This is my first book by Sheila McClure (and I say this because she’s previously written under different pen names) and it’s really lucky that I love books far more than money (because I’m never going to have money) as I am now off for her books prior to this (now I just need time to read all the books)

I loved Ellie so much, maybe not as much as Gus, but that’s understandable (Gus is a dog and automatically sits far higher than humans). All the characters to be fair are really relatable, which is what makes them so likeable. This is such a great read, once you get into it you won’t want to put it down, it’s such a lovely, warm hearted read, full of fun, humour and of course romance. It’s got the mix just right, a little drama, but of action, full of heart.

This is such a sweet story, I loved how Sheila managed to keep me surprised, I love it when I don’t see things coming. It’s a big thumbs up from me, it’s full of uplifting romance and it’s got Gus, Gus could sell it on his own.

Thanks to Sheila McClure and Rachel’s Random Resources for a free copy in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own and freely given.

I’ve heard of dating agency’s but a break up agency is a new but much needed concept. In a world where breakups take month if not years to get over Ellie has made a way to give people a softer landing. When Ellie falls for a past client with whom she ends up co parents a dog with, who will make sure she get a softer landing?

What an interesting premise for those who hate conflict (and I am one of them). This was a cute, fun, and witty read, but maybe a little too long (really, it felt like it went on forever). The story was engaging enough but could have been much shorter and told the same story. Still, it is well written and I enjoyed my time with Ellie, Dan, and Gus. Recommended for a long plane ride or a vacation with tons of time to read.

I wish I could give this a glowing review but I'm afraid I cant. This was DNF (did not finish) for me. There were 2 reasons for this; firstly, I found it predictable which for some people may not be an issue and if you're in the mood for something predictable and light hearted then this is definitely for you. Secondly, and perhaps the biggest reason, (and the reason for the low mark) was that I believe there are factual - inaccuracies which weren't acknowledged in the acknowledgements at the end of the book. We hear how Ellie's dad was killed at Jersey Zoo by a Silver-back gorilla named Koko after a child fell into the enclosure. Ellie's dad went to rescue the child without shooting the gorilla. When I read this the name Koko rang a bell but I was fairly certain it wasn't to do with this incident. Koko was in fact a female western gorilla who was known for her use of sign language to communicate with keepers and for being extremely intelligent. A quick google search using the words "jersey zoo gorilla" showed me that this incident did actually occur with a Silver-back gorilla named Jambo and thankfully the incident was resolved without anyone dying and according to Google there is a statue of Jambo in the park to this day. Whilst I appreciate the author had a certain amount of "artistic license" so could change the ending to match the story she wanted to tell. I feel firstly that it's disrespectful to use Koko's name in this incident and if she was going to then at least mention the real story in the acknowledgements or add a reader's note to explain the inspiration behind this part of the story. She explained the inspiration behind Gus in the story so why not do the same in this situation? If in fact the author did do this then I can only assume the publisher didn't put it in for some reason and therefore they need to amend the acknowledgments This may not matter to some people and it may not take away their enjoyment of the book but it took away my enjoyment of the book and therefore I will not be posting my review on good reads or Amazon.

This book was sent to me via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book wasn't for me. The concept was so interesting BUT the writing and the characters just felt flat. And I couldn't connect with them or their stories.
My biggest problem is... although advertised as a romance, this book doesn't feel like a romance at all. We have breadcrumbs or romance just at the 80% mark. And by that time, the end it's pretty close and everything feels so rushed.

Ellie Shaw loves love. Unfortunately, she’s also an expert in break-ups. When a friend needs help with a break up, Ellie agrees to help. What she doesn’t expect is for American Dan to be kind, caring, to love dogs and look like a Disney hero. In other words, completely too good to be true.
She lets him down with grace and, encouraged by her friends, sets up Softer Landings, offering kinder, gentler break-ups.
A year later American Dan reappears in her life with another who wants to break up with him.
The team hatch a plan to let Dan down easy, but while Ellie attempts to lead him gently away, real sparks start to fly. There’s just one big problem she can’t ignore.
A perfect read for those who love some second-chance love and sticky but sweet situations between charcters.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and reviewed it voluntarily. All opinions are my own.

Ellie has a side line with some friends, and they help orchestrate break ups. She had helped her friend break up with American Dan previously, and thought they would have a chance together, but then he appears back in her life with a new girlfriend, so have they missed their chance?
An emotional read at times.

Ellie Shaw loves love. Unfortunately, she’s also an expert in break-ups. When a friend needs help with her ‘too nice to dump’ boyfriend, Ellie agrees to help. What she doesn’t expect is for American Dan to be kind, caring, to love dogs and look like a Disney hero. In other words, completely too good to be true.'

This was an entertaining, fun read. The characters were well written and the storyline was great. It was a slow starter but once American Dan appeared, my interest was piqued! Also, Gus! ♥ 🐶

Thank you to @rachelsrandomresources and @mcbookiemonster for having me on the tour 🙂

My Review: This is my first Sheila McClure book which tells the story of Ellie who runs The Break-up agency. A place that offers help and support to those who can't break up on their own and need that extra push to kindly break their other half's heart. Its a well written whacky story with some laugh out loud moments. An easy to follow book with some laughs and gasps

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read an ARC of "The Break-Up Agency", written by Sheila McClure. It was released on October 4th, 2022.

Overall, I rated this novel 4/5 stars!

I loved the concept of this book! Ellie (the main character) starts a business that specializes in "letting signifcant others down easily" However, trouble starts to brew once Ellie finds herself having feelings for Dan, and she has to avoid letting it slip that their relationship was actually originally a con.

With such an unusual premise, the book promised to be really interesting and it was.

Ellie Shaw, having run off from her home in Jersey, lands in London, only to be met with heartache. At her first job, she uses her long-practiced skill of breaking up with someone on behalf of her colleague, Thea. Thus, is born Softer Landings, the break-up agency. Working at it part time, at first, she is nudged by her boss, to launch out on her own.

The person she broke up with for Thea, is ‘American Dan’, who sets off for Africa, leaving Ellie with his lovely dog, Gus. After initially keeping in touch, Dan disappears and with no trace. Meanwhile, Ellie grows more and more attached to Gus.

When Dan appears, out of the blue, with a girlfriend in tow. When the girlfriend reaches out to Softer Landings to let down Dan, Ellie is presented with a moral dilemma. Can she take money to do this, while being a friend and feeling something more for Dan?

The book had many funny moments, especially with the crazy responses to the Softer Landings application forms, and Ellie’s colleagues’ conversation and way of working. I expected the funny side of this story but didn’t expect to be moved so much by the characters – Dan, Ellie, her colleagues – Simon and Thea. Each of them had their own baggage to work through and they did. And of course, there was sweet Gus, a failed guide dog, who found his own special niche!

The author dealt with the characters and the story so beautifully, that I found myself wanting the book to go on.

A lovely story of forgiveness, love and finding your own special place in the world.

When life gave her a lemon, Ellie made it a lemonade. She built herself a new life, kind of a random one but it works for her. Then the man she has a crush on comes back into her life. There’s a dog, he kind of belongs to both of them. There are also a lot of side characters.

This book has the classic romcom plot. A heroine with a non-job, quirky side characters, a cute dog and the obligatory airport climax scene. I did have a hard time at the beginning, I thought it was a bit hard-to-follow and the book itself is too long in my opinion. I feel like there was a lot of filler and lots of things could’ve been cut short. However, it was a fun romcom and the more I read, the more I got into it.

***

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publishing team for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is an entertaining premise for this story and one which I enjoyed very much. Ellie Shaw is a likeable, well-meaning character and her friends and colleagues add such a lot of humour to the story. That is not to say that they do not have some serious issues at home, but rather that they are drawn as lively and interesting characters. Of course, Gus the dog actually steals the show and he fills such a void in both Ellie and American Dan's lives.

Ellie is motivated by the desire to stop people suffering from heartbreak and rejection. She sets up her solution to this through her agency. I loved the answers she got to her initial questionnaires and the reasons people gave for wanting to break up with their other half. There are some poignant moments but the overwhelming feeling of the book is one of warmth and humour. I loved the final chapters of the story,. They are perfectly judged.

In short: a romcom full of warmth and fun

Looking for a read full of laughter and fun, too?
This could be the very book for you!
With great characters, including the heroic Gus -
He's certainly someone about whom I'd make a fuss!

Ellie Shaw hates anyone to feel let down and so
When they're finishing relationships likes them to know
How to leave their ex not feeling bad
And hopefully also not feeling too sad.

Let down, herself, and after years helping her sister,
Now she's in London not looking for a Mister.
Instead she's set up Softer Landings with the aim
To help make break ups kinder, or that's her claim.

What happens, however, when the unsuspecting man in the pair
Is someone at whom she'd love time to appreciate and stare?
She's not supposed to be taking the chance
Of finding for herself a fabulous romance!

With a team full of laughter but with their own fears, too,
What happens when their secrets are shared, what should they do?
A story filled with love, hugs and opportunities so
I hope you'll also read it and give it a go!

For my complementary copy of this book I say thank you.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and this is my honest review

I adored the premise of the book for this one so I just had to read it. I did find the beginning really hard to get into, I just felt like there was a lot of stuff to take in and for me, it didn't flow well.

Once the story got into it, it worked much better. I started to enjoy the characters and followed along with it with ease. I struggled to feel a connection with the main female character and at times just found myself zoning out while reading.

I think the story plot is really good and I really did enjoy certain aspects of the book.

Thank you to the author, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of the book is great, and has lots of potential. While parts were a fun read, overall I found it problematic, mainly due to lots of ableist language and assumptions that pervaded the book. While it's laudable that the author wants to weave in the topic of a disability, she really needs to work on how to do that with the necessary sensitivity.

Special shout-out to the cover artist - great work!

This is a lovely book about second chances at love. This is an easy read romance, I found myself getting completely lost in. The heartwarming narrative and well written characters make this book feel so relatable and genuine. After I finished this I was desperate for more, the connections and relationships feel so natural. The narrative is so well thought out and I was desperate for a happy ending for them.
Sheila McClure is an author I will definitely read again.
#TheBreakUpAgency

I liked the premise, imagine getting paid for handle it other people break ups... I love the story and I love the characters. It's just a circle perfect book.

I’m not really a romance novel lover, but I did enjoy this one. Mainly because I fell in love with American Dan, he is literally my perfect man 😆💖 The concept behind this book was intriguing; a company that’s paid to end relationships for those who can’t bring themselves to be the dumper - it actually seems like quite a good idea!

The book is quite a slow burner, there’s no real tension in it and it’s fairly obvious who is going to end up with who in the end. I think that’s my main issue with romances, you always know the characters are going to end up together - they’ll face a few hurdles before they get there, and you know one/both of them will throw a wobbly near the end and then suddenly realise that person is actually their one true love. There’s rarely any shocking surprises in there, and while this might be comforting it’s not something I could read over and over.

The characters aren’t the most likeable (aside from American Dan - did I mention how amazing he is???) but they’re not exactly unpleasant either.

I didn’t understand the need for all the secrecy through the story. Without giving away too much, Ellie didn’t want Dan to know what she did for a living, he didn’t want her to know about a major part of his life…But neither of these were topics that needed to be kept from the other?! Perhaps I’m in the minority here but I just think it created unrealistic drama where there didn’t need to be any. I couldn’t help but think about how it would have played out in real life and it was just so much more straightforward!

I realise I’ve criticised quite a lot here, but it actually was still an enjoyable read. I’d recommend to someone who enjoys rom coms, and the setting - the actual break up agency - was a novel idea. A perfect Sunday morning duvet read 🛏

Also, if anyone reads it and knows an American Dan - please direct him this way 🙏🏻

Thank you Rachel’s Random Resources and NetGalley for this copy to review

What about if instead of breaking up with your significant other, you are outsourcing the service to a specialized company that, in addition, will take care of the other person´s feelings in a gentle and diplomatic way? That´s the mission of Ellie Shaw´s Softer Landings.

But sometimes, her professional mission is getting too personal, as she decides to break up with ther boyfriend American Dan. One year after though, his new girlfriend may need some Soft Landing approach and Ellie is faced with a difficult challenge, as it looks like there is something left between her and Dan.

At the first sight, The Break-Up Agency by Sheila McClure is that kind of book one may adore reading during the weekend or on a holiday at the beach. However, it is much more than that, because in fact the entire setting - why, for example, may someone help ending up the relationship when the partnership is the responsibility of the persons directly involved - begs for a more serious approach. One of the reasons, in fact, I am so interested in reading this kind of literature is because it reveals not few ideas about real life and real interactions. The bonus of this book is to include in the web of the story various details of break-ups and the reasons they happened. It´s another way in which books, any kind of books, may help us navigate the life´s hardships.

Ellie is by far my favorite character: thoughtful, responsible, strong but also vulnerable and fragile. She is highly relatable and the contexts created for her do outline and enrich her personality.

The Break-Up Agency is built on an ingenious idea while exploring the modern web of relationships. It is funny yet thoughtful enough to keep your autumn weekend intellectually busy.