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Heartbreak Era - the new witty YA romcom from Sophie Jo that'll break your heart and then patch it up again.
Not yet published
Expected 12 Feb 26Harley is in her Heartbreak Era ... but what if romance isn't
finished with her quite yet?
Harley and Freddie have been a couple forever –
they’ve applied to the same university and even picked
out their future children’s names. So when Freddie breaks
up with her on their four-year anniversary, Harley is blindsided.
She's devoted lunchbreaks, holidays - her entire life! - to Freddie.
What is she meant to do now?
Harley discovers her college’s heartbreak club, where she
meets cute-if-slightly-chaotic fellow dumpee Seth. But as the past
and present start to collide, Harley has a big decision on her
hands.
Whose Heartbreak Era is this?
Praise for Red Flags:
“A well-observed romp underpinned by good advice.”
– Sunday Times
“A romantic comedy with substance.”
– Irish Times
“adorable and hilarious” –
Beth Reekles
finished with her quite yet?
Harley and Freddie have been a couple forever –
they’ve applied to the same university and even picked
out their future children’s names. So when Freddie breaks
up with her on their four-year anniversary, Harley is blindsided.
She's devoted lunchbreaks, holidays - her entire life! - to Freddie.
What is she meant to do now?
Harley discovers her college’s heartbreak club, where she
meets cute-if-slightly-chaotic fellow dumpee Seth. But as the past
and present start to collide, Harley has a big decision on her
hands.
Whose Heartbreak Era is this?
Praise for Red Flags:
“A well-observed romp underpinned by good advice.”
– Sunday Times
“A romantic comedy with substance.”
– Irish Times
“adorable and hilarious” –
Beth Reekles
- GenresYoung AdultRomance
Kindle Edition
Expected publication February 12, 2026
7 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 15, 2025
Thanks to Netgalley, Sophie Jo and Scholastic UK for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This has to be one of my favourite books of 2025. Harley a sixth-former is broken up with on their 4 year anniversary. She’s planned her whole life with him and has no idea what to do. When she joins her college’s Recently Dumped Club (RDC) everything changes …
I loved and really related to Harley as a character. I was very similar to her at that age and could really feel for her as she navigates through the awkwardness of young adulthood. The people she meets along the way are really compelling too, and her relationships with them felt very authentic. Even though we’re made to hate Freddie at the beginning, he was an interesting character with his own struggles and his eccentricities.
The pacing was perfect, almost too perfect because I couldn’t put it down. Not in a stressful way though, I just wanted to stay in their world as long as possible. It was funny and immersive and overall a great time.
I’d recommend to fans of general teen fiction, authors like John Green and Alice Oseman.
This has to be one of my favourite books of 2025. Harley a sixth-former is broken up with on their 4 year anniversary. She’s planned her whole life with him and has no idea what to do. When she joins her college’s Recently Dumped Club (RDC) everything changes …
I loved and really related to Harley as a character. I was very similar to her at that age and could really feel for her as she navigates through the awkwardness of young adulthood. The people she meets along the way are really compelling too, and her relationships with them felt very authentic. Even though we’re made to hate Freddie at the beginning, he was an interesting character with his own struggles and his eccentricities.
The pacing was perfect, almost too perfect because I couldn’t put it down. Not in a stressful way though, I just wanted to stay in their world as long as possible. It was funny and immersive and overall a great time.
I’d recommend to fans of general teen fiction, authors like John Green and Alice Oseman.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
"I don't trust a single person on this planet who'd prefer to go out than stay home."
°•♡•°
No suprise at all that I loved this book inside and out!
Sophie writes the best lovable and relatable characters that warm the cockles of my heart!
This is a beautiful and emotional story of break ups and how they can affect us. Relationships end all the time and yes its sad, but it doesn't mean there's anything wrong with us. Its just life.
We change, we grow, we mature and end up liking/gravitating towards different things/people and thats ok.
A heartfelt and sincere story that had me glued to the page from the very first sentence. I loved it so much
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a proof copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
°•♡•°
No suprise at all that I loved this book inside and out!
Sophie writes the best lovable and relatable characters that warm the cockles of my heart!
This is a beautiful and emotional story of break ups and how they can affect us. Relationships end all the time and yes its sad, but it doesn't mean there's anything wrong with us. Its just life.
We change, we grow, we mature and end up liking/gravitating towards different things/people and thats ok.
A heartfelt and sincere story that had me glued to the page from the very first sentence. I loved it so much
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a proof copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 3, 2026
It’s been a while since I’ve read a YA novel, but the moment I read the opening line
“I don’t trust a single person on this planet who’d prefer to go out than stay home”
I knew I’d found my people.
Finding out the author was local to me by the end was an added bonus. The mention of the koi at the Botanical Gardens really set my spidey senses tingling. There’s something so special about recognising places close to home in a book - it makes the story feel a little bit more personal.
In short, this follows Harley, a sixth former navigating life after the end of a four year relationship with the love of her life, Freddie. Harley is an introvert who likes comfort and routine, while Freddie wants more — more experiences, more adventure — and in the process, breaks her heart.
In an attempt to cope, Harley joins her college’s Recently Dumped Club, run by an older sixth former experimenting with therapy-style sessions to help teens through heartbreak. It’s here she meets Seth - cute, chaotic, warm-hearted, bonkers energy Seth. Together, they hatch a plan to win their exes back, leading to some of the cutest fake-dating moments.
But as with all fake dating tropes, feelings get complicated, the past resurfaces, and nothing stays simple for long.
Harley is incredibly relatable. We’ve all experienced teenage crushes and heartbreak, and at the time, it truly felt like the end of the world.
This book is full of wit, warmth, and humour, but it doesn’t shy away from exploring the deeper, messier sides of heartbreak - the kind we all experience, no matter our age. Whether you’re 17 or 37, the self-doubt, emotional shifts, and struggles with self-worth are universal, and they’re portrayed well through Harley, Seth, and even Freddie.
At its core, this story is about finding your people, your community, your found family, and learning that you don’t need to change who you are for anyone. With the right support around you, you can be fully yourself and grow into the best version of you. It also gently reminds us that relationships evolve, sometimes they end, and that’s okay.
I especially loved that this didn’t end with a neat Happily Ever After, but instead a more realistic Happily For Now. These characters are young, with so much life still ahead of them, and the possibility of change is shown not as something frightening, but as something hopeful.
Thank you to Sophie Jo, Insta Book Tours & Scholastic for sending me a copy.
“I don’t trust a single person on this planet who’d prefer to go out than stay home”
I knew I’d found my people.
Finding out the author was local to me by the end was an added bonus. The mention of the koi at the Botanical Gardens really set my spidey senses tingling. There’s something so special about recognising places close to home in a book - it makes the story feel a little bit more personal.
In short, this follows Harley, a sixth former navigating life after the end of a four year relationship with the love of her life, Freddie. Harley is an introvert who likes comfort and routine, while Freddie wants more — more experiences, more adventure — and in the process, breaks her heart.
In an attempt to cope, Harley joins her college’s Recently Dumped Club, run by an older sixth former experimenting with therapy-style sessions to help teens through heartbreak. It’s here she meets Seth - cute, chaotic, warm-hearted, bonkers energy Seth. Together, they hatch a plan to win their exes back, leading to some of the cutest fake-dating moments.
But as with all fake dating tropes, feelings get complicated, the past resurfaces, and nothing stays simple for long.
Harley is incredibly relatable. We’ve all experienced teenage crushes and heartbreak, and at the time, it truly felt like the end of the world.
This book is full of wit, warmth, and humour, but it doesn’t shy away from exploring the deeper, messier sides of heartbreak - the kind we all experience, no matter our age. Whether you’re 17 or 37, the self-doubt, emotional shifts, and struggles with self-worth are universal, and they’re portrayed well through Harley, Seth, and even Freddie.
At its core, this story is about finding your people, your community, your found family, and learning that you don’t need to change who you are for anyone. With the right support around you, you can be fully yourself and grow into the best version of you. It also gently reminds us that relationships evolve, sometimes they end, and that’s okay.
I especially loved that this didn’t end with a neat Happily Ever After, but instead a more realistic Happily For Now. These characters are young, with so much life still ahead of them, and the possibility of change is shown not as something frightening, but as something hopeful.
Thank you to Sophie Jo, Insta Book Tours & Scholastic for sending me a copy.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I received a review copy from the publisher as part of a UKYASpotlight interview with the author. It has not affected my opinions.
HEARTBREAK ERA is a fake dating romance that discusses healthy and unhealthy ways to process break ups.
Fake dating is one of my favourite romance tropes. I think it can serve a number of different plots, which gives it a great versatility (even if I think it would be a bad idea in real life!) Here it pushes two people together who wouldn't otherwise spend time together and give them a chance to have their good qualities told to them, when they wouldn't otherwise. By seeing the authentic other person, as a contrast to the fake side being shown by the fake dating, the trope lets them forge a real connection.
To me, Harley read as autistic. This isn't stated in the book (nor has the author said this anywhere that I can find), but when there is a dearth of autistic rep, you go find it where you can. I liked that the book never mocks Harley for having deep seated habits. Yes, she pushes herself out of her comfort zone to try new things, but her comfort routines are not discarded but shown to be something that can - and should - be used as restorative and calming when needed.
I love the idea of the Recently Dumped Club. It's run by an upper sixth-form girl Dahlia who wants to study psychology at university and become a therapist, and has created the club as a practical demonstration. While the exact logistics of this group does stretch believability at times, it's such a good idea for a school (or youth centre!) Plenty of teens go through messy break ups and have no idea how to handle it. The help that Dahlia gives the club is so necessary.
This club therefore acts as the vehicle for the book to discuss breakups in a healthy manner, giving Harley and Seth the real advice they need (they certainly aren't handling it in a healthy manner!) It lets the book balance the fun of the romantic plotline with that more serious (and desperately necessary) discussion.
I also liked that the book ended on a "happily for now" rather than a "happily ever after." It fits the growth Harley has gone through to accept that maybe this relationship will work out, maybe it won't, but she doesn't have to have everything planned out as a teenager.
HEARTBREAK ERA is a fake dating romance that discusses healthy and unhealthy ways to process break ups.
Fake dating is one of my favourite romance tropes. I think it can serve a number of different plots, which gives it a great versatility (even if I think it would be a bad idea in real life!) Here it pushes two people together who wouldn't otherwise spend time together and give them a chance to have their good qualities told to them, when they wouldn't otherwise. By seeing the authentic other person, as a contrast to the fake side being shown by the fake dating, the trope lets them forge a real connection.
To me, Harley read as autistic. This isn't stated in the book (nor has the author said this anywhere that I can find), but when there is a dearth of autistic rep, you go find it where you can. I liked that the book never mocks Harley for having deep seated habits. Yes, she pushes herself out of her comfort zone to try new things, but her comfort routines are not discarded but shown to be something that can - and should - be used as restorative and calming when needed.
I love the idea of the Recently Dumped Club. It's run by an upper sixth-form girl Dahlia who wants to study psychology at university and become a therapist, and has created the club as a practical demonstration. While the exact logistics of this group does stretch believability at times, it's such a good idea for a school (or youth centre!) Plenty of teens go through messy break ups and have no idea how to handle it. The help that Dahlia gives the club is so necessary.
This club therefore acts as the vehicle for the book to discuss breakups in a healthy manner, giving Harley and Seth the real advice they need (they certainly aren't handling it in a healthy manner!) It lets the book balance the fun of the romantic plotline with that more serious (and desperately necessary) discussion.
I also liked that the book ended on a "happily for now" rather than a "happily ever after." It fits the growth Harley has gone through to accept that maybe this relationship will work out, maybe it won't, but she doesn't have to have everything planned out as a teenager.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
4.5 Stars
Witty, lighthearted and of emotion. Sophie Jo’s Heartbreak Era navigates the complexities of teen heartbreak with a warmth and relatability that so many will enjoy!
It follows introverted teen Harley, who’s left reeling when Freddie (her boyfriend of four years) breaks up with her. Which spurs her into joining a school support group (called the Recently Dumped Club) that helps students recover from heartbreak.
Where she meets the chaotic and equally heartbroken Seth, who convinces Harley to join him in a fake dating scheme to help both of them win back their exes.
I genuinely loved this!
It’s humorous, heartfelt, and doesn’t shy away from exploring the more nuanced aspects of heartbreak (like shifting emotional priorities, identity struggles and low self worth.)
However, it was the incredible cast of characters that truly stole the show for me. They felt layered and complex (with human flaws) that only made me love getting to know them more.
Especially Harley and Seth, our main protagonists who, despite their opposing personalities (Harley more quietly introspective and Seth more open and self aware) made a really good team.
As an introvert myself I was drawn to Harley the most, as her hesitancy in social situations and preference to snuggling up with a book (or fave show) felt so relatable.
But Seth’s golden retriever-esque charm and ability to inspire her to try new things really hit me in the feels too. With an emphasis on community (via Bella, Joy, Nathan and Wren) and self discovery that made Harley and Seth’s banter and dynamics all the more heartwarming.
I’m gonna leave things there, but I can definitely see this helping younger readers process their emotions surrounding dating, heartbreak and learning to be themselves.
Also, thanks to InstaBookTours and Scholastic for the finished copy.
Witty, lighthearted and of emotion. Sophie Jo’s Heartbreak Era navigates the complexities of teen heartbreak with a warmth and relatability that so many will enjoy!
It follows introverted teen Harley, who’s left reeling when Freddie (her boyfriend of four years) breaks up with her. Which spurs her into joining a school support group (called the Recently Dumped Club) that helps students recover from heartbreak.
Where she meets the chaotic and equally heartbroken Seth, who convinces Harley to join him in a fake dating scheme to help both of them win back their exes.
I genuinely loved this!
It’s humorous, heartfelt, and doesn’t shy away from exploring the more nuanced aspects of heartbreak (like shifting emotional priorities, identity struggles and low self worth.)
However, it was the incredible cast of characters that truly stole the show for me. They felt layered and complex (with human flaws) that only made me love getting to know them more.
Especially Harley and Seth, our main protagonists who, despite their opposing personalities (Harley more quietly introspective and Seth more open and self aware) made a really good team.
As an introvert myself I was drawn to Harley the most, as her hesitancy in social situations and preference to snuggling up with a book (or fave show) felt so relatable.
But Seth’s golden retriever-esque charm and ability to inspire her to try new things really hit me in the feels too. With an emphasis on community (via Bella, Joy, Nathan and Wren) and self discovery that made Harley and Seth’s banter and dynamics all the more heartwarming.
I’m gonna leave things there, but I can definitely see this helping younger readers process their emotions surrounding dating, heartbreak and learning to be themselves.
Also, thanks to InstaBookTours and Scholastic for the finished copy.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
💭 qotd what is your favourite song to listen to, after getting over a break up?
Mine is "somebody that i used to know" or "don't think twice it's alright" 🤣
🚂 BOOK TOUR 🚂
choo choo. It's my stop for "Heartbreak Era" @instabooktours book tour.
- Don't forget to check out the other stops!
Title: Heartbreak Era
Author: Sophie Jo @sophiejowrites
Pages: 336
UK publish date: Available now
Published by @scholastic_uk
⚠️ Protect yourself. Check any trigger warnings before reading.
This was such a feel good coming of age young adult romance.
Harley has only ever been in a relationship with Freddie. She has also only ever had a friendship with Freddie. He was her safety, her home. Her comfort. She turned her whole world to make him happy. So when he tells her she's not enough her world comes crashing down.
After teaming up with her chaotic fellow dumpee at the Heartbreak club, they decide to make their exes jealous. By fake dating.
I felt a kindred spirit in Harley. Introverted, happy with a book, and keeping to a set routine. However. I am nearly 40 and not an 18 year old. At the same time, it is ok to have a quiet life too. We watch Harley step out of her comfort zone and learn to get by without Freddie. The relationship between Seth and Harley was so gentle and endearing. He definitely had me at "love lasagne" this was such a gorgeously cosy, wholesome, cute read about moving on, self healing and looking inwards to what you want rather than making everyone else happy.
You'll love this book if you like books that include;
❤️ Fake dating
🎀 Coming of age
🩷 Ya romance
🥰 Self healing and growing
Will you be adding this to your book shelf? Do you know someone who would love this? Save for later, share for now and comment to let me know 👇🏻👇🏻
Mine is "somebody that i used to know" or "don't think twice it's alright" 🤣
🚂 BOOK TOUR 🚂
choo choo. It's my stop for "Heartbreak Era" @instabooktours book tour.
- Don't forget to check out the other stops!
Title: Heartbreak Era
Author: Sophie Jo @sophiejowrites
Pages: 336
UK publish date: Available now
Published by @scholastic_uk
⚠️ Protect yourself. Check any trigger warnings before reading.
This was such a feel good coming of age young adult romance.
Harley has only ever been in a relationship with Freddie. She has also only ever had a friendship with Freddie. He was her safety, her home. Her comfort. She turned her whole world to make him happy. So when he tells her she's not enough her world comes crashing down.
After teaming up with her chaotic fellow dumpee at the Heartbreak club, they decide to make their exes jealous. By fake dating.
I felt a kindred spirit in Harley. Introverted, happy with a book, and keeping to a set routine. However. I am nearly 40 and not an 18 year old. At the same time, it is ok to have a quiet life too. We watch Harley step out of her comfort zone and learn to get by without Freddie. The relationship between Seth and Harley was so gentle and endearing. He definitely had me at "love lasagne" this was such a gorgeously cosy, wholesome, cute read about moving on, self healing and looking inwards to what you want rather than making everyone else happy.
You'll love this book if you like books that include;
❤️ Fake dating
🎀 Coming of age
🩷 Ya romance
🥰 Self healing and growing
Will you be adding this to your book shelf? Do you know someone who would love this? Save for later, share for now and comment to let me know 👇🏻👇🏻
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This is a funny, heart-warming, and thoughtful book that I devoured whole. Weirdly relevant to my own life right now;(Except that I’m a 35 yr old, old woman staying in with her books and old people TV shows, not 18 anymore and boy does my lower back know it), Harley is a character whose life has been turned upside and left her adrift and alone having been dumped from a co-dependent relationship. Miserable and alone she ends up joining her sixth form’s newly formed Recently Dumped Club.
As she and the other members work through their pain and grief, she forms a relationship with Seth and they set out on a fake dating mission to win back their exes…
Obviously hi-jinks and chaos ensue but so to does genuine connection and really enjoyable character growth as Harley and Seth figure out their relationships, make new friends, and make you snort laugh/yell WHAT ARE YOU PLAYING AT as they go.
I loved this book and loved how wholesome Seth and Harley are, even when they’re on weird messed up mission their “fake” relationship is somehow more wholesome goals than either of the relationships they want back.
A mjust read for any teenager, it’s just a shame the straight boys won’t.
As she and the other members work through their pain and grief, she forms a relationship with Seth and they set out on a fake dating mission to win back their exes…
Obviously hi-jinks and chaos ensue but so to does genuine connection and really enjoyable character growth as Harley and Seth figure out their relationships, make new friends, and make you snort laugh/yell WHAT ARE YOU PLAYING AT as they go.
I loved this book and loved how wholesome Seth and Harley are, even when they’re on weird messed up mission their “fake” relationship is somehow more wholesome goals than either of the relationships they want back.
A mjust read for any teenager, it’s just a shame the straight boys won’t.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Nothing I love more than a YA romance.
There’s just one thing about this genre that makes me feel all warm and cozy inside, and when done right like Sophie has in the novel it’s a genre I easily devour. This was such a fun read, from the man character Harley who I’m sure we can all relate to at some point in our lives to the plot which was so unique and interesting to follow.
This novel had it all, from heart break to love I enjoyed getting to read about our fmc rise from the ashes of being dumped and into someone who knows she can stand on her own, the humour sprinkled in was perfect and felt super authentic this authenticity also leads me to the ending which while not traditional I loved.
There’s just one thing about this genre that makes me feel all warm and cozy inside, and when done right like Sophie has in the novel it’s a genre I easily devour. This was such a fun read, from the man character Harley who I’m sure we can all relate to at some point in our lives to the plot which was so unique and interesting to follow.
This novel had it all, from heart break to love I enjoyed getting to read about our fmc rise from the ashes of being dumped and into someone who knows she can stand on her own, the humour sprinkled in was perfect and felt super authentic this authenticity also leads me to the ending which while not traditional I loved.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Harley and Freddie have been going out since Year 9 and they’d made plans to go away to uni together, so Harley is blindsided when Freddie brutally dumps her on their four-year anniversary. Depressed and lonely, she joins the ‘Recently Dumped’ club at college and there she meets chaotic Seth who is pining for his ex-girlfriend. Neither of them are ready to accept the end of their relationships and so they hatch a fake-dating plan to lure their exes back with jealousy.
I was concerned about Harley leaping from one long-term relationship straight into another, but the author does address this issue and the message is very much about Harley learning who she is, what she wants, and expanding her friendships, rather than just submerging her identity in another romantic relationship.
This is an engaging, well-written and relatable romance about growing into the person you are meant to be in the context of teenage relationships - a great one for the school library.
Thanks to Scholastic for the ARC.
I was concerned about Harley leaping from one long-term relationship straight into another, but the author does address this issue and the message is very much about Harley learning who she is, what she wants, and expanding her friendships, rather than just submerging her identity in another romantic relationship.
This is an engaging, well-written and relatable romance about growing into the person you are meant to be in the context of teenage relationships - a great one for the school library.
Thanks to Scholastic for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
After 4 years together, Harley and Freddies relationship comes to an end. Despite planning to go to university as one, and mapping out their whole future together, Freddie is looking for something more adventurous. Harley is left heartbroken and seeks solace in the lunchtime sixth form Recently Dumped Club.
With peers who understand how she feels and navigating their own heartbreak, she starts to find comfort and understand herself more.
Then she meets Seth. He's chaotic, he's cute, he's a bit of an awkward storm; and when they are partnered together for the sessions, he helps her to realise that she is capable of fun and spontaneity.
This book is everything you expect from a YA romcom. It is like a big warm hug. Heartbreak Era navigates the heartbreak that i'm sure we have all felt at some point, especially in our teenage years. It teaches that sometimes people grow apart, and there's no blame, it's just life. This book is quirky and fun, but the underlying themes and lessons are so relatable.
I adore Harleys character, and felt the heartbreak alongside her. I loved seeing her character bloom as the book went on, when she threw herself out of her comfort zone and just enjoyed the opportunities presented to her. As well as the relationships in this book, the friendship dynamics are also beautiful. Surrounded by the right people, even the most painful experiences are manageable.
With peers who understand how she feels and navigating their own heartbreak, she starts to find comfort and understand herself more.
Then she meets Seth. He's chaotic, he's cute, he's a bit of an awkward storm; and when they are partnered together for the sessions, he helps her to realise that she is capable of fun and spontaneity.
This book is everything you expect from a YA romcom. It is like a big warm hug. Heartbreak Era navigates the heartbreak that i'm sure we have all felt at some point, especially in our teenage years. It teaches that sometimes people grow apart, and there's no blame, it's just life. This book is quirky and fun, but the underlying themes and lessons are so relatable.
I adore Harleys character, and felt the heartbreak alongside her. I loved seeing her character bloom as the book went on, when she threw herself out of her comfort zone and just enjoyed the opportunities presented to her. As well as the relationships in this book, the friendship dynamics are also beautiful. Surrounded by the right people, even the most painful experiences are manageable.
January 29, 2026
For a ya this was such a bop.
Not to complicated and SHORT!!! Thank god! If you are a ya romance fan defo worth reading.
Thank you to the publisher for this proof.
Not to complicated and SHORT!!! Thank god! If you are a ya romance fan defo worth reading.
Thank you to the publisher for this proof.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is going to be such an important read for teen girls. I like that it had to say about making decisions for yourself and living the life you want
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews