Beating Heart

Magnolia Falls #4

by Laura Pavlov, Savannah Peachwood (Narrator), Teddy Hamilton (Narrator)

I wasn't looking for love, until it moved in next door …

Welcome to Magnolia Falls, perfect for fans of Elsie Silver, Lucy Score and B.K. Borison!

***

From the moment my son came into the world – my life changed. I’d found my purpose.

My heart beats for this kid every damn day, and life is good. But then Emerson Chadwick happens. Our town’s new paediatrician is gorgeous, brilliant, and complicated.

But I’m not looking for complications.

To make matters worse, she’s moved in next door, and she’s everywhere I turn.

I can’t stay away no matter how hard I try, but Emerson isn’t here to stay. And now my heart beats for her in a way I never expected.

Falling for the girl next door is a bad idea. Loving her…well, that’s as easy as breathing.



Single-dad romance

Medical romance

Forced proximity

Small town

Found family

Genres: Romance, Small Town Romance, Found Family, Forced Proximity, Contemporary Romance, Friends To Lovers, Contemporary

Audible Audio

First published August 15, 2024

About the author

Laura Pavlov is a USA Today and Amazon top 10 Bestselling author. She writes sweet and sexy small town romance that will make you both laugh and cry. Laura is happily married to her college sweetheart, mom to two awesome kids who are currently adulting, one temperamental yorkie and one wild bernedoodle. She's living her own happily ever after in Las Vegas. Be sure to sign up for updates on new releases. Laura loves hearing from readers!

Instagram➡️https://bit.ly/2TKf5Zs
Pav-Loves Readers ➡️ https://bit.ly/2OKU6T5
Newsletter ➡️ https://bit.ly/2M3MzRv
Facebook➡️http://bit.ly/3eSvEdp
Goodreads ➡️ https://bit.ly/31sh2Oz
BookBub➡️http://bit.ly/3ii8Vdp
Amazon➡️http://amzn.to/3c1xKZX
Website➡️https://www.laurapavlov.com/

Reviews

[Laura Pavlov]

Available now!

Grab your copy today!
https://mybook.to/BeatingHeart

Audible: https://adbl.co/4cjQkbR
Narrated by: Savannah Peachwood & Teddy Hamilton

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3Xn9ucO

[buket · Rating 2 out of 5]

this book made me question if i love reading romance or should i switch to reading fantasy or something else for a while



~~~~
new small town single dad book? 🫲🏻🙂‍↕️🫱🏻

[Dul · Rating 3 out of 5]

“𝑨𝒉𝒉𝒉… 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒆 𝒅𝒂𝒅 𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒚 𝒂𝒃𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒆 𝒇𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆”

This is a love story set in a small town.

The protagonist is a newly arrived doctor, and he's a single father worried about his son's health, as the physician who used to care for him is about to retire. Now, this father must trust the new doctor to look after his little one.

This is another single dad novel that I enjoyed. If you're looking for a light read, I recommend it for its brevity and its plot which, while not extraordinary, is addictive and enjoyable.

If you have similar tastes to mine, you'll probably love this book as it includes the tropes of small town, single father, and found family.

The novel fulfills its main purpose, which is to entertain us, so you shouldn't have overly high expectations about it.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, Laura Pavlov delivers an addicting small town book that I couldn't put down.

I was so freaking excited for Nash because of him being the best daddy to Beefcake 🥹

Nash is such a good dad and there were so many parts in this that I got teary-eyed over. I genuinely couldn't handle the relationship between Cutler and Emerson. That kid deserves the best mommy and she is perfect for their family. 😭

I think I say this in every review, but Laura is the QUEEN of text threads. I want to read a novella from her that legit only has text threads in it. I would eat it up.

This book gave such a good sprinkle of Rosewood River and now I NEED IT!!!

Highlights:
"I'm going to call you Sunny. Because the word sun is at the end of your name, and I think you feel like sunshine."

"I don't know what I did to deserve you, but I'd sure like to keep you, beautiful."

"This right here. It beats every time I look at you. Every time you laugh. Every time you smile. Every time you walk toward me...."

4.5⭐
-small town
-single dad
-forced proximity
-neighbors
-found family
🌶️🌶️

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

Laura Pavlov writes the small town romances of my dreams! Beating Heart had a single dad, a small town doctor, and the most charming little boy. I adored it.

Nash Heart is a devoted single father to a six year old named Cutler. He wasn’t looking for love or romance, as he gives most of his time to his son, but then Emerson comes into the picture. Emerson Chadwick is a pediatrician. Cutler’s new pediatrician to be exact. Also the Heart’s new neighbor.

I honestly think my favorite thing about this book was watching Emerson and Cutler together. My heart melted. I adored that little boy and seeing the bond those two shared was beautiful. Of course, the romance was epic as well. Both Emerson and Nash needed someone they could count on and could trust again after being let down/hurt and they were that for each other.

‘Magnolia Falls’ has such a great found family theme and I can’t wait to get the final book of the series. I’ve loved this friend group so much! I also hope we get books for Emerson’s brothers/cousins. After meeting them, it’s a need!

This was one of those books that made me laugh, made me smile, and gave me all the feels. I highly recommend the audiobook as well. The narration was fantastic!

Audio book source: Book Funnel
Story Rating: 5 stars
Narrators: Savannah Peachwood & Teddy Hamilton
Narration Rating: 5 stars
Genre: Romance
Length: 8h 17m

[glavreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is now in my top three favorite laura pavlov books - it truly just packed such an emotional punch from the little family they formed to emerson finding herself again after her breakup to nash letting himself be more than just a father.

i am a sucker for single dad always and this one shot right up there with my faves. could not put it down and it’s a must read for all single dad/small town lovers!!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been SUCH an anticipated release for me with how much I fell in love with Beefcake in the previous four books, and it ended up being SO MUCH MORE.

From the start, I really loved Emerson's character and how she was in Magnolia Falls just trying to figure things out after here long term relationship ended. She didn't put up with Nash when he questioned her as a doctor when she took over his son's care and I love how she was firm but gentle with him. She showed up so much for him and Beefcake and their little found family was EVERYTHINGGGGGG.

The romance in here is great, and I loved how Emerson and Nash really danced around each other. Emerson finds it hard to trust again and Nash thinks so carefully before letting anyone in because of his son. I loved their attraction and just how they genuinely enjoyed each other and fell for each other. We get the found family of Nash's friends again, which I always love. I just love this series so much and couldn't recommend picking it up enough!!

[midnightacidity · Rating 4 out of 5]

I predict : Nash and Peyton (Dad and Beefcakes teacher)

Oh boy I was wrong!

[Kyrié · Rating 3 out of 5]

“I can’t hate someone for doing something that led me to finding what I needed all along.”

3.75 ⭐️- yesss this was such a good one. i never read books 1 & 2, but i read the last one and i was so confused by all the characters.. luckily i was able to understand this one.

single-dad-romance isn’t necessarily one of my favorite tropes.. don’t get me wrong, i love cutler and emerson and nash, but the trope just doesn’t do it for me 🤷🏽‍♀️🤷🏽‍♀️

[Tori - Novel Life · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars
BEEFCAKKKKEEEEEE
literally I love single dad, small town romances for this reason! This one was just about perfect.

[Ana | SheSaidYestoBooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good but nothing special.

[Wesy Jordanova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nash and Emerson (Cutler's new paediatrician) 🥰

[Jenn (The Book Refuge) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars
2.5 on the spice scale

[Thay · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Is that heart of yours beating now?”
He placed a hand on his chest. "It sure the fuck is"

Beating Heart had me super excited for its release. I was counting the days for August 15th since I finished reading Forbidden King. With each book of hers that I read, I fall more in love with Laura Pavlov's writing and the stories she writes. I couldn't be happier while flying through the pages of this sequel. And that's how I got my first book of the year with a perfect score of 10.0 on my CAWPILE rating!!

Our main guy, Nash, believed that he only needed Cutler in his life and for a long time, that was true. This little boy is the most precious thing he has ever had. Nash has always been very responsible and present, from the moment he found out about Cutler's existence, he took on the most important role in his life, which was that of a father. Nash raised his boy with the help of his best friends and together, they formed a family. However, with the arrival of Emerson as Cutler's new pediatrician and as his neighbor, his life was shaken up. Nash discovers throughout the book that it is possible that his heart beats for someone other than Cutler. And how sweet was it to see our guy falling hard and fast for our girl.

As for Emerson, she's a woman who had concrete and very important plans that ended up falling apart due to an unthinkable betrayal. We could feel that she was lost at the beginning of the book, she didn't want to get too involved with people or with Magnolia Falls, because it was supposed to be a temporary place, a refuge for her to find her way again. We saw Emerson's personality blossom and become lighter as she fell more and more in love with this cute town and its captivating inhabitants, especially a certain single father and his little mob boss in the making.

I absolutely loved Beefcake. Every moment he had with his "Sunny" and Nash was beautiful. Each one more precious than the last. Cutler's personality is so unique, Laura did a great job with this boy since the first book in the series. I'll remember him for a long time and every time I see another little boy in another story, I'll think of him, I'm sure. Beefcake becomes so dear to the reader that we also end up worrying about him as his asthma starts to get worse. Fortunately, Emerson finds herself extremely invested in making sure this little boy who conquered her is well and healthy. She becomes his "special girl" and our hearts ultimately melt about this.

As for the secondary characters, I loved seeing the other couples in the series in their cute moments together. This family that they all formed together is beautiful and there is always room for one more member. The girls welcomed Emerson as if they had been best friends forever, and she really needed it. I also loved Sunny's dog, Winnie, she was so cute I wanted to meet her in real life. Her moments with Cutler and Nash were adorable. Furthermore, I must say that another family really caught my attention in this book. Emerson comes from a town called Rosewood River and has 6 siblings, 4 by blood (one being her evil twin, as he says) and 2 cousins ​​who grew up together living in the same cul-de-sac. They all won me over pretty quickly in this book and I can't wait to learn more about them. Maybe this will be the next series that Laura will write? I absolutely hope so! Pleeease!!

About Hayes, he's the character that intrigued me the most since Loving Romeo. I was desperate for his story and when I saw that it'd be the last in the series, I waited with great anxiety. At the end of this book we find out a little more about him and his future romantic partner, Savannah, which made me even more anxious to read it. October 24th can't come fast enough.

✨ RATING
- C (characters): 10/10
- A (atmosphere): 10/10
- W (writing): 10/10
- P (plot): 10/10
- I (intrigue): 10/10
- L (logic): 10/10
- E (enjoyment): 10/10
↬ TOTAL: 10.0 = ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

💦 SPICE: 🌶️🌶️

🔖 TROPES:
- Single dad
- Dislike to friendship to love
- Small town romance
- Neighbors
- Forced proximity
- Pediatrician x patient's dad
- Found family

⚠️ Trigger Warnings: cheating (not main couple), absentee parent

"It's always beat for my son, but I swear to God, my fucking heart beats for you now, too"

[all.the.smut.things · Rating 5 out of 5]

RATING : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
SPICE : 🔥🔥💥

Beefcake stole this entire show!

Y’all I love this series, I adore this friendgroup and of course I fell for the broody single dad… but CUTLER HEART is the reason I live and breathe! 😍

I knew I was going to love this one, but I did not know that I was going to love Cultler and Emerson’s relationship every bit as much as I loved Nash and Emerson together, but I did. I absolutely did.

This entire book had me up in my feels and i never wanted it to end!

✨ Small Town Romance
✨ Single Dad
✨ Pediatrician FMC
✨ Forced Proximity (Neighbors)
✨ Broody x Sunshine

Nash and Emerson stole my whole heart. Emerson is running from a horrible betrayal and so she takes a sixth month contract in Magnolia Falls to fill in for the town’s aging doctor. There she meets grumpy single dad Nash and his son Culter, and not only is she the doctor, she’s also their new neighbor.

The chemistry and tension between Emerson and Nash had me in a chokehold from the start, and I loved every little bit of push and pull they gave us. Ans I especially loved Emerson and Cultler falling for each other.

This is another banger by Laura who writes swoony and funny heroes, but amazing friend groups and punch you in the feels scenes. I knew this book was a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read from about chapter six and never changed my mind!

[Isabella Maraschi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was EVERYTHING!! I am an absolute sucker for a single dad story & Laura absolutely delivered with this one. This was everything I hoped it would be & more 💚

Beefcake is honestly the heart & soul of this series & was the absolute main character in this book (Sorry Nash & Emerson, he definitely stole the show 🤣) He’s so funny & cool but also has the biggest heart & I loved that he got to play a role in his dad finding his HEA!

Emerson was just perfect for Nash & Beefcake, she truly fit right in with their little family & it was obvious her place was in Magnolia Falls & nowhere else! I loved how relatable she was, it was impossible not to root for her & hope everything worked out how she wanted them to. She also loved those boys fiercely & her relationship with beefcake made my heart melt 🥹

And Nash…my oh my Nash Heart 😮‍💨 what a man. I already loved his character from the previous books but after reading his own story, I am absolutely sat for this man 🧎🏻‍♀️he was the absolute best dad to beefcake & when he realized how perfectly Emerson fit into his little family, he wasn’t willing to let her go & would do absolutely anything & everything for her! They were absolutely perfect for each other & just what each other needed. Their chemistry was incredible & when the spice hit, it fit the story perfectly 🤌🏼

This series has become one of my absolute favorites & I’m so sad it’s coming to an end soon but I’m also super excited for Hayes’s book & I just know it’s gonna be the perfect ending to this incredible series! ✨

Thank you Laura & team for the ARC! 🫶🏻

Tropes:
- Small town
- Single dad x Pediatrician
- Forced proximity
- Neighbors
- Found family

Final rating:
♾️/⭐️
2.5 🌶️

[Anila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cutler Heart, you are the cutest kid I’ve ever read about. He was absolutely adorable and stole the spotlight every single time he was on the page.

This was hands down my favourite in the series so far. It was just wholesome and heartwarming. I loved the progression of the romance. Nash and Emerson had great chemistry together and I couldn’t get enough of all the moments they had together, especially the ones with Cutler. We really got to see them become a family and I ate it up. The author really has a talent for writing addicting small town romance books. I could not put this down at all.

All in all, this was such a comfort read and the author executed the single dad trope perfectly. I would highly recommend!

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’ve been reading this series and impatiently waiting for Nash and Beefcake’s story I have to tell you it was well worth the wait, I loved it so much! The author writes some of my favorite small town romances and the found family she has created in this book is truly special. Nash is such an amazing single father and his relationship with his son is adorable and just when I thought it couldn’t get any cuter it did when Emerson and Cutler started to bond. Of course the romance was swoony and romantic Nash and Emerson meant to be. I can’t believe we only have one more book in this series before it’s complete but after seeing the little hints for the next series I’m SO excited about that one too!

[Judy Portelles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited for Nash and Beefcake's story and this by far is my favorite in the series. I always loved Nash throughout this series he truly is an amazing dad.
Emerson was the perfect fit for Nash and Beefcake, I loved the family they became. It's always nice seeing all the other characters in this series and how their stories all come together. I can't wait to read Finding Hayes!

I loved the audio, Savannah Peachwood and Teddy Hamilton were absolutely amazing bringing these characters to life.

[Nadieh · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 ⭐️ This book was once again very entertaining.

[Katie Beasley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to get an ARC for this one and to say I was excited is an understatement! I have only read Loving Romeo with plans to read the other two. All that to say I really liked this book. Laura does such a good job with the found family. The text threads in this one between the guys was *top notch.* I liked that everything felt natural and paced really well. I enjoyed watching Emerson come out of her shell. Not that she was a grump, but her confidence had been shot. Nash and Cutler's confidence more than made up for it. I liked the emphasis on how much one person can change your perspective on things. Where Nash had never thought he could do a relationship because of Cutler, he found himself wanting to go with the flow and try something new. Emerson had a plan which ended up changing due to a man that walked into her life when she least expected it. But back to the text threads- I liked how the guys ribbed each other but also loved each other something fierce. Ride or die baby.

Emerson does not want to go home. Everyone knows her story there. She wants a blank slate which is how she has found herself in Magnolia Falls as the temporary town pediatrician. Her first patient happens to be Cutler- the cutest little boy she has ever seen- with his also hot dad Nash. Nash is giving off all kinds of not welcome vibes. Fine let him be like that- this is all temporary anyways. Until she finds out that they are neighbors. And her dog breaks into Nash's house. And she has dinner with Nash and Cutler. And now she is opening up about her recent heartache to Nash. And he is helping her through her trauma and kissing her and exploring her. And they are spending all of their time together. They decide to go with the flow. Enjoy the time they have together. She has to reminder herself not to get in too deep...that she is leaving at the end of the summer...right? But how can she leave her now refueled heart? How can she leave Cutler who talks to her about things he doesn't talk about with anyone else? How can she leave Nash who has helped her realize how amazing she is and what life is all about? Maybe she won't.

Nash has one sole focus in life...his son Cutler. His heart beats for Cutler. He also has four "brothers" who are his forever ride or die, but he has not had a relationship since Cutler's mom. And wow what a trainwreck that was. He does casual. That's it and that's all. But now his perspective is changing. The new town pediatrician who happens to be stunning is also his new neighbor. He isn't one for change, but here he is inviting her over for a casual dinner. Wondering what she is doing in that house all by herself. Wondering where she goes when she seems to get lost in her thoughts. Wondering what her lips taste like. Wondering what she would feel like. Well now he knows- she has opened up to him and while normally he would not be invested, he finds himself wanting to make her smile. He wants to make her realize how amazing she is. So they go for it- they are going to enjoy their time together while she is here. He has to remind himself she is leaving. He has to proclaim that he doesn't "care" to his friends when they ask but deep down he REALLY cares. He has involved Cutler in this one and they are both in deep. He realizes he has to take a leap and tell her how he feels. But will they be enough to get her to realize what they could be to each other? Does she feel how he does? There is only one way to find out.

I found myself smiling EVERY time Cutler talked. I was also comparing him to my 5 year old- news flash mine doesn't have that kind of game hahaha. I had a lot of good feelings while reading this one- hope, appreciation, wonder and warmth. I enjoyed that this was a true standalone but of course with my being a series addict I WILL be reading Ruby & River's story as well as Kingston & Saylor's. By the way I have to give kuddos to Laura about these names!! Love them. I am also now WAITING ON PINS AND NEEDLES for Hayes and Savannah. I am sensing some DEEP feelings coming our way in that one- can't wait!!

Thank you to Valentine PR and Laura for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!!

[Ally Cee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ugh this one was so close for me compared to the others in this series. The unnecessary repetition of everything continues to kill me though. Laura Pavlov please hire me to be your editor. With some cutting and simple rewording I could have easily given this 4 stars because the premise is cute and it reminds of my favorite book by her from another series.

Likes:
The couple was cute. I can see the connection a little more with them than I did with the other couples in this series. While it’s not this deep connection, how they came to be felt realistic.

I like the overall concept of the book itself trope wise.

The friend group/found family angle and groups continue to be my favorite part.

Cons:
At first Beefcake was a riot but it got a little out of hand this book. He talked like an adult more than a child and that always irks me as a reader.

While I liked the concept, it was pretty identical to her book “Sealed” minus a change in a couple details. It is a pure copy paste situation.

So. Much. Repetition. Repeating it again after mentioning at the top feels appropriate in this instance, ironically.

This author’s downfall for me is that she seems more focused on cranking out a new book quickly that the quality takes a hit. The fact that each series is just a reshaping of the previous one just tells me the focus is on profits. I hope someone on her team convinces her to slow down a little and try to create something different. For example, Devney Perry puts out a few books a year so her readers are happy but she spaces them out enough that the quality is still there. And I don’t feel like I’m reading the same series over and over again with DP’s books. I hope Laura Pavlov considers that with her next series that is definitely going to be about Emerson’s brothers.

[Olga 🌺 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Can't say I am a fan of Laura Pavlov's writing. I tried her before with loving Romeo and I dnf'd because it was soooo bad!
Thought to try again with Beating Heart. It's marginally better but the writing is still so methodical, so technical so straight forward. It just doesn't do it for me.

This book though has some of my favourite tropes, small town, single dad, sunshine MFC and found family.

Everything was just so perfect! Everyone loved her. She was perfect at everything. The found family was perfect saying the perfect thing doing the perfect thing. The little boy who's 6 going on 60 is just an old soul that no real 6 year old would think or say what he does. It's just too dreamy.

And then of course her ex fiance and boyfriend of the last 10 years is a cheater and once he cheated she realised she dodged a bullet! Pretty convenient. 3 months later she's in love with another man!

Anyway, this book had some sweet moments. I loved the scene where she's drunk in her wedding dress and then afterwards dunked in the lake with the MMC. It was my favourite scene.

I didn’t like that she let her ex fiance go with a mere slap on the hand. She forgave him too easily and was ostensibly civil to him.

Other than that, everything else was a bit too bland to my liking.
Laura Pavlov is not the writer for me.

[Christi (christireadsalot) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhh I just love this series so much and was so excited to get to this book! Beefcake totally stole the show and I just adore him to pieces. Beating Heart is the 4th book in the Magnolia Falls series and this is a small town, single dad, neighbors to friends to lovers romance!

Emerson recently moved to Magnolia Falls to get a fresh start, she was looking to get away and the 6 month contract as the new pediatrician in town came at the perfect time. On one of her first days, she meets Nash and his son Beefcake who come in for help with Beefcake’s asthma. Nash is a protective dad who isn’t too happy about change in his son’s life and is wary about her as their new doctor. But very quickly he realizes he’s going to be seeing a lot of Emerson as she’s their new neighbor too and Beefcake is smitten with her!

I was just so obsessed with this book! The audiobook was fantastic and I definitely recommend. I loved Nash and Emerson, learning about Emerson’s past and her relationship with her family was so fun (already so excited for the series to come featuring her brothers and cousins! 👀), and of course Beefcake being the most precious adorable little boy! He truly steals the show and your heart. I love his close relationship with Emerson and how quickly they bond, and of course seeing all the characters featured throughout the series make appearances too, I love how close this entire friend/family group is and how much they mean to one another!

[Gigi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am totally obsessed with this book! It was absolutely adorable and I couldn’t put it down. I tried to slow down and savor it, but I got hooked and before I knew it, it was over.

Emerson, Nash, and little Beefcake totally stole my heart. I already loved Nash and Beefcake from earlier in the series, but somehow they managed to wiggle in even deeper. Beefcake is just too cute for his own good, and every single moment with him was pure perfection. He’s honestly the sweetest kid ever written.

Emerson was amazing too! She was such a wonderful character, and the way she and Beefcake connected was the sweetest thing. Seeing Beefcake open up to Emerson about things he didn’t even share with his dad was so special. The way Nash and Emerson figured out their feelings for each other while always putting Beefcake first made me so soft. These three + Winnie (Emerson's dog) really became the sweetest little family, and I was obsessed with every minute of it.

I couldn’t get enough of their story, their banter, their friends... all of it! My heart is full, my face hurts from smiling.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT:
❤️‍🔥 Neighbors to Lovers
❤️‍🔥 Single Dad
❤️‍🔥 Close Proximity
❤️‍🔥 He Falls First

[Irina · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Pops always says his heart only started beating when I came into the world. My uncles say it's true, too. Can you check his heart and make sure it's working?"

I was looking forward to this book, even if I tried to keep my expectations in check. Single dad romances are definitely NOT my favorite because I often find the kids in them annoying, especially if they are precocious. Given Cutler's appearances in the previous books in this series and how he was spoiled by everyone around him, I was quite skeptical about "Beating Heart".

Fortunately, my concerns did not become true. "Beefcake" is a cute and funny kid and didn't bother me at all. And his father? Swoon-worthy. I didn't warm to Nash in the previous books but even though he's not as awesome as River ❤️, I liked really him. Nash is a great and straightforward MMC. I adored how he put his kid first and how he supported Emerson, and I loved his no-nonsense attitude (especially with Tara, when she tried to cause drama: "Okay, this ends here. This is my girlfriend, Emerson. Stop with the looks and the cheap shots, got it?") and how he speaks his mind. No games, no miscommunications, just the truth.

Emerson is also a wonderful character, despite the disappointment she has to deal with. You might guess she's bitter or somewhat damaged, but she's not. She's just a little bit sad, but ready to move on. I really liked her, she's a nice, down-to-earth, affectionate girl and fits in seamlessly with Nash and Cutler (and their friends).

The love story develops steadily and smoothly, and because both Nash and Emerson are pleasantly reasonable characters, there's hardly any drama regarding their relationship. There's also not much steam in this book, even significantly less than in the previous ones, but I'm totally fine with that. The texts in the 'Ride or Die'-group chat are quite amusing, I didn't find them as pointed and funny as in the previous books though.

In "Beating Heart", Pavlov not only sets up Hayes' book nicely, but also her new series, which will be published in 2025. Emerson's hometown, Rosewood River, will be the setting for the six books featuring Emerson's brothers and cousins, apparently.


Overall rating: 4
Story: 4
Emotion: 3/5
Nash: 4/5
Emerson: 4/5

[Emily Johnston (Booked.Up.With.Emily) · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are back in Magnolia Falls and we finally get to see Nash, and Beefcake, find their leading lady and get their HEA!

💛Single dad
💛Small town romance
💛Neighbors to lovers
💛Dislike to lovers
💛Forced proximity
💛Found family

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️
Angst level: 💔

When Emerson needs a new start, she finds the perfect job opening in Magnolia Falls as the town pediatrician. And one of her first patients is Cutler Heart, aka Beefcake, after the ending of the last book. And his dad Nash is not too happy about the change in pediatricians. The big grump of a man doesn’t take too kindly to change.

But Emerson worms her way into their lives just by being her caring self. The two of them may have a rocky start, but they quickly become attached to one another and find their safe place being together.

I loved Nash’s transition from the grumpiest grump to softening only for Emerson and Cutler. I also really loved Emerson and Cutler’s building relationship – it was so sweet to see!

Hayes is up next and I can’t wait to see where we are headed for his story!

Also, Laura definitely gives us a glimpse into the next series she is writing and I AM SO EXCITED!!

[kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was not prepared for how much I was going to love daddy Nash. He was sweet and direct. There was no messing around with Nash and Emerson. There were honest feelings and no denial, trust and patience. Just two adults having an adult relationship. The kid was cute too. Even if I think calling your child Beefcake is insanity.

[Jess • bestiebookshelf_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Does Laura ever miss? I think not! I absolutely devoured this book! It was so wholesome, so sweet and full of beautiful moments. Beefcake continues to take the prize for the coolest kid character ever!

𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩: small town romance, single Dad, neighbours, close proximity, grumpy x sunshine, found family

This highly anticipated story in the Magnolia Falls universe follows the new town Paediatrician, Emerson, single Dad Nash and of course our favourite little Cutler aka Beefcake. Nash and Emerson are thrust together when she moves to town (and next door) and takes over Beefcake's asthma care.

I loved Emerson as an FMC. She was driven, passionate, loyal and I absolutely ADORED her relationship with Beefcake. It made me tear up multiple times and it really cemented the amazing Dad that Nash is, because of how incredible Beefcake is. He was such a sweet wee boy, funny too. The meatball scene made me laugh so much!

"𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙚'𝙧𝙚 𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙢𝙚 𝘽𝙚𝙚𝙛𝙘𝙖𝙠𝙚. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙗𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙜𝙞𝙧𝙡."

I loved how Emerson truly made Magnolia Falls her home; she really embraced life there and established the best friendships with girls and guys. Laura really hits the found family trope so well, especially with his group of people. The text threads were hilarious as always, and I loved how all the couples played a special part in their story.

Nash - the perfect textbook Dad, man. Wow! His character was so great. He's spent all his life dedicated to being the best Dad and it really shows. He would do anything for Beefcake and their bond was just made me melt! The chemistry and tension between Nash and Emerson was so good, I loved their banter (turned flanter) and how Nash turned into a big puddle of mush for Emerson. She really had those two Heart men wrapped round her little finger. Also, big tears when the title of the book clicks into place; that was really, really special.

"𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙄 𝙠𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙀𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙙𝙬𝙞𝙘𝙠, 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙩 𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙣 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚. 𝙇𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙖 𝙙𝙞𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙖 𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚".

I loved this one so much, this series is becoming one of my favourites of Laura's and I cannot wait for Hayes' story! (and the next series which is shaping up to be wonderful!)

Thank you Valentine PR and Laura for the arc; it's always an honour and I am so grateful.

[NJS Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

YEEEESSS!! I’ve been soo excited to get to this book since I started the series. Hands down my favourite Laura Pavlov, so far. I am OBSESSED!!

Cutler Heart is the cutest kid I’ve ever read about. He was so adorable, has the biggest heart and absolutely stole the show.

Emerson was perfect for Nash and Beekcake. She thought she was on a 6 month contract in Magnolia Parks - little did she know she would fall hard for these two boys. Her relationship with Cutler was so heartwarming. That little boy deserved the best mum. She fit in with their family so well.

Nash Heart - this man has my heart. I already loved his character from the previous books, but learning more about him and his story here was just what I needed. He is the best dad to Cutler and would do anything for his boy. When he realised Emerson was perfect for his family he done absolutely anything to keep her.

As always the banter between this group of friends never fails to make me giggle.

I loved the audiobook for this one. Listened to it in one sitting. We had a glimpse of Rosewood River and I am here for it! I need more from this small town.

- Small town romance
- Single dad
- Neighbours
- Forced proximity
- Found family