This one was a mixed bag for me. The premise sounded like it'd be fun and interesting but potentially frustrating to read and that ended up being my overall experience with the book.

I liked the main characters and their friendship. It was refreshing to read about a solid male-female friendship that didn't have any hints of romance. The actual romances didn't really do anything for me.

The premise of the story was hard for me to stomach at times. I didn't like how manipulative it felt and I kept waiting for things to fall apart. The characters had good intentions, but I felt bad for their targets and know I would've been upset if I'd been in the clients' shoes.

All in all, though, I'd say this story was a well-written, quick read with endearing characters that occasionally make frustrating choices.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

Let me preface this by saying that I absolutely adore Adriana Mather's work. I am a Killing November enthusiast and a How to Hang a Witch defender.

August and Valentine have been inseparable since they were kids and have always been dreaming up businesses. Now, they run Summer Love, inc. where they break up couples at the behest of their families or friends (after an intense vetting process of course.) While originally started to give August catharsis after his sister passed away in an accident (due to her awful boyfriend), now the two have managed to become successful. But what happens when August falls for a case? One who doesn't even know his own name?

I liked this. A lot. But I don't know if I would say I loved it. If you're expecting some of the supernatural chaos or the fast paced action of her other YA works, this won't be for you. This book is much deeper than I expected. It discusses loss, love, familial strain, and grief. It has the quirky elements of a rom-com, the swoon-worthy banter that Mather is known for, and an engaging plotline. But it just felt like something was missing. It somewhat dragged a bit in the middle, and then sped up a bit too much at the end. It had its moments, but I don't think it's a book I would read over and over again. The line drawings weren't included in my copy, so that felt like it was missing as well (not the book or Mather's fault, but I do feel like I can't fully review the book without that context, since art is a major piece in the book).

It was cute and sentimental, and while it takes place in summer, it felt a bit heavy for a summer book.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review!:)

Everyone needs that one person who is always there. August's and Valentine's story shows us that friendship is a great gift to always cherish.

Best friends, business partners, and neighbors, August and Valentine, aka Tiny, are in the summer between high school and college. They are working their last case, which will hopefully give them enough money to cover tuition. What line of work do they do, you ask? They are “breakup artists”, hired by family members and friends to secretly break up relationships that have gone toxic. They have done amazingly well in this business for the past two years, and so far have managed to not fall in love with any of the people they have broken up and have kept the whole thing a secret from their friends and family. That is, until they take this last case and nothing goes according to their very well thought out plan.
Both August and Tiny deal with other issues, like depression from the death of a loved one, fear of the future (especially as they think about leaving for college), fighting with your best friend, and various family drama, so while this appears to be a lighthearted easy read, there are some tough times to work through, making this a well-balanced and highly recommended read.

This was a cute story that while having romance, featured the best relationship as a friendship between the two main characters. I loved that element.

(Thank you to Adriana Mather, Blackstone publishing and NetGalley for letting me read this ARC)

I’m gonna start this review off by saying “wow, this book was really good!” because it really was.

The story is mostly (as you can tell by the description) about love and friendship but also about loss, dealing with grief and some family issues. And it made the book feel a whole lot more relatable in my opinion. On top of that we had August’s and Valentine’s friendship being absolute goals and them being an amazing duo that did anything to make their dreams about going to Berkeley come true by creating Summer Love to help August to be able to pay the tuition fees.

Even though the main focus here were August and Valentine’s friendship and business as well as August falling for Ella, there were also the fact that we got to know about Valentine’s parents and then also Valentine’s relationship with Bentley and also August’s struggle with his sister’s death and having to help his mom financially in order for the bills to be paid.

Although I thought that the book was really good and that both the storyline and writing was awesome, there were some small bits here and there that were a bit too predictable for me that made me bump the rating down from 5 stars to 4 stars because I felt like they were too predictable. But that could just be me.

However I did however still love the book and the story and highly recommend it! I will also read the author’s other books because I liked their writing, so definitely recommend reading this book to anyone who loves a YA with rom-com vibes

Thank you so so much to Blackstone Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC! I was excited to read this from the moment I saw the cutie pink cover 💖

Synopsis: Some people say breaking up is hard to do. Other people make a summer job out of it. August and Valentine have just been hired for their biggest job yet and if they want to attend their dream college, they have to pull this off and fast.

My thoughts: After back to back thrillers all month, this was just the easy, heartwarming palate cleanser I needed! It had the fluffy and cheesy storyline that you would expect from a YA romance, but it surprised me with so much more. I wasn’t expecting some of the heavy emotions that added so much depth to the story. I found the side plot on how to be a true friend to someone in the midst of navigating grief and loss so touching. The author handled the sensitive topics with care. I really liked the writing style, the dual POV, and development of the side characters. I’d love a continuation into the college years, maybe with an Ella and Bentley POV!😍 I had such a fun time reading this, I’d recommend to those looking for YA/clean romance or just an easy read.

So, I really liked this book. The idea was interesting but I liked how the story unfolded and just how serious both characters were about the business. I also liked how the side characters were well defined and helped provide a clear picture of our two MCs. The connections both characters develop felt realistic and made it easy to root for both of them. It was also nice to see a solid friendship where they both took care of each other and care so deeply. It was a sweet story that I read pretty quickly. Definitely a story to check out about friends supporting each other and falling for people along the way. 4.5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Looking for a summer read that's equal parts heartwarming and hilarious? Look no further than Adriana Mather's "The Breakup Artists"!

Meet August and Valentine, two teenage masterminds behind Summer Love, Inc., a business that specializes in breaking up bad relationships. Armed with fake identities and a flair for the dramatic, they're on a mission to save other lovebirds from themselves. Valentine sees their work as if they are guiding souls away from romantic disasters and towards the promise of true love. But for August, it's personal. He's haunted by his sister's tragic death, blaming her manipulative boyfriend and doubting the existence of soulmates altogether. Enter Ella, the girl who turns August's world upside down. She's not just any girl – she's their newest client. And August has been lying to her about everything, including his own name.

Mather's storytelling shines in "The Breakup Artists," blending heavy topics like grief with laugh-out-loud humour and unforgettable characters. August and Valentine's friendship is a breath of fresh air in a genre that spends so much time romanticizing friendships, showcasing the beauty of camaraderie and shared dreams.

With its witty banter, genuine characters, and heartwarming storyline, "The Breakup Artists" is a breath of fresh air in the YA genre. Trust me, you'll want to dive headfirst into this delightful romp and emerge with a new appreciation for the power of friendship, love, and healing.

Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This had such an interesting premise, and I was so happy to get this ARC! August's development through the novel was so fun to see, and I adored Ella! Will absolutely add to reader's advisory lists.

After a personal experience with a relationship turned tragedy, August and Valentine start a business to help friends and family intervene by befriending people in dangerous relationships and offering them a new perspective and support for change. When August meets Ella, he has trouble separating himself from his persona and their relationship develops in surprising ways. Meanwhile Valentine is left watching her best friend crash their business. Will the truth come out?

Told from 2 perspectives, this one was a bit difficult for me. I really enjoyed Valentine's sections but didn't enjoy the August sections. As always, your mileage may vary.

This was great quick ya book that had a little bit everything. I also stayed up way to late finishing it. If you are looking for a book about romance, friendship, grief, and moving on,this may be the book for you.
The only think missing is, it lack diversity in the characters.
4.5 stars

In a world where most new YA books seem to follow the same structure and tropes, this was such a breath of fresh air.

Valentine and August have a unique summer job: they get hired to break people up. For every new job, they create entirely new personas, use aliases, and have strict rules that prevent them from falling for their targets. But, when they start a new case, August can't help but feel like something is different with this one. And soon, he finds himself breaking all the rules.

'The Breakup Artists' is a unique, well-crafted story about friendship, love, grief, growing up, and so much more. It has some of the best and funniest banter I read but it also portrays very relatable fears about leaving for college, healthy male-female friendships, strong character growth and development, and how hard yet necessary healing from trauma is. For lack of a better phrase, I really loved it and look forward to reading Mather's other work.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5!! this book was exactly what i needed. the friendship, relationships, and plot were amazing. i absolutely loved the story and definitely recommend!

Wow! Just wow.. I got so choked up at the end and even cried a bit. Just finished reading this book, and I'm in awe. Adriana Mather is such a master with words, this story was so flawlessly and beautifully written. I loved Valentine and August, their friendship and their personifies... Just a fantastic duo! The banter amongst them and the other characters made me laugh quite a bit. Majority of this book was exciting, fun and moving. There were several moments it got deep and intriguing. A few moments towards the end where I teared up. Gosh, I'm trying to keep this vague and spoiler free.. so I need to stop writing as I can go on and on. I just loved it, wonderful story about friendship, life's hardships, hard decisions, unexpected love, and loss of a sibling (not a Spoiler as it's told almost immediately in story). Just all around a wonderfully packed book that will move you with fits of laughter and maybe shed a few tears in the process.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.

Really enjoyed this dual POV YA Contemporary read. Neighbors and besties August and Valentine (Tiny) spend their summers running their business, Summer Love, Inc., and keeping it a secret from their families and friends. Strangers hire them to facilitate breakups, and I'm pleased to say that August and Tiny do their research before taking each case; they confirm that the relationship is bad or harmful before diving in.

I love August and Tiny's friendship; how they know each other so well and take care of each other, and work together seamlessly. I love how this is a summer-time, feel-good book with lots of laughs and also a story filled with friendship, family relationships, and grief. It's all handled very well, author Adriana Mather does a great job with these sensitive topics, and the story flows really well.

i loved how to hang a witch it was so fun and this was also so fun! i loved my time reading this and it was great

August and Valentine have created an interesting job "Summer Love Inc." to make college money. This creation was supposed to help August cope with the death of his sister, but Ella's case hits a little too close to home. Caught up in his own emotions, August starts hiding things from his all-time best friend, Valentine, but she is also not as transparent as August is lead to believe.
This book shows that honesty is not always easy when it comes to those you love and even harder when you're trying to be honest with yourself. Both August and Valentine go through the highs and lows of becoming young adults that are about to figure life out in the real world. Even though the characters of this book seem young and naïve, the self-evaluations that occur in this book can relate to all ages. While the middle of the book seemed to have a chapter or two that kind of dragged, the ending definitely made up for it. I definitely went through all emotions while reading this book, and may have shed a few tears.

"The Breakup Artists" is a ya romance written by Adriana Mather.

I loved this book! Effervescent, funny and heartwarming, it won me over from the premise! It is a story about friendship, love and grief, able to make me laugh and move repeatedly. More humorous and light-hearted moments alternate with more serious and intense moments, in a balance that I found perfect. The story proceeds quickly and intriguingly, accompanied by a brisk pace that made it almost impossible for me to tear myself away from the pages. I was impressed by the wonderful friendship between August and Valentine, by the characters' relationships with their families. More generally, I loved the main characters, beautifully portrayed, and I became very fond of them!

All in all, "The Breakup Artists" is a fast, funny and heartwarming ya romance that I recommend to lovers of the genre!

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.