CONTAINS DISTRESSING CONTENT. 18+
On a day like any other, Allyn Sommers went off to work, not knowing that her life was about to be irrevocably and horrifically altered.
Three years later, Allyn is still a prisoner in her own home held captive by harrowing fear. Broken and damaged, Allyn seeks help from someone that fate brought her.
Dr. Dominic Shriver is a psychiatrist who’s drawn to difficult … is a psychiatrist who’s drawn to difficult cases. He must push past his own personal battles to help Allyn fight her monsters and nightmares.
Is Dr. Shriver the answer to her healing?
Can Allyn overcome the broken?
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This a truly amazing well written read. Very emotional throughout, I thought the author handled very sensitive issues brilliantly.
Allyn is a strong women that lost her way for three years due to one horrific night that change her in so many ways, Dominic came along and brought the colour back into her life.
Very emotional highly recommend 5* Read
This story of a tragic event that changed Allyn’s life forever is so haunting, heartbreaking, and hopeful. My heart broke for Allyn as she questioned her actions and was fearful every moment of everyday. Until she met Dominic, who would help her see that she could live and love life again. It was a difficult journey that had it’s setbacks, but the beautiful moments of healing made it well worth it. This was a very emotional and heartrending story made all the more powerful by Meghan Kelly’s narration. Her portrayal of Allyn’s anxiety, fear, and vulnerabilities, then her hopefulness, renewal, and joy was so captivating. She also really creeped me out with her voices haunting Allyn in her mind, they were so good. This is my first book by McHeyzer and she and Kelly really held me captive on this emotional and psychological journey!
Wow-O-Wow! I can’t even! Arg!! This girl! This poor poor girl! Even THREE YEARS later she is still so affected! I can totally understand and I really REALLY felt her fears. Then to watch her baby steps was amazing!
This is not a first time author for me. Ugly was my first book by her and i was just as affected by that story. This author takes me to the edge of my emotions then….gives just a little push to take me over. Then she reels me back in for more. I LOVE the title of this book!
KUDOS to Meghan Kelly who really put her emotions into this as well. She took the story and went one step further playing Allyn. She made what Allyn’s felt so real it was terrifying. The quiver in her voice during her “moment” drew me in. Simply Amazing!!
This book was a gift and a new author to me. That being said, I had no preconceived idea what the book was about or the author’s writing style. When I read the teaser, I was a bit nervous but I’m always enthralled with Dark Romance. Then I started to read the book. This was no dark romance. This was a journey that initially put a knot in my stomach and brought instant tears to my eyes. With each step in the book I was able to take a breath and by the end of the book, here I am singing the praises of Margaret Mcheyzer. To all readers who have not read the book yet and are just reading the reviews, there could be major triggers involved. Just know there is a plan to work through them. What an incredible story with characters you will instantly love or love to hate, there is no in between for either. The plot takes an incredible twist that came out of nowhere. As a matter of fact, I had to read that part three times just to fully take in all the emotions of the moment. I’ve found a new author for sure. Congratulations Ms. Mcheyzer for a job well done!
The story of allyn is disturbing and heartbreaking. Her courage to get better and learn to live life again is refreshing. The ending is a shocker!
A Life Less Broken was a great read by Margaret McHeyzer. Allyn Sommers went to work as if it was any other day. She would’ve never guessed that her life would change drastically that day. Three years later, she finds herself as a prisoner in her home due to that day and the damage it created. Dr. Dominic Shriver is a psychiatrist who wants to help but is fighting off his personal feelings for her. I enjoyed reading this book and can’t wait to read more by the author.
I loved this book until I got about half way through. I thought the characters were well defined, but about half way through the story line fell apart for me. I read as much as I could and then skipped to the end. I was a little disappointed with how the last half of the story was delivered given how beautifully the first half was written.
I would recommend this book, strictly based in the first half.
This was my first Margaret McHeyzer’s book, and won’t be my last. Allyn’s story is totally heartbreaking. Dominic is such a great character. They share a strong and beautiful love. This isn’t an easy story to listen, but it has a beautiful HEA. Meghan Kelly did an amazing job with the narration. I received this free review copy audiobook at my request and I have voluntarily written this review.
An Outstanding Story & Audible Listen
A Life Less Broken
By: Margaret McHeyzer
Narrated by: Meghan Kelly
This is the type of story that you just can’t put down and one you will never forget. It captivates your mind and tugs at your heart in so many ways. Margaret McHeyzer’s story is not an easy one but it is one that needs to be heard, it well written, well told and thought provoking. The lead character is Allyn Sommers, a young woman who is brutally raped and assaulted by several men who left her for dead. With injuries so severe she spent months in the hospital, her broken bones healed but the scars remained. Worst of it was what it did to her mind, it broke her spirit. She became homebound, a prisoner of her own life, unable to get the monsters who attacked her out of her mind, she has nightmares, is always afraid and paranoid. Not stepping out of her house for 3 years, one day she sees a TV show where several victims of an unrelated crime mentions the name of the Psychiatrist who helped them, Dr. Dominic Shriver. Allyn takes the first step of her journey to learn to live again and reaches out to him. Her journey is not an easy one, she has many struggles but she has a great rapport with Dominic, she responds well to him, he can calm her just with his voice. She had so much to over come, I loved his patience with her and his ability to sooth her and give her courage. Allyn’s story is an amazing one, she is a survivor, she always had the strength within her to survive. Dominic help draw that strength out of her, allowing her to gain the confidence she needed to live again. Interesting turn of events how the perpetrators were found, how close to home they were and how many victims there really were. Margaret McHeyzer, thank you for this great story. I appreciated the follow-up on the perpetrators, always good to see that justice gets served, sometimes in more ways than one.
I listened to the Audible edition, narrated by the talented Meghan Kelly. She is a wonderful voice performer who brings the characters to life, gives them their own voice and personality. She put a lot of heart in this story, she made you feel what Allyn was going thru, her fear, insecurity, desperation and heartache. Her Dominic was magnificent, she gave him a voice that voice could take control, he was able to distract Allyn take her from her fear and panic. Thank you for another awesome listen, your talent never seizes to amaze me.
A Life Less Broken
By: Margaret McHeyzer Author
Narrated by: Meghan Kelly – Audiobook Narrator
A Life Less Broken is a story about a girl who is gang raped and her struggle to come back from the horrific tragedy. This is my first Margaret McHeyzer book, and she completely captivated me with this story. Allyn is brutally raped and left for dead. With a string of similar attacks, she is the only one who has survived and has developed a fear of ever leaving her house and beginning to live again. After hearing a story of 3 kidnapped women who have begun their lives again, she seeks out the doctor who helped them. Dominic Shriver comes to her aid. This story is taken with baby steps. The healing is slow and the series of events both full of heartache and hope. Dominic finds his own solace in helping Allyn and their pure love is enrapturing. I loved the story. It’s just graphic enough to let us know the extent of the injuries and psychological impact the rape had on Allyn. I can’t even wrap my head around it, but found her bravery to face her fears and want to live again inspiring. Dominic is full of patience and his way is so soothing. The combination of the two, and the journey had me invested in the outcome and was a very good listen.
I can’t begin to say how good Meghan Kelly was with this narration. Between the act of the rape and the emotional strain it had on Allyn, she gave it her all. When she was crying, my heart cried with her. When she was happy, my heart soared. Her voices for the characters are spot on, with Dominic’s soothing stance and Allyn’s fragileness. It is an amazing performance.
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I really liked this book. It was full of emotion and pain. The author let you feel the main characters torment that she was going through since her rape and torture. It was very deep and moving. I was glad to have read it.
This book is emotional but it is also powerful and beautiful. The characters are complex and as hard it is at times to read this book, I could not put it down. I absoultley loved this book, Margaret McHeyzer is fast becoming a favourite author of mine.
A huge fan of Margaret McHeyzer I have been wanting to read A Life Less Broken for quite some time, but just hadn’t gotten to it. That is until now.
Margaret for me is an extremely unique author who isn’t afraid to give emotional and highly confronting subject matters a voice. She treats each subject matter with such respect and dignity that every time I pick up a novel from her I know I am going to get something that will take my breath away.
But with A Life Less Broken….It crushed my soul.
Such a heartbreaking story about a young woman who is kidnapped and brutalized by the hands of monsters. Death was supposed to come, but it never did, her will to survive too strong.
Move forward three years we are taken on her journey still struggling with the demons that plague her mind daily. Her will to survive is gone. We witness what life is like for a woman who’s world is so dark that she never leaves her home. We witness what life is like for a woman with no mirrors, no outside connections, nothing, just a prisoner in her own home. We are taken on her life journey about trying to heal, trying to find color in a dark and clouded world, trying to find hope when hope just doesn’t exist. We are taken on her journey of self worth, self hate and the need to breathe without fear.
This is a story about survival.
This is Allyn’s voice.
Guys I cannot rate this novel high enough. Again as I said earlier the subject matter in the novel is highly confronting, but needs to be read. It’s raw, gritty, heartbreaking,
gut-wrenching and highly emotional to the point of tears, but this is real life and it needs to be heard. It needs to be recognized because it happens daily in the world we live in. A powerful read that should never be ignored.
To Margaret. Thank you so very much for giving us yet another read that completely captured my heart and soul. A Life Less Broken will stay with me always.
5 stars