kfriend's review
4.0
“I wonder if that is all we’ll be. Passion and goodbyes.”
Oh my- what a perfect encapsulation of the angst of this conclusion to the Heartbreak Duet. This is the story of two characters whose passion and need for one another knows no limits, but who somehow always seem to find themselves saying goodbye-as the result of the guardedness of each of their own hearts and as the result of the chaotic obstacles that keep breaking them apart. Heartbreak You is a fantastic conclusion to the story of Thea and Atlas- two heartbroken characters who can’t seem to find a way to mend.
At the end of Heartbreak You, Thea was left shattered. Not only was she traumatized by the gruesome events that unfolded in the book's finale resulting in the death of Atlas’s cousin Benji, but she’s also heartbroken. Just when she admitted her feelings to Atlas, just when it seemed like this relationship that started out with nefarious intentions and an elaborate kidnapping could actually turn into something real, Atlas leaves her- he (rather irrationally) blames her for all the events that unfolded, for the death of his beloved cousin. And it is utterly devastating, after all the angst, after all the dark dangers of book one, and Atlas is back to hating poor Thea. So, Thea does only what she can- she attempts to reclaim her life, purge the toxicity of her love for Altas and try to pick up the pieces of her world that have crumbled since they met. She leans on her best friend Tina, she sets new ambitions for her life and career, and she keeps her distance. Their friends, and their businesses, find a way to intersect, however- and just when Thea has started to repair her heart, she’s thrust back into the orbit of the force that is Atlas. She’s squashed her love and isn’t interested in anything more than civility, but Atlas is just now realizing the error of his ways - he’s lost the only thing good in his life, the only person that makes him feel. These two never made sense, but they soon discovered that love doesn’t have to make sense...and that light can somehow grow out of darkness. Can they find their way back to each other? And, as if that wasn’t challenging enough- psycho sister Lucy is still wreaking havoc on their fragile bond. Drama, heartache, danger, and more kidnappings make for an exciting conclusion to this fabulous finale!
This second half is OH SO ANGSTY. Their relationship really feels like one step forward and two steps back- they just can’t seem to be on the same page at the same time. And their heartbreaks and heartbeats can’t seem to get in sync- Thea got the bulk of heartbreak in the last book and early on, and here we get to see Atlas suffer as Thea does not make reconciliation easy on him in any way. Both of them make decisions that frustrated me at times, and their relationships can be volatile and toxic when they are both hurting, but their chemistry is just so powerful- and really visceral and sexy. You can feel the gravitational force between them.
They experience obstacle after obstacle, but really the biggest obstacle is themselves. These two have to not only figure out how to forgive and trust but they also have to find a way to shift a relationship that started out dark and messed up and toxic into a relationship that is healthy and SAFE (emotionally speaking) for them both. That is a Sisyphean task, and we get to see both of them evolve as the result. Atlas in particular does the work here- we still have our possessive, controlling alpha, but he works hard to prove the depths of his emotions. The man who refuses to bend finds a way to bend for her. And TL BRILLIANTLY juxtaposes that with Thea’s journey- the woman who has always bent too much learns to stand strong- on her own. She learns to demand for the treatment she deserves, she learns to refuse to bend when it damages her.
These two spend a lot of this book apart or at odds- so be prepared for a hard fought journey to their happiness. We get some delightful side stories with Tina and the fabulous Sydney, Atlas’s employee, and unfortunately we get bucket loads of Lucy. Ugh- Lucy is really so painful to read- she’s so unhinged and so destructive, and she really does a lot of damage in this book. She serves a very important role, so her presence is needed, but she grated on me. But all of this is part of the journey of trying to repair these two broken hearts.
This duet has been quite the wild ride. TL Smith has given us an angsty, emotional, and riveting dark love story that I could not get enough of. Atlas and Thea captivated me from start to finish, and I’ll definitely be picking up some other TL Smith books in the future!
Oh my- what a perfect encapsulation of the angst of this conclusion to the Heartbreak Duet. This is the story of two characters whose passion and need for one another knows no limits, but who somehow always seem to find themselves saying goodbye-as the result of the guardedness of each of their own hearts and as the result of the chaotic obstacles that keep breaking them apart. Heartbreak You is a fantastic conclusion to the story of Thea and Atlas- two heartbroken characters who can’t seem to find a way to mend.
At the end of Heartbreak You, Thea was left shattered. Not only was she traumatized by the gruesome events that unfolded in the book's finale resulting in the death of Atlas’s cousin Benji, but she’s also heartbroken. Just when she admitted her feelings to Atlas, just when it seemed like this relationship that started out with nefarious intentions and an elaborate kidnapping could actually turn into something real, Atlas leaves her- he (rather irrationally) blames her for all the events that unfolded, for the death of his beloved cousin. And it is utterly devastating, after all the angst, after all the dark dangers of book one, and Atlas is back to hating poor Thea. So, Thea does only what she can- she attempts to reclaim her life, purge the toxicity of her love for Altas and try to pick up the pieces of her world that have crumbled since they met. She leans on her best friend Tina, she sets new ambitions for her life and career, and she keeps her distance. Their friends, and their businesses, find a way to intersect, however- and just when Thea has started to repair her heart, she’s thrust back into the orbit of the force that is Atlas. She’s squashed her love and isn’t interested in anything more than civility, but Atlas is just now realizing the error of his ways - he’s lost the only thing good in his life, the only person that makes him feel. These two never made sense, but they soon discovered that love doesn’t have to make sense...and that light can somehow grow out of darkness. Can they find their way back to each other? And, as if that wasn’t challenging enough- psycho sister Lucy is still wreaking havoc on their fragile bond. Drama, heartache, danger, and more kidnappings make for an exciting conclusion to this fabulous finale!
This second half is OH SO ANGSTY. Their relationship really feels like one step forward and two steps back- they just can’t seem to be on the same page at the same time. And their heartbreaks and heartbeats can’t seem to get in sync- Thea got the bulk of heartbreak in the last book and early on, and here we get to see Atlas suffer as Thea does not make reconciliation easy on him in any way. Both of them make decisions that frustrated me at times, and their relationships can be volatile and toxic when they are both hurting, but their chemistry is just so powerful- and really visceral and sexy. You can feel the gravitational force between them.
They experience obstacle after obstacle, but really the biggest obstacle is themselves. These two have to not only figure out how to forgive and trust but they also have to find a way to shift a relationship that started out dark and messed up and toxic into a relationship that is healthy and SAFE (emotionally speaking) for them both. That is a Sisyphean task, and we get to see both of them evolve as the result. Atlas in particular does the work here- we still have our possessive, controlling alpha, but he works hard to prove the depths of his emotions. The man who refuses to bend finds a way to bend for her. And TL BRILLIANTLY juxtaposes that with Thea’s journey- the woman who has always bent too much learns to stand strong- on her own. She learns to demand for the treatment she deserves, she learns to refuse to bend when it damages her.
These two spend a lot of this book apart or at odds- so be prepared for a hard fought journey to their happiness. We get some delightful side stories with Tina and the fabulous Sydney, Atlas’s employee, and unfortunately we get bucket loads of Lucy. Ugh- Lucy is really so painful to read- she’s so unhinged and so destructive, and she really does a lot of damage in this book. She serves a very important role, so her presence is needed, but she grated on me. But all of this is part of the journey of trying to repair these two broken hearts.
This duet has been quite the wild ride. TL Smith has given us an angsty, emotional, and riveting dark love story that I could not get enough of. Atlas and Thea captivated me from start to finish, and I’ll definitely be picking up some other TL Smith books in the future!
charissatheron4's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
brittmasters's review
3.0
Not as good as the first, but still a good book. Would have been better if the ending was slowed down more as I feel like it was quite rushed.
aliciasplendeur's review
5.0
I didn't want this duet to end. But I couldn't put it down.
This picks up right where the other left off.
Atlas blaming Thea for Benji's death and walking away from her. So Thea leaves to take some time for herself. When she comes back there is still a lot of crazy to deal with and she does her best to stay away from him.
Atlas realizes he made a mistake and tries to get her back but goes about it all wrong. And when Thea's life is threatened he kidnaps her again. Which was bonkers! And they deal with some more crazy before they finally settle and realize they are perfect together.
This picks up right where the other left off.
Atlas blaming Thea for Benji's death and walking away from her. So Thea leaves to take some time for herself. When she comes back there is still a lot of crazy to deal with and she does her best to stay away from him.
Atlas realizes he made a mistake and tries to get her back but goes about it all wrong. And when Thea's life is threatened he kidnaps her again. Which was bonkers! And they deal with some more crazy before they finally settle and realize they are perfect together.
lianareadsblog's review
4.0
And the story continues with more twists and turns, more kisses and lies but the truth is always there in their hearts.
A perfect happily ever after for this new duet by a favourite author now.
A perfect happily ever after for this new duet by a favourite author now.
rotellareads's review
3.0
3.5 star read
A completely twisted and tantalizing roller coaster of a story! I seriously had no idea how the author planned to wrap up the story until the very end.
Atlas had me pissed off one minute, then swooning the next. Back and forth, back and forth. My heart couldn’t take the ping pong game he was putting me through! He had such a mean streak in him but something about Thea broke him down.
Hate Lucy the entire read. I don’t care if she tried to redeem herself in the end. Thea was a sucker for sticking around and letting her life crumble to pieces because of her selfish sister. Lucy could ever right her wrongs in my eyes. The damage was too immense. I’m glad Thea had straight shooter Tina in her corner to help mend the shattered pieces.
The second book didn’t blow my mind like the first one. It was a bit tame and more of a head game from Atlas than anything else. It was a good read, kept my attention and had me by the heartstrings at the end. I really enjoyed how the author wrapped up the story for these characters! For me, this duet would have read better as a single stand-alone novel.
I received an ARC of this book from the author for an honest review.
A completely twisted and tantalizing roller coaster of a story! I seriously had no idea how the author planned to wrap up the story until the very end.
Atlas had me pissed off one minute, then swooning the next. Back and forth, back and forth. My heart couldn’t take the ping pong game he was putting me through! He had such a mean streak in him but something about Thea broke him down.
Hate Lucy the entire read. I don’t care if she tried to redeem herself in the end. Thea was a sucker for sticking around and letting her life crumble to pieces because of her selfish sister. Lucy could ever right her wrongs in my eyes. The damage was too immense. I’m glad Thea had straight shooter Tina in her corner to help mend the shattered pieces.
The second book didn’t blow my mind like the first one. It was a bit tame and more of a head game from Atlas than anything else. It was a good read, kept my attention and had me by the heartstrings at the end. I really enjoyed how the author wrapped up the story for these characters! For me, this duet would have read better as a single stand-alone novel.
I received an ARC of this book from the author for an honest review.
rosielovesreading's review
1.0
I hate, and I mean HATE, not finishing a book but I got so frustrated with Atlas as a character and his complete DISRESPECT for how Theadora literally wanted nothing to do with him, that I skim read the last half because I had no investment in the book or them as a couple. When he kidnapped her for the second time just because he wanted her, even though she rejected him multiple times after the way he treated her in book one, I was so angry.
I am not sure if it's because I am fed up with male characters who think they are owed something by women because they once showed them interest, but Theadora repeatedly said Atlas had missed his chance and said no when he asked if she wanted him back, and he ignored her. In some books where it is enemies to lovers/second chance romance, the heroine says she's done but you can tell from her mannerisms and their chemistry that they're not, but Theadora in Heartbreak You just didn't give me that vibe. She wasn't reflecting on their time and talking about how she missed him, I got the impression she really felt done with him, so when she went back, it made her seem weak. On top of that, Atlas was so unlikable, he had no nice qualities and very little respect for anyone. The questions I was left with after book one were half answered, although why Atlas blamed Thea was never really explained, other than she was in the wrong place at the wrong time, it was her fault.
This opinion is clearly different to others, and may be because I watched Thelma and Louise last night and it made me so angry, so I could have some residual feelings from that, but it just felt like such a toxic story, especially as Theadora recognised constantly how bad they were for each other. To me this duet felt recycled, surface level and like there was something missing all the way through which made me lack a connection to any of the plot or characters.
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*
I am not sure if it's because I am fed up with male characters who think they are owed something by women because they once showed them interest, but Theadora repeatedly said Atlas had missed his chance and said no when he asked if she wanted him back, and he ignored her. In some books where it is enemies to lovers/second chance romance, the heroine says she's done but you can tell from her mannerisms and their chemistry that they're not, but Theadora in Heartbreak You just didn't give me that vibe. She wasn't reflecting on their time and talking about how she missed him, I got the impression she really felt done with him, so when she went back, it made her seem weak. On top of that, Atlas was so unlikable, he had no nice qualities and very little respect for anyone. The questions I was left with after book one were half answered, although why Atlas blamed Thea was never really explained, other than she was in the wrong place at the wrong time, it was her fault.
This opinion is clearly different to others, and may be because I watched Thelma and Louise last night and it made me so angry, so I could have some residual feelings from that, but it just felt like such a toxic story, especially as Theadora recognised constantly how bad they were for each other. To me this duet felt recycled, surface level and like there was something missing all the way through which made me lack a connection to any of the plot or characters.
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*
thewanderingpaperbacks's review
4.0
I really loved reading this series by TL Smith. Although Thea and Atlas’ love is toxic, their story is sooo addictive. I’m not sure if there is going to be another one? But I am all for their story to keep developing. It ended where either way could happen. I did find that Heartbreak Me was a lot darker and triggery compared to Heartbreak You, but it still had its dark, edge that I enjoyed. I would absolutely re read this series and recommend it to other who enjoy this kind of bad ass story.
efrias's review
4.0
4.2/5-"We may not be perfect, but she is perfect for me."
I love how there´s something important happening all the time, everything just settles perfectly to create an entertaining story with interesting characters and a lot of sexual tension. At the beginning I was mad with Atlas for being mean and toxic, however he realized how wrong he was and Thea made him understand how he could be a better human. Something similar happened with every important character, all of them grew up and even if this book is random and obviously not even close to happen in real life, I could connect with everyone and understand their reasons (exception with Lucy, I hate her with every piece of my soul). As I just said before, the plot was entertaining and sometimes I couldn't stop reading and wondering what was going to happen next. Was this cliché? Yes. Do I look like I care? No.
If you want to read a good and short erotic novel give "Heartbreak Duet" an opportunity.
I love how there´s something important happening all the time, everything just settles perfectly to create an entertaining story with interesting characters and a lot of sexual tension. At the beginning I was mad with Atlas for being mean and toxic, however he realized how wrong he was and Thea made him understand how he could be a better human. Something similar happened with every important character, all of them grew up and even if this book is random and obviously not even close to happen in real life, I could connect with everyone and understand their reasons (exception with Lucy, I hate her with every piece of my soul). As I just said before, the plot was entertaining and sometimes I couldn't stop reading and wondering what was going to happen next. Was this cliché? Yes. Do I look like I care? No.
If you want to read a good and short erotic novel give "Heartbreak Duet" an opportunity.
annemarie2022's review
5.0
Yes. The mc is a queen and I stan. Anyways this heartbreak duet is kinda of rollercoaster and it keeps you entertained. I've finished it in one day.