Pretty Broken Things

A Forbidden Romance (Pretty Broken Duet, Book 1)

De: Kimberly Carrillo

Narrado por: Michael Joss, Phillipa Miller

I might be the most promising quarterback in college football today, but once I was just a boy desperately in love with the wrong girl, one I’d very much like to win back. She blocks me better than any player on the field, but to figure out my best play, first I need to understand how we got here.

We have been apart longer than we were together but we can’t seem to stop torturing each other. Every guy she touches or allows to touch her is like a knife right to my heart.

Not to be outdone, I play her game. No one will ever accuse me of giving less than everything. These are her rules after all, and I’ve always been competitive.

I thought her being my stepsister would keep us apart forever, but it’s the damage we did trying to resist each other that sealed our fate. And yet, despite the ways we’ve betrayed each other over and over, I can’t let her go.

What we have could almost be love if it didn’t hurt so much.

My heart, black and broken as it may be, will always belong to the girl with sad eyes. Are we damaged beyond repair, or do we dare try one more time?

This is book one of the Pretty Broken Duet.

©2023 Kimberly Carrillo (P)2025 Pink Flamingo Productions

I NEED BOOK 2, STAT

Off the bat, I couldn’t help but appreciate the depiction of ‘rich kids’ who still aren’t having all their needs met and the way Carillo seemed to really capture loneliness for these kids. If you enjoy indulging in some YA drama, I recommend this one, it’s got substance.

This was an addictive read, it gripped me early in. Imagine my delight when it crossed over with another world of Carillo’s, thought it contained some spoilers. (I was provided with books 1 & 2 by the audio publisher to read/review, but denied book 3. While I’m a smidge disappointed in the spoiler, I appreciate the update. Pretty Monsters Trilogy, FYI.)

GUYS! I NEED BOOK 2 LIKE I NEED AIR-OMFG.


YA.
Academy vibes.
V!rg!n heroine.
Rich kids.
“Pseudo-inc3$t.”
Football.
Domestic v|0lence.
Football.
Fresh starts.
Suspense.
SA.
Trafficking.
Vengeance.


Overall:
This read was excellent. It refreshed the sting of the rejection of Pretty Monsters 3 😂 , but honestly worth it. Addictive read.


Carillo really captured the moment a person changes into something else completely—and I am so very here for it. Well done!

4 stars.


🎧 Audio:
This is a fantastic production, excellent narrators and perfect overall sound quality.
5 stars. 🦩

Ack! What happens next!

This is the second series I'm reading/listening to written by Kimberly Carrillo. I am loving her books! I am completely immersed in the storyline and invested in the characters. It's great to see characters from the Pretty Monsters Trilogy! I did not want to pause the audiobook. The cliffhanger is brutal! I cannot wait for the next book of the duet!

The narrators were excellent! They had this audiobook rolling like a movie in my head. Perfection.

#TheFlockonTour #PinkFlamingoProductions

Can’t Wait for Part Two!

This is the first installment in the Pretty Broken Duet. Tessa and Ford’s story is emotional, filled with angst, secrets, and twists. Some scenes are intense, raw, and truly heart-wrenching. The supporting characters add depth and intrigue. As expected, the story continues in Pretty Broken Promises, and I can’t wait to listen to the next part. Michael Joss and Phillipa Miller did a great job bringing the characters and emotions to life. #PFPAudio

Tessa & Ford...

3.5 Stars
Pretty Broken Things is the first book in the Pretty Broken Duet. It is an enemies to lovers, poor boy/rich girl, sports, forbidden, step-siblings romance. This one is a roller coaster ride of emotions. It's action packed. You get steam, toxic families, and all the feels with a cliffy at the end that will have you screaming. I am interested to see where Tessa and Ford's story goes next in book 2.

Michael Joss & Phillipa Miller did a great job with this story and these characters.

Lots of Angst!

Tessa and Ford's story is a dark romance that is full of danger and suspense, Tessa is a spoiled rich girl while Ford is from the wrong side of the tracks but both had a difficult childhood with awful parents which has shaped them into who they are today. Tessa is likable, in my opinion, but Ford is not. Hopefully he can redeem himself in book two of this duet. This book is very angsty and does span a few years. It does have dual points of view which I really like in a story. There are many difficult subject matters which could be triggering for some.

This is a spin off of the Pretty Monsters Trilogy which I listened to last year so I didn't make the connection until after I finished this book. That trilogy is Raven and Sin's story who do appear in this book. It is definitely not necessary to read the Pretty Monsters Trilogy first but if you like this one, then you might want to check that one out as well.

Michael Joss and Phillipa Miller both did a great job bringing this story to life.

🎧Pink Flamingo Productions, The Flock Reviewer
#TheFlockVIPReviewTeam

Plenty of Twists

This book starts as a high school enemies to lovers/against all odds kind of romance and ends more in the romantic suspense space. Generally I enjoyed the story and narration, but the time jumps were hard for me to follow, and the last quarter of the story or so took such an abrupt left turn I had to go back and listen again to figure out how we ended up there. However, that said, the cliffhanger has me eager for more. I want Ford and Tessa to get their HEA, but they’ll clearly have to keep fighting for it.

Tessa and Ford

Ford and Tessa

Two things one this is a spin off from Pretty Monsters Trilogy they were side characters doesn't need to be read but doesn't hurt. Two this ends in a cliffhanger the other part is available just not on audio which is what I used to listen to this story.

Wow. This is one packed up story. First this is your typical high school romance where the guy from the wrong side of the tracks and the girl which everyone calls the ice queen. They come together when Tessa comes to request something from Ford. Thinking she's a spoiled brat he can't stand her. But something about her has him intrigued and he finds out everything isn't what it seems. So you get the ups and down of that. Throw in some obstacles and poor Tessa after everything she does keeps being betrayed as the bad guy. Then years later they try again but it's different and Tessa is still looked at as the bad person. This is the aggravated part because Shane Ford's best friend and knows the truth too doesn't even speak up but to me is a big instigator. Then the story takes a turn and it's a whole new story that has Tessa after everything is still thinking of others as I believe how much can someone take. This was one interesting and intriguing story I don't want to give anything away but I was entertained and invested with everything going on listening to this. The narrators did a good job. Hoping the second part comes out in audio soon even though this just came out.

Pretty Broken Things

Pretty Broken Things is the first book in the Pretty Broken Duet. This book is about Ford and Tessa and is told from both of their points of view.

This book starts with Ford and Tessa as enemies. She's the popular girl, and he's from the wrong side of the tracks. They form a friendship that turns into more.

When something happens, it forces Tessa to make some hard decisions. Now, Ford hates Tess, and she will do anything to fix what she broke.

There were some twists and turns I did not see coming. There were some hard bits to listen to, so I would check trigger warnings if you are sensitive to some things. I can't wait to see the conclusion in the next book.

I can't wait to get some answers to some questions, and to see if Ford and Tessa will get their happy ending.

pretty broken things

well shit, Talk about a rollercoaster of emotions. at the beginning of the book. I really really hated her dad. I couldn't stand him. I can't believe he liked made her do what she did. But I'm happy that she ended up getting away from him. Then to find out that her ex-boyfriend became a total jerk. And treated her like crap and then she comes back, and for 2 years she had came back for him. he made it look like she was an entitled princess. know that Was pretty messed up He turned all her friends against her. Then to find out she ends up getting kidnapped and Ra@&$ for months, but she stayed behind to help the people that have been treating her like shit. all because she was trying to save someone that didn't like her. I'm so mad at Ford, oh and let's not forget Shane him too. That was pretty messed up that he did not stand up for her and let those people know that she wasn't. The person Ford made her out to be he was such a disappointment.
But I do I don't know if I want them to get back together. She deserves so much better than him. Now, all of a sudden, he wants herbag.I think she should make him bag before she even forgives him. But I can't wait for the next book to come out.I am so looking forward to it.And need to know what happens.I want to know if she ends up with Benji.Or forward.
The the narrators did a very good job on this book

3.5 stars

Pretty Broken Things (Pretty Broken Duet #1) is a sports, forbidden romance.

I really enjoyed the connection build up, in the beginning, between Ford and Tessa. The back and forth drama, the struggles and toxic family situation made it an entertaining read. Their story started off really engaging, but I was taken out of it about halfway through. To better understand the second half, it’s best if you read Pretty Monsters series first. That being said, I felt like the second half was just a recap of that series and took away from Ford and Tessa’s book. I still plan to read book two in this duet, because I need to know how their story ends.

Michael Joss and Phillipa Miller did a really nice job narrating this book. Good portrayal of characters.