Heartbreak Incorporated is the latest novel release from Alex de Campi. De Campi is best known for her stellar work in comics and graphic novels. Just last year, I read and reviewed her graphic novel Parasocial, and I enjoyed it so much that it made it to my top ten books of 2023. After that, I quickly added Alex de Campi to my list of autobuy authors.

Amazon / Goodreads

Synopsis:

Evie Cross had big dreams of becoming an investigative journalist but at 25 and struggling to make it in New York City, she’s finally starting to admit that her dream is her side hustle and her day job is actually…her job. That is, until she signs on as a temp for a small consultancy whose principal, Misha Meserov, specializes in breaking up relationships. Misha is tall, infuriatingly handsome, and effortlessly charismatic—he can make almost anyone, man or woman, fall into bed with him. And he often does.

But the more Evie is exposed to Misha’s scandalous world, the more she becomes convinced that he’s hiding something…when a wealthy San Francisco CEO with a dissolving marriage starts delving into the occult and turns up dead, Evie has to decide between her journalistic desire for the truth and her growing desire for Misha.

Review:

Heartbreak Incorporated is utterly unique. Actually, is there a better word for unique? Because this is one of the most interesting contemporary romances I’ve ever read. There’s mystery, intrigue, complicated moral questions, and supernatural beings.

Heartbreak Incorporated is sexy, thrilling, and full of surprises. It’s perfect for readers who enjoy paranormal romances and cinnamon-roll monsters. Misha might just be one of the most complex love interests I’ve seen depicted, and I loved him for all his messiness. This novel gets spicy, so definitely be prepared. However, de Campi also delves into constructs like gender, sexuality, and performativity in smart and thoughtful ways. I do think it could have been tighter and more structured, but I enjoyed it overall. I would love more in this world – and it’s perfectly set up for sequel novellas and comic one-shots.

Rating: 3.75/5 Stars

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with an advanced review copy! All the above thoughts are my own.