Bleeding Heart

Shattered Hearts of Carolina #7

by Jody Kaye

A runaway bride walks into a bar.

No kidding… But I’m pretty sure my friends are trying to pull a fast one on me when Paisley Cooper bursts into Sweet Caroline’s, searching for a place to hide.

Now the local socialite, whose boutique has been right under my nose, is in my sights. And I’m no bleeding heart. So, I con Paisley into posing as my girlfriend by threatening her business.

At first, nobody believes our relationship is real. I mean, why would Paisley abandon her doctor groom at the altar for an irritable strip club owner?

However mismatched, Paisley’s infuriating ability to stand up to me somehow convinces everyone we’re perfect for each other. Whenever we kiss, even I can’t help thinking the same thing, too. Although it’s not like falling in love makes any difference when I already know forever isn’t guaranteed.



From Jody Kaye, bestselling author and the creator of the Kingsbrier Quintuplets, Bleeding Heart features a chance encounter between Sweet Caroline’s broody antihero and Brighton’s town darling as she escapes her wedding! What will an obsessive alpha risk to stay in control in this slow burn, opposites attract romance?

307 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 1, 2022

About the author

Jody Kaye writes interconnected steamy contemporary romance, including the unbridled Kingsbrier Quintuplets and the emotionally charged, multi-generational southern Shattered Hearts of Carolina series.

“Jody is a masterful storyteller, with beautifully developed characters, incredible landscapes and every now then and plot twists that will leave you reeling.” —Goodreads review

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Reviews

[Kim Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, so I don't know about you, but I feel like I have waited FOREVER for Jake's story, and at last I can say it was 100% worth the wait!
If you are keeping up on the Shattered Hearts series, you have met Jake numerous times, and probably think he's a complete jerk. I know that was my first... and second... and third impression of him. I also felt like there had to be a whole lot more to the totally bad-boy owner of Sweet Caroline's! High five to me... I was not wrong!
You've also met Paisley, though briefly, when the Mill Girls hit her shop on their days out. I always thought she was a bit timid. Apparently, that is only until she is backed into a corner and then wow! She is something else!
I don't want to say much about the storyline, because I don't want to give anything away. I will just say that I didn't want to put the book down. And.... the award for the dropping a total bomb goes to... drumroll, please!
Jody Kaye! You will have to read the book to find out what I am talking about!

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jody Kaye knows how to bring a tear to your face.
She did it again with this story,
You met the hero in other books, and your opinion of him was meh at best.
And then you read his story.
The real story.
And the real story makes you wanna hug him so hard.
Glad I got to uncover them because he wasn't my favorite in Holly's story.
Now I see him here and have a better appreciation of him.
Liked how the books connect in this series.

[Jeanne Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read several books written by Jody Kaye; she is becoming one of my favorite authors. I can’t wait to read more of her books.

This is part of the Shattered Hearts of Carolina Series. The story is about Paisley & Jake.

I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.

[ReadonReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

With the beginning of this read you know you will be in for a ride and while it does start a little lighthearted the emotions these characters draw out of the readers is real and intense. Jake has a past that he never really recovered from yet with the love from his family he settled in a role of the laidback club owner who never wants to settle down. Paisley is a woman who has been through some things and after enduring it she knows exactly what she wants in her life and refuses to let anyone say or do anything to sway her path. These two are fun together because opposites do attract but with secrets still hidden, feelings becoming real, and things that need to shine in the light will they run or face it all head on? Jake has a lot he needs to face head on instead of running and Paisley must learn to let others in, but together they help each other learn so much and grow as individuals. This story had its fun times, definite steamy times, but the real raw emotions is what really drew me in.

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story takes a lot of convoluted turns, but it is necessary for Jake and Paisley to really find themselves. I really wish she had told Gavin the complete truth at some point. I think it might have spared some of his hurt. He definitely bounced back after a bit. Jake is pretty messed up in his own way and not dealing with it at all. He undergoes a huge change over the course of months and then actually sees how badly he has been treating people and changes more. I like his coming to an understanding of where he has gone so wrong. His mother is a queen. Paisley needed to be able to stand up for herself and not be such a people pleaser and it took her walking at at her vows to start that process, hurting a lot of people, not just Gavin. Story was really good. It was a bit long but did not drag.

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

[Bernie · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have read this author before you will recognize characters and references to those in other stories. They are parts of series, but it is not necessary to have read this series in order.
The couple are at odds but also in sync. Paisley runs away from the church on her wedding day to a successful cardiologist. She has specific but untold reasons. Her refuge is a strip club owned by Jake, a commitment and relationships phobe.
A fake relationship begins but there are the beginnings of something deeper, but as they each have baggage it does not bode well. There are challenges and changes to overcome and come to terms with before they can make it work.

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

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did someone say ‘runaway bride’? Bleeding Heart starts off with a crazy turn of events when Paisley Cooper leaves her groom at the alter and lands in not only a strip club but she lands in the arms of its owner, Jake Ballentine. These two are definitely an unlikely pair, but there is something about them that works.
Jake is a jerk but it is easy to see that there is more to him than meets the eye and it seems it is a special woman that has him slowly changing his tune.
Paisley was an easy character to like. She is a bit shy but strong at the same time and not afraid to challenge him. When Jake puts her in the position to pretend they are in a fake relationship their connection seems to grow stronger. He is protective and a bit much but he is also everything she needs.

[Joyce Panitch · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was nice to revisit with “friends“. Jody has a way of bringing a secondary character from a previous book out into the forefront for the new book, while still including all of the other characters that we know and love. Jake and Paisley are the characters that she focused on this time.
The crossover between this series and the Kingsbrier series was a complete surprise for me. I loved it.
Because of that, I found myself looking at the people on the fringes of the storyline and wondering who will be spotlighted in a future book. I’m sure the clues are there if I go back and read it again.

[lf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Opposites do battle but can't fight their attraction

Bleeding Heart is the seventh book in the Shattered Hearts of Carolina series and is the story of Paisley and Jake. This story is an entertaining read with a story-line that takes more than a few turns as a socialite and strip-club owner end up falling for each other as they battle it out in a fake relationship. There is a great mix of drama, humor, sizzling chemistry, sexy banter and more all swirled together into a well balanced story.

I received a copy of this book and am leaving my honest review. My opinions are all my own.

[Jenni · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Paisley a bride on the run seeks a place to hid she finds herself in Jakes bar, and when she kisses Jake infront of her groom it sets fireworks off! Paisly and Jake decide to fake romance but soon the fake feels a little to real, how will they both deal with them? will Jake push Paisley away likes hes done times before will Paisley still be there after it all? well written engaging read emotions, desires and more. a great addition to the series.

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

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this new "Shattered Hearts of Carolina" story. This story has been a long time coming. It is about stirp club owner Jake who also doesn't do commitments and has come over, in the past, a bit of a jerk. Paisley is set to marry a very successful doctor and runs from the church on her wedding day. A shared kiss starts something in motion. So what starts off fake between Jake and Paisley develops into more. I love the characters and the story is very captivating. Very good read with some depth to it.

[Meaghan Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

We finally get Jake’s story and get to meet the woman to put him in his place! The plot line was fun, sexy, and the big reveal halfway into the book was mind blowing! I love Paisley’s character of being a hard working woman who’s work came first and stood by her decision to not be a mom. I think we need more characters like that in the romance field. Jody always has a way of making strong female characters that can also fall head over heels for the hot male leads. Her characters feel more relatable than other romance books I have read.

[Kristina Beck · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've had the pleasure of reading all the books in this series. I'd have to say Bleeding Heart is my favorite. I love alpha men who have a dark past and keep people at an arm's distance. That describes Jake perfectly. I couldn't wait to find out what his story was, and I wasn't disappointed. Paisley was the perfect heroine to knock down his walls. She was sassy, fiercely independent, and put Jake into his place more than once. It was fun watching sparks fly, wondering who was going to fall first.

Overall, a great read and highly recommended.

[Kimberly · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by this author, it was very pleasant from the beginning. I thought the character of Paisley was great and the plot really interesting, but it took a turn when she talks about her abortion. It didn't really have a place in the story and it was forced in my opinion. It turned from a a great romance book to political ideology and I was immediately turned off. I don't like heroines that don't want children or marriage, its kind of contradicts romance in my opinion. I liked the authors writing style, but this book is not for me.

[Gladys · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. The story grabbed and held my attention well. I thought Paisley and Jake made a great couple. The chemistry was obvious and the sparks plentiful. I thought the cuteness of the story was balanced out really well with heart. I have not read any of the other books in this series, but I might now because I thought this was really a fun read. This is my frank freely posted review.

[DesN2004 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read about discovering!! This was an enjoyable read with laughs, steam, drama, and everything that makes a story good! Jake is a little bit of an alphahole, however Paisley gives it back to him and it makes a good combo. This was a light hearted read with some deeper morals going on in the background. I enjoyed this book and will be looking for more from this author as this was a first read for me!

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Paisley runs out on her own wedding when she realizes that this is not what she really wants she ends up at Sweet Carlines which is a strip club owned by Jake. She ends up telling Gavin her fiancee that she and Jake have a secret relationship. There are all kinds of problems as they work through a relationship that started out as fake but turns into real love.

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

[Emily Pennington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jake and Paisley . . .

Jake is a little bit of a jerk until we get to know him better. But Paisley Cooper is not shy about pushing back when needed. When he convinces Paisley to pretend to be his girlfriend, threatening her business if she won’t go along with it, people are ready to finally believe the two of them are good together as they see the sparks flying between them. Can he convince himself that maybe they are right?

[Marilyn Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jake is a strip club owner and next door to Paisleys boutique. She leaves her groom at the alter and runs into his club to hide. He makes a deal and lets her hide if she poses as his girlfriend. She agrees but others don’t believe that they could be together. She stands up to him and soon they are actually getting along. Will this be fake for long?.

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

[Melissa B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my, the title of this book fits to a T.
Paisley and Jake's story was touching, dark in some ways, raw, and perfectly imperfect as to how they fit each other and why they click.
A runaway bride walks into a bar, will the devil owner be her salvation?.

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

[Lynn Stifle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I so enjoyed this book. I liked both Jake and Paisley and I really enjoyed watching their relationship evolve from being fake into something real. There’s some drama, a few laughs, and lots of chemistry that held my attention throughout and made this story hard to put down. This is my first read by this author and I was not disappointed. I look forward to reading whatever’s next!

[Cindy Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book of Jody’s I’ve read, but wow it won’t be the last! I loved it! The story was fantastic and the characters were entertaining! Jake and Paisley were perfect together. They were just what the other needed! What started as a fake relationship turned into so much more. I can’t wait to read more of Jody,s books!

[Tracy H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bleeding Heart
Book 7 of Shattered Hearts of Carolina
Jody Kaye

The story and characters, Paisely and Jake, are well written and nicely developed. The characters have chemistry in this fake romance. Great read.

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

[NanaX8 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness...have looked forward to Jake's story for quite some time and absolutely loved it. Filled with so much hurt and pain at life's curveball and, yet, hoping to find something good in life and love. Loved Jake and Paisley and their beautiful love story!!

[Kelly Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good fake romance, I liked both Jake and Paisley as characters and all of Jakes friends.
This is the first book I’ve read and I feel I may have enjoyed it a bit more had I read the other books first about how jakes friends found love, 3.5 stars

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2 stars
A fun and engaging story with two very different characters who find themselves unable to stop the attraction growing between them. A very enjoyable read.

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

[Ritu · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great read. Jake and Paisley come together, feelings become real, and secrets get in the way.

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

[Di · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it ! Characters and story are very touching. Reminds me of my life and what a hope can look like.

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

[Emily Utsch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Runaway bride, strip club owner, fake dating, and lots of hot amazing spice. I love how there was insta lust, but yet we still really got to know the characters.

This book is the 6th in a series. This book is actually the first book I have read by this author. It can be read as a complete stand alone. I did not feel as if I was missing any information. I could tell that certain side characters were alluded to have their own books. I looked up after I was done, and they did. So I didn't miss anything, but it did make me interested in the other books :)