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Northern Roots: Atlantic #4
Hollow Heart
Not everything that looks broken needs to be fixed — it just needs the right conditions to grow
Growing up on the red sand beaches and farm fields of Prince Edward Island, Silas Gallant and Levi Campbell were each other's whole world. They were best friends who understood each other in a way no one else ever could.
But as the easy freedom of childhood gave way to the weight of expectation, the life they shared slowly began to shift. Levi left the island to chase a future in agricultural technology and a world bigger than the fields he grew up in, while Silas stayed, rooted in the safety of his family's potato farm, and in the belief that people will always leave.
Years of silence and hurt pass before their distance closes, and Levi finds himself contracted to support a farm back on PEI. On the same red soil he once ran with his best friend. Old hurt lingers, turning familiarity into tension neither of them knows how to navigate — until slowly, they begin to let each other back in, and question if they ever truly split apart.
Among summer sunsets, red sand beaches, lighthouses, and open fields, Silas and Levi begin to find each other again — learning that they were never meant to stand on opposite sides of the same ground.
And that without each other, their hearts could never be whole.
Hollow Heart is a standalone MM romance with an HEA.
Books in this series do not need to be read in order.
Growing up on the red sand beaches and farm fields of Prince Edward Island, Silas Gallant and Levi Campbell were each other's whole world. They were best friends who understood each other in a way no one else ever could.
But as the easy freedom of childhood gave way to the weight of expectation, the life they shared slowly began to shift. Levi left the island to chase a future in agricultural technology and a world bigger than the fields he grew up in, while Silas stayed, rooted in the safety of his family's potato farm, and in the belief that people will always leave.
Years of silence and hurt pass before their distance closes, and Levi finds himself contracted to support a farm back on PEI. On the same red soil he once ran with his best friend. Old hurt lingers, turning familiarity into tension neither of them knows how to navigate — until slowly, they begin to let each other back in, and question if they ever truly split apart.
Among summer sunsets, red sand beaches, lighthouses, and open fields, Silas and Levi begin to find each other again — learning that they were never meant to stand on opposite sides of the same ground.
And that without each other, their hearts could never be whole.
Hollow Heart is a standalone MM romance with an HEA.
Books in this series do not need to be read in order.
423 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2026
About the author
Eve Holmes
9 books305 followersEve is an avid lover of coffee, getting lost in fictional worlds, crafting and ducks. She lives in a small town in Atlantic Canada with a bunch of animals and plans to get many more, much to her family and friends dismay.
When she’s not writing or trying to get ducks to love her, she can usually be found fantasizing about living in a tree house, riding her horses, and exploring Nova Scotia.
Eve enjoys a challenge, and will gladly turn the strangest writing prompt into a book. There’s much more to come, we’re just getting started!
When she’s not writing or trying to get ducks to love her, she can usually be found fantasizing about living in a tree house, riding her horses, and exploring Nova Scotia.
Eve enjoys a challenge, and will gladly turn the strangest writing prompt into a book. There’s much more to come, we’re just getting started!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 207 reviews
May 17, 2026
This is a somewhat irrational rating and review.
So, I've been feeling a bit numb for the past few days, so a book that pulls me out of my funk and really gets me emotional gets bonus points.
I love this story. It takes forever for the two main characters to get together, and when they do, it’s mostly sexual, so it’s understandable that not everyone will like it. What impressed me the most were the many painful moments that make up the backstory.
I love everything about the emotional depth of this story. I even had a lot of fun with all the potato-related stories, even though I didn’t understand everything. There was a bit too much cultivation tech talk. But it’s also great how that troublesome potato field drives so much of the plot.
I can’t really describe the book. I just like it, even if it isn’t the best in the series.
I’m a fucking idiot for not seeing this coming. I’m just a farmer with no future. My biological parents didn’t want me, my mother doesn’t want me… Why would he want me? 🥺😢
I don’t want anything to change. And I don’t know why that’s such a bad thing. I don’t know why everything and everyone has to move, grow, expand, do more… all the time. And I don’t know why it’s seen as a failure not to do those things. 🥺😢
It’s like something just cracked open inside me, and hurt, anger, sadness, and fear all crash into me at once, too fast to hold back.
I’m mad, but I’m not mad.
I hate him, but I don’t hate him.
I’m afraid, and I don’t know why.
I don’t know what I am. 🥺😢
So, I've been feeling a bit numb for the past few days, so a book that pulls me out of my funk and really gets me emotional gets bonus points.
I love this story. It takes forever for the two main characters to get together, and when they do, it’s mostly sexual, so it’s understandable that not everyone will like it. What impressed me the most were the many painful moments that make up the backstory.
I love everything about the emotional depth of this story. I even had a lot of fun with all the potato-related stories, even though I didn’t understand everything. There was a bit too much cultivation tech talk. But it’s also great how that troublesome potato field drives so much of the plot.
I can’t really describe the book. I just like it, even if it isn’t the best in the series.
I’m a fucking idiot for not seeing this coming. I’m just a farmer with no future. My biological parents didn’t want me, my mother doesn’t want me… Why would he want me? 🥺😢
I don’t want anything to change. And I don’t know why that’s such a bad thing. I don’t know why everything and everyone has to move, grow, expand, do more… all the time. And I don’t know why it’s seen as a failure not to do those things. 🥺😢
It’s like something just cracked open inside me, and hurt, anger, sadness, and fear all crash into me at once, too fast to hold back.
I’m mad, but I’m not mad.
I hate him, but I don’t hate him.
I’m afraid, and I don’t know why.
I don’t know what I am. 🥺😢
April 23, 2026
Do you know those books you cannot stop thinking about? The books that make you want to skip real life adulting stuff to just finally get back to it because they take up every brain space you have?
Yeah. This was that for me.
God how my heart broke for Silas. He’s had such a tough start to his life and he carries deep scars from what he went through, shaping everything, making everything just that much harder.
I was genuinely so upset by what he was going through in the course of the book and by his deeply rooted fear of being left, of not being enough.
One person, who’s always been there (next to his dad), who’s not afraid of him and his outbursts, who loves him despite - or even because of it - is Levi.
The intense emotional connection Silas and Levi share was there right from the start, transcending everything that was going on. When things are good, they celebrate together, when things are hard - and man, were they hard sometimes - they lean on each other. Levi and Silas, always.
But eventually life happens, one moves on to go to uni, see the world, experience all the things, while the other stays. Chooses a simple life on his dad’s potato farm, relishing the quiet and nature and hard work. And they drift, they disconnect, they hurt and they hurt each other.
Watching them lose their connection - even just for a while - and especially from Silas’ POV who’s always petrified of being left behind, genuinely hurt me. It’s realistic, and they needed the distance I think (even though Levi tested me there for a second, ngl), but you better believe I cheered loudly when it all starts to change again for the better.
Because after all the things that wedged themselves between them, creating this hollow disconnect, they’re thrown back together one day and - with time - are confronted with the one important question: Are we still the Silas and Levi that we used to be? Are we less now - or could we even be more?
This is a slow story, and a slow burn. The author takes her time to give us a chance to really grasp these characters and their journey. We start when they’re just 7 years old, and their main story arc begins when they’re 26. So we needed to be patient and let those two figure it out, talk it out (hurray!!) and overcome a lot of internal battles in the process. And I loved watching their journey 🥹
But next to their story, there was so much more to love here:
🤎 Silas’ dad was the best and I loved every scene he was in - I teared up more than once when he or the grandparents were able to help Silas regulate with patience and deep knowledge about what Silas needs. The whole chosen family aspect was incredibly moving. And i could NOT stop ugly crying at that scene at about 55%. Iykyk.
🐶 Winston. That puppy stole every scene he was in and made me smile almost as much as he always did. He was the happiest puppy in all the lands!
🌱 The absolute gorgeous backdrop of Prince Edward Island. I couldn’t have asked for a more breathtaking setting.
There were a few tiny niggles I had, like the very technical and plentiful details of potato farming that I tried to understand, I really did, but eventually gave up on. And the very easy, soft bi-awakening. I think I expected a bit more angst and confusion surrounding the switch from ‘straight’ best friends to romantic partners.
All in all though, a beautiful addition to this series (made even better by the impromptu BR with the lovely Patrícia 🧡) and I cannot wait to see whose story we’ll get next. This felt like the perfect love child between the Red Dirt Heart series by NR Walker and To Catch a Firefly by Emmy Sanders, so if you loved those two, you’ll definitely enjoy this one as well 🥹
4,5⭐️
Thank you to GRR for the chance to read this arc, this is my honest opinion!
Yeah. This was that for me.
God how my heart broke for Silas. He’s had such a tough start to his life and he carries deep scars from what he went through, shaping everything, making everything just that much harder.
I was genuinely so upset by what he was going through in the course of the book and by his deeply rooted fear of being left, of not being enough.
One person, who’s always been there (next to his dad), who’s not afraid of him and his outbursts, who loves him despite - or even because of it - is Levi.
The intense emotional connection Silas and Levi share was there right from the start, transcending everything that was going on. When things are good, they celebrate together, when things are hard - and man, were they hard sometimes - they lean on each other. Levi and Silas, always.
But eventually life happens, one moves on to go to uni, see the world, experience all the things, while the other stays. Chooses a simple life on his dad’s potato farm, relishing the quiet and nature and hard work. And they drift, they disconnect, they hurt and they hurt each other.
Watching them lose their connection - even just for a while - and especially from Silas’ POV who’s always petrified of being left behind, genuinely hurt me. It’s realistic, and they needed the distance I think (even though Levi tested me there for a second, ngl), but you better believe I cheered loudly when it all starts to change again for the better.
Because after all the things that wedged themselves between them, creating this hollow disconnect, they’re thrown back together one day and - with time - are confronted with the one important question: Are we still the Silas and Levi that we used to be? Are we less now - or could we even be more?
This is a slow story, and a slow burn. The author takes her time to give us a chance to really grasp these characters and their journey. We start when they’re just 7 years old, and their main story arc begins when they’re 26. So we needed to be patient and let those two figure it out, talk it out (hurray!!) and overcome a lot of internal battles in the process. And I loved watching their journey 🥹
But next to their story, there was so much more to love here:
🤎 Silas’ dad was the best and I loved every scene he was in - I teared up more than once when he or the grandparents were able to help Silas regulate with patience and deep knowledge about what Silas needs. The whole chosen family aspect was incredibly moving. And i could NOT stop ugly crying at that scene at about 55%. Iykyk.
🐶 Winston. That puppy stole every scene he was in and made me smile almost as much as he always did. He was the happiest puppy in all the lands!
🌱 The absolute gorgeous backdrop of Prince Edward Island. I couldn’t have asked for a more breathtaking setting.
There were a few tiny niggles I had, like the very technical and plentiful details of potato farming that I tried to understand, I really did, but eventually gave up on. And the very easy, soft bi-awakening. I think I expected a bit more angst and confusion surrounding the switch from ‘straight’ best friends to romantic partners.
All in all though, a beautiful addition to this series (made even better by the impromptu BR with the lovely Patrícia 🧡) and I cannot wait to see whose story we’ll get next. This felt like the perfect love child between the Red Dirt Heart series by NR Walker and To Catch a Firefly by Emmy Sanders, so if you loved those two, you’ll definitely enjoy this one as well 🥹
4,5⭐️
Thank you to GRR for the chance to read this arc, this is my honest opinion!
May 13, 2026
Okay, I am going to start this review off by making it clear that I did actually enjoy my time with this book, because it’s potentially going to sound a bit like I didn’t. This one has actually taken the place of being my 2nd favourite of the series (book one still comes out on top), however, on a whole, this was an easy to read, easily consumable contemporary romance that was not without its flaws for me unfortunately.
I actually loved the first 40% on this; the friendship between Silas and Levi was so sweet and I genuinely teared up at some of the scenes when their friendship started to drift apart and break down because you could FEEL Silas’ insecurities and his acceptance of just not being enough for another person in his life to want to stay and love and that shit HURT deeply.
I also actually really loved Silas and Levi together as a couple, they were very sweet and their affection for each other felt pretty genuine. I did sometimes struggle a little bit to grasp onto Silas’ characterisation and his presentation felt a little inconsistent at times, however this wasn’t a huge barrier to my enjoyment of the series.
Honestly, the part that I struggled with the most was ‘the becoming’. I feel like Holmes had a picture in her mind of what she wanted Silas and Levi to look like as friends, and a picture of what she wanted them to look like as lovers, but the grey area in between has kind of slipped through her fingers. Even if there had of been some element of youthful attraction that was never acted on or acknowledged it would have made their attraction as adults make more sense, but as it is, both of their attraction to men kind of came out of the blue for me and felt a bit ham fisted and tip toed kind of close to GFY, which is not a trope that ever really appeals to me.
Mostly, I just loved that this volume in the series returned us to those love letter to the Canadian nature vibes that I loved so much about the first two, and which I found completely missing in the third one. The farms and coastlines of PEI were a lovely escape and you could imagine the quiet lifestyle so clearly (….Although I have had the questionable fortune of watching Letterkenny since I last read one of these books and I could not escape the idea of Jonesy and Riley sporadically throughout this book lol)
The ending got a little too ‘twee’ at times, a few too many scenes towards the end which got a little bit too saccharine for me and I found myself skipping over them a bit….but I still binged this in a day, never hated my time with it and if there are more books planned in the series I would continue to pick them up. Just a simple little escape.
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I actually loved the first 40% on this; the friendship between Silas and Levi was so sweet and I genuinely teared up at some of the scenes when their friendship started to drift apart and break down because you could FEEL Silas’ insecurities and his acceptance of just not being enough for another person in his life to want to stay and love and that shit HURT deeply.
I also actually really loved Silas and Levi together as a couple, they were very sweet and their affection for each other felt pretty genuine. I did sometimes struggle a little bit to grasp onto Silas’ characterisation and his presentation felt a little inconsistent at times, however this wasn’t a huge barrier to my enjoyment of the series.
Honestly, the part that I struggled with the most was ‘the becoming’. I feel like Holmes had a picture in her mind of what she wanted Silas and Levi to look like as friends, and a picture of what she wanted them to look like as lovers, but the grey area in between has kind of slipped through her fingers. Even if there had of been some element of youthful attraction that was never acted on or acknowledged it would have made their attraction as adults make more sense, but as it is, both of their attraction to men kind of came out of the blue for me and felt a bit ham fisted and tip toed kind of close to GFY, which is not a trope that ever really appeals to me.
Mostly, I just loved that this volume in the series returned us to those love letter to the Canadian nature vibes that I loved so much about the first two, and which I found completely missing in the third one. The farms and coastlines of PEI were a lovely escape and you could imagine the quiet lifestyle so clearly (….Although I have had the questionable fortune of watching Letterkenny since I last read one of these books and I could not escape the idea of Jonesy and Riley sporadically throughout this book lol)
The ending got a little too ‘twee’ at times, a few too many scenes towards the end which got a little bit too saccharine for me and I found myself skipping over them a bit….but I still binged this in a day, never hated my time with it and if there are more books planned in the series I would continue to pick them up. Just a simple little escape.
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May 9, 2026
Dip Out, the second book in the Northern Roots series, was one of my favorite reads of 2025. Hollow Heart didn't hit the same way.
It felt very YA, and not just because the first 25% of the book consists of flashbacks to Silas and Levi's childhood, including scenes of the boys playing in a lighthouse (which I'm assuming must have been on Silas' family property since no one else was ever there), creating a superhero called Redwave, navigating high school, and Levi "abandoning" Silas by heading off to college.
There was also the constant repetition of You and me, Vi; you and me, Si, which I found hokey as hell, and the bullying by a classmate that persisted through adulthood (not saying people don't remain bullies, but typically there is a level of maturity to the cruelty; here, the bully was forever stuck acting like an 8-year-old).
Never mind that Silas, with his amazing dad and supportive grandparents, who worked and lived on his family's potato farm, was incredibly sheltered. His family was all in his business, understandably so since Silas struggled with emotional control and had a severe learning disability. Silas had been adopted at age 2, but the trauma from his early developmental years lingered.
To be clear, Holmes writing a neurodivergent MC is a pro, not a con. Happy endings aren't just for the successful and brilliant; they're for ordinary people, people hard done by life, people with disabilities and traumas.
Holmes' writing style is poetic and evocative. The way she described Prince Edward Island had me mentally adding it to my destination bucket list.
At times, however, the prose was repetitive, and if I read one more thing about potato farming, soil composition, the variable rate of seed planting, or tractors, I was going to scream. I was already violently rolling my eyes at every mention of a "hollow-heart" potato.
Another gripe is that the romance was about as hollow-hearted as the potatoes. Because of the focus on childhood friendship and Redwave the superhero, Silas and Levi forever seemed like boys to me.
Indeed, the move from platonic to romantic love, while tender, was awkward and largely devoid of passion. I wasn't feeling it at all.
Same goes for the exploration of sexuality, which was essentially nonexistent. Levi came out as bi after checking out one dude's ass, and Silas ... dunno, he was demi maybe? Neither MC had been with a guy before, but they were sucking each other off with fervor approximately 2.4 seconds after kissing for the first tine.
Thank goodness for Winston, the happiest Golden Retriever in all of Canada, who added so much warmth and joy to the story. All hail, Winston!
It felt very YA, and not just because the first 25% of the book consists of flashbacks to Silas and Levi's childhood, including scenes of the boys playing in a lighthouse (which I'm assuming must have been on Silas' family property since no one else was ever there), creating a superhero called Redwave, navigating high school, and Levi "abandoning" Silas by heading off to college.
There was also the constant repetition of You and me, Vi; you and me, Si, which I found hokey as hell, and the bullying by a classmate that persisted through adulthood (not saying people don't remain bullies, but typically there is a level of maturity to the cruelty; here, the bully was forever stuck acting like an 8-year-old).
Never mind that Silas, with his amazing dad and supportive grandparents, who worked and lived on his family's potato farm, was incredibly sheltered. His family was all in his business, understandably so since Silas struggled with emotional control and had a severe learning disability. Silas had been adopted at age 2, but the trauma from his early developmental years lingered.
To be clear, Holmes writing a neurodivergent MC is a pro, not a con. Happy endings aren't just for the successful and brilliant; they're for ordinary people, people hard done by life, people with disabilities and traumas.
Holmes' writing style is poetic and evocative. The way she described Prince Edward Island had me mentally adding it to my destination bucket list.
At times, however, the prose was repetitive, and if I read one more thing about potato farming, soil composition, the variable rate of seed planting, or tractors, I was going to scream. I was already violently rolling my eyes at every mention of a "hollow-heart" potato.
Another gripe is that the romance was about as hollow-hearted as the potatoes. Because of the focus on childhood friendship and Redwave the superhero, Silas and Levi forever seemed like boys to me.
Indeed, the move from platonic to romantic love, while tender, was awkward and largely devoid of passion. I wasn't feeling it at all.
Same goes for the exploration of sexuality, which was essentially nonexistent. Levi came out as bi after checking out one dude's ass, and Silas ... dunno, he was demi maybe? Neither MC had been with a guy before, but they were sucking each other off with fervor approximately 2.4 seconds after kissing for the first tine.
Thank goodness for Winston, the happiest Golden Retriever in all of Canada, who added so much warmth and joy to the story. All hail, Winston!
May 13, 2026
2.5 - I’m sorry to say this but the relationship development didn’t work for me here. The childhood friendship was lovely but I never picked up on any genuine romantic feelings or sexual chemistry between them so I felt uncomfortable when they suddenly had an instalust style relationship after a long, platonic, lead up. The book starts at age 7 with multiple time skips through their childhoods until present day at age 26 and I just wish the romance was woven through better to join the two halves of the book and make the whole story believable to me.
I found it so jarring when the relationship turned sexual. Neither of them had ever found another man sexually attractive and had both been with women, which is fine, I’ve loved other bi-awakenings, but with this story I just felt told they now were bi but I didn’t feel it. I actually thought Silas might end up asexual but nope, it felt like a switch flipped and his character changed.
This felt more gay-for-you than a bi-awakening?? They grew up together and were best friends through puberty and never once had even a subtle sexual thought about another man or each other, no extra closeness that felt could lead to something else. I just didn’t find this realistic and then when they do get together it’s straight into sucking dick and anal and they are suddenly all for it.
I think that the author captures a beautiful sense of place in Prince Edward Island, the potato farm was lovely. There was a lot of potato talk as well as beautiful sunsets and fields. I do feel like we were absolutely thrashed to death with the hollow heart analogy!! I do not want to hear about hollow heart potatoes and how they represent Silas’s heart ever ever ever again.
There was not a lot of subtlety to the writing with many inner monologues and rehashing of emotions. So much repetitiveness about Silas being left in the dark and the comic book superhero Redwave. By the last 30% I was bored, to be frankly honest.
I enjoyed the first half but the second half needed, in my opinion, a stronger edit. Chucking in the cute dog didn’t even save it for me. The dad was my fave character in the end.
Probably the tiny straw that broke the camels back was the testing conversation during sex - it didn’t feel right at all for men who have never been with other men to have that conversation like that and there is not a chance I believed Silas got himself tested after his brief relationship with his gf in that tiny town when he is such a recluse.
Slowburn is my absolute favourite in romance but this didn’t feel like slowburn to me. This felt like a friendship and then, bang! instalust. The sex scenes actually made me cringe, I wish they had just stayed friends.
This started off as a 4 (when their friendship ended I felt so sad for them!) then it dwindled to a 3 and I really thought it would stay that way but then I found myself skipping the final sex scenes and skimming the monologues and ended the book feeling very flat and disappointed.
Sorry this review became so long (I did cut it down a lot!) and maybe I should come back and add some fluffy stuff but I wanted to explain the reason for my low rating. I did really enjoy the first two books by this author but I think the last two needed more work prior to publication.
I found it so jarring when the relationship turned sexual. Neither of them had ever found another man sexually attractive and had both been with women, which is fine, I’ve loved other bi-awakenings, but with this story I just felt told they now were bi but I didn’t feel it. I actually thought Silas might end up asexual but nope, it felt like a switch flipped and his character changed.
This felt more gay-for-you than a bi-awakening?? They grew up together and were best friends through puberty and never once had even a subtle sexual thought about another man or each other, no extra closeness that felt could lead to something else. I just didn’t find this realistic and then when they do get together it’s straight into sucking dick and anal and they are suddenly all for it.
I think that the author captures a beautiful sense of place in Prince Edward Island, the potato farm was lovely. There was a lot of potato talk as well as beautiful sunsets and fields. I do feel like we were absolutely thrashed to death with the hollow heart analogy!! I do not want to hear about hollow heart potatoes and how they represent Silas’s heart ever ever ever again.
There was not a lot of subtlety to the writing with many inner monologues and rehashing of emotions. So much repetitiveness about Silas being left in the dark and the comic book superhero Redwave. By the last 30% I was bored, to be frankly honest.
I enjoyed the first half but the second half needed, in my opinion, a stronger edit. Chucking in the cute dog didn’t even save it for me. The dad was my fave character in the end.
Probably the tiny straw that broke the camels back was the testing conversation during sex - it didn’t feel right at all for men who have never been with other men to have that conversation like that and there is not a chance I believed Silas got himself tested after his brief relationship with his gf in that tiny town when he is such a recluse.
Slowburn is my absolute favourite in romance but this didn’t feel like slowburn to me. This felt like a friendship and then, bang! instalust. The sex scenes actually made me cringe, I wish they had just stayed friends.
This started off as a 4 (when their friendship ended I felt so sad for them!) then it dwindled to a 3 and I really thought it would stay that way but then I found myself skipping the final sex scenes and skimming the monologues and ended the book feeling very flat and disappointed.
Sorry this review became so long (I did cut it down a lot!) and maybe I should come back and add some fluffy stuff but I wanted to explain the reason for my low rating. I did really enjoy the first two books by this author but I think the last two needed more work prior to publication.
May 16, 2026
If you loved this book, I beg you not to read this 🙈 I'm being a grump and I know this. It's stupid long too (TL;DR at the bottom). I'm also aware that my opinion of this book was influenced to some degree by the fact that I read To Catch a Firefly by Emmy Sanders right before picking this up. I honestly had no idea that the books would be so similar in structure and story or I would've held off on reading this because it was impossible not to compare the two 😅 Unfortunately for Hollow Heart, I think To Catch a Firefly did things better overall.
I'll start by saying that Eve Holmes is a great writer. She has a lovely way with words, especially the way she depicts the various settings in this series. Part of the reason I keep giving her books a chance is because they are incredibly readable and flow well. That being said, she gets down in a weeds sometimes and I find myself skimming. If I never have to read about the nitty gritty details of potato farming again it will be too soon 🫠 I'm sure some people enjoy that aspect of her writing, and I'm sure I would too with topics that interested me, but not this 🥔🥔🥔🥔🥔🥔🥔🥔
🚨 Last chance to turn back if you loved this 🚨
Silas and Levi were lovely characters, but lovers they were not. I never bought it, and I found the entire romantic storyline unnatural 🙊 Okay. Whew. Now that I've gotten that out there, let's continue. I hate to compare books, but I have to go back to what To Catch a Firefly did right that this book did not and the main reason this entire story did not work for me. Throughout their childhood and early adulthood, Silas and Levi never once gave the slightest inkling of romantic/sexual attraction towards one another. Zero. Zip. Zilch.
In To Catch a Firefly, I felt a romantic/sexual undercurrent as soon as the boys came of age. It had me wanting to see more of what Ellis and Lucky's relationship could become because it felt like there was a missing piece and there was something more they SHOULD become. There was an unrequited element that gave reason to the gaps and fractures in their relationship. There were other issues I had with the book that I detailed in my review, but at its core, the story and its progression were believable and followed a natural course.
With Silas and Levi, there was no pining, no unrequited feelings, nothing that would lead one to believe that there ever would be anything but friendship between them. I never wanted them to become more because it didn't FEEL like a romantic/sexual element was missing. Their story read as a realistic portrayal of friends growing apart as life took them in different directions. My heart hurt for Silas and Levi because of how believable it was. Once you've reached a certain point in life, I feel most people are able to identify with what the boys went through. It's heartbreaking, especially for someone like Silas with abandonment issues.
I say all of this to say that the romantic/sexual component of Silas and Levi's story felt like taking baseball to the face 😂 Eve Holmes came out swinging and walloped me really good because it sure came out of left field. Baseball metaphors aside, I wanted none of it and wished it all away. As far as I or anyone else knew, neither Silas or Levi were gay, bi, questioning, whatever. Not that things can't change, but make it make sense 🙃 Not all romance books have to follow the exact same formula, but there is a general formula that should typically be followed, and Hollow Heart was missing a step or two.
I've read what could be considered a ridiculous amount of MM romance, and I've never encountered a book that so actively turned me off to romance 😭 I skimmed every sexual encounter I came across because it gave me weird vibes. I wanted Silas and Levi to fill the holes in their souls with friendship not dicks 💀 The sexual/romantic relationship was completely unnecessary to repair what was broken, but I feel like the author tried to use it as the vehicle to achieve that. It was impossible to feel the "oh, this was what was missing" feeling because that wasn't it at all 🥲 They needed to be each other's person again in the way that they were before. I wanted them to be besties and have the closeness and companionship that had worked for them since the beginning, not what it ended up being.
Anyway, I warned you this was stupid long, and it was. If you made it to this point, congratulations on not falling asleep 🏆 There were other things I wanted to address, but this is already an essay, and I have other things to do 🤣
TL;DR Wonderful characters, lovely setting, cute doggy, too many potatoes, and a romantic storyline that was completely unbelievable and unnecessary for the story. 2* and lots of sadness.
I'll start by saying that Eve Holmes is a great writer. She has a lovely way with words, especially the way she depicts the various settings in this series. Part of the reason I keep giving her books a chance is because they are incredibly readable and flow well. That being said, she gets down in a weeds sometimes and I find myself skimming. If I never have to read about the nitty gritty details of potato farming again it will be too soon 🫠 I'm sure some people enjoy that aspect of her writing, and I'm sure I would too with topics that interested me, but not this 🥔🥔🥔🥔🥔🥔🥔🥔
🚨 Last chance to turn back if you loved this 🚨
Silas and Levi were lovely characters, but lovers they were not. I never bought it, and I found the entire romantic storyline unnatural 🙊 Okay. Whew. Now that I've gotten that out there, let's continue. I hate to compare books, but I have to go back to what To Catch a Firefly did right that this book did not and the main reason this entire story did not work for me. Throughout their childhood and early adulthood, Silas and Levi never once gave the slightest inkling of romantic/sexual attraction towards one another. Zero. Zip. Zilch.
In To Catch a Firefly, I felt a romantic/sexual undercurrent as soon as the boys came of age. It had me wanting to see more of what Ellis and Lucky's relationship could become because it felt like there was a missing piece and there was something more they SHOULD become. There was an unrequited element that gave reason to the gaps and fractures in their relationship. There were other issues I had with the book that I detailed in my review, but at its core, the story and its progression were believable and followed a natural course.
With Silas and Levi, there was no pining, no unrequited feelings, nothing that would lead one to believe that there ever would be anything but friendship between them. I never wanted them to become more because it didn't FEEL like a romantic/sexual element was missing. Their story read as a realistic portrayal of friends growing apart as life took them in different directions. My heart hurt for Silas and Levi because of how believable it was. Once you've reached a certain point in life, I feel most people are able to identify with what the boys went through. It's heartbreaking, especially for someone like Silas with abandonment issues.
I say all of this to say that the romantic/sexual component of Silas and Levi's story felt like taking baseball to the face 😂 Eve Holmes came out swinging and walloped me really good because it sure came out of left field. Baseball metaphors aside, I wanted none of it and wished it all away. As far as I or anyone else knew, neither Silas or Levi were gay, bi, questioning, whatever. Not that things can't change, but make it make sense 🙃 Not all romance books have to follow the exact same formula, but there is a general formula that should typically be followed, and Hollow Heart was missing a step or two.
I've read what could be considered a ridiculous amount of MM romance, and I've never encountered a book that so actively turned me off to romance 😭 I skimmed every sexual encounter I came across because it gave me weird vibes. I wanted Silas and Levi to fill the holes in their souls with friendship not dicks 💀 The sexual/romantic relationship was completely unnecessary to repair what was broken, but I feel like the author tried to use it as the vehicle to achieve that. It was impossible to feel the "oh, this was what was missing" feeling because that wasn't it at all 🥲 They needed to be each other's person again in the way that they were before. I wanted them to be besties and have the closeness and companionship that had worked for them since the beginning, not what it ended up being.
Anyway, I warned you this was stupid long, and it was. If you made it to this point, congratulations on not falling asleep 🏆 There were other things I wanted to address, but this is already an essay, and I have other things to do 🤣
TL;DR Wonderful characters, lovely setting, cute doggy, too many potatoes, and a romantic storyline that was completely unbelievable and unnecessary for the story. 2* and lots of sadness.
July 5, 2026
I think this is my favorite book in the series so far! Hollow Heart was so sweet, heartfelt, and absolutely worth reading. This is exactly why I love the friends-to-lovers trope so much.
May 31, 2026
Silas + Levi 🖤
Always been you | Childhood best friends | Double awakening
"My heart was hollow without him. And now, I don't think it's ever been so full."
⚠️ potential spoilers below in detailed tropes, content and warning lists
Tropes/content:
Childhood friends
Silas struggled in school, his brain works differently
Silas was adopted at 2 years old
Silas' parents divorce when he's 14 and its "his fault" - he overheard them talking about how he's hard to parent despite loving him
Levi goes off to college while Silas works the family potato farm
Best friends to ex friends with hurt to lovers
Silas loves to draw
Forced proximity when Levi unknowingly gets hired on Silas's family farm - it was a company who handled the contract so neither side knew who each other was until everything was signed
Emotional conversations, apologies
Slow burn
First kiss around 68%
First times
Double awakening
Showering together
They've always loved each other, just never grasped how much until now
Levi punches one of Silas's long time bullies in the face
Fishing
Rimming
Plot driven
Potato fight
Still best friends underneath it all
Short epilogue 1 year later - casual but fitting for them proposal. Levi proposes
Strict roles (at least on page)- but they gave off total vers vibes imo. It was never really discussed
Warnings/icks:
Silas was left by his adoptive mother
Silas was completely neglected by his bio mom before he was adopted
Divorce
Bullying in high school to Silas from other students
One of the same bullies comes back into town and bullies Silas as an adult. He gets punched in the face though
Panic attacks
Trauma of feeling unwanted
Always been you | Childhood best friends | Double awakening
"My heart was hollow without him. And now, I don't think it's ever been so full."
⚠️ potential spoilers below in detailed tropes, content and warning lists
Tropes/content:
Childhood friends
Silas struggled in school, his brain works differently
Silas was adopted at 2 years old
Silas' parents divorce when he's 14 and its "his fault" - he overheard them talking about how he's hard to parent despite loving him
Levi goes off to college while Silas works the family potato farm
Best friends to ex friends with hurt to lovers
Silas loves to draw
Forced proximity when Levi unknowingly gets hired on Silas's family farm - it was a company who handled the contract so neither side knew who each other was until everything was signed
Emotional conversations, apologies
Slow burn
First kiss around 68%
First times
Double awakening
Showering together
They've always loved each other, just never grasped how much until now
Levi punches one of Silas's long time bullies in the face
Fishing
Rimming
Plot driven
Potato fight
Still best friends underneath it all
Short epilogue 1 year later - casual but fitting for them proposal. Levi proposes
Strict roles (at least on page)- but they gave off total vers vibes imo. It was never really discussed
Warnings/icks:
Silas was left by his adoptive mother
Silas was completely neglected by his bio mom before he was adopted
Divorce
Bullying in high school to Silas from other students
One of the same bullies comes back into town and bullies Silas as an adult. He gets punched in the face though
Panic attacks
Trauma of feeling unwanted
May 12, 2026
Why am I getting emotional over a good potato harvest? 🥔
Friends-to-lovers, the story of the main characters from their youth onward, a neurodivergent rep, a charming natural setting surrounded by farms and the beach, and an energetic golden retriever—what’s not to like?
I absolutely loved the first 20% of the book. I fell in love with Silas immediately, and I think he even became one of my all-time favorite characters (I also see a lot of myself in him so it was really easy to relate to him and empathize with him). Their friendship and Levi’s support and patience toward Silas? Loved it.
I appreciated that there wasn’t any over-the-top drama causing their distance and rift—life just happened. Sometimes things and relationships don’t stay the same, no matter how much you want them to -and this book captures that well.
”Silas was always the person I wanted to share everything with. All my sadness and joy, and everything in between. But somewhere along the way, my joy became something that hurt him. And hurt us.”
Something happened, though, after they were apart; it didn’t feel the same to me after that as it did in the first 20% of the book. Not that things were actually the same, but as far as my feelings toward the book went, they faded a bit -but just a bit, I still liked it right up until the end. But this just didn't quite reach that 5-star level it had in the beginning (maybe 4.5).
My favorite part was Silas—the way his feelings were portrayed and how he worked through them. This was maybe the kind of book where I ended up liking a single character more than the romance itself. I loved reading about their friendship and their strong bond, but later on, the romance itself and how it unfolded felt a bit... underwhelming, even though the relationship between Levi and Silas was still something so wonderful.
I love the author’s writing style, the characters she introduces to us, all the little details she weaves into the pages of her books, and, above all, these beautiful stories that we are privileged to read.
🥔🥔🥔
’And while I don’t need to escape the way he does, I need him. And here, with the wind coming through the cracked window and all of Prince Edward Island stretched out below us, the only thing we need to do is to be exactly who we are.’
”They left me in the dark,” he says quietly. “But you never did. It was never dark with you.”
’I’m just mad. I’m mad that I let it get like this, and that I can’t be enough. That I can’t be the kind of person who makes someone stay.’
Friends-to-lovers, the story of the main characters from their youth onward, a neurodivergent rep, a charming natural setting surrounded by farms and the beach, and an energetic golden retriever—what’s not to like?
I absolutely loved the first 20% of the book. I fell in love with Silas immediately, and I think he even became one of my all-time favorite characters (I also see a lot of myself in him so it was really easy to relate to him and empathize with him). Their friendship and Levi’s support and patience toward Silas? Loved it.
I appreciated that there wasn’t any over-the-top drama causing their distance and rift—life just happened. Sometimes things and relationships don’t stay the same, no matter how much you want them to -and this book captures that well.
”Silas was always the person I wanted to share everything with. All my sadness and joy, and everything in between. But somewhere along the way, my joy became something that hurt him. And hurt us.”
Something happened, though, after they were apart; it didn’t feel the same to me after that as it did in the first 20% of the book. Not that things were actually the same, but as far as my feelings toward the book went, they faded a bit -but just a bit, I still liked it right up until the end. But this just didn't quite reach that 5-star level it had in the beginning (maybe 4.5).
My favorite part was Silas—the way his feelings were portrayed and how he worked through them. This was maybe the kind of book where I ended up liking a single character more than the romance itself. I loved reading about their friendship and their strong bond, but later on, the romance itself and how it unfolded felt a bit... underwhelming, even though the relationship between Levi and Silas was still something so wonderful.
I love the author’s writing style, the characters she introduces to us, all the little details she weaves into the pages of her books, and, above all, these beautiful stories that we are privileged to read.
🥔🥔🥔
’And while I don’t need to escape the way he does, I need him. And here, with the wind coming through the cracked window and all of Prince Edward Island stretched out below us, the only thing we need to do is to be exactly who we are.’
”They left me in the dark,” he says quietly. “But you never did. It was never dark with you.”
’I’m just mad. I’m mad that I let it get like this, and that I can’t be enough. That I can’t be the kind of person who makes someone stay.’
April 24, 2026
4.25⭐️
Silas has grown up misunderstood and ridiculed, with only his best friend Levi (and sometimes his dad) truly believing in him. This story is a slow burn romance, that focuses heavily on Silas’ character building and a beautiful friendship between two guys that truly love each other.
As always, this story was atmospheric, and really took you to the potatoey land of PEI (there is a lot of potato talk). Though in all seriousness, the writing is very good.
The burn is slow in this one, but the way they love and accept each other is very deep. The romantic / sexual aspects of this book aren’t even the forefront, but it still worked as a romance in the end.
This series is so interesting, and each book is so different and beautiful. I also love that you can pick and choose which ones appeal to you if you want to try it out (though I’ve read them all, hehe!)
As an official member of the Silas defenders club, I do recommend picking this one up if you want a slower burn and an emotional read.
Silas has grown up misunderstood and ridiculed, with only his best friend Levi (and sometimes his dad) truly believing in him. This story is a slow burn romance, that focuses heavily on Silas’ character building and a beautiful friendship between two guys that truly love each other.
As always, this story was atmospheric, and really took you to the potatoey land of PEI (there is a lot of potato talk). Though in all seriousness, the writing is very good.
The burn is slow in this one, but the way they love and accept each other is very deep. The romantic / sexual aspects of this book aren’t even the forefront, but it still worked as a romance in the end.
This series is so interesting, and each book is so different and beautiful. I also love that you can pick and choose which ones appeal to you if you want to try it out (though I’ve read them all, hehe!)
As an official member of the Silas defenders club, I do recommend picking this one up if you want a slower burn and an emotional read.
July 3, 2026
4.25⭐️ Silas & Levi
RTC
RTC
May 5, 2026
The trauma experienced by Silas was so accurate.
It was a romance but the part that will stay with me is Silas’s journey.
It was a romance but the part that will stay with me is Silas’s journey.
June 7, 2026
Already the final book in this wonderful series! Saying goodbye to this world feels bittersweet. Over the course of these books, I completely fell in love with the rugged beauty of eastern Canada: the birds in the skies, the towering trees, the red sandy beaches, and the vast potato fields stretching as far as the eye can see. And in this final installment, those potato fields become more than just a backdrop—they are woven deeply into the heart of the story.
On Prince Edward Island, two boys grow up together. Silas and Levi spend their childhood roaming through the potato fields, racing along the red shoreline, and climbing the lighthouse that watches over their neighboring properties. From the very beginning, Levi is Silas's safe place. Adopted at the age of two, Silas struggles with learning difficulties and often feels out of step with the world around him. But Levi never judges him. Instead, he meets him with endless patience, kindness, and understanding.
When Levi leaves for Toronto to pursue his studies, Silas's deepest fear comes crashing down around him: abandonment. The fear of losing the people he loves has always haunted him, and Levi's departure leaves a wound that neither of them truly knows how to heal. The fear drive them apart until they lose contact completely in the end. For years, both of them mourn the friendship they once had, carrying that grief in different ways.
But when fate brings Levi back to the family farm, they are forced to confront everything they left unsaid. Relief, resentment, anger, sadness, longing, and love all collide. And then there's a new emotion neither of them is prepared for: attraction. Watching them navigate these complicated feelings was both beautiful and heartbreaking.
Eve writes emotional stories like few others can. She doesn't rely on dramatic twists or grand gestures. Instead, she lets the emotions unfold quietly and naturally, allowing every feeling to settle deep under your skin. I found myself choking up more times than I can count. Silas and Levi truly feel like soulmates, but their journey toward each other is slow and deeply influenced by Silas's fears and trauma. That made every step forward feel earned and meaningful.
This story was beautiful, heart-wrenching, and incredibly gentle. I adored these boys. In fact, this book convinced me that in my next life, I absolutely want to marry a farmer. The sense of peace and belonging that radiates from the farm, from the endless rows of potato plants and the rhythms of rural life, was almost tangible. I felt it right alongside the characters.
And I felt for Silas. Like him, I didn't understand a word what came out of Levi's mouth regarding the improvement plans for the farm.
I'm giving this book 4.5 stars. The first book in the series remains my favorite, and this one dragged slightly in a few places. But those minor issues don't change how much this story touched me. Silas and Levi have firmly earned a place in my heart, and they are characters I won't soon forget.
On Prince Edward Island, two boys grow up together. Silas and Levi spend their childhood roaming through the potato fields, racing along the red shoreline, and climbing the lighthouse that watches over their neighboring properties. From the very beginning, Levi is Silas's safe place. Adopted at the age of two, Silas struggles with learning difficulties and often feels out of step with the world around him. But Levi never judges him. Instead, he meets him with endless patience, kindness, and understanding.
When Levi leaves for Toronto to pursue his studies, Silas's deepest fear comes crashing down around him: abandonment. The fear of losing the people he loves has always haunted him, and Levi's departure leaves a wound that neither of them truly knows how to heal. The fear drive them apart until they lose contact completely in the end. For years, both of them mourn the friendship they once had, carrying that grief in different ways.
But when fate brings Levi back to the family farm, they are forced to confront everything they left unsaid. Relief, resentment, anger, sadness, longing, and love all collide. And then there's a new emotion neither of them is prepared for: attraction. Watching them navigate these complicated feelings was both beautiful and heartbreaking.
Eve writes emotional stories like few others can. She doesn't rely on dramatic twists or grand gestures. Instead, she lets the emotions unfold quietly and naturally, allowing every feeling to settle deep under your skin. I found myself choking up more times than I can count. Silas and Levi truly feel like soulmates, but their journey toward each other is slow and deeply influenced by Silas's fears and trauma. That made every step forward feel earned and meaningful.
This story was beautiful, heart-wrenching, and incredibly gentle. I adored these boys. In fact, this book convinced me that in my next life, I absolutely want to marry a farmer. The sense of peace and belonging that radiates from the farm, from the endless rows of potato plants and the rhythms of rural life, was almost tangible. I felt it right alongside the characters.
And I felt for Silas. Like him, I didn't understand a word what came out of Levi's mouth regarding the improvement plans for the farm.
I'm giving this book 4.5 stars. The first book in the series remains my favorite, and this one dragged slightly in a few places. But those minor issues don't change how much this story touched me. Silas and Levi have firmly earned a place in my heart, and they are characters I won't soon forget.
July 3, 2026
Wonderful Series
This is my third book in Eve Holmes gorgeous series, ‘Northern Roots’ and I’ve adored each one of them. Next, I’m going to read ‘Bump Start’.
Eve Holmes must have spent a lot of time researching the agricultural background to ‘Hollow Heart’, set in Prince Edward Island, and it shows in her writing.
Show stealers, Silas and Levi were so perfect for each other. Levi was such a best friend all through their lives from 3 years old, supporting Silas in his learning difficulties and protecting him from bullies. Nevertheless, Silas had his own special talents Drawing and Fixing Things, which took him ages to accept as his special talents. Luckily his family and Levi helped him see his worth. Even though they had been BFF, neither of them recognised when the change to something extra actually happened.🥰 It brought a smile to my face as they wondered how to do what next. 🤣
I hope Eve Holmes enjoys the break she plans to take and some time in the future she gives us more stories set in Maritime Canada, an area I wish I had an opportunity to visit.
You won’t regret adding all the Northern Roots series to your TBR list. Hope you enjoy the varied characters featured in each ‘standalone’ book.
This is my third book in Eve Holmes gorgeous series, ‘Northern Roots’ and I’ve adored each one of them. Next, I’m going to read ‘Bump Start’.
Eve Holmes must have spent a lot of time researching the agricultural background to ‘Hollow Heart’, set in Prince Edward Island, and it shows in her writing.
Show stealers, Silas and Levi were so perfect for each other. Levi was such a best friend all through their lives from 3 years old, supporting Silas in his learning difficulties and protecting him from bullies. Nevertheless, Silas had his own special talents Drawing and Fixing Things, which took him ages to accept as his special talents. Luckily his family and Levi helped him see his worth. Even though they had been BFF, neither of them recognised when the change to something extra actually happened.🥰 It brought a smile to my face as they wondered how to do what next. 🤣
I hope Eve Holmes enjoys the break she plans to take and some time in the future she gives us more stories set in Maritime Canada, an area I wish I had an opportunity to visit.
You won’t regret adding all the Northern Roots series to your TBR list. Hope you enjoy the varied characters featured in each ‘standalone’ book.
May 2, 2026
I loved this - my favourite of the series.
May 3, 2026
My heart
Levi and Silas broke my heart and then put it back together.
Their friendship ebbs and wanes like the tide is so realistic.
Silas has a multitude of serious issues and Levi was so kind and patient with him.
Their friendship takes a beating when Levi leaves to pursue his dreams and something breaks in Silas.
His return brings realistic, gritty, messy, complicated feelings and they have to work through it in order to move forward with a romantic relationship.
Levi and Silas broke my heart and then put it back together.
Their friendship ebbs and wanes like the tide is so realistic.
Silas has a multitude of serious issues and Levi was so kind and patient with him.
Their friendship takes a beating when Levi leaves to pursue his dreams and something breaks in Silas.
His return brings realistic, gritty, messy, complicated feelings and they have to work through it in order to move forward with a romantic relationship.
May 3, 2026
Oh this book had me living in my feelings. It’s an emotional story full of rich context, nuance and exceptionally layered characters forming a rich tapestry of a life built over years and years that you can’t help but stare in awe at. How did you do it Eve Holmes, have us so invested In Silas and Levi. Soulmates. Best Friends. Estranged and destined for a second chance.
Silas had a very rough start in life to out it mildly and it has left scars that he deals with through out his childhood and life. He is not “fixed” but he is thriving. There is immense hope in that. The mental health rep and the neurodiversity rep in this book is exceptional. Shout out to Scott and his parents , even Levi’s family - brilliant people. Levi loves Silas, understands Silas and fits with Silas since they were young boys running up thier lighthouse to come up with fantastical stories to deal with the challenges life threw at them. But Levi is growing and discovering himself and stretching his wings means stepping away and to find and sustain a connection when everything sis changing is hard. But they never forget and something is always missing.
Life happens again and they reconnect but it’s more now and it’s evolved and their connection is stronger with added layers of attraction and love for the people they have grown into. It’s swoony and sweet and true and completely romantic.
The metaphor of field 2 is not lost on me and it’s beautifully portrayed. I know why Silas holds on so tight to it and I know why he finally solves it. Or the metaphor of the truck being repaired
I love Winston he is a bright light and a joy in this story.
I have to mention the punch - I was jumping up and down with glee
I loved the cross over 🫠
There are so many sweet moments in this book that keep revisiting me even after I’ve finished
This series is one I have loved from the first book on and everytime it’s another favourite
Silas had a very rough start in life to out it mildly and it has left scars that he deals with through out his childhood and life. He is not “fixed” but he is thriving. There is immense hope in that. The mental health rep and the neurodiversity rep in this book is exceptional. Shout out to Scott and his parents , even Levi’s family - brilliant people. Levi loves Silas, understands Silas and fits with Silas since they were young boys running up thier lighthouse to come up with fantastical stories to deal with the challenges life threw at them. But Levi is growing and discovering himself and stretching his wings means stepping away and to find and sustain a connection when everything sis changing is hard. But they never forget and something is always missing.
Life happens again and they reconnect but it’s more now and it’s evolved and their connection is stronger with added layers of attraction and love for the people they have grown into. It’s swoony and sweet and true and completely romantic.
The metaphor of field 2 is not lost on me and it’s beautifully portrayed. I know why Silas holds on so tight to it and I know why he finally solves it. Or the metaphor of the truck being repaired
I love Winston he is a bright light and a joy in this story.
I have to mention the punch - I was jumping up and down with glee
I loved the cross over 🫠
There are so many sweet moments in this book that keep revisiting me even after I’ve finished
This series is one I have loved from the first book on and everytime it’s another favourite
May 28, 2026
9/10 Забороняю всім ображати цю серію книг і цю картопляну особливо!🥔🇨🇦👨❤️💋👨👬 Ну така ніжнятіна, я не можу. Значить Сайлас всиновлена дитина з проблемами з агресією, навчанням і прихильністю, має друга Леві. Живуть вони в маленькому прекрасному канадському містечку, провінція на острові св. Едуарда. Всі там саджають картоплю🥔 🧎♀️➡️🫦Я необʼєктивна тут аж ніяк в прекрасності острова🙂↕️🤣 Так от Леві вирішує поїхати жити життя до столиці і вони сваряться. Тут, доречі, подвійне бі-пробудження, хтось там таке шукає постійно
April 22, 2026
4.5⭐️ The best of estranged childhood friends to lovers. Levi and Silas start their journey as childhood best friends and end their journey as adults, thrust back together despite their near-hatred of each other.
The ultimate slow burn follows these friends through some very emotional times as Silas comes head to head with his abandonment issues that he has always fought with. This book was so well written. The slow paced plot was beautifully complimented by deep, complex characters. Plenty of farming plot, cute dog cameos and a really cool sub-plot with comic book sketching.
Highly recommend this book to lovers of estranged friends to lovers and excellent slow burns!
Thank-you to GRR for an ARC to review. This review is my honest opinion.
The ultimate slow burn follows these friends through some very emotional times as Silas comes head to head with his abandonment issues that he has always fought with. This book was so well written. The slow paced plot was beautifully complimented by deep, complex characters. Plenty of farming plot, cute dog cameos and a really cool sub-plot with comic book sketching.
Highly recommend this book to lovers of estranged friends to lovers and excellent slow burns!
Thank-you to GRR for an ARC to review. This review is my honest opinion.
May 13, 2026
This was my first book by this author even though I have a few others on my kindle. What an absolutely beautiful written story. Levi and Silas’s love story was a slow but incredible build up. They have known and loved each other since childhood. But it wasn’t until they were adults that they got to explore and understand what their love for one another looked like. As a west coast Canadian who has visited the Maritimes I love the scenery and atmosphere eve holmes created. I felt like I was there on PEI with them. Please excuse me while go back and read all Eve Holmes other books.
Quotes: Levi to Silas
“You said it hurt to keep chasing something you didn’t belong in anymore.” I pause, keeping my back to him and my eyes fixed in the dirt in front of me. “But I keep coming to you,” he says. “ And you keep leaving”
Quotes: Levi to Silas
“You said it hurt to keep chasing something you didn’t belong in anymore.” I pause, keeping my back to him and my eyes fixed in the dirt in front of me. “But I keep coming to you,” he says. “ And you keep leaving”
April 27, 2026
Silas has struggled from the very beginning, and no one ever seems to truly understand him—except his best friend, Levi. They’ve been inseparable since they were three years old. Levi has always been patient with Silas, instinctively knowing what he needs in a way no one else does.
But after high school, everything changes. Levi leaves to study in another province, and Silas is left behind, feeling abandoned. They try to stay connected over the years, but the distance—and everything that comes with it—eventually becomes too much, and their friendship breaks apart completely.
Years later, Levi is unexpectedly called back home for a job… only to discover he’ll be working on Silas’s family farm. No one else realizes the weight of this reunion, but for Silas, it shakes the very foundation of the place that once felt safest. Everything is changing again, and he’s not sure he can handle it—especially when he’s convinced that what they had is beyond repair.
But somehow, they both decide to try.
As they begin to navigate their way back to each other, something unexpected starts to surface, and new feelings begin to take shape.
I loved this story so much. Watching Silas and Levi work through their past and carefully explore these new emotions was everything. And that HEA? Absolute perfection.
** I received a complementary copy of this book.**
But after high school, everything changes. Levi leaves to study in another province, and Silas is left behind, feeling abandoned. They try to stay connected over the years, but the distance—and everything that comes with it—eventually becomes too much, and their friendship breaks apart completely.
Years later, Levi is unexpectedly called back home for a job… only to discover he’ll be working on Silas’s family farm. No one else realizes the weight of this reunion, but for Silas, it shakes the very foundation of the place that once felt safest. Everything is changing again, and he’s not sure he can handle it—especially when he’s convinced that what they had is beyond repair.
But somehow, they both decide to try.
As they begin to navigate their way back to each other, something unexpected starts to surface, and new feelings begin to take shape.
I loved this story so much. Watching Silas and Levi work through their past and carefully explore these new emotions was everything. And that HEA? Absolute perfection.
** I received a complementary copy of this book.**
May 3, 2026
this story pulled me in from the very first chapter, i couldn’t put it down. silas and levi have such an intense emotional connection that you can feel from the very beginning and you just know they love each other!
their love is raw, messy, complicated but that’s what i loved so much about it. it was just so human, there’s so many complex emotions and situations. they hurt each other even though they clearly love each other and it felt so realistic
this is a sloww burn but i actually loved that it was. we really get the chance to know these characters and see their journeys together and separately. i believe seeing their platonic relationship was so important to get to their romantic relationship and figure out what that looks like to them.
silas was such a stand out character to me, i felt for him so deeply. yes he can seem harsh and closed off but when he lets those walls down it’s beautiful and he’s such a gentle soul. i’m obsessed with the way levi continued to show up again and again especially when he’s being pushed away, he was so understanding and i love him for that. these two just balance each other out perfectly and i love their love
i also cared deeply about those potatoes and i did cry over them
their love is raw, messy, complicated but that’s what i loved so much about it. it was just so human, there’s so many complex emotions and situations. they hurt each other even though they clearly love each other and it felt so realistic
this is a sloww burn but i actually loved that it was. we really get the chance to know these characters and see their journeys together and separately. i believe seeing their platonic relationship was so important to get to their romantic relationship and figure out what that looks like to them.
silas was such a stand out character to me, i felt for him so deeply. yes he can seem harsh and closed off but when he lets those walls down it’s beautiful and he’s such a gentle soul. i’m obsessed with the way levi continued to show up again and again especially when he’s being pushed away, he was so understanding and i love him for that. these two just balance each other out perfectly and i love their love
i also cared deeply about those potatoes and i did cry over them
May 13, 2026
Tanıştığımız andan itibaren, onun hayatımda olması gerektiğini biliyordum. Ve ona olan sevgim, artık daha fazla büyüyemeyeceğini düşündüğüm anlarda bile her gün büyümeye devam ediyor.
O varken kalbim asla boş kalamaz. Onu seveceğim, ışığını açık tutacağım ve hayatımızın geri kalanında onun için güvenli liman olacağım.
Sonsuza kadar, sadece o ve ben.
Ah kalbim 🥹🥹🥹
O varken kalbim asla boş kalamaz. Onu seveceğim, ışığını açık tutacağım ve hayatımızın geri kalanında onun için güvenli liman olacağım.
Sonsuza kadar, sadece o ve ben.
Ah kalbim 🥹🥹🥹
May 16, 2026
Goddamn this book for making me feel so emotional 😭 Silas deserved every love he got from everyone near him 💗 He and Levi definitely were adorable together when they eventually got to that point. I enjoyed this one a lot of you couldn't tell 😅
April 24, 2026
This one was just fine for me. Lots of potato talk. Very angsty. And that burn was slowww. I’d say it leans more literary fic than romance with all the internal struggles and dialogue and relatively slow plot. 65% in and nothing but just being besties…Levi & Silas are extremely lovable characters, which helps a lot. And i appreciate the small town aspect. I wish the romance had more time to grow and be questioned versus the focus on the hollow heart field. But also loved the community
aspect and their families being so lovely.
I think this one will work for a lot of people as a sweet, slow summer romance read.
aspect and their families being so lovely.
I think this one will work for a lot of people as a sweet, slow summer romance read.
May 2, 2026
Pros:
- convinced me to visit PEI
- well researched potato farming storyline
Cons:
- incredibly repetitive prose
- I wish the couple stayed platonic friends
- would have benefited from third person POV or single first person POV
- convinced me to visit PEI
- well researched potato farming storyline
Cons:
- incredibly repetitive prose
- I wish the couple stayed platonic friends
- would have benefited from third person POV or single first person POV
May 2, 2026
This was so beautiful! These two boys wrecked me, but then slowly put me and themselves back together. It was great to see parts of Silas and Levi's past. It was great to see their history and see that connection that ends up evolving into something more.
My heart went out to Silas and his life story touched me deeply. His struggles broke my heart, but he also showed so much strength. I was in awe of him throughout the book!
I will admit, some of what Levi says concerning input and output went over my head, but I loved all of the farming related information. All of it was written so well, and I felt like I was learning things about potato farming.
I loved Silas and Levi's connection. It was great seeing them get over the hurt they had between them and rebuild their friendship while also seeing that friendship evolve and change into something more. They understood each other perfectly and were the perfect pair. I loved that Levi did not give up and understood that Silas needed him to show up.
This was beautifully written and I didn't want to put it down. I was curious to see what would happen next, what would they think about a certain scene, how would they deal with the hollow heart field. While the story deals with Silas' trauma and history, it didn't feel like a heavy read. I was emotional in the first part of the book, but after that I was just giddy and optimistic, smiling a lot while reading.
If you love hurt/comfort, a small town romance, childhood best friends to lovers then this is the book for you! Plus you get Winston, the happiest, goofiest golden retriever you'll ever meet.
My heart went out to Silas and his life story touched me deeply. His struggles broke my heart, but he also showed so much strength. I was in awe of him throughout the book!
I will admit, some of what Levi says concerning input and output went over my head, but I loved all of the farming related information. All of it was written so well, and I felt like I was learning things about potato farming.
I loved Silas and Levi's connection. It was great seeing them get over the hurt they had between them and rebuild their friendship while also seeing that friendship evolve and change into something more. They understood each other perfectly and were the perfect pair. I loved that Levi did not give up and understood that Silas needed him to show up.
This was beautifully written and I didn't want to put it down. I was curious to see what would happen next, what would they think about a certain scene, how would they deal with the hollow heart field. While the story deals with Silas' trauma and history, it didn't feel like a heavy read. I was emotional in the first part of the book, but after that I was just giddy and optimistic, smiling a lot while reading.
If you love hurt/comfort, a small town romance, childhood best friends to lovers then this is the book for you! Plus you get Winston, the happiest, goofiest golden retriever you'll ever meet.
May 8, 2026
To start, a few things- I love this author and this whole series, so this isn't anything against the them. This book just wasn't for me, and that's okay. Not everyone is going to vibe with the same kinds of books.
Before getting into the plot, as someone from the U.S, at the risk of sounding stupid, y'all have beaches in Canada??? Like coastal cities or provinces??? I was reading this book at work at 3 am and genuinely thought I was losing it, because I've never once thought about Canada and beaches together in the same sentence. Yes, I went to public school and yes, my geography classes didn't teach me sh*t apparently.
My two main concerns...
- First, if I had to read agricultural optimization or whatever jargon one more time I was going to lose it. And Silas was working so hard to understand it, and I'm obviously very much not in the world of farming at all, but everyone else on the farm heard Levi talking during his presentation and went, yep, that makes sense. MY BROTHER IN CHRIST WHAT ARE YOU EVEN TALKING ABOUT??? Why am I learning more about what causes hollow heart in potatoes than about these two characters? 🤦♀️
- Second, I didn't feel the chemistry between Levi and Silas. The first part of the book from their childhood and early college years was so good, and it was clear how close they were and it was honestly beautiful to see that relationship grow over time. It wasn't mentioned, but the characters never mentioned s*x during college, hookups, relationships, etc and it was honestly giving ace or demi vibes. But then there's the whole 'bi awakening' and then they're engaging in spicy extracurriculars like a day after they kissed. So clearly they experience sexual attraction, but only with each other? It just didn't track for me. It would be different if they had started to realize they had feelings for each other as teens or in college, like most other friends to lovers tropes, or maybe one was pining after the other, but this legit came out of nowhere.
Things I enjoyed...
- The closeness of the MCs and their families. Even after they came out as bi/gay/queer and in a relationship, it wasn't treated as a big thing, which I appreciate. They were so close their whole lives, I feel like the families probs knew something was up between them. As a queer person, I absolutely can't stand to read books where the whole coming out to the family thing is a huge plot point because their family is homophobic or they don't know if they are. Like in this book, these MCs realized they were in love, told their families, and that was it, as it should be. If parents really love their kids, who their kid loves or is attracted to shouldn't matter. Love shouldn't be conditional for parents. And thank you for coming to my TED talk.
- How pure their love was. It was giving very YA/ Heartstopper vibes with how beautiful their love was for each other
Before getting into the plot, as someone from the U.S, at the risk of sounding stupid, y'all have beaches in Canada??? Like coastal cities or provinces??? I was reading this book at work at 3 am and genuinely thought I was losing it, because I've never once thought about Canada and beaches together in the same sentence. Yes, I went to public school and yes, my geography classes didn't teach me sh*t apparently.
My two main concerns...
- First, if I had to read agricultural optimization or whatever jargon one more time I was going to lose it. And Silas was working so hard to understand it, and I'm obviously very much not in the world of farming at all, but everyone else on the farm heard Levi talking during his presentation and went, yep, that makes sense. MY BROTHER IN CHRIST WHAT ARE YOU EVEN TALKING ABOUT??? Why am I learning more about what causes hollow heart in potatoes than about these two characters? 🤦♀️
- Second, I didn't feel the chemistry between Levi and Silas. The first part of the book from their childhood and early college years was so good, and it was clear how close they were and it was honestly beautiful to see that relationship grow over time. It wasn't mentioned, but the characters never mentioned s*x during college, hookups, relationships, etc and it was honestly giving ace or demi vibes. But then there's the whole 'bi awakening' and then they're engaging in spicy extracurriculars like a day after they kissed. So clearly they experience sexual attraction, but only with each other? It just didn't track for me. It would be different if they had started to realize they had feelings for each other as teens or in college, like most other friends to lovers tropes, or maybe one was pining after the other, but this legit came out of nowhere.
Things I enjoyed...
- The closeness of the MCs and their families. Even after they came out as bi/gay/queer and in a relationship, it wasn't treated as a big thing, which I appreciate. They were so close their whole lives, I feel like the families probs knew something was up between them. As a queer person, I absolutely can't stand to read books where the whole coming out to the family thing is a huge plot point because their family is homophobic or they don't know if they are. Like in this book, these MCs realized they were in love, told their families, and that was it, as it should be. If parents really love their kids, who their kid loves or is attracted to shouldn't matter. Love shouldn't be conditional for parents. And thank you for coming to my TED talk.
- How pure their love was. It was giving very YA/ Heartstopper vibes with how beautiful their love was for each other
May 25, 2026
Gosh, Eve Holmes is such an insanely talented author. Every single book in this series has been spectacular, so I went into this one with extremely high expectations, and somehow she still managed to meet every single one of them.
I absolutely loved the rural setting. I’m always a sucker for stories like this, and Eve Holmes captures that atmosphere so perfectly. The sense of place feels incredibly vivid and lived-in, to the point where I somehow became deeply invested in potato farming of all things. There’s so much discussion of the farm and the work woven throughout the story, but it never feels excessive because it’s tied so closely to the characters themselves and to the evolution of their relationship. The farming isn’t just aesthetic background dressing, it’s part of the emotional core of the book, and I loved that.
At its heart, this is such a quiet but deeply powerful love story. The author really takes her time introducing these characters and allowing the reader to fully understand them. Watching Silas and Levi move from childhood best friends, to estrangement in their early twenties, to eventually finding their way back to each other again felt incredibly satisfying. The pacing is excellent throughout. Nothing feels rushed, but the story also never drags. Every stage of their relationship is given the space it needs to breathe, and once they finally choose each other again, they are completely and wholeheartedly all in. (And NO third-act break-up or drama! YAY!!!)
What impressed me most was how intentional the entire book felt. Everything comes full circle in such a satisfying way. There are so many small details, callbacks, and emotional threads woven throughout the story that later reconnect beautifully, making the whole novel feel incredibly cohesive and well-rounded. You can tell how much care went into constructing this story.
I cannot wait for the next book in this series to come out!
I absolutely loved the rural setting. I’m always a sucker for stories like this, and Eve Holmes captures that atmosphere so perfectly. The sense of place feels incredibly vivid and lived-in, to the point where I somehow became deeply invested in potato farming of all things. There’s so much discussion of the farm and the work woven throughout the story, but it never feels excessive because it’s tied so closely to the characters themselves and to the evolution of their relationship. The farming isn’t just aesthetic background dressing, it’s part of the emotional core of the book, and I loved that.
At its heart, this is such a quiet but deeply powerful love story. The author really takes her time introducing these characters and allowing the reader to fully understand them. Watching Silas and Levi move from childhood best friends, to estrangement in their early twenties, to eventually finding their way back to each other again felt incredibly satisfying. The pacing is excellent throughout. Nothing feels rushed, but the story also never drags. Every stage of their relationship is given the space it needs to breathe, and once they finally choose each other again, they are completely and wholeheartedly all in. (And NO third-act break-up or drama! YAY!!!)
What impressed me most was how intentional the entire book felt. Everything comes full circle in such a satisfying way. There are so many small details, callbacks, and emotional threads woven throughout the story that later reconnect beautifully, making the whole novel feel incredibly cohesive and well-rounded. You can tell how much care went into constructing this story.
I cannot wait for the next book in this series to come out!
April 27, 2026
My heart!! I absolutely loved this book so so much. This whole interconnected series is amazing and each story is so unique I will never shut up about them!
This is a childhood best friends to strangers to lovers story. It’s a slow burn that is so beautiful and everything the characters needed.
Silas has never fit in. Everyone leaves him because they think he’s too difficult to deal with. Everyone but his dad and Levi.
Levi saw something in Silas and knew he needed to protect him. He saw how people treated Silas differently when all Silas needed was a little more time or for things to be explained in a different way. As they grow up Levi always has Silas back but when life gets real after graduation, Levi is left with an impossible choice. A choice Silas has know was coming but never wanted to face.
Silas knows everyone eventually leaves but he never expected Levi to be apart of that group of people. Years after their friendship dissolves, Silas is working on his family potato farm and is dedicated to fixing a problem spot that’s been giving the farm an uncertain results for the past few years. His dad hires someone who can help with the technical side of farming but when it’s revealed that the new hire is Levi, Silas doesn’t know how to react. He’s nervous, he’s scared, he’s angry, but he’s also longing for the friendship that they once had.
As the two men are thrown together because of their jobs, memories make feelings hard to ignore.
Feelings explode to the surface and the past and the future come together for something beautiful and powerful. Their love ends up saving more than just their hearts!
The spice in this was soooo good. It was so full of love and passion and I was kicking my feet when they finally had their first kiss. This is a delicious slow burn that has an explosive pay off. 2.75 🌶️
This book had me in my feels the whole time. It was so emotional and beautiful and the perfect childhood friends to lovers story.
I love each of the books little interconnected parts but this one was extra special!!
This is a childhood best friends to strangers to lovers story. It’s a slow burn that is so beautiful and everything the characters needed.
Silas has never fit in. Everyone leaves him because they think he’s too difficult to deal with. Everyone but his dad and Levi.
Levi saw something in Silas and knew he needed to protect him. He saw how people treated Silas differently when all Silas needed was a little more time or for things to be explained in a different way. As they grow up Levi always has Silas back but when life gets real after graduation, Levi is left with an impossible choice. A choice Silas has know was coming but never wanted to face.
Silas knows everyone eventually leaves but he never expected Levi to be apart of that group of people. Years after their friendship dissolves, Silas is working on his family potato farm and is dedicated to fixing a problem spot that’s been giving the farm an uncertain results for the past few years. His dad hires someone who can help with the technical side of farming but when it’s revealed that the new hire is Levi, Silas doesn’t know how to react. He’s nervous, he’s scared, he’s angry, but he’s also longing for the friendship that they once had.
As the two men are thrown together because of their jobs, memories make feelings hard to ignore.
Feelings explode to the surface and the past and the future come together for something beautiful and powerful. Their love ends up saving more than just their hearts!
The spice in this was soooo good. It was so full of love and passion and I was kicking my feet when they finally had their first kiss. This is a delicious slow burn that has an explosive pay off. 2.75 🌶️
This book had me in my feels the whole time. It was so emotional and beautiful and the perfect childhood friends to lovers story.
I love each of the books little interconnected parts but this one was extra special!!
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