Instructions for Heartbreak
A gorgeous, razor-sharp novel about female friendship and surviving a broken heart
by Sarah Handyside
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Pub Date 30 Jan 2025 | Archive Date 30 Jan 2025
Pan Macmillan | Macmillan
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Description
'Warm, gorgeous, tender and hopeful . . . Simply brilliant' - Daisy Buchanan, author of Insatiable
A beautiful, razor-sharp novel by Sarah Handyside, Instructions for Heartbreak is a life-affirming story about female friendship, self-love and how to survive a broken heart.
What if heartbreak came with a manual?
It starts with a late-night knock on the door. Dee, Liv and Rosa share a flat in south London, while Katie lives close by with her boyfriend. But, when Katie’s nine-year relationship ends – suddenly and brutally – she turns up on their doorstep with no idea what to do next, or how to do anything after spending so long with her life entwined with someone else’s.
Out comes the martini shaker (an old, well-washed gherkin jar) and, with an unused sketchbook, an idea. They’ll make Katie the handbook that she needs to process her heartbreak and start rebuilding her life. There are notes on tears, hangovers and roast chicken, scribblings about music, new bedding and pure, white-hot rage.
But Katie is not the only one nursing a broken heart. Rosa is a hopeless romantic, despite still reeling from her ex’s infidelity. Scarred by her ex’s parting words, Dee is committed to being commitment-free. And while Liv knows that breaking up with her girlfriend was what she wanted, she can’t help but wonder if she did the right thing.
Tested by big life changes, even the closest friendships can fray – could the heartbreak handbook they intended for Katie contain the words they all need to hear?
* * * *
‘An essential modern heartbreak handbook. I so wish it had been around for my younger self’ - Lucy Jane Wood
'A heartfelt love letter to friendship that I couldn't put down’ - Josie Lloyd
* * * *
Readers are loving Instructions for Heartbreak:
‘I love a novel filled with amazing female friendships. I flew through this book . . . a MUST read’
‘A wonderfully nuanced, emotionally intelligent and insightful story of female friendships, relationships, growing up and finding your family’
‘There is nothing better than the power of female friendships and women coming together to help one another. This book delivers that message and more! I loved every minute’
Available Editions
EDITION | Other Format |
ISBN | 9781035032754 |
PRICE | £16.99 (GBP) |
PAGES | 416 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
There is nothing better than the power of female friendships and women coming together to help one another! This book delivers that message and more! I loved every minute. The characters were great and diverse and I loved their interactions with each other. Reminded me a bit of The Bold Type. Great book if your looking for a book with strong healthy female friendships as well as a side of heartbreak which we’ve all been through at some point in our lives
This novel was fantastic - I love a novel filled with amazing female friendships. This is exactly the type of novel I was looking for and I thought the characters were fantastic.
I flew through this book and I absolutely loved it, I will share my full review closer to the time but this is a MUST read.
Instructions for Heartbreak is a wonderfully nuanced, emotionally intelligent and insightful story of female friendships, relationships, growing up and finding your family. I just wish I had half the emotional intelligence and way with language that these four women do.
Its the story of four university friends, Dee, Rosa, Liv and Katy; they found each other at university and never looked back -partners have come and gone but their friendship has survived and is as strong as ever.
When Katy's long term partner Chris breaks up with her, this amazing group of friends envelop her with love and support, holding her up when she needs it but also letting her crumble when its all too much. Between them, they start writing a handbook for surviving heartbreak, from the power of going outside to the dangers of stalking the ex on social media, what it might feel like when you meet someone else, and everything inbetween. The stories they share are raw and real, they don't keep anything from one another, keen to help someone else through their bleakest spot.
All of the other women have had their hearts broken before; part of the story's power and beauty is seeing how they too navigate their worlds, whether its through shying away from relationships completely, or through sharing their innermost thoughts in a national newspaper, they each have to work out what they want from life and how to get there. There are fallings out between the group as well, as they address conflicts about each others' choices, but even the arguments are resolved with emotional insight and understanding.
Powerful clever writing that doesnt shy away from the multitudes and layers inside all of us.
Dee, Rosa, Liv and Katy, are four friends who met at university.
Each girl has found love, lost love but what they have more than anything is a deep friendship.
This is a wonderful read. It has humour, lots of emotion and I felt part of the gang.
It is beautifully written and is a book I will recommend and re read..
Bravo..
I originally saw this recommended by Lucy Jane Wood and I'm thrilled to say her recommendation was definitely worth it. This left me so full of joy and happiness (despite the title) while also reminding me of the power of female friendship.
A literary "rom-com" of sorts. But really the romance is the female friendship, and the comedy arises from their relationships. Well written and engaging. Recommended.
A book about female friendship. Four long term friends get together after one of them has a breakup. Lots of emotions, very funny in places, a really nice read. Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced copy
I loved this. Having recently gone through a breakup, Instructions for Heartbreak’ definitely struck a few raw nerves but it was such a warm and funny book that painted the perfect portrait of female friendship and the baby steps we take as we move out from the fallout of a relationship that’s come crashing down around us. I’ll be recommending this one to everyone I know.