Mia Sheridan is one of my favorite authors and without a doubt on my auto-read/buy list. So when I saw she was coming out with a new thriller, I was beyond excited! I’ve enjoyed both her thrillers and her romance novels. It’s such a unique skill to be able to skillfully write in multiple genres.

With all that being said, The Broken Places is a very different book from this author’s typical style and unfortunately that shows in the writing. As more of a police procedural/crime thriller than her previous psychological thrillers, it’s once again a sway in genres. While there’s kudos due for stepping outside her writing comfort zones, this book lacked the connection with the readers that Mia Sheridan is so skillfully known for. There was an emotional depth missing, and I never quite could connect with the characters or the story.

Will this change my thoughts on this author? Absolutely not! She’s fantastic, and I’d happily still recommend her books. This was the one book that just was off for me outta her collection. It happens. I’ll still be excited for her next books!

Be sure to check the trigger warnings on this one before reading. TW: murder, child molestation, drug use/addiction, prostitution, torture

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the opportunity to read this digital ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

The overall concept of this one is interesting. I had no idea where the plot was going to go, never could figure out the killer. I did think it got boring about 75% through and I rushed through the end to say I finished it, which is a bummer because I usually love everything Sheridan writes.

Loved this one! Great and fun read. Highly recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher, Netgalley, and the author for my ARC.

The Broken Places by Mia Sheridan was a great read.

The story begins with a podcast series of interviews with homeless drug addicts who have endured a hard childhood. Enters Inspector Lennon Grey and her new partner Ambrose Mars who are working solve a series of murders involving a new street drug.


⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Mia Sheridan knows how to craft the perfect suspense/thriller+romance masterpiece.

I liked this book because it's hard for me to hate anything by mia sheridan. it was dark and intense and passionate.

4.5 Stars

Lennon + Ambrose

Lennon has been a cop in San Francisco for almost 10 years now. But she's still not used to seeing the horrible things see has to see every day.
There's currently ... probably ... a serial killer on the loose and the FBI sends Ambrose Mars to help in the investigation. Lennon is not happy about some stranger from out of town to come in and do her job. The guy is a bit weird but he's also growing on her ... a lot. But there are lots of mysteries and secrets left to uncover before we can even think about a happily ever after....

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Well... I really liked reading this.
I love San Francisco and I love it when I get to read a book that takes me all over the city.
The story was great too - maybe a tiny bit weird or futuristic or fantastical or whatever you might call it. The whole hallucigenic part of it. But I still liked reading it.
I loved Lennon and Ambrose. I would've loved to follow their lives for a bit longer.

The book had everything a great suspense novel needs. It was very violent and mysterious and heartbreaking and so much more.

I really loved the epilogue!

I wouldn't mind seeing this on TV one day.

► THE BROKEN PLACES was a really great and mysterious and suspensy and heartbreaking San Francisco serial killer love story. I really enjoyed reading it!

Tiny little rant about words that are being used too often in a book. This time it is again CRIMINALIST - which is okay to use once or twice ... but after that just say crime scene people or something like that. I hate that word! Next: SINGULAR. I hate it. No idea why.

A suspenseful mystery with romance. Definitely check Trigger warnings. It kept me captivated but I didn't find myself connecting with the characters at all.

2.5 stars rounded up.

Thanks to netgalley, the author and publisher for an E-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

The Broken Places is a romantic thriller based around an FBI agent who must track down the source of an unknown drug - a hallucinogenic drug forcing the homeless to act our dangerous trauma role play - leading to murder.
Lennon (FBI agent) and her new partner Ambrose work closely together to solve these cases - romance and love blossoming between the two.
But is all that it seems romance and case wise?

When I first started reading this book I wasn't sure if I would enjoy the storyline - but I did! It kept me enthralled, wanting to know what the heck was happening and how it would all turn out in the end.
This book touches on homelessness, trauma, prostitution and drugs, and while it is a novel of fiction it does open your eyes and gets you thinking about what really does go on in our world, and all the people out there who need help.

A great first read for me by Mia.

“The Broken Places” is a Romance Thriller set on the streets of San Francisco, following investigator Lennon and FBI agent Ambrose as they delve into a mysterious new street drug causing horrific deaths among the homeless and prostitutes in one of the city’s most dangerous neighborhoods.

I don’t want to reveal too much about the plot because it’s best experienced without spoilers! Initially, I was unsure if it was leaning more towards romance or thriller, but the twist around the midpoint really elevated the story for me! The plot has a futuristic/dystopian vibe with its crime storyline, which I found quite effective.

The book tackles themes like generational trauma, alternative therapies, addiction, and other dark subjects that are important to address. The storyline is challenging and kept me completely absorbed, trying to connect all the pieces. There are some surprises I didn’t expect. This novel is a must-read for those who enjoy a mix of genres that keeps you guessing until the end.

Thank you to Montlake Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!

I started this book going in blind. Mia Sheridan is one of my go-to authors.
She can write anything, proving her talent goes beyond romance. She is that good. I was so excited when I saw this book on NetGalley and was lucky enough to be gifted an ARC copy.

The Broken Places is a Romance Thriller novel with a complex story that addresses some important subjects.
It takes place on the streets of San Francisco.
Inspector Lennon is trying to solve a murder mystery involving a homemade type of drug that targets homeless individuals and prostitutes in one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in town.
FBI Agent Ambrose is partnered with Inspector Lennon to help solve these cases.
Together they must track down the source of this drug and the connections between the murders.

The storyline is challenging and kept me completely absorbed trying to connect all the pieces. There are some surprises I didn’t expect. This novel is a must-read for those who enjoy a mix of genres that keeps you guessing until the end.

I enjoyed reading this book a lot and would recommend it to anyone who loves a mystery with a splash of romance.

Thank you to the publisher Montlake, the lovely author Mia Sheridan, and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest and fair review.

I enjoyed this book very much! The characters were well developed and the storyline kept me engaged the whole way through. I’d definitely recommend this book to others.

Lenon is on a case with an FBI agent Ambrose. It's seems to have a serial killer in SFB who kills drug addict.
I really wanted to love this book, I love Mia Sheridan, and all of her book, but I didn't like the subject neither than how was written the investigation.

An interesting romantic suspense novel centered around Lennon and Ambrose, two law enforcement officers investigating a new street drug that causes bizarre behavior in those who take it. As the investigation continues, secrets and mutual attraction keep getting in the way. Can the case be solved while keeping their hearts protected?

Mia Sheridan is the author of some of my favourite romance novels, and when I heard she had pivoted to writing suspense thrillers, as well, I was over the moon. Unfortunately, I was never able to fully invest myself in the story or characters. The distant, third-person narration inhibited me from growing to care about our main characters, Lennon and Ambrose, and the writing style itself was bland and lacked personality. I found myself consistently skimming complete blocks of text and having to go back to read sections over again.

The actual mystery itself wasn't too appealing to me, personally, and things only started coming together at the 90% mark in the story. The plot just developed too slowly for my liking and the ultimate payoff was underwhelming. This, when combined with the bland writing and characters, was the perfect storm for my disenjoyment of The Broken Places. I'm really disappointed about my response to the novel, too, because I wanted so badly to enjoy a book from a favourite author of mine.

Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for providing me with a copy of The Broken Places by Mia Sheridan in exchange for an honest review, All thoughts and opinions are my own and are not influenced by any third parties.

Very rarely do you find an author who writes so well across genres, but Mia Sheridan continues to surprise me with the depth and flexibility in which she writes. I’ve been a fan of hers since Archer’s Voice, and I was reluctant to read her in a new genre, but I am so glad I did, starting with All the Little Raindrops (which I loved). The Broken Places is another twisted, mind bending story that will suck the reader into a dark investigation. The story is fast-paced and initially may be confusing, but I ask that you hold on for a few chapters, and the story and characters will start to meld and make sense. There are surprises along the way to keep your attention and a feeling of “what’s next” throughout the story. Can’t recommend this book enough!

The book was okay, but not really my type of book. Reading it was okay, but I did not really enjoy it. I didn’t like the plot and the characters

I really enjoy Mia Sheridan’s romantic suspense books, but I struggled to fully connect with this one. I loved the plot line and I think it could have been an amazing story, but it fell flat for me. It almost felt rushed in parts that needed more and even with such a tough subject I struggled to connect with the characters. I just feel like it was missing something. The ending also felt very rushed. It wasn’t a bad read, but I feel like it could have been better. Thanks to NetGalley and Montlake for the ARC.

I typically love Mia Sheridan books. This one was really hard to get into. I couldn’t emotionally get involved and then there were random parts that were really confusing to me. Overall, it wrapped up and I figured out what was going on. Character development was also rough to me because they seemed very unbelievable. I did like the plot though.

An intense and electrifying romantic thriller. The chemistry between the characters is palpable, and the suspenseful plot twists kept me hooked. Absolutely exhilarating!

I kinda struggled to connect with this one, I felt like the characters lacked depth and were quite 2D. The story was intriguing but the ‘twists’ were predictable. 2.5 stars.