The Breakup Game: A Psychological Thriller

The Breakup Game #1

by Grady Wieczorek

Every good girl has secrets. He’s about to expose them all.

Kaitlyn Boyd knows how to be perfect.

Perfect daughter. Perfect friend. Perfect future therapist.

All it takes is a few harmless lies.

But when her boyfriend Seth walks into her parents’ bedroom and exposes one of her most vulnerable secrets, Kaitlyn’s carefully crafted perfection begins to crack. And Seth won’t stop.

He’s dragging every lie Kaitlyn has ever told into the light—twisting them, sharpening them, and turning her own friends and family against her. What started as a breakup has become something far darker.

A game.

Desperate to survive, Kaitlyn fights back with bigger, riskier lies. Because if she doesn’t twist the truth, her biggest secret won’t just come out.

It will shatter everything.

The Breakup Game is a twisty, addictive psychological thriller about truth, obsession, and how far someone will go to stay in control of their own story. It is the first novel in a seven book series. This gripping series pits a boy’s psychological warfare against a girl who's willing to do anything to break free.

340 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 1, 2026

About the author

Grady Wieczorek (pronounced "Why-zor-ick" according to his grandma, but not according to the Polish) is an author of psychological thriller and contemporary novels, including The Breakup Game series. He lives in southern California with his wife.

Sign up for the newsletter on his website or follow on social media to keep up to date on all new releases!

Reviews

[Shubba The Emo Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

📖 The Breakup Game 🖤


✨ Vibe: Fast paced • Twisted • Psychological Thriller

 ⭐Rating: 3.5⭐

📝 The Gist
Kaitlyn’s the “good” Catholic girl striving to do right… until Seth breaks up with her. Her world unravels fast, she spins lies to shield friends & family from the chaos he leaves behind.

💭 My Thoughts
✅ Solid debut & gripping series start
✅ Built on lies & mind games
✅ Seth = totally unhinged 🤯
✅ Obsessed with Kaitlyn’s unreliable narrator energy
✅ Upper YA, but perfect for adults who love dark reads

🎧 Audiobook Highlight
Narrator was phenomenal and so captivating! Pulls you deep into her mind; every twist hits harder.

👉 Verdict: Can’t wait for what’s next!

📖Full Review: Fast-paced, twisted psychological thriller
Kaitlyn is raised as a “good” Catholic girl striving to stay true to her values but when her boyfriend Seth ends things, her world begins to unravel. She spins webs of lies to protect the truth, desperate to shield her relationships with friends and family from the chaos Seth leaves behind.

This is a strong debut novel and a compelling start to a series: an excellent introduction to a world built on deception and mind games. Seth is undeniably unhinged, and Kaitlyn feels the crushing weight of pressure to be the perfect daughter. She’s an unreliable protagonist, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Though it leans toward upper YA territory, this thriller will resonate with any adult who enjoys getting lost in a dark, twisted story. The audiobook narration is phenomenal: the narrator’s captivating delivery draws you deep into Kaitlyn’s mind, making every plot twist hit with extra intensity. I’m eagerly anticipating where the author takes Kaitlyn and Seth’s story next.

[Cheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Breakup Game by Grady Wieczorek
Publication date September 1, 2026

I received an Advanced Reader Copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first book by Grady Wieczorek, and I honestly had no idea what I was getting into. The concept was so different from anything I’ve read before, and I really liked how the author took what sounds like a typical breakup and turned it into something much darker.

While this is considered Young Adult, the psychological warfare Seth puts Kaitlyn through is absolutely mind-blowing. Watching him expose her secrets and manipulate the people around her had me questioning just how far he was going to take things. What starts as a breakup quickly turns into a twisted game of control, lies, and revenge.

Kaitlyn is far from perfect, and I liked seeing her struggle between keeping up the image she created and doing whatever she could to survive what Seth was putting her through. The back-and-forth between them kept me hooked, and there were definitely moments where I wanted to yell at both of them! Then came the twist about Kaitlyn’s sister, Zoey, and it absolutely floored me. I couldn’t stop reading after that.

I’m giving this 4 stars because the story was unique, unsettling, and definitely kept me turning the pages. And knowing this is the first book in a seven-book series makes me very curious to see where this psychological battle goes next. Seth is seriously disturbing, and I have a feeling this game is only getting started.

[Kiki · Rating 1 out of 5]

Alright, I received this as an audiobook from the author, which I am eternally grateful! I love finding new thrillers as mystery/thriller is my love and go-to genre. All of that being said, this book was not for me.

This book is marketed as a psychological thriller, following Kaitlyn Boyd as she's navigating the immediate change in her boyfriends entire demeanor of what she knew. He knows all of her secrets and is here to expose her to everyone she knows.

The entirety of this book felt very juvenile and more high school drama than psychological thriller. I wasn't on the edge of my seat, I just wanted all the characters to grow up. The first reveal felt extremely...delusional....The second reveal was just....a lot....Every single character needs therapy, that includes the "adults".

Very disappointed I didn't like this and need a good thriller palette cleanser.

[Reading_with_dani93 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt this book did start out a little slow and I was a bit confused at first. Once the story took off though I could not put it down and just had to finish it. I honestly did not see the twist coming which I enjoyed. Many times with thrillers you can sense what is going to happen. I really enjoyed the author's writing and will definitely need to read the next book when it comes out.

[Bren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sean and Kaitlyn have this strange dynamic that is like a roller coaster ride from start to finish. It was a little slow to start but when it really got started I could not put this book down. Kept me on the edge of my seat at the very end.

[Kendra Koch · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an ARC book for me. This book did not go the way and I thought and that’s a good thing. I started to like Seth but right away I knew he was trouble. Very fast, easy read.

[Tammy Welsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly, I’ll start by saying this isn’t the book genre I would usually read, but this one caught my attention and I really wanted to give it a go. Lucky for me I got this as an ARC copy.

The book had me into the story from the get go, my sympathy for Kaitlyn in her first boyfriend and breakup to the rage and dislike I had for Seth. When I wasn’t reading I was thinking out the story and how it would turn out, blew my mind! I did not see that ending