This was a brilliant read. As soon as I started reading this book I just knew I was going to love it. Highly recommended

This wasn’t what I expected and although it’s written well it just wasn’t for me.
Thank you to netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review

Should've known from the title, but going into this I expected a rom-com, chick lit, predictable story. It did however deal with some heavy issues (suicide, loss, heartbreaks). It was a well written and touching novel.

I would like to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book even though I did not finish this book.

This book gave me all the feels such a brilliant heartwarming story. Looking forward to reading more from this author

Ah the feelings! How to Mend a Broken Heart follows three characters who have lost all hope at happiness. Grief and heartache is strong. Even though, the topics are quite heavy, it is told in such a sweet and hopeful way that it softens them. Really enjoyed this one!

TW: death of a loved one, suicide

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the free ebook copy.

Rhys is the only one Susan responds to. How they both mend is at the heart of this lovely novel of healing and hope. A good read.

Bookouture and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of How to Mend a Broken Heart. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

The multiple perspective format of this book helps to convey the story of the main characters, Susan, Kat, and Rhys, especially in regards to how their plot lines intersect. Susan is a patient in the hospital and Kat is one of her caregivers. As Susan is selectively mute, it is up to Kat to figure out the connections that the woman has in the outside world. A phone call changes everything, for Susan and for Rhys, but will the decisions they both make affect a certain outcome?

How to Mend a Broken Heart has a Jojo Moyes type quality to it, as this story is about relationships and how difficult circumstances can have the power to destroy lives. I did like the book as a whole, but some of the plot regarding Susan's past did not seem all that realistic. Without spoilers, all I can say is that Susan's backstory has some holes in it. On the positive side of things, I really like the direction that the author took the characters, as the plot lines unfold more naturally than I had expected. Readers who like stories about relationships may like How to Mend a Broken Heart and I look forward to reading more by author Anna Mansell in the future.

I really enjoyed this book. I want to say it was a nice story, but I mean that in a good way. It was nice and it was touching which made it easy to read and enjoy.

Wow, what an emotional roller-coaster of a read!
How To Mend a Broken Heart has been on my Netgalley list for far too long so I thought it was about time I bumped it to the top of my list. I am amazed this is a debut novel! Having said that, I knew I was in for a treat as it is published by Bookouture. They have some of the most amazing authors after all.
Anna Mansell has created the most beautifully written, heart-wrenching story here and doesn't shy away from tackling some sensitive and difficult subjects with care and consideration, including suicide, adoption and abandonment. Not to mention the devastating feeling of having your heart trampled on by someone you loved and trusted.
Kat has just split up from her boyfriend of five years, Daniel. It was his choice to leave and Kat is understandably devastated. However, she is embarking on a promotion at work so is trying her best to focus on that. When a lady called Susan is admitted to her ward after attempting to take her own life, she has no idea where this lady's story will lead. It will certainly help her to take her mind of missing Daniel.
Kat is an instantly likeable character, as are most of the characters in this story. Her fear of being alone forever and her self-doubt where her career is concerned makes her very real and believable. I did enjoy the banter between her and her best friend too. It was quite amusing at times. I was praying that she might give the handsome consultant a chance as he came across as one too good to turn down. Life is too short to waste it on those not worthy of our affections.
Rhys is another character I warmed to immediately and I loved his Mum. I can't even imagine going through what they have both gone through, since losing Rhys' brother, and my heart went out to them on more than one occasion. I imagined Rhys to be quite fit too! Hard-working and easygoing on the whole, but with the weight of the world on his shoulders. A proper decent bloke who has been dealt his fair share of heartache.
Susan is a tortured soul and I couldn't help but feel for her. She has basically been existing for nearly 40 years, feeling unworthy of leading a fulfilled life, having to keep the most heart-breaking secret for all that time. I can only imagine! Now her parents have both passed away, she feels she has no purpose any more. That is until she has an unexpected visitor in hospital.
The story is told from the prospectives of Kat, Rhys and Susan and it flows perfectly as each chapter has the character's name at the start. I found myself completely invested in these character's and their stories to the point where I found myself thinking of them often when I wasn't reading. I was hooked and couldn't wait to find out if they all got the happy endings they deserve.
This story has made me smile a lot and cry a lot. It is so full of raw emotion which just oozes off the page. It also has it's lighter and happier moments which make it an uplifting read overall. I have absolutely loved it!
Many thanks to the author and Bookouture for my mobi copy via Netgalley.

I had high hopes for How to Mend a Broken Heart by Anna Mansell.
The story starts of well and I immediately warmed to Rhys. Having lost his older brother to suicide, Rhys is still struggling to come to terms with it himself while also trying to support his mum. With his dad long gone, he’s now the man of the family and takes his role seriously in trying to protect and look after his mum. Kat’s character is well developed; she’s confident but also full of self doubt in her own ability and constantly questions if she’s doing the right thing and if she’s up to the task. She’s incredibly supportive to her patients and her caring nature convinced her boss that she’s more than capable of the position she’s in.
There’s a will they/won’t they aspect to Kat and Rhys dispite then being completely mismatched. What could be mistaken for loving feelings on Kat’s part are just an example of her commitment and devotion to her patients.
So, the story unfolded and while the main characters were good, I couldn’t warm to Susan. I didn’t understand her silence and why she had these 2 “strangers” running through hurdles to try and solve her mystery. I felt that her actions were selfish despite her own hurt and pain. I was disappointed with Rhys’ love story but liked Kat’s ending. I was torn with this book but didn’t enjoy it anywhere near as much as I thought I would.

Thanks to NetGalley, Anna Mansell and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, I could not get interested in this book and did not finish it. However, I do appreciate the opportunity to read a review copy of the book. Thank you.

This was a heartfelt story that I couldn't put down. I felt connected to the characters and wanted to find out more. I couldn't put it down. It takes a look into issues that are so real in this world but are often brushed under the carpet- depression. One to recommend to the book group.

Kat was a nurse and had just been dumper by her boyfriend of five years that she thought she would marry. Kat is also acting as acting Ward Sister. Kat was also dealing with the break up and has to find her way and place in life not that she is single again after so long. Then Kat gets Susan as a patient and she won’t say a word. Susan had been hit by a motorcycle and ended up in the hospital and as Kat’s patient. There was some question if Susan had been attempted suicide, Susan was a broken lonely woman of fifty six who had lived with her parents until recently. When going through Susan’s purse they saw a piece of paper with Rhys’s number on it Rhys was the only person they could find with any kind of connection to Susan.Rhys is a plumber an Rhys’s brother David had committed suicide over six months ago and Rhys is having problems dealing with the loss and why David decided to kill himself.. Rhys gets a call from the hospital and was told by Kat that they had found his number in a purse of the patient. Rhys thinks his mother got hurt and rushes there. Susan had given up until she sees Rhys. Rhys sees a lom=nely lost woman when he sees Susan and Rhys felt if he could help Susan maybe he could find some answers as well as closure. All three people are suffering from heartaches, loneliness and loss. As time goes on they learn from each other and start to heal.
I did enjoy this book but it did have a lot of pain and loss so I am not sure if enjoy is the right word. I am very happy I read this and it kept my attention all through the story’ I did choke up at times. Many emotions are portrayed in this book. There was so much covered in this book: Loss, adoption, suicide, love, and forgiveness to name some. I felt this was fairly realistic. I didn’t want to put this down. I liked the plot but didn’t really care for the ending. The pace was a little slow for me at times but not enough that I didn’t want to finish the story. I am glad I read this. I liked the characters and the ins and outs of this book and I recommend.

This is a brilliant, memorable story. I really enjoyed it. The storyline deals with heartbreak, isolation and bereavement. All heavy subjects but dealt with beautifully, sensitive way. To make lovely light reading with characters to fall in love with.

A beautiful story of love and loss. Written with feeling, characters are there to feel for. A fantastic story.

This book was very touching and compelling, romantic yet heartbreaking. I connected with the characters greatly.

I don't know what I was thinking... I'm not really into romance. I may have requested it without thinking it through. Overall not bad story, I got through it with minimum effort, tho', truthfully, not much interest. I know lots of romance novel readers, however that are going to enjoy this story told from various persons points of view. I thought that was rather interesting in itself as I've not encountered too many stories told that way! The characters were interesting and had a lot development; that's always a perk! And I like the way everything ties together at the end.
Overall not a bad read!

A thoroughly heart-breaking and thought provoking emotional story.

n accident sets in motion a series of events which lead to secrets that have been kept for years.

Kat, a nurse recovering from heartbreak, finds herself caught up in a mystery when a woman is admitted to her ward after a serious accident. The woman hit by a car is mute and seemingly alone in the world. As it appears that this woman, Susan, may have actually intentionally walked into the traffic, Kat feels it is urgent to find someone to whom Susan belongs. Seeking information about the woman, Kat stumbles across a name and contacts the person.

Rhys is surprised to be contacted by the hospital about a woman that he only knows because he and his brother did a plumbing job or two for her. Dealing with grief of his own and feeling sympathetic about Susan's circumstances he visits her and quickly become entwined in her life. He feels that if he can help her in some way it might help him to come to terms with the earlier suicide of his brother; something for which he just wants answers.

What starts as a simple good Samaritan act quickly become complicated as secrets become unraveled and people's intentions are slightly more complicated than they appear to be on the surface.

It was intriguing story and it was good that often the unpredictable happened which kept me engaged with the story. I did take a while to warm up to the characters especially Rhys which made it difficult to become entirely sympathetic to pieces of the story. I did like Kat and it was interesting that the author decided to play out her portion of the story in a very different way to what might have been expected.

While I am not giving it glowing reviews I do think it was a story worth giving a read particularly if you are looking for a different kind of chick lit book - it does try to take this genre in a more complex direction.