This one was hard for me to get into. There were times I really liked Declan and times I really liked Margo but I was never really rooting for each of them. One thing I don't enjoy in second chance romances is when the past is almost like its own character. I found Margo to be really stuck in high school and her not acknowledging that someone can change and grow in ten years to be frustrating. Overall this was an easy beach read but definitely had some issues.

A VERY FUN CUTE BEACH READ. I LOVED THE VACATION ROMANCE AND IT IS THE PERFECT SUMMER BOOK WHILE LAYING BY THE POOL.

This was quite disappointing. The main characters had zero heat, no chemistry. While reading, most of my time was spent thinking there's no way Declan is actually interested in Margo. He gave no indication, there was no pining, nothing. No receipts. This is where dual POVs really come in handy for romances, because it's awesome to get the other person's perspective on how the relationship is shaping up. Especially when misunderstandings are involved, as they often are. I as the reader want to know!

Also, the rule-breaking concept (aka the most intriguing part of the story's summary) was lost on me. I did not see Margo break one rule?? I definitely had How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days expectations that were not met. As in the FMC would go so out of her way to act the opposite of what her philosophy on love was like in order to attract a man for her own personal gain. That didn't happen? So maybe that's on me. But this also took me way too long to read and just didn't hold my interest or excite me like I anticipated it would.

Seven Rules for Breaking Hearts starts with a fun setup for a romance - old high school rivals forced to spend time together as the maid of honor and best man in their friends' wedding, with the underlying tension of the fact that the main character, Margo, is on a dating/hook-up culture podcast, and is firmly against the idea of romantic commitment longer than a night or two. I enjoyed Margo's voice, which is breezy and sharp by turns, though I didn't get quite as invested in the emotional journey of her love interest, Declan, as I would have liked to be. The third act breakup was telegraphed, of course, but felt extremely realistic - if you want to grab Margo by the shoulders and yell at her for her part in the way things unravel, well, that just feels completely accurate to who we've come to know her to be. Still, I didn't think the way Margo and Declan's issues - as a couple and as individuals - were solved landed for me, and I was left wanting a little more from the romance, despite the promising first half.

Thanks to St. Martin's Griffin for the advance review copy.

I'm pretty sure this is her debut book. And what a great start. if you enjoy Emily Henry books like I do, you will like this one. I loved her writing style and the characters development. Top notch!I read this one in one day. It's engaging and entertaining. I'm looking forward to more book from Miller.

This was a cute romcom. I read this a couple of months ago with several other romcom type books and cant remember overall how I liked it. But i know I like all of them while reading them! LOL.

Thank you for the advanced copy!

I really liked the concept of this. I just felt the MC was frustrating. I think Margo was too stuck in her old ways and wanting to never be hurt that it made her character come off as being “better” than everyone. She gave her best friend too much crap for changing and being in love.

I did love how she grew within the book. I wish she would have been more upfront about the podcasts switch to Declan sooner.

The setting was so beautiful and I could actually picture myself there. That always makes for a good book.

I love d the dialogue between the characters and there was some funny parts.

Margo (Go) and her best friend Jo have a podcast about the seven rules you should follow if you want to enjoy the single life. That is, until Jo gets engaged, and Margo has to figure out what path her life will take her on next. In the meantime, everyone is heading to Catalina for two weeks to plan and attend Jo’s wedding. But it turns out, the best man happens to be Margo’s nemesis from high school.

Let me start by saying, the first half of this book almost had me giving up on it. It was a slow start, and a lot of things just didn’t seem to click for me. Go and Jo’s friendship, for one, seemed really basic and shallow for two people who were supposed to be best friends since kindergarten. I also thought Margo’s grudge against Declan was kinda lame, and not worth holding on to and hating someone over. Also, it just felt unrealistic that the whole wedding party was vacationing for two weeks on seemingly short notice, and planning and executing the wedding all at once.

That being said, I pushed through, and I found the second half more enjoyable. Declan and Margo’s relationship begins to evolve and gain some depth, and the challenges that brings as Margo decides how to move forward make for a much more interesting story.

Overall, I’d average it out to 3 stars. It wasn’t my favorite, but it redeemed itself as the story evolved.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

If you enjoy rom-coms by Emily Henry, then add Kristyn Miller to your list of must read new authors!

This debut novel by Miller does a fantastic job of keeping the reader easily turning the pages with great character development and witty dialogue, a relaxed summer setting that will make you long for your flip flops, and a cute story line.

I highly recommend you grab a copy of this book, a nice cold iced beverage, and find yourself a sweet spot in the shade to hang out and relax for a couple hours and enjoy this gem!

Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin, the author, and NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review of this fun summer read!

Seven Rules for Breaking Hearts
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Author: Kristyn J. Miller

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: Love breaks all the rules.

Margo Anderson is sworn off commitment. Alongside her best friend, Jo, she runs a viral podcast featuring rules for hooking up without catching feelings. So when Jo surprises her by deciding to get married and taking up a sponsor’s offer to host an all-expenses-paid wedding trip on Catalina Island, they have the whole internet to answer to.

In a scramble for content to appease their disappointed listeners, Margo cooks up a social experiment: Break all her own dating rules, just to prove that it’s a bad idea. And she’s found the best man for the job in the groom’s best friend and her old high school nemesis, Declan Walsh. He may be easier on the eyes than Margo remembered, but he’s sure to be as smug and annoying as he was before—there is no chance Margo will ever catch feelings for him . . . until she does.

The more time they spend together through cake tastings and wedding party activities, the more Margo can’t ignore their obvious spark, and she may actually be enjoying getting to know Declan. But can she let go of the rules to let him in?

My Thoughts: Margo and Jo are podcasters that created and live by the seven rules, however, when Jo puts these by the waste side and engages with the love of her life, what will this mean to Margo? The seven rules are for sleeping with someone without developing any type of feelings. This follows the tropes of enemies to lovers (my favorite), forced proximity, and grumpy v. sunshine. Then Margo has to be in Jo’s wedding party with a man she cannot stand! Margo, as part of the wedding part, has to plan it with Declan, which means a lot of time will be spent together.

I had a tough time with this one to begin with. I picked up and put down several times as I just could not get into the book. Our MC Margo, was really hard to connect with to begin with, however, I was immediately drawn to Declan. Margo was obsessed with these rules and could not live life as it comes, and she was also too focused on what happened in high school. I mean high school is high school, teens are dump and do stupid, insensitive things. Declan was highly swoon-worthy and just pined at my heart. Margo and Declan had fantastic banter and mad chemistry. The author’s writing style was steamy, swoony, and humorous. I loved the author’s multimedia approach on this book.

For a debut novel, this was good. I would recommend other readers give a shot. I read reviews that the audiobook’s narrator did a really good job with voice variation and the narrator made the book more enjoyable.

Thank you Net Galley for providing this book and allowing me to read it in advance. I was unable to personally get into this book but that is the power of reading. There’s books for everyone. I know someone else will adore it!

I really wanted to like this book, but I struggled to find sympathy with the main female character. She came across as bitter and unhappy, set on holding a grudge against someone from high school and letting it drive her.

After a few chapters, I skipped ahead to the end to see how it ended and whether it was worth reading the middle. It was fine.

Seven Rules for Breaking Hearts has the typical romcom potential but I didn't really connect with anything going on in the story. It felt really flat and left me wanting more, but not in the good way.

Margo “Go” is an influencer who has a sex podcast with her bestie Jo, is uninterested in falling in love and is struggling in a lot of aspects of life. When she is forced in proximity with a one-sided high school nemesis for 2 weeks leading up to her best friend’s wedding…well, I think you know what’s likely to happen. Except Margo is a bit of a disaster, so it’s hard to have sympathy for her and her commitment-phobia. When things predictably implode, I am squarely on Declan’s side. It was a quick read, but probably would have been more fun if I had liked our heroine!

This was a quick vacation romance that is perfect for a bead read/vacation read. Margo, our heroine, is part of a famous podcast duo with her best friend Jo. When Jo decides to get married, it turns Margo's life upside down. But things turn even worse when she finds out the best man is Declan Walsh, her high school nemesis. Determined to figure out the future of the podcast, Margo decides to do her own social experiment: Break her own dating rules, just to prove it's a bad idea. And she decides Declan is the perfect guy for the job. But as they get closer, Margo starts to catch real feelings and starts to wonder if she was wrong about her dating rules after all.

I have to admit, I took a little bit for me to connect with Margo - not sure why exactly. Maybe it was because it seemed like her objection to Jo's wedding was a bit selfish. But I did start rooting for her and think she had a nice arc. Declan, on the other hand, I was on his side almost immediately. I loved that he was into Margo for longer than she realized. He was really sweet and dare I say to good for Margo?

Overall it's a cute summer read that you'll enjoy. Thanks to St. Martin's Griffin for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really liked the premise of this one, but I truthfully didn't feel invested in the characters. The main character gets surprised by her best friend when she announces she's getting married. And people get mad because they ran a podcast together about casual flings. She decides to break her own rules for the sake of the podcast and it doesn't go as planned.

A very fun, unique take in the rom/com. I really enjoyed this and could not put it down. I read it in just two days and will be recommending it! Thank you!

It was hard to get through the beginning to the better parts of the book. The FMC just came off very whiney and ungrateful and I just didn’t vibe well with her.

What a breath of fresh air this charming romance novel turned out to be! I adored the unique and unexpected qualities of the characters—a podcaster who happens to be a former tuba player, and a NASA employee—truly a pairing like no other!

Margo and Declan carried the baggage of being high school rivals, or so Margo believed. When their paths cross again at their best friends' wedding, they are given a golden opportunity to reconnect. However, Margo has always been wary of forming attachments, let alone rekindling old ones. With a two-week paid vacation in her hands, Margo embarks on a journey of self-discovery, with Declan's support, and quite possibly discovers much more than she anticipated.

I adored every single aspect of this book. Margo, Declan, and even Jo were wonderfully fleshed out characters that I truly enjoyed getting to know. And who can resist a well-crafted romance?

I extend my heartfelt gratitude to St. Martin's Griffin, Kristyn Miller, and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy. This is undoubtedly a book I will treasure! In fact, I've already added Given Our History, slated for release in 2024, to my must-read list. It seems I have found a new go-to for my romance reads.

I did not read this book through an educator's lens.

Sevel Rules for Breaking Heart by Kristyn Miller was great! I appreciated the creative twist on a typical trope of best man/maid of honor. The social media world/podcasting world was well done and discussed. The character development is what drew me into the plot and I genuinely cared what was happening to Go & Jo!