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Heart Trouble
An emergency physician and a waitress discover a mysterious connection in this lesbian medical romance with a twist.
Dr. Hope Finlay loves her job as an emergency room physician, especially since it allows her only brief encounters with her patients. She learned early in life not to get attached to anyone because it never lasts.
Laleh Samadi, a waitress at her aunt's restaurant, is the exact opposite. She easily connects with people and loves her big, boisterous Persian family, despite their tendency to meddle in her life.
When Laleh needs to be rushed to the ER with heart trouble, Hope saves her life. Afterwards, strange things begin to Why does Laleh suddenly know even the most obscure diseases, while Hope is fluent in Farsi?
Soon, they can no longer deny that there's a mysterious connection between them—one that becomes stronger with each passing day.
Are they losing their minds…or their hearts?
Dr. Hope Finlay loves her job as an emergency room physician, especially since it allows her only brief encounters with her patients. She learned early in life not to get attached to anyone because it never lasts.
Laleh Samadi, a waitress at her aunt's restaurant, is the exact opposite. She easily connects with people and loves her big, boisterous Persian family, despite their tendency to meddle in her life.
When Laleh needs to be rushed to the ER with heart trouble, Hope saves her life. Afterwards, strange things begin to Why does Laleh suddenly know even the most obscure diseases, while Hope is fluent in Farsi?
Soon, they can no longer deny that there's a mysterious connection between them—one that becomes stronger with each passing day.
Are they losing their minds…or their hearts?
332 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 21, 2016
107 people are currently reading
1623 people want to read
About the author
Jae
125 books3,838 followersJae is the author of twenty-six award-winning romances between women. She lives in the sunniest city of Germany, near the French and Swiss borders. The writing bug bit her at the age of eleven.
She used to work as a psychologist but gave up her day job in 2013 to become a full-time writer and a part-time editor. As far as she’s concerned, it’s the best job in the world.
When she’s not writing, she is an avid reader of sapphic books, indulges her ice cream and office supply addictions, and watches way too many crime shows.
She used to work as a psychologist but gave up her day job in 2013 to become a full-time writer and a part-time editor. As far as she’s concerned, it’s the best job in the world.
When she’s not writing, she is an avid reader of sapphic books, indulges her ice cream and office supply addictions, and watches way too many crime shows.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 279 reviews
September 4, 2016
I'm always going on about how I love lesfic plots that dare to be different from the usual. Well this is about as different as a vanilla lesbian romance is going to be from the usual, without veering off totally into any of those plot-rich sub-genres like adventure, fantasy, paranormal and historicals. This is good ol' lesbian romance, but with a very curious twist. What results is a funny and thoroughly engaging look at the unintended consequences of that 'twist', while at the same time pondering what it really means to fall in love. Is it fate? Is it fake? Or is it just some weird emotional transference? In addition, having one of the protagonists come from a very traditional and close-knit family where conservative values are held in high regard makes for some angsty family drama.
Laleh is a second-gen Persian-American. Somewhat of a disappointment to her ambitious parents, she prefers to waitress at her aunt's restaurant rather than get a degree. A mis-diagnosed heart problem lands her in the ER of Dr. Hope Finlay, who successfully resuscitates Laleh. But something went slightly wrong in the process....
At this point, if you haven't read the book's blurb yet, don't. I just realized while doing this review that the book blurb pretty much blabs out the twist. :( Thank god I missed that part so it totally floored me when it hit. I like surprises. ;) Listen, get this book for the lovely romantic development and the lesfic drama alone. And let the twist be the amazing icing on the cake. If that isn't convincing enough, go ahead and click on the
The best thing about the book is how the 'twist' is dealt with (it's more of a plot development than a twist, but for the sake of simplicity, I'll just call it that). From the inception to everything that happens afterwards--the discovery, the shock, the acceptance, and learning to live with it and around it and even using it--all of it feels so natural and 'realistic'. The escalating effects of the 'twist' (both good and bad) are well-thought out and the character reactions to them a pleasure to read. Now this is excellent speculative fiction, made specially for romance readers. :) While the two protagonists deal with their 'affliction', their relationship is gently advanced from wary victims to reluctant friends to inseparable soul mates. I love, love stories where friendship and companionship are a big part of the relationship. Jae is really good at developing romances this way, and it's why I've read most of her works except for, surprisingly, the Hollywood series (whose characters appear here in various capacities as either supporting characters or cameos), but only because I'm not very fond of Hollywood-themed books.
At some point in the book, the story segues from spec-fic/romance to dealing with one's sexuality and eventually to dealing with familial resistance. Laleh has a very close-knit and almost claustrophobic family situation, where her parents constantly obsess over her future and bring her prospective husbands to audition. Gayness just doesn't exist in their world. And Laleh has completely no reference for it (despite her bff being a very lesbian actress Jill. Really? I find it hard to believe Laleh has never had crushes on these Hollywood beauties. :)). There was always going to be a husband and kids in her future...someday...so she can't possibly be gay. But then there is Hope. ;)
Sticking a traditional family dynamic into the mix allows the book to fluidly shift its focus from the development of the relationship to dealing with other issues, namely the recognition/acceptance of one's sexuality and beyond. There is a noticeable tone shift as well. The first part dealing with their 'affliction' was light and bubbly, and I found myself either smiling or laughing out loud often. Very entertaining banter there. The latter part is a bit more antsy and angsty, as things get hot and heavy. Thankfully, the author never lets the characters or the situations slip into melodrama. Misunderstandings are resolved in a timely and mature way. There is even an extra emphasis on 'proper communication' as the characters move through different stages of their relationship--the lack of which is an all-too-common trope in lesbian romances. (Yes, let this be a dig at all those miscommunicating tropes!)
People who follow my reviews will notice that I tend to throw a lot of stars at books with imaginative plots. Not only does this book deliver on plot, but everything else that matters to me in a romance.
5 stars
ARC from Ylva
P.S.: I noticed something about the author's writing. Never paid much attention to it before. She likes to point out things. Little things which are sometimes already obvious to the attentive reader. I remember there were a couple of times when one of the characters would say something witty or flirty which was obvious from the words used, but there is also an accompanying dialogue tag to that effect. Nothing wrong with that really except that it just feels superfluous. There are also sentences here and there that could have been removed as well that would probably tighten up the writing. But these aren't really obvious so it's not a big deal.
Laleh is a second-gen Persian-American. Somewhat of a disappointment to her ambitious parents, she prefers to waitress at her aunt's restaurant rather than get a degree. A mis-diagnosed heart problem lands her in the ER of Dr. Hope Finlay, who successfully resuscitates Laleh. But something went slightly wrong in the process....
At this point, if you haven't read the book's blurb yet, don't. I just realized while doing this review that the book blurb pretty much blabs out the twist. :( Thank god I missed that part so it totally floored me when it hit. I like surprises. ;) Listen, get this book for the lovely romantic development and the lesfic drama alone. And let the twist be the amazing icing on the cake. If that isn't convincing enough, go ahead and click on the
The best thing about the book is how the 'twist' is dealt with (it's more of a plot development than a twist, but for the sake of simplicity, I'll just call it that). From the inception to everything that happens afterwards--the discovery, the shock, the acceptance, and learning to live with it and around it and even using it--all of it feels so natural and 'realistic'. The escalating effects of the 'twist' (both good and bad) are well-thought out and the character reactions to them a pleasure to read. Now this is excellent speculative fiction, made specially for romance readers. :) While the two protagonists deal with their 'affliction', their relationship is gently advanced from wary victims to reluctant friends to inseparable soul mates. I love, love stories where friendship and companionship are a big part of the relationship. Jae is really good at developing romances this way, and it's why I've read most of her works except for, surprisingly, the Hollywood series (whose characters appear here in various capacities as either supporting characters or cameos), but only because I'm not very fond of Hollywood-themed books.
At some point in the book, the story segues from spec-fic/romance to dealing with one's sexuality and eventually to dealing with familial resistance. Laleh has a very close-knit and almost claustrophobic family situation, where her parents constantly obsess over her future and bring her prospective husbands to audition. Gayness just doesn't exist in their world. And Laleh has completely no reference for it (despite her bff being a very lesbian actress Jill. Really? I find it hard to believe Laleh has never had crushes on these Hollywood beauties. :)). There was always going to be a husband and kids in her future...someday...so she can't possibly be gay. But then there is Hope. ;)
Sticking a traditional family dynamic into the mix allows the book to fluidly shift its focus from the development of the relationship to dealing with other issues, namely the recognition/acceptance of one's sexuality and beyond. There is a noticeable tone shift as well. The first part dealing with their 'affliction' was light and bubbly, and I found myself either smiling or laughing out loud often. Very entertaining banter there. The latter part is a bit more antsy and angsty, as things get hot and heavy. Thankfully, the author never lets the characters or the situations slip into melodrama. Misunderstandings are resolved in a timely and mature way. There is even an extra emphasis on 'proper communication' as the characters move through different stages of their relationship--the lack of which is an all-too-common trope in lesbian romances. (Yes, let this be a dig at all those miscommunicating tropes!)
People who follow my reviews will notice that I tend to throw a lot of stars at books with imaginative plots. Not only does this book deliver on plot, but everything else that matters to me in a romance.
5 stars
ARC from Ylva
P.S.: I noticed something about the author's writing. Never paid much attention to it before. She likes to point out things. Little things which are sometimes already obvious to the attentive reader. I remember there were a couple of times when one of the characters would say something witty or flirty which was obvious from the words used, but there is also an accompanying dialogue tag to that effect. Nothing wrong with that really except that it just feels superfluous. There are also sentences here and there that could have been removed as well that would probably tighten up the writing. But these aren't really obvious so it's not a big deal.
October 23, 2016
First I want to say I'm a big Jae fan, so maybe I am a little biased. She has worked her way into becoming one of my favorite lesfic authors period. I did have a little trepidation reading this. So many people loved this book, would it hold up for me? Well it did and more, I loved this book. I would put it in the top 5, of my favorite lesfic romances of 2016.
This is a great love story with a small paranormal twist, that was great. Sometimes, I can get a little bored reading romances if they don't have any action or something else in them. This was not the case at all. The twist of this book was so clever and kept my attention. I also appreciated this book didn't follow the normal lesfic timeline.
Both main characters are extremely likeable. I loved the Persian background of Lelah, and the bit of tough edge of Hope. I was also pleasantly surprised that Jill, one of my favorite characters of Jae's Hollywood series, was in this.
This really is a great romance from beginning to end. I don't want to say much more and spoiler any of the plot, for anyone else. I will say read this! It's worth it.
This is a great love story with a small paranormal twist, that was great. Sometimes, I can get a little bored reading romances if they don't have any action or something else in them. This was not the case at all. The twist of this book was so clever and kept my attention. I also appreciated this book didn't follow the normal lesfic timeline.
Both main characters are extremely likeable. I loved the Persian background of Lelah, and the bit of tough edge of Hope. I was also pleasantly surprised that Jill, one of my favorite characters of Jae's Hollywood series, was in this.
This really is a great romance from beginning to end. I don't want to say much more and spoiler any of the plot, for anyone else. I will say read this! It's worth it.
February 12, 2019
Read it again, loved it again.
This is my favorite book by Jae and has everything I want in a great romance novel. The main characters are well developed and have great chemistry. It also has some very entertaining secondary characters who often end up talking Hope and Laleh down when they get a little to close to the ledge.
I really liked the fantasy/magical element in this story as well, which can sometimes backfire but Jae really made it work. Although this book is somewhat of a slow burn and it's also very predictable, I never found myself skimming any of it. The strange connection between Hope and Laleh just made it too fun to skip anything.
The family aspect was very interesting to read for someone like me. My father's side of the family have roots in the Middle East while my mom's side is rooted in India. I hate to admit that I know the reaction of Laleh's family all too well.
Definitely give this a shot if you're looking for something almost angst free with great characters and a dash of magic.
*Finally be prepared to get hungry as there are a lot of Persian dishes mentioned that will make your mouth water so be careful when reading if your E-Reader is not waterproof.
This is my favorite book by Jae and has everything I want in a great romance novel. The main characters are well developed and have great chemistry. It also has some very entertaining secondary characters who often end up talking Hope and Laleh down when they get a little to close to the ledge.
I really liked the fantasy/magical element in this story as well, which can sometimes backfire but Jae really made it work. Although this book is somewhat of a slow burn and it's also very predictable, I never found myself skimming any of it. The strange connection between Hope and Laleh just made it too fun to skip anything.
The family aspect was very interesting to read for someone like me. My father's side of the family have roots in the Middle East while my mom's side is rooted in India. I hate to admit that I know the reaction of Laleh's family all too well.
Definitely give this a shot if you're looking for something almost angst free with great characters and a dash of magic.
*Finally be prepared to get hungry as there are a lot of Persian dishes mentioned that will make your mouth water so be careful when reading if your E-Reader is not waterproof.
September 9, 2016
Loved it....scream it out loud again...Loved it! This book had me from the get go. I was enthralled by the characters, by their story and oh yes that delicious angst. It had everything I could have asked for, and even had a little unexpected twist that made it even more delightful. You can stop reading now, just buy this book.
You are still reading? Ok well here is the synopsis.
Dr. Hope Finlay is your typical uber-smart loner. She’s all work, very little play. She grew up in foster care after the loss of her mother to cancer. This tragedy and therefore background has caused her to keep everyone at arm’s length. Relationships are not her strong point. What she is, is a gifted emergency room physician.
Our other main character is Laleh Samadi. Laleh is a second generation Persian American, who in her parents’ eyes is an underachiever. Underachiever in the sense she passed on college because her passion was working in her family’s restaurant. Also, she refuses to marry without finding true love. Neither of her parents can understand Laleh’s actions and they do rib her about it, but overall they are a loving bunch.
So a heart condition brings these two characters together and a little mishap intertwines them into a roller-coaster ride of emotions. I won’t ruin it with too many details. These two lives become intertwined and it is funny, witty and straight up sexy. Hope and Laleh have banter too, which I am a huge sucker for dialogue, so this made my heart sing. I adore this book. Easily one of the best I have read this year. Jae is a writer that you can always count on to deliver a fantastic book and you always come away with a little more knowledge.
You are still reading? Ok well here is the synopsis.
Dr. Hope Finlay is your typical uber-smart loner. She’s all work, very little play. She grew up in foster care after the loss of her mother to cancer. This tragedy and therefore background has caused her to keep everyone at arm’s length. Relationships are not her strong point. What she is, is a gifted emergency room physician.
Our other main character is Laleh Samadi. Laleh is a second generation Persian American, who in her parents’ eyes is an underachiever. Underachiever in the sense she passed on college because her passion was working in her family’s restaurant. Also, she refuses to marry without finding true love. Neither of her parents can understand Laleh’s actions and they do rib her about it, but overall they are a loving bunch.
So a heart condition brings these two characters together and a little mishap intertwines them into a roller-coaster ride of emotions. I won’t ruin it with too many details. These two lives become intertwined and it is funny, witty and straight up sexy. Hope and Laleh have banter too, which I am a huge sucker for dialogue, so this made my heart sing. I adore this book. Easily one of the best I have read this year. Jae is a writer that you can always count on to deliver a fantastic book and you always come away with a little more knowledge.
September 4, 2016
It's very hard to be spoiler free in a novel with such a unique premise. My attempt to summarize the beginnings of this relationship would give too much away. The enjoyment is in the read and I will just mention a few things that stayed with me when I read Heart Trouble.
I liked how the connection between Hope and Laleh grows over time. What begins with everyday things like favourite foods, likes and dislikes morphs into a real emotional connection.This magical connection is so well done and easy to get lost in . Yet here we have Laleh who assumed she was straight and coming from a traditional Persian family this is not surprising finding a soul mate with the very single and out lesbian physician Hope. Their paths may have never crossed if not for Laleh’s medical troubles. The best kind of romance is the unexpected one.
I liked how the author describes Laleh’s Persian roots and extended family. Traditions long held are not easily changed or adapted. I thought the picnic scene was one of the best true to life depictions of the challenges second generation LGBT kids face in this modern world. It added real life emotional punch to the happy ever afters we routinely see in romance novels. Well done.
I am not a fan of cameo appearances of characters from other books in a standalone novel. I recognize that Laleh having a lesbian best friend fit into the “catching the gay” aspect of her parents fears but it comes across as sales and promotion rather than valid secondary characters. It’s a small point but one that bothered this reader.
This is a great read, no question. Their unique challenges make this relationship a memorable one. The concept made misunderstandings understandable and Laleh’s qualms about her attraction to Hope all the more confusing for her. It also adds a whole new meaning to the term Think for yourself. Sometimes in life you just don’t have that option.
ARC received from publisher with thanks.
I liked how the connection between Hope and Laleh grows over time. What begins with everyday things like favourite foods, likes and dislikes morphs into a real emotional connection.This magical connection is so well done and easy to get lost in . Yet here we have Laleh who assumed she was straight and coming from a traditional Persian family this is not surprising finding a soul mate with the very single and out lesbian physician Hope. Their paths may have never crossed if not for Laleh’s medical troubles. The best kind of romance is the unexpected one.
I liked how the author describes Laleh’s Persian roots and extended family. Traditions long held are not easily changed or adapted. I thought the picnic scene was one of the best true to life depictions of the challenges second generation LGBT kids face in this modern world. It added real life emotional punch to the happy ever afters we routinely see in romance novels. Well done.
I am not a fan of cameo appearances of characters from other books in a standalone novel. I recognize that Laleh having a lesbian best friend fit into the “catching the gay” aspect of her parents fears but it comes across as sales and promotion rather than valid secondary characters. It’s a small point but one that bothered this reader.
This is a great read, no question. Their unique challenges make this relationship a memorable one. The concept made misunderstandings understandable and Laleh’s qualms about her attraction to Hope all the more confusing for her. It also adds a whole new meaning to the term Think for yourself. Sometimes in life you just don’t have that option.
ARC received from publisher with thanks.
September 9, 2016
I really like Jae's writing style. She is one of my "trusted authors", the ones I believe will not let me down (three and a half stars is my lowest rating among her twelve novels I have read so far). I appreciate her precision and eye for detail. I like to know a lot about what the characters look like, their background and surroundings, the setting of the story... and Jae is great with those literary elements. She is informative without being overwhelming. Heart Trouble confirmed everything I just said about her work. One of the main characters is a doctor, the other is a Persian-American who loves to cook traditional and national dishes. It was safe to assume that we, the readers, would learn a lot of interesting stuff about medicine, cooking and Persians. Add to that great dialogue, nice humor, a sweet love story with a refreshing soulmate twist, and you have a great read which I recommend heartily to all romance fans.
4.5 stars
*ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley*
4.5 stars
*ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley*
April 9, 2020
An excellent colorful, unique love story.
A beautiful love story with well portrayed characters. The colorful details, exotic flavors, cultural differences, family dynamics, dialogues, a passionate love - all these separate elements merge effortlessly together in this unique story. I have enjoyed it a lot and I highly recommend it.
A beautiful love story with well portrayed characters. The colorful details, exotic flavors, cultural differences, family dynamics, dialogues, a passionate love - all these separate elements merge effortlessly together in this unique story. I have enjoyed it a lot and I highly recommend it.
August 8, 2020
After reading some books that I didn’t enjoy at all, I wanted to read a book that I was sure I’d enjoy. So I looked at my read again list and picked Heart Trouble by Jae. I loved reading it again. Lovely characters and very nice romance with some fairy tale elements. So I am rating this again with 5 stars
Reread this and it’s still 5 stars for me. Loved this fairytale-like romance.
Reread this and it’s still 5 stars for me. Loved this fairytale-like romance.
June 22, 2017
I'm not sure about this novel.
All the ingredients are there for a reasonable lesfic romance, but I felt it lacked a bit of emotion or magic between the two leads. Clearly well researched to provide all the details about Iranian culture and particular medical procedures, but these narratives (particularly the Persian elements) felt like exposition and lacked a natural flow.
Please don't get me wrong, this isn't a bad book, far from it. It could have been so much better.
All the ingredients are there for a reasonable lesfic romance, but I felt it lacked a bit of emotion or magic between the two leads. Clearly well researched to provide all the details about Iranian culture and particular medical procedures, but these narratives (particularly the Persian elements) felt like exposition and lacked a natural flow.
Please don't get me wrong, this isn't a bad book, far from it. It could have been so much better.
October 5, 2020
*I received this book from Ylva Publishing for an honest review*
This was/is a great book - from beginning to end. I laughed, I cried (mostly from laughing), and had great pleasure from reading this book.
This is one of those books that is hard to write a review for. Almost everything I could think to write seems spoiler-y; the plot, the romance, the family dynamic; everything.
Laleh Samadi comes from a large Persian American family (her parents came over from Iran; I'm not actually sure if Laleh was born here or there). She, Laleh, works as a waitress at her aunt's restaurant, and is quite straight. Though she has some lesbian friends - like two couples from other Jae books (mostly Jill, though her girlfriend Crash, and friends Grace and . . . whatever Grace's girlfriend's name also make appearances (Lauren?); Jill's role was actually larger than I kind of expected, she actually was a friend of Laleh's instead of some cameo like drop in - like say Grace who, as far as I recall, appeared twice - once at a movie opening, and once at a party - her biggest scene involved being kissed and blushing). Jill, as some may or may not recall, is the woman from Jae's Hollywood series with MS - and the one who played the doctor in the 'Shaken to the Core' film (pulling in, indirectly, another book and another of Jae's series).
Lelah meets the other lead in this story in an interesting way - by collapsing in an emergency room and being saved from death by one Dr. Hope Finlay. In a normal course of events, Hope and Lelah would never have meet again after Lelah left the ER area (conceivably they might have bumped into each other when Lelah moved into the other parts of the hospital, but that happened only once before). Neither were likely to run into each other normally - Lelah is/was straight and while she didn't exactly live in a Persian enclave, Hope kind of did - not live in a Persian enclave, but live in a work one - Hope being the kind of woman who lived more to work long hours in an emergency room - the kind whose only friend is a fellow doctor, and her condo looks like a showroom because she's almost never there.
So yes, they never otherwise would have run into each other at all. But they did - because Lelah had a heart issue, and ended up in the ER. They never would have moved beyond doctor patient, though, without an extra little bit of out-of-this-world weirdness. For, while attempting to jump start Lelah's heart (technically it was 'running', it just was 'stuck in the wrong gear' that would have lead to death), some of those paddle thingies were used. Defibrillators. And by a fluke of fate the charge ended up connecting doctor and patient - as in something cause the patient's arm to jerk up and slam into the doctor. A rookie mistake, as Hope mentioned several times.
Even then their fates were on a path to shaking themselves off never to see the other again but for that out of this world thingie I referenced earlier. Normally getting some extra volts of electricity run through your body doesn't do anything more than create some tingling that might last a short while. Doesn't normally do what happened in this book - create a link - a real link, between Hope and Lelah. The kind wherein Hope suddenly had a taste for Persian food and accidentally ends at Lelah's restaurant (though that could have happened anyway - not to the same degree, but in the sense that the good doctor might have had 'Persian' in their mind, from saving a Persian American, and might have had Persian pop up in their mind one day when thinking of what to eat for food). The link, though, was much stronger than that and dived into fantasy land.
I'm no expert on Persians, so I cannot say anything other than that I liked what was shown in this book. Was it realistic? Real? No idea. But it was a nice variation on characters. The interactions of the two who link up felt quite real - both becoming solid fully formed characters in this book.
This is one of those fluffy sweet humorous fun, erotic breaks from reality type of books. One specific aspect was somewhat expected and somewhat saddened me when it came to pass, though what unfolded after this unexplained vague event occurred was quite good and fun and probably for the best. I kind of liked, bah I can't say without going into spoiler land. The kind where I do not even wish to use spoiler tags to state.
August 24 2016
This was/is a great book - from beginning to end. I laughed, I cried (mostly from laughing), and had great pleasure from reading this book.
This is one of those books that is hard to write a review for. Almost everything I could think to write seems spoiler-y; the plot, the romance, the family dynamic; everything.
Laleh Samadi comes from a large Persian American family (her parents came over from Iran; I'm not actually sure if Laleh was born here or there). She, Laleh, works as a waitress at her aunt's restaurant, and is quite straight. Though she has some lesbian friends - like two couples from other Jae books (mostly Jill, though her girlfriend Crash, and friends Grace and . . . whatever Grace's girlfriend's name also make appearances (Lauren?); Jill's role was actually larger than I kind of expected, she actually was a friend of Laleh's instead of some cameo like drop in - like say Grace who, as far as I recall, appeared twice - once at a movie opening, and once at a party - her biggest scene involved being kissed and blushing). Jill, as some may or may not recall, is the woman from Jae's Hollywood series with MS - and the one who played the doctor in the 'Shaken to the Core' film (pulling in, indirectly, another book and another of Jae's series).
Lelah meets the other lead in this story in an interesting way - by collapsing in an emergency room and being saved from death by one Dr. Hope Finlay. In a normal course of events, Hope and Lelah would never have meet again after Lelah left the ER area (conceivably they might have bumped into each other when Lelah moved into the other parts of the hospital, but that happened only once before). Neither were likely to run into each other normally - Lelah is/was straight and while she didn't exactly live in a Persian enclave, Hope kind of did - not live in a Persian enclave, but live in a work one - Hope being the kind of woman who lived more to work long hours in an emergency room - the kind whose only friend is a fellow doctor, and her condo looks like a showroom because she's almost never there.
So yes, they never otherwise would have run into each other at all. But they did - because Lelah had a heart issue, and ended up in the ER. They never would have moved beyond doctor patient, though, without an extra little bit of out-of-this-world weirdness. For, while attempting to jump start Lelah's heart (technically it was 'running', it just was 'stuck in the wrong gear' that would have lead to death), some of those paddle thingies were used. Defibrillators. And by a fluke of fate the charge ended up connecting doctor and patient - as in something cause the patient's arm to jerk up and slam into the doctor. A rookie mistake, as Hope mentioned several times.
Even then their fates were on a path to shaking themselves off never to see the other again but for that out of this world thingie I referenced earlier. Normally getting some extra volts of electricity run through your body doesn't do anything more than create some tingling that might last a short while. Doesn't normally do what happened in this book - create a link - a real link, between Hope and Lelah. The kind wherein Hope suddenly had a taste for Persian food and accidentally ends at Lelah's restaurant (though that could have happened anyway - not to the same degree, but in the sense that the good doctor might have had 'Persian' in their mind, from saving a Persian American, and might have had Persian pop up in their mind one day when thinking of what to eat for food). The link, though, was much stronger than that and dived into fantasy land.
I'm no expert on Persians, so I cannot say anything other than that I liked what was shown in this book. Was it realistic? Real? No idea. But it was a nice variation on characters. The interactions of the two who link up felt quite real - both becoming solid fully formed characters in this book.
This is one of those fluffy sweet humorous fun, erotic breaks from reality type of books. One specific aspect was somewhat expected and somewhat saddened me when it came to pass, though what unfolded after this unexplained vague event occurred was quite good and fun and probably for the best. I kind of liked, bah I can't say without going into spoiler land. The kind where I do not even wish to use spoiler tags to state.
August 24 2016
February 15, 2025
Wow, I love the world created by Jae - she really is a class act. Rereading these books in the wrong order - really not sure why but at least the end of the previous book won't shock! Superb, thank you.
Audio book excellent, though listening to sex scenes whilst waiting for the dentist isn’t recommended!
Audio book excellent, though listening to sex scenes whilst waiting for the dentist isn’t recommended!
August 29, 2016
ARC received from NetGalley in return for a fair review.
I don't give out a lot of five star ratings, but this book deserves it. It's pretty much flawless.
Hope and Laleh are both wonderful characters (although by virtue of Laleh's family storyline I did feel her character was slightly more fleshed out). While they both struggled with various issues throughout the story, I felt the circumstances were organic, and they served the story, never bogging it down.
Due to the connection they share, they spend a lot of time together and get to know each other well, which is usually the case in Jae's books. The connection itself is something not generally seen in lesfic (at least outside the uber Xena genre) and it certainly added some interesting elements to the story. I also loved that Laleh was Persian, lesfic could use more diversity.
Possibly the best thing about this story is that there's none of the overly dramatic misunderstandings, etc. usually inherent in the genre, so extra kudos for that. The secondary characters are also lovely, interesting and fun and served the story and main characters well. I especially loved Jordan and hope she gets her own book.
Which brings me to my only caveat, regarding the 'cameos' from previous characters. I haven't actually gotten around to reading Just Physical yet, it's been on my to read pile for awhile but since I got this from NetGalley, it jumped the queue. I know Jill and Crash are from that story though, and I didn't mind them popping up here because Laleh needed a confidant and Jill was a good one. On the flip side, I don't even know why Grace and Lauren (Damage Control) had to be included (in fact I'm not sure Lauren is even named in the book, though she does appear). The need for authors to included gratuitous mentions of many of their previous characters (and in this case also the name of a previous book) in their current books is getting beyond annoying. It's not as bad here as it was in Shaken to the Core, which stretched the connections to the limit, but still. Authors, please note, all of the worlds/characters you write do not have to be connected for readers (or at least this reader) to enjoy the story.
That said, it's a minor issue in a thoroughly enjoyable book. Highly recommend.
I don't give out a lot of five star ratings, but this book deserves it. It's pretty much flawless.
Hope and Laleh are both wonderful characters (although by virtue of Laleh's family storyline I did feel her character was slightly more fleshed out). While they both struggled with various issues throughout the story, I felt the circumstances were organic, and they served the story, never bogging it down.
Due to the connection they share, they spend a lot of time together and get to know each other well, which is usually the case in Jae's books. The connection itself is something not generally seen in lesfic (at least outside the uber Xena genre) and it certainly added some interesting elements to the story. I also loved that Laleh was Persian, lesfic could use more diversity.
Possibly the best thing about this story is that there's none of the overly dramatic misunderstandings, etc. usually inherent in the genre, so extra kudos for that. The secondary characters are also lovely, interesting and fun and served the story and main characters well. I especially loved Jordan and hope she gets her own book.
Which brings me to my only caveat, regarding the 'cameos' from previous characters. I haven't actually gotten around to reading Just Physical yet, it's been on my to read pile for awhile but since I got this from NetGalley, it jumped the queue. I know Jill and Crash are from that story though, and I didn't mind them popping up here because Laleh needed a confidant and Jill was a good one. On the flip side, I don't even know why Grace and Lauren (Damage Control) had to be included (in fact I'm not sure Lauren is even named in the book, though she does appear). The need for authors to included gratuitous mentions of many of their previous characters (and in this case also the name of a previous book) in their current books is getting beyond annoying. It's not as bad here as it was in Shaken to the Core, which stretched the connections to the limit, but still. Authors, please note, all of the worlds/characters you write do not have to be connected for readers (or at least this reader) to enjoy the story.
That said, it's a minor issue in a thoroughly enjoyable book. Highly recommend.
July 12, 2018
This romance by Jae is quite a light reading, but a warm, embracing one.
It’s one of those stories that make you feel well. It had a sort of soothing effect on me, washing away the stress of the workdays in the simple waters of good, positive feelings. It gently brought me back the desire to read in a moment I didn’t have any.
The touch of supernatural gives the novel a glimmer of magic, the sensation that sometimes the universe is benign. Sometimes a bit of serendipity is nice.
The characters are both lovable, sweet and brave in their different ways. The special connection they experience between each other is the distinctive trait of the story, its surprise, its charm, and the only thing I’m going to say about it is that it’s something that everyone would like to experience, at least in some measure, with the right person.
Who knows? Maybe it’s possible.
It’s one of those stories that make you feel well. It had a sort of soothing effect on me, washing away the stress of the workdays in the simple waters of good, positive feelings. It gently brought me back the desire to read in a moment I didn’t have any.
The touch of supernatural gives the novel a glimmer of magic, the sensation that sometimes the universe is benign. Sometimes a bit of serendipity is nice.
The characters are both lovable, sweet and brave in their different ways. The special connection they experience between each other is the distinctive trait of the story, its surprise, its charm, and the only thing I’m going to say about it is that it’s something that everyone would like to experience, at least in some measure, with the right person.
Who knows? Maybe it’s possible.
November 19, 2016
Heart Trouble is a very sweet book with an interesting, original premise. It wasn't exactly what I expected out of a medical romance, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
The characters were great and I especially loved Laleh and her family. I was also happy to see Jill and Crash from Just Physical and the cameo from Lauren and Grace from Damage Control.
Damage Control and Under a Falling Star are still my favourites by Jae, but Heart Trouble is a solid book that I'd recommend to anyone who enjoys contemporary romances.
Full review here: http://www.thelesbianreview.com/heart...
The characters were great and I especially loved Laleh and her family. I was also happy to see Jill and Crash from Just Physical and the cameo from Lauren and Grace from Damage Control.
Damage Control and Under a Falling Star are still my favourites by Jae, but Heart Trouble is a solid book that I'd recommend to anyone who enjoys contemporary romances.
Full review here: http://www.thelesbianreview.com/heart...
March 30, 2017
Second time I’ve read this book, fourth Jae book read this week, and, I’ve now learned, fourth (not counting short stories) in that Hollywood series.
I assume that there are two reasons why this book is not currently listed as the fourth in that series: 1) neither of the mains are actresses (unlike at least one main in each of the proceeding books in the series), though there are actress side characters; 2) there is a fantasy element to the story not present in the Hollywood Series books.
So, why do I see this as being the fourth book in that Hollywood series? Simple enough – same location; same people/characters appear in this book and in the prior books; while no main is an actress , attending movie premieres is still an element in the book.
Laleh Samadi is a waitress who appeared in book three of the Hollywood series and stars in this book here. Her best friends appear to consist of the women from the prior books – Jill being the closest friend of the bunch – this is the third book in the series wherein Jill played an important role, leaving the first book as the only one not to include her. Grace, Crash, and Lauren also make appearances – though Grace again is just there (first book she was mentioned a few times as being super gorgeous; second book she starred as main character; third she’s again mentioned a few times – there but just barely having a role larger than one that could have been filled by a cardboard cutout of her; and then in this book here she’s ‘caught’ kissing Lauren at a party and . . . well, Jill says that Laleh should talk to Grace about a specific issue but that talk either never occurred or wasn’t covered by this book, so she’s even less here in this book than in previous; I assume that it is Lauren being kissed, I’m not sure if her name was even used in this book – she has no role other than being someone to be kissed by someone famous and lesbian; Crash has a larger role, but barely. No, of the side characters who have previous starred in their own books, only Jill ‘shines’.
Laleh has heart issues to start off the book and ends up in the ER. While the book description says ‘emergency room physician’, the book itself made a big point of using the phrase ‘emergency department’. So maybe I should not put down ‘ends up in the ER’ but . . . ends up in the . . um . . hospital? Well, whatever. She has issues with her heart, her mother drives her to the hospital, Laleh collapses, basically dies, but is revived by a doctor there. One named Dr. Hope Finlay.
Hope is a workaholic – her life, for the most part, revolves around her job as an emergency physician at a hospital. And she’s basically closed off to others – though she does somehow manage to have one friend named Jordan (a surgeon). For those who like this series and liked Jordan, you will be happy, I’m sure, to know that Jordan also stars in her own book – though it hasn’t been released yet (Falling Hard).
Hope and Laleh connect up in this book because Hope, while attempting to save Laleh’s life, shocked her with one of those thingies that shocks people. And accidentally had herself shocked at the same time – by having Laleh’s arm jerk forward and slam into Hope’s chest. Well, that’s a connection, but I meant that they connect up because Hope doesn’t believe in anything but what she can see, feel, taste – in rational logical thought. When she keeps having these unexplainable events take place after being shocked, she has to get to the root cause, she has to find that rational logical reason hidden among the vaguely supernatural illusion. Which lead her to talk with Laleh – very very tentatively. To see if she also is having weird after-effects (like suddenly knowing Farsi, despite never having attempted to learn it; odd food cravings; etc).
And so – closed off hiding from life Hope, and bubbly happy Laleh, straight Laleh, end up linked by some kind of ‘magical’ link. They both like and freak out about the connection. Hope because she cannot stand being forced to be so open with someone outside herself; Laleh because she’s feeling things she isn’t certain are her own feelings, or someone else’s.
This is a reread. I knew how this story would go – and because I knew, I was kind of grumbling to myself at times when I hadn’t been before. Because, again, I know how the story unfolds – I knew how the story ended. There are ‘reasons’ why the two women would never have hooked up, become a couple, if they lived their lives without odd little bits of fantasy popping up – what with Hope being closed off and not really dating; Laleh being, as far as she knew, straight – though not really being all that excited by any men she’s meet. So ‘something’ had to force them together. So fantasy did. But! Something had to . . . well, now I can’t say for spoiler reasons.
Right. Whatever. Another book that edged close to top marks – the first time I read it and now. But failed to read that high rating plateau because of how the book ended. *shrugs* meh, happens.
Rating: 5+
March 30 2017
I assume that there are two reasons why this book is not currently listed as the fourth in that series: 1) neither of the mains are actresses (unlike at least one main in each of the proceeding books in the series), though there are actress side characters; 2) there is a fantasy element to the story not present in the Hollywood Series books.
So, why do I see this as being the fourth book in that Hollywood series? Simple enough – same location; same people/characters appear in this book and in the prior books; while no main is an actress , attending movie premieres is still an element in the book.
Laleh Samadi is a waitress who appeared in book three of the Hollywood series and stars in this book here. Her best friends appear to consist of the women from the prior books – Jill being the closest friend of the bunch – this is the third book in the series wherein Jill played an important role, leaving the first book as the only one not to include her. Grace, Crash, and Lauren also make appearances – though Grace again is just there (first book she was mentioned a few times as being super gorgeous; second book she starred as main character; third she’s again mentioned a few times – there but just barely having a role larger than one that could have been filled by a cardboard cutout of her; and then in this book here she’s ‘caught’ kissing Lauren at a party and . . . well, Jill says that Laleh should talk to Grace about a specific issue but that talk either never occurred or wasn’t covered by this book, so she’s even less here in this book than in previous; I assume that it is Lauren being kissed, I’m not sure if her name was even used in this book – she has no role other than being someone to be kissed by someone famous and lesbian; Crash has a larger role, but barely. No, of the side characters who have previous starred in their own books, only Jill ‘shines’.
Laleh has heart issues to start off the book and ends up in the ER. While the book description says ‘emergency room physician’, the book itself made a big point of using the phrase ‘emergency department’. So maybe I should not put down ‘ends up in the ER’ but . . . ends up in the . . um . . hospital? Well, whatever. She has issues with her heart, her mother drives her to the hospital, Laleh collapses, basically dies, but is revived by a doctor there. One named Dr. Hope Finlay.
Hope is a workaholic – her life, for the most part, revolves around her job as an emergency physician at a hospital. And she’s basically closed off to others – though she does somehow manage to have one friend named Jordan (a surgeon). For those who like this series and liked Jordan, you will be happy, I’m sure, to know that Jordan also stars in her own book – though it hasn’t been released yet (Falling Hard).
Hope and Laleh connect up in this book because Hope, while attempting to save Laleh’s life, shocked her with one of those thingies that shocks people. And accidentally had herself shocked at the same time – by having Laleh’s arm jerk forward and slam into Hope’s chest. Well, that’s a connection, but I meant that they connect up because Hope doesn’t believe in anything but what she can see, feel, taste – in rational logical thought. When she keeps having these unexplainable events take place after being shocked, she has to get to the root cause, she has to find that rational logical reason hidden among the vaguely supernatural illusion. Which lead her to talk with Laleh – very very tentatively. To see if she also is having weird after-effects (like suddenly knowing Farsi, despite never having attempted to learn it; odd food cravings; etc).
And so – closed off hiding from life Hope, and bubbly happy Laleh, straight Laleh, end up linked by some kind of ‘magical’ link. They both like and freak out about the connection. Hope because she cannot stand being forced to be so open with someone outside herself; Laleh because she’s feeling things she isn’t certain are her own feelings, or someone else’s.
This is a reread. I knew how this story would go – and because I knew, I was kind of grumbling to myself at times when I hadn’t been before. Because, again, I know how the story unfolds – I knew how the story ended. There are ‘reasons’ why the two women would never have hooked up, become a couple, if they lived their lives without odd little bits of fantasy popping up – what with Hope being closed off and not really dating; Laleh being, as far as she knew, straight – though not really being all that excited by any men she’s meet. So ‘something’ had to force them together. So fantasy did. But! Something had to . . . well, now I can’t say for spoiler reasons.
Right. Whatever. Another book that edged close to top marks – the first time I read it and now. But failed to read that high rating plateau because of how the book ended. *shrugs* meh, happens.
Rating: 5+
March 30 2017
May 19, 2019
4 stars
Although this wasn’t my favorite book of Jae’s, I did find it quite enjoyable. Ultimately what I liked the most was the unusual way the main characters ended up together.
The plot focuses mainly on the characters emotional growth during their time together and while I can’t say much on the subject without giving away major spoilers, I can promise that their emotions are flushed out and analyzed. When it comes to Jae I expect fluff and I was not disappointed.
I was happily surprised by the element of multiculturalism that played a large role in the story’s narrative. I’ll admit I was worried how these two very different women could end up together, but Jae once again showed me how love can blossom between any two people.
My biggest critique is that I didn’t care much for the supporting characters. They felt hollow and lacked real depth. Part of me wishes they were left out completely.
If you’re in the mood for a romance with an original premise with a fantasy twist I would recommend this one.
Although this wasn’t my favorite book of Jae’s, I did find it quite enjoyable. Ultimately what I liked the most was the unusual way the main characters ended up together.
The plot focuses mainly on the characters emotional growth during their time together and while I can’t say much on the subject without giving away major spoilers, I can promise that their emotions are flushed out and analyzed. When it comes to Jae I expect fluff and I was not disappointed.
I was happily surprised by the element of multiculturalism that played a large role in the story’s narrative. I’ll admit I was worried how these two very different women could end up together, but Jae once again showed me how love can blossom between any two people.
My biggest critique is that I didn’t care much for the supporting characters. They felt hollow and lacked real depth. Part of me wishes they were left out completely.
If you’re in the mood for a romance with an original premise with a fantasy twist I would recommend this one.
April 8, 2017
Jae has always been and still will be one of my favourite authors.
But I found something missing in her latest Book. I am also wondering if Heart Trouble in ways is part of the Hollywood series?
But I found something missing in her latest Book. I am also wondering if Heart Trouble in ways is part of the Hollywood series?
January 9, 2023
Loved this one so much! Great book to start the new year right🥰
February 12, 2017
ARC received from NetGalley in return for a honest review.
First book i've read by this author and certainly will not be the last. Loved it!
My Synopsis
Laleh Samadi is a disappointment to her family. She isn't a Lawyer or a Doctor nor has she married a successful man. She is single and working as a waitress in her Aunts Persian restaurant.
Dr Hope Finlay is a ER Physician. She loves her job and does not have time for relationships, thats until a certain gorgeous woman fall on her ER floor.
When Laleh is Rushed to the ER with Heart palpatations , she only gets as far as the waiting room before she collapses due to a heart arrhythmia and the wonderful Dr Hope Finlay saves her life and her heart.
But why do the now have a strange connection? Can Hope really understand Farsi? And why does Laleh understand so many medical terms?
My Review
This was the first novel i have read by Jae. It was great and definitely one for my favourites list. It was written extremely well and i found myself making connection to the characters the more the story evolved.
I loved the twist and though it was done very well and gave you more insight into the characters emotions more than you normally get.
I love books that can make me laugh as well as make my heart swell and this did both. The unusual relationship between the two characters makes for more excitement when they finally admit their feelings to each other and then the real drama begins. Laleh has always been straight and telling her family is very stressful due to her Persian Culture. Jae dealt with this in a very realistic way. Instead of it being all fairytales and rainbows it was hard for Laleh to tell them and the reaction from her family was definitely not one of acceptance.
Jae also included recurring characters from her other novels. This intrigued me so i am going to go back and read the Hollywood Series now. Can't wait.
Loved the storyline, loved the characters and especially loved the twist. I am hoping these characters will be in another one of Jae's novels as i would love to see what their future holds. Maybe a book about Jordan??
Great Book. 5 stars
https://lesreveur.com/2016/09/06/hear...
First book i've read by this author and certainly will not be the last. Loved it!
My Synopsis
Laleh Samadi is a disappointment to her family. She isn't a Lawyer or a Doctor nor has she married a successful man. She is single and working as a waitress in her Aunts Persian restaurant.
Dr Hope Finlay is a ER Physician. She loves her job and does not have time for relationships, thats until a certain gorgeous woman fall on her ER floor.
When Laleh is Rushed to the ER with Heart palpatations , she only gets as far as the waiting room before she collapses due to a heart arrhythmia and the wonderful Dr Hope Finlay saves her life and her heart.
But why do the now have a strange connection? Can Hope really understand Farsi? And why does Laleh understand so many medical terms?
My Review
This was the first novel i have read by Jae. It was great and definitely one for my favourites list. It was written extremely well and i found myself making connection to the characters the more the story evolved.
I loved the twist and though it was done very well and gave you more insight into the characters emotions more than you normally get.
I love books that can make me laugh as well as make my heart swell and this did both. The unusual relationship between the two characters makes for more excitement when they finally admit their feelings to each other and then the real drama begins. Laleh has always been straight and telling her family is very stressful due to her Persian Culture. Jae dealt with this in a very realistic way. Instead of it being all fairytales and rainbows it was hard for Laleh to tell them and the reaction from her family was definitely not one of acceptance.
Jae also included recurring characters from her other novels. This intrigued me so i am going to go back and read the Hollywood Series now. Can't wait.
Loved the storyline, loved the characters and especially loved the twist. I am hoping these characters will be in another one of Jae's novels as i would love to see what their future holds. Maybe a book about Jordan??
Great Book. 5 stars
https://lesreveur.com/2016/09/06/hear...
September 26, 2016
This book was in some ways rather unexpected. The depth of the connection between Hope and Laleh surprised me, and there's a bit of suspension of belief involved, but it seemed awesome at first. There's way too many things I could say about it, but they would all involve spoilers. Suffice it to say, I can see many ways such a connection could be rather beneficial. It definitely helped the two women get closer, and a lot faster. And it was difficult to ignore how the other woman felt, or to doubt her feelings. This is the reason the two of them got together in the first place. And when that connection disappeared, both women had to struggle to actually voice what was going on. I think this was necessary to actually deepen their relationship. They actually had to communicate with each other and let each other know how they felt. That created more of a sense of vulnerability, which in turn allowed them to get closer. The one thing (okay, maybe not the only thing) that I thought really sucked about losing the connection was when Hope no longer could speak Farsi. That part was cool, and I was a bit disappointed that she lost it. Anyway, the story of two women who come from different worlds, have a chance meeting, and become intertwined in each other's life, who find a connection that leads to attraction, and finally to love, was a sweet journey, and I enjoyed it immensely. I definitely recommend this romance.
I received a copy of this book through Ylva in order to review it.
I received a copy of this book through Ylva in order to review it.
May 10, 2020
How often can you say that a premise is completely unique? Such is the case here with Jae's Heart Trouble. Beyond that, it's sweet, it's fun, it's romantic and it's diverse. I appreciate that about Jae - she always includes the under-represented in her books. I also love that she often brings in characters from her other works as minor characters. Genius marketing move too. If you love the book and want to know more about them, you'll get the book that focuses on them as well. I'm sure that's not her primary motivation, though. Jae knows her beloved characters want to be seen again so she gives us those little treats. This a modern, unusual toaster oven romance absolutely worth reading. I enjoyed it very much! Jae proves yet again why she's become a go-to author for me. 4.5 stars - rounded up to 5
April 1, 2018
I wish I liked ‘Heart Trouble’ more. I was looking for a light read after reading something really dark and this certainly fulfilled that need, but that’s really all it did for me...like a stop-gap.
It’s Jae, so the writing here is practically flawless and the storytelling is well done, but I just didn’t connect to the characters at all and the ending left me disappointed. My impulse is to click 4 because this is Jae...but this was only 4 stars up to the point where This resolution was really unsatisfying and the last 20% of this book just didn’t do anything to change that for me.
It’s Jae, so the writing here is practically flawless and the storytelling is well done, but I just didn’t connect to the characters at all and the ending left me disappointed. My impulse is to click 4 because this is Jae...but this was only 4 stars up to the point where This resolution was really unsatisfying and the last 20% of this book just didn’t do anything to change that for me.
November 24, 2016
It was like everytime I’m reading a book from Jae, already after a few pages I’was in the middle of the story and I couldn’t put down the book.
I really love Jae’s writing style. She combines funny dialogs and situations with a heart-warming love story and interesting details about the characters and their lives.
The story of Hope and Laleh is funny, sometimes a little scary and a beautiful romance. The two woman grew up in very different families. Laleh, the Persian-American, grew up in a big family where everybody knows almost everything about the others. Her parents, who would like it very much, if she would go for a big and well paid job or at least get a doctor as husband. But her heart makes troubles in more than one way. She loves the job as a waitress in her aunt’s restaurant and sometime in the future she will take over the restaurant. It’s exciting to see as Laleh explores the growing friendship with Hope, the doctor who has saved her life, but is it only friendship? So maybe in the future, she will really have a doctor on her side, who knows?!
Hope, the doctor has a completely different story. Never knew her father and lost her mother very early, she has built a wall around her heart. She never let anyone too close, that they would really matter. She doesn’t want to lose another person. But Laleh is working to tear off the wall bit by bit. Hope is working as a ER doctor in hospital and she was never interested in her patients after they leaving the ER. But why can’t she forget this nice Persian-American woman?
After Hope saved Lalehs life, the two of them experience a very special bond with each other, you will never reveal what kind of bond. So you have to read the book. It’s a beautiful story about friendship and family. I give this story 5 stars.
I really love Jae’s writing style. She combines funny dialogs and situations with a heart-warming love story and interesting details about the characters and their lives.
The story of Hope and Laleh is funny, sometimes a little scary and a beautiful romance. The two woman grew up in very different families. Laleh, the Persian-American, grew up in a big family where everybody knows almost everything about the others. Her parents, who would like it very much, if she would go for a big and well paid job or at least get a doctor as husband. But her heart makes troubles in more than one way. She loves the job as a waitress in her aunt’s restaurant and sometime in the future she will take over the restaurant. It’s exciting to see as Laleh explores the growing friendship with Hope, the doctor who has saved her life, but is it only friendship? So maybe in the future, she will really have a doctor on her side, who knows?!
Hope, the doctor has a completely different story. Never knew her father and lost her mother very early, she has built a wall around her heart. She never let anyone too close, that they would really matter. She doesn’t want to lose another person. But Laleh is working to tear off the wall bit by bit. Hope is working as a ER doctor in hospital and she was never interested in her patients after they leaving the ER. But why can’t she forget this nice Persian-American woman?
After Hope saved Lalehs life, the two of them experience a very special bond with each other, you will never reveal what kind of bond. So you have to read the book. It’s a beautiful story about friendship and family. I give this story 5 stars.
February 20, 2017
Enjoyable, satisfying read. This is a well-written romance with a unique twist. Despite having a supernatural element, the story had more realism* than most and I was particularly satisfied with the last 1/3 of the book.
Per Jae's trademark, she makes her leads earn each other and it's a slow burn romance. In this genre known for insta-love I appreciate that. However, one change, Jae lets Laleh and Hope get together somewhere in the middle of the book and keeps them together through to the end. I found the book to be more romantically explicit and intense than her previous works and it was really well done.
I think Laleh and Hope may be some of my favorite Jae characters yet, especially Laleh.
*Regarding realism, you could tell Jae did a good amount of research to get the medical and Persian aspects right...at least from someone on the outside. I don't know, maybe Iranians and doctors are cringing somewhere. :) As for the relationship, I've been reading too many books on Attachment Theory and was musing if Jae was using some of her psychology background to form Laleh and Hope's character dynamics...anyway, it seemed to fit. Despite Jae living in Germany (or not in Los Angeles, at least) she somehow managed to get the streets, neighborhoods, and settings correct. I also felt the ending of the book was more true to life with the family dynamics which made it all the more satisfying...
So yeah, supernatural story with a nice dose of realism. :)
Recommend.
Per Jae's trademark, she makes her leads earn each other and it's a slow burn romance. In this genre known for insta-love I appreciate that. However, one change, Jae lets Laleh and Hope get together somewhere in the middle of the book and keeps them together through to the end. I found the book to be more romantically explicit and intense than her previous works and it was really well done.
I think Laleh and Hope may be some of my favorite Jae characters yet, especially Laleh.
*Regarding realism, you could tell Jae did a good amount of research to get the medical and Persian aspects right...at least from someone on the outside. I don't know, maybe Iranians and doctors are cringing somewhere. :) As for the relationship, I've been reading too many books on Attachment Theory and was musing if Jae was using some of her psychology background to form Laleh and Hope's character dynamics...anyway, it seemed to fit. Despite Jae living in Germany (or not in Los Angeles, at least) she somehow managed to get the streets, neighborhoods, and settings correct. I also felt the ending of the book was more true to life with the family dynamics which made it all the more satisfying...
So yeah, supernatural story with a nice dose of realism. :)
Recommend.
August 31, 2016
***Book provided by Net Galley and Alva Publishing in exchange for an honest review***
This FF romance is build upon a premise that feels closer to SciFi or Magic Realism, rather than to a romance novel. Although this magical or SciFi layer is a nice surprise and a more than valid "accident" or trigger for the love story, it did not feel enough for me. I can understand why such an accident could bring two people together, but I cannot not understand nor feel, where does their chemistry come from or why do they fall for each other.
Furthermore, I also felt that the secondary characters were poorly characterized. For instance the only think we know about Jordan is that she is a flirt and obsessed with women and sex, and her only rol in this story is to remind the reader that Hope is not getting laid and that Maleh is hot. This does not happens only with Jordan, but also with Laleh's friends and family members.
Finally, since the magical accident acts more like a trigger rather than an obstacle, the lack of real obstacles in this love story made it a bit dull to me.
This FF romance is build upon a premise that feels closer to SciFi or Magic Realism, rather than to a romance novel. Although this magical or SciFi layer is a nice surprise and a more than valid "accident" or trigger for the love story, it did not feel enough for me. I can understand why such an accident could bring two people together, but I cannot not understand nor feel, where does their chemistry come from or why do they fall for each other.
Furthermore, I also felt that the secondary characters were poorly characterized. For instance the only think we know about Jordan is that she is a flirt and obsessed with women and sex, and her only rol in this story is to remind the reader that Hope is not getting laid and that Maleh is hot. This does not happens only with Jordan, but also with Laleh's friends and family members.
Finally, since the magical accident acts more like a trigger rather than an obstacle, the lack of real obstacles in this love story made it a bit dull to me.
June 16, 2017
I don't think Jae has ever written a bad book so topping her previous books is probably her biggest task when she writes a new one. This was probably the most enjoyable one that she has written in my opinion. It has so many elements - there's romance, some comedy, a little bit of spice, a portion of medical stuff (I just love doctor MCs), a sprinkling of fantasy and the best of all, an exploration of the cultural clashes within an American society. (I must say that lesfic hasn't explored this genre much - contrasting cultures could be such rich fodder for romance as shown in 'I can't think straight'). Now I want to read 'Falling hard' by Jae only because I read in one review that these characters make an appearance on that book.
September 23, 2016
6 stars! I loved it. Loved it. Easily my favorite novel of Jae's and I've read almost all of her books (many I read before I was actively rating in Goodreads).
I guess if you must categorize this book, paranormal romance is closest. It didn't feel paranormal to me - perhaps an unexplainable accident? Whatever, I enjoyed the book, the way their relationship evolved, I cried during one traumatic event (I never do that!) and I loved the MC's, even Laleh's large, loving Persian family. Yes, they have traditions that don't jive with Laleh's choices (you'll have to read the book). The problem is that I am now craving Persian food. Luckily there are a few Persian restaurants in my area...
I guess if you must categorize this book, paranormal romance is closest. It didn't feel paranormal to me - perhaps an unexplainable accident? Whatever, I enjoyed the book, the way their relationship evolved, I cried during one traumatic event (I never do that!) and I loved the MC's, even Laleh's large, loving Persian family. Yes, they have traditions that don't jive with Laleh's choices (you'll have to read the book). The problem is that I am now craving Persian food. Luckily there are a few Persian restaurants in my area...
September 25, 2016
I finished this book at one go. Though I found some parts repetitive, I also found the 'connection' the main characters shared the author's stroke of genius. I will always look forward to works by Jae, three cheers!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 16, 2017
This is simply a must-read.
September 21, 2016
I really liked the concept of this book. I loved how both Hope and Laleh experienced the others knowledge, senses and emotions of the other as the book develops. Both characters were lovable and fit well together.
I enjoyed reading about a Persian character in a positive light. I loved the big loving family vibe that Laleh's family brought to the book.
This is definitely my favorite of Jae's.
I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review.
I enjoyed reading about a Persian character in a positive light. I loved the big loving family vibe that Laleh's family brought to the book.
This is definitely my favorite of Jae's.
I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review.
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