Book Review: The Book Of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler

The Book of Broken Hearts

By Sarah Ockler

Release Date: May 21, 2013

Source: Library

Summary: When all signs point to heartbreak, can love still be a rule of the road? A poignant and romantic novel from the author ofBittersweet and Twenty Boy Summer.

Jude has learned a lot from her older sisters, but the most important thing is this: The Vargas brothers are notorious heartbreakers. She’s seen the tears and disasters that dating a Vargas boy can cause, and she swore an oath—with candles and a contract and everything—to never have anything to do with one.

Now Jude is the only sister still living at home, and she’s spending the summer helping her ailing father restore his vintage motorcycle—which means hiring a mechanic to help out. Is it Jude’s fault he happens to be cute? And surprisingly sweet? And a Vargas?

Jude tells herself it’s strictly bike business with Emilio. Her sisters will never find out, and Jude can spot those flirty little Vargas tricks a mile away—no way would she fall for them. But Jude’s defenses are crumbling, and if history is destined to repeat itself, she’s speeding toward some serious heartbreak…unless her sisters were wrong?

Jude may have taken an oath, but she’s beginning to think that when it comes to love, some promises might be worth breaking.

Review: I love love love Sarah Ockler's books. Bittersweet? One of my favorites. So when I saw she had a new release, I knew I had to get my hands on it asap. Who doesn't love a story about a girl falling in love with a notorious heartbreaker? 

If there's one thing Jude's learned from her older sisters, it's this: never ever date a Varags. Now that all of her sisters have grown up and moved away, Jude is left to live with her parents. So when her dad's early onset Alzheimer's starts to get worse, Jude decides to spend her summer before college taking care of him. And the only thing that her dad seems to clearly remember is his motorcycle, which hasn't worked in years. So Jude hire someone from the local mechanic to help fix the bike in hopes of fixing her dad. Little does Jude know that the mechanic turns out to be non other than a Vargas. But does every Vargas have to be a heartbreaker? I guess there's only one way to find out...

Gah, Sarah Ockler always finds a way to write a contemporary romance with some serious issues thrown into the mix. While it was fun to see Jude and Emilio bicker and turn on some serious chemistry, the whole deal with her father's alzheimer's is so sad and emotional. How can you expect an 18-year-old girl to watch her father fall to pieces? But I love how Jude uses her father's old bike as a way to try to put him back together. Of course, though, there's got to be a hunky mechanic to help her along the way. 

Oh Emilio. How perfect you are for Jude at this point in her life. Seriously, despite his reputation due to his Vargas name, Emilio can be so sweet with both Jude and her father. Even when moments can become extremely awkward, Emilio just takes life in stride and knows exactly how to act to make Jude tempted to break the promise she made to her sisters years and years ago. Who could resist someone as charming as that?

The only thing I wasn't a big fan of with this book was how quickly some of the romance moved. I think their relationship should have built more and the attraction shouldn't have been so sporadic and sudden as I read it. Other than that, though, the story was so emotional and I was definitely a fan of the romance. And Emilio and Jude had the bickering, stubborn kind of romance that I just love in contemporary romances. So if you're a fan of Sarah Ockler, definitely pick up her newest release. And if you haven't read anything by her yet, then what are you doing? Go out and find a copy of ANYTHING by her now! Because you're missing out on one seriously amazing author.