Bent But Not Broken follows the story of Naomi, a young woman made to feel like a burden to her family. She discovers a way out by marrying Jacob, an older man who woos her with promises of happy ever after. Unfortunately, she ends up in a physically, mentally and emotionally abusive marriage with an unfaithful husband. Eventually she finds love with Homer and is on the brink of leaving everything behind when Jacob has a debilitating stroke. Homer is not happy with the turn of events and changes from the kind, loving man Naomi knew to a monster. This novel has all the elements of a great story - mystery, suspense, romance, tragedy and ultimately triumph. Thank you #NetGalley and RBMedia for an advance copy of the audiobook.

Mary Monroe is a new author for me. I loved her writing and hopefully will read her again in the future. She really knows how to tell a story.

Many thanks to Net Galley and RB Media for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Love this book! Mary Monroe never disappoints. The twists, turns and turmoil are always on point when you get one of her books in hand!

I absolutely loved Bent But Not Broken. It provided me with a reflection of marriages of some family members that were shared with me; A godly woman stayed with her husband no matter. Naoimi--FMC relationships with the men in her life were based on need and duty as opposed to love. She gives loves and care to her rolling stone of a husband, whom she does not like, out of duty. Naoimi gets none of what she deserves in return. While stepping outside of her marriage, she thought she had with Homer; that turned out to be a lie. This man was a whole box of crazy. Naoimi fell in love with the wrapping. Naoimi has had a heart of goal, and forgiveness like no other.
Naomi's daughter Ethel Mae appears to have developed her view of relationships y watching her parents. She was hot in the pants, as old timers would say, back in high school; after she graduated she continued that behavior. When she graduated from high school, she moved Ethel Mae rarely brought the same man home to visit. The last man that she was in a relationship with was a piece of work.
I would like to end this by saying Naoimi's friends loved her in spite of it all; they stood by her side when things got rough. Those are the kinds of people I welcome in my life.
#Netgalley #ARC

After years of reading enthusiastic reader recommendations on social media, I finally listened to a novel by author Mary Monroe. I admire her skill and historical knowledge. Monroe is not an author that I can easily assign to a specific genre. She excels at telling emotionally powerful dramatic fiction that deals with complex personal relationships between oppressed people (and sometimes their well-meaning employers that never speak out against racism). Like authors of literary fiction (Toni Morrison, Margaret Walker, et al.), Monroe can tell a compelling story with realistic depictions of a potentially frightening historical setting -- Black communities surviving in small Southern towns where Jim Crow is a cruel, daily practice and the threat of racial violence is sometimes moments away. But the people of these communities are individuals, with hope, love, dreams, and their own motivations, opinions, and temperaments. Monroe skillfully compresses time for fast-paced storytelling, but simultaneously presents vivid description and historical facts (for example, limited shopping hours for Black customers that might be offered expired food). Even if you're a couple of generations away from the great migration, some cultural gems will pop out at you, further pulling in readers that know a bit about Southern Black culture (I let out a delighted yelp when one character referred to a croaker sack, a term I learned from a Southern parent while growing up in the North).

This is a story of domestic violence that begins with emotional abuse and is kept alive by rigid gender roles and societal expectations. Some of those expectations are within the mind of the heroine herself. She weds only to escape a potential arranged marriage, and experiences emotional abuse, surprising extramarital love, and shocking betrayal. Yet she believes that she must uphold cultural expectations for a woman: loyal to home, church, and community; working a physically demanding housekeeping job for a White pastor, before going home to discover that she cannot demand control of her own body there; remaining compliant and sweet tempered during interactions with people that don't really listen to or respect her. All of this may feel familiar to some readers.

Although religion is an essential, central part of the lives of both the heroine and the Black Southern community, there is no preachiness in this book. Imperfect morality and quotidian sins are part of human life and Monroe's characters. Their daily lives under Jim Crow are already at risk, so why not take a chance on affection or love? The heroine's relationship with her best friend is interesting -- neither one judges the other for moral missteps, and their willingness to help each other and the people around them strengthens the world building. Such attitudes are one reason why nostalgic opinions of small town life exist.

So, now I've read Mary Monroe and have many questions, some of which can be answered by reading more of her work. I understand why she has devoted readers. I admire her for choosing to write within such an emotionally difficult time period, and for showing readers how Black American life in the first half of the 20th century could be complicated, occasionally joyous, too often painful. AS a Librarian, I recommend BENT BUT NOT BROKEN to readers of African American genre fiction and brave readers of historical fiction that can handle honest depictions of Jim Crow.

I listened to this story and I just loved it! The narrator was very good and I really got attached to Naomi. I loved her way of thinking, even if her integrity can be put in question when she enjoys her lover. However, I can't be angry with her, on the opposite, she is right to bring a little light in her daily life when she has to face her husband. She remains nevertheless selfless when it really gets morally important. That's why I like her so much. Naomi is someone I would have liked to meet. Highly recommended!
I received an audio version of this novel from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.

Special thanks to the author & @kensingtonbooks #Dafina for my gifted copy and ALC‼️

After book 3 I just knew this series was finished but nope Monroe said let me spin the block two more times we ain’t done yet‼️I can honestly say I’m not one to finish a series but this series is one of a kind and I live for the mess so let’s just say book 5 didn’t completely disappoint me.

Set at the backdrop of the Depression era Mary Monroe takes us back to Lexington, Alabama with new characters and more drama. Book 5 follows Naomi Simmons recently married to smooth talking Jacob Purcell who was also a woman beater, manipulator, and the town’s community D (that man stressed me out for her). Naomi didn’t love Jacob one bit but she took a chance simply to escape the pressure her father and his wife were putting her under. They had a daughter Ethel Mae who took right after her daddy. Do with that what you will!!!When Naomi meets Homer Clark they become real close and soon fall in love. But when Jacob has a stroke and Naomi decides not to leave him (just stupid) Homer isn’t pleased and his TRUE colors begin to show.

Mary Monroe has a knack for creating the messiest characters, showcasing the good and bad sides of marriage, and revealing just how shady and ungodly some church folks can be. I don’t think I’ve ever read one of her books that didn’t make me laugh. This book was definitely wild I’m not sure what was worse the way Jacob treated Naomi or what Homer did after the fact.

Overall, the book was okay it was a complete mess from beginning to end just one twist after another. The pacing was very slow in the beginning and throughout the book things get a little repetitive. But Mary knows how to keep you entertained and engaged so it was easy to push through it. Every book in this series will hit different and it’s one that I will always recommend especially if you love historical fiction.

Rating: 3.75/5⭐️

I loved every minute of this book! The entire series is good. Mary Monroe is one of the best storytellers. Anytime I pick up one of her books I know I’m in for a treat.

I listened to the audiobook of this novel and while the synopsis sounded intriguing I did not enjoy the narrator or the writing style. I did enjoy the story and all of the twists and turns that came throughout. What made me unhappy is the way Naomi handled her marriage with her husband and the abuse she endured for years. There is no way I would have stayed that long and then to take care of him after he had a stroke! Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for a chance to read and review this book in exchange for an honest review.

Bent But Not Broken

By Mary Monroe
Narrated by Shari Peele
Published March 25,2025

Mary Monroe had from in a hold from start to finish of this book. Set in Lexington Alabama in 1918,
Naomi is one of thirteen children where unfortunately her mother died during her birth leaving her with only her father.
Naomi agrees to marry to have financial security after her father’s girlfriend was overheard talking about her. They spoke of how she needed a job, and to be married and move out of the house so that they could live alone in peace. Unfortunately once Naomi got married she had to deal with a cheating husband, a rude unruly daughter and a lover who is obsessive. Naomi gets a job working for a wealthy white family cooking and doing other things around for them, Reverend Spivey, his wife and Annie Lou who is half black but passes for white. Not only is Naomi’s husband Jasob a cheater, hes also abusive verbally, physically and mentally.
Naomi would head off fishing just to get away from it all at her home and she meets a nice, so she thought man Homer who she begins to have an affair with since her husband is a cheating abuser. Their affair lasted for some time and only ended because her husband Jacob had a massive stroke leaving him unable to do anything for himself so Naomi and Ethel Mae to care for him.
Mary puts so many twists in her books you never know what is going to happen next. I absolutely loved him book and cannot wait to read more from Mary Monroe in the future.

Thank you NetGalley and RBmedia | Recorded Books for this ALC Audiobook. All opinions are my own.

3.5⭐️ This was such a sad story. Naomi found herself in a lot of difficult situations she had to power and fight through. From infidelity to murder, it was definitely a messy one. This was actually my first book i read in the series and I wasnt lost or anything so that's good. 👍🏾

This is my first time reading Mary Monroe’s work & I enjoyed it. The book is like a soap opera filled with a lot of jaw dropping moments. There are moments when I thought everything was going well & then boom… A surprise! Some part, however, felt dragged out but because of the drama and wanting to know what happened next, I just could not put it down.

Thank you to NetGalley & Unabridged for the ARC!

This book grabbed me from page one! Mary Monroe is back with another powerful entry in her Lexington, Alabama series—and true to my reading habits this year, I started it completely out of order. But let me tell you, that didn’t take away from the experience one bit.

We follow Naomi, a woman still living at home with her father, though it’s clear that arrangement has an expiration date. After overhearing a harsh conversation between her father and his new lover, Naomi decides to make a bold move—marrying an older man, Jacob, out of spite. But what she ends up with is far worse than disapproval: an abusive, unfaithful husband.

Just when you think Naomi’s stuck, she crosses paths with Homer, a newcomer who shows her what real love looks like. But peace is short-lived. When Jacob suffers a stroke, Naomi returns to care for him, and the emotional whirlwind begins again.

This story took me through *every* emotion. I wanted to shake Naomi so many times, but I had to remind myself of the era and the limited choices women often had. It’s raw, layered, and emotionally charged. I'm officially a fan of this series and already looking for the next book.

✨ Recommend for: lovers of historical fiction, Southern Black storytelling, and emotionally complex characters.
⚠️ Content note: check trigger warnings before diving in.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for the eALC in exchange for my honest review!

Mary Monroe is a MUST read author for me. She crafts stories about women who hard hard lives, but persevere through it all. Naomi is a God fearing woman, married to an abusive husband and has a daughter who disrespects her. She meets Homer, a widower, and they start an affair. Will Naomi ever get her "happily ever after"?
I look forward to more books by this author. She doesn't shy away from the harsh realities of life- racism, infidelity, spousal abuse. But her books always have hope in them. Many thanks to the author and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

A story spun with with a good pace and devout woman. As a young woman, Naomi Simmons grabbed her one chance to escape the overwhelming demands of her selfish family by marrying devout older man Jacob Purcell. Unfortunately it only landed her with a controlling, unfaithful husband who delights in hurling insults at her and their troubled now-teenage daughter, Ethel Mae. Naomi is amazed and touched when Homer Clark sees her for the vibrant, intelligent woman she truly is and starts providing large amounts of attention. Naomi being a bit starved for possitive attention falls into the devils grasp. Monroe crafts a rich, complex story set in Depression-era Alabama that grabbed me from the first page. Very realistic characters that many might be able to relate with and identify some aspects. Thank you, Netgellay, the author, and Kensington Publishing

This was my first book by Mary Monroe, but definitely not my last! I went in completely blind, so I had no idea what to expect—but it pulled me in right away. What started as a simple story kept unfolding with more and more layers. I felt everything while reading this—frustration, hope, disappointment, stress, panic, shock—you name it. Despite its serious themes, the humor and wit in the character interactions had me laughing more than a few times. The ending wasn’t exactly what I expected, but I appreciated how realistically everything was wrapped up.

Thank you for this ARC copy to review!

Thank you to Net Galley and Rb media for the ARC audio book.
I have already read the first book in the series and was so excited for this one. This book is juicy and drama filled from page one. I literally couldn't stop listening and finished this book in a day and a half. The way this story kept my jaw on the floor is crazy.
Please check triggers warnings for DV and animal abuse.

I have loved Mary Monroe’s books in the past but this one disappointed me. I struggled to get into the plot as I usually can.

Mary Monroe’s Bent But Not Broken is a nice read. True to her style, Monroe brings plenty of drama, secrets, and unexpected twists. As fan of the Lexington series I was super excited to read this book.

The book follows Naomi, a woman who’s been through a lot but refuses to let life break her. Monroe does a great job making the characters feel real, even when their decisions are frustrating.

That said, the book has its ups and downs. The pacing is up and down—some parts drag, while others feel rushed. It’s definitely a slow burn, and just when things get really intense, the ending comes. But, to be fair, Monroe does tie everything up nicely, which I appreciated. Some characters could have been fleshed out more, and a few plot twists were predictable, but the drama keeps things entertaining.

Overall, Bent Not Broken is a solid read, but not my favorite in the Lexington series. If you’re into a character-driven stories with plenty of ups and downs, you’ll probably enjoy it. It’s worth a read, but not necessarily a must-read. I read half of this book and listened to the other half, I thoroughly enjoyed the narrator who helped bring the story to life even more!

Thanks to RBmedia and Netgally for this ARC on audio.

Mary Monroe has delivered yet another emotionally and drama filled story. This story follows Naomi from childhood to motherhood and the ups and downs of being a wife to a cheating and abusive man who she thought was her prince charming. Years into her crumbling marriage Naomi believes that she has meet her true love, or has she?

Looking for drama and wth moments and some laughs, pick this one up and the rest of the series.

This book is the 5th in the Lexington AL Series (can be read as a standalone) which starts with Mrs. Wiggins.