24 Oct How to Mend a Broken Heart by Anna Mansell Blog Tour

Happy Friday, all! Today I have the pleasure to take part and Anna Mansell’s blog tour for her debut, HOW TO MEND A BROKEN HEART. Massive thanks to lovely Kim from Bookouture for my review copy and the chance to be part of the blog tour. Enjoy my review and see ya soon!

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

How to Mend a Broken Heart by Anna Mansell
Published byBookouture
Published on 1.3.2017
Genres:women’s fiction
Pages: 400
Format:e-book

Hello? Rhys Woods? I have a patient here I think you know. Yours is the only number in her diary…

When Rhys is called to the hospital to meet Susan, a woman he barely knows, he is compelled to help her. Still grieving the loss of his brother months earlier, Rhys knows all too well the feeling of loneliness.

There are years between them, but Rhys is the only person Susan will respond to, and when she asks him to bring her her most treasured possession, a book of fairytales, he is intrigued.

Hidden in the book is a clue to Susan’s past, and the painful regrets she carries with her. And as Rhys starts to unearth Susan’s secrets, he finds that his own grief begins to heal too…

Together, Susan and Rhys must learn to live again. Can they help each other to find happiness and finally mend their broken hearts?

How to Mend a Broken Heart is a heart-wrenching and absorbing story about second chances, forgiveness, and making every second count, perfect for fans of Jojo Moyes, Lucy Dillon and Miranda Dickinson.

‘How to Mend a Broken Heart’ is Anna Mansell’s debut and a book I was really excited to read. I have to say, like so many reviewers here, that I did expect something else. When you look at the cover you expect a fluffier and funnier chick lit. But on the contrary, this is one emotional women’s fiction/drama that will have your heart wrenched and make you go through a roller coaster of emotions.

There aren’t really much characters and the story is focused on the lives of Kat, Susan and Rhys. The book opens when Susan is hit by a motorcycle and rushed to the hospital. No one really knows the reasons for the accident. Could be a suicide attempt maybe? Kat is a 28 year old nurse who’s on her shift when Susan is rushed to the hospital. Rhys is a plumber who’s still grieving for his brother, David who recently committed suicide. Among the few possessions of Susan, Rhys’ number is found so the hospital calls him thinking they are related. However, Susan seems to much young to have Rhys as a son. Then why is the only number in the phone book those of Rhys?

Three complete strangers, three completely different stories will be interwoven into one. They all meet by chance, but there are ties they are not able to see. They are all grieving and searching for a way to mend their broken hearts. Susan is 56 and till recently has lived with her parents. She seems so sad, like the whole world is on her shoulders. Kat has just recently broken up wuth her boyfriend of 5 years. Seems like the exotic holiday won’t help her heal. Rhys is mourning the loss of his brother, trying to understand why would he do such a thing. Why would anyone decide to take their own life?

As you see, this is not the easiest book to read. There are too many emotional moments and if you’re looking for a tear jerker or perhaps you’re grieving the loss of someone dear, then this is the book for you. While their stories blended nicely, what I didn’t like is how much time it took for me to get inside of it. I wasn’t really impressed with the first couple of chapters and felt pretty early on I will have trouble with the pace. It does pick up later on, but I had to be rather patient and keep on reading. I am glad I did though!

The characters didn’t leave such a great impression on me. I must say I was rather interested in their stories, how they are connected and how everything will turn out. But I wasn’t crazy about any of the characters because they didn’t feel that real to me.

However, the story is told from different POVs and we all know how hard that is. Anna did an amazing job on that, showing each of her characters perspective and giving them interesting pasts. I also loved how their stories were delicately and masterfully intertwined and how the characters grew thanks to each other.

Overall, if you’re looking for an emotional women’s fiction and don’t mind the slower pace, this is definitely the book for you. I think it’s a good debut and I’ll definitely be reading more by Anna.

About Anna Mansell

Anna spent almost twenty years trying to shoehorn writing in to her career as a marketing manager for dance and theatre companies. Eventually, she did what you are not remotely supposed to do and walked away from an excellent job in order to try and become a published author. Three years, lots of tears and some slightly hairy bank balances later, she met Kirsty Greenwood and the rest, as they say, is history. Anna lives in Cornwall with her husband and two kids. She feels very fortunate!