Heart Strings by Ivy Fairbanks is a heartfelt exes-to-lovers, second-chance romance that follows cancer survivor Cielo Valdez as she unexpectedly reunites with her former love, Irish musician Aidan O’Toole, at a wedding a few years after their emotional split. Old feelings resurface and long-buried wounds are reopened as they’re forced to confront the love they left behind and take a risk to determine whether it’s worth revisiting.

My thoughts: Overall, Heart Strings was a solid and satisfying read. While I enjoyed the first book in the series more, this was a nice continuation. I especially appreciated the emotional vulnerability woven into both the characters’ internal reflections and their conversations with one another as they navigated their feelings towards each other, family relationships, and problems they encountered along the way.

You’ll Enjoy Heart Strings If You Love:
❤️ Second-chance romance with real emotional stakes
🎶 A musician MMC who wears his heart on his sleeve and expresses his love in lyrics
🔥 Slow-burn chemistry with lingering unresolved tension
📖 Themes of healing, forgiveness, and rediscovered love
💬 Introspective characters and meaningful, heartfelt dialogue

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for granting me a complimentary advanced reader copy of the ebook. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and based off of this draft; the final publication may be different. Expected publication date is Aug 12, 2025.

I loved Morbidly Yours so I was very excited to receive the ARC for Heart Strings. I was surprised to see this was a second chance romance because Lo and Aiden didn’t interact much in the first book. I felt like we were missing so many details of their first relationship and that made it very hard to root for them. There was no connection without those past details and I ended up only feeling the lust between these two.

Overall it was an okay read but there was too much angst and missing information for me to really love it.

Whilst this book was still an enjoyable read, it had a lot to live up to coming from 'Morbidly Yours'. Unfortunately, in my opinion, it didn't quite stack up to the first book.

As mentioned, whilst it was still an enjoyable read, I felt the main characters (Lo and Aidan) lacked the depth of Callum and Lark and I was at times frustrated by Lo's inability to stand up to her mother, but I feel like this is more a reflection on me and what I enjoy reading in my characters.

Readers of Morbidly Yours will still enjoy, but perhaps not as much.

It was lovely to head back into the world of Morbidly Yours, where two exes (Lo and Aidan) get wrapped into the wedding shenanigans of the the previous book’s leads, two years after their own break up.

The beginning felt slow, but once it fell into a groove the story caught up with itself. The themes of grief and long-term illness were really beautiful, and I loved the journey that the FMC went on as a result. Most importantly, I deeply appreciate that the author had three separate sensitivity readers when portraying a Mexican-American. It was a lovely romance to fall into, and I look forward to recommending it!

Love love this second chance tale. Lo & Adian are a sweet relatable couple and I desperately want to drink a Guinness at the pub with them.

Ugh, I wanted to love this book so bad after Morbidly Yours but it just fell flat for me. I wasn’t as into the characters and felt like it didn’t really flow as well. BUT feels like we are setting up for a book three about Saoirse which I WILL be reading.

I have a total soft spot for second chance romances, and Heart Strings did not disappoint. Lo and Aidan's story was spicy and sweet, with fantastic banter!

I loved Morbidly Yours, so was looking forward to Cielo's story when it was hinted at. So the story starts two years after Cielo and Aidan had broken up after he moved to London to pursue his music career. They reunite for Lark and Callum's wedding and must spend time together again. They decide to spend one night together but clearly there are some unresolved feelings and they keep getting together. I think that's what might have put me off a bit from connecting to their story, they jumped back together quickly despite not having even talk for two years. I will say there were some sweet moments in the story, Aidan getting her the skittles, writing all the songs inspired by her and basically going back to Galway's. Most of the things we get told about their relationship were things from the past that happened during their six month relationship so I didn't feel that really falling in love moment, maybe I'm just not that into second chance as I thought. Overall it was a sweet story that also dealt with grieve, parental relationships and having live through and illness, so if that sound like something you might enjoy definitely give it a read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putman for this ARC, all opinions are my own.

This one really pulled at my heart strings. (Sorry pun intended) I always love going back into a fictional place I've been before and this sequel was no different. The tension of everything going on between Lo and Aidan past and present makes for a great story. I enjoyed seeing their certainly bumpy ride but coming together in the end melts my heart.

Then you to Putnam group for the advanced E-ARC of this book.
I am in love with this crew of misfits that Ivy has created. Load me up in a hearse and take me to Ireland. Please!!!
For fans of her breakout novel, Morbidly Yours, this book has a healthy dose of Callum and Lark. Remember the double date with Lark in that novel? Well, she was setup with none other than the MMC of this novel, Aidan! I loved that callback!

Ivy Fairbanks writing is stronger in this second novel but maintains the fun and quick-witted banter of the previous novel. She also steps ups the spice.
Callum and Larks wedding brings ex flames Aidan and Lo back together after a difficult breakup 2 years ago. Each is holding steady in their own life, Lo on track to becoming a doctor, and Aidan a rising musical sensation. Lo has had a past cancer diagnosis that impacts her every decision. The diagnosis and anxiety surrounding it was handled with care and dignity and made the story feel very real.

The author finds the perfect balance of heavy and soft, sweet and sassy. This series is an auto buy for me, and I can't wait for more.

loved being back in galway. loved this 2nd chance for Aiden and clo. loved seeing the her friend and knowing that the next book with be with Sophie. loved the songs and friendship and that both are learning to trust again. Love this series. thanks netgalley.

I was a little scared to read this. I loved Morbidly Yours and while I know this is only Ivy Fairbanks second book I was worried it woudn’t live up to the hype that I was growing it to be in my head. I am happy to say I loved it. Maybe not as much as Morbidly Yours but I really loved the story for Cielo and Adrian. This is a second chance romance and I am always a sucker for those. I love a good story where the main characters already have a past between them and they have something they need to get over. Now I will say for myself personally while I knew why Cielo was moving to Galway in the first place, to go to medical school, I don’t remember if the first book stated her previous illness. I WAS NOT READY! These types of books are always harder or me and I tend to shy away. I usually end up DNFing them becuase I have a hard time with it. But I loved the story enough that I just had to keep going and am happy I did in the end! I really am excited that there is going to be another book in this series and I can’t wait to see what is next for Saiorse.
Thank you to Random House Putnam for the complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Ivy Fairbanks has done it again with Heart Strings, the captivating second book in her Love in Galway series! While it stands perfectly well on its own, having read Morbidly Yours first definitely enhances the experience. This exes-to-lovers, second-chance romance was everything I hoped for and more, delivering a fantastic blend of emotion and sizzling chemistry.

Cielo "Lo" Valdez is an American medical student in Ireland, navigating life after a tough battle with cancer. Aidan O'Toole, a talented singer/songwriter from Galway, is her ex – and his hit songs, written about her, are constantly playing on the radio, making him impossible to forget. Fate, however, has a mischievous plan: Lo and Aidan are thrust back into each other's orbit as maid of honor and best man at a mutual friend's wedding.

From the very beginning, the tension between Lo and Aidan is palpable. Lo's guarded heart, still aching from their past, clashes wonderfully with Aidan's determination to win her back. The dynamic between them is incredibly engaging – she's in control, but he's possessive, creating a delicious push and pull. And yes, for those who love a good spice, this book delivers with five open-door scenes and a tantalizing binding kink.

Beyond the romance, I loved the subtle side plot involving Lo and her parents, adding another layer of depth to her character. Aidan's journey to reconcile with his past actions while simultaneously winning Lo back is beautifully portrayed. This book truly shines as a second-chance story, proving that some mistakes are indeed worth forgiving.

What truly elevated Heart Strings for me was the incredible character work and the undeniable connection between Lo and Aidan. While it took me a moment to fully immerse myself, the last 70% of the book absolutely soared, pulling me in completely. It's a fun, heartfelt read that I genuinely enjoyed even more than the first book in the series!

What to expect:

He wrote an entire album about her 🎶
Cancer survivor who is going to medical school 🩺
Exes to lovers ❤️‍🩹
She's in control but he's possessive 💪
Binding kink 🔗
Dual first-person POV 🗣️

Firstly, thank you so much to Ivy Fairbanks and Penguin Random House for allowing me an eARC of this story! This was a 4.3 star read for me! It was cozy, sweet, and so heart warming. I am a sucker for second chance romances. This story executed the trope wonderfully. I really enjoyed that the story picks up and still follows the ending of Morbidly Yours. A few years have passed and we start the story getting ready for Lark and Callum's wedding. This book is a dual point of view and I love getting to see the inner thoughts and feelings of both characters. Especially in the beginning since they very much have different strategies on how to approach being around each other for the festivities. Cielo and Aidan are fun and engaging characters. I love that they get thrust together in the little moments and that helps them become closer again. Even after their time apart they are still know each other deeply and are what they want and need. The support and trust that they have and give to each other melts my heart. Aidan O'Toole the man that you are. Writing love songs and wanting to prove himself to Lo after how things ended tugged on my heart strings. I don't think a sweeter man could be written. Lo, the woman you are becoming. I loved the character development with her. It may be subtle, but the impact of her learning to lean on people for support and to stand up for herself had impact. The story line flows so nicely. There is never a moment where I was lost or confused to what was going on. The details and the development of the story all connected to create a wonderful plot. The only thing that left me feeling rushed was towards the end of the story. I wish a little more time had been spent on the climax and situation that Lo and Aidan were facing. While I am glad the hardship did not last long, I would have liked to see a little more conflict to it all. Overall the story was beautiful and made me gasp and awe multiple times. I am very grateful for having a chance to read this. I'm hoping the story universe will continue as it seems to be hinted at in the book.

My first DNF of 2025 and this one is heartbreaking. I adore, absolutely adore, Morbidly Yours so I was eager to read Ivy's followup. Sadly, I just wasn't feeling it. I liked Lo well enough but felt zero interest in Aiden. He's just kind of there. Gave up at 40% after I started skimming around 30%.

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam and NetGalley for this ARC of Heartstrings in exchange for my honest review!

Heartstrings is the second book in the Love in Galway interconnected series. I ADORED Morbidly Yours, and I was THRILLED to be selected for this ARC! Heartstrings takes place 2 years after Morbidly Yours during wedding festivities for Callum and Lark. Aidan and Cielo have been broken up for the past 2 years and now they have to work together as best man and maid of honor for their closest friends.

I absolutely loved getting to know Cielo and Aidan. The comedic timing of their attempts to avoid each other had me cracking up. And once they temporarily gave in to the long buried feelings they had for each other I was kicking my feet and swooning! Their chemistry was palpable and Aidan was so besotted that we get lines like "some days, all I look forward to is climbing into bed because there's a chance I might dream of you" I mean, come on! SWOON!

The representation of how complex family dynamics are was very true to life. Ivy Fairbanks does not shy away from real stakes, emotional and physical. I'm always impressed with how well the author incorporates representation, whether it's physical disabilities, illness, body positivity, queerness or cultural differences while avoiding tokenism.

Overall, I find it hard to believe this is only Ivy Fairbanks' second novel! Her writing is poignant, full of humor, and romantic as hell. There are romance scenes that were completely unique in my reading experience and I loved almost every minute of this book.

My only hang up is the willful miscommunication between Aidan and Cielo, typically that trope is a no go for me, but somehow the author made this believable from both characters POV and ultimately made their love story unfold in the most beautiful way. I highly recommend this book for any romance readers who won't shy away from realistic stakes.

This was one of the best rom-coms I’ve ready in quote a while. The thing that stood out the most to me was how incredibly good the main conflict was. It was a truly difficult set of circumstances to navigate and it made it feel like the stakes were much higher than a lot of rom-coms I’ve read. I will be going to back to read the first book in this series and I’m sad that I’m going to have to wait so long for book 3!

So sweet and cute! I’ve been enjoying second chance stories lately, so I finished this in about a day and really enjoyed it. This is a second chance lovers to strangers to lovers again between a now famous musician and a doctor in residency. There’s health scares and a lot of baggage, abandonment, and control issues. I loveeed how Lo’s character was more of a top, and I’m glad we got a couple scenes of that. I wish there was more, lowkey. But I’m happy she also gave up the reins a couple times too! Aidan was a sweetheart lover boy and I do love that so much. I can see the resemblance to Hozier a bit which of COURSE sucked me in. Hope to read more from Ivy! Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I didn't like this as much as "Morbidly Yours." It does have some of the same qualities, though, including the careful use of rich detail to describe settings and occupations, and the thoughtful, realistic depiction of illnesses and family tension.

What an absolutely beautiful read. Ivy really infuses real life into her books, there's no unrealistic drama everything feels authentic. There is definitely a rollercoaster but she somehow makes it a smooth ride for readers despite the very serious topics characters are facing. I love both Cielo and Aiden equally their love for each other is so powerful and deep. It was amazing to see Lark and Callums wedding with this story ontop of it. I have zero notes this book is flawless, beautiful, timeless and something everyone should read.