The Home for Broken Hearts

July 26, 2010
For the past year, ever since Ellen Wood lost her husband in a car accident, she's been afraid to leave the house. She struggles to keep her head above water and care for her adolescent son, Charlie, which becomes that much more difficult when she discovers just how little money she has. At a loss for ideas about how to keep her home, Ellen reluctantly agrees to her sister's suggestion that she take in lodgers, and soon a German businesswoman, a handsome journalist, and Ellen's favorite romance author are all living under her roof. Coleman's newest novel tells a mature, thoughtful story, successfully juggling a large cast of characters and creating men and women alike with balance and humor. While some of the twists are predictable, the engaging cast and heartwarming story go a long way toward making up for it.

September 1, 2010
Ellen Wood has always defined herself as a wife and mother until her husband unexpectedly dies in a car crash. Her world is now limited to her 11-year-old son Charlie, the bodice ripper romances by Allegra Howard that she proofreads, and intermittent visits from her sister Hannah. When the insurance money does not come through, Ellen is in danger of losing her beloved Victorian house in London until her sister suggests taking in boarders. She ends up with three: Sabine, a transfer from Germany who left her husband; Matt, a journalist who just got his dream job writing about the exploits of a single man-about-town; and Ellens favorite writer, Allegra Howard. Each makes Ellen realize how isolated she has become, and she starts to grow as a person. Ellens relationship with her son changes for the better, but her always contentious relationship with her sister starts to deteriorate, causing a huge rift. Coleman (The Accidental Family, 2009)displays her usual charm and wit as she creates genuine characters and explores love, life, and sisterhood.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)