A cute summery read releasing on May 16 2023!

This book revolves around main character Margo (Go) and her best friend Jo. Together they are the voices of the Seven Rules for Breaking Hearts Podcast. The podcast concept is a little strange. They developed rules to help themselves NOT get attached to guys (the only way to keep your heart safe). Only here’s the twist…. Jo is getting married. What???? For someone that preaches staying blissfully unattached, that’s a recipe for a lot of angry podcast listeners. So Margo is attempting to navigate rough waters as she supports her bestie’s decision to get married but tries to stay true to the podcast. As they rapidly lose listeners, Margo wonders if maybe she needs to do change things up. And thus a plan is born! Margo is going to ignore the rules for two weeks and who better to test this new freedom on than the best man. Unfortunately, she isn’t exactly upfront about that tiny detail. As always, things get terribly complicated and feelings are bound to get hurt.

It’s a debut novel by author Kristyn Miller. For her first novel she did a wonderful job. This was a solid 3.5 stars for me (rounded up to 4). Not groundbreaking, but a really cute read nonetheless. The characters were very funny. They had some great one liners that had me giggling. The banter was good, and the relationships between all the characters made for interesting conversations. That being said, I didn’t really connect with any of the characters. Jo seemed very selfish, and Margo was just as bad. Both just seemed very stuck in the center of their own universes and were hard to like in the beginning. Margo started to grow on my as the book progressed. Peter, Jo’s fiancé, was the most likable. He’s the golden retriever of the group. Declan, the love interest, was okay. He was kind of lackluster for me as a main male character. He was charming but there was something about him that kept me from liking him fully. I think getting the book only from Margos perspective made it hard to really understand Declan’s motivations.

As for the plot itself. The pacing was incredibly slow. There was a moment when I debating DNFing because I felt like the story was progressing quick enough, but I’m glad I stuck through to the end. Its always worth it when things end happy.

A plot device that I thought was interesting was the use of social media, emails, and podcast transcripts throughout the book. It added context and helped the reader understand the behind the scenes of Margo’s job. This is definitely a perfect summer read. The setting is the ultimate vacation spot and had whimsical vibes. Along with the underlying wedding storyline, it made for lots of adventurous shenanigans. The book was very wholesome and cute. So much so that I think it would be suitable for a young adult to read. There are a few very tame open door spice scenes, but nothing completely scandalous. More like, the door is ajar. You know what’s happening but it’s not being described in great detail. (But also this is coming from someone who reads straight up smut. So perhaps my viewpoint is a little skewed…)

The conflict was a little frustrating. Margo kind of gets dealt a crappy hand, and everyone treats her like she’s evil. I was really disappointed in how Jo handled the conflict. Even though Margo wasn’t my favorite human, I think the way everyone went down was incredibly unfair. I felt like we missed out on what could have been a heartfelt conversation between the best friends as they dealt with the conflicts fallout.

On the opposite spectrum, I liked that it took Margo and Declan some time to work things out, but they still get their happy ending. So often the resolution gets rushed, but it was refreshing to see two characters take a step back. By the time they crossed paths again they had really done some soul searching and knew exactly what they wanted.

All in all, this was a cute read. If you need something light and fluffy this one is great. It’s not too serious and it’s a very easy read.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the early copy. I’m very excited to see what comes next for this author.

For a debut, I thought this was well-written and a clever idea. Margo, our heroine, is a quintessential grump who is afraid of commitment. Her love interest, Declan, is the fun jokester who she has some bad high school history with. When her podcast cohost and best friend Jo gets engaged to Declan’s best friend, the two are thrown together as the maid of honor and best man. Set on scenic Catalina Island, the two are given the opportunity to get to know each other while helping their best friends prepare for their wedding. Unfortunately a misunderstanding relating to Margo’s podcast brews just as Margo opens her heart, and we are left waiting with baited breath for the two to reconcile.

Honestly, I thought Margo was a bit annoying and I was glad to see her forced to reckon with her issues and come out on the other side. Declan was almost TOO nice by comparison. I thought both characters developed throughout the novel though, which kept me reading.

I’m looking forward to her next one!

Thanks to Kristyn Miller, St Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the ARC.

I absolutely adored this debut romcom by Kristyn Miller! She has a very confident and witty writing style that you don’t typically see in a debut. The inclusion of the podcast transcripts as a framing device was clever and fun.

One of my favorite things about this book was how vividly (and accurately!) the author described all of the SoCal locations. This really felt like a love letter to Catalina Island, and it also made for a unique setting.

The love story was sweet, and I really liked Declan, although I had trouble following his logic throughout the book. I guess if I had one complaint, it would be that Declan made some assumptions and had expectations that he didn’t communicate, and then blamed Margot for not meeting those expectations. But that’s how romcoms work!

Five stars for me, looking forward to more from this author!

Mein Leseerlebnis

Der Liebesroman ließ sich an sich gut lesen und der Einstieg mit der Podcast-Ankündigung wirkte auf mich sehr frisch und einnehmend. Danach hatte ich richtig Lust darauf weiterzulesen. Doch schnell stolperte ich über ein paar Aspekte in der Geschichte, die ich komisch fand oder nicht unterhaltsam.

So fand ich es z.B. sehr komisch, dass Margo Jos Verlobten erst kurz vor der Hochzeit trifft/wiedersieht, obwohl die beiden Frauen beste Freundinnen sind, zusammen wohnen und arbeiten. Das machte für mich keinen Sinn.

Zudem fand ich alles rund um das Influencersein in Bezug auf Jo und Margo nervig. Von so etwas bin ich oft kein Fan in Liebesromanen und mir war vor dem Lesen nicht klar, dass dies ein wichtiger Betsandteil der Geschichte sein würde. Dass Jo sich die komplette Hochzeit sponsern lässt, fand ich z.B. geschmacklos.

Die Hauptcharaktere und Liebesgeschichte waren an sich ok, konnten mich aber nicht vollends überzeugen und faszinieren.

Nehme ich das alles zusammen, so war die Liebesgeschichte leider für mich nicht so gut wie erhofft. Hier und da gab es zwar unterhaltsame Passagen, insgesamt war mir das aber nicht genug.

🖤🖤3/4

Für wen?

Wer Liebesromane mag, in denen aus “enemies” (übertriebene Beschreibung) ein Paar wird und in denen die weibliche Hauptfigur einen bekannten Podcast betreibt und als Influencerin agiert, sollte sich den Roman mal näher anschauen.

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read this eARC.

It's going to be a no from me. The characters, dialogue, plot was just okay if a little boring. There were some funny moments but overall it was pretty forgettable. I stopped trying to force myself to read it and DNF'd at 60%.

This book wasn’t my favorite, but it did have some funny and romantic moments. The conflict could be seen from a mile away, but it was executed well timing wise. I think the book wrapped up really well and didn’t feel rushed.

When it comes to the characters, i wasn’t Margo’s biggest fan. She said she was Jo’s best friend, but for almost the whole book was unsupportive and self focused. When it comes to the romance, the author really didn’t paint her in a good light. I think I would’ve been more sympathetic and understanding if the author developed Margo’s backstory more. While we found out she’s adverse to love because of her parent’s divorce, it didn’t feel as impactful to me as a reader to the extent where she made money and revolved her life around single nights with strangers. Add in having her target an incredibly sweet man for the sake of more podcast content, and I’ll admit that I really didn’t like her for some of this book.

As for the podcast, I’m sorry but the concept is just sad. It’s original alright, but who would seriously want a lifestyle keeping you from meaningful relationships long term?

This was a cute rom com with a swoony hero and a really fun setting on Catalina Island! I really enjoyed this book although I did have a hard time with Margo's likability for the first half of the book. However, once she started owning her vulnerabilities, I really fell in love with her character and was rooting for her hard! The development of her relationship with Declan was really lovely to watch unfold - I adored watching her break her own rules :). I also really loved this author's writing style and I look forward to her future books!

Seven Rules for Breaking Hearts by Kristyn J. Miller
I was lucky enough to get this book as an ARC from NetGalley. I predominantly read thrillers but I’m trying to branch out this year and in the past I’ve enjoyed some rom-com style books. This one was adorable!! The characters drew me in right away and their antics were hilarious. The chemistry between the MCs was so well written and even though romances follow a “formula” sometimes this one was fresh and different. I highly recommend checking this one out when it hits the shelves on May 16, 2023!

thankyou to NetGalley for the arc 

Seven rules for breaking hearts is Jo and Margo’s podcast starring their guidance for hooking up without getting hurt by following 7 basic rules until Margo herself broke all her own rules.
While on holiday for her best friend Jo’s wedding, Margo decides if they want to keep the “single not seeking” podcast alive they’re going to need some new material. Creating their new season surrounding what happens when you don’t follow the rules, and who better to test that theory with than the groom’s best friend and Margo’s old high school nemesis Declan Walsh.

First impressions: Declan was such a sweetheart and hearing his reasoning for being a ‘torment’ to margo in high school was adorable.
The sequence of Events: I was kinda confused why they were out cake tasting less than 2 weeks before Jo’s wedding. considering normally all those decisions are made months in advance. The time management seemed a little off.
Overall Thoughts: this was a SUPER CUTE “holiday-type” romance about the boy who’s been in love with the girl since they were kids *swoon*. I always love books where the mc is a podcaster they’re always super fun and I think this one has just become my favourite podcaster romance. If you want a fun summer romance look no further than seven rules for breaking hearts.

This was so cute! I loved this. I couldn't put it down.
I just reviewed Seven Rules for Breaking Hearts by Kristyn J. Miller. #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

Perfectly fine rom-com with a few open door scenes. The idea of basing it around a podcast was a fresh twist.

Well this was such a refreshing and cute romance novel! I loved the out-of-the-norm details of these characters- a podcaster who was a Tuba player and a guy who works at Nasa- you’ve never read that one before!

Margo and Declan were high school enemies, or at least that what Margo thought. Meeting again at their best friends’ wedding, Margo and Declan get the chance to reconnect. However, Margo isn’t supposed to connect with anyone let alone reconnect. With a two week paid vacation for her taking, Margo rediscovers herself all with the help of Declan- and maybe finds a little more along the way.

I loved every single part of this book. Margo and Declan (and even Jo) were such great characters to read and get to know. And I mean who can’t pass up a good romance ;)

Thank you to St.Martin’s Griffin, Kristyn Miller, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC! This one is a keeper!

This adorable story is about two friends (Jo and Go) who gain fame from a podcast about not getting attached to the men they date. They've made up seven rules for not getting attached and have recorded 6 seasons already. When a Calalina resort offers Jo an all expense paid wedding- the girls have to switch gears to make season 7 more attractive and keep their listeners.
As it goes, Margo (Go), has given up on love. Margo and Jo’s listeners are not happy. So, Margo agrees to break her own rules, and that is when Declan, the best man steps in. Declan was the class clown in high school. Its bad enough that he was horrid to her then, but now she has to endure 2 weeks of him. Of course, they hate each other, which naturally means they’re going to fall in love if Margo’s cynical heart allows it.
I also love the fact so much the story takes place on Catalina Island. Although I have never been there, the descriptions bring the island to life.
High Five fore this debut author.

This made for a perfect summer read. It took me a few chapters to really get into, but after that the characters grabbed hold. Margo runs a podcast with her best friend Jo about the rules for staying single and keeping your heart safe. But then Jo announces she's getting married and everything changes. Now Margo is heading to a resort wedding/two week vacation and she needs to come up with a new plan to save their podcast. When the best man shows up she gets an idea. She knew Declan in high school, he was the prankster and she'd fallen victim to a few of his tricks. But now he's far more serious...and hot, and she has an idea of how she could use their time together for her podcast.

Margo was very stuck on the past and that bothered me a little with the book, only because there had been a few harmless pranks sent her way and she's held onto that as a grudge years later. Otherwise this was a really fun book with likeable characters and an easy storyline. A touch of spice, he falls first, summer vacation romance makes for a perfect beach read .

Thank you Netgalley for an arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book releases 5/15/23

Jo and Margo have a podcast featuring rules for dating without all the feelings. All was going well until Jo decided to get married. One of their sponsors offered to give them an all expenses paid wedding on Catalina Island. The wedding party will be there for 2 weeks. Margo is a bit flustered when she meets her worst enemy from high school, Declan, who is the best man. Knowing their podcast fans are upset because of the marriage, Margo figures she could use Declan for the time together to see what happens when she breaks her own rules. I really liked this book. Characters were wonderful, especially Margo and Declan. I also liked the interaction with Jo and Peter, both supporting their best friends but emphasizing the need for honest communication. The Catalina setting added a lot to the story. So many things to do, so much heat and sun. I liked how Margo could finally look at herself and understand her shortcomings; willing to be a better person. Great book and love story.

I really enjoyed this book! The character and their struggles felt real and how they dealt with it as well.

Margo Anderson is a great MC. She definitely isn’t perfect but she owns up to her mistakes and she recognizes she needs to change.
Margo has so many different layers. As I was reading, what I appreciated the most about Margo was how her doubts about relationships were real. I feel like I saw myself in her with some of her concerns.

Okay, now let’s talk about Declan Walsh. What a sweetheart! I also appreciated how the author wrote him as this super shy character, it is rare to read about love interests that are super shy but confident at the same time. I wish we had learned a little bit more about him but other than that, I loved him.

Margo and Jo’s friendship is also so real. They are best friends, they share everything and they know everything about each other but they are at a point in their lives where there are things that they will no longer be doing together. All of that is scary to Margo and when she voices her fears about her future to Jo, she is very understanding and supportive. And the way they call each other out on their mistakes (mostly Jo calling Margo out lol), is so awesome. They don’t hide behind bushes nor do they feel like it was too much. It’s always important to hold friends accountable.

I also appreciated how in the end, Margo and Declan took their time before getting back together. They each needed to work on themselves and come to terms with what had happened.

The only thing I wanted was to find out what happened to the bartender. To the reader, it feels like nothing happened as a consequence.

This was quite sweet, entertaining and fun. Well developed characters and storyline and there was nice chemistry between the two MC’s. The pacing was pretty good throughout and the ending wrapped up nicely for Seven Rules for Breaking Hearts is perfect for a quick, fun beach read.

A special thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked this book, for the most part. It was a fast and easy read. I enjoyed the author's writing style and all of the supporting characters. I didn't really connect to Margo as a character. I found her to be petty and selfish, but she did start to grow on me by the end. Declan was a very likeable book boyfriend, but at times I wondered what he saw in Margo. I haven’t read many books with a ginger male lead and that was refreshing!There was a lot of funny dialogue and the steamy scenes were well done.
A big thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the ARC of this novel.
This book will be released on May 16, 2023!

This was just the cutest read and I liked how smoothly quick it was. It was a journey full of fun wit and the spark of love to a happy ending. The characters were fantastic, their opposite beings really gave the enemies to lovers in the story.

“Seven Rules for Breaking Hearts” is a rom-com, enemies to lovers book by Kristyn Miller. What I enjoyed about this book was that while it was about a podcast, the podcast’s role as a character decreased as the story progressed. It’s difficult to balance a podcast in a book, but I felt that Ms. Miller did a fine job. I enjoyed that this book was mainly set on Catalina, with a shout-out to the bison. I also liked some of the word play between the two main characters and that there was both “band geek” and “engineering nerd” humor bits. I felt like the beginning half set up the story a bit too much, but I did like that all that set up had parts addressed later in the book. I’d say that this was a bit of a predictable book but sometimes that’s comforting - you know what you’re going to get but it’s okay. Overall, a 3.5 read, but rounded up to 4 as this is the author's debut novel.