Guilty Minds

Little Hope Series #2

by Ariana Cane

“I want to get you out of my head the only way I know how.”

The only thing Kayla’s ever wanted has been to get the hell out of Little Hope. She’s never fit in with the traditionalism of the small town and its judgmental citizens, and her family’s bad reputation continues to precede her. All she’s ever wanted has been to leave… and maybe—just maybe—for Justin Attleborough to notice her. But—unfortunately for her—the only time he ever acknowledges her is to call her trailer trash and never let her forget her status as the town pariah.

All Justin wants is to wipe that night from his memory. The night that changed so many lives. But that’s easier said than done, especially when one of the biggest reminders of that night is always shamelessly walking her leather-clad legs around Little Hope. But—unfortunately for him—the one thing he wants more than to erase it from his mind is her.

A seemingly good boy and a seemingly bad girl. What do they have in common? Well… that night.

They say the truth will set you free. But what about the ugly truth? The one that reveals pretty as damaging, and ugly as redeeming?
.
.
.
This slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers, contemporary romance is a standalone filled with angst and a little bit of bullying. Guilty Minds is about a perfect man who hated an unperfect girl with a bad reputation and a tired girl who loved the said even more tired man. The steam level is boiling (eventually) and has more spice than the previous book. TW includes SA (mentioning), mild bullying. It can be read as it is, but better if enjoyed as a part of the series. Each book contains a story about a different couple-no cliffhangers.

Genres: Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Small Town Romance, Contemporary, Slow Burn, Contemporary Romance, Dark Romance

478 pages, ebook

First published July 26, 2022

About the author

Ariana Cane is the queen of sizzling slow-burn romances that blend heart-pounding chemistry. A die-hard Disney fan, she sprinkles a touch of magic into her stories, keeping readers hooked as her characters navigate their way to happily-ever-after. 💖

Forget insta-love—Ariana’s all about crafting damaged alpha heroes with layers of depth and complications that unravel like a perfectly plotted fairy tale. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her dreaming up new ways to torture her characters (and readers!) with a cup of decaf coffee or striding the Disney parks because it’s her happy place.

Writing about herself in the third person? Let’s just say it’s as tricky as convincing her characters to kiss and make up before the final chapter. 📚

Reviews

[SK · Rating 3 out of 5]

Plot- 3/5✨
Spice- 2/5🌶️

✔️Small town romance
✔️Dual POV
✔️Enemies to lovers
✔️Bully Romance
✔️Slow burn + sexual tension
✔️Jealous MMC
✔️Miscommunication trope (sadly)

Justin and Kayla, I liked how as individuals they're presented as there's always something missing from their lives, but together they complete each other, they are the other half to each other.

While in the previous book, we see Alex and Freya to have a sweet romance. Justin and Kayla's is more dark. Both Kayla and Justin struggle to deal with the intense emotions they feel for each other. They hate, yet they love. But if I'm being honest, Justin kinda frustrated me. He doesn't have any consistency, the too many up and down moments made me like him less. Whereas, Kayla and her journey has always been consistent to her personality.

The miscommunication trope made me out this book down every few pages. The two make up only to fight again, repeatedly. As someone who can't stand the trope, it took me a while to finish the book. Also, if you take the amazing sexual tension and angst out of this book, it doesn't have much to offer. It seems harsh yes, but without the angst this book is bland. The execution of bully romance was done quite well tho.
The smut wasn't quite as much as the first book in the series, and it did disappoint me a bit.

I enjoyed seeing Freya and Alex; and I do hope we'll get to see another book by the author for Archie.

Overall, it was pretty meh 🙈

⚠️Trigger warnings- Sexual Assault (mentioned) and bullying (mild)⚠️

[ForeverreadinG · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was so painful to read. There was no ounce of romance in it just constant bullying and nonstop word vomit from the MMC🤮 Kayla deserves so much better than that shitbag

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I‘m highly impressed with the development of the author’s writing. Guilty Minds is an Enemies to lovers, small-town romance that will knock your socks off.

Kayla and Justin are both from Little Hope, Maine. Kayla, the outcast. Justin is known as the playboy. Justin hates Kayla. Unknown to why by Kayla. But there is always a fine line between love and hate. Now mix in some obsession in the story.

I love Kayla, and she is no meek heroine. She can dish it out. My heart bleeds for her back story. She had to grow up at such a young age. Justin is an Alpha alongside being a bully, and sometimes he pissed me off a time or two. What I loved about Justin is how loyal he is, and deep down, he is just a big, softly.

I was waiting for them to through down, burn someone's house on fire, or for someone to spontaneously combust. The chemistry is a scorcher. You know, when they finally get together, it will be explosive.

Overall this book is utterly amazing. The author takes you on a wild ride you don't want to get off. Kudos to Justin’s character growth. I ended up falling in love with his character. This series is a must-read.

[Samantha · Rating 1 out of 5]

This one started off strong and then fell flat for me. I love a good bully romance, but I feel like this one was just plain bully with no romance. There is practically the same scene written several times of the hero getting in the heroines space, screaming at her, and then storming off when she asks him literally the most innocent of questions. He gets so possessive of her when any other male character dares to even look at her or god forbid talk to her, and is so rude its not even funny. He spends 90% of the book slut shaming her, (which he should have NEVER HAVE BEEN DOING EVER EVEN IF SHE HAD DONE SOMETHING TO HIM) even after he learns the truth and realizes he shouldn't have even been mad at her in the first place. Also, after literal YEARS of him bullying and verbally abusing her, he like says sorry one time???? But that's after he says he still hates her even though she never did anything to him. I really came to hate his character and don't even get me started on his brother! I'll still give it 1 star, though, for Kayla and Frank's characters.

[Leonie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kicking and screaming and swooning. And I am so sorry guys, but I was so hooked on the book, I didn´t pick out a single quote.

This is a two POV book, told by the POVs of Kayla and Justin.

I loved Kayla; despite all the difficulties being thrown at her, she continued to stand back up and do her thing. She never gave up and stood her ground and I think that alone makes somebody a really admirable person. If I am being honest Justin was a little bit too overly possessive for me at around 3/4 of the book, but he redeemed himself in the end. I liked that he had growth as a character and started to learn from his mistakes. I knew Kayla and Justin had chemistry from reading "Haunted Hearts" but goddamn....that sexual tension is through the roof! Guys, the yearning!? The slow burn!? The "´I hate you because I can´t stop thinking about you´ Cardan vibes"!? Heck yeah!!!

Loved the side characters as well, especially Archie. Mr. Little Flirt somtimes is a bit too cheeky for his own good; and I wholeheartedly hope that the next book will be on him. (Ariana Cane, please make it happen, I´m begging you!!) I loved to see Freya as a side character in this and to see her and Alex story continue on the side lines as well. I loved how Alex became a close friend of Kayla too and how they both supported her. I loved to get more background story on Marina, she seems like such a warm hearted person.

The romance in this was so amazing. It was a deliciously drawn out slow burn that had its ups and down and was simmering with tension. It is a bully romance though, so please be aware of that, if you pick up this book. Justin and his brother truly are asses to Kayla for the majority of the book. The plot was fast paced and slowed a bit down at the right moments. I liked the 3/4 conflict and how it all came together at the end. I wouldn´t say that this is the most spicy of all books, but it´s more about the journey than the smut scenes. Only a tiny complaint I would have is that I wish Justin would´ve done more groveling and I would have loved to see some of Alicia's actions more thoroughly explained.

Overall it was an amazing read that I truly enjoyed and with that I can´t wait for the next book in the series.

trigger warnings: bullying (obviously), abuse of power, rape (mentioned), drugs

[Liv · Rating 1 out of 5]

this book was actual crap. not only did the h let the H treat her like actual dog sh*t, but she legit forgot how absolutely awful he was to her whenever he got remotely close to her.

she let him kiss her after making fun of her “trashy” trailer home and insinuating that she was a wh*re, she let him eat her out after saying he HATES her and always will and after that he says that he’ll ALWAYS hate her and it changes nothing. THEN she lets him roughly take her v-card on a f*cking table after he continuously calls her trash and acts like an absolute jealous fool.

h has no backbone and is PITIFUL. i couldn’t stand this and was actually in disbelief that she kept on loving him after everything he said and did to her for YEARS.

also the writing is so awkward and not realistic in how people this age actually sound when they talk. whoever said the writing developed is mistaken.

[Abigael · Rating 1 out of 5]

Justin is a major bully who doesn’t do enough groveling or apologizing to be remotely likeable. Even after finding out he was wrong he barely apologizes. Kayla is a pushover and lets him walk all over her. I don’t understand how she can be attracted to someone who was so cruel to her.

[Tina's Bookish Life · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5

THIS WAS SO GOOD!!!
I absolutely love Ariana Cane’s writing because it just makes me feel like I’m truly inside the character's heads and reading their thoughts rather than just having the characters summarize what happened and tell it to me. Which makes it feel so much smoother to self-insert which I very much enjoyed doing 😏

The chemistry and tension in this book are UNBELIEVABLE.

I adore Kayla so much SHE IS A SWEETHEART and she deserves to be treated like the queen she is. I want nothing more than to see her tattoos because I just know they’re GORGEOUS. Girly should’ve stopped taking the high ground and chopped some balls off though.

I don’t think I’ve ever read a book where the love interest was as much of an asshole as Justin was. Did he have a good reason? Sure. Was his reasoning right? NO. COULD IT HAVE ALL BEEN AVOIDED IF HE'D TAKEN HIS HEAD OUT OF HIS ASS LONG ENOUGH TO SAY WHAT HE WAS MAD ABOUT?? YEAH DEFINITELY. But he’s a man so I honestly don’t expect more from him.

Kayla should’ve let Frank beat his ass (this is an inside joke you get when you read the book and believe me it’s hilarious) I think Justin needed to do MUCH MORE GROVELING but alas I will forgive him because oh my lord the way he dirty talks makes you forget everything else he said 😫

YOU KNOW WHO I DONT FORGIVE AND DEFINITELY DIDNT DO ANY GROVELING AND SHOULD’VE BEEN ONE TO DO THE MOST??? JAKE. I genuinely don’t understand why he can’t mind his own goddamn business.

I love Marina with all my heart I wish she was my mother 😭 (she definitely should’ve shot Justin at some point to get him to wake tf up)

I ALSO LOVE ARCHIE!! He was barely there for a couple of scenes, but I’d definitely read a book about him. He is very much my type 😏

AND I’D MISSED ALEX AND FREYA SO MUCH!!! The little scenes we had of them made my heart so happy 🥹 they’re still my number one babies 🥰 (Highly recommend reading Haunted Hearts and getting to know them)

[dee☁️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kinda want to punch everyone in this book❤️(except Mark and Marina).

This won’t work for everyone, H is an asshole he bullied the h for years , called her names and never groveled? He just said sorry and that was it😭.

I shaked my head , rolled my eyes and screamed into my pillow(not in a good way) a lot BUT this book was so entertaining y’all I was basically glued to my iPad .


These stars are solely for entertainment.

[Emily · Rating 1 out of 5]

This man has no redeeming qualities. None. I HATE the “magic genitalia” Trope where no matter how horrible a person is somehow they are sexually irresistible. When he realized the magnitude of his mistake he did nothing to make amends. He didn’t explain to his siblings because he’s selfish and puts himself first. Kayla you know what this man does and how he acts when he’s angry. He is abusive. He is manipulative and cruel. Don’t marry that. Don’t. Also I’m confused how he’s the catch of the town from the right side of the tracks. He’s a violent drunk who prowls day and night and seemingly is never actually at his job doing job things.

There has better never be a book about the cop brother. Abuse of power is never sexy.

I can’t believe I read it all. I kept thinking that surely NOW he’s going to humble himself and atone. No. The sex is magic so his persecution and YEARS of abuse are fine.

Also suppose our heroine DID call the cops after witnessing a violent assault. How is she the bad guy? How is Alicia’s assault her fault? If the cop pulled him over pursuant to a report of a violent crime it’s because HE NEARLY KILLED A MAN. So his inability to get to his sister was because of his choice to assault someone, not because someone called the police.

There was a lot of shaming calling women wandering vaginas, whereas the men are called “man whores” which is if anything a compliment.

Don’t read it. It’s enemies to lovers but without the groveling necessary to make it acceptable. So it’s more abuser and victim start hooking fup.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

While reading this book, I am growing more and more fond of the people of Little Hope. If this was a real place, I would not mind get stuck there. Also, it was very nice to see Alex and Freya from Haunted Hearts, book one in this series appear in this book as well. If anyone had a true enemies to lovers relationship it is Kayla and Justin.

They had history between them that was not easily forgotten. Luckily, these two strong headed people eventually realized that they were better together. Justin did not let up on Kayla easily. Yet, Kayla could hold her own. As the story progressed, I could feel the tension building between these two. So that when they finally got up close and personal, it was HOT! These summer days may be hot, but the pages of this book are scorching!

[Veronica (Honey Roselea Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

It got better but the toxicity was too much for me. The hate was too strong. I would have liked to see them go through the healing process with their relationship and go on dates and whatnot rather than only having the physical parts.

[Rhonda Ziglar · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 GUILTY MIND STARS!! I absolutely loved this book and this series. The feels between Justin and Kayla were off the charts...you felt the burn and the love. Little Hope is where I want to live with these characters. I am so glad i found this author....she is quickly moving up my list of 1-Click authors. You must read this book and series.

[Isabel Johansson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This will be filled with spoilers, all over the place so don’t read it if you haven’t read the book pls, or do.) Also this will be my first genuinely frustrated review.

Tw: Will mention r*pe in this review.

I’m sorry I don’t know what I’ve just read. I obviously love Kayla, Freya and the few who has had Kayla’s back and believed her for all these years.

Kayla has been trashed by the town for something she hasn’t done, she really has NO IDEA why the mmc, Justin, and everybody hates her, and she has several times tried to ask the mmc why he hates her, what she’s done, and is unbelievable cruel to her, as well as his brother, WHO IS A COP has been. She hasn’t gotten any answers for years, he always shuts her down with ’’stop lying’’ when telling him she doesn’t know what he’s talking about.

Some backstory: Justin beat someone up, and Kayla saw this and tries to stop him, he does eventually stop and Justin explains that this man tried to r*pe his ’’girlfriend’’ (spoiler alert, again, he did not, this man and the mmc’s girlfriend had sex behind his back, aka his ’’girlfriend was cheating on him’’ + lying) That man is also Kayla’s friend. Justin eventually leaves with his girlfriend, who was in the car, smiling and winking to Kayla because she’s an evil bitch. Later, he gets arrested when he is on the way to his sister, who has been r*ped, and this is where the hate comes in, Justin now thinks that Kayla called the cops on him, and he gets arrested before he can go help his sister from getting r*ped. (I don’t remember if she already had been, or if she were about to). And he obviously blames her for preventing him from helping his sister, now that he convienently got arrested right after beating someone up and Kayla caught him.

some wtf moments:
-All she gets is ’’she deserves it’’ when something bad happens to her. She gets called trailer trash, whore and people just tend to ignore her and talk behind her back.
-The mmc’s brother, handcuffed, arrested her (like he literally shoves her into the police car and she hits her forehead) and threw her in a cell because she stood up for herself to him and called him a shithead and an asshole in public and he loves to use his power. Also this man loves to taunt her, stop her on the road and give her unnecessary tickets. (Which by the way her car gets towed for, because she hasn’t paid for some of them).. oh did I mention she’s also broke, for another reason you’ll get to know?
-This man, Justin, keeps saying he hates her, but has no problem getting in her face, being all sexual.. to taunt her..? and then go right back to ’’I hate you’’. This man also slowly fixes her car because it sucks, but he doesn’t want anyone to know it’s him making the car survivable, because you know, HE HATES HER.

And then when the truth comes out, and he FINALLY FUCKING BELIEVES HER.. they hook up, but then he’s all like:

”I meant what I said, Kayla. That I still hate you, and that doesn’t change anything.”
“My feelings toward you haven’t changed, there’s too much history with us, and there’s nothing we can do about it. But we can fuck it out of our systems. We have so much fucking chemistry we can burn a building down when we are together.''
’’This tension needs to go. We just need to fuck it out.''

She asks him to leave, and he’s like:
”You’ll come to me, we both know that. I know how you’ve felt about me all these years.” (Because she’s had a crush on him since she was 10). “It’ll force you to come to me eventually. You just had a taste. You’ll be craving it. Trying to see what we’ve been building up to for so long. You won’t be able to get me out of your head without a good, angry fuck to erase all the memories, good and bad. To wipe the sheet clean. I’ll wait, but not for long.”

OHHHH another fucked up thing, Justin has insomnia and he tends to crash and fall asleep for a really long time, and one day Kayla goes to his house because they're all good now, and she walks in on him sleeping, with a girl with him, touching him. She runs away, runs into his brother, Jake, and then he is once again being a fucking asshole, because Justin hasn't told him yet that Kayla is innocent?????? so he taunts her again, and she leaves. (Jake gave this girl the key to his house) To be fair, Jake didn't know that Justin had crashed, he thought he would just normally wake up and fuck another girl.

Oh we also never got an apology from Jake to Kayla, for all the years he's put her through hell + making her believe that Justin cheated :) when he finally also found out the truth because NOW Justin decides to tell him, because ''he didn't know how to tell him before'', he was just ''fuck fuck fuck'', this man should be ON HIS KNEES FUCKING BEGGING for her forgiveness, for several years, and grovel for the rest of his life. They both should.

yeah so this review was all over the place, but I just didn't expect to dislike this book so much since i really enjoyed the first one, and we all love enemies-to-lovers, but this was just straight up bullying, abuse of power and men's audacity story. Kayla deserves better. Peace out.

[Iris · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading Haunted Hearts, I NEEDED Justin and Kayla’s story. Kayla was so easy to like and Justin was too (except it didn’t make sense why he hated Kayla so much). I don’t think you have to read Haunted Hearts to enjoy Guilty Minds but I would highly recommend it. It made the questions/the angst build up slowly.

Kayla- a strong, tattooed/pierced, emotional, survivor, & self-aware queen.
Justin- a gorgeous idiot that needs to learn how to use words. >:(

Kidding sort of. Loved him but I was constantly mad at him again and again.
His inner monologue saves him because some of his actual words made me want to punch his beautiful face. I shall remain bitter on Kayla’s behalf for a lil bit longer hahaha

Small town, enemies to lovers, dual POV, present tense with a few flashbacks, possessive Hero

I didn't expect to cry here and there throughout this story. Kayla is the definition of strength with everything she’s had to endure: her family, the town’s judgment then wrath, the bullying and harassment. YET she didn’t let it take her down, I loved that her best weapon was her personality and smiles. Fake it til you make it as they say. I cheered her on each time she reminded Justin of everything he and his brother put her through.

Justin Justin Justin… he was going through so much turmoil but Kayla AND himself suffered for it. Love/hate relationship here. Can’t say much without spoiling the journey. But it was rough. In the end we understand his pain and why he needed to direct his anger at someone else other than himself.

A book title has never been more on point. GUILT all around. Undeserved and well..some a lil bit deserved. I enjoyed reading this and didn't mind that it was a little longer. I would have loved even more chapters to be honest.

Ariana Cane did it again though! Left me wanting more. I want Archie’s story because I already love him and know he’s a survivor too behind the charismatic mask. And Alicia’s story. And Jake’s redemption story..eventually.. I will also happily read :)

[Sovaria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm the first to admit that I get riled up easily. The smallest thing can pull me into a MOOD. This book put me in a damn mood and kept me there until the end!

We met Kayla and Justin in Haunted Hearts and I was DYING to know what their story was. The suspense from book 1 had me on the edge of my seat so knowing book 2 was about Kayla and Justin, I couldn't have been happier!

This story messed with my emotions big time. I spent a considerable amount of time trying to figure out who I liked, what their motives were, who is lying and who is loyal. Justin is a bully and unhinged. I imagine that he's spent the last 6 years so wound up, not sleeping, carrying so much guilt that it's changed him fundamentally. He takes all of this out on poor Kayla. He runs so hot and cold! He was confusing the hell out of me.

At first I felt so much sympathy for Kayla but then I noticed how she ran hot and cold almost as much as Justin did! It was then that I realized these two were made for each other. 🤣 I felt like she was way too easy on him. Not gonna lie, I enjoyed watching him suffer quite a bit. 😅

I was hoping for a redemption for Justin that made me fall in love with him but it didn't happen for me. I mean, I thoroughly enjoyed his jealous and possessive side but I don't think I'll be going #TeamJustin anytime soon.

I will, however, be 100% on #TeamMark. If there isn't a president for this club currently, I'd like to apply for the position. And with that epilogue, I'm crossing my fingers that this is going where I hope it is!! 🤞

Overall, this book hit the mark! (No pun intended) It got me in my feelings, it answered my burning questions, it introduced us the the true MVP - Frank. I'm so looking forward to who Ariana will focus on in the future! The side characters in this book were all so fun and interesting!

[Preet K · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review
5/5 stars
Guilty Minds by Ariana Crane (Hopeless Hearts #2)
Lord have mercy, y’all. This book! Where to begin? I loved how this book picked up and showed
a scene from the first book and we get an in depth look to both the main couple of this book,
Kayla and Justin. Kayla, baby! I loved her strength and determination and her spirit! She is a
kindred spirit to me and I related to aspects of her character so so so much. I loved her and
want to be her bestie. JUSTIN,boy, baby boy, where to begin. I loved how complex his character
was. Was he a dumb dumb? Yes, but he has his own complex motivations and Ariana captured
him and his journey wonderfully. As a person whose love language is acts of service, this boy
has my heart and I’m so glad that he finally got out of his own way and got his HEA with the love
of his life! Also, Frank! I love him. That is all.
I loved that the tonal quality of the work stayed the same as the first book and the cameos of all
the past characters and new ones to come made this a delightful read. I like how Ariana
addresses heavy topics and can weave them into a great story. I could not put it down until I
finished. Ariana is one author to look out for and I can’t wait to read the next book! Also, I’m so
so so honored to have a shoutout in this book and I’m thankful to Ariana for being patient and
sweet for listening to my rambling on IG. I will treasure it always! Please be mindful of the trigger
warnings before you read, because there are heavy topics that are addressed in this book and
the first one. X
Be sure to check out this book on July 26th on KU and Amazon and be sure to catch up with
Haunted Hearts which is book one on Amazon!

[Olivia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marked safe from the overuse of the term “python” ✅

[S Bain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enemies to lovers✔️
Bully - you will hate him before you love him✔️
Small town✔️
Slow burn✔️
Angst✔️
Miscommunication✔️
Sexual tension✔️
Redemption✔️
HEA✔️

Oh Justin, if only he had talked to Kayla he could have saved her from years of bullying and harassment. Especially from his brother Jake.
As much as he dislikes Kayla he is attracted to her. That drives him crazy.
Kayla has no idea why Justin hates her but she’s had enough of being treated like garbage and the name calling.
Their relationship is explosive and Justin has to do some major groveling after he learns the truth.
If you enjoy small town romances with quirky characters this is a great choice.

[Confessions of a Bookaholic · Rating 5 out of 5]

"She is like the d*mn forbidden fruit that I can never have. The one I shouldn't even desire. Nothing more than the mystery of the untouchable."

Justin.....oh Justin....sometimes he is his own worst enemy. I KNEW while reading Haunted Hearts that this man was going to be my favorite and I still stand by this! I absolutely love him. If you have read Haunted Hearts then you know some of the story of Justin and Kayla and it is finally here in Guilty Minds. Side note....it is not necessary to read Haunted Hearts first but you will get more out of the story if you do.

Let me just say there were so many times both of these two were yanking on my heartstrings so hard and I hurt for them...yes both of them. Justin is so blinded by his hatred and need for Kayla at the same time I wanted to yell at him to pull his head out of his a$$! Kayla's story just shows how much of a survivor she is. She sticks around in Little Hope even though she faces constant scrutiny from so many in the town. She is loyal to those she loves and even though she doesn't want to be....she is still drawn to Justin no matter how he treats her.

For months Ms. Cane teased her readers with this story so when it hit my kindle I stopped what I was doing and dove right in!!! It was everything I hoped and then so much more. There were little things sprinkled here and there that I really didn't expect and they made the story that much better. The attraction between these two is so freaking hot! I swear at certain times I could feel the intensity of it...that is how well it is written! Finally finding out the truth behind what happened the night Justin's dislike of Kayla stemmed from was not what I was expecting at all. His flaw there is that he is fiercely protective and loyal to those closest to him and that loyalty blinded him to the truth. Then there are all those side characters of Little Hope popping up left and right that always add to the story. I think my favorite out of this one was Frank.....IYKYK!

********AUDIO REVIEW********
Oh my goodness....this audiobook was so fan-freaking-tastic! Ms. Cane did a great job picking her narrators for the roles of Justin and Kayla.

As a HUGE Justin fan I have to say Gideon Frost was such a good choice. Justin is a character with a lot of hatred towards Kayla and Gideon portrays that so well. Then there is his female voice that is some of the best I have heard a male narrator do and he even had to have an accent for Marina and he nailed it. So many times I felt like I could feel his hatred towards Kayla and later on towards himself. Then there are those times he is all growly.....I loved it!

June deBorahae was a new to me narrator and that woman is so dang good! I could not get enough of how much she matched my idea of Kayla. Every single character she had to be was complete perfection, from a British accented Archie to a Russian accented Marina, to Justin, Jake, Alex, Freya, and Alicia.....PERFECTION! She has this voice that is so soothing and keeps your attention.

If you loved Guilty Minds reading it the first time around I cannot scream loud enough to listen to this audio and revisit Frank's introduction along with Archie's! Experience Justin and Kayla go from enemies-to-lovers all over again.

[T Rojo · Rating 2 out of 5]

In this house we stan Cash Wall! Reading the blurb I thought this was going to be like Against a Wall. If you’ve never read it (obviously go do that) but it’s friends to enemies to lovers. The MMC bullies the FMC for years but only because he’s loved her all along and he’s a total himbo.

Unfortunately, this was not that.

Justin has been ruining Kayla’s reputation in town and harassing her for years since he’s gotten out of prison. He thinks she’s the one who called the cops on him the night of his arrest snowballing events in his family to disastrous levels. She has no idea why he’s always so mean to her and had been infatuated with him since a young teen. She didn’t call the cops on him and when he finally realizes the truth they begin a relationship.

I’m not a writer so forgive me, but, HOW HARD IS IT TO WRITE A NICE GUY? Justin was a fucking dickhead the entire book! The only nice thing he did was fix her car. He and his stupid officer Doofy brother called her a whore and trailer trash. Once they started a relationship he was a controlling jealous maniac.

I liked Kayla until I didn’t. There’s only so much I can take. I empathized with her for a bit but I dont care how hot a guy is or how many “inches” he has I couldnt understand why she would be with him after everything he’d said and done to her. Because he’s a veteran and went to jail we’re supposed to empathize with him being an angry asshole? I dont think so. Make your way to Freyas clinic and get some therapy guy, you need it.

Also, just because you’re a talented artist doesn’t make you a good tattoo artist. That whole part of the story should’ve been axed.

Book was way too long and a lot of the story could’ve been edited out. Hated how all the secrets were being dragged out to the last 60% of the book. Caroline and the money? Frank the fucking moose? It was like the author knew we wanted to DNF but was just stringing us along.

TOXIC TOXIC TOXIC

[BAG of Books · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kayla is "not like other girls." She's got a bad reputation in town, because he mom did sex work to survive. Justin is the town golden boy, even after doing 3 years in prison for assault. He got out of prison 3 years ago (so the crime took place 6 years ago), and he has been bullying Kayla ever since. The bullying obviously has something to do with the night of the assault, which she witnessed, but she's not sure why exactly he's bullying her.

He finds out he was wrong about the thing he was bullying her for (BTW he's now a 31 year old former Marine acting this way). You expect a grovel but get a hate fuck instead.

Problems:
*Everyone else's dialogue is in italics. Not sure what's going on with that.
*Three male acquaintances of Kayla figure out Justin is subconsciously in love with Kayla and conspire to make him jealous. Like chic lit except it's men.
*She's sending most of her income to some mysterious character named Caroline for a debt owed "by her family." This is another mystery besides the mystery of why Justin became a bully. It's dumb because there's no such thing as family debt, and because it takes the entire book for the circumstances to be revealed.
*Why didn't she just MOVE?? She makes some excuses but they don't make sense.
*Lack of grovel.

[Cokiereads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did I not write a review? Wild. Anyways Justin is the man I love to hate. Hate to love. He is a bully so you'll probably not like him the majority of the book.

Kayla is a sweetheart and my babe. I've already read this one 3 times now.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rarely write reviews cause I’m lazy. But I’ve been waiting for this book for months(!) so I just had to.

Spoilers ahead:
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Let me tell ya that I love a good asshole. Not literally (thought there is nothing wrong with that), but figuratively. And Justin is that. He is an apologetic asshole and he remains it. Even though he grovels and all that, I love that he keeps his balls attached throuout the whole book. Yes! YES to the alphahole!

Now, he got so much sh1t going that I feel bad for the dude. I love Kayla and feel super bad for her, but man. Poor Justin. So much turmoil. So much confusion. So much hidden pain. He doesn’t know how to leave without it anymore because he’d been in this for so long. And dude, he got reasons, alright! Justin is MINE. I love Alex, but Justin is soooo intense. So raw. And so vulnerable at the same time…. Delicious!!

Kayla. Well, everyone loves Kayla, myself included. She is a badass sweetheart. And her little secret? Did NOT see that coming. So didn’t 😆I was like wtf?!?!? Sign me up 👀

More Alex and Freya! Yes yes yes! And I agree with Justin: like why the fck are you waiting, Alex??

Frank? I want Frank of my own. I need FRANK.

I can’t wait for the next book. I hope Ariana will write this one the next month (ha-ha) because I can’t wait to see Justin’s face, LOL. I just can’t!!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not even sure where to start.
Maybe with the setting? Little Hope Maine is definitely one of those towns you wouldn't mind getting stuck in. So long as you're immune to alpha-holes and bears. But let's face it, how much trouble could a few broody men get you into?

Maybe I'll start with the fact that the spice level in this book was a sexy, simmering sauce, applied at just the right moments to make Guilty Minds seasoned to perfection.

Or, the enemies to lovers/bully trope we all love? Yeah, that was good too. At times I wanted to rip Justin's b@lls off and feed them to a crow, but he's just so fucking hot when he grovels, so I'll allow it.

Kayla's character went through the wringer in this book. She had the shit end of the stick pretty much every time she drew one. But she took it all in stride. Great example of a strong, badass heroine in a contemporary setting.

If you read Haunted Hearts and wanted more, pick up Guilty Minds. This is a series I will be following to its completion. They are well written, the plot is throughly constructed, and the characters seem made of flesh themselves.

[runofthemillwallflower · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been dwelling on my thoughts and feelings towards this book for about a week+ now trying to think of a review that was insightful without spoiling, but I can't. All I have for you is exactly what you gave me through Justin and Kayla's story. Unadulterated, raw emotion. You bullied my feelings with this book. Half the time I was mentally flipping tables and throwing lamps across rooms in exasperation and rage and the other half I was swooning and rooting for a too stuck in his ways bully and the girl who gave him hell right back. Even writting this I feel that build up of... EVERYTHING. UGH! but also ❤.

Second chance
Small town
Hate to love you, love to hate you
Bully


TW: mentiones of rape

[Rose Romance Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Guilty Hearts by Ariana Cane is a small town enemies to lovers bully romance. This book is the second book of Little Hope Series and can be read as standalone, but better as a series.

Kayla is the town pariah and is known as trailer trash. Kayla wants Justin but Justin won’t let Kayla forget her place. As much as Justin wants to hate Kayla he can’t get her out of his mind.

The best way I can describe this book is complicated. This is a hot-cold love-hate roller coaster romance. It’s not dark, but it’s not sweet. I love the build up mystery and the want to search for answers and this book is like an onion with it’s layers you get an answer, but creates another question. I love the complexity of all the characters. I really like Ariana Cane’s writing style and can’t wait to read more of Little Hope Series. I would 100% recommend reading this series.


I was honored to receive an ARC and voluntarily leaving a review.

[Samantha Hickey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm in love!!!

Guilty Minds is book #2 in the Little Hope series. Each book is a different couple. This is a small town, enemies to lovers romance.

We first met Justin and Kayla in Haunted Hearts and I've been so excites for their story!!

Kayla is the outcast of Little Hope. Everyone treats her like crap, except her few friends, and calls her trailer trash over something she did years ago. Justin is a playboy jerk and is all alpha. You probably won't like him at first, but you will grow to love him!

Kayla and Justin are so much alike and are perfect together! This book had my emotions all over the place, but I couldn't put it down.

I have my fingers crossed for Marks story!!!

Ariana Cane, this series is amazing!!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the few books where all I could think of was punching Justin in his beautiful face! What an asshole! Ugghhhh! Why couldn't he just spit out the words of why he hated her so much when she clearly had no clue? But of course...men 😂 My heart bled for Kayla.

What a beautiful chaotic mess of these two characters 😍  Not to mention how this affected her relationship with Freya & Alex. I mean...can a girl catch a break?

Let's not forget the EPIC showcase of Frank....OMG...LMAO! Who would of thought?

Ariana... you followed up your first novel with a heartbreakingly beautiful duet and gave us the closure we needed with Justin & Kayla ❤️

[Hailey Brzoska · Rating 4 out of 5]

⚙️⚙️⚙️⚙️/5

Buckle up for a wild ride!

There’s Justin. He’s a menace. A terror to society. And yet when it comes to Kayla and him, I actually…maybe don’t hate him…and actually kinda like him. Whoops 🤭

Justin is so blinded by his hatred and the guilt of what happened to his sister that fateful day. But many, MANY times I just wanted to shake some sense into him. I understood where his hurt feelings were coming from. But it was all based off of his assumption about what happened, and I really hated how badly that affected Kayla.

The way he secretly treats Kayla, where nobody knows what he did, is adorable though. Even Kayla doesn’t realize it was him, and that makes it even sweeter.

And my sweet, color died hair gal pal deserved so much more than what Justin gave her most of the time. This book was nothing short of showing us how much of a survivor and fighter she really is. She sticks around Little Hope for no reason other than she wants to. But the more you learn, the more you think “whyyyy?” But despite it all, she’s loyal and a lover. And she’s still drawn to Justin and doesn’t want to let that sever break. LH is her home and the place she decided to put her roots down.

The chemistry between these two is literal fire. So hot you don’t want to touch. Or get between them. Because things are bound to get a little fiery. And the diner scene 🥵, thanks for adding that for me @arianacaneauthor 🫠

I’m not going to lie, there were a few points I threw my kindle down onto the couch and walked away because I was fed up with Justin. But the little things in between his crazy shenanigans (and my love for Kayla and the need to have a HEA for them) kept me coming back for more.

Plus I would’ve missed out on Frank, my favorite character EVER 😍 and I needed to believe there was redemption K&J!!

Ariana can do no wrong in my book and she has a fan for life over here in my little corner of the world.

P.S. I already love Book 3 and the characters it encompasses 🙂🙃🙂 please gimmie gimmie