How to mend a Broken Heart is a tale based around three complete strangers, Kat, Rhys and Susan who all come into each others lives at the strangest of times. Kat is the recently promoted to ward sister and is finding her feet after she is newly single and her life seems to be falling apart in front of her. A mystery arises when Susan is admitted to hospital after an accident she has no contact with anybody, refuses to speak and the only thing that can be found to link her to anybody is a phone number in a diary. It turns out that the phone number belongs to Rhys, a local plumber that has done the odd job here and there for whilst trying to get his life in order after the death of his brother. The story shows how three different people can be broken on different ways and that there is always a chance at happiness and explores the effects of the impact people have in others lives.

Straight away the story is told from 3 points of view so there isn't one main character buy instead 3 journeys being told simultaneously. At first it can be a little difficult to follow and know who is who but once you are a little way in it is easy to tell from whose point or view each chapter is from as there is three different writing styles clearly being shown.

The way that Mansell has structured the book is clever because it kept me as a reader interested as from the different characters backgrounds and lives are revealed there is a different perspective from each chapter as it flits from Kat to Rhys to Susan and then back between the three you feel like you need to keep reading to find out more.

When I first started to read the novel I was expecting the common chic lit style I think mainly because of the cover and it says the book is perfect for fans of JoJo Moyes so I personally expected some similarities rightly or wrongly. Id say for me it was more about heartache rather than heartbreak but its still quite clear that they 3 characters are hurting as there are some quite dark and difficult topics talked about but its different from others as each have their own story to tell and all have their personal elements to each character.

One of the main things I liked about the book was the relationship between Rhys and Susan. You know that they are connected straight away and that there is some sort of hidden friendship/relationship between the two of them but you don't know what it is. Then Susan shows that Rhys is the one to help her and that there was an element of trust there from the beginning. Susan gives Rhys a key to her house and asks for him specifically to collect a fairy tale book from her house. Inside the book is a newspaper cutting. I will admit once I read the newspaper article I did guess the link between the two characters and I did find it a little predictable from then on.

I think that the book does have a few elements of chic lit especially when the reader delves into Kats side of the story. Every girl has been in her situation in some way and can relate to they way that she feels especially when she sees Daniel (her ex boyfriend) with his new stunning and very pregnant girlfriend. The way Mansell describes how Kat feels and they realisation that her and Daniel are over and that's where her element of heartache takes over and you really begin to feel for Kat. When you look at the difference in Kat at the starts of the novel and when you read about her at her lowest moments the message behind the novel really shines and you know that will be happy again and that the broken pieces can be out back together again.

Rhys is a really likeable character and may be my favourite for half of the book. He comes across as protective and his caring nature is shown from the beginning as he panics as he worries for his mum. It is clear that Rhys is lost and seems to be stuck in a rut with no idea where his life will take him.

I enjoyed most of the book but there were a few elements that I wasn't keen on. At a certain point in the book (I don't want to give too much away) but you see an angry side of Rhys and I think that that really spoils him as a character. It was a side of him that I really didn't like and totally put me off him for the rest of the book if I'm honest. I was also really disappointed with the ending. No that way that they book finished because all the links were connected and the ends tied up but I really wanted there to be something more between Kat and Rhys and then there was nothing. Maybe because I was expecting Chic Lit or because I read too many chic lit books, I don't know but the ending was a bit of anti-climax for me I just thought that it didn't finish with an end if that makes sense.

Anna Mansell's debut novel is well written, an interesting read and I really do like her writing style. It wasn't quite what I expected and I would advise other readers not to be expecting the typical chic lit book, which I think that a lot of readers would be expecting because of the cover, but I did enjoy the book and I will be defiantly be keeping an eye out for more of her work and will be happy to give them a read.

I thoroughly enjoyed How To Mend a Broken Heart by Anna Mansell. It's a wonderful story, beautifully written and the fact it's set in my beloved South Yorkshire makes it all the more better for me.

I had a distinct feeling of nostalgia as Anna described various places and they aided the story line.

Susan has been in an accident. She's in hospital and though not seriously injured, she won't speak. Acting Ward Sister Kat does all she can to make Susan talk and after finding a single phone number in Susan's diary she calls it hoping it will get Susan to talk.

The number belongs to Rhys Woods, a plumber Susan barely knows yet he feels compelled to help her.

This is a heartbreaking story that I read in a couple of days. It's so well written that I couldn't put it down. I can definitely recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Anna Mansell for the chance to review.

The story is depressing. It really does affects my mood. That's why it so hard to move forward and made progress in this book.

I like the idea how Kat, Susan and Rhys got connected to each other. They are all unique have their own issues. All of them have their own story to tell. This book is about not losing hope and never giving up on life.

I also like how Ms. Anne Mansell wrote. But I'm really at loss for words. I can't put how I felt when read this. For me, it's to heavy to read.

I'm giving this 3.5 stars overall.

I loved this book! It touches a really sensitive subject in a beautiful and tactful way. It left me turning pages till the early hours devouring the story and thinking about it for the next few days after I finished it. It sets questions that are in everyone's minds and I'm glad I saw different approaches on different sides. A really good read with food for thought.

I had a really hard time reading this book and as such am really not able to review. I had a really hard time with the British dialogue and writing. This has never bothered me in the past and I actually usually enjoy it but for some reason it really threw me off here to the point I couldn't keep reading. And I can tell this author has talent. Perhaps sometime in the future I can try this again but for now, this book just isn't for me.

Interesting debut novel, that should have been heart breaking in its emotion, but just didn't reach me the way I would have hoped or expected.

I think I am lacking in the correct sorts of empathy to truly realise the emotion in this story, but even without shedding a tear, I could see just what a great story it is.

We have on the surface three strangers, with one thing in common, they all have broken hearts and are dealing with them in different ways.

Kat is trying to come to terms with her long term boyfriend cheating on her, and returns to work as an acting ward sister, after a few weeks break. She is instantly intrigued by the newest patient on the ward.

Meet Susan, she is refusing to talk, and is dealing with her own problems in not the best way, and its lucky she is still alive and in hospital. She has no close friends or family, and the only contact in her diary is for Rhys, her plumber.

Rhys, is grieving his brother's death, but when he is contacted to see his connection to Susan, and to see if he can help, goes above and beyond to try to help her. He is the only person she tries to connect to, and all of their lives are changed initially by the book of fairy tales.

I was interested in the lives of the characters, and how they were dealing with the circumstances that author, Anna Mansell was producing for them. This is not a light and fluffy read, but equally there are some moments of levity, but on the whole if feels quite an even novel. I could see there was definitely emotion to be had, I just didn't seem to feel any of it.

I liked the way the story had been crafted, and the differing points of view, especially Susan's story who I was most intrigued by. The way she has been written especially while in hospital, is sad, while also giving snippets into her psyche.

Kat, Rhys and Susan's lives really do converge in this book, and it is fascinating to see how they developed and started to cope as the story progressed. How to Mend a Broken Heart is a great story, that I enjoyed reading.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

As usual I just want to specify that there will be no spoilers in my review, so read at will!

Thank you very much to NetGalley for facilitating, and to Bookouture for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a review. And finally, thank you to Anna Mansell for allowing the ARC version to land on my kindle.

When I read the description of this book I thought it sounded like an interesting read with the potential for a few tears. Though the description didn't really divulge too many details, I gathered the aftermath of a breakup, the grief of losing a brother, and the mystery of a silent woman on a hospital ward. So perhaps some scope for a bit of an emotional ride.

So, this book was relatively easy to read. How To Mend A Broken Heart was written in a simple style which was told from each of the 3 main characters point of view (per chapter) and followed them through their "interlinking" stories. Although the story it actually follows is the same one for each character, but they all have a little subplot that they are dealing with too.

The characters were well thought out and likeable, although a little lacking in depth in places and their reactions to various circumstances they faced were a bit rushed and brushed aside to make room for the next revelation too quickly.

Although the main theme of the book, the main issue it is addressing throughout, is one of the most devastating issues someone can face. It wasn't really explored in as much detail as it deserved. The questions (that someone dealing with that particular grief would be asking) were asked, but not in the way that they would be asked. Rhys' brothers death was mentioned throughout as it was a main motivator for Rhys, but he never explored it enough for the reader to actually discover what had happened. How was he "already lost" before he actually died? What were the circumstances leading up to his death? And the death itself? When Rhys' character is narrating the chapter he briefly touches on the day he died, but he doesn't go over and over the details as someone as desperate for answers as Rhys apparently was. And this "looseness" over the serious situations being dealt with by each character is a recurring issue for me. Nobodies emotions were dealt with in enough detail to make them real, or at all emotional for me as a reader.

And the big revelation at the end? It was obvious to me from the moment that Rhys met Susan. There was no element of surprise in the story. I kept reading because it was sooo obvious where the story was going that I figured it was a red herring and that actually there would be a major twist in there, but alas. It was exactly as I suspected after the first couple of chapters.

Honestly, I found the book vaguely interesting... enough to keep on reading but I felt nothing for the characters and their personal struggles because their emotions weren't real or deep enough for me to feel empathy. So I didn't find this "heartbreaking" in the least, not even mildly emotional if I'm honest.

I have taken a week to try and decide what to write in my review of this book, and I'm still at a loss...I'll do my best...

To start with, the cover is deceptive. I was in the mood for a light, chick-lit type book and the cover seemed to suggest to me that this would fulfill my needs. Well, it is actually *nothing* like that. (I should have realized this by the name of the book, right?) It is a pretty heavy and deep book. Sad, but definitely well-written. There is a lot going on here, and none of it is light. If you have had your heart broken in any of a variety of ways, you will enjoy this heartfelt and honest book about just that. Forgiveness, kindness, and moving on are keys to take away from this reading experience for me. Not what I expected, but good and worth the read (just be in the mood for it). You'll cry, sigh and laugh (a little) as this tale unfolds for Rhys, Susan & Kat. This will be just what the doctor ordered for many readers struggling to move on in their lives. Last words--Believe in the kindness of strangers!!

**Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC to read and review!**

This book kind of shocked me, I went in thinking this was going to be a light fluffy read, due to the cover, and the color choice. It made it seem like it'd be a lighthearted read. To my surprise it was not.

In the beginning of the book, I was quite confused with the writing style, I gathered that she was writing that way on purpose, to keep the element of surprise, and to not let us figure out the connection between the characters. Once you can get past that, you have an enjoyable read. It was almost-heart wrenching, and it makes you have the feels, that's for sure. Overall, I'm glad I got approved for this one!

HOW TO MEND A BROKEN HEART:
An Emotional Uplifting Page Turner About Love, Loss and Friendship
Anna Mansell




MY RATING ⭐️⭐️⭐️▫️▫️
PUBLISHER Bookouture
PUBLISH DATES March 1, 2017


SUMMARY

"Susan Smith. Female, fifty-six. Had an argument with a bus down Ecclesall Road and lost."

Susan has possibly tried to commit suicide. No one know for sure. She is in Northern General Hospital in Sheffield with a broken leg and injuries to face. She refuses to talk to anyone.

As a last resort Kat, the acting Ward Sister, finds a diary in Susan's purse. Kat finds one name and number in the diary, so she calls and leaves a message to call the hospital. Upon receiving this message Rhy drops everything and rushes to the hospital thinking something has happened to his mom. Instead he finds he was called to see Susan, one of his plumbing customers, a lonely woman who had recently lost both her parents. Susan refuses to talk even to Rhys. Why was Rhy's number in Susan's diary? Kat is at a loss for what to do about Susan.

All three main characters, Kat, Rhys and Susan, are in emotional turmoil. Kat's boyfriend has just walked out on her after living together for five years. He took her heart with him when he left. She is devastated. Additionally she has just been promoted to acting Ward Sister, and is very insecure in the position and feels the need to prove herself. Rhy's brother, David committed suicide six months ago and Rhys feels like he should have done more to prevent it. Susan had recently lost her parents whom she had been living with and taking care of most of her life. Was the loss of her parents why Susan tried to commit suicide? Or was there something else causing her unbearable pain. She doesn't seem to want to get better. She still will not talk to anyone!


REVIEW
This is Anna Mansell's debut novel. I applaude Mansell for tackling the difficult topics like deep loss, sacrifice and suicide in her first book. For some reason, the cover art and title made me think this book may be a nice light read. It's not so light.

The characters were well developed emotionally. It was easy to understand what they were thinking and why they reacted the way they did. Kat, Rhys and Susan were all searching for understanding of the loss they experienced. They were all searching for happiness. They had "opted out" emotionally as Mansell discusses in her notes. They were perhaps not seeing the happiness that was right in front of them. What makes any of us stop wanting to make the most of every day we have?

The first half of the book was a little slow, but it definitely picked up in the second half. I liked the ending.

As a U.S. reader I felt I may have missed some of the nuances in the book due to not totally understanding some of the English references in the book. A minor issue because the voice in the book was authentic and real. The story was a good one.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Recommended for fans of Jo Jo Moyes, and the cover seems to place it firmly in the territory of chick-lit, but there is far more to this book than first glances suggest. Telling the story of three individuals who all, in their own way, are managing broken hearts this was compelling reading. The characters were intriguing-Susan more so, perhaps because we could tell just how pivotal her story was going to be to the other characters' lives. A book with real heart.

I loved the cover of this book, it drew me to it straight away, purple is my favourite colour and i am a big romantic. The story is really well written with some amazing charactors which really gelled well. I loved how the plot unfolded and kept me hooked. This was a book with many different emotions but most certainly thought provoking and powerful.

How to Mend a Broken Heart is a story that revolves around three people and how their lives are interwoven whether they see it or not. I felt that this story tell us that even a person who is a complete stranger can have an impact on your life. Not always for the better, but not necessarily for the worst either.

We start out the story with Kat. I rather liked her even if she wasn’t my favourite in the book. I felt that with her, the most work had to be done in that she was the character who I would look to see if any development occurred. Kat worked as a nurse in a hospital and for a while she is placed with the responsibility of acting Ward Sister. With her boyfriend dumping her after 5 years together, then getting an almost promotion at work, she already has a lot on her plate, but of course the universe has to throw in a complicated patient that nobody can get through to.

Susan started out as a mystery. I assumed the prologue was from her point of view. It was quite confusing and I wasn’t sure what was happening but I went with the flow but curiosity got the better of me. Susan herself doesn’t have many POV’s in the book but what we do get, gives that little bit of suspense and keeps us asking questions.

Rhys, this character was my favourite of the book. He made me want to reach in and hug him or something. From the beginning of the book it was made clear that he was upset and we knew why but the problem was…we didn’t know how to make him feel better and I think that made his story all the more sad.

None of these three characters individually are the main character because all of them collectively make up the main part of the story. As the story goes on we find out how and why they, in particular, are tied together by the fates or whoever it may be.

This book was described as being heart wrenching but I didn’t feel that my heartstrings were being pulled at. My friend says it’s because I don’t have a heart but I think it’s because I didn’t go in with all my emotions and feelings laid bare.

I did like what the story offered and after the initial confusing part, I got pretty into it. Once you let yourself go, the book is a pretty quick read. The book got a bit predictable near the middle to the end bit but that was okay because it didn’t take anything away from the story as a whole. I loved the writing and the author’s talent of drawing one in. I’ll definitely be keeping a lookout for more of her work.

I enjoyed the novel. I love the strong female characters and the message that redemption is always possible.

A compelling and beautiful heartbreaking read. This book had me in tears and left me with a smile on my face. It will make you believe that there is a chance for humanity if we can take the messages of kindness that this book is portraying and use them in our lives. It is a must read for all. It will make you believe in love and it will make you believe that things can get better no matter what happens. And that life is a lovely place full of lovely people who are kind and generous and wonderful.

I'd like to thank Netgalley for yhe opportunity to read this book.

A spellbinding story from Anna, Mansell that isn't afraid to explore dark emotions and self destruction yet offers a branch of self discovery interlaced with hope. Losing someone you love, someone you could never have or someone you don't deserve is a multifaceted experience explored within this novel with a lot of care and caution to represent things accurately yet sensitively and as a result is well written and hard hitting emotionally. The authors note at the end of the book in itself produced tears as you could see the personal experiences and insight the author brought to the story and I think the idea of "opting out" emotiinally of life is something many of us have experienced, either in ourselves or in loved ones that resonated definitely with me and is poignant when you look back on the story of what each individual character experienced. Sensitive subjects handled well and clearly with love.

How to Mend a Broken Heart is nothing like than what I thought it would be. I expected a typical chick-lit novel, but it's so much more. It's heartfelt and realistic. It's amazingly written and very intriguing.
I think this is a must read for anyone who ever had their heart broken.

I was quite surprised when I started reading this book, I think I may have pre judged this book by its cover (cliché) and assumed it was ‘chick lit’ when in fact probably more ‘women’s/general’ fiction – but that was down to me!
The good news is though – that I loved the book! Such a sensitive topic but handled really beautifully. This author really sold her characters to me, I loved them all and how they all were woven into one lovely story which was really nice.
A slight criticism for me would be that in some chapters I found them heavily described which made some chapters very daunting but on the whole I really enjoyed this book and couldn’t put it down!
I will definitely be wanting to read more from this author.

This truly is a beautiful book to read. Heartbreaking at points but full of hope. You would not guess it was a debut book at all.

I loved it.

How to Mend a Broken Heart by Anna Mansell is a tale for all. It's about three people who dig through their lives finding a way to mend what's broken. Happiness can only be found if determined to find it. Life is complicated and messy. Women everywhere can easily relate to the characters and their issues. Real world issues masterfully told in an entertaining way. Deeply emotional and thought-provoking. Mysterious, intriguing, and highly engaging to read. It was easy to follow along as the plot unfolded. Everything felt real. The pacing of the story is slightly slow but good. I haven't read anything by Anna Mansell before, until now. I recommend her nove to all. Healing is an important themes that needs to be read and explored by everyone.