Book Review: Five Ways a Boy Can Break Your Heart by Cate Ashwood & Skylar M. Cates

This was a cute little story about two friends reuniting after seven long years filled with hurt, betrayal, guilt and longing. Trey has made a life as a famous rock star but still yearns for the one person he can never have – his old best friend, Liam, who he spent years with at boarding school. After Trey hurt Liam beyond repair, Liam went on to make a successful life as a violinist and teacher. They’re both living half lives, miserable in their yearnings for each other. But what will happen when a chance meeting pushes them together? Will they be able to work through the myriad of feelings that have been building over the years?

The story tells the tale of Liam and Trey finally reuniting. I’m just as much a lover of second chances as the next person so when I picked this story up, I was excited to have it based around ex-best friends. I loved that the characters were so different but yet they bonded over their love of music. Where Liam is sensible and classical, Trey is out of control and really, doesn’t give a fuck. Even with their differences though, they balance each other out. While Trey gives Liam life, Liam grounds Trey. It’s very sweet and simplistic and I loved that the authors’ writing styles went so well together to the point that I didn’t even notice there were two authors writing.

While I liked that the authors we able to successfully merge their styles, I had a few issues with the story. Mainly, I felt like with how much emphasis was put on Trey hurting Liam, Liam shouldn’t have taken Trey back so quickly. I wanted a little more grovelling, more talking and more firm decisions instead of more sex. Aside from that, readers should note that there are three flashbacks in this story and that aside from one of them, they didn’t progress the story in anyway. To me, they felt like they were put in to show the depth of Trey and Liam’s feelings as kids but I don’t think it managed to accomplish that and I can’t help but feel that could have been done with them in the present.

All in all, this was a good story. I liked that the writing styles were so cohesive and I ultimately did like the characters. I wished we had gotten more of them working out their problems instead of it being resolved so quickly but as it were, I enjoyed the story. Those who like plots centered around second chances and friends who long for each other will enjoy this as well.