The Heartbreak Diet

A graphic memoir chronicling the collapse of a marriage in the wake of an affair—and the challenge of starting over, “for fans of Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home” (Entertainment Weekly).

Thorina Rose’s funny, beautifully illustrated memoir charts the unexpected dissolution of her marriage and the struggles and adventures of starting over. After marrying young, living in New York, and settling in San Francisco, Rose and her husband start a family. When he begins an affair with his “running partner,” Rose must find a way to rebuild her life with her two young sons, navigating her own inner doubts, the chorus of advice from well-meaning friends, and coping mechanisms close at hand: retail therapy and pet adoption (not so useful); leaning on friends and travels with gay men (very useful). With humor and insight, The Heartbreak Diet is a moving and entertaining meditation on fidelity, family, and finding one’s way.

“Piquant, witty drawings accompany a story that retains a hopeful levity without veering into self-pity or bitterness.” —Entertainment Weekly

“Raw and introspective . . . With wit and insight, Rose draws herself passing through different stages, sampling coping mechanisms, weighing words of wisdom (illustrated by portraits of luminaries like Dolly Parton and Coco Chanel), and ultimately, triumphantly, moving on.” —Bust