Mini Review: The Break by Marian Keyes

“Worse, neither of us has liked any of the other’s Facebook posts, the modern equivalent of pistols at dawn.” ― Marian Keyes, The Break

4****

I haven't loved Keyes last two, three books, though I gobbled up all of the others eagerly. I am happy to report, The Break did not disappoint. Without giving too much away, this is the story of a couple who goes "on a break" - cue Ross and Rachel. Like Keyes other books, this one offers a dose of themes like dealing with mental illness, complicated family structures, humorous social critique, and romance. It is quite a long book for this genre, but Keyes has a chatty voice and very real characters which make it readable. I especially liked the last third of the book, and the way the characters develop through the course of the story. While I was sometimes frustrated in the beginning with the slow pace, by the end I had grown attached to the characters and now it feels strange that they are out of my life again. Keyes is very good at creating multi-dimensional characters and a deeper plot than most chick-lit authors, which makes her stand out to me. If you enjoy books by authors like Lisa Jewell, Liane Moriarty or Roisin Meaney, I think you will enjoy this author as well. Always looking forward to what this author comes up with next!