This was so much fun! I adore the happy rom-coms and this was no exception. We follow Brinkley who works for a company hired to bring down/humiliate men after they've done harmful things to the women in their workplace or relationship. Brinkley is a spunky main character and I loved the glimpses of her acting and playing the part she had to in her specific jobs, and also what a unique job to have! It made for a great premise and also is where she meets the love interest, Mark, a tweed-jacket wearing professor. He, too, was a great main character and their relationship as a whole developed so well and they had undeniable chemistry. There was the initial dislike since Brinkley is under the assumption he has done something worthy of revenge considering his female coworker hired her to bring him down, but it's not a full-on hate-to-love romance. Brinkley is also dealing with never living up to her mother's standards and that plays a big part throughout the book and in Brinkley's development, especially in the climax. I did think the whole "everything is falling apart" part of the book (you know, the one that rolls around in every rom-com 50 pages from the end) was predictable and basic, I would have loved for something else to go down that wasn't as cookie-cutter, but the ending was done nicely and overall I adored this book! It was the perfect mix of romance with your dash of real-world relatable issues and I'd highly, highly recommend it!

I really didn't enjoy Heartbreak for Hire, despite going in with high hopes because of all the positive reviews I'd seen before its release. This felt very elementary white feminist, where misogyny is the only form of oppression of note and women need to unite against men - ignoring the ways that white femininity has been weaponized against BIPOC women and trans folks for centuries. The premise felt like a white feminist revenge fantasy that made no sense to me as an actual plot line, and the focus on misogyny ignored intersectionality. Also, there was a lot of classism - the protagonist kept talking about how dropping out of grad school meant that her bachelor's degree didn't even "qualify" her for "flipping burgers at McDonald's," which is condescending to the many skilled laborers who make our food and belittles the majority of people who don't hold a bachelor's degree and do not want one. The constant classism compounded the white feminism and made this really unenjoyable.

This book wasn't really my cup of tea, but I'm sure it will be someone else's! So if you love books with some double-crossing and mystery with how it will all work out in the end, than this is your book!

I didn't not enjoy this book, unfortunately. The premise sounded great, but the execution felt clunky and disjointed. I didn't think the motivations of the Heartbreakers were strong enough to justify what they were doing, and I kept slipping into "how would anyone actually pay for this?" mode of thinking. When I get to that level of being out of the story, it's really not a good sign.

Heat Factor: It’s a pretty juicy one
Character Chemistry: They’re an instant connection that kind of shifts and evolves over time
Plot: Brinkley is working semi-undercover as a Heartbreaker--she goes out and exacts revenge on men who are wronging women. She ends up flunking a mark (who is named Mark!) and is shocked to discover that Mark is hired to be her new trainee...but everyone is lying and it’s a real mess.
Overall: I loathed whole parts of this book but I’m pretty sure the author did it to me on purpose because it all kind of fed into the ending.

So. Let’s just say you took The Devil Wears Prada but instead of fashion it’s psychological warfare and social ruin for hire. Are you with me? That’s the very basic setup for this book.

Brinkley was in a really terrible relationship that led to her leaving her elite Master’s program and losing most of her so-called friends. Right in the midst of her spectacular breakdown, she’s approached by the owner of Heartbreak for Hire and ends up working Egos, where she takes down big-headed men who mess with women who didn’t deserve it.

However. One day she goes out to meet her mark/Mark, and after a few tiny errors (he’s a really cute professor/metal detectorist who likes to wear argyle--SWOON, who could blame her), she very accidentally ends up at his place, with her boss trying to contact her, all kinds of in delicto flagrante.

So Mark ends up getting hired by this really kind of disturbing boss to shadow Brinkley and see how she does what she does. In the process they end up discovering they’re a really good pair. Mark is really solid and thoughtful, and Brinkley is...she’s a hot mess. And she’s devilishly funny...like, I did a few choke-laughs out of shock/delight. She’s also a really sloppy main character, which was fun because you just don’t see many of those!! At one point, Mark thoughtfully hangs up an article of clothing in her closet and points out that it’s the only one there because the rest are on the floor.

Here are the things I loved about this book--she has REALLY complicated relationships with everyone and everything. So there was a lot to resolve, and it was satisfying. I would argue her relationship with her mother almost eclipsed her relationship with Mark in terms of disaster and development, which is saying a lot. She’s an aspiring painter and gallery owner hopeful, who has been saving up for ages and just won’t take the next step, and it’s so fun to watch her take the leap. Her psyche is just dang INTERESTING, and normally someone with this many loose ends would be aggravating. I don’t really know how she isn’t, but she’s really self-aware...so that could be it.

I loathed this book about ⅓ of the way through, because both the boss and the schtick were so slimy to me. I felt like the boss was set up to be this heroine avenger, empowering women by hurting men and that just felt really...gross. And I loathed it because I didn’t get any sense that the characters knew it! But, oh, me of little faith, the author weaves it all together and gathers up all the reader rage and rights all the wrongs and it turns out really well. There are absolutely some bits that I felt were a little unfair to men, and believe me when I say that not a single one of the characters is a bastion of moral character, so if you get really turned off by a Hero who, for example, lies to and uses the Heroine before he’s like, oh, perhaps I ought not treat someone that way, or if you get really disgusted when a Heroine is like, I lied to you and caused you harm and that is a-ok, but you did a lateral harm and need to be severely punished, you won’t walk away totally satisfied here. Like I said, it’s a hot mess but it’s a really riveting hot mess.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

This review is also available at The Smut Report.

In Heartbreak for Hire Brinkley is a professional heartbreak, hired by those who want to see men they work with taken down a notch. Brinkley was brought into to Heartbreak for Hire after a devastating break-up that led her to leave the world of academia behind. Through HfH, Brinkley is able to help exact revenge on those who seem to deserve it most, while saving money towards her dream of opening an art gallery. Then one night, Brinkley experiences an instant attraction to a target, which throws her off her heartbreaking game for the first time in two years. Brinkley is even more shocked when that same target, Mark, shows up as one of the first men ever hired to work at Heartbreak for Hire, which had been touted to the female heartbreakers as an all-female work environment as a place for them to heal from the men who had broken their hearts. While Brinkley tries to ignore the growing heat between her and Mark, she’s grappling with her mother’s disappointment in her change in career path, doubt over whether her dream of opening a gallery will ever come to fruition and her changing feelings around the work she’s thrown herself into for the last two years.

I absolutely adored this story. The idea of breaking hearts for a personal slight could be a controversial one, and I thought Hartl handled it well, taking us on a journey along with Brinkley. I think a lot of people will resonate with some aspect of Brinkley’s character- she’s dealing with a terrible heartbreak, disappointed parents, doubt in herself and her dreams and uncertainty in her work. I also really enjoyed Brinkley’s relationship with Mark- other than it being filled with tension and heat, you saw her start to question her mindset and start to learn to trust again- it was a healing you wanted to root for.

Beyond the romantic relationships, I was also really was compelled by the relationship between Brinkley and her mother. Immensely complicated (like many parental relationships are), it gave you a deeper insight into how Brinkley ended up where she is when we meet her in this story. I also love to see a strong female friendship, and while Brinkley had a special bond with all the female heartbreakers, I absolutely loved her friendship with Emma; everyone deserves an Emma in their lives.

The one thing I felt that was left unresolved was Brinkley’s relationship with Margo, the owner and founder of Heartbreak for Hire. Brinkley feels such a bond and indebtedness to Margo at the start of the book, which starts to fracture when Margo brings on the male heartbreakers. As the book wraps up, I felt that relationship lacked closure (intentionally vague to avoid spoilers!), and I would have loved some insight into Margo’s point of view and perspective.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Gallery Books, and of course Sonia Hartl for providing me with an eARC of this book. I am voluntarily leaving a review, all opinions are my own.

Okay, so I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I was rooting for Brinkley from the beginning, though there were times I did find her a bit off-putting in her actions, but that's life. She'd been burned by the world of academics more times than she could say, so I understand where a lot of her reservations lie.

That aside, the storyline was great and honestly such a unique job and plot in that regards because her job was a big focus of the book, it was definitely something different than what I've seen.

I liked Brinkley's growth throughout this book and watching her really learn to do things for herself and owning her own life. The one thing that I didn't really love was the ending, it was so abrupt, I wanted to know how things went beyond that moment.

Sonia Hartl's Heartbreak for Hire is a fun read. While not my personal favorite, it will surely find it's fan base amongst readers who enjoy Enemies-to-Lovers.

Brinkley, like the other three women of Heartbreak for Hire, was handpicked for her job. She fine to let her former academic "friends" believe she crashed and burned after dropping out of grad school. In reality, Brinkley helps women get revenge on the men in their lives that have screwed them. It's the perfect job for her allowing her to empower women, work our trauma from a past relationship, and the pay is so good she is quickly saving enough money to open the art gallery of her dreams. That is until H4H's owner decides to bring 4 male heartbreakers onto the team. One of whom just so happens to be on of Brinkley's former targets -- the very sexy academic Mark.

As Brinkley starts to realize that maybe being a Heartbreak isn't helping women as much as she thought she was, she contends that people might not always be who they appear to be. And maybe Mark isn't who she thought he was either.

“He had the face that just begged to have a drink thrown at it.” - @hartlsonia

Okay, as women how many times have we heard the “You should smile more, it makes you look pretty” or how many times have we been mansplained to then go home and think of alllll the comebacks we couldn’t think of in that moment? How many times have we been cheated out of a job/promotion.. the list goes on because of our gender? And what if someone came up to you one day and told you that there was a way to get “avenged”? For these men to finally feel how we felt for a change?

In Heartbreak for Hire which is a newly released book by Sonia Hartl, we meet Brinkley, a woman who works for a company that caters to women trying to get back at the men who wronged them.

This hilarious rom com that had me reading it in one sitting shows us that standing up for ourselves and becoming strong women doesn’t mean that we have to let go of our hopes and dreams. That we can have both even if it terrifies us. Because when Brinkley meets Mark? A case of hers that went completely wrong, she comes to the realization that her past does not define her future & that not all men are horrid.

This is a must read that’ll leave you in stitches from beginning to end!

3.7⭐️

I really liked the concept of H4H. I didn’t like the lack of confidence and how constantly put down she was. It’s not really my fave trope. But she ends up well and it’s an HEA so I’m in for that.

I do like the cat who’s happiest in a sweater

Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

This romance started out strong for me, but unfortunately fell flat. It was a very quick and light hearted read, which is probably the only reason I stuck it out. I found the idea very interesting but Brinkley's character was too caught up in the past for me to relate to her. There was a lot of really intense drama thrown in at the end that wasn't really ever brought up. I think this book had a ton of potential but I don't think the characters really developed like they could have. If you're looking for a fast paced romance, this is a great option. If you prefer a little more depth in your books, I would look somewhere else.

This book was soooooo cute! And surprisingly spicy - hello, dirty talk! It’s a very original, clever premise with the heroine, Brinkley, working as a revenge for hire specialist. She’s had a pretty messy life which has left her hugely vulnerable, and her job works for her financially and as therapy, of sorts. The story also takes place in collegiate academia via Brinkley’s mother and her newest revenge target, Mark. Shockingly, she and Mark are instantly into each other, but it’s a no go as he’s a target. The story progresses, hijinks and heartbreak ensue. It’s such an engaging, quick read - you just need to read it ASAP!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This was such a fun read!

This was all about Brinkley and her job at Heartbreak for Hire, an agency that specializes in revenge against others (mainly men). She loves her job and the security it gives her… but she was never supposed to get involved with a mark… Coincidentally enough, the mark’s name is Mark and they share some amazing heated moments before she comes to her senses and rushes out of his apartment.

Now, when her boss informs her that she is taking the business in a new direction and hiring some men, leaving the women she employs to be their bosses, it’s none other than Mark who is her new coworker… the one she has to show the ropes.

I was concerned very early on about the idea of a heartbreak for hire service and what the consequences would be if something went wrong, if the client lied, and what the vetting process would be.

While I could kind of see where this was going from the very beginning, I still really enjoyed it.

I loved this story. Brinkley and her co-workers were funny and smart, and the Heartbreak for Hire business model was interesting. Brinkley and Mark had great chemistry, and I loved watching them get together.

This hilarious and flirty rom-com is the perfect summertime read. You will love the dynamics between the two main characters, Brinkley and Mark, who go from enemies to friends. Plus, if you’re a big contemporary romance reader like me, the premise of this book, hiring a service to put bad people in their place, is totally different from anything else I’ve read! While I do feel like the ending was a bit rushed and wish there were a few more chapters/ epilogue to see how everything turned out, this ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read was a fun one and worth picking up!

It had steam pretty much right out the gate, which I am all for! It also had that banter that I love. All in all, it was an entertaining read that I enjoyed

This book simply wasn't meant for me. I tried several times to get into and engage with the characters to no avail.

Others may enjoy it more

Thank you NetGalley, author Sonia Hartl, and Gallery Books publishing for giving me a free arc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
3 stars
This book was no ordinary rom-com, but as the story evolves I found this was not so funny after all. I found the concept of revenge on cheating exs interesting, but as the revenge plots were carried out, I found I was not a fan. While getting revenge sounds great in practice, does it ever really restore the balance between the parties? I did not really see the justification on completely ruining someone for life as a means of getting over on the ex. The other issue I had was the insta-love between the main characters. I found their sudden shift from enemies to lovers very quick with little to no development outside of the physical. I also thought many of the characters, like Margo and Brinkley, did not really like the work they did, but they seems to be trying to get back some of their own due to their past dealing with misogyny in various forms. The author had a good premise for this story, but when it came time to execute, it fell flat.
Overall, this was a miss for me. If feminism is about justice, H4H is not the way to get the desired outcome of equality. The characters were thinly drawn and largely unlikeable. I never cared whether or not Brinkley and Mark got together, which seems to be one of the main points for any romance reader. I would be interested to read more by this author in the future.

I've been sitting on my review for this one for a few days because I was so interested by it and felt very meh by the end. The chemistry worked, but the characters themselves felt underwhelming. Adding in the drama that did not work for me, I was left feeling lukewarm.

Heartbreak For Hire has a very fun premise, and is a quick and entertaining read! Let me break down what worked for me and what did not.

What I Liked:

►It's a cute, feel-good story about reclaiming control of your life. I mean, who doesn't appreciate that!? Brinkley has been wallowing and stagnant for a long time. Her job has allowed her some financial freedom, but when men are introduced into the workplace, Brinkley and her coworkers feel betrayed, and like their safe space is no longer safe. Really, this is a good thing, because goodness, something has to get Brinkley out of her rut!

►The premise itself is quite fresh! Basically, Brinkley's company ruins the lives of life ruiners. Seems good, right? (And yes, we all know that things won't go as planned hah.) Her boss is kind of gross, IMO, and I was always cheering for Brinkley and her coworkers to tell her where she could go. She was quite manipulative, but I suppose that is par for the course when the occupation is literal manipulation.

►Definitely liked Mark. He seemed pretty level-headed and down to earth, and kind of a great match for Brinkley, who needed some of that in her life.

►Complex mother-daughter relationship. It is also high key toxic, don't get me wrong! But let's face it, some parent-child relationships are toxic, and I liked that the book showed Brinkley navigating that! Her mother isn't evil or anything, she's just really misguided, and kind of taking her own mistakes and dreams out on Brinkley.

What I Didn't:

►I had a hard time connecting with Brinkley, which would be my qualm with this one. Like, she did grow on me a bit as the story went on, but I didn't completely like her? Or connect to her in any way, I suppose. It wasn't even that I disliked her, don't misunderstand! I just felt mostly apathy toward her.

Bottom Line: Perfect and unique rom-com material, feel-good and uplifting, just wanted to like Brinkley a little more.