I thought the past was behind me… but becoming Mrs. Bellanti put a target on my back. My husband isn’t a gentle man. And God knows he isn’t the sharing type. Rico’s announcement has dropped a bomb into my marriage. I never thought I’d see Rico again. Never thought Dante would ever have to know. Seeing the way he looks at me now, as though I’m just another problem to be handled? It’s breaking my heart. I thought I was in love once before. I swore I wouldn’t make the same mistake twice. But falling for a Bellanti was far worse than a simple mistake… Book Two of Three in the all-new angsty, sizzling Broken Series.
Stella Gray has always had her head in the clouds and has been writing since she was in high school. A contemporary romance author, she loves dark romances with morally gray men. When she’s not writing, she’s either in the kitchen testing out a new baking recipe or spending time in the great outdoors.
2.5 stars Nothing gets resolved here. And an unnecessary cliffhanger yet again…urgh!!!!! Weakest FMC I have ever read about. Like girl have a little common sense and stop thinking with your vayjayjay *sigh*
Moving on to book 3 because I need closure and it couldn’t possibly get any worse than this, could it??
i had a 💩 day, and this book made it worse. its all OW + OM drama & body betraying syndrome galore with wishy washy characters & silly/lack of common sense plotlines here. everything about this book grated on my nerves. its books like this that give mafia romance a bad name.
When Rico shows up and burst Frankie's happy bubble and reveal that she was indeed married to him, Dante was crushed, Dante was just about reveal how much he loved her. However, he kept his cool and never let the guest or press see him loose his tempter. The one thing Dante was good at is sliding his mask in place never showing his vunerability he duve into working to hide his real truths, and this was no different in his eyes. This was the day of the merger party when Dante & Frankie finally came together the opening of their two families winery combining. Rico was removed from the party by Aramni Bellanti. As usual Dante lets his temper get the best of him and makes the mistake that he will definitely regret. Frankie is feeling guiluty for the one thing she never reveled to Dante would ever come out is now staring her in the face, Rico (her husband) so this time she sudue her fire cracker attitjde but we know Frankie never backs down from a challenge, however Dante tells he to shut her lying dirty little mouth and be the imposter wife that she is. He should have never trusted her!!! Once the party is over and the investors & reporters are satisfied, Dante & Frankie walk back to the main house and Dante makes the second mistake of the night,he throws her out and never looked back. That is until Dante realize he can't get her out of his mind. This book has so many twist and turns and secrets from its hard to trust the Bellanti's and definitely not Frankies lying, gambling father who sold their winery and his daughter to settle his gambling debt.
Forging on valiantly after reading Book One, Book Two is a marked improvement from the catastrophe that was Book One. Frankie is still an inconsistent and silly h, and contradictory, incoherent plotholes are still the norm, but the difference this time is that there is actually romance this time around – OTT, insta-lots of things and out of nowhere romance, but still exciting enough and quite sexy and intense. And this is all thanks to Dante finally – oh, finally – showing off some human emotions and the traits of an Alpha in love, with more chapters providing his real POV. He was still a bit jerkish in the first third of the book – with reasons – but he then transformed into a reliable guy passionately in love. In all honesty, Frankie is lucky as she does not deserve him, with her foolish and muddled persona. Dante and his POVs really saved the book (in fact, more Dante and less Frankie would have probably earned one more star here, and could (not sure though) have salvaged Book One wreck).
I realised that this is what was so direly missing from Book One: visceral human emotions to carry the romance or building of a romance. There were still many nonsensical and contrived plots in this book that made me grind my teeth and explode my tablet with highlights and notes (the editor does not merit its salary imho 😑), but the romance aspects helped very much in suspending disbelief (or rather swallow the disbelief with less frustration 😖).
Still, I really want to share two specific inanities that are central to this book and made me roar with laughter (and other things):
- The contract where Frankie’s dad cedes his vineyard to Frankie and her legal spouse (which is presumably not Dante, given Rico’s presence and story): My first lol moment is that the Bellantis must be real dumb to allow the term ‘or her legal spouse’ in such a document. Contrived plotline if I have ever seen one. Then, to say that a marriage contract signed between the dad and Dante, and benefitting Frankie and Rico, while despoiling Charlie and Livvie’s rights, would be legal is highly laughable (what does Dante’s signature count if such contract was legally binding to the benefits of Rico, lol). And to learn in the last chapter that there is another contract (a sale one?) that now stipulates the value of the debt is clearly deus ex machina level. Two contracts for the same thing, that Frankie never bothered to ask to read, but she just went her jolly brattish way into such a marriage without even asking what she was being sold for. If I think too hard about it, I will start banging my head on my walls 😤. This is fiction of course, but is some decent common sense too much asked?
- Time dilation, or life in the (very) fast lane, in Napa Valley – this bit was totally OTT, enjoyable because of the romantic angst but still silly af... extremely spoilerish because it is essentially the main plot of the book in one paragraph:
So, thank you Dante, you really saved this book (even if the Jessica come back was a really low blow thing). I think the trilogy would work best, if I take only the prologue from Book One, mash up the wedding and Rico appearance in one or two chapters, and then get straight to Book Two. Much less frustration this way.
I already inhaled the first book in the #BrokenTrilogy (#BrokenBride ) in less than 24 hours and now I did the exact same thing with book 2 #BrokenVow - it was so good!!! 🤩❤️
Book 1 left off on a big #cliffhanger and Broken Vow immediately picked up at this point, so it was as if there was no time at all between the books for me. I won’t say anything about what happened, so let me be a bit vague at this point, because this #bookreview will be #spoilerfree !🙌🏻
I was shocked in book 1, but the things that happened in book 2, not only shocked me more, because THE AUDACITY, but it also messed with my emotions. I wanted to do *something* to help improve the situation, but obviously I couldn’t (duh🤣) and that created an almost helpless feeling, because how unfair everything seemed. When things manage to mess with my feelings that much? That’s a sure sign that they are great books!🔥
Things got better, before getting much worse again and honestly speaking I have no idea what might happen in the finale, but obviously I am hoping for the best.
A few minor things felt a little rushed in my eyes, which is why I’m “only” giving 4 stars, however, all in all I loved every chapter! And my favourites were definitely those that were told from Dante’s perspective.🥰
Seriously!? I literally gave the first book 5 stars and then this book 1 star!! How can a story degrade so quickly I have got no clue. Soo soo disappointed :3
DNF and returned the Audiobook (sorry to the really good narrators, but also the best can't make this story work). And no way I will torment myself through two more books. To me this is a lengthy, implausible and unrealistic story. I mean, come one: She marries him with no resistance at all, just because her father tells her to and her teenaged little sister loves her horses, let him fuck her like she is no more than dirt, wastes all his money, tells she hates him and then... reveals her fathers secret to him, gets a job, in which, of course, she is more succsessful than the the entire workforce in just one day. And I honestly didn't didn't get any feeling that this is a Mafia-Romance, apart from that it is mentioned some times.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author to review for Stephanie's Book Reports.
My husband isn't a gentle man. And God knows he isn't the sharing type. Rico's announcement has dropped a bomb into my marriage. I never thought I'd see Rico again. Never thought Dante would have to know. Seeing the way he looks at me now, as though I'm just another problem to be handled? It's breaking my heart. I thought I was in love once before. I swore I wouldn't make the same mistake twice. But falling for a Bellanti was far worse than a simple mistake.
This is the second book in Stella Grays' Broken Series. You have to read Broken Bride first or you are going to be lost because this book picks right up where that one left off. Just when you think that things are going to get better in this book you're so so wrong and the rug gets pulled right out from under you. There are things in this book that left me speechless. If you are like me and really feel the things your reading you are going to want to jump into this book and kick some butt. I do not want to give anything away about this book so just get it read it and I hope you have one heck of a journey like I did while reading the book. When a book pulls that much out of me you know that you are reading something truly amazing!!!
Steam 5 Storyline 4 Feels 4 Overall Rating 4 Kindle eArc provided by Author Reviewed by Joanna
I'm not sure how I want to write this review. There are so many parts of this story that I loved. I love the characters in this story and the development of them. I started off loving Frankie. She was a strong woman who tried to take care of her own problems. The men in her life have let her down so she needed to be strong.
Next, you have Dante who bought Frankie from her father to repay his debts with Dante’s family. Things get in the way and it's a rocky start for Frankie and Dante. But there is a part of me that loved how Dante became a good guy. He helped Frankie with her family. He helped Frankie with her past. Yet Frankie still doesn’t trust Dante.
There are so many moments that Frankie is madly in love with Dante and then the next second, she is running from him. He works his way back into her good graces, but then she thinks about something and no longer trusts him again. After everything Dante has done for her and I truly love his character, Frankie is just becoming annoying as hell. The ANGST in this story is driving me crazy. Never something I have been a big fan of. But I am trying my best to look past it and I need to know how this ends.
Words can’t describe how frustrated I am with what’s going on.
I’m wondering if I’m reading too much into the whole betrayal or what she considers a ‘betrayal’.
I think about the whole Rico situation, I just knew something was a very fishy with how everything went on, especially in the first book, but how he was very convenient in this book.
Another crazy thing is the price the whole vineyard was sold for that was crazy. I’m just wondering know how she’s going to go about this situation since she’s found out everything, but I still think it’s misinterpreted.
Just when it seems Dante and Frankie are finally getting it together there comes the monkey wrench. I adored Dante in this book, seeing tiny glimpses of a different side of him totally won me over. Can’t wait for the last part of this trilogy
I don't even know where to begin. Do I start at the beginning where I thought Frankie would remind Dante that no one asked her a thing and they just sold her like cattle? ... Or, do I start at the end where it's clear that Stella Gray would find ANY and I do mean ANY reason to give us three books.
The sex. It's too much. In both a it's boring and uninspiring kind of way but also because so many things are happening and instead of working them out, we are just reading about them having sex; sometimes 2-3x in one scene or chapter. Factor in the lacklustre performance and I could do without it.
Rico. He was the bomb we never expected but I don't like how he was portrayed. It made Frankie look like everything she struggles to not be. Speaking of which, instead of fighting to find that balance between sassy and docile, she just went for docile.
Back to what I was saying... Rico.
This character had real potential to turn the tide and give us a personable novel. He was the villain of their story but he could have been better utilised and there are so many loose ends and questions on how he even found himself in California.
Where is their father? The man seems to be the main villain, in the Abbott's story, but he shows up for a sentence or two and then he's gone again. I believe he's a vile man but you got to give us more to form that opinion on our own.
Once again, we breeze through everything so fast that I don't know how much time elapsed. As such, it's hard to gauge the pace and if Frankie shouldn't be pregnant by now with all the semen Dante has been dumping inside her since book one.
What I did appreciate was the clarification on if they were a mafia organisation. It felt that way in the beginning but after chapter one, I was conflicted.
Overall, this felt like a wasted opportunity on the way to a third instalment but I did read the entire thing and I already want the third book.
Maybe I am into poorly developed characters these days? Idk.
**I received a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest voluntary review. All opinions are my own and not influenced by my source.**
This series is just building and building. I love all the layers and the complexity of the drama. It keeps you hooked!
I appreciated getting more Dante POV chapters. It was nice to get to know him a little better but still keep him as an enigma. His character kinda seemed like he did a 180 out of nowhere but as the story evolved I understand that flip better.
While Dante does have ties to The Family, this isn't your traditional mob romance. It's more family business drama so it isn't dark or violent by any means.
This book was something. It was a decent sequel to the series but I don't think I will continue on with the series. I truly like the authors writing style and it is one that I vibe with and keeps me engaged. HOWEVER...the pacing and the characters are another story. Their motives never really seemed to make sense for this being talked up as a mafia romance (although that could be a me thing).
The third act break-up seemed...off. I won't spoil it BUT I saw that coming a mile away and it wasn't a ground-breaking, earth shattering revelation.
This book was…okay. And that might be too generous a description. It didn’t quite have the same angsty pull for me like the first book did, and the ending cliffhanger doesn’t make any sense to me. It just seems like such a nonissue by that point? I think this book falls into that area where the characters finally admit their feelings which is great, but that means the angst falls by the wayside as and I am left with NOTHING. I know most people love that, but I am into dark books with dark emotions, and I hate when we lose that.
Content notes include mentions of family members dying before the books begins, mentions of alcoholism, mentions of a gambling addiction, blackmail, mentions of domestic abuse, and pets (horses) being used to pay off a gambling debt.
So what happens in this book is that Frankie’s ex, Rico, shows up out of the blue, and announces that they were married back in Italy and they never got divorced. Which means that Frankie’s marriage with Dante couldn’t possibly be legal. Dante’s understandably pissed, and sets his brother Armani to hunt down whether this is really true or not, but Dante is determined to throw Frankie out of his life regardless. It’s because he’s catching feelings for her, and this news couldn’t have come at a worse time in his mind because he feels super betrayed she never mentioned anything about her previous marriage.
There’s the troubling issue in this storyline where Frankie’s father is still a problem, so there’s a lot going on. I would say only with the start of the marriage in the first book do we really get a sense that Dante runs a mafia family and business. But he hasn’t really DONE anything to, say, differentiate himself from maybe the average millionaire? He might as well ONLY own a winery. What I’m getting at is that Dante hasn’t actually killed anyone in this series. No one has died. No one has been tortured. There are no other people in the “family” besides his two brothers and I’m not even sure what the youngest (Marco) could even do for them. It’s WEIRD for a mafia romance, isn’t it? Where is the danger? It’s all a suggested danger, but never a realized one. I’m not even sure he even carries a weapon on him. Will he save everyone the trouble and the headaches that is Frankie’s father and get rid of him in the next book? I honestly don’t know anymore. This is the strangest mafia romance I’ve ever read.
Frankie is a bit all over the place in this book. She has Rico to deal with, as well as Dante’s hurt feelings. She would almost be better off at this point leaving them both. One second she hates Dante, and then the next second she’s in love with him. It’s very wishy washy. There’s a LOT of sex in this book, but we do see a bit more enthusiastic consent here where we did not see in book 1 which I did like. But there’s maybe too many sex scenes for me when all I want is for the plot to move along and get rid of Rico and his slimy self. There’s a lot of unprotected sex happening too, so I’m guessing a baby, or at least a pregnancy, will make an appearance at some point in the next book. That is the nature of m/f mafia romances. I don’t care for those storylines, but I can reasonably expect them at this point and they don’t bother me as much as a surprise pregnancy that comes out of nowhere in your normal contemporary romances.
I really like Dante’s brothers, and Frankie’s sisters. They’re all great, and I like when they appear in a scene. However, I’m still so confused about Frankie’s older sister (Charlie) and her marriage. We find out that Charlie is married to a mobster named Clayton but Clayton is literally nowhere to be seen and you would think a mobster and mafia head honcho (Dante) living within maybe an hour/hour and a half of each other would interact or maybe even be too close in proximity and they’re stepping on each other’s toes, but no? Charlie works in a catering business for Dante and I want to know what Clayton feels about it. Charlie and Clayton’s whole relationship is very odd. They don’t have their own book that I can see, and I don’t understand how Dante and Clayton don’t interact in some capacity.
The marriage contract between Frankie and Dante makes no sense to me either. Why did they write it up like that? It’s JUST for the complications of the Rico plot in this book, I think. It’s pretty bad. I can’t imagine a contract being written so terribly to allow for such obvious loopholes when all Dante wants is Frankie’s family winery. Add on to the contract between Dante and Frankie’s father for her hand in marriage and…I don’t know. Why would Frankie be so upset over it? This is one of those things where I think this trilogy could’ve been a duology instead because the ups and downs of Frankie and Dante’s emotions are all over the place and there’s no real external plot to draw the reader away to have something else to focus on. This series is all relationship drama, but not in a fun and messy soap opera-like way that can keep me entertained.
This isn’t my first series by Stella Gray, and I’m starting to think I love more how she STARTS a series, more than how she navigates the story to the finish. I thought the first book was strong and intense and FUN, but then this book really takes the wind right out of my sails and has me debating reading the last book. That’s also how I feel about a previous series of hers and I just wish her finales were stronger books.
We ended book 1 on the worst note – seeing things start to get amazing for Dante and Frankie – they really did seem to have a true and real relationship, one that had love in it regardless of the means to the beginning, and then Rico shows up. We didn’t know who he was, but we knew that there was a reason that Frankie was avoiding his calls in book 1.
She was married. To Rico. And he left her. On their Honeymoon and never came back. She was heartbroken, then angry and then she went home.
Fast forward to the present when she’s truly happy with Dante and he with her, and then Rico appears. Perfect timing right? He makes Dante lose trust in everything, and we see Frankie lose everything. She is kicked out of the house, out of Dante’s life, out of the vineyard. She watches Jessica the conniving assistant come back and sink her claws into Dante. On the other side of things, we also watch her non-Dante life fall apart. Her father sells off all of the horses that Livvie loves so much and we watch Livvie get shuttled between Charlie’s house in SF to school every day since they deem it unsafe for her to stay at the house with their father anymore.
There’s so much despair happening – we don’t know what else can go wrong. Charlie and Frankie are trying to be strong – Charlie’s husband is still away and he’s been away longer than ever so she’s nervous. There’s really nothing good on the horizon and really all that Frankie wants is for Dante to give her a chance to explain.
He’s not having it. He wants to hear nothing that Frankie has to say – he just wants to cut his losses with her, take over the winery that he got when he married her and be done with it all so that his family’s reputation doesn’t get hurt any more.
Little does he know that there’s more to the story than anyone knows. Frankie goes searching in her father’s office and finds the contract that sells her to Dante. What is included are the clear words that the Abbot vineyard goes to Frankie and her legal husband. which is not Dante – so she goes in fighting, knowing that Dante only wanted the grapes. She thinks that she’ll be able to convince Rico to leave and give her his piece of a failing winery but vindictive Jessica lets Rico know the full value of what he has.
This makes the story take a frustrating turn. Rico doesn’t want to let Frankie go because he wants the money from the vineyard – and Franke really doesn’t want to sell her family history. Rico never wanted anything from Frankie even when they were married if it wasn’t tied to money. When he realized that her father wasn’t going to be able to buy them a house in Italy, that’s when he left her, so we know that his money driven.
On the flip side, Dante hates Frankie and hates Rico, and really just wants to get everyone out of his life. What’s nice for Dante though is that he has a brother Armani who’s not going to leave any rock unturned and will get to the bottom of what’s going on with Rico – and what we learn is not surprising but it’s a way to end things.
The turn that we see happen in this story – throughout the uncertainty is the notion that love can conquer all – and that sometimes even the hate that you have for someone is firmly rooted in love. Dante wants to hate Frankie and wants her out of his life but what he realizes is that she’s gotten under his skin. He wants to get her out of his system physically but when he does that, when they come together with intense heat and passion, it’s not enough for him. He wants more. On the same note, Frankie has never stopped loving Dante – she only wants to make him realize that what they had is real and what she had with Rico was an illusion.
We’ve made it over a hill of sorts, but there are lies and there are untruths being told that have broken trust all over again. The end of this story leaves us on another cliff where we thought life would be happy and move in the right direction but the discovery of information makes that impossible. Our happy bubble is shattered and it’s going to take quite a bit of effort to get it back on track.
It is official, the Bellantis own my heart and soul.
I didn't think that it was possible, but the second book in the Broken trilogy, was better than the first book and exceeded all of my expectations. This book was so good and it gave me all the feels, and I was so sad when I reached the last page.
Broken Vow is one of those books that you wish you could read on forever, that good it is. I said it and I’m gonna say it again, Dante Bellanti owns my heart. That men could tell me to jump, and all I would ask would be how high. He is the monster in the dark, the big bad wolf, and everyone should think twice before crossing him. I loved that I had the chance to find out more about him, about his demons, and also I loved the fact that I got to see more of the Bellanti brothers. The scenes with them were so funny. He is such an interesting and complex character, with a lot of emotional baggage and trauma. He is an amazing character, who despise everything he went through, still finds in himself the power and strength to be good and kind, and help the ones who need it. He proved in this book, just like he proved in the first one, that there is good in him. Even though there were times when I wanted to hit him until he come to his senses, there is something about him that makes me love him no matter what. And, in the end he finally came to his senses and began to see what is there, in front of his eyes.
My girl Frankie is everything Dante wanted and needed in his life. She is feisty, stubborn and talented, knows her worth and no matter what she doesn’t go down without a fight. Once again, she proved how strong she is. She, with her beautiful and kind soul, her easy going personality, managed to warm the heart of the most feared Bellanti. She took all of his hurt and cruel words, and gave him back only love and kindness. She is caring, understands what he is and doesn't want to change him. She loves him with all of his flaws and demons. She will go to war with anyone who wants to hurt her loves one. I loved every single moment between Dante and Frankie these two are so adorable together it is almost sickening. It is so easy for everyone around them to see that they are in love. In a sick and twisted way they remind me a little of Romeo and Juliet, two souls who despite everything, despite all the hatred that was between their families, they fall in love. I just hope that they are strong enough to survive it all. That their love is strong enough.
I practically tore through this book in one sitting, I think it took me just two or three hours to finish it because I could not put it down. And that plot twist? Oh my god, it broke me and left me wanting more. A part of me expected something like that, but either way I still was not prepared for it. I need to know what happens next, how the story continues and how it will all end. I need to know what the future holds for my beautiful and perfect couple.
I crave the last book in this trilogy like air, and I need it now! One thing for sure, is that I’m gonna go crazy making all kinds of scenarios in my head until I can get my hands on the next book.
I had the amazing pleasure and opportunity to receive an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Broken Vow is the second book in the Broken series which picks up immediately where Broken Bride left off. These books must be read in order so please start with Broken Bride before moving onto this one. The final book, Broken Trust, is out next month.
The fact that this is the middle book in a trilogy makes me hesitant to say a whole lot about the plot as it may ruin it for others who have yet to pick up the first book. For me, I enjoyed this installment but I felt it wasn't as polished or enthralling as the first one. However in saying that, it does set the pace nicely for the final book and I am excited for the revelations that must surely come in Broken Trust.
There were several parts of the book I enjoyed immensely and those were: 🖤The chemistry between Dante and Frankie was seriously sizzling. That PULL they have for each other is magnetic and jumps off the page. 🖤The sisters relationship is a thing of beauty. I love how they are so THERE for each other the way sisters are supposed to be. 🖤Marco!!! I am so drawn to his character. I'm hopeful he gets his own book cause I'd be all over that!!
I really love the world building in this series. The description of the people and places, the parties and intrigues - it's a really easy read. The story just flows. I felt like the resolution was reached a little easily, the crux of the issue was quashed and it felt out of place for the angst in the rest of the series. The whole ex-assistant thing coming up again was a plot point I didn't particularly like though thankfully it's short-lived!
As a whole I am enjoying the series and I'll definitely be devouring the last one just like the previous two. I rate this one a solid 3.5 stars as it wasn't as good as Broken Bride which I rated 4 stars.
My thanks to the author and Candi Kane PR for an early edition copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.
This is book 2 in the trilogy, please read book 1 first as this one continues where it left. The angst keeps climbing, with more turmoil and twists in the story that will have you entertained. Dante and Francesca's story is one you will love if you like arranged marriages. This story captivated me and now I need book 3, Stella Gray knows how to keep readers wanting for more.
I loved, loved, loved Broken Vow so freakin much. It was totally angsty and full of all kinds of twist and turns that kept you burning with curiosity. There was also something that really changes my mind about Dante!! Francesca grows more as a businesswoman but was still flighty and untrusting at times.
While Broken Bride left us with a “what the hell shocker” I could hardly wait for this installment of the Broken Series!! Broken Vow picks up right where we were left with Rico showing up to announce that he is Francesca husband. Frankie admits that she did marry him but that he had also deserted her so how was she to do anything about it. This leaves Dante and Frankie in a bit of a dilemma. She can’t be married to both men. But it’s also coming at a time where things for Frankie and Dante are starting to fit things together. She has proven to Dante that she is capable to work for and help improve his business.
I am really starting to like Dante in this book. He is everything you wanted him to be in the first book… plus more. He seems to be more open and forthcoming not only with his brothers but also with Frankie and her sisters. In addition to that but they are starting to have real feelings for each other. The chemistry between them is OMGosh off the charts are they hot, hot, sizzling hot!! phew
Knowing there is one more book to the series you best get ready to hang onto your seats because you will never see this coming!! The ending of Broken Vow is going to be a real gut punch. And let’s just see how Dante is going to explain his way out of this one!!
I was so excited to get book 2 in the Broken series, I devoured this book in one day! The cliffhanger from book 1 was shocking and I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. This book was captivating and thrilling from beginning to end. Stella Gray’s writing just pulls you in and you feel everything that the character goes through. She is becoming a favorite to read.
The big shocking cliffhanger turns Dante and Frankie’s fragile relationship upside down. They finally are becoming more but so many new obstacles are getting in their way to be together. Like in book 1, I love the hot, intense chemistry between Dante and Frankie is still front and center. There’s still so much angst and lots of new drama that keeps the reader intrigued until the very end. Frankie goes through a transformation in this book. In the previous book, I felt like she was powerless and a bit weak, but in this book she finds her strength and fights back to gain control of her life. I am liking this new Frankie. Dante is still an alphahole, but we get to see a sweet and loving side of him only Frankie brings out in him, making him so swoon worthy.
Since this is part of a trilogy, the cliffhanger at the end leaves you begging for more. I can’t wait for book 3! This arranged marriage, steamy, shocking, and passionate story is entertaining and gripping till the very end. I can’t stop thinking about Dante and Frankie. I would definitely recommend!
*Received review copy in exchange for honest review*
Broken Vow is Book Two in the Broken Series. Books must be read in order. This book takes us on a rollercoaster of emotion and events. I loved getting more of Dante’s voice in this book- I want inside his head so bad. We learn more of what drives him. These two are broken souls. Their connection is so strong and commanding that when they are together there isn’t room for anything else. Even as I read this book and crave the what is next for Dante and Frankie, I want more from these two families. I am also breathless for where Stella is taking this story next.
Broken Vow picks up where Broken Bride left us. Rico shows up with a huge truth bomb and literally blows up Frankie’s life. Dante goes on the defensive- hard.
This book is told in dual perspective. So, we get more insight into Dante’s thoughts and actions told thru him.
Rico showing up and Frankie uncovering the original marriage contract throw a wrench in the Bellanti claim to the Abbott Winery.
Time and separation reveal all of Dante’s feelings. And, he is tired of fighting how he feels so he lays it out there. As they rekindle their relationship, they begin to reveal more of their pasts, and find that their chemistry isn’t the only connection they have.
But, just as they settle into a rhythm, Frankie’s responsibilities grow at the Winery, giving her more access to financials. When Dante’s father’s old ledgers her world is thrown into another tailspin.
The second book in Dante and Frankie’s story begins with Frankie’s surprise husband coming out of the woodwork and Dante throwing Frankie out of the house and business. We got to see a little bit of Frankie’s take charge attitude and independence, which I enjoyed. I was hoping Dante would start to defrost a little sooner and they could have a heart to heart, but things resolved themselves a bit differently. I did love how the resolution to the Rico situation, and was quite surprised by how this one ended.
Rico’s arrival threatens to ruin their business deal and upsets the delicate balance Frankie and Dante achieved in their relationship. Banished to the guest house, Frankie is determined to send Rico packing despite his annoying persistence. He is only after the money he can now obtain by selling the Abbott winery to Dante. Frankie repeatedly tries to negotiate with Dante without much success and Dante for his part, can’t get Frankie off his mind. Every time they meet up, their chemistry rules the occasion. But together they are stronger and soon realize it.
I will admit I was a little surprised that Dante reacted so brashly in the beginning and waited for things to work themselves out. While that did happen, it took a while for Dante to see reason and then begin to do something about the threat to his family. I personally found both Dante and Frankie’s hot headedness a bit tiring. I wanted to see some character growth for each of them. I also found their reconciliation to be a bit abrupt. Dante just seemed to change his mind suddenly after being so stuck in his anger. I don’t know. It just didn’t work for me. Overall I enjoyed the story, but wish the characters had been a little more mature and communicated like rational adults.
3.75 The first half of Book 2 was a carry over from Book 1 with allot of poor communication, presumptions and finally regret for both character's actions or lack thereof. The second half of book 2 picked up which resulted in the better rating. Dante showed a vulnerable side of his personality that he had hidden away due to his father that brought to the surface a man capable of loving a woman. He finally was given the opportunity to show her how much she meant to him. He became invested in Frankie as a woman and as an equal. It was a very entertaining second half in that you really got to know these characters; their histories with their siblings and how both had suffered at the hands of their fathers. Dante's father was a monster whose goal was to turn Dante into a mini-me of himself. He almost was successful, but Dante through reflection; began to see and believe that he didn't want to be like his father.
Frankie and her sisters lived an awful life with her father and had to deal with a mother who walked away from them at a very young age, leaving them to an addicted, self-serving idiot of a father. His character reminded me why some people should never have children.
I would have been happy with the author ending Dante and Frankie's story with book 2, but she didn't. It ends with a whole new revelation and puts Dante and Frankie's relationship at yet another crossroad. I am not sure there is enough story to have a book 3, but if you add in Jessica and Frankie's ex as well as some crime family influence coming to light, there may be.
I found Broken Vow, Book #2, a whole lot of fun to read. Things took off from the beginning and didn't let up until the last page. And speaking of the last page, YES it leaves you hanging, but WOWZA what an ending! I'm definitely hanging by my fingertips now, desperate for Book #3! That being said, you need to read Book #1 first. So go grab it now and get reading!
When I started reading Book #2, sadly I was still finding Francesca, aka Frankie, a tad annoying...like I'd like to smack her upside the head and say, WHAT THE HECK, WOMAN?!!? WISE UP!!! Then there's Dante Bellanti who has grown on me immensely. He's way hot under the collar in this book and I LOVE him like that! A hot, angry Dante is VERY ATTRACTIVE! Especially when he softens a bit and starts easing off his bad-boy persona just a little where Frankie is concerned. The dynamic between these two is definitely sizzling hot and the hookups are off-the-charts steamy. I might have needed a fan turned on now and then, just sayin'.
I found all the non-stop action kept me turning page after page and before I knew it, I had reached the end. It was definitely a fast, enjoyable read for me. I can't wait for Book #3! I'm excited to see what my girl, Frankie, has in mind for the love of her life, Dante Bellanti! Time will tell! I feel certain Stella Gray will give us an explosive, satisfying ending! Bring it on!
Dante and Frankie's story continues in Broken Vow, and it picks up from the jaw-dropping ending in Broken Bride. I devoured this book; everything was more intense, and I enjoyed the twist. The cliffhanger Grrrrrrrr!!!! I didn't see that ending coming!!!!! Broken Vow is an exciting, sexy story with twisted lies and secrets unfolding throughout the book.
We see more of Dante's vulnerable side, which I enjoyed because Dante was very unemotional and detached in Broken Bride. Frankie was not as level-headed, strong and sensible as before. She is thrown off balance with the uncertainty of her relationship with Dante and her Italian husband showing up out of the blue wanting to claim her inheritance.
There were a few things that made me angry. Frankie made some unwise, idiotic, rash decisions, and there are moments in the book where Dante would be nail-biting mad and closed off, and in the next, he's all lovey-dovey like flipping a switch. This irritated me and drove me crazy. This book had me on the edge of my seat and enthralled as secrets were revealed and hearts were broken.
I received an ARC in exchange for a honest review.
The second book of Broken trilogy “Broken Vow” was just as emotionally a roller coaster as the first one “Broken Bride.” After the major cliffy in the first book, we get right back on it and have Dante as the sizable jerk that he can be. We know that he has conditioned himself to be an unemotional and detached guy when his feelings are too much or when he feels threatened due to his harsh childhood. However, as the story divulges, his heart of stone is nothing but a facade when it comes to Frankie. On a positive note, their love/hate relationship translates into incredibly sensual moments that are too hot not to mention. Dante’s brothers are also very intriguing and I wouldn’t mind reading about their own personal stories if Ms. Stella Gray decides to grace her readers with them. The cliffhanger at the end of this book was a stab to my heart and caused me heart palpitations so I hope the next book comes out as soon as possible.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.