I forgot to leave a review for this, but I really enjoyed it! It's been out for ages, so I won't say much more than I need to for my star rating. <3

I read Stephanie Garber’s Caraval trilogy a few years ago and enjoyed it when I read it but I don’t remember anything from that series. When this book came out I heard really good things about it so I was excited to read it. And it was good!

It did take me a while to get through but I was reading it during exam season so we’ll blame it on school.
I really liked the fairytale feel of the story. The world building was fantastic and I loved the whimsy of it all! I really liked Jacks and Evangeline’s relationship through the book. There’s a sort of hate to friends angst going on that I loved to see. And they had some swoony moments together that had me giggling and kicking my feet 🙈
There were some parts that I found dragged on a bit so I lost a little interest during those scenes but the majority of the book was well paced. The twists were predictable but I still enjoyed seeing the lead up to them.

There’s a particular scene I keep seeing fan art for in the second book that had me extremely intrigued so I’ll definitely be continuing the series. I’m looking forward to seeing where it goes.

I reallllllly wanted to love this book, unfortunately, that just didn't happen. I tried reading this book about 5 times and on each occasion, I got bored, couldn't get into it, and overall felt like it was putting me into a big slump. I thought it was confusing at points and just an overall mess.

Following the excitement of the Carval series, we have another tale twisted up with the mysterious fates, and this one is just as intriguing, though I did feel, at least for this first book, it was on the lighter side of dancing with the fates this time. The plot of Once Upon a Broken Heart is very magic-focused, with a new kind of magic that hasn't been explored in the world of Carval yet. This one has it all old royal family, the arches, the prophecy, and how Jacks and Evangeline are at the center of it all. A great start to this companion series

Love love love this book. The characters were all so interesting and Evangeline's development was fun to watch. The mysterious motivations of many of the characters, especially the Prince of Hearts, kept you guessing and made this a very quick read! Looking forward to the next books in the series to see where the characters (and motivations) go!

I loved this one! I think I even liked this better than Caraval. I can't wait to see what Stephanie Garber does with these characters!

This is one I have been picking up and setting down for a year now. I feel so horrible not finishing it but I just can't seem to get into the story. The North seemed like an appealing place but due to me just not being able to connect with the characters I just felt lost. I really wish we had gotten a bit more time with the main character at the beginning so we could get to know her more before the story starts.

So much fun being back in the world of Caraval! And Jacks! I loved returning to his scheming and plotting. The Fate is conniving with a Cinderella-esque heartbroken Evangeline Fox and he sends her a twisty quest after an elusive happy ever after. Seductive, whimsical, dark, and romantic… “Once Upon a Broken Heart” is a winner.

This book was beautifully written. I loved the story and the characters. Stephanie Garber has done it again and I can’t wait to read the sequel.

Evangeline Fox is a hopeless romantic until her true love marries her sister. She would do anything to get him back but the consequences for her action may be more than she is willing to pay. Once Upon A Time is a love story turned wrong and appearance may not be what they seem. Evangeline can be a little grating on the nerves with her rose-colored glasses and not seeing the reality. But she really does have great growth and allows for her mistakes to become lessons learned. She also morphs into an individual with depth and the journey she embarks on is truly fascinating and enthralling. Venturing into the Carnaval universe brings more backstory on some of the characters such as the Prince of Hearts and he is determined to break hearts. This is a strong first book to a series that will be unforgettable.

Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber is a fantasy about love, curses and happily ever after. I adored her Caraval series and the world she created and enjoyed the Prince of Hearts too!

Jacks!!! If you’ve read the Caravel series…do I need to say any more? No. Pick up this book!

Evangeline Fox believes in fairy tales and true love, but makes a deal with a fate - the prince of hearts - because the boy she loves is marrying her stepsister. A curse ensues and Evangeline gets an second opportunity to have her fairytale ending but the choices she’d made aren’t that easily undone.

This book was beautifully written and addictive read. Evangeline does some crazy things in the name if love but you root for her at the same time. Plus we get to see the crazy Jacks is up to and it’s so interesting! Love this world! Highly recommend

Evangeline makes a deal with Jacks, the Fate known as a heartbreaker and the Prince of Hearts. She wants Luc back but he’s in love with Marisol, Evangeline’s stepsister. Because of the deal, Luc is attacked by a wolf and badly injured. Marisol doesn’t know about Evangeline’s part in it. Evangeline feels guiltier as time goes by. She takes Marisol to an exclusive ball to meet Prince Apollo. Because of her deal with Jacks, Evangeline owes him three kisses that are given to others. The first kiss is given to Prince Apollo. They enjoy their kiss but not much comes of it. Eventually, Prince Apollo is enamored with Evangeline. Another kiss is given to Madame Fortuna to convince her to show Jacks and Evangeline the hidden Valory Arch. Chaos follows Evangeline and she ends up searching for Jacks’ help, which doesn’t make circumstances easier. Once part of a mystery is solved, more questions appear. A new discovery opens up possibilities but that’s where the story ends to be continued in the sequel. Reminiscent of mythology and fairy tales with a few twists for a unique story, 4 stars!

Absolutely loved this one! It definitely went on my list of favorite books for 2021! I loved the vibe -- it was just so whimsical and magical and I can't wait to read more about the world. I liked both of the main characters, though I was eye rolling a bit at the heroine with some of her choices, especially at the beginning. I am looking forward to seeing the character grow throughout the series

Evangeline believes in the truth of fairy tales and in true love. But when she travels to the land of the North and discovers magic, prophecies, and…vampires, she has to risk her life to fight for them both. A new series from Stephanie Garber that will fly off the library shelves.

While it may have taken me a little bit to actually get my brain into the right mindset (solely just remembering what kind of a world all of this is set it AND getting acclimated to the Great North) once I was able to focus I devoured the rest of this book. I just love that every single one of Garber's books to date have such a deliciously whimsical feel to them while also showing us different pockets of darkness here and there. It's almost like she hands each reader a pair of rose-tinted glasses to read with only for a lens to crack part-way through and have to be taken off. BOOM. The Fates are back and people are dying or being hunted and prophecies are unearthed and deals are being made.

As much as I love reading about the world of Caraval and now the North, I'm not sure I would survive there, lol. I'm way too trusting and in real life take way too much at face value. Evangeline though...I think she'll do just fine. She befriended a Fate or two and was really on her way to taking control of her destiny towards the end of this book. It took me a little bit to figure out if I actually was going to like her at first but...she really isn't all that helpless. No, she's just a normal girl who would do anything for those she loves and that is truly special. I will say I spent the entire book mistrusting Marisol and still am not convinced she's entirely an innocent. Jacks....oh where do I even begin? I think that it's pretty important to, at the very least, re-read all of the scenes he's in from Legendary and Finale. I had ENTIRELY forgotten all of the glimpses we were given of him in those books and they truly make a difference. I forgot how much he DID feel for Tella and how that obviously would have MAJORLY impacted him from the first time he met Evangeline to the next. Poor boy. Lot of little moment that add up between them in this one. I have some theories and hope for book two and I can't wait to see what does and doesn't come true!

Evangeline Fox is in love with Luc—a boy her stepsister just announced is her betrothed. Evangeline is certain that Luc wouldn’t betray her and that he truly loves her so she believes he must have been cursed or bewitched. Growing up in her father’s curiosity shop has taught her about magic, hope, and to expect the unexpected. She sets off to pray to the one person who would understand her heartbreak and help her–Jacks the Prince of Hearts.

Jacks agrees to stop the wedding if Evangeline agrees to kiss three people of his choosing. She accepts the deal with Jack and therefore entwines her future with his; in hopes of rescuing her love, Luc. The Prince of Hearts is never selfless or without tricks up his sleeve and so begins Evangeline’s dance with the devil.

While you don’t have to read the Caraval series to dive into this story, I would say you wouldn’t understand Jacks as well unless you read them. OUABH takes place after Finale and there are cameos from Scarlett and Tella–which added a sweet, nostalgic feel to the book.

The style of OUABH is very similar to Caraval; it’s lyrical, poetic, and whimsical. This book is a mixture of Alice in Wonderland, where reality is hazy and the characters are very caricature-like, and over the top like The Great Gatsby. There are twists and turns and Garber has you constantly on edge wondering if Jacks is good or evil and if he will do the right thing for the right reasons. Evangaline was similar to Scarlett and Tella; she was sophisticated, tough but sweet, and obsessed with happy endings. The magic system and the Fates are similar to Carval but if you haven’t read it–it’s all laid out and explained.

I enjoyed the ride and the whiplash from turning directions so quickly and so many times. It wasn’t a complicated read and almost reads like a fable or a glossy fairytale. My only issue is I wanted so much more Jacks. I feel equally as confused by him as I was before reading the book. But maybe that’s the point? At the same time, I can appreciate that you never know what you’ll get with him or what his true intentions are nor do you ever know his end game.

This book would be a great read for someone who is looking for a break from books with extensive history and world-building but with the same aesthetic and romance as fantasy. OUABH is a lush, enchanting read.

I really enjoyed this one and binged it in a day. Can’t wait for the next book. Four stars overall for this read

Thank you to Raincoast and Netgalley for sending me an eARC of this book because OH MY GOSH I am obsessed!!!

Out of the 72 books I read this year this is my 3rd 5star read!

This book had Princess’, balls, love, mystery, political intrigue, supernatural creates, magic and more. As the reader, you always knew something more was going on but couldn’t figure it out. Jacks It’s one of my favourite characters of all time. He is morally gray, acts like he doesn’t care, but truly he does and is very calculated and a complete manipulator. His every action every word he speaks has a motive and you never know what that motive is. It keeps you on your toes and makes his character that much more interesting. I will say there were at times I found Evangeline over explained situations, but other than that I loved everything about this book. The author is great at writing little moments between the characters to develop a romance without blatantly stating it. And the vampire scene. DAMN that got me so excited I couldn’t put it down! So well done.

I cannot wait for the second book!

Well. Somehow I got sidetracked from reading and this one took me much longer to get through than it actually should have.

I really liked Evangeline. She’s smart, loyal, and has a huge heart. I truly enjoyed being in her head. Jacks is sassy and maybe a bit bitchy and honestly, the best part of this story. There are several new characters here and I’m really hoping we get to see more of them in the next book.

Plot wise, it was good, but also felt like nothing was actually happening. A few thread had me questioning everything and while there’s a lot more questions than answers, it’s a good set up for the rest of the story.

Overall, it was fun to be in this world again and I can’t wait to see what’s next.

**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**