I found The Break an interesting concept not less because a similar thing happened to a friend of mine. I found the plot very emotive and could identify with the main characters. At times the plot did slow hence the three stars but all in all an enjoyable ride.

This was a book where Amy, our central character, sees life as she knows it implode beyond her control when her husband decides he needs some time to explore and discover himself. This makes her evaluate her own life and choices at a time when her family all seem to be growing away from her and the comfort of familiarity becomes increasingly out of reach. As with most families there is a wide range of characters to explore and some complicated family dynamics; this is so true to life and Keyes presents the complicated tapestry that is family with humour and sensitivity; we see the joy and the frustrations that only close family can bring us. The women in the story are more sympathetically portrayed and more three dimensional than the men. Interactions between Amy and her parents and Amy and her daughters made me laugh out loud but also had a poignancy that was unexpectedly emotional to read.
It took me a little while to settle into this story but I did really enjoy it as a moving and thought provoking portrayal of family and how we have to weave and move with life and its ever changing tides.

Absolutely loved this book. What can you say about Marian Keyes that hasnt already been said before. I love her books, her characters are always so real and believeable. I love the O'Connells and hope this is the start of a series like the Walshes. I loved Amy and eventually Hugh. I laughed, cried and got angry along with Amy. You could feel every emotion along with her. Neve, Sofie and Kiara were all brilliantly written and very relatable. Sofie was my favourite and the abortion part was very well written. I really want to know more about Maura and the poor bastard, Derry I loved her and want to know more about her and Alistair. Ma O'Connell was brilliant and deserves her own book we need her story. I have already sent out the recommendations for this book. Definetly in my top 5 for the year and it will take me a while to get over this one. Loved it!!

It's a while since I read a Marian Keyes book, but I immediately felt welcomed into the extended O'Connell family and part of the ups and downs of their lives. The author uses Amy and Hugh and their families to highlight some witty and wise universal truths about the comfort and frustration of love in all its guises. A warm and thoughtful read.

Utterly brilliant - The Break is Marian Keyes at her best. But better. It's a joy ride of agony, sadness, euphoria and hilarity. I absolutely loved it.

Absolutely loved this book it is real frank story about a marriage and how it is seen from the wife's point of view.
Hugh decides he wants a break from his wife Amy and as the story unwinds you find that there are faults on both sides and it is great to read about Amy's realisation about this. It made me laugh and it made me cry so all the best reactions to a book. I particularly loved Amy's Mum and some of the other characters in the book. A must read book.

Great book. Excellent storyline and brilliant main characters. I would recommend this book.

Another terrific book from Marian Keyes. Acutely observed, beautifully written, this book is possibly her best yet. "The Break" drew me in right from the start; into the the heart of the characters' lives, their decisions and feelings. When I finished reading it, I wanted to start the process all over again! I would recommend this book in a heartbeat, it's a belter.

Absolutely marvellous book. Beautifully written, with a cast of characters that one really cared about. Highly recommended!

This is a typical Marion Keyes. Poignant and funny at the same down. Good one to chill with.

It was an honour to be asked to read The Break. One of my first reviews on goodreads was for the same author but for a while now I have not gone back to my old genre choosing to stick to thrillers. Wow I missed these feel good stories. I fell in love with Amy from the start. The story could've ended differently but it was all written so beautifully that the ending was heartwarming. The story just flowed and I found I could not put it down. I will miss Amy and Hugh as my holiday read but I enjoyed every second of sharing their story thank you.

Marian Keyes' new book features everything you would expect from her books. Big, complicated Irish family - tick. Warmth and wit - tick. An exploration of deep emotion - tick. Fans of Keyes' previous books will be well served here.

In this story, Amy's husband, Hugh, decides one day that he needs a break. A break from family life, a break from routine and a break from their marriage. Amy has no choice but to let him go on his journey of self-discovery (also recognised as a mid=life crisis jaunt) to Asia and give him 6 months freedom. The novel covers the period from Hugh's earth-shattering decision, through the period of separation and his return.

As with Keyes' previous novels, the characterisation is fantastic. Amy is a likeable heroine, although she is presented as far from perfect - her flaws make her gloriously human and recognisable. Her mother (not a stereotypical 'Irish Mammy' figure) and daughters are also well-drawn, rounded characters with warmth and individuality. Keyes is absolutely brilliant at exploring women's lives, especially emotions and the ties between women, and beautifully captures the quirks and humour to be found in a close-knit extended family.

However, I did struggle a bit with the male characters - I found Hugh a bit irritating because I just couldn't accept the justification for his decisions. I also found Josh quite unappealing, which was a shame as it meant I couldn't really engage with the decisions that Amy made. This actually wasn't a huge problem with the novel for me, but I just wished that the men were as wonderfully presented as the women.

Overall, there is so much here that is great and I'd recommend this to anyone who likes Keyes' previous novels or who wants a story that is unafraid to explore complex emotions.

I have never been disappointed by Marian Keyes.
What I love most is the way that she writes about family life, loud, complicated but ultimately loving.
Amy has a good, frantic life but her husband is not happy. He takes a break and this is the story of how Amy gets through this. Great characters, well written plot and Serbian adventures!

As the story opened and the main characters were introduced my heart sank - oh here we go again – the Walsh family (Rachel’s Holiday etc) in another guise.
But no – as the story unfolded the characters became real and I was compelled to keep reading to see how it would all pan out.

Hugh and Amy along with their children have a happy ordinary life. Hugh decides he needs a 6-month break from his life and family. He fails to consider how their lives will still roll on without him. Those left behind have to deal with the husband/father shaped hole in their lives and the trials that life continues to throw at them.

There were scenes, especially towards the end of the novel, that left me wincing - thinking I do that and seeing it described in written form made me think about my own behavior.

A thoroughly enjoyable read.

Marian Keyes on classic form. Amidst a chaotic and loving Irish family, all delightfully batty and painfully real, love and daily resentments sever and heal. Once again Keyes manages to turn everyday domestic issues into page-turning prose. Her sense of humanity is second to none, and her ability to write vulnerability makes every word relatable. Life is messy in its beauty, and Keyes makes beauty from the mess.

Charming, funny, tender and utterly unputdownable. Marian Keyes has created a cast of perfectly imperfect characters that will stay with me. At least once on every page, I recognised a part of myself. A gorgeous read.

So I absolutely adored this book. I couldn't put it down. It was every bit as funny, wise, heartfelt as I expected. I loved all the characters.
The characters were so real and well written. They had flaws like all of us but we're still likeable and endearing.

I felt Amy's heartbreak as Hugh her husband decides he needs a break for six months form their marriage.
It's a must read and I highly recommend it.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the arc of this book. Having read all of Marian's previous books I was highly anticipating this one. The main character Amy is very likeable and I found it very easy to commiserate and celebrate with her. However, I did struggle to get into this book and was only 'hooked' from about 50% in. I feel that this book lacked some of Marian's usual storytelling and humour as there were few laugh out loud moments. Having said that I enjoyed the second half of the book much more and I wouldn’t hesitate to read any more books by this author in the future.

Another excellent book by Marian Keyes, I haven’t read anything by her for a while but she truly is back to her best.

Amy and Hugh have been married for 17 years, Hugh’s dad has just died and he feels he needs a break. He wants to travel to South East Asia for six months, having no contact with Amy but this will be an anything goes break. Amy tries to talk him out of the idea but Hugh is determined to go with or without her blessing.

Amy is left at home to struggle with all the things that she and Hugh have previously dealt with together and wondering if perhaps Hugh’s mid-life crisis is partly her fault. As the story unfolds Amy encounters numerous problems within the family and it was interesting to see how she dealt with them.

There are some wonderful characters in this book, Amy’s mum who is struggling with a husband with dementia and becomes an internet sensation, Neeve, Amy’s daughter from a previous marriage whose dad is very occasionally there for her when it suits him and how she deals with him. Amy’s co-worker Alastair who was looking for romance but always has her back.

This is an excellent book, full of drama but there are also some lovely moments when you want to cheer Amy on and also want to give her a cuddle. In parts this book is heartbreaking but also it has a lot of humour, I did not want this book to finish. Highly recommended.

I would like to thank Michael Joseph and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Break’ by Marian Keyes in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
When Hugh tells Amy he’s taking a six month break and backpacking around Thailand Amy is devastated, especially when she sees photographs of him on Facebook with young women. But Amy has had a crush on Josh for a while and if Hugh wants a break surely Amy can too?
‘The Break’ is a story about a couple, their love for each other and their family, and what happens when Hugh returns from his travels. It’s a moving and thought-provoking story with amazing characters, which made me laugh and cry.