J.A. Greenwood is a contemporary romance author from Sydney, Australia, who has a deep passion for writing emotionally charged love stories that tug—and sometimes tear—at the heartstrings. When she’s not immersed in fictional worlds, she’s doting on her four cheeky rabbits, travelling to cities inspired by the books she’s read, or enjoying time with her husband and family.
CONTENT WARNING This story contains graphic language, sexually explicit content, heavy alcohol use, child abandonment, references to infidelity and infertility, and themes of grief and loss—including death of loved ones, which may be triggering for some readers. Please read with care and always prioritise your mental and emotional well-being. This book is written in Australian English
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
So, I haven’t read Keeping Skylar (Kaden’s ex-wife’s book), and I really regret reading those reviews… I like to research a little before I read if it’s an author new to me…. Because….
As I read, I found it amazing how everything was all connected, and it was strange. I mean, ex-SIL becomes best mates partner. AP’s AP… well, their wife becomes your love interest… And then, later in the book, you find out that pretty much everyone is a cheater…
He had a redeeming factor at least. He recognised he stuffed up, and didn’t truly begrudge Skylar moving on…
“While it hurts to know my ex-wife has moved on faster than I can catch my next breath, her happiness is what truly matters, and that’s the only thing worth focusing on through all of this.”
I actually felt sympathy for Kaden at one point. Partly because due to the messy relationships, he’s being excluded/forced out of certain aspects of people’s lives. His fault, yeah, but his best friend keeping secrets out of loyalty to his partner must have been pretty rough.
The comeuppance to the cheating partners was a bit random, and vague… and undeniably well deserved. But that ending? Well, even with the HEA, it left me shocked!
Just the timeline in the epilogue is off… They were in their 30’s during the main story (and his father is 68), then it’s 15 or so years later, which would put them late 40’s, early 50’s… When they go to the cemetary for her aunt’s birthday, it says….
“…we’re here to celebrate what would have been her Aunt Amber’s forty-eight birthday.”
Forgive me if I’m wrong, but wouldn’t her aunt have been in her 80’s? I’ll be honest though, it did have me in tears…
Overall, I couldn’t put this down. I don’t really like the cheater getting the HEA, and perhaps I did myself a favour not reading Skylar’s novel because in this, I was sympathetic to him. I wanted their HEA, and even though it was an extremely slow burn, you could see where it was going. However, the relationships were so complex and twisted in so many ways, it almost felt a little incestuous
Thank you J.A. Greenwood for the opportunity to read this and provide my thoughts. I enjoyed it, and I think I’ll be happy to keep this as a standalone so I don’t ruin how I feel about him.
Seeking Hope is the third and last book in the Fractured Hearts series and brings the full circle to a close, in this impressive read by a wonderful author. It can be read as a standalone but it is recommended that you read the first in the series - Keeping Skylar - as it provides the backstory to the main character’s circumstances and gives you a birds-eye perspective to the emotional depth and drama that is shown in this book. This novel shows you themes of betrayal, angst and portrays the trauma felt by the sometimes flawed characters, but also rings true with the feelings of growth, maturity and found family that is experienced by them.
Kaden is a deceptive and dislikable man who destroyed his marriage but has also been deceived in the aftermath and is shakily making his way to becoming the morally-grey antihero of this story. Through his growth and change he identifies his despicable traits and sets out to become a better man. He crosses paths with a mother and son and through this interaction, through therapy and creative solutions, he transitions into a much more acceptable and likable person. There is still more drama though, before he can achieve his hard-won second chance at redemption.
Hope suffers a completely unexpected and harsh betrayal by her husband, but she climbs out of the murky swamps of her thoughts and becomes a strong and commanding woman who grabs life by the balls and ultimately saves herself and her son Zac. Whilst travelling through the haze, she reconnects with Kaden and their relationship grows from there. Hope is then let down by Kaden and has to dig deep to surmount her confused thoughts and Kaden’s unintended miscommunication, to finally get a shot at their sweet HEA. There are a couple of little twists in the book that nicely tie up some unexpected loose ends in the story and this cascades into the loving found family that is crafted by this tale.
This was a well written and angsty book and the story underlying the tale is deliciously poignant, emotional and riveting, begging you to dive in and travel along with the journey to a satisfying and harmonious end. From soulful and teary moments and heartbreaking drama to loving values, I have thoroughly enjoyed the hours of respite this reading has gifted me. I thank the author for giving me the opportunity to enjoy the arc and provide my voluntary review.
“Seeking Hope” is the third story in J.A. Greenwood's "Fractured Hearts" series, and is the follow-up novel to "Keeping Skylar." It offers a compelling redemption arc for a character who was easy to despise in the first book. Kaden. He was the vile, cheating husband whose betrayal drove much of the earlier story’s conflict. Kaden's story is given new depth here. The narrative carefully unpacks his backstory, shedding light on the emotional and psychological patterns that led him to make such destructive choices. While it doesn’t excuse his behavior, it does make his journey toward change feel grounded and believable.
What makes this installment particularly engaging is the role reversal Kaden experiences. Once the betrayer, he now finds himself betrayed by his affair partner. That shift adds a layer of poetic justice but also serves as a catalyst for genuine self-reflection. Rather than spiraling further, Kaden becomes determined to change. He actively works to resist his vices and begins identifying the triggers that once led him astray. This internal work is portrayed with sincerity, making his growth feel earned rather than convenient.
Another strength of the story is the support system surrounding him. Despite his past, Kaden is not entirely abandoned. His family, and especially his best friend, remain in his corner, offering both accountability and encouragement. Their presence reinforces the idea that growth is possible when people are willing to confront their flaws and accept support.
Hope’s introduction brings a refreshing dynamic. Kaden’s decision to be honest with her about a deception affecting her life is a pivotal moment, showing his commitment to doing the right thing even when it’s uncomfortable. That honesty lays the foundation for their relationship, which develops naturally from cautious friendship into something deeper. Hope’s own journey—marked by a significant life change—parallels Kaden’s in a way that makes their connection feel balanced and authentic.
By the end, the story delivers a satisfying conclusion. All major plot lines are thoughtfully resolved, and there’s a genuine sense of closure for every character involved. It’s rare to see a redemption story handled with this much care, and even rarer for it to feel this complete. Ultimately, it’s a well-crafted narrative about accountability, growth, and the possibility of second chances.
I genuinely thought I would spend the whole book glaring at Kaden from a distance, mentally listing every reason he didn’t deserve a second chance, but the more I read, the more I found myself watching him unravel and rebuild with this strange mix of frustration, sympathy and reluctant hope that caught me completely off guard. One moment I was still annoyed at him, fully prepared to keep my emotional distance, and then suddenly I was sitting there thinking about how painfully human he is, how easy it is for someone to make a series of terrible choices and then have to live inside the consequences they created. He is awkward, guilty, confused, and trying so hard to be better that it almost hurts to watch, and that vulnerability made him feel so real. Hope is exhausted and hurt and trying to hold her life together for her son, yet she never loses that gentle steadiness. Her relationship with Zac added so much warmth to the story that every moment with them felt like a breath of fresh air, and it made her journey feel even more grounded. When she and Kaden start drifting into each other’s orbit, it feels like two people who have been bruised by life slowly learning how to trust again, taking careful steps toward something that scares them as much as it comforts them. Their connection was about two people choosing to try again, even when trying feels risky. I loved how the book handled redemption. It showed the ugly parts, the consequences, the guilt, the slow and uncomfortable work of becoming someone better. And it showed Hope refusing to lower her standards or accept anything less than what she deserved, which made every step toward their future feel earned rather than convenient. By the time I reached the epilogue, I genuinely wanted Kaden to have the peace he fought so hard to earn.
* Cheating * Standalone (but would recommend reading all the books) * FMC Hope x MMC Kaden * OW drama * HEA * Found Family
So I am not one who loves a cheater getting a happy ending with someone new. HOWEVER Greenwood changed my mind. Although this can be read as a standalone i would highly recommend reading atleast keeping skylar. You see Kaden's downfall and honestly I absolutely despised him by the end of it.
This book i went in thinking I would still hate Kaden but I thought Greenwood did an incredible job in using other characters personalities and cheating ways to show that Kaden had redeemed himself. He understood what he did wrong he hit his lowest point and vowed to do better.
The story focuses on Kaden's growth and the impact cheating has not just on those being cheated on but those around them.
I don't want to spoil anything but you would not regret reading this book.
I will say that there is an epilogue showing the cheaters comeuppance now which cheaters and what happens well there's only one way to find out.
Favourite quote:
"guess I was never meant for a happy ending after all. Not after every selfish, reckless, and destructive thing I’ve done. This emptiness, this loss, this heartache— this is my life sentence. The universe’s ultimate punishment for all my wrongdoings."
Seeking Hope brings us full circle and gives us Kaden’s story. I’m a sucker for a good redemption arc and the author delivered here. The book opens with Kaden’s life in complete ruin. He’s truly a broken man. After hitting rock bottom he decides he needs a fundamental change to be a better person and really starts doing the work. His relationship with Hope, who has her own relationship trauma, was so sweet and pure. It was like watching teenagers fall in love. Two people who have already been through so much trying to rebuild their lives. This book brought out all the emotions. At points it made me tear up and there was definitely some telenovela level drama here. I loved the epilogue in the future where we see what became of Kaden and Hope’s lives and it settled something in me to hear he finally got closure with Skylar after so long. Overall a great addition to a great series.
Thank you to JA Greenwood for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I have received no compensation and I have no relationship with the author. All opinions are my own.
What a wonderful story of redemption and second chance in life to start over with a new person. It is Kaden’s redemption and him finding happiness second time around in life. Humans are complex. They can’t categorize in two boxes of black or white. There is lot of grey in between. In this story there are so many issues handled like betrayal, love, loss, addiction ,complex nature of human and relationships. Kade made horrible choices and lost what mattered to him the most.He was devastated and ashamed. He worked hard through sheer determination to be a better person even seemingly nothing left for him to fight for.And after losing everything, he found his hea with Hope. It is well deserved hea for him. I loved it.
I really struggled to start this book. It's a great book. I really enjoyed reading the first 2 books in this series and kaden's role in skylar's story made me really dislike him before starting this book. When I started it I couldn't get over my dislike for him, how immature and selfish he was. It wasn't until near the end I warmed up to him. But as I was reading it, trying to keep an open mind, it felt like he did grow and mature as a man. Like the saying goes everyone is the villain in someone's story.
It's definitely worth the read and if you haven't already read skylar's and mila's stories then I would recommend reading them too.
This is the third and book in one of the best trilogies I have ever read. The first few chapters my heart broke for Kaden I don’t know what happened there because I was not a fan of him in book one. Hope and her young son also went through so much pain do to her douche ex husband. When Kayden and Hope do get together you will root for them until they get the happy ending they deserve. This was probably my favorite epilogue I have ever read it goes 15 years of all the characters that were in this series. They were all happy which they all deserved. I can’t wait for what comes next hint a spinoff about their children
I didn’t realize it was about Kaden from Skylar and I wasn’t actually sure I would like it. Redemptions books written well are few and far between, but this one hits the right note. It was surprisingly interesting to read Kaden’s journey to redemption, understanding and growth. It was a well written journey of Hope and Kaden, and contrasted well with Adrian providing not all are worth of redemption. Some cheat for the sake of it and Kaden was on the other side. Cheating is never an excuse of bad past, but it’s a symptom. Recognizing that is and the growth is the key to a true redemption. Honestly, i don’t typically like cheating stories, but this one was a good read.
Wow! This story takes you through a train journey of mixed emotions, great angst, flawed characters, recognising flaws and becoming better than you ever imagined. I really loved how this story took all the unexpected turns, loved Hope, what a strong character, and of course Zac, he was so well written. Kaden though deserves his time, he lived his past but totally deserved his future. Really enjoyed this book, thank you for my arc, my review is voluntary and my honest opinion.
I don’t usually want to read a book about the cheater finding a HEA. I despised Kaden in the first book but I will say that this author had me rooting for him. He did a lot of work on himself and made some very real changes. Hope definitely deserved better than her husband and the love story that ensued is really good. I would highly recommend this book and the other two in this series. The author is a very talented author.
This whole series is fantastic and Seeking Hope was the cherry on top. Feel like I went on a roller-coaster with Kaden. He really works on himself after hitting rock bottom. Hope is strong and works her way through her husband's betrayal. I absolutely loved it. The epilogues were amazing! Epilogue one had me saying what the fuck?! And epilogue 2, left me feeling happy. Life really does go full circle, you gotta work hard at it. Kaden did.
Absolutely freaking loved it. After reading Keeping Skylar I was so excited to reading this book and finding out more about Kaden. Absolutely love how Kaden has learned and evolved to becoming a better person with his personal growth. Although it took me awhile to start liking him. Hope has gone through a lot of her own trauma. Seeking Hope has a lot of twist and turns, redemption, lots of angst. Definitely kept me hooked beginning to end. Can’t wait for the next book in the series!!!!
I really liked this book. I don’t usually like to read about cheaters getting a HEA but Kaden really did the work to make me root for him in this one. I would recommend reading The first two books first just so you have background info but it’s not necessary. Great read and I would highly recommend.