perfectly shown here, but this realness makes you feel so much more than some cliche perfect romance. You really live with the characters and their struggles, theres so much real talk of real issues, theres awesome communication. I really really enjoyed reading this. Its incredibly well written.

Thank you to netgalley and the author for sending me the book in exchange for an honest review

This was a very interesting approach to second-chance romance and I appreciate the focus on mental health. I didn't connect with the characters or the story as much as I hoped, though. I don't think the writing style worked for me in that regard, but I see value in this story and the way it explored what it's like to struggle with different mental health issues and still build a relationship, which can be difficult on its very own, and support one another in your healing.

Overall, a solid story, especially for a debut. 3.5 stars.

Great read if you're looking for more than just romance. This has a little bit of everything in it, making it a deeper romantic read! Highly recommend it for the characterization.

This is beautiful and stunning love story. I really don’t know how to put into words how completely captivating this was. This touches on many difficult topics, but they were all done with such care. This was a joy to read.

Smart. Emotive. And engaging. Like the archeologists revealing their finds, this multi-layered novel is more than I thought. If you are looking for a thought-provoking Romantic fiction, this is easy to recommend. (I saw this talked about on Twitter and picked it up via NetGalley as an advanced reader.) I’m going to recommend it to my book club.

Two broken, equally anxious, introverts meet again after twenty years apart.
Would this finally be the right time for them to be together?

Honestly, I was ready to fight if these two couldn't find a way to each other. Burning Norway to the ground, killing an awful ex-partner, paying for their research… anything for these beautiful souls to finally be with someone who understands their pain and fragilities.
By the way, this is what I mean when I say that fictional characters over 40s should be portrayed as actual adults, and not horny teenagers who never grow in their skin.

One of the many messages that can be found is that people who go to therapy understand that they need it because of people who thought they didn't need it. In other words: therapy for everyone!
And this story does feel like it: free therapy. More than that, it's the feeling of being heard, seen, understood as very few people - if any - can do; individuals with mental illnesses are more prone to recognize it, but it doesn't happen every day to see on paper what’s going on in your mind, and understanding that you’re not alone.

May you be drawn by the archaeology parts - still my dream job - or by your gut telling they have a good feeling about this story, “Even If We’re Broken” is the most heartwarming slow burn you'll have the chance to witness this year, with just the right amount of suffering and realization on the way.

Thanks to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

ARC REVIEW (Thanks NETGALLEY!)

Do I speak Norwegian? No
Do I know anything about anthropology? Also, no
But I still requested and enjoyed this book.

23 years ago, Kate and Ben meet at an anthropology dig and spend the summer together. Ben is smitten, Kate was as well but homie never made a move and Kate got distracted by a shiny girl. They’d kept in slight contact through social media and their work. 20 something years later they’re back together again at another dig site but a lot has changed for both of them.

Although sad, and let’s be honest prob hit a little close to home. Ben and Kate’s brewing relationship was honest, organic, and sweet.

This was everything that I was looking for from this type of book. It uses the characters and plot perfectly together. It had everything that I was expecting and enjoyed the overall feel of the story. A.M. Weald has a great writing style and it left me wanting more.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Bioarchaeologist Kate Roth can't seem to catch a break in relationships and the latest one really throws her for a loop - she's ghosted. Apparently even over 40s still take the low road. In an effort to turn over a new leaf and heal, she accepts a position to teach university students at a dig site from - surprise! - an old friend and former colleague, Esben "Ben" Veholt, who she hasn't seen since they were students together over twenty years ago. As it turns out, Ben's going through some romantic and familial troubles of his own. When one of his current colleagues drops out of the dig and Kate's name shows up in the list of recommended replacements, it has to be a sign...right?

'Even If We're Broken' tells us that it's okay to not be okay, but when you aren't, you don't have to be alone. Kate and Ben both struggle through their sadness and trauma separately but with the support of loved ones and a welcoming a fresh set of eyes that can give a new perspective, we can learn along with them that we shouldn't put so much stock into what others think about us. Facing heartbreak and grief in life is inevitable but as long as you're willing to hold your head above water and ask for a lifeline then you'll always find your way back to happiness, contentment, and love, from yourself and others, in the end.

Thank you to A. M. Weald and the Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This story was so sweet and tender. I loved how gentle the characters were with each other, and the way they accepted and valued the parts of each other that made them vulnerable and self-conscious. I also really appreciated the normalizing of mental health care and medication. I do wish there had been more focus on the first summer they spent together. I was confused because it seemed like they didn't actually interact much during that time and aside from some "what might have been feelings" there was very little communication between them in the decades since. I wasn't convinced that would be enough for them both to come into the relationship twenty years later so emotionally invested. I would have preferred that they had a much deeper relationship previously or that they had barely thought of each other in the interim and the new relationship reminded them of the connection they had back then. It seemed to straddle a middle ground where they were both longing for each other for decades despite barely having known each other previously. Aside from that, I really loved the progression of their relationship in the modern timeline. It ramped up nicely and they handled the distance like the mature adults they are rather than running off together immediately or running away from each other. Both the characters were very likeable, and I was rooting for them both the whole time.

A sophisticated second-chance romance that I found a bit forced at time but I also enjoyed.
The unusual setting, the overthinking and complex character, the hope for a HEA.
A good read, recommended
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I appreciate the unique plot in archeology and the setting in Norway and Canada. And I love to read about MCs over 40. I appreciate the LGBTQ representation as well. Unfortunately this wasn’t for me - it felt really hard to start, especially watching the female MC deal with such severe emotions/trauma. I did read the content warnings and felt they were appropriate. I completely value the need to write a love to story for everyone’s experience, but I felt like the writing and plot were a little too on the nose for what the characters were dealing with in this case.

I picked this book up because the cover is absolutely stunning, but also because that blurb hooked me! A.M. Weald's writing is so wonderful, it captivates you and keeps you so involved in the lives of these characters. I needed to know everything they were going through and feeling at all times. Kate and Ben are incredible leads, their lives and grief and pain and struggles so real and honest; I cried more than a few times. I loved how despite all the things working with and against them, they found a way to be together. This is what I call a "chef's kiss story", because I never wanted it to end.

Whoa. I was not prepared for how engrossed I would become when I first started my read. I basically dropped everything to find out how Ben and Kate's truly adult (characters in their 40s) romance would settle. The addition of an archaeology set world and the true toll of mental health issues encapsulated such a detailed and complex portrayal of the human experience.

Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for providing an eARC for an honest review.

Even if We’re Broken was an emotional, gripping, real, raw story. I was drawn in by the characters’ deep humanity; and their disabilities, mental illness, grief, and physical and mental pain.
This is a sweet, tender slow-burn about kind, good, flawed middle-aged people. It’s beautiful. The writing pulls you along smoothly and makes you feel sooo many different feelings. It showcases good communication, recovery from abuse and painful relationships, a healthy parent-child relationship, and acknowledgment of the ways chronic pain and insomnia affect humans and their coping mechanisms.
It also has a lot of great queer representation, including one of the MC’s.

𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒✧˚ ༘ ⋆｡˚♡ — 𝖠𝖱𝖢 𝗋𝖾𝗏𝗂𝖾𝗐


𖤐 𓈒࣪ ᭡ ˖ 𝖭𝗂𝗄𝗄𝗂 𝗅𝖾𝖿𝗍 𝖻𝖾𝖼𝖺𝗎𝗌𝖾 𝗌𝗁𝖾 𝗐𝖺𝗇𝗍𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗈 𝗅𝖾𝖺𝗏𝖾.
𝖠𝗇𝖽 𝗆𝖺𝗒𝖻𝖾—𝗃𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝗆𝖺𝗒𝖻𝖾-𝗂𝗍 𝗐𝖺𝗌𝗇'𝗍 𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗂𝗋𝖾𝗅𝗒 𝗆𝗒 𝖿𝖺𝗎𝗅𝗍.

Overnight, Kate gets ghosted by her girlfriend. She finds herself alone with her insecurities, her anxiety and her panic attacks. As she tries to regain some semblance of control over her life, Ben, the person she loved 23 years ago, offers to take part in an archaeological dig during the summer, during which she can teach .

But 23 years later they have both changed. Both Kate and Ben must face their demons. Ben can't stand his appearance, he suffers from chronic back pain and has to live with scars - both physical and psychological.

As they meet again, they realize that these feelings they had 23 years ago have not disappeared. As the book progresses, we learn about their past and then we follow their new love story.

A love story that is closely linked to mental ilness, and a journey healing.

I really enjoyed reading this book. But no more than that? This book didn't really make an impression on me, I expected to cry, to have my heart torn, but no.

Afterwards, of course it touched me to see Ben and Kate talk about their past and their trauma, it was touching. But the way everything was written, it didn't upset me either.

I still really enjoyed the journey healing part. Seeing Kate reassure Ben and vice versa.

𖤐 𓈒࣪ ᭡ ˖ "𝖨 𝗐𝗂𝗌𝗁 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗅𝖽 𝗌𝖾𝖾 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋𝗌𝖾𝗅𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗐𝖺𝗒 𝖨 𝗌𝖾𝖾 𝗒𝗈𝗎."
𝖧𝖾 𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗅𝖽𝗇'𝗍 𝗅𝗈𝗈𝗄 𝖺𝗍 𝗁𝖾𝗋. "𝖧-𝗁𝗈𝗐 𝖽𝗈 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗌𝖾𝖾 𝗆𝖾?"
"𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝗐𝖺𝗒 𝖨'𝗏𝖾 𝖺𝗅𝗐𝖺𝗒𝗌 𝗌𝖾𝖾𝗇 𝗒𝗈𝗎," 𝗌𝗁𝖾 𝗌𝖺𝗂𝖽, 𝖻𝗋𝗎𝗌𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝗎𝗆𝖻 𝖺𝖼𝗋𝗈𝗌𝗌 𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖼𝗁𝖾𝖾𝗄. "𝖠 𝗁𝖺𝗇𝖽𝗌𝗈𝗆𝖾, 𝗇𝖾𝗋𝖽𝗒 𝖵𝗂𝗄𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖢𝗈𝗐𝖻𝗈𝗒."

At one point I thought about dfning this book. I read without really investing myself much more than that. But I really wanted to know how it was going to end so I continued.

I think it's a good book, but it's not what I expected.

The archaeological aspect was quite nice. But the biggest strength of this book I would say is the fact that it addresses mental illness, how a person's words can hurt and scar, how hard it can be to get better, to accept yourself. That's what I liked the most I think, seeing how Ben and Kate were affected and how little by little, together, they were able to move forward at their own pace.

𖤐 𓈒࣪ ᭡ ˖ 𝖡𝖾𝖼𝖺𝗎𝗌𝖾 𝖪𝖺𝗍𝖾 𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾𝖽 𝗁𝗂𝗆, 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖥𝗋𝗂𝖽𝖺 𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾𝖽 𝗁𝗂𝗆, 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖪𝖺𝗍𝖾 𝗅𝗂𝗄𝖾𝖽 𝖥𝗋𝗂𝖽𝖺, 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖥𝗋𝗂𝖽𝖺 𝗅𝗂𝗄𝖾𝖽 𝖪𝖺𝗍𝖾.
𝖤𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗒𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗐𝗈𝗎𝗅𝖽 𝖻𝖾 𝗈𝗄𝖺𝗒.

Regarding the romance, it was beautiful to see Kate and Ben together. But I think it happened a bit suddenly? at least, I didn't feel any chemistry between them, or anything that would allow me to say that it was an incredible romance. It was cute, and sweet, but nothing more.

𖤐 𓈒࣪ ᭡ ˖ "𝖪𝗃𝖺𝖾𝗋𝖾. 𝖨𝗍 𝗆𝖾𝖺𝗇𝗌 𝖽𝖾𝖺𝗋 𝗈𝗇𝖾, 𝖽𝖺𝗋𝗅𝗂𝗇𝗀."
"𝖮𝗁. 𝖨 𝗅𝗂𝗄𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍. 𝖲𝖺𝗒 𝗂𝗍 𝖺𝗀𝖺𝗂𝗇?"
"𝖪𝗃𝖺𝖾𝗋𝖾."
"𝖮𝗈𝗁. 𝖠𝗀𝖺𝗂𝗇."
𝖧𝖾 𝗅𝖺𝗎𝗀𝗁𝖾𝖽. "𝖪𝗃𝖺𝖾𝗋𝖾!"
"𝖠𝗀𝖺𝗂𝗇," 𝗌𝗁𝖾 𝗌𝖺𝗂𝖽, 𝗌𝗍𝖾𝗉𝗉𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖼𝗅𝗈𝗌𝖾 𝗍𝗈 𝗁𝗂𝗆, 𝗀𝗋𝖺𝗓𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗅𝗂𝗉𝗌 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝗁𝖾𝗋𝗌.
𝖧𝖾 𝗀𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗇𝖾𝖽 𝖽𝗈𝗐𝗇 𝖺𝗍 𝗁𝖾𝗋, 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗌𝗁𝖾 𝗌𝗁𝗂𝗏𝖾𝗋𝖾𝖽 𝗐𝗁𝖾𝗇 𝗁𝖾 𝗐𝗁𝗂𝗌𝗉𝖾𝗋𝖾𝖽 𝗂𝗍 𝗂𝗇𝗍𝗈 𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝖾𝖺𝗋.

Thank you, the author, Netgally.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I loved this book so much!! Although I am younger than the characters, I related to them very well, and it was a nice change to read about middle-aged characters, since many books that I read have younger main characters.

I really enjoy reading books with archaeology and anthropology, since I studied anthropology in college. This book included a great balance between the archaeology and romance!

It was such a great plot idea for Kate and Ben to reunite while working/teaching at an archaeology field school, after meeting at the one they attended as students many years ago. I love the parallels between their experiences at each field school.

The romance was written so well! It was a very realistic portrayal of two people with personal struggles coming together and seeing the best in each other. I enjoyed seeing how they became each other’s safe place, and helped each other work towards a place where they could heal.

I would love to read more about Kate and Ben! (Possibly continuing to teach together at the field school in the future?)

As a side note, I love how Kate was interested in going to Interstate State Park, and that it was mentioned several times in the book! I am from Minnesota, and that is one of my favorite State Parks to visit, so I can definitely understand her enthusiasm!

Tropes:
- Second chance romance
- Being each other’s safe place
- Mutual long-term crush
- Slow burn
- Romantic tension
- Friends to lovers

Representation:
- LGBTQ+
- Mental health, including anxiety, depression, and body image issues
- Physical disability
- Chronic pain
- Relationship issues and divorce

Favorite quote:
“If he were brave, he would tell her how he was falling in love with her, that it wasn’t only the idea of her but all of her, including the parts she worried were unlovable.”

In Colorado, Kate is reeling: her long-term, live-in girlfriend has just left without warning or explanation, she's turning to alcohol and pills more and more often in order to sleep, and she still has lingering thoughts of what could have been.

In Norway, Ben too is struggling: his marriage being over is one thing, but his teenage daughter slowly rejecting him is another. Add to that an injured back and a changing body that he hasn't made peace with, and his day-to-day existence feels tenuous.

What connects them: decades earlier, they met on an archeological dig; they've stayed very loosely in touch, but both of them have always wondered: what if that was the one? And now, back together on a dig in Newfoundland, they have the chance to explore that.

I read another novel set at an archeology dig a year or so ago, so my interest was piqued when I saw the similar (well—not all that similar—but related) setting here. Kate and Ben both have extensive experience and a genuine love for their jobs, which I appreciate; there's a fair amount of drama and tension within the book, but (almost) none of it has to do with people behaving badly at work. Instead, the story is largely an exploration of two people who are not really young any more, and bringing some baggage to the table, and both determined that even when they cannot make seek the best for themselves, they can help the other seek more positive things.

There are some places where I'm not sold: the exes get a bit unnecessarily evil (which is always a pity in books that are otherwise aiming for character complexity), the proofreading gets a bit shaky, and I would have loved more archeology scenes and details. But I found the dynamic Kate and Ben develop to be really satisfying—like, they're both very clear on the fact that if it comes down to Ben's daughter or his new romance, Ben will pick his daughter; it should be a obvious thing but is something that I don't see come up all that often in fiction. Or: sex is a part of the book (not a huge part), and one of the points there is that these are not twentysomethings who spend hours at a time on every position imaginable; they are humans with human limitations, and that's okay. Or: there are moments of insecurity here (plenty of them), but never the cheap shots of small misunderstandings that rapidly become gulfs.

I'm not sure how best to categorize this: there are elements of romance, but it feels more like a coming-of-(middle)-age story in a lot of ways. Two people growing up and figuring it out. Either way, it made for a satisfying read.

Thanks to the author for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

This was a sophisticated romance novel with some heavy subject matter, but I loved all of it. A second-chance romance is a forever favorite of mine, and I was rooting for Ben and Kate from page 1. Loved the archaeology setting, the treatment of mental health, the older characters (with REAL bodies), and the supporting characters, as well as the masterful writing. Would definitely recommend!

they say don’t judge a book by its cover, but with this one, you kind of can! a BEAUTIFUL cover for a BEAUTIFUL book!

the cover is initially what drew me in, but after reading the description, i was sold. i’ve found myself commonly enjoying novels with older (in this story, they’re in their 40s) main characters. i think it has something to do with maturity and communication!

this is a kind of second chance situation — the characters both crushed on each other back in undergrad, but choices led them down different paths. now, they’re back together, and the circumstances are ripe for reconnection!

i liked how weald divided the book into four different parts; they’re paced very well. i don’t think this is like the best book i’ve ever read, or my favorite, but i think there’s something in kate’s and ben’s stories (both together and apart) that is very special.

i would recommend this book to anyone! i loved it, and struggled to put it down. once i was in the thick of it, i just wanted to finish it!

#netgalley