Morning in This Broken World

A Novel

By: Katrina Kittle

Narrated by: Krystal Hammond

Length: 10 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

From the bestselling author of The Kindness of Strangers comes a poignant and life-affirming novel about our connections to the past, and the promise for the future during the least promising of times.

Grieving but feisty widow Vivian Laurent is at a late-in-life crossroads. The man she loved is gone. Their only daughter is estranged and missing. And the assisted-living facility where her husband died is going into quarantine. Living in lockdown with only heartache and memories is something Vivian can’t bear. Then comes a saving grace.

Luna, a compassionate nursing assistant and newly separated mother, is facing eviction. Vivian has a plan that could turn their lives around: return to her old home and invite Luna and her two children to move in with her. With the exuberant eleven-year-old Wren in her hot-pink motorized wheelchair and Wren’s troubled older brother, Cooper, the new housemates make for an unlikely pandemic pack, weathering the coming storm together.

Now it’s time to heal old wounds, make peace with the past, find hope and joy, and discover that the strongest bonds can get anyone through the worst of times.

©2023 Katrina Kittle (P)2023 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“With compassion, candor, and humor, Katrina Kittle explores how a ragtag group of people on the verge can redefine what it means to be a family, in all its messy unpredictability. Told through multiple perspectives, this life-affirming, heartwarming novel captures the unlikely friendships and connections that can emerge out of perilous circumstances—and ultimately make life worth living.”—Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Orphan Train and The Exiles

“Morning in This Broken World is a heartfelt take on the family we’re born with, the family we choose, and the messy, beautiful intersections between the two. Katrina Kittle gifts us with an unforgettable protagonist, an endearing supporting cast, and a moving story about what it really means to call a place ‘home.’ The world would be a better (and dare I say less broken) place if it were filled with more novels like this one.”—Jessica Strawser, author of A Million Reasons Why

“Katrina Kittle’s latest novel puts a moment in our collective memory into a context so comforting, so beautiful, and so hopeful that it is impossible not to look back on that time in a new light. Morning in This Broken World offers an emotional read full of heart-stirring highs and cathartic sorrows. I am buying stock in tissues before this novel comes out.”—Kelly Harms, bestselling author of Wherever the Wind Takes Us

Sweet Story with Likable Sensible Characters

This was a good, heartwarming story with great character development. The author was able to create a group of likeable characters with realistic flaws facing realistic life obstacles. What I appreciated most is the characters had loving hearts, even the most flawed of the bunch. I connected and felt the most for the teenaged son, Cooper. The mother, Luna, is raising two good hearted kids in this novel.

If you’re against sensible logical humans then you may agree with another review calling out unnecessary “political stereotypes,” but there’s nothing political or stereotypical about taking necessary steps to protect your loved ones and others during a pandemic.

I enjoyed this first novel/audiobook by Katrina Kittle and look forward to more from this author.

Pandemic not my favorite storyline

I almost stopped listening but I guess I got used to the swearing, not my cup of tea. Also, the author made any anti-vaxxers the villains. But the last couple of hours were uplifting.

I loved hearing this story

It was very well written. The story itself was touching regardless of how you feel about Covid. She showed the struggle of the time with Covid and in death itself. Very heart warming.

Inspiring and hopeful

I liked that this story brought unlikely people together as friends and even family. There is enough hardship and sadness in the world that sometimes it’s nice to remember that there are plenty of good people out there.

Story of resilience and kindness

This was a beautiful enduring story of friendships, coming of age, end of life realizations-loneliness, depression-death, addiction forgiveness and living a dream all intertwined. There's something each of these characters have that are relatable .

Well written and engaging

The story was engaging, the characters were well developed and the elements of COVID, disabilities, bullying, LGBTQ issues, alcoholism and drug addiction were timely and articulated with understanding and sensitivity!

The Whole World isn’t Broken

As usual, Katrina Kittle has written another book that stirs all the emotions. It’s a book you cannot stop reading or listening to. I love hearing the references to the Dayton, Ohio area where Katrina is from. She writes so eloquently that you feel like you know each and every character in the story personally. The performance was also outstanding, giving each of the characters even more personality.

Very nice story and good narration

I thought this was a great story and shows how there is hope in a crazy world and sometimes life is hard. But having good friends and family can help people cope

A heartfelt renewal of my faith in humanity

This book surprised me by building from a gentle start to diving deep into the core essence of what it means to be a human—all the good, the bad and the confusing instincts that drive our behavior. I laughed and cried and wished that it would never end.

Love during the Pandemic

The bonding of these unrelated people forming a new family of sorts was very special.