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Unbreak My Heart
Experience all the feels in this unforgettable, second chance, standalone romance from #1 New York Times bestseller Lauren Blakely!
I didn't break her heart, and she didn't break mine -- we broke each other's. I never stopped loving her, but time and distance played its cruel role in ripping us apart three years ago when she moved halfway around the world. Now after all those endless miles away, she's returned . . . but I'm not the guy I was before. Beautiful, kind, and loving, she's the same -- my hope. The only one who can make a day better, who can make me feel again with one kiss, one touch, one night. There's so much I have to put back in place now that I'm alone and on my own. Things I never wanted at the age of twenty-five.
When I receive an unexpected letter that might hold the clues to everything I desperately need to understand about my family, I'm sure I have to follow it. But that means leaving her once more. She says she'll come with me, and having her by my side will unbreak my heart . . . or destroy it.
That's the chance I have to take.
I didn't break her heart, and she didn't break mine -- we broke each other's. I never stopped loving her, but time and distance played its cruel role in ripping us apart three years ago when she moved halfway around the world. Now after all those endless miles away, she's returned . . . but I'm not the guy I was before. Beautiful, kind, and loving, she's the same -- my hope. The only one who can make a day better, who can make me feel again with one kiss, one touch, one night. There's so much I have to put back in place now that I'm alone and on my own. Things I never wanted at the age of twenty-five.
When I receive an unexpected letter that might hold the clues to everything I desperately need to understand about my family, I'm sure I have to follow it. But that means leaving her once more. She says she'll come with me, and having her by my side will unbreak my heart . . . or destroy it.
That's the chance I have to take.
294 pages, Paperback
First published August 11, 2018
780 people are currently reading
9172 people want to read
About the author
Lauren Blakely
256 books24.2k followersYou can find Lauren on TikTok at @laurenblakelybooks! A #1 New York Times Bestselling, #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling, and #1 Audible Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that’s sexy, feel-good and witty. Lauren likes dogs, cake and show tunes and she is the vegetarian at your dinner party.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 505 reviews
July 13, 2018
6 Hearts!
Unbreak My Heart is Lauren Blakely's newest masterpiece and one of my favorites of the year. I have to give this one 6 Hearts. For breaking my heart and putting it back together again. For making me cry and giving me a sense of peace when I was done. For showing me healing is possible. Hope is everything. You have to mend your own broken heart before you let love in. Love is the key. This story is different than Lauren's usual fun and flirty romances. She still gives us the witty banter, the funny conversations, the sexiness. But this story is about healing. About taking a journey to find the answers you're looking for. About finding your way when you feel alone. The romance is there and it's powerful. The relationship between Andrew and Holland is palpable and electric. But this is Andrew's journey. One he needs to take to understand his family. He needs Holland with him, but she knows when he needs to do things on his own. Lauren never ceases to amaze me with her words and her stories. Unbreak My Heart is one of my favorites of hers. I loved the emotion. I loved how I felt reading it. I loved how sad it made me because I knew she would heal me in the end. I cried. A. Lot. But I also laughed, swooned and got chills. While reading I just kept thinking of the saying, "When God closes a door he opens a window." This is definitely one of my favorites of 2018!
"Those ideas are pretty much always present, especially after you launched yourself at me this morning in front of the vending machine."
"it was a mutual launch."
"All systems were a go."
I want to live every moment. I want to feel everything. I want to love one woman.
In his kiss, I taste hope and a future.
Unbreak My Heart is Lauren Blakely's newest masterpiece and one of my favorites of the year. I have to give this one 6 Hearts. For breaking my heart and putting it back together again. For making me cry and giving me a sense of peace when I was done. For showing me healing is possible. Hope is everything. You have to mend your own broken heart before you let love in. Love is the key. This story is different than Lauren's usual fun and flirty romances. She still gives us the witty banter, the funny conversations, the sexiness. But this story is about healing. About taking a journey to find the answers you're looking for. About finding your way when you feel alone. The romance is there and it's powerful. The relationship between Andrew and Holland is palpable and electric. But this is Andrew's journey. One he needs to take to understand his family. He needs Holland with him, but she knows when he needs to do things on his own. Lauren never ceases to amaze me with her words and her stories. Unbreak My Heart is one of my favorites of hers. I loved the emotion. I loved how I felt reading it. I loved how sad it made me because I knew she would heal me in the end. I cried. A. Lot. But I also laughed, swooned and got chills. While reading I just kept thinking of the saying, "When God closes a door he opens a window." This is definitely one of my favorites of 2018!
"Those ideas are pretty much always present, especially after you launched yourself at me this morning in front of the vending machine."
"it was a mutual launch."
"All systems were a go."
I want to live every moment. I want to feel everything. I want to love one woman.
In his kiss, I taste hope and a future.
July 22, 2018
OMG what more can you say about Lauren Blakely and her books?
This one starts off with breaking your heart and as the story progresses it slowly heals!
Andrew is alone now in this world since his brothers death. All he has is his friend Holland, whom he loves with all his heart, but can't have at this moment, and Sandy, his brothers dog.
Follow his story and how he learns to live again, and cope with the hands he's been dealt.
I laughed, cried, felt butterflies, her words in this book literally gutted me! You name the emotion you will feel them in this story! I could not put this book down, I devoured it in a day! Grab this when it comes out, 5 trillion full(not broken) hearts for this one!
This one starts off with breaking your heart and as the story progresses it slowly heals!
Andrew is alone now in this world since his brothers death. All he has is his friend Holland, whom he loves with all his heart, but can't have at this moment, and Sandy, his brothers dog.
Follow his story and how he learns to live again, and cope with the hands he's been dealt.
I laughed, cried, felt butterflies, her words in this book literally gutted me! You name the emotion you will feel them in this story! I could not put this book down, I devoured it in a day! Grab this when it comes out, 5 trillion full(not broken) hearts for this one!
July 13, 2018
5.5 stars
This is not a typical sexy, rom com from Lauren Blakely. Don’t get me wrong, it does have some flirty banter and fun. It’s also got some sweetness and swoon. But this one also has more heartbreak and emotional turmoil. It starts out in a pretty dark place for the hero who is stuck in a state of grief, loss, and numbness. Andrew is lost, struggling, and grasping for something to give him purpose. He feels alone, and now finds himself reaching towards the girl that got away.
He and Holland were separated by circumstances years ago, but now she’s back in his life...at least temporarily. She is the one spot of light in his darkness. She is a nurse and thrives on fixing situations and saving people. She is sweet, funny, and caring, but smart enough to know it would be easy to lose herself in him again and understand that he is in a vulnerable state. Despite their unresolved feelings, they both are scared to love and lose again. They find themselves in a place "in between"-- between friends and lovers, past and present (and possible future), and pain and happiness.
This story centers around Andrew‘s journey to find answers, hope, and his own healing. It’s a process. It’s not easy and there is no clear-cut path. He struggles and questions. But every step he takes gets a little lighter as he begins to find what he is looking for and work towards figuring out what he wants, what he needs, and finding hope. And he has choices to make and his own issues to address before they could take steps towards moving on together.
This is a raw, painful, and emotional, but also a sweet, hopeful, and inspiring second-chance love story. I really felt for these characters, especially Andrew. He was a tortured hero just trying to acclimate to his new reality and find purpose. I enjoyed both the emotional undertones of the story and the more fun, flirty, and adventurous aspects too. Andrew had plenty of opportunities for growth and healing. And Holland was strong in her convictions not to be a crutch or substitute. I liked that it was not full of unnecessary relationship angst and drama, and dealt more with other issues. The bonds of the characters were well developed. Their interactions felt real and dynamic and they were not perfect. And the scenery in Tokyo added another dimension.
The story had some really good messages about paying it forward and living life to the fullest. I did enjoy the central love story, but it’s really more than ONE love story. And it’s not just about romantic love, but it’s also about self-love and family love. It took me through the full gamut of emotions. My heart hurt and my eyes got a bit misty at times. But I also smiled, and laughed, and connected, and felt hopeful. It truly seemed like I was sharing this journey of discovery with Andrew and Holland. And the entire experience and healing and progression of the characters was touching and beautiful.
I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Follow Me: Reviews by Tammy & Kim (Rachel and Jay) | Facebook | Twitter
This is not a typical sexy, rom com from Lauren Blakely. Don’t get me wrong, it does have some flirty banter and fun. It’s also got some sweetness and swoon. But this one also has more heartbreak and emotional turmoil. It starts out in a pretty dark place for the hero who is stuck in a state of grief, loss, and numbness. Andrew is lost, struggling, and grasping for something to give him purpose. He feels alone, and now finds himself reaching towards the girl that got away.
He and Holland were separated by circumstances years ago, but now she’s back in his life...at least temporarily. She is the one spot of light in his darkness. She is a nurse and thrives on fixing situations and saving people. She is sweet, funny, and caring, but smart enough to know it would be easy to lose herself in him again and understand that he is in a vulnerable state. Despite their unresolved feelings, they both are scared to love and lose again. They find themselves in a place "in between"-- between friends and lovers, past and present (and possible future), and pain and happiness.
This story centers around Andrew‘s journey to find answers, hope, and his own healing. It’s a process. It’s not easy and there is no clear-cut path. He struggles and questions. But every step he takes gets a little lighter as he begins to find what he is looking for and work towards figuring out what he wants, what he needs, and finding hope. And he has choices to make and his own issues to address before they could take steps towards moving on together.
This is a raw, painful, and emotional, but also a sweet, hopeful, and inspiring second-chance love story. I really felt for these characters, especially Andrew. He was a tortured hero just trying to acclimate to his new reality and find purpose. I enjoyed both the emotional undertones of the story and the more fun, flirty, and adventurous aspects too. Andrew had plenty of opportunities for growth and healing. And Holland was strong in her convictions not to be a crutch or substitute. I liked that it was not full of unnecessary relationship angst and drama, and dealt more with other issues. The bonds of the characters were well developed. Their interactions felt real and dynamic and they were not perfect. And the scenery in Tokyo added another dimension.
The story had some really good messages about paying it forward and living life to the fullest. I did enjoy the central love story, but it’s really more than ONE love story. And it’s not just about romantic love, but it’s also about self-love and family love. It took me through the full gamut of emotions. My heart hurt and my eyes got a bit misty at times. But I also smiled, and laughed, and connected, and felt hopeful. It truly seemed like I was sharing this journey of discovery with Andrew and Holland. And the entire experience and healing and progression of the characters was touching and beautiful.
I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Follow Me: Reviews by Tammy & Kim (Rachel and Jay) | Facebook | Twitter
April 17, 2018
A Review of Unbreak My Heart by Lauren Blakely
Andrew and Holland - 5+++++ Stars
In a complete departure from the normal style of book I'm used to getting from Ms. Blakely, this book had me hooked from the first page. Ms. Blakely certainly knows how to write a story that will rip your heart out and then piece it back together, bit by bit. I was lucky enough to get a copy of this book without knowing anything about it—no blurb or character names. There are some funny parts and some very touching parts as well as those scenes that will tear your heart apart. Make sure you have plenty of tissues around, because I was doing the whole ugly cry during the last couple of chapters. I happen to think tears are carthatic for a lot of us and this author definitely takes you on a journey with this one. This is one book that I will purchase so that I can re-read it multiple times, even knowing how much it is going to hurt. It's going on my list of top 5 books this year.
Favorite quote:
“At the end of my life, when I’m looking back, will I regret not doing this?”
**Honest review voluntarily provided from a Complimentary Copy, but will be purchased**
Andrew and Holland - 5+++++ Stars
In a complete departure from the normal style of book I'm used to getting from Ms. Blakely, this book had me hooked from the first page. Ms. Blakely certainly knows how to write a story that will rip your heart out and then piece it back together, bit by bit. I was lucky enough to get a copy of this book without knowing anything about it—no blurb or character names. There are some funny parts and some very touching parts as well as those scenes that will tear your heart apart. Make sure you have plenty of tissues around, because I was doing the whole ugly cry during the last couple of chapters. I happen to think tears are carthatic for a lot of us and this author definitely takes you on a journey with this one. This is one book that I will purchase so that I can re-read it multiple times, even knowing how much it is going to hurt. It's going on my list of top 5 books this year.
Favorite quote:
“At the end of my life, when I’m looking back, will I regret not doing this?”
**Honest review voluntarily provided from a Complimentary Copy, but will be purchased**
August 15, 2018
Unbreak My Heart is about the journey of healing, finding peace and having a second chance at love. Such a great listen. Blakely tells a heartfelt story about letting go and learning to cope with grief the right way. I love that Holland knew how to give Andrew space to heal on his own so their relationship could get a second chance.
This is not a sugary, spicy, funny rom-com that we are used to by Blakely, but a story that encompasses all the emotion you get from loss and the steps one takes to become whole. How did I connect with the story? I believe all of us have had to deal with something so monumental that life took a turn. We may have used coping mechanisms that seemed minimal at the time, but found that it influenced our relationships with others and ourselves. I've been there.
With Andrew, we don't get all the details of his relationship with his brother, but we can sense the emotional connection and loss he felt after the passing. We see/hear it in the tone and attitude of the story. There was a moment there where Andrew questions if he had known his brother at all and begins to feel anger which is another stage of grief. However, his journey leads him to an understanding of what's important. That living life one day at a time with "NO REGRETS" is simply the best path to happiness.
Joe Arden delivers a perfect narration as Andrew. You can hear the vulnerability, sadness and determination in his interpretation. I am used to hearing Joe perform roles where he is an arrogant a-hole or a smug, conceited bad boy, however, this story, I believe allowed him an opportunity to flex his acting skills in a different type of romance. Definitely one of my favorite performances.
Erin Mallon, as always knows how to "be" the character. It is like she has a sixth sense and tunes in perfectly to deliver the character’s emotions. She nails it EVERY.SINGLE.TIME! I honestly can say the Arden/Mallon pairing was a hit!
The Audio Flow Reviews
This is not a sugary, spicy, funny rom-com that we are used to by Blakely, but a story that encompasses all the emotion you get from loss and the steps one takes to become whole. How did I connect with the story? I believe all of us have had to deal with something so monumental that life took a turn. We may have used coping mechanisms that seemed minimal at the time, but found that it influenced our relationships with others and ourselves. I've been there.
With Andrew, we don't get all the details of his relationship with his brother, but we can sense the emotional connection and loss he felt after the passing. We see/hear it in the tone and attitude of the story. There was a moment there where Andrew questions if he had known his brother at all and begins to feel anger which is another stage of grief. However, his journey leads him to an understanding of what's important. That living life one day at a time with "NO REGRETS" is simply the best path to happiness.
Joe Arden delivers a perfect narration as Andrew. You can hear the vulnerability, sadness and determination in his interpretation. I am used to hearing Joe perform roles where he is an arrogant a-hole or a smug, conceited bad boy, however, this story, I believe allowed him an opportunity to flex his acting skills in a different type of romance. Definitely one of my favorite performances.
Erin Mallon, as always knows how to "be" the character. It is like she has a sixth sense and tunes in perfectly to deliver the character’s emotions. She nails it EVERY.SINGLE.TIME! I honestly can say the Arden/Mallon pairing was a hit!
The Audio Flow Reviews
July 25, 2018
*6 hearts*
Unbreak My Heart is Lauren Blakely's newest masterpiece and one of my favorites of the year. I have to give this one 6 Hearts. For breaking my heart and putting it back together again. For making me cry and giving me a sense of peace when I was done. For showing me healing is possible. Hope is everything. You have to mend your own broken heart before you let love in. Love is the key. This story is different than Lauren's usual fun and flirty romances. She still gives us the witty banter, the funny conversations, the sexiness. But this story is about healing. About taking a journey to find the answers you're looking for. About finding your way when you feel alone. The romance is there and it's powerful. The relationship between Andrew and Holland is palpable and electric. But this is Andrew's journey. One he needs to take to understand his family. He needs Holland with him, but she knows when he needs to do things on his own. Lauren never ceases to amaze me with her words and her stories. Unbreak My Heart is one of my favorites of hers. I loved the emotion. I loved how I felt reading it. I loved how sad it made me because I knew she would heal me in the end. I cried. A. Lot. But I also laughed, swooned and got chills. While reading I just kept thinking of the saying, "When God closes a door he opens a window." This is definitely one of my favorites of 2018!
Unbreak My Heart is Lauren Blakely's newest masterpiece and one of my favorites of the year. I have to give this one 6 Hearts. For breaking my heart and putting it back together again. For making me cry and giving me a sense of peace when I was done. For showing me healing is possible. Hope is everything. You have to mend your own broken heart before you let love in. Love is the key. This story is different than Lauren's usual fun and flirty romances. She still gives us the witty banter, the funny conversations, the sexiness. But this story is about healing. About taking a journey to find the answers you're looking for. About finding your way when you feel alone. The romance is there and it's powerful. The relationship between Andrew and Holland is palpable and electric. But this is Andrew's journey. One he needs to take to understand his family. He needs Holland with him, but she knows when he needs to do things on his own. Lauren never ceases to amaze me with her words and her stories. Unbreak My Heart is one of my favorites of hers. I loved the emotion. I loved how I felt reading it. I loved how sad it made me because I knew she would heal me in the end. I cried. A. Lot. But I also laughed, swooned and got chills. While reading I just kept thinking of the saying, "When God closes a door he opens a window." This is definitely one of my favorites of 2018!
August 14, 2018
Available Now - Full Review
5 Cherry Blossom CROWNS
Unbreak My Heart by Lauren Blakely is not the typical romance we have come to expect. It is an introspective examination of grief and digging out of the sadness that weighs a person down.
This book is so much more than a romance. It looks at how a soul heals, how we get better emotionally and mentally, even when our bodies can’t or won’t . It is about a journey to live a life worth having, to grab everything it has to offer. At the end of it, I felt the need to do all things I ever wanted to do in my life, accomplish all my goals, to live my best life now.
Although this isn’t the standard rom-com we have come to love from Lauren Blakely, it still has characters and a city to adore and the steamy scenes we expect from Ms. Blakely. The more serious tone of the novel creates more serious themes, but they are ideas worthy of exploration and they will inspire readers.
Readers are going to be enamored with the emotional journey Lauren Blakely takes them on with Andrew and Holland. It will hurt and be painful, but there is healing at the end. There is purpose in the hurt. It is truly a ride worth taking.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review
5 Cherry Blossom CROWNS
Unbreak My Heart by Lauren Blakely is not the typical romance we have come to expect. It is an introspective examination of grief and digging out of the sadness that weighs a person down.
This book is so much more than a romance. It looks at how a soul heals, how we get better emotionally and mentally, even when our bodies can’t or won’t . It is about a journey to live a life worth having, to grab everything it has to offer. At the end of it, I felt the need to do all things I ever wanted to do in my life, accomplish all my goals, to live my best life now.
Although this isn’t the standard rom-com we have come to love from Lauren Blakely, it still has characters and a city to adore and the steamy scenes we expect from Ms. Blakely. The more serious tone of the novel creates more serious themes, but they are ideas worthy of exploration and they will inspire readers.
Readers are going to be enamored with the emotional journey Lauren Blakely takes them on with Andrew and Holland. It will hurt and be painful, but there is healing at the end. There is purpose in the hurt. It is truly a ride worth taking.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review
August 5, 2018
Where do I start? Since I don’t tend to read many tear jerker books, I was nervous being told before I read it, this book would make me cry. Giving no spoilers, the subject matter is a serious and difficult one. Andrew has been going through a tough time personally. When his former girlfriend, Holland shows up at his front door, he’s forced to face everything keeping him from moving forward.
Since I’m sure so many readers have gone through this to some extent, if not the same as Andrew. That’s what tugs at your heart. I don’t think you can help but think of family and friends in your own life. I know I did. This isn’t the typical Lauren Blakely story, and it was good going on this journey she’s created. It forces you to look at things, and see how you can make a change to make your own life better, even just a little bit.
To be honest, I can’t take a large dose of these types of books, but I am so glad I got an early listen. Joe Arden and Erin Mallon do a fantastic job, and Joe really punched me in the heart w/his performance. It was outstanding!
Since I’m sure so many readers have gone through this to some extent, if not the same as Andrew. That’s what tugs at your heart. I don’t think you can help but think of family and friends in your own life. I know I did. This isn’t the typical Lauren Blakely story, and it was good going on this journey she’s created. It forces you to look at things, and see how you can make a change to make your own life better, even just a little bit.
To be honest, I can’t take a large dose of these types of books, but I am so glad I got an early listen. Joe Arden and Erin Mallon do a fantastic job, and Joe really punched me in the heart w/his performance. It was outstanding!
July 30, 2018
Picture this: I just got home from watching Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again at the theater. My eyes were still watery from having spent the last half hour of the movie crying nonstop and I was already in a fragile state of emotions. And then...I decided to start Unbreak My Heart. Immediately, I wondered, “What the heck was I thinking?” I mean, Lauren Blakely did warn me this wasn’t a rom-com (I’m notoriously anti-angst), but my goodness. Talk about getting hit right in the feels! The author doesn’t pull any punches, diving right into a gut-wrenchingly emotional story that’s sure to tug on your heartstrings from the very first sentence.
If you’ve read any of Lauren Blakely’s books, you know her heroes are typically charming, laidback, and carefree (bonus points for dirty-talking). In Unbreak My Heart, we have Andrew Peterson, a law student in his mid-twenties who’s twice had his world turned upside down with the deaths of his closest family members. He’s charming when it suits his needs, though his days of being laidback and carefree are long gone. He’s emotionally numb, psychologically damaged, and physically reeling, merely existing from day to day. Grief hangs over his head like a shroud, influencing his every thought and action. His only respite from the pain is Holland St. James, the girl who went from being friend to lover to the one who got away. Andrew is hopelessly lost and trying to find his way back both to himself and to the girl he’s never stopped loving.
It is books like Unbreak My Heart that epitomize why the second chance romance is my favorite trope to read. There’s something inherently romantic about fate giving two individuals a second shot at a happy ending after circumstances tore them apart. There’s history between Andrew and Holland. There’s an abundance of chemistry. There’s desire, longing, passion, and sexual tension, all of which is reignited as they tentatively rebuild their romantic connection and reestablish trust between them. Andrew and Holland’s journey back to each other is riddled with obstacles, both emotional and physical, but they have such a natural camaraderie and an all-consuming mutual attraction that you can’t help but root for them to make things work.
With a narrative that’s raw and intense and characters whose hearts and souls are laid bare within the pages of the book, Unbreak My Heart is an achingly emotional, hopelessly romantic second chance romance. What starts as a darker, angst-filled story about loss and heartache evolves into a journey of hope, healing, and letting go. Unbreak My Heart is evocative and thought-provoking, and will resonate with you long after you close the book.
*complimentary copy provided by author for an honest review
If you’ve read any of Lauren Blakely’s books, you know her heroes are typically charming, laidback, and carefree (bonus points for dirty-talking). In Unbreak My Heart, we have Andrew Peterson, a law student in his mid-twenties who’s twice had his world turned upside down with the deaths of his closest family members. He’s charming when it suits his needs, though his days of being laidback and carefree are long gone. He’s emotionally numb, psychologically damaged, and physically reeling, merely existing from day to day. Grief hangs over his head like a shroud, influencing his every thought and action. His only respite from the pain is Holland St. James, the girl who went from being friend to lover to the one who got away. Andrew is hopelessly lost and trying to find his way back both to himself and to the girl he’s never stopped loving.
It is books like Unbreak My Heart that epitomize why the second chance romance is my favorite trope to read. There’s something inherently romantic about fate giving two individuals a second shot at a happy ending after circumstances tore them apart. There’s history between Andrew and Holland. There’s an abundance of chemistry. There’s desire, longing, passion, and sexual tension, all of which is reignited as they tentatively rebuild their romantic connection and reestablish trust between them. Andrew and Holland’s journey back to each other is riddled with obstacles, both emotional and physical, but they have such a natural camaraderie and an all-consuming mutual attraction that you can’t help but root for them to make things work.
With a narrative that’s raw and intense and characters whose hearts and souls are laid bare within the pages of the book, Unbreak My Heart is an achingly emotional, hopelessly romantic second chance romance. What starts as a darker, angst-filled story about loss and heartache evolves into a journey of hope, healing, and letting go. Unbreak My Heart is evocative and thought-provoking, and will resonate with you long after you close the book.
*complimentary copy provided by author for an honest review
August 1, 2018
5 SMOOCHES
I’ve made no secret of my love for Lauren Blakely’s contemporary romances and romantic comedies. They’re my drug of choice, my happy place, and the titles at the top of my TBR list. I wouldn’t say that I’ve pigeon-holed her, but those types of stories are what I’ve come to expect and look forward to from this author. So, when I read the blurb for Unbreak My Heart, I was very intrigued because it sounded so completely different than what I was used to from her. What I would soon learn, though, was that I was utterly unprepared for the torrent of feelings this novel would evoke in me and how greatly this story would affect me.
Lauren Blakely is renowned for her sexy, smart, witty heroes, and Andrew is definitely all of those things, but most prominently, he is a devastated, grief-stricken man in tremendous pain. She vividly captured the stark reality of Andrew’s anguish and sorrow with heart-piercing accuracy. It practically radiated off the page, billowing off my Kindle like steam from a hot cup of coffee. He was firmly stuck in the in-between, and he was so consumed by pain and grief that he just couldn’t see his way through it to the other side. Blakely painstakingly takes readers along on Andrew’s journey to the other side of grief. Her writing here was exceptional as she poignantly told his story in a creative and calculated way, allowing this character to mourn and grieve while moving him past it through what was essentially a hefty dose of tough love, bereavement style, meted out in the form of emotional discoveries, confrontations, realizations and resolutions. No doubt about it, Andrew’s story was definitely a power punch to the feels, and it was also so effectively portrayed that the reader can’t help but be moved by it.
Unbreak My Heart is more than a rollercoaster of tumultuous emotion, though. A two-pronged plot unfolds where Andrew’s grieving process collides with his much desired second-chance with Holland. The heaviness in the first arc of plot is brilliantly balanced by the gorgeous love story between Holland and Andrew in the second plot arc. Two lovers, clearly meant to be, victims of a wrong time, wrong place scenario, are offered a second chance at what seemingly is, once again, the wrong time. Their chemistry sizzled and the pull toward each other was practically inescapable. I was easily caught up in the aching and longing they felt for each other, but I admired Holland’s strength and foresight here. She was generous, thoughtful, selfless and a heroine wise well beyond her years. I wanted her happiness as much as I wanted Andrew’s. Romance is where Blakely always shines, and she eased the heartache doled out to readers through Andrew’s grief with a captivating, passionate love story that was brimming with hope and possibilities.
Unbreak My Heart was a breathtakingly epic story about love, loss and healing that rocked me to my core. Blakely’s words and writing affected me profoundly, and I finished this incredible novel with a new respect for an author I already revered. A heart-wrenchingly real, raw and, at times, difficult to bear tale, Blakely ultimately gave her readers a gloriously grand, sweeping love story that will stay with them long after they finish reading it. Unbreak My Heart by Lauren Blakely is one of the great love stories within the romantic fiction genre, and stories like this are precisely why I read romance. A top favorite for the year and a story I’d rate higher if I could, Lauren Blakely’s Unbreak My Heart gets five smooches from me.
~ Danielle Palumbo
I’ve made no secret of my love for Lauren Blakely’s contemporary romances and romantic comedies. They’re my drug of choice, my happy place, and the titles at the top of my TBR list. I wouldn’t say that I’ve pigeon-holed her, but those types of stories are what I’ve come to expect and look forward to from this author. So, when I read the blurb for Unbreak My Heart, I was very intrigued because it sounded so completely different than what I was used to from her. What I would soon learn, though, was that I was utterly unprepared for the torrent of feelings this novel would evoke in me and how greatly this story would affect me.
Lauren Blakely is renowned for her sexy, smart, witty heroes, and Andrew is definitely all of those things, but most prominently, he is a devastated, grief-stricken man in tremendous pain. She vividly captured the stark reality of Andrew’s anguish and sorrow with heart-piercing accuracy. It practically radiated off the page, billowing off my Kindle like steam from a hot cup of coffee. He was firmly stuck in the in-between, and he was so consumed by pain and grief that he just couldn’t see his way through it to the other side. Blakely painstakingly takes readers along on Andrew’s journey to the other side of grief. Her writing here was exceptional as she poignantly told his story in a creative and calculated way, allowing this character to mourn and grieve while moving him past it through what was essentially a hefty dose of tough love, bereavement style, meted out in the form of emotional discoveries, confrontations, realizations and resolutions. No doubt about it, Andrew’s story was definitely a power punch to the feels, and it was also so effectively portrayed that the reader can’t help but be moved by it.
Unbreak My Heart is more than a rollercoaster of tumultuous emotion, though. A two-pronged plot unfolds where Andrew’s grieving process collides with his much desired second-chance with Holland. The heaviness in the first arc of plot is brilliantly balanced by the gorgeous love story between Holland and Andrew in the second plot arc. Two lovers, clearly meant to be, victims of a wrong time, wrong place scenario, are offered a second chance at what seemingly is, once again, the wrong time. Their chemistry sizzled and the pull toward each other was practically inescapable. I was easily caught up in the aching and longing they felt for each other, but I admired Holland’s strength and foresight here. She was generous, thoughtful, selfless and a heroine wise well beyond her years. I wanted her happiness as much as I wanted Andrew’s. Romance is where Blakely always shines, and she eased the heartache doled out to readers through Andrew’s grief with a captivating, passionate love story that was brimming with hope and possibilities.
Unbreak My Heart was a breathtakingly epic story about love, loss and healing that rocked me to my core. Blakely’s words and writing affected me profoundly, and I finished this incredible novel with a new respect for an author I already revered. A heart-wrenchingly real, raw and, at times, difficult to bear tale, Blakely ultimately gave her readers a gloriously grand, sweeping love story that will stay with them long after they finish reading it. Unbreak My Heart by Lauren Blakely is one of the great love stories within the romantic fiction genre, and stories like this are precisely why I read romance. A top favorite for the year and a story I’d rate higher if I could, Lauren Blakely’s Unbreak My Heart gets five smooches from me.
~ Danielle Palumbo
August 22, 2018
4 stars!
Unbreak My Heart was a beautiful and emotional second chance romance. It was more than a romance, though. It was a story about following your heart, healing, and love. I listened to the audio book of this novel and it was narrated by Joe Arden and Erin Mallon. Nothing makes listening to an audio book better than two stellar narrators and this book definitely had that!
It's apparent from the start that the Andrew we meet at the start of the book is not the real Andrew. This Andrew is grieving. He's sad, lost, and doesn't know what to do with his life right now. This story is very much Andrew's journey. It's a story about him finding a second chance at love, a new lease on life, and a path to making himself feel fulfilled and happy. Key word: Himself. Though Holland, the love of his life, is an integral part of this story, this is very much Andrew's story.
I've not read a ton of Blakely's back list, but most of what I read was lighter than this. I love that this author can do light, but can also do a little heavier/more emotional books. Those are my favorite kind. I really enjoyed this book and loved the ending. I'm looking forward to reading more of Ms. Blakely's back list!
Unbreak My Heart was a beautiful and emotional second chance romance. It was more than a romance, though. It was a story about following your heart, healing, and love. I listened to the audio book of this novel and it was narrated by Joe Arden and Erin Mallon. Nothing makes listening to an audio book better than two stellar narrators and this book definitely had that!
It's apparent from the start that the Andrew we meet at the start of the book is not the real Andrew. This Andrew is grieving. He's sad, lost, and doesn't know what to do with his life right now. This story is very much Andrew's journey. It's a story about him finding a second chance at love, a new lease on life, and a path to making himself feel fulfilled and happy. Key word: Himself. Though Holland, the love of his life, is an integral part of this story, this is very much Andrew's story.
I've not read a ton of Blakely's back list, but most of what I read was lighter than this. I love that this author can do light, but can also do a little heavier/more emotional books. Those are my favorite kind. I really enjoyed this book and loved the ending. I'm looking forward to reading more of Ms. Blakely's back list!
“I feel like I’m falling in love with you all over again, but I also never stopped loving you. Does that make any sense at all?”
She laughs lightly and drags her hands through my hair. “It makes all the sense in the world. I’m in love with you in a whole new way now.”
October 19, 2018
***ARC provided courtesy of the Author***
10 stars (no exaggeration, either)
I have to start by saying that I'm a crier. I've been known to cry tears of joy, tears of sadness, even tears of frustration (though it takes a lot to get me to that point). So when I saw the blurb for Unbreak My Heart I knew I was going to need tissues. This book was everything I could have asked for and more.
Andrew. Sweet, sexy...and hurt. You can feel the hurt coming off of him in waves from the very beginning. I wanted desperately to hug him and offer some kind of comfort, even as he moved me to tears. I certainly don't want to spoil anything, so I apologize for being somewhat vague, but the journey Andrew takes, both physically and emotionally is one of the most beautiful I've read. I absolutely love him.
I adored Holland. I loved her strength, her sharp mind and her tenderness. She was strong enough for both herself and for Andrew. I admired her ability to be as clearheaded as she was at times; because lord knows Andrew is a charmer. Holland is the type of woman I would want to have as a friend. Kind, caring and always in your corner.
These two have such fondness for one another, for what they once were to one another and what they can be. They flow together so well-and while neither of them are perfect they are perfect for each other. I loved seeing them reconnect and come together. They definitely made me melt.
The writing here is simply beautiful. I felt transported and rooted at the same time. I was with Andrew every step of his journey. The supporting characters here really helped him grow and it was just so lovely. There were so many moments that moved me, and I loved, loved, loved learning things right along with Andrew-I won't say more because I don't want to spoil anything.
This book is worthy of ten stars to me, five just isn't enough. I was gripped from the start and felt every emotion right along with these characters. Such a beautiful book of love, healing and hope. I absolutely highly recommend this book.
**This and other reviews featured on our blog, Booked All Night, http://www.BookedAllNightblog.com**
10 stars (no exaggeration, either)
I have to start by saying that I'm a crier. I've been known to cry tears of joy, tears of sadness, even tears of frustration (though it takes a lot to get me to that point). So when I saw the blurb for Unbreak My Heart I knew I was going to need tissues. This book was everything I could have asked for and more.
Andrew. Sweet, sexy...and hurt. You can feel the hurt coming off of him in waves from the very beginning. I wanted desperately to hug him and offer some kind of comfort, even as he moved me to tears. I certainly don't want to spoil anything, so I apologize for being somewhat vague, but the journey Andrew takes, both physically and emotionally is one of the most beautiful I've read. I absolutely love him.
I adored Holland. I loved her strength, her sharp mind and her tenderness. She was strong enough for both herself and for Andrew. I admired her ability to be as clearheaded as she was at times; because lord knows Andrew is a charmer. Holland is the type of woman I would want to have as a friend. Kind, caring and always in your corner.
These two have such fondness for one another, for what they once were to one another and what they can be. They flow together so well-and while neither of them are perfect they are perfect for each other. I loved seeing them reconnect and come together. They definitely made me melt.
The writing here is simply beautiful. I felt transported and rooted at the same time. I was with Andrew every step of his journey. The supporting characters here really helped him grow and it was just so lovely. There were so many moments that moved me, and I loved, loved, loved learning things right along with Andrew-I won't say more because I don't want to spoil anything.
This book is worthy of ten stars to me, five just isn't enough. I was gripped from the start and felt every emotion right along with these characters. Such a beautiful book of love, healing and hope. I absolutely highly recommend this book.
**This and other reviews featured on our blog, Booked All Night, http://www.BookedAllNightblog.com**
August 13, 2018
Unbreak My Heart is like no other book by Lauren Blakely. Yes they all have all the feels, but Unbreak My Heart is more of everything. It´s not the typical rom com, the story made me laugh, it made me cry, I was angry at some point and then it made me cry again. You´ll need tissues, be prepared.
Unbreak My Heart is the heartwrenching story of Andrew and Holland.
Andrew is a man who suffered great losses. He´s tired, angry, all alone and simply doesn´t care anymore.
Holland is back after 3 years away, she´s now a nurse, but maybe she leaves again, soon. Both had a summerfling years ago. But Andrew needs Holland, only he doesn´t know it.
Favorite Quote: " If "fine" were a dude, he´d be a bachelor. " This sums Andrew up. He´s his own island.
Unbreak My Heart is beautifully thought out, beautifully written and beautifully told. I can´t express how much I loved the story and the characters. I recommend Unbreak My Heart and give 5,5 stars.
Unbreak My Heart is the heartwrenching story of Andrew and Holland.
Andrew is a man who suffered great losses. He´s tired, angry, all alone and simply doesn´t care anymore.
Holland is back after 3 years away, she´s now a nurse, but maybe she leaves again, soon. Both had a summerfling years ago. But Andrew needs Holland, only he doesn´t know it.
Favorite Quote: " If "fine" were a dude, he´d be a bachelor. " This sums Andrew up. He´s his own island.
Unbreak My Heart is beautifully thought out, beautifully written and beautifully told. I can´t express how much I loved the story and the characters. I recommend Unbreak My Heart and give 5,5 stars.
July 26, 2018
I sat on a runway waiting for my flight to take off after a three-hour delay. I was seated in front of a screaming child with a stinky diaper, who kicked my seat like a skilled soccer player. I’m a mom, I get it and couldn’t be mad. I just needed to escape. I decided to dive into Unbreak My Heart by Lauren Blakely and read about Andrew and Holland's second chance at love. I knew this romance was going to be an emotional journey based on the title, and not as light as Lauren’s other sexy and sweet romcom books. While Unbreak my Heart did contain Lauren’s trademark flirty and fun banter, it was deeply emotional. Everything about this book pulled on my heartstrings and didn't let go. Unbreak My Heart managed to break my heart at times. I felt Andrew’s pain as he circled the drain in a fit of despair. He was broken and needed a lifeline. He wanted his first love and best friend back in his arms. Holland wanted Andrew back, but not at the cost of turning into his emotional crutch.
Unbreak My Heart is deeply emotional, real and raw. Andrew and Holland's journey was like a romance version of a 12-step program for mending broken relationships and finding happiness again. While reading this book, there were times I felt like I was bungee jumping. I was anxiously waiting, page by page, for Andrew and Holland to find each other again. I knew once they made that jump it would be scary, but so exhilarating.
Lauren Blakely managed to break my heart and soul and put it all back together again. Unbreak My Heart is one of my top reads of 2018. My love for this book is unbreakable!
Unbreak My Heart is deeply emotional, real and raw. Andrew and Holland's journey was like a romance version of a 12-step program for mending broken relationships and finding happiness again. While reading this book, there were times I felt like I was bungee jumping. I was anxiously waiting, page by page, for Andrew and Holland to find each other again. I knew once they made that jump it would be scary, but so exhilarating.
Lauren Blakely managed to break my heart and soul and put it all back together again. Unbreak My Heart is one of my top reads of 2018. My love for this book is unbreakable!
June 28, 2020
5 An Unexpected Journey Stars
* * * * * Spoiler Free
Oh, Ms. Blakely...It is with extreme pleasure and hopefully, grace when I say you have taken me on quite a journey over these years. I have experienced lots of banter, sexual innuendos galore, and the feeling of camaraderie with all of the interlinked characters you have given me. If that was all in your repertoire then I would be a very happy camper and auto-click until the day I can not read...
But you have shown me more, which most importantly, does not negate or discount all you have been doing. No, in my opinion, it only heightens the level of expertise you have in your craft. It shows you are Not a One Trick Writer...talented in only a distinct way of telling tale...No, it demonstrates your ability to work with another purpose using all you have learned over the years and incorporate it all with a different feel...perfect for the story to be told.
This book is very special. Yes, it is a love story, no doubt. But the love it showcases is more than love between a man and a woman. It gives a spotlight to the love between brother and brother. It gives us an understanding of deep, heartbreaking loss between those we love. And it shows us how we must work through all of our feelings of this loss before we are able to truly love another for all the right reasons.
I will not go into how amazing this journey is and how it is correct in all the steps taken. I had to travel those steps and you should too. You will come out of this with an open heart, a healing if you personally need it, an appreciation of those around you, and a reminder to live your life fully.
There are few books that are able to take you through this type of arc and have it be this gentle, moving, showing such determination and resolve while giving you an anchor love story, as well.
For many, it will feel personal. It did for me.
~~~~~ Before Reading ~~~~~
I have the tissues ready...
I just hope my heart will be strong enough...
Ms. Blakely will have it in her hands...
❤️❤️❤️ ❤️❤️❤️ ❤️❤️❤️
3/20/2018
To Quote Ms. Blakely's Blurb...
What I have experienced in my reading of Blakely...
She has the ability to do all of the above...
With Humor, Insight and Heart...
No Doubt, She will...
Unbreak My Heart- August 13th 2018
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
* * * * * Spoiler Free
Oh, Ms. Blakely...It is with extreme pleasure and hopefully, grace when I say you have taken me on quite a journey over these years. I have experienced lots of banter, sexual innuendos galore, and the feeling of camaraderie with all of the interlinked characters you have given me. If that was all in your repertoire then I would be a very happy camper and auto-click until the day I can not read...
But you have shown me more, which most importantly, does not negate or discount all you have been doing. No, in my opinion, it only heightens the level of expertise you have in your craft. It shows you are Not a One Trick Writer...talented in only a distinct way of telling tale...No, it demonstrates your ability to work with another purpose using all you have learned over the years and incorporate it all with a different feel...perfect for the story to be told.
This book is very special. Yes, it is a love story, no doubt. But the love it showcases is more than love between a man and a woman. It gives a spotlight to the love between brother and brother. It gives us an understanding of deep, heartbreaking loss between those we love. And it shows us how we must work through all of our feelings of this loss before we are able to truly love another for all the right reasons.
I will not go into how amazing this journey is and how it is correct in all the steps taken. I had to travel those steps and you should too. You will come out of this with an open heart, a healing if you personally need it, an appreciation of those around you, and a reminder to live your life fully.
There are few books that are able to take you through this type of arc and have it be this gentle, moving, showing such determination and resolve while giving you an anchor love story, as well.
For many, it will feel personal. It did for me.
~~~~~ Before Reading ~~~~~
I have the tissues ready...
I just hope my heart will be strong enough...
Ms. Blakely will have it in her hands...
❤️❤️❤️ ❤️❤️❤️ ❤️❤️❤️
3/20/2018
To Quote Ms. Blakely's Blurb...
"UNBREAK MY HEART explores how to heal, how to live, and how to love."
What I have experienced in my reading of Blakely...
She has the ability to do all of the above...
With Humor, Insight and Heart...
No Doubt, She will...
Unbreak My Heart- August 13th 2018
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
July 25, 2018
Ohhh hells Lauren done made me cry...a few times!
Andrew and Holland are amazing. Andrew is your typical guy going through a tragedy the best way he knows how...like a dumb boy...who thinks he knows it all :)
Holland is his friend turned lover turned friend again...I know right?
You know the story...they were young and in love, but life and yada yada yada...
Cut to now this tragedy happened and they find themselves back in each other's life. This can go two ways...either really good or really bad.
I vote good, cuz like who doesn't want the hot sex with your friend who your totes in love with? I mean I know I do. I mean I know I have that!
This was a great story about love and life and finding your true way home. Ohhhhh and eff my life I also cried and was sad, but like in a good way.
#Hey #DingDong #Journey #Holland #Sriracha #PotatoSticks #Ocean #Sandy #SilverspinnerLanes #Tadpole #IAmNotCrying #YesIToallyAmCrying #DamnYouLaurenBlakely
Andrew and Holland are amazing. Andrew is your typical guy going through a tragedy the best way he knows how...like a dumb boy...who thinks he knows it all :)
Holland is his friend turned lover turned friend again...I know right?
You know the story...they were young and in love, but life and yada yada yada...
Cut to now this tragedy happened and they find themselves back in each other's life. This can go two ways...either really good or really bad.
I vote good, cuz like who doesn't want the hot sex with your friend who your totes in love with? I mean I know I do. I mean I know I have that!
This was a great story about love and life and finding your true way home. Ohhhhh and eff my life I also cried and was sad, but like in a good way.
#Hey #DingDong #Journey #Holland #Sriracha #PotatoSticks #Ocean #Sandy #SilverspinnerLanes #Tadpole #IAmNotCrying #YesIToallyAmCrying #DamnYouLaurenBlakely
Read
August 13, 2018UNBREAK MY HEART is available now on all retailers!
"A beautiful, deeply affecting and unforgettable romance." - USA Today's Happily Ever After
"A MUST READ and TOP 2018 ROMANCE! Broken meets beautiful in Unbreak My Heart, Lauren Blakely's best book yet!" - Karen at Bookalicious Babes Blog
"This novel is the must-read among must-reads. It is Lauren Blakely at her best. Five-plus stars." - Jen at Dog-Eared Daydreams
"The emotional ride between these two will have you crying, smiling and falling in love." - Jamie at IScream Books
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✦ Kindle UK ➜ https://amzn.to/2vBhlpG
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✦ Kindle AU ➜ https://amzn.to/2Mmdkiy
✦ iBooks ➜ blkly.pub/UMH-iBooks
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✦ Nook ➜ blkly.pub/UMH-nook
✦ Google Play ➜ blkly.pub/UMH-GooglePlay
✦ Paperback ➜ blkly.pub/UMH-paperback
✦ Audible ➜ https://adbl.co/2kcpqLf
"A beautiful, deeply affecting and unforgettable romance." - USA Today's Happily Ever After
"A MUST READ and TOP 2018 ROMANCE! Broken meets beautiful in Unbreak My Heart, Lauren Blakely's best book yet!" - Karen at Bookalicious Babes Blog
"This novel is the must-read among must-reads. It is Lauren Blakely at her best. Five-plus stars." - Jen at Dog-Eared Daydreams
"The emotional ride between these two will have you crying, smiling and falling in love." - Jamie at IScream Books
✦ Kindle US ➜ https://amzn.to/2OZhon8
✦ Kindle UK ➜ https://amzn.to/2vBhlpG
✦ Kindle CA ➜ https://amzn.to/2MmreB4
✦ Kindle AU ➜ https://amzn.to/2Mmdkiy
✦ iBooks ➜ blkly.pub/UMH-iBooks
✦ Kobo ➜ blkly.pub/UMH-kobo
✦ Nook ➜ blkly.pub/UMH-nook
✦ Google Play ➜ blkly.pub/UMH-GooglePlay
✦ Paperback ➜ blkly.pub/UMH-paperback
✦ Audible ➜ https://adbl.co/2kcpqLf
August 13, 2018
Wow!!!
This story was unexpected. I normally enjoy her easy, breezy, sexy, flirty books that are so fun, but this story blindsided me.
This story deals with grief and how the main character can survive his own despair.
Andrew has recently lost his brother to cancer and he is unable to cope. He can barely function until a letter comes in the mail. It raises questions that he needs to get answers to. Andrew decides to make a trip to his brothers home across the globe and brings his past girlfriend, Holland, with him. Holland is still in love with Andrew but knows her feelings take a back seat to the healing that Andrew must go through. The process of healing from grief felt so real on the pages and the vulnerability with the characters was spot on. I ached for Andrew while he tried to make sense of his loss.
I read this story in a sitting, I could not put this down. Getting to the end will be worthwhile.
This story was unexpected. I normally enjoy her easy, breezy, sexy, flirty books that are so fun, but this story blindsided me.
This story deals with grief and how the main character can survive his own despair.
Andrew has recently lost his brother to cancer and he is unable to cope. He can barely function until a letter comes in the mail. It raises questions that he needs to get answers to. Andrew decides to make a trip to his brothers home across the globe and brings his past girlfriend, Holland, with him. Holland is still in love with Andrew but knows her feelings take a back seat to the healing that Andrew must go through. The process of healing from grief felt so real on the pages and the vulnerability with the characters was spot on. I ached for Andrew while he tried to make sense of his loss.
I read this story in a sitting, I could not put this down. Getting to the end will be worthwhile.
June 20, 2024
sooo emotional
I soooo didn’t expect to cry my eyes out when I opened this book. Here I was, innocently scanning the audible plus catalog when I saw this was set to leave next month. So I took the plunge…
But it seems the plunge took me instead😭
Drew (25) has just lost his brother Ian ☹️ and he’s a mess. His brother was his ride-or-die, his peanut butter to his jelly, his cookies to his milk, and he’s gone now 🥺 (I’m not gonna lie- I’m getting emotional writing this). He’s having a REALLY hard time coping and gets help from whoever can give him any- his neighbors, his friends, his colleagues, and they all help him however they can (whether it’s mowing his lawn or giving him meds to help cope 😬), but the one person he feels the most attach to is Holland (25).
You see. He and Holland have been friends for a long time and decided to have a summer fling 3 years before. Even though they cared for each other, they both had different life goals.
He wanted to pursue his law degree and she wanted to become a nurse- and where she was doing this was in Japan 😬 thousands of miles away from Drew (Los Angeles), so it wasn’t going to work out. They agreed to enjoy their time together, but inevitably, it would end.
Until Holland ends up becoming Ian’s nurse during his last days before his death.
And they both realize that what they had three years ago is still very much alive…
He also needs answers related to his brother’s life before he died…
And he’s hoping Holland can help him find them
What I liked: possible spoilers
—the freaking angst 😭. I did NOT expect it. I had to double check that this was the author I normally swoon and giggle with 😅. Here I was, innocently clicking on this not knowing i was gonna be bawling- and it wasn’t even about the MCs 😩. It really helps put life into perspective- how limited our time can be and how much we just have to enjoy it. Jeeezus 😭😭😭. I felt the urge to call my loved ones and just tell them all much I love them as I kept reading 😩.
—the emotional roller coaster 🥺. It’s related to the previous bullet, but this one is more on what Drew was experiencing- the different stages of grief and the ways people cope with it. He didn’t always make the “best” choices, which is why I could feel his pain.
—the connection. Because it’s second chance, there’s already history there. I loved seeing the flashback scenes- it helped solidify how much they’re are meant to be each other’s person
—the two ish 🔥 scenes. This is slow burn (🔥 after 70%), and the scenes were get are okay. Once I realized it’s not a normal LB book, I knew I wasn’t going to get the usual 🔥 scenes, and I was “okay m” ish with it lol
—SPOILER SPOILER- the surprise we get at the end of the book that leads into the epilogue 😭 it made me feel so warm and gooey knowing Ian will be around, even if it’s just a part of him. Such a bittersweet moment that is making me cry all over again 😩 because he knew before he died 😭 ugh
—the letters ❤️. Not only the ones from Ian, but the ones Drew ended up writing and the way he “paid” everyone back 🫶. The last letter from Ian 😭😭😭😭 just un alived me 😩
—Holland making Drew get stronger 🫶
—what Drew finds out in Japan when he talks to Ian’s doctor 🥺. Ugh. I know when a loved one has cancer, our immediate response is to get rid of it, but sometimes, we have to put aside our feelings and find different avenues of healing
What I needed more of:
—more between Drew and Holland 😏. I wanted to see more happy times and just then being an actual couple
—the angst 😩. Not me being irritated that death happens in books 🤣. Sigh. I wasn’t ready
—info on their separation, as in, what did they DO… or more like WHO did they do? 😑😑😑. I’m definitely side-eyeing Drew more 😐 lol but we don’t get much info 😑. We don’t even know when’s the last time either of them were with anyone 🤷🏻♀️. They mention they’ve both seen people but… seeing someone and sleeping with them is NOT the same, and neither of them gave any info 😑
—more of an epilogue😏. I wanted to see more of Drew and Holland, to know what their futures were, and, well, maybe some babies 🤣
Overall, I enjoyed it, even though I cried 😭
⚠️safety squad⚠️
-no cheating/sharing/owd/
-mental health
-aftermath of sibling death (cancer)
-drug use
-condoms/then none/birth control
-HEA/epilogue/4 months
I soooo didn’t expect to cry my eyes out when I opened this book. Here I was, innocently scanning the audible plus catalog when I saw this was set to leave next month. So I took the plunge…
But it seems the plunge took me instead😭
Drew (25) has just lost his brother Ian ☹️ and he’s a mess. His brother was his ride-or-die, his peanut butter to his jelly, his cookies to his milk, and he’s gone now 🥺 (I’m not gonna lie- I’m getting emotional writing this). He’s having a REALLY hard time coping and gets help from whoever can give him any- his neighbors, his friends, his colleagues, and they all help him however they can (whether it’s mowing his lawn or giving him meds to help cope 😬), but the one person he feels the most attach to is Holland (25).
You see. He and Holland have been friends for a long time and decided to have a summer fling 3 years before. Even though they cared for each other, they both had different life goals.
He wanted to pursue his law degree and she wanted to become a nurse- and where she was doing this was in Japan 😬 thousands of miles away from Drew (Los Angeles), so it wasn’t going to work out. They agreed to enjoy their time together, but inevitably, it would end.
Until Holland ends up becoming Ian’s nurse during his last days before his death.
And they both realize that what they had three years ago is still very much alive…
He also needs answers related to his brother’s life before he died…
And he’s hoping Holland can help him find them
What I liked: possible spoilers
—the freaking angst 😭. I did NOT expect it. I had to double check that this was the author I normally swoon and giggle with 😅. Here I was, innocently clicking on this not knowing i was gonna be bawling- and it wasn’t even about the MCs 😩. It really helps put life into perspective- how limited our time can be and how much we just have to enjoy it. Jeeezus 😭😭😭. I felt the urge to call my loved ones and just tell them all much I love them as I kept reading 😩.
—the emotional roller coaster 🥺. It’s related to the previous bullet, but this one is more on what Drew was experiencing- the different stages of grief and the ways people cope with it. He didn’t always make the “best” choices, which is why I could feel his pain.
—the connection. Because it’s second chance, there’s already history there. I loved seeing the flashback scenes- it helped solidify how much they’re are meant to be each other’s person
—the two ish 🔥 scenes. This is slow burn (🔥 after 70%), and the scenes were get are okay. Once I realized it’s not a normal LB book, I knew I wasn’t going to get the usual 🔥 scenes, and I was “okay m” ish with it lol
—SPOILER SPOILER- the surprise we get at the end of the book that leads into the epilogue 😭 it made me feel so warm and gooey knowing Ian will be around, even if it’s just a part of him. Such a bittersweet moment that is making me cry all over again 😩 because he knew before he died 😭 ugh
—the letters ❤️. Not only the ones from Ian, but the ones Drew ended up writing and the way he “paid” everyone back 🫶. The last letter from Ian 😭😭😭😭 just un alived me 😩
—Holland making Drew get stronger 🫶
—what Drew finds out in Japan when he talks to Ian’s doctor 🥺. Ugh. I know when a loved one has cancer, our immediate response is to get rid of it, but sometimes, we have to put aside our feelings and find different avenues of healing
What I needed more of:
—more between Drew and Holland 😏. I wanted to see more happy times and just then being an actual couple
—the angst 😩. Not me being irritated that death happens in books 🤣. Sigh. I wasn’t ready
—info on their separation, as in, what did they DO… or more like WHO did they do? 😑😑😑. I’m definitely side-eyeing Drew more 😐 lol but we don’t get much info 😑. We don’t even know when’s the last time either of them were with anyone 🤷🏻♀️. They mention they’ve both seen people but… seeing someone and sleeping with them is NOT the same, and neither of them gave any info 😑
—more of an epilogue😏. I wanted to see more of Drew and Holland, to know what their futures were, and, well, maybe some babies 🤣
Overall, I enjoyed it, even though I cried 😭
⚠️safety squad⚠️
-no cheating/sharing/owd/
-mental health
-aftermath of sibling death (cancer)
-drug use
-condoms/then none/birth control
-HEA/epilogue/4 months
August 5, 2018
Unbreak My Heart...Oh man I begged for this as my heart had splintered into a thousand pieces. From page one, emotions ran through me. The blurb does not give you a hint of what is in store for you. Lauren Blakely is known for the sexy and the laugh out loud moments in her books. So I was amazed to see this side of her with this book. I was not prepared for the tears, the heartache, and the heavy. My first thought was Andrew can't be the hero of the book. He is too broken and so lost. He is a shell of a man. I was waiting and waiting. Holland comes into the story, and I start realizing this book is going to be different. I am going to be hurting along with these characters.
There is a journey that you will take with Andrew and Ian. This story brings something familiar that I have yet put my finger on. But I will get there. The wonderful characters you will meet make you feel like you are part of a close knit family. The ending had me grabbing for my box of tissue. The emotions had my heart wanting to burst!
Lauren will soften some of these blows with a little bit of friendly banters and the sexy times. I am honored to read this book and experience a different side of the author. Unbreak My Heart blew me away! I need some super glue to piece my heart back up and wait for the healing process! This book has jumped to my #1 Must Read list for 2018!!!
There is a journey that you will take with Andrew and Ian. This story brings something familiar that I have yet put my finger on. But I will get there. The wonderful characters you will meet make you feel like you are part of a close knit family. The ending had me grabbing for my box of tissue. The emotions had my heart wanting to burst!
Lauren will soften some of these blows with a little bit of friendly banters and the sexy times. I am honored to read this book and experience a different side of the author. Unbreak My Heart blew me away! I need some super glue to piece my heart back up and wait for the healing process! This book has jumped to my #1 Must Read list for 2018!!!
August 8, 2018
Reviewed on behalf of The Book Boyfriend Addict. A complimentary copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.
It’s hard to think straight when she’s the only thing I’m certain I want. When I’m positive her touch would erase the pain.
When I think of Lauren Blakely books, I think of light-hearted, swoony, and sexy rom-coms but after having read this book it’s clear that she can also brilliantly deliver a poignant story that packs quite the emotional punch! I thought this was a beautiful story with a really amazing message. It’s a great second chance romance, no doubt, but it’s also so much more than that. I found all the things I’ve come to expect from a Lauren Blakely book – realistic characters, quick wit, and snappy dialogue, and let’s not forget amazing chemistry between our couple! I enjoyed seeing Andrew and Holland work their way back to one another, it was clear from early on that they were meant to be together, even though time and circumstances threw them a few curveballs. But I think the part of the story I loved even more than all that was the healing journey that we got to experience along with Andrew. This aspect of the story was so beautifully done, it brought tears to my eyes on more than one occasion. He was in a really bad spot, understandably so, when we first meet him but as he sets out to solve the mystery of the letter he received, we get to see his gradual shift from angry and bitter to accepting and at peace. The life lessons that he learns along the way will resonate with many readers, I think we can all relate in one way or another to what he’s going through. When you combine all this with a touching second chance at love you’ve got yourself one special story. I still feel a little emotional after having finished it, I know that this is one I will remember for a long time to come!
This—how I feel for Holland—is the only thing in my life that has remained the same. Everyone I have loved is gone. Except her. Holland is the before and the after.
It’s hard to think straight when she’s the only thing I’m certain I want. When I’m positive her touch would erase the pain.
When I think of Lauren Blakely books, I think of light-hearted, swoony, and sexy rom-coms but after having read this book it’s clear that she can also brilliantly deliver a poignant story that packs quite the emotional punch! I thought this was a beautiful story with a really amazing message. It’s a great second chance romance, no doubt, but it’s also so much more than that. I found all the things I’ve come to expect from a Lauren Blakely book – realistic characters, quick wit, and snappy dialogue, and let’s not forget amazing chemistry between our couple! I enjoyed seeing Andrew and Holland work their way back to one another, it was clear from early on that they were meant to be together, even though time and circumstances threw them a few curveballs. But I think the part of the story I loved even more than all that was the healing journey that we got to experience along with Andrew. This aspect of the story was so beautifully done, it brought tears to my eyes on more than one occasion. He was in a really bad spot, understandably so, when we first meet him but as he sets out to solve the mystery of the letter he received, we get to see his gradual shift from angry and bitter to accepting and at peace. The life lessons that he learns along the way will resonate with many readers, I think we can all relate in one way or another to what he’s going through. When you combine all this with a touching second chance at love you’ve got yourself one special story. I still feel a little emotional after having finished it, I know that this is one I will remember for a long time to come!
This—how I feel for Holland—is the only thing in my life that has remained the same. Everyone I have loved is gone. Except her. Holland is the before and the after.
August 21, 2018
I always, always love a Lauren Blakely romance! This one was different it wasn't just a love story oh the beautiful romance and the HEA was there but that wasn't the bulk of the book. This was a story of healing, of learning to cope and go on after the death of a love one.
It was touching, it was sad, it was funny at times and it was real! It sucks, it's hard to lose someone.
This book put me through every emotion, I felt all of Andrew's pain and cheered him through healing himself.
Back to the romance, second chance my favorite. I loved Holland she was one heck of a strong girl. She supported him but held back and let him do it on his own. She guided him but ultimately let him find his own way. His way back to happy and back to her.
I reached the last page, wiped my tears, sighed, and hugged my Kindle. Yep it was just one of those kind of stories.
It was touching, it was sad, it was funny at times and it was real! It sucks, it's hard to lose someone.
This book put me through every emotion, I felt all of Andrew's pain and cheered him through healing himself.
Back to the romance, second chance my favorite. I loved Holland she was one heck of a strong girl. She supported him but held back and let him do it on his own. She guided him but ultimately let him find his own way. His way back to happy and back to her.
I reached the last page, wiped my tears, sighed, and hugged my Kindle. Yep it was just one of those kind of stories.
August 12, 2018
IT'S LIVE EARLY ☺
This is not your typical Lauren Blakely romantic comedy. Not at all.
It's a little bit second-chance love story. A lot trying to find your way back to life and happiness after the death of loved ones. A bit mystery-investigative-travel-romance. It's a lot of different things in a little book. And I loved it!
I had no idea what I was getting into when I started reading. Of course I was expecting one of those amazing Blakely rom-coms. But I got something so very different. I immediately fell in love with Andrew. The poor guy. He can't yet deal with life. Or love. But he still loves the girl he spent this amazing summer with three years ago. But Holland left for nursing school and they split up. But now she's back. And all those feelings are still there - but they can't really be felt properly through all the grief.
Well, they can, but Holland doesn't want to be a crutch for him. She wants to be loved for who she is, and not because she's helping him get over his grief.
Time to put on his big boy boxers and start living again ...
And also time to find out what his brother was doing in Tokyo before he died!!!
Off to Japan we go ....
I really loved reading this book. Even though I kinda had the feeling that half of the story at the beginning was missing. As if some editor had edited out the beginning and some words in the middle and everywhere else! LOL. It just felt a bit short. A bit too poetically written sometimes. Not really whole sentences. Just facts listed. Not bluntly or wrong or untalently written, just so different than other Lauren books. I don't really know what I mean - I loved it - but I also missed some little things. I wanted it to be 100 pages longer or bigger. I wanted even more of an epilogue!
But still .... amazingly emotional love & grief story with some very sad and moving but also some very adorable and funny and beautiful and touristy moments.
I adored all the Ian moments. He just broke my heart. Knowing he could've had this amazing future. Ugh. So horribly sad.
I would definitely love to see this on Netflix or Passionflix!
UNBREAK MY HEART was such a beautiful and heartbreaking love story. A story about the love between brothers and of course between lovers ... and how to fight for your happily ever after through very bad times! Run to your nearest amazon for your own Andrew - this one is MINE!
Oh, a tiny little thing. I don't love the cover for the story. I mean - I LOOOOVE the cover. Mario is so very HOT! BUT, the story needs something else. The look in his eyes is great. But he needs a shirt, maybe a dog and maybe looking out to the ocean or a cherry blossom tree - no idea - but something that fits the story better!
♡
♡
♡
♡
This is not your typical Lauren Blakely romantic comedy. Not at all.
It's a little bit second-chance love story. A lot trying to find your way back to life and happiness after the death of loved ones. A bit mystery-investigative-travel-romance. It's a lot of different things in a little book. And I loved it!
I had no idea what I was getting into when I started reading. Of course I was expecting one of those amazing Blakely rom-coms. But I got something so very different. I immediately fell in love with Andrew. The poor guy. He can't yet deal with life. Or love. But he still loves the girl he spent this amazing summer with three years ago. But Holland left for nursing school and they split up. But now she's back. And all those feelings are still there - but they can't really be felt properly through all the grief.
Well, they can, but Holland doesn't want to be a crutch for him. She wants to be loved for who she is, and not because she's helping him get over his grief.
Time to put on his big boy boxers and start living again ...
And also time to find out what his brother was doing in Tokyo before he died!!!
Off to Japan we go ....
I really loved reading this book. Even though I kinda had the feeling that half of the story at the beginning was missing. As if some editor had edited out the beginning and some words in the middle and everywhere else! LOL. It just felt a bit short. A bit too poetically written sometimes. Not really whole sentences. Just facts listed. Not bluntly or wrong or untalently written, just so different than other Lauren books. I don't really know what I mean - I loved it - but I also missed some little things. I wanted it to be 100 pages longer or bigger. I wanted even more of an epilogue!
But still .... amazingly emotional love & grief story with some very sad and moving but also some very adorable and funny and beautiful and touristy moments.
I adored all the Ian moments. He just broke my heart. Knowing he could've had this amazing future. Ugh. So horribly sad.
I would definitely love to see this on Netflix or Passionflix!
UNBREAK MY HEART was such a beautiful and heartbreaking love story. A story about the love between brothers and of course between lovers ... and how to fight for your happily ever after through very bad times! Run to your nearest amazon for your own Andrew - this one is MINE!
Oh, a tiny little thing. I don't love the cover for the story. I mean - I LOOOOVE the cover. Mario is so very HOT! BUT, the story needs something else. The look in his eyes is great. But he needs a shirt, maybe a dog and maybe looking out to the ocean or a cherry blossom tree - no idea - but something that fits the story better!
♡
♡
♡
♡
August 12, 2018
5+ Unforgettable Stars!
Unbreak Your Heart isn't just a love story, it is so much more. It is a story of hope and the strength of love. It is a story of grief and heartache. It is a story of strength and never giving up. It is a story of finding yourself again after the darkness tries to take over. This story will tear out your heart and then put it back together again.
Holland & Andrew's story was such a powerful and moving read. The writing was phenomenal. The author didn't just make me feel the book. She made me live it, experience it and breathe it. I was able to connect with the story and characters in a way that I never thought was possible. I loved each and every swoon worthy, heart fluttering, heartbreaking, painful and devastating moment. In the end, I was left with the happiest of tears and the fullest of hearts. This left my emotions a mess in the best possible way. It gave me all of the feels and I couldn't possibly ask for more. This story is one that will touch everyone's life and take you on the most amazing journey.
Unbreak Your Heart isn't just a love story, it is so much more. It is a story of hope and the strength of love. It is a story of grief and heartache. It is a story of strength and never giving up. It is a story of finding yourself again after the darkness tries to take over. This story will tear out your heart and then put it back together again.
Holland & Andrew's story was such a powerful and moving read. The writing was phenomenal. The author didn't just make me feel the book. She made me live it, experience it and breathe it. I was able to connect with the story and characters in a way that I never thought was possible. I loved each and every swoon worthy, heart fluttering, heartbreaking, painful and devastating moment. In the end, I was left with the happiest of tears and the fullest of hearts. This left my emotions a mess in the best possible way. It gave me all of the feels and I couldn't possibly ask for more. This story is one that will touch everyone's life and take you on the most amazing journey.
August 25, 2018
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
This was really good! I usually try to go into books as blindly as possible and I don't think that I beyond Lauren Blakely's name and the shirtless guy on the cover when I made the decision to read this book. I thought that I had a pretty good idea of what kind of book this would be and expected a fun little romance. I did get a romance but to me this book was really all about Andrew. I am so glad that I had the chance to listen to this audiobook.
When we meet Andrew at the start of this book, he is at a very low point. He is deep in grief after losing his brother who was the person he was closest to. He is not handling things well at all. I felt so bad for Andrew but I completely understood some of the things he was feeling. I thought that his thoughts during this time were very well done and felt very authentic.
Holland and Andrew have known each other for a very long time. Their parents were friends and they dated for a while. Their relationship ended largely because Holland was living in Tokyo while Andrew needed to be in the United States. I love a good second chance romance and these two were really great together. They never stopping caring about each other and the chemistry between them was great. Holland seemed to understand exactly what Andrew needed and was very clear with her expectations.
Both of the narrators really nailed this performance. I had never listened to any of Joe Arden's work before a few months ago but I think that this is the third time that I have listened to him in just a few weeks. I am really impressed by his work and I thought that this was an exceptional performance. He does such a good job with the wide range of emotions that Andrew goes through in this story. Since this was Andrew's story more than anything, I think that Joe Arden read a bit more of the book than the female narrator, Erin Mallon. This was my first time listening to Erin Mallon and I really liked her narration. I thought she did a great job with Holland and really helped to bring the story to life. These two worked really well together and I wouldn't hesitate to listen to either narrator again in the future.
I would recommend this book to fans of contemporary romance. I love second chance romances and books that deal with grief are also a favorite so this was a great pick for me. This audiobook does include a short story, The Story of Us, that takes up the last hour or so of the total running time. I cannot wait to read more of Lauren Blakely's work.
I received a review copy of this audiobook from Lauren Blakely Books via Inkslinger PR.
Initial Thoughts
This was good! I will be honest that I picked this up because when I saw the shirtless guy on the cover and Lauren Blakely's name I had a pretty good idea what would be waiting for me. But this book was different. This is really a story about grief and moving on. Yes, Andrew and Holland do find love in this story but it was really more about getting over loss. Both of the narrators completely nailed their delivery of this story. This audiobook also contains the short story, The Start of Us, which accounts for around the last hour of the audiobook.
This was really good! I usually try to go into books as blindly as possible and I don't think that I beyond Lauren Blakely's name and the shirtless guy on the cover when I made the decision to read this book. I thought that I had a pretty good idea of what kind of book this would be and expected a fun little romance. I did get a romance but to me this book was really all about Andrew. I am so glad that I had the chance to listen to this audiobook.
When we meet Andrew at the start of this book, he is at a very low point. He is deep in grief after losing his brother who was the person he was closest to. He is not handling things well at all. I felt so bad for Andrew but I completely understood some of the things he was feeling. I thought that his thoughts during this time were very well done and felt very authentic.
Holland and Andrew have known each other for a very long time. Their parents were friends and they dated for a while. Their relationship ended largely because Holland was living in Tokyo while Andrew needed to be in the United States. I love a good second chance romance and these two were really great together. They never stopping caring about each other and the chemistry between them was great. Holland seemed to understand exactly what Andrew needed and was very clear with her expectations.
Both of the narrators really nailed this performance. I had never listened to any of Joe Arden's work before a few months ago but I think that this is the third time that I have listened to him in just a few weeks. I am really impressed by his work and I thought that this was an exceptional performance. He does such a good job with the wide range of emotions that Andrew goes through in this story. Since this was Andrew's story more than anything, I think that Joe Arden read a bit more of the book than the female narrator, Erin Mallon. This was my first time listening to Erin Mallon and I really liked her narration. I thought she did a great job with Holland and really helped to bring the story to life. These two worked really well together and I wouldn't hesitate to listen to either narrator again in the future.
I would recommend this book to fans of contemporary romance. I love second chance romances and books that deal with grief are also a favorite so this was a great pick for me. This audiobook does include a short story, The Story of Us, that takes up the last hour or so of the total running time. I cannot wait to read more of Lauren Blakely's work.
I received a review copy of this audiobook from Lauren Blakely Books via Inkslinger PR.
Initial Thoughts
This was good! I will be honest that I picked this up because when I saw the shirtless guy on the cover and Lauren Blakely's name I had a pretty good idea what would be waiting for me. But this book was different. This is really a story about grief and moving on. Yes, Andrew and Holland do find love in this story but it was really more about getting over loss. Both of the narrators completely nailed their delivery of this story. This audiobook also contains the short story, The Start of Us, which accounts for around the last hour of the audiobook.
August 16, 2018
5 Crazy Ass Must Read Stars!!!
I went into this blind so I didn't really know what to expect. I just know I didn't expect this story. Everything I've read by Lauren Blakely has been a rom-com of sorts so I was expecting this to be along those lines. Despite my expectations, this book was amazing in and of itself. I loved the versatility Lauren Blakely has shown me here and that has just entrenched her more on my faves list.
This book was all heart. Heart-wrenching, heart-breaking, heart-warming, and heart-healing. I cried, swooned, and there were even times that I laughed.
Lauren Blakely did an amazingly, fantastic job with this book. I so look forward to reading what she comes out with next.
Audio Review update:
5 Crazy Ass Must Listen Stars!!!!!
I loved this book already having just read it a few days ago but the dual narration of Joe Arden and Erin Mallon just brought it to a new level. I still cried, swooned and laughed only I did it a little harder than before. Joe and Erin brought all of the characters to life and made the story more real for me. It didn't matter that I already knew what was going to happen. I just got lost in the story that Joe and Erin told. They gave it more heart and the feels were felt that much more.
I went into this blind so I didn't really know what to expect. I just know I didn't expect this story. Everything I've read by Lauren Blakely has been a rom-com of sorts so I was expecting this to be along those lines. Despite my expectations, this book was amazing in and of itself. I loved the versatility Lauren Blakely has shown me here and that has just entrenched her more on my faves list.
This book was all heart. Heart-wrenching, heart-breaking, heart-warming, and heart-healing. I cried, swooned, and there were even times that I laughed.
Lauren Blakely did an amazingly, fantastic job with this book. I so look forward to reading what she comes out with next.
Audio Review update:
5 Crazy Ass Must Listen Stars!!!!!
I loved this book already having just read it a few days ago but the dual narration of Joe Arden and Erin Mallon just brought it to a new level. I still cried, swooned and laughed only I did it a little harder than before. Joe and Erin brought all of the characters to life and made the story more real for me. It didn't matter that I already knew what was going to happen. I just got lost in the story that Joe and Erin told. They gave it more heart and the feels were felt that much more.
August 10, 2018
After experiencing more than his fair share of loss, Andrew feels himself slipping away, he's numb to feelings, everyday is the same; wake up, mourn, and then struggle to fall asleep at night. He has even taken to using his pain and loss to his advantage and convincing his cousin to complete the simplest tasks for him, but he knows before long she is going to stop and force him out of his shell and convince him it's time to face the world again. But he's just not ready to...
But then a beautiful and caring nurse wanders back into his life, and she brings memories of a happier time, a time that he has thought of a thousand times, and wanted back. Now that she is back he starts to believe this is their time, even if she is just there momentarily, but pulling her into this disaster he he is currently living in, wouldn't be fair to her... but he doesn't think he can survive losing her all over again.
Unbreak My Heart is a gut-wrenching roller coaster ride that is riddled with many highs and lows; one minute you are feeling the unwavering connection between the characters, and the next you are feeling the separation they are creating by fear. This beautifully crafted tale will do a number on your heart and your emotions, you can't help but feel for Andrew and his unimaginable loss, he darn near broke my heart. But every now and then I saw glimpses of a man who was ready for a change, and a man willing to open his heart to love, and it was hard to not root for that man, no matter how stubborn he happened to be. I thoroughly enjoyed this one; it was well written, full of angst and emotion to tug on the heartstrings, and of course comes equipped with an unforgettable couple with scorching chemistry that brings a little heat to the pages too! Highly recommend this one, I promise you won't be disappointed with what you find between the pages!!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.
But then a beautiful and caring nurse wanders back into his life, and she brings memories of a happier time, a time that he has thought of a thousand times, and wanted back. Now that she is back he starts to believe this is their time, even if she is just there momentarily, but pulling her into this disaster he he is currently living in, wouldn't be fair to her... but he doesn't think he can survive losing her all over again.
Unbreak My Heart is a gut-wrenching roller coaster ride that is riddled with many highs and lows; one minute you are feeling the unwavering connection between the characters, and the next you are feeling the separation they are creating by fear. This beautifully crafted tale will do a number on your heart and your emotions, you can't help but feel for Andrew and his unimaginable loss, he darn near broke my heart. But every now and then I saw glimpses of a man who was ready for a change, and a man willing to open his heart to love, and it was hard to not root for that man, no matter how stubborn he happened to be. I thoroughly enjoyed this one; it was well written, full of angst and emotion to tug on the heartstrings, and of course comes equipped with an unforgettable couple with scorching chemistry that brings a little heat to the pages too! Highly recommend this one, I promise you won't be disappointed with what you find between the pages!!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.
August 13, 2018
Wow! If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I totally would! This book is a bit different than other Lauren’s other books, in the sense that it digs in a little deeper. This book is about finding out how to live again after a devastating loss. It is about finding happiness in a sea of sorrow. And how sometimes the answers will set you free! This book literally had me in tears and then filled with warmth. And I can not recommend it enough!
Andrew is using all the free passes he has after losing his brother but is starting to realize that needs answers before he can let go. Add in the fact that the only woman he has ever loved is back and it is messing with him even more. So he decides to go to Tokyo to get some answers, and asks Holland to go with him.
Holland has never forgotten the love she left behind and now he needs her more than ever. She doesn’t want him to need her for now, she wants forever. Since she is moving back to Tokyo, she is afraid that she is prolonging the inevitable but is hopeless to tell him no.
Now the feelings they once pushed aside are back in full force and they are battling that among the loss. Will they be able to find happiness again or will the loss forever surround them?
Andrew is using all the free passes he has after losing his brother but is starting to realize that needs answers before he can let go. Add in the fact that the only woman he has ever loved is back and it is messing with him even more. So he decides to go to Tokyo to get some answers, and asks Holland to go with him.
Holland has never forgotten the love she left behind and now he needs her more than ever. She doesn’t want him to need her for now, she wants forever. Since she is moving back to Tokyo, she is afraid that she is prolonging the inevitable but is hopeless to tell him no.
Now the feelings they once pushed aside are back in full force and they are battling that among the loss. Will they be able to find happiness again or will the loss forever surround them?
August 23, 2018
With “Unbreak My Heart” Lauren Blakely produces a painfully raw and emotional tale about a man trying to cope with the grief of losing his best friend and brother.
After Andrew’s brother dies, he is left having to deal not just with the pain that accompanies such an event but also with all his brother’s affairs such is their law firm and properties. Even though he feels alone, he has a host of people trying to help him including Holland, the woman he loved and lost three years ago when she went to Japan to finish her studies. But now she’s back for a short time, can she help him put his life and himself back together or were they doomed from the start?
Right off the bat we are presented with a broken, beaten Andrew who is devastated and lost. The only bright light in his life is Holland, the woman he never stopped loving but couldn’t be with because of geography. With her help, he’s not only able to embrace hope, he’s able to piece his life back together and determine what he wants out of life.
Unbreak My Heart is different from the rest of the Lauren Blakely books I’ve read which are typically full of witty humor and delicious chemistry. I was thrown for a loop when from the getgo we meet this shattered man without a purpose. Of course I sympathize for him but I could never connect with him nor the romance that is interwoven into his journey of self discovery.
Unbreak My Heart is a second chance standalone contemporary romance by Lauren Blakely. It is told from both points of view with a happy ending.
3.5 stars
Amazon -> https://amzn.to/2MfuSwP
* I was given an ARC of this book courtesy of the author via InkSlinger PR. I am voluntarily reviewing this title. *
Stalk me on FaceBook * Twitter * Pinterest Book Teasers * More reviews
After Andrew’s brother dies, he is left having to deal not just with the pain that accompanies such an event but also with all his brother’s affairs such is their law firm and properties. Even though he feels alone, he has a host of people trying to help him including Holland, the woman he loved and lost three years ago when she went to Japan to finish her studies. But now she’s back for a short time, can she help him put his life and himself back together or were they doomed from the start?
Right off the bat we are presented with a broken, beaten Andrew who is devastated and lost. The only bright light in his life is Holland, the woman he never stopped loving but couldn’t be with because of geography. With her help, he’s not only able to embrace hope, he’s able to piece his life back together and determine what he wants out of life.
Unbreak My Heart is different from the rest of the Lauren Blakely books I’ve read which are typically full of witty humor and delicious chemistry. I was thrown for a loop when from the getgo we meet this shattered man without a purpose. Of course I sympathize for him but I could never connect with him nor the romance that is interwoven into his journey of self discovery.
Unbreak My Heart is a second chance standalone contemporary romance by Lauren Blakely. It is told from both points of view with a happy ending.
3.5 stars
Amazon -> https://amzn.to/2MfuSwP
* I was given an ARC of this book courtesy of the author via InkSlinger PR. I am voluntarily reviewing this title. *
Stalk me on FaceBook * Twitter * Pinterest Book Teasers * More reviews
August 9, 2018
Another stand-alone that ticks every box once again Lauren Blakey show how diverse her writing skills and talents are with Unbreak My Heart which is a second love story with a twist this wasn’t just one persons heart that got broken when we split up both of our hearts were broken.........
This is not your normal Lauren Blakey witty funny romance full of banter this book starts in a very dark place for the hero Andrew who finds himself reaching out for the girl that got away. Holland and Andrew were split up by circumstance rather that choice and both were left broken but now Andrew needs Holland to step up and be strong and help him heal..........
This story will make you cry you will feel every bit of pain that Andrew goes through on his journey to find answers and healing. This is a emotional read that at times is dark and raw but this author has written this story with compassion and I really have to congratulate her because this book is a beautifully written love story that covers love on every level from learning to love yourself before you can love others to loving your family. I loved this book for too many reasons to list here so I’m just going to leave you with please one click Andrew and Holland’s journey you won’t be disappointed.
This is not your normal Lauren Blakey witty funny romance full of banter this book starts in a very dark place for the hero Andrew who finds himself reaching out for the girl that got away. Holland and Andrew were split up by circumstance rather that choice and both were left broken but now Andrew needs Holland to step up and be strong and help him heal..........
This story will make you cry you will feel every bit of pain that Andrew goes through on his journey to find answers and healing. This is a emotional read that at times is dark and raw but this author has written this story with compassion and I really have to congratulate her because this book is a beautifully written love story that covers love on every level from learning to love yourself before you can love others to loving your family. I loved this book for too many reasons to list here so I’m just going to leave you with please one click Andrew and Holland’s journey you won’t be disappointed.
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