Only Love Can Break Your Heart by Katherine Webber

Only Love Can Break Your Heart

by Katherine Webber

From the author of the acclaimed Wing Jones comes a 'break-up' book about a Japanese-American teenager, set in the Palm Springs desert, California. Perfect for fans of Nicola Yoon's Everything, Everything and Sara Barnard's Beautiful Broken Things.

Sometimes a broken heart is all you need to set you free…


Reiko loves the endless sky and electric colours of the Californian desert. It is a refuge from an increasingly claustrophobic life of family pressures and her own secrets. Then she meets Seth, a boy who shares a love of the desert and her yearning for a different kind of life. But Reiko and Seth both want something the other can’t give them. As summer ends, things begin to fall apart. But the end of love can sometimes be the beginning of you...

Reviewed by Sam@WLABB on

3 of 5 stars

Share
This was a story about a young women still trying to cope with the death of her oldest sister. She had been playing a part and avoiding talking about her sister, but it seemed like her coping mechanism was no longer working.

This story focused on Reiko, her grief, and the messy relationships she had. I was a little sad about the direction Webber went with the love interest. I was hopeful about that connection, but I guess that was not the type of journey the author had in mind for Reiko.

I did appreciate the way Reiko grew and changed over the course of the story, and I loved seeing the bond between her and her brother grow. I also enjoyed the moments she shared with her dad.

So, though this was not the warm and fuzzy book I was hoping for, it still had some strong elements that kept me reading.

BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS

Last modified on

Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 11 January, 2020: Finished reading
  • 11 January, 2020: Reviewed