Shattered Veil

Astoria Royals Standalone, Book 2

De: Deborah Garland

Narrado por: Desiree Ketchum, JF Harding

It started with a little white lie and ended with me being owned by a black-hearted mafia boss. And now... my baby daddy. Of all people to tease to live out a fantasy. I fell into bed with a hacker for the Irish mob: Balor O'Rourke. Who also happens to be my new lethally gorgeous boss with nerdy dark glasses, penetrating green eyes, and a body made for sin. He doesn't do relationships and I'm getting over an abusive ex. With that understanding, we shatter the rules, unleashing his unbridled desires and my carnal urges. But the enemy Balor is chasing turns out to be my father, and I have to choose sides. When my baby news wakes up a passion for marriage and fatherhood Balor didn't know he could feel, a brutal possessiveness takes hold. I may not have a choice now. He says I'm his. Forever.

Shattered Veil is a standalone Mafia Romance with mature themes, a possessive hacker, and a DV survivor. The story includes explicit content. It is recommended for mature listeners only. No cheating. HEA guaranteed.

©2023 Deborah Garland (P)2025 Deborah Garland

Deliciously Dirty Irish Mafia

Shattered Veil had me cracking up at the beginning at Ella's thoughts and then BAM, we get a dirty talking Balor like right off the bat and that mouth... Their initial chemistry was crazy hot and I was all in on their story. A few hiccups along the way, but whey they see each other again, their chemistry continues to be explosive. The mouth on that man was sexy AF, but I also really loved Ella who was just as sassy and dirty mouthed. Outside of their crazy hot passion though, a beautiful story and a very sweet romance evolved.

This book definitely had a lot of the mafia vibes you would expect which brought a bit of danger and intrigue to the story and kept me entertained and engaged throughout trying to figure out what was going to happen next. I loved how protective Balor was of Ella and how he vowed to make sure her abusive ex was dealt with. There were several things I never saw coming, but that ended up making this story so much better than expected.

The voice narration with JF Harding and Desiree Ketchum was excellent. Both narrators did a stellar job and I loved the Irish accent that really brought to life the Irish Mafia angle of the story. Their voice inflections were perfect and really added to the listening experience.

This is the audiobook you've been waiting for!

UPDATED FOR AUDIO: This is the audiobook you’ve been waiting for. Trust me, I’m right about this. Just close your eyes and imagine it: J. F. Harding with that voice, those subtle changes, those pauses, saying BABY . . . and with a perfect, sexy, Irish accent! He is Balor. All the initial sarcasm and then hunger and then fear and then the anger. What could be better? Nothing. So open your eyes and go buy this audiobook. Search the internet for BABY and you’ll find all my reviews for J. F. Harding, because he says BABY better than anyone, whatever the book or character it just makes me shiver every time. And Desiree Ketchum as Ella is right there with him. Every word, every syllable, every breath, every emotion. Her immediate attraction to Balor, first just physically but then the man himself, her courage and determination after all the abuse but with terror waiting just under the surface. Perfect pairing of narrators for an already perfect book.

Okay, I admit it. I am completely obsessed with and addicted to Deborah Garland’s Mafia romance books. They are just so entertaining: funny, sexy, scary, and most of all so romantic. Yes, these big, tough, handsome guys are the Irish Mafia, killers, criminals, hit men, an enforcer, an underboss, a king. But after a while Mafia-criminals-underboss just goes through your head like yada-yada-yada. These guys are sweet and so eager to please their women (even if they are bossy as heck) and babble when confused just like guys who work at the hardware store instead of guys who run a city.

And yes, they are kind of over the top. Maybe in our boring everyday lives we don’t want quite so much possessiveness or violence, but these stories are meant to draw you in, take you away from your everyday life and give you laughs and tears and shivers. And that is exactly what they do. And let’s get it out of the way right now that we love the O’Rourkes. Stunningly handsome, loyal, strong, and even their names are sexy: Kieran, Riordan, Lachlan, Cormac, Darragh, Eoghan, Balor, and they are the good guys.

In Shattered Veil all the brothers, sister Shea-Lynn, cousins, bodyguards and a lot of the actual bad guys from the Astoria Royals series and standalones are back, but this is Balor and Ella’s story. Balor is the youngest brother, the nerdy tech genius of the family, who witnessed as a child his father’s brutality towards his mother and vowed that “regular” women would never be for him. Too much risk, too much emotion involved. He’s watched his brothers become smitten (or a better word would be obsessed) one-by-one and has smugly smirked to himself with certainty that this will never, ever, ever happen to him. Famous last words, even for a billionaire mob boss.

Ella is a teacher, the daughter of a computer hacking genius and recently just escaped from an abusive partner. She yearns to be a “regular” woman again. Not looking for love but desperately needs to be able to find intimacy again without fear and loathing.

From their first encounter on a plane, which is sweet, sexy, and emotional because little things flicker under the surface to their surprise re-meeting a few weeks later to a job and relationship – strange as it is – through some truly unsettling events and peeks into the mob world, every minute spent with them is compelling. They are so attracted to each other but so unwilling to go further to risk something like their hearts. I loved Shattered Veil, can’t wait to see what’s next, and hope author Garland never runs out of brothers or cousins or someone because these books are a joy to read. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.

It'sAlways the Quite Ones!!

JF Harding is absolute perfection as Balor! He nailed the hot AF cyber Alpha of the O'Rourke's!! Nothing hits better than a well done Irish brogue 🥵🥵

Desiree Ketchum narrates Ella flawlessly. She captures her strength and fierceness phenomenally.

The drama that D.Garland writes into her stories will keep you on the edge of your seat! These men will stop at nothing for their family and the women the love. I was hooked on Balor & Ella's story when I first read it, but hearing it next level!!

I had no idea that I NEEEDED Balor's story this badly!

D. Garland writes the best Alpha MCs and some of the strongest FMCs that I've ever read. i have been completely consumed with the world these series have created in Astoria. You can totally read this as a standalone, but trust me your gonna wanna get to know ALL of Astoria's Royals.

Now... For Shattered Veil...

Someone call 911 ... Balor & Ella are 🔥🔥🔥

With a pånty-drenching dirty mouth, Balor is topshelf Alpha Male material. Ella is the definition of strength, independence & sass.

These two have undeniable chemistry from the start. Right out the gate, phenomenal spice, that just keeps getting better throughout the story. Navigating their inevitable relationship through the suspensionful twists and turns of their story, Balor & Ella make it out the other side with their well deserved HEA.

It will never cease to amaze me, how well written D. Garland's books are. The balance of steamy dirty scenes and plots with drama, suspense & fantastically crafted characters that have real growth and development is unmatched! You're hooked in the first chapter, on the edge of your seat devouring each page while not so secretly clenching your thighs.

5/5 ⭐
5/5 🌶️
10/5 Thrills

The plane ride sets the mood

I love this book. I listen to it straight through twice back to back, but it ends with a cliffhanger. It says it’s a standalone but clearly there is a story of the sister and trace coming and it’s not available to listen to. That’s the only thing that takes this book down by a half of a point

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Just so happen to buy this series. I initially started with book 1 but it wasn't a duet narration so I stopped it and started on book 2. This was a really good book. Well written, excellent narration by both narrators, which is rare for them both to be great. On to the next book. Keep them coming.

It was OK

It started right out spicy, which was fun. But this girl was so all over the place in her convictions I got annoyed pretty quickly.
And the female narrator took gasping breaths that were so distracting I almost returned the book. I decided to just finish it. The characters depth, especially the FMC, was just not there. Very surface. Not awful, just... not great.

Holy geeze⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

So many stars for this book!!!! The writing is amazing! The storyline is phenomenal! The narrators did a fantastic job. I can’t say enough - I need more! The characters are so multidimensional and you’re just right there in the story! It’s so real! Just wow!!! You need this book!!

Brilliant Story & Narration🎧Enthralling & Intense!

I have so much love for Deborah Garland’s “Astoria Royals” series and the amazing world she created, a mafia world filled with interesting characters and storylines. Each book in the series stands on its own, so you can enjoy them in any order, and once you have enjoyed one, you will want the others because they are all fantastic. “Shattered Veil” is Balor’s and Ella’s story and wow, what a story it is, grabbing my attention from the very start, the moment they met, holding it captive straight to the end. Both meet by chance on a flight back to the states, and a layover that turns into a steamy encounter. We learn plenty in that time, how Balor only does escorts with no repeats and he thinks Ella is one, so Ella went along with it, fulfilling a fantasy. She never had the chance to tell him otherwise because he was gone before she woke up, but that would not be the last to see each other. Her father is starting a new job and secured a job for her at the same company, a personal assistant to the boss, a boss who turns out to be Balor. Balor is the O’Rourke’s tech guru, and he hires her father, Snow, because of who he is and what he can do, and it did not Balor long to see that Ella had no clue about her father’s skills. It was great to watch Balor and Ella’s relationship morph into something so much more, something neither saw coming nor even wanted. Ella was still getting over an abusive relationship and thought she’d never see him again, except narcissistic abusers don’t go away that easily. Garland weaved an intricate web, plotting a multilayered story with plenty of drama, angst, twists and turns, thrilling suspense, heartfelt emotions and steamy romance. It was great to see characters from earlier books and bringing in their own unique skills and charm. Deborah Garland, thank you for another amazing story and the wild, emotional rollercoaster ride.

🎧📚🎧   Desiree Ketchum and JF Harding were the perfect cast to bring these characters to life and did a fantastic job voicing them, accents included, and delivering a perfect portrayal of each. Harding nails it as Balor, grasping every aspect of his personality, and his versatility as a voice artist truly shines in this book, swapping out accents. Ketchum was just as amazing in Ella’s role, showcasing all aspects of her personalty as well. Both were fantastic performing the roles of the side/secondary characters, too. Their pacing and tone were just right for the story and they captured all the character’s emotions, making you feel every single one. They are entertaining storytellers and their captivating performance takes this already amazing story to another level.

Shattered Veil by Deborah Garland

I just finished listening to Shattered Veil by Deborah Garland, narrated in duet by Desiree Ketchum and JF Harding. I DID NOT BREATHE the last hour of this book. The plot twists are masterfully executed, building suspense until the very last second. I didn’t see those coming. At. All.
Deborah keeps the tension razor-sharp, making every new revelation hit like a gut punch.
From the moment Balor and Ella meet on a plane, sparks fly—this is not a slow burn. Their instant connection leads to a spicy in-flight encounter, setting the stage for a whirlwind romance. Balor, an Irish mafia boss, is as dangerous as he is protective, especially when he learns about Ella’s abusive ex, a cop who refuses to let her go.
Balor hires Ella’s hacker father for his company, with the condition that Ella is brought on as well. Now working as Balor’s assistant, the lines between professional and personal blur, and their feelings soon intensify.
The combination of dark romance, action, and raw emotion makes this audiobook impossible to pause.
Narrators Desiree Ketchum and JF Harding are phenomenal as Ella and Balor. Produced in duet style narration, both voice actors captured the emotions Deborah wrote flawlessly. Their chemistry makes the tension, passion, and emotions in the story feel even more intense.
I love this Irish mafia world that Deborah has created with her Astoria Royals series. Shattered Veil is the second book in the interconnected standalone series, can be read by itself, but I highly recommend starting with book one as it is where we enter the Astoria world and meet the core characters.

My Favorite O’Rourke

Balor might just be my favorite O’Rourke. He seems gruff and grumpy, but one night with a stranger and he’s changing.
Balor is enamored with Ella, and finding out she is actually who he thought she was might make things tricky, but it doesn’t slow down his growing obsession.
Ella is trying to find herself after being in a toxic relationship, her wild night was a step to healing, and that was just the beginning.
The chemistry between Balor & Ella is amazing, I absolutely adore how loving and supportive Balor is, I love that he makes sure Ella knows she is always safe with him. This was full of passion, spice, suspense, secrets, twists and absolute utter betrayal.

JF Harding does an incredible job narrating, his Irish accent absolutely fantastic. Desiree Ketchum did a wonderful job narrating as well.