Robyn and Willa met at school. They are at a dinner party with their current partners. Robyn's wife Cat pokes fun at her because she knows that Willa was Robyn's first love, they bonded after (Cat, James) Willa's sister Leika went missing. Cat has also invited her brother Nate and his partner Claudette. I suggest you write down these names so that as time jumps and perspectives shift you remember who is who. May be harder to follow if you listen to audiobook.

This is probably the most tragic, saddest mystery I have read this year. There are themes of abuse and neglect. I didn't follow all of the character's motivation, but I did appreciate the queer love story that is interwoven through the main plot. This being set in the UK, it does not seem to follow the pattern of more US based mysteries. No reveals throughout the story, no twists/turns. This is a more straightforward unfolding.

I read this because the author of my favorite mystery this year wrote a blurb for this one, "End of Story." I am glad I did, it was an engaging, if slow starting, mystery. Will pick up the author's other works.

Thanks to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the ARC.

It felt more traumatic than a true thriller for me. There is definitely some suspense, but this wasn't for me.

Willa and Laika are as close as two sisters can be. One day, Laika disappears and those left behind must pick up the pieces. Can Will discover what happened to Laika? Fans of psychological suspense will devour this.

There is a depth to this book that is hard to articulate. On the surface, it is a story about a family, with a cruel father, just trying to survive. The layers happen when the mother and daughters each find their own way to happiness. I will be digesting this story for quite some time.

Like the Japanese art of putting broken pieces of pottery back together in the manner of which they are more beautiful than the original, the characters in this book have to piece back together their lives that have inadvertently been broken whether it is themselves or others that do so. Laika is at the mercy of her father and his emotional and physical abuse could actually be qualified as torture. In some ways, it was a blessing that he gave her the passport so she could go to France and reinvent herself as Claudette. Willa is broken by the disappearance of her sister and the fight she has to find her as she always felt she let her down by not sticking up for her as her father deemed her the golden child. I thought Liv and Michael made astute observations when it comes to memories as all experiencing the same event will have different interpretations later. As we are all bombarded with social media, are memories embellished as they take on others or are they deliberately created? Did Willa create memories of Jamie despite the fact he was a despicable and boorish man? Was Robin's memory of Willa and their time together at school slightly skewed to the point that she couldn't see her great love, Cat, right in front of her? This book is truly insightful as to how a person truly can overcome anything to get what they need and deserve. Love comes in many shapes and forms but at the end, the only person we can save is ourselves.

This didn’t feel super thriller-y to me. It was traumatic and emotional. Overall I liked it but I had different expectations going in vs what it actually ended up being. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

This is such a beautifully written, powerful and emotional book. It's so well written that I truthfully have trouble writing a review that will give the book justice. It's special and rare and a treat to read.

A dinner party that takes a direct course toward disaster provides the frame for this mystery centered around domestic violence and the long-term grieving of a missing child. Collins is a highly competent writer, gradually revealing the plot's outcome through the back-story interactions between the principal characters. Revolving narration between the three works well in filling in the details of a teenage girl's sudden disappearance. Though not exactly a thriller, it will appeal to fans of domestic suspense.

"Things Don’t Break on Their Own" by Oliver Shah is a compelling and insightful read that I thoroughly enjoyed. Shah's investigative journalism shines through as he delves into the intricate world of high finance and corporate power. The book's meticulous research and engaging narrative kept me hooked, offering a deep dive into the dramatic downfall of prominent business figures. While some parts were dense with financial jargon, the overall story was both enlightening and gripping. It's a well-crafted, thought-provoking book that provides a fascinating look into the complexities of the financial world.

Thing Don't Break on Their Own was not what I expected and was not prepared for what I read, however it was a good read. Thank you NetGalley for this advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

Things Don't Break on Their Own by Sarah Easter Collins is broken up in three parts and told by different points of view from three women. First Robyn tells how she spent the first summer with Willa, her roommate at a boarding school. Willa and Robyn were each other's first loves but Willa wont ammit that she has feeling for Robyn. Willa is still broken from her sister Laika's dissapearance when she was 13 years old. Willa looks for her sister in everyone she meets including the two new girlfriends of both Robyn and Cat's brothers. Claudette is French and when she hears Cat introduce everyone at the party she needs to get a better look at Willa to see if it is her sister and likewise for Willa. This book shows what life is like for the wealthy (Willa and Laika's parents) and what a tragady losing a sibling does to a family and the people that souround them. I want to thank both NetGalley and Crown Publishing for letting me read an advance copy of this book.

This book isn’t for me. We start off with Robyn and her wife Cat preparing to host a dinner party with their friends. As the friends arrive we’re briefly given a short intro to each person and how they connect to Robyn and Cat. Willa is Robyn’s best friend from boarding school and she’s also semi-famous for the disappearance of her sister some odd 20 years prior. As the dinner party gets going I started to feel engaged by the characters and the conversation of memories and how each person’s brain perceives them. Then just as fast as I became Invested were ripped from the dinner party and thrown into Robyn and Willa’s childhood, switching POVs. This is where it lost me. Overall just not as interesting as I anticipated. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review,

The story of two friends, one of whom has a sister who disappeared into thin air when she was a teenager.
A story told as a dinner party unfolds in the present with flashbacks to their youth, I found this book to be beautifully written and it kept me invested from the very beginning. As the story went on I found myself feeling nervous as I waited to see how the entire thing would come together at the end.
For a more in-depth review please check out my spoiler free YouTube review here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyQuLR9aSx8

The blurb for this book leads one to think of a completely different story than what is being told. Sarah Easter Collins is a talented writer and the overall story of the missing sister is compelling....until the let down.

This is more of a story about trauma and memories. One of the characters leads a group into a discussion in false memories. There is also internal drama and turmoil within all of the characters that is explored.

I think my biggest issue is the back and forth and back again nature of the story. While it does add intrigue, it was too much. The multiple POVs also didn't quite help the situation.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review.

I tried really hard to get into this book but I just didn’t enjoy it. It didn’t feel much like a thriller/mystery to me as it was described and I found that very disappointing. There were too many characters introduced right away, and some of them did not seem necessary to the story making for a somewhat confusing plot line as a reader

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. I love this novel!

Two sisters live with their wealthy parents in a seemingly ideal situation. Behind closed doors, things are not going well. One sister goes missing and the other is left to deal with her loss. There are so many secrets.

The ending is amazing!

"Things Don't Break on Their Own" is beautifully written, with lyrical sentences, rich characters, and insight about trauma and abuse. The most difficult part for me was when the abuse started to escalate in the flashbacks. It was written well enough to be disturbing, and I needed to skim over some parts. Readers who enjoy rich characters, nuanced writing, and psychological insight will enjoy this. Heads up for child SA. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
#ThingsDontBreakOnTheirOwn
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This gripping tale delves into the intricate dynamics of a complex family, woven with elements of mystery, grief, and queer love. Robyn and Cat, along with an eclectic group of guests, come together for a family gathering that unravels buried secrets and unresolved traumas. Central to the story is Willa's quest to uncover the truth behind her sister Laika's disappearance, a mystery that has haunted her for years. Through shifting timelines and diverse perspectives, the narrative peels back layers of hidden emotions and long-buried secrets, culminating in a satisfying and conclusive resolution that ties up all loose ends. Despite a slow start, the story unfolds into a deeply emotional exploration of family bonds, love, loss, and the complexities of grief. This compelling blend of mystery and family drama is skillfully crafted, offering a poignant and engaging read that I highly recommend. Many thanks to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this beautifully written mystery.

Well, I really wanted to like this one. It's a little too drawn out. Too many words. I did like the story, The ending was lackluster, author could have done better on the ending. Very underwhelming.

Willa can't move on with her life since her sister disappeared twenty-five years ago. She sees her everywhere. What happened all those years ago? Is she still out there? A solid title to add to any mystery collection.