This book surprised me! I saw other reviews before I started this ARC. I started it and I immediately was intrigued. Once I got 20% in I was HOOKED! I could not put this book down. I work full time and have two kids, so for me to go from 25% to finished in 3 days speaks for itself.

Thank you Net Galley and Kat for this ARC with my honest review.

Now to the important parts! I LOVE ASTON and Everleigh! Loved that he refused to call her Eva! 🥰 I also loved that he never wanted anyone like her. It was such a beautiful story. I am actually struggling to put it into words. I DEVOURED their story! The 3rd act break up was needed. As someone who had my own 3rd act break up before my now husband told me he loved me I FEEL THIS IN MY BONES!

I struggled with this one. The writing was hard to follow for me and I felt confused half the time. The storyline was great but the writing failed to captivate me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria for the ARC.

When Eva’s best friend enlists her help in planning a wedding in just one month, she’s paired with the last person she expected—Aston, her best friend’s brother and the boy she once shared a single teenage kiss with before he vanished from her life. Now a billionaire returning to their small town, Aston stirs up old feelings Eva thought she’d buried, forcing them to face whether that spark still has a chance to burn.

Tropes you’ll find:

Best friend’s brother

Small town romance

Billionaire hero

This book was a quick, enjoyable read with a charming small-town setting and a premise that drew me in. I found Eva and Aston’s dynamic interesting, especially as old feelings resurfaced, although they are both a little immature. While the tension between the leads didn’t hit as strongly as I hoped, the story sets up the series nicely. Overall, it’s a solid start, and I’m curious to see how the next book develops these relationships.

What a great story. I was rooting for Everleigh from the beginning. What a great best friend to Maddy and a few others in the town. Cinnamon Springs sounds like a great place to grow up and then to live. Spending so much time trying to make Maddy’s wedding pull of without a hitch while running her own donut store. Which is a dream of mine. Well being the taste tester of the new donuts for the shop. Anyways, this book was such a fun read. I couldn’t stop turning the pages, I wanted more and more of this story.

I would highly recommend this book.

I want to thank NetGalley and Atria Books for this advanced reader copy and this is my honest opinion.

This was a cute, low stakes, best friend’s older brother, forced proximity, secret dating, small town, billionaire romance. And yeah, I’m aware that’s a lot of tropes and it seems daunting, but it’s done incredibly well. The pacing is great, the possessiveness coming off of our MMC is deliciously palpable, and the whole town gives off Stars Hollow vibes. This one should definitely make its way to your tbr!

How to Break My Heart is a fun, cozy-meets-steamy enemies-to-lovers romance set against the charming backdrop of Cinnamon Springs. Eva and Aston’s banter, competition, and undeniable chemistry make for an entertaining ride, especially when their past heartbreak collides with present-day sparks. The small-town café charm blends nicely with the high-stakes glamour of Aston’s billionaire world.

That said, the story leans on familiar romance tropes and at times feels predictable, but Kat T. Masen’s engaging writing style keeps it enjoyable. Readers looking for a sweet-and-sassy rom-com with plenty of heat will find this a satisfying, if not groundbreaking, read.

Thank you, Atria, for this early copy via netgalley! All thoughts are my own.

This book was a roller coaster. While there were a few moments that i enjoyed, they were mostly overshadowed with moments that made me cringe so hard i wanted to throw my kindle against a wall. But I pushed through because i wanted to give this book a solid chance. The angst between the MCs honestly got me through. And the ending was actually satisfying even if I didn't love the path we took to get there.

I think this book could have really benefited from a dual timeline. I found it really hard to believe that the MCs were "in love" with each other when they were younger since we only got one short prologue in the beginning of the book. A dual timeline or even if we got flashbacks would have giving their relationship a lot more depth. Without it, their feelings felt a little forced and it took until about halfway for it feel otherwise (for me.)

If you are a fan of Consider Me by Becka Mack, I think you would really like this book. It was written in a very similar way, very witty.

Tropes include:
Small Town Romance
Best Friend's Brother
Billionaire Romance

Set to be released on September 23rd

🍩 Book Review 🍩

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Publishing for an arc in exchange for my honest opinions.

Publication: September 23, 2025

Rating: Not for me

On paper, I should have loved this book. While I was reading, it was only that. I didn’t feel pulled into the story at all. The writing had a very “telling” way rather than “showing”. I loved the small town vibes and nosy townsfolk but that’s about it unfortunately.

For fans of:
🍩 First person POV
🔔 Dual POV
🍩 Small town
🔔 Best Friend’s Brother
🍩 Enemies to lovers (kind of)
🔔 Forced proximity
🍩 Billionaire MMC x small town FMC
🔔 MCs in their 30’s
🍩 Winter vibes

Thank you to Kat T Masen, Atria Books, and NetGalley for giving me an eARC of How to Break my Heart in exchange for my honest review.

I have mixed feelings about How to Break My Heart. On the one hand, it was a fun read. I truly enjoyed the plot and could not put the book down once I started it. However, it did not feel like a "romance" book to me. Now, there is a romance at the front and center of this story; however, I felt as though the background plot took center stage. From the very beginning, I felt like I was told how the characters felt about each other. I was told they had each other, that there was longing, and then that they were in love. I felt as though the "in love" portion was meant to be demonstrated through one specific moment where the main character was invited to spend the night, which the male never does. Now, the stress and anxiety around the wedding, and the complicated family dynamics, are what I feel. I was gripped in for those portions of the story and could tangibly feel the stress that was going on without being straight-up told. It kind of felt like so much time was spent painting a picture around just how stressful this wedding was that the only way for the romance to even fit was to be told about it. It is a hard one for me to rate because I enjoyed the characters and would be interested in their stories; however, it felt like a fiction book rather than a romance book. I think of it like romance versus fantasy romance in a sense. Similar to how those are distinguished, this book could stand on its own even without the romance portion. However, you take away the wedding stress and the family dynamics, and this book would n0t have much substance to it. I enjoyed it, but I wish the romance took more of a center stage and that I could actually feel the tension and the romantic feelings between the characters, rather than the stress and hatred of the side characters instead.

I really wanted to like this book. The idea was there but the characters were not doing it for me.

Eva’s character was always complaining about something she had no character development and just overall immature and whinny.

Aston’s character also had no character development he complained about his. I wasn’t a fan his need to push her away at every opportunity. He did want anything with her but also didn’t want anyone else to have it with her either.

Not a fan of the OW or OM written in paper. I do love a possessive alpha male to an extent, this was good. I didn’t like OW happening or referencing during the time they are supposed to be together. If it is referenced about like during a time when they didn’t speak that’s fine.

Overall, I liked the idea, the whole plot was there. Unfortunately I didn’t think it was the best. Was it terrible? No it wasn’t but I think that I was lacking just a little bit.

3/5 ⭐️
3/5 🌶️


Thank you Netgally & Atria for E-Arc for my honest review.

3.5⭐️

I received an ARC and I am voluntarily leaving a review. Thank you Atria Books! All thoughts are my own.

I absolutely loved the character development in this story. Eva, Aston, and even Maddy had great character arcs and felt like complete characters, not just people in a romance.

I also love a good second chance romance and it was great to see Eva and Aston get another shot at their happily ever after.

I was not a huge fan of Aston’s personality though. I found him rather off-putting and found it hard to believe he would make such a big change in such a short period of time.

Would recommend for fans of best friend’s brother, second chance romance and small town romance!

This book is the first in a new series, Cinnamon Springs, after the eponymous town the characters live in. Cinnamon Springs is an idyllic small town, and Eva is its resident donut shop owner. When her best friend, Maddy, asks Eva to help plan her spur of the minute wedding, it comes with a caveat: Maddy wants her older brother, Aston, to help in the wedding planning. Eva has successfully avoided Aston since he broke her heart his senior year, but surely they can get along for the four weeks until Maddy's wedding, right?

This book has all of the small town, cozy vibes that make the perfect backdrop for the steamy romance that happens between Eva and Aston. A few notable tropes that this book contains are:
**Best Friend's Billionaire Older Brother
**Touch Her and Die
**Forced Proximity

Readers who enjoy their main male characters with bank accounts that are only eclipsed in size only by their own egos will enjoy Aston Beaumont. Eva Woods is no shrinking violet herself, and she makes her feelings clear to Aston. These two have some fun dialog during the story that made me laugh outright. Their story is a great introduction to the town of Cinnamon Springs and helps pave the way for new stories in the future. This book is a good balance of cozy, yet spicy romance that will have you wanting to go back to Cinnamon Springs for more.

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria, and Kat T. Masen for an eARC of this novel to review.

I am a big fan of Kat T Masen, so I was super excited to get the chance to read this book as an ARC! How to Break My Heart is a best friend’s brother, second chance romance where we see main characters Eva and Aston find themselves back together again when Aston’s sister Maddy gets married. Add in a cute and quirky small town, complete with street names like Ginger Grove and Butterscotch Boulevard, along with nosy neighbors and small town gossip- this book is the perfect recipe for your next favorite romance read. After finishing this book, I can’t wait to revisit Cinnamon Springs for future books in this series!

I don’t know how I feel about this book, even after sitting on my thoughts for a few days. I mostly like the girls. The mmc was a bit over the top is his controlling mentality and the father was the absolute worst. I do wish for a second book based on a few of the other girls and how they find their happiness.

I don’t have much to say about this book. I found myself dragging the reading process out, avoiding finishing it many times for other stories. I didn’t really like the main character, the character development was almost nonexistent. The writing was fine, but I just couldn’t connect well to it. I liked the overall idea of the storyline, the MMC and the side characters.

Book review: How to Break My Heart by Kat T. Masen
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you to Atria Books, Simon & Schuster Audio, and NetGalley for my gifted eARC and ALC. Pub date: September 23, 2025 | Archive date: October 7, 2025.

Let’s start with the obvious: I came for the tropes. I mean, enemies to lovers? Check. Best friend’s brother? Check. Small-town café owner meets broody billionaire with unresolved feelings? Check, check, check. Add in the comforting promise of donuts, wedding chaos, and some slow-burn angst, and Kat T. Masen’s How to Break My Heart had all the markings of my ideal autumn weekend read. And while not every beat landed perfectly, this one definitely warmed me up and kept me hooked.

Set in the adorably named town of Cinnamon Springs (yes, it’s just as cozy as it sounds), the story follows Eva Woods, a fiercely independent café owner who’s just trying to live her best donut-scented life. She’s content, grounded, and allergic to emotional risk—especially when it comes in the form of Aston Beaumont, the emotionally constipated older brother of her best friend, Maddy. Aston, of course, is a billionaire workaholic with more unresolved trauma than a daytime soap opera. Their shared history? One kiss in high school. Their current status? Forced to work together to plan Maddy’s wedding. What could go wrong?

Narration on the audiobook, courtesy of Elizabeth Louise and Matt Pittenger for Simon & Schuster Audio, was top-tier. Louise’s warm tone fit Eva like a glove—dry wit, inner turmoil, and all. Pittenger nailed Aston’s clipped, corporate coolness, slowly revealing the cracks in his armor. They had real vocal chemistry, which helped smooth over some of the novel’s bumpier transitions and made the banter sing in all the right places.

Now, let’s talk about the romance. This book is trope-heavy and leans into them without shame. At times, it’s delightfully self-aware (the donut metaphors! the house renovation tension! the long glances over batter bowls!), and other times, it pushes the drama pedal a little too hard. Aston is a very intense love interest—possessive to the point of eyebrow raises—and while that’ll absolutely work for some readers, it might push the line for others. I personally prefer my book boyfriends a bit more emotionally evolved before declaring someone his after eight years of no contact, but hey, I appreciate the commitment to pining.

Eva, for her part, is a mix of soft-hearted loyalty and razor-sharp sarcasm. She’s lovable, but occasionally veers into awkward territory—particularly during one scene involving birth control that I wished had just… not happened. Still, she’s the kind of heroine you root for. She’s got grit, heart, and a deep desire not to get hurt again, which makes her slow surrender to Aston all the more satisfying.

Their chemistry? Solid. Their backstory? Slightly flimsy. I’ll admit, hanging an entire eight-year emotional grudge on one kiss in high school is a big ask. But if you squint and accept the setup as a genre quirk rather than realism, it still works. The tension builds well, the dialogue is fun, and the steam is definitely there. If you’re here for the spice, you won’t be disappointed.

Where the book falters a bit is in pacing and cohesion. The plot has moments where it lurches forward suddenly or adds in twists (a death! corporate sabotage!) that feel underdeveloped or out of sync with the tone. Some scenes—especially emotional ones—could’ve used a little more room to breathe. And Maddy, the bride-to-be and alleged best friend? Not exactly the most likable supporting character. Her behavior often felt spoiled and flat, and I found myself wishing Eva had other friends to lean on besides her.

But despite the flaws, How to Break My Heart still worked for me. The setting is charming, the romance is swoony, and there’s enough emotional payoff to feel satisfying. Masen does a good job blending heat with heart, even when the storyline leans a bit dramatic. And as the first book in the Cinnamon Springs series, it sets the stage well for more love stories to unfold in this quaint little town full of nosy neighbors and complicated pasts.

There’s a comfort to books like this. You know you’re getting a happy ending. You know the characters will figure it out—even if they fumble (and argue, and kiss, and fumble some more) along the way. And sometimes, especially in a world that’s anything but predictable, a cozy, slightly chaotic love story set in a town that smells like fresh coffee and second chances is exactly what you need.

Would I recommend it? Yes—especially if you love your romances trope-filled, fast-paced, a little spicy, and a little messy. Will I be reading the next book in the series? Absolutely. I need to know what happens with Maddy, Elliot, and the rest of this meddling town.

Final rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 stars) – cozy, chaotic, and surprisingly addictive.

#HowToBreakMyHeart #KatTMasen #CinnamonSprings #SmallTownRomance #EnemiesToLovers #BestFriendsBrother #RomComReview #RomanceAudiobook #SimonAndSchusterAudio #ElizabethLouise #MattPittenger #AtriaBooks #NetGalleyReviewer #SpicyRomance #FallRomanceReads #ForcedProximity #SecondChanceRomance

Thank you so much @atriabooks @authorkattmasen and @netgalley for this advanced copy!

I was craving a good romance, and How to Break My Heart completely fit the bill! Aston and Eva are both in charge of helping Maddy (his sister, her bff) plan her wedding. The best part? They hate each other! Enemies to lovers is my favorite trope, and I enjoyed how it was done in this. Add in that he’s a billionaire, and I was even more hooked.

This story contained everything that I was wanting. Eva was a small town business owner, and I really enjoyed her character. Aston, despite being a billionaire, was also a very likeable character. I honestly devoured this book so fast, and found it a great little romance. I’m also so excited that Cinnamon Springs series will continue!

⭐️⭐️⭐️½ – 3.5 stars

How to Break My Heart had so much potential, but it fell a little short for me.

Ashton, Eva’s best friend’s brother, was the guy who broke her heart before leaving for the city. Years later, he’s back in their small town to help his sister Maddy, which forces him and Eva together again—and stirs up all those old feelings.

The premise is great, but the execution felt lacking. The enemies-to-lovers arc between Ashton and Eva didn’t fully deliver; their chemistry wasn’t explored deeply enough, so their shift from tension to romance felt rushed.

The family drama added interest, but the big surprise was revealed too abruptly and resolved too quickly, leaving no room for real fallout or emotional depth.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read with a strong setup, but the most compelling storylines weren’t developed enough to make it truly satisfying.

Small-town café owner + billionaire brother of her best friend + forced to plan a wedding together = pure chaos and tension.

Eva is perfectly content running her café in Cinnamon Springs—cozy life, flirty new doctor in town, things are looking pretty simple. Enter Aston. Her best friend’s older brother. The same guy who shattered her heart back in high school. And now? He’s rich, broody, and suddenly very much in her orbit thanks to wedding planning duties.

What follows is bickering, one-upping, and an undercurrent of chemistry that neither of them can ignore. The banter is sharp, the tension is constant, and watching their walls start to crumble was so satisfying.

Thank you to Atria Books, Netgalley, and the Kat for the arc!

I won’t be sharing my review on social media, as I don’t share negative reviews out of respect for authors.

This book made me cringe, and the writing was clunky. Way too many words to describe simple things. Very cringey prologue that didn’t give any reason to root for the characters. I didn’t feel connected to Aston or Eva and the chemistry wasn’t there of me. Maddy was a little too much a brat and not a great friend. I felt like Eva deserved better than Ashton.

Thank you for this opportunity. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the book for me.