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3.97 AVERAGE
3.97 AVERAGE
Appreciated that the author shared part of herself in this book. Hotlines and information for readers in the back was an excellent addition.
I feel weird…especially the mentions of the Iraqi war (coming from an Iraqi). Plus the main girl was so not like other girls
Peyton has just been offered a scholarship to her number one college choice to play soccer. She is super excited about the news, but then a fall down the stairs puts her scholarship in jeopardy. No one believes that her boyfriend pushed her, not even her best friend, and her mother decides it is best for her to live with her uncle and cousins during her recuperation. Then Peyton becomes friends with Owen, an MMA fighter, and even though Peyton doesn’t want to start a relationship, she can’t deny the attraction. Will Peyton be able to heal in peace or will her ex track her down?
Broken Beautiful Hearts is a stand-alone novel that will please both male and female readers alike. Although there is a lot of information about soccer and MMA fighting, readers do not need to be fluent in these subjects to enjoy the greater story. Some readers may call this a romance, yet just like the sports sections, it is more than that. Peyton must wrestle with many relationship questions and decide if she wants to keep to the standards her father taught her. A great read that should be added to everyone’s TBR list.
Broken Beautiful Hearts is a stand-alone novel that will please both male and female readers alike. Although there is a lot of information about soccer and MMA fighting, readers do not need to be fluent in these subjects to enjoy the greater story. Some readers may call this a romance, yet just like the sports sections, it is more than that. Peyton must wrestle with many relationship questions and decide if she wants to keep to the standards her father taught her. A great read that should be added to everyone’s TBR list.
Well. It’s done. It wasn’t necessarily super amazing, but I read it and so it’s done.
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The issue for me is lack of connection. There’s no emotion behind the writing, nothing that really speaks to me as a reader to keep me coming back for more.
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This book was about an exceptionally difficult topic, one the author has personal experience with making this a hard book to read. I loved the main character, Peyton. Though she can be a bit naïve, I believed her. She seemed real. Some things were very cliché (the rude cheerleader, etc) but for this high school drama, it worked.
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The issue for me is lack of connection. There’s no emotion behind the writing, nothing that really speaks to me as a reader to keep me coming back for more.
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-
This book was about an exceptionally difficult topic, one the author has personal experience with making this a hard book to read. I loved the main character, Peyton. Though she can be a bit naïve, I believed her. She seemed real. Some things were very cliché (the rude cheerleader, etc) but for this high school drama, it worked.
Broken Beautiful Hearts by Kami Garcia is one of the books that I was MOST excited to release in February, and I’m so thrilled to have read finally the book! I read Kami’s The Lovely Reckless when it first released back in 2016, and fell absolutely in love with the story, so I just knew I would love Broken Beautiful Hearts as well. And, I did!
If you don’t already know this about me, I am a HUGE fan of contemporary novels. I seriously can’t get enough of them! And it’s even better when the contemporary is a love story. I love reading those stories the most. Broken Beautiful Hearts fits both of those categories, and it’s definitely one of the best I’ve read in a while. I really enjoyed this book.
Peyton is a star athlete on her high school soccer team, and has a bright future ahead of her. All of that changes after an incident with her boyfriend which left her injured, and no one will believe her about that happened. After receiving a few threats, she goes to stay with her uncle and cousins in another state to recover, and to learn how to move on, with the help of a few new friends.
Without going into details, I think most of you know where this storyline is going to go. Let me just say that some parts of this story made me completely rage. Almost all of it was because of Peyton’s ex-boyfriend. What a jerk, and I hate that girls actually have to deal with guys like him, and worse, every day. The fact that no one believed her was awful, and the abusive, stalker tendencies of her ex-boyfriend are just one of my worst nightmares for my daughters, as it hits a little too close to home. But, I love the message that Kami makes in the story regarding this, and I hope that all girls, or boys, reading it will know that this is not ok, and you don’t have to take it. Help is there.
I should also mention that not the entire story was rage-inducing. There were also a lot of sweet moments as well. I love Peyton and her family. Her twin football playing cousins were adorable, and I love their protectiveness over her. She also had a really great, supportive mom and uncle as well. And then there is Owen, who she meets when she goes to stay with her uncle, and lots of swoon-worthy moments ensue. Sighhhhhh.
Overall; I really, really enjoyed reading Broken Beautiful Hearts. I love the characters, (well, most of them,) and the story so much. I will definitely be re-reading this book soon, and I’ll also be keeping my eye out for more contemporaries by Kami Garcia in the future! If you love a good contemporary story as much as I do, do check out Broken Beautiful Hearts soon!
Happy Reading!
This book is just so fantastic! It pulled me in from the very beginning and never let go!! (I basically read this in one day!)
I loved how real the characters were and how relatable they were. Peyton is an amazing female lead. She has some really rough crap thrown at her and even when she is able to admit that she’s down she really never gives up. I think her biggest struggle is trusting her instincts after someone she trusted hurts her and then betrays her. Thankfully she doesn’t let this hold her back in the long run. Peyton also does a great job of standing up for herself but also, finally, leans on family and friends when she needs them.
Owen is my new “book boyfriend”! He’s such a great guy that really just wants what’s best for Peyton. He is a little selfish about something that ends up coming out in the end but it’s not something that is inexcusable and in the end he keeps his promise to Peyton and never hurts her. Also, the description of how Owen looks is steamy!! 😍
The side characters in this book are fantastic too! Peyton’s twin cousins (Christian and Cameron) are cousins I would love to have! They are your typical southern boys that are star high school football players but they are also more than that...they really do care about Peyton and while they sometimes over step boundaries it’s because they want to protect her. Grace is a great friend to Peyton and even though she has some of her own drama, she is there for Peyton and believes her when she explains what happened to her knee. The only character that I felt got a bit of the shaft would be Titus-he played some larger roles in the story but I don’t feel like we ever got a lot of backstory from him or even any closure with the Owen situation. Even Reed (who really ends up loosing it and unfortunately has so many of his own demons to deal with) was written so well.
Recommend: 16 and up- some swearing (f word just a few times and a couple of uses of other words); drug use (specifically steroids); roid rage which leads to Peyton breaking her knee; people don’t believe the victim; stalking; bullying; physical abuse of spouse and child; death of a parent (in the military); underage drinking (along with drinking games and teenagers acting stupid when drunk); MMA fighting (some regulated and some not); main character has heart issue; main characters have sex (with a condom but without being committed to their relationship-although it’s pretty clear they want to be)-this is the only thing I don’t love about this book - I understand teenagers think about sex but I always prefer books with high school students to make different decisions - but it was a well written scene (pretty steamy) and at least the condom part is included; I liked that the main characters had mostly good relationships with their parents; focus on college for most characters-often with the situation where a scholarship is needed but they all are working hard for that; and there is a little Friday night lights thrown in as well
All in all I’m so glad that Kami Garcia told this story and I am thankful she included part of her own story as well as resources for those that might be in an unhealthy relationship. Hopefully it will give readers the ability to stand up for themselves and demand the heathy relationships they deserve!
I loved how real the characters were and how relatable they were. Peyton is an amazing female lead. She has some really rough crap thrown at her and even when she is able to admit that she’s down she really never gives up. I think her biggest struggle is trusting her instincts after someone she trusted hurts her and then betrays her. Thankfully she doesn’t let this hold her back in the long run. Peyton also does a great job of standing up for herself but also, finally, leans on family and friends when she needs them.
Owen is my new “book boyfriend”! He’s such a great guy that really just wants what’s best for Peyton. He is a little selfish about something that ends up coming out in the end but it’s not something that is inexcusable and in the end he keeps his promise to Peyton and never hurts her. Also, the description of how Owen looks is steamy!! 😍
The side characters in this book are fantastic too! Peyton’s twin cousins (Christian and Cameron) are cousins I would love to have! They are your typical southern boys that are star high school football players but they are also more than that...they really do care about Peyton and while they sometimes over step boundaries it’s because they want to protect her. Grace is a great friend to Peyton and even though she has some of her own drama, she is there for Peyton and believes her when she explains what happened to her knee. The only character that I felt got a bit of the shaft would be Titus-he played some larger roles in the story but I don’t feel like we ever got a lot of backstory from him or even any closure with the Owen situation. Even Reed (who really ends up loosing it and unfortunately has so many of his own demons to deal with) was written so well.
Recommend: 16 and up- some swearing (f word just a few times and a couple of uses of other words); drug use (specifically steroids); roid rage which leads to Peyton breaking her knee; people don’t believe the victim; stalking; bullying; physical abuse of spouse and child; death of a parent (in the military); underage drinking (along with drinking games and teenagers acting stupid when drunk); MMA fighting (some regulated and some not); main character has heart issue; main characters have sex (with a condom but without being committed to their relationship-although it’s pretty clear they want to be)-this is the only thing I don’t love about this book - I understand teenagers think about sex but I always prefer books with high school students to make different decisions - but it was a well written scene (pretty steamy) and at least the condom part is included; I liked that the main characters had mostly good relationships with their parents; focus on college for most characters-often with the situation where a scholarship is needed but they all are working hard for that; and there is a little Friday night lights thrown in as well
All in all I’m so glad that Kami Garcia told this story and I am thankful she included part of her own story as well as resources for those that might be in an unhealthy relationship. Hopefully it will give readers the ability to stand up for themselves and demand the heathy relationships they deserve!
*trigger warning: teen dating violence/intimate partner violence and stalking*
I really liked this book. While I didn’t enjoy it as much as The Lovely Reckless it was still good. I will say that even though this book does deal with dating violence and I liked that it shed a light on the topic,I did feel that it may not have been the greatest representation of the subject. I understand that Kami Garcia took her experience of abuse to write this story and I thank her for that but because it was based on her experience alone it felt like maybe someone who has experienced abuse in a relationship could not fully relate to the story. While I have never experienced anything like that myself I do know others who have and it’s always very different experiences and unfortunately most of the time it takes more than one incident for the survivor of the abuse to finally leave. Again I do understand that this is based on Garcia’s personal experience and she drawing from that but I would have liked it if it was written so others who have been through something similar can maybe see themselves in Peyton. García does have a beautiful message at the end of the book, which is that even though something as horrible as being physically hurt by your partner it’s not what defines you, it will be a part of you but you can overcome it and it can make you an even stronger person. Also I did feel that the romance was kind of insta-lovely even though they never actually say it. It kind of felt like Peyton and Owen moved into a relationship really quickly. I felt like we didn’t get to see them get to know each other a little better. I know that this story is more about overcoming abuse than anything else but I would have liked if the romance blossomed most slower than it did. This was still a very good book and again I thank Kami Garcia for sharing her story and I hope more stories like this are shared because this is a real issue that needs to be talked about more.
I really liked this book. While I didn’t enjoy it as much as The Lovely Reckless it was still good. I will say that even though this book does deal with dating violence and I liked that it shed a light on the topic,I did feel that it may not have been the greatest representation of the subject. I understand that Kami Garcia took her experience of abuse to write this story and I thank her for that but because it was based on her experience alone it felt like maybe someone who has experienced abuse in a relationship could not fully relate to the story. While I have never experienced anything like that myself I do know others who have and it’s always very different experiences and unfortunately most of the time it takes more than one incident for the survivor of the abuse to finally leave. Again I do understand that this is based on Garcia’s personal experience and she drawing from that but I would have liked it if it was written so others who have been through something similar can maybe see themselves in Peyton. García does have a beautiful message at the end of the book, which is that even though something as horrible as being physically hurt by your partner it’s not what defines you, it will be a part of you but you can overcome it and it can make you an even stronger person. Also I did feel that the romance was kind of insta-lovely even though they never actually say it. It kind of felt like Peyton and Owen moved into a relationship really quickly. I felt like we didn’t get to see them get to know each other a little better. I know that this story is more about overcoming abuse than anything else but I would have liked if the romance blossomed most slower than it did. This was still a very good book and again I thank Kami Garcia for sharing her story and I hope more stories like this are shared because this is a real issue that needs to be talked about more.
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 talking: 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.
BROKEN BEAUTIFUL HEARTS … I’m not even positive if I can explain in words at this moment. I just finished reading the book and there is emotions going all through me right now. I knew it was going be emotional and intense novel when I read the description of the book. I did not realize how intense this book would be. It dealt with a heavy, hard subject. That is something that nobody should have to go through it. I can’t even imagine have to deal with something this scary, not without having a complete breakdown. It was hard book to read at times, I felt scared for Peyton, I was scared that if Reed found her, he would not take No for answer and possibly end up hurting her again. To me, it was one of most heartbreaking novels that I read this year. Despite the subject, I couldn’t seem to be able to put this book down. BROKEN BEAUTIFUL HEARTS always had something going on, every page, every chapter. There were times I spent hours reading it because I just couldn’t stop, even if I wanted to.
I loved Peyton, I felt horrible what she had to go through with Reed, which ended in her losing her best friend. Peyton was strong, she didn’t take him back like I know others would have. She knew that what Reed did was wrong. I do believe that she should at least put restraining order against him, but at the same time I understood why she didn’t. I was glad that she had her cousins, Cameron and Christian, Grace, Owen by her side. I am glad that Tess finally believed her, it horrible that having Reed hurt her is what took her to understand that he needs help. I knew that he did, from minute that he pushed her down the stairs and then convinced everyone that she fell down. I loved how Peyton wouldn’t give up on her knee, how hard she kept on training so she can play soccer again. I won’t lie, I was scared for Peyton when Reed showed up again and found out that he been spying on her all this time, it’s scary. I’m just glad that she at least told Grace ahead of time about Reed. I’m glad she was surrounded by people at the time, I was afraid of what he might done if she wasn’t. I think that the last few pages of book were the hardest to read.
Owen, of course I loved him from start. It’s not hard to see that there was attraction between Owen and Peyton from the start. Even if they had a slight conflict between two of them at beginning. I know that Peyton was attracted to him, but I also know reason she did not do anything sooner because of what happened with Reed. It’s not that she thought that Owen would hurt her, she was afraid. If something like that happened to me, it would be hard for me to get into relationship afterwards. It did not take long for me to see that she couldn’t fight those feelings anymore. I did have feeling that Owen was hiding something, based on way he acted sometimes but I never figured it be something so life threatening. I got attached to the characters and like Peyton, I was scared for Owen, especially when he wanted go fight Reed. I had feeling that it wouldn’t end well. I was glad and happy when Reed was arrested. I had feeling that things would be okay now. I was happy that two of them could finally be together.
I loved the twins, Cameron and Christian. For me, they made things a bit more fun between their jokes. I know that sometimes they got a bit overprotective over Peyton, but I know it’s because they were just trying look out for her. I know that’s why she was told about Owen’s condition because they didn’t want to see her get hurt. I love the bond that they created with Peyton. I think that she needed people like that and she needed someone who believe her. Despite how hard this book was to read at times, it was beautifully written and with so much emotion. KAMI GARCIA created another astonished story.
BROKEN BEAUTIFUL HEARTS is a story that every teen should read. It’s heavy subject but something that could happen to anyone. A story that will remain with you long after you reach the end.
It’s Extraordinary.
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 talking: 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.
BROKEN BEAUTIFUL HEARTS … I’m not even positive if I can explain in words at this moment. I just finished reading the book and there is emotions going all through me right now. I knew it was going be emotional and intense novel when I read the description of the book. I did not realize how intense this book would be. It dealt with a heavy, hard subject. That is something that nobody should have to go through it. I can’t even imagine have to deal with something this scary, not without having a complete breakdown. It was hard book to read at times, I felt scared for Peyton, I was scared that if Reed found her, he would not take No for answer and possibly end up hurting her again. To me, it was one of most heartbreaking novels that I read this year. Despite the subject, I couldn’t seem to be able to put this book down. BROKEN BEAUTIFUL HEARTS always had something going on, every page, every chapter. There were times I spent hours reading it because I just couldn’t stop, even if I wanted to.
I loved Peyton, I felt horrible what she had to go through with Reed, which ended in her losing her best friend. Peyton was strong, she didn’t take him back like I know others would have. She knew that what Reed did was wrong. I do believe that she should at least put restraining order against him, but at the same time I understood why she didn’t. I was glad that she had her cousins, Cameron and Christian, Grace, Owen by her side. I am glad that Tess finally believed her, it horrible that having Reed hurt her is what took her to understand that he needs help. I knew that he did, from minute that he pushed her down the stairs and then convinced everyone that she fell down. I loved how Peyton wouldn’t give up on her knee, how hard she kept on training so she can play soccer again. I won’t lie, I was scared for Peyton when Reed showed up again and found out that he been spying on her all this time, it’s scary. I’m just glad that she at least told Grace ahead of time about Reed. I’m glad she was surrounded by people at the time, I was afraid of what he might done if she wasn’t. I think that the last few pages of book were the hardest to read.
Owen, of course I loved him from start. It’s not hard to see that there was attraction between Owen and Peyton from the start. Even if they had a slight conflict between two of them at beginning. I know that Peyton was attracted to him, but I also know reason she did not do anything sooner because of what happened with Reed. It’s not that she thought that Owen would hurt her, she was afraid. If something like that happened to me, it would be hard for me to get into relationship afterwards. It did not take long for me to see that she couldn’t fight those feelings anymore. I did have feeling that Owen was hiding something, based on way he acted sometimes but I never figured it be something so life threatening. I got attached to the characters and like Peyton, I was scared for Owen, especially when he wanted go fight Reed. I had feeling that it wouldn’t end well. I was glad and happy when Reed was arrested. I had feeling that things would be okay now. I was happy that two of them could finally be together.
I loved the twins, Cameron and Christian. For me, they made things a bit more fun between their jokes. I know that sometimes they got a bit overprotective over Peyton, but I know it’s because they were just trying look out for her. I know that’s why she was told about Owen’s condition because they didn’t want to see her get hurt. I love the bond that they created with Peyton. I think that she needed people like that and she needed someone who believe her. Despite how hard this book was to read at times, it was beautifully written and with so much emotion. KAMI GARCIA created another astonished story.
BROKEN BEAUTIFUL HEARTS is a story that every teen should read. It’s heavy subject but something that could happen to anyone. A story that will remain with you long after you reach the end.
It’s Extraordinary.
While I wasn’t a big fan of the Beautiful Creatures series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, I adored The Lovely Reckless by Garcia. Thankfully, Broken Beautiful Hearts ended closer to The Lovely Reckless side of the spectrum for me.
/trigger warning: domestic abuse/
To see my review on my blog, click here!
Overall: 4.5/5 Stars
Characters: 5/5
Setting: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
Plot and Themes: 5/5
Awesomeness Factor: 5/5
If you don’t feel like reading this long review, here is my review in a nutshell:
Broken Beautiful Hearts is a fun, suspenseful read with plenty of mystery and romance to make the pages fly by.
“I’m not looking for a happily ever after. I want a happily even after. The kind of happiness you have to earn.”
This book follows Peyton, a high school senior with dreams of being a professional soccer player. It seems her dreams may come true when she is accepted to the University of North Carolina and given the opportunity to play on their team after high school, but her hopes are crushed after a rough fall down the stairs that severely damages her knee. This fall, however, wasn’t an accident. No one but her mother believes her when she says her boyfriend pushed her, so for her safety she has to live with her uncle while she heals. In this new town, she meets Owen, who is hiding some secrets of his own.
The majority of Broken Beautiful Hearts takes place in Tennessee, in a small, football-obsessed town. While the setting isn’t the main focus, it is well-described and very easy to imagine. It serves as a great location for the mysterious plot. Because the suspense and secrets in this book are the shining aspects, which kept me from putting the book down. Like Peyton, I found myself looking over my shoulder, wondering what her ex-boyfriend Reed was up to and how safe she truly was. Tha pacing was very fast, there was always something happening or about to happen, which made the chapters soar past.
The main characters in this book are all well-developed and fun to read about. Peyton herself wasn’t the shy and insecure protagonist that we’re all used to seeing in YA fiction. She’s bold, assertive, and will fight for herself. Although Reed’s attack on her definitely had an effect, she remains a strong character while still fighting through her demons. Owen is another strong character who is fighting his own battles (which we don’t learn fully about until over halfway through the book). He maintains a mysterious aura while also being a decent human being and someone Peyton deserves (because after her last boyfriend, I think every other character agrees she deserves someone kind and good). The side characters, like the Twins and Grace, were fun and entertaining. They may not have been the most original or creative characters, but they weren’t truly stereotypes or cliches. Reed was probably the most interesting character to read about. He was an amazing antagonist. For me, there is nothing better than a well-developed, interesting villain, and Reed definitely falls into those categories. From the start, you could see how he was spiraling downward, and Kami Garcia is not shy about showing what drugs can do to someone, and how it can change them.
One of the aspects I loved about Broken Beautiful Hearts was its message about domestic violence and abuse. From the premise, you can tell it will be a large part of this story, but I really loved how Garcia handled it. Peyton was not weak because of what her boyfriend did to her, and she was definitely not weak by putting her safety first and getting away from him. Although there is one part in the beginning that could raise flags (Peyton refusing to press charges or later get a restraining order when it seemed necessary), her choices are understandable because of how scared she is and how much she did care for him and his family. It was amazing when I then read the authors note at the end sharing Kami’s story and her advice. She is so strong in doing so, trying to help others who are in similar positions.
Pros- This book is gripping, fast-paced, with characters you will love and love to hate.
Cons- There were a few continuity/writing errors that are almost not noticeable unless you’re like me and you pay attention to every little detail. While none of these things are horrible and unforgivable, they did take me out of the book for a second. Honestly, they could have been fixed if the editor just looked it over one last time (simple things like mentioning the note on her locker a chapter before it happened, and having the main character refer to a character by his name when just a second ago she had no clue who he was and was referring to him by what he was wearing). I just wanted to be clear that these errors are there and I saw them, but if you want to read this book, they won’t stop you from enjoying it at all. They’re the only reason I took off half of a star.
Overall- 4.5/5 stars.
Broken Beautiful Hearts is a fast-paced, suspenseful story filled with secrets, romance, and realistic drama. A perfect read for anyone looking to get lost in a book.
/trigger warning: domestic abuse/
To see my review on my blog, click here!
Overall: 4.5/5 Stars
Characters: 5/5
Setting: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
Plot and Themes: 5/5
Awesomeness Factor: 5/5
If you don’t feel like reading this long review, here is my review in a nutshell:
Broken Beautiful Hearts is a fun, suspenseful read with plenty of mystery and romance to make the pages fly by.
“I’m not looking for a happily ever after. I want a happily even after. The kind of happiness you have to earn.”
This book follows Peyton, a high school senior with dreams of being a professional soccer player. It seems her dreams may come true when she is accepted to the University of North Carolina and given the opportunity to play on their team after high school, but her hopes are crushed after a rough fall down the stairs that severely damages her knee. This fall, however, wasn’t an accident. No one but her mother believes her when she says her boyfriend pushed her, so for her safety she has to live with her uncle while she heals. In this new town, she meets Owen, who is hiding some secrets of his own.
The majority of Broken Beautiful Hearts takes place in Tennessee, in a small, football-obsessed town. While the setting isn’t the main focus, it is well-described and very easy to imagine. It serves as a great location for the mysterious plot. Because the suspense and secrets in this book are the shining aspects, which kept me from putting the book down. Like Peyton, I found myself looking over my shoulder, wondering what her ex-boyfriend Reed was up to and how safe she truly was. Tha pacing was very fast, there was always something happening or about to happen, which made the chapters soar past.
The main characters in this book are all well-developed and fun to read about. Peyton herself wasn’t the shy and insecure protagonist that we’re all used to seeing in YA fiction. She’s bold, assertive, and will fight for herself. Although Reed’s attack on her definitely had an effect, she remains a strong character while still fighting through her demons. Owen is another strong character who is fighting his own battles (which we don’t learn fully about until over halfway through the book). He maintains a mysterious aura while also being a decent human being and someone Peyton deserves (because after her last boyfriend, I think every other character agrees she deserves someone kind and good). The side characters, like the Twins and Grace, were fun and entertaining. They may not have been the most original or creative characters, but they weren’t truly stereotypes or cliches. Reed was probably the most interesting character to read about. He was an amazing antagonist. For me, there is nothing better than a well-developed, interesting villain, and Reed definitely falls into those categories. From the start, you could see how he was spiraling downward, and Kami Garcia is not shy about showing what drugs can do to someone, and how it can change them.
One of the aspects I loved about Broken Beautiful Hearts was its message about domestic violence and abuse. From the premise, you can tell it will be a large part of this story, but I really loved how Garcia handled it. Peyton was not weak because of what her boyfriend did to her, and she was definitely not weak by putting her safety first and getting away from him. Although there is one part in the beginning that could raise flags (Peyton refusing to press charges or later get a restraining order when it seemed necessary), her choices are understandable because of how scared she is and how much she did care for him and his family. It was amazing when I then read the authors note at the end sharing Kami’s story and her advice. She is so strong in doing so, trying to help others who are in similar positions.
Pros- This book is gripping, fast-paced, with characters you will love and love to hate.
Cons- There were a few continuity/writing errors that are almost not noticeable unless you’re like me and you pay attention to every little detail. While none of these things are horrible and unforgivable, they did take me out of the book for a second. Honestly, they could have been fixed if the editor just looked it over one last time (simple things like mentioning the note on her locker a chapter before it happened, and having the main character refer to a character by his name when just a second ago she had no clue who he was and was referring to him by what he was wearing). I just wanted to be clear that these errors are there and I saw them, but if you want to read this book, they won’t stop you from enjoying it at all. They’re the only reason I took off half of a star.
Overall- 4.5/5 stars.
Broken Beautiful Hearts is a fast-paced, suspenseful story filled with secrets, romance, and realistic drama. A perfect read for anyone looking to get lost in a book.