on her mother—she was watching soap operas in elementary school and devouring V.C. Andrews and Gossip Girl by middle school. Armed with a college degree and an unapologetic love for emotional chaos, Audrey writes stories where women stumble through heartbreak, betrayal, and obsession before reclaiming their power.
Her heroines might be messy, but they always find their glow-up.
When she’s not plotting angsty love triangles or crafting emotionally ruined men with great hair, you’ll find her designing something on Canva or rereading her favorite tropes like it’s self-care.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews
April 19, 2026
This is my favorite story to date by this author. Whew! Skyler (the supposed Hero) had ZERO backbone when it came to his toxic/asshole parents. The parents were really something, constantly tearing down everything they could about the heroine Harley’s being. They critiqued her clothes, her job, her background. The mother went so far as to change EVERYTHING Harley and Skyler had planned regarding their wedding. AND SKYLER LET HER. Skyler was more than just a beta.
Harley intuitively KNEW her relationship with Skyler would implode when she and Skyler were forced to move in with his parents because of a mold situation in the home this engaged couple lived in. Skyler’s parents never hid their disdain for Harley the entire time she and Skyler dated, but now that Skyler and Harley are at the parent's mercy, they’ve upped their planned destruction of this engagement by not only constantly comparing Harley in a negative light to the perfect ex fiance Amanda; but now these asshole parents are happily including the perfect Amanda (who has every intention of getting Skyler back in her clutches) in EVERYTHING regarding this wedding planning.
I LOVED everything about this story. I was infuriated on behalf of the heroine so many times. Skyler was such a spinless embarrassment of the male population. Quite honestly, he should have just gone through with a neutering procedure, since he already acts like he has NO BALLS at all.
I loved Harley’s sister and her father, and they way they supported her and always had her back. I felt all the angst through Harley’s eyes as Skyler's parents work hard to undermine and tear Harley down 24/7. I 100% agreed when Harley finally acknowledges that her relationship is a losing battle, a battle that's not worth fighting.
Am I the only one who thinks Harley should have ditched that pussy she was engaged to, and gone after his much manlier brother Steven?
Harley was smart though. She was temped to walk all through the story, but at their wedding, she finally dumped that emasculated douchebag she was engaged to. And it was beautiful. Skyler was such a spineless pussy. He was an embarrassment to the entire male population. He sulked in bed for 3 days after he was dumped for being the pansy ass he truly is.
The rest of the story was Harley and Skyler going their own ways, trying to move on with each of their lives after their nasty break up. Harley dug in at work, making the world a better place for people in need. And Skyler (with the help of his awesome brother) finally got out from under his parents' ugly world and left them behind without looking back. Time passes and Skyler and Harley finally find their way back to each other again.
I liked the story quite a bit despite the absolute lack of grovel from Skyler after the shit he allowed his family and his evil asshole ex to do to Harley. That being said, the story kept me glued to the very end. I loved the story, loved the characters, and I loved the enraging angst that the villains in this story created. I will absolutely re-read this story again in the future.
April 8, 2026
I don’t think there’s ever been a more beta H. He is totally submissive and controlled by his parents. The fmc calls him a coward several times before leaving him at the altar. Then suddenly he rises up and starts building homes for Habitat. It just didn’t work
For me.
For me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 9, 2026
Hard no for me.
She puts up with his family’s nasty passive aggressive and outright aggressive abuse for 60% of the story, he placates, manipulates and lies to keep the peace with his parents. She’s miserable, he’s miserable and everyone is shocked when she says no at the altar. He doesn’t start to get his act together until the 75% mark. By the 90% point, I was thinking cliffhanger or no HEA.
The story timeline is upside down, I’d had enough of his internal whining by 25%. The “betrayal” build up to the altar scene is way too long. There’s a 5 year jump in the epilogue to when they actually get married—those 5 years should have been the meat of the story.
2 generous the writing is better than the story stars.
She puts up with his family’s nasty passive aggressive and outright aggressive abuse for 60% of the story, he placates, manipulates and lies to keep the peace with his parents. She’s miserable, he’s miserable and everyone is shocked when she says no at the altar. He doesn’t start to get his act together until the 75% mark. By the 90% point, I was thinking cliffhanger or no HEA.
The story timeline is upside down, I’d had enough of his internal whining by 25%. The “betrayal” build up to the altar scene is way too long. There’s a 5 year jump in the epilogue to when they actually get married—those 5 years should have been the meat of the story.
2 generous the writing is better than the story stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 7, 2026
Wow, I really liked this! My angsty friends should give this one a try!
Spoilery thoughts…
I hated Skyler for a good portion of this book. It gave me the fun angst feels. Wasn’t sure if he could really be redeemed. I was wrong. By the end I loved him!
It was honestly quite sad. This man was absolutely raised in an emotionally abusive household. That’s not an easy thing to overcome and was insightfully portrayed. Fortunately for our FMC, he does eventually rise above and changes his life radically.
Although the ‘After’ was largely glossed over (we get a five years later situation), I kind of liked the way it was handled. I didn’t need to read the minutiae to believe it. He changed his life drastically to become the person his woman deserved. It was a meaningful change and gave me the feels.
Really enjoyed this, and I recommend. I think this author has a hit on their hands!
Spoilery thoughts…
I hated Skyler for a good portion of this book. It gave me the fun angst feels. Wasn’t sure if he could really be redeemed. I was wrong. By the end I loved him!
It was honestly quite sad. This man was absolutely raised in an emotionally abusive household. That’s not an easy thing to overcome and was insightfully portrayed. Fortunately for our FMC, he does eventually rise above and changes his life radically.
Although the ‘After’ was largely glossed over (we get a five years later situation), I kind of liked the way it was handled. I didn’t need to read the minutiae to believe it. He changed his life drastically to become the person his woman deserved. It was a meaningful change and gave me the feels.
Really enjoyed this, and I recommend. I think this author has a hit on their hands!
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April 19, 2026I’m at 41% and I’m trying to keep from skipping ahead to the wedding altar rejection/confrontation because I am fed up with the disgustingness of the MMC and his family situation. Like it’s absurdly comical how pathetic he is and how nobody seems to get that they are asking for their house to get burned down with them in it because of their hateful behavior. Like, I’m ready to throw hands at how pissed off I am on behalf of the FMC. I absolutely hate that this book is supposed to end with the MMC and FMC back together because he doesn’t deserve a good woman. He deserves everything his POS parents want for him, the miserable sad controlled puppet life they have been already making for him. Ugh.
Also, so much of this book is being spent on the building of all the accumulated betrayals, and we are nowhere near the wedding scene on top of that, that I highly doubt enough page time or effort is going to be spent on any grovel or redemption arch to warrant the couple getting back together, let alone an HEA ending. That is going to be a horrible misstep on the author’s part and I’m dreading finishing this book because I already know that’s going to happen. Smdh. TBC.
49% UPDATE
I know what my problem with this story is. It is well past the point in the relationship and page count for the FMC to have accepted that her fiancé is gone and a body snatcher’s puppet has taken his place. However, the FMC is still blindly planning a wedding that he is, of course, not involved in, with the stupid belief that all will go back to what she thought she had once the wedding happens and it’s over. Unfortunately, this story has shown that he was always a puppet, a coward really, even before they moved into his parent’s house because of their housing emergency. And because of this unacceptance of reality of the MMC, she is still going along, with rose colored glasses askew, and NOT with a planned rejection in mind. So the blurb/sneak peak I read of the altar rejection, isn’t about making him feel her pain, while this is what I went into this book thinking it would be about.
I think this book is going to be along the lines of what happened at the beginning of the “Shut Up Ring” by Cate Wells, where the FMC finally comes to her senses at the altar and rejects the loser fiancé, instead of what I thought it was going to be about, a betrayal that lead to a FMC rejecting the MMC as punishment, with the whole rest of the story showing the MMC’s grovel and redemption to win her back. IDKW I thought that was what this book was going to be about but I did. And that mindset, that expectation, has me not liking this book like I would have if I had gone into it unbiased.
53% UPDATE
This entire book is just one betrayal after the other. Now while I love the gut punch of a reveal of the betrayals, I don’t feel like that’s what’s happening here. We are watching a ship choosing to sink itself. That’s not betrayal. That’s suicide. I don’t read romance for that. So far there has been ZERO romance and I’m wondering why I am even bothering to continue reading.
56% UPDATE
I have said “WOW!” so many times in this book so far. I have been so flabbergasted by the selfish manipulative audacity of the MMC and his family and ex so far that the showdown of the altar rejection I’m dying to read has to be beyond stellar for me to be able to get over everything that has been written leading up to it, or I will be stuck swallowing my gall over what this author has put on these pages. Although, KUDOS to the author for writing such strong betrayal situations that I feel this way. She definitely has excellent writing chops if you’re left feeling this insulted for a fictional character.
Let’s see if we get a great slap down scene for all these vile people or not. And let’s see if I’m right that the rest of the book won’t give enough time or page count for a truly earned HEA.
66% UPDATE
OMFG!! IT WAS SO FUCKING LAME! I CAN”T BELIEVE I WASTED A WHOLE DAY ON THIS UNWORTHY CONFRONTATION. WTF DID I READ THIS FOR!?!
I KNEW IT! I knew this author was going to disappoint me because every book I’ve read so far has done exactly that! I knew it!!!! I said it in my last review of this author”s previous book! I FUCKING KNEW IT!
76% UPDATE
All the comments and constant repetition of “silver” and “blueprints” is annoying and in quite a few places just plain stupid and contrived.
FINAL UPDATE
It ends at 97% and the rest is marketing for the author’s websites and next books.
This isn’t a romance. This is another author like Maya Alden who writes almost epic betrayals with extremely unlikable MMC’s and sometimes FMC’s too, in underdeveloped worlds and lacking on important details in favor of useless ones instead. Like we never get told who what when where why about the brother Steven. He’s just whipped out randomly to push the story along a few times in the last half of the story.
We never find out what happens to the evil in laws and the delusional ex. After a couple of brief confrontations after the altar rejection they just disappear. Which is unrealistic considering everything they did for the MMC’s thirty years of living with them.
I was also right that this book didn’t leave any room for the redemption arch or for the reader to see the main characters fall in love again. They break up and are apart for over six months at least. Then it’s all time jumped ahead to the FMC asking out the MMC then to their real wedding five years later. We get NOTHING of the work they’d have to have done together to get there!
This is NOT a romance. It’s a betrayal story and nothing more. It might be better classified as women’s fiction but even that isn’t completely a correct fit. Either way, I want/choose to read romance. Any betrayals are just the action scenes in a romance story for me, NOT the main course! So if you want to read a book of MMC’s treating their FMC’s poorly then this author and Maya Alden might be for you. This is absolutely not for me.
I won’t rate this book negatively because it was well written despite continuity and grammar issues. And it did have me in my feelings, mostly bad feelings, but feelings nonetheless. And that indicates some good writing. But this book was absolutely disappointing to me. Maybe my standards are too high, since I’m older now and have literally been reading books for half a century. But it just didn’t cut it for me. Basics were missing and too much emphasis on repeating certain stupid phrases was focused on by the author to the detriment of the organic flow of the story. So read it for yourself, judge for yourself. I will never read this book again. I can only hope I can forget it quickly. Good luck.
Also, so much of this book is being spent on the building of all the accumulated betrayals, and we are nowhere near the wedding scene on top of that, that I highly doubt enough page time or effort is going to be spent on any grovel or redemption arch to warrant the couple getting back together, let alone an HEA ending. That is going to be a horrible misstep on the author’s part and I’m dreading finishing this book because I already know that’s going to happen. Smdh. TBC.
49% UPDATE
I know what my problem with this story is. It is well past the point in the relationship and page count for the FMC to have accepted that her fiancé is gone and a body snatcher’s puppet has taken his place. However, the FMC is still blindly planning a wedding that he is, of course, not involved in, with the stupid belief that all will go back to what she thought she had once the wedding happens and it’s over. Unfortunately, this story has shown that he was always a puppet, a coward really, even before they moved into his parent’s house because of their housing emergency. And because of this unacceptance of reality of the MMC, she is still going along, with rose colored glasses askew, and NOT with a planned rejection in mind. So the blurb/sneak peak I read of the altar rejection, isn’t about making him feel her pain, while this is what I went into this book thinking it would be about.
I think this book is going to be along the lines of what happened at the beginning of the “Shut Up Ring” by Cate Wells, where the FMC finally comes to her senses at the altar and rejects the loser fiancé, instead of what I thought it was going to be about, a betrayal that lead to a FMC rejecting the MMC as punishment, with the whole rest of the story showing the MMC’s grovel and redemption to win her back. IDKW I thought that was what this book was going to be about but I did. And that mindset, that expectation, has me not liking this book like I would have if I had gone into it unbiased.
53% UPDATE
This entire book is just one betrayal after the other. Now while I love the gut punch of a reveal of the betrayals, I don’t feel like that’s what’s happening here. We are watching a ship choosing to sink itself. That’s not betrayal. That’s suicide. I don’t read romance for that. So far there has been ZERO romance and I’m wondering why I am even bothering to continue reading.
56% UPDATE
I have said “WOW!” so many times in this book so far. I have been so flabbergasted by the selfish manipulative audacity of the MMC and his family and ex so far that the showdown of the altar rejection I’m dying to read has to be beyond stellar for me to be able to get over everything that has been written leading up to it, or I will be stuck swallowing my gall over what this author has put on these pages. Although, KUDOS to the author for writing such strong betrayal situations that I feel this way. She definitely has excellent writing chops if you’re left feeling this insulted for a fictional character.
Let’s see if we get a great slap down scene for all these vile people or not. And let’s see if I’m right that the rest of the book won’t give enough time or page count for a truly earned HEA.
66% UPDATE
OMFG!! IT WAS SO FUCKING LAME! I CAN”T BELIEVE I WASTED A WHOLE DAY ON THIS UNWORTHY CONFRONTATION. WTF DID I READ THIS FOR!?!
I KNEW IT! I knew this author was going to disappoint me because every book I’ve read so far has done exactly that! I knew it!!!! I said it in my last review of this author”s previous book! I FUCKING KNEW IT!
76% UPDATE
All the comments and constant repetition of “silver” and “blueprints” is annoying and in quite a few places just plain stupid and contrived.
FINAL UPDATE
It ends at 97% and the rest is marketing for the author’s websites and next books.
This isn’t a romance. This is another author like Maya Alden who writes almost epic betrayals with extremely unlikable MMC’s and sometimes FMC’s too, in underdeveloped worlds and lacking on important details in favor of useless ones instead. Like we never get told who what when where why about the brother Steven. He’s just whipped out randomly to push the story along a few times in the last half of the story.
We never find out what happens to the evil in laws and the delusional ex. After a couple of brief confrontations after the altar rejection they just disappear. Which is unrealistic considering everything they did for the MMC’s thirty years of living with them.
I was also right that this book didn’t leave any room for the redemption arch or for the reader to see the main characters fall in love again. They break up and are apart for over six months at least. Then it’s all time jumped ahead to the FMC asking out the MMC then to their real wedding five years later. We get NOTHING of the work they’d have to have done together to get there!
This is NOT a romance. It’s a betrayal story and nothing more. It might be better classified as women’s fiction but even that isn’t completely a correct fit. Either way, I want/choose to read romance. Any betrayals are just the action scenes in a romance story for me, NOT the main course! So if you want to read a book of MMC’s treating their FMC’s poorly then this author and Maya Alden might be for you. This is absolutely not for me.
I won’t rate this book negatively because it was well written despite continuity and grammar issues. And it did have me in my feelings, mostly bad feelings, but feelings nonetheless. And that indicates some good writing. But this book was absolutely disappointing to me. Maybe my standards are too high, since I’m older now and have literally been reading books for half a century. But it just didn’t cut it for me. Basics were missing and too much emphasis on repeating certain stupid phrases was focused on by the author to the detriment of the organic flow of the story. So read it for yourself, judge for yourself. I will never read this book again. I can only hope I can forget it quickly. Good luck.
April 8, 2026
★★★. I expected more of them in a relationship. He groveled extremely well and changed himself for the better of himself and Harley. I just wish we saw them as a solid couple more.
For my safety readers, safe (kinda). The mmc has an ex fiance that is around and he does text her. It’s not an emotional affair, but he doesn’t tell the fmc until the wedding at the altar about her flirting with him. He also doesn’t stop the flirting but recognizes it as a betrayal. He doesn’t flirt back. It’s weird, he’s very manipulated and mentally abused by his family. I never thought Harley was a second choice, yet we could’ve had more declarations of love from the mmc.
For my safety readers, safe (kinda). The mmc has an ex fiance that is around and he does text her. It’s not an emotional affair, but he doesn’t tell the fmc until the wedding at the altar about her flirting with him. He also doesn’t stop the flirting but recognizes it as a betrayal. He doesn’t flirt back. It’s weird, he’s very manipulated and mentally abused by his family. I never thought Harley was a second choice, yet we could’ve had more declarations of love from the mmc.
April 8, 2026
I felt let down at the ending
I really stopped liking Skylar in the 2nd chapter. And then when he was texting Amanda and letting her plan the wedding and they were meeting at night, I was done with him. I didn't think they were going to end up together.I was almost okay with that. His Mother and Father were awful and he let them get away with it. I liked when he left them and started off on his own path but I just wasn't team Skylar. The ending was kind of sad. Its a epilogue five years later and they are getting married in her dads backyard. That's it. I wanted more. But it was still a good read. And it was an HEA but it didn't make me feel it. I can't explain.
I really stopped liking Skylar in the 2nd chapter. And then when he was texting Amanda and letting her plan the wedding and they were meeting at night, I was done with him. I didn't think they were going to end up together.I was almost okay with that. His Mother and Father were awful and he let them get away with it. I liked when he left them and started off on his own path but I just wasn't team Skylar. The ending was kind of sad. Its a epilogue five years later and they are getting married in her dads backyard. That's it. I wanted more. But it was still a good read. And it was an HEA but it didn't make me feel it. I can't explain.
April 17, 2026
This book follows Skyler and Harley, an engaged couple whose relationship is tested when they move in with his wealthy, judgmental family. Harley, a social worker from a loving, down-to-earth background, is constantly belittled—especially by Skyler’s mother. What makes it worse is that Skyler avoids conflict entirely, never really standing up for her.
The tension builds around wedding planning, with his mother interfering and Skyler going along with it. The breaking point comes at the altar, where Harley says no and walks away—honestly, one of the strongest moments in the book. We also have some other drama from his ex fiancé Amanda.
They separate for several months, during which Skyler finally takes accountability and changes his life, leaving his family’s influence behind. They reconnect through work, and we eventually get a five-years-later epilogue where they marry in a much simpler, healthier setting.
I liked the writing, the premise, and especially Harley’s strength. Skyler’s growth was also well done. However, the pacing felt off—the big breakup happens late, and the reconciliation feels rushed. I wanted more confrontation and more time seeing them rebuild.
Overall, a solid read with great potential, but the ending didn’t fully deliver for me.
What I liked:
* The writing style was strong and easy to engage with
* The overall premise and character arcs had a lot of potential
* Harley’s strength—especially walking away at the altar—was a standout moment
* Skyler taking accountability and actively changing his life felt realistic and earned
What didn’t work for me:
* The names personally threw me off—I associate both Skyler and Harley as male names, so it was confusing at times (definitely a personal preference thing)
* The pacing felt off. The biggest moment (the wedding fallout) happens around 70%, leaving very little time for reconciliation
* The grovelling and reunion felt rushed. We only get one real interaction before the epilogue
* The confrontation lacked depth. I really wanted Harley to fully call him out on everything, but it never quite happened
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 25, 2026
We barely see any HEA...the ending was very abrupt.
May 1, 2026
at the second to last chapter, when they finally get together so they can get to know each other again and reconnect with each other again as different people after that period of time, the author took the lazy route and opted for a time jump 🗣 so we didn't even get to see how they worked together after all they've been through (and after we barely got to know them as characters, since they didn't have lots of personality 😬), so what was even the point?
(also, a little peeve of mine: even after five years, when every tiny thing from their new life was mentioned, it was instantly followed with the comparison of how those things were in the past, so in my mind they didn't got over what happened that well 🤡)
(i also hate that he didn't even apologize to her family or realized in his pov how he treated them with disdain, especially her father)
(also, a little peeve of mine: even after five years, when every tiny thing from their new life was mentioned, it was instantly followed with the comparison of how those things were in the past, so in my mind they didn't got over what happened that well 🤡)
(i also hate that he didn't even apologize to her family or realized in his pov how he treated them with disdain, especially her father)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 20, 2026
This book was well written and easy to follow. The majority of the book is the family treating the FMC like trash and the most ridiculously non confrontational wimp of a man as the MMC. There is very little grovel on the MMC’s part but he did change for the better and leave his awful parents. The reconciliation takes place in an epilogue that time jumps 5 years later. No idea what went on during that time. I would’ve liked to have more of the couple after they got back together and less of the MMC hiding (literally a grown ass man) from his family.
April 8, 2026
Doesn’t Skyler have a trust fund? Why is he poor?
Who is remodeling a bathroom they are renting? Picked out the tile for the bathroom? What?
50% mark - time frame is messed up
They go to Harley’s dads on Saturday- but it’s supposed to be 48 hour trip - implying they got there on Friday night.
Saturday night Skyler states they need to go back on Sunday morning for brunch.
But then gets a text Saturday night saying his dad saying his brother is messing up the brunch.
And then the whole jumping to almost the wedding - like there is no pushback on the wedding planning? That Harley didn’t need to be talked into a compromise? Why isn’t she losing her shit about having the wedding at the country club? (Although originally the mom was pushing for the drake hotel)
Again timeline is off. At the start of the book it states that the wedding is 4 months away. And they are only staying at the parents house for 2 months.
Now they still live at the parents house - it’s almost the wedding and the apartment won’t be fixed until after the honeymoon?
The dad spent all week building the boxes - but next page it’s 6 weeks building the boxes
Skyler looks at his soft hands - never did a day of work in his life but in the beginning of the book he did construction?
This honestly reads like a rough draft of a book. A lot of story directions with no follow through or connection to anything
Why isn’t the apartment above the bookstore available for Harley?
Why does it seem like Amanda had an Epiphany at the wedding and felt some shame. And now Skyler and her meet for coffee and it’s like none of that even happened?
Why is Skyler’s brother suddenly reading like a rich dude and not the punk rocker when he was first introduced?
Who is remodeling a bathroom they are renting? Picked out the tile for the bathroom? What?
50% mark - time frame is messed up
They go to Harley’s dads on Saturday- but it’s supposed to be 48 hour trip - implying they got there on Friday night.
Saturday night Skyler states they need to go back on Sunday morning for brunch.
But then gets a text Saturday night saying his dad saying his brother is messing up the brunch.
And then the whole jumping to almost the wedding - like there is no pushback on the wedding planning? That Harley didn’t need to be talked into a compromise? Why isn’t she losing her shit about having the wedding at the country club? (Although originally the mom was pushing for the drake hotel)
Again timeline is off. At the start of the book it states that the wedding is 4 months away. And they are only staying at the parents house for 2 months.
Now they still live at the parents house - it’s almost the wedding and the apartment won’t be fixed until after the honeymoon?
The dad spent all week building the boxes - but next page it’s 6 weeks building the boxes
Skyler looks at his soft hands - never did a day of work in his life but in the beginning of the book he did construction?
This honestly reads like a rough draft of a book. A lot of story directions with no follow through or connection to anything
Why isn’t the apartment above the bookstore available for Harley?
Why does it seem like Amanda had an Epiphany at the wedding and felt some shame. And now Skyler and her meet for coffee and it’s like none of that even happened?
Why is Skyler’s brother suddenly reading like a rich dude and not the punk rocker when he was first introduced?
April 9, 2026
Disappointing
I’ll start with saying this is the first book of Audrey’s that has been a disappointment.
It starts out really good but then just hits a standstill. It becomes very repetitive and boring. Honestly the story is hard to follow, so much of it doesn’t make sense. Then it just jumps ahead and rushes to an end. Meanwhile you’re left having to just let yourself assume what happened in between??
It starts out with us being told that they have to live with his parents for 2 months (which without it being mentioned turns into 4 months) because they can’t afford to stay in a hotel or rent something else, but it’s also said that he makes over 150,000 a year plus bonuses. Plus he’s a trust fund kid, drives an Audi and then it’s repeatedly said they don’t have any money?? One chapter talks about how rich he is and then the next were supposed to believe their struggling financially? This story is very hard to follow as it drags in the beginning and then just ends 5 years later with them finally getting married. There’s no mention of them getting back together, no grovel, dating, therapy, absolutely nothing. Just literally she finally talks to him one day and then it skips to five years later where there’s an epilogue with them getting married???
I wouldn’t recommend reading this book unless you’re fine with the inconsistencies and don’t mind assuming what you think is happening between the couple…
I’ll start with saying this is the first book of Audrey’s that has been a disappointment.
It starts out really good but then just hits a standstill. It becomes very repetitive and boring. Honestly the story is hard to follow, so much of it doesn’t make sense. Then it just jumps ahead and rushes to an end. Meanwhile you’re left having to just let yourself assume what happened in between??
It starts out with us being told that they have to live with his parents for 2 months (which without it being mentioned turns into 4 months) because they can’t afford to stay in a hotel or rent something else, but it’s also said that he makes over 150,000 a year plus bonuses. Plus he’s a trust fund kid, drives an Audi and then it’s repeatedly said they don’t have any money?? One chapter talks about how rich he is and then the next were supposed to believe their struggling financially? This story is very hard to follow as it drags in the beginning and then just ends 5 years later with them finally getting married. There’s no mention of them getting back together, no grovel, dating, therapy, absolutely nothing. Just literally she finally talks to him one day and then it skips to five years later where there’s an epilogue with them getting married???
I wouldn’t recommend reading this book unless you’re fine with the inconsistencies and don’t mind assuming what you think is happening between the couple…
April 23, 2026
I really wish the author had spent some of the book giving this pathetic doormat zero a spine and then dedicating some of the book to actually seeing them working on repairing their very broken relationship. Instead she chose to devote the majority of the story to his hideous-for-for-drama's-sake parents. The rush to the finish was so fast I got whiplash. It's as if the author got bored and decided - done here!
The entire book was push and pull, snivel and whine, and then bam! Five years later we get an epilogue with zero build up to their HEA. WE saw him working on himself, SHE didn't. WE saw him putting his parents in their place, SHE didn't. WE saw him giving up everything for her, SHE didn't. I could go on and on. So why did she forgive him? Absolutely ridiculous and so disappointing.
The entire book was push and pull, snivel and whine, and then bam! Five years later we get an epilogue with zero build up to their HEA. WE saw him working on himself, SHE didn't. WE saw him putting his parents in their place, SHE didn't. WE saw him giving up everything for her, SHE didn't. I could go on and on. So why did she forgive him? Absolutely ridiculous and so disappointing.
May 3, 2026
This was good!
I didn’t think this was going to work out. The MMC was such a wimpy guy that I couldn’t even stand him. And he had definitely made himself smaller to fit into his parents’ expectations. They were just horrible people. Makes me grateful for the parents I had, who were the complete opposite of these two narcissists.
There’s an OW who is really a gold digger in disguise. She comes from a wealthy background but she doesn’t really love him. It’s clear that she just wants the lifestyle.
The FMC is a social worker and I truly admired her for her courage. She stuck to her morals and values, and she walked away.
KU read, and the journey for this couple is what’s important. It’s a good one. Minor editing errors but otherwise a really good story.
I didn’t think this was going to work out. The MMC was such a wimpy guy that I couldn’t even stand him. And he had definitely made himself smaller to fit into his parents’ expectations. They were just horrible people. Makes me grateful for the parents I had, who were the complete opposite of these two narcissists.
There’s an OW who is really a gold digger in disguise. She comes from a wealthy background but she doesn’t really love him. It’s clear that she just wants the lifestyle.
The FMC is a social worker and I truly admired her for her courage. She stuck to her morals and values, and she walked away.
KU read, and the journey for this couple is what’s important. It’s a good one. Minor editing errors but otherwise a really good story.
May 8, 2026
Vows We Broke by Audrey Halliwell was such an emotional and frustrating ride in the best way! The angst, betrayal, family drama, and grovel had me completely hooked. I loved watching the FMC finally choose herself after being pushed aside for far too long. If you love messy relationship drama, second chances, and a hero who has to work hard for redemption, this one is definitely worth the read!
4/5 ⭐️
4/5 ⭐️
May 17, 2026
An ok read
Mmc is a coward and afraid of his parents. He let's them take over fmc and his wedding plans. They keep insulting her for most of the book and she keeps letting it go because she wants him to stand up for her. But girlie you should have stood up.for urself too and not given in so easily. The parents are arrogant entitled a&&holes. The mmc does redeem himself but the ending is very abrupt.
Mmc is a coward and afraid of his parents. He let's them take over fmc and his wedding plans. They keep insulting her for most of the book and she keeps letting it go because she wants him to stand up for her. But girlie you should have stood up.for urself too and not given in so easily. The parents are arrogant entitled a&&holes. The mmc does redeem himself but the ending is very abrupt.
May 13, 2026
What a DUMB ending. “Oh she might take him back? Better skip the next 5 years and just show the wedding”
April 18, 2026
I wanted more build up in the MCs relationship for the betrayal to really hit.
April 13, 2026
A really good angst/grovel story. I loved that Skyler (the MMC) worked to make himself a better person, even knowing that it was unlikely that Harley (the FMC) would take him back.
Very enjoyable.
In my humble opinion, of course 💙
Very enjoyable.
In my humble opinion, of course 💙
April 9, 2026
It’s books like this that show me that everyone has a different idea of what constitutes “grovel”. I've heard some people rave about much Skyler groveled, but I just don’t see it. He did change; he changed a lot, but he rarely saw or spoke to Harley after they split. He did apologize to her once after they’d been apart for months but to me, that was the bare minimum he should have done. After that, it was Harley who made the first move, asking him out to dinner. From there, it skipped over their entire reconciliation and went right to their wedding five years later. So disappointing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 8, 2026
I think this is one of the few books I have ever read where the betrayal takes up more than 60% of the book. The hero, Skylar, is seriously lacking a spine as it pertains to his family. This lack of spine is the “backbone” of the betrayals! Now with over 60% of the book being about the betraying, you may think it is an angsty read. It actually isn’t angsty, but you will get frustrated and angry with Skylar. You will applaud Harley when she finally decides enough is enough.
Harley and Skylar have been together for 3 years. They are engaged to be married with the wedding just a few months away. Skylar comes from money and legacy. Harley comes from a hardworking family. Skylar’s parents respect money, status, power, and connections. Harley’s family offers none of that. So, the Thompson’s are not thrilled with their son’s choice of bride. Her social worker career and salt of the earth family are not the aesthetics they are interested in. And to top it off, Harley is resistant to being changed into the type of woman her future mother in law would like to shape her into. Elaine knowing she will not be able to control her future daughter in law, does her best to belittle and undermine her at every chance. Her husband, Robert is more than happy to assist her with this. Now, Harley was able put up with the Thompsons as her and Skylar rarely saw or spoke to them in any sort of social situations(Skylar works with for his dad, so he saw him daily!) sometimes only seeing them every few months, but when a mold situation forces them out of their apartment with no where to go, they end up living with his parents in their mansion. Harley gets put in her place right away, when not only is she not allowed to share a bedroom with her fiancee(appearances and all) but she is relegated to a wing of the house as far away from him as possible!
What ensues is weeks and weeks of the h being put down while her soon to be husband buries his face in the sand. He doesn’t stick up for her. He doesn’t negate what they say, he just sits at the table with his appropriate eating utensil eating his vichyssoise. He knows what he is doing. He just wants to keep the peace and keeps telling Harley it is just for a few months, then we will do this or do that. He was able to convince himself that Harley, who he loves, would continue to put up with the abuse!
Now being put down in front of the man you love and having him sit there is bad enough, but when he allows his mom and former fiancee to take over the wedding planning changing everything about it including color schemes, location, and food etc..that goes too far! And yes, you heard me correctly, the beloved ex fiancee is back in the picture and wants Skylar back. She used to be a Harley but with better connections, unlike Harley, she ended up changing her looks, fashion, and career to become the type of wife expected by the Thompsons. By the time, the Thompson’s were done with Amanda, Skylar didn’t like who she was, which was basically a carbon copy of his mom, so he broke off the engagement.
Along the way Harley gets advice from those that love her. She loves Skylar so much that she has been willing to put up with a lot!
One of my favorite interactions in the book is between Harley and her sister Lily.
"He's trying to keep the peace until we can move back home.
Two months isn't that long."
"Two months is forever when you're being treated like an unwelcome interloper." Lily tears her napkin into methodical strips. "And Skyler's supposed to be your partner, not a UN peacekeeper."
"He's caught in the middle." The excuse sounds weak even to my ears.
"No, Harley. He's not in the middle because there is no mid-dle. There's your side, and there's theirs, and right now, he's standing firmly with Team Thompson."
"It's just temporary," I insist,
though the words sound hollow."Once we're married, once we're back in our own place
_""You think a wedding ring is going to magically give him a backbone?" Lily's question isn't cruel, just painfully direct.
"Marriage doesn't fix these things, Harl. It cements them." (This line!! This line says it all! )
Things get further and further out of Harley’s control. Skylar has let so many things get destroyed in his effort to keep the peace that he doesn’t see how he has lost her. So, as he vows on their wedding day to love and cherish her etc…. He misses the fact that her beloved dad did not walk her down the aisle, or the fact that she is not acting like a happy bride. When it comes to her vows and she says no…that becomes a catalyst for change.
Skylar wakes up for the first time in his life(his brother already escaped the Thompson household). He makes serious changes to his life and basically disowns himself from his family and the trust funds. He carves out a new life for himself hoping that someday he will be the man Harley deserves. Meanwhile, Harley is living her own life. They actually don’t spend too much time together until closer to the end of the story.
Harley’s remark about Skylar when she sees the true change: One was a prisoner of a legacy he didn't earn. The other is a man earning his own life, one nail at a time.
Overall this was a well done story. Audrey Halliwell often puts her own spin on stories that do not always follow the tried and true betrayal/grovel script. It is refreshing, but going into her stories you need to realize that it may not be typical. For example, the H undergoes true change but doesn’t really grovel. He isn’t trying to get her to fall in love with the man he was. He is trying to be a different better man who may get a fresh start. If you are looking for the spicy scenes? Those are not here either. You aren’t going to find much angst but more anger at how Harley is treated and Skylar’s lack of balls. I really did love hating on his parents, and Amanda as well. The parents are relentless in how disgusting they are to Harley.
This is 3/4 stars for me. I would have liked to have seen a little bit more interaction between the main characters in the last 30 percent of the book. There really wasn’t much as it focused a lot on Skylar and the reader will need to fill in those gaps with their own imagination. Them getting back together was mainly off page! Then there is a time jump 5 years in the future with a 2nd wedding! I think it will be helpful for readers to know this going in, but like I said it was fun to watch his parents in action and his inaction! His mom was still trying to wield her power almost to the very end!
Harley and Skylar have been together for 3 years. They are engaged to be married with the wedding just a few months away. Skylar comes from money and legacy. Harley comes from a hardworking family. Skylar’s parents respect money, status, power, and connections. Harley’s family offers none of that. So, the Thompson’s are not thrilled with their son’s choice of bride. Her social worker career and salt of the earth family are not the aesthetics they are interested in. And to top it off, Harley is resistant to being changed into the type of woman her future mother in law would like to shape her into. Elaine knowing she will not be able to control her future daughter in law, does her best to belittle and undermine her at every chance. Her husband, Robert is more than happy to assist her with this. Now, Harley was able put up with the Thompsons as her and Skylar rarely saw or spoke to them in any sort of social situations(Skylar works with for his dad, so he saw him daily!) sometimes only seeing them every few months, but when a mold situation forces them out of their apartment with no where to go, they end up living with his parents in their mansion. Harley gets put in her place right away, when not only is she not allowed to share a bedroom with her fiancee(appearances and all) but she is relegated to a wing of the house as far away from him as possible!
What ensues is weeks and weeks of the h being put down while her soon to be husband buries his face in the sand. He doesn’t stick up for her. He doesn’t negate what they say, he just sits at the table with his appropriate eating utensil eating his vichyssoise. He knows what he is doing. He just wants to keep the peace and keeps telling Harley it is just for a few months, then we will do this or do that. He was able to convince himself that Harley, who he loves, would continue to put up with the abuse!
Now being put down in front of the man you love and having him sit there is bad enough, but when he allows his mom and former fiancee to take over the wedding planning changing everything about it including color schemes, location, and food etc..that goes too far! And yes, you heard me correctly, the beloved ex fiancee is back in the picture and wants Skylar back. She used to be a Harley but with better connections, unlike Harley, she ended up changing her looks, fashion, and career to become the type of wife expected by the Thompsons. By the time, the Thompson’s were done with Amanda, Skylar didn’t like who she was, which was basically a carbon copy of his mom, so he broke off the engagement.
Along the way Harley gets advice from those that love her. She loves Skylar so much that she has been willing to put up with a lot!
One of my favorite interactions in the book is between Harley and her sister Lily.
"He's trying to keep the peace until we can move back home.
Two months isn't that long."
"Two months is forever when you're being treated like an unwelcome interloper." Lily tears her napkin into methodical strips. "And Skyler's supposed to be your partner, not a UN peacekeeper."
"He's caught in the middle." The excuse sounds weak even to my ears.
"No, Harley. He's not in the middle because there is no mid-dle. There's your side, and there's theirs, and right now, he's standing firmly with Team Thompson."
"It's just temporary," I insist,
though the words sound hollow."Once we're married, once we're back in our own place
_""You think a wedding ring is going to magically give him a backbone?" Lily's question isn't cruel, just painfully direct.
"Marriage doesn't fix these things, Harl. It cements them." (This line!! This line says it all! )
Things get further and further out of Harley’s control. Skylar has let so many things get destroyed in his effort to keep the peace that he doesn’t see how he has lost her. So, as he vows on their wedding day to love and cherish her etc…. He misses the fact that her beloved dad did not walk her down the aisle, or the fact that she is not acting like a happy bride. When it comes to her vows and she says no…that becomes a catalyst for change.
Skylar wakes up for the first time in his life(his brother already escaped the Thompson household). He makes serious changes to his life and basically disowns himself from his family and the trust funds. He carves out a new life for himself hoping that someday he will be the man Harley deserves. Meanwhile, Harley is living her own life. They actually don’t spend too much time together until closer to the end of the story.
Harley’s remark about Skylar when she sees the true change: One was a prisoner of a legacy he didn't earn. The other is a man earning his own life, one nail at a time.
Overall this was a well done story. Audrey Halliwell often puts her own spin on stories that do not always follow the tried and true betrayal/grovel script. It is refreshing, but going into her stories you need to realize that it may not be typical. For example, the H undergoes true change but doesn’t really grovel. He isn’t trying to get her to fall in love with the man he was. He is trying to be a different better man who may get a fresh start. If you are looking for the spicy scenes? Those are not here either. You aren’t going to find much angst but more anger at how Harley is treated and Skylar’s lack of balls. I really did love hating on his parents, and Amanda as well. The parents are relentless in how disgusting they are to Harley.
This is 3/4 stars for me. I would have liked to have seen a little bit more interaction between the main characters in the last 30 percent of the book. There really wasn’t much as it focused a lot on Skylar and the reader will need to fill in those gaps with their own imagination. Them getting back together was mainly off page! Then there is a time jump 5 years in the future with a 2nd wedding! I think it will be helpful for readers to know this going in, but like I said it was fun to watch his parents in action and his inaction! His mom was still trying to wield her power almost to the very end!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Vows We Broke: A Left at the Altar
Second Chance Romance
Audrey Halliwell
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating System (as of 8/14/2025):
⭐: It was a struggle to read. I almost DNF
⭐⭐: This could have been so much better.
⭐⭐⭐: Good/Average
⭐⭐⭐⭐: Great book. I will probably reread it.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: I absolutely loved this book.
***********************************************************************
Triggers:
🚩Talk of Homelessness
Tropes:
💕Engagement in Crisis
💕Left at the Altar
💕Betrayal to Grovel to Redemption
💕OW Drama
💕Second Chance
💕Class Crash
💕MF Romance
**********************************************************************
Spice: 🔥🔥🔥
Spice Level Rating System (as of 9/4/25)
🔥: Clean. Handholding. Kissing.
🔥🔥: Non-Descriptive/Implied on Page Sex
🔥🔥🔥: Hot-Descriptive on Page Sex
🔥🔥🔥🔥: So Hot—Do Not Read in Public
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥: Oh My-BDSM. Blood Play. Smut.
************************************************************************
Quote:
I looked directly into his eyes-the hazel eyes that I used to think were my safe place. But this time, I see the cowardice there. The months of lies, the 'bribes' disguised as gifts, Amanda's presence, the dumpster behind the club. I see the man who traded my heart for his father's approval.
Summary:
FMC and MMC are engaged. A mold situation at their apartment forces them to live with his well to do parents for a few months. During their time there the FMC is treated badly and made to feel inferior. The MMC does not have her back. Add in his ex-fiancée who his parents want him to be with, and you have a relationship brought to its knees.
Review:
The grovel was so worth it and needed. He went into therapy; he changed his life finally growing into who he wanted to be. He got his girl back. Yes, he stumbled on the grovel road in the beginning, but he got it together. The FMC stood by her decision no matter how much it hurt. She remembered who she was and continued to grow. The author takes you on a beautiful redemption journey. Loved it.
I RECEIVED THIS BOOK AS AN ARC HOWEVER MY REVIEW IS BASED ON MY OPINION OF THE BOOK ITSELF AND NOT INFLUENCED BY THE AUTHOR, ETC.
Grovel to HEA Romance Authors Recommendations:
Groveltohea (Wattpad Author)
Maya Alden
Natasha Anders
Cate C Wells
Christine Michelle
BIBLIODARLING | BOOKISH LIFE, TBRs & READING CHALLENGES GROUP (GOODREADS)
https://www.goodreads.com/group/invit...
*****************************************************************************
FOLLOW ME ON:
INSTAGRAM📢
https://www.instagram.com/bibliodarling/
SUBSTACK
https://bibliodarling.substack.com
TIKTOK📢
https://www.tiktok.com/@bibliodarling...
WATTPAD📢
BiblioDarling (@BiblioDarling) - Wattpad
INKITT📢
https://inkitt.com/BiblioDarling
Second Chance Romance
Audrey Halliwell
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating System (as of 8/14/2025):
⭐: It was a struggle to read. I almost DNF
⭐⭐: This could have been so much better.
⭐⭐⭐: Good/Average
⭐⭐⭐⭐: Great book. I will probably reread it.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: I absolutely loved this book.
***********************************************************************
Triggers:
🚩Talk of Homelessness
Tropes:
💕Engagement in Crisis
💕Left at the Altar
💕Betrayal to Grovel to Redemption
💕OW Drama
💕Second Chance
💕Class Crash
💕MF Romance
**********************************************************************
Spice: 🔥🔥🔥
Spice Level Rating System (as of 9/4/25)
🔥: Clean. Handholding. Kissing.
🔥🔥: Non-Descriptive/Implied on Page Sex
🔥🔥🔥: Hot-Descriptive on Page Sex
🔥🔥🔥🔥: So Hot—Do Not Read in Public
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥: Oh My-BDSM. Blood Play. Smut.
************************************************************************
Quote:
I looked directly into his eyes-the hazel eyes that I used to think were my safe place. But this time, I see the cowardice there. The months of lies, the 'bribes' disguised as gifts, Amanda's presence, the dumpster behind the club. I see the man who traded my heart for his father's approval.
Summary:
FMC and MMC are engaged. A mold situation at their apartment forces them to live with his well to do parents for a few months. During their time there the FMC is treated badly and made to feel inferior. The MMC does not have her back. Add in his ex-fiancée who his parents want him to be with, and you have a relationship brought to its knees.
Review:
The grovel was so worth it and needed. He went into therapy; he changed his life finally growing into who he wanted to be. He got his girl back. Yes, he stumbled on the grovel road in the beginning, but he got it together. The FMC stood by her decision no matter how much it hurt. She remembered who she was and continued to grow. The author takes you on a beautiful redemption journey. Loved it.
I RECEIVED THIS BOOK AS AN ARC HOWEVER MY REVIEW IS BASED ON MY OPINION OF THE BOOK ITSELF AND NOT INFLUENCED BY THE AUTHOR, ETC.
Grovel to HEA Romance Authors Recommendations:
Groveltohea (Wattpad Author)
Maya Alden
Natasha Anders
Cate C Wells
Christine Michelle
BIBLIODARLING | BOOKISH LIFE, TBRs & READING CHALLENGES GROUP (GOODREADS)
https://www.goodreads.com/group/invit...
*****************************************************************************
FOLLOW ME ON:
INSTAGRAM📢
https://www.instagram.com/bibliodarling/
SUBSTACK
https://bibliodarling.substack.com
TIKTOK📢
https://www.tiktok.com/@bibliodarling...
WATTPAD📢
BiblioDarling (@BiblioDarling) - Wattpad
INKITT📢
https://inkitt.com/BiblioDarling
Review of advance copy received from Author
Main trope: This is a second chance romance.
Additional tropes:
✅Other woman drama
Detailed spoilers/trigger warnings (if any) and final thoughts can be found below. There is a warning right before the spoiler and trigger section so you have the choice to proceed or stop reading.
Summary: Harley and Skyler are the main characters. She’s a social worker who drives a beat up Honda whose father is a blue-collared worker. He’s a trust fund baby whose parents look at him as an investment instead of their child. They definitely don’t match on paper but they do love each other, and avoiding his parents whenever possible helps. Since Skyler works for the family firm, this is something he has to do every day just to keep his sanity. But when an issue at their apartment forces them to have to stay at his family home, there’s no way to work around that.
His parents are horrible people. His mom cannot accept that Harley is who Skyler really wants and is hell bent on making sure she knows it. Conspiring with Skyler’s ex, they plot and scheme to drive a wedge between the couple so his ex can get him back. As the days and weeks pass, their plans are working as the distance between Harley and Skyler is growing more and more. The day of their wedding arrives and one final act from his mom has Harley making a decision she knows is a long time coming.
She walks away with a broken heart but with a renewed spirit to finally get back to the woman she used to be. In the wake of his broken heart, Skyler finally realizes the years of avoiding conflict and being the good son have cost him all that matters the most and now he is done. Hoping for a second chance, he quickly realizes it won’t be easy. Harley isn’t the same person she was. But neither is he and now he just needs to prove to her that he can be the man she deserves.
⚠️SPOILERS/SPICE/DETAILED TRIGGERS⚠️
✋
✋
✋
*Mild other woman drama here. The majority is his mother but his ex does have her moments in this one.
Final thoughts: This began as a rage read for me. Skyler’s parents are horrible people and I wanted so much for him to stand up to them. But he’s been conditioned for years to behave a certain way and it took losing Harley to realize the man he should be. She really went through it because of their hateful and spiteful ways.
In the end, Skyler had his glow up and moment of realization. He cut the toxicity away revealing a second chance love story born from hope and determination. The secondary characters were also great in this one. My only complaint would be the end felt very rushed between her asking him to go to lunch and then it was the epilogue, which I will say was very nice and somewhat made up for what we missed. Overall, I definitely recommend this book.
Additional tropes:
✅Other woman drama
Detailed spoilers/trigger warnings (if any) and final thoughts can be found below. There is a warning right before the spoiler and trigger section so you have the choice to proceed or stop reading.
Summary: Harley and Skyler are the main characters. She’s a social worker who drives a beat up Honda whose father is a blue-collared worker. He’s a trust fund baby whose parents look at him as an investment instead of their child. They definitely don’t match on paper but they do love each other, and avoiding his parents whenever possible helps. Since Skyler works for the family firm, this is something he has to do every day just to keep his sanity. But when an issue at their apartment forces them to have to stay at his family home, there’s no way to work around that.
His parents are horrible people. His mom cannot accept that Harley is who Skyler really wants and is hell bent on making sure she knows it. Conspiring with Skyler’s ex, they plot and scheme to drive a wedge between the couple so his ex can get him back. As the days and weeks pass, their plans are working as the distance between Harley and Skyler is growing more and more. The day of their wedding arrives and one final act from his mom has Harley making a decision she knows is a long time coming.
She walks away with a broken heart but with a renewed spirit to finally get back to the woman she used to be. In the wake of his broken heart, Skyler finally realizes the years of avoiding conflict and being the good son have cost him all that matters the most and now he is done. Hoping for a second chance, he quickly realizes it won’t be easy. Harley isn’t the same person she was. But neither is he and now he just needs to prove to her that he can be the man she deserves.
⚠️SPOILERS/SPICE/DETAILED TRIGGERS⚠️
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*Mild other woman drama here. The majority is his mother but his ex does have her moments in this one.
Final thoughts: This began as a rage read for me. Skyler’s parents are horrible people and I wanted so much for him to stand up to them. But he’s been conditioned for years to behave a certain way and it took losing Harley to realize the man he should be. She really went through it because of their hateful and spiteful ways.
In the end, Skyler had his glow up and moment of realization. He cut the toxicity away revealing a second chance love story born from hope and determination. The secondary characters were also great in this one. My only complaint would be the end felt very rushed between her asking him to go to lunch and then it was the epilogue, which I will say was very nice and somewhat made up for what we missed. Overall, I definitely recommend this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This story is about a dismissive fiance, emotional as it can get, a strong in her beliefs bride to be, ow drama, betrayal, left at the altar, second chance with redemption arc.
I loved both characters in this story, yes, even the coward hero who eventually made things right.
After some house emergency the couple stays temporarily to hero's parents who are "old money" but snob and miserable AF. Heroine tries to set boundaries or to dismiss situations while they subtly insult her while hero tries to play it Switzerland often in favour of parents. You would think he's just a coward but it's not that simple. He's groomed to be like that and it has deeper effects on his psyche. Heroine warns him several times but hero as Switzerland tries to meditate situations. Until the day of the wedding where all hell breaks. I'm not giving any spoilers because you have to read it. The devastation of both characters reached my soul and maybe I cried a little. Ok I cried a lot but don't judge me, it was so heartbreaking.
Though the title says left at the altar I was quite sure the heroine would snap before that but oh boy...that scene in the church...it gave me goosebumps.
And then when hero tries to fix things... it's not your typical grovel but the redemption arc will leave you more satisfied. Again I'm not getting into details because it's best to experience it first hand.
As for the side characters they were really good and complimented the story in their own way. The hero's parents, heroine's family, hero's brother even the other woman. They all put their part to make this story even better.
I think this one will be a new addition to my all time favourites to re read.
I received this arc and this is my honest opinion.
I loved both characters in this story, yes, even the coward hero who eventually made things right.
After some house emergency the couple stays temporarily to hero's parents who are "old money" but snob and miserable AF. Heroine tries to set boundaries or to dismiss situations while they subtly insult her while hero tries to play it Switzerland often in favour of parents. You would think he's just a coward but it's not that simple. He's groomed to be like that and it has deeper effects on his psyche. Heroine warns him several times but hero as Switzerland tries to meditate situations. Until the day of the wedding where all hell breaks. I'm not giving any spoilers because you have to read it. The devastation of both characters reached my soul and maybe I cried a little. Ok I cried a lot but don't judge me, it was so heartbreaking.
Though the title says left at the altar I was quite sure the heroine would snap before that but oh boy...that scene in the church...it gave me goosebumps.
And then when hero tries to fix things... it's not your typical grovel but the redemption arc will leave you more satisfied. Again I'm not getting into details because it's best to experience it first hand.
As for the side characters they were really good and complimented the story in their own way. The hero's parents, heroine's family, hero's brother even the other woman. They all put their part to make this story even better.
I think this one will be a new addition to my all time favourites to re read.
I received this arc and this is my honest opinion.
April 13, 2026
I tried with this one but I ended up DNF at 70%.
The angst was there but some things with the story just didn't make sense to me and it really took me out of it.
1. I don't understand how they are 4 months away from a wedding but have no venue selected or anything chosen yet. That feels completely unrealistic.
2. They have all these issues and she's questioning things yet doesn't really talk to him and still proceeds to get ready to go through with the wedding.
3. The whole scene with him leaving her Dad's place to go back home made no sense. They are 4 hours away and he tells her he has to go back in the morning for a brunch. Then they sit down to eat lasagna so I'm guessing it's dinner and he gets a text that he needs to come home now. So he leaves and presumably drives 4 hours to get back. Shows up in time to eat at the country club.... ok not sure how dinner is still happening 4 hours later. However they then keep talking about him getting there in time for brunch.... That's a daytime meal. Just none of it lined up well and felt really inconsistent. I know it seems silly but it confused me so much that I was just immediately taken out of the story.
4. Their wedding was 4 months away when they moved in with his parents for what was supposed to be 2 months only. They kept saying once they were back on their own things would get better but we never got clarification on if they were back in their apartment after the 2 months or did the repairs get extended longer? (maybe I missed something).
5. They make several references to her ring being emerald but then at one point he talks about her vibrant blue eyes.
Like I said there were just too many plot things that just didn't make sense so it made it hard to stay interested.
The angst was there but some things with the story just didn't make sense to me and it really took me out of it.
1. I don't understand how they are 4 months away from a wedding but have no venue selected or anything chosen yet. That feels completely unrealistic.
2. They have all these issues and she's questioning things yet doesn't really talk to him and still proceeds to get ready to go through with the wedding.
3. The whole scene with him leaving her Dad's place to go back home made no sense. They are 4 hours away and he tells her he has to go back in the morning for a brunch. Then they sit down to eat lasagna so I'm guessing it's dinner and he gets a text that he needs to come home now. So he leaves and presumably drives 4 hours to get back. Shows up in time to eat at the country club.... ok not sure how dinner is still happening 4 hours later. However they then keep talking about him getting there in time for brunch.... That's a daytime meal. Just none of it lined up well and felt really inconsistent. I know it seems silly but it confused me so much that I was just immediately taken out of the story.
4. Their wedding was 4 months away when they moved in with his parents for what was supposed to be 2 months only. They kept saying once they were back on their own things would get better but we never got clarification on if they were back in their apartment after the 2 months or did the repairs get extended longer? (maybe I missed something).
5. They make several references to her ring being emerald but then at one point he talks about her vibrant blue eyes.
Like I said there were just too many plot things that just didn't make sense so it made it hard to stay interested.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 14, 2026
The story follows Skyler and Harley, engaged to be married, who move in with Skyler's parents when their apartment needs to be treated for mold. Skyler and Harley come from two different sides of the coin, Skyler having had everything handed to him on a plate by his parents including his role in the family firm, while Harley is considered an outsider, working in an area completely beneath the standing as a government Social Worker.
A good portion of the book follows their move in with Skyler's parents where his mother continues to manipulate their relationship and effectively hijacks their wedding planning. Included in Skyler's mother ministrations is Skyler's ex-fiancée Amanda, effectively waiting in the wings to get Skyler back. Skyler has no backbone at all in dealing with his over-powering, manipulative mother, all at the expense of his one love Harley.
The wedding, what Skyler's mother planned goes ahead, until Harley says NO to at the alter, leaving Skyler and his family shocked and stunned as she walks out.
Skyler leans on his black-sheep brother for support and finally pulls himself together to remove his parents and his ex-fiancée from his life. Skyler changes his lifestyle, his job and sets about proving that he has grown into a better person, forgoing his inheritance, and overtime earning Harley's trust back.
I would have liked to have the reconciliation between Skyler and Harley a little more fleshed out and karma for his mother and ex Amanda rather than him just cutting them out of his life. We do get a look into Skyler's and Harley's future in the last couple of chapters of the book.
A good read I don't hesitate in recommending to others.
A good portion of the book follows their move in with Skyler's parents where his mother continues to manipulate their relationship and effectively hijacks their wedding planning. Included in Skyler's mother ministrations is Skyler's ex-fiancée Amanda, effectively waiting in the wings to get Skyler back. Skyler has no backbone at all in dealing with his over-powering, manipulative mother, all at the expense of his one love Harley.
The wedding, what Skyler's mother planned goes ahead, until Harley says NO to at the alter, leaving Skyler and his family shocked and stunned as she walks out.
Skyler leans on his black-sheep brother for support and finally pulls himself together to remove his parents and his ex-fiancée from his life. Skyler changes his lifestyle, his job and sets about proving that he has grown into a better person, forgoing his inheritance, and overtime earning Harley's trust back.
I would have liked to have the reconciliation between Skyler and Harley a little more fleshed out and karma for his mother and ex Amanda rather than him just cutting them out of his life. We do get a look into Skyler's and Harley's future in the last couple of chapters of the book.
A good read I don't hesitate in recommending to others.
April 14, 2026
This is the story of Skyler and Harley who have been together for 3 years and are engaged to be married with their wedding only a few months away. They unexpectedly get thrown out of their apartment and need to go and live with Skyler's parents who are interfering horrible people. Skyler bows down to them all the time and they are very mean to Harley. This puts an immense amount of pressure on their relationship as does the return of Skyler's ex-fiance, Amanda. (the one whose parents think is perfect for him). I actually enjoyed the start of this book but it started to lose my attention towards the end.
Where this began to lose my attention was with the ex-fiance Amanda. Where there is an OW in a book I want to understand that the relationship with our main female, in this case Harley, is elevated beyond what he shared with anyone else. That wasn't the case here. Amanda was a down to earth girl when he first fell for her but he dumped her after she conformed to what his bullying family wanted (she even admits she changed herself for him and his family) - that's the reason they separated! It felt like if she, at any time, reverted to the girl she was before Skyler could go back to her. He also acknowledges in the book that he used both Amanda and Harley to shield himself from his parents. For me, it didn’t feel like he was with Harley because he truly loved her and his relationship with Amanda paled in significance. I wanted more from his confrontation with Amanda, an acknowledgement that they would have never worked even if she hadn't changed, something that nods to his feelings for Harley being far in excess of what he ever felt for Amanda. I didn't get that. If Amanda hadn’t conformed he would have married her and Harley would never have been a consideration.
April 26, 2026
The Vows We Broke by Audrey Halliwell is one of those rare novels that manages to be both emotionally shattering and quietly empowering. At its heart, it’s a story about what happens when trust—once the foundation of a relationship—is fractured beyond recognition, and how two people navigate the painful, uncertain path toward rebuilding themselves in the aftermath.
The author handles the theme of broken trust with remarkable nuance. Instead of leaning on melodrama, she digs into the subtle, everyday ways betrayal reshapes a person’s sense of self. The characters don’t simply “move on”; they wrestle with doubt, guilt, and the fear that they may never be whole again. That honesty is what makes their journey so compelling. You feel every setback, every small victory, every moment where they choose vulnerability over retreat.
What elevates the novel even further is its sharp, empathetic look at family expectations. Halliwell captures the suffocating weight of being told who you should be, who you should love, and how you should live. Skylar's struggle to claim his voice—while his fiancée navigates his family is one of the book’s most powerful threads. Harley's decision to kick back and Skylar's step outside those expectations isn’t portrayed as rebellion for rebellion’s sake, but as an act of self-preservation and self-respect.
By the final chapters, The Vows We Broke becomes more than a story about a relationship in ruins. It’s a testament to resilience: the courage to confront painful truths, the strength to rebuild trust slowly and deliberately, and the bravery required to choose your own path even when it means disappointing the people you love.I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The author handles the theme of broken trust with remarkable nuance. Instead of leaning on melodrama, she digs into the subtle, everyday ways betrayal reshapes a person’s sense of self. The characters don’t simply “move on”; they wrestle with doubt, guilt, and the fear that they may never be whole again. That honesty is what makes their journey so compelling. You feel every setback, every small victory, every moment where they choose vulnerability over retreat.
What elevates the novel even further is its sharp, empathetic look at family expectations. Halliwell captures the suffocating weight of being told who you should be, who you should love, and how you should live. Skylar's struggle to claim his voice—while his fiancée navigates his family is one of the book’s most powerful threads. Harley's decision to kick back and Skylar's step outside those expectations isn’t portrayed as rebellion for rebellion’s sake, but as an act of self-preservation and self-respect.
By the final chapters, The Vows We Broke becomes more than a story about a relationship in ruins. It’s a testament to resilience: the courage to confront painful truths, the strength to rebuild trust slowly and deliberately, and the bravery required to choose your own path even when it means disappointing the people you love.I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 12, 2026
I'm one of those readers who talks to the characters in books.
And boy, was I chatty.
Skyler and Harley are engaged and living a pretty good life. Except that life is often invaded by Skyler's hoity toity, elitist parents.
After an unfortunate mold issue with their apartment, they have to move in with his parents for two months while it's resolved. And as we all know where this story is going, you know that Harley is going to be living a nightmare with these people.
After having to deal with constant criticism, shameless insertion of Skyler's ex - who his mother absolutely adores because she practically molded her into a literal stepford wife, and to top it off, a complete undermining of Harley and Skyler's wedding plans, not to mention what really, really made this infuriating was that Skyler never stood up to his parents - oh, there were times where he gave himself a pep talk saying he was going protect Harley, only for him to fold at zero hour and he goes to his ex for advice on how to handle the situation between Harley and his mother (seriously??), because of everything, Harley has had enough and she leaves Skyler at the altar (shoot, I would too).
I liked this and although there wasn't a whole lot of groveling, I really didn't think that it was necessary. Because when it came down to it, words are words and actions speak louder than words.
There were times when I really felt bad for Skyler because he really did feel remorse. His parents were monsters and really needed to get their comeuppance.
This review might be all over the place, but I really recommend this.
And boy, was I chatty.
Skyler and Harley are engaged and living a pretty good life. Except that life is often invaded by Skyler's hoity toity, elitist parents.
After an unfortunate mold issue with their apartment, they have to move in with his parents for two months while it's resolved. And as we all know where this story is going, you know that Harley is going to be living a nightmare with these people.
After having to deal with constant criticism, shameless insertion of Skyler's ex - who his mother absolutely adores because she practically molded her into a literal stepford wife, and to top it off, a complete undermining of Harley and Skyler's wedding plans, not to mention what really, really made this infuriating was that Skyler never stood up to his parents - oh, there were times where he gave himself a pep talk saying he was going protect Harley, only for him to fold at zero hour and he goes to his ex for advice on how to handle the situation between Harley and his mother (seriously??), because of everything, Harley has had enough and she leaves Skyler at the altar (shoot, I would too).
I liked this and although there wasn't a whole lot of groveling, I really didn't think that it was necessary. Because when it came down to it, words are words and actions speak louder than words.
There were times when I really felt bad for Skyler because he really did feel remorse. His parents were monsters and really needed to get their comeuppance.
This review might be all over the place, but I really recommend this.
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