Rating 3.5 stars

Beth is determined to forget the past. But even when she starts afresh in a Lake District village as a school nurse, Beth can't shake the past nor forgive herself for the actions that took place on her last shift in the New York hospital.

Beth moves in next to single dad Simon and his son Jake. Jake has a heart condition and Simon finds it hard to earn a living while caring for his beloved son, He also holds a candle for Jakes mum, Tamsin, who left them years ago because she couldn't cope.

The cheeky Jake is determined to find his dad a girlfriend before his next operation.

Will Jake succeed in bringing his dad love and can Beth find closure on her past?

Its a cute but cliche romantic story. It changes between Simon and Beths point of view, alongside letters to a friend of Jakes who also has a heart condition. It's spread over just a few months, from the time Beth arrives to Jakes operation.

However I didnt like the set up of the last chapter trying to make you think the worst. Didnt work though for me and I was disappointed it was there.

I received this book from netgalley in return for a honest review.

The book starts with Beth bumping into Simon and Jake – literally! The Lake District setting is a character in the book itself in all of its rugged beauty.

The whole book is beautifully written – and I really loved all of the characters. There were times I wanted to shout at them – but in a supportive way, not an overly frustrated way.

Simon’s love for his son is HUGE throughout the book. I have a child with a chronic illness (although thankfully not life limiting like Jake who has HLHS) but that meant that some of the elements of hospital visits and worrying were very, very close to home.

The book is fundamentally a love story – but not just romantic love – it’s love between a parent and child and grandchild, and friends, and family – it’s beautiful.

A really lovely escapist read.

A. Brilliant story
Beth and Simon don’t get off to a great start.
Jake, Simon’s son has a failing heart and wants to find someone for his dad to love
This will have you laughing and crying
Absolutely loved it
Thanks NetGalley

This is such a lovely story, a really touching feel good read. Two meanings to the title makes it very poignant.
Featuring the ups & downs of the blossoming relationship between new neighbours Beth & Simon. Beth has relocated after heartbreak & humiliation and the end of her marriage, whereas Simon is a single father devoted to his young son, born with a heart condition and facing an uncertain future.
A touching story, Jake’s condition is written in a sensitive way but not one that brings the feel of the story down, instead adding a wonderful further facet to the storyline, especially as he is hoping to find his Dad someone to love (which has humorous consequences for Simon).
A great read, perfect feel good story.

What a moving story bringing tears and laughter throughout. You can't help but adore Jake and his relationship with Simon. A new author for me.
A real heartfelt story that will leave you with a warm glow.

I must admit that I was hesitant to read this book due to the subject matter. Yes it is a heart wrenching and very poignant read but also a great one. Beth who is recently divorced and has experienced a great deal of heartache in the recent past has relocated from New York City to the Lake District in England. She is looking for a new start and comes across a seven-year-old boy called Jake and his father Simon. Here’s where it became very difficult for me to read, Jake is a seven-year-old boy with a heart condition and I find it very difficult to read about sick children. Jake is so cute though and he’s trying to find a partner for his dad after his mum left him previously. Will Beth be the woman he has been waiting for?

This is a sweet sweet story, heartbreaking and poignant but also uplifting and life affirming. I really enjoyed all the characters and felt I got to know each of them. I was very emotional reading this book and I will remember it.

This is a heartbreaking yet heartwarming story which shows the true loving relationship between son-father. It handles sensitive topics such as illness, death and family relationship with great care.

Thanks to Netgalley and author for the arc in exchange for my unbiased opinion on the book. Loved the book..

A contemporary romance with a real feel good factor, this heart warming story would make a great holiday read.

Beth has fled New York with her life in tatters. Hoping for a fresh start she moves to the Lake District, a place she loved visiting when she was younger, to take up a job as a school nurse.

Devoted single-parent Simon has dedicated his life to caring for his son Jake. Now almost 8, Jake was born with a rare life-limiting heart condition. Struggling to juggle providing for them both and caring for Jake, he has no time or energy for anything else.

As Jake prepares for an operation which could change his quality of life dramatically but does not come without risks, he is determined to find his dad a girlfriend so he will not have to face the future alone.

After a rocky start, Beth and Simon bond over Jake’s care and start to get closer. But as secrets from the past begin to come to light and people from the past reappear, will anyone get a happy ending?

I really enjoyed this story and found that the medical elements have it some added drama and interest. The descriptions of the glorious Lake District landscape were incredible and make me want to visit the area. The characters are well written and likeable and I found myself really rooting for them.

A heartbreaking emotional story that keeps you enthralled. It has so many twists and turns. Don't start it if you don't have the time to keep reading to the end!

What a heartwarming story. A single dad, Simon, with a son, Jake, who has HLHS - a life limiting heart condition. Jake, wants to live his life to the full while he’s here and the anguish this causes Simon is palpable throughout the book.
Simon is only intent on caring for his son but Jake is determined to find love for his dad so he’s not alone and becomes a one man dating agency. It’s just lovely. I totally enjoyed this book, filled with love and care. It’s so worth reading. Something to lift the spirit.

These excellent reads just keep coming at the moment and this is no exception!

This has a great, strong plot that is beautifully written and is both heartwarming and heartbreaking in equal measure. Little Jake's letter to his friend Emily are possibly the most heartbreaking i have ever read, they had me in tears especially when I found out the whole story.

There is a dual narrative between Beth who is the local, new, school nurse and Simon who is Jake's Dad. after a very rocky start they all become good friends and a beautiful relationship develops, especially between Beth and Jake.

Jake is the most amazing character, he is larger than life and full of enthusiasm, he is a little hero who wants nothing more than to find his Dad a girlfriend and he will stop at nothing to ensure this happens. He encourages the adults around him and shows them how to live their best life, just as he wants to.

This is really well written, easy to rea, invokes a whole load of feelings and is a perfect summer. read.

Beth has left her life behind in America, moving to the Lake District where she has found a job as a School Nurse. The only person she knows in the area is her best friend Jas, also a nurse who she met at University 20 years ago. Will she be able to put the past behind her?
A brilliant read.

This is an emotional read. I liked Beth and I liked the Lake District as the setting for this beautifully told story. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me review this book.

Such a gorgeously warm and uplifting book, Unbreak Your Heart is a story about finding yourself, about hope and living fully.

Simon and Jake are an adorable team. Unable to cope following the news that Jake had a serious heart condition, his Mum Tamsin, disappeared. Jake is the true hero of this book. He has decided that his Dad needs to find a girlfriend so he's not left alone (cue tears!)

Beth has returned to the Lake District after her life in New York imploded. Betrayed and hurt she finds the Lakes healing, and when she moves next door to Simon and Jake, a beautiful friendship grows between them all. And between Simon and Beth - perhaps more.

As time passes, Simon is increasingly anxious about Jake. He's becoming weaker and needs another operation. And then, out of the blue, Tamsin shows up. And putting Jake first, Beth leaves so as not to stand in the way of a reconciliation.

Surely their story can't end there?! I became fully invested in their story, and fell completely in love with Jake. To find out if it's the end for Beth and Simon I highly recommend reading their whole story. A definite for those who like beautifully crafted romantic fiction.

Unbreak Your Heart tells the story of Simon and his son Jake. Jake is poorly and needs a life saving operation. When I discovered this, I knew there'd be tears when I was reading this book - and I was right.

Jake knows how serious his condition is as he lost his friend Emily to it.. He wants to ensure that his Dad will be okay should the worst happen. When Beth arrives and moves in next door, Jake does some sneaky matchmaking for his Dad.

A lovely story about love, loss and relationships. A really good read.

Thanks for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Unbreak Your Heart is cute without being overly sappy. Serious without being heavy handed with info dumps. And has just enough emotional drama to keep you turning the pages, but without emotionally draining you.

Thank you to Katie Marsh, Hodder and Stoughton, and NetGalley for an invitation to read this book.

Seven-year-old Jake's heart is failing and he doesn't want to leave his dad, Simon, alone. So he makes a decision: to find Simon someone to love before he goes.

Beth is determined to forget the past. But even when she leaves New York to start afresh in a Lake District village, she can't shake the secrets that haunt her.

Single dad Simon still holds a candle for the woman who left him years ago. Every day is a struggle to earn a living while caring for his beloved son. He has no time for finding someone new.

But Jake is determined his plan will succeed - and what unfolds will change all three of them forever.

Right from the first page I knew that this was going to be a heartwarming read and I wasn’t wrong! I have so many things to tell but I don’t want to give any spoilers!!

So firstly, regarding the plot, it was so well written, that the plot just flows and you don’t want to keep the book until you have finished. Beautifully narrated in alternate chapters of Beth and Simon, along with few letters written by Jake to his best friend Emily. It covers love, self-discovery, hope while dealing with how to cope with having a child with a serious heart condition.

In terms of the characters, each of them was so wonderful, and their growth through the book was excellent. But Jake is simply my favourite, he is the star of this book and his bond with Simon is truly special.

The ending was predictable, but I don’t think I would have wanted it to end in any other way!

Thank You NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this ARC!

Rating 4.5.

"We can’t live for what might or might not happen tomorrow – we have to make the most of today. Alright?”

Seven-year-old Jake's heart is failing and he doesn't want to leave his dad, Simon, alone. So he decides to find Simon someone to love before he goes.
Beth is determined to forget the past. But even when she leaves New York to start afresh in a Lake District village, she can't shake the secrets that haunt her.
Single dad Simon still holds a candle for the woman who left him years ago. And when every day is a struggle to earn a living while caring for his beloved son, he has no time for finding someone new.

But Jake is determined his plan will succeed and what unfolds will change them all forever.

I find it hard to read stories where children are in pain but Jake’s energy and enthusiasm to live each moment in a state of maximum joy is adorable.

Beth’s return to the village is off to a rocky start when she nearly runs over Jake's bike and has his furious father to deal with. It doesn't help that the only available house on rent has Simon and Jake for neighbours.

This is not Beth's or Simon's or Jake's story but of all three, holding onto memories which have destroyed their belief in love. Together, they find a little happiness. But the pain is ignored for only a moment. As it turns out, their collective pain is too much to bear.

There is a tenderness in how Jake is the salve to the soul. His efforts to walk his father across the bridge of hope win your heart. His passion for life provokes Beth to take back what rightfully belongs to her and bring closure to her past.

This brave, poignant story of overcoming life's consequences is so achingly beautiful you'll want to wrap yourself in its bundle of warmth.

This ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton.

It has been a while since I read any books by this author, but I hadn't forgotten how emotional her books can be and this was no exception.
Told in dual narrative between Beth, who is running from a broken marriage and loss of confidence and Simon a single dad who is trying to care for his sick child Jake, whilst holding down a job, made reading this all the more emotional. Hearing from both main characters as well as interspersed letters from Jake to his friend Emily, pulled on the heart strings and reading how Jake impacted on both of their lives was joyful.
Jake is such a larger than life character and I loved his enthusiasm for all things, despite his illness. I couldn't help but feel for Simon and his struggles and I wanted to give Beth a big hug.
I enjoy books with intergenerational friendships and I love even more how children can show adults how to live life to the fullest.
This is a great uplifting book and one I would definitely recommend.