Rule #1: Keep running.Jag’s rules have kept him safe and free since he escaped conversion therapy, but that was before he walked into Heaven and Hell. A no-strings fling with the club owner, Michael, turns into so much more as Jag finds himself breaking one rule after another. Michael hasn’t been able to commit to anyone since his partner died, until Jag walks into his club. Falling in lust with … club. Falling in lust with the elfin young dancer is easy, and his heart is quick to follow.
Michael gives Jag a reason to stay, but fear rules Jag’s heart more than love. Despite his deepening feelings for Michael, Jag knows he can’t stay. Can he?
Broken is an age-gap romance, with explicit language, steamy scenes, pole dancing, and plenty of angst. It is a standalone novel, with a happy for now ending.
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“The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places.”
― Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms
I actually listed to this one as narrated by Piers Ryman rather than reading it.
After reading a steady stream of books from “my side of the pond,” I loved the Briticisms in this book. Between jumpers, bedsits, filter coffee, dual-carriageways, and punters, this book is about as firmly grounded in the British Isles as the Tower of London.
First, let’s deal with a somewhat problematic premise. Jag is convinced he’s running from a powerful family who are not above kidnapping him and subjecting him to yet another round of conversion therapy. To a normal person, it’s unclear how Jag could still be so under the control of his family. He’s now an adult. He has the ability to make a stink in the press. He can get a restraining order, no? But if we grant that premise; chalking it up to the views of a young man still deeply scarred by past betrayals, and experiences, the rest of the story becomes a sweet variation on the hurt/comfort trope.
The relationship between Michael and Jag is all the sweeter because Jag insists it can’t last. It’s so clear to the reader that Jag’s rules are unnecessary when dealing with a truly good and supportive man like Michael. But will the wounded and betrayed man-child with little sense of self worth be able to see that amid his fears? Oddly, Jag’s almost paranoiac fears are manifested by him being unable to surrender control and it’s quite interesting to see him taking control in the early sexual situations, while on some level, still being such a broken and brittle character at his base. That said, since “no strings sex” is one of Jag’s early demands, there are plenty of scenes featuring hot action. And as the relationship becomes closer, the sex becomes sweeter but no less frequent.
Piers Ryman does a yeomanlike job in narrating this book. His character voices aren’t as pronounced and his “voice acting” isn’t as on display, as many of the more popular narrators out there. He mostly lets the story narrative and the character’s inner monologues speak for themselves while still imbuing the character’s spoken dialogue with regional accents and points of view. Initially this seemed a bit strange, but a few chapters in I was no longer noticing this as anything unusual.
While the plot’s critical conflict seems a bit minor in retrospect, this is a quick enjoyable read. That it highlights an issue that still all too real in today’s culture, (and the presence of an HEA ending) makes it a worthwhile one as well.
***Note: I am voluntarily reviewing this after receiving a complimentary copy ***
This is the first book I’ve read by this author, but I love MM, I loved the cover, and I loved the blurb. They story was a bit slow to start for my liking, but once it did get started, Jag’s past was revealed, and he started to settle down with Michael I did enjoy the book. I liked the characters, their story was relatable, the hate towards gay people is hard to tolerate at all in life, but this book showcases some deep topics that’s delt with perfectly.
Book 1 ends leaving us with what will happen next? Will these two characters get a happy ever after? I guess we’ll need to read book 2 to find out.
A wonderful story written by Colette , a difficult subject handled very well. I cried in parts and was mad in others.
But in the end I ended up relieved more than anything. Its great when a book really pulls at your emotions, truly means your reading a book by an awesome author.
Audiobook review:
Story: 5
Performance: 5
Wow, this is one of those books that just about broke me but it was such a great story. Jag’s parents forced him into “therapy” when he came out to them at fifteen. He eventually ran away, never staying in one place too long for fear that they would find him (they are very well known and influential).
Michael hires Jag to dance at his club, Heaven and Hell, and eventually they begin a relationship. Jag won’t let it develop into anything serious because he knows he can’t stay.
This was such an emotional story and Piers Ryman did a wonderful job performing it. His voice conveyed all of the anguish that Jag felt when he finally told Michael what happened to him. I’ve listened to a few other audiobooks he’s done and enjoyed them, but he was really outstanding with Broken.
I loved the writing in Broken. The words flowed perfectly and the descriptions of Jag’s dancing allowed me to “see” what he was doing. I was absolutely engaged with the story from beginning to end.
I’m a bit late to the party with this series, but with the recent release of Book 2, Forgotten, I just KNEW I had to play catch-up before picking it up. No reading out of sequence for me this time, no siree! *shakes head*
*sniffs*
*sighs*
I was an emotional wreck at the end of Jag and Michael’s story. Talk about emotional wringer!
I literally sobbed my little heart out. The Mommy thought she was going to have stage an intervention *snorts*. Poor woman has a lot to put up with when I’m living between the pages of a book. Some stories just consume you, don’t they? (Please don’t say it’s just me!)
Can you imagine living your life in constant fear and always having to look over your shoulder? Me either! That is no way to live. Well, this is Jag’s reality. Will his arrival at Michael’s club change all that?! Pfft, like I’m going to give the story away *smirks* I know, I’m awful… *snorts*
I love how Michael isn’t without his own demons either. The heart is a fragile thing and it takes great courage to open it once more to possibilities especially following loss.
Both of these characters touched me in ways (oi, enough of that nonsense!) that I find hard to put into words. The emotional connection, and the intensity of said connection, between Jag and Michael was one that I, as a reader, will never forget.
And don’t even get me started on the pole dancing scenes! Google (other internet search providers are available) was my friend when it came to researching terminology. These scenes came alive in my mind – raw, beautiful, and inherently masculine. They took my breath away. Okay, I confess to ‘maybe’ having to peel my tongue away from the roof of my mouth.
What’s that?
Incorrigible, you say. Guilty as charged *smirks*.
Colette Davison has woven together a beautiful and heart-rending tale that shows even when you think you are broken beyond repair fate may decide otherwise.
Sheesh, if this was the state of me after Book 1, I’ll have to be girding my loins for Book 2! Pray for me, peeps. I have a feeling I’m going to need it.
What I Think: First off, this is a dedication to every pole dancer (as I doubt I will ever meet one in real life). You all defy gravity and make it look easy. The song Earned It by The Weekend kept turning round my mind as I read this tale. From the first bit where he says you make it look like it’s magic to the ending bit that says you’ve earned it and are worth it. That song was definitely made for pole dancers and you all leave me speechless with awe. I didn’t know pole dancing moves had names. I didn’t know it was so grueling. I have never seen one except in bits of movies so of course, I had to go watch some YouTube videos. And proceeded to get my mind blown to the point that when I saw there were actual competitions, I nodded my head because that’s a grueling sport deserving of medals and awards.
Women tend to be masochists (seems that way most times) but I was astonished that there were male pole dancers because why would any man himself through that? Guess I was biased without knowing and was about to get a much needed education so back to YouTube. Please, hold on while I smack myself then return to the tale. And my education just got sidetracked by the insta-lust. Hey, I’m lazy and love my emotions instant and fiery.
Jag is on the run from people who seem to always catch him while our resident angel gives the feeling of someone whose been there, done that and is done with that life.
At first, I was a little puzzled over their sexual, erm, preferences but as the tale went on I understood why it worked well for both of them. The angel (not actual angel. Read it) needed someone who knew what he wanted and went for it, while Jag needed to be with someone who would submit to him, yet it created so many barriers that only an onlooker could have seen while it painfully dragged them even closer together. Not to mention Jag’s tenacious hold on his rules. Which apparently is why I had to stay with it until Jag was broken, open and spilling out of his paranoid brain. I feel like a sadist but with what he’s doing to my angel, nothing less would satisfy me.
But, we all know that not only rules were made to be broken but love never asks for permission. It sneaks up on you, stalks, smacks or drops you down the never ending well.
My heart aches so bad for Jag. Nobody that young should have been to hell and back, especially if he’s dragged there by family. My fear was that he’s too broken to fix and I don’t know if my angel needs this in his life when he’s still in the grieving process but dammit. Every little thing revealed from Jag’s past has me aching and nauseous. It’s like he cracked my heart and the crack just keeps getting wider and wider. And now the water works have begun to trickle because Jay may be broken but he’s strong, stronger than he believes if he can still carry the compassion and love he does in his heart. I want to shake him, tell him how amazing it is but I have to let my angel do all that instead as my tears just ran silently into my pillow.
These two are breaking my heart, shredding me on the inside. How do you meet the person perfect for you and be so frightened that you have to walk away? Do you know the amount of fear and trauma you have to have endured to do that? How battered you’ve got to be to live a life on the run while giving yourself rules that keep you safe while you live a half-life? When Archangel bet that Jag loved him enough to break all his rules, my heart broke with his loss and the crack in my heart turned to a full-on split with every word that came out of Jag’s mouth.
Jag is a reminder that you don’t need adamantium claws. Your heart and will power can be so strong that even when you crumble, you retain your true self. Oh goddess, I want to be this archangel when I grow up. Be able to be so intuitive that I can read and deliver what my better half needs without words. And my heart fluttered so bad when I saw how Jag put his name together.
Lawdess, why do I still have a life outside of books? I can’t even fall apart and cry because I’m moving around constantly. I just keep blinking while my colleagues think my eye sight must be getting worse. I never thought about how just because you lose a partner to the arms of Thanatos, you never stop loving them and you can only be with a partner that accepts that you will always have that love yet can still love them fiercely in the now. I can’t think of an ending more real or perfect.
Verdict? A comfort keeper of a tale to remind us that no matter how broken we may feel, we too are worthy of a love that gives us the strength to stitch our fragments back together again.
This is one of the best MM romance I read! I loved it! Michael and Jag are lovely.
The plot is really good and realistic. The characters are beautiful and adorable. The love between them is amazing and the sex scenes so hot!
The writing is perfect. I couldn’t put it down.
This is my review of the audiobook:
I loved this story. Jag and Michael each broke my heart a little, and it made me happy to watch them slowly begin to heal each other. Jag’s parents put him through so much that was horrifically traumatic, and he was doing all he could just to survive. And Michael was still grieving the loss of a partner who was his soulmate. These two fell quickly into lust and slowly into love. The story was sexy and beautiful, and the narrator’s performance was perfection. I recommend this wonderful book, which is even more amazing in audio format.
It’s horrible what lengths parents will go to to change the way their children to conform to their own ideas of who they should be, also so very sad too. Jag has been on the run for 4 years now fleeing from city to city trying to stay a head of his family and their efforts to retrieve him. He just wants to live his best life without someone else deciding how he lives it and with whom. When he applies for a job at Heaven and Hell and meets Micheal he realises that the time has come to confront the past to have the future he deserves with the man he loves. This story just grabs you from the first page draws you in and forces you to stay because you have to know how everything from the past is resolved in the present and what it means for the future.
Well written, with enough twists and turns to keep you wanting to know what will happen next. A great Sunday read.
Ok, How do you write an review for this book? Answer It is not easy without going into detail about this book and I really hate to give spoilers for any books.
This book talks about what a young boy went threw to get where he is now. He ran away from his home because of what they was putting him though just because he told them that he was gay. and how a guy helped Jag with some of the things so Jag can get passed it and stay in one place for longer then a few months at a time.
This book is emotional It had me crying for Jag
I have to admit it was the cover of this book that caught my eye, but when I read the blurb for this book, I just had to read it. Jag has a few rules that he lives by. Those rules have kept him safe. When he walks into Heaven and Hell, there’s one man he finds himself wanting to break all his rules for. Michael. Michael is the owner of Heaven and Hell. He’s been alone for a little while now. He can’t help himself but be drawn in by Jag, but Jag is running from his past. I totally love Jag and Michael. The pole dancing aspect of this book made it all the better. So good! The only thing that stopped me from devouring this book in a day is that I had to work. This is the first time I’ve read this author and I’m definitely going to keep my eye on her to see what she brings us next.
Oh this book! Jag’s backstory is so heartbreaking – I just wanted to throttle his parents. Michael’s gentle reassurance and steadfast nature was a great counterpoint as Jag slowly broke all his rules and let himself fall in love!
4.5 stars
Heat Level: 4
A beautiful journey to trust, healing and self-discovery!
I love Colette’s writing and Broken is another winner! She creates such depth in her characters and takes you on a journey take will grab hold of your heart.
Jag is a somewhat broken character and his backstory is tragic. He is always running and happens upon Heaven and Hell, run by Michael. Their instant chemistry flies off the page and the dynamics and intrigue Colette creates between the characters are electrifying. I enjoyed the knowledge and complexity of Jag and how Colette slowly reveals more of his past and his pain. I loved the confidence Jag finds dancing and Michael’s reverent care for him. This is a dynamic and complex story of how love can heal. A highly recommended read and another powerful creation from Colette!!
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This book just broke my heart. Jag embodies so much. His realism, and his fears that drive him to live by those rules, truly tore me apart. Michael and his strength and compassion, and that willingness to listen without judgment, warmed me. I love that Colette was willing to tackle and write about conversion therapy in a meaningful way. This book was truly beautiful.
This book is just beautiful!!
Jag has gone through so much and it hurts me to read about the shit he had to go through because of who he is. It might have hit me a bit harder because I haven’t come out to my parents yet(even though I’ve dreamt all the different scenarios) and what he went through could be one of those scenarios.
Michael is an amazing character. He is really understanding and never pushed Jag. He is everything Jag needed and more. They might not be perfect on their own but they are perfect together. They are flawed and real.
This book made me tear up. I could feel Jag’s pain and helplessness. This is my first book by this author and i can’t believe I’ve never read any of her books before. This book is simply amazing!! And I love Jag and Michael so much!
Highly recommended
*ARC provided by the author in exchange for honest review
I was only forty pages into this when I first decided it was amazing. Nothing after that changed my opinion, although I got more and more excited-happy as it went on!
Michael, former pole dancer and now owner of the pole dancing club Heaven and Hell (which morphs into a pole fitness gym in the daytime, genius!) is a gorgeous, steady but somewhat sad man with good friends and more love to give.
Jag (not his real name) is a traumatised, beautiful 20-year-old looking for a job and a place to stay before he has to move on again. He has a frightening past, a set of rules to keep him safe, and a certainty he will never be able to live a normal life with friends and love.
I really liked both main characters, and the friends Mac and Russell (Russell is such a cheeky boy!), whose story I now want to read too. Michael is a fairly open book, some sadness in his past but we get that fairly quickly. Jag is tight-lipped and though you start to get a feel for what’s up with him early on, as the details come out I felt a fresh wave of “poor boy” combined with indignation and anger every time. His story is tough but sensitively dealt with.
And I love their dates, so sweet! This was a beautiful romance between two very lovable main characters with lots of yummy hot moments! Many heart-eye emojis required.
Received as an ARC. The above is my honest review