I really fell for the premise of this book - not knowingly taking care and looking after the same street cat, who ultimately brings together two people who fall in love.

Unfortunately, it didn't live up to it's full expectations, I was expecting more of a cute rom-com, but what I found was a novel more about one woman (Lara) overcoming her past and moving on. It was also extremely slow paced for my liking - I felt that parts where there just to fill the book and didn't need to be.

As a huge cat lover, and I guess that's one reason why I was so drawn to the book, I really enjoyed when the cat was featured in a scene and Lara and Theo's interactions - I looked forward to those parts.

Whilst The Break Up wasn't quite what I was looking for in it's romance, it is a light, warm and escapist novel if you're happy with a slower pace to your stories ( and Fluffy is a great cat/addition!).

I've been excited about this book since I first heard about it, and it did not disappoint. The characters sucked you into the story and the story kept you turning pages as fast as you could. I devoured it in a day. I loved it.

I have never before felt more frustration at characters than I did in this book…...in a good way! It is a testament to how well it was written.

At first I wasn’t sure what to make of Lara and I felt a bit sorry for her. Then I really wanted things to work out for her, so much so I found myself shouting at her in my head. When she was doing things I knew she shouldn’t be or wanting her to do other things.

The emotions I had towards Siobhan, Lucien, Theo and Betsy were also so strongly felt. The way Tilly has been able to create these connections with all the characters, not just the main one is a sign of brilliant storytelling and writing in general. I can’t remember the last time I felt so strongly about characters.

The mugging scene was my favourite part. It made me literally laugh out loud. Despite the negative emotions I sometimes felt towards the characters and the ever so slightly difficult start there wasn’t really anything I didn’t like about the story. As is sometimes the case when I start a new book I felt like I could put it down and come back to it whenever. When I got into the 2nd chapter this had passed and I was hooked.

The story is easy to read, evocative and relatable. I would highly recommend it. Tilly Tennant is fast becoming one of my favourite authors.

So much fluff, I LOVEEEEEEED IT! I'm a sucker for cats and as soon as I read the synopsis for this, I knew I had to read. What's better than a cat two timing owners and bringing them together!? The Break Up gave me so many feelings, I adored it!

(Personally, preferred the original title A Cat Called Cupid - but it doesn't detract from the fabulousness that is this book!)

Surprised and delighted to find this book is set in my old home town of Chester, I settled down for a comfortable read of this sweet romance (yes, the main couple have sex, but it’s a behind-closed-doors scene). Lara’s cat Fluffy comes to her on the worst night of her life, when her boyfriend dumps her for her best friend, thereby costing her both the most important people in her life at once. A year later, she’s made some changes in her life, most notably starting her own wedding planning business, and finally feels like she’s getting her life together. And then she discovers that maybe her cat isn’t actually her cat after all… when she finds out he’s two-timing her with jazz musician Theo, who thinks Fluffy is his cat Satchmo.

This is the second cat-themed romance I’ve read recently set in the UK and I’m beginning to think the English are a nation of horribly irresponsible cat owners, because all the conflict here would be negated by just microchipping the darned cat and not letting it wander around at night. You think this is your cat, sir? Why, let’s just pop down the vet and get them to scan the microchip, shall we, find out who the cat is registered to? Lara’s attitude drove me insane. Why yes, you CAN do something about your problem… by keeping your cat inside, lady!

Honestly, I couldn’t figure out what she saw in Theo, either. I was waiting throughout the entire book to find out what he did for an actual job, because playing weddings in a jazz band every Saturday night doth not a steady income make, and Lara is a professional woman with her own business who, frankly, deserves a guy who has his life at least somewhat together. There were plenty of work-from-home jobs Theo could do to pay the bills - graphic designer, bookkeeper, heck, even author! - and it would have been so easy to casually reference one of them and make him seem a lot less of a deadbeat.

I wanted to like this, a lot. Quite apart from being just about the only book I’ve ever read set in Chester (and making me quite homesick) there was a lot to like; Lara was easy to root for and I loved her relationship with her assistant Betsy. But I didn’t think Theo was worthy of her and the irresponsible cat ownership thing drove me mad, so… in the end, I’m going to give this three stars.

DNF @67%.

I can't believe I'm doing this but after a long time I'm DNF-ing a book again.
I love the idea. The first thing (when a book was yet called A Cat Called Cupid) that I loved was a cat who brings two people together. As a cat lover, there's nothing I'd love to read about more than a cat being the star of the book with a side of romance (on the human part, of course).

Sadly, this book didn't deliver.
At the beginning what bothered me was the one year gap between first and second chapter. You kind of have to read in between because it is not mentioned. I'd much prefer if the first chapter was a prologue because a sudden jump into a year later just didn't work for me, felt like we ''missed'' an important part even though it's not actually important.

The story itself - well, it doeesn't actually begin until 25 % of the book. The first chapters were all about business, planning a wedding for a client and wondering where the cat may be. When finally the MCs figure it out the cat has (at least) two owners they hate each other at first and then they are already sleeping together. I usually don't mind that but honestly, you kind of wonder what can happen now. I prefer at least some intimate moments between MCs but I didn't get this in The Break Up. The remaining chapters (till 67 % where I am now) are basically about Lara worrying about her ex and where he might pop up. She says she's over him but idk, her actions don't really seem like that.
Very disappointed to put this ebook away but I'm just not feeling it anymore. To be honest, it kind of put me down because I was hoping for some humor, lightness, passion, romance so I kept reading for the sake of the cat but a book shouldn't put you in a bad mood, right? You shouldn't read it just because of the cat or because you want to finish it even though you're not really reading the words but just going through the text, not really absorbing anything. It shouldn't be like that but sadly it was for me.
I also didn't like just one POV (hers) because it makes me feel not connected to the characters at all.

This was such a fun book🥰 It's about two people who share a cat . . . without knowing it!🐈 The story was a bit predictable and the characters a bit flat, but it was enjoyable and a light, easy read - exactly what I needed😍

"The Break - Up" introduces us to Lara Nightingale, currently dumped by her boyfriend after finding out that he's been cheating on her with her best friend Siobhan! But no worries, fast forward a year and everything looks a little better for Lara. Her new wedding planning business is already running smoothly and she makes a name for herself, and her stray cat Fluffy is her best friend now. Only, Fluffy likes to wander in the neighbourhood and disappears for few days. One evening, looking for her loss, Lara encounters Theo who claims Fluffy is his and his name is Satchmo. Their first meeting isn't too nice and then Lara seems to see Theo everywhere she goes - can she keep her emotions in check? And can she eventually convince him that Fluffy's name is Fluffy and it's her cat?

Personally I thought that the cat is going to play much more significant role, especially when the title was still "The Cat Called Cupid" (but I must say that this other title, "The Break", is also not much better than the first one, yes, I know, Lara has broken up with her boyfriend but is it worth the whole title? ), and I was a bit disappointed that there were only few scenes with him, or rather without him as he was running away all the time. And I've never thought I'm going to tell this, that I was missing a cat, as I am much more a dog person and yes, I'm going to say this now loud, I don't like cats.

The story started in a very promising way but then it went a little downhill for me - it started to feel flat and I had a feeling that the whole wedding - planning business takes our attention away from the main plot. At the beginning there were so many great scenes, for example the first meeting between Lara and Theo and I loved how he called her karate - kid later, and it's a real pity that then the book started to feel somehow so forced and predictable.

Lara and Theo were characters full of warmth, however they just felt too two - dimensional, I've missed more depth in them, especially Theo whom, I have a feeling, I got to know only in terms of his good - looks. Some of their encounters were brilliantly hilarious, however the things between them escalated so quickly that I thought I've missed something - one minute they hate each other, the next they're crazy in love and planning their future. I don't know, I think I enjoyed them more as opponents than a couple, they were simply much funnier then. Of course, they are both such typical rom - com characters, jumping to conclusions, not being able to communicate, quite thick - headed and blowing things out of proportion, making me feel desperate. What's more, it mostly took the characters' ages until they were able to make up their minds, because every single thought was dissected - they were truly over thinking things and those inner monologues felt like a kind of filler.

This was a light - hearted story and Tilly Tennant is a lovely story - teller. Her writing is light and easy to follow and she can easily draw the reader into the book. However, she has also successfully incorporated some important issues in her book, like being in a manipulative relationship or pregnancy at a young age. If you are looking for an easy, not demanding read to relax for a few hours, I'm sure you're going to enjoy this book.

I have read a few of Tilly's books and I have really enjoyed reading them. I read the synopsis for 'The Break Up' and it certainly sounded like just my kind of read. ('The Break Up' was previously called 'A Cat Called Cupid', which to me suits the story better). I started reading 'The Break Up' when I was in need of a distraction and distract me it did. I really enjoyed reading 'The Break Up' but more about that in a bit.
I couldn't help but warm to Lara from the first moment I met her and by the time I got to the end of the first chapter I felt as though she had become a friend of mine. Lara is your typical girl next door, who thinks that she is in a loving relationship with her boyfriend Lucien. How little does she know. Lara soon finds out the truth and she sets about making a new life for herself. Her heartbreak gives her the push she needs to follow her dream and set up a wedding planning company. Lara isn't in a relationship but she devotes her time to her business and to the cat that wandered into her life. This cat is the feline equivalent of a tart as he likes to share himself around a lot and he is anybody's for a tummy tickle and some cat food. What happens next is could change Lara's life for ever. What happens? Well for the answer to that question and so much more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out.
I have to be honest and say that it took me a little while to get into this story but once I got into it, that was it and I was away. To say that reading 'The Break Up' is addictive seems a huge understatement. I would pick the book up only intending to read a couple of chapters and to fill in the odd half hour, but I would become so absorbed in the story that I would still be sat there over an hour later. I just had to keep reading to see how Lara got on and whether or not she got the happy ever after ending that she so deserves. The pages turned increasingly quickly as I charged my way through the story and then all of a sudden I reached the end of the book.
'The Break Up' certainly made me chuckle in places. I found the parts about the cat being the feline equivalent of a tart to be rather amusing and I found that I was comparing the cat's behaviour to the behaviour of my two gorgeous but loopy Labradors, who are also tarts. My eldest Labrador is anybody's for a tummy tickle and a fuss and the youngest Labrador is anybody's for whatever food they happen to be eating at the time. This sounds silly but I had to read 'The Break Up' after my youngest Labrador went to bed as she has a love/ hate relationship with cats and even the mention of the word sets her off. Had I read it whilst she was sat next to me, it would have felt like a betrayal!! I would definitely say that my Labradors have me wrapped round their paws just as Lara's cat has her wrapped around her paw.
'The Break Up' is well written. As I indicate above, for me the title called 'A Cat Called Cupid' suits the story better but that's just my opinion and others might think differently. Tilly certainly knows how to draw you into the story from the start. In Lara, Tilly has created a lovely character, who is impossible to dislike and you can't help but care about what happens to her. Tilly uses such vivid and realistic descriptions that I really did feel as though I was part of the story myself. Tilly has written a fun, light hearted, romantic comedy types of books which will definitely make you smile.
In short, I really enjoyed reading 'The Break Up' and I would recommend this book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Tilly's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 4* out of 5*.

Lara is crushed when her relationship ends in the worst way: he cheats on her with her best friend. When she returns home, she finds a cat on her doorstep and pours all her love into Fluffy.
She rebuilds her life and starts a wedding coordinator business. But she discovers that Fluffy has divided loyalties and a second owner named Theo...
The Break Up is a feel-good book despite the negativity implied in the title. Lara is a strong female lead character and our sympathies are instantly aligned with her after the devastation in the opening chapter. We want her to succeed in life and love due to the problems of her past.
Lara is the only well rounded character in the book. Her assistant Betsy was a fun character and I guessed the twist in her character's plotline. Theo is a pleasant enough chap but we don't really feel any bond with him as the focus in upon Lara and her feelings for him rather than him as an individual.
There is plenty of humour in the book despite the emotional highs and low that the plot develops. I enjoyed the misunderstanding about the cat which sparks the beginning of the relationship between Lara and Theo. Her mum also provides light relief as do the ridiculous wedding demands (I hope I wasn't as bad when I was a bridezilla!)
The Break Up is a light hearted and relaxed, gentle romance. There are no lurid sex scenes so I wouldn't blush lending this to my mum.

I am a fan of Ms. Tennant. The book was cute in a kinda way. It dragged. I finished and though, maybe I should have skimmed through it. No whooping story.

I thought that this was a charming rom-com. I enjoyed Lara’s “can-do” spirit and liked that she didn’t spend time moping around about her situation. Her emotions were realistic and she was not annoying (the way some rom-com heroines can be). I thought that the romance took a while to get off the ground, but it was nice that it wasn’t all rushed together. The pacing allowed for a pleasant, leisurely read. And I loved what a genuinely good guy Theo turned out to be. Altogether, this was a delightful read. For a full review, please visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks. Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for a digital ARC of the book.

4 stars
This had EVERYTHING. If you loved pets, then this cat was yours. If you want romance, this is yours . If you want to be captured, taken away from the day to day stuff...Then This Is Yours!

This is one of my favourite authors and I always enjoy her books. In ‘The Break Up’, Lara runs a successful wedding planning business but discovers that her boyfriend is dumping her for her best friend.

Then a stray cat turns up, Lara can’t find out who he belongs to so she keeps him, calls him Fluffy and he lifts her spirits. However, Fluffy is also Theo’s adopted stray and is called Satchmo!

There’s a verbal tug-of-war between Lara and Theo, will it lead to something more?

A lovely book full of great characters, and really well-written. I loved it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

I have been a fan of Tilly since way back in 2014 when I was asked if I would host a guest post to talk about her upcoming release Hopelessly Devoted to Holden Finn. Since then I have devoured book after book and I am always excited when I hear there is a new Tilly book coming out.

Both Lara and Theo were great characters and I really enjoyed following them. There were times when I was a little irritated with both of them. They can both be quite thick-headed and blind to what was going on. They were also funny and really sweet. It was very easy to root for them to sort things out.

There are a few great side characters in this book. I really liked Lara’s apprentice, Betsy. I would love to have a book that follows Betsy. Fluffy/Satchmo played such a great part in this book. I am personally more of a dog person but this little cat did win a little bit of my heart.

This story was funny and well written. Tilly has a way of really drawing you into the world of the book. This book is exactly what you need right now. It’s warm and cosy and perfect for curling up on the sofa with.

🌟🌟🌟 out of 5 stars.
** Thank you NetGalley for providing an e-copy in exchange for an honest review. **

The plot was okay.. BUT there are a couple of issues i’m kind of questioning and others i just hate.

Let me start by saying how slow-paced this book was... it was dreadful, especially at the middle part when it was a year later after Lara’s break-up. There were several parts in the book, where the story would’ve survived without those unnecessary descriptions. It’s like it was written to make it longer; to add more words. // Please do not get me wrong, i did enjoy the book still. I just hated how it was a bit dragging and it felt more awful to read than feeling good/okay.


(P.S. this is my personal feelings towards the character. Just ugh!)
~
Then there’s Lara Nightingale. Girl, i get what you’re going through, what you’ve been through, everything.. but to entertain again your past? To involve yourself again? Why are you doing that yo yourself??? You could still move on without confronting the past again. I mean, okay, i get what you wanted to achieve — but something with how you did things seemed off and terrible, especially for your sake. Even though she got the supposed “closure” she hoped for.. idk girl, but i do hope you are better now. I do feel bad for you though, because your present ended up being connected to your past. It’s like the universe never wants you to forget the biggest heartbreak you had. Also, Lucien SUCKS.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for providing this advance reading copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.

I loved the premise of this book. Taking care of the same street cat helped two people fall in love...

Lara has just been broken up with by Lucien, learning he's been cheating on her with her best friend. As she heads home, broken hearted, she comes across Fluffy and her life changes. In a year she starts a successful business out of her home, bringing on an employee, and she has finally met the man for her, Fluffy. One night out looking for Fluffy, she comes across Theo who is also looking for his cat. They both realize that Fluffy and Satchmo are one and the same and the tension only rises from there. As life and their cat keeps bringing Lara and Theo together, can she move beyond her past mistrust to have a future with Theo?

To me this was more of a women's fiction journey of Lara overcoming her past relationships to move on, the romance was not a focus. This is a closed door romance. It was a slow burn and then the couple jumps right in without a lot of the tension that is typical. I enjoyed Lara's female relationships but I do think there was some character development missing especially in regards to Theo, who was sweet but not fully realized. I enjoyed this as a fun, sweet read, especially as a new cat owner.

An enjoyable read. I’ve read a few Tilly Tennant books and really enjoyed them.
I enjoyed the banter between Lara and Betsy and their friendship. And I enjoyed the banter and teasing later in the book between Lara and Theo.

I found this story a little slow to get get some real traction for me. It all set an excellent descriptive picture but I would have preferred a more fast paced story line. It did pick up about half way and I was really engaged as to what was going to happen, not only with Lara and Theo but also with Lucien, the other band members and Lara’s clients.
Whilst I really enjoyed the ending there seemed to be quite a big jump with no warning, the time gap bring about 6 months or more. While I appreciated that it was needed to move the story on I felt that some of the other plot lines weren’t explained or finished off enough, like what really happened with Theo and the band? did Lucien really turn his behaviour around? It just felt like it was missing a little something.

That being said I did enjoy this feel good read and I was smiling at the end along with Theo and Lara.

I really enjoyed this story of Fluffy/Satchmo, a cat who lives with two separate owners who meet and hate each other on sight until they don't! I also enjoyed the plot line of Lara coping by being dumped by her boyfriend and betrayed by her best friend by starting her dream business as a wedding planner. There were likeable characters, who engaged my attention and who I really cared about, and there were despicable characters whose actions made me cringe. Everything I love in a book was present in this story so why not 5 stars? Well, the main problem, for me, was Lara, the story's heroine, who I found deeply unpleasant. She was self-obsessed, selfish and incredibly unstable and I found her rude and selfish behaviour towards Theo, Fay and the lovely Betsy to be unforgivable. I had very little sympathy for her self-pitying behaviour and even when supposed to be supporting Betsy at the most stressful time of her life, her thoughts were more on how it would affect her than on how Betsy was coping. However, having said that she improved towards the end and I was glad that everything was resolved. Overall, an enjoyable read just a shame that the character wasn't more likeable. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

A delightfully dramatic way to meet and a prickly relationship begins!😽

4.5🌟stars
I loved the arc of this story, despite the less attractive side most of the characters show as they tussle and argue. Their faults made them more realistic and, for the lead characters, more sympathetic and relatable. Using a cute cat to force the leads to interact was a brilliant stroke (although said cat did not really seem to care)😀.

I was so in accord with heroine Lara for turning her back on Lucien and Siobhan after the way they treated her. Egotistical Lucien's villainy oozes through the story and causes major upheaval. Lara has a pretty sharp tongue that alienates almost everyone at some point, even her mum! But I liked her nevertheless, through all her heartache, disappointment, hurt, distrust and some frightful client behavior; it seems her young assistant Betsy and Fluffy the tabby saw through Lara's defenses to her big heart. Jazz musician Theo repeatedly shows his unpleasant side as well, especially in the early part of the story, but he does offer sympathy and a supporting hand when needed and think the world of his cat Satchmo, who's a bit of an opportunist, moving from human to human as the spirit moves him.

The Break Up is not a grand romance, per se, but a satisfying, quiet connection takes hold despite a whole array of obstacles and the ending is both hopeful and humorous. I really like the author's adroit hand at creating a community of characters who I could imagine living in MY neighborhood. Their tale definitely kept my interest beginning to end and I'm eager to sample more of the author's work.

Thanks to publisher Bookouture and NetGalley for providing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.