I loved Heather and Sebastian. I wanted to hate him for being such a butt. However as his story unfolds you can't help but fall in love with him. He had such sweet and tender moments but they always ended abruptly. The sweet gesture for Ava had me swooning. Such a thoughtful gift after the trauma of losing her precious Wolfie. Ava was such a wise young lady, love her. I can't give the story away but when he is at his wife's grave and telling her about Heather I couldn't read for the tears my goodness his words still get me teary eyed. I loved the strength of Sebastians family, his mom and dad are terrific. I can't wait for more from this family and the tie in to Dominic. And once Judy meets Ava, watch out these two are unstoppable.

The Broken One is one of those romances you'll have a hard time putting down (I know I did). The will they, won't they between Sabastian and Heather will have you on a wild ride as you read along. While I'm not usually a fan of insta-love, this one kept my attention as I watched their love story unfold. Both characters are enjoyable, but I think the meddling best friend was my absolute favorite because her advice had me laughing multiple times throughout the book.

This book has a unique meet cute and explosive chemistry between Heather and Sebastian, so you won't want to miss out. Their story will tug at your heartstrings as they both find a way to heal from loss and find a way to move forward together.

The reason I didn't give this one 5⭐ is because of the Judy Corisi story line throughout. It was a bit confusing and really threw me off. Even though it was a bit distracting from the love story, it does have me looking forward to the next book in the series.


Steam factor: 🔥🔥🔥

Amazing Book filled with hope of moving after tragedy in life. Heather Mills didn't have a Mom as roll model and her Dad was absent so when she adopted her best friends infant daughter Ava she decided she was going to rock it.
Sebastian Romano had lost everything that had mattered in his life 5 years ago when his wife and unborn child had been killed in a traffic accident.
Ava's stuffed wolfe brought these two lost souls together but with their individual pain and mistrust of feeling neither maybe able to see what's right in front of their respective faces.
Such a moving book. Kudos to Ms Cardello

I received this book as an ARC for an honest review. I fell behind on my reviews and so I am doing my best to catch up. I read this book twice because I originally had it planned to review right away but life happens. I re-read it to give it the best opportunity for reviewing.

The Broken One focuses on Heather and Sebastian. I will say that when I first started the book, the opening threw me for a loop with Judy being the opening chapter. The entire opening had me questioning if I had read the right blurb for the book and if I had the right book to begin with. As the story progressed, I fell in love with the characters.

Heather is a single, hard-working mom who has a rambunctious daughter, Ava. I just love their relationship and how the author portrays them in the story. Sebastian is a business man alpha male who had a tragedy turn his heart to ice. He doesn’t believe in love or beauty in the world. When Ava loses her favorite stuffed animal, it’s Sebastian who finds it. After some bantering from his family, mainly his mom, he takes it to Heathers to return it.

Heather isn’t looking for love. Her life revolves around Ava. So when the brute of a man Sebastian returns the stuffed animal, she is thrown for a loop at his cold demeanor and ruthless personality. As their story builds and his walls come down, their story becomes one that you can’t help but fall in love with.

I still do not understand the Judy point of views throughout the book, even after reading it a second time and I am hoping that future books help bring that shed some light to that portion of the book so I don’t feel as lost regarding it.

Overall, the love story between Heather and Sebastian is one that leaves you breathless and wanting more. The descriptions and details give you just enough to build the scene in your mind and create the world they are living in. You feel their emotions, and yes, Sebastian had me wanting to throw my kindle a time or two with his brute ways.

All in all, I would definitely recommend this book!

Ruth always knows how to write an amazing and emotionally charged romance. I really loved Sebastian and Heather together. Their love story was beautiful and emotional and so worth the read. Definitely one of my favorites of Ruth.

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sebastian Romano was broken and wanted to stay that way. Through a stuffed animal named Wolfie, he was forced into mending his broken heart. Terrified and angry at the loss of his wife and child, he wanted nothing to do with Heather and her daughter Ava. Yet as they were thrown together by a seemingly innocent stuffed animal, Sebastian found himself beginning to feel again.

I loved Heather and Sebastian. I wanted to hate him. But as his story unfolds you can't help but fall in love with him. He had such sweet and tender moments but they always ended abruptly. The sweet gesture for Ava had me swooning. Heather is such a great character I wanted to be like her. She is a strong, independent woman trying to make it as a single mother. I loved her outlook on life and her positive attitude and confidence even when she wasn’t sure of herself. This story was, heartbreaking, exciting, sweet and funny.

This book has just the right amount of humor, awesome characters that will make you want to keep coming back for more and a story that make the pages fly by.

I have to admit that when the book first opened I got a bit confused. How does Judy Corisi fit in this story? Yes, I know that this book is Corisi Billionaires but it took me a bit of time to figure out some of where she fit. And she wasn't mentioned in the book blurb. I have to say that I did like Judy and wanted to know more about her and her family. She is one determined, clever little girl. It made me want to know even more what the big secret is. And it all started from a school project of making a family tree. Her part of the story does show up from time to time giving bits and pieces of her search.
Heather is quite the character and she made me laugh. She was also quite unpredictable when it came to what she would do or say. Not in a bad way but often in smile-worthy ways. Factor in that she also has some clumsy or embarrassing moments too. She had a filter but she was also honest to the bone. She even admits that not everyone could handle her level of honesty. She was kind so she wasn't out to hurt anyone. The only time she told two lies were tiny ones to help protect someone's job.
Sebastian was on a long road of recovery from his losses. Only thing is, he isn't doing too well. How could he when he only allows himself to deal with it on the anniversary of that loss and then he stuffs it back down again.
His family is worried about him. It was emotional when his mother told him that she had loved his wife too. That she lost her first grandchild too. And even worse, on that day she had lost her son (him) as well. That was a attention grabber.
The first meeting between Heather and Sebastian started out okay. But after Sebastian says something SO stupid, he ends up with the door slammed in his face. It won't be the last time. He sent so many conflicting signals but hey, he's a guy. And he's still trying to heal.

I wanted to give this book 5 Stars for the humor alone but luckily there was more to the story. Heather's best friend, Erica was a hoot too. Married with 3 children, she added help, support, spice and often good advice to Heather's life. And when it comes to talking about sex she isn't shy. But she is funny! She is also the mother of Ava's best friend Charlotte.
Ava was well written as well and showed not only the charm of a 4 year old girl but the determination too (and stubbornness).
There is a lot of emotion in this story coming from several different directions but it wasn't sappy or too heavy.
Just in case you are wondering, there will be some steamy scenes between them but then something happens and *Poof* one of them is off and running again. Not to worry they do get their act together and have their H.E.A. And Heather and Ava gain a loving, welcoming larger family.
And Judy and her family tree secrets? Not completed in this book. Normally, that would irritate me, but no not this time. I got reeled in and want to know more.
Just have to add that the dedication for this book was interesting. Wolfie (Ava's stuffed toy) being lost and returned was a true story in the author's real life. And she mentions that you can find out more about that when you visit her at web site.
“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

Really enjoyed this book. Ruth Cardello has been on my radar for a while and as a first read The Broken one Ticked all me reading boxes.

I'll absolutely be reading more from this author in the future.

A swoony read with a tortured alpha H and a witty, sassy h. There are actually 2 stories woven together and I will admit I was confused since this is my first book by this author. When I started the book, I thought it had downloaded incorrectly! I liked all the characters, from the mains to even the secondaries. They all seemed like people I would like to know. I liked the banter between Heather and Sebastian although I found their relationship seemed to jump to “I love you” with no transition. Even Heather and her father’s relationship seemed to be left hanging. Mild steam. I would definitely read another book by this author since I’m intrigued about Sebastian’s brothers.

Scouting out a new location for the family business, Sebastian Romano finds a child's stuffed animal (Wolfie) by the side of the road. Angry and still mourning the loss of his wife and unborn child years earlier, Sebastian is unable to throw Wolfie away. The well loved toy eventually leads Sebastian to single mom Heather and her adorable daughter Ava. The Broken One is a beautifully written story about love, loss and new beginnings. Ruth Cardello is an amazing and gifted author. This is one book you won't want to put down. 5+ Stars for The Unbroken One.

2.5 Stars

This is a spin of of Cardello's other series, and while it can be read as a stand alone, I felt lost whenever Judy's POV came up. I felt Sebastian's character could have been developed more and at times I thought Heather's character sporadically changed. However, Ava was an adorable child.

There were a lot of heavy topics that added good backstory, but I wished we would have delved deeper into them. Still, I found this enjoyable and a good, quick read.

Very emotional, action packed, sexy, fun and engaging romantic journey filled with loss, family and a thrilling second chance....... this journey has complex charters, witty banter, complicated family and heart racing emotional twists that take your breath away. Was a excellent read from beginning to end.

Emotional, and Intense!

This is my first time reading anything by this author, and I really enjoyed this book. I will definitely reading more by this author in the future.

This is the first book in the Corisi Billionaires series, and the story of Sebastien, Heather, and a little girl, Ava, who's loss of a beloved stuffed animal, brings Sebastien, and Heather together. Sebastien is a broken man, gutted by the lose of his wife, and child, he is a shell of the person he once was, that is until he meets Heather. Heather makes him feel things, feelings he hasn't felt in a long time. This was a emotional read, the characters are well written, and they have great chemistry. This book was intense, gripping, raw, sweet and steamy! I highly recommend this book!

This is the first book I have read by Ruth Cardello and I definitely want to read more!
The Broken One is a fabulous start to a series. My heart went out to Sebastian and what he went through. Heather too as she also hasn't had it easy. Together they bring out the best in each other and move forward. Ava oh my! She was just adorable!!! A fabulous book that had me laughing out loud and shed the odd tear too. I hope you enjoy it as well!
...I'm still trying to figure out how the 'other' character fits into the story and am intrigued on the next book. Although from what I have read (looking at previous books Ruth has written), the original series starts with the Corisi family so I think I am going to have to start on that series while I wait for the next book!

This is a book about a widower and a single mom. After Sebastian lost his pregnant wife, he shut himself of from other people and focused on building his families business. Heather is a single mom who only wants the best for her daughter, even if it means never dating and doing it all alone. After a meeting involving the couple and a lost stuffed animal the two start to have a change of heart. I think what I enjoyed the most about this book is that both characters were real. Neither one was perfect, both made mistakes and they both apologized for said mistakes. I really did enjoy this book and look forward to reading more.

I haven't read any of the books about the Corisi family and whose I don't think it's necessary it has made me want to go back and read them.

Heather was a character I really admired. As a person as a mum she was flawed and she knew it. We weren't given some ideal woman to aspire to being and that was so refreshing to read. I adored her relationship with Ava all their struggles just made it more realistic. Sebastian is the text book definition of a broken man. His past is heartbreaking and continues to define hum years later. I'm such a sucker for moody men they are usually the most interesting to read. Seeing Heather and Ava slowly bringing him out of his self imposed shell was beautiful to read.

The inclusion of June's story confused me at first but as I read I realised the significance of this will become clear in future books.

The Broken One lives up to the title! This story will shatter your heart, then beautifully mend it. It's been a while since I've read a good, heart-warming story that punched me right in the chest and made me cry - but this one succeeded. The author did such a fantastic job of making you feel Sebastian's pain, to the point where you wish you could reach through the book to just comfort him. Have the tissues ready and dive in to this wonderful tale of love and loss. It's one of my favorite reads this fall and I can't wait to see what else happens in this series. Such amazing characters, you'll want to read this one again and again.

I've been a fan of Ruth Cardello's for years and have read and enjoyed everything she has published. This book felt different in the best way possible from Ruth's other work. The characters had so much demention and depth that they were easy to understand and relate to throughout the story. They never felt like a characature or fake and it was easy to follow the character growth as the story progresses. Sebastian and Heather are the stars of the book, but Ava and Judy are the scene stealers. I felt as invested in Judy's story as I did the main plot and look forward to seeing how the "B Plot" progresses.

I don't know who broke my heart more, Ava, Wolfie or Sebastian. I have read several Corisi books before and this one made me remember why I loved them. The pain Sebastian felt after all he went through just poured off the page. The pain Ava was going through without Wolfie was so heartfelt. Good for all of them to make their own family. Love is all that matters.

This was a great read!
I believe this is my first book by this author so I cannot compare it to others she has written. I will say it was well written and well thought out. (Although I'm still not sure how Judy fits into the story, but maybe we will as the series unfolds.)
We meet Sebastian when he is getting drunk of the anniversary of the death of his wife and unborn child. He finds a stuffed animal on the side of the road that he wants thrown away and then his mother interferes and wants him to return it in person. So he does. We meet Heather, a single mom to her adopted daughter when she is frantically searching for the stuffed animal.
Can these two find love????
You gotta read this one to find out.

*This is book one in this new series.