The Seven Rules for Breaking Hearts warmed my heart! I loved the SLOW Burn of this romance. It was fantastic. The characters are rich. The story is fun and there is a lot of heart. I highly recommend this one for your next book club read!

Kristyn Milller’s Seven Rules for Breaking Hearts does not read like a debut novel- this cute and enthralling romance was like curling into a warm hug from the first paragraph. The flow of Miller’s writing is familiar and comfortable- the pace was perfect, the descriptions of characters and scenery were informative and sensory without being wordy, and the plot followed the predictability of the romance genre while avoiding being ‘boring’ or feeling cliche.

FMC Margo Anderson has made her claim to fame on avoiding commitment- along with her best friend Jo, “Go and Jo” are hosts of the “Seven Rules for Breaking Hearts” podcast. The podcast episodes drill in the seven fundamental rules of avoiding committed relationships. With close to a hundred thousand followers and multiple sponsorship deals, Go and Jo share their one-night stand escapades with their viewers and have built a recognizable brand out of themselves- at least until Jo drops a bombshell- she’s getting married!

Margo was a highly likable and authentic lead character- while she was struggling with finding her purpose, she was not whiny or self-deprecating. She owned her feelings, her behaviors and her mistakes. When her high-school enemy Declan is revealed as the best man to accompany her role as maid of honor, Margo is forced to reconsider events of her past and get back in touch with Margo Anderson the person, rather than Go the Social Media personality.

While not an ‘in-your-face’ or judgemental approach, Kristyn Miller draws attention to the ‘dual life’ conflict of social media influencers- ‘Go’ is an independent, single woman, happily avoiding a relationship and full of wisdom to those who want to follow in her footsteps. Margo is a stressed-out influencer, constantly looking for the next opportunity to create exciting content and live a life on social media that is ‘worthy’ of her following. Tied to her phone, Margo spends most of her time considering what others think of her, and very little time focusing on what SHE actually wants. Jo is a beloved podcaster, until the moment she decides to ‘break the rules’ she created and falls in love, and then her followers turn on her.

All of the above would make for a great novel, but Seven Rules does not stop there- the slow-burn, “he falls first”, childhood-enemies-to-lovers romance between Margo and Declan is DELICIOUS! Declan is adorable, and with Miller describing him as a Jamie Fraser doppelganger- he had my affections from his intro paragraph. I loved the banter between Margo and Declan, I also really loved their ‘pillow talk’ moments of deeper conversation. Every single time Miller wrote ‘the scene’ that made the reader think they were FINALLY going to kiss, I fell for it. As a reader, I was completely invested in their story and challenged myself NOT to flip ahead to ensure the book ends with a happily ever after.

If you’re looking for a great new romance read, I highly recommend picking up Seven Rules for Breaking Hearts when it releases on May 16, 2023!

This was a fun quick read. I really liked the concept of the book about podcasters whom have made rules on how to stay happily single but are now seeing what happens when they break the rules. It was well written when discussing how a podcast on your dating life could actually control the decisions you make and possibly hold you back from living honestly. I also liked the take on influencers and how different people would interact with them.

Declan was almost too perfect that I'm not sure how he was still single. It was clear from the ferry ride how he felt about Margo and what she may have gotten wrong about the past. The chemistry was fantastic. I liked the end where is seemed like it was resolved enough just with Margo and what she learned that we didn't need a HEA (though it was nice). I only wish Margo didn't apologize so much - I'm not sure what went down was that terrible but maybe that's because we got the whole story from her POV and knew her intentions.

I hope some of the side characters get their own stories since they all seem interesting even though they didn't get much page time.

(Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC)

This was such a cute read! I loved the intro with the red record button and the unraveling the author did to tell the tale. Margo and Declan were high school “enemies” by chance and yet forced to support their friends on their wedding day years later. Once the past was revealed, the feels began and the pages turned so quickly. Solid romantic read.
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Overall I really enjoyed this book! I liked the combo of enemies to lovers and first loves reuniting in a unique way. I also liked the look at the “other side” of social media influencers! Would have been a 5 star read for me but there was just too much miscommunication for me to absolutely love it. A solid debut novel and totally worth picking up on publication day!!

This is Kristyn J Miller’s debut novel, and I felt like I was reading another version of How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days. The only difference is that Margo is the only one with an ulterior motive.

Margo (and Jo) are podcasters with rules about hooking up without the commitment. When Jo breaks all of those rules to get married, they must scramble to find content to end the show without looking like they are complete liars. So Margo decides to break the rules as a social experiment. What could possibly go wrong?

I found the beginning of the novel to be rough going. I don’t really listen to podcasts nor do I consider a social influencer a celebrity. Maybe I haven’t found the right podcast to listen to, or maybe I just remember that these are people like me, but I found it difficult to relate to Margo’s career. Not only that but the third act breakup didn’t really make sense to me. I mean it felt forced, because there had to be a breakup, but its reasoning was really lost on me.

Once the reader pushes through the beginning, all the stuff in between becomes enjoyable. I felt the romance part of the novel was very well done, and I loved the banter between the two. Many of the characters are mentioned but are more one dimensional, like they are simply there to move the novel forward.

Overall, I rate this novel 3 out of 5 stars. It’s a lighthearted and fun novel definitely meant for the summer on a lovely beach day.

I loved this book! It reminded me a lot if The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren. Lots of laughs, great characters, and good life lessons wrapped up in a happy ever after! I also loved that the author made the guy a red head 😊 Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the ARC!

This was a fun story to read! The lifestyle and setting were unique which kept me wanting to keep reading. The relationship between Margo and Declan had. the right blend of humor and heat. The ending did feel a bit rushed but otherwise it was a great book!

I h ave stubmbled upon a new-to-me author and totally loved her entire book, the premise, the characters, reading about my own backyard (Catalina island)...it all worked so well for me!

Bring on the beach reads - pack this one for your summer read-a-thon!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this e-ARC.

I loved this book.

Was it predictable? Yes.

Was it also a good palate cleanser from the mystery novels I've been reading lately? Also yes.

We start with Go and Jo, two podcasters that host a dating podcast focused on dating without commitment or getting your heart broken. Kind of like Call Her Daddy, but it seems less explicit. But now the podcast seems to be changing or ending since Jo has broken the biggest rule of hooking up, falling in love and getting married. Of course the best man is Go's (Margo) enemy from high school. A boy now sexy man who once filled her tuba with shaving cream that exploded during a school concert.

If you've ever read an enemy's to lovers book then you know how the story goes complete with a miscommunication trope.

This is a cute beach read that I would say is light smut. Though there is a dressing room scene that is two thumbs up.

I really enjoyed this feel good enemies to lovers romance. The setting was wonderful and had me longing for the beach. I enjoyed the tie in with the podcast element and text messages. Margo finds herself and love by the end of the book. Margo and Declan are great characters alone and even better together.

Definitely recommend for a fun summer romcom. Easy to read feel good story.

Rules are meant to be broken...but not the rules Margo "Go" Anderson lives by. She and her best friend from childhood, Jo, run a popular podcast called "Seven Rules for Breaking Hearts". The problem is, Jo broke the rules and fell head over heels in love with their high school quarter back. Now, the seventh season is looming, Jo is getting married at a sponsor's destination and Margo is face to face with the idiot prankster best man from high school, Declan.

With no ideas for content presenting themselves and their viewers voicing their disappointment, Margo decides maybe it's time to prove the rules are there for a reason. She'll break the rules too....with Declan, to prove the rules are there for a reason. But nothing goes to plan, as Margo throws the rules away, the walls of her heart fall with them. Through insane kayak trips, cake tastings, some spicy time in a dressing room, Margo starts to realize maybe the rules are meant to be broken for the right person.

Super cute, and sweet read.

What I liked:
-I liked the podcasting aspect of the story. As someone who is constantly busy with the day to day, podcasts are my life. So, reading the transcript was appealing as it gave me all the vibes.
-I thought the spicy level was on point for the what the book is.

What I didn't like:
-I'm not generally one for drama, but I thought the climax was a little wanting.

Overall, a great book for on the go travelling when you need a quick romantic pick-me up. 3.5 stars!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Griffin for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

3/5

It took me a while to get into this one, but the last 1/3 of the story shot off like a rocket. This book combines the highs and lows of social media and pop culture, and I felt the depiction seemed really accurate. I also liked the addition of the texts and podcast episodes to the chapters.

The MC's, Margot and Declan were likable and Declan was the ultimate sweet guy. The side characters except for Margo's mom were just meh for me. A fun, easy read for summer vacation!

Read if you like:
enemies to lovers
opposites attract
vacations

I received an advanced reader's copy for this book, thank you to NetGally and St. Martins Press! Seven Rules for Break Hearts is available on May 16-the perfect time for a fun summer read!

This was a cute book and I loved the writing style of the author. The characters were so interesting and compelling.

This book overall was cute was it was a bit predictable. If you’re looking for an easy and fun read I would recommend!

The book as a rough start with the main character being very unlikable but slowly she grows in you as you see her grow as a person with her relationships.

It’s not a perfect story but there are moments that make you smile and laugh throughout and the ending is satisfying.

The hard part is that you may need to force yourself through the first half because it’s hard to connect and root for the main character but if you can push through there is a good story in the end.

I loved this one. The banter was great, I was cracking up, loved the chemistry. Such a sweet and cute read. I highly recommend

This debut novel by Kristyn J. Miller left me with a book hangover. I aboslutely LOVED it!! It was a fun and sexy, enemy to lovers story. The characters were so likeable and the podcast transcripts were so much fun. I can't wait to read more from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley, Kristyn J. Miller and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It was so good! I read it in less than 24 hrs. I laughed through 80% of this book. The characters banter, wit, and snark were great. It was a smooth read, good plot, and a great love journey. Declan is swoon worthy. Not a ton of spice but just enough to add to the overal story.

This was such a fun read! Definitely more saucy than spicy, looking forward to more from this author as she continues to develop her style!