A second chance rockstar(ish) romance between our curvy heroine, Lo and her ex of 2 years, Adrian. Both these characters were minor side characters from Morbidly Yours, and play our maid of honor and best man for Callum and Lark, giving us that second chance, forced proximity, undercurrent of chemistry that normally is a home run.

This book just missed the magic that Morbidly Yours had for me.

So first: The highs. There were some amazing laugh out loud moments and, as with any wedding book, drama that had me giggling. I loved the entire wedding party, and of course sweet, shy Callum will always have my heart.

Some of the lows: The biggest thing that really pulled this book down for me was Lo's relationship with her mother. She's written as this strong, smartass woman who's overcome sickness, moving to a new country, and freaking medical school and she's such a pushover and allows her mother to control her life from literally another continent! I would have liked to see better resolution between Lo and both her parents by the end. But alas...

I also am not a fan of a miscommunication trope and there were so many moments that were miscommunicated that didn't need to be to push the story on, it felt like an easy plot device to be used to create drama and conflict unnecessarily. There's also the "I know what's best for x person so I'm not going to give them all the information they need" and the conversation our couple has regarding the break-up again, felt superficial and could have been both fleshed out more and communicated more effectively to make me believe that they were going to make it in the long haul.

Overall, this was still an easy, enjoyable book to read and I will be keeping my eye out for the next Ivy Fairbanks book. Thank you, Netgalley, for the ability to read and review this book.

So cute and a great amount of spice. I was worried I wasn't going to like this as much as the first one but I think it was even better

I liked this. I did not like it as much as the first book which was a bit sad, considering I love a second chance romance. This just fell a little short to me in comparison with the first novel. But! This was still a cute read too.

This was a fantastic second chance romance. The story was fun and exciting and I LOVED that it let us see the wedding of the couple from the first book, "Morbidly Yours". You could read this completely on its own, but it was a perfect sequel.
Lo has to be a new favorite FMC from a contemporary romance. Her passion, strength, and her humor.

Ivy Fairbanks writes super fun detailed romances that have multiple plot lines outside of the romance happening all at the same time and manages to bring them all together in a satisfying way.

Unfortunately this book was a bit of a miss for me. I just didn't connect with the characters like I did in the previous book and it seemed almost too lust filled for me. It had some cute moments and I think the cover art is absolutely adorable. This just overall fell kind of flat for me.

🎻❤️ Book Review: Heart Strings by Ivy Fairbanks ❤️🎻

A beautifully tender romance that hits all the right notes—full of music, emotion, and the kind of connection that resonates deep in your soul. Ivy Fairbanks weaves a story about love, healing, and the power of second chances.

What it’s about:
When musician Kate crosses paths with charming violinist Eli, their shared passion for music becomes the backdrop for a slow-burning romance. As they navigate past heartbreaks and personal struggles, they discover that sometimes the heart knows exactly what it needs to heal.

Tropes You’ll Love:
🎶 Second chance romance
💞 Slow burn
🎻 Musician protagonists
✨ Healing & emotional depth
❤️ Small-town charm

If you love heartfelt stories with soul-stirring romance and a soundtrack to match, Heart Strings will strike a chord with you.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#HeartStrings #IvyFairbanks #SecondChanceRomance #SlowBurnLove #MusicRomance #Bookstagram #RomanceReads #BookReview

A touching novel of a second chance at love for a med student and an up and coming musician. There are fears and problems to overcome if their love is strong enough to bear it.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Second-chance romance thats sweet, spicy, and a bit emotional.

What’s to love…
- Rock Star/Musician + Med student
- Curvy FMC in STEM
- second chance romance
- dual POV 1st person
- Great banter
- forced proximity/forced to work together
- family trauma
- Medium burn🌶️ (43%
- The spice is good. very good.
- The writing was certainly tighter than in the authors debut.

What’s not to love…
- While there is some angst it didn’t feel nearly angsty enough for a second-chance romance
- i didn’t connect with the characters as well as I’d hope to. I found Lo a little frustrating tbh. I think some will find her relatable but the fact that she cut off Aiden’s sister was the crack that started my frustration with her and I struggled to get over it, so each new lack of communication from her drove me further into frustration.

🌶️- Starts at 43%. Explicit with light bondage. Ch 16, 18, 22, 23, 28, 39

Thank you NetGalley and Putnam Books for a chance to read Heart Strings by Ivyfairbanks!! THIS WAS SO CUTE OMG!! I was swooning left and right I couldn’t handle it. Aiden really made me blush, god i don’t even know how many times. And Lo. Love her!! She was so badass and made sure she always always protected herself emotionally. I loved that about her. The yearning they both had for eachother tho was sooo good!! I was lowkey ripping my hair wanting them to just get back together!!! I’m so glad we got to see Cielos story with Aiden because she was too cute in Morbidly Yours. So much fun! 💖

3.5 stars but rounded up to 4

Overall this was a good read. I was excited to get Aiden and Cielo’s story after catching a glimpse of it at the end of “Morbidly Yours”. This is a second chance romance with dual POV. I ate up Aiden’s point of view. He was down bad for this girl. There was some yearning on his part, but it seemed like a lot of it was reflected in his music, which as a reader you’re not privy to. I felt like we missed out on the full potential of his yearning 😆

Cielo wasn’t my favorite, but at the same time I could empathize with her. Her tendency to shut down instead of talk through things borders on a miscommunication troupe, which isn’t my favorite. But also once you learn more about her and her family dynamic it kind of makes sense, even if it’s a sucky way to handle things. It was healing and helpful for me, as someone who wasn’t taught how to talk through feelings and face those kinds of hard conversations head on, to watch Cielo struggle but also attempt reconciliation with Aiden and to see them have their HEA in the end.

Also, Aiden and his creativity during a stint in their long distance relationship? 🥵 phew! you’ll know when you get there, dear reader 😏

As soon as I started reading Heart Strings, I immediately fell back in love with Ivy Fairbanks' unmistakable writing style. Her perfect mix of humor, cynicism, and romance got me once again glued to the page!
Cielo, the FMC of Heart Strings, is one of the strongest heroines ever written. With her particular sense of humor and sarcasm, and with the way she wears cynicism like couture, I swear she is one of the most unique characters ever written. I love her so much!
Aidan, the MMC, is a sexy, charming, and sweet Irish musician who professes all his love in the lyrics of his songs and through his concrete actions. I mean, what else could I ask for? He's basically the man of my dreams and I kind of feel like Ivy wrote him especially for me!
The banter, the tension, and the yearning between these two is absolutely phenomenal! The way Aidan and Cielo expose their souls to one another and tune into each other's needs is so moving and romantic! And the spice is wild, unusual, quite creative, and perfect (the speaker experiment scene will always live rent free in my mind)!
I have had the privilege of following Ivy's writing journey since day one, and I am so so so proud of everything she accomplished so far! And I also can't wait to see what she has in store for readers next!

I really enjoyed Morbidly Yours so I was so excited to see a second book in the series was going to be released!

I’m a huge second-chance fan, so I was hooked right away. Galway is also one of the few places I’ve visited outside the US, so it was so nostalgic to see these characters back in a city I love so much.

I enjoyed watching them come back together and support one another. Aidan is so sweet and the way he shows up for Lo in the end seriously makes the whole book for me.

Thank you to Putnam Books and NetGalley for the early access!

Release Date August 12, 2025

Thank you to NetGalley and Putname Books for my free copy of this book.

Cielo Valdez will do just about anything for her cousin. Including spending an entire weekend with her ex so Lark has the best wedding possible. When Aidan O’Toole left two years ago to pursue his music career, Cielo cut him and his family out of her life and she will do her best to keep him at arms length. Aidan has been struggling on his next album. But being back in Galway and near Cielo again, he finds that spark again. Can he convince her that they can work it out? That they can be long distance? Will Cielo be able to forgive Aidan?

This was such a cute romance. If you haven’t read the first book, Morbidly Yours, do that first. Then go read this one. Ivy Fairbanks wrote an amazing second chance romance that is so well done and beautiful. I really loved the Aidan and Cielo as characters. They are both flawed abut they work together so well. The spice was perfect! This book was just so fun and a such a cute romance!

def liked this one more than the first!! there were tears and there was yearning and there were laughs and there were wholesome moments. basically, this did everything i could ever want a second chance romance to do. the characters are so so easy to root for while also feeling very realistic, the romance felt genuine, it was just all so amazing. my one complaint would be with the ending – felt a tiny bit rushed + left a little to be desired – but overall i had such a great time!

The story begins with our exes, a Latina med student and an Irish singer/songwriter, forced to be part of a wedding together, unsure of how to deal with being near each other again. Their circumstances broke them up, but they clearly still have feelings for each other. The first half of the book follows their time during this wedding and associated events. As expected, some reconnecting occurs. The second half deals with the fallout as the characters get their reality checks after this week of escape. Will their love survive this time?

Let’s start with the cover. The art is eye-catching, and the image perfectly captures the characters. 10/10 chefs kiss.
The characters themselves are really lovable. They aren’t mass-produced, cookie cutter characters with no depth or flavor. Their chemistry is seamless, and the readers are immediately going to be rooting for them.
The second-chance romance plot was well done in this story, the characters were perfectly suited for it, and the pacing felt natural.
The writing didn’t rely on overly-floral descriptions to evoke emotion, but still delivered a heartfelt journey. Extra props to the author for creativity by branching out of the romance book formula of spicy scenes!

You have a real gem here, and readers will love it! Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for the ARC!

3.75⭐️
Rounded to 4 for Goodreads! Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the eARC!

Lo and Aiden's relationship ended decisively when their careers took off but their best friends' wedding brings them back in proximity. I am super picky about my second chance and I thought this was really well done! The characters' separation made sense and created an immediate buy in. I do wish there was a bit more angst between the characters but their story felt so realistic and genuine! I love an MMC that lays his career on the line for his girl.

It was a solid book two in this interconnected standalone series and I am itching for book 3 based on the Easter eggs that were left!

Cielo, doesn't believe in giving men second chances, especially when they have wronged you. She didn't give her father one when he disappeared on her during her childhood cancer treatments, and she is not giving one to Aiden - who chose stardom over her. But, two years after their break-up, Aiden returns to Galway; and is the best man to her cousin's wedding (she's the maid of honor, of course) Lo has to come to grips with her past and reevaluate if living her life by exacting standards is protecting her from hurt or is it hampering her joy? And of course, Aiden isn't making it easy on her as he's determined to win back the only woman he's ever truly loved.

I was such a big fan of Morbiddly Yours that I was worried Heart Strings wouldn't be able to hold up to my expectations. I shouldn't have worried. While Heart Strings was not quite what I expected it to be (I didn't cry nearly as much as I expected to, nor did I fear that it wasn't going to be a true HEA) it was brilliant in it's own right. Though....Ivy Fairbank's... let me please move to Galway and find love there. (Psssst: don't tell my husband).

While this is the second in a series and they are interconnected, you do not have to have read Morbiddly Yours to be able to enjoy this book. Anything you need to know is well (but not over) explained. It can be read as a stand-alone, though reading them in order does add an extra oompf to certain moments.

I think readers who liked Lindsey Hammerhoffs Till There Was You will enjoy this book as well. It shares the same "pinning for the girl I left behind before becoming a famous musician" trope going for it and strikes a similar "youre life isn't what I want mine to be" vibe.

I can't wait to read the next book in the series! (Yes, it was teased in this book).

What to Expect: Irish Singer-Songwriter x American Medical Student, Second Chance Romance, Headstrong Leukemia Survivor FMC, Mutual Pining, Forced Proximity, Meaningful Tattoos, powerplay 🌶️🌶️🌶️.

Trigger Warning: Childhood Leukemia, scenes in the children's hospital ward, FMC's health scare, parental neglect,

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the ARC.

5 stars

Story about exes to reluctant friends to lovers. A fun second chance romance between Cielo (Lo), a med student with her own complicated medical history, and Aiden, an up and coming Irish musician, who had a budding relationship before he left to pursue his career.

The two are brought back together for Lark and Callum’s wedding weekend. Lo is determined to give Aiden the cold shoulder and grit her way through the weekend. Aiden wants to test the waters and see if there could ever be something between them again. They have some funny but also some very real challenges to face to see if they can make a relationship work.

I loved this book! Morbidly Yours was an incredible story and the follow up did not disappoint. I found myself rooting for this couple very early on. I laughed, I teared up, and I ultimately had a lovely time reading Ali and A’s story.

This book is definitely spicier than I remember Morbidly Yours being. Definitely open door romance.

I loved this book and series. I am looking forward to more books in this series and from the author. I really enjoy the humor. Loved hearing from Lark and Callum. Makes me feel any to travel to Galway.

Aiden and Cielo parted ways two years ago when he got the offer of a lifetime to pursue his music career, which required him to leave Galway and move to London. Lo didn’t want long distance so they ended things (not amicably). When they are forced back into each other’s company as the best man and maid of honor at Callum and Lark’s wedding, they have to learn to be around each other again and quickly realize their flame never really went out. They try to keep things sexy just for the wedding weekend but love don’t work like that. They both want to try again but she’s afraid he’ll abandon her and he’s trying to figure out how to balance his music career when she is his number one priority.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️

I liked this one but found the second half of the book to be disappointing. All the scenarios that would make it go south for me largely came to fruition, which was a bummer.

What did I like? Well, loved being back in Galway and seeing Lark and Callum again. I genuinely liked these characters although Cielo’s ever-wavering outlook got frustrating in the second half. I appreciated that they both were trying to balance their careers and make space for what they wanted. The grand gesture in this one is pretty substantial, bless sweet sweet Aiden. Also there’s a running gag with a ventriloquist dummy that delighted me.

What I didn’t love was the constant miscommunication and Lo’s failure to be honest, especially with very important information. Her ability to self-sabotage while simultaneously blaming her past experiences AND withholding information became expected maybe worst out of people was pretty annoying after a while. In the first half of the book, she’s obviously pretty angry with him still for their breakup but the book never explains the anger. I guess it’s cause he didn’t fight for their relationship? It was unclear even by the end.

Now the thing is that her parents SUCKED and fucked her up pretty good, which I can relate to. The thing that pissed me off there is that she had to either ignore them or be the adult in the relationship, so say HELLO to all my triggers. So part of me gets why she was so wishy washy about being independent and self sabotaging. But in a book, you want a little more growth for the characters and I didn’t get enough from Lo.

Overall, it was… fine, if not a bit unremarkable.

🫡 Tropes deployed: second chance romance, musician MMC, miscommunication, healthcare rep, complex family dynamics