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jane_cs's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
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
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Abandonment
callidoralblack's review against another edition
lighthearted
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Alcohol
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 against another edition
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
hobbithopeful's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
I didn't like this book at all, I found it shallow, there is a weird sexulization to the mm romance, and honestly this is a disappointment after Courtney Kae's excellent first book in the series, In the Event of Love. I saw so many people recommending this one, and I was so surprised because the writing quality and characters are such a let down, and there is very little redeemable about it.
Let's start with the good: I liked the depiction of a narcissistic parent (umm that's it)
Now for everything else.
First of all, it is odd this is part of the Fern Falls series, considering the vast majority of the book doesn't even take place in Fern Falls! Part of the charm of the first book was getting to know the small town and its inhabitants, and getting to see how much they all care about one another. Typically in a "small town" series, we get to see bounce around inhabitants as they all find their romance. A bonus is the setting remains the same which allows for excellent character growth, world-building, and sometimes even a overarching plot. (Plus cameos from past books so we get to see how other relationships have progressed!) Instead we are introduced to a new setting, and so many new characters are thrown at the reader, while very little is done to establish a care and love for the new setting.
When I tell you the romance is fast-paced and shallow, I truly mean this is one of the most one dimensional romances I've ever come across. Ben and Adam truly have that instant love relationship, and there is a ton of miscommunication early on that made it difficult to enjoy. That ends fairly quickly and then they are dating and suddenly everything is hunky dory and perfect? Ben spends most of the book swooning over Adam and being hot and bothered every time they are near each other. It was...very fluffy but not in a cozy way. More of a Hallmark makes your teeth ache and lacks depth way.
There is SO much sexualion of their relationship. Compared to the first book this relationship seems really built on how they view each other, and levels of attraction. Ben spends a lot of time thinking about how many people are attracted to Adam, or feeling smug that he is actually the one with him. There is a scene involving an elderly "book club" that Ben's G-Ma is apart of, and their whole interaction with them didn't feel funny but instead straight up inappropriate. While sex never happens on page, it feels like the whole plot and so many jokes are built on sex.
Let's address the elephant in the room. While there is nothing inherently wrong about someone who has spent the majority of their live experiencing the privilege that comes with being a white woman, it is something to be taken into consideration especially when it comes to mm romance. If you weren't already aware, there has always been attention given to white woman writing mm romance, and it being made into media and movies while gay men are just overlooked. Is it representation if the representation shown is being decided by someone who is privileged enough to never have experienced the harassment and fear that comes with being apart of that community? (The answer, dear reader, is no) It is very clear that this book is written by Kae, in the sense that relationship is sexualized and lacks depth, and very in line with other books written by similar authors who quite frankly, can't write gay men.
I personally would NOT recommend this book, and I am currently on the fence now about reading any of Kae's future books.
Let's start with the good: I liked the depiction of a narcissistic parent (umm that's it)
Now for everything else.
First of all, it is odd this is part of the Fern Falls series, considering the vast majority of the book doesn't even take place in Fern Falls! Part of the charm of the first book was getting to know the small town and its inhabitants, and getting to see how much they all care about one another. Typically in a "small town" series, we get to see bounce around inhabitants as they all find their romance. A bonus is the setting remains the same which allows for excellent character growth, world-building, and sometimes even a overarching plot. (Plus cameos from past books so we get to see how other relationships have progressed!) Instead we are introduced to a new setting, and so many new characters are thrown at the reader, while very little is done to establish a care and love for the new setting.
When I tell you the romance is fast-paced and shallow, I truly mean this is one of the most one dimensional romances I've ever come across. Ben and Adam truly have that instant love relationship, and there is a ton of miscommunication early on that made it difficult to enjoy. That ends fairly quickly and then they are dating and suddenly everything is hunky dory and perfect? Ben spends most of the book swooning over Adam and being hot and bothered every time they are near each other. It was...very fluffy but not in a cozy way. More of a Hallmark makes your teeth ache and lacks depth way.
There is SO much sexualion of their relationship. Compared to the first book this relationship seems really built on how they view each other, and levels of attraction. Ben spends a lot of time thinking about how many people are attracted to Adam, or feeling smug that he is actually the one with him. There is a scene involving an elderly "book club" that Ben's G-Ma is apart of, and their whole interaction with them didn't feel funny but instead straight up inappropriate. While sex never happens on page, it feels like the whole plot and so many jokes are built on sex.
Let's address the elephant in the room. While there is nothing inherently wrong about someone who has spent the majority of their live experiencing the privilege that comes with being a white woman, it is something to be taken into consideration especially when it comes to mm romance. If you weren't already aware, there has always been attention given to white woman writing mm romance, and it being made into media and movies while gay men are just overlooked. Is it representation if the representation shown is being decided by someone who is privileged enough to never have experienced the harassment and fear that comes with being apart of that community? (The answer, dear reader, is no) It is very clear that this book is written by Kae, in the sense that relationship is sexualized and lacks depth, and very in line with other books written by similar authors who quite frankly, can't write gay men.
I personally would NOT recommend this book, and I am currently on the fence now about reading any of Kae's future books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse
Moderate: Sexual content and Sexual harassment
Minor: Abandonment
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
madscientistcat's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Moderate: Sexual content
theespressoedition's review against another edition
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Grief 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