Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Unfortunately, despite having a promising premise and beginning, this book disappointed me. The beginning of the book had many aspects of a romance I love: good steamy scenes, banter, and a witty female main character. Despite having such a great start, the rest of the book fell relatively flat for me. The previously mentioned aspects I enjoyed were done pretty well and made me like this book a bit more, but the writing and plot were very off for me, so off it made this book a lot more difficult to enjoy. It felt like the plot was rushed along for no reason, which made all of the characters and their relationships poorly fleshed out and not believable. It felt like major issues (which weren't even that major because we weren't given enough time to stew in them) were resolved far too quickly and easily, so everything that happened felt inconsequential. Relationships changed incredibly quickly and without any buildup, which is a major part of romance novels. I've never read a romance and felt this way before because even if I don't like the characters or their relationship the book usually fleshes them out at least a little bit and the buildup of their romance (the main plot of the book) is somewhat slow and believable. This book failed to deliver in that respect, I just checked and it's 320 pages, so I really don't understand why it felt so rushed. It genuinely felt like something major would happen and then 5 (or less) pages later it was resolved, like a short story, not a full romance novel. It made me care less and less about the main relationship and any of the characters in the book because they weren't fleshed out enough and any issues they ran into were immediately resolved, AND all of the plot twists were super predictable. I think I only guessed one wrong and I was still very close.
It sounds like I disliked this book, but I really wanted to like it and ended up feeling slightly indifferent. I enjoyed the steamy scenes and there were some very funny moments I laughed at, which is always a great sign in romance, but it was impossible for me to attach to the characters and story when it moved so quickly and predictably. I feel like this book would've been so much better if it was longer and the characters had more time to become more fleshed out. It ended up being a bit boring and predictable which was a real shame considering how much I enjoyed the beginning. Overall I think there are many books like this that are better done, give this one a go if the premise calls to you but otherwise, I'd recommend other romance books with amazing characters, steam, AND plot.

This was a fun read. At first, I wasn’t sure if I could get into the revenge for hire plot line, but it turned out to be more than I expected.
Pros: Brinkley’s growth, her relationship with Mark, his growth, the change in dynamics in the relationship between Brinkley and her mother. There were definitely a few humorous situations for our heroine and I enjoyed each one.
Cons: Brinkley’s unfortunate boss, her relationship with her mother for the majority of the book, the initial take on uplifting women, and the vast amount of plot lines. Some I didn’t feel were truly resolved and could have been scrapped entirely.
Overall, this was a fun read and I did enjoy it.

Light, frothy...nothing substantive, but fun to read?

The problem I have with the current fiction trope of "business plan where women humiliate men who deserve it" is that a) that kind of business would quickly be sued into oblivion and b) I have issues with the whole concept. Two wrongs do not make a right. That said, Hartl actually deals, a bit, with those things and, despite myself, I actually liked the main characters. It will be interesting to see if she continues the series with the other three heartbreakers or leave this book as a stand-alone.

Hiring a woman to seek revenge against the man who has wronged you , a novel idea and one that is explored in Heartbreak for Hire. Brinkley was wronged by her previous boyfriend, which led her to her current job working for Heartbreak for Hire, where she specializes in taking down men whose big ego’s have hurt women. The job isn’t always pretty and Brinkley is forced to see that not all the men she is hired to take down are the villains they are made out to be… one may even be her knight in shining armor.
The book had some unexpected spice and a likeable love interest that makes the reader root for the couple, as a Brinkley works on her issues with men and tries to open up again. She learns revenge isn’t the only thing that she was looking for .

After a terrible break up Brinkley Saunders is recruited to work for Heartbreak For Hire -- a company where you can pay someone to exact your revenge for you. She works in the Ego department, taking jerks down a peg by orchestrating situations that take advantage of their grossest tendencies and expose them publicly. She breaks a rule (don't get involved with a mark!) when she gets involved with Mark (see what I did there?) and he ends up getting hired at H4H. She has a trash mom, a trash boss, and a friend and fellow heartbreaker we meet infrequently.

It's fine. The book starts really strong. The pacing at the beginning reminded me a lot of some of the best fanfic I read -- no nonsense, quick and dirty character development, horny on main. (That's a compliment, by the way. I love fanfic so! damn! much!). The book definitely moves at a really good clip, but generally to the detriment of character development. There are so many different plot elements (and only one or two feel urgent/necessary), that everything gets short shrift. I think if the author had pared it down a bit, she could have focused more on other elements and it wouldn't have felt so rushed and cluttered. I wanted more time with these people and their feelings! I mean, even the sex scenes were over in a flash! Bing bang boom done. Let things breathe a little!

I also struggled with Brinkley's mother, who was manipulative and emotionally abusive throughout. She did a lot of damage to her kid, but I don't feel like she really experienced any consequences. Also I laughed so hard at the mom when she said "I was only 27" as if she was a teenager making bad decisions. Lady, your brain was fully done cooking by then! Yeah you're younger than you are now, but that's definitely past questionable-bad-decision-age. There were definitely too many threads that had to be wrapped up really quickly, and I don't really like that the mom thread was wrapped up with them sort of having an ok relationship (but the mom not really demonstrating any change).

Heartbreak for Hire by Sonia Hartl was the ultimate twist of the breezy romantic comedy: the revenge plot. Grad school drop out Brinkley Saunders is on an assignment for Heartbreak for Hire, a dating app revenge website, when her life is changed through her meeting of a gorgeous professor Mark. After male heartbreakers join the agency and Mark is among them, Brinkley’s life is thrown for a twist. This book was delightful and a fun deviation from the typical romance meet cute.

This book has all the makings of a perfect romance -- excitement, tension, redemption, sweetness, just enough suspense, and plenty of steam. I couldn't put this book down! Highly recommend to fans of Sally Thorne, Christina Lauren, and Emily Henry.

A smart, sexy, and witty romantic comedy—perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Sally Thorne—about a twentysomething who lives out every woman’s fantasy: getting paid to give men who do us wrong a taste of their own medicine.

Brinkley Saunders is the female character I want most to be. I loved getting to live in her brain and see her grow as a character over the book. Her life seems pretty idyllic, but it's far from what it appears. We've all had moments where we wanted revenge on someone and Brinkley gets to live that out. Her relationship with her former mark will keep you on your toes.

This is more than the workplace rom-com I was looking for. It has family, and friend drama in addition to the standard work drama. Heartbreak for Hire 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 to be taken down a notch.

What's always been a woman-only office is about to change as Brinkley's boss announces she’s hiring male heartbreakers for the first time, and one of the new hires is a former mark it turns everything on it's head.

Heartbreak for Hire was such a good book, as soon as I finished it I went back to some of my favorite parts. This was my first book by Sonia Hartl and I really enjoyed the pacing, plot, and characters,

Brinkley is a professional heartbreaker. No, really. She works with a girl squad at Heartbreak For Hire, a prestigious agency where women can get revenge on the Cheaters, Players, Grifters, and Egos who have done them wrong. When Brinkley gets hired to take down a professor who is described as smarmy, elitist, misogynistic, and potentially work-stealing, she is surprised to find a sweet, intelligent, intuitive, and giving young Mark. Their paths cross again while Brinkley visits her professor mother. Brinkley and Mark share their dreams, realizing they are both on a path that takes them further away, rather than closer to.

This story is cute and holds up modern standards for relationships, but falls into the "throw all the things at them" trend, leaving the story feel partially resolved. It's a cute story for a quick, fun read!

4.5/5 ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆⁣
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My first book of 2021! Thank you @gallerybooks for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review. ⁣
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If you LOVE romcoms, and I mean witty banter between two characters, insane chemistry, steamy scenes, and just an overall fun storyline then add Heartbreak for Hire to your TBR ASAP. ⁣
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Brinkley works at Heartbreak for Hire, which is a company that specializes in revenge for jilted lovers, frenemies, and long-suffering coworkers with a little cash to spare and a man who needs to be taken down a notch. But when her boss announces she’s hiring male heartbreakers for the first time, Brinkley’s no longer so sure she’s doing the right thing—especially when her new coworker turns out to be a target she was paid to take down.⁣
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Mark and Brinkley have a UNDENIABLE connection and the sexual tension between the two were flying off the pages. It’s been a long time since I read a romcom that hooked my attention. There are some really sweet moments in the story with Brinkley and her mom who have a more distant relationship. But Mark really stole the story for me, he brought out this witty fun side to Brinkley and I just loved it! ⁣
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This Book comes out 7/27/21
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This was so fun! The women are fierce and hilarious and the romance was well-written. I also liked that it focused on finding what makes you happy instead of following what others expect from you. I also saw that the author is from Michigan-too cool! My only complaint is that I didn't like the name Brinkley. It doesn't seem like the kind of name a mother in academia would give to her daughter, and I kept thinking of Christie Brinkley. Maybe Brinley would have been better, or something more traditional as a nod to her mother but also fun to acknowledge Brinkley's artistic side?

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book I’ve read from Sonia Hartl and I am hopeful she’ll continue to write witty, banter-filled rom-coms for me to enjoy.

We begin the story with Brinkley, who works for an all-female agency that provides revenge for scorned women. While the plot first appeared superficial, Hartl soon provided substantial layers to each character...backstories which made motives understandable and such a service believable.
Brinkley meets Mark as part of a job...she is meant to “destroy” him, but their immediate physical and emotional chemistry throws her off course. Enter the enemies to lovers story, with pent up sexual tension, laugh-out-loud banter, and heart wrenching tenderness.

This book is filled with friendship, family dynamics, soul-searching, and just the perfect amount of open door romance for me.

Heartbreak for Hire is a steamy and addictive enemies to lovers story, perfect for any fan of The Hating Game

This was fun but not always light hearted. The heroine has had a few different abusive relationships and is working and figuring herself out and what she stands for. I really liked the hero. It bothered me in one scene when it was never explained when or who cleaned up the paint.

OMG I devoured this book! So steamy and fun but what was most surprising and enjoyable is Hartl’s gift of characterization. I LOVED Mark and Brinkley. They were so intriguing and messy, but in a good way. It made them complex and more real. They had their own ambitions and motivations and I feel like those two elements get lost in this genre. Nothing about this book is cliché in my opinion; just the opposite. This was a fresh, exciting romance and I really appreciated that Mark didn’t just exist as a foil or piece of meat for Brinkley. He was his own shinning star and I really loved every second he was on the page. Already having withdrawals!

The quadruple avenging angels are targeted egomaniacs, frenemies, cheaters, scumbag coworkers, opportunist bosses to hunt and bring out justice to our humiliated women population who are suffering from injustice and inequality! Yes! As soon as I read the blurb, I’m sold!

At the beginning the premise of the book reminded me of Charlie’s Angels ( but not original one: the unsuccessful remake directed by Elizabeth Banks) They’re daytime administrative assistants of insurance agency, at night time changing their Clarance Kent clothes at phone booth to turn into avenging angels! I found the story line a little exaggerated but thankfully the author brought out frenemies theme with smart banters and emotional depth of characters’ back stories which made me change my mind completely.

We see our heroine Brinkley Saunders at action at the first chapter: fishing an egomaniac who steals another company’s design and the clients. Her specialty is fighting against the arrogant people who climb the career ladders by pushing their colleagues out of their way: specialized backstabbers.

But at the second chapter she meets with our charming hero Mark, another backstabbing academician is about to take down a woman colleague’s position at university. She has to stop him but her meeting with him doesn’t go as she planned. She finds herself giving details about her dream job, her plans for future, her past and her real name. She starts to have second thoughts about her target: could he really mean enough to steal another woman’s job?

But this is not the worst part, she finds herself at Mark’s home, kissing him passionately. She is saved by ringing phone call of her colleague and leaving his place in the middle of extremely passionate making up seance!

The beginning of the book a little irritated me. I found Brinkley a little defensive, wild, vengeful but later we’re introduced to her mom who is successful, perfectionist academician never appreciates her daughter, criticizing every life choice she made including dropping out her job at university, pursuing her passion in arts, her cheater boyfriend. We start to understand her insecurities and motives.

And the book moved so fast with a twist: the girls’ boss Margot/ vengeful, cutthroat bitch version of Bosley hired four boys to be trained by girls. Guess who will be trained by Brinkley?

Yes, charming, sexy, abandoned Mark after half night stand is hired by Margot! How is it possible? How can a target turn into employee? Well, sorry Brinkley , you may have dropped something at Mark’s place to give clues about your secret business.

Yes, let the games begin! The girls have no intention to work with the boys, ditching and misleading them to solve the problem indefinitely but Mark is so resilient to give up and he wants his apology because he was not the one cheated to get another colleague’s job.

Brinkley cannot restrain her feelings for him and as she starts to question her life choices, she slowly realizes she can choose not to be victim and fight harder to chase her dreams, living fulfilled life.

The book started three starred read for me. I found the girls’ vengeance job a little unrealistic with too much 009 vibes but as soon as boys included the play and learning more about Brinkley’s relationship dynamics with her mother and her academic past, I’m intrigued and got chemistry between she and Mark was five starred read material: extremely steamy, sexy!

I liked the conclusion of the story and I was so close to give five stars but the book ended up so abruptly. I expected an epilogue or one more chapter to see how events went out for the characters.

So I lowered one star but I still enjoyed the feminism vibes, smart, sassy vibes, intimate chemistry, inspirational messages! Both of the MCs are dealing with their traumatic pasts, deserving their second chances. I loved both of them! Mark made me a little disappointed at the end but he fixed his mistake with great gesture as I expected.

I’m giving four funny, steamy, smart, addictive, brilliant romcom stars!

I’m looking forward to read more works of the author.

Special thanks to Netgalley and Gallery Books for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

Powered through this book in less than a day. It's fun, it's light but with nuances related to family, work, relationships, and finding one's purpose. I loved this book and am hoping there are more to come from Sonia Hartl. The premise is silly, but that makes it that much more fun. Highly recommend for anyone in their 30s.

The story is extremely white (I believe there are two Asian characters, total) and heteronormative. Withstanding that, this was an excellent and hilarious romantic comedy. We see Brinkley at her lowest, and we cheer for her as she takes more control of her life, and does what scares her (buying a gallery). Hartl’s descriptions of things going wrong (running into her ex, while covered in coleslaw; accidentally describing fingerbanging to Mark’s mother and sister) had me in absolute stitches. Additionally, Brinkley’s moving from empowering women by tearing down others, to empowering women by LIFTING up women is truly the cherry on top.

I was so glad that I was able to read Heartbreak for Hire! The characters in this story are so likable, I read it in 2 days because I really wanted to know what happened! I really enjoyed the character development throughout the story with Brinkley - she is a strong woman, with some insecurities that come out, but as the story goes on, we experience some huge change that every woman can relate to! It is a spicy, fun, witty book.

I feel like I need two separate ratings. One for the chemistry between the two main characters and one for the plot. The chemistry between Mark and Brooklyn was great, but there are many plot points that are a bit unbelievable.

Heartbreak for Hire opens with Brinkley, a hired heartbreaker who takes men down a peg. She works for "H4H" as a heartbreaker for the "egos" aka men who use women (mostly for their ideas). On one heartbreaker recon, Brinkley meets Mark, a beautiful adjunct professor. Though she's been hired to take him down because he is a bad coworker, she can't find anything "wrong" with him. That is, until Brinkley comes into H4H and discovers the worst--her boss has hired male heartbreakers for the first time and it's HER job to train Mark. DUN DUN DUNNNNNN. Who could predict what happens next??

Heartbreak for Hire is a sharp debut. It's a funny and enjoyable read, and I am looking forward to reading more from this author.