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St. Caroline #2
Hearts on Fire
Return to the shores of the Chesapeake Bay in Julia Gabriel’s new series about love, family, and second chances ... The 300-year-old town of St. Caroline, Maryland, is part fishing village and part summer playground for the wealthy and powerful. Meet the Trevor women—Michelle, Becca, Charlotte, Natalie, Cassidy and Lauren—and their popular quilt shop, Quilt Therapy. Across town, the men of the Wolfe family have been the backbone of the St. Caroline fire department for generations—and Tim, Jack, Matt and Oliver are continuing the tradition.
The girl who couldn't get anything right …
No good deed goes unpunished. That pretty much summed up Becca Trevor’s life. Help out a woman being harassed in a bar—and get fired? Check. Come home for parents’ anniversary party—and cause her mother’s quilt shop to burst into flames? Check again. Help a geeky classmate and family friend lose his virginity before college—and get pregnant? Check check check.
The boy who could do no wrong ...
Jack Wolfe was the golden boy of St. Caroline. Smart, Ivy League-educated, law school-bound. He has a nice, steady job as an attorney with a hotshot tech company in California … well no, scratch that. The thought of spending his life in an office pushing paper filled him with such existential dread that he dropped out of law school a year ago without telling anyone. He’d much rather follow his father and brothers into the family business—firefighting. But he’s also the namesake of his uncle Jack, who was killed in the line of duty. It would kill Jack’s mother to see her youngest child join the fire department, too … and she’s dying already.
And a secret that will change their lives forever …
The last thing Jack Wolfe needed was a baby. All those Ivy League dreams would go right down the drain—and Becca knew she would get blamed for it. So seven years ago she left town without a word, had the baby by herself, and arranged for the adoption. She never intended to see Jack Wolfe again. But now they’re both back in St. Caroline and falling into a friendship … maybe even more. Becca always planned to keep their baby a secret forever. But now that secret needs her and Becca can’t say no—and can’t keep the news of their daughter from Jack any longer. Can their budding love survive the revelation that they are already a family?
Can the biggest mistake of their lives be the best thing that ever happened to them?
The girl who couldn't get anything right …
No good deed goes unpunished. That pretty much summed up Becca Trevor’s life. Help out a woman being harassed in a bar—and get fired? Check. Come home for parents’ anniversary party—and cause her mother’s quilt shop to burst into flames? Check again. Help a geeky classmate and family friend lose his virginity before college—and get pregnant? Check check check.
The boy who could do no wrong ...
Jack Wolfe was the golden boy of St. Caroline. Smart, Ivy League-educated, law school-bound. He has a nice, steady job as an attorney with a hotshot tech company in California … well no, scratch that. The thought of spending his life in an office pushing paper filled him with such existential dread that he dropped out of law school a year ago without telling anyone. He’d much rather follow his father and brothers into the family business—firefighting. But he’s also the namesake of his uncle Jack, who was killed in the line of duty. It would kill Jack’s mother to see her youngest child join the fire department, too … and she’s dying already.
And a secret that will change their lives forever …
The last thing Jack Wolfe needed was a baby. All those Ivy League dreams would go right down the drain—and Becca knew she would get blamed for it. So seven years ago she left town without a word, had the baby by herself, and arranged for the adoption. She never intended to see Jack Wolfe again. But now they’re both back in St. Caroline and falling into a friendship … maybe even more. Becca always planned to keep their baby a secret forever. But now that secret needs her and Becca can’t say no—and can’t keep the news of their daughter from Jack any longer. Can their budding love survive the revelation that they are already a family?
Can the biggest mistake of their lives be the best thing that ever happened to them?
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 2, 2018
3996 people are currently reading
1406 people want to read
About the author
Julia Gabriel
40 books162 followersJulia Gabriel writes contemporary romance that is smart, sexy, and emotionally-intense (grab the tissues). She lives in New England where she is a full-time mom to a teenager, as well as a sometime writing professor and obsessive quilter (is there any other kind?). If all goes well, she’ll be a Parisienne in her next life.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 216 reviews
July 31, 2021
Another fabulous read from one of my new favourite authors, Julia Gabriel!
In book two of the St. Caroline Series, Becca Trevor believes she is cursed and that no good deed of hers, no matter how well intentioned, will go unpunished. She was always a bit of a spitfire and a rebel in high school, never letting anyone forget that she was different from the other Trevor sisters. She had been adopted as a baby by her aunt and uncle when her drug-abusing mother died of an overdose.
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Trouble seemed to follow Becca wherever she went. One fateful prom night in high school, Becca and Jack Wolfe make out in the back seat of her car. Jack is heading off to Cornell University, with plans of becoming a lawyer. Not wanting to ruin both of their lives, Becca leaves town when she discovers she is pregnant. She gives the baby up in an open adoption and tries to move on with her life.
Fast-forward 7 years: Becca is down on her luck and has no choice but to return to St. Caroline until she can regroup and start over - yet again. Jack Wolfe's mother is dying of cancer and he has been summoned home from California. At first, Becca and Jack find it awkward to recall that fateful hook up in the back seat of her car. But Fate had so much more in store for these two lost and disillusioned souls.
I thoroughly enjoyed being surrounded by the Trevors and the Wolfes once again. We spend a lot of time with the Trevor women in the quilting store owned by their mother, Michelle Trevor. I felt an internal rhythm arising from the words in this novel in response to all the quilting references: the cutting and matching of fabrics and patterns; the tiny, measured stitching and the need to rock the quilting needle in and out of the fabric in a practiced fashion. So soothing and visual. (I hope you experience that same sense of calm that came over me each time Becca started working on a quilt and lost herself and her worries for hours at a time.)
This is also the first time we are introduced to the often hysterically funny internal "haunting" that the Wolfe men endure after Jack's mother passes away. Angie Wolfe is the funniest "not going anywhere near that light" spirit you will ever likely come across. (Note: there are some references to God and spiritualism, but more in the vein of Jack being royally pissed off that any deity could stand by and allow his mother to suffer as she did, etc. There was nothing preachy in this novel.)
Incidentally, I read the fourth book in the series first because I had received it as an ARC from NetGalley. Each book in the series is a standalone. Some of the timelines overlap, but there are no major spoilers involved if you do read them out of order, like I did. I certainly thoroughly enjoyed this story about choices, consequences, the need to be true to your own dreams and ambitions, and the need to forgive and build something new from the ashes of your old messed up life. Highly recommended!
In book two of the St. Caroline Series, Becca Trevor believes she is cursed and that no good deed of hers, no matter how well intentioned, will go unpunished. She was always a bit of a spitfire and a rebel in high school, never letting anyone forget that she was different from the other Trevor sisters. She had been adopted as a baby by her aunt and uncle when her drug-abusing mother died of an overdose.
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Trouble seemed to follow Becca wherever she went. One fateful prom night in high school, Becca and Jack Wolfe make out in the back seat of her car. Jack is heading off to Cornell University, with plans of becoming a lawyer. Not wanting to ruin both of their lives, Becca leaves town when she discovers she is pregnant. She gives the baby up in an open adoption and tries to move on with her life.
Fast-forward 7 years: Becca is down on her luck and has no choice but to return to St. Caroline until she can regroup and start over - yet again. Jack Wolfe's mother is dying of cancer and he has been summoned home from California. At first, Becca and Jack find it awkward to recall that fateful hook up in the back seat of her car. But Fate had so much more in store for these two lost and disillusioned souls.
I thoroughly enjoyed being surrounded by the Trevors and the Wolfes once again. We spend a lot of time with the Trevor women in the quilting store owned by their mother, Michelle Trevor. I felt an internal rhythm arising from the words in this novel in response to all the quilting references: the cutting and matching of fabrics and patterns; the tiny, measured stitching and the need to rock the quilting needle in and out of the fabric in a practiced fashion. So soothing and visual. (I hope you experience that same sense of calm that came over me each time Becca started working on a quilt and lost herself and her worries for hours at a time.)
This is also the first time we are introduced to the often hysterically funny internal "haunting" that the Wolfe men endure after Jack's mother passes away. Angie Wolfe is the funniest "not going anywhere near that light" spirit you will ever likely come across. (Note: there are some references to God and spiritualism, but more in the vein of Jack being royally pissed off that any deity could stand by and allow his mother to suffer as she did, etc. There was nothing preachy in this novel.)
Incidentally, I read the fourth book in the series first because I had received it as an ARC from NetGalley. Each book in the series is a standalone. Some of the timelines overlap, but there are no major spoilers involved if you do read them out of order, like I did. I certainly thoroughly enjoyed this story about choices, consequences, the need to be true to your own dreams and ambitions, and the need to forgive and build something new from the ashes of your old messed up life. Highly recommended!
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August 27, 2017
Hearts on Fire, St. Caroline Series Book 2, Julia Gabriel
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: Women's Fiction,Romance
I love Julia's writing, both as Julia Gabriel and as Marie Martine but this book? Well, sadly its a fail for me.
I felt for Becca, poor woman has a history of disasters and was so determined not to be a burden, to do her best for everyone that she always put herself last. When it came to the romance with Jack though? Well, I just didn't feel it. certainly there was nothing between them except that one night when they were teens, and even that felt odd to me. Which was he, awkward geek, or college Golden boy? Because there's a world of difference and the Golden Boy certainly wouldn't have needed help losing his virginity, the girls would have been all over him - as Nan would say "like s hit sticks to a blanket" !!
Fast forward seven years and this time they do get romantic, but even so I was entirely convinced by them. I didn't feel the chemistry, that pull, that must be together sense some couples have.
I was waiting for whatever was going to happen to bring The Baby up, and waiting, and waiting. Its not til the last quarter that really makes a part of the story. Somehow I'd expected it to figure much larger in the overall plot but it felt almost like an add on.
As always though, not all readers like all books and though this wasn't a good fit for me it could be perfect for you. Maybe its just this book didn't work for me, maybe its this series? I don't know, I do know I love Julia's work and not liking this book won't put me off further ones from her.
Stars: A two sadly, well written but a story just not right for me
ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: Women's Fiction,Romance
I love Julia's writing, both as Julia Gabriel and as Marie Martine but this book? Well, sadly its a fail for me.
I felt for Becca, poor woman has a history of disasters and was so determined not to be a burden, to do her best for everyone that she always put herself last. When it came to the romance with Jack though? Well, I just didn't feel it. certainly there was nothing between them except that one night when they were teens, and even that felt odd to me. Which was he, awkward geek, or college Golden boy? Because there's a world of difference and the Golden Boy certainly wouldn't have needed help losing his virginity, the girls would have been all over him - as Nan would say "like s hit sticks to a blanket" !!
Fast forward seven years and this time they do get romantic, but even so I was entirely convinced by them. I didn't feel the chemistry, that pull, that must be together sense some couples have.
I was waiting for whatever was going to happen to bring The Baby up, and waiting, and waiting. Its not til the last quarter that really makes a part of the story. Somehow I'd expected it to figure much larger in the overall plot but it felt almost like an add on.
As always though, not all readers like all books and though this wasn't a good fit for me it could be perfect for you. Maybe its just this book didn't work for me, maybe its this series? I don't know, I do know I love Julia's work and not liking this book won't put me off further ones from her.
Stars: A two sadly, well written but a story just not right for me
ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers
April 14, 2020
4.5 Stars!
After hearing great things about this author, but not having read before, I didn't know what to expect. What I got was a captivating story that was well-written, developed, and unique in plot. There was not one characters in this story that I didn't like unless it was the author's intention. I absolutely loved the main characters and their regretful backstory to fortuitous future. My only quibble is the quick wrap-up of an ending. Yet, I appreciated and enjoyed the sweet epilogue. I look forward to many new reading experiences with Julia Gabriel and I definitely recommend!
April 15, 2018
I really enjoyed this story. It felt like a very unique read, not because of what the characters went through but because of the way they reacted so maturely about it. It was a very emotional story that somehow didn’t come across as too emotional devastating but powerful just the same.
This is my first read by the author but I absolutely plan out checking out the rest of the books in the series.
This is my first read by the author but I absolutely plan out checking out the rest of the books in the series.
September 28, 2017
**ARC provided from publishing company for an honest review. **
Must read of the year. Seriously!
I don’t even know where to start with this novel besides I absolutely loved it. I am not one to like clean romances but this was perfect. In my opinion, clean romances are quite boring. They tend be drawn out. But Julia Gabriel has done clean romance right with Hearts on Fire. Enough said. Well, not really.
The story is about second chance friendship that takes a lovable twist. Becca and Jack both had a past and it included each other and one night of awkwardness. Now both are back in their home town of St. Caroline. These two will need to face some demons that have been eating away at them. Jack’s of not living up to the potential of his mother’s dream of him being a lawyer. Becca’s of leaving home because she was pregnant with Jack’s baby. You have to wonder who will be the first to come clean?
So yeah…I went through a lot of emotions with Jack’s character. You know from the start his mother was dying from ovarian cancer. This is how I knew the author experienced the same tragedy. The emotions were authentic and raw. I have never experienced a loss to cancer but I felt everything that Jack felt. If I was in his shoes, I would be the same exact way. Angry, sad, questioning my faith. It was so real that I am tearing up just writing this review. It was powerful.
I just loved Becca. Granted, her decision on what to do with their child was a little wishy washy to me for the simple fact that she was eighteen years old and made such an adult decision. I respected her for that. However, her being there for Jack during his darkest time is what made me love her as a character. She was there for him. She loved and cared for him. He did the same for her as well. It was what true love should be. Letting yourself open up during the toughest of times and showing those vulnerable colors. It was just wow.
It has been awhile since I have felt like this after book. When I finished it, I was beyond happy. It was the ending I was hoping for but better. In my opinion, Julia Gabriel is the next best seller, writer extraordinaire. This is talent in a book.
Like I said earlier, I am not much of a fan of clean romances but this one right here I would recommend to my family and friends. Honestly, I feel Julia could submit this to the Hallmark channel for a movie because it exceeds potential for a movie. If and when it does, I will be DVRing it or purchasing it.
Julia, you have found a new fan in me. I look forward to reading more of your work.
FIVE beautifully written stars.
Must read of the year. Seriously!
I don’t even know where to start with this novel besides I absolutely loved it. I am not one to like clean romances but this was perfect. In my opinion, clean romances are quite boring. They tend be drawn out. But Julia Gabriel has done clean romance right with Hearts on Fire. Enough said. Well, not really.
The story is about second chance friendship that takes a lovable twist. Becca and Jack both had a past and it included each other and one night of awkwardness. Now both are back in their home town of St. Caroline. These two will need to face some demons that have been eating away at them. Jack’s of not living up to the potential of his mother’s dream of him being a lawyer. Becca’s of leaving home because she was pregnant with Jack’s baby. You have to wonder who will be the first to come clean?
So yeah…I went through a lot of emotions with Jack’s character. You know from the start his mother was dying from ovarian cancer. This is how I knew the author experienced the same tragedy. The emotions were authentic and raw. I have never experienced a loss to cancer but I felt everything that Jack felt. If I was in his shoes, I would be the same exact way. Angry, sad, questioning my faith. It was so real that I am tearing up just writing this review. It was powerful.
I just loved Becca. Granted, her decision on what to do with their child was a little wishy washy to me for the simple fact that she was eighteen years old and made such an adult decision. I respected her for that. However, her being there for Jack during his darkest time is what made me love her as a character. She was there for him. She loved and cared for him. He did the same for her as well. It was what true love should be. Letting yourself open up during the toughest of times and showing those vulnerable colors. It was just wow.
It has been awhile since I have felt like this after book. When I finished it, I was beyond happy. It was the ending I was hoping for but better. In my opinion, Julia Gabriel is the next best seller, writer extraordinaire. This is talent in a book.
Like I said earlier, I am not much of a fan of clean romances but this one right here I would recommend to my family and friends. Honestly, I feel Julia could submit this to the Hallmark channel for a movie because it exceeds potential for a movie. If and when it does, I will be DVRing it or purchasing it.
Julia, you have found a new fan in me. I look forward to reading more of your work.
FIVE beautifully written stars.
November 26, 2017
When Becca was 1 year old, her mother died and she was adopted by her mother's sister and her husband. She also gained 4 sisters but she never felt like she really belonged because she was different from them ... so she rebelled. Jack was the youngest son in his family of firefighters and he was named after his mother's twin brother who died on the job fighting fires. So his mother made his father promise that Jack would never be a firefighter like him and his other 2 sons. Jack was to go to college and become a lawyer, doctor, teacher ... anything but a firefighter. So on the night of their high school graduation, Jack's best friend set him up to lose his virginity to Becca ... who everyone believed was the town "bicycle". When Becca found out she was pregnant, she didn't tell anyone because she knew that Jack would do the right thing and marry her, but she didn't want to marry him that way. She didn't want to be blamed for "golden boy" Jack's life being ruined. So she left town, had her baby and gave it up for adoption.
Seven years later, Becca is still making bad decisions ... she just lost her job, got evicted from her apartment and her boyfriend went jail. So she put her tail between her legs and crawled back home ... a place she never thought she's go again. Her first night there, her family is away so she goes into her mother's quilting store to stay the night and once again her bad luck follows her and the store burns to the ground. And who is there when she is brought out of the flames ... none other than Jack. Jack just got called back to his hometown because his mother is dying and he wants to spend all the time he can with her. Besides, a year ago he quit law school because all he really wants is to be a fireman. Becca and Jack keep running into each other and eventually start seeing each other ... it's not a relationship because when the summer is over they will each be heading out of town in different directions. But a lot can happen in a summer!
This is one of the most down to earth books I have ever read. There are no millionaires, no rock stars and no jocks ... just everyday people with everyday lives and everyday problems. This book will make you laugh, but it will also break your heart! Believe me ... keep a box of tissue close by because you will need it. I highly recommend this book is you are truly looking for a heartwarming and heart wrenching story.
I received an ARC copy courtesy of Romance Beckons through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.
Seven years later, Becca is still making bad decisions ... she just lost her job, got evicted from her apartment and her boyfriend went jail. So she put her tail between her legs and crawled back home ... a place she never thought she's go again. Her first night there, her family is away so she goes into her mother's quilting store to stay the night and once again her bad luck follows her and the store burns to the ground. And who is there when she is brought out of the flames ... none other than Jack. Jack just got called back to his hometown because his mother is dying and he wants to spend all the time he can with her. Besides, a year ago he quit law school because all he really wants is to be a fireman. Becca and Jack keep running into each other and eventually start seeing each other ... it's not a relationship because when the summer is over they will each be heading out of town in different directions. But a lot can happen in a summer!
This is one of the most down to earth books I have ever read. There are no millionaires, no rock stars and no jocks ... just everyday people with everyday lives and everyday problems. This book will make you laugh, but it will also break your heart! Believe me ... keep a box of tissue close by because you will need it. I highly recommend this book is you are truly looking for a heartwarming and heart wrenching story.
I received an ARC copy courtesy of Romance Beckons through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.
September 16, 2017
Becca and Jack shared one awkward night (more like fifteen minutes) when they were teenagers and then both left St. Caroline thinking they’d never see each other again. When different events in their lives bring them back home, their tendency is to avoid each other, but they can’t seem to stay out of each others’ paths. When their mutual attraction grows, secrets they’ve been keeping have a way of coming to light, with a far greater impact than on just their relationship.
The advance copy I read of this book is my first by this author, and this lady has some mad writing skills. Not only did she create a quaint, sweet, small town setting that anyone would love to visit, all of the characters are dynamic, complex, realistic people that I felt like I knew personally. There are some tough topics that she masterfully addresses with compassion, tenderness and stark reality so much so that I felt the emotions right along with the characters. I laughed. I cried. I felt frustrated, uncertain and hopeless, and then relieved, joyful and at peace.
It was clear that the author was writing from personal experience, pouring parts of her heart and soul into this work, which makes the experience so much more vivid for the reader. Yes, there was sorrow and sadness, grief and loss, mistakes and missed opportunities, but running throughout were threads of family, love and hope. In the midst of heartbreak there was healing, and following the sadness and grief there was happiness and joy. As we’ve often heard, without the storms we wouldn’t appreciate the sun, and this book depicts that beautifully. This is a sweet, heart wrenching, uplifting book and definitely one to grab now!
The advance copy I read of this book is my first by this author, and this lady has some mad writing skills. Not only did she create a quaint, sweet, small town setting that anyone would love to visit, all of the characters are dynamic, complex, realistic people that I felt like I knew personally. There are some tough topics that she masterfully addresses with compassion, tenderness and stark reality so much so that I felt the emotions right along with the characters. I laughed. I cried. I felt frustrated, uncertain and hopeless, and then relieved, joyful and at peace.
It was clear that the author was writing from personal experience, pouring parts of her heart and soul into this work, which makes the experience so much more vivid for the reader. Yes, there was sorrow and sadness, grief and loss, mistakes and missed opportunities, but running throughout were threads of family, love and hope. In the midst of heartbreak there was healing, and following the sadness and grief there was happiness and joy. As we’ve often heard, without the storms we wouldn’t appreciate the sun, and this book depicts that beautifully. This is a sweet, heart wrenching, uplifting book and definitely one to grab now!
December 29, 2025
Ay, hija mía, lo que se llora con este libro, es de los que necesitas los clínex al lado.
Becca & Jack tienen los dos 25 años. Se enrollaron una noche, de jovencitos, sin apenas conocerse. Luego ella se marchó inmediatamente de la small town. Años después, Becca vuelve porque no tiene otro sitio donde ir. También regresa Jack Wolfe, porque su madre se está muriendo de cáncer. Aquí varios guardan secretos, el más gordo, que Becca tuvo una nena y la dio en adopción. Esto no lo sabe ni la familia de ella, ni la de él, ni el propio Jack.
No están en un buen momento, y aunque se siguen gustando, el peso de los secretos que guardan puede ser demasiado y hacer totalmente imposible que estos dos tengan un futuro juntos.
Mi puntuación de tres estrellas es una cosa intermedia entre cosas que me han gustado mucho y que merecerían cuatro estrellas y otras que me han gustado menos y por las que le daría dos. Entro en más detalles en la reseña que publico en mi blog.
Becca & Jack tienen los dos 25 años. Se enrollaron una noche, de jovencitos, sin apenas conocerse. Luego ella se marchó inmediatamente de la small town. Años después, Becca vuelve porque no tiene otro sitio donde ir. También regresa Jack Wolfe, porque su madre se está muriendo de cáncer. Aquí varios guardan secretos, el más gordo, que Becca tuvo una nena y la dio en adopción. Esto no lo sabe ni la familia de ella, ni la de él, ni el propio Jack.
No están en un buen momento, y aunque se siguen gustando, el peso de los secretos que guardan puede ser demasiado y hacer totalmente imposible que estos dos tengan un futuro juntos.
Mi puntuación de tres estrellas es una cosa intermedia entre cosas que me han gustado mucho y que merecerían cuatro estrellas y otras que me han gustado menos y por las que le daría dos. Entro en más detalles en la reseña que publico en mi blog.
September 2, 2017
Hearts on Fire (St. Caroline) by Julia Gabriel
If ever there was a love song that needed to be written, it would be the ballad of Jack and Becca. Hearts on Fire is that tale without the melody. Ms. Gabriel paints a picture of heartbreak and regret that will have readers reaching for the Kleenex. Becca tends to lead with her heart. She gives her all to those she loves, even if that means breaking herself in the process. Jack is the man who wants to be happy but keeps getting let down by the choices he makes and the obligations he faces. Descriptive dialogue guides this coming of age story of past mistakes and new beginnings.
If ever there was a love song that needed to be written, it would be the ballad of Jack and Becca. Hearts on Fire is that tale without the melody. Ms. Gabriel paints a picture of heartbreak and regret that will have readers reaching for the Kleenex. Becca tends to lead with her heart. She gives her all to those she loves, even if that means breaking herself in the process. Jack is the man who wants to be happy but keeps getting let down by the choices he makes and the obligations he faces. Descriptive dialogue guides this coming of age story of past mistakes and new beginnings.
November 8, 2017
This love story will pull at readers’ heartstrings with all the history and mistakes made that set up this touching journey of redemption.
Read full review in the 2017 November issue of InD'tale Magazine.
Read full review in the 2017 November issue of InD'tale Magazine.
April 13, 2020
Not interested. I hate the secret baby/child trope. It's reprehensible that a woman would deprive her child of a possible relationship with their father. The only way I can see an argument for it is if the partner was abusive or if the child was the result of rape in which case it should not be a romance trope.
September 26, 2017
ARC provided VIA NetGalley.
This is my first book by this author.
I liked the writing style and would definitely like to read more of her works, but the plot didn't really work for me.
I felt like there was just something missing and it didn't hold my attention from beginning to end.
This is my first book by this author.
I liked the writing style and would definitely like to read more of her works, but the plot didn't really work for me.
I felt like there was just something missing and it didn't hold my attention from beginning to end.
August 3, 2017
The first six chapters.
March 26, 2021
I’d read it again
Great story, sad, but so much love and heartache. You can totally relate to the characters in this book. Worth reading.
Great story, sad, but so much love and heartache. You can totally relate to the characters in this book. Worth reading.
October 10, 2018
This authors style of writing wasn’t really for me... I liked the idea of this book, it just wasn’t executed to my liking... Once all the secrets were out in the open I wish we were given more about of the lives affected and how things worked out rather than it being glossed over...
October 23, 2017
This is a well written albeit melancholic romance. The characters in Hearts on Fire are full of remorse and heartache as they battle to break through their self-imposed barriers. Someone once said, "The curse of the intelligent is depression." This book speaks of highly intelligent people who are burdened with oversensitive consciences, leaving them doubting themselves and the people who care for them. Both Becca and Jack are facing lifestyle and career choices as they return to St Caroline. After having not seen each other for 7 years, they are immediately catapulted back to high school and the mistake they made. While Jack is mourning the impending loss of his mother, Becca has to deal with the string of catastrophes that seem to follow her. Becca's approach to life is more practical and with the result she is able to throw herself into activities that bring her peace, but Jack is unable to switch his thoughts off as they churn him up, resulting in a deep seated weariness. When Becca's past once more becomes a reality in her life, she risks losing Jack altogether as he realises the enormity of the results of one foolish night. While this book is free of bedroom activities, it nevertheless is not without passion. However, some of the romance is lost due to the tragic nature of the story. I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily post this review. This is my honest review.
February 4, 2020
"5 out of 5 stars!! For a majority of Becca's life she has felt like she has never fit in (though some of it was her own doing) but she tried to make good choices for those around her most of the time. It all led her to keeping a huge secret from her family seven years ago. Now with her life in turmoil again she goes home to make amends. Yet the one person her "big secret" is all about, Jack, sets her life for another curve ball. Could everything finally be turning around for the better now? Or will fate decide to take away all of their options and throw them for a loop too?
Bare with me as I try not to give too much away. But oh my word!! In this novel you deal with loss (in quite a few different forms) while watching the characters deal with continuing on with their lives as their "worlds" fall apart around them. I know that might sound a bit overly dramatic for a contemporary romance novel but it's what this novel portrays Becca and Jack going through.
This was a riveting tale that ..."
Read more of this review and a TEASER here: https://frommetoyouvideophoto.blogspot.com/2020/02/idolizing-in-st-caroline-series-book-2.html
Bare with me as I try not to give too much away. But oh my word!! In this novel you deal with loss (in quite a few different forms) while watching the characters deal with continuing on with their lives as their "worlds" fall apart around them. I know that might sound a bit overly dramatic for a contemporary romance novel but it's what this novel portrays Becca and Jack going through.
This was a riveting tale that ..."
Read more of this review and a TEASER here: https://frommetoyouvideophoto.blogspot.com/2020/02/idolizing-in-st-caroline-series-book-2.html
April 23, 2020
Becca Trevor has always been the perceived black sheep of the family, because she's actually the niece who was adopted by the local doctor and his quilt shop owner wife when her drug addict mom dies when she's a year old. A wild child through high school, she become pregnant on graduation night when she helps the local golden boy lose his virginity. Rather than upset the plans for him to go to an Ivy League school and then law school, she leaves Maryland for Ohio. She secretly has the baby girl and gives her up for adoption and then struggles to make a good life. Seven years later, after her latest boyfriend is thrown in jail and she's fired from her bar tending job after helping a young woman, she retreats to St. Caroline to attend her parent's anniversary party. Instead, she's on the scene when her mom's quilt shop burns. Meanwhile, unknowning baby daddy Jack Wolfe is back in town with his own secrets and problems. His mom is dying of Cancer, so he hasn't mentioned that he dropped out of law school a year ago and has also become a fire fighter - the family business. He and Becca are thrown together in town, and make progress toward a friendship/relationship, when all of the secrets come out - and their daughter comes back into their lives. Fun story with quilting thrown in as a background - a plus for me!
December 25, 2017
It is often said that grief is something you hope to never experience in your lifetime. How Ms Gabriel brings to life the bone deep emotional pain that grief causes through her words is simply amazing. In Jack you have a big strong man, brought to his knees through his grief. Never have I experienced the level of raw emotion that the author was able to give life to through Jack.
The levels of emotions that weaved their way through the story was poignant and heartfelt. The heartbreak was palpable, so thick at times that a lack of tears was nonexistent. Through all these painful emotions, rather than a heaviness that could have bogged down the story, instead you found uplifting moments that provided the perfect balance to the grief.
Having been someone who has experienced a level of grief no parent should ever have to, the story resonanted with me, portraying the darkness of loss, while at the same time finding the light of life as it goes one. This story will definitely stay with me going forward.
This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.
The levels of emotions that weaved their way through the story was poignant and heartfelt. The heartbreak was palpable, so thick at times that a lack of tears was nonexistent. Through all these painful emotions, rather than a heaviness that could have bogged down the story, instead you found uplifting moments that provided the perfect balance to the grief.
Having been someone who has experienced a level of grief no parent should ever have to, the story resonanted with me, portraying the darkness of loss, while at the same time finding the light of life as it goes one. This story will definitely stay with me going forward.
This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.
July 3, 2017
Jack and Becca's story is definitely a unique one. They grew up in the same town and had sex one night and then didn't see each other for 7 years. Becca was pregnant and gave their baby up for adoption without tell Jack. 7 years later they're both back in St. Caroline and going through a lot. Becca is a very strong female character. She puts everyone else's best interests before her own, even when it hurts. If she makes a mistake (even if she really didn't) she does whatever she can to rectify it. Jack is lost. He quit school to be a firefighter and he hides it because his mother doesn't want to be one, his dying mother. Both characters were lost and St. Caroline helped them find themselves. The only problems I had with the book were that I wish Lucy and Sterling made an appearance and that I wish there wasn't such a pig time hop between the last chapter and the epilogue. Other than that, I really enjoyed the book. I can't wait to read about more St. Caroline characters.
September 14, 2017
I had already determined before reading that Hearts On Fire would be a sappy summer love story that I would enjoy for the sake of entertainment. It was definitely sappy, and definitely a love story, but it was also so much more.
First we meet Becca who's life is a mess, and who flees home to her parents as she finds herself with nowhere else to turn. She runs into Jack, a boy from high school who's virginity she took at a graduation party. What happened that night has effected them both in very different, but impactful ways. They are both home in their small town for the summer and find themselves spending time together.
Jack's mom is also dying of cancer. Your heart breaks for his family and you see him go through the various stages of grief, and feel his pain as if it were your own.
This book is far more complex and emotional than I had expected. I felt like my heart was going to burst several times as I was reading, whether with love, sadness, or hope.
First we meet Becca who's life is a mess, and who flees home to her parents as she finds herself with nowhere else to turn. She runs into Jack, a boy from high school who's virginity she took at a graduation party. What happened that night has effected them both in very different, but impactful ways. They are both home in their small town for the summer and find themselves spending time together.
Jack's mom is also dying of cancer. Your heart breaks for his family and you see him go through the various stages of grief, and feel his pain as if it were your own.
This book is far more complex and emotional than I had expected. I felt like my heart was going to burst several times as I was reading, whether with love, sadness, or hope.
June 25, 2017
Hold on to your emotions with this one, my eyes were teary almost the entire time. Becca is holding on to a secret that nobody knows about and it's killing her. Jake, the youngest Wolfe, is struggling with personal issues as well. The two of them have tried their whole lives to do things that please other people until the time has come to do what is right for them. This book is sweet and charming yet gut wrenching with the pain that both families endure through separate struggles. Becca and Jake have a small connection to the first book, Summer Again. Both stories take place in the small town of St. Caroline off the East Coast and Becca works for the restaurant at the Inn. The books can be read separately and have no bearing on the other story. This was a beautiful book and I'm so thrilled to have received a copy from Netgalley.
September 4, 2017
Grab the tissues - this second-chance romance is going to tug at all your heartstrings. Becca and Jack both show up back in their hometown on the same Memorial Day weekend with neither of them having fulfilled their ambitions or the goals set for them by their families. This story was hauntingly beautiful, filled with exquisitely developed characters who are struggling to keep their heads above water as their worlds fall apart around them. The author's talented writing immediately draws the reader into the story and doesn't let go until the last teardrop falls. Simply amazing storytelling, right from the start. This is a sweet and clean romance with nothing more graphic than passionate kisses. If you like to read deeply-felt emotionally-charged romances, this book is a one-click must-read for you. I am voluntarily reviewing an ARC of this book received through Shifted Sheets.
November 25, 2018
Bring the tissues.
Wow this is my first time reading from this author and I absolutely fell in love with her writing and being able to connect with you on an emotional level.
One mistake is all it takes and for Becca it's a secret about to come out when she returns home to find out the one person who she hid the secret from is home and spending time with his ailing mother. Jack has secrets he hiding from his family and has returned home to spend time with his dying mother but when he sees Becca again can he stay away from her or will her secrets destroy them?
This book is absolutely an emotional roller coaster and heartbreaking as well but it also it there is fate ,faith and believe you can change your path and make your life happy again. Cant wait to read more from this author.
Wow this is my first time reading from this author and I absolutely fell in love with her writing and being able to connect with you on an emotional level.
One mistake is all it takes and for Becca it's a secret about to come out when she returns home to find out the one person who she hid the secret from is home and spending time with his ailing mother. Jack has secrets he hiding from his family and has returned home to spend time with his dying mother but when he sees Becca again can he stay away from her or will her secrets destroy them?
This book is absolutely an emotional roller coaster and heartbreaking as well but it also it there is fate ,faith and believe you can change your path and make your life happy again. Cant wait to read more from this author.
February 23, 2020
A beautiful second chance love story, between a man and woman who had an encounter years ago, which will effect there lives now.
Becca is a young woman who always ends up in a disaster, some big some little. She had moved away from home after high school, but after living through being fired, boyfriend arrested and being evicted, she decides it’s time to go home.
Jack, living a lie not to disappoint his parents, is home for the summer, his Mom is dying of ovarian cancer. Becca and Jack are thrown together both accidentally and on purpose. Together they realize how much they missed each other after all these years. They become close, but there is one more very unexpected chain of events they must face.
I really enjoyed this story!
Becca is a young woman who always ends up in a disaster, some big some little. She had moved away from home after high school, but after living through being fired, boyfriend arrested and being evicted, she decides it’s time to go home.
Jack, living a lie not to disappoint his parents, is home for the summer, his Mom is dying of ovarian cancer. Becca and Jack are thrown together both accidentally and on purpose. Together they realize how much they missed each other after all these years. They become close, but there is one more very unexpected chain of events they must face.
I really enjoyed this story!
January 24, 2021
Law school drop-out/wanna-be firefighter Jack reunites with prom night hook-up Becca (which unbeknownst to him results in pregnancy). They are reunited 7 years later when he returns home to visit his dying mother and Becca returns home after giving their child up for adoption, her boyfriend being arrested and getting evicted from her apartment. What a doozie. Pretty depressing read and pretty blah characters.
There were undercurrents of christianity (Jack kept up a running complaining conversation with God, the father said grace before meals) but then Becca and Jack lived with his father before they got married. Very confusing.
There were undercurrents of christianity (Jack kept up a running complaining conversation with God, the father said grace before meals) but then Becca and Jack lived with his father before they got married. Very confusing.
August 30, 2017
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Julia Gabriel is a new to me author and one I will gladly read again. I found her writing to be strong and immersive. She can really make you feel as if you are in a location with the characters.
This was a plot that definitely pulls on the heartstrings. I just wanted a bit more. In the beginning Becca is constantly complaining about her bad luck and blaming herself for everything in the world. I found it more annoying than endearing to be honest but I liked her enough to care about her and her story. What we are given to explain the dark cloud she thinks she lives under is not helpful. The scene where she loses her job even though she is in the right is a bummer. We are told about her ex and never given details about their relationship or why he is in jail. We are just told he is the last in a string of bad guys in her life. The eviction is harder to sympathize with because she would have had notice of an upcoming eviction. Was she careless or clueless? Then blaming herself for the electrical fire was too much for me. I didn't need all of this to understand why she made the decision she made at 18 or her fear of what will come when others find out about it. For the rest of the book major things happen to Becca and she makes life changing decisions without us really seeing what she is thinking and feeling. The plot is strong enough to still make it an enjoyable book but I really wanted more of what was going on in her head and not just the plot moving forward.
Jack was a more fleshed out character, in my opinion. He loves his mom and has to come to terms with disappointing her because he cannot live his life the way she wants him to.
I loved how the relationships of the main characters with their parents were written, those were my favorite moments in the book, but wish she had developed the relationships between siblings more. The ending was rushed but still satisfying.
Julia Gabriel is a new to me author and one I will gladly read again. I found her writing to be strong and immersive. She can really make you feel as if you are in a location with the characters.
This was a plot that definitely pulls on the heartstrings. I just wanted a bit more. In the beginning Becca is constantly complaining about her bad luck and blaming herself for everything in the world. I found it more annoying than endearing to be honest but I liked her enough to care about her and her story. What we are given to explain the dark cloud she thinks she lives under is not helpful. The scene where she loses her job even though she is in the right is a bummer. We are told about her ex and never given details about their relationship or why he is in jail. We are just told he is the last in a string of bad guys in her life. The eviction is harder to sympathize with because she would have had notice of an upcoming eviction. Was she careless or clueless? Then blaming herself for the electrical fire was too much for me. I didn't need all of this to understand why she made the decision she made at 18 or her fear of what will come when others find out about it. For the rest of the book major things happen to Becca and she makes life changing decisions without us really seeing what she is thinking and feeling. The plot is strong enough to still make it an enjoyable book but I really wanted more of what was going on in her head and not just the plot moving forward.
Jack was a more fleshed out character, in my opinion. He loves his mom and has to come to terms with disappointing her because he cannot live his life the way she wants him to.
I loved how the relationships of the main characters with their parents were written, those were my favorite moments in the book, but wish she had developed the relationships between siblings more. The ending was rushed but still satisfying.
November 11, 2025
the boys at sr prom dared him to have sex with her, his first time, in the back of her car and he did
she moved away, not telling him she was preg. she gave their daughter up for adoption to a woman in her 40's. she put the girls photos on facebook so she could watch her grow
she lost her job as bartender, was evicted and her boyfriend, now x. in jail
she went back home to her parents for their anniversary party and their quilt shop burned down when she spent the night there
he went to sf and tried to become a lawyer but hated it. hes working security and volunteering at the firehouse. he made a promise to his mom he would not be a firefighter like the rest of the men in the family
he went home to spend his moms last summer with her, she has cancer
he saved her from the fire
their parents keep pushing the two of them together
they really like each other and are just friends
she still didnt tell him about their daughter
she is working as bartender and in her moms quilt shop till she gets enough money to repay the $10,000 deductible for the fire even though it wasnt her fault
the adopted mom of her daughter contacted her. she is going to die and wants her to take her daughter back
she had to tell her parents and the fireman dad who didnt know he was a dad
he got mad at first, he was just falling in love with her
then his mom died and she was there for him
they got married and raised their daughter together
she moved away, not telling him she was preg. she gave their daughter up for adoption to a woman in her 40's. she put the girls photos on facebook so she could watch her grow
she lost her job as bartender, was evicted and her boyfriend, now x. in jail
she went back home to her parents for their anniversary party and their quilt shop burned down when she spent the night there
he went to sf and tried to become a lawyer but hated it. hes working security and volunteering at the firehouse. he made a promise to his mom he would not be a firefighter like the rest of the men in the family
he went home to spend his moms last summer with her, she has cancer
he saved her from the fire
their parents keep pushing the two of them together
they really like each other and are just friends
she still didnt tell him about their daughter
she is working as bartender and in her moms quilt shop till she gets enough money to repay the $10,000 deductible for the fire even though it wasnt her fault
the adopted mom of her daughter contacted her. she is going to die and wants her to take her daughter back
she had to tell her parents and the fireman dad who didnt know he was a dad
he got mad at first, he was just falling in love with her
then his mom died and she was there for him
they got married and raised their daughter together
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 27, 2021
I enjoyed this small-town romance.
Becca is a character who is confused, but under it all is a good person who cares deeply for others. When she finds herself accidentally pregnant to the town's Golden Boy at the end of high school she decides to quietly leave town and secretly organize for an adoption. In the seven years since she has had bad luck, bad boyfriends and struggles galore. When circumstances bring her back home she comes face to face with Jack, the father of her baby and someone she never expected to see again.
Jack's mother is dying, he's back in town to spend quality time with her while he can. Life hasn't gone to plan for him. His parent's expectations of a law career didn't suit him, but he hasn't told them he dropped out. He meets Becca again and falls for her without knowing her secret.
The way Jack feels about his mother's illness is so relatable and real. The underlying tension about the secret baby makes it a great read. Everyone has secrets, disappointments and dramas to work though, but in the end the main characters come to realise who they are, what they want and what home and family means to them.
This is a clean romance with no descriptive love scenes.
Becca is a character who is confused, but under it all is a good person who cares deeply for others. When she finds herself accidentally pregnant to the town's Golden Boy at the end of high school she decides to quietly leave town and secretly organize for an adoption. In the seven years since she has had bad luck, bad boyfriends and struggles galore. When circumstances bring her back home she comes face to face with Jack, the father of her baby and someone she never expected to see again.
Jack's mother is dying, he's back in town to spend quality time with her while he can. Life hasn't gone to plan for him. His parent's expectations of a law career didn't suit him, but he hasn't told them he dropped out. He meets Becca again and falls for her without knowing her secret.
The way Jack feels about his mother's illness is so relatable and real. The underlying tension about the secret baby makes it a great read. Everyone has secrets, disappointments and dramas to work though, but in the end the main characters come to realise who they are, what they want and what home and family means to them.
This is a clean romance with no descriptive love scenes.
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