Good storyline, good characters, good read a great first book.
A new author for me which is good.
Thank you for the ARC

A fabulous debut
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 19 March 2025
A book that isn’t easy to read but is well written and will keep you gripped. A brilliant debut and I’m looking forward to the next!
The characters are real and you want to find out more.

Willa's sister Laika went missing when she was 13 and Willa 17. We can see through the eyes of Robyn, her boarding school roommate, that Willa has been deeply affected by Laika's disappearance. Willa's story is unveiled through her eyes and Robyn's and we slowly grasp some of the darkness that Willa has had in her life. This is a superbly written tale of grief and hope as well as redemption and revenge. Very good. Highly recommended

Enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from the author in the future!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley!

Definitely a slow burn but a good one. It certainly had me guessing. Mysterious and twisty. Would recommend.

This thriller kept me up late into the night because I couldn’t put it down. The twists were unpredictable, and the suspense kept me on edge. The final reveal was absolutely unforgettable, fantastic book.

Things Don't Break on Their Own is a fantastic debut novel for Sarah Easter Collins that I thoroughly enjoyed.

This is a domestic drama, more than a thriller, about a highly dysfunctional family. With well drawn characters and an imaginative and well paced plot it a well written and compelling read about family, loss, domestic abuse, friendship and grief.

I will look forward to reading more from this new author.

A well-crafted story with plenty to appreciate. The pacing, characters, and plot twists kept me interested throughout. I'm looking forward to seeing how readers respond once it's released!

A tale about being your own person, and believing in yourself, and not coforming to how others want you to be. It is a story about strength and resilience, and surviving the loss of loved ones. This is a book about family, and love, and belonging, and violence...Read it! (And appreciate Wham!)

I was hooked from the beginning of Things Don’t Break on Their Own and it kept me completely and utterly engaged throughout. It’s an absolutely beautifully written book that touches on so many different aspects of love, trauma, family and relationships. It is heart wrenching and emotional in the way it shows what loss can do to a person and the ramifications of childhood trauma even decades later. I loved the underlying themes of fixing what has been broken, and whether you truly can remake something into what it once was or even into something better. There is a real sense of elegance and poignancy to the writing and the entire book which makes it both chillingly haunting yet somehow still ultimately about love and the strength it takes to pull oneself out of the darkness. Things Don’t Break on Their Own is a stunning debut about the fallibility of memory and perception, damage, and how that damage can be healed. I will definitely be reading anything this author writes in the future. Highly recommended.

I’m not sure why this is classed as a thriller, I certainly wouldn’t call it that but it is certainly mysterious. A dinner guest casually makes a statement that triggers in Willa thoughts of her sister Laika who disappeared on the way to school 25 years earlier. Willa never believed she had died and sets out to find out what happened. The story is told from different perspectives and timelines.
Well worth a read although the end lets it down somewhat.

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley.co.uk for an advance copy.

Such a great book, I was hooked and couldn’t put it down, exactly how a thriller should be. Can’t wait to read more by the author.

I didn't expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. There are a lot of books being written about abuse and coercive control but this one has a lot more to offer. I thought the story was clever and well written. I loved the premise of putting things back together. I enjoyed the characters and I loved the ending - a great book

I had high hopes for this one but in my opinion it’s not a thriller/mystery read as it’s described. It’s a slow burn that’s predictable in terms of the main premise of the storyline. It moves from past to present and builds the backstory of Robyn and Willa’s relationship which I really liked. Its told from different characters points of view which worked well to make you feel like your getting to know the characters. It has both likeable and unlikeable characters. It did feel like it was missing something in terms of big reveals and twists. It was an interesting story but it just lacked something and for me there was no real mystery but an interesting storyline but just needed a little oomph.

Thanks to Netgalley and Viking for the opportunity to read and review #ThingsDontBreakOnTheirOwn

Wow! I went into the expecting a rhn of the mill thriller hut got sponsored much more. The plot covers so many relatable topics from family dynamics to secrets and lies. There are twists and turns but its very character based. Usually when I say that, it's a negative and the plot suffers for the main focus being in the characters but j didn't find that with this book. The characters are explored in a really fascinating way, giving depth and backstory which adds to the understanding if the plot. It never feels boring or waffley or like wete getting info we really don't need. Very well written and enjoyable

I enjoyed reading this book. It was very moving in parts. It was an unusual story that I found very interesting. There are some very interesting characters, but also some truly horrible ones. You really had to feel for the separated siblings.
This book covered so many emotions, family life, siblings, child abuse, elderly care. None of that sounds remotely entertaining, but it is written beautifully and is enjoyable.

Great read, very cleverly written.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

Things Don’t Break On Their Own is a family drama that is both gripping and at times very moving.

The central character is Willa, now an adult still mourning the loss of her sister Laika, who disappeared on her way to school many years ago. It's hard to relate much more about this intricately plotted mystery without spoilers.

I found myself immersed in this story. The pacing is excellent, as the characters are explored in depth and the events of the past are gradually revealed. The various twists are convincing and the ending is shocking and satisfying.

Thanks to the author, publisher @DeixisPress and Netgalley for the ARC. All my reviews are 100% honest and unbiased, regardless of how I acquire the book.

#NetGalley #bookreview #books.beledit

I really enjoyed this book and I found the characters, relationships and themes of family, sibling love, loss, grief to be portrayed well. It was immersive and not too long, but equally not sure how memorable long term? It was a good read and for the fans of the genre, I would recommend.

Thank you tot he author, publisher and NetGalley for my review copy, all opinions are my own.

This clever, beautifully-written literary thriller begins at a dinner party, complete with all associated stresses: Robyn and her wife Cat are hosting a large group including old friend Willa and husband Jamie, and Robyn’s brother Michael and his new girlfriend Liv. Tensions are already high when the subject of Willa’s long-missing sister rears its head: Willa explains to newcomer Liv that Laika disappeared at age 13, having left the house slightly earlier in the day than her sister: Willa made it to school, but Laika was never seen again. Pieces of the story then begin falling into place: we get glimpses of the siblings and Willa spending balmy summers in the country together when younger, and a nascent, uncertain romance blossoming between Willa and Robyn – and the first harsh shards of suggestion that life was not easy at Laika and Willa’s own family home. Disturbing, intricately plotted, this is a deliciously dark summer read that will unsettle you on your sun lounger.