Never Google Heartbreak

by Emma Garcia

[Leah]

When I first heard about Emma Garcia’s debut novel in 2012, I thought it sounded ace. I really did, and I was so disappointed when the books original release date of August 2012 came and went without Never Google Heartbreak being published. When its release date was then confirmed as March 2013, I couldn’t wait to read it! I loved the synopsis, I loved the cover – it’s simple, but beautiful and it’s very effective – and I nearly died when I received a proof copy. It’s actually taken me until now to read it, but I really enjoyed the novel.

Never Google Heartbreak describes itself as an honest look on heartbreak, and it very much is that. Viv Summers is absolutely devastated when her fiance Rob calls off their wedding and she does what any girlfriend would do and she leaves him, believing firmly that given a week or two he will be back with his tail between his legs, but when Rob doesn’t do that, and moves on with the Amazonian-like Sam and quickly becomes engaged to her, Viv falls apart. Her heart is broken, and she don’t think she’ll ever recover, and she can’t believe there isn’t anywhere on the internet that tells you how to properly cope with heartbreak so she decides to set up her very own website, dedicated to all things heartbreak. What Viv doesn’t realise – and takes aaaages to eventually realise – is that love could be sitting right on her doorstep, in the shape of best friend, Max, but is she willing to take a chance?

Never Google Heartbreak was so, so close to being a five-star read. So close Until it fell into the Chick Lit cliche-trap of girl goes back to horrible ex-boyfriend. Every time it happens in a Chick Lit novel, I ask myself why. Especially as, every time it happens, the ex just seems to be even more horrible than he was before, though, of course, Viv was oblivious. (They’re ALWAYS oblivious.) I can totally understand her giving him a second chance, but just when she’s banging on about how fabulous Max is (and he is, fabulous!) she suddenly does an about-turn and gets back with creepy Rob? Er, no thank you. I just couldn’t comprehend it. It was absolutely the wrong decision (duh). That was 20 pages of the book I could have happily ripped out. It wasn’t even necessary – if Garica wanted to drive a wedge between Max and Viv, Viv didn’t necessarily have to get back with Rob at all. Rob could easily have drove the wedge between them all by himself, and it just really irritated me. It’s such a common Chick Lit plot twist, that it isn’t even a plot twist any more, it’s expected and it disappoints me every single time.

Apart from that, I really, really loved the book. It was excellent. I was admittedly a bit worried that I wouldn’t like Viv at all – I thought a book about heartbreak would see her be a bit of a sap, and a bit of a wet weekend, and it does, a bit, especially to her friends, who she’s a bit horrible to, but it’s more than that. I felt it really was a true tale of heartbreak, and I loved it. I loved that, initially, Viv wanted Rob back – we only saw his horrible side later, to be fair – I liked her optimism, but as soon as she realised Max was more than a friend, that’s when the book really kicked it up a notch. From then on, I was sold, until the unfortunate 20 or so pages, that I’ve mentioned above. Even the bits after the 20 pages were ace, when Viv does what she does to get Max back The entire book was ace, with only the one downside.

I really loved the characters. Viv, for the most part, was an excellent leading heroine. I found her judgement where Rob was concerned to be questionable, and I did personally feel she was AWFUL to her nana and her friend Reg. I couldn’t excuse her behaviour towrds Reg, it was spiteful and hateful, I understood she felt her nana was perhaps moving on a bit quickly (whether two years is quick depends on your opinion) but she should have been happy her nana was happy, surely that was the important point there. Her nana was a fabulous character, so sweet, and I loved seeing her appear in scenes. Max was probably my favourite character, he lit up the book and the last quarter of the book was massively depressing sans Max. I also would like to see more of Lucy, Viv’s best friend (though I use that term quite loosely, as, again, Viv is a bit horrible to her, too) and of Christie, Viv’s work colleague, who was a bit ditzy, but seemed to have a heart of gold.

I very much enjoyed and would recommend Never Google Heartbreak, it had everything I wanted it to have (and some things I didn’t want it to have) and if only Viv had had a bit more faith in her own feelings, it would have been an easy 5-star read. I can’t wait for the next novel in the series, Never Google Heartbreak, and I’m hoping it’ll be out fairly sharply so we can get back to Viv and Max and Lucy and her nana! I think people will love the novel, I can see why it’s Hodder’s big debut launch of the year – although I can’t quite understand why they’ve only got a Tumblr blog for the book rather than a full site that pretty much mirrors Viv’s thoughts for the site, it seems like the wise thing to do, but never mind. This novel will resonate with anyone who’s ever suffered a broken heart, and this is a very truthful, funny, warm look at it.