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The Broken Hearts' Society of Suite 17C
Friends don’t let friends make the same horrible relationship mistakes twice.
Rion, Amy, and Arielle, the three occupants of first-year dorm Harrison Tower’s Suite 17C have never met before the first day of school, but they soon discover they have one thing in common – being on the wrong end of an epically awful breakup.
Heartbreak sucks, especially when the girls should have seen the trouble coming from a mile away. But there’s no better time than the beginning of college to take charge of your own love life, and nobody better than a roommate to keep you accountable. Over ice cream and pizza their first week, the girls vow never again to date anyone like the assholes who ripped their hearts out and smeared them across the quad.
And that's how the Broken Hearts’ Society of Suite 17C is born.
Now, if only Crash, the tattooed, pierced, and probably stoned guy who works at Rion’s newest job, wasn’t so damn sexy and sweet...
If only Matt, the thoughtful and driven pastor’s kid, would quit being so okay with just being Amy’s friend…
If only Lauren, the innocent small-town girl with her own set of issues, would stop finishing Arielle’s sentences and invading her dreams…
it would be a lot easier for the girls to keep their promises to the Society and to themselves.
If only.
Rion, Amy, and Arielle, the three occupants of first-year dorm Harrison Tower’s Suite 17C have never met before the first day of school, but they soon discover they have one thing in common – being on the wrong end of an epically awful breakup.
Heartbreak sucks, especially when the girls should have seen the trouble coming from a mile away. But there’s no better time than the beginning of college to take charge of your own love life, and nobody better than a roommate to keep you accountable. Over ice cream and pizza their first week, the girls vow never again to date anyone like the assholes who ripped their hearts out and smeared them across the quad.
And that's how the Broken Hearts’ Society of Suite 17C is born.
Now, if only Crash, the tattooed, pierced, and probably stoned guy who works at Rion’s newest job, wasn’t so damn sexy and sweet...
If only Matt, the thoughtful and driven pastor’s kid, would quit being so okay with just being Amy’s friend…
If only Lauren, the innocent small-town girl with her own set of issues, would stop finishing Arielle’s sentences and invading her dreams…
it would be a lot easier for the girls to keep their promises to the Society and to themselves.
If only.
318 pages, Unknown Binding
First published May 22, 2015
1 person is currently reading
372 people want to read
About the author
LeighAnn Kopans
12 books414 followersRaised on comic books and classic novels, Leigh Ann developed an early love of science fiction and literature. As an adult, she rediscovered her love for not only reading, but also writing the types of fiction that enchanted her as a teen. Her debut novel, ONE, is about a girl with only half a superpower, the boy who makes her fly, and her struggle to make herself whole.
Leigh Ann, her husband, and four children live in Columbus, Ohio. When she’s not immersed in the world of fiction, you can find her obsessing over the latest superhero movie or using her kids as an excuse to go out for ice cream (again.)
Leigh Ann, her husband, and four children live in Columbus, Ohio. When she’s not immersed in the world of fiction, you can find her obsessing over the latest superhero movie or using her kids as an excuse to go out for ice cream (again.)
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
April 22, 2024
LeighAnn's books always satisfy. Her characters are unique yet believable and you can't help but feel for each one of them. This book is so beautiful, following love and heartbreak between three very different girls and their significant others. LeighAnn is able to normalize three polar opposite personalities, and she makes you love them all.
Side note: G-d bless LeighAnn for having a gay character who is, *gasp* normal! Arielle is not over the top, she's not fake, nor is she a stereotype. G-d forbid someone depict a gay character as anything but normal ;) thank you, LeighAnn!!!
Side note: G-d bless LeighAnn for having a gay character who is, *gasp* normal! Arielle is not over the top, she's not fake, nor is she a stereotype. G-d forbid someone depict a gay character as anything but normal ;) thank you, LeighAnn!!!
April 19, 2015
This isn't really a proper review as I beta read this one, but just know that I loved it, loved it enough to stay up till 2am reading, to pick it up the minute I woke up to finish it.
The characters are not only likeable, but real, and strong. The unlikely friendship they develop is the one thing that keeps them going through some pretty emotional times, I'm sure the pizza and ice cream helped too.
I wish I had a tissue warning though before I began reading ;)
The characters are not only likeable, but real, and strong. The unlikely friendship they develop is the one thing that keeps them going through some pretty emotional times, I'm sure the pizza and ice cream helped too.
I wish I had a tissue warning though before I began reading ;)
June 8, 2015
The Broken Hearts’ Society of Suite 17C by LeighAnn Kopans
Source: Author
My Rating: 4/5 stars
My Review:
What happens when a Bible thumper, a group home kid with a con mom and a lesbian share a dorm room? Exactly what you would expect to happen, they become fast friends in the face of heartbreak and spend two semesters supporting one another through all the BS the first year of college can bring.
Rion: Dating a douchebag can only lead to trouble and Rion found it in spades. After her boyfriend left her to take the wrap for a lot of pot, Rion lost her full scholarship and her ability to trust guys. Coming to college with a partial scholarship, an attitude and no job, Rion is determined to keep her head down and trust no one. With her record, finding a job to fill in the gaps the scholarship doesn’t cover isn’t easy so, despite her intense hatred of all things drug-related, Rion goes to work in a head/tattoo shop. Between work, her classes and, her roommates, Rion’s life is crazy full and so far removed from what she thought college would be. Oh, and there’s a boy.
Amy: To date, everything in Amy’s life has been planned . . . . by everyone other than herself. To date, Amy has never questioned the plan nor has she ever questioned those making the plans for her. Amy is to become an elementary school teacher (though she doesn’t really like kids), she’s to marry Adam (though he wants to see other people to be totally sure about Amy) and, she is to live in fear of losing her immortal soul. Within weeks of moving in Amy begins to figure out that planning your own life and making your own decisions isn’t just hard work, it also takes effort and commitment. As the weeks go by, Amy gets stronger and stronger and with the help and support of her roommates, she eventually begins to believe even she can stand on her own two feet. Oh, and there’s a boy.
Arielle: The card-carrying lesbian of the group is perhaps the saddest of all. After being waitlisted to her first-choice college, Arielle finally gets the call to enroll and she couldn’t be more excited. Her girlfriend already attends the school and once they can be together full-time, life will pretty much be perfect. Except, Ari’s girlfriend has no intention of being out in the open nor does she have any plans to continue seeing Arielle. Crushed, Arielle decides she will never again date a girl who isn’t totally committed and completely comfortable with her sexual orientation. Just like her roommates, Ari begins the semester on the bad side of sad but as the weeks move forward she discovers a strength within that allows her to trust again and be open to new relationships. Oh, and there’s a girl.
The Bottom Line: The Broken Hearts’ Society of Suite 17C caught my attention with the awesome title!! Seriously, I can be swayed by a title This is a very, very long read with alternating chapters (Rion, Ari and Ami) that don’t focus solely on one girl but predominately on her and her growing relationships. Each of the roommates begins the semester in a really bad way but as the plot unfolds their support of one another grows and they are each better able to deal with their lives both past and present. The sadness and heartbreak allows three very different personalities to overcome their differences and respective backgrounds in order to be strong for one another. There is plenty of drama in this read but there are also some very nice and very sweet moments. Be warned, there are also some naughty bits which certainly puts this read at NA+ With everything that is thrown at the girls of Suite 17C, it is no wonder this read is so long. There are some slow moments throughout but overall, this is a pleasant read that does end with three HEAs. While I can certainly say I enjoyed this read, I can’t say I was blown away by it. It is a solid read that will appeal to NA+ readers.
Source: Author
My Rating: 4/5 stars
My Review:
What happens when a Bible thumper, a group home kid with a con mom and a lesbian share a dorm room? Exactly what you would expect to happen, they become fast friends in the face of heartbreak and spend two semesters supporting one another through all the BS the first year of college can bring.
Rion: Dating a douchebag can only lead to trouble and Rion found it in spades. After her boyfriend left her to take the wrap for a lot of pot, Rion lost her full scholarship and her ability to trust guys. Coming to college with a partial scholarship, an attitude and no job, Rion is determined to keep her head down and trust no one. With her record, finding a job to fill in the gaps the scholarship doesn’t cover isn’t easy so, despite her intense hatred of all things drug-related, Rion goes to work in a head/tattoo shop. Between work, her classes and, her roommates, Rion’s life is crazy full and so far removed from what she thought college would be. Oh, and there’s a boy.
Amy: To date, everything in Amy’s life has been planned . . . . by everyone other than herself. To date, Amy has never questioned the plan nor has she ever questioned those making the plans for her. Amy is to become an elementary school teacher (though she doesn’t really like kids), she’s to marry Adam (though he wants to see other people to be totally sure about Amy) and, she is to live in fear of losing her immortal soul. Within weeks of moving in Amy begins to figure out that planning your own life and making your own decisions isn’t just hard work, it also takes effort and commitment. As the weeks go by, Amy gets stronger and stronger and with the help and support of her roommates, she eventually begins to believe even she can stand on her own two feet. Oh, and there’s a boy.
Arielle: The card-carrying lesbian of the group is perhaps the saddest of all. After being waitlisted to her first-choice college, Arielle finally gets the call to enroll and she couldn’t be more excited. Her girlfriend already attends the school and once they can be together full-time, life will pretty much be perfect. Except, Ari’s girlfriend has no intention of being out in the open nor does she have any plans to continue seeing Arielle. Crushed, Arielle decides she will never again date a girl who isn’t totally committed and completely comfortable with her sexual orientation. Just like her roommates, Ari begins the semester on the bad side of sad but as the weeks move forward she discovers a strength within that allows her to trust again and be open to new relationships. Oh, and there’s a girl.
The Bottom Line: The Broken Hearts’ Society of Suite 17C caught my attention with the awesome title!! Seriously, I can be swayed by a title This is a very, very long read with alternating chapters (Rion, Ari and Ami) that don’t focus solely on one girl but predominately on her and her growing relationships. Each of the roommates begins the semester in a really bad way but as the plot unfolds their support of one another grows and they are each better able to deal with their lives both past and present. The sadness and heartbreak allows three very different personalities to overcome their differences and respective backgrounds in order to be strong for one another. There is plenty of drama in this read but there are also some very nice and very sweet moments. Be warned, there are also some naughty bits which certainly puts this read at NA+ With everything that is thrown at the girls of Suite 17C, it is no wonder this read is so long. There are some slow moments throughout but overall, this is a pleasant read that does end with three HEAs. While I can certainly say I enjoyed this read, I can’t say I was blown away by it. It is a solid read that will appeal to NA+ readers.
June 1, 2015
Starting at Northwestern College was supposed to be the start of their lives and something new and exciting for three girls. These three girls were put as roommates in Suite 17c of Harrison Hall and are about to find out that College is not all rainbows and new experiences filled with happiness and sunshine but it is also about heartbreaks, new friends and having your whole life as you know it tipped upside down.
Rion nearly missed out on college when her ex-boyfriend got her done for driving his car which contained pot , so she has sworn off Bad boys. Arielle was originally waitlisted but got in and is on her way to surprise her girlfriend Rachel from back home, but what will happen when Rachel doesn't give her the warm welcome she expected and that Rachel wants her past including Arielle to stay hidden ? Amy - a good christian girl who was in love with Adam - the Pastor's son , she thought they would go to college together and get married but what happens when he dumps her telling her - he has prayed and God has said they need to explore the field first before commitments ?
The three girls decide there on the spot, to start up a secret club which will meet once a month where they promise not to get sucked back into the dating world and to have fun and enjoy their college years without the pressures of romance and the agony of heartbreaks. It seems though that the year has other plans for them in the forms of Crash - who works with Rion and he may have the appearance of a Bad Boy but underneath he is as sweet and kind-hearted as they come , Matt - who saves Amy one night and turns out he too is a Pastor's Kid but one that really does have his head screwed on for God and Lauren - she is in Arielle's Womens Studies class , the thing is though that Lauren is not sure what her sexual orientation is and the last thing Arielle wants is to fall hard for someone who is unsure.
The Broken Hearts Society of Suite 17C by Leigh Ann Kopans is a nice light-hearted teen chick romance that falls in the category of Pink Literature and though it is set in College, it is suitable for teens aged 15+ to read.
June 7, 2015
This was such a unique concept for a contemporary story. A perfect summer read too. The three girls that move into a suite in their college dorm couldn't be more different. They are polar opposites. One is a no-nonsense tough girl that cusses like a sailor, another is a sweet and beautiful lesbian, and the third is an innocent and extremely sweet Christian girl. You would never expect these three to build any bridges to each other, but they bond over their shared heartbreak.
At the same time though, the author didn't compromise who they are. She just let them become accountability partners that made sure that any new romance in their life would not compromise what they know they deserve. While I enjoyed reading about their love interests, especially Crash (sorry, can't help it), my favorite parts of the story was the interactions between the girls. Their friendship, their society meetings, they way they watch out for each, doing each other favors to make sure the others are keeping safe...this three-way relationship of friends is what made the book special in my view.
The author did a great job juggling the three points of view, and giving each girl their own unique voice and personality. They each had a separate story, a separate story arc and a separate journey of growth that was gratifying and interesting to read. Throw in some romance, and this was a really good mixture.
At the same time though, the author didn't compromise who they are. She just let them become accountability partners that made sure that any new romance in their life would not compromise what they know they deserve. While I enjoyed reading about their love interests, especially Crash (sorry, can't help it), my favorite parts of the story was the interactions between the girls. Their friendship, their society meetings, they way they watch out for each, doing each other favors to make sure the others are keeping safe...this three-way relationship of friends is what made the book special in my view.
The author did a great job juggling the three points of view, and giving each girl their own unique voice and personality. They each had a separate story, a separate story arc and a separate journey of growth that was gratifying and interesting to read. Throw in some romance, and this was a really good mixture.
March 2, 2015
Leigh Ann Kopans writes some of my favorite contemps, and her debut NA did not disappoint.
Like a Sex and the City for the 18+ set, The Broken Hearts' Society of Suite 17C offers up a heavy dose of feels as three girls pick up the broken pieces of their lives after moving to college. I fell in love with the tight-nit family they formed around their three heartbreaks and a pint of Jeni's ice cream.
Like a Sex and the City for the 18+ set, The Broken Hearts' Society of Suite 17C offers up a heavy dose of feels as three girls pick up the broken pieces of their lives after moving to college. I fell in love with the tight-nit family they formed around their three heartbreaks and a pint of Jeni's ice cream.
June 3, 2015
I loved this so hard on so many levels.
January 4, 2019
Leigh Ann Kopans has done it again. You guys know how much I love, love her books, Solving for Ex and First World Problems. I was SO excited when I heard about this one. And it did not disappoint.
Rion, Amy, and Arielle are strangers until their first day of college where they find themselves to be roommates. They all are coming off of or experience within the first few days a heartbreak, and decide to form a secret society: The Broken Hearts' Society of Suite 17C. They decide to hold each other accountable, to prevent the same heartbreak from happening over again. I loved all three of these characters. They were each so different, fleshed out, and complex. Sometimes multiple POV's don't work out, but this one did. They didn't run together. Each one was separate, complex, and different.
In the same way, each of their love interests were different and unique. The characters were all diverse, coming from so many different backgrounds. I'm not even sure I could pick a favorite, because I loved them all.
Rion always goes for the bad guys, so this time she is determined not to. Except Crash, who has all the looks of a bad boy, is insistent that he isn't. I think Rion may rub some people the wrong way. She isn't the easiest to like. But I liked her. There were some times when I felt she took things too far, but she's running from a hard past. I love how Crash sees past her crazy and understands why, and it doesn't scare him away and I loved that.
Amy was your stereotypical small-town good church girl. Her high school sweetheart is the pastor's son, and she has her whole life planned out: go to college, become a teacher, marry him. Until he decides not to follow the plan. I think maybe I loved Amy's story the most. All her life, she has been told what to do, and being a good girl, church girl, she has just gone with it. Amy's story follows more of her finding herself, becoming an individual, going against what everyone else wants for her and finding what SHE wants for herself, and I loved that. I think I related to Amy the most. And Matt was just so adorable. From him just being a good friend, to his punny religious shirts.
The only issue I had with Arielle was I felt like she had more chapters, and I just wanted to get back to Amy or Rion's story :P Arielle's goal in the Society is to not fall for a girl who isn't out and proud to be a lesbian. She meets Lauren, who was pretty awesome. There were some moments when I also felt Arielle went too far, but she does realize it, and grows from it.
I loved this story, and how the girls became such good friends, even being so different. Their stories were the perfect balance of together and individual. Each of the girls grows and matures, and it was so great to see. Another perfect story from Leigh Ann Kopans.
I received an eARC from the author, this did not affect my honest opinion.
This review first appears on The NerdHerd Reads
Rion, Amy, and Arielle are strangers until their first day of college where they find themselves to be roommates. They all are coming off of or experience within the first few days a heartbreak, and decide to form a secret society: The Broken Hearts' Society of Suite 17C. They decide to hold each other accountable, to prevent the same heartbreak from happening over again. I loved all three of these characters. They were each so different, fleshed out, and complex. Sometimes multiple POV's don't work out, but this one did. They didn't run together. Each one was separate, complex, and different.
In the same way, each of their love interests were different and unique. The characters were all diverse, coming from so many different backgrounds. I'm not even sure I could pick a favorite, because I loved them all.
Rion always goes for the bad guys, so this time she is determined not to. Except Crash, who has all the looks of a bad boy, is insistent that he isn't. I think Rion may rub some people the wrong way. She isn't the easiest to like. But I liked her. There were some times when I felt she took things too far, but she's running from a hard past. I love how Crash sees past her crazy and understands why, and it doesn't scare him away and I loved that.
Amy was your stereotypical small-town good church girl. Her high school sweetheart is the pastor's son, and she has her whole life planned out: go to college, become a teacher, marry him. Until he decides not to follow the plan. I think maybe I loved Amy's story the most. All her life, she has been told what to do, and being a good girl, church girl, she has just gone with it. Amy's story follows more of her finding herself, becoming an individual, going against what everyone else wants for her and finding what SHE wants for herself, and I loved that. I think I related to Amy the most. And Matt was just so adorable. From him just being a good friend, to his punny religious shirts.
The only issue I had with Arielle was I felt like she had more chapters, and I just wanted to get back to Amy or Rion's story :P Arielle's goal in the Society is to not fall for a girl who isn't out and proud to be a lesbian. She meets Lauren, who was pretty awesome. There were some moments when I also felt Arielle went too far, but she does realize it, and grows from it.
I loved this story, and how the girls became such good friends, even being so different. Their stories were the perfect balance of together and individual. Each of the girls grows and matures, and it was so great to see. Another perfect story from Leigh Ann Kopans.
I received an eARC from the author, this did not affect my honest opinion.
This review first appears on The NerdHerd Reads
May 19, 2023
Neviem, kde som na tuto knihu natrafila, kedze som si do citacky davala overenych autorov...OK, ale anotacia ma zaujala, kniha ma vysoke hodnotenie.
Tri uplne odlisne dievcata sa stretnu na internate a zalozia Klub zlomenych srdc. Ked poviem, ze odlisne, tak fest odlisne. Je medzi nimi zidovka, krestanka aj neveriaca. Dievca potetovane, ktorej kazde druhe slovo je vulgarizmus ( tu som mala po prvych troch stranach chut knihu odlozit), gay, aj dobre dievcatko, ktore v zivote ziadne neslusne slovo nepovedalo.
Ale kazda z nich ma zlomene srdce, niekto ich poriadne sklamal, tak vytvoria pakt, ze uz nespravia rovnaku chybu. Ako to uz byva, samozrejme stretnu nniekoho noveho a historia sa opakuje. Alebo nie?
Musim si davat pozor, kedze tato kniha je oznacovana aj ako #new_adult a v tychto je dost explicitny sex a to som veru necakala.
Miestami som sa celkom dobre bavila, miestami dost nudila...Asi uz nic ine od autorky citat nebudem.
Tri uplne odlisne dievcata sa stretnu na internate a zalozia Klub zlomenych srdc. Ked poviem, ze odlisne, tak fest odlisne. Je medzi nimi zidovka, krestanka aj neveriaca. Dievca potetovane, ktorej kazde druhe slovo je vulgarizmus ( tu som mala po prvych troch stranach chut knihu odlozit), gay, aj dobre dievcatko, ktore v zivote ziadne neslusne slovo nepovedalo.
Ale kazda z nich ma zlomene srdce, niekto ich poriadne sklamal, tak vytvoria pakt, ze uz nespravia rovnaku chybu. Ako to uz byva, samozrejme stretnu nniekoho noveho a historia sa opakuje. Alebo nie?
Musim si davat pozor, kedze tato kniha je oznacovana aj ako #new_adult a v tychto je dost explicitny sex a to som veru necakala.
Miestami som sa celkom dobre bavila, miestami dost nudila...Asi uz nic ine od autorky citat nebudem.
July 2, 2015
I'm somewhere between a 4.5 and 5, but I'm gonna round up to 5 on everything because it's LeighAnn Kopans. ;)
Disclaimer: I received an eARC to review as part of this tour. This did not affect my review in any way, nor am I being compensated for it.
I have to start by saying that I am in love with Kopans' writing. I only haven't read One and Two. So when I saw that she was having this tour, I knew I had to be a part of it. And I'm so happy to be able to share my love for this book.
Kopans always does a great job at writing complex and real characters, particularly female characters, and Broken Hearts' Society is no different. The three girls are all very different but are joined together by similar experiences in break ups. They each had their own issues and their own way of dealing with such issues, but I also really liked seeing how much they supported one another and built one another up, while not letting the others necessarily dictate and make their decisions for them. It was like a independent interdependence, if that makes any sense. It was especially effective in Amy's character arc of becoming independent and finding herself.
It was really interesting to see the girls change and grow throughout the story, both on their own and with the help of one another and with some of the other characters in the story. I think Rion's portions always remained my favorite parts, though I can't necessarily pinpoint why, but I started out feeling a bit bored by Amy's story and feeling really awkward about the whole super-ultra-religious aspect (not because I'm against it but it was just too much at times), but then there was one turn in the story that turned that all around. I really came to see and understand her and her struggle, and I could relate, though not to the same extent. I understood how she (and most of the time, Rion) felt, and my heart broke for her. On the other hand, while I started off also really enjoying Arielle's story, after a certain point, I stopped being really interested in her story, not because her conflicts and the plot weren't engaging and interesting but just that I would have rather read the other characters' portions.
Overall, I thought all the romances were very well done and led to arcs that complimented each girl's personalities and issues. I particularly liked how each was about a different kind of acceptance and finding your identity. I liked how Kopans subtly, and sometimes not so subtly, showed how strength doesn't mean not crying or not being hurt by something someone says or does. It doesn't mean having control all the time. Strength, and weakness, is so much more than that. A girl can be strong and still cry and break down and have her heart broken and show the world her heart. A female character can be a "strong female character" without fitting into a given mold--being strong doesn't mean being physically strong, it doesn't mean not crying, it doesn't mean not needing anyone else. Strength is about finding yourself, trusting both yourself and others, and being the best person you can be at that moment in time. It's about being able to know when to ask for help but know when to make your own decisions and stand up for yourself. This showed through so clearly in the book, and I really loved the message of love, friendship, and acceptance Kopans is putting out there.
And the book is certainly diverse--in color, sexual orientation, religion, experiences, interests, conflicts, you name it. The girls were different enough that I could always tell whose perspective I was reading, and as someone who sometimes has trouble with multiple POV books, I was very glad about this fact. But at times, I couldn't tell if it was a little forced too. While I obviously appreciated Lauren being Chinese, it sometimes felt like a bit much for her to always be talking about how she didn't fit in as American but also not as Chinese. I understand her completely because I often feel the same way, but I feel as if this could have been communicated much more subtly. Overall, I really appreciated the diversity presented in the novel, though.
The three character arcs and plots were, for the most part, compelling, keeping me engaged and reading. Even if I wasn't particularly interested or invested in a certain character at one point or another, I was looking forward to reading more about one of the other characters. Kopans crafts the story so well so that the girls' stories are parallel but also vastly different. All the romances move slowly, but it never feels like it's too slow. I love how the ending was open ended for each of the girls, but it was also very easy to imagine where their stories could go beyond that.
There were only a few small things that negatively stuck out to me besides the aforementioned one. Firstly, I felt like Rion's arc with her mother felt incomplete, felt sort of forgotten about after some time. Also, it's not like it's necessarily a fault, but it sometimes felt like the guys were just perfect (not including Lauren). Like a large part of the conflicts between the boys and Rion/Amy felt like it mostly the girl's fault. I don't know if this was because it was from their point of view, but it felt like the guys were close to being flawless. The last thing is that it was strange to me that none of them seemed to have friends outside of one another. I understand the different reservations the girls had, and I appreciated Arielle becoming the exception near the end, but it was difficult to believe that there weren't any other people they would talk to/be around. But again, all of these felt very small in comparison to the things Kopans did well. That's why the book fell somewhere between a 4.5 and 5 for me, but I've decided to round it up to 5 because it's LeighAnn. ;)
Disclaimer: I received an eARC to review as part of this tour. This did not affect my review in any way, nor am I being compensated for it.
I have to start by saying that I am in love with Kopans' writing. I only haven't read One and Two. So when I saw that she was having this tour, I knew I had to be a part of it. And I'm so happy to be able to share my love for this book.
Kopans always does a great job at writing complex and real characters, particularly female characters, and Broken Hearts' Society is no different. The three girls are all very different but are joined together by similar experiences in break ups. They each had their own issues and their own way of dealing with such issues, but I also really liked seeing how much they supported one another and built one another up, while not letting the others necessarily dictate and make their decisions for them. It was like a independent interdependence, if that makes any sense. It was especially effective in Amy's character arc of becoming independent and finding herself.
It was really interesting to see the girls change and grow throughout the story, both on their own and with the help of one another and with some of the other characters in the story. I think Rion's portions always remained my favorite parts, though I can't necessarily pinpoint why, but I started out feeling a bit bored by Amy's story and feeling really awkward about the whole super-ultra-religious aspect (not because I'm against it but it was just too much at times), but then there was one turn in the story that turned that all around. I really came to see and understand her and her struggle, and I could relate, though not to the same extent. I understood how she (and most of the time, Rion) felt, and my heart broke for her. On the other hand, while I started off also really enjoying Arielle's story, after a certain point, I stopped being really interested in her story, not because her conflicts and the plot weren't engaging and interesting but just that I would have rather read the other characters' portions.
Overall, I thought all the romances were very well done and led to arcs that complimented each girl's personalities and issues. I particularly liked how each was about a different kind of acceptance and finding your identity. I liked how Kopans subtly, and sometimes not so subtly, showed how strength doesn't mean not crying or not being hurt by something someone says or does. It doesn't mean having control all the time. Strength, and weakness, is so much more than that. A girl can be strong and still cry and break down and have her heart broken and show the world her heart. A female character can be a "strong female character" without fitting into a given mold--being strong doesn't mean being physically strong, it doesn't mean not crying, it doesn't mean not needing anyone else. Strength is about finding yourself, trusting both yourself and others, and being the best person you can be at that moment in time. It's about being able to know when to ask for help but know when to make your own decisions and stand up for yourself. This showed through so clearly in the book, and I really loved the message of love, friendship, and acceptance Kopans is putting out there.
And the book is certainly diverse--in color, sexual orientation, religion, experiences, interests, conflicts, you name it. The girls were different enough that I could always tell whose perspective I was reading, and as someone who sometimes has trouble with multiple POV books, I was very glad about this fact. But at times, I couldn't tell if it was a little forced too. While I obviously appreciated Lauren being Chinese, it sometimes felt like a bit much for her to always be talking about how she didn't fit in as American but also not as Chinese. I understand her completely because I often feel the same way, but I feel as if this could have been communicated much more subtly. Overall, I really appreciated the diversity presented in the novel, though.
The three character arcs and plots were, for the most part, compelling, keeping me engaged and reading. Even if I wasn't particularly interested or invested in a certain character at one point or another, I was looking forward to reading more about one of the other characters. Kopans crafts the story so well so that the girls' stories are parallel but also vastly different. All the romances move slowly, but it never feels like it's too slow. I love how the ending was open ended for each of the girls, but it was also very easy to imagine where their stories could go beyond that.
There were only a few small things that negatively stuck out to me besides the aforementioned one. Firstly, I felt like Rion's arc with her mother felt incomplete, felt sort of forgotten about after some time. Also, it's not like it's necessarily a fault, but it sometimes felt like the guys were just perfect (not including Lauren). Like a large part of the conflicts between the boys and Rion/Amy felt like it mostly the girl's fault. I don't know if this was because it was from their point of view, but it felt like the guys were close to being flawless. The last thing is that it was strange to me that none of them seemed to have friends outside of one another. I understand the different reservations the girls had, and I appreciated Arielle becoming the exception near the end, but it was difficult to believe that there weren't any other people they would talk to/be around. But again, all of these felt very small in comparison to the things Kopans did well. That's why the book fell somewhere between a 4.5 and 5 for me, but I've decided to round it up to 5 because it's LeighAnn. ;)
May 26, 2015
I’ve never read anything by this author but I now feel the need to get every single book she’s ever written because this book was just so amazing in so many different ways. From the characters, the settings, the situations everything was there. I can even completely see this as being a TV show that’s for sure. There’s so much going on and it was all beautifully written to keep you hooked from the very beginning.
We meet three main characters that couldn’t be more different from another and they all have their own specific issues, especially with their significant others. You have a girl from a broken home with a tough exterior and a tough attitude, another who is a complete Susie homemaker churchgoer who always does what she is told and lastly a proud lesbian who is really just trying to find a place to fit in. Again, like I said, couldn’t be more different from one another, but they are now roommates and learn to love and help one another rather quickly. It’s really beautiful seeing such different girls getting along so greatly when they wouldn’t have expected it to begin with.
Each girl has their own story and their own breakup and situation, I don’t want to tell too much because really you have to pick up this book, it’s worth the read. But I have to say I don’t know if it’s the tattoo and the blue eyes but Rion and Crash’s’ story is by far my favorite of the three. Rion is just someone I can relate to because she’s such a tough chick who does not have a filter and that is completely me. And who doesn’t love a pair of hot blue eyes staring at you, it’s as if they are from another world sometimes. Trust is an important thing in any relationship and this is undeniably their biggest issue.
But then you have Amy and Matt, who I adore because they are so sweet and innocent. Plus the red on red is adorable. I love Rion’s nicknames for Matt that’s for sure. You just have to read them, too funny. Anyway their preaching ways help each other out, and Matt has got some great t-shirts too. But you have to read about them. Another great thing about them is their relationship is pure and Amy is just trying to find herself, without anyone telling her exactly what it is she should be doing.
Then there is Arielle who is the proud lesbian trying to find love and trust that they too will be as open as she is about her sexuality. Sometimes it’s just harder for other people, but I loved reading her story about trying to fit in and find love and trust as well.
Overall this book was an amazing read into the lives of three very different people starting their lives in college and working towards the real world. I loved every minute of it. There were some really great moments between the three of them showing such solidarity and love for one another, again really beautiful. There were also some wonderful moments between the characters and their significant others as well, like I said this book was an amazing read.
I have to mention the cover too, because if I saw this cover in the store I would pick it up immediately and wonder what it was about. Super cute cover and very eye catching. GO check this book out!
We meet three main characters that couldn’t be more different from another and they all have their own specific issues, especially with their significant others. You have a girl from a broken home with a tough exterior and a tough attitude, another who is a complete Susie homemaker churchgoer who always does what she is told and lastly a proud lesbian who is really just trying to find a place to fit in. Again, like I said, couldn’t be more different from one another, but they are now roommates and learn to love and help one another rather quickly. It’s really beautiful seeing such different girls getting along so greatly when they wouldn’t have expected it to begin with.
Each girl has their own story and their own breakup and situation, I don’t want to tell too much because really you have to pick up this book, it’s worth the read. But I have to say I don’t know if it’s the tattoo and the blue eyes but Rion and Crash’s’ story is by far my favorite of the three. Rion is just someone I can relate to because she’s such a tough chick who does not have a filter and that is completely me. And who doesn’t love a pair of hot blue eyes staring at you, it’s as if they are from another world sometimes. Trust is an important thing in any relationship and this is undeniably their biggest issue.
But then you have Amy and Matt, who I adore because they are so sweet and innocent. Plus the red on red is adorable. I love Rion’s nicknames for Matt that’s for sure. You just have to read them, too funny. Anyway their preaching ways help each other out, and Matt has got some great t-shirts too. But you have to read about them. Another great thing about them is their relationship is pure and Amy is just trying to find herself, without anyone telling her exactly what it is she should be doing.
Then there is Arielle who is the proud lesbian trying to find love and trust that they too will be as open as she is about her sexuality. Sometimes it’s just harder for other people, but I loved reading her story about trying to fit in and find love and trust as well.
Overall this book was an amazing read into the lives of three very different people starting their lives in college and working towards the real world. I loved every minute of it. There were some really great moments between the three of them showing such solidarity and love for one another, again really beautiful. There were also some wonderful moments between the characters and their significant others as well, like I said this book was an amazing read.
I have to mention the cover too, because if I saw this cover in the store I would pick it up immediately and wonder what it was about. Super cute cover and very eye catching. GO check this book out!
June 21, 2015
I was sure I was gonna like this one because I love LeighAnn's writing and storytelling, but I was a bit unsure because NA contemporary is not my go-to genre. But I shouldn't really have doubted that I would less than love this book!
Amy, Arielle and Rion easily crawled into my heart and their heartbreaks felt like mine, as did their struggles and triumphs. I cheered for them, felt like shaking them at times, and loved seeing them step out of their comfort zones and grow so much! Their relationships weren't easy because real things never are, even when they should be, we tend to complicate them.
Amy, Arielle and Rion and three very different girls that find themselves living together and supporting each other on their very first day as roommates after some tough break ups. These three girls have very different pasts, very different objectives and are very different from one another, but they make the choice to support one another and seeing them become friends and grow together and separate as their own person was a joy to read!
Amy was raised in a very strict and deeply religious family and environment, but when all her future plans crumble, she has a crisis of faith and needs to find a way to be herself, do what she wants to do, not what others expect of her and find a relationship with God that is right for her. Being an atheist I was so very happy that Amy's story never felt preachy even if I was very angry on her behalf about the way her family acted and reacted.
Arielle has a wonderful family life with a mum that is supportive and that loves her very much, but she comes to college because of her girlfriend and once the break up happens, she's very much drifting, not being sure of what she wants. She's not much of a fighter and she learns how to go for what she wants and not just let others choose for her.
Rion is the one with the toughest past, the most prickly of the lot and the one that needs to learn how to trust again and how to let others help her. She's been burned before and quite badly, so she does the mistake of letting appearances shape her opinion of someone when she's the first that suffered that before.
There is growth for all three of the girls, as individuals, as part of their own families, as friends and also growth and development in the relationships they form. They need to learn to trust themselves and others, to not judge someone by the mistakes of others and give them the benefit of the doubt.
Full of diversity, sex positive and with amazing supportive friendship tying our main characters together, this is one book I can highly recommend!
If you love NA contemporary, you'll adore this book. If you don't, give this book a try, it might change your opinion! Well deserved 5 stars to this one!
Amy, Arielle and Rion easily crawled into my heart and their heartbreaks felt like mine, as did their struggles and triumphs. I cheered for them, felt like shaking them at times, and loved seeing them step out of their comfort zones and grow so much! Their relationships weren't easy because real things never are, even when they should be, we tend to complicate them.
Amy, Arielle and Rion and three very different girls that find themselves living together and supporting each other on their very first day as roommates after some tough break ups. These three girls have very different pasts, very different objectives and are very different from one another, but they make the choice to support one another and seeing them become friends and grow together and separate as their own person was a joy to read!
Amy was raised in a very strict and deeply religious family and environment, but when all her future plans crumble, she has a crisis of faith and needs to find a way to be herself, do what she wants to do, not what others expect of her and find a relationship with God that is right for her. Being an atheist I was so very happy that Amy's story never felt preachy even if I was very angry on her behalf about the way her family acted and reacted.
Arielle has a wonderful family life with a mum that is supportive and that loves her very much, but she comes to college because of her girlfriend and once the break up happens, she's very much drifting, not being sure of what she wants. She's not much of a fighter and she learns how to go for what she wants and not just let others choose for her.
Rion is the one with the toughest past, the most prickly of the lot and the one that needs to learn how to trust again and how to let others help her. She's been burned before and quite badly, so she does the mistake of letting appearances shape her opinion of someone when she's the first that suffered that before.
There is growth for all three of the girls, as individuals, as part of their own families, as friends and also growth and development in the relationships they form. They need to learn to trust themselves and others, to not judge someone by the mistakes of others and give them the benefit of the doubt.
Full of diversity, sex positive and with amazing supportive friendship tying our main characters together, this is one book I can highly recommend!
If you love NA contemporary, you'll adore this book. If you don't, give this book a try, it might change your opinion! Well deserved 5 stars to this one!
June 10, 2015
I. Loved. It.The three roommates that make up Suite 17C as different from each other as people can be, yet common experiences in life and love form an unexpected friendship. It is incredibly entertaining to get to know these young women individually and then observe what they do once united. While bringing back fond memories of Freshman year, it was unlike any book I have read and very far from predictable.
The book follows Rion, Arielle, and Amy's first year of college; it begins on Orientation Day and goes through Finals. The day they meet each other, each woman has experienced a traumatic shock. And these are people who would not have been friends without this room assignment Freshman year. On paper, these ladies are vastly different. Rion, a foul mouthed foster kid with a record. Arielle, a Jewish lesbian with a broken heart. Amy, a devout Christian living her parents’ dream. Each girl is experiencing the Mother of All Bad Days when they meet. Despite the epic personality and background differences, they have broken hearts in common. And that pain is universal. The three roommates form "The Broken Hearts’ Society of Suite 17C," a private club where they hold each other accountable for making better decisions in matters of the heart. Sharing fears and hopes and frustrations over pizza and ice cream strengthen their friendship. Three women who can no longer trust easily trust each other unconditionally.
They are forced to examine their lives, and it is especially difficult to come of age while reeling from loss and heartbreak. It is an authentic look at life in transition, and each girl wants to protect herself from further pain. They risk not letting good people in because they are so focused on keeping the bad ones out. Rion fights her attraction to Crash, a tatted up, pierced bad boy. Arielle wades slowly into uncharted waters with Lauren, a straight girl. Amy re-examines her life goals with the help of Matt, the first guy to not make decisions for her.
Do not think this is a predictable "they got their hearts broken - met new sweethearts - the end" type contemporary romance. They each have very realistic conflicts internally and with others, making the journeys uphill all the way. You cannot help but root for the sad women you meet early in the book to smile again. This is a great read full of laughs, tears, setbacks and triumphs - and not necessarily in that order.
The book follows Rion, Arielle, and Amy's first year of college; it begins on Orientation Day and goes through Finals. The day they meet each other, each woman has experienced a traumatic shock. And these are people who would not have been friends without this room assignment Freshman year. On paper, these ladies are vastly different. Rion, a foul mouthed foster kid with a record. Arielle, a Jewish lesbian with a broken heart. Amy, a devout Christian living her parents’ dream. Each girl is experiencing the Mother of All Bad Days when they meet. Despite the epic personality and background differences, they have broken hearts in common. And that pain is universal. The three roommates form "The Broken Hearts’ Society of Suite 17C," a private club where they hold each other accountable for making better decisions in matters of the heart. Sharing fears and hopes and frustrations over pizza and ice cream strengthen their friendship. Three women who can no longer trust easily trust each other unconditionally.
They are forced to examine their lives, and it is especially difficult to come of age while reeling from loss and heartbreak. It is an authentic look at life in transition, and each girl wants to protect herself from further pain. They risk not letting good people in because they are so focused on keeping the bad ones out. Rion fights her attraction to Crash, a tatted up, pierced bad boy. Arielle wades slowly into uncharted waters with Lauren, a straight girl. Amy re-examines her life goals with the help of Matt, the first guy to not make decisions for her.
Do not think this is a predictable "they got their hearts broken - met new sweethearts - the end" type contemporary romance. They each have very realistic conflicts internally and with others, making the journeys uphill all the way. You cannot help but root for the sad women you meet early in the book to smile again. This is a great read full of laughs, tears, setbacks and triumphs - and not necessarily in that order.
June 4, 2015
The Broken Hearts' Society of Suite 17C by LeighAnn Kopans
Print Length: 404 pages
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
ASIN: B00XK5X5SQ
My Review~~
I received this book in exchange for a honest unbiased review.
When I read the excerpt on this book, I had to read it and I was rightly justified. This book is so good!! This is the first book that I have read by this author and I just loved her writing style, storyline, and characters. I will be reading her other novels and that is a fact. It is a multi-person POV but that doesn't take away from this book but adds dimension to it. This is a highly entertaining read that will connect you to all the characters and identify with them. I love how the girls help, bond, and put their broken hearts back together. This book is so good when my daughters get older I want them to read this. I can't wait for the next book!
Amazon Book Description~~
Friends don’t let friends make the same horrible relationship mistakes twice.
Rion, Amy, and Arielle, the three occupants of first-year dorm Harrison Tower’s Suite 17C have never met before the first day of school, but they soon discover they have one thing in common – being on the wrong end of an epically awful breakup.
Heartbreak sucks, especially when the girls should have seen the trouble coming from a mile away. But there’s no better time than the beginning of college to take charge of your own love life, and nobody better than a roommate to keep you accountable. Over ice cream and pizza their first week, the girls vow never again to date anyone like the assholes who ripped their hearts out and smeared them across the quad.
And that's how the Broken Hearts’ Society of Suite 17C is born.
Now, if only Crash, the tattooed, pierced, and probably stoned guy who works at Rion’s newest job, wasn’t so damn sexy and sweet...
If only Matt, the thoughtful and driven pastor’s kid, would quit being so okay with just being Amy’s friend…
If only Lauren, the innocent California girl with her own set of issues, would stop finishing Arielle’s sentences and invading her dreams…
it would be a lot easier for the girls to keep their promises to the Society and to themselves.
If only.
Print Length: 404 pages
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
ASIN: B00XK5X5SQ
My Review~~
I received this book in exchange for a honest unbiased review.
When I read the excerpt on this book, I had to read it and I was rightly justified. This book is so good!! This is the first book that I have read by this author and I just loved her writing style, storyline, and characters. I will be reading her other novels and that is a fact. It is a multi-person POV but that doesn't take away from this book but adds dimension to it. This is a highly entertaining read that will connect you to all the characters and identify with them. I love how the girls help, bond, and put their broken hearts back together. This book is so good when my daughters get older I want them to read this. I can't wait for the next book!
Amazon Book Description~~
Friends don’t let friends make the same horrible relationship mistakes twice.
Rion, Amy, and Arielle, the three occupants of first-year dorm Harrison Tower’s Suite 17C have never met before the first day of school, but they soon discover they have one thing in common – being on the wrong end of an epically awful breakup.
Heartbreak sucks, especially when the girls should have seen the trouble coming from a mile away. But there’s no better time than the beginning of college to take charge of your own love life, and nobody better than a roommate to keep you accountable. Over ice cream and pizza their first week, the girls vow never again to date anyone like the assholes who ripped their hearts out and smeared them across the quad.
And that's how the Broken Hearts’ Society of Suite 17C is born.
Now, if only Crash, the tattooed, pierced, and probably stoned guy who works at Rion’s newest job, wasn’t so damn sexy and sweet...
If only Matt, the thoughtful and driven pastor’s kid, would quit being so okay with just being Amy’s friend…
If only Lauren, the innocent California girl with her own set of issues, would stop finishing Arielle’s sentences and invading her dreams…
it would be a lot easier for the girls to keep their promises to the Society and to themselves.
If only.
June 26, 2015
If you are looking for a thoroughly entertaining New Adult Romance to read this summer, than The Broken Hearts Society of Suite 17C is the book for you!
Author LeighAnn Kopans weaves a sassy tale that follows three college freshman girls: Rion, Amy, and Arielle, who become roommates, and while they come from very different backgrounds, and have very different personalities, they share one thing in come: they all enter college after experiencing a broken heart!
Written in the alternating perspectives of Rion, Amy, and Arielle, the reader is easily drawn into the girls' newly formed Broken Hearts Society of Suite 17C, where they follow the suitemates' freshman year in college as their bond of friendship blossoms amidst the drama, romance, humorous antics, and growing pains that comes with entering college.
I really enjoyed reading the alternating yet interweaving stories of each of the girls. I found it fascinating that three very different personalities could form a bond of sisterhood and blossoming friendship based on their shared experiences of heartbreak. Rion is the resident street smart girl who cusses like a sailor, Amy is the small town Christian girl, and Arielle is a beautiful lesbian: each girl has her own story to tell, but the reader is in for a real treat as they follow the girls' journey as they grow and come into their own during the first year of college. I loved the mixture of drama, friendship, and romance that was interwoven throughout the story, as well as the blossoming bond of friendship and witty interactions between the girls.
The Broken Hearts Society of Suite 17C is a lighthearted fun read that will provide a lot of laughs and leave a smile on your face!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
Author LeighAnn Kopans weaves a sassy tale that follows three college freshman girls: Rion, Amy, and Arielle, who become roommates, and while they come from very different backgrounds, and have very different personalities, they share one thing in come: they all enter college after experiencing a broken heart!
Written in the alternating perspectives of Rion, Amy, and Arielle, the reader is easily drawn into the girls' newly formed Broken Hearts Society of Suite 17C, where they follow the suitemates' freshman year in college as their bond of friendship blossoms amidst the drama, romance, humorous antics, and growing pains that comes with entering college.
I really enjoyed reading the alternating yet interweaving stories of each of the girls. I found it fascinating that three very different personalities could form a bond of sisterhood and blossoming friendship based on their shared experiences of heartbreak. Rion is the resident street smart girl who cusses like a sailor, Amy is the small town Christian girl, and Arielle is a beautiful lesbian: each girl has her own story to tell, but the reader is in for a real treat as they follow the girls' journey as they grow and come into their own during the first year of college. I loved the mixture of drama, friendship, and romance that was interwoven throughout the story, as well as the blossoming bond of friendship and witty interactions between the girls.
The Broken Hearts Society of Suite 17C is a lighthearted fun read that will provide a lot of laughs and leave a smile on your face!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
June 2, 2015
Blog Tour Post: The Shadow Realm
This is the first book by this author that I have read and I don't think it will be the last. This was a really cute and fun read and I really enjoyed it.
Told from the POV of Rion, Arielle and Amy, 3 strangers who are now college roommates, this book follow them as the navigate the struggles of heartbreak, love, friendship and self discovery. Each character had their own unique voice so it was easy to distinguish between each of them and to get into their heads. I think my favourite was Rion. She cursed like a sailor and had no filter. She was refreshingly honest and I loved that about her.
I had a hard time connecting with Amy in the beginning because I am not religious in any way. But by the end I actually came to like her journey more. She wanted to find out who she really was and to break out of the chains that were binding her to her sexist, small minded town. I think she grew the most out of the 3 of them and I really admired her come the end of the book.
While there was no shortage of drama, and the girls all had their fair share of flaws, all the characters felt very real. The friendship between the 3 girls was one of the best parts of the story because even though they started out as complete strangers, they were there for each other throughout all the ups and downs and became the best of friends. They had such a strong bond. It was so nice to read about a genuine, honest friendship between girls that didn't involve the cattiness I have found in other books.
It may not have been perfect but I still really enjoyed this book. Full of diverse and fascinating characters, this was a quirky, heartbreaking, and fun read. I would definitely recommend this one!
This is the first book by this author that I have read and I don't think it will be the last. This was a really cute and fun read and I really enjoyed it.
Told from the POV of Rion, Arielle and Amy, 3 strangers who are now college roommates, this book follow them as the navigate the struggles of heartbreak, love, friendship and self discovery. Each character had their own unique voice so it was easy to distinguish between each of them and to get into their heads. I think my favourite was Rion. She cursed like a sailor and had no filter. She was refreshingly honest and I loved that about her.
I had a hard time connecting with Amy in the beginning because I am not religious in any way. But by the end I actually came to like her journey more. She wanted to find out who she really was and to break out of the chains that were binding her to her sexist, small minded town. I think she grew the most out of the 3 of them and I really admired her come the end of the book.
While there was no shortage of drama, and the girls all had their fair share of flaws, all the characters felt very real. The friendship between the 3 girls was one of the best parts of the story because even though they started out as complete strangers, they were there for each other throughout all the ups and downs and became the best of friends. They had such a strong bond. It was so nice to read about a genuine, honest friendship between girls that didn't involve the cattiness I have found in other books.
It may not have been perfect but I still really enjoyed this book. Full of diverse and fascinating characters, this was a quirky, heartbreaking, and fun read. I would definitely recommend this one!
June 1, 2015
Read more of our reviews at: www.thebookjarblog.wordpress.com
Friends don’t let friends make the same horrible relationship mistakes twice.
Rion, Amy, and Arielle, the three occupants of first-year dorm Harrison Tower’s Suite 17C have never met before the first day of school, but they soon discover they have one thing in common – being on the wrong end of an epically awful breakup. Heartbreak sucks, especially when the girls should have seen the trouble coming from a mile away. But there’s no better time than the beginning of college to take charge of your own love life, and nobody better than a roommate to keep you accountable. Over ice cream and pizza their first week, the girls vow never again to date anyone like the assholes who ripped their hearts out and smeared them across the quad. And that’s how the Broken Hearts’ Society of Suite 17C is born.
A quirky fun read, this book is really great. The content of the book is a little heavier for young adult, and I would say it is more New Adult. Kopans writes a refreshingly honest story of heartbreak, friendship and the complications of growing up. One of her character's is lesbian and she portrayed her beautifully, all her characters are diverse in some way and different from the "typical" cookie cutter ya story line. The story is a multi-person point of view and sometimes it can be a little confusing the constant switching between the three characters, but it doesn't deter the story. It was a great read that really portrayed the life of being in college and the struggles you face growing up. 4.5/5
Friends don’t let friends make the same horrible relationship mistakes twice.
Rion, Amy, and Arielle, the three occupants of first-year dorm Harrison Tower’s Suite 17C have never met before the first day of school, but they soon discover they have one thing in common – being on the wrong end of an epically awful breakup. Heartbreak sucks, especially when the girls should have seen the trouble coming from a mile away. But there’s no better time than the beginning of college to take charge of your own love life, and nobody better than a roommate to keep you accountable. Over ice cream and pizza their first week, the girls vow never again to date anyone like the assholes who ripped their hearts out and smeared them across the quad. And that’s how the Broken Hearts’ Society of Suite 17C is born.
A quirky fun read, this book is really great. The content of the book is a little heavier for young adult, and I would say it is more New Adult. Kopans writes a refreshingly honest story of heartbreak, friendship and the complications of growing up. One of her character's is lesbian and she portrayed her beautifully, all her characters are diverse in some way and different from the "typical" cookie cutter ya story line. The story is a multi-person point of view and sometimes it can be a little confusing the constant switching between the three characters, but it doesn't deter the story. It was a great read that really portrayed the life of being in college and the struggles you face growing up. 4.5/5
May 22, 2015
This is the first book I have read by LeighAnn Kopans. I wasn't sure what to expect and I found the first page quite confronting. There was a whole lot of swearing and a drug bust. Not quite what I was expecting and I was thinking to myself is all this swearing really necessary. I don't swear and it made me feel a little uncomfortable. I kept reading though and the writing style changed completely in the next chapter. I discovered that the book is written from three main characters POV and each have vastly different personalities. The writing style and language change in each POV and capture the characters perfectly. Yes the swearing was necessary and so was everything else in the book - it was perfect!
As I got to know Rian (swears like a sailor), Amy (sweet overprotected Christian) and Arielle (non athletic lesbian) they each found a place in my heart. I went with them on their journey through starting college, heartbreak, friendship and finding love. I even had a bit of a crush on Crash, Matt and Lauren - they won me over too! I was emotionally caught up in the story. The feels! I'm glad I was wearing my sunglasses at the park this morning as I read the last four chapters.
As well as three beautiful love stories and a tale of friendship, many deeper issues are explored such as homosexuality, drug use, abortion, trust and controlling relationships.
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review.
As I got to know Rian (swears like a sailor), Amy (sweet overprotected Christian) and Arielle (non athletic lesbian) they each found a place in my heart. I went with them on their journey through starting college, heartbreak, friendship and finding love. I even had a bit of a crush on Crash, Matt and Lauren - they won me over too! I was emotionally caught up in the story. The feels! I'm glad I was wearing my sunglasses at the park this morning as I read the last four chapters.
As well as three beautiful love stories and a tale of friendship, many deeper issues are explored such as homosexuality, drug use, abortion, trust and controlling relationships.
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review.
July 15, 2015
**Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from YA Reads in exchange for a fair and honest review**
Three girls make their journey in life through school and up to their first year college. This is supposed to be a time of freedom and excitement for everyone that attends college. However, for Rion, Amy, and Arielle it’s a time of heartbreak and frustration. They make a pact to now allow each other to date another person with the same characteristics as the one who broke their heart. Will they be able to hold each other to that as well as themselves? Will they find themselves moving towards bigger and better things?
This was a fun idea for a story. Everyone’s had their heart broken at least once. However, not everyone has had the displeasure of having it broken by such a jerk of a person. These characters were well written characters and their stories were well thought out. The author did a great job with the detail in the story so you felt like you were right along with the girls as they went through their life.
Unfortunately, the story kind of drug on for me. I thought I would absolutely love the story but I think it might have been TOO much for one book and I might have enjoyed it better had they been written as separate stories. It felt like a forced read for me which was frustrating as I was sure I would love it.
February 16, 2015
Does Leigh Ann Kopans ever let us down? No, she doesn't. THE BROKEN HEART'S SOCIETY OF SUITE 17C is a massive undertaking, with three protagonists with growing up to do and three romances flowing across its pages, but Leigh Ann meets the challenge head on and gives the reader not one, but three characters to root for and love.
This is Upper YA/NA in the true sense of the categories - these girls make mistakes, they flounder, they can't see themselves clearly, they use relationships as crutches, but in the end they're all on their way to adulthood...with some pretty sexy romances in tow.
Perhaps my favorite thing about the book is the friendship between the girls, and the diversity that each one brings to the table - with a Jewish lesbian, a small town (and small minded) Christian, and an angry atheist who spent the last year or so in a group home (and briefly, jail), the group makes a believable menagerie for a random group of college freshmen.
17C is real, it doesn't look away from its characters flaws, and it fills your heart with so much love for each one of them that you can't help but root for their eventual realizations and happy endings.
This is Upper YA/NA in the true sense of the categories - these girls make mistakes, they flounder, they can't see themselves clearly, they use relationships as crutches, but in the end they're all on their way to adulthood...with some pretty sexy romances in tow.
Perhaps my favorite thing about the book is the friendship between the girls, and the diversity that each one brings to the table - with a Jewish lesbian, a small town (and small minded) Christian, and an angry atheist who spent the last year or so in a group home (and briefly, jail), the group makes a believable menagerie for a random group of college freshmen.
17C is real, it doesn't look away from its characters flaws, and it fills your heart with so much love for each one of them that you can't help but root for their eventual realizations and happy endings.
June 24, 2015
I received a review copy
To be honest, I wasn’t sure I was going to end up liking this book as I much as I did when I started reading. The cover didn’t particularly reel me in, but the subject matter did, and I am really impressed with this book on a whole. The beginning does a terrific job at pulling the reader in. Each girl that we follow is so different and has a unique story to bring to the overall book. I found myself invested from the start and happily followed along the way. Highly recommend for new adult fans.
To be honest, I wasn’t sure I was going to end up liking this book as I much as I did when I started reading. The cover didn’t particularly reel me in, but the subject matter did, and I am really impressed with this book on a whole. The beginning does a terrific job at pulling the reader in. Each girl that we follow is so different and has a unique story to bring to the overall book. I found myself invested from the start and happily followed along the way. Highly recommend for new adult fans.
June 15, 2015
I loved this book. After reading the first paragraph, you are sucker punched with the smart sassy writing. Kopans write real characters, normal people; people with bad parents, complicated issues. A lesbian, a bible girl, and a street kid, all the most unlikely of friends bond over their shared heartbreak and really struggle to navigate the realms of dating, picking themselves up and moving on. A fab book, I would watch this as a film, no question.
May 26, 2015
I love, love, loved this. I love how the characters are fleshed out and fully developed. Kopans really knows how to get into the mind and soul of YA characters and make them multi-dimensional. Can't wait until my tween is old enough to read this. (In several years because there are some sexually-graphic scenes.)
March 6, 2016
This was like dipping into one stereotype, stock character after another with no characterization beyond the surface. The friendships that developed were very superficial and fluffy without much meat to them, and it was kinda actually insulting? These girls weren't really doing anything except relationship stuff. Like, that's what their whole lives revolved around. Okay. Cool.
December 11, 2015
***3.5 stars
Really great handle on the tricky world of college relationships, especially those between girls/friends from very different places in life. I could have used roomies/girls like that in navigating my freshman year.
Really great handle on the tricky world of college relationships, especially those between girls/friends from very different places in life. I could have used roomies/girls like that in navigating my freshman year.
July 16, 2016
3.5...Review to come
August 19, 2015
Matt and Amy were the best parts of this book. I would love to read a sequel/companion/spinoff with just them <3
May 23, 2016
I loved so much about this book. It's in some ways a love letter to college, self love, and that inexplicable feeling when you've truly found your tribe.
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