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Hearts of Willowrun #2
Sweet Hearts
AIDEN
I’m good at being the person everyone depends on: raising my daughter, running my gym, looking out for the people I love. My life is steady. I’m in control.
Then one weekend away leaves me alone with Ciarán O’Shea—my brother’s bratty best friend and the man I’ve spent eight years pretending doesn’t get under my skin.
One reckless night should be easy to forget. Except it’s next to impossible. And the more time we spend together, the harder it is to pretend I don’t want more.
I just need him to want this as much as I do.
CIARÁN
I learned a long time ago that being wanted isn’t the same as being loved. Between the migraines that stole my dance career and enough people walking away to make the message stick, I’ve gotten used to keeping things light, expecting little, and taking care of myself.
Then Aiden Shaw starts looking at me differently. He’s still irritating, obviously. But now he’s protective too. And sweet when I least expect it. Suddenly our years of bickering feel dangerously close to something real. Aiden says he wants more than stolen nights and secrets, and part of me desperately wants to believe him.
But if I give him my guarded heart, will it destroy me when he too walks away?
Sweet Hearts is book two in the Hearts of Willowrun series, a contemporary MM romance about discovering that first impressions aren’t always what they seem—and that sometimes the person who challenges you most is the one who knows your heart best. With a one-sided enemies-to-lovers dynamic, frenemies with benefits, a single dad, and a best friend’s brother romance, Sweet Hearts balances witty banter (bickering), heartfelt emotion, and spice.
It can be read as a standalone, however for the best experience I would suggest reading the series in order.
*This story contains heavy topics that could potentially be triggering. A content warning list is available in the book.
I’m good at being the person everyone depends on: raising my daughter, running my gym, looking out for the people I love. My life is steady. I’m in control.
Then one weekend away leaves me alone with Ciarán O’Shea—my brother’s bratty best friend and the man I’ve spent eight years pretending doesn’t get under my skin.
One reckless night should be easy to forget. Except it’s next to impossible. And the more time we spend together, the harder it is to pretend I don’t want more.
I just need him to want this as much as I do.
CIARÁN
I learned a long time ago that being wanted isn’t the same as being loved. Between the migraines that stole my dance career and enough people walking away to make the message stick, I’ve gotten used to keeping things light, expecting little, and taking care of myself.
Then Aiden Shaw starts looking at me differently. He’s still irritating, obviously. But now he’s protective too. And sweet when I least expect it. Suddenly our years of bickering feel dangerously close to something real. Aiden says he wants more than stolen nights and secrets, and part of me desperately wants to believe him.
But if I give him my guarded heart, will it destroy me when he too walks away?
Sweet Hearts is book two in the Hearts of Willowrun series, a contemporary MM romance about discovering that first impressions aren’t always what they seem—and that sometimes the person who challenges you most is the one who knows your heart best. With a one-sided enemies-to-lovers dynamic, frenemies with benefits, a single dad, and a best friend’s brother romance, Sweet Hearts balances witty banter (bickering), heartfelt emotion, and spice.
It can be read as a standalone, however for the best experience I would suggest reading the series in order.
*This story contains heavy topics that could potentially be triggering. A content warning list is available in the book.
508 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication November 10, 2026
About the author
Laura Kain
3 books166 followersLaura Kain is an author based in Ireland. She writes queer romance with a focus on realistic mental health representation, found family and swoon-worthy moments.
*Some cheesiness may be included
Check out her Instagram if you'd like to see what she's working on next.
(@laurakainauthor)
*Some cheesiness may be included
Check out her Instagram if you'd like to see what she's working on next.
(@laurakainauthor)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
November 2, 2026
He felt like coming home. Like the end of a long, exhausting day and the first deep inhale I’d taken in years
🥺
buckle up. i got a lot of love to share.
the way i was so down bad for ciarán and aiden's story from book one, the dynamic between these two was off the charts even as side characters. so i knew they would not disappoint me in their own story. i just knew ciarán was going to be bratty as hell and aiden was going to that perfect mix of grumpy & dominate but also a complete suck for him. yep, i love them so much 🥹
ciarán was exactly who i knew he would be. behind those walls of being loud, happy and full of sunshine, is just a person who is scared to lose those he cares about, is scared to let someone in and doesn't feel worthy of love. but ciarán you are so worthy of being cared for and loved deeply. his struggles made me feel so emotional because it is so relatable to see someone push people away out of fear that you aren’t good enough for them to want to stay 🥺 but i just adored how patient aiden was, and how he showed ciarán exactly what he wanted to give him - love, unconditionally. he knew him, he knew to not give up and he knew he was worth it all.
i also really appreciated the migraine rep with ciarán, because as someone who suffers with this (although not quite as badly thankfully) - i understand how debilitating they can be and how they can completely take everything out of you, not just physically. the mental toll is real. you can feel so helpless and lost.
but seeing him let his walls down, work through his battles, open up to aiden and accept a love that has no expectations, just someone wanting to love and support him for exactly who he is. my sweet, sassy angel, he deserves it all.
and god, i absolutely aored aiden’s character. i knew his grumpy facade had a soft and squishy inside. you could see it under the exterior he built up. that the jabs and fake disinterest was just years of wanting something, someone 🤭, he didn’t imagine he could have. i just loved how he was never ashamed of ciarán or their growing relationship, he was only ever worried about how ciarán felt, even when it was hurting him to keep things quiet, he had nothing but respect & care at the forefront of his actions. the way he was so protective, dominant and didn’t take any shit from him- the best dynamic.
i mean i am also definitely not complaining that he’s a hot as hell single daddy too 😏
seeing these two with little rose was so freakin cute. i cannot. she is so adorable and was written into the story so well 🥹
i love seeing the world through kids eyes, when everything is lovely and love is simple, no prejudices or hate - just pure joy. i wish everyone stayed this way.
i also appreciated how their relationship growth was healthy and open. which is how i also felt about book 1. the growth sits with the characters themselves. i love that there is no unnecessary drama between mc’s, it just feel so organic and real. because the hurdles these characters go through & the challenges they face as a couple, are based on their own struggles and inner growth. so the conflict always feels reasonable to the story and the characters themselves. which also leads into highlighting that we don’t have to be perfect and forgiveness lies in love too. i also really like how laura shows mental health in a realistic light, there is no fix. opening up, medication, therapy etc, none of it makes it go away, but it does help make the load lighter. not being ashamed of your struggles and learning to accept part of that fear, it is all okay 🫶🏼
and listen, damn, these two were so HOT 🔥 😮💨 the sexual chemistry between them had me screaming. they were both a perfect mix of filthy and delicious.
the size difference trope in the bedroom? HOT.
best friend's brother? HOT.
secret friends with benefits? HOT.
light daddy dom kink? HOT.
in general the spice was exceptional 🥵
and then moving all of this into a deep and emotional connection that has been brewing for 8 YEARS? UGH, so adorable & wholesome. it got me in my feels a few times actually.
“Beautiful,” I breathe, lungs filling with the scent of earth. “Very.” When I glance over my shoulder, Aiden isn’t looking at any of it. His attention is fixed on me. ELITE MICROTROPE 🫠
the fact that laura set these two up so well really made this book work, because i felt like i fell straight back into willowrun. from page 1 i was completed immersed being back in these characters lives. i would HIGHLY recommend reading shelved hearts first because you will get the full impact of not only these two, their build up and an already established connection and all the excitement to get to them- but you’ll also understand my perfect little angels gabe and noah.
i LOVED snippets of gabe and noah - they are genuinely so sweet and adorable. i also really enjoyed seeing their cheeky sides still, hehehe 😏
i just adore a found family when it is done well and for me this has been done immaculately because i genuinely want to slot into their lives and live alongside them.
i loved how aiden’s sexuality was never a question for himself too. he was just battling with being down bad for ciarán- and that was the battle, not the fact ciarán was a guy.
“Somewhere along the way, I stopped wanting hidden nights. I wanted years with you, Aiden.”
I’ve been collecting little pieces of him along the way, a bigger picture forming with passing time.
For most of my life, loving something meant wondering how long I got to keep it. These days, I’m much too busy deciding what we’re doing next.
And suddenly I’m so over loving people silently because saying it out loud makes them feel easier to lose.
I kiss him like I’ve been holding my breath for hours and only now remember how to breathe. Like I can’t get close enough, like if I could crawl beneath his skin, I would.
if you loved book one you’re gunna love this one too! same feel, same vibes! for me i really love it all.
thank you so much to laura for the arc and trusting me with your boys!! i feel so emotional that it is over. and the artwork of these two at the end? STUNNING, GORGEOUS, IMMACULATE!!! 🥺🤍
buckle up. i got a lot of love to share.
the way i was so down bad for ciarán and aiden's story from book one, the dynamic between these two was off the charts even as side characters. so i knew they would not disappoint me in their own story. i just knew ciarán was going to be bratty as hell and aiden was going to that perfect mix of grumpy & dominate but also a complete suck for him. yep, i love them so much 🥹
ciarán was exactly who i knew he would be. behind those walls of being loud, happy and full of sunshine, is just a person who is scared to lose those he cares about, is scared to let someone in and doesn't feel worthy of love. but ciarán you are so worthy of being cared for and loved deeply. his struggles made me feel so emotional because it is so relatable to see someone push people away out of fear that you aren’t good enough for them to want to stay 🥺 but i just adored how patient aiden was, and how he showed ciarán exactly what he wanted to give him - love, unconditionally. he knew him, he knew to not give up and he knew he was worth it all.
i also really appreciated the migraine rep with ciarán, because as someone who suffers with this (although not quite as badly thankfully) - i understand how debilitating they can be and how they can completely take everything out of you, not just physically. the mental toll is real. you can feel so helpless and lost.
but seeing him let his walls down, work through his battles, open up to aiden and accept a love that has no expectations, just someone wanting to love and support him for exactly who he is. my sweet, sassy angel, he deserves it all.
and god, i absolutely aored aiden’s character. i knew his grumpy facade had a soft and squishy inside. you could see it under the exterior he built up. that the jabs and fake disinterest was just years of wanting something, someone 🤭, he didn’t imagine he could have. i just loved how he was never ashamed of ciarán or their growing relationship, he was only ever worried about how ciarán felt, even when it was hurting him to keep things quiet, he had nothing but respect & care at the forefront of his actions. the way he was so protective, dominant and didn’t take any shit from him- the best dynamic.
i mean i am also definitely not complaining that he’s a hot as hell single daddy too 😏
seeing these two with little rose was so freakin cute. i cannot. she is so adorable and was written into the story so well 🥹
i love seeing the world through kids eyes, when everything is lovely and love is simple, no prejudices or hate - just pure joy. i wish everyone stayed this way.
i also appreciated how their relationship growth was healthy and open. which is how i also felt about book 1. the growth sits with the characters themselves. i love that there is no unnecessary drama between mc’s, it just feel so organic and real. because the hurdles these characters go through & the challenges they face as a couple, are based on their own struggles and inner growth. so the conflict always feels reasonable to the story and the characters themselves. which also leads into highlighting that we don’t have to be perfect and forgiveness lies in love too. i also really like how laura shows mental health in a realistic light, there is no fix. opening up, medication, therapy etc, none of it makes it go away, but it does help make the load lighter. not being ashamed of your struggles and learning to accept part of that fear, it is all okay 🫶🏼
and listen, damn, these two were so HOT 🔥 😮💨 the sexual chemistry between them had me screaming. they were both a perfect mix of filthy and delicious.
the size difference trope in the bedroom? HOT.
best friend's brother? HOT.
secret friends with benefits? HOT.
light daddy dom kink? HOT.
in general the spice was exceptional 🥵
and then moving all of this into a deep and emotional connection that has been brewing for 8 YEARS? UGH, so adorable & wholesome. it got me in my feels a few times actually.
“Beautiful,” I breathe, lungs filling with the scent of earth. “Very.” When I glance over my shoulder, Aiden isn’t looking at any of it. His attention is fixed on me. ELITE MICROTROPE 🫠
the fact that laura set these two up so well really made this book work, because i felt like i fell straight back into willowrun. from page 1 i was completed immersed being back in these characters lives. i would HIGHLY recommend reading shelved hearts first because you will get the full impact of not only these two, their build up and an already established connection and all the excitement to get to them- but you’ll also understand my perfect little angels gabe and noah.
i LOVED snippets of gabe and noah - they are genuinely so sweet and adorable. i also really enjoyed seeing their cheeky sides still, hehehe 😏
i just adore a found family when it is done well and for me this has been done immaculately because i genuinely want to slot into their lives and live alongside them.
i loved how aiden’s sexuality was never a question for himself too. he was just battling with being down bad for ciarán- and that was the battle, not the fact ciarán was a guy.
“Somewhere along the way, I stopped wanting hidden nights. I wanted years with you, Aiden.”
I’ve been collecting little pieces of him along the way, a bigger picture forming with passing time.
For most of my life, loving something meant wondering how long I got to keep it. These days, I’m much too busy deciding what we’re doing next.
And suddenly I’m so over loving people silently because saying it out loud makes them feel easier to lose.
I kiss him like I’ve been holding my breath for hours and only now remember how to breathe. Like I can’t get close enough, like if I could crawl beneath his skin, I would.
if you loved book one you’re gunna love this one too! same feel, same vibes! for me i really love it all.
thank you so much to laura for the arc and trusting me with your boys!! i feel so emotional that it is over. and the artwork of these two at the end? STUNNING, GORGEOUS, IMMACULATE!!! 🥺🤍
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is Laura’s second book, and WOW. 🥹❤️
I knew I would love Ciarán’s book when I met him in Shelved Hearts, and boy, i was in for a treat!
There’s so much more to Ciarán than his beautiful looks, his confidence, and his bratty mouth. Underneath it all, he just wants someone to stay. Someone who tells him they’ll fight for him and love him unconditionally. 💔
Aiden, Gabe’s brother. The grumpy single dad.
Somewhere along the way, he lost himself… until Ciarán came along and got under his skin. Way under his skin 🤭
The way these two idiots are SO right for each other! The constant bickering and snappy comments had me laughing so much. And C’s unhinged comments? 😂
I LOVE HIM. I want to have a friend like him! 😍
Seeing these two finally admit how weak they are for each other made my heart so happy. ❤️
And little Rose!! 🥹 She was SO cute, and I absolutely loved how much she adored C!( and visa versa)
Also, I wasn’t aware I was going to cry…😭
(Like, why am I such a crybaby? 😂)
I wasn’t warned. I wasn’t prepared.
But okay, Laura, I forgive you… 😂
These two were ON FIRE, damn filthy, 🥵🥵
and so cute together.
This book is even better than the first one (and that’s saying A LOT because the first one was already amazing!).
I love the Willowrun boys and their found . 💖
And now I need the next book ASAP because I CANNOT WAIT!!! 😭❤️
I knew I would love Ciarán’s book when I met him in Shelved Hearts, and boy, i was in for a treat!
There’s so much more to Ciarán than his beautiful looks, his confidence, and his bratty mouth. Underneath it all, he just wants someone to stay. Someone who tells him they’ll fight for him and love him unconditionally. 💔
Aiden, Gabe’s brother. The grumpy single dad.
Somewhere along the way, he lost himself… until Ciarán came along and got under his skin. Way under his skin 🤭
The way these two idiots are SO right for each other! The constant bickering and snappy comments had me laughing so much. And C’s unhinged comments? 😂
I LOVE HIM. I want to have a friend like him! 😍
Seeing these two finally admit how weak they are for each other made my heart so happy. ❤️
And little Rose!! 🥹 She was SO cute, and I absolutely loved how much she adored C!( and visa versa)
Also, I wasn’t aware I was going to cry…😭
(Like, why am I such a crybaby? 😂)
I wasn’t warned. I wasn’t prepared.
But okay, Laura, I forgive you… 😂
These two were ON FIRE, damn filthy, 🥵🥵
and so cute together.
This book is even better than the first one (and that’s saying A LOT because the first one was already amazing!).
I love the Willowrun boys and their found . 💖
And now I need the next book ASAP because I CANNOT WAIT!!! 😭❤️
October 30, 2026
Okay, this is going to be a longgg one!
Aiden and Ciarán are probably the easiest couple to become one of my all-time favorites! I love this book so, so much. I've loved Ciarán since the first book. I adore how much he cares about his friends, how happy and cheerful he always seems to be, and how he can light up any room he's in. I love his confidence, his energy, and honestly, just everything about him. So when he finally got his own book, and with Aiden of all people? I WAS SO READY FOR THE MESS!
We already knew how Aiden and Ciarán were always bickering whenever they were around each other. They couldn't seem to stand one another, always pushing each other's buttons and getting on each other's nerves. So, naturally, I was so curious to see how these two would finally fall in love.
But oh God, I wasn't expecting this story to hit me this hard. I went in thinking I was going to get a fun read, but I ended up crying at some point. Ciarán, sweetheart... 🥹 It was genuinely painful to see that all his happiness and cheerfulness were sometimes just a way of hiding how lonely he actually felt. He wasn't as strong as everyone thought he was. Behind all that confidence, he carried so much hurt and insecurity. He had been taken for granted, used by people, and eventually left behind so many times that trusting someone became incredibly difficult for him. And knowing that even his parents had always made him feel like he was simply too much made it even more heartbreaking. Beneath that loud, happy personality was someone who was genuinely scared of loving and being loved, someone who struggled to believe he was worth staying for.
And Aiden... OH MY GOD. I didn't expect him to be this soft for Ciarán! Another green flag MMC for me! Behind his grumpy exterior, he had apparently wanted Ciarán all along. He was so patient and protective, and I loved how hard he tried to earn Ciarán's trust without ever pushing him before he was ready. He simply made sure Ciarán knew he was there whenever he needed him. I also adored how much Aiden cared for Rose and how naturally Ciarán became someone who loved and cared for her, too. Seeing them together was just so heartwarming.
I really loved how naturally their relationship developed. After all those years of wanting each other, seeing them finally give in to their feelings was such a satisfying experience. Their relationship was sweet, hot, and everything in between. Aiden never made Ciarán feel like he had to hide who he was. He was always proud of him, supported his choices, and trusted him to do what he wanted. He never belittled him or made him feel like he was too much. Instead, he gave Ciarán the time and space he needed, patiently standing by him even when Ciarán kept pushing him away. And that was probably one of the most heartbreaking parts for me. Aiden wanted Ciarán to trust him so badly, but Ciarán was just so afraid of getting hurt again. So seeing Ciarán slowly learn to trust Aiden and finally allow himself to commit to someone was beautiful. He learned that falling in love always comes with the possibility of getting hurt, but sometimes, you just have to take that chance. And I'm so glad he did. 🥹
Another thing I really appreciated was how much the other characters contributed to Ciarán's development, especially Gabe. Their friendship is genuinely beautiful. I love how they always have each other's backs and how they're always there to offer a shoulder to lean on. The scene when Ciarán broke down in front of Gabe and finally told him everything was such a sweet and heartwarming moment. Seeing him being vulnerable, showing how tired he really was, and Gabe simply being there to hug him, listen to him, and encourage him was just so beautiful. I really loved their friendship. And I loved getting little glimpses of Gabe and Noah's life along the way! And of course, Theo! Love him! He was such a great friend, too. Can't wait to read his book!
And the ending and the epilouge. Seeing them finally build their own little family, God, my heart. :')) I'm genuinely so happy for them, especially Ciarán. After everything he's been through, he finally got the happiness and love he always deserved, with the perfect person by his side.
Overall, I just LOVE this book so much. It gave me everything I wanted and so much more. I came for the bickering and the romance, but stayed for the emotional depth, the character development, and the love between these two. Aiden and Ciarán are officially one of my favorite couples, and this is easily a five-star read for me. ❤️
I know I've used the word ‘love’ way too many times, but what can I say? I just LOVE this book and everything about it.
Aiden and Ciarán are probably the easiest couple to become one of my all-time favorites! I love this book so, so much. I've loved Ciarán since the first book. I adore how much he cares about his friends, how happy and cheerful he always seems to be, and how he can light up any room he's in. I love his confidence, his energy, and honestly, just everything about him. So when he finally got his own book, and with Aiden of all people? I WAS SO READY FOR THE MESS!
We already knew how Aiden and Ciarán were always bickering whenever they were around each other. They couldn't seem to stand one another, always pushing each other's buttons and getting on each other's nerves. So, naturally, I was so curious to see how these two would finally fall in love.
But oh God, I wasn't expecting this story to hit me this hard. I went in thinking I was going to get a fun read, but I ended up crying at some point. Ciarán, sweetheart... 🥹 It was genuinely painful to see that all his happiness and cheerfulness were sometimes just a way of hiding how lonely he actually felt. He wasn't as strong as everyone thought he was. Behind all that confidence, he carried so much hurt and insecurity. He had been taken for granted, used by people, and eventually left behind so many times that trusting someone became incredibly difficult for him. And knowing that even his parents had always made him feel like he was simply too much made it even more heartbreaking. Beneath that loud, happy personality was someone who was genuinely scared of loving and being loved, someone who struggled to believe he was worth staying for.
And Aiden... OH MY GOD. I didn't expect him to be this soft for Ciarán! Another green flag MMC for me! Behind his grumpy exterior, he had apparently wanted Ciarán all along. He was so patient and protective, and I loved how hard he tried to earn Ciarán's trust without ever pushing him before he was ready. He simply made sure Ciarán knew he was there whenever he needed him. I also adored how much Aiden cared for Rose and how naturally Ciarán became someone who loved and cared for her, too. Seeing them together was just so heartwarming.
I really loved how naturally their relationship developed. After all those years of wanting each other, seeing them finally give in to their feelings was such a satisfying experience. Their relationship was sweet, hot, and everything in between. Aiden never made Ciarán feel like he had to hide who he was. He was always proud of him, supported his choices, and trusted him to do what he wanted. He never belittled him or made him feel like he was too much. Instead, he gave Ciarán the time and space he needed, patiently standing by him even when Ciarán kept pushing him away. And that was probably one of the most heartbreaking parts for me. Aiden wanted Ciarán to trust him so badly, but Ciarán was just so afraid of getting hurt again. So seeing Ciarán slowly learn to trust Aiden and finally allow himself to commit to someone was beautiful. He learned that falling in love always comes with the possibility of getting hurt, but sometimes, you just have to take that chance. And I'm so glad he did. 🥹
Another thing I really appreciated was how much the other characters contributed to Ciarán's development, especially Gabe. Their friendship is genuinely beautiful. I love how they always have each other's backs and how they're always there to offer a shoulder to lean on. The scene when Ciarán broke down in front of Gabe and finally told him everything was such a sweet and heartwarming moment. Seeing him being vulnerable, showing how tired he really was, and Gabe simply being there to hug him, listen to him, and encourage him was just so beautiful. I really loved their friendship. And I loved getting little glimpses of Gabe and Noah's life along the way! And of course, Theo! Love him! He was such a great friend, too. Can't wait to read his book!
And the ending and the epilouge. Seeing them finally build their own little family, God, my heart. :')) I'm genuinely so happy for them, especially Ciarán. After everything he's been through, he finally got the happiness and love he always deserved, with the perfect person by his side.
Overall, I just LOVE this book so much. It gave me everything I wanted and so much more. I came for the bickering and the romance, but stayed for the emotional depth, the character development, and the love between these two. Aiden and Ciarán are officially one of my favorite couples, and this is easily a five-star read for me. ❤️
I know I've used the word ‘love’ way too many times, but what can I say? I just LOVE this book and everything about it.
November 1, 2026
5⭐️ - updated from 4.5 because I can’t stop thinking about this book and that means something!! 😆
3 🌶️
ARC Review
I absolutely loved this book! This was a perfect combination of white-hot chemistry, emotional relationship building, mental health rep, and wonderful character development.
Aiden has always been obsessed with Ciaran, but didn't understand why; Ciaran hates him after all. Ciaran loves to torment and tease Aiden, his best friend, Gabes, older brother. They avoid being alone with each other at all costs. When their mutual friend Theo decides to force them to spend a weekend together (à la The Parent Trap), things begin to change...
What starts out as "hate" hooking up turns into something neither of them expected. Ciaran has walls as high as the Empire State Building, and Aiden is determined to knock them down and show him how wanted he is and that he will never leave him.
I love books with slow emotional burns, and this certainly delivered. As with Shelved Hearts (the first book in the series), Laura does a fantastic job of writing mental health representation and depression. Ciaran has spent so long trying to be the fun one, the happy friend, someone who people won't ever want to leave or think is too much. Aiden is so soft under his rough exterior, a kind and protective brother and a loving father to Rose. Together, Aiden and Ciaran were hot, but so sweet together. I loved watching their dynamic change into deep and lasting love. I also loved seeing Ciaran's relationship with Rose. She's such a cutie!
As always, I also loved the side characters in this story, and I can't wait for their books. I love the found family dynamics in the story and the setting of Willowrun. This is such a great addition to this series, and Laura continues to show how great a writer she is.
3 🌶️
ARC Review
I absolutely loved this book! This was a perfect combination of white-hot chemistry, emotional relationship building, mental health rep, and wonderful character development.
Aiden has always been obsessed with Ciaran, but didn't understand why; Ciaran hates him after all. Ciaran loves to torment and tease Aiden, his best friend, Gabes, older brother. They avoid being alone with each other at all costs. When their mutual friend Theo decides to force them to spend a weekend together (à la The Parent Trap), things begin to change...
What starts out as "hate" hooking up turns into something neither of them expected. Ciaran has walls as high as the Empire State Building, and Aiden is determined to knock them down and show him how wanted he is and that he will never leave him.
I love books with slow emotional burns, and this certainly delivered. As with Shelved Hearts (the first book in the series), Laura does a fantastic job of writing mental health representation and depression. Ciaran has spent so long trying to be the fun one, the happy friend, someone who people won't ever want to leave or think is too much. Aiden is so soft under his rough exterior, a kind and protective brother and a loving father to Rose. Together, Aiden and Ciaran were hot, but so sweet together. I loved watching their dynamic change into deep and lasting love. I also loved seeing Ciaran's relationship with Rose. She's such a cutie!
As always, I also loved the side characters in this story, and I can't wait for their books. I love the found family dynamics in the story and the setting of Willowrun. This is such a great addition to this series, and Laura continues to show how great a writer she is.
Review of advance copy
♾️ ⭐️ | 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
This book was the definition of “one more chapter.” I couldn’t put it down and the only reason I did was I knew I should get some sleep ( 3 hours). WORTH IT. Aiden and Ciarán were the definition of heartbreakingly beautiful. You have 8 years of tension and this relationship where you aren’t quite friends or enemies you’re frenemies… and then you’re ParentTrapped, however it doesn’t quite work out the way you think. And then lines are crossed, rules are made… and broken. But beyong that we got a deeper look at these two beautiful men. Aiden who feels he always has to be the strong, protective and dependable type. Ciarán who has always felt he is too much, he puts on this front but there is soooo much behind his smile. The mental health that’s in Ciaráns story is definitely one that pulled on my heartstrings along with his chronic migraines, he was such a complex character who truly jist needed someone to make him see the beautiful light he truly was. That he deserved all the good things. These two broke my heart, they didn’t exactly have a meet cute which had it been avoided? Or better yet handled diffenly???? This book really makes you wanna take a step back and realize just how important communication is. Aiden, he definitely was the definition of when a man loves he loves HARD. Their story was worth the tears, worth the puffy eyes and lack of aleep because they did it. Theres something beautiful about an every day “boring” life with the one you love. Makes it worth the road traveled to get there.
This book was the definition of “one more chapter.” I couldn’t put it down and the only reason I did was I knew I should get some sleep ( 3 hours). WORTH IT. Aiden and Ciarán were the definition of heartbreakingly beautiful. You have 8 years of tension and this relationship where you aren’t quite friends or enemies you’re frenemies… and then you’re ParentTrapped, however it doesn’t quite work out the way you think. And then lines are crossed, rules are made… and broken. But beyong that we got a deeper look at these two beautiful men. Aiden who feels he always has to be the strong, protective and dependable type. Ciarán who has always felt he is too much, he puts on this front but there is soooo much behind his smile. The mental health that’s in Ciaráns story is definitely one that pulled on my heartstrings along with his chronic migraines, he was such a complex character who truly jist needed someone to make him see the beautiful light he truly was. That he deserved all the good things. These two broke my heart, they didn’t exactly have a meet cute which had it been avoided? Or better yet handled diffenly???? This book really makes you wanna take a step back and realize just how important communication is. Aiden, he definitely was the definition of when a man loves he loves HARD. Their story was worth the tears, worth the puffy eyes and lack of aleep because they did it. Theres something beautiful about an every day “boring” life with the one you love. Makes it worth the road traveled to get there.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Unlimited stars. Aiden and Ciarán, just, I'm at a loss for words at how beautiful this one was. 8 years they spent thinking they hated each other when they couldn't have been wrong. The more we dove into who C was, the more I was able to relate to him in so many levels. I loved everything about these two. Was not expecting to cry so much but it was just so freaking beautiful. I'm loving this world that Laura has created so much and can not wait to see what's next.
Review of advance copy received from Author
🅰🆁🅲 🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝐒𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐫𝐚 𝐊𝐚𝐢𝐧
“𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺, 𝘐 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴. 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘈𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯.”
𝘐’𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺, 𝘢 𝘣𝘪𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦. 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦, 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘐 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘪𝘵. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴, 𝘐’𝘮 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘐’𝘮 𝘴𝘰 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦.
𝘐 𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘐’𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦. 𝘓𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩, 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘪𝘧 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘸𝘭 𝘣𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘯, 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥."
Sometimes, the greatest love story is finding someone who makes you feel like you finally belong, and somehow, they still don't do this book justice.
This is Laura Kain's second book, and wow! Somehow, she managed to make this one even better than the first, and that's saying A LOT because I already loved the first book. If I could give this more than five stars, I absolutely would!
I'm a sucker for a slow emotional burn, and this book DELIVERED it. Just like in Shelved Hearts Book 1, Laura does such a wonderful job portraying mental health and depression with so much care and depth. I honestly wasn't expecting this story to hit me as hard as it did. I went in thinking I was getting a fun, sweet romance, only to find myself crying for them. I love when a book catches me off guard like that.
I already knew I was going to love Ciarán after meeting him in the first book, but GIRL, I was in for a treat! There's so much more to him than his good looks, confidence, and that bratty mouth. It genuinely hurt to see how his constant cheerfulness and playful attitude were sometimes just a way of hiding how lonely he really felt. Deep down, all Ciarán wants is someone who will stay. Someone who will choose him, fight for him, and love him unconditionally. And my heart? BROKEN.
Then there's Aiden. Underneath that rough exterior is a soft-hearted man, a kind and protective brother, and such a loving father to Rose. I loved seeing that side of him. Together, these two had ALL the chemistry. Their tension and attraction were undeniable, but what made me fall even harder for them was the tenderness underneath it all. Watching their relationship grow into something so deep, secure, and lasting was everything. And can we talk about Ciarán and Rose? Because their relationship was the sweetest thing ever. That little girl is such a sweetheart!
And THE ENDING. THE EPILOGUE. Seeing them finally build their own little family and find the happiness they've both been longing for? GOD, MY HEART. I couldn't have asked for a more beautiful ending for them. This is the kind of love story that gives you butterflies, breaks your heart a little, and puts it back together.
Laura Kain, you really outdid yourself with this one. A romance that gave me the yearning, the angst, the butterflies, and ALL the feels. I laughed, I swooned, and I cried. Safe to say, Ciarán and Aiden have my whole heart. Five stars aren't enough!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝐒𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐫𝐚 𝐊𝐚𝐢𝐧
“𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺, 𝘐 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴. 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘈𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯.”
𝘐’𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺, 𝘢 𝘣𝘪𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦. 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦, 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘐 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘪𝘵. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴, 𝘐’𝘮 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘐’𝘮 𝘴𝘰 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦.
𝘐 𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘐’𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦. 𝘓𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩, 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘪𝘧 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘸𝘭 𝘣𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘯, 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥."
Sometimes, the greatest love story is finding someone who makes you feel like you finally belong, and somehow, they still don't do this book justice.
This is Laura Kain's second book, and wow! Somehow, she managed to make this one even better than the first, and that's saying A LOT because I already loved the first book. If I could give this more than five stars, I absolutely would!
I'm a sucker for a slow emotional burn, and this book DELIVERED it. Just like in Shelved Hearts Book 1, Laura does such a wonderful job portraying mental health and depression with so much care and depth. I honestly wasn't expecting this story to hit me as hard as it did. I went in thinking I was getting a fun, sweet romance, only to find myself crying for them. I love when a book catches me off guard like that.
I already knew I was going to love Ciarán after meeting him in the first book, but GIRL, I was in for a treat! There's so much more to him than his good looks, confidence, and that bratty mouth. It genuinely hurt to see how his constant cheerfulness and playful attitude were sometimes just a way of hiding how lonely he really felt. Deep down, all Ciarán wants is someone who will stay. Someone who will choose him, fight for him, and love him unconditionally. And my heart? BROKEN.
Then there's Aiden. Underneath that rough exterior is a soft-hearted man, a kind and protective brother, and such a loving father to Rose. I loved seeing that side of him. Together, these two had ALL the chemistry. Their tension and attraction were undeniable, but what made me fall even harder for them was the tenderness underneath it all. Watching their relationship grow into something so deep, secure, and lasting was everything. And can we talk about Ciarán and Rose? Because their relationship was the sweetest thing ever. That little girl is such a sweetheart!
And THE ENDING. THE EPILOGUE. Seeing them finally build their own little family and find the happiness they've both been longing for? GOD, MY HEART. I couldn't have asked for a more beautiful ending for them. This is the kind of love story that gives you butterflies, breaks your heart a little, and puts it back together.
Laura Kain, you really outdid yourself with this one. A romance that gave me the yearning, the angst, the butterflies, and ALL the feels. I laughed, I swooned, and I cried. Safe to say, Ciarán and Aiden have my whole heart. Five stars aren't enough!
Review of advance copy
𝚂𝚠𝚎𝚎𝚝 𝙷𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚜
𝙰𝚁𝙲 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠
5/5 ⭐️
↓↓
I fell so hard for Ciarán and Aiden. I couldn’t stop reading. I devoured it. I wanted more and more and more.
Oh my heart hurt for Ciarán so damn much. Everything that he thought about himself broke my heart. He is so much more that what his parents made him believe. He is strong and brave and beautiful. I really loved watching him really open up and be vulnerable with someone.
He stopped hiding behind his “happiness” and let someone see the real him and ugh it was just perfect. Aiden was definitely the perfect man for Ciarán. He was able to show him how much he was loved and cared for just as he is.
Also their chemistry and the way Aiden was a brat tamer 😮💨🥵
From what I saw of these two in the first book, I knew there was some underlying tension and there was something else simmering underneath it all. The more you read about these two the more you see that the hostility is them hiding their true feelings for each other. Then the more you read the more you want to slap some sense in to both of them.
Both total idiots when it came to their feelings. They should have known that hooking up would NEVER be just that. Hooking up turned in to late night cuddles, watching movies together, spending time together and somewhere along the way falling in love.
Ciarán with Rose 😍🥰 be still my heart. So cute and their relationship was just everything.
I loved both of the books in this series so damn much. I can not wait to see what else we will be getting from this cute fictional town of Willowrun.
I could go on and on for a long time, like seriously a long time, about how much I loved these two and everything about their story from start to finish. BUT I think I’ve blabbed enough already but I’ll leave these parting words, READ THIS!
𝚆𝙷𝙰𝚃 𝚃𝙾 𝙴𝚇𝙿𝙴𝙲𝚃
Small-town romance
Single dad romance
Frenemies to lovers
Best friend’s brother
Opposites attract
Grumpy × sunshine
Secret relationship - Friends with benefits
Found family
Chronic illness/disability representation
Hurt/Comfort
Size difference
Idiots to lovers
Pining
Mental health rep
Emotional Healing
𝙰𝚁𝙲 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠
5/5 ⭐️
↓↓
I fell so hard for Ciarán and Aiden. I couldn’t stop reading. I devoured it. I wanted more and more and more.
Oh my heart hurt for Ciarán so damn much. Everything that he thought about himself broke my heart. He is so much more that what his parents made him believe. He is strong and brave and beautiful. I really loved watching him really open up and be vulnerable with someone.
He stopped hiding behind his “happiness” and let someone see the real him and ugh it was just perfect. Aiden was definitely the perfect man for Ciarán. He was able to show him how much he was loved and cared for just as he is.
Also their chemistry and the way Aiden was a brat tamer 😮💨🥵
From what I saw of these two in the first book, I knew there was some underlying tension and there was something else simmering underneath it all. The more you read about these two the more you see that the hostility is them hiding their true feelings for each other. Then the more you read the more you want to slap some sense in to both of them.
Both total idiots when it came to their feelings. They should have known that hooking up would NEVER be just that. Hooking up turned in to late night cuddles, watching movies together, spending time together and somewhere along the way falling in love.
Ciarán with Rose 😍🥰 be still my heart. So cute and their relationship was just everything.
I loved both of the books in this series so damn much. I can not wait to see what else we will be getting from this cute fictional town of Willowrun.
I could go on and on for a long time, like seriously a long time, about how much I loved these two and everything about their story from start to finish. BUT I think I’ve blabbed enough already but I’ll leave these parting words, READ THIS!
𝚆𝙷𝙰𝚃 𝚃𝙾 𝙴𝚇𝙿𝙴𝙲𝚃
Small-town romance
Single dad romance
Frenemies to lovers
Best friend’s brother
Opposites attract
Grumpy × sunshine
Secret relationship - Friends with benefits
Found family
Chronic illness/disability representation
Hurt/Comfort
Size difference
Idiots to lovers
Pining
Mental health rep
Emotional Healing
Review of advance copy received from Author
I need to just scream about the picture😍 after all the emotion I felt through this, I just sat and stared at the final picture for a moment, enjoying Ciarán and Aidan embracing.
Ok back to the book. I loved it. The way Laura writes about depression really hit home with me. So detailed, and spot on. The fake smiles and pretend laughter while secretly crushing on the inside. It wasn’t a big moment like some mental health representation has been. It just crept in slowly, and I felt it deeply. I don’t know how to explain it, but it was beautiful. Sad and heartbreaking to read, but beautifully written. Respectfully so.
Aiden is just a solid rock. He is just there, always and that is everything!
The banter and agitation at the start. The misunderstanding. How they gravitate towards each other while desperately trying not to.
The separation was devastating, but the reconciliation broke me. I cried so hard. The sweetness of it, the vulnerability just poured off the pages and it hit hard. Again Aiden was pure perfection, hurting but not blaming which just goes to show his boring ways are the proper way to be.
This story is full of feeling and humour. The boys are just totally adorable, separately and together. I adored Rose. Loved seeing that Gabe and Noah were stronger together. And loved all the side characters. Hoping there will be a book 3 and hoping it’s who I think😍
Anyway if you loved Shelved Hearts, you will love this.
Ok back to the book. I loved it. The way Laura writes about depression really hit home with me. So detailed, and spot on. The fake smiles and pretend laughter while secretly crushing on the inside. It wasn’t a big moment like some mental health representation has been. It just crept in slowly, and I felt it deeply. I don’t know how to explain it, but it was beautiful. Sad and heartbreaking to read, but beautifully written. Respectfully so.
Aiden is just a solid rock. He is just there, always and that is everything!
The banter and agitation at the start. The misunderstanding. How they gravitate towards each other while desperately trying not to.
The separation was devastating, but the reconciliation broke me. I cried so hard. The sweetness of it, the vulnerability just poured off the pages and it hit hard. Again Aiden was pure perfection, hurting but not blaming which just goes to show his boring ways are the proper way to be.
This story is full of feeling and humour. The boys are just totally adorable, separately and together. I adored Rose. Loved seeing that Gabe and Noah were stronger together. And loved all the side characters. Hoping there will be a book 3 and hoping it’s who I think😍
Anyway if you loved Shelved Hearts, you will love this.
Read
September 10, 2026Alpha read; RTC once published. These two are 🥵🥰🥹🤌🏽
Review of advance copy received from Author
Synopsis:
After eight years of friendly-tinged animosity, passion ignites between Ciaran and Aiden. But fear clouds the emotions building between them, threatening to tear them apart before they truly start.
❤️ MM Contemporary Romance
🧡 Brother's Best Friend
💛 Single Dad
💚 Grumpy x Sunshine
💙 Mental Health Rep
💜 Size Difference
Highlights:
- Rose is absolutely adorable
- Papa on the streets, Daddy in the sheets
- Their obscene size difference
- Aiden’s casual queer awakening
Recommend?
Yes!!! This book has everything. Heart. Spice. A little kink. Some Hurt/Comfort. It’s beautiful and sweet and you NEED it.
❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
"Sweet Hearts" by Laura Kain the sequel to her debut novel "Shelved Hearts" which was released earlier this year. Both books take place in the same town and the characters overlap, however, I wouldn't say it's 100% necessary to read "Shelved Hearts" to understand this one.
However, both books are amazing, so do yourself a favor and read both of them!
Ratings:
Overall: 5/5 Hearts - Loved. Loved. Loved. All the Hearts. This book was beautiful and romantic and so incredibly spicy. For me, it was the perfect small town romance and I can't stop thinking about it.
Spice Quantity: 4/5 Peppers - My gut is placing this in the 35%ish range for spice quantity. With that said, I wouldn't fault anyone that felt it was closer to a 5 pepper. There's A LOT of spice.
Spice Quality: 5/5 - Oh goodness. *fan's self* The spice is spicyyyyyy. There's a little impact play, a breeding kink, an OBSCENE size difference, and my favorite: a daddy kink without age play. I was a happy smut lover throughout and I think you will be too.
Plot: 5/5 -
- Storyline: The plot's main focus is on the relationship between Ciaran and Aiden and how it morphs and changes over several months. But it's most certainly not low angst. In fact, the antagonist of the book, is Ciaran's past trauma and hurt as it threatens his building relationship.
- Characters: I loved both characters from book 1, so having them as the focus on book 2 was a true gift. Ciaran hides his insecurity behind a facade of cocky put-together-ness while Aiden's gruff exterior protects his marshmellowy center.
After reading the book, it left me questioning the idea of who was the grumpy and who the sunshine really was! And I really love that. They both grow throughout the book, have deep and interesting backstories, and feel like real people rather than characters.
- Writing Style: Kain does an incredible job of making a small story feel larger than life. She focuses on the emotions behind simple moments and it makes every scene come to life in a unique way. I absolutely love her style and can't wait to read more from her!
❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
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October 27, 2026
Arc Review
Sometimes a book comes along and alters your brain chemistry. It takes what you think you know and turns in upside down and spins it into something far better. I can not talk about Aiden and Ciarán without first acknowledging Gabe and Noah. In Shelved Hearts we meet these characters, and it’s in the moments with Gabe we start to get to know Ciaràn, his depth and personality is but a sliver on those pages. Aiden is Gabe’s brother and Noah’s best friend we see a side to him and think we have him figured out. WRONG AGAIN!
What Laura somehow managed to do with artful
storytelling was take 2 character we already loved and made them infinitely more lovable.
Ciarán is beautifully complex. To the outside world he is bubbly, sassy, full of confidence and beautiful. However, on the inside he is struggling a voice inside him saying things like he’s too much, good for fun time not good enough to keep.
Aiden, the “grumpy” a meeting eight years ago, has defined his relationship with Ciarán one moment where words failed him, and the look on his face told a story he wasn’t telling followed by one sentence that forever change the trajectory of what could have been has followed him since. “He’s a bit much.” A single dad struggling with his new gym, his beautiful daughter and the worry over his brother he becomes a version of himself that doesn’t quite show the whole story.
One meddling friend later, Aiden and Ciarán find themselves alone in a different city for the weekend. Tension high, jealousy over boils and one outfit later Aiden snaps. He finally takes what he’s wanted for eight years but can Ciarán believe he’s enough to keep?
Watching these two “idiots”, their back and forth, ignoring whats there, imagining what isn’t, fall into place is beautiful. The ways Aiden is there for Ciarán never asking him to change, wanting to be close, the moments with Rose, tell the story of the family Ciarán doesn’t think he deserves and keeps telling himself he doesn’t want with them. Now I need to be clear as “sweet” as these two are together they’re equally as hot (I’m looking at you Ch. 52 for one) The chemistry they have with each other is visceral. They turn simple moments into jaw dropping, lace panties (😉) melting moments. Aiden embraces his desire both mentally and physically with Ciarán and once he does there is no going back for him. While Ciarán fights it longer, ultimately trying to destroy it before it can destroy him leaves us as screaming at him to believe. Believe he is worth it, that he deserves it but most because Aiden and Rose are already his.
Sweet Hearts has made what I thought impossible happen, I may love them more than I love Gabe and Noah. That in itself was no small feat for Laura to accomplish. The vast array of emotions I felt reading this book required me days to sort through with one hell of a book hangover before I could write this.
You will be seriously doing yourself a disservice if you don’t read this book the minute you can.
I’m already tapping my fingers waiting for book 3 because damn there is something in the water of Willowrun.
Sometimes a book comes along and alters your brain chemistry. It takes what you think you know and turns in upside down and spins it into something far better. I can not talk about Aiden and Ciarán without first acknowledging Gabe and Noah. In Shelved Hearts we meet these characters, and it’s in the moments with Gabe we start to get to know Ciaràn, his depth and personality is but a sliver on those pages. Aiden is Gabe’s brother and Noah’s best friend we see a side to him and think we have him figured out. WRONG AGAIN!
What Laura somehow managed to do with artful
storytelling was take 2 character we already loved and made them infinitely more lovable.
Ciarán is beautifully complex. To the outside world he is bubbly, sassy, full of confidence and beautiful. However, on the inside he is struggling a voice inside him saying things like he’s too much, good for fun time not good enough to keep.
Aiden, the “grumpy” a meeting eight years ago, has defined his relationship with Ciarán one moment where words failed him, and the look on his face told a story he wasn’t telling followed by one sentence that forever change the trajectory of what could have been has followed him since. “He’s a bit much.” A single dad struggling with his new gym, his beautiful daughter and the worry over his brother he becomes a version of himself that doesn’t quite show the whole story.
One meddling friend later, Aiden and Ciarán find themselves alone in a different city for the weekend. Tension high, jealousy over boils and one outfit later Aiden snaps. He finally takes what he’s wanted for eight years but can Ciarán believe he’s enough to keep?
Watching these two “idiots”, their back and forth, ignoring whats there, imagining what isn’t, fall into place is beautiful. The ways Aiden is there for Ciarán never asking him to change, wanting to be close, the moments with Rose, tell the story of the family Ciarán doesn’t think he deserves and keeps telling himself he doesn’t want with them. Now I need to be clear as “sweet” as these two are together they’re equally as hot (I’m looking at you Ch. 52 for one) The chemistry they have with each other is visceral. They turn simple moments into jaw dropping, lace panties (😉) melting moments. Aiden embraces his desire both mentally and physically with Ciarán and once he does there is no going back for him. While Ciarán fights it longer, ultimately trying to destroy it before it can destroy him leaves us as screaming at him to believe. Believe he is worth it, that he deserves it but most because Aiden and Rose are already his.
Sweet Hearts has made what I thought impossible happen, I may love them more than I love Gabe and Noah. That in itself was no small feat for Laura to accomplish. The vast array of emotions I felt reading this book required me days to sort through with one hell of a book hangover before I could write this.
You will be seriously doing yourself a disservice if you don’t read this book the minute you can.
I’m already tapping my fingers waiting for book 3 because damn there is something in the water of Willowrun.
November 8, 2026
✨May contain spoilers✨
I read the first book I. This series and I absolutely knew this book was going to have me on the edge of my seat.
With someone with a chronic illness/autoimmune disease, the representation was done so perfect. Laura definitely did her research. Injections really suck. I felt for Ciarán on such a deeper level because of the pain he went through. Some people don’t really understand what someone truly goes through.
My heart leapt when Aiden brought him soup! That whole scene was so cute and I felt like that’s when their dynamic truly began to change.
Ciarán and Aiden were absolutely perfect from the moment I jumped into this book. These idiots were made for each other. The whole enemies to lovers vibes was top notch. The hatred over the years had me curious how these two were going to come together and man, it was the perfect way. I love it when a character who doesn’t think they deserved to be loved meets another character that takes on the world every single time.
I love a book when something that was only supposed to happen once becomes so much more. And my goodness, the spice was everything. These two just couldn’t hold back their feelings.
It takes a lot to make me cry and when things started to fall apart, I wasn’t expecting it. Obviously, things got better but it took some time for these to find themselves back to one another.
The relationship between Aiden’s daughter, Rose, and Ciarán was just the cutest thing ever. I just loved how they would always tag team with one another against Aiden. Also, her love for pickles was sos tinking cute.
And the epilogue was so worth it. I love seeing how the characters are living their lives when they get their happily ever after. And the end of the chapter before the epilogue had me giggling.
I love me a good found family and this one hit the spot. From actual family members to people who care so much about you, it makes me wish I could be loved so fiercely like everyone does.
I need more from this series and I just have a feeling it’s only going to get better.
I received a copy of this book and this is my honest review.
I read the first book I. This series and I absolutely knew this book was going to have me on the edge of my seat.
With someone with a chronic illness/autoimmune disease, the representation was done so perfect. Laura definitely did her research. Injections really suck. I felt for Ciarán on such a deeper level because of the pain he went through. Some people don’t really understand what someone truly goes through.
My heart leapt when Aiden brought him soup! That whole scene was so cute and I felt like that’s when their dynamic truly began to change.
Ciarán and Aiden were absolutely perfect from the moment I jumped into this book. These idiots were made for each other. The whole enemies to lovers vibes was top notch. The hatred over the years had me curious how these two were going to come together and man, it was the perfect way. I love it when a character who doesn’t think they deserved to be loved meets another character that takes on the world every single time.
I love a book when something that was only supposed to happen once becomes so much more. And my goodness, the spice was everything. These two just couldn’t hold back their feelings.
It takes a lot to make me cry and when things started to fall apart, I wasn’t expecting it. Obviously, things got better but it took some time for these to find themselves back to one another.
The relationship between Aiden’s daughter, Rose, and Ciarán was just the cutest thing ever. I just loved how they would always tag team with one another against Aiden. Also, her love for pickles was sos tinking cute.
And the epilogue was so worth it. I love seeing how the characters are living their lives when they get their happily ever after. And the end of the chapter before the epilogue had me giggling.
I love me a good found family and this one hit the spot. From actual family members to people who care so much about you, it makes me wish I could be loved so fiercely like everyone does.
I need more from this series and I just have a feeling it’s only going to get better.
I received a copy of this book and this is my honest review.
November 1, 2026
Sweet Hearts is one of my most anticipated reads for 2026 and it lived up to my dreams! We get to know Ciarán and Aiden a little in Shelved Hearts and do a deep dive into their lives in this book. Their relationship has been so antagonistic for years, despite both being integral to Gabe’s life, that you know they’re both hiding deep and intense feelings.
Ciarán is like the best friend we all wish we had: incredibly loving, devoted, a caretaker, selfless. He’s also self-sacrificing to the point that he hides any negative emotions so he doesn’t feel like a burden to anyone. He’s deeply afraid of abandonment to the point that he’s hurting himself in the process. All these traits provide our angst and conflict and made me love him to bits. If you’ve ever been this friend, this story is going to give you a happily ever after.
Aiden is staid, steadfast, supportive, and also kind of a dumbfounded idiot at times. He has a complete inability to emotionally and verbally process his feelings and they always come out wrong. When he’s in, he’s ALL IN. But getting there is hard when he can’t help but respond to Ciarán’s personality for derision, for years. Getting these two idiots to listen to each other and realize they’re perfect for each other is so lovely to witness.
Aside: I’ve been dealing with migraines similar to Ciaran’s for so long and honestly I really found a lot of appreciation and relief seeing it on page. It feels like no one really gets it unless they deal with it.
Notes:
No Kissing Rule
Keeping it Secret
Long Term Down Bad
Bi-Awakening
Small Town
“Daddy” done right (for me)
Brother’s Best Friend
Idiots to Lovers
Frenemies to Lovers
Single Dad
Chronic pain rep
Mental health rep
Ciarán is like the best friend we all wish we had: incredibly loving, devoted, a caretaker, selfless. He’s also self-sacrificing to the point that he hides any negative emotions so he doesn’t feel like a burden to anyone. He’s deeply afraid of abandonment to the point that he’s hurting himself in the process. All these traits provide our angst and conflict and made me love him to bits. If you’ve ever been this friend, this story is going to give you a happily ever after.
Aiden is staid, steadfast, supportive, and also kind of a dumbfounded idiot at times. He has a complete inability to emotionally and verbally process his feelings and they always come out wrong. When he’s in, he’s ALL IN. But getting there is hard when he can’t help but respond to Ciarán’s personality for derision, for years. Getting these two idiots to listen to each other and realize they’re perfect for each other is so lovely to witness.
Aside: I’ve been dealing with migraines similar to Ciaran’s for so long and honestly I really found a lot of appreciation and relief seeing it on page. It feels like no one really gets it unless they deal with it.
Notes:
No Kissing Rule
Keeping it Secret
Long Term Down Bad
Bi-Awakening
Small Town
“Daddy” done right (for me)
Brother’s Best Friend
Idiots to Lovers
Frenemies to Lovers
Single Dad
Chronic pain rep
Mental health rep
October 30, 2026
♾️⭐️
I’ve been desperately waiting for Ciaran and Aiden story… their tension during the first book in the Hearts of Willowrun series was palpable and I knew then it was going to be phenomenal. I was NOT disappointed… the chemistry between these two was electric… they act like they despise each other when the reality is that Ciaran and Aiden have wanted parts of each other for eight long years. Ciaran is adamant he doesn’t want love, that he’s always been left high and dry when he’s found someone he cares for so he puts up defensive walls to keep people at a distance. But Aiden sees through that. From the moment they share their first kiss and realise they in fact they are attracted to each other Aiden is all in. He’s a man possessed, working out ways he can find out everything about Ciaran. He’s falls head over heels very quickly because he’s been denying these feelings for so long. Ciaran does his best to fight how strong he feels for Aiden but they end up breaking all of their rules anyway. This book was the perfect mix of sweet moments, snarky comments and the hottest spice from these two idiots! I loved them fiercely from start to finish! To see Aiden transform into a softer version of himself rather than a grump was delightful and Ciaran finally growing and allowing himself to be loved deeply was everything. They were perfect and I’m so sad it’s all over!! I laughed so hard, squealed, kicked my feet and sobbed my heart out at this one…. Absolutely loved this it!
♾️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
I’ve been desperately waiting for Ciaran and Aiden story… their tension during the first book in the Hearts of Willowrun series was palpable and I knew then it was going to be phenomenal. I was NOT disappointed… the chemistry between these two was electric… they act like they despise each other when the reality is that Ciaran and Aiden have wanted parts of each other for eight long years. Ciaran is adamant he doesn’t want love, that he’s always been left high and dry when he’s found someone he cares for so he puts up defensive walls to keep people at a distance. But Aiden sees through that. From the moment they share their first kiss and realise they in fact they are attracted to each other Aiden is all in. He’s a man possessed, working out ways he can find out everything about Ciaran. He’s falls head over heels very quickly because he’s been denying these feelings for so long. Ciaran does his best to fight how strong he feels for Aiden but they end up breaking all of their rules anyway. This book was the perfect mix of sweet moments, snarky comments and the hottest spice from these two idiots! I loved them fiercely from start to finish! To see Aiden transform into a softer version of himself rather than a grump was delightful and Ciaran finally growing and allowing himself to be loved deeply was everything. They were perfect and I’m so sad it’s all over!! I laughed so hard, squealed, kicked my feet and sobbed my heart out at this one…. Absolutely loved this it!
♾️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Review of advance copy received from Author
❤️ Sweet Hearts by Laura Kain ❤️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ MORE THAN 5 STARS!
Aiden Shaw and Ciarán O’Shea had me absolutely obsessed! Eight years of bickering, tension and pretending those feelings weren’t there, only for everything to finally come crashing together? YES, PLEASE! 😍
Aiden is the protective, dependable single dad who takes care of everyone and watching him fall for Ciarán was everything. And Ciarán? That bratty, sharp tongued exterior hiding such a vulnerable, guarded heart had me completely gone. Their chemistry, their banter, the tension and the way their relationship slowly turned into something so much deeper had me feeling ALL the emotions.
I loved seeing Aiden's softer, sweeter side come out and Ciarán learning that he could finally be wanted AND loved. These two were absolute perfection together. The emotional depth, the romance, the spice and the way Laura Kain brought their story to life made this such an unforgettable read.
I didn't just love this book. I ADORED it. Aiden and Ciarán have officially stolen my heart and I honestly wish I could read this one for the first time all over again.
Laura Kain, you absolutely smashed it with this one! I need more than five stars because five simply isn't enough. One of my favourite reads and I cannot recommend it enough! ❤️🔥
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ MORE THAN 5 STARS!
Aiden Shaw and Ciarán O’Shea had me absolutely obsessed! Eight years of bickering, tension and pretending those feelings weren’t there, only for everything to finally come crashing together? YES, PLEASE! 😍
Aiden is the protective, dependable single dad who takes care of everyone and watching him fall for Ciarán was everything. And Ciarán? That bratty, sharp tongued exterior hiding such a vulnerable, guarded heart had me completely gone. Their chemistry, their banter, the tension and the way their relationship slowly turned into something so much deeper had me feeling ALL the emotions.
I loved seeing Aiden's softer, sweeter side come out and Ciarán learning that he could finally be wanted AND loved. These two were absolute perfection together. The emotional depth, the romance, the spice and the way Laura Kain brought their story to life made this such an unforgettable read.
I didn't just love this book. I ADORED it. Aiden and Ciarán have officially stolen my heart and I honestly wish I could read this one for the first time all over again.
Laura Kain, you absolutely smashed it with this one! I need more than five stars because five simply isn't enough. One of my favourite reads and I cannot recommend it enough! ❤️🔥
November 2, 2026
The way I devoured this book ??!!
When I read Shelved hearts I immediately felt in love with Ciarán and I knew that I would love his book just as much as I did. He is such a sweetheart, the best friend ever, so caring and sensitive, supportive and so funny! At the same time, he hides much of what he struggles with, as well as the profound fear he feels of being abandoned. He is such a relatable character, with messy emotions and that's one of my favourite things to read. Aiden on the other side, is a grumpy single father that has lost a little bit his goofiness and his ability to enjoy and relax since he became a father.
Aiden and Ciarán have years of bickering behind and a lot of tension that when it is explored is so intense and hot! The way their relationship is build fits perfectly and to be able to see how deep gone they are for each other was such a treat!!!!
One of the aspects I loved of this book is also the relationship between Ciarán and Rose. He is so sweet with her and loves her so much!! Ughh they are so cuteeee
The book has the perfect balance between intense, tension-filled moments and sweet moments that will make you swoon!
I can't wait to read more of this author!! Thank you so much for this ARC!!
When I read Shelved hearts I immediately felt in love with Ciarán and I knew that I would love his book just as much as I did. He is such a sweetheart, the best friend ever, so caring and sensitive, supportive and so funny! At the same time, he hides much of what he struggles with, as well as the profound fear he feels of being abandoned. He is such a relatable character, with messy emotions and that's one of my favourite things to read. Aiden on the other side, is a grumpy single father that has lost a little bit his goofiness and his ability to enjoy and relax since he became a father.
Aiden and Ciarán have years of bickering behind and a lot of tension that when it is explored is so intense and hot! The way their relationship is build fits perfectly and to be able to see how deep gone they are for each other was such a treat!!!!
One of the aspects I loved of this book is also the relationship between Ciarán and Rose. He is so sweet with her and loves her so much!! Ughh they are so cuteeee
The book has the perfect balance between intense, tension-filled moments and sweet moments that will make you swoon!
I can't wait to read more of this author!! Thank you so much for this ARC!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I fell in love with this authors writing with Shelved Hearts and was so excited with the possibility of Aiden and Ciarán getting their dues because the tension was just so perfect. And it is!
Aiden has been pushing Ciarán away with his attitude for years, and Ciarán takes it as hate. Which of course it’s not, and after fairygodTheo steps in BOOM! Hard to avoid now. But Ciarán has lots of things to get over, family trauma and worried over his chronic migraines getting in the way of his happiness. And Aiden has a lot too, stress over his new business and being a single dad. Together they become each others home. A safe space, a space where they can trust and love and it’s just so beautiful.
Reading Ciarán learn to let love in was amazing, even though he stumbles still, and Aiden is just the best caretaker ever for him. He does not let Ciarán get away with only half answers or fake ones which I love, he pushes for the truth and doesn’t shy away when he gets it.
This one is just as good as book one, and I cannot wait for the next couple in this series!
Aiden has been pushing Ciarán away with his attitude for years, and Ciarán takes it as hate. Which of course it’s not, and after fairygodTheo steps in BOOM! Hard to avoid now. But Ciarán has lots of things to get over, family trauma and worried over his chronic migraines getting in the way of his happiness. And Aiden has a lot too, stress over his new business and being a single dad. Together they become each others home. A safe space, a space where they can trust and love and it’s just so beautiful.
Reading Ciarán learn to let love in was amazing, even though he stumbles still, and Aiden is just the best caretaker ever for him. He does not let Ciarán get away with only half answers or fake ones which I love, he pushes for the truth and doesn’t shy away when he gets it.
This one is just as good as book one, and I cannot wait for the next couple in this series!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I had a feeling I would like this story because it’s the same author as Shelved Hearts but I was surprised at just how much I loved Ciarán and Aiden. They were always bickering in Shelved Hearts, with a hint of something else happening beneath the surface. They both showed a much more tender side of themselves in this; even though Aiden shows a gentler side of himself with Rose, and Ciaran with Gabe, they were both so sweet. It was a journey to get to that point where they could show vulnerability, especially for Ciaran because of the hurt from his past. They had to hide their feelings and their relationship for a multitude of reasons (don’t want to give anything away) but they both turned out to be multifaceted characters with a lot going on in both of their lives. This book was funny, charming and there were plenty of swoon-worthy moments between these two- especially coming from Aiden. It also highlighted Ciaran’s mental & physical health issues in a very real way, showing how it affected his life, work and emotions. Both characters acknowledge the grief surrounding family, something they both relate to and share. I’d like to thank the author for the ARC copy & am leaving a review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I don't know where to start with how much I loved this book
I've been looking forward to reading it since book one
Was I scared it wouldn't measure up to how much I loved book 1? Yes
Did I need to worry? No
Ciarán and Aiden. It was beautiful, heart wrenching, I cried a lot. I felt for Ciarán so much. That need to be everything for everyone and not knowing how to ask for help. I had the same visceral reaction in my 20s when my partner tried to get me to see I had depression. I got help but boy did this resonate with me. Also the migraines, the need to push through, and function because you're scared what it will cost to stop. That the next diagnosis will be too much to handle.
Aiden, the man and father he is. Did he always get it right? No, did that mean he stopped showing up? No. May everyone find their Aiden.
I've been looking forward to reading it since book one
Was I scared it wouldn't measure up to how much I loved book 1? Yes
Did I need to worry? No
Ciarán and Aiden. It was beautiful, heart wrenching, I cried a lot. I felt for Ciarán so much. That need to be everything for everyone and not knowing how to ask for help. I had the same visceral reaction in my 20s when my partner tried to get me to see I had depression. I got help but boy did this resonate with me. Also the migraines, the need to push through, and function because you're scared what it will cost to stop. That the next diagnosis will be too much to handle.
Aiden, the man and father he is. Did he always get it right? No, did that mean he stopped showing up? No. May everyone find their Aiden.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I had a very strange reaction to this book when I started it. I almost DNF it. It had me worried at how Ciaran and Aiden felt so different from Noah and Gabe, not that I expect MCs to be the same but I couldn't relate. NOW, it was what the author did on purpose, I get it. I mean even the writing style felt different. It was weird. However, I had faith and kept going and gradually it got me there.
I respected Ciaran from the beginning but didn't love him. Then he said things like "Maybe they can see the sign hanging above my head: Pretty but damaged. Good for a fun time. Not a long time." I started to understand.
Aiden took me a bit longer. It got better after Aiden felt so guilty for being a dick THAT day.
After that, things change and I recognize the amazing writing from this author that made me fall in love with the first book. It got better and better with Rose and Aiden and Ciaran and all they went through in the book. Ciaran's self hatred and doubt and Aiden proving himself over and over.
And the last part of the book had me swooning and sometimes tears and the epilogue was a really good one.
I also loved the found family: Gabe and Noah of course, Abbie, Theo, Luke. The food that Ciaran made was so yummy as well.
I respected Ciaran from the beginning but didn't love him. Then he said things like "Maybe they can see the sign hanging above my head: Pretty but damaged. Good for a fun time. Not a long time." I started to understand.
Aiden took me a bit longer. It got better after Aiden felt so guilty for being a dick THAT day.
After that, things change and I recognize the amazing writing from this author that made me fall in love with the first book. It got better and better with Rose and Aiden and Ciaran and all they went through in the book. Ciaran's self hatred and doubt and Aiden proving himself over and over.
And the last part of the book had me swooning and sometimes tears and the epilogue was a really good one.
I also loved the found family: Gabe and Noah of course, Abbie, Theo, Luke. The food that Ciaran made was so yummy as well.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book was ✨PERFECT✨. We’re coming straight from Shelved Hearts, where we saw the tension between Ciaran and Aiden and understood that something deeper than animosity was going on between them.
The tension between these two at the beginning keeps you glued to every page, wanting to scream at them until they realize that what they feel for each other isn’t hate.
Their love story unfolds little by little. It’s like peeling away a thousand layers of paper from something made of glass: slow, meticulous, and patient. That’s exactly how Aiden treats Ciaran, like he’s the most precious thing he has, while being terrified that one wrong move could break him.
And what makes this book so wonderful isn’t just the romance, but also the friendship between Ciaran and Gabe. It was so satisfying to see how even relationships full of love can be imperfect, and that there’s always room for communication, affection, and empathy.
5/5 ⭐&❤️
4/5 🌶️
The tension between these two at the beginning keeps you glued to every page, wanting to scream at them until they realize that what they feel for each other isn’t hate.
Their love story unfolds little by little. It’s like peeling away a thousand layers of paper from something made of glass: slow, meticulous, and patient. That’s exactly how Aiden treats Ciaran, like he’s the most precious thing he has, while being terrified that one wrong move could break him.
And what makes this book so wonderful isn’t just the romance, but also the friendship between Ciaran and Gabe. It was so satisfying to see how even relationships full of love can be imperfect, and that there’s always room for communication, affection, and empathy.
5/5 ⭐&❤️
4/5 🌶️
Review of advance copy received from Author
Wow, I can't believe how much I adored it! I'm torn between whether the first book or this one is better. UGH! This book was incredibly emotional and beautiful; one moment I was in tears, and the next, I was laughing out loud.
Not only does this book, but the entire series also offers perfect representation of mental health. I could genuinely feel their love and pain resonating through the pages.
Thank you for this amazing opportunity to read the eARC, and I am happy to provide my honest review in return.
Not only does this book, but the entire series also offers perfect representation of mental health. I could genuinely feel their love and pain resonating through the pages.
Thank you for this amazing opportunity to read the eARC, and I am happy to provide my honest review in return.
Review of advance copy received from Author
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶
HEA ✅️
KIKI AND AIDEN FOREVER! Sorry, had to start there. This book gave me so many feels. I feel Cerian on a deep level with his doubt and constant waiting for the worst. Aiden is easy to love. The grumpy teddy bear who secretly feels so deep it aches. These two make me smile. I get them. I understand how they feel and I feel it too. This book is spicy and wonderful and already a book I'm ready to read again. This group of people has my heart. Its one of those series you do not ever want to end.
🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶
HEA ✅️
KIKI AND AIDEN FOREVER! Sorry, had to start there. This book gave me so many feels. I feel Cerian on a deep level with his doubt and constant waiting for the worst. Aiden is easy to love. The grumpy teddy bear who secretly feels so deep it aches. These two make me smile. I get them. I understand how they feel and I feel it too. This book is spicy and wonderful and already a book I'm ready to read again. This group of people has my heart. Its one of those series you do not ever want to end.
October 30, 2026
Okay if you stay up untill 2 in the morning because you need to finish the book, you love the book right? Because I did. I could not put it down. I needed to keep reading.
Needed to know when Ciaran was finally ready to let Aiden in. When he was strong enough to try to love himself and let others love him two.
Ciaran broke my heart multiple times. Not only because he how he keeps pushing Aiden away. But also because of himself, the way he feels everyday. Not worthy, not lovable.
I love Aiden and the way he know what Ciaran needs and provides it. He is exactly what Ciaran needs.
Needed to know when Ciaran was finally ready to let Aiden in. When he was strong enough to try to love himself and let others love him two.
Ciaran broke my heart multiple times. Not only because he how he keeps pushing Aiden away. But also because of himself, the way he feels everyday. Not worthy, not lovable.
I love Aiden and the way he know what Ciaran needs and provides it. He is exactly what Ciaran needs.
Review of advance copy received from Author
RTC ⭐
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC review, thank you so much ♡
Another corker of a book from Laura Kain!
SweetHearts, is the sequel to her DEBUT book, Shelved Hearts. Which I'm still crying over by the way, Gabe is ingrained on my list of most loved characters for all time.
SweetHearts follows Ciarán, and single dad Aiden, who we met in book one. I was immediately obsessed with their dynamic in the little snippets we got. The classic tall, brooding, gruff character, paired with a sassy, energetic, seemingly confident character.
But, as we all probably know from real life, what you see does not always represent the truth.
Set in the small town of Willowrun, where everyone knows everyone else's business, 8 years of sarcastic quips, misunderstandings, and tension, come to a head when Aiden and Ciarán are both made to confront what's actually going on between them, and more importantly, what's going on with themselves.
As with book one, Laura doesn't shy away from life's less talked moments, she doesn't romanticise them either.
Mental health is a huge topic throughout, one I yet again related heavily too, especially in regards to how Ciarán felt about himself.
Someone who always tries to make everyone happy at the expense of his own happiness, because surely people won't like you if you talk about your problems or feelings right?
Someone who cannot accept there may be something else to add to the list of things they consider 'wrong' with them.
A person who through past trauma, developed unhealthy thought patterns and behaviours as an unconscious way to protect themselves. A louder, highly sarcastic personality to hide what they don't want people to see (oh hi its me)
Someone who rarely speaks up when they're hurt for fear of losing the other.
And a whole load more reasons I won't list other wise I'll start crying again.
The difference between Ciaráns outward persona and his internal monologue was heartbreaking.
Add in Aiden, who struggles to express his emotions the way he wants, feels like he has to be strong for everyone else, like he doesn't deserve good things because of what he sees as his failings, lost himself beneath obligations, and is the most doting father to his daughter Rose, you've got one hell of tear taxed story.
But fear not, sprinkled throughout are comedic breaks, mostly given to us by Ciaráns own idea of a good time, winding up Aiden (he's right, the dopamine really does hit)
How? I'm keeping major details, including nicknames, among other things to myself, because there's some sizzling, sweat inducing moments that you need to experience blindly.
But also given by a diverse cast of characters, each written such care that you can literally feel how different they all are.
Theo is a meddling little sh*t (which we should all be thanking him for), and if he gets a story I'll be chomping at the bit to read it 😍
Abbie and Gabe give meaning to the word friendship, also a gorgeous example of how the ones you love can hurt you, but ultimately true friends listen, learn, pick up the pieces and love each other harder.
Luke is still a bit of an enigma, but his anxious presence across a few pages has my curiosity peaked (Seriously, I'm obsessed with them all)
Not forgetting Noah, Aidens best friend, golden retriever, 80s enthusiast, and ray of bloody sunshine. I ADORE him.
Anyway, point being, when has fighting as foreplay ever not been hot as hell?
A rhetorical question. It always has, I will die on this hill waving my flag with a picture of Aidens grey sweatpants on.... for reasons.
The chemistry between Aiden and Ciarán had me blushing hard enough to hurt, the power dynamics, the er, dirty talk, the utter FILTH. Girl I almost died from how f**king over heated I felt.
TWO WORDS. Ciarán + Lingerie. That's it. Let your mind run wild because I promise you it will not do him justice.
No matter how hot the spice was, it wasn't meaningless. That's not bashing on books that are more spice than story cause god knows I read those too. But with each intimate moment between them, you saw in small but pivotal ways how their dynamic was changing, it added so much more depth to the story + character progression.
Not only does Laura give us a beautiful romance, she weaves in even more emotion by representing how disability can affect a person, in this instance Ciaráns physical pain, which again I won't go into too much detail with, but the difficulty in finding acceptance with how your life will be, instead of how you wanted it to be, made for a heavy, but hopeful read.
You can grieve what you lost, and still be happy with what you're building, both things can exist, another person's struggles do not invalidate your own.
How Aiden supported Ciarán, was his biggest cheerleader, the one person Ciarán trusted enough to admit things too, christ, isn't that what a lot of us hope for?
In a world that lacks empathy, be an Aiden, be a safe space ♡
With flaws, vulnerability, and the slow journey to start finally healing, Laura shows the hurt before the happiness, how life's bittersweet moments don't necessarily cement what comes next, and that the person you least expect is sometimes everything you ever needed.
Nothing is easily solved, there is no magical cure for either of them or their struggles. Dear GOD I wanted to reach in and shake both of them multiple times, but it made for an even sweeter, satisfying ending.
Layered with found family, tooth aching sweetness, cute aggression, a toddler who is smarter than most of the adults, tension by the bucket load, disability rep, mental health realness, unconditional love, secret cinnamon rolls, and all the emotions, SweetHearts is a queer romance for anyone who was, or still is, afraid to be loved.
I remain in awe that this only Laura's second book, her writing is beautiful, Shelved Hearts was my favourite find from the Queerlit SouthWest book event this year, I'm incredibly thankful to have been given a chance to ARC read SweetHearts.
I genuinely cannot wait to see what comes next from Laura Kain, or the Willowrun family ♡
Another corker of a book from Laura Kain!
SweetHearts, is the sequel to her DEBUT book, Shelved Hearts. Which I'm still crying over by the way, Gabe is ingrained on my list of most loved characters for all time.
SweetHearts follows Ciarán, and single dad Aiden, who we met in book one. I was immediately obsessed with their dynamic in the little snippets we got. The classic tall, brooding, gruff character, paired with a sassy, energetic, seemingly confident character.
But, as we all probably know from real life, what you see does not always represent the truth.
Set in the small town of Willowrun, where everyone knows everyone else's business, 8 years of sarcastic quips, misunderstandings, and tension, come to a head when Aiden and Ciarán are both made to confront what's actually going on between them, and more importantly, what's going on with themselves.
As with book one, Laura doesn't shy away from life's less talked moments, she doesn't romanticise them either.
Mental health is a huge topic throughout, one I yet again related heavily too, especially in regards to how Ciarán felt about himself.
Someone who always tries to make everyone happy at the expense of his own happiness, because surely people won't like you if you talk about your problems or feelings right?
Someone who cannot accept there may be something else to add to the list of things they consider 'wrong' with them.
A person who through past trauma, developed unhealthy thought patterns and behaviours as an unconscious way to protect themselves. A louder, highly sarcastic personality to hide what they don't want people to see (oh hi its me)
Someone who rarely speaks up when they're hurt for fear of losing the other.
And a whole load more reasons I won't list other wise I'll start crying again.
The difference between Ciaráns outward persona and his internal monologue was heartbreaking.
Add in Aiden, who struggles to express his emotions the way he wants, feels like he has to be strong for everyone else, like he doesn't deserve good things because of what he sees as his failings, lost himself beneath obligations, and is the most doting father to his daughter Rose, you've got one hell of tear taxed story.
But fear not, sprinkled throughout are comedic breaks, mostly given to us by Ciaráns own idea of a good time, winding up Aiden (he's right, the dopamine really does hit)
How? I'm keeping major details, including nicknames, among other things to myself, because there's some sizzling, sweat inducing moments that you need to experience blindly.
But also given by a diverse cast of characters, each written such care that you can literally feel how different they all are.
Theo is a meddling little sh*t (which we should all be thanking him for), and if he gets a story I'll be chomping at the bit to read it 😍
Abbie and Gabe give meaning to the word friendship, also a gorgeous example of how the ones you love can hurt you, but ultimately true friends listen, learn, pick up the pieces and love each other harder.
Luke is still a bit of an enigma, but his anxious presence across a few pages has my curiosity peaked (Seriously, I'm obsessed with them all)
Not forgetting Noah, Aidens best friend, golden retriever, 80s enthusiast, and ray of bloody sunshine. I ADORE him.
Anyway, point being, when has fighting as foreplay ever not been hot as hell?
A rhetorical question. It always has, I will die on this hill waving my flag with a picture of Aidens grey sweatpants on.... for reasons.
The chemistry between Aiden and Ciarán had me blushing hard enough to hurt, the power dynamics, the er, dirty talk, the utter FILTH. Girl I almost died from how f**king over heated I felt.
TWO WORDS. Ciarán + Lingerie. That's it. Let your mind run wild because I promise you it will not do him justice.
No matter how hot the spice was, it wasn't meaningless. That's not bashing on books that are more spice than story cause god knows I read those too. But with each intimate moment between them, you saw in small but pivotal ways how their dynamic was changing, it added so much more depth to the story + character progression.
Not only does Laura give us a beautiful romance, she weaves in even more emotion by representing how disability can affect a person, in this instance Ciaráns physical pain, which again I won't go into too much detail with, but the difficulty in finding acceptance with how your life will be, instead of how you wanted it to be, made for a heavy, but hopeful read.
You can grieve what you lost, and still be happy with what you're building, both things can exist, another person's struggles do not invalidate your own.
How Aiden supported Ciarán, was his biggest cheerleader, the one person Ciarán trusted enough to admit things too, christ, isn't that what a lot of us hope for?
In a world that lacks empathy, be an Aiden, be a safe space ♡
With flaws, vulnerability, and the slow journey to start finally healing, Laura shows the hurt before the happiness, how life's bittersweet moments don't necessarily cement what comes next, and that the person you least expect is sometimes everything you ever needed.
Nothing is easily solved, there is no magical cure for either of them or their struggles. Dear GOD I wanted to reach in and shake both of them multiple times, but it made for an even sweeter, satisfying ending.
Layered with found family, tooth aching sweetness, cute aggression, a toddler who is smarter than most of the adults, tension by the bucket load, disability rep, mental health realness, unconditional love, secret cinnamon rolls, and all the emotions, SweetHearts is a queer romance for anyone who was, or still is, afraid to be loved.
I remain in awe that this only Laura's second book, her writing is beautiful, Shelved Hearts was my favourite find from the Queerlit SouthWest book event this year, I'm incredibly thankful to have been given a chance to ARC read SweetHearts.
I genuinely cannot wait to see what comes next from Laura Kain, or the Willowrun family ♡
Review of advance copy received from Author
Yearning. Angst. Swooning. Tension. Warmth. Chemistry.
It's like Laura Kain said, "Oh, you want a sequel that will hurt you and heal you just as much as Shelved Hearts? Challenge accepted."
The title of their book perfectly describes Aiden and Ciarán.
The latter is just a broken boy who hides his hurt with an ever-cheerful mask. His sass and snark are who he is, sure, but he crafts them into both weapons and shield to protect his ooey gooey inner center and hide his abandonment issues.
Even with his faults, or maybe because of them, actually, Ciarán is an absolute delight to read. All I wanted to do was hug him and cheer him on and make him take me shopping because he's also just fabulous. Now, there's no denying that he is his own worst enemy, and because of that, a fair amount of his problems stem from himself and the choices he makes. But that just makes him all the more human, doesn't it?
Kain has created these characters who are just so vulnerable and flawed in the best ways because they are all of us. One of the things I like most is that even though we have to hurt before we get to the healing, she makes their journeys feel so natural. No one is suddenly "cured" because we might be eager for a happily ever after.
That makes it all the sweeter when Ciarán finally gets his HEA even though some of still carries a bittersweet edge. He doesn't have to be perfect to deserve happiness, and it's not just people who are healed that deserve love.
And when it comes to Aiden, well, Daddy's home.
Aiden is a caretaker through and through, and once the door between him and Ciarán is cracked, he's ready to burst on through like the Kool-Aid man.
He's strong, and sweet, and a ride or die of the highest order - not to mention, when we get those spicy moments between the two of them, the dominant Daddy vibes are off the charts. He's a perfect counterpart for Ciarán, and I loved getting to see his journey to finding his own life and reclaiming the "old" Aiden who's been buried beneath years of unexpected obligations.
And every time he or Ciarán was with Rose, oh, the heartstrings, they were tugged. So. F-ing. Adorable. Papa, Ciarán, and Rose are a perfect little family unit.
All in all, my second visit to Willowrun (not counting all my rereads of Shelved Hearts, of course, was everything I could have wanted it to be. I wish I could read Sweet Hearts for the first time again, just so I can swoon and squeal and fall right into Aiden and Ciarán all over again.
It's like Laura Kain said, "Oh, you want a sequel that will hurt you and heal you just as much as Shelved Hearts? Challenge accepted."
The title of their book perfectly describes Aiden and Ciarán.
The latter is just a broken boy who hides his hurt with an ever-cheerful mask. His sass and snark are who he is, sure, but he crafts them into both weapons and shield to protect his ooey gooey inner center and hide his abandonment issues.
"How many times does something have to leave before you stop trusting anything that says it’ll stay?"
Even with his faults, or maybe because of them, actually, Ciarán is an absolute delight to read. All I wanted to do was hug him and cheer him on and make him take me shopping because he's also just fabulous. Now, there's no denying that he is his own worst enemy, and because of that, a fair amount of his problems stem from himself and the choices he makes. But that just makes him all the more human, doesn't it?
"I feel like I’ve been running for so long.” I bring one of his hands against my chest, right over my pounding heart. “Please don’t tell me I’ve finally stopped when there’s nobody left waiting for me.”
Kain has created these characters who are just so vulnerable and flawed in the best ways because they are all of us. One of the things I like most is that even though we have to hurt before we get to the healing, she makes their journeys feel so natural. No one is suddenly "cured" because we might be eager for a happily ever after.
That makes it all the sweeter when Ciarán finally gets his HEA even though some of still carries a bittersweet edge. He doesn't have to be perfect to deserve happiness, and it's not just people who are healed that deserve love.
And when it comes to Aiden, well, Daddy's home.
I always believed myself to be a man of control. Disciplined. But in the presence of Ciarán O’Shea, that control is slipping in a way I don’t understand. And I realize something I never knew about myself: I am a weak man. The resistance I’ve built against him for years shatters. Obliterated.
Aiden is a caretaker through and through, and once the door between him and Ciarán is cracked, he's ready to burst on through like the Kool-Aid man.
I need to get past those walls he keeps throwing up. I want more than f-ing in secret. I want afternoons at the playground. Movies on the sofa. I want to keep holding his hand. I just want him. I’m sick of hiding this. For the first time in years, I have something that feels bright and exciting and f-ing mine. I want everyone to know who Ciarán O’Shea belongs to.
He's strong, and sweet, and a ride or die of the highest order - not to mention, when we get those spicy moments between the two of them, the dominant Daddy vibes are off the charts. He's a perfect counterpart for Ciarán, and I loved getting to see his journey to finding his own life and reclaiming the "old" Aiden who's been buried beneath years of unexpected obligations.
And every time he or Ciarán was with Rose, oh, the heartstrings, they were tugged. So. F-ing. Adorable. Papa, Ciarán, and Rose are a perfect little family unit.
All in all, my second visit to Willowrun (not counting all my rereads of Shelved Hearts, of course, was everything I could have wanted it to be. I wish I could read Sweet Hearts for the first time again, just so I can swoon and squeal and fall right into Aiden and Ciarán all over again.
Review of advance copy received from Author
It's no easy feat, delivering back-to-back five star reads that tick every single box I have as an MM romance reader and yet, here we are. Living the dream.
Back in Willowrun, the cosiest, quaintest tower to ever exist, only this time it's the younger brother and the best friend destined for a HEA.
Whereas book one, Shelved Hearts, was like sinking into a nice hot bath after an incredibly long day, book two packs more of a gut punch with Ciaran and Aiden kicking off their first meeting (8 years ago) with hostility and misunderstandings. Things only get more antagonistic from there since Aiden doesn't really know how to handle his feelings and turns into a tongue-tied fool every time Ciaran enters the room, and Ciaran can't help but press every single exposed button of Aiden's since he lives for the reaction he gets.
The tension is THICK, about as thick as this book actually and dense enough that you could cut it with a knife. When these boys finally, FINALLY, have their 'fuck it' moment, I swear I could see the smoke rising from the pages cause these two were hot! They had eight years of supressed and unfulfilled feelings pent up so .... it tracks.
We got to know both Aiden and Ciaran somewhat from book one where they are the younger brother and best friend of one of the MMC's in that book. We got to know Aiden as a bit of a surely, standoffish single dad who is capable of being nice to everyone except Ciaran. Ciaran was the unapologetic, sassy best friend that would drop everything the second his bestie needed him that could light up a room with his cheeky grin. You could tell that both characters had other things simmering away under the surface, even back then, and this book brings those things firmly into the light.
For Aiden, it's never been about animosity towards Ciaran. It's attraction, one he doesn't know how to process - and it's not because Ciaran is a guy. He was literally struck stupid the first time he saw Ciaran doesn't handle it well. As a result, Ciaran THINKS he knows what Aiden has going on inside his head, even though he couldn't be more wrong. Turns out that once Aiden starts taking steps to spend more time with Ciaran in a one-on-one capacity (at first reluctantly and then willing and greedily) he can function like a normal human being, and he turns into quite the steadfast teddy bear.
A steadfast teddy bear is exactly what Ciaran needs because the dude might all sparkles, sunshine and rainbows on the outside, and impeccably dressed to boot, but he is carrying around some rather dark thoughts about his own self-worth and his need to be useful for people because otherwise they'll leave. Add in the debilitating migraines that he gets on the regular that ultimately killed his ballet dancer dreams and he's walking a bit of a tightrope with his mental health. Letting Aiden in and accepting Aiden's feelings for him might just be his biggest challenge yet, especially when he isn't forthcoming in sharing these revelations with his nearest and dearest.
These two were absolutely perfect for each other in every single way, even if they don't realise it - at least at first. I had an absolutely amazing time on their journey to a HEA and loved every single second and word of this book. I was gripped from the first chapter and bummed that I was able to get through this as quickly as I did, since this is the sort of book that you'll want to savour.
Do you have to read book one first to understand what's happening in this one? No - however - you're doing yourself a disservice if you don't. You will understand the characters more and have context for the side characters in this book if you do read book one first. So yeah, my advise would be don't skip, but just enjoy.
Got all my fingers and toes crossed for Theo book next! here's hoping, but honestly, I would read anything from Laura because I'm a big fan and here for the ride.
Back in Willowrun, the cosiest, quaintest tower to ever exist, only this time it's the younger brother and the best friend destined for a HEA.
Whereas book one, Shelved Hearts, was like sinking into a nice hot bath after an incredibly long day, book two packs more of a gut punch with Ciaran and Aiden kicking off their first meeting (8 years ago) with hostility and misunderstandings. Things only get more antagonistic from there since Aiden doesn't really know how to handle his feelings and turns into a tongue-tied fool every time Ciaran enters the room, and Ciaran can't help but press every single exposed button of Aiden's since he lives for the reaction he gets.
The tension is THICK, about as thick as this book actually and dense enough that you could cut it with a knife. When these boys finally, FINALLY, have their 'fuck it' moment, I swear I could see the smoke rising from the pages cause these two were hot! They had eight years of supressed and unfulfilled feelings pent up so .... it tracks.
We got to know both Aiden and Ciaran somewhat from book one where they are the younger brother and best friend of one of the MMC's in that book. We got to know Aiden as a bit of a surely, standoffish single dad who is capable of being nice to everyone except Ciaran. Ciaran was the unapologetic, sassy best friend that would drop everything the second his bestie needed him that could light up a room with his cheeky grin. You could tell that both characters had other things simmering away under the surface, even back then, and this book brings those things firmly into the light.
For Aiden, it's never been about animosity towards Ciaran. It's attraction, one he doesn't know how to process - and it's not because Ciaran is a guy. He was literally struck stupid the first time he saw Ciaran doesn't handle it well. As a result, Ciaran THINKS he knows what Aiden has going on inside his head, even though he couldn't be more wrong. Turns out that once Aiden starts taking steps to spend more time with Ciaran in a one-on-one capacity (at first reluctantly and then willing and greedily) he can function like a normal human being, and he turns into quite the steadfast teddy bear.
A steadfast teddy bear is exactly what Ciaran needs because the dude might all sparkles, sunshine and rainbows on the outside, and impeccably dressed to boot, but he is carrying around some rather dark thoughts about his own self-worth and his need to be useful for people because otherwise they'll leave. Add in the debilitating migraines that he gets on the regular that ultimately killed his ballet dancer dreams and he's walking a bit of a tightrope with his mental health. Letting Aiden in and accepting Aiden's feelings for him might just be his biggest challenge yet, especially when he isn't forthcoming in sharing these revelations with his nearest and dearest.
These two were absolutely perfect for each other in every single way, even if they don't realise it - at least at first. I had an absolutely amazing time on their journey to a HEA and loved every single second and word of this book. I was gripped from the first chapter and bummed that I was able to get through this as quickly as I did, since this is the sort of book that you'll want to savour.
Do you have to read book one first to understand what's happening in this one? No - however - you're doing yourself a disservice if you don't. You will understand the characters more and have context for the side characters in this book if you do read book one first. So yeah, my advise would be don't skip, but just enjoy.
Got all my fingers and toes crossed for Theo book next! here's hoping, but honestly, I would read anything from Laura because I'm a big fan and here for the ride.
Review of advance copy received from Author
4.2 ⭐️
This second installment in the hearts of Willowrun Series was utterly charming, emotional, deliciously filthy, and a slow burn that will have you laughing and tearing up! Laura Kain delivers a phenomenal follow-up in her Hearts of Willowrun series with Sweet Hearts, seamlessly blending snappy, unhinged banter with a deeply sensitive exploration of chronic illness, mental health, and found family. Packed with years of unresolved tension, secret hookups, and sweet domestic moments, this book hits many emotional beats with precision.
The story centers on Aiden Shaw, a reliable, grounded single dad and gym owner who has spent years putting everyone else first, especially his young daughter, Rose. But behind his steady exterior is a man who has slowly lost touch with his own needs. Enter Ciarán O’Shea: his younger brother's bratty, razor-tongued best friend. Behind Ciarán's glamorous, life-of-the-party persona lies a former dancer battling debilitating migraines, depression, rejection sensitivity, and a soul-crushing belief that people always eventually leave. What starts as eight years of constant bickering explodes into a single, reckless weekend away, plunging both men into a secret, high-heat affair. As stolen nights turn into something far deeper, Aiden steps up as a fierce, protective anchor, while Ciarán must decide if he can risk his guarded heart on a love that promises to stay. Ciarán and Aiden’s constant snark, unhinged comments, and snappy retorts will have you giggling out loud, making their transition from sparring partners to swoon-worthy lovers immensely satisfying.
Kain handles Ciarán’s struggles with chronic migraines, depression, and rejection sensitivity with incredible heart and authenticity. Seeing his internal battles treated with genuine tenderness and respect adds immense depth to his character. Little Rose completely steals the show! Her adorable relationship with Ciarán, and the fierce way he adores her in return, gives the entire story such a warm, wholesome family feel. The spice in this book is absolute fire! Kain strikes a flawless balance between filthy, high-heat intimacy and tender, soul-soothing caretaking. I was swept away by Ciarán and Aiden's story.
I did find myself naturally longing for a few specific moments to breathe just a little bit more! Ciarán’s emotional journey with his mental health and his history with his family hit so deeply that I genuinely wanted to sit in those therapeutic, healing scenes with him for a few extra pages. I also found myself hoping for a deeper, face-to-face heart-to-heart between Ciarán and Gabe to unpack all the weight of their similar mental health struggles that they had trouble communicating to each other before. That being said, seeing Aiden consistently show up to shoulder Ciarán's burdens, prove his unconditional devotion, and remind him that he is worthy of staying made my heart melt completely.
Laura Kain crafted a story so rich in humor, vulnerabilities, and blistering heat! Watching Ciarán realize he didn't have to carry the world on his shoulders alone while Aiden reclaimed his own happiness was an absolute joy. If you love a good single-dad romance packed with top-tier banter, sweet caretaking, and a love that heals every broken piece, you need to grab this book! (Special shoutout to Theo, love that man and i hope we get his book soon!)
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