Experience the magic and adventure in Once Upon a Broken Heart Summary, where a cursed prince and a brave heroine team up to break the curse.
- Genre: Young adult fantasy/romance novel
- Published: September 28, 2021
- Published by: Flatiron Books
- Total pages: 432 pages
- Age warning: 13+
Short Summary
In Once Upon a Broken Heart, Evangeline seeks to heal her broken heart and drinks a potion that sends her to Neverwhere. There, she meets Julian, who asks for her help to break a curse on his family. Together, they face dangers and confront the sorceress, Morgana. With the help of other princes and princesses, they break the curse and defeat Morgana. Evangeline falls in love with Julian but returns to her own world with the hope of meeting him again someday.
3 Sentence Summary
In Once Upon a Broken Heart, Evangeline drinks a potion to forget her ex-boyfriend and ends up in Neverwhere. There, she helps Julian break a curse on his family by confronting Morgana with the help of other princes and princesses. Despite falling in love with Julian, Evangeline returns to her own world, hoping to reunite with him someday.
One-Line Summary
Evangeline helps Julian break a curse on his family in the magical world of Neverwhere in Once Upon a Broken Heart.
About Author
Stephanie Garber is a bestselling American author known for her young adult fantasy novels. Her books, including the “Caraval” series and “Once Upon a Broken Heart,” are praised for their immersive world-building, complex characters, and lush descriptions. Garber studied creative writing at the University of California, Davis, and her books have been translated into over 30 languages. She is also an advocate for mental health and frequently speaks about her own struggles with anxiety and depression. Garber currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and continues to write books that inspire and enchant her readers.
Quotes in book Once upon a Broken Heart
- “Heroes don’t get happy endings. They give them to other people.” ― Stephanie Garber, Once Upon a Broken Heart
- “I believe there are far more possibilities than happily ever after or tragedy. Every story has the potential for infinite endings.” ― Stephanie Garber, Once Upon a Broken Heart
- “Hope is a difficult thing to kill, just a spark of it can start a fire.” ― Stephanie Garber, Once Upon a Broken Heart
- “All stories are made of both truths and lies, What matters is the way that we believe in them.” ― Stephanie Garber, Once Upon a Broken Heart
Detailed Once Upon a Broken Heart Summary and Review
Characters In Once Upon a Broken Heart
Main Characters
- Evangeline
The protagonist drinks a potion to forget her ex-boyfriend and ends up in Neverwhere, where she helps Julian break a curse on his family.
- Julian
The cursed prince enlists Evangeline’s help to break the curse and falls in love with her.
- Morgana
The powerful enchantress cursed Julian’s family and they must be confronted in order to break the curse.
Other Characters
- Max & Mave
Evangeline’s best friends help her in her adventures.
- Prince Rafe & Princess Lira
Julian’s siblings also assist in breaking the curse.
- The Enchantress
A mysterious figure who guides Evangeline and provides her with the potion to forget her ex-boyfriend.
- The Fates
Three sisters who control the destinies of mortals and immortals alike.
Chapter 1
Evangeline Fox is on a mission to find a way to heal her broken heart. She has been dumped by her boyfriend, Jake, and she can’t seem to get over him. Evangeline visits a fortune teller who gives her a potion that will help her forget Jake. But the potion has unexpected consequences.
Chapter 2
Evangeline drinks the potion and falls asleep. She wakes up in a strange world called Neverwhere, where she meets Julian, a mysterious and charming man who claims to be a prince. Julian offers to help Evangeline forget her past and start a new life in the Neverwhere.
Chapter 3
Julian takes Evangeline to his palace in the Neverwhere, where she meets his sister, Isla, and his mother, the queen. Evangeline is amazed by the beauty and magic of Neverwhere, but she also senses that something is not right.
Chapter 4
Evangeline discovers that Julian has a secret agenda. He needs her help to break a curse that has been placed on his family. If the curse is not broken, Julian and his family will be doomed to live in the Neverwhere forever.
Chapter 5
Evangeline agrees to help Julian and his family break the curse. She discovers that the curse was placed by a powerful sorceress named Morgana, who has been banished to the Shadowlands.
Chapter 6
Evangeline and Julian travel to the Shadowlands to find Morgana and break the curse. They encounter many dangers along the way, including monsters and dark magic.
Chapter 7
Evangeline and Julian finally reach Morgana’s castle. They confront her, but she is too powerful for them to defeat alone. They realize that they need the help of the other princes and princesses in the Neverwhere.
Chapter 8
Evangeline and Julian gather the other princes and princesses and travel back to Morgana’s castle. Together, they are able to break the curse and defeat Morgana.
Chapter 9
With the curse broken, Julian and his family are able to leave Neverwhere and return to the real world. Evangeline realizes that she has fallen in love with Julian, but she knows that she must return to her own world.
Chapter 10
Evangeline wakes up in her own bed, unsure if her adventure in the Neverwhere was real or just a dream. She finds a note from Julian, who tells her that he will always love her and that he hopes they will meet again someday.
Overall, Once Upon a Broken Heart is a thrilling adventure full of magic, romance, and danger. Evangeline’s journey to heal her broken heart leads her to a world beyond her wildest dreams, where she discovers love, friendship, and the power of true courage.
Noble Lesson We Learned From Once Upon a Broken Heart
- True love requires sacrifice and bravery.
- Sometimes we have to leave our comfort zones and take risks in order to find happiness.
- Forgiveness and second chances are powerful forces that can break even the strongest curses.
- People and situations are not always what they seem, and it’s important to look beyond appearances and stereotypes.
- We can find strength and support in unexpected places and people.
- The power of storytelling and imagination can transport us to magical places and help us cope with real-life challenges.
Conclusive Note
In my opinion, Once Upon a Broken Heart is an enchanting and captivating tale that effortlessly blends fantasy, romance, and adventure. From the vivid descriptions of Neverwhere to the well-developed and relatable characters, the book is a literary masterpiece that takes readers on an enthralling journey.
Additionally, Garber’s writing style is immersive, and the book’s themes of love, loss, and the power of storytelling are seamlessly woven into the narrative. The story also offers valuable moral lessons about bravery, sacrifice, and the importance of looking beyond appearances.