Well this was syrupy sweet. The idea is lovely, a world where everything is easy. But it’s not realistic and took me out of the story. Absolutely not one hint of angst here. The mental health struggles were nice but … the writing just didn’t work for me. I appreciate what Courtney was trying to do here but overall this was a boring, albeit sweet read.

In Case of Heartbreak is a tooth achingly sweet & fast paced queer romances that is utterly un-put-downable (not a real word, but I'm making it one :P) that I absolutely adored.

This book is a cinnamon roll! No, literally, it's a sweet dessert of a novel that readers are going to love!

In the Case of Heartbreak is the story of Adam and Ben. Two humans who might just have to face some difficult struggles if they are going to fight for the love they share for each other. Ben Parrish, our baking protagonist, has harbored some secret feelings for Adam Reed for quite some time. Adam Reed, guitar genius, initially spurns Ben and it shatters Ben.

All in all, this book is super adorable and I found myself smiling and genuinely laughing out loud at various scenes. It's heartfelt, it's romantic, and I know Rom-Com readers are going to devour this story and hunger for the next installment in the Fern Falls series.

Check this book out - it's the sweet treat you need this summer!

A sweet romance about two people trying to grow and heal and be better for themselves and each other.

I loved how Ben and Adam communicated with each other and how therapy was normalised. I enjoyed the character arc of Ben and how he was eventually to accept the reality of his past and embrace his future.

I did feel like there was a lot of telling the reader exactly what was going on rather than showing and allowing the reader to fill in the gaps. I also wasn’t entirely convinced of Ben and Adam’s friendship prior to dating. There was a lot of talk about how they were good friends but it always seemed distant and awkward. Maybe this was established more in the first book in the series (which I haven’t read).

Once they started dating they were so sweet and the way they communicated and genuinely wanted the best for each other was so beautiful. There were a lot of great minor characters in here too!

Thanks so much for the eARC. I enjoyed my time with Ben and Adam.

3 stars because I like what the author was trying to do with this book, but I just wasn't a big fan of the execution. This was a very fast paced, sweet read. I enjoyed following Ben and Adam's story, and as long as I didn't think about it too critically, it was a fun read.

Where it fell short for me though was the writing. While I get what Courtney Kae was going for with this story, it just wasn't working for me. I loved the representation of different mental health struggles and the diversity of the characters (both in sexual orientation and ethnicities), but it felt a bit overdone. Almost every character was described by skin colour and hair colour, which seemed unnecessary. It just seemed very showy about being diverse when it didn't need to be quite so in your face.

I know the authors goal was to create an fully accepting atmosphere, but it felt very forced. I feel like Ben and Adam didn't have any conversations that didn't end up being a deep declaration of the other being good enough or them getting emotional and crying. While I think that type of support is beautiful, it would have been nice to have a mix of light hearted conversations or basically anything with a bit more variety. It became very repetitive, very quickly. That said, I did really love the mental health representation and how therapy was shown as a normal, acceptable thing.

Like I said though, I loved the concept of this story, I just think the writing style was not for me. I like a bit more angst, a bit more of a slower burn, and a bit less over the top sweet. For people who love a low angst, adorable read, I would definitely recommend this one!

Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

I really wanted to like this book. I had read the previous book in the series and loved it. In the previous book, I loved Ben. He seemed like a great friend and supportive person. But in this book, it was so hard to like him. His lack of communication was so hard to read. It felt like the romance went from 0 to 100 really quick too. The entire first half of the book, Ben spent all his effort avoiding Adam, not talking to him, etc. Then at about the half way mark, suddenly everything switched and they are talking about marriage and a forever.

I absolutely loved Adam though. He was so supportive and understanding. He also seemed a lot more interested in communication, which was amazing. Best character in the book

I loved this book so much, I don't even know where to begin writing this review. 🥺

This book is about Ben, a pastry chef, running his family business in the small town of Fern Falls. This is his journey of letting go of the past, accepting he isn't to blame for other people's actions, a journey of healing, overcoming his abandonnment issues and understanding that doing his best is always enough. Ben, I see you.

Ben is dealing with a lot of childhood trauma at the beginning of this book. He's putting so much pressure on himself, going outside his comfort zone, trying to prove to himself that he can do things on his own, without the help of his meddling family. But ultimately, he realizes that his family and friends are what really matter anyway. He accepts himself and his limitations, his family's help and the love of his forever crush.

That brings us to Adam. Aaaah. Sweet, wonderful, supportive Adam. That man is a dream. The way he talks to Ben, the way their friendship turns into more, how in tune to Ben's needs he is, how respectful of his insecurities and anxiety. He's dealing with his fair share of trauma, but my god, he's wonderful.

Friends to lovers is my kryptonite.
I was bawling my eyes out he moment they confessed their feelings for each other, when they decided to start dating. The intimacy they shared was absolutely perfect. The way they communicated about their feelings, their doubts and fears, their plans for the future. It was so beautiful. I cried. A lot.

I didn't think I'd ever like a third act breakup, but this made so much sense, I would have been mad if it didn't happen this way. The selflessness these two guys posses was sexy as hell. To see them care for each other so much that they're willing to give up on their relationship just to see the other thrive and succeed. Gaaah.

That ending was perfect.

This was not for me.

By reading this book, you can tell that the author is chronically online and probably obsessed with self-help books. This corny, fluffy, and cheesy narrative is proof enough (at least the fluffiness is well executed). It's partly my fault that I was not too fond of this book since I haven't read the first part of the series. I wasn't connected enough with the characters to feel sympathetic for their rich white problems. Maybe because of the same, it seems that the chemistry with the love interest was forced and superficial and that the dynamic with his support group was baseless. I highly recommend reading the first part of the series if you want to read this book for its beautiful cover (like I did).

Regarding the plot, there's no actual conflict, and when there is, it is solved in a ridiculously easy way. I don't pretend to be mean, but the main character is constantly drowning in a glass of water that is not even half full! I'm all for emotionally vulnerable men, but that doesn't mean they have to be extremely pathetic.

Thanks netgalley for the eARC!! This one was so cute and lighthearted, definitely a must read for summer!

I thought this one was just okay. I read the other book in this series and I liked it better. But it was a cute read.

Ben is a bakery owner cast on a (live?) reality television show. Adam is his longtime crush who has seemingly broken his heart on live television. When Ben's shady, absentee father also reappears to disrupt Ben's life and success, Ben leaves for a two week vacation at his grandmother's house to celebrate G-ma's birthday. However, G-ma has invited Adam to play guitar at her birthday events and housed Ben and Adam together in a guest cottage. G-ma and her interference may have been one of my favorite parts of this book, by the way.

The romance happened very quickly, and went from zero to forever in no time at all. The obstacles were just swept away.

I did enjoy the communication between the two main characters. They were open and largely honest with each other. I also liked that it showed Ben going to therapy to work through his neglect and abandonment issues.

I received an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

And honestly, this wasn't one of my favorite books. I was very excited for it, because I loved Ben so much in the first Fern Falls book. But, ultimately, found it rather underwhelming.

In the Case of Heartbreak is a sweet and fun MLM romance filled with cheesy romantic gestures, a great healing journey, and seriously makes you crave a cinnamon roll.

This book was good. I wasn’t over the moon about the VERY descriptive writing. It seemed to be too drawn out. I found myself getting bored at some points. I did, however, enjoy the tender moments between Ben and Adam. And the steamy moments were a treat! I especially loved how Courtney Kae portrayed both Ben and Adam’s healing journeys.

I also appreciated the pansexual and bisexual representation in this! And also how Ben referred to new people as “they” instead of assuming their gender and pronouns. That made me super happy.

The ending was great because the third act breakup wasn’t really a breakup at all. It was Ben trying his best to heal and Adam respecting that. It was super refreshing to read about a relationship that didn’t feel toxic.

Thank you to Kensington Books and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

One of the most obvious five stars of the year. This book deals with heavy topics as both Ben and Adam have suffered a lot because of their parents, but their romance is the softest and easiest thing. I LOVED this aspect of the book so much. After years of pining, once they finally confess their feelings, there’s no added anxiety or drama. Their love is like a safe net where they can just be honest and explore the feelings they’ve been hiding. The romance was my most favorite part of the book.

If “shitty father” could count as trigger warning, I would add it. Ben’s father is the worst. There’s a paragraph that talks about how trauma can sneak up on you and make you feel like you have made zero steps towards recovery, and I could relate so much. Daddy issues issued truly hard in here. Adam was so loving and caring, always listening and comforting Ben. He also had some unresolved trauma, and the third act was exactly what they both needed to start healing properly.

I also wanted to mention how utterly cute Adam was! This is a big sunshine/sunshine romance, and Adam was the sun incarnate. He literally said he wanted to court Ben. My HEART nearly exploded. He was so romantic and soft! Please! Soft boys will always be above alpha heroes, sorry not sorryyyy!

This beautiful love story deserves to be read by everyone.

TW: Emotional abuse, alcoholism, depression, parent abandonment

Rating: 5/5
Steam level: Open door, 1-2 scenes, medium level of detail

ARC provided by Kensington, Courtney Kae and NetGalley. Opinions are my own!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Ben messes up his opportunity on a popular baking show when his long-time crush, Adam, said on the national broadcast of the show that the two are just friends. Ben leaves immediately, much to the chagrin of the production team. He races to his Grandmother’s house where his mom is living, and where they are hosting a large week-long party.

Things start to go haywire for Ben, when his estranged father sends him a cease and desist about his cinnamon roll recipe, his mother brings up her concerns about his grandmother’s finances, and Adam shows up at the party. Can Ben keep his cool while everything is falling apart around him?

It was a cute story, and a quick read, but I just felt like this story was trying to be a LOT of different things, that I didn’t always find fit together super well. I mostly picked it up for the baking show plotline, but that honestly felt like a miniscule plot point.

This is the second book in the series, and I didn’t feel like I missed much but starting with the second, but this one didn’t make me feel like I had any interest in going back and reading the first one.

In the Case of Heartbreak is a tender love story that will 100% make you shed a tear or two (or a hundred; I am emotionally invested in Adam and Ben and could read like 10 more books about them). It also deals with some heavier topics like parental abuse and abandonment, so I would recommend checking out the trigger warnings before diving in.

In In the Case of Heartbreak, we follow Ben, a baker from Fern Falls who just joined a baking competition that could send his little bakery and cafe to new heights. But when everything goes wrong on the day of filming in Fern Falls and Ben is rejected by the only man he's ever loved, Adam, on national TV for the whole world to see, things take a turn for the worse. And suddenly there is also his absentee dad, sending him a cease-and-desist letter over a cinnamon roll recipe that put Ben on the map and that was definitely not his dad's invention.
Ben thankfully has an escape from the dumpster fire that his life has turned into: two weeks celebrating his grandma's birthday, far away from Fern Falls. But he can't really run from his issues, and maybe Adam suddenly appearing in Maywell Bay is not such a terrible thing—maybe it can lead to something truly spectacular.

I don't even know where to start with this review! I loved how soft and understanding both Adam and Ben were. How Ben had so much anxiety surrounding basically every aspect of his life (so relatable! I will truly treasure Ben and his soft heart forever, and Adam knew exactly how to help ease them. Sometimes just letting someone know that "it's okay, we are okay, and you are going to be okay" can mean more than any other word ever could. Adam was a reprieve for Ben, a safe haven, and my heart felt so light whenever these two interacted, be it as friends at first, as lovers, or as partners later on.

And don't even get me started on the other important topics it touched on: anxiety, of course, but also depression, consent (like Adam said, "consent is sexy," and damn right it is!), addiction, and more. I truly believe Court treated those with the utmost care, and I can't wait to see what else they write (maybe another Fern Falls novel?). (Insert puppy eyes.)

The issues Ben dealt with felt so raw and real, and I could feel every one of his anxieties on a visceral level. At some points in the book, all the situations—his horrible dad, the baking competition, his grandma facing potential bankruptcy—felt hopeless and unsolvable, but when taken one at a time, they kind of stopped seeming so insurmountable. When the sudden reprieve came after everything kind of bulldozed Ben over, it was like taking a fresh breath of air. I found this feeling incredibly familiar; I never dealt with issues on the same level as Ben, but that feeling of "Oh, it's actually okay, everything will be okay" is one of the most calming ones there is.

All in all, In the Case of Heartbreak is a beautiful romance novel—with some angst, I would recommend positioning a tissue box close to you before you start reading—full of heart, beautiful mental health representation, and one of the softest and sweetest childhood friends to lovers stories I've ever read. I was a Ben and Adam (Badam!) fan before I even knew this book was going to be a thing, and I love them even more now. A total win of a romance novel all around!

Ugh. I loved this story so much.

The dad was an absolute jerk though.

I think that my favorite part is that I had a chance to reflect on myself. For whatever reason, I feel unworthy of love. And this book told me that I am worthy. Loved it so much!

Thank you Netgalley and Kensington books for the E-arc to read and review. What delightful, swoon and hot book. I loved the Fern Falls cast of characters from book 1 and these 2 are super special. Literal cinnamon roll, rock and roll and friends to lovers I one of my all time favorite trope the spice was on point and if it existed IRL I would move there in a heart beat.

Will definitely be ordering a copy want to tab this book.

Unfortunately this suffered from a lot of the same issues as the first book in the series, namely a TON of narrator infodumping, over the top plot points that were both silly and unnecessary, and a nice neat way-too-easy ending. I did mostly like the main character of Ben and thought his mental illness/trauma stuff was handled well but I just didn't connect with his and Adam's relationship even outside the ridiculous plot point nonsense.

I think something with me and this author's writing style isn't working. Her previous book was a 3 star read for me, because while I did enjoy it for the most part, I found myself zoning out a lot. That was even worse with this book, which is why I decided to DNF.

This book was so ooey gooey sweet. I loved it so much. Adam and Ben are just adorable and you’re cheering for them the whole time. Their communication with each other is really beautiful.
My only critique is it’s almost spicy, talks a big game, then skips all spicy scenes. Great for some readers, a bummer for me.