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The Missing Piece
It doesn’t matter how hard you fall, the right person can catch you.
Sometimes a broken heart can actually break you. Keisha Grant learnt that the hard way.
Fifteen years ago, when she was a teenager being raised by her single dad, something happened on an ordinary Wednesday. Something that imploded her world, shattering her life as she knew it. It changed her forever – the girl she used to be is nothing but a faded memory.
Ever since then, Keisha’s been in survival mode. She won’t let herself cry, won’t let herself think – what happened is hidden in a little box in the far corner of her mind. Just one look into her emerald-green eyes and you can see the shadow that haunts her.
The scar she covers with a tattoo is an important reminder: your heart can’t break if you don’t let it feel in the first place. It’s an insurance policy she lives by. She won’t let anyone close enough to do real damage, and when happiness taps her on the shoulder, she turns the other way.
But the problem is that Keisha isn’t living – she’s simply existing. What will it take to convince her that someone out there could be her missing piece? And can she ever face up to her past, so that she can have a future?
For anyone who has ever felt the pang of heartbreak and feared you might never heal, this beautiful tale teaches us how to dust ourselves off and seek happiness again. Fans of Jojo Moyes, Josie Silver and Diane Chamberlain will love this moving and uplifting story.
Sometimes a broken heart can actually break you. Keisha Grant learnt that the hard way.
Fifteen years ago, when she was a teenager being raised by her single dad, something happened on an ordinary Wednesday. Something that imploded her world, shattering her life as she knew it. It changed her forever – the girl she used to be is nothing but a faded memory.
Ever since then, Keisha’s been in survival mode. She won’t let herself cry, won’t let herself think – what happened is hidden in a little box in the far corner of her mind. Just one look into her emerald-green eyes and you can see the shadow that haunts her.
The scar she covers with a tattoo is an important reminder: your heart can’t break if you don’t let it feel in the first place. It’s an insurance policy she lives by. She won’t let anyone close enough to do real damage, and when happiness taps her on the shoulder, she turns the other way.
But the problem is that Keisha isn’t living – she’s simply existing. What will it take to convince her that someone out there could be her missing piece? And can she ever face up to her past, so that she can have a future?
For anyone who has ever felt the pang of heartbreak and feared you might never heal, this beautiful tale teaches us how to dust ourselves off and seek happiness again. Fans of Jojo Moyes, Josie Silver and Diane Chamberlain will love this moving and uplifting story.
266 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 28, 2020
329 people are currently reading
144 people want to read
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October 30, 2020
When a broken heart becomes a real medical condition
Keisha was methodic and intelligent. She was working on her Ph.D. to study the effects of beetroot in healing Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy, aka Broken Heart Syndrome.
She had some issues, but she buried them deep down and focused on her work.
But one day, Keisha met Clive. He was Subject #5 on her Ph.D. research. At seventy-nine, Clive’s heart had broken upon his wife’s sudden violent death.
Things were not what they seemed, and Keisha got more involved in Clive’s story than she was prepared to. Forced out of their comfort zone, both Keisha and Clive struggled but broke free.
The story is a tad sad but very inspiring. I loved how the characters evolve and how their willingness to face their fears slowly took them where they needed to be.
The side characters are lovely. George, the nurse, is so compassionate and a great human being, Tess, the cafe owner, is a perfect friend, and I love how she sparkled amidst the cafe unicorn-inspired decor.
There is a little bit of romance, a lot of friendship, and even some humor to counterbalance the main topic’s seriousness.
An inspiring story about how friendship and kindness can make a huge difference in everyone’s life.
I received a copy of this book for an honest review.
Keisha was methodic and intelligent. She was working on her Ph.D. to study the effects of beetroot in healing Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy, aka Broken Heart Syndrome.
She had some issues, but she buried them deep down and focused on her work.
But one day, Keisha met Clive. He was Subject #5 on her Ph.D. research. At seventy-nine, Clive’s heart had broken upon his wife’s sudden violent death.
Things were not what they seemed, and Keisha got more involved in Clive’s story than she was prepared to. Forced out of their comfort zone, both Keisha and Clive struggled but broke free.
The story is a tad sad but very inspiring. I loved how the characters evolve and how their willingness to face their fears slowly took them where they needed to be.
The side characters are lovely. George, the nurse, is so compassionate and a great human being, Tess, the cafe owner, is a perfect friend, and I love how she sparkled amidst the cafe unicorn-inspired decor.
There is a little bit of romance, a lot of friendship, and even some humor to counterbalance the main topic’s seriousness.
An inspiring story about how friendship and kindness can make a huge difference in everyone’s life.
I received a copy of this book for an honest review.
December 28, 2022
TW: T0d, Gewalt, Su1zid.
Anfangs war ich von dem Titel ein wenig abgeschreckt, denn er klingt für mich sehr schnulzig! Aber es passt wunderbar zum Broken Heart Syndrom und der Geschichte. Diese wird aus zwei Perspektiven erzählt- einmal von Keisha und einmal von Clive. Was mich da die ganze Zeit unglaublich irritiert hat, ist, dass Keishas Kapitel in der Ich-Perspektive und Clives in der Er-Perspektive. Bei dem Wechsel habe ich immer gebraucht, um mich an die neue Perspektive zu gewöhnen, was den Lesefluss leider etwas gestört hat.
Die Handlung an sich war erfrischend anders und unterhaltsam- allerdings auch mit vielen Triggerthemen, die auch ausführlich behandelt werden. Wenn ihr das Buch lesen wollt, seid euch dem aber bewusst und achtet auf euch!
Die Entwicklung der Beziehung zwischen Keisha und Clive war wunderbar zu lesen und ich habe es sehr genossen! Das hat mir wieder einmal gezeigt, wie schön das Found Family Trope doch ist! Da die beiden den Hauptfokus eingenommen haben, fand ich die Entwicklung anderer Beziehungen etwas knapp beschreiben (aber ich stehe auch sehr auf slow-burn 😂), aber trotzdem sehr unterhaltsam. Nur lediglich die eine Sache aus dem Epilog hätte nicht sein müssen, aber ist wahrscheinlich etablierter in Romance Büchern für Erwachsene.
Alles in allem ist "Gebrochene Herzen schlagen gleich" ein sehr unterhaltsames Buch für zwischendurch und besonders aufgrund der kurzen Kapitel ein schönes Buch für kurze Leseabende 🌞
Danke an @penguinverlag und dem @bloggerportal für das Rezensionsexemplar. Meine Meinung ist selbstverständlich unabhängig davon :)
Anfangs war ich von dem Titel ein wenig abgeschreckt, denn er klingt für mich sehr schnulzig! Aber es passt wunderbar zum Broken Heart Syndrom und der Geschichte. Diese wird aus zwei Perspektiven erzählt- einmal von Keisha und einmal von Clive. Was mich da die ganze Zeit unglaublich irritiert hat, ist, dass Keishas Kapitel in der Ich-Perspektive und Clives in der Er-Perspektive. Bei dem Wechsel habe ich immer gebraucht, um mich an die neue Perspektive zu gewöhnen, was den Lesefluss leider etwas gestört hat.
Die Handlung an sich war erfrischend anders und unterhaltsam- allerdings auch mit vielen Triggerthemen, die auch ausführlich behandelt werden. Wenn ihr das Buch lesen wollt, seid euch dem aber bewusst und achtet auf euch!
Die Entwicklung der Beziehung zwischen Keisha und Clive war wunderbar zu lesen und ich habe es sehr genossen! Das hat mir wieder einmal gezeigt, wie schön das Found Family Trope doch ist! Da die beiden den Hauptfokus eingenommen haben, fand ich die Entwicklung anderer Beziehungen etwas knapp beschreiben (aber ich stehe auch sehr auf slow-burn 😂), aber trotzdem sehr unterhaltsam. Nur lediglich die eine Sache aus dem Epilog hätte nicht sein müssen, aber ist wahrscheinlich etablierter in Romance Büchern für Erwachsene.
Alles in allem ist "Gebrochene Herzen schlagen gleich" ein sehr unterhaltsames Buch für zwischendurch und besonders aufgrund der kurzen Kapitel ein schönes Buch für kurze Leseabende 🌞
Danke an @penguinverlag und dem @bloggerportal für das Rezensionsexemplar. Meine Meinung ist selbstverständlich unabhängig davon :)
November 29, 2020
A cute story about finding out if it’s ever too late for love.
Keisha grows and learns so much in this story and it’s beautiful to watch her. She learns so ,inch from her new friend Clive it makes my heart happy. A very touching and real story.
Keisha grows and learns so much in this story and it’s beautiful to watch her. She learns so ,inch from her new friend Clive it makes my heart happy. A very touching and real story.
October 14, 2020
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FR REVIEW :
DISCLAIMER : Thank you, Netgalley and Bookouture for providing me with an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The Missing Piece by Catherine Miller is a contemporary fiction is an endearing and heart-warming story of two unique people who meet under an unusual circumstance. Keisha is a Ph.D. research student studying Broken Heart Syndrome. During a research project, she meets the seventy-nine-year-old Clive, who manages to burrow under her tough exterior and make a lasting impression. Clive's story fascinates Keisha, and she decides to help him through a difficult time. Clive's past is one big mystery, and as they both help each other out, the past unravels, bringing forward second chances, new-loves, and opportunities to live one's life to the fullest.
Clive and Keisha were fascinating characters. I loved getting their dual perspectives and getting a glimpse into how they coped with their situations. They were unique, and with anxiety troubling them and their progress in life, we see their approaches to life and how different they are. I loved how quirky and cool Clive was. I loved how open and free he was in life. Despite going through terrible things, he still holds out hope in the best, and his exuberance shines out of the page. Keisha's character was intriguing in its way. Her need for a strict regimen and routine helps us understand her personality. Anxiety is something she struggles to get a handle on, and we see her often succumbing to it.
The pacing was good, not too slow or too fast. The writing is also enjoyable. I liked getting to know the characters through their thought processes. Often, it was them ruminating over the things that have happened or their feelings regarding certain events. These helped me get to know them better. The mystery that will wrap-up the whole story is not something that we get to see until the last half of the book. This story is more of the journey these two people take in their lives and how their connected lives will help them work through the challenges that they face. I found their budding friendship and companionship to be quite sweet.
The mystery surrounding both Keisha's and Clive's past takes time to unravel. I wished the author didn't hasten the story and instead gave us time to get acquainted with the new reality. The romance was only a small part, and the couples got together quite quickly as well.
Overall this novel is a sweet, wholesome story. I loved the tenderness and beauty this book had in it. It was refreshing and original in its storytelling. I gave the book 3.5 stars, and I would recommend readers who love contemporary fiction with endearing characters to go check this one out.
SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL : YOUTUBE
FOLLOW ME ON : TWITTER INSTAGRAM
FR REVIEW :
DISCLAIMER : Thank you, Netgalley and Bookouture for providing me with an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The Missing Piece by Catherine Miller is a contemporary fiction is an endearing and heart-warming story of two unique people who meet under an unusual circumstance. Keisha is a Ph.D. research student studying Broken Heart Syndrome. During a research project, she meets the seventy-nine-year-old Clive, who manages to burrow under her tough exterior and make a lasting impression. Clive's story fascinates Keisha, and she decides to help him through a difficult time. Clive's past is one big mystery, and as they both help each other out, the past unravels, bringing forward second chances, new-loves, and opportunities to live one's life to the fullest.
Clive and Keisha were fascinating characters. I loved getting their dual perspectives and getting a glimpse into how they coped with their situations. They were unique, and with anxiety troubling them and their progress in life, we see their approaches to life and how different they are. I loved how quirky and cool Clive was. I loved how open and free he was in life. Despite going through terrible things, he still holds out hope in the best, and his exuberance shines out of the page. Keisha's character was intriguing in its way. Her need for a strict regimen and routine helps us understand her personality. Anxiety is something she struggles to get a handle on, and we see her often succumbing to it.
The pacing was good, not too slow or too fast. The writing is also enjoyable. I liked getting to know the characters through their thought processes. Often, it was them ruminating over the things that have happened or their feelings regarding certain events. These helped me get to know them better. The mystery that will wrap-up the whole story is not something that we get to see until the last half of the book. This story is more of the journey these two people take in their lives and how their connected lives will help them work through the challenges that they face. I found their budding friendship and companionship to be quite sweet.
The mystery surrounding both Keisha's and Clive's past takes time to unravel. I wished the author didn't hasten the story and instead gave us time to get acquainted with the new reality. The romance was only a small part, and the couples got together quite quickly as well.
Overall this novel is a sweet, wholesome story. I loved the tenderness and beauty this book had in it. It was refreshing and original in its storytelling. I gave the book 3.5 stars, and I would recommend readers who love contemporary fiction with endearing characters to go check this one out.
December 1, 2020
This is a story that flicks between two main characters, Keisha and Clive. Keisha is a bit of a damaged soul. Even though she has been on numerous first dates, nothing more seems to be forthcoming when it comes to her love life. She is obsessed with her heart rate and even her job deals with broken hearts.
Clive is a character who I instantly felt empathy for as soon as we meet him. He is such a wonderful and kind hearted man and I loved the friendship that him and Keisha strike up even though he is one of her patients.
Without a doubt its the relationship between these two characters that are the making of this story. I love how the author brings them to life and has them feeling like old friends by the end. There is an air of mystery when it comes to Clive due to his memory and as the story evolves, it warmed my heart and tugged on my emotions. The Missing Piece is another wonderful read from the author.
Clive is a character who I instantly felt empathy for as soon as we meet him. He is such a wonderful and kind hearted man and I loved the friendship that him and Keisha strike up even though he is one of her patients.
Without a doubt its the relationship between these two characters that are the making of this story. I love how the author brings them to life and has them feeling like old friends by the end. There is an air of mystery when it comes to Clive due to his memory and as the story evolves, it warmed my heart and tugged on my emotions. The Missing Piece is another wonderful read from the author.
March 12, 2021
Hello! I’m excited to share my review of Catherine Miller’s latest, The Missing Piece, not only because I think it’s Catherine’s best book yet (and I very much enjoyed her previous novels) but also because she has kindly agreed to take part in March’s author Heart-to-Heart💗, which will be shared on Monday. Catherine’s journey to publication is an inspiring one, so please check back for that.
Back to The Missing Piece… Keisha Grant is a PHD student who has suffered in some way that impacts on her daily life. The anxiety she feels is palpable, as she focuses on work and the rituals that make her feel safe. But when she meets Clive, an elderly gentleman who agrees to participate in one of her PHD projects, she meets a kindred spirit in need of help and knows she can’t turn aside. A story of friendship and rebuilding trust, one of the main themes of the novel is about Broken Heart Syndrome, which I knew nothing about. There is something refreshing about the way the story is told and both Keisha and Clive felt like living, breathing people we might come across in everyday life. Although the story is a poignant one, there are also elements of romance and mystery woven through, and the kindness shown by Keisha friends, George and Tess, is a reminder of what’s good in the world. An enlightening, uplifting read.
Back to The Missing Piece… Keisha Grant is a PHD student who has suffered in some way that impacts on her daily life. The anxiety she feels is palpable, as she focuses on work and the rituals that make her feel safe. But when she meets Clive, an elderly gentleman who agrees to participate in one of her PHD projects, she meets a kindred spirit in need of help and knows she can’t turn aside. A story of friendship and rebuilding trust, one of the main themes of the novel is about Broken Heart Syndrome, which I knew nothing about. There is something refreshing about the way the story is told and both Keisha and Clive felt like living, breathing people we might come across in everyday life. Although the story is a poignant one, there are also elements of romance and mystery woven through, and the kindness shown by Keisha friends, George and Tess, is a reminder of what’s good in the world. An enlightening, uplifting read.
February 1, 2021
Book Description:
Broken Heart Syndrome: A sudden and acute form of heart failure, brought on by emotional or physical distress.
After years of studying cardiac medicine, thirty-one-year-old Keisha knows the heart inside out. She knows the average heartrate for each age group, she can name every valve, and she can tell you exactly how much blood it pumps daily.
The one thing she doesn’t know is how to fall in love. And nor does she want to. The secret her tattoo covers is a reminder that the best way to protect a heart is to never let it feel in the first place…
Seventy-nine-year-old Clive is Subject Five in Keisha’s latest research project. He’s been in love since he was seventeen, ever since he met Nancy at a tea dance. But last night, his beloved wife was killed. Suddenly, he has no one to waltz with. He has woken up in hospital, a widower diagnosed with Broken Heart Syndrome.
These strangers, brought together by a broken heart, must face up to the truth of their pasts. Can Clive teach his new friend that until you’ve loved, you haven’t lived? And can Keisha help him see that it’s never too late for a second chance?
For anyone who has ever felt the pang of heartbreak and feared you might never heal again, this beautiful tale teaches us how to dust ourselves off and seek happiness again. Fans of Jojo Moyes, Josie Silver and Rosie Walsh will love this moving and uplifting story.
BLOG TOUR REVIEW
Review for 'The Missing Piece' by Catherine Miller.
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 28th October 2020
This is the first book that I have read by this author. It most definitely will not be my last!!
I was originally drawn to this book by its interesting cover and intriguing sounding blurb. The blurb also states fans of Jojo Moyes will love this. I am a huge Jojo Moyes fan so am intrigued to see if it will live up to this statement. I was also looking for a genre change from my usual crime or thriller and the synopsis of this book drew me straight to it!! I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).
This novel consists of 54 chapters and an epilogue written in 4 parts. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This book is based in Southampton, UK 🇬🇧 . I always enjoy when books are set in the UK as I'm from Wales and have sometimes visited areas mentioned in the book. This makes it easier to picture where the scenes are set at times.
This book is written in first and third person perspective with the main protagonists being Keisha (first) and Clive (third) . I tend to enjoy books written in first person perspective as as long as they are well written it makes you feel that you are being spoken to by the protagonist and it can create more of a bond between yourselves and them. It is even better when there are several protagonists as you get to see even more of what is going on and get a feel for more characters more especially when one perspective is first person and another third person.
Well, well well!!! Where to even start? Ahhh I know.... Where has this author been all my life??? What an absolutely amazing and beautiful book!! Watch out Jojo Moyes you have competition here!!! Absolutely beautifully written, flowing lovely with very apt names of the 4 parts of the book!!
The storyline is beautiful and very unique which is definitely a bonus! I get so fed up of books using the same type of storyline this is definitely refreshing. I would LOVE to see this turned into a movie and is the most romantic book I have read for a long time. The story is full of heartbreak, loss, mystery and some comedy. I absolutely burst out laughing when reading the speed dating scenario which earned me some strange looks from my partner!!
I was completely invested in the characters who I absolutely loved. The only downfall is them being fictional as I would have loved to meet them!! What a complete mix of characters but they all worked out so perfectly with each other, I will actually miss them!! If you love Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory you will love his female counterpart Keisha!!!! Lucy reminded me of Penny and well I'd be fighting with Keisha over George who was, as us Welsh like to say, lush 😂. I don't think I've ever come across a book where I loved every character!!!
I am off to check out every single one of Catherine's other books on Amazon and pop them on my wishlist. Well done Catherine you have made my top author list. I cannot wait to read more of your amazing work. Congratulations!!!
Overall an absolutely page turning, unique, gorgeous romance story with characters you will fall in love with.
Genres covered in this novel include Contemporary Romance, Contemporary Fiction and Women's Fiction among others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as Jojo Moyes, The Big Bang Theory and anyone looking for the love story of the century!!!
332 pages.
This book is 99p to purchase on kindle via Amazon or free on kindle unlimited which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews
#TheMissingPiece #Bookouture #CatherineMiller #NetGalley #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour
@CatherineMiller @Bookouture @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86
https://kcmw86.wixsite.com/bookworm86
https://m.facebook.com/Bookworm1986/?...
https://m.facebook.com/Bookwork86/?__...
Author Bio:
When Catherine Miller became a mum to twins, she decided her hands weren’t full enough so wrote a novel with every spare moment she managed to find. By the time the twins were two, Catherine had a two-book deal with Carina UK. Her debut novel, Waiting For You, came out in March 2016.
Catherine was a NHS physiotherapist, but for health reasons she retired early from this career. As she loved her physiotherapy job, she decided if she couldn’t do that she would pursue her writing dream. It took a few years and a couple of babies, but in 2015 she won the Katie Fforde bursary, was a finalist in the London Book Fair Write Stuff Competition and highly commended in Woman magazine’s writing competition. Since then she’s had four novels published.
@katylittlelady
Buy Links:
Amazon: https://bit.ly/33XtC9B
Broken Heart Syndrome: A sudden and acute form of heart failure, brought on by emotional or physical distress.
After years of studying cardiac medicine, thirty-one-year-old Keisha knows the heart inside out. She knows the average heartrate for each age group, she can name every valve, and she can tell you exactly how much blood it pumps daily.
The one thing she doesn’t know is how to fall in love. And nor does she want to. The secret her tattoo covers is a reminder that the best way to protect a heart is to never let it feel in the first place…
Seventy-nine-year-old Clive is Subject Five in Keisha’s latest research project. He’s been in love since he was seventeen, ever since he met Nancy at a tea dance. But last night, his beloved wife was killed. Suddenly, he has no one to waltz with. He has woken up in hospital, a widower diagnosed with Broken Heart Syndrome.
These strangers, brought together by a broken heart, must face up to the truth of their pasts. Can Clive teach his new friend that until you’ve loved, you haven’t lived? And can Keisha help him see that it’s never too late for a second chance?
For anyone who has ever felt the pang of heartbreak and feared you might never heal again, this beautiful tale teaches us how to dust ourselves off and seek happiness again. Fans of Jojo Moyes, Josie Silver and Rosie Walsh will love this moving and uplifting story.
BLOG TOUR REVIEW
Review for 'The Missing Piece' by Catherine Miller.
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 28th October 2020
This is the first book that I have read by this author. It most definitely will not be my last!!
I was originally drawn to this book by its interesting cover and intriguing sounding blurb. The blurb also states fans of Jojo Moyes will love this. I am a huge Jojo Moyes fan so am intrigued to see if it will live up to this statement. I was also looking for a genre change from my usual crime or thriller and the synopsis of this book drew me straight to it!! I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).
This novel consists of 54 chapters and an epilogue written in 4 parts. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This book is based in Southampton, UK 🇬🇧 . I always enjoy when books are set in the UK as I'm from Wales and have sometimes visited areas mentioned in the book. This makes it easier to picture where the scenes are set at times.
This book is written in first and third person perspective with the main protagonists being Keisha (first) and Clive (third) . I tend to enjoy books written in first person perspective as as long as they are well written it makes you feel that you are being spoken to by the protagonist and it can create more of a bond between yourselves and them. It is even better when there are several protagonists as you get to see even more of what is going on and get a feel for more characters more especially when one perspective is first person and another third person.
Well, well well!!! Where to even start? Ahhh I know.... Where has this author been all my life??? What an absolutely amazing and beautiful book!! Watch out Jojo Moyes you have competition here!!! Absolutely beautifully written, flowing lovely with very apt names of the 4 parts of the book!!
The storyline is beautiful and very unique which is definitely a bonus! I get so fed up of books using the same type of storyline this is definitely refreshing. I would LOVE to see this turned into a movie and is the most romantic book I have read for a long time. The story is full of heartbreak, loss, mystery and some comedy. I absolutely burst out laughing when reading the speed dating scenario which earned me some strange looks from my partner!!
I was completely invested in the characters who I absolutely loved. The only downfall is them being fictional as I would have loved to meet them!! What a complete mix of characters but they all worked out so perfectly with each other, I will actually miss them!! If you love Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory you will love his female counterpart Keisha!!!! Lucy reminded me of Penny and well I'd be fighting with Keisha over George who was, as us Welsh like to say, lush 😂. I don't think I've ever come across a book where I loved every character!!!
I am off to check out every single one of Catherine's other books on Amazon and pop them on my wishlist. Well done Catherine you have made my top author list. I cannot wait to read more of your amazing work. Congratulations!!!
Overall an absolutely page turning, unique, gorgeous romance story with characters you will fall in love with.
Genres covered in this novel include Contemporary Romance, Contemporary Fiction and Women's Fiction among others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as Jojo Moyes, The Big Bang Theory and anyone looking for the love story of the century!!!
332 pages.
This book is 99p to purchase on kindle via Amazon or free on kindle unlimited which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews
#TheMissingPiece #Bookouture #CatherineMiller #NetGalley #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour
@CatherineMiller @Bookouture @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86
https://kcmw86.wixsite.com/bookworm86
https://m.facebook.com/Bookworm1986/?...
https://m.facebook.com/Bookwork86/?__...
Author Bio:
When Catherine Miller became a mum to twins, she decided her hands weren’t full enough so wrote a novel with every spare moment she managed to find. By the time the twins were two, Catherine had a two-book deal with Carina UK. Her debut novel, Waiting For You, came out in March 2016.
Catherine was a NHS physiotherapist, but for health reasons she retired early from this career. As she loved her physiotherapy job, she decided if she couldn’t do that she would pursue her writing dream. It took a few years and a couple of babies, but in 2015 she won the Katie Fforde bursary, was a finalist in the London Book Fair Write Stuff Competition and highly commended in Woman magazine’s writing competition. Since then she’s had four novels published.
@katylittlelady
Buy Links:
Amazon: https://bit.ly/33XtC9B
September 29, 2020
The Missing Piece was a gentle and delightful love story guaranteed to mend a broken heart, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. The last third particularly kept me riveted and I found it hard to put down.
Clive and Keisha were interesting and absorbing narrators with unique voices, and the style of writing - and some of Keisha’s quirks, like her need for rigid routine - reminded me of The Rosie Project, which I loved. I enjoyed getting to know each main character well, and their diversity in terms of ethnic background and age helped me see the world in a different way. Each of them also had a mystery they were hiding which unwrapped gently throughout the book, and the lifetime of love that Clive held for Nancy was truly touching.
There was a great cast of other characters in clumsy but lovable Lucy, big-hearted George (the perfect match for Keisha) and Tess of the glittery unicorn shop. They all had important parts to play in this story, and made for a lovely group of friends.
The Missing Piece had a gorgeous community feel to it, with kindness at it’s heart and a wonderful ending. This one will stay with me for a while.
With thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and the author for the ARC copy.
Clive and Keisha were interesting and absorbing narrators with unique voices, and the style of writing - and some of Keisha’s quirks, like her need for rigid routine - reminded me of The Rosie Project, which I loved. I enjoyed getting to know each main character well, and their diversity in terms of ethnic background and age helped me see the world in a different way. Each of them also had a mystery they were hiding which unwrapped gently throughout the book, and the lifetime of love that Clive held for Nancy was truly touching.
There was a great cast of other characters in clumsy but lovable Lucy, big-hearted George (the perfect match for Keisha) and Tess of the glittery unicorn shop. They all had important parts to play in this story, and made for a lovely group of friends.
The Missing Piece had a gorgeous community feel to it, with kindness at it’s heart and a wonderful ending. This one will stay with me for a while.
With thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and the author for the ARC copy.
January 30, 2021
Although this seemed to have a very slow and tedious start, I'm so happy that I stuck it out! Keisha, Clive, Lucy, Tess, George, and Nancy became a "family" who would be wonderful to know! Great ending all about finding that missing piece!
November 8, 2020
Book Description:
Broken Heart Syndrome: A sudden and acute form of heart failure, brought on by emotional or physical distress.
After years of studying cardiac medicine, thirty-one-year-old Keisha knows the heart inside out. She knows the average heartrate for each age group, she can name every valve, and she can tell you exactly how much blood it pumps daily.
The one thing she doesn’t know is how to fall in love. And nor does she want to. The secret her tattoo covers is a reminder that the best way to protect a heart is to never let it feel in the first place…
Seventy-nine-year-old Clive is Subject Five in Keisha’s latest research project. He’s been in love since he was seventeen, ever since he met Nancy at a tea dance. But last night, his beloved wife was killed. Suddenly, he has no one to waltz with. He has woken up in hospital, a widower diagnosed with Broken Heart Syndrome.
These strangers, brought together by a broken heart, must face up to the truth of their pasts. Can Clive teach his new friend that until you’ve loved, you haven’t lived? And can Keisha help him see that it’s never too late for a second chance?
For anyone who has ever felt the pang of heartbreak and feared you might never heal again, this beautiful tale teaches us how to dust ourselves off and seek happiness again. Fans of Jojo Moyes, Josie Silver and Rosie Walsh will love this moving and uplifting story.
BLOG TOUR REVIEW
Review for 'The Missing Piece' by Catherine Miller.
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 28th October 2020
This is the first book that I have read by this author. It most definitely will not be my last!!
I was originally drawn to this book by its interesting cover and intriguing sounding blurb. The blurb also states fans of Jojo Moyes will love this. I am a huge Jojo Moyes fan so am intrigued to see if it will live up to this statement. I was also looking for a genre change from my usual crime or thriller and the synopsis of this book drew me straight to it!! I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).
This novel consists of 54 chapters and an epilogue written in 4 parts. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This book is based in Southampton, UK 🇬🇧 . I always enjoy when books are set in the UK as I'm from Wales and have sometimes visited areas mentioned in the book. This makes it easier to picture where the scenes are set at times.
This book is written in first and third person perspective with the main protagonists being Keisha (first) and Clive (third) . I tend to enjoy books written in first person perspective as as long as they are well written it makes you feel that you are being spoken to by the protagonist and it can create more of a bond between yourselves and them. It is even better when there are several protagonists as you get to see even more of what is going on and get a feel for more characters more especially when one perspective is first person and another third person.
Well, well well!!! Where to even start? Ahhh I know.... Where has this author been all my life??? What an absolutely amazing and beautiful book!! Watch out Jojo Moyes you have competition here!!! Absolutely beautifully written, flowing lovely with very apt names of the 4 parts of the book!!
The storyline is beautiful and very unique which is definitely a bonus! I get so fed up of books using the same type of storyline this is definitely refreshing. I would LOVE to see this turned into a movie and is the most romantic book I have read for a long time. The story is full of heartbreak, loss, mystery and some comedy. I absolutely burst out laughing when reading the speed dating scenario which earned me some strange looks from my partner!!
I was completely invested in the characters who I absolutely loved. The only downfall is them being fictional as I would have loved to meet them!! What a complete mix of characters but they all worked out so perfectly with each other, I will actually miss them!! If you love Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory you will love his female counterpart Keisha!!!! Lucy reminded me of Penny and well I'd be fighting with Keisha over George who was, as us Welsh like to say, lush 😂. I don't think I've ever come across a book where I loved every character!!!
I am off to check out every single one of Catherine's other books on Amazon and pop them on my wishlist. Well done Catherine you have made my top author list. I cannot wait to read more of your amazing work. Congratulations!!!
Overall an absolutely page turning, unique, gorgeous romance story with characters you will fall in love with.
Genres covered in this novel include Contemporary Romance, Contemporary Fiction and Women's Fiction among others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as Jojo Moyes, The Big Bang Theory and anyone looking for the love story of the century!!!
332 pages.
This book is 99p to purchase on kindle via Amazon or free on kindle unlimited which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews
#TheMissingPiece #Bookouture #CatherineMiller #NetGalley #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour
@CatherineMiller @Bookouture @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86
https://kcmw86.wixsite.com/bookworm86
https://m.facebook.com/Bookworm1986/?...
https://m.facebook.com/Bookwork86/?__...
Author Bio:
When Catherine Miller became a mum to twins, she decided her hands weren’t full enough so wrote a novel with every spare moment she managed to find. By the time the twins were two, Catherine had a two-book deal with Carina UK. Her debut novel, Waiting For You, came out in March 2016.
Catherine was a NHS physiotherapist, but for health reasons she retired early from this career. As she loved her physiotherapy job, she decided if she couldn’t do that she would pursue her writing dream. It took a few years and a couple of babies, but in 2015 she won the Katie Fforde bursary, was a finalist in the London Book Fair Write Stuff Competition and highly commended in Woman magazine’s writing competition. Since then she’s had four novels published.
@katylittlelady
Buy Links:
Amazon: https://bit.ly/33XtC9B
Broken Heart Syndrome: A sudden and acute form of heart failure, brought on by emotional or physical distress.
After years of studying cardiac medicine, thirty-one-year-old Keisha knows the heart inside out. She knows the average heartrate for each age group, she can name every valve, and she can tell you exactly how much blood it pumps daily.
The one thing she doesn’t know is how to fall in love. And nor does she want to. The secret her tattoo covers is a reminder that the best way to protect a heart is to never let it feel in the first place…
Seventy-nine-year-old Clive is Subject Five in Keisha’s latest research project. He’s been in love since he was seventeen, ever since he met Nancy at a tea dance. But last night, his beloved wife was killed. Suddenly, he has no one to waltz with. He has woken up in hospital, a widower diagnosed with Broken Heart Syndrome.
These strangers, brought together by a broken heart, must face up to the truth of their pasts. Can Clive teach his new friend that until you’ve loved, you haven’t lived? And can Keisha help him see that it’s never too late for a second chance?
For anyone who has ever felt the pang of heartbreak and feared you might never heal again, this beautiful tale teaches us how to dust ourselves off and seek happiness again. Fans of Jojo Moyes, Josie Silver and Rosie Walsh will love this moving and uplifting story.
BLOG TOUR REVIEW
Review for 'The Missing Piece' by Catherine Miller.
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 28th October 2020
This is the first book that I have read by this author. It most definitely will not be my last!!
I was originally drawn to this book by its interesting cover and intriguing sounding blurb. The blurb also states fans of Jojo Moyes will love this. I am a huge Jojo Moyes fan so am intrigued to see if it will live up to this statement. I was also looking for a genre change from my usual crime or thriller and the synopsis of this book drew me straight to it!! I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).
This novel consists of 54 chapters and an epilogue written in 4 parts. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This book is based in Southampton, UK 🇬🇧 . I always enjoy when books are set in the UK as I'm from Wales and have sometimes visited areas mentioned in the book. This makes it easier to picture where the scenes are set at times.
This book is written in first and third person perspective with the main protagonists being Keisha (first) and Clive (third) . I tend to enjoy books written in first person perspective as as long as they are well written it makes you feel that you are being spoken to by the protagonist and it can create more of a bond between yourselves and them. It is even better when there are several protagonists as you get to see even more of what is going on and get a feel for more characters more especially when one perspective is first person and another third person.
Well, well well!!! Where to even start? Ahhh I know.... Where has this author been all my life??? What an absolutely amazing and beautiful book!! Watch out Jojo Moyes you have competition here!!! Absolutely beautifully written, flowing lovely with very apt names of the 4 parts of the book!!
The storyline is beautiful and very unique which is definitely a bonus! I get so fed up of books using the same type of storyline this is definitely refreshing. I would LOVE to see this turned into a movie and is the most romantic book I have read for a long time. The story is full of heartbreak, loss, mystery and some comedy. I absolutely burst out laughing when reading the speed dating scenario which earned me some strange looks from my partner!!
I was completely invested in the characters who I absolutely loved. The only downfall is them being fictional as I would have loved to meet them!! What a complete mix of characters but they all worked out so perfectly with each other, I will actually miss them!! If you love Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory you will love his female counterpart Keisha!!!! Lucy reminded me of Penny and well I'd be fighting with Keisha over George who was, as us Welsh like to say, lush 😂. I don't think I've ever come across a book where I loved every character!!!
I am off to check out every single one of Catherine's other books on Amazon and pop them on my wishlist. Well done Catherine you have made my top author list. I cannot wait to read more of your amazing work. Congratulations!!!
Overall an absolutely page turning, unique, gorgeous romance story with characters you will fall in love with.
Genres covered in this novel include Contemporary Romance, Contemporary Fiction and Women's Fiction among others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as Jojo Moyes, The Big Bang Theory and anyone looking for the love story of the century!!!
332 pages.
This book is 99p to purchase on kindle via Amazon or free on kindle unlimited which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews
#TheMissingPiece #Bookouture #CatherineMiller #NetGalley #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour
@CatherineMiller @Bookouture @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86
https://kcmw86.wixsite.com/bookworm86
https://m.facebook.com/Bookworm1986/?...
https://m.facebook.com/Bookwork86/?__...
Author Bio:
When Catherine Miller became a mum to twins, she decided her hands weren’t full enough so wrote a novel with every spare moment she managed to find. By the time the twins were two, Catherine had a two-book deal with Carina UK. Her debut novel, Waiting For You, came out in March 2016.
Catherine was a NHS physiotherapist, but for health reasons she retired early from this career. As she loved her physiotherapy job, she decided if she couldn’t do that she would pursue her writing dream. It took a few years and a couple of babies, but in 2015 she won the Katie Fforde bursary, was a finalist in the London Book Fair Write Stuff Competition and highly commended in Woman magazine’s writing competition. Since then she’s had four novels published.
@katylittlelady
Buy Links:
Amazon: https://bit.ly/33XtC9B
October 27, 2020
First, I want to thank Catherine Miller, Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I bring you this review.
The Missing Piece is a very creative story all about the heart written by Catherine Miller. This is not just any story. This is one that will make you think, smile, pull on your heart strings and an ending that is unbelievable!
This book is for Catherine’s brother Brian. She wants to know if you see him tell him to call her please. Thanks.
The graphic designer did a really cute job with the cover design. It was spot on and simplistic.
Right off the bat I knew I was going to like this book! Catherine named two of her main characters after music celebrities Keisha and Clive (as in Davis). Keisha cracked me up by how obsessive she was about taking her pulse. But what I related to more was her first date disaster from online dating. I have been there and have done that oh so many times! But oh she was just too comical and I couldn’t stop laughing. Who looks up the name of a band (a fake band) while on a date?! Yeah, you know when you have not met the one! NEXT lol!
Keisha and I are a lot alike in many ways. I too would think the worst of an illness or injury like Lucy had only to find out it is something simple.
This book was set into four parts. Part 1 The Right Atrium The right upper chamber of the heart that receives deoxygenated blood from the vena cava. In other words, it is the start. Part II The Right Ventricle The right lower chamber of the heart that pumps deoxygenated blood to the lungs. In other words, it’s where we start to revive. Part III The Left Atrium The left atrium receives oxygenated blood from the lungs. In other words, it’s the point at which we start to recover. Part IV The Left Ventricle This is the thickest chamber of the heart, responsible for pumping oxygenated blood back to the body. In other words, it’s the beginning of a journey.
Catherine made both Keisha and Clive very special and unique characters. The more you got to know them the more fascinated you were by them. Needless to say you can't help but adore them and their quirks. Never have I come across a pair like this.
Every aspect of dating and the heart was put into this book! Even my favorite speed dating! Yes, I even tried that too!
Catherine’s ending of this book I didn’t see coming! I was very shocked to say the least! However, we really do find out why the book is called The Missing Piece!
The Missing Piece is a very creative story all about the heart written by Catherine Miller. This is not just any story. This is one that will make you think, smile, pull on your heart strings and an ending that is unbelievable!
This book is for Catherine’s brother Brian. She wants to know if you see him tell him to call her please. Thanks.
The graphic designer did a really cute job with the cover design. It was spot on and simplistic.
Right off the bat I knew I was going to like this book! Catherine named two of her main characters after music celebrities Keisha and Clive (as in Davis). Keisha cracked me up by how obsessive she was about taking her pulse. But what I related to more was her first date disaster from online dating. I have been there and have done that oh so many times! But oh she was just too comical and I couldn’t stop laughing. Who looks up the name of a band (a fake band) while on a date?! Yeah, you know when you have not met the one! NEXT lol!
Keisha and I are a lot alike in many ways. I too would think the worst of an illness or injury like Lucy had only to find out it is something simple.
This book was set into four parts. Part 1 The Right Atrium The right upper chamber of the heart that receives deoxygenated blood from the vena cava. In other words, it is the start. Part II The Right Ventricle The right lower chamber of the heart that pumps deoxygenated blood to the lungs. In other words, it’s where we start to revive. Part III The Left Atrium The left atrium receives oxygenated blood from the lungs. In other words, it’s the point at which we start to recover. Part IV The Left Ventricle This is the thickest chamber of the heart, responsible for pumping oxygenated blood back to the body. In other words, it’s the beginning of a journey.
Catherine made both Keisha and Clive very special and unique characters. The more you got to know them the more fascinated you were by them. Needless to say you can't help but adore them and their quirks. Never have I come across a pair like this.
Every aspect of dating and the heart was put into this book! Even my favorite speed dating! Yes, I even tried that too!
Catherine’s ending of this book I didn’t see coming! I was very shocked to say the least! However, we really do find out why the book is called The Missing Piece!
October 30, 2020
This is an unusual love story between a 31-year-old woman and her 79-year-old test subject. Not a romantic love story, but a story that brings two broken-hearted people together in an unconventional and very fulfilling way.
Keisha tries to fix broken hearts…literally. She is working on her Ph.D. to find out if beetroot juice helps mend a broken heart. The medical term is takotsubo cardiomyopathy. The layman’s term is Broken Heart Syndrome.
Keisha has an unconventional habit of checking her pulse on average twenty-eight times per day. It’s a result of a trauma she endured at age 15. She has a structure to her life. The way she eats. The way she works. Not one for social interaction, she is resigned to the fact she will be meeting with this elderly man who has apparent memory issues. But what she finds is a camaraderie with a lost soul wanting to get some semblance of his life back.
Keisha’s subject Clive is found disoriented as the result of what appears to be a heart attack after claiming he has seen his dead wife murdered in their kitchen. However, there is no body, no blood, and no wife. Can this cantankerous and colorful man find a way to live his life with pieces of his memory gone?
Keisha and Clive are such a wonderful pair. They seem to understand each other from the first time they meet with their scars inside and out. Keisha comes out of her shell, and Clive finds a purpose to go on. Their stories are heartbreaking, but there is a wonderful happy ending.
As for supporting characters, George, Clive’s nurse, is a kind and supportive man who has his eyes on Keisha. Lucy is Keisha’s clumsy and absentminded roommate and colleague at work who needs to stay away from cooking altogether. And Tess who owns the local cafe and is Keisha’s Tinder matchmaker is trying a little study of her own to find love for Keisha by arranging 100 dates for her.
Overall, I couldn’t wait to find out Clive’s past and Keisha’s secret, and in the end, it was sob-worthy, but it all worked out. If you enjoy quirky characters with tragic pasts and a story that will heal the heart, give this book a try.
Thank you to Ms. Miller for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
Keisha tries to fix broken hearts…literally. She is working on her Ph.D. to find out if beetroot juice helps mend a broken heart. The medical term is takotsubo cardiomyopathy. The layman’s term is Broken Heart Syndrome.
Keisha has an unconventional habit of checking her pulse on average twenty-eight times per day. It’s a result of a trauma she endured at age 15. She has a structure to her life. The way she eats. The way she works. Not one for social interaction, she is resigned to the fact she will be meeting with this elderly man who has apparent memory issues. But what she finds is a camaraderie with a lost soul wanting to get some semblance of his life back.
Keisha’s subject Clive is found disoriented as the result of what appears to be a heart attack after claiming he has seen his dead wife murdered in their kitchen. However, there is no body, no blood, and no wife. Can this cantankerous and colorful man find a way to live his life with pieces of his memory gone?
Keisha and Clive are such a wonderful pair. They seem to understand each other from the first time they meet with their scars inside and out. Keisha comes out of her shell, and Clive finds a purpose to go on. Their stories are heartbreaking, but there is a wonderful happy ending.
As for supporting characters, George, Clive’s nurse, is a kind and supportive man who has his eyes on Keisha. Lucy is Keisha’s clumsy and absentminded roommate and colleague at work who needs to stay away from cooking altogether. And Tess who owns the local cafe and is Keisha’s Tinder matchmaker is trying a little study of her own to find love for Keisha by arranging 100 dates for her.
Overall, I couldn’t wait to find out Clive’s past and Keisha’s secret, and in the end, it was sob-worthy, but it all worked out. If you enjoy quirky characters with tragic pasts and a story that will heal the heart, give this book a try.
Thank you to Ms. Miller for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
October 28, 2020
This review was originally posted on Star Crossed Reviews I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Bookouture for letting me take part in this tour and for my copy of this book via Netgalley. This is the first book I have read by Catherine. I really liked the cover and the blurb so jumped at the chance to be involved in the tour.
The book follows Keisha and Clive as they strike up an unlikely friendship. The story flicks between Keisha and Clive.
Keisha has a lot of anxiety which is brought on by her past. She is such a sweetheart and has truly been through the mill. She likes regularity and doesn't like new places or people. I really wanted to help Keisha. I wanted to find a way to easy er anxiety and help her live rather than exist.
Clive's story was so heartbreaking. I just felt so sorry for him. It was also inspiring. Clive seems like he would make such a fantastic grandad. I'm glad that he makes friends with Keisha and her friends. He really does become like a surrogate grandfather to them. It's so sweet to see.
There was also a great side cast which involved Lucy, Tess and George. I loved all of these characters and would love to see another book about Tess.
This book was written in 4 parts just like the 4 chambers of the heart. I loved the little notes at the beginning of each part. The pace of the book was spot on. The beginning was slower letting us get to know the characters and then it really gripped me or the last half. I was unable to put it down. I really needed to see if this story had a happy ending.
This story will bring tears to your eyes but also a touch warmth in your heart.
The book follows Keisha and Clive as they strike up an unlikely friendship. The story flicks between Keisha and Clive.
Keisha has a lot of anxiety which is brought on by her past. She is such a sweetheart and has truly been through the mill. She likes regularity and doesn't like new places or people. I really wanted to help Keisha. I wanted to find a way to easy er anxiety and help her live rather than exist.
Clive's story was so heartbreaking. I just felt so sorry for him. It was also inspiring. Clive seems like he would make such a fantastic grandad. I'm glad that he makes friends with Keisha and her friends. He really does become like a surrogate grandfather to them. It's so sweet to see.
There was also a great side cast which involved Lucy, Tess and George. I loved all of these characters and would love to see another book about Tess.
This book was written in 4 parts just like the 4 chambers of the heart. I loved the little notes at the beginning of each part. The pace of the book was spot on. The beginning was slower letting us get to know the characters and then it really gripped me or the last half. I was unable to put it down. I really needed to see if this story had a happy ending.
This story will bring tears to your eyes but also a touch warmth in your heart.
October 30, 2020
My Blog
The Missing Piece by Catherine Miller is a piece of contemporary fiction with some quirky and endearing characters.
The book has short chapters alternating between the perspectives of Keisha and Clive. Keisha has a clinical voice. Her deadpan observations about her surroundings and the people with whom she works and lives, results in a humorous read. On the other hand, Clive is a cantankerous, old man learning to be his old, jocular self after losing his wife.
Both have traumatic pasts. The story unraveled their pasts and simultaneously allowed me to know both personally.
However, I liked Keisha more than Clive. I could relate to her more. This is because The Missing Piece describes the anxiety that Keisha suffers from extremely well. Much of the book is a slow burn, focusing on how Clive and Keisha lead their lives, and how Clive is getting back to normal life. This slow pace helped me realize Keisha’s struggle with anxiety and her need to maintain strict routines in her life. I could understand her insecurities and her fear of tasting happiness once more.
Further, the friendship between Clive and Keisha is refreshing to read which later develops into fatherly affection for Keisha on Clive’s part.
Among the secondary characters, I liked Tess the best. Moreover, I felt the romance in this book to be a hasty affair. I was more invested in the mystery of what happened to Keisha and Clive than in Keisha’s romance with George.
The mystery of the protagonists’ past is not revealed until the very last. Besides, the climax is emotional.
To conclude,The Missing Piece by Catherine Miller is a good book. I was just expecting more.
September 19, 2020
I was kindly given this book as an ARC through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
When I first read the synopsis of this book, i thought: 'Great!' I love reading contemporary fiction, and I have a soft spot for stories about elderly people. However, I found the characters in this novel unlikeable and difficult to relate to. Clive is overly emotional, and I don't find it particularly believable despite his traumatic justifications in the story. Keisha is skittish and sensitive, which is understandable given the fact she seems to suffer from anxiety and/or OCD symptoms. However, I just could not find very many likeable qualities about the characters. It's not the character traits persay, it's the way they're written. They weren't convincing enough, and felt rather two-dimensional.
The love story between Clive and his wife is sweet and wholesome, and I liked the premise. Clive has some endearing habits, and I liked Keisha's roommate and the cafe owner. As someone with diagnosed anxiety, it was nice to see the representation through Keisha. It is always nice to see casual LGBT representation in a story as well. The story progressed at a nice pace and was developed well. I thought the writing was fairly decent, but sometimes was a little stilted, which took me out of the story for several pages. I kept thinking: 'Why would the writer choose to do this?' instead of 'Why would this character do this?' It was difficult to get immersed in the story.
I think that this story had all the ingredients to become a witty, emotional read, but sadly lacked most of the execution. 2.25/5.
When I first read the synopsis of this book, i thought: 'Great!' I love reading contemporary fiction, and I have a soft spot for stories about elderly people. However, I found the characters in this novel unlikeable and difficult to relate to. Clive is overly emotional, and I don't find it particularly believable despite his traumatic justifications in the story. Keisha is skittish and sensitive, which is understandable given the fact she seems to suffer from anxiety and/or OCD symptoms. However, I just could not find very many likeable qualities about the characters. It's not the character traits persay, it's the way they're written. They weren't convincing enough, and felt rather two-dimensional.
The love story between Clive and his wife is sweet and wholesome, and I liked the premise. Clive has some endearing habits, and I liked Keisha's roommate and the cafe owner. As someone with diagnosed anxiety, it was nice to see the representation through Keisha. It is always nice to see casual LGBT representation in a story as well. The story progressed at a nice pace and was developed well. I thought the writing was fairly decent, but sometimes was a little stilted, which took me out of the story for several pages. I kept thinking: 'Why would the writer choose to do this?' instead of 'Why would this character do this?' It was difficult to get immersed in the story.
I think that this story had all the ingredients to become a witty, emotional read, but sadly lacked most of the execution. 2.25/5.
October 16, 2020
‘The Missing Piece’ by Catherine Miller is the most uplifting and heartwarming book of 2020.
A tale of anxiety, broken hearts, friendship and learning to trust again as we join Keisha and Clive on their intertwined journeys. Keisha is a student of cardiac medicine and in her latest research project, she is researching ‘Broken Heart Syndrome’. Clive in an elderly participant in the study. While Keisha is fearful of finding of finding love, Clive is broken hearted having lost the love of his life. Now, they must negotiate their pasts and fears while continuing to live life to the full.
Each alternative chapter is narrated by either Keisha or Clive and this provides the reader within an insight with the character’s thinking and actions. We have a chance to understand their thought processes and also to empathise with their actions – for me, this was a particularly good idea with the character of Keisha, if not for the insight, I think that I would have easily lost patience with her constant ‘pulse checking’ but the compassion of the author and explanations, helped me to understand her reasoning.
Clive’s lifestory is a mystery and we learn this within the early chapter of his story, meanwhile it is also evident that there are unknown elements of Keisha’s past and the vague hints dropped by the author, add an element of intrigue to the story.
Such a beautiful and captivating story and well rounded main and supporting characters. Definitley one of my favourite books of 2020 and a read that I heartedly recommend.
A huge thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for providing me with an ARC of 'The Missing Piece' in return for an honest review.
A tale of anxiety, broken hearts, friendship and learning to trust again as we join Keisha and Clive on their intertwined journeys. Keisha is a student of cardiac medicine and in her latest research project, she is researching ‘Broken Heart Syndrome’. Clive in an elderly participant in the study. While Keisha is fearful of finding of finding love, Clive is broken hearted having lost the love of his life. Now, they must negotiate their pasts and fears while continuing to live life to the full.
Each alternative chapter is narrated by either Keisha or Clive and this provides the reader within an insight with the character’s thinking and actions. We have a chance to understand their thought processes and also to empathise with their actions – for me, this was a particularly good idea with the character of Keisha, if not for the insight, I think that I would have easily lost patience with her constant ‘pulse checking’ but the compassion of the author and explanations, helped me to understand her reasoning.
Clive’s lifestory is a mystery and we learn this within the early chapter of his story, meanwhile it is also evident that there are unknown elements of Keisha’s past and the vague hints dropped by the author, add an element of intrigue to the story.
Such a beautiful and captivating story and well rounded main and supporting characters. Definitley one of my favourite books of 2020 and a read that I heartedly recommend.
A huge thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for providing me with an ARC of 'The Missing Piece' in return for an honest review.
October 28, 2020
My Review
I normally review thrillers for Bookouture but I couldn’t resist the synopsis of this one. I’m so glad I took a chance as right from the start the beautiful writing and the wonderful protagonist captured both my heart and my interest.
We meet Keisha a research associate trying to eradicate heart disease. She is sitting in a cafe, no ordinary cafe either think glitter bomb and unicorns, about to have date 39. With the date being a disaster she enlists the help of Tess the cafe owner to slip out the back and promises to fill her in the next day. Keisha is obsessively compulsive about checking her heart rate to the point she has had a flower tattoo placed on her pulse point for speed. She wants to know the effect of love on the heart but is yet to find it for herself.
Then we meet Clive who is not sure where he is or what is happening but assumes he has died and heaven is his allotment when in reality he is with a paramedic en route to hospital and the cardiology high dependency unit.
Told in alternating chapters the two are brought together when Clive becomes a participant in Keisha’s study on broken heart syndrome and the effect of nitric oxide found in beetroot juice.
All the characters are warmth personified from Tess and Lucy, Keisha’s friends to George the nurse. It sucks you in with their quirkiness and the humour just flows from the pages.
But it is the lovely Clive who will stay safe in my heart just as long as he doesn’t make me eat a pickled onion.
A book that is both heartwarming and heartbreaking in equal measure this is one read that will stay with you after you’ve turned the final page.
I normally review thrillers for Bookouture but I couldn’t resist the synopsis of this one. I’m so glad I took a chance as right from the start the beautiful writing and the wonderful protagonist captured both my heart and my interest.
We meet Keisha a research associate trying to eradicate heart disease. She is sitting in a cafe, no ordinary cafe either think glitter bomb and unicorns, about to have date 39. With the date being a disaster she enlists the help of Tess the cafe owner to slip out the back and promises to fill her in the next day. Keisha is obsessively compulsive about checking her heart rate to the point she has had a flower tattoo placed on her pulse point for speed. She wants to know the effect of love on the heart but is yet to find it for herself.
Then we meet Clive who is not sure where he is or what is happening but assumes he has died and heaven is his allotment when in reality he is with a paramedic en route to hospital and the cardiology high dependency unit.
Told in alternating chapters the two are brought together when Clive becomes a participant in Keisha’s study on broken heart syndrome and the effect of nitric oxide found in beetroot juice.
All the characters are warmth personified from Tess and Lucy, Keisha’s friends to George the nurse. It sucks you in with their quirkiness and the humour just flows from the pages.
But it is the lovely Clive who will stay safe in my heart just as long as he doesn’t make me eat a pickled onion.
A book that is both heartwarming and heartbreaking in equal measure this is one read that will stay with you after you’ve turned the final page.
July 21, 2022
Im Buch lesen wir die Geschichte von Keisha, eine Kardiologin, die das Broken-Heart-Syndrom untersucht und Clive, welcher Teil ihrer Studie ist. Doch nach und nach helfen die beiden sich gegenseitig: nicht nur um Clives Vergangenheit und die Ursache des Syndroms herauszufinden, sondern auch damit Keisha endlich lebt.
Direkt zu Beginn muss ich sagen, dass mir der Einstieg in das Buch etwas schwerfiel, doch es im Laufe des Buches besser wurde und das Ende echt schön war.
Der Schreibstil ist angenehm zu lesen, wobei wir die Kapitel aus Keishas Sicht aus der ersten Person lesen und in Clives Kapitel die Perspektive der dritten Person genutzt wurde. So schafft es die Autorin, den Charakter der Figuren durch den Schreibstil darzustellen und dennoch lässt sich das Buch gut und angenehm lesen.
Die Geschichte an sich lässt sich nicht nur als Romanze einordnen. Es geht um Keisha und Clive. Keisha, die 100 Dates in Angriff nimmt und Clive, dessen Erinnerungen und das daraus folgende Broken-Heart-Syndrom noch nicht geklärt werden konnten. Doch Keisha und Clive lernen einander kenne und helfen sich gegenseitig mit ihren jeweiligen Situationen.
Die Autorin hat hierbei nicht nur zwei absolute schöne Charaktere, sondern auch tiefe Gefühle geschaffen, die einen einbinden. Beide Charaktere entwickeln sich und zeigen so deutlich, dass ein Buch nicht nur Romanzen braucht, um tiefe Gefühle zu erzeugen. Die Freundschaft zwischen den beiden Charakteren ist süß und die Entwicklung der beiden ist ebenfalls schön dargestellt.
Die Geschichte war zwar zwischenzeitlich etwas langatmig, doch gerade die letzte Hälfte war spannend, rührend und aufrüttelnd.
Das Buch hat die Art Geschichte, die einen berührt und dennoch Komfort bietet, denn die beiden Charaktere sind einfach schön und toll dargestellt.
Definitiv ein gutes Buch, um es sich gemütlich zu machen.
4/5 Sterne
Direkt zu Beginn muss ich sagen, dass mir der Einstieg in das Buch etwas schwerfiel, doch es im Laufe des Buches besser wurde und das Ende echt schön war.
Der Schreibstil ist angenehm zu lesen, wobei wir die Kapitel aus Keishas Sicht aus der ersten Person lesen und in Clives Kapitel die Perspektive der dritten Person genutzt wurde. So schafft es die Autorin, den Charakter der Figuren durch den Schreibstil darzustellen und dennoch lässt sich das Buch gut und angenehm lesen.
Die Geschichte an sich lässt sich nicht nur als Romanze einordnen. Es geht um Keisha und Clive. Keisha, die 100 Dates in Angriff nimmt und Clive, dessen Erinnerungen und das daraus folgende Broken-Heart-Syndrom noch nicht geklärt werden konnten. Doch Keisha und Clive lernen einander kenne und helfen sich gegenseitig mit ihren jeweiligen Situationen.
Die Autorin hat hierbei nicht nur zwei absolute schöne Charaktere, sondern auch tiefe Gefühle geschaffen, die einen einbinden. Beide Charaktere entwickeln sich und zeigen so deutlich, dass ein Buch nicht nur Romanzen braucht, um tiefe Gefühle zu erzeugen. Die Freundschaft zwischen den beiden Charakteren ist süß und die Entwicklung der beiden ist ebenfalls schön dargestellt.
Die Geschichte war zwar zwischenzeitlich etwas langatmig, doch gerade die letzte Hälfte war spannend, rührend und aufrüttelnd.
Das Buch hat die Art Geschichte, die einen berührt und dennoch Komfort bietet, denn die beiden Charaktere sind einfach schön und toll dargestellt.
Definitiv ein gutes Buch, um es sich gemütlich zu machen.
4/5 Sterne
September 22, 2020
A book to take to your heart <3 Keisha is a research student doing her Phd into Takotsubo cardiomyopathy - broken heart syndrome (a real illness where part of the heart inflates- thought to be due to stress). Her fifth subject has just been admitted to hospital where he has been diagnosed with this. Clive is a spritely 79 year old who got home after being at his allotment to find his back door open and his wife Nancy on the floor dead. The thing is that he was found near the allotment and as far as the police are aware he has never been married. No Nancy ,no wife, no record. Slowly he realises that some of his memories are not of Nancy but of himself doing things but he is very sure that she did exist. He talks to Keisha and they strike up a friendship. Keisha is online dating with the aid of her friend who runs the cafe where she meets the blind dates- who generally don’t last more than a few minutes before she makes her escape. George is the male nurse who is looking after Clive and coincidentally he arrives as date number 40 on the target of 100. This is one of those books that you just know from the start that you are going to go through a whole gamut of emotions. From smiling to laughing, from going awww to more. A treasure of a read
For more reviews please see my blog http://nickibookblog.blogspot.co.uk/
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November 2, 2020
A Ph.D. student Keisha who is giving beetroot juice to heartbroken people for curing it. She met a subject Clive who's heart was broken because of something that doesn't happen. She promised to help him. But she was so confused. There was another good soul George who a nurse in the hospital helped clive. There were more people who came to help Clive to know what really happened and why he is hallucinating many things. He believed there was a woman named Nancy in his life.
For Keisha, Clive was more than a subject. She and her friends - Lucy, Tess, and George helped in finding the truth about Clive. The story had something about finding love and finding lost love. Keisha and Clive have a scar, Keisha always remembers how this scar came and those moments whereas Clive doesn't remember how this scar came and it's memory.
I loved reading this book. something I liked in this book was. there are still kind people in this world who help without expectations that bring a lot of changes to life. In the climax of the story, we feel never it is too late to lead the happy life we yearned for. Each people who come into our life teaches us something.
Enjoy reading !!!
For Keisha, Clive was more than a subject. She and her friends - Lucy, Tess, and George helped in finding the truth about Clive. The story had something about finding love and finding lost love. Keisha and Clive have a scar, Keisha always remembers how this scar came and those moments whereas Clive doesn't remember how this scar came and it's memory.
I loved reading this book. something I liked in this book was. there are still kind people in this world who help without expectations that bring a lot of changes to life. In the climax of the story, we feel never it is too late to lead the happy life we yearned for. Each people who come into our life teaches us something.
Enjoy reading !!!
October 18, 2020
This was a gentle, whimsical story that had its share of twists and turns, but it worked. I had read a book by this author before and really enjoyed it so I figured that this one would be up my alley too, and it was.
Keisha is doing her PhD, studying "broken heart syndrome". This is close to her heart, no pun intended, because of what happened with her dad. She meets Clive, one of her participants, and they click straight away. I loved the relationship between these two people - both of whom were eaten up by guilt and quite mixed up. Then there was the lovely George, who made the story all the nicer, as did Tess.
All the various pieces of the puzzle swirled around for a while and I was wondering how the story was going to come together, but come together it did and even though there were a few little bits and pieces which I wish were explained a little more, I was pretty happy about how the book ended.
4.5 stars from me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture.
Keisha is doing her PhD, studying "broken heart syndrome". This is close to her heart, no pun intended, because of what happened with her dad. She meets Clive, one of her participants, and they click straight away. I loved the relationship between these two people - both of whom were eaten up by guilt and quite mixed up. Then there was the lovely George, who made the story all the nicer, as did Tess.
All the various pieces of the puzzle swirled around for a while and I was wondering how the story was going to come together, but come together it did and even though there were a few little bits and pieces which I wish were explained a little more, I was pretty happy about how the book ended.
4.5 stars from me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture.
November 1, 2020
Keisha is 31, she's single and going through a 100 dates plan. She possibly suffers from OCD, and is now working on a research about Broken Heart Syndrome. It looks like when she's more invested into heart research, she is more reserved about her own heart well being. And under the pulse of her wrist, she hides a secret.
Clive is 79, had just lost his beloved Nancy, and agreed to participate in Keisha's research. Somehow, their spirits bond. Would this new bond help them to heal their wounds? Will Clive find the way to help her see that life without love is a glass half full?
I decided to give this book a go because of the premise. However, once I started it, it took me some time to get to the core of the characters. I found them sort of contradictory at the beginning. But then the story picked up and it was an easy read.
The author developed some interesting characters and the pace is good.
Clive is 79, had just lost his beloved Nancy, and agreed to participate in Keisha's research. Somehow, their spirits bond. Would this new bond help them to heal their wounds? Will Clive find the way to help her see that life without love is a glass half full?
I decided to give this book a go because of the premise. However, once I started it, it took me some time to get to the core of the characters. I found them sort of contradictory at the beginning. But then the story picked up and it was an easy read.
The author developed some interesting characters and the pace is good.
April 8, 2022
A lonely life hinders healing.
Keisha is working in a cardiac research facility, focusing on her PHD project about "broken heart syndrome". She has only two friends; her work and house mate Lucy, and Fees who owns a cafe nearby. Keisha is an eccentric mystery, but she really believes she has schooled herself in a way that no one else knows of her inner turmoil.
When she meets " subject 5" for her study, she can't help but wonder about the chain of events that brought about his near death from the syndrome. However, this man has lost a significant chunk of memory, and even a police investigation can shed light on what actually happened to the 79 year old.
Although perhaps a bit unethical, distant and stoic Keisha can't help feeling empathy for the man. As they become close friends, can two broken people bring blessed healing to one another?
This is a story of mending hearts and spirits through the enormous power of friendship.
Keisha is working in a cardiac research facility, focusing on her PHD project about "broken heart syndrome". She has only two friends; her work and house mate Lucy, and Fees who owns a cafe nearby. Keisha is an eccentric mystery, but she really believes she has schooled herself in a way that no one else knows of her inner turmoil.
When she meets " subject 5" for her study, she can't help but wonder about the chain of events that brought about his near death from the syndrome. However, this man has lost a significant chunk of memory, and even a police investigation can shed light on what actually happened to the 79 year old.
Although perhaps a bit unethical, distant and stoic Keisha can't help feeling empathy for the man. As they become close friends, can two broken people bring blessed healing to one another?
This is a story of mending hearts and spirits through the enormous power of friendship.
October 29, 2020
The Missing Piece is an achingly beautiful story featuring broken hearts of every kind. The heroine Keisha has clearly suffered some trauma in the past and isn’t your average PhD student. She suffers from various types of anxiety and is fixated by her pulse rate. When one of her case study patients, Clive, turns out to be suffering from memory loss, as well as a broken heart, Keisha feels compelled to help. This goes against all her normal rules where she stays well away from most fellow human beings, but she feels an affinity with Clive that she can’t explain. Others rally round to help both of them – Clive’s male nurse George, and Keisha’s only friends Lucy and Tess. As they search for answers, hearts slowly begin the process of healing and glimmers of hope appear. You’ll have to read this story for yourself to find out what happens, but I savoured every moment of it – it’s wonderful!
October 31, 2020
I received an ARC from Bookouture through NetGalley for an honest review. Keisha knows the heart inside out medically but she has never been in love. Clive is 79 and is diagnosed with Broken Heart Syndrome when he wakes up in a hospital. But there is a mystery because what Clive says happened, no one seems to be able to prove it is true. When she meets Clive in her latest research project, things become interesting. The people in the story are very interesting and adds different perspectives, the storyline is intriguing, and the things I learned makes it a fast-paced, easy to read the book. I learned not only what the heart can do but also what the brain can do. The book will reveal all that Clive has gone through, what is real and what isn't, and the ending will bring it all together with a most satisfying finish.
November 19, 2020
This is such a heart breaking story that will make you shed some tears and want to push characters towards love and healing. I fell in love with Keisha and her way of coping with loss but found myself wanting to shout at her at times and show her the obvious. Love is not felt through medicine but through the butterflies in your stomach. You can’t just know it’s there from the first time you lay your eyes on someone. Love grows and one day you wake up and know it’s there, it’s real and it’s true
As for Clive…. oh, how I cried and hoped in his healing. How I got so close to him, wanting to help and get to the bottom of it all. I stopped reading and thought about meeting an old man like him and if I would have done the same things as Keisha did.
Would you help a stranger unconditionally? Would you be able to give up on yourself just to see someone else happy?
As for Clive…. oh, how I cried and hoped in his healing. How I got so close to him, wanting to help and get to the bottom of it all. I stopped reading and thought about meeting an old man like him and if I would have done the same things as Keisha did.
Would you help a stranger unconditionally? Would you be able to give up on yourself just to see someone else happy?
October 22, 2020
Clive and Keisha tell their stories in this touching novel of secrets and hope. Clive is a subject in Keisha's research into broken heart syndrome; he's an ahem mature man who found his wife Nancy dead on their floor. Or did he? She's got some mental health issues and has given up on love. Except she keeps trying to date. And what about George, the male nurse she's worked with? Keisha seems, in addition to her anxiety, to be on the spectrum and that adds a lot to her character. Clive's life story is well done and will keep you guessing. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This has good storytelling and a mission of sorts- to make you believe in recovery from heartbreak both physical and psychic.
December 8, 2020
The Missing Piece was a delight to read. Told from Keisha and Clive's perspectives, the 30-something scientist meets the 79-year-old man as part of her study on broken heart syndrome. They form this unlikely bond but familial connection, as Keisha takes him under her wing following his heart attack. As the chapters unfold we learn more about both their pasts and what makes them both such complex and interesting protagonists. The book was a little slow-paced in the middle for me, but ultimately, I loved the characters and the heartwarming ending.
The Missing Piece is perfect for fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and The Switch.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC - all opinions are my own.
The Missing Piece is perfect for fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and The Switch.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC - all opinions are my own.
September 21, 2020
Keisha meets Clive when he takes part in her study of broken heart syndrome. The connection and friendship that develops helps them both deal with their respective “broken hearts”. There is a bit of a mystery with the story of what happened to Clive, how he ended up with a broken heart and who Nancy is as well as some fairly heavy, complex history in Keisha’s backstory as well. The book has alternating chapters for both Keisha and Clive. Although the story is well written, I did struggle to connect with the two lead characters a little bit especially when it came to their relationships with the other supporting characters. Overall though an interesting story which is worth considering..
November 28, 2020
Catherine Miller is a new author to me, and one whose books I will happily read again! In "The Missing Piece", nurse Keisha meets the elderly Clive, whose heart is broken over the murder of his wife Nancy. However, when the police begin to research this crime, they find no evidence of Nancy's existence. Keisha has to help Clive mourn this loss that never existed -- or did it? Along the way, Keisha learns the importance of love and relationships. I really enjoyed the sweet relationship between Keisha and Clive, and the supporting characters were enjoyable as well. This was a heart-warming, sweet story that was a quick read.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
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