What do readers think of Heartbreak by Florence Williams? Write your own review.

The author’s journey to understand her own pain after her marriage ended led her to examine the substance of heartbreak itself. She studied the scientific research into heartbreak’s affect on emotional and physical health as well as the process of healing, and she participated in various forums and programs as speaker and/or participant. I didn’t finish reading Heartbreak. Some studies of our response to heartbreaks confirmed what we already know, and the methodologies used in the animal research were often disturbing in themselves. Readers may find some of her insights personally valuable, but I didn’t find the value of her journey or research enough to carry me to the end of the book.

As someone who has been through a divorce, I found the book interesting and could relate to some of what the author said. On the other hand, I expected it to talk more generally about the health issues and scientific research related to all forms of heartbreak and grief. I also felt that even though the author made the science understandable for the most part, there were times I thought it kind of bogged down the story. If someone is on this journey, the book is probably worth their time as they might gain some insights of their own. But I don't think it is for the average reader.

I was interested in this account of working through sadness and loneliness after a long marriage, though after reading more than half of the book, I decided that I wasn't ready for the last 100 or so pages. I think someone closer to her situation might find her research and consultations helpful. The mix of personal story and science was effective, but my interest waned.

I found the topic to be of interest.But it took me an extensive amount of time to get into the book. I was very interested in the story, but sometimes got bogged
down by the medical/scientific details.

What was likely a well intentioned and overarching take on heartbreak, this book read more like a divorce memoir than the expected non-fiction book with anecdotes. I have never experienced traumatic heartbreak or a divorce and therefore found most of the specifics irrelevant or uninteresting. And this book was very divorce focused whereas I think "heartbreak" is much more relatable and broad. While the author did a nice job structuring the chapters with various elements (quotes, anecdotes, dialogue with a bit of plot) the "science" piece was severely lacking. It felt more like a stream of consciousness than a structured "scientific journey". That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed many relatable aspects of the author's personality which shined throughout the book.

I was intrigued by the premise of this book, having gone through my own heartbreak and, in fact, there are numerous similarities between my own situation and that of the author's, including the length of our marriages and going on river rafting trips to help assuage our grief and move forward. I enjoyed the many literary and scientific references throughout and was fascinated by the science on how heartbreak can affect your physical health. However, overall, the entire work together is a mixed bag. The sections outlining the author's specific dating relationships were kind of cringe-inducing, especially regarding the physically (and emotionally) masochistic relationship she had with boyfriend "Ennis". The author's journalistic exploration into the scientific research of grief and her references to nature and literature by other authors addressing the topic are really compelling and soothing, frankly, to someone who has experienced deep heartbreak. Unfortunately, I felt some of the memoir portions of the book were somewhat self-indulgent, even if well-written.

I set my mind on a different type of book and did not find what I was looking for. I wanted a much more in depth treatment of the neuroscience and that was not what this book was aiming to achieve.

I found "Heartbreak" interesting and thought provoking. I should have paid more attention to the subtitle though, of "A Personal and Scientific Journey". I came away feeling it was very personal and focused mainly on the heartbreak of divorce. But, since my most intense heartbreak in life has been related to the deaths of people I love, I never really related to this author's story. I also found the author's post divorce behaviors embraced a life style different from one that I can understand or accept. And I really did feel upset and distressed to read how animals were raised by scientists, just to study them experiencing heartbreak. While this book was written in an understandable style and did make me think, I won't be passing it on to any friends. It may appeal to others, but it is not a book I want to endorse.