Discovering Her Heart

by River Ford

All you need is a book boyfriend, right?

Kristen Parker's imagination has always been bigger than reality. Other than the three real life friends from her youth, she prefers to spend her time with the characters in her head. And dating? Who needs a boyfriend when you've got Captain Deke Wolfe? Unfortunately, writer's block is sinking its claws into her well-structured life. Her agent thinks a month-long getaway to a mountain resort might solve Kristen's problems.

Brett Stone adores his aunt, even though she lives in New York City instead of the hills of Tennessee. That's why he's willing to bend over backward to provide the perfect holiday for her bestselling author. He has no idea how one woman will tie him in knots. It starts the first moment they meet and she calls him Deke.

Will Kristen be able to separate her thoughts about this handsome resort owner from her book boyfriend Deke Wolfe?

202 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 15, 2021

About the author

I met the man I would marry when I was twelve years old. We went on our first date to my junior prom when we were sixteen. My hair was teased in true 90's style, stuffed with baby's breath, and my blue dress had the puffiest of sleeves. I felt like Cinderella on her way to the ball.

Our romance was a classic slow burn. Seriously, it took him two years to finally kiss me! But it was worth the wait. We were married at the age of twenty-two and have been chasing our happily ever after since then.

It wasn't all hearts and roses. We supported each other through college, four kids, multiple jobs and moves, and various emotional and health struggles. We've remained best friends through it all, which is why I believe in true love and happily ever afters.

The challenges and successes of finding and fighting to keep love are what I strive to bring to my stories. When I was growing up, everyone acted like finding your love was the end. After that, everything would be wonderful, but life isn't like that. Every day is a choice, and I strive to bring that reality to my romance stories.

Reviews

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5/5.0

Readers who are looking for a quick read with a guaranteed happy ending will find plenty to enjoy in this book!

Read full review in the 2022 September issue of InD'tale Magazine.

[MaryEllen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The characters were really well fleshed out. The female lead characters has a few quirks... OK she's an anxious, nerdy introvert.
The guy??? He's perfect... mostly. :)

The plot played out well and I love the way all the named characters interacted.

[Summer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel so lucky that I got to read an advanced reader copy of this book! I have to say that this is by far my favorite book by this author. This was such a fun story to follow from start to finish. It was so authentic and realistic to me that I felt I was watching it on the TV. I also love that this is a good clean love story, that makes you feel good as a human being and more loving in general. I can’t wait to read the rest of the books in this series!

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story because of the way Kristen changes, she opens herself up to having fun, being around people and trying new things. Her friendship with Brett is complicated, they are attracted to each other but they have been warned to not fall in love. This story is fun, the romance is sweet and the characters are so interesting.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great story! As a very shy girl growing up, I could totally relate to Kristen and how she felt interacting with people, even in adulthood.
The story flowed and drew me in immediately. I liked how all the characters interacted and that old friendships were renewed. I love how the author incorporated family, friendship & character into this clean romance. This is my kind of book!
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[bella rhys (semi-hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely my favourite book from this author so far!

This clean romance depicts the romance of a famous anonymous author (Kristen) who seems to be burnt out, and so is sent by her agent on vacation to a remote resort to relax and de-stress. At the resort, she meets our H (Brett) who owns the resort. Together, they engage in different activities at the resort and the neighbouring town to help Kristen fully relax and de-stress. Along the way, we see Kristen rediscover herself, rediscover old friends, as well as Kristen and Brett fall for each other.

There is also a side storyline of her suffering from social anxiety and her fears of her identity being revealed. I felt that this was handled quite well.

I loved the characters; they were well fleshed out! I loved the anxiety rep and I felt that the storyline played out perfectly!

This book def spoke to me, from Kirsten’s nerdy ways (which I def relate to), to her social anxiety. I was kinda sad when the book ended lol. A nice cute, and easy read! Highly recommend!

[Penny Leidecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book about a group of friends reconnecting after losing touch. It’s been fifteen years and Kristen Parker is a best-selling author, although not many people know it. She writes under a pen name. When Kristen is having trouble writing her next book, her agent, Sylvia Stone, sends her to the Scarlet Oaks Resort In Tennessee. The owner is Brett Stone. Brett reminds Kristen of the hero in her books, Deke Wolfe. Will these two make a love connection or will she leave at the end of her time there? I loved how much Brett cared about his business and his employees too. When Kristen decides to try to find her three friends, Rebecca, Heather, and Olivia, we learn that each of them is successful in their own jobs. I really hope these three women will get their own books. I’m not leaving any spoilers, so grab your copy and see what happens.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Amelia Finch · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute love story about a burned out writer who goes on vacation to a resort in the Smoky Mountains. Her agent arranged for the resort owner, Brett, to "take care of" Kristin. So he sets up an itinerary for her, goes to some of the activities with her, takes her dancing, etc.. Naturally, they start to have feelings for each other, but she's going home at the end of the month, so they hesitate to move forward. The conflict comes from Kristin wondering if he might be her wish come true and Brett's guilty conscience because she doesn't know he knows her pen name.

One thing I really liked was how accurate the author was when it came to describing their trip to Dollywood. I live in the area and love going there. She was so accurately detailed that I felt like I was walking through it myself.

I usually prefer books that are a little deeper, so I do wish it had been more complex and a little richer, but if you're looking for a light, fun read, this is for you.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet story about a shy woman (Kristen) who just so happens to also be quite famous. She just hides behind a nom de plume (pen name). She doesn’t want to be in the spot light. However, because of this her social life is about nonexistent. She has writers block and her agent sends her on a month long vacation. However, she didn’t expect to be picked up at the airport by a man that happens to look like one of her main characters in her book.
Brett is a kind man that is nursing disappointment. His ex-finance’s dreams were more important than he was. She left to go chase her dreams In California. So Brett is hesitant of Kristen when she first comes to the resort.
The story focuses on the two getting to know each other and both of them facing their issues. The writing is fun and the characters cute. The narrator also does a great job.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this romance between Brett and Kristen. Brett owns a resort and Kristen arrives at the resort for a month long vacation because she is burned out with writing her Sci-fi books. Her agent, Sylvia, told her to have fun and not do any writing while on vacation. Unknown to Kristen, Brett is Sylvia's nephew and he is a big fan of the books that Kristen writes under a pen name. The more Kristen relaxes and gets to know Brett, the more story ideas pop into her head but she has orders not to do any writing. She is very shy and never wanted anyone to find out her real identity. Will her relationship with Brett ruin that? You will have to read the book to find out. I recommend this book for those who enjoy reading clean romance with likeable characters. I received an ARC of this book and this is my voluntary and honest review.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this story. This is a clean and sweet romance. Kristen is a socially anxious women. She is a writer under a pen name, and treasures her privacy. Suffering from writer’s block, her agent sends her on vacation to relax, but also to match make her with her nephew Brett who owns the resort. They spend their time together, exploring, going on outings, and getting to know each other. She also reaches out to some old friends, who are successful in their own right.

The story flowed nicely. The characters were well developed and personable. Narration was a pleasure to listen to. Definitely recommend this story if you’re looking for a sweet and clean romance. I can’t wait to read the rest of the books in this series!


I received a free copy of the audiobook, and am voluntarily leaving my review.

[Lori R · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found the prologue to the story was quite intriguing and really pulled me into the story that happened fifteen years later.  The book also had me swooning by the end.  It was so romantic with realistic, heartwarming characters that seemed like old friends as I was reading,  I like everything about the story and its characters and I am ready to go stay at Scarlet Oaks in the Smoky Mountains, go to Gatlinburg for dinner and dancing, and spending the day at Dollywood.  I cannot wait to read the next book as it is time for another one of Kristen's old friend's wishes for love to come true.  I received an advance copy of this book and I willingly chose to write an honest review.

[Marie Bourgery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kristen is having writer’s block when her agent decides to send her away to an inn for a month to relax and come out of her shell. She’s an introvert who has kept her true identity a secret as she hides away in an apartment she hates dreaming of other worlds. Brett owns a lovely bed and breakfast with many wonderful activities for his guests. He’s a big fan of Kristen work, but her agent his aunt warns him off falling for her and after being burned by his ex finance he holds himself back from romance. I loved Kristen’s nerdy t-shirts. Being an introvert myself I can understand why she didn’t want the fame and attention, but some secrets aren’t meant to be kept forever.

[Jocelyne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in the Wishful Hearts series, a standalone in an interconnected standalone series. Wow! I loved it! Kristen and Brett's story is so sweet, clean, romantic, and heartwarming. Kristen is an author, and she is such a wonderful character! Brett is also an amazing character. He is very handsome, and supportive. The scenery is beautiful. I liked the humor, the clean romance, and the sweet characters. This is an excellent slow burn romance. I enjoyed it! Emma Faye did a great job with the narration. Looking forward to listening to Training Her Heart: Olivia, the next book in the series. I need more!

[Rose Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun sweet romance novel! I loved it. I listened to the audio version of this book and the narrator was fantastic. She brought me into Kristen Parker's life and I felt like I knew all of them right from the beginning. Kristen was such a likable character and so was "Deke", Brett Stone. Loved the plot from the beginning to the end. An awkward girl turned into a famous author. I laughed, got mad and felt sorrow throughout the book. So many emotions. I highly recommend this book. I will have to continue this series. Loved River Ford's style of writing, easy to read and easy to follow along.

[L H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Writer's block is what moves Kristen to be open to going on a retreat where she meets Brett. She has been wrapped up in the characters she creates on the page, in particular with the dashing Captain Deke Wolfe who for her is the ultimate book boyfriend. Which for her is safe because she is a shy introvert. Meeting her publisher's nephew Brett who owns the resort she goes to to try to cure her writer's block brings the romance in her life off the page, which is good for her. A nice clean fun romance.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kristen and Brett's Story . . .

When writer’s block hits Kristen Parker's imagination, her agent recommends a month’s getaway into a mountain resort to reset her spirits. She doesn’t date, so won’t be missing anyone special while she is gone, especially because her only love is her book hero character, Captain Deke Wolfe.

When Brett Stone’s aunt asks him to give her bestselling author the most outstanding experience ever at the resort, he is happy to help out. But why, when they met, did she call him “Deke”?

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was not your typical “writer’s” story! I loved how the author added just enough humor to make this sweet love story a bit more! The relationship between Kristen and her publisher was more of a friendship which made the story even better. The way the author brought Kristen’s main character of her book come to life in Deke was great. Will she be able to see him as who he is or will she always see him as her “book hero”? Hmmm… This was my first book by this author and I will definitely be reading more!

[Lucia Valenzuela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very romantic story. Kristen is a reclusive author. Scarlet Oaks is exactly what she needs to overcome her writer’s block. The owner, Brett, immediately reminds her of the hero she has described in her books. As they slowly realize that they have fallen in love, Kristen is revealed as the author of the wildly popular and successful series. She has to overcome her dislike of the spotlight. Wonderful story that I really enjoyed reading.
I received a free copy of this book and this is my voluntary, honest review.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely enjoyed this clean, romantic story about an author who hides behind her pen name, but as the story begins, has writer’s block.

The unexpected adventure that Kristen embarks on could be one of a lifetime thanks to her agent Sylvia and a certain Scarlet Oaks owner named Brett.

Loved how the characters grow and change as they open up to new opportunities and experiences…it was like watching them burst into flower - really beautiful!

Received this as a free copy from the author and this is my own opinion.

[Nemesis Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Discovering Her Heart: Kristen" by River Ford is a delightful romp through the whimsical world of Kristen Parker's imagination, brought to life by Emma Faye's engaging narration. Ford's writing effortlessly blends humor and heart, making Kristen's struggle with writer's block and the unexpected twists of her mountain resort getaway utterly charming. Faye's narration adds an extra layer of magic, ensuring listeners are thoroughly enchanted from start to finish in this first installment of the Wishful Hearts Collection audiobook series.

[D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the first book in the series, it did not disappoint. I loved both Kristin and Brett. It was an amazing story about these two characters. I really like how River intertwines other characters to set you up for the next stories in the series. The book can be read as stand alone. I cannot wait for the next books in this series. River Ford cannot write them fast enough.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is about what happens when you are afraid to be yourself and it's easier to hide behind a mask and pretend to be someone else. It is so understandable because so many people find it easier to "go along to get along" and be someone they aren't. I thoroughly enjoyed the wonderful relationship that developed between Kristen and Brett. He's a wonderful, strong man! I highly recommend this book! I received this book as an ARC for my honest review from Story Origin

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book of four. Four high-school friends share their dreams of their future love someday.
They have all moved on and here is Kristin's story.
Clean. Sweet. Strong attraction. Brett doesn't give up. Just lovely.
I was gifted an Audible version of the boxed set of all four books. I will review it after I have heard all of them.
The narrator does an ok job presenting this story. I feel she seems a little "sing songy" at times. I am getting use to it. 4 stars for her.

[Michaela | Reading in the Heartland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this incognito author romance. These characters were real and genuine and I quickly fell in love with both of them. I supremely enjoyed reading this book. I loved the character angle and the high school scene that will tie all of the books of this series together. I’m so excited!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book in the Wishful Hearts Collection series a well written story with a very good storyline. Brett Stone and Kristen Parker meet when Sylvia Stone sends Kristen to her nephew's resort to take a break from her writing. This story drew me in from the very beginning. I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Patty Mele · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say that I really liked this book very much and this is my opinon. I also would like to recommend this book to just about everyone who loves this author who likes her story telling and this is my opinon. I recieved this book for free thru an Advanced Review Copy, ARC, with an honest review freely given.

[Lillian Huffman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kirsten is a famous author that no body knows. She has a very bad case of writers block so her publisher recommends a month long vacation. While at The Scarlet Oak she was supposed to relax and have fun no writing. Will Kirsten be able to get over writers block? Will she find romance? Read this delightful story and find out.

[Sanrizz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book on Story Origin for an honest review. I'm leaving this review voluntarily.
I have little to say about this book other than that I enjoyed reading it. I love the cover models, especially the way he's gingerly supporting her head while leaning in for a kiss. It's a fast read, and I recommend it to people who love HEA!

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lovely contemporary romance.. I liked it very much! It is sweet and heartwarming, with really cute characters..

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.