“The bell hanging outside the curiosity shop knew the human was trouble from the way he moved through the door.”

And with that intriguing quote so begins one of my most highly anticipated books of 2021.
I’d read many reviews raving about this book and had heard countless praise for Stephanie Garber, so I was filled with both excitement and trepidation when I finally read it as part of a buddy read in February. Would it live up to the hype? What I discovered between the pages was not what I expected, it was even better. Alluring, intoxicating and beguiling, it cast its spell on me from the first page and didn’t let go. I got lost in this fairytale world and never wanted to find my way out.

"Always promise less than you can give, for Fates always take more.
Do not make bargains with more than one Fate.
And, above all, never fall in love with a Fate."

Set in the fictional world of Valenda, it tells the story of Evangeline Fox, a young girl desperate to win back the man she loves. So she seeks out Jacks, also known as the Prince of Hearts, and strikes a deal. All he asks for is three kisses that are to be given at a time and place of his choosing. It seems so simple. But Evangeline soon learns that a deal made with an immortal can be dangerous and there is always a higher price to pay…

"She sensed that she was living in an illusion and if she looked closely, she'd see that everything she'd thought was stardust was really just the burning embers of a wicked spell."

Stephanie Garber has a new fan. I was mesmerised by this magical tale and now understand the hype. Beautifully and evocatively written, Ms. Garber brings to life the world she created so vividly that I felt like I was right beside Evangeline in this world of enchantment, illusion and bewitchment where fairytales come true. But I don’t want to say more about the plot because this is one of those times I think it's best to go in as blind as possible and enjoy the thrill of experiencing the story unfold for yourself.

“She also knew that sometimes there was a murky space in between good and evil.”

Evangeline and Jacks are great protagonists. I enjoyed their contrasting characters and how they represented good versus evil: Evangeline the innocent, sweet and naive girl who believes in love and happily-ever-after is the good, while Jacks is the seductive, enthralling, calculating and manipulative villain represents the bad. But over time we begin to see other sides to their personalities, particularly Evangeline, who must become more wiley in order to survive her time in Valenda. But it was Jacks who stole the show for me; his irresistible charm captivating me like those he traps with his bargains. Plus, there is just something about a complex, layered and morally grey character like him that I love.

"All stories are both truth and lies. What matters is the way we believe in them."

Once Upon a Broken Heart is a delightful and whimsical tale that glistens with magic. And that ending! It crept up on me out of nowhere and left me desperate to know what happened next. I need book two now!

5 Stars, rounded up from 4.5

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

DNF @ 82%

Once Upon a Broken Heart started off really well and caught my attention with a broken hearted girl seeking out the prince of hearts, Jacks, to break a curse on her beloved. After that, the story honestly went downhill rather quickly. It lacked elements of magic, uniqueness and thrill. In comparison to the beautiful, magical world of Caraval, the world spun in OUABH lacked severely. Clearly whimsical and a fun world for young teens instead of for a 22 year old YA fantasy reader.

The problems I had with the writing of this book was simply put: it was not written well. Characters were moving from one situation to another in the blink of an eye. The same characters, i.e. Evangeline Fox, accepting a marriage proposal from a prince she only had a few seconds of a conversation with. It's one of those stories where everything is questioned and 'told' instead of being 'shown.' There was no true storyline to it, for anyone who is looking for one.

After about 80%, I realised I did not care for the characters and what happened to them, hence why I decided to dnf it.

I didn't know what i was expecting but definetely not this masterpiece! The characters arc, the plot, everything was perfect

This was so much fun! The fairytale-esque feel to it and the easy writing style made it such a quick read and just what I needed after starting to feel a bit slumpy this month. It didn't take itself too seriously and it was intriguing enough for me to want to keep picking it up. The characters are definitely the most endearing part of the story and I found that I liked them all. I'll definitely be reading the next book to find out what happens next!

4 stars
I got an ARC through Netgalley, but I only got to read this book after I got my own physical copy in a Fairyloot box.

My edition is absolutely stunning, and that is the only reason that I decided to pick it up. I didn't even know what the book was about, so I was reading this book with an open mind.
I have never read a book by Stephanie Garber, I actually dnf'ed Caraval. But I started this book hoping to fall inlove with it and it's characters.

And I really like this book, I didn't want to put it down at all, the book was really pulling me in, which was nice considering my reading slump.

The chapters are short, and fast paced. I enjoyed that since I sometimes have a hard time getting into reading, due to quickly falling into reading slumps.

Like Evangeline I also believe in fairytales, love at first sight and I'm absolutely a hopeless romantic. So I did like her as a main character, but Evangeline is a little too annoying and naive, which got on my nerves a few times.

Jacks definitely made my heart pound. Especially when he took her hand and brushed his lips against her wrist.  I really liked him!

The side characters where quite forgettable, but I still did enjoy them.
And I really enjoyed the book and the story. I squealed quite a few times reading this book.
I'm SO looking forward to the sequel, I'll definitely be one of the first people to grab it when it comes out!

I love Stephanie Garber's writing, the beauty of the fairytale language really grabs your attention instantly. I loved the cover too!!

One thing I've seen a lot where this book is concerned is that 'you don't need to read the Caraval trilogy before reading this', and while that is true people seem to be missing out the fact that this book has massive spoilers for the trilogy, so if you don't want spoilers for the Caraval trilogy then do not read this book (or any reviews for OUABH) first.

For me the ending of Finale was disappointing and after reading Once Upon A Broken Heart I can now appreciate why Stephanie Garber pushed Jacks' story in the direction she did in Finale. This book was exactly what I needed after the Caraval trilogy, and I think on a reread of the trilogy I can definitely appreciate it more (one thing to note is that I was also on Team Jacks and never Team Dante).

I loved Evangeline and she came across very much how Scarlett did in the first Caraval book, but it makes perfect sense what with her being thrust into this new whirlwind adventure after meeting Jacks and learning the hard way not to make deals with the fates. It was a really nice touch with getting to see where Scarlett and Tella are now, and it's something I love in books that are a sequel/companion to another series, especially with them meeting Evangeline, it felt like they were passing the torch to the new main character.

The magic of the world just continued to grab my attention and I loved that it was such a big part of the plot, whereas the previous trilogy where the magic was almost completely for the game of Caraval and the fates being freed. As always with Stephanie Garber's books there was betrayal and oh it was oh so sweet, I'm a sucker for a book with betrayal and backstabbing and these books always deliver it in the best way that keeps me needing more always.

Once Upon a Broken Heart reads like an enchanting fairytale. I loved learning about all those magical characters and the Magnificent North.
I think the most surprising part to me was the fact that Garber managed to include vampires without it ever feeling out of place in this universe. I was absolutely fascinated by the Fates and Jacks was by far my favorite character, no surprise there.
Although there was a moment when I felt the story was dragging a little bit, the closer I got to the ending, the more I wanted to know how it would end. And it did not disappoint. There are so many things I want to see and learn in the next book, the dragons, the ending to the Archer’s tale, the Valory ; Garber left a number of intriguing doors ajar and I can’t wait to see what’s behind them.

I love Jacks as a character- so complex and disturbing. I never quite know how to feel about him - his thoughts and true feelings are always so close to his chest so as to give off wrong perceptions. I really enjoyed being back in the world of Fates, magic and mystery and Evangeline reminded me a little of Donatella - brave and a little foolhardy but with her heart in the right place. This is another cracker from Stephanie Garber.

I flew through this in one sitting. It was a 4.5 star for me because there was just something missing and I struggle to figure out exactly what.

I really loved having Jacks but honestly, it’s been years since I read the Caraval series and remembered NOTHING. Which wasn’t helpful at all for the snippets dropped in occasionally.

Overall, I love everyone and everything. The end felt like it wrapped up a tad too quickly but I’m looking forward to the next book

I have and enjoyed caraval, so I was very excited to read this one!

Full review to be posted soonish. I'll update review with links to socials.
I would like to thank the publisher and netgalley for providing me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was a little hesitant about this book because I did not love Jacks in Caraval, but I did love him in this book. It was great to be back in the Caraval world again. I love the fairytale elements, and the magic in it. I like how this one has a bit of a mystery too. Perfect mix of murder, romance, and adventure. I am usually not a fan of female main characters and although Evangeline annoyed me, it was not at a level that interfered with the book. I liked this book more than I thought and I cannot wait to read the next one.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Evangeline Fox has always been aware of magic and curiosities, and hoped that she had found love in the wake of her father's death. But when her secret fiance becomes engaged to her step sister, she begs Jacks, the Prince of Hearts to do anything to stop that wedding, in return for three kisses. Soon though, it's clear that she's underestimated Jacks, and her mother's northern heritage and tales may be more realistic that she thought.

I'm going to admit, this was a little of an impulse request on NetGalley, and I hadn't realised that you needed to have read the whole Caraval series at first. So when I learnt that, I had to get copies of those books, and wait a little longer. I'll start by saying that if you loved Caraval, and especially Jacks, this will be a book for you. Once Upon a Broken Heart had a solid plot, and I was definitely more invested in this than I had been in Garber's previous series, but it wasn't really until the half way mark that I was that hooked into the plot. I mean, I liked Evangeline, and Jacks has definitely made some improvement from his previous appearances, but that start of the book was too wishy washy. Once we learnt more about Jacks' goals, and what Evangeline could do, the story definitely took a turn for me. I really loved the ending, and will definitely want to read The Ballad of Never After.

I’m late with this review. My apologies to the publisher, the latter end of 2021 was a bad year as my baby was suffering from a prolonged illness which backed up my reviews somewhat. Not that little old me has any influence in the grand scheme of things but I am genuinely grateful to get ARCs and feel bad if I don’t review them on time. Anyhoo, I digress.

Once Upon a Broken Heart is a follow up to the wildly popular Caraval series. I enjoyed Caraval, I didn’t LOVE it but it was entertaining enough. I did like Jacks though so a story centred on his character sounded like it would be a lot of fun. Did this book live up to what I hope it would? For the most part, yes.

I liked the main character Evangeline more than Scarlett or Tella so that helped from the outset. She is naïve yes but without the spoilt brat vibe of the Dragna sisters. The story itself didn’t feel like it was doing anything wildly new or imaginative within the realms of YA Fantasy, but it was just a lot of fun to read and the pacing was fast enough to keep my attention. Garber is an effective storyteller and I’m excited to read the next instalment.

I had conflicted feelings about starting this book. While I loved Caraval I wasn't the biggest fan of Legendary or Finale and had no idea what to expect from this spin-off. Low and behold, this book blew my expectations out of the water! I absolutely loved it! Probably more than Caraval itself!

I have always loved Stephanie Garber's world building, and she painted such an amazing picture as we got to explore a different part of this world! I loved all the little easter eggs tying OUABH to the Caraval trilogy. Some even made me squeal out loud! I really enjoyed of magical this story was and especially loved learning more of the lore and prophecy!

While I did enjoy Evangeline's character I did find her to be quite naive and I saw a lot of similarities between her and scarlett. I absolutely loved the tension between Evangeline and Jacks. I never jumped on the Jack's bandwagon reading the original trilogy, but Garber painted him in a whole new light in OUABH which left me wanting more!

The end of the book left me with so many questions, why do authors have to do this too us! I can't wait to get my hands on the next novel!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for providing me with this eARC.

This book is amazing stephanie garber has done it again I loved her first series and I think this one is as good there is a lot of old characters from her first series but also some new ones this book grips you from beginning to end a must read on the edge of your seat read unputdownable

I loved Jacks from the moment I met him in the Caraval series (maybe not as much as my beloved Julian, but then he takes some beating in my eyes), so I was thrilled when I heard the news that Stephanie Garber was writing a new trilogy featuring the bewitching Prince of Hearts. Even so, I was a little nervous going into this book because I loved the Caraval books so much and I was scared this wouldn’t live up to my expectations. Thankfully though I had nothing to worry about because I quickly fell back under the spell of Stephanie Garber’s wonderful writing.

While I may have initially have had doubts about whether anything could live up to the wonder that was Caraval, I quickly realised that Nocte Neverending was more than a match for Legend’s festivities. Jacks is the ultimate bad boy, the terrible decision that you just can’t resist making. Knowing Jacks as I do, I was nervous for poor, broken hearted Evangeline from the second she set foot in the temple but my inner romantic was also hopeful that she would be the one to change him.

I already have the next instalment of Jacks and Evangeline’s adventures pre-ordered and I am absolutely itching to get my hands on it!

I requested this book thinking it can be read as a standalone. But I was wrong. A lot of bloggers have advised to not read Once Upon A Broken Heart before finishing the Caraval series. Going to follow that.
Pretty sure I will love reading the book because the blurb sounds amazing.

Stephanie Garber has done it once again. The way she crafts worlds and words together just blows my mind.
Jack's has always been a favourite character so I was loving every moment with him!
I need book two nowwwwww

This story is aptly titled. I felt my heart break at so many moments throughout this book. I was a huge fan of Caraval but Finale fell a little flat for me. However, this was a great read! I felt that it was a little slow to begin with but the pacing really picks up, the characters are strong and well crafted and everyone's favourite fate is just perfect throughout. I am eager for book 2 and look forward to the rest of the story that Stephanie is telling.