From the first time that I read the synopsis of this book I knew I needed to get my hands on it! There wasn’t a thing about this book that didn’t scream entertaining. A business made for taking down asshole men by scorned women? An attractive professor in sweater vests that was a target and then got hired? Academia world dropout with a passion for art? How could all of those things be in the same book! There’s that and so much more. Overall I liked the book, but it is full of conundrums for me. I like the characters, but I felt they were vague. I liked the plot, but there was so much plot that there’s a lot lost. It was a fun read, but there was so much potential for this to be a perfect book it hurts.

I really like Brinkley’s character. The book is told entirely from her POV, which makes you incredibly sympathetic to her. She’s basically been emotionally manipulated and abused her whole life. From her strained relationship with her mother to her ex-friends and ex-boyfriend to her current boss there’s no lack of poor relationships for Brinkley! I really enjoyed watching her transform over the course of the book. I did find her to be a little annoying at times simply because she wavers on a lot of decisions and it stalls the flow of the novel. I was also very confused as to why she wanted to open a gallery as she was an artist, which are two different things.

While I enjoyed Brinkley’s character I wish that the other characters had been able to have some depth to them. I just felt like every other character besides Brinkley felt like a supporting character (and I admit they mostly were) and weren’t given any room to shine. I wanted more from Mark especially. He had the backstory and everything was there to cement him as an astounding love interest and opposite to Brinkley in this novel. I would have also loved to see Brinkley’ mother, her boss Margo, and her friend Emma all be more than caricatures. They just felt very surface level. I wanted so much more than just filler characters with a stereotypical role.

There is so much plot! OMG this book keeps throwing everything in. You’ve got the whole premise of Heartbreak for Hire, Mark joining the team after being a target, Brinkley’s mom, the gallery plan, growing issues with Margo, and I’m probably missing more pieces. There is so much propelling this book along through plot that you don't have the option but to be sucked into this book. The catch to it, is that by the books ending there are only a few of those lines that actually felt complete. Most of the fallout/final act happens at 80% through the book which just makes the ending feel incredibly rushed and incomplete. Once again I ask the world of books for an additional 20 pages to tie everything up.

Long story short, did I like this book? Yes. Will I recommend this book for others to read? Also yes. Do I think that this book is going to be well received? Yes. All in all it was a good book. I did read it in a day, so that’s saying something. I enjoyed the slightly outrageous plot and really want a Mark of my own (please world give me a hot professor that wears sweater vests and reminds you of Indiana Jones). I was between giving this an arbitrary 3.5/5 and a 4/5 star review and considering that I enjoyed the read, it was quick, and it played well with a plethora of tropes. I'm giving it a 4/5. I’m excited to see what other adult fiction books Sonia Hartl puts out in the future because I will definitely be reading them!

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for my advanced copy of the book! All opinions are that of my own and have no reflection on receiving this book.

Heartbreak for Hire ended up being a 4 ⭐️ read for me but I’m kind of surprised. I liked the writing style and the characters from the beginning but I had a hard time with main storyline for a lot of the book. Luckily I kept reading and let it all work itself out. I wouldn’t say this is a warm and fuzzy romance novel because it isn’t. It was full of layers and it kept my attention from the first page until the last. This is an open door romance novel so keep that in mind. Luckily those parts can easily be clicked through. It definitely didn’t ruin or take away from the story as a whole.

Heartbreak for Hire is a rom-com that in the end, simply didn’t work for me.

From the start, I was uncomfortable with how both women and men were portrayed and was also uncomfortable with how steamy the romance was between the main characters of Brinkley and Mark.

While this book sounded like it would be cute, for me, it simply left a lot to be desired. As I am only one reader, I encourage others to read additional reviews, as this book might be right up your alley.

Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the arc.

Published on Goodreads.

I loved this book! Holy smokes I will be following Sonia Hartl (and hopefully the 4 other H4H girls!) from now on!

Heartbreak for Hire seemed like a super fun concept but I wasn't sure if it would be a home run for me. I WAS WRONG IT WAS A MILLION HOME RUNS. This book had so much more depth than I expected and I adored that. I also love that the story was flipped on its head by about 10% of the way in. You think you know the plot, but there are twists and turns to keep what could be a predictable storyline fresh and interesting and completely unpredictable.

Brinkley is someone I rooted for and someone I understood. Being someone who has left an abusive relationship, Sonia did a wonderful job capturing the self-doubt. Yes, there are times that everyone around you gives up on your dreams because you continue to hold yourself back and there are times that if you were a book character, the reader would probably be yelling JUST DO IT! But I loved how honest and real it was. Mark was a dreamboat who I was fully in love with. He was a wonderful foil for Brinkley- he had his own reasons for making bad decisions but was also gentle and guiding with her which I loved to watch.

I do wish we had seen more of the other H4H girls, a little more depth, a little more girl love. We hear that they often go out for drinks and we hear that they're very close, but I definitely didn't see that. But hopefully we'll see them in their own books!

Overall, loved this book, totally recommend. Thank you to Netgalley and Sonia Hartl and Gallery Books for this wonderful ARC in exchange for an honest review!

If you're wanting a quick and easy romance novel that hits all the key points with an easy to follow story: this is the book for you.

Heartbreak for Hire fits right into the mold of the romance genre. The MC is someone you want to root for, and the drama of her life is just on the right side of believable while still being intriguing enough to keep you interested. The cliches work for the plot, not against it, and even though all the twists can be seen from a mile away, it's still an enjoyable read.

This isn't the kind of book you read when you're wanting drama and suspense anyway. This is the book you read because you know you'll slip right into it's plot like a nice warm bath, and you'll keep reading it even when the water's gone cold.

Pro: Steamy sex scenes, original storyline, highly entertainiing
Con: N/A
Verdict: Love it and will recommend to all

Heartbreak for Hire started off really promising for me, but about a quarter of the way into the novel I realized there were two things that were going to make me not enjoy the rest of the book: 1) the dialogue. It did not feel realistic or organic. I had a hard time imagining some of the lines being spoken in real conversation. 2) the characters. The main characters were ok for the most part, but the supporting ones felt like caricatures.

Thank you for letting me read an early copy of this book!

I love the premise of this one! I thought it would be a cuter story than it was though. The cover seemed much more light hearted. I was sad by the H4H ladies back stories. I can't imagine staying in a relationship like Brinkley had. I'm not sure the Heartbreakers for Hire idea is at all plausible but it was very creative and unique to this story.

The two main characters had really great chemistry and it was easy for me to root for them even from the start. I enjoyed watching them get to actually know each other and trust one another. I also LOVED Brinkley's evil sweater wearing cat! That was such a fun addition to the storyline.

Brinkley's relationship with her mom was interesting to me though sad. I was happy to see them be able to communicate better as the story went on.

I really did like the character growth and how things ended for this one.

Heartbreak for Hire is romance ambrosia. It’s the perfect blend of humor, sex, reality, and self-reflection, with a true friendship bonus. The characters have depth and struggles that enhance their relatability. Best of all, I was drawn in from the very beginning. I loved witnessing Brinkley and Mark find, flounder, and fall in love. I highly recommend this read and look forward to reading more from Sonia Hartl.

HEARTBREAK FOR HIRE by Sonia Hartl is a fast and funny read. While the premise is fun and somewhat contrived, you won't find yourself lingering too long over the impossibility of it all due to the strong characters, witty dialogue and romantic tension. Brinkley comes across a bit brash in the beginning, but as the backstory of her life is filled in she becomes an increasingly sympathetic character and you'll find yourself rooting for her in the end. It was hard not to fall for Markus from the very beginning even though you know he is a little too good to be true. The banter and chemistry between the two of them is fantastic and just plain fun. I like that both have complex backstories that are revealed over the course of the book and play directly into how they relate to one another and the career paths they have chosen. I had some literal laugh out loud moments at their antics and felt some true joy when they finally got to their happily ever after. I will definitely be recommending this book to fellow contemporary romance readers who like a side dish of humor and a fair bit of steam.

I enjoyed the enemies to lovers portion of the book, great chemistry between Brinkley and Mark and some amazing banter. The heartbreak job part was an intriguing concept, and I wished there was a little more of that - maybe showing some of the other "departments" so we could see how her friends played it out. Excellent characters that played off our main couple well- family, friends, friends-turned-enemies, academics, the hissy cat (my favorite side bit). Definitely recommend for those who love rom-coms.

It's always frustrating when a book that seems like it will be perfect is a disappointment. The blurb and cover had me really excited but this was not for me. The style didn't land, the concept of the company fell flat when more fully explained, the constant hating on all men was annoying, the sexual content was too graphic, and the love interest was too perfect and forgiving. That being said I am sure this book will find an audience and lucky for them it seems obvious that this is just the start of a whole series of stories involving the Heartbreak for Hire women.

Thank you, NetGalley for the free copy!

I really liked this book! The concept of H4H was really intriguing and the plot line as a whole kept me interested. All of the characters were well-rounded and definitely not boring. There were a couple of little twists towards the end that I did not see coming, which I always appreciate.

Brinkley and Mark were so cute. I liked how their relationship grew - my only wish is that there was an epilogue of some sort! I always want to know a little more about what happens after the end. All in all, the writing was great and I loved the story.

Heartbreak For Hire by Sonia Hartl

Rating 3.5 / 5 Stars
Publication Date - 7/27/2021

** Thank you to Netgalley, Gallery Books, and of course, Sonia Hartl, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book really surprised me with how much I liked it. Originally, I thought of this as a normal meet cute, enemy to lover book, but when you dig deeper there is so much more to it. Not only did I feel the emotions Brinkley felt when it came to H4H, I also felt her change in tone for it as it arrived. I became sick of it when she did. I think Hartl did a great job with Margo's character - but I would have loved to see a flashback of when she recruited the girls. I found her to be a kind of baseless villain, the same with Eve. I do think if the book had been longer, this would have been a great way to add to it. As much as I didn't like Margo, I did like that she somewhat stood for women empowerment - even if it did eventually turn into a form of gaslighting, etc.

Brinkley's storyline was slightly predictable, and I for sure knew how the book was going to end from the first spotting of a character, it was just a matter of when that happened. I did find that her forgiveness was a little too quickly won over by her mother. Especially after so much over the years. IT also would have been interesting to see Richard have a conversation with Brinkley? I feel as if he just showed up and left. I am happy that Mark and Brinkley ended up together, but more importantly than a love story - this is a rom-com for truly finding yourself in a world that is pitted against you.

I would have loved to see Charlotte, Allie, and Emma's stories play out more. Perhaps if the book had been longer it would have been possible. I also think a few flashbacks would have played well when it came to Mark and Brinkley's trauma. Not much, but more than just simple statements. For example, why she hated Eve so much - seeing how much Eve betrayed her in the past. Another pesky little thing that annoyed me was something so small. I really didn't like the name Brinkley. I am someone who kept thinking of the Disney Channel Original Movie (Brink) every single time her name came up.

Heartbreak for Hire is a fun, fast read that has a stick it to the man storyline. Brinkley is a part of a team of women that specialize in a secretive service that gets revenge on men for jilted women. Now enters Mark, who Brinkley is supposed to be taking down but there is a major plot twist!! As the story takes place, Brinkley is questioning her life choices and has to find herself in order to deal with past traumas. Her and Mark had great, steamy chemistry and some good banter between them. I didn’t love Margo, H4H’s founder and the girls’ boss. I thought she was mean spirited and didn’t go with the overall feminist feel of the book. Overall it was a quick, fun read that I enjoyed.

What a different beginning to a romance novel! I loved the setup of the characters and the enemies-to-romance trope. While I did like the main characters, Brinkley and Mark, though, I didn't really care for any of the supporting ones. The heartbreaking assignments provided lots of entertainment, but I would've liked to see more plot development. It was an entertaining read that I liked, but I've read other books I would probably recommend to friends and other readers more.

This is definitely a book club pick! I think my friends will really enjoy this one! Thank you to Netgalley for this arc ebook.

Heartbreak for Hire (H4H) is a secret service that specializes in revenge for jilted lovers, frenemies, and long-suffering coworkers with a little cash to spare and a man who needs taken down a notch. After breaking up with a cheating manipulative ex-boyfriend, Brinkley is recruited to work for H4H as the Egos department. She is working to save up to have her own art gallery and (she believes) helping empower women along the way. However, when her boss makes an announcement that not only is she hiring me heartbreakers, she is also hiring one of Brinkley’s previous targets - Brinkley is not so sure she’s doing the right thing.

Heartbreak for Hire was a quick read, and I really enjoyed Mark and Brinkley’s relationship. However, the storyline with Brinkley’s father felt very much like an afterthought and just a nice way to tie up all loose ends. Would’ve liked that to be fleshed out more.

Overall, a four-star read for me.

This story required a heady level of suspension of disbelief, and there is a lot of warranted drama as nobody can seem to manage to tell the truth. A bunch of red herrings as well (would this have been more interesting if the boss had had other plans for her heartbreakers)? At any rate I loved the hero and liked the heroine, and I thought it was a fun peek into the dark side of academia with a whole lot of artistic wish-fulfilment on the part of the author. Four stars for making me cry and sigh. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for this unbiased review!

Heartbreak for Hire, by Sonia Hartl, seems on the surface to be a book I would absolutely love. A workplace romcom with the enemies to lovers trope (my favorite!), Heartbreak for Hire tells the story of Brinkley, who has worked for two years as a Heartbreaker, tearing down men with oversized egos — for a fee, of course. Brinkley dreams of owning her own art gallery, but after the psychological damage done to her by her ex and her mother, it seems like an unreachable goal. When things go too far with a target, Brinkley never expects to see him again — until he shows up at the Heartbreak for Hire offices, having been recently recruited as the newest Heartbreaker.

Although the writing is quite readable, there is little else going for H4H (the acronym the author employs for the company within the book, with the same name as the novel). I was happy to overlook the slightly out there premise, even ready to suspend my judgment of any character who thinks heartbreaking is a good career move, but H4H has little else to recommend it. The characters are one-dimensional, filling roles rather than acting like people (the evil ex, the cold mother, the best friend). Brinkley herself has little going on to make the reader invested in her successes or failures, and the love interest is downright unlikable.

This book suffers also from a distinct lack of diversity. Set in Chicago, it nonetheless boasts an almost exclusively white cast. The only possible person of color is fellow Heartbreaker Charlotte Diaz, who gets one line to suggest she might be non-white (“Her warm skin paled to a light brown.”). Otherwise, this is a book made up entirely of white characters, in spite of its being set in a major, racially diverse city.

Similarly, there is not a single queer character in sight. Every character is emphatically straight, and the very premise of H4H is incredibly gendered. There is never a mention of non-cis, non-straight people even existing, much less being main or even side characters.

This ties into one of the biggest overall problems with H4H — its casual misogyny. This book literally refers to women as girls in the same sentence it calls men men, and that’s just the beginning. This book paints with a broad, broad brush, showing men as almost entirely cheating, egotistical jerks, who care about sex and nothing else, while women are entirely victims out for vengeance.

Heartbreak for Hire is disappointing across the board, with very little going for it, although it may be the first romcom with a romantic metal detecting scene.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the ARC.