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Make Do and Mend a Broken Heart
When you know how, you can make anything from scratch, including a new life after love...
When Leanne and Richard bought a dilapidated old seaside cottage to renovate together as their forever home, their future was full of hope and promise.
But heartbreak was just around the corner: fast forward a few months and Richard is gone. With his death, Leanne finds herself stony broke, faced with an uninhabitable home and lacking even the basic skills to do it up herself.
With the help of the friendly woman who runs the library and the reluctant assistance of the man who works in the local hardware shop, the cottage is lovingly restored. But broken hearts aren't so easy to fix... are they?
When Leanne and Richard bought a dilapidated old seaside cottage to renovate together as their forever home, their future was full of hope and promise.
But heartbreak was just around the corner: fast forward a few months and Richard is gone. With his death, Leanne finds herself stony broke, faced with an uninhabitable home and lacking even the basic skills to do it up herself.
With the help of the friendly woman who runs the library and the reluctant assistance of the man who works in the local hardware shop, the cottage is lovingly restored. But broken hearts aren't so easy to fix... are they?
- GenresFictionContemporary
259 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 9, 2020
7 people are currently reading
125 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
January 12, 2020
An absolutely lovely and heartwarming read, I adored the theme of recycling/make do and mend and it’s got a lovely very slow burn romance obviously due to nature of the story, some very emotional parts too (or at least I thought because they brought a tear to my eye) but overall just a lovely and homely read. A perfect break away from real life. It’s a hug in a book.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
January 13, 2020
A heart tugging story.
The characters Leanne and Harry sound lovely. The story was clean so would appeal to everyone.
A very easy book to snuggle down with after reading a few crime thrillers.
The characters Leanne and Harry sound lovely. The story was clean so would appeal to everyone.
A very easy book to snuggle down with after reading a few crime thrillers.
January 14, 2020
Oh I absolutely loved this book from start to finish. It had heart, it had community, it had all the feels and I just loved spending time with Leanne over the course of this novel.
Leanne is just a great character to travel this book with. She is hurting and she is healing but she is also determined to be an independent woman. I just loved the strength that she had been if she couldn't always see it herself. I also really loved the way she valued her friends old and new and was willing to try new things in order to be a part of the community.
This book has such a strong sense of community and that is something which is often missing from our modern lives, particularly those of us that live in big cities. I really enjoyed getting to know the town of Rockgate Bay and its residents. I could definitely recognise them from the community I grew up in. Of course the fact that this is a seaside town, gave this book a certain holiday feel and I loved that having lived in a seaside town during off season.
There are crafts galore in this book so whether you are into crafting and DIY or whether you just like to live that life vicariously through fiction characters like me, there is something here for everyone. I did feel like getting behind a sewing machine after reading this, but I'm thinking that might be somewhat ill-advised and I'm not sure where I'd find one.
I just adored this book, it made me feel warm inside and I loved watching Leanne grow over the course of the novel. Highly recommend.
Leanne is just a great character to travel this book with. She is hurting and she is healing but she is also determined to be an independent woman. I just loved the strength that she had been if she couldn't always see it herself. I also really loved the way she valued her friends old and new and was willing to try new things in order to be a part of the community.
This book has such a strong sense of community and that is something which is often missing from our modern lives, particularly those of us that live in big cities. I really enjoyed getting to know the town of Rockgate Bay and its residents. I could definitely recognise them from the community I grew up in. Of course the fact that this is a seaside town, gave this book a certain holiday feel and I loved that having lived in a seaside town during off season.
There are crafts galore in this book so whether you are into crafting and DIY or whether you just like to live that life vicariously through fiction characters like me, there is something here for everyone. I did feel like getting behind a sewing machine after reading this, but I'm thinking that might be somewhat ill-advised and I'm not sure where I'd find one.
I just adored this book, it made me feel warm inside and I loved watching Leanne grow over the course of the novel. Highly recommend.
April 26, 2020
A really lovely heartwarming story, about moving on after becoming widowed.
For Leanne didn't really have much choice, she needed to move into cottage that she had bought with Richard, believing it to be their forever home, just months after he dies, as circumstances meant she couldn't stay living where she was.
On getting to Seaglass Cottage by herself it soon becomes apparent that although it will look fabulous once its done up properly, that its kind of a wreck, but with no money, she has to try to do something.
Meeting the locals in the village and starting to feel some sense of community is great for her, and soon it becomes apparent that Leanne is far more resourceful than she thought, and really is able to make do, and learn new skills.
I really enjoyed seeing how Leanne was able to turn things around, this is not a sad book mired in grief, rather a hopeful one of how you can turn your life around, from the most terrible of situations.
It's just such a cosy story, I loved seeing how Leanne developed, how she coped and all the new friends she was making. There are two special mentions I'd like make - Milo is utterly adorable and always a joy to see him in scenes, and also I really really want to visit the ice cream parlour on the beach front, what delicious sounding flavours there are.
I really enjoyed reading this, and am delighted to see that Katey Lovell had in fact released a new book. I just hope the wait isn't as long for her next one.
Thank you to Quercus and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily,
For Leanne didn't really have much choice, she needed to move into cottage that she had bought with Richard, believing it to be their forever home, just months after he dies, as circumstances meant she couldn't stay living where she was.
On getting to Seaglass Cottage by herself it soon becomes apparent that although it will look fabulous once its done up properly, that its kind of a wreck, but with no money, she has to try to do something.
Meeting the locals in the village and starting to feel some sense of community is great for her, and soon it becomes apparent that Leanne is far more resourceful than she thought, and really is able to make do, and learn new skills.
I really enjoyed seeing how Leanne was able to turn things around, this is not a sad book mired in grief, rather a hopeful one of how you can turn your life around, from the most terrible of situations.
It's just such a cosy story, I loved seeing how Leanne developed, how she coped and all the new friends she was making. There are two special mentions I'd like make - Milo is utterly adorable and always a joy to see him in scenes, and also I really really want to visit the ice cream parlour on the beach front, what delicious sounding flavours there are.
I really enjoyed reading this, and am delighted to see that Katey Lovell had in fact released a new book. I just hope the wait isn't as long for her next one.
Thank you to Quercus and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily,
December 29, 2019
Time taken to read - in and out over 2 days
Pages - 298
Publisher - Quercus
Source - ARC
Blurb from Goodreads
When you know how, you can make anything from scratch, including a new life after love...
When Leanne and Richard bought a dilapidated old seaside cottage to renovate together as their forever home, their future was full of hope and promise.
But heartbreak was just around the corner: fast forward a few months and Richard is gone. With his death, Leanne finds herself stony broke, faced with an uninhabitable home and lacking even the basic skills to do it up herself.
With the help of the friendly woman who runs the library and the reluctant assistance of the man who works in the local hardware shop, the cottage is lovingly restored. But broken hearts aren't so easy to fix... are they?
My Review
Leanne and Richard buy an old run down cottage by the sea to move into and do up, in a small town. Everything is planned, they are happy and full of love and ideas for this wee house that is a bit of a wreck. When everything falls apart and Leanne sticks to the plan she heads to the small town to tackle the house herself. Alone, bereft, grieving and realising just how big a job it is Leanne pushes on to fulfill the dream. Some of the towns people are much more accommodating and friendly than others. As Leanne takes on the mamoth task she also has to battle the financial issues, establishing herself within the community and coping being so far from everyone and everything she knows and loves.
Aw God love her, you can just see it, knowing no one - the impact of it all just hitting you. And the home you had so much ideas for, with two of you tackling it, you are now just one person. Pals and family are a sea away, money struggles, loneliness and the huge task of restoration of an almost unlivable house.
The initial few chapters took me a wee bit to settle into as you don't know what happened exactly and it is just Leanne trying to get to terms with all that is ahead. But as we start to get to know the community I really started to like it. Some of the townspeople you just wanted to hug, stepping in when needed but also the not so nice and standoffish ones, true to a wee town with strangers.
Friendship, love, loss, grief a huge focus on a journey of recovery and self discovery, we watch Leanne grow and heal with a little help from old friends and new. This was my first time reading this author and it was the perfect genre switch I needed, 4/5 for me this time.
Pages - 298
Publisher - Quercus
Source - ARC
Blurb from Goodreads
When you know how, you can make anything from scratch, including a new life after love...
When Leanne and Richard bought a dilapidated old seaside cottage to renovate together as their forever home, their future was full of hope and promise.
But heartbreak was just around the corner: fast forward a few months and Richard is gone. With his death, Leanne finds herself stony broke, faced with an uninhabitable home and lacking even the basic skills to do it up herself.
With the help of the friendly woman who runs the library and the reluctant assistance of the man who works in the local hardware shop, the cottage is lovingly restored. But broken hearts aren't so easy to fix... are they?
My Review
Leanne and Richard buy an old run down cottage by the sea to move into and do up, in a small town. Everything is planned, they are happy and full of love and ideas for this wee house that is a bit of a wreck. When everything falls apart and Leanne sticks to the plan she heads to the small town to tackle the house herself. Alone, bereft, grieving and realising just how big a job it is Leanne pushes on to fulfill the dream. Some of the towns people are much more accommodating and friendly than others. As Leanne takes on the mamoth task she also has to battle the financial issues, establishing herself within the community and coping being so far from everyone and everything she knows and loves.
Aw God love her, you can just see it, knowing no one - the impact of it all just hitting you. And the home you had so much ideas for, with two of you tackling it, you are now just one person. Pals and family are a sea away, money struggles, loneliness and the huge task of restoration of an almost unlivable house.
The initial few chapters took me a wee bit to settle into as you don't know what happened exactly and it is just Leanne trying to get to terms with all that is ahead. But as we start to get to know the community I really started to like it. Some of the townspeople you just wanted to hug, stepping in when needed but also the not so nice and standoffish ones, true to a wee town with strangers.
Friendship, love, loss, grief a huge focus on a journey of recovery and self discovery, we watch Leanne grow and heal with a little help from old friends and new. This was my first time reading this author and it was the perfect genre switch I needed, 4/5 for me this time.
October 30, 2019
Thank you to Netgalley and Quercus Books for an ARC of this novel.
Make Do and Mend a Broken Heart is one of those books that I feel is perfect for the winter season.
It gives you those warm and fuzzy feelings and leaves you with a sense of comfort.
Leanne is moving into her dream home and that unfortunately is where the positivity ends because it turns out that it's not quite the fairytale ending that she was after ...
This is because her then husband recently passed away and now she's left with a house needing a lot of tender loving care (and repair) and then there's the fact that the money she thought would be left to her was in fact used to pay for this idyllic building by the sea.
What happens after is really heartwarming.
We see a community come together, friendships formed and a broken heart healed.
I'd definitely say this is a love story but not your typical boy meets girl romance.
There is sadness weaved within the pages but combined with a feeling of hope, the array of emotions are really well balanced.
Katey Lovell has written a beautiful, gentle story, filled with a cast of characters who you really want to become friends with.
Get ready to cosy up with a blanket and a box of tissues in front of the fire for this read!
Make Do and Mend a Broken Heart is one of those books that I feel is perfect for the winter season.
It gives you those warm and fuzzy feelings and leaves you with a sense of comfort.
Leanne is moving into her dream home and that unfortunately is where the positivity ends because it turns out that it's not quite the fairytale ending that she was after ...
This is because her then husband recently passed away and now she's left with a house needing a lot of tender loving care (and repair) and then there's the fact that the money she thought would be left to her was in fact used to pay for this idyllic building by the sea.
What happens after is really heartwarming.
We see a community come together, friendships formed and a broken heart healed.
I'd definitely say this is a love story but not your typical boy meets girl romance.
There is sadness weaved within the pages but combined with a feeling of hope, the array of emotions are really well balanced.
Katey Lovell has written a beautiful, gentle story, filled with a cast of characters who you really want to become friends with.
Get ready to cosy up with a blanket and a box of tissues in front of the fire for this read!
January 11, 2020
Make Do & Mend a Broken Heart by Katey Lovell. Published by @quercusbooks 💕
Leanne is a young widow- he husband Richard was unexpectedly killed -Prior to death they had just bought a beautiful property by the coast ‘Sea Glass Cottage’ 💕
Leanne leave everything and everyone that she knows in London and heads to Rockgate Bay to try and start a new life . Project ‘Sea Glass Cottage’ is far more daunting than Leanne realises. However the money that she was expecting following Richards death is not what she was expecting.
💕
Slowly Leanne makes herself known in the local area and develops a great friendship with Harry. But what are these funny feelings she keeps getting????
Is she betraying Richard by looking at another man?
💕💕
I utterly devoured this book. It’s gives you a whole mixtures of emotion. I really liked Leanne and was willing her to succeed in everything but life isn’t that straight forward.
💕
The writing style is beautiful and the plot is great. It offers a bit of everything - love, loss, jealously and friendship.
💕
Thank you so much @katya.reads & @quercusbooks for inviting me to read this book .
Leanne is a young widow- he husband Richard was unexpectedly killed -Prior to death they had just bought a beautiful property by the coast ‘Sea Glass Cottage’ 💕
Leanne leave everything and everyone that she knows in London and heads to Rockgate Bay to try and start a new life . Project ‘Sea Glass Cottage’ is far more daunting than Leanne realises. However the money that she was expecting following Richards death is not what she was expecting.
💕
Slowly Leanne makes herself known in the local area and develops a great friendship with Harry. But what are these funny feelings she keeps getting????
Is she betraying Richard by looking at another man?
💕💕
I utterly devoured this book. It’s gives you a whole mixtures of emotion. I really liked Leanne and was willing her to succeed in everything but life isn’t that straight forward.
💕
The writing style is beautiful and the plot is great. It offers a bit of everything - love, loss, jealously and friendship.
💕
Thank you so much @katya.reads & @quercusbooks for inviting me to read this book .
January 8, 2020
This is a superb story that will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy after reading.
A story brimming with love, set locally to me which was an added charm as it made it really easy to visualise the beaches and the weather when walking along the seawall. I loved the mentality of the locals, they were superb characters who formed special bonds with Leanne all in their own way and reminded me of village life when I was younger.
Leanne is a character that displays all of the emotions during this story as she tackles her biggest challenge to date and in entirely different circumstances to those she was expecting when she decided to relocate.
Whilst reading this story I experienced all of the emotions that are wound into the story as Leanne learns to live and move forward, this book made me laugh and cry and I wish I could read it all over again and get to meet these amazing characters afresh.
A story brimming with love, set locally to me which was an added charm as it made it really easy to visualise the beaches and the weather when walking along the seawall. I loved the mentality of the locals, they were superb characters who formed special bonds with Leanne all in their own way and reminded me of village life when I was younger.
Leanne is a character that displays all of the emotions during this story as she tackles her biggest challenge to date and in entirely different circumstances to those she was expecting when she decided to relocate.
Whilst reading this story I experienced all of the emotions that are wound into the story as Leanne learns to live and move forward, this book made me laugh and cry and I wish I could read it all over again and get to meet these amazing characters afresh.
December 15, 2019
At the beginning I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy this book, I had a hefty hangover from the book before and I questioned whether I could do the book justice by reading it now. I am happy to report that I ended up really glad I continued.
I loved Leanne's journey and the sense of community at Rockwell Bay, if I was in her position I would have floundered too, so she felt real to me and not overdone and whiny, which I find annoying in a main character.
The secondary cast of characters were not especially fleshed out, but we find out enough to want to route for them too.
Overall, I found myself smiling whilst reading this book and it's worth a read if you enjoy contemporary fiction.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the gifted copy of this book
I loved Leanne's journey and the sense of community at Rockwell Bay, if I was in her position I would have floundered too, so she felt real to me and not overdone and whiny, which I find annoying in a main character.
The secondary cast of characters were not especially fleshed out, but we find out enough to want to route for them too.
Overall, I found myself smiling whilst reading this book and it's worth a read if you enjoy contemporary fiction.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the gifted copy of this book
December 26, 2019
Leanne and Richard planned to leave London and buy a cottage in Kent, it was rundown and in need of serious repairs but they could afford to buy it outright and restore it themselves. Then Richard died suddenly and Leanne is left with a dilapidated cottage, no DIY skills and very little money.
Drawn into the small world of a seaside village in winter Leanne begins to make new friends and learns new skills, could romance also be on the horizon?
This was a sweet, predictable romance featuring a sexy handyman, a cute dog, a cottage with rising damp and an awful lot of fish and chips.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Drawn into the small world of a seaside village in winter Leanne begins to make new friends and learns new skills, could romance also be on the horizon?
This was a sweet, predictable romance featuring a sexy handyman, a cute dog, a cottage with rising damp and an awful lot of fish and chips.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
July 28, 2020
I was lucky enough to be gifted a copy of this book by the author as part of a lockdown competition on Twitter. It's such a lovely read - strong themes of friendship, loss, grief and community, and of course a romantic strand to the story too.
The main character Leanne is instantly likeable, and you really feel for her right from the start, as she starts the new life she'd planned with her husband all alone. As the story goes on you get to know all the supporting characters in her new community - and in true to life form most are welcoming but there are a couple who are less so.
It was a steady read for me, I enjoyed it all the way through but the last couple of chapters had me reaching for the tissues.
This was the first of Katey's books that I have read but I will definitely be looking out for the others!
The main character Leanne is instantly likeable, and you really feel for her right from the start, as she starts the new life she'd planned with her husband all alone. As the story goes on you get to know all the supporting characters in her new community - and in true to life form most are welcoming but there are a couple who are less so.
It was a steady read for me, I enjoyed it all the way through but the last couple of chapters had me reaching for the tissues.
This was the first of Katey's books that I have read but I will definitely be looking out for the others!
June 28, 2022
Lovely heartwarming read
January 9, 2020
I have read and loved a couple of Katey's previous books but I haven't read them all yet. I read the synopsis for 'Make Do & Mend A Broken Heart' and I just knew that it was going to be another amazing read from Katey. So I grabbed my Kindle, grabbed a box of tissues (I had a sneaky suspicion that it was going to be an emotive read), a cup of tea and a huge bar of chocolate and settled down. I must be psychic, (or psychopathic) because this book really was an amazing and emotive read, which I thoroughly enjoyed but more about that in a bit.
I couldn't help but take to the character of Leanne from the first time I met her. When the story starts she is happily married to Richard and they are making plans for their future. They have just decided to buy a house on the coast and they intend to escape the rat race. As so often happens, fate comes along and turns Leanne's world upside down. Richard passes away and Leanne has to deal with her grief, make a fresh start and carve out a new life for herself. Any one of those seems like a daunting prospect but all three at once? To me that sounds like trying to climb Mount Everest twice over. Leanne is a tough cookie though and she is incredibly resilient. She decides to stick to the plans she made with Richard and she moves to the new house, which is in desperate need of renovation. Leanne does what she set out to do and she finds a way of continuing with her life even though she is missing Richard terribly. Does Leanne manage to renovate her home, repair her broken heart and find the happiness that she so deserved? Well for the answers to those questions and more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
Oh my goodness, 'Make Do And Mend A Broken Heart' was an emotive read and then some. A couple of times I wasn't sure whether I would be able to continue reading because I found that I was becoming a bit too emotional at times. I empathised with Leanne as something similar happened to me, although it was my Dad that I lost. We had made lots of plans and then suddenly the rug was pulled from under us when he died suddenly and unexpectedly. Anyway that's enough about me and back to the review I do go. I am glad that I persevered with the book though because the story soon turned out to be a happier tale than I had expected. 'Make Do And Mend A Broken Heart' soon proved to be addictive reading. I would pick the book up only intending to read a couple of chapters and to fill in the odd five minutes or so. Let's just say that the odd five minutes soon turned into fifty minutes and on occasion even longer than that. I soon reached the end of this fabulous book, which I was so disappointed about. I had enjoyed reading the story so much that I just wanted the book to continue for longer than it did.
'Make Do And Mend A Broken Heart' is brilliantly written but then I find that to be the case with all of Katey's books. Katey has one of those writing styles that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. She draws you into the story from the first word on the first page. Katey has your attention from the moment you pick the book up and she doesn't let it go until you have read the last word on the last page and closed the back cover. This book will stay in my mind for a long time to come, which is due to Katey's brilliant characters, storylines and writing style.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'Make Do And Mend A Broken Heart'. I have no hesitation in recommending Katey and her books to other readers. I will definitely be reading more of Katey's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
I couldn't help but take to the character of Leanne from the first time I met her. When the story starts she is happily married to Richard and they are making plans for their future. They have just decided to buy a house on the coast and they intend to escape the rat race. As so often happens, fate comes along and turns Leanne's world upside down. Richard passes away and Leanne has to deal with her grief, make a fresh start and carve out a new life for herself. Any one of those seems like a daunting prospect but all three at once? To me that sounds like trying to climb Mount Everest twice over. Leanne is a tough cookie though and she is incredibly resilient. She decides to stick to the plans she made with Richard and she moves to the new house, which is in desperate need of renovation. Leanne does what she set out to do and she finds a way of continuing with her life even though she is missing Richard terribly. Does Leanne manage to renovate her home, repair her broken heart and find the happiness that she so deserved? Well for the answers to those questions and more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
Oh my goodness, 'Make Do And Mend A Broken Heart' was an emotive read and then some. A couple of times I wasn't sure whether I would be able to continue reading because I found that I was becoming a bit too emotional at times. I empathised with Leanne as something similar happened to me, although it was my Dad that I lost. We had made lots of plans and then suddenly the rug was pulled from under us when he died suddenly and unexpectedly. Anyway that's enough about me and back to the review I do go. I am glad that I persevered with the book though because the story soon turned out to be a happier tale than I had expected. 'Make Do And Mend A Broken Heart' soon proved to be addictive reading. I would pick the book up only intending to read a couple of chapters and to fill in the odd five minutes or so. Let's just say that the odd five minutes soon turned into fifty minutes and on occasion even longer than that. I soon reached the end of this fabulous book, which I was so disappointed about. I had enjoyed reading the story so much that I just wanted the book to continue for longer than it did.
'Make Do And Mend A Broken Heart' is brilliantly written but then I find that to be the case with all of Katey's books. Katey has one of those writing styles that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. She draws you into the story from the first word on the first page. Katey has your attention from the moment you pick the book up and she doesn't let it go until you have read the last word on the last page and closed the back cover. This book will stay in my mind for a long time to come, which is due to Katey's brilliant characters, storylines and writing style.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'Make Do And Mend A Broken Heart'. I have no hesitation in recommending Katey and her books to other readers. I will definitely be reading more of Katey's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
June 10, 2020
Can I live in RockGate Bay please it sounds so idyllic.
I loved this book and didn’t want it to end it gave me all the feels and I’m glad I bought it.
Full of kindness and community spirit. A breath taking look at how new beginnings although seem scary can turn out just the way you want them to as long as you never give up.
Leanne was such a lovely strong character. The strength she showed was astounding.
When her husband died she had two choices give up or fight on and she chose to fight on, to make her dream come true.
When she could have just thrown in the towel and given up on the cottage she didn’t she persevered and threw her all at it.
I loved the community spirit, you don’t always get that in real life but to read about it was so heartwarming and gives you faith in humanity.
All the supporting characters were amazing except for Milly and Gareth but there’s always got to be some characters you dislike.
I could visualise them all learning new things arty and crafty and I was rooting for good things to happen for Leanne right from the beginning.
And dear old Harry and Milo you couldn’t help but love a man and his dog. It’s true what they say never judge a person by the first meeting and you never know what someone is going through so be kind. At first glance Harry seemed surly unapproachable and unwelcoming but when you read on you find that he’s not like that at all.
This book had me guessing right the way through I usually go into these genre of books and know how they’re going to end but this one is a surprise.
I’m glad it ended the way it did it opens the readers mind to a whole host of different possibilities for the future for them.
I would definitely recommend this book 5⭐️
I loved this book and didn’t want it to end it gave me all the feels and I’m glad I bought it.
Full of kindness and community spirit. A breath taking look at how new beginnings although seem scary can turn out just the way you want them to as long as you never give up.
Leanne was such a lovely strong character. The strength she showed was astounding.
When her husband died she had two choices give up or fight on and she chose to fight on, to make her dream come true.
When she could have just thrown in the towel and given up on the cottage she didn’t she persevered and threw her all at it.
I loved the community spirit, you don’t always get that in real life but to read about it was so heartwarming and gives you faith in humanity.
All the supporting characters were amazing except for Milly and Gareth but there’s always got to be some characters you dislike.
I could visualise them all learning new things arty and crafty and I was rooting for good things to happen for Leanne right from the beginning.
And dear old Harry and Milo you couldn’t help but love a man and his dog. It’s true what they say never judge a person by the first meeting and you never know what someone is going through so be kind. At first glance Harry seemed surly unapproachable and unwelcoming but when you read on you find that he’s not like that at all.
This book had me guessing right the way through I usually go into these genre of books and know how they’re going to end but this one is a surprise.
I’m glad it ended the way it did it opens the readers mind to a whole host of different possibilities for the future for them.
I would definitely recommend this book 5⭐️
October 21, 2019
An absolutely perfect contemporary fiction book that, though features romance, is more about grief, resilience and making a brave, fresh start.
This story encourages an uplifting faith that things are going to be ok even when they look dire.
I loved Leanne, she isn't one for wallowing in self pity or playing the victim, she's determined, feisty and not afraid of hard work, despite losing almost everything her foundation was built upon. She's lucky that the community in Rockgate Bay are both talented and welcoming, so her fresh start, despite full of mishaps and mayhem, is supported by new friendships and a beautiful setting by the sea.
Doing up a dilapidated house is no easy task and the money worries that it brings were familiar; trying to get a house to live up to its true potential on a tight budget when you've no DIY skills is tough, and yet Leanne faces this head on which I admired greatly.
I fell a little bit in love with the wonderful community of Rockgate Bay- many were warmhearted and played a different part in giving Leanne the boost she needed, from practical help to laughs, confided secrets to companionship. This story really highlights that it isn't one person, or one particular place, that makes everything right -we are all flawed, all in need of healing and making do with what can't be mended as new.
The house renovation becomes an allegory for the true journey of grief, of how we never get back what we lost, or get over it, but learn how to make a new future and fill it with love.
This story encourages an uplifting faith that things are going to be ok even when they look dire.
I loved Leanne, she isn't one for wallowing in self pity or playing the victim, she's determined, feisty and not afraid of hard work, despite losing almost everything her foundation was built upon. She's lucky that the community in Rockgate Bay are both talented and welcoming, so her fresh start, despite full of mishaps and mayhem, is supported by new friendships and a beautiful setting by the sea.
Doing up a dilapidated house is no easy task and the money worries that it brings were familiar; trying to get a house to live up to its true potential on a tight budget when you've no DIY skills is tough, and yet Leanne faces this head on which I admired greatly.
I fell a little bit in love with the wonderful community of Rockgate Bay- many were warmhearted and played a different part in giving Leanne the boost she needed, from practical help to laughs, confided secrets to companionship. This story really highlights that it isn't one person, or one particular place, that makes everything right -we are all flawed, all in need of healing and making do with what can't be mended as new.
The house renovation becomes an allegory for the true journey of grief, of how we never get back what we lost, or get over it, but learn how to make a new future and fill it with love.
January 9, 2020
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
Oh this was lovely. I won’t confirm or deny whether I read the final chapters of this book curled in a ball with tears on my cheeks.
Both this book and my previous read saw women finding themselves and love again after loss. It was a total coincidence but meant I couldn’t help making comparisons. Two very different women and two very different new love circumstances.
My heart absolutely went out to Leanne. I love reading about strong, brave women. This book helped me rethink what I consider strong and brave. Brave doesn’t have to mean jumping out of planes, strong doesn’t have to mean walking into a meeting and proving people wrong who have already judged you. It means those things but it also means getting up and carrying on after a devastating blow. It means having a little cry and then rolling up your sleeves and getting on with things.
I loved the small town, “Gilmore Girls” vibe of everyone pulling together for a cause. I loved how Leanne’s relationship with her family, in-laws and friends ebbed and flowed. I loved how she found kindred spirits in a group of seemingly completely different people. I loved getting to know them all right along with Leanne.
Katey’s books are such a pleasure to read. I always look forward to meeting realistic characters, flaws and all, overcoming insecurities and adversity and triumphing in the end. This was another wonderful book and I’m already looking forward to the next one.
Oh this was lovely. I won’t confirm or deny whether I read the final chapters of this book curled in a ball with tears on my cheeks.
Both this book and my previous read saw women finding themselves and love again after loss. It was a total coincidence but meant I couldn’t help making comparisons. Two very different women and two very different new love circumstances.
My heart absolutely went out to Leanne. I love reading about strong, brave women. This book helped me rethink what I consider strong and brave. Brave doesn’t have to mean jumping out of planes, strong doesn’t have to mean walking into a meeting and proving people wrong who have already judged you. It means those things but it also means getting up and carrying on after a devastating blow. It means having a little cry and then rolling up your sleeves and getting on with things.
I loved the small town, “Gilmore Girls” vibe of everyone pulling together for a cause. I loved how Leanne’s relationship with her family, in-laws and friends ebbed and flowed. I loved how she found kindred spirits in a group of seemingly completely different people. I loved getting to know them all right along with Leanne.
Katey’s books are such a pleasure to read. I always look forward to meeting realistic characters, flaws and all, overcoming insecurities and adversity and triumphing in the end. This was another wonderful book and I’m already looking forward to the next one.
December 27, 2019
Richard and Leanne have been together for 16 years and married for 7 of them. During the prologue they're viewing a cottage by the sea for a potential purchase, the house needs a lot of work, the previous owners made half an attempt to create an open plan living space resulting in a large hole in a wall and but they both agree that this is the perfect new project and place to start their family.
Cut to chapter one it's three months later and Richard has tragically been killed. Leanne is continuing with the purchase of Sea Glass cottage and is planning on continuing the couple's dreams thanks to Richard's sensible insurance policies.
We follow Leanne as she makes her big move, gets involved in various aspects of the local community and tries to juggle all her priorities since the plan was she would stop work to focus on the house renovations. It's quite an emotional read and while there were a few things I thought were a little tropey I really enjoyed it; while the loss of a spouse as a trigger for Leanne's new start is heartbreaking the sense of community and positivity this book provoked was all quite heartwarming.
Cut to chapter one it's three months later and Richard has tragically been killed. Leanne is continuing with the purchase of Sea Glass cottage and is planning on continuing the couple's dreams thanks to Richard's sensible insurance policies.
We follow Leanne as she makes her big move, gets involved in various aspects of the local community and tries to juggle all her priorities since the plan was she would stop work to focus on the house renovations. It's quite an emotional read and while there were a few things I thought were a little tropey I really enjoyed it; while the loss of a spouse as a trigger for Leanne's new start is heartbreaking the sense of community and positivity this book provoked was all quite heartwarming.
March 1, 2020
The perfect weekend read.
A wonderful story, sad but with hopes of a happy ending that kept me in suspense, turning the pages. I couldn't put this down. Lovely setting, great characters, interesting plot. Well recommended. Looking forward to reading more of Katey Lovell's books.
A wonderful story, sad but with hopes of a happy ending that kept me in suspense, turning the pages. I couldn't put this down. Lovely setting, great characters, interesting plot. Well recommended. Looking forward to reading more of Katey Lovell's books.
January 9, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this story, I really wanted to pick up my kindle as often as possible to keep reading. It is well written and has a really good flow to the storyline. It is a sweet romance that kept my interest throughout.
The characters are well rounded and very likeable. I felt I was getting to know them all along with Leanne as she set up home in this new town. Leanne's struggles and triumphs certainly grabbed at my heart and I wanted to give her a hug. She is so determined and I really felt for her at times and so wanted her to succeed.
This seaside town is certainly full of lovely people. All the characters had their good points and very few bad; maybe a little unrealistic but it makes a change from reading about reality after all.
If you are looking for a proper romance story with a little bit of up and down, then this would be a very good one to choose. It is a curl up in your armchair and indulge sort of book.
The characters are well rounded and very likeable. I felt I was getting to know them all along with Leanne as she set up home in this new town. Leanne's struggles and triumphs certainly grabbed at my heart and I wanted to give her a hug. She is so determined and I really felt for her at times and so wanted her to succeed.
This seaside town is certainly full of lovely people. All the characters had their good points and very few bad; maybe a little unrealistic but it makes a change from reading about reality after all.
If you are looking for a proper romance story with a little bit of up and down, then this would be a very good one to choose. It is a curl up in your armchair and indulge sort of book.
December 10, 2019
What a gorgeous uplifting book!
Leanne and her husband have just completed on her dream home in rockgate bay and are looking forward to moving in and doing up the run down sea glass cottage! Fate has other ideas though and after her husband tragically dies Leanne decides to continue their dream and moves herself down to the cottage, grief, hard work, financial problems and setbacks all seem to hinder her progress until the community embrace her as one of their own and provide support, help, friendship and love! The characters are so diverse and likeable particularly Harry and milo and the gentle progression of their friendship is so heartwarming!
This book illustrates that one can be a strong, resilient woman triumphing over adversity with the help of a fabulous community and tenacity! And that we are all deserving of love and happiness again in our lives!
Thank you net galley for this early read.
Leanne and her husband have just completed on her dream home in rockgate bay and are looking forward to moving in and doing up the run down sea glass cottage! Fate has other ideas though and after her husband tragically dies Leanne decides to continue their dream and moves herself down to the cottage, grief, hard work, financial problems and setbacks all seem to hinder her progress until the community embrace her as one of their own and provide support, help, friendship and love! The characters are so diverse and likeable particularly Harry and milo and the gentle progression of their friendship is so heartwarming!
This book illustrates that one can be a strong, resilient woman triumphing over adversity with the help of a fabulous community and tenacity! And that we are all deserving of love and happiness again in our lives!
Thank you net galley for this early read.
February 29, 2020
I absolutely loved this book, and if I didn’t have a baby and a toddler I could have devoured this in one day! I loved the story and really warmed to the characters, and couldn’t wait to pick this up and snuggle up with it at the end of each day. I was sad when I finished it as I enjoyed it so much!
December 29, 2019
I think I officially want to go on holiday to Rockgate Bay! The community built up over the course of this novel is lovely, and I want to be a part of it!
This book is lovely, and as someone who has just bought a house and made it a home with the same kind of Make Do and Mend/Upcycling/Bargain Hunting attitude, I felt rather akin to Leanne as I read this book whilst avoiding the jobs I have left on my own to do list.
Ultimately, this is not a book that will shock you, and for that I was actually quite grateful. It was a sweet and heart warming read over my Chrisfmas break that eschews the values of community and hard work over consumerism and a modern throw-away attitude.
If you fancy a nice homey read, complete with a cute dog, a flooding kitchen and the odd mention of a great bicep, you should definitely pick this one up!
This book is lovely, and as someone who has just bought a house and made it a home with the same kind of Make Do and Mend/Upcycling/Bargain Hunting attitude, I felt rather akin to Leanne as I read this book whilst avoiding the jobs I have left on my own to do list.
Ultimately, this is not a book that will shock you, and for that I was actually quite grateful. It was a sweet and heart warming read over my Chrisfmas break that eschews the values of community and hard work over consumerism and a modern throw-away attitude.
If you fancy a nice homey read, complete with a cute dog, a flooding kitchen and the odd mention of a great bicep, you should definitely pick this one up!
December 7, 2019
This was such a nice book it's got the balance of happy and sad just right. Leanne and Richard buy a little run down cottage in a little town beside the sea, their forever home. When Richard dies unexpectedly Leanne moves in alone.
It's a heartwarming story about how Leanne struggles with life on her own and how the close knit community of a little town take her under their wing.
The characters are a varied bunch and all of them work well together. The blossoming romance between Leanne and Harry was sweet and it gets you right in the feels near the end where they all help Leanne out .... not telling you how, don't want to spoil it!
Thank you to Netgalley and Quercus Books for the ARC
It's a heartwarming story about how Leanne struggles with life on her own and how the close knit community of a little town take her under their wing.
The characters are a varied bunch and all of them work well together. The blossoming romance between Leanne and Harry was sweet and it gets you right in the feels near the end where they all help Leanne out .... not telling you how, don't want to spoil it!
Thank you to Netgalley and Quercus Books for the ARC
October 25, 2019
I've been reading Katey Lovell since her first Meet Cute stories and it is absolutely brilliant to see an author flourishing and her writing going from strength to strength. I loved this book. Leanne is a great central character, sympathetic and well rounded, you will her on in her journey to make Sea Glass cottage her own. The supporting cast of characters are well drawn and interesting in their own right and you get a really warm glow reading the book. It is about love, but it is about so much more than boy meets girl love. It's about discovering love in the wider sense of the word and it's all the better for it. A really feel good book.
December 22, 2019
Make Do and Mend a Broken Heart is the first book I’ve read by Katey Lovell. It follows the story of Leanne. She bought an old seaside cottage with her husband Richard. The plan was to leave London’s rat race and settle by the coast. However following Richard‘S death, she has to move to the house alone. Faced with a ramshackle cottage and dwindling funds, she has to rely on the residents of the oval community for help.
This book is beautifully written, the story flows well and there are come great characters. A perfect weekend read to restore your faith in humanity.
Thank you to NetGalley, Quercus Books and the author for the chance to review.
This book is beautifully written, the story flows well and there are come great characters. A perfect weekend read to restore your faith in humanity.
Thank you to NetGalley, Quercus Books and the author for the chance to review.
February 22, 2020
A lovely easy read which I really enjoyed. This book has a lovely cast of characters who I really liked particularly Leanne who I was rooting for right from the start. Set in a gorgeous seaside location which has a fantastic sense of community spirit - the sort of place where I would love to live. As a keen crafter myself, I loved all of the crafts and DIY in the story. A story of new beginnings and friendship.
Highly recommended, I highly recommend this lovely book. Perfect for a holiday read or for an afternoon on the sofa.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
Highly recommended, I highly recommend this lovely book. Perfect for a holiday read or for an afternoon on the sofa.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
October 31, 2019
This was a really enjoyable read, it was one of those stories you didn't want to put down. I became very invested in the characters and their lives. It is a well written and sweet romance.
I loved Leanne and I so wanted her to succeed with her new home and new town. The other characters in the book are great and I really liked them. The town she moves to is very kind and supportive, she certainly is lucky to have landed there.
This is a curl up in a cosy chair and get stuck in sort of read. I definitely recommend this one.
I loved Leanne and I so wanted her to succeed with her new home and new town. The other characters in the book are great and I really liked them. The town she moves to is very kind and supportive, she certainly is lucky to have landed there.
This is a curl up in a cosy chair and get stuck in sort of read. I definitely recommend this one.
January 9, 2020
The tragedy at the beginning of this book had me in tears but in true Katey Lovell style you bounce back quickly.
I really enjoyed reading this book and it gave me some fantastic ideas about decorating my own home.
The storyline was great
The characters were great and the community spirit was phenomenal.
You really get invested in this story and I really enjoyed reading it.
You need to read this book as soon as you can
I'm voluntarily reviewing an advanced reader copy of this book given to me by Netgalley
I really enjoyed reading this book and it gave me some fantastic ideas about decorating my own home.
The storyline was great
The characters were great and the community spirit was phenomenal.
You really get invested in this story and I really enjoyed reading it.
You need to read this book as soon as you can
I'm voluntarily reviewing an advanced reader copy of this book given to me by Netgalley
January 12, 2020
A heartwarming, poignant and well written story that moved me and made me smile.
i loved the style of writing, the fleshed out cast of characters, and the setting.
It's the first book I read by this author and won't surely be the last as I really appreciated this story.
It was an engrossing and entertaining read, highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
i loved the style of writing, the fleshed out cast of characters, and the setting.
It's the first book I read by this author and won't surely be the last as I really appreciated this story.
It was an engrossing and entertaining read, highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
October 24, 2019
This was a touching, and at times heartbreaking story. I really liked Leanne and the little community she came to call home. She was very resilient and her willingness to take on a daunting project under such difficult circumstances made it very easy to feel for her. The supporting characters of Mary, Harry, Daz, Tracey and Row who helped her on her journey were all lovely. A well written read.
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