When sourcebook Fire approved my netgalley request for Heartstrings last tuesday I wont lie when I say I squealed a little. My 13 year old self would have been jumping on the inside. I first read the series when Ali published them on netgalley, then I managed to convince my mum to buy the first two books when they were originally published and after a long and definitely worth it wait I was able to read Xander’s book and I absolutely Loved it. 7 years later and Ali still has a hold on my heartstrings…

Xander and Indie are definitely my favourites and that says a lot because Stella & Oliver and Alec & Felicity are matches made in heaven.

Indie is the younger Sibling of Violet James who we meet in the other two books and to say life isn't picture perfect for her is an understatement. As someone who grew up going to Comic Con’s every year the book felt very relatable, I'm no prodigy violinist but I do also have a sister.

I cannot wait to read JJ’s book and see what shenanigans he gets up to with I'm hoping Cara. I'm definitely gonna miss this series when it's complete.

OMG this book was so good. Although it wasn’t as good as the first two, it definitely didn’t disappoint, and was super entertaining and enjoyable to read. It held a unique perspective and had a valuable payoff that you were invested into.

I read the unpublished book years ago on Wattpad and reread it as a NetGalley arc and it is just as good, even better! I fell in love with the first 2 books of this series and the 3rd did not disappoint. The characters are lovable and relatable as ever, with the writing telling Indie and Xander's story seamlessly. Ali Novak continues to write feel good stories with depth, all while keeping it airy enough to read in one sitting. Perfect for any mood, season, or age.

"Heartstrings" had a lot of really interesting moments and definitely kept me turning the pages, but I have to be honest—Indie, the main character, was extremely self-centered and honestly came off as kind of bratty sometimes. It wasn’t just that she made mistakes or had flaws (which is totally fine), but her decisions and attitude distracted me from really connecting with the plot, which was really good, along with her, because who wants to listen to someone complain all the time? There were times when I just wanted to yell at her and tell her to pay more attention to the people in her life who actually cared about her a lot instead of only thinking about herself and how other people "wronged" her. The other characters, aside from Indie, were really well written. I loved how down-to-earth all of the Heartbreakers members were, and Xander was definitely one of the most adorable love interests I have read about.

Also, I expected the romance to be a much bigger deal in the story, but it actually felt more like a side plot. Maybe it was the synopsis, or I got a little too annoyed at Indie to fully enjoy the other aspects of the plot. Most of the book was much more focused on Indie’s family drama and her college applications, which is fine, just not what I was expecting. Ali Novak did nail the family problems yet again, but if you're looking for something purely romance, this might not be your book.

Overall, "Heartstrings" was a decent read with some really good writing and real-life problems. It’s more about figuring out family and the future than finding love, and while that can be inspiring, just be prepared that Indie might get on your nerves.


Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
3.5 Stars (Rounded up for site)

Heartstrings is the third in a series but works just as well as standalone, only mentioning the other two books characters and being a different love story.

It is not only a story about Xavier and Indie’s love, but also a story about sisters and misunderstandings. I found this part of the story a lot more compelling than the romance aspect. Indie’s anger felt real and complete, and Violet’s hurt and frustration equaled that.

However, that doesn’t mean Xavier and Indie’s weren’t nice to read about. They were cute, not being anything special, but I never questioned whether or not they cared about the other. Their love story felt whole.

*Slight Spoilers in the next paragraph*
Though, I do believe that Indie being upset at Xavier for him doing a song with Violet felt very unreasonable towards him and should have been more of a tension plot for Xavier to be upset. He was doing it for his career, and both him and Violet were friends. Though I do understand that Indue felt as if she didn’t have anything of her own, but it felt it was scuffed over on Xavier’s feelings towards it.

One of my more nick picks, is being tired of plus size mc’s being like I don’t think he could ever like me because of my weight and look. It was only talked in one chapter, even saying that Indie wouldn’t change for a guy, but man, do I want a plus size mc’s to be confident in their body for once. Though, I do understand this was a deeper rooted issue to comparing herself to her sister, I feel like this could have been displayed in a different way.

Overall, this book was average. I enjoyed it, but it isn’t anything spectacular. I wouldn’t go into this book expecting to be changed after. I would expect to have a fun adventure in the world of celebrities through the eyes of something who only adjacently popular because of family.

Thank you Net Galley and Sourcefire books for the arc for my honest review
4.5 out of 5 stars/First person pov(Indie)

This is the third book in the Heartbreak Chronicles series but it also works as a standalone.

Indie loves special effects makeup wondering if she could make it more than a hobby. But her sister, Violet is a TV actress who has blown up leaving Indie in the shadows. Their dad is too busy being Violet's manager to give his daughters the care they need. When Indie has to be her sister's assistant for a weekend, she had no clue she would meet Xander Jones. The guitarist for the famous band, Heartbreakers.

Indie knows Xander deserves to step out of the shadows. But can she say the same thing about herself? And what will happen when Xander and Indie realized the like each other more than friends should?

I loved the relationship and how the tension was written between the sisters.

Indie and Violet siblings constantly being overshadowed by her older successful actress sister. Indie whom is not sure what she wants to do and what career pathway she is wanting to lead. She meets Xander and they fall in love their cute banter and being able to tell one another about their struggles is so cute. I loved everything about Indie navigating her life and making amends with her sister.

The romance between the main leads was well paced and felt more realistic than the authors past projects.
It had some mild language and one use of the f-word
Other than this it was a quite an enjoyable light summer read.
Age 13+
3.5 stars ⭐️

Review: Heartstrings by Ali Novak

This book was such a warm, feel-good read—full of charm, heart, and a romance that made me smile. Indie is the kind of main character you can’t help but root for: creative, a little lost, and trying to step out of everyone else’s spotlight. Her bond with Xander is sweet and easy, and I loved how they connected over being overlooked in their own worlds.

There’s so much heart in the way Heartstrings explores identity, family pressure, and finding the courage to chase your own dreams. Plus, the comic con setting added a fun twist to the typical romance arc. It’s the kind of story that quietly encourages you to take up space—and believe you’re worth being seen.

Heartstrings was cute, but it didn’t totally hit for me.

The premise had so much potential but the execution felt a little surface-level. Indie was relatable at times, but her voice didn’t always feel distinct. And the romance with Xander? Kinda sweet, but it moved fast and didn’t give me much emotional build-up.

Also, the sibling drama and family stuff had some good tension but never got as deep as I hoped. It was more tell than show, and I think I wanted more growth from Indie by the end.

Overall, it’s a decent read if you’re looking for something light, fun, and quick. Maybe a good read for middle school readers or anyone who loves a classic fame-meets-nobody romance.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for this ARC

I had no idea this was part of a series, but I wanted to read it to see if it was something I could recommend to my high school students, and I definitely will suggest this for folks who love romance.
I enjoyed the overall premise of the book and enjoyed the friendship and then romance of Indie and Xander, I did find Indie and Violet’s dad to be the worst (how is your name not on the approved list for your own home) but I appreciated the attempt of reconciliation at the end. The whole bit about the Juilliard application was a bit hard to swallow because, as someone who works with seniors, I can’t believe that someone auditioning for the most prestigious conservatory in the United States would be so blasé about it. Also, how did Xander and Indie not play music together until the end? Lost opportunity, in my opinion.
Overall, this was a fun read that I think some of my students would enjoy!

Sweetly, this book will pluck at your 'Heartstrings".

Third in a series but also easily read as a standalone, this was no question for this reader, a five star reader. And, here's why...

From the first chapter, the author draws you into Indie's world. Her frustrating relationship with her father, her resentment with her elder, famous sister who seems to prioritize career over family, and her supportive best friend. With that established, her chance encounter with Xander seems to open up whole new possibilities, some she is hesitant to explore while others she wholeheartedly throws herself in.

Indie's emotional journey is one that the reader will invest in. For this reader, it was an immersive experience; that is, until glanced away after the last page, forgot that this book was fictional and not playing out in real time. Even the secondary character of Indie's mother (seen somewhat off page via communication over tech and email is done well).

This ARC was provided by the publisher, SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca | Sourcebooks Casablanca via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Good clean teen romance. Fun addition to the series. I hope it continues. I felt disconnected from the band members and previous characters in this novel. The main characters were fantastic though.

I read the first two books and gave the 4.5 stars. This book was so good. It was a really different plot from the other books I thought. I liked it a lot and will finish the series.

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review

» Kiss You - One Direction «
0:53 ─〇─────3:02
↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺

⭐⭐⭐⭐.25 - 4.25 Stars
Single First Person POV
Spice Level 🌶️ - 1.5/5
⤷ no sex, though a few descriptive makeout scenes
Age rating - 13+
⤷ cussing, went to a bonfire where side characters got drunk, fmc is said to have been wearing pentacle earrings, drag queen jokes

⁺˚⋆｡° 🎻 My Thoughts 🎻 °｡⋆˚⁺
Eeek this book was literally so cute. It is my absolute favorite one in the series. I started this series in 7th grade and still own the old wattpad copies. It’s now been about 5 years and the second I saw Heartstrings was finally on Netgalley I requested it. Xander has been my favorite since book 1 and I couldn’t wait another second to get my hands on his love story.
I really like how she made the cussing less frequent in this book and how it was a lot less lusty, which I felt fit the characters much better.

⁺˚⋆｡° 👻 The Plot 👻 °｡⋆˚⁺
The plot was 🤌🤌🤌
I was able to connect with all of the characters and their struggles. I loved getting to see more of Violet’s story from Paper Hearts and how it affected Indie.
Xander and Indie’s love story was just so wholesome, and I found myself giggling like a maniac every time they interacted. I don’t want to spoil too much, but what he did for her on Halloween and what he wrote for her literally had me swooning. They are 100% my favorite Heartbreakers couple fs.
This book would’ve been 5 a five star read if it weren’t for the 3rd act break up, though she did handle everything. The scene where they reconciled was so cute and I liked how they genuinely addressed their faults.
I gotta say I hope someone actually adapts the songs they write in all the books bc I would SOOO stream them.

⁺˚⋆｡° 👽 Characters 👽 °｡⋆˚⁺
➥ Indie: I have to admit, her character was a pain in the butt at first but I grew to like her more throughout the book. She was extremely self-centered, but I liked how she actually addressed it and apologized by the end. I loved how she represented the characters with body issues but also didn’t make it the main point of her personality, and I especially loved how much of a dork she was. The only thing is I’m not really sure what was going on with her crystal pendant and pentacle earrings, but they didn’t really go into it so I was fine with it. Also her humor was top tier, I really did grow to love her character.
╰┈> Keep Your Head Up Princess - Anson Seabra ♫₊˚.
➥ Xander: My. Freaking. Mannnsssssss. I’m sorry, but cute dorky boys are better than hot bad boys without a doubt in my mind. This man was no different. Can we talk about how freaking adorable he is?! And the song he wrote?! *swoons* He’s my little misunderstood cinnamon roll. He was literally so sweet to Indie the entire book and you could tell he would go to the moon and back for her. He skyrocketed to my top ten book bf list.
╰┈> I Wanna Be Yours - Arctic Monkeys ♫₊˚.

⁺˚⋆｡° 🎥 Conclusion 🎥 °｡⋆˚⁺
Read this book.
Read this series.
I’m begging you.
If you don’t care about minor spoilers from the other books, you could even read this one as a stand alone. The plot is amazing, the characters are amazing, you will NOT regret it.

Now I just have to sit back, relax, and wait for JJ’s story

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for this ARC!

To start I just have to say that if you are like me and will harshly judge a book by the first 15% and decide to pick up this book, then I beg you to give it a chance. When I started this book I was super excited to read the nest book in the Heartbreak Chronicles series, but was let down because I found both Indie and Violet absolutley insufferable.

I have to say that I was on the hate train for both sides of their feud, but this book had some insane charecter developments. In the end I actually love both of them and am now guilt ridden over my early-on annoyance. This story unfolded so perfectly with every layer making me love the sisters more.

Now of course the love story was to die for (I can successfully say I've never read an Ali Novak love story that wasn't) and I LOVED Xander. From their meet cute to the epilogue I was giggling over Indie and Xander!!!

This was an adorable read and I reccomend it to anyone who likes a good rom-com but especially anyone with a soft spot for One Direction.

Indie lives in the shadow of her sister's fame - not that she wants to be famous, she just wants her family back. When a day at Comic Con as Violet's assistant leads to a chance encounter with Xander from The Heartbreakers, Indie is surprised to find someone else who feels overshadowed by the bigger personalities in their lives. What will Xander and Indie learn from one another?

It was nice to dive back into the world of the Heartbreakers. I did go back and re-read the original 2 books in the series for a recap. It was nice to see more of Xander who is quietly in the background of the first 2 novels. I liked Indie too.

It's been a long time since I read the last book in The Heartbreak Chronicles, so I was surprised by how easy it was to pick up Heartstrings and not feel lost. I had so much fun being back in the band's world, specifically with Xander through Indie's eyes.

Indie was a great character. She felt like a real soon-to-be high school senior who was struggling with all of the changes growing up brought with it. Her particular situation, sister to a famous actress, daughter to divorced parents who were focused on their careers. He relationship with her sister was rocky and I loved what this brought to the story and what Indie learned from it. I was so entrenched in her feelings, that sometimes I was just as shocked as she was to discover things weren't always what she thought them to be. I also enjoyed the way the parental relationships impacted her. The growth and maturity in Indie were great to experience alongside her.

Indie's newfound relationship with Xander was the most fun part of this book. They were really cute together, and I enjoyed seeing their relationship blossom. Indie saw things in Xander that others didn't and vice versa. I loved the extra confidence her relationship with him gave him. It was so much fun to see them interact with the band members and previous characters.

Overall, this book was a great addition to the series. It was a book I had forgotten I wanted or needed. Current teens and older fans of this series are sure to love it.

Heartstrings by Ali Novak, published by Sourcebooks Fire, is book three in the Heartbreak Chronicles. The book can easily be read as a stand alone, for best reading experience I recommend to read the books in order. The previous books are The Heartbreakers and Paper Hearts.
This is Indie and Xander's story.
Xander is the guitarist of the world famous band Heartbreakers. He's sweet, quiet.
Indie's sister Violet is a famous TV Star who just convinced Indie to be her PA for the weekend attending comic con.
Xander and Indie meet and hit it off right from the start.
A wonderful story, excellent written and literally unputdownable. A pageturner of its finest.
I recommend the book and the series that deserves all the stars.

Indie's siter Violet has become a big TV actress and has affected everything in her lives. She meets Xander, a sweet guitartist, while working as her sister's PA for a weekend. Can both of them shine instead of being in the shadows?

Love this book. Indie and Xander are so sweet together. Enjoyed seeing their interactions and conversations.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.