Quick Review: The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler

The Book of Broken Hearts

by Sarah Ockler

May 21, 2013

352 pages

Goodreads Summary:

When all signs point to heartbreak, can love still be a rule of the road? A poignant and romantic novel from the author of Bittersweet and Twenty Boy Summer.

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.

Review

The Book of Broken Hearts has been sitting on my bookshelf for ages. Looking for something light and cute I decided to pick it up. I enjoyed it though I wished for more cuteness.

What I Liked:

- the sister bond!

- I sympathized with Jude, she was very relatable

- Papi's meltdowns were so realistic

- the genuine emotions (worry and fear) from the Hernandez family

- Pancake the dog's given monologues were very funny and cute

- Emilio was definitely swoonworthy

The Not So Much:

- the pacing dragged

- the writing style- parts felt immature and forced hip

- the attraction between the main characters wasn't there

- Emilio's "story" was introduced quite late in the book

"Pictures couldn't tell the whole story anyway. ...they were always a carefully edited glimpse, a story out of context. Through pictures, we cut reality into pieces. We selected only the choicest moments, discarding the rest as if they'd never happened." (p. 246-247).