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megelizabeth's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
"Then, it’s me and the sparkling expanse of constellations, the sparse buttery squares of distant cabin windows, and the wanting, wanting, wanting of Adam Reed."
I'm not being dramatic when I say that I honestly feel as if Courtney Kae stared into my soul and wrote this book just for me. It was EVERYTHING that I could have possibly wanted it to be, and so much more. I haven't connected so deeply and wholeheartedly to a book and to a set of characters in a long time, maybe even ever.
This just hit so hard in every conceivable way. The romance, the friendships, the family relationships, the figuring-your-life-out elements, the way trauma is explored...literally every aspect was just done so, so well and just hit me in a way I could never have expected. Ben and Adam deserve the whole entire world and have truly taken a piece of my heart.
This is a beautiful love story and I adored the build-up of the romance. It's also very much a story about childhood trauma and its lingering effects, and Ben's abusive father is very much a part of the narrative. For me it hit so perfectly and felt so incredibly true to my own feelings and experiences, but I'm aware that not everyone may connect with or be able to deal with that element of the story, and I do think the fact that I did connect so much with that was part of why the reading experience was so incredible for me.
However, whilst it won't necessarily 'hit' for everyone, it never feels like trauma for the sake of trauma and it's so clear that Courtney Kae truly cares about her characters and the stories she puts out into the world. I don't think I can adequately explain just how much this book means to me but I can say that I love and adore it with everything I have and know I will go back to it again and again and again. Ten thousand stars <333333
I'm not being dramatic when I say that I honestly feel as if Courtney Kae stared into my soul and wrote this book just for me. It was EVERYTHING that I could have possibly wanted it to be, and so much more. I haven't connected so deeply and wholeheartedly to a book and to a set of characters in a long time, maybe even ever.
This just hit so hard in every conceivable way. The romance, the friendships, the family relationships, the figuring-your-life-out elements, the way trauma is explored...literally every aspect was just done so, so well and just hit me in a way I could never have expected. Ben and Adam deserve the whole entire world and have truly taken a piece of my heart.
This is a beautiful love story and I adored the build-up of the romance. It's also very much a story about childhood trauma and its lingering effects, and Ben's abusive father is very much a part of the narrative. For me it hit so perfectly and felt so incredibly true to my own feelings and experiences, but I'm aware that not everyone may connect with or be able to deal with that element of the story, and I do think the fact that I did connect so much with that was part of why the reading experience was so incredible for me.
However, whilst it won't necessarily 'hit' for everyone, it never feels like trauma for the sake of trauma and it's so clear that Courtney Kae truly cares about her characters and the stories she puts out into the world. I don't think I can adequately explain just how much this book means to me but I can say that I love and adore it with everything I have and know I will go back to it again and again and again. Ten thousand stars <333333
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Mental illness
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Alcoholism and Drug use
amberinpieces's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Alcohol
Minor: Alcoholism
mari1532's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I loved Fren Falls # 1 (In the Event of Love) so when I heard that this book was coming out I immediately put it on hold at the library.
This book centres around Ben, Fern Falls's local bakery owner, and his unrequited love for friend and town mechanic, Adam, exploring friends to lovers and miscommunication troupes while highlighting the mental health practices of both main characters.
While I read this book in nearly one sitting and thoroughly enjoyed it. I did not enjoy it as much as the first book in the series. I think that my main struggle with this book was that it felt like the love story wasn't as central to the plot as I was expecting. The romance is a slow burn throughout the book, which is fine, but there were moments where it felt a bit like Ben's family drama was overshadowing the love story. That being said I do think that the family drama was an important part of the plot. Perhaps it was that the side characters pulled so much focus when they were on the page. Gma for example was hilarious and maybe is in a coven of witches? Or just a skilled mixologist.
I did enjoy the chemistry in this book between Adam and Ben and when they expressed their feelings for each other it made my heart melt. Kae really does have a way of articulating realistic, honest, and messy confessions of love.
I would recommend this book if you love romance novels that are well-written and have characters struggling with entirely relatable issues.
This book centres around Ben, Fern Falls's local bakery owner, and his unrequited love for friend and town mechanic, Adam, exploring friends to lovers and miscommunication troupes while highlighting the mental health practices of both main characters.
While I read this book in nearly one sitting and thoroughly enjoyed it. I did not enjoy it as much as the first book in the series. I think that my main struggle with this book was that it felt like the love story wasn't as central to the plot as I was expecting. The romance is a slow burn throughout the book, which is fine, but there were moments where it felt a bit like Ben's family drama was overshadowing the love story. That being said I do think that the family drama was an important part of the plot. Perhaps it was that the side characters pulled so much focus when they were on the page. Gma for example was hilarious and maybe is in a coven of witches? Or just a skilled mixologist.
I did enjoy the chemistry in this book between Adam and Ben and when they expressed their feelings for each other it made my heart melt. Kae really does have a way of articulating realistic, honest, and messy confessions of love.
I would recommend this book if you love romance novels that are well-written and have characters struggling with entirely relatable issues.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol
sglance9's review
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Abandonment
Minor: Alcoholism
dogoodwithbooks's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I would like to thank NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with a free e-ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
After getting sort of rejected by his long-time crush on national TV, Ben travels to Maywell Bay to hide and celebrate his grandma’s 80th birthday celebration. Yet, when Ben’s crush, Adam, arrives as part of the musical entertainment for the celebration, Ben navigates his relationship with Adam while also dealing with his absent father threatening to ruin Ben’s shot of making his bakery a success.
In the Case of Heartbreak is the rom-com filled with fluff and pining you’ve been looking for!
Kae really provides a cozy, small town setting for In the Case of Heartbreak and their writing reflects that setting. In the Event of Heartbreak felt like a nice hug after a long day and it was easy to get right into the plot. I also really liked the cast of characters that Kae created for In the Event of Heartbreak and I feel that the cast dynamics worked well for this book.
I liked Ben as soon as the first page and I really related to him as a character. Ben goes through a lot of growth in the book and I think Kae did a great job with addressing Ben’s mental health struggles throughout In the Case of Heartbreak. Ben is such a likable character and you simply can’t help but root for him throughout the book.
While Kae writes this book with several darker content regarding to both Ben’s and Adam’s backgrounds, I ultimately think Kae leaves the reader with a sense of hope after reading In the Case of Heartbreak and handles this content with care (they even include an author’s note that explicitly talks about the content warnings and I also listed those content warnings in my review as well).
Now, the real highlight of the book was Ben and Adam’s relationship. I could write so many paragraphs about how cute their relationship is and how they were meant to be together and how Adam is one of the best book boyfriends I’ve ever read. You could tell very early on that there was something special about their relationship and time after time you can see that they were perfect for each other. You also get to see their relationship grow and I loved all the pining there was In the Case of Heartbreak.
If you are looking for a cozy, summer rom-com that makes you believe in soulmates, you will absolutely want to read In the Case of Heartbreak.
After getting sort of rejected by his long-time crush on national TV, Ben travels to Maywell Bay to hide and celebrate his grandma’s 80th birthday celebration. Yet, when Ben’s crush, Adam, arrives as part of the musical entertainment for the celebration, Ben navigates his relationship with Adam while also dealing with his absent father threatening to ruin Ben’s shot of making his bakery a success.
In the Case of Heartbreak is the rom-com filled with fluff and pining you’ve been looking for!
Kae really provides a cozy, small town setting for In the Case of Heartbreak and their writing reflects that setting. In the Event of Heartbreak felt like a nice hug after a long day and it was easy to get right into the plot. I also really liked the cast of characters that Kae created for In the Event of Heartbreak and I feel that the cast dynamics worked well for this book.
I liked Ben as soon as the first page and I really related to him as a character. Ben goes through a lot of growth in the book and I think Kae did a great job with addressing Ben’s mental health struggles throughout In the Case of Heartbreak. Ben is such a likable character and you simply can’t help but root for him throughout the book.
While Kae writes this book with several darker content regarding to both Ben’s and Adam’s backgrounds, I ultimately think Kae leaves the reader with a sense of hope after reading In the Case of Heartbreak and handles this content with care (they even include an author’s note that explicitly talks about the content warnings and I also listed those content warnings in my review as well).
Now, the real highlight of the book was Ben and Adam’s relationship. I could write so many paragraphs about how cute their relationship is and how they were meant to be together and how Adam is one of the best book boyfriends I’ve ever read. You could tell very early on that there was something special about their relationship and time after time you can see that they were perfect for each other. You also get to see their relationship grow and I loved all the pining there was In the Case of Heartbreak.
If you are looking for a cozy, summer rom-com that makes you believe in soulmates, you will absolutely want to read In the Case of Heartbreak.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Mental illness
Moderate: Alcoholism and Abandonment
sophieamreacher's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I received an ARC from NetGalley, this is my honest opinion.
This was a sweet, cozy book that felt like a Hallmark movie. I enjoyed the settings, the inclusivity, and the way mental health was described. However the plot felt unrealistic and complicated at times, the characters were a bit annoying, and the ending was too wrapped up with a pretty bow for my liking.
This was a sweet, cozy book that felt like a Hallmark movie. I enjoyed the settings, the inclusivity, and the way mental health was described. However the plot felt unrealistic and complicated at times, the characters were a bit annoying, and the ending was too wrapped up with a pretty bow for my liking.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual content, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, and Alcohol
emroderick's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book is a marvel. It made me giggle uncontrollably, cry softly, and smile until my face hurt. It tackles the emotional rollercoaster of living with and healing from trauma with nuance and grace. It normalizes mental health concerns and treatments in a way that I have never seen before in media. I cannot express how much it means to me that our MC can struggle with his mental health so much and still move his healing forward, and be surrounded by so much love and support from others too. This book is a romance, but it also reminds you to love yourself, too.
I would encourage all readers to read the author’s note at the beginning of the book, and to take breaks when they need to. The themes of trauma and mental illness can be heavy, so read with care and self-compassion. (Also, we love an author who tells you up front what triggers there may be in the book and reminds us that self-care is important!)
On a literary note I LOVED all the nods to romance tropes, including all of the puns. It makes the book read like a love letter to the genre itself, and its readers. It makes it feel like we are all part of an inside joke about how great romance books can be, especially when they’re corny,
I hope everyone gets to fall in love with this book as much as I did. But beware! You will crave cinnamon rolls!!
I would encourage all readers to read the author’s note at the beginning of the book, and to take breaks when they need to. The themes of trauma and mental illness can be heavy, so read with care and self-compassion. (Also, we love an author who tells you up front what triggers there may be in the book and reminds us that self-care is important!)
On a literary note I LOVED all the nods to romance tropes, including all of the puns. It makes the book read like a love letter to the genre itself, and its readers. It makes it feel like we are all part of an inside joke about how great romance books can be, especially when they’re corny,
I hope everyone gets to fall in love with this book as much as I did. But beware! You will crave cinnamon rolls!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Alcohol
Moderate: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
fanboyriot's review
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Read for:
♡ Small Town
♡ Hurt/Comfort
♡ Communication
♡ Friends to Lovers
♡ G-ma, because she is the best
Ben Parrish’s life was looking up when he joined a national baking competition and then everything kinda goes down hill from there. From his childhood crush friend-zoning him on live TV, working through childhood trauma from his father, to his G-ma’s 80th birthday he has a lot going on in a short amount of time.
This book is filled with good humor and lovable characters. There is great therapy rep and there is good communication between Ben and Adam. I loved the setting of this book. It gave all the warm small town vibes with a café/bakery setting. I will say it did seem a bit over the top at a few times or just came off dramatic at times. Ben and Adam both working through past family trauma and trying not to do what their families did to them. It got a bit angsty for a moment but it was resolved so cutely and ended well.
Honestly, G-ma was just out there living her best life. I loved her so much; she was hilarious and I want to be like that when I’m her age, she was a big mood.
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for this e-ACR in exchange for an honest review.
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
(First Person POV)
Rep: Bi MC, Pan LI, Anxiety, Depression, Therapy
♡ Small Town
♡ Hurt/Comfort
♡ Communication
♡ Friends to Lovers
♡ G-ma, because she is the best
Ben Parrish’s life was looking up when he joined a national baking competition and then everything kinda goes down hill from there. From his childhood crush friend-zoning him on live TV, working through childhood trauma from his father, to his G-ma’s 80th birthday he has a lot going on in a short amount of time.
This book is filled with good humor and lovable characters. There is great therapy rep and there is good communication between Ben and Adam. I loved the setting of this book. It gave all the warm small town vibes with a café/bakery setting. I will say it did seem a bit over the top at a few times or just came off dramatic at times. Ben and Adam both working through past family trauma and trying not to do what their families did to them. It got a bit angsty for a moment but it was resolved so cutely and ended well.
Honestly, G-ma was just out there living her best life. I loved her so much; she was hilarious and I want to be like that when I’m her age, she was a big mood.
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for this e-ACR in exchange for an honest review.
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
(First Person POV)
Rep: Bi MC, Pan LI, Anxiety, Depression, Therapy
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Cursing, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
Minor: Alcoholism, Sexual content, and Alcohol
sylsbookcorner's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Oh my gosh this was simultaneously the cutest but also heart wrenching book I’ve read in a long time! Ben and Adam, you sweet cinnamon roll boys, you deserve every good thing in life! The author made these characters come to life and walked them through their trauma in a way that felt so real and honestly, validating. It is a relief to see them not only be honest about their trauma but own it and realize that it doesn’t make them any less worthy of love. That is the thing I think I hope so many people take from this book, yes it’s a super cute romance, but the lesson that comes with it is so invaluable. You are worthy of love dear reader, no ifs, ands, or buts about it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Gaslighting and Abandonment
Minor: Alcoholism