diff --git a/lib/Epub/Epub/parsers/ChapterHtmlSlimParser.cpp b/lib/Epub/Epub/parsers/ChapterHtmlSlimParser.cpp
index f9793230..53359179 100644
--- a/lib/Epub/Epub/parsers/ChapterHtmlSlimParser.cpp
+++ b/lib/Epub/Epub/parsers/ChapterHtmlSlimParser.cpp
@@ -40,6 +40,23 @@ bool matches(const char* tag_name, const char* possible_tags[], const int possib
   return false;
 }
 
+// flush the contents of partWordBuffer to currentTextBlock
+void ChapterHtmlSlimParser::flushPartWordBuffer() {
+  // determine font style
+  EpdFontFamily::Style fontStyle = EpdFontFamily::REGULAR;
+  if (boldUntilDepth < depth && italicUntilDepth < depth) {
+    fontStyle = EpdFontFamily::BOLD_ITALIC;
+  } else if (boldUntilDepth < depth) {
+    fontStyle = EpdFontFamily::BOLD;
+  } else if (italicUntilDepth < depth) {
+    fontStyle = EpdFontFamily::ITALIC;
+  }
+  // flush the buffer
+  partWordBuffer[partWordBufferIndex] = '\0';
+  currentTextBlock->addWord(partWordBuffer, fontStyle);
+  partWordBufferIndex = 0;
+}
+
 // start a new text block if needed
 void ChapterHtmlSlimParser::startNewTextBlock(const TextBlock::Style style) {
   if (currentTextBlock) {
@@ -55,7 +72,6 @@ void ChapterHtmlSlimParser::startNewTextBlock(const TextBlock::Style style) {
 }
 
 void XMLCALL ChapterHtmlSlimParser::startElement(void* userData, const XML_Char* name, const XML_Char** atts) {
-  // Serial.printf("startElement: %s\n", name);
   auto* self = static_cast<ChapterHtmlSlimParser*>(userData);
 
   // Middle of skip
@@ -126,6 +142,10 @@ void XMLCALL ChapterHtmlSlimParser::startElement(void* userData, const XML_Char*
     self->boldUntilDepth = std::min(self->boldUntilDepth, self->depth);
   } else if (matches(name, BLOCK_TAGS, NUM_BLOCK_TAGS)) {
     if (strcmp(name, "br") == 0) {
+      if (self->partWordBufferIndex > 0) {
+        // flush word preceding <br/> to currentTextBlock before calling startNewTextBlock
+        self->flushPartWordBuffer();
+      }
       self->startNewTextBlock(self->currentTextBlock->getStyle());
     } else {
       self->startNewTextBlock((TextBlock::Style)self->paragraphAlignment);
@@ -150,22 +170,11 @@ void XMLCALL ChapterHtmlSlimParser::characterData(void* userData, const XML_Char
     return;
   }
 
-  EpdFontFamily::Style fontStyle = EpdFontFamily::REGULAR;
-  if (self->boldUntilDepth < self->depth && self->italicUntilDepth < self->depth) {
-    fontStyle = EpdFontFamily::BOLD_ITALIC;
-  } else if (self->boldUntilDepth < self->depth) {
-    fontStyle = EpdFontFamily::BOLD;
-  } else if (self->italicUntilDepth < self->depth) {
-    fontStyle = EpdFontFamily::ITALIC;
-  }
-
   for (int i = 0; i < len; i++) {
     if (isWhitespace(s[i])) {
       // Currently looking at whitespace, if there's anything in the partWordBuffer, flush it
       if (self->partWordBufferIndex > 0) {
-        self->partWordBuffer[self->partWordBufferIndex] = '\0';
-        self->currentTextBlock->addWord(self->partWordBuffer, fontStyle);
-        self->partWordBufferIndex = 0;
+        self->flushPartWordBuffer();
       }
       // Skip the whitespace char
       continue;
@@ -187,9 +196,7 @@ void XMLCALL ChapterHtmlSlimParser::characterData(void* userData, const XML_Char
 
     // If we're about to run out of space, then cut the word off and start a new one
     if (self->partWordBufferIndex >= MAX_WORD_SIZE) {
-      self->partWordBuffer[self->partWordBufferIndex] = '\0';
-      self->currentTextBlock->addWord(self->partWordBuffer, fontStyle);
-      self->partWordBufferIndex = 0;
+      self->flushPartWordBuffer();
     }
 
     self->partWordBuffer[self->partWordBufferIndex++] = s[i];
@@ -220,18 +227,7 @@ void XMLCALL ChapterHtmlSlimParser::endElement(void* userData, const XML_Char* n
         matches(name, BOLD_TAGS, NUM_BOLD_TAGS) || matches(name, ITALIC_TAGS, NUM_ITALIC_TAGS) || self->depth == 1;
 
     if (shouldBreakText) {
-      EpdFontFamily::Style fontStyle = EpdFontFamily::REGULAR;
-      if (self->boldUntilDepth < self->depth && self->italicUntilDepth < self->depth) {
-        fontStyle = EpdFontFamily::BOLD_ITALIC;
-      } else if (self->boldUntilDepth < self->depth) {
-        fontStyle = EpdFontFamily::BOLD;
-      } else if (self->italicUntilDepth < self->depth) {
-        fontStyle = EpdFontFamily::ITALIC;
-      }
-
-      self->partWordBuffer[self->partWordBufferIndex] = '\0';
-      self->currentTextBlock->addWord(self->partWordBuffer, fontStyle);
-      self->partWordBufferIndex = 0;
+      self->flushPartWordBuffer();
     }
   }
 
@@ -254,16 +250,9 @@ void XMLCALL ChapterHtmlSlimParser::endElement(void* userData, const XML_Char* n
 }
 
 bool ChapterHtmlSlimParser::parseAndBuildPages() {
-  Serial.printf("[%lu] [EHP] parseAndBuildPages start. Heap: %u\n", millis(), ESP.getFreeHeap());
-
-  Serial.printf("[%lu] [EHP] Calling startNewTextBlock\n", millis());
   startNewTextBlock((TextBlock::Style)this->paragraphAlignment);
-  Serial.printf("[%lu] [EHP] startNewTextBlock returned\n", millis());
 
-  Serial.printf("[%lu] [EHP] Creating XML parser\n", millis());
   const XML_Parser parser = XML_ParserCreate(nullptr);
-  if (parser) Serial.printf("[%lu] [EHP] Parser created\n", millis());
-
   int done;
 
   if (!parser) {
@@ -299,7 +288,6 @@ bool ChapterHtmlSlimParser::parseAndBuildPages() {
     }
 
     const size_t len = file.read(buf, 1024);
-    // Serial.printf("[%lu] [EHP] Read %d bytes\n", millis(), len);
 
     if (len == 0 && file.available() > 0) {
       Serial.printf("[%lu] [EHP] File read error\n", millis());
@@ -325,7 +313,6 @@ bool ChapterHtmlSlimParser::parseAndBuildPages() {
     done = file.available() == 0;
 
     if (XML_ParseBuffer(parser, static_cast<int>(len), done) == XML_STATUS_ERROR) {
-      Serial.printf("[%lu] [EHP] XML_ParseBuffer returned error\n", millis());
       Serial.printf("[%lu] [EHP] Parse error at line %lu:\n%s\n", millis(), XML_GetCurrentLineNumber(parser),
                     XML_ErrorString(XML_GetErrorCode(parser)));
       XML_StopParser(parser, XML_FALSE);                // Stop any pending processing
@@ -335,7 +322,6 @@ bool ChapterHtmlSlimParser::parseAndBuildPages() {
       file.close();
       return false;
     }
-    vTaskDelay(1);
   } while (!done);
 
   XML_StopParser(parser, XML_FALSE);                // Stop any pending processing
diff --git a/lib/Epub/Epub/parsers/ChapterHtmlSlimParser.h b/lib/Epub/Epub/parsers/ChapterHtmlSlimParser.h
index 5355211a..2d8ebe5c 100644
--- a/lib/Epub/Epub/parsers/ChapterHtmlSlimParser.h
+++ b/lib/Epub/Epub/parsers/ChapterHtmlSlimParser.h
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ class ChapterHtmlSlimParser {
   bool hyphenationEnabled;
 
   void startNewTextBlock(TextBlock::Style style);
+  void flushPartWordBuffer();
   void makePages();
   // XML callbacks
   static void XMLCALL startElement(void* userData, const XML_Char* name, const XML_Char** atts);