may our broken parts heal

by L. Marie Seed

When the worst things happen, redemption comes from unexpected places ...

Iris and Omar are trying to raise two kids amid Omar’s long work hours and Iris’s postpartum depression, and they’re starting to worry that love might not be enough to hold their family together. Carol is dealing with age, loneliness, a bad hip, and a burgeoning case of agoraphobia. Recently divorced Leonora has her hands full with her angry teen daughter, Jenna. And Jimmy should never have let Crystal move in with him, but he did. It’s a mistake that’s about to have catastrophic consequences. They’re separate people with separate problems. But when one of them deals with a near tragedy, the ripple effects run through all of their lives in ways that are not easily smoothed.

248 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 5, 2022

Reviews

[feimineach · Rating 3 out of 5]

(There may be a spoiler, some might say.) I read a lot of books for work and for play (the obvious crossovers there are noted) and I have a very bad memory. Unless there is something in a (fiction) book that really captures me, it will not stay with me, and I will not be able to tell you the first thing about it the day or so after I’ve finished reading it. I exaggerate, but only a little. What I am saying is that I enjoy books while I am reading them, and generally speaking couldn’t care less about them when I have finished them.

I am vexed about this one though – May Our Broken Hearts Heal. I enjoyed the multitude of perspectives and the variances in voice, and very much liked the feeling of a sort of resolution for the troubled characters who had been lost or left somewhere along their ways. My point is that this was a nice read for a cold, rainy Christmas evening. But I was astounded – and angry – at the casualness with which Crystal was cast aside once she (that is, her narrative) had served her purpose in bringing Jimmy to his inevitable downfall and then to his eventual redemption. Crystal, who the author herself noted had a life without luck or care, who was the most lost and neglected of all the sorry souls in the building, who showed more depth of understanding of life’s toils and realities than any of the others, was quickly forgotten as as much a part of the building’s life as anyone else. She never got to finish her part. If the idea was to represent her disposability - mirroring her life so far - it did not work. That was not clear.

For a novel that paid relatively good attention to its women – though not as much as its men – this stark omission and neglect have very much stuck in my craw.

[Denny · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title says it all

May our broken hearts heal. Does anyone escape the gnawing doubts and uncertainties of decisions made, actions taken? Does anyone not at some time feel broken?

The author writes well, shows great skill at weaving the story of every character, developing themes that arise from these stories.

Perhaps I read this at a time when I was feeling vulnerable and it was this that helped me relate to the suffering and pain within each character, but I do believe that the power lies in the author’s skills.

I don’t usually include long quotes in reviews, but these words struck me as true and relevant to every mother. The words are poignant, aching and meaningful. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel. It has given me insight, understanding and a quiet acceptance, or partial acceptance, of some of my own flaws.

Here is a taste of the reality of which this author writes:

“As parents, we make impossible choices every day. Work and leave your kids, or stay home and struggle to survive? Take a job at a bank to save your own battered soul, or abandon what’s left of yourself to prioritize your children? And what if the person who’s left after all that sacrifice isn’t enough for those children? What if that person, having let the best parts of her fade, is nothing but a hollow ghost just going through the motions? Just pretending to be okay? You do damage either way. You hurt people in a thousand unintended ways. You try and you fail and you come up short. It’s just the way of things. The unavoidable result of being human.”

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! The story focuses on the various inhabitants of a small apartment building in the Bay area of California. The book is written through the eyes of the inhabitants in the 4 units, which took me just a little bit to get used to as the book started.

Jimmy, Omar and Iris, Leonora and Jenna, and Carol are all dealing with their own issues and are going through life aware of the other apartment dwellers but all are focused on their own problems. As the book progresses and several major events happen to affect all of the apartment complex members, they find that they sometimes need to rely on each other to move forward.

The author did a great job of setting up the book. She successfully moved the story forward as we got to see part of the back stories as she set up each of the 4 storylines, but yet kept the story interesting as we see the current problems develop. It almost had a small town feeling as the various inhabitants started looking out for each other as the book developed. I really had a hard time putting the book down and will definitely be going back and re-reading it again and again.

I received an ARC the book in exchange for my honest opinion. I have read all of the romance books written by Linda Seed and couldn't wait to read this new story that is different than her usual ones.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been a fan of Ms. Seed’s since I read her first romance novel in 2015 (under the name Linda Seed). When she recently announced that she had written a new “upmarket” novel—a major departure from romance—under a new pen name, I was intrigued and pre-ordered the book right away. To say I was blown away by May Our Broken Parts Heal would be an understatement!! From the first page I was drawn into the world of Jimmy, Omar, Iris, Carol, Leonora and Jenna, all residents of an apartment building in the San Francisco Bay Area. Ms. Seed’s great strengths are exquisite, realistic dialogue and situations, and multi-dimensional character development. In this novel, she does not shy away from tackling the walls we put up around ourselves, whether physically or emotionally, and she nails it completely. It is gritty, heartbreaking, frustrating, and oh-so realistic. She writes with honesty and empathy about all-encompassing issues such as postpartum depression, and relationships between spouses, parents and children, and, of course, strangers and neighbors. This novel is a revelation and I cannot wait for more of this genre from L. Marie Seed.

[Margie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really Enjoyed It!

Great! I have read other books by this author, and have enjoyed all of them. This is a different type of story, and maybe even better than the rest! Believable, engaging people, problems and feelings that I can relate to, and interesting storyline overall. I liked the format, telling the story from each person’s point of view, but keeping each segment short enough that I didn’t forget what was going on with the other people. Highly recommended!

[Maridyth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. There were different POVs about a group of people living in the same apartment building. I loved the way their lives were separate yet entertwined. Very well written, and perfectly paced!

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolutely beautiful book. Some of the emotions of being human, laid bare. Interlinking with others around us. I loved this book and enjoyed living in the minds of these characters for a while.

[Marianne Rivett · Rating 2 out of 5]

There’s a reason it was only $0.99 on Amazon.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story captured me, taking me into the lives of the residents, needing to know what happens next.