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Heart Broke
From the acclaimed author of Godshot and “a pitch-perfect ventriloquist of extraordinary talent and ferocity” (T Kira Madden) comes a defining book of stories set in California’s Central Valley, where everyone is seeking or sabotaging love under an unrelenting sun.
United by the stark and sprawling landscapes of California’s Central Valley, the characters of Heartbroke boil with reckless desire. A woman steals a baby from a shelter in an attempt to salvage her own lost motherhood. A phone-sex operator sees divine opportunity when a lavender-eyed cowboy walks into her life. A mother and a son selling dream catchers along a highway that leads to a toxic beach manifest two young documentary filmmakers into their realm. And two teenage girls play a dangerous online game with destiny.
Heartbroke brims over with each character’s attempt to salvage—or sabotage—grace where they can find it. Told in bright, snapping prose that reveals a world of loss and love underneath, Chelsea Bieker brilliantly illuminates a golden yet gothic world of longing and abandonment under an unrelenting California sun.
United by the stark and sprawling landscapes of California’s Central Valley, the characters of Heartbroke boil with reckless desire. A woman steals a baby from a shelter in an attempt to salvage her own lost motherhood. A phone-sex operator sees divine opportunity when a lavender-eyed cowboy walks into her life. A mother and a son selling dream catchers along a highway that leads to a toxic beach manifest two young documentary filmmakers into their realm. And two teenage girls play a dangerous online game with destiny.
Heartbroke brims over with each character’s attempt to salvage—or sabotage—grace where they can find it. Told in bright, snapping prose that reveals a world of loss and love underneath, Chelsea Bieker brilliantly illuminates a golden yet gothic world of longing and abandonment under an unrelenting California sun.
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First published April 5, 2022
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About the author
Chelsea Bieker
4 books816 followersChelsea Bieker is the author of three books, most recently the national bestselling novel, Madwoman, a Book of the Month club pick the New York Times calls “brilliant in its depiction of the long shadows cast by domestic violence.” Her first novel, Godshot, was longlisted for The Center For Fiction’s First Novel Prize and named a Barnes & Noble Pick of the Month. Her story collection, Heartbroke won the California Book Award and was a New York Times “Best California Book of 2022.” Her writing has appeared in The Paris Review, Marie Claire UK, People, The Cut, Wall Street Journal, No Tokens, and others. She is the recipient of a Rona Jaffe Writers’ Award, as well as residencies from MacDowell and Tin House. Raised in Hawai’i and California, she now lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 285 reviews
January 29, 2022
Personally, I just don't like short stories. You get this tiny glimpse into a characters life and it's over just as you're getting invested. But I absolutely fell in love with Chelsea Bieker's writing when I read Godshot, so I still wanted to read Heartbroke.
Her writing shined throughout, and as the title implies, it was heartbreaking. But, at the end of the day, I still just don't like short stories. Here's to hoping her next book is a full novel. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Her writing shined throughout, and as the title implies, it was heartbreaking. But, at the end of the day, I still just don't like short stories. Here's to hoping her next book is a full novel. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
March 19, 2022
WOW! Looks like 2022 is going to be an amazing year for short story collections. You can add "Heartbroke" by Chelsea Bieker to that list! I devoured ALL 11 stories within a few days. I've never read Bieker's previous novel, Godshot but I will definitely be reading it now. Her writing style is so electric, quirky, fiery, and deeply personal. Some of the stories connect to other stories. You'll see the side character, "Pretty" mentioned a lot. The opener, "Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Miners" is seared into my brain. Such raw emotion. It brought tears to my eyes. The closer, "The Bare of our Chests" is absolute perfection. I also really enjoyed "Fact of Body", "Keep Her Down", and "Women and Children First". These stories deal with some heavy and disturbing topics such as: domestic violence, child trafficking, homelessness, alcoholism, drug addiction, and attempted murder. I found these various characters incredibly fascinating. Also, this book has some humorous moments as well. A nice balance of humor and heart. Highly recommended!
Thank you, Netgalley and Counterpoint Press for the digital ARC.
Thank you, Netgalley and Counterpoint Press for the digital ARC.
April 4, 2023
Y’all, Chelsea Bieker is seriously one of the best authors out there right now. I’m OBSESSED with her writing.
This is a fantastic short story collection and each character gets underneath your skin in the best way possible. Like, where is the Change.org petition to turn each of these short stories into a full-blown novel? I’m ready to sign.
Bieker has this way of revealing so many things about a character without telling you a thing. You gradually learn who these people are through the most deliciously specific details, which I live for. I just want to ask Bieker, did you grow up in rural West Tennessee with me?? Because this is some modern southern gothic sounding lit right here. And I swear some of her characters exist in actual real life in my county.
AND for those that loved her previous book, Godshot, you’re going to get some cameos and lil Easter eggs!
I cannot recommend Bieker’s writing enough. If you like wonderfully weird characters and contemporary fiction with gorgeous covers, then you’ve come to the right place.
Thank you so much to @catapult and @netgalley for sending this book!
This is a fantastic short story collection and each character gets underneath your skin in the best way possible. Like, where is the Change.org petition to turn each of these short stories into a full-blown novel? I’m ready to sign.
Bieker has this way of revealing so many things about a character without telling you a thing. You gradually learn who these people are through the most deliciously specific details, which I live for. I just want to ask Bieker, did you grow up in rural West Tennessee with me?? Because this is some modern southern gothic sounding lit right here. And I swear some of her characters exist in actual real life in my county.
AND for those that loved her previous book, Godshot, you’re going to get some cameos and lil Easter eggs!
I cannot recommend Bieker’s writing enough. If you like wonderfully weird characters and contemporary fiction with gorgeous covers, then you’ve come to the right place.
Thank you so much to @catapult and @netgalley for sending this book!
November 4, 2021
Truly one of the most incredible short story collections I’ve ever read. Every sentence is a revelation. Chelsea has such a gift for voice, every character sings and leaps off the page. A gorgeous collection of love, loss and longing. Thank you so much to the angels at Catapult for sending an early ARC of this. I am forever grateful.
May 6, 2022
I loved Godshot so my expectations were high for Heartbroke and… they were not met. The writing felt clunky and generally like it was trying desperately to be profound. I feel compelled to note that just giving characters odd names does not in fact make them interesting, and that seemed to be a recurring theme in all of the short stories in this collection.
August 18, 2021
review closer to release date- fantastic!
June 22, 2025
don’t let the cute cover fool you. this book is seriously gruesome, but i’m honestly super into it! it’s in line with the grimy kind of feminism i’ve been reading a lot of recently. the characters are well formed, very human, and completely heartbreaking. i didn’t realize that these stories take place in the same cinematic universe as Godshot, which is a cool idea! i’ll be adding Bieker to the list of my favorite authors :)
November 20, 2021
This is THE contemporary short story collection that comes closest to capturing Flannery O’Connor’s spirit, in my opinion. Once I started reading, I couldn’t put it down, but it felt more like I couldn’t look away.
March 21, 2022
Thank you to the publisher for giving me a free copy of this book! All opinions are my own.
Bieker's 2020 debut, Godshot, quickly became a favorite of mine. I was eager to dive into this collection of stories and it did not disappoint. I loved that Bieker's signature spinning of a dark tale into something beautiful was present in this collection. The stories stand alone but also have enough similarities that tie them together in order to create a real sense of place throughout. Her characters never have an easy time - they are often battling their demons in their own ways - but you come to deeply care for them.
I also loved the theme of the mother-child relationship that is woven throughout each story. How do we mother? What does it mean to be a mother? What happens when we are motherless? I could read this collection over and over again, these stories will stick with me for a long time.
Bieker's 2020 debut, Godshot, quickly became a favorite of mine. I was eager to dive into this collection of stories and it did not disappoint. I loved that Bieker's signature spinning of a dark tale into something beautiful was present in this collection. The stories stand alone but also have enough similarities that tie them together in order to create a real sense of place throughout. Her characters never have an easy time - they are often battling their demons in their own ways - but you come to deeply care for them.
I also loved the theme of the mother-child relationship that is woven throughout each story. How do we mother? What does it mean to be a mother? What happens when we are motherless? I could read this collection over and over again, these stories will stick with me for a long time.
April 4, 2022
My first read of April was HEARTBROKE by Chelsea Bieker! I really enjoyed her debut novel Godshot so I was really keen to read this new short story collection. You know I love short stories and I loved this book! If you liked Godshot then you’ll like this book too. I found many of these stories to have similar themes of women trying to make the best of their life, either dealing with men or family and being flawed yet endearing. I really enjoyed all eleven stories and my fave was Lyra. In Lyra there’s an element of murder that appeals to my thriller loving side. And how cute is this cover?!
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Thank you to Catapult for my gifted review copy!
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Thank you to Catapult for my gifted review copy!
March 22, 2022
I read about 150 books per year and I never re-read. I can't remember the last book I read more than once. I read a handful of five star books each year.
Heartbroke: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I have to reread the short stories that make up Heartbroke. They are just that good and I know there are threads weaving them together, although they stand alone, in my first read. The characters in Heartbroke are trying to make it work in difficult circumstances -- and Bieker's masterful natural prose takes you there. They are flawed humans and I wanted more of these characters. Lucky for me, some of them make appearances in other of the short stories. Among those are:
1. an addict who steals a baby;
2. a phone sex operator who sees opportunity in a cowboy;
3. a mother and son barely living on a beach in a tourist town (this one really made my heart ache);
4. a teenage girl playing a dangerous game online.
Looking back at this collection there was something in each one that made my heart ache. Yes, I was invested. If you are looking for happily ever after, this is not that book! But it is an exquisite piece of work that I need to go back to.
I have Chelsea's debut Godshot on my shelf, but have not yet read it. Obviously, I will be reading, but after I revisit Heartbroke.
Heartbroke: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I have to reread the short stories that make up Heartbroke. They are just that good and I know there are threads weaving them together, although they stand alone, in my first read. The characters in Heartbroke are trying to make it work in difficult circumstances -- and Bieker's masterful natural prose takes you there. They are flawed humans and I wanted more of these characters. Lucky for me, some of them make appearances in other of the short stories. Among those are:
1. an addict who steals a baby;
2. a phone sex operator who sees opportunity in a cowboy;
3. a mother and son barely living on a beach in a tourist town (this one really made my heart ache);
4. a teenage girl playing a dangerous game online.
Looking back at this collection there was something in each one that made my heart ache. Yes, I was invested. If you are looking for happily ever after, this is not that book! But it is an exquisite piece of work that I need to go back to.
I have Chelsea's debut Godshot on my shelf, but have not yet read it. Obviously, I will be reading, but after I revisit Heartbroke.
May 18, 2022
for a short story collection that explores such dark and painful topics, this book carries a wistful tone that felt so nostalgic and lovely! Heartbroke explores the lives of rural people enraptured in the atmosphere of the gothic. i found myself loving every character, no matter how awful they were - it seemed that their choices always traced back to the land, their heritage, and rural sensibilities. i loved seeing reoccurring characters pop up throughout the stories and how they tie together in melancholy moments. this is a perfect collection for hot and dry days spent missing home, and it's one that i'll return to in the future.
January 8, 2024
i surprisingly enjoyed every single one of these stories though at a certain point the plots in some overlapped so much i was wondering if there were explicit connections between the characters in them that i was supposed to be making but couldn’t figure out. very americana (ie about mid century working class white ppl living in semi rural areas)
May 3, 2022
5 Stars
See more on my Bookstagram: Shelf.Inspiration Instagram
“You come into the world loving the one who made you.” - Heartbroke.
United by the stark and sprawling landscapes of California’s Central Valley, the characters of Heartbroke boil with reckless desire. A woman steals a baby from a shelter in an attempt to salvage her own lost motherhood. A phone-sex operator sees divine opportunity when a lavender-eyed cowboy walks into her life. A mother and a son selling dream catchers along a highway that leads to a toxic beach manifest two young documentary filmmakers into their realm. And two teenage girls play a dangerous online game with destiny. Heartbroke brims over with each character’s attempt to salvage—or sabotage—grace where they can find it.
I absolutely love Chelsea Bieker’s first novel “Godshot” and I am thrilled to say that “Heartbroke” was another win for me. Chelsea’s writing is just so vivid and captivating. I can feel the California heat and really get to see into the minds of the characters. While these short stories can each stand on their own, there are some that have aspects of other stories whether that is due to shared characters, locations, or themes. I absolutely loved each story in this collection and know they will stick with me. Overall, you definitely need to pick this story collection up. Chelsea Bieker is a talent, and I cannot wait to see what she writes next!
See more on my Bookstagram: Shelf.Inspiration Instagram
“You come into the world loving the one who made you.” - Heartbroke.
United by the stark and sprawling landscapes of California’s Central Valley, the characters of Heartbroke boil with reckless desire. A woman steals a baby from a shelter in an attempt to salvage her own lost motherhood. A phone-sex operator sees divine opportunity when a lavender-eyed cowboy walks into her life. A mother and a son selling dream catchers along a highway that leads to a toxic beach manifest two young documentary filmmakers into their realm. And two teenage girls play a dangerous online game with destiny. Heartbroke brims over with each character’s attempt to salvage—or sabotage—grace where they can find it.
I absolutely love Chelsea Bieker’s first novel “Godshot” and I am thrilled to say that “Heartbroke” was another win for me. Chelsea’s writing is just so vivid and captivating. I can feel the California heat and really get to see into the minds of the characters. While these short stories can each stand on their own, there are some that have aspects of other stories whether that is due to shared characters, locations, or themes. I absolutely loved each story in this collection and know they will stick with me. Overall, you definitely need to pick this story collection up. Chelsea Bieker is a talent, and I cannot wait to see what she writes next!
April 7, 2023
3.5 stars. This series of short stories was seared with generational patterns of pain, abuse, and neglect. I was immediately drawn in with the introduction of Alma and her miner and the rest of the experience was similarly themed with individuals, particularly women and mothers doing whatever it takes to not only survive but to forget the pain.
February 5, 2022
beautifully-written. i love bieker's sense of voice and line, the way she sketches characters so vividly on the page. these remind me a little of steinbeck in places (a positive association), but ultimately bieker is in a league of her own. the stories were a little more focused on motherhood and the nuclear family than i tend to enjoy, but the quality of her prose pulled me through. highly recommend for anyone who loved godshot.
thanks netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. out 4/5/22
thanks netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. out 4/5/22
October 9, 2021
This was a fun read. I didn’t love every single story, but the ones I did I really loved. I appreciated how a few characters showed up in multiple stories. It’s like running into an old friend you didn’t realize lived in the same town as you. Chelsea Bieker does a great job of creating whole worlds in a short amount of time.
November 12, 2021
These people were so messed up. I mean that in the best way possible. Couldn’t look away.
December 15, 2022
One of the worst depictions of the Central Valley I’ve ever read. The characters were not likeable, realistic or redeeming. I changed my rating because I realized 2 stars was generous.
May 12, 2022
I knew when I read Godshot that it heralded the arrival of a writer with a unique perspective and an unflinching, intense voice for telling important, uncomfortable stories. With Heartbroke, Chelsea Bieker proves that she is an immense talent and cemented herself in my mind as one of the most provocative female writers in contemporary fiction. This is a stellar collection of stories.
I'm a fan of short stories, but even still, I always come across a few duds when I read a collection of them. That wasn't the case here. Every single story in Heartbroke affected me in some way. These stories are gritty and luminous, melancholy and devastating, disturbing and compassionate. I think the reason some authors find short stories so difficult to write -- and why some readers don't always connect with them as much as with a novel -- is because it's not an easy thing to create fully-fleshed characters with such a brief word count. But Bieker's characters are so well portrayed, so astonishingly authentic, and each one of them got under my skin. Although these characters inhabit a world very separate from most people, there is also a universality to them that reflects the best and worst in all of us.
My favorites in the collection were "Mamas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Miners," "Say Where She Is," "Fact of a Body," and "Keep Her Down." I was consciously aware of a deliberate, intentional ebb and flow to the organization of the stories that I think made me appreciate them on an entirely new level. And Bieker's writing is incandescent and startling, striking the perfect balance between pragmatism and compassion as she relays stories of intense suffering and glorious redemption. Bieker doesn't shy away from the most difficult and taboo topics, so readers should be aware of that going in, but I honestly can't recommend Heartbroke highly enough. I'm going to be thinking about these stories and these characters for a long time.
I'm a fan of short stories, but even still, I always come across a few duds when I read a collection of them. That wasn't the case here. Every single story in Heartbroke affected me in some way. These stories are gritty and luminous, melancholy and devastating, disturbing and compassionate. I think the reason some authors find short stories so difficult to write -- and why some readers don't always connect with them as much as with a novel -- is because it's not an easy thing to create fully-fleshed characters with such a brief word count. But Bieker's characters are so well portrayed, so astonishingly authentic, and each one of them got under my skin. Although these characters inhabit a world very separate from most people, there is also a universality to them that reflects the best and worst in all of us.
My favorites in the collection were "Mamas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Miners," "Say Where She Is," "Fact of a Body," and "Keep Her Down." I was consciously aware of a deliberate, intentional ebb and flow to the organization of the stories that I think made me appreciate them on an entirely new level. And Bieker's writing is incandescent and startling, striking the perfect balance between pragmatism and compassion as she relays stories of intense suffering and glorious redemption. Bieker doesn't shy away from the most difficult and taboo topics, so readers should be aware of that going in, but I honestly can't recommend Heartbroke highly enough. I'm going to be thinking about these stories and these characters for a long time.
February 7, 2024
I love a short story collection with a common thread running through. Like Jolene Mcllwain’s Sidle Creek or Anthony Doerr’s Memory Wall, or Olive Kitteridge. But these stories were THE SAME story with different characters. The absent father, the alcoholic mother ( always wine, no drugs). The horrible abusive stepfather or boyfriend. And the poor abused(sometimes physically some times sexually) protagonist.
A young boy has sex with men so mama can afford more wine( it’s ok he loves her). A fifteen year old girl sells herself at a whorehorse for mama’s wine. She doesn’t seem to mind.
And everyone grows grapes and produces raisins.
If you read one story you’d probably think it was ok, but a whole book on repeat?
I recommend a pass on this one.
A young boy has sex with men so mama can afford more wine( it’s ok he loves her). A fifteen year old girl sells herself at a whorehorse for mama’s wine. She doesn’t seem to mind.
And everyone grows grapes and produces raisins.
If you read one story you’d probably think it was ok, but a whole book on repeat?
I recommend a pass on this one.
September 13, 2022
Oh, man. What an incredible collection of short stories. They tie together by not only taking place in CA’s Central Valley but also abandonment, disappearances and the ideas of both redemption and repentance. Will be thinking about these stories for a long while
December 26, 2024
This is the second book by this author I've read, the first being Godshot, which I also really liked. Her writing is superb. I had no idea this was a collection of short stories, which isn't really the kind of book I go for but they were all so good that I read this in less than 24 hours while getting ready for Christmas. I happen to have her next one on my shelf, which I will be staring next. Definitely a go-to author for me.
August 10, 2023
Obsessed - best book I have read in a long time.
September 22, 2023
One of the character's names was Selena. <3
January 9, 2025
heartbreaking, visceral, and completely unpredictable writing! i don't think I've read anything like it before, and i was honestly blown away by the stories and the depth they reached despite their short length.
favourite: "Fact of Body"
honourable mention: "Say Where She Is"
tack så mycket to my cousin charlotte for recommending this fantastic short story collection to me!!
favourite: "Fact of Body"
honourable mention: "Say Where She Is"
tack så mycket to my cousin charlotte for recommending this fantastic short story collection to me!!
April 1, 2022
This had the exact same gritty mood as Godshot and I loved it. I thought this was only 4 short stories and we got so much more than that. There are some crossover characters and now I really want to go back and reread Godshot.
I struggle with really short stories sometimes because it takes a while to sink into the story and I saw that happen with a couple of these but overall it was a really fun experience to swim through the messed up lives in the desert valley. Smooth writing that somehow evokes emotion for characters I don’t know that well is impressive. It didn’t have quite the same amount of heart catching phrases I saw in her previous book but it was still incredibly written and I enjoy her style.
(I received this book for free via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review)
I struggle with really short stories sometimes because it takes a while to sink into the story and I saw that happen with a couple of these but overall it was a really fun experience to swim through the messed up lives in the desert valley. Smooth writing that somehow evokes emotion for characters I don’t know that well is impressive. It didn’t have quite the same amount of heart catching phrases I saw in her previous book but it was still incredibly written and I enjoy her style.
(I received this book for free via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review)
April 7, 2022
HEARTBROKE is hands down the best short story collection I've ever read. Dark, propulsive, emotionally complex and true, this book is a masterpiece.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 285 reviews