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Heartsong #2
A Pessimist's Guide to Love
"Auch eine Tragödie kann ein Happy End haben. Manchmal müssen wir es nur selbst hineinschreiben."
In den verworrenen Wurzeln des Kummers können wir so viel verlieren. Doch was niemand erkennt, ist, dass wir auch etwas gewinnen können.
Da sind Stärke, Wertschätzung und Unverwüstlichkeit.
Und manchmal, hin und wieder, wenn man wirklich Glück hat...
ist da auch Liebe.
In den verworrenen Wurzeln des Kummers können wir so viel verlieren. Doch was niemand erkennt, ist, dass wir auch etwas gewinnen können.
Da sind Stärke, Wertschätzung und Unverwüstlichkeit.
Und manchmal, hin und wieder, wenn man wirklich Glück hat...
ist da auch Liebe.
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 25, 2023
834 people are currently reading
10159 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Hartmann
34 books15.5k followersJennifer Hartmann resides in northern Illinois with her own personal romance hero and three children. When she is not writing angsty love stories, she is likely pondering all the ways she can break your heart and piece it back together again. She enjoys sunsets (because mornings are hard), bike riding, traveling, bingeing Buffy the Vampire Slayer reruns, and that time of day when coffee gets replaced by wine. She loves tacos. She also really, really wants to pet your dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,209 reviews
September 6, 2023
huh. not a terrible read, but its missing a certain kind of spark that the first book had.
in AOGTH, the angst and tension was the kind that kept you turning the page. but, in this sequel, it just feels super whiny? i dont know how else to describe it other than i kept mentally saying to cal “grow up already.” lol.
but i still enjoyed the story and there was never a point where i actively wanted to stop reading. its just one of those stories where you can turn your brain off for a bit and enjoy it for what it is.
↠ 3 stars
in AOGTH, the angst and tension was the kind that kept you turning the page. but, in this sequel, it just feels super whiny? i dont know how else to describe it other than i kept mentally saying to cal “grow up already.” lol.
but i still enjoyed the story and there was never a point where i actively wanted to stop reading. its just one of those stories where you can turn your brain off for a bit and enjoy it for what it is.
↠ 3 stars
February 3, 2023
Fair warning, this review is going to be ranty AF! And a little spoilery bc I just don't care.
Let's just start with the human blueprint for Douchebags, Cal. This guy is the embodiment of a red flag and the most selfish AH I think I have ever read. This guy spends a book and half treating this girl like absolute garbage.
Examples? Sure!
-Lucy literally dies! She flatlines and comes back, everyone in town visits her, but not Cal, he waits two weeks to come see her bc "issues" (she forgives him immediately)
-He calls her into his office, they have sexy time and he fires her. The poor girls panties are probably still around her ankles. (forgiven)
-He takes her V card in a dirty skeevy ass bar bathroom and then leaves her standing there sans panties and sore AF. (yep, totally forgiven. she runs to hug him the very next time she sees him bc he feels "bad")
I could go on but I don't have the will.
He has serious trauma to deal with, I get it, but abusing the ppl around you instead of finding a healthy way of dealing with your issues just makes you a dick.
Now Lucy, sigh. This girl is like a Disney princess wrapped in cotton candy; I kept waiting for bluebirds to fly out of her ass and help her clean up the house while simultaneously singing a musical number. Crying is her entire personality, happy, sad, bored, hungry, she is crying. She never once called Cal out on anything, she forgives him unconditionally no matter what he does to her.
Thank you to my gorgeous, beautiful Queens Cara and Lila for reading this with me, even though this book was a complete fail, I still had so much fun ranting with you guys, and I have never laughed so much! No Regrets!!!
Let's just start with the human blueprint for Douchebags, Cal. This guy is the embodiment of a red flag and the most selfish AH I think I have ever read. This guy spends a book and half treating this girl like absolute garbage.
Examples? Sure!
-Lucy literally dies! She flatlines and comes back, everyone in town visits her, but not Cal, he waits two weeks to come see her bc "issues" (she forgives him immediately)
-He calls her into his office, they have sexy time and he fires her. The poor girls panties are probably still around her ankles. (forgiven)
-He takes her V card in a dirty skeevy ass bar bathroom and then leaves her standing there sans panties and sore AF. (yep, totally forgiven. she runs to hug him the very next time she sees him bc he feels "bad")
I could go on but I don't have the will.
He has serious trauma to deal with, I get it, but abusing the ppl around you instead of finding a healthy way of dealing with your issues just makes you a dick.
Now Lucy, sigh. This girl is like a Disney princess wrapped in cotton candy; I kept waiting for bluebirds to fly out of her ass and help her clean up the house while simultaneously singing a musical number. Crying is her entire personality, happy, sad, bored, hungry, she is crying. She never once called Cal out on anything, she forgives him unconditionally no matter what he does to her.
Thank you to my gorgeous, beautiful Queens Cara and Lila for reading this with me, even though this book was a complete fail, I still had so much fun ranting with you guys, and I have never laughed so much! No Regrets!!!
January 27, 2023
4.25 stars
“Even a tragedy can have a happy ending. Sometimes we just need to write it in ourselves.”
After finishing An Optimist’s Guide to Heartbreak, I knew I needed the second book ASAP! The second it went live I downloaded it and started reading.
What I loved about this one is we got so much more of the backstory that we were missing in the first book. We also got a lot of healing. Grief is hard. It never gets lighter, we just get used to carrying it and it took Cal quite a while to get used to his load, but Lucy was always there for him.
“Your struggles don’t scare me. Your flaws don’t make me want to run the other way. They only make me want to fight with you.”
Lucy is such a sunshine character and I couldn’t have loved her more. Cal is still the grumpy in this grumpy/sunshine dynamic but he has it’s reasons. The first half of this book was challenging for me. I was frustrated, but with time it got so much better. Though I didn’t love this one quite as much as the first, the duet was still fantastic overall and I highly recommend if you’re looking for an emotional romance!
January 29, 2023
the first book already angered me but this one somehow managed to make it worst
January 25, 2023
No doubt Jennifer is inarguably a gifted writer. All her books are masterpieces in their own right. Her consistent growth as a writer has put her high up in the league of Must Read, Auto Click authors.
Having devoured every word, every sentence she's ever written, I can safely say her Angst-O-Meter climbs high in every book. What enthralls me the most is her off the beaten path plots, Unique narrative & novel characterization. Everytime you come out of her book as a changed person. For the better.
"Life is unexpected, fortuitus. All we can do is appreciate the moments we have while we have them.”
With this book we come to the conclusion of the stunning love story of Callahan and his childhood crush, Lucy Hope. It's a flawlessly written story that cares to slow burn lovers, that thrive on heartaches and streaming tears on every page. This is a couple that are back for round 2 at fated love. Lucy doesn't wait for second chance, she arrives at it. Having bought the neighbour (Cal & Emma's) home, working in Carl's office but close proximity isn't enough to rekindle old flames.
She's sunshine and orchids. Positivity and grace. Optimistic and hopeful
Cal is brooding and hopeless. Sad and depressed. Dark and doomed.
Their intense physical chemistry till maintains its fervour but the passion between them has reached a point where being joined together heals them, soothes them, wards off the demons from their pasts. Yet the hope that they will perhaps have an HEA is a possibility but not a foregone conclusion.
" Everyone has demons. Monsters lurking around every corner, whispering in your ear, hiding under your bed, living just beneath your skin. The key is turning your demons into friends. Companions. Don’t let them scare you. Don’t let them chase you. Let them run with you. Only then, you will win. "
Too many tears, too much pain, too much loss is like an uncrossable canyon between them.
It requires a miracle and Jennifer provides that.
I was completely lost in this achingly beautiful book, my heart jumped up in my throat and tears flowed freely. Yet I'm still standing.
And that's the message Hartmann delivers through this powerful and vulnerable Duet.
“Even a tragedy can have a happy ending. Sometimes we just need to write it in ourselves.
There’s no joy without grief, no fulfillment without loss, no laughter without pain. Yin and yang.”
Get these books and devour every word.
4.5 stars for Lemons that make lemonades
Follow me on:
Email🌻 Bookbub 🌻 Twitter🌻 Instagram🌻 Blog🌻 Facebook🌻 Amazon 🌻
Having devoured every word, every sentence she's ever written, I can safely say her Angst-O-Meter climbs high in every book. What enthralls me the most is her off the beaten path plots, Unique narrative & novel characterization. Everytime you come out of her book as a changed person. For the better.
"Life is unexpected, fortuitus. All we can do is appreciate the moments we have while we have them.”
With this book we come to the conclusion of the stunning love story of Callahan and his childhood crush, Lucy Hope. It's a flawlessly written story that cares to slow burn lovers, that thrive on heartaches and streaming tears on every page. This is a couple that are back for round 2 at fated love. Lucy doesn't wait for second chance, she arrives at it. Having bought the neighbour (Cal & Emma's) home, working in Carl's office but close proximity isn't enough to rekindle old flames.
She's sunshine and orchids. Positivity and grace. Optimistic and hopeful
Cal is brooding and hopeless. Sad and depressed. Dark and doomed.
Their intense physical chemistry till maintains its fervour but the passion between them has reached a point where being joined together heals them, soothes them, wards off the demons from their pasts. Yet the hope that they will perhaps have an HEA is a possibility but not a foregone conclusion.
" Everyone has demons. Monsters lurking around every corner, whispering in your ear, hiding under your bed, living just beneath your skin. The key is turning your demons into friends. Companions. Don’t let them scare you. Don’t let them chase you. Let them run with you. Only then, you will win. "
Too many tears, too much pain, too much loss is like an uncrossable canyon between them.
It requires a miracle and Jennifer provides that.
I was completely lost in this achingly beautiful book, my heart jumped up in my throat and tears flowed freely. Yet I'm still standing.
And that's the message Hartmann delivers through this powerful and vulnerable Duet.
“Even a tragedy can have a happy ending. Sometimes we just need to write it in ourselves.
There’s no joy without grief, no fulfillment without loss, no laughter without pain. Yin and yang.”
Get these books and devour every word.
4.5 stars for Lemons that make lemonades
Follow me on:
Email🌻 Bookbub 🌻 Twitter🌻 Instagram🌻 Blog🌻 Facebook🌻 Amazon 🌻
August 11, 2024
3⭐️ “There’s no reason for suffering, but there’s always a reason to keep going” 🥹
So. This wasn’t as good as book 1, as it turned into a bit of a repetitive back and forth about how he “wasn’t good enough for her blah blah blah”. Both Cal and Lucy had some serious growing up to do and I don’t feel we got that in book 2. Which is a shame because there was SO much potential for character development in this type of story about grief and growth.
That being said, it’s still a mid rating for me because I can’t deny, it was quite an epic love story. The love declarations, the gestures, the spice (apart from the first encounter) was all beautiful. It gave me Mia Sheridan vibes a bit in some parts.
This story also gets extra grace, because the characters are relatively still young enough to act stupid (22 and 25). Also, I had to give Cal extra extra grace because of his grief, and I think it became more obvious that Cal’s “I don’t want to lose you/ I’m not good enough for you/ you’re too innocent” nonsense was a result of his grief and heartbreaking fight to get back on track with life.
Overall, recommending this duology. Take it for what it is though and you should enjoy it. What it is - a cute, spicy romantic drama between two childhood best friends. We get a sweet epilogue too!
“Deceptive Cadence” You think you know what’s coming, but you never really do. And sometimes, when you think something is coming to an end, it’s actually the beginning of something beautiful.
———————————
Hmm…I need to digest this one. I didn’t hate it but it could have been much better.
RTC (I promise it will this time😭)
———————————-
God, just heal these two PLEASE. Give them peace so I’m not left in pieces (nobody tell me I’m dramatic. I know.
So. This wasn’t as good as book 1, as it turned into a bit of a repetitive back and forth about how he “wasn’t good enough for her blah blah blah”. Both Cal and Lucy had some serious growing up to do and I don’t feel we got that in book 2. Which is a shame because there was SO much potential for character development in this type of story about grief and growth.
That being said, it’s still a mid rating for me because I can’t deny, it was quite an epic love story. The love declarations, the gestures, the spice (apart from the first encounter) was all beautiful. It gave me Mia Sheridan vibes a bit in some parts.
This story also gets extra grace, because the characters are relatively still young enough to act stupid (22 and 25). Also, I had to give Cal extra extra grace because of his grief, and I think it became more obvious that Cal’s “I don’t want to lose you/ I’m not good enough for you/ you’re too innocent” nonsense was a result of his grief and heartbreaking fight to get back on track with life.
Overall, recommending this duology. Take it for what it is though and you should enjoy it. What it is - a cute, spicy romantic drama between two childhood best friends. We get a sweet epilogue too!
“Deceptive Cadence” You think you know what’s coming, but you never really do. And sometimes, when you think something is coming to an end, it’s actually the beginning of something beautiful.
———————————
Hmm…I need to digest this one. I didn’t hate it but it could have been much better.
RTC (I promise it will this time😭)
———————————-
God, just heal these two PLEASE. Give them peace so I’m not left in pieces (nobody tell me I’m dramatic. I know.
January 28, 2023
This is the continuation of Callahan and Lucy Hope
From the beautiful cover, to the storyline this author held my heart in her hands.
As soon as this went live that very same day on my kindle it sat, starting it that very second so that I could pull myself up from that brutal cliffy the previous book threw me over!
And like the previous book this grabbed me as soon as I started, I loved these two, the grump and his sunshine.
To discover what exactly happened to his younger sister, our heroines best friend back then, was heartbreaking, and to see how it affected each of these characters was devastating.
It was so easy to connect to these two, so easy to get into the storyline, so easy to fall in love with these two.
These two didn't have an easy road ahead of them, survivor guilt, the loss of a loved ones, grief, the list went on, he was so closed off, and she was full of sunshine, but together they were perfection. I loved how in the end they got their deserved HEA. The push and the pull made for a gripping emotional read. If you've not read this author before definitely take the plunge.
From the beautiful cover, to the storyline this author held my heart in her hands.
As soon as this went live that very same day on my kindle it sat, starting it that very second so that I could pull myself up from that brutal cliffy the previous book threw me over!
And like the previous book this grabbed me as soon as I started, I loved these two, the grump and his sunshine.
To discover what exactly happened to his younger sister, our heroines best friend back then, was heartbreaking, and to see how it affected each of these characters was devastating.
It was so easy to connect to these two, so easy to get into the storyline, so easy to fall in love with these two.
These two didn't have an easy road ahead of them, survivor guilt, the loss of a loved ones, grief, the list went on, he was so closed off, and she was full of sunshine, but together they were perfection. I loved how in the end they got their deserved HEA. The push and the pull made for a gripping emotional read. If you've not read this author before definitely take the plunge.
October 27, 2023
Y’all. This…I just…I fucking hated this. I did NOT have a good time reading it. Did I force myself to finish? Yes, because the titles and covers are stunning, so I bought the paperback set. So I feel justified in my meager rating. This is not the redemption we deserved. There was no crawling through a desert of broken glass and legos for Cal. He was objectively WORSE in this book than the first book, and so was Lucy for that matter. We start with Lucy in the hospital and Cal feeling like the selfish piece of shit he is. Does he take his second chance and do better? Nope. He does worse. Much worse.
Continues to be selfish, a martyr, a drunk, and a user. And Lucy just takes it all and asks “please sir, may I have some more?” Oh, but don’t worry, she hasn’t lost her virgin-like softness. She cries. A lot. Like, in every fucking chapter. So, you know…it affects her, but she doesn’t woman-up and demand better. She is just a useless little woman-child who has the personality of the color beige, and the kind of submissiveness that any abuser hunts down with fervor. I mean…you can just about do anything to Lucy!
Say anything, make her do anything you want…fuck her in a nasty bathroom while you’re drunk and feeling sorry for yourself, leave her there to cry, and she will come home and hug you and cook you fucking dinner! All women should want to be just like Lucy. Are you fucking KIDDING ME??? I love JH books, but this was not it. I’m mad at a damn book. I hate Cal, I hate Lucy, and every fucking time she cried her beautiful soft tears I wanted to rip out the pages from the book and set them on fire. “I’m no good for you” then “I will kill any man who looks at you” “I want you so bad” “No, we can’t be together!” This wasn’t angst, it was bullshit.
Continues to be selfish, a martyr, a drunk, and a user. And Lucy just takes it all and asks “please sir, may I have some more?” Oh, but don’t worry, she hasn’t lost her virgin-like softness. She cries. A lot. Like, in every fucking chapter. So, you know…it affects her, but she doesn’t woman-up and demand better. She is just a useless little woman-child who has the personality of the color beige, and the kind of submissiveness that any abuser hunts down with fervor. I mean…you can just about do anything to Lucy!
Say anything, make her do anything you want…fuck her in a nasty bathroom while you’re drunk and feeling sorry for yourself, leave her there to cry, and she will come home and hug you and cook you fucking dinner! All women should want to be just like Lucy. Are you fucking KIDDING ME??? I love JH books, but this was not it. I’m mad at a damn book. I hate Cal, I hate Lucy, and every fucking time she cried her beautiful soft tears I wanted to rip out the pages from the book and set them on fire. “I’m no good for you” then “I will kill any man who looks at you” “I want you so bad” “No, we can’t be together!” This wasn’t angst, it was bullshit.
February 19, 2023
match made in hell 🥰
January 25, 2023
I really enjoyed part one- the intrigue, the pining, the tension. Hot as hell and for someone who doesn't like emotional reads, I really couldn't put it down.
But this second part was slightly disappointing given all of the build-up book one left off with. This book was just a lot of Cal being moody, changing his mind so many times that I couldn't keep up. I almost agreed with him that they shouldn't be together because his mood swings were just all over the place. I also felt like the storyline about Emma could've been more as there was so much mystery surrounding what happened to her, that once we finally got to her story, it felt very stagnant. I feel like there could've been a little more as other JH books usually have some more substance to their plots/situations. Still an enjoyable book, but this could've been one book vs a duet.
But this second part was slightly disappointing given all of the build-up book one left off with. This book was just a lot of Cal being moody, changing his mind so many times that I couldn't keep up. I almost agreed with him that they shouldn't be together because his mood swings were just all over the place. I also felt like the storyline about Emma could've been more as there was so much mystery surrounding what happened to her, that once we finally got to her story, it felt very stagnant. I feel like there could've been a little more as other JH books usually have some more substance to their plots/situations. Still an enjoyable book, but this could've been one book vs a duet.
Read
January 27, 2023Review to come
May 14, 2025
3.5⭐
This one just didn't hit like the first one for me because Cal drove me slightly insane the first 50% not going to lie. Now, I completely understand Cal also went through his own things so I think his grumpiness was slightly excused.. but still. He made me want to chuck my kindle at times.
I am very happy with the way this ended but I almost just think it could've been one 400 page book. This one felt like not much was happening at times.
All in all, I did enjoy this duet and story though. It was so emotional and I love Jennifer Hartmann's writing so much!
This one just didn't hit like the first one for me because Cal drove me slightly insane the first 50% not going to lie. Now, I completely understand Cal also went through his own things so I think his grumpiness was slightly excused.. but still. He made me want to chuck my kindle at times.
I am very happy with the way this ended but I almost just think it could've been one 400 page book. This one felt like not much was happening at times.
All in all, I did enjoy this duet and story though. It was so emotional and I love Jennifer Hartmann's writing so much!
April 26, 2023
Lucy and Cal got their HEA.
Predictable.
And I kind of hated how Lucy’s health condition was portrayed.
SPOILER
Lucy believe she is dying.
Turns out she had misunderstood everything, her heart condition wasn’t as deadly as she believed 🤦🏻♀️
Come on.
Predictable.
And I kind of hated how Lucy’s health condition was portrayed.
SPOILER
Lucy believe she is dying.
Turns out she had misunderstood everything, her heart condition wasn’t as deadly as she believed 🤦🏻♀️
Come on.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 2, 2023
You must read An Optimist’s Guide to Heartbreak before reading this book.
A Pessimist’s Guide to Love is the conclusion to the Heartsong duet. It picks up in the aftermath of the cliffhanger. Whereas the first book was mostly Lucy’s POV (with Cal for the last chapter), this book has dual POV.
Overall, this conclusion was a bit of a let down after the build up that was the first book. The problem with duets sometimes is that the first book creates expectations and foreshadowing that can’t always be met in the second book. That’s what happened here. The author’s writing was beautiful, as always, but this book shouldn’t have been a duet. We mostly saw Cal’s inner monologue on should he/shouldn’t he when it came to being with Lucy. We saw Lucy continue to enable him and his mood swings. That really was it.
The mystery behind the sister’s death (while tragic) was ultimately underwhelming considering how big of a topic it was for the duet. Also there’s a particular bathroom scene that just fell so flat for me (Lucy deserved better).
I would still recommend this duet because the emotions were definitely there in the first book, but I would say go into the second book with lowered expectations.
Thank you to the author for providing an ARC!
TROPES: duet; grumpy/sunshine; office romance (auto shop); best friend's brother; virgin heroine; motorcycle riding/tattooed hero; slow burn; dual POV (first book was single POV-heroine)
TRIGGER WARNINGS:
A Pessimist’s Guide to Love is the conclusion to the Heartsong duet. It picks up in the aftermath of the cliffhanger. Whereas the first book was mostly Lucy’s POV (with Cal for the last chapter), this book has dual POV.
Overall, this conclusion was a bit of a let down after the build up that was the first book. The problem with duets sometimes is that the first book creates expectations and foreshadowing that can’t always be met in the second book. That’s what happened here. The author’s writing was beautiful, as always, but this book shouldn’t have been a duet. We mostly saw Cal’s inner monologue on should he/shouldn’t he when it came to being with Lucy. We saw Lucy continue to enable him and his mood swings. That really was it.
The mystery behind the sister’s death (while tragic) was ultimately underwhelming considering how big of a topic it was for the duet. Also there’s a particular bathroom scene that just fell so flat for me (Lucy deserved better).
I would still recommend this duet because the emotions were definitely there in the first book, but I would say go into the second book with lowered expectations.
Thank you to the author for providing an ARC!
TROPES: duet; grumpy/sunshine; office romance (auto shop); best friend's brother; virgin heroine; motorcycle riding/tattooed hero; slow burn; dual POV (first book was single POV-heroine)
TRIGGER WARNINGS:
April 30, 2025
Le doy 3 estrellas por respeto al primer libro y porque bien o mal, tiene un poco la esencia de ese primero.
Sin embargo, creo que que al ser una bilogía, quedó muy largo y en esta parte no sucede mucho.
Se desarrolla más el pasado de él, que eso me gustó, y vemos su crecimiento personal, pero en sí el romance no me entusiasmó como antes. Hubo una escena en particular que no me gustó para nada y eso me arruinó casi toda la experiencia.
De todas maneras, fueron libros que me engancharon y el primero fue genial, así que no estuvo tan mal.
Sin embargo, creo que que al ser una bilogía, quedó muy largo y en esta parte no sucede mucho.
Se desarrolla más el pasado de él, que eso me gustó, y vemos su crecimiento personal, pero en sí el romance no me entusiasmó como antes. Hubo una escena en particular que no me gustó para nada y eso me arruinó casi toda la experiencia.
De todas maneras, fueron libros que me engancharon y el primero fue genial, así que no estuvo tan mal.
February 6, 2024
2nd Read, Feb 2024:
It’s always just fun to revisit favorite books and this duet was one of my fav reads of 2023. This is the continuation of Lucy and Cal’s story and I just love these two so much. All my thoughts from the first read still stand! I did do the audio for this reread.
1st Read, Jan 2023:
A Pessimist’s Guide to Love is the 2nd book in Jennifer Hartmann’s Heartsong duet and I absolutely devoured this duet. Book 1 is my favorite read so far this year and I knew going in this second book would hit different. But I loved it too! This one is a continuation of Lucy and Cal’s story from the first book (which you need to read first) but definitely moodier. But it honestly worked so well for me balanced with the first book in the duet.
“All the lonely people. I know where they all come from because I spent years existing as one of them. And as I stare at Lucy across the room, drinking in the smile that tips her lips and waters her eyes, I know one thing is for certain… I don’t want to be lonely anymore.” — Cal
Cal and Lucy grew up as neighbors and were best friends as children, along with his sister. After the tragedy in his family when they were teens, Cal moved away and they lost touch. Until 9 years later when Lucy finds Cal again. Lucy is the sunshine to Cal’s broody tortured self. They both have a lot from the past to work through (separately) before their HEA. So after events of the first book (and the ending), Cal wants Lucy to come stay with him.
Like I mentioned, Cal is the poster child of a tortured hero. He’s lost a lot in life (his sister, his father, his mother in a way) and doesn’t want to feel because feeling has always turned into suffering for him and to Cal, “love equals loss”. I really loved how Lucy is in his life and proves to him daily that the end of something doesn’t have to be the end of everything. The first half of the story is really Cal working against, and through, his issues. Thinking he’s not worthy of being in Lucy‘s life, he doesn’t want to accept her love. I really loved this journey for him though, it wouldn’t make sense for his character to just quickly move on and give in…he has things to work through. I did appreciate how they get to their HEA together. There are times when people come together through their trauma, connect and cling to one another through that. But there are also people who experience trauma or sadness and push people away, even when it’s the person who loves them. And this is Cal’s character.
So while the first book is angsty in a sexual-tension filled way (and it’s delicious), this second book is angsty in a melancholy, moody filled way. But it really really worked for me too, I honest loved both and I loved the journey through both books for Lucy and Cal. These are my favorite Jennifer Hartmann books to date that I’ve read.
CW: mentions of past drug addiction, alcoholism, death of a loved one (referenced from the past), suicide of a parent (referenced from the past), medical condition
It’s always just fun to revisit favorite books and this duet was one of my fav reads of 2023. This is the continuation of Lucy and Cal’s story and I just love these two so much. All my thoughts from the first read still stand! I did do the audio for this reread.
1st Read, Jan 2023:
A Pessimist’s Guide to Love is the 2nd book in Jennifer Hartmann’s Heartsong duet and I absolutely devoured this duet. Book 1 is my favorite read so far this year and I knew going in this second book would hit different. But I loved it too! This one is a continuation of Lucy and Cal’s story from the first book (which you need to read first) but definitely moodier. But it honestly worked so well for me balanced with the first book in the duet.
“All the lonely people. I know where they all come from because I spent years existing as one of them. And as I stare at Lucy across the room, drinking in the smile that tips her lips and waters her eyes, I know one thing is for certain… I don’t want to be lonely anymore.” — Cal
Cal and Lucy grew up as neighbors and were best friends as children, along with his sister. After the tragedy in his family when they were teens, Cal moved away and they lost touch. Until 9 years later when Lucy finds Cal again. Lucy is the sunshine to Cal’s broody tortured self. They both have a lot from the past to work through (separately) before their HEA. So after events of the first book (and the ending), Cal wants Lucy to come stay with him.
Like I mentioned, Cal is the poster child of a tortured hero. He’s lost a lot in life (his sister, his father, his mother in a way) and doesn’t want to feel because feeling has always turned into suffering for him and to Cal, “love equals loss”. I really loved how Lucy is in his life and proves to him daily that the end of something doesn’t have to be the end of everything. The first half of the story is really Cal working against, and through, his issues. Thinking he’s not worthy of being in Lucy‘s life, he doesn’t want to accept her love. I really loved this journey for him though, it wouldn’t make sense for his character to just quickly move on and give in…he has things to work through. I did appreciate how they get to their HEA together. There are times when people come together through their trauma, connect and cling to one another through that. But there are also people who experience trauma or sadness and push people away, even when it’s the person who loves them. And this is Cal’s character.
So while the first book is angsty in a sexual-tension filled way (and it’s delicious), this second book is angsty in a melancholy, moody filled way. But it really really worked for me too, I honest loved both and I loved the journey through both books for Lucy and Cal. These are my favorite Jennifer Hartmann books to date that I’ve read.
CW: mentions of past drug addiction, alcoholism, death of a loved one (referenced from the past), suicide of a parent (referenced from the past), medical condition
August 29, 2024
5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Це був один з найкращих любовних романів за останній час. Історія складається з двох книжок, кінець першої - просто вибив світ у мене з-під ніг.
Ось що вміє робити пані Хартманн: вона прописує настільки складних і комплексних персонажів, що коли ти не розумієш якоїсь поведінки героя, тягнеш за ниточку і тобі "вивалюють" купу всього, купу подій і причин і ти, навіть якщо сильно злишся і хочеш когось вдарити, розумієш, чому це відбувається.
Я і плакала і сміялась, дивувалася і лякалася. І ще тут дуже гарячі сцени, які працюють, бо вони емоційно ідеально вписані в історію.
Всі пазли склалися, є над чим подумати та багато чого переосмислити.
Люсі і Кел тепер назавжди в моєму серці ( дайте Люсі медаль за терпіння, кохання, витримку, велике всепрощаюче та любляче серце)
5/5* для мене, рекомендую
Це був один з найкращих любовних романів за останній час. Історія складається з двох книжок, кінець першої - просто вибив світ у мене з-під ніг.
Ось що вміє робити пані Хартманн: вона прописує настільки складних і комплексних персонажів, що коли ти не розумієш якоїсь поведінки героя, тягнеш за ниточку і тобі "вивалюють" купу всього, купу подій і причин і ти, навіть якщо сильно злишся і хочеш когось вдарити, розумієш, чому це відбувається.
Я і плакала і сміялась, дивувалася і лякалася. І ще тут дуже гарячі сцени, які працюють, бо вони емоційно ідеально вписані в історію.
Всі пазли склалися, є над чим подумати та багато чого переосмислити.
Люсі і Кел тепер назавжди в моєму серці ( дайте Люсі медаль за терпіння, кохання, витримку, велике всепрощаюче та любляче серце)
5/5* для мене, рекомендую
February 3, 2023
A Pessimist's Guide to Love is a fantastic conclusion to the Heartsong Duet. The first book felt really bleak to me and while this one started a bit the same it ended up being a beautiful love story of hope and redemption. My only complaint is that we didn’t get as much insight as I would have liked when it comes to Lucy’s condition. It’s really glossed over here which was disappointing because it was basically the entire plot to the first book. So, I would have liked to see a little more talk or at least more of an explanation of her life expectancy. Other than that Cal and Lucy’s journey was touching, spicy at times, and really heartfelt. I’m glad I chose to read this one.
If you’re looking for an emotional, childhood best friends’ romance/duet then I recommend this one from Jennifer Hartmann. I read it in one sitting.
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗧: 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥
If you’re looking for an emotional, childhood best friends’ romance/duet then I recommend this one from Jennifer Hartmann. I read it in one sitting.
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗧: 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥
June 13, 2025
URGHHHHH...... I hate adulting 😭 this book took me nearly took me a week to finish because of how busy I am.
this duology is very triggering (family memberS/ friendS death) note how capitalized the Ss are...
I loved Lucy and Cal; how they develop emotionally and heal from their trauma, how they communicate and solve their problems and how they found their way to each other.
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕮𝖑𝖔𝖘𝖊𝖉 𝕯𝖔𝖔𝖗 𝕸𝖔𝖉𝖎𝖋𝖎𝖈𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
SKIP CHAPTER: 11, 17, 18, 21, 25
⚠️ (I may be missing some parts so be cautious)
this duology is very triggering (family memberS/ friendS death) note how capitalized the Ss are...
I loved Lucy and Cal; how they develop emotionally and heal from their trauma, how they communicate and solve their problems and how they found their way to each other.
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕮𝖑𝖔𝖘𝖊𝖉 𝕯𝖔𝖔𝖗 𝕸𝖔𝖉𝖎𝖋𝖎𝖈𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
SKIP CHAPTER: 11, 17, 18, 21, 25
⚠️ (I may be missing some parts so be cautious)
January 20, 2024
I... didn't like this.
I didn't like both characters
I didn't like the plot
I didn't like anything really.
I don't understand why the author went that way with Cal's trauma and the fact that THEIR FIRST TIME, which also happens to be LUCY'S FIRST TIME, happens in a bar bathroom.... against a wall.
No thank you.
This pissed me off
I didn't like both characters
I didn't like the plot
I didn't like anything really.
I don't understand why the author went that way with Cal's trauma and the fact that THEIR FIRST TIME, which also happens to be LUCY'S FIRST TIME, happens in a bar bathroom.... against a wall.
No thank you.
This pissed me off
January 31, 2023
***4,25 "Deceptive Cadence!!!" stars***
"Deceptive Cadence"
You think you know what's coming, but you never really do.
And sometimes, when you think something is coming to an end, it's actually the beginning of something beautiful.
This story was so emotional... It broke my heart a million times, but it healed me at the end!!!
Heartsong duet was about hope, strength, love and healing...
Our heroes were broken, but love can always give you strength and heal you...
Yes, these two had to face many obstacles... mostly internal, but at the end... they show us that even with grief, life can move on...
I really loved Cal and Lucy for once again, even though they made me cry many times in here!!!!
"There's beauty in the breakdown, a glimmer of light hidden in the smoke. And sometimes, every once in a while, if you're truly lucky... There is love."
The story picked up exactly where it left us, but unfortunately, this new reality left Cal with even more grief and guilts and that wasn't a good thing...
Lucy is fighting for him with her bright spirit, but Cal's darkness is too thick for her rays to penetrate the dark fog...
Cal is taking a dark path, a path that he had already walked once before, but he needs to face his demons in order to move on and open freely the door to love!!!
My heart was breaking for this man, but it was also breaking for poor Lucy who's light was fading away because of Cal's behavior...
"It's too... dangerous.
It would be too easy for this heart to slaughter mine.
Too easy for those arms to crush me."
This was a difficult journey full of sad moments and demons that were lurking in the dark ready to strike and destroy them...
The half first of this part was bringing me anxiety, but at the second half some rays of hope got through the darkness...
I liked that I heard Cal in here and that I took all the answers of the past...
I didn't like his actions, but I could understand him!!!
Lucy was always the amazing creature that we met in the first part and she was very loyal and a true fighter...
These two were meant to be, even though it took some time for them to get into that place who could bring them some happiness!!!
“Your struggles don’t scare me.
Your flaws don’t make me want to run the other way.
They only make me want to fight with you.”
I enjoyed this story very much, even though it pained me greatly!!!
Cal and Lucy's journey was bittersweet, but they showed us that not everything in life comes easily...
Grief is a heavy load to carry and it is very hard to fight it, but when hope and love is coming your way, you need to fight with all your mighty to slay your demons...and then, happiness will grace you...
You will never forget, but it is not always bad to move on... You have to let go the bad memories and keep only the good ones and then... you will be lighter and ready to embrace life for once again!!!
"Even a tragedy can have a happy ending.
Sometimes we just need to write it in ourselves."
**I received an ARC for the exchange of an honest review**
"Deceptive Cadence"
You think you know what's coming, but you never really do.
And sometimes, when you think something is coming to an end, it's actually the beginning of something beautiful.
This story was so emotional... It broke my heart a million times, but it healed me at the end!!!
Heartsong duet was about hope, strength, love and healing...
Our heroes were broken, but love can always give you strength and heal you...
Yes, these two had to face many obstacles... mostly internal, but at the end... they show us that even with grief, life can move on...
I really loved Cal and Lucy for once again, even though they made me cry many times in here!!!!
"There's beauty in the breakdown, a glimmer of light hidden in the smoke. And sometimes, every once in a while, if you're truly lucky... There is love."
The story picked up exactly where it left us, but unfortunately, this new reality left Cal with even more grief and guilts and that wasn't a good thing...
Lucy is fighting for him with her bright spirit, but Cal's darkness is too thick for her rays to penetrate the dark fog...
Cal is taking a dark path, a path that he had already walked once before, but he needs to face his demons in order to move on and open freely the door to love!!!
My heart was breaking for this man, but it was also breaking for poor Lucy who's light was fading away because of Cal's behavior...
"It's too... dangerous.
It would be too easy for this heart to slaughter mine.
Too easy for those arms to crush me."
This was a difficult journey full of sad moments and demons that were lurking in the dark ready to strike and destroy them...
The half first of this part was bringing me anxiety, but at the second half some rays of hope got through the darkness...
I liked that I heard Cal in here and that I took all the answers of the past...
I didn't like his actions, but I could understand him!!!
Lucy was always the amazing creature that we met in the first part and she was very loyal and a true fighter...
These two were meant to be, even though it took some time for them to get into that place who could bring them some happiness!!!
“Your struggles don’t scare me.
Your flaws don’t make me want to run the other way.
They only make me want to fight with you.”
I enjoyed this story very much, even though it pained me greatly!!!
Cal and Lucy's journey was bittersweet, but they showed us that not everything in life comes easily...
Grief is a heavy load to carry and it is very hard to fight it, but when hope and love is coming your way, you need to fight with all your mighty to slay your demons...and then, happiness will grace you...
You will never forget, but it is not always bad to move on... You have to let go the bad memories and keep only the good ones and then... you will be lighter and ready to embrace life for once again!!!
"Even a tragedy can have a happy ending.
Sometimes we just need to write it in ourselves."
**I received an ARC for the exchange of an honest review**
March 27, 2025
Uhggg! What a perfect ending to this duo ❤️ im yet to read a book by Jennifer Hartmann that I don’t love!
Lucy and Cal has my whole heart 🥲
Lucy and Cal has my whole heart 🥲
February 2, 2023
3 ⭐️
For the:
—spice
—the groveling
—the ending
I love Jennifer Hartmann’s work, her books make me feel every emotion while reading and there’s a guaranteed chance I’ll cry.
But this one just didn’t do it for me. It felt rushed? Not enough time? I don’t know. Cal just made me irrationally angry like he did in the first book, Lucy was a bit too much for me, and it just felt like it was rushed to get that happy ending? And the first official sex scene? Come on. Just not my cup of tea. I don’t want to spoil it, but I was disappointed. I did appreciate the fact that he groveled and felt like crap after but still. It wasn’t my favorite.
There’s a lot that didn’t vibe with me with this book, including the characters actions, the rush ness, the first sex scene, the past of Cal only being brought up once and then left alone, but overall I was satisfied with how it ended. I also was satisfied with the groveling and the spice (not the first scene) scenes. It made me feel like I got the answers I needed and the closure I wanted from these characters and their relationship. It was enjoyable for the most part, but again, there were a lot of things that bothered me or didn’t feel natural between the characters and the story itself.
I really enjoyed the first book, it made me feel all the emotions, and while this one had me feeling content and satisfied with the closure I received, it didn’t live up to what the first book provided for me emotionally as a reader. I still love Jennifer’s work, and always will, this book just wasn’t my top read from her unfortunately.
For the:
—spice
—the groveling
—the ending
I love Jennifer Hartmann’s work, her books make me feel every emotion while reading and there’s a guaranteed chance I’ll cry.
But this one just didn’t do it for me. It felt rushed? Not enough time? I don’t know. Cal just made me irrationally angry like he did in the first book, Lucy was a bit too much for me, and it just felt like it was rushed to get that happy ending? And the first official sex scene? Come on. Just not my cup of tea. I don’t want to spoil it, but I was disappointed. I did appreciate the fact that he groveled and felt like crap after but still. It wasn’t my favorite.
There’s a lot that didn’t vibe with me with this book, including the characters actions, the rush ness, the first sex scene, the past of Cal only being brought up once and then left alone, but overall I was satisfied with how it ended. I also was satisfied with the groveling and the spice (not the first scene) scenes. It made me feel like I got the answers I needed and the closure I wanted from these characters and their relationship. It was enjoyable for the most part, but again, there were a lot of things that bothered me or didn’t feel natural between the characters and the story itself.
I really enjoyed the first book, it made me feel all the emotions, and while this one had me feeling content and satisfied with the closure I received, it didn’t live up to what the first book provided for me emotionally as a reader. I still love Jennifer’s work, and always will, this book just wasn’t my top read from her unfortunately.
June 23, 2024
This was a good wrap-up to Cal's and Lucy's story. I rate this at a 3.75. I was a little disappointed in Lucy's continuous apologizing yet withholding important information. It's like she never learned after the first three times of doing it. Because that is an exhausting trait to me with characters in stories is the reason why the 3.5 rating. However, I starred it at 4 because half stars are not available.
This book is a dual perspective. And I honestly wish it wasn't. It just made Cal's character so unlikable. I get the idea of his character and what he's going through, but it was just so mean, and then I felt like I got whiplash, and all of a sudden, he's got a complete character change. It felt so sudden when there was so much of this book devoted to his bad behaviors.
I also hated the bathroom scene. It was not good. And the whole reveal about what happened to Emma left me disappointed.🙄🙄
Overall, this duet was not one of my faves by this author. I would definitely recommend her other books. This one just didn't hit the mark, or it should have just been 1 book.
“I saw you playing in your front yard when you were just a little girl. You were sitting there, cross-legged, plucking blades of grass out of the ground, sending me curious glances as I dribbled a basketball in my driveway. I was too nervous to talk to you, so Emma skipped across the yard and dragged you over, telling me you were going to be our new best friend. You smiled. You smiled like you hit the jackpot, and I thought about that smile every single day for years to come. I craved it. I still crave it.” He holds the ring up in front of me, fingers trembling. “You became that breath of fresh air when I was lost in the smoke, the warmth on my skin when I hadn’t seen the sun for weeks.” He stares at me, achingly. Longingly. “You’re my adventure in every disaster.” Cal
Audible 🎶
**Second chance
**Struggles/Secrets
**Slooooooow Burn
**Childhood friends to lovers
**Loss.. his sister. Her father
**Illness
**Chemistry 🔥🔥🔥🔥
This book is a dual perspective. And I honestly wish it wasn't. It just made Cal's character so unlikable. I get the idea of his character and what he's going through, but it was just so mean, and then I felt like I got whiplash, and all of a sudden, he's got a complete character change. It felt so sudden when there was so much of this book devoted to his bad behaviors.
I also hated the bathroom scene. It was not good. And the whole reveal about what happened to Emma left me disappointed.🙄🙄
Overall, this duet was not one of my faves by this author. I would definitely recommend her other books. This one just didn't hit the mark, or it should have just been 1 book.
“I saw you playing in your front yard when you were just a little girl. You were sitting there, cross-legged, plucking blades of grass out of the ground, sending me curious glances as I dribbled a basketball in my driveway. I was too nervous to talk to you, so Emma skipped across the yard and dragged you over, telling me you were going to be our new best friend. You smiled. You smiled like you hit the jackpot, and I thought about that smile every single day for years to come. I craved it. I still crave it.” He holds the ring up in front of me, fingers trembling. “You became that breath of fresh air when I was lost in the smoke, the warmth on my skin when I hadn’t seen the sun for weeks.” He stares at me, achingly. Longingly. “You’re my adventure in every disaster.” Cal
Audible 🎶
**Second chance
**Struggles/Secrets
**Slooooooow Burn
**Childhood friends to lovers
**Loss.. his sister. Her father
**Illness
**Chemistry 🔥🔥🔥🔥
February 15, 2023
It's a beautiful ending to Cal and Lucy's story. And while it didn't emotionally destroy me like the first book did, I still loved it, and it still managed to tug the heartstrings nearly to their breaking point. What a great way to become acquainted with Jennifer Hartmann's writing for the first time.
September 1, 2024
First and foremost I have to say that Jennifer Hartmann is by far one of my favorite authors I've discovered since I picked up the hobby of incessantly reading again last year. With that said, this is the first time I've read a duet that she's written, as all the previous works I'm familiar with are standalones. I try to take my reviews seriously and judge fairly across the board. Duets and series have to be judged a bit differently than standalones because you have previous content to consider and cannot base the review solely on the material just finished. Was momentum from the previous novel carried through to the next? Do the characters and tone of the story feel the same? Were problems presented in the previous novel answered or even remembered in the next one? This is just a few of the things I consider when evaluating such things. Bearing all this in mind, I had to knock off a point for my rating for this book and I cannot express to you how much it pains me to do that. Not only is Jennifer an incredibly talented author, but she's just an amazing person all around and it almost feels like a betrayal to do so. Anyway, I'll shut up with all this preface now and just move on to my review.
********************************************
This installment continues where the previous book left off and we open with Lucy being in the hospital. From there, Lucy agrees to stay with Cal while she recovers and this book covers how their relationship develops and grows and, of course, how they handle obstacles and disagreements in between.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, it's easier for me to think about things I don't like than it is for me to get started with the things that I do.
I did not like how Lucy lost her virginity to Cal. Grant it, I LOVE that it was Cal, as I feel like that's the only person in the world that Lucy ever wanted to share that with, but I just did not expect Cal to let it go down like that or even for Lucy to agree to it. I know it was meant to justify Cal's legitimate concern that he would "ruin" Lucy if he tried to be with her, but that just felt a little too extreme and you would think that at some point a rational thought would take over and be like, "Not here. Not like this." It just felt a little disconnected from the personality that had already been established for Cal.
***Yeah, I'll probably never forgive you either, Cal.***
Next I want to touch base on the fact that there was a BIG conversation missing from this installment. Lucy had previously dropped a huge bomb on Cal when she told him she was dying. This caused him to spiral down a very dark hole and caused such a rift in the relationship they had been building. Grant it, later we learn that Lucy is in fact not dying and that she and her friend, Jessica, did not have the same defect through a conversation with Greg, but not ONCE is this EVER revisited in the second book between Cal and Lucy themselves. For it to have been used as such a monumental instrument of conflict in the first book between our two main characters, it felt like a major plot hole to never be addressed between the two of them in the second book.
Aside from the aforementioned, I adored Cal and Lucy's story. I laughed and cried....a lot! Jennifer Hartmann has a way of writing that speaks directly to your soul. I thought it was a beautiful way to show how grief affects people differently and how through shared tragedy/trauma we can find strength and the will to keep moving forward. Emma's life was tragically and cruelly taken from her and the hole her passing left in both Cal and Lucy's life was immense, but once the two of them were able to reconnect, they were able to see just how blessed they were to have spent the years that they did have with her. It comes down to the fact that we're ALL dying. Each and every single one of us have an expiration date that could be 50 years from now, tomorrow, or even within the next hour. So we have to make each moment count and appreciate every second we have with those we love and care about because every second of life is a blessing that shouldn't be taken for granted.
********************************************
This installment continues where the previous book left off and we open with Lucy being in the hospital. From there, Lucy agrees to stay with Cal while she recovers and this book covers how their relationship develops and grows and, of course, how they handle obstacles and disagreements in between.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, it's easier for me to think about things I don't like than it is for me to get started with the things that I do.
I did not like how Lucy lost her virginity to Cal. Grant it, I LOVE that it was Cal, as I feel like that's the only person in the world that Lucy ever wanted to share that with, but I just did not expect Cal to let it go down like that or even for Lucy to agree to it. I know it was meant to justify Cal's legitimate concern that he would "ruin" Lucy if he tried to be with her, but that just felt a little too extreme and you would think that at some point a rational thought would take over and be like, "Not here. Not like this." It just felt a little disconnected from the personality that had already been established for Cal.
***Yeah, I'll probably never forgive you either, Cal.***
Next I want to touch base on the fact that there was a BIG conversation missing from this installment. Lucy had previously dropped a huge bomb on Cal when she told him she was dying. This caused him to spiral down a very dark hole and caused such a rift in the relationship they had been building. Grant it, later we learn that Lucy is in fact not dying and that she and her friend, Jessica, did not have the same defect through a conversation with Greg, but not ONCE is this EVER revisited in the second book between Cal and Lucy themselves. For it to have been used as such a monumental instrument of conflict in the first book between our two main characters, it felt like a major plot hole to never be addressed between the two of them in the second book.
Aside from the aforementioned, I adored Cal and Lucy's story. I laughed and cried....a lot! Jennifer Hartmann has a way of writing that speaks directly to your soul. I thought it was a beautiful way to show how grief affects people differently and how through shared tragedy/trauma we can find strength and the will to keep moving forward. Emma's life was tragically and cruelly taken from her and the hole her passing left in both Cal and Lucy's life was immense, but once the two of them were able to reconnect, they were able to see just how blessed they were to have spent the years that they did have with her. It comes down to the fact that we're ALL dying. Each and every single one of us have an expiration date that could be 50 years from now, tomorrow, or even within the next hour. So we have to make each moment count and appreciate every second we have with those we love and care about because every second of life is a blessing that shouldn't be taken for granted.
January 23, 2023
“Home is something I buried a long time ago….But I buried it inside you. Just in case I ever wanted to go back.”
MY HEART!!!!
The swoons. The tears. The emotional low moments and the glorious highs. This book had it all. This duet has it all. My soul feels complete and my heart happy.
What an amazing story. I couldn’t put the book down. The pages flew by and I was here for every moment. I would have happily read a third book.
You will not regret reading this series. The ultimate binge read!
MY HEART!!!!
The swoons. The tears. The emotional low moments and the glorious highs. This book had it all. This duet has it all. My soul feels complete and my heart happy.
What an amazing story. I couldn’t put the book down. The pages flew by and I was here for every moment. I would have happily read a third book.
You will not regret reading this series. The ultimate binge read!
February 3, 2023
3.4 Stars✰
Welp. This fell a little short.
➺It felt like it was a repetition of the first book with few details added, some other developments, and the characters' journey towards being in a relationship was an enhanced version of what they were in the first one. So overall it felt like it could've been fitted in the first book and it would've been fine to add another hundred pages to wrap it up perfectly.
The ending of the first one was not really a major cliffhanger because while it was predictable that something like that is going to occur sooner or later, it became obvious all will be fine in the next book. And jumping in this sequel, it went exactly the way i thought it would go but was secretly hoping it would be in a unique way.
➺Unfortunately, it was like this : she recovered, they got past the H's "not good enough for you" mentality, they slowly started to date, there was ofc that one thing which she was hiding from him but got scared when the right time came so it came back later in the name of "conflict" (which is what happened in the first book), after a while they got back together no worries, by the end we have all the missing pieces of information (which i didn't knew was missing) cleared up, and it ended on a good note.
I'm skeptical about duets for this exact reason. Sure this was still better than any other failed duets but it always feels like the first book was this uniquely structured story and the second one undervalues it's strength and power.
➺ I also can't rate this anything less than 3 stars because this is probably the first 'grumpy-sunshine' trope where i actually felt like the heroine was a true sunshine and i not only liked it but i loved it. I don't usually love optimists specially if they are magnanimous, but for some reason Lucy is so damn lovable and cute and hilarious and it feels like she is the sunshine of my life. Which i am now finding it weird to type.
And people think romance novels are not informative. Every. Day. I learn a new thing from them. Smh.
Welp. This fell a little short.
➺It felt like it was a repetition of the first book with few details added, some other developments, and the characters' journey towards being in a relationship was an enhanced version of what they were in the first one. So overall it felt like it could've been fitted in the first book and it would've been fine to add another hundred pages to wrap it up perfectly.
The ending of the first one was not really a major cliffhanger because while it was predictable that something like that is going to occur sooner or later, it became obvious all will be fine in the next book. And jumping in this sequel, it went exactly the way i thought it would go but was secretly hoping it would be in a unique way.
➺Unfortunately, it was like this : she recovered, they got past the H's "not good enough for you" mentality, they slowly started to date, there was ofc that one thing which she was hiding from him but got scared when the right time came so it came back later in the name of "conflict" (which is what happened in the first book), after a while they got back together no worries, by the end we have all the missing pieces of information (which i didn't knew was missing) cleared up, and it ended on a good note.
I'm skeptical about duets for this exact reason. Sure this was still better than any other failed duets but it always feels like the first book was this uniquely structured story and the second one undervalues it's strength and power.
➺ I also can't rate this anything less than 3 stars because this is probably the first 'grumpy-sunshine' trope where i actually felt like the heroine was a true sunshine and i not only liked it but i loved it. I don't usually love optimists specially if they are magnanimous, but for some reason Lucy is so damn lovable and cute and hilarious and it feels like she is the sunshine of my life. Which i am now finding it weird to type.
“Deceptive Cadence” :
You think you know what’s coming, but you never really do.
And sometimes, when you think something is coming to an end, it’s actually the beginning of something beautiful.
Heartsong:“The expression of a person’s inner essence, underlying identity, and reason for existence.”
And people think romance novels are not informative. Every. Day. I learn a new thing from them. Smh.
“Home is something I buried a long time ago,” he tells me, voice cracking with sentiment. A breath passes between us, a drumbeat. And then he whispers, “But I buried it inside you. Just in case I ever wanted to go back.”
January 25, 2023
When I went into book 2 of this duet, I was hoping for one thing, redemption. This book will hurt and be frustrating for the first 50%. Cal didn’t treat Lucy the way she deserved to be treated. I know Cal has experienced Trauma and has his own demons, but I really struggled to overcome how he acted towards Lucy for the majority of the books.
I did end up liking Cal by the end of the series but I still think the series lacked the proper accountability and groveling.
The bright light in this series was Lucy. She is pure perfection and I just adored her quirky and bright personality. I loved her word vomit moments and quirkiness. You will really feel like you understand her because she comes to life through the pages.
The end of the book wraps up so beautifully. The ending wasn’t rushed. You will have a lot of closure and probably some goosebumps!
Overall I enjoyed the series. I enjoyed the first book more because there was a mysterious element to it that had me hooked.
I did end up liking Cal by the end of the series but I still think the series lacked the proper accountability and groveling.
The bright light in this series was Lucy. She is pure perfection and I just adored her quirky and bright personality. I loved her word vomit moments and quirkiness. You will really feel like you understand her because she comes to life through the pages.
The end of the book wraps up so beautifully. The ending wasn’t rushed. You will have a lot of closure and probably some goosebumps!
Overall I enjoyed the series. I enjoyed the first book more because there was a mysterious element to it that had me hooked.
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