An interesting novel by author Sarah Easter Collins.

We meet main character Willa, living with the disappearance of her sister many years ago, she believes she is still alive.

Willa has desperately and relentlessly searched for Liaka with no results. Whilst at a dinner party, some things are revealed and we learn about Willas childhood and young adult life.

I found this novel quite haunting in a way, the characters were flawed but likeable and the story was more of a domestic noir than a thriller I personally thought.

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for allowing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Sarah Easter Collins has a real hit on her hands with this one.
I absolutely knew what the story was all about! Right up until I didn't. Absolutely loved it and have reccomended it to all my book club friends.

Twenty five years ago Willa's sister disappeared on her way to school. Willa's best friend Robyn at the boarding school she was sent to after the disappearance, is now happily married and holds a dinner party for Willa and her fiancé, and Cat,-Willa's wife's brother and his French girlfriend.. The evening will begin to unravel the mystery of the past and set in motion events to bring some kind of justice. Its a clever twisty plot and a gripping read.

Really wholesome story about love, family, loss and redemption. With wealth, does not come happiness is such a true saying. White middle class families have issues of violence, just like the rest of us. I enjoyed reading this book more than I thought I would.

A twisty little thriller with heartbreak in abundance. And while coincidence plays a large part it allows for a graceful ending rather than a cliffhanger. An easy summer time read. Thank you to Netgalley for the advance reader copy.

This is a beautifully written book which is the story of a family ripped apart by an abusive and controlling father. Willa and Laika have accepted that their mother is dominated by their father but Laika will not and after a particularly nasty confrontation she vanishes.

The story of Laika and Willa and how they separately travel through their lives and the effect that the early treatment from their father has on their development is impactful. I loved the characters of both Willa and Laika and was disappointed to get to the end.

Many thanks to Netgalley, the yay and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

The blurb for "Things Don’t Break On Their Own" by Sarah Easter Collins promised a thriller. However, I found the book to be quite different from what I expected. The story starts with a dinner party where a discussion about a missing girl surfaces. This girl, who disappeared on her way to school 25 years ago, is Willa’s sister, and Willa herself is a guest at the party. I anticipated a thrilling revelation of the truth, but the book didn't deliver in the traditional sense of a thriller. Instead, it delves deeply into themes of grief, abuse, and a lesbian relationship, moving at a slower pace than I expected.

This book is primarily about childhood abuse. While it isn’t explicitly graphic, it does explore the topic in significant detail. For those with triggers related to domestic and child abuse, it might be best to avoid this one.

One aspect I did appreciate was the unfolding of the narrative through multiple points of view. This technique highlighted how everyone’s perception of an event can differ, adding layers to the story. However, it also left me uncertain about which characters were reliable.

Though the book didn't meet my expectations as a thriller, it is still a good read with rich, complex themes. I struggled to relate to Laika and her choices, especially her decision not to contact her mother and sister, given that only her father was abusive.

The story begins around a dinner party discussing early memories which brings back the memory of the disappearance of Laika. The story starts slow from from a few different viewpoints

Although struggled with the slow start great ready and couldn’t put down in the end. Thank you netgalley for early read.

Unfortunately I wasn’t able to get to this book before it was archived but once I’ve read it I will post my review to all relevant book sites

What an incredible debut. This genuine page turner was a beautifully crafted book with a full range of characterisations and emotions that were truly believable. Laika, aged thirteen goes missing from her home, never to be found. The story covers the despair of her disappearance from the perspective of her sister Willa and mostly follows her story into adulthood and beyond. The story begins, however with a dinner party for several guests including Willa and conversation delves into early memories that is uncomfortable for Willa. The book alternates between the past and present and also focuses on relationships, some that are loving, others extremely toxic which can ultimately affect the lives of those around them. Without spoilers, I don’t want to retell the story but I will say this is a must read book that will not disappoint and I can’t wait for what comes next from this very talented author.

I really enjoyed this taut drama about friends, dysfunctional families, and secrets.

In Things Don’t Break On Their Own, we're following a group of people, some of whom are friends, and some are partners, as they meet together for dinner. It soon becomes clear that there is a lot of history between some of the characters.

We switch between the present-day narrative - at dinner - and the past stories of some of the characters as they grow up - particularly the friendship between Robyn and Willa. Willa's sister Laika disappeared one day many years ago and Willa has always wondered what happened to her. As we move between timelines, we start to uncover what really happened...

This book has a big reveal, and I really enjoyed the multiple narratives and perspectives. You might have to suspend your disbelief for one coincidence which is featured but it's an enjoyable, gripping and absorbing book which never felt over the top. The book radiates tension and the author skilfully develops the characters, who I enjoyed getting to know. I recommend Things Don't Break on Their Own and I'm looking forward to reading more from Sarah Easter Collins in the future.

This ended up being quite the unexpected read. I thought we were getting into a fairly standard mystery but this is a more layered look at family dynamics. It's full of grief and an inability to move forward without closure. It also heavily involves abuse cycles and the way they take their toll.

The writing style was fantastic, particularly resting on the characterisation of Willa. It shows us the myriad of ways her life got stuck at the moment her sister went missing. The doubt, the love, the fear of letting go. It was a surprisingly beautiful and emotional read. I'd definitely read another by the same author.

I found the start of this book to be quite slow and sometimes confusing as to who was who. However the final two thirds of the book really picked up the pace and had me hooked. It’s a tale of dysfunctional families, secrets and lies and I loved it. Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin and the author for the chance to review.

A thoroughly enjoyable read. A gripping book from start to finish. I would definitely read more of this authors future works

A mystery/thriller in the mould of The Girl on the Train, pacy and addictive. Willa’s sister disappeared years ago on her way to school and Willa and her mother are left in limbo, never knowing if she is still alive or if she was killed.
The narrative moves between the past and the present day and switches viewpoint between Willa, her schoolfriend Robyn and her sister, Laika.
The first section, the current day dinner party, felt quite generic and didn't hook me although it was competently written. It wasn't until the story went back in time that it picked up the tempo and, the dinner party scenes revisited near the end of the book worked much better.
The unreliability of memory is a big theme and Easter Collins is great at pitting the recall of different characters against each other, creating a tangled web of viewpoints which leaves you questioning what really happened.
The multi-stranded plot reveals its secrets gradually and keeps you guessing right until the end.
Founded on a dark premise, the book is nevertheless upbeat and satisfying. A definite beach read and a great debut.

A dramatic mystery tale with its plot surrounding a dysfunctional family. It’s both traumatic and heart wrenching whilst delivering the mystery feel in which, let’s face it, we all love to read! Hitting queer love, multiple timelines, and different POV’s, this book is a mystery that will have you wrapped around it’s little finger
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Thanks to the publisher for the early copy!!

One day Laika Martenwood walks to school but never arrives and never returns home .
There is a large police hunt for her and a tv campaign but she is never found and is believed to be dead.
Willa is Laika’s sister and she feels guilty because they usually walked to school together , but the fateful day she would follow on after her .
Her sister’s disappearance shapes the rest of her life .
Moving on twenty five years there is a dinner party Willa is invited by her first love Robyn and her wife Cat .
This dinner party will leave many questions to be answered.
The writing style of this story is excellent it’s told from the point of view of three women and moves on seamlessly .
A fantastic read and a very satisfying ending.
A fulfilling and enjoyable story.
A must read!
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin General UK - Fig tree .

This is a story of heartbreak, crucial loss and the mending of broken things. Things Don’t Break On Their Own follows the timeline of a present day dinner party that rehashes old traumas and is expertly written and very well crafted.

There is a strong message of why and how things fall apart but also how important things can also be fixed. Whilst reading, the reader can easily feel like they are part of the conversation. There is acceptance in the room and it is palpable.

The end is warm and satisfying and gives the closure needed.

Thank you to Penguin and NetGalley for the ARC!

OMG! WOW!. Just finished reading this phenomenal book. It's one hell of a wicked read. All the characters are well rounded, plot ties together nicely and there's definitely a few shocking twists. The book is brilliant from beginning to end, completely unputdownable. It would make a great film. Huge congratulations to Sarah Easter Collins. Can't wait to see what she writes next

A compelling read that is very well written and full of curious characters. It's an emotional journey with a satisfying conclusion.
Due to the nature of the story check trigger warnings just in case.
I'm not sure what category this belongs in - it's not a thriller (so I understand why some were disappointed if they went into it thinking it was) - but I really enjoyed reading this one and would look to read more from the author in the future.
With thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc ebook.