Review Detail

EVEN IF IT BREAKS YOUR HEART is a lovely and consuming YA cowboy romance. The story follows two characters who are regaining their footing in the world due to the events that changed the course of their lives. Case is a rodeo bull-rider who has a particular skill for it. However, since his best friend, Walker, died, he has been cast adrift. Walker was his best and only friend, and he left behind a list of things he wanted to do for Case to accomplish. While some of the items seem impossible, others are merely dangerous - possibly even the request to befriend Winnie.

Winnie works on Case's father ranch, and she has been struggling in the ten years since her mother left to keep her family running. Her parentification means she has no time to consider herself or what she wants. Secretly, she would love to compete in the rodeo, but instead, she contents herself with training horses for it. She could never leave her family - she is the only mother her little sister has known and little brother remembers.

As they get to know each other, the impossible begins to seem possible, and their relationship grows, as they begin to heal and find their paths in life.

What I loved: This was a book that touched on some heavy topics without easy answers. Healing after a loved one has died is a slow process. Case has been set adrift, but he is beginning to reconsider his own life and what matters most while he also works his way through the list Walker left for him. His journey is really one of healing and self-discovery. Winnie is dealing with the weight of parentification as she considers wanting anything for herself, while also knowing it would be unattainable, as her father is incapable of taking care of the house, bills, or her ten-year-old sister. With her brother cutting school and possibly risking their exposure, she will have some even tougher decisions to make. In the course of the story, she is beginning to learn to trust others and ask for help, while also learning that it is okay to be somewhat selfish sometimes.

Both Winnie and Case were really compelling characters, and the dual points-of-view worked really well to grow each of their stories individually, but also their friendship that deepens into something more. The romance grew organically and built smoothly throughout the story. Winnie's sister, Garrett, was another really fantastic character who was so easy to fall in love with. She was highly intelligent and motivated, but still a child - and absolutely adorable.

Other themes around alcoholism, sacrifice, found family, and high school popularity were also thought-provoking and created a plot that merits discussion in a book group. The themes of grief, self-discovery, and parentification were particularly powerful in the story and were quite heartfelt, tackling some difficult topics that teens may be facing. Because of the age of the characters and some of the aforementioned themes, this would be a book that would work best for older YA readers.

Final verdict: EVEN IF IT BREAKS YOUR HEART is a consuming and powerful YA cowboy romance that combines unforgettable characters with thought-provoking themes.