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Sweetbriar Mountain #2
Heart Words
The last person I wanted to see was the hot jerk who broke my heart.
Unfortunately, his daughter is the newest and most adorable kindergartner in my class, and he is the newest, hottest, and most annoyingly determined cop in town.
Falling for Trevor again was not part of my plan.
Burying my feelings, avoiding him at all costs, and keeping him out of my heart. That was the plan.
But this flame flickering between us refuses to die and he still seems to be everything I’ve ever wanted. Protective, sexy, and kind, and that doesn’t even get into how I feel when I see him with his kids.
He asked me for a second chance. But how can I take it when it feels like we never really took the first one?
Unfortunately, his daughter is the newest and most adorable kindergartner in my class, and he is the newest, hottest, and most annoyingly determined cop in town.
Falling for Trevor again was not part of my plan.
Burying my feelings, avoiding him at all costs, and keeping him out of my heart. That was the plan.
But this flame flickering between us refuses to die and he still seems to be everything I’ve ever wanted. Protective, sexy, and kind, and that doesn’t even get into how I feel when I see him with his kids.
He asked me for a second chance. But how can I take it when it feels like we never really took the first one?
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 21, 2020
707 people are currently reading
1378 people want to read
About the author
Nora Everly
32 books1,216 followersSign up for my newsletter: https://www.noraeverly.com/newsletter
Nora Everly is a lifelong bookworm. She started reading the good stuff once she was tall enough to sneak the romance novels off the top of her mother’s bookshelf and it has been non-stop ever since.
Once upon a time she was a substitute teacher and an educational assistant. Now, she’s a writer and stay at home mom to two small humans and one fat cat.
Nora lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family and her overactive imagination.
Follow Nora!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authornoraev...
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/NoraEverly
Nora Everly is a lifelong bookworm. She started reading the good stuff once she was tall enough to sneak the romance novels off the top of her mother’s bookshelf and it has been non-stop ever since.
Once upon a time she was a substitute teacher and an educational assistant. Now, she’s a writer and stay at home mom to two small humans and one fat cat.
Nora lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family and her overactive imagination.
Follow Nora!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authornoraev...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nora.everly/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NoraEverly
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
February 5, 2020
I had high hopes for this one. The first book in the series (In My Heart) was pretty good and the author steered clear of many of the cliched things I despise from today’s authors. But this one...this one started out with the heroine talking - repeatedly - about how the hero’s deep voice made her tingly, and his touch was like electricity, and … and I just wanted to whine “where is the plot??” I was so disappointed. Even more so because second-chance romances are my jam, so I was really looking forward to it.
Rose and Trevor met a year ago and had a secret long-distance relationship for several months. Only problem was, Trevor wasn’t exactly free to start something with Rose, so when Trevor made the difficult choice to break things off, Rose was heartbroken.
But now Trevor has moved with his two young children to the small town where Rose (and her big, nosy family live), and he’s determined to win her back. Unfortunately, things don’t go smoothly. Both are repeating the same mistakes they made the first time around (mainly, not communicating), and an unknown bad guy is making things even more complicated.
I wanted to like this one, but sadly did not. Less Pecs More Plot has been my motto for several years now, and this book is the reason why. I don’t want to read paragraph after paragraph about tingly body parts or hawt the hero is. The occasional mention is fine - chemistry is important, after all. But that can’t be the majority of the plot.
Also, this book is the reason why I don’t like first person POV, which lends itself to too much telling and not enough showing...to too much repeated internal monologue. The author did a much better job this time (as compared to the first book in this series) of giving us a more equitable split of hero vs heroine chapters, but it still was heavy on Rose. So we got lots of borderline whining, which isn’t a good look for someone who is in her late 20s. Add in that this couple's main problem was that they wouldn't just TALK to each other - about their thoughts, about their feelings, about what was going on - and I just felt frustrated. Even the cute, funny kids couldn't save it.
Additionally, I’m not sure what happened between the last book and this one, but this book needs a significant amount of proofreading/editing. There were a bunch more errors this time - everything from missing words to extra words, and several times things were explained that had already been told (who characters were, or something about them - such as the younger brothers not being identical twins). I’m able to overlook the occasional typo, but when it starts to detract from my ability to stay in a story, that’s when I feel like I need to mention it (more for my own purposes and less to complain about it - I write these reviews primarily for myself, so I can remember what I’ve read...if others find them useful, that’s just extra gravy on the biscuits!).
So now I find myself trying to decide if I’ll keep reading this author. This series is one-for-two in my enjoyment. And I’m not sure if I’m interested in reading more about Rose’s other siblings (FYI, there’s four more left). The oldest brother has two kids and is divorced from his apparently terrible wife (so that is sorta interesting to me - who doesn’t love a wounded single dad?), the oldest sister has a horrible husband and this book hinted that things may hit the skids (but I’m not sure I want a front row seat to that one), and then there are the twins, one of which sounds like the plot to his story will be friends-to-lovers (which is NOT a jam of mine, so that one definitely doesn’t interest me). When you add in the quasi-suspense storylines Ms. Everly has thrown into the first two books that didn’t completely work for me, I’m just not sure where I’ll land. I’ll probably give the Sweetbriar Hearts series one more try, but probably ONLY one.
Rose and Trevor met a year ago and had a secret long-distance relationship for several months. Only problem was, Trevor wasn’t exactly free to start something with Rose, so when Trevor made the difficult choice to break things off, Rose was heartbroken.
But now Trevor has moved with his two young children to the small town where Rose (and her big, nosy family live), and he’s determined to win her back. Unfortunately, things don’t go smoothly. Both are repeating the same mistakes they made the first time around (mainly, not communicating), and an unknown bad guy is making things even more complicated.
I wanted to like this one, but sadly did not. Less Pecs More Plot has been my motto for several years now, and this book is the reason why. I don’t want to read paragraph after paragraph about tingly body parts or hawt the hero is. The occasional mention is fine - chemistry is important, after all. But that can’t be the majority of the plot.
Also, this book is the reason why I don’t like first person POV, which lends itself to too much telling and not enough showing...to too much repeated internal monologue. The author did a much better job this time (as compared to the first book in this series) of giving us a more equitable split of hero vs heroine chapters, but it still was heavy on Rose. So we got lots of borderline whining, which isn’t a good look for someone who is in her late 20s. Add in that this couple's main problem was that they wouldn't just TALK to each other - about their thoughts, about their feelings, about what was going on - and I just felt frustrated. Even the cute, funny kids couldn't save it.
Additionally, I’m not sure what happened between the last book and this one, but this book needs a significant amount of proofreading/editing. There were a bunch more errors this time - everything from missing words to extra words, and several times things were explained that had already been told (who characters were, or something about them - such as the younger brothers not being identical twins). I’m able to overlook the occasional typo, but when it starts to detract from my ability to stay in a story, that’s when I feel like I need to mention it (more for my own purposes and less to complain about it - I write these reviews primarily for myself, so I can remember what I’ve read...if others find them useful, that’s just extra gravy on the biscuits!).
So now I find myself trying to decide if I’ll keep reading this author. This series is one-for-two in my enjoyment. And I’m not sure if I’m interested in reading more about Rose’s other siblings (FYI, there’s four more left). The oldest brother has two kids and is divorced from his apparently terrible wife (so that is sorta interesting to me - who doesn’t love a wounded single dad?), the oldest sister has a horrible husband and this book hinted that things may hit the skids (but I’m not sure I want a front row seat to that one), and then there are the twins, one of which sounds like the plot to his story will be friends-to-lovers (which is NOT a jam of mine, so that one definitely doesn’t interest me). When you add in the quasi-suspense storylines Ms. Everly has thrown into the first two books that didn’t completely work for me, I’m just not sure where I’ll land. I’ll probably give the Sweetbriar Hearts series one more try, but probably ONLY one.
November 14, 2024
Typical easy going romance read, kind of a hallmark movie with a little action and drama. Second chance, small town, single dad romance. Rose is a kindergarten teacher, still recovering and getting over a break up - when she finds herself the teacher to his daughter. Trevor found himself in an impossible situation and had to break Rose’s heart and his own in order to be there for his family. Now that his life is different, he is determined to win Rose back. In the background there are forces trying to tear them apart and Rose and Trevor’s own insecurities fighting against them. It’s cute, a little lack lustre. I also discovered I get the ick from a grown man calling his love interest “princess”, not for me.
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May 3, 2022
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January 31, 2020
Second chance romance but they weren't actually together properly the first time.
Best to read series in order as events in book 1 introduce the Hero and heroine of this book.
I couldn't remember who they were to each other or what happened at first.
It's explained in chapter 3 but prior to that the heroine is expressing she trepidation at seeing the Hero and I didn't know why, so that was a bit confusing.
Single dad.
No intimate scenes other than the Hero and heroine.
Some pushing away from the Hero.
Secondary characters introduced for future books in series.
HEA.
Best to read series in order as events in book 1 introduce the Hero and heroine of this book.
I couldn't remember who they were to each other or what happened at first.
It's explained in chapter 3 but prior to that the heroine is expressing she trepidation at seeing the Hero and I didn't know why, so that was a bit confusing.
Single dad.
No intimate scenes other than the Hero and heroine.
Some pushing away from the Hero.
Secondary characters introduced for future books in series.
HEA.
February 8, 2022
After reading Nora Everly's instalments in the Green Valley Public Library series from Smartypants Romance I was really looking forward to reading something more from her. However this was kind of a bummer. I found the main characters quite flat in the beginning and went on for almost half of the book thanks to inertia. They got better in the second half of the book and I enjoyed the end but I wanted more from the beginning!
April 3, 2023
2.5 ⭐️
June 29, 2024
I love these books.
January 23, 2020
Gahhhhhhh! I love Trevor! He is so swoon worthy....I just had to keep turning the pages so that I could see what he was doing next to help Rose see that he loves her.
The whole book was just amazing! I was so happy to get back to Sweetbriar and see another couple fall in love. I think the Barrett family is one of my favorites, each book we’re getting hints for each family member and I just want to be able to crawl into Nora’s brain and just have each story immediately! ...that sounds weird but it’s true!
The added suspense made it a page turner! You just want to see how it ends & make sure that Trevor and Rose are happily in love!
The whole book was just amazing! I was so happy to get back to Sweetbriar and see another couple fall in love. I think the Barrett family is one of my favorites, each book we’re getting hints for each family member and I just want to be able to crawl into Nora’s brain and just have each story immediately! ...that sounds weird but it’s true!
The added suspense made it a page turner! You just want to see how it ends & make sure that Trevor and Rose are happily in love!
April 19, 2022
I LOVED this book! It's second in the series and Ms. Everly's third published novel. The first book was good, but obviously a first novel. The improvement from first book to third book was astounding! The story flowed ten times better and was very engaging.
I loved everything about the hero, Trevor. He was an ideal beta hero. Is that what they call a cinnamon roll hero these days? He was a police detective, so he could kick some ass, but in his personal life, he was a huge softie.
Rose was a great heroine. She did have the tendency to run away from her problems, literally and figuratively. While this was shown in the book, I didn't feel like too much time was taken up by her running. She knew what she wanted and when the opportunity to take it came, she got out of her own head and took it.
There are some super good sexy times in this book! They started doing it about halfway through the book, as well as had a phone sex scene earlier in the book. There is a chapter or two that is basically consecutive love making, with it happening at least twice on page then once again the following morning, all in one chapter. Then there's another lovemaking scene a few chapters later that's makeup sex, so it's fairly intense and detailed. All the scenes are well written, with different positions and sexily detailed.
There is a suspense element to this book as well. There's some stalking, threats, attempted child abduction, and an intense fight between the heroine and bad guy. There is multiple uses of the f-word, but it's not excessive.
I can't wait to jump into Violet's novella and then full length book!
I loved everything about the hero, Trevor. He was an ideal beta hero. Is that what they call a cinnamon roll hero these days? He was a police detective, so he could kick some ass, but in his personal life, he was a huge softie.
Rose was a great heroine. She did have the tendency to run away from her problems, literally and figuratively. While this was shown in the book, I didn't feel like too much time was taken up by her running. She knew what she wanted and when the opportunity to take it came, she got out of her own head and took it.
There are some super good sexy times in this book! They started doing it about halfway through the book, as well as had a phone sex scene earlier in the book. There is a chapter or two that is basically consecutive love making, with it happening at least twice on page then once again the following morning, all in one chapter. Then there's another lovemaking scene a few chapters later that's makeup sex, so it's fairly intense and detailed. All the scenes are well written, with different positions and sexily detailed.
There is a suspense element to this book as well. There's some stalking, threats, attempted child abduction, and an intense fight between the heroine and bad guy. There is multiple uses of the f-word, but it's not excessive.
I can't wait to jump into Violet's novella and then full length book!
February 19, 2025
the kid was the only part of this book I liked
July 9, 2024
So atrociously sweet that I was sure both my teeth and brain were rotting as I read it. The FMC main crutch when life gets hard is Doritos and Diet Coke and talking to squirrels. My crutch while reading this was to go and vomit up a sugary mess while praying a diabetic coma wouldn’t end my life prematurely.
April 28, 2022
DNF. Somehow I didn't care for either character. The heroine is slightly neurotic over the hero and her supposed lack of 'self worth' felt flat.
The hero is over the top sexy (eye roll) & his two children too precocious and cutesy/smart.
Overdone.
The hero is over the top sexy (eye roll) & his two children too precocious and cutesy/smart.
Overdone.
January 16, 2022
3.5 stars
Heart Words the second book in Nora Everly’s Sweetbriar Hearts series is in some ways very much like the first book In My Heart. In the first book Lily Barrett has had her heart broken by Luke, the man she’s loved her entire 30 year life and is struggling to trust her heart and him again. In Heart Words Lily’s identical twin sister Rose is struggling to trust her heart to Trevor whom she had also fallen in love with only to have him break her heart. In both books their large family do what they can to support and encourage the two women in their quest for love. There’s also the similarities in that both women end off having to fend off a physical threat to their safety towards the end of their stories. That’s not to say that the stories are identical. Luke and Lily had been together since the cradle. Unbeknownst to Luke when he pushed Lily away she was carrying his child. In Heart Words Rose and Trevor had only known each other for a few months and lived hours apart leaving their budding relationship to phone calls, some of them steamy. But as intimate as their phone conversations were they had never been physically intimate.
Rose who came across as a brassy, confident and fiery red head in her sister Lily’s book really isn’t. Rose a kindergarten teacher is a middle child and, in some ways, suffers from middle child syndrome. She feels unseen or more aptly second best to everyone. She wasn’t even chosen by her twin Lily to be her M.O.H. She’s been unlucky at love. She tends to over react when something negative happens in her relationships believing they indicates bigger problems than they actually do. Rose is constantly comparing herself to her sister Lily. While she’s happy for Lily she is also envious that Lily has the love of her life and the family she herself longs for.
Trevor Hale who was on the cusp of seeing his divorce from his unfaithful wife Tara finalized fell for Rose when he met her while visiting Lily who is the widow of his late police partner Will. He is the father of two young children and has full custody of both. At the end of the previous book we learned that he may not be the biological father of his daughter.
When Tara is diagnosed with terminal cancer Trevor being the good guy he is puts a stop to the divorce so she can remain on his health insurance and cares for her until she passes. In doing so he feels obligated to end the budding if long distance romance he had with Rose. This comes as a shock to Rose because he had told her he was divorced. Because he and Tara hadn’t lived together since their daughter’s birth and their divorce was almost final he hadn’t felt dishonest in telling Rose he was divorced. Despite knowing the whys and wherefores of why Trevor ended their relationship Rose can’t help feeling like he chose Tara over her. After his late wife’s death Trevor moves from Tacoma to Sweetbriar to take a position on the Sweetbriar P.D. working for Rose’s father Ben who is the chief of police. On top of that Trevor is still close friends with Lily and his daughter is a student in Rose’s class. So avoiding Trevor who is intent on reigniting their romantic relationship is impossible. It’s two steps forward and one step back for Trevor and Rose as their relationship progresses. In the meantime a mystery man begins stalking Trevor claiming to be his daughter’s biological father and threatening to sue him for custody. Since Trevor was married to his daughter’s mother when she was born and his name is on her birth certificate and he’s had sole custody of her pretty much since the day she was born it seemed like an idle threat to me but the author chose to build a lot of the suspense in this story around this supposed threat to Trevor’s custody. Eventually the mysterious man begins to threaten Rose also, heightening the suspense and danger element. This was a good story. Both main characters were likable and of course we had the large Barrett family involving themselves in their romance. Trevor’s son is just as impossibly obnoxious and soundling like someone twenty years his elder as he was in the first book and his daughter is just as adorable. For whatever reason I personally didn’t find it quite as good as the first book. Still a good read.
Heart Words the second book in Nora Everly’s Sweetbriar Hearts series is in some ways very much like the first book In My Heart. In the first book Lily Barrett has had her heart broken by Luke, the man she’s loved her entire 30 year life and is struggling to trust her heart and him again. In Heart Words Lily’s identical twin sister Rose is struggling to trust her heart to Trevor whom she had also fallen in love with only to have him break her heart. In both books their large family do what they can to support and encourage the two women in their quest for love. There’s also the similarities in that both women end off having to fend off a physical threat to their safety towards the end of their stories. That’s not to say that the stories are identical. Luke and Lily had been together since the cradle. Unbeknownst to Luke when he pushed Lily away she was carrying his child. In Heart Words Rose and Trevor had only known each other for a few months and lived hours apart leaving their budding relationship to phone calls, some of them steamy. But as intimate as their phone conversations were they had never been physically intimate.
Rose who came across as a brassy, confident and fiery red head in her sister Lily’s book really isn’t. Rose a kindergarten teacher is a middle child and, in some ways, suffers from middle child syndrome. She feels unseen or more aptly second best to everyone. She wasn’t even chosen by her twin Lily to be her M.O.H. She’s been unlucky at love. She tends to over react when something negative happens in her relationships believing they indicates bigger problems than they actually do. Rose is constantly comparing herself to her sister Lily. While she’s happy for Lily she is also envious that Lily has the love of her life and the family she herself longs for.
Trevor Hale who was on the cusp of seeing his divorce from his unfaithful wife Tara finalized fell for Rose when he met her while visiting Lily who is the widow of his late police partner Will. He is the father of two young children and has full custody of both. At the end of the previous book we learned that he may not be the biological father of his daughter.
When Tara is diagnosed with terminal cancer Trevor being the good guy he is puts a stop to the divorce so she can remain on his health insurance and cares for her until she passes. In doing so he feels obligated to end the budding if long distance romance he had with Rose. This comes as a shock to Rose because he had told her he was divorced. Because he and Tara hadn’t lived together since their daughter’s birth and their divorce was almost final he hadn’t felt dishonest in telling Rose he was divorced. Despite knowing the whys and wherefores of why Trevor ended their relationship Rose can’t help feeling like he chose Tara over her. After his late wife’s death Trevor moves from Tacoma to Sweetbriar to take a position on the Sweetbriar P.D. working for Rose’s father Ben who is the chief of police. On top of that Trevor is still close friends with Lily and his daughter is a student in Rose’s class. So avoiding Trevor who is intent on reigniting their romantic relationship is impossible. It’s two steps forward and one step back for Trevor and Rose as their relationship progresses. In the meantime a mystery man begins stalking Trevor claiming to be his daughter’s biological father and threatening to sue him for custody. Since Trevor was married to his daughter’s mother when she was born and his name is on her birth certificate and he’s had sole custody of her pretty much since the day she was born it seemed like an idle threat to me but the author chose to build a lot of the suspense in this story around this supposed threat to Trevor’s custody. Eventually the mysterious man begins to threaten Rose also, heightening the suspense and danger element. This was a good story. Both main characters were likable and of course we had the large Barrett family involving themselves in their romance. Trevor’s son is just as impossibly obnoxious and soundling like someone twenty years his elder as he was in the first book and his daughter is just as adorable. For whatever reason I personally didn’t find it quite as good as the first book. Still a good read.
February 9, 2020
“I deserve a good woman. One with honor, kindness and strength. I deserve to be first in someone’s heart, and so do you. I want you to be the woman in my life. I will treat you like the beautiful princess you are, and you’re going to finish falling in love with me.”
Heart Words is the second book in Nora Everly’s Sweetbriar Hearts series, and it is also the second book I have read by this author. Heart Words can be read as a standalone, even though we meet Rose and Trevor in book one of the series, In My Heart, it is very easy to catch up in the first chapter or two of Heart Words.
Rose is a kindergarten teacher with a heart of gold, who has been bitten once and is now twice shy. Trevor, a single dad police officer, is the man responsible for stealing Rose’s heart and twisting it in two. He moves back to Sweetbriar with his young children after his wife dies, moving to be close to family and their support. Rose is a born and bred Sweetbriar girl, her family (there’s a lot of ‘em!) mostly reside in the town and all have their own stories to tell! Sweet, loyal and at times feisty, Rose tries to protect her heart against Trevor, as he attempts to woo her, with a few obstacles in the way of their love journey.
There were so many aspects of Heart Words I really enjoyed, particularly the way Ms Everly writes the real insecurities that Rose feels about herself. Let’s face it, we all have self-doubt at times, and this makes Rose’s character relatable to many. These feelings were a real part of her and one of the obstacles that hindered the relationship from progressing.
Part of Rose’s character is her sweetness, and this suits her so well being a kindergarten teacher! I found her interactions with the children and their class time a real joy to read, especially with little Maddie, Trevor’s young daughter.
The Barrett family play a big part in Rose’s life, her grandmother and parents are both close by in town as are her siblings, all of which she appears quite close to. I’m hoping for more Barrett family love stories in the Sweetbriar Hearts series!
Ultimately, though, Heart Words is a love story and Nora Everly really knows how to deliver such a story to her readers. Full of dreamy moments, Trevor is a swoony, delectable man and his romantic notions are certainly a favourite part of the book. The perfect balance of sweetness and steam, of both the realities of everyday life as well as some dramatic twists and turns, Heart Words is a most definite 5 star read with its small-town feel and it’s second chance love story. Add in coffee, a larger than life family, sweet children and a plot twist or two and you have a story that fans of contemporary romance and family sagas will love. I recommend this book to all romance readers, it will make you smile, laugh and shed a silent tear or two. Thanks to the author for an early copy of this book. This is an honest review and all thoughts are my own.
Heart Words is the second book in Nora Everly’s Sweetbriar Hearts series, and it is also the second book I have read by this author. Heart Words can be read as a standalone, even though we meet Rose and Trevor in book one of the series, In My Heart, it is very easy to catch up in the first chapter or two of Heart Words.
Rose is a kindergarten teacher with a heart of gold, who has been bitten once and is now twice shy. Trevor, a single dad police officer, is the man responsible for stealing Rose’s heart and twisting it in two. He moves back to Sweetbriar with his young children after his wife dies, moving to be close to family and their support. Rose is a born and bred Sweetbriar girl, her family (there’s a lot of ‘em!) mostly reside in the town and all have their own stories to tell! Sweet, loyal and at times feisty, Rose tries to protect her heart against Trevor, as he attempts to woo her, with a few obstacles in the way of their love journey.
There were so many aspects of Heart Words I really enjoyed, particularly the way Ms Everly writes the real insecurities that Rose feels about herself. Let’s face it, we all have self-doubt at times, and this makes Rose’s character relatable to many. These feelings were a real part of her and one of the obstacles that hindered the relationship from progressing.
Part of Rose’s character is her sweetness, and this suits her so well being a kindergarten teacher! I found her interactions with the children and their class time a real joy to read, especially with little Maddie, Trevor’s young daughter.
The Barrett family play a big part in Rose’s life, her grandmother and parents are both close by in town as are her siblings, all of which she appears quite close to. I’m hoping for more Barrett family love stories in the Sweetbriar Hearts series!
Ultimately, though, Heart Words is a love story and Nora Everly really knows how to deliver such a story to her readers. Full of dreamy moments, Trevor is a swoony, delectable man and his romantic notions are certainly a favourite part of the book. The perfect balance of sweetness and steam, of both the realities of everyday life as well as some dramatic twists and turns, Heart Words is a most definite 5 star read with its small-town feel and it’s second chance love story. Add in coffee, a larger than life family, sweet children and a plot twist or two and you have a story that fans of contemporary romance and family sagas will love. I recommend this book to all romance readers, it will make you smile, laugh and shed a silent tear or two. Thanks to the author for an early copy of this book. This is an honest review and all thoughts are my own.
February 1, 2020
Small Towns & Second Chances
Heart Words is an absolutely amazing, steamy, swoony second-chance romance that I DEVOURED in one sitting (well, 1.5, since I had to go pick up my kids from school about 2/3 of the way through). Trevor and Rose have a history (from Book 1), but you don’t need to have read In My Heart in order to read this one. The relevant backstory is doled out to you in perfect time to understand what’s going on in present day/Book 2. Rose and Trev met in Book 1 and had an amazing connection with sizzling soul-mate level chemistry. For a laundry-list of reasons – all centered around his children- Trevor ended up “taking back” his estranged wife/his children’s mother at the end of her life. This didn’t sit well with Rose (they may have had some failures to communicate here as well…) and their blossoming relationship ended badly and before its time. Now, Trevor and his kids have moved to Sweetbriar for a fresh start, and his adorable daughter is in Rose’s kindergarten class. Ignoring the parent of her favorite student proves to be more difficult than Rose could have ever imagined.
Trevor knows he handled things badly with Rose, and is determined to make up for lost time and show her how much he loves her. Trevor is the yummiest!! He puts his children first, but his goal is to make a life for all three of them in Sweetbriar, and that life IS going to include the town’s sexy and stubborn kindergarten whisperer. Throw in a HUGE and lovingly intrusive family on Rose’s side, and you have a story that’s truly not to be missed. There is quite a bit of drama and even a few parts that had me on the edge of my seat as the past catches up with Trevor very unpleasantly, and I fully admit that the final pages had me in tears (I get oh-so-invested in “the good ones”) IN A GOOD WAY.
I absolutely love the way that Everly writes the children into this story, making the HEA about the family and not just the H&h. This seems to be a theme for her, and it’s something that I’m really enjoying about her storytelling. Rose’s inner dialogue is hilarious throughout this book, and I do hope that that “romantic comedy” feel is something that persists with future couples.
I voluntarily received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. My first “meeting” of this author was through SmartyPants Romance (Crime and Periodicals), and then moved into this Sweetbriar Hearts series. I’m thrilled beyond words that Everly has set us up for many more Sweetbriar books in the future, and I can’t wait to see what else this wacky, amazing, loyal, fun, and meddling family has in store for us!
Heart Words is an absolutely amazing, steamy, swoony second-chance romance that I DEVOURED in one sitting (well, 1.5, since I had to go pick up my kids from school about 2/3 of the way through). Trevor and Rose have a history (from Book 1), but you don’t need to have read In My Heart in order to read this one. The relevant backstory is doled out to you in perfect time to understand what’s going on in present day/Book 2. Rose and Trev met in Book 1 and had an amazing connection with sizzling soul-mate level chemistry. For a laundry-list of reasons – all centered around his children- Trevor ended up “taking back” his estranged wife/his children’s mother at the end of her life. This didn’t sit well with Rose (they may have had some failures to communicate here as well…) and their blossoming relationship ended badly and before its time. Now, Trevor and his kids have moved to Sweetbriar for a fresh start, and his adorable daughter is in Rose’s kindergarten class. Ignoring the parent of her favorite student proves to be more difficult than Rose could have ever imagined.
Trevor knows he handled things badly with Rose, and is determined to make up for lost time and show her how much he loves her. Trevor is the yummiest!! He puts his children first, but his goal is to make a life for all three of them in Sweetbriar, and that life IS going to include the town’s sexy and stubborn kindergarten whisperer. Throw in a HUGE and lovingly intrusive family on Rose’s side, and you have a story that’s truly not to be missed. There is quite a bit of drama and even a few parts that had me on the edge of my seat as the past catches up with Trevor very unpleasantly, and I fully admit that the final pages had me in tears (I get oh-so-invested in “the good ones”) IN A GOOD WAY.
I absolutely love the way that Everly writes the children into this story, making the HEA about the family and not just the H&h. This seems to be a theme for her, and it’s something that I’m really enjoying about her storytelling. Rose’s inner dialogue is hilarious throughout this book, and I do hope that that “romantic comedy” feel is something that persists with future couples.
I voluntarily received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. My first “meeting” of this author was through SmartyPants Romance (Crime and Periodicals), and then moved into this Sweetbriar Hearts series. I’m thrilled beyond words that Everly has set us up for many more Sweetbriar books in the future, and I can’t wait to see what else this wacky, amazing, loyal, fun, and meddling family has in store for us!
February 4, 2020
This is my first ever book by Nora Everly.
Ahhh so sweet and so sexy too.
Heart Words is a truly a great small town romance with a little bit of spice to get your blood pumping. To say that I loved Rose and Trevor would be an understatement. Rose was just so relate-able with all her quirks and Trevor, well he was the perfect romance novel hero. He was strong, a good dad, a pinch of alpha that gets him in trouble sometimes and just downright sexy.
Oh and his two kids, Maddie and Mikey they really make the story move along with their antics, as well as how they play into the suspense element of this novel.
See if you start out reading it, you'd think you were in for a sweet story of two people that are trying hard to get together. See these two, don't need a meet cute, they had one. They have a history and things got screwed up. So its a bit of a second chance thing but there's a deal with Trevor's ex, erm...wife.. who was all kinds of screwed up..and some of the stuff from her life (she's dead) is coming back to haunt Trevor and his family in a big, bad way.
The suspense part really gives the book some oomph, because sometimes you need more than just romance to make things exciting, and the bad guy here manages to bring relationship woos and some good ole fashioned nastiness into their lives.
This was a super read and I'm so glad to finally read one of Nora's books!
Ahhh so sweet and so sexy too.
Heart Words is a truly a great small town romance with a little bit of spice to get your blood pumping. To say that I loved Rose and Trevor would be an understatement. Rose was just so relate-able with all her quirks and Trevor, well he was the perfect romance novel hero. He was strong, a good dad, a pinch of alpha that gets him in trouble sometimes and just downright sexy.
Oh and his two kids, Maddie and Mikey they really make the story move along with their antics, as well as how they play into the suspense element of this novel.
See if you start out reading it, you'd think you were in for a sweet story of two people that are trying hard to get together. See these two, don't need a meet cute, they had one. They have a history and things got screwed up. So its a bit of a second chance thing but there's a deal with Trevor's ex, erm...wife.. who was all kinds of screwed up..and some of the stuff from her life (she's dead) is coming back to haunt Trevor and his family in a big, bad way.
The suspense part really gives the book some oomph, because sometimes you need more than just romance to make things exciting, and the bad guy here manages to bring relationship woos and some good ole fashioned nastiness into their lives.
This was a super read and I'm so glad to finally read one of Nora's books!
April 30, 2021
Another 4.5 stars for another great Nora Everly book. Two lovers had to put their relationship and their feelings on hold when life circumstances invaded their romance before it even had a chance to begin.
Rose is a Kindergarten teacher who fell hard for her sister's friend Trevor. Their relationship may have began as a love at first sight and they continue to fall for each other having daily conversations long distance. Trevor's life took a turn for the complicated, and while Rose understood the why of their break-up, she was still heartbroken. Now a year later, Trevor and his two kids have moved to her home town. Trevor has one main objective: to get Rose to give him a chance. But messy details from his previous marriage keep resurfacing keeping him from his goal and unfortunately hurting Rose again in the process. Life as a single dad is hard and filled with complications that threaten their happiness as well as their lives.
Book 2 in this series and we get another male Protagonist that knows what he wants and goes after his girl in a beautiful way. Between Luke and Trevor, the Barrett twins have found the love of their lives. These stories are filled with emotional and physical intimacy in such a lovely way. I only needed to read one of Nora Everly books to decide I was a fan, but this series has made me even more of one.
Rose is a Kindergarten teacher who fell hard for her sister's friend Trevor. Their relationship may have began as a love at first sight and they continue to fall for each other having daily conversations long distance. Trevor's life took a turn for the complicated, and while Rose understood the why of their break-up, she was still heartbroken. Now a year later, Trevor and his two kids have moved to her home town. Trevor has one main objective: to get Rose to give him a chance. But messy details from his previous marriage keep resurfacing keeping him from his goal and unfortunately hurting Rose again in the process. Life as a single dad is hard and filled with complications that threaten their happiness as well as their lives.
Book 2 in this series and we get another male Protagonist that knows what he wants and goes after his girl in a beautiful way. Between Luke and Trevor, the Barrett twins have found the love of their lives. These stories are filled with emotional and physical intimacy in such a lovely way. I only needed to read one of Nora Everly books to decide I was a fan, but this series has made me even more of one.
October 30, 2024
Heart Words is Heart Warming!
I saw a video with some quotes from the book on a social media post and ran to read this! I didn’t realize it was a series until after I started it but the rest of the books went on my TBR.
This family of siblings is run to read! I love how they all act with one another and are a big family full of love and taking care of each other. All the brothers are protective of their sisters and I just fell in love with all of them!
Rose and Trevor are a second chance romance and man are they tested and put through some obstacles. The suspense was good. And plot/pacing was fast and held my interest.
Mikey and Maddie were the two main characters and kid characters will make or break a book for me. These two kept me reading! I absolutely fell in love with them! Mikey is so funny for a 7yr old and I laughed out loud when he was mad he had to wear pants at home… “a man likes to be comfortable..” haha Maddie was so precious and I just love her! She is the sweetest and her and Rose are precious together!
If I had a negative it would be some of the wording felt juvenile at times. Not all the time but I noticed it when the scene felt adultish or serious and then someone would say something that just felt juvenile for the scene. Not the biggest issue, but it was noticeable a few times through the book.
Kindle book
I saw a video with some quotes from the book on a social media post and ran to read this! I didn’t realize it was a series until after I started it but the rest of the books went on my TBR.
This family of siblings is run to read! I love how they all act with one another and are a big family full of love and taking care of each other. All the brothers are protective of their sisters and I just fell in love with all of them!
Rose and Trevor are a second chance romance and man are they tested and put through some obstacles. The suspense was good. And plot/pacing was fast and held my interest.
Mikey and Maddie were the two main characters and kid characters will make or break a book for me. These two kept me reading! I absolutely fell in love with them! Mikey is so funny for a 7yr old and I laughed out loud when he was mad he had to wear pants at home… “a man likes to be comfortable..” haha Maddie was so precious and I just love her! She is the sweetest and her and Rose are precious together!
If I had a negative it would be some of the wording felt juvenile at times. Not all the time but I noticed it when the scene felt adultish or serious and then someone would say something that just felt juvenile for the scene. Not the biggest issue, but it was noticeable a few times through the book.
Kindle book
January 31, 2020
Heart Words is book two of the Sweetbriar Hearts series.
I really enjoyed this one! It's a very sweet second chance romance with a swoony single dad (Trevor) and a Kindergarten teacher (Rose.) I always love the addition of children to a book--they just seem to give a dose of reality to the story and that was very much the case here. The kids were adorable. And when the meaning of the title came into play, it was definitely worthy of a Full House type "awwwwww." There are a lot of characters so it was a little confusing for me at times. I kind of wish I had read book one first because of that, but I'll be reading it now since I need to know all about Rose's twin sister. I feel like there's room for a lot of books in this series with all of the characters, so I'm excited to see where the author takes us and who will be paired up. With a low amount of angst, a ton of sweet moments and a touch of suspense, this was just a really enjoyable read.
I really enjoyed this one! It's a very sweet second chance romance with a swoony single dad (Trevor) and a Kindergarten teacher (Rose.) I always love the addition of children to a book--they just seem to give a dose of reality to the story and that was very much the case here. The kids were adorable. And when the meaning of the title came into play, it was definitely worthy of a Full House type "awwwwww." There are a lot of characters so it was a little confusing for me at times. I kind of wish I had read book one first because of that, but I'll be reading it now since I need to know all about Rose's twin sister. I feel like there's room for a lot of books in this series with all of the characters, so I'm excited to see where the author takes us and who will be paired up. With a low amount of angst, a ton of sweet moments and a touch of suspense, this was just a really enjoyable read.
May 2, 2020
Today is a happy sad day. I am so happy that I read Heart Words and In My heart. I am thrilled that I read Nora Everly's two contributions to Smartypants Romance. I am deeply saddened that there are no more books to read. I know there are more books coming, but the wait, oh the wait, seems endless.
In the Sweetbriar Hearts Series the author pulled me into a wonderful family, a realistic family in a quaint small town in Oregon. If location matters, then this story matters a lot. Walk down Main Street stopping at all the storefronts. Wave at neighbors and friends doing the same thing. Grab coffee at Violet's getting touch with the main family in the story. Rose, the main character in Heart words might be there grabbing a cup of coffee on her way to her dream job of kindergarten teacher.
Trevor, police detective, might be there to get a glimpse at the lady he loves, Rose, the lady that he hurt. Luck is on Trevor's side. The big family, Rose's family, are on his side. His boss, her father, is rooting for him. Will it be enough?
Heart Words is a great second chance romance. I love watching a man grovel. Trevor has it down to an art form. Rose doesn't know it yet but resistance is futile.
Groveling won't be enough to get and keep Rose. Trevor's past comes back to haunt him. His family and Maddie are soon in danger. This detective will have to rely on his bag of tricks and all his training to keep his family safe and secure a happily ever after.
In the Sweetbriar Hearts Series the author pulled me into a wonderful family, a realistic family in a quaint small town in Oregon. If location matters, then this story matters a lot. Walk down Main Street stopping at all the storefronts. Wave at neighbors and friends doing the same thing. Grab coffee at Violet's getting touch with the main family in the story. Rose, the main character in Heart words might be there grabbing a cup of coffee on her way to her dream job of kindergarten teacher.
Trevor, police detective, might be there to get a glimpse at the lady he loves, Rose, the lady that he hurt. Luck is on Trevor's side. The big family, Rose's family, are on his side. His boss, her father, is rooting for him. Will it be enough?
Heart Words is a great second chance romance. I love watching a man grovel. Trevor has it down to an art form. Rose doesn't know it yet but resistance is futile.
Groveling won't be enough to get and keep Rose. Trevor's past comes back to haunt him. His family and Maddie are soon in danger. This detective will have to rely on his bag of tricks and all his training to keep his family safe and secure a happily ever after.
January 22, 2020
Oh man - I don't know where to start! I couldn't wait for this book, Rose is such a delightful character and also reminds me of me- so I love her :). I mean the Miss Frizzle is on point! We got to know Rose and Trev in book one and so I knew this was going to be good. The chemistry is off the charts-I mean they did it all by phone before they finally were able to live in the same town! Trev is the buff, single dad, kind, hero you can't wait to get to know and fall even more in love with. Rose is the kindergarten teacher, twin sister, middle child, quiet, nerd single leading lady you can not enjoy!
There are great twists and turns along the way, return characters that grow as well, side characters aka siblings that also get new shine, the setting is even more set in Beautiful Oregon (I mean that lake- I want to go hike now!), and the normal Nora steamy romance is all there!
I love and adore Nora's writing, she gets into the characters so well that you can just feel them. I'm quickly becoming a huge fan and need her to write faster, as I need these series to go on for way longer!
Make sure to go read book one and then get ready for more, because yes, it's really that good!
**Thanks to the author for a review copy in exchange for an honest review
There are great twists and turns along the way, return characters that grow as well, side characters aka siblings that also get new shine, the setting is even more set in Beautiful Oregon (I mean that lake- I want to go hike now!), and the normal Nora steamy romance is all there!
I love and adore Nora's writing, she gets into the characters so well that you can just feel them. I'm quickly becoming a huge fan and need her to write faster, as I need these series to go on for way longer!
Make sure to go read book one and then get ready for more, because yes, it's really that good!
**Thanks to the author for a review copy in exchange for an honest review
August 30, 2021
So many issues, yet I still gave this 4 stars. The nice thing about this is that there are so many characters that there will be more books.
The characters also have interesting connections to each other.
The redemption portion of this story fell flat. If he had such a special connection to her, why wouldn't he explain what was happening? I really didn't like his character at all.
The characters also have interesting connections to each other.
The redemption portion of this story fell flat. If he had such a special connection to her, why wouldn't he explain what was happening? I really didn't like his character at all.
July 16, 2020
Again this author sucked me into the story or Rosalie and Trevor. Rosalie or Rose wants what her identical twin sister has. Love and family and to be the most important person to someone. Trevor is a single father raising his two children and a police officer. Both have baggage from their pasts and need to work to get to their happy ever after. And throw in a crazy person and you end up with a great story. I can’t wait for the next book in this series.
March 20, 2020
Princess
I think I swooned every her called her princess. I could hear it. I'm in love with Sweetbriar. Mickey and Maddie are the cutest thing.
I think I swooned every her called her princess. I could hear it. I'm in love with Sweetbriar. Mickey and Maddie are the cutest thing.
April 28, 2021
Communication is a key factor in a relationship.
This is a small town romance with a lot of feels. It’s funny, romantic, steamy, a lot of tears, action, anticipation and love. The children in this book are precious to their core. I admire a man who can show his feelings and not know he is weak when he does so. This is such a wonderful love story.
This is a small town romance with a lot of feels. It’s funny, romantic, steamy, a lot of tears, action, anticipation and love. The children in this book are precious to their core. I admire a man who can show his feelings and not know he is weak when he does so. This is such a wonderful love story.
February 2, 2020
These two were made for each other. It was hilarious how they both cleaned in secret for each other to hide how messy the house was. I loved how Trevor was not afraid to show his emotions. The proposal scene made my eyes water.
January 31, 2020
This book has all the feels from the very start. Rose is a heroine that I can totally relate to, and Nora Everly did an amazing job of capturing why it’s like to feel like the “odd girl out” when it comes to love. This story was so sweet, with action-packed twists that I didn’t see coming. A great book, looking forward to more from Sweetbriar, OR. ❤️
February 9, 2021
Totally awesome.
I loved it as much as Lily and Luke’s book. Mystery, drama, hurt feelings, crazy men, and amazing Kids. It has it all with lots of hot and sexy. Loved it.
I loved it as much as Lily and Luke’s book. Mystery, drama, hurt feelings, crazy men, and amazing Kids. It has it all with lots of hot and sexy. Loved it.
December 23, 2021
Oh, my heart! Heart Words exceeded all of my expectations. The Sweetbriar Hearts series just keeps getting better! Five out of five hearts will swoon for this small-town, second chance kindergarten teacher & hot single dad romance!
“Trevor was my almost. He’d never fully owned my heart, yet he’d broken it all the same.”
Rose Barrett was well on her way to falling for the hot detective single dad when his betrayal destroyed their burgeoning romance. Trevor Hale was falling for his former partner’s sister-in-law when a cruel twist of fate forced him to turn his back on love. She was his one who got away. Now he’s in her hometown, a detective in her dad’s department, and his daughter is in her kindergarten class. Heart Words is charming, funny, and bursting with heart.
Everly ramps up the suspense in this heartwarming romance. This book made me giggle-snort and cry, swoon and swear, and smile so hard my face hurt. Not to mention, the steamy scenes do not disappoint!
I loved so many elements of this book, but the kids completely stole the show! Precocious six year olds and adorable kindergartners, these kids hit the funny bone and all the feels!
“Trevor was my almost. He’d never fully owned my heart, yet he’d broken it all the same.”
Rose Barrett was well on her way to falling for the hot detective single dad when his betrayal destroyed their burgeoning romance. Trevor Hale was falling for his former partner’s sister-in-law when a cruel twist of fate forced him to turn his back on love. She was his one who got away. Now he’s in her hometown, a detective in her dad’s department, and his daughter is in her kindergarten class. Heart Words is charming, funny, and bursting with heart.
Everly ramps up the suspense in this heartwarming romance. This book made me giggle-snort and cry, swoon and swear, and smile so hard my face hurt. Not to mention, the steamy scenes do not disappoint!
I loved so many elements of this book, but the kids completely stole the show! Precocious six year olds and adorable kindergartners, these kids hit the funny bone and all the feels!
November 13, 2021
Heartwarming
Story was well written, Heartwarming, laughed out loud, cried, and got so engrossed, I bit my lip. That hurt. Looking forward to reading the other stories in the series.
Story was well written, Heartwarming, laughed out loud, cried, and got so engrossed, I bit my lip. That hurt. Looking forward to reading the other stories in the series.
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