The Unbreakables

A Novel

By: Lisa Barr

Narrated by: Erin Bennett

Length: 10 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

A delicious, sharp novel about a woman who jets off to France after her perfect marriage collapses, putting the broken pieces of herself back together while rediscovering her own joie de vivre - a lust for life, art, and steamy sex.

“Artful, feminist, and emotionally gripping. The Unbreakables is a remarkable tribute to a woman’s strength in the face of heartbreak and adversity.” (Helen Hoang, author of The Kiss Quotient)

The worst birthday ever might just be the gift of a lifetime....

It’s Sophie Bloom’s 42nd birthday, and she’s ready for a night of celebration with Gabe, her devoted longtime husband, and her two besties and their spouses. Dinner is served with a side of delicious gossip, including which North Grove residents were caught with their pants down on Ashley Madison after the secret online dating site for married and committed couples was hacked. Thirty-two million cheaters worldwide have been exposed...including Sophie’s “perfect” husband. To add insult to injury, she learns Gabe is the top cheater in their town.

Humiliated and directionless, Sophie jumps into the unknown and flees to France to meet up with her teenage daughter, who is studying abroad and nursing her own heartbreak. After a brief visit to Paris, Sophie heads out to the artist enclave of Saint-Paul-de-Vence. There, for the first time in a long time, Sophie acknowledges her own desires - not her husband’s, not her daughter’s - and rediscovers her essence with painful honesty and humor, reawakening both her sensuality and ambitions as a sculptor.

As she sheds her past and dodges obstacles traveling off the beaten path, Sophie Bloom is determined to blossom. Allowing her true self to emerge in the postcard beauty of Provence, Sophie must decide what is broken forever...and what it means to be truly unbreakable.

©2019 Lisa Barr (P)2019 HarperCollins Publishers

Excellent Book

This woman is real, she decisive, strong. The story moved because it didn't go back and forth like most women characters are written. It was excellent!

This book hit me on so many levels!

I absolutely love this story of heartache and redemption. The story is beautifully intertwined to the very end!

Pure Emotion

This was a beautiful story full of ups and downs, heartbreak and pure emotion. You could really put yourself in the character’s shoes. The ending was complete which made it that much more enjoyable. The storyline was predictable at times and too detailed at others but I enjoyed the writing overall. Great read for someone who has experienced their share of turbulent love.

Wanted it to end already

I’ve read other books by Lisa Barr but I did not enjoy this one. I couldn’t wait for it to be over. Very little dialogue between the characters but long periods of describing one’s feelings and reminiscing. Oy, enough already of how hurt you are that your husband cheated and enough about how your grown daughter is the enter if your world. There are a few times when I fast-forward 30-60 seconds and it’s still talking about the same ‘feelings’. I’ll give Lisa Barr another chance but this book was difficult to get through.

Born in the ‘70’s?

I saw that this book was added to the good reads list of what women born in the 70’s was reading and I immediately felt that I was not the target audience for this book. I was an out of place reader born a decade too late for this book to hit home with. It just wasn’t a story I could connect with, even the tone of the writer and performance of the voice actor felt misplaced as I went through the book.

Hard in the ears

The story was good even though predictable. There are so many French characters in the story, it would have been a better experience had the narrator had a French accent. The accent in the narration was unrecognizable and it ruined the experience.

SOPHIE BLOOM IS TRULY UNBREAKABLE!!

I enjoyed this story. Sophie is completely devestated when she discovers her husband's infidelity. She has to figure out how to put her life back together. There are some racy moments in the story, but overall a good story.

Unbeatable by Lisa Barr

I loved the audible book. I was so into the story line that got up early in the morning to listen to it. I finished the book in 1 day.

Improved Towards the End

While I was unable to identify or feel empathy for the characters, the story rallied towards the end. I nearly quit listening multiple times, as the beginning was inordinately bogged down in too many trite situations, with many implausible circumstances and actions, considering that I lived in France for a time.
The writing and narration were fine, and I liked the glimpses of the art world and the French settings in the book.

Wait for It!

The beginning is trite but get through it. When protagonist gets to France and then South France, it gets really fun.