Review: The Broken Ring Volume 2

If you were a six-year-old noble girl who knew marriage was a transaction where men held the power, why not pick a pretty one? At first glance, The Broken Ring looks like another story about a convenient noble marriage. But within a few chapters, it becomes clear this manhwa is playing a different game entirely. What starts as a childhood betrothal born of a six-year-old’s quick decision unravels into something messier, sadder, and far more effective than a simple romance. 

The series introduces us to Inés and Cárcel, who should want nothing to do with each other. Inés has long since stopped expecting anything from men; she’s had too much trauma with them, so she tries to avoid getting close. But Cárcel is an easy target to use as a shield for her past, so she latches onto him anyway. Meanwhile, he feels like she just sees him as an object, and that’s why he wants nothing to do with her either. He spent years playing with other women, only to realize he actually hates being given permission to stray. Volume 2 of The Broken Ring covers episodes 15-28 and picks up as they finally marry, and that’s where the real story begins.

The Broken Ring Volume 2 jumps into a wedding that starts as an arrangement but slowly reveals layers of trauma, effort, and unexpected moments. This manhwa makes it clear that this volume is about the beginning of that journey. You start to understand each character one by one, especially Inés, with her tragic past, and Cárcel, with his surprising devotion. The volume delivers more raw emotion than ever before as you see two people trying to build something new, even if neither fully admits it yet.

The wedding itself is beautiful. As the two prepare for the ceremony, their mutual perception becomes clear, especially for Cárcel. You see his perspective of Inés and how she shines in his eyes, especially when she dances, and he realizes how beautiful she is. At the conclusion of their wedding day, the main leads leave with different mindsets, showing a balance of both perspectives, giving equal weight to his thoughts and her pain. They still have a long way to go before their relationship is truly healed, but the foundation is finally being laid. Then they go on their honeymoon and go to a small house he owns. You see how life is different because they are not in a fancy palace but a humble house. You also see how they treat others there.

Cárcel was known as a womanizer, and Inés as an emotionless woman. Inés previously didn’t want to do anything. She wore black and did things a noblewoman wasn’t supposed to do. After marriage, things start to change because Inés is committed to changing her future. Since this is her third life, she has been through much trauma and wants to find a way to have a peaceful life, even if she doesn’t plan to keep this relationship long.

Even though Cárcel was a womanizer, he turns into a golden retriever for Inés. He would do anything for her, as shown in one scene where Inés’s mother speaks badly about her in front of him, and even though they’re newly married, he doesn’t like that at all. He protects his wife and clearly cares, but throughout the volume you also see that he’s quite jealous, watching closely every time he sees her with another guy. What makes their relationship so interesting is how they only ever hear about each other through others, never directly from one another, so this volume does a great job of giving you both perspectives and showing how that gap shapes their dynamic. Many romance stories focus on the female view, but this one is balanced. That’s what I like about the story, as you see both sides and their thoughts.

This physical book does not include the full art smut from the original online story, and I wish it did. Those scenes have dialogue that shows more about the characters and adds color to them, but this copy still gives a good glimpse. I would have loved it if this edition didn’t cut those scenes, but I hope future versions or books include them. Even though I enjoy explicit scenes for the romance, I believe they are important because they play a role in revealing the characters’ inner thoughts and how deeply they are connected to the person on their mind.

The further into the volume, the more you get to see the sudden change in Inés’s personality. She acts kind and starts to dress more as a noblewoman with bright colors. That scares Cárcel because it is so random, but he quickly realizes that she is doing it to please the workers and build good relationships with them. This is exactly what I mean: how she is trying to change her life after going through so much trauma. She is trying to build a new, comfortable life she can live off. I believe this volume gives a strong sense of a planned marriage that started young and has now finally reached its full form, since they are now married. 

I always love how the story uses a lot of chibi art when characters express anger or sulk with a puppy-crying face. It adds more to the plot than just serious panels. I love the art and the seriousness of the story, but those chibi moments make the story cuter, bringing out so much extra personality in the characters.

The Broken Ring Volume 2 balances both perspectives well, giving equal attention to Cárcel’s surprising devotion and Inés’s deep trauma. While I strongly wish this physical edition did not cut the original mature scenes, the volume still shows real growth and progress. Those moments add important inner thoughts and reveal the characters’ personalities. Let’s hope future volumes include them, or they release another version with the scenes intact. Inés starts to change her personality and the way she dresses, while Cárcel moves from being a womanizer to acting more like a protective golden retriever. Still, the story has a long way to go before their relationship feels truly healed.

Review by Andrea Tran.
Disclosure: Free review copy provided by Inklore. Opinions expressed are strictly my own.

The Broken Ring Volume 2 is available on the Inklore website.