In What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?, author Juliet Sullivan invites us into one of the most confusing and frightening moments of her life – lying in a hospital bed in October 2023, processing the shock diagnosis of takotsubo cardiomyopathy, more commonly known as broken heart syndrome. What followed was not just a journey of recovery, but one of curiosity, grief, discovery and, ultimately, creativity.
This unique and moving book is part memoir, part investigation, part cookbook, and part gallows-humour survival guide. It’s about what happens when the heart breaks – literally and figuratively, and how we begin to piece it back together again.
With no clear cause, cure or even consensus among medical professionals, takotsubo cardiomyopathy remains a little-understood and under-researched condition. For Juliet, simply being told “we don’t exactly know” wasn’t enough. She began asking questions – first to doctors and nurses, then to fellow patients, and eventually to the internet. What she discovered was a sea of uncertainty, but also a community of people trying to make sense of their experiences. That quest for understanding became the seed of this book. If no one else had written the guide she so badly needed, then she would write it herself.
But this isn’t just a medical mystery. The story of Juliet’s heart condition is entwined with a much deeper emotional wound – the suicide of her mother six months earlier. While not everyone who develops takotsubo has suffered emotional trauma, many have. In Juliet’s case, her loss was undeniably a major contributing factor.
Writing the book became a kind of therapy – a space to reflect not only on her health but on her childhood, the mental health struggles of her mother, and the unspoken pain so many carry. Tackling such difficult themes with honesty and bravery, Juliet also offers a voice for those navigating the aftermath of suicide – still one of the great taboos in our society.
Despite the weight of the topics she touches upon, the author has no interest in writing a book that leaves the reader emotionally crushed. Humour, she says, is essential to surviving the darkest times, and this book is laced with moments of warmth and wit. There are also recipes. Yes, really. Why recipes? Because food, like laughter, brings comfort. And because a heart-healthy lifestyle is part of what comes next after takotsubo. The inclusion of recipes is unexpected, yes – but then again, so is a book that manages to combine cardiology, bereavement, mental health, and humour without missing a beat.
What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? is the book Juliet Sullivan needed when she was in hospital. It shines a light on a neglected condition, offers solidarity to those grieving, and reminds us of the resilience of the human spirit. It is, at its core, a book about what it means to survive – not just physically, but emotionally. This is a story for anyone who’s been blindsided by illness, who’s lost someone they love, who’s sought answers where none seem to exist – or who simply wants to feel less alone.
