I didn't realise this was a series! However, it was very easy to read and follow along. I enjoyed this book, I loved the LGBT representation here and I am so happy to see it be a lesbian romance as I feel we get them the less. I loved the characters and I enjoyed reading it. You could feel the chemistry with the characters. It wasn't the best book I have ever read, but I did enjoy it anyway. I will be continuing with the series! Thank you so much for sending me the title in exchange for an honest review.

YAY for an adorable lesbian love story! I adore Hearts Like Hers. Let’s get into it!

So I’ll be real here, basically the lesbian love is what called me to what is otherwise a very run of the mill story. I need more LGBT romances in my life. That said, the premise of Hearts Like Hers actually is very cute. Autumn, bored with her life, has decided to try to become pregnant on her own. Kate is in Venice on vacation, trying to escape a traumatic fire. The two meet and connect and it’s all very adorable.

Something I REALLY love about this is that Autumn owns a coffee shop, and much of the story takes place there, in The Cat’s Pajamas. I LOVE when a book has a place that takes on its own personality, that becomes like another character you can love. I love the coffee shop, and I love all the time spent there. There’s also an ongoing bit about Autumn having to repeatedly hire new help that is funny and adds color.

I also adore that we have a lesbian woman trying to become pregnant on her own. I love any stories surrounding pregnancy, really, but I love any with a “non-typical” family.

What I love most about the writing is the brevity. The writing is simple. It’s a very quick and easy read. It’s also short, coming in at 230ish pages, and it’s exactly the right length. I love a book that doesn’t fill up extra pages with nonsense, but uses exactly enough to tell the story.

The pacing is great, also, Once I was about thirty pages in and had a handle on the main characters, I was in and wanted to keep reading.

Also, the sex scenes are super hot and that’s worth mentioning.

It’s set in Venice, too! I may be biased because I’m from LA, but I LOVE that setting!

The characters really make Hearts Like Hers for me!

Autumn and Kate are great together, funny and witty, quick and intelligent, and their banter is really great. The way they interact is, for me, the highlight of the novel. We are also given a TON of screen time for their relationship, like the majority of their relationship happens “on camera”, which makes their relationship feel very real and makes it easy to root for.

The side characters are wonderful, too. If anything, I would have liked to see a lot more of them. Autumn has three close friends who support and love her, and I am ALL ABOUT those women friendships.

Also some cool family members: Kate’s brother, whom we love, and Autumn’s mother, whom we love to hate. Both add something special.

I will say that both Autumn and Kate were lacking any discernible flaws, and that didn’t work for me. It made it feel just this side of realistic. Still, I love them and root for them.

Hearts Like Hers is a quick, fun, very cute read. I am thrilled to find out that this is part of a series, each focusing on one of the girls (Autumn and her three friends) and I will definitely be looking into the rest!

*Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for advance access to this book in exchange for an honest review!

I received a free e-ARC of Hearts Like Hers by Melissa Brayden from NetGalley in return for review consideration. Hearts Like Hers is a contemporary lesbian romance novel, the second in the Seven Shores series, and is due to be published by Bold Strokes Books in the UK on 13th February 2018.

Below is the Goodreads synopsis of the book:

No one pencils in falling in love. 

All work and no play has Autumn Primm in the market for a little excitement. Her Venice Beach coffee shop, The Cat’s Pajamas, is her pride and joy. While she doesn’t mind the long hours, she finds herself staring dreamily out the window, imagining the life she’s yet to lead. The time has come to take off the apron and see what the world has in store. 

Kate Carpenter needs to get away. And quick. A small-town firefighter, Kate’s been crowned a local hero for reasons she can’t quite get behind. An open highway and some time off have her fleeing the scene to sunny California to catch her breath and put some distance between herself and the unwanted acclaim. Dreamy Autumn Primm was never supposed to be part of that bargain. What Kate needs is a temporary escape, emphasis on temporary.

I read a fair bit of lesbian and queer romance these days – it’s such an escape, and there’s such variety available. Hearts Like Hers fits squarely into the contemporary category, but definitely places high on my list of favourites within that category.

Kate and Autumn are both likeable, realistic characters. They’re both successful in their chosen careers, but less successful in their personal lives. Both women are at crossroads, facing difficult decisions and not expecting to find themselves romantically entangled with someone who might affect the choice they make. I liked that Kate and Autumn’s core traits and personalities remained strong throughout the story, even as their lives became more entwined and they learned to adjust to one another.

There’s quite a cast of secondary characters in the book. The major ones are Autumn’s friends, and Kate’s brother. Autumn’s friends, in particular, bring a lot of depth and colour to the book, fleshing out Autumn’s history and offering advice to both her and Kate, even when it’s not wanted. I also liked the revolving assistants working at Autumn’s coffee shop, each of whom brings their own idiosyncrasies to the story and provides a little comic relief.

The book does deal with some fairly serious issues. Kate’s coping with the aftermath of a serious fire back in her hometown, and Autumn is on the brink of travelling down a life-changing and potentially difficult path. These issues are treated with respect, and Kate and Autumn are shown working through these situations with careful thought, and a lot of discussion as they become more and more important to one another.

The one issue I had was with the epilogue. Without giving away anything about the plot, it felt quite rushed to me, and I think I would have preferred either that there was no epilogue, or else that it was a little longer and more fleshed out.

Hearts Like Hers is a great contemporary romance, with a lovely beach setting and realistic and likeable characters. I would recommend it if you enjoy romance novels which don’t shy away from serious issues, and which examine how sometimes, the things we need are the things we weren’t looking for at all.

Autumn owns an awesome coffee shop in Venice, CA. She has a great group of supportive friends. But she's also nursing a broken heart and wondering if she'll ever meet her "one". Kate is looking to escape. Probably suffering from a little PTSD, although, not explicitly depicted in this book, picks up her life and heads south from Oregon to warmer climates looking to forget a painful past. Not painful in a romantic way, painful in a physical and emotional sense. 
Brayden is back to her bread and butter with the second in the series of Los Angeles based friends. Admittedly I was not a fan of the first in the series because I'd spent my 20s working in the television industry as a scripted production assistant and eventually executive producer's assistant. The first book didn't ring true for me. And while I have a few issues with the second, it's more in-line with the plots and storytelling I've come to really enjoy from Brayden's previous works. Brayden is definitely a deft and talented writer, the characters here are engaging and interesting. If you're a fan of Brayden's earlier works, you'll like this book.

This is the second book in the Seven Shores series. I have not read the first book and did not find this a problem when reading the second instalment. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting all the characters, old and new, and will certainly be reading the rest of the series. A very nice lighthearted romance with some laughter, heartache and mild sex scenes to spice it up. Recommended.
I was given an advance review copy by Bold Strokes Books and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34992208-hearts-like-hers" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Hearts Like Hers (Seven Shores, #2)" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1493212883m/34992208.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34992208-hearts-like-hers">Hearts Like Hers</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4789680.Melissa_Brayden">Melissa Brayden</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2288605309">3 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I rec'd an ARC from NetGalley/Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.<br />Kate and Autumn star in this romance with angst and some humour. Second in a series but "stand alone" unless you need to check all the facets of various characters. Not a bad read from Ms. Brayden.<br />3 stars.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/31134832-gail">View all my reviews</a>

I normally love books by this author, but this one wasn't my favorite. It wasn't bad, the story just had my mind wandering at times. The chemistry between the main characters was great, and the love story itself was sweet, but the overall plot was pretty transparent. I saw the direction it was going pretty early on, and I guess because of that, it was hard to stay focused and want to keep reading. I did finish though because the characters were likable and interesting.

Exactly what I’m become accustomed to from Ms Brayden; a well written book that is both sassy and sweet. This is a romance that warms the heart and has a group of friends that you wish were yours. The writing appears effortless, which is a very hard thing to achieve. I also like the way the lazy atmosphere of the beach permeates the story. It’s clever and precisely observed. A perfect book for the weekend.

Another edition of the Seven Shores series and it was a good one. Was it my favorite? Not really, but I did enjoy it. The characters I think were not my favorite. Kate and Autumn could be a bit annoying at times, but as we got going in the romance it all worked out. I guess we cannot always love the characters from the start. It didn't in any way diminish me wanting to read the book and enjoying it. Kate is a firefighter from a small town trying to get over the guilt she has over a bad fire in which someone didn't make it. Autumn is a coffee shop owner that is trying to get on with her life after a bad breakup. Getting on with her life means she wants to have a child. So each comes with their complications but they are drawn together and the romance is sweet. I'm looking forward to book three in the series. I'd recommend this book to anyone that is a Brayden fan or a fan of a sweet romance.

No one does adorable like Melissa Brayden. And as for romantic and heartwarming, she is unsurpassed. ‘Hearts Like  Hers’ is set in the Venice Beach area and specifically around the Seven Shores Apartment complex. Rather a lot of lesbians choose to live there and this time we find out more about coffee shop owner and all round wonderful friend Autumn. Although she has the best friends ever she is lonely and feels she has reached a point where she wants to change that. Into her life walks gorgeous firefighter Kate, a woman with troubles of her own and a need to get away from her own life in Oregon. Their story is sweet and oh so hot but they have both put up barriers. Can they get past them? 
I think Autumn is my favourite character from the Seven Shores series. She is completely adorable, loving and caring and deserves to be loved by someone special. Kate is strong and capable as a firefighter but circumstances have made her doubt herself. She and Autumn have a connection that is intense and just feels right. I wanted this relationship to work. 
This story made me misty eyed and happy and I realised that every Melissa Brayden book has that effect on me. I loved it!

I was given this ARC in return for an honest review.

Another great book from Melissa Brayden. I like a series of books as you always get a wee update on the previous romances and how they are getting on. This one didn’t turn out quite how I thought it would, which isn’t a bad thing. Looking forward to more from this series and from this author.

This was a fun and charming romance.  I really enjoyed the character and the storyline.  This author's writing is pretty witty and keeps the pages turning.  I seriously found myself chuckling a couple of times.  I do  enjoy Melissa's writing style.  I would recommend for all to read.  Great read.

Like all other books from Melissa Brayden, Hearts Like Hers is a wonderfully-paced, sweet romance. This is the second novel in hr Seven Shores series and it follows Autumn, the charismatic owner of Cat’s Pajamas, the coffee shop in the first book. The girls from the first book maintain their humor, and I loved getting to spend more time in their world.

This book touches on more sensitive topics than some of her others such as fostering and family trauma, but the characteristic humor of Brayden’s writing always shines through. Her characters, as always, are always well-rounded and multifaceted. I enjoyed Kate. She seemed like a woman who I would be friends with, though I would have liked to get to know her a bit more.

On the whole, this book was really satisfying and a fun read, but I enjoyed it slightly less than the first novel. As always, I cannot recommend Melissa Brayden’s books enough.

A romance between a firefighter full of doubts of her chosen profession and the owner of a coffee place who wants to build a family on her own. The chemistry between the two main characters is intense and the conflicts that threaten to keep them apart are interwoven with their personalities. The main characters are extremely well developed and the writing flows beautifully in the signature style of Melissa Brayden. The only downside is that all characters talk alike.
It’s the second book in the Seven Shores Series, but it’s absolutely not necessary to read the first one. The secondary characters are the same and the romance of the first one is mentioned, but it’s easy to get into the setting and the characters.

Thank you to Net Galley and Boldstroke Books for providing me with an e-ARC copy! All opinions in this review are my own and are honest.

The main reason I requested this was because one of my goals for 2018 was to read more diverse romance books and this features a lesbian romance along with a good sounding plot! I didn’t realise that this was the second book in the Seven Shores series however the this can be read as a standalone as the first book is about Isabel and Taylor’s relationship who are mentioned in this book as Isabel is one of Autumns best friends. 

This is probably going to be a very similar review to the review I wrote for Twice in a Lifetime so apologies! Again, this was a simple straight forward read which I blitzed through in a day. It was just a nice, easy read and sometimes that’s exactly what is needed so that isn’t a bad thing

This follows Kate who decides she needs to get away from her small town after being labelled a hero for rescuing 2 kids out of a burning building when she doesn’t think she deserves the title. And then we have Autumn, who is recently out of a long-term relationship where her partner cheated on her and is thinking about starting her family. Kate ends up vacationing in LA where Autumn just so happens to live and work and obviously they end up meeting and a relationship forms.

It was an interesting story-line, but it felt a bit rushed. There was a lot of time-skipping and glancing over things which made things a bit confusing sometimes when one minute they were gong for dinner and then the next paragraph was a day or a week later. This could have benefited with a slight more fleshing out as this was only 232 pages so adding a bit more to clarify between time points slightly better. But other than that, I really enjoyed the plot; I really liked the inclusion of being a modern woman and wanting children when you don’t have a partner and therefore having to go through it alone. And there was also the issue with Kate and the kids she rescued and the possibility of adopting them. I felt it was all handled really well. 

I didn’t feel like I missed anything from not reading book in this series; each of the characters mentioned are fleshed out in this book so we found out plenty about Autumn and Kate and also the side characters. We also got a great run down on the different staff who ended up working at Autumns coffee shop and they didn’t feel like they’d been randomly chucked in either as an extra part of the story. 

I really enjoyed this and would definitely recommend this if you’re looking for a nice, easy quick read to fly through which involves a lesbian romance. It was a great introduction into f/f romance along with Twice in a lifetime.

4.5 
I am a big fan of this author . Her novels are a big part i enjoy reading and she never fails to disappoint . Autumn and kate are two main characters , one is coffee shop owner and one is a firefighter . Who doesn't love coffee  ? and we all have our own share for fantasies for firefighters . Kate's background story is quite predictable and similar  to other characters in different novels in same situation - i didn't find anything new with that . I knew what was going to happen with her even in the end   Autumn's background however is an interesting one and quite a new concept - makes me proud (yes woman power ) . Autumn's protective shelter - her  3 friends , now this is the best thing i love about these books that there is romance with friendly banter - the whole package . Kinda reminds me of SoHo series . Overall awesome read . 
Just a lil suggestion : it seems that author has restricted her books to a limited genre . Her books are cute , even when there is a sad scene it's cute . Maybe it's time for something different

Ohhh if you love books about love/lust at first sight then you're in for a treat! Look, it's a Melissa Brayden book so you know you're going to get witty dialogue and lovable/sexy characters. I'm pretty sure it's impossible for her to write anything that doesn't have both those attributes. 

She's also continuing on her winning streak of making great lesbian FRIENDSHIP books with the Seven Shore series, just as she did with the Soho Series. For me, this is her greatest strength because no one does this like she does. I'm not only entertained and love the "love" relationship, but equally as strong is how much I enjoy the four main friends and how they interact as well. As an example, the bar scene and the drunk dialing had me dying and was probably my favorite part in the entire book. 

Keep supporting her books by buying and enjoying this one. I just want her to keep writing :)

OK yes this story was not like any of melissa brayden  books.. idk about this seven shores series  seems like it lacking something...... glad she didn't venture into the adoption thing, because she was actually messing  up how the process goes and sorry to say,but I felt like that story took up the entire and it didn't have to be drag out.. fist pump for hadley the line "I have two dad's: made me jump for joy its different because not a lot f/f books mention m/m couples.. I  can't wait to hear had's story, as for autumn..  I  hate that this is 2018  it's year about women empowering themselves and  doing them and autumn choose to put off insemination for a fling, you do you; don't never put a fling first and that what Kate was  a fling at the moment.. all and all this book felt it came from a first time writer and needs help of ghostwriter... this book should have been strong, melissa been in the game since about 2011

This is the second book in the series that deals with the group of friends who live in Venice LA in the Seven Shores complex. This time, the protagonists are Autumn, the owner of Cat's Pajamas caffe, meeting point for the four friends, and Kate, a firefighter who rents an apartment in the complex trying to bring order to her life, after having suffered a traumatic event back in her hometown.

The story developed is, as usual in the books of this author, sweet, romantic and passionate. Also, as usual in this author, the characters have outer and inner beauty and are almost perfect. But, are not we in a perfect world, when we enter into the stories of this author?

Specifying in this book, the love story is as I said sweet and romantic, with the inclusion of motherhood focused from two different situations. It has parts that are really soul-touching, both in the situations themselves and in the way in which the protagonists face them.

In comparison with the previous book of the series and with others of the author, I do not believe that this is my favorite, although it is highly recommended reading.