Tour: The Home for Broken Hearts by Rowan Coleman

Publication Date: September 7, 2010
Pages: 382
My rating:





Summary:

When Ellen Woods is unexpectedly widowed at the age of thirty-eight, she and her ten-year-old son Charlie are left to cope alone. Financially insecure and facing the possibility of losing her beloved London home, Ellen lets her forceful younger sister Hannah talk her into taking in lodgers. Before she knows it, freelance copy editor Ellen finds her home invaded by strangers—a business woman who is running away from a cheating husband, an elderly but legendary historical romance author made temporarily homeless by a flood, and a twenty-five-year-old men’s magazine writer and Casanova.

Used to living a sheltered life, protected by her husband and working exclusively from home, Ellen struggles to adjust to the changes in her life, not to mention the stormy relationship she has with her son since he lost his father. As the first anniversary of her husband’s death approaches, the safe little world Ellen is used to begins to crumble and fall apart…until she uncovers a secret that will change how she lives her life forever.

My Thoughts:
I really liked the book, I want to start off and say. I really felt for the main character in her loss for her husband. Imagining myself in the same situation is heart breaking. She is left to raise their eleven year old son who is of coarse at a trying time in his age. Ellen is also left not in the greatest financial situation. She does what she feels is fit to do, and has lodgers move in. This book is set in England. In having lodgers come to stay with her, she starts to grow and somewhat comes our of grieving. She starts to learn that there is more to life then staying in her house, cleaning and taking care of her son Charlie. Each lodger plays a part in this.  Especially the young charming Matt!  I really liked how the story had another small story in it, as she is helping to co-author a book with a big historical romance writer. This in itself helped Ellen open her eyes and look at her own marriage with her deceased husband Nick.

Now on the subject of her marriage is where I had my dislikes in the book.  I will try not to say too much so I don't give away too much. The author had something happen with the husband that Ellen finds out right around the one year mark of his death. I know the writer looked at it as a way of having Ellen break out of her shell and grow into the person she needed to be. However, I did not like that part of the book. It was a bit predictable and I also thought it just didn't need to be done. With that said, its hard to write anymore on that subject without giving away anything.

Overall, I really enjoyed all the characters in the book. This book being set in England and the more carefree lifestyle they live, made me really enjoy this book.  Its definitely a good rainy day weekend read when you want to be locked away from reality and dive into a world of fiction characters. Each character brought so much to the book and made the story what it was. If it hadn't been for my dislikes I spoke about above, this book would have had a 5 star review.

Be sure to check it out. As always, clicking the picture of the book above will take you to Amazon to purchase!

**The book was provided to me by Pocket Books in exchange for my honest opinion on this book. I was not required to write a positive review**