Experience all the feels in this unforgettable, second chance, standalone romance from #1 New York Times bestseller Lauren Blakely!I didn’t break her heart, and she didn’t break mine — we broke each other’s.I never stopped loving her, but time and distance played its cruel role in ripping us apart three years ago when she moved halfway around the world. Now after all those endless miles away, … those endless miles away, she’s returned . . . but I’m not the guy I was before.
Beautiful, kind, and loving, she’s the same — my hope. The only one who can make a day better, who can make me feel again with one kiss, one touch, one night.
There’s so much I have to put back in place now that I’m alone and on my own. Things I never wanted at the age of twenty-five. When I receive an unexpected letter that might hold the clues to everything I desperately need to understand about my family, I’m sure I have to follow it. But that means leaving her once more.
She says she’ll come with me, and having her by my side will unbreak my heart . . . or destroy it.
That’s the chance I have to take.
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Andrew Peterson is no stranger to loss and heartache, but this time around he’s struggling to find his way back from the dark despite the efforts of his friends and family. When a letter arrives and leaves him with yet more questions, he’ll embark on an emotional journey to look for the answers that might give him the inner peace he craves so badly.
Holland St. James is the girl he’s always loved, the one that moved away after one perfect summer together and is now back in town. Andrew will ask her to come along on his trip and they’ll embark together on the journey of their lives.
Unbreak my Heart is a different kind of second chance romance. Though both Andrew and Holland want to find the path that will bring them back together, this story is more about Andrew finding his way to mend his broken heart in order to fully give it to her. It’s a beautiful, heartbreaking story about love, selflessness, learning to heal oneself and making amends.
Through this journey Ms. Blakely takes the reader on an emotional tour as seen through the eyes of a grieving man on his quest to come to terms with an immeasurable loss and a way to stay with the woman he loves.
How do you transition from fighting cancer to learning how to let go of life?
Andrew is still in the midst of mourning his brother. As tight as they were in life, there are pieces to the puzzle of his death that remain a mystery. Ian died of cancer… but the months leading to his death, his decisions and journey to his last breath, are like a blurry essence Andrew must uncover and face. As he attempts to deal with his loss, Andrew also must find what he really wants out of life. This is the first time in his life he must deal with his emotions without the support of his brother.
Dealing with losses from different causes makes Andrew seek emotional crutches. Losing Ian to cancer. Losing Holland, the woman he loves, to a destiny away from him… an ocean away! Losing his parents after an accident. And the loss of friends and family who have been there for him but he has not acknowledged. This book is his journey to healing and moving on with his life.
This is an emotional story you will not soon forget. Be cautioned… keep the tissues close at hand. As you read this book, you will also journey mentally through all the emotions that come with accepting death awaits us all and how we live our lives is really what matters.
I am voluntarily reviewing this book. I thank the author for sharing this book with me.
Unbreak My Heart by Lauren Blakely was different than anything I have read by her in the past. This is a story of loss, grief, family bonds, friendships, second chances, hope and redemption. This is a story full of all kinds of feels and you heart will break and soar.
I found the romance in Unbreak My Heart secondary to the story of Andrew. Andrew has suffered a huge loss and though his life was set out in front of him, he is now floundering. He knows two things, he is hurting and he loves Holland. But before he can ask Holland for a second chance, he needs to rediscover himself and his new normal.
Holland loves Andrew but does not want to be his crutch. She wants to be his everything and vice-versa. Andrew loves Holland more than anything, but understands he needs to get himself together. So, begins his journey of self-discovery and hope for the future. I loved Holland and Andrew, even through Andrew’s darkest moments, he found solace in Holland and the love they shared.
Unbreak My Heart by Lauren Blakely was an emotional story of loss and second chances. The characters and their journey will touch your heart.
Read and reviewed for Reviews From The Heart.
Happy reading!
Lauren Blakely is a new-to-me author. Everyone is saying that this book is very different from her other writings, so I can’t really say if I’d read more of her books. Yet. But I can say that I truly enjoyed this book! Before we get to all of that though, let’s do a quick synopsis of Unbreak My Heart.
Andrew has just finished law school and should be on the top of the world. He’s young, handsome, and loaded. But he’s lost everything… his parents a few years ago, and now his beloved brother is gone, stolen from him by cancer. And his only love? Well, she’s back. But in what capacity?
Holland came back to California to be Andrew’s brother’s nurse during his last days. She’s loved Andrew for as long as she can remember. But will they be able to put their relationship back together and overcome big obstacles like Andrew’s grief and the physical distance between their homes?
While this is a romance, it’s so very much more. It’s a combination of a coming-of-age story, a young man’s journey through the grief process, and how a couple grows and matures… together, as well as apart.
Unbreak My Heart resonated with me on so many levels. My husband and I met and dated when we were in high school, yet it took more than 12 years for us to figure everything out, grow, and mature enough to be an adult couple. And the grief process gripped my heart particularly hard at this point because I’ve been walking that road for nearly a year now, after the loss of my dad. And you guys know how much I love a second chance romance! Again… this story was so much more than that, though.
NICUnurse’s Rating: I give this book 4.75 stars, hands down! The only reason I’m even taking ¼ of a star away is because I would have loved to have seen a bit more of how Andrew processes everything he’s going through and more emotion when it comes to all these epiphanies that hit him along the way on his journey in Japan. But guys… this was a fabulous read! So fabulous that I’m almost nervous to read another of Lauren Blakely’s books if this really is as different as everyone is saying it is. I enjoyed her writing style, with its mix of emotions… angst, anger, pain, and even a bit of humor. And I really loved how Andrew and Holland were both strong enough to not use each other as a crutch. OK… no more because I’ll fall into spoiler territory, and I hate spoilers! Just trust me and read this book!
I loved Andrew and Holland’s story. The way they know each other. The way they look at one another. The way they love. The way they explore their bodies, minds, and souls. It’s everything but is it enough? An ocean separated them before. Will it again?
Overall…I adored everything word. The journey. The discoveries. The love. The heat. The heart. The city. And of course, the characters.
This is definitely different to what I am used to from this author. It was very heavy, so emotional and extremely sad. It is a well written tale that is not only a second change romance, it’s also heartbreaking and dealing with a little sole searching.
Andrew has experienced more than any twenty-five year old should have to. He has relied on his brother Ian in so many ways that they were each other’s best mate. Now that’s gone. There is only one person left to give him any sense of normalcy and family. Holland wants to be that person for Andrew, but it has to be for the right reasons. She then travels with him as he makes a journey of self discovery and gets more of an insight to his brother’s life in Japan. Andrew is not the only one who learns things about them self. Holland realizes she has incredible strength that is tested when dealing with all of Andrew’s issues. She is patient with him in giving him space to work through his grief. I think she’d make an excellent mother in the years ahead.
While I found the first half of the book quite depressing, I was only misty while reading the last letter. I was glad the tempo became more uplifting as the book progressed. It is not actioned pack in the sense of activity, more that it’s packed full of angst and emotions. As long as you know that going in, you will enjoy this novel.
Part of the journey that life takes us on if the journey to find our happy, and to find what completes us.
This is different for everyone, it takes different shapes and different things are important.
Finding the happy, and being whole, also requires loss. Sometimes the loss is temporary and other times, it’s permanent. But how you get through, how you move past it, and how you find your happy is what makes you whole.
When we meet Andrew, he’s grieving the death of his brother Ian, his inability to move past it bothers him, but is also normal as it has only been a few weeks, so he’s entitled to be a little broken, a little fragile, and a little angrier at things (like badly parked cars) than maybe he is normally.
Holland helped care for Andrew’s brother during his final days, and she’s Andrew’s ex. An ex he never totally got over because their relationship didn’t end so much as hit a hurdle they couldn’t get over.
Holland is Andrew’s crutch, in many ways. And, as you would be, I think, is afraid that he needs her because he’s grieving, not because he needs HER.
This book is beautifully written and is Andrew’s journey from grief and being broken, to understanding of the choices of others, to seeing how much those around him matter, and to finally being able to let go and be at peace. It’s his journey to being whole.
Yes, this book made my cry. But, just like Andrew, after the tears, it also left me whole.
I recommend this title.
* *A copy of this book was gifted to me from the author and I freely give my honest review**
I couldn’t put this one down!!!!!!
This was a more emotional story than I’ve read from this author before. It was wonderful, insightful and soul searching.
* The storyline is good and the progression is nice and steady
* I feel like I know Andrew and his feelings very well when the story ends. I really enjoyed the love story because it was a love story about all kinds of love, not only romantic love.
The secondary characters are more distant to me but that’s okay because this is Andrew’s journey
* No unnecessary descriptions of surroundings
* It’s enough dialogues to make the story even more intriguing
* Sweet love scene
* I hope you have your handkerchief ready because there will be tears
I felt vey connected to this book because I could recognise Andrew’s grief
5 amazing stars
This was such an emotional second chance love story! Faithful Lauren Blakely readers should note that this is not her typical fun and lighthearted romcom. Unbreak My Heart takes readers on a heartbreaking, but ultimately uplifting, journey through grief and finding one’s true happiness.
I really loved the overall message of the book about being at peace with yourself, appreciating the people in your life, and living life to the fullest. Happiness is different to every person and seeing Andrew discover not only what brought his brother Ian happiness, but also him finding his own was so beautiful. The tone was definitely more somber and serious for the majority of the book, but I feel it was necessary to see Andrew’s full character arc.
His relationship with Holland was so easy and natural, that my heart hurt so much that it had been derailed by timing, distance, and circumstance. Their playful banter and chemistry will make your heart sing and you won’t be able to help yourself from rooting for them to find their HEA. I enjoyed both characters, but was very impressed by Holland and her unwillingness to be Andrew’s crutch/drug as he healed. She could have easily given into her feelings regardless of the complications, but instead she chose to face the hard truths in the hopes of something even better in the future. Holland was truly a fantastic heroine.
Readers may need a tissue or two for this one, but it will be well worth it in the end.
*I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book*
After experiencing more than his fair share of loss, Andrew feels himself slipping away, he’s numb to feelings, everyday is the same; wake up, mourn, and then struggle to fall asleep at night. He has even taken to using his pain and loss to his advantage and convincing his cousin to complete the simplest tasks for him, but he knows before long she is going to stop and force him out of his shell and convince him it’s time to face the world again. But he’s just not ready to…
But then a beautiful and caring nurse wanders back into his life, and she brings memories of a happier time, a time that he has thought of a thousand times, and wanted back. Now that she is back he starts to believe this is their time, even if she is just there momentarily, but pulling her into this disaster he he is currently living in, wouldn’t be fair to her… but he doesn’t think he can survive losing her all over again.
Unbreak My Heart is a gut-wrenching roller coaster ride that is riddled with many highs and lows; one minute you are feeling the unwavering connection between the characters, and the next you are feeling the separation they are creating by fear. This beautifully crafted tale will do a number on your heart and your emotions, you can’t help but feel for Andrew and his unimaginable loss, he darn near broke my heart. But every now and then I saw glimpses of a man who was ready for a change, and a man willing to open his heart to love, and it was hard to not root for that man, no matter how stubborn he happened to be. I thoroughly enjoyed this one; it was well written, full of angst and emotion to tug on the heartstrings, and of course comes equipped with an unforgettable couple with scorching chemistry that brings a little heat to the pages too! Highly recommend this one, I promise you won’t be disappointed with what you find between the pages!!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.
Okay, that was amazing. Such heartbreak, strength, hope, healing and love. But still with the humor and flirting you’d expect from Lauren.
I read this book under the recommendation of someone I highly respect and I was blown away. Unbreak My Heart wasn’t a particularly easy read. There were a ton of difficult things that were tackled over the course of the story, and Lauren Blakely didn’t skirt around them, she faced them head-on and made her readers experience the raw pain and emotion her characters went through.
Unbreak My Heart ran me through the gamut of emotions. Andrew’s journey was arduous and the depth and breadth of emotions he went through while figuring out how to heal – how to love and live again – was richly portrayed throughout the book. Each new revelation, good and bad, brought on a new slew of feelings and Ms. Blakely did a fantastic job of representing the intensity of dealing with grief and trying to find answers that seem too big for one person to deal with.
I loved the outlet and support Holland was for Andrew. He needed her strength and understanding to make it through some of the hardest moments of his life. She also provided him a place to go when no one else wanted to talk about the things he’d lost, the things he had to deal with, the fact he no longer had the biggest part of his support system. And Holland did all of that without letting him become too reliant on her; she made him stand on his own two feet while lending a helping hand when he most needed it.
Second-chance romances are one of my favorite tropes to read; Unbreak My Heart was that and more. I especially loved that there was no hurtful breakup in Holland and Andrew’s past, there was no emotional baggage they had to overcome regarding their relationship. Their history and connection were obvious and intense. I also appreciated that their original coupling was a friends-to-lovers romance because it gave them another layer of foundation to build a future on. Theirs was such a robust and fated connection; I could feel the love they had bleeding through the pages.
I’ve long heard great things about Lauren Blakely, but since rom-coms aren’t my thing I hadn’t read her. When I found out this book was heavier and more tragic, I knew I had to take my chance, and I was not disappointed. I loved her writing style, it felt unique yet still comfortable, almost as if the characters were relaying their story to a friend, rather than narrating their lives. It was refreshing and fun. I hope Ms. Blakely writes more novels outside of the rom-com genre, as this book shows she has a great talent for it.
Another stand-alone that ticks every box once again Lauren Blakey show how diverse her writing skills and talents are with Unbreak My Heart which is a second love story with a twist this wasn’t just one persons heart that got broken when we split up both of our hearts were broken………
This is not your normal Lauren Blakey witty funny romance full of banter this book starts in a very dark place for the hero Andrew who finds himself reaching out for the girl that got away. Holland and Andrew were split up by circumstance rather that choice and both were left broken but now Andrew needs Holland to step up and be strong and help him heal……….
This story will make you cry you will feel every bit of pain that Andrew goes through on his journey to find answers and healing. This is a emotional read that at times is dark and raw but this author has written this story with compassion and I really have to congratulate her because this book is a beautifully written love story that covers love on every level from learning to love yourself before you can love others to loving your family. I loved this book for too many reasons to list here so I’m just going to leave you with please one click Andrew and Holland’s journey you won’t be disappointed.
This book!! It’s not kidding, it will break your heart, but then it’ll put it back together again. Soo, so good.
Andrew Peterson is a young guy who’s been through the wringer and he feels it. Well, actually, he doesn’t. He’s disconnected from his life, having reached the depths of despair and is relying on friends to help him make it through the day. He’s been drawn to the dark side to dull the pain that resides in his heart. There’s only one person who will make it better and even though she’s in his life for now, she won’t be for long.
Holland St. james has loved Andrew for as long as she can remember. They had a sweet, wonderful summer three years ago when they were 22, but they still had school to finish. Andrew his law degree and Holland her nursing. Neither wanted to be apart but Holland’s college was thousands of miles away, across an ocean. They always meant to get back together at some point, but not like this.
Holland worries that Andrew needs her for the wrong reasons, she wants to be there for him, but not as a crutch.
Andrew needs answers to the questions burning a hole in his head and when the chance comes to get these answers he takes it, traveling across that once dividing ocean in search of the truth and everlasting love.
This book torn me up. I cried so hard. It’s so heartbreaking at times but those are more than made up by the heartwarming ones that follow.
Grab a box of tissues and be prepared to use it with this second chance romance.
**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title in exchange for an honest review**
Lauren Blakely is always one of my one-click authors and Unbreak My Heart truly does break your heart and then finds a way to put all the pieces back into place right where they are meant to be. This book is a departure from Blakely’s usual fun, flirty rom coms, but it is still packed with her witty banter, hot sexy times and characters you’re able to connect with.
Andrew is at a place in his life where he is looking for purpose and direction. He’s just lost his older brother to cancer and he’s feeling beyond alone. Having lost his parents only a few years before and not being close to his sister, he doesn’t have a family unit to lean on. The one person he seems to be gravitating toward is the person he lost several years ago after an amazing summer; the girl he has always loved, and still does, Holland.
Holland is back in Andrew’s life, at least for the time being. She is a nurse and her best opportunities are likely not in the immediate area, so her time being around Andrew again is going to be fleeting. She wants to help him, but she also doesn’t want to be his crutch and she also doesn’t want to fall for him again when she knows that it would never work with them so far apart. The two of them are definitely hovering between friends and more than friends and it’s making it difficult on both of them.
Much of the story centers on Andrew’s journey to find answers surrounding his brother’s death and for him to find some modicum of healing. He knows it isn’t going to be easy, but it is something he needs to do to find the closure he ultimately seeks. The path is unclear and with just a few clues to go on, he sets out on an adventure that is going to change things in more ways than he can imagine. This journey is going to help him find peace, understanding and hope.
This is one of the most raw books that Lauren Blakely has written. It’s painful and emotional at times, but it has it’s light moments as well. I ran the gamut of emotions with this book and I truly did feel like all of the pieces were in the exact right spot when we got to the end of the book. Life is about ups and downs and sometimes we don’t understand why things happen, but they do because in the end, you’re going to be exactly where you were meant to be and you’ll be stronger for it when you come out on the other side. I highly recommend this book!
A great emotional story of love, loss and finding it again. Lauren Blakely has a way with words, the feels she evokes in this heartfelt story is everything.
The highs, the lows and everything in between keeps you vested until the end. I highly recommend this read.
Unbreak My Heart…Oh man I begged for this as my heart had splintered into a thousand pieces. From page one, emotions ran through me. The blurb does not give you a hint of what is in store for you. Lauren Blakely is known for the sexy and the laugh out loud moments in her books. So I was amazed to see this side of her with this book. I was not prepared for the tears, the heartache, and the heavy. My first thought was Andrew can’t be the hero of the book. He is too broken and so lost. He is a shell of a man. I was waiting and waiting. Holland comes into the story, and I start realizing this book is going to be different. I am going to be hurting along with these characters.
There is a journey that you will take with Andrew and Ian. This story brings something familiar that I have yet put my finger on. But I will get there. The wonderful characters you will meet make you feel like you are part of a close knit family. The ending had me grabbing for my box of tissue. The emotions had my heart wanting to burst!
Lauren will soften some of these blows with a little bit of friendly banters and the sexy times. I am honored to read this book and experience a different side of the author. Unbreak My Heart blew me away! I need some super glue to piece my heart back up and wait for the healing process! This book has jumped to my #1 Must Read list for 2018!!!
Bravo Lauren Blakely, Bravo!! All the stars for this absolutely stunning story, that was so much more than a love story; it was a learn to live again story. It was a learn to understand and accept the choices people make story. And it was a second chance love story. Andrew Peterson’s journey is a difficult one at times and will certainly make you feel so much. My heart broke for Andrew and I wanted to climb through the pages and hug him so hard. I cried, I laughed, I swooned and finally I felt joy and peace just like Andrew did. Holland has been Andrew’s friend for a while. They started as friends and then became more but then she left to go to nursing school and left him in the process. They reconnect when she comes back but she does not want to be his crutch. She wants him to love her and want her but not to rely on her in order to survive. Holland plays a huge role in his healing process and helps to put his heart back together, but so many other things that Andrew discovers on his own, will be what truly makes the difference for him. I love their relationship and I love how he loves Sandy, his dog. Because how can you not love a man who loves his dog!
While this may not be the typical hysterical sexy romcom this author has been showering us with lately, it is an incredible emotional ride that will stay with you long after you finish reading. This is definitely one of my top 3 reads this year!!
Unbreak My Heart is Lauren Blakely’s most poignant book to date. I was swept up immediately in the difficult journey that Andrew Peterson must follow in order to find his peace. His daily life after his beloved brother’s death is one of mere existence. Andrew is quietly desperate to feel again and to figure out how to go on without his best friend by his side. Imagine his surprise in the realization that the key to his happiness is not just the love he has always had for one Holland St. James, the girl who got away, but the strength to find that little piece of nirvana that lies deep within all of us.
This book is serenely powerful. It is not your usual kind of romance. Yes there is that chemistry that can no longer be denied between Andrew and Holland after 3 years apart. But I loved that Holland cared for Andrew enough to push him to find his way back to her without her being his crutch. The Author once again gives us incredible secondary characters who guide our hero in the most subtle of ways, allowing him to finally grab that “a-ha” moment he so desperately craves. There is true adoration between Andrew and these wonderful people, some good friends and family including the requisite 4-legged companion, and others newfound confidants. As profound a loss he has suffered, not only because of his brother Ian but also his parents some years prior, watching as Andrew realizes just how special his life is, was worth all the pain both he and us as readers had to endure. It just made me feel good. And you can’t get much better than that!
Unbreak My Heart is purely uplifting. I couldn’t put it down once I started and thoroughly enjoyed every single word. I was silently cheering for Andrew and Holland to find their happy and was in Andrew’s corner from the very start. The familiar ease in which Andrew and Holland find themselves (in yet another exotic locale the Author is so fond of) was a joy to read. Even as they fumble around one another, their love is undeniable and the spark between them is always present. And yet this is so much more your typical love story. It’s a cathartic adventure that sincerely filled my soul.
This one is a keeper of the highest degree and I cannot recommend it highly enough. I happily give this book a huge 5+ stars!
I’ve decided to throw all my tears and emotions in a bottle and send them to Lauren Blakely. Yes, I think that’s a great plan considering how she had me reading through watery eyes.
Unbreak My Heart is real, raw and resilient. You will love all the characters and the emotions evoked. The words will wrap around your heart, breaking and piecing you back together.
My favorite quote:
Then I go one way, and she heads another.
Two directions.
Two lives.
Two apartments.
We’re together, but we’re not at all.
Perhaps it’ll always be this way. I cross the intersection and join the sea of people fanning out in all directions. I’m with all these people, but I’m still alone.
This is more than just Andrew and Holland’s love story. Unbreak My Heart takes you on a journey. A journey in which “life” is your map, “love” is your guide, and “healing” are all the stops you make along the way. Which is why I loved the path they took. I loved how everything unfolded and they found their way back.
Never underestimate Ms. Lauren Blakely. She is a wizard with the power to make you either laugh or cry. She delivered, again, an incredible story here. I highly recommend you add this to your list of books to devour and love.