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caitpaige's review against another edition
4.0
The advice is pretty simple, logical, and universal, but it's helpful to hear someone "say it" and the authors have a very friendly, comforting and encouraging tone. It's even LOL funny in parts. The authors both give their accounts of difficult break-ups and even though they are happily married now, I appreciate that they don't rub it in (though there is the subtext of "you'll find the right guy eventually", which is slightly annoying for some reason.) The letters and responses in each chapter are fairly predictable and the general message throughout is "don't be a psycho" and "get over it", which I'm intelligent enough to know already, but it's the thought that counts. Every relationship and its demise are different, so I didn't expect the book to address me specifically, but there are definitely numerous gems of wisdom and parts that rang true. I'm sure reading this book won't cure anyone's heart aches, but it can't hurt as a step toward being okay again. Ultimately, it was comforting to read this book and that's what counts when you're feeling broken hearted.
blitheringidiolect's review against another edition
2.0
It's not that the advice was bad; it's that the book was not good. If all the bullshit had been removed, this could have been printed as a bullet point list on a no-fold leaflet. (I skipped a lot. A LOT.) Hell, it probably would have fit on the bookmark HPB stuck in there when I bought the thing. (It was $2. I'm not mad.)
Nonetheless, there were a few gems:
-"Being brokenhearted is like having broken ribs. On the outside it looks like nothing's wrong, but every breath hurts."
- "Not that there's anything wrong with being fat, drunk, and sad - after all, look how it worked out for Ernest Hemingway." (Bahahahaha!)
- "The person you're having sex with is also a person."
Nonetheless, there were a few gems:
-"Being brokenhearted is like having broken ribs. On the outside it looks like nothing's wrong, but every breath hurts."
- "Not that there's anything wrong with being fat, drunk, and sad - after all, look how it worked out for Ernest Hemingway." (Bahahahaha!)
- "The person you're having sex with is also a person."
alizontheamazon's review against another edition
5.0
This book offers all the advice that you hear from friends, but for some reason reading it in a book really helps it sink in. The advice is really solid and it really helped me feel better and stronger. I just wish I had read it right after my breakup!
knitonepurltoo's review against another edition
4.0
Recommended by Kristen Meinzer of the By the Book podcast, this has a lot in common with my favorite book about boundaries, Set Boundaries, Find Peace. It is conversational and relentlessly full of examples that show you different ways to navigate a breakup by (surprise!) setting boundaries. You will think the book doesn’t apply to you until you hear one, two or three situations which apply to your breakup story that make you say “I get it.” The authors are also relentlessly positive, affirming the reader’s worth as a human being and how much better things can be when you’re not trying to fix something that’s probably been broken for a long time
Downsides? This book is heteronormative to a fault; you may be able to apply the advice to your non-hetero experience, and it might work but the only kind of relationship in here is monogamous boy meets monogamous girl. Also? The book is fat phobic and a little ableist; they do backpedal a bit from the worst “wallowing on the couch will make you fat and you want to look your best for yourself so get. moving” but there’s still a big assumption that you can get moving and thinner is better. Proceed with caution if that might be a problem.
Still, I am years past the two biggest breakups of my life to date, and this context was absolutely helpful. Funny, fun to read and actually interesting. Even with my caveats, 3.5 stars.
Downsides? This book is heteronormative to a fault; you may be able to apply the advice to your non-hetero experience, and it might work but the only kind of relationship in here is monogamous boy meets monogamous girl. Also? The book is fat phobic and a little ableist; they do backpedal a bit from the worst “wallowing on the couch will make you fat and you want to look your best for yourself so get. moving” but there’s still a big assumption that you can get moving and thinner is better. Proceed with caution if that might be a problem.
Still, I am years past the two biggest breakups of my life to date, and this context was absolutely helpful. Funny, fun to read and actually interesting. Even with my caveats, 3.5 stars.
fueledbyboba's review against another edition
4.0
A really cheesy and corny book, but it definitely addresses all the thoughts, emotions, yearning and more that you go through after a breakup. Their advice is good. I would recommend this for someone who gone through a breakup.
bookish720's review against another edition
1.0
This book was so hard to get through. Probably because I wasn't going through a breakup. It wasn't what I thought it would be, though I don't really know what I was expecting. Thank gosh I got through it. Won't reread.
ebecks3's review against another edition
5.0
Good in-your-face break-up book... guys perspective so great!
bookwoman105's review against another edition
4.0
Not rocket science but entertaining. I liked the emphasis on self-care rather than fulfledged craziness.
pattywood586's review against another edition
This was definitely written twenty years ago. Grateful for the smiles it gave me in revisiting this little blast from the past.