The Heart's Bidding was a very fast and easy read. I do love how the plot focuses on her learning to over come he fears in order to save the family business. So many romance books end up ignoring the driving factors in the plot and bury them beneath the romance. In this book Gerald being so supportive of Kay when it comes to over coming her fears is what made me love him. His smooth talking was just a cherry on top.
Also, Bernard and Ruth drove me up the wall. They irritated me to no end.

Descrition:
Kaylee Heart would rather run through a roaring fire than endure even a minute of public speaking. Put in an eighty-hour work week? No problem. Shut down her grandfather’s gold-digging girlfriend? Easy peasy. Stand in front of an auction crowd and call for bids? Show her the exit.

So she has no idea how Gerald, the golden-voiced auctioneer she’s been crushing on at the local auction house, can find the courage to stand on stage every week, with all those eyes on him. But as cruel fate would have it, she is about to find out.

Her family antique shop, the Vintage at Heart, has tripped over one financial hurdle too many and Kay is propelled, full speed, into her biggest phobia—the spotlight.

With terror chasing her, she’ll have to fight to keep the family business from closing forever. Even if the battle takes place in front of a live crowd.

Review:
Good book to read anywhere. The world that is created is beautiful and fun with the auctioneers. I was able to connect to the characters and wanted to know the story. This story was unique in its aspect and was just a fun and easy read to cleanse the pallet!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for this Arc in exchange for an honest review!

this book is a happy, romantic, feel-good story and therefore i chose to read it when i was soured and feeling hopeless

The storyline is quite straight forward and I loved the writing style. It was well written and I read through the pages in just few days. I really loved the whole setting with the auctioneers (which comes from the word bidding) and the characters around the protagonist Kay. They were warm, likeable and felt real

In general, I would say this is a nice book to read during holidays at a beach or just to relax or like me, read to get out of a slump

While I loved Kay and her surroundings, she didn't have enough power to outshine the others or even just Ruth. The most memorable characters were Ruth and Bridgette

Gerald, her romantic counterpart, was too flat and not interesting enough. Also, the ending seemed to be rushed. I expected to read more about Kay's personal development on how to become a successful female auctioneer.

Furthermore, the story didn't have as many romantic moments as I wished. Unfortunately, this was also a problem I saw while reading this book; even though the writing and general setting were good, it seemed that the story tried to please as many genres as possible.

Most of the time, it felt like the story was dipping a bit into romance, a little bit of slice-of-life and a bit of general fiction. Oh, there were also bits of comedy in the story as well. I wouldn't be able to put a label on this story. Maybe it would have been better to leave out certain parts and focus more on the chemistry between Kay and Gerald (or just any other part of Kay's life).

**I received a free copy of this book via netgalley

•Character development- 3☆
• Story Plot- 3☆
• Side characters- 4.5☆
• Flow of the story- 4☆
• Overall - 4☆

I received a copy of this book to review from Netgalley. Thank you for the opportunity.
A nice story with likable MC but for me, this book felt flat and lacking the spark that makes the reader really engage with the story and invest in the MCs journey.
An ok read.

2.5 stars

This was a sorta fun light read if you're a chicklit lover, you're going to adored this book... unfortunately I very rarely reach to that (only when I feel a drawn to it) which is why i thought I felt i was going to love this but it didn't worked for me.
This book started fun and entertaining but then I felt there were too many side plots and characters that didn't really have much importance in the story and I lose interest in the story. The romance was slow burn and though I do like that, in this case it became a bit like it dragged and I didn't care about it by the end. It is a shame because this sounded fun.
Again for a chick lit / light romance lover this could be the perfect book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I fully enjoyed reviewing this book for Book Sirens and NetGalley. So many times when I read a story I am reminded of other stories that I have read but not so with this book. It is a romantic love story but the female in this is not your typical woman. We look at a young woman who is extremely shy who leaves college to help her grandfather save the family antique/resale shop after her parents are killed in a car accident.
We follow her story through the hardships of what happens when an elderly woman makes a play for her grandfather with totally wrong intentions and how our Kaylee must work to try and not only break up the romance but take control of the business. All the while she has fallen for an auctioneer Gerald and works to get him to notice her.
In this mix also is her deceased Grandmothers best friend Bridgette who is stirring the pot and trying to turn Kaylee into an auctioneer....with disastrous consequences.
This is a good clean book that will lift your mood and spirit and make you want to attend an auction at her store.....A great winter read in a comfortable chair and a good cup of coco....

This was a pleasant read but I felt it dragged a little and it struggled a little in keeping my interest. I liked the characters and the writing style.

Just not for me. I couldn't connect with the characters or plot on this one. Although I finished and I can see how this would appeal to some readers this book just wasn't it for me.

The Heart’s Bidding is an entertaining and well written romance. Well crafted plot and characters. I received an advance ebook from the publisher and this is my unbiased review.

This book was a fine, cute story - just not suited to my personal taste. I prefer more steam, a faster pace in my romances. But I can definitely see myself recommending this to friends who prefer a chaste story that leans more towards women's fiction.

This is a clean cute romance. I really loved the characters in this book. There is some parts of this book I felt was a little to much or did not need to be in it. Overall it was a slow moving entertaining romance between to fun characters. I really loved the characters in this book. This book was very character driven. I have never read another book like this one. I love having the characters falling in love in the auction room. I do not think I have ever read a book that took place around am auction room and had so much about auctions. I also have to say I really loved the cover of this book. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Story Garden) or author (Jordan Riley Swan) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review about how I feel about this book, and I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

The Heart's Bidding with its gorgeous cover is the story of Kay, a young woman trying to save her family vintage shop, following her through this struggle and falling in love with Gerald, a young auctioneer.

I loved to get to know this world of small town auctions and the people who are involved in the process. It was a new world to me, I love how it was pictured in all its grittiness but also in all its sensible nature, as people who put their goods for auctions do this sometimes after all sorts of problems and heartbreaks.

Kay and Gerald are both some really adorable characters and their slow love is sprinkled with little moments of poetry. They are great partners and their support for each other shines beautifully from the pages. There are some charming supporting characters and some little fun moments that make this story a nice read.

This book had a lot of triggers for me so I'm very biased as to not appreciate to its true value. I didn't like how there are so.many.damn.struggles for Kay, and how she sometimes is like a lost chicken, vulnerable and somehow submissive to the expectation of others. The truth is almost all through the book she is grieving her parents' loss, she finds little understanding in the beginning from the only relative she has, and there is so much on her shoulders. Her fairy godmother is a gritty business woman who shows her heart and at times steals the show with her strong personality.

There is a strong real feel about this book. It's more real than fantasy and all the main character's struggle can be so easily found in everyday life. It's a lovely read for anyone intrigued a little by this world of auctioning and for anyone searching a clean, sweet romance.

Okay so I liked this book but I don’t know if it would be memorable in six months time for me. It’s a story about Kay and her family’s antique shop. She worked crazy hours and faced many obstacles to save the family’s business. I liked Kay and her motivation to work hard and to save the family’s business. She’s driven to be the best in the business and to take care of her grandfather. What I didn’t care for was grandpa. He had no interest in the business or the welfare of his granddaughter. I was bored with the auctioneer classes. I skimmed through those paragraphs. Gerald was a great love interest and partner. The romance between them was a slow slow slow burn. Though I have to say the ending was very cute. Overall, it was a cute romance that would make you smile in the end.

I received the ARC from the publisher and Netgalley for my honest review. Thank you for my copy.

Antique store owner Kay left college to keep the family business going after the tragic death of her parents, and her grandfather and his girlfriend brought the store to the brink of closure. Struggling to make ends meet, Kay knows that getting her auctioneer license will help her financially, and Gerald, her secret crush and a local auctioneer, offers to help. Can Kay overcome her intense fear of public speaking? Can she save her business before it’s too late? And what will she do about her ever-growing feelings for Gerald?

Kay is a strong and relatable protagonist who deals with many challenges. She’s trying to save the family business while obtaining her auction license and struggling with her fear of public speaking. Plus, Kay is grieving the loss of her parents and has to deal with her grandfather’s greedy, money-hungry girlfriend. Kay’s burdens are great, but she never gives up. I admire her determination and work ethic even when the odds are totally against her.

I also like the sweet romance between Kay and Gerald. Their humorous and flirtatious banter is often filled with pop culture references, and their awkward moments are laugh-out-loud funny. I like how Kay and Gerald support and encourage each other and that they take the time to get to know each other before jumping into a relationship.

The story delves into universal and relatable situations like grieving the loss of a loved one, aiding family during difficult times, finding love, and overcoming fears. I like that the author showed people dealing with grief and guilt differently. Kay, Bernard (her grandfather), Gerald, and Bridgette (her mentor) all handle life’s struggles differently, and I found that refreshingly realistic. Also realistic is how Kay deals with her fear of public speaking. I felt so bad for her as she became paralyzed with fear, and I rooted for her to overcome her challenges.

A sweet and charming contemporary romance, The Heart’s Bidding is the perfect book for readers who enjoy stories with realistic characters and situations, humorous banter, and a bit of family drama. The story takes place amid the world of auctioneers and auctions, which is also really interesting. Thanks so much to Netgalley and Story Garden for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

This had a lot of potential but just never got there. I wanted Kay to be less of a doormat. This was also the slooowest slow burn romance ever.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley, Story Garden and Jordan Riley Swan for gifting me an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
If you’re in the mood for a sweet, clean romance to cleanse your palate, look no further! Riley Swan brings to life a believable and relatable romance that leaves you with a cheesy smile.
When antique store owner Kylie hurts her hand loading her car after an auction, it’s the auctioneer, Gerald, who steps up to help. Their chemistry is instant but their relationship is a SLOW burn. We got through the entire book with barely a kiss, but that’s part of what makes it relatable. Instant love is just not a thing in real life and it was nice to see characters take their time and get to know each other. Personally I prefer a little more steam and found this book to be a *wee* bit bland, but I know there is a large audience for clean romances so I’m trying to be unbiased.