I can safely say I didn’t expect this story from this book. Looking at the cover I expected a simple romance story – nice and easy to read yet I was pleasantly surprised by the contents. This book is nothing like what I first thought and I loved that!

I received this book from NetGalley, if I am honest I am not quite sure what drew me to request this read but I am glad my subconscious took over and selected it as it was a very enjoyable read. Oh and it got me out of my book slump which is always a win!

Plot:
We follow three characters, Kat, Susan and Rhys, all of whom are going through a difficult time. Kat is going through a break up with the man she intended to marry, Rhys is trying to get his life back on track after the loss of his brother and then theres Susan, who is a mystery as she refuses to speak. All three characters are experiencing a pain like no other, in different forms and there stories all intertwine with each other.
Are they able to mend their broken hearts?

My Review:
Well what a debut from Anna!
As mentioned previously, I did not expect the story that greeted me on the inside. Like many other’s, I expected a nice and easy chick flick read. Instead I found a heart wrenching story inside. Following three individuals whose tales intertwine at pivotal movements for each character, all fighting something deeper from within. Safe to say you experience the pain of each character as if it could be your own. An eye opener in my opinion, regarding topics which are not talked about enough.
We start of by meeting Kat, a nurse who has just come back from her ‘holiday’. I say ‘holiday’ as she actually spent it pining over her boyfriend who unexpectedly dumped her after 5 years. She comes back to work to find Susan, who is now in her ward after an unfortunate accident, however it appears she has no living family or the ability to speak. The only number she has on her is found in her diary belongs to Rhys, her plumber. Rhys is also going through his own troubles, having recently lost his brother he is still trying to make sense of it all and trying to find his way again.
As you can see, this book dives into some serious topics and although it is a nice and light read, the content is not. Heavy storylines draw you in and you cry at the thought that people can be that lonely, that sad. Yet in hind sight, this is what happens all around, just people are really good at hiding their pain. I mean, its not often you look on social media nowadays to find that the status’ are full of peoples real stories and not just the good sections.
Anyway – I digress…
I enjoyed this book, I loved how it was so easy for Anna to intertwine the stories and their thoughts. You see, you saw each chapter from the view of a different person (Kat, Susan or Rhys) yet you still got the whole picture. I didn’t find myself getting lost at any point with the characters and it was nice that you saw their opinions of each other.
I like this book as it showcases something which isn’t showcased that often. It also highlights that kindness from a stranger can make all the difference. An enjoyable read for me, although be warned it will bring tears to your eyes.
I will look out for more reads from Anna, excited what they should bring.
Massive shout out to Netgalley, Bookouture and Anna Mansell for the opportunity to read this book. I can confirm this is my honest review and all views are my own.
George x

Wow a debut novel and it's this good!! I started reading this thinking it was going to be a predictable light hearted read but boy I had I got it wrong. I have to say I couldn't put this down after half way and household jobs were left fir another day!
This book is sensitively written but with a dash of humour making it a great read. The main characters Rhys, Susan and Kat are extremely likeable and I like how alternate chapters were told from their point of view. The storyline didn't bore me at all moving along fairly fast and not staying too long at a certain point. I also liked how the ending wrapped everything up nicely, just enough to make you wonder what happens next but with a strong sense you've got it right. I dint want to go on about the storyline as I dont want to spoil it but it did leave me with a tear in my eye at the end.
I would like to thank netgalley and bookouture for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

I started this book thinking it was a light hearted read in which I could predict the ending. Yes the ending was predictable but the story was deep and covered quite a few topics. Kat is a nurse who has lost the love of her life, (well she thinks he is) and she has just got promoted at work where she is a nurse, a very good nurse who sometimes suffers from a lack of confidence. Susan is one of her patients who had tried to kill herself. She has a book with only one number in it, Rhys is her plumber and doesn't understand why she would have his number. Rhys is grieving as his brother David committed suicide. Rhys feels he should have saved him, now he feels he must save Susan. The story weaves a thread between all 3 of them with a few other people along the way. A lovely story that shows we cannot be who we are without others. Be that good or bad.

An inspiring read. I loved it, the writing was so warm and the main character was like an old friend!

How to Mend a Broken Heart
by Anna Mansell
The reader expects this to be a simple story, girl finds love changes her life and mends her broken heart. What she does not expect is that many people from all walks of life have a broken heart, and not only is it the romantic longing for a relationship that has soured over the five years, but that life has many different ways of throwing your heart for a curve. The story looks at the romantic love, but also the love between family, and the commitment of loving someone who is connected in you life in ways you never expected. It is a story that makes your heart ache and brings to focus the meaning of life, and how you can go on after great loss.

Really did put me in mind of reading something by JoJo Moyes! Thanks to the Publisher for the review copy!

This book is quite deceptive; the cover looks like something you would find on a light-hearted romance novel and the blurb made me think that it would have a comedic element to it. All I can say is I have never been so happy to be deceived. This is a very deep and emotional read that deals with tough subjects, and I was so glad that it turned out to be something much better and more substantial that I was expecting.

The story is told from all three perspectives, which I thought was brilliant because it helped to piece things together better. I liked that we didn’t hear as much from Susan though as it added to the mystery surrounding her but gave you enough glimpses into her thoughts so that you still felt connected to her. It was also nice that each character was explored separately as well being part of the main storyline, I feel that added a real depth to the characters, and at points I wished I could find out even more about them.

The characters were wonderful, and I enjoyed the way their stories weaved in together, how they manage to help each other and have an impact in each other’s lives in both small and big ways. I found myself getting upset for them, rooting for them, and hoping that they would manage to get to better places. The only little problem I had was that I thought Rhys acted somewhat childishly at points and I forgot that he was supposed to be the age that he was.

I was really invested in the story, it was a little slow at points, but I found that I couldn’t tear myself away because I wanted to know how each of the characters got on.

How To Mend A Broken Heart is an amazing but emotional book, with characters that you can’t help but love, I would highly recommend it.

A great book, well written with the tales of everyone's lives entwined really well I loved Rhys and Susan's story and really liked Kay.

How To Mend A Broken Heart tells the story of three strangers whose lives intertwine on a hospital ward in Sheffield.

Kat is the acting ward sister who is struggling to believe in herself following her temporary promotion and her partner of five years suddenly leaving her.

Susan is a patient on Kat’s ward, she’s been silent since she was brought in following an accident with a bus. She has no information about next of kin and only one random number in her diary: Rhys.

Rhys is a plumber who once did some work for Susan, struggling to find an explanation following his brother’s suicide, hearing Susan’s story he sticks around trying to work out a reason and hoping he’ll be able to help her even though couldn’t help his brother.

The chapters alternate between each of these character’s points of view, and we gradually learn more about each of their personal lives as they struggle to move on from their current situations. I’m not always the biggest fan of changing view points as depending on how it’s done it can sometimes be quite difficult to keep up with whose point of view you’re reading. In this case I think it’s done really well, each viewpoint is easy to identified and adds something to the narrative.

What I liked about this book is that it felt realistic. Obviously the book is dramatic but throughout it felt real, I enjoyed Kat’s journey, seeing her make mistakes but grow and being to believe in herself again. I think what I liked the most is that not everyone got their perfect happily ever after, I think it represents the real world that not everything ends up tied up in a neat little bow, but at the same time I was happy to see that everyone is moving in a positive direction

Would I recommend it?

.Yes, like the blurb says if you’re a fan of Jojo Moyes this is a perfect book to while away an evening or two.

To be published to the below blog 26th March. Will also be published on Amazon, Goodreads and Waterstones

Well produced characters. I enjoyed this immensely. Look forward to Anna's next book.

Thank you netgalley. Although not my usual type of book and being somewhat reluctant to try it I was absolutely delighted that I did! Its a light, easy to read book full of happiness. Definitely an author I will be reading more of!!

The cover, the title, and the blurb to a certain extent, all suggest a lighter read than is to be found inside this book. The author skilfully deals with some painful topics, and one of the characters being dumped by her boyfriend can't be compared to the issues the other two MCs face.
At times I wanted to slap Rhys out of his childish, selfish behaviour, but as the story progressed and reasons for his actions and attitude grew clearer, he became more of a character I could empathise with and understand.
The plot is well executed and well thought out, and the characters are finely painted.
The title suggests that broken hearts can be mended, but the story itself gives lie to this, as Rhys already knows.
A strong message of love and forgiveness (both of oneself and others), and of taking responsibility for one's own happiness, runs through the whole story, so in spite of the subject matter it is an uplifting read.

I must admit, I was a bit skeptical about even requesting this book. The title itself was enough to scare me because in my personal life I am still recovering from a bad relationship/break-up. I finally talked myself into requesting it and was approved. I will also admit, I had a ton of expectations for this book before I ever opened it as well.

That being said, I was pleased and disappointed all at the same time. I really enjoyed the book and the path it took. I was slightly disappointed by it because I think I wanted something more from it. I wanted it ‘to mend (my) broken heart’ and it didn’t do that.. Unrealistic expectation? Probably, but it was still what I wanted. I was hoping for some magical insight. That is not what you get here and that is completely ok.

This book had so much potential to be extremely heavy. It dealt with extremely sensitive subjects such as abandonment, adoption, suicide, reuniting with birth parents, secrets, and so much more. While it had all this potential, Anna Mansell didn’t choose to go down that path. This read was so much lighter than I was expecting and the subject matter at hand. However, it was still captivating and kept me turning page after page.

Of course I’m trying not to give too many details away. But I was so aggravated with Rhys. He was this grown man that acted like a HUGE BABY in almost every aspect of his life. He was annoying and I just wanted him to grow up.

I was extremely thankful for Kat in this story because she was the one I could most relate to. She had just gotten out of a really long relationship that was going absolutely no where and was trying to figure out where her life was going from there. I definitely feel like I’m in her shoes. So I was really hoping she got a happy ending. I won’t say whether or not act actually happened…

I gave this book 3.5 stars, as you can see from my rating explanations, that means I enjoyed the book but it didn’t seem to drive home a point. That was completely true about this book. It didn’t seem to drive home any type of point or even show the readers what she thought the answers were to her own questions. Let me explain.

One of the major premises in this book was about what makes people choose to OPT OUT OF LIFE. Whether that be physically or emotionally. I found that completely intriguing. I don’t have an answer formulated in my head either, but I was hoping that Anna Mansell would at least present what she thought the answer was.

The more I think about it, maybe it was better she didn’t. Because to be honest, we will never know why people choose to opt out of life. The answer could be different for different people. I just feel like more could have been done that what was done in this book.

I would still recommend this book to people who don’t have triggers related to any of these topics. It was a good read and I definitely look forward to Anna Mansell’s next book because this was a great one for her debut!

This was an intense, touching and at some point heart-breaking story about 3 strangers, 3 broken lives, finding each other under unexpected circumstances.

Kat, the nurse, had just come out from a devastating relationship. Rhys was still trying, after more than 6 months, to survive the pain caused by his brother's death. And Susan, a patient who came to Kat's hospital after she had an accident, or was it really an accident?
Among all the complicated characters and their relationships, Susan seems to be the one most fascinating. She refuses to speak or interact with anybody except for Rhys. A complete stranger, brought by chance by her side. She was the one who, in a certain way, brought them all together with a Fairy Tales book.

The story was told alternatively by those three characters, and i liked that about it. The different perspectives offered on each situation, the different problems expressed, the different complicated situations that come with life.
In some ways, it was a difficult story to read. All that hurt, guilt and broken lives and dreams. But it was also about forgiveness and second chances.

I really enjoyed it and i liked the different characters.
I would recommend it.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. I liked the different perspectives and voices of the characters for each chapter. I thought the character of Kat was a little over the top in her repetitive panic about losing her job at the end when there were much more important things for the reader to focus on. I really liked the other main characters though.

There's definitely more than one type of broken heart. This stunning book is all about love and loss and recovery; it's worth mentioning that you might cry a bit.

Kat thought she was going to marry the love of her life, right before he called it a day. Newly promoted into a nursing role she doesn't feel ready for, she has to try & pull the pieces of her life back together again.

When an unusual lady who refuses to speak gets admitted to her ward, Kat seeks out any bit of information that might help reveal something about her mystery patient. The only telephone number she finds in her notebook is of a local plumber Rhys, could he possibly shed any light on the unknown woman?

Rhys is dealing with heartbreak of his own in the aftermath of his brother's suicide. The story explores how these three heartbroken souls help each other mend and beautifully approaches themes of life, death, love and loss. Tenderly written, the characters are well-rounded and relatable. The book is packed full of raw emotion and I'm not ashamed to say I got a bit teary more than once.

If you're a fan of a weepy with a soft side of gentle mystery then you'll love this as much as I did. Thanks to Netgalley and the lovely publishers for letting me read & review honestly. It's a very big-hearted five cwtches from me! Get your copy here.

How To Mend A Broken Heart is the story of three unrelated people - Kat, Susan and Rhys - who are brought together by an accident. The result is life-changing for all three of them.

Kat, a nurse returns from vacation hoping that the time spent away from her ex would help ease her heartbreak over their horrible breakup. It's not easy to erase several years invested in a relationship that eventually turned to dust. Coming back to work to a promotion is the distraction she needs. One of her cases is Susan, who was brought in earlier after surviving a scary accident. This is her toughest case yet as Susan has not uttered a word since she's been at the hospital. Racking her brain to figure out how to help her, Kat comes across Rhys' phone number amongst Susan's possessions and calls him. Rhys who's drowning in his own drama after his brother's suicide, barely knows Susan. He and his brother used to do some repair work at her house but when he sees Susan at the hospital, he recognizes something in her. That sense of deep loss and closing in on oneself. Rather than walk away, he sticks around hoping that in helping her, he can gain some insight into why his brother gave up on life. None of these three individuals is ready for the impact of what's to come.

Grief for some people can be debilitating and this story explores how Kat, Susan and Rhys grapple with theirs. It's the way each of them is handling it that's fascinating. What makes some fight while others simply want to give up? What kind of heartbreak can be so devastating that there's no recovering from it? When and how does that moment of clarity amid the chaos come? As heart-wrenching of a read as this was, it was also an illuminating look into our own natures.

This is a lovely debut from Mansell that features plenty of heart. While I didn't get the ending that I was expecting, I love how she developed these characters that eventually learn to embrace their past and look forward to the future. Sometimes you have to look hard at the ugly parts to get to the beautiful.

Firstly I would like to thank Bookouture for providing me with a copy of this book via Netgalley. This is the first book by Anna but the premise and cover intrigued me. This book is written from 3 perspectives Rhys, Susan and Kat.

I have to be honest, I found the pace of this book very slow and I found it quite difficult to connect with Rhys at the beginning. I found him to be quite selfish. I wanted him to be happy for his mum and think about her feelings and not just his own. However I think at the beginning of this book he is still grieving and that can change people’s behaviour quite significantly.

Susan has lived her whole adult life alive but not living. Since she was in her late teens Susan has felt like there was something missing in her life. She feels like she is only half a person. She goes through the day to day routine of going to work, coming home, eating, sleeping but while she has been breathing she hasn’t been enjoying life. She hasn’t been truly living.

Kat has recently been dumped and is still struggling to come to terms with her newly single life. Kat has low self-esteem. She doesn’t realise how amazing she really is. At times I wanted to scream at Kat to be a bit more assertive and ballsy but I don’t think she is that kind of person.

All three of these people are broken but in different ways. i enjoyed the altering perspectives. I like seeing things from lots of different mindsets so this is always something I enjoy. As I said I found the pace to be slow but I did race through the ending of this book.

Like a lot of people this book was not what I expected. It was a lot deeper and more heartfelt than the story I was anticipating. That said the ending was very uplifting and the last few chapters were some of the best in this book. I look forward to seeing Anna’s work grow in future books as is evidenced through the progression of this book.

The story follows three main characters Kat, Rhys and Susan. Kat works as a nurse and she was recently dumped by her long term boyfriend, Susan is a Kate's new patient, who refuses to speak to anybody. Rhys works as a plumber and he is the only contact they can connect with Susan. They are all dealing with their own problems and personal issues, but for a reason their lives intertwine. How are they connected and what does life hold out for them?

It was a story I did not expect, especially based on the cover I thought it's going to be an easy and fun story, but it was deep and thought provoking instead. The first half of the book was rather slower paced and I did not connect with the characters very well, but the second half changed that considerably. It's a well written, heartfelt and emotional novel.