The Breakup Artists

Gr 9 Up–Mather takes a time-worn trope from adult comedies and gives it a comical and poignant teenage spin with this novel that’s sure to connect with readers. Seventeen-year-olds August and Valentine (Tiny) share a dream of attending their top college choice and just like many ambitious kids before them, undertake a job to help them reach their financial goals. Only in their case, their business is breaking up teenage couples at the request of loved ones as part of their agency, Summer Love, Inc. Tiny, as the brains of the operation, has outlined rules they must follow for their business to be a success, with the biggest one being don’t fall for the target. They are so close to meeting their financial goals with one final job, but this one presents a different challenge when the target shares a similar storyline with someone close to August. While seemingly successful in catching on to their latest project, this could be the one where they get too close. Reading the story through the switching viewpoints of August and Tiny presents all their situations from slightly different priorities which will make this book enjoyable for teen readers seeking a funny yet impactful book.