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A review by maine_beth_reads
The Breakup Artists by Adriana Mather
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
"I pull my sparkly purple notebook from my shoulder bag and plop down in August's desk chair. "Ready?"" - The Breakup Artists - Adriana Mather
.
Another overdue book review, but what can I say, I have perfectionist tendencies and like to be in control, kind of like Tiny (Valentine). This wasn't the exact vibe I was going for, but I still had fun with this little photoshoot! I always find that it takes me some time to get into books with romance, but then once I'm into it, I end up enjoying it and it always awakens the hopeless romantic that I am.
.
Something I truly enjoyed about The Breakup Artists, besides the fabulous cover art by Boo Boo Stewart, is that it kind of breaks the mold a bit. There are so many stories about the girl/boy who lives next door and they have a fling or fall for each other. Sometimes that works out, sometimes it doesn't. But I LOVE the adorable and real friendship between best friends and neighbors, Valentine and August, and while they are vastly different in many ways, they also share something special. They even have a business together, which Tiny had the idea for to help August heal, so the money they make ends up being a huge bonus.
.
Throughout The Breakup Artists, we see who Valentine and August are and what drives them. We see glimpses of their life on the Massachusetts coast during summertime (and classic New England summers are something many can only dream of being able to experience). Adriana captures New England in all seasons well, paired with characters that just belong, almost like you can picture bumping into them in real life. We see their family life, what their dreams are, their personalities, and we see that Tiny and August share a friendship that most of us crave, and especially one that's really rare to find and maintain between a guy and girl when so often romance breaks up friendships, too.
.
Tiny and August started and run a secret business called Summer Love, Inc., in which they're hired by clients to break up toxic relationships their family members or friends are in. Absolutely nobody, not their friends or parents, know that this is their summer job. They come up with elaborate plans and use fake names and back stories, usually that they're cousins. And they have rules to make sure their cover isn't blown. One of the rules: don't fall for or get personally involved with the cases and clients.
.
When Tiny and August take on their newest client, also promising a big payout, they know they can't mess this one up. But it all becomes the perfect storm for disaster. Tiny goes by Mia and is the mastermind behind their scheming, with her purple notebook and purple gel pen. August, pretending to be a witty, mysterious, artistic guy named Holden, meets Ella with every intention of sticking to breaking her and her no good, manipulative, pushy boyfriend Justin up and then never seeing her again. But for the first time since August's sisters passing a few years back, he feels like he can connect and talk to someone that actually sees him and brings him back to reality. As Tiny is dealing with her own secret romance and family drama of her own, and August is focused on trying to gain trust from Ella to get her to breakup with Justin, unexpected feelings happen. And we all know what happens when there are feelings there shouldn't be, miscommunications happen and people get hurt or confused. But in this case, it all works out for Tiny and Bentley, and August and Ella. That is, after a party where their cover is blown and Tiny and August's business, Summer Love, Inc. has an end put to it.
.
In the end, everything that happened forces Tiny and August to face things with their families they'd been worrying about and they're preparing to head to college themselves. Even though they couldn't save their business, and even though August couldn't save his sister and nothing can fix that loss, Tiny and August know they've helped so many others and in the end, Ella breaks up with her terrible, jerk, boyfriend and is back on track for her dreams she almost gave up as well. But most importantly, Tiny and August have a restored and greater appreciation for their own friendship and all the secrets and now more truths and trust they share as well.
.
Overall, it's hard not to give this a 5☆ rating, a 10/10. I may be biased, but Adriana Mather always nails it whether it's the YA historical fiction and mystery elements, or the rom-com style, and always with incorporating that sweet as summertime New England touch to her characters and stories. It was so delightful to read this, and I'm really grateful to have an opportunity to share about it! Please go follow @adriana_mather everywhere, and make sure to read her books!
.
Another overdue book review, but what can I say, I have perfectionist tendencies and like to be in control, kind of like Tiny (Valentine). This wasn't the exact vibe I was going for, but I still had fun with this little photoshoot! I always find that it takes me some time to get into books with romance, but then once I'm into it, I end up enjoying it and it always awakens the hopeless romantic that I am.
.
Something I truly enjoyed about The Breakup Artists, besides the fabulous cover art by Boo Boo Stewart, is that it kind of breaks the mold a bit. There are so many stories about the girl/boy who lives next door and they have a fling or fall for each other. Sometimes that works out, sometimes it doesn't. But I LOVE the adorable and real friendship between best friends and neighbors, Valentine and August, and while they are vastly different in many ways, they also share something special. They even have a business together, which Tiny had the idea for to help August heal, so the money they make ends up being a huge bonus.
.
Throughout The Breakup Artists, we see who Valentine and August are and what drives them. We see glimpses of their life on the Massachusetts coast during summertime (and classic New England summers are something many can only dream of being able to experience). Adriana captures New England in all seasons well, paired with characters that just belong, almost like you can picture bumping into them in real life. We see their family life, what their dreams are, their personalities, and we see that Tiny and August share a friendship that most of us crave, and especially one that's really rare to find and maintain between a guy and girl when so often romance breaks up friendships, too.
.
Tiny and August started and run a secret business called Summer Love, Inc., in which they're hired by clients to break up toxic relationships their family members or friends are in. Absolutely nobody, not their friends or parents, know that this is their summer job. They come up with elaborate plans and use fake names and back stories, usually that they're cousins. And they have rules to make sure their cover isn't blown. One of the rules: don't fall for or get personally involved with the cases and clients.
.
When Tiny and August take on their newest client, also promising a big payout, they know they can't mess this one up. But it all becomes the perfect storm for disaster. Tiny goes by Mia and is the mastermind behind their scheming, with her purple notebook and purple gel pen. August, pretending to be a witty, mysterious, artistic guy named Holden, meets Ella with every intention of sticking to breaking her and her no good, manipulative, pushy boyfriend Justin up and then never seeing her again. But for the first time since August's sisters passing a few years back, he feels like he can connect and talk to someone that actually sees him and brings him back to reality. As Tiny is dealing with her own secret romance and family drama of her own, and August is focused on trying to gain trust from Ella to get her to breakup with Justin, unexpected feelings happen. And we all know what happens when there are feelings there shouldn't be, miscommunications happen and people get hurt or confused. But in this case, it all works out for Tiny and Bentley, and August and Ella. That is, after a party where their cover is blown and Tiny and August's business, Summer Love, Inc. has an end put to it.
.
In the end, everything that happened forces Tiny and August to face things with their families they'd been worrying about and they're preparing to head to college themselves. Even though they couldn't save their business, and even though August couldn't save his sister and nothing can fix that loss, Tiny and August know they've helped so many others and in the end, Ella breaks up with her terrible, jerk, boyfriend and is back on track for her dreams she almost gave up as well. But most importantly, Tiny and August have a restored and greater appreciation for their own friendship and all the secrets and now more truths and trust they share as well.
.
Overall, it's hard not to give this a 5☆ rating, a 10/10. I may be biased, but Adriana Mather always nails it whether it's the YA historical fiction and mystery elements, or the rom-com style, and always with incorporating that sweet as summertime New England touch to her characters and stories. It was so delightful to read this, and I'm really grateful to have an opportunity to share about it! Please go follow @adriana_mather everywhere, and make sure to read her books!