I did not finish. I read up to chapter 9 (27%).

Evie returns to a small town that she lived in during high school to open a bakery. Her best friend, Maddy, is getting married and Evie is going to be the MOH and offers to help plan the wedding. Unfortunately, Maddy's hot, rich older brother will help plan the wedding with Evie. They shared a kiss before he left for Europe. Can they work together to help Maddy?

My thoughts: Aston was too horrible to be a viable match for Evie. He was a self-righteous jerk that didnt care about people. He kept complaining about his father, but it seemed like he is his father. I like my male main characters to be more than hot and rich. He drives a Porche and wears a Rolex, but sounds like Andrew Tate.

Evie and Aston shared a kiss before he leaves. Evie says nice things to Aston at a bonfire party and he kisses her. She reciprocates and says she has feelings for him. He says her name in a bad tone and she leaves. Then there is animosity and they dont talk for 8 years. Really? That's how he breaks her heart? She says pages earlier that he hasn't shown any interest in her or spoken more than two words to her.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I read this book in one sitting, the town does sound like fun and there was so much potential there for further books.
I liked Eva, Aston took me a little longer,
A quick easy read with new people to meet!

This book was a fun second-chance, rivals-to-lovers story! I love dual POV stories where you can see from the MMC’s perspective that he’s down bad for the FMC, and Aston delivered for me!! I also loved the secondary characters here, and so badly want to read stories about Billie, Elliot, and Maddy! I was very happy with the resolution of the story (although it makes me nervous that Aston’s father just disappeared, rather than went behind bars), and am now craving doughnuts!

2.5 stars

Who was Aston written for?! Definitely not me. The way he talked about women in the first few chapters was very off putting and I agree with Eva on his red flag energy. I think there also should’ve been a content warning because some of the consent was dubious.

I think the writing was good and showed strength but the characters and setting weren’t it for me.

I was sent an ARC by Atria Books and appreciate the publisher for sending me it in exchange for an honest review

I'm sorry but this book was just not it. I've never wanted to DNF a book so bad in my life. Let's start with the romance. Where was it? These characters did not fall in love, they fell into bed again and again. There was absolutely no substance to their relationship. Even when the big romantic declaration happened, it wasn't open or honest enough. There were things that still weren't said or revealed. The main things holding them from each other were never discussed.
Some of the wording of this book was awkward and stilted. I had to check a few different times that I didn't accidentally skip a page or something.
So much of the Maddy plotline was underdeveloped, the Billie plotline seemed kind of pointless and random, and then at the end you find out Harvey had a twin brother for what?? And Aston's mom is addicted to pills? Seems like a lot of random third act additions.
Overall I just don't think the writing style was for me, and it felt like things could've been fleshed out more.

Thank you to Netgalley for the free ebook in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions!

Kat T mason writes absolutely beautifully and I loved this story loved all the feels it gave me and there wasn’t a part I didn’t love

I love me a best friend’s brother trope and this book didn’t disappoint. He’s also a super hot billionaire working for his evil father.

Back when they were kids, they kissed once.. and that was it. They went their separate ways. They’re brought back together when his sister is getting married, and she’s forcing the two to work together on the wedding to make it happen.

I loved getting to know the characters, how they evolved from the last to the present, and reading about the bumpy road to love with an enemies to lovers feel.

The writing felt a bit drawn out at time but overall great book, would recommend!

Best friends brother. Billionaire romance. Exactly what I expected to read, and it did a good job at delivering. It was fun and a super easy quick read.

This was such a cute and cozy book! It was very Gilmore girls vibes but the seasons with Logan in them. Got to love the best friend’s brother trope. I loved the world building of the town itself and the names for everything in the town. I wish I could visit there! The spicy scenes were next level and that plot twist at the end about the family was not something I saw coming. I loved the theme of empowering women and standing up to your abusers that was present throughout this book. Overall this was such a fun and quick read and it was just the thing I needed to get out of my book slump.

4 stars ⭐️ This is a perfect weekend quick read! It’s a small town cozy romance with all the tropes!!

What to expect:
✨ small town
✨ enemies to lovers
✨ forced proximity
✨ best friend’s brother
✨ billionaire

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC. All opinions are my own 🫶🏼

How to Break My Heart had some genuinely funny and heartfelt moments, I even laughed out loud a few times, but overall, it just didn’t fully work for me. The story was fine, but I didn’t feel much chemistry between Aston and Eva, which made it hard to connect with their romance. A decent read, just not one that really stuck with me.

Thank you NetGalley, Kat Mason, and Atria Publishing for an EARC of this book.

This book was a bit of a jumbled mess. So many things going on with the main characters and then the side characters. I still finished it because I enjoy some of the tropes I enjoy: best friends sibling, grumpy/sunshine, love triangle, etc. so it did keep my interest but it got crazy in the end with all the different character endings.

This was my first Kat T. Masen book and it certainly won’t be my last!! This book had so many of my favorite tropes, Small Town, Billionaire, Best Friends Brother, Forced Proximity, and even a love triangle (not my favorite but I don’t mind it if it’s done well).

Eva had a huge crush on Aston when they were younger and on the night before he was graduating and leaving town, they kiss and he basically ghosts her!! And now here they are years later. He’s running his father’s multi-million dollar company and is back in town, planning his sister, Maddie’s wedding with her best friend, Eva.

The banter and tension was fantastic and Aston is HOTT!!! And possessive 🙈🤭🤪 Eva annoyed me at times but I liked her. Maddie deserved so much better and I really hope the next book is hers and Elliot’s.🤞🏻 All in all, I had a great time reading this book and I can’t wait for the next one in this series!!

Thank you so so much Kat T. Masen and Atria Books for the EARC and I’ll definitely be applying for the next book when it’s time!! lol.

How To Break My Heart comes out September 23rd, 2025!!

How to Break My Heart delivers exactly what you’d expect from a small-town enemies to lovers romance: cozy vibes, lingering tension, and a swoony billionaire who somehow manages to be infuriating and irresistible all at once.

Eva, the café-owning donut queen of Cinnamon Springs, is relatable and grounded, while Aston, her best friend’s brother and high-powered billionaire, is basically a walking contradiction. Their forced reunion to plan a wedding brings out all the old wounds and chemistry, and the slow build between them is fun to watch unfold. The banter is sharp, the sparks are there, and the added pressure of the wedding countdown adds a nice layer of urgency.

That said, some of the story did feel a little far fetched. It’s the kind of book where you need to suspend reality a bit because let’s be honest, how often does a mega-wealthy businessman drop everything to play party planner in a small town? But if you’re okay with that, it’s easy to get swept up in the drama, charm, and second-chance romance.

It’s warm, steamy, and satisfying, with just enough emotional pull to keep you flipping pages. Perfect for a weekend escape, as long as you don’t go in expecting realism.

The tension in this book is thick! I loved the cafe setting! It was also nice that they went to the city to change up the scene. I also liked that we got both main characters POVs. Best friend’s older brother is one of my favorite tropes so I adored this! I needed puppy cuddles once I finished this book because it made me cry twice. If you like spicy small town or billionaire romances, this book is for you!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGally.

How to Break My Heart was such an enjoyable small-town, second-chance, enemies-to-lovers romance with the perfect mix of tension, banter, and steam! I loved the chemistry between Eva and Aston—their history, their rivalry, and those jealous, possessive moments that kept me hooked. Kat T. Masen did a great job bringing Cinnamon Springs to life and giving us a heartfelt story with just the right amount of drama.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance reader copy!

This had everything I usually enjoy—small-town charm, enemies-to-lovers tension, and a billionaire back in town to stir things up—but How to Break My Heart just didn’t fully land for me.
Eva runs a cozy café in Cinnamon Springs, known for her donuts and low-drama life. That peace doesn’t last long when her best friend’s brother, Aston, blows back into town. He’s now a rich, broody New Yorker, and the last time Eva saw him, he kissed her as a teenager and then ghosted her. Years later, they’re thrown together to plan a wedding, and all the unresolved tension bubbles up fast.
The premise had potential—a forced proximity setup with built-in history and the emotional mess of planning someone else’s big day. But Aston just didn’t win me over. I’m all for a grumpy hero with a hidden soft side, but this guy was mostly just cold and arrogant, and honestly, I wasn’t convinced he deserved Eva. She’s sweet, hardworking, and grounded… so watching her ditch a kind, supportive love interest for a guy who made her feel disposable felt frustrating.
There are a few steamy moments, and the small-town setting is cute, but the story never quite balanced the angst and chemistry in a way that felt believable. The flashback to high school didn’t do much to establish a strong foundation for their adult relationship, and some of the conversations felt stiff or awkward.
That said, if you’re into drama-filled second chance romances and don’t mind a morally gray hero, this could still be your thing. But for me, it was a miss.

᪥ Best Friend’s Brother
᪥ Enemies To Lovers
᪥ Small Town
᪥ Slow Burn
᪥ Billionaire

Has all the tropes! Best friend’s older brother, forced proximity, enemies to lovers, billionaire family and small town.
Was funny and still deep, cute and spicy! Read this so fast, I wish the story was longer. I loved that it connected to past series characters!!!
I wish it gave more to/about their teenage phase and their feelings. Didn’t seem much like a second chance trope, just that they had a crush on one another.

I was lucky to receive an ARC copy of this gem.
I'm well versed on all things KTM and have loved all her books.

I will start by saying I went into this blind because I wanted a unique experience. This book gave me all the feels. It was such a fun read and I love the two MCs and all the side characters. Icing on the cake were the Lex and family cameos. It felt like coming home.
I loved getting to know Aston and all his complexities. I love Eva's independence but also how low key, almost basic she is. She loves the simple things and overtime I think Aston see's her uniqueness. I loved banter between the two MCs and how their relationship evolves organically. This was such a perfect HEA.

I loved this book. It was so fun and I look forward to more cinnamon springs shenanigans and of course sprinkles of the Lex family.

This read very quickly, which I enjoyed. Overall, not a bad read but it had its moments. I found Maddy and Eva’s friendship to be very one sided and wanted Eva to tell. Maddy to get a grip. Eva was an interesting character. It felt like she put so many people first, and didn’t get much in return (except Billie, I liked her). Ashton was something - I can’t figure out how I felt about him.

Thanks to the publisher, author and NetGalley for Zan ARC in exchange for my honest review!