I really enjoyed the concept of this book, it had that romance element that I was looking for and was hooked from the first page. I enjoyed the way the romance element that I was looking for and thought the overall feel worked with this story. It uses the genre perfectly and was hooked and thought the overall storyline worked with the characters. The characters had that development worked in this storyline and was glad it was so well done.Lisa Felkins has a strong writing style and I hope to read more from this series.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Tessa Williams is a medical student from the US doing a rotation in Botswana, Africa. She appears to have it all together, but beneath the surface she’s falling apart. A weekend escape brings her to meet Corey Diallo, her safari tour guide who has grief of his own. What was only supposed to be a brief encounter turns into something deeper.

Wow. This book was amazing and heartbreaking at the same time. It breaks my heart that Tessa spent so much of her life with so little regard for herself or her own happiness! Corey has his own grief he holds, but he is a light in the dark for Tessa. I loved their characters so much. I shed many tears reading this!

“Pain unfurls profoundly beautiful lessons, if we’re willing to listen.”
5 Stars!

Lisa Felkins has delivered a debut novel that hits harder than a hippo protecting its territory – and trust me, that's saying something. "Things That Break Us" follows Tessa and Corey across twelve years and two continents, proving that sometimes the most profound journeys happen when you're standing perfectly still in your own life.

Set between the sweeping landscapes of Africa and the familiar chaos of America from 2007 to 2019, this isn't your typical "doctor finds themselves" story (though there's plenty of medical drama to satisfy your inner Grey's Anatomy fan). Felkins tackles the heavy stuff – abusive relationships, grief, parental expectations that could crush an elephant – but somehow manages to weave in moments of genuine humor that had me snorting coffee through my nose.

Tessa and Corey are beautifully flawed protagonists who feel like people you'd actually want to grab drinks with, assuming they could stop overthinking long enough to show up. The African setting isn't just exotic window dressing; it's practically a third character, complete with wildlife references that somehow make perfect metaphors for human behavior. Who knew meerkats could teach us about anxiety?

What really got me was how Felkins explores that nagging inner voice we all pretend doesn't exist – you know, the one that whispers "maybe your life could be different" while you're stuck in traffic or folding laundry for the thousandth time. The novel asks the big questions about choice and change without being preachy, which is about as rare as finding a unicorn in your backyard.

The medical elements are handled with the kind of authenticity that suggests Felkins either did her research or has spent quality time in hospitals (hopefully the former). The way she portrays the challenge of maintaining professional distance while dealing with terminal illness and human suffering is both heartbreaking and surprisingly funny – because sometimes laughter really is the best medicine, even when everything is falling apart.

My only quibble? Sometimes the timeline jumps felt like trying to follow a GPS with trust issues, but honestly, life rarely follows a straight path anyway, so maybe that's the point.

"Things That Break Us" is the kind of book that sneaks up on you. You think you're reading a straightforward story about two people figuring out their lives, and suddenly you're questioning your own choices and wondering if you dare to listen to that persistent little voice telling you to take a different path.

Bottom line: This book will make you laugh, cry, and possibly inspire you to book a trip to Africa. Felkins has created something special here – a story that's both deeply personal and universally relatable, proving that sometimes the things that break us are exactly what we need to become whole.

Perfect for readers who enjoyed "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo" or "Educated" – and anyone who's ever wondered if they're brave enough to rewrite their own story.

I received an ARC for my honest review.

I was pleasantly surprised with Lisa Felkins' "Things That Break Us." I expected a standard emotional read, but instead I got something more profound, unvarnished, clumsy, and painfully honest. The characters reminded me of people I knew or might have been in the past. Particularly when it came to grieving and self-worth, there were times when it really hit too close to home. Felkins skillfully conveys suffering without romanticizing it while still managing to provide hope. My only little complaint is that the pacing felt a little off in the middle, but to be honest, it didn't lessen the effect. This book made me feel feelings I didn't realize I still carried; it did more than just present a story.

If you are looking for an emotionally moving story please stop what you are doing and add this to your TBR immediately!

Listen, I don't cry when reading... EV-ER!
I broke down and cried reading this and it took more than a moment to gather myself. It also left me pondering for days.

Told from multiple POV's over different timelines.Its about a girl Tessa who travels to Botswana for 2 months for her medical training.

She's literally just out of an abusive relationship (no one was aware of her turmoil), unsure she is pursuing medicine for the right reasons, she's just doing it because she has a strong desire to make her dad proud.

Before she begins training she goes with her friend/group on safari.
There she meets Corey, a safari guide with a penchant for using the F word..Things kind of click between them and they start a friendship with romantic undertones all the while knowing Tessa's time there has an end date.

At training she is forced to work in less than conducive medical environments and systems. She is confronted with jarring medical situations that further question her path and motivation to becoming a doctor.

Corey is her light in the dark tunnel that is the inner turmoil of her mind and with them both carrying pain and insecurities, in a short time they break through each others barriers. Will this be enough to carry them into the future?

(I'm being vague because I don't want to give much away.)

I could really relate a lot to Tessa. Her insecurities, imposter syndrome and her drive to be the perfect daughter. As driven as she was, she struggled so much internally. Corey's pain was also very valid and although I questioned his action I was still very ok with how things worked out in the end.

I am not usually quick to say this, but I think this is my favourite book of 2025 so far!
I loved the author's note too❤️
💯 Recommend!

Many thanks to Netgalley and author for the opportunity to read in advance and share my thoughts.

Gaborone, Botswana, Africa. Tessa Williams is a twenty-five year old American medical student, she and her best friend Liz are about to start an eight week clinical rotation at the Princess Victoria Hospital, and she’s panicking.

Tess might look like she has everything under control, but she feels fake and it’s all an act, one she has been putting on for years, Tess just escaped an abusive relationship, her father has always expected her to follow in his footsteps, and she’s not sure if she even wants to be a doctor.

For their last weekend of freedom Tess and Liz plan to go on a safari, at Impodimo Lodge, here she meets Corey Diallo a South African guide, Tess is drawn to him, he loves his job and she can understand why.

Things That Break Us is told in three parts, from 2007 t0 2019 and set in Africa and America. The emotional and thought provoking debut novel by Lisa Felkins explores many topics, such as abusive relationships, loss of a loved one, parental expectations, how hard it is to be a doctor and separate your feelings from doing your job, terminal illnesses, anxiety and depression, being stuck in a rut and how do you escape this and entity.

This story made me think, the medical system in Africa is very different to western countries, young doctors are thrown into the thick of things and it’s really hard to process everything.

I really liked both main characters Tessa and Corey, the references to the animals we associate with Africa, it’s a narrative about choices, listening to that inner voice, and we all have one and having the strength do what you want and change the path of your life.

Five stars from me, everyone could benefit from reading Things That Break Us and I highly recommend, I had no issue with Corey’s swearing and dropping the f bomb and a warning for those who don’t like bad language.

I absolutely loved this book— from the elephants to the fake Tessa vs True Tessa to the internal conflict surrounding life choices— it is such a reminder that living for others, societal acceptance or what appears “happy” doesn’t lead to true happiness and love. The characters are well-developed and the discussion around grief is so poignant.