I actually never finished Caraval - I wasn't enjoying it so I put it down. However, Once Upon A Broken Heart has blown me away so much that I'm now definitely going back to read the series!

There were mentions of events and characters that I assume were from Caraval, but I found not having read that series didn't affect my enjoyment of this book at all! Evangeline makes an ill fated deal with Jacks, the Prince of Hearts which sees her off on a non stop adventure full of intrigue and action (and maybe a little bit of seduction...)

I'm very excited for the next book in the series to see how it all unfolds!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I was beyond excited when my arc request for this book got approved. I loved a lot about the Caraval trilogy, especially the whimsical, beautifully crafted fairytale-esque world. And Jacks! I adored his character in the trilogy and couldn't wait to read more about him.

And "Once Upon a Broken Heart" gave me a lot of what I was hoping for. It's just as whimsical and beautifully told as I expected it to be, with lush writing and a lot of nods to the original trilogy. I just really love this world. The story is fast-paced and exciting and I devoured it in a single sitting. Evangeline is an absolutely loveable new protagonist and Jacks is simply amazing, no surprise here. I loved the new setting of the North with its new tales and prophecies. The ending is really amazing and makes you want to read the next book immediately.
Still, I wasn't blown away. At many points in the story I felt like it was rushed, like it didn't take its time to naturally develop the plot. Instead, entire developments are kept short in order to get Evangeline to where she has to be for the plot to go on. An example of this is her meeting with Scarlett and Donatella which doesn't really offer much more than a short moment of recognition and a rather illogical reason for Evangeline to be sent to the North. I often felt like I was missing the lush details of the trilogy, like Garber didn't spend as much time developping the North as a setting. This directly influences the characters. Evangeline is a complex, interesting protagonist, but apart from her and Jacks, the rest of the characters remain rather pale-ish in comparison. Marisol has potential but so far hasn't been fleshed out much - and there is a rather jarring moment later on in the story where her sudden change in behavior gave me actual whiplash. Chaos and the vampires are intriguing, but so far aren't really complex either. I didn't care about Evangeline's possible (side-) romance with Apollo because Apollo is barely a character, although I understand that this is the point of this story because it's more about Evangeline and her wishes and desires than the romance itself. I do hope this is not going to develop into a love triangle. Been there, done that.
And then there's Jacks. He is amazing and I love him, but so far the beginnings of the possible romance between him and Evangeline are a little lacking, too. They don't nearly interact as often and much as they'd need to in order to actually develop the chemistry (that is definitely there) into something more. The little hints at Jacks having developed a... let's call it appreciation for Evangeline felt a little forced because, to be honest, I don't see why he would have any kind of feelings for her already. The two of them have so much potential though and I want nothing more than a beautiful, slow burn, exciting romance for them.

So in the end, I'd say this is a 3 star book for me that has the potential to start off an amazing new series. I will absolutely devour the sequels and am more than excited to see where this story takes Evangeline and Jacks.

First of all, I have to say I loved being back in the Caraval universe again!

It took a while to warm to Evangeline as a character. She didn't  immediately standout to me like Donatella and Scarlett did in the Caraval series, so I wasn't really rooting for her. At the start of the novel I felt like she lacked that gumption that the Dragna sisters had which is weird because her actions reflect a strong female character. I am not sure why but I just couldn't get on board with it so I wasn't rooting for her at the start - though I do love the fact that she has rose gold hair! Equally it took me a little while to get into the storyline, maybe because I wasn't warming to Evangeline; I would say that it wasn't till about halfway to two thirds of the way through where the pace really picks up and the mystery starts unravelling. Everything starts getting more interesting and at that point I couldn't put it down, I wanted to know how it would all play out. And then the ending -OH MY GOD- I need the sequel now please!

I think Stephanie Garber has done a brilliant job of expanding the Caraval world. Her writing makes it so easy to imagine yourself in the story watching it all play out. I loved all the magic weaved in and Evangeline's interpretation of it. And of course Jacks. What can I say about Jacks except he is the same ol' loveable fate that we saw in Finale, still keeping his cards close to his chest and leaving the reader to try and figure out just what his plan is.

Overall, whilst it took me a while to get into the story (and I think I ultimately still prefer Scarlett and Tella as protagonists), this was a great foray into a new branch of the Caraval world and I will still read everything Stephanie Garber writes.

"Heroes don't get happy endings. They give them to other people."

This is the sort of book you need to book a day off for. Or maybe two (you'll need time to recover from that rollercoaster of emotions and plot twists).

Garber had already stolen my heart with her prose and world-building with the Caraval trilogy. This book has only cemented that fact. The descriptions of clothes, people, items and structures alike are all so incredibly vivid, without ever slowing down the pacing of the book. It's a perfect balance of flowery and informative, with every description marinated in magic. I want so very badly to visit this world (mostly so I can visit some of those amazing sounding shops).

Evangeline Fox was a brilliant main character. I've always loved someone who isn't perfect, but strives to do what is right (but also makes mistakes) and I think this Little Fox is exactly that. Her story is only just getting started and I cannot wait to see where it goes and how she develops in future books, because her development in this was just stunning.

Then there is our favourite Prince of Hearts. I loved him in the original trilogy, but I love him even more now. His character has only grown in depth and brilliance. There are shades of him in this book we have never seen before, and I am already contemplating a reread so that I can get another fix of Jacks!

Of course, it is not a review for a Garber novel without commenting on the kissing scenes! They were just as magical as always. Just as powerful and pivotal and incredibly well written.

This may be my new favourite novel set in the world of Caraval. I am now desperately awaiting the announcement of the next book, because I am thoroughly obsessed and fear there will be very few books able to break me out of my renewed Caraval obsession!

Evangeline Fox is feeling angry and betrayed upon hearing the man she loves is marrying her step sister. When she asks for the help of a Fate to stop the wedding, she was hoping he’d leave her step sister and come back to her, so she agrees to his price of 3 kisses. Instead, the Prince of Hearts stops the wedding in an unexpected way, because deals with Fates rarely turn out the way you wish them to.

Indebted to him regardless, Evangaline discovers the kisses he demands are for other people, and part of a bigger plan.

Once Upon a Broken Heart, whilst briefly including some of the main characters from Caraval, gave Jacks the focus of his own novel. I loved Jacks in Caraval so I was excited to see him develop further in this book. The Caraval series is still by far my favourite, but it was fun to get a little bit more up close and personal with a few of the Fates we had been introduced to in Finale! I adore Caraval so much that it feels almost disloyal to not give this book 5 stars, but there was just a slight lack of magic and a little predictability here for me to fall completely in love. It’s actually really hard for me to put into words what felt different from Caraval, because I hilighted so many amazing quotes and did enjoy the story, I just wasn’t as dazzled as I expected to be.

I know most people so far have absolutely adored this one though and I constantly suffer from slight disappointment in my most anticipated, hyped reads, so I know this one is going to be a popular book! I assume by the ending that left nothing wrapped up that there will be more to this story and there’s every chance I’ll fall further in love with it as it unfolds.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC for an honest review! (Trust me when I say I squealed when I was accepted for this one!)

No one does whimsical and magical quite like Stephanie Garber and this is no exception. The Caraval series is one of my absolute favourites and I was beyond excited to read Once Upon a Broken Heart - it did not disappoint.

The story follows Evangeline who in a desperate plea to save the man she loves, makes a deal with the Prince of Hearts. Jacks is still recovering from his heartbreak but I loved seeing this story with him and I cannot wait to see where it goes. Eva was very different from Scarlett and Tella but it was incredibly fun to experience her story and explore a different side of the Caraval universe.

I was enchanted by the magic of this book and it is the perfect escapist read. I do feel as though this book could have been a bit longer as I felt it was slightly rushed at the end but I adore this universe and thoroughly enjoyed the story. I would definitely recommend reading the Caraval series before this book as it will give you insight into some characters as well as help you avoid spoilers.

If you loved the Caraval series as much as Indid, you won’t want to miss this one!

After her hugely successful 'Caravel' trilogy, Stephanie Garber's next book has plenty of ready-made fans eagerly waiting to see what she writes next. With any well-loved author there's always an element of trepidation around their next project - will it live up to the promise of their first foray into published literature? The good news for readers is that 'Once Upon A Broken Heart' certainly does.

Garber returns to the world she created for the Caravel trilogy - a wise move, as it clearly has huge amounts of scope for more stories. In fact, this story could almost be considered a sequel. The timeframe slightly overlaps with that of the third 'Caravel' novel ('Finale') and continues after. Heroines of the original sequence, Tella and Scarlett, make a brief appearance (fans may be a little disappointed that Dante and Julian do not). And one of the major characters is Jacks, the Prince of Hearts, one of the most intriguing characters from the trilogy and a fan favourite.

The point of view character is a new one - Evangeline, a seventeen year old shop worker from an ordinary family, who has always dreamed about magic. The story begins when she tries to cure her broken heart by asking the cruel Prince of Hearts to stop the wedding of her true love to her stepsister. Jacks agrees, in return for her kissing three people of his choosing, when he requires it. Failing to comply will result in her death. Evangeline immediately regrets her bargain, especially when she sees exactly how Jacks stops the wedding. It begins a magical adventure in which she travels to the north of their world to attend a Prince's ball, and tries to carry out her side of the bargain without harming anyone. However she soon finds the latter is much harder than she'd thought.

Evangeline is a likeable character who quickly demonstrates that she has a kind heart and is brave - so despite her initial dodgy deal, which was foolish rather than wicked, the reader will root for her. Jacks is every bit as contrary and tortured as you'd expect. Garber is the master of writing anguished antiheros that readers dream of seeing redeemed by love. It's cliched, but even as cynical older person I get drawn into it just the same as a younger reader might. We all love a good tormented semi-villain.

Garber also manages to recapture the sense of magic and wonder that she conjured up so effectively with 'Caravel' - that feeling of being transported to another world, where things are both wonderous and dangerous in equal measure. She always balances her whimsy with a razor sharp undertone of blood and treachery. Again, I was reminded of Erin Morgenstern's 'The Night Circus' - a recommendation for readers who like this novel.

The ending is a cliffhanger that will leave readers tweeting the author begging her to hurry with writing the next - again, very much like the 'Caravel' series. Whilst these are technically young adult books (and I'm sure will be enjoyed by that age group) I've loved them as an adult reader and think they sit perfectly well alongside 'adult' fantasy series. 'Once Upon A Broken Heart' is a great read for anyone of any age who likes escapist fantasy.

Broken readers heart...

Genre: #YA #Romance #Fantasy

My rating: 2,8 / 5 GR: 4,52 / 5

Right, let's talk about this book. I loved “Caraval” trilogy by Stephanie Garber and as soon as I found out that she is writing separate book about Prince of Hearts (Jacks), I got really excited. He first appeared in “Legendary”, second book of the trilogy and by fact, my favorite, mainly, because of this character. Unfortunately, I had really high expectations towards this book, and I was so disappointed how weak it turned out.

Main heroine Evangeline Fox was left heartbroken by a boy whom she loved and who chose to marry her stepsister. She finds Prince of Hearts and strikes a deal with the Fate. He will stop the wedding, but for what price?

Book is set in Valenda and The North, so pretty much the same setting as Caraval. Is it necessary to read Caraval before reading this book? Yes and No. No, because this is a stand-alone book, brand new series, but set in the same world with some of the characters from Caraval. Yes, because there are some flash backs from the past events, especially related to Donatella and Jacks, and the whole Fate thing. As of Fates, in my opinion they are only briefly explained here.

What disappointed me? A lot of things. Authors bland language, I was bored reading this book. Extremely Naïve main heroine, there was also one special thing about her, she had strawberry blond hair (for my international friends, it’s blond with pinkish shade), it was accented way too much through the book. Half of the book is literally a Brazilian Love drama, “I want him to love me", "It's magic, he doesn’t truly love me” etc. And to top it all up – Jacks, I didn’t feel that it was the same character from the Caraval, because there, author has created special atmosphere about him, he was heartless, bad. Here though, there is pretense of this all, but it’s just an Echo of that loved by me character.

Plot itself... It’s all about love, loads of weird stuff in the middle, 90% of things were predictable. Only towards the end, were told about some magical place, that hides something, which raises some curiosity.

Here, I should be saying good things about this book... To be fair, it just didn’t turn out to be my cup of tea. But for those of you who love romance books, this might be the thing.

Thank you Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for provided ARC in exchange for my honest review.

“There was something fantastically bewitching about the idea that a person’s destiny could change in one single, wondrous night.”

Once Upon a Broken Heart is the beginning of a new story set in the world first introduced in the Caraval trilogy (which you don’t have to read to understand this novel but I highly recommend that you do). It is defined by Stephanie Garber’s signature YA fairytale style — you know, the one where scents and tastes smell and taste like emotions and vice verse; where you can never predict the ending, and where the characters have the coolest names. Be it Scarlett, Donatella or Evangeline, Garber’s protagonists always manage to get themselves into the craziest adventures — like staying dead for a couple of days in Caraval in the hope of winning the game. Here, no less impossible things are possible. Take Jacks, the Prince of Hearts. My notes on him while reading included “okaaay, Jacks” (p.21 if you’re curious) and “Jacks, my man... goodness” (p. 332). I was happy to see him back, which, to be honest, I hadn’t expected (being happy about his return, that is). Hear me out! When it was Legend vs Jacks, come on, I rooted for Legend. In Once Upon a Broken Heart, I’m rooting for Jacks — despite him being a Fate and his usual (weeeell, yes and no) Fate ways.
On the final note, you know how you should avoid judging a book by its cover? Not in this case. The cover is absolutely gorgeous, yes, but so is the story inside, as well as the way the text’s presented, with all the little notes and other things that I don’t want to spoil.
Once Upon a Broken Heart is my favourite Stephanie Garber novel after Caraval. Funny, sad, unpredictable. It has been a real pleasure to read.

evangeline Ross might be my favourite main character from now! This book was really good ! I loved it so much ! Even though I still haven't read Carval Series , I understood everything that happened in this book ! Add this to your tbr right now! Full review on my Instagram

Oh my Gosh… this book was so so amazing. Jacks is definitely on of my favorite characters in this series. I never thought i would love him so much. The cover is so beautiful and it was love at first site. The Caraval series was an absolute fantasy highlight and Jacks has been of great interest to me since Legendary. I couldn’t wait to read the book. Right from the start, I was trapped in this world again. I couldn’t put the book down at any time and I finished it within a day. Stephanie Garber has a really great writing style. It is exciting, detailed, complex and easy to read. The plot starts very compelling and a lot of things from „Finale“ now make even more sense. I now understand the wedding scene better. Reading was never boring and it was an absolute highlight for me. The book was anything but predictable and I definitely didn’t expect this ending. I can’t wait for the second book.

The characters were wonderfully crafted. They were multifaceted, tangible and they all had their rough edges. We’re finally getting to know Jacks better and he has snuck right into my heart. He’s definitely not a hero, but he’s not evil either. But he’s pursuing his own plan again and I can’t wait to find out what it is. Evangeline is a character who is very human. Sometimes she acts selfishly, yet she is friendly and leaves no stone unturned to make up for her mistakes. Jacks and Evangeline are like night and day, but there is something between these two that cannot be ignored.

„Once upon a broken heart“ was such a terrific read and i cant wait for the second book. Fans of the Caraval series should definitely not miss this book. You can start this book without knowing the Caravan Series but it makes reading a little less enjoyable. And the Caraval series is definitely worth reading.

I love Stephanie Garber's writing style, and loved the caraval series. This book has been much hyped, and is well worth the hype. A book about Jack's is just what I needed! 100% recommend whether you have read caraval or not

First, a warning: Do not read this book if you haven't read the Caraval series yet, or intend to read it later. This is not a standalone but first in a spin-off series and there are spoilers in it about the Caraval series.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc of this book! My opinions are my own.

I had never read anything by Stephanie Garber before. I've been curious about the Caraval series, but never came around to picking it up. So I was very glad to be given the chance to read this new book! Based on the description on Netgalley I thought it would be a standalone book, but I quickly learned that this book is about one of the characters in the Caraval series, named Jacks.

We meet Evangeline, a young woman who has her heart broken by the boy she loves. To stop him from marrying her stepsister, she makes a deal with The Prince of Hearts, one of the Fates. Unsurprisingly, this backfires. What follows is a story about finding love and betrayal, with a couple of plot twists thrown in for good measure.

I liked the story. I loved the conversations between Evangeline and Jacks. But unfortunately, the writing style just isn't for me. Some things just happened a little too coincidentally for me. Also there were too many explanations about why someone felt what they felt. Personally I couldn't connect to Evangeline very well because of it. The other characters felt a bit flat to me, given as we don't get to know so much about their characters.

The story in itself though was a nice easy read, with its magical elements and plot twists around every corner. If you've loved the Caraval series I think you will probably love this one too!

This book hits you hard, in the good way of course. I can say this one is my new favorite! Stephanie is back with her magic. The story was romantic, fast paced and makes you wanna read non stop. And of course what this book make it amazing was JACKS. Really creative! You will love it!!

I’m a big fan of this author. I love the lunar chronicles. This for me was a little disappointing because:

A. The format on the kindle was dreadful. There were a lot of letters, newspapers articles and posters to read which have clearly been made to look authentic but I couldn’t read them on the kindle at all! So I feel I missed out there.

B. Initially, I felt frustrated with our protagonist - she seemed to have no depth and was just facing crisis after crisis. I felt like I couldn’t get to grips with her.

C. This ultimately affected the narrative for me. I know it’s a fantasy genre but I just struggled up until the middle.

D. After Evangeline is outlawed, the story seems to start coming together and I enjoyed it from this point.

I don’t feel like it’s finished - I feel it needs tweaking to provide more depth to the protagonist and more to the character of Jacks who just confuses me and i couldn’t understand his Motives at all.

<i>I received this ARC thanks to the Publisher and NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.</i>

<b>"I thought all of the Fates had disappeared,"
"We recently made a grand return, but that's not what this story is about."</b>
To start with, I want to address that I did read whole Caraval trilogy, and I totally recommend anyone to do that before reaching for OUABH! The book on its own would definitely still be as lovely as it is, but you'd miss out so much on every tiny sweet mention of Caraval characters and story you'd already fall in love with ;).
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<b>"Heroes don't get happy endings. They give them to other people. Is that what you really want?"</b>
Once upon a time, a peasant girl fell in love with a pretty boy, and they've seen their future as happily ever after. Not so long after, she's turned to stone and became a hero. But heroes don't get happy endings.
Meet Evangeline Fox, another addition to Caraval's lovely ladies. Her unnatural rose-gold hair was always considered as abomination to her step mother, but she didn't care and lived at her fullest. One day as her story unravels, she'd made the <b>utterly terrible</b> decision to help herself by making a deal with a Fate.
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<b>"There's no point in having another person commit murder if you're in the room with them."</b>
If you're new to Stephanie's books, meet Jacks. If you're a Jacks simp, welcome, grab something to snack on and prepare for a wild ride of wholesomeness.
Imagine a greek god, that came down to earth to mess with people in dangerous game of life. I'll never be good enough to explain Jacks persona further than that, so excuse me and just go check out Caraval... Back with the plot, Jacks has been banished from Meridian Empire, but that doesn't stop him to make a grand comeback elsewhere. And Evangeline just happens to be on his way... kinda.
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<b>"Why you're looking at that book as if it's dangerous?"
"Because it is," Jacks said.</b>
I was surprised, in a good way, of how well the Author did manage to keep up with the writing quality from her other books, it truly feels like the best spin-off it could get. You're able to feel magic just spilling at you by turning every single page, it isn't as twisted as Caraval but still keeps its mysterious aura. Most of the story is happening in the North, so it's a new setting to us, but totally matched the previously known empire lands. Together with Evangeline reader can cluelesly follow Jacks lead on an adventure to solve one riddle after another. All it takes, is three kisses to whoever your doom wants you to give.
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<b>"[...] If it weren't for me, your story would be over."</b>
I really can't tell much about the plot itself to not spoil you any joy of unraveling the story on your own, so just let me tell you that you can expect a fairy tale - like story of a fox getting to play cinderella, plot twist that you actually wouldn't expect, matching clueless main character (but in a cute and uninvasive way, trust me), deeper dive into Caraval universe (to meet some new Fates - if you know, you know) and some steam from the boy we all love...

To sum up, no matter if you did read <i>Caraval</i> or not, I highly recommend to give this book a chance. Don't turn away just because it's a spin-off, or because you haven't read the other books. No matter which of these are you - trust me. Jacks will happily hold your hand, and maybe bite you, but just a little. Intrigued? See you in september, in line to grab <i>Once Upon a Broken Heart</i> yourself :)

Thanks to the publisher for my gifted copy! This was a light fantasy read and was really enjoyable and easy to read.
At times the characters/writing felt quite immature but I really enjoyed the story.

I loved the range of personalities in this book and the world building was great! Top marks for sexual tension too!

Some formatting issues in the eARC

Set to be one of the best books of 2021 I had high hopes for Once Up On a Broken Heart.. and it did not let me down.

I loved the Caraval series and was excited to return to the same magical world but with mostly different characters, I am very excited for the next set of stories that will come from this series. I would wholeheartedly recommend absolutely any book written by Stephanie Garber.

I absolutely loved this book. I was a big fan of caraval when it first came out and didn’t think any book would beat that one, but this absolutely did! I was captivated from the very first page and it just kept getting better! The characters were well written, the pacing was on point, and the prose was gorgeous. 5/5 stars!

Undoubtedly one of the most anticipated releases this year is Once Upon A Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber, and I'm here to tell you about it today!
When Once Upon A Broken Heart appeared on my kindle, I couldn't contain my joy. I'll tell you, I jumped right into it. I mean, talk about Jacks, I've been longing for this book about him.

Evangeline Fox has always believed in happy endings, until she learns that, the love of her life is marrying someone else and that's how all her dreams are shattered.
Evangeline wants to stop this marriage at all costs and so she makes a pact with the charismatic and evil Prince of Hearts.
In exchange for her help though, she asks for three kisses to be given at the time and place of her choosing.
How dangerous can it be to bargain with an immortal?
The Prince of Hearts won't just ask for what was bargained for, he'll ask for a lot more, and that could end things in the greatest happy ending or... in the greatest tragedy.

Let me preface this by saying that, there is something intriguing, engaging and passionate about this story.
I'm usually one who devours books in a short time, especially if they take me so much, but in this case I preferred to enjoy Once Upon A Broken Heart.
I took my time, appreciating every page of this book!
Just as in Caraval, there is something unique about the story. We can call Garber's writing "the fife" for us readers. She writes and we follow along with our eyes closed, enchanted by her words that create a wonderful melody!

Compared to the previous series, the worldbuilding is less developed here, but I assure you that Garber makes up for it, giving life to a story full of events and twists.
Evangeline is a very strong girl, but when her dreams are shattered, I felt her heart break even through the pages. I would have loved to go inside the book and comfort her. I mean, no one wants to see the man they deeply love marry someone else.
And to further complicate an already unstable situation, you throw in the Prince of Hearts, not exactly a sugarcoater.
Regarding the Prince of Hearts...can I make a deal with him too?
I found his character to be very charismatic, charming, and just evil enough.
You will say, but can you ever be evil to the right point? Well, I assure you that the Prince of Hearts is.
Let's say that everything he does, however, does it for his own personal gain. In short, the classic villain, not everything is due for free.
Besides the "contractual" bond, it's clear that between Evangeline and the Prince of Hearts there is another kind of bond.
My guess is that we'll see more of this in the books to come!

I enjoyed everything about Once Upon A Broken Heart, a little less the beginning, I found it a little slow to get going, but after that, once you put your foot on the accelerator, the book flows like a charm and you won't be able to tear yourself away! You are there devouring page after page, longing for more!
And it's that more that I want, because the book ends with a cliffhanger that killed me. Literally!
So Stephanie, when's the sequel?!

Anyway, as soon as it comes out.... read it, read it, read it!
Also, if you loved Caraval, you'll find a nice little surprise inside the book.