pagesofglory22's review
4.0
The Heart's Bidding is a sweet, heartfelt romance. It's the perfect feel-good read, managing to find balance by being lighthearted and still having a lot going on below the surface.
It gives an interesting glimpse into the auctioneering world. Kay has enough on her plate with her grandfather's gold-digging girlfriend. To make things worse, her family business is in grave danger. To save it, she'll have to face her worst fear: public speaking. Luckily, she finds her support system in Gerald (the handsome auctioneer), Bridgette (her mentor), and her grandfather.
This was such an innocent (and at times corny) read, and made my heart smile all the way.
(e-ARC provided by BookSirens and publisher in exchange for an honest review)
It gives an interesting glimpse into the auctioneering world. Kay has enough on her plate with her grandfather's gold-digging girlfriend. To make things worse, her family business is in grave danger. To save it, she'll have to face her worst fear: public speaking. Luckily, she finds her support system in Gerald (the handsome auctioneer), Bridgette (her mentor), and her grandfather.
This was such an innocent (and at times corny) read, and made my heart smile all the way.
(e-ARC provided by BookSirens and publisher in exchange for an honest review)
pageswithpayten's review
3.0
Thank you NetGalley, Story Garden and Jordan Riley Swan for gifting me an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
If you’re in the mood for a sweet, clean romance to cleanse your palate, look no further! Riley Swan brings to life a believable and relatable romance that leaves you with a cheesy smile.
When antique store owner Kylie hurts her hand loading her car after an auction, it’s the auctioneer, Gerald, who steps up to help. Their chemistry is instant but their relationship is a SLOW burn. We got through the entire book with barely a kiss, but that’s part of what makes it relatable. Instant love is just not a thing in real life and it was nice to see characters take their time and get to know each other. Personally I prefer a little more steam and found this book to be a *wee* bit bland, but I know there is a large audience for clean romances so I’m trying to be unbiased.
If you’re in the mood for a sweet, clean romance to cleanse your palate, look no further! Riley Swan brings to life a believable and relatable romance that leaves you with a cheesy smile.
When antique store owner Kylie hurts her hand loading her car after an auction, it’s the auctioneer, Gerald, who steps up to help. Their chemistry is instant but their relationship is a SLOW burn. We got through the entire book with barely a kiss, but that’s part of what makes it relatable. Instant love is just not a thing in real life and it was nice to see characters take their time and get to know each other. Personally I prefer a little more steam and found this book to be a *wee* bit bland, but I know there is a large audience for clean romances so I’m trying to be unbiased.
ecothalis's review
4.0
A charming and well-written story with a unique setting and a sweet romance. I was hoping for a bit more complexity from Ruth and a bit less gendered insults thrown her way, but overall an absolutely enjoyable tale.
epilieaspiechick's review
3.0
My full review can be found on the Epilie Aspie Chick blog!
Thank you to Jordan Riley Swan for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book might be categorized as romance, but I struggle to categorize it as that. Is there a romantic plot in this book? Sure. However, it's more of a secondary plot line than anything else. Most of the book (both in page numbers and reader interest) are dedicated to Kaylee's attempts to keep the family antique store alive. It's an enjoyable story, but it's not entirely memorable due to the amount of realism that you have to buy into. A big portion of the trouble throughout the story is due to the grandfather's girlfriend Ruth. I won't spoil what happens, but I found myself seriously questioning why anyone would choose to ignore blatant issues for that long. If it was due to still not being over the death of his child, then why wasn't Kaylee affected? Kaylee is so focused on saving the store that her grief from her parent's passing is almost nonexistent and that was strange to me.
Thank you to Jordan Riley Swan for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book might be categorized as romance, but I struggle to categorize it as that. Is there a romantic plot in this book? Sure. However, it's more of a secondary plot line than anything else. Most of the book (both in page numbers and reader interest) are dedicated to Kaylee's attempts to keep the family antique store alive. It's an enjoyable story, but it's not entirely memorable due to the amount of realism that you have to buy into. A big portion of the trouble throughout the story is due to the grandfather's girlfriend Ruth. I won't spoil what happens, but I found myself seriously questioning why anyone would choose to ignore blatant issues for that long. If it was due to still not being over the death of his child, then why wasn't Kaylee affected? Kaylee is so focused on saving the store that her grief from her parent's passing is almost nonexistent and that was strange to me.
sharrah's review
5.0
* ARC copy received *
Enjoyable, great dialogue and unique story. Very relaxing read......
Enjoyable, great dialogue and unique story. Very relaxing read......
onebookmore's review
4.0
Antique store owner Kay left college to keep the family business going after the tragic death of her parents, and her grandfather and his girlfriend brought the store to the brink of closure. Struggling to make ends meet, Kay knows that getting her auctioneer license will help her financially, and Gerald, her secret crush and a local auctioneer, offers to help. Can Kay overcome her intense fear of public speaking? Can she save her business before it’s too late? And what will she do about her ever-growing feelings for Gerald?
Kay is a strong and relatable protagonist who deals with many challenges. She’s trying to save the family business while obtaining her auction license and struggling with her fear of public speaking. Plus, Kay is grieving the loss of her parents and has to deal with her grandfather’s greedy, money-hungry girlfriend. Kay’s burdens are great, but she never gives up. I admire her determination and work ethic even when the odds are totally against her.
I also like the sweet romance between Kay and Gerald. Their humorous and flirtatious banter is often filled with pop culture references, and their awkward moments are laugh-out-loud funny. I like how Kay and Gerald support and encourage each other and that they take the time to get to know each other before jumping into a relationship.
The story delves into universal and relatable situations like grieving the loss of a loved one, aiding family during difficult times, finding love, and overcoming fears. I like that the author showed people dealing with grief and guilt differently. Kay, Bernard (her grandfather), Gerald, and Bridgette (her mentor) all handle life’s struggles differently, and I found that refreshingly realistic. Also realistic is how Kay deals with her fear of public speaking. I felt so bad for her as she became paralyzed with fear, and I rooted for her to overcome her challenges.
A sweet and charming contemporary romance, The Heart’s Bidding is the perfect book for readers who enjoy stories with realistic characters and situations, humorous banter, and a bit of family drama. The story takes place amid the world of auctioneers and auctions, which is also really interesting. Thanks so much to Netgalley and Story Garden for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
Kay is a strong and relatable protagonist who deals with many challenges. She’s trying to save the family business while obtaining her auction license and struggling with her fear of public speaking. Plus, Kay is grieving the loss of her parents and has to deal with her grandfather’s greedy, money-hungry girlfriend. Kay’s burdens are great, but she never gives up. I admire her determination and work ethic even when the odds are totally against her.
I also like the sweet romance between Kay and Gerald. Their humorous and flirtatious banter is often filled with pop culture references, and their awkward moments are laugh-out-loud funny. I like how Kay and Gerald support and encourage each other and that they take the time to get to know each other before jumping into a relationship.
The story delves into universal and relatable situations like grieving the loss of a loved one, aiding family during difficult times, finding love, and overcoming fears. I like that the author showed people dealing with grief and guilt differently. Kay, Bernard (her grandfather), Gerald, and Bridgette (her mentor) all handle life’s struggles differently, and I found that refreshingly realistic. Also realistic is how Kay deals with her fear of public speaking. I felt so bad for her as she became paralyzed with fear, and I rooted for her to overcome her challenges.
A sweet and charming contemporary romance, The Heart’s Bidding is the perfect book for readers who enjoy stories with realistic characters and situations, humorous banter, and a bit of family drama. The story takes place amid the world of auctioneers and auctions, which is also really interesting. Thanks so much to Netgalley and Story Garden for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
quotidianwriter's review
5.0
Done right, the sound of an auctioneer did have a musical, hypnotizing quality. A certain poetry. And Kay loved having poetry in her life.
Kaylee Heart, a twenty-something antique shop owner, suffers from glossophobia—an intense fear of public speaking. Yet the only thing that can save her shop is for her to get her live auctioneer’s license, and that means doing bid-calling in front of an audience as her final exam.
This was a satisfying read that combines slice-of-life family drama with a Hallmark-esque romance. I felt immersed in the auctioneering environment, and I have no doubt the author has a background in that field, given the attention to detail. It was cool to see how bid-calling was treated almost like an art form, with a rhythm like music and each auctioneer putting their own spin on it (especially with what Kay does at the end). The writing exudes a type of warmth that makes the pages fly by, and Swan clearly loves a good simile or metaphor.
I’d categorize this book into three genres:
Romance
Kay’s relationship with Gerald, a kind and laid-back auctioneer, is one of the story’s focal points, but it’s more of a subplot, rather than being part of the main story line. He supports Kay and gives her the benefit of the doubt; they have a healthier relationship than what I’ve seen in most romance novels.
Most importantly, the dying light accented the best thing about him: his whisper-sweet-nothings-in-the-dark voice. Gone was the professional detachment of the auction block, replaced with a warm softness that nestled in her ears.
Rather than Gerald being her white knight, it’s Kay who ultimately leads the charge in solving her own problems. Admittedly, I felt two of the older characters had better chemistry than the leads, but that’s because I’m all for an enemies-to-lovers dynamic, haha.
Family Drama
The depth and heart of the story comes from Kay’s tumultuous relationship with her grandfather Bernard and how he keeps hanging on to his toxic girlfriend Ruth, even though she’s running their shop into the ground with her spending habits. As a villain, Ruth was actually one of my favorite characters because Swan succeeded in making me absolutely despise her, since I can imagine someone like her existing in real life. Bridgette, the owner of the auctioneering school, was a stern but believable mentor figure to Kay, and a great foil to Ruth’s vanity and greed. In fact, all of the characters felt stolen from real life—they’re sympathetic but flawed, each with their own hopes and fears.
I especially admire that the author wasn’t afraid to let the protagonist make mistakes and learn from them. It greatly humanized Kay (in particular the scene where
Spoiler
she tries to price-gouge a customerHumor
Even though the story deals with realistic struggles, the overall tone is lighthearted. My favorite scenes were probably when Kay was high on pain meds during her first “date” with Gerald, and when Kay gets her hair stuck after a night of painting. The quippy dialogue and funny situations make for a breezy read:
“Well, Bridgette,” Bernard announced, his annoyed voice carrying across the yard. “It seems like I’ve been ordered to come over and pretend to like you.”
“And why are you going to do that? You trying to get back into my auctions?” she asked. Relief at having company relaxed her square shoulders.
“Seems Kay needs to take your class next week, and somebody has to kiss your rear-end.”
“I hope you brought lip gloss,” she replied.
He mockingly pretended to search his pockets. “Nope. Don’t have none on me. Guess I better pucker-up dry.”
I’d recommend that other readers go into this book expecting a story that belongs on the “women’s fiction/chick-lit” shelf rather than full-on romance, and it will especially appeal to those looking to learn about a niche industry like auctioneering. I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for my honest review, and although I tend to go easier on debuts, I truly enjoyed the afternoon I spent reading this book, and I look forward to seeing what else this author writes.
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