REVIEW: Break-Up Club by Lorelei Mathias

Genre: Chick-Lit, New Adult
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: May 19, 2016
Formats Available: Kindle

There’s never been a better time to be single . . . 

Holly Braithwaite and loveable loser Lawrence have been together for five years. But the obvious cracks in their relationship can no longer be ignored and Holly soon finds herself saying “it’s not me, it’s you.” 

In the shock aftermath of their break-up, Holly finds unlikely companions in Olivia, Harry and Bella. Together, they form the Break-up Club, as they support each other through their mutual melancholy and find ways to love, laugh and function as human beings again. 

Break-up Club meets every Sunday. Each week, as the comedy and drama unfolds, they discover a new BUC “rule.” And one by one, the rules become vital markers on their journey to recovery . . . 

MY RATING:

I’m disappointed by how much this book disappointed me. The premise is spot-on, and the reading was somewhat enjoyable, but in the end, it’s just not for me.

For one thing, I couldn’t connect with the characters. All the members of the Break-Up Club seemed incredibly immature for their age. Most of the book consisted of them getting hammered, taking drugs, and being all-around silly–not exactly what I’d expect from a group of (mostly) professional people in their late twenties. Their interactions with one another seemed even more unhealthy than their previous relationships.

For another, this pacing was slow. As I mentioned above, pretty much every chapter consisted of the characters getting together to get wasted and whine. The only parts of the story I didn’t find boring were Holly’s short film ideas.

The tone also shifts drastically, going from silly to satirical to serious with little to no warning. The ending didn’t seem to fit at all, and I was really disappointed that a certain coupling–which was hinted at quite a bit–never took place. **SPOILER** I was also disappointed that the Break-up Club didn’t become a reality show. It would have been a terrible idea for the characters, but would have been really interesting.**END SPOILER**

That being said, there were several clever bits that entertained, and despite not really liking this book overall I am interested in looking for Ms. Mathias’ other works. If you’re a big fan of chick lit and don’t mind the issues I mentioned, I’d give this a go.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.