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Broken Beautiful Hearts
From #1 New York Times –bestselling author Kami Garcia comes a red-hot young adult romance that will break your heart and put it back together again.
Her heart has to break before it can open.
When star soccer player Peyton Rios receives an offer from her first-choice college, senior year starts off exactly as planned. But when Peyton uncovers her boyfriend’s dark secret, she confronts him―and finds herself falling down a flight of stairs. Peyton’s knee―and maybe her dream of going pro―is shattered. Everyone is Was she pushed, or did she fall? Peyton knows the truth, even if no one believes her.
He has to let someone in before it’s too late.
With her future on the line, Peyton goes to stay with her uncle in a small Tennessee town to focus on her recovery. Dating is the last thing on her mind―until she meets sweet, sexy Owen Law.
But Peyton doesn’t trust her heart, especially when she senses that Owen is hiding something. When their secrets are finally exposed, Peyton has to decide if love is worth fighting for.
An Imprint Book
"Garcia’s suspenseful romance will keep readers turning pages , eager to find out if Peyton is vindicated and ends up with the right guy. Amid steamy moments and swoony descriptions of falling in love, Garcia ( The Lovely Reckless ) tackles a serious issue head-on." ― Publishers Weekly
“ A slow burn that squeezes your heart so tightly you can’t breathe . . . until it explodes, and you’re left with a beautiful story that will draw you back again and again.”―Abbi Glines, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Field Party series and the Rosemary Beach novels
Her heart has to break before it can open.
When star soccer player Peyton Rios receives an offer from her first-choice college, senior year starts off exactly as planned. But when Peyton uncovers her boyfriend’s dark secret, she confronts him―and finds herself falling down a flight of stairs. Peyton’s knee―and maybe her dream of going pro―is shattered. Everyone is Was she pushed, or did she fall? Peyton knows the truth, even if no one believes her.
He has to let someone in before it’s too late.
With her future on the line, Peyton goes to stay with her uncle in a small Tennessee town to focus on her recovery. Dating is the last thing on her mind―until she meets sweet, sexy Owen Law.
But Peyton doesn’t trust her heart, especially when she senses that Owen is hiding something. When their secrets are finally exposed, Peyton has to decide if love is worth fighting for.
An Imprint Book
"Garcia’s suspenseful romance will keep readers turning pages , eager to find out if Peyton is vindicated and ends up with the right guy. Amid steamy moments and swoony descriptions of falling in love, Garcia ( The Lovely Reckless ) tackles a serious issue head-on." ― Publishers Weekly
“ A slow burn that squeezes your heart so tightly you can’t breathe . . . until it explodes, and you’re left with a beautiful story that will draw you back again and again.”―Abbi Glines, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Field Party series and the Rosemary Beach novels
416 pages, Paperback
First published February 6, 2018
230 people are currently reading
14697 people want to read
About the author
Kami Garcia
112 books17.4k followersKami Garcia is a #1 New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author. She is the coauthor of the BEAUTIFUL CREATURES series, which has been published in 51 countries and 37 languages, with over 10 million copies in print. In 2013, Beautiful Creatures released as a feature film from Warner Brothers. Kami is a cofounder of the YALLFEST kid lit book festival and the author of five solo novels, including her Bram Stoker Award-nominated novels Unbreakable and Unmarked (THE LEGION series) and The X-Files Origins: Agent of Chaos. Kami’s first graphic novel Teen Titans: Raven, with artist Gabriel Picolo, is the first book in her TEEN TITANS series for DC Comics and the adult series JOKER/HARLEY: CRIMINAL SANITY, from DC Black Label.
Find Kami online at kamigarcia.com, on Facebook @KamiGarciaYA, and on Twitter and Instagram @KamiGarcia.
Find Kami online at kamigarcia.com, on Facebook @KamiGarciaYA, and on Twitter and Instagram @KamiGarcia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 824 reviews
September 4, 2019
i dont know whats wrong with me. i abhor violence. i cant stand it and there is no good excuse for it. so why on earth did i just fall in love with an MMA fighter?!
honestly. owen is soooo dreamy, i cant even right now. there is just something about that fact that he can be so brutal with his hands in the ring, but then so tender with them when hes with peyton. the 5 stars are for him alone.
and i would probably rate this a little lower if i wasnt so in love with owen because i really cant stand peyton. there are a lot of things that bug me. shes quick to anger and point the blame finger at others. she a little stuck up and rude. i get she has a lot going on but still. theres just a lot about her attitude that rubbed me the wrong way.
but other than that, this story has great writing with a really important message. i love stories that focus on two characters with dark and troubling pasts, but rise against them with the support of each other.
also, the authors note at the end was a surprise. i had no idea this story is based on kami garcias actual experiences, so more respect to her! i will definitely be picking up her other books!
↠ 4.5 stars
honestly. owen is soooo dreamy, i cant even right now. there is just something about that fact that he can be so brutal with his hands in the ring, but then so tender with them when hes with peyton. the 5 stars are for him alone.
and i would probably rate this a little lower if i wasnt so in love with owen because i really cant stand peyton. there are a lot of things that bug me. shes quick to anger and point the blame finger at others. she a little stuck up and rude. i get she has a lot going on but still. theres just a lot about her attitude that rubbed me the wrong way.
but other than that, this story has great writing with a really important message. i love stories that focus on two characters with dark and troubling pasts, but rise against them with the support of each other.
also, the authors note at the end was a surprise. i had no idea this story is based on kami garcias actual experiences, so more respect to her! i will definitely be picking up her other books!
↠ 4.5 stars
November 25, 2019
This was simply not my cup of tea.
In fact, I would never have picked this up in a million years had it not been sent to me by the publisher. That’s the exact scenario in which I would feel obligated to read it, and several months down the line when I’m reading slump-y and need a quick fine fluffy read would feel tempted to pick it up.
But alas, this was fated to send me into a reading slump rather than out of one.
This was VERY angsty and dramatic. It was filled with girl hate and girl villains and that not at all overdone trope of the mean popular cheerleader who is motivated by jealousy and vapidity and football players.
In other words, not for me.
I was also not a big fan of the writing, which felt a touch amateurish and of the Justin-Bieber-fanfiction-I-read-when-I-was-13 variety.
Something cool about this was that it follows the main character, Peyton, as she comes out of an abusive relationship. But although she has to move to a whole different state to escape her ex, and is recovering from a knee injury he inflicted, not all that much of the focus is actually on her healing (of the emotional or physical variety - this girl is supposed to be at the physical therapist’s CONSTANTLY and we do NOT get enough scenes of that to add up).
Instead, this was mostly an instant romance immediately after Peyton moves to a new place. Not so much a depiction of recovering from abuse. So again. Not my scene.
While I love young adult contemporaries (or at least love reading them incessantly), and while I have read many a young adult romance, I have never been all that into this particular kind of Dark And Dramatic one.
And attempting to force myself through this resulted only in suffering.
Bottom line: I very much did not like this, but then it was never for me anyway!
------------
i hated this book so much that when i was 10 pages away from the ending, i put it down for a week and didn't read anything else.
this was such a bad reading experience for me that a few minutes more of it seemed impossible.
review to come / 1 star
------------
the ONLY circumstance in which i would EVER read a book that proclaims itself a "drama-filled, compulsively readable romance" is if i received that book in the cutest-ever Valentine's Day package from Macmillan, and also seven months had passed.
welcome to that exact circumstance.wish me luck.
(thanks to macmillan, as mentioned, for the cute and once-upon-a-time-seasonally-appropriate copy)
In fact, I would never have picked this up in a million years had it not been sent to me by the publisher. That’s the exact scenario in which I would feel obligated to read it, and several months down the line when I’m reading slump-y and need a quick fine fluffy read would feel tempted to pick it up.
But alas, this was fated to send me into a reading slump rather than out of one.
This was VERY angsty and dramatic. It was filled with girl hate and girl villains and that not at all overdone trope of the mean popular cheerleader who is motivated by jealousy and vapidity and football players.
In other words, not for me.
I was also not a big fan of the writing, which felt a touch amateurish and of the Justin-Bieber-fanfiction-I-read-when-I-was-13 variety.
Something cool about this was that it follows the main character, Peyton, as she comes out of an abusive relationship. But although she has to move to a whole different state to escape her ex, and is recovering from a knee injury he inflicted, not all that much of the focus is actually on her healing (of the emotional or physical variety - this girl is supposed to be at the physical therapist’s CONSTANTLY and we do NOT get enough scenes of that to add up).
Instead, this was mostly an instant romance immediately after Peyton moves to a new place. Not so much a depiction of recovering from abuse. So again. Not my scene.
While I love young adult contemporaries (or at least love reading them incessantly), and while I have read many a young adult romance, I have never been all that into this particular kind of Dark And Dramatic one.
And attempting to force myself through this resulted only in suffering.
Bottom line: I very much did not like this, but then it was never for me anyway!
------------
i hated this book so much that when i was 10 pages away from the ending, i put it down for a week and didn't read anything else.
this was such a bad reading experience for me that a few minutes more of it seemed impossible.
review to come / 1 star
------------
the ONLY circumstance in which i would EVER read a book that proclaims itself a "drama-filled, compulsively readable romance" is if i received that book in the cutest-ever Valentine's Day package from Macmillan, and also seven months had passed.
welcome to that exact circumstance.
(thanks to macmillan, as mentioned, for the cute and once-upon-a-time-seasonally-appropriate copy)
March 22, 2018
I loved this book, especially as I know it was inspired by abuse the lovely author, Kami Garcia, survived when she was a teenager. I love how strong the heroine, Peyton, is - though Kami allows her to make age appropriate mistakes she never backs down and refuses to allow her abuser to continue to manipulate her. It was easy to identify with and to cheer for Peyton. TEENAGE GIRLS NEED TO READ THIS BOOK. Highly, highly, recommend.
January 18, 2018
Fun read with a hero that I loved!!!
Read
February 11, 2018DNF @ 46 Percent
Very strong start but I’ve found myself bored with the new school etc. I may return…
Very strong start but I’ve found myself bored with the new school etc. I may return…
March 13, 2018
This was ok. Great in some places but definitely had typical lipstick-wearing mean cheerleader girls and “not like them” vibes. The villainous character was an awful person but not multifaceted at all besides one detail and seemed overblown and cartoony at times (although the issues covered were important).
February 7, 2018
LIVE AMAZON https://www.amazon.com/Broken-Beautif...
4-4,5 STARS
Kami Garcia delivers a poignant,heartwarming and sweet story!I was hooked from the beginning and there were many things I enjoyed in this story!The writing was beautiful, the plot interesting and the characters were great!I haven't read before a book from Kami Garcia and I'm happy that I finally did it, because I loved it!
Everything about it felt realistic and I could easily keep up with the story!Peyton was a difficult heroine in my opinion.I didn't like her from the beginning she annoyed me sometimes but I could understand her behavior.Owen was one of the best parts in the story!
If you like reading YA books then you definitely have to check this one!I'm planning to read soon more books from this author!!
4-4,5 STARS
Kami Garcia delivers a poignant,heartwarming and sweet story!I was hooked from the beginning and there were many things I enjoyed in this story!The writing was beautiful, the plot interesting and the characters were great!I haven't read before a book from Kami Garcia and I'm happy that I finally did it, because I loved it!
Everything about it felt realistic and I could easily keep up with the story!Peyton was a difficult heroine in my opinion.I didn't like her from the beginning she annoyed me sometimes but I could understand her behavior.Owen was one of the best parts in the story!
If you like reading YA books then you definitely have to check this one!I'm planning to read soon more books from this author!!
February 6, 2018
Once again, I have come across a novel that has me suffering the consequences today of staying up past midnight as I needed to finish reading the book before I went to sleep. I could not (and would not) put it down and this book was read in essentially one sitting (maybe two).
This novel was complicated, emotional, all consuming, and beautiful. It really was a page turner from the very first page. It encompasses all the emotions and struggles that teenagers can face in high school whether it be the pressures from a peer group, different relationships and the high school "hierarchy". It also incorporates and addresses difficult and complex topics regarding manipulation, physical/emotional/verbal abuse, and parental death. That is only mentioning the surface of some of the difficult situations because overall, there is really a lot of heavy and complex content.
I loved each of the characters in this novel whether it be the main character of Peyton, the selfless and loyal Twins, the strong and misunderstood Owen, along with Tucker and Grace. I became so invested in each character's story along with each relationship that developed whether it be platonic or romantic.
The writing in this novel just flowed and in no matter of time, I was flying through. I could picture everything within my mind and felt that it was unfolding before my eyes. There was no difficulty or push to read because I could not put this novel down. Even once I was finished, I sat there emotional because all of the thoughts and feelings this novel brought out. Although there is such complex content, the novel felt real, it felt raw. I could see how this could be similar to many people's high school experience and that truly is terrifying.
This novel blew away any and all expectations that I had before picking it up. The cover is beautiful but the novel's depth is way more than that. This is my first read written by Kami Garcia and I cannot wait to read more. I know I will be recommending this book to many and I will go out on a limb and say this will have been one of the best reads that I will read in 2018.
**Thank you to Raincoast Books for supplying me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review**
This novel was complicated, emotional, all consuming, and beautiful. It really was a page turner from the very first page. It encompasses all the emotions and struggles that teenagers can face in high school whether it be the pressures from a peer group, different relationships and the high school "hierarchy". It also incorporates and addresses difficult and complex topics regarding manipulation, physical/emotional/verbal abuse, and parental death. That is only mentioning the surface of some of the difficult situations because overall, there is really a lot of heavy and complex content.
I loved each of the characters in this novel whether it be the main character of Peyton, the selfless and loyal Twins, the strong and misunderstood Owen, along with Tucker and Grace. I became so invested in each character's story along with each relationship that developed whether it be platonic or romantic.
The writing in this novel just flowed and in no matter of time, I was flying through. I could picture everything within my mind and felt that it was unfolding before my eyes. There was no difficulty or push to read because I could not put this novel down. Even once I was finished, I sat there emotional because all of the thoughts and feelings this novel brought out. Although there is such complex content, the novel felt real, it felt raw. I could see how this could be similar to many people's high school experience and that truly is terrifying.
This novel blew away any and all expectations that I had before picking it up. The cover is beautiful but the novel's depth is way more than that. This is my first read written by Kami Garcia and I cannot wait to read more. I know I will be recommending this book to many and I will go out on a limb and say this will have been one of the best reads that I will read in 2018.
**Thank you to Raincoast Books for supplying me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review**
March 4, 2018
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Beautiful Broken Hearts by Kami Garcia
Publisher: Imprint Reads
Publication Date: February 6, 2018
Rating: 4 stars
Source: Review copy from the publisher
Summary (from Goodreads):
Before, Peyton was a star soccer player with the perfect boyfriend, Reed. Now, she has a torn knee ligament, a scholarship on the line, and a shattered sense of self. No one believes Reed pushed her, causing her injury, and Peyton just wants to leave the trauma behind. Living with her uncle and twin cousins in their small, football-obsessed town seems like a great escape plan.
There, Peyton meets Owen—high school classmate and local MMA fighter. Though Owen is charming and gentle, Peyton is determined to repress her growing attraction. But when her old and new life collide, Peyton must reclaim the truth of her past in order to save her future.
What I Liked:
I really enjoyed Kami Garcia's previous YA contemporary novel, The Lovely Reckless, and I had been really excited about Beautiful Broken Hearts. It's a standalone (completely unrelated to The Lovely Reckless). Once I started reading this book, I couldn't stop. Peyton and Owen's story was heartbreaking and sweet and I couldn't get enough.
The story starts with Peyton getting accepted to UNC to play soccer for the team. She is so excited to tell her best friend and her boyfriend. Things have been off between her and Reed; later that evening, at a party, everything changes. They get into an argument, he pushes her, she falls down a set of stairs, and just like that, her senior spring season is over before it begins. Her knee is badly injured and needs months of rehab. But no one - not even her best friend - believes her when she tells them that Reed pushed her. Peyton's mother decides to send Peyton to live with Peyton's uncle and his twin sons, in a small town far from home, to escape the threats that Peyton started to receive. There, Peyton can do rehab with no distractions... except for the very distracting boy who is helping her with the physical therapy. Owen Law is the best local MMA fighter and a classmate of Peyton's, and Peyton can't stop thinking about him. But she can't get tangled up with another MMA fighter - right?
YA contemporary isn't really my thing, but Garcia won me over with her previous YA contemporary novel. It had a Katie McGarry feeling to it, and Broken Beautiful Hearts did too. I love McGarry's books so the comparison works for me. I love YA contemporary stories that dig deep into two characters and forges a strong, intense bond between them.
From the get-go, I was a huge fan of Peyton. She and I are a lot alike: she is very blunt and stubborn, and she doesn't have time for BS. She isn't mean but she doesn't mince words. She can take care of herself and she isn't afraid to stand up for herself, or others. Peyton has such a strong mentality, morals, character, attitude. What happened to her didn't break her down, and everything that came after didn't send her hiding.
This story is told entirely from Peyton's POV but Owen is a very central primary character. I loved his sweet yet tough self from his first interaction with Peyton. He is so selfless and fights everyone's battles, and sticks up for bullied classmates. He is a hard worker - he trains for his MMA fights all the time - and he's a good student, and he's a good guy in general. He has a "bad boy reputation" for being an MMA fighter but he's actually a sweet and decent guy. He's super swoony with his great manners and hot bod. Just saying!
Peyton and Owen are like fire and ice when they first meet. There is a lot of tension and chemistry between them, which makes sense because they're both very headstrong and stubborn. I loved watching all of that heat crackle between them. They get into some pretty heated arguments, and all that passion had to simmer and go somewhere. I love these types of romances, especially when they are very well-written with lots of good chemistry-filled scenes.
The feelings started to grow maybe a little too quickly but I enjoyed watching Owen and Peyton fall for each other. They have a lot of chemistry but they both also have a lot of empathy, and start to care about each other pretty quickly. They see each other at bad times early on, and they want to help each other. I like that they reached a point where they would lean on each other. The romance was heated, but also sweet. I fell for these two falling for each other.
Also worth noting are the secondary characters; I adored Peyton's twin cousins! Christian and Cameron are hilarious and so, so great to Peyton. They treat her like a little sister (mind you, she is a few months older), and they're very protective of her. They stand up to her and they always believed her, and they look out for her. Sometimes they are impulsive and they don't think, but they mean well. I also really liked Grace, who becomes Peyton's close girl friend. Grace is a sweet girl and a really good friend.
I think Garcia did a great job in balancing a sweet and steamy romance with some really tough issues. It could not have been easy, writing about am abusive relationship gone really wrong, and having to start all over. My heart broke for Peyton, who did nothing wrong but was hurt both physically and emotionally. I also felt for Owen, who had things going on (which I won't mention specifically) that made his life so much harder. The balance of tough issues and shippy romance was really well-written by Garcia.
The story isn't just a romance - it's also about Owen's fights, Peyton's struggle in dealing with her knee but also Reed continuously calling her, and mysterious threats and pranks that keep happening. The climax is pretty explosive and it gets fast-paced in a hurry. I liked the ending, even if it was a little neatly wrapped up (like, perfectly). It was a good ending.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It's a very engrossing standalone novel that will leave you satisfied but wanting more of Garcia's stories!
What I Did Not Like:
I kind of wanted more physical/romantic interactions between Owen and Peyton. We only get like, three kissing scenes, two of which are very short? I wanted more!
Would I Recommend It:
I'm not even a YA contemporary fan but I'd recommend this book, YA contemporary fan or not. I think YA contemporary fans would really enjoy this book though. If you liked any of Katie McGarry's books, this is definitely one for you!
Rating:
4 stars. This is such a sweet and powerful book that broke my heart at times, but stitched it back together by the ending. The ending was lovely. I'm looking forward to reading more YA contemporary books by Garcia, related to this one or not!
Beautiful Broken Hearts by Kami Garcia
Publisher: Imprint Reads
Publication Date: February 6, 2018
Rating: 4 stars
Source: Review copy from the publisher
Summary (from Goodreads):
Before, Peyton was a star soccer player with the perfect boyfriend, Reed. Now, she has a torn knee ligament, a scholarship on the line, and a shattered sense of self. No one believes Reed pushed her, causing her injury, and Peyton just wants to leave the trauma behind. Living with her uncle and twin cousins in their small, football-obsessed town seems like a great escape plan.
There, Peyton meets Owen—high school classmate and local MMA fighter. Though Owen is charming and gentle, Peyton is determined to repress her growing attraction. But when her old and new life collide, Peyton must reclaim the truth of her past in order to save her future.
What I Liked:
I really enjoyed Kami Garcia's previous YA contemporary novel, The Lovely Reckless, and I had been really excited about Beautiful Broken Hearts. It's a standalone (completely unrelated to The Lovely Reckless). Once I started reading this book, I couldn't stop. Peyton and Owen's story was heartbreaking and sweet and I couldn't get enough.
The story starts with Peyton getting accepted to UNC to play soccer for the team. She is so excited to tell her best friend and her boyfriend. Things have been off between her and Reed; later that evening, at a party, everything changes. They get into an argument, he pushes her, she falls down a set of stairs, and just like that, her senior spring season is over before it begins. Her knee is badly injured and needs months of rehab. But no one - not even her best friend - believes her when she tells them that Reed pushed her. Peyton's mother decides to send Peyton to live with Peyton's uncle and his twin sons, in a small town far from home, to escape the threats that Peyton started to receive. There, Peyton can do rehab with no distractions... except for the very distracting boy who is helping her with the physical therapy. Owen Law is the best local MMA fighter and a classmate of Peyton's, and Peyton can't stop thinking about him. But she can't get tangled up with another MMA fighter - right?
YA contemporary isn't really my thing, but Garcia won me over with her previous YA contemporary novel. It had a Katie McGarry feeling to it, and Broken Beautiful Hearts did too. I love McGarry's books so the comparison works for me. I love YA contemporary stories that dig deep into two characters and forges a strong, intense bond between them.
From the get-go, I was a huge fan of Peyton. She and I are a lot alike: she is very blunt and stubborn, and she doesn't have time for BS. She isn't mean but she doesn't mince words. She can take care of herself and she isn't afraid to stand up for herself, or others. Peyton has such a strong mentality, morals, character, attitude. What happened to her didn't break her down, and everything that came after didn't send her hiding.
This story is told entirely from Peyton's POV but Owen is a very central primary character. I loved his sweet yet tough self from his first interaction with Peyton. He is so selfless and fights everyone's battles, and sticks up for bullied classmates. He is a hard worker - he trains for his MMA fights all the time - and he's a good student, and he's a good guy in general. He has a "bad boy reputation" for being an MMA fighter but he's actually a sweet and decent guy. He's super swoony with his great manners and hot bod. Just saying!
Peyton and Owen are like fire and ice when they first meet. There is a lot of tension and chemistry between them, which makes sense because they're both very headstrong and stubborn. I loved watching all of that heat crackle between them. They get into some pretty heated arguments, and all that passion had to simmer and go somewhere. I love these types of romances, especially when they are very well-written with lots of good chemistry-filled scenes.
The feelings started to grow maybe a little too quickly but I enjoyed watching Owen and Peyton fall for each other. They have a lot of chemistry but they both also have a lot of empathy, and start to care about each other pretty quickly. They see each other at bad times early on, and they want to help each other. I like that they reached a point where they would lean on each other. The romance was heated, but also sweet. I fell for these two falling for each other.
Also worth noting are the secondary characters; I adored Peyton's twin cousins! Christian and Cameron are hilarious and so, so great to Peyton. They treat her like a little sister (mind you, she is a few months older), and they're very protective of her. They stand up to her and they always believed her, and they look out for her. Sometimes they are impulsive and they don't think, but they mean well. I also really liked Grace, who becomes Peyton's close girl friend. Grace is a sweet girl and a really good friend.
I think Garcia did a great job in balancing a sweet and steamy romance with some really tough issues. It could not have been easy, writing about am abusive relationship gone really wrong, and having to start all over. My heart broke for Peyton, who did nothing wrong but was hurt both physically and emotionally. I also felt for Owen, who had things going on (which I won't mention specifically) that made his life so much harder. The balance of tough issues and shippy romance was really well-written by Garcia.
The story isn't just a romance - it's also about Owen's fights, Peyton's struggle in dealing with her knee but also Reed continuously calling her, and mysterious threats and pranks that keep happening. The climax is pretty explosive and it gets fast-paced in a hurry. I liked the ending, even if it was a little neatly wrapped up (like, perfectly). It was a good ending.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It's a very engrossing standalone novel that will leave you satisfied but wanting more of Garcia's stories!
What I Did Not Like:
I kind of wanted more physical/romantic interactions between Owen and Peyton. We only get like, three kissing scenes, two of which are very short? I wanted more!
Would I Recommend It:
I'm not even a YA contemporary fan but I'd recommend this book, YA contemporary fan or not. I think YA contemporary fans would really enjoy this book though. If you liked any of Katie McGarry's books, this is definitely one for you!
Rating:
4 stars. This is such a sweet and powerful book that broke my heart at times, but stitched it back together by the ending. The ending was lovely. I'm looking forward to reading more YA contemporary books by Garcia, related to this one or not!
September 9, 2020
Kami Garcia never disappoints...
While I didn't love Broken Beautiful Hearts quite as much as The Lovely Reckless, it was still great! Peyton got on my nerves (which is probably why this is a 4 and not a 5 star review), but the rest of the characters were all perfection. Especially Owen and the twins. Can the twins get a spin-off please?
Really enjoyed this book!
While I didn't love Broken Beautiful Hearts quite as much as The Lovely Reckless, it was still great! Peyton got on my nerves (which is probably why this is a 4 and not a 5 star review), but the rest of the characters were all perfection. Especially Owen and the twins. Can the twins get a spin-off please?
Really enjoyed this book!
February 25, 2018
you can check out my review on my blog as well!
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This just in: Kami Garcia’s books are not for me, sadly.
I was so looking forward to Broken Beautiful Hearts. I’d enjoyed her first solo contemporary novel to a point, so I was hoping that this would be better. But it… actually ended up being worse? It was actually painful to get through this one and, gosh, it was such a disappointment.
The first thing that ruined the book for me was the writing. It just was not good. Throughout the entire novel, nothing really gets better. There are some moments, but overall, everything is pretty much childish. The dialogue was embarrassing for me to read and I genuinely find it hard to believe that’s how teens speak. I’m 19. I went to high school. I’ve heard my fair share of cringey shit throughout.
There were also a few underhanded comments about women in the book and I’m sure Peyton was supposed to combat a lot of them, but… didn’t. There’s also girl-girl hate here and there are scenes where they just go against each other and uuuuuugh. Like, seriously, that’s the last thing I want to read. I appreciate that Peyton helped out one girl from the bullies, but it got real tiring real fast having them fighting over some petty shit.
I hate hate hate how a lot of the romance was focused on how great Owen’s body is. I don’t care about him shirtless and sweaty whatsoever. I do not, okay? It felt like that half the time that was all Peyton could focus on and fine, if that catches her fancy, great! Cool, I don’t need it brought up all the time, thanks.
I can’t speak for abusive relationships or being on the receiving end of a serious injury like the one Peyton faced. Whether or not it was well done isn’t up to me to determine. But I appreciated that this book sort of focussed on that. I did like that Peyton kept her distance from her ex-boyfriend.
That wasn’t enough for everything else in the book though. A lot of it felt aimless and trying not to crush on the first guy she sees. I was hoping for a bit more focus on her healing, but there wasn’t really much of that save for like one or two scenes.
Overall: yikes
---
This just in: Kami Garcia’s books are not for me, sadly.
I was so looking forward to Broken Beautiful Hearts. I’d enjoyed her first solo contemporary novel to a point, so I was hoping that this would be better. But it… actually ended up being worse? It was actually painful to get through this one and, gosh, it was such a disappointment.
The first thing that ruined the book for me was the writing. It just was not good. Throughout the entire novel, nothing really gets better. There are some moments, but overall, everything is pretty much childish. The dialogue was embarrassing for me to read and I genuinely find it hard to believe that’s how teens speak. I’m 19. I went to high school. I’ve heard my fair share of cringey shit throughout.
There were also a few underhanded comments about women in the book and I’m sure Peyton was supposed to combat a lot of them, but… didn’t. There’s also girl-girl hate here and there are scenes where they just go against each other and uuuuuugh. Like, seriously, that’s the last thing I want to read. I appreciate that Peyton helped out one girl from the bullies, but it got real tiring real fast having them fighting over some petty shit.
I hate hate hate how a lot of the romance was focused on how great Owen’s body is. I don’t care about him shirtless and sweaty whatsoever. I do not, okay? It felt like that half the time that was all Peyton could focus on and fine, if that catches her fancy, great! Cool, I don’t need it brought up all the time, thanks.
I can’t speak for abusive relationships or being on the receiving end of a serious injury like the one Peyton faced. Whether or not it was well done isn’t up to me to determine. But I appreciated that this book sort of focussed on that. I did like that Peyton kept her distance from her ex-boyfriend.
That wasn’t enough for everything else in the book though. A lot of it felt aimless and trying not to crush on the first guy she sees. I was hoping for a bit more focus on her healing, but there wasn’t really much of that save for like one or two scenes.
Overall: yikes
Read
February 13, 2018Seems like I am having trouble finding a book I like. This one seemed interesting enough, but I found out it is another high school novel in which the main character, a girl called Peyton, gets out of an abussive relationship resulting in a serious knee injury, and moves away with some family members because she is being targeted with hate messages.
And then, in the new place, almost instantantly, we meet the new guy-to-be-more, a chap called Owen. But he also fights professionally, like the ex did, so Peyton wants to keep her distance, despite the fact she is attracted to him. And this is the dance the book is gonna have.
I liked how clear Peyton was about breaking up with her boyfriend at the very first sign of Trouble with capital letters, but I didn't like how aloof she wanted to be, not ever asking for help even when it wouldn't have been so bad, or the I-like-you-but-no conundrum that fills the book.
And then, in the new place, almost instantantly, we meet the new guy-to-be-more, a chap called Owen. But he also fights professionally, like the ex did, so Peyton wants to keep her distance, despite the fact she is attracted to him. And this is the dance the book is gonna have.
I liked how clear Peyton was about breaking up with her boyfriend at the very first sign of Trouble with capital letters, but I didn't like how aloof she wanted to be, not ever asking for help even when it wouldn't have been so bad, or the I-like-you-but-no conundrum that fills the book.
July 18, 2019
This is about a girl who leaves an abusive boyfriend at the beginning of the book and works through the fall out. Although it contains this hard subject, the book focuses more on her moving and finding new friends and romance, which made it easy to read. (I've been through an abusive romance that had many similarities.)
I did really enjoy how it touched on the issues that come with speaking up. She loses her best friend, no one besides her mom believes her about what happened, and she's stalked and harassed by the ex's friends as punishment. These are definitely things that make it very hard to leave these relationships or speak out. I did find it very empowering that she DID come forward, and found a support system, and how active her mom was in helping her.
Besides that, I enjoyed the new romance that was built up, and the family dynamic between Payton and her cousins.
I did not enjoy how the book immediately pitted Payton against two mean girls at her new school. Although she does have meaningful relationships with other girls, girl hate just for being popular or based on who you date is just something I'm over.
Something that makes this book fairly unique is that the main character plays soccer (she's injured and doesn't play in the book, but talks soccer a lot), and the love interest is an MMA fighter. So if you enjoy those sports you may like that aspect.
Audiobook: 5 stars. Narrated by Brittany Pressley, one of of my faves. Would recommend.
tw: abusive romance (pushing, hitting, threats, manipulation, posessiveness), fighting described, steroid use, broken leg, heart condition, PTSD from losing a parent in War.
I did really enjoy how it touched on the issues that come with speaking up. She loses her best friend, no one besides her mom believes her about what happened, and she's stalked and harassed by the ex's friends as punishment. These are definitely things that make it very hard to leave these relationships or speak out. I did find it very empowering that she DID come forward, and found a support system, and how active her mom was in helping her.
Besides that, I enjoyed the new romance that was built up, and the family dynamic between Payton and her cousins.
I did not enjoy how the book immediately pitted Payton against two mean girls at her new school. Although she does have meaningful relationships with other girls, girl hate just for being popular or based on who you date is just something I'm over.
Something that makes this book fairly unique is that the main character plays soccer (she's injured and doesn't play in the book, but talks soccer a lot), and the love interest is an MMA fighter. So if you enjoy those sports you may like that aspect.
Audiobook: 5 stars. Narrated by Brittany Pressley, one of of my faves. Would recommend.
tw: abusive romance (pushing, hitting, threats, manipulation, posessiveness), fighting described, steroid use, broken leg, heart condition, PTSD from losing a parent in War.
February 25, 2019
This book has a couple of high points that are 5 stars worthy, spaced out with a 1 star rant worthy pages.
I so want to say it all right here and now, but I don't have the energy XD
I so want to say it all right here and now, but I don't have the energy XD
February 16, 2018
I was really excited to be contacted to review the audio book! For awhile I didn’t care for audio books but I’ve come to realize that they are so convenient. The narrator is Brittany Pressley—whose narrated books from The Heir by Keira Cass to Bella Frost and Carolyn Brown. The words from Broken Beautiful Hearts as heard from Brittany, is beautiful, as she was really able to catch the essence of the book.
The story started off strong but my main problem was with Peyton throughout most of the novel. While I liked how she could be strong and independent—a lot of the time she tried too hard to be that way. There are times when you can ask for help; it doesn’t make you weak. She annoyed me in that aspect—getting mad and overreacting over stupid shit. While she may have thought she was determined and independent; it came off as a petulant child.
Peyton is on the fast track to becoming a division 1 athlete at UNC for soccer. What more could Peyton want when she just got her acceptance letter, has great friends, and of course, the perfect boyfriend. A perfect boyfriend that’s been changing as of late. He’s keeping secrets and once Peyton finds out, she does what any sensible girl would do, she breaks up with him. But something terrible happens—resulting in Peyton moving to Tennessee to with her Uncle. It’s there she meets an aspiring and beautiful fighter, Owen.
While I have all of Kami Garcia’s books, this is the first time I’m actually reading one by her. I find her writing deep, intense, and poetic. Despite my love/hate relationship with Peyton, I enjoyed the book very much. Peyton, when not being bratty, really can be strong. I liked how in the beginning she stuck up for a girl she felt was getting bullied. I also liked that she remained solid when breaking up with her boyfriend, Reed. That guy was something else...
Overall, I think readers will enjoy the story of characters fighting back when not being heard, and never backing down. It’s a story of healing, new beginnings, and letting go of things that are out of your control. It also shows that while life can sometimes leave you broken; it can also surprise you in the most beautiful ways.
*Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for an honest and unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The story started off strong but my main problem was with Peyton throughout most of the novel. While I liked how she could be strong and independent—a lot of the time she tried too hard to be that way. There are times when you can ask for help; it doesn’t make you weak. She annoyed me in that aspect—getting mad and overreacting over stupid shit. While she may have thought she was determined and independent; it came off as a petulant child.
Peyton is on the fast track to becoming a division 1 athlete at UNC for soccer. What more could Peyton want when she just got her acceptance letter, has great friends, and of course, the perfect boyfriend. A perfect boyfriend that’s been changing as of late. He’s keeping secrets and once Peyton finds out, she does what any sensible girl would do, she breaks up with him. But something terrible happens—resulting in Peyton moving to Tennessee to with her Uncle. It’s there she meets an aspiring and beautiful fighter, Owen.
While I have all of Kami Garcia’s books, this is the first time I’m actually reading one by her. I find her writing deep, intense, and poetic. Despite my love/hate relationship with Peyton, I enjoyed the book very much. Peyton, when not being bratty, really can be strong. I liked how in the beginning she stuck up for a girl she felt was getting bullied. I also liked that she remained solid when breaking up with her boyfriend, Reed. That guy was something else...
Overall, I think readers will enjoy the story of characters fighting back when not being heard, and never backing down. It’s a story of healing, new beginnings, and letting go of things that are out of your control. It also shows that while life can sometimes leave you broken; it can also surprise you in the most beautiful ways.
*Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for an honest and unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
January 29, 2018
I love Kami Garcia's books and I love YA contemporary so it was a no-brainer for me to add Broken Beautiful Hearts to my TBR pile. I had heard mixed things about it; however, I was hopeful that I would enjoy it.
As it turns out, I'm so glad I gave Broken Beautiful Hearts a try. This book is the perfect combination of heartbreaking and heartwarming. I laughed, I smiled, I cried...I honestly wish it would've went on for ever, that's how much I enjoyed Peyton's story.
Peyton was hands down my favorite part of Broken Beautiful Hearts. From the moment she is first introduced I connected with her. She was smart as well as ambitious, and more importantly, I gave her major credit for standing up for herself, for speaking the truth no matter how many people told her she was lying and/or wrong. She was much braver than she gave herself credit for, and I also was incredibly proud of her for continuing to live her life, no matter the obstacles she faced. It wasn't always smooth sailing - especially with new boys and mean girls on the horizon - but it's part of what made her journey all the more realistic. Ultimately, Peyton learned to stand on her own, to speak up, and be brave, and it was such a fantastic journey to witnesses.
In addition to Peyton, I loved her family. Her twin cousins were lovable yet disastrous. Some of the things they did/said were hilarious in a "I-can't-believe-this-is-happening" kind of way but one thing was clear: they'd do anything for their cousin. I also have to mention Owen, the love interest. He was sweet, sexy, and strong, and like Peyton, facing his own demons.
The plot in Broken Beautiful Hearts mainly revolves around the outcome from Peyton's fall.
Kami Garcia does a fantastic job of handling abusive relationships. I felt that it was realistic portrayal, and I especially appreciated that she addressed several different situations that can occur. Throughout Beautiful Broken Hearts, Peyton deals people (friends and strangers) refusing to believe her, her friends turning their backs on her, and her ex-boyfriend stalking her, refusing to take no as an answer. It was heartbreaking yet it was important to see, because as much as I like to think things like this don't happen they do. It's what makes people so afraid to report abuse, and ultimately, it's what makes stories like Peyton's that much more important.
Last but not least: the mystery and the romance. There's a mystery that pops up in this half-way through, and it made me even more addicted to the book. The outcome surprised me, and I thought Kami did a great job of bringing it all together. As for the romance, I appreciated that it didn't overtake the novel; instead, it was a sweet side part and part of Peyton's journey in moving on. Owen and Peyton had great chemistry and funny banter.
In all, if you love YA Contemporary, I definitely suggest giving this try. Peyton's story is one I won't forget for some time.
As it turns out, I'm so glad I gave Broken Beautiful Hearts a try. This book is the perfect combination of heartbreaking and heartwarming. I laughed, I smiled, I cried...I honestly wish it would've went on for ever, that's how much I enjoyed Peyton's story.
Peyton was hands down my favorite part of Broken Beautiful Hearts. From the moment she is first introduced I connected with her. She was smart as well as ambitious, and more importantly, I gave her major credit for standing up for herself, for speaking the truth no matter how many people told her she was lying and/or wrong. She was much braver than she gave herself credit for, and I also was incredibly proud of her for continuing to live her life, no matter the obstacles she faced. It wasn't always smooth sailing - especially with new boys and mean girls on the horizon - but it's part of what made her journey all the more realistic. Ultimately, Peyton learned to stand on her own, to speak up, and be brave, and it was such a fantastic journey to witnesses.
In addition to Peyton, I loved her family. Her twin cousins were lovable yet disastrous. Some of the things they did/said were hilarious in a "I-can't-believe-this-is-happening" kind of way but one thing was clear: they'd do anything for their cousin. I also have to mention Owen, the love interest. He was sweet, sexy, and strong, and like Peyton, facing his own demons.
The plot in Broken Beautiful Hearts mainly revolves around the outcome from Peyton's fall.
Kami Garcia does a fantastic job of handling abusive relationships. I felt that it was realistic portrayal, and I especially appreciated that she addressed several different situations that can occur. Throughout Beautiful Broken Hearts, Peyton deals people (friends and strangers) refusing to believe her, her friends turning their backs on her, and her ex-boyfriend stalking her, refusing to take no as an answer. It was heartbreaking yet it was important to see, because as much as I like to think things like this don't happen they do. It's what makes people so afraid to report abuse, and ultimately, it's what makes stories like Peyton's that much more important.
Last but not least: the mystery and the romance. There's a mystery that pops up in this half-way through, and it made me even more addicted to the book. The outcome surprised me, and I thought Kami did a great job of bringing it all together. As for the romance, I appreciated that it didn't overtake the novel; instead, it was a sweet side part and part of Peyton's journey in moving on. Owen and Peyton had great chemistry and funny banter.
In all, if you love YA Contemporary, I definitely suggest giving this try. Peyton's story is one I won't forget for some time.
June 14, 2018
I knew I was going to love this book by the end of the first paragraph. The ending of just one line had me connecting with the main character, Peyton, on a real level.
"...and popcorn without butter is just corn."
But on a more serious note, this book dealt with some heavy issues from losing a parent to performance enhancements to the most serious, domestic abuse. Garcia tackles them all with a cast of characters who were real and who I adored (except the crazy ex).
The book opens with Peyton finding out she's been accepted to UNC on a soccer scholarship. It's the school of her dreams and she can't wait to tell her best friend and her boyfriend. Side note: boyfriend is best friends older brother. But at a party that night, Peyton's good news falls by the wayside as she discovers her boyfriend has been abusing steroids to prepare for an MMA match. When she confront him, he pushes her down a flight of stairs, damaging her knee and possibly ruining her chance at playing soccer. What's worse? No one believes what happened. When the threatening phone calls start coming in, Peyton moves from DC to Tennessee to stay with her uncle while completing rehab on her knee. But Peyton learns soon enough that you can't outrun your problems.
I mostly knew Garcia from the Beautiful Creatures series, which I liked but wasn't over the moon about. Then I read her contemporary novel The Lovely Reckless and I just knew that I found a new contemporary writer to follow. And she did not disappoint with this one. I loved it more than The Lovely Reckless.
What I loved most about this book were the characters. Peyton had me from the start. I connected with her. And while I didn't go through exactly the same things as her, some of her struggles hit really close to home for me. I understood her struggles and why she handled things the way she did. She made it easy to root for her. She constantly stood her ground and made attempts to conquer her fears instead of just letting them control her.
Then there were her cousins, the Twins. Oh my how Cameron and Christian just stole the show in every scene they were in. Talk about giant teddy bears. Overbearing, football playing, bodyguard wannabes, they made it their mission to protect Peyton and to make her feel welcome in their home and town.
And finally, Owen. *swoon* He intrigued me from the start and was just the funniest and sweetest boy that I knew Peyton couldn't resist for long. While he was involved in the same sport as her ex, Garcia made it easy to see the differences between them. Owen respected the sport and dedication to the craft. He was calm and collected, choosing to be more patient in his trainings. That level head carried over into the way he carried himself daily. But Owen also has a secret, one that threatens his future in both MMA and with Peyton.
Bravo to Garcia for writing this book, especially after reading the author's notes. This book was extremely personal to her and I admire her for putting it into words for others to share in.
"...and popcorn without butter is just corn."
But on a more serious note, this book dealt with some heavy issues from losing a parent to performance enhancements to the most serious, domestic abuse. Garcia tackles them all with a cast of characters who were real and who I adored (except the crazy ex).
The book opens with Peyton finding out she's been accepted to UNC on a soccer scholarship. It's the school of her dreams and she can't wait to tell her best friend and her boyfriend. Side note: boyfriend is best friends older brother. But at a party that night, Peyton's good news falls by the wayside as she discovers her boyfriend has been abusing steroids to prepare for an MMA match. When she confront him, he pushes her down a flight of stairs, damaging her knee and possibly ruining her chance at playing soccer. What's worse? No one believes what happened. When the threatening phone calls start coming in, Peyton moves from DC to Tennessee to stay with her uncle while completing rehab on her knee. But Peyton learns soon enough that you can't outrun your problems.
I mostly knew Garcia from the Beautiful Creatures series, which I liked but wasn't over the moon about. Then I read her contemporary novel The Lovely Reckless and I just knew that I found a new contemporary writer to follow. And she did not disappoint with this one. I loved it more than The Lovely Reckless.
What I loved most about this book were the characters. Peyton had me from the start. I connected with her. And while I didn't go through exactly the same things as her, some of her struggles hit really close to home for me. I understood her struggles and why she handled things the way she did. She made it easy to root for her. She constantly stood her ground and made attempts to conquer her fears instead of just letting them control her.
Then there were her cousins, the Twins. Oh my how Cameron and Christian just stole the show in every scene they were in. Talk about giant teddy bears. Overbearing, football playing, bodyguard wannabes, they made it their mission to protect Peyton and to make her feel welcome in their home and town.
And finally, Owen. *swoon* He intrigued me from the start and was just the funniest and sweetest boy that I knew Peyton couldn't resist for long. While he was involved in the same sport as her ex, Garcia made it easy to see the differences between them. Owen respected the sport and dedication to the craft. He was calm and collected, choosing to be more patient in his trainings. That level head carried over into the way he carried himself daily. But Owen also has a secret, one that threatens his future in both MMA and with Peyton.
Bravo to Garcia for writing this book, especially after reading the author's notes. This book was extremely personal to her and I admire her for putting it into words for others to share in.
did-not-finish
October 24, 2025I was stoked to read this book because I thought this story would be powerful and inspiring. The first chapter started with Peyton receiving her college acceptance letter to UNC and a spot on their soccer team and she cannot wait to share this news with her boyfriend. When they wander to a party, Peyton starts a fight with the boyfriend because she finds steroids in his car and she doesn’t understand why he must work all the time and ignore her. Eventually the boyfriend snaps and pushes her down some stairs and she lands on her knee and tears her PCL.
I expected this story to revolve around Peyton’s healing and therapy since it takes months to heal after a knee surgery. Instead, there’s a three-week time gap until after the surgery where Peyton is wearing a brace and apparently can walk almost perfectly which is inaccurate. It takes months to heal from a knee surgery along with weeks spent on crutches (non-weight bearing and then weight bearing). She’s harassed by fellow students who are angry at her for calling her boyfriend out and making him take a drug test, and her boyfriend keeps stalking and texting her that he loves her and denies pushing her down the stairs.
In order to heal in a stronger environment, Peyton's mother ships her off to her uncle and twin cousins in Tennessee. Stereotypes are suddenly weaved into the story complete with mean, popular girls who have it out for Peyton. Peyton of course is beautiful and skinny so every guy falls in love with her at first glance and all the girls are jealous of her because of her looks and how she is related to the beautiful, godlike twins who are placed on a pedestal at their high school. This was the point where I decided this book wasn't for me.
I expected this story to revolve around Peyton’s healing and therapy since it takes months to heal after a knee surgery. Instead, there’s a three-week time gap until after the surgery where Peyton is wearing a brace and apparently can walk almost perfectly which is inaccurate. It takes months to heal from a knee surgery along with weeks spent on crutches (non-weight bearing and then weight bearing). She’s harassed by fellow students who are angry at her for calling her boyfriend out and making him take a drug test, and her boyfriend keeps stalking and texting her that he loves her and denies pushing her down the stairs.
In order to heal in a stronger environment, Peyton's mother ships her off to her uncle and twin cousins in Tennessee. Stereotypes are suddenly weaved into the story complete with mean, popular girls who have it out for Peyton. Peyton of course is beautiful and skinny so every guy falls in love with her at first glance and all the girls are jealous of her because of her looks and how she is related to the beautiful, godlike twins who are placed on a pedestal at their high school. This was the point where I decided this book wasn't for me.
October 20, 2017
Although this story had a lot of movement and pull to keep me reading, it wasn’t enough to mask weak characterization and an unbelievable turn of events. I appreciated the attention brought to violence in relationships, but other than that this book breaks no new ground. It’s sadly predictable in every way.
July 17, 2018
I really liked this story. The plot was really good and thought out so well and the romance was amazing, the chemistry was really good between the couple and I liked the characters as individuals too.
February 14, 2018
”A striker has to have guts and take risks. You have to know when to pass or take the shot.”
There’s nothing more THRILLING than meeting an author’s words for the first time. It’s a HUGE HIGH. In a matter of minutes after meeting her words, Kami Marin Garcia rose to the top of my list of favorite YA romance authors and is a new top author of mine.
When you end a story crying, you know it’s a story that speaks to the soul. Kami Garcia’s words SLAYED MY SOUL!!! I couldn’t put Broken Beautiful Hearts down! An outstanding young adult meets mixed martial arts romance, Broken Beautiful Hearts gently explores broken trust, the lasting effects of inner scars, and the power of friends and loving family to help in the healing. Broken Beautiful Hearts is YA romance at its BEST!
”So this thing between us is a mistake?”
His eyes search mine.
“Because the way I feel when I’m with you feels like the opposite of every mistake I’ve ever made.”
Broken Beautiful Hearts is an ACHINGLY ADDICTIVE story of love, family, friends, heartbreak, and delicious angst. Peyton and Owen are two broken hearts trying to heal as they become whole together. I adored and admired this hero and heroine who are warriors in the battle of life.
”I’ll do whatever you want, Peyton? Haven’t you figured that out by now?”
This book is BROKEN BEAUTY. Broken Beautiful Hearts is a slow burn that blasts through your heart— setting it ablaze—where you feel every flame igniting inside you, you FEEL EVERYTHING. I swooned. I smiled. I shattered. I cried. I craved more. Broken Beautiful Hearts is RAW and REAL, and I LOVED IT with every piece of my heart!
I’m not looking for a happily ever after. I want a happily even after. The kind of happiness you have to earn.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 broken beautiful stars
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February 4, 2018
Holy crap! I loved this book! I'd never read this author, not even the Beautiful Creatures series even though I have them in paperback. I picked this up at B&N for the cover and then the blurb interested me so I bought it. I started it right away, became hooked and spent all off Saturday reading it.
The writing was compelling. The characters were amazing. The plot was unique. I didn't want to stop reading. I felt my heart shatter and flutter and break some more right alongside Owen and Peyton. They were imperfectly beautiful together. I rooted for them the whole way. I loved most of the side characters too. They kept the story and pace moving along quite well.
All in all, it was an enjoyable read that I didn't want to see end. But I was glad I picked it up.
The writing was compelling. The characters were amazing. The plot was unique. I didn't want to stop reading. I felt my heart shatter and flutter and break some more right alongside Owen and Peyton. They were imperfectly beautiful together. I rooted for them the whole way. I loved most of the side characters too. They kept the story and pace moving along quite well.
All in all, it was an enjoyable read that I didn't want to see end. But I was glad I picked it up.
February 1, 2018
Broken Beautiful Hearts promised that it would break my heart and put it back together again, and it did just that. This book was an emotional roller coaster that was full of so many interesting twists and turns. Reading this book reminded me why I love Kami Garcia's writing so much!
A large portion of the plot focuses on abusive relationships. I have no personal experiences with abusive relationships, but it is so important to have these topics brought up in books. I felt like the author handled this topic in an honest and realistic way. The author not only focused on what happened within the relationship but also focused on how people outside of the relationship reacted. It was heartbreaking to see the main character go through the abuse and hate that she did. This story is so important for this plot point alone.
The main character of this book, Peyton, was a piece of work, to say the least. She was a character that I hated at first but then grew to love. I really didn't like her for a while because she came off as extremely rude, narcissistic, petty, and superficial. However, she really flourished throughout the book. Peyton became such a strong, brave, and ambitious girl as the book continued. She was constantly being put down and accused of lying, but she stuck to her story and wouldn't let others convince her to change her story. There were still moments throughout the book when I wanted to shake some sense into her, but I am glad I end the book liking her a lot more than I did in the beginning.
There were also some side characters that were really enjoyable in this book. Owen, the love interest, was freaking adorable. I really enjoyed getting to know his character and swooning for him and his cuteness. His romance with Peyton was perfectly paced and was full of hilarious banter. Petyon's cousins were also a lot of fun! They were kind of crazy and a bit out there, but I loved their dedication to Peyton and Peyton's dedication to them.
Overall, this was a powerful and addictive contemporary novel. If you are looking for a book that is both heartwarming and heartbreaking, then I would recommend checking this book out!
4 / 5 Fangs
*This ebook was given to me in exchange for an honest review. *
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
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A large portion of the plot focuses on abusive relationships. I have no personal experiences with abusive relationships, but it is so important to have these topics brought up in books. I felt like the author handled this topic in an honest and realistic way. The author not only focused on what happened within the relationship but also focused on how people outside of the relationship reacted. It was heartbreaking to see the main character go through the abuse and hate that she did. This story is so important for this plot point alone.
The main character of this book, Peyton, was a piece of work, to say the least. She was a character that I hated at first but then grew to love. I really didn't like her for a while because she came off as extremely rude, narcissistic, petty, and superficial. However, she really flourished throughout the book. Peyton became such a strong, brave, and ambitious girl as the book continued. She was constantly being put down and accused of lying, but she stuck to her story and wouldn't let others convince her to change her story. There were still moments throughout the book when I wanted to shake some sense into her, but I am glad I end the book liking her a lot more than I did in the beginning.
There were also some side characters that were really enjoyable in this book. Owen, the love interest, was freaking adorable. I really enjoyed getting to know his character and swooning for him and his cuteness. His romance with Peyton was perfectly paced and was full of hilarious banter. Petyon's cousins were also a lot of fun! They were kind of crazy and a bit out there, but I loved their dedication to Peyton and Peyton's dedication to them.
Overall, this was a powerful and addictive contemporary novel. If you are looking for a book that is both heartwarming and heartbreaking, then I would recommend checking this book out!
4 / 5 Fangs
*This ebook was given to me in exchange for an honest review. *
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
March 4, 2018
I felt like this one tried a little too hard to address several serious issues at once, while somehow addressing none of them properly, if that makes any sense. Still, books like this one are why I like contemporary YA. I loved Peyton, Owen and the twins and the romance was cute and swoony and made me smile.
October 22, 2018
i surprisingly loved this book, i read it in one sitting. looking forward to more by kami
April 19, 2018
This was such a great book, and while it wasn’t my favorite of Kami’s I still really enjoyed it. Kami really knows how to make sparks fly between a couple and she surely did that with Peyton and Owen. Their chemistry just blew me away. It was so sexy at times I had to fan myself. They both had their insecurities but they learned to talk it out and trust each other. The only reasons why I marked it down a star was because of all the guys constant need to fight. You don’t always need to fight to resolve an issue. There is such a thing as talking, or you know, let the issue calm down before it gets worse. I get that Peyton’s cousins and friends wanted to protect her, but she’s big girl. She can handle some things on her own. Also, the ending felt rushed. I wanted more of a resolution between Peyton, Reed, and her friend Tess. Everything went by so fast at the end that I felt the author left out some things. It was a good ending, I just wanted more from it. All in all, this is one sexy romance you don’t want to miss out on.
March 6, 2019
I won this in a Goodreads giveaway a very long time ago. Yeah, I dropped the ball with this one but I did finally get to read it and enjoyed it! If you liked The Lovely Reckless, you'll love this one too. I found that I enjoyed this one even more. The plot flows nicely, hitting some hard topics at times but dealing with them nicely. The romance was sweet and the characters were well rounded. What more could you ask for in a contemporary romance?
March 2, 2018
This isn't your typical cute contemporary ya novel. It deals with some hard topics. I am so glad that this book showcased a strong, level headed girl that stuck to her story no matter the consequences. It's so important that people see this in characters and see that it's not okay to be treated the way Peyton was in this book. Even though there was some angsty high school drama and some typical tropes, I found this contemporary novel a breath of fresh air from the ones that I usually find myself reading. It has a lot of great messages and I have a lot of respect for the author putting this out there since some of it comes from a very personal and true story about her past.
January 7, 2020
This was soooo good!!
Loved all the characters! Amazing romance! Drama,drama,drama!! So addicting!
Christian and Cam- ADORABLE so protective and cute and ahh
Gracie- a true and loyal BFF loved her and the little side love triangle she had goin on
Owen- wasn’t sure at first but damn did he steal my heart
Reed- can literally go die in a hole what an ass
Tess- was super pissed at her in the beginning but what is friendship without forgiveness and being there for each other when their wronged
Peyton- MC hard not to like really determined soccer player w sass and headstrongness... love!
Overall loved it! Forgot how much I enjoy Kami Garcia’s books ❤️❤️❤️
Loved all the characters! Amazing romance! Drama,drama,drama!! So addicting!
Christian and Cam- ADORABLE so protective and cute and ahh
Gracie- a true and loyal BFF loved her and the little side love triangle she had goin on
Owen- wasn’t sure at first but damn did he steal my heart
Reed- can literally go die in a hole what an ass
Tess- was super pissed at her in the beginning but what is friendship without forgiveness and being there for each other when their wronged
Peyton- MC hard not to like really determined soccer player w sass and headstrongness... love!
Overall loved it! Forgot how much I enjoy Kami Garcia’s books ❤️❤️❤️
February 15, 2019
Meine Meinung:
Ich habe von der Autorin vorher noch nie was gehört, allerdings habe ich gesehen, dass sie auch eine Fantasy Reihe geschrieben hat, weswegen ich umso gespannter auf dieses Buch hier war. Ich habe das Buch als Rezensionsexemplar bekommen und hatte auch überhaupt keine Erwartungen an das, weswegen ich auch umso überraschter war, das es so gut ist. Es gehört definitiv zu eines meiner Lieblings Young-Adult Bücher!
Das Cover finde ich sehr schön, vor allem von den Farben her! Allerdings finde ich es immer etwas doof, wenn die Personen auf dem Buch nicht mit denen aus dem Buch gleichen. Ich stelle mir die Protagonisten dann immer so vor, dass sie wie auf dem Cover aussehen, aber im Endeffekt ist es dann garnicht so. Dennoch ein schönes Cover, das sofort den Blick der Leute fängt und einen dazu verleitet, den Klappentext zu lesen!
Auch vom Schreibstil war ich sehr überrascht, da ich mir etwas ganz andere vorgestellt habe. Die Kapitel waren schön kurz und immer aus der Sicht von Peyton geschrieben, sodass man super gut ihre Gefühle und Gedanken einfangen und mitverfolgen konnte. Des Weiteren konnte mich der Schreibstil auch sehr fesseln, da er schön locker und vor allem nicht zu detailliert war. Häufig habe ich so meine Probleme in vielen Fantasy Büchern mit so einem detaillierten Schreibstil, aber wie gesagt, hier war er einfach perfekt und es gab schön viele Dialoge, die teilweise witzig aber auch sehr ernst waren. Die Autorin fand in jeder Situation immer die richtigen Worte, wie auch schon weiter oben das tolle Zitat zeigt!
Bei der Handlung war ich mir am Anfang ziemlich sicher, dass es so eine 0815 Geschichte werden würde und trotz einiger kleinen Klischees konnte mich die Story sowas von fesseln! Ich fand es gut, dass das Buch nicht mitten in der Geschichte anfängt, sondern am Anfang, so dass man die Geschehnisse bis zu diesem einen bestimmten Zeitpunkt miterlebt und auch eine gute Perspektiv von Peytons Sicht hat.
Das was "in dieser einen Nacht" passiert, was auch schon im Klappentext angekündigt wird, fand ich sehr schockierend. Ich habe mit Peyton richtig mitgefühlt und gelitten und konnte alle anderen Charaktere überhaupt nicht nachvollziehen, dass sie sich so gegenüber ihrer Freundin verhalten. Umso glücklicher war ich dann, als die Owen kennenlernt.
Ich konnte während des Lesens die Chemie zwischen den Beiden richtig fühlen und es hat mich mitgerissen und gefesselt wie schon lange kein Buch mehr. Und ehrlich gesagt habe ich das am Anfang wegen des einfachen Schreibstils nicht gedacht. Jedenfalls ging es in der Story immer richtig rund. Sobald eine spannende Situation vorbei war, fing auch schon die nächste an. Mir wurde beim Lesen nicht langweilig, was aber nicht nur an der Story liegt, sondern auch an den Geheimnissen, die die Charaktere mit sich rumtragen.
Ich will natürlich nicht zu viel verraten weswegen ich einfach ein bisschen was zu Owen erzähle, der nämlich eines der größten Geheimnisse mit sich rumträgt. Ich könnte sein Verhalten total gut nachvollziehen und an seiner Stelle hätte ich es auch niemanden gesagt, da es nicht nur mich sondern auch meine Mitmenschen verletzten würde. Dennoch fand ich ihn an sich ganz schön mutig und stark, da er es die ganze Zeit für sich behält und niemand anderen damit belasten will.
Ein weiterer Punkt der mir richtig gut an der Story gefallen hat war, dass es nicht allein um diese eine Nacht geht, sondern dass der Fokus sich zum Teil auf das Thema Sport bezieht. Peyton spielt zum Beispiel Fußball und Owen macht auch eine andere Sportart, die ich übrigens sehr cool finde.
Das Sportthema ist nicht das Einzige worum es in dem Buch geht. Ich finde es außerdem gut, wie die Autorin mehrere kleine aber auch gewichtige Themen in das Buch packt und umsetzt. Da muss ich sagen, hat sie es richtig toll gemacht!
Und irgendwie kommt es dann halt dazu, das dieses Buch ein Highlight wurde und zu meinen Lieblingsbüchern zählt. Kritikpunkte habe ich absolut keine, aber ins kann ich euch sagen. Ihr müsst dieses Buch unbedingt lesen, da es wichtige Thematiken enthält, eine super toll erzählte Story, bei der man richtig mitfiebern kann und natürlich auch authentische Charaktere, zu denen ich jetzt auch nochmal etwas sagen/schreiben werde!
Als erstes Mal zu Peyton etwas. Sie ist eine sehr willensstarke Protagonistin, mit der ich mich gut identifizieren kann. Durch "diese eine Nacht" gerät alles aus dem Ruder, aber sie lässt sich nichts von anderen Leuten einreden und bleibt sich selbst treu. In der Gegenwart von Owen wird sie schwach und benimmt sich etwas tollpatschig, was ich total süß anzusehen fand! Und wie ich ja auch schon zu Owen gesagt habe ist er ein mutiger und stärker Protagonist, da er, wie ich finde, mit anderen und mit sich selbst gut umgehen kann und andere so akzeptiert wie sie sind. Zu Anfang dachte ich, dass er auch so ein "Badboy" ist, aber er hat das Gegenteil bewiesen. Er ist einfach so nett zu anderen und war mir von Anfang an sympathisch!Owen und Payton passen einfach perfekt zusammen! Ich habe von Anfang an die Chemie zwischen den beiden gespürt und fand es toll, alles miterleben zu dürfen, da es nicht nur bei ein paar Küssen bleibt, wenn ihr wisst was ich meine;-).
Die Nebencharaktere fand ich ebenfalls sehr gut ausgearbeitet und authentisch, da sie nicht im Hintergrund bleiben, sondern ein Teil der Geschichte sind. Ich habe zwar nicht jeden Nebencharakter gemocht, aber das bleibt nicht aus bei der Story;-).
Fazit:
Dieses Buch konnte mich von der ersten bis zur letzten Seite fesseln. Die Story ist heutzutage immer noch ein sehr wichtiges Thema, weswegen es unbedingt gelesen werden muss. Aber natürlich waren auch die Charaktere zum hinknien! Das Buch gehört zu meinen Highlights der Young-Adult Bücher! Ihr müsst es lesen!
5/5 🌟
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