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A review by readingwithfefe
What We Broke by Marley Valentine
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
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
5.0
1st person/dual pov
Spice: 4/5
I have quite a few of Marley's books on my TBR but I have yet to read them. Why this one stuck out so much that I chose to read it as my first I have no idea. All I know is that I am glad I read it and now I need to read the others on my list if they are anywhere close to being written like this one is. It is raw and emotional in a way that is hard to find in other books. It reaches into your soul and grabs ahold of it taking you on an emotional journey right alongside the characters. Then there is the way the story is told which had me hanging on every single moment.
I love flashback chapters in books if they are done well and these were perfectly executed in my opinion. You had what was happening now, in the present, running along one timeline, and then all of the flashback chapters flowed in order as they would have in the past while falling seamlessly in between what was happening in the present. This helped provide a closer look at the connection they had formed, how it was formed, who all might be affected by it, and how deep it ran before they got to the place they are in now. It had a very movie or tv show kind of feel to it the way it would switch into the past and then fade back into the present. A very captivating way to read this kind of story considering the subject matter.
As for that subject matter, I won't lie this story is heavy and does not shy away from pain. Like I said it is raw and shows the ugly side of so many different things that can tear a relationship to shreds. It shows how people react to things differently and that while there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to getting through these types of struggles, one person's healing is not more important than the other. And don't even get me started on the inner thoughts of these two as they work their way through each obstacle. From the actual thoughts to the way they are expressed - it's so moving. Marley wrote it in a way that leaves zero doubt as to how intensely they are feeling and as you read it you can't help but feel those same feelings in your own chest.
The spice I rated as a 4/5 because it has so much emotion packed into it. Some parts had me in tears because of the feelings pouring off of both of these guys. There's so much passion, anger, lust, love, fear, trust... sometimes all in one scene. Don't get me wrong it's super steamy but the emotions surrounding all of it are just so thick that it takes the entire scene to another level while burrowing down into your heart even more.
If you haven't read any of Marley's books stop waiting. The pain is absolutely worth it to get to the beautiful story underneath it.
**Please check all content warnings before reading.**
Spice: 4/5
I have quite a few of Marley's books on my TBR but I have yet to read them. Why this one stuck out so much that I chose to read it as my first I have no idea. All I know is that I am glad I read it and now I need to read the others on my list if they are anywhere close to being written like this one is. It is raw and emotional in a way that is hard to find in other books. It reaches into your soul and grabs ahold of it taking you on an emotional journey right alongside the characters. Then there is the way the story is told which had me hanging on every single moment.
I love flashback chapters in books if they are done well and these were perfectly executed in my opinion. You had what was happening now, in the present, running along one timeline, and then all of the flashback chapters flowed in order as they would have in the past while falling seamlessly in between what was happening in the present. This helped provide a closer look at the connection they had formed, how it was formed, who all might be affected by it, and how deep it ran before they got to the place they are in now. It had a very movie or tv show kind of feel to it the way it would switch into the past and then fade back into the present. A very captivating way to read this kind of story considering the subject matter.
As for that subject matter, I won't lie this story is heavy and does not shy away from pain. Like I said it is raw and shows the ugly side of so many different things that can tear a relationship to shreds. It shows how people react to things differently and that while there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to getting through these types of struggles, one person's healing is not more important than the other. And don't even get me started on the inner thoughts of these two as they work their way through each obstacle. From the actual thoughts to the way they are expressed - it's so moving. Marley wrote it in a way that leaves zero doubt as to how intensely they are feeling and as you read it you can't help but feel those same feelings in your own chest.
The spice I rated as a 4/5 because it has so much emotion packed into it. Some parts had me in tears because of the feelings pouring off of both of these guys. There's so much passion, anger, lust, love, fear, trust... sometimes all in one scene. Don't get me wrong it's super steamy but the emotions surrounding all of it are just so thick that it takes the entire scene to another level while burrowing down into your heart even more.
If you haven't read any of Marley's books stop waiting. The pain is absolutely worth it to get to the beautiful story underneath it.
**Please check all content warnings before reading.**