What an exceptional sophomore novel! Courtney Kae has really found her groove in writing emotionally healing and romantically mushy books. I loved Ben’s characterisations, his journey with anxiety and depression, and his strength in breaking the toxic cycle with his father. I loved the straightforward nature of his relationship with Adam and how once the anxiety of initial admission was overcome, the story became one of honest communication and growing into the best version of themselves to be good partners to each other. A stunning stunning book!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington, and the Author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

CW: parental neglect (past), parental abuse (emotional, past), depression, anxiety (on page), alcoholic father (side character), parental abandonment, blackmail

The second book in the series, this can be read entirely as a standalone

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/m contemporary romance
-childhood crush
-slooow burn
-friends to lovers
-quirky family

I'd been rooting for Adam and Ben since I read In the Event of Love. Their romance was soft, tender, and very much about learning how to trust in love after being hurt.

Ben had a traumatic childhood, emotionally and physically abandoned by his father. But therapy, friends and families have truly benefited him, though in a lot of ways he hasn't dealt with those feelings of abandonment and what happened with his dad. Striking gold with a cooking competition show has his dad also knocking on his door, and with the added complication of things potentially falling into place with Adam, Ben is stressed to say the least. Ultimately this is Ben's journey as he learns to accept love and lean on everyone in his life. His family, Adam and trust in himself.

The romance between Adam and Ben is just soft. Adam courts Ben, as they both admit their feelings and learn how to be all in with each other and figure out their lives with each other. All while dealing with Ben's G-ma's wild birthday extravaganza.

Emotional and tender this was a beautifully written read.

Steam: 3

A sweet, swoony cinnamon roll of a romance! In the Case of Heartbreak is full of romantic yearning, quirky characters, fabulous parties, and, most importantly, healing through self-love.

After reading and loving In the Event of Love last year, I was SO excited for Adam and Ben's story. Sadly, I was really let down by this novel. The writing felt clunky, the plotline far-fetched, and the romantic development all over the place. There was very little tension and buildup before Adam and Ben finally got together, and then once they were together it felt like nothing was really going on. I also found the dialogue/conversations in this book to be really forced; it took me out of the story and got in the way of me rooting for this romance. Really sad to say but this was a big disappointment. :(

✨ ARC REVIEW ✨

4.5⭐️ 1.5🌶️

In the Case of Heartbreak met all of my expectations!! It was so warm and tender and absolutely full of love. It’s definitely a book I see myself coming back to.

Courtney Kae delivered the small town vibes we came to love in Fern Falls but in a new setting of seaside town, Maywell Bay. Perfect for a summer romance! The plot was fun and entertaining, but also lended itself to more serious conversations surrounding mental health, self-worth, and the lasting effects of trauma.

I think Adam is the kindest, most thoughtful character I’ve ever read, and I just love him to bits. The way he loves Ben is so beautiful that it truly made me tear up several times while reading 🥹 The man fantasizes about making Ben coffee, for god’s sake!!

And oh, my sweet baby Ben. What an accurate and heart wrenching portrayal of anxiety and self-doubt. I saw so much of myself in Ben that his journey was painful to read at times, but also filled me with such hope. The way I was rooting for him the whole time!!

Courtney Kae has the unique ability to make you love the side characters just as much as the MCs (petition for everyone to have a G-ma!!). They always create such a diverse cast of kind, genuine characters.

In the Case of Heartbreak is a sweet and swoony queer love story full of delicious baked goods, meddling grandmas, and a path to self-acceptance.

Thank you so much to Courtney Kae, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for the ARC!

CW: childhood trauma/neglect, anxiety

Think…. Hallmark meets Great British Bake Off meets Happy queer universe.

I loved the beautiful world Courtney paints in this book. They do such a wonderful job making the reader feel like they’ve been dropped into another world.

Points for great bi rep and mental health rep. Points for excellent steamy scenes (although I think they could’ve gone further). Points for fun side characters.

My qualms are with the rather flat characters and absolutely BIZZARE plot line, that at times made little to no sense. Am I the only one that was really confused why they said “I love you” for the first time….twice???

I’d recommend for anyone who enjoys a Hallmark cheesy book :)

Bear with me because this review is looooong. But this book deserves all the praise and all the stars.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’m not sure how Courtney does it but the world creation alone is enough to make this story swoon worthy. I can feel and sense the places they write about. And not just because I know what those areas are like, but because the towns and spaces within them come alive through the story.

That doesn’t even touch on character design and development. Descriptions - not just hair color but scents and looks and outfits. I don’t usually get how people can see a face or hear a voice, but Courtney writes in that rare way that just immersed me in the story.

I absolutely loved the conversational and natural use of pronouns in introductions!

Adam and Ben…what can I say? I’ve wanted this story since I read In the Event of Love! The way the dots connect through the story from throughout their lives - a single string knitted into a gorgeous tapestry!

Have you listened to the ITCOH playlist on Spotify? I was obsessed before I read the book and now every Ben Rector song hits SO much deeper!

Now despite this being a romance, this isn’t a light book at some moments. There’s a lot to unpack here. Past trauma and it’s impact on our adult lives plays heavily but in an authentic manner. Which makes me sad, because I think to write like this must come from experience. But these stories and heartaches and hard fought victories being shared are what make us feel less alone. This is community through pages.

It’s like if Hallmark queered itself up and joined forces with Gilmore Girls and, I dunno…something new and magical, too. That’s a Courtney Kae story.

Ben is taking a Big Step - he’s signed up for Take the Cake National, a televised baking completion way waaay out of his comfort zone. The prize would be his signature cinnamon rolls being sold in stores nationally, and side benefits of extra publicity for the bakery and the feeling that he’s Made It with the family business.

Unfortunately, his deadbeat runaway dad pops in - remotely, through a lying cease and desist letter and a BS Instagram post claiming the recipe is his - to throw a wrench in the whole thing.

Now while Ben is reliving some childhood trauma from a horrid parent that doesn’t know when to quit, he also has to figure out how to stop the studio from both kicking him off the show and hitting him with a crushing bill for footage already filmed. The perfect storm when it comes to depression and anxiety spirals.

As if that wouldn’t be enough upheaval in a person’s life, he’s also signed on to a two week birthday extravaganza for the most amazingly feisty G-ma ever aaaaaand some strings may have been pulled to matchmake him with Adam, his first (and current) long time crush. The one that just said on live national television that they were good friends and nothing more. For always. So. There’s some feelings he is totally handling okay.

My highlights on this book were so out of control, I don’t think I could pick a favorite part if you made me. All of it. All of it is my favorite.
Reading it was an emotional rollercoaster of the best sort.

Was I Laughing? Crying? Anxious? Swooning? Hot? Angry?
All of these things at once?
MAYBE.

I joked that the above should be my review, but honestly? Yeah. Not a joke!

Pick up this book in July, and get ready to speedrun all the emotions. It’s like exercise, but for your feelings.
And be sure you have a cinnamon roll on standby

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC!

3 🌟

*spoilers ahead for the book because i don’t see how i can write my review without including spoilers*

‘in the case of heartbreak’ was one of the books i was looking forward to the most this year and it definitely had parts i loved but it also had parts that left me wanting more

pros:
-g-ma was the best! she brought in that comedic relief and was just so wholesome and funny. she actually reminded me of pete from beach read
-ben and adam were both so cute and adorable together
-the few crumbs of rachel and morgan (although i wish there was more but since a majority of this book did not take place in fern falls i understand why)
-the opposing struggles ben and adam both had with their families
-the baking scene!!!
-how easy ben and adam become more than friends, the progression felt very natural to me
-the beach house vibes!!!

cons:
-the storyline with ben’s dad was quickly resolved; his only purpose was to cause more conflict so it seemed very two dimensional to me but he was also a dick so i didn’t care to see a redemption arc
-the fade to black sex scenes!!! if you’re expecting some spicy moments similar to ‘in the event of love’ lower those expectations. it was a pivotal scene where ben and adam decided to wait until they felt more ready to have sex for the first time and when they finally did it was just heavily implied. the other ‘spicy’ scenes were also the same way where you just assume sexy times happened
-the third act breakup being resolved on the second to last page. i would have loved to see them after the reunion or in an epilogue just like in ‘in the event of love’

the book was super quick for me to read and it reels you in immediately but i put my kindle down wanting just a little bit more