I loved this story so much! I have read another title from Courtney that I loved so was a bit nervous, but this held up! Ben and Adam were so genuine and fun to read. And I also really enjoyed the side characters and felt they added so much to the main story!

Omg! Wow!!!! First off! I should mention that although this book is the 2nd in the Fern Falls series, it can DEFINITELY be read as a standalone! I bought "In the Event of Love" back in December but was too busy to read it. I'm saving it for next year but still read "In the Case of Heartbreak," knowing that I hadn't read the 1st book.

Now, back to the review! Omg, G-ma is a LITERAL SAVAGE. what an icon?!?! She is literally the BEST character in this book! Her action, dialogue, and scheming were all so much to take in but she is SUCH A GIRL BOSS.

I wanna be invited to G-ma's parties! Like, the themes were TOP TIER! pirates?!?! Grease?!?! AND regency era?!?! All those parties seemed like such a vibe!!!

And don't get me started on G-ma's BOOK CLUB! It was giving cult.... But in a good way lol! All the ladies were hyping Ben up, and they were just an overall MOOD. That whole sunrise pelvic thrust yoga stuff too👀 BAHAHA, not what I expected but Hilarious!

Ben and Adam are sooooooo adorable as well! The friends to lovers trope in this book was executed immaculately! And the frickin' glass figures?!?! SO ADORABLE!!!

And as always for my reviews! I gotta mention the pop culture references!!!!! I'm a sucker for some pop culture references so here are some that I wrote down while reading:
- Taylor Swift
- Bridgerton
- Hocus Pocus
- Baby Queen
- AND Kristen Stewart 🫣

Overall, 5/5 stars and I highly recommend!!! And ik this is mainly set on a beach, but it can DEFINITELY be read any time of year! It was such a refreshing vacation of a book and I really enjoyed it! :)

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

I am here for all of Courtney Kae’s queer romances! After reading In the Event of Love, I was excited to return to Fern Falls to read Ben’s story.

Always helpful, almost-always anxious Ben is doing what he loves - serving up sweet treats to the residents of Fern Falls in his cafe. Ben steps out of his comfort zone when offered the chance to participate in a national baking show and everything comes crashing down around him. His life-long crush and former best friend admits, on live television, that they’ll only ever be friends and his absent father reappears threatening a lawsuit over the recipe Ben is entering in the baking competition. Fortunately, Ben’s G-ma’s 80th birthday is approaching which draws him to Maywell Bay for two weeks of over-the-top parties in the seaside town.

I really enjoyed this book and all of the characters that were featured. Well, except Ben’s father, but who could like that man? I can’t help but wish I had a grandmother like G-ma Parrish and such a supportive group of friends!

As an anxious person, I felt that Ben’s anxiety and related mental health were realistically portrayed while being handled with care.

My only “complaint” is that I wish we had been able to see things from Adam’s perspective as well. I would have liked to hear Adam’s inner thoughts about his feelings for Ben, but beggars can’t be choosers!

First, thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I give this a solid 5.0 🌸 This was an absolute delight and exactly what I needed right now.

While it wasn't overly poetical or deep, it was a great in-between books book. What I mean is, that this is perfect if you just want to escape, read something comfy, funny. Something that pulls on your heartstrings a bit but still makes you wear a goofy smile at the end of it.

The summer atmosphere is on point, the characters are so loveable, the humour is amazing (there was NO chapter where I didn't at least snicker). The best part though was all the belly-swooping pining and sexual tension from the start.

And what I maybe liked the most were the "sexy times". I read lots of spice and often, these jump right to it (literally) but this book took its time with the foreplay and buildup of the actual intercourse which made it SO MUCH HOTTER.

Overall, this will definitely be a great, easy summer read for lots of people that just want to fall into a happy summery rom-com bubble. :) And it'll definitely earned a spot for my Pride Month Instagram features this year.

I have been so eagerly anticipating Ben and Adam's book. I fell for both, but especially for Ben when I read In the Event of Love. And I was so excited to return to the beautiful and safe home of Fern Falls and to see them come together.

This book was so incredibly tender with long held feelings and a slow burn. It's deeply emotional, especially as Ben processes trauma from parental abandonment and depression. I thought it was so beautifully written and especially appreciated Adam's loving care of and respect for him.

The mix of beachy setting and the mountains swept me away. And I especially appreciated the cameos for The Ripped Bodice (the best ever indie bookstore and where I bought my copy of In the Event of Love and got the greatest book swag for it!). Ben's grandmother is the best, and I loved her whole community the Fern Falls folks.

The book is written in single POV from Ben's perspective. At times, I really wanted to know what Adam was thinking as well, but I actually felt that was regularly shown through what he said and even more how he behaved toward Ben. And I especially appreciated that the two of them were regularly good about communicating with each other.

And now I am off on a search for cinnamon rolls because Ben's cooking made me crave them, and I also think cinnamon rolls are a perfect metaphor for both lovely characters.

Thank you to Kensington and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. These opinions are my own.

rounded up

First thing's first: Badam forever! Ben and Adam's story was so beautiful and emotional. Ben has been in love with Adam for years, but he never said anything so he wouldn’t ruin the friendship. Adam is the brother of Rachel, who is Morgan’s wife. Morgan and Rachel’s romance was the subject of ‘In the Event of Love’.

Ben runs a bakery, and he is going to be featured on a baking competition show. Ben is known for his delicious cinnamon roll recipe, but his dad is trying to sue him for his cinnamon roll recipe. His dad is a music executive and he left when Ben was little. Now, his dad wants to capitalize on his son's newfound fame. As the show begins to film, one of the producers thinks that Adam and Ben are dating. Instead, Adam rejects Ben on live tv and said they would only ever be friends.

After his on-air rejection by Adam, Ben goes to Maywell Bay for his grandmother's two week birthday celebration. He can't wait to get away from everything, but he finds that his grandmother has invited Adam on the trip too. Adam and Ben finally talk about (and act on!) their feelings for each other. They take their friendship to another level, and they both have to work on their past trauma in order to determine how they can be together.

Adam cares so much about Ben, and he does so many sweet things for him. I love that he wanted to woo Ben, and his gestures were adorable. No spoilers, but he does so many wonderful things for Ben, and I smiled and teared up at several points in the book.

Ben may bake cinnamon rolls for a living, but he is a real life cinnamon roll too! The way that he cares for everyone in his life is so adorable.

The story has beautiful descriptions of Maywell Bay, and I felt like I was right in the seaside town with Ben and Adam. The author, Courtney Kae, has a way of transporting you with their words, and I wish that Maywell Bay was a real place that I could visit, I loved reading about the theme nights for Ben's grandmother's parties, and it seemed like such a good time!

There were several heavy topics in the book, but everything was handled in such a great way. Ben and Adam have both been through a lot in their past, and they work together to develop the best relationship for them.

This story was emotional, beautiful, adorable, sweet, and full of love. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a heartfelt, emotional romance with interesting characters and a real depiction of mental health struggles.

Thanks to NetGalley, Courtney Kae, and Kensington Books for an ARC of the wonderful story.

One of the most fulfilling romance I’ve ever read. It has everything I could’ve asked for and more. The atmosphere was amazing, all the characters were very lovable and Ben is incredibly relatable. Overall is an amazing book and I can’t wait to buy it and have it in my collection. I loved the representation and the humor of Ben’s family.
Even with the drama the story felt like a big hug and made feel giddy and happy.

I love romance novels where the two characters are actively good for each other, and Ben and Adam are so good together. It's an example of the best friends to lovers trope done well. Also have never craved cinnamon rolls more in my life than I did while reading this

Literally sobbing, this book was so wholesome and so healing ❤️

The first few chapters were pretty much full on heartbreak, setting the crisis and angst plotlines for the story.. and then a few chapters + tears later, we see things *starting* to work out, albeit in a bumpy fashion (so yeah, the title is so apt). This book deals with a lot of anxiety and stress and road-blocks faced by the two MCs and the author has done such an amazing job of solving all the obstacles and healing them at an appropriate pace. I loved the constant communication, I loved the way the MCs openly discussed their trauma and anxiety and reassured each other, and I so frickin loved the way everything was happily resolved at the end. I just wanna go read it all again, it was so perfect.

Should I hope for more books in this series? Maybe Whitney and Tanner next?

--- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

I fell in love with the idea of Badam while reading the first Fern Falls book, In The Event Of Love. I was hoping, praying, crossing my fingers and toes that we would get to see their love story unfold in the future, and Courtney answered my prayers.

Ben Parrish and Adam Reed are childhood besties who have [not so secretly] been pining after one another for an eternity. When Ben enters a national baking competition with his family’s famous cinnamon roll recipe, Adam is eager to support him. But after the producer assumes they’re romantic partners on live TV, and Adam rather forcefully makes the declaration that they’re just friends, Ben hightails it out of Fern Falls and to his grandma’s house in Maywell Bay.

Celebrating his g-ma’s 80th birthday is a 2-week extravaganza and Ben is all too happy to participate. He hopes the time away from Fern Falls will help him move on from Adam. But when Adam shows up in Maywell Bay as the replacement guitarist for the band g-ma hired, it seems like the two may have finally got their timing right. Enter a shitty “dad” (I use the term loosely because fuck Jake Gibbons) who threatens to dismantle Ben’s stability in both life and love.

This touched on some heavy shit y’all. My poor Ben was 👏🏼 Going. Through. It. 👏🏼 But I absolutely loved his support system, his ability to implement therapeutic skills learned through years of counseling, and his open communication with Adam. The mental health rep was top notch and so well done.

This book was a romance. Childhood besties to lovers, two sunshines making the world a brighter place, together. But it was also a journey of self-acceptance. Ben had to take time to heal from his past trauma in order to be able to fully accept love; something so relatable to so many readers.

I also need to express my endless gratitude to the author for the incredible amount of diversity and inclusivity in this book. It definitely didn’t go unnoticed. Thank you 💕

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for this ARC.

Courtney Kae excels is turning me into a puddle. There was something so emotionally affirming this book that made it so special to read.

Just, so much HEALTHY (or at least attempts to get there) coping and discussion of trauma and all kinds of emotions that it touched me deeply.

In the Case of Heartbreak is the second in a series. Unfortunately I didn’t read the first, so my only meeting with these two characters is in this book. Apparently they have known each other for years, and have been unknowingly pining for one another the entire time.

Ben is a baker and on a reality TV show. He’s sent a cease and desist order for using a recipe allegedly handed down from his father (not the case) but Ben is already grappling with a hefty dose of trauma courtesy of his father, so this doesn’t help at all. The TV network proposes it’s not such a big deal and can be mitigated if they see more of Ben with Adam, his friends brother, who is mistaken for Ben’s boyfriend on the reality show, and subsequently has the world -shipping them.

Ben takes some time out to work out his options, taking two weeks for his Grandmother’s birthday party. Unlike the rest of the cast of this book G-ma sounds like a real hoot, but it appears she’s got money problems and might have to be bailed out by Ben’s mother. G-ma and her parties sound like a cross between Priscilla Queen of the Desert and the Rocky Horror Picture Show. When Adam turns up at G-ma’s party the writing is on the wall, and the boys are declaring their love left right and centre for one another.

There’s more but it makes for a bit of directionless book, as much as I wanted to love it.

What didn’t work for me with this one is -
* it was about cake-ing and baking but apart from the little at the start there wasn’t a whole lot of either, just loose references to Ben owning the business (which really G-ma gifted to him) and his friend who was covering for him in his absence. And there’s the one cooking scene which was more like foreplay really, and somewhat cringey.
- the one POV from Ben felt emotionally juvenile and made him sound like he was whining.
- there was no buildup to Ben and Adam getting together. I can’t say whether it happened to some extent in the previous book
- the romance scenes seemed as if they were going to be off page and then there’s a scene with oral sex that was pretty graphic. It didn’t make sense to me. Particularly when the off the page happened first … (it doesn’t bother me either way, it just seemed as if the author couldn’t decide how far to go).
-the resolution of Ben’s father being a shitbag was really unsatisfactory, and a real whimper considering the trauma and disruption caused throughout the book.
- Adams voice was like an annexure and I wanted to know more about how he’d arrived at the point he was at.

Thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for the eARC of this book.

I really loved the previous book in this serious, but I was overall disappointed by this one.

I thought there would be more baking, but there’s only the one baking scene, and its mostly used as foreplay. And there’s more alcohol consumption described than tasty baked goods, which was surprising given this book was marketed as a bakery-focused romance.

And even with the very steamy romance, this book was a lot heavier than the first one, as the main character, Ben, deals with a lot of weighty issues, still working in therapy on some MAJOR emotional damage from his childhood, and a lot of old wounds being reopened by the current-day plotline involving a cruel father and the perils of owning your own business and being on reality TV.

I loved that Ben has people that he can - and does! - talk to and a network of support that rally around him. Even better that he acknowledges how privileged that is. Its nice to see a main character that doesn't bottle everything up and create manufactured tension by deliberately withholding crucial intel from the love interest.

But then, after putting the main character through the wringer, in the end, everything is solved by Grandma’s typical Boomer dragon horde of money and Ben is told not to worry his pretty head about anything, G-Ma has waved her checkbook and fixed everything for you. Also, the father is never punched in the mouth or taken away in handcuffs, I would have accepted either one. But no, he merely slithers away with no final confrontation or take down by Ben. He just pays an unofficial fine to Grandma off stage.

Not the ending I was looking for! It felt too easy and un-cathartic after everything Ben went through.

title: In the Case of Heartbreak

author: Courtney Kae

publisher: Kensington

publication date: July 25, 2023

pages: 320

peppers: 3 (on this scale)

warnings: childhood trauma talked about a lot, drug use

summary: narrator Ben runs a bakery that is competing, using a cinnamon roll recipe that mom adapted from absent/neglectful father's recipe, on a baking television show. At the same time, Ben finds out that his father issued a Cease and Desist order about using the recipe, that his grandmother, who's throwing a huge, multi-day birthday bash for herself, is going broke, and that his longtime crush Adam will be playing at G-ma's party and sharing the guest cabin with Ben.

tropes:

rockstar
baker
the one that got away
longtime crush
wild grandmother
two-week party
vacation town
forced proximity (which is also the  name of the band in the book)
childhood trauma
children who try to take care of their parents
don't want to ruin the friendship
bad father/good mother

what I liked:

describes some fun costumes
grandmother's parties sound entertaining
some good puns

what I didn’t like:

the two MC spend ten years pining for each other and not saying anything about it; then, once they start talking, they talk about everything and say exactly what a textbook of a supportive person would say.
the first person voice is too whiny and insecure; he covers the same emotional ground too often and doesn't listen to all the people saying just the right things to him.
the dialogue seems forced and juvenile

overall rating: 1 (of 5 stars)--I didn't like the narrative voice on this one at all.

Such a great romcom! After reading book one in this series, I just knew Ben and Adam had to have their story told. And it’s finally here!

This book seems to almost jump right into the middle of the story, with Ben already involved in a baking reality show and head-over-heels for Adam. This worked really well for the book, with lots happening right off the bat.

The secondary characters are top notch (and fun to revisit some we met in book one), although I’d love to punch Ben’s dad right in the face. Just me? Nope, I didn’t think so 😜 And now… let’s hear from Whitney and Tanner next, please!

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Watch for In the Case of Heartbreak to come out July 25, 2023.

Having read Kae's first Fern Falls book, I was already in love with Ben and Adam and couldn't wait to see what their love story would bring. In a lot of ways, this second book shows maturity in Kae's storytelling. The plot was not so predictable that I could see every move coming like I could in book one. Far from being a light and fluffy read, this story contains deeper emotional arcs and darker themes despite the sunny beach backdrop. My primary concern with this book is characterization. Ben and Adam's voices are at times not terribly distinct. It's hard to feel like they come to life when their voices can be so one note. Furthermore, Kae has a tendency to make multiple allusions to cultural touchstones that may fall flat if a reader isn't familiar with the references. However, I do salute Kae for modeling a relationship between two men that demonstrates solid, healthy emotional communication. And the overall message is as sweet and rich as Ben's cinnamon rolls: that while the love of others can nourish us, first we have to learn how to accept it.

Thanks to NetGalley for an arc of this book.

I already feel in love with Fern Falls and Ben in the “Event of Love” and “In the Case of Heartbreak” doesn’t disappoint. The book feels like a warm hug and gives the reader a heartfelt love story to root for.

The book centers on Ben, the owner of Peak Perk Cafe, who is desperately in love with his former best friend Adam who seems to only have eyes for his band mates. Enter a baking competiton, a famous idiot of a father, miss-understandings and a G-Ma that loves to celebrate her birthdays in style.

I love character-driven love stories and Ben’s anxiety and his growth are what kept me following along. I once more fell in love with the side characters from Ben’s G-Ma to Whitney his temporary replacement at the café, they all adds much life to the story.

I highly recommend this book to everyone who is looking for a cute love story with an honest representation of mental health struggles.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an arc of this book. Below is my honest review.

This is the second book in the Fern Falls series. It can be read as a standalone. However, keep in mind that some of the events in “In the Event of Love” will be spoiled.

Ben, who we met in book one, runs Peak Perk Cafe which is one of two finalists in a baking competition show called “Take the Cake National”. One month after filming at the bakery, Ben’s famous cinnamon rolls will face off on live tv versus a cupcake baked in a waffle cone. (Okay, that sounds amazing, but I’m still rooting for Ben). The winners confections will be mass produced and sold in a big box store. All Ben wants is to prove to his mother and G-ma (yes, that is how his grandmother wants to be referred to in her ninth decade) is that he can and will succeed. Except for maybe possibly not being able to tell his long time crush Adam his feelings.

Then, a double whammy hits Ben and he has no idea how to handle everything. Fortunately, he has plans to go to Maywell Bay for two weeks to celebrate g-ma’s 80th birthday with his family. And who happens to be there? Read and find out.

Oh my, how I adored this book. I am very much a character-driven reader. I could not get enough of Ben and Adam. Adams love, trust, and understanding was goals. He is one of my all time favorite love interests …and, that’s saying something because I read a lot. Seeing Ben working through his anxiety was so heartwarming and hopeful. The anxiety representation felt spot on. How Kae handled triggers that place you right back in that situation from your past was masterful and done with care.

And, we can’t forget the secondary characters. G-ma is a laugh riot. I loved each and every scene she was in. Ben’s family was lovable and huge. Oh, and I forgot how much I liked Whitney. We better get a Whitney (and Tanner?) book next! Please and thank you.

Listen, I cannot recommend this one enough. I know I will be rereading many many times. Solid five star book. Go out and get this as soon as you can I if the plot seems up your alley. You won’t be disappointed.

CW’s provided at the start of the book. They include childhood trauma, mental and emotional parental abuse and neglect, depression, and anxiety. Parental divorce.

In the Case of Heartbreak is a book I’ve been anticipating for a long while, at least since I first read In the Event of Love early last year. So, obviously, I devoured it the moment I got my grubby little mitts on the ARC.

This one is Ben and Adam’s story, which I was hoping for from the second they appeared together in the first book. Ben believes that his crush on Adam is unrequited, a position only strengthened when Adam seemingly emphasises their friendship and thus rejects him on live TV. Ben takes two weeks away with his grandma at her birthday party in a bid to recover his equilibrium, only to discover that she’s gone and invited Adam too. On top of this, Ben is having to deal with his arsehole of a dad claiming Ben’s cinnamon roll recipe as his own.

Adam and Ben’s relationship is very sweet and it’s one that, throughout, you’re rooting for them to make work. There are stumbling blocks, of course, and the minor quibble of a third act break up to navigate (which, frankly, I thought they both seemed to take out of proportion — was Ben not simply asking Adam… to go on holiday for a bit, give themselves a moment to breathe? It was hardly a break up! — but maybe I’m not cut out for this drama), but the best thing about this book is you can tell how much they love one another from the very start.

It was also lovely to return once again to Fern Falls and to see the family that’s starting to build up around these books. I really hope there’s going to be a third book because there’s a certain pairing I am very curious about (you can probably guess who it is…) but also because I don’t want to leave these characters behind just yet.

So if you’re looking for your next small town romance series to dive into, let Fern Falls be it!

This book was so deeply sweet and heartfelt and I felt like I was being wrapped in a huge hug. It's also so deeply painful and I loved Ben's personal journey with trying to accept love and loving himself in the process. I loved every single part of it. I think Ben is one of the sweetest characters ive ever read about. Ben and Adam's love story is so pure and precious and full of light.
Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington, and the Author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
tw: narcissistic father, past parental neglect, and emotional abuse.