The Heartbreakers by Ali Novak Review

""When I met Oliver Perry, I had no clue he was the lead singer for The Heartbreakers. And he had no idea that I was the only girl in the world who hated his music."

Stella will do anything for her sick sister, Cara—even stand in line for an autographed Heartbreakers CD...for four hours. She's totally winning best birthday gift this year. At least she met a cute boy with soft brown hair and gorgeous blue eyes while getting her caffeine fix. Too bad she'll never see him again.

Except, Stella's life has suddenly turned into a cheesy love song. Because Starbucks Boy is Oliver Perry – lead singer for the Heartbreakers. And even after she calls his music crap, Oliver still gives Stella his phone number. And whispers quotes from her favorite Disney movie in her ear. OMG, what is her life?

But how can Stella even think about being with Oliver — dating and laughing and pulling pranks with the band — when her sister could be dying of cancer?

Ali Novak wrote her debut novel My Life with the Walter Boys when she was just 15 years old, and has since penned her next book, The Heartbreakers. First a hit on the online community Wattpad, her second novel has over 38 million reads and is loved by readers around the world."

NetGalley. Thanks for the copy.

There is a book I'd read a while back. It is called Aimee and the Heartthrob (written by Ophelia London). These two books (yes, I'm talking about both of them) are rather similar. They both involved a boy band, but the books are indeed different. The only reason I'm bringing Aimee and the Heartthrob up is because if you like that book, you'll definitely like this one. (And vice versa.)

Let's talk about The Heartbreakers.

The band, the Heartbreakers, sound like your typical boy band. They are followed by millions of teenage girls along with their mothers (or any other person who has to listen to these girls agonize over these glamorous boys). Some people hate them. Others like them. Now, Stella is part of the crowd who disses them at every chance she gets (unless she is within earshot of her dying sister, but even then she openly hates them).

But when Stella gets close to them, suddenly they are different. They are much more alive, and they are each different in their own ways. Oliver, Alec, Xander, JJ, and one other boy (I know I'd forgotten their names, but most of the band members are secondary characters). The most important of the group is Oliver, of course. He is the (hot) love interest, the opposite of Stella.

Oliver and Stella is endgame. That much is obvious, but it is the journey that actually matters. Yes, they aren't the perfect couple, but they have great chemistry and some problems (in their relationship). They are much more realistic than many other literary couples. The sass (of Oliver) is incredible, and I especially enjoy his snappy words and hilarious yet also bold pranks.

The plot moves steadily fast. There are certainly some (minor) parts that surprise me, and I find myself guessing how they will end up together. (We all know who I'm talking about. There is only one couple here.) There are some cheesy elements, but I find it to be very delightful (though not exactly in a fresh and brand new way). The secondary characters are great, especially Stella's dying sister who is the most poignant of all characters. 

Overall, The Heartbreakers is a cheesy romance book with an ability to keep me reading. Stella and Oliver have a great and wonderful romance, and I especially love the banter between Oliver and the rest of his bandmates. (Those sassy remarks are the life of me.) The Heartbreakers is an enthralling tale with romance and internal conflict. 

Rating: Four out of Five