A review by alyciaabi
Heartsick: Three Stories About Love and Loss, and What Happens in Between by Jessie Stephens

4.0

I found myself soaked in the grief and loneliness of heartache. There were periods where this book felt cliched, but Heartsick ended up gripping me with its raw emotion. This book has me at a loss of words for the experience of following the stories of Ana, Claire and Patrick. All three characters were connected by the universality of heartbreak, yet could only feel absolutely alone in the depths of their pain. Ana’s affair with Rob was a reminder that a loss for someone who was never yours in the first place, can be just as painful as a more acceptable relationship breakdown. The trivialisation we place on the shattering experience of heartbreak was confronted by the naked vulnerability of both Claire and Patrick’s experiences. Heartsick is perfectly ended with the essay by Stephens, On Romantic Rejection. Heartsick was a wonderful read honouring the universality of romantic loss, and just how significant a role it plays in our lives.