Title: The Shattered Door
Author: Brandon Witt
Narrator: Andrew McFerrin
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Run Time: 11 hours and 51 minutes
At a Glance: This was such a profound book for me, and I am honored to have reviewed it.
Reviewed By: Amy
Blurb: After a tortured childhood and years of soul-searching, Brooke Morrison has finally settled into a comfortable life. While his sexuality prohibits him from practicing his degree in youth ministry in a church setting, he’s found a fulfilling job as a youth counselor at a residential treatment facility in Colorado. He falls in love, marries the man of his dreams, and makes peace with God. He’s happy.
Then his buried past drags him back to the Ozarks.
The life Brooke has worked so hard to build is crumbling in his hands in the face of painful memories and past abuse, and his confidence is withering. In El Dorado Springs, where his nightmares come to life, Brooke desperately seeks closure life doesn’t offer. Brooke must find value in himself, in his marriage, and in the world around him—and create the hope and perseverance to keep his past from swallowing him whole.
Review: Boy, does Brandon Witt know how to pull on my heartstrings.
It took me a bit to put my thoughts together after listening to The Shattered Door because it affected me so much. I came into this book expecting a romance but once finished, realized this wasn’t a romance at all. It is a telling of Brooke’s life through trying times, heartache, and abuse. Brooke becoming comfortable with himself and who he is, and overcoming his past. Once I approached this book as not a romance but more fiction, it took on a whole new meaning to me. Yes, I did listen to this audiobook twice. My first reaction was more one of anger after the killing off of one of my favorite characters in the book.
After listening a second time, I have come to the conclusion that Witt wrote a gritty, true to life story of a man who could be my brother…your uncle…anyone. This could happen to ANYONE. Brooke proves that who we come from doesn’t define us. That we can pick our family and not deal with the evil that is our given family. Not everything works out in the end. Bad things happen to good people. It is how we survive these situations that will prove our worth. This was such a profound book for me, and I am honored to have reviewed it.
Narration: Andrew McFerrin NAILED it. This must have been a difficult book to narrate. I cried about five times listening to this. I can’t imagine that this story wouldn’t affect the hardest of hearts. McFerrin’s narration was perfect. I never questioned an emotion or character, and can’t wait to hear his next audiobook.
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The Novel Approach Reviews 
Amy,
Thank you so much for this review! I so appreciate it! And I double appreciate you taking the time to sit with it, and even listen twice! I wish I’d had the acknowledgments included in the audiobook. I’ve gotten several one star and low rating just based on the death which you mention. That death happened in real life to my cousin (who I re-named for the book). It was on the way home from his funeral when I decided I was going to write The Shattered Door. The book was supposed to be with him as the main character, but, as you can see, it morphed into something else over the years it took me to write this book. So many people complain about that death in the book being unnecessary, having no point, and just a gratuitous attempt to make the reader hurt. That last part isn’t true, but the others are. It is unnecessary, and I refuse to believe it has a point. Just as in real life, I will never understand why my beautiful cousin left the world as he did. I couldn’t make it have a point in the book either. It’s just life. I can’t tell you how much I love that you took the time to really look at it and see the heart. So much thanks! Brandon
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Oh my gosh, Brandon. <3 <3 <3
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Not every story has to be a happy ending to be beautiful and i believe that this story was beautiful because he made it through all this tragedy and came out on the other side a survivor with the man he loves. What else can you ask for than to have that? I hope people give this book the serious consideration that it deserves before they throw a 1 or 2 at it. Because it means soo much more than that.
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