4 Stars from me

Reading this book felt almost like unraveling a ball of yarn, or when you try to untangle a knotted up necklace and just when you think you've got there another messy knot reveals itself.

Poor Willa, she slowly builds a life out of the ruins of her missing sister and yet can never shake off - despite all signs to the contrary - that her sister is alive. The sheer devastation of a child going missing on the way to school is literally unimaginable, however much one tries to consider the impact can surely merely skirt the edges of the shock-waves sent out by that crater of loss.

A myriad of coincidences run amok through the background as the story unfolds. I've seen reviews where readers have taken umbrage against this, however for me, and of course I may be wrong, this felt very considered and deliberate.


Sarah Easter Collins has created a tale of timeless beauty which has it its heart the wondrous thing of hope.

'Things Don't Break On Their Own' is a beautifully written book that pulled me right into the story and kept me hooked.
This book had so much emotion, it was heartbreaking yet heartwarming & took a raw look into grief and loss.
This book was so much more than I was expecting going into it, in the best way possible, I still can't believe it's the author debut novel, this is an author to watch out for and I cannot wait for what she gives us next.

Willa never got over the disappearance of her younger sister Laika. She hadn't want to wait when her sister was running late, she got to school but her sister didn't. This event coloured her life. Everyone believed Laika was dead but Willa refused to believe this. Willa makes a dear friend at boarding school, the holidays spent with Robyn & her family are the happiest of her childhood & they are lovers but when they leave school Willa decides that is not who she is. The story begins with a dinner party given by Robyn & her wife Cat. Among the guests is Claudette, the girlfriend of Cat's brother. Another guest is Liv, who is studying psychology & in particular , memory. The narrative goes back to tell Willa's story as well as introducing Collette's.

This was a really well constructed story that dealt with trauma & family abuse as well as friendship. I really enjoyed it. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

📚 Book Review 📚

This is the gripping story of Willa and her life before and after the disappearance of her younger sister Laika.

Twenty-five years ago Laika vanished on her way to school and Willa has been looking for her ever since. We see through flashbacks, the relationship the two sisters had, the important relationships Willa has experienced in her adult life and the unsettling and claustrophobic atmosphere in her family home whilst growing up.

We learn through detailed descriptions the controlling, violent and manipulative behaviour of her father and the affect he has on her relationship with her current partner.

This is a powerful and haunting story, one that is eerie and tragic. It took a little while to get going for me but once everything started clicking in, I was hooked. This is a great read and shows us how we can gain strength and power over our own lives, if we just take a chance.

I’d like to thank Penguin, NetGalley and the author for the arc and the fantastic opportunity, in exchange for my honest feedback 😊

Book released on 20th June 2024

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A mysterious and tense read, but not too memorable. There are better books in the genre.

Thanks: Received from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

A gripping, pacy, entertaining read. The varying narrators built the tension throughout the book and kept me fully intrigued, I really enjoyed it!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC.

I ripped through this book, really enjoyable read.

The way it starts hooks you in and I liked finding out how the situation affected everyone involved.

Satisfying and well written book.

I started reading Things Don't Break on Their Own without knowing anything about it and I'm so glad as it swept me away.

This story is about Willa, whose sister Laika went missing as a child. This has obviously affected her greatly and all the emotions that come with this are so beautifully captured in these pages.

There is a brilliant dinner party scene that is crucial to the plot but so cinematic in its presentation, you are there at the table with them. It's a wonderfully written family drama with turns you won't expect, highly recommend!

This is a really beautifully presented book about a girl who goes missing, and the reasons that led to that and then the fallout on her family years after. The way grief is presented is quite honest, showing how so many people are afraid to talk about or even acknowledge it.
A lot of the relationships are authentically presented, however the one I was never able to fully believe in was between Willa and Jamie. There are explanations as to why she would choose to be with a man so misogynistic and repellent (although one of these explanations is to compare him to Robyn, and they are literally nothing alike), and of course a large part of the book is to describe the awful nature of Willa's father and so it is understandable that this is the image of a man she has learned to expect. Yet she talks about him with such disdain that I don't quite believe she would really choose to be with him. There are moments when it is clear the author is trying to show a good side to Jamie, just to make it a little more believable that she would be with him, and I can understand that this is a hard balance to strike - to make a character simultaneously unlikeable, but believable as having good qualities. But it doesn't work for me - there is nothing good about him, and Willa is presented as a sensible - albeit slightly passive - character, that it doesn't add up.
Still, I really like the female characters and relationships so that makes up for the terrible Jamie! And Laika is a truly wonderful character, fierce, opinionated and unashamed, and she is a joy to read about.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were interesting and relatable, and the various plots of the characters' lives come together really well. It was a very easy book to read and I finished it in a few days.

The story begins with a dinner party that brings together several people who have history together. There is a mystery from the beginning too - Willa lost her sister Laika over two decades ago when Laika vanished, and has been trying to find her ever since. With the new female characters at the dinner party, Willa is wondering if they could possibly be her sister.

The book then delves into the past. We see bits of Willa's childhood, growing up with a domineering bully of a father. The descriptions of how Bryce treated Laika in particular, and the various punishments he doled out to her, are horribly believable. We also see Willa at school where she develops a sexual relationship with Robyn, but struggles with the idea that she may actually be gay.

Robyn is a great character - much more uncomplicated than Willa, her parents genuinely loved her and her brother and gave them a fantastic upbringing. Willa gets to see this when she visits for a summer, and the book really gets across what a difference childhood experiences can have on how people turn out.

The book feels like it comes together effortlessly, but really draws the reader into the lives of its characters. The only thing that jarred a bit for me was the parts of the story where Robyn and her partner Cat have children. There is literally no mention of them having any kind of treatment or anything beforehand - just the news that one or other is pregnant. So this felt a bit odd.

But aside from that, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and will be looking out for future novels from Sarah Easter Collins. Thanks to Netgalley for giving me access.

A story of a missing girl, and how that affects the life of her sister. I enjoying the different characters telling their point of view, to build a full picture of the events that unfold. Great relationships throughout, and I was very happy with the ending.

A powerfully-told story that totally draws in the reader and immerses them in the characters. The fierce mother-daughter and sibling relationships are so vividly described that the reader, too, becomes desperate for resolution. Perfect ending.

You have to suspend belief a bit with this book as the coincidences are a bit OTT but otherwise I enjoyed this story, especially the structure as it switched between the two timelines of past and present. It was an interesting plot and I was engaged throughout. It was well-paced too with a good structure.

Twenty-five years ago, a young girl vanished while walking to school. Her younger sister followed, but only one made it. The disappearance has haunted Willa ever since. Though everyone believes her sister is dead, Willa knows something they don’t—some bonds are unbreakable.

This compelling novel, driven by a deep exploration of love and trauma, unfolds through a dinner party in the present and flashbacks from various attendees. The rich, character-driven narrative and evocative writing pull you in, making it a gripping read. At under 300 pages, it's the perfect length to tell its poignant story. Despite a touch of sentimentality towards the end, the strong character development and emotional depth make it a captivating read.

https://linktr.ee/the_secret_bookreview

I had not previously read any novels by Sarah Easter Collins but after being gifted an ARC of this novel that showcases grief, trauma and sisterly bonds, I will most certainly seek out anything else she has written. This is a touching novel that goes right to the core of sibling guilt in its portrayal of Willa, who feels responsible for her sister Laika’s disappearance some twenty-five years ago on the way to school. Thoughtfully written, this novel explores the after-effects of much-loved family members on those left behind – from abject grief over denial to the determined wish to preserve the disappeared person’s legacy. Fictional Willa experiences all of these facets of human emotion and, unlike other people around her, refuses to believe that her sister is dead. An originally inauspicious dinner party she attends may just prove that her suspicions are right …. Expertly crafted, and sensitively told in two timelines featuring Willa and teenage Laika, this was an amazing novel whose ‘thriller’ label is erroneous, as the novel is really an insight into familial bonds, trauma management, and how to deal with false memories. It deserves a big intersectional readership! My thanks go to NetGalley and the publishers for the free ARC that allowed me to read this unusual novel and produce this honest book review.

The story centers around Willa, who has never recovered from the trauma of her younger sister’s disappearance at the age of just thirteen. Laika vanished without trace twenty-five years ago after setting off for school, and while no body has ever been found, Willa remains convinced that she’s still alive somewhere.

Unfolding in two timelines, then and now, the story is narrated from multiple perspectives: that of Willa, her best friend Robyn, and teenage Laika. It’s an immersive, compelling read, as layer after layer is slowly peeled away to reveal a shocking backstory.

A really pacey book that can be read in one sitting - clever and intricate, it was a really satisfying read.
4 stars.

I read other reviews and had high hopes for this book. However, I found the coincidence just too far fetched. It was an easy holiday read, but I did feel the depth was lacking for me.

Two things also put me off. One was the regular use of unnecessary italics. They didn't add to the story. The second was the repeated references to animal abuse. I cannot see why this was necessary or what the aim of this was. I wonder whether the author has a personal interest in highlighting animal abuse, but within her book is not the appropriate forum in my opinion.

A thriller following several points of view.
It’s about a woman called Willa trying to find her sister who disappeared 25 years ago on her way to school, but she still feels like she sees her everywhere
The immersive tale gives the reader the chance to view each characters actions and emotions
Tracking back from a dinner party, we discover why Laika disappeared at just 13 and what happened to her.
There are long held family secrets and phenomenal twists, disturbing in parts but also empowering and uplifting, giving an insight into people’s minds and thoughts processes and the tricks the mind can play.
Add it to your TBR pile
Thanks @saraheastercollins @vikingbooksuk & @netgalley for the amazing debut read

A divine, layered novel about identity, love and loss.

Sarah Easter Collins writes beautifully and weaves a compelling narrative alongside complex characters and thoughtful descriptions. I cannot recommend this novel highly enough. Absolutely mesmerising.