What do you think?
Rate this book
A Heart Full of Hope
Opposites attract, repel, and bicker like fools in this adorable small town lesbian romance about finding what truly matters in life.
Smalltown handywoman Hazel Lee has learned to live her best life regardless of what the universe throws at her. But her patience is sorely tested when a bossy, big-city executive blows in and starts questioning Hazel’s motives for helping an elderly friend.
High-powered businesswoman Imogen Alexander has her career all set. Then her elderly uncle takes a bad fall in his home. Imogen figures she can surely run his life as tightly as her work, but she doesn’t count on an annoying local woman being all up in his business.
Hazel has one leg, two jobs, and a whole bunch of opinions. Worse, now meddling old Uncle George seems intent on match-making the women together.
But what could an icy standoffish executive in hot skirt suits possibly have in common with a cute butch with charm to burn?
Smalltown handywoman Hazel Lee has learned to live her best life regardless of what the universe throws at her. But her patience is sorely tested when a bossy, big-city executive blows in and starts questioning Hazel’s motives for helping an elderly friend.
High-powered businesswoman Imogen Alexander has her career all set. Then her elderly uncle takes a bad fall in his home. Imogen figures she can surely run his life as tightly as her work, but she doesn’t count on an annoying local woman being all up in his business.
Hazel has one leg, two jobs, and a whole bunch of opinions. Worse, now meddling old Uncle George seems intent on match-making the women together.
But what could an icy standoffish executive in hot skirt suits possibly have in common with a cute butch with charm to burn?
274 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 23, 2024
105 people are currently reading
893 people want to read
About the author
Cheyenne Blue
96 books468 followersG’day and welcome. I’m Cheyenne Blue. I write big-hearted sapphic romance with strong women, mainly set in Australia.
My fifteenth romance, Sometimes We Fly is out April 2025. A closeted celebrity, a furious neighbour, and a whole lot of sexual tension charge this late-in-life coming-out lesbian romance set in rural Sydney.
I hope you enjoy all of my sapphic romances featuring strong women finding love.
You can find out more about me on my website cheyenneblue.com, Facebook or on Twitter @Iamcheyenneblue
My fifteenth romance, Sometimes We Fly is out April 2025. A closeted celebrity, a furious neighbour, and a whole lot of sexual tension charge this late-in-life coming-out lesbian romance set in rural Sydney.
I hope you enjoy all of my sapphic romances featuring strong women finding love.
You can find out more about me on my website cheyenneblue.com, Facebook or on Twitter @Iamcheyenneblue
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
November 17, 2024
4.5 ⭐️
A heartwarming enemy to lovers, slow-burn romance without much drama. It shows us a lot about overcoming challenges, turning bad experiences into positive ones, daring to take risks, and trusting and caring for people we love.
Hazel, a part-time delivery driver and handywoman, is looking after her elderly friend George, who happens to be Imogen’s uncle. Imogen is a businesswoman with big aspirations from Brisbane, who spent her best time at George's place when she was a child. The two women are thrown together after George had a bad fall, and broke his hip, and both were taking care of George. But first, they were clashing, as Imogen doesn’t trust Hazel and thinks she wants to take advantage of her uncle. She can’t believe, that somebody would do all the things Hazel did for George just because she liked this man.
The characters and their bumpy journey is beautifully written by Cheyenne Blue. She did a great job of showing the uncomfortable reality that Hazel had to deal with daily because of her handicap. Hazel is easy to like with her sunny personality, and the biggest heart on earth even as she sometimes struggles with her disability and the resulting disadvantages. She also isn’t sure of her ability to build her own handywoman business. An impressive young woman, who is very much down to earth. At first glance, Imogen is a totally different person than Hazel. A very business-driven woman, who can sometimes make tough business decisions and enforce them. But her mistrust and false assumptions about the people in the small town of Dry Creek didn't exactly make her likable. She first had to lose the stick up her ass and show that she really cares about her favorite relative, before I could warm up to her.
The romance is built up slowly and I liked that they first created a beautiful friendship and intimacy before they allowed their chemistry to burn hot.
I liked the most how much they inspired each other to make important decisions and changes in their lives. And that sometimes it's worth taking a risk, no matter if it concerns your job or your heart.
But I have to say, the secondary character George the matchmaker, and his little dog, Chip the calf-biter with too much personality, almost stole the show.
ARC received from Ylva Publishing through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
A heartwarming enemy to lovers, slow-burn romance without much drama. It shows us a lot about overcoming challenges, turning bad experiences into positive ones, daring to take risks, and trusting and caring for people we love.
Hazel, a part-time delivery driver and handywoman, is looking after her elderly friend George, who happens to be Imogen’s uncle. Imogen is a businesswoman with big aspirations from Brisbane, who spent her best time at George's place when she was a child. The two women are thrown together after George had a bad fall, and broke his hip, and both were taking care of George. But first, they were clashing, as Imogen doesn’t trust Hazel and thinks she wants to take advantage of her uncle. She can’t believe, that somebody would do all the things Hazel did for George just because she liked this man.
The characters and their bumpy journey is beautifully written by Cheyenne Blue. She did a great job of showing the uncomfortable reality that Hazel had to deal with daily because of her handicap. Hazel is easy to like with her sunny personality, and the biggest heart on earth even as she sometimes struggles with her disability and the resulting disadvantages. She also isn’t sure of her ability to build her own handywoman business. An impressive young woman, who is very much down to earth. At first glance, Imogen is a totally different person than Hazel. A very business-driven woman, who can sometimes make tough business decisions and enforce them. But her mistrust and false assumptions about the people in the small town of Dry Creek didn't exactly make her likable. She first had to lose the stick up her ass and show that she really cares about her favorite relative, before I could warm up to her.
The romance is built up slowly and I liked that they first created a beautiful friendship and intimacy before they allowed their chemistry to burn hot.
I liked the most how much they inspired each other to make important decisions and changes in their lives. And that sometimes it's worth taking a risk, no matter if it concerns your job or your heart.
But I have to say, the secondary character George the matchmaker, and his little dog, Chip the calf-biter with too much personality, almost stole the show.
ARC received from Ylva Publishing through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 30, 2025
Thank you to Ylva publishing and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
3.5
My first Cheyenne Blue book did not disappoint. I adore an age-gap Ice Queen sapphic romance, and this one delivered beautifully. Chip was a hilarious addition to the cast, and George was an absolute sweetheart, always with the best of intentions. The pacing felt just right throughout, and I really appreciated the representation of a strong female protagonist with a disability.
I also loved the nod to Requiem for Immortals by Lee Winter—it’s always so great to see sapphic authors supporting each other. The cover art was fantastic as well. There were a few spelling errors and some inconsistencies in name spellings, but they didn't take away too much from my enjoyment.
A highlight for me was the gentle intimacy Imogen showed when removing Hazel’s prosthetic—it genuinely made me emotional. Overall, a lovely read!
3.5
My first Cheyenne Blue book did not disappoint. I adore an age-gap Ice Queen sapphic romance, and this one delivered beautifully. Chip was a hilarious addition to the cast, and George was an absolute sweetheart, always with the best of intentions. The pacing felt just right throughout, and I really appreciated the representation of a strong female protagonist with a disability.
I also loved the nod to Requiem for Immortals by Lee Winter—it’s always so great to see sapphic authors supporting each other. The cover art was fantastic as well. There were a few spelling errors and some inconsistencies in name spellings, but they didn't take away too much from my enjoyment.
A highlight for me was the gentle intimacy Imogen showed when removing Hazel’s prosthetic—it genuinely made me emotional. Overall, a lovely read!
October 7, 2024
4.5 bumped up :)
A charming and sweet enemies-to-lovers, opposites-attract, smalltown, age-gap (25 vs. 34) story that packs a little more bite than you might expect. Uptight career-driven Imogen finds herself at a crossroads in her life; smalltown, perky Hazel is about to approach hers. Can these women learn from each other? Can they even stand each other?
The enemies-to-lovers trope is well used here to illustrate the way we present ourselves to the world before the author peels back the layers of both the leads to reveal how one, Imogen, is more caring than you might first think while the other, Hazel, faces daily challenges to present herself as outgoing and positive. The disability that Hazel endures, caused by her leg amputation is written very well, beyond the cliches and expected issues you might expect to find. Kudos for that; Cheyenne Blue ensures we get a rounded and nuanced trait that very much informs the character of Hazel but doesn't define her. Or does it? Some harder-hitting (for the genre) scenes will reveal this and more.
There's also a lovely B-plot, tying in organically and providing impetus for the A-plot, involving the care of an elderly relative. Imogen's uncle, George, is feisty and fun, and his friendship with Hazel is beyond sweet :).
I enjoyed the setting, too. Ms. Blue again takes us down under for a slice of smalltown Australia and takes the opportunity to drop in some commentary about the challenges smalltown inhabitants face, like jobs and how small businesses have to adapt in the face of national chains moving in.
There is much to admire and enjoy here in this neatly constructed story that feels authentic in a number of ways. Why have I taken a 1/2 star away? For me, it took more pages than I'd expect to find the chemistry between the leads. And so it took me a little while to emotionally engage with the story (while still admiring its setup and construction, tho).
Maybe just me, of course. But perhaps forewarned is forearmed, so if you find the same I urge you to press on. You'll be well rewarded.
Thank you to the author, the publisher (the amazing Ylva), and NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC.
A charming and sweet enemies-to-lovers, opposites-attract, smalltown, age-gap (25 vs. 34) story that packs a little more bite than you might expect. Uptight career-driven Imogen finds herself at a crossroads in her life; smalltown, perky Hazel is about to approach hers. Can these women learn from each other? Can they even stand each other?
The enemies-to-lovers trope is well used here to illustrate the way we present ourselves to the world before the author peels back the layers of both the leads to reveal how one, Imogen, is more caring than you might first think while the other, Hazel, faces daily challenges to present herself as outgoing and positive. The disability that Hazel endures, caused by her leg amputation is written very well, beyond the cliches and expected issues you might expect to find. Kudos for that; Cheyenne Blue ensures we get a rounded and nuanced trait that very much informs the character of Hazel but doesn't define her. Or does it? Some harder-hitting (for the genre) scenes will reveal this and more.
There's also a lovely B-plot, tying in organically and providing impetus for the A-plot, involving the care of an elderly relative. Imogen's uncle, George, is feisty and fun, and his friendship with Hazel is beyond sweet :).
I enjoyed the setting, too. Ms. Blue again takes us down under for a slice of smalltown Australia and takes the opportunity to drop in some commentary about the challenges smalltown inhabitants face, like jobs and how small businesses have to adapt in the face of national chains moving in.
There is much to admire and enjoy here in this neatly constructed story that feels authentic in a number of ways. Why have I taken a 1/2 star away? For me, it took more pages than I'd expect to find the chemistry between the leads. And so it took me a little while to emotionally engage with the story (while still admiring its setup and construction, tho).
Maybe just me, of course. But perhaps forewarned is forearmed, so if you find the same I urge you to press on. You'll be well rewarded.
Thank you to the author, the publisher (the amazing Ylva), and NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC.
November 4, 2024
This is a story about small town Handywoman Hazel who has a prosthetic leg and has learned to do more than a handicap person is expected to do. She’s very self confident and works two jobs to make ends meet. Imogen is business executive, whose uncle lives in the same small town as Hazel. Uncle George is suffering from a broken hip and Hazel is always helping him with small tasks.
Imogene comes to visit to make sure that Uncle George is ok. She immediately suspects that Hazel is trying to get money from Uncle George and confronts her with the accusation. Hazel of course is highly offended and thus begins dislike between them.
Uncle George was my favorite character in the book. His devious matchmaking skills were top notch. And his dog was a big part of the story. I liked Hazel best because of her positive and helpful personality. Imogene was all ice queen and not a happy person. They made an unlikely couple. Which made me find this book hard to fully enjoy.
Blue did a fantastic job with Hazel’s disability it showed her in a completely open and honest way and showed her character strength to overcome her handicap.And I loved her reference to Lee Winter’s book “Requiem for Immortals” which is one of my all time favorite sapphic books.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
Imogene comes to visit to make sure that Uncle George is ok. She immediately suspects that Hazel is trying to get money from Uncle George and confronts her with the accusation. Hazel of course is highly offended and thus begins dislike between them.
Uncle George was my favorite character in the book. His devious matchmaking skills were top notch. And his dog was a big part of the story. I liked Hazel best because of her positive and helpful personality. Imogene was all ice queen and not a happy person. They made an unlikely couple. Which made me find this book hard to fully enjoy.
Blue did a fantastic job with Hazel’s disability it showed her in a completely open and honest way and showed her character strength to overcome her handicap.And I loved her reference to Lee Winter’s book “Requiem for Immortals” which is one of my all time favorite sapphic books.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
November 21, 2024
Why, oh why, do I never learn?! These fluffy, cutesy romances are just not for me!
I do feel for romance authors. Boiled down to its essence, they’re tasked with taking essentially the same story – girl meets girl, love, HEA – and rewriting it over and over again with new twists to make it seem fresh. Not an easy job.
In this one, the twist is disability. Hazel has a prosthetic leg. I like Cheyenne Blue and I know she’s coming from a good place, but it almost seems like by laser focusing on how being an amputee affects one’s life (physically, psychologically, socially) she is committing the same error that she is trying to critique. It’s a tough one.
Setting that aside, my larger issue with this book was that it was dull. Nothing much happened. I didn’t like it nearly as much as Blue’s Not for a Moment (5 stars) or Switcheroo (4 stars).
Bonus points for good discussion of the handicaps faced by women in the business world, where mediocre men can sit around and schmooze and get ahead while hard-working women are overlooked and left behind.
Minus points for loving on Elon Musk’s tin-can vehicles. Let's not promote this megalomaniac monster, eh? He's good at doing that all by himself.
I do feel for romance authors. Boiled down to its essence, they’re tasked with taking essentially the same story – girl meets girl, love, HEA – and rewriting it over and over again with new twists to make it seem fresh. Not an easy job.
In this one, the twist is disability. Hazel has a prosthetic leg. I like Cheyenne Blue and I know she’s coming from a good place, but it almost seems like by laser focusing on how being an amputee affects one’s life (physically, psychologically, socially) she is committing the same error that she is trying to critique. It’s a tough one.
Setting that aside, my larger issue with this book was that it was dull. Nothing much happened. I didn’t like it nearly as much as Blue’s Not for a Moment (5 stars) or Switcheroo (4 stars).
Bonus points for good discussion of the handicaps faced by women in the business world, where mediocre men can sit around and schmooze and get ahead while hard-working women are overlooked and left behind.
Minus points for loving on Elon Musk’s tin-can vehicles. Let's not promote this megalomaniac monster, eh? He's good at doing that all by himself.
November 14, 2024
It was a fun read!
October 5, 2024
Hazel is a part time delivery driver and part time a handywoman who's friends with an elderly George. When George has an accident and breaks his hip, his niece Imogen visits to help George around. Obviously things between Imogen and Hazel start off on the wrong foot and equally obviously they don't stay that way.
This is a very cute romance with fun characters. George especially was honestly the best part of the story, though I do wish some of the other side characters were developed a little more.
Hazel is an amputee and I'm pretty sure this book is the first sapphic romance involving an amputee that I have ever seen. It's nice that romance genre gets more and more inclusive, even if there's still far to go. To me it did feel like a really good representation and we knew how being an amputee affected Hazel's life without making it feel like Hazel needed to be some kind of disabled hero capable of doing everything. I also really liked how the book dealt with this idea that even if your life plans change it doesn't mean you're a failure. For both of the characters in slightly different ways.
All in all this was a quick and enjoyable read.
This is a very cute romance with fun characters. George especially was honestly the best part of the story, though I do wish some of the other side characters were developed a little more.
Hazel is an amputee and I'm pretty sure this book is the first sapphic romance involving an amputee that I have ever seen. It's nice that romance genre gets more and more inclusive, even if there's still far to go. To me it did feel like a really good representation and we knew how being an amputee affected Hazel's life without making it feel like Hazel needed to be some kind of disabled hero capable of doing everything. I also really liked how the book dealt with this idea that even if your life plans change it doesn't mean you're a failure. For both of the characters in slightly different ways.
All in all this was a quick and enjoyable read.
February 24, 2025
Loved this!
Hazel is 25 years old. She lives in the country town she grew up in, making a living delivering groceries until she can get established as a "handyman." As per the book cover, Hazel has a prosthetic leg.
Imogen has a corporate job in the city. She is 34 years old, and her life plan requires her to be the next State Manager in her job, a stepping stone to being National Manager by her 40th birthday.
Paul is Imogen's uncle. He is 84 years old. When he is injured in a fall Imogen has to travel to the small country town where he lives as her parents, his only other living relatives, are too busy n their academic careers.
Imogen doesn't see her uncle often, but she has fond memories of a summer she spent with him as a child. When she arrives at his home in Dry Creek, she is hit with nostalgia for that time. When Imogen meets her uncle's friend, Hazel, she is immediately suspicious of a 25 year old offering support and friendship to an 84 year old man. Surely she must be up to something?
And so the stage is set.
I loved every minute of this book. Firstly for it's familiarity as it is set in my home state in Australia and clearly written by someone who knows the region. Secondly, for its handling of the challenges of aged care and living with a disability, both things that have been part of my professional life for almost thirty years. And again, the author knows her stuff as everything rang true to me.
Hazel is brilliant, strong, kind, insecure, all the good stuff. Imogen is a classic "Ice Queen" needing the right person to thaw her heart. Following the two of them as they initially clash, then deny the attraction the y both feel and eventually fall in love was a joy.
This is a slow-burn "age gap" romance between a 25-year-old bisexual "sunshine" woman and a 34-year-old Ice Queen. It doesn't feature many intimate scenes, but the growing desire both women feel is delicious, and it is absolutely worth the wait when they eventually get there.
The book deals with elements of aged care in the community, as well as living with a permanent "handicap." Both are central to the story, and are very well handled.
This is the second book I have read from Cheyenne Blue, who is rapidly rising on my list of favourite authors, and it gets a strong recommendation from me.
Hazel is 25 years old. She lives in the country town she grew up in, making a living delivering groceries until she can get established as a "handyman." As per the book cover, Hazel has a prosthetic leg.
Imogen has a corporate job in the city. She is 34 years old, and her life plan requires her to be the next State Manager in her job, a stepping stone to being National Manager by her 40th birthday.
Paul is Imogen's uncle. He is 84 years old. When he is injured in a fall Imogen has to travel to the small country town where he lives as her parents, his only other living relatives, are too busy n their academic careers.
Imogen doesn't see her uncle often, but she has fond memories of a summer she spent with him as a child. When she arrives at his home in Dry Creek, she is hit with nostalgia for that time. When Imogen meets her uncle's friend, Hazel, she is immediately suspicious of a 25 year old offering support and friendship to an 84 year old man. Surely she must be up to something?
And so the stage is set.
I loved every minute of this book. Firstly for it's familiarity as it is set in my home state in Australia and clearly written by someone who knows the region. Secondly, for its handling of the challenges of aged care and living with a disability, both things that have been part of my professional life for almost thirty years. And again, the author knows her stuff as everything rang true to me.
Hazel is brilliant, strong, kind, insecure, all the good stuff. Imogen is a classic "Ice Queen" needing the right person to thaw her heart. Following the two of them as they initially clash, then deny the attraction the y both feel and eventually fall in love was a joy.
This is a slow-burn "age gap" romance between a 25-year-old bisexual "sunshine" woman and a 34-year-old Ice Queen. It doesn't feature many intimate scenes, but the growing desire both women feel is delicious, and it is absolutely worth the wait when they eventually get there.
The book deals with elements of aged care in the community, as well as living with a permanent "handicap." Both are central to the story, and are very well handled.
This is the second book I have read from Cheyenne Blue, who is rapidly rising on my list of favourite authors, and it gets a strong recommendation from me.
June 9, 2025
“Not those words. Those words are only for you.”
Better than 3 stars, not quite as high as 3.5 stars for me, so I'm landing somewhere around 3.25 but if pressed I'll probably say 3. Lol. This was really cute, very solidly written, with a premise that I loved and characters I soon became really fond of. It just didn't quite get me in my feelings, which is what I want from romance books. I want to feel smitten and I want to swoon, and this only halfway delivered in that respect.
It's a small town, slight age gap, opposites attract romance between a big city businesswoman and a small town handywoman. Imogen comes to her uncle George's small town to help take care of him after he had a bad fall and hurt his hip. Hazel works as the delivery driver who gets him his groceries, and in the last few years, she's become pretty good friends with George. Imogen is a bit older, straight-laced, by the book, and she's immediately a little suspicious of Hazel being so close to her uncle. Hazel is a little younger, friendly, charming, but also a little put off by Imogen's attitude. Their relationship starts off with a bit of antagonism, a little bit of animosity, and they seem to have not much in common. But that turns out to not be so true, and soon, with a little help from the meddling uncle, they start opening up and seeing each other differently. This had a great balance of romance and individual development for both characters. I really liked Imogen's work trajectory, how she had to own up to not previously being at her best, and how she took the opportunity to do and be better when she could. I especially liked the mini-plotline with her assistant, and how Imogen took responsibility for not doing better. Meanwhile, Hazel is an amputee looking to grow her handywoman business, and I liked how we dealt with the realities of her daily life, how she struggled and how she didn't, different people's reactions to her disability. There's also something of a class gap between them as well, and I really like how it was handled, and how it played into the third act conflict.
The romance is really slow burn, which I loved. There were lots of opportunities for them to learn about enough other, grow into one another. It was pretty cute, how George kept trying to set them up. And there's always something so emotionally satisfying about an opposites attract romance like this, when you see the ways that they DO click together, that they DO work well together. Their mutual love for George, when both women were finally assured that they each had his best interests at heart, was really sweet. I really liked all the little moments between them, how the attraction would flare up. I can think of several moments where I would just pause and smile into the middle distance while listening to this. It was so cute! Taller femme/shorter butch excellence!
I think the writing is kinda where this lost me. It was very well-written on a technical scale, but something about how the characters talked, it was just very formulaic sometimes, you know? Like I was never not aware that I was reading a book. Hazel has a tendency to just say what's on her mind, and be very open, which I liked. But the WAY in which she sometimes said things was just so rote. Like the way she lectured that guy about communication and consent, or the way she'd talk about her prosthesis. I felt like I was reading something lifted from a pamphlet. An example that's a little spoilery: But something about the WAY Hazel expresses herself in that moment... I kept thinking, 'Does anyone talk like that? Would she really say it like that?' IDK, maybe I'm being unfair. After all, I can't think of exactly how I'd rephrase or reframe it either. And it's a scene that I love and I think needed to be included. I just know that something about the writing didn't really hit for me.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Cat Gould, and liked it quite a lot. I always enjoy her voices, and Aussie accents are so charming and soothing to listen to. This was a fun little listen all in all, and I'm glad I finally read it. I'm hoping my next from Blue will be even better.
(Also, love love LOVE the cover illustration. A great rendition of both characters, and really helped me visualise them.)
November 5, 2024
A good story - but I do love CB’s writing so a little biased before I start. Really connected to both characters and their cared for George with the horrible snappy dog! Recommended.
November 12, 2024
What a nice affirming story. The characters were diverse but made up a warm whole. Although Imogen and Hazel were different, when push came to shove they fit together and complimented each other. A happy happily-ever-after. Good for your soul.
October 13, 2024
would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this thought provoking book
hazel lee disabled with one leg but with a heart of gold working two jobs but living her best life until she meets the niece of her friend.... the one she has been helping for several years .... where had that niece been then....
High-powered businesswoman Imogen Alexander couldnt believe her eyes when she saw hazel lee....well for a start she had just walked into her uncles house as if she owned it.... but imogen was there now to take charge and see to it that things were put into place for her uncle before she went back to her job....
who did hazel think she was.... could she somehow be after her uncles money or hoping that he would change his will for her.... things were going to change...
have to say this book is very thought provoking about the lives of disabled people and what they have to go through...i even watched a few of the videos that the author recommended....
this storyline had all the elements in it that i loved
hazel lee disabled with one leg but with a heart of gold working two jobs but living her best life until she meets the niece of her friend.... the one she has been helping for several years .... where had that niece been then....
High-powered businesswoman Imogen Alexander couldnt believe her eyes when she saw hazel lee....well for a start she had just walked into her uncles house as if she owned it.... but imogen was there now to take charge and see to it that things were put into place for her uncle before she went back to her job....
who did hazel think she was.... could she somehow be after her uncles money or hoping that he would change his will for her.... things were going to change...
have to say this book is very thought provoking about the lives of disabled people and what they have to go through...i even watched a few of the videos that the author recommended....
this storyline had all the elements in it that i loved
November 28, 2024
Hazel is a delivery driver for a local Australian supermarket, always helpful to her customers. She also is an amputee, and starting her own house renovation business.
Imogen is the niece of Hazel’s favourite customer and friend George, and she is in upper management in another supermarket chain, based in their head office in Brisbane, many hours away.
This is the story of how they meet, and Imogen’s suspicion of Hazel’s motives befriending George.
George is trying to push the two women together, in a very obvious way, and so as not to upset him they go on several dates, with happy consequences.
The whole story is very well written, and thee are some exceptional scenes. The descriptions of the night at the jazz club, the music and the atmosphere was surreal.
Cheyenne Blue’s Aussie stories are always excellent; warm and comforting, loving, and often featuring women with workbelts 😜 this is a very good example of her writing.
Imogen is the niece of Hazel’s favourite customer and friend George, and she is in upper management in another supermarket chain, based in their head office in Brisbane, many hours away.
This is the story of how they meet, and Imogen’s suspicion of Hazel’s motives befriending George.
George is trying to push the two women together, in a very obvious way, and so as not to upset him they go on several dates, with happy consequences.
The whole story is very well written, and thee are some exceptional scenes. The descriptions of the night at the jazz club, the music and the atmosphere was surreal.
Cheyenne Blue’s Aussie stories are always excellent; warm and comforting, loving, and often featuring women with workbelts 😜 this is a very good example of her writing.
November 26, 2024
So Cute!
Hazel enjoys her work and helping out with odd jobs for an elderly friend. When her friend’s niece, Imogen, turns up from the big city and starts questioning Hazel’s motives for helping, then tensions start running high. Her friend starts meddling when notices a spark between Hazel and Imogen and from then on fate appears to be playing a hand at keeping them in one another’s lives.
I loved the opposites attract theme of this story, and the ambition of both Hazel and Imogen when they were so completely different in their approaches to life and work. Hazel was just the sweetest person, and it was understandable why. With a prosthetic leg she’d had hardship and overcome fears, and could empathise with the difficulty her elderly friend George encountered. At first, I thought Imogen was really snooty and rude, but then I could understand why she’d be suspicious, she didn’t know as much about Hazel as we did.
As I got to know Imogen better I got a better understanding of why she was the way she was and I actually ended up empathising with her. The corporate world is hard, and when you put in as much effort as Imogen did only to not be rewarded, understanding the reasons she acted and did the things she did made more sense. I loved how despite all that, and her odd unfortunate moments with Hazel that once they started spending time together and growing closer, Imogen actually really cared about understanding how she could help and support Hazel in her own dreams, and learn something from her in the process about life and love.
Absolutely adored everything about this story, it started off a bit prickly, but it was like one big hug in the end. I definitely read it again, and it is a must for any romance lover.
Hazel enjoys her work and helping out with odd jobs for an elderly friend. When her friend’s niece, Imogen, turns up from the big city and starts questioning Hazel’s motives for helping, then tensions start running high. Her friend starts meddling when notices a spark between Hazel and Imogen and from then on fate appears to be playing a hand at keeping them in one another’s lives.
I loved the opposites attract theme of this story, and the ambition of both Hazel and Imogen when they were so completely different in their approaches to life and work. Hazel was just the sweetest person, and it was understandable why. With a prosthetic leg she’d had hardship and overcome fears, and could empathise with the difficulty her elderly friend George encountered. At first, I thought Imogen was really snooty and rude, but then I could understand why she’d be suspicious, she didn’t know as much about Hazel as we did.
As I got to know Imogen better I got a better understanding of why she was the way she was and I actually ended up empathising with her. The corporate world is hard, and when you put in as much effort as Imogen did only to not be rewarded, understanding the reasons she acted and did the things she did made more sense. I loved how despite all that, and her odd unfortunate moments with Hazel that once they started spending time together and growing closer, Imogen actually really cared about understanding how she could help and support Hazel in her own dreams, and learn something from her in the process about life and love.
Absolutely adored everything about this story, it started off a bit prickly, but it was like one big hug in the end. I definitely read it again, and it is a must for any romance lover.
September 20, 2025
I love this book. The author totally under rated. So many great antipodean authors.The plot so tender and detailed. The characters of Hazel and Imogen were easily relatable and endearing. I much appreciated the honesty in the storytelling and Hazel's struggle for independence. Highly recommended!
January 21, 2025
A Heart Full of Hope is a very sweet and light romance that shines in its portrayal of Hazel, a strong and caring protagonist navigating life as an amputee. I particularly liked the storyline of her personal growth throughout the story. While Hazel’s journey stood out, the romance with Imogen didn’t fully draw me in, and Imogen’s character was difficult for me to connect with.
If you’re looking for a heartwarming and easy read, this delivers, but for me it lacks the depth and emotional stakes of Cheyenne Blue’s usual novels as I typically love her stories.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Ylva Publishing for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
If you’re looking for a heartwarming and easy read, this delivers, but for me it lacks the depth and emotional stakes of Cheyenne Blue’s usual novels as I typically love her stories.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Ylva Publishing for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
July 27, 2025
I needed a brain shift after indulging in thrillers and sci-fi for a while and this 4.5 star fluffy romance fits the bill. Brilliant side characters and a lil' nipper that goes by Chip. It's a standard f/f loving story done so well. I felt the love, and roughness life can be sometimes. But always, always our girls Hazel and Imogen return to each other. That's love and this one is good.
October 5, 2024
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is definitely my favorite Cheyenne Blue book thus far. From the start, Hazel and Imogen are at odds, making negative assumptions about each other. As the story progresses, they become friends and eventually start to let each other in, almost without realizing it.
I will say, this book is very much a slow-burn. Though there is some attraction admitted to earlier in the book, nothing concrete forms until much later on. I saw this as a positive thing, I think it allowed for a lot of great development for both characters, and got them both to a place where they were ready for a relationship.
This book also had a lot of sweet moments. I particularly liked that George was so cared for by both Imogen and Hazel, and his attempts at matchmaking were very cute. In addition, there was a lot of great conversations about Hazel's disability and I think the way it was mentioned directly and never skirted around was great. I also learned a bit more about prosthetics than I knew previously.
Overall, I liked this one quite a lot and it's perfect for anyone looking for a story of a sweet, slow building relationship. 4.5/5 stars rounded up.
This is definitely my favorite Cheyenne Blue book thus far. From the start, Hazel and Imogen are at odds, making negative assumptions about each other. As the story progresses, they become friends and eventually start to let each other in, almost without realizing it.
I will say, this book is very much a slow-burn. Though there is some attraction admitted to earlier in the book, nothing concrete forms until much later on. I saw this as a positive thing, I think it allowed for a lot of great development for both characters, and got them both to a place where they were ready for a relationship.
This book also had a lot of sweet moments. I particularly liked that George was so cared for by both Imogen and Hazel, and his attempts at matchmaking were very cute. In addition, there was a lot of great conversations about Hazel's disability and I think the way it was mentioned directly and never skirted around was great. I also learned a bit more about prosthetics than I knew previously.
Overall, I liked this one quite a lot and it's perfect for anyone looking for a story of a sweet, slow building relationship. 4.5/5 stars rounded up.
December 21, 2024
(rounded down from 4.25)
This was enjoyable and paradoxically light and hopeful but also darker in places dealing with traumatic injury and disability thereafter. I appreciated one of the main characters being quite open about her prosthetic and disability but also having a mindset about doing everything she could as an able-bodied person and more and how that is broken down over the course of her character growth.
I also appreciate that this is what most would consider a slow burn, i.e. the main characters find each other attractive and need to develop a tentative friendship and understand each other before romance can happen. Hazel's guardedness about dating and Imogen's suspicions about elder abuse make up the rich tapestry of two people who misunderstand each other at first and then have to work to truly understand who the other person is.
Bonus note that this book is set mostly in Queensland and I very much enjoyed and appreciated the little touches that make the setting unique.
This was enjoyable and paradoxically light and hopeful but also darker in places dealing with traumatic injury and disability thereafter. I appreciated one of the main characters being quite open about her prosthetic and disability but also having a mindset about doing everything she could as an able-bodied person and more and how that is broken down over the course of her character growth.
I also appreciate that this is what most would consider a slow burn, i.e. the main characters find each other attractive and need to develop a tentative friendship and understand each other before romance can happen. Hazel's guardedness about dating and Imogen's suspicions about elder abuse make up the rich tapestry of two people who misunderstand each other at first and then have to work to truly understand who the other person is.
Bonus note that this book is set mostly in Queensland and I very much enjoyed and appreciated the little touches that make the setting unique.
November 4, 2024
I enjoyed this one though It's not my favourite from Cheyenne Blue (that's switcheroo), but it was still enjoyable. I wasn't super super invested in the romance but I did like them together, however, I really just loved the rest of the story. I liked Hazel and her story as an amputee, her relationship with George, and I just really loved seeing her growth throughout the book.
But most importantly so many bonus points for all the Matildas references!
But most importantly so many bonus points for all the Matildas references!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 16, 2024
This was a sweet slow-burn romance. There was a lot of talk about disability and needing to make accommodations - wrestling with feelings of failure and inadequacy etc - which was very relatable. The specific disability seemed well-researched. The characters were good, especially the sweet meddling uncle/friend.
I enjoyed this book! :)
CW: there is quite a bit of food-restricting by one of the characters.
I enjoyed this book! :)
CW: there is quite a bit of food-restricting by one of the characters.
October 23, 2024
Hazel works part-time as a grocery delivery driver and grows her labourer small business the rest of the time. She loves spending time with elderly customer George, whom she's become great friends with over the last few years.
When she finds George has fallen and cannot move from his bathroom floor one morning, she doesn't hesitate to call the emergency services and George's family.
Imogen puts in long working hours as she tries to work her way up the Brisbane corporate ladder when she receives a call that her Uncle George has fallen and broken his hip.
He will need help at home for the foreseeable future, and Imogen arranges to work remotely from his small-town home when home care proves challenging to arrange.
Fate, however, has other plans for them... and it's not long before mutual attraction burns through everything else. But just what does this mean for them with Imogen's job based in Brisbane?
This lovely story is amusing and touches on the reality of caring for an elderly relative and dating while you're an amputee.
The main characters are well-rounded, easily relatable, and enjoyable to spend time with.
*I received an advance reader copy for free, and I'm voluntarily leaving a review*
When she finds George has fallen and cannot move from his bathroom floor one morning, she doesn't hesitate to call the emergency services and George's family.
Imogen puts in long working hours as she tries to work her way up the Brisbane corporate ladder when she receives a call that her Uncle George has fallen and broken his hip.
He will need help at home for the foreseeable future, and Imogen arranges to work remotely from his small-town home when home care proves challenging to arrange.
Fate, however, has other plans for them... and it's not long before mutual attraction burns through everything else. But just what does this mean for them with Imogen's job based in Brisbane?
This lovely story is amusing and touches on the reality of caring for an elderly relative and dating while you're an amputee.
The main characters are well-rounded, easily relatable, and enjoyable to spend time with.
*I received an advance reader copy for free, and I'm voluntarily leaving a review*
October 16, 2024
(3.00) Your average romance novel.
So, I’m a big fantasy reader, but sometimes I enjoy a quick and cute down-to-earth sapphic read. Maybe I’m used to heavy plots and that’s why I require more.. substance? from books than what is usually offered in romance books, but this was very mediocre to me.
When I picked up Heart full of hope I hoped for an emotional, smart and loving story, which it was in a way. Mostly it was just a little.. boring. The two characters had a dislike (not enemies, I don’t know why people are describing it like that) for each other when they first met. I didn’t really understand why.. I think the author was trying to make Imogen look suspicious and mostly caring for her uncle, but the attitude towards Hazel instead seemed unreasonable, and sometimes even childish, to me.
I like Hazel, she has a strong character, she’s kind, loving and caring. She has a sweet love towards George and she’s very funny. You can really see the strength she gained from living with a prosthetic since childhood. It makes her likeable + I learned a bit about prosthetics and living with a disability.
Imogen on the other hand just didn’t really click for me. I didn’t get the whole assistant side storyline. I think it was to create depth to her background in the city, and making it clear to us that she was still mentally somewhere else, dealing with her job, but it was dragging out a lot.
Don’t get me wrong, this book is not bad. It’s like it looks from the cover and title: a cute romance story, but it didn’t really have anything more than that. If you’re looking for that, you’ve found it. If you seek something with more angst and plot, this isn’t it.
Thank you so much YLVA and NetGalley for approving me for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
So, I’m a big fantasy reader, but sometimes I enjoy a quick and cute down-to-earth sapphic read. Maybe I’m used to heavy plots and that’s why I require more.. substance? from books than what is usually offered in romance books, but this was very mediocre to me.
When I picked up Heart full of hope I hoped for an emotional, smart and loving story, which it was in a way. Mostly it was just a little.. boring. The two characters had a dislike (not enemies, I don’t know why people are describing it like that) for each other when they first met. I didn’t really understand why.. I think the author was trying to make Imogen look suspicious and mostly caring for her uncle, but the attitude towards Hazel instead seemed unreasonable, and sometimes even childish, to me.
I like Hazel, she has a strong character, she’s kind, loving and caring. She has a sweet love towards George and she’s very funny. You can really see the strength she gained from living with a prosthetic since childhood. It makes her likeable + I learned a bit about prosthetics and living with a disability.
Imogen on the other hand just didn’t really click for me. I didn’t get the whole assistant side storyline. I think it was to create depth to her background in the city, and making it clear to us that she was still mentally somewhere else, dealing with her job, but it was dragging out a lot.
Don’t get me wrong, this book is not bad. It’s like it looks from the cover and title: a cute romance story, but it didn’t really have anything more than that. If you’re looking for that, you’ve found it. If you seek something with more angst and plot, this isn’t it.
Thank you so much YLVA and NetGalley for approving me for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 28, 2024
3.5 just didn’t make me giddy
March 26, 2025
Me the whole book: JUST KISS ALREADY!!!
The slowest of slow burns but I definitely fell for the characters as much as they fell for each other. Disability rep was 10/10.
The slowest of slow burns but I definitely fell for the characters as much as they fell for each other. Disability rep was 10/10.
Read
March 24, 2025Dnf. Loved the characters, but as you can tell by my reading log, couldn’t get through it.
August 30, 2025
2 stars. I wanted to like this one and there were some good moments in it but I ultimately found it to be quite dull and boring. Hazel is an interesting enough character but Imogen was pretty hard to get into. The love story also wasn't very convincing or compelling.
October 18, 2024
Generously received an E-ARC thanks to netgalley !!
3.5 rounded up
A Heart Full of Hope was such a fun and easy read, I really enjoyed it !! You get a sweet old uncle, a disabled architect-in-the-making, a “cold” businesswoman, and a feisty little dog and somehow it all seems to work !!
I absolutely loved the found family aspect (as usual) and watching all of them learn to live and love together just made my heart so full. Even chip the crazy little dog gave me so much joy lol. I loved loved loved !!!! seeing a book with such positive and even educational disability rep. You never felt like Hazel was somehow being held back or less than for her disability but she also came to terms with the fact that she WAS disabled and needed to take care of herself. I’m so glad to see more disabled characters being the main focus of romance novels !!
What didn’t quite hit the mark for me unfortunately was some of the characters seemed a little stale. I would have enjoyed it more if there was just a little more depth to characters like imogen. She went from cold to not-so-cold but I just felt like something was lacking in the whole character development department. It just seemed like there was more to her that needed to be explored and that just didn’t happen.
All in all though it was a nice easy read and o would definitely recommend it to anyone who just needs some light casual reading !!
3.5 rounded up
A Heart Full of Hope was such a fun and easy read, I really enjoyed it !! You get a sweet old uncle, a disabled architect-in-the-making, a “cold” businesswoman, and a feisty little dog and somehow it all seems to work !!
I absolutely loved the found family aspect (as usual) and watching all of them learn to live and love together just made my heart so full. Even chip the crazy little dog gave me so much joy lol. I loved loved loved !!!! seeing a book with such positive and even educational disability rep. You never felt like Hazel was somehow being held back or less than for her disability but she also came to terms with the fact that she WAS disabled and needed to take care of herself. I’m so glad to see more disabled characters being the main focus of romance novels !!
What didn’t quite hit the mark for me unfortunately was some of the characters seemed a little stale. I would have enjoyed it more if there was just a little more depth to characters like imogen. She went from cold to not-so-cold but I just felt like something was lacking in the whole character development department. It just seemed like there was more to her that needed to be explored and that just didn’t happen.
All in all though it was a nice easy read and o would definitely recommend it to anyone who just needs some light casual reading !!
October 11, 2024
Opposites attract in small town Oz (4.5 stars)
There are plenty of gaps between main characters Imogen and Hazel (age and financial among them); they could not be more different and yet in this executive ice queen meets working class (with a high level can-do attitude) amputee they meet, clash, flirt, open up to each other and handle Imogen's uncle George and his moody dog Chip with the very best of intentions. The story is a page turner that will have you chuckling throughout and perhaps tearing up a time or two if you're not grumbling about some character mistreatment that goes on; the latter only occurs in a small number of scenes with the focus more on loving relationships between mains and their friends and (some) family members. Uncle George is a scene stealer when he's matchmaking Imogen and Hazel or showing his marshmallow heart under the grumpy exterior. He nearly overshadows the mains but Hazel is especially easy to root for and care about; her 'nubbin' (her words not mine) is handled in the story in a matter of fact way without sugarcoating how it affects her day to day life and the way she's treated by some. Hazel and George were fave characters while Imogen took time to warm up to as she comes to Dry Creek and make assumptions and cynical judgements about people and situations she encounters; Imogen is the type of ice queen who has a stick that needs dislodging so she can chill out. There is sweet and hot chemistry between Hazel and Imogen; the oddest location for a first kiss belongs to them. They develop a beautiful intimacy before getting physical giving them a better foundation for building their romantic relationship into something long lasting and healthy. Dry Creek in Australia where most of the story is set sounds like a cool place to visit; it is a real place although I don't know if the locales in the story exist there in real life. I'd love a follow-up story to check in with these characters down the line and would happily read it.
I recommend this story to those wanting a romance rooted partially in reality but that also delivers plenty of love and humor along the way. I also recommend Cheyenne Blue's other work and if you're keen on stories set in Australia, there are plenty for you to choose from with an array of characters and tropes to make you smile, laugh, swoon and maybe even cry a little.
There are plenty of gaps between main characters Imogen and Hazel (age and financial among them); they could not be more different and yet in this executive ice queen meets working class (with a high level can-do attitude) amputee they meet, clash, flirt, open up to each other and handle Imogen's uncle George and his moody dog Chip with the very best of intentions. The story is a page turner that will have you chuckling throughout and perhaps tearing up a time or two if you're not grumbling about some character mistreatment that goes on; the latter only occurs in a small number of scenes with the focus more on loving relationships between mains and their friends and (some) family members. Uncle George is a scene stealer when he's matchmaking Imogen and Hazel or showing his marshmallow heart under the grumpy exterior. He nearly overshadows the mains but Hazel is especially easy to root for and care about; her 'nubbin' (her words not mine) is handled in the story in a matter of fact way without sugarcoating how it affects her day to day life and the way she's treated by some. Hazel and George were fave characters while Imogen took time to warm up to as she comes to Dry Creek and make assumptions and cynical judgements about people and situations she encounters; Imogen is the type of ice queen who has a stick that needs dislodging so she can chill out. There is sweet and hot chemistry between Hazel and Imogen; the oddest location for a first kiss belongs to them. They develop a beautiful intimacy before getting physical giving them a better foundation for building their romantic relationship into something long lasting and healthy. Dry Creek in Australia where most of the story is set sounds like a cool place to visit; it is a real place although I don't know if the locales in the story exist there in real life. I'd love a follow-up story to check in with these characters down the line and would happily read it.
I recommend this story to those wanting a romance rooted partially in reality but that also delivers plenty of love and humor along the way. I also recommend Cheyenne Blue's other work and if you're keen on stories set in Australia, there are plenty for you to choose from with an array of characters and tropes to make you smile, laugh, swoon and maybe even cry a little.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews