Book Review of “Broken “by Jane Daly

Book Review: Jane Daly’s  “Broken”

The beginning of Ms. Daly’s novel suggests a romance between two mismatched characters, a Goth girl named Jinxi who deals with stress by cutting her arms, and a young police officer whose nick name is Clean Dean.  And to be sure, the romance element of the story is very engaging. But there is so much more to the story!

Unlike so many protagonists of contemporary romance, Jinxi and Dean’s conflicts go deep and they’re not neatly tied up in a bow at the end. The story is too honest for that. In fact, the heart of the novel has more to do with each point of view character’s struggle with doubt, in some cases extreme, about themselves and God.

Fans of Women’s fiction will identify with Dean’s mother who knows what Jesus would do when faced with a hurting, needy individual at her doorstep. But pulling it off takes everything she has. If not for a loyal Christian friend who prays for her and calls often to offer encouragement, she might have thrown in the towel and missed the amazing blessings God had in store.

Fans of Romance will enjoy the tenuous relationship between Jinxi and Dean, who slowly allow themselves to let down their carefully constructed defenses.

One excellent feature of Broken is the pitch-perfect dialogue. The multi-cultural cast really comes alive, and there are many instances of fresh humor which offset the tough subject matter.

Another excellent feature is how each of the main characters respond to the word of God and the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit. There is even a brief appearance of an old man with a timely word for Jinxi who mysteriously disappears after pointing her in the right direction.

The children in the story play prominent roles and are a delightful touch, especially Hannah who believes in Jinxi when no one else does. And who can resist a rescue dog, brought home to protect the house, but who prefers to stay inside and snuggle with the family?

All in all, Broken does what all writers of Christian fiction aspire to do, entertain, inform, and inspire readers. The book, and its sequels, can be purchased on Amazon.

To all my faithful subscribers,

Have a wonderful week!

Pat Mooney Sweet