Content levels
Hero archetypes
Heroine archetypes
Protagonist archetypes
Tropes
Themes
Synopsis
Some truths are too terrible to speak, and too dangerous to hide. London, 1955. Nurse Helen Brent has spent twenty-six years believing she'll never find love. Then she meets her new patient, David Edevane. Despite a tragic upbringing, David is kind and stable, and their whirlwind romance quickly leads to marriage and pregnancy. But Helen's world collapses when she uncovers a dreadful secret, and she will carry the consequences of her silence for the rest of her days... Present day. Archaeologist Quinn Allenby has seen countless ancient remains, but the tiny baby buried with tender care in a London garden affects her deeply. When she touches the pewter brooch left with the body, Quinn is drawn into a devastating mystery. But as Helen's tragedy unfolds, Quinn's family begins to fracture, and she discovers that some wounds run deeper than time itself. Can she confront the growing threat within her own bloodline before history repeats itself in the most devastating way possible? A heartbreaking story of forbidden love, family secrets, and the dangerous power of blood ties, perfect for fans of Diana Gabaldon, Susanna Kearsley, and Barbara Erskine.
Tags
Is The Broken appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 16 and up.
This dual-timeline novel deals with a buried infant, dark family secrets, and implied abuse or incest. The mystery unfolds with emotional weight and disturbing revelations about bloodlines and hidden crimes.
What to know going in
This book has mild violence, mild sexual content, and mild language. Content notes include child harm, hidden abuse, infant death, and grief (see the full list above).
Who'll love this
Readers who love time-slip mysteries and uncovering buried family secrets will be drawn into this haunting dual-timeline story.