Every Broken Thing

Far from Ruined, Book 1

By: Nikole Knight

Narrated by: Nick Newport

Length: 6 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

Two strangers whose paths should never have crossed. One traumatic encounter that brings them together.

After high school senior Silas Brigs is rescued from an attempted assault, he finds himself indebted to a blond stranger. But he wants nothing to do with the calm, quiet Ben Adams. The California diver reminds Silas too much of what brought them together in the first place, an event he just wants to forget. Yet no matter how hard Silas tries to distance himself, the closer the two inevitably gravitate.

With Silas's attacker lurking in the shadows combined with Ben's mysterious history, their blossoming friendship seems doomed to failure. Both are haunted by their shattered pasts, but can they learn to face their demons together? Because, no matter how much Silas wants to resist, they're exactly what the other needs. Even if they don't know it, yet.

Trigger Warnings: On-screen, semi-graphic attempted sexual assault, aftermath and trauma of assault, homophobia (including but not limited to: bullying, dialogue, insults/slurs, physical abuse/assault, etc.), mentions of past parental abandonment and abuse, and underage substance use, including alcohol and marijuana.

©2019 Covey Publishing LLC, Nikole Knight (P)2024 Nikole Knight

Excellent listen

Really enjoyed this new one from Nikole Knight! It was well written and quite immersive. This was a new narrator for me and I quite liked him! Will definitely be listening to him in the future.

Ben & Silas!!

I'm going to be completely honest and say I didn't read the blurb going into this book. I love this author so it was an automatic yes for me. So having said that, I wasn't completely prepared for the HFN (ish) situation. But I love getting to know Silas and Ben and their friends. There are a few surprises I wasn't expecting and also some content that may be difficult for some readers. I am ready for the next book to come out and can't wait to see what happens next.

A True COMING OF AGE STORY!!!

Loved this story! The opening was awesome, but it became ominous immediately and you'd better read the trigger warnings, cuz it's a doozy! I really loved how REAL this story was. The characters could have been right out of my (or any) high school, and the fact that this is just book 1 of the series kind of left me hanging at the end. But, the fact that the HEA is coming is wonderful, as we are left with an HFN, which is kinda how high school is, right?

slow burn and full of feels

This is the first book in a trilogy. I listened to the audiobook and think that the narrator, Nick Newport, did a great job in bringing the characters and the events to life. His narration helped the characters feel real.

Overall, this was a good book, though I think that maybe it's not a book for me. there were just a few things that didn't make sense with in the book and too many hard to handle feelings. It's also a slow burn an the ending just kind of leaves the story open to a "maybe someday." At the same time the characters were interesting, a lot happens that kept my attention, the teenagers felt like real teens, and that can be difficult to write.

Angsty Slow-Burn Teen Romance

Learning to cope in the wake of trauma is at the core of ‘Every Broken Thing’. After being rescued by Ben from a brutal attack, Silas wants nothing more than to forget it ever happened. Patient, soft-hearted Ben begins a slow breaking down of Silas’ brash and antagonistic walls in order to offer Silas emotional support. Angsty, at times funny, this book tells the first half of an ever-so-slow-burn of romance between two damaged teens.

I can only assume, based on Book 1, that this is a duet story. ‘Every Broken Thing’ features Silas’ POV–which ends in an abrupt cliffhanger–and an epilogue giving readers the barest glimpse into Ben’s tragic past. It appears the story won’t have its HEA until the end of Book 2, which will most likely be Ben’s POV. I look forward to it.

Nick Newport’s narration is somewhat overdramatic, but it makes sense give the age of the main characters. He does a wonderful job conveying the differences in Silas and Ben’s personalities.

Great story and characters

This one grabbed me immediately and I'm now bingeing the entire series. I loved the slow burn between Ben and Silas and all the secrets that are being revealed and still to be revealed. The attacker plot line is creepier than I expected and I can wait to see how this resolves itself. Nick Newport did a great job bringing the characters to life and capturing Silas' reservations about getting involved with Ben.

A Heavy Story!

This audiobook was interesting. It is told primarily in the first person perspective told by main character Silas. The story started off heavy in the sense that I definitely felt all the emotions really quickly. I wasn’t expecting the heavy content to hit me that fast. For some listeners there may be triggers. Despite the dark content of this book hearing the banter between Silas and Ben was fun! Their friendship grew beautifully throughout the story. As this story is in the young adult genre there wasn’t much intimate moments, but nevertheless it was enjoyable. The narrator of this story did a great job with the characters, I may listen to him again in the future.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this audiobook.

Nikole & Nick make a good duo

Book Review:
I recommend understanding that this book has triggers. As in said in the blurb, there is a saved from assault scene. I'm not one that is triggered, but I found this story full of emotion. Nikole Knight does an amazing job of telling a story that is so realistic. Emotions aren't just washed over but portrayed in a way that make sense and are clearly felt, not to mention showing the difficulty over coming. That beings said that makes this story a slow burn. But it helps with the authenticity. The story does end in a bit of a cliffhanger, but at a good stopping point.

Audio:
Nick Newport is newer to me but was not disappointed. Love the voices he brought to these characters. Because this is an emotional story, the right voice was needed. I think Nikole Knight did a great job choosing this one!

Very Enjoyable

Every Broken Thing is Book 1 in the Far From Ruined series and needs to be enjoyed in order. This is a beautifully written story about high school students Silas and Ben. After Ben saves Silas from being assaulted he doesn't want to leave Silas alone. An unlikely friendship emerges as Silas and Ben get to know each other and let their walls down just a bit. I really enjoyed this book and need to dive into the rest of the series to see what happens with Silas and Ben.

Narrator Nick Newport does an amazing job in bringing this book to life. I look forward to listening to more from him.

Silas and Ben need each other

Silas and Ben are an unlikely pair. Silas is in danger from a bully and has a terrible home life. Ben is a protector. He’s caring and patient with Ben. This is book 1 of 3 and the ending is abrupt. You have to read all 3 books for the conclusion of their story.