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The Broken by J. J. Hernandez: A Book Review
***May contain slight spoilers.
In The Broken, J. J. Hernandez writes a captivating crime thriller that explores grief, loss, consequences, greed, and power.
Julian Serrano led a life of crime to provide for his family. A lifestyle that would catch up to him the day a close friend betrayed him. After spending a long stretch in prison, he’s out trying to keep himself in line and doing right by his son, his late wife, and his P. O., Diana Rivera.
As he attempts to find a new normal, adjusting to a clean lifestyle proves to be very difficult. His sister-in-law blames him for his wife’s death. And he grapples with these feelings of guilt as well. Had he never gone to prison, would they have caught the cancer earlier? Could he have made enough money to pay for adequate treatments? Would she be in remission rather than in his memories?
This anger serves as a brick wall for her as she’s raising Julian’s son and refusing to provide access. Even so, he’s grateful for her help and empathizes with her anger. And, he’s able to sneak in some time with his son.
However, the road of good intentions is going nowhere and he’s provided an opportunity to make money, get revenge, and perhaps even find a way to leave the area with his son.
