Books That Will Fix Your Broken Heart

Admit it: break-ups suck. And putting your life back together after a sh*tty heartbreak is a difficult feat. But, speaking from experience, the road to recovery is a beautiful place. It is a long, tedious journey, but there are a few things that play your BFFs through it, like ice cream, and wine, and BOOKS! Here are some of the best post-break-up reads for you (recommended by women who, yes, have also had their heart broken) to start reading daily...

All About Love: New Visions by Bell Hooks amazon.in, Rs 1,231 “I was in a phase where I felt I was never going to find someone again. There is a chapter where Hooks talks about how love only happens when you truly open yourself up to it. It’s not new advice, but it was extra soothing to hear at the time, and reassured me that I’d find them if I really wanted to.” 
—Lavina K., 27

New Moon (The Twilight Saga) by Stephenie Meyer amazon.in, Rs 799 “The unsung hero of break-up stories! I had bawled my eyes out when Edward told Bella he didn’t love her, although it was only for her own safety. My then-teen self was like, ‘Wow, maybe it’s not that this guy I’m destroyed over doesn’t love me. Maybe he just genuinely can’t be with me right now’.” —Hennah C., 24

Eve’s Hollywood by Eve Babitz amazon.in, Rs 1,399 “Eve Babitz is a real character, and it taught me two very crucial things. One, that men are just complementary figures in life; and two, that maybe sleeping around is not all that bad.” —Jameela T., 31

Phenomenal Woman: Four Poems Celebrating Women by Maya Angelou amazon.in, Rs 1,200 “When I broke up, I became super-insecure, and lost all my self-confidence. But when I read this one, it felt like Maya Angelou had put into words what I couldn’t. She reminded me of my power as a woman. It was extremely uplifting and empowering” 
—Maria K., 23

Wild: From Lost To Found On The Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed amazon.in, Rs 1,398 “I read this after I broke up with my boyfriend of two years, and moved to another city. It helped me remember that I alone have the ownership of my life and destiny. And also realise how strong women are...and how strong I can be.”
—Meirah K., 29

Playing With Matches by Hannah Orenstein flipkart.com, Rs 1,353 “It helped me finally get over my five-year relationship. The protagonist’s relationship was just like mine: perfect from the outside, but with underlying problems that neither partner wanted to deal with. After finishing the book, I realised I was only with my BF because I was comfortable, which was no reason!”
—Ria S., 30

When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice For Difficult Times by Pema Chödrön amazon.in, Rs 499 “I experienced terrible anxiety after my break-up, and this book really helped me stop dwelling on all the ways I thought I’d messed up. It reminded me to be kinder to myself, and to want to continue to change and grow in life.” —Naila M., 27

Salt. by Nayyirah Waheed amazon.in, Rs 2,990 “So strong and so moving! In just a few words, it captures the hurt that I was going through. Most of Nayyirah’s poems are only three lines long, but they so powerfully, and softly, capture love, identity, pain, and healing.”
—Neha B., 33

It’s Not Okay: Turning Heartbreak Into Happily Never After by Andi Dorfman amazon.in, Rs 1,770 “I’m not a Bachelor fan, but this book just hit differently, even though I haven’t watched the season that Andi refers to in the book. She shares some painful anecdotes, but also gives sound advice and is super-relatable.” —Karishma G., 30

The Missing Piece by Shel Silverstein amazon.in, Rs 2,991 “My break-up had left me feeling absolutely hopeless. I was really hard on myself and felt that I wouldn’t be able to make it on my own! But in a few short pages, this book showed me that people change, and you can only find a true partnership by first finding out who you are as an individual.”
—Sam L., 26

Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing The Lies About Who You Are So You Can Become Who You Were Meant To Be by Rachel Hollis 
amazon.in, Rs 499 “Everyone talks about this book, and for good reason. It’s not about break-ups specifically, it helped me revaluate my life in all facets (that also involved my recent break-up). Highly, highly recommend.” —Rashi A., 32

True Things About Me: A Novel by Deborah Kay Davies flipkart.com, Rs 395 “The story is about a young woman whose life spirals out of control due to a sexual relationship, which was similar to what I was going through. It was the spur I needed to sort myself out and pull out of the rock bottom.”
—Kanika S., 29