The Broken Vows

Welcome to Windsor Marriage Number Four

Okay my spicy book dragon friends, we've officially reached book four in The Windsors series! And The Broken Vows is a little different from the first three books. Instead of jumping straight into the arranged marriage, Catharina Maura splits Zane and Celeste's story into two parts.

Part One is the past.

Part Two is the present.

Because before we can watch Grandma Anne force these two down the aisle, we need to understand exactly why they can't stand each other anymore. And ya'll... It's a lot. This book put me through the emotional wringer.

The Windsor Marriage Contract Refresher

Of course, we can't have another Windsor wedding without reminding ourselves of Grandma Anne's rules.

The couple cannot spend more than three consecutive nights apart. When they're together, they must share a bedroom and bed. They have to remain married for three years, remain completely faithful, and genuinely give their marriage a chance instead of holding onto their previous lives.

If they make it through those three years, Grandma Anne signs the necessary paperwork and everyone receives what was promised in the marriage contract, including the Windsor inheritance.

If they fail? They lose everything. Grandma Anne does not fuck around, ya'll.

And when it comes to Zane Windsor, Grandma Anne has chosen one hell of a bride.

Meet the Characters

Celeste Harrison (FMC): Strong-willed, intelligent, witty, sarcastic, competitive, and occasionally a little unhinged herself. Celeste is a hotelier who has been preparing to take over her grandfather's company. She's fiercely loyal to her family and her best friend Lily, and she has spent years competing with her lifelong rival, Zane Windsor.

Zane Windsor (MMC): The hotelier of the Windsor family, Zane runs the hotels owned by the Windsor empire. Like his brother Dion, he's got a slightly unhinged streak, but he's also kind, caring, loyal, funny, sarcastic, and incredibly thoughtful when it comes to the people he loves. Zane fell for Celeste a long time ago and affectionately calls her Celestial.

There's just one tiny problem. Their grandparents absolutely hate each other. So naturally, their grandchildren fall in love. What could possibly go wrong? Apparently everything.

Part One: Before the Vows Were Broken

The first half takes us into Zane and Celeste's past. Celeste has graduated from college and returned home ready to take her place in her grandfather's company. One of her first major events is hosted by none other than Zane Windsor. After five years apart, the childhood rivals are suddenly face-to-face again.

And Zane isn't about to waste his opportunity. He wants Celeste. More importantly, he's finally ready to make her his. Their relationship doesn't instantly transform into romance, though. They keep crossing paths professionally because they're both hoteliers, which means they're constantly trying to acquire the same properties. But underneath all that competition is something else. Zane begins trying to repair the damage from their childhood. He apologizes for bullying Celeste in high school and starts showing her that the man standing in front of her isn't the same boy she remembers.

When Celeste's grandfather refuses to hire her best friend Lily, Zane gives Lily a job himself. Slowly, cautiously, Zane and Celeste become friends. Then friends become lovers. And suddenly these two lifelong rivals are planning an entire future together.

I Loved Watching Zane Fall for His Celestial

The little details were some of my favorite parts of their relationship. Zane notices everything about Celeste. Including her nail polish. Celeste matches the color of her nails to her moods, and the shades have some of the funniest names. Then there are her shoes. Zane gets Celeste a custom pair designed by Raven. But apparently that isn't enough for this man. He even has his driveway paved because it was gravel and he doesn't want Celeste ruining any more of her shoes.

Sir. That is the level of consideration I am here for.

And I loved the different vows they make to each other throughout their relationship. Considering the title is The Broken Vows, those promises become increasingly meaningful as their story unfolds.

Their Families Slowly Become One

One of the sweetest parts of the first half was watching Zane and Celeste begin blending their lives. Celeste and Zane start the Windsor family lunches with Zane's siblings and Raven. Zane invites Celeste's older brother Archer to the Windsor brothers' monthly poker nights. And the way Celeste's family discovers that she and Zane are dating? Hilarious.

I also loved watching Zane and Celeste decorate her house together and seeing Celeste slowly become part of the Windsor family. Even though their grandparents refuse to let go of their feud, nearly everyone else starts supporting them. So they begin trying to win over the final two people standing in their way. Their grandparents. Good luck with that.

"My Wife and My Mother-in-Law"

One of my favorite Zane moments happens when he has dinner with Celeste's family. Zane brings Celeste's mother roses from his own mother's garden. Celeste quickly explains:

"They're from his mother's garden."

Then points out that she's never even received a full bouquet herself. Zane's response?

"What can I say? I reserve those exclusively for my sister, my grandmother, my wife, and my mother-in-law."

SIR. Say less.

This man already had the entire future planned. And those flowers become even more meaningful later because bringing Celeste flowers from his mother's garden is something Zane regularly does to show her how much she means to him. Which brings us to... Well. The pain.

And Then Everything Goes to Hell

The ending of Part One? Ya'll. I beg your finest fucking pardon? I knew something had to happen because obviously we're reading a second chance romance. I knew these two had to fall apart somehow. I just wasn't prepared for how everything would fall apart. The twist that destroys Zane and Celeste's relationship is easily one of the craziest and saddest moments I've encountered in this series so far.

There are accusations. Betrayal. Heartbreak. Corporate espionage. And someone nearly goes to jail. Their relationship doesn't just crack. It shatters.

And because Zane and Celeste had already begun intertwining their families, the damage doesn't stop with them. Everyone gets hurt. By the end, the future they spent so long building together is completely destroyed. Which brings us to Part Two.

Part Two: Surprise, You're Getting Married

Fast-forward to the present. Grandma Anne announces Zane's engagement. And his bride?

Celeste Harrison.

Excuse me while I grab some popcorn. Because Zane is pissed.

The last time these two spoke, Zane made it very clear, and not particularly kindly, that he never wanted to see Celeste again. Now Grandma Anne expects him to marry her. Unfortunately for Zane, we already know what kind of woman Grandma Anne is. FA/FO. You can argue. You can beg. You can complain. Grandma Anne does not care. They're getting married. 

So Zane and Celeste are forced back into each other's lives and expected to somehow make a marriage out of the wreckage of their old relationship.

This Isn't Just About Forgiveness

This was probably what made The Broken Vows hit differently for me. Zane and Celeste don't simply need to fall in love. They already did that. They need to figure out whether there's anything left to save. They're angry. They're hurt. They don't trust each other.

Sometimes they're genuinely trying to make the marriage work. Other times? They're deliberately trying to hurt each other. Because there's years of resentment sitting between them. And it isn't only their relationship that was damaged.

The people closest to Zane and Celeste were dragged into their breakup too. Even if they somehow manage to forgive each other, there are still relationships with their families that need to be repaired. 

This isn't just: Oops, we misunderstood each other. Let's kiss and make up. There's damage here. A lot of it.

But What If Everything You Believed Was Wrong?

Celeste keeps confronting Zane about things she believes happened in their past. And Zane keeps telling her the same thing. He didn't do it. He would never do that to her. But when you've spent years believing someone betrayed you, accepting another version of events isn't easy.

Then Lily's father takes Celeste somewhere that finally gives her some desperately needed answers. And boy does she get them. The truth changes everything. Celeste realizes that what she believed about Zane wasn't true. And suddenly she has to confront something even more painful.

She destroyed the relationship with the man she loved over something he never did. The devastation she feels when the truth finally comes out absolutely broke my heart. This whole book really said: You wanted angst? Here. Have all of it.

Now Celeste Has to Fight for Zane

I really liked how the second half flips some of the little things from their past. Earlier, Zane used flowers to express how he felt about Celeste. Now Celeste starts doing the same thing for him. Those little callbacks make their attempts at rebuilding the relationship feel more meaningful because they're drawing on the language they created when they first fell in love.

They're not starting over as strangers. They're trying to find their way back to the people they used to be while accepting that neither of them is that person anymore.

The Private Island

Their time on Zane's private island was another part I really enjoyed. Away from their families, businesses, history, and everyone else's opinions, Zane and Celeste finally have room to focus on them. They start talking. Actually talking. They begin working through everything that's happened and slowly try to give their relationship a genuine second chance.

They still have a mountain of pain between them, but those scenes really allow you to see why these two fell in love in the first place. Underneath all that anger? The love never completely disappeared.

Grandma Anne's Cookies!

On the lighter side, I absolutely loved that Grandma Anne teaches Celeste how to make the cookies. Yes. Those cookies. The ones Sierra and Raven are constantly fighting over. After watching those two go feral over Grandma Anne's cookies throughout the series, Celeste getting the recipe felt like she had officially reached another level of Windsor family status.

And then there's the nail polish. Zane remembers Celeste's habit of matching her nail polish to her mood, so with Valentina's help, he has custom nail polish made specifically for her. Custom colors. Custom names. Just for Celeste. It's those tiny details that make Zane's love for her so believable.

This man pays attention. Even after everything they've been through, he remembers the little pieces that make Celeste Celeste.

This One Hurt

Out of the first four Windsor books, The Broken Vows hit me hardest emotionally. I may have cried a little. There's something especially painful about watching two people who genuinely love each other build this beautiful future and then seeing everything completely collapse. The first half makes you fall in love with them. Then it hurts you.

And the second half makes you sit there wondering whether something that broken can actually be repaired. There are secrets. Misunderstandings. Family feuds. Betrayal. Grief. Revenge. Corporate drama. Plenty of spice.

And one absolutely devastating revelation that changes the way you look at everything that came before it. But underneath all of that is a story about forgiveness. Not just forgiving someone else, either. Sometimes the hardest person to forgive is yourself.

The Verdict

Highly Recommended For: Fans of second chance romance, arranged marriage, billionaire romance, rivals to lovers, family feuds, forced proximity, he falls first, emotional angst, betrayal, groveling, complicated family dynamics, hidden truths, and romances where the couple has to rebuild something they once thought was permanently destroyed.

The Broken Vows was another great addition to The Windsors, but this one definitely stands apart from the first three books. Splitting the story between the past and present lets you experience Zane and Celeste's entire relationship. You don't just hear that they used to love each other. You get to watch them fall in love. You see the rivalry soften into friendship. The friendship become romance.

You watch their families begin blending together. You see them plan a future. You hear the promises they make. And then you watch those vows break. That made their second chance so much more emotional because I already knew exactly what they'd lost.

But more than anything, I loved watching these two slowly uncover the truth and decide whether the love buried underneath all that anger, guilt, and heartbreak was worth fighting for again. And that ending? Beautiful. After everything this book put me through, I needed it.

The Broken Vows was emotional, heartbreaking, funny, romantic, spicy, and probably the biggest emotional roller coaster of the Windsor books so far. I may have shed a few tears. But it was worth it.

Happy reading, and remember my fellow spicy book dragons, before starting a book please check the tropes, and always check for trigger warnings. Nobody likes an unfinished book because the tropes aren't your cup of tea or having a bad reading experience because of unexpected trigger warnings.