It was really hard to connect to this book and stay interested.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

I saw Mia Sheridan and romantic suspense and I just had to read it. Unfortunately, it wasn't the greatest reading experience from this author for me. It was just lacking the feeling and emotion that I've had with her previous books. Definitely check trigger warnings, as it does deal with some darker difficult topics. Somehow this one ultimately fell flat for me and just lacked that spark/connection/investment that I needed from it. Definitely still worth the read if you've loved this author. If you haven't read from her before, I don't think I'd recommend starting here, as it just didn't live up to the hype/potential.

To fully enjoy this book, you'll need to suspend your disbelief significantly. It took me some time to get there, and even then, I'm not entirely sure I managed to, though I can't deny that I found parts of it enjoyable. That said, I'm not much of a thriller or suspense reader. I've been exploring them more lately, but at heart I'm still a romance and fantasy reader. So, perhaps I'm not the ideal target for this kind of story.

You might wonder, if you enjoy fantasy, why did a thriller feel so implausible? The difference lies in the setting. We are not talking about a chosen one battling dark forces with their pet dragon, this book is grounded in a real city, grappling with real issues that many people face today: abuse, addiction, violence, and homelessness. The story touches on traumatic experiences that, unfortunately, happen to real people. And here's where it lost me, and I might be getting into spoilery territory, so tread with caution: the introduction of a miracle cure that could supposedly solve all of these problems. It felt like suggesting a pill could cure cancer. Hopeful, yes, but far-fetched. Until I see such a solution in real life, I'm inclined to remain skeptical.

Around 70% into the book, I began to sense a shift that didn't quite sit well with me. It started to feel like I was reading the story of a cult, told from the perspective of one of its devoted followers.

The topics this book covers aren't easy to digest. I'm an avid reader and have encountered these issues before, but rarely all in one place. So, if you're considering picking this up, I strongly recommend checking for trigger warnings first.

So, did I like it? I'm honestly still processing that. The book had me hooked; I can't deny that. The mystery is compelling and kept me guessing almost until the end. I figured out the twist just a couple of chapters before the characters did, which speaks to its unpredictability. There's also a touch of romance, which I always appreciate. I'm really not surprised, since I've read other books from this author and know she has a knack for it.

In the end, if you're not as much of a realist as I am, I think you'll find this book enjoyable. It has its merits and is far from a bad book. It's just that for someone like me, some elements were a bit too much to fully embrace.

I usually love this author's romance books. But from here on out, no more Mia Sheridan suspense novels. They just aren't for me.

DNF 30% or so in. I picked this up several times and just nope. Couldn't do it.

It was weird and boring. Couldn't hold my attention. I don't know if the writing was just lazy or needed some major editing. I don't normally comment on stuff like that when I get an ARC (as I expect errors and things to change) but it was enough notice that I had to read things more than once. Came across as disjointed, not fully thought out. Repetitive. The MFC drove me insane. I didn't feel any connection. And by chapter 12, I didn't care to try to push through, any longer.

If you decide to read this, I wish you the best of luck. And hope you have a better time with it than I did.

This book was captivating, gripping and unexpected. It was a wild ride and the ending was sweet and closed the story perfectly.

I've read a lot of books from this author and she does not disappoint!.

Would highly recommend 🥰

*Thank you to NetGalley, Montlake Publishing, and Mia Sheridan for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review!*
I want to start off by saying I’ve ready many Mia Sheridan book, starting with her romance and into the more recent romantic suspense novels. I think Mia is wonderful at crafting a story I’ve never thought of & honestly, these suspense novels definitely creep me out a bit…they’re really dark! But again, that’s a testament to her ability to write compelling stories. I applaud her ability to freak me out, haha.
With this particular book, I think my hang ups were entirely personal, both of them being issues with the pacing of the romantic aspect of this book, as well as general interest in the suspenseful aspect. Without getting into spoilers, I didn’t really believe in the connection between our two main characters, nor did I feel very attached to our main character, Lennon. Despite being told things about her and learning more about her life, she felt very 2D to me, as did Ambrose. I will say that later in the book, I began to feel that connection strengthen, mostly based on events they experience together.
As for the suspenseful aspect, what threw me off was again, the pacing. I do think the issues within the book are absolutely necessary to talk about and unbelievably complex. And I enjoyed the way everything came together, even if it wasn’t exactly to my liking as a reader, in terms of how the story flowed. I think Mia is an extremely talented writer, and I will definitely pick up her next book. This one just wasn’t for me.

I was given the opportunity to read an ARC of this novel from Montlake, NetGalley and the author.

I did enjoy the idea of this novel and found the murder investigation to be fairly interesting. I don’t know if it’s typical but where I live the word detective would have been used instead of inspector so that kept throwing me as well. I also had not heard of an FBI agent partnering with a local police agent. Maybe I just don’t hear of this enough but that kept throwing me.

I didn’t feel that the reader had enough history on the FMC and the MMC. I wanted to know a little bit more about them but also understood the stories importance of jumping right in. I am a reader who loves to know about the characters I’m following but that is just a personal preference.

The pacing of the novel was also a bit odd and sometimes hard to follow. There were parts that flew when discussing the murder however other times it felt like it drug on with no pertinent information.

I did like the slight romance bending into the story but also felt as if it took away from the severity of the crime that was being investigated. Overall this novel was not for me but I know some will absolutely love it!

↬ review: 4 stars ☾ ❦
i need to read more romantic suspense because this book was phenomenally thrilling, emotionally packed, and so unexpectedly good. it felt like a fever dream, but in a good way.

mia sheridan has a knack for diving deep into the emotional trenches, but she does it with grace. the characters' backstories are heart-wrenching and inspiring, showing that even in our broken places, there's potential for growth and love. the writing is chefs kiss. it's smooth and engaging, pulling you effortlessly into the story. the author has a way of making the characters' pain palpable, their joy contagious, and their love utterly unconventional and beautiful. the pacing is just right, with enough twists and turns to keep you hooked yet allow those tender moments to fully resonate.

maybe it's because i've read only a few romantic suspense novels in my life, but i adored the experience. was it totally believable? not really, but that didn't matter. it's a journey of healing, resilience, and finding love in the most unexpected places. it's a testament to the fact that even the most broken hearts can be mended.

thank you, netgalley and mia sheridan, for the arc in exchange for my honest review. it means a lot to me, and i appreciate it.

you can literally never go wrong with a mia sheridan book. her books will always have depth and her writing is positively captivating. i ate this up and finished it in one full sitting. highly recommend reading this one!!!

Mia Sheridan is one of my all-time fave authors, forever perched on my auto-read/buy list. So, when I heard she was dropping a new thriller, my excitement went through the roof! Her ability to weave magic in both thrillers and romance novels is a rare gem.

But, The Broken Places took a bit of a detour from her usual style. This one's more of a police procedural/crime thriller than her usual psychological suspense, and you can tell. While I give her major props for stepping out of her comfort zone, this book didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The emotional depth that Mia Sheridan usually nails was missing, and I struggled to connect with the characters and story.

Does this change my love for her? Absolutely not! She's still amazing, and I’ll keep recommending her books. This one was just a bit of a miss in her collection. It happens. I'm still pumped for her next release!

Heads up, though: check the trigger warnings before diving in. TW: murder, child molestation, drug use/addiction, prostitution, torture.

2.5 ⭐️

I haven't read a Mia Sheridan romantic suspense in a while. While I usually love them, I wasn't a big fan of this one. It follows Inspector Lennon Gray and Agent Ambrose Mars as they investigate a string of murders connected to a specific drug found on scene. I could not get into the mystery surrounding the murders and drugs and I felt nothing for the romance. The plot had potential, but it was missing something for me.

Murder, suspense, and romance rolled into one in this upcoming new read from Mia Sheridan. I wish I could say it delivered harder than the synopsis did, but it just fell short for me. I felt like it wasn't really hitting this author's strengths and the storyline just fell flat. It has such a strong, dark premise that could have gone the distance, but it just didn't connect for me.

I am a huge fan of Mia Sheridan books, and this does not delude. You’ll love it, I don’t do spoiler but I assure you’ll find it breathtaking.

Thank you to Netgalley and Montlake for the ARC.

🌟🌟🌟 3/5 stars

The Broken Places is about an inspector and an FBI agent who must track down the source of an unknown drug while fighting their attraction to one another. I typically love Mia Sheridan’s romantic suspense books, but unfortunately, this one didn’t grab me. I will definitely check out her next release!

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

3 ½ Stars for this twisted story

Although the storyline is really good, I had a hard time following it at times. I know that parts of the story are from people who are on lots of drugs ... back forth back forth, thud thud thud ... was just repeated too many times and I found a lot of those interviews just didn't make sense. There were lots of characters to keep track of, so it kept me guessing and I do love a good mystery.

Lennon is an Inspector with the San Francisco PD and she's investigating a series of murders where a purple pill with BB left at the scenes. Ambrose is an FBI Agent who is assigned to work the case as Lennon's partner. There is a serial killer out there leaving victims with terrified faces in death. But nothing is as it seems!

I received an early copy courtesy of Montlake through NetGalley.

MY REVIEW:

Mia Sheridan's writing style is captivating and engaging. I first fell in love with her work in Archer's Voice. When the opportunity to read her latest arc presented itself, I knew I couldn't pass it up. And let me say, Mia didn't disappoint. This book is unlike anything she's written before, and I was hooked from the very beginning. The plot is brilliant and unpredictable, keeping me on the edge of my seat. Mia added a twist that I didn't see coming, making the reading experience even more enjoyable. This book will continue to stay with you even after you read the last page. If you're a fan of mystery, suspense, romance, and thriller, then this novel is a must-read.

Thank You To NetGalley, Publisher Montlake @amazonpublishing and Author Mia Sheridan for providing me with an ARC of this debut Novel.

I have read a handful of Mia's books and typically love them. This one is just ok for me. It is entertaining and a bit dark with some of the subject matter which can make it hard to get through at times. I will say that at around the 3/4 mark I started to wish I was done with it but pushed through to the end anyway. I did not guess the killer so it did surprise me in a way and kept me mostly entertained. I did not really feel the romance between Lennon and Ambrose like I normally do with Mia's writing. I am actually quite surprised that this book was so mid for me because I typically love books like this and I love most of Mia's writing. So, this was was good but not great for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a thrilling four-star read, honestly it could have been five, but I struggled way too much to get into this story, it was a little out there, but I enjoy reading stories that aren’t too serious, so I enjoyed that and the final third made the story for me, the first third nearly had me DNFing, I just couldn’t get into it. The setting was so well done, and that carried it in certain places, Lennon and Ambrose are oddly good together, and that adds something, but it is a little too much at first. There are thrilling moments in this story, so if you are after a gritty thriller and can keep going, then pick this one up.

I have a deep personal connection with this author and her writing style. Despite my usual aversion to stories involving drugs, the way she portrays themes of longing and addiction in her books resonates with me deeply.

In the novel I experienced, I found myself completely drawn into the emotional suspense woven throughout. The author's ability to paint vivid scenes and evoke intense emotions kept me eagerly turning pages. Her storytelling created an atmosphere that immersed me in the characters' struggles and motivations, making their journey through turmoil and redemption feel incredibly authentic.

Overall, this book touched me personally, reminding me of the power of storytelling to explore complex human emotions. It's a testament to her talent in crafting narratives that are both emotionally resonant and thought-provoking. I look forward to exploring more of her works, as each novel leaves a lasting impact on me