How to Hack a Heartbreak by Kristin Rockaway is a slow burn romantic comedy. The characters are smart, quirky, and realistic. The pacing starts slow but quickly escalates as the plot advances. The tensions are high. Mel, a female computer coder, isn’t the taken seriously by many in the workforce. She is constantly being harassed at work by the male coworkers and her boss.

One fellow worker, notices all of her. Her intelligence and beauty wins his attention in full. But their quick attraction falls fast. Mel has trust issues. One steaming from her father having cheated on her mom. Another being from the lousy dates from an online date site, Flutter.

Mel finally has enough. She takes back control by using her skills for revenge. It is soon that Mel realizes that may not be the exact route she wanted after all. However, it takes her several good attempts and encouragements from her group of female friends, before she finally gets to where she wanted to be. Themes of work, dating, trust and relationship values are explored throughout this book. It is heartfelt, funny, and charming to read.

I just couldn't get into this one! The story seemed lacking and seemed to put all men into one category, and even though it sometimes feels like they are, I just didn't like it.

How to Hack a Heartback was a mixed bag for me. I loved how Rockaway portrayed female friendships, the joys/hazards of living with a roommate, and how a company culture can turn toxic. There were some wonderful sections about promoting diversity and the value of teamwork. Plus the commentary on online dating was sometimes spot-on.

However, this was a remarkably negative book. Melanie herself felt very realistic but didn't really work for me as a narrator. I found myself skimming towards the end because of how negative and judgmental she was. She also never really accepted responsibility for her actions or mistakes. Plus the ending felt really rushed and there wasn't really a foundation laid for some of the things that happened.

I think many readers will enjoy How to Hack a Heartback! Unfortunately, this one wasn't quite for me, although I did like parts of it.

*Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

This book had a lot of potential, but quickly fell in my opinion. The main character was really hard to invest in and care about. She was whiny and didn't go about anything in an adult manner. It all felt childish and at many times, rude. The way she handled Alex was incredibly insensitive. The author focused more on feminist views than human decency. The whole Jerk Alert app was exactly what many people within the book complained about, petty, mean, and anti-man.
I'm sure some women will walk away feeling great about things, but it left a bad feeling for me.

Fun. Witty. This had me in stitches in one minute and cheering the next. Best female empowerment with a dash of romance book that I’ve read so far.

I really wanted to like this, as I was going through a tough book time when I couldn't get into anything. But it didn't have much tension to keep me in the story, as the main character gets her man pretty quickly and then is just keeping something from him. Maybe I could have kept going and found it was awesome, but I was in a place where I just couldn't bear to press on. DNF at 37%

3.5/5 stars

*Thank you so much to NetGalley, Harlequin and Graydon House for allowing me the opportunity to read this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this was a sweet quick read, techy filled, modern day romance in the workplace tale!

<u>Synopsis</u>
After several horrible incidents with men in real life, Mel is officially over jerks. It's not enough that she has to deal with the frat boy programmer environment while working at a start-up company's help desk, but now she's seeing the worst that modern dating has to offer on the popular dating app Fluttr. In an act of frustration, she creates JerkAlert - a site that allows women to log and vent about their horrible experiences with men on Fluttr. The only real light in this dreary tunnel is her new office love interest Alex who appears to be genuinely a good guy and works in one of the start-ups at her job. When JerkAlert becomes an overnight hit and things start to fall apart in Mel's life, she starts to question what she's doing with her life and whether to tell the truth to Alex.

<u>World Building</u>
I really liked that this story was full of techy characters while being told in the modern workplace and dating environment. The workplace environment felt almost uncomfortably real which just goes to show you how realistic the author made it. There were definitely more serious tones in the beginning describing the work environment with customers that felt so real it gave me flashbacks of my own previous experience at a dead end job!

<u>Characters</u>
I liked Mel's character overall, but it was not easy. Her attitude was very much a product of her horrible work and dating environment. She had a tendency to be doubtful and negative especially when it came to people/friends around her that didn't deserve it. However, I believe she worked through most of it by the end of the book so it resolved itself and it showed a bit of character progression. The only main complaint I had were the unbelievable mistakes that an actual techy would never do. I understand a specific thing needed to be there for the sake of the plot, but I saw it coming a mile away (I might have yelled at the book while she was doing it honestly). I enjoyed reading about Alex's character. Mel's friends, Alex and the dating moments were honestly the best parts of the story and the only rays of sunshine in the book. Although, I didn't feel as connected to Alex as I should have been. The story did focus a bit much on Mel's work environment and other aspects of her life so there wasn't a lot of time to explore more depths of Alex's character. I feel like we only saw him working and never truly got to know him other than bits and pieces. The chemistry between Alex and Mel was sweet, light and truly missed when it wasn't on the page! I'd also say that romance scenes were sweet and non-steamy, but more in the tradition of fade to black rom-coms.

<u>Pacing & Points of View</u>
The overall pacing of this book was average and told entirely from Mel's point of view. I would've liked to see Alex's point of view, but since they worked at the same place, I could see how that might have been overkill.

<u>Overall</u>
Overall, I liked this story and how it ended for the characters. It was definitely a story that focused on Mel's life including self discovery and the light romance. I would definitely recommend this book for the overall modern workplace romance it is and if anyone is looking for a lighter romance read!

Great contemporary romance dealing with the technology side of modern dating. Would make a great Rom-Com movie as well!

I had a lot of fun reading How to Hack a Heartbreak. It is so relatable to so many people when it comes to the online dating world. I personally have never experienced any of the crazy and creepy things that involve the online dating scene, but I’ve read stories and it’s pretty messed up. I felt that How to Hack a Heartbreak did a great job at showing that throughout the story.

I mostly liked Melanie and her group of friends. I think a lot of people can really relate to them on some level. Throughout the story Melanie (and her friends) had to deal with a lot of creepy dudes and Melanie with her co-workers. She was the only woman working among males and the majority of them were just horrible and gross to her. I did like the romance in the book, but a few things bugged me. I think that was due to some of Melanie’s actions though. She started to become a little too negative for my liking. I won’t say a whole lot, because spoilers.

Overall, I enjoyed How to Hack a Heartbreak. It’s a quick read and so relateable. I am looking forward to checking out more books from Kristin.

The cover of this book is adorable and so is the story. I had already read the book via NetGalley and then I saw a copy available in the store. I had to buy it. I needed a physical copy for my library. Such a cute story. I look forward to reading more books from Kristin Rockaway in the future!

I'm always on the lookout for a good romance so when How to Hack a Heartbreak appeared on my radar of course I went for it ;) The story was a little long but it contained powerful messages.

How to Hack a Heartbreak is a story of truth with a focus on social media vs. live human interactions (especially when it came to relationships): "It was funny: modern technology could forge a connection between two people on opposite ends of the earth, but it could just as easily drive a wedge between two people standing side by side in the same room." (eARC, Loc 1599).

Melanie had a lot of self-doubt when it came to finding love. From her parent's example and personal past experiences, she was paranoid and overall very distrustful of men. Her budding romance with Alex was greatly affected by this. It wasn't pretty witnessing her suspicions but I can understand Melanie had to make mistakes, go through it all so that she can find herself and become her own person. In the end, her journey was a fulfilling one.

I was appalled by the way the Hatchlings, aka Melanie's coworkers who were all men, treated Melanie. Their attitude and sexist remarks were absolutely disgusting. And they weren't even the only assholes she encounters in her life. I hated how Melanie stayed silent and suffered through a lot of it: "...I merely turned the other way, hoping that if I ignored them, these guys would simply vaporize into thin air. It required a healthy dose of self-delusion, and the ability to instantaneously incite an out-of-body experience." (eARC, Loc 576). I mean I get it. But it didn't make the unjustness and frustrations any easier to swallow. I really wanted Melanie to take a stand sooner.

While How to Hack a Heartbreak didn't become a favourite, the reality it laid out (about modern technology) couldn't have been more accurate: "It was a daunting prospect, to speak honestly from the heart without the benefit of time to come up with the ideal words, to reread them, revise them, and proofread. To second-guess them before putting them out into the world. There's no deleting the things that you say out loud." (eARC, Loc 3180). This really resonated with me and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

Melanie also has three besties and through them we hear about different types of relationships. They're all refreshing takes and totally valid in this day and age. Even though these girls all have their own viewpoints to love/relationships, they're as supportive of each other as they can be.

Not only does How to Hack a Heartbreak reflect current societal standards and workings, it depicts just how ugly and cruel reality can be. We need more books like it!

Well written, interesting premise of women and their role in tech but I just didn’t like the main character too much and it was hard for me to invest in her. I’d love another book with her room mate and the handy man though 😉

I also found it hard to understand or have sympathy for some of her actions. I know that without them their would be no story line but some of it was hard to take. And the abuse she endured was infuriating. It just irked me and I think that made it hard for me to enjoy. This is a timely story of gender and the inequalities in our society but it would have gone down easier with a more appealing main character.

I went into How to Hack a Heartbreak expecting a romantic comedy, or at the very least, something poking a bit of fun at online dating. I suppose in the latter, it does do that with its focus on nearly everything negative in dating apps. Fortunately, I couldn't say how accurate that focus is as I was married before those apps took dating by storm, but I can imagine that there is a fair bit of negative to poke fun at. Despite a couple of chuckle-worthy tidbits, this book clearly missed the mark for me. That could be because I prefer strong women, but I didn't care for Mel from the beginning, and she didn't do much to change that as the story progressed. That said, Mel wasn't the only part of this book that rubbed me the wrong way. Other than our weak leading lady, the characters lack enough development to really form much of an opinion of them. Her friends have some potential and do provide some comic relief, but they fit the cookie cutter group of friends that have been done and done again. We have the brain, the cynic, and the one in a committed relationship, and then there's the material girl roommate. While they do live up to those labels, I didn't know much more about them. As far as Mel's love interest, Alex, that's pretty much it. Alex is the love interest. He apologizes a lot, and he's the only nice guy at work. That's pretty much the whole of Alex. They obviously have sexual chemistry since they fall into bed a couple of times, but I didn't get a romantic vibe from either Mel or Alex. There is some telling the reader since they say they like each other and they do have a couple of meals together, but Mel is so paranoid over every action that her fears become the focus. Finally, there's Mel's job. Yes, I know that sexual harassment in the workplace happens. It happens much more often than it should, and it is a serious topic. However, I find it hard to believe that there is only one nice guy in a whole company of men. Granted, it's a small company, but really? Mel isn't just a victim at work, she's an enabler when she repeatedly takes it, and her attempts at vindication are weak and pitiful. I completely understand the need to keep a job when there are bills to pay, and Mel may very well have been the 'whipping boy' even twenty years ago, but this just goes way over the top. Finally, there's Mel's app, which may be amusing and in theory would be a good idea. What it turns into is just one more way to be negative online and one more thing for Mel to be paranoid about. I realize that my feelings about How to Hack a Heartbreak are in the minority, but it is what it is. For me, this was one eye-roll inducing story that took much too long to get through.

When I saw HOW TO HACK A HEARTBREAK in a Net Galley email the cover caught my eye and then when I read the description and it discusses online dating I knew I had to request this book. As a single girl living in a millennial world, I love reading books that do a commentary about the world of online dating...and how awful it is. Mel is working as the only female at a tech company that helps fund start-ups and the majority of men at the company treat her like garbage because she’s a woman. She’s struggling trying to find a quality guy to date and one ghost too far she snaps and creates a website that allows women to rank the men they meet on dating apps. (Uh, hello where is this app IRL, tho?! I’d like to make some entries!) The foibles of keeping this viral venture a secret begin while Mel struggles with how to be honest with the one guy who seems to good to be true AND keep her job while dealing with misogynistic morons.💻
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I enjoyed this book. It was funny, easy to read, and I def felt a single girl alliance with Mel reading about her dating disasters. I felt so much sympathy rage on her behalf when dealing with these men who didn’t take her seriously because she was a woman and to all my professional IT ladies, keep fighting the good fight because I cannot imagine working in a male dominated industry like this and keeping my sanity...or a clean criminal record. While I enjoyed the book there was nothing super special that made it a book that would stay with me as a favorite. The romance was meh at best but I did like that it wasn’t the focus of the story, that it was more about Mel and her ideas and her friends. The friends were definitely #goals and super fun to read about. I would definitely recommend this book if you’re looking for something fun, light-hearted with a moderate dose of a real-life issue being discussed.

This was a cute read. As a single 26 year old girl, the dating app struggles in this book are so relatable. And quite frankly, the JerkAlert website still doesn’t seem like THAT BAD of an idea 😉 Mel was a great main character. She was strong and smart. I loved reading about a protagonist that works in the tech industry. Rockaway did a great job with this one! It’s out now so make sure to pick up your copy today!

How to Hack a Heartbreak.
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Very cute, but sadly for me, a very forgettable book. Let me be clear. I am a 44 year old woman who married before apps...I think that played a big part in why this story was not the best fit for me. Having said that, I enjoyed it immensely while I was reading it.
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What I liked:
*I loved the characters...they were all truly likable people.
* I loved the friendships portrayed....these friends were there for each other no matter what.
*I loved the idea of a woman run business in a man's world....girl power was felt and appreciated.
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What I didn't like:
*It was not relate able to me....
...that's it. It was a fun cute book that was absolutely enjoyable.
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I am ending with 3 1/2 Stars.

I really loved the premise for How to Hack a Heartbreak but the execution didn't really work for me. I didn't really get why we were supposed to like Alex, even though he was a "good guy" in a sea of shitty workers. It felt like Mel was just reacting to the world around her because her friends and her employer made all of her decisions and opportunities for her. Overall, this was an okay read but not a great one for me.

How to Hack a Heartbreak was an absolute delight!

To me, this book was a little more women’s fiction than romance. I felt that the romance took second place next to the story of being a woman in a male dominated field, and I was 100% okay with it!

Mel works as a helpdesk tech at a startup incubator, where she is unappreciated and disrespected by the men she has to help daily. After too many instances of dick pics and being stood up by men she swiped right on, she decides to use her coding skills to create JerkAlert, and fight back the disrespectful men in the dating world.

I had a hard time putting this one down. Even though it wasn’t all romance, I was completely sucked in to what Mel was going through both with the sexism from men working at the incubator, her terrible dating experiences, and once JerkAlert went viral. The romance that happens is closed door, so if you’re looking for a story that’s not entirely romance and without any steam this would be a great choice. The friendship between Mel and her female friends is really great, her friends are so supportive and it was fun to see bits of their dating experiences as well.

How to Hack a Heartbreak was a 4 star read for me! This would be a great choice if you’re looking for a one-sitting book set in the tech world!

Online daters assseeeemmmbbblleeeee. Here comes a laugh out loud book about a gal who is just tired of all the duds she finds on dating app fluttr and how she just wishes she could warn the girl off from a certain guy since the app developers won't do anything.

In this book Mel does her best to run her day to day business in a male driven work environment, trying to prove to everyone that yes a woman can code. *que up Whitney Cumming on Netflix*. Through her frustration of yet another dick pic (repeatedly sent) she decides to create a database that showcases all the jerks she comes across on fluttr. It goes viral. Women are excited about it, men are wary of it's slander toward their relationships, and overall shxt hits the fan. Meanwhile, Mel is battling her own issues of seeing a guy who does have a hit on the database.

This book has a touch of funny, and a whole lot of crazy. As in, there are a lot of moments where I thought, whoa reign in there a bit Mel, that's a bit crazy. The terrible thing is, that there are plenty of guys who send dick pics on the internet (not that it makes it okay) and there are plenty of girls who do bat shxt crazy stuff on the internet too (not that it balances the equation). While the book was funny, I had a hard time really rooting for her romatically and didn't feel invested in the romance so much as her success in the tech world. Which through it all, gave me an unsettling feeling as the start up she was working on was something towards a solution, but also exasperated online bullying, which, for me just made me feel uncomfortable as I am fully against it. But, I may just be overly sensitive towards it.

I'm not going to rehash the plot of this, the above summary does a good job of capturing the gist of the story. Having a long career in the tech field, I'm always looking for how the industry is portrayed especially when it comes to women.

There were lots of things I liked about How to Hack a Heartbreak, starting first and foremost with the strong friendships with other women that are essential to this story. From the help Mel gets in promoting her app, to the way they stepped up at the end when Mel really needed them -- these friendships warmed my heart the most in this story. Mel's group of girlfriends were awesome!

I also appreciated that Mel was an amazing programmer (although I didn't quite believe that she could program the entire site in a weekend!) and that she didn't let the set backs she faced hold her back. Once she gained some confidence it was full speed ahead and I adored her for that. It was a very positive portrayal of a woman in science and we need more of these in contemporary romance.

And my favorite part of How to Hack a Heartbreak was that the romance takes somewhat of a backseat in this story. Alex is slightly strange, hot and cold, and he's really made to look slightly suspicious which ends up making Mel the one apologizing when it was more of a two-way sort of misunderstanding. I didn't like that as much, but I thought Alex and Mel made for a good couple.

What I liked the least about this book was the portrayal of just about all the men in the story as jerks in one way or another. From Mel's coworkers who treat her like she's clueless about tech to the executives Mel deals with, they are all mean and nasty and I don't really think that is a true representation of the workplace. Where were Mel's allies at work? I just couldn't buy that the guys were all as bad as they are portrayed her, but it did make Alex stand apart from them all.

So overall, an enjoyable story. A little slow at first but the last half of this book rocks.

An ARC was provided for review.