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Broken Vows
I thought we had the perfect life.
A beautiful home.
Wonderful children.
A marriage based on mutual love and respect.
At least…that’s what Christopher wanted the world to see.
The illusion he’s built around us is disintegrating as he grows careless, arrogant in his belief that I won’t ever walk away. When it becomes clear that someone else sees the dark truth of my world, giving me support in the unlikeliest of places, I know it’s time to stop playing the role of loyal wife.
Christopher was the one to light the match, but I’ll be the one who fans the flames.
A beautiful home.
Wonderful children.
A marriage based on mutual love and respect.
At least…that’s what Christopher wanted the world to see.
The illusion he’s built around us is disintegrating as he grows careless, arrogant in his belief that I won’t ever walk away. When it becomes clear that someone else sees the dark truth of my world, giving me support in the unlikeliest of places, I know it’s time to stop playing the role of loyal wife.
Christopher was the one to light the match, but I’ll be the one who fans the flames.
332 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 18, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
May 31, 2026
2.5 stars rounding up. Fair warning - I’m super sick and cranky at the moment and that may be skewing my opinion, but this was just… Meh… for me. I really thought I would love this one. I absolutely adored her last book, Piecing It Together. Total angsty goodness that got me in my feels. This had some angst but it seemed pretty shallow overall.
Spoilery thoughts…
FMC is married to a complete slime ball with a sex addiction. Her family was disgusting. His family was disgusting. Everyone was disgusting. There wasn’t much nuance in all the disgustingness. They were all just ‘bad’.
Enter new OM, who is insta smitten with FMC. He’s hubs boss. Super rich. Super hot. Super hung. It kind of felt like a Jordan Silver style book, where the reader just accepts that this is fantasy land.
Like… you’re seriously selling me that this super hot gazillionaire has never felt the whisper of love until he sees this average, married, mom of two, housewife across a room? Lol…. Okay. See what I mean? Fantasy land.
Anyway… she divorces with infidelity evidence provided by Hot Boss. FMC and Hot Boss live HEA. I did find it weird how the OG MMC is basically thrown aside in the kid’s lives in favor of Hot Boss as the new and improved daddy. Old MMC was definitely an absentee father, but the book talks about how much his daughter was a ‘daddy’s girl’. I didn’t love that. I also didn’t feel the confrontational show downs were all that satisfying.
I don’t know… by the end I was skimming and digging in the couch cushions for more DayQuil.
Overall Meh. I’ll definitely be watching for future books, because I did really love Piecing It Together. I should give that a reread.
Spoilery thoughts…
FMC is married to a complete slime ball with a sex addiction. Her family was disgusting. His family was disgusting. Everyone was disgusting. There wasn’t much nuance in all the disgustingness. They were all just ‘bad’.
Enter new OM, who is insta smitten with FMC. He’s hubs boss. Super rich. Super hot. Super hung. It kind of felt like a Jordan Silver style book, where the reader just accepts that this is fantasy land.
Like… you’re seriously selling me that this super hot gazillionaire has never felt the whisper of love until he sees this average, married, mom of two, housewife across a room? Lol…. Okay. See what I mean? Fantasy land.
Anyway… she divorces with infidelity evidence provided by Hot Boss. FMC and Hot Boss live HEA. I did find it weird how the OG MMC is basically thrown aside in the kid’s lives in favor of Hot Boss as the new and improved daddy. Old MMC was definitely an absentee father, but the book talks about how much his daughter was a ‘daddy’s girl’. I didn’t love that. I also didn’t feel the confrontational show downs were all that satisfying.
I don’t know… by the end I was skimming and digging in the couch cushions for more DayQuil.
Overall Meh. I’ll definitely be watching for future books, because I did really love Piecing It Together. I should give that a reread.
May 19, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Okay YES. THIS is the kind of rage-angst chaos I signed up for.
Was it the greatest literary achievement of our generation? No.
Did it give me rage, drama, emotional payoff, a strong heroine, a growly billionaire, terrible families, cheating exposure, and an ending that actually made me happy and did I eat it up anyway?
ABSOLUTELY.
Because this book understood the assignment: give me a cheating husband I can despise, a strong heroine who is NOT a doormat, a growly protective new man, a disgusting family to rage against, AND an ending that actually feels satisfying.
And most importantly:
Wonder of wonder, miracle of miracles...
NO PREGNANCY EPILOGUE. 🎉
Thank you sweet baby Jesus because if one more romance ends with:
“and then she immediately conceived twins...”
I may actually leap into the sea.
Thank you. Blessings upon this household.
The angst in this one was GOOD angst. The drama hit exactly where it needed to. The pacing kept me invested the entire time, and I genuinely liked both main characters. Lynley was strong without becoming unrealistically perfect.
And Bossman CEO Grafton???
Oh I LIKE LIKED him. He managed to be protective and growly without turning into an overbearing caveman. They actually felt balanced together.
Also:
The kids were written WELL.
Not overly precocious.
Not tiny Hallmark philosophers.
Not there solely to say “cute” things every six pages.
They felt like actual children and somehow enhanced the story instead of making me wish someone would quietly escort them off-page.
And the contrast between the families in this book??? PERFECT.
The family Lynley leaves behind is absolutely rotten to the core, while the new support system she finds actually feels warm, safe, and healing. Watching her slowly move from emotional isolation into a healthier environment was honestly one of my favorite parts of the whole book.
So overall?
If you like:
✨ cheating husband rage
✨ emotional devastation
✨ protective MMCs
✨ women finally choosing themselves
✨ rich people behaving terribly
✨ satisfying exposure scenes
✨ emotional payoff without the FMC losing her backbone
…you should absolutely read this.
NOW.
⚠️ SPOILERS BELOW ⚠️
Seriously.
Leave now if you don’t want the tea spoiled because Christopher deserves to be hated in FULL context.
So let’s begin with Christopher:
BOOOOOOOOO 🍅🍅🍅
This man is genuinely awful from page one.
We open with him cheating on his wife during his lunch break with Rita — one of MULTIPLE women he’s been sleeping with throughout his entire ten-year relationship with Lynley.
TEN.
YEARS.
Not one affair.
Not one mistake.
This man is running a full extracurricular program.
And somehow it gets worse because while he’s literally with his mistress, he gets a call from his wife that their SEVEN-YEAR-OLD daughter broke her arm.
And instead of immediately going to the hospital like a functioning father???
THIS MAN decides to finish having sex first.
I’m sorry but that detail specifically made me want to throw him directly into traffic.
And because the universe loves Lynley more than Christopher does, his mistress leaves foundation makeup on his pants, so when he finally arrives at the hospital smelling like sex and perfume, Lynley immediately knows something is wrong.
Trust your instincts.
And from there?
The unraveling begins.
What I loved about Lynley was that she didn’t instantly explode or become irrational. She immediately starts thinking strategically because she knows there’s a prenup and she needs proof of infidelity before she can safely leave with her children protected.
SMART WOMAN.
Meanwhile Christopher is out here juggling:
✨ Rita during work hours
✨ Angelica the intern late at night
✨ attempts to sleep with his wife at home
✨ apparently his entire moral collapse
And this idiot installed CAMERAS in his office because he’s an exhibitionist…
…ON THE COMPANY SERVER.
Duuuuude...
You are too dumb to cheat at this level.
So naturally the security team finds the footage, and THANK GOD the new CEO Bossman Grafton — who has already noticed Lynley at the Christmas party and become quietly smitten — gets access to everything.
INCLUDING the exact timestamped footage of Christopher getting oral while his wife called about their injured daughter.
Bossman handing Lynley the USB drive felt like a public service.
And then things somehow become EVEN MORE TRASHY because after Lynley leaves Christopher, she discovers her own SISTER has been sleeping with him too.
IN HER HOUSE.
AND blackmailing him for money.
AND their mother knew the whole time because she was also taking hush money due to her gambling addiction.
I’m sorry but this family needed to be launched into the the deep blue sea collectively.
The confrontation scene was SO satisfying though because neither Christopher nor Caroline even seemed sorry they hurt Lynley. They were only upset they got caught and might lose access to money.
Actual sewer people.
Which made it SO satisfying when Lynley finally walked away from all of them.
Bossman stepping in afterward felt earned.
Not because he “saved” her, but because he consistently treated her with more care, honesty, and respect than anyone else in her life had in YEARS.
That man saw her once standing near a Christmas tree and said:
“I would like to provide safety, stability, and forehead kisses indefinitely.”
As he should.
And the emotional payoff with Christopher?
PERFECT.
Because this man spends the rest of book slowly realizing that being a father actually requires:
✨ presence
✨ effort
✨ remembering birthdays
✨ not cheating on your wife with half the zip code
Who knew???
Christopher truly remains one of the dumbest men alive for the entire duration of this book.
The man loses:
— his wife
— his children
— his job
— his reputation
— his money
— his mistress
— his side mistress
— his dignity
…and STILL keeps making terrible decisions.
At one point he literally brings pregnant-maybe-not-pregnant Angelica with him while picking up his children from his estranged wife’s house.
My guy.
WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!?!?!?
And of course Angelica gets out of the car because nobody in this book besides Lynley and Grafton has survival instincts.
But one of my FAVORITE moments was Lynley finally putting her foot down and basically saying: “Sign the divorce papers, give me custody, and go away quietly or I release ALL the footage.”
Queen behavior.
And Christopher folds IMMEDIATELY because preserving his reputation matters more to him than literally anything else.
INCLUDING his children.
Which becomes painfully obvious when the kids repeatedly choose not to go with him because…
well… he’s barely acted like a father.
Meanwhile Grafton is:
✨ showing up to baseball games
✨ sleeping on an air mattress to protect them
✨ letting the daughter decorate his hair with bows
✨ supporting Lynley’s business dreams
✨ generally existing as the emotionally available anti-Christopher
The contrast was DELICIOUS.
The moment that fully destroyed Christopher was near the end when his son says: “A real dad would’ve shown up.”
OUCH. Because the kid was right.
Christopher didn’t lose his family overnight.
He abandoned them slowly over YEARS and just didn’t notice until someone else stepped into the empty spaces he left behind.
And weirdly enough?
I actually appreciated his ending.
No dramatic redemption.
No magical forgiveness.
No “we’re one big happy family again.”
Just a man finally realizing: “The best thing I can do for these people is leave them alone.”
Growth…? Not likely.
And then we end with Christmas in Florida, a proposal, happiness, healing, and ZERO babies.
FOUR STARS.
Everybody claps. 👏👏👏👏
Was it the greatest literary achievement of our generation? No.
Did it give me rage, drama, emotional payoff, a strong heroine, a growly billionaire, terrible families, cheating exposure, and an ending that actually made me happy and did I eat it up anyway?
ABSOLUTELY.
Because this book understood the assignment: give me a cheating husband I can despise, a strong heroine who is NOT a doormat, a growly protective new man, a disgusting family to rage against, AND an ending that actually feels satisfying.
And most importantly:
Wonder of wonder, miracle of miracles...
NO PREGNANCY EPILOGUE. 🎉
Thank you sweet baby Jesus because if one more romance ends with:
“and then she immediately conceived twins...”
I may actually leap into the sea.
Thank you. Blessings upon this household.
The angst in this one was GOOD angst. The drama hit exactly where it needed to. The pacing kept me invested the entire time, and I genuinely liked both main characters. Lynley was strong without becoming unrealistically perfect.
And Bossman CEO Grafton???
Oh I LIKE LIKED him. He managed to be protective and growly without turning into an overbearing caveman. They actually felt balanced together.
Also:
The kids were written WELL.
Not overly precocious.
Not tiny Hallmark philosophers.
Not there solely to say “cute” things every six pages.
They felt like actual children and somehow enhanced the story instead of making me wish someone would quietly escort them off-page.
And the contrast between the families in this book??? PERFECT.
The family Lynley leaves behind is absolutely rotten to the core, while the new support system she finds actually feels warm, safe, and healing. Watching her slowly move from emotional isolation into a healthier environment was honestly one of my favorite parts of the whole book.
So overall?
If you like:
✨ cheating husband rage
✨ emotional devastation
✨ protective MMCs
✨ women finally choosing themselves
✨ rich people behaving terribly
✨ satisfying exposure scenes
✨ emotional payoff without the FMC losing her backbone
…you should absolutely read this.
NOW.
⚠️ SPOILERS BELOW ⚠️
Seriously.
Leave now if you don’t want the tea spoiled because Christopher deserves to be hated in FULL context.
So let’s begin with Christopher:
BOOOOOOOOO 🍅🍅🍅
This man is genuinely awful from page one.
We open with him cheating on his wife during his lunch break with Rita — one of MULTIPLE women he’s been sleeping with throughout his entire ten-year relationship with Lynley.
TEN.
YEARS.
Not one affair.
Not one mistake.
This man is running a full extracurricular program.
And somehow it gets worse because while he’s literally with his mistress, he gets a call from his wife that their SEVEN-YEAR-OLD daughter broke her arm.
And instead of immediately going to the hospital like a functioning father???
THIS MAN decides to finish having sex first.
I’m sorry but that detail specifically made me want to throw him directly into traffic.
And because the universe loves Lynley more than Christopher does, his mistress leaves foundation makeup on his pants, so when he finally arrives at the hospital smelling like sex and perfume, Lynley immediately knows something is wrong.
Trust your instincts.
And from there?
The unraveling begins.
What I loved about Lynley was that she didn’t instantly explode or become irrational. She immediately starts thinking strategically because she knows there’s a prenup and she needs proof of infidelity before she can safely leave with her children protected.
SMART WOMAN.
Meanwhile Christopher is out here juggling:
✨ Rita during work hours
✨ Angelica the intern late at night
✨ attempts to sleep with his wife at home
✨ apparently his entire moral collapse
And this idiot installed CAMERAS in his office because he’s an exhibitionist…
…ON THE COMPANY SERVER.
Duuuuude...
You are too dumb to cheat at this level.
So naturally the security team finds the footage, and THANK GOD the new CEO Bossman Grafton — who has already noticed Lynley at the Christmas party and become quietly smitten — gets access to everything.
INCLUDING the exact timestamped footage of Christopher getting oral while his wife called about their injured daughter.
Bossman handing Lynley the USB drive felt like a public service.
And then things somehow become EVEN MORE TRASHY because after Lynley leaves Christopher, she discovers her own SISTER has been sleeping with him too.
IN HER HOUSE.
AND blackmailing him for money.
AND their mother knew the whole time because she was also taking hush money due to her gambling addiction.
I’m sorry but this family needed to be launched into the the deep blue sea collectively.
The confrontation scene was SO satisfying though because neither Christopher nor Caroline even seemed sorry they hurt Lynley. They were only upset they got caught and might lose access to money.
Actual sewer people.
Which made it SO satisfying when Lynley finally walked away from all of them.
Bossman stepping in afterward felt earned.
Not because he “saved” her, but because he consistently treated her with more care, honesty, and respect than anyone else in her life had in YEARS.
That man saw her once standing near a Christmas tree and said:
“I would like to provide safety, stability, and forehead kisses indefinitely.”
As he should.
And the emotional payoff with Christopher?
PERFECT.
Because this man spends the rest of book slowly realizing that being a father actually requires:
✨ presence
✨ effort
✨ remembering birthdays
✨ not cheating on your wife with half the zip code
Who knew???
Christopher truly remains one of the dumbest men alive for the entire duration of this book.
The man loses:
— his wife
— his children
— his job
— his reputation
— his money
— his mistress
— his side mistress
— his dignity
…and STILL keeps making terrible decisions.
At one point he literally brings pregnant-maybe-not-pregnant Angelica with him while picking up his children from his estranged wife’s house.
My guy.
WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!?!?!?
And of course Angelica gets out of the car because nobody in this book besides Lynley and Grafton has survival instincts.
But one of my FAVORITE moments was Lynley finally putting her foot down and basically saying: “Sign the divorce papers, give me custody, and go away quietly or I release ALL the footage.”
Queen behavior.
And Christopher folds IMMEDIATELY because preserving his reputation matters more to him than literally anything else.
INCLUDING his children.
Which becomes painfully obvious when the kids repeatedly choose not to go with him because…
well… he’s barely acted like a father.
Meanwhile Grafton is:
✨ showing up to baseball games
✨ sleeping on an air mattress to protect them
✨ letting the daughter decorate his hair with bows
✨ supporting Lynley’s business dreams
✨ generally existing as the emotionally available anti-Christopher
The contrast was DELICIOUS.
The moment that fully destroyed Christopher was near the end when his son says: “A real dad would’ve shown up.”
OUCH. Because the kid was right.
Christopher didn’t lose his family overnight.
He abandoned them slowly over YEARS and just didn’t notice until someone else stepped into the empty spaces he left behind.
And weirdly enough?
I actually appreciated his ending.
No dramatic redemption.
No magical forgiveness.
No “we’re one big happy family again.”
Just a man finally realizing: “The best thing I can do for these people is leave them alone.”
Growth…? Not likely.
And then we end with Christmas in Florida, a proposal, happiness, healing, and ZERO babies.
FOUR STARS.
Everybody claps. 👏👏👏👏
May 9, 2026
Main trope: This is a contemporary romance.
Additional tropes:
✅Cheating (not between the main characters)
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: The FMC is Lynley. She’s married to her college sweetheart and seems mostly content with her life as wife and mom, but with her kids in school she wants to pursue other things, not supported by her husband. In addition to not being supportive he is condescending and absent in most aspects of the FMC’s life as well as their children.
One day their daughter is injured and needs to be taken to the hospital. When her husband arrives, she notices the smell of perfume and sees a smudge of makeup on his clothes. Coupled with some recent behavior changes, including his absenteeism, she highly suspects him of cheating, she just needs proof.
Unbeknownst to her, her husband has cameras in his office recording some of the extra-curricular activities he’s been engaging in. She finds this out with the help of the MMC, Grafton, who happens to be her husband’s new boss and someone she met a few months back at a company party. He was immediately taken with the FMC and now that he knows what her husband has been doing, he wastes no time sharing that information with her.
Armed with the recordings provided by the MMC, the FMC is able to file for divorce, inciting the infidelity clause of her pre-nuptial agreement. Her husband is blindsided by this, as he truly believed he would never be caught. He loses his job as a result of this as well, which is just the beginning of his troubles.
Grafton wants to support Lynley, and prove to her there are some good men out there. While battling her now ex-husband and her family, she feels hurt but must keep a brave face and do what needs to be done for her children and thankfully the MMC assures she doesn’t need to do this alone.
⚠️SPOILERS/SPICE/DETAILED TRIGGERS⚠️
✋
✋
✋
*Descriptive, on-page cheating, not between the main characters.
🌶️:2/5: This is the spice only between the main characters and not anything related to the cheating in the story.
Final thoughts: Y’all, this was MESSY drama and I loved it. The majority of the book was written from the perspective of the main characters. However, there were a few chapters from the husband/ex-husband which detailed his escapades as well as his absolute arrogance and obnoxiousness which added some of the drama of the story. I didn’t connect to the FMC like I thought I might but I loved the MMC. He was so devoted to her and protective of her and stood on business all of the time and I could appreciate that. This is definitely a yes for a recommendation.
Additional tropes:
✅Cheating (not between the main characters)
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: The FMC is Lynley. She’s married to her college sweetheart and seems mostly content with her life as wife and mom, but with her kids in school she wants to pursue other things, not supported by her husband. In addition to not being supportive he is condescending and absent in most aspects of the FMC’s life as well as their children.
One day their daughter is injured and needs to be taken to the hospital. When her husband arrives, she notices the smell of perfume and sees a smudge of makeup on his clothes. Coupled with some recent behavior changes, including his absenteeism, she highly suspects him of cheating, she just needs proof.
Unbeknownst to her, her husband has cameras in his office recording some of the extra-curricular activities he’s been engaging in. She finds this out with the help of the MMC, Grafton, who happens to be her husband’s new boss and someone she met a few months back at a company party. He was immediately taken with the FMC and now that he knows what her husband has been doing, he wastes no time sharing that information with her.
Armed with the recordings provided by the MMC, the FMC is able to file for divorce, inciting the infidelity clause of her pre-nuptial agreement. Her husband is blindsided by this, as he truly believed he would never be caught. He loses his job as a result of this as well, which is just the beginning of his troubles.
Grafton wants to support Lynley, and prove to her there are some good men out there. While battling her now ex-husband and her family, she feels hurt but must keep a brave face and do what needs to be done for her children and thankfully the MMC assures she doesn’t need to do this alone.
⚠️SPOILERS/SPICE/DETAILED TRIGGERS⚠️
✋
✋
✋
*Descriptive, on-page cheating, not between the main characters.
🌶️:2/5: This is the spice only between the main characters and not anything related to the cheating in the story.
Final thoughts: Y’all, this was MESSY drama and I loved it. The majority of the book was written from the perspective of the main characters. However, there were a few chapters from the husband/ex-husband which detailed his escapades as well as his absolute arrogance and obnoxiousness which added some of the drama of the story. I didn’t connect to the FMC like I thought I might but I loved the MMC. He was so devoted to her and protective of her and stood on business all of the time and I could appreciate that. This is definitely a yes for a recommendation.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 24, 2026
This is a "cheating husband" story where the heroine leaves the cheater, and lives her best life with a new hero. If you like that scenario and you don't need a book to have any development or depth, then you might like this.
It's a very bare bones version of that trope. Her cheating husband is so cartoonishly evil, it's hard to fathom why she was ever with him in the first place, or stayed with him for like a decade. Her new hero is OTT instalove. He instantly is swooping in to solve all her problems - he buys her a new house and plays father-figure to her kids after meeting her like, 3 times.
This book is just like, the bullet point list of tropes - cheating husband! Terrible in-laws! New man! - with no development, none of it fleshed out. It has no impact and it's very boring, the drama doesn't land when everything is so shallow and surface level. If you want a similar story, All That She Needs: The Betrayal of a Marriage does it better. And that book isn't especially great, either, that one is also too "instalove" with the new hero, but it looks brilliant, compared to this book.
It's a very bare bones version of that trope. Her cheating husband is so cartoonishly evil, it's hard to fathom why she was ever with him in the first place, or stayed with him for like a decade. Her new hero is OTT instalove. He instantly is swooping in to solve all her problems - he buys her a new house and plays father-figure to her kids after meeting her like, 3 times.
This book is just like, the bullet point list of tropes - cheating husband! Terrible in-laws! New man! - with no development, none of it fleshed out. It has no impact and it's very boring, the drama doesn't land when everything is so shallow and surface level. If you want a similar story, All That She Needs: The Betrayal of a Marriage does it better. And that book isn't especially great, either, that one is also too "instalove" with the new hero, but it looks brilliant, compared to this book.
May 19, 2026
This story was messy and confusing. It felt like I was thrown into the story without background information.
It a 3 POV story, kind of a love triangle with a serial cheating husband, OW drama, toxic family dynamics and a second chance romance for the FMC/ single mom as her future ex-husband is also a dead beat dad. The plot was too much, too pushed into our throat. The FMC was a spineless, naive wife until suddenly she grows a spine. And there is also the insta love with her husband’s boss…. It was too much drama. It felt like I was reading a telenovela plot.
I didn’t enjoy it and skipped a lot because it felt repetitive and there wasn’t time to settle into the story when there was another drama happening. This story was trying too much with too much happening.
It a 3 POV story, kind of a love triangle with a serial cheating husband, OW drama, toxic family dynamics and a second chance romance for the FMC/ single mom as her future ex-husband is also a dead beat dad. The plot was too much, too pushed into our throat. The FMC was a spineless, naive wife until suddenly she grows a spine. And there is also the insta love with her husband’s boss…. It was too much drama. It felt like I was reading a telenovela plot.
I didn’t enjoy it and skipped a lot because it felt repetitive and there wasn’t time to settle into the story when there was another drama happening. This story was trying too much with too much happening.
May 21, 2026
Fun, but not my favorite by this author. This was so OTT as far as Grafton's behavior that I had trouble believing any of it. It was all just way too easy. Also, the bad guys had no shades of gray, also similar to some fairy tale tropes: Christopher, his parents, Lynley's mother and sister, all of them were purely awful with absolutely no remorse or conscience.
Also, even though the book definitely addresses the short amount of time between Lynley finding out about Christopher cheating and her moving on to Grafton, I would have liked to see her on her feet a little more before Grafton swooped in. One of my favorite things about cheating books is watching the heroine stand on her own feet and I didn't get that here. Even though he was obviously different from her first husband, it just felt like she was going from one man "taking care" of her to another.
I've enjoyed several other books by this author, so I'm just going to mark this down as an it's not you, it's me, situation and look forward to the next one.
Also, even though the book definitely addresses the short amount of time between Lynley finding out about Christopher cheating and her moving on to Grafton, I would have liked to see her on her feet a little more before Grafton swooped in. One of my favorite things about cheating books is watching the heroine stand on her own feet and I didn't get that here. Even though he was obviously different from her first husband, it just felt like she was going from one man "taking care" of her to another.
I've enjoyed several other books by this author, so I'm just going to mark this down as an it's not you, it's me, situation and look forward to the next one.
May 21, 2026
I’m shelving this under Romance
Specifically the Harlequin Desire category
You know…the rich, powerful, passionate, dramatic kind
Brought back good memories
Plus:
He’s devoted to her only
She’s a good girl, a nurturing Mom, has goals and aspirations which she achieves
Her kids are realistically portrayed with age-appropriate behaviour
The om is a deceitful whiny brat
My favourite part of this book is the writing style
The way the auth uses her words
5/5 ⭐️
I wanna read all her books
Specifically the Harlequin Desire category
You know…the rich, powerful, passionate, dramatic kind
Brought back good memories
Plus:
He’s devoted to her only
She’s a good girl, a nurturing Mom, has goals and aspirations which she achieves
Her kids are realistically portrayed with age-appropriate behaviour
The om is a deceitful whiny brat
My favourite part of this book is the writing style
The way the auth uses her words
5/5 ⭐️
I wanna read all her books
June 3, 2026
I liked the 3 POV’s from each character. Storyline was good. And I love a good HEA after the gut wrenching betrayal that occurs.
May 21, 2026
We stan a female lead filled with internal rage. And a new (better) man who likes to stand beside her.
June 7, 2026
Lynlee finds true happiness
I can honestly say I disliked Christopher from the beginning to the end of this book. He thinking is just wrong. Even in the end he still doesn't think he did anything he did was wrong. He definitely was not Father material what so ever.
All I can say is Grafton is a true Hero that did not lose sight of his love for Lynlee and the children.
I can honestly say I disliked Christopher from the beginning to the end of this book. He thinking is just wrong. Even in the end he still doesn't think he did anything he did was wrong. He definitely was not Father material what so ever.
All I can say is Grafton is a true Hero that did not lose sight of his love for Lynlee and the children.
October 14, 2026
A strong FMC who leaves her cheating husband and moves on to better things
I read this for the angst, the cheating spouse and the FMC moving on to something better and I enjoyed those aspects of the story.
For some reason I just couldnt get behind the new MMC. His chapters felt superfluous. He basically has a love at first sight thing going on. He's possesive and protective and all that other good stuff, but I just couldnt take him seriously. His chapters made me cringe.
An ok read for me.
I read this for the angst, the cheating spouse and the FMC moving on to something better and I enjoyed those aspects of the story.
For some reason I just couldnt get behind the new MMC. His chapters felt superfluous. He basically has a love at first sight thing going on. He's possesive and protective and all that other good stuff, but I just couldnt take him seriously. His chapters made me cringe.
An ok read for me.
June 3, 2026
An extreme case of 'touch her and die '. Too much, really and OTT
May 19, 2026
I enjoyed it in general but I think it was a bit ott. The whole family, as a matter of fact both families felt like they were written out of a soap opera script.
At least she gets a happy ending with a better hero. I wish everyone else had a worst ending but at least she moved forward away from them.
At least she gets a happy ending with a better hero. I wish everyone else had a worst ending but at least she moved forward away from them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
May 18, 2026Bit too OTT for me
May 18, 2026
They say Snickers satisifies, well so does this latest offering from Mackenzie Madden. She brings on the heat in more ways than one with this book. Let me first assure the readers that although yes, there is cheating in this book, the cheater gets what is coming to him, and what is not coming to him is his faithful wife! In this story you will get 3 POV’s the husbands, the wife, and the man that truly knows how to love a woman in more ways than one!
Lynley and Christopher have been married for 10 years. He comes from a well known family, and she doesn’t. He is climbing the corporate ladder, and she is climbing the local jungle gym wrangling up their two children. She is packing lunches, while he is making 2 hour lunch “dates” at a nearby hotel. She makes dinners, while he often chooses to “eat out…..” Christopher is happy, she is not! He has gotten sloppy, and on some level she knew he was being unfaithful but there comes a point in most people’s lives where they need to make a decision. Stay the course, settle in, and accept it. OR light the match and burn the whole thing down. Lynley decided that staying the course wasn’t going to be part of her wheelhouse. It just so happens that she has an unlikely ally and he is waiting with gasoline in hand to add to the fire(but of course he will throw Lynley out of the way, that is his woman and there isn’t any harm coming to her under his watch! ) Who is this mystery man…none other than her husband’s boss, Grafton Reynolds!
A year ago Grafton was at the company Christmas party when he was struck by cupid’s arrow.(I guess Cupid was mixed up on what holiday it was). He spots Lynley across the room and she shines brighter than any of the perfectly curated christmas lights. When he sees her approached by a man who is obviously her husband he realizes that life can be so cruel! He stays in the shadows and watches. When an obviously upset Lynley comes to the corporate offices a year later looking to catch her husband in the act, Grafton intercepts her. He introduces himself and whisks her away to his office. While there, he tells her that he can help her in her quest for evidence, it seems there are videos.
Now my friends it would be unfair to me to spill all the tea, because believe me there is more tea to be spilled but I will try to highlight some of the finer points in the story.
Christopher is a sleaze. We get to see him in action and we get to see his thoughts. He may truly love Lynely, but he will never ever get over his first love and that is himself. If it feels good to Christopher then it has to be ok. I will say that he is truly just a cheater(just???) let me clarify, for him the women in his life serve one purpose and that is to get him off and make him feel like a king because he is getting away with it. He has no emotional attachments to any of them. It is his wife that gets his emotions, but sadly he is lacking in that department.
Lynley is a strong heroine. For years she has had to put up with a mother that always chooses her younger sister over her, a younger sister who has always been jealous of her older sister. Then she married into a family that felt she was beneath them. She gets saddled with a cheater husband, whose only saving Grace is that his sperm helped create two children that have her heart and soul. She carves out a new future for her and her children. However, she does get a lot of support in doing this. Grafton makes her exit from her marriage happen without much discomfort on her part(so just remember this is fictional and don’t be hating on Lynley who has it better than most rl women in her shoes) I actually like that she accepts the help from Grafton because I would hate for her to have to move back to the family home until the marriage is dissolved.
Grafton, omg. He is the type of OTT hero you might find in one of those instalove novellas(which I am more than guilty of reading on occasion because well some of these other heroes really suck(and not in a good way) Grafton not only loves Lynley with the heat of a thousand suns, but he loves her children too. He is good for her children, and is all in! AND he may have a terrible brother and a slutty niece, but his parents are absolutely wonderful! They accept Lynley and her children with arms wide open!
In addition to Christopher the cheater, we have some other people that need a little bit of karma knocking on their door as well, and thank goodness Karma does delivery!
On another note, I appreciate that the smexy times between Lynley and Grafton were sizzling! As opposed to the few times we see Christopher in his extracurricular activities where he comes off as gross and entitled. I never like it when the smexy times between cheaters is better than the smexy times between the hero and heroine! Mackenzie made sure that Lynley and Grafton were the stars of the show!
I would not say this is an angsty story, because Lynley never has to worry about Grafton and his devotion and by the time the story opens she is already over Christopher and his crap. So we get the glorious revenge and new beginnings as opposed to having to watch her suffer for years in a marriage of lies!
I think this was a fun read. It tackled some heavy topics, but I would nepo call this a heavy story at all. IT has the drama, the fun, the smexy times, and keeps you turning the page!
Lynley and Christopher have been married for 10 years. He comes from a well known family, and she doesn’t. He is climbing the corporate ladder, and she is climbing the local jungle gym wrangling up their two children. She is packing lunches, while he is making 2 hour lunch “dates” at a nearby hotel. She makes dinners, while he often chooses to “eat out…..” Christopher is happy, she is not! He has gotten sloppy, and on some level she knew he was being unfaithful but there comes a point in most people’s lives where they need to make a decision. Stay the course, settle in, and accept it. OR light the match and burn the whole thing down. Lynley decided that staying the course wasn’t going to be part of her wheelhouse. It just so happens that she has an unlikely ally and he is waiting with gasoline in hand to add to the fire(but of course he will throw Lynley out of the way, that is his woman and there isn’t any harm coming to her under his watch! ) Who is this mystery man…none other than her husband’s boss, Grafton Reynolds!
A year ago Grafton was at the company Christmas party when he was struck by cupid’s arrow.(I guess Cupid was mixed up on what holiday it was). He spots Lynley across the room and she shines brighter than any of the perfectly curated christmas lights. When he sees her approached by a man who is obviously her husband he realizes that life can be so cruel! He stays in the shadows and watches. When an obviously upset Lynley comes to the corporate offices a year later looking to catch her husband in the act, Grafton intercepts her. He introduces himself and whisks her away to his office. While there, he tells her that he can help her in her quest for evidence, it seems there are videos.
Now my friends it would be unfair to me to spill all the tea, because believe me there is more tea to be spilled but I will try to highlight some of the finer points in the story.
Christopher is a sleaze. We get to see him in action and we get to see his thoughts. He may truly love Lynely, but he will never ever get over his first love and that is himself. If it feels good to Christopher then it has to be ok. I will say that he is truly just a cheater(just???) let me clarify, for him the women in his life serve one purpose and that is to get him off and make him feel like a king because he is getting away with it. He has no emotional attachments to any of them. It is his wife that gets his emotions, but sadly he is lacking in that department.
Lynley is a strong heroine. For years she has had to put up with a mother that always chooses her younger sister over her, a younger sister who has always been jealous of her older sister. Then she married into a family that felt she was beneath them. She gets saddled with a cheater husband, whose only saving Grace is that his sperm helped create two children that have her heart and soul. She carves out a new future for her and her children. However, she does get a lot of support in doing this. Grafton makes her exit from her marriage happen without much discomfort on her part(so just remember this is fictional and don’t be hating on Lynley who has it better than most rl women in her shoes) I actually like that she accepts the help from Grafton because I would hate for her to have to move back to the family home until the marriage is dissolved.
Grafton, omg. He is the type of OTT hero you might find in one of those instalove novellas(which I am more than guilty of reading on occasion because well some of these other heroes really suck(and not in a good way) Grafton not only loves Lynley with the heat of a thousand suns, but he loves her children too. He is good for her children, and is all in! AND he may have a terrible brother and a slutty niece, but his parents are absolutely wonderful! They accept Lynley and her children with arms wide open!
In addition to Christopher the cheater, we have some other people that need a little bit of karma knocking on their door as well, and thank goodness Karma does delivery!
On another note, I appreciate that the smexy times between Lynley and Grafton were sizzling! As opposed to the few times we see Christopher in his extracurricular activities where he comes off as gross and entitled. I never like it when the smexy times between cheaters is better than the smexy times between the hero and heroine! Mackenzie made sure that Lynley and Grafton were the stars of the show!
I would not say this is an angsty story, because Lynley never has to worry about Grafton and his devotion and by the time the story opens she is already over Christopher and his crap. So we get the glorious revenge and new beginnings as opposed to having to watch her suffer for years in a marriage of lies!
I think this was a fun read. It tackled some heavy topics, but I would nepo call this a heavy story at all. IT has the drama, the fun, the smexy times, and keeps you turning the page!
July 7, 2026
heads up, this is a fairytale
Question: What's the most fantastical "living well is the best revenge" scenario an author can write for a woman/wife/mother who has been cheated on?
Answer: This. The h (Lynley) finds out her husband (Christopher) is a mwah ha ha serial cheater, and moves on with his CEO boss (H, Grafton). By the way, Grafton has wanted the h (a married SAHM of two) from the moment he saw her across a crowded room at his company's Christmas party. The H then uses his considerable corporate reach and financial resources to fire her philandering husband, he gets the h video evidence of the husband's cheating for divorce their proceedings, the H supports the h above and beyond kind of way by getting to know her kids and buying them a house BEFORE the divorce is even final, the H partially furnishes said house, the H helps the h buy herself a store front for her business concept, he encourages her to finish her degree and talks to the Dean about expediting it, the H stands up for 💕his love💕 to all kinds of vile family members, then the H steps seamlessly into the role of raising another man's kids, and finally the H financially ruins the cheater/cheater's wealthy family because 'he knows a guy' a hacker who can tie up their money in legalities. The H never once wavers, gets angry at the h, or thinks that she might be bringing a tad too much drama.
Oh, and the H also gives the h a few quality Os along the way. Honestly, the relationship was a little too perfect for the sex and love to evoke any real feels.
There's also a fair bit of on page cheating sex, and other betrayals by the husband.
Yes, I went back on my own word and read another Madden book. Mostly because cheating romance is a micro genre and so many out there are basically unreadable. I didn't like this author's other books because I think she struggles to find the golden ratio between: on page depictions of cheating → punishment/grovel → HEA in her cheating and reconciliation books. But since this h moved on with a new H, it didn't have the same issues. Her books are also often too long. But this one was noticeably shorter.
Question: What's the most fantastical "living well is the best revenge" scenario an author can write for a woman/wife/mother who has been cheated on?
Answer: This. The h (Lynley) finds out her husband (Christopher) is a mwah ha ha serial cheater, and moves on with his CEO boss (H, Grafton). By the way, Grafton has wanted the h (a married SAHM of two) from the moment he saw her across a crowded room at his company's Christmas party. The H then uses his considerable corporate reach and financial resources to fire her philandering husband, he gets the h video evidence of the husband's cheating for divorce their proceedings, the H supports the h above and beyond kind of way by getting to know her kids and buying them a house BEFORE the divorce is even final, the H partially furnishes said house, the H helps the h buy herself a store front for her business concept, he encourages her to finish her degree and talks to the Dean about expediting it, the H stands up for 💕his love💕 to all kinds of vile family members, then the H steps seamlessly into the role of raising another man's kids, and finally the H financially ruins the cheater/cheater's wealthy family because 'he knows a guy' a hacker who can tie up their money in legalities. The H never once wavers, gets angry at the h, or thinks that she might be bringing a tad too much drama.
Oh, and the H also gives the h a few quality Os along the way. Honestly, the relationship was a little too perfect for the sex and love to evoke any real feels.
There's also a fair bit of on page cheating sex, and other betrayals by the husband.
Yes, I went back on my own word and read another Madden book. Mostly because cheating romance is a micro genre and so many out there are basically unreadable. I didn't like this author's other books because I think she struggles to find the golden ratio between: on page depictions of cheating → punishment/grovel → HEA in her cheating and reconciliation books. But since this h moved on with a new H, it didn't have the same issues. Her books are also often too long. But this one was noticeably shorter.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 9, 2026
This book was like ordering loaded nachos and realizing halfway through that most of the toppings are just sour cream. It’s still enjoyable… but I kept waiting for a little more substance.
The beginning had me absolutely locked in. The drama? Top tier. I was rubbing my little reader hands together, ready to watch the cheating husband get everything he deserved. And to be fair, watching karma do its thing was incredibly satisfying.
But then Grafton showed up, and while I wanted to love him, he felt almost too perfect. The man was out here solving problems like he had a magic wand hidden in his suit pocket. It started to feel less like a romance and more like someone checking off every “Book Boyfriend” box on a Pinterest board.
The villains were also so ridiculously awful that they stopped feeling like real people. Every time they opened their mouths, I was like, “Surely you’ve run out of terrible decisions by now.” Nope. They treated bad choices like it was an Olympic sport.
Don’t get me wrong, I was entertained. I flew through it, rolled my eyes approximately 47 times, muttered “girl…” more than once, and absolutely enjoyed seeing certain people get what was coming to them. But once I finished, I wasn’t left with that book hangover where you’re emotionally staring at the wall questioning your existence. It was more like finishing a bag of chips: fun while it lasted, but I’m already wondering what’s for dinner.
Overall, if you’re looking for a dramatic, revenge-filled romance with a protective hero and plenty of chaos, you’ll probably have a good time. I just wish the characters had a little more depth and the romance had been allowed to simmer instead of being served at full boil.
The beginning had me absolutely locked in. The drama? Top tier. I was rubbing my little reader hands together, ready to watch the cheating husband get everything he deserved. And to be fair, watching karma do its thing was incredibly satisfying.
But then Grafton showed up, and while I wanted to love him, he felt almost too perfect. The man was out here solving problems like he had a magic wand hidden in his suit pocket. It started to feel less like a romance and more like someone checking off every “Book Boyfriend” box on a Pinterest board.
The villains were also so ridiculously awful that they stopped feeling like real people. Every time they opened their mouths, I was like, “Surely you’ve run out of terrible decisions by now.” Nope. They treated bad choices like it was an Olympic sport.
Don’t get me wrong, I was entertained. I flew through it, rolled my eyes approximately 47 times, muttered “girl…” more than once, and absolutely enjoyed seeing certain people get what was coming to them. But once I finished, I wasn’t left with that book hangover where you’re emotionally staring at the wall questioning your existence. It was more like finishing a bag of chips: fun while it lasted, but I’m already wondering what’s for dinner.
Overall, if you’re looking for a dramatic, revenge-filled romance with a protective hero and plenty of chaos, you’ll probably have a good time. I just wish the characters had a little more depth and the romance had been allowed to simmer instead of being served at full boil.
May 21, 2026
okay story just missed the mark for me
While I loved Grafton and absolutely hated Christopher and to have so much of his POV in the beginning would have thought he would have some sort of guilt at least for his kids or some basic sort of growth about what an absolutely awful person he was . I get it that he really wasn’t father material. And happy for boss lady Lynley but to have so little emotions or even anger at the devastating level of betrayal and loss of her family was a bit unrealistic. And to be so insta attracted to someone when her and kids life was being ruined was a bit OTT for me. I get they were meant to be together and the marriage was in trouble before but I wasn’t invested in the emotional turmoil part of their marriage at all. Loved that Grafton was there but just seemed a little overly easy wrapped up in a beautiful fairytale of insta love during a traumatic time. This is more of romance after so would have liked to have started this book with less of Christopher’s POV it wasn’t even needed because he had no character growth and more of Lynley contemplating and thoughts of leaving their marriage even before him being caught. And what was his brother’s angle through all this anyway? What happened to Rita? When did divorce actually take place? This story felt a little forced and left with me a bit confused. Chapters felt incomplete and next chapter didn’t pick up where the other one left off so felt like I was missing some things. Again good love after betrayal story, but I do have issues with relationships formed during trauma and before divorce actually happens, just me though.
While I loved Grafton and absolutely hated Christopher and to have so much of his POV in the beginning would have thought he would have some sort of guilt at least for his kids or some basic sort of growth about what an absolutely awful person he was . I get it that he really wasn’t father material. And happy for boss lady Lynley but to have so little emotions or even anger at the devastating level of betrayal and loss of her family was a bit unrealistic. And to be so insta attracted to someone when her and kids life was being ruined was a bit OTT for me. I get they were meant to be together and the marriage was in trouble before but I wasn’t invested in the emotional turmoil part of their marriage at all. Loved that Grafton was there but just seemed a little overly easy wrapped up in a beautiful fairytale of insta love during a traumatic time. This is more of romance after so would have liked to have started this book with less of Christopher’s POV it wasn’t even needed because he had no character growth and more of Lynley contemplating and thoughts of leaving their marriage even before him being caught. And what was his brother’s angle through all this anyway? What happened to Rita? When did divorce actually take place? This story felt a little forced and left with me a bit confused. Chapters felt incomplete and next chapter didn’t pick up where the other one left off so felt like I was missing some things. Again good love after betrayal story, but I do have issues with relationships formed during trauma and before divorce actually happens, just me though.
May 18, 2026
Lynley is married to Christopher. They live an idyllic life - new house, two kids, they were college sweethearts and all is great, right? (here's where i shake my head) No. Absolutely not.
And why? Christopher is a serial cheater and he grosses us out with his onpage cheating. (why do you read it if it grosses you out, you may ask? i don't know. maybe i'm a glutton for punishment.)
Then enters Grafton. He's Christopher's boss and he's in love with Lynley. At first we don't know what his intentions are, but after Lynley's suspicions are confirmed when he shows up with a lot of clues to his infidelity (he can't even cheat neatly), Grafton comes to her rescue with all the goodies to make this a painful divorce for Christopher.
Grafton is a total knight in shining armor. He becomes the partner that Lynley needs and the father figure her kids so desperately need (for her son especially), all the while Christopher and his elitist parents entire country club world crumbles around them (not to mention that there's an extra player in this entire mess who brings on a secret baby and insists it's Christopher's).
I loved this one. I laughed, I cried (because I can't ever not cry with my FMCs), I raged. Everyone who deserves it gets their comeuppance and it's beautiful.
I definitely recommend this read!
And why? Christopher is a serial cheater and he grosses us out with his onpage cheating. (why do you read it if it grosses you out, you may ask? i don't know. maybe i'm a glutton for punishment.)
Then enters Grafton. He's Christopher's boss and he's in love with Lynley. At first we don't know what his intentions are, but after Lynley's suspicions are confirmed when he shows up with a lot of clues to his infidelity (he can't even cheat neatly), Grafton comes to her rescue with all the goodies to make this a painful divorce for Christopher.
Grafton is a total knight in shining armor. He becomes the partner that Lynley needs and the father figure her kids so desperately need (for her son especially), all the while Christopher and his elitist parents entire country club world crumbles around them (not to mention that there's an extra player in this entire mess who brings on a secret baby and insists it's Christopher's).
I loved this one. I laughed, I cried (because I can't ever not cry with my FMCs), I raged. Everyone who deserves it gets their comeuppance and it's beautiful.
I definitely recommend this read!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I love Mackenzie Madden books and this one reminded me exactly why!
Lynley has spent years living what looks like the perfect life from the outside. The beautiful home, children and a marriage everyone thinks is built on love and respect. But the illusion he's built around their life starts to fall apart fast once Lynley's eyes are opened.
I could not stand Chris, He crossed so many lines and genuinely made me so angry. He was arrogant in thinking Lynley would never walk away and I loved watching her finally realise she deserved so much more than the role he had forced her into.
And then there was Grafton, talk about levelling up. He was everything I love in an MMC, Possessive, protective, completely gone for Lynley and just 🔥. I loved that he fell first and hard for Lynley and her kids and the way he gave her the support she needed when she least expected it.
One of my favourite parts was seeing Chris and his family get the comeuppance they deserved. It was so satisfying, especially after everything Lynley was put through.
This had angst, drama, a heroine finally choosing herself and an MMC who was absolutely worth it. Lynley got everything she deserved with Grafton. What a man!
Lynley has spent years living what looks like the perfect life from the outside. The beautiful home, children and a marriage everyone thinks is built on love and respect. But the illusion he's built around their life starts to fall apart fast once Lynley's eyes are opened.
I could not stand Chris, He crossed so many lines and genuinely made me so angry. He was arrogant in thinking Lynley would never walk away and I loved watching her finally realise she deserved so much more than the role he had forced her into.
And then there was Grafton, talk about levelling up. He was everything I love in an MMC, Possessive, protective, completely gone for Lynley and just 🔥. I loved that he fell first and hard for Lynley and her kids and the way he gave her the support she needed when she least expected it.
One of my favourite parts was seeing Chris and his family get the comeuppance they deserved. It was so satisfying, especially after everything Lynley was put through.
This had angst, drama, a heroine finally choosing herself and an MMC who was absolutely worth it. Lynley got everything she deserved with Grafton. What a man!
Review of advance copy received from Author
* Cheating (on-page, explicit), not between main characters
* Toxic family relationships
* HEA with new H
* FMC Lynley x MMC Grafton
If you have read Maddens books before you will know she is great at betrayals, this is definitely worth the read. There is no build up you are immediately dropped straight into the betrayal which is perfect.
Not only do we get the POVs of the FMC and MMC but we also get the POV of the ex and honestly if you didnt hate him from his actions his thoughts would solidify it.
Grafton is the perfect mix of cinnamon roll for his partner and possessive and doberman vibe. If you didnt fall for the way he treats and dotes on Lynley then you would by the way he treats her kids as his own.
For anyone looking for a book where the cheater and toxic family members get their Comeuppance then I would highly recommend this!
Favourite quote summing up Garafton
"“What have you done?” His grin is crooked. “Gone completely overboard. And I have no regrets about it.”"
* Toxic family relationships
* HEA with new H
* FMC Lynley x MMC Grafton
If you have read Maddens books before you will know she is great at betrayals, this is definitely worth the read. There is no build up you are immediately dropped straight into the betrayal which is perfect.
Not only do we get the POVs of the FMC and MMC but we also get the POV of the ex and honestly if you didnt hate him from his actions his thoughts would solidify it.
Grafton is the perfect mix of cinnamon roll for his partner and possessive and doberman vibe. If you didnt fall for the way he treats and dotes on Lynley then you would by the way he treats her kids as his own.
For anyone looking for a book where the cheater and toxic family members get their Comeuppance then I would highly recommend this!
Favourite quote summing up Garafton
"“What have you done?” His grin is crooked. “Gone completely overboard. And I have no regrets about it.”"
Review of advance copy received from Author
Grafton and Lynley had me from the moment I met them!
Did I really enjoy reading about her cheater husband’s escapades? Not really.
But Christopher did get what was coming to him… he is absolutely gross!!
Grafton is all in from the start, but oh boy did he come in heavy… It put me in mind of some of the Jordan Silver MMC’s, just not as OTT J/P psycho. He made the best bonus dad, and I loved his relationship with Mase!
I love his family. His conversation (albeit mostly one-sided) was gold…
“Graft’s got himself a girl!”
I had to giggle at that point.
But Lynley… my heart hurt for her. The level of betrayal she faced was horrible, and honestly, no surprises here at all…
I was so happy to have the new H introduced so early. The fact that he was (mostly) a green-flag-waving golden retriever certainly didn’t hurt.
So, Mackenzie Madden has done it again… Another fantastic story. Heavy on the betrayal. No requirement for grovel. And a new upgraded platinum-level H for the newly acquired spine in the heroine.
Thanks, Mackenzie Madden, for the advance copy.
Did I really enjoy reading about her cheater husband’s escapades? Not really.
But Christopher did get what was coming to him… he is absolutely gross!!
Grafton is all in from the start, but oh boy did he come in heavy… It put me in mind of some of the Jordan Silver MMC’s, just not as OTT J/P psycho. He made the best bonus dad, and I loved his relationship with Mase!
I love his family. His conversation (albeit mostly one-sided) was gold…
“Graft’s got himself a girl!”
I had to giggle at that point.
But Lynley… my heart hurt for her. The level of betrayal she faced was horrible, and honestly, no surprises here at all…
I was so happy to have the new H introduced so early. The fact that he was (mostly) a green-flag-waving golden retriever certainly didn’t hurt.
So, Mackenzie Madden has done it again… Another fantastic story. Heavy on the betrayal. No requirement for grovel. And a new upgraded platinum-level H for the newly acquired spine in the heroine.
Thanks, Mackenzie Madden, for the advance copy.
May 29, 2026
I really liked the characters and general story of this book, and I think the author is a talented writer. But I found the plot to be too simplistic. The MMC knew he was in love with the FMC the first second he saw her. It didn’t take the FMC much time to decide the same, even though meeting him happened simultaneous to the dissolution of her marriage of ten years with the father of her two children. She seems to have no complicated feelings about her relationships with her husband or other family members. Everyone in this story is either a hero or a villain and there is really no complexity to the plot at all. I’m not saying she shouldn’t have left her husband, but I would also expect it to be a more emotionally harrowing and confusing experience for her. When you throw in the fact that the MMC is incredibly wealthy and powerful and can basically get whatever her wants as soon as he wants it, there is really no narrative tension at all. I think this story could have been much, much better if there were a few more layers and nuances to it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 23, 2026
Super Cozy 3.5
Well written and I liked the Lynnie's character didn't have waffle when she was faced with facts. That she immediately thought of her children and what example she'd be setting by the treatment she receives. Grafton being all in like he was from go and Lynnie accepting it so easily...that took a stretch for my imagination. The vindictive part of me would have like to see the devastation of the downfall of her family and Christopher's so just accepting that they were basically "run out of town" didn't feel right to me.
But overall, there was a distance to the story that didn't let the confrontations in the book hit dramatically enough to feel anything other than recognition that the scene is happening and how OTT those moments are. Because of that distance from the drama, all that was left was the cozy, everything is happy and falling into place perfectly vibe.
Well written and I liked the Lynnie's character didn't have waffle when she was faced with facts. That she immediately thought of her children and what example she'd be setting by the treatment she receives. Grafton being all in like he was from go and Lynnie accepting it so easily...that took a stretch for my imagination. The vindictive part of me would have like to see the devastation of the downfall of her family and Christopher's so just accepting that they were basically "run out of town" didn't feel right to me.
But overall, there was a distance to the story that didn't let the confrontations in the book hit dramatically enough to feel anything other than recognition that the scene is happening and how OTT those moments are. Because of that distance from the drama, all that was left was the cozy, everything is happy and falling into place perfectly vibe.
July 14, 2026
Wow...what a wild ride
I can't express how much I loathed the soon to be ex-husband. He is a disgusting pig of a man. One this MFC is so well rid of.
After she discovered his gross behavior, or some of it, she finds out when she meets his boss, the new MMC, that he was initially interested in her but found out she was married. But he is still very interested. He had his private security people check into her husband because of how he behaved at work. He knows exactly what her husband is doing because he (her husband) put cameras in his office and connected them to the office server to record his dirty deeds at work. He gives her the evidence to burn down her husband's world since there is a cheating clause against him in their pre-nump.
The MFC is also betrayed by her sister and mother .
Her new man waits for her, he stands in with the two kids and gives her a place to live. He is a protector that every woman should have. I adore him. She definitely moved up.
I can't express how much I loathed the soon to be ex-husband. He is a disgusting pig of a man. One this MFC is so well rid of.
After she discovered his gross behavior, or some of it, she finds out when she meets his boss, the new MMC, that he was initially interested in her but found out she was married. But he is still very interested. He had his private security people check into her husband because of how he behaved at work. He knows exactly what her husband is doing because he (her husband) put cameras in his office and connected them to the office server to record his dirty deeds at work. He gives her the evidence to burn down her husband's world since there is a cheating clause against him in their pre-nump.
The MFC is also betrayed by her sister and mother .
Her new man waits for her, he stands in with the two kids and gives her a place to live. He is a protector that every woman should have. I adore him. She definitely moved up.
Review of advance copy received from Author
You can not go wrong picking up a Mackenzie book and Broken Vows is the perfect example of why. Lynley believes her marriage is solid, when she finds out that is not the case her world crashes down around her. Grafton, Christopher's boss steps on to be the man that Lynley neeeds and deserves.
Grafton falls for Lynley and her kids and he falls fast and hard. There are so many things to love about this book. The characters are amazing especially the kids. The pacing is fantastic and the story and the outcomes totally realistic. You are going to go through all the feels reading this one but you will come out the otherside with a smile on your face.
Fair warning once you start to read this you are not going to want to put it down. This is a must read so add it to you TBR pile now.
Grafton falls for Lynley and her kids and he falls fast and hard. There are so many things to love about this book. The characters are amazing especially the kids. The pacing is fantastic and the story and the outcomes totally realistic. You are going to go through all the feels reading this one but you will come out the otherside with a smile on your face.
Fair warning once you start to read this you are not going to want to put it down. This is a must read so add it to you TBR pile now.
May 20, 2026
The h and her husband have been married for ten years. They have two children. She is a stay at home mom. Her husband's family is wealthy and well known and think of the h as a gold digger. Her family is not much better. The h begins looking for evidence of infidelity when she sees makeup near the zipper on her husband's pants. It turns out he is a serial cheater. Her reaction is neither anger nor heartbreak but it felt almost dispassionate to me. Her husband's boss is the H. He shares the video evidence that she needs to file for divorce and then he befriends her. The husband is an entitled coward who continues to express anger toward the h right up until the end of the book for making such a fuss about the infidelity.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I RECEIVED THIS BOOK PRE-PUBLICATION FROM THE AUTHOR
I read this book while in rough draft as she wrote it.
And then again, edited and hashed out more and still love this story.
SPOILERS BUT
Cheating husband
Finds a friend and supporter to help her move on.
Her 2nd chance is not with her cheating soon to be ex.
She does what she needs to to protect her children and cut out the rot.
She finds her strength that she had no clue was there and moves on and finds true love this time.
This is one of many books set in the same town. So if you have read any of her other books, you will recognize them.
Hope you enjoy this as much as I did.
Happy reading
I read this book while in rough draft as she wrote it.
And then again, edited and hashed out more and still love this story.
SPOILERS BUT
Cheating husband
Finds a friend and supporter to help her move on.
Her 2nd chance is not with her cheating soon to be ex.
She does what she needs to to protect her children and cut out the rot.
She finds her strength that she had no clue was there and moves on and finds true love this time.
This is one of many books set in the same town. So if you have read any of her other books, you will recognize them.
Hope you enjoy this as much as I did.
Happy reading
Review of advance copy received from Author
I love Mackenzie’s books. This is another amazing one from her. Christopher and Lynley are married with two kids. Lynley is loyal and loved Christopher but he had no plans on staying faithful to her. He is truly loathsome. Over the years he betrayed her in almost every possible way. Lynley was truly surrounded by disgusting people like her husband, horrible sister, mother and in-laws. But they got their comeuppance. And Lynley found amazing love and support from Grafton. He is absolutely wonderful and totally in love with Lynley and her children. And they love him back too. They become the perfect family and it was so good to read their happily ever after.
June 15, 2026
Angst + cheating + finding love after heartbreak
I started this story on Wattpad but never finished it. I was so happy to hear Mackenzie published it and I got to go back and read it and finally get the ending. This story does have on page explicit cheating. The fact that her ex never thinks of it as cheating and just something married men do because that's what his father did... So disgusting. The betrayal of her sister and mother? Devastating. But the fact that she found support and love with her ex's boss, gratifying. Lynley and her children deserved to be loved by a man like Grafton. Great story. 💙
I started this story on Wattpad but never finished it. I was so happy to hear Mackenzie published it and I got to go back and read it and finally get the ending. This story does have on page explicit cheating. The fact that her ex never thinks of it as cheating and just something married men do because that's what his father did... So disgusting. The betrayal of her sister and mother? Devastating. But the fact that she found support and love with her ex's boss, gratifying. Lynley and her children deserved to be loved by a man like Grafton. Great story. 💙
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