Once Upon A Broken Heart - Stephanie Garber

 

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’s pledged. And he has plans for Evangeline that will either end in the greatest happily ever after, or the most exquisite tragedy…

Blurb taken from Goodreads.

*

I was provided with an advance reader copy of Once Upon A Broken Heart in exchange for an honest review. 

I recently read Caraval and thought it was absolutely magical, so I was really hoping this book would feel just as enchanting. I haven't yet finished the original Caraval series, but I knew that one of the popular characters from the later plots featured heavily in Once Upon A Broken Heart. However, I'm glad I actually read this one first, because I absolutely loved getting to dive into the world while it was all brand new to me. 

As soon as I started reading, I was drawn into the world that Garber created, and I actually think I enjoyed this just as much, if not more, than Caraval. The story took a little while to get going, but when it did I found it engaging, fast-paced and so intriguing. But what really stood out to me was the characters. Although they weren't perfect, they were fun and full of personality, and I really enjoyed following their journeys. I can't wait to read the next installment!

Rating: ✫✫✫✫

The Story

If I'm completely honest, the story took a little while to get going, and it was very chaotic for a good portion of the book. However, when it got going, it was so fast-paced and full of engaging happenings that I was hooked. I finished the second half of the book in pretty much a single sitting. There's a lot going on, but it's definitely never boring!

I actually think I prefer the way this story headed than the original Caraval. As much as I enjoyed that book, I found myself so much more keen to continue this series, and I'm so annoyed that I'm going to have to wait before I find out what happens next!

The Characters

For me, I think the best part of this book was the characters. There aren't many of them that play huge roles in the story, but I found that I didn't mind. Due to the rapid plot progression, it felt natural that we didn't linger with many of the characters for very long.

And let's be honest, Evangeline and Jacks were fantastic characters to follow. Evangeline is clearly a flawed character, and watching her grow in the book is part of its charm. I loved seeing her fire and her confidence grow, and I will definitely be happy to follow her as a heroine for the rest of the series. And Jacks is just Jacks. He definitely added to the story...

The Verdict

I wasn't sure if I would enjoy this story as much as Caraval, but I definitely did - I think I even enjoyed it more. It was fun, fast-paced and full of some seriously great characters. I can't wait to read the rest of the series!