This book was emotional, heartwarming and gave you all the feels. I felt so much while reading this book. My emotions were all over the place. This was a beautifully told story and I couldn't stop reading. My heart broke but the author put all the pieces back together. Piece by piece. There was light at the end of the tunnel. I devoured each word. The story was one of a kind!

My first Kami Garcia book and I was left hoping for more. Overall, a pretty average YA contemporary.

I finished reading this book a couple of weeks ago and it has stayed with me. Like the title suggest this book is both beautiful and tragic. It starts off with Peyton having the perfect day. She got into the school of her dreams to play soccer. and she has the best boyfriend and best friend ever. The day ended with being pushed done the stair by said boyfriend and no one believing her except her mother that he pushed her. She was getting threat from unknown people so her mother sent her to her uncles in Tennesse. There is a line at the end of the book that I love saying it not happy ever after it is happy even after. Peyton learned to be happy even after everything people put her though. This is a great book that talks about abuse, love, and loss.

Have you ever read a book that was so overwhelmingly beautiful and powerful it shifted your worldview and the view of yourself? That's what Broken Beautiful Hearts did for me.

Peyton Rios was such a great character to get to know. I enjoyed every minute of being inside her head. She lost her father a year ago and is still trying to cope with his loss. When she gets an acceptance letter to an amazing school she thinks everything is going to be perfect. That is until her boyfriend does something terrible to her and she is forced to move out of town due to death threats. When she moves in with her uncle and cousin all she wants is to focus on physical therapy and get better. Then she meets Owen (who I loved so much) and everything flips for her.

I love how everything unfolded for Peyton with this. All she wanted was to be an athlete and she had a boyfriend who she had wanted to be with for a long time and she had her close friends with her. Kami Garcia really did an amazing job with showcasing how quickly things can go from good to bad, especially in high school. I don't want to give any spoilers so I'll just leave it at that but I felt this story really had some realism that I found refreshing.

Peyton and Owen were adorable. I loved how sweet Owen was and his character was just so interesting. Most of the time I was craving to be in his head just and much as I was wanting to be in Peyton's. Their relationship moves pretty quick but I liked that it had realistic ups and downs.

This whole story is amazing. I couldn't get enough of it. From start to finish I felt connected with Peyton and all the characters. It felt real and very high school. Loved every freaking minute and page of this book. If you haven't yet read this book because it's awesome.

I didn't much care for this one, more on account of little annoyances than any big fault. It's incredibly predictable. The out of control, meat-headed abuser, under the influence of steroids (so he's never really held accountable), who is more flat villain and plot element than actual character. A big city girl exiled to a small town, making her rather "worldly" and superior.

This book will sweep you off your feet with it's southern charm, leave you swooning over the sizzling romance, and leave you wanting more. Garcia has written a realistic, gritty, contemporary romance that is reminiscent of another YA favorite contemporary author of mine, Katie McGarry. Garcia has definitely found her niche with writing.

I happily stayed up way too late and lost sleep over reading this book. Once I started reading it, there was no stopping until I was done. There's something about the characters, and the way this book was written that completely immersed me into this story. They became more than just characters on a page. This is the kind of book that left me loving the secondary characters as much, or more than the main characters.

Garcia does a beautiful job at writing a story about abuse in relationships. I absolutely admired Peyton for standing her ground with her ex-boyfriend Reed, even if it does cost a future she had all planned out. Though the surprise in the story was predictable, the outcome of it wasn't. At times I loved Peyton's strength and strong will, but more often than not the way she acted got on my nerves a lot. It felt a little over the top much of the time, making it hard for me to not be annoyed with her. Luckily this book had a solid cast of characters I absolutely loved.

Friendship and family plays a huge role in this story. I loved the diversity of both, as well as that of Peyton's family's heritage. Peyton's mom, Uncle and twin cousins were characters I easily fell in love with. Her cousins and Uncle bring the small town, Southern charm to this story perfectly. The romance in this book is sizzling! The chemistry between Owen and Peyton was natural and definitely ignites the pages of this! Watching these two fight against it, and than fight for each other was something that really made this book what it is.

I absolutely loved Garcia's writing. She's written a poignant, emotionally charged story that's about fighting. It's about fighting back, fighting for yourself. standing up, making your voice be heard, healing, moving forward, strength, hope, taking chances, letting go, and new beginnings. She made me not only fall in love with the wide range of characters in this book, but with the heart of this story as well. Each of the characters in this book had their own brokenness they were fighting to fix, heal, and move forward from. I couldn't help but feeling emotionally connected to them, and each of their own healing.

On a more serious note, this book does deal with addiction, and abuse, especially in teenage relationships. While I talk about the things I loved about this book, there are serious elements to this story. Garcia does a beautiful job and writing something that is hard to read at times. I don't feel like these elements should be taken lightly nor were they in the story. I applaud Peyton for fighting for herself and getting out of the situation is in. It definitely was not easy, and comes at a cost.

I knew that once I started reading Broken Beautiful Hearts that’s not only am I going to cry a little a but my heart is going to be broken and somehow it would be put back together.

TRIGGER WARNING: Abusive relationships are a huge part of this book!

Peyton as the main character was such a pain in the rear end that redeemed he rself enough by the end that I ended up liking her. She was narcissistic, petty, extremely rude and beyond superficial. Peyton became the opposite of so many things that I’m sure you will think of her when you read this book.

This is was such an powerful read for a contemporary!

Kami Garcia is an author whose books have been in my TBR for a long time, but here latest, Broken Beautiful Hearts, is the first book of hers that I have read! I'm really glad to have started with a story that is very close to her own personal experiences, which you can read more about in this essay.

Peyton believes in having one perfect day and that her's is here when she gets offered a spot on the soccer of her top college pick. This day isn't as perfect as she believes when she discovers that her boyfriend Reed (who is also her best friend's older brother) has been taking steroids in order to win the MMA fights he competes. Things go from bad to worse when Peyton confronts Reed and he pushes her down a flight of stairs. Not only has the fall caused her a knee injury that might leave her unable to play soccer again, none of her friends believe her side of the story of what really happened. Things get even worse when her now ex-boyfriend begins stalking her and she starts receiving threatening calls from strangers. To solve this problem, Peyton's mom sends Peyton away to live with her uncle and twin cousins.

The first couple of chapters were hard for me to get into. From the start, I did not like Peyton's boyfriend so when he pushed her, I wasn't surprised (I hadn't read the synopsis beforehand so I didn't know it was coming). Once Peyton got to Black Water, I had an easier time slipping into the story and started to enjoy the writing more. Like Peyton, it took awhile for me to warm up to her twin cousins. They definitely rubbed me the wrong way and were very annoying. However, they did grow on me as they changed throughout the story. I did distinctly like Cam better than Christian, though.

As for the romance, I really enjoyed it. I liked Owen and Peyton's semi-hate-to-love storyline at the beginning (although it does not last for long), which then turns into a friends-to-lovers trope. I definitely understood why Peyton did not want to get involved with another fighter so soon. However, Peyton starts to uncover Owen's true character and realizes he is not like Reed. While most of Owen's secrets are uncovered, there are still a few questions that were left unanswered.

Overall, I really enjoyed Broken Beautiful Hearts and I look forward to reading Kami's other contemporary romance, The Lovely Reckless! Fans of Katie McGarry novels will love Broken Beautiful Hearts!

Okay, Broken Beautiful Hearts is now officially my favorite Kami Garcia book.

I had a little trouble really getting into the story in the beginning (but that tends to happen to me with most books), but after a few chapters I was so captivated by Peyton's story that I could not put it down. Once I even unintentionally stayed up until 3am! I absolutely adored Peyton's strength and resilience throughout the entire ordeal. No matter what, Peyton stuck to her principles and her resolve did not waver one bit. She was very independent and stubborn which made her feel more genuine to me. Hands down, she was my favorite throughout the entire novel. Her twin cousins were annoyingly endearing with how overprotective they were towards her, and made me wish they were my cousins.

In the beginning, it seemed as if Reed was like the typical YA "Bad Boy" type of character that I usually swoon over, but as the story progressed he became worse and worse - his feelings for Peyton morphing into a dangerous obsession. I became increasingly worried for her because Reed was becoming more and more unpredictable. Thankfully, Peyton had some great people who genuinely cared for her, believed in her, and wanted to keep her safe. Owen becomes one of those people - one of the most important ones, actually - and I absolutely loved him. The perfect foil to Peyton's ex-boyfriend, Reed, Owan was also an MMA fighter but had the qualities Reed severely lacked. He was so swoon-worthy - sweet, charming, smart, and selfless (sometimes a little too much). I really liked Peyton and Owen's dynamic, they complemented each other really well. Be warned, however, there is one sex scene, but I thought it was written really well and didn't feel cheesy or too perfect.

I adore Kami's writing when she does contemporaries. She knows exactly how to write interesting and in-depth characters that feel real, and weave them into a plot that will have you captivated from the start. Discovering that the premise of this story is based off Kami's own experience was shocking but made me understand why it felt so raw and emotional. I felt so sympathetic and protective over Peyton after everyone she knew - and even people she didn't - turned their backs on her.

I also applaud Kami for addressing the issue of drug abuse because it is not something I see often in YA. Probably the only criticism I have for this book is the use of the typical popular mean girls troupe. There never really was an explanation for their attitudes and why they're the way they are, so these girls felt very hallow and stereotypical and were just there to cause drama.

Overall, I loved, loved, loved Broken Beautiful Hearts and cannot recommend it enough! Although the main plot can be predictable at times, there are definitely a lot of twists and turns that catch you by surprise, and honestly had me at the edge of my seat!

Broken Beautiful Hearts by Kami Garcia starts off really strong. Peyton is on the fast track to become a division one athlete at UNC. She is a very talented soccer player. Peyton has everything she could ever what but then her boyfriend starts acting differently and and keeping secrets fro her. Of course this starts a bit of Peyton’s sprial.

We have Peyton who is a strong female character but at times she seemed to always be trying to hard. I feel like Peyton would never ask for help when she needs it. She doesn’t ever ask for help yet she overreacts and gets mad over really stupid things. I love that she is determined but that doesn’t always come across in the best way. I don’t feel like Peyton really grew much as a person in this one because she never got over this hurdle. She still tried to be as independent as she could when a lot of things could have been better if she just asked for help. She has to deal with some terrible things and all I wanted her to do was to tell someone that she was struggling.

I absolutely love Garcia’s writing. It is so beautiful and poetic. I love how intense her stories are and the problems that she covers. As much as Peyton was annoying at times, I found myself really loving this story and wanting more. One thing that I really liked is that when she broke up with her first boyfriend that it didn’t become a wishy-washy decision. She stuck to her decision and moved on. This is definitely a keeper by Garcia and you should definitely check it out.

Originally posted on Forever Young Adult on 2018 February 5

BOOK REPORT for Broken Beautiful Hearts by Kami Garcia

Cover Story: Light-Up Heart
BFF Charm: Yay
Swoonworthy Scale: 6
Talky Talk: Lifetime For YA
Bonus Factors: Sports, The Tami Taylor Award for Amazing Motherhood
Anti-Bonus Factor: Gaslighting
Relationship Status: Casual Fan

Cover Story: Light-Up Heart

It’s certainly eye-catching, to me, at least. I love the way the colors blend against the broken concrete background and how the title stands out. I’m not sure if it’s overly representative of the book within, but it’s serviceable.

The Deal:

Peyton’s hard work has just paid off in the form of a full scholarship to UNC in a starting position on their soccer team after she graduates this year. She’s bursting to tell her boyfriend, Reed, in the hopes that it will help shake him out of the weird mood swings he’s been having over the last few months; surely he will be thrilled for her! But Reed’s lack of enthusiasm and a missing cell phone lead Peyton to discover (one of) the sources of Reed’s new aggression: he’s using steroids to win the underground fights he’s been participating in (the other, spoiler alert, is that he’s just an utter tool-bag). Peyton’s furious that he would jeopardize his MMA career and, as a fellow athlete, cannot support cheating, but their fight turns disastrous when Reed pushes her down the stairs and damages her knee.

No one, except Peyton’s mom, believes Reed would ever hurt Peyton, especially her best friend and Reed’s sister, Tess. Now facing an uncertain future with no friends and threats from Reed’s friends and groupies, Peyton moves to the small town of Black Water, Tennessee, to stay with her uncle and football-star cousins. All she plans to do is keep her head down, work on strengthening her knee, and find a way to trust her own instincts again—but then she meets Owen, a MLD who also happens to be an MMA fighter. It’s a smart move to stay as far away from him as possible…right?

BFF Charm: Yay



Peyton's been having a rough two years; before this thing with Reed, her Marine father was killed in action, and she’s been struggling to see the upside of life. Despite that, she seems like good friend material: she’s sticks up for herself and for others, tries to play matchmaker for her oblivious cousin, and still has enough room in her heart to forgive her crappy BFF for not believing that she was abused by her jerk of a boyfriend. She refuses to look like a victim, so she lies about how she injured her knee, which could make it hard to get to know the real her but I can forgive Peyton for needing to protect herself.

Swoonworthy Scale: 6

Peyton and Owen exchange a lot of intense eye contact, and there are copious descriptions of Owen’s hot, sweaty, half-naked body as he works out in the ring; score! There’s also actual sexy times, which are actually kinda sexy! But the book loses some Swoonworthy points for the beginning of Owen and Peyton’s relationship, which leans quite heavily on instalove, and, duh, everything that happens with the stalker also known as Reed.

Also, while the theory of buff MMA fighters sounds promising, there’s a scene where Peyton watches Owen at a fight…and, well, the reality of watching your crush’s face get beaten to a pulp, plus the possibility of cauliflower ear (ick), just really squicks me out.

Talky Talk: Lifetime For YA

Despite the topic, this was a pretty breezy read, never delving too far into the morose. I got the impression that this would make a great Lifetime movie—it had all the markers—and I don’t mean that in a bad way, but, like, one you might admit you watched that one Sunday afternoon when you should’ve gone to the grocery store but instead you stayed on the couch for hours in your pajamas. It's a familiar story, but has enough hope and female empowerment to make you glad you stuck it out.

Bonus Factor: Sports



I don’t know that this is a huge bonus for me personally because I’m not a sports person, but it is nice to see all kinds represented in books. Peyton really loves soccer and has a healthy amount of knowledge of the fighting world. I’m also pretty sure this is the first time I’ve seen an MMA YA love interest.

Bonus Factor: The Tami Taylor Award for Amazing Motherhood



Peyton’s mom is badass. She instantly believes her daughter (as she should) and even runs out to chase Reed away from the hospital waiting room. She doesn’t take shit from anyone and manages to keep herself and Peyton together after her husband's death, and I loved her for it.

Anti-Bonus Factor: Gaslighting



You have to be the lowest, most despicable kind of person to go out of your way to try to persuade someone else that the actual facts and physical actions which occurred that both parties present witnessed, in fact, didn’t. It’s infuriating. *is struggling to restrain self from making any political statements right now*

Relationship Status: Casual Fan

It’s not in my nature to fawn or put posters up all over my room, but if I happen to find myself at one of your fights, Book, I’ve give you a little cheer.

I really enjoyed this YA romance! Broken Beautiful Hearts was way more than just that though, it was also emotional, deep, and heartwarming. I really liked the premise of the story and the characters

Peyton was a great heroine. She was really stong and I understand her and the way she behaved. I adored her realtionship with Owen! He was definitly my favorite character in the story. He was so sweet and sexy, and also dealing with his own set of problems.

I would definitely recommend this story for fans who love YA contemporaries as much as I do!

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the opportunity to read and review Broken Beautiful Hearts by Kami Garcia! Peyton and her mom have lived alone since her father was killed during a military mission. Peyton’s boyfriend, Reed, has been acting differently and seems to have a quick temper and mood swings often when he used to never be that way. Reed’s sister Tess is also Peyton’s best friend and when Peyton tries to discuss the changes in Reed with Tess, she becomes defensive. When Peyton finds out Reed’s secret and confronts him, Reed loses his temper and pushes Peyton. She falls down cement stairs and hurts her leg. Now she’s mourning the possibility of losing her soccer scholarship and her ruined relationships with Reed and Tess. She moves to Tennessee and stays with her uncle and his two teenage twin boys so she can recuperate, attend physical therapy and hopefully repair her leg. She gains new friends and works hard to recover the strength in her leg while learning to deal with Reed and the difficulties he’s caused. I don’t want to give anything away from the rest of the story but I devoured Broken Beautiful Hearts and I highly recommend it for any reader that enjoys young adult realistic fiction, 5 stars!

*The publisher provided this book in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley.*
Peyton used to be a star soccer player with a hot and perfect boyfriend, Reed. That was until the day that changed it all: the day that Reed crossed the line and hurt her. Now Peyton has a hurt knee and has also been rejected by everyone she considered her peer. To get out of a difficult situation, Peyton's mom moves her to go live with her uncle and cousins while things calm down.
She ends up meeting Owen, a classmate and, unfortunately for Peyton an MMA fighter, just like her boyfriend was. He might seem different from Reed but she can no longer trust her feelings, they got her hurt in the first place. So she starts actively ignoring her growing attraction for Owen in order to safeguard herself, will she be able to stay away?
I have to start this review by stating that this book raises very important points in every teenager's life. Abuse in relationships has been normalised for too long "it wasn't his/her fault" is overused. I believe that writing about this subject will help to start a discussion and teach the younger generation that abuse is not acceptable in any of its manifestations.
Broken Beautiful Hearts is not only a tale of heartbreak and hardship but also one of growth, healing and hope. Although abuse is the main theme in the story, there are side plots that approach other significant problems in any teenagers life such as being popular or the external outlook on your own life. Even though some details are not perfectly portrayed the themes approached are ones that are not commonly seen in Young Adult literature.
Overall, the plot is very complex and not only portrays the struggles of a family as it also showcases how a single incident can affect multiple lives. Yes, it is a little dramatic but who has not been through a dramatic situation in their personal life? Drama happens, whether it is in books or in reality.
This is a very powerful story, it inspires through the ways its characters overcome the various obstacles in their lives. It sends a message of self-empowerment and uses a literary platform to get to the readers since most of them will probably relate to something in the story.
I believe this is a book that should be read by everyone, it doesn't matter which age, race or gender. Everyone will be able to get something constructive from this book!

I’ve read Kami Garcia before, I loved her Beautiful Creatures series and I loved it!! I was so excited to get this new young adult romance!

I was hooked on this story from the first chapter! The main characters were relatable and so sweet! I loved the plot line and the writing was great!

While I loved Peyton I felt that her independence was sometimes too much, like she didn’t want to ask for help even when she knew asking for help was best. Reed was amazing! I loved how he was with Peyton!

I loved that Peyton overcomes her hard times and picked herself up and I loved the Reed was willing to share his own struggles!! I was so happy with the ending of this book, but i would have liked to see things a little more into the future, maybe Kami will give us a novella?!

For all young adult book lovers I would 100% recommend this book! Dig into this romance and be swept up in the heart warming story of overcoming obstacles and finding out who you are when your dreams have to change!

I have long been a fan of Kami Garcia, and when I saw the synopsis of this book, I had to read it. It’s not your typical YA contemporary romance, it has a great deal of substance and depth.

Peyton is a smart, intelligent, and strong girl. She lost her father in the Middle East, but she doesn’t let that stop her ambitions. She is so excited when she gets her acceptance to the school she has dreamed of going and playing soccer. She is eager to share the news with her best friend, Tess, and her boyfriend, Reed (who happens to be Tess’s brother). A night at a party turns dark when she discovers Reed’s secret. She finds herself at the bottom of a set of stairs with not only her knee shattered but possibly her dreams of playing soccer. When she tells people, Reed did it, no one believes her. When threats become too dangerous, her mother sends her to Tennessee to stay with her uncle and her twin cousins. This decision will change her life.

As I wrote earlier, Peyton is so strong. Instead of backing down, she stood up for herself despite the consequences both mentally and physically. She has a wonderful support system in her mother, uncle, and cousins. When she becomes friends with Owen, she has an even bigger supporter. There are feelings there between the two of them, but of course, she is hesitant to get into any kind of relationship because of Reed. I loved that because it made the book more realistic.

Owen was a sweetheart. He was a lot like Peyton. He didn’t back down from anything, no matter what it was or the obstacles he had to overcome. That is what made them so perfect for one another. He showed her not all guys were like Reed.

This book dealt with something that unfortunately I think a lot of girls encounter…abuse. What was so heartbreaking was Reed wasn’t that guy at the beginning. I don’t want to spoil anything, but something made him grow into the monster that wouldn’t let Peyton go, and that something is an issue our society deals with as well. I thought Kami Garcia did a fantastic job of illustrating how those two issues go hand-in-hand. I think that this book will give girls courage to speak up and get the help that they need, and maybe offer help to young men like Reed. He was a villain in the book, but he didn’t start out that way. Garcia did a rare thing…she gave some humanity to the villain. Great informative read!

***Read and Reviewed by Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews***

I really enjoyed this book, the characters all had something to add. Some good and some bad. I loved Peyton's twin cousins. They looked out for her as if she was their little sister, when in fact she is older then them by a few months.
We see how the book starts off that Peyton has everything going for her, she is accepted into a great college early and on a great soccer team. Awesome sweet boyfriend, great friends and fantastic best friend.

But that all changes one night when Peyton discovers something about her oh so great boyfriend. And when he gets mad things end bad for Peyton and her dream of becoming a soccer player. And when no one believes Peyton when she tells them the truth, things get worse. Friends whom she thought she trusted turn their backs and her best friend believes her brother instead.

So when Peyton's mother decides its best for her to move to her uncle's to get better the next 4 months, she decides yeah it might be best. But there Peyton is afraid her uncle will tell her how her father died. Peyton doesn't want to hear all the details. She just wants to get through physical therapy and play soccer in time for spring. But she doesn't count on meeting Owen who wins her over without really trying. And making a new good friend in Grace and her male cousins. But her past is coming back to haunt her in the present. Her ex can't just let her go. I honestly don't want to give anymore away then that. I will say Peyton sometimes annoyed me with her thinking, that she can do everything herself and doesn't need help. I get that to a certain extin however with her wearing a brace... She is going to need help. I want another book to read more about these characters.

Oh, goodness. Broken Beautiful Hearts has much of the emotional writing of the Beautiful Creatures series, but with real-life, non-paranormal-inspired drama for a change. (I know I'm behind on my Kami Garcia books--that's going to have to change!)

Peyton and Owen are a great couple, once they finally get all of their secrets out of the way--and OMG, do these two have secrets. Each of them nearly let them destroy themselves and each other, but in the end are (thank goodness!) strong enough to rise above their fears and what they think is most important to them to reach for the things that really are important. I've got to say, the last two chapters of this book nearly slayed me--and then I got to the author's note at the end.

Excellent work, Ms. Garcia. A fantastic story, and a strong message. A must-read!

Rating: 4 stars / A-

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

Review and blog tour can be found on *Milky Way of Books*

This was one of the strongest, most emotional contemporaries I have read so far in 2018. The YA section knows how to weave the high school life but "Broken Beautiful Hearts" is more than a love story and one of redemption. It's about bullying, abusive boyfriends, fear and the strength to prove yourself and become stronger.

Peyton has everything; a good boyfriend, a best friend and an upcoming scholarship in soccer. When she discovers Reed, her boyfriend hiding drugs from her, it causes Peyton to see with new eyes her relationship with him and also survive the consequences.

Enter Owen, MMA fighter and all kinds of gentle and sweet. He and Peyton slowly will become friends and even something more, even when she is scared and fears her growing attraction to him.
I enjoyed reading this book. It had a 'mature' vibe to it, despite the bullying and the cliche of the high school hierarchy, but this was an enjoyable read that pulls at your heartstrings!

This is my first read by Kami Garcia. Broken Beautiful Hearts was such a wonderful, heartbreaking, moving, passionate, heartwarming, empowering, beautiful read with all the feels. I loved this book. I loved this story. I loved these characters.

Peyton was such an impressive young woman. Despite her moments of doubting her self, despite when life threw her curveballs, when she was scared, or when she was put in situations that forced her to have to make hard decisions for all the right reasons, regardless of the fall out, she persevered. She was the type of young woman I think so many inspire to be like.

Owen was an equally impressive young man. He's had to deal with so much at such a young age, it all easily could hold him back and turn him into an angry at the world individual. Instead he finds things in life to love and be passionate about, things that drive him to live life to its fullest.

One of the things I loved about Peyton and Owen was as they got lost in each other they didn't change in a way that made them have to give up who they were or compromise themselves. This was a true love that blossomed and flourished and overcame.

The cast of characters, the good and the bad, were so well developed. I was in ever emotional moment along the way with each of them. I laughed, I cried and experienced some full body chills. I became completely immersed in the story.