ABOUT THE BOOK: Star soccer player Peyton Rios isn't looking for love. After a fight with herseemingly perfect boyfriend ends with her falling down a flight of stairs andshattering her knee, she just wants to recover from her injury and try to saveher dream of going pro. But when she meets Owen Law, everythingchanges. Peyton doesn’t trust her heart, especially when she senses that Owen ishiding something, but will she decide that love is worth fighting for?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Starting over is a recurring theme for Peyton in Broken Beautiful Hearts. She is starting over

physically by moving to a new town, enrolling in a new school, and participating in a rigorous

physical therapy schedule to rehab her knee. But she is also starting over emotionally, because

she might have to give up her dream of playing professional soccer. What are some of the pros

and cons of new beginnings? How would you feel if your dream or goal was in jeopardy because

of circumstances beyond your control?

2. After Peyton tells people that Reed physically assaulted her, most of them doubt her story.

They think Peyton is lying or confused. Why don’t people believe her—especially her friends?

Have you ever been in a situation where you were telling the truth about something, but people

didn’t believe you? How did you handle the situation?

3. Reed and Owen present an interesting contrast in Broken Beautiful Hearts. Owen has a bit of a

bad-boy reputation while Reed is seen as a golden boy, but in reality these boys are quite the

opposite. Why do you think Reed and Owen have reputations that are so different from reality?

How do people’s perceptions of them affect the way they are treated in the story?

DISCUSSION GUIDE

BROKEN BEAUTIFUL HEARTS by Kami Garcia

FierceReads.com #BrokenBeautifulHearts

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

4. People often make generalizations and snap judgments about each other based on the way a

person looks. Why are these kinds of generalizations misguided and, at times, dangerous? How

do other people’s perceptions and assumptions about your life and your behavior affect you?

5. Peyton suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a result of her father’s death in

Iraq. Her PTSD triggers extreme physical reactions in certain situations. How do these phobias

and physical reactions affect her and her relationships with other people? Why do you think she

finally asks her uncle to tell her exactly how her father died?

6. Fear plays a significant role in the novel. Peyton is afraid to trust another guy after Reed hurts

her and Owen is afraid to face his health issue. How do their fears affect their interactions with

their friends, families, and each other? How do they finally overcome them?

7. Peyton’s best friend, Tess, didn’t see what happened before Peyton fell. But Tess believes her

brother’s version of the events. Did she make the right choice? Have you ever had to choose

between family and friends? How do you decide who to choose?

8. When Peyton first arrives in Black Water, Cameron and Christian are overprotective. Hawk

thinks they are behaving like gentleman, but Peyton disagrees. Why is she offended by their

behavior? Would you react the same way or would you handle the situation differently?

9. Owen and Peyton are instantly attracted to each other, but they both keep secrets at the

beginning of the relationship. How do they learn to trust each other? Why are trust and honesty so

important in a relationship?

10. Before Peyton’s English class starts reading the novel The Things They Carried, her teacher

asks the students to bring in items that hold special significance to them. Why does she give them

that assignment? How do the assignment and the novel relate to Peyton’s father?

FierceReads.com #BrokenBeautifulHearts