Series: Neighpalm Industries Collective #2
Publication date: January 14th, 2021
Pages: 420
Synopsis:
Never in her life has Harlow felt as low as she does now. Even a beating from her mother was easier to take than the humiliation she just suffered at the hands of the Summer's siblings.
Unable to return home due to a promise made to her foster father, she has to stay on until her commitments have concluded. With her new friends Alex and Shane trying to convince her to stay and her grandparents and father of the same mind, Harlow's heart is torn in two.
But a mysterious phone call and a possible job opportunity may just swing the pendulum to one side.
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Review:
With the aftermath of the first book and the confusion I felt over it, it was the cliffhanger that made me read on into the second book. Never underestimate the power of a good cliffhanger even with a book that was a bit lackluster. I was slightly more impressed with the second book than the first. I had the chance to get over the unusual nature of the relationships being built within it's pages and started finding there was the foundation for a good story.
The second book opens after the humiliation of Harlow being labeled her father's new gold-digging whore for all of New York to view upon a fashion billboard. When Harlow is spirited away by her new besties, Alex and Shane, she struggles to find the desire to remain within the confines of her father's estate. It is only her duty to her foster father's horses that gives her pause or she might have already found her way back to her previous home with tail between her legs.
The greatest betrayal was that of Oliver who she had thought she was starting to win over. But when he neglected to tell her of Jacinta's humiliation tactics she felt she was no further in their good graces than she had been to begin with. Even though Harlow desperately wanted a relationship with her father, she didn't know if she could stomach any more of the pain that would come her way from her scorned siblings.
But the plot thickens when suddenly Harlow has a stalker and that stalker's motives are unclear. Do they love her? Hate her? Want her to leave? Want her to stay? Instructions unclear. I have my suspicions as to who this mysterious stalker is but could it be that obvious? Hmm.
I did like this book better than the first as I stated before. The reverse harem aspect was referenced a few more times but not nearly as often as it was previously. It was also used to further the plot than just a bit of useless foreshadowing. I think that the author may have had the curse of the first book shakes and now is starting to iron out the plot to make it something the reader can sink into.
Broken Girl introduces a new antagonist that makes the Summer siblings almost amenable and gives the reader a new reason to carry on reading.
