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.

i thought it was a nice cute read, i loved the idea of him being a musician and her being a doctor as a latina!! we love the rep!

As the title says, it tugs at your heart strings.

I have read the first book in the series, although technically they are standalones. This one’s just as equally as sweet as the first one with a little bit of spice. I truly enjoyed the story and had it’s cute moments. I’m hoping to see more in this world Ivy Fairbanks has created.

This was my first read from Ivy Fairbanks, and overall, I enjoyed it! Heartstrings is a fun, easy romance that delivered exactly what I was hoping for—a sweet and lightly spicy story with likable characters and believable chemistry.

That said, I do wish I’d read Morbidly Yours first. The books are technically standalones, but they’re set in a shared universe, and I have a feeling starting with Morbidly Yours would’ve added a little more depth to my experience. It’s definitely what I’d recommend to others picking up this world for the first time.

While the plot leaned a bit formulaic and probably won’t stick with me long term, it was still a satisfying read. The spice was well done—nothing over the top, just realistic moments that made sense for Aidan and Lo given their history and connection.

Fairbanks has a fun, approachable writing style that I’d be happy to revisit. I’m planning to go back and read Morbidly Yours soon, and I’ll likely pick up the third book when it releases.

I truly enjoyed Heart Strings. This book is filled with the trope of second chance love, mixed with a good amount of spice. Our main character, Lo has a lot of trauma that she is working through when she is thrust into a situation where she is the maid of honor in her cousins wedding while her ex, famous musician Aiden, is made the best man. We get to experience their journey as they navigate being forced to work together to plan wedding festivities as well as address the uncertainties that plagued the ending of their relationship.

Along with the wedding planning we get a look inside of Lo's personal health journey and the way that has shaped her relationships with her family, friends and even her career. Even though I did not directly relate to Lo's health status, I was able to feel a connection with her struggles with her family and her mental health. It may be easy for some people to judge and say she should have just gone to therapy but I feel as though Heart Strings really captured the reality that so many face when we believe therapy's not an option or that it's too overwhelming of an option.

This was the first book I have read from Ivy Fairbanks and I think I may have to go and read Morbidly Yours now that I've gotten a taste of her writing style. Thank you NetGalley, Ivy Fairbanks and Penguin Group Putnam for this ARC!

While I really enjoyed this book, I like book one, Morbidly Yours, more.

The plot was good, if a bit slow.

The character are well developed and have incredible depth.

I did have that immediate click like I did with book one.

This book tugged at my heart from the very first moment- pun very much intended! It comes as absolutely zero surprise to me how much warmth, thought, and heart came through in this book. Heart Strings embodied everything about the beauty of love a second time over and the realization that true love never leaves us behind.

Having met Ivy last year at a release party for Morbidly Yours, I was over the moon excited to be approved for this ARC. Aidan and Cielo had the most beautiful and compelling story. I was rooting for them all along, and their powerful chemistry only amplified that feeling for me.

I love a good musician romance, and I loved the role of music between Aidan and Cielo! The tenderness of every love song of his being written for her just had me melting. Once he’s given the opportunity, he never stops showing up for her, even in the hardest of times. It was a beautiful and meaningful example of true love and the depths of which that love empowers us.

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the opportunity to read and review this book! I received a free advance copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to the publisher & to Netgalley for allowing me to read this!!

I loved the cover and description of this book and was excited when I got the chance to read it early! I realized that it was book two, so I read Morbidly Yours first before picking this up. I'm so glad I did! I love a series where the characters are intertwined throughout each book and knowing Lark and Callum's story and the road they walked to get to the beginning of book two obviously elevated my reading experience greatly.

Heart Strings follows Cielo and Aidan's story about two years after book one ends. Cielo is a med student studying abroad in Galway and she is determined that she can do it all, shouldering any burden alone. When she met Aidan, he was a solicitor and aspiring musician who was on the brink of making it big. The two entered a relationship, but ultimately parted ways (not on great terms) when Aidan moved to London to further his music career.

Heart Strings picks up right before Lark & Callum are about to tie the knot in their dreamy castle wedding, with Lo and Aidan being their maid of honor and best man. Lo spent the last two years avoiding any trace of Aidan as much as possible, whereas Aidan was spending every night rehashing their love story, and ending, on stage in front of crowds. Forced to play nice getting ready for the wedding festivities, the two reconnect and start to mend their past conversations and actions. Through tough interactions with Lo's parents, a seriously unique scene with sheep and a hearse, and a princess diaries-esque pond fiasco, Aidan and Lo realize just how much they gave up two years ago. Trying to figure out what their relationship will look like once the wedding bubble pops, Lo and Aidan are faced with many challenges in regards to living situations, work schedules, health scares, and the looming weight of Aidan's stardom.

I really loved this book! I thought it was unique and set apart from the best man / maid of honor trope (which I love regardless) in that it went well past the wedding and back into their everyday lives. I loved the contrast of their parents, and the scene of Lo going over to Aidan's house for a home cooked meal. You could feel this huge weight evaporating from her shoulders as she reconnects with a family that she once saw herself in. Although I understood where Lo's mom was coming from, especially being an ocean away from her only child, I hated the way she spoke to Lo not only about her health, but also about Aidan (it got super rude, super quick.) I was glad that she advocated for herself, her health, and her relationship with someone she entrusted her heart with. These books are so good and I think they stand out from other "cutesy cover" romance books! Thank you again for letting me read this!!!

This is the second book in the series following Cielo (Lark's cousin) and Aidan a few years after they broke up. Aidan has made it big in the music industry and Cielo doesn't do long distance relationships since that is what broke up her parents. They meet again at Lark and Callum's wedding as maid of honor and best man. Unfortunately for Cielo, her feelings are still strong for Aidan.

This was a wonderful second chance romance. Fairbanks writes well-formed characters that you root for. There are many laughs and tears throughout the book, endearing you to Cielo and Aidan's love story. I also liked how Lark and Callum were involved in this book, sometimes you read another book in the series and you barely hear from past couples. The amount of spice was perfect.

I am excited for the third book in this series dealing with Saoirse. She needs a happily ever after.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my heavens was this cute or what? I absolutely loved Morbidly yours & assumed we'd see the cameo, so I loved it! Second chance romance is hands down my favorite trope. I will say that I was cringing during the singing during phone sex.... big turn off but to each their own!!

I like this one much more than the first! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC!

Cielo has been abandoned by her father when she was sick as a child and decided to be a doctor. While visiting her cousin in Galway, she falls for musician Aiden. He left for his music career and didn’t fight for Cielo.

Now, back for the wedding of their friends, Cielo and Aiden meet again. Aiden’s music has all been inspired by his love for Lo. He wants a future for them, but he has to prove he’s sticking around. He grovels at her feet (literally) and shows up for her. Lo and her parents are strained. Her father wants to be back in her life and mother hovers. I enjoyed seeing this relationship heal.

What starts as a week of no strings together has Aiden ready to make things permanent. Lo has some health scares to deal with while Aiden has to return to his music career. They have to make an effort to survive the distance this time!

Aiden was so sweet and he is so determined to win Lo back. Even when communication is frayed while he’s away, he continues to show up! I can’t wait for the next one from Galway!

Meet Lo: badass Latine woman who is on her path to becoming a physician & already kicked cancer’s ass. And Aidan: mandolin-playing fuckboy who is realizing maybe his dreams of touring the world aren’t all he built them up to be.
Both have traveled to the Irish countryside to watch their best friends, Lark and Callum, tie the knot. Lo and Aidan are long over, but both of them feel the residual space in their lives the other used to occupy. The forced proximity of playing maid of honor and best man creates great chemistry and unleashes years of pent up yearning. Cue the groveling and, yeah, this was a fun read.
While I did enjoy this book, it all came together a little too easily for me. It felt like we were fighting the elements of the story, but that these two only needed a gentle breeze to come back together. If you’re looking for a fairly low stakes romance with a focus on fighting (and surviving!!) cancer, this is the read for you!

Overall, 3 stars, this was a lot spicier than I expected. Usually, I adore second chance romance books, this story was good, not great, I read the book instead of feeling the book. I may need to check out the audiobook when it comes out, Aidan's accent may add half a star. The characters were good, but I wanted better character development. I'm all about a flawed main character, but Lo would've really benefited from therapy. She had some amazing qualities, she's hardworking, ambitious, loyal, but she also had so much trauma, cancer survivor, overbearing mother, absentee father, stress, etc. I wanted better conflict resolution with Lo and her dad. I liked Aidan and his commitment to supporting his family, that was so dang sweet and admirable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC!