
Member Reviews

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Ben messes up his opportunity on a popular baking show when his long-time crush, Adam, said on the national broadcast of the show that the two are just friends. Ben leaves immediately, much to the chagrin of the production team. He races to his Grandmother’s house where his mom is living, and where they are hosting a large week-long party.
Things start to go haywire for Ben, when his estranged father sends him a cease and desist about his cinnamon roll recipe, his mother brings up her concerns about his grandmother’s finances, and Adam shows up at the party. Can Ben keep his cool while everything is falling apart around him?
It was a cute story, and a quick read, but I just felt like this story was trying to be a LOT of different things, that I didn’t always find fit together super well. I mostly picked it up for the baking show plotline, but that honestly felt like a miniscule plot point.
This is the second book in the series, and I didn’t feel like I missed much but starting with the second, but this one didn’t make me feel like I had any interest in going back and reading the first one.

In the Case of Heartbreak is a tender love story that will 100% make you shed a tear or two (or a hundred; I am emotionally invested in Adam and Ben and could read like 10 more books about them). It also deals with some heavier topics like parental abuse and abandonment, so I would recommend checking out the trigger warnings before diving in.
In In the Case of Heartbreak, we follow Ben, a baker from Fern Falls who just joined a baking competition that could send his little bakery and cafe to new heights. But when everything goes wrong on the day of filming in Fern Falls and Ben is rejected by the only man he's ever loved, Adam, on national TV for the whole world to see, things take a turn for the worse. And suddenly there is also his absentee dad, sending him a cease-and-desist letter over a cinnamon roll recipe that put Ben on the map and that was definitely not his dad's invention.
Ben thankfully has an escape from the dumpster fire that his life has turned into: two weeks celebrating his grandma's birthday, far away from Fern Falls. But he can't really run from his issues, and maybe Adam suddenly appearing in Maywell Bay is not such a terrible thing—maybe it can lead to something truly spectacular.
I don't even know where to start with this review! I loved how soft and understanding both Adam and Ben were. How Ben had so much anxiety surrounding basically every aspect of his life (so relatable! I will truly treasure Ben and his soft heart forever, and Adam knew exactly how to help ease them. Sometimes just letting someone know that "it's okay, we are okay, and you are going to be okay" can mean more than any other word ever could. Adam was a reprieve for Ben, a safe haven, and my heart felt so light whenever these two interacted, be it as friends at first, as lovers, or as partners later on.
And don't even get me started on the other important topics it touched on: anxiety, of course, but also depression, consent (like Adam said, "consent is sexy," and damn right it is!), addiction, and more. I truly believe Court treated those with the utmost care, and I can't wait to see what else they write (maybe another Fern Falls novel?). (Insert puppy eyes.)
The issues Ben dealt with felt so raw and real, and I could feel every one of his anxieties on a visceral level. At some points in the book, all the situations—his horrible dad, the baking competition, his grandma facing potential bankruptcy—felt hopeless and unsolvable, but when taken one at a time, they kind of stopped seeming so insurmountable. When the sudden reprieve came after everything kind of bulldozed Ben over, it was like taking a fresh breath of air. I found this feeling incredibly familiar; I never dealt with issues on the same level as Ben, but that feeling of "Oh, it's actually okay, everything will be okay" is one of the most calming ones there is.
All in all, In the Case of Heartbreak is a beautiful romance novel—with some angst, I would recommend positioning a tissue box close to you before you start reading—full of heart, beautiful mental health representation, and one of the softest and sweetest childhood friends to lovers stories I've ever read. I was a Ben and Adam (Badam!) fan before I even knew this book was going to be a thing, and I love them even more now. A total win of a romance novel all around!

Ugh. I loved this story so much.
The dad was an absolute jerk though.
I think that my favorite part is that I had a chance to reflect on myself. For whatever reason, I feel unworthy of love. And this book told me that I am worthy. Loved it so much!

Thank you Netgalley and Kensington books for the E-arc to read and review. What delightful, swoon and hot book. I loved the Fern Falls cast of characters from book 1 and these 2 are super special. Literal cinnamon roll, rock and roll and friends to lovers I one of my all time favorite trope the spice was on point and if it existed IRL I would move there in a heart beat.
Will definitely be ordering a copy want to tab this book.

Unfortunately this suffered from a lot of the same issues as the first book in the series, namely a TON of narrator infodumping, over the top plot points that were both silly and unnecessary, and a nice neat way-too-easy ending. I did mostly like the main character of Ben and thought his mental illness/trauma stuff was handled well but I just didn't connect with his and Adam's relationship even outside the ridiculous plot point nonsense.

I think something with me and this author's writing style isn't working. Her previous book was a 3 star read for me, because while I did enjoy it for the most part, I found myself zoning out a lot. That was even worse with this book, which is why I decided to DNF.

This book was so ooey gooey sweet. I loved it so much. Adam and Ben are just adorable and you’re cheering for them the whole time. Their communication with each other is really beautiful.
My only critique is it’s almost spicy, talks a big game, then skips all spicy scenes. Great for some readers, a bummer for me.

In Case of Heartbreak is a sweet story of two people finding love while also trying to heal from the emotional scars of their childhoods. This is the second story in the Fern Falls series and it has made me want to go back and read book one.

This books was given to me through NetGalley for an honest review.
I wish I liked this more. The premise was solid. The set up was there but everything felt rushed/superficial to me. Ben was a hard protagonist to like, which can be attributed to his need for character growth. To me he came off as whiny instead of deeply hurting. Adam was fine as a love interest, I honestly cared more about his growth than Ben’s.
Overall, I appreciated the queer representation and how well it was done. The story was a quick read and I did feel the ending was fulfilling.

3,5 stars rounded up!
Ben Parrish has been baking his grandma's cinnamon rolls at his family café for years and has entered a competition to show off the recipe, and he's setting out to buy out the family business for himself. During a live-taping of the show, he's friend-zoned by his lifetime crush, Adam Reed. To make matters worse, an Instagram post coupled with a cease and desist letter from his narcissistic father claiming the recipe as his own is making the show question his character. Good thing his grandma's two-week-long 80th birthday bash in his favorite beach town can be his escape! Well... until he gets there and his grandma hired Adam as the musical entertainment.
I absolutely adored Courtney Kae's first book, In the Event of Love, so I HAD to read this. Being introduced to Ben and Adam in the first book, I was super excited to read a whole book about them. Their chemistry fell a little short for me, sadly though. A lot of the plot hung on miscommunication, which is not my favorite, and I felt like other than them being good friends there wasn't a lot connecting them so I would have loved to hear more about why they were such a good match. Ben's wacky grandma was hands down my favorite character - the craziness she brought to the table added a lot for me and made me like the book more! And bonus points for queer and mental health representation!
All in all, this was a cute LGBTQ+ romance, and the cozy sunshine-y vibes were perfect for a summer read! Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review :)

Do you want a queer rom-com book? This is it! Im obsessed with Courtneys writing. This book was much fun I read it in one sitting. Both of the characters had my heart! Great summer/beach read.

Ben owns a bakery, but after an appearance on a live TV show, his past comes back to haunt him and to make demands. At the same time, the crush he has on his friend from childhood seems increasingly impossible, and in (a)n (failed) attempt to get over him, he escapes his small town to celebrate his grandmother's 80th birthday.
What follows is a story of family, love and just overall fun, summery vibes. Underneath it all lurks trauma from both Ben and Adam's past - something they learn to trust each other in.
At times funny, romantic and swoonworthy (spoiler: the concept of "courting" is very much one I need MUCH more of), it also deals with parental abandonment, neglect and abuse.
I wanted to wholeheartedly adore and enjoy this, but I was never completely swayed by the romance, and the writing was a bit over the top and repetitive for some of the scenes. Between bouts of cringing and secondhand embarrassment, there were elements of the story I enjoyed (read: the, at times, A+ healthy communication and Bridgerton references)

This book is just full of cinnamon rolls- of both the literal and figurative variety. It’s a super sweet romance- I liked even more than In The Event of Love! Adam and Ben are super believable, and I’m a huge fan of ‘it was always you.’ I appreciate the emotional growth.
But, to be real, G-ma 100-% steals this show.

Ben Parrish’s life was looking up when he joined a national baking competition and then everything kinda goes downhill from there. From his childhood crush friend-zoning him on live TV, working through childhood trauma from his father, to his G-ma’s 80th birthday he has a lot going on in a short amount of time.
This book is filled with good humor and lovable characters. There is great therapy rep and there is good communication between Ben and Adam. I loved the setting of this book. It gave all the warm small-town vibes with a café/bakery setting. I will say it did seem a bit over the top at a few times or just came off dramatic at times. Ben and Adam both working through past family trauma and trying not to do what their families did to them. It got a bit angsty for a moment but it was resolved so cutely and ended well.
Honestly, G-ma was just out there living her best life. I loved her so much; she was hilarious and I want to be like that when I’m her age, she was a big mood.
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for this e-ACR in exchange for an honest review.

Ben and Adam have been best friends since childhood, right after Ben was found lost in the woods. Ben has unresolved trauma from that event, mostly stemming from his father leaving after he was found and the media attention he received. So, his mother is a little shocked when he signs up for a televised bake off show. But, he wants to put the past behind him and hype his small town cafe, so it can withstand the test of time. Too bad when the television crew visit his small town they imply he is dating Adam and Ben is humiliated in front of his whole community. So, he turns tail and runs to his G-Ma's birthday celebrations. Unfortunately, he cannot outrun Adam, when Adam is part of the musical act for the weeklong event. Is there any way to repair his broken heart, be honest with his best friend, and confront his father (who is trying to claim ownership of Ben's famous cinnamon bun recipe).
Courtney Kae writes the heck out of a love story, infusing it with so much emotion and heart. When the two leads are together every moment is wonderful, the book feels like a tender moment, a long hug. Especially when Ben and Adam are being open and honest with one another. These two so earnestly love each other, but are so scared of losing such an important friendship. Ben is terrified of the people he truly loves leaving him (like his father did) and Adam could not stand if Ben were to reject him. So, they hover so close to true intimacy, never quite crossing the line. When they finally do breach it, they realize how silly they have been. How much this relationship can heal the both of them. However, I do so appreciate that Ben realizes he needs to love himself in order to love Adam the way he deserves to be loved.
The real emotional backbone of this novel was the depression and anxiety that Ben continues to manage throughout. He goes to therapy, he takes moments when he needs them, and he is honest with Adam about those needs. Ben's father is such a terrible person and you just want to bubble wrap Ben to keep him safe from his emotional manipulation/abuse/blackmail. To use his son's hard earned fame to try and steal some for himself, and then to try to take Adam for his musical ability. The man is gross!
But you also have G-Ma and her sassy elderly friends, all of whom seem to like to meddle. You have Ben's extensive family that work hard to push past barriers and help out where they can, sometimes more than they should. You have Ben's mother who is caring and kind, who tries her hardest to cushion the world for Ben, but then realizes maybe she hid too much of the truth from him. And you have the friends in Fern Falls who drop everything to help Ben and Adam, because they are so truly loved by everyone around them.
Yes, this book is super sappy, and there are tears, but it is so refreshing and honest and kind to its characters. There is also lots of humor to balance out the trauma and sadness. I recommend this book if you are a big fan of gooey happily-ever-afters. Which I am!

This book was soooo cute! I loved their love story, and I love how the author handled the tough topic of childhood trauma. I will definitely be looking for more books of Courtney Kae's asap!

Ben is a fantastic main character. I hadn’t read the book before this one (In the Event of Love) but I was able to jump right in and learn about the characters. Ben’s baking skills sound amazing, and learning about the relationship between Ben, Adam, and their group of friends was a great way to spend a weekend. Ben and Adam made me immediately pick up In the Event of Love, and I didn’t feel like I missed anything reading them out of order!

**Thank you for the ARC. All opinions are completely my own.**
2.5 stars.
This book was so meh and teetered on the edge of “not good.” I was very disappointed by the lack of cozy vibes that were promised.
There is little to no chemistry between the main character and his love interest. The villain is one dimensional. Even the grandma, who is supposed to be a quirky and fun character, turns out to be super boring and stereotypical of every other whimsical maternal figure in modern romance novels.
TLDR; You can skip this. Not enough smolder and chemistry.

My 2nd book by Courtney Kae and it was so great! I was rooting for this two in the previous books and I am so glad they got their own love story. So cute and funny! This was wonderful.

This was a lovely second instalment in the Fern Falls series!
A perfect read for summer, made me very hungry🤣
I don’t usually like friends to lovers but thought it was done really well in this book & it was really cute seeing the relationship blossom! Ben’s G’Ma is my hero tbh and was easily one of my favourite characters.