• Shattered Rainbows

  • Fallen Angels, Book 5
  • By: Mary Jo Putney
  • Narrated by: Siobhan Waring
  • Length: 12 hrs and 43 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (85 ratings)

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Shattered Rainbows  By  cover art

Shattered Rainbows

By: Mary Jo Putney
Narrated by: Siobhan Waring
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Publisher's summary

A RITA Award finalist. 

Broken dreams and second chances. 

Honed by danger and haunted by the past, Lord Michael Kenyon finds it easy to risk his life for his country’s sake. But in the shadow of Waterloo, he faces a far more dangerous threat - the loss of his heart to the beautiful battlefield nurse who saves his life yet can never be his.  

Called a saint for her virtue and selfless courage, only Catherine Melbourne knows the tragic flaw at the core of her spirit. In Michael Kenyon, she sees the strength and kindness she craves, yet for honor’s sake, she must conceal her love and send him away. Even when freed from her empty marriage, she conceals the truth because of the bleak knowledge she can never again be any man’s wife. 

Then fate offers Catherine a fortune, a title, a heritage for her daughter - if Michael will impersonate her husband on a visit to a wild Cornish island. Reluctantly, he agrees to the masquerade. But what begins as a simple journey leads them into a shattering vortex of danger and betrayal - and a fiercely passionate love that can no longer be denied.    

Titles in the Fallen Angels series:  

  1. Thunder & Roses  
  2. Dancing on the Wind  
  3. Petals in the Storm  
  4. Angel Rogue  
  5. Shattered Rainbows  
  6. River of Fire  
  7. One Perfect Rose    

About the author: A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today best-selling author, Mary Jo Putney's novels are known for psychological depth and intensity and include historical and contemporary romance, fantasy, and young adult fantasy.

©1996 Mary Jo Putney (P)2018 Mary Jo Putney

Critic reviews

“An extraordinary reading experience. Darkly erotic and sizzling with sensuality, this love story dazzles the senses and steals your heart away. Romance just doesn’t get any better than this.” (Romantic Times)

What listeners say about Shattered Rainbows

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Enjoyed it but with reservations

I wavered between rating this a 2 and a 3. Really it’s about a 2.5. The audiobook narration was excellent, which is probably why I finished it. If I had been reading it I probably would have given up partway through.

I liked the story well enough, and I’m always a fan of the fake relationship trope. The writing style wasn’t really for me though. It was too… I don’t know. Flowery? gushy? Definitely far too full of cliches. Especially at the romantic and sexual bits. Then it was cringe-worthy.

The hero and heroine both had tortured, tragic backgrounds — far too tragic to be realistic. They were both also unrealistically selfless and heroic. I do have to give kudos for a charmingly irascible grandfather and a truly villainous villain.

Also all the major plot points / twists were obvious. Whenever something little came up that would be important later it was just… far too obvious. I could see it all coming a mile away. And how many times can one really repeat the title of the book within the book?

I also found her portrayal of asthma to be unrealistic. Maybe before there were medications for it the only way to manage it was to talk oneself through it, but it isn’t *just* the panic that makes it difficult to breathe. She also seemed to attribute the hero’s attacks to strong emotions instead of, say, the cigar smoke blowing in his face.

So, overall I enjoyed it but with reservations. This is the first Mary Jo Putney book I’ve read, and I definitely won’t be seeking out her work in the future. I would probably read the others in the series if I found them at the library and didn’t have anything else to read, but I wouldn’t buy them

*I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Worth the Listen

Oh my goodness do i love this book. This whole series is excellent too. I have read the entire series previously, but that was many years ago now, and this one i have to say is one of my favorites. Yes some things are not realistic, but that's the great thing about a fictional romance, anything is possible! I love the strong women who still know how to be womanly!

"I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review."

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing Audio for Historical Romance Classic!

Shattered Rainbows is a delightful historical romance set primarily in 1816. Originally written in 1995, Shattered Rainbows received a much needed audiobook update narrated by the highly talented Siobhan Waring. Her narration style is very natural, providing different voices for all the characters. She has a rhythm to her reading that is simply melodic and enchanting.

The story revolves around Lord Michael Kenyon and Catherine Melbourne whose lives keep circling each other over the span of 10 years. We first meet the pair when Catherine is a married battlefield nurse and Michael is brought in as a wounded soldier after being left for dead on the battlefield. Despite not being expected to live, Catherine nurses him back to health as he imagines she is a battlefield angel.

They reunite several years later when Michael rents a room in a shared family house of officers. Michael falls in love with Catherine after spending significant time with her and her daughter. He soon realizes Catherine is a married to a cad who has no discipline and tups anything in a skirt. But despite this, he neither acts on his desires nor does he profess his love or admiration to her.

After her husband is murdered, Catherine is offered a title to an island in Cornwall from a dying uncle on the condition that her uncle deems her husband “worthy”. Catherine asks Michael if he will impersonate her husband under the ruse that he is still in France. Being in such close proximity, compounded by the years of unrequited love on both sides, they soon succumb to their passions. Of course, it’s too good to last long and the pair’s happiness is thwarted by an evil cousin who kidnapped Catherine’s daughter to use as leverage to overtake the estate.

What I loved most about Shattered Rainbows is the character development. Michael is an exemplary hero who is strong like every hero should be, yet he is filled with understanding and compassion. He is also extremely kindhearted and patient. Catherine's character is strong, determined, and at times feisty, and every inch Michael's equal. It was heartwarming listening to them work together to save Catherine’s daughter and defeat the conniving cousin. In short, I highly recommended this audiobook!

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

I HAVE FOUND ANOTHER FAVORITE AUTHOR...

I loved this book. It is well written with many twists and turns. I can usually figure out what will happen next in many stories, but this one kept me surprised. With wonderful character development, just the right amount of steam and sizzle and a great narrator, I can't wait for more books to be out in this series.

I do hope the author stays with one narrator as it gets confusing when the voices and tone keep changing. This narrator was very good.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Loved this listen!

This is book five in a series but my first. Man, I've missed something special. (Hashtag, Regrets.)

I loved the writing! There were actually two stories - one past, one present. I loved that approach since it gave us a very special glimpse into the two main characters, Michael and Catherine. When they meet again in the present, it's with the backdrop of Napoleon marching into Waterloo. (We all know how that ended.)

The relationship between Michael and Catherine was the epitome of a slow burn and it was narrated to perfection. There was a weird pivot in the ending but the HEA was awesome.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Better narrated than many Regencies are

solid story, with only the necessary number of odd coincidences when needed to make the storyline progress.

People, both adults and sometimes children too, carry some emotional baggage from their pasts into their present.

And sometimes, much of that emotional pain may not have been intentionally cruel, it had been spray cast-off from another action. From something which had been aimed to hurt someone else.

Children, and spouses, especially tend to be those "unintended consequences" victims.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

there's so much depth and real love

I keep coming back to this story. it helps to remove the disillusionment that real love, without reservation or holding back, does exist. I love the way Michael wraps his love around her, shows that his love is genuine. Equally as compelling in the story is the vulnerability of a real man who's not afraid to show up and give his heart.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Great read

I loved this book..what a great way to pass a rainy Saturday afternoon. I was sorting paperwork and shredding while listening.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Beautiful Narration!

if you can get past the long first part of the book, you will really fall in love with these characters. I wasn't able to predict this story, which is refreshing for a historical romance. Mary Jo Putney is just wonderful.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

DNF

Story moves along to slow for my tastes. Only listened to chapter 6. narrator is not the best.

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