Just This Heart

I have no words left .. this was BEAUTIFUL. I love my family so much!!!

Sarah

110 reviews13 followers

2026-reading-challenge 5-stars angst-and-longing

So this is the story of Jack and Sol who are best friends. Sol has been in love with his straight best friend for so long, until one night Jack reciprocates the feelings and they hook up. But that doesn't last as Jack is injured and suffers from TBI. So, he doesn't remember things, including that night with his best friend. But Sol, although suffering because of his love, is always there for his best friend.

I definitely liked this better than book 1. Best friends to lovers trope will always feel special to me.

"Jack’s my world. He’s the blood in my veins and the air in my lungs. He’s every emotion I’ve ever had, and sometimes loving him tears me apart because I can’t fix what broke him. I can’t make him remember. And so I stand here with the solid warmth of him at my back, and for a moment, it has to be enough."

My heart felt for sol. Cause imagine being in love with your best friend for forever and finally got a chance of living that love before being ripped away from you😩 But Sol never backed down. Despite his powerful love and hurt of losing his chance with Jack, he continued to be there for his best friend, to be his pillar.

The relationship between Jack and Sol is so tender and their connection is so deep. You can feel how much these two love each other. How much they are each other support system. Yes, there was lots of poor communication between the two, but despite that, you never doubt that they genuinely care for each other.

From book 1, you get to experience Sol calling Jack "love" and that's what he calls him throughout this book, and my heart melts every time🥹

Still, some things bothered me a bit:

Some of their inner monologues felt repetitive to me. For example, every time they kissed, touched, or did anything more, we spent time stuck in their inner monologues about that until they do it again, and the cycle goes on. Also, they would be thinking about those moments in interesting times and out of nowhere. Like Jack is mid conversation with Folk and suddenly we are in his inner monologue about how Sol's hand felt on his dick😂

I, personally, am having trouble with MMC being in love with the other MMC and it's "always been you" while hooking up so much during that. There is nothing on page but it is mentioned that Sol used to hook up a lot. Also, Sol lost his dude virginity to Cam O'Brian, a side character very much present in both books. Around 64%, Sol says that he can't forget the nights he spent in Cam O'Brian's bed, but only because, for as long as it lasted, that long hot summer was the closest he'd ever been to how he'd felt about Jack for years by then.

As I said in my review for book 1, they need therapy, a live-in therapist to be exact😂 I don't think one session a week would suffice. Everyone in that house need 24/7 therapy sessions.

I knew the next book would be about Oscar, but some reason, I thought it will be him and Sev, but it's not. So maybe Sev will have his own book.

Although, I didn't connect to book 1 as much as I did this book, I still recommend this series. Although, if you hate inner monologue, then I would say steer away from these books.

ash[hearts]angst

206 reviews32 followers

May 19, 2026

MY HEART. Wow this book had me staying up way too late and all up in my feels. it was exactly what I needed to get out of the slump I've been in.

Jack was such a fascinating character to me in Just This Once and I couldn't wait to get inside his head. He's so similar to his brother Mal, yet so incredibly different. Very logical, but not stiff. Quite the complex character indeed. I couldn't figure him out and I LOVED that. He surprised me many times throughout the book and it was such a rush. I loved his acceptance of the love he had for Sol. Never quite questioning it, just questioning how long it had been there.
"𝑺𝒐𝒍 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒂. 𝑯𝒆’𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒔. 𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒂𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒉𝒊𝒎 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒆."

Sol is sweet angel baby and he deserves to be protected at all costs! Our sweet and lovely 35 year old boy, taking on everyone's problems at the detriment of his own heart and soul. We see his tender love and care for Jack but diving into his perspective clued us in to just how selfless this amazing man really is, even when certain people don't deserve it.
"𝑶𝒏 𝒕𝒐𝒑 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝑱𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒆. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝒇𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒑𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘. 𝑴𝒚 𝒄𝒓𝒂𝒔𝒉 𝒑𝒂𝒅. 𝑴𝒚 𝒔𝒂𝒇𝒆 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒂𝒍𝒍. 𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒘."

This book was everything that I look for in hurt/comfort. Flashbacks that don't take over the current timeline, honest and real reactions and conversations, and broken boys. Give them some accents and we have the perfect recipe for a 5 star read. Foaming at the mouth for the next book!

Lady Macbeth

1,178 reviews32 followers

4 stars
Just This Heart is the story of Sol, whom we met in the first book of the Rebel Kings series as one of Cam's close friends, and Jack, a former soldier with TBI, Sol's best friend and forever love.

Jack's story is heavy and difficult: his TBI robbed him of memories and left a void that he's unable to replace. It was hard to see him trying to search his own brain for fragments of faces, voices, events that he has no recollection of.
And his condition is not easy for Sol either, his heart breaks every time he sees his best friend struggling. Moreover, he feels alone with his love, because Jack forgot that they made love before he got injured. So, for a good part of the book, Sol wonders if they ever get a second chance.

Luckily, the author loves her boy so much that she couldn't avoid giving them the love they deserve!
And as usual, Garrett Leigh writes physical scenes with that kind of intimacy that fills your heart with all the feelings and leaves you begging for more.

What prevented me from giving a higher rate:
Throughout the book I had the feeling that the story already started somewhere and I didn't have the full knowledge of it.

It was so so good to see some of the Rebel Kings again, I'll never get tired of them!

Definitely recommended (but better reading Just This Once first).

I received an ARC of this book from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.

Amanda

585 reviews26 followers

May 19, 2026

Garrett Leigh is firmly one of my favorite authors. She always delivers on beautiful, dreamy writing, and this is no exception. Sol and Jack are the type of codependent best friends I adore, those lovable dopes who are the only people around who haven’t noticed they are basically married. Friends since childhood, Jack is a veteran with a traumatic brain injury, meaning there’s a boatload of hurt/comfort and caretaking to be found. All that said, there were some things that didn’t click for me.

This series is an offshoot of the Rebel Kings, and it felt like we were dropped into the relationship without enough setup or believable conflict. The Garrett-branded juxtaposition of highly masculine men behaving vulnerably is still there, and it’s an enjoyable experience, but the emotional payoff was muted compared to her other work.

Fans of Garrett and the Kings will not want to miss this, but I wouldn’t recommend it as the best starting point for her work - most of which is interconnected, but not always as closely as the Porth Luck and RK series. This is book two in the series, and I highly recommend prior reading of both Rebel Kings and book one.

*I received an advanced reader copy and am voluntarily leaving my review*

awakening mm-romance

Tonya ✨

280 reviews24 followers

6 star read for me.

I thought Skylar and Mal were it for me and yes they are but Sol and Jack??? Yeah they got heart and soul. Wow. GL's writing just hits so different, and I knew that when I read Rebel Kings series but this series just feels so different and hits harder. I will be thinking about these two to days end.

audrey

87 reviews15 followers

4-and-a-half-stars arc contemporary-romance

the way i am fucking dry heave sobbing as i finish this holy shit dude I LOVE THIS UNIVERSE SOOO SO SO MUCHHHHHH. these men are something DIFFERENT. i want to live above the joker with my family!!!

Caz

3,329 reviews1,218 followers

Review of advance copy received from Author

May 16, 2026

B+ / 4.5 stars

Garrett Leigh returns to the small Cornish town of Porth Luck for Just This Heart, the second book in the Men of Porth Luck series and another beautifully written and deeply emotional romance with more than a dash of hurt/comfort and a shed-load of yearning and angsty longing. It’s a gorgeous slow-burn friends-to-lovers story featuring two intensely loveable, complex characters who are more than a little broken but who are nonetheless perfect for each other in all the ways that count.

We met Sol and Jack in the previous book ( Just This Once ). Jack Gallagher is Mal’s older brother, and like him, was injured while on deployment and invalided out of the military. Jack sustained a TBI when an IED blew up in his face, and it has left him subject to seizures, balance issues and with holes in his memory. Sol Bosanko scrapes together a living fishing off the Cornish coast and has been Jack’s best friend since childhood; the two of them, together with Mal and Mal’s boyfriend Skylar, live in the flat above The Joker, the pub in Porth Luck that Jack runs and owns. The four of them are tight – which is not to say there are no tensions or issues between them all – but they’re the best kind of family; they show up for one another repeatedly and would do anything for each other.

Sol and Jack have been friends for years and their abiding love for each other is present in their quiet intimacy, the way they truly see and know each other and in every word and action. That they’re in love with each other is obvious, but neither of them is prepared to acknowledge it; life - Jack’s injury and complex medical condition, Sol’s difficult family situation and tendency to self-effacement - has got in the way of their doing anything that might damage or change the one solid, certain thing in their lives. More than that, though, Jack doesn’t remember much about his life before his injury; he doesn’t remember that he and Sol had a drunken hook-up immediately before he was deployed, leaving Sol, who has never been able to forget that night, to carry the memory, the love, the emotional devastation, and the grief for what might have been, alone ever since. He has never found the right time or the right words to tell Jack the truth, and isn’t at all sure that he should.

Jack and Sol are superbly written, three-dimensional characters who feel like real people with real lives and real struggles, and the setting is really well done – Porth Luck feels gritty and a bit shabby but home-y. The way Jack’s dialogue and inner monologue feel a bit choppy and fragmented is the perfect way to depict the struggle he sometimes has to organise his thoughts and feelings. Sol is one of a kind – he’s one of life’s caretakers and gives so much of himself to the people he loves, but he’s pulled in so many different directions and tries so hard to look after everyone around him that he forgets to look after himself. He and Jack are utterly devoted to each other in a true soulmate kind of way, and while it could seem unhealthy in a different context (or in the hands of a lesser author), it works here because Jack does genuinely need the care and support that Sol provides selflessly and as though it’s second nature to him. (Which it is.) Their romance is beautifully done and their emotional connection leaps off the page – especially in those lingering touches and the quiet moments of instinctive closeness that speak to the kind of love that is ingrained into their very DNA. This description in the blurb:

Jack’s mind may be broken, but his heart remembers the love it lost.

- is perfect, because as I watched Jack slowly piece together feelings and flashes of subconscious memory he can’t explain, I saw exactly that – a love that is so deeply entrenched that the heart recognises it even if the memory of it no longer exists. And watching Sol care for Jack so tenderly and devotedly, loving him silently and (he believes) unrequitedly while believing he will never be more than Jack’s friend is truly heartbreaking.

I really enjoyed this book. The yearning is top-tier, and the depth of the love Jack and Sol share permeates every page; and although the road to their eventual happy ending is not an easy one, that just makes it feel all the more earned and deserved. They’re both carrying a lot of baggage, they’ve been hurt in so many different ways, and there’s so much going on in their lives, yet they don’t stop choosing each other, no matter how hard or messy it is.

The romance is heartfelt and I loved the chosen family aspect of the story, but I do have a couple of niggles. The main one is that Sol is so resistant to asking for help or explaining what’s going on with his PoS dad; I get that he’s trying to do the best for everyone without dragging the people he loves through the mire as well, but the situation was so clearly insoluble and getting worse, that it was frustrating to watch him being so overwhelmed by it all. And the other is that the pacing in the first half is a tad slow and I found some parts a bit repetitive.

But otherwise, Just This Once is a gorgeously romantic addition to the Men of Porth Luck series, and I’ll be back for book three (Oscar’s story) next year.

Cadiva

4,087 reviews460 followers

Review of advance copy

I didn't think Garrett would be able to gut me harder than she did with Skylar & Mal's story but I should know better!

Each time she finds a new way to make you utterly entwined with the emotional journey two broken men are going on and draws you into their world like it's the easiest thing to do.

It's not. This level of realness, of tasting the salt off the sea, of hearing the waves, smelling the mackerel frying, of knowing the bone deep love that exists between the found families who inhabit this part of Cornwall and Devon, it's a skill that shines brighter the more she writes.

For Just This Heart you need to know what you're going into. The disordered way Jack lives since a mortar took his life with the Regiment and forced him into a new reality that he struggles to keep a hold on.

The lapses in awareness, the lack of clarity in his thoughts, his painful knowledge that he's lost something from before that sits tantalisingly close at the edge of his brain, all of these instances are clearly shown to the reader through clever use of narrative choice and formatting language.

There wasn't a single thing I didn't love about this book. Even when my heart was being gutted out of my chest and the adrenaline was pumping as nature's worst threatens to take everything.

Because even with the struggles Sol and Jack go through, the love that tethers them together is a palpable thread that runs alongside each stumble, each obstacle that Sol's deadbeat dad puts in his way, each time Jack loses the echo of a memory of something different between him and his best friend.

Skylar and Mal are obviously a constant too, as well as Oscar and some of the Rebel Kings, and I loved that this book is so solidly grounded in the expansive universe Garrett's created.

You won't see any plot spoilers here, let's just say there's plenty of tensions to drive things forward without it ever having to come down to trite tropes.

There's life in all its messy realities, the struggles of knowing your dad's mistakes aren't yours but you can't escape from them, the fall out of a Traumatic Brain Injury that won't ever get better because the damage was too great.

But you also get hope.

You get support born from decades of living in a small fishing town where everyone looks out for the other, you get loyalty, whether that's from within the Military life you once led or from a gang of bikers who're trying to do better.

You get friendship, the kind that's ride or die no matter what. You get family, those of blood and those who you chose, who'll stand by in silent support or lift you up with a few hard words.

But most of all, you're going to get love. The kind that's rooted so deep nothing can break it because it's been there all the time, even when you didn't know it.

Now bring on book three and Oscar's chance at love!

#ARC kindly received from the author via GRRTours, I am voluntarily leaving a review

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Maxie

102 reviews6 followers

Review of advance copy

ARC Review
*mild spoilers ahead*

I’ve been obsessed with Jack and Sol ever since I read Just This Once (book 1).

I loved Mal and Skylar’s story. But Jack and Sol were quietly calling me from the background, because they hit all my buttons: childhood best friends, trauma and loyalty so intense it hurts.

So, the second I got my hands on Just This Heart I was delighted. What I wasn’t prepared for was how completely this book would wreck my emotions.

This was everything I hoped for, and some more.

Jack is Mal’s brother, an Irish soldier who’s been discharged after a traumatic brain injury. He’s dealing with seizures, chronic pain, memory loss, the whole brutal aftermath, and it’s written in a way that feels grounded and raw without turning him into a cliche. He’s still Jack: stubborn, sharp, scared, and trying too hard to be okay.

Sol is his ride-or-die best friend. He’s a crab fisherman who works himself into the ground because other people’s screw-ups always seem to land on his shoulders. And on top of that, he’s basically built his whole life around keeping Jack safe, in a way that’s beautiful but sometimes quietly heartbreaking.

Sol has been in love with Jack for so long it feels like part of his DNA. Jack has forgotten a lot of his past life, but he knows that there’s more of his bond with Sol than just friendship, he just can’t pinpoint what.

That push-pull of devotion vs. fear vs. forgotten history had me in a chokehold.

Their love story is gorgeous. They’re both carrying so much baggage and they’ve both been hurt in different ways, but never stop choosing each other, even when it’s messy. The slow shift from friendship into something deeper is handled with so much care. And Sol, sweet kind Sol is a walking green flag. He’s steady and soft, protective without being controlling, and watching Jack fall for him (again) is a blast.

Garrett Leigh is so, so good at writing complicated, broken characters.They feel real. The struggles in her books don’t only move the plot, they shape the people. And her writing always has this achey, poetic vibe that makes everything feel a little bigger than the page. Her stories aren’t always easy. The road to the happy ending can be rough. But when you get there, it feels earned, and it hits in a very satisfying way.

And if you’re a fan of Garret’s “extended universe”, it’s extra fun seeing familiar faces pop up again, there’s some Mal/Skylar tie ins, plus a bunch of Rebel Kings floating around.

I can’t recommend this one enough. If you’re into emotional, character-driven romance with flawed people, heavy themes handled with care, and hard-earned HEAs, you’re probably going to fall for Jack and Sol the way I did.

arcs mm

Danielle Cordsen

718 reviews12 followers

Just this heart
By: Garrett Leigh

📚💕⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💕📚

So much deep emotion!

Oh my Garrett Leigh took me apart again. What would you do if someone who mattered more than you could explain no longer knew you? What if the reason was trauma? Could you still matter and bring something meaningful to the other persons world. You’ll find out when go all in with Jack and Sol’s intense story of love and rediscovering love.

The author writing is flawless, and the words are so captivating, the plot had so many twists and turns and none that I was expecting, and many shockingly intimate I have become a huge fan of this author. The author writes with so much intensity and emotion pulled from each book it’s felt page after page. Some have quick witted story lines that are so perfect and lets you believe you have a front row seat. So being able to read this love story didn’t disappoint. The authors ability to have two separate individuals struggling in their everyday life and try to navigate someone else’s thoughts, needs and desires was intense and gives all the fills.

Authors blurb: wounded soldier. A devoted fisherman. A love lost to memory and yet…

“There’s nothing about you I don’t want.”
Boyhood best friends. Closer than brothers until one night changed everything. And then it was gone.
Jack doesn’t remember. Sol can’t forget.
Now they share a life in Porth Luck, holding everything together with silence and sacrifice, while Sol hides heartache and memories in the ocean…and Jack finds it all in his dreams. In charged moments and stolen touches, and the pull his gut he can’t explain.
Those bronze-brown eyes. That sun-stained skin. An inexplicable feeling he’s reaching for something they never got to finish.
Give me his mouth over air in my lungs.
Jack’s mind may be broken, but his heart remembers the love it lost. But what if the sea swallows them whole before they get their second chance?

This book has everything I love in a book. Then you add that it's beautifully written and believable. It is easily a five star read. Written in dual POV this story flows so incredibly well that the next thing you know you’re 80% into the book and loving every second of it. The believable way the characters interact is perfect. Run, Hop, Jump or use your (1 click) finger to do whatever you have to do and get this amazing book. It'll break your heart, you'll want to scream with frustration and it'll let you discover that love just might conquer all. The chemistry is steamy and sweet and oh so romantic.

HappilyEverReader

107 reviews13 followers

May 16, 2026

This was my second book by Garrett Leigh, and I’m quickly falling in love with his writing style. It reminds me a little of Tal Bauer — descriptive, emotional, and almost poetic in the way it captures relationships and longing.

Longtime best friends-to-lovers is probably my favorite trope, and when you add second chances into the mix, it’s basically a perfect setup for me. Sol and Jack’s story checked every box.

We got a glimpse of Sol and Jack in the first book in the series, so I was excited to dive deeper into their relationship. These two are absolute soulmate material. They’ve been best friends for years and hooked up once the night before Jack deployed. During his deployment, Jack suffered a traumatic brain injury that stole many of his memories — including that night. Sol never told Jack what happened after he recovered, and ever since, he’s been quietly yearning for the person he’s always loved.

Sol was such an interesting character to read about because he’s constantly taking care of everyone around him while never letting anyone truly take care of him. He struggles to ask for help and tends to suffer in silence, which was honestly frustrating at times because you just want him to let people in and for someone to look after him for once. But the way he cares for Jack is incredibly sweet, and the emotional intimacy between them ended up being my favorite part of the book.

Watching Jack slowly fall in love with his best friend all over again while recovering pieces of his memory was genuinely heartwarming. Their connection felt so deep and natural, which made all of the romance — and the spice — hit even harder.

I also really loved all the side storylines woven throughout the book. The arcs involving Mal and Skylar, Folk and Cam, Sol’s parents, and his boat business with Oscar all helped make the world feel rich and lived in. None of it felt unnecessary, and I liked how everything eventually came full circle alongside Sol and Jack’s relationship. The found family aspect was especially well done, and I loved seeing everyone rally around them by the end.

If you love poetic love stories, lifelong best friends-to-lovers, second chances, yearning, angst, and emotionally intimate romances with a strong supporting plot, you’ll definitely want to pick this one up.

TheBookishK9RN

820 reviews11 followers

Review of advance copy received from Author

May 6, 2026

Achingly Beautiful, Raw, and Full of Quiet Devastation

Just This Heart by Garrett Leigh absolutely wrecked me in the softest, most painful way possible. Jack and Sol’s story carries this constant undercurrent of grief, longing, love, and unfinished emotion that settles into your chest almost immediately and never really lets go.

What hit me hardest was the intimacy between them even before either of them fully says the words out loud. Garrett Leigh writes emotional connection so beautifully, especially in all the quiet moments — lingering touches, instinctive closeness, shared routines, the kind of love that exists so deeply it survives even when memory doesn’t. Jack may not consciously remember what they were to each other, but his heart absolutely does, and that emotional pull through the entire story was devastating in the best way.

Sol completely broke my heart. The way he carries years of love, sacrifice, silence, and grief while still putting Jack first at every turn made him impossible not to love. There’s such tenderness in the way he cares for Jack, even while believing parts of their relationship may never truly come back to him.

And Jack’s journey was equally emotional. Watching him slowly piece together feelings he can’t explain while fighting through trauma, memory loss, and identity made every breakthrough feel deeply earned. The hurt/comfort in this book was honestly top tier.

The setting itself added so much atmosphere too. Porth Luck feels gritty, weathered, intimate, and alive in that very Garrett Leigh way where the town becomes part of the emotional landscape of the story. The sea, the fishing life, the found family dynamics — all of it wrapped around Jack and Sol’s relationship perfectly.

This is one of those romances that feels heavy with love from beginning to end. Messy, painful, deeply human love that survives fear, silence, trauma, and time.

If you love emotional MM romance, best friends-to-lovers, memory loss, wounded heroes, second chances, small-town grit, and soul-deep devotion, this book absolutely delivers.

JenCW

807 reviews7 followers

arc contemporary friends-to-lovers

4.75 Stars!

I loved every heartbreaking moment of this book and was beyond relieved that Jack and Sol found their way. If you're a fan of the author and have been reading this series, you'll have some idea of what Jack lives with on a daily basis; his health has been damaged in ways that made me truly awed by his resilience. Sol is his best friend and the one that has always been there for Jack. This story has a hard fought happy ending, one that I almost wasn't sure would be possible. On that note, have tissues ready; you will likely need them.

It was hard to watch Jack struggle at times. While it was clear from Just This Once, that life was not easy, seeing it through his own eyes was hard. Sol is such a beautiful soul and he would bleed himself dry to take care of anyone he cared for, even those he maybe shouldn't. Sol carried way too much on himself. While I understood why, I hated every minute that he didn't ask for help or explain the situation he found himself in through the actions of others. There was so much going on in their lives and finding time to just be together in any capacity was tough. I liked that Jack didn't shy away from the different ways he was feeling toward Sol and worked his way to understanding it. I loved that Sol was always there and knew when Jack needed time to get his thoughts together. These two were soulmates and it was beautiful to see Jack realize that and embrace it.

I love this found family. Mal and Jack are brothers, but Sol, Skylar, and Oscar round out a family that would do anything for each other. In some ways, their complicated history with the Rebel Kings is a blessing and curse, but as always, it was good they had those connections. I loved seeing so many of the Rebel Kings around and trying their best to be a good force in the world, even as things occur that bring them close to their old ways. I loved the support that the Rebel Kings leant, even when not asked for. Now, I can't wait for Oscar's story.

*Copy provided to me by the author for my reading pleasure. A review wasn't a requirement.*

ivanareadsalot

868 reviews272 followers

Review of advance copy

I would like to thank GRR for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Awww well Just This Heart started off really tender, and I was very much feeling the narrative style in this installment of the Men Of Porth Luck series more than the first.

Halfway through
and I was pretty much choking on my feelings over Sol and Jack's emotional tension, and their deep abiding love for each other. I loved how Leigh revisited basic care rituals in order to ground both the MCs and the reader in big-change moments, which were intense to read. I was a mess for Jack's seizures and memory gaps, which was such an intimate deal and made me cry for them both ngl.

I LOVED SOL SO HARD!!!

I was dying with how Sol embodied the sea, with his folklore at the ready, his sea shanties, and ofc his fisherman ways.

Sol was a VERY GOOD dude, but I was straight up s t r u g g l i n g to understand whyyyyyyy he was so OTT super extra MARTYR dumb?

And then the second half-ish of this depreciated back to that weird narrative tension where both MCs made things harder with poor communication that was so unnecessary and hurt me.

And then ugh the annoying amount of dramatic pull-in shots of 877234657846 characters when the Rebel Kings + Sol's plot bumper-cars collided
like they're being paid per cameo.

I would have loved some less.

Regardless,
I
Did
Enjoy
This
Much more than Just This Once
But I could have loved it more.

I'm very much hoping that Oscar's story
up next
would be a WHOLE BOOK written with the exquisite, gorgeous tension, and deep love story that Just This Heart was in the first half.

So I'll be looking forward to Just This Kiss later this year for more of that vibe, because Sol and Jack had my entire heart, before the wild ott stuff with Dav happened at the end there!

arc

Tara Baja

Author 2 books1 follower

0-2026-reads 0-grr-2026 4-and-a-quarter-stars

The second book in Garrett Leigh's Men of Porth Luck series had me even more emotional than her first book did, thus continuing with what I've dubbed her "Sad Boy Era". I don't say this in a bad way or with indifference. This MM love story was wonderfully written, but it had my head and heart going up and down like a roller coaster. I was legit nearly falling apart!

This story focuses on Jack and Sol, who we've met in the previous book, as Mal, Skylar and them all live in the same flat and own the bar downstairs, The Joker. Jack and Mal are brothers and former SAS soldiers, both medically released from duty. Mal for a bad heart, Jack for a brain injury. The only person he remembered in the early days of his recovery, was his bestie Sol. He's one of the people he loves most, although platonically because he's straight, and Sol is not.

Sol has been in love with Jack since they were teenagers, and even shared a "moment" before Jack deployed once, about a decade ago. Yet, because of his Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), he doesn't remember. In fact, he doesn't remember a lot of things and the TBI affects his daily life. The only one who is able to help him get through his "episodes" is Sol. This leads Jack to having some confusing feelings about his friendship with Sol. He knows he loves him but he's starting to question if it's still platonic.

There's familial issues thrown in, a devastating maritime disaster, and of course Sol and Jackie's blossoming relationship, book 2 was such a great follow up and I can't even imagine what Garrett has in store for us in Men of Porth Luck Book 3. I'm so appreciative of her and the Gay Romance Reviews for sharing an advanced reading copy to me in reciprocity for my honest review. Fingers crossed I'm able to get the next book. Nevertheless, it will be read because I am absolutely invested with these men getting their HEA!

Relly

1,691 reviews31 followers

May 17, 2026

4.25 Stars
Wow this one was good.

I did wonder how Garrett was going to get this one over the line. With Jacks injury, it added a level of care that was needed. Really I shouldn’t have worried as Garrett always manages to pull it off.

I loved Jack, and I really enjoyed seeing things through his eyes. His confusion at times when he loses time, to the frustration when he knows he is missing things and can’t pin point what it is. He is so aware of his own limitations and has the frustration and anger that go with it. He loves Sol and that is very evident in how he responds to him, but he just doesn’t know how to move it forward.
Sol was a beautiful soul. His love for Jack was showcased the entire book. He stuck by Jack when he didn’t remember their time together, knowing it would never change, but that didn’t stop him from being there day in and day out, protecting him and loving him, all with him thinking Jack couldn’t love him in return.

I was so mad at his family, Sev included. His mum stuck her head in the sand and then blamed Sol when things didn’t work out. How many times did he bail them out and they never thanked him at all. His dad and his actions really annoyed me. Yes, I understood he had an addiction, but it still annoyed me. Sev walked away and he knew Sol wouldn’t so let him take the hits. Time and time again. The amily unit was disfunctional and I was glad Cam and crew stepped in to fix what they could.

The cameos from our favorite bikers was fabulous. I always enjoy seeing them pop up especially as the friendship groups branch over a couple of different series. Can’t wait for Oscar’s book

Arc provided by GRR

AshPenny37

1,059 reviews5 followers

Review of advance copy

I’d been eagerly awaiting this story since we got a glimpse of the incredible bond between Sol and Jack as side characters in the first book in the Men Of Porth Luck series. The set up for their transition from friends to so much more was such a tease and, boy, this book did not disappoint.

There’s more of everything you expect from this author - more wounded souls, more complex characters, more heightened emotional situations, more pining, more small-town dynamics serving as the backdrop for the supporting plot, and above all more of the kind of love that epitomises wonderfully supportive relationships - both between the two main characters and in the broader family ties. And it’s all perfectly executed!

I love the way Jack’s character is written. The gruff ex-military man is so steady in his desire to maintain equilibrium in the Joker and in his relationships with the men he shares that space with, yet at the same time he’s so vulnerable because of the effects of the injury that finished his career. The author’s treatment of that again feels like lots of research has been sensitively applied. Sol, on the other hand, is just all kinds of adorable. He’s a natural caregiver to everyone but himself, and that goes double for the man he’s been in love with for the longest time. These characters are simply perfect for each other and their journey to recapturing everything Jack had forgotten is beautifully crafted.

It seems like this series is getting better by the book to me, so what’s next in Porth Luck? Well, Oscar is going to get his chance in the spotlight, but whilst we wait the well-timed cameos from the Rebel Kings crew who support as side characters here have made me want a reread of their books, too. So so good!

An e-copy was provided by GRR. This is my honest opinion.

Debby

1,788 reviews63 followers

06_read 2026_complete arc

Garrett Leigh has outdone herself with her latest book Just This Heart. Jack, Sol, Mal and Skylar live above the bar called The Joker. While they all help out, Jack is usually the one that runs it. Sol enjoys fishing and ekes out a living on his boat, Sirona. We already read Mal and Skylar’s story in book one of the series and what a story it was! Jack and Sol have it just as tough. Jack was invalided out of the military due to a TBI. It left him with seizures, balance issues and memory loss. The worse part of his memory loss involved a wondrous night with Sol. Sol never forgot that night and waits for Jack to remember. In the meantime, Sol has to contend with his father’s inability to control himself, leaving Sol deeply in debt. With all these problems, Sol and Jack are on the right track until tragedy strikes.

The love these two men have for each other shines from the pages. Everyone around them realizes it but not them, at first. Jack’s TBI caused so many changes in his life. His fight against them is heart breaking but at the same time awe inspiring. Sol is in the same position with his father. His sense of integrity is admirable. When disaster strikes, the two realize what they have to work hard to have a life together. With the help of the Rebel Kings, they just might make. They step in when needed. It was beautiful to see how an extended family like this one works. Read it and enjoy it!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Laura Chambers

123 reviews1 follower

May 14, 2026

Just This Heart is the 2nd book in Garrett Leigh's Men of Porth Luck series. I do recommend reading the 1st book in the series before this one. There is a lot of history that takes place in the 1st book that makes its way into Just This Heart.

Sol and Jack have been best friends since they were kids. Sol is a fisherman and takes on the world of his family and friends. Jack is ex-military with TBI and depends on Sol to keep him steady.

Sol and Jack had some kind of romantic encounter before Jack was injured and he can't remember it. Sol has continued to love Jack through his recovery and memory loss. Jack is learning to love Sol again.

Sol has set his life’s purpose to care for Jack. He makes decisions and acts with only Jack’s health and happiness in mind. When Jack starts to realize this, I think it breaks him a bit. He’s never wanted others to “pity” him.

Sol wants to do everything himself. He feels shame if he gets any kind of help. I think his biggest challenge is recognizing when he needs help and accepting it. I think that goes hand in hand with opening up to love.

When Sol is injured on the job, Jack takes it upon himself to care for Sol. He begins to learn how Sol felt while Jack was recovering.

Sol and Jack are perfect for each other. They care for each other above all else.

I am eagerly awaiting the 3rd book of the series.

Steam: 3.5/5
Fun: 4.5/5
Overall: 4.5/5

Sheena

836 reviews14 followers

Review of advance copy

- best friends to lovers
- found family
- series

This is the second in the Men of Porth Luck series, and this time it's Sol's turn to find his HEA. I've read the Rebel Kings series which comes before this one, and I've wanted Sol's story ever since he popped up in that series. Jack and Sol are lifetime best friends, and perhaps more before Jack suffered a traumatic brain injury resulting in him leaving the armed forces, and coming home. The effects are lasting for him though, and that's covered really well as we see how he, and Sol, deal with that. It's part of Jack but doesn't define his life.

I do love a good best friends to lovers story, and this was excellent. These two coming together felt inevitable and so right. I don't think there's ever really been anyone else for each of them and I loved seeing the evolution of their friendship into a very satisfying HEA for them. Poor Sol doesn't have to seek his troubles though, his family are best described as toxic, his dad is a deadbeat and his mum is oblivious and I hated how they treated him. Only his brother, who we briefly met, seems to be halfway decent. (Side note, I'd like to see more of Sev please).

I love this series, I really enjoyed this story and I can't wait for the next book. Oscar's story which I've wanted almost as long as Sol's.

I received an advance copy and this is my honest review.

Nicole

317 reviews16 followers