Book Review: Broken Dove by Dani Francis
Published: May 12, 2026
Series: Silver Elite #2
Genres: Adult // Romance, Science Fiction
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Quick Thoughts: I thought Broken Doveexpanded the world nicely and was an enjoyable, quick read overall. However, I found the book to be mostly filler content, with the biggest focuses being on the romance and Wren getting to know the Uprising. Fair warning, book doesn’t really answer any questions left by book one and ends with a cliffhanger.
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What is Broken Doveabout?
After blowing her cover as a double agent within Silver Elite and fleeing the Prime-controlled capital, Wren Darlington is finally safe behind allied lines. As her lover and former commander Cross Redden works to disrupt the Primes from inside their ranks, Wren turns her focus toward assisting the Uprising in overthrowing their rule once and for all.
Though she's back among her own people, trust is hard-won and hidden agendas abound on the Mod base. And beyond those walls, Wren can't help but worry that Cross is keeping secrets of his own . . . secrets that could jeopardize everything. Complicating matters even further is her shocking reunion with hotshot fighter pilot and undercover operative Grayson Blake. Once her closest friend in Silver Elite, Gray seems to understand Wren on a level she never thought possible.
With the war between Mods and Primes growing more brutal by the day, and with her own role in the conflict becoming more essential than ever, Wren must confront some gut-wrenching questions. Who is she fighting for . . . and who is she willing to lose?
Broken Dove Review
Well this story took a turn I wasn't expecting! I have mixed feelings about Broken Dove. I can't say I loved it, but I'm intrigued by where this series is going. I've also been in a semi-reading slump, so I really needed simple writing and an interesting story. This book delivered on both.
Worldbuilding
This sequel picks up after Wren flees the Company just as the war between Mods and Primes heats up. The world expands a lot compared to the first book, especially as Wren gets more involved with the Uprising, and we get more politics and history along the way, which was all still easy to follow. All the important worldbuilding from book one is recapped here, so I didn’t feel like a reread was necessary. My only nitpick is the handful of new Mod powers that show up with no real explanation. Silver Elite explained the powers as a fixed list of known abilities, so having totally new ones crop up to serve whatever was coming up in the plot here felt too convenient.
Plot
Speaking of plot, there really isn’t much of it. Other than a few action scenes and some twists, the book is mostly filler and Wren learning more about the Uprising. So if you’re hoping to get answers to some of the questions from book one, you’ll have to continue waiting.
Characters
I loved the new cast of side characters too, though sometimes their behavior felt a little YA. I was swooning over Ford's loyalty to Wren, and I hope we see a lot more of him and the rest of the Uprising members in future books.
Romance
My biggest gripe is the romance. A lot of the romantic tension felt forced, and I think that's because Wren had to become a different person from book one for it to work. She was more stubborn and obtuse, and she misread Cross in ways that didn't align with how their connection was described in the first book. Silver Elite emphasized how deeply they know each other’s true selves, which is why Wren suddenly acting like Cross was a stranger with mysterious, potentially malicious intentions just didn't make sense. The communication issues don't help either, especially when these two are linked telepathically. The entire romance just felt like an about-face from everything that was set up in Silver Elite. Phew, I have so many more thoughts about this romance but I'll stop there.
So, should you read Broken Dove?
I enjoyed this for what it was, and that cliffhanger ending pulled me back in at the last minute. This sequel won't be for everyone, but I'd recommend it if you love a true love triangle, you're new to romantasy, or you like dystopian-style politics and worldbuilding.
Check out this review on Goodreads or Storygraph.
Happy reading!
Kim
Broken Dove FAQs
Some of the answers may be spoilers if you haven’t read it already. Proceed with caution!
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Potential spoilers ahead ⚠️
On-page combat
Death penalty
Themes of domestic abuse
Slavery
Discrimination
Mentions of chronic mental health conditions
Forced institutionalization
Fantasy drug use (including non-consensual drug use)
Off-page sexual assault
Dubious consent
Death of a parent
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Potential spoilers ahead ⚠️ You’ll like Broken Dove if you enjoy:
Love triangles
Sci-fi/Dystopian settings
Military operation scenes
Forbidden powers
Secret relationships
Resistance movements
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Yes, Broken Dove by Dani Francis released on May 12, 2026.
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Yes, there is a love triangle in Broken Dove.
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The spicy chapters in Broken Dove are:
Chapter 16
Chapter 45
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
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Broken Dove is a 4🌶️ or explicit open door, which means readers are present for spice scenes and they are told in explicit detail.