| Title | : | The Heartbreak Cure |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1640634290 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781640634299 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | ebook |
| Number of Pages | : | 193 |
| Publication | : | First published November 27, 2017 |
Step one: Eat your body weight in brownies.
Step two: Throw yourself into your dreams of becoming a famous writer.
Step three: Beg your (hottie) ex-neighbor to act as your fake boyfriend.
Step four: Skip step three unless you’re ready for some serious fallout.
After being dumped and humiliated over the summer, Cat Turner does what any sane girl would do. She asks bad boy Alex Locke to be her fake boyfriend and show the world (and her editor at the school newspaper) that she's fine. Problem is, the more time she spends with Alex, the more she risks getting her heart broken. For real this time.
Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book contains a swoony bad boy who will melt your heart, brownies, and witty banter. One, two, or all three might prove addictive…
The Heartbreak Cure Reviews
-
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Entangled Books for allowing me to read and review this sweet friends to lovers romance by Amanda Ashby. I completely adored this book. Cat is about to start her junior year when the boy she had briefly dated over the summer not only dumps her but posts on YouTube that she had been part of his challenge for the summer of "date a freak for a week and see how far you can get." Ugh. Kids at school are being jerks and the newspaper editor threatens her position, so she enlists the help of her best friend, Alex, to fill in as a pretend boyfriend so everyone will stop talking about her and move on to something else.
The fake boyfriend is a trope that has been done many times, but what makes this one work so marvelously is Alex. He's got the perfect blend of truly tortured past and desire to set things right that make him truly swoon worthy, and the chemistry between him and Cat was really sweet. It was great watching him deal with his issues as the relationship between him and Cat slowly sweetened into something real. Definitely recommended for a light, sweet read!
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author.
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader. -
Confession time! I accidentally got sucked into wanting to read this book purely because of the brownies and then kinda sorta maybe quite enjoyed the read, despite having the best intentions to rip its romantic heart to shreds. Sure, there were some soppy sentences, mostly focused around how people smelled for some reason, but overall I really enjoyed the story. I feel like I need to apologise to myself because I don’t do romance novels so I’m more than a little disturbed that I liked the characters so much but if I enjoyed it, then the target audience are going to love it!
I’m showing my age here but I’m so glad I grew up in a world without the internet. I can’t even imagine how kidlets and teens these days navigate the awkwardness of growing up knowing the world is watching and most likely recording all of their mistakes, humiliations and heartaches for posterity. Back when I was a teen [she croaks while leaning on her walking stick and wagging her finger] you could quietly hope for the next drama to unfold in someone else’s life so you could be left in peace to pick up the pieces of your shattered heart. These days your most embarrassing moments can go viral. [shudders]
So, what is The Heartbreak Cure? Brownies!!! Baked by the 86 year old grandmother of your cute ex-neighbour boy (who is only a) friend. YUM! Hey, Alex, would you please let Birdie know I feel a heartbreak coming on? 😜
Cat and Alex share the experience of being shamed for something that wasn’t their fault. Cat has been featured in a YouTube video posted by a disgusting doofus 🤬 who enlisted her as a recruit in a summer challenge: “Ask out a loser and see how far she’ll go with you in one week before you break her heart. Bonus points if she gets a tattoo with your name on it.” Seriously, people??? I have no words.
In the slightly unbelievable but hey, it’s fiction category, this girl’s heart was broken over a guy she dated a grand total of three times in one week? And one of those dates was a group date. Maybe I’m out of touch and not the one to comment on the believability factor here, but no one is chipping away at the icicles surrounding this nerd’s heart in just three dates.
And how did doofus find his way into her heart in the first place? He used her Goodreads addiction to pretend he liked the same parts in books that she did. How dare you use a love of books as your weapon of choice, you cowardly, despicable, pathetic excuse for a human being!!
Meanwhile, Alex has been shamed by pretty much the whole community and sadly he’s internalised the seriously bad vibes. Now a lone wolf with a bad boy reputation, he thinks he deserves everything bad that comes his way yet aches to be granted a scholarship to study engineering at a college somewhere far away from the town that’s tarred him without knowing a thing about him personally. Come on, townsfolk with the pitchforks at the ready, he’s Birdie’s grandson! You know! The one who bakes brownies? How bad can he be?!
Anyway, after knowing her humiliating heartbreak made its way to internet land, Cat is feeling pretty darn sorry for herself. She’s even got the creative writing piece where the guy gets massacred by killer ants to prove it. Our Cat is a wannabe journalist on her way to fame via Oprah’s book club. So mid-massacre, who should hop over the fence but the boy with the smouldering good looks and muscles that define any item of clothing he wears, Alex. And he brings brownies that Birdie made. (Open your eyes, Cat! He’s the one!)
Cat comes up with the perfect solution to get the attention off her ugly cry heartbreak video. Why doesn’t she pretend to have a new boyfriend? Why doesn’t she choose our so hot that you could barbeque your dinner on his muscles (did we mention his clothes look wonderful draped over them?) Alex, who kinda has a thing for Cat but of course he’s not good enough for her so she can’t be ‘his’. [Ugh, men thinking of women as property.]
Throw in Cat’s take-no-crap best friend with green hair (Nikki), scary senior editor of the school paper (Mackenzie), doofus heartbreaker rubbing it in with Cat’s ex-friend (Isabel), a liberal sprinkling of adult drama, bucketloads of internal dialogue, angst-a-plenty and a serious amount of baggage following our fake couple wherever they go. What could go wrong?
Favourite sentence: “Wow, you look like boiled crap.”
Favourite character: Birdie, brownie baker and all round sweetie.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley (thank you so much to NetGalley and Entangled: Crush for the opportunity) in exchange for honest feedback. -
It started okay, it had potential. However the author threw in a LOT of unnecessary drama without the story benefiting from it. Wouldn´t recommend it.
-
The Heartbreak Cure is a friends to more romance and a fake boyfriend story. Two of my favourites, so this book was a winner before I opened it!
Kids can be cruel and unfortunately, Cat is the last victim. Her humiliation is displayed for the world to see and the tears that followed. The summer break is just about over and Cat has to face the music at school. She doesn't want drama. She wants a job on the school paper and is willing to do whatever it takes.
Alex has been in love with Cat forever but feels she can do better. He was the boy next door. He has had an unfortunate upbringing and has gained a bad boy reputation. He likes to keep his head down and doesn't get close to people. Cat is his only friend.
Cat sees the good in Alex and she wants the best for him. Maybe they can help each other out of their slumps?
The Heartbreak Cure is a sweet story with a lot to offer. There are also a few side chapters who have their own stories. This book worked really well and I enjoyed every minute of it. 4.5 stars out of 5.
BLOG TOUR DATE: 7th December and includes an Interview with the lovely Amanda Ashby.
http://chaptersthroughlife.blogspot.c...
*ARC received in exchange for an honest review -
3.5 “Bad Boys, Dark Pasts and Kissing” Stars
ARC via NetGalley.
Thank you, Entangled Teen!
Another win when it comes to Entangled Crush.
While The Heartbreak Cure was just as cute and sweet as most of the YA romances published by Entangled Crush, it stood out to me because it did a great job building relationships that made me feel aside from the romance.
Using a mix of friends to lovers + fake relationship + bad boy tropes, the romance was swoony from start to finish, especially because I learned early on Alex had a thing for Cat. I'm all for the "boy secretly likes girl" thing, and it worked really well here. But, yeah, like I said, I'd come to expect adorable romance arcs from this publisher, and while I'm super happy this wasn't an exception, I'm also glad we also got to see good family and frienship bonds.
The relationships between Cat and her mother and Cat and her best friend brought a much needed lighteness to the story, which balanced well Alex's much heavier side. Cat's mom was pretty awesome, and I truly enjoyed seeing those two being respecteful and having a healthy mother-daughter relationship. As to Cat and her best friend, there was no unecessary drama or girl hate, which YAY!!!! Those two seemed to really enjoy each other's company, and I loved how her friend was the sassy one while Cat was a little shy and more reserved.
While Cat's arc was more focused on the romance and her passion for writing, I thought Alex had the biggest and heavier arc. Poor guy had a dark past that dragged him down and made me feel like he was unworthy of love, which broke my heart. Alex was a great guy: honest, hard-working, respectful, so he deserved to let go of those ghosts and be happy. I loved how he got to that happy point by noticing that he wasn't alone (and in truth hadn't been for a while). His relationship with his boss, his grandmother and with Cat were huge influnces and helped him underestand that there were more than enough people in his life that believed in him and saw the good in him.
The Heartbeat Cure was a little heavier on the internal and emotional arc side of things, but it was still a cute and fun read. -
This review was first published on
Melissa's Bookworld
~♥~ BOOK REVIEW ~♥~…there would be four large brownies, the color of freshly turned soil, nestled within the tissue paper-one for pain, another for hope, a third for wisdom, and the fourth for joy. Birdie referred to them as her heartbreak cure, guaranteed to fix even the most shattered of hearts.
This book was such a sweet, honest and extremely lovable contemporary romance! With a bit of a slow burning friends-to-lovers romance, the romance in this book was just a joy to read. It gave me all the warm and fuzzy feels inside while reading. Then there's also The ‘fake boyfriend’ trope present in this book and that has always been a trope I adored immensely in a romance story. There’s just something about two people unexpectedly falling in love with the pretense of a relationship and turning it into something more and the way Amanda writes it down is just really amazing I think.
Cat is about to start her junior year when the boy she had briefly dated over the summer not only dumps her but publishes a video on YouTube that she had been part of his challenge for the summer of "date a freak for a week and see how far you can get." Not a great way for her to start the new year, right? The newspaper editor threatens her position so she's totally freaked out about that as well. So, then she enlists the help of her friend, Alex, to fill in as a pretend boyfriend so everyone will stop talking about her and move on to something else.
"The characters felt very realistic
and were really lovable to me,
right from the start."
Alex is that brooding 'no good on the outside' character but 'very lovable and extremely sweet on the inside guy' who stole my heart. It was, first of all, a joy to read both POV's because I really liked reading Alex' side of this story. He hasn't had the nicest upbringing with his mom being a drug addict and a lot of traumatizing things happening, so he remains distant to everyone at school. Outside of school, he has a friend in Cat, who he secretly is attracted to but doesn't want to show because he feels like she deserves way better than him. I felt for him, guys. He was so sweet and broken and insecure at times. On the outside, he had some very lovable and sexy traits well-known for a typical 'bad boy' a lot of readers love to read about. I really loved this 'package' called Alex. There was so much more to him than meets the eye and I really loved exploring this character and seeing him develop throughout the story.Kissing Alex was the best cure to heartbreak that she’d ever discovered.
And can we talk a minute about his grandmother? OMG she's amaaaazing! Not only with her baking brownies and such haha but she's just a really well developed minor character I absolutely fell in love with and I know you guys are going to as well! All main characters and several secondary characters were just really amazing. They are easy to love and connect with. And aside from them being cute, lovable and realistic, there was also some great humor present and I love the banter between some of the characters. I had to smile A LOT during this read, so that's definitely a PRO!
Cat is a cute and recognizable character with some great characteristics like she writes for example which I thought was really great woven throughout the story. And I really liked the way she develops in this story, how she opens up for Alex on a whole deeper level than just friends. I kind of loved the way she came up with the whole 'fake relationship' thingy even though you see the trouble coming from miles away when it comes to putting two friends together who may or may not have Reel feelings for each other but they don't want the other one to know about it haha. I really liked that she was 'ballsy' enough to pull this off, I don't think I'd ever dare ask a boy, even a friend, to do this kind of thing, lol. So kudos for Cat!!
I wholly embraced this developing romance between Alex and Cat, straight away. Even more so after getting to know Alex a bit better. Gosh, he's such a great guy and I FELL HARD for him. I really think he's a perfect match for Cat. They are just so adorable together and their chemistry is off the charts! Their romance development was 'just right' you know? I loved everything about their romance and felt so full of joy when seeing it blossom! And especially because of Alex I think, there's a lot of depth to this story and romance which makes it a lot more than just a 'high school romance'. Both characters already feel like 'adults' on some level which made me appreciate their romance and this story-development even more.
"I really recommend this book to everyone who's in for a
cute, recognizable and lovable high school romance
with really cute and lovable characters who'll melt your heart."
I loved Amanda's writing and can't wait to read more stories by this author - like her adult books, for example, *squeeeeeel*. I was hooked, right from the start and that's only possible if the writing is good! With every second I could spare, I immediately sat down with my Kindle - sat down, or standing outside Milan's school for example, between all those parents looking funny my way haha, waiting for him - to get some reading done and somewhere along the line I just forgot about time and a life outside of this book and just kept reading, lol.
This is a perfect book for every (contemporary) YA romance reader out there. You start this book, immediately hooked to the story and writing and you're finished before you know it - because you just can't stop once started. At least; that's how it was for me haha. This book somehow made some kind of intense connection to my inner bookworm/romanticist and made me want to keep being attached to it for as long as possible. So yeah, needless to say, I'd recommend this book but here I go anyway haha:
I have really, really, REALLY enjoyed this book. It had the perfect pace, with a plot that left me wanting more at the end. It is well written, cohesive with no loopholes.
-
Rating: 3.5 Stars
This was a very sweet story about second chances, believing in yourself, and letting go of the past to look towards the future.
Full review to follow.
*I would like to thank the publisher for the advanced copy of this book.
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Enjoyable, G-rated, young adult romance
When 16-year-old Cat Turner is dumped and publicly humiliated by a classmate named Bennet, who callously brags on social media that he was only dating her over the summer on a bet, she is desperate to save face. She implores her former neighbor, Alex Locke, who has been a close friend for the past four years, to be her fake boyfriend. She is convinced that this desperate ploy will prove to the kids at school, who are all laughing at her, and the editor of her school newspaper, who claims that Cat is too traumatized by Bennet to be an effective reporter, that she is unfazed by her ex’s spite.
Alex’s greatest desire is to earn an all-expenses-paid scholarship to a good university and leave behind the small town of Franklin, California forever. Though he is only 17, he has his own apartment above his main job at a garage, and he also works at a second job at a canning factory, all while keeping a high grade-point average. Cat is his only friend, other than his boss at the garage, Joe, and his 86-year-old grandmother, Birdie, who is currently living in a residential facility in Franklin. Alex has never dated, and he doesn’t actually have time to even pretend to date. But he cares about Cat, doesn’t like to see her suffer, and agrees to help her out.
Unfortunately for both of their plans, fake dating soon begins to seem all too real, and yet another big risk to each of their fragile hearts for potential, emotional abandonment.
This engaging YA romance novel is written in the dual point of view (POV) of Cat and Alex, which has been a standard convention for adult romance novels for the past 35 years. As a big fan of the romance genre, I personally particularly enjoy YA romances that follow this format, rather than first-person POV, because it allows readers to get to know both romantic protagonists equally well. This is particularly desirable with such a sympathetic romantic hero as Alex. He has led a very challenging life, but has risen above it with grace and dignity and become remarkably self-responsible.
Cat is also a strong, self-directed heroine. Her life has not been nearly as difficult as Alex’s, whose father is in jail, and whose mother and two sisters died in a car accident. But Cat’s father abandoned her mother and has never been in her life. The main mitigating factor for Cat is that her mother is terrific. She is a quirky artist who designs greeting cards and is very loving toward Cat. Alex’s good fortune is his loveable, cookie-baking grandmother, Birdie, and his compassionate, supportive boss, Joe. These three characters are all vividly drawn, and it is refreshing to see, for a change in a YA novel, adults who are decent, kind human beings rather than clueless or cruel.
Together, Cat and Alex have a compelling, mutual growth arc as they spend more time together than ever before while fake dating. It allows them to go to a much deeper level in their friendship and gradually, in a G-rated version of a “slow-burn” romance, begin to fall in love.
All in all, this lovely novel is a very entertaining blend of two classic romance tropes, the “redemption romance” and the “fake romance.” I highly recommend it.
I rate this novel as follows:
Heroine: 4 stars
Hero: 5 stars
Subcharacters: 5 stars
Romance Plot: 5 stars
Social Drama Plot: 4 stars
Writing: 4 stars
Overall: 4.5 stars rounded to 5 stars -
*3.5*
I've read several of Amanda Ashby's books in the past (Fairy Bad Day and You Had Me at Halo), and I've always enjoyed how sweet and fun they are. Therefore, when I heard about her newest release, The Heartbreak Cure, I instantly added it to my TBR.
The Result? The Heartbreak Cure is as sweet and delicious as a sugar cookie!
The Heartbreak Cure introduces us to Cat Turner and Alex Locke.
When The Heartbreak Cure begins Cat is suffering the ultimate heartbreak. She's sad, depressed, and feeling just a tad bit dumb. She's drowning her sorrows in ice cream, writing angry scenes, and watching sappy movies; however, she refuses to let sadness last forever, and instead, jumps full force into a new school year with the help of her best friend and her neighbor turned fake boyfriend. From that moment - when Cat decided to move on - I knew I was gong to like her. I love when characters don't let the bad get them down! Better yet, I enjoyed seeing so many different sides to Cat in The Heartbreak Cure. She was a great friend, an innovative newspaper writer, and a loving daughter; however, I also liked that she struggled at times with saying/doing the right thing, especially when it came to her budding romance with Alex. It added realness to her character.
Alex, on the other hand, has been dealt the short stick more than once in life; however, there's something about Cat that makes him want to come out of his shell and live again. Alex is the ultimate boy best friend turned love interest. I loved how sweet and tender he was with Cat, especially right after her break-up. He had a heart of gold. Additionally, I love/hated that Amanda Ashby showed the struggles he faced in the book. I loved them because they allowed me to get to know and understand him, and I hated them at times because, gosh, I just wanted him to realize that he could have a happy ending.
As hinted to above, the plot in this was very sweet. I'm always a sucker for a fake relationship turned real. I thought Amanda did a great job of developing Cat and Alex's relationship, and better yet, I loved that it wasn't the only focuses in the story. It was fun to see Cat's newspaper assignments, Alex's path to redemption, Cat's best friend finding love of her own, Alex's grandmother's meddling ways, and Cat and her mom's Gilmore Girls like bond.
In all, The Heartbreak Cure is yet another great addition to the Entangled Crush line. However, be warned: you'll be craving brownies the whole way through!
Grade: B -
I received a copy of this title to read and review for Wicked Reads
Young Adult age-range: 12+ for this sweet romance.
4-5 stars from a young adult perspective- teens will swoon over Alex.
3-4 stars from those young at heart, due to predictability.
3.5 stars overall.
Cat is suffering from heartbreak- a hot boy from school used Goodreads, of all places, to learn about her and figure out a way to hook her emotionally, since the physically was a given, all to win a bet. Cat learns a valuable lesson, and young readers will too. This ends badly for Cat, leaving her humiliated more so than heartbroken. Meanwhile, the douche-noodle jock is seen as a hero, hilarious instead of seen as rotten for his actions. Cat's an avid reader and aspiring writer, daughter to a single young mother who is an eccentric artist.
Alex used to be Cat's best friend/neighbor. The brooding loaner, supposedly bad boy, has always had a crush on Cat, and swoops in to save the day, like the unlikely hero he truly is. Alex has problems, having an elderly grandmother in a home as his guardian, but having to work and pay his own way while only 17, all the while trying his hardest to gain a scholarship to college and get out of the town that looks down upon him.
...and a faux relationship is born to prove Cat has moved on, with the one boy she can count on unconditionally.
I won't ruin the plot from there. Young adults will swoon over Alex. Cat is a solid heroine to learn from during the journey. This friends-to-crushes novel is sugary sweet and gives the warmest of fuzzies. The grown adult in me found it a bit too sweet and predicable, but enjoyed it nonetheless.
I highly recommend to actual young adults, and leave it up to the young at heart to decide if the book is right for them. I look forward to reading more by Amanda Ashby in the future. -
I received a free eARC from Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
“Men are jerks, and love is for fools.”
Title: The Heartbreak Cure
Author: Amanda Ashby
Format: ebook (eARC)
Genre: YA, Romance, Contemporary
Rating: 3/5 stars
[Synopsis] (Taken from goodreads)
How to get over a heartbreak:
Step one: Eat your body weight in brownies.
Step two: Throw yourself into your dreams of becoming a famous writer.
Step three: Beg your (hottie) ex-neighbor to act as your fake boyfriend.
Step four: Skip step three unless you’re ready for some serious fallout.
After being dumped and humiliated over the summer, Cat Turner does what any sane girl would do. She asks bad boy Alex Locke to be her fake boyfriend and show the world (and her editor at the school newspaper) that she's fine. Problem is, the more time she spends with Alex, the more she risks getting her heart broken. For real this time.
Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book contains a swoony bad boy who will melt your heart, brownies, and witty banter. One, two, or all three might prove addictive…
(Review)
(DISCLAIMER: This review is based on my opinion only and may contain coarse language)
Reading The Heartbreak Cure was like eating a delicious brownie after the heartache, it helps to forget the pain.
Cat is an aspiring author and Alex is her next door neighbour. Bennet dates Cat as part of a dare and her heart is left broken. Cat asks Alex to be her fake boyfriend.
Alex is so genuinely nice and has a thing for Cat, he acts like he is this mysterious and rude bad boy, when he’s just a little cinnamon bun inside. Alex acts like a prick towards Cat to keep her away from him, he knows she deserves better.
The revelations in the book was well timed, and they slowly just kept coming. This book was a light read, but it dealt with more serious topics.
Have you read this book? What are your thoughts and opinions? Leave a comment down below! :) -
3.5 stars
The Heartbreak Cure is sweet, cute, and the prefect remedy to a dreary day.
Thrown in the limelight and turned viral in the worst way possible, Cat scrambles for a way to fade out of the public eye. Her unlikely friendship with the hot "bad boy" formerly living next door creates the perfect opportunity. He just needs some convincing.
Shenanigans and wiley octogenarian make for some very amusing entertainment. Careful, you might just wish for some heartbreak yourself...if brownies are involved. -
This book was provided by the Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
mejor de lo que empezó, pero no tan bueno como pudo haber sido
Original de:
El Blog del Gato - El Extraño Gato del Cuento
Cuando decía chico malo, pensé que tendría el dramón del año. La buena sorpresa es que Alex Locke resulta siendo desde el inicio un tipo bastante decente y su reputación es más el problema de una sociedad rápida juzgar. Lo que me ha gustado es que desde la página uno sabemos que Alex es tipo agradable.
Mi único problema desde el inicio fue la narración bastante forzada que sentí en el primer capítulo, me daba la sensación de haber sido escrito por alguien muy, muy joven y sin mucha experiencia, pero como la versión que yo tengo no es la que sale a la venta sino una previa, se lo dejé pasar.Además, es Entangled 😝
La narración mejora bastante, aunque sigue habiendo errores ortográficos (varios notables), que espero sean corregidos en la versión final, The Heartbreak Cure es muy ágil y bastante entretenido de leer. El punto débil de este libro lamentablemente es la manera en la que está escrito, no me refiero a la voz de Cat, ella es muy divertida, sino a que tiene dos perspectivas y cambia sin aviso y a veces puede tomarte un par de párrafos saber quién está contándote la historia.
Th Heartbreak Cure es uno de esos libros que puede sacar a cualquiera de un bloqueo o reseca literaria, siempre y cuando el editor haga su trabajo y corrija los errores que noté en esta versión.
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The Heartbreak Cure was a light, quick read, and it really wasn't that bad. I enjoyed the witty conversations between the main characters, Cat and Alex. It has one of my favourite tropes, too--fake dating! Yay.
Minor things bothered me, though. One of them was the way Cat referred to certain things as girly, be it movies or otherwise, and I just?? I don't get why you need to say that, as if it's a bad thing? Nothing wrong with liking girly things, movies or otherwise. They were comments in passing, and they were said a few times and every single time, my eye twitched a little.
The romance between them was cute. It was a little bit angsty, especially on Alex's part. It happens pretty early on in the novel, so I was glad of that.
There isn't much backstory to either character, so they didn't really stand out to me all that much. I wished that parts of their past was explained a bit further than what we were given, especially since some of the events would have answered a few questions.
Overall, it was an okay novel for me. Like I said, it was light and it was quick. 3 stars! -
Original review
This book was provided by the Publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Netgalley and Entangled: Crush!
The Heartbreak Cure tells the story of Cat and Alex. Cat Turner just got dumped by a boyfriend who dated her just for fun. She’s so embarrassed that she and her friend Alex Locke pretend to be boyfriend and girlfriend. The problem is, the more time they spend together, the more they start to fall for each other and they both don’t want that…
The Heartbreak Cure is such a nice and cute read. The Heartbreak Cure is such a fast-paced book and I couldn’t stop reading. I couldn’t get enough of Cat and Alex, they’re so cute together. And Alex… He’s so hot and he wears a leather jacket, has blue eyes and brown hear… YES!!!
The Heartbreak Cure is the perfect read when you’re into a cute romance that is fast paced! I cannot wait to discover more books by Amanda Ashby and I know for sure that I’m going to look up some more books published by Entangled: Crush! -
The story was actually pretty good, but it needed more editing. It had a few wrong words, but the one that jerked me out of the story completely was just silly.
Titled.
Normally that would mean an inscription or heading. Well, I guess it was technically close since "He titled his head."
If he'd TILTED his head, though, it wouldn't have taken me completely out of the story the first, second, or third time I came across it. One time, I might have understood, but three or four times? Show stopper. -
The Heartbreak Cure was such a sweet and precious book. This is a book that can be read in one sitting and will leave you with a smile on your face.
One of my favorite things about this book was the dual POVs of the two main characters, Cat and Alex. I loved getting the opportunity to really get to know both of the characters throughout this story. Seeing the way Cat and Alex felt about each other and watching their feelings grow was so cute and romantic. The author did a great job establishing their friendship and showing how their friendship developed into something more. The development of their romance felt genuine and well paced. The romance was as sweet as the brownies they ate in this book and I loved it!
There were a few things in this book that felt unanswered or a bit rushed and there were some predictable moments throughout the story. However, I still found the plot of the story to be fun and interesting as a whole. This story was light-hearted and easy to relate to. I felt like the author really understood teen angst and the complications of romance that all teens face. The author made everything feel very genuine!
Overall, this was a cute and easy read! If you in the mood for a quick contemporary romance, then I definitely recommend checking this book out!
3 / 5 Fangs
*This ebook was given to me in exchange for an honest review. *
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
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"The Heartbreak Cure" is a sweet and quick read about a fake relationship turned into something more. Cat, an aspiring novelist and journalist, has just been publicly humiliated when a one week relationship ended with a youtube video saying she was part of a summer challenge (to date a loser and get her to fall in love with you). To make matters worse, the no-nonsense editor of the school paper is going to kick Cat off to prevent any snags during her senior year as editor. To prevent this from happening, Cat decides the best way to show everyone she is really okay and not heartbroken is to engage in a fake relationship with Alex.
Alex has generally been trying to fly under the radar since his mother and sisters died in a car accident and rumors began swirling about his family. His mother was an addict, and he had a hard life. After his mother and sisters died, he came to live with his grandmother, Birdie, who lived next door to Cat. Recently, she has had to go into assisted living, and now he lives over the garage at his long-time boss, Joe's (who owns a car repair shop). Alex wants to stay out of the limelight until he can leave town and go to college. He spends all his time working hard at school and working a few jobs to make sure he can get into and afford college. He also has had a long time crush on Cat, but he feels she is too good for him and so would never make a move.
During the course of their fake relationship, complete with all the requisite cute, Alex in particular experiences a lot of personal growth, coming to terms with his past and planning for his future. Overall, I found it to be a really enjoyable read- the pages just flew by and I was able to read it in a sitting or two (which is good because I had a hard time putting it down)! Although it follows the pattern you would expect, it was a lovely read that left me with all the happy feels.
Although it's a very short book, I loved some of the side characters and wish it was longer so we could get more of them (Birdie and the other residents at the assisted living center seemed particularly awesome, and Cat's mother also seemed like someone I would love to hear more about). I really hope this will be continued as a series with the other teenage characters getting their own love stories. This is a really great cozy or beachy read, and I highly recommend it!
Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher through netgalley. All opinions are my own. -
The ‘fake boyfriend’ trope has always been one I adored immensely. There’s just something about two people unexpectedly falling in love with the pretense of a relationship and turning it into something more. I’m a very emotional reader and if I can’t connect to characters on a personal level or relate to them in some kind of way, then the story is just a dud for me. That’s exactly what happened with this book.
I knew it from the very first sentence I read, that it would not be the nook for me. But every book deserves a change so I read on in hopes that I would find that connection I so desperately seek. I think what put me off was the dual POV, I didn’t care for it. It made me feel that much more disconnected instead of closer to the characters. While this may not work for me, it may end up being just the book for you.
*Thank you the publisher for providing a copy for an honest and unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. -
My thoughts and review
Cat Turner is a nice girl that has just had her heart broken on social media. Having to start the school year with everyone talking about her is not going to be easy but Cat comes up with a spur of the moment plan. Her old neighbor and resident 'bad boy' Alex agrees to be her pretend boyfriend so everyone will leave her alone. They only need to pretend for a couple of days until everything goes back to normal, right?
What can I say? Wow! What a great book. A nice storyline that flowed throughout the book. A quick read that I read in one day. Cat is a strong character who is always thinking ahead. She has big dreams and goals for herself. Alex has had a lot of bad things happen to him in his life. He is way to hard on himself and forgets that he is just a kid. Having to grow up too fast he enjoys hanging out and spending time with Cat.
The book was predictable but a wonderful read nevertheless.
I wish there had been more to the storyline of what happened over the summer between Cat and her 'ex-boyfriend'. Why did Cat and Alex stop being friends? Some books leave you with questions and this is one of them.
Entangled Teen Crush always publishes wonderful, quick, fun reads and this is definitely one of them. I would recommend this book to everyone.
Thank you to Entangled Teen Crush and Netgalley for providing me with a ARC of this book. All thoughts in this review are my own and I receive no monetary compensation. -
As good as a fresh, moist, thick, fudgy-dark-chocolate brownie!
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When I requested this title, I was expecting a hate-to-love romance trope, with a lot of angst and all. Honestly, I didn't expect that the two main characters would've known each other--even being a best friend. Still, this book is pretty cute and perfect if you're looking for quick reads.
I quite like Cat and her love interest, Alex. Cat is an aspiring writer, and she's on the school's journalist team, which make it easy to relate to her since I was too. Alex, on the other hand, was the typical quiet, brooding bad boy with 'dangerous' reputation that made everyone avoid him. However, he's actually just a sweet, kind boy with a tragic past. I have to admit that at first, I didn't really ship them together but the more I read, the more I thought they were perfect for each other! Sadly, this book didn't make swoon as I usually do when reading romance book.
In conclusion, I still recommend this book if you're looking for some adorable and quick read! -
3.5 Stars
The Heartbreak Cure started off with what looked your classic bestie to pretend lovers to the real thing storyline. Your classic cute and fluffy it seemed.
I was quite content with that. If you would have asked me around halfway in, what I thought, I would have told you very swoony cute & fluffy, very predictable and really enjoyable.
And then it took a turn. So suddenly this is more than a cute & fluffy. And I still love it.
But while The Heartbreak Cure did somehow manage to breach the cliff from cute & fluffy and thoughtful & heartbreaking, it seems like it can't decide what it is. Funny that I should fault that, but somehow, it felt unfulfilled.
Well, not the storyline mind you, it's cute, at times predictable and yet very enjoyable.
But the actual novel, the feel of it. I mean I liked the fluff for the first 70something percent and I liked the fluff ending as well. I really enjoyed the more serious parts. I loved how Alex and Cat, both come to the conclusion that not all is what it seems. I like that they are both mopey teens with a backbone. But somehow the fluff ending didn't make me feel all swoony because my heart was just dragged through the trenches and the issues Ashy highlighted weren't so simple to let go. It was too sweet in the end too fluffy. Somehow I feel there could have been more here. I was given a hint of more and then it was just brushed away.
The writing style is my least favorite part of the novel. It's okay, but at times it felt a bit wooden. Some phrases are just a bit so much of the usual usual. I am being very critical here, as always when it comes to writing style. While the style might not have been my favorite, it didn't detract from how much I liked the book.. clearly.
The character building, on the other hand, was my favorite. I adore Alex. Cat in all her drama queen mopey teen glory is super sweet. I could relate to her and identify with her. The support cast was interesting as well. Some of the characters were are first glance a bit of the usual typecast, but as we get to know them they do get more unique. I like that Ashby took a set of given ideas and characters and made them her own.
Very enjoyable, at times surprising and very sweet cute & fluffy with a pinch of depth thrown in for good measure. -
The Heartbreak Cure is a young adult contemporary romance by Amanda Ashby. This book was super cute! It was exactly what I was in the mood for. The tagline for this book sums it up perfectly; " This Entangled Teen Crush book contains a swoony bad boy who will melt your heart, brownies, and witty banter. One, two, or all three might prove addictive…". It is sweet, addictive cuteness that will satisfy your YA romance sweet tooth. I love a bad boy with an ooey gooey marshmallow center, and that is Alex to a tee! Perfect for fans of the fake boyfriend trope.
In The Heartbreak Cure we meet our main character, Cat right after she is dumped. In order to get over her ex, she has a plan. Dubbed her heartbreak cure, she grabs bad boy Alex as her fake boyfriend. As you can imagine, the lines between fake and real start to get blurred. This book was well written, a super quick read and so adorable. I really enjoyed the characters and the romance and I can't wait to read another book by Amanda Ashby. -
Cat was just dumped, and to make it worse, the boy who dumped her only dated her as a dare and recorded the whole situation to upload to youtube for everyone to see. To make things worse, her job on the school newspaper is now on the line since the editor believes she might be too emotionally unstable to handle it. Enter Alex, Cat's old neighbor and friend, thought of as the "bad boy" but really just keeps to himself. Cat comes up with a plan to fake date Alex to make everyone believe she moved on, but what happens when real feelings get involved in a fake relationship?
Gawd, I really loved this book! Like, for realsies I want a physical copy just so I could hug it. This was the perfect blend of everything I didn't know I needed and I could not stop reading until it was over and I had to stop because there was literally nothing left. I found the book to be so charming, fun, cute, sweet and quirky, as well as character driven with two of the best characters I have read recently.
Usually I have a favorite character in a book, but here my love was equally spread between Cat and Alex- I loved them both and appreciated their differences. As per my favorite, this was a dual narrated romance so the story was told by both characters. Cat was so determined and kind, ready to try and see the good in most situations and fight against injustices. Her fiction writing was hysterical, be it romantic or death, and beware of those killer ants. Alex was such a sweet guy even though he was completely wrong about his self perception. He cast this bad boy image, but he was the picture of respect and hard work, never once stepping out of bounds and trying so hard to do well in all aspects. If anyone needed a hug, it was this boy- but he has Cat so it all works out.
I had to include a few quirky parts here, they were too good to resist and show the dynamic of the story so well:Yet another thing to file under “It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time” in her brain.
She peered down at her feet. No sign of the earth splitting in two. Which was a real pity because, as far as she could tell, a natural disaster was her only way out of the conversation.
I’m starting to think he doesn’t exist. He’s just a fictional name someone’s created to scam the school for a paycheck. Which for the record, would make a great story, but I won’t be able to write it because I’ll be kicked off the paper. See how this thing works?”
Her anger faded— probably because, like her eyes, it kept getting distracted by his mouth.
As a side note, the minor characters were also great, be it Cat's awesome mom the determined hippie artist with cheesy popular greeting cards, Joe the grumpy mechanic who would do anything for Alex regardless of him seeing it, Nikki the supportive pushy bright best friend as well as well as Alex's grandmother Birdie and her heartbreak brownies, all knowing information sources and wild retirement home parties. They were so cute!
This was the perfect, fun character driven teen romance that was low on the heat but high on the sweet (ok, so I realize that was a little cheesy, but still true!). This was my first book by Amanda and I can't wait to read whatever I can get my hands on by her.
I received this title for reviewing purposes. Come visit me at
https://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/
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4.25 - Sweet, Adorable and Scrumptiously Delightful
The Heartbreak Cure by Amanda Ashby is an endearing friends to lovers story that satisfied my endless cravings for swoony reads. It’s funny, super sweet and so scrumptiously delightful!
In case I don’t say it enough, Entangled Teen Crush books are engaging, utterly captivating, and some of the best reads for curing those long tiring and stressful days. Stories like The Heartbreak Cure always make my heart so full of happy. I even had some good laughs and the butterflies surely had one crazy dancing party.
This book is undeniably funtastic! The writing was amazing and had a nice flow that made it not only easy to read but also very enjoyable. The plot was fast-paced, entertaining, and swoontastic in every way. I loved the characters and thought they were just so adorable. The drama, the angst, and the little mystery certainly kept me intrigued. The romance was insanely sweet with plenty of spine-tingling moments that had me blushing and my heart fluttering. Oh and the other relationships — so genuine and incredibly heartwarming that without a doubt made this book even more awesome.
I really loved Alex and Cat together. Their chemistry was quite steamy and definitely gave me the feels. Every touch, every kiss, every single moment they shared put a smile on my face. They’re also really amazing individuals who are talented, kind, smart, and caring. Obviously I shipped them from the very beginning and swooned with them throughout the story.
I also really liked Nikki and Parker and thought they were just the cutest. Hopefully, there will be a book about them. Can’t forget about the relationship between Alex and his grandmother — it’s just the sweetest and totally melted my heart. Honestly, this book is just so full of wonderful friendships and relationships that will leave you with a fuzzy warm feeling.
The Heartbreak Cure is another fun and charming read from Entangled Teen Crush. There’s amazing friendships, great family dynamics, sweet romances, and characters you can’t help but love. While it is light-hearted, adorable, and cutesy, this book also deals with sensitive issues, important life lessons, and so much more. It truly is a wonderful story about grief, forgiveness, second chances, and love that I strongly recommend you add to your TBR.
I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
To read more of my reviews, visit -
Sincerely Karen Jo -
Thank you to Entangled Teen publishing for allowing me to read this early. All thoughts and opinions are my own!
I love fluffy stories. I love those stories that make my heart all happy and I forget all the trouble of the world and the stress. And if that fluffy story contains my most favorite trope ever, the friends to lovers, than I love it even more!
And that is what I got with this book. I got two amazing MCs with so much heart and soul, despite what has happened to them. I got redemption and second chances. I even got a new favorite trope, the sassy best friend trope. Yes, this is a trope now by decree of Lacy.
But really, this was fantastic. It was a contemporary so it had all the fluff and lightheartedness that contemporaries have but it also had some heavy topics too. There was an undercurrent of grief and guilt that was laced throughout the story, in Alex's POV. There was also the topic of digital bullying that was addressed, in Cat's POV. Both of these POVs were in third person but that did not hamper the experiencing the feelings that Cat and Alex felt.
Like I mentioned above, I really loved both Cat and Alex. They had such amazing qualities about them. I shipped them really hard. They both acted like teenagers and talked like teenagers. That is the one thing that I look for in all my contemporaries based in high school. Amanda Ashby knows how to write teenagers. I want Cat and Alex to be actual people so I could be there friends.
Overall, I am happy. This was an adorable book that discussed heavy topics in a way that doesn't affect what the genre is. I guarantee this book will make you feel all sorts of happy butterflies in your heart and make your day just a little bit better. It certainly worked for me. -
Three and a half stars.
Cat Turner got punked by one of the popular boys at school and she is dreading going back. What with the YOuTube video and the complaints to the school she knows she is going to be a laughing stock. Even worse, she knows that the editor of the school paper won't let her write for the paper - afriad she'll use the paper to slander her ex. Until she hits on a cunning plan. Why not ask her taciturn bad boy friend Alex Locke to be her pretend boyfriend in return for her help with writing his college applications.
Poor Alex has had a tough life, his parents were junkies and his mother and baby sisters died in a car accident when he was only 13 years old. He went to live with his grandmother but she has had to move in a old people's home so at 16 years old he is working two jobs and living in a tiny, dingy apartment above a garage. Alex has been in love with the girl next door for years but he knows that Cat is destined for great things whereas he is a loser with secrets, secrets which would make Cat hate him if she ever found out.
This is typical Entangled Teen Crush - high school kids, some drama, lots of homework and school spirit. Cat is a lively, bubbly girl who likes to write fantasies based on real life. Alex, on the other hand, made some mistakes and can never forgive himself. But as they fake date, Cat and Alex get closer and discover that they have a lot in common.
This is the first Amanda Ashby novel I have read and I enjoy her lighthearted writing style.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review. -
* Read more of my reviews at
Whoo Gives A Hoot*
The Heartbreak Cure by Amanda Ashby was a sweet and quick young adult friends to lovers + fake boyfriend story! This was hands down two of my favorite kind of stories all rolled into one and I absolutely adored the entire concept of the book from start to finish.
Teens can certainly be cruel especially when it comes to high school drama so my heart went out to Cat when she was dealing with the fallout of her summer romance. Dreading the start of a new school year she decides to ask her ex-neighbor and friend Alex to help show their peers that she isn't still pinning over her failed romance. It might be easy to convince the student body that their relationship is real, but when feelings begin to surface can they continue their façade or will they open their hearts and let one another in?
Find out when you pick up a copy and start this story today! -
I received this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
The heartbreak cure is a enjoyable young adult contemporary for a younger reader. I enjoyed some parts of this book but I definitely feel like it's something I would've enjoyed more when I was 15. Most YA I don't feel like this but some I do the characters were definitely more immature than I prefer but I have to remember they are 16 years old. I did not connect with the characters, I felt like they were not as flushed out as I would've liked and it felt rushed or if it was trying to hard to fit in with other similar books. I did appreciate the author putting in more deeper elements but it came off awkward and odd at some points. I feel like one person we definitely resolved some issues but with one not so much. I really liked Birdie and I thought it was a nice touch to add her in it, but I wish we got to see more of her. Overall I just needed more of everything, I would recommend this for a light contemporary something to get you out of a reading slump. But I personally felt no connection to the characters so this would not be a reread for me that's why I gave it 2.5 stars. I do enjoy this publisher and all the books I have read from them have been fun reads!
