Unbreak Your Heart

4.5 stars

Unbreak Your Heart is cozy story that manages to be both heart-warming and heartbreaking that sees its characters overcoming hardships realistically.

Due to the content - a child having a serious medical condition - I expected some serious angst moments and tear-jerking scenes and let me say this book thoroughly cleaned up my tear ducts! I'm normally the type of person that procrastinates feeling uncomfortable emotions and I'll put the book away for a bit when these situations come up, so there is something to say about this book as it compelled me to turn pages upon pages while bawling my eyes out.

Jake was a highlight for me in this story. He was so adorable and mischievous, I understand perfectly how so many characters were happy to do anything for this little boy. I’m not versed in his medical condition but the book managed to give me the impression that the author researched it well by not only explaining the condition but also showing us the impact it has on Jakes life and that of those around him. My heart was breaking for this little boy grappling with his own diagnosis and having his own understanding of how it changed the life’s of the people around him.

The relationship between Beth and Simon was built very beautifully, slow and steady, fitting with the circumstances. Both of them grew, with each other but also on their own, them challenging their own fears was done out of their own strength and unlike so many other stories they didn't solely credited their romantic partner for this development, which I really enjoyed. Their conflict towards the end felt out of place though, it was not as grounded as the rest of their relationship and was more drama for dramas sake, it was emotionally solved within a handful pages and then drawn out unnecessarily afterwards.

This was such a lovely heartwarming story. I loved the character of Jake. Highly recommended by me. Thanks for the opportunity to read & review it.

Such a beautiful story with emotion running through in leaps and bounds, the characters are so personal. I loved every moment of this book!

Wow what a beautiful and heart warming book about a life limited young boy who is desperately searching for a wife for his Dad to ensure that he will not be left alone. Only problem is the ideal girlfriend his dad hates and there is also the boys mother who has missed all of the years of hospitals and treatments that they have had to face just the two of them.

This was one of those books that is so good you’re eager to finish it but sad when it ends. The story of Jake, Simon and Beth is filled to the brim with love, sadness, pain, laughter and so many heartfelt emotions. After their initial difficult meeting the author does an excellent job building the different relationships between Simon, Jake and Beth.

Jake was such a wonderful kid. His fear of possibly leaving the father he loves so much alone and efforts to try and find him the love of his life were beautiful, funny and heartbreaking. Beth was a lovely, very relatable well rounded character coming to terms with a mistake from her old life in New York and finding herself growing closer and closer to the wonderful man and boy next door. I adored Simon. Everything he did for Jake, his love compassion and dedication to him was just amazing. His emotional and financial struggles also felt very realistic and I like that the author did not shy away from how hard it must be for him as a single parent.

Some great supporting characters in Jas and Barney and quite a few funny moments as well (I legitimately could not stop laughing during the shaving incident). This was the first time reading a Katie Marsh novel and now I’m really looking forward to exploring her back catalogue. (5 ⭐️)

This was an absolutely outstanding read. I’m not sure what I was expecting but it certainly wasn’t this. I was invested right from the very beginning and enjoyed the book so much!

Beth’s personal and professional life falls apart whilst living in New York, so she decides to return to the Lake District, a place which holds fond childhood memories for her.

Beth’s arrival at the village starts badly with an accidental introduction to her neighbours. Struggling single Dad Simon, lives in the village with his Son Jake, who has a serious heart condition. Beth soon gets to know them and forms a tight bond with them both. However, Jake is convinced he is going to die and has made it his mission to make sure his Dad is not left alone when this happens. His attempts to get his Dad married off are brilliantly humorous parts of the story. With the arrival of Jake’s very absent Mum on the scene, rifts soon arise for all concerned, especially Beth who doesn’t know where this leaves her. But Beth has her own demons to put to bed before she can move on.

This book is just beautiful. It’s heart-warming, endearing and heart-breaking all at the same time. You know that due to Jake’s illness there are going to be some ‘lump in the throat’ moments, but it is handled in a very empathetic way, with just the right amount of medical information. Jake is such an endearing character that you take to him straight away. He is so brave and matter of fact about his condition and his interaction with his friend is just lovely. The other main characters, Simon and Beth are really likeable and are also very believable.

This book takes you on another of Katie March’s emotional rollercoasters. It is a brilliant example of how her books suck you in, make you compelled to keep reading and leave you with a rewarding, feel-good conclusion, as you turn the last few pages. As with all of Katie’s previous books I thoroughly enjoyed this one and would highly recommend it.

This is completely different to my usual psychological thriller type story. Oh what a beautiful story. I loved it and highly recommend it .
Thank you to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read it

Such a lovely story, very believable and you felt a real connection with the characters. Jake the little boy and his father have a wonderful relationship and when Beth comes into their lives things can only get better, or can they?

Fell in love with this book, it was just a heartwarming story. Told between Beth and Simon it was a beautiful book. Would highly recommend.

Beth is a nurse in bustling New York City but when one night shift she makes a mistake that ends with a lost life, she decides to leave and return to her happy place in the lake District.
Simon is Jake's dad and he is doing his best just to make it through each day, His son Jake has a serious heart condition which means that every day is a blessing for him and his dad so when Beth quite literally crashes into their life, Simon isn't ready for the way that she begins making him look at what his life has become.

Unbreak your heart was emotional in parts but also laugh out loud funny. Jake is a great central character and one you really can get behind, It is heartbreaking in parts especially when you realize why Jake is so desperate for his dad Simon to meet a new girl and settle down.
I would really recommend this book, I read it straight through, couldn't put it down!

I loved this book - I read it in one sitting. It is uplifting and heartbreaking - I was tearful at the end.

Jake has a serious heart condition and is cared for by his dad, Simon. His mum left a year after his birth after suffering post-natal depression. Simon has coped since then juggling his care alongside various jobs. Jake’s close friend died of heart complications and he is well aware that he might not survive and wants his father settled with someone.

His matchmaking efforts give the book its lighter edge.

Beth has escaped from a poor decision and her marriage and is putting her life back together. She moves next door and their lives become connected.

This was a beautifully warm and rewarding story. One I will be recommending.

This is a very uplifting read with some heartbreaking moments and some wonderful characters. Nurse Beth moves to the Lake District having fled her life in New York following the breakdown of her marriage and loss of her job. Seven year old Jake has a life limiting heart condition and worries about leaving his dad Simon on his own once he dies and Simon does all he can for his son and still misses Tamsin who left when Jake was just one as she couldn’t cope with their son’s illness. The characters are beautifully written and very selfless and despite Jake’s illness and the impact it has there’s such warmth to this. The area it’s set in sounds breathtaking and the relationships between all characters work so well, this is a charming read.

This book made me cry. The extraordinary emotional resilience of Jake, despite his illness, his losses and his Dad falling apart is a beautiful thing to behold. The complexities of the relationships around Jake and the passion he approaches his life with were wonderfully described and I found myself rooting for him with every page turn.
You have to read this book!

Thank you for allowing me an arc copy of Unbreak my Heart. This was a lovely heartwarming story, easy to believe the characters and a well written flowing storyline. Highly recommend this author

A heart-breaking but heart-warming novel that is just a joy to read.

A child character in a book who has a serious medical condition is always difficult to read and on more than one occasion it produced a few tears. But with wonderful characters that are very believable, Katie Marsh hits the perfect combination of an emotional story with a rewarding feel good factor. Highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.

What a wonderful heartbreaking story of little boy Jake who has a horrible illness. He has a wonderful loving personality with a father who fights tooth and nail for him, however puts his own needs and feelings aside. This book made me laugh, cry and touched my heart. I hope there will be a sequel as I would love there story to continue.

Set in the Lake District, this evocative and heartwarming tale, was a real page turner. Simply written and with real heart, I smiled and wept in equal measure. Determined and loveable Jake was the real star of the story, and the moral of the story really is that love wins.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review. I will recommend this book as a lovely summer staycation story.

A beautiful book that is rare in the fact that it explores the bond between father and son. Jake is a little boy born with a heart condition and hos dad Simon has dedicated his life to him as a single parent. Simon his wary of letting anyone into their lives until Beth comes crashing in to it. She has her own demons to escape but soon realises the treasures she has moved in next door to. A heart rendering book that had me in tears more than once.

Such a lovely, well written story, this book had me gripped throughout, with characters that grow on you, this is the perfect read.

Trigger warning - childhood with a serious heart condition

Beth had it all in NYC - the job, the apartment, the husband - so why has she given it all up to sleep on her friend’s couch in the Lakes? She also already offended the locals by causing a car accident involving a boy and his bike. Simon is a single father to Jake, a 7 year old with a serious and limiting heart condition. Beth gets to know the family when she moves in to the cottage next door. She learns about Jake’s condition and worries; she finds out about Jake’s mum, the woman Simon is waiting for after she left the joke when Jake was a baby.
Beth also learns more about herself....

This book was devoured in a day. I really felt drawn in by the characters and it made me gasp and cry more than once.

Thank you NetGalley and Katie. A really lovely book.

Such a beautiful book, well written with rounded and believable characters, Beth, Jake, Simon, Jas, Tamsin, Barney all leapt of the page as they were so three dimensional with flaws and good bits! The story takes place over a year as Beth struggles to find her confidence as a nurse, Simon struggles with being a single parent to seriously unwell Jake and Jake just wants his dad to be happy and above all, not alone. They are joined by Beth’s best friend Jas, Simon’s ex partner (and Jake’s mum) Tamsin as well as other friends and family.
A gorgeous story of love, hope and friendships mixed with the heartbreak of having a child with a life limiting heart condition, post natal depression and heartbreak. I loved it!

Wow a story of trust and love.. I loved it. Jake was a great character and he just wanted his father happy. Post natel depression is a horide horide thing. Simon and Barney's friendship was lovely. What they did for each other over the honeymoon etc was great. Beth so did the right thing going back to America to clera her name. A FAB READ

I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. This was a great book, it had a lovely story, believable characters and it made me laugh and cry in equal measure, I will be recommending this book to everyone I know.

Hi this is the first book ive read by Katie marsh but it wont be the last. I loved the slow build of the relationship with Simon and Beth and the interaction with Jake, loved the happy ending

This is a really beautiful and moving story, with characters I immediately cared about and was drawn in by.

Unbreak Your Heart tells the story of Beth and Simon through alternating chapter perspectives in the third person. Beth has moved to the Lake District hoping to start anew after the events that took place in New York, which she is still haunted by. Simon is a single dad to seven year old Jake and they have always lived together in a cottage in the Lakes. Every day is a struggle for Simon as he tries to balance earning a living whilst caring for his son, who he absolutely adores, who has Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS; a form of congenital heart disease whereby the left side of the heart does not develop properly during pregnancy, so is much smaller than usual, causing difficulty with the way in which the heart is able to pump blood around the body). Simon also still deeply cares for the woman who left him many years ago; Jake’s mum Tamsin! With Jake’s heart failing he doesn’t want his dad to be left alone and so he makes a decision to find someone for Simon to love before he goes. A plan that Jake is determined will succeed, no matter what!

Jake, for me, is a really brave and inspiring young boy and there were so many moments when the things he said or did would bring a smile to my face (he’s definitely much more creative with Lego then I ever was too)! I didn’t know about the condition HLHS before reading this book so am really grateful for everything this story taught me. I adored Jake’s dad Simon too, and his love for his son shone from the pages. He is a really wonderful, caring man and I enjoyed some of the touching moments Simon shared with his own dad William! When Simon was struggling I could feel his emotions as I was reading and I cared so much for him and Jake!

Beth is also an amazing character who I immediately warmed to, and from the outset I was intrigued to learn why she had left New York behind. I liked having in the back of my mind that something had happened but not knowing exactly what as I was reading (similarly with Simon’s past and wanting to know what caused Tamsin to leave him and Jake behind). Beth goes on a real rollercoaster of emotions throughout the book (as does Simon) and I liked gradually getting to learn about her past as the story unfolded. My idea about what happened in New York was correct, but I hadn’t guessed about the build up or the specific events on that day so thought this was really clever!

Simon and Beth both improved each other’s lives in so many ways and I loved seeing their friendship evolve especially after that opening chapter! I also liked the interactions they had with their friends throughout the book including Beth’s friend Jas and Simon’s friend Barney and his partner Lina.

There were so many surprises along the way that I just didn’t see coming, which was brilliant! I feel like I have been on a real journey with these characters and one that I will never forget. The ending was amazing too and I couldn’t stop smiling even as I turned the last page.

I will definitely be reading more of Katie’s books in the future!

Brilliant - I loved this book. The bond between Simon and Jake was beautifully written. Beth came across well too, though there was one instance where I thought she over-reacted, but hey, that's fiction. Loved the descriptions of the village. All in all a wonderful read, one which I was sorry to finish. With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this book. So emotional. Beth leaves New York under a cloud and moves to Thistlewaite. She moves next door to Simon and his son Jake who is very ill.