I fell in love with Marian’s writing years ago, when I read The Last Chace Saloon and this book is no different.

It is such an amazing read. The writing is just wonderful. Witty, funny and raw all at the same time. Keyes has the ability to transport you into the story. You can imagine Amy as your friend, or perhaps your sister. Hell, she could be you, the story seems so real. The characters are likable, the plot touches upon relationships, both romantic and familiar, illness, work, vlogging and so much more. It really is Marian Keyes at her best.

A really lovely read, Amy and Hugh take a not so agreeable break for six months, while Hugh goes travelling and Any stays home working and looking after her family, the story follows Amy's emotional journey while Hugh is away. A really lovely family book portraying the very real ups and downs of long term relationships.

Amy and Hugh are married with 3 teenage girls - one day Hugh decides he needs a 'break' from his marrige and life and decides to go away for 6 months, the story is how Amy copes. I really struggled with the first bits of the book as I was so annoyed with Hugh just wanting to leave his life ! The humour in the book is great and I was smirking and giggling to myself quite a lot - Amy struggles with Hughs decision and it leads her to do things that she wouldn't normally do, its also a book about family life, parents , love , grief and regret.. I enjoyed it once I had go over annoying Hugh!! Perfect if you like a bit of chick-lit!

I found this book very slow to start with but gradually the book gained more pace.
The book is based around Amy and her second husband Hugh. After two recent deaths that affected him deeply, Hugh decides that as a couple they need to take a six month break.
Amy knows that this is the end of their marriage. Their immediate and extended families need a lot of support: Amy seems to be the centre point.
Hugh decision changes Amy's life in different ways: her worklife is busy but she finds family and friends more difficult.
Will their marriage survive the break or will it tear them apart completely?
Will new loves take them on different paths?

I adore Marian Keyes and have read every one of her books - The Break does not disappoint. I loved this and read it in 3 days. Such an emotional rollercoaster of a tale, laugh out loud one minute and in tears the next. Could totally relate to the mid-life crisis and the chaos involved in the aftermath. If you're an avid fan of Marian Keyes then you won't be disappointed with this book, even if you're not then you soon will be :o)

I'm a bit biased when it comes to Marian Keyes. She could publish a collection of her shopping lists and I'd still be engrossed (SHE BOUGHT HOW MANY MAGNUMS THIS WEEK?). After years spent cackling at her every move on Twitter I decided to dive headfirst into a mountain of Marian, starting with her Watermelon debut, and I've been hooked ever since.

The Break is Marian at her (what seems like effortless) best. The characters, the dialogue, the chaos and the laughter, it's exactly what a Marian Keyes novel should be in 2017. Amy's husband has left her, sort of. He's having somewhat of a mid-life crisis and decides to go off on a jaunt for six months, leaving his wife and children to fend for themselves and adjust to a whole new way of life. The Break plops us in the passenger seat for Amy's journey of self-discovery. We get a guided tour of her murky past and follow her with baited breath into an uncertain future. Will Hugh come back? And what happens if he doesn't?

There aren't enough words in the world to wax lyrically about Marian and her latest offering, but it's definitely up there with her best. You'll not want to put it down, not even when you've finished.

Great read. Really enjoyed this book and related well to the characters.

The all so often midlife crisis and wanting to discover your true self. Well if your the other partner on the relationship then it's going to be hard. A story about love, infidelity, family, life and truly understanding what a true life partner is all about. Great read

I've heard so much about Marian Keyes for such a long time, so was excited to read this given the blurb. I found myself taking a long time to get through this, which is unlike me, however when I did sit to read it I loved it. It was funny, romantic, frustrating all in one go and it's opened my eyes to the world of Marian Keyes (which has made my TBR list even longer!!) Also, Hugh is an idiot!!

I'm a fan of Marian Keyes and so I was delighted to receive an ARC via Netgalley. I think "The Break" is up there with some of Marian's biggies. Some big issues are tackled, there is a lot of humour, but also many poignant moments. I felt Amy's anguish and the development of her feelings was realistic. I loved the wider family Keyes created - she does this so well. Best of all, I felt the ending was appropriate.

Marian Keyes at her very best, she can only be described as a genius. I adored this book the characters are all believable and interesting and the storyline is so engaging and unpredictable. I read it in two days as I just kept wanting to read one more chapter. I won't give away any spoilers but I will say please read it, you won't regret it!

I think it was a mistake choosing this book as its not the sort of book I usually read, but I'd thought it would be a change from my usual fiction. I'm sorry to say I didn't enjoy it. There are many characters, but I didn't warm to any of them, particularly the main ones, Amy and Hugh. There's lots of dialogue, which is OK but also lots of description of clothes - too much description of clothes. It's written in a chatty, gossipy style that gets very wearing after a while and although it's easy reading it didn't grip me and I struggled to finish it. so much so that each time I put it down I didn't really want to carry on with it. I think my problem with it is that is very slow-paced and I thought it was over-long and drawn out. I did want to know what happened to Amy and Hugh, but it was all too predictable - not my cup of tea!

Light, fun, fluffy book. Enjoyed reading more than her other books.

Although I'm not a big chick lit genre reader anymore, I'm a huge fan of Marian Keyes so will always read her books, The Break is another brilliant book and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

As always, it's impossible not to love the characters and Marian really knows how to craft a good story. The writing was great and allowed the story to really flow. I loved this book, I read it quickly as I didn't want to put it down.
Reading a Marian Keyes book is pure escapism at its best and I would highly recommend this latest book.

Thank you!

The Break is the first novel I've read by Marian Keyes.
I know she has quite a cult following and whilst the book was a pleasant enough read, it didn't grab me full force.

I would still give it a worthy 3 stars though. Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin UK Michael Joseph and the author for the change to review.

Cracking good read. Immediately you feel like you are in the prescence of close friends and you find yourself feeling their every emotion. At time a laugh out loud and at times a tear jerker this is an emotional rollercoaster. I felt bereft when I finished it - I will miss Amy Hugh & co

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy in return for my independent honest review.
Fans of Marian Keyes are eagerly anticipating this new release and for ardent fans you won't be disappointed.
Amy and Hugh are having a break from their marriage, however only on Hugh's terms! Mmm make of that what you will. He appears to be having a midlife crisis since the death of his father and wants to 'find himself', travel and have the freedom to have sex with other women.
He reassures Amy that he will return to the marriage and her when he has got this out of his system, I suppose. This is enough to incite you to read. I know what I think of this.
Amy has no choice but to go along with this thinking she has no other options. In my view she plays the victim a little too much, however things may take an exciting turn for her.
This plot will appeal to many middle aged readers who can empathise and relate with what's going on in this marriage, and may even have been in this position themselves!
This book is also about family and family relationships,warts and all. It touches on responsibilities for elderly parents and the interaction between siblings. Important issues that Marian Keyes executes well, however for me in only superficial ways. Thus for me making this more of an ideal holiday read to relax with, rather than something that that is complex and deep.
For those readers who prefer this genre, No one does it better than this author.

2.5 stars
Amy's husband Hugh says he isn't leaving her.
He still loves her, he's just taking a break from their marriage, their children and, most of all, from their life together. Six months to lose himself in South East Asia. And there is nothing Amy can say or do about it. Yes, it's a mid-life crisis, but let's be clear: a break isn't a break up but he needs to deal with his parents deaths
This was a well written book & the characters had depth but I just didn’t connect with them & I found the pace labourious, so much so that I found myself skimming through pages hoping something would happen & I struggled to finish it.

Amy comes from an Irish family of five children now all grown up and, with a much extended family, she has to find time for her children, other people's children, her elderly parents, her wild and wonderful array of friends alongside a manic PR job which entails spending 2 days of her working week in London.

The characters are fabulous creations and frighteningly true to life, warts and all. I have been working my way towards this one in my tbr list and the wait was sooo worth it! From family disasters in Ireland to scandals in the UK capital, Amy lives her life at a flat-out pace. Welcome to the world of every working mother, although I'm not sure they have the same madness.

Marian Keyes is an author who always gives great value in her novels; they suck you in, chew you up and spit you out having filled you full of laughter and tears. She injects her writing with humour and pathos and in The Break she has excelled herself. Weirdly, I find I read her books in an Irish accent - hers, having watched her on Strictly's It Takes Two spin-off and I find she writes as she talks!

This is a packed read, lurching from hysterically funny to sobbing sadness in a heartbeat, but oh so worth the emotional cost.. I loved each and every word and wouldn't have missed it for anything. Highly recommended reading!

I received an arc via NetGalley in exchange for my original, honest and unbiased review.

This book took quite some time to read (and I am a fast reader). I felt that the pace was rather slow much of the way through, and then it ended rather too quickly (if that makes sense!)

I quite liked the author's writing style, but can't say I'm a fan of reading about sex (always somewhat cringeworthy somehow!), so skipped over those sections. I can't say I particularly liked some of the characters - they seemed self-centred, indeed selfish in some cases. Others came across as quite sweet, if a little naive.

All in all, I'd say that this book would be great to read on holiday if you are a fan of the so-called "chick-lit" genre.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read an advance copy in return for my honest review.