Once Upon a Broken Heart is the first book in the eponymous series. The tale begins in the Meridian Empire, where Evangeline Fox experiences utter heartbreak when the boy she loves intends to marry another. Devastated, she makes a deal with Jacks, aka the Prince of Hearts, to stop the wedding. Too late, she realises that she made a deal with the devil. When she is sent to the Magnificent North as an ambassador to partake in the Nocte Neverending celebrations, she hopes for the beginnings of her very own fairytale. Little did she know that she could not escape the Prince of Hearts. Sadly, I could not form a rapport with any of the characters. Evangeline, the FMC, is way too naive. She trusts everyone, although they clearly do not have her best interests at heart. Jack's reputation precedes him, and despite her knowledge of the stories, she still strikes a deal with him and even associates with him in the Magnificent North. And why would she even trust her stepsister Marisol, who was about to marry Luc? Should that not be enough to make her suspicious? After all, she pinched Evangeline's boyfriend. I suppose the author wanted to create the impression of a kind, forgiving young girl who only sees the best in everyone. But for me, Evangeline remained naive and a hopeless romantic. Life is not kind to these people, and I fear she will experience this firsthand. Jacks is just like I remembered from Caraval. Self-centred, manipulative and ruthless. Although he has rare moments in which he displays some tiny bit of affection and care, it still is not enough to excuse his horrendous behaviour. I do not trust him and Evangeline would be smart to not trust him either. Save for the unlikable characters, the story and its setting are mesmerising. The Magnificent North, depicted as the forge of fairy tales, is whimsical and ethereal. I enjoyed immersing myself in the lore, full of fairy tales, vampires, deception, and heartbreak.

Wie der Vorgänger einfach Magisch. Der schreibstil und die Welt sind einfach Einmalig. Man hat das Gefühl man liest ein Märchen.

Personally, the beginning of the book was a bit of a drag for me but towards the middle it got me hooked. Those stupid, witty remarks from Jacks definitely got me excited for the second book. That man got me kicking my feet and giggling like a fifth grader. Hoping the second book will only get better from here on out.

I would give this book five stars, and I have a feeling the next books will be even better. I absolutely loved the chemistry between Evangeline and Jacks, although I’m still not entirely sure where their storyline is heading. The first book focuses more on world building and dramatic events than on the relationship between Jacks and Evangeline. However by the end of the novel their chemistry becomes sooo good I’ve never experienced a fantasy book like this before It felt beautifully and surreal I almost wanted to step inside the story myself.

Ab so ungefähr einem Drittel wurde es so gut und es kamen so viele plot twists ich liebe dieses Buch einfach ❤️❤️❤️