I Was Never Broken
Hazel Anthony
Independently Published (2026)
ISBN: 979-8995436201
Reviewed by Lizzy Brannan for Reader Views (07/2026)
It’s 1997, and Poppy Turner was certain she was on the right track to meeting her future goals with her recent college degree in hand and a new job through her boyfriend, Spencer’s father. Spencer has money and is set on transforming Poppy to meet his family’s standards. But Poppy didn’t see what everyone else around her saw. After a horrific incident allows Poppy to see the truth, she is on the road immediately to her Aunt Barbara’s house in the small town of Cedar Springs, Mississippi. Soon she finds solace in two childhood friends, Joe and Luke. And what began as an escape turns into therapy as she discovers the letters exchanged by her grandparents, a new purpose serving the town, and the awakened feelings of a childhood crush. But the closer she gets to healing, the deeper the dreadful feeling that Spencer isn’t the type to just let her leave.
It is a rare occasion I find this kind of depth and development in a romance novel as I have found in Hazel Anthony’s I Was Never Broken. The writing is so authentic, with beauty and heartbreak, that it transported me back to the Deep South in the 1990s. Growing up in small-town NC in the 90s, I know that no amount of research can truly grasp the dialogue, mannerisms, and setting like a Southern writer. Hazel Anthony does all of this and more. And yet, with themes of domestic violence, assault, and healing, her voice is universal. If it were up to me, this story would be shouted from the rooftops to women everywhere.
I was completely captivated by the depth of these characters, the setting, and the care with which Anthony navigates the difficult themes of domestic violence and assault. From cover to cover, Anthony drew me in with well-timed action, cinematic setting, and brilliantly crafted non-linear timeline choices.
Overall, I Was Never Broken was absolutely engaging for me. I couldn’t put it down. I laughed and cried through all of it. I cheered. I gasped. I was stressed. And the ending? Completely satisfying. My only preference for altering structure would be to remove some of the letters shared between Harvey and Grace (Poppy’s grandparents) and add Luke’s and possibly Joe’s POV in. It’s still a five-star read and needs to be a bestseller on every list.
At a Glance: A contemporary Southern romance with women’s fiction elements about a young woman rebuilding her life after escaping an abusive relationship. Set in 1990s Mississippi, it explores healing, found family, first love rekindled, and recovery from domestic violence and assault.
Best for Readers Who Enjoy: contemporary Southern romance, women’s fiction, small-town romance, emotional healing journeys, domestic abuse recovery stories, childhood friends to lovers, 1990s Southern setting, found family, character-driven romance, clean emotional storytelling