Incredibly fun and cute, just not one that I'm going to be remembering for long after finishing. Doesn't mean it wasn't a helluva fun ride with Ian and Clara in the meantime though!!

This was just a fun, hilarious, and lighthearted romance between two strangers who have a series of misadventures.
Clara and Ian are both absolutely enjoyable characters. They don’t really like each other when they first cross paths, but over the course of time they spend together they form a friendship and really start to form a connection. There is a level of attraction between them, but they don’t think much of it.
I adored the overall story and misadventures that occur. It was super funny at times. The secondary characters are also fantastic, especially Clara’s mom. Their relationship was different but I liked it.
If you’re looking for a strangers to lovers, rom com check this one out.

I don’t often read books that take place in the span of a few hours, but this was a pretty interesting concept. Between the unforeseen circumstances, and the banter between Ian and Clara, this ended up having many “laugh out loud” moments.

There was some overall awkward scenes, and it is hard to get into the fact that these characters fell in love with each other so quickly.

Some readers would definitely enjoy this, but the overall story doesn’t leave a lasting impression for me.

This! This is how you do miscommunication and insta-love.

I think this might have been the funniest book I’ve ever read. I’m talking tummy cramps and tears down my face funny!

I somehow went from cringing at the degrading of women from the second chapter to dying of laughter by the 4th and then swooning by the end. The entire book was a quick witty read and takes place over the span of a day following our characters Clara and Ian as they end up stuck spending the day together after Clara, in a drunk haze; got her keys stuck in the ignition of Ian’s car. From the moment they meet it’s instant comedy. From miscommunication, to hidden identity, to constant erections, this book will have you gasping for air from laughing so hard.

Things I liked:
* Clara and Sara’s dynamic
* The miscommunications
* The sweet and tender moments
* Dual POV’s

Things I didn’t overly like:
* The repetitive dialogue entering each chapter

Overall I loved that while this book had me crying from laughing so hard, it also had its sweet and tender moments as well. It was a quick and enjoyable read and something I would definitely recommend for anyone looking for a good laugh. Words On Candy Hearts is truly a comedic gem!

Words on Candy Hearts by Augusta Reilly is quick, easy romantic comedy. There was so much that I really enjoyed about this one. The non-stop sarcasm and banter between the two main characters and their awkward and ridiculous "meet cute". I really liked the dynamic between the two of them right from the start. They are both very likeable characters, especially when they open up about their upbringings that shaped them to be the adults they are today. Their story is fast-paced, it literally takes place in a 24-hour period, and there are no dragging points of the story.

Unfortunately, there are a few details holding me back from giving it higher than three stars. One was the way the characters made fun of the male lead losing his hearing. I felt like this could have been a great opportunity to have great disability rep, but instead it's used as a joke and punchline, which made me uncomfortable. Then there's the one and only intimate scene in the book. It doesn't happen until the very end of the book, and it felt completely unnecessary. This coming from a reader who says the more smut the better, lol These two build a relationship based on their similarities and differences and they bond over them. Maybe if the intimate scene had blown me away I wouldn't have commented on it, but it was choppy and underwhelming, I honestly could have done without it all together.

Overall, Words on Candy Hearts by Augusta Reilly is a cute rom com filled with insta-love, forced proximity, mini road trips, believing in your self worth, and copious amounts of cupcakes.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Clara meets Ian after she drunkenly falls asleep in his car outside of the bar. This mistake leads to a series of unfortunate events that lead to Ian and Clara having to spend the day mostly in her car. There are some laugh out loud funny parts and the banter is great. The whole book, with the exception of the epilogue, takes place in less than 24 hours. If insta love is your thing, this might be the book for you!

Loved it, loved it.Clara is making changes in her life and fighting her causes while being cognizant of how superficial humanity can be.Ian has also come to the same realization and is resigned to just go with the flow until he meets Clara.Their vibrant personalities and strong views create some truly comical situations and while Clara's mom is a hoot , Ian's father is a truly repugnant person.There were some great laugh out loud moments-the situation with the wrong car, wrong neighborhood , the legally binding contract made on a feminine hygiene product and Clara repeatedly turning up like a bad penny were only a few of those.The quote "I could have sworn Bichon Frise was a cheese " is a classic.This read was easily a five star one and while this was my first book from this author ,she is now one to watch .I am so thankful for the opportunity to read this novel from Netgalley and give my true reaction to it.

💭 I read this book in one day, it was a quick and enjoyable story that I found hard to put down. I would have given it another star if it weren’t for the instant love trope weaved in. Let’s just say I’m very torn while writing this! I want to love it and feel that I do, but at the same time my rational brain is saying “things just don’t work this way.”

Things I liked:

- The banter and chemistry between the 2 main characters
- The very unique storyline: finding love in an extremely unconventional way
- The character development was definitely not lacking and only added to my strong liking for this book
- The backstory of both main characters (this is the first book that has made me cry!)

Things I didn’t like:

- The timeline. Falling in love with a person in a 10 hour span. The timeline is what made the book a little unbelievable and predictable.
- I didn’t care too much for the focus on weight, and the author saying that 137 pounds is over weight (??) in a 5’6 ft woman.
- Some of the language used to paint a picture for the supporting characters felt a little ignorant to me, but at the same time, probably not too far off given the person.

Read this if you like:

- Enemies to lovers trope
- Instant love trope
- A fast-paced yet enjoyable read
- HEAs
- Books that evoke a range of emotions

What a fun, refreshing book. Quirky and funny, I read this book in one day. I couldn’t put it down. Whole chapter 32 broke my heart, the rest of the book gave me so much hope in people. I absolutely loved this book and Ian and Clara’s unique relationship and circumstances.

The story follows Clara, who just got dumped by her boyfriend and is in a bar receiving advice from her mom to become a gold digger while Ian is also in a similar yet different position. He is also in a bar opposite from the one Clara is in getting advice from his dad that women are only good as trophy wives and nothing else. When Ian finds Clara in his car when he is about to leave the adventure of their lifetime begins.

I loved the storyline. I like romances where the characters spend a lot of time together so you guys can guess how much I would love a book where the characters are forced to spend time even though they can’t get away any faster. I loved the writing too as it had me imagining all those fun and crazy moments taking place in front of me and at times I just couldn’t control my laughter.

I also loved the characters and their development. I liked how both shared the same vulnerabilities yet were different in their own ways. I loved how their attraction grew slowly instead of instant love.

I highly recommend this book to every romance and rom com lover especially one that is looking for a book that has a lot of crazy moments and equally emotional ones.

I'm sorry to say this book was not for me. I found it jaded, ridiculous and juvenile. The "jokes" calling Clara a "hooker" and referring to her "big rack" were made for frat bros. Other "jokes" referring to OJ Simpson and laughing at Ian's hearing loss were odd and off-putting. Ian and Clara's adventures take place over several hours so it was very much insta-love and that's not a genre I enjoy. Very disappointed in this book.

Thanks Get Red PR and NetGalley for the advance copy. This is my honest opinion.

Thank you @getredprbooks and @augustareillyauthor for a spot on tour and a gifted ebook of 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐲 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬.

Clara Zapata is an intelligent, beautiful Ph.D. student in ornithology who has just been jilted by her fiancé. After too many drinks with her wild mother, Clara mistakenly climbs into Ian Dunning - mega-billionaire heir apparent’s car by mistake and passes out.

Let the miscommunication begin! Ian assumes Clara just got done doing her “night job,” but he also hides the fact of who his famous daddy is. There is a lot of misunderstanding at the beginning between the two, but it makes for some seriously hilarious dialogue.

I had so much fun reading this. In just a day, Clara and Ian get into all sorts of craziness- car rides, ditching photographers, eating her would-be wedding cupcakes, to sharing intimate childhood memories.

𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 - a perfect read to give you a smile or a good laugh.

This book was perfectly fine. If you want a rom com/comedy of errors romp, it’ll be a blast. Not really what I was expecting and it’s definitely a one day from meeting to love that I’m not a huge fan of. I really enjoyed the characters. I got a kick out of the dynamics, but it was sort of meh overall.

Words on Candy Hearts by Augusta Reilly

"Words on Candy Hearts is the book you have been looking for!"-Books and Pens on Green Gables

How can a woman having drinks with her mom and a guy having dinner with his dad lead to "mistaken car identity" and BIG misunderstandings?

Clara should have been getting ready to get married but instead she's out for drinks with her mom, hearing—again—her mom's thoughts about men. And with boxes of candy heart cupcakes in her car that were for her wedding. Her canceled wedding...because she gained weight and her fiance broke off the engagement. Yep. That's why. You won't believe when or how he did it!

Ian is out to dinner with his billionaire father. Still upset that his fiance broke off their engagement when he asked for a pre-nup that his dad insisted on. His dad is sharing his philosophy on women. Eye roll... again. How can a dad and son be so different?

A great book! Laughs! Serious moments too as Clara and Ian's chance meeting takes them through some deep feelings through to some clarity they have needed.

Highly recommended five star book!!

Words on Candy Hearts by Augusta Reilly is a fun, fairytale of a novel. The main characters are Clara Zapata and Ian Dunning. Clara is a PhD student studying orthinology, whose finance has just dumped via text two weeks before her wedding because she gained 15 pounds. Ian is the estranged son of an unscrupulous billionaire, who was dumped by his fiancée eight months earlier after he asked her to sign a prenup. Their worlds intersect on a night when each of them has met a parent for drinks in the same neighborhood. After too many drinks with her mother, Clara goes to find her car where she plans to sleep it off before driving home. She mistakes Ian’s unlocked car for hers and Ian finds her asleep in the driver’s seat.

Both Ian and Clara have a lot of baggage from their remaining parents (his father, her mother) and previous relationships. There romance happens within a single day so their ability to resolve some of their potential issues within that time seemed unrealistic. However, if you’re in the mood for a modern fairytale, this is an entertaining, fast read by an author who shows promise.

Thanks to #NetGalley for an advance copy of the book.

Words on Candy Hearts by Augusta Reilly is a breakout romantic comedy I didn't see coming. Taking place in the span of a day, this instant romance between Clara and Ian is magic. I laughed more reading this book then I have with a lot of other books in a long time and it was so enjoyable. This is a story that everyone can relate to when you're having "one of those days" and things just keep happening. In this case, the "I can't believe this is happening" moments turn into good. The banter alone is enough to make someone want to read this book. I definitely recommend!

This book was overall pretty okay. The plot seemed to extend so far over a short period of time and then just abruptly end.

The romance felt fake and like they wouldn’t last more than a week.

I did enjoy the characters though and overall is was a relatively cute fast read.

Clara has been raised to think a man would only love her for her looks, but she’s never believed it - until her fiancé dumps her for gaining 15 pounds. By contrast, Ian’s billionaire father has raised him to “go for the hottie”, since he believes women are only interested in his money. Ian himself has trouble believing that, until his fiancée leaves him over signing a pre-nup. When Clara and Ian accidentally meet, hilarity ensues and maybe even a chance at true love.

This book was a quick and fun read! Going into it, I was expecting a regular rom-com but I found it be very unique. Maybe it was Clara and Ian’s easy banter (their misunderstandings had me laughing out loud multiple times), that made them so endearing. The entire book takes place basically within a day’s time period which I thought was unique, and made for an easy summer read.

Thank you to Augusta Reilly and Getredpr for the ARC! “Words on Candy Hearts” releases July 26th.

This review will be posted to my Instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly 😊

I was fortunate to be introduced to Augusta Reilly's Why I Held Your Hand via NetGalley. The writing was hot, witty and had me swooning.

The writing was preposterously funny and fast-paced in Words on Candy Hearts. While enjoyable, Reilly's debut remains her better project. It could've been just my e-arc from NetGalley, but the story ended very abruptly and I felt as if there might've been more to the wrap-up than the conclusion of a name. Hoping someone can let me know if I just got a bum e-arc.

2.5 stars

The banter between the two main characters was the highlight of the book. Sometimes over the top but a lot of moments were entertaining and made me laugh. Overall, I think the plot felt forced and a little rushed but was saved by the emotional connection that the Ian and Clara had. If you like forced proximity and rom-coms, you’ll probably enjoy this quick read.