I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a copy of this egalley to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Chloe Chang has had a hard and sudden breakup. In her misery, she designs an art exhibit to showcase heartbreak after breakups. Little does she know this will lead her to new friendships and even to love again.
Let's start by saying this book is very YA, maybe even more middle grade, though the characters are in high school. The character arcs are predictable and, to be honest, a bit cringy. The main character, Chloe, is very childish. And her penchant for falling for the MMC, Daniel, was too insta-love for me. I really have nothing beyond this for who she is. Well, this and her making dumb decisions. The entire book focuses on what seems to me is her obsession with Daniel. Speaking of Daniel, who even is he? His development is just not there. I know he is a film maker, and that's about it. All the teen characters truly seemed way to immature to me. To be honest, my favorite character in the book was Chloe's grandmother, and she's not even a main character. Otherwise I had zero connection to the characters; zero empathy for their story arcs.
I would have liked to see a bit more of the culture in this book. We saw some food items mentioned and made. Some language being spoken. But, other than that, I didn't feel like I learned anything about who Chloe and her family are and how that might effect them. I have to assume the writer chose this specific culture because she has a connection to it but that just did not come through in the writing or the plot.
I found the plot way too predictable. I feel like a dual POV would have worked better for this book. This may have endeared me better to the MMC who just seemed to be there for the need to have a romantic interest. The pacing was slow for me and I truly had to push through to see what happened at the end. Of course we knew where it would go, pretty much from the beginning, which would be fine had the story progression really swept me off my feet.
I definitely feel this should be marked to a younger audience rather than teens as it just does not have that teen draw for me.

Cute, chick lit, multicultural romantic comedy

Chloe is an extremely talented, 17-year-old, Chinese-American girl whose burning ambition is to be an art curator. She has already obtained an impressive amount of experience for her age, although she got a little too ambitious for her last show, which she created on behalf of her 18-year-old, African-American boyfriend, who specializes in textile art. Unfortunately, he has not yet forgiven her for the debacle, and shortly after her family moves from NYC to Los Angeles to care for her Taiwanese grandmother, who is in the early stages of dementia, he mails her a shoebox full of mementos from their relationship which includes a Dear Jane letter.

With amazing resilience, it occurs to Chloe that, if she collects shoe boxes of mementos from fellow brokenhearted teenagers in a similar situation to hers, she could turn the detritus of failed, teenage romance into a compelling art show. Along the way of pursuing this goal, she makes friends with a Latina, lesbian, teenage girl named Francesca, who has many connections in the local teenage art community, and a handsome, sweet-natured, 17-year-old, Korean-American, accomplished filmmaker named Daniel.

Though this novel has a strong romantic subplot, it is structured more as chick lit than romance, given that Chloe's primary journey across the course of the novel is not a romantic courtship but, rather, strengthening her abilities as an art curator and becoming more comfortable with the artistic scene in LA as compared to the artistic scene she was used to in NYC, as well as letting go of her remaining feelings for her ex, so she can be emotionally capable of moving on with a new boyfriend.

There is plenty of authentic and detailed information about what is involved in curating an art show throughout this book, which many readers may find of great interest.

I am happy to report that, unlike the vast majority of YA novels, Chloe's parents are neither neglectful, cruel, nor blundering idiots. They are sweet and supportive toward her as their beloved, only child. She also has a loving relationship with her grandmother.

Chloe's romantic interest is a great guy as well. He is a terrific example of a "cinnamon roll" hero, and theirs is a G-rated, "friends become lovers" romance.

This is a very inclusive novel, with representation of the LGBTQIA community and multiple races.

Though there is mention of Chloe having had a sexual relationship with her ex-boyfriend, no sexual activity occurs on stage beyond a few kisses in her new romance. There is no foul language, no drinking and no drugs.

I really wanted to like this book. love the cover, the concept was exciting but I just couldn't get into the book, sadly. Chloe has just learned her relationship with Jake is over through a box he mailed to her new home in LA. Movie potential but I just couldn't READ it. Would much rather watch it.

How do you get over your ex? And how do you make sure the next guy will not just be a rebound? When Chloe moves across the country from NYC to Los Angeles, her and her boyfriend are determined to make the long distance relationship work. But one day, when she comes home from school, she finds a box with various items related to their relationship waiting for her. Newly single and needing a distraction, Chloe comes up with an idea for an art exhibit called Heartifacts, displaying boxes with the remains of relationships. Chloe sears she is over her ex, especially when Daniel shows up on her radar. But sometimes things are not as easy as they seem…

Jennifer Chen’ as novel was a quick read, definitely more geared towards teens. The plot feels rushed at times and conversations stocky, but overall the concept was interesting. I was just not the main target audience and thought the novel fell short at certain points.

What a neat concept for a book! I’ve not read many books with art as the focus, but this was so cool. Chloe was a character that really grew as the story progressed, so I liked that about her. I also loved her relationship with Daniel.

Chloe has to move from New York City to LA to help take care of her ailing grandmother. She has to leave behind her perfect artsy boyfriend, all the art NYC has to offer and everything else she loves about the city. But when she gets dumped by her boyfriend by a shoebox of belongings, she has to decide if she wants to pine over her losses or create something new.

This is a typical hallmark-y love story. I love the diverse representation throughout the story and how that was an important them throughout the book. However, it’s a little cringe-y trying hang on to an ex who is clearly moving on and wasn’t the good guy she claims he was. All in all it was a fun read and I would recommend for ya romance readers.

Thanks to the author and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

This book was a quick and easy read. I enjoyed the asian rep in this novel and I also enjoyed the love interest.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is an interesting microcosm of the East and west coast art scenes, with all of the problems that come with being a young adult. I loved the concept of the art projects, and the romantic tension. On the one hand she is very strong, and I love that. I love that she is structured and how she loves her family and community. I dislike being in her head though because she wants to control everything. I don’t think this book is for me because I got anxiety reading it. 😅

hate giving “eh” as a review, but that’s what this is. The book was very meh for me. I will say, though, I think this book made me realize I’m officially done with YA and would prefer reading about people my age, so I’ll say that.

The story follows Chloe Chang, a young visionary as she figures out the woes of being broken up with and the highs of having a crush. She tries to use curating art as an outlet, collecting break up boxes to display anonymously, but has to find different ways to try and continue to deal with her break up with her artist ex. That’s when she runs into Daniel, a friend of a friend, who she starts developing feelings for.

The reason I say it was eh was because many of the characters felt very immature (even for teenagers) and pretty surface level. I don’t feel like the author really knew their own characters because they felt so shallow. Especially Chloe and Daniel’s relationship. Like, they definitely liked each other, sure, but love? For Chloe to say she loved him at the end was weird for me. Also, Chloe’s friends being romantically interested out of nowhere? What?

The author also used a lot of phrases that didn’t make sense, even with context. It led more to head scratching than making a unique turn of phrase.

Lastly, the author is a bit awkward in their writing. For example, some of the scenes just feel disconnected. We jerk around to different points from her Ahma and her Alzheimer’s to a romance. It’s almost like the author went back and started adding chapters without really reading it together.

I think this would be good for teens for sure. But this isn’t anything that appealed to me at the end and I was very glad to finish it.

Cute premise. I might be a little old for this particular YA story but I think it would be perfect for the right age demographic.

This was a fun weekend read. It was entertaining and I enjoyed it overall.

**Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own.

Book: Artifacts of an Ex
Author: Jennifer Chen
Rating: 3 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank the publisher, Wednesday Books, for sending me an ARC. Once again, this is another book in which the bones of an amazing story were there, but I had a difficult time connecting to it. This does not mean that this is a bad book. Had I been younger, I am sure that I would have enjoyed this more.

In this one, we follow Chloe who has just moved to LA so her family can be closer to her grandmother. She is having a difficult time adjusting but knows that those she cares about will always be there. She and her boyfriend are going to stay together and make the long-distance thing work. Until one day, he sends her a box with all of her things, ending their relationship. Chloe is heartbroken. She comes to realize that she is not the only one who feels this way. She decides to reach out to others and create this art exhibit that is dedicated to exs and the heartbreak that goes along with it. With the help of her new friend, Daniel, she comes to realize that things are not as easy as they seem and the process is more messy than she thought.

While this book seems pretty surface-level, you can take it deeper. There is the theme of family running throughout the book. This is a young adult and I feel like you don’t get a lot of family themes in YA. Chloe and her family are working together to try to get her grandma to remember a recipe. They also have each other’s back and will do anything for each other. Even if things are rough and not going according to plan, they will still do anything for each other. Just knowing that the support is there is enough sometimes. There is also the idea of new friendships and new beginnings. Chloe is having a difficult time adjusting. Through this exhibit, she makes new friends and goes on new adventures. It allows her to grow as a person. Then, there is also the theme of coming off This is a YA book, so you knew this had to be in there. Chloe thought she had everything all figured out and it failed. She wanted to fall, but her friends and family picked her back up. She has to find new ways and she discovers a lot about herself along the way.

All of these moving parts and the fluffy writing style would have normally kept me engaged. It did, in certain parts and others, I found myself being taken out of the story. I had a difficult time connecting to the characters. While they could have been complex, I found that many of them were cookie cutters. What I mean is some characters were written in a way to give us a typical YA character. We have the male lead who is afraid, the girl trying to get over her ex and is a social media influencer. It just felt off. It was almost like the characters were not allowed to have their voice and were being moulded to fit into this role. I almost feel that if we had gotten both Daniel's and Chloe’s points of view we could have had a story with a much bigger punch.

I also feel like there was something off with the pacing. At first, I didn’t mind the quickness of the book, but the more I got into it, the more it felt like we were missing some development. It was almost like we were always rushing to get to the next big thing. However, this rush made us lose some moments. I know some people don’t like character moments of them just forming a bond, but I do. I find that it adds so much to the story even if it slows down the plot and pacing. It allows for use to get to know the characters and form a bond with them.

Overall, I thought this was an okay book. It was fun, I will say that, but I think it’s just going to be an average read for me.

This book comes out on November 14, 2023.

For starters, I LOVE the idea behind this book! I'd definitely visit an exhibition featuring memories from old relationships, and probably drag my friends along. Also wishing that the title was Heartifacts of an Ex, just because it's so much cooler!

I'm a fan of good Asian rep and healthy family dynamics, so this was great in that aspect. Seeing Chloe's interactions with her parents and grandma melted my heart, giving it a touch of nostalgia (and a homesick air)

Chloe on her own didn't stand out much to me as an MC. Somewhat bland and confused (like viewing the average teen from afar), it just wasn't right. A lot of times, the conversations felt awkward and strained, reading it too much of an effort. Also, why weren't there many scenes from school? It seemed like all she did was curate the art show!

Descriptions with Daniel stood out more to me, with his philosophy on photography thought provoking. He was quite mature. More so than many adult MCs in contemporary reads. A guy with the loyalty to stick to someone he likes and honestly express his feelings was refreshing instead of a manipulator who keeps you guessing.

Not my favorite, but I do recommend this for its new authentic take on many subtopics.

ARC review - this had the potential to be super cute but slightly missed the mark. It was a very light read and relatively quick to get through but I wish it went a little deeper and was flushed out a little more. Some moments/dialogue were super cringey

"Artifacts of an Ex" by Jennifer Chen is a cute and quirky romance novel set in Los Angeles. The story follows Chloe Chang, who is trying to process her breakup with her long-distance boyfriend. She comes up with the idea to make an art exhibit with pieces of her relationship, which leads her to meet new people and discover more about herself. The book is a charming debut that combines a strong sense of place and community with well-developed supporting characters. It explores themes of new friendships, self-discovery, and young love. The writing style is easy to read, but still engaging, making it a quick and enjoyable read.

This book would be perfect as a beach read or curled up by a fire. "Artifacts of an Ex" is heartwarming in the best sense and will appeal to fans of romance, and maybe even those who are currently nursing their own break-up wounds. I recommend anyone who is a fan of romance to check it out!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

This was really good! I was pulled in from the very beginning. I couldn't put this down. I love the development of the story and characters. I have been reading a lot of fantasy recently, and getting into a YA contemporary really brought me back and reminded me why I love them. I thoroughly enjoyed Jennifer's writing, as this is the first book I've read of hers. She really pulls you into the book, and it was such a delightful YA contemporary. If you enjoy YA contemporary or romance, definitely grab this one!

This was a really cute contemporary romance and coming of age story. This would make a nice addition to the young adult collection. The art that teens can use and the magic of connecting everyone with the universal break up box is a great way to connect to teens and adults alike. We've all been there and have a box of stuff from the past. Using that to build a human collection is a great way to build community of readers!

This book was so cute! This book was fast paced and entertaining. This is a debut YA romcom and I'm definitely excited to see what Jennifer Chen will release in the future. I loved how art was written about and included in this novel and Chloe was a good character to follow. Chloe went through a lot of transformative growth throughout the novel, which is vital to a good coming of age, YA book in my opinion.

I enjoyed this book. I really enjoyed watching the growth of the two main characters as they helped each other with their projects and got to know each other better. A fun teenage romance.

ARTIFACTS OF AN EX had a premise that I was interested in when I first heard about it in selena gomez's movie. I never ended up watching it but thought, what better way to experience it than through a book? Unfortunately, this one did not quite hit the mark on execution.

People were described almost purely by their race, sometimes in ways that made me wonder how the MC even knew what the race of someone was (as it seemed she was identifying them based on skin color alone). Despite trying to make the situation more unique by having Chloe explore her feelings for both her ex and Daniel, it just felt like the story was dragging it out for the sake of conflict. Her sudden flip-flop lacked reasoning and only served to make me dislike her even more. At the end, rather than feel happy about the romantic resolution, I didn't quite understand how it ended up working out.

I realize that grace should be given for teens but I just couldn't fully get behind the romance. The writing lacked depth and prose. The Heartifacts idea, something that once sounded so cool in my head, became more and more childish. I felt almost indifferent to everything going on. The only time I probably felt a lot of emotion was when I was reading the character descriptors, and that was mainly disbelief.

Special thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press / Wednesday Books for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.