This is a gripping and intense read that will captivate fans of dark, twisty thrillers and romantic suspense, particularly those who enjoy complex, emotionally charged stories that explore the intersection of crime, mental health, and the human condition.

I’m not even sure how to write a review for this book. I knew reading this book was going to be way out of my comfort zone. But Mia Sheridan is one of my favorite authors so I dug in.

Reading this story had me in a roll coaster of emotions, from cringe, shock, and tearing up. I love all the main characters in this story! San Francisco PD Inspector Lennon Gray and Agent Ambrose Mars were paired together to investigate missing homeless people. I will not be saying more than that. The ending and epilogue was great!!

I love this authors romantic suspense novels, plus I grew up near the area that this story is set in so it had me intrigued. Mia Sheridan is always consistent in delivering stories that pack a heavy hitting emotional punch and MC’s that keep me invested and reading. This thriller is definitely darker than her previous books, but…the twists, the turns, the characters and the plot are so well done it solidifies why I keep returning to this author. Be prepared for an addictive read and that epilogue!! 💕

I am a longtime reader of Mia Sheridan's books and while I'm more accustomed to her romances, I have enjoyed her suspense stories as well. The Broken Places takes the reader to the streets of San Francisco. Lennon Gray's partner has relocated so she's currently without one and her new assignment is as grim as ever regarding the murders of people on the street and involving hallucinogenic drugs. When Agent Ambrose Mars enters the picture, assigned to be her new partner, Lennon is skeptical, but he seems knowledgeable and just as invested as she is on the case.

There are definite twists and turns that require a bit of reality bending to make it believable within the context of the story. There are also heartbreaking anecdotes that are likely based on true stories of people barely surviving. Lennon finds herself not sure of what to consider as true vs false especially when people are lying to her. Ambrose may be charming and caring, but he is also suspicious regarding his motives and with how much he knows, but isn't sharing.

The story has a bit of a documentary or podcast type of feel to it and I am not really a big fan of either when it comes to reading fiction stories. Not to say that it wouldn't be someone else's preference, but that is partially why I wasn't as engaged with this story because I felt more detached to the characters. The plot behind the murders was intriguing and I was interested to see who or what was behind all of that and the answers were unexpected and potentially exaggerated. Towards the end where there's a big finale scene, that one feels like a movie playing out, but lacked a bit of plausibility. However, I do appreciate the take home points about how to help the underserved or the traumatized population to get back on their feet and to live meaningful, productive, quality lives. Mia Sheridan managed to deliver one heck of a story with a unique premise and punchline.

I really enjoy this author’s books. I love her romances. But I’ve also loved seeing her write more romantic thrillers.

The Broken Places is a romantic suspense that takes place in San Francisco. It features homicide inspector Lennon Gray (female) and FBI agent Ambrose Mars.

This book had an intriguing mystery. However at times I found this book felt very dark. The murder scenes, the drugs, the trauma and the mentions of child abuse made me aware of the differences between this and the cozy mysteries that I’ve been reading.

The premise was unique. The case was fascinating. I really liked Lennon and Ambrose and I loved their jobs. And the romance was fun.

This book kept my interest. I definitely was not expecting the book to take the direction that it did. I would have liked more answers from the last chapter. Overall this is great for people who like darker stories.

I have been a fan of Mia Sheridan ever since I "Archer's Voice"and I jumped at the opportunity to read this one early. Set in San Francisco, this is a thriller with the story revolving around Lennon, an inspector, and Ambrose, and FBI agent, trying to figure out murders that are happening at the Tenderloin. These murders target the transient community (prostitutes, addicts, the homeless) and involve a new drug, BB. As the investigation progresses, nothing is what it seems and we go deeper and deeper into to the underbelly of the city in the shadows of the Golden Gate. 

This was a gripping story and I was deeply invested in what was happening, especially because it has very clever twists and turns and it definitely keeps you entertained. I won't deny I figured who "Jett" was pretty soon, but it didn't take away from my enjoyment. 

I am not going to refrain from saying that, though it is categorized as a romantic suspense (and it checks all the boxes for a romance novel, technically),  I was underwhelmed by the romance aspect of it. Lennon and Ambrose are very interesting characters and I really wanted to see the progression of their love story more.

As far as the suspense/thriller side. it's excellent and I highly recommend it for fans of the genre. 

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

Content notes: on and off page mentions of addiction, PTSD, SA, homelessness, violence, drug use, drug overdose, murder, child abuse (physical, sexual and psychological), loss of a child, blood, mental health issues

This book was darker than I expected it to go and I am not saying I don't like that, because I do. This story was gripping from the first page. Lennon and Ambrose are paired together for a devastating case. Addicts are winding up dead and there has been a new pill that they all have been found with. This story takes the reader back into the past and revists traumas that are pretty triggering, so please take care in reading what those are before you dive in.
Ambrose is a man who has secrets and Lennon can't help but feel drawn to him, outside of work. She wants to know the real him, and he is determined not to get close to anyone. While working the case, they both have to work through their own traumas and decide what is best for them in life. I really don't want to give too much away, but the romance aspect started off pretty quickly and that threw me a bit. I was hoping it would be a little further in, but I could see how the connection would have been triggered.
There are dark themes and things that are upsetting, but this is a side of life that not many people dive into and I am happy that Mia showed us this because it does need talked about and brought to light. There are people living this way all over and it is devastating.
Thanks to Montlake, Mia Sheridan and Netgalley for an early copy.

Without giving to much away The Broken Places literally submerges us into the streets of San Francisco alongside the transients and they’re not pretty …and someone is murdering them with a particular unique drug. What is interesting about this story is there is discussion of the use of Ketamine Hallucinogens to help treat addictions, mental health associated with trauma which is the second novel I’ve read that dives into this new form of treatment which does give some sort of hope in the real world . I really wanted to love this novel as Archers Voice by this author I really enjoyed and I do understand they are completely different from each other, but I just felt The Broken Places lacked some compassion

If you think a police procedural thriller with a dash of spicy romance sounds interesting, then this one might be for you.
However, I highly suggest to check out the trigger warnings below before diving into this one!

I was intrigued the first few chapters; it wasn’t just a simple ‘whodunit’ murder mystery.
The story also covers some deep, heavy, thought-provoking topics, offering an eye-opening view of the two different sides of San Fransisco.

The storyline was well-written, and the mystery and romance were well-balanced.
The mystery kept me interested from the beginning until the end, racking my brains with theories upon theories to guess the twist at the end.

I really enjoyed the investigation regarding the suspicious new drugs with Inspector Lennon and FBI Agent Ambrose. They make a good team, and I also liked getting to know their history as they slowly got closer to each other.

Overall, The Broken Places was a captivating and emotional read, it explores about trauma, love, loss, grief, and second chances.
This is not my first book by Mia Sheridan and it won’t be the last. I’m looking forward to reading more books by this author in the future!

⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: drug use, murder, mental health, PTSD, addiction, alcoholism, brief mention of adult/minor relationship, sexual assault

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked the setting and premise of this book! I live pretty close to San Francisco and the way the city is discussed is spot on, as sad as that can be at times. It’s not everyday you read a mystery about the homeless population and this one definitely did the community justice! I enjoyed all the twists and honestly didn’t know where it was going to end up until the final chapters. If you like psychological thrillers and mysteries, you should definitely check out this book!

Haunting, and deeply suspenseful, this dark crime psychological thriller is on a league of its own. The author thoroughly researched this story so that it contains dark themes in a brutally raw and realistic way so please check the triggers before you proceed.
That said, this read was utterly captivating and compelling as it slowly and methodically developed.
The attention to detail and the solid plot made this story so interesting to read. However, it’s a tough read and there were times I had to pause because the story was so vivid and told so realistically I felt I was watching.

A series of gruesome crimes in the San Francisco area are being investigated by detective inspector Lennon and FBI agent Ambrose. These 2 characters are brought together under unusual circumstances and they can’t make sense of the crimes or each other.
What happens with them and the secrets they discover between them made my jaw drop!

The story is told in the third person and with different timeless making the story at times hard to follow. But I think that’s part of the complicated and difficult to navigate circumstances surrounding these mysterious horrific crimes.
What happens?
Pay attention!
It begs the question what’s will you do to find the truth!

Everything is connected and underneath it all is another gripping thought provoking gut wrenching emotional story that knocked. me. sideways!

Wow I didn’t expect that!!
4.5 stars!

This was my first book by Mia Sheridan. The story offers an emotional journey with compelling themes of love and redemption. The characters have depth, and their struggles feel genuine. However, the pacing drags in parts, and some plot twists feel predictable. While it has moments of heartfelt connection, I had the feeling that the story was nog complete. I liked the writing style and I'm curious to read other books by this author.

En bref, j'ai adoré les relations humaines et le suspense qui nous tient en haleine de la première à la dernière page, attention aux TW qui pourraient toucher davantage certains lecteurs, l'autrice nous livrant ici un roman qui alterne entre thriller et romance. Le côté thriller est quand même un peu plus présent et j'ai aimé sa manière de nous faire vibrer avec les personnages quand Lennon découvre les tenants et les aboutissants. Un roman qui secoue donc et qui donne à réfléchir quand on en sait plus sur les actions des uns et des autres... A découvrir !

A highly engrossing and compelling story that had me thoroughly captivated. I love how Mia Sheridan can weave a narrative that is interestingly complex and holds my attention in such a rapt manner.

The characters are multi faceted with backgrounds that hold different experiences and grief, yet their undeniable attraction is what drives this story.

I hadn’t felt so much emotion as I did when reading about Lennon’s loss, I couldn’t help tearing up and feeling her pain. I felt so much sadness for Ambrose and his traumatic experiences. Yet the romantic suspense between Lennon and Ambrose brought a sense of relief in that their attraction was palpable and they very much deserved each other.

Read this story!

Thank you NetGalley for my advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

The perfect psychological thriller/romantic suspense for me. Not too dark that I will have nightmares for days or anxiety triggering.

4⭐️ 1🌶️

Wow! I love Mia’s romantic thrillers. This was such a wild ride. It was so dark, and yet hopeful with the perfect dash of spice.

I went into this completely blind knowing that I love Mia’s writing and I don’t regret it! (Although there is some pretty serious subject matter in this book so please check CW/TW).

I was hooked from the beginning and I never knew what was going to happen next. Someone is targeting the city’s most vulnerable, and leaving behind gruesome crime scenes. Lennon, a somewhat reluctant homicide investigator, must team up FBI agent Ambrose to try and figure out what is going on. But it quickly becomes clear that not everything is as it seems and hearts and lives are at stake.

So if you’re looking for a book to take you on a dark and twisted ride definitely give this book a try.

4 ⭐ 1 🌶️ 4 🎧

I absolutely love Mia's romance stories, so when I saw she wrote a thriller with a touch of romance I basically ran 🏃‍♀️ This was so good. Twisty, suspenseful, with a touch of spice and some really thought provoking plot lines.

It took me a minute to get into the story with the third person narrative and there were moments I found myself backing up thinking I'd missed something, which is why I gave it 4 stars, but ultimately this was still very very enjoyable and an exciting read. I really enjoyed the whodunit aspect and had fun making my guesses along the way, only to have my jaw falling to the floor in the end.

The audio was great. Nikol Zanzarella, Will Damron and Leon Nixon all did wonderful jobs with these characters and this story and I'd highly recommend a listen.

I personally felt like this was written more like a police procedural than a mystery/suspense book.

I have liked Mia Sheridan's books that have moved away from straight romance but this one was my least favorite of those. I felt like it was overall on the slow side pacing wise and I had to suspend belief several times. The underlying message was a nice thought but I didn't love the execution.

I’ve been a huge Mia Sheridan fan since she introduced me to Archer, but lately her thrillers have been exactly what I’ve been needing. Even with this being a thriller, she somehow made it into a romantic thriller.

I really loved Ambrose and Lennon, but then again, I don’t think Mia knows how to write a bad character.

Like every other book that Mia has written, this is a must read!

I jumped at the chance to receive an ARC of Mia Sheridan's new book, she is one of my favorite authors, and I was soo thankful to be chosen! I was captivated by this story from start to finish, it consumed my mind and when I wasn't reading I was thinking about the story and trying to put the pieces together to figure out who the killer was. This book was full of mystery, suspense, romance, trauma, addiction, healing, and twists I didn't see coming. This story sheds light on some heavy topics and doesn't skimp on the trauma, but also doesn't skimp on the healing and showing even when things seem hopeless people can be saved. Mia's storytelling capabilities are just incredible, I mean she's one of my favorite authors for a reason! 😉 I felt like this was a movie rather than a book because her writing just pulls you into the story and makes you feel like you're right there with the characters. This was such an interesting story, it kept me on the edge of my seat, and the ending didn't disappoint! 🩷📚

Thank you to Mia Sheridan, to Netgalley, and the publisher for this ARC of The Broken Places, in exchange for an honest review.