First of all, Rockgate Bay sounds amazing and I am definitely holidaying there 😂

This lovely seaside town is such a wonderful setting for a book about loss, love, community and making do! I feel like the setting of this book is as much a character as everyone else. The love and support that the locals show each other is heartwarming and I really enjoyed that aspect of the book.

The characters themselves are well written, and as far as secondary characters go, they’ve really added to the story and make it what it is.

I felt like some parts were unrealistic and convenient, but it is fiction 😊 and it was an easy read that made me simultaneously want to eat fish and chips and do some DIY 😂

If you’re looking for a quick read that will warm your heart then this is for you! 😊

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.
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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?
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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.
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The writing style is beautiful and the plot is great. It offers a bit of everything - love, loss, jealously and friendship.
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Thank you so much @katya.reads & @quercusbooks for inviting me to read this book .

This heartwarming novel is like a mug of hot Yorkshire tea, with a fancy biscuit. Comforting and sweet! It follows a predictable narrative, that feels uplifting, and will leave you with a smile on your face. I loved Leanne's resourcefulness when faced with financial pressure, and the tips and tricks she used to upcycle her home were brilliant and quite motivational! She is a tough resilient narrator, and it is really easy to root for her! She may have even inspired me to attempt a couple of DIY tricks in my own home, which has left me feeling really capable.
I also loved the sense of community in the seaside town, which is centered around the Library.
Reminding me of the importance of libraries in our towns ~ they really do connect a community!! So I'll be off to visit mine this weekend to show some support.

Recommend this one if you're feeling a little bit jaded by life, and need a cup of tea and some inspiration.

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.

Leanne and her husband are about to move in their dream house - but then something really horrible happens and Leanne is suddenly on her own, facing challenges she has no idea she's strong enough to tackle by herself. The house needs a lot of tender loving care, not to mention tons of work and repairs, and the money is short - what is she supposed to do now? Abandon her dream of her having a house? Give up?

It was really a story about renovations and how they work, so if you're planning a house move or renovation, you can easily be inspired by some of the ideas in this book.

The beginning took me totally by surprise, this what has happened and resulted in Leanne moving to her dream house alone was so shocking and sad, and I fell for her immediately. She took a lot of time to find herself afresh, and there were many moments that she felt so insecure but it was understandable, and usually such heroine would annoy me but Leanne was written with so much heart and feeling and it was impossible not to feel sympathy for her. I really enjoyed going on this journey with her, seeing her coming out of her comfort zones, and I truly wanted to give her a standing ovation for daring to do things that I - probably - wouldn't dare by myself. So it turned out that she was brave and strong, even though she had so many weaker moments she didn't wallow in self - pity, oh no, she still, after having a cry or two, rolled up her sleeves, recovered and continued - to live, hope and ... yes, renovate!

I always love a story with a great community in it, and it was like this in the book, however it has also taken the community feeling to another level, a little too overdone. Except for one woman, who in the end of course improved herself, everybody loved each other and supported each other at every turn. I mean, nice, of course, but sometimes less is more? It doesn't mean, of course, that I didn't enjoy getting to know the characters, along with Leanne.

Sometimes the narration and the banter felt too woody, too forced, especially some of the dialogues, and there were really tons of descriptions of renovations, tools, sanding, painting and whatever you have to do to make your place beautiful. Some of the things happened very conveniently and altogether, things run very smoothly and are solved quickly and without any really big and life changing twists, and I'd love to see this plot a bit more ambitious.

As much as it is an entertaining story, there is this feeling of sadness and nostalgia to "Make Do and Mend a Broken Heart", but they're lovely and lovingly combined with hope and joy. It was a cosy, warm story, perfect for a winter evening in front of the fireplace that make you feel comfortable. It was an easy read, with straight - forward plot, so it's not going to stay with me for long, nevertheless it was heart-warming and engaging book about community coming together, about friendships, trust and finding yourself.

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

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!

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.

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.

I think this has to be my favourite Katey Lovell book yet. It's so warm, the bookish equivalent of a hug. This is a book about grief, about community and about the healing power of making and mending. Definitely recommended.

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.

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.

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.

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

This was a lovely book to curl up with and savour one weekend afternoon. It was a welcome respite between dystopian novels and crime fiction! I found it easy, charming and up-lifting.

Leanne and Richard are making big changes in their lives. It has always been Leanne’s dream to live by the sea and they have found a perfect house for their forever home. Perfect in terms of location, but absolutely dilapidated inside. However, this is their forever home and they’re both committed to doing the house up together, so they put in an offer and sell their London flat. Tragically, Richard dies only weeks later in an accident on the underground and Leanne is devastated. When she lifts her head out of the fog of grief it is too late to stop the sale of the flat and Leanne makes a big choice to leave her family and job behind and follow her lifelong dream of living on the coast.

Her first experiences are not promising, The work on the house, which seemed manageable with two of them, now seems overwhelming, especially when the rotting door frame means she can’t even lock the back door. Added to this she meets a terribly grumpy man at the hardware store who isn’t helpful. She feels so alone. However, she’s about to find out that this town is very special. This is where I had to suspend my cynicism and just go with it. This is almost a magical town. However, when you do go with it, the book is rewarding and puts a big smile on your face,

I felt for Leanne. I’ve been a young widow and it’s not just missing the person, it’s the loss of all you had planned together. There were parts of Leanne’s journey that rang very true to me. The difficulty in sharing grief with others, the fog she finds herself in at times and particularly the guilt of moving on. I loved the relationship with her in-laws- she struggles to spend time with them initially and seems to really fear their disapproval of how she’s coping. I love how warm and generous they are where she least expects it. Despite having friends and a good relationship with Richard, Leanne is genuinely blown away by people being kind to her. I love the idea behind the changes Leanne makes to herself and to her home. Even though she finishes the cottage it isn’t perfect - it’s done with hard work and still has the unfashionable coloured bathroom suites for now. The renovation of the cottage is a metaphor for Leanne’s emotional recovery - her love for Richard and sadness at his loss will always remain - but other parts of her evolve and change. There is room for her to grow and find new wonderful experiences. To carry on living.

Leanne thinks that she has found the perfect Seaside cottage to renovate with her Husband Richard. It is meant to be their dream home, once it's been fixed up.
A couple of months later, Leanne is there alone, penniless and unable to do even the most basic of DIY tasks, after the death of her husband.
Leanne is to ashamed to let her family and friends know that she has reached rock bottom, but her new community have noticed, and try to help her mend her home and her heart.
This is an easy and heartwarming read. Although it was fairly predictable in places, it was still very much enjoyable. I felt that some of the questions about Richard were left unanswered, but they might not have been relevant, as this was more about Leanne at the start of her new life, rather than her past.
There was definitely a feel-good factor with the locals rallying together to help Leanne.
I recieved an early preview copy of this book from Netgalley and the Publisher, thank you.I will definitely be looking for more books by this author.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a real comfort read and I don't mean that in a derogatory way. Just what I needed to curl up with on a dark autumn night. Leanne and Richard have a dream of moving out of London to the Kent coast and buy their cottage by the sea. It needs renovating but it's worth it for a lifestyle change. The sale goes through but sadly, Richard dies so Leanne is determined to tackle the cottage renovation alone. However, money she thought was available has been used by Richard to pay for the cottage outright. So Leanne had a cottage but very limited funds to live on and do it up. This book then follows how she struggles financially, deals with her grief and becomes integrated into the village community so we meet a variety of different characters including the vety attractive Harry. I liked the premise of the story, it is well told and the characterisation is good. I just think that how Richard met his end is a bit vague and questionable. I also don't understand why Leanne isn't more direct with her parents. However, these small points don't detract from the story and it is a heart warming read that I really enjoyed. Thank you to Netgalley for letting me preview this book.

An emotional read.

After Richard dies, Leanne decides to still move to their new house on the coast. It's harder than she expects, but gets easier once she starts to find new friends and let them help her out.

I loved this book! Perfect for fans of Gilmore Girls who love a small-town community feel good story. Made me want to escape city life and live by the sea (obviously without the tragic circumstances that prompted the move ....) Thanks NetGalley!

This is an easy read. It was an enjoyable way to spend a few hours. The characters and the setting were easy to imagine.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.