What do you think?
Rate this book
The Fallout
When close friends split, take care whose side you're on…Dan and Sasha are Josh and Hannah's closest friends, and lately they all seem to spend more time with each other than they do apart. But cozy weekends together quickly dissolve into a bitter game of tug-of-war when Dan utters three treacherous little I'm leaving her.Dan fully expects Josh to defend his choices-and that includes welcoming the sexy young model he's suddenly dating. Meanwhile, Dan's soon-to-be-ex-wife Sasha is devastated-dangerously so-by his betrayal, and she leans heavily on Hannah for support. Though Josh and Hannah try desperately to avoid the fallout of their friends' battle, they're quickly engulfed by the poisonous fog of attack lawyers, ugly accusations and untimely revelations. Soon they're suffocating in Dan and Sasha's secrets…and their own. Darkly witty and utterly chilling, The Fallout exposes the volatile nature of divorce-and the new lovers, obsessions and broken relationships that are left in its wake."Previously Published as The Broken in the UK."
349 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2011
81 people are currently reading
3611 people want to read
About the author
Tamar Cohen
35 books232 followersTamar Cohen is a freelance journalist who lives in London with her partner and three teenage children.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 286 reviews
October 29, 2016
Fan-freaking-tastic! I've loved all of Tamar Cohen's books who now writes as Tammy Cohen with loads of great books under her belt! Here is her other author page for you to check out her other great books!
.
With The Broken, she yet again pulls off a sensation of a novel. I could not put this book down, from the first line to the last I was hungry for more. This stands out as a clear front runner, with a psychological tautness to it, this book is a must read for anyone who simply appreciates good fiction.
The book centres around two couples who have been friends for ages. We have Josh and Hannah with their daughter Lily and Dan and Sasha with their daughter September. The couples have shared time, life and laughs together since the children were babies, they trust each other and can't imagine anything different. It's friendship heaven.
Then it all goes horribly wrong. Best friends don't always stay best friends.
Dan drops a bombshell that puts tension between the couples, not only between each other but in their own homes also. Because best friends should not have to take sides right? But that's easier said than done. The plot in this novel is stunning, it's riveting and taut with subtle tensions that keep you so hooked in.
As things begin to crumble and trust issues appear, it's hard to know who is telling the truth, who to believe? Josh and Hannah are caught in the middle of the war between Sasha and Josh and are trying at the same time to not let it influence their own home and marriage. Even the friendship the two little girls have together is not immune to the secrets exposed and disaster that is rolling out in front of them.
In between all of this psychological drama is the voice of a young girl, for the whole book until the very end you don't know who this girl is, she talks of an unstable upbringing and unstable thoughts. I was stunned with the reveal of who is behind this voice at the end of the book. Knock me down with a feather. Brilliant writing, didn't see it coming.
This is not a mediocre book about silly friendships and petty dramas, it's a seriously psychologically messy situation. Strange things are happening to all of them, and in the atmosphere of mistrust they are all looking at each other and wondering if friends are really enemies, but surely not right? I mean, that's just wrong.
It's a hard book to review without spoilers, I can tell you that it held me and did not let go, a stunning piece of fiction with memorable characters, each and every one of them I connected to, all well developed, complex and rich in individual characteristics. I read the book with an open mind but kept trying to piece things together and just could not.
The ending is sublime, so clever, messes with your head, left me putting the book down and staring at the ceiling for a bit digesting it all. I wanted to applaud Tamar Cohen for the spectacular read and outstanding writing.
If you like your books to have a psychological twist here and there, one that keeps you thinking and guessing but holds your attention along the way as you flick the pages wanting more and more and more, this is the book. I promise, it's really good. Like, really, really good.
Who can you trust? That is the question. What you see is not always what you get. Let the book reveal it's answers to you as you enjoy.
I LOVED THIS BOOK!
For more of my book reviews, plenty of awesome books to win, and author Q&A events come to: https://www.facebook.com/BookloverCat...
To follow me on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/promotethatbook
. With The Broken, she yet again pulls off a sensation of a novel. I could not put this book down, from the first line to the last I was hungry for more. This stands out as a clear front runner, with a psychological tautness to it, this book is a must read for anyone who simply appreciates good fiction.
The book centres around two couples who have been friends for ages. We have Josh and Hannah with their daughter Lily and Dan and Sasha with their daughter September. The couples have shared time, life and laughs together since the children were babies, they trust each other and can't imagine anything different. It's friendship heaven.
Then it all goes horribly wrong. Best friends don't always stay best friends.
Dan drops a bombshell that puts tension between the couples, not only between each other but in their own homes also. Because best friends should not have to take sides right? But that's easier said than done. The plot in this novel is stunning, it's riveting and taut with subtle tensions that keep you so hooked in.
As things begin to crumble and trust issues appear, it's hard to know who is telling the truth, who to believe? Josh and Hannah are caught in the middle of the war between Sasha and Josh and are trying at the same time to not let it influence their own home and marriage. Even the friendship the two little girls have together is not immune to the secrets exposed and disaster that is rolling out in front of them.
In between all of this psychological drama is the voice of a young girl, for the whole book until the very end you don't know who this girl is, she talks of an unstable upbringing and unstable thoughts. I was stunned with the reveal of who is behind this voice at the end of the book. Knock me down with a feather. Brilliant writing, didn't see it coming.
This is not a mediocre book about silly friendships and petty dramas, it's a seriously psychologically messy situation. Strange things are happening to all of them, and in the atmosphere of mistrust they are all looking at each other and wondering if friends are really enemies, but surely not right? I mean, that's just wrong.
It's a hard book to review without spoilers, I can tell you that it held me and did not let go, a stunning piece of fiction with memorable characters, each and every one of them I connected to, all well developed, complex and rich in individual characteristics. I read the book with an open mind but kept trying to piece things together and just could not.
The ending is sublime, so clever, messes with your head, left me putting the book down and staring at the ceiling for a bit digesting it all. I wanted to applaud Tamar Cohen for the spectacular read and outstanding writing.
If you like your books to have a psychological twist here and there, one that keeps you thinking and guessing but holds your attention along the way as you flick the pages wanting more and more and more, this is the book. I promise, it's really good. Like, really, really good.
Who can you trust? That is the question. What you see is not always what you get. Let the book reveal it's answers to you as you enjoy.
I LOVED THIS BOOK!
For more of my book reviews, plenty of awesome books to win, and author Q&A events come to: https://www.facebook.com/BookloverCat...
To follow me on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/promotethatbook
February 1, 2020
The Broken by Tamar Cohen - audio book. 3.5 stars (rounded up)
Josh and Hannah live a quiet, unexceptional life in suburban London with their four year old daughter Lily. Josh is a teacher and Hannah a self employed journalist. Their good friends Dan and Sasha live near by and also have a four year old daughter, September. The two families have a long standing, very close relationship.
When Dan, out of the blue, announces that he no longer loves Sasha and that he has fallen heavily for a young model, Siena, the ramifications are of course immense.
The Broken starts off as a measured, realistic look at how massive emotional upheaval in the lives of friends can impact on our own lives. This being a psychological thriller, things begin to gradually turn very ugly!
All very entertaining and gave me the odd shiver of recognition.
What’s more, I guessed the ending about half way through and felt very smug about it!
This didn’t spoil things though ...... I enjoyed backing up my hunches and looked forward to the great drama and reactions of all the characters as the truth was exposed and come-uppances were had.
Except ..... this didn’t really happen. We were left with an eerie question mark, but other than that, the ending seemed a bit disappointing ie a quick summing up in the last couple of pages, a quick tying up of loose ends and then ......... that was it. No fireworks, emotional showdowns etc.
In all fairness though, I was engrossed throughout, the novel was plainly but well written with believable characters and it had some emotional depth.
The audio book was excellently narrated by Jane Collingwood.
I will certainly read more by this author.
Josh and Hannah live a quiet, unexceptional life in suburban London with their four year old daughter Lily. Josh is a teacher and Hannah a self employed journalist. Their good friends Dan and Sasha live near by and also have a four year old daughter, September. The two families have a long standing, very close relationship.
When Dan, out of the blue, announces that he no longer loves Sasha and that he has fallen heavily for a young model, Siena, the ramifications are of course immense.
The Broken starts off as a measured, realistic look at how massive emotional upheaval in the lives of friends can impact on our own lives. This being a psychological thriller, things begin to gradually turn very ugly!
All very entertaining and gave me the odd shiver of recognition.
What’s more, I guessed the ending about half way through and felt very smug about it!
This didn’t spoil things though ...... I enjoyed backing up my hunches and looked forward to the great drama and reactions of all the characters as the truth was exposed and come-uppances were had.
Except ..... this didn’t really happen. We were left with an eerie question mark, but other than that, the ending seemed a bit disappointing ie a quick summing up in the last couple of pages, a quick tying up of loose ends and then ......... that was it. No fireworks, emotional showdowns etc.
In all fairness though, I was engrossed throughout, the novel was plainly but well written with believable characters and it had some emotional depth.
The audio book was excellently narrated by Jane Collingwood.
I will certainly read more by this author.
October 24, 2014
As soon as I spotted Tamar Cohen’s new book on Netgalley, I knew I wanted to read it! Tamar is a very popular author, who writes Chick Lit Noir (I think that’s what they’re calling it these days), but her books could also probably land in the psychological thriller category (I think!). I haven’t read any of her books – though I have her first two novels on my shelf if I ever get the time to go back and read them (hopefully so) and I decided that starting with her newest novel The Broken. The synopsis offers what sounds like a fascinating, tricksy read, so I couldn’t wait to dive in. Coming off the back of reading Cally Taylor’s new novel The Accident, I was perhaps expecting a bit too much for this novel, and I felt very let down.
I was really looking forward to reading The Broken. So much. It hooked me quite well from the beginning, with with the exception of a strange entry from a girl named Lucie, a young girl, which (I have to be honest) made absolutely ZERO sense to the novel, until the very end and every time we were interrupted by an entry from Lucie, it just sort of felt off-kilter because it didn’t make sense. If you’re going to include stuff like that it needs to make sense as to why it’s there, and it was explained way too late (but more on that later). Dan announces to his friend Josh that he’s leaving his wife Sasha. All normal stuff, stuff that happens in life… But Josh and Hannah are best friends with Dan and Sasha, and so the break-up makes their life way more awkward than they would like – they’ve got Dan kipping on their couch, and Sasha popping round constantly and neither wants to give the other an inch, and neither Hannah nor Josh want to pick sides, but soon the fight turns nasty, and Hannah and Josh may be forced to choose sides, if only for their own sanity.
While the initial premise for The Broken is interesting, I just didn’t think it worked because what’s the one thing people tell you when a couple break-up: Whether you like it or not, you will have to choose sides and Josh and Hannah made the fatal (FATAL) mistake of trying to stay friends with both Sasha and Dan. And so the entire novel is like one big game of Dan and Sasha trying to get their friends to choose sides – Dan’s constantly whinging, and moaning, and crying, even though it’s all his fault it all happened; and Sasha is having one big meltdown, swinging from happy to sad in the blink of an eye like a Jekyll and Hyde character. The negativity in the novel is immense, and makes the novel so difficult to read, when on every page there’s Dan or Sasha whinging about the other person, effing and blinding, and making accusations left, right and centre, and Hannah and Josh are fighting because Hannah’s sticking up for Sasha, and Josh is sticking up for Dan and it was just so messy. As the reader, I felt like I was being screamed at from all corners and I didn’t like it. I wish they had just picked bloody sides. I felt on edge whenever I was reading, because I didn’t know what spitefulness I was going to have to hear next. It was way too much, too much hate, too much vitriol. And I just simply didn’t like it. I wanted to block my ears, and sing “La la la” at the top of my voice until it was all over.
The Broken just muddled along the entire novel, with things becoming more increasingly erratic, as Sasha just unravelled. But do you know what annoyed me most of all? The very last chapter. The last chapter was immense, the best chapter I read in the entire book, and it turned the entire novel in its head. So my question is: Why the heck did it take until the final chapter for that truth to come out? It was completely out of left-field. It was clever, don’t get me wrong, but I was just sat there saying, “What?” because it just didn’t ring true for the rest of the novel. It felt like a sad excuse to try and confuse the reader (which it did). If Tamar Cohen had managed to intigrate that into the novel more, it would have been so much better, instead we had to listen to four grown adults argue like children during every single page of the novel and it was physically exhausting. I wanted to love the book, but it rather took after it’s title and it just felt broken. It was a good tale of what NOT to do during a break-up, sure, but it was tiring to read. I am super disappointed, but this novel just didn’t work for me on any level, except for that very last chapter, and that just gave the novel an entirely different spin.
I was really looking forward to reading The Broken. So much. It hooked me quite well from the beginning, with with the exception of a strange entry from a girl named Lucie, a young girl, which (I have to be honest) made absolutely ZERO sense to the novel, until the very end and every time we were interrupted by an entry from Lucie, it just sort of felt off-kilter because it didn’t make sense. If you’re going to include stuff like that it needs to make sense as to why it’s there, and it was explained way too late (but more on that later). Dan announces to his friend Josh that he’s leaving his wife Sasha. All normal stuff, stuff that happens in life… But Josh and Hannah are best friends with Dan and Sasha, and so the break-up makes their life way more awkward than they would like – they’ve got Dan kipping on their couch, and Sasha popping round constantly and neither wants to give the other an inch, and neither Hannah nor Josh want to pick sides, but soon the fight turns nasty, and Hannah and Josh may be forced to choose sides, if only for their own sanity.
While the initial premise for The Broken is interesting, I just didn’t think it worked because what’s the one thing people tell you when a couple break-up: Whether you like it or not, you will have to choose sides and Josh and Hannah made the fatal (FATAL) mistake of trying to stay friends with both Sasha and Dan. And so the entire novel is like one big game of Dan and Sasha trying to get their friends to choose sides – Dan’s constantly whinging, and moaning, and crying, even though it’s all his fault it all happened; and Sasha is having one big meltdown, swinging from happy to sad in the blink of an eye like a Jekyll and Hyde character. The negativity in the novel is immense, and makes the novel so difficult to read, when on every page there’s Dan or Sasha whinging about the other person, effing and blinding, and making accusations left, right and centre, and Hannah and Josh are fighting because Hannah’s sticking up for Sasha, and Josh is sticking up for Dan and it was just so messy. As the reader, I felt like I was being screamed at from all corners and I didn’t like it. I wish they had just picked bloody sides. I felt on edge whenever I was reading, because I didn’t know what spitefulness I was going to have to hear next. It was way too much, too much hate, too much vitriol. And I just simply didn’t like it. I wanted to block my ears, and sing “La la la” at the top of my voice until it was all over.
The Broken just muddled along the entire novel, with things becoming more increasingly erratic, as Sasha just unravelled. But do you know what annoyed me most of all? The very last chapter. The last chapter was immense, the best chapter I read in the entire book, and it turned the entire novel in its head. So my question is: Why the heck did it take until the final chapter for that truth to come out? It was completely out of left-field. It was clever, don’t get me wrong, but I was just sat there saying, “What?” because it just didn’t ring true for the rest of the novel. It felt like a sad excuse to try and confuse the reader (which it did). If Tamar Cohen had managed to intigrate that into the novel more, it would have been so much better, instead we had to listen to four grown adults argue like children during every single page of the novel and it was physically exhausting. I wanted to love the book, but it rather took after it’s title and it just felt broken. It was a good tale of what NOT to do during a break-up, sure, but it was tiring to read. I am super disappointed, but this novel just didn’t work for me on any level, except for that very last chapter, and that just gave the novel an entirely different spin.
May 21, 2016
After reading Dying for Christmas and loving it, I was so pleased when I won a paperback copy of The Broken from the author, via THE book Club last month.
The Broken is a great psychological thriller about marriage and friendship, and what happens when things start to go wrong. One couple are separating, while the other couple feel torn between their two best friends. This isn’t just a book about four friends disagreeing and arguing. This is surprisingly dark and sinister in places.
The characters feel very real and I really did feel I was in amongst all the turmoil. This story covers the extremes humans will go to when heartbroken, angry, desperate and paranoid. It also covers the impact childhood experiences have on a person as an adult. A lot of emotions and experiences are covered in this story, and the fact that there are young children involved as well, makes it quite an intense read.
There are some very unlikeable characters in this, with others that may attract your sympathy. While the main characters struggle to work out who they can trust, where will your loyalties lie? How far would you go to help a friend?
I had some quite strong negative feelings about a young girl in the story. I feel slightly guilty for having such negative feelings towards her, as clearly she was a victim in the situation, but I couldn’t help how I felt about her. I found her quite scary and didn’t trust her alone with another child. Perhaps I’ve just watched too many horror films with creepy children in!
Having discussed this with other readers and the author as part our ‘Book of the Month’ discussion on THE Book Club, I found it very interesting how some people shared the same views as me about particular characters, while others experienced it from almost completely the opposite view point. It has made me realise quite how subjective a book is, despite whatever the author's intention is. Discussing it with others has also made me realise how my own childhood memories and friendships helped shape my opinion of some characters, and make perhaps unfair judgements of other characters on occasions throughout the book.
I loved the use of the word "Fiddlesticks" as I’m not sure I’ve ever read it in a book before. My Mum used to use that word when I was very little, so it felt very nostalgic and jumped out of the page at me.
I love the author’s writing style and the way she has me second-guessing myself, as I don’t trust where she’s going to take me next. I found this very hard to put down. I can’t wait to read more by Tammy Cohen now!
September 28, 2015
I wanted to enjoy this one more than I did. Honestly, I tried really hard, but I could not bring myself to give it more than three stars.
Okay, let me make things clear, I was expecting a bit more of a thriller than I was given. It is my mistake which left me disappointed. Nevertheless, the story was still nowhere near what I expected even when I shifted my perspective to take into account my faulty thinking.
The story follows the breakdown of a marriage and how this impacts upon the people around them. Rather than following the two going through the breakup, however, we follow their best friends who are dragged down in the process. Life events spiral out of control, with events slowly growing more troubling. Until the rather anticlimactic ending, that is.
I admit the twist at the end was interesting, but I knew something was coming as details were not adding up throughout. In retrospect I should have made the jump but the focus upon the potential for another crumbling marriage left me unwilling to look that deep into what was before me.
I think what made matters even harder for me was the fact that I disliked all of the characters. Rather than being introduced to the characters, growing to enjoy them, we are thrown headfirst into the drama. Whilst I love drama I would have liked to get to know the characters a little bit first. Maybe then I wouldn’t have hated them so much, and maybe then I would have cared about where things were going.
Overall, not quite my usual kind of read and not at all what I expected.
As a final note, I would like to thank NetGalley for allowing me the chance to read this.
Okay, let me make things clear, I was expecting a bit more of a thriller than I was given. It is my mistake which left me disappointed. Nevertheless, the story was still nowhere near what I expected even when I shifted my perspective to take into account my faulty thinking.
The story follows the breakdown of a marriage and how this impacts upon the people around them. Rather than following the two going through the breakup, however, we follow their best friends who are dragged down in the process. Life events spiral out of control, with events slowly growing more troubling. Until the rather anticlimactic ending, that is.
I admit the twist at the end was interesting, but I knew something was coming as details were not adding up throughout. In retrospect I should have made the jump but the focus upon the potential for another crumbling marriage left me unwilling to look that deep into what was before me.
I think what made matters even harder for me was the fact that I disliked all of the characters. Rather than being introduced to the characters, growing to enjoy them, we are thrown headfirst into the drama. Whilst I love drama I would have liked to get to know the characters a little bit first. Maybe then I wouldn’t have hated them so much, and maybe then I would have cared about where things were going.
Overall, not quite my usual kind of read and not at all what I expected.
As a final note, I would like to thank NetGalley for allowing me the chance to read this.
May 17, 2014
This is Tamar Cohen’s first foray into the world of psychological suspense with the story of two couples who became friends since they met when their daughters were newborns. They were ideal best friends with Dan & Josh watching football together while Hannah and Sasha went to art galleries, book clubs and shopping. So with weekends spent socialising all together along with their daughters, September and Lily, life seems perfect until the day that Dan decides that his marriage to Sasha is over and chooses to confide in Josh before telling her. From that day on the ripple effect starts working as Hannah and Josh get drawn into taking sides despite stating that they’d stay neutral.
I loved Tamara Cohen’s debut The Mistresses Revenge because it was realistic and in turn the success of this book is because of that very reason. Many of us have witnessed the terrible things ex-partners have done to each other following a split and there was nothing in this book that felt false. I’d go as far as to say there was nothing that I haven’t witnessed in ‘real life’, just maybe not all at once! The characters are expertly drawn, and as flawed, annoying and selfish they are there is a reality about them which is breath-taking, mainly because they are the people with the social veneer stripped away and all the more scary because any one of them could be someone you know.
Interspersed between Josh and Hannah’s witnessing the fall-out from the split, along with their own views on who to believe, is excerpts of a young girl’s thoughts. These short pieces fuelled the dread I felt as the story progressed which was only marginally relieved by the sometimes witty dialogue as each party presents themselves as the victim in the sorry tale. There were times when I wanted to catch hold of all of them and give them a shake, in short I often felt little sympathy as they lurched from one insane event to the next although it soon became clear that the split had uncovered much larger demons.
I found the story chilling and although for once I had guessed the reveal at the end I wasn’t entirely sure which kept the tension levels high as I searched for clues. I really enjoyed this read I love the style of writing which doesn’t dwell too much on the why, so rooted is it on what is happening at any particular moment in time, but leaves the reader to draw their own conclusions from the unsaid as much as the said!
I received a copy of this book from the publishers Random House UK, Doubleday prior to the publication date of 22 May 2014. For a different take on psychological suspense I would recommend this book which maybe touches on real life just a tad too much.
I loved Tamara Cohen’s debut The Mistresses Revenge because it was realistic and in turn the success of this book is because of that very reason. Many of us have witnessed the terrible things ex-partners have done to each other following a split and there was nothing in this book that felt false. I’d go as far as to say there was nothing that I haven’t witnessed in ‘real life’, just maybe not all at once! The characters are expertly drawn, and as flawed, annoying and selfish they are there is a reality about them which is breath-taking, mainly because they are the people with the social veneer stripped away and all the more scary because any one of them could be someone you know.
Interspersed between Josh and Hannah’s witnessing the fall-out from the split, along with their own views on who to believe, is excerpts of a young girl’s thoughts. These short pieces fuelled the dread I felt as the story progressed which was only marginally relieved by the sometimes witty dialogue as each party presents themselves as the victim in the sorry tale. There were times when I wanted to catch hold of all of them and give them a shake, in short I often felt little sympathy as they lurched from one insane event to the next although it soon became clear that the split had uncovered much larger demons.
I found the story chilling and although for once I had guessed the reveal at the end I wasn’t entirely sure which kept the tension levels high as I searched for clues. I really enjoyed this read I love the style of writing which doesn’t dwell too much on the why, so rooted is it on what is happening at any particular moment in time, but leaves the reader to draw their own conclusions from the unsaid as much as the said!
I received a copy of this book from the publishers Random House UK, Doubleday prior to the publication date of 22 May 2014. For a different take on psychological suspense I would recommend this book which maybe touches on real life just a tad too much.
June 16, 2014
Firstly, thank you to the publisher and author for the copy via Netgalley. Much appreciated.
The Broken is a psychological thriller that had me feeling uncomfortable at the best of times. Two couples, supposedly best friends - the girls swapping stories, spending much time together drinking, shopping, their own daughters always playing together - the boys best drinking buds, confide in each other the way men do. Then it all goes horribly wrong. One couple separate, the man leaving his wife for a younger woman. Not unheard of. But what follows is the most awful, gut wrenching, explosive, nerve jangling aftermath that would have most people running for the hills. The woman left behind totally falling apart at the seams and this is where it got uncomfortable for me. I've witnessed something not too dissimilar myself and as events unfolded everything was brought glaringly back to life. A bit too close for comfort!
As the book goes along, the author cleverly gives insights into their past/present lives, their personalities. I didn't much like any of them and there were times that I became so frustrated I could have shaken and shouted at them, especially Hannah. It cruises along nicely, ramping up the sinister feel, you just know something is going to happen, and just as you think you do .... Suffice to say the book has a great end, left me feeling chilled, I actually got goosebumps! To the extent I've been replaying bits in my head, asking myself 'what did I miss?'
I recommend this book highly. If you haven't been there yourself, you may know of someone who has.
Happy reading!
The Broken is a psychological thriller that had me feeling uncomfortable at the best of times. Two couples, supposedly best friends - the girls swapping stories, spending much time together drinking, shopping, their own daughters always playing together - the boys best drinking buds, confide in each other the way men do. Then it all goes horribly wrong. One couple separate, the man leaving his wife for a younger woman. Not unheard of. But what follows is the most awful, gut wrenching, explosive, nerve jangling aftermath that would have most people running for the hills. The woman left behind totally falling apart at the seams and this is where it got uncomfortable for me. I've witnessed something not too dissimilar myself and as events unfolded everything was brought glaringly back to life. A bit too close for comfort!
As the book goes along, the author cleverly gives insights into their past/present lives, their personalities. I didn't much like any of them and there were times that I became so frustrated I could have shaken and shouted at them, especially Hannah. It cruises along nicely, ramping up the sinister feel, you just know something is going to happen, and just as you think you do .... Suffice to say the book has a great end, left me feeling chilled, I actually got goosebumps! To the extent I've been replaying bits in my head, asking myself 'what did I miss?'
I recommend this book highly. If you haven't been there yourself, you may know of someone who has.
Happy reading!
May 6, 2014
Publication Date: 22nd May 2014 from Doubleday/Transworld.
Thank you to the author and publisher for the review copy.
Best friends tell you everything; about their kitchen renovation; about their little girl’s schooling. How one of them is leaving the other for a younger model.
Best friends don’t tell lies. They don’t take up residence on your couch for weeks. They don’t call lawyers. They don’t make you choose sides.
Best friends don’t keep secrets about their past. They don’t put you in danger.
Best friends don’t always stay best friends.
Its very hard to put into words how TOTALLY addictive this read was…every time I put it down it called to me to come back, to the point that I actually got quite grumpy when I had to do mundane things like making sure I fed the children….Grumpy. Thats how good it was.
Take two married couples – best friends – spend the majority of their time together, help out with each others kids, close as any friends ever were. Then split two of them up and set them at each others throats – what would you do? Could you choose one over the other? This is what the author explores here and it is absolutely fascinating, brilliant and evocative reading. As one couple struggle to hold their own marriage together in the aftermath of an untenable situation, you will not be able to look away. And not everyone is telling the whole truth..
Cleverly constructed to give you hints and nuances of each individual’s situation and thoughts, you will find your sympathies wavering between one person and the next, often feel like you would like to lock them all in a room somewhere and throw away the key, but mostly just be desperate to know what the heck is going on. The characters are amazingly real, popping off the page and into your head at random moments, telling you their side of the story, inducing either sympathy or outright rage and generally messing with your social life. Be prepared to put that on hold for the duration…
Dare I say this is the best book I’ve read so far this year? I think I do dare, although its up against some stiff competition. 2014 is looking to be one heck of a reading year…
Happy Reading Folks!
Thank you to the author and publisher for the review copy.
Best friends tell you everything; about their kitchen renovation; about their little girl’s schooling. How one of them is leaving the other for a younger model.
Best friends don’t tell lies. They don’t take up residence on your couch for weeks. They don’t call lawyers. They don’t make you choose sides.
Best friends don’t keep secrets about their past. They don’t put you in danger.
Best friends don’t always stay best friends.
Its very hard to put into words how TOTALLY addictive this read was…every time I put it down it called to me to come back, to the point that I actually got quite grumpy when I had to do mundane things like making sure I fed the children….Grumpy. Thats how good it was.
Take two married couples – best friends – spend the majority of their time together, help out with each others kids, close as any friends ever were. Then split two of them up and set them at each others throats – what would you do? Could you choose one over the other? This is what the author explores here and it is absolutely fascinating, brilliant and evocative reading. As one couple struggle to hold their own marriage together in the aftermath of an untenable situation, you will not be able to look away. And not everyone is telling the whole truth..
Cleverly constructed to give you hints and nuances of each individual’s situation and thoughts, you will find your sympathies wavering between one person and the next, often feel like you would like to lock them all in a room somewhere and throw away the key, but mostly just be desperate to know what the heck is going on. The characters are amazingly real, popping off the page and into your head at random moments, telling you their side of the story, inducing either sympathy or outright rage and generally messing with your social life. Be prepared to put that on hold for the duration…
Dare I say this is the best book I’ve read so far this year? I think I do dare, although its up against some stiff competition. 2014 is looking to be one heck of a reading year…
Happy Reading Folks!
March 22, 2020
*wishing i just DNF-ed this in the beginning and didn't suffer for nothing*
This is an exact example of books I don’t like: married couples, drama, annoying characters that think they have the right to act the way they act towards others, things mentioned and then never resolved. All in all, I don’t like domestic books.
The writing was okay, however, the plot was something I didn't enjoy. Almost the whole book was fighting between the couple that’s going to separate, and then the friends fought because of the accusations the first couple was throwing at each other.
Josh and Hannah are in a very bad situation, their friends are having some marital problems and they are caught between two fires. I understand that Sasha is emotional, but her behavior is wrong. Either way, that shouldn’t stop Josh and Hannah to tell her to back off with some things that involve their daughter. The fight between their friends is also affecting their relationship because you have to be on someone’s side.
Dan thinks that all is going to go smooth the way he’s planning, and honestly, he’s not taking the situation he made too serious. I guess Sasha took all the seriousness and then added more drama on it making it a great tragedy. She’s also very needy and manipulative, not giving Hannah any time to do anything else than spend time with her was bothering me so much.
September is a little manipulator, and poor Lili is trapped in a friendship with her. From all the characters I feel bad the most for Lili, she’s the most helpless of them all. The thing about her being too quiet was mentioned like it was going to have some impact on the story, but it was only mentioned and moved on.
The end was anticlimactic. I expected something more after all that drama, but I was disappointed by how things turned out. The chapters of Lucie didn’t feel like part of the story, and honestly, didn’t add much to it. Maybe it would’ve been better if we had known about her sooner, not in the very last chapter. Perhaps then it would’ve been a surprise, but I already figured that part earlier so.
This is an exact example of books I don’t like: married couples, drama, annoying characters that think they have the right to act the way they act towards others, things mentioned and then never resolved. All in all, I don’t like domestic books.
The writing was okay, however, the plot was something I didn't enjoy. Almost the whole book was fighting between the couple that’s going to separate, and then the friends fought because of the accusations the first couple was throwing at each other.
Josh and Hannah are in a very bad situation, their friends are having some marital problems and they are caught between two fires. I understand that Sasha is emotional, but her behavior is wrong. Either way, that shouldn’t stop Josh and Hannah to tell her to back off with some things that involve their daughter. The fight between their friends is also affecting their relationship because you have to be on someone’s side.
Dan thinks that all is going to go smooth the way he’s planning, and honestly, he’s not taking the situation he made too serious. I guess Sasha took all the seriousness and then added more drama on it making it a great tragedy. She’s also very needy and manipulative, not giving Hannah any time to do anything else than spend time with her was bothering me so much.
September is a little manipulator, and poor Lili is trapped in a friendship with her. From all the characters I feel bad the most for Lili, she’s the most helpless of them all. The thing about her being too quiet was mentioned like it was going to have some impact on the story, but it was only mentioned and moved on.
The end was anticlimactic. I expected something more after all that drama, but I was disappointed by how things turned out. The chapters of Lucie didn’t feel like part of the story, and honestly, didn’t add much to it. Maybe it would’ve been better if we had known about her sooner, not in the very last chapter. Perhaps then it would’ve been a surprise, but I already figured that part earlier so.
June 20, 2015
All I can say is that I'm so glad that book is done! It took me forever to read, and I didn't really like it at all.
All four of the main characters are so awful that the only 'psychological thrills' that one could ever wish upon any of them is to have their one-dimensional heads smashed together until they grow up. Dan is a self-obsessed non-entity, Josh a moron, Hannah a doormat, crippled by neuroses and Sasha a narcissistic drama queen.
I was waiting for a big twist as at 70% it was supposed to get better. Really? Did I read another book?
Even towards the end they kept making reference to Lily being quiet and subdued but why? Did we ever find out why? No! This book frustrated me on so many levels. I'd give this one a miss!
All four of the main characters are so awful that the only 'psychological thrills' that one could ever wish upon any of them is to have their one-dimensional heads smashed together until they grow up. Dan is a self-obsessed non-entity, Josh a moron, Hannah a doormat, crippled by neuroses and Sasha a narcissistic drama queen.
I was waiting for a big twist as at 70% it was supposed to get better. Really? Did I read another book?
Even towards the end they kept making reference to Lily being quiet and subdued but why? Did we ever find out why? No! This book frustrated me on so many levels. I'd give this one a miss!
July 26, 2016
Well that was a bust. Too bad because it started strong. But it just never went anywhere. Well, maybe it does eventually, but 100 pages in and it was still just two people fighting over an affair. Done.
June 1, 2014
A stunning psychological thriller that starts off like an everyday tale of marriage and divorce but gets progressively crazier and more sinister as it goes along. I loved every page, and kept wanting to read bits out to people. Some of the descriptions of parenting were brilliantly funny and Cohen succeeds at really getting into the heads of her female and male characters. This is an absolute must-read and I will be pressing it on all my friends.
February 6, 2015
wow. I feel like I have been on a emotional roller coaster and ended up facing the wrong way. Tammy Cohen has a way of writing books that I adore and her characters are so unlikeable or unstable that I can only hope she has a very vivid imagination and doesn't base them on any one she knows as they are scary!
December 13, 2015
Hated it. I thought that Dan and Sascha were self-centred spoilt brats who only cared about themselves. Some of the things they said to their friends were outrageous. Hannah and Josh by comparison were wet lettuces who took all the rubbish/accusations/excuses Sascha and Dan threw at them. The front cover states that someone couldn't put this book down - I only kept reading in the hope it got any better. The ending was a red herring for the sake of being a red herring and was totally unbelievable.
August 27, 2017
The audiobook was very well done. If I was reading this on my own I might not have finished it, but I'm a sucker for a good British accent. It's full of so much bickering it made me anxious. 2.5
June 18, 2019
In 'The Broken', Josh and Hannah have always enjoyed the company of their best friends, Dan and Sasha. However, their friendship is soon complicated by Dan's decision to leave Sasha for a young, beautiful model. Caught in the middle of the mess, Josh and Hannah are at a loss as to what to do, especially when there are secrets involved.
This book started off slow but I kept pushing on, hoping it'd pick up the pace or the wait would be worthwhile. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. The more I read, the more issues I had with it:
Boring and repetitive
Nothing much happened except in the last few chapters. By then, it was too late because I was merely relieved to have reached the end. The content was snoozeworthy, filled with the same old dialogues that could be summed up as follows:
Sasha (to Hannah and Josh): How could Dan leave me after we've been together for so long? Don't I mean anything to him? How could he do this to our little girl, September? How could he dump us for a younger woman?
Josh: *tells Dan what Sasha said*
Dan: *goes into justifying-my-decision mode* Jeez dude, she's crazy. You don't know what it's like to be with her. I can't stand her anymore. I'm happier with Sienna (new girlfriend).
Hannah: How could Josh do that to Sasha? It's not right. What about their daughter?
Josh: *reports to Dan about what Hannah said*
Dan: *goes into reassuring-my-friends mode* I will look after September. I want her to be part of my life. I'll move in somewhere close to her school.
Hannah: *tells Sasha whatever Dan said*
Basically, Dan and Sasha badmouthed each other to Josh / Hannah who would then talk to each other about those two. This went on and on.
Wrong choice of main characters
The chapters focused on Josh and Hannah. This was a huge mistake as it would've been better to show what Sasha was going through (impending divorce, dealing with her daughter asking about her dad's whereabouts, wondering if the new woman was better than her) and how Dan's new relationship was going.
Unlikeable one-dimensional characters
It was hard to like or care about any of them. Dan was selfish and heartless, Sasha was whiny and unstable, Josh was an insecure tattletale (kept comparing himself to Dan) and Hannah was a people-pleaser. What they had in common? They were immature and annoying. Although they were in their thirties, they behaved like prepubescents / teenagers. I couldn't take them seriously.
Ongoing stupidity
Josh and Hannah would agree that they needed to keep a distance so that Dan and Sasha could sort out their problems. This would last for a few seconds until they started doing the whole "he said she said" thing (especially Josh) which only worsened the situation. Rinse and repeat.
Predictable "twist"
There were short italicized entries between chapters, in which details about an unknown female character's childhood / thoughts were provided. These were interesting at first but I got bored once it was obvious which character it was due to the heavy-handed attempts to cast suspicion on certain characters. . There were no clues given, hence the revelation behind the identity of this character felt like a cheat.
On top of that, it made no impact to find out that . Since the characters were all flat and this "twist" was thrown in at the last minute, it didn't add to the story; it was just the ending.
Lazy writing
A cheap, ineffective method was employed to induce suspense by making characters mention that they didn't want to think about "that incident" without any hints given, having characters forget where they were and revealing the truth late in the story (such as who was the mysterious unknown character and what happened during Sasha's childhood).
Unrealistic
There were numerous unrealistic things but the one that stood out was how easily .
Pretentious name
September was a dumb name. It screamed "trying too hard". It wasn't any better when she was called Tember or Temmy either. If the author insisted on giving her the name of a month, why not go for April?
Overall, reading 'The Broken' felt like a test of endurance, in terms of how much repetition one can handle. There were no redeeming qualities as the characters were paper-thin, the writing was bland and the most interesting reveal was just a way to conclude this forgettable story.
This book started off slow but I kept pushing on, hoping it'd pick up the pace or the wait would be worthwhile. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. The more I read, the more issues I had with it:
Boring and repetitive
Nothing much happened except in the last few chapters. By then, it was too late because I was merely relieved to have reached the end. The content was snoozeworthy, filled with the same old dialogues that could be summed up as follows:
Sasha (to Hannah and Josh): How could Dan leave me after we've been together for so long? Don't I mean anything to him? How could he do this to our little girl, September? How could he dump us for a younger woman?
Josh: *tells Dan what Sasha said*
Dan: *goes into justifying-my-decision mode* Jeez dude, she's crazy. You don't know what it's like to be with her. I can't stand her anymore. I'm happier with Sienna (new girlfriend).
Hannah: How could Josh do that to Sasha? It's not right. What about their daughter?
Josh: *reports to Dan about what Hannah said*
Dan: *goes into reassuring-my-friends mode* I will look after September. I want her to be part of my life. I'll move in somewhere close to her school.
Hannah: *tells Sasha whatever Dan said*
Basically, Dan and Sasha badmouthed each other to Josh / Hannah who would then talk to each other about those two. This went on and on.
Wrong choice of main characters
The chapters focused on Josh and Hannah. This was a huge mistake as it would've been better to show what Sasha was going through (impending divorce, dealing with her daughter asking about her dad's whereabouts, wondering if the new woman was better than her) and how Dan's new relationship was going.
Unlikeable one-dimensional characters
It was hard to like or care about any of them. Dan was selfish and heartless, Sasha was whiny and unstable, Josh was an insecure tattletale (kept comparing himself to Dan) and Hannah was a people-pleaser. What they had in common? They were immature and annoying. Although they were in their thirties, they behaved like prepubescents / teenagers. I couldn't take them seriously.
Ongoing stupidity
Josh and Hannah would agree that they needed to keep a distance so that Dan and Sasha could sort out their problems. This would last for a few seconds until they started doing the whole "he said she said" thing (especially Josh) which only worsened the situation. Rinse and repeat.
Predictable "twist"
There were short italicized entries between chapters, in which details about an unknown female character's childhood / thoughts were provided. These were interesting at first but I got bored once it was obvious which character it was due to the heavy-handed attempts to cast suspicion on certain characters. . There were no clues given, hence the revelation behind the identity of this character felt like a cheat.
On top of that, it made no impact to find out that . Since the characters were all flat and this "twist" was thrown in at the last minute, it didn't add to the story; it was just the ending.
Lazy writing
A cheap, ineffective method was employed to induce suspense by making characters mention that they didn't want to think about "that incident" without any hints given, having characters forget where they were and revealing the truth late in the story (such as who was the mysterious unknown character and what happened during Sasha's childhood).
Unrealistic
There were numerous unrealistic things but the one that stood out was how easily .
Pretentious name
September was a dumb name. It screamed "trying too hard". It wasn't any better when she was called Tember or Temmy either. If the author insisted on giving her the name of a month, why not go for April?
Overall, reading 'The Broken' felt like a test of endurance, in terms of how much repetition one can handle. There were no redeeming qualities as the characters were paper-thin, the writing was bland and the most interesting reveal was just a way to conclude this forgettable story.
July 10, 2014
Dan and Sasha, Josh and Hannah are two happily married couples and best friends – or so they thought. When Dan announces that he has met someone else and is leaving Sasha after 8 years of marriage, Josh and Hannah are left reeling. They have always been such close friends; they holiday together, chill out together, their young daughters September and Lily play together – in fact they are closer than family – or so they think!
Tamar Cohen has written a powerful and compelling story of how the breakdown of a marriage affects others. Josh and Hannah are determined not to take sides but when the situation between the warring couple becomes increasingly acrimonious and toxic, they find it impossible to stay impartial. With both Dan and Sasha fighting a war and making allegations, including that of violence against the other, who would you believe?
Despite their pledge to remain neutral, the split affects the dynamics of Josh and Hannah’s marriage and cracks start to appear in their own relationship. They begin to be suspicious of each other and both keep secrets - will they end up in the same situation as Dan and Sasha?
There were many times when I wanted to bang all their heads together, especially Hannah for being such a wuss and also, to some extent, Josh. Sasha was Hannah’s only real friend and definitely the more dominant personality. Hannah’s default position seemed to be that of feeling guilty and constantly apologising, even when Sasha’s behaviour began to spiral dangerously out of control. I just wanted Hannah to stand up to her and tell her where to go. Josh kept secrets from Hannah – important things which he really should have told her but his excuse was that the timing was never right.
Dan initially lived in a world of delusion, thinking that Sasha was going to bow out gracefully and let him start a new life with his younger lover. However Sasha was not going to make things so easy for him and her behaviour becomes increasingly unstable and erratic. Their young daughter September (who I initially had down as a spoilt brat) is caught in the middle and I ended up feeling quite sorry for her.
Interspersed throughout the story by way of short chapters, is the voice of a young girl, Lucie, who is clearly a very unhappy person. Her real identity and her relevance to the story kept me wondering and although at one stage I thought I had this sussed, I was wrong. Her sinister voice adds to the suspense and fear that something really bad has already happened or is about to.
Cleverly structured, with excellent characterisations, this is a story that will make you question how you would react in this situation - it is so scarily realistic. Each character is flawed and appears unreliable and I was constantly changing my allegiance and sympathies. Add in to the mix the ever constant fear that worse may be yet to come and you have the ingredients for a fabulously dark and chilling read. The story finishes with a wonderful twisty revelation which I certainly didn’t see coming. This was a top read for me and well deserved a 5* rating.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the digital copy to review.
Tamar Cohen has written a powerful and compelling story of how the breakdown of a marriage affects others. Josh and Hannah are determined not to take sides but when the situation between the warring couple becomes increasingly acrimonious and toxic, they find it impossible to stay impartial. With both Dan and Sasha fighting a war and making allegations, including that of violence against the other, who would you believe?
Despite their pledge to remain neutral, the split affects the dynamics of Josh and Hannah’s marriage and cracks start to appear in their own relationship. They begin to be suspicious of each other and both keep secrets - will they end up in the same situation as Dan and Sasha?
There were many times when I wanted to bang all their heads together, especially Hannah for being such a wuss and also, to some extent, Josh. Sasha was Hannah’s only real friend and definitely the more dominant personality. Hannah’s default position seemed to be that of feeling guilty and constantly apologising, even when Sasha’s behaviour began to spiral dangerously out of control. I just wanted Hannah to stand up to her and tell her where to go. Josh kept secrets from Hannah – important things which he really should have told her but his excuse was that the timing was never right.
Dan initially lived in a world of delusion, thinking that Sasha was going to bow out gracefully and let him start a new life with his younger lover. However Sasha was not going to make things so easy for him and her behaviour becomes increasingly unstable and erratic. Their young daughter September (who I initially had down as a spoilt brat) is caught in the middle and I ended up feeling quite sorry for her.
Interspersed throughout the story by way of short chapters, is the voice of a young girl, Lucie, who is clearly a very unhappy person. Her real identity and her relevance to the story kept me wondering and although at one stage I thought I had this sussed, I was wrong. Her sinister voice adds to the suspense and fear that something really bad has already happened or is about to.
Cleverly structured, with excellent characterisations, this is a story that will make you question how you would react in this situation - it is so scarily realistic. Each character is flawed and appears unreliable and I was constantly changing my allegiance and sympathies. Add in to the mix the ever constant fear that worse may be yet to come and you have the ingredients for a fabulously dark and chilling read. The story finishes with a wonderful twisty revelation which I certainly didn’t see coming. This was a top read for me and well deserved a 5* rating.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the digital copy to review.
July 3, 2016
Look it's addicting, yes, but ultimately it's total junk food and it doesn't even make sense. The Lucie stuff was just tacked on and way too peripheral. If Josh and Hannah acted even remotely like real people instead of plot drivers, the book would have ended in the second or third chapter. If you are stranded in an airport for the next ten hours and will go insane with nothing to do, then yes, read this book. Otherwise go with something - anything - else. The level of toxicity and ugliness in the closing chapters is not worth the fleeting amusement of the preceding pages.
December 3, 2024
I wanted to love this as I'd heard such good things about it, but I found the characters unconvincing.
I couldn't relate to, or even like, any of them. They just felt flat to me, I think the storyline would have worked if the characters were more three dimensional.
It's very readable, just not particularly engaging.
I couldn't relate to, or even like, any of them. They just felt flat to me, I think the storyline would have worked if the characters were more three dimensional.
It's very readable, just not particularly engaging.
May 29, 2015
The Broken is the first book I have read by this author and it certainly won't be the last.
After hearing lots of good things about this book I was very much looking forward to reading it. I will admit to start with I couldn't understand what all the fuss was about but the story really starts to come together the further you get into it.
It's hard to go in to, to much detail with this book with out ruining the plot for anyone that hasn't read it but I will try my best.
The story is about two couples, Dan and Sasha and Josh and Hannah. The couple have been friends for many years and also have daughters that are the same age. The friendships between the adults as well as the children are pushed to the limits when Dan decides to leave Sasha as he has met someone else. From there things start to go downhill with the friendships.
Obviously being told by your husband that he's leaving you, Sasha does not take the split as amicably as well as Dan had hoped she would and that's when incidents start to occur.
The characters for some reason didn't come across as overly likeable though I had every sympathy with Josh and Hannah being caught in the middle of their closest friends problems. They are very much torn between where their loyalties should lie and they try their best to remain impartial but as events unfold that is becoming harder to do.
The author has very cleverly put this story together with a twist that even though I knew must be coming I didn't know what it would actually be until it hit me right in the face!
Even though the author has quite a few books published I thought this was a great introduction to her work and I look forward to reading more.
After hearing lots of good things about this book I was very much looking forward to reading it. I will admit to start with I couldn't understand what all the fuss was about but the story really starts to come together the further you get into it.
It's hard to go in to, to much detail with this book with out ruining the plot for anyone that hasn't read it but I will try my best.
The story is about two couples, Dan and Sasha and Josh and Hannah. The couple have been friends for many years and also have daughters that are the same age. The friendships between the adults as well as the children are pushed to the limits when Dan decides to leave Sasha as he has met someone else. From there things start to go downhill with the friendships.
Obviously being told by your husband that he's leaving you, Sasha does not take the split as amicably as well as Dan had hoped she would and that's when incidents start to occur.
The characters for some reason didn't come across as overly likeable though I had every sympathy with Josh and Hannah being caught in the middle of their closest friends problems. They are very much torn between where their loyalties should lie and they try their best to remain impartial but as events unfold that is becoming harder to do.
The author has very cleverly put this story together with a twist that even though I knew must be coming I didn't know what it would actually be until it hit me right in the face!
Even though the author has quite a few books published I thought this was a great introduction to her work and I look forward to reading more.
January 1, 2016
Wow! The Broken is a brilliant and compelling read! It's the first Tammy Cohen book I've read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Dan is leaving his wife Sasha and confides in his best mate Josh. Josh shares this news with his wife Hannah who is in turn Sasha's best friend. This all happens at the beginning of the book and the rest is dealing with the fallout of Dan's decision.
As the story progresses Sasha becomes more unhinged and Hannah and Josh have split loyalties to deal with as the acrimonious breakdown of their best friends' marriage.
I desperately wanted to slap Sasha; the spoilt rich b*tch and not surprisingly her daughter September is a spoilt brat. To start with I disliked Dan; leaving his wife and child without warning but the more I learn about Sasha I couldn't blame him!
Hannah's role in supporting Sasha and her need to defend her friend (despite her actions) felt very lifelike. Josh is trying his hardest to stay neutral but also is coping with issues in his professional life.
I felt there was an air of Liane Moriarty about the book but more sinister. I don't think I'd have chosen to read this book had it not been the THE Book Club's book of the month but I'm very glad I did. Tammy is an fantastic storyteller. I sat and read The Broken in a day, desperate to know what happened next. I'll be downloading more of Tammy's work in the future!!
Dan is leaving his wife Sasha and confides in his best mate Josh. Josh shares this news with his wife Hannah who is in turn Sasha's best friend. This all happens at the beginning of the book and the rest is dealing with the fallout of Dan's decision.
As the story progresses Sasha becomes more unhinged and Hannah and Josh have split loyalties to deal with as the acrimonious breakdown of their best friends' marriage.
I desperately wanted to slap Sasha; the spoilt rich b*tch and not surprisingly her daughter September is a spoilt brat. To start with I disliked Dan; leaving his wife and child without warning but the more I learn about Sasha I couldn't blame him!
Hannah's role in supporting Sasha and her need to defend her friend (despite her actions) felt very lifelike. Josh is trying his hardest to stay neutral but also is coping with issues in his professional life.
I felt there was an air of Liane Moriarty about the book but more sinister. I don't think I'd have chosen to read this book had it not been the THE Book Club's book of the month but I'm very glad I did. Tammy is an fantastic storyteller. I sat and read The Broken in a day, desperate to know what happened next. I'll be downloading more of Tammy's work in the future!!
February 19, 2018
I had been dying to read this for some reason. It was like a siren and I needed it. Hardcore. 
I admittedly had a hard time at first reading this (a bit to much like my family life at the moment) and was getting frustrated with it. I pressed on though and much like Gone Girl, the author has you hating so many characters you don't know what to think. I was on the last chapter thinking..." Ok this was a pretty good book, but where is the twist? How did it classify as a pyschological thriller?" Then BAM. Last few pages...Total wow/wtf/wait...what moment.
I admittedly had a hard time at first reading this (a bit to much like my family life at the moment) and was getting frustrated with it. I pressed on though and much like Gone Girl, the author has you hating so many characters you don't know what to think. I was on the last chapter thinking..." Ok this was a pretty good book, but where is the twist? How did it classify as a pyschological thriller?" Then BAM. Last few pages...Total wow/wtf/wait...what moment.
June 4, 2016
I could not even get past half way of this book and it's long gone off my shelves now. I honestly cannot stand this book. The characters who I thought were supposed to bring them together were actually the weakest characters I have ever read about. From what I read they could not even keep their daughter safe away from her poisonous 'best friend'. I just wanted to scream at everyone who were all either irrational or weak. Josh and Hannah I think are safe to call bad parents for what they didn't do for Lily. While Dan and Sasha were outrageously awful to each other for no real reason. And September just got on my nerves so much I had to give the book away.
September 16, 2016
Two couples each with four year old daughters are best friends. One of the men has an affair with a younger woman and decides to break up his marriage. The book explores the effect of the breakup on the couple's friends.
I found this book painful to read. Josh and Hannah were both so weak willed and indecisive that you want to slap them. The interruptions by an unknown character throughout the book were confusing. I found the resolution not entirely satisfactory and contrived: the author thinking, if I put this in and scatter some references throughout the novel, then I can call it a psychological thriller.
I found this book painful to read. Josh and Hannah were both so weak willed and indecisive that you want to slap them. The interruptions by an unknown character throughout the book were confusing. I found the resolution not entirely satisfactory and contrived: the author thinking, if I put this in and scatter some references throughout the novel, then I can call it a psychological thriller.
August 10, 2015
I loved this book. It grabbed me from the first page & did not let go until the last. A tension filled sinister psychological suspense novel about a marriage breakdown which also affects a close friendship. Lies, deceit, craziness, what a story! This is definitely in my top 5 favourite reads of this year. Highly recommended.
March 12, 2019
Listened to in audio format.
Josh and Dan had been best friends since school. School teacher Josh married Hannah and photographer married trust fund girl Sasha. Sasha and Hannah became friends and they both gave birth to girls September and Lily.
One day during a lads night out Dan confesses he has been having an affair with a model. He intends to separate from Sasha before confessing to his affair.
When Sasha finds out she goes straight to Hannah`s house distressed. Later she discovers that Dan has been having an affair. During the coming weeks Sasha refuses to let Dan see September When Sasha discovers the other woman is pregnant she goes into complete meltdown and says she was a victim of domestic violence. The separation effects Little September and she has a fight with Lily at nursery.
Their friendship implodes causing Josh and Hannah to choose sides. The breakup causes both of them to look at their own marital problems.
The problem with the book is I disliked Dan and Hannah. Dan for being selfish and starting it all, Hannah annoyed me for her believing Sasha`s allegations despite her erratic behaviour.
I enjoyed the second part of the story when Sasha`s actions more dark and sinister. I was actually worried for Hannah and both little girls.
Through out the book are flashbacks from someone called Lucie which I found confusing. The cliff hanger was absolutely chilling and wondered what would happen next to the friends.
I story for going for me during the second half. This was an OK listen but I have listened to better books.
Josh and Dan had been best friends since school. School teacher Josh married Hannah and photographer married trust fund girl Sasha. Sasha and Hannah became friends and they both gave birth to girls September and Lily.
One day during a lads night out Dan confesses he has been having an affair with a model. He intends to separate from Sasha before confessing to his affair.
When Sasha finds out she goes straight to Hannah`s house distressed. Later she discovers that Dan has been having an affair. During the coming weeks Sasha refuses to let Dan see September When Sasha discovers the other woman is pregnant she goes into complete meltdown and says she was a victim of domestic violence. The separation effects Little September and she has a fight with Lily at nursery.
Their friendship implodes causing Josh and Hannah to choose sides. The breakup causes both of them to look at their own marital problems.
The problem with the book is I disliked Dan and Hannah. Dan for being selfish and starting it all, Hannah annoyed me for her believing Sasha`s allegations despite her erratic behaviour.
I enjoyed the second part of the story when Sasha`s actions more dark and sinister. I was actually worried for Hannah and both little girls.
Through out the book are flashbacks from someone called Lucie which I found confusing. The cliff hanger was absolutely chilling and wondered what would happen next to the friends.
I story for going for me during the second half. This was an OK listen but I have listened to better books.
March 4, 2016
The Broken is a chilling psychological thriller focusing on the dangers of getting too involved in friends' relationship problems. And how you may discover that you don't really know your best friends at all.
This is the story of best friends Dan and Sasha and Josh and Hannah, and what happens when Dan decides to leave Sasha for a younger model (literally). As Dan and Sasha's marriage breaks down, cracks start to appear in Josh and Hannah's marriage too. All four lives are plunged into turmoil, as they struggle to adapt to their changing relationships. Josh and Hannah are unsure where their loyalties lie as conflicting stories are revealed. It's difficult to know which one - Dan or Sasha - they should trust.
Tamar 'Tammy' Cohen has the knack of creating believable characters, so normal that they would be right at home in your own backyard. These days, it's fairly commonplace for marriages to break down, and this book felt very real. I could imagine myself in very similar scenarios and experiencing the same feelings.
The memoir of a young girl dotted throughout the book keeps the suspense going. I did guess the twist at the end, but it was still cleverly written. The author leaves the book hanging, which doesn't always work but I felt that it did in this particular case.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is the story of best friends Dan and Sasha and Josh and Hannah, and what happens when Dan decides to leave Sasha for a younger model (literally). As Dan and Sasha's marriage breaks down, cracks start to appear in Josh and Hannah's marriage too. All four lives are plunged into turmoil, as they struggle to adapt to their changing relationships. Josh and Hannah are unsure where their loyalties lie as conflicting stories are revealed. It's difficult to know which one - Dan or Sasha - they should trust.
Tamar 'Tammy' Cohen has the knack of creating believable characters, so normal that they would be right at home in your own backyard. These days, it's fairly commonplace for marriages to break down, and this book felt very real. I could imagine myself in very similar scenarios and experiencing the same feelings.
The memoir of a young girl dotted throughout the book keeps the suspense going. I did guess the twist at the end, but it was still cleverly written. The author leaves the book hanging, which doesn't always work but I felt that it did in this particular case.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 12, 2019
Che meravigliosa scoperta. Non sono riuscita a fermarmi. Non sono riuscita a mettere giù il libro per dilungarne la lettura ancora un po’. Niente da fare. Leggetelo perché vi terrà svegli la sera tardi e non riuscirete a smettere di pensarci. Due coppie, con due figliolette che frequentano lo stesso asilo. Una delle due coppie scoppia. Cosa succederà? Quali meccanismi andranno a scardinare le abitudini consolidate di due coppie di amici? Quali bugie? Quali omissioni? Quali cattiverie e quali confessioni andranno a insidiarsi bella vita di questi quattro personaggi? E chi la spunterà?
Un romanzo che inizia tranquillo e pacato, prosegue sempre più ansieggiando e si concluderà con un finale degno da film. Un crescendo che culminerà letteralmente nell’ultima pagina.
L’ho già detto leggetelo?
Un romanzo che inizia tranquillo e pacato, prosegue sempre più ansieggiando e si concluderà con un finale degno da film. Un crescendo che culminerà letteralmente nell’ultima pagina.
L’ho già detto leggetelo?
August 4, 2015
**1.5 stars** Nearly gave up on this but kept hoping it would get better; it didn't. What a waste of precious reading time. The best way I can describe this is a "thriller-by-numbers". Totally predictable, mundane and not worth reading. If you like psychological thrillers (and read a lot of them) you will be bored. Perhaps ok if you're new to the genre.
June 1, 2016
Not quite sure why this is labelled 'a psychological thriller'. Yes, the ending has a bit of a twist, but for the most part it was just a succession of episodes about whinging unlikeable middle class characters, who brought most of their 'problems' on themselves.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 286 reviews