Instructions for Heartbreak

Sarah Handyside

Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Publication Date: 28/08/2025 ISBN: 9781035032792 Category:
Paperback / Softback

£9.99

Purchase a Mr B’s Sticker with your order.

Become the envy of all book lovers with your own Mr B’s sticker to show off where you do your shopping.

Quantity:

Description

‘Warm, gorgeous, tender and hopeful . . . Simply brilliant’ – Daisy Buchanan, author of Insatiable

‘Relatable . . . a celebration of female friendship’ – Stylist

‘Funny and moving’ – Daily Mail

‘A stunning novel’ – Cosmopolitan

* * *

A beautiful, razor-sharp novel by Sarah Handyside, Instructions for Heartbreak is a life-affirming story about female friendship, self-love and how to survive a broken heart.

What if heartbreak came with a manual?

It starts with a late-night knock on the door. Katie’s three best friends share a flat in South London, while Katie lives close by with her boyfriend. But when her nine-year relationship ends – suddenly and brutally – she turns up on her friends’ doorstep with no idea what to do next.

Out comes the martini shaker (an old, well-washed gherkin jar), an unused sketchbook and an idea. They’ll make Katie the handbook she needs to process her heartbreak and start rebuilding her life.

But Katie is not the only one nursing a broken heart. With notes on everything from tears and hangovers to new bedding and white-hot rage, could the heartbreak handbook they intended for Katie contain the words they all need to hear?

* * *

Readers are loving Instructions for Heartbreak:
‘Amazing female friendships. I flew through this book . . . a MUST-read’

‘A wonderfully nuanced, emotionally intelligent and insightful story of female friendships, relationships, growing up and finding your family’

‘There is nothing better than the power of female friendships and women coming together to help one another. This book delivers that message and more! I loved every minute’

Publisher Review

Warm, gorgeous, tender and hopeful . . . Simply brilliant — Daisy Buchanan, author of Insatiable Funny, practical and moving by turns . . . a beautifully crafted, sensitive novel packed with joyous young-in-London energy * Daily Mail * A brilliant, healing celebration of the wonder that is female friendship and an essential modern heartbreak handbook — Lucy Jane Wood, author of Rewitched A stunning, emotionally resonant novel, Instructions for Heartbreak is a life-affirming exploration of female friendship, self-love and the journey to heal from a broken heart * Cosmopolitan * A heartfelt love letter to friendship that I couldn’t put down — Josie Lloyd, author of The Cancer Ladies’ Running Club Four friends, four messy lives, lots of comedy, relatable insights and a celebration of female friendship. Perfection * Stylist * A story of fierce and momentous female friendship, of rallying for your favourite people and finding a way through the darkness * My Weekly * A brilliant read about the power of female friendship * Fabulous * Warm, tender and full of hope . . . A powerful portrayal of personal growth and resilience, relationships, growing up and discovering where you truly belong * The Northumbrian * Life-affirming literature * Best *

Find this book on the following lists

Book experts at your service

What are you looking for?

A recommendation
Something specific
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
  • Mr B's Recommendation Station
  • Fill in the three questions below, along with your name and email address, and our book experts will be in touch soon with their personal recommendations

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
  • I'm after something specific
  • Tell us about the book, author or subject you're looking for, along with your name and email address and our book experts will be in touch as soon as possible