This is the third book in the St. Caroline series. I haven't read the others, but this can be read as a stand alone. Cassidy Trevor is off limits to Matt Wolfe, but when the two are thrown together the chair a holiday event. Their experience becomes a secret friendship that blossoms into love.

In this somewhat spicy book, the author creates clearly drawn characters that are interesting and fun. The reason they're "off limits" to each other seems a bit contrived, but the storyline is generally believable. You find yourself rooting for Matt and Cassidy as the story comes to a satisfying end.

I'm guessing I would have understood all the relationships in the book a lot more easily in I'd read the first two books.

This is a good, fun, enjoyable escape with some spice for those who like that.

When I requested this novel I was into the ideal of reading this novel but shorty after I have lost interest in the concept. I believe that it would benefit your book more if I did not skim your book and write a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience and thank you for taking the time to provide me an ARC of this novel.

Greta and Cassady had been roommates at Talbot College. Along with Avery and the rest of the bridesmaids , they’d been a tight knit group of friends for years. Now only Avery and Cassady weren’t married. Which explained why they were sitting at the bar together. While guests waited for Greta and her new husband to clean the cake off their faces so the dancing could begin. Cassady couldn’t see herself getting married. Cassady worked full time at her mother’s quilt shop-Quilt Therapy- since she had graduated from college. That was five years now. It was hard to say when she had started working at the shop as she and her sisters had grown up there. It was a family business. She said “ there was a fire earlier this summer and we had to move to a new location. Mom needed the help right now.” The summer had been rough salewise. Cassady said she was thinking of going back to school to get her MBA. She liked working with her mother and sisters. Although she did want to see the world, meet new people, all the good stuff. She had a bucket list of places and things she wanted to see and do and the bucket list grew longer every year. Matt was at the hotel bar. Dave a guy he’d met six days ago at the nearby Fire training Academy asked him if he was okay. Matt was in Texas for a week long seminar and today was the last day and everyone was out to celebrate. It had been a long week. And Matt wanted to go back to his hotel room and sleep after a couple of beers. He had a flight early the next morning. Matt said he recognized a woman from back home and she’s an ice princess and dave said to introduce her to him if it was her if not they both could introduce themselves. Chatting up women used to be Matt’s favorite pastime. But lately, nothing engaged his enthusiasm. Cassady thought Matt was hot but he was also St. caroline’s resident playboy and ladies man. Matt’s mother had passed away from ovarian cancer the month before and his older brother’s-Oliver- wife-Serena- lay comatose in a hospital bed from a car accident. Matt saw as they got closer it was Cassady Trevor who was forever off limits to Matt. All the Trevor sisters were. She would shut down Dave’s advances like nobody’s business. Cassady said hi and asked Matt what he was doing there and he said training at the fire academy nearby since he was taking over some of Oliver’s duties while he’s on a leave of absence. Than Cassady asked how Serena was and he said the same. Than Matt asked what she was doing there and she said a college roommate had gotten married today. Than Matt introduced Dave who was a fireman from Kansas City. Matt said he was leaving the morning and Cassady said she was renting a car and checking out some quilt shops to steal some new ideas to take back to her mother. Being a firefighter was what it meant to be a Wolfe. People tended not to take matt seriously most of the time. He did like women and having a good time. Generally speaking he could have any pretty thing he wanted as long as she wasn’t a Trevor. Oliver/Ollie asked Matt when he stopped at the hospital the next day to chair the next Winter festival as he had agreed to do it back in the spring. Ollie had already asked the Chamber id his brother could take his place. Also Matt had done ninety percent of the work on the fireman's carnival last spring . The Chamber did say they would find a co-chair to help Matt. Cassady and her sister Natalie shared an apartment near Talbot College. Natalie had a far more active social life than Cassady. Cassady was the Trevor family worrywart. Than her mother told her after she got back home that she had volunteered her to co-chair for the Chamber Of Commerce Winter Festival. Her mother added someone had to help matt Wolfe . lauren and Cassady were identical twins and when Cassady was at the bar after the wedding Lauren called and interrupted Dave’s flirtation with her and cassady git away from him. Cassady and Lauren had always had a weird sixth sense about what was going on with the other. Cassady had a natural gift for planning and organising and she did have a business degree. Matt had been attracted to Cassady and had a thing for her for a long time but he knew he could do nothing about it as she was a trevor. Matt and Cassady starting getting closer as while they worked together on the festival . than Matt suggested friends with benefits and Cassady was okay with that idea.
I really liked this book. I loved how Matt stepped up for Ollie . I loved Cassady and Matt together and how they interacted. I really liked that family really mattered to both Matt and Cassady. I enjoyed this plot. This did drag a little for me at times. I loved that the author brought in Matt- a main character- having ADHD and how they author handled it. I really liked you got to see cassady’s growth throughout the book. I loved Matt was helping Cassady through some of her issues. I choked up at times while reading this book. I loved the characters and the ins and outs of this book and I recommend it..

I enjoyed the small town atmosphere of this book but the slow pace of this book not so delightful. The constant butting in from family members was extra annoying, these characters are adults and should be able to think and act for themselves however that’s not the case in this book. It was just a slow moving book and really hard storyline to get into without being annoyed.

A wonderful romance! Love the main characters and their families. Lots going on but with large families that's to be expected. I really enjoyed the way the author let us into Matt's handling of ADHD. It was very interesting and very realistic. Will definitely be adding this author to my list of favorites.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher and voluntarily chose to review it.

I love stories about friends turning to love and Two of Hearts is such a sweet, lovely story!

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

First of all, I LOVED the cover!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love the "friends with benefits" trope, how they start to develop feelings for each other, and then turn the relationship into something more. I liked how it was done in this book, it was heartfelt, and really good written. I especially liked the main characters, they felt so real and honest.
I recommend it!

Two of Hearts is a lovely book with a hero who has ADHD. I enjoyed reading about the relationships and how they grew. Thus a very sweet story and a quick read.

I loved watching the interplay of this couple and how they were so burdened by the expectations of others. Watching them blossom into something special was encouraging and my patrons who love a good romance will devour this one. I can't wait to add the rest of the series!

4.5 stars.
“Two of Hearts” is an enthralling story featuring a superbly well-written and well-characterized hero with ADHD.
The way Julia Gabriel shows the world from Matt Wolfe’s perspective, highlighting his difficulties with focusing and having a linear train of thought, is amazing.
The humor the author infuses in the narrative is great too, creating some hilarious moments where we are shown, in a rather matter-of-fact and often funny way, how a person with this condition can have trouble, for example, following a conversation or paying attention to details.
Matt Wolfe is a larger than life character; an incorrigible flirt, charming and a bit cocky, people (and himself) tend “not to take him seriously most of the time”. His relative lack of self-confidence or the way he deprecates himself coexist with the cockiness, creating an irresistible mix.
And the way “St. Caroline’s resident playboy and ladie’s man” is infatuated with Cassidy is endearing and makes him even more lovable. (His usual greeting of “Hey there, Cass” was adorable).
I also loved that Matt isn’t that tall, the slow build-up of the romance (yet, I found the reason for their non dating a bit feeble) and the fact that sex doesn’t come easily to Cassidy, breaking another stereotype in romance fiction and making the heroine much more human.
This story is a keeper, for sure, and its hero a refreshing detour from the usual wounded type.

I received an arc from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion. This was a heartfelt romance and I would definitely recommend this series.

Family friends who try having a casual relationship. Find they have deeper feelings. A quick good read.