The Break Up Artist by Erin Clark and Laura Lovely
Contemporary
June 9, 2022, by Audible Originals
Audio ARC

Review by Melinda

The Break Up Artist is a debut by co-authors Erin Clark and Laura Lovely, who have an interesting background of their own. Clark is a nonfiction writer, a world champion para-pole athlete, a circus aerialist, and a pilot. Lovely is a romance author, a playwright, a pinup performance artist, and a tech founder. The two met and became the comedy duo Flaming Mermaid Broken Star. I just found this background information extremely interesting!

This is an Audible Original coming in at around 5 and a half hours, which is a decent length for these Originals, some I’ve listened to have been too short to really have a chance to get into much plot. I think 5 hours is about the shortest they can be and still develop characters, plot, and deliver the HEA. Regina Linton is the narrator and did an excellent job bringing the story and characters to life. 

Zelda has a job where her boss steals her ideas, and she spends most of her time dreaming with her friends and co-workers about starting their own business. And on the side she’s been writing anonymous break-up letters on behalf of people who haven’t been willing to do it on their own. She falls for Jake, and after the fact realizes that she’d written one of these letters to him, and from there has to determine if she should tell him, and the right moment. 

What I loved about this book is that Zelda is in a wheelchair, and it’s acknowledged, talked about, and discussed, but the plot is in no way about the wheelchair at all. It’s always refreshing to see when a disability is not used as a plot device! Zelda and Jake have a great dynamic between them and the tension that’s there because Zelda needs to tell him her secret is negated by the fact that Zelda truly wants to.

Beyond the romance, this audiobook also has a subplot with Zelda’s family, that I didn’t love as much, just because I dislike even the idea of it. Her father has remarried someone Zelda’s age, only 6 months after her mother passed away. There’s so much stress and tension within the family because of this, and it definitely impacts Zelda and how she deals with her own romance.

Overall, I think this is a cute Audible Original, especially from a debut author. The narrator added a lot to how much I enjoyed it as well, which is always a plus.

Grade: B

CW: death off page

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