Guest Book Review: The Heartbroker (Wellywood Series Novel 2)

By Michelle Drodge

I was a bit weary about reading a second book in a series without first reading book one (Styling Wellywood...reviewed by someone else), however I was on a really long flight on my way to a business conference and had a five hour window to devour a novel. So against my better judgement, I opened it up.

Seated next to my co-worker, a fellow communications professional in the middle of writing a speech for a high-power executive that would be delivered to almost a thousand people, I tried to focus on the task at hand. Unfortunately, we were both distracted by each other’s screens. I was reading the speech, and he was reading my book – and laughing at the ridiculous language he stumbled upon (a far cry from the CEO language he was currently channeling).

As a male, I suppose he couldn’t resist imitating the characters in the book. To my dismay (and embarrassment) he begins reading when Lucinda, the “resident vamp” showed up at Brooke’s table in the third chapter. This is right after she tells her friends about her encounter with Logan McMannus, the man who is working to bridge her company ‘Live It’ into the You: Now franchise by purchasing fifty per cent.

“It’s fair to say neither of us are big fans of Lucinda Strap-A-Mattress-To-My-Back Hargreaves!!!!”, mocked my co-worker, in his best high pitched girl voice. “You do it much better than Miss Sex On-A-Stick!” This, followed by an imitation girlie hair flip provoked an eye roll from me, and I promptly closed the Kindle App. Instead, we played Angry Birds for three hours straight - we are really getting good at it.

It must have been a combination of my co-worker poking fun at the airy tone, filled with stereotypical girl talk, and the conference we were getting ready to attend (re: high power executive speeches), but I was dreading reading this book. Brooke seemed like a ridiculous oxymoron – a powerful man walks into her office and she immediately melts and falls in love with him. Yet this same woman has the acumen to own her own business at such a young age. It was so plain to see that they were going to end up together, and I was frustrated that this book was so transparent.

Days later, after returning from the conference, I picked up my iPad at home and decided to give it just one more chance – and without the influence of a male, I was delightfully hooked!

Again, the story between Brooke and Logan was very expected from the first chapter. It was no secret that the plot was going to place both of them in a space where they would instantly develop a relationship. It was a bit far-fetched in the sense that Logan was professing his undying love to her in just a few days, but also a refreshing twist. Realistically, I’d be over the moon if I were Brooke in this situation, and I was relieved to see that it, for once, was the man who’d melted into a woman’s arms.

What I didn’t expect was the twist in the middle, giving the book the credibility it so desperately needed. The fluffy plot was replaced with a serious business faux-pas, which certainly peaked my interest as a professional in a corporate environment. Kate O’Keeffe was able to clearly convey a situation that seemed completely plausible, one that could happen to any young entrepreneur, with one little mistake.

Overall, I was extremely pleased with The Heartbroker by the end, and I do hope to see Brooke and Logan in a third installment.

What I learned: Follow your gut and read book one first – you are missing background on characters you would otherwise already know! Oh, and never EVER read a Chick Lit novel next to a male on a plane.

Thanks to Kate O'Keeffe for the book in exchange for an honest review. 

Michelle Drodge is 29 and lives in a small town north of Toronto in Canada with her daughter, who is five going on fifteen. She works in Management Communications during the day, but moonlights as an aspiring writer after her daughter goes to sleep. One day she hopes to see her own book on the shelf alongside her favourite Chick Lit authors!