All the Ways You Break Me: A totally unforgettable and emotional romance (Sandy Harbor Book 2)
"Promise you'll be there?" Ian's eyes plead with me. I take a shaky breath and nod my head even as my heart is shattering into a million pieces. I thought the boy in front of me would be my future. But I'll have to break my promise if I want to keep my family safe...
Ten years after fleeing Sandy Harbor Island, Josie's hometown is the last place she wants to be. But she's maid of honor for her sister Madeline and determined to give her the beachside wedding of her dreams.
Josie hadn't reckoned on the best man: Ian. One look in his sky-blue eyes and she's back to the summer she turned eighteen, waitressing at the sailing club. She never expected the son of the island's wealthiest property developer to notice her. But sun-kissed days out on the water showed Josie that Ian had the kindest heart and biggest dreams.
Their future had only just begun when Josie's life was torn apart. She can never tell Ian why she ran away. She'll just avoid him all week and leave as soon as the wedding is over.
But Ian's oceanside cottage is the only place to stay, and wedding events throw them together in all kinds of ways. It's clear from every lingering glance and accidental brush of hands that neither of them ever forgot that fleeting, magical summer...
But the harder Josie falls, the more danger she's in of revealing her secret. Ian is the one person who can never, ever know what she did on that life-shattering day a decade ago. But if Josie runs away-forever this time-will she break her own heart all over again?
An absolutely heart-shattering and gorgeously escapist romance, perfect for fans of Carley Fortune, Catherine Cowles, Mia Sheridan, and anyone who believes in second chances.
If you love these tropes, this book is for you:
- Second chance romance
- Forced proximity
- Sister's best friend
- Forbidden love
- Best man and maid of honor
- Small town romance
Read what everyone's saying about the Sandy Harbor series:
"MY GOD WHERE DO I BEGIN... Loved... I did not see that twist coming... Made me gush!! So!! Hard!!" Alyaaheartbooks, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
"Welllll sheesh I was up till 3 a.m. with this book... I loved this... awesome... will have you gripping your seat." Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
"THE WAY I WAS HOOKED ... You won't be able to put this book down... Me at 2am: "Just 2 chapters." Also me 32 chapters later: addicted... Chef's kiss... Kept me hooked... Perfect... That one more chapter addiction... I absolutely loved." Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Community Reviews
All the Ways You Break Me by Melissa Wiesner is the second book in the Sandy Harbor series, and it’s beautifully written, well-paced, and full of characters who feel real and raw. The emotional weight of the story drew me in immediately, and the suspense had me hooked from the first page.
Josie and Ian’s story unfolds across a dual timeline, moving between past and present, which adds real depth and richness to the narrative. Seeing their first love alongside the tension of the present made me root for them the whole way and helped me truly connect with Josie’s choices.
This is a heartfelt, second-chance romance filled with longing, secrets, and forced proximity, all set against a charming small-town backdrop. I absolutely recommend this one.
Huge thanks to Melissa Wiesner, NetGalley, and Bookouture for providing this ARC.
Josie and Ian’s story unfolds across a dual timeline, moving between past and present, which adds real depth and richness to the narrative. Seeing their first love alongside the tension of the present made me root for them the whole way and helped me truly connect with Josie’s choices.
This is a heartfelt, second-chance romance filled with longing, secrets, and forced proximity, all set against a charming small-town backdrop. I absolutely recommend this one.
Huge thanks to Melissa Wiesner, NetGalley, and Bookouture for providing this ARC.
All the ways you break me...
I went into this expecting to feel devastated by the end, but that moment never fully landed for me.
This story follows Josie as she returns to Sandy Harbor, a small island she fled over a decade ago after a traumatic encounter with a powerful man who believed himself untouchable. Coming back for her sister's wedding forces Josie to face not only the past she has tried so hard to bury, but also Ian, the boy she once quietly fell for before everything fell apart.
Wiesner delivers an emotional second-chance romance rooted in power, trauma, and the long shadow of what happened the night Josie ran. The book moves quickly, with smooth transitions and an easy, accessible writing style that makes it a fast read. I especially appreciated how grounded Josie's anxiety felt when she returned to the island, and the tension of being in such close proximity to Ian, particularly once circumstances push them under the same roof.
That said, I wanted a bit more depth to their shared history and a little more emotional weight between Josie and Ian. Their past connection is meaningful, but I wanted the story to linger longer in those moments to fully earn the heartbreak and healing the premise promises. The plot is engaging, and the pacing is steady, yet I expected a touch more intensity from their reunion and from the fallout from what happened all those years ago.
Overall, this was a good read with a strong setup and a smooth narrative flow. While I hoped for a deeper emotional exploration, especially regarding their past, I still enjoyed the story and think readers who like quick, heartfelt second-chance romances with a suspenseful edge will connect with it.
I went into this expecting to feel devastated by the end, but that moment never fully landed for me.
This story follows Josie as she returns to Sandy Harbor, a small island she fled over a decade ago after a traumatic encounter with a powerful man who believed himself untouchable. Coming back for her sister's wedding forces Josie to face not only the past she has tried so hard to bury, but also Ian, the boy she once quietly fell for before everything fell apart.
Wiesner delivers an emotional second-chance romance rooted in power, trauma, and the long shadow of what happened the night Josie ran. The book moves quickly, with smooth transitions and an easy, accessible writing style that makes it a fast read. I especially appreciated how grounded Josie's anxiety felt when she returned to the island, and the tension of being in such close proximity to Ian, particularly once circumstances push them under the same roof.
That said, I wanted a bit more depth to their shared history and a little more emotional weight between Josie and Ian. Their past connection is meaningful, but I wanted the story to linger longer in those moments to fully earn the heartbreak and healing the premise promises. The plot is engaging, and the pacing is steady, yet I expected a touch more intensity from their reunion and from the fallout from what happened all those years ago.
Overall, this was a good read with a strong setup and a smooth narrative flow. While I hoped for a deeper emotional exploration, especially regarding their past, I still enjoyed the story and think readers who like quick, heartfelt second-chance romances with a suspenseful edge will connect with it.
✨ARC Review✨
“All The Ways You Break Me” by Melissa Wiesner
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
First Person, Dual POV, Dual Timeline
Release Day: February 17, 2026
What to Expect:
- Second Chance Romance
- Forced Proximity
- Class Differences
- Best Man x Maid of Honor
- Small Town Romance
- The One That Got Away
“All The Ways You Break Me” was such an emotional rollercoaster in the best possible way! I loved the quaint, coastal beach town vibes of Sandy Harbor and how Wiesner painted it so vividly. The suspense was also a fun surprise, and something that I wasn’t expecting so much of, but it added a level of tension and heartache to the story and the secrets between Josie and Ian.
Even though I had a feeling what was going to happen pretty early on, it didn’t ruin my reading experience at all. If anything, it made it more enjoyable for me to find out if my suspicions were correct.
I don’t usually like dual timelines since they can be very hit or miss, stylistically speaking. However, I really loved how Wiesner executed it and balanced Josie and Ian’s past and present so beautifully. “All The Ways You Break Me” is a beautiful, raw, and emotional story that is perfect for second chance romance lovers, and one that I highly recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley, Melissa Wiesner, and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.