Fabulous read, loved Jakes character. A very emotional story that will rip your heart. Definitely a book to read. I was pulled into the story and it did not let go.

Beautiful!

Beth has just returned from New York where she was working as a nurse. Things did not work out for her professionally or personally and Beth has come to live near her friend Jas to lick her wounds and try to rebuild her life.

She soon becomes a valued member of her new community and after a difficult start makes some good friends. One of whom is Jake, a young boy with a serious heart condition. Jake’s father, Simon is harder to win over however!

A wonderful story of love, heartbreak and recovery. Wonderfully written, I flew through this book. Highly recommended.

I’d like to thank Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Unbreak Your Heart’ by Katie Marsh in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Beth moves back to the Lake District to make a fresh start, leaving behind a job she loved and an ex-husband in New York. Next door to the cottage she’s renting lives Simon and his adorable eight-year-old son Jake who was born with a heart problem and is looking for a girlfriend for his dad for when he’s not around any longer.

‘Unbreak Your Heart’ is a beautifully written novel of many so emotions, sadness, love, pain and laughter, but most of all the joy of friendship and knowing someone is there supporting you. It’s about Beth who made a mistake and was hounded out of her job, Simon who left his physio job so that he could spend all his time caring for Jake. But Jake is the star of the story, the small boy whose health is deteriorating but has set his mind to finding his dad a girlfriend. It’s a heart-warming novel with wonderful characters that leaves readers with the feel-good factor, a delightful story with a perfect ending.

Despite this book being about a poorly little lad called Jake and his “broken” heart it left me with the feeling that no heart is unrepairable.

The thing I like about this type of story is it’s usually quite predictable, man meets woman, woman meets man and they fall in love and live happily ever after.

This book tells a similar story with a few twists along the way.

It’s hard to write a review about this book and not give the story away. So I’ll keep it brief.

There were many unexpected elements to this story. I don’t know if I found it super emotional as I have a heart condition similar to Jake or if it is just the excellent writing off the author.

The biggest tear jerker for me was the friendship between Jake and his friend Emily. Tear jerker.

Overall, despite a few tears along the way this book has left me feeling........ (not giving an answer as this will deliver a MAJOR spoiler.)

The research and compassion that the author has written this book with just shows what a great read it really is and the book that has the honour of being my first 5 star review of 2021.

Wow - this is such an emotional read. Beautifully written and engaging characters I loved it completely and feel I have been through every emotion possible. Jake definitely made the book for me. He stole every scene he was and the emotional intelligence written for him was beautiful. His courageous attitude flows from the pages and supports every one of the other characters. Such a clever and thought provoking story.

Ohhh this is lovely! Kept awake late at night by having to keep reading...

Jake's heart is broken - literally. He has HLHS, a heart syndrome and is awaiting surgery.

Simon's heart is broken - emotionally. He's Jake's dad - exhausted and drained, struggling to cope, and estranged from Jake's mum.

Enter their new neighbour, Beth - a breath of fresh air and comfort to both. But things aren't that easy of course...

Great characters, lots of emotion - sadness, humour, pain and laughter, set amid the beautiful scenery of the Lake District. Loved it all.

Absolutely brilliant book. Full of emotion with very believable characters. A good story with enough interest to keep you wanting to keep reading. Set in the beautiful Lake District. I hope there will be a follow up, I’d love to know what happens next!

Oh my goodness this book was absolutely wonderful, I was so taken in by this book and the storyline. At times I felt my heart was going to break but there was also parts of this book that had me laughing out loud, I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

What a beautiful read which transfixed me from the first page. At its heart it is a romance with the ever chilling realisation that at any moment one of the main characters could be gone.

It’s a story about a father’s love and how that love transcends everything. Simon is a incredibly strong character, although inside he is tender, angry, embarrassed and is certain he doesn’t deserve anymore than he has. Beth is a nurse who moves next door and she has left her life in New York although why she has is not clear. Then there is Jake, he’s brave, funny, selfless and hopes for a brighter future.

This story is far from a cosy romance, there is emotional depth to this book and it kept me worried about what was going to happen. It deals with a few difficult situations with understanding and left my heart warmed at the journey the characters had been on.

It was an engaging and tender read which I thoroughly enjoyed. A 4 star read and one which will prompt me to keep an eye out for this author in the future. I would recommend to anyone who wants to meet some great characters and enjoy the scenery of the Lake District. It leaves you with a comforted and satisfied by the end.

What drew me to this book was that it was set in the Lake District , a place close to my heart , and now this story also had a place in my heart.
Beth moved to the area after leaving New York and to be near her friend Jas after a relationship breakdown.
On her way she bumps into Simon and his son Jake, literally !
They are thrown together again, and Beth ends up as a neighbour.
Jake has a heart condition , and has the prospect of lots of operations ahead on him , also his mother left both him and Simon , so Simon is bringing him up alone, and they have a great bond .
Jake worries that his Dad will be left alone should he die because of his condition . He sets about trying to set them up.
The book in a love story that will bring smiles and tears to you . I'm not usually one for books like this but it really was a wonderful read.

I really enjoyed this book, I found the characters wonderful but also flawed and complex, as were the relationships.
I loved Jake, what a wonderful kid! I also really enjoyed the writing,the author draws you in and makes you care, no easy task,
I loved the ending too!
Overall a very good, warm read.

Unbreak Your Heart by Katie Marsh is my first read from this author, and I am thrilled to discover this new to me talent. Ms Marsh has crafted a beautifully engaging and poignant story that will stay with me for a very long time.

Beth is looking for a fresh start in the UK after ending her marriage in the States. A chance encounter introduces her to Simon and his son Jake, a seven year old boy who suffers from a heart condition. Simon has been struggling as a single father after his partner Tamsin left years earlier, unable to cope will the demands of her ill child. Cognizant of the severity of his condition, Jake attempts to find a new partner for Simon so that he will not be left alone. Will a chance encounter with a stranger, who becomes a friend, be just what these lost souls need to finally find their happily ever after?

This is an emotional and heartwarming read that will have you falling in love with each of the characters, particularly young Jake, who will capture your heart from the very start. I can highly recommend this novel, and look forward to reading much more from Ms Marsh.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an ARC.

I really enjoyed this one. I don't read a lot of this genre but this caught my eye so I requested it on netgalley. I loved the characters, loved Beth, Simon, Jas and Jake....all brilliant, as were the others! Full of humour and emotion, it's sad in places but it's a heartwarming read that sucks you in! Well worth a read and I'll be reading more from this author! ❤

My thanks to Netgalley for my copy of Unbreak Your Heart. This is a beautiful story with believable characters who you will take to your heart and, if you're like me, will cry buckets over. A romantic tale with a difference, not least because it is cliche free.

Unbreak Your Heart is my first experience with Katie Marsh and I must say I am delighted with what the author delivered.

Katie Marsh’s writing is gorgeous, poignant and touching. It feels like a warm embrace, a perfect moment in time surrounded by your loved ones, one of those memories you will treasure forever.

This book tells the story of three beautifully written characters - Jake, Simon, and Beth - and it’s a tale of second chances, unconditional love, and perseverance in the face of adversity.

I absolutely loved all the characters, they jumped off the page and demanded to become a part of me. Simon and his devotion to Jake affected me deeply and Beth’s courage to fight for what she believed in was inspiring. And Jake, oh Jake… Jake might be the cutest child to ever grace the pages of a book and I absolutely love him. His capacity to take everything in stride and always strive to make the best out of any situation left me in awe. The hijinks he caused in his pursuit of a suitable girlfriend for Simon were also laugh-out-loud funny and provided lovely moments of levity to the story.

Simply put, I adored this book and would highly recommend it if you’re looking for a story that is comforting, life-affirming and beautifully written. I will be checking out more of Katie Marsh’s books in the future, that’s for sure.

I would like to thank Hodder & Soughton and Netgalley for provinding me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review..

4 stars

This book was heartwarming and charming. It brought me on an emotional adventure that I was completely invested in. There was enough drama that I was completed captivated. I loved each of the characters and their family and friends. The sense of family and community throughout this book was clearly visible and was definitely one of the main themes.

Beth and Simon have had their hardships in life. However, when life gave them lemon's, they made the most from them. They took each struggle and problem that came their way, head-on. I loved their determination. They never gave up.

The author has a clear knowledge of medical procedures. I loved how Katie Marsh, gave us an insight into Jack's condition yet we weren't "bogged" down with information. I knew how serious the situation was. Jack's character was a rouge! He was your typical boy wanting to play sports and lego. He also had a very endearing side to him, that I loved. I loved how he cared so much for Simon.

Barney (Simon's friend) is one in a million, I loved him in this book. He offered enough support and encouragement to Simon however he didn't overpower the storyline. He was a breath of fresh air in a horrible situation.

Overall I loved this book and I would love to thank NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for providing me with this e-arc in exchange for an honest review

Set in the beautiful Lake District, a story of two individuals facing challenging times. Beth has run away from a terrible marriage and Simon is caring for a son with a rare heart condition. Living next door to each other they develop a relationship whilst evaluating their life. Love is looked at in many ways and the story is both heart warming and heart breaking at the same time.

This was such a lovely heartwarming story but also heartbreaking. I loved the characters, especially Jake. Incredibly emotional in parts. Highly recommended.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

This was, a book that is really good that you want to finish it but feel sad when you do.

It was the story of Jake, Simon and Beth. A story that filled with love, sadness, pain, laughter and so many heartfelt emotions.

Jake, not wanting to leave his father to try and find him the person he so loved was beautiful but heartbreaking.

I thought Beth was a very relatable character who was trying to come to terms with a mistake, when she lived in New York.

Simon, I loved all he did for Jake, the live and compassion was amazing. The struggles he faced were realistic.

Recommend it.

I received an invitation to read this from the publishers, thank you Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley and I didn’t download it immediately because it’s not my normal genre and I wasn’t sure it was for me. Oh boy was I wrong! This is an exquisitely beautiful read. I read this in one sitting over an afternoon and evening, I really really didn’t want to put it down, I just had to find out what happened. Brilliant believable characters that you become invested in from the first page. Emotional and poignant, a book that will stay with you long after you’ve finished it.