I received this ebook from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion and review. I was so excited to see the next book come out after I ADORED morbidly yours. I was not disappointed! This story was such a breath of fresh air and I was so excited to be apart of this world again!

I was so excited when I got the approval on Netgalley for this ARC.

I loved the second chance trope and the fact that majority of the book took place at Lark and Callum's wedding. You can tell that Aiden and Lo are meant for each other and it just takes time for them both to realize that (even tho Aiden knew we were just waiting on Lo). This was a very easy read in my opinion and I had so much fun with this story. I can't wait for book three!

Lo and Aiden’s story was so good! So many perfect elements in this second chance romance. Lo is one character who is strong yet soft. Aiden is so in love with Lo that he can’t help but put himself in her orbit. These two together are both so perfect and their love truly shines through. I was entertained from the first few pages until the very end. I loved getting to see Lark and Callum.

I’m a fan of a big fan of Ivy Fairbanks.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for an early copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are solely mine.

Another great read from Ivy Fairbanks]! I stumbled upon and so enjoyed Morbidly Yours and couldn't wait to head back to Galway for more of these characters. Cielo would fit right in with my friend group and I loved her wit, intelligence, and focus - also a big fan of her ability to completely excise her ex from her life when they broke up because that is a technique I stand behind! This is a second chance story and her ex Aidan is a recently-minted famous musician who's ticket to fame was an album he wrote exclusively about their relationship. These two have lots of history and an ugly breakup to contend with and are forced together as best man/maid of honor for a wedding. Aidan gave off kind of douchey energy to me at first. I hated the whole rock star thing and the fact that he just bailed on Cielo and then showed back up with a weird cocky confidence that didn't seem very on-brand for him. He eventually grew on me when he kept showing up for Cielo and making good on his word but his initial introduction in the story still rubbed me the wrong way. I loved that there was not a single shred of miscommunication in this book - I think in a second chance romance it's always an easy crutch to lean on but the author did a great job keeping their communication real and authentic to how two adults would interact in the situations presented. The representation in this book was also fantastic but without bashing you over the head - we saw disability, we saw non-traditional gender representation, and lots of different types of romantic relationships that were all woven into the story so beautifully! I would have loved a little bit more smut (I am who I am, okay?!) but the scenes that were included were fun and well-written... Even the one involving a hearse! Overall it's a 4/5 for me and you can bet I'll be first in line to read anything Ms. Ivy comes out with in the future!

This was such a cute, heartfelt and emotional second chance romance. I absolutely adored Morbidly Yours and the way this author was able to infuse banter, angst and so much joy into her writing. While I didn’t enjoy this one as much as the first I throughly enjoyed the romance.

It had such good banter between these characters, wonderful growth I love to see in a second chance romance and two characters you can’t help but to root for. I found Lo so relatable in her prickly demeanor and how she soften for Aiden. I did love his character and how charming he was but I do wish I was able to connect with him more. I do wish there was a bit more build up to their reunion and I found myself a little disappointed with the cause of the break up in the first place. But all over the writing was beautiful, easy to follow along and I loved getting to see the side characters from past books come back.

This was a quick and easy read and I am excited to see where the author takes this series next.

Thanks so much to Ivy Fairbanks and Putnam for the eARC.

I truly love the writing style and think this is a great follow up from the first in this interconnected standalone. I think the motivations for Aidan and Cielo are really fleshed out and the second chance element meant that their dynamic and chemistry was undeniable and kept me hooked.

I love the found family aspect and how both characters had differing situations, which meant they complimented each other.

That being said, I found myself losing interest 75% through, the relationship development didn’t seem to be gradual and I found that I wasn’t reaching for the book as much as I would like.

Despite this, I can’t wait to see what this author does next.

A second chance romance, where the two exes are forced together as the best man and maid of honor? This book’s premise instantly hooked me, especially since the best man in question is an on the rise Irish folk musician (think Hozier but much more folky and also a redhead) who has written all his songs about his ex.

This book lived up to the enticing premise, and was a great quick, spicy read that immediately pulled me in and didn’t let me go. Overall, the plot was great, the romance was sizzling, and the side characters were truly fleshed out. I would happily read another book by this author.

Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the Irish castle backdrop and was intrigued by the second chance romance. The first half worked for me, but the second half lost steam. Maybe reading Morbidly Yours first would’ve helped, but overall, I just didn’t vibe with this one.

A beautiful second-chance romance from Ivy Fairbanks! Cielo and Aidan’s chemistry was electric, and their reunion as maid of honor and best man was full of feels. This book was emotional, satisfying, and left me excited for the next in the series!

3.5 stars! A very cute American-in-Ireland second chance spicy romance. I read Morbidly Yours by Ivy Fairbanks when it was first released on KU then read it again when it was rereleased and I got the physical copy, and it is in my top 10 favorite romances of all time so I had really high expectations for her second book. While it didn’t pull ahead of Morbidly Yours in my opinion it was still really good if you like second chance romance sans immature, unnecessary drama. The characters were mature straight forward but there was still enough angst to keep the plot going until the end. Plus some unique spice scenes which are always plus if you only read romance you know it can get redundant.

I have to admit Ivy’s second book, Heart Strings, was a cute second chance romance but it wasn’t my favorite. Now don’t get me wrong I love Ivy. I’ve met her several times at various author events in Orlando and she’s one of the sweetest human beings and I will always read her books because I know when I settle into her books I’m going to have a great time.

I think my problem was I had such high expectations in this follow up to Morbidly Yours that when it didn’t quite meet my expectations I found it falling a little flat. Now don’t take that as I hated the book. Because I definitely did not. I enjoyed whole heartedly traveling back to Galway. Meeting new characters and catching up with our old favorites. Heart Strings picks up a few years after Morbidly Yours ended. Our story follows Lo & Aidan as they are forced to reunite for Callum & Lark’s wedding. The two had a whirl wind romance and unfortunately it didn’t end well. Neither of them are excited to seeing each other again or coming to terms with their breakup. But for the sake of their friends they decide to play nice.

My biggest issue with this book instead of feeling like a second chance romance. It felt more like one big never ending miscommunication trope. Both of these characters are supposed to be grown adults yet they acted more like teenagers. Don’t get me wrong I understand their reasons but the whole book/relationship could’ve been solved if they had both had open and honest communication with each other.

My favorite character hands down in this book was Aidan. His love, loyalty and perseverance to Lo was heartwarming. I loved watching him be patient with Lo in taking down her walls. The man is definitely up there with some of my favorite book boyfriends. In terms of Lo, I kinda had a love/hate relationship with her. Don’t get me wrong I loved her independent girly demeanor. But you have to also be able to bring balance to that persona and know it’s ok to ask for help. And Lo definitely struggled with that repeatedly. Which as a reader I felt really frustrated reading about. Because personally I’m the exact opposite of her. But even though I struggled at times with her I know others will definitely find her extremely relatable and I can’t wait for people to discover both of these characters later this August.

Overall, Heart Strings was a 3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ read and I can say with confidence that I highly recommend this book. Lastly big Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the advance copy to review!

Thank you to NetGalley, G.P. Putnam's Sons, and Ivy Fairbanks for providing this free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

When I first read "Morbidly Yours" back in 2023, I immediately fell in love with Galway and the kooky cast of characters that resided there. So, naturally, I was so excited to dive back into this world. Aiden and Lo were such good foils to each other; she, a bit neurotic, and he, a tender loverboy. The level of trust Lo had in Aiden to be able to let go and cede control was monumental, especially after how their relationship ended the first time around. And I love me a man who whimpers hehe.

However, it felt like they very quickly decided to put the past behind them and get together. And, while I love not having to wait through a whole book for the couple to get together, it would have been nice for some more pining during the wedding, to make their eventual reconciliation even sweeter.

Despite some residual trauma and secrecy on Lo's part, their relationship proved to be strong enough to withstand the unthinkable. Their support of each other felt very real, and they were so cute in their matching Fair Isle sweaters. I can't wait for our next journey to the Emerald Isle.

3.5 ⭐️ Heart Strings is the second book of the “Love in Galway” series, but it can be read as a standalone. Lo and Aiden dated in the past, but broke up two years ago when they didn’t think the relationship could survive the stressors of a music career and medical school. However, the two reunite at their best friends’ wedding, and realize the spark, love, and admiration are still there. This story is filled with silly, romantic, spicy, and sweet moments. Aiden is the perfect book boyfriend, always putting Lo’s needs above his own to prove to her that he will always be there for her. He breaks through her walls and abandonment issues, and creates a safe space for their love to blossom. The overall storyline and character growth is great. I felt like I had to force myself to keep picking it up, but I did enjoy it.

Thank you, NetGalley, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

After reading "Morbidly Yours," I knew I was a Fairbanks fan. I absolutely loved the writing, and this is no different. There's nothing I love more than a second chance with a dual POV, and this had both! Cielo and Aidan are adorable, and I loved this book's humor, wit, and heart. Cielo is a Cancer survivor and a medical student. She was written as a vulnerable yet resilient badass and is very relatable to many people out there. Aidan is committed to winning Cielo back, and after reading what went wrong, he is the embodiment of "if he wanted to, he would. " This man wrote an entire album for her. Like, who does that?? Aidan does.

I loved their story, and it's one for those who know. You're still tied through an invisible string even if you're not together. Something I do wish we had was a dual timeline. Although I'm not the biggest fan of it, it would have provided us more insight into what was wrong and why at that age.

We also get a little peek into the lives of Lark and Callum (characters from Ivy's first book), and I was here for it.


Read if you like:
- Dual POV
- Muscian x med student
- Second chance

When you read the description and it sounds like there's a lot going on at once, that's because there is. But not in a bad way! Ivy Fairbanks did a wonderful job navigating this and building the present-tense world of Lo and Aidan, through the lens of Callum and Lark's wedding. I really enjoyed seeing the little interactions between Lo and Aidan, but wish there was more build-up of their past relationship to strengthen their backstory. Overall, if you like spicy scenes and dual first-person POV, you'll probably eat this up!

I really liked Morbidly Yours, so I was excited by the prospect of reading the next installment. Unfortunately, this book did not live up to my expectations whatsoever. The premise is based on the FMC being upset/jaded/haunted by her ex, who become a C-list celebrity based on his love and breakup songs about her. So you'd be expecting a little bit of groveling on his end when they get back together, or even a sit down to discuss what went wrong, right? Nope. They get back together after about .2 seconds, barely mentioning the reason they broke up in the first place, but letting it continue to hang over their heads for the next 60% of the book. This is coupled by the fact that there's little to no backstory/flashbacks/etc to give us any sort of context or tension between them, so you aren't really given a clue as to why she was so jaded (for the first 30 pages, anyways), nor do you feel any spark between them when they abruptly get back together like nothing was wrong. Basically, the whole buildup portion is nonexistent, which is why I usually want to pick up this genre in the first place.

On top of that, there are way too many plot lines and conflicts that the FMC is dealing with (most of which could've been solved by her being an adult and talking with everyone) that made it hard for me to really take her seriously- she has issues with her mom, her dad, her health, the MMC, the MMC's manager, and herself. All of these kept interrupting the very bare bones romance that was already having a hard time keeping me interested.

Lastly, the writing felt extremely stilted and "tell-not-show." I had this issue with Morbidly Yours as well, but the plot held up by itself (and I loved the MMC) so it wasn't as big of a deal.

While not a 100% disaster that necessitates any lower of a rating, I was really hoping for this to match Lark/Callum's story, and was pretty bummed that it didn't.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for the ARC in exchange for an honest review 🐑

This book hit me right in the heart. The romance is sizzling, yes, but it’s the emotional depth that really makes this book stand out. I couldn’t put it down. It’s the kind of book that makes you believe in second chances and the healing power of love. It’s a feel-good, gut-punching, I-can’t-wait-to-read-again kind of story, and I’m here for it all. I absolutely recommend this one for anyone who loves a story that makes you feel everything, it’s perfect.

What to expect from this book:
✂️ He wrote an entire album about her
🎶 Cancer survivor who is going to school to be a doctor
✂️ Exes to lovers
🎶 She’s in control but he’s possessive
✂️ Binding kink
🎶 Dual first-person POV
✂️ 5 open door spicy scenes

“To the ones worth waiting for” 🥂

This is the second book in the Love in Galway series. While it could be read as a standalone, it makes more sense if you read book 1 (Morbidly Yours) first. Heart Strings takes place 2+ years after the end of Morbidly Yours.

Cielo “Lo” is an American living in Ireland while she goes through Med School. Aidan is a singer/songwriter from Galway (born in Cork), and Lo’s ex.

Since their breakup, Lo has done her best to avoid all traces of Aidan…which is hard to do since he has a song (written about her) that is on the radio. But when Lo’s cousin Lark marries Aidan’s friend Callum, Lo and Aidan are bound as maid of honor and best man—bound being the operative word! 🥵

Still guarded with hurt surrounding their breakup, Lo and Aidan decide if giving it another go would be a good idea or if they should leave the past in the past. What will become of their apology tour?

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You know what? I wasn’t into this book for the first 30%. It wasn’t bad or anything, it just wasn’t clicking with me for some reason. But that changed during the last 70%. I liked the dynamic between the two main characters. The relationship conflicts between Lo and her parents was a nice side plot. The book isn’t without faults, but overall I thought this was a fun read. I even liked this book more than the first.

Thank you to NetGalley, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons and Ivy Fairbanks for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.75 stars Overall I thought this was a good read. I loved that we got to see Lark and Cal’s wedding. What was a miss for me was that there wasn’t a real glimpse into the initial relationship between Aiden and Lo. It was only briefly mentioned. Initially I had a hard time buying into their love story. Also, I feel that Lo’s character came off as annoying to me. However, Aiden was very likable. There were a lot of parallels to his story of being a musician to other books I have read from other authors so I felt there was a lack of originality there. I did enjoy it overall but I felt it was a miss in comparison to Morbidly Yours. I will read the third one when that is finished though.

Reviewed for NetGalley:

I loved the first book in the series, so was very happy to get an early arc of the sequel.

Cute overall, but really, really slow, that the reconnection between characters took quite some time to get into.