Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of In Case of Heartbreak

I really wanted to like this book but I couldn’t get there. It reads like one very long group therapy session where each character was instructed to speak in only “I statements”.

There was no nuance in this book. Every character was either a mustache twirling villain or a paragon of virtue. The main character, Ben, is beloved and admired by all. They are constantly thanking him for everything he does for them, but throughout the book he doesn’t actually do much for anyone, he cries at least once in every chapter, and he lets everyone else solve all his problems - especially his mother and his grandmother.

The plot reads like an episode of Three’s Company. Most of the conflict is manufactured because Ben is constantly refusing to let other people finish a thought, or share his concerns with people who have the knowledge he needs and the power to clear things up for him.

I know the author was aiming for a fun, quirky romance that also tackles some tough issues (childhood trauma, abuse and abandonment) but unfortunately it was a miss for me.

*3.75/5 stars
Okay, this book was freaking adorable. Cheek-heating, feet-kicking, hair-twirling adorable.

Oh my god, the communication. Chefs kiss. Never before seen in romance (I’m exaggerating but come on people, consent is important!) it was ALMOST to the point where the communication was overdone, but not quite: it was perfect. The characters communicating their feelings and checking in with one another was not necessarily realistic but oh so important and represents what we should all strive to be/do in a relationship. The consent? The conversations? Ugh. Perfect.

The representation in this book? Amazing!! So many different identities and personalities and abilities and I just felt like there was so much effort put in to ensuring there was representation while having it feel effortless, if that makes sense.

Some parts were a little cliche and unrealistic… but I ate that sh*t up.

I loved the unpacking of childhood trauma and the recognition that it doesn’t just go away. It infiltrates almost everything, and it takes effort to work through and even then it can come back with triggers. I applaud Kae for writing this trauma in a multilayered way that doesn’t take away from the romance, but strengthens it.

One thing I will say is that it felt somewhat rushed. The romance was very fast (I know it’s established that Ben has been pining for 12 years but believe me, it still feels rushed). I would have liked their relationship to have taken its time, increase the pining, stretch out the story a little bit more.

This book wasn’t perfect, there were a few (minor) things I didn’t love, but I highly recommend this book. Have I mentioned it’s adorable???

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of In Case of Heartbreak.

Ben’s bakery is featured on a baking competition and during the live record his long time friend and crush makes it clear they’re just friends. Right after, his absent father comes back into his life trying to take credit for the cinnamon roll featured in the competition. With his life spiraling, Ben is glad to escape to his grandmother’s house for her big birthday celebration away from his small town. While the introduction of the book engaged me, I feel like the author spent so much time detailing things that did not matter (literally I couldn’t care less about his grandmother’s high-low sweater) and spent no time detailing what did matter (I still don’t fully understand the premise of the baking competition), so I struggled to fully engage with the book to even reach the romance plot. Once it did, the book got better (except the parts where I groaned over needless endless miscommunication and a frankly unearned 3rd act breakup).

I never really fell in love with the plot itself, the drama with the dad’s recipe theft claim sort of constantly made me roll my eyes; there were so many other ways Ben and the show could have handled it, it was aggravating. It’s strange really loving both of the main characters and really wanting them to end up together, while not particularly enjoying their story. I wish they got the plot they deserved because when they finally had moments together outside the plot? I loved it. Adam had a line, “My feelings for you are not fragile,” that made me squee in joy.

I also definitely wished for an expanded ending / epilogue. It feels like it ended so abruptly, with a dues ex machina of a grandma (sorry… g-ma. Eyeroll). I hope one is added before final publication. The book had great potential but many opportunities for improvement in execution.

One facet of this book is Ben’s mental health. It’s refreshingly realistic and also manages to be an integral part of his life experience in a really relatable manner.

I wish I could give this book a better rating because I did truly love Ben and Adam but considering how constantly frustrated and bored with the plot I was, I can’t rate it over a 2 Star. I would have DNF’ed if it wasn’t an ARC.

I love the fact that Courtney Kae wants to imagine a world that is kinder to queer people and to create escapes where we’re sate to examine the messy, painful, hard things and learn to believe how very worthy of love we all are. And the blurb sounded right up my alley! I therefore had such high hopes and really really really wanted to love this book. But unfortunately, even though it was a truly sweet story, I had hoped for more in regard to the plot, the characters and the romance.

In the Case of Heartbreak is the second book in the Fern Falls series, and the main characters here have been part of the first book in the series as well. Ben Parrish is the local pastry chef, who’s been baking his grandma’s cinnamon rolls at the family café for years, while secretly pining for his neighbor, Adam Reed, the musician and local car mechanic guy. When Ben is a finalist on a reality show, his absent father decides to show up and make a claim to the famous cinnamon recipe, at the same as Adam rejects him on national TV. Broken-hearted Ben takes the opportunity to hide at his grandma’s 80th birthday party, only to find out that the hired musician for it is… Adam.

Unfortunately, I haven’t read the first book in this series, which might explain why I felt that the characters and their romance were a bit underdeveloped. I never really felt their pining nor any real tension or the promised “steamy nights” from the blurb. And I usually like the miscommunication trope, but here it was just too obvious to keep me engaged. All in all, the story felt quite directionless and eventful no matter how cute it was and how much I rooted for the badass G-ma and wanted Ben to get revenge on his evil father. But there were some truly great representations though, with characters with mental health issues as well as different gender identities and sexual orientations.

So even though In the Case of Heartbreak didn’t live up to my expectations (which might have to do with the fact that I jumped right into the second book) it was nevertheless an entertaining, adorable and sweet read with great representation that I recommend for anyone looking for a quick, queer small town romance!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC of the book, which I have voluntarily reviewed.

Unfortunately, this book was a huge disappointment for me.

Almost everything is over the top, the plot is rather silly and I found myself really bored for large parts of the books. The two protagonists have several sweet scenes but that's about it.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington for the ARC!

Ben is a baker (and bisexual) who has taken over his family’s baking business. Ben has been chosen to be on a televised baking show to compete with his cinnamon roll recipe. Ben also has a massive crush on his childhood best friend, Adam (who is pansexual), though he has not yet gotten the courage to tell him.

During an awkward interview on live television for the baking competition it appears Adam has rejected/friend-zoned Ben, which sends Ben into a tailspin.

With some interference from Ben’s wacky and eccentric grandmother (who is my favorite character, hands down) Ben and Adam end up
living together for a few weeks. During these few weeks Ben’s estranged (selfish, entitled and rude as well) father posts to social media the cinnamon roll recipe is actually his causing a ton of stress for Ben and an ousting from the baking competition.

I enjoyed all the nods to book 1 and its characters as I absolutely adored the first installation. While this one also had likable characters there was no chemistry between Ben and Adam and there was no showing as to why they liked one another aside from being lifelong friends and attracted to each other. I really wish more time would’ve been spent on little moments showing the reader why Ben and Adam were a good match. I also wish less of the plot hung on miscommunication; all of the conflicts in the pages could’ve been easily
solved with a conversion which is extremely frustrating in an adult romance novel.

3 stars

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank You to NetGalley and Kensington for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you, Kensington Books, Courtney Kae, and NetGalley, for the ARC. Light Spoilers ahead.

This book was about healing past trauma and trusting the ones you love. It started like it was going to be a miscommunication trope, but it wasn't, which is good because that is not my favorite kind of trope. Both Ben and Adam have past traumas that collide, making it difficult for a relationship, but they find a way to make it work. I loved their relationship.

I'd wish we could see a little bit more of Morgan and Rachel because I did love their story, but it also helped to make the focus on Adam and Ben. Ben's grandma is hilarious.

I recommend reading this book, especially if you liked the first book.

2.5 rounded up to 3 stars for "In the Case of Heartbreak" by Courtney Kae.

Ben Parrish has a giant baking opportunity heading his way, but between the pressure of making his family proud, dealing with a toxic reminder of his painful past, and exploring a new side of an old love, will it prove to be too much for his anxiety?

'Tis tricky when the second book of a series isn't as easy for me to enjoy as the first. I really like and recommend Fern Falls #1 "In the Event of Love", but alas, "In the Case of Heartbreak" just didn't work as well for me...

Adam and Ben are adorable and I believe it helps to read the first Fern Falls book for a bit more build up between the two men, but I felt that this book went past the natural sweetness of the first and became a bit too saccharine.

I do enjoy Kae's writing and I liked the overall idea of what was happening here, but somehow I didn't find myself enjoying this as much as I had hoped. For me, too many seemingly important pieces of the plot were left to fizzle out off page - between the baking competition and a certain toxic music manager, events I thought would be taking more page space turned out to be less important, while things that I thought would be background (such as parties and non-competition baking) became bigger events.

Again, Kae paints beautiful pictures with their words, and I wish I could be giving "In the Case of Heartbreak" a better review, but this one did fall short for me.

*Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

Lots of queer characters and queer love in this story. Ben the baker has a giant crush on his childhood friend, Adam, who rejects him on live tv and sends him spiraling. Because of a situation constructed by Ben’s grandma, they end up living together for 2 weeks. There is anxiety, bi/pan, depression, and PTSD representation that all added to Ben and Adam coming together and working through their relationship/ personal issues.

Although i enjoyed the overall plot and setting, the dialogue is too cheesy and almost robotic to me. It did not feel organic and kept pulling me out of the story. Also, there was a lot of miscommunication and the conflict felt slightly unbelievable. I would still recommend for anyone who is looking for a MLM small town, cozy romance.

Thanks to the author & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

I can’t even imagine how awkward I would be on a reality tv show (let’s just say very awkward) but it’s something the drama- & spectacle-loving part of me loves from a tv or book distance.

Courtney Kae’s In the Case of Heartbreak has a relatively peripheral reality tv situation with bakery owner Ben Parrish on a baking show trying to win the prize with his family’s cinnamon roll recipe.

But on the initial reality tv filming day, the man he’s had feelings for forever, his friend Adam, seems to firmly establish them as “just friends” in front of thousands of viewers.

Visiting family & planning his beloved grandma’s bday bash seems like a good way to get away, & then Adam shows up there, Ben learns things in his family aren’t quite what he thought, & he’s dealing with his narcissistic dad.

This small town romance has leads who are open & vulnerable with each other, slowly looking toward each other as confidants for their greatest fears & insecurities.

There’s a lot of beauty in the kind of vulnerability that Ben in particular offers, in the relatable fears he shares about failure & being the person someone gives up their career aspirations for & the responsibilities he feels weighing him down.

Therapy & meds are part of the storyline & though the starts & stops in the initial part of their storyline annoyed me a bit, on the whole the leads’ open-ish communication is something I love to see represented in romance.

This romance is for all the lovers of soft stories, lots of emotion, loving families (as well as some family baggage), & positive mental health rep.

4⭐️. Out 07/25.

CWs: Ben was a former missing child & has trauma surrounding media attention regarding that incident. His dad left the family. Narcissism & emotional abuse exhibited by dad. Financial stresses. Adam has a recovering alcoholic father; he was abandoned by his mom.

[ID: the ebook sits on a wooden nightstand. To the left is a pot of African violets & to the right is a wood floor & a white curtain.]

In the Case of Heartbreak is the follow up to Kae's debut, In the Event of Love, but it can be read as a standalone if you don't mind some spoilers for the characters from book one. That being said, I recommend reading both because it lets you get to know all of the characters better, and it's such a fun winter romance!

In the Event of Heartbreak is one of my new favorite books, because it's just SO romantic. I had loved getting to know Ben and Adam in book one, and I was excited to read their story, but I didn't think I was going to fall in love with it the way I did. Kae is an expert at crafting characters that are instantly lovable, and not just her main characters. Everyone besides the antagonists are characters I'd happily read about. Especially G-ma, I adore that woman. You know the Taylor Swift song, The Last Great American Dynasty? G-ma is like a modern version of Rebecca in the song, but a group of drag queen friends and a flask of STRONG liquor down her bra. If she was a real person I'd be asking her to adopt me as her grandkid.

Speaking of grandkids, I loved watching Ben interact with his mom, G-ma and the rest of their family. They're such a cute family, and watching how they happily accepted Adam into their midsts was adorable. And Adam? Adam was so fucking dreamy and romantic, I could cry. Don't get me wrong, he has his own personal issues to deal with, but he was so, so, so supportive and loving towards Ben. Also, the man has a way with words, the confession scene felt like a modern twist on an Austen confession in the best way. It's one of my favorite scenes ever, I was literally making squealing/choking sounds while I read it. He plays guitar and has a man bun too, if you're into that.

And Ben, I love him so much. He's a little cinnamon roll who just needs to be loved and protected (sorry, that was too good of an opportunity to pass up. Cinnamon rolls, get it?). Anyway, bad jokes aside, Ben was such a complex character, and the anxiety and depression he experienced was written in such a relatable way. Sometimes reading about heavy topics like the ones I've mentioned (along with parental abuse) can be a lot to take in, but I feel that Kae did an excellent job balancing them out with levity and romance. It still very much felt like a romance and the humor was excellent 👌 Also, I loved Ben's hobby of refurbishing old items so much! I'm excited to see if we'll get to see his house in book 3 (which I'm also SO hyped for).

If you're looking for a romantic, heartfelt love story, this is the book for you. There were so many things that made me squeal with delight, and despite everything happening, reading In the Case of Heartbreak felt like getting a warm hug. If you loved book one, please, do yourself a favor and request this, it's just as amazing as the first one!

Oh my gosh this was simultaneously the cutest but also heart wrenching book I’ve read in a long time! Ben and Adam, you sweet cinnamon roll boys, you deserve every good thing in life! The author made these characters come to life and walked them through their trauma in a way that felt so real and honestly, validating. It is a relief to see them not only be honest about their trauma but own it and realize that it doesn’t make them any less worthy of love. That is the thing I think I hope so many people take from this book, yes it’s a super cute romance, but the lesson that comes with it is so invaluable. You are worthy of love dear reader, no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

Thank you to Courtney Kae for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Themes: Trauma, self-love, trust
Representation: Queer, bi, pan, nonbinary, mental health, depression, anxiety
Content Warnings: Parental neglect, past trauma

Premise: Ben decides to take a break from baking to attend his grandma’s 80th birthday party when he runs into his crush. Will he be able to confess how he feels and work on building a solid relationship or will his past trauma hinder that?

Characters
In general, I loved the characters. They all had something special to add to the book. They also felt more like people rather than characters which is what we should aim for in a book. I can see the people I know reflected in their past and present struggles and character interactions.

Ben
He is the main character of the book and the story is told entirely through his perspective.

I loved his character as a whole. Starting from the beginning, you can see how much Ben cares for his community, his family, and his co-workers just by how he treats them and how he interacts with them. He is a genuinely likable person.

However, he is also complex and has struggled as well. From the beginning, it is revealed that he has struggled with his mental health thanks to the trauma his dad inflicted on him when he was a child. At the same time, he also struggles with trying to run the business as he feels like he owes it to his mom and grandma to keep it afloat since they have been supportive of him when he was opening the bakery.

In the beginning of the book, we see a character who still somewhat blames himself for what happened to him as a kid.

Due to that, he assumes the worst of his interactions with Adam. He also decides to carry some burdens by himself.

However, he grows A LOT. And he does it step by step. He decides to open up to Adam.

He even resolves past conflicts with other characters and turns a new leaf.

At the end of the book, Ben is able to heal from his past trauma and stop blaming himself for what has happened. He is also able to come to terms with his feelings and begin anew.

Turning away from the character development, I also loved his characterization. Such as his passion for baking. His love for his hometown of Fern Falls. And his love for his family!

Overall, I loved his character. His character’s growth and his character’s little quirks.

Adam
He is the love interest and even though the story is not told from Adam’s perspective, you can still learn a lot about him from Ben’s point of view. And I think you’ll also like him!

We are first introduced to Adam at the beginning of the book as a guitarist. We eventually learn that he was friends with Ben in his childhood. He is also Rachel’s brother if you read the last book, In the Event of Love.

We quickly see why Ben likes him through his narration. He is kind and sweet and selfless even though he has also endured trauma.

As he and Ben interact more, you start to love him more. He is patient and understanding. He listens to Ben when he tells him his problems. Offers suggestions when Ben needs it and is always there to support Ben when he needs it.

Not only that, but his chemistry with Ben is WOW. It is so obvious from their interactions that they really like each other and are meant to be together. The “accidentally” stumbling into each other. The way Ben also listens to Adam when he needs it. The sizzling heat and tension. Everything.

Other than his interactions with Ben, he also has his own character conflict as well though it might be less obvious. This makes his character deeper and more human.

Overall, a solid love interest that pairs well with the main character. And a love interest that doesn’t just serve as the love interest but also as a friend and a character himself.

Dad
He is the main antagonist of the book. And goodness is he a good antagonist. Every time he opens his mouth, I just rage.

Although we don’t see his character until somewhere in the middle of the book, we are introduced to him pretty early on through Ben’s flashbacks. And through his flashbacks, the trauma that the dad inflicted on his son is slowly revealed.

When we finally meet him, we can see the result of all that crashing down. All that we already know about the dad is confirmed.

However, I like that he is not just a faceless villain that is plain evil. Through a conversation with Ben, his motives are revealed. Though he is still the world’s biggest A-hole, we understand why he did what he did, which makes him more human.

Mom
Unlike the dad, the mom is an absolute sweetheart. And I am so glad that Ben has a mom like that to lean on.

Though their interactions are brief, it is fairly evident that the mom cares about Ben as much as he cares about her.

But other than her acting as a support system for Ben, she also has her own conflicts, making her a more well-rounded problem.

Grandma
She is the best character there is. Honestly. Grandma (or should we say G-ma) is everyone’s favourite grandma.

She is funny. She is quirky. She makes “very strong heartbreak tea” (that’s where the name of the book comes from). She is super supportive. She does what she wants. Gives back to her community and is basically a boss.

I want to be like her when I’m 80.

Other Characters
Including Rachel, Morgan, Whitney, Charlie, Tanner, etc.

Though you get to know Rachel and Morgan more in their book “In the Event of Love,” the rest of the characters don’t have as much page time in the book.

Though I wish there was a bit more interaction between Ben and characters like Rachel, (we only really see them at the beginning and end of the book,) I am glad that they are there.

They support Ben and their interactions with him help you see just how much of an impact that Ben’s café has made on their local community and their lives as well!

Rating: 4.9/5

Plot
This is the action in the story. Since this story is more character-driven, the plot is less significant. However, it still has a role to play and can help outline the stages of the book. Below, I outlined which chapters each event occurs in the book. However, they may be slightly different in the final version of the book.

Exposition
Occurs in chapter 1–2.

We get introduced to Fern Falls. We are introduced to our main character and the love interest. It is established that Ben is a baker and Adam is a singer. Although the writing is slightly awkward at first as it generally is in the exposition as things are being set up, it quickly becomes smoother and better flowing. So in general, it is down fairly decently.

Rising Action
Starts in chapter 2 and ends in the middle of chapter 25. This is where the majority of the story takes place.

Along with the majority of conflict happening in this chapter, the majority of character development also occurs in this part of the book. This is when the full depths of Ben’s trauma are revealed and when his character grows.

In my opinion, the rising action is done fairly well. I enjoyed how the author tied in conflict and tension and used them as points for character development while keeping the story interesting at the same time.

However, there are still some things that I think could be changed to improve the story. But overall, pretty solid.

Climax
This is the part of the story where there is the most tension. In my opinion, it occurs during chapters 25 and 26.

Personally, I have mixed feelings about the climax. Not so much the event that leads to the climax since that was done well and tied in with the themes and character development of the story; but the third-act argument after.

Other than that, the characters were pretty understanding of each other and there were a lot of emotions shown in the climax which is essential for amplifying the tension.

Falling Action
This occurs after the climax which in my opinion is chapters 27 to 30. I thought it was done fairly well. However, there were some things that I wished there was a bit more of in the falling action.

Denouement
The last one or two chapters of the book basically, where everything wraps up in a nice bow. Chapters 30 to 31 in this case. I thought this was perfectly done. However, an epilogue could’ve been added to show what happens after if the author wanted to.

Anyways, you have a nice grand, romantic gesture. You have the characters forgiving, communicating, explaining, and finally getting together again. It is super sweet. So, what more could you ask for?

Rating: 4.5/5

Style

Themes and Representation
I loved the themes and representation that the author incorporated. Mental health is so important as well as a good representation of LGBTQ+ characters that don’t just focus on advocacy (though, that is important as well.)

I love how the author made sure to acknowledge how valid Ben and Adam’s mental health struggles are. How their trauma is not their fault. She didn’t treat the characters like they had to “get over their struggles” and she also didn’t treat them like they were super fragile and were about to break in any second.

Mental health is very important and a thing that many people go through. By writing characters with trauma and anxiety and “normalizing” their struggles, the author is helping a lot of people as they are able to see themselves in a book.

Also, I love that she also recognized how bad America’s healthcare system is. So… props!

As for the representation of LGBTQ+ characters, I love how it is just so “normalized.” Like, the author just casually has the characters introduce their pronouns or mention that they are bi.

Love that as it validates and normalizes queerness in our society! Yay! And also, we get to see a queer book with a HEA and no homophobia. Double yay!

Format and Diction
For formatting, the book is written in the first-person present tense. I don’t really mind that since I think it fits the narrative. I see romance as a genre where it is more beneficial to write from the first-person as you need to “get inside the head” of the characters.

As for the present tense, I am a person that doesn’t mind it too much. I know some people do but I think it works as it allows us to understand what Ben is feeling and experiencing at the moment.

In terms of diction, I love how the author describes the settings. She puts a lot of detail in describing them and as a person who loves books set in pretty places, I love that.

But I also like how she describes the “spicy” scenes as well. You can really feel the character’s vulnerability and chemistry rippling through the page!

Other
I like that there were a lot of references to pop culture since it is something that is prevalent in society and it can also make you feel more connected to the characters in the book if you like the same song as them or something.

Finally, I love that there was a discussion guide at the end because it allows you to really think about the story. This allows the reader to better understand and relate to it.

For fun, I’ll answer some of these questions:
My favourite place is the library
My favourite romance tropes are friends-to-lovers, fake dating, and a second chance romance. For non-romance, I love found family and riches to rags trope!
Never Had a Chance by Katherine Li (Ben), The Best of My Love by the Eagles (Adam), Fire on Fire by Sam Smith (both)

Rating: 4.6/5

Final Rating

Characters: 4.9/5
Plot: 4.5/5
Formatting: 4.6/5
Final Rating: 4.7/5 (round up to 5 stars)
Personal Rating: 4.2/5

Date Read: April 6th, 2023
Date Reviewed: April 6th, 2023

“Follow me.”
He smiles. “Anywhere.”

-best friend’s brother, small town romance, Ben is part of a baking competition 🧑‍🍳🎥🎬
-cute and lovable characters with good chemistry and moments between Adam and Ben ☺️
-love me some healthy communication!!
-Ben’s dad is the worst ❌
-thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for this ARC ✨

4.0⭐️

Oh my sweet cinnamon buns this was fun! In The Case of Heartbreak is a book that combines two of my favourite things, cute guys and baking!

Ben runs a little bakery in a mountainside town, and has the opportunity of a lifetime to take his family’s famous cinnamon buns nation-wide through a TV baking contest. There’s just one problem. His estranged father.

Adam runs the mechanic down the street from Ben’s bakery. He also plays guitar and is an all round incredible guy who has held a flame for Ben for years. Not that Ben has picked up on that. Nor had Adam picked up on Bens flame either… that is until Bens G-ma throws a 2 week celebration for her 80th birthday.

While trying to keep the drama surrounding the TV show a secret from his family, and dealing with the trauma of being lost in the woods as a child, Ben is thrown into the deep end when Adam shows up at the celebrations to play in the band. Adding to that Bens family meddling in their lives to bring the two together, there are shenanigans aplenty!

I honestly loved the way @court_kae wrote these two characters. Their insecurities, their traumas, their dreams, and the way that they build each other up and make each other stronger by being together. Oh and the baking scene where Ben is trying out new recipes, especially the frosting and the couch…I mean 🥵🥵🥵

The supporting characters also really rounded out the story. Aside from Bens mum, and all of his friends, G-Ma is amazing. Like who doesn’t want an 80 year old grandma who walks around with a flask of deadly cocktail stashed in her bra 😂

Review: In the Case of Heartbreak by Courtney Kae
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Friends, I love this book. I loved the first book in the series and this one may be even better! You can swipe through the images to read the story blurb, but here are some things to look forward to (aka some of my fave bits with no real spoilers):

•Pining and friends to long time crushes to lovers storyline.
•References to While You Were Sleeping, especially "leaning". IYKYK.
•G-ma and her incredible themed parties.
•"My feelings for you are not fragile." SWOON!

I tried to make cinnamon rolls to emulate Ben's amazing family recipe. The thing is, I can't eat gluten and the gluten free dough I made did not want to stay together when rolled, so I've got cinnamon not-quite-rolls. Good news is, they still tasted pretty good! Also, they are now both the proof that Ben really does make the best cinnamon rolls and a allusion to the story, something along the lines of:

Even if you feel or appear to be a mess, you're still good.

Thank you to the lovely @court_kae and @netgalley for the ARC! You can read book 1, In the Event of Love, now and then this book when it releases July 25/23.

#ITCOH #CourtneyKae #BookReview #ARC #RomanceReader #BadamForever #QueerRomance #CinnamonRolls

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my review.

I liked the story of Ben and Adam. They were cute together. I liked most of the characters.
Including grandma even though she was a bit wacky. Yet I wasn't as invested in this book as I thought I would be, nor do I believe I will remember this in 6 months. Overall, it was a cute story.

I was so excited to read this book after reading the first Fern Falls book last year (which was SO cute!), but I feel like this one missed the mark for me. There was still a lot to love though - the warmth of the story still had me turning the pages to get to the end.

What worked for me:
Ben and Adam's friends to lovers situation - I loved that they had known each other forever!
Great mental health rep that shows the work it takes to heal from trauma
Swoony small town beach moments
A v cute grandma

What worked less for me:
The single POV - I found myself really wanting to get into Adam's head!
The high-low of the deep trauma Ben had but the quick wrap on his father situation
The pacing overall
The lack of actual baking in a book about a baker - I know that sounds silly, but the story is architected against the premise of a baking show and I wanted more baking, more treats, more show.

I think if you like a deep romance that still hits the rom com notes, a la Part of Your World or The Charm Offensive, you'll probably enjoy this!

Kae brings the sweet and steamy once more with ITCoH––and I'm not just talking about the cinnamon rolls! Ben and Adam are both individually characters you want to root for and see happy. Their individual struggles and triumphs make their synergistic love story that much more rewarding. And of course, the cameos from Morgan and Rachel are a sweet callback to In the Event of Love. This story takes so many well-known romance tropes and brings them to life in new and surprising ways. Once again, Courtney Kae proves to be a powerhouse in romance!!!

One of my favorite romances of last year was In the Event of Love and I was beyond pleased to see that there was no let down here in Courtney's second book. I absolutely loved watching Adam and Ben fall in love, almost more than Rachel and Morgan, which came as a shock to me. I always love spunky grandparental figures so G-ma and her legendary parties were a huge plus, at least for me. I love that a part I figured was going to contribute to the third act breakup actually got dealt with in the way that two grown-ass adults would deal with it instead of letting it become a mess. I loved the dialogue, I loved Ben's friends, I loved seeing Rachel and Morgan again, I will never seen Folger's coffee in quite the same way, and I truly cannot wait for more from Courtney.