This book deals with societal issues we sometimes don't like to speak about.

It was sexy, it was comedy packed and most of all felt personal. I could relate to the characters and see where they were coming from. It was like a friend telling me their day.

However, sometimes it was hard for me to want to keep reading. It might have to do with these not being my preferred topics I like to read about, as I like to try and avoid "reality" even when reading a romcom or a non fiction.

All that said, I would honestly recommend the book to anyone who is feeling a little down and wants a realistic adventure and a little fun for an evening of book + wine!

Thank you to Net Galley for giving me the chance to read this book in advance of the release date!

4.5 Stars: Gracie Davies and her partner, Lewis, have wanted to have children for years, and even took out a loan to try IVF. She became pregnant with twins and everything looked wonderful, until she had a miscarriage at five months. She spiraled into a depression and things became difficult between them. On one drunken night, Lewis did the unthinkable. Gracie is devastated and couldn't forgive him. She moved in with her sister and young nephew, and had to try and start over. She continues to go to therapy, which helped, and made a new friend, the feisty barista at the local coffee house. She starts to exercise, finds a new job and begins to get her mojo back. She dates, but still loves Lewis, even though she isn't sure she can ever trust him again. Finding purpose in her life with her job as an events planner and setting up a group called "Miscarriage Matters" she begins to heal and figure out what she really wants out of life.

This was a great story that deals with several women's issues. I have to say that miscarriage is also the father's issue, so even though I feel this book is women's fiction, men play an important role. I liked Gracie, although not always what she did or said. She has low self-esteem and often puts herself down. I didn't like the emphasis on weight, not losing the baby weight, being undesirable etc., but, unfortunately in our lives, this is still something that is looked down on. I did like that a couple of the men she dated told her she was beautiful and women with curves were more real than the skinny models. Grace's therapist was an interesting character. He really does help her, but he has problems of his own. Her sister Naomi (aka Nom) was everything I loved about a healthy sisterly relationship. She supported her, but also made her question whether she really knew what she wanted. Jack, her nephew is a delight. This is a story with themes of infidelity, infertility, miscarriage, dating, new beginnings and more. I am not a fan of books with infidelity in them, but it was an important part of this story, and it was also something that the characters learned from and helped to develop their character. If you enjoy books that deal with women's issues, women growing and changing from their experiences, new beginnings and yes, second chances, then I recommend you pick up How to Fix a Broken Heart.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this one.

I really tried to hold up to my end of the bargain and provide a review, but I DNF at appx 27%. I just couldn't connect with any of the characters or the way in which the book was written- it was very jumpy. It has great reviews though so I know someone out there will love this one.

I have read this book before under a different title, but it was so long ago that I don't remember it well, and there were only occasional points in the story that felt familiar and reminded me that I had read it before. The author/publisher notes that this work has been published twice before under two different names. I have very mixed feelings about this book. First of all, I love the primary plot and the growth of the main character. Gracie starts off as very downtrodden, having just been through two very emotional and devastating losses- first a miscarriage of twins, and then the loss of her long-term relationship. As the story progresses, you can see very notable changes in her self-esteem and her approach to addressing this loss. However, there is a subplot involving a man falsly accused of rape that rubs me the wrong way. It feels cursory and does not address this issue in a meaningful way, coming across as flippant. This may have read better in an earlier release of this book, but it is not what you would hope to find now that these issues have been explored more in our society. When the story starts out, most characters are not very likable. If not for the interesting primary plot, and the fact that I did receive this from NetGalley to review, I probably would not have stuck with this book because I did not like any of the characters and did not feel invested. The character growth in the book is good, but seems easily gained and not justified. If I good rate half stars, I probably would give this book partial stars, I would likely give it 2 1/2 stars, but since I cannot, I am rounding up.

This story is a genre of it's own. It's beautiful, brutally honest, sexy, heartbreaking, funny, and full of hope. The characters are complex. I think every reader can find something to relate to. This is my first read by this author and it won't be my last.

This book was heartbreaking. It is about loss, motherhood, miscarriage, and grief. The beginning of this book was hard for me to read, it does pick up and gets heartwarming. This author really knows how to write a book! I had felt many intense emotions while reading it. It is about love, healing, and friendship. It’s about moving on in life, even after traumatic situations happen. I really enjoyed the main female character of this story and felt everything she was feeling. Not all things in life are rainbows and sunshine and this book shows just that. However, we can move on and be happy again.

How To Fix a Broken Heart is about a woman named Gracie, who goes through the loss of her twins and betrayal from her Husband Lewis. She has to have a hysterectomy and is upset to know she will never have a baby. She ends up putting her life back together, after what all she went through. It’s not easy to do, but she does get it done. This is a must read for anyone that has gone through something similar or knows someone that has. It sheds light on a topic that I feel should be talked about more! I give this book a 5 out of 5 star rating!

Thank you to NetGalley, author Nicola May, and Storm Publishing for this advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

This is set to be published on April 16, 2025!

Looking at the cover of this book I would have thought that it was going to be a light hearted romance with a bit of angst, light hearted it certainly wasn't.
This book has a main story with several sub plots, Grace Davis and Lewis Blair have been together for seven years, desperate to start a family they turned to IVF, even though it put them in debt, the pair were delighted when they discovered that Grace was pregnant with twins, sadly at five months tragedy happened when Grace not only lost the twins but also her chance of becoming pregnant again.
This story follows Grace's life as she hits rock bottom and her attempts to claw her way back up. Grace loses interest in everything, including Lewis who then has a drunken liaison, a liaison that Grace couldn't forgive.
Encouraged by her sister Naomi, Grace begins to face the world again, she has liaisons of her own and also finds a purpose that she throws herself into.
The author has covered some very emotive subjects with sensitivity including miscarriages, cheating, body shaming, infidelity and infertility.
I must admit that I was curious to see who Grace would end up with, if anyone, I did however think that the film star thread was a bit over the top.
On the whole an enjoyable story but with lots of triggers.
I received an ARC for this book and my review is voluntary.

Gracie has suffered a tragic loss, and as she lives through her grief, her life implodes. Lewis, her partner, feels shut out, and when he commits the ultimate betrayal, Gracie runs to the only person she can trust, her sister. The story explores grief, loss, infertility's emotional impact and motherhood through Gracie, a courageous and likeable protagonist. Multiple characters interconnect in many ways as Gracie navigates her new life and what she has to do to survive her loss. Throughout this emotional story, the reader invests in the characters, particularly Gracie and becomes immersed in the emotional rollercoaster. I like the relatability of the characters, the emotions the story induces and the storytelling that makes you part of Gracie and the other characters 'lives. It's a story you have to see through to the end, which is believable and satisfying.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Thank you netgalley,publishers and to the author Nicola May for an early copy of this book for my opinion. If you are looking for a book that's going to test your emotions, then this is certainly a contender. A couple of warnings without trying to give too much away, the book does feature some heavy topics around pregnancy and assault and it is rather spicy in parts, but the topics are managed sympathetically and with knowledge. This book really packs a punch, it's heartbreaking and emotional but it's also heartwarming and funny. There is so much about this book to love, you just got to read it for yourself.

I became aware of the book because of the blurb.
The book is profound and funny. Every character plays their part.
The relaxed writing style also ensures that the story is easy to follow and that you can empathize with the feelings of the protagonists and understand their actions well.
The setting is also well described.
Nevertheless, the story didn't quite manage to pick me up. At one point or another, it was a little too superficial for me.
I recommend reading it!!!!

This was a lovely story with some great characters and an amusing storyline.
I absolutely loved this book and devoured it in a matter of hours! The perfect weekend read which I found impossible to put down.

Now I need to read her previous title How Do I Tell You?

This book has just about everything you could want in a fiction book. A story of tragic loss, betrayal, new beginnings, and life-saving relationships, How To Fix A Broken Heart had me laughing and crying within pages of each other. I was legitimately rooting for Gracie the entire book in a way I never have while reading fiction. Nicola May does a fantastic job creating a world of realistic characters with real-world problems and emotions that many authors struggle to emulate. I would recommend this book to any fan of fiction and/or romance. Genuinely loved this book! I received a free ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for this digital advanced reader’s copy.

This wasn’t it for me. I had some huge issues with this novel, most importantly the lack of trigger warnings, the lack of sensitivity the author showed towards sensitive and highly triggering subjects, as well as the overall misogyny. If these were not big enough issues, there were huge problems with pacing, continuity, and there was absolutely no emotional connection to any of the characters. It is impossible to get emotionally connected to anything in this novel because you are being pulled in every direction between the drama and all of the subplots.

I was just not impressed at all and kind of annoyed with how some of these themes were handled. I probably won’t be picking anything else up from this author.

How to Fix a Broken Heart by Nicola May

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

Gracie Davies is at an all-time low. After a devastating loss, the last thing she needs is a colleague hinting over coffee that it’s time to lose her baby weight. Then her boyfriend betrays her, and her world totally falls apart.

Rebuilding her life from scratch – with the support of her free-spirited sister, an unorthodox therapist, and a feisty new friend – Gracie finally begins to get her mojo back. Add in a passionate fling with handsome landscaper Ed, a fairytale encounter with a Hollywood film star and the persistence of her adulterous ex, and life is anything but predictable…

Soon she finds that community, purpose, and perhaps even new love might be the perfect prescription for a broken heart.

But can a heart that’s been so utterly shattered ever trust again?

My Opinion

Nicola May has done it again. How to Fix a Broken Heart is a powerful and emotional novel. Nicola handles some very difficult topics in such a delicate way. Whilst this was not an easy read, I sat and read this in one sitting. Nicola May is a must read author for me, and with books like this it is easy to see why.

Rating 4/5

Sorry to say I really didn't enjoy this book. Not for me. I hardly know where to start. In terms of the subject matter it completely belittled a horrific experience. I found the interactions between the characters weird with everyone calling the women 'sweet' and other patronising terms all the time. The whole thing was mysoginistic and made Gracie out to be shallow.

There was far too much going on which didn't hang together at all.

The false rape accusation sub plot was bizzare and another anti women angle in the book.
To be honest I don't know how this has got through the editing and publishing process. Almost dnf which is almost unheard of for me.

This book had a lot of potential. The topic is not one I come across very often and I do feel it is important to discuss and present in different formats. Infertility struggles are more common or at least more actively discussed today than it was a decade ago, and it is still not spoken about enough.

The problem I had with this novel was the more character based. I didn't like any of the characters, did not feel any connection to them and honestly, they felt a bit stereotypical at times. I have never been to a therapy session as an adult, but I was in therapy as a child. Not once did my therapist ask over and over "and how does that make you feel?". This just sounds like a character in a movie who is thrown into the role to cover for their actual therapist friend while not knowing anything about being a therapist.

Then there are the stereotypical and heavily misogynistic men. The cheating boyfriend who made a drunken mistake and happens to be rip roaring drunk at a bar where the MC's co-worker (who she hates by the way) also happens to be there and they have sex. But it will never happen again because I truly love you (after the horrible things he said to her about the loss of the pregnancy and body shaming her). My eyes could not have rolled more towards the back of my head if I tried.

There is the male boss who is oh so sympathetic and basically let's our MC run with her own schedule even though she is the only employee there, and takes some comment she makes out of context and kisses her because his wife has been turned off of him. What?!?

And finally, I saved the worst for last. The extremely cringe, can't stop winking at you because I think it's sexy and it makes me look sexy, no one knows what his real job is, younger Ed who is also being charged of rape. This subplot was not necessary. It did not add anything to the story. He could have been all of the above things without the rape charge. His interconnection to some side character in the story could have easily been interwoven some other way.

The book reeked of stereotypes, failed or missed subplots, and everyone all of a sudden was pregnant and either facing a loss or had faced a loss. EVERY WOMAN SIDE CHARACTER ended up in some way shape or form pregnant at some point. That was also not necessary.

There was too much going on and nothing of substance or anything adding true value to the story. The writing did not flow. The characters were all over the place. There is no timeline between events so you can't really tell how long has passed from one event to the other. The transitions from events were not clear either. The book was all tell and no show and didn't provide any emotional depth to these characters at all which is a shame because I think if this had been flushed out a bit more, it could have been great.

loved this romance and finding love and remembering love before the one. love the friends and the chemistry between the couple was on fire and loved the banter.

This book will take you on an emotional journey. From breaking your heart, to laughing, to finally healing your broken heart. A beautiful tear jerking experience

How to a fix a Broken Heart by @author_nicola a review for NetGalley and @rachelsrandomresources @stormbooks_co Gracie Davies is grieving after a devastating loss and her life gets worse from her, so much so that she has to rebuild her life from scratch. Gracie has the support of her sister, great friends and her therapist. But the journey through her grief isn’t an easy one. To begin with this could a triggering read for some, as it talks a lot about baby loss. Having said that and from someone that has experienced miscarriages, it’s refreshing to read a work of fiction that writes with honesty, with an openness and a rawness about a subject that feel a bit taboo, when you are going through something like this. Yet it feels like the author is writing from the heart and with complete respect for what she is writing about. I felt all this very early on in the book when Gracie is having a conversation with another character who has just had a miscarriage, Gracie despite her own loss listens with a open heart and I can’t explain how it made me feel, even though my miscarriages were 11 years ago, we now have our beautiful daughter but sadly that was never a given. Now having finished the book I stand by my original opinion and the book is about so much more that baby loss. It’s about passion, mistakes, grief, finding yourself , strength, being honest, relationships and it’s about baby loss effecting men just as much as women and it’s about talking and communicating. I loved this book, I loved Gracie, even though she didn’t always make the right decisions, I admired her strength. Yet I also loved this book because it was funny, it was like watching a soap with that perfect blend of dealing with the heavy stuff and then turning the page to the next chapter and it was full of sex and passion, something this author does so well. I love the authors Ferry Lane series but they are completely different to her stand alone books. For me this book will be memorable in so many ways, it’s a great read, with a great cast of characters all of whom bring something to this story. This book is out tomorrow and I can’t recommend this enough, it’s ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️from me 📚

Rollercoaster of a read. The depth and emotions are contrary to the book cover. Get your tissues ready. Loads of it.