Author: Sarah Ockler
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Purchase: Amazon | B&N | TBD
Jude has learned a lot from her older sisters, but the most important thing is this: The Vargas brothers are notorious heartbreakers. She’s seen the tears and disasters that dating a Vargas boy can cause, and she swore an oath—with candles and a contract and everything—to never have anything to do with one.
Now Jude is the only sister still living at home, and she’s spending the summer helping her ailing father restore his vintage motorcycle—which means hiring a mechanic to help out. Is it Jude’s fault he happens to be cute? And surprisingly sweet? And a Vargas?
Jude tells herself it’s strictly bike business with Emilio. Her sisters will never find out, and Jude can spot those flirty little Vargas tricks a mile away—no way would she fall for them. But Jude’s defenses are crumbling, and if history is destined to repeat itself, she’s speeding toward some serious heartbreak…unless her sisters were wrong?
Jude may have taken an oath, but she’s beginning to think that when it comes to love, some promises might be worth breaking.
“No matter how long you waited, no matter how hard you wished, no matter how much you missed the past, time marched forward.”
The Book of Broken Hearts is my first Sarah Ockler book and it definitely didn’t disappoint. I dived into this book thinking that it would somehow focus on its romance aspect but it surprised me that there’s actually moreicing how long was I reading until I finished it.
The condition of Jude’s father was the most heartbreaking and honest part. It showed not just his father’s vulnerable part but also his family. Unfortunately, most weight was placed to Jude and her mother because they were the ones who were left at home and deal with it every day.
Sarah Ockler did a very good job in connecting parts of this story and made it an incredible whole. Honestly, I never would h to that. It was a story of family, forgiveness and finding ones happiness. It was one of those stories that will catch you off guard by pulling your heartstring, break your heart and mend it all over again.
Jude’s character was perfectly imperfect character. Her love and devotion for her family was faultless yet there was something in her that’s yearning to break free. Her dedication to her father was amazing and inspiring, and it was one of the things I love reading. Her family was also well-written and exactly what I expect from a family like theirs. It’s warm and closely knitted but just like others, they have their own differences. Both Jude and Emilio’s humorous lines were what made it fun to read. I breezed through it without notave thought that I’d enjoy reading about motorcycles but the author made it a big part of the story without crowding it.
If you’re looking for a good mix of teenage romance and family love that would not fail to touch your heart, The Book of Broken Hearts is something you’d definitely love to read.
This copy was provided by the author through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
