Make Do and Mend: A Breakup Memoir

by Anne H. Putnam

Radically vulnerable and illuminating, Make Do and Mend is perfect for anyone who’s ever played one of Taylor Swift’s heartrending breakup songs on repeat or talked a little too much about her ex on a first date.

Anne Putnam has a doting British boyfriend, a job in book publishing, an East London flat with a water view—even a published book of her own. But, having never expected the fairytale, 28-year-old Anne has no reason to anticipate its abrupt ending. When her fiancé cheats and their wedding is canceled, she’s knocked into a tailspin that takes out nearly everything that held her life together.

She flees London for her hometown of San Francisco, which becomes the unstable base camp for the steepest uphill climb she’s ever a torturous game of will-they-or-won’t-they with her ex. Slowly, painfully, and with a lot of snark and bravado, she claws her way back from depression, with the help of an assembly line of bad dates, her cohort of brilliant friends, and a lot of guidance from her annoyingly astute therapist.

Ultimately, she faces one major take back the one person who loves her most, or burn it all down and start over.

A touching, and sometimes funny, tale of one millennial’s journey through the ugly parts of heartbreak, Make Do and Mend examines the decidedly unsexy process of healing and post-traumatic growth.

316 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 13, 2026

About the author

Anne H. Putnam is an American writer and editor with an unending interest in the stories that shape our humanity.

Anne wrote her first book, Navel Gazing: One Woman’s Quest for a Size Normal, while living in London, after which she moved back to her hometown of San Francisco, where she made it a year before itching to move away again. After stints in Italy and Oakland, she moved to Northwest Washington.

She lives there still, with her husband and kids—yes, it rains a good amount, but (a) not as much as you think, and (b) she loves it.

Reviews

[Liz Kessick · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you liked 'Strangers' this is an essential next read!
A beautifully-written indie memoir, Make Do and Mend is about picking up the pieces after your relationship crumbles, and finding out who you are on the other side.

Millenial Anne had it all: a handsome English fiancé, an exciting publishing career, a debut book, and the prospect of a life spanning her native San Francisco and her new life in London. But when her fiancé cheats with a friend, her life spirals out of control. He wants her back but can she ever trust him again? But after shaping her life around his, even moving countries, who is she without him?

Spread over flashbacks and therapy appointments, Anne's journey is moving, funny and heartfelt. Highly recommended.

[Sharon Hajj · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you ever wondered about the benefits of therapy, then you can read what it’s like through Anne Putnam’s story. She struggled after a devastating breakup with her fiancé and went through some harrowing depressive episodes but managed to fight her way through them. Even in the darkest parts of the book, Putnam’s humor comes through with her funny and relevant metaphors. I loved her descriptions that really let you imagine what her life felt like. Despite the sad moments in the story, It’s so uplifting to see her progress and how she mended her pain. What a beautiful way to reflect on her growth and found happiness. After being rejected by literary agents, not because her book isn’t good, but because they didn’t know how to market it, she decided to publish on her own. This is an indie book that will show you the amazing talent that is out in the world.
Trigger warnings: depression, suicide.