Review of Broken Alliance
1 posts
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Broken Alliance" by Nikkie Shields.]
Have you ever read a book wherein you had a feeling that everything in it was already damaged even before the story began? The book "Broken Alliance” by Nikkie Shields was that book for me. This book has power struggles, betrayal, broken systems, legacy, trust, and the consequences of past actions playing in the background throughout the story.
Luke Blackwell is at the core of the book, and he takes up the mantle of high responsibility following his father's passing away. On the surface, it looks like he receives an authority to pass on, but in actual fact, it is a far more complicated legacy that he inherits, which involves strained relationships and making difficult decisions.
Just as essential as a part of the story is the character Isabella Harper, whose own personal demons and past connections with Luke complicate things further. All she really wants to do is to seek out the answers, progress in her life, and stay away from problems. But fate brings her right back into Luke’s orbit once again. It becomes hard enough for them to deal with their unresolved feelings and past, but the rising conflict and imminent dangers leave them with no other choice but to form an uneasy alliance.
Can they set aside their past? What sort of a mess did Luke's father create when he ruled? Who is the enemy and what is their motivation? How much deeper can these secrets go? How much of the truth is actually hidden, and how much is known? What or who is Phantom? Read this book to find out!
One thing I personally liked about the book was how it began. The opening scene itself, where Luke is seen standing near his father's grave, has an emotional weight to it. There is also a flashback scene with his father, Victor Blackwell Sr., which very aptly shows how Luke's upbringing was and how his mindset was formed. His father was brutal and told him things like, “Pain is a compass. It points to weakness." This shows the training Luke had to undergo and also why he wanted to adopt a completely different approach in his reign.
Another aspect I appreciated was the interaction between Luke and Isabella. Their conversations always seemed tense and, thus, realistic. The story did not rush at any point to resolve their differences. It happened gradually, which made it feel believable. Even when apologies were made, they did not resolve anything instantly, and thus, the way this very important dynamic was handled throughout the book impressed me.
Also, the scenes where the characters slowly begin to uncover information, mainly by going through the documents in order to understand what was happening behind the scenes and what the motives were, were very well-written. The author did not give away everything at once. Instead, they were revealed slowly and thus brought a sense of curiosity within me. I liked this.
As for the writing style of the author, it should be said that the author tends to use a descriptive writing style, which creates a good atmosphere. I enjoyed how the author managed to create an entire world through her descriptions. I consider this an extremely important aspect for such books. Speaking about the length of this book, I should admit that it is somewhat lengthy; however, it is quite suitable, as the plot itself is very interesting, and it does not make you bored at all.
However, in general, everything related to this book is connected to the cyclical process of how power and damage can be transferred from generation to generation. This book may be regarded as a family saga, and you will always be eager to learn about the consequences that come after every page. My impressions of the book were quite positive. First, the book is really deep but also very interesting. Hence, I do not have any criticisms concerning the book, and it deserves a full rating because there is no way for me to rate this book lower than five out of five stars.
This is the first book in the series, and I am looking forward to reading the next one. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes family sagas and dark, intense stories.
******
Broken Alliance
View: on Bookshelves
Have you ever read a book wherein you had a feeling that everything in it was already damaged even before the story began? The book "Broken Alliance” by Nikkie Shields was that book for me. This book has power struggles, betrayal, broken systems, legacy, trust, and the consequences of past actions playing in the background throughout the story.
Luke Blackwell is at the core of the book, and he takes up the mantle of high responsibility following his father's passing away. On the surface, it looks like he receives an authority to pass on, but in actual fact, it is a far more complicated legacy that he inherits, which involves strained relationships and making difficult decisions.
Just as essential as a part of the story is the character Isabella Harper, whose own personal demons and past connections with Luke complicate things further. All she really wants to do is to seek out the answers, progress in her life, and stay away from problems. But fate brings her right back into Luke’s orbit once again. It becomes hard enough for them to deal with their unresolved feelings and past, but the rising conflict and imminent dangers leave them with no other choice but to form an uneasy alliance.
Can they set aside their past? What sort of a mess did Luke's father create when he ruled? Who is the enemy and what is their motivation? How much deeper can these secrets go? How much of the truth is actually hidden, and how much is known? What or who is Phantom? Read this book to find out!
One thing I personally liked about the book was how it began. The opening scene itself, where Luke is seen standing near his father's grave, has an emotional weight to it. There is also a flashback scene with his father, Victor Blackwell Sr., which very aptly shows how Luke's upbringing was and how his mindset was formed. His father was brutal and told him things like, “Pain is a compass. It points to weakness." This shows the training Luke had to undergo and also why he wanted to adopt a completely different approach in his reign.
Another aspect I appreciated was the interaction between Luke and Isabella. Their conversations always seemed tense and, thus, realistic. The story did not rush at any point to resolve their differences. It happened gradually, which made it feel believable. Even when apologies were made, they did not resolve anything instantly, and thus, the way this very important dynamic was handled throughout the book impressed me.
Also, the scenes where the characters slowly begin to uncover information, mainly by going through the documents in order to understand what was happening behind the scenes and what the motives were, were very well-written. The author did not give away everything at once. Instead, they were revealed slowly and thus brought a sense of curiosity within me. I liked this.
As for the writing style of the author, it should be said that the author tends to use a descriptive writing style, which creates a good atmosphere. I enjoyed how the author managed to create an entire world through her descriptions. I consider this an extremely important aspect for such books. Speaking about the length of this book, I should admit that it is somewhat lengthy; however, it is quite suitable, as the plot itself is very interesting, and it does not make you bored at all.
However, in general, everything related to this book is connected to the cyclical process of how power and damage can be transferred from generation to generation. This book may be regarded as a family saga, and you will always be eager to learn about the consequences that come after every page. My impressions of the book were quite positive. First, the book is really deep but also very interesting. Hence, I do not have any criticisms concerning the book, and it deserves a full rating because there is no way for me to rate this book lower than five out of five stars.
This is the first book in the series, and I am looking forward to reading the next one. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes family sagas and dark, intense stories.
******
Broken Alliance
View: on Bookshelves
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