Breakdown

by Katherine Amt Hanna

Six years after a pandemic devastates the human population, and the subsequent loss of much of the world's technology, Chris Price finally makes it from New York to Britain to reunite with his brother. But unresolved grief over his dead wife and baby and the horrors he witnessed as he traveled through a changed world have damaged him. He struggles to let go of his past, accept the healing kindness of those around him, and let love back into his life.

Approximately 103,000 words, or 425 printed pages.

Genres: Post Apocalyptic, Fiction, Dystopia, Science Fiction, Apocalyptic, Romance, Fantasy

423 pages, Paperback

First published April 8, 2011

About the author

When I’m not writing (which, unfortunately, is far too often), I’m a stay-at-home mom with my own business making medieval and biblical costumes. I’m a Cub Scout Den Leader who shies away from camping. I prefer to sit at my computer or work in my sewing room. I have three pet toads. I like to read fiction that is character-based, and I prefer those characters to be human.

Reviews

[Dick]

I've read a lot of 'first novels' lately; "Breakdown" is by far the best.
OK, I admit, I had reservations...but just because I'd met the author at an artsy gathering (not book related), just because of her personal warmth and just because she said she had so wanted to write a novel and she'd finally done it, I decided to read it.
If you read just one new author this year, Katherine will leave you with your eyes damp, your heart full, and your optimism rebuilt. Her story is one of loss, confusion, recovery and conquest; it's both intimate and expansive.
Katherine's characters are people you would want to know, if you’re not already lucky enough to already know them in your life. Her story telling style tugs your heart towards building a better life if you've a dark spot in your own history. Her insights will push you into places inside yourself you really need to go, pull you back from dark places, refreshes your beliefs, and her storyline urges us all to look up and out for better times and places.
I loved it. Thanks Katherine, I can't wait for you're second book.

[D. Krauss · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is supposed to be a post-apocalyptic novel. It's not. Oh, sure there's a plague and lots of people die, but that's just a nuisance. This is a romance novel. You know, traumatized but sensitive rock star just Won't Open Up! to his farm girl/psychologist who he just Feels So Conflicted! about, 'cause, see, he had a wife and daughter who died in the plague about, oh, five, ten years ago, along with about 7/8 of the rest of the world, mind you, and he just Can't Get Past That.

Oy.

Feel like I got bait-and-switched. I want Visigoths, violence, and virtue in my post-apocalyptic novels, not Dr. Ruth.

But, hey, it's well written, and Hanna has a good grasp of character, so if you like romance, then this is a good one. Just don't call it post-apoco.

[Felicia A Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lovely, emotional story of loss and redemption, not what you expect out of a post-apocalyptic scenario, full of well-developed characters whose journeys end in self-discovery, recovery from loss, and love.

You don't expect a PA novel to be a love story, but this one is. Oh, you've got your global pandemic that pretty much wipes out the world, you've got your breakdown of societies, you've got your back-to-basics-after-the-loss-of-technology, you've got your loss of families/loves, gangs, food shortages and government inefficiencies, just like in most PA stories. But what most of them DON'T have is FEELING or HEART.

The story has other sub-plots, but the main focus is on Chris Price, a former rock star from England, who lives in NY when the pandemic hits, suffers great familial loss, and takes six years to make his way back to the other side of the pond to find out what happened to his family. They were hard years, filled with violence, more loss, starvation, incarceration, and hard work. He is a changed man when he makes it back to his country....not in a good way.

It takes a chance meeting, a recommendation from an acquaintance, and the assistance of a former psychologist to bring Chris back to life from his epic journey of loss.

I genuinely enjoyed this full and complete novel, and more so appreciate the fact that, for a self published novel, the editing is near perfect.

[Bett · Rating 1 out of 5]

Post Apocalyptic Mills and Boon


I must admit that I normally avoid any type of post-apocalyptic literature like the plague (no pun intended). I’m no soft touch when it comes to grit, violence and murder, but something about the idea of the breakdown of society after cataclysmic events that we have been powerless to avert, has always left me weak in the knees with terror.
However the only thing that’s scary about this book is how dreadful it’s turned out to be.

Being a bit fan of the Kindle Daily 99p Deal(and having picked up some excellent titles this way) I noticed from the reviews that this novel despite being billed as having “a post-apocalyptic” setting seemed to be less about the horror and misery of a dystopian and savaged landscape peopled by half human zombies, rather about real people (one in particular) trying to put their lives back together after the devastating after effects of a viral flu pandemic. Being a bit of sucker for stories about broken people I decided to give it a go.

I also discovered quite early on into the book that in company with others in the Kindle Daily Deal category, it would seem to be self published and only available in e-book format. Not that this would be a problem for me as some of them have been outstanding, but in this particular case………..

As far as plot goes I was on board. We are given to understand that Chris an ex-rocker has lost his beloved wife and baby in a flu-like pandemic and then in a series of nightmare scenarios journeys from New York back to his native Bath through a hostile, broken down, and violently new ordered world. Most of the people he encounters along the way seem destined to meet untimely and unlucky demises which intensify his feelings of alienation, despair and horror. When he finally reaches a safe haven he is offered a chance to unburden himself via the services of a handy psychotherapist (don’t they always pop up when you need them!) and earn a shot at redemption. It sounded promising initially, or so I was led to believe, as many hints had been dropped about the terrible dystopian world and consequent disorder that the plague had left behind. But no such luck, instead of an unfolding story of one mans struggle through the grimness, which I had steeled myself to endure, all that occurred was mind numbing descriptions of rural country life, milking the cows, tending the Aga, baking muffins and mending clothes. Every time the therapist began to extract from our hero what promised to be a painful but hopefully exciting and detailed memory concerning the apocalypse, he would just blurt out a scant line or two to tease us and then declare that he just wasn’t ready to face up to the rest of it! Sadly I had waded through about 70% of this goo before I actually realised that he wasn’t ever going to be ready to face up to it!

He clearly just wasn’t up to it as a fully developed character. Non of them seemed three or even two dimensional. Despite the enormous amount of dialogue not a single person seemed remotely genuine or properly fleshed out.

So, no thrills, no spills no plot twists and turns of any kind. I kept hoping for something vaguely sinister and upsetting to occur, only to be disappointed yet again. The main theme of the book all along seems to be a rather tepid and turgid romance, it doesn’t even have the benefit of any good sex to jolly it up a bit.

Last but not least, the author is American but has decided to make her main character English and set the book in England. This is a perfectly reasonable thing to do (I have lived abroad myself, and who knows I may wish myself one day to set a novel in the country of my brief sojourn!). She has obviously spent time in England (I hope) and done her research on the place. It’s the attention to the colloquial language that is the big irritant, she has clearly made sure to avoid the major pitfalls, her main characters refer to their mothers as “mum” and there are references aplenty to “wellies” (we are in the country after all) and her hero is forever going to “the loo” poor chap, in one master stroke, to show us just how well she has genned up on our terminology,
“crisps” are ordered to go with a pint in the local pub (although why they are served still warm and in a bowl is a mystery to me).
What is maddening however is the liberal scattering, and I found myself unable to stop making a mental list of them, of words that would never ever find their way across the pond! Rain slicker, fishing pole, cooking stove, water pitcher and most unbelievable of all – divided highway! It took me quite a few minutes to work out that she was talking about a duel carriageway! If you are going to set your book in England use English words!

Also baffling was the extraordinary choice of names that the author as chosen for her characters, quite bizarre! The main protagonist is an ex rock star whose age is never actually mentioned but who I’m pegging at early 30’s. His name is Chris, which is reasonably acceptable. The rest of the band members are Brian, Stan and Erik! Hello? I don’t think so! Has any member or a rock band ever been called Brian or Erik since the days of the Rolling Stones, Queen or 10CC? We are not still in the swinging 60’s Britain, although seemingly in the eyes of some American’s we are permanently stuck in that genre.
The most peculiar and inexplicable of all of was “Beryl”. Where on earth did that come from? Who in has ever been called that in England since the 1930’s? Unless of course she happens to be a closet fan of “The Dandy”.

I could go on but the review will turn out to be longer than the book itself and that was quite long enough, taking the time to review it however has been one of the most enjoyable things about it………….

[Patrick D'Orazio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chris is a man who has lost everything in his life, as the world around him spins out of control. A worldwide pandemic has killed many and set civilization back several centuries as all we take for granted goes away seemingly overnight. After his wife and young daughter die from the plague, Chris sets out on a slow, arduous journey to return home to England, across the ocean from where he lived in New York. The story is not necessarily of that journey, but of the journey that takes place after he returns home to the remnants of his family-a brother who had no idea if he was alive or dead, an old mate who his relationship with was damaged long before the plague came about, and other new faces, including new people who attempt to help Chris heal. He has seen what the world has turned into during his travels-barbaric and wretched, and there are experiences he had that have shattered him emotionally. It will take a great deal of kindness and patience to allow Chris to come to grips with who he is and what he has become, and a dedicated and persistent person willing to take that journey with him.

This is a post apocalyptic novel, true enough, but not the type that I would typically pick up. I did so at the recommendation of a friend, and while this is different than what I am used to, I can't say that I have any regrets reading it. The author is a solid storyteller, developing her characters in slow bits and pieces with reveals that are satisfying and plausible. The broken down world, as well as the broken down man that inhabits it, provide ample opportunity for her to give us just cause for Chris's brooding state. He is troubled, but I didn't get the urge to tell him to get over it-his losses, and sense of regret for what he believes he didn't do are real, tangible, and identifiable. Chris is no different than any of us would be, or at least any of us would try to be, if we wanted to maintain some sense of humanity despite living in a inhuman, monstrous world.

I liked the setting where the things we take for granted-speaking to someone over the phone, being able to drive to see someone 70 miles away from where we live in about an hour or two becomes impossible, and everyone is closed off from those more than a mile or two away from them. Life is rough, and difficult, but in many ways much simpler for the folks that live in it. They do their chores, the grow food, they milk the cows, and on occasion they remember how easy they had it, and hope that the technology will return, and that the world will come together again. But they fear the world around them, still worried that the plague may revisit them, and trust very few outside of their own circle of close family and friends.

While I guess this book could be defined as a post apocalyptic romance novel, I would venture to say that it is more of a character study, with the relationship coming about naturally, slowly evolving as Chris learns more about himself and accepts who he is and what he has been forced to do ever since the world turned brutal and went dark in the early days of the plague, while he opens up and discovers things about those around him-how they too have suffered, and that he is not alone, no matter how much it feels that way.

For anyone who has looked at any of my reviews, they will know this is perhaps not my normal type of book that I review, but I have to say that this is a story definitely worth checking out for anyone who likes PA fiction with strongly drawn, compelling characters.

[Matt Brady · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s been six years since a global pandemic killed hundred of millions, maybe even billions, including the wife and child of Chris Price, an ex rock-star and expatriate Brit living in New York. Chris himself is left stranded, on the wrong side of the ocean from all of his surviving friends and family, but with nothing else left to live for he sets out on a long and grueling journey home.

This seems a simple straight-forward story at first, and it is for the most part, but it drew me in fairly quickly. It’s a post apocalyptic story more concerned with how characters rebuild their lives and deal with grief. This isn’t Mad Max or the Walking Dead, with harried groups of survivors living in a kill-or-be-killed wasteland, though there’s certainly hints that parts of the world have become like that. Nor is it about the apocalypse itself - the characters remain completely in the dark over the cause of the fatal sickness. This is a story concerned primarily, almost exclusively, with the characters and their experiences. It’s mostly about Chris trying to come to terms with the loss of his wife and baby, and the various tragedies he’s witnessed or personally suffered during his long journey home.

I didn’t realise it was self published going in, and it can be a little rough around the edges at times. Some of the minor characters tend to blend in with one another, and the prose is fairly basic and functional and maybe a little too “He did this and then he did that and then he did something else”. But I’ve encountered similar problems from “professional writers” and generally I found this to be pretty easy and smooth read. And I was actually a little moved by the ending. It’s an optimistic story, at heart.

[Valentina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a weak spot for post-apocalyptic novels, so when I was offered a free review copy for this book, I jumped at it. I was not disappointed.
What makes this particular book work so well is the pacing. The readers are thrown into the remnant of a world we vaguely recognize, but we don’t know all the facts. We know a plague caused all the damage, but we don’t really know what that means. Slowly, through the main character’s (Chris) recollections, we begin to get a sense of how wrong things actually became. That feeling of not quite having all the information creates a great unease that propels the reader to turn the pages.
More than the actual plague and everything that comes after it, what draws the reader is the character development and the very familiar relationships. We see Chris beginning as a haunted man, a shadow of a real human, and we see Pauline, a sensitive person who does her best to keep things together throughout the chaos, evolving and growing closer, healing each other.
The writing was spotless and engaging, the author’s voice fresh yet with a bit of bite. I had a hard time putting the story down after I began to see all the connecting threads that guide us, and Chris, to the end.
Highly recommend it.

[Kate]

A good first novel. It was definitely an interesting take on the post-apocalyptic trend. I liked that it was a more current, realistic type of world - no zombies, no aliens, no special powers, etc. I was really interested in the first 85% of the story, but lost interest towards the end as it started to be a bit too formulaic.

It was interesting to see Chris's past revealed through his sharing with other characters, but definitely left me with some open questions at the end about things that had been mentioned and why they impacted him so much.

There are a few things the author chose to do in her writing that bothered me a bit, mostly because they were one time things. For example the book starts with him finding Brian and his surviving friends and family, then flashes back to Pauline and stays chronological for the rest of the book. Most of the book you're getting Chris's perspective and occasionally Pauline's, but just a few random times you get to hear what another character is thinking. If she consistently jumped between the characters every chapter, it would have made more sense to me.

[Traci Loudin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great realistic post-apocalyptic novel. It takes place 10 years after the apocalypse (the prologue is during the apocalypse).

It's almost like a frame story, with Chris (the main character) finding his brother Jon, then going back in the past a few months, then returning to the present. It's a very emotional story, with a strong theme of psychological recovery from extreme emotional trama and loss.

Strangely, at about the 75% mark, it seemed like everything was resolved. All the tension was gone, and I would have been fine if it wrapped up there. Instead, it continued on with the happy times for quite a few chapters, making me think the entire final quarter would be denouement.

Then suddenly there was a new conflict. It was a little jarring. I attribute this to the fact that it's the author's first novel. Despite this, it was still very emotionally gripping and had a very satisfactory ending.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

Turns out life after a pandemic is boring.

[Amber Plant · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book right after it was released (I think it was a free kindle book). I remember enjoying it but since it was before I had goodreads, I promptly forgot the name/author and couldn't find it again. With covid, this book kept popping in my head! I randomly ran across it recently so decided to read it again. It is a good post-apocalyptic book. Is it great? No. But it is interesting and believable and has a nice mix of characters. My only complaint is it did drag a little bit. I'm glad I found it and have finally solved that mystery in my life!

[Eva-Marie Nevarez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fictional stories - no matter the kind - set overseas usually don't take up space on my 'favorites' list. When I first started reading Breakdown I was a little nervous because it was obviously set in the U.K. and the characters speech reflected this.
One other thing that could have gone the opposite way for me was the details. Usually I go for writing that isn't very detailed. Some details are crucial of course but I've read authors before with what I call "flowery" writing. I wouldn't call Katherine Amt Hanna's writing 'flowery' or 'overly detailed' in any way but.... with another author I might have. Or, I should say, with another author's way of writing.
I've always just attributed this pet peeve of mine to the author using too many descriptive words for my taste. But after reading this, I think it's more an issue of how and why said words are used.
Breakdown isn't overly detailed at all - I loved the details. (I doubt I've ever said that before!) I wanted more, even though I have to admit it didn't need more.
I told a friend this morning that I actually felt a bit of sadness when I came to the end of the book. That's not something that happens to me often. I usually dislike a lot of prequels, sequels, and series, because single books, with a clear ending, are more my taste. Normally, no matter how much I loved the story, I'm okay when it ends. And sure, I'm okay that this ended. But I can't deny that feeling of sadness and wanting to continue reading - especially about Chris and Pauline and Brian. Those three characters made the book for me personally. The relationship between the three was perfect. Or what I would imagine would be perfect for that type of setting.
I still consider myself fairly new to the genre but I have read a decent amount and more often than not, one of the major things that end up bothering me is the relationships between characters. While no one can tell what would be "realistic" in some setting like this we can try to imagine how one would act. I've read books where, IMO, the authors have just totally missed the mark with this aspect. The characters in Breakdown are complete and maybe even awe inspiring. Believe it or not, IMO, 'complete' is the bigger compliment there.
I'd recommend in a second to anyone who already likes the genre but I'd also recommend to anyone thinking about trying this type of book. Thinking back to when I first tried the genre myself, I think Breakdown could have easily hooked me.
I'm eager to read another book by the author and if and when there's one available I'll be more than happy to buy it. (It's a good feeling in today's world when there are so many books - ebooks in particular - that are a waste of money (IMO) that I know I can buy a new book from an author I've only read once and I can be relatively sure I'll be happy with it.)

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is more of a 3.5/5. While it's not necessarily the fault of the author, when I read post-apocalyptic fiction, I want a rollicking good ride not a trip to therapy, so this was not really what I signed up for. I should admit that that it was pretty obvious from the book opening with an awkward family reunion that it was not going to be particularly thrilling, and it continued to run on pretty forgettably until it takes a step back into the past. That in and of itself is an issue for me. I really think the book would have been much stronger if it has been presented chronologically. As it is, we already know Chris will find his family, so where's the tension? Oh, right in the psychological elements and the romance. Hmm. Didn't love that.

That's not to say that it's terrible. I thought Wes was great. Nothing like a kid to take a pissy character outside of himself and make him seem like a good bloke. Speaking of, to paraphrase John Scalzi, "'Write what you know' is a cliche for a reason." I have no idea why a first-time American author would choose to set her novel exclusively in a place she hasn't lived and doesn't know the dialect in her bones. This story would have worked equally well in an American pastoral setting, and it's a head-scratcher to me why it's "British."

To sum up, the book wasn't bad, but it suffered from a weak beginning, a fair middle, and a melodramatic wrap-up. Not bad for a first go, but not exactly brilliant either.

___________

This has come up a few times as a Kindle Daily Deal, and it seemed somewhat interesting and well-reviewed. I didn't buy it however, I just used the Kindle Lending Library, which I haven't used in months because I've been regularly disappointed by the mediocre books. Surely that wouldn't happen again, right?

[Heather Faville · Rating 5 out of 5]

Six years after a pandemic devastates the human population, Chris Price having lost his wife and infant daughter, finally finds the will to make the trip from New York to Britain to, hopefully, reunite with his brother and close family friends. But will the horrors Chris has been witness to and unresolved grief over his dead wife and baby have changed him too much? Can he let go of his past, unlock his heart, and learn to find love again?

Breakdown by Katherine Amt Hanna is a wonderful character driven story of a man who has survived a pandemic that devastated the world and also nearly destroyed the life of our protagonist. Chris Price was on the brink of suicide after losing his wife and daughter to the virus that swept over the Earth, but he ultimately chooses life instead and heads to Britain in search of family. However, the world has changed and with the changing world, Chris finds that not only have the people changed, but Chris himself changes.

Chris comes across various people on his journey to find his family. Some are "met" in flashbacks as he tells his story and some are "met" in present day situations. Hanna's character development for Breakdown is spot on, in my opinion. Through Chris's recollections a sense of understanding is developed of just how disgusting some of the people he dealt with were to those around them and, of course there were the few kind and helpful folks, as well.

Breakdown is a fantastic tale and one I HIGHLY recommend to all readers who enjoy a story of a person on the edge of losing all and the people who help to show him that life can go on.

[John Eich · Rating 3 out of 5]

While described as a "post-epidemic/dystopian future" novel, it read more like a "therapy sessions for a pandemic survivor" case study. Take a psychology textbook, mix in a romance and you have this book.

That said, the characters were engaging, and it was interesting to see how the author imagined modern society after a pandemic (would electricity run? How would the government act? etc)

I kept expecting something terrible to happen...so many horrible things had happened to the main protagonist that every good event seems like a setup for another tragedy. But for the most part, they didn't. It was like wandering around a horror movie but the boogie man never jumps out. That was somewhat stressful.

Compared to "Walking Dead"? Meh. But if you love a good romance and psychology is your hobby/career - this is your book. Four thumbs and two heads up. (virus, get it..?)

[TheReadingKnitter/ Kasey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty sure I either got this book for free on my kindle or paid .99 cent for it. Either way it was awesome! My only wish is that it had given me more back story on the “plague” otherwise it was amazing. I loved the story of Chris and the way it was told. Have I said that I thought it was amazing?

[Leslie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Full of 2-rate psychology. Juvenile. Subtle as a jack hammer.

[Judy Nauss Flowers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can’t Believe this book was written in 2011 it sounds similar to 2020 and COVID-19.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review on my blog: http://theaussiezombie.blogspot.com/

Starting with a prologue in January 2000, a global pandemic smacks down the population of New York, changing the life of Chris in an instant. Estranged from his family and friends in the UK, Chris finds himself suddenly and unexpectedly alone in a world turned on its head.

Breakdown is the story of the fall-out of the epidemic, six years on. Life is fundamentally changed, trading and bartering is back in vogue and families stick together, living in the same house and working together to survive day-to-day life.

The unique side of Breakdown is in exploring the emotional toll of the epidemic that has changed the world and the dynamics of friendships and family relationships. Emotion is high, loyalties are radically changed and priorities have been re-assessed.

What I particularly loved about this book are the characters. They are damaged, changed and, against all odds, positive people – not only trying to survive but thrive. Family bonds are strong, love is more meaningful and the basic things in life are what the characters live and strive for.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a post-apocalyptic novel, this book is a breath of fresh air, and a wonderful change of pace from the norm. As a fan apocalyptic and post apocalyptic novels, I will admit that many of these stories are very predictable, and are often cut from the same mold. But Breakdown is totally unique for the genre.

Yes, it is set following a plague that has left large portions of the population dead, and yes, society as we currently know it gone. But this book does not spent its main focus on those details. This book focuses instead on the relationships of the survivors. It focuses on families, on friendship, on love. And that made this book very enjoyable to me. Kudos to the author!

[Vincent Hobbes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a bit different, something I didn't expect. It was very well written...the pace, the dialogue were outstanding. I wished it would have had more action; this story is more of a drama. Despite this, I recommend to anyone who wants a great read at a reasonable price. 4.5 Stars!

-Vincent Hobbes

[Foodleech · Rating 4 out of 5]

The way this book starts out I didn't think I would like it. It was dark, sad and just over all a depressing story. But as the characters evolved and you learned more about them and their back ground, the story became more engaging. This story had all the feels right where they needed them. If you want a good paced story with very detailed characters then this might be the book for you.

[Beth Oldrich · Rating 1 out of 5]

Way too slow going for me. The main character, Chris, is broken. He has had so much hurt and death in his life to ever really recover. His relationship with the other characters is troublesome. The plot is very slow.

[Bridgitte · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought about the back story for the protagonist even when not reading, and some ingredients were there to make a great thing. Alas, cocoa on the counter does not a chocolate molten cake make.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

While ostensibly a post-apocalypse novel (influenza pandemic), this is actually a book about healing.

Chris was a rock star in the pre-apoc world, but after losing his wife and young daughter to the superflu, he finally makes his way from New York back to England (his original home) to see if his family and friends there are still alive. He does some bad things along the way and is a haunted man. Will he be able to find his family, and more importantly, will he be able to find himself again?

I found this a little slow-going at times, but it made me care about these characters enough that I wanted them to survive and succeed.

What fascinates me most about apocalypse stories, whether on the page or on the screen, is how people will react. What will they do? Who will they be? This was a bit light on the gory details of the superflu for my taste, but I did enjoy Chris's journey to happiness.

Interestingly, this book was written several years before the Covid pandemic. I guess some things never go out of style. (I say that ruefully.)

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful

Writing reviews of the books I've read is difficult for to do I usually don't. This book is exceptional so I will attempt it. Breakdown is a combination of postapocalyptic fiction and romance. Beautifully written, with all the e!ements of both genres. I couldn't stop reading until I finished the story. Definitely worth your time. Kudos to the author. I loved it.

[M. Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful love story

World is electronically broken not to mention widespread untreatable plague. Families separated, loved ones buried in unknown places. Love manages to survive for a few. I recommend this for teens and all above. Will look for more by the author. The poetic inserts are marvelous!

[Glasgowgal · Rating 2 out of 5]

My bad, when I read the summary that it was a story about a plague, I thought it would be exciting and action packed. This is a romance story with a side of plague. Well written, but not my cup of tea.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy read, kept me swiping pages but not sure why, nothing much happens. Setting is Britain after a virus wipes out most of the population, as well as modern life conveniences, and how people cope. Timely subject matter I guess 🤔.

[Kelsey Frost · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh....

As an avid reader I don't like to give one star reviews, but this was not a great read. It was written so vaguely and I felt like a person jumping up and down trying to see the plot.