Had I read this 10 years ago, I would have been all over this. Because the yearning and slightly taboo-ness of it all would have been my catnip.

But I'm 35, and I know better now, and the things that are taboo, I find harder to enjoy.

Did I love that she was 21? No. Did I love that his initial attraction of her was because she was so sad? Also no. And did this poor girl need to go through the 7 realms of hell in order to get the same message across? Also also no.
(But to our hero's credit, he was VERY self aware that she was too young).

BUTTTTTTTTT

The healing/ and development of the relationship and found family portion of the book was really good. And although there was an interesting take of having a shitty therapist experience, it is important that people know that if therapy is making you feel worse and the messages are hostile, then they're a bad therapist and yeet yourself out of there. The message of loving yourself and perservering through shit life things was handled well.

The writing was really good and I read the first 80% in one sitting, so it still did the catnip thing, though I feel like I'm definitely not the target demographic for this one.

Thank you Netgalley and Victory Editing for an e-copy.

Maddie Stevens is a ballerina, while she is preparing for the audition for her dream job she has an accident, so she's forced to take some rest and to do some physical therapy with Doctor James Simmons. Maddie and James are attracted to each other but their doctor-patient relationship is a huge deterrent to inquire into their chemistry and feelings. Will they be determined to keep their distance? Or their affection for each other will undermine their principles?

The beautiful cover of The Darkest Corner of the Heart piqued my curiosity at first glance.

I got really involved into Maddie's life, I've hoped she finds her well deserved happiness. She hasn't had a delightful childhood and it was really nice to see her grow up stronger chapter after chapter, she has the courage to make decisions for herself at the risk to get everything wrong.

I've easily read this novel, I've liked it and the ending was really pleasant. At times however I thought the writing was a little wordy, and the characters were so stubborn and set on their opinions they bored me. I don't see any problem with the age gap between the two main characters, while for them it's almost a deal breaker, that they keep to repropose to exhaustion.

A delectable and addictive read about a forbidden relationship between a ballerina determined to get back on her feet, and the physical therapist who’s meant to get her there.

I LOVED their inevitable pull towards together and the fact that they never did cross any lines no matter how badly they wanted to with the tension they garnered. I loved seeing the interactions between Maddie and the characters we met in the first novel, Cal and Grace.

My heart definitely goes out to Maddie in the ways that she had to grow up — alone and with such low self worth due to her abandonment. Seeing her and James grow on so many levels and growing through the layers of trauma broke my heart, and at the same time, put it right back together again.


Thank you to Page and Vine and Netgalley for the eARC!

Although this was book two, this was actually the first book of Lisina Coneys that I have read. I just kept seeing this book and its character art pop up around social media, and when I saw it was on Netgalley, I ran to apply. You do not need to have read Book One to understand this book, but the preceding couple are prominent characters. So, I would highly recommend reading book one first; I'm definitely going to go back and read it as soon as possible.

This book is the definition of a super-slow burn, as the first signs of a budding romance aren't until about the halfway mark. However, I did appreciate that their relationship was described as doctor and patient while he was treating her, and then it began to unfold afterwards. Lisina did a great job building tension and anticipation between the characters, making the eventual romance feel earned and satisfying.

I would say the only thing that annoyed me was how focused the characters were on their age gap, especially with all the other way more pressing things that were happening at the same time. Overall, I enjoyed how mature and real this book felt; it had such vulnerable and relatable moments that dragged you into the story. Maddie and James were quite a cute couple, and I loved the insight that we had into their relationship 10 years later.

“I love you. So fucking much. I will love you every moment until the day I take my last breath and all over again in my next life.”

I was swept away by the story from the beginning – which is exactly what I hoped would happen since the same thing happened with Lisina Coney's previous novel. Thank you so much Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and Lisina Coney for the ARC!

The Darkest Corner of the Heart continues the story of The Brightest Light of Sunshine - seventeen years later. I thought that made the story really interesting and this book can easily be read as a standalone, too, but I enjoyed visiting the people from the previous novel tremendously. Maddie's journey is a difficult one but she finds all the happiness she deserves and James is great in all the ways he supports her.

Definitely worth a read!

The writing beautifully captures Maddie's inner turmoil and the complexities of her relationships, particularly her growing attraction to James Simmons, her gruff physical therapist. Their dynamic is fraught with tension and undeniable chemistry, making each interaction crackle with intensity. As Maddie grapples with her insecurities and fears, 'Darkest Corner of the Heart' delves into themes of acceptance and embracing one's own worth. The forbidden nature of Maddie and James' connection adds an extra layer of intrigue, keeping me hooked as I rooted for their unlikely romance.

This book was such an amazing read! Heartbreaking and emotional in all the best ways. I connected with James but oh my gosh, Maddie. Spoiler free, but I could really relate to some of the things Maddie was going through with her dad and it HURT. But I was so proud of how she handled things and her growth as a character.
I haven’t read the first book in this series but I already can’t wait to start!

“Maddie Stevens has never felt good enough.”

“There's something to be said about attraction. Much like resentment, you can't control it—I would know a thing or two about that because I've tried.”

“Cry, break something, scream, anything. But allow your heart to bleed because that's the only way to heal."

Forbidden romance, who did this to you, touch her and you will regret it, age gap romance and past trauma … these are the main tropes in this spicy romance book. A book about healing together and separately. A book about a young woman, Maddie, raised by her own brother, who sees her dancing career cut short by an accident. A book about a physical therapist who is falling for a girl 10 years his junior and who has been betrayed in the past. James and Maddie nav incredible tension and electrifying chemistry and reading their dynamics in the book was really good and engaging. The underline story of her past and present and the terrible situation she had to face while growing up, only made their relationship stronger and them in turn more determined to find peace. Andrea the presence of the a bit overprotective big brother … I have to admit that I loved him so much… so I think I might need a read of book one in this series !!! I’m still behind in the work it seems!!! I’m glad I had the chance to read a copy of this book !!!

“It's only now that I realize a haunting truth -Maddie Stevens, my twenty-one-year-old patient, has me wrapped around her little finger.”

"I can't stand the thought of you being hurt, Maddie. In any way, present or past. It makes me want to hurt whoever hurt you. Badly. Repeatedly."

“I'm falling for my ex-physical therapist, a man ten years older than me, a man who doesn't even want a relationship.
And it's going to shatter me.”

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! The Darkest Corner of the Heart is the second book by Lisina Coney. While this one is connected to her previous book, you can absolutely read this one as a stand alone. Maddie was a minor character in the other book and reading it might give you more insight into her life when she was a kid. But you can absolutely just jump straight into this one. Lisina did a great job establishing Maddie as a character and connecting readers to her and her past.

Like the previous book, this is a cute romance. Maddie & James are both interesting characters and it's fun to see them grow closer. I did enjoy getting both of their perspectives! If you loved the first book, then you need to get The Darkest Corner of the Heart immediately. You're really going to enjoy it I think. I also think if you're someone this book is targeting, (such as people who enjoy romances with age differences, forbidden romances, romances with dual pov, or slow burn romances) I would say this book is worth a read. I think it does pretty well in all of those categories.

I won't say this is my favorite romance, but it was fun read overall. It's also an easy read to do in one sitting. I will say that I could've done without the constant mentioning of the age difference. But perhaps if you're looking for that you'll appreciate the reminders. This is another pretty solid book by Lisina Coney. You'll get exactly what the description promises you! I would definitely read future books by her as well!

I wanted to like this. Ballet + Romance seems like a good combo. But this book fell flat for me. The writing came off amateur and the story was a snooze. Also- the brother calling her "Princess" every sentence was just icky. DNF at 67%.

Rating: ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ .5 /5
Spoiler Free Review:
This romance book follows Maddie and James. Right before Maddie’s dream audition for a ballet company she injures herself and requires physical therapy. This is where she meets James, her new Physical Therapist (PT). The two are quickly drawn to each other, but due to James being her PT and their age gap they try to avoid perusing anything.

I absolutely fell in love with Lisina Coney’s writing. Her characters and their struggles feel so real. Maddie and James have fantastic chemistry together, I loved seeing how they interact in PT vs outside in world. I appreciated how the book explores being in your early 20s and how your dreams can change. The Lisina Coney does a really nice also exploring Maddie’s mental health. I love how supportive and protective James is and how he respects Maddie’s agency. If you love forbidden romance and slow burn, this is the book for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and Page & Vine for this ARC!

Maddie has been training as a ballerina for her entire life until she become injured and is forced into close proximity with James, her new physical therapist. Even though there is a 10 year age gap between them (and a whole lot of grumpy with just a hint of sunshine), their attraction can’t be denied despite everything that should otherwise keep them apart.

This book is technically the second of a series and, although it can be read as a standalone, I definitely recommend starting with The Brightest Light of Sunshine for a deeper dive into Maddie’s backstory beforehand.

I may not be the biggest fan of an age gap, but I did enjoy the slow burn and the “he falls first” trope in this. If you’re a fan of Lucy Score’s Knockemout series, I feel like you’d love Lisina Coney’s The Darkest Corner of the Heart. Her writing style is lighthearted, and a balanced mix of sweet and spicy. Lastly, I did find the romance from the first book a bit more dynamic, but this was a strong follow up and I can’t wait to see what Coney comes out with next.

The Darkest Corner of the Heart⭐️⭐️⭐️

Maddie has never felt good enough. Her big brother raised her and she feels like a burden to him. She’s 21 and finally she is going to make something for herself. She has a huge audition for a ballet company coming up. This will be her breakthrough, that is until she hurts her ankle during practice with her partner. Now she doesn’t know what she’s going to do and when she will be able to dance again. She has to start physical therapy for her ankle. This is where she meets Dr. James Simmons, who she is crushing over. The problem: 1) he’s her PT and 2) he’s 10 years older than her. They shouldn’t like each other, but the forced proximity makes all the lines start to blur.

Overall, I will say this one was alright. It wasn’t bad but it wasn’t my favorite either. I felt like there wasn’t as much chemistry between James and Maddie as I would have liked. It felt forced and just didn’t flow right. I felt like it was to drawn out as well. While this book does contain themes that are more for adult readers, they were handled with care and I think the author did a great job dealing with those sensitive topics.

This book is already out if you want to check it out. Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, Paige & Vine. This is my voluntary and honest opinion.

I was super excited to pick up this book, heading back into the world that Lisina created from book one to book two. I had high hopes because I loved book one so very much and was excited to see this forbidden romance in book two. While I loved the idea of it, the execution for this book wasn't my favourite. Half of the time I was trying to figure out if they actually even liked each other because they had no chemistry with one another. It really slowed my reading down trying to grasp half of the things going on because Maddy was a mess a good majority of the time. I did feel for her and I appreciated what she was dealing with and needing to learn how to deal with it, but considering she barely communicated her struggles it was hard to understand her as a character.

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

GENERAL INFO

The Darkest Corner of the Heart- Book #2 The Brightest Light of Sunshine(can be read as a standalone though)

Year Pub/Re Pub: 2/20/24, Read 2/24/24

Format: eBook, 440 pages

Source: Thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing for this ARC !  I voluntarily give an honest review and all opinions expressed are my own.

Setting: Norcastle and Warlington

Genre: NA, Romance, Women's Fic

Tropes: grumpy H , forbidden romance, forced proximity, age gap, slow burn, dual POVs

 HEA/HFN ending: HEA

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Synopsis/Plot Summary: Maddie has dreamed of being a ballerina since she was 4 years old and now at 21, she has the chance to join The Norcastle Ballet. Only Maddie pushes herself too far, and is injured. She believes it's the end of her career, but with the help of her loving older brother and the best physical therapist in town, maybe she can find some light in the darkness.

M/F-M/M-M/M/F-etc: M/F

Jealy/Possy/OTT H/h : Dr. Simmons and Maddie's brother are OTT protective of her.

CHARACTER DESCRIPTION

FMC: Maddie Stevens- Just graduated college w/ BA in ballet. Has a loving older brother (Cal) who took custody of her when she was 4 years old. Had an alcoholic mother and absentee father.

MMC: Dr. James Simmons-31, experienced family betrayal too, an ex NFL player w/ career ending injury. A real grump but secretly attracted to and cares about Maddie.

Cal, Grace, Lila-Maddie's brother, sister in law, and niece. Grace was Maddie's 1st ballet teacher.

H /h RELATIONSHIP INFO
Their family lives had parallels and both deal with them differently. There's plenty of angst and pining, and really no hook up until last 30% of the book.

AUTHOR OVERVIEW: 
Lisina Coney-I read TBLOS and gave it 5 ⭐

PERSONAL OVERVIEW
Overall Rating: 4⭐⭐⭐⭐  1⁄2

Do You Recommend This Book: yes

Will You Re-read This Book: yes

Would You Read More Books by this Author: yes

COMMENTS/NOTES

I loved the first book and highly recommend it. Trauma reveals itself differently for everyone. In Maddie's case she felt unloved by her parents and a burden to her brother. Dancing was the only thing that helped her feel alive. James tried to remain professional even though he found a kindred spirit in Maddie. I think Cal had a lot to do with that, but he waited until their PT was done to make a real move. This was another masterpiece in reconciling relationships and finding true love.

“My heart is yours. And I want your heart, James, all the dark corners that come with it. Will you give it to me?”
“It’s always been yours.”

- Age gap (he’s 31, she’s 21)
- Forbidden: ballet dancer x her physical therapist
- Cat dad!
- Dual POV

Urgh, I had such high hopes for this one, but it was sadly a letdown for me.

Let's start with what I liked:
- I slowly grew to like James. He was very protective of Maddie and fell hard for her, which is always the way to my heart! “You bring me so much peace, Maddie.”
- I liked seeing Maddie and Cal's relationship in the future and how much their bond strengthened over time.

What could've been improved:
- The start. It was very slow, with Maddie basically just going to physio and feeling uncertain about her future.
- The slow burn. I love a slow burn, but I need the chemistry and tension to build until that breaking point, and I didn't get that between James and Maddie.
- The repetitiveness surrounding their age gap There were 36 (!!) mentions of her age. And then when Cal was hypocritical and defensive about their age gap... when he dated Grace when she was 22 and he was 30? He came around to the idea quickly, but still, it seemed completely out of character.
- There was a lot of drama at the end and it almost felt like too much going on. The focus was pulled in too many directions, and the storylines didn't have enough space to develop.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the early copy.

This is my first book by this author and it wasn't for me. The writing is good but I think given them trigger warnings, specifically about alcoholic and neglectful mothers was too much for me. Even though I devour sports romances on the regular, this one brought up too many bad memories and emotions for me. For that reason I had to stop reading and mark it DNF. I still try to read the first book in this series, depending on the trigger warnings. I hate to DNF a book, but for my own mental health I had to stop.

Maddie Stevens hits a low when she injures her ankle before a big ballet audition. James Simmons is her grumpy but hot physical therapist, whom she's forced to spend time with. Despite the age gap and the "forbidden" vibe, sparks fly as they get closer, making it harder for them to stick to the rules and resist the temptation.

Darkest Corner of the Heart was a super cute read. I enjoyed the tension, protective vibes, and connection between the two of these mc's throughout this. There's a huge focus on the age gap here, but I don't think it was necessary, thus the not 5 stars. Overall, I enjoyed this read and can't wait to read more from the author!

I really enjoyed the first half of this book. The writing is so good, the banter was cute and the plot with Maddie as the patient and her sexy doctor seemed off on a great start.

But after a while things started to really bother me with this one. I did not get the whole “forbidden love” aspect because of their age. She is 21, he is 31. Yes, there is an age gap but not in the way it is handled here. There is so much emphasis on this and so much “oh my god, we cannot do this”. But they are both adults so I don’t really feel that shocked by it to be honest.

And I am afraid I did not really like James. I am kind of over those super protective and possessive MCs. Like give that poor girl some space.

I did like the way trauma was handled but there was a lack in explanations and descriptions sometimes. Not everything was making sense for me and many scenes left me with questions.

Towards the end I found myself skipping a few passages. Especially the sex scenes. Every time James said something like “Oh, does my girl want this (insert dirty talk)” I felt nauseous.

So I hate to sum it up like this: but after a great start I found myself at a point I just wanted to get it over with 😔

First and foremost, I want to start by saying that I adored this story. Having read Cal and Grace’s story, I was beyond excited to start this and see that this was about Maddie. I love that she has navigated this life with kindness. She is sweet and talented and her relationship with her brother is everything.

The tension between Maddie and James was absolutely delicious! Their chemistry was insane. I gasped so loudly at one specific scene that my husband JUMPED. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up.