Nicola May’s How to Fix a Broken Heart is one of those novels that lingers long after you’ve turned the final page. It’s heartbreaking, yes—but also deeply uplifting.

Gracie Davies thought she had it all figured out: a loving partner, the dream of becoming a mother finally within reach after IVF, and a future full of promise. But when tragedy strikes in the most devastating way and her relationship with Lewis crumbles, Gracie finds herself at rock bottom—grieving, betrayed, and forced to start over.

What makes this book stand out is the honesty with which Nicola May tackles subjects that are often whispered about but rarely explored so openly in fiction: miscarriage, infertility, infidelity, and the slow, complicated road to self-acceptance. Gracie’s voice is raw, flawed, and real—you feel her heartbreak, her anger, her tentative steps toward healing, and eventually, her rediscovery of joy.

The supporting cast brings light into the darker moments—her wonderfully loyal sister Naomi, her cheeky nephew Jack, and the new friends who remind Gracie that life is still worth living. Therapy, running, laughter, and even a bit of romance all become part of her rebuilding process. And while Lewis is endlessly frustrating (and frankly infuriating), his mistakes push Gracie toward growth and self-realization.

This isn’t just a book about loss—it’s about resilience, finding strength in vulnerability, and learning that happiness can look different than what we once imagined. With a balance of humor, honesty, and emotional depth, Nicola May has written something both powerful and hopeful.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A moving, memorable read I’d recommend to anyone who enjoys women’s fiction that doesn’t shy away from real-life struggles but still leaves you with hope.

This is a really great book, and for some maybe a difficult read. I do know these characters are strong and well written. I can say that I cried in this book so be aware you may too. It is a heart warming and in parts hard to read, but to me that means you are really going through it with these characters and that means excellent writing!

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publish for the early Read!

Nicola May delivers relatable emotions and a sweet premise, as its heroine sets out to rebuild her life post-heartbreak. The story offers moments of charm and empowerment, especially through supportive friendships. While the plot has heartfelt intentions, it occasionally feels rushed and some character development could go deeper. Still, it's a light and easy read for fans of contemporary romance looking for a quick dose of optimism.

A story about grief, loss, romance and self-discovery.

But you know what would have fixed that broken heart realistically? Not getting back together with the man who cheated on you after you’d miscarried twins and had a hysterectomy. In my personal opinion.

So much of this book was worth reading. The miscarriage and hysterectomy representation was there and I enjoyed reading from the perspectives of Gracie, Naomi and Maya. Even the other men that Gracie entertained were fun to read about. There was a lot of promise but that ending just disappointed me majorly.

Also haven’t we moved on from the whole “men have dicks and they can’t help making mistakes with them” rhetoric? It’s 2025, hold people accountable. There’s plenty of other fish in the sea as well OR Gracie could’ve just chosen herself in the end?!

So yeah, a bit frustrating. I’d maybe give Nicola’s writing another go but this was a miss for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC.

2.5

This novel strikes a fine balance between depth of emotion and lighter, humorous moments. At the heart of the story is Gracie Davies, who goes through severe loss and betrayal, and then slowly but surely rebuilds herself and her life.

The book is a powerful, life-affirming story of love, grief, and new beginnings. Gracie has been in a relationship with Lewis Blair for seven years, and after several failed IVF treatments, she finally gets pregnant. But at five months pregnant, she loses her twins and undergoes a hysterectomy due to subsequent complications. This tragedy takes a toll not only physically but also emotionally: she loses her sense of femininity, her self-confidence, and their relationship hits rock bottom. Lewis can't connect with her as he used to, and ends up cheating on Gracie with a colleague, Annalize – ‘Madame Perfect’, who is everything to Gracie that she no longer feels about herself.

This is the breaking point that sets Gracie on the path that is truly the heart and soul of the story: the path to recovery. Crushed but determined, she moves in with her sister Naomi – whom I particularly grew to like throughout the story because she is warm, supportive, and provides a safe place for Gracie during this difficult time. This is where a fresh start really begins. A new job, a supportive psychologist, new friends, and relationships all contribute to Gracie finding her way back to herself. While I didn't agree with all her decisions, she grew on me – as did many of the other characters who added colour and layers to the story.

Nicola approaches difficult topics very sensitively: infertility, miscarriage, the challenges of childbearing, adoption, abortion – all topics that are painfully real. Through the stories of Gracie and the supporting characters, the author approaches these issues with depth, yet with subtlety and empathy. It was particularly moving to know that the author's own experiences are reflected in the novel – it made the narrative even more authentic.

At the same time, the mood of the book never becomes depressing. Alongside the serious themes, there are humorous and amusing scenes, and even some spicy ones, which balance the more painful ones. This is what makes the story so real and human.

Overall, “How to Fix a Broken Heart” is a hopeful, honest novel about how even after the greatest losses, there is a way out and that it is possible to rebuild a life – differently, but not necessarily with less. Once again, Nicola May has proved that she can write with sensitivity and care about the most difficult human experiences.

4.5 upped to 5
A book full of very moving moments and heartwarming at the same time. Nicola May delivers another story that mixes heartbreak and life affirming scenes that make me
There’s a very sad beginning and a cast of quirky and supportive people.
Gracie is a women who’s living a sort a nightmare, a moment when everything seems bleak and horrible.
She will be able to recover, to start again. But it’s also the story of moving on and changing.
I enjoyed it and was moved.
Another winner by this beloved author.
Recommended
Many thanks to Nicola May and Rachel’s Random Resources for this digital copy, all opinions are mine.

Sweet, empowering, and full of hope 💔❤️. How to Fix a Broken Heart is a feel-good, uplifting story of healing, friendship, and rediscovering happiness. Nicola May delivers humour, heart, and lovable characters in this delightful rom-com about picking up the pieces and finding love again. I adored the positive message and relatable journey. Perfect for fans of light-hearted, emotional romance.

First of all I would like to say thank to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book absolutely broke my heart, it does cover some very difficult topics which may be hard for some readers and I think trigger warnings should be advised. This book is so well written though and has so many different sub plots that strengthen all of the characters we are introduced to.

Overall a sad but good read - and don’t worry it does have a positive end!

Loved this book. Tackles a very sensitive subject with compassion and ease. Relatable characters and you definitely empathise with their journey.

This book was about heartbreak, loneliness, and finding yourself and communing even after hard times, such as motherhood, miscarriage, or grief.

Sometimes you need to leave your spouse, start running, and learn to love yourself again before you can figure out what you really want in life.

I thought the book was good, but kind of wish it focused on the female experience of coming back to herself rather than her healing herself enough to be with a man again.

How to Fix a Broken Heart by Nicola May is an emotional, heartfelt read that follows Gracie as she tries to rebuild her life after an unimaginable loss, and a betrayal by her fiancé. Her journey includes launching a new venture, navigating a fling with a younger man, and forming new, meaningful friendships.

I appreciated the themes of healing and growth, and Gracie’s personal journey was compelling. That said, some of the plot points felt a bit too unrealistic for me, and the resolution of her love life left me somewhat unsatisfied.

Nicola May’s writing is undeniably beautiful, and I also read "How Do I Tell You", but I’m starting to feel that her storylines might just not be the right fit for me personally.

This book was a DNF as it was too close to my heart right now and I couldn't sacrifice my mental health to read a book.

I got this book off of NetGalley, which I'm so grateful for. At first I actually requested this book because I think I thought it was a wlw romance, but boy oh boy I'm glad it wasn't, this was so much better (I do still like the wlw ones just this was next level). I still can't define exactly what this book is about except that it literally is how to fix a broken heart, and it did help with my not-so-broken heart. The ending was great, which made me a bit emotional, but u didn't, i learned smt from the book😅. Overall, this is a great book - even for people who are in a reading slump, I just 2 books ago got out of a slump and this was perfect to keep the book-reading streak going (I hope you get what I'm saying).

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

If you're like me then you judge a book by it's cover - and this cover? It's cute, it's silly - it's fun. What is inside however is an incredibly real and heart-wrenching story about love and grief and the heartbreaking sorrow. I was not expecting such intensity in this book and for sure recommend that you check the trigger warnings!! This book is heavy - the top of fertility is hit on heavily and intensely right from the get go. As someone currently struggling with infertility and prior miscarriages - I initially became worried about the triggers but as I read - I found myself feeling seen. This isn't a topic that is often discussed but I really appreciated how it was handled.

Trigger warnings: miscarriage, infertility, and infidelity.

Gracie Davies’s life is turned upside down when she experiences the unimaginable loss of her twins. As if that grief weren't enough, her boyfriend Lewis commits the ultimate betrayal, shattering their relationship and deepening her heartbreak. The novel follows Gracie’s journey as she attempts to piece her life back together—is healing possible after so much trauma?

Nicola May does a nice job weaving together different narratives, connecting characters in meaningful and emotional ways. The story has its share of tender moments, and even a few steamy scenes that add some spark and contrast to the grief-heavy plot.

What stood out most for me were the bonds of sisterhood—not just between Gracie and her sister, but also the friendships she forms throughout the book. Those relationships were the heart of the story and its strongest element.

While it didn’t completely blow me away, I did enjoy this book. It’s a solid, emotionally resonant read with a satisfying ending.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my DRC!

First of all thank you for approving my request!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The authors writing style had me hooked throughout this book.

I didn't want it to end, a book I really couldn't put down.

Unfortunately, I am DNF-ing this book. This book had a very good premise, and I was excited to read, however, I had quite a few issues with the book upon starting. The beginning was a lot of information and not just in normal exposition ways. In the beginning I thought we were going to stay on the female protagonist and her romantic life and her dealing with grief however, when we explore her day-to-day life the story lulls. The POV switches are distinct in that I can tell that there is a new person speaking but not distinct that I can tell specifically who is talking. The world building is also confusing due this. Another thing I found difficult was the dialogue. Now, I am not from the UK, but I have watched a lot of UK shows and read a lot of books written by UK authors but some of the dialogue in this book was so clunky that I couldn't justify it. I think if we stayed with the main female protagonist and followed her through her life, I could've found a succinct through line through the story that would have been beautiful.

This story offers a blend of emotional depth and lighthearted moments, following Grace as she rebuilds her life after trauma and betrayal. While I appreciated the authentic portrayal of her growth and relationships—especially with her sister and new friends—the comedic tone sometimes undercut the heavier themes for me. There’s a bit of spice and romance, making it a solid feel-good read, but if you’re looking for something deeply emotional or serious, this might fall short. Great for readers wanting a lighter take on serious topics.

This book was really heavy subject matter, but beautiful at the same time. It deals with pregnancy loss and infidelity. Grace's character was beautifully written as she tries to rebuild her life while dealing with her grief and trauma. I found the FMC dealing with body shaming issues to be tough to read. This is my second book by this author and she does a fantastic job writing about women's issues and women's POV in general. My 3 star rating is because I did not personally care for the ending. The middle also drug a bit for me. While there is humor in the book, it is not an easy, light hearted read. Having said that, I think this book with really resonate with women who have gone through similar struggles.

Thank you to Net Galley, Storm Publishing, and the author for allowing me to read the ARC and post an honest review.

Self doubt plagues Gracie after miscarriage. In helping others to come to grips with the heartbreak of losing a child, she finds the way back to her self. Break out the tissues. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.