Review: The Main Attraction (Heartbreak Cafe #2) by Janet Quin-Harkin

In The Main Attraction, Debbie Lesley is starting to get used to her new life. She spends most of time working at the Heartbreak Café and any free moments are spent with her boyfriend Grant. Her parents are still notably absent, but Debbie’s coping with the help of the Heartbreak regulars and her best friend Pam.

Everything changes when the next big Hollywood Blockbuster starts filming on the beach by the café. Suddenly, everyone is obsessed with the world of fame and fortune…well, everyone except Debbie. 

Ashley and Howard are ready to be stars, doing crazy and embarrassing things to get noticed. Even level-headed Joe Garbarini, the cute yet annoying co-worker, sees his big break on the horizon. With everyone else in her life going nuts, Grant has turned into a complete bore. Literally all their dates are based around his award ceremonies or helping him with something. To make things worse, Debbie’s mom has turned their apartment into an activism headquarters. 

Debbie has to juggle all of the new changes in her life and decide what she needs to make her happy. But nobody is making that easy. She doesn’t know what, or who, she wants anymore. 

We had a lot of fun reading No Experience Required earlier this year. We loved that this was one of the first ever YA contemporary series. Quin-Harkin wrote and set the Heartbreak Café series in the 1980s. 

One aspect we liked right away was Debbie’s character development. She’s no longer a spoiled rich girl and has started to take her life in her own hands. She’s also not putting up with BS anymore. She knows what she’s worth and is not afraid to fight for herself. 

Joe had a lot of development too! We got to see a more vulnerable side of him. Even though he has a tough exterior, we were impressed with how he always comes through for his friends…even Debbie. Without spoiling too much, the two’s chemistry was off the charts in book 2. Especially near the end when Joe comes to the rescue. 

We HATED Grant though. We wanted to shake Debbie to show her that she can do much better. One thing we’re hoping for in book 3 is no more Grant. He can go away to college and never come back to Southern California. 

As for the plot, we found it so funny watching the characters go absolutely crazy for their 15 minutes of fame. Ashley was the craziest of them all. We appreciated that Debbie kept a level head, allowing her to be an observer to all the madness. 

Overall, if you’re looking for a fun, flirty and light summer read that’s set in the 1980s, look no further. There are six books in the Heartbreak Café series and they’ve just been rereleased. 

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐