Book Review: Once Upon A Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber

Anyone who has been around my blog for awhile knows that I absolutely loved the Caraval trilogy by Stephanie Garber. The world building was fantastic, the characters memorable and the “game” always intriguing! When I heard Stephanie was writing a new book, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it! When Flatiron Books reached out, asking me to participate in their Blogger Tour for Once Upon A Broken Heart, I was more than happy to join in the fun! The Publisher sent me an advanced copy but the question is, did it live up the hype? Read on to find out (and don’t worry, I’ve kept this entire review spoiler-free)!

Once Upon A Broken Heart is Stephanie Garber’s upcoming release that also takes place in the Caraval universe. Reading the Caraval trilogy isn’t required but I HIGHLY recommend that you do because it’s a great series and you’ll appreciate the little “Easter eggs” Garber sprinkles throughout the book.

In Once Upon A Broken Heart we meet Evangeline Fox – a hopeless romantic, with rose gold hair, that dreams of her happily ever after. Evangeline spends her days working in her late Father’s curiosity shop and her nights with her Stepmother and Stepsister. When Evangeline learns that her Stepsister is to wed her the man she’s been seeing in secret, she’s willing to go to great lengths to stop this from happening. Evangeline turns to the fated Prince of Hearts, Jacks, and makes a deal to help stop this wedding. As we all know, making a deal with a Fate rarely ends well. Jacks is will to help Evangeline and it will only cost her 3 kisses. She greedily accepts this deal and that’s where the story really takes off.

After being presented with the opportunity of a lifetime, Evangeline is whisked away to the Great North, on a whirlwind adventure, with her Stepsister, Marisol! Before long, Jacks shows up looking to cash in on the bargain they made and soon Evangeline realizes that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is!

What I appreciated most about Once Upon A Broken Heart was the engrossing plot. I tore through this book in a few short days. When I wasn’t reading, I was wondering what on earth was going to happen or trying to figure out how this could possibly end. Garber’s writing is descriptive, imaginative and unique – you feel like you’re these locations with some of the characters. As I previously mentioned, there are some nice nods to the Caraval trilogy. This was also something I loved. It was great seeing some familiar characters who didn’t get as much face time in the prior series! Overall, this was a thoroughly enjoyable story and I can’t wait for the next book to be released (too bad it’s going to be at least another year before that happens).

Once Upon A Broken Heart will appeal to pretty much any reader because it has a little of everything – adventure, fairytale magic, love, unique locations and engaging characters! If you were a fan of the Caraval series, I can all but guarantee you’re going to love Once Upon A Broken Heart! If you’re new to Stephanie’s writing, this is a great place to start. Take it from me, if you’re looking escape reality for awhile, grab a copy of Once Upon A Broken Heart and spend a little time in the Great North or Maximillion’s Curiosity Shop!