Even If We're Broken

This was a sophisticated romance novel with some heavy subject matter, but I loved all of it. A second-chance romance is a forever favorite of mine, and I was rooting for Ben and Kate from page 1. Loved the archaeology setting, the treatment of mental health, the older characters (with REAL bodies), and the supporting characters, as well as the masterful writing. Would definitely recommend!

Even if We’re Broken was an emotional, gripping, real, raw story. I was drawn in by the characters’ deep humanity; and their disabilities, mental illness, grief, and physical and mental pain.
This is a sweet, tender slow-burn about kind, good, flawed middle-aged people. It’s beautiful. The writing pulls you along smoothly and makes you feel sooo many different feelings. It showcases good communication, recovery from abuse and painful relationships, a healthy parent-child relationship, and acknowledgment of the ways chronic pain and insomnia affect humans and their coping mechanisms.
It also has a lot of great queer representation, including one of the MC’s.

Whoa. I was not prepared for how engrossed I would become when I first started my read. I basically dropped everything to find out how Ben and Kate's truly adult (characters in their 40s) romance would settle. The addition of an archaeology set world and the true toll of mental health issues encapsulated such a detailed and complex portrayal of the human experience.

Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for providing an eARC for an honest review.

Two broken, equally anxious, introverts meet again after twenty years apart.
Would this finally be the right time for them to be together?

Honestly, I was ready to fight if these two couldn't find a way to each other. Burning Norway to the ground, killing an awful ex-partner, paying for their research… anything for these beautiful souls to finally be with someone who understands their pain and fragilities.
By the way, this is what I mean when I say that fictional characters over 40s should be portrayed as actual adults, and not horny teenagers who never grow in their skin.

One of the many messages that can be found is that people who go to therapy understand that they need it because of people who thought they didn't need it. In other words: therapy for everyone!
And this story does feel like it: free therapy. More than that, it's the feeling of being heard, seen, understood as very few people - if any - can do; individuals with mental illnesses are more prone to recognize it, but it doesn't happen every day to see on paper what’s going on in your mind, and understanding that you’re not alone.

May you be drawn by the archaeology parts - still my dream job - or by your gut telling they have a good feeling about this story, “Even If We’re Broken” is the most heartwarming slow burn you'll have the chance to witness this year, with just the right amount of suffering and realization on the way.

Thanks to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

Smart. Emotive. And engaging. Like the archeologists revealing their finds, this multi-layered novel is more than I thought. If you are looking for a thought-provoking Romantic fiction, this is easy to recommend. (I saw this talked about on Twitter and picked it up via NetGalley as an advanced reader.) I’m going to recommend it to my book club.

This is beautiful and stunning love story. I really don’t know how to put into words how completely captivating this was. This touches on many difficult topics, but they were all done with such care. This was a joy to read.