Review - Once Upon a Broken Heart (Once Upon a Broken Heart, #1) by Stephanie Garber

 

 

 Title: Once Upon a Broken Heart (Once Upon a Broken Heart, #1)

Author: Stephanie Garber

Pages: 384

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Release Date: 28th September 2021

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

From the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of the Caraval series, the first book in a new series about love, curses, and the lengths that people will go to for happily ever after.

Evangeline Fox was raised in her beloved father's curiosity shop, where she grew up on legends about immortals, like the tragic Prince of Hearts. She knows his powers are mythic, his kiss is worth dying for, and that bargains with him rarely end well.

But when Evangeline learns that the love of her life is about to marry another, she becomes desperate enough to offer the Prince of Hearts whatever he wants in exchange for his help to stop the wedding. The prince only asks for three kisses. But after Evangeline's first promised kiss, she learns that the Prince of Hearts wants far more from her than she'd pledged. And he has plans for Evangeline that will either end in the greatest happily ever after, or the most exquisite tragedy . . .

 

 

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My Review:

  *I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley*

 

When Evangeline Fox learns that the love of her life is about to marry someone else, she is convinced that he's been cursed and tracks down the legendary Prince of Hearts.

As a Fate, the Prince of Hearts, Jacks, has magical abilities and a reputation of having deadly kisses.

Jacks agrees to stop the wedding in exchange for three kisses and Evangeline soon learns that Jacks has plans for her that could change the world.

 

Having only read Caraval previously by the author, I was intrigued by this new series, especially as the blurb intrigued me.

Evangeline was a likeable character, and I could understand why she was willing to make a deal with Jacks to stop Luc - her boyfriend's - wedding given that she had lost everyone else she loved. Yet, while I did like Evangeline, I don't feel that I fully connected with her or any of the other characters.

It wasn't until I read other reviews for this book that I realised it was set in the same world as the Caraval series and that some of the characters from those books were in this one.

The setting was interesting, and I liked the magic and parts of the North that were shown/described.

The plot was fairly interesting and held my attention, but I wasn't gripped and did guess a couple of things that happened.

I am slightly disappointed that I didn't enjoy this more, but it was easy enough to read.

 

Overall, this was an enjoyable read.