3.5⭐️ Firstly, I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book! This book follows Cielo and Aidan, who are exes who have to work together to plan their best friend's weddings. Cielo survived cancer and doesn’t believe in second chances, while Aidan is determined to show her that they can spend their best life together. I didn’t read the first book in this series,e s but I had heard so many good things, so I was excited going into this. I thought this book was fun and easy. It was super fast-paced, and the characters were great. Some scenes in the book gave me the ick, but overall it was good! I recommend it if you want a second chance, a fast-paced and easy romance read!

Thank you again to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I liked the idea, loved the setting and the writing was good too.
I loved that the story played in Ireland, it just gives it a bit more personality and gives it a family vibe. I liked their professions. She an ongoing Doctor and him a musician. I also think that second chance romances can be done beautifully.

But I do have to say that this took me forever. The first half of the book felt so dragged out. I couldn't connect to them as a couple at all. Lo's first reaction towards him had me pretty annoyed. It felt very childish. And because of that, the quick turn felt... almost unrealistic.
I also wasn't the biggest fan about how Lo was described as very strong, but often reacted very immature.
The second part of the book was better. It picked up in pace and got a bit more interesting. It was a bit cliche but that really isn't something bad.
The sex scenes weren't for me. At all, but that's a personal preference.

I think my expectations were a bit too high and I might have been in the wrong headspace. This wasn't bad at all, just maybe not 100% for me.

Ivy Fairbanks delivers a heartfelt, vivid second-chance romance in Heart Strings, a follow-up to her standout debut Morbidly Yours. Readers who enjoyed Lark and Callum’s story will appreciate the familiar faces woven into this novel, as well as the rich setting and careful attention to the portrayal of illness.

While Heart Strings offers a moving and emotional journey, the story did fall slightly short for me. Lo, the heroine, was a challenging character to connect with at times. Her tendency to project the mistakes of her father and her first boyfriend onto Aiden—and her unwillingness to allow Aiden the opportunity to prove himself—created a dynamic that occasionally felt frustrating. Her expectations for others, which she herself didn’t consistently uphold, added to the difficulty in fully rooting for her.

That said, there is still so much to love about this book. Aiden is a charming, flawed hero who brings a great deal of heart to the story. Fairbanks once again excels at depicting chronic illness with sensitivity and nuance, making the emotional stakes feel authentic and relatable. The second-chance romance is tenderly crafted, the characters are well developed, and the setting is brought to life through vivid descriptions.

The cover design deserves special mention—it’s bright, whimsical, and perfectly captures the story’s emotional tone.

Heart Strings is a recommended pick for readers who enjoy emotional, character-driven romances and second chances. I'm eager to see what Ivy Fairbanks delivers next and hope we continue to explore more stories within this world.

Thank you to Putnam and NetGalley for providing an advanced reader copy

Heart Strings is a beautifully written, emotional follow-up to Morbidly Yours, and Ivy Fairbanks has once again delivered a story full of heart, healing, and hope. I loved getting to see glimpses of Lark and Callum again—it felt like revisiting old friends! Aiden was an absolute gem (flaws and all), and the second-chance romance at the center of this book was so well done.

While I truly enjoyed the story, it fell just short of a full 5 stars for me, but not enough to bring down to a 4 stars rating. Lo, our heroine, was a little insufferable at times. I struggled with her expectations of others while not always holding herself to the same standard, which made it harder to fully connect with her. That being said, this was the only real flaw for me. The portrayal of illness was once again handled with so much care and authenticity, much like Ivy’s previous book. The character development was strong, the plot kept me hooked, and the vivid scenery descriptions made the story come to life.

Also, I have to mention—this cover is absolutely adorable and so beautiful! Heart Strings was a wonderful read, and I’m already excited for Ivy’s next release. I’m hopeful we’ll get to see more from this world and maybe even dive into another beloved character’s story!

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for the ARC!

Honestly the phone sex scene dropped a star for me. I definitely was a big fan of Aidan but didn’t love Lo as much as I did in the first one. Glad to see some old faces and it was overall an alright read.

I loved the first Galway novel so was definitely eager to read Lo and Aiden's story. So full of emotion right from the beginning and definitely vibe with a strong independent female lead. Love the character growth between the two. Can't wait for the next book in the series!

I struggled a bit to connect with this story but may need to return to it another time! Thank you NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

“Heart Strings” is a sweet and emotional story about love, hope, and finding connection. Ivy Fairbanks writes with warmth and heart, making this a comforting, feel-good read.

i enjoyed the plot of this book! it has the “exes having to get along because they’re maid of honor and best man of their mutual friends’ wedding” trope, which was fun. i do think this book would benefit from having a dual timeline! i would have loved to see more from their past together, and also cielo’s past with her parents. then i might have felt more of a connection between them, and would have found it more understandable why they didn’t try harder to make it work when aidan left. the characters just felt more one dimensional to me compared to lark and callum in morbidly yours.

i did expect to enjoy this a little bit more than i did, but i still recommend! ivy fairbanks has an easy-to-read writing style and her books so far are quick and cute palette cleansers.

there were hints at the characters for a (possible?) next book and i’m excited for it if it’s happening!

thank you g.p. putnam’s sons & netgalley for the free eARC

4.5 ⭐️ for me! The beginning was a little bit slow but I really came to like Lo and A's story. I'm a sucker for second chance romances and this one really worked by the end.

I appreciated the drama and how it was handled - the conversations echo things I wish I could have said to people I care for, and it just came together well. I also appreciated that while there was drama, we avoided a third act breakup!

Really good story. Fun characters. Sweet romance and well written spicy scenes!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

3.75/5

Heart Strings is the perfect feel good romance with just enough back story to understand why they started in the place the book began. I really enjoyed their growth through the story and watching them fall back in love. Overall, for a feel good romance this was a great book and I love the way Ivy Fairbanks writes so it was a good read.

I would definitely recommend this to my audience and would encourage them to go check it out on release day.

Thank you to Netgalley for the e-arc of this book before release day!

4.25⭐️ Lo is a medical resident who broke up with musician Aiden when he went on tour with his band. Now they’re maid of honor and best man at their friend and cousin’s wedding. There’s family tension and a previous battle with cancer. There’s also fun interactions with Lark and Callum from Morbidly Yours.

Ivy Fairbanks hits all the right notes with her latest Galway set tale. This twist on the celeb/normie, second chance romance was decadent. The cameos were utterly beloved.

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.

Cielo & Aiden feel in love during a "summer fling" that abruptly ended when Aiden left Galway to pursue his music career. Now, he's a household name, and loves singing to the crowds, but he's missing one thing: the girl all of his songs are about. But when Cielo & Aiden are forced to work on their best friend's wedding together, the sparks begin flying again.

✨second chance
✨rockstar
✨set in Ireland

I enjoyed this so much!! Such a fun read, and full of so much heart. Cielo was super stubborn & scared of letting Aiden in, but he was so sweet at every turn making sure she knew he was always going to show up. I also loved seeing Lark & Callum from Morbidly Yours get married. I loved it!

🌶️🌶️🌶️

Thank you to Putnam Books, NetGalley & Ivy Fairbanks for an ARC of this book!!

Heart Strings by Ivy Fairbanks is a sweet, heartfelt romance that hits all the right notes. Centered around music, healing, and the slow rekindling of love, this story offers both warmth and emotional depth. Fairbanks’ writing is tender and engaging, with characters who feel authentic and easy to root for.

The chemistry between the leads builds beautifully, making each moment feel earned and intimate. It’s the kind of book that leaves you smiling and a little softer by the end—perfect for fans of cozy, character-driven love stories.

This book was great. I really enjoyed seeing Aidan and Cielo reconnect, it actually felt real! Also getting to see some of Cielo’s patterns in her relationships with her family and friends was a unique way to learn more deeply about her character. Wrung tears (happy) from me!!

Thank you Putnam for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

With her signature blend of sweet, steamy, and unabashedly sentimental, Fairbanks once again whisks the reader away to Galway, this time for a second-chance romance between an overworked med student and a breakout recording artist who put their careers first at a pivotal time in their prior relationship, inciting a breakup, and who get another crack at it during their close friends’ wedding weekend. This one’s a good fit for romance readers who love the hero to be head-over-heels for the heroine from first page to last, ready to sacrifice anything to ensure she feels cared for, supported, desired, fulfilled, appreciated, cherished, and even worshipped. While Fairbanks doesn’t shy away from hard topics like cancer treatment and parental abandonment, she keeps the tone largely bright and bubbly, with much of the book devoted to the sheer joy the central couple experiences in reuniting and exploring the affection and attraction that never went away, making this a warm and smile-inducing read, complete with mischievous sibling dynamics, a timely herd of dawdling sheep, light kink exploration, lots of page time with the beloved book 1 characters, and a fun glimpse of what’s to come in book 3.

Thank you NetGalley, Ivy Fairbanks and Penguin Group Putnam for this eARC

I absolutely loved Morbidly Yours and i literally screamed with happiness when I received this arc. I was not disappointed.

This was a great read about second chances and standing up for what’s best for yourself. It’s okay to be selfish sometimes, everyone else is. I was excited to be back in Galway again and I felt like this story was more about two people healing themselves so they could finally continue their story.
You can see how Lo’s illness and its impact on her parent’s marriage really affected her relationship with Aidan. Her father’s struggles to be there for his family while she was ill kind of mirrored Aidan’s own struggles with his career balance. He felt he had to move to help out his family when they were going through similar issues. But neither really communicated these issues until much later which thankfully they did!

Saoirse deserves everything good in this world. I cannot wait for her book.

This book was a good read but a little slow for me. But i thought the characters were developed really well, which may have been what lead to the slow pace. I rather read about characters that are whole and seem real rather than quickly put together storylines. So i was able to connect with the characters and loved the spice.

Second-chance romance + Irish accents + famous musician MMC + best friend’s wedding = the perfect recipe for a fun, flirty read. And it was spicier than I expected—always a plus!

Ivy Fairbanks is a new-to-me author, and I picked up Heart Strings based on a Bookstagram recommendation, not realizing it’s the second book in the "Love in Galway" series. I probably would have enjoyed it more if I had read Morbidly Yours first, as the backstory of the couple getting married (morticians!) plays into the plot.

Fairbanks weaves in some heavier topics—cancer and complicated family dynamics—while keeping the tone light. Some of the inner monologues felt a bit repetitive, and I wished Cielo, the FMC, had been more open with Aidan. The miscommunications between them got frustrating at times.

Still, Heart Strings was an enjoyable read with charm, heat, and heart.