"Seven Rules for Breaking Hearts" is an entertaining and well-written debut from Kristyn Miller. The premise is pure millennial / Gen-Z, with the FMC, Margo, being a popular podcaster and reluctant social media influencer. The MMC, Declan, is essentially the opposite, an engineer for NASA who keeps his own social media very low-profile. The two went to high school together where Margo considered practical joker Declan her nemesis. They reunite when his BFF and her BFF, and podcasting partner, get married.

Margo is struggling with her changing future as her podcast was all about being single. She is also not in love with her influencer status, and is essentially struggling with her self-identity. Declan is secure in his self but unsure of his status with Margo. Margo knows only that she doesn't believe in love.

Things change for Margo over the course of the weeks she spends with Declan, but her early insecurities threaten everything. While this is definitely a rom-com, this book is also a sort of coming of age story for Margo as she learns that things she thought definitively true are definitely not.

This book is very readable, the characters well-developed, and the plot points not disingenuous. A solid 4.5 stars rounded to 5. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a complementary ARC of this book. The opinions herein are my own.

Margo and her best friend Jo run a viral podcast featuring rules for hooking up without catching feelings. That is, until Jo falls in love and decides to get married. Scrambling for new content to keep their listeners (and sponsors) hooked and happy proves to be challenging. As does the fact that groom’s best friend and her old high school nemesis, Declan Walsh, is the best man at the wedding. When sparks start to fly, Margo has to decide if she can let go of her rules and let him in.

I loved this book! Margo is such a relatable character. She really had to do a lot of soul searching to figure out what she really wanted in life. It was refreshing to read about a character who didn’t have everything together, even if it looked like she did on the outside. It really shows us that, we are who we are…until we aren’t. It’s always ok to change ourselves when the things we want change as well. When she finally let go and started becoming herself, you could feel how the book changed right along with her. From jaded and pessamistic to full of hope and promise.

Jo is an amazing best friend. Not only does she support Margo, but she also pushes her. She show her it’s ok to climb out of her comfort zone and go for what she wants, even if outsiders won’t agree with her. Declan was everything a girl could ask for. I appreciated the fact that his character was completely upfront. What we saw was who he is. No skeletons in the close, wives on the side, or drama filled exes.

This book was such a cute read. It’s perfect for summer! I now need to go to Catalina Island immediately, even though the author painted such a thorough picture that I feel as if I have already been there!

Thank you to Net Galley, St. Martin’s Griffin, and the author for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC. The book comes out May 16th!

This was so good! I loved the characters and the story line was great! The friendship was relatable. The FMC struggled with feelings alot of us do and it was enjoyable watching her work through it all. I think the chemistry with the FMC and MMC was well written and nothing felt rushed or lacking everything came together perfect.

Thank you netgalley and the publishers for this arc!

Honestly what a cute, quick summer read. Really enjoyed the growth of Declan and Margo’s relationship. It didn’t seem fake or obnoxious.

The podcast aspect got a little bit annoying and the end with the stolen phone as well, but it finished nicely.

Can’t wait to recommend this one to my friends.

SEVEN RULES FOR BREAKING HEARTS – Kristyn J. Miller
St. Martin’s Griffin
ISBN: 978-1250861825
May 16, 2023
Contemporary Romance

Catalina Island, California – Present Day

Margo Anderson and her best friend Jo are popular podcasters about women taking control of their dating life. Their podcast is called Seven Rules for Breaking Hearts and is meant to appeal to women that remain single as they navigate the dating market. But Jo has broken the rules and is getting married. The wedding will happen on Catalina Island and Margo is her maid of honor. As a tie-in to their podcast, the wedding party will be staying at the resort hotel where the wedding will take place as they make wedding preparations. Jo’s fiancé also attended school with them, so it shouldn’t be a surprise to Margo that his best man will be none other than the man who made her high school experience miserable.

Declan Walsh works for NASA and isn’t into dating much. He’s a bit of a nerd and doesn’t know how to navigate social media, but he’s aware of the podcast that Margo and Jo have made popular. While Margo thinks that Declan tormented her while they were in school, the truth is that he was secretly attracted to her. No matter how much Margo tries to avoid Declan, they can’t as their hotel rooms are across from each other. But the more they’re around each other, the more they learn about each other—and soon become attracted. Margo lives by the rules as stated in the podcast but with Jo getting married, it’s time to test out the rules. Will Declan be the test subject for Seven Rules for Breaking Hearts?

Things don’t go the way Margo wants in the cute and funny SEVEN RULES FOR BREAKING HEARTS. While she’s happy that Jo found the guy that she wants to spend the rest of her life with, it’s played havoc with their podcast motto. As they ponder the future, Margo realizes she needs to prove that she has control of her love life. Declan seems like the perfect test subject since she has never liked him and has no plans to spend the rest of her life with him. But by the end of this tale, Margo is changing her mind…and bending the rules.

Meanwhile, Margo and Declan are thrown together, and she makes it clear that she’s not a fan of his. When he explains about high school, she is wondering how she missed the signals that he liked her. He had a funny way of showing it! As part of the wedding party group getting their accommodations comped, Margo must upload photographs about the activities on the island onto their social media pages. But most of her shots end up with Declan in them. Will the podcast followers think Margo is betraying them, or can she hide the fact that she’s beginning to like him…a lot? Things are not going smoothly for Margo, and it soon turns worse. How will things end for Margo…and Declan? Will someone end up with a broken heart?

A deliciously funny tale about a modern woman thinking she can control her love life, but love has its own plans. Don’t miss SEVEN RULES FOR BREAKING HEARTS.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

Thank you so much for an advanced copy of this book!

This book is cute, fun, and it is a very quick read. The characters are relatable, and I enjoyed reading it. I do feel like the story lacks substance, though, and it is definitely light on the depth re: the overall story. It was. a fun read, but albeit a forgettable one as well. I think if you like cute, fun romances, you should pick this one up. If you aren't a romance girlie or you like your romances to have a little more angst or depth, you should probably skip this one.

I honestly feel like this book doesn't pretend to be anything it's not, though! The cover gives the impression of. a light, fun, and airy romance...and that's what you get! I enjoyed reading it, but I probably won't buy a copy for my shelves unfortunately!

Rating: 3⭐️

*4.5

I had a good time with this. I really liked Margo as a character and seeing her development. Watching her slowly open up to Declan was really cute. His awkwardness was adorable.

I received an arc through netgalley.

What happens when the cohost of your podcast all about hooking up and staying single decides to get married? How do you pivot and still keep your audience interested? How do you hold up your contractual obligations to your sponsors? And how do you decide whether or not those rules for staying single are still worthwhile after all?

Several seasons into their Seven Rules for Breaking Hearts podcast Margo finds herself on an island for two weeks leading up to her best friend, roommate, and cohost’s wedding. Jo has thrown out the rules and fallen in love, and the groom’s best man just happens to be that prankster Declan, whom Margo loathes from high school. Declan seems different now, though, and Margo may be interested in him—at least for the podcast’s sake.

At the beginning, Margo is more Go, her podcast alter ego, than Margo, and Go is definitely not the warm and fuzzy type. Admittedly, this one took me a while to get into, but I did enjoy watching Margo reevaluate things as she begins to realize that Go doesn't feel like a good fit anymore.

I adored Declan—smart, freckled, steady Declan—and how he isn’t afraid to stand up for himself and what he wants.

And the two clearly have chemistry together, but—even more so than their steam—I enjoyed their sweet, thoughtful moments.

I received an advance copy from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley. All review opinions are my own.

Thank you @smpromance for a copy of this book. I always love a book set in Southern California where I live. This one takes place mainly on the island of Catalina which is a boat ride away from LA. The story is about 2 podcasters, Margo and Jo, who talks about the single life big and Jo is getting married. Margo is at crossroads with what to do with the podcast and is reunited with her high school nemesis, Declan. The story shows how Margo's perfection of Declan is different as an adult and they have start falling for each other. Declan was a total sweet heart and I liked how he stood by his beliefs on a relationship. I enjoyed seeing Margo's growth journey as well.

Go and Jo have a podcast called Seven Rules for Breaking Hearts that is about single women not seeking a permanent romantic relationship and it has run for six seasons. Jo is about to get married and Go (Margo) is worried about how this will affect her life and season seven of the podcast that they are contractually bound to release. Thanks to a sponsorship with a resort on Catalina Island, they are headed there for a two week vacation that ends with the wedding. The downside is that the best man, Declan, is someone that Margo had issues with in high school and they will be stuck interacting during the two weeks. This is a great story about friendship and learning to adjust your mindset. I would give it 4.5 stars.

I received a free copy of this book to review through NetGalley.

This was a really fun read that felt a little reminiscent of The Ex Talk but also brought in some great introspection into social media. I found the banter and tropes to be funny and executed well, and I loved the open door steam! The ending felt like a bit thin and quick, but I still appreciated seeing the grand gesture. I’d recommend this for any romance lover looking for a quick read!

I am a sucker for all things enemies to lovers and this is no exception! Delightful and quick paced best friends Jo and Go revamp their stale podcast with fresh new content. Away for Jos destination wedding Go finds herself increasingly attracted to Declan. Weddings make everyone a romantic. I loved the social media posts and podcast transcripts. Really brings them to life.

💭Thoughts:
Can I go to Catalina Island for two weeks? This book had me dreaming I was right there with Declan and Margo. This was the perfect setting for a rom-com.

One of the reasons I love the enemies to lovers trope is because of the great banter it makes. This book delivered on the banter for me. The characters seemed immature at times, but it didn’t affect the story to much.

The book had a bit of a flow issue. The middle third felt repetitive and I found myself wanting to skip forward multiple times. I’ve also come to the conclusion that I don’t really like social media influencers in romance novels. The characters seem so self absorbed and unlikeable. I find it really hard to root for them finding a HEA.

This book started out strong, but sadly it ended up being a miss for me. It’s probably more of a me issue, so I’m sure lots of readers will enjoy this book.

Let me start out by saying...can we expect a number 2 because I am hooked! This book had me from the get-go. Margo, better known as "Go," is a podcaster with her best friend Jo; they podcast about being single forever and seven rules to live by to maintain single status.

They are very successful, until...Jo gets engaged and they offered a wedding venue on an exclusive resort as part of a deal that they will sponsor the podcast. Their followers start to question their integrity, and so does Margo.

When she is named the maid of honor and is invited early with the bride, groom, and best man, she becomes nervous that a person from her past will bring back bad memories for her. Instead, she is surprised by some new feelings and new memories she makes with Declan Walsh.

I don't want to give away the fairy tale ending, but let me tell you, its one to grab ASAP! This one is released on May 16th, 2023, and you must get your copy. I have never read anything from Ms. Miller, but she will be on my list to read again. What a thrill this was. It made me laugh. It made me blush. It made me long to keep reading. Five stars from me!

#NetGalley

I love a new to me author and this was such a fun set up. I am so so excited to see where this goes.

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
SPICE: 🔥🔥

Margo Anderson's best friend has put her in a difficult position. They are a popular podcasting duo who give tips on how to avoid feelings while dating. When Jo decides to get married at a destination wedding at Catalina Island, Margo is left holding the bag in dealing with their rather peeved audience. To pacify them, Margo comes up with a plan: She is going to break all of her own rules.

Best man Declan Walsh may be the bane of Margo's existence, but he is also the perfect candidate for her experiment. But the more she spends time with him, the more she realizes there is more to the smug engineer than she bargained for.

I really enjoyed this well-paced read. The main characters were very charming. While Declan was flirty and swoony, I especially love Margo and her masked vulnerability. Kristyn J. Miller did a fantastic job of striking a balance between Margo's charisma and flaws to create an easily relatable character.

Miller also finds a great pace, even with the integration of podcast snippets and text conversations. Sometimes those can take the reader out of the story, but it is seamless with the plot in this read.

I love a good enemies-to-lover banter, and this book is on par with that. I found Declan and Margo's exchanges cute, and while I wished for more spice, their connection is so fun and organic.

I highly recommend this standalone read for those who love low-angst enemies-to-lover banter.

** I am voluntarily reviewing an advance copy of this book. Thank you to Kristyn J. Miller, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for providing an ARC. **

*I received a free ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

I was very up and down with my thoughts on this book. There were just aspects that I didn't vibe with, but I don't think they are universal and wouldn't impact another person's enjoyment. I personally was uncomfortable with the manipulation aspect of this book, even though Margo felt bad about it and ultimately had a change of heart.

I also didn't love Margo and Jo's friendship. Margo at times coul be quite mean to those around her, and she wasn't a great friend. Pulling your friend aside during her wedding reception to dump a problem on her? Not cool man.

In other ways though, Margo was super relatable. Her feeling of isolation in particular, where she had crafted this box for herself that left her so lonely. Her relationship with the internet and social media, while larger scale than what most of us deal with, is super relatable.

Ultimately, I found this book enjoyable and would recommend it for anyone looking for a summery beach read if the things listed above don't bother you.

Seven Rules for Breaking Hearts is a enemies to lovers rom-com. Margo and her friend Jo have a successful podcast together and have made a career on promoting the idea that women can hook up with out getting hurt. But now Jo has found love and is getting married and the future of the podcast is up in the air. Now Margo is looking for an angle to keep the podcast going. Spending time with former high school enemy was supposed to help her, but somewhere along the way she seems to have fallen in love.

The story shines a spot light on influencers and the the expectations and pressures that they face in creating content. The romance between Margo and Declan was good and their little fights and bickering were balanced with nice connections. The story is mostly focused on our two main characters and the secondary characters mostly remain in the background. The story kept me engaged throughout and It was a quick read.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

Go and Jo have a podcast, Seven Rules for Breaking Hearts, focusing on being single, calling your own shots and not getting attached but then Jo gets engaged so what direction is next? A sponsor agrees to pay for Jo's wedding on Catalina Island in exchange for mentions on the podcast and Go, actually Margo, decides to break the rules with Declan and use that for the last season. It's a romance and you can see where this is going but the getting there was such fun. I loved the setting in Catalina, hot, touristy and beachy. Reminded me of Ocean City or Myrtle Beach. For a lot of the book I didn't like Margo much and I do not have a high opinion of influencers but maybe that changed some reading this. Go and Jo really did do a lot of work trying to get and keep sponsors and gain followers and, in their case, lay bare a lot of their lives. Declan was such a great guy I'd date him and I would love to know more about Margo's mom. Perhaps in the next book.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a digital copy.

This book was okay. I enjoyed the premise of the novel- Two girls have a podcast about staying single and not settling down. Except, during season six, one of them falls in love and gets engaged. Faced with burnout and unsure how to move forward with season seven, they accept an all expense paid vacation for the upcoming wedding.

Margo, the FMC, decides to "break all her rules" and see what happens for the two weeks they are on Catalina island. She is caught off guard when she actually catches feelings for the best man and falls in love herself.

I found the FMC unlikable, though she did get a bit better as the book progressed through her character arc. Kristyn J. Miller wrote her character development well. Declan, the MMC, has apparently been in love with Margo since high school but has always been too shy to say anything. I always struggle with the believability of that premise- why didn't he say anything- though I found this book did the trope well.

While the two main characters fairly fleshed out, none of the supporting characters that we spend a lot of time with are fleshed out and are fairly one note.

All in all, I found it to be a delightfully average story. It's sweet and low spice, and would be a good beach read.