I was enjoying the first part of the book, but in the last 25% I kind of lost interest. It was a cute book but I wasn’t really invested in the characters or their relationship. I usually like fake dating but it didn’t really do anything in this book for me. Also the third act break up really annoying me and made me put it down for a couple days because I stopped caring about the book. But I would recommend if you love faking dating sport romances!

Thank you NetGalley of the ARC!

I really really enjoyed this book!!

What I appreciated most was how the book handled mental health. Alli’s anxiety was portrayed in such a realistic and compassionate way that made me really connect with her character. It made the romance feel even more meaningful.

That said, there were a few moments where I wished the plot went a little deeper, some threads felt a bit unfinished, and the writing style at times came across as a bit young. But overall, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment.

In the end, Heartstruck gave me all the cozy, slow burn romance vibes I was hoping for. If you like fake dating, college settings, and heartfelt characters, I think you’ll really enjoy this one.

I loved this book!!! The depiction of everyday struggles like mental health, family, college, etc was very well written! I really resonate with Allison because I used to struggle with panic attacks. Jared was such and adorable character and their chemistry was undeniable! Watching them struggle with fake dating was really funny and I was screaming "kiss already!!" a lot!

I'm going to be honest and say that this book was difficult to complete. I looked up the author on Goodreads and realized that Heartstruck is actually the second book of what I assume is a series. The first book was Wonderstruck, where we followed Tyler and Serena, and met both Jared and Alli, who are Serena's stepbrother/stepcousin (it's complicated, but let's just say they are related by marriage) and her best friend. Wonderstruck took place 2 years prior, when all four characters were seniors in high school and there were already some hints of a past between Jared and Alli, which piqued my interest. Before starting Heartstruck, I read Wonderstruck to be up to date with all the characters and backstory. Honestly, while nothing was wrong with that book, I didn't find it memorable, and the writing was just okay. I gave it a pass because it was Seraphina's first book, and I think it was a wonderful effort at the first attempt in the publishing world. I think that with experience, she is definitely going to get better. However, beyond the fact that the writing needed some improvement, the story in itself was very Young Adult. Excluding one scene, it is a book that I would recommend to my teenage daughter. As a matter of fact, I was going to tell my daughter to read the book until that one scene came up.

Now, let's turn to this book, Heartstruck. I didn't start it with all the enthusiasm that it deserved. Wonderstruck was okay but not memorable, so as soon as I finished it, I literally forgot most of the plot. Therefore, I began Heartstruck without that burning desire to know what happened next.
The writing in Heartstruck is on par with Wonderstruck. It's fine, but still needs work. The structure of some of the scenes and transitions between one scene and the next within the same chapter, where there is a time lapse, could be improved. It just felt juvenile again. This is really a young adult story for me. I thought that maybe the book would be aimed towards an audience a little more mature since the characters are now in college with a 2 years time jump from the previous book, but it felt almost the same. Yes, there are some scenes that were a bit more "explicit," but I think it is still a book aimed at a teen audience.

The story itself was fine but it's something that I had to really push myself to finish because ther was more than once that I was not motivated to pick it up, even DNF, but I pushed through. With that said, if you ask me in a week I will tell that I don't remember many details of the book because I didn't find it memorable.

Thank you Netgally for the opportunity to read

A cute romance and such an easy read.

anything that has to do with fake dating will most likely be read by me. the development between the two was so good and kept me hooked to the story. there were emotional points that showed how good these characters were with each other. and the swoon worthy moments made it all the better.

I was lucky to be able to read this as an ARC through Netgally

Cute and quick read, sadly for me it read very ”debut novel” and the pacing felt a little off. For me it had potential, it just didn’t reach all the way. Super sweet characters with their own issues to work through. But as a whole wasn’t too memorable.

2.5 ⭐

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the author for giving me the opportunity to red this as an arc.

Heartstruck follows sophomore Alli Castillo in her journey to finally have her fresh start in college. Everything changes for her when Jared Collins, an old acquaintance, transfers to the same college.

This was a very cute read, but unfortunately nothing memorable. The writing style felt a little weird, and the plot felt a little messy. There were details that were mentioned once and then picked up again way later, or completely forgotten or others that had no real purpose. Also, this is an open door romance but the scenes are written like they are supposed to be fade to black and sometimes they also seem like they are written in chunks and then put together. The different parts of the scene felt disconnected, that ended up being confusing because a few times it seemed like a jump to a completely different moment.

This book started off so good. It was really easy to read, flowed nicely and I was having fun. But the last 30% or so didn’t really deliver, so I’m still mulling over what I’d rate the book.

I love the whole fake dating, best friends brother, and how the FMC and MMC were helping each other through their struggles with anxiety. I loved the epigraph (I was a a massive Gossip Girl fan) and the playlist was good - especially since I knew a lot of the songs (which is rare).

But my issues are:

① Ethan - I thought he would play a bigger role. I thought Alli was at least going to go on a date with him, and that would help play a part in her and Jared realising their feelings for each other. But nope, he just…. Faded out. One moment Alli was in love with him, the next… he just vanished? Also the fact that apparently Alli was in love with Jared since sophomore year? But if that was the case, her reaction to both Ethan and how chill she was with Jared just don’t make sense

② Ariel - again, she just vanished. After the confrontation at the supermarket, I figured she’d make one last appearance and help solve Jared’s issues with fangirls…. But she just gave up? Also, I don’t really get why Jared has so many fans. Maybe I missed something but he’s not a famous athlete..?

③ Alli’s family - I’m not Hispanic / Mexican so maybe this is normal and I’m just being really picky, in which case, sorry. But my 2 main points are:
• the aunt and cheerleading - I thought she would push for something like a career in science…. Not cheerleading. And acting like dropping cheerleading would really affect her career and future just made no sense to me. Like did she want Alli to be a professional cheerleader? If the aunt was pushing something career wise, it would have made more sense for me.
• Alli’s mom and her aunt. Why was the mom just giving reassuring smiles to her daughter when she was standing up to the aunt? She’s the mom’s sister so I thought she would step in and be like that’s MY daughter so back off.

Other than those points, I really did enjoy the book. I love the cover. I would recommend it as a fun, easy read for when you want a break.

This was a cute college romance with fake dating, childhood friends to lovers and a second chance element. The two main characters had good chemistry and I could tell they cared about each other. I wish they had communicated more about their personal issues but overall a good book from an indie author

I did enjoy this read once I got into it I love a fake dating trip I just wish it had a lot more init I mean I love a black cat fmc but I did find her annoying at the start maybe that just me I love that it’s was a second chance even better that it was only a one night thing they had and she loved him for years I love that

The cover made me select this book, me love a nice cover, and the plot seemed interesting. The story grabbed me and I finished quite fast.

3 stars
~ I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own ~

Thank you to NetGalley and BookBuzz for the e-ARC of Heartstruck by Seraphina Chen!
My rating: 2.5 stars
Fans of Hannah Grace and Elle Kennedy book series would enjoy this book!
Set on college campus Alli and Jared who have been friends since they were young had what Alli thought was the beginning of a romance as teenagers which ended in them not speaking for years. After meeting at university when Jared transfers due to previously being stalked, they meet and make a deal to fake date.
Alli is a high achieving student, and introvert and also a people pleaser who gets very overwhelmed, however she lacks confidence and can take criticism as a personal attack and lash out at those she cares about.
Jared in a football player who changed schools due to being stalked by girls at his previous college, he has a very fragile relationship with his mother who he feels abandoned by and this causes him a lot of self doubt and for him to become closed off.
The story explore not only their relationship but the relationship they have with their complicated families.
At times I found the writing a bit cliche and like a millennial trying to tell a story from a gen Z POV. I found the story quite unoriginal and not very memorable. I didn’t feel the chemistry between the characters that much and felt that Alli forgave Jared a bit too easily. This is my honest and real opinion of this book.

There is something about a couple helping the other through anxiety or panic attacks that just makes me giddy, which is why I picked up this book. Having had anxiety all my life, I’m very drawn to main characters that also experience it. This ended up being a cute quiet read. Most of the conflict is internal - each dealing with their own insecurities, anxieties and pasts, and needing to work through their issues, sometimes together, sometimes apart. External conflicts are low stakes, fights with family for Alli and Jared dealing with a lot of unwanted attention and his own family past. It's overall a pretty cozy book with low drama.

This is also a second chances book. While the book description doesn’t cover this, it quickly becomes evident that Jared and Alli know each other from high school. I went in thinking this was a stand alone, but it actually follows a book called Wonderstruck, which is about each of their respective best friends falling in love, so Jared and Alli played significant side characters in that book. It's also established early on that they had a one night stand a few years ago and it's pretty clear there are still a lot of feelings between them.

I wouldn’t say it's a problem, but the romance did feel like instalove. Jared is very quick to suggest the fake dating without a lot of reason and it is so clear that they are both on the edge of falling in love pretty much from the first chapters. Still, we got plenty of cute moments as they drew closer together and found quiet connection with each other. This is a book about two overwhelmed people finding peace and comfort with each other. As someone who also has anxiety, while this isn’t the most dramatic and intensive read, it definitely reflects what I want out of a realistic relationship.

While the author does catch us up to speed on what happened, I still had moments where I was confused about things that must have been established in the first book. I was kind of confused about Jared’s relationship to Alli’s best friend Serena who was the main character in the previous book, Wonderstruck. Early in the book he described her as his sister, but then made it clear she wasn’t his sister by blood, but also wasn’t mentioned as a step sister either. Eventually I pieced together that Serena was raised by her aunt who married Jared’s father, making them essentially step siblings but not quite. This was the biggest issue I had with not getting all the info, but there were other moments where it felt like I was missing some backstory, but overall it read as a standalone.

Rating - This was a solid 4 star for me. I’m a little torn, because it felt pretty low stakes, even when things got “bad” I never really questioned if it would all work out in the end. At the same time, sometimes that's what you really need in a book.

Tropes & Other Details -
Best Friend’s Brother
Friends to Lovers
Second Chances
Fake Dating
Campus Romance
Bonding over Puzzles

Very light and entertaining read when you just want to relax and get your mind off of things. Great chemistry between main characters and overall nostalgic of college days. Engaging and cute! Would recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book as an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

I had to dnf this book, read 22% in and just couldn’t get into the book wasn’t for me.

The writing style just feels quite juvenile and it’s very dialogue heavy. Description is quite light and there isn’t enough inner monologue where they should be. Like i feel when Alli talks about her anxiety it would be good have a more detailed inner monologue about what she is thinking rather than she just has too many thoughts. like what thoughts??

Overall, just not for me but feel the concept is good with fake dating, and the charcaters espcially Alli feel relatble dealing with anxiety and going uni.

thank you net galley for this arc.

📖 Heartstruck Review 📖

I wanted to like this one… but honestly, it just fell flat.

➡️ So many random background characters that felt like they were going to matter… and then nothing. Almost like the author forgot about them.

➡️ Halfway through, Jared suddenly has these “ride or die” best friends?? We’ve literally never heard of them before and they barely show up again.

➡️ And Jared + Alli? Zero chemistry. I just didn’t believe they actually wanted to date.

The only thing I really liked was Alli standing up to her family 👏 but that’s about it.

Overall… it felt rushed and had weird time jumps. I’m just left confused. 😬

⭐ Rating: 2/5

A dual POV, fake dating story with swoon worthy banter, spicy scenes, and dialogue that will have you giggling and kicking your feet.

This book was just what I needed! The relationship development between Alli and Jared felt raw and real, and the pacing kept me interested without feeling rushed. The balance between light-hearted moments and scenes full of emotional maturity was so refreshing to read. Both characters were well fleshed out, and their growth together felt so authentic. I definitely recommend picking this one up when it comes out!

An addictive, heartfelt romance full of passion, growth, and emotional depth.

Heartstruck completely captivated me from the first page. What really stood out is how beautifully the characters have grown and evolved — their journeys felt so authentic and relatable. The author does a wonderful job balancing romantic tension with personal development, making every choice feel meaningful and every moment earned.

The chemistry between the leads is undeniable, but what sets this book apart is the layered emotional stakes that make their connection even more powerful. The pacing was perfect — engaging and immersive without ever feeling rushed — and the dialogue sparkled with wit and honesty.

This is a story that delivers heat, heart, and genuine character evolution all at once. It left me smiling, aching, and holding my breath in equal measure.

Thank you to NetGalley and the independently published author Seraphina Chen for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Okay so this was cute, just not memorable. It read… I dunno? Felt like the writing assumed I couldn’t pick up on things. Like I was being told instead of shown? Just not my style of writing to read I suppose.

Thank you to the author & NetGalley for an eARC! Review & opinions are honest & my own!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me a copy of this book to review.

This was a sweet romance, and I enjoyed it a lot. I am looking forward to reading more by this author.