Borrowed Hearts

Library Love Notes #6

by Isla Winter

The dating may be fake, but the feelings? They're all too real.

Eden Clare, high school health science teacher and romance book club member, knows all the answers. That is, until a surprise run-in with her university ex-boyfriend leaves her scrambling. With her ex desperate to get her back, Eden is eager to find any solution to keep him away.

Local firefighter Hudson Avery may have joined the library’s romance book club to find some new friends, but he didn’t expect to develop a crush on a fellow book club member. When Eden says she needs help keeping her ex at bay, Hudson doesn’t hesitate to offer his services. The only problem? He doesn’t want it to be fake for long.

When fake dates lead to real feelings, Eden must decide if continuing to avoid the past is worth her potential future.

Borrowed Hearts is part of the Library Love Notes series, featuring open-door, small-town romances set in the fictional cozy town of Beaver Creek, Ontario.

If you wish to read the stories in order, it would be as Long Overdue, Loving the First Edition, Notes of the Past, Written in the Margins, The Perfect Story, Borrowed Hearts, and Checking Out Santa.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Small Town Romance, Friends To Lovers, Canada

190 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 30, 2026

About the author

Isla is an enigma - even to herself - and is figuring all this author's business out as she goes. She enjoys spending time with her husband and furry family of two cats and two dogs. When she's not reading or writing, she's likely playing Mario Kart.

Please note: I am anti-AI, and generative AI tools have never, and WILL NEVER, be used in my writing.

Reviews

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you Isla Winter for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really wanted to love this; both of the main characters seemed super sweet, and it was very easy to root for their blossoming relationship.

However, it felt like a lot of the backstory and side storylines weren’t fleshed out enough. I appreciate it’s difficult in such a short book, but I would have liked to hear more about Eden’s relationship with her mother, as we really didn’t get much time with them at all. I also felt that the Adam storyline could have been handled better; I was confused throughout about how he could have broken her heart if she was the one who broke it off & seemingly remained distant throughout their relationship? Unfortunately, there just wasn’t enough material to render this a well-rounded read.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ooh a sweet and steamy quick read! Thank you to the author for an advance review copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Eden and Hudson are both in the romance book club. Eden is a high school teacher and Hudson is a firefighter. When Eden’s not great ex shows up, Hudson steps in to play boyfriend. With a secret crush, he wants to be the best fake boyfriend ever.

Friends to lovers. Nice development and pace. Characters are relatable and have lovely chemistry.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a charming novella that I enjoyed very much. It is one of the Library Love Notes group of novellas, where each story is connected in some way to the Beaver Creek (Ontario) Public Library, which is a great concept. I always appreciate a first responder character (one of my previous jobs in real life). In this story firefighter Hudson joins the library romance book club, where he meets and befriends Eden, the high school health science teacher. When she has problems with an ex-boyfriend, he comes to the rescue, and his crush on her develops into more. Their dialogue is delightful, featuring plenty of banter, especially as they discuss the romance book club's selections. Both Eden and Hudson have wonderful "found families" of friends and coworkers, which also makes a book pretty great for me. There's plenty of excitement and some just perfect spicy moments as Eden and Hudson find their way to their happily ever after in this convincing story.
I was given an ARC and volunteered to write a review.

[Shimmer_Sassy_Girl · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
3.5 Spice 🔥🔥🔥🚒

The writer does the trope right - The friendship-to-lovers feels genuine from the beginning. It starts with Eden, a busy high school teacher who befriends Hudson, the town newbie, who happens to be a firefighter. They build a laid-back rapport with each other and bond over romance novels, casual banter and sweet treats.

Life is good until Eden’s ex shows up and creates havoc for her. Luckily, Eden has a firefighter friend that is willing to step in and play the part as the greatest fake boyfriend ever. A perfect opportunity for Hudson to cozy his way into Eden’s heart. How do you get cozy into someone’s heart? - Simple. By being consistent, thoughtful and supportive. Green Flags ALL the way!

I really like how the characters evolve in Borrowed Hearts - As they navigate through their fake romance I love how their affections are deeply rooted by trust and acceptance. It’s their emotional connection that brought me back to the pages. It’s Hudson’s sweetness and care that makes me adore them.

And you can see Eden's development throughout the book: how she grows into the person that's always been there. No more hiding. No more shielding. She embraces all of who she is, and I love that for her.

I love a good slow burn that gets spicy! I’m a fan of the genuine connection and how it ignites their romance- from their emotional intimacy to their cute bench moments to the steamy open spice scenes- For me, the emotional intimacy was the icing on the cake. And I love the ending- a pleasant surprise- I did not see the steam coming my way!

When I think of Eden and Hudson, I smile. The writer did a fabulous job with the troupe. Borrowed Hearts has a warm, comfortable and playful vibe that makes you sit back, relax and soak it in. It’s the feeling at ease with the characters, the storytelling and the deep friendship that has me grinning.

The troupe is done right- the green flag bf- the atmosphere is vibing- and the spice is nice!

Thank you to the author for the ARC.

Happy Reading!

🔥a romance reading firefighter
👩‍🏫a teacher avoiding her ex
📖 a book club
🏡small town
💕friends to lovers
🙀fake dating
🥵open door spice

[Rebecca Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Borrowed Hearts is a fake dating, small town, contemporary romance. It is also part of the Library Love Notes series, a series of open-door, small-town romances set in the fictional cozy town of Beaver Creek, Ontario. This book features Eden Clare and Hudson Avery.

Eden - is a teacher at the local school. In her spare time, she is also a member of the Naughty Beavers, the local romance reading book club. That is where she met Hudson, a shy firefighter.

Eden is shocked when her university ex-boyfriend, Adam McCoy, shows up as the new school guidance counsellor. He broke her heart and she would prefer to keep her distance. The observant Hudson notices her discomfort and quickly steps in, offering to fake date and keep Adam at bay.

While the two establish clear rules going into this ruse, underneath it all is a mutual attraction. Both Eden and Hudson enjoy spending time together and find it easy to be in one another's company. Over time, real feelings emerge. Hopefully no one will have their heart broken!

I have been enjoying this sweet open door series. Eden and Hudson are both very likable characters. I appreciated how Eden was trying to protect herself and her heart, while Hudson was thrilled at the chance to spend time with this woman who clearly captivated him. I loved his attentiveness to her. He was kind and generous and a little possessive. They paired together beautifully.

I believe there is one more book in the Library Love Notes series. While I am looking forward to reading it, I will also be sad to say goodbye to this precious Canadian town and its inhabitants.

[Lottie Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐ 3.75/5 stars ⭐⭐

Well, we're back in Beaver Creek and honestly, at this point you all know I'm obsessed with this series... how do these authors keep writing such brilliant standalone books that still feel so perfectly connected?! It's giving masterclass in world-building, that's what it's giving.

This one brings us the fake dating trope, and look, I don't know what it says about me that I am consistently SO here for this particular flavour of nonsense, but here we are. And add a man in uniform into the mix... well. The spice was very much on point, thank you very much.

Eden is such a sweetheart. You get to see her soft side properly in this one, and as a fellow bookworm myself, I was rooting for her from page one. Her wanting to protect herself from her ex swanning back into town makes complete sense, and honestly, if you're going to avoid getting swept back into an old relationship, you could do a lot worse than finding yourself a fireman to do the rescuing.

Enter Hudson. Sir. Where do I sign up to find more men like him?! I would actually combust if my husband read some of the books I read, but also... if he wanted to sit down and understand exactly why my toes curl at certain paragraphs, I would not be mad about it. Hudson was so respectful of Eden's boundaries throughout, while still absolutely stepping up as the hero when it counted. That balance is chef's kiss, honestly.

I'm nowhere near ready to say goodbye to this series yet, but this was another properly fun read and I'm already thinking about who's getting their book next.

Thank you Isla Winter for providing this ARC of Borrowed Hearts in exchange for my review.

[Melissa Corday · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to author Isla Winter for providing an eARC for review! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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This friends-to-lovers romance between a school teacher and a firefighter was cute! It was sweet and spicy, with some autumnal elements, and lots of small town charm. I liked that FMC Eden had her circle of friends to support her, and her relationship with her mom was too relatable. I also liked that MMC Hudson openly discussed how his job can be scary, but also thrilling, and I enjoyed following his POV as he responded to a few calls on-page. I've read two other fire fighter romances before, and both didn't feature any responses to calls; just hot guys lifting weights at the fire house. This was a nice change from that, as we see Hudson cover things from cats stuck in trees to grilling accidents to barn fires. I also thought Hudson being in the romance book club at the library was cute, and enjoyed hearing which book they were reading (lol @ sentient door romance).

There's lots of "will they / won't they" due to the friends-to-lovers element creating fear of ruining the friendship and what happens if they take the next step, and due to the fake dating "we can't let this be real" element. There were a lot of meta references though, with lines like "We're not book characters" and "In romance novels, the fake dating always turns real...." which started to feel repetitive. A couple meta references can be cute and get a chuckle out of me, but this felt like it was too much.

Overall, I enjoyed it, but it didn't keep me engrossed. I read it leisurely over the course of about 2 weeks, but at 188 pages, most readers can knock this out in a day. I had a hard time staying engaged as the characters felt stereotypical at times, the meta humor broke my immersion, and the stakes were extremely low.

Readers preferring something quick, light, fluffy, and spicy will certainly enjoy this. It could make a fantastic palette cleanser.

[Yugie Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of the four books I've read this far in this series, I find this one to be the most easy and lightweight of all. It's a fake dating, friends-to-lovers romance without the heavy backdrop of a painful past, just two good friends who enter into a temporary arrangement to fend off an ex who wants to try again. Even the ex wasn't so bad, just stubborn at first but eventually would turn out to be a decent guy.

So how did this book hold my attention until the end? Well, all credit goes to Hudson, the male main character, who was just absolutely adorable. What's not to love about a gorgeous, obscenely fit, and ridiculously kind and sweet, book-loving firefighter? He was the perfect gentleman, but he could be feral in the bedroom. Who wouldn't crave someone like that?!

Eden was quite likeable as well. Book-loving heroines are characters I enjoy reading about because they share my passion. It's no surprise, obviously, that I would be drawn to characters to whom I can relate. She was admirably intelligent, kind, authentic, and witty. It was no wonder why it didn't take Hudson long to fall for her.

I enjoyed their courtship as told in this book. It gave an engrossing narrative of how their friendship evolved from something purely platonic to something more passionate and electric. The spicy scenes were delicious, as heartwarming as the more tender moments. I truly enjoyed it from beginning to end.

I was fortunate to have been granted an advanced review copy of this book. I give this review voluntarily.

[Steph Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Borrowed Hearts by Canadian indie author Isla Winter is the sixth of seven interconnected books in the Library Love Notes series by Canadian indie authors. It is a friends-to-lovers, small-town, fake-dating romance. 

• Fake dating with real feelings
• Personal growth 
• The library - they are members of the library’s book club.
• Canadian spelling and setting
• He wears glasses

I love a fake dating trope, especially when the fake part disappears fairly quickly. And for Hudson and Eden, the feelings are growing before they even agree to fake date. As soon as Hudson "rescued" Eden from the uncomfortable situation she appeared to be in and offered to let her pretend to date him, I was hoping the fake part wouldn't last long.

This may be a slow burn, but the feelings are all there from the beginning. You will be falling in love with these characters before they fully acknowledge that they are in love.

"I want to tell her everything. How not only do I no longer want this to be fake, but that it hasn’t been fake for me for a while. Hell, I might have initiated this because I couldn’t figure out any other way to ask her out, because I’m such a chicken shit."

"We may have met through borrowing books for a book club, but this man has borrowed my heart, on a permanent loan it seems."

As with the previous books in this series, I enjoyed when I recognized a character, place or business I previously discovered in this series and every beaver reference.  I am now looking forward to the final installment in the Library Love Notes series.

[Tiffany ✨️ Bergamot Book Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was such a cute romance based in the same small town as the others in the series. I love fake dating, and this took a sweet turn where it never really felt fake from the onset. Eden was an interesting character - a teacher who's loved by her students, and struggles to have a backbone with anyone else in her life. Hunter is a steady and predictable character, and an absolute sweetheart, fully focused on his job as a firefighter and not wanting to bother to pursue anyone, but adoring his friendship with Eden.

I really enjoyed the authors writing style and how clear her characters are, however I did find some of the extra parts of the story to feel a little distracting and not very fleshed out. The sideline with her ex was odd, as it made it sound like he was irresistible but also kind of awful, yet then he's encouraged to date her friend and I was kind of lost in to how it twisted into being okay. I also didn't really see the use in the storyline with her mother, and think a better focus on just the fake dating and friendship blossoming would have made the main storyline a bit more cohesive.

Also the sex scenes were kind of odd. I'm not sure how the characters -with two prominent jobs in a small town - would just be okay with sex in the open at a public gazebo - as if that wouldn't cause them both to lose their jobs. It just felt like a weird twist to try to make them spicier than their characters were at the onset and I was kind of confused.

All in all it was a decent read, but not my fave of the series.

*****

I was sent a complimentary advanced reader copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to the author for sending this my way!

[Dhawy Febrianti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of an advance copy received from author

This is such a sweet and blossoming love story between Eden, a high school teacher, and Hudson, the attractive firefighter in town. The cutest thing about their story is that their feelings start growing from a fake dating plan that doesn’t seem fake at all.

Their fake dating begins as soon as Adam, Eden’s ex, moves to Beaver Creek and even ends up working at the same high school as her. At first, the goal is very simple: make Adam leave Eden alone. Yet the sweetness in Eden’s and Hudson’s interactions feels so genuine like they’re meant to be from the very beginning. Every moment they spend together is free from awkwardness, making it completely believable that they’re already in something real, raw, and unrehearsed.

Another highlight from my reading experience is a small strategy hidden inside the fake dating plot.

Yes, it involves pairing Eden’s ex with her friend.

Oh boy, if you translate that strategy into words, it would basically sound like “Get over me, dude!” Lol.

From now on, if I ever have a friend whose ex refuses to move on from them, I’ll probably tell them to set their ex up with their friend. Apparently, it works. Lol.

🤔 Does this type of read make you smile from ear to ear?

🗣️ Yes, it sure does.

If you’re looking for a romance that keeps a smile on your face with plenty of sweetness, chemistry, and feel-good moments, this book definitely has what you’re looking for.

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Borrowed Hearts, by Isla Winter, is book six in the Library Love Notes series. It is an open-door, small-town romance set in the cozy town of Beaver Creek, Ontario. Here we see the evolution of a fake-dating arrangement into a profound, genuine romantic connection!

The story centers on Eden, a high school science teacher and book club member, and Hudson, a dedicated local firefighter. Their lives collide through the “Naughty Beavers,” a romance-themed book club hosted at the local library. When Eden’s former boyfriend from college moves to town to work as a guidance counselor at her school, she and Hudson enter into a fake dating agreement… but there are rules: no excessive physical contact, no kissing, and most importantly, no falling in love! Somewhere along the way, the line between performance and reality begins to blur.

Where do I sign up for a guy like Hudson? Coming off as a stoic, protective first responder, but then shows how emotionally intelligent he is. Um, yes, please. Also, he loves to read - hold me back!

Beyond its romantic aspect, the story provides a vibrant backdrop of Canadian small-town life. The town of Beaver Creek is basically its own character. The town is close-knit and unique. I know I would much rather live there than in a big city!

Thanks to Isla Winter for gifting me an eARC of Borrowed Hearts. I am leaving this review voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Nickole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rcvd an ARC from the author.

I quite enjoyed this book. We meet Eden, a local high school teacher, who grew up in Beaver Creek and now is part of the book club at the library. Eden enjoys her solitude in the evenings when not marking papers and during her lunch hours, she spends it eating lunch with firefighter Hunter. Eden and Hunter got to know one another in the book club. Hunter joined a few months ago looking for something to do and he's happy he joined as now he gets to spend time with Eden. Eden goes out with her friends one eve and sees her ex-bf in the bar. What is he doing here? She gets her friends to try to sneak her out the back when she runs smack into Adam. Being polite as she normally is, Eden agrees to stay for a drink. Hunter is at the bar with his buddies when he sees Eden looking very uncomfortable so he goes to the rescue. Drunk Eden is fun and when he learns about Adam, Hunter offers to fake-date Eden so Adam will leave her alone. Eden finds herself agreeing but with rules, no kissing, no touching and no falling in love as this isnt a romance book. They both agree....how hard can it be?

[PrettyLadyMaine Writes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you for the ARC

Fake dating

Eden is a high school sex ed teacher she meets the shy fireman in book club inside the library. She joined because making friends is hard when you’re grown.

Hudson a firefighter who works most of the time on his off days he does things around the house.

Eden went out with her girls they were having a good time until her ex walked in. Shocked he is even there blew her mind she wanted to get out of there. Her and her friends were going to sneak out of the back but Eden bumped straight into her ex. Agreeing to stay in have a drink turned into awkward conversation and more than one drink.

Hudson has a long shift so him and some of his coworkers decided to go out for drinks. When the music died down he heard Eden and went to save her since she looked uncomfortable. Without fully thinking he called her babe and they left out together. Now sitting in her house he finds out her ex got at job at the same school as her he moved to town.

Hudson offered she pretend the two of them are dating.

Don’t fall in love the most important rule….

But of course they fall in love 🥰

This was a good story.

[Shana W · Rating 4 out of 5]

This entertaining story features fake dating and friends-to-lovers tropes, all taking place in a charming small town in Ontario, Canada. There's romance, humour and spice, as well as likable MCs and supportive side characters.

Eden is a high school teacher living in Beaver Creek. She is out with her friends when her ex, Adam, suddenly appears and tells her he has moved to town to work at the same school. That's when her good friend Hudson, a hunky firefighter, appears and pretends he's her boyfriend, in the hopes she can shake off Adam. Eden doesn't seem to be able to say no to anybody. The thing is that Eden and Hudson have developed a lovely friendship with relaxed interactions, and they already seem to be into each other. They are in the same library romance book club, and I love their discussions about the books. So it's not such a huge leap when they discover they truly have feelings for each other. I enjoyed reading about how their relationship evolved. The writing was good and the book was easy to read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Bookish Bowen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐️
🌶️🌶️
Vibes - Good Time

"Friends" with the Fireman with slutty little glasses
Eden and Huston are friends that met in the local bookclub that reads romance books. She's a teacher and she's a firefighter. They often meet up on her lunch breaks too. He's had a crush on her for a while but when her ex comes to town with ideas over getting her back Hudson offers to be her fake boyfriend to keep him away.
Eden has a hard time saying no, even when she should. It got on my nerves at times because she is kind of a doormat. I did like the banter between her and Huston. The friends to lovers was done really well. For such a short book the romance felt slow burn with her realising her feeling for him. There is a bit of tension in this when he gets into the accident at work towards the end of the book, but overall it's a low-stakes, small town romance that was a lovely "no thoughts in my head" read.

Tropes
-Friends To Lovers
-Small Town
-Fake Dating
-No 3rd Act Break Up

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute friends-to-lovers, fake dating romance!

Eden Clare and Hudson Avery are friends after ending up in the same romance book club at the library. When Eden's ex-boyfriend shows up in town again, she's desperate to keep him away. Enter Hudson: willing to be her fake boyfriend. But fake dates lead to real feelings.

Overall, this story is just so cute! It has all the small-town vibes that you can want. Eden and Hudson are genuinely good people who are there for each other and their community. Their support system is nice too.

I do wish we got just a few more pages though! The end is a bit rushed, but the emotion in the middle mostly makes up for it.

Overall, if you like fake dating or small town romances, definitely read this one! Curl up with a cup of hot cider and this fun read.

Thank you to the author for providing an advanced copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.

[Kerrie Juric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Borrowed Hearts by Isla Winter is book 6 in the Library Love Notes, a multi author 7 book series based in the small fictional Canadian town of Beaver Creek. This is a friends to lovers, fake dating romance with all the quirks of this fun small town.

This story follows Eden Clare, town local and health education teacher and her library book club friend Hudson Avery, a town firefighter. Hudson has always wanted to ask Eden out in a date but has never had the courage to do so. When Eden’s ex shows up in town as the new school councillor and shows his intent on getting her back, Hudson takes this opportunity to help his friend and suggest they fake date like in some of the books they read. This will give the impression to her ex that she is not single and for him to back off. They set rules in place to help keep up pretences and protect themselves from getting hurt. But the more time they spend together and the more personal situations they share, the more they open up to each other and the less this becomes fake.

I loved Hudson, he is a gooey Golden Retriever, so sweet, so caring and the perfect small town sweetheart for Eden. I enjoy seeing characters pop in and out of each story which makes you feel like a part of the town community and belonging.

Fake it til you make it and these two are made for each other 💞

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC review
Antecdotal thoughts while reading
Library Love Notes series
Book club attended by all 👍
Dial-A-Driver business model service sounds like a winner!
Looked up Swedish Berry👌
I vote for the back door too! 😆
Let me guess...an ice breaker activity?
Yes, don't drive by choice, but is there also a medical reason?
Preach!!! I work just as many hours outside of contract than my contracted hours. SpEd is not for the weak of heart.
Love that he is comfortable with himself to go off script in the gender expected body wash department.
Eden, didn't you just lay down the rules these tropes break EVERY time?
Adam, I think not.
🍎 🍏 🪜 👌
Again, Adam. Nope.
"tell-tale old man hair coming from his ears." 😆
👰‍♀ 🤵 🤯
🎃 👻 🎬 👫 ??
Not horrible guy, just horrible for me 👍
⚡️🙅‍♀️ 🪄 🙅‍♀️ 🏡 yes👍
But, what if is works!?!?
"Because every failed relationship brings you to the right person. But none of them matter once you find the one. " ❤️
☕️ 🍩 🥐 🤝
🔥 🏢 🔥 🪓 ⚫️ noooooo!

[Tara.reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 ⭐️

Through all these arcs that I get to read, internally greatfull, I really am finding my reading taste. This was a short romance story, which is also my main complaint. I didn’t feel rushed necessarily, but it just too short to get invested. I’m a character driving person. I also love atmosphere, but characters can make or break a story. Don’t get me wrong there is absolutely nothing wrong with the mmc or fmc, they are lovely.

It’s a small town, fake dating story. He is a firefighter ;)
I had kinda hoped the firefighter thing would be a little bigger, but it’s a small town. Not a lot happens there. Also what I really like is that it takes place in Canada! I love Canada, I have roots there. So it kinda made me wanna go back so badly. I also got excited to see that it will be a small town series. I don’t know if every book will be this short, but it’s worth chewing out!

[MKAC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nearing the end of the year (in Beaver Creek 🇨🇦), almost to the end of the Library Love Notes Series. You don’t need to start at the beginning, but you totally should.

This is a small story, packed with a lot of tropes and it is so much fun. Eden seems to enjoy her job and it starts us off with a laugh and finding Hudson in the middle of a romance book club just makes you love him (not to mention the goose encounter).

There aren’t really any major obstacles in their way, but these two may be taking the long way. That said, it gives us the chance to fall in love with them both and cheer them along.

As always, Beaver Creek seems like a fun place to be and that gazebo! Catching up with old friends, making new ones and totally loving the journey.

Thank you, Isla Winter, for sharing the eARC with me and for this lovely story of Eden and Hudson.

[Abigayle · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC Review
I really enjoyed getting to know Eden and Hudson! They fit right in with the Beaver Creek cast of characters that I have come to love. Eden and Hudson are both members of the romance bookclub at the local library and hit it off as friends. Due to circumstances with Eden running into her ex they agree to fake date. I liked that the bookclub thread of the story continued throughout the whole book. Some of the technical details took me out of the story a bit, I think that is probably just my personal preferences though. Overall I enjoyed this addition to the Library Love Notes series and would recommend it.
Borrowed Hearts is the sixth book in the Library Love Notes series. Each book is written by a different Canadian Indie author and set in the fictional town of Beaver Creek, Ontario.

[BorderBrewBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do your fantasies include a firefighter? Because according to Eden, it's part of every woman's fantasy—and I certainly won't say no to it!

When Hudson moved to Beaver Creek, he joined the local book club, which led to a friendship with Eden, a local teacher. They now meet for lunch in the park—assuming the cobra chickens haven't stolen Hudson's sandwich.

When Eden's ex takes a position at her school, she needs someone to act as more than a friend to help fend off the unwanted attention. Hudson is the perfect candidate, and they discuss strict rules to ensure no lines get crossed.

However, I believe rules are made to be broken, and clearly, so do Hudson and Eden! How long do you think those rules will actually be followed?

As always, this is another exceptional addition to the Library Love Notes series. I loved the great Canadian references!

[Destiny | _readingwithdee_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tropes:
🚒Friends to Lovers
❤️Fake Dating
🚒Small Town
❤️Open Door
🚒Firefighter x Teacher

From the pages, straight to a hallmark movie playing in my head on repeat.

Borrowed Hearts held key elements that I loved to see. The writing flowed very well, the characters were believable and their chemistry I found realistic. The small town vibes were honestly so cute. I enjoyed seeing members of the beaver creek community pop in and out, they really add more depth to the story.

You know me, I’m a huge fan of fake dating and open door spice. This book checked my boxes when it came to those tropes. I did find that the fake dating became less fake a little early on, however it wasn’t a deal breaker for me because I expected it.

Eden and Hudson were a great addition to this series. They made me laugh when it came to their book club talk, and the back and forth banter.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this as an ARC

This is a cute friends to lovers story; it's part of the Library Love Notes series.

Eden is a teacher in her hometown - Beaver Creek. She and Hudson are in the same romance-themed book club at the library and they have lunch together in the park. Her ex-boyfriend moves to town and Hudson agrees to be her fake boyfriend to block the ex from bothering her.

Overall, I liked the fake dating story. They have great chemistry and the dialogue and texting make sense. I didn't like Eden's relationship with her mother or her problems with her ex. I found those storylines to be flat.

[Bea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read as arc
4.5-⭐️ 2-🌶️

This was so cute, I’m kinda excited to dive into this little series.

Based in a small Canadian town, we have Hudson our firefighter and Eden the HS teacher, two friends from their local book club who start fake dating when Edens ex shows up to town.

This reads like a hallmark movie, it was light, cute with a little spice thrown in.

I would give it 5 starts but something was missing and I just can’t place it, I don’t know if I needed more relationship building, or communication but I feel like it just all kinda happened. Then it was over.


I still really enjoyed the story even though it’s not my usual speed, i love Islas writting style

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fake dating to avoid an ex, a hunky fireman, an idealist small town that reminds me of Stars Hallow.

So perfect!

I would say this one is on the edge of longer novella, maybe shorter full length so the pacing was great, Hudson and Eden were so lovable and yet complex, I enjoyed the friend group (still don’t overlap hehe), Kinslee and the Bakery came up!! Love that!

Definitely a friends to lovers build up, but the spice so good, Hudson may have been taking tips from the book club picks.

Thank you to Isla for sharing this story in advance with me (also to introducing me to this Beaver Creek series!!)

[Aleksandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Borrowed Hearts by Isla Winter is a sweet and charming small-town romance that combines two favorite tropes—friends-to-lovers and fake dating. I really enjoyed the chemistry between Eden and Hudson, especially their easy friendship, fun banter, and shared love of books through the library book club. The fake relationship storyline was entertaining and heartwarming, and watching their feelings grow felt natural and believable. While I found the story involving Eden’s ex and her relationship with her mother less engaging, the romance itself was strong enough to keep me invested. Overall, this was a cozy, feel-good read with lovable characters and a satisfying happily-ever-after.

[Tima · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella is dual POV, well written and edited, and a sweet and steamy, friends-to-lovers, fake relationship, small town, contemporary romance between Eden, the female teacher lead, and Hudson, the male firefighter lead. I enjoyed the sweetness of the relationship development. I sympathised with Eden’s people-pleasing habits and enjoyed seeing her relationship with her mum improve. I enjoyed Hudson’s protectiveness and care. I enjoyed the secondary character interactions, and the solution to the reason for the fake relationship.

I received a complimentary copy from the author and this is my voluntary honest review.

[Jess Pierce · Rating 4 out of 5]

What happens when the teacher asks the fireman to be her fake date?

Borrowed Hearts is a cute, fun read that will leave you smiling.

Eden needs a rescue, and Hudson is all too happy to jump in.

Eden and Hudson’s story is an enjoyable read that leaves you with all the cozy, small town feels combined with the slow burn to sizzle that we all love. You’ll love the way they fall for each other in this one.

Come to Beaver Creek and catch the next story in the Library Love Notes series where Borrowed Hearts don’t get returned.