The Heartbreak Cafe

Lakeview #1

by Melissa Hill

When a baby is found on the doorstep of The Heartbreak Café in Lakeview, everyone asks - what sort of parent would abandon their child?

Hollywood actress Ruth Seymour is home for the summer. But has an ill-advised fling with a handsome co-star resulted in a seriously unplanned consequence?

Jess feels increasingly left out as the only non-mum amongst her friends. Terrified she might lose them altogether, she embarks on becoming a mother too. But is she really ready?

Nina has come to Lakeview live with her estranged father, Patrick, after a bad break-up. But will she ever dare tell him about the secret she is concealing?

One thing's for sure: someone knows more than they're telling. And the truth won't stay hidden forever...

Genres: Chick Lit, Romance, Fiction, Contemporary, Mystery, Contemporary Romance, Ebooks

384 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Melissa Hill is a USA Today bestselling author living in Ireland’s beautiful County Wicklow. Her page-turning contemporary novels of family, friendship and romance are published worldwide and have been translated into twenty-six languages.

A Hollywood adaptation of her international bestseller Something from Tiffany's, by Reese Witherspoon's production company Hello Sunshine and Amazon Studios, was released worldwide in Dec 2022.

Other novels including A Gift to Remember and The Charm Bracelet have been adapted for screen by Hallmark Channel USA, with multiple other titles currently also in development for film and TV.

For more info, visit her website at www.melissahill.info

Facebook: facebook.com/melissahillbooks

Instagram: @melissahillbooks

Melissa also co-writes forensic thrillers with her husband under the pseudonym Casey Hill. http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This author never disappoints me, she is my go-to author when I want to be guaranteed a good read.

Four stars.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was easy reading, to the point of being so lightweight I was glad to finish it. The main characters - all 30-something females - were so shallow and obsessed with what they wanted out of life and how they compared to others, particularly when it came to either career or babies. I lost count of the times I thought 'oh for goodness sake...' as I read about one or other of them. I will try other books by this author, but can't honestly say I would recommend this one.

[HrpaKnjiga · Rating 3 out of 5]

Čini li mi se samo ili je Znanje prije imalo bolje naslove u KDS ponudi?

Kad sam u zaostatku sa svojim popisima čitanja, najviše volim uzeti neki chick-lit koji će me vratiti u normalnu rutinu čitanja. Iz tog sam razloga zgrabila ovu knjigu koja mi je na polici nepročitana stajala već 2,3 godine. Štivo je zaista pravi lagani chick-lit koji govori o trima različitim ženama čija se sudbina isprepliće kad ih put dovede u maleni irski gradić Lakeview. Svakako preporuka za nadolazeće ljeto.

[Jessica (Jess Hearts Books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a HUGE fan of Melissa Hill, I’d even go as far as to say that she’s my favourite chick-lit author. I’ve read five of her novels to date and have thoroughly enjoyed each and every one of them but The Truth About You is on a whole other scale and has quickly become my favourite.

What I love most about Melissa’s books is her ability to keep me totally absorbed from start to finish. I’m a big fan of chick-lit don’t get me wrong but unless its well written and offers something original I easily become bored of the easy going boy meets girl type story. However Melissa Hill always brings to the table something fresh and interesting and never do I get bored of her stories! Melissa expertly entwines everything that I love about chick-lit- the romantic love story, the lovable funny heroines, the feel good writing style- with a fast paced plot full of twists and turns with a delicious dash of mystery surrounding the story making for a compelling, indulgent read.

As is the norm with all of Melissa Hill’s books The Truth About You took me on a rollercoaster of a ride. One minute I thought I knew exactly how the book was going to end and then in the next few chapters Melissa would have me completely re-guessing myself with a new discovery being thrown into the mix. Melissa’s books are unpredictable and fresh and as always this books conclusion completely took me by surprise and blew me away leaving me back tracking through the book wondering how I didn’t pick up on the clues Melissa subtly leaves along the way. I love being taken by surprise and Melissa’s clever twists never disappoint.

As well as the compelling plot The Truth About You is chock full of fantastic, full bodied, characters. I loved the way this book was told from the alternate perspectives of Nina, Ruth and Jess. The girls are all very different despite having the one big thing in common and I found switching between their perspectives fresh and interesting to read. Ultimately I loved how as you get further into the book the women’s lives all begin to entwine and we got to see them face the prospect of motherhood together. Melissa Hill’s characters are very real and honest in that they make mistakes but as the reader I could always see where each girl was coming from and never judged them despite each woman’s insecurities over becoming a new mum and the ultimate decision of whether they should keep their baby.

I absolutely adored this book. It’s by far the best chick-lit novel I’ve read this year and my favourite by Melissa so far. If you’re a fan of this author you won’t want to miss this new instalment. And if you’ve not read anything by this author yet I highly recommend that you do! If you’re looking for an excellent summer read that will keep you on your toes this is the book for you.

[Tiffany Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a cute read but some of the women in the book made me want to slap them they were so infuriating at times and for thirty year old woman not very smart. It was different how the book had separate story lines that ended up meshing together which was interesting and it had some twists to it as well. The book has a lot about babies and pregnancy. Also a lot of grammar errors which could've been easily avoided by proof reading, but all in all a cute read

[Babi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Uma leitura leve, que retrata a vida de três mulheres numa aldeia irlandesa.
Lê-se muito bem e não é nada maçador, o que é óptimo para quem procura um livro para descontrair.

[Edina Livnjak · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lagano štivo za ugodno čitanje u zimskim danima. Knjiga je zabavna, ali meni su zasmetale određene stvari što mi je na kraju pokvarilo ukupni dojam.
Radnja knjige se najvećim dijelom odnosi na majčinstvo, izazove s kojima se susreću majke i buduće majke. Učinilo mi se da autorica dosta potencira da karijera i normalan život žene nestaju s rođenjem djeteta. Logično je da se mijenja situacija, ali trudnoća ne mora uvijek podrazumijevati prestanak radnog odnosa, preseljenje u mali gradić i zakopavanje u kuću i pelene.
Jedna od junakinja u knjizi, Džes, postaje opsjednuta uklapanjem u kliku majki, njenih prijateljica koje je isključuju jer još uvijek nema potomstvo. Džes "pametno" odluči da je vrijeme za proširenje porodice, i bez znanja svog supruga prestaje uzimati kontracepciju. Njena situacija se u knjizi lijepo razriješi, bolje nego što zaslužuje. Ipak, smatram da je to užasno neodgovorno, te da pokazuje da ona zapravo nije spremna da bude majka, s obzirom da se ponaša kao nesigurna tinejđerka.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really is my cup of tea. All the characters are likeable, except for Emer and Deirdre that is. Some people might say that there were just too many characters to digest, but for me, I can always refer to the summary at the back of the book, to remind myself who is who. The twist was.. well, unexpected, I'd say.

The only problem I found with this book is the main issue itself- babies and pregnancy, since I'm not married, nor am I having a baby, lol. But that's not really that big of a deal since I still can relate to it.

I like Nina's character most, since she's the calmest and friendliest one among the other women in this book. And of course, Charlie. He's sooo... sensible, in a way, compared to Ruth.

Looking forward to reading other books by Melissa Hill!

[Andreia]

PT - https://d311nh4.wordpress.com/2016/01...

[Jodie- Readthewriteact · Rating 4 out of 5]

For me this book was about identity. The three main characters are tied by pregnancy which is a given, but underneath that is their internal struggles. Each one of them enters their journey from a different place and they all are somewhat forced to discover who they truly are before they make a decision about their children. The three separate, yet intertwined stories were all compelling and I think that different readers will be drawn to different characters. For me this was Jess. Most of my friends are the non-mum Jess’s of the world, so I was drawn to her story. Coming from a place of career success and deciding to shake up that with something as unpredictable as child definitely hit home (even though her initial motivations were questionable).

Yes there were some cliches and some seemingly unlikely situations in this novel, however, these were overshadowed by the captivating story line. Overall this novel is a wonderful story of self discovery with a thread of mystery that will keep you captivated till the very end.

[Anne Pak · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up 3 Ebooks from this series when they were free through prime. This first one was a lot more engaging than I expected. Light read but very enjoyable. I especially enjoyed how the friendships developed with the main women characters. While it was somewhat predictable, there were also a few interesting and realistic plot twists that I wasn't expecting.

[Mariazita · Rating 4 out of 5]

É tão bom ler estes livros, românticos que baste, amizades sinceras, mudanças de vidas.
Uma leitura ligeira , bem escrita e que dá umas agradáveis horas de leitura.

[Loretta · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story and it kept my interest. As part of a series, though, I find I don't have a desire to keep reading in the series which is why I gave it a 3 star rating. The story revolves around a group of women who are connected through The Heartbreak Cafe and marriage/pregnancy issues. For someone wanting to be pregnant but having trouble this would be a difficult book to read as several of the main characters are pregnant.

Goodreads description: One morning in the small town of Lakeview, Ella Harris finds a cardboard box on the doorstop of her cafe. At first she thinks it's her usual muffin delivery but is shocked to find that the box actually contains a newborn baby. But what kind of mother would abandon a defenseless baby like that, and why? Could it have been newly single Nina who, after being rejected by the father of her unborn child, has no choice but to return to Lakeview to stay with her estranged (and slightly peculiar) dad? Or was it Lakeview-born Hollywood actress Eva Seymour, who on the eve of her triumphant return home from LA, has a completely ill-advised fling with a handsome co-star. A baby is certain to ruin her hard-fought-for career. Or perhaps it's happily married Jess who, as the only non-mum amongst her friends, finds herself increasingly left out. Terrified that she will lose them altogether, she embarks on becoming a mother too. But is she really rushing into something she really knows nothing about?

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read the other title version "The Heartbreak Cafe" and I think some characters have different names (weird!!). Soooo many pregnant ladies and none in good marriages or committed relationships. Gads!!! Wanna-be Hollywood starlet, Ruth, is knocked up by her slimy co-start, Troy. Nina is knocked up by her ex-boyfriend who is married with a family. Jess starts out with a lovely, but childless marriage (childless by choice!!) and then decides she is afraid of losing her friends who have children so she quits taking her birth control without telling her husband (gasp!!) and gets pregnant. Emer is in a crappy marriage (hubby is also having an affair) and, in an effort to put her marriage back together, also becomes pregnant. Hated that part. Also didn't like that Nina seemed to be much younger than she actually was. Though I did like her the best.

[Dale Harcombe]

Well, not really read but had enough , that's why no stars at all. Despite the blurbs on the back that told me 'the kind of a book that you can't put down' I did.The characters - Ruth, Jess, Nina and Trish all in their thirties or thereabouts were the most self absorbed shallow characters. I couldn't be bothered with any more with their selfishness. They talked a lot about love but the reality was none of them really had a clue about what real love is. I doubt i'd read another Melissa Hill book if this is a sample.

[Joana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lê-se com a mesma facilidade e desprendimento com que se vê uma comédia romântica.. Não deixa saudades, mas foi bom para limpar da memória algumas histórias muito boas de livros lidos recentemente.

[Farhana Zukri · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

[Rachel Gilbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to the brilliant prologue I spent the entire book trying to second guess what would happen, and trying to work out just how it fitted into the stories being told. My mind must have come through many different possibilities while I was reading the story. There are 3 fantastic storylines in this book, with three women who all have one major thing in common. The mystery in the book also kept my attention, and I was thoroughly engrossed in reading this.

[Manuela75 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lettura carina e leggera, con un bella trama e suspance dovuta alla proroga che ti porta a chiederti chi sarà il neonato...Non ho apprezzato molto la storia di Ruth e Charlie un po' troppo sbrigativa e superficiale, e sono un po' stanca dello stereotipo che le neo mamme sono tutte un fuori di testa e i mariti le tradiscono. Ho adorato Jess e Brain che hanno dato prova di forza individuale e nel loro matrimonio.

[Nicki Conroy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great reads

I love visiting Lakeview. The residents are wonderful and live old friends. Great collection of books. So yourself a favor and read them all.

[Jayne Clarke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it, page turning and the finish gave me happy tears

[Deborah O'Regan · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like Chick lit, this is a great book. Nice easy read . Melissa Hill always comes up trumps.

[Amanda Sauer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok good chick lit. I think I got it for free on kindle at some point so I liked having it on my phone for when I don’t have a book. Might read the others I. The series... grew on me by the end

[Twobchelm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful story of women helping women even when dealing with their own issues

[Judy Churchill · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a lovely story. I ADORED this book. Many lives intertwined with lots of different outcomes. All containing love, healing and growth.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a fun light read. Most of the female characters either have children, are desperate to get pregnant, or have unwanted/unintentional pregnancies. They are rather superficial thinking about what the other women think of them etc. and/or they are completely self-centered and have no thoughts about their actions and how they affect those around them. Something I found unbelievable was that absolutely none of them even seriously contemplates abortion. I think this is sad in that considering their situations it seems unrealistic and kinda Christian-y/preachy (to me). Also, it is a missed opportunity to discuss it and bring about the humanity about the situation and the difficulty of making such a decision instead of immediately dismissing it as "something I would never do." There are some mysteries and secrets that are uncovered and different plot lines that are still able to be followed without getting lost/confused. If you can stand the self-centered and mostly silly women that make up the book, though in truth Nina was my favorite even though she seemed quite young for her age.

I liked how there was a male character, Nina's father Patrick, who is on the autism spectrum (they describe him as having suspected Asperger's). As a character I saw in him many behaviors etc. that my brother shares and suspected that he was on the autism spectrum before it was brought up at the end of the book. What I disagree with on a huge level though, is how Ella (one of the characters) describes and talks about Asperger's and how it differs from autism. It makes it out like they are cookie-cutter (all the same) and that if you have autism you are always shut off in your own world, and when you have Asperger's you live in the regular world but you don't know how to be in it, which I feel is an over-generalization and not necessarily an appropriate description. Those with Asperger's also have their own strengths/weaknesses/difficulties etc. (just like allistic people) and to state that they all cannot form human connections and feel absolutely nothing towards the people in their lives is such an unfair statement to me. I don't think Hill meant to intentionally create a character that is an unfair representation of an entire community but when there are so few characters and representations out there you have to be careful of what you write. Now people have read this and think they know what Asperger's Syndrome and autism are and they have been given an *extremely* out-dated and incorrect representation.

So if you're reading for fun this book is a nice simple read. If you have any interest or particular feelings about neurodiversity, or a book about a group of women entirely centered around motherhood, some things will likely upset you.

[Milena Meja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trudnice, njih 4, u zapletima koji su uvjerljivi, stvarni, mogući. Lagana knjiga, neopterećujuća a drži pažnju pominjući i neku vrstu autizma, postporođajnu depresiju, karijeru vs. bebe, neželjeno dijete, željeno dijete, osud sredine, položaj nemajke u društvu, usvajanje djece, selo vs. grada, žutu štampu...

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Heartbreak Cafe in Lakeview, Ireland is in the center of town, owned and run by big-hearted Ella and starts with an unexpected delivery one morning before she opened. It was a doughnut box on her front doorstep but no doughnuts but a new born baby.

The story then proceeds to introduce several young women in various relationship and several of them expecting. Nina has returned to Lakeview to live with her father when she has nowhere else to go after a break-up with a boyfriend. Jesse is visiting Emer in Lakeview and gets pulled into the want-to be a mommy craziness, Ruth returns from Hollywood a big star looking for some peace and quiet and a visit with her parents, which doesn't work out that way and all together the character development and interaction makes for a good book where the mystery about the baby left thirty years ago is solved but it wasn't what was expected.

The Heartbreak Cafe offers romance, loss, family problems, growing relationships, and people coming to understand one another, accept them with their flaws while loving them in different ways. The importance of friendship, trust and loyalty are also themes covered in the story packed with emotional ups and downs.

[Joana Gonzalez (Elphaba) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Esta é a história de três mulheres díspares entre si, de três mulheres iguais a tantas outras que vão amadurecendo e crescendo com o tempo, com emoção. São três mulheres que, num singular Verão, guardam os seus segredos, se redescobrem e mudam as suas vidas, irremediavelmente, e para sempre.

Tudo Sobre Ti é um romance hipnotizante que envolve o leitor nos desígnios de se ser mulher, de amar e, acima de tudo, de desejar encontrar respostas ao seu destino. Com personagens sensíveis, que rapidamente se entranham no leitor, esta é uma narrativa muito doce e que no final me deixou saudades.

Esta foi a minha estreia com a autora Melissa Hill e apenas me arrependo de não ter experimentado antes. A sua escrita é leve e cuidada, transmitindo de forma descontraída mensagens belas sobre ligações e afectos. Uma presença indispensável para qualquer estante feminina que se preze.

Opinião completa: http://historiasdeelphaba.blogspot.co...

[Marisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first Melissa Hill book I read and I certainly was not let down after hearing how fantastic her books are. I was convinced at three or four times that I knew exactly what was going to happen and what the answer to the pseudo-mystery was, but I was still surprised in the end.

This is a great example of a novel that intertwines a variety of stories into until they all merge into one fantastic story. The chapters alternate from the variety of perspectives providing a variety of clues looking back at the story. I found this a nice light book that had me wishing for summer and thinking of the beach.

Who should read it? Chick lit fans looking for something that its certainly out of the norm.

See all my reviews and more at www.ReadingToDistraction.com or @Read2Distract