Once Upon a Broken Heart

I had fun reading this book by my GOD Evangeline is an airhead when it comes to letting her emotions control her. Girl let go of the idea of love for like two seconds. She’s as bad as Tina Belcher with that, every man who looked at her she was immediately like “um okay MAYBE tho!” The twist at the end got me GOOD though and I really liked how the story progressed. Also I really wanna know what Jacks’ obsession with apples is and what each different color means. Looking forward to reading the next one!

Another whimsical novel in the Caraval universe! 4.5 stars rounded up because I really enjoyed this. I mostly love Stephanie’s writing but- and I mentioned this in my Caraval reviews - I feel like there’s a lot of rumination from the characters, sometimes feeling redundant and taking away from the story. I’m really excited to continue with this series! and if you take one thing from this review - read Caraval first!!!!!

I really enjoyed our bookclub choice so much so I need to read the second one straight away

This book was so good! It's filled with twists and turns and I loved getting to see more of Jacks! Of course it ended on a cliffhanger and now I need book two!

Evangeline Fox believes in true love, happily ever afters, and trusting every suspicious person she meets. Girl, we need to talk about your survival instincts! Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber follows Evangeline, a hopeless romantic desperate to stop the boy she loves from marrying her stepsister. She makes a dangerous bargain with Jacks, the immortal Prince of Hearts, and agrees to give him three kisses of his choosing. Her decision draws her into a world of curses, royal intrigue, and secrets with devastating consequences. I went into this knowing that young adult fantasy romance isn't usually my favorite, and I definitely felt that preference while reading. The fairytale atmosphere had its charms, and Jacks was certainly intriguing. I just wanted more interesting characters beneath the whimsical atmosphere. Evangeline was a frustrating character. Her naivety, gullibility, and impulsive decisions made it difficult to hope for her survival. She consistently trusted people she had every reason to question. Someone please get this girl a chessboard and teach her to think a few moves ahead. So many conflicts could have been avoided through basic communication or a little critical thinking. The extensive court politics slowed the plot considerably. I wanted to spend more time uncovering the characters' motivations and watching their relationships develop. Instead, much of the book felt consumed by political maneuvering and misunderstandings. Have you ever unintentionally offended someone only to receive the cold shoulder while everyone else takes their side? The situation escalates into a huge ordeal before you finally discover what upset them. The original offense turns out to be something minor that a simple conversation could have resolved. Sound exhausting? Welcome to the royal politics of Once Upon a Broken Heart. The plot eventually offered some interesting twists about the characters' intentions, but it took too long to get there. I spent much of the book waiting for the action to appear and I was checked out by the time it arrived. I can understand the appeal for readers who love whimsical fairytales, morally gray immortals, and romantic intrigue. Garber creates a magical atmosphere filled with possibilities. I simply prefer more mature characters, stronger communication, and an intentional plot. Evangeline may still believe in happily ever afters, but I think I'll be leaving her to figure out the next chapter without me. Pick up Once Upon a Broken Heart if you like fairytales, bargains with immortals that involve kissing, and immature miscommunication court politics.