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.

2.5 stars rated up.
The flow of the book was good. It was an easy read. I just felt like it was cliche so it felt like I had read the book before.

So steamy and so fun. I need to say this again. So so steamy and so much fun. I guarantee Mark will be your next book boyfriend. He's ready to take his first trip to the All-You-Can-Eat-Buffet in chapter 4 and he's super hungry. Uh, yes please.

Brinkley is the kind of girl you hire to take a man's ego down a notch or two, a heartbreaker for hire. That jerky coworker who thinks he's smarter than you? The boss who makes your life a daily hell? Brinkley is your girl. She gets hired to take down a sexy professor and nothing after that goes according to plan.

The company she works for, Heartbreak For Hire, has decided to start hiring men in what has historically been an all female work environment. None of the ladies are on board. They've all been burned by men, passed over for promotions, belittled and emotionally abused, used and all of their money stolen from them. But at some point Brinkley starts to second guess whether what they are doing is the right thing, if it's really helping empower women. Are all these men as bad as some of these women say they are? Then in walks the sexy professor.

Ultimately Brinkley is able to tap into her inner strength, finding faith in her ability to actually make the leap into actively pursing her career goal of owning her own art gallery. She believes she's worthy of the love that has been withheld from her for so many years from her mother and her abusive ex-boyfriend.

Heartbreak For Hire has a whole lot of pulse pounding excitement that had me devouring this in one sitting.

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.

Fun, contemporary rom-com romance. Brinkley Sanders has a secret job. She works undercover for an agency that specializes in getting revenge for woman whether it is co-workers, bosses, or past lovers. Usually it amounts to publicly shaming or getting the goods on them for a law suit. The premise is fun and creates some funny moments but eventually you see it isn't the best business model and can be a bit mean. Brinkley meets Mark while on an assignment that goes awry. Next thing you know Mark is coming to work at her agency. Mark's connection to the world of academia further complicates things as that is her mothers world and Brinkley has hurt feelings connected to her past.

Overall I enjoyed the book. Fast paced, sweet and steamy, I read it all on a lazy afternoon. I know this is coming out as a summer read but it was my distraction for a horrible news week with protesters storming the Capitol. Mark has his own back story and was wonderfully supportive of Brinkley and her dreams. The side-characters co-workers and Brinkley's mom add to the story but others seem one dimensional. I wish I understood Margo, the agencies owner, a little more. I thought she might be helping heal hurt girls recover but then her motive seemed to be profit centered. I wasn't quite clear on that or why she made the decision to add men to the all female office. This has the same vibe as Sally Thorne's "The Hating Game" and I can see it being compared to it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a total smash success in my opinion. It was pushed for fans of Sally Thorne and Christina Lauren, to me that is a perfect fit! For all those fans out there of Thorne's debut The Hating Game, this will be a must read. The heroine Brinkley is both smart and confident. Hart's book is a page turner, an addictive read for a day inside. I cannot recommend this book enough!

One of my favorite rom-coms of the year so far. I loved how light this book is, without a lot of drama. It is a great escape for a few hours, with a confident and smart protagonist and and adorably kind yet sexy love interest. Definitely recommend!

The premise of this book is fantastic: Scorned women who are able to act out revenge on the egotistical men who had wronged other women by using their own vices to take them down. What woman wouldn’t want to live out their fantasies of taking down the men who have mistreated and taken advantage of others.

This story is about as good as it gets for enemies-to-lovers. There are so many heated fights between these two over topics that I can’t imagine getting past if this happened to me. You can feel the hate between them, the disdain reeks from each of their words, but under it all you can see their evident chemistry.

I love the slow unraveling of Brinkley with every push of Mark. He has a natural charisma that goes beyond his good looks and “penis funnel” that knows exactly how to communicate with Brinkley. Mark is the exact thing Brinkley needs in her life. He challenges and gets her out of her comfort zone and sees the potential in her that she refuses to acknowledge because of years of people who she thought care of tearing her down.

The ending was messy, shocking, and one of the situations I thought were overly exaggerated, but at the same time brought so much meaning to the book. The author charmed me into feeling like Sydney Bridtow from Alias by making me feel like a covert operative taking down bad men one at a time, made me smile and swoon over the cute professor in a sweater vest, and broke my heart over how many times a person could hurt another. I felt the empowerment in the story when Brinkley took her life into her own hands and decided what was best for her.

The writing is fantastic. The flow of her words sucks you in from the first chapter. It’s vivid and imaginative while connecting you both to Brinkley and the story. As the reader you are invested in the outcomes of the story. The humor was well placed and had me laughing at Brinkley’s inner monologue and quick wit comments. I really enjoyed this contemporary romance and can’t wait to see what else this author has in store. Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for this ARC

This is the first time I read this author and I really liked the story.

There's a lot going on with family relationships, friendships, colleagues at work, politics at work, in academia. Lots and lots.

Heartbreak For Hire, the company where Brinkley works, seems a bit sketchy. Not in the way they do business, but in terms of why and how.

When Mark and Brinkley meet, there's attraction, not only physical, but also intellectual. They do have their secrets and, as the relationship deepens, the stakes get higher until you can see there will be a big blow up.

The writing is good, and so is the pacing, and I liked the growth the characters had.

Definitely not clean.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

Heartbreak for Hire by Sonia Hartl was adorable and addictive. It was sit one spot finish it in a day good. This book made me gasp and laugh out loud. How far would you go to get back at a man, someone who cheated on you, stole from you or made you feel like dirt? Would you key his car or send him a glitter bomb? What about breaking his heart? That's where Heartbreakers for Hire comes in. You can hire one of the Heartbreakers to humiliate the guy. Brinkley is a twenty something who dreams of being an artist, but drops out of her master's program after a terrible breakup, so she becomes a heart breaker. This sets in motion a fun romcom set in Chicago. Hartl masterfully crafted more layers than baklava to fill this novel with juicy dialogue and scenes I would love to see play out in real life.