What do you think?
Rate this book
Shattered Sisters #3
Broken
Caitlin Rossi’s near tragic accident was no accident at all. With her memory wiped clean, she returns to a houseful of strangers who claim to be her family, and not one of them seems glad to see her. Least of all her darkly handsome husband, Dylan.
Her gothic mansion is cold and filled with secrets. One member of this hostile household wants her dead—and unless she can regain her lost memories, they might just get their wish.
*A substantially revised edition of the story originally titled Kiss of the Shadow Man
“Maggie Shayne is better than Chocolate!” NY Times bestselling Author Suzanne Forster
Her gothic mansion is cold and filled with secrets. One member of this hostile household wants her dead—and unless she can regain her lost memories, they might just get their wish.
*A substantially revised edition of the story originally titled Kiss of the Shadow Man
“Maggie Shayne is better than Chocolate!” NY Times bestselling Author Suzanne Forster
230 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 1994
197 people are currently reading
286 people want to read
About the author
Maggie Shayne
257 books2,574 followersI live in the teeny, tiny town of Taylor, NY, (Alliteration Alert!) though my mailing address is Cincinnatus, my telephone exchange is Truxton and I pay taxes and vote in Cuyler. All of these are at least in the same rural county in the southern hills of New York State; Cortland County. There are more cattle than people here. The nearest “big” cities are Syracuse and Binghamton and they are an hour away, in different directions, and not really all that big by most standards, though they both seem humongous to me. I look out my window to see rolling, green, thickly forested hills, wildflower laden meadows and wide open blue, blue skies. My road is barely paved. The nearest neighboring place is a 700 acre dairy farm.
My house is a big, century old farmhouse. I moved in here after my divorce in 2006. Just a little over a year later, the house, which I had named, SERENITY, burned. It was 99% gutted, and I lost my two dogs, Sally, an 11-year-old great Dane, and Wrinkles, my 14-year-old, blind bulldog. This was the culmination of my Dark Night of the soul, which had seemed to hit me all at once in 2006-2007. My mother died that year, after a 14 month battle with pancreatic cancer. She was only 60. The youngest of my five daughters had left home that same year, and while that’s not a tragedy at all, it felt like one to me. Then came the divorce. And finally there was the fire--it seemed my darkest night wasn’t quite finished with me after all. I had lost almost everything before that point, and as I poked through the wet ashes and soot the next day, I realized that I had now been stripped all the way to the bone.
No better time to start over. (And no, I didn’t come to that realization that day--there were a few days of wallowing in pity first, particularly the day after the fire, when I hit a deer and smashed up my car, which I was practically living in!)
That’s when I started to laugh. Just sat on the side of the road as the deer bounded, uninjured and carefree, out of sight, and laughed. It was just too ridiculous at that point, to do anything else!
And from there, I picked myself up, and brushed myself off, and said, okay, there’s only one way to go from here. Forward. And that’s what I did. There I was at the age of harrurmphemmph, living in my one, mostly undamaged remaining room, with a dorm-sized mini-fridge, a futon, a TV, my cat (nine lives!) and a laptop. And not much else. (Though thank goodness the room that survived the fire, was a room that had its own attached bathroom!)
Since then I have rebuilt my beloved home, which really has become my haven, my “Serenity.” I share it now with my fiancé, Lance, and we have accumulated quite the little family together. “Little” being a relative term. We have a pair of English Mastiffs, Dozer and Daisy, who weigh 203 pounds and 208 pounds respectively, and a little pudgy English Bulldog named Niblet, who is bigger than both of them, inside her mind. We also have the aforementioned cat, Glorificus (“Glory” for short,) who adores her canine pups and keeps them firmly in line. And we've acquired a pair of stray cats as well, a mother and son, Luna (Lulu for short) and Butters aka Buddy. Lulu showed up pregnant during a lunar eclipse, had a litter, and vanished again. We found homes for all the kittens except one. Butters. We got him fixed and kept him. A few months later, Lulu returned, again expecting. This litter was born on the "Monster Moon." Again, all the kittens were spayed and neutered and placed in homes, and this time we got Lulu to the vet in time to spay her before the cycle could repeat.
Glory is not amused.
She has a story of her own, my old Glory cat, having been with me before the Dark Times descended, she went through it all with me, moved with me, survived the fire, and remains with me still. She's tolerating the newcomers. Barely.
My partner is an artist, a mechanic, a welder and an inventor, and the rumors are true, he is much younger than I
My house is a big, century old farmhouse. I moved in here after my divorce in 2006. Just a little over a year later, the house, which I had named, SERENITY, burned. It was 99% gutted, and I lost my two dogs, Sally, an 11-year-old great Dane, and Wrinkles, my 14-year-old, blind bulldog. This was the culmination of my Dark Night of the soul, which had seemed to hit me all at once in 2006-2007. My mother died that year, after a 14 month battle with pancreatic cancer. She was only 60. The youngest of my five daughters had left home that same year, and while that’s not a tragedy at all, it felt like one to me. Then came the divorce. And finally there was the fire--it seemed my darkest night wasn’t quite finished with me after all. I had lost almost everything before that point, and as I poked through the wet ashes and soot the next day, I realized that I had now been stripped all the way to the bone.
No better time to start over. (And no, I didn’t come to that realization that day--there were a few days of wallowing in pity first, particularly the day after the fire, when I hit a deer and smashed up my car, which I was practically living in!)
That’s when I started to laugh. Just sat on the side of the road as the deer bounded, uninjured and carefree, out of sight, and laughed. It was just too ridiculous at that point, to do anything else!
And from there, I picked myself up, and brushed myself off, and said, okay, there’s only one way to go from here. Forward. And that’s what I did. There I was at the age of harrurmphemmph, living in my one, mostly undamaged remaining room, with a dorm-sized mini-fridge, a futon, a TV, my cat (nine lives!) and a laptop. And not much else. (Though thank goodness the room that survived the fire, was a room that had its own attached bathroom!)
Since then I have rebuilt my beloved home, which really has become my haven, my “Serenity.” I share it now with my fiancé, Lance, and we have accumulated quite the little family together. “Little” being a relative term. We have a pair of English Mastiffs, Dozer and Daisy, who weigh 203 pounds and 208 pounds respectively, and a little pudgy English Bulldog named Niblet, who is bigger than both of them, inside her mind. We also have the aforementioned cat, Glorificus (“Glory” for short,) who adores her canine pups and keeps them firmly in line. And we've acquired a pair of stray cats as well, a mother and son, Luna (Lulu for short) and Butters aka Buddy. Lulu showed up pregnant during a lunar eclipse, had a litter, and vanished again. We found homes for all the kittens except one. Butters. We got him fixed and kept him. A few months later, Lulu returned, again expecting. This litter was born on the "Monster Moon." Again, all the kittens were spayed and neutered and placed in homes, and this time we got Lulu to the vet in time to spay her before the cycle could repeat.
Glory is not amused.
She has a story of her own, my old Glory cat, having been with me before the Dark Times descended, she went through it all with me, moved with me, survived the fire, and remains with me still. She's tolerating the newcomers. Barely.
My partner is an artist, a mechanic, a welder and an inventor, and the rumors are true, he is much younger than I
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 26 of 27 reviews
October 1, 2022
I have read Forgotten and Reckless, Books I and II of the Shattered Sisters series by Maggie Shayne, and loved them. I am so excited to get my hands on Broken.
Caitlin Rossi awakes after a car accident and can’t even remember her name. She may have amnesia, but she still feels a great loss and a menacing threat. I think I would be paralyzed with fear, or run away as fast as I could. I can’t imagine what it would be like. Who do you believe? Who do you trust? Especially when you meet the rest of your dysfunctional family and realize you are worth a lot of money.
I feel the danger comes from someone close, someone very close, but Maggie Shayne does throw out a red herring. I already know who ‘they’ are so that doesn’t distract me, but there are enough suspects to keep me guessing.
Caitlin has amnesia, but she still has a working brain. She is determined to get to the bottom of things. I love the character…and Dylan isn’t too shabby either. Secrets…they always come out, one way or another. Maybe that’s a good thing. They can be a heavy burden to carry.
Sure, I expect a happy ending, but I am so loving the twisty journey I will have to take to get there. Broken reads like a true crime story. A rich bitch and her money, and those who hate her. How far will they go to get it? Can’t she save her marriage to Dylan?
It’s Chapter 8 before Toni and Joey are mentioned, then they disappear…until the end. I can hardly wait to read Book IV, Hollow. I wonder how the series will end. How many sisters are there? Surely, the sisters must all come together.
Caitlin Rossi awakes after a car accident and can’t even remember her name. She may have amnesia, but she still feels a great loss and a menacing threat. I think I would be paralyzed with fear, or run away as fast as I could. I can’t imagine what it would be like. Who do you believe? Who do you trust? Especially when you meet the rest of your dysfunctional family and realize you are worth a lot of money.
I feel the danger comes from someone close, someone very close, but Maggie Shayne does throw out a red herring. I already know who ‘they’ are so that doesn’t distract me, but there are enough suspects to keep me guessing.
Caitlin has amnesia, but she still has a working brain. She is determined to get to the bottom of things. I love the character…and Dylan isn’t too shabby either. Secrets…they always come out, one way or another. Maybe that’s a good thing. They can be a heavy burden to carry.
Sure, I expect a happy ending, but I am so loving the twisty journey I will have to take to get there. Broken reads like a true crime story. A rich bitch and her money, and those who hate her. How far will they go to get it? Can’t she save her marriage to Dylan?
It’s Chapter 8 before Toni and Joey are mentioned, then they disappear…until the end. I can hardly wait to read Book IV, Hollow. I wonder how the series will end. How many sisters are there? Surely, the sisters must all come together.
November 15, 2020
I have never been a fan of an amnesia story, but this one may just change my mind. I really enjoyed this story and when you think you know who the "Bad Guy" is, something happens and makes you question your original theory. I wish there had been a little more background on the players, and since it is part of the Shattered Sisters series, SOME interaction with the sisters before the end and maybe some flashbacks or something, but otherwise, a solid story.
July 29, 2016
Two for one. The main story was Kiss of the Shadow Man by Maggie Shayne and I loved it. The heroine Caitlin has been in a car accident and has amnesia. It becomes apparent that someone wants her dead, but who? Her husband, Dylan, is keeping secrets from her. Could it be him? Hmmm, I'm not saying. I'd rate this one pretty close to a five star.
The bonus story is Regarding Remy by Marilyn Pappano. FBI agent, Remy Sinclair, has been shot and is recuperating. He hires a nurse to help him. Susannah seems like the perfect caretaker and maybe even something more. Unfortunately, Susannah had a few secrets up her sleeves and they could costs them their lives. This one I rated closer to 3 stars. Well, maybe 3 and a half. It lagged a few times for me and the heroine upset me with all her lies and secrets.
My copy has a different ISBN. ISBN 9780373688760. This one is not in the system and I could not find it on other sites either, including harlequin.com.
The bonus story is Regarding Remy by Marilyn Pappano. FBI agent, Remy Sinclair, has been shot and is recuperating. He hires a nurse to help him. Susannah seems like the perfect caretaker and maybe even something more. Unfortunately, Susannah had a few secrets up her sleeves and they could costs them their lives. This one I rated closer to 3 stars. Well, maybe 3 and a half. It lagged a few times for me and the heroine upset me with all her lies and secrets.
My copy has a different ISBN. ISBN 9780373688760. This one is not in the system and I could not find it on other sites either, including harlequin.com.
October 29, 2017
Caitlin Amanda O'Brien Rossi... rich... mother poor, never knew father, stepfather wealthy (but a cheater)... mother divorced stepfather, sh after e remained with stepfather... mother committed suicide - and Caitlin went to her talking to her on phone, finding her hung body, and a note reminding her not to trust her husband either - at a time when her husband was working late building his business, competing with her father... as she becomes distant and cold, he responds in like... and when she inherits her father's money, she becomes absorbed in the money... a night of passion leads to a pregnancy, and a miscarriage - leaving her even cold... and she has initiated a divorce...
and wakes up, having driven off road (brake lines broken), on side, smells a fire... she manages to get out before car explodes... hurt... no memory... on road, hears fire trucks and police - and from other way, a car & a man stop - and he scares her, she runs the other way...
the first fifth of the book, she is amnesiac, and fearful of him (her husband)... he is not sure if she is faking amnesia, and he is hostile to her, and yet he can't leave her...
She decides to go home, and unravel the mystery..
another few murder attempts...
suspects - her husband, her brother and/or wife, her maid/cook (sister/brother)...
she starts to trust her husband... he is trying to keep emotionally distant...
she finds out he is hiding their divorce (she goes to lawyer, and changes it so that he gets his due)... she finds out he is hiding her miscarriage... her sister in law is killed (wearing her robe - who was the target?)
she goes to cemetery, cries over her son's grave, is almost killed again... her husband is arrested... she decides to go home, to get his elderly aunt and her nephew out... and it ends out that the maid/cook - not brother and sister - planned to kill her with husband framed, the sister was going to marry the brother, they'd bleed the accounts, kill brother and take off (they did this before)... when brother remorseful, he breaks off with maid... so plan changed... they start to kidnap baby (before she can get him to safety)... she trades herself for baby... they take her to boat... police and husband (who has been released as they found evidence of someone else there) work together to rescue her... and she did her bit to rescue herself...
both realize how much they love the other... and are brave to tell... a year later, their own baby born...
and wakes up, having driven off road (brake lines broken), on side, smells a fire... she manages to get out before car explodes... hurt... no memory... on road, hears fire trucks and police - and from other way, a car & a man stop - and he scares her, she runs the other way...
the first fifth of the book, she is amnesiac, and fearful of him (her husband)... he is not sure if she is faking amnesia, and he is hostile to her, and yet he can't leave her...
She decides to go home, and unravel the mystery..
another few murder attempts...
suspects - her husband, her brother and/or wife, her maid/cook (sister/brother)...
she starts to trust her husband... he is trying to keep emotionally distant...
she finds out he is hiding their divorce (she goes to lawyer, and changes it so that he gets his due)... she finds out he is hiding her miscarriage... her sister in law is killed (wearing her robe - who was the target?)
she goes to cemetery, cries over her son's grave, is almost killed again... her husband is arrested... she decides to go home, to get his elderly aunt and her nephew out... and it ends out that the maid/cook - not brother and sister - planned to kill her with husband framed, the sister was going to marry the brother, they'd bleed the accounts, kill brother and take off (they did this before)... when brother remorseful, he breaks off with maid... so plan changed... they start to kidnap baby (before she can get him to safety)... she trades herself for baby... they take her to boat... police and husband (who has been released as they found evidence of someone else there) work together to rescue her... and she did her bit to rescue herself...
both realize how much they love the other... and are brave to tell... a year later, their own baby born...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 17, 2025
#371 Wet. She'd been soaking wet, and shivering with cold, and her breasts had
pressed against his chest. Her face had been damp, and her throat, and he'd
wanted to kiss the rainwater from her skin. God, how could he want any
woman as badly as he wanted her, let alone one who'd caused him so much
pain?
BOOK: Broken
SERIES : #ShatteredSisters , Book 3
AUTHOR : #maggieshayne
GENRE : #romancefiction #suspense
RATING : 4.8
An accident that takes away all her memories , and a husband that's cold and distant ; Caitlin doesn't know what happened , all she does know is that she needs to set everything right ! But how will she do it ? She learns that there is a murderer out there to get her , to kill her and she wants to find out who. Initially she was driven by fear but the story takes her to a different level to go face her fears. Dylan Rossi , her husband of 5 years ...will she be able to understand him and issues they had before she lost her memory ? Or will they go apart ? Who is trying to kill her ? Will she survive ?
#suggested
#dylanandcaitlin
#romance
#broken
#love
#family
#brothersisterbond❤️
#darktruth
#familyissues
#brokenperson
#woundedsoul
#caraccident
#lostmemory
#feelingalone
#reader
#reviewer
#bookstaagrammer
#bookstagrampost
#bookstagram
#booklover
#review
#honestreviews
#opinions
#goodreads
pressed against his chest. Her face had been damp, and her throat, and he'd
wanted to kiss the rainwater from her skin. God, how could he want any
woman as badly as he wanted her, let alone one who'd caused him so much
pain?
BOOK: Broken
SERIES : #ShatteredSisters , Book 3
AUTHOR : #maggieshayne
GENRE : #romancefiction #suspense
RATING : 4.8
An accident that takes away all her memories , and a husband that's cold and distant ; Caitlin doesn't know what happened , all she does know is that she needs to set everything right ! But how will she do it ? She learns that there is a murderer out there to get her , to kill her and she wants to find out who. Initially she was driven by fear but the story takes her to a different level to go face her fears. Dylan Rossi , her husband of 5 years ...will she be able to understand him and issues they had before she lost her memory ? Or will they go apart ? Who is trying to kill her ? Will she survive ?
#suggested
#dylanandcaitlin
#romance
#broken
#love
#family
#brothersisterbond❤️
#darktruth
#familyissues
#brokenperson
#woundedsoul
#caraccident
#lostmemory
#feelingalone
#reader
#reviewer
#bookstaagrammer
#bookstagrampost
#bookstagram
#booklover
#review
#honestreviews
#opinions
#goodreads
April 8, 2022
Tension-filled from the beginning, the book has the reader moving right along with Caity into a life she doesn't remember and has to navigate carefully. She is aware of being afraid but not why as several attempts are made on her life and her fear extends to everyone in her family. She suspects each of them in turn. Her husband alternates between anger and wariness so often that it is difficult to have much faith or feeling for him until the explanations start, which wasn't soon enough for me. I stayed up all night reading this book, because I knew I wasn't going to sleep from worry.
August 10, 2022
Someone wants Caity read and it may be someone she loves!
How many times can you survive when death is seeking you! This Shattered Sister may never get the chance to meet her siblings if someone in her home has anything to say about it! When you have lost all trust how do you start over before your opportunity is gone?
How many times can you survive when death is seeking you! This Shattered Sister may never get the chance to meet her siblings if someone in her home has anything to say about it! When you have lost all trust how do you start over before your opportunity is gone?
February 14, 2018
Love you. No matter what
Maggie Shayne wraps you into a story in a way that only she can do. Each character has a story. They are woven together almost seamlessly & sometimes unexpectedly. Caitlin & Dylan near the brink & back fighting, loving & mending no matter what.
Maggie Shayne wraps you into a story in a way that only she can do. Each character has a story. They are woven together almost seamlessly & sometimes unexpectedly. Caitlin & Dylan near the brink & back fighting, loving & mending no matter what.
June 24, 2018
This is a fabulous addition to the series. The intriguing storyline is well-written, intense, dark and twisted. This page-turner has great, defined characters, chemistry and will keep you engaged. I voluntarily read an ARC and this is my honest review.
July 31, 2018
Wow! This was heartrendingly amazing
Laugh, cried, and cheered on the major players of this book. I’m not a book report person, read the synopsis for that info. I can only tell you I found this a very touching mystery romance. Worth the read!
Laugh, cried, and cheered on the major players of this book. I’m not a book report person, read the synopsis for that info. I can only tell you I found this a very touching mystery romance. Worth the read!
December 23, 2019
Worst Book Ever!
Book should had been written during the Victorian era and I believe the heroine at that time had more sense than this heroine of this century! Readers shouldn't have empathy for any of the characters in this book they were all soulless.
Book should had been written during the Victorian era and I believe the heroine at that time had more sense than this heroine of this century! Readers shouldn't have empathy for any of the characters in this book they were all soulless.
October 30, 2021
This one started with a bang and an interesting premise. The pace was a bit too slow but the ending was reasonably satisfying (if somewhat predictable).
In so me ways the story did not deliver on its potential. It just missed the mark although it’s hard to pinpoint the exact reason.
In so me ways the story did not deliver on its potential. It just missed the mark although it’s hard to pinpoint the exact reason.
October 31, 2025
Why would FMC want to forget everything? Ideas were indicated but never carried out. For example, Cait never wanted to get pregnant because of the fear of the child not being able to be carried to term, but after she recovers, that no longer matters? What????
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 24, 2017
Just love this series and Caitlin.
March 1, 2018
Loved it, with Maggie Shayne's books you never know what you are going to get other than quality and a great story. But what else matters?
June 22, 2019
I had the book with two in it. Both were hot and could not put it down.
March 18, 2020
('substantially revised' version of Kiss of the Shadow Man story)
July 24, 2021
Another page Turner
Love these characters and I Love this series and can't wait to see and read what happens next. : )
Love these characters and I Love this series and can't wait to see and read what happens next. : )
August 3, 2018
Enjoyed enormously. Did guess the 'baddies' but admit I switched who it was around several times and didn't predict the whole plot. Another great book by Ms Shayne
August 3, 2016
Kiss of the Shadow Man: I'm not really fond of amnesia themes, but Ms. Shayne's writing carried it off well. The pace and suspense are great as the reader seesaws right along with Caitlin to determine what is happening and who is responsible and who she really is.
Regarding Remy: Although I didn't like this one quite as well as the Kiss of the Shadow Man, I found it good reading and would consider reading any other with these characters. My main problem was that there was no real sense of danger. You are told that Remy is being watched and a murder attempt will probably be made, but logically, I could see no reason for it and felt no imminent threat. Remy is injured and is off the case. Why bother to murder him? Revenge? It would make more sense to go after the agent who took over the case. On the other hand, you get a real feel for Susannah and what she is going through, believing that what she is doing may lead to murder.
Regarding Remy: Although I didn't like this one quite as well as the Kiss of the Shadow Man, I found it good reading and would consider reading any other with these characters. My main problem was that there was no real sense of danger. You are told that Remy is being watched and a murder attempt will probably be made, but logically, I could see no reason for it and felt no imminent threat. Remy is injured and is off the case. Why bother to murder him? Revenge? It would make more sense to go after the agent who took over the case. On the other hand, you get a real feel for Susannah and what she is going through, believing that what she is doing may lead to murder.
May 19, 2016
Wow What A Great Read
I loved could not put it down.
Cathy Caitlin as is her real name was in a supper bad reck lost her memory and someone is trying to kill her.
All of this and no memory.
Now add the husband and you got sparks flying these two are so in love it ain't funny she is holding her distance and so is he.
As things start happening they start to get closer.
The killer well no spoilers here but who I thought it did do and I was shocked because I could not believe they could some of this stuff.
Ok long enough.
Read it and you will be giving it a high stair rating.
One great book one awesome author.
Maggie Shayne has done it again.
I loved could not put it down.
Cathy Caitlin as is her real name was in a supper bad reck lost her memory and someone is trying to kill her.
All of this and no memory.
Now add the husband and you got sparks flying these two are so in love it ain't funny she is holding her distance and so is he.
As things start happening they start to get closer.
The killer well no spoilers here but who I thought it did do and I was shocked because I could not believe they could some of this stuff.
Ok long enough.
Read it and you will be giving it a high stair rating.
One great book one awesome author.
Maggie Shayne has done it again.
April 8, 2012
Mystery, suspense, and romance can be found in Maggie Shayne's "Kiss of the Shadow Man". I liked the plot and characters from Caitlin's accident and her discovery that someone wants her dead. Will she win her husband's love again or will they divorce? This book kept me guessing which character was a murderer.
August 8, 2008
Very good! I read this book a long time ago, so I don't remember too many details, except that it was great! And it was part of the Shadows series, which was mysterious and different, which is always fun!
October 15, 2016
Interesting start to finish!
A good mystery that keeps you guessing until the last chapter. The slow memory return kept you wondering who she thought she had trusted before the accident.
A good mystery that keeps you guessing until the last chapter. The slow memory return kept you wondering who she thought she had trusted before the accident.
June 21, 2018
Read this in the bonus two-book paperback, Kiss of the Shadow Man with Regarding Remy
August 9, 2023
I enjoyed Caitlyn and Dylan as characters. I wish there had been more Toni and Joie interacting with Caitlyn.
The twists were entertaining and the ending satisfying.
The twists were entertaining and the ending satisfying.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 27 reviews