Love Notes by Aimee Brown was a cute and heartfelt story. Mercy Alexander had a rough start to life that has left lasting wounds. She has sworn off love, wants to have a good time and focus on her music. Brooks Hudson is a sucker for love but finds himself dumped over and over again. When these two reconnect they are instantly drawn to each other and their connection is unmatched.

What I liked about this story was a MC who recognizes their flaws and does move outside of their trauma by putting in the vulnerability and work to make it happen. The supporting cast was hilarious and a HUGE part of the story. Brooks was cute to Mercy and who doesn't like a HEA. I also liked that they were honest with each other so there wasn't a ton of miscommunication happening.

I would have liked to have felt more of a build up and some angst between the two MCs. For all the talk of how much sex Mercy had and Mercy and Brooks' past, there wasn't a lot in the book. I found that a little unbelievable I went into this thinking this was a romance, but it really didn't feel like that, which is ok! I just wasn't expecting the depth to the story. Depth is good! Brooks is a GOOD guy and he is exactly the person Mercy needs to move past the trauma of her childhood.

I did not read the first book in the series and I didn't feel like it was necessary to do so. This was a quick and fun read and I would recommend. 3.5/5

[Book Review]

Love Notes | @authoraimee
Genre: Contemporary/Chick Lit/Romance/Humour
Publisher: Book and Tonic

💌💌💌💌💌

If you are a fan of:
✔️ Second chance romance
✔️Opposites attract
✔️ Slow burn 🔥
✔️ Dual POVs

Finally 🙌🏽
A slow burn romance written to take the reader on a deep emotional journey with the main character couple and not just straight into a rushed hook up.
Aimee takes some sensitive triggers and addressees them with respect, compassion and empathy.

My heart and soul was literally invested in this gorgeously written novel.
I had a book hangover which last a couple of days in order for me to process the emotive adventure I went on with Mercy and Brooks.

Thank you Aimee, for featuring some stereotypical characters in a positive light rather than how they are negatively portrayed.
We all know a Norah 🔮

This book has one of the best character ensembles I’ve read of late and I really enjoyed the banter and connection between all the personalities.

A big thank you to @netgalley @bookandtonic and @authoraimeeb for the gifted copy of this book and the opportunity to share in Mercy and Brooks heart centered 💕

I loved He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not so I had high expectations for this one - and it did NOT disappoint!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🧼 (closed door)

Mercy doesn’t believe in love. With a history of abandonment, past trauma and family issues, she doesn’t expect anyone to show up for her or stick around.
Brooks is constantly being dumped, and doesn’t quite know why. He’s too old - at 36? He’s a divorced dad? He’s got tattoos?
All he needs is to find the right woman.

Brooks & Mercy once had a fling, years ago, and their paths cross again at the exact right moment. They somehow keep running into each other, and can’t stop thinking about one another. Does meant to be actually exist?

I loved reading how both main characters helped each other & developed throughout the story. Mercy needed support, and a way to heal from her past. Brooks needed the right woman who wasn’t afraid of everything he has to offer. This story goes deeper than a romance, with Mercy’s past playing a big role in both their lives.

Read if you enjoy:
⭐️ Single Dad (divorced)
⭐️ Insta-connection
⭐️ Second chance
⭐️ Soulmates
⭐️ Traumatic past
⭐️ Man in uniform (police officer)
⭐️ Musicians
⭐️ Found Family
⭐️ Dual POV/first person

While this book does come after He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not, it can definitely be read as a standalone - though I highly recommend reading it cause it’s so good!

*Check triggers if you have any, there are some heavy topics.

Thank you to NetGalley & Boldwood Books for an advance copy for review. All opinions are my own.

I loved, loved, loved this book! The pacing was perfect for my taste, and the characters. OH THE CHARACTERS! Mercy and Brooks are opposites, but God do they fit together like the perfect puzzle piece. Nobody writes men like Aimee Brown (remembering Dax from He Loves Me He Loves Me Not, which is also superb). She captured Brooks, his personality, and his dynamic with his ex-wife and child in Academy Award winning style (speaking of, thank you for not writing the typical rotten ex-wife story here, really enjoyed how she was rooting for her ex). You will laugh, you will think, you will feel, and you will love! Mercy is complicated with a complicated past that I connected with on so many levels--this isn't a surface book, meaning there is depth here. There are feelings. Bravo to the author. Another winner by this master of romcoms.

Lovely and heartwarming! A new author for me and I was happily surprised with how much I liked this story! The writing style was easy to follow and characters actually had depth

wow I didn't expect this, you can read the synopsis but once you open the book you enter a completely unpredictable story
.
Not only was it fun and entertaining, it was exciting and I loved the part the supporting characters played in Mercy and Brooks' story.
.
It all starts with a prediction, a meddling ex-wife, a group of challenged friends, and a stepfamily tight knight
.
When Brooks receives a premonition about his soul mate, he never expects that the woman who responds to those characteristics is the same with whom he had a fling six years ago, much less that he would find her in the most unexpected places.
.
Mercy has a difficult past and demons that haunt her. With family and friends so close and experiencing different moments of happiness, she feels a little behind until she enters a bar and meets the man who used to be her way of releasing tension a few years ago.
.
When the coincidences keep repeating themselves and her heart begins to react irrationally, Mercy has to decide whether to put the past behind her or face it and jump for a chance at something more
.
I really liked the plot, the backstory of each character and how Mercy and Brooks come to each other. I really enjoyed this book and the chemistry between the two characters, it left me wondering who will be next in the series of these characters to find their destiny, I hope River
.
Thanks to Aimee Brown and Boldwood Books for give me a copy of this beautiful book in exchange for my honest and voluntary opinion

Thanks Netgalley for the eARC.

I loved loved loved this book! I really enjoyed the writing style and the pace of the book was perfect for me. The main characters had chemistry and they made sense together.
4/5 stars, would recommend!

Mercy and Brooks. Hmmmm not sure about the names and Mercy was hard work until her story unfolded and the all her prickle and swagger began to make sense. Brooks was a honey and the author did a good job with a reverse grumpy sunshine trope. A few aspects didn’t work too well (undercover? really?) but the tough stuff around Mercy’s past felt authentic, even though there were all those extra connections and coincidences to link all the characters together.

All up, I'd definitely recommend!

This was such an unexpected and pleasant read! I didn’t want to put this book down. I loved Mercy’s character and the growth she had throughout the book. Brooks is the perfect protective, hard on the outside and soft on the inside, love interest. At first it was really hard to keep all the characters straight along with how they connected to each other. However, it got much easier with time and by the end I was completely in love with the unusual and wacky cast. I loved all the dirty jokes, but it was refreshing to not have graphic sexual scenes. It was closed door romance, but the characters were certainly comfortable discussing their exploits (but not in graphic detail). There is some childhood trauma and mention of a traumatic event that is described in not a ton of detail. Overall, really wonderful read and I plan on reading more from this author! 4.5⭐️, 1.5🌶

Only complaint - Brooks is described multiple times as being covered in a tattoo, but the cover doesn’t show one!

Love Notes by Aimee Brown is releasing March 23rd and I’m in LOVE with this couple!

Mercy has experienced past childhood trauma that left her believing true love does NOT exist. She’s spent her life dedicated to her music business and avoiding romantic relationships with any man besides anonymous hook ups.
Brooks *should* be against true love with as many break ups and heart breaks he’s gone through, but he can’t stop searching. He’s a HOT, teddy bear in a tattoo suit!! doting father with a good co-parenting partner and a full time job as a detective. What is he doing wrong?? Can these two opposites help each other in finding a HEA??
This book is chock full of hilarious and diverse secondary characters, incredibly awkward first/second dates, and sexual tension. When Mercy’s childhood trauma past collided with Brooks’ detective case, I couldn’t put it down! Add this book to your TBR today 💕💕💕

Thank you Netgalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC of Love Notes by Aimee Brown in exchange for my review! Publishing date: 23rd March 2023

3/5 ⭐️

This is my first time reading a novel by Aimee Brown and thoroughly enjoyed her style of writing. I did not expect the book to go in depth with heavy issues that the main character experienced. I definitely enjoyed the pacing of the book and was a cute and easy read. Brooks is so sweet with Mercy and the way he interacts with his daughter Ali had my heart swooning.

The book definitely went into detail and depth about Mercy (the main characters) trauma and I think that definitely shadowed the romance a little bit. For me I found it hard to grasp that many characters and remembering who each character was and their relation. At times the book was a bit too cheesy and the banter between the main characters and their friends became a bit repetitive and not needed. I did enjoy Brook’s relevance in Mercy’s past/trauma and how he responded to the situation.

I do love the factor of family isn’t always blood rather the people you find along the way. I love how that can resonate with a lot of people and find comfort in that theme.

Overall, if you are looking for a romance with a heavy topic and friends as family, this is the book for you!

If you’re looking for something that could play out like a fun rom com, this is for you! You can’t help but like both Mercy and Brooks as the two main characters. Learning bits and pieces about their lives and how it’s led them to the choices they make kept me rooting for them to have a happy ending. It’s filled with the “will they, won’t they” tension and some really sweet moments as these characters grow. Loved this book!

3.75/5 stars! This was a good book, but it was a little deceptive in its marketing. It was more a story of growth and healing from trauma with a backdrop of romance. I still really enjoyed it; it was just very different from what I expected. Overall, Mercy and Brook's capacity to come back to each other over and over until they got it right felt so genuine and real. A special story.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

I loved the first book so much h that I had to read this one and it was just as good as the first it makes the characters feel like real people with all the emotions going on

“Mercy Alexander doesn’t believe in love, let alone love at first sight.

There’s one sure fire way of steering clear of heartbreak, and that’s not to get your heart involved in the first place. So what is that irritating flutter she feels every time she sees Brooks Hudson, and why is she finding him so hard to ignore?”

Second chance fated soulmates? Yes please! I loved this book and the characters so much. Mercy is a very independent woman, which I can relate to, dealing with daddy issues- but allows herself to be vulnerable and fall for Brooks after months of being each others booty call years prior. Brooks is a father, cop, and chronic dumpee, who attempts to take things slow with Mercy but ends up realizing it was love at “first sight” (only after the fake name stage they’d gone through). The story was great. I loved the romance part of it but loved even more seeing that Mercy did stand up to her father in the end. Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for allowing me to read and review!

I know when i become sceptical when agree with Brooke "Everything we do is the result of whatever choices we’ve made" i snicker and bitter lol. And then Norah word give me hope and be patient "You won’t have to look for her. You’ll just find one another." I really love this book, the smitten between Mercy and Brooke really sweet and swoony, the glimps about spritual from Norah really breezing. I love how friemds and family around them support and around. Iglad Mercy finaly slowly heal from her past and Brooke there to be with her.

Thank you to NetGalley for provide this book, it is pleasure to review this book.

#LoveNotes #AimeeBrown #BoldwoodBooks #NetGalley #ARC

It's not often you find a fated soulmates trope in contemporary romance. Love Notes is one though.

I did kind of enjoy this one, although I wouldn't say I loved it. There was something about the flow of the story in the beginning that threw me off.

Mercy and Brooks make a cute couple, but don't necessarily stand out from other couples. For me, the story really shone with their crazy family/friends. River (his book is coming soon), Oz, Norah, and even little Alijah provided quite a bit of comic relief.

Surprisingly enough, there is a lot of naughty banter, but very little spice.

I really enjoyed learning Mercy’s backstory and I loved the relationship Brooks had with with his daughter. But I didn’t fall in love with them as a couple and struggled getting through the book. It didn’t keep me hooked.

i received this arc in exchange for an honest review :)

i really enjoyed this one!! the main characters initially met via fake names and then fate brings them together once again.

i loved the plot of this story, it was really interesting and added to the romance. i’ll definitely read more from this author.

single parent, second chance !!!

It’s fun to find 2nd chance romance that is not the status quo.
These 2 had a hook up situation 6 yrs ago. Fake names, Saturday nights only, and they have not seen one another since.
Once they see each other again, they begin to run into one another everywhere.
It’s a slow burn and it’s closed door but still has some sexiness to it.
I loved the honesty between these two, even when it wasn’t easy.