Trust is in short supply for Kate at the start of the summer before her senior year of college. Her parents sentenced her to spend it under the watchful eye of her aunt at the famous Willoughby Inn. It was further proof that she was a prisoner in, and not the decision maker of, her life. Nothing she does is good enough to prove that she learned from the mistakes of her past.
Almost immediately, Kate finds that her new summer home holds another person who understands the unfairness of her situation better than most. Reed Black has had his own share of tragedy and regrets, but instead of trying to fight his reputation, he embraced it.
Sparks fly between Kate and Reed, but his mixed signals remind Kate that she needs to watch her step. He is one temptation she can't afford to indulge in, no matter how strong her attraction to him. If she isn't careful, she'll lose more than her heart.
Paperback, 182 pages
Published August 29th 2013 by Smith Sinclair Books
Source: received from Publisher via Netgalley in exchange for honest review
Our Review:
I can't say that I was blown away by the beginning of this story. The pacing was a little bit off for what I was expecting, and it seemed like it was going to go the wayward direction of a few of my okay reads. I was pleasantly surprised though when this turned around, and the biggest turn around for me was the added plot device that you will recognize as the title. The title of this book and main point of the story comes from a book that was written during a summer visit by an author to the bed and breakfast that Kate's aunt owns. Where My Heart Breaks was the story about forbidden love and the locations used in the book work well to deliver a sweet undertone for this one. I agree, Courtney. I thought the last half of the novel definitely held my attention more. I liked the idea of incorporating a novel into their story--that was a nice addition to the plot.
Kate is 21 and going through a lot of rebellion and let her life go down a path she almost couldn't come back from. Reed is a little bit older and has had his life stamped a certain way that comes from being a bad boy in a small town. Neither of them are really who they seem, so I did enjoy the parts of the story where they get to know each other in a seemingly platonic way. I also enjoyed their attempts to learn about each other while also barely stifling their desire for each other--it was sweet. And that's probably how I'd describe this entire novel..sweet. What it lacked in detail or back story it made up in sweet moments.
Like I said before, the pacing was not exactly what I was hoping it would be, but the writing was good and I eventually felt connected to the characters in a way that I wasn't expecting. The last parts really left me feeling "Wow, that surprised me" and I was surprised in a way that some of the characters did or said certain things. I enjoyed that it is fairly low on the angst scale, and was about a girl finding her way in life. True--both of these characters were trying to break away from the reputations they acquired and to move forward in more positive ways. This plot point I thought was very relate-able for many readers. I always enjoy those sorts of stories, so if you are snowed in you might pick this one up for a quick afternoon read, because it isn't all that long!
Courtney: 3 1/2 stars
Shelley: 3 Stars
Shelley: 3 Stars
About the Author:
Ivy Sinclair cut her romance teeth on classics like Gone With the Wind, Casablanca, An Affair to Remember, and Sabrina. She is a firm believer in true love, a happily ever after ending, and the medicinal use of chocolate to cure any ailment of the heart. Ivy's guilty pleasures include sushi, endless Starbucks lattes, and wine. Readers of Ivy's stories can expect smoldering sweet stories of romance that tug at the heartstrings.
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