Book: Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber
Reviewed by Ashley M
Rating: 4/5
Overview
Dates read: June 5, 2026 – July 13, 2026
Stephanie Garber drops us right back into the vibrant, chaotic universe of Caraval, and she doesn't waste time breaking hearts. Evangeline Fox is a girl whose optimism borders on danger. When the love of her life is about to marry her stepsister, she does what any desperate fairytale heroine would do: she strikes a deal with Jacks, the cruel Prince of Hearts.
Instead of a clean magical solution, Evangeline gets tangled in a web of life-threatening bargains, ancient mythology, and an empire-wide mystery. The pace is relentless, balancing whimsical fairytale tropes with creeping danger. Garber focuses on the cost of hope, showing that a single spark can burn your whole world down.
What I Loved
Jacks. Cruel, aloof, and delightfully sharp-edged, tossing an apple aside after one bite, yet secretly nursing a broken heart. A thousand tiny cuts wrapped in undeniable allure. He toys with emotions like a cat with a mouse, and you still find yourself searching for the cracks in his armor.
The three fatal kisses. His feral energy against Evangeline's naive determination is the absolute heart of the story, and the race to stop a royal wedding is breathless.
Lived-in magic. The supernatural elements aren't background fluff; they're physical, shifting dangers. Hints of the Valors and the Nocte Neverending, caramelized gold apples that taste like searing heat, and the Mirror of Infinite Endings all set up a chilling trail of foreshadowing.
The twist. Cozy folktales turn out to be covers for a bloodier reality. Tiberius's confession exposes a history of fratricide and poison, and Evangeline was never just lucky. She was a pawn on a board she didn't know existed.
What Didn't Work
Prince Apollo is a bit much, honestly: completely lovesick, rose-gold saddles, and a giant impulsive chest tattoo of a sword-wrapped heart. The sudden shift from fairytale romance to a cursed, sleepwalking nightmare hits hard, though watching him scale icy castle walls is delightfully unhinged.
Verdict
★★★★☆ (4/5)
If you love a world where the magic feels completely lived-in and every fairytale comes with a sharp, bloody price tag, drop everything and read this one.
Read next:
Heartless by Marissa Meyer: the blueprint for tragic, twisted fairytales
Belladonna by Adalyn Grace: fatal stakes and banter with Death himself
Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli: an enemies-to-lovers game of cat and mouse
Full review on Medium