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REVIEW: The Break-Up Artist by Philip Siegel

April 21, 2014 by Jaime Leave a Comment

THE BREAK-UP ARTIST
By: Philip Siegel
Publication Date: April 29, 2014
SUMMARY
Some sixteen-year-olds babysit for extra cash. Some work at the Gap. Becca Williamson breaks up couples. 



After watching her sister get left at the altar, Becca knows the true damage that comes when people utter the dreaded L-word. For just $100 via paypal, she can trick and manipulate any couple into smithereens. With relationship zombies overrunning her school, and treating single girls like second class citizens, business is unfortunately booming. Even her best friend Val has resorted to outright lies to snag a boyfriend.

One night, she receives a mysterious offer to break up the homecoming king and queen, the one zombie couple to rule them all: Steve and Huxley. They are a JFK and Jackie O in training, masters of sweeping faux-mantic gestures, but if Becca can split them up, then school will be safe again for singletons. To succeed, she’ll have to plan her most elaborate scheme to date and wiggle her way back into her former BFF Huxley’s life – not to mention start a few rumors, sabotage some cell phones, break into a car, and fend off the inappropriate feelings she’s having about Val’s new boyfriend. All while avoiding a past victim out to expose her true identity.

No one said being the Break-Up Artist was easy.


ABOUT PHILIP
Philip Siegel grew up in New Jersey, which he insists is much nicer than certain TV shows would have you believe. He graduated from Northwestern University and promptly moved out to Los Angeles, where he became an NBC page. He likes to think that the character of Kenneth on 30 Rock is loosely based on his life rights. Currently, he works in downtown Chicago by day while he writes novels at night and during his commute sandwiched in between colorful characters on the El.

Jaime’s Thoughts
The Break-Up Artist by Philip Siegel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Break Up Artist seemed to be the perfect read for Valentine’s Day… I mean, why not! Becca Williamson has a part-time job… It’s not your typical job, babysitting or working at a fast food joint, it’s breaking up couples at her high school. What started as a joke message on a wall in the girls bathroom has turned into something a bit more. And she’s good at it.

It helps that she has a somewhat negative outlook on love and that all seems to have started with her sister and her situation. Watching her sister get left by her fiancé on the day of her wedding and then the inevitable spiral into depression and pushing everyone but family away sparked a hatred for that dreaded “L” word.

We all like to think that there’s one person out there who will rescue us from the tower, slide the glass slipper onto our foot, brush away our one falling tear and tell us if there’s six more weeks of winter. Or something like that. But that’s not how the real world works. Just ask the cheating boyfriends and girlfriends I have to deal with on a far-too-regular basis.
I have to say that I really liked Becca… mostly. I liked her snark and sarcasm and wit and I thought she had a wonderful voice. But she wasn’t perfect… which you’ll realize when you read. She absolutely makes some bad choices and decisions throughout the story, a big one that I struggled to believe that she would make all things considered, but it added some additional drama to a fun, somewhat lighthearted story. I know you’re saying to yourself ‘is she crazy? A book about breaking up people is lighthearted and fun?’ But it really was.

There is another added layer of drama because when Becca is suddenly hired by someone she doesn’t know and who doesn’t attend their school to break up class sweethearts and golden couple Huxley and Steve… she suddenly has to struggle with her conscience rearing its ugly head because these are two people who genuinely are happy. But she isn’t about to say no and besides… she owes Huxley a bit of heartache.

My one major issue with this book, and the main reason I marked it 4 stars instead of 5, despite really enjoying it, is because of the way the author has represented these teenage girls. And maybe it is because I wasn’t this way and I didn’t really know girls who acted or thought this way in high school but these girls are shown as only being interested in who their next boyfriend is going to be, and making those who don’t have boyfriends or never had boyfriends seem as somehow less was just a bit ridiculous. High school just isn’t like that and I really ended up hating just about all the girls to be honest. Even Val, Becca’s supposed best friend. I get being a bit boy crazy, but I believe that this just went a bit to the extreme with the shaming of the kids who aren’t dating someone.

Overall, this was a fun read… with light and witty dialogue and characters that were interesting and layered this is definitely something you’ll want to pick up when it releases… and it was the perfect read for me on Valentine’s Day!

I’ll definitely be reading anything Siegel writes in the future!

Thank you to Harlequin Teen and Netgalley for the advance copy in exchange for my honest thoughts!

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Filed Under: Book Review Tagged With: Contemporary, Reviewed By Jaime, Young Adult

About Jaime

Avid reader and book blogger, lover of music, writing, my kid & my cats. Master of sarcasm and snark and doing what makes me happy.

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