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Walking on Broken Paths
Desperate to escape the pain of his brother’s death, Jesse Melnik ran—but he couldn’t outrun the grief, no matter how much distance he put between himself and his past. Now, after fifteen years of trying, he’s finally ready to face his hometown of Charlottetown again.
He expects the memories of his brother to hover in every corner of his family’s sailboat and whisper in every sea-tinged breeze.
What he doesn’t expect is Parker Willis, the best friend he left behind without a word the day he fled.
And he certainly doesn’t expect old feelings to resurface.
Parker’s been stuck in a rut since his father died three months ago. Every day is the same: try to keep his father’s dinner cruise business afloat so he can chip away at Dad’s debts, all while working a job that leaves him more frustrated than satisfied.
Then Parker’s routine shatters in the best way possible: Jesse Melnik returns to Prince Edward Island for the summer, all six feet three inches of gorgeous hockey player.
Now, that’s different.
Jesse kickstarts Parker’s heart.
Parker makes Jesse feel again.
And although both men are a little bit damaged from struggling down the broken path of loss, maybe—just maybe—if they can lean on each other, they’ll learn to move forward at last.
Content warnings: themes of grief, discussions of a parent's death from cancer, descriptions/discussions of a sibling's death by suicide.
He expects the memories of his brother to hover in every corner of his family’s sailboat and whisper in every sea-tinged breeze.
What he doesn’t expect is Parker Willis, the best friend he left behind without a word the day he fled.
And he certainly doesn’t expect old feelings to resurface.
Parker’s been stuck in a rut since his father died three months ago. Every day is the same: try to keep his father’s dinner cruise business afloat so he can chip away at Dad’s debts, all while working a job that leaves him more frustrated than satisfied.
Then Parker’s routine shatters in the best way possible: Jesse Melnik returns to Prince Edward Island for the summer, all six feet three inches of gorgeous hockey player.
Now, that’s different.
Jesse kickstarts Parker’s heart.
Parker makes Jesse feel again.
And although both men are a little bit damaged from struggling down the broken path of loss, maybe—just maybe—if they can lean on each other, they’ll learn to move forward at last.
Content warnings: themes of grief, discussions of a parent's death from cancer, descriptions/discussions of a sibling's death by suicide.
230 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 22, 2025
About the author
Amy Aislin
39 books942 followersAmy's lived with her head in the clouds since she first picked up a book as a child, and being fluent in two languages means she's read a lot of books! She first picked up a pen on a rainy day in fourth grade when her class had to stay inside for recess. Tales of treasure hunts with her classmates eventually morphed into love stories between men, and she's been writing ever since. She writes evenings and weekends—or whenever she isn't at her full-time day job saving the planet at Canada's largest environmental non-profit.
An unapologetic introvert, Amy reads too much and socializes too little, with no regrets. She loves connecting with readers. Join her Facebook Group to stay up-to-date on upcoming releases and for access to early teasers, find her on Instagram and Twitter, or sign up for her infrequent newsletter here: http://bit.ly/AmyAislinNewsletter
An unapologetic introvert, Amy reads too much and socializes too little, with no regrets. She loves connecting with readers. Join her Facebook Group to stay up-to-date on upcoming releases and for access to early teasers, find her on Instagram and Twitter, or sign up for her infrequent newsletter here: http://bit.ly/AmyAislinNewsletter
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 166 reviews
June 24, 2025
I have wanted Jesse Melnik's story since he first popped up in the Amy Aislin hockeyverse, and although this wasn't exactly what I was expecting, it was so good to see him finally healing and getting his own HEA!
This book is very heavy with grief, both Jesse's and Parker's, and finding how to cope and be able to move forward with your life. They both took extremely different paths and Jesse is much further along his, but seeing these two childhood best friends be there for each other unconditionally was the sweetest.
Parker's jealousy over Gavin was really funny, and I also loved the cameo's from Emery, Mitch and Asher too.
The only thing I wasn't sure on is the use of the wind and the reapparance of the box of dolls, implying there were spirits present? I prefer to keep my paranormal and contemporary totally separate, but it was being used to convey that just because someone is no longer with us physically, it doesn't mean that their spirit and our memories of them are gone. So, it was nice that it was used that way, but there was so much repetition of it happening that it did start to pull me out of the story.
*****
I received an ARC of this book from Neon Rainbow, and this is my honest review
This book is very heavy with grief, both Jesse's and Parker's, and finding how to cope and be able to move forward with your life. They both took extremely different paths and Jesse is much further along his, but seeing these two childhood best friends be there for each other unconditionally was the sweetest.
Parker's jealousy over Gavin was really funny, and I also loved the cameo's from Emery, Mitch and Asher too.
The only thing I wasn't sure on is the use of the wind and the reapparance of the box of dolls, implying there were spirits present? I prefer to keep my paranormal and contemporary totally separate, but it was being used to convey that just because someone is no longer with us physically, it doesn't mean that their spirit and our memories of them are gone. So, it was nice that it was used that way, but there was so much repetition of it happening that it did start to pull me out of the story.
*****
I received an ARC of this book from Neon Rainbow, and this is my honest review
August 1, 2025
3,25 stars.
Overall enjoyable mm romance.
Grief and moving on were central to the story, yet the writing didn't evoke strong feelings, wasn't very sad or heartbreaking to me. I was a bit surprised that it didn't touch me more.
The whimsical bursts of wind, the light switch and the box with old dolls I could have done without, as well as the prosaic and lengthy monologues about self worth and loss.
I guess many will love these, though. To me it felt like the author was trying a bit too hard.
I enjoyed the easy friendship between Jesse and Parker more than anything else, just like in my favourite book by this author, The Play of His Life.
Overall enjoyable mm romance.
Grief and moving on were central to the story, yet the writing didn't evoke strong feelings, wasn't very sad or heartbreaking to me. I was a bit surprised that it didn't touch me more.
The whimsical bursts of wind, the light switch and the box with old dolls I could have done without, as well as the prosaic and lengthy monologues about self worth and loss.
I guess many will love these, though. To me it felt like the author was trying a bit too hard.
I enjoyed the easy friendship between Jesse and Parker more than anything else, just like in my favourite book by this author, The Play of His Life.
August 4, 2025
Overall book review: 3
Audio book: N/A
Book cover: 2
This was my first read by the author and it was a nice
time filler.
I enjoyed lots of little things about it, but unfortunately,
It’s most probably going to be one of those books I
don’t remember in a week or 4.
It had a good feeling about it. I liked the MC’s well
enough. It made me feel sad at times, but not
overly so, happy, but not overly so.
It was a piece of time I shared with the MC’s and
I liked the way the ‘drama’ wasn’t stretched out
and the easy way between the guys even after
all the time apart.
I feel a little more depth in the relationship would
have maybe made it stand out a little more.
It had some really good things going for it.
Audio book: N/A
Book cover: 2
This was my first read by the author and it was a nice
time filler.
I enjoyed lots of little things about it, but unfortunately,
It’s most probably going to be one of those books I
don’t remember in a week or 4.
It had a good feeling about it. I liked the MC’s well
enough. It made me feel sad at times, but not
overly so, happy, but not overly so.
It was a piece of time I shared with the MC’s and
I liked the way the ‘drama’ wasn’t stretched out
and the easy way between the guys even after
all the time apart.
I feel a little more depth in the relationship would
have maybe made it stand out a little more.
It had some really good things going for it.
July 21, 2025
B / 4 stars
Walking on Broken Paths is a tender and heartfelt contemporary romance between two childhood friends who haven’t seen each other in fifteen years. While the novel does deal with some heavy topics, it’s ultimately positive and uplifting, exploring the possibility of healing after overwhelming loss and of learning to let go and move on.
NHL star Jesse Melnik hasn’t been home to Charlottetown for fifteen years, ever since his younger brother, Mikey, took his own life. Traumatised at finding his brother’s body and unable to process his grief and his guilt, Jesse fled, leaving everything and everyone behind, including his childhood best friend, Parker, and his parents when he upped sticks and moved to Vancouver to begin his hockey career.
But now, with the fifteenth anniversary of Mikey’s death approaching, Jesse decides it’s time to go home. It’ll be hard but he’s going to attend the memorial service and celebration of life ceremony being organised by Mikey’s high school best friend, and hopes that maybe he’ll be able to obtain some closure for himself.
Parker Willis lost his father just a few months earlier. A sportswriter based in Montreal, Parker came home when his father’s health deteriorated and he was no longer able to run his dinner cruise company. But the business is in trouble; months of poor management have left Parker with a lot of debt and while he desperately wants to keep his father’s legacy alive, his heart just isn’t in it. He can’t bear the idea of selling up – but the thought of being stuck with something that makes him miserable is really grinding him down.
Jesse and Parker reconnect almost by accident, when Parker, having just docked the cruise yacht, spies Jesse sitting on a bench by the marina. They haven’t seen or heard from each other for fifteen years, yet they greet one another as though no time has passed and as they talk, it’s as though something just drops into place that they didn’t know they were missing. Jesse and Parker had big (secret) crushes on each other back in the day and have always loved each other, but now, their similar – though different – situations, add an extra layer of understanding to their connection.
The romance unfolds alongside Jesse and Parker’s journey towards healing and acceptance. Jesse has purchased a fixer-upper on the Island, intending to use the renovation work as a way to occupy his mind before the new Hockey season starts, and Parker immediately offers to help him with it. The timing also means that he will be able to attend Parker’s father’s funeral, and his support proves invaluable to a devastated Parker. They finally get the chance to explore their feelings, both realising that they’d loved one another as teens but had been too scared of ruining their friendship to do anything about it. Now, though, they’re older, wiser and determined not to let fear prevent them from finding something good amid so much hurt and pain. Their romantic relationship is satisfying and well-developed, and as they rediscover their connection, they discover something else, too; the strength to move beyond that pain and to open up to the possibilty of a brighter future.
The author writes about loss with a wonderful insight and sensitivity, and the emotions experienced by Jesse and Parker – whether it’s Jesse’s guilt at having cut the people who love him out of his life, or Parker’s feelings that he’s drowning under a weight of guilt and expectation – feel very authentic.
(As a side note, having lost my mother a few months ago, I could really relate to Parker’s sadness and his complicated feelings as the day of the funeral approaches.)
Jesse and Parker’s journey towards healing is beautifully written, and Walking on Broken Paths is both a quiet, heartfelt story about coming to terms with grief and loss and a lovely romance featuring two lifelong friends realising that they’ve always loved one another. Recommended.
Walking on Broken Paths is a tender and heartfelt contemporary romance between two childhood friends who haven’t seen each other in fifteen years. While the novel does deal with some heavy topics, it’s ultimately positive and uplifting, exploring the possibility of healing after overwhelming loss and of learning to let go and move on.
NHL star Jesse Melnik hasn’t been home to Charlottetown for fifteen years, ever since his younger brother, Mikey, took his own life. Traumatised at finding his brother’s body and unable to process his grief and his guilt, Jesse fled, leaving everything and everyone behind, including his childhood best friend, Parker, and his parents when he upped sticks and moved to Vancouver to begin his hockey career.
But now, with the fifteenth anniversary of Mikey’s death approaching, Jesse decides it’s time to go home. It’ll be hard but he’s going to attend the memorial service and celebration of life ceremony being organised by Mikey’s high school best friend, and hopes that maybe he’ll be able to obtain some closure for himself.
Parker Willis lost his father just a few months earlier. A sportswriter based in Montreal, Parker came home when his father’s health deteriorated and he was no longer able to run his dinner cruise company. But the business is in trouble; months of poor management have left Parker with a lot of debt and while he desperately wants to keep his father’s legacy alive, his heart just isn’t in it. He can’t bear the idea of selling up – but the thought of being stuck with something that makes him miserable is really grinding him down.
Jesse and Parker reconnect almost by accident, when Parker, having just docked the cruise yacht, spies Jesse sitting on a bench by the marina. They haven’t seen or heard from each other for fifteen years, yet they greet one another as though no time has passed and as they talk, it’s as though something just drops into place that they didn’t know they were missing. Jesse and Parker had big (secret) crushes on each other back in the day and have always loved each other, but now, their similar – though different – situations, add an extra layer of understanding to their connection.
The romance unfolds alongside Jesse and Parker’s journey towards healing and acceptance. Jesse has purchased a fixer-upper on the Island, intending to use the renovation work as a way to occupy his mind before the new Hockey season starts, and Parker immediately offers to help him with it. The timing also means that he will be able to attend Parker’s father’s funeral, and his support proves invaluable to a devastated Parker. They finally get the chance to explore their feelings, both realising that they’d loved one another as teens but had been too scared of ruining their friendship to do anything about it. Now, though, they’re older, wiser and determined not to let fear prevent them from finding something good amid so much hurt and pain. Their romantic relationship is satisfying and well-developed, and as they rediscover their connection, they discover something else, too; the strength to move beyond that pain and to open up to the possibilty of a brighter future.
The author writes about loss with a wonderful insight and sensitivity, and the emotions experienced by Jesse and Parker – whether it’s Jesse’s guilt at having cut the people who love him out of his life, or Parker’s feelings that he’s drowning under a weight of guilt and expectation – feel very authentic.
(As a side note, having lost my mother a few months ago, I could really relate to Parker’s sadness and his complicated feelings as the day of the funeral approaches.)
Jesse and Parker’s journey towards healing is beautifully written, and Walking on Broken Paths is both a quiet, heartfelt story about coming to terms with grief and loss and a lovely romance featuring two lifelong friends realising that they’ve always loved one another. Recommended.
August 6, 2025
This made me cry a lot more than I was expecting. I didn’t really remember Jesse from the Stick Side series, but I sort of can remember that Emery had a teammate who was a bully, so it sort of made sense.
Jesse has been suffering for 15 years after the death of his brother. He lashed out and acted pretty much like a dick for a while until he reformed himself, his done work, and he is actively trying to be a better person. The book starts with him coming back home to PEI to attend his brother’s memorial and to make peace with himself.
Parker is struggling; he lost his dad and had to change his career to take over the family business. He is basically miserable and drowning in sorrow. All until he reconnects with Jesse, his best friend and possibly more.
Their love felt like a very real and mature love; it was sad and hopeful at the same time.
Loved the setting, and now I am adding PEI to my list of places I still want to visit in Canada.
Jesse has been suffering for 15 years after the death of his brother. He lashed out and acted pretty much like a dick for a while until he reformed himself, his done work, and he is actively trying to be a better person. The book starts with him coming back home to PEI to attend his brother’s memorial and to make peace with himself.
Parker is struggling; he lost his dad and had to change his career to take over the family business. He is basically miserable and drowning in sorrow. All until he reconnects with Jesse, his best friend and possibly more.
Their love felt like a very real and mature love; it was sad and hopeful at the same time.
Loved the setting, and now I am adding PEI to my list of places I still want to visit in Canada.
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July 26, 2025Available now wherever you buy your ebooks and audiobooks! Buy direct from me to get the bonus scene included and for the best price on the audiobook: https://readerlinks.com/l/4912413
July 17, 2025
As stated by the author, Walking on Broken Paths is NOT a redemption story of Jesse Melnik. He first appeared as a bully in Star of the Game and later in Game Changer -- although since I read these books out of order, I read it the other way around.
I'm a bit worried whenever a romance involves "former bully" but this story promises second-chance/friends-to-lovers trope and I had been infatuated with Aislin's books this year. So of course I wouldn't miss it.
I thought it was PERFECT that it WASN'T a redemption story. This is a story of Jesse several years after, this is a story of Jesse finally finding reasons to move on, and with the one that he left behind. His best friend, his sun, Parker Willis.
This is a story of grief and forgiveness and forever love. This is a story of finding out that even when you're broken, you can still mend yourself. You may not be perfect but you can be the best version of yourself.
This story broke my heart AND mended it again. I cried maybe three, four times. Both Jesse and Parker lost someone they loved, although Parker was more recent. But they were SO GOOD together and together they HEALED themselves. I loved that Jesse had evolved (it involved therapy and I was so happy to read this). I loved that Parker never gave up on Jesse, even when Jesse tried to push him away (though not strongly, I thought)
This story is gentle and I LOVE this book so much! I want to carry it inside my heart and soul...
I'm a bit worried whenever a romance involves "former bully" but this story promises second-chance/friends-to-lovers trope and I had been infatuated with Aislin's books this year. So of course I wouldn't miss it.
I thought it was PERFECT that it WASN'T a redemption story. This is a story of Jesse several years after, this is a story of Jesse finally finding reasons to move on, and with the one that he left behind. His best friend, his sun, Parker Willis.
This is a story of grief and forgiveness and forever love. This is a story of finding out that even when you're broken, you can still mend yourself. You may not be perfect but you can be the best version of yourself.
This story broke my heart AND mended it again. I cried maybe three, four times. Both Jesse and Parker lost someone they loved, although Parker was more recent. But they were SO GOOD together and together they HEALED themselves. I loved that Jesse had evolved (it involved therapy and I was so happy to read this). I loved that Parker never gave up on Jesse, even when Jesse tried to push him away (though not strongly, I thought)
This story is gentle and I LOVE this book so much! I want to carry it inside my heart and soul...
"That brokennnes inside of us, it's what makes us unique. Those cracks are what strengthen us and create connections with others. So own the broken parts of you, Jess. Because they're beautiful. They're perfect"
July 13, 2025
This is a story that will stay with me for a long time. It tackles aspects of grief, loss, love, connection, community in an exceptionally sensitive way and is extremely impactful in it’s telling, bold bright vivid writing, endearing layered protagonist and lovely side characters who lend so much richness and colour to the story including characters who have passed are portrayed in a way where you can’t help but get to know them. The delivery is tight and engaging and above all extremely touching.
My heart aches after reading about Jesse and Parker’s journey, fifteen years in the making. How grief and loss is uniquely experienced and dealt with, how perfectly the author chose the story arc for these two. I specially loved the spiritual touches, they were very moving.
Jesse and Parker’s chemistry and banter could be felt from the first moment we see them reconnect. Their healing is beautiful and authentic. Seeing them form a stronger bond put a smile on my face, I loved the way everything came together towards the end. It was nice seeing characters from other books too. Honestly I am not sure how to put into worlds how beautiful this story is , definitely a romance and yet so much more in its depiction of the human condition. I loved it very much. Highly recommend giving it go if the sensitive subjects in the book are something you’re ok with.
My heart aches after reading about Jesse and Parker’s journey, fifteen years in the making. How grief and loss is uniquely experienced and dealt with, how perfectly the author chose the story arc for these two. I specially loved the spiritual touches, they were very moving.
Jesse and Parker’s chemistry and banter could be felt from the first moment we see them reconnect. Their healing is beautiful and authentic. Seeing them form a stronger bond put a smile on my face, I loved the way everything came together towards the end. It was nice seeing characters from other books too. Honestly I am not sure how to put into worlds how beautiful this story is , definitely a romance and yet so much more in its depiction of the human condition. I loved it very much. Highly recommend giving it go if the sensitive subjects in the book are something you’re ok with.
July 23, 2025
This book was another amazing story by Amy. She always manages to write the most beautiful romances and I love every single one of them. I was looking forward to learning more about Jesse and why he behaved the way he did (I had read the previous books where he had made a not-so-great appearance).
I loved Parker and Jesse from page one. They were both so much alike, both carrying broken hearts and dealing with grief. Jesse going back home was exactly what he needed to heal and Parker was there, trying to carry on with his life but dealing with the same emotions and feelings as Jesse.
This story made me teary, but it also made me laugh. Those scary dolls had a life of their own and they added the lightness needed. Jesse's struggles were heartbreaking and even though Parker was there for him, he needed to do it on his own too.
I loved how the author showed the difference in how each person deals with loss. How losing someone had impacted on both Jesse and Parker's lives. I also enjoyed the banter between them and how easily they got back to the friendship they'd had back when they were kids.
Parker and Jesse's romance was sweet, beautiful and heartwarming. Those feelings that they had once had for each other rose to the surface as soon as they first met. Parker was the anchor Jesse needed to bring him back alive. It felt like Jesse had just been surviving for fifteen years and once he got back home and spent time with Parker, their love was one of the things that made Jesse push forward and look at life again with optimism and a longing for a future with Parker.
This book was everything I expected and more. There were so many emotions perfectly pictured, feelings perfectly described and two guys that just wanted to be happy after losing loved ones. Parker and Jesse's love will always be with me as it was such a special story to read.
I loved Parker and Jesse from page one. They were both so much alike, both carrying broken hearts and dealing with grief. Jesse going back home was exactly what he needed to heal and Parker was there, trying to carry on with his life but dealing with the same emotions and feelings as Jesse.
This story made me teary, but it also made me laugh. Those scary dolls had a life of their own and they added the lightness needed. Jesse's struggles were heartbreaking and even though Parker was there for him, he needed to do it on his own too.
I loved how the author showed the difference in how each person deals with loss. How losing someone had impacted on both Jesse and Parker's lives. I also enjoyed the banter between them and how easily they got back to the friendship they'd had back when they were kids.
Parker and Jesse's romance was sweet, beautiful and heartwarming. Those feelings that they had once had for each other rose to the surface as soon as they first met. Parker was the anchor Jesse needed to bring him back alive. It felt like Jesse had just been surviving for fifteen years and once he got back home and spent time with Parker, their love was one of the things that made Jesse push forward and look at life again with optimism and a longing for a future with Parker.
This book was everything I expected and more. There were so many emotions perfectly pictured, feelings perfectly described and two guys that just wanted to be happy after losing loved ones. Parker and Jesse's love will always be with me as it was such a special story to read.
July 27, 2025
I read most of the books by this author but it’s been a while so I didn’t remember the side character Jessie Melnik. And I’m happy I didn’t because I don’t like bullies and I’m mostly not that interested in their redemption story.
I did like Jessie in this book though. And I also enjoyed the best friends to lovers story, even though that’s not my favorite trope. It was done really nice here, and felt believable. Parker was lovely as well and it was sweet to read how they found each other again after fifteen years of no contact. And how they were there for each other.
Those fifteen years though. In books years fly by so easily. I really don’t understand that. Why not make it five? Or even ten? Especially because in all those years Jessie apparently also didn’t visit his grieving parents either. Being the warm and loving person he is, that felt out of character even though he was different and horrible those first few years. That took one of the stars away for me.
I was very pleased with the ending and the epilogue. I recommend this book and it’s also going on the reread stack.
Thanks for the ARC to GRR and the author!
I did like Jessie in this book though. And I also enjoyed the best friends to lovers story, even though that’s not my favorite trope. It was done really nice here, and felt believable. Parker was lovely as well and it was sweet to read how they found each other again after fifteen years of no contact. And how they were there for each other.
Those fifteen years though. In books years fly by so easily. I really don’t understand that. Why not make it five? Or even ten? Especially because in all those years Jessie apparently also didn’t visit his grieving parents either. Being the warm and loving person he is, that felt out of character even though he was different and horrible those first few years. That took one of the stars away for me.
I was very pleased with the ending and the epilogue. I recommend this book and it’s also going on the reread stack.
Thanks for the ARC to GRR and the author!
August 3, 2025
This was a lovely story. This is set in Prince Edward Island, which was so nice because the island is such a beautiful place and I don’t know if I have ever read a book set there. And while Charlottetown is the capital of the province it still gives small town vibes.
Jesse is back home after staying away for 14 years following his brothers’ suicide. It is summer and he is on break from his career in the NHL. He reconnects with his childhood best friend Parker, who is also grieving the death of his father. As you can see this book deals heavily with grief, forgiveness, and moving forward with life.
Parker and Jesse were very sweet and had minimal angst between them. Finding each other again and realizing they didn’t want to miss another chance to be together was beautiful. I also liked the little spiritual touches.
Note - I don’t think I read the book where Jesse is previously mentioned but he is the bully in one of Amy’s hockey books.
Jesse is back home after staying away for 14 years following his brothers’ suicide. It is summer and he is on break from his career in the NHL. He reconnects with his childhood best friend Parker, who is also grieving the death of his father. As you can see this book deals heavily with grief, forgiveness, and moving forward with life.
Parker and Jesse were very sweet and had minimal angst between them. Finding each other again and realizing they didn’t want to miss another chance to be together was beautiful. I also liked the little spiritual touches.
Note - I don’t think I read the book where Jesse is previously mentioned but he is the bully in one of Amy’s hockey books.
July 2, 2025
How is it this is the story that I needed, and I did not know that I needed it?
This is more than just a hockey story. In fact, I think hockey does not really play a part in it, unless you know how Jesse was introduced to us readers.
I have been waiting for this story and Amy Aislin does not disappoint.
I have wanted a happy ending for him, and yeah, he gets one.
It is quite a trek to get there though, but stick around until the end, as you will be rewarded.
While there is a lot of grief in the book (read the trigger warnings) I love how Jesse and Parker help each other through it. It took a while for Jesse to reach there, but he can pass on his experience to help Parker through his loss.
The little cameos from past characters in the Stick Side series was great and I loved the gentle breeze that Jesse kept encountering. It reminded me of how I always think of my Mum when dimes show up in the most unexpected places, or just when I need a hug from her, but she no longer here.
***
I received an ARC for my honest review.
This is more than just a hockey story. In fact, I think hockey does not really play a part in it, unless you know how Jesse was introduced to us readers.
I have been waiting for this story and Amy Aislin does not disappoint.
I have wanted a happy ending for him, and yeah, he gets one.
It is quite a trek to get there though, but stick around until the end, as you will be rewarded.
While there is a lot of grief in the book (read the trigger warnings) I love how Jesse and Parker help each other through it. It took a while for Jesse to reach there, but he can pass on his experience to help Parker through his loss.
The little cameos from past characters in the Stick Side series was great and I loved the gentle breeze that Jesse kept encountering. It reminded me of how I always think of my Mum when dimes show up in the most unexpected places, or just when I need a hug from her, but she no longer here.
***
I received an ARC for my honest review.
July 14, 2025
After fleeing his hometown after the loss of his brother, Jesse returns to Charlottetown expecting the ghost of his brother's memory to haunt him at every turn. What he doesn't expect is running into and reconnecting with his former best friend Parker, or the way they both need each other as they learn to heal together.
I don't even know where to begin. This was just such an authentic and beautifully written but heavy story of love, loss, grief, and reconnection. Jesse and Parker both struggle under the weight of their grief, both dealing with it in such completely different ways, and their healing journeys as they moved forward put me through the wringer.
𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧:
- hurt x comfort
- grumpy x sunshine
- friends to lovers
- opposites attract
- homecoming
- damaged hero
CW: themes of grief, discussions of a parent’s death from cancer, descriptions/discussions of a sibling’s death due to suicide.
I don't even know where to begin. This was just such an authentic and beautifully written but heavy story of love, loss, grief, and reconnection. Jesse and Parker both struggle under the weight of their grief, both dealing with it in such completely different ways, and their healing journeys as they moved forward put me through the wringer.
𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧:
- hurt x comfort
- grumpy x sunshine
- friends to lovers
- opposites attract
- homecoming
- damaged hero
CW: themes of grief, discussions of a parent’s death from cancer, descriptions/discussions of a sibling’s death due to suicide.
July 22, 2025
This was a heartwarming and beautiful story about two best friends who find each other again after being apart for 15 years. After NHL hockey player Jesse's younger brother took his life, Jesse leaves his hometown to escape all the memories which also meant leaving his best friend Parker behind. Now Jesse has returned to his hometown for the summer to attend his brother's memorial and redecorate his new house and is surprised to find out that Parker is back as well. Parker is dealing with his own grief after losing his dad and trying to keep his boat business afloat. They reconnect and realise they still have feelings for each other and their close connection helps them both heal from their grief and deal with the future. I really enjoyed reading it
June 27, 2025
WALKING ON BROKEN PATHS by Amy Aislin is a beautifully written story about hockey player Jesse Melnik and sports journalist turned temporary dinner cruise operator Parker Willis. Jesse and Parker were best friends forever, but hadn’t seen each other in fifteen years, when Jesse had essentially fled town to escape the weight of sorrow and guilt over his brother’s death. And Parker is newly mourning his father, and struggling to find the right path forward that would honor his legacy and keep him close.
Amy Aislin’s story is full of sorrow but also healing and hope. Jesse's character is first introduced in STAR OF THE GAME (Stick Side #6) and also appears in GAME CHANGER (Vancouver Orcas #2), but Walking on Broken Paths stands alone well. Jesse and Parker find in some ways that their friendship picks up as easily as if they'd never left off, but also need to work on their own concerns and hearts. Much of their story is learning to live after loss, with loss, beyond loss. While their situations aren't entirely parallel, some of Parker and Jesse's connection is certainly because they understand all too well what deep wounds grief carves and how different and not necessarily direct the path each person travels through that sometimes agonizing, sometimes numbing time. Ultimately Jesse and Parker learn to move forward, and so do we. A stellar read.
Amy Aislin’s story is full of sorrow but also healing and hope. Jesse's character is first introduced in STAR OF THE GAME (Stick Side #6) and also appears in GAME CHANGER (Vancouver Orcas #2), but Walking on Broken Paths stands alone well. Jesse and Parker find in some ways that their friendship picks up as easily as if they'd never left off, but also need to work on their own concerns and hearts. Much of their story is learning to live after loss, with loss, beyond loss. While their situations aren't entirely parallel, some of Parker and Jesse's connection is certainly because they understand all too well what deep wounds grief carves and how different and not necessarily direct the path each person travels through that sometimes agonizing, sometimes numbing time. Ultimately Jesse and Parker learn to move forward, and so do we. A stellar read.
July 22, 2025
What a fantastic book!
I love it, I love it. What characters... Jesse and Parker...amazing.
I love old friends that fall in love and this book is really great.
Some angst and tears during the book but a great HEA
A bonus...Ashton Yager, from the Stick side series.
Highly recommended
I love it, I love it. What characters... Jesse and Parker...amazing.
I love old friends that fall in love and this book is really great.
Some angst and tears during the book but a great HEA
A bonus...Ashton Yager, from the Stick side series.
Highly recommended
May 2, 2026
2.5 Stars - Rounded Up
July 21, 2025
I honestly wasn’t sure Jesse Melnik could be redeemed after how horribly he acted in the Stick Side series, but I love to be proved wrong! Returning to his hometown for the summer brought up a lot of bad memories, but so many good ones too, including reconnecting with Parker Willis, his childhood best friend.
This definitely isn’t an easy read - both Jesse and Parker are dealing with grief at very different stages in the process and it’s heavy, but seeing them be there for each other throughout it all makes it all worth it. Even though they spent so many years apart, they jumped right back in, spending time together, getting to know each other again and ultimately healing together.
I loved all the cameos in here from previous Amy Aislin stories! It made me want to do a Stick Side reread…one of these days! But these little moments seeing where people are now made me smile.
This definitely isn’t an easy read - both Jesse and Parker are dealing with grief at very different stages in the process and it’s heavy, but seeing them be there for each other throughout it all makes it all worth it. Even though they spent so many years apart, they jumped right back in, spending time together, getting to know each other again and ultimately healing together.
I loved all the cameos in here from previous Amy Aislin stories! It made me want to do a Stick Side reread…one of these days! But these little moments seeing where people are now made me smile.
July 20, 2025
I haven’t read any of the other books, so this was my first introduction to Jesse, and I think because I got to hear his explanation for his past mistakes before reading about them in real time, it made it easier to like him. Grief and anger can make us do silly things, and it sounds like he’s spent a long time trying to correct his mistakes.
Parker was a good character. I found him to be feisty and caring. He wasn’t going to let Jesse run again, and yet he was also honest that he couldn’t let go of his own grief just yet either.
Despite this being a book about grieving and healing, there were parts that were funny and upbeat. I enjoyed the journey they both had to walk to get back to themselves.
It was a sweet and emotional experience.
——————————————
I received an ARC of this book from GRR, and this is my honest review.
Parker was a good character. I found him to be feisty and caring. He wasn’t going to let Jesse run again, and yet he was also honest that he couldn’t let go of his own grief just yet either.
Despite this being a book about grieving and healing, there were parts that were funny and upbeat. I enjoyed the journey they both had to walk to get back to themselves.
It was a sweet and emotional experience.
——————————————
I received an ARC of this book from GRR, and this is my honest review.
July 30, 2025
It is a good book and a couple.
I received a free copy of this book via GRR and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via GRR and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 19, 2025
Walking on Broken Paths is a standalone novel by Amy Aislin, although it features a few cameos from her other books. Here's what you can expect from Jesse and Parker:
⛵ MM contemporary romance
⛵ Third person dual point of view
⛵ Guaranteed happily ever after
⛵ Lower heat
⛵ Friends to lovers
⛵ Hurt/comfort
⛵ Opposites attract
⛵ Canadian setting (Prince Edward Island)
⛵ Grumpy/sunshine
Ensure you review the content and trigger warnings to decide if this book is right for you. Note that this list of warnings may be incomplete. Walking on Broken Paths contains themes of grief; discussions of a parent's death from cancer; and discussions of a sibling's death by suicide. Please take care of yourself while reading.
This book was absolutely beautiful! Amy is always a must-read author for me, and I think it's safe to say this might be one of her best books to date. For those that have read her other books, you might remember main character Jesse. We met him in Star of the Game, and well, we hated him. We meet him again in her Vancouver Orcas series, specifically Game Changer where he's slowly working on redeeming himself after being an awful bully. That brings me to my next point. Walking on Broken Paths isn't Jesse's redemption or his second chance story. Instead, it's a thoughtful and emotional exploration into the effects of trauma and grief. Do I think Jesse's actions in Star of the Game were okay? Absolutely not. He was a bully and he did a lot of harm to people who didn't deserve it. And grief/trauma isn't an excuse. However, Jesse does the work. He goes to therapy and he makes amends knowing not all of his victims will ever forgive him. Jesse is redeemed in my eyes, and I think it's important to keep that in mind going into his book. Not all characters deserve a second chance, but Jesse did.
Although Parker and Jesse's love story is very central in this amazing book, so is their trauma, grief, healing, and how it all ties into their lives. Jesse's been in immense pain for a decade and a half at this point. Parker's pain is fresher, as he lost his parent three months ago. It was very emotional to watch them both navigate their small town on Prince Edward Island (which was an amazing setting, kudos to Amy and the readers that helped her solidify the setting) and the memories it triggered. Although this book had some very heavy themes (I'm begging you to carefully review the content warnings as it does get very emotional at times), it was balanced out by Amy's trademark humour and lightness. The house renovation storyline as well as the side characters helped keep things light. The romance between Jesse and Parker felt so beautiful and natural, and I loved how it tied into the memories of Jesse's precious brother, Mikey. I adored this book, and highly recommend it. It was such a special and unique story, and I think Amy did an outstanding job with this one. It wasn't an easy story to tell, but it was an important one, nonetheless!
⛵ MM contemporary romance
⛵ Third person dual point of view
⛵ Guaranteed happily ever after
⛵ Lower heat
⛵ Friends to lovers
⛵ Hurt/comfort
⛵ Opposites attract
⛵ Canadian setting (Prince Edward Island)
⛵ Grumpy/sunshine
Ensure you review the content and trigger warnings to decide if this book is right for you. Note that this list of warnings may be incomplete. Walking on Broken Paths contains themes of grief; discussions of a parent's death from cancer; and discussions of a sibling's death by suicide. Please take care of yourself while reading.
This book was absolutely beautiful! Amy is always a must-read author for me, and I think it's safe to say this might be one of her best books to date. For those that have read her other books, you might remember main character Jesse. We met him in Star of the Game, and well, we hated him. We meet him again in her Vancouver Orcas series, specifically Game Changer where he's slowly working on redeeming himself after being an awful bully. That brings me to my next point. Walking on Broken Paths isn't Jesse's redemption or his second chance story. Instead, it's a thoughtful and emotional exploration into the effects of trauma and grief. Do I think Jesse's actions in Star of the Game were okay? Absolutely not. He was a bully and he did a lot of harm to people who didn't deserve it. And grief/trauma isn't an excuse. However, Jesse does the work. He goes to therapy and he makes amends knowing not all of his victims will ever forgive him. Jesse is redeemed in my eyes, and I think it's important to keep that in mind going into his book. Not all characters deserve a second chance, but Jesse did.
Although Parker and Jesse's love story is very central in this amazing book, so is their trauma, grief, healing, and how it all ties into their lives. Jesse's been in immense pain for a decade and a half at this point. Parker's pain is fresher, as he lost his parent three months ago. It was very emotional to watch them both navigate their small town on Prince Edward Island (which was an amazing setting, kudos to Amy and the readers that helped her solidify the setting) and the memories it triggered. Although this book had some very heavy themes (I'm begging you to carefully review the content warnings as it does get very emotional at times), it was balanced out by Amy's trademark humour and lightness. The house renovation storyline as well as the side characters helped keep things light. The romance between Jesse and Parker felt so beautiful and natural, and I loved how it tied into the memories of Jesse's precious brother, Mikey. I adored this book, and highly recommend it. It was such a special and unique story, and I think Amy did an outstanding job with this one. It wasn't an easy story to tell, but it was an important one, nonetheless!
July 20, 2025
“Those cracks are what strengthen us and create connections with others. So own the broken parts of you, Jess. Because they’re beautiful."
Walking on Broken Paths is probably the most emotional Amy Aislin book I've read. It has such a raw depiction of grief and heartbreak and broke me multiple times. But it's also about healing and hope and learning to find the light in the darkness. It's not about fixing yourself and coming back whole, but acknowledging the cracks and knowing it's changed you as you find a new path forward.
"Parker looked like he’d fit into all of Jesse’s empty spaces."
Jesse Melnik is a character we've met before. We've seen him at his lowest and we've seen him grow as a person after that. But we get a completely different version of him in this book. We get the grieving brother, the lost son, the absent friend. We see a man who's been running from the worst moment of his life for years until he finally starts to pick up the pieces of all that he left behind. Alongside all that, we also see Parker, Jesse's childhood best friend, who's battling his own grief and loss.
"This could be our future. Our happiness. Our everything. Our hopes and dreams, and joy and pain. And I need you to believe that as much as I do. Because I want to dream with you, Jess. I want to dream big with you.”
Jesse and Parker are opposites in a lot of ways, but that's what makes them fit so well with each other. They're both grieving in their own ways, but they stand by and lean on each other to move forward together. I love that they're not afraid to have the hard conversations even if the result is uncertain. While this book is a romance, it's such a mix of love and pain and healing and you never know what you're going to get. I think that's what made it so real, because life is never predictable and you never know what's going to affect you, be it good or bad.
"They were both a little bit broken, weren’t they? One didn’t cancel the other out. Maybe, just maybe, they softened each other’s broken edges."
Even after years of silence, their connection is easy and it's like no time has passed. Parker is the sunshine Jesse needs, and Jesse is the steady support that Parker is looking for in his ever-changing world. They make each other better and give each other the space to grow in a way that's right for them. Love is not a fix for either of their hurts, but it does make it a little easier to breathe through it. I cried so much while reading their story, but like Amy wishes at the end, I was able to find a smile through all those tears. This is not an easy read, but I really appreciated the way this story was written and I'm so happy with how it ended!
“Hey, Mikey,” he whispered. And the wind answered back."
Walking on Broken Paths is probably the most emotional Amy Aislin book I've read. It has such a raw depiction of grief and heartbreak and broke me multiple times. But it's also about healing and hope and learning to find the light in the darkness. It's not about fixing yourself and coming back whole, but acknowledging the cracks and knowing it's changed you as you find a new path forward.
"Parker looked like he’d fit into all of Jesse’s empty spaces."
Jesse Melnik is a character we've met before. We've seen him at his lowest and we've seen him grow as a person after that. But we get a completely different version of him in this book. We get the grieving brother, the lost son, the absent friend. We see a man who's been running from the worst moment of his life for years until he finally starts to pick up the pieces of all that he left behind. Alongside all that, we also see Parker, Jesse's childhood best friend, who's battling his own grief and loss.
"This could be our future. Our happiness. Our everything. Our hopes and dreams, and joy and pain. And I need you to believe that as much as I do. Because I want to dream with you, Jess. I want to dream big with you.”
Jesse and Parker are opposites in a lot of ways, but that's what makes them fit so well with each other. They're both grieving in their own ways, but they stand by and lean on each other to move forward together. I love that they're not afraid to have the hard conversations even if the result is uncertain. While this book is a romance, it's such a mix of love and pain and healing and you never know what you're going to get. I think that's what made it so real, because life is never predictable and you never know what's going to affect you, be it good or bad.
"They were both a little bit broken, weren’t they? One didn’t cancel the other out. Maybe, just maybe, they softened each other’s broken edges."
Even after years of silence, their connection is easy and it's like no time has passed. Parker is the sunshine Jesse needs, and Jesse is the steady support that Parker is looking for in his ever-changing world. They make each other better and give each other the space to grow in a way that's right for them. Love is not a fix for either of their hurts, but it does make it a little easier to breathe through it. I cried so much while reading their story, but like Amy wishes at the end, I was able to find a smile through all those tears. This is not an easy read, but I really appreciated the way this story was written and I'm so happy with how it ended!
“Hey, Mikey,” he whispered. And the wind answered back."
July 20, 2025
"Turns out I like doing this thing called life with you,"
Grab your tissue box 🤧 for this one
Don't worry, there is plenty of laughter to balance the teary moments
Aislin did a wonderful job of tackling the touchy subject of grief
"They were both a little bit broken, weren't they? One didnt cancel the other out. Maybe, just maybe, they softened each other's broken edges."
Both were feeling adrift, looking for an anchor.
Jess had been dealing with, or I should say working on, his grief and guilt far longer than Parker, who had just lost his father.
But time is immaterial when it comes to loss.
Jess still needed to forgive himself for something he had no control over, and for the feelings of abandonment when it came to his family and Parker.
Parker's wounds were fresher, but helping Jess, IMO, helped him as well with accepting what his dad truly would have wanted and knowing in his heart it was okay to let go
"That was life, though, wasn't it? There was beauty in sadness and sadness in beauty."
The connection between these two was easy, flawless
The little hesitations.
The understanding between them - the acceptance
The moments of jealousy, lol.
The healing.
And the chemistry when they both finally capitulated to the inevitable 🔥
"Hey, Mikey."
😢 I loved the little breezes. The possibility.
"Those cracks are what strengthen us and create connections with others. So own the broken parts of you, Jess. Because they are beautiful."
Broken was okay.
Parker wasn't about to let Jess make this a summer thing.
He wanted the whole package, and he was determined to have it.
Highly recommend this one - it will stay with you
Grab your tissue box 🤧 for this one
Don't worry, there is plenty of laughter to balance the teary moments
Aislin did a wonderful job of tackling the touchy subject of grief
"They were both a little bit broken, weren't they? One didnt cancel the other out. Maybe, just maybe, they softened each other's broken edges."
Both were feeling adrift, looking for an anchor.
Jess had been dealing with, or I should say working on, his grief and guilt far longer than Parker, who had just lost his father.
But time is immaterial when it comes to loss.
Jess still needed to forgive himself for something he had no control over, and for the feelings of abandonment when it came to his family and Parker.
Parker's wounds were fresher, but helping Jess, IMO, helped him as well with accepting what his dad truly would have wanted and knowing in his heart it was okay to let go
"That was life, though, wasn't it? There was beauty in sadness and sadness in beauty."
The connection between these two was easy, flawless
The little hesitations.
The understanding between them - the acceptance
The moments of jealousy, lol.
The healing.
And the chemistry when they both finally capitulated to the inevitable 🔥
"Hey, Mikey."
😢 I loved the little breezes. The possibility.
"Those cracks are what strengthen us and create connections with others. So own the broken parts of you, Jess. Because they are beautiful."
Broken was okay.
Parker wasn't about to let Jess make this a summer thing.
He wanted the whole package, and he was determined to have it.
Highly recommend this one - it will stay with you
July 22, 2025
Walking on Broken Paths by Amy Aislin was an emotional story. Jesse Melnick and Parker Willis were childhood best friends who drifted apart after Jesse’s brother died. Jesse was so lost in his grief and anger that he pushed everyone away. He left to play hockey and was coming home for the first time in fifteen years. Parker had recently returned home to be with his dad before he died. Both men are mired in grief and feel like broken pieces. I have not read the other books that Jesse was in, but apparently his grief became very bully-like to others on his team. This was not a redemption story in which he sought other people out to apologize. He had already gone through the work and had made amends where necessary. He returned home to honor his brother at a memorial service. I really loved these two together and loved how Parker would not let Jesse push him away again. These two fit together so well and they understood the grief process. I just loved everyone in this story. I will definitely need to return to the other hockey series to see Jesse before he dealt with his grief. I appreciate Amy’s writing and her tenderness in dealing with the subject matter.
I received an ARC from Neon Rainbow Reviews for my honest review
I received an ARC from Neon Rainbow Reviews for my honest review
August 4, 2025
Beautiful. Just pure absolute beauty can be found in this book. I knew Jesse’s story was going to make me emotional no matter what and pairing this with Parker’s story too? Tears were definitely shed of all varieties. Jesse’s journey with his grief is so so so well done, the way he and Parker both help each other just warms my heart. Their love story is also so so lovely. They slip easily from friends to lovers and the love the hold for one another is palpable. I truly just want to start this book over and read it again and I just finished it.
July 31, 2025
I've read Aislin's books before (which is why I requested this ARC), but didn't know that the protagonist of this story has previously appeared in not one, but two other books. I do think I might have gotten more out of this if I had known and been able to read those first, but I also feel like this stood well on its own. We get a sketch of his history as an angry young player lashing out as a bully, but we meet him as a seasoned player who has sought therapy and is trying to make amends. Neither he nor the story as a whole felt like apologia or a retcon. He knows he was terrible.
While there is a lot of grief in this book: Jesse is still broken up by his brother's death fifteen years ago, and Parker is still reeling from his father's recent passing; this still felt lower on the angst continuum to me. Which, I've read a few quite angsty things recently, so that was fine by me. I definitely teared up once or twice, but it didn't wreck me personally. It is a very thoughtful and more mature romance (honestly, that's really refreshing for me - give me more MCs who've been throught some things and worked on themselves.)
I do plan to go back and pick up the rest of the series where Jesse appears, and I wonder how I'll feel about him, having seen where his own story leads. I really liked that
I've visited PEI a couple of times, most recently last summer, so all the local color included was quite fresh for me and Charlottetown did feel vividly drawn, which I always appreciate. Descriptions of being out on the water were lovely, and acknowledgments of the downsides of living on a more sparsely populated island were nicely balanced, as well.
The more supernatural/spiritual aspects were fine . . . I know plenty of people who believe that their loved ones say hello through little coincidences, but it did feel a bit of an afterthought (not meant in a derogatory way).
Overall, this was a lovely book that has moved the author's back catalog to the forefront of my mind and possibly to the top of my TBR.
Thanks to GRR for the review copy!
While there is a lot of grief in this book: Jesse is still broken up by his brother's death fifteen years ago, and Parker is still reeling from his father's recent passing; this still felt lower on the angst continuum to me. Which, I've read a few quite angsty things recently, so that was fine by me. I definitely teared up once or twice, but it didn't wreck me personally. It is a very thoughtful and more mature romance (honestly, that's really refreshing for me - give me more MCs who've been throught some things and worked on themselves.)
I do plan to go back and pick up the rest of the series where Jesse appears, and I wonder how I'll feel about him, having seen where his own story leads. I really liked that
I've visited PEI a couple of times, most recently last summer, so all the local color included was quite fresh for me and Charlottetown did feel vividly drawn, which I always appreciate. Descriptions of being out on the water were lovely, and acknowledgments of the downsides of living on a more sparsely populated island were nicely balanced, as well.
The more supernatural/spiritual aspects were fine . . . I know plenty of people who believe that their loved ones say hello through little coincidences, but it did feel a bit of an afterthought (not meant in a derogatory way).
Overall, this was a lovely book that has moved the author's back catalog to the forefront of my mind and possibly to the top of my TBR.
Thanks to GRR for the review copy!
July 6, 2025
Arc Review
4.5⭐️
Coming home to Prince Edward Island for the first time since his brother’s death fifteen years ago, Jesse Melnik is back to face his past and grieve for what he lost.
Parker Wills lost his best friend fifteen years ago when he fled without a word. With Jesse back in town, can they reunite and get back what they have lost?
Jesse needs to make amends to his family, Parker and to his brother Mikey and finally lay him to rest.
Parker is now in charge of Wills Dinner Cruises, which was his Dads business. His Dad died a few months ago but signed the business over to Parker before he died. The business makes Parker miserable but cannot bring himself to sell it, even though his Dad gave him permission to do so.
Both Jesse and Parker have demons they need to fight and together they are the perfect therapy for each other.
I loved the story telling from Amy Aislin, the way the setting and environment was described was perfect in my mind. It has idyllic feelings. The main characters are wonderful together and you can feel the love that has always been there even after fifteen years apart.
4.5⭐️
Coming home to Prince Edward Island for the first time since his brother’s death fifteen years ago, Jesse Melnik is back to face his past and grieve for what he lost.
Parker Wills lost his best friend fifteen years ago when he fled without a word. With Jesse back in town, can they reunite and get back what they have lost?
Jesse needs to make amends to his family, Parker and to his brother Mikey and finally lay him to rest.
Parker is now in charge of Wills Dinner Cruises, which was his Dads business. His Dad died a few months ago but signed the business over to Parker before he died. The business makes Parker miserable but cannot bring himself to sell it, even though his Dad gave him permission to do so.
Both Jesse and Parker have demons they need to fight and together they are the perfect therapy for each other.
I loved the story telling from Amy Aislin, the way the setting and environment was described was perfect in my mind. It has idyllic feelings. The main characters are wonderful together and you can feel the love that has always been there even after fifteen years apart.
August 18, 2025
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.5 stars
This book appears to be a spin off from one of Amy Aislin’s other series, as Jesse Melnik was apparently a side character in previous novels. Despite that, this one works perfectly fine as a standalone. Jesse gives plenty of insight into who he used to be, how he acted, and how he’s changed, so all the context is there.
This book deals heavily with grief in several different ways, both new and old. I thought the author handled it very well, with grace and a soft hand, that gave this heavy topic the room it needed.
All in all, I enjoyed this story. It did a great job with a heavy subject, was emotional and sweet, and had the right amount of levity. The conclusion was satisfying and made sense for the characters. This one is an easy recommendation from me.
Read Kris’ review in its entirety here.
4.5 stars
This book appears to be a spin off from one of Amy Aislin’s other series, as Jesse Melnik was apparently a side character in previous novels. Despite that, this one works perfectly fine as a standalone. Jesse gives plenty of insight into who he used to be, how he acted, and how he’s changed, so all the context is there.
This book deals heavily with grief in several different ways, both new and old. I thought the author handled it very well, with grace and a soft hand, that gave this heavy topic the room it needed.
All in all, I enjoyed this story. It did a great job with a heavy subject, was emotional and sweet, and had the right amount of levity. The conclusion was satisfying and made sense for the characters. This one is an easy recommendation from me.
Read Kris’ review in its entirety here.
July 25, 2025
Jesse & Parker
This is a good story. Both Jesse and Parker are dealing with grief and pain in this one but it all comes together in a beautiful story along with a nice happily ever after.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
This is a good story. Both Jesse and Parker are dealing with grief and pain in this one but it all comes together in a beautiful story along with a nice happily ever after.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
July 11, 2025
WALKING ON BROKEN PATHS
by Amy Aislin
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
I received an E-book ARC edition of this novel in exchange for an honest review. It is available on July 22nd on Amyaislin.com & Amazon.
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www.amzn.com/B0F8TB8LRN
This is a 231-page Medium-Paced Friends-to-Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, Opposites Attract, MM Romance that you will need a box of tissues to read and your therapist on call. The spicy level is low, which I was grateful for because it wouldn’t have mixed well with the plot. It is a standalone novel, but one of the MCs, Jesse, came from a duology where he was an ensemble character. His backstory does get explained in this book. Those books are STAR OF THE GAME, and GAME CHANGER.
--”Holes in walls can be patched…holes in souls? Not fully.”--
Written in a duel 1st person POV, we begin when Jesse goes home to visit during the NHL off season for the first time in 15 years after running away after losing his younger brother to suicide, cutting himself off from his home world including his best friend, Parker. Showing up unannounced, he finds that Parker has also moved back home after quitting his job as a Newspaper Sports Reporter to take care of his ailing father and run his business. When they run into each other, their mild and lacking shock was over shadowed by their instant connection that just proves that no matter how much time passes, their wavelength is still as strong as no time has passed. Their personalities clashing was the entertainment to a plot that is pretty heavy, with Parker being Sunshine to Jesse's Shadow. Their souls gravitate & fiercely reach out for the other. They lean on each other and learn when to let go of the WHAT IFs of the past so you can live your own future.
--There was beauty in sadness and sadness in beauty.--
Please know that this statement is not to deter everyone away from reading this book, just to be aware of the content warnings because of the subject matter and use your best judgment for yourself. As someone who is a survivor of attempted suicide on both sides of the line and has lived through someone I was close with actually succeed, I'm glad that I did even through it was a tough topic. Amy Aislin wrote it emotionally tragic and tragically beautiful. The way she presents this very intense, uncomfortable, and controversial topic was like looking in the soul of every individual that this action affects from a broken down niddy griddy perspective and how it affects everyone differently. Everyone lives, dies, and grieves differently, but with this topic, there truly are no rules. Ever.
--"Forcing yourself to face something you weren’t ready for wouldn’t have done you any good.”--
The ensemble was small since the plot was mostly main character forward with little appearance and interactions with others with what maybe seems like options to continue with some additional stories of those we've met. Jesse's parents had a little bigger presents and added an additional layer of tenderness, while the physicality and memory of the lost were never not there either. To keep the novel moving, there are 2 side plots, one for each of the MCs with different feels to break up your crying sessions.
--”Sometimes I feel like that sailboat. Sailing toward an empty horizon, hoping the wind will blow me home. Or at least to a place where the world feels whole again.”--
This was a phenomenal look at the after effects of death, whether they choose that path or not and remembering that people don’t choose to leave you behind, they are either taken away or escaping what’s causing them to suffer. It’s an important message not to put blame on those individuals by calling them selfish or cowards, when the world should be under the microscope. Ask instead, are we as a society educating enough the power of communication, understanding, love, and mental health treatment.
That’s the end of my Ted Talk.
Thank you, Amy Aislin. I appreciate your words and heart.
--"Turns out I like doing this thing called life with you…”--
by Amy Aislin
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
I received an E-book ARC edition of this novel in exchange for an honest review. It is available on July 22nd on Amyaislin.com & Amazon.
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This is a 231-page Medium-Paced Friends-to-Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, Opposites Attract, MM Romance that you will need a box of tissues to read and your therapist on call. The spicy level is low, which I was grateful for because it wouldn’t have mixed well with the plot. It is a standalone novel, but one of the MCs, Jesse, came from a duology where he was an ensemble character. His backstory does get explained in this book. Those books are STAR OF THE GAME, and GAME CHANGER.
--”Holes in walls can be patched…holes in souls? Not fully.”--
Written in a duel 1st person POV, we begin when Jesse goes home to visit during the NHL off season for the first time in 15 years after running away after losing his younger brother to suicide, cutting himself off from his home world including his best friend, Parker. Showing up unannounced, he finds that Parker has also moved back home after quitting his job as a Newspaper Sports Reporter to take care of his ailing father and run his business. When they run into each other, their mild and lacking shock was over shadowed by their instant connection that just proves that no matter how much time passes, their wavelength is still as strong as no time has passed. Their personalities clashing was the entertainment to a plot that is pretty heavy, with Parker being Sunshine to Jesse's Shadow. Their souls gravitate & fiercely reach out for the other. They lean on each other and learn when to let go of the WHAT IFs of the past so you can live your own future.
--There was beauty in sadness and sadness in beauty.--
Please know that this statement is not to deter everyone away from reading this book, just to be aware of the content warnings because of the subject matter and use your best judgment for yourself. As someone who is a survivor of attempted suicide on both sides of the line and has lived through someone I was close with actually succeed, I'm glad that I did even through it was a tough topic. Amy Aislin wrote it emotionally tragic and tragically beautiful. The way she presents this very intense, uncomfortable, and controversial topic was like looking in the soul of every individual that this action affects from a broken down niddy griddy perspective and how it affects everyone differently. Everyone lives, dies, and grieves differently, but with this topic, there truly are no rules. Ever.
--"Forcing yourself to face something you weren’t ready for wouldn’t have done you any good.”--
The ensemble was small since the plot was mostly main character forward with little appearance and interactions with others with what maybe seems like options to continue with some additional stories of those we've met. Jesse's parents had a little bigger presents and added an additional layer of tenderness, while the physicality and memory of the lost were never not there either. To keep the novel moving, there are 2 side plots, one for each of the MCs with different feels to break up your crying sessions.
--”Sometimes I feel like that sailboat. Sailing toward an empty horizon, hoping the wind will blow me home. Or at least to a place where the world feels whole again.”--
This was a phenomenal look at the after effects of death, whether they choose that path or not and remembering that people don’t choose to leave you behind, they are either taken away or escaping what’s causing them to suffer. It’s an important message not to put blame on those individuals by calling them selfish or cowards, when the world should be under the microscope. Ask instead, are we as a society educating enough the power of communication, understanding, love, and mental health treatment.
That’s the end of my Ted Talk.
Thank you, Amy Aislin. I appreciate your words and heart.
--"Turns out I like doing this thing called life with you…”--
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