What do you think?
Rate this book
Sterling Hearts
When Evie decided to open a bookstore in the mountain town of Eastridge, she knew it was going to be a challenge. She had left her life behind, trying to start anew, but even though everyone warned her, she threw herself into this new venture. When an opportunity arises to consign jewelry to help her small business stay afloat, she takes it. But this is not the only new adventure that walks through the door. Blake, the man she first thinks of as "The Cowboy," manages to start to work his way into her heart. Although she is hesitant to let him into her life, and she knows he has secrets, he is determined to win her 'sterling heart.'
Sterling Hearts is a contemporary closed-door, mildly steamy romance sure to appeal to the hopeless romantics out there.
Sterling Hearts is a contemporary closed-door, mildly steamy romance sure to appeal to the hopeless romantics out there.
202 pages, Paperback
Published October 3, 2024
1 person is currently reading
7 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 10, 2025
Sterling Hearts follows Evie, a woman who decides to start fresh in the mountain town of Eastridge by opening a bookstore. As she takes the leap into her new life, Evie faces the difficulties of making her business work, and when an unexpected opportunity arises to consign jewelry, she takes it in hopes of keeping her shop afloat. Along the way, she meets Blake, a man with his own secrets. Though Evie is hesitant to let him into her life, Blake is determined to win her "sterling heart."
is a classic contemporary romance with a charming small-town setting. The cover is beautiful and while I enjoyed the book, parts of it felt rushed. Blake's character had potential, but I think the author missed the chance to dive deeper into his and other characters' backstory
Still, I appreciated the message about stepping out of your comfort zone and facing fears. Overall, it’s a sweet, light read
is a classic contemporary romance with a charming small-town setting. The cover is beautiful and while I enjoyed the book, parts of it felt rushed. Blake's character had potential, but I think the author missed the chance to dive deeper into his and other characters' backstory
Still, I appreciated the message about stepping out of your comfort zone and facing fears. Overall, it’s a sweet, light read
March 30, 2025
Thanks to LibraryThing and the author for this book.
I enjoy books, and books about bookstores and this one fit the bill.
Evie owns a bookstore and runs it herself without any help for now in a small town. The opening chapter a "Cowboy" wanders in to buy a few books, one on auto maintenance which she has to order because she didn't carry any or maybe that one. I think I knew where this was going with them. Evie helps Blake with his car which needs to be fixed and Evie's father taught her the basics when she had her old car. In the meantime, Evie's house needs major fixing up and Blake helps her. You know what's going to happen right? Evie has been very burned in the past with her ex-boyfriend and is leery of any relationship. Blake keeps coming back to the store of course and tries to help her with her house.
Then there's sort of a sub-plot with Natalie who has a friend who wants Evie to sell jewelry for her friend Jordan in the bookstore thinking it would help her business. I was like is Jordan a man or a woman. I was wondering who this Natalie was. Jordan keeps sending beautiful sterling silver jewelry for sale and also a ring and bracelet that was made for her. Now she's really curious who this Jordan is since they never met and why is this person sending her jewelry that is really beautiful which she really loves.
Maya, her best friend from college is helping her run the bookstore and she has some great ideas that Evie is putting into place to help business pick up and it's working out well but all Maya wants to know is the relationship with Blake and what happened with them while they were fixing up her bathroom. She starts thinking of original ideas also to help business like storytelling time. It goes over well and then Blake shows up with an adorable 4 year old. Is that his niece or daughter? Then one day Natalie shows up at story time with Josie. Uh oh Evie thinks. Blake is married? She wants to ask Natalie but doesn't and she sure doesn't want to confront Blake about it of course. Then Natalie shows up in the store with Iris, who Evie finds out that is her wife. Well, she's not Blake's wife or ex. One problem solved. Finally, Blake tells her who JOrdan is....I'm sure you figured it out but I didn't. And Josie, Iris and her wife's daughter and Blake went to high school with Natalie.
A fast read and not bad considering I'm really not a romcom lover.
The ending was typical and what grabbed me is that the last word was finis (the end), for now. Sequel? Maybe.
I enjoy books, and books about bookstores and this one fit the bill.
Evie owns a bookstore and runs it herself without any help for now in a small town. The opening chapter a "Cowboy" wanders in to buy a few books, one on auto maintenance which she has to order because she didn't carry any or maybe that one. I think I knew where this was going with them. Evie helps Blake with his car which needs to be fixed and Evie's father taught her the basics when she had her old car. In the meantime, Evie's house needs major fixing up and Blake helps her. You know what's going to happen right? Evie has been very burned in the past with her ex-boyfriend and is leery of any relationship. Blake keeps coming back to the store of course and tries to help her with her house.
Then there's sort of a sub-plot with Natalie who has a friend who wants Evie to sell jewelry for her friend Jordan in the bookstore thinking it would help her business. I was like is Jordan a man or a woman. I was wondering who this Natalie was. Jordan keeps sending beautiful sterling silver jewelry for sale and also a ring and bracelet that was made for her. Now she's really curious who this Jordan is since they never met and why is this person sending her jewelry that is really beautiful which she really loves.
Maya, her best friend from college is helping her run the bookstore and she has some great ideas that Evie is putting into place to help business pick up and it's working out well but all Maya wants to know is the relationship with Blake and what happened with them while they were fixing up her bathroom. She starts thinking of original ideas also to help business like storytelling time. It goes over well and then Blake shows up with an adorable 4 year old. Is that his niece or daughter? Then one day Natalie shows up at story time with Josie. Uh oh Evie thinks. Blake is married? She wants to ask Natalie but doesn't and she sure doesn't want to confront Blake about it of course. Then Natalie shows up in the store with Iris, who Evie finds out that is her wife. Well, she's not Blake's wife or ex. One problem solved. Finally, Blake tells her who JOrdan is....I'm sure you figured it out but I didn't. And Josie, Iris and her wife's daughter and Blake went to high school with Natalie.
A fast read and not bad considering I'm really not a romcom lover.
The ending was typical and what grabbed me is that the last word was finis (the end), for now. Sequel? Maybe.
June 16, 2025
I received this book for free, this does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review
Sterling Hearts was a first person point-of-view contemporary story of a young woman trying to find her footing in life. Evie has broken up with her emotionally abusive boyfriend and decided to move to the Appalachian area after she fell in love with a town her and the ex had passed through during a vacation. It's a small town but alive enough that she thinks an independent bookstore can be successful, her dream. Evie works to stay walled off, she wants to have a professional persona as a business owner and is still recovering from her abusive relationship, but when a man she dubs “The Cowboy” buys a children's book from her store, she can't help but let him a little.
This had sweet and cute moments but so much of what kept Evie and Blake (the cowboy) apart was misunderstandings that extremely easily could have been cleared with one simple asked and answered question. This read like a slice of life story with a romantic thread as Evie is very focused on getting her store running and worrying about her business persona in town. When her bestfriend comes to stay with her, we get a more livened up version of Evie as the friend pushes her to get out more and give Blake a chance.
There's a little bit of a mystery plot with some mysterious person who, through a sort of broker, Evie lets sell jewelry in her bookstore, that will have readers guessing and more than likely know the identity before any reveals. Evie and Blake spend some moments together with helping each other fix cars and redo a bathroom but they talk about everything but Blake's life, his secrets felt needlessly drawn out and ultimately made his character feel kind of blank to me. This was closed door with some hot and heavy making out but the way Blake's character never really revealed things about himself, kept him and his trying to build relationship with Evie feel distant and I never felt emotionally drawn to it.
The so easy to clear up misunderstandings Evie had that could have been taken care of with one question asked to Blake made Evie's reluctance feel dragged out and kept a large part of their relationship from developing. This was a slice of life with a very to be continued feeling ending that unfortunately didn't develop as much emotional depth in characters and relationships that typically pull me into stories.
Sterling Hearts was a first person point-of-view contemporary story of a young woman trying to find her footing in life. Evie has broken up with her emotionally abusive boyfriend and decided to move to the Appalachian area after she fell in love with a town her and the ex had passed through during a vacation. It's a small town but alive enough that she thinks an independent bookstore can be successful, her dream. Evie works to stay walled off, she wants to have a professional persona as a business owner and is still recovering from her abusive relationship, but when a man she dubs “The Cowboy” buys a children's book from her store, she can't help but let him a little.
This had sweet and cute moments but so much of what kept Evie and Blake (the cowboy) apart was misunderstandings that extremely easily could have been cleared with one simple asked and answered question. This read like a slice of life story with a romantic thread as Evie is very focused on getting her store running and worrying about her business persona in town. When her bestfriend comes to stay with her, we get a more livened up version of Evie as the friend pushes her to get out more and give Blake a chance.
There's a little bit of a mystery plot with some mysterious person who, through a sort of broker, Evie lets sell jewelry in her bookstore, that will have readers guessing and more than likely know the identity before any reveals. Evie and Blake spend some moments together with helping each other fix cars and redo a bathroom but they talk about everything but Blake's life, his secrets felt needlessly drawn out and ultimately made his character feel kind of blank to me. This was closed door with some hot and heavy making out but the way Blake's character never really revealed things about himself, kept him and his trying to build relationship with Evie feel distant and I never felt emotionally drawn to it.
The so easy to clear up misunderstandings Evie had that could have been taken care of with one question asked to Blake made Evie's reluctance feel dragged out and kept a large part of their relationship from developing. This was a slice of life with a very to be continued feeling ending that unfortunately didn't develop as much emotional depth in characters and relationships that typically pull me into stories.
January 11, 2026
Sterling Hearts by Linda Speckhals is a closed-door romance book. It’s a short novella set in Eastridge, a small mountain town. Our FMC is Evie, and she has just moved to Eastridge to start her life over after leaving her emotionally abusive ex. She opens her own bookstore but has trouble keeping the business running. So, she decides to consign jewelry on the side. When she meets our MMC, Blake, whom she calls “The Cowboy,” she is skeptical but intrigued by him.
Let’s start with the book’s cover. It’s very lovely, soft, and inviting. However, going into the story blind, I thought I was reading historical fiction or fantasy based on the cover. Sadly, this is not the case. The book starts slowly, but the pace picks up after a while. As for the characters, it is always wonderful to read about females who dream big and then go after and accomplish those dreams. Evie opened her store, and when things got hard, she didn’t just give up. I found this to be inspiring. Blake was not my favorite character. This may be because his character was unnecessarily mysterious at times, or because of some of his mannerisms toward Evie. The relationship didn’t seem well-developed, and it moved slowly. I can see how, with more chapters and time, this could be developed into an even deeper, more satisfying story. If you like closed-door contemporary romances and are a hopeless romantic, this may be the book for you.
Let’s start with the book’s cover. It’s very lovely, soft, and inviting. However, going into the story blind, I thought I was reading historical fiction or fantasy based on the cover. Sadly, this is not the case. The book starts slowly, but the pace picks up after a while. As for the characters, it is always wonderful to read about females who dream big and then go after and accomplish those dreams. Evie opened her store, and when things got hard, she didn’t just give up. I found this to be inspiring. Blake was not my favorite character. This may be because his character was unnecessarily mysterious at times, or because of some of his mannerisms toward Evie. The relationship didn’t seem well-developed, and it moved slowly. I can see how, with more chapters and time, this could be developed into an even deeper, more satisfying story. If you like closed-door contemporary romances and are a hopeless romantic, this may be the book for you.
March 15, 2025
Sterling Hearts is a charming contemporary romance set in the picturesque mountain town of Eastridge. The story follows Evie, a woman determined to start over by opening a bookstore, despite the challenges of running a small business. When she takes on consigned jewelry to keep her store afloat, she unwittingly opens the door to another unexpected opportunity—Blake, a rugged stranger she initially dubs “The Cowboy.” Though wary of his secrets, Evie finds herself drawn to him, and Blake is equally determined to win her heart.
The novel delivers on the appeal of small-town romance, with a cozy setting and a slow-burning connection between the characters. The premise is engaging, and Evie’s journey of self-reinvention is relatable. However, some aspects of the story felt rushed. Blake’s character had potential, but his backstory—and that of other supporting characters—could have been explored more deeply.
Despite this, Sterling Hearts carries a meaningful message about taking risks and stepping outside one’s comfort zone. The romance is sweet, the stakes are low, and the closed-door approach makes it an easy, feel-good read for fans of lighthearted love stories. While it may leave some readers wanting a bit more depth, it’s still an enjoyable escape into the world of second chances and small-town charm.
The novel delivers on the appeal of small-town romance, with a cozy setting and a slow-burning connection between the characters. The premise is engaging, and Evie’s journey of self-reinvention is relatable. However, some aspects of the story felt rushed. Blake’s character had potential, but his backstory—and that of other supporting characters—could have been explored more deeply.
Despite this, Sterling Hearts carries a meaningful message about taking risks and stepping outside one’s comfort zone. The romance is sweet, the stakes are low, and the closed-door approach makes it an easy, feel-good read for fans of lighthearted love stories. While it may leave some readers wanting a bit more depth, it’s still an enjoyable escape into the world of second chances and small-town charm.
May 6, 2025
A good, short read if you want something quick and love a good Bookstore centered story with a side of romance, but it definitely has a few areas that could be improved.
Blake and Evie get together so quickly but yet they barely even talk before the story is already over. The mysteries of Jordan and Josie feel so drawn out despite being easily clarified if someone would just SAY SOMETHING ALREADY. The author says she plans to revisit this storyline for a potential sequel and I hope she does since the characters have high potential and the story definitely comes off almost unfinished as it stands currently.
Blake and Evie get together so quickly but yet they barely even talk before the story is already over. The mysteries of Jordan and Josie feel so drawn out despite being easily clarified if someone would just SAY SOMETHING ALREADY. The author says she plans to revisit this storyline for a potential sequel and I hope she does since the characters have high potential and the story definitely comes off almost unfinished as it stands currently.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews