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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
Loveable main characters (mostly), wonderful setting, interesting secondary characters. I really enjoyed spend time with these people.
Merged review:
Loveable main characters (mostly), wonderful setting, interesting secondary characters. I really enjoyed spend time with these people.
Merged review:
Loveable main characters (mostly), wonderful setting, interesting secondary characters. I really enjoyed spend time with these people.
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I’d listened to this book on audiobook a couple years ago and really liked it (though not enough to write a review then) so scooped up the ebook when it was on sale recently, and I’m glad I did because I still really like this book.
It’s a celebrity ice queen age-gap romance, which are tropes I think are very fun when done well - and this book does it well. The age gap is a woman in her mid thirties with a woman in her early fifties, which are character ages and an age-gap I want to see more often in romance novels because I’m in my early thirties and am just not digging books with early twenties protagonists anymore and because I find older/post-menopausal women so hot. The character growth was great, the side characters were fun, the country estate setting was idyllic.
My only criticisms are that occasionally the writing felt a little stilted, sometimes a bit cliched (probably more noticeable because of the amount of sapphic romance I read), and a bit cheesy (usually fun still and it balanced out the more heavy themes). Also, one of characters used #hashtags when speaking sometimes which is very cringe but did feel true to her being an older gen x.
Overall, very enjoyable read!
It’s a celebrity ice queen age-gap romance, which are tropes I think are very fun when done well - and this book does it well. The age gap is a woman in her mid thirties with a woman in her early fifties, which are character ages and an age-gap I want to see more often in romance novels because I’m in my early thirties and am just not digging books with early twenties protagonists anymore and because I find older/post-menopausal women so hot. The character growth was great, the side characters were fun, the country estate setting was idyllic.
My only criticisms are that occasionally the writing felt a little stilted, sometimes a bit cliched (probably more noticeable because of the amount of sapphic romance I read), and a bit cheesy (usually fun still and it balanced out the more heavy themes). Also, one of characters used #hashtags when speaking sometimes which is very cringe but did feel true to her being an older gen x.
Overall, very enjoyable read!
I felt incredibly strong emotions for both main characters in this book; I did have to learn to love one of them, but the resilience for their passion and love for one another was heartwarming. Plus, the character development and understanding of their personalities was done very well. I was tearing up in the airport reading the ending.
Merged review:
I felt incredibly strong emotions for both main characters in this book; I did have to learn to love one of them, but the resilience for their passion and love for one another was heartwarming. Plus, the character development and understanding of their personalities was done very well. I was tearing up in the airport reading the ending.
Merged review:
I felt incredibly strong emotions for both main characters in this book; I did have to learn to love one of them, but the resilience for their passion and love for one another was heartwarming. Plus, the character development and understanding of their personalities was done very well. I was tearing up in the airport reading the ending.
Overall a very happy book, even though both Sydney and Beatrice have difficult and sad pasts. This book is all about coming to terms with your past, acknowledging it, and doing your best from the point at which you find yourself.
Sydney is such a good character, showing true love and devotion, where others would have given up. Beatrice wants to give up, but seeing Sydney’s example, and with encouragement from others, she finally realises that being with Sydney is what she really needs. One of the surprise best characters in this is Alex, his wisdom beyond his years is so enlightening. And the star of the show? Gertie, the VW Camper.
Merged review:
Overall a very happy book, even though both Sydney and Beatrice have difficult and sad pasts. This book is all about coming to terms with your past, acknowledging it, and doing your best from the point at which you find yourself.
Sydney is such a good character, showing true love and devotion, where others would have given up. Beatrice wants to give up, but seeing Sydney’s example, and with encouragement from others, she finally realises that being with Sydney is what she really needs. One of the surprise best characters in this is Alex, his wisdom beyond his years is so enlightening. And the star of the show? Gertie, the VW Camper.
Sydney is such a good character, showing true love and devotion, where others would have given up. Beatrice wants to give up, but seeing Sydney’s example, and with encouragement from others, she finally realises that being with Sydney is what she really needs. One of the surprise best characters in this is Alex, his wisdom beyond his years is so enlightening. And the star of the show? Gertie, the VW Camper.
Merged review:
Overall a very happy book, even though both Sydney and Beatrice have difficult and sad pasts. This book is all about coming to terms with your past, acknowledging it, and doing your best from the point at which you find yourself.
Sydney is such a good character, showing true love and devotion, where others would have given up. Beatrice wants to give up, but seeing Sydney’s example, and with encouragement from others, she finally realises that being with Sydney is what she really needs. One of the surprise best characters in this is Alex, his wisdom beyond his years is so enlightening. And the star of the show? Gertie, the VW Camper.
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.5.
I enjoyed my first Emily Banting book! It was definitely one of those stories you couldn’t wait to pick back up once you put it down. Beatrice and Sydney were such wonderful, complex main characters, and their slow-burn romance was an absolute joy to follow.
That said, some of the chapters toward the end felt a bit unnecessary—they could have been summarized in the epilogue. I think the story would have benefited from cutting chapters 35 and 39, as their inclusion made the ending feel a touch drawn out and caused it to lose momentum.
Still, this was mostly an engaging read, and Emily Banting has absolutely earned a spot on my “authors to read again” list!
I enjoyed my first Emily Banting book! It was definitely one of those stories you couldn’t wait to pick back up once you put it down. Beatrice and Sydney were such wonderful, complex main characters, and their slow-burn romance was an absolute joy to follow.
That said, some of the chapters toward the end felt a bit unnecessary—they could have been summarized in the epilogue. I think the story would have benefited from cutting chapters 35 and 39, as their inclusion made the ending feel a touch drawn out and caused it to lose momentum.
Still, this was mostly an engaging read, and Emily Banting has absolutely earned a spot on my “authors to read again” list!
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
Broken Beyond Repair by Emily Banting, narrated by the fantastic Angela Dawe, is a beautifully written slow-burn romance that tugs at the heartstrings while tackling complex themes of self-acceptance, healing, and personal growth. With its age-gap and celebrity ice queen tropes, this audiobook delivers a captivating story full of emotional highs and lows that kept me listening until the very end.
Sydney MacKenzie is a personal assistant with a knack for handling difficult personalities, but Beatrice Russell, the internationally renowned actress with a reputation for being icy, tests her patience like no one else. Sydney’s grounded, warm personality is the perfect foil for Beatrice’s prickly exterior, and their chemistry slowly builds throughout the summer as they begin to understand and complement one another in profound ways. Watching the enigmatic Beatrice gradually reveal her vulnerabilities to Sydney was a joy, and their dynamic felt authentic and deeply moving.
The layers to this story go far beyond the romance. Emily Banting weaves in themes of family dynamics, trauma, and the healing journey in a way that feels natural and impactful. Beatrice’s struggles with her past and her self-perception are written with such care, allowing readers to empathize deeply with her character. The addition of transgender representation was handled thoughtfully and added another meaningful layer to the narrative.
Angela Dawe’s narration elevates this story to another level. Her ability to bring out the distinct personalities of Sydney and Beatrice, along with the nuanced emotions of their journey, is impeccable. The subtle shifts in tone and delivery perfectly capture the ice queen thawing dynamic, making it an even more immersive experience.
The slow-burn romance is incredibly well-paced, allowing the emotional connection between Sydney and Beatrice to develop naturally. This isn’t just a love story; it’s a journey of self-acceptance and learning to embrace others as they are. While Beatrice’s walls take time to crumble, the payoff is deeply satisfying.
The supporting characters, with the exception of Peter, were great additions to the story, adding depth and lightness where needed. The family dynamics and the relationships surrounding Sydney and Beatrice added a richness to the plot that made the story even more compelling.
If there’s one minor critique, it’s that I occasionally wanted a bit more insight into Sydney’s perspective on her own emotional journey, but this didn’t detract significantly from my enjoyment.
Broken Beyond Repair is a touching, layered romance that explores themes of acceptance and healing with grace and heart. Sydney and Beatrice’s relationship is as transformative as it is romantic, making this story an absolute must-listen for fans of slow-burn sapphic romance. Highly recommended!
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Well let's begin by saying I finished this book because if it's narrator who did a superb job. I'm not even fully sure what exactly made it so comfortable to listen to. But I definitely loved it.
Other than that? Uffff. Because I'm lazy, here's a bullet list from mildly to most annoying:
- the writing is pretty bad, many repetitions, more tell than show
- the cheesyness of it all, uffff. The characters act as if an AI screened a bunch of hallmark movies and wrote a script based on the data. I love silly romance-shenanigans but this just felt really removed
- the way in which the employer/personal assistant relationship went gave me a huge ick, with Beatrice behaving in a controlling way to "test" Sydney, through e.g. texting and calling her while she sleeps to see how she reacts, idk that's just wrong. And nothing romantic or sexy about it.
- the whole third-act-break up with a dramatic airport reunion and one teary confession solving all conflict is just not my vibe. I want characters to engage with the conflicts they have and actually think of solutions, listen to each other and repair.
- Sydney and Beatrice both think and talk so much about needing each other to live and breathe. There's so many inner monologues about not being able to conceive of a life without the other being a worthy life. That's not how I understand romance and it just felt way too intense for me but that's probably also down to taste.
- when Sydney starts interviewing Beatrice for co-writing her biography, she starts off poking for traumatic childhood facts. And when Beatrice shares experiences of sexualised violence, it's somehow all about how Sydney feels. She prods and pokes around and there is really zero empathy for the horrible things Beatrice is sharing. It felt so off and horrible and I was seriously shocked to be reading this.
- Early on we learn about Sydney's ex, Sam who is a trans man. His outing as trans masc led to Sydney literally running away and abondoning him, going no contact without an explanation or any other word. In itself this is already a horrible way to treat a supposed loved one (or any trans person for that matter). But when they meet again early in the novel it's literally all about Sydney feeling bad and Sam reassuring her it's good she did that because it gave him time to think about himself for freely. What?? Idk there may be trans people who'd react like this after having healed from that experience and reflected about it. But nevertheless, depicting it like this within a novel that has another trans subplot later on just felt like centering cis feelings and not empathetically trying to understand what a reaction like this can cause.
I'll definitely check out the narrator's other work though.
Other than that? Uffff. Because I'm lazy, here's a bullet list from mildly to most annoying:
- the writing is pretty bad, many repetitions, more tell than show
- the cheesyness of it all, uffff. The characters act as if an AI screened a bunch of hallmark movies and wrote a script based on the data. I love silly romance-shenanigans but this just felt really removed
- the way in which the employer/personal assistant relationship went gave me a huge ick, with Beatrice behaving in a controlling way to "test" Sydney, through e.g. texting and calling her while she sleeps to see how she reacts, idk that's just wrong. And nothing romantic or sexy about it.
- the whole
- Sydney and Beatrice both think and talk so much about needing each other to live and breathe. There's so many inner monologues about not being able to conceive of a life without the other being a worthy life. That's not how I understand romance and it just felt way too intense for me but that's probably also down to taste.
- when Sydney starts interviewing Beatrice for co-writing her biography, she starts off poking for traumatic childhood facts.
- Early on we learn about Sydney's ex, Sam who is a trans man. His outing as trans masc led to Sydney literally running away and abondoning him, going no contact without an explanation or any other word. In itself this is already a horrible way to treat a supposed loved one (or any trans person for that matter). But when they meet again early in the novel it's literally all about Sydney feeling bad and Sam reassuring her it's good she did that because it gave him time to think about himself for freely. What?? Idk there may be trans people who'd react like this after having healed from that experience and reflected about it. But nevertheless, depicting it like this within a novel that has another trans subplot later on just felt like centering cis feelings and not empathetically trying to understand what a reaction like this can cause.
I'll definitely check out the narrator's other work though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Transphobia
Hollywood actress Beatrice breaks her leg and needs a new PA while she recovers. Sydney needs some cash to fix up her beloved capervan so she can get back on the road. Entirely predictable romance ensues. Not much to fault though – read it in a day.
Merged review:
Hollywood actress Beatrice breaks her leg and needs a new PA while she recovers. Sydney needs some cash to fix up her beloved capervan so she can get back on the road. Entirely predictable romance ensues. Not much to fault though – read it in a day.
Merged review:
Hollywood actress Beatrice breaks her leg and needs a new PA while she recovers. Sydney needs some cash to fix up her beloved capervan so she can get back on the road. Entirely predictable romance ensues. Not much to fault though – read it in a day.