📖 ARC REVIEW (Some Spoilers) Bent but Not Broken by Mary Monroe (Lexington Series Book 5)
🔥 Drama. Betrayal. Mind games. This novel brings all the messy twists and turns of a daytime soap opera—some jaw-droppingly good, others so over-the-top they’re laugh-out-loud absurd.
Mary Monroe delivers another page-turner with Bent but Not Broken, a story about Naomi Simmons—a woman desperate to escape her selfish family, only to find herself trapped in an unfaithful and controlling marriage. Just when she dares to dream of a fresh start with a charming widower, life throws her a curveball that keeps her bound to her ailing husband. But trust, nothing in this book is ever that simple!
👀 What I Liked:
✔️ The fast-paced, juicy drama—there’s never a dull moment.
✔️ The Southern grit and layered family dynamics Monroe is known for.
✔️ The unexpected twist that left me reeling in the final stretch.
😩 What Had Me Shouting at the Pages:
🚨 Naomi’s lack of backbone —Sis was letting folks walk all over her like she was the welcome mat at Walmart!
🚨 The outrageous situations—like catching your husband in your bed with another woman and just… sitting outside waiting for them to finish?! Girl, where’s your inner Miss Sofia from The Color Purple?! I needed her to fight first, think about heaven later!
🚨 The mind games—at times frustrating, but undeniably entertaining.

💭 Final Thoughts:
If you love scandalous family sagas with larger-than-life drama, Bent but Not Broken will keep you entertained from start to finish. I do think there are parts where the author got a little wordy and I felt like let’s speed this up. While Naomi tested my patience with her passive nature, the sheer messiness of it all kept me flipping pages.

If you haven’t read the first book in the series Mrs. Wiggins, run to read it.. I repeat run to read it. I’m hoping at some point this character returns in one of the other books.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️— I had a hard time rating this book initially but if you are a soap opera fan (like me) you will love it. It is also perfect for fans of juicy, over-the-top drama with a touch of psychological suspense!
Thanks Kensington Publishing and Netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this ARC!!!
📚 Would you read this? Drop a comment if you love books with messy boots, characters who act like they don’t have good sense that the author gave them that make you want to throw the book across the room but keep reading anyway! 😂 #BookReview #ARCReview #BentButNotBroken #MaryMonroe

A Captivating Read

Mary Monroe delivers another gripping and emotional story with Bent But Not Broken, a great addition to the Lexington Alabama series. This story follows Naomi, the youngest child in her family that is raised by her dad. When she continues to hear rumors that her dad is ready to live his life and “marry her off,” she settles for the first man that shows her some attention, in order to fulfill her dads wishes. The years fly by & Jacob’s manipulative, conniving & awful ways surface but Naomi hangs in there. With her teenage daughter’s unladylike behavior, Jacob’s unfaithful ways & dead end jobs, Naomi finds herself seeking comfort from another man. Has Naomi found her Prince Charming in Homer, or has kissed yet another frog?

Highly recommended for readers who enjoy drama and heartfelt novels! Part of Lexington AL series, but can be read as standalone. I do recommend the whole series though, especially books 1 and 4. Thank you Kensington Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

⭐️⭐️.75

I’ve read the first book in this series so i had high hopes for this book.

I’ll start with the things i liked. I liked Lula and her love for Naomi, everyone needs a friend that’s gonna show up for them no matter what. I really enjoyed Martha Lou’s character as well, i always like to read about strong women that don’t judge and live in their truth. As well, catty was entertaining, he always seemed to pick up on the characters that were gonna give Naomi hell!

After reading the synopsis, i was intrigued but as the book went on it just didn’t give me what i needed. It felt as though the book started to drag on and there was no growth from the FMC. Her husband treated her poorly and she always made excuses for him, she never chose herself and it started to make me uninterested in the wellbeing of her character. I also didn’t like the fat shaming throughout the book. It didn’t push the plot forward so it felt unnecessary.

Not my first Read of this Author and ready to read another book from this author. Mary Monroe always leave me with my mouth open in awe at the end. THE cover definitely pulled me to this book immediately!

Mary Monroe never disappoints!!!!! I’ve been in love with the Lexington Alabama series from
The beginning!!!! Naomi was to naive for me ! First of all that daughter was out of control! I was ready to whip her little fast tail!!! And then Naomi how you gonna run off with Homer and he was broke he literally had nothing !!! Overall I enjoyed !!!!

It was okay book overall. You don’t have to read the other books in this series to read this book. But I highly recommend reading the first book “Mrs Wiggins”. That book IMO is the best one, and after that the books have been going down in enjoyment.

Yeah, so with Monroe’s books they are pretty predictable, and one dimensional but they are quickly paced and the drama will keep you turning the pages. Also what makes her books stand out and have me invested are the characters. Sadly the main character in this, Naomi, was not very interesting and her lack of growth was frustrating. Her character did not evolve at all from the beginning to the end in spite of these life events happening to her. Like I said before, Monroe’s characters aren’t complex but they’re still interesting. All the characters around Naomi were WAY more interesting.

I was gonna rate this two stars but I love all the over the top soap opera drama. It’s like hearing the juiciest gossip ever. I just wish the MC had just as much juice.

Bent but Not Broken is set in depression-era Alabama and follows the life of Naomi Simmons who finds herself in,what I would say, “need” of a husband due to the overwhelming and selfish demands of her family. She finds this husband in form of Jacob Purcell and soon after realizesthat she has gotten herself a cheating bastard whose hands are very light and whose mouth is very hurtful and insulting. As the years progress, so does the insults, infidelity and Jacob’s mistreatment, but in spite of all this, Naomi remains devoted to child and husband - there are times throughout the book where my heart really goes out to Naomi. There is a particular chapter which left me reeling and hurting so much for her. I was like “girl, what are you doing????!!!! GET OUT OF THERE!!!!
Now, picture this, you are unhappy, self-conscious and married to the devil’s own self. You there yet?...... ok, now imagine you meet upon an attractive man who has hearts in his eyes whenever he sees you… you are eventually swayed by this handsome fella and believe yourself to be in love, so in love, you plan to leave your husband and run away with him. Your utopia is just within reach and bam, you get received life changing news and soon realize that you swapped one devil for another. Things take a dangerous turn for Naomi from there on out and this is where I all but disabled the pause button (I listen/read this book) in my pursuit to find out what happens next. In the end I was very satisfied with how things turned out for my girl. Shout out to Naomi’s friend’s, Lula (The BFF), Martha Lou (The unlikely confidant) and Maisie (The most valuable characterMVC), they really brought home how important it is to have persons in your corner, who will have your back no matter what!

4.5 stars
Main Characters
Naomi
Jacob
Homer

Storyline
Naomi marries Jacob to satisfy her fathers wishes of finally marrying her 'off' so he can move on with his life. However, Naomi soon realises she had made the worst decision of her life. Naomi is then blown away when she meets a new 'friend'. Homer is different from Jacob in so many ways, which excites Naomi. Unfortunately, Naomi's life gets turned upside in ways she would never have believed.

Thoughts
This book had me on the edge of my seat throughout. Bent But Not Broken reminded me of when you hear gossip and you can't believe what you're hearing every time something new happens. I would definitely recommend this book, and I will be reading her others very soon.

This is another winner from Mary Monroe! The writing is familiar and I love how she leans into the culture from that time period. The main character is Naomi and I kept wanting her to win. The author leads us through the emotions and feelings of being a battered woman while trying to reconcile what it means to be a wife, yet her own woman. The friendships in the book are where the plot shines as this is where all the magic happens.

Mary Monroe books always give me what I need! This book was great hands down! I love all of Ms. Monroe's work! I am definitely purchasing this book!

Naomi married Jacob after her father and everyone else in the community pressured her to get married. Naomi goes through years of emotional and physical abuse while Jacob commits adultery. She meets Homer falls in love with him and realizes she deserves more. Naomi plans on divorcing Jacob, then Jacob has a stroke and needs her fulltime care. A month before Naomi plans to leave with Homer, Jacob suffers a stroke and needs full-time care. Well, while Naomi tells Homer that she cannot leave Jacob, Homer shows who he really is, and this is where things shake up for Naomi!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the opportunity to read this advanced copy!

I enjoyed this book. I have also read the other books in the series. There is never a dull moment in the books that Mary Monroe writes. This one was good. The ending was different from what I thought it would be. It was better. I look forward to reading more books by Mary Monroe. I'm grateful that netgalley and the publishers let me read this in exchange for an honest review

“Daddy used to tell me that getting bent was a part of life and that only the truly strong folks didn’t break.”

Naomi Simmons, not wanting to become an old maid and eager to make her daddy happy, feels pressured to get married. Jacob Purcell makes a good living working at the sawmill, so Naomi accepts his clumsy marriage proposal. She has her church, a healthy child named Ethel Mae, her furry companion, Catty, and good friends. While she is content, she longs for true happiness.

I love Mary Monroe's writing style, especially her humorous dialogue, lively characters, and her flair for capturing the historical Southern era. Her storytelling captivates me, as I find myself entertained while reading and also at the end can reflect on the life lessons that she's incorporated into her storytelling.

Naomi's story is an example of life's situations, and the choices made, what we are willing to accept, and the importance of having good friends who support us when we are at a loss and unsure of what to do next.

Naomi’s marriage to Jacob is marred by emotional and physical abuse. Despite Jacob's blatant infidelity, Naomi is kind-hearted and dedicated to upholding her wedding vows. She fulfills her responsibilities as a mother and wife and works hard. During her moments of enjoyment, particularly while fishing, she meets Homer Clark. Homer provides Naomi with everything she desires and needs until her life takes an unexpected turn, and she must continue being a dutiful wife to Jacob. This unforeseen twist and climax in the story keeps both Naomi and me on edge. People are not always who they appear to be, and we never truly know another person's mental state. Naomi’s father warned her that life's challenges are inevitable, and her willingness to remain strong as everything around her begins to crumble is a testament to her character.

Several times while reading Naomi’s story, I found myself wondering what I would do if I were in her situation. Would I endure abuse and infidelity from my husband for twenty years? As a neglected wife, would remaining virtuous still be a priority for me, or would I seek happiness and love in the arms of another man, as Naomi did? There is something about Naomi that resonates with me, because under normal circumstances, I would want her—or any woman—to be strong enough to stand up to Jacob or leave him. However, I realized that I just wanted Naomi to experience some happiness, regardless of how she found it.

But who could have predicted that those moments of joy would turn into a situation where, 'if I can’t have you, I will make your life miserable'.

This was a great read. Naomi embodies a strong will to survive and not be broken, but her story also highlights the importance of having good people in our corner to support us in our life’s journey or just to keep us from breaking.

It is important to note that you do not need to read the other books in this series to fully enjoy book five. I appreciate that the book includes discussion questions at the end, which provide an opportunity for deeper reflection on the characters' actions while allowing me to share my own thoughts. These questions will also be excellent for book club discussions.

I highly recommend this read, and I feel sad to see the Lexington, Alabama series come to an end.

Another entertaining read by Mary Monroe. This book grabbed me from the first few pages. It was fast paced but engaging. I enjoyed the storyline and the characters. A quick read with some sentimentality.

Ms. Monroe, you have done it again!!!! Another winner in this book. Characters are so well developed and the storyline!!! OMG!! This book grabs you and does not let go. This book will give u a variety of emotions. All get the ending that they deserved. Read this now. I cannot wait for the next in the series. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review. Receiving the book in this manner had no bearing on my thoughts.

It's sad when someone decides that, for whatever reason, they no longer want to be with someone and finds themselves in a "if I can't have you, no one can" situation. Naomi decided to stay with her husband Jacob (against some people's better judgment). Homer becomes crazy and obsessive and will do anything to hold onto Naomi and unfortunately, it will cost her everything.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the opportunity to read this advanced copy of “Bent but not Broken”.

Naomi dreams of the day she is able to leave her abusive husband Jacob and start a new life somewhere else. When she meets Homer one day while fishing, they immediately hit it off and Naomi realizes that her dream of leaving Jacob could soon become a reality. Naomi will be faced with one of the biggest decisions of her life.

Let me just start off saying that I LOVE Mary Monroe’s writing! Her storytelling is amazing. The dialogue in this book had me literally laughing out loud! I was hooked from the first page. I flew through it in one weekend.

One thing that I want to mention is that you don’t need to read the other books in this series in order to enjoy this one.

I highly recommend “Bent But Not Broken” by Mary Monroe and can’t wait to purchase my copy on release day!

Naomi Simmons took a risk when she decided to marry Jacob Purcell. Her father and the rest of the community in Lexington, Alabama pressured her to get married, and Jacob was the first who asked. Naomi then endures decades of emotional and physical abuse while Jacob also flaunts his infidelity. Her one escape is fishing and one day she meets Homer Clark, a charming new resident of Lexington. Naomi decides that she deserves a bit of happiness now that her daughter, Ethel Mae, is out of the house. She falls into a love affair with Homer and even plans on leaving and divorcing Jacob. Just a month before Naomi plans to leave with Homer, Jacob suffers a stroke and needs full-time care. Naomi tells Homer that she cannot leave Jacob in such a condition and then Homer reveals his true colors. Homer swears that he will make Naomi's life miserable and for a time, he succeeds. A brutally honest novel about the choices we make and how we can change our lives with the right people in our corner.

The story flowed well and the characters were well developed. I recommend this book and look forward to more from this author.


****Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review****

Bent but Not Broken is a dramatic tale filled with family turmoil, deceit, and the complex emotional struggles of its protagonist, Naomi Simmons. Mary Monroe does an excellent job of developing Naomi’s character—a woman torn between her obligations to her ungrateful husband and her desire for happiness with another man. The early parts of the novel are engaging, especially as Naomi navigates her relationships and the growing tension between her family responsibilities and personal dreams.

However, the story's pacing feels uneven, and some plot twists, especially Ethel Mae’s shocking revelation, think over the top and, at times, strain believability. The novel has moments of real emotional depth, but the drama can become overwhelming, making it hard to connect with the characters’ motives. While Naomi’s journey is compelling, the supporting characters, especially Homer and Jacob, often appear one-dimensional, making the relationships less authentic.

The story’s darker turns, with mind games and manipulation, are intriguing but leave some unanswered questions by the end. Fans of family sagas and Monroe’s previous works might enjoy the ride, but for others, the heavy drama and rushed resolution may fall short of expectations. Overall, it’s a good read with exciting moments, but it didn’t quite reach its full potential.

This book was okay! I think the story was ok, there were lots of themes going on - family issues, lies, secrets, scandals, etc. I think the twists and turns were good, however I was able to guess a lot of the plot twists that were coming. I think it was overall not as deep as I wanted it to be, and not planned out well.

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complementary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!