Broken HaloRating: 4 stars
Buy Link:
Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novel


Micah Ellis is a man driven. His life centers around his work. He has no friends and since a messy break-up, he has no Dom, which he desperately needs. A broken car brings him to Devon Mallory’s repair shop and despite their rocky start, the men quickly develop a natural connection. But Micah hides his need for submission from Devon until the situation comes to a boiling point. Yet Devon surprises Micah by accepting this change in their relationship in stride and works hard to become a supportive Dom.

Devon is everything Micah has ever needed or wanted, but so many people have abandoned Micah that he can’t quite believe this perfect man is real. It doesn’t help that his ex has begun stalking him or that his performance at work is tanking. Micah has spent a lifetime running away from pain he can’t control. Now he will have to confront his past or end up losing everything.

Broken Halo was, on the whole, an enjoyable novel that had a few issues, but was ultimately saved by strong characters and an involving plot. Micah and Devon drive this book right from the start, though Micah is the true focus. His desperate need for love and support comes through in nearly every interaction with Devon. And Devon never fails to provide that support, which occasionally seems unrealistic, but still it makes the dynamic work. Devon’s dive in attitude towards domination is one of those things that hurts the overall realism of the book because this aspect of their relationship often seems too easy. I will also say that Micah’s issues with regards to self-worth and abandonment are severe, to the point that he really needed some form of therapy. The author paints a rosier picture in that his problems are controlled with a healthy BDSM relationship and unconditional love. And that’s great for the purposes of romantic fiction, but far from how reality works.

Broken Halo moves quickly and while Devon and Micah connect right away, there is a natural progression to their romance that I really enjoyed. There is a sweetness to this couple that works, but occasionally tips over into the saccharine. Hand in hand with this comes a bit of purple prose I found annoying, but it doesn’t happen often and doesn’t consume the text to the point of destroying it.

There is a villain to Broken Halo and he’s as ridiculous as he is pathetic. He comes off as creepy, but his stalkerish tendencies never seem more than that. More than once I wanted to smack Micah for letting such a man take over his life, but that is the nature of abuse in some ways. I just felt that if we were supposed to feel the character was truly threatening, he needed more definition and less cliché.

Broken Halo has a few issues and one antagonist that is laughable rather than terrifying, but has a strong foundation with an engaging couple. Devon and Micah are such a sweet pair that we want them to find their happily ever after, especially with all the struggles they face along the way. This book isn’t perfect, but it offers a warm romance and lots of angst to those who enjoy their novels multi-layered.

A review copy of this book was provided by Dreamspinner Press.

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