Marian Keyes is an author I adored in my 20s when she was among the pioneers of a new genre that was felt like it was written just for young women like me.

While I have aged a *tiny* bit since then - and chick lit has gone from strength to strength - her first work of fiction since 2014 still feels like it has been written with me in mind.

The Break has all the elements I’ve always enjoyed in her work, including a strong, yet vulnerable, heroine, moments of dark comedy, the wonderfully eccentric family who would probably drive you insane in real life and a romance that is far from smooth sailing.

Everything feels the same but also different because instead of being in their 20s, the main characters have aged along with me and are now in their 40s – and that actually made me really happy.

It felt more like I was watching this book unfold than reading it because I find Marian’s style of writing so visual.It’s sad, funny, heartwarming and relatable; like a really good, must-watch, soap opera. It’s hard to remember the characters are figments of her imagination and they stuck with me long after I had finished.

Speaking of which, at about 85%, I was in a weird place where I desperately wanted to know how it ended but at the same time didn’t want to stop reading. Part of that was because the book, or rather the author, made me nostalgic for my youth but mainly it was because it's just really really good.

I hope she has another in the works.

What do you do when a husband of years suddenly announces that he 'needs a break'? Is he having a mid life crisis? It sounds very much as though Hugh has regressed to his Uni years. He still loves Amy and his family....but he needs to do the things he never did, starting in Asia. For six months.
The Break is all about Amy's and her family's coping strategies, some of which are very funny, some slightly odd. There's Neeve, a teenager from Amy's first marriage to a man who has almost opted out of relationships with his daughter. There's Kiara , the younger daughter, longing for stability. Mum, Pop (with dementia) brothers, sisters...none of whom add much to the equation, but appear with regularity.
Amy's job as a PR brings her into contact with some of the so called Great and the Good, most of whom are neither, and are trying to re=brush their public personas.
Into the scene comes one Josh Ryan. Is he going to figure in their life?
It's a funny but also poignant book. You roll along with Amy and the entire family sometimes wishing for a bit of peace, sometimes laughing with them, sympathising with Neeve as she sees her father's feet of clay, but rejoicing at her new beginnings.
And does Hugh return? Wait and see.

A good chick lit beach read for the summer on the beach. With Amy the main character having multiple crises thrown at her whilst her husband is taking a break. A good story, full of ups and downs with lots of comical moments along the way and tinged with sadness throughout the ups and downs.
A slower paced book that held a good story throughout.

When Amy's husband Hugh decides to take a break from marriage to go and find himself in Asia he doesn't anticipate the chain of events and emotions it sets off. This is typical Marion Keys with great characters and dialogue that makes the reader laugh out loud or fell as if you are in the middle of the family. The story builds up slowly and steadily and is highly entertaining. A great holiday read.

As always, Marian Keyes does not disappoint.
A long term reader of her books, i was looking forward to reading this new novel. Relatable characters (as always, a large and somewhat odd irish family is in the background) and moving paragraphs.

I am a huge fan of everything Marian Keyes! The first book of hers I ever read was "Sushi for Beginners" and since then I've been hooked. When I found out there was a new book coming out this year, I was thrilled and it did not disappoint!

"The Break" provides a realistic view into Amy and Hugh's relationship after Hugh decides he needs six months off to "self-actualize". Although poignant at times, the story is injected with a mighty dose of humour and is Marian Keyes at her very best! 5 out of 5 *****

She's back .... The Queen of chick lit at her best - a cracker of a book by Marion Keyes!!!
Hugh decides he needs to find himself and suggests a six month break leaving Amy devastated ... What unfolds is a brilliant read that will make you laugh and cry. Touching on some serious subjects along the way this is a great read - it made me feel I was at Friday night dinner with the Irish clan !!!

SPOILERS FOLLOW:

I am a big Marian Keyes fan but I have to say this isn't my favourite.

I found that the story seemed to take a while to get going and for a short while I wasn't sure if we would be following Amy's or Hugh's stories - maybe it would have been interesting to cover both?

The characters are nicely formed and you do feel a sympathy towards the ones you should feel sypathetic towards. I didn't understand why Hugh was worried about Amy's relationship with Alistair as I didn't see anything there that would have made his worries obvious, and being honest it mystified me.

I think of all Marian Keyes novels this one has an awful lot of people in it! The supporting cast is absolutely massive and occasionally I found myself thinking for a second about whether the character had been mentioned before - I'm thinking in particular of 'The Poor Bastard' and 'The Boy Wonder'

I love the humour in the novel, but also the way she deals with some very serious issues - in particular the abortion that her niece Sofia has, it is beautifully handled and shines a light on the outdated anti-abortion policies of Ireland providing much food for thought.

I found that the ending had a feeling of inevitability to it for me and I feel quite annoyed that Amy was allowed to get away with her dalliances while Hugh is repeatedly crucified for his and this felt slightly too skewed towards unfairness for me - all it would have needed is a scene or two of Hugh venting his feelings at Amy's infidelities too to balance this out a bit so that the end doesn't feel quite so......one sided.

Still, it's well worth a read and I found myself sneaking away during the day to keep reading.

I enjoyed this book as I have previous ones written by Marian Keyes.

Amy's husband Hugh decides that he needs to have a six month break from his family and travel to the Far East, he has been quite depressed since the deaths of his father and a close friend, and needs time away. Amy is left at home and is not happy about the situation, at one point in the novel she begs Hugh not to leave, " please Hugh, we won't survive it", she has a fear of the relationship ending, and issues with trust, since her first husband cheated on her and walked out leaving her with a young baby.
Throughout the story the issues of infidelity, abandonment and the many stresses of modern family life are explored, this includes our societal dependency on social media, for example Amy lets everybody know on Facebook about Hugh's trip and shows a picture of his travel towel. This causes a lot of controversy, and illustrates the fact that social media can be at the same time convenient, ( Amy is able to let friends and family know all at once re the trip), but it can also be invasive as Amy is deluged with messages and comments, some from people she doesn't want to hear from. Also some trip photos appear on Facebook that she does not want her children to see, so both incidents show the good and bad sides of access to the internet.
Overall an interesting novel which deals with topical issues and certainly made me think about what I would do if faced with the same situation of a husband wanting to go on a trip away for six months without me. I certainly would'nt be as tolerant as Amy!
Thanks to Netgalley and publisher Michael Joseph for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I found The Break an interesting concept not less because a similar thing happened to a friend of mine. I found the plot very emotive and could identify with the main characters. At times the plot did slow hence the three stars but all in all an enjoyable ride.

This was a book where Amy, our central character, sees life as she knows it implode beyond her control when her husband decides he needs some time to explore and discover himself. This makes her evaluate her own life and choices at a time when her family all seem to be growing away from her and the comfort of familiarity becomes increasingly out of reach. As with most families there is a wide range of characters to explore and some complicated family dynamics; this is so true to life and Keyes presents the complicated tapestry that is family with humour and sensitivity; we see the joy and the frustrations that only close family can bring us. The women in the story are more sympathetically portrayed and more three dimensional than the men. Interactions between Amy and her parents and Amy and her daughters made me laugh out loud but also had a poignancy that was unexpectedly emotional to read.
It took me a little while to settle into this story but I did really enjoy it as a moving and thought provoking portrayal of family and how we have to weave and move with life and its ever changing tides.

Absolutely loved this book. What can you say about Marian Keyes that hasnt already been said before. I love her books, her characters are always so real and believeable. I love the O'Connells and hope this is the start of a series like the Walshes. I loved Amy and eventually Hugh. I laughed, cried and got angry along with Amy. You could feel every emotion along with her. Neve, Sofie and Kiara were all brilliantly written and very relatable. Sofie was my favourite and the abortion part was very well written. I really want to know more about Maura and the poor bastard, Derry I loved her and want to know more about her and Alistair. Ma O'Connell was brilliant and deserves her own book we need her story. I have already sent out the recommendations for this book. Definetly in my top 5 for the year and it will take me a while to get over this one. Loved it!!

It's a while since I read a Marian Keyes book, but I immediately felt welcomed into the extended O'Connell family and part of the ups and downs of their lives. The author uses Amy and Hugh and their families to highlight some witty and wise universal truths about the comfort and frustration of love in all its guises. A warm and thoughtful read.

Utterly brilliant - The Break is Marian Keyes at her best. But better. It's a joy ride of agony, sadness, euphoria and hilarity. I absolutely loved it.

Absolutely loved this book it is real frank story about a marriage and how it is seen from the wife's point of view.
Hugh decides he wants a break from his wife Amy and as the story unwinds you find that there are faults on both sides and it is great to read about Amy's realisation about this. It made me laugh and it made me cry so all the best reactions to a book. I particularly loved Amy's Mum and some of the other characters in the book. A must read book.

Great book. Excellent storyline and brilliant main characters. I would recommend this book.

Another terrific book from Marian Keyes. Acutely observed, beautifully written, this book is possibly her best yet. "The Break" drew me in right from the start; into the the heart of the characters' lives, their decisions and feelings. When I finished reading it, I wanted to start the process all over again! I would recommend this book in a heartbeat, it's a belter.

Absolutely marvellous book. Beautifully written, with a cast of characters that one really cared about. Highly recommended!

This is a typical Marion Keyes. Poignant and funny at the same down. Good one to chill with.

It was an honour to be asked to read The Break. One of my first reviews on goodreads was for the same author but for a while now I have not gone back to my old genre choosing to stick to thrillers. Wow I missed these feel good stories. I fell in love with Amy from the start. The story could've ended differently but it was all written so beautifully that the ending was heartwarming. The story just flowed and I found I could not put it down. I will miss Amy and Hugh as my holiday read but I enjoyed every second of sharing their story thank you.