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The Broken Hearts Club
When the perpetually single daughter of a magical matchmaker reconnects with the boy she’s pretended to be in a relationship with for over a year, she may finally have met her match.
Imogen Finch has never been in love... despite being the daughter of a matchmaker. Her only relationship to date was a fake one with a near stranger named August Tate that she made up to stop people from asking about her love life. To fill the void, she’s channeled her obsession with love into her passion for photography, using her ability to literally see the rose-gold glow of a person in love to capture stunning portraits.
But when her adviser says her photography portfolio is “one note”, she’s desperate to diversify. After hearing her forever crush, Ren, was recently dumped, she decides to photograph the broken-hearted, starting with him. Imogen is hopeful she’ll finally find love and get the right photos. So, the last thing she expects is for the real-life version of her fake boyfriend to show up in town asking why they “broke up”. Before she knows it she’s juggling August and Ren and falling for the first time in her life.
Imogen Finch has never been in love... despite being the daughter of a matchmaker. Her only relationship to date was a fake one with a near stranger named August Tate that she made up to stop people from asking about her love life. To fill the void, she’s channeled her obsession with love into her passion for photography, using her ability to literally see the rose-gold glow of a person in love to capture stunning portraits.
But when her adviser says her photography portfolio is “one note”, she’s desperate to diversify. After hearing her forever crush, Ren, was recently dumped, she decides to photograph the broken-hearted, starting with him. Imogen is hopeful she’ll finally find love and get the right photos. So, the last thing she expects is for the real-life version of her fake boyfriend to show up in town asking why they “broke up”. Before she knows it she’s juggling August and Ren and falling for the first time in her life.
352 pages, Paperback
First published June 6, 2023
46 people are currently reading
5793 people want to read
About the author
Susan Bishop Crispell
7 books340 followersSusan Bishop Crispell earned a BFA in creative writing from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Born and raised in the mountains of Tennessee, she now lives twenty minutes from the beach in North Carolina with her husband and their Scottish-named cats. She is the author of women's fiction novels The Secret Ingredient of Wishes (2016) and Dreaming in Chocolate (2018), and young adult novels The Holloway Girls (2022), and The Broken Hearts Club (2023). As you might expect, she is always on the lookout for hints of magic in the real world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 161 reviews
July 15, 2023
Rooting for this very cute yet a very beautiful young adult romance starting from the cover!
Thank you, SOURCEBOOKS Fire, for the advance reading copy.
This is such a slice of life kind of story that I was totally into the writing and the characters. I find the character development really good and they are just as how real teens behave when they are in this age and era. So you can expect some social media active interactions between the main characters.
Also, I love how comforting the adult characters are especially the dad of the main character.
I love the chemistry. I love how outspoken the characters are! There’s no lack of communication if you ask me.
This is the story of a girl who has to fake date a very cute boy (very cute in my head while reading the book so I put it as “very cute”) and you know who I am rooting for till the end no matter how the story ends!
And then there’s this crush our main character has and he finally interacts with her. So you see how confused she can get here. Of course the ending has set everything right! And you will just enjoy this book when it comes out this summer!
Love it!
Thank you, SOURCEBOOKS Fire, for the advance reading copy.
This is such a slice of life kind of story that I was totally into the writing and the characters. I find the character development really good and they are just as how real teens behave when they are in this age and era. So you can expect some social media active interactions between the main characters.
Also, I love how comforting the adult characters are especially the dad of the main character.
I love the chemistry. I love how outspoken the characters are! There’s no lack of communication if you ask me.
This is the story of a girl who has to fake date a very cute boy (very cute in my head while reading the book so I put it as “very cute”) and you know who I am rooting for till the end no matter how the story ends!
And then there’s this crush our main character has and he finally interacts with her. So you see how confused she can get here. Of course the ending has set everything right! And you will just enjoy this book when it comes out this summer!
Love it!
July 3, 2023
"ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜꜱᴇ ɪ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʙᴇ ᴡᴏʀᴛʜ ᴅᴏɪɴɢ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴀɴʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ɴᴏ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏꜱᴛ."
If there's one book that needs to be on your TBR, it is The Broken Hearts Club. This book is such a delight to read! Not only is this the perfect summer read, but it will give you warm and fuzzy feelings all year round.
Being the daughter of a matchmaker has its own amount of pressure, but imagine not being able to find love. Cue the fake dating! But this is fake dating with a sweet twist. I don't want to spoil this book in any way, but from the characters to the sweet treats, everything mentioned in this book will make you fall in love with this story.
At first, I wanted to devour this book, but I soon realized that this story is so delectable that I wanted to savour every moment. I particularly adored the chats between Imogen and August as well as the found poetry. This book has its romantic moments where the reader can only sigh in apperception.
- Fake dating
- Love triangle
- Sweet treats
- Romantic moments
- Love rules
- Summer vibes
I highly recommend reading this book if you enjoy YA Romances. It's a sweet read that will give you all the feels!
Many thanks to MTMC Tours, Source Books Fire and the author for gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
If there's one book that needs to be on your TBR, it is The Broken Hearts Club. This book is such a delight to read! Not only is this the perfect summer read, but it will give you warm and fuzzy feelings all year round.
Being the daughter of a matchmaker has its own amount of pressure, but imagine not being able to find love. Cue the fake dating! But this is fake dating with a sweet twist. I don't want to spoil this book in any way, but from the characters to the sweet treats, everything mentioned in this book will make you fall in love with this story.
At first, I wanted to devour this book, but I soon realized that this story is so delectable that I wanted to savour every moment. I particularly adored the chats between Imogen and August as well as the found poetry. This book has its romantic moments where the reader can only sigh in apperception.
- Fake dating
- Love triangle
- Sweet treats
- Romantic moments
- Love rules
- Summer vibes
I highly recommend reading this book if you enjoy YA Romances. It's a sweet read that will give you all the feels!
Many thanks to MTMC Tours, Source Books Fire and the author for gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 23, 2023
When Susan mentioned to me that she wrote a book about a girl named Imogen Finch, and that it took place in a small coastal town, and that it had hints of magic, and that it was coming out only a few months before the book I wrote about a woman named Imogen Finch, that takes place in a small coastal town, and has hints of magic . . . well, of course I had to read this as soon as I could get my hands on it. I mean, seriously. What are the chances? Isn't that some kind of magic of its own??
.
YA readers will be pleased to know that THIS Imogen Finch's story unfolds without nerdy Shakespeare references and bird metaphors (where I got the name for my own heroine). What we get instead is a sweet coming-of-age story about a girl who's never been in love, so she makes up a fake relationship. The bad news: she chooses a real guy and he finds out. The good news, he isn't offended or upset. Instead, he's deeply flattered, so much so, he begins pursuing a relationship with Imogen. Since she's just faked their breakup, she isn't sure how to embrace a real relationship without her lies becoming apparent to everyone in her community. What follows is her gradual unlearning of what she thought she knew about love and relationships, as she comes to accept that no one's perfect, and that maybe the best we can all do is reach for what makes us happy, no matter what anyone else thinks. We also get a subplot about an art competition that helps the heroine explore her creative voice, a tight female friendship that provides support when things get especially rough, and a fun diner setting with lots of creative biscuit-making. A perfect fit for YA readers who enjoy gentle stories about learning life is more complicated than it seems, but love is there for the taking, if we're willing to embrace the mess.
.
YA readers will be pleased to know that THIS Imogen Finch's story unfolds without nerdy Shakespeare references and bird metaphors (where I got the name for my own heroine). What we get instead is a sweet coming-of-age story about a girl who's never been in love, so she makes up a fake relationship. The bad news: she chooses a real guy and he finds out. The good news, he isn't offended or upset. Instead, he's deeply flattered, so much so, he begins pursuing a relationship with Imogen. Since she's just faked their breakup, she isn't sure how to embrace a real relationship without her lies becoming apparent to everyone in her community. What follows is her gradual unlearning of what she thought she knew about love and relationships, as she comes to accept that no one's perfect, and that maybe the best we can all do is reach for what makes us happy, no matter what anyone else thinks. We also get a subplot about an art competition that helps the heroine explore her creative voice, a tight female friendship that provides support when things get especially rough, and a fun diner setting with lots of creative biscuit-making. A perfect fit for YA readers who enjoy gentle stories about learning life is more complicated than it seems, but love is there for the taking, if we're willing to embrace the mess.
January 26, 2025
Oh. My. Goodness.
Did I go into this book blindly without knowing what it was about? Yes, yes I did. And man it was worth it!
Content Warnings: 3/10
I went through 3 or 4 chapters without reading a swearword. Needless to say, the sh word was mentioned a couple thousand times. I think the f bomb was only once.
There were some inappropriate jokes mentioned. However, there were no bad scenes, just kissing.
My thoughts:
HEHEHEEHEHEHEHE
Ok. I LOVED THIS SO MUCH
August: *new book bf status unlocked* heh….. Yeah no, I adored this guy from the second he was mentioned (in the flesh, not her telling about the story). First, his name is August. August is my favorite month, and the name august for a guy is just ELITE. Second, he’s just…. Amazing. I love how he didn’t get angry at her for faking the relationship without his permission, he was caring.
Imogen: She was probably the best main character in a romance book so far. I loved her story, and I don’t care if people think she’s annoying, or what she did was wrong, she’s a boss fs.
Ren: I hated him. Sorry, but I did.
Quotes:
“So august’s is hotter than I expected” I stare at her open-mouthed and feign stupidity. “I think you need a calender. It’s only March, not the dead of summer. And I wouldn’t call seventy a heat wave.”
“It’s a photo of the beach, but you’re very much in the frame. It’s a really good picture of you too. He captioned it the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”
“Ditch them. Come hang with me instead.”
“You look different when you talk to him. Like everything about you lights up.”
“In case it’s not clear, I like you. And before you say I shouldn’t or that I can’t, its too late. I already do. I like you Imogen. And who cares what everyone else thinks?”
“My cheeks burst into flames like I’m standing in front of an open oven blasting me with three-hundred-and-seventy-five-degree heat.”
“ “What are hash puppies?” Owen askes, voice full of wonder. “Cheesy tater tots on steroids, I say.”
“You don’t have to try to be that guy. You’re already everything that I want.”
Did I go into this book blindly without knowing what it was about? Yes, yes I did. And man it was worth it!
Content Warnings: 3/10
I went through 3 or 4 chapters without reading a swearword. Needless to say, the sh word was mentioned a couple thousand times. I think the f bomb was only once.
There were some inappropriate jokes mentioned. However, there were no bad scenes, just kissing.
My thoughts:
HEHEHEEHEHEHEHE
Ok. I LOVED THIS SO MUCH
August: *new book bf status unlocked* heh….. Yeah no, I adored this guy from the second he was mentioned (in the flesh, not her telling about the story). First, his name is August. August is my favorite month, and the name august for a guy is just ELITE. Second, he’s just…. Amazing. I love how he didn’t get angry at her for faking the relationship without his permission, he was caring.
Imogen: She was probably the best main character in a romance book so far. I loved her story, and I don’t care if people think she’s annoying, or what she did was wrong, she’s a boss fs.
Ren: I hated him. Sorry, but I did.
Quotes:
“So august’s is hotter than I expected” I stare at her open-mouthed and feign stupidity. “I think you need a calender. It’s only March, not the dead of summer. And I wouldn’t call seventy a heat wave.”
“It’s a photo of the beach, but you’re very much in the frame. It’s a really good picture of you too. He captioned it the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”
“Ditch them. Come hang with me instead.”
“You look different when you talk to him. Like everything about you lights up.”
“In case it’s not clear, I like you. And before you say I shouldn’t or that I can’t, its too late. I already do. I like you Imogen. And who cares what everyone else thinks?”
“My cheeks burst into flames like I’m standing in front of an open oven blasting me with three-hundred-and-seventy-five-degree heat.”
“ “What are hash puppies?” Owen askes, voice full of wonder. “Cheesy tater tots on steroids, I say.”
“You don’t have to try to be that guy. You’re already everything that I want.”
February 13, 2023
I enjoyed this book a lot. It was a lovely YA story that moved quickly and kept my attention. I do wish there had been more talk about Mo's magic because that would've added more to the overall story in my opinion. There were also things that I, as an adult, wouldn't do, but if I were a 17-year-old girl, I easily would've made those choices.
I understood and empathized with Mo about her reasons for creating a fake relationship, I can imagine it being so difficult to have a mother who's a matchmaker, having magic that allows you to see people's emotions, and people being kind of afraid of you.
I wanted to read more about the magic, the revelations about Mo's parents and their relationship, and the woman who's had a hard time finding a match.
I would totally read this again.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
I understood and empathized with Mo about her reasons for creating a fake relationship, I can imagine it being so difficult to have a mother who's a matchmaker, having magic that allows you to see people's emotions, and people being kind of afraid of you.
I wanted to read more about the magic, the revelations about Mo's parents and their relationship, and the woman who's had a hard time finding a match.
I would totally read this again.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
July 29, 2023
3.5 rounded up.
A heartfelt YA romance involving fake dating, family secrets, a love triangle and a teen passionate about photography and sick of trying to defend her lack of a love life in the shadow of her famous matchmaking mother. This was good on audio and perfect for fans of books like Picture perfect boyfriend or Tilly in technicolor with just a touch of magical realism. Would definitely read more by this author!
A heartfelt YA romance involving fake dating, family secrets, a love triangle and a teen passionate about photography and sick of trying to defend her lack of a love life in the shadow of her famous matchmaking mother. This was good on audio and perfect for fans of books like Picture perfect boyfriend or Tilly in technicolor with just a touch of magical realism. Would definitely read more by this author!
January 23, 2023
I loved this book! I loved the characters as well as the diner setting and biscuit theme. I was rooting for Mo to fall in love herself and with the right boy and loved the twists and turns as the characters figured it all out. I definitely didn’t want to put it down and was completely invested in the relationships in the book. All of them…not just the romantic ones…even the parent/child and friend relationships. It had a good mix of heartbreak and love and I cannot recommend it enough!
January 15, 2025
IT WAS SO GOODDDDDD
this is like my perfect idea of a book
this is like my perfect idea of a book
did-not-finish
July 27, 2023I usually like Susan Bishop Crispell's work, but I grew tired of the huge charade that Imogen conjured up just to have a fake boyfriend. Maybe I'm not in the right headspace for this story, and maybe I'll come back to it at a later date.
March 1, 2023
Absolutely adorable! This is my favorite from Susan Bishop Crispell so far!!! I’m now a member of the Broken Hearts Club because the book is over
August 10, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
Guys…this book—
when i tell you i was hooked from the beginning, i was hooked from the beginning
there has never been such a me book
the only things that bothered me were that the ending was really abrupt and the whole thing with Ren got kinda annoying when we both knew how she really felt
but seriously
this book made me cry which is no small feat
and i was up late reading it 😁
I fear i need this book!
Guys…this book—
when i tell you i was hooked from the beginning, i was hooked from the beginning
there has never been such a me book
the only things that bothered me were that the ending was really abrupt and the whole thing with Ren got kinda annoying when we both knew how she really felt
but seriously
this book made me cry which is no small feat
and i was up late reading it 😁
I fear i need this book!
June 18, 2023
This book was so cute and the perfect beach read (I mean the beach is on the cover so...). I picked this book up because the author did a signing at my local bookstore. I do not read much YA any more but I'm glad I read this one. So Mo met a guy one time and thought he would be the perfect fake boyfriend. He doesn't live in the same town as her so he would not know she was talking about him so it would be perfect. Until it's not. She has a crush on a guy at school who finally broke up with his girlfriend so now is her chance with him but first she needs to break up with her fake boyfriend. She gets a message from fake boyfriend demanding to know why she broke up with him. Wait what?! So now enters The Real August. I thought it was very cute and I will definitely look up more books by this author.
March 12, 2023
4.25/5 stars! This was a sweet YA romcom with a unique and special premise. Imogen can see the auras of those in love. When an art project requires her to find a new muse, Imogen pivots and finds herself caught between her art, her long-term crush, and her fake ex-boyfriend. I loved the story, but I wish the magic was at the forefront. It's mentioned as a minor plot point but I would have enjoyed having it featured further.
I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
May 24, 2023
Imogen (Mo) has never been in love... despite being the daughter of a matchmaker. So she decides to make one up. It goes greatly until the boy she based her fake boyfriend on comes to town.
The Broken Hearts Club was a quick fun read. I really enjoyed the relationship between Mo & August but I really loved all the talk about food. By the time I finished I was disappointed I couldn’t go out & get a Frankenbiscuit for myself!
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for an arc of this book!
The Broken Hearts Club was a quick fun read. I really enjoyed the relationship between Mo & August but I really loved all the talk about food. By the time I finished I was disappointed I couldn’t go out & get a Frankenbiscuit for myself!
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for an arc of this book!
May 28, 2023
Solid 3 star read. The story line was well done, the characters well developed. I wanted a little more explanation of the magic that Mo and her mother experience cuz it felt out of nowhere.
Also I super appreciate the Norwegian forest cat reference because they are the most underrated cats and they’re so beautiful.
Also I super appreciate the Norwegian forest cat reference because they are the most underrated cats and they’re so beautiful.
June 11, 2023
Imogen has never been in love. Seeing people's emotions in the form of auras, and having a mother working as a successful matchmaker, Mo has an image of love formed in her mind. People expect her to be successful in dating, but the truth is, no one is interested in her unless they want to ask if their crush feels the same way about them. So Mo creates a fake relationship on social media and the perfect boyfriend using the identity of someone she met once in her life.
When her crush, Ren, is breaking up with his girlfriend, Mo feels she finally has a chance with him, ends the charade and approaches him in hopes that she can heal his broken heart and make him fall in love again. With her this time. But then the real August discovers what she's done and shows up in town asking why they broke up.
What is she supposed to do? Convince him August to help her pretend they’re exes? But what if exes is not something August wants to be? Can she give up Ren for someone who doesn’t even live in the same town?
The Broken Hearts Club is a story that completely surprised me, because I didn’t expect it to touch upon such a wide range of issues, or that it would be so difficult for me to put it down. It is a sweet, light and hugely addictive YA novel that is incredibly pleasant to read, and at the same time talks about many current topics for young people and focuses on self-discovery.
The title makes a lot of sense, because in this book everyone has a broken heart. The characters find themselves in a place where one chapter of their lives ends and another begins, giving way to thoughts about first loves and broken hearts. Imogen, August and Ren ask themselves questions like what is love, are soul mates real and can we move on with someone else after our hearts have been broken.
Mo, who is the only one who doesn't suffer from "broken heart", surrounded by friends new and old, each with their own emotional conflict, comes to many conclusions and learns that you can't tell your heart to feel something, just like you can't cheat your heart. Sometimes our head and heart want different things. In this situation with Ren, who is still attached to his ex-girlfriend but wanting to heal without fully letting go, and August, who has suffered from a past relationship in which he couldn’t be comfortably himself but is ready to open his heart again, Imogen with her special ability is just learning to navigate her emotions and make the right decisions, making mistakes on the way. She's simply a girl who just wants love, while following her mother’s golden “love rules”.
Here, I need to mention how much I love the whole idea of love rules and them running through this book, showing at the beginning of each chapter!
I have to say that I really liked the photography theme here. Mo takes photos of people who are in love for the sake of the rose gold aura that glows around them, but then has to challenge herself to make people see what she sees through her photos without them having the same power as her. Her considerations about it, her passion and dreams perfectly complement and intertwine with her reflections on people and love.
I’m sincerely in love with this CUTE story. Even though it’s imperfect at times with Imogen being torn between two boys and her family drama, she acts in a slightly annoying way closer to the end, but I still sympathized with her, and she’s actually the reason I really enjoyed this journey. I also love Ren and August, who I rooted for both equally for the first half of the book. I couldn’t choose between them, but then in the second half one of them won me over. I won’t tell you which one, but I can only say that I can’t be more happy with the endgame!
When her crush, Ren, is breaking up with his girlfriend, Mo feels she finally has a chance with him, ends the charade and approaches him in hopes that she can heal his broken heart and make him fall in love again. With her this time. But then the real August discovers what she's done and shows up in town asking why they broke up.
What is she supposed to do? Convince him August to help her pretend they’re exes? But what if exes is not something August wants to be? Can she give up Ren for someone who doesn’t even live in the same town?
The Broken Hearts Club is a story that completely surprised me, because I didn’t expect it to touch upon such a wide range of issues, or that it would be so difficult for me to put it down. It is a sweet, light and hugely addictive YA novel that is incredibly pleasant to read, and at the same time talks about many current topics for young people and focuses on self-discovery.
The title makes a lot of sense, because in this book everyone has a broken heart. The characters find themselves in a place where one chapter of their lives ends and another begins, giving way to thoughts about first loves and broken hearts. Imogen, August and Ren ask themselves questions like what is love, are soul mates real and can we move on with someone else after our hearts have been broken.
Mo, who is the only one who doesn't suffer from "broken heart", surrounded by friends new and old, each with their own emotional conflict, comes to many conclusions and learns that you can't tell your heart to feel something, just like you can't cheat your heart. Sometimes our head and heart want different things. In this situation with Ren, who is still attached to his ex-girlfriend but wanting to heal without fully letting go, and August, who has suffered from a past relationship in which he couldn’t be comfortably himself but is ready to open his heart again, Imogen with her special ability is just learning to navigate her emotions and make the right decisions, making mistakes on the way. She's simply a girl who just wants love, while following her mother’s golden “love rules”.
Here, I need to mention how much I love the whole idea of love rules and them running through this book, showing at the beginning of each chapter!
I have to say that I really liked the photography theme here. Mo takes photos of people who are in love for the sake of the rose gold aura that glows around them, but then has to challenge herself to make people see what she sees through her photos without them having the same power as her. Her considerations about it, her passion and dreams perfectly complement and intertwine with her reflections on people and love.
I’m sincerely in love with this CUTE story. Even though it’s imperfect at times with Imogen being torn between two boys and her family drama, she acts in a slightly annoying way closer to the end, but I still sympathized with her, and she’s actually the reason I really enjoyed this journey. I also love Ren and August, who I rooted for both equally for the first half of the book. I couldn’t choose between them, but then in the second half one of them won me over. I won’t tell you which one, but I can only say that I can’t be more happy with the endgame!
September 17, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I absolutely loved the main character, the story had little bits of magical realism and created a world I wish I could visit. I wish more than anything that I could go to Yestie Boys cafe!
Mo and her mother can see love and heartbreak. Which makes things easy for her mother as a matchmaker but hard on Mo as a teenager who can see that no one loves her. She invents a fake boyfriend based on a real boy she met years ago and he comes to see her when he discovers her lie.
This was such a great romantic comedy and even better, it has no sex scenes! Which I appreciated a lot!
Mo and her mother can see love and heartbreak. Which makes things easy for her mother as a matchmaker but hard on Mo as a teenager who can see that no one loves her. She invents a fake boyfriend based on a real boy she met years ago and he comes to see her when he discovers her lie.
This was such a great romantic comedy and even better, it has no sex scenes! Which I appreciated a lot!
July 16, 2023
Would've been 5 stars if one plotline didn't happen (can't say because spoilers). I just can't get over it, but other than that it was really cute!
June 26, 2023
Cute <3
July 7, 2025
cute but nothing special. still worth a read also loved him
June 13, 2023
This was cute.
A daughter of a matchmaker with the ability to see the visible colors of love and heartbreak around a person navigates her own fraught love life, including a catfished boyfriend, a just-heartbroken crush, and complicated family secrets.
This was a really unique concept for a book, and I wish the magical aspects of it would have taken up more page-time because it was really captivating! It almost felt like an afterthought, though, to all the vvv messy teenage drama happening, including a love triangle and lots of lies! As someone who feels very much a teenager at heart, I recognize and respect how BIG everything legitimately feels during that period of life. Love and relationships are at the forefront and I'm glad YA readers of THE BROKEN HEARTS CLUB can feel seen in that way.
Unfortunately as a thirty-year-old, I just felt anxiety! Ha! But I know I'm not really the target audience, so, that considered, I think this could be a really satisfying story for young adult readers. Sadly, not a favorite of mine, but I enjoyed getting to read Susan's writing, and will look out for more of her work in the future!
Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire and Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest, unbiased review. THE BROKEN HEARTS CLUB is out now!
A daughter of a matchmaker with the ability to see the visible colors of love and heartbreak around a person navigates her own fraught love life, including a catfished boyfriend, a just-heartbroken crush, and complicated family secrets.
This was a really unique concept for a book, and I wish the magical aspects of it would have taken up more page-time because it was really captivating! It almost felt like an afterthought, though, to all the vvv messy teenage drama happening, including a love triangle and lots of lies! As someone who feels very much a teenager at heart, I recognize and respect how BIG everything legitimately feels during that period of life. Love and relationships are at the forefront and I'm glad YA readers of THE BROKEN HEARTS CLUB can feel seen in that way.
Unfortunately as a thirty-year-old, I just felt anxiety! Ha! But I know I'm not really the target audience, so, that considered, I think this could be a really satisfying story for young adult readers. Sadly, not a favorite of mine, but I enjoyed getting to read Susan's writing, and will look out for more of her work in the future!
Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire and Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest, unbiased review. THE BROKEN HEARTS CLUB is out now!
May 2, 2023
{3.5 stars}
High school is hard. Dating in high school is even harder. Imogen has it even harder as she can see people's auras, particularly when they are in love. This means too much pressure for any boy who might fancy her. So she creates a fake insta relationship with a boy she meets once. She felt like it was a victimless crime. Until that boy finds out. At first, he agrees to help her fake their breakup so she can have a chance with her real crush. But then they vibe and the stakes change. She is forced to face her actions, everyone she hurt and grow up a little bit as she learns what love is really like.
This was cute. Especially if you can tolerate a little self-centered teen drama. I went from really liking Imogen and her friends to being quite annoyed with them. She does get her comeuppance which felt gratifying to read. This one definitely takes some common rom-com tropes and gives them a new twist.
Thanks to Sourcebooks Fire for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions above are my own.
High school is hard. Dating in high school is even harder. Imogen has it even harder as she can see people's auras, particularly when they are in love. This means too much pressure for any boy who might fancy her. So she creates a fake insta relationship with a boy she meets once. She felt like it was a victimless crime. Until that boy finds out. At first, he agrees to help her fake their breakup so she can have a chance with her real crush. But then they vibe and the stakes change. She is forced to face her actions, everyone she hurt and grow up a little bit as she learns what love is really like.
This was cute. Especially if you can tolerate a little self-centered teen drama. I went from really liking Imogen and her friends to being quite annoyed with them. She does get her comeuppance which felt gratifying to read. This one definitely takes some common rom-com tropes and gives them a new twist.
Thanks to Sourcebooks Fire for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions above are my own.
March 11, 2023
Such a great coming of age story that shows love no matter your age is messy and intense. It doesn't follow rules and you just have to follow you heart and make the decision that works for you. The characters change and grow with the story and that makes the storyline flow and keep the reader interested. I finished this book in one day, I was hooked
December 1, 2023
The Broken Heart's Club was such a sweet coming-of-age romance mixed with a bit of magic. I had a great time reading this. It is a perfect YA beach read. If you loved books by Rachel Lynn Solomon or Mazey Eddings' Tilly in Technicolor, you will enjoy this story.
July 20, 2023
a truly adorable read about love and learning how we define it, definitely gave my heart several warm fuzzy feelings
September 12, 2023
If I could put 0 stars I would
September 29, 2023
a little messy but a very cute read!!
June 10, 2023
Do you know these kinds of books where you read the first line and you immediately know that it's going to be a great read? #TheBrokenHeartsClub was like that for me. It made me smile from page one & the characters immediately had my heart. I just couldn't do it any other way - I had to offer it to them on a silver platter. 😂
Mo had been a little unhinged from the start and gladly that didn't let up throughout the story. I loved her for it. That doesn't mean there's no character development though, because there's plenty! She does take responsibility for her mistakes and she's very brave in doing so considering all the chaos that went down in this book.🙈
Mo never was alone though! She had Gemma who stood by her side throughout everything, who helped her with her unhinged plans, never worried about telling her when an idea was especially dumb or when she totally lost track of what's important. Gemma was Mo's much needed dose of reality - a real friend! I loved the friendship between those two so much, because it was clear from the start that Gemma only wanted what was best for Mo.
And then there's August of course. Oh, August. *swoons* This boy was everything! (Can I can a real life August for myself, please?!) He is absolutely the nice guy, he is wonderful, and considerate, and patient and meets Mo's vibes spot on! And obviously he has the stamp of approval from the best friend, too! 😆
I loved the interactions between Mo and August so so much! Reading their dialogues was positively wonderful.
All in all, my predictions from when I started reading this book; namely that I'd love it, turned out to be true. I am extremely happy I was able to tour with @mtmctours for this one.❤️
Mo had been a little unhinged from the start and gladly that didn't let up throughout the story. I loved her for it. That doesn't mean there's no character development though, because there's plenty! She does take responsibility for her mistakes and she's very brave in doing so considering all the chaos that went down in this book.🙈
Mo never was alone though! She had Gemma who stood by her side throughout everything, who helped her with her unhinged plans, never worried about telling her when an idea was especially dumb or when she totally lost track of what's important. Gemma was Mo's much needed dose of reality - a real friend! I loved the friendship between those two so much, because it was clear from the start that Gemma only wanted what was best for Mo.
And then there's August of course. Oh, August. *swoons* This boy was everything! (Can I can a real life August for myself, please?!) He is absolutely the nice guy, he is wonderful, and considerate, and patient and meets Mo's vibes spot on! And obviously he has the stamp of approval from the best friend, too! 😆
I loved the interactions between Mo and August so so much! Reading their dialogues was positively wonderful.
All in all, my predictions from when I started reading this book; namely that I'd love it, turned out to be true. I am extremely happy I was able to tour with @mtmctours for this one.❤️
June 2, 2023
Want a book that will leave you with butterflies in your stomach after you've experienced a Rollercoaster of emotions to get there? Laughter, anxiety, stress, love, friendship, anger, betrayal, acceptance? Pretty much all the feels? Well, that's this book.
Comes out June 6. It's a great summer read, full of all the good things you'd want in a YA novel- including food.
Thank you @netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
A few things to note: lgbtq side characters, language, loss of a parent, mentions of affairs, and will leave you with a desire to go to the beach and/or buy a camera.
- new to me author
- I can't resist the siren call of a contemporary YA romance!
- I always enjoy chapter headings- quotes, rules, song lyrics, whatever
- solid opening paragraph. I'm totally intrigued
- did you have a best friend in high school? I have one in grade 10, but then I moved. And I had good friends in grade 11 and 12 but never someone who was my obvious best friend. Sometimes I wonder if I missed out.
- auras are cool. I'm not sure I buy into them though.
- well, this is awkward
- kind of reminds me of The Broken Hearts Gallery. I love that movie
- these last few books I've read make me want to go to North Carolina
- I'm not sure I like Ren
- I wanna see a meteor shower
- Blackout poems are cool.
- Owen is cute. I like the big bro, little bro dynamic
- everything has blown up. Everything.
- I like the art teacher, Mrs Clemente
Comes out June 6. It's a great summer read, full of all the good things you'd want in a YA novel- including food.
Thank you @netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
A few things to note: lgbtq side characters, language, loss of a parent, mentions of affairs, and will leave you with a desire to go to the beach and/or buy a camera.
- new to me author
- I can't resist the siren call of a contemporary YA romance!
- I always enjoy chapter headings- quotes, rules, song lyrics, whatever
- solid opening paragraph. I'm totally intrigued
- did you have a best friend in high school? I have one in grade 10, but then I moved. And I had good friends in grade 11 and 12 but never someone who was my obvious best friend. Sometimes I wonder if I missed out.
- auras are cool. I'm not sure I buy into them though.
- well, this is awkward
- kind of reminds me of The Broken Hearts Gallery. I love that movie
- these last few books I've read make me want to go to North Carolina
- I'm not sure I like Ren
- I wanna see a meteor shower
- Blackout poems are cool.
- Owen is cute. I like the big bro, little bro dynamic
- everything has blown up. Everything.
- I like the art teacher, Mrs Clemente
April 6, 2023
When the perpetually single daughter of a magical matchmaker reconnects with the boy she’s pretended to be in a relationship with for over a year, she may finally have met her match.
Imogen Finch has never been in love... despite being the daughter of a matchmaker. Her only relationship to date was a fake one with a near stranger named August Tate that she made up to stop people from asking about her love life. To fill the void, she’s channeled her obsession with love into her passion for photography, using her ability to literally see the rose-gold glow of a person in love to capture stunning portraits.
But when her adviser says her photography portfolio is “one note”, she’s desperate to diversify. After hearing her forever crush, Ren, was recently dumped, she decides to photograph the broken-hearted, starting with him. Imogen is hopeful she’ll finally find love and get the right photos. So, the last thing she expects is for the real-life version of her fake boyfriend to show up in town asking why they “broke up”. Before she knows it she’s juggling August and Ren and falling for the first time in her life.
I loved this story from start to finish. I felt a connection with the characters, and the plot was well developed. Will recommend this story to others.
Imogen Finch has never been in love... despite being the daughter of a matchmaker. Her only relationship to date was a fake one with a near stranger named August Tate that she made up to stop people from asking about her love life. To fill the void, she’s channeled her obsession with love into her passion for photography, using her ability to literally see the rose-gold glow of a person in love to capture stunning portraits.
But when her adviser says her photography portfolio is “one note”, she’s desperate to diversify. After hearing her forever crush, Ren, was recently dumped, she decides to photograph the broken-hearted, starting with him. Imogen is hopeful she’ll finally find love and get the right photos. So, the last thing she expects is for the real-life version of her fake boyfriend to show up in town asking why they “broke up”. Before she knows it she’s juggling August and Ren and falling for the first time in her life.
I loved this story from start to finish. I felt a connection with the characters, and the plot was well developed. Will recommend this story to others.
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