This book has such a gorgeous cover and intriguing synopsis, I couldn't help but request it from the Publisher's Weekly Grab-a-Galley event. I liked the bureaucratic system of angels tied together with Turkish culture as the main character Sare uncovers her family's history and seeks to undo a generational curse. I was a bit surprised that this book does not seem to be listed as a YA Fantasy, even though the main character is 17 about to turn 18; and the overall feel of her character and the setting feels to fit within the YA framework. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but I did have to adjust my expectations when reading the book. Overall, I liked the book and thought it was a solid debut!

A big thank you to Publishers Weekly, Netgalley, and Alcove Press for the free eARC in exchange for my thoughts! And of course to Colleen for the buddy read :)

Although prettily written, The Book of Heartbreak was not what I was expecting. The book is being promoted as adult and no age is mentioned in the synopsis; so, imagine my surprise when we meet a 17 year old Sare and her 18 year old love interest, Leon. The story is told in the 1st person and we follow Sare as she tries to figure out her curse after the death of her mother. She travels to Istanbul to meet the grandfather she never knew and uncovers secrets she could never have dreamed up. Sprinkled in between chapters we get what are essentially memos between heavenly beings who are trying to help or hinder Sare's progress. They were one of my favorite parts of the book. Sare comes off very much like a moody teenager, which she is, but I expected her to be a young woman, probably in her 20s based on the description and its status as an adult book. The story had some kind of grittier layers, but nothing that would really push it into the adult category. It really felt like a YA book and honestly would have been perfectly placed there in like 2018. I know I am harping on this point, but I don't read a lot of YA fantasy anymore and probably would not have requested this book if I had known it would read this way. That being said, the writing wasn't bad and the story had some layering and drama that was fun and some twists that I guessed but a lot of readers might not and would have a lovely surprise when they got there. The cover is gorgeous. I also thought the Turkish mythos were intriguing and I would have loved some more worldbuilding and description of the location. I think this book would be perfect for teens (or adults) thinking about reading romantasy but may not be ready for how explicit some of them tend to be (this one is basically just kissing on page).

Cursed to die after 5 heartbreaks, The Book of Heartbreak follows main character Sare's journey as she desperately tries to stay alive after her mother's death. We follow Sare to Istanbul to live with family she had never known of, to find a cure to the curse that will rob her of her ability to love when she turns 18.

This novel had a bit of a slow start but I loved its blend of humor and deep emotions. When Sare begins figuring out what was happening to her, the reader joins along for the journey, feeling her true hopelessness and despair at the heartbreak she has been through. The emotional weight of the story is balanced with humor throughout. I thoroughly enjoyed the emails that are interspersed throughout the book from different levels of management in the angel/heavenly organization, bringing a corporate view to an otherworldly experience.

While the emails did make me laugh, I found myself going back and forth to remember what had been said in previous emails and what everyone's titles were. But after about 25% of the way into this book I was hooked. I couldn't wait to read more about Sare and Munnu, and find out the roots of the curse. I also loved the epigraphs at the start of each chapter.

Overall, this was an enjoyable, emotional, and engaging read and I gave it 4.75/5 stars. Thank you to Alcove Press and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

After the first couple of chapters, I knew this book wasn’t going to work for me. The writing from the beginning was trying very hard to be poetic and flowery but it was over the top and extra.

DNF

The Book of Heartbreak was a frustrating read from start to finish. The writing style is so overblown it borders on melodramatic, drowning any meaningful emotion in flowery prose. The main character is just 17, but her constant pessimism makes her feel like a caricature of teenage angst rather than a fully developed person. Her only companion, a spirit guardian named Munu, somehow manages to be just as negative, which only drags the tone down further. With no real moments of hope or levity to balance the gloom, the story feels more exhausting than emotional. Not recommended.

thank you to netgalley for a free arc in exchange for an honest review! this might be right book wrong time I could see the potential but just couldn't get invested

This is a great debut!

I loved the setting and the vibes that being in Istanbul provided. I also enjoyed the main family’s story line, it was complex but compelling.

The idea of emails and memos in the spiritual realm was a lighthearted twist to a usually somber idea.

For the first 30% of the book I found everything enjoyable but I was able to step away and read other things as needed. Once I hit 45%, I needed to know how the story kept progressing.

Thanks to the author and publisher for this ARC!

Unfortunately, this is another one that suffers from an execution that isn't up to the premise. And there was SO MUCH potential there! LIke, this book could have been one of the most beautiful and unique books in contemporary fiction--but none of the framework got the attention it deserved.

This had one of the most interesting premises I've ever heard, but the actual writing was pretty....disappointing. The gorgeous world of Turkey and Turkish mythology was almost entirely glossed over, leaving Istanbul so underdeveloped as a setting that the entire second half of the book could have really taken place anywhere in the world where an island exists. Sare as a character was decent, but as a narrator she was cringeworthy. The first person POV was probably not the right choice for someone who is cursed for almost 18 years but still takes until halfway through the book to even start wondering about it.

And the instalove was so forced that I just found myself skipping through scenes with the two main characters. I wanted to give up reading after about the 8th essentially identical scene of them bickering. About two thirds of the book was filler without character development or plot relevance--again, a lot of identical scenes taking place in different locations. Add some truly cringeworthy melodramatic dialogue and conversations, and you've got a book perfect for skimming through in 30 minutes to see if anything actually gets figured out.


***Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for providing me with a digital copy of this book to review.***

Let me just say this: I picked up The Book of Heartbreak expecting a dreamy romantasy with a heavy dose of yearning and wow, did it deliver.

Ova Ceren gives us a story that's part myth, part modern fairytale, and entirely addictive. This isn’t just a romance; it’s a slow unraveling of fate, grief, magic, and what it means to open your heart, especially when that heart is quite literally at risk of breaking.

Sare Silverbirch is living on borrowed time. Born with a celestial curse, she can only survive five heartbreaks. After losing her mother, her fourth heartbreak, Sare is dangerously close to the end, and her once-passive acceptance of the curse shifts into something more urgent.

She has to know: Why her? Can it be broken? Is she really doomed to love only at the cost of her own life?


Ceren’s prose is enchanting without being overwrought. It feels like being told a bedtime story meant for grown-ups, haunting, poetic, and surprisingly sharp. There's something about the way she weaves grief, wonder, and wit into Sare’s voice that makes even the saddest parts shimmer.

I loved the modern magical realism vibe set against the backdrop of Istanbul, ancient and atmospheric, with shadows that whisper and celestial beings that lurk behind the veil. The city felt like a character in its own right, humming with secrets and old gods.


Enter Leon, the seer with a tragic charm and knowledge of the otherworldly.
Their chemistry? Slow burn perfection. He's gentle, smart, and emotionally intelligent, exactly the kind of love interest who makes you scream “PROTECT HIM” at the pages.

But of course, falling in love is literally fatal for Sare, which raises the tension in all the right ways.

The mythological threads running through this book gave me Addie LaRue meets The Star-Touched Queen vibes, but with a distinctly Middle Eastern flavour that felt fresh and rich.

The celestials are cruel, ethereal, and fascinatingly detached from human suffering. Think ancient gods with agendas and zero patience for defiance.

A beautifully unique read, and one I won’t forget anytime soon.

3/5 ⭐️
Reading the description of this book, I was instantly sold. A reimagining of a Middle Eastern legend, a girl cursed that if her heart breaks three times, she'll die, and it being comped with The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by the publisher and Once Upon a Broken Heart by readers. Sold! Unfortunately, I slowly grew disappointed. I would 1000% not compare this to The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. There was really nothing that was even remotely reminiscent of that book in my opinion. It was honestly rude to compare the two. Now, Once Upon A Broken Heart I could see more of. However, it lacked that addictiveness OUABH had. 

I will admit there was something that had me turning the page. As I was reading, I was wondering why? Cause there was nothing in the narrative that was enticing me. I semi cared for the main character and her journey, but there was no question or mystery that was luring me forward. I believe what made it easy to keep going was that the prose was quick and easy to inhale. 

I think how the book started really hurt it for me personally. There was a lot of setting up, but there was no mystery to lure me forward, as I previously said. Now technically the whole curse thing should've been that mystery, but it was revealed late and awkwardly. It wasn't hinted at in the opening chapter as I think it should've. Nor was it revealed in a way that had me feel the tension and pressure. It almost felt like the characters were shrugging their shoulders, like it was normal for them. Which that could've been fine for the main character, but then we needed a secondary character to show the readers that they should be nervous for her. And even though there technically was one in the form of her "guardian angel," I didn't feel it. It fell flat. This same thing continued to happen throughout the book. There were so many parts and details that could've added so much tension and mystery, yet they were revealed in a shrugging manner. I grew bored and didn't care. 

My final critique is the dialogue. These are 18 year olds, yet their conversations were more akin to what I would overhear middle schoolers having. Even the adult characters came across as more like the dialogue in a children's or middle grade.  Which then led me to believe that this would have actually been better as a middle grade book than an adult. So many aspects of this story's plot and the characters were already fitting within what I would normally see in a middle grade book. If the book leaned into that category, I would have been more lenient with some of my critiques and possibly have liked it more. It could've fit the themes of middle grade better too, since belonging and family are often popular in that category. I think it had a potential to be similar in tone and style to Ella Enchanted with the whole angels and curses aspect and the relationship between the FMC and Love Interest. 

In the end, I was kind of disappointed reading this book. I saw great reviews, but instead was left wanting. I think this probably could have done better as a middle grade story than YA. I also would NOT have compared this story to Addie LaRue. OUABH would have been at least a closer comparison in tone and plot. This story had a lot of potential, but I believe it should've spent more time with beta readers and editors to help discover the best way to convey mystery and to lure the reader forward. The author had the right ideas, they were there, but they were not presented in the best manner to hook the reader. 

I would probably still recommend this book to any one looking for this type of story. Probably to a younger audience or anyone looking for that style and tone of a younger story. I think because of how this was marketed, I walked in expecting more and was left disappointed in return. 

Thank you to NetGalley & Crooked Lane Books/Alcove Press for providing an advance reader copy of this book for my honest review.

I guess I'm one of the few who wasn't completely take by this book. It was difficult for me to get into. I liked the idea of the five heartbreaks- it reminded me of Jacks from OUABH, but the execution wasn't what I hoped. The story just felt very flat and one dimensional, and throughout most of the book, I just felt confused. I understand this is a curse and Sare is to break this curse, but how exactly was it awakened? The beddua just didn't feel like enough to awaken such a curse. And the curse itself could've used a little.. extra. The curse is one that recurs throughout history, so I understand it would be the main focus of this book, but just because it is a reoccurring factor does not mean the book needs to feel so repetitive. At some point, I found myself getting bored and feeling like every other chapter was the same.
As far as the romance between Sare and Leon, that felt very forced. I did not see the attraction between them. They seemed more like good friends or teammates instead of lovers. All this to say, I didn't vibe with this book.
Thank you NetGalley, Alcove Press, and Ova Ceren for this ARC.

This book has a beautiful premise: Sare is cursed to die of heartbreak unless she can make it to 18 before her heart is broken for the fifth time. While it starts a bit slow and doesn't always seem to flow as easily as it could, this story still managed to suck me in and keep me interested. I laughed and I cried, and this is a quintessential young adult fantasy novel. I look forward to reading what Ova writes next!

Sare is cursed. One more heartbreak and she dies. However, if she lives until her 18th birthday, the curse goes away, but she loses her ability to love. After the death of her mother, she goes to live with her grandfather, whom she has never met, in Istanbul, Turkey. There, she meets a seer/curse breaker, Leon. With the help of Leon and against the wishes of Sare’s guardian, Manu, Sare learns the origins of her curse and her family. This was such a lovely story. It kept me interested right from the very beginning. It’s a fantastic story about love and being courageous enough to follow your instincts, with a dash of enemies-to-lovers romance. I highly recommend this book. Thank you to NetGally, Ova Ceren, and Alcove Press for allowing me the privilege of reading this book.

I was really drawn in by the unique premise of The Book of Heartbreak—it felt fresh and emotionally rich right from the start! Ova Ceren’s writing has a lyrical, almost dreamlike quality that added depth to the story’s exploration of pain and healing. That said, the pacing didn’t always work for me. Still, I appreciated the originality! It wasn’t perfect, but it definitely stood out as something different. Thank you, NetGalley!

I can see how some will absolutely love this book. For me, it seemed to drag through the 2nd half. Sare is thankfully not one of those 17 year old FMCs that come across as extremely YA. Her family history and her drive to uncover it is really well laid out. The intermittent correspondence between the celestial beings didn’t really do much for me and my enjoyment of the book. I did appreciate however that this really is set in modern times and all the characters, divine or mortal, speak and act as such.

Overall it’s was an enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

3.5 rounded up

The Book of Heartbreak is a dazzlingly romantic contemporary fantasy set in Istanbul. Following Sare Silverbirch, readers are taken on a journey to break a curse of heartbreak that holds Sare back from experiencing love and life the way others do.

I was sent a widget of this book the day after adding it to my 'want to read' list and I could not have been more excited. This book was advertised to me as a story that was for fans of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and Once Upon a Broken Heart. After reading, I'm glad to say that I think these are great comp titles. Especially if you loved the elements of curses, the complexities of love and heartbreak, and the whimsical nature of Once Upon a Broken Heart, I think there's a lot of hope for you to love this book.

As fantastical as this book may be, it is more modern and it takes place in the real world. Contemporary fantasy has been a recent obsession of mine and I loved that this story fell into that category. One of the most memorable parts of this for me was the inclusion of emails between some of the chapters. The way they were used to move the story along and give readers a view into the world and story that wasn't from Sare's POV was incredible. I don't see a lot of emails in books, but this makes me want more!

While I think the contemporary element was done well, I wish Ova Ceren took a deeper dive into the setting of this book. Sare's story takes place in Istanbul, but we don't hear as much about that as I would've liked. I'm a lover of heavy description and world-building (which I know isn't for everyone), and I feel like we didn't get much of either in this book. Descriptions of setting are brief and don't come up often. I also felt like they were lacking when it came to bigger, more important scenes.

I felt distant from the setting and the characters, other than Sare, for most of the book. It felt like we were scratching the surface of an incredible world and deep emotion, but didn't always fully jump into it. During the biggest scenes of this book, I felt like I was watching from the sidelines rather than really being in it. Which is a shame, because I feel like the story was plotted so well.

It's clear that Ova Ceren is a talented storyteller. The way she can connect strings and weave a story together is magical to see. Each plot point made so much sense and the progression of the story was perfect. Unfortunately, I found it hard to completely connect to what was going on and who we were following.

While I don't think this book was perfect for me personally, I still believe this will be a new favorite for so many people. If you love YA romantasy with a whimisical, fairytale touch and a modern feel to it, I'm confident that you'll love The Book of Heartbreak.

Review on Goodreads (sophreadingbooks https://www.goodreads.com/sophreadingbooks) as of of 6/26/2025
Review on Instagram (sophiesreading https://www.instagram.com/sophiesreading/) expected 8/26/2025

There’s something rare about a book that doesn’t just tell a story—but feels like it’s holding a mirror to your own heart.

The Book of Heartbreak took me by surprise in the best way. Sare Silverbirch is a protagonist who doesn't just walk through the world—she aches through it. Living with a curse that makes each heartbreak a countdown toward her death is already compelling enough, but what moved me most was how deeply human her pain felt. Her grief, her confusion, her desire to believe in something more than fate—it all rang so true.

The writing is delicate and emotionally charged, without ever becoming overly ornate. Ceran knows exactly when to hold back and when to let a sentence slice right through you. From Istanbul’s rich and dreamy atmosphere to the quiet intimacy of Sare’s journey, everything felt intentionally crafted to echo the loneliness and hope tangled inside her.

And then there’s the love story—slow, tender, and tinged with fear. Falling in love when it could kill you? That emotional tension is so well-executed. I felt every hesitation, every stolen moment, every risk. The magic is there, yes—but it never overshadows the aching humanity at the core.

This is a story about choosing love even when it terrifies you. About questioning the stories we inherit and writing new ones for ourselves. About grief, and legacy, and the quiet rebellion of healing.

I closed this book feeling full—like I’d been handed a piece of Sare’s fragile, beautiful heart to carry with me.

Thank you Alcove Press, NetGalley and Ova Ceren for the eARC!

Thank you so much for this gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. I absolutely adored this book. It sucked me in from the first page and held my attention the entire time. Emotional, forbidden love, slow burn. Some of my absolute favorite tropes done so fantastically. I can’t wait to get a physical Copy for my shelf

Thank you to NetGalley, Ova Ceren, and Alcove Press for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I loved the way that grief and death were explored. Sare has dealt with a horrible curse of heartbreak. These heartbreaks could eventually kill her. She has only five heartbreaks before she doesn't come back for good. I thought the magic system was interesting. I would have loved more details about the world to help understand how important some of the characters are in this world. The characters and the mystery surrounding her curse kept my attention. I wanted to know what happened. I would recommend it!

I found this book really interesting and the mythology so interesting.
It was a little slow for me to get into in the beginning because I was not familiar with the myth at all.
But once it starts going it’s a really fun book!
Don’t expect instant action though. It’s delayed gratification 😂