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njdarkish's review
5.0
A dark, violent, and nasty horror novel that blends serial killer and bad seed tropes with... Return to Me? The writing is strong and does interesting things with perspective, and Gallegos shows us she is willing to go DARK. She's going to be a writer to watch going forward.
outrojulia's review
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I don't think I've read many books in the horror genre, this one might as well be my first and I don't think I can call myself a fan. The premise is interesting but the story is pretty predictable. The writing style is not my personal favorite either.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore
hippie13's review
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I wasn't sure about this because of how much the mother mentions hating her son every chapter, not that there's anything wrong with that because some kids are assholes. But I couldn't stop reading it and I ended up really enjoying it overall. I do t read medical horror but it'd be interested in a sequel if one is ever written.
rosecran10's review
5.0
What can I say?! This one gripped me!! Shocking and fearless from beginning to end.
rachel_jozie's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
*I'm not going to give you the 'what this book is about' blurb - you can read that elsewhere.
1. I discovered medical thrillers/horror relatively recently, and I have fallen in love! As someone who has worked in multiple avenues of healthcare throughout my life, it simply feels like home. That said, I’m particular about the accuracy of the information in these books. As I was reading The Broken Heart, I was so impressed with how well the medical procedures and devices were explained, I actually told my husband how happy I was with the research the author put in. Then, I found out the author is an ER doctor in real life, and it all made sense! I LOVE when a professional works their industry knowledge into their creative work. Because of how seamlessly Gallegos did it, I’m putting her work on par with Tess Gerritsen and Lucinda Berry. In my mind, that’s a huge compliment!
2. Speaking of Lucinda Berry – this book gave me some creepy kid vibes similar to Berry’s ‘The Perfect Child’ and that made me so deliciously uncomfortable.
3. I know due to cellular memory transference (which is something I’ve always been completely fascinated with) – it wasn’t 100% ‘her’ after her transplant, but regardless I still felt such triumph for Casey when she FINALLY had enough and blew up at her husband. I mean, he needed a hard conversation for quite some time, and when she snapped at him, I was cheering.
4. Wow, this got dark. There’s a part where the plotline goes in a direction I did not see coming. I think I was focused on the wrong things in the storyline to even consider going in that direction, but I loved the path it took, and I’m not mad about being surprised with a twist.
1. I discovered medical thrillers/horror relatively recently, and I have fallen in love! As someone who has worked in multiple avenues of healthcare throughout my life, it simply feels like home. That said, I’m particular about the accuracy of the information in these books. As I was reading The Broken Heart, I was so impressed with how well the medical procedures and devices were explained, I actually told my husband how happy I was with the research the author put in. Then, I found out the author is an ER doctor in real life, and it all made sense! I LOVE when a professional works their industry knowledge into their creative work. Because of how seamlessly Gallegos did it, I’m putting her work on par with Tess Gerritsen and Lucinda Berry. In my mind, that’s a huge compliment!
2. Speaking of Lucinda Berry – this book gave me some creepy kid vibes similar to Berry’s ‘The Perfect Child’ and that made me so deliciously uncomfortable.
3. I know due to cellular memory transference (which is something I’ve always been completely fascinated with) – it wasn’t 100% ‘her’ after her transplant, but regardless I still felt such triumph for Casey when she FINALLY had enough and blew up at her husband. I mean, he needed a hard conversation for quite some time, and when she snapped at him, I was cheering.
4. Wow, this got dark. There’s a part where the plotline goes in a direction I did not see coming. I think I was focused on the wrong things in the storyline to even consider going in that direction, but I loved the path it took, and I’m not mad about being surprised with a twist.
itsviviactually's review
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
One woman’s buried rage at a broken, abusive marriage, a medical establishment that neglects women’s health and the realization that she’s raising a monster find violent release after a heart transplant. The Broken Heart is a tense slide into cathartic tragedy and I loved every page of it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Gore
Moderate: Pregnancy, Medical trauma, and Rape
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