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What It's Like To Be Broken
Not yet published
Expected 22 Jan 26
Marrying my husband was the worst mistake of my life.
Until it drove me to Athelwood.
Walking into a country tavern and getting sucker-punched in the face is just the cherry on top of yet another failed divorce attempt. But turning it into a dinner invite, a new job, and new friends? That’s a nice slice of abundance in my otherwise secluded life.
Nick Wilder didn’t have to help me – or even care. And his beautifully rugged demeanour betrayed him when he let his smile slip out beneath the gumtrees.
We were only supposed to be friends. Nothing more, nothing less. But months of broken-hearted confessions, too many almosts, and one steamy night as friends with benefits I’m screwed.
Because I’m in love with Athelwood. And I’m in love with the man who runs it.
What It’s Like To Be Broken is a dual POV, strangers to friends to lovers, spicy, small-town romance – A spin-off of Erin’s hit debut novel, Reckless Omission.
Scroll up to PRE-ORDER your copy today!
Until it drove me to Athelwood.
Walking into a country tavern and getting sucker-punched in the face is just the cherry on top of yet another failed divorce attempt. But turning it into a dinner invite, a new job, and new friends? That’s a nice slice of abundance in my otherwise secluded life.
Nick Wilder didn’t have to help me – or even care. And his beautifully rugged demeanour betrayed him when he let his smile slip out beneath the gumtrees.
We were only supposed to be friends. Nothing more, nothing less. But months of broken-hearted confessions, too many almosts, and one steamy night as friends with benefits I’m screwed.
Because I’m in love with Athelwood. And I’m in love with the man who runs it.
What It’s Like To Be Broken is a dual POV, strangers to friends to lovers, spicy, small-town romance – A spin-off of Erin’s hit debut novel, Reckless Omission.
Scroll up to PRE-ORDER your copy today!
497 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication January 22, 2026
7 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 26, 2025
“𝘈𝘯𝘺𝘸𝘢𝘺, 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘐 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘓𝘶𝘤𝘺 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘳. 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰. 𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘺 f̶u̶c̶k̶i̶n̶g̶ 𝘤𝘰𝘰𝘭.”
I've been so pumped for this one!
What It’s Like To Be Broken by Erin Page had me on an emotional rollercoaster; one minute I’m angry, next I’m laughing, then I’m all teary eyed!
Meet Lucy, stuck in the chaos of a messy divorce. She hits the road and finds herself at The Tav in Athelwood. Enter Nick, a total broody sweetheart who’s got his own baggage; seriously, he can be a total jerk too!
This book is a wild ride of healing and feels; you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll feel like you’re right there with them. It gives you all the vibes: slow burn, small town, MCs over 30, Aussie setting, found family, and so much more!
Now I’m hanging out, begging for book 2 already because I need to know what comes next. I want so much, but trust me, if I share, it’ll spoil your read.
If you’re in the mood for a book that packs an emotional punch and has a happy ending, add this one to your TBR or preorder the eBook, ready for release on January 22, 2026!
I've been so pumped for this one!
What It’s Like To Be Broken by Erin Page had me on an emotional rollercoaster; one minute I’m angry, next I’m laughing, then I’m all teary eyed!
Meet Lucy, stuck in the chaos of a messy divorce. She hits the road and finds herself at The Tav in Athelwood. Enter Nick, a total broody sweetheart who’s got his own baggage; seriously, he can be a total jerk too!
This book is a wild ride of healing and feels; you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll feel like you’re right there with them. It gives you all the vibes: slow burn, small town, MCs over 30, Aussie setting, found family, and so much more!
Now I’m hanging out, begging for book 2 already because I need to know what comes next. I want so much, but trust me, if I share, it’ll spoil your read.
If you’re in the mood for a book that packs an emotional punch and has a happy ending, add this one to your TBR or preorder the eBook, ready for release on January 22, 2026!
January 1, 2026
Grief is such a weird word. How can one word encompass so many different feelings - but such a universal experience? Grieving the loss of a partner, a family, a life that you thought you would have sends you through an ever revolving, evolving range of emotions.
What It’s Like To Be Broken is a beautifully written story that really shows you what grief is like. How it’s not just the sadness and the grey and the numbness. But also the shakiness, the anxiety, the way it cuts you down to your very core and makes you ask the question - will I make it through this?
This book also shows you the good - how it feels when you start to emerge on the other side, when the spark starts to come back.
This is a beautiful story about love, loss, growth, friendship and family. Nick and Lucy start off as genuine friends. I want to tell you all about what I read but I don’t want to spoil anything - so all I will say, if your heart has ever been hurt, broken, bruised, in any way - through the loss of a loved one, the ending of a relationship, the disappointment of a life you thought you’d have - give this book a go and you might feel a little more healed at the end.
What It’s Like To Be Broken is a beautifully written story that really shows you what grief is like. How it’s not just the sadness and the grey and the numbness. But also the shakiness, the anxiety, the way it cuts you down to your very core and makes you ask the question - will I make it through this?
This book also shows you the good - how it feels when you start to emerge on the other side, when the spark starts to come back.
This is a beautiful story about love, loss, growth, friendship and family. Nick and Lucy start off as genuine friends. I want to tell you all about what I read but I don’t want to spoil anything - so all I will say, if your heart has ever been hurt, broken, bruised, in any way - through the loss of a loved one, the ending of a relationship, the disappointment of a life you thought you’d have - give this book a go and you might feel a little more healed at the end.
Review of advance copy received from Author
What It’s Like To Be Broken was absolutely incredible! I enjoyed every single part of it!
I loved Lucy and Nick’s story! I loved how real everything felt. You could tell when they were letting their emotions or anxieties get in the way, so it was so rewarding when they were able to heal together!
I’m also a little jealous that I don’t have friends like Lucy & Nick do in real life! The side characters really made this story!
I’m so excited to see what comes next!
❤️grief/healing journey
❤️starting over
❤️strangers to friends to lovers
❤️found family
I loved Lucy and Nick’s story! I loved how real everything felt. You could tell when they were letting their emotions or anxieties get in the way, so it was so rewarding when they were able to heal together!
I’m also a little jealous that I don’t have friends like Lucy & Nick do in real life! The side characters really made this story!
I’m so excited to see what comes next!
❤️grief/healing journey
❤️starting over
❤️strangers to friends to lovers
❤️found family
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book is genuinely a masterpiece. Every moment, every detail, every emotion. I haven’t binge-read a book in months and I don’t know if it’s because this hit me at the right moment, or because I already related to Lucy and her journey from Reckless Omission, but this could not have been more beautifully written. I laughed, I cried, I audibly gasped, I was right there in the roller coaster alongside the Athelwoodians and I never wanted to leave.
Review of advance copy received from Author
rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
welcome to Athelwood.
I was so afraid I wasn't going to click with Lucy (iykyk).
but she had me falling for her so quickly. (in the prologue for real)
Nick and his friends immediately immaculate vibes. I cannot wait for the rest of this series.
Erin is a great wordsmith. I love the way her prose flows. the characters are so likeable and real feeling.
welcome to Athelwood.
I was so afraid I wasn't going to click with Lucy (iykyk).
but she had me falling for her so quickly. (in the prologue for real)
Nick and his friends immediately immaculate vibes. I cannot wait for the rest of this series.
Erin is a great wordsmith. I love the way her prose flows. the characters are so likeable and real feeling.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Loved this spicy strangers-to-friends-to-lovers book!! I absolutely love how the town adopted Lucy!! Love all the friendships in this book Jane/Lucy, Jas/Parker/Misha/Lucy, Nick/Luke/Theo/Jonah, Marty/Lucy. Love the friendship turned relationship between Lucy and Nick!!!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews