Zoe York is a fantastic author! She wrote well, with a great storyline and wonderful characters. And, oh, how I loved these characters. The whole town and not just the main characters. This is a small town, fake marriage, friends to lovers, slow burn romance. All of my favorites wrapped up in one! It was sweet, with a touch of intense, moments. And there are five brothers we'll get to know over the series! Adam (the youngest) and Isla story is definitely a favorite of mine. I enjoyed it so much! I'll be going back to pick up book one so that I can catch up with this series.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
This is my voluntary and honest review.

I have not tried any of Zoe York's books before, but I really enjoyed this gentle romance between two former army colleagues, both now starting over in new, civilian careers. Isla is a former Army captain, coming off a painful divorce to a nasty, narcissistic manipulator. She's now a novice baker, with a dream of having her own bakery, although she knows it will be a struggle since her credit was ruined in the divorce.. Adam is one of her former corporals, newly graduated from firefighting school and planning a career of service in his small home town. While in the Army, there was mutual respect and friendship between them, but no other kind of relationship. When they run into each other as both are graduating, they quickly discover a spark, but more importantly, a much deeper friendship grows, based on mutual respect and admiration for each other.

When Adam, an absolute sweetheart of a guy, sees a business opportunity for Isla in his town, he quickly proposes a marriage of convenience to help her fulfill her dream. How can you not love a guy like that? Along with MOC, there were so many of my other favorite tropes, including friends-to-lovers, sweet, sunshiny hero, small town, and fake relationship that turns from a slow burn into a combustion. The book is the second in a series (Adam is the youngest of five brothers) and is tied into the author's previous Pine Harbour series, but I never felt lost or confused, or like it was nothing but sequel bait. I definitely do want to go back now, though and catch up on the previous series.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book to leave an honest review. I have read a couple of Zoe York's works and she does not disappoint. Her works are very well written and heart warming. This is the second book in this series, although she has done other works set in the same small town. This is definitely your typical small town romance read.

This book follows Adam, the youngest Kincaid, and Isla, a retired veteran. Both Isla and Adam are trying to start over after leaving the armed forces; Adam as a firefighter and Isla as a baker. Isla is divorced after a bad first marriage and has no desire to get married again. Adam is scarred from his time serving and from losing his parents young so doesn't feel "love" like he thinks he is supposed to. They two friends reconnect and they become the main source of support for each other. But still as friends only. When an opportunity in Adam's hometown comes up for Isla to open her own bakery, he seems to good to be true...especially when the terms of the sale mean the purchaser has to be married and stay in town for 5 years. The two decide to get married in name only since they rely on each other so much anyways.

As you can imagine, things don't stay as friends. As they grow closer together and rely on each other, intimacy comes into play while still trying to keep hearts out of the mix. Both have to come to terms with their pasts if they are going to make the marriage work as true husband and wife.

Overall a very good read. Both characters are well developed and it is easy to get hooked on the Kincaid men.

This is the 1st book I've read of hers. I enjoyed it & will read her other books. I was disappointed with one aspect since I was expecting something more & different regarding the ex but it's an excellent read

Complementary copy given for honest review and opinion from NetGalley.
Marriage can be for other things besides love, right? What could go wrong when you reconnect with your Army commander and decide marriage would benefit you both since neither of you believe in love? This story shows just how many things can go wrong and even more that can go right.

First I want to thank to Netgalley for this arc.
I love this book. It was a cute and sweet read. And ir was good few hours spent.
3.5 sweet stars

The name Zoe York is bland and familiar enough that I feel as if I have seen her books around. Have I? Not really sure. But the description on this one appealed to me on NetGalley and I am so glad I picked it up because I had a hard time putting it down. Yes, so very good and went to bed wanting to keep the story in my mind.

I've never read #1 in this series and didn't feel as if I was missing anything. I look forward to reading more from this author.

The chemistry between Isla and Adam is low on tension and sizzle, but could appeal to fans of a slow paced, steady romance or those who love a fake marriage premise. The action does pick up towards the back half of the story, and readers familiar with York's other books will recognize familiar characters in the small town.

This is a voluntary review of an advanced copy.

I always look forward for books set in Pine Harbour and this is a new family that we see in this series - the Kincaids. Wow, you see the great friendship that Isla and Adam have and then when they have their one night stand, you worry that they will ruin that!

Throw in a fake marriage and a nasty ex and you have a great recipe for an drama filled romance! Isla certainly has the drama with her really bad previous marriage, and Adam at 30 years old still deals with his parents' death when he was a teen. Being raised by your older brothers isn't too bad but when they still try to "parent" you when you have matured is hard for Adam (or for anyone!).

It was great to watch them both progress through their fake relationship to realize that yeah, they were not that broken after all. So many sweet moments in the book as Isla sees what a real partner can offer and it was nothing like her first marriage. They each took such great pleasure in trying to help or find something for the other one.

My only concern about the book was that Isla let the military take care of her ex-husband's threats and moved him to a different military base. She choose not to press charges with local authorities but I really did not understand how he was restrained from further action. Was the military keeping an eye on him and if he acted out then he would be court martialed or jailed or something?? Just a bit more explanation would have been helpful. The other thing that was not explained was how did her ex know to make claims that their marriage was not real - was it a shot in the dark or just lies he was making up??

Back to the story, it was so good, that it was hard to put the book down and I had to read it in one sitting. The brothers sound like they will have some good stories coming up - Josh who was married for a day and no one knew it! Will who seems to have an interest in Caite but won't own up to it and she seems to hate him. Can't wait to read those books!

This book is a modern day marriage of convenience which I find a bit of a stretch. It works better in a historical romance. I liked Adam but had trouble connecting with Isla. I though all the drama with her ex would amount to something happening in the book but it was just talk. I have read a couple other books set in Pine Harbour and enjoyed those a lot more.

Fierce at Heart by Zoe York
Kincaids of Pine Harbour #2

Looking for a romance that doesn’t fit neatly into any one genre but is somewhat related to a number of them? If so, this book might be just the one for you. It has warmth, caring, sharing, friendship, and potential for more than either character thought possible. It also provides backstories that explain why this rather unusual marriage was easily slipped into and why the two were averse to the idea of “love”.

What I liked:
* Adam Kincaid: ex-army, educated in firefighting at university, youngest brother of five, good friend, caring, and a good partner.
* Isla Petersen: ex-military and Adam’s commanding officer at one time, a good friend, divorced after a damaging to self-esteem marriage, has dreams, has been to culinary-baking school, has business-professional dreams.
* The small-town vibe and their willingness to be there for one another.
* The brothers of Adam
* The writing
* The fact that Adam & Isla were friends first.
* The way that Adam & Isla took care of one another.
* All of it really except…

What I didn’t like:
* The person I was meant not to like…if you read the book you will know who it is and feel the same. I do wish that I knew exactly what happened to that person as whatever it was it didn’t feel 100% resolved to me.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

Adam Kincaid has returned to his small hometown of Pine Harbour to become a firefighter after fighting in the army. After a chance meeting and a one night stand with his former army captain, Isla, he can't get her of his mind. When an opportunity comes up in his town for Isla's dream of owning a bakery, Adam is determined to help her. The only catch, the buyer has to be a long-term resident or a married couple. They decide to marry for covenience...after all marriage is for suckers, right? Until it starts to feel like the real thing...
I thought this was a lighthearted and sweet romance.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The views and opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I have read a couple of Zoe York's books before, so had high hopes for this latest story from Pine Harbour.

Isla and Adam's love story is quite unconventional, as they decide to marry 'for convenience' rather than love. What begins as simply friendship, slowly develops into something deeper. They have both experienced loss and disappointment which has left them jaded and Adam believes he is incapable of love.

Although there are some steamy moments, Zoe'writes sex scenes more on the sweeter side rather than 'down and dirty'. Whilst a little tame for my tastes, I still loved this book.

I was instantly invested in the characters and enjoyed the description of life in a small Canadian town. I found the way Adam and Isla's marriage morphed from friendship to love was organic and believable.

Well done Zoe.

I thoroughly enjoyed this. Cakes and a super hot and caring fireman. It’s the book dreams are made of. It’s my first book by Zoe but won’t be my last.

Adam and Isla's story was interesting as even if they had a moment of attraction they concluded that they weren't ready for more and decided to stay as friends. They have baggage that needs unpacking and is sort of dealt with, except Isla's ex-husband sub-plot.
Sort of a slow burn with cute and hilarious moments between the MCs and it's great to be back into the Kincaids turf.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book received from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A wonderfully great read about two people that don't believe in marriage or expect a HEA. But yet their marriage of convince quickly becomes more, much more and might just change how they both view love. Isla and Adam are adorable and make the whole "marriage of convince" completely believable. I loved watching them fall in love and overcome the obstacles in their path.

Zoe York’s “Fierce at Heart” is a a sweet slow burn with some of my favorite tropes. If you enjoy marriage of convenience/fake relationship, friends-to-lovers-to-friends-to-lovers, and a sprinkle of fated mates, you will love this book.

Adam Kincaid and Isla Petersen first met years ago in the army, when she was his commanding officer during a tour of duty. Fast forward to today, when they meet again serendipitously at Isla’s booth at a local farmer’s market. They’re both out of the army, preparing to embark on new careers — Isla as a baker and Adam as a rookie firefighter relocating to his small hometown of Pine Harbour. Their reconnection leads to friendship, but when the Pine Harbour bakery goes on sale for $1, with the caveat that it must sell to a local, Adam’s proposed marriage of convenience is too good to pass up.

It was a joy to read as their relationship developed. Adam and Isla have a deep respect for one another, treat each other with kindness, a simmering attraction, and OF COURSE they fall in love!

There are other elements to their story, like Adam’s relationship with his four older brothers and the town itself as he strives to be treated as an adult and not the “Kincaid Kid.” Isla was previously married and is still dealing with the lingering affects of emotional abuse from her villainous ex-husband.

This was my first book by Zoe York, but it won’t be my last! I am eager to read more stories about the Kincaid brothers and Pine Harbour. “Fierce at Heart” is the second in the series, but it’s a standalone and a true delight.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This was a cute read, and honestly I would've been into it even if they hadn't professed their love. Adam and Isla's friendship did reignite at a rapid pace at the beginning of the book, but I even found that believable, as they were two lonely characters who felt misunderstood even by the people who love them. The reasons for the marriage of convenience were a little unbelievable, but it worked. I actually thought the marriage of convenience was really sweet, that they would be best friends and partners who support each other even without romantic love. I also really appreciated that Adam's backstory and relationship with his brothers felt well-formed even without reading the first book. This book really did function as a standalone. I sometimes find small-town romances sort of hit or miss, but this one mostly worked for me. Would always like a little more steam, though. This is probably a 3.5 star book, rounded up to 4.

I have an unhealthy obsession with marriage of convenience stories, I’ve read more than my fair share of them. This was a sweet example, set in a small town, both of them army vets, now she’s an aspiring baker and he’s a rookie firefighter:

I loved the small town setting and the family dynamics and once this got going the chemistry and the heat, but what was unusual in this was that the chemistry wasn’t really there from the start for either of them. That confused me a bit as I wasn’t sure if this was deliberate or not. I think on reflection it probably was deliberate and this was intended to be a slow burn starting from a genuine friendship and mutual respect. This bubbled along for a while being sweet and witty and warm and I’d have been quite content with that so the heat ramping up seemingly from nowhere was a fab surprise.

This is part of a series but the story stands alone. I’d definitely be up for reading more of these. Recommended.

I feel very conflicted about this review! There were aspects of this book I really loved, and others that I found distracting and took away from the overall enjoyment of the book. I like that there wasn’t one specific “trope” the romance fell into - a little bit friends to lovers, a little slow burn, a hint of instalove even, forced proximity - you name it. I liked in general that there was a wide cast of characters - however, they didn’t feel blended into the storyline, like those side little plots didn’t get explored enough. I liked the hero and heroine, I liked their banter, and how they took care of one another. I just get like some of the plot points drama were too short, not fully explored and unfinished. But I would absolutely pick up another book by this author!