Oh my gosh this was simultaneously the cutest but also heart wrenching book I’ve read in a long time! Ben and Adam, you sweet cinnamon roll boys, you deserve every good thing in life! The author made these characters come to life and walked them through their trauma in a way that felt so real and honestly, validating. It is a relief to see them not only be honest about their trauma but own it and realize that it doesn’t make them any less worthy of love. That is the thing I think I hope so many people take from this book, yes it’s a super cute romance, but the lesson that comes with it is so invaluable. You are worthy of love dear reader, no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

Thank you to Courtney Kae for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Themes: Trauma, self-love, trust
Representation: Queer, bi, pan, nonbinary, mental health, depression, anxiety
Content Warnings: Parental neglect, past trauma

Premise: Ben decides to take a break from baking to attend his grandma’s 80th birthday party when he runs into his crush. Will he be able to confess how he feels and work on building a solid relationship or will his past trauma hinder that?

Characters
In general, I loved the characters. They all had something special to add to the book. They also felt more like people rather than characters which is what we should aim for in a book. I can see the people I know reflected in their past and present struggles and character interactions.

Ben
He is the main character of the book and the story is told entirely through his perspective.

I loved his character as a whole. Starting from the beginning, you can see how much Ben cares for his community, his family, and his co-workers just by how he treats them and how he interacts with them. He is a genuinely likable person.

However, he is also complex and has struggled as well. From the beginning, it is revealed that he has struggled with his mental health thanks to the trauma his dad inflicted on him when he was a child. At the same time, he also struggles with trying to run the business as he feels like he owes it to his mom and grandma to keep it afloat since they have been supportive of him when he was opening the bakery.

In the beginning of the book, we see a character who still somewhat blames himself for what happened to him as a kid.

Due to that, he assumes the worst of his interactions with Adam. He also decides to carry some burdens by himself.

However, he grows A LOT. And he does it step by step. He decides to open up to Adam.

He even resolves past conflicts with other characters and turns a new leaf.

At the end of the book, Ben is able to heal from his past trauma and stop blaming himself for what has happened. He is also able to come to terms with his feelings and begin anew.

Turning away from the character development, I also loved his characterization. Such as his passion for baking. His love for his hometown of Fern Falls. And his love for his family!

Overall, I loved his character. His character’s growth and his character’s little quirks.

Adam
He is the love interest and even though the story is not told from Adam’s perspective, you can still learn a lot about him from Ben’s point of view. And I think you’ll also like him!

We are first introduced to Adam at the beginning of the book as a guitarist. We eventually learn that he was friends with Ben in his childhood. He is also Rachel’s brother if you read the last book, In the Event of Love.

We quickly see why Ben likes him through his narration. He is kind and sweet and selfless even though he has also endured trauma.

As he and Ben interact more, you start to love him more. He is patient and understanding. He listens to Ben when he tells him his problems. Offers suggestions when Ben needs it and is always there to support Ben when he needs it.

Not only that, but his chemistry with Ben is WOW. It is so obvious from their interactions that they really like each other and are meant to be together. The “accidentally” stumbling into each other. The way Ben also listens to Adam when he needs it. The sizzling heat and tension. Everything.

Other than his interactions with Ben, he also has his own character conflict as well though it might be less obvious. This makes his character deeper and more human.

Overall, a solid love interest that pairs well with the main character. And a love interest that doesn’t just serve as the love interest but also as a friend and a character himself.

Dad
He is the main antagonist of the book. And goodness is he a good antagonist. Every time he opens his mouth, I just rage.

Although we don’t see his character until somewhere in the middle of the book, we are introduced to him pretty early on through Ben’s flashbacks. And through his flashbacks, the trauma that the dad inflicted on his son is slowly revealed.

When we finally meet him, we can see the result of all that crashing down. All that we already know about the dad is confirmed.

However, I like that he is not just a faceless villain that is plain evil. Through a conversation with Ben, his motives are revealed. Though he is still the world’s biggest A-hole, we understand why he did what he did, which makes him more human.

Mom
Unlike the dad, the mom is an absolute sweetheart. And I am so glad that Ben has a mom like that to lean on.

Though their interactions are brief, it is fairly evident that the mom cares about Ben as much as he cares about her.

But other than her acting as a support system for Ben, she also has her own conflicts, making her a more well-rounded problem.

Grandma
She is the best character there is. Honestly. Grandma (or should we say G-ma) is everyone’s favourite grandma.

She is funny. She is quirky. She makes “very strong heartbreak tea” (that’s where the name of the book comes from). She is super supportive. She does what she wants. Gives back to her community and is basically a boss.

I want to be like her when I’m 80.

Other Characters
Including Rachel, Morgan, Whitney, Charlie, Tanner, etc.

Though you get to know Rachel and Morgan more in their book “In the Event of Love,” the rest of the characters don’t have as much page time in the book.

Though I wish there was a bit more interaction between Ben and characters like Rachel, (we only really see them at the beginning and end of the book,) I am glad that they are there.

They support Ben and their interactions with him help you see just how much of an impact that Ben’s café has made on their local community and their lives as well!

Rating: 4.9/5

Plot
This is the action in the story. Since this story is more character-driven, the plot is less significant. However, it still has a role to play and can help outline the stages of the book. Below, I outlined which chapters each event occurs in the book. However, they may be slightly different in the final version of the book.

Exposition
Occurs in chapter 1–2.

We get introduced to Fern Falls. We are introduced to our main character and the love interest. It is established that Ben is a baker and Adam is a singer. Although the writing is slightly awkward at first as it generally is in the exposition as things are being set up, it quickly becomes smoother and better flowing. So in general, it is down fairly decently.

Rising Action
Starts in chapter 2 and ends in the middle of chapter 25. This is where the majority of the story takes place.

Along with the majority of conflict happening in this chapter, the majority of character development also occurs in this part of the book. This is when the full depths of Ben’s trauma are revealed and when his character grows.

In my opinion, the rising action is done fairly well. I enjoyed how the author tied in conflict and tension and used them as points for character development while keeping the story interesting at the same time.

However, there are still some things that I think could be changed to improve the story. But overall, pretty solid.

Climax
This is the part of the story where there is the most tension. In my opinion, it occurs during chapters 25 and 26.

Personally, I have mixed feelings about the climax. Not so much the event that leads to the climax since that was done well and tied in with the themes and character development of the story; but the third-act argument after.

Other than that, the characters were pretty understanding of each other and there were a lot of emotions shown in the climax which is essential for amplifying the tension.

Falling Action
This occurs after the climax which in my opinion is chapters 27 to 30. I thought it was done fairly well. However, there were some things that I wished there was a bit more of in the falling action.

Denouement
The last one or two chapters of the book basically, where everything wraps up in a nice bow. Chapters 30 to 31 in this case. I thought this was perfectly done. However, an epilogue could’ve been added to show what happens after if the author wanted to.

Anyways, you have a nice grand, romantic gesture. You have the characters forgiving, communicating, explaining, and finally getting together again. It is super sweet. So, what more could you ask for?

Rating: 4.5/5

Style

Themes and Representation
I loved the themes and representation that the author incorporated. Mental health is so important as well as a good representation of LGBTQ+ characters that don’t just focus on advocacy (though, that is important as well.)

I love how the author made sure to acknowledge how valid Ben and Adam’s mental health struggles are. How their trauma is not their fault. She didn’t treat the characters like they had to “get over their struggles” and she also didn’t treat them like they were super fragile and were about to break in any second.

Mental health is very important and a thing that many people go through. By writing characters with trauma and anxiety and “normalizing” their struggles, the author is helping a lot of people as they are able to see themselves in a book.

Also, I love that she also recognized how bad America’s healthcare system is. So… props!

As for the representation of LGBTQ+ characters, I love how it is just so “normalized.” Like, the author just casually has the characters introduce their pronouns or mention that they are bi.

Love that as it validates and normalizes queerness in our society! Yay! And also, we get to see a queer book with a HEA and no homophobia. Double yay!

Format and Diction
For formatting, the book is written in the first-person present tense. I don’t really mind that since I think it fits the narrative. I see romance as a genre where it is more beneficial to write from the first-person as you need to “get inside the head” of the characters.

As for the present tense, I am a person that doesn’t mind it too much. I know some people do but I think it works as it allows us to understand what Ben is feeling and experiencing at the moment.

In terms of diction, I love how the author describes the settings. She puts a lot of detail in describing them and as a person who loves books set in pretty places, I love that.

But I also like how she describes the “spicy” scenes as well. You can really feel the character’s vulnerability and chemistry rippling through the page!

Other
I like that there were a lot of references to pop culture since it is something that is prevalent in society and it can also make you feel more connected to the characters in the book if you like the same song as them or something.

Finally, I love that there was a discussion guide at the end because it allows you to really think about the story. This allows the reader to better understand and relate to it.

For fun, I’ll answer some of these questions:
My favourite place is the library
My favourite romance tropes are friends-to-lovers, fake dating, and a second chance romance. For non-romance, I love found family and riches to rags trope!
Never Had a Chance by Katherine Li (Ben), The Best of My Love by the Eagles (Adam), Fire on Fire by Sam Smith (both)

Rating: 4.6/5

Final Rating

Characters: 4.9/5
Plot: 4.5/5
Formatting: 4.6/5
Final Rating: 4.7/5 (round up to 5 stars)
Personal Rating: 4.2/5

Date Read: April 6th, 2023
Date Reviewed: April 6th, 2023

“Follow me.”
He smiles. “Anywhere.”

-best friend’s brother, small town romance, Ben is part of a baking competition 🧑‍🍳🎥🎬
-cute and lovable characters with good chemistry and moments between Adam and Ben ☺️
-love me some healthy communication!!
-Ben’s dad is the worst ❌
-thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for this ARC ✨

4.0⭐️

Oh my sweet cinnamon buns this was fun! In The Case of Heartbreak is a book that combines two of my favourite things, cute guys and baking!

Ben runs a little bakery in a mountainside town, and has the opportunity of a lifetime to take his family’s famous cinnamon buns nation-wide through a TV baking contest. There’s just one problem. His estranged father.

Adam runs the mechanic down the street from Ben’s bakery. He also plays guitar and is an all round incredible guy who has held a flame for Ben for years. Not that Ben has picked up on that. Nor had Adam picked up on Bens flame either… that is until Bens G-ma throws a 2 week celebration for her 80th birthday.

While trying to keep the drama surrounding the TV show a secret from his family, and dealing with the trauma of being lost in the woods as a child, Ben is thrown into the deep end when Adam shows up at the celebrations to play in the band. Adding to that Bens family meddling in their lives to bring the two together, there are shenanigans aplenty!

I honestly loved the way @court_kae wrote these two characters. Their insecurities, their traumas, their dreams, and the way that they build each other up and make each other stronger by being together. Oh and the baking scene where Ben is trying out new recipes, especially the frosting and the couch…I mean 🥵🥵🥵

The supporting characters also really rounded out the story. Aside from Bens mum, and all of his friends, G-Ma is amazing. Like who doesn’t want an 80 year old grandma who walks around with a flask of deadly cocktail stashed in her bra 😂

Review: In the Case of Heartbreak by Courtney Kae
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Friends, I love this book. I loved the first book in the series and this one may be even better! You can swipe through the images to read the story blurb, but here are some things to look forward to (aka some of my fave bits with no real spoilers):

•Pining and friends to long time crushes to lovers storyline.
•References to While You Were Sleeping, especially "leaning". IYKYK.
•G-ma and her incredible themed parties.
•"My feelings for you are not fragile." SWOON!

I tried to make cinnamon rolls to emulate Ben's amazing family recipe. The thing is, I can't eat gluten and the gluten free dough I made did not want to stay together when rolled, so I've got cinnamon not-quite-rolls. Good news is, they still tasted pretty good! Also, they are now both the proof that Ben really does make the best cinnamon rolls and a allusion to the story, something along the lines of:

Even if you feel or appear to be a mess, you're still good.

Thank you to the lovely @court_kae and @netgalley for the ARC! You can read book 1, In the Event of Love, now and then this book when it releases July 25/23.

#ITCOH #CourtneyKae #BookReview #ARC #RomanceReader #BadamForever #QueerRomance #CinnamonRolls

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my review.

I liked the story of Ben and Adam. They were cute together. I liked most of the characters.
Including grandma even though she was a bit wacky. Yet I wasn't as invested in this book as I thought I would be, nor do I believe I will remember this in 6 months. Overall, it was a cute story.

I was so excited to read this book after reading the first Fern Falls book last year (which was SO cute!), but I feel like this one missed the mark for me. There was still a lot to love though - the warmth of the story still had me turning the pages to get to the end.

What worked for me:
Ben and Adam's friends to lovers situation - I loved that they had known each other forever!
Great mental health rep that shows the work it takes to heal from trauma
Swoony small town beach moments
A v cute grandma

What worked less for me:
The single POV - I found myself really wanting to get into Adam's head!
The high-low of the deep trauma Ben had but the quick wrap on his father situation
The pacing overall
The lack of actual baking in a book about a baker - I know that sounds silly, but the story is architected against the premise of a baking show and I wanted more baking, more treats, more show.

I think if you like a deep romance that still hits the rom com notes, a la Part of Your World or The Charm Offensive, you'll probably enjoy this!

Kae brings the sweet and steamy once more with ITCoH––and I'm not just talking about the cinnamon rolls! Ben and Adam are both individually characters you want to root for and see happy. Their individual struggles and triumphs make their synergistic love story that much more rewarding. And of course, the cameos from Morgan and Rachel are a sweet callback to In the Event of Love. This story takes so many well-known romance tropes and brings them to life in new and surprising ways. Once again, Courtney Kae proves to be a powerhouse in romance!!!

One of my favorite romances of last year was In the Event of Love and I was beyond pleased to see that there was no let down here in Courtney's second book. I absolutely loved watching Adam and Ben fall in love, almost more than Rachel and Morgan, which came as a shock to me. I always love spunky grandparental figures so G-ma and her legendary parties were a huge plus, at least for me. I love that a part I figured was going to contribute to the third act breakup actually got dealt with in the way that two grown-ass adults would deal with it instead of letting it become a mess. I loved the dialogue, I loved Ben's friends, I loved seeing Rachel and Morgan again, I will never seen Folger's coffee in quite the same way, and I truly cannot wait for more from Courtney.

I loved this story so much! I have read another title from Courtney that I loved so was a bit nervous, but this held up! Ben and Adam were so genuine and fun to read. And I also really enjoyed the side characters and felt they added so much to the main story!

Omg! Wow!!!! First off! I should mention that although this book is the 2nd in the Fern Falls series, it can DEFINITELY be read as a standalone! I bought "In the Event of Love" back in December but was too busy to read it. I'm saving it for next year but still read "In the Case of Heartbreak," knowing that I hadn't read the 1st book.

Now, back to the review! Omg, G-ma is a LITERAL SAVAGE. what an icon?!?! She is literally the BEST character in this book! Her action, dialogue, and scheming were all so much to take in but she is SUCH A GIRL BOSS.

I wanna be invited to G-ma's parties! Like, the themes were TOP TIER! pirates?!?! Grease?!?! AND regency era?!?! All those parties seemed like such a vibe!!!

And don't get me started on G-ma's BOOK CLUB! It was giving cult.... But in a good way lol! All the ladies were hyping Ben up, and they were just an overall MOOD. That whole sunrise pelvic thrust yoga stuff too👀 BAHAHA, not what I expected but Hilarious!

Ben and Adam are sooooooo adorable as well! The friends to lovers trope in this book was executed immaculately! And the frickin' glass figures?!?! SO ADORABLE!!!

And as always for my reviews! I gotta mention the pop culture references!!!!! I'm a sucker for some pop culture references so here are some that I wrote down while reading:
- Taylor Swift
- Bridgerton
- Hocus Pocus
- Baby Queen
- AND Kristen Stewart 🫣

Overall, 5/5 stars and I highly recommend!!! And ik this is mainly set on a beach, but it can DEFINITELY be read any time of year! It was such a refreshing vacation of a book and I really enjoyed it! :)

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I am here for all of Courtney Kae’s queer romances! After reading In the Event of Love, I was excited to return to Fern Falls to read Ben’s story.

Always helpful, almost-always anxious Ben is doing what he loves - serving up sweet treats to the residents of Fern Falls in his cafe. Ben steps out of his comfort zone when offered the chance to participate in a national baking show and everything comes crashing down around him. His life-long crush and former best friend admits, on live television, that they’ll only ever be friends and his absent father reappears threatening a lawsuit over the recipe Ben is entering in the baking competition. Fortunately, Ben’s G-ma’s 80th birthday is approaching which draws him to Maywell Bay for two weeks of over-the-top parties in the seaside town.

I really enjoyed this book and all of the characters that were featured. Well, except Ben’s father, but who could like that man? I can’t help but wish I had a grandmother like G-ma Parrish and such a supportive group of friends!

As an anxious person, I felt that Ben’s anxiety and related mental health were realistically portrayed while being handled with care.

My only “complaint” is that I wish we had been able to see things from Adam’s perspective as well. I would have liked to hear Adam’s inner thoughts about his feelings for Ben, but beggars can’t be choosers!

First, thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I give this a solid 5.0 🌸 This was an absolute delight and exactly what I needed right now.

While it wasn't overly poetical or deep, it was a great in-between books book. What I mean is, that this is perfect if you just want to escape, read something comfy, funny. Something that pulls on your heartstrings a bit but still makes you wear a goofy smile at the end of it.

The summer atmosphere is on point, the characters are so loveable, the humour is amazing (there was NO chapter where I didn't at least snicker). The best part though was all the belly-swooping pining and sexual tension from the start.

And what I maybe liked the most were the "sexy times". I read lots of spice and often, these jump right to it (literally) but this book took its time with the foreplay and buildup of the actual intercourse which made it SO MUCH HOTTER.

Overall, this will definitely be a great, easy summer read for lots of people that just want to fall into a happy summery rom-com bubble. :) And it'll definitely earned a spot for my Pride Month Instagram features this year.

I have been so eagerly anticipating Ben and Adam's book. I fell for both, but especially for Ben when I read In the Event of Love. And I was so excited to return to the beautiful and safe home of Fern Falls and to see them come together.

This book was so incredibly tender with long held feelings and a slow burn. It's deeply emotional, especially as Ben processes trauma from parental abandonment and depression. I thought it was so beautifully written and especially appreciated Adam's loving care of and respect for him.

The mix of beachy setting and the mountains swept me away. And I especially appreciated the cameos for The Ripped Bodice (the best ever indie bookstore and where I bought my copy of In the Event of Love and got the greatest book swag for it!). Ben's grandmother is the best, and I loved her whole community the Fern Falls folks.

The book is written in single POV from Ben's perspective. At times, I really wanted to know what Adam was thinking as well, but I actually felt that was regularly shown through what he said and even more how he behaved toward Ben. And I especially appreciated that the two of them were regularly good about communicating with each other.

And now I am off on a search for cinnamon rolls because Ben's cooking made me crave them, and I also think cinnamon rolls are a perfect metaphor for both lovely characters.

Thank you to Kensington and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. These opinions are my own.

rounded up

First thing's first: Badam forever! Ben and Adam's story was so beautiful and emotional. Ben has been in love with Adam for years, but he never said anything so he wouldn’t ruin the friendship. Adam is the brother of Rachel, who is Morgan’s wife. Morgan and Rachel’s romance was the subject of ‘In the Event of Love’.

Ben runs a bakery, and he is going to be featured on a baking competition show. Ben is known for his delicious cinnamon roll recipe, but his dad is trying to sue him for his cinnamon roll recipe. His dad is a music executive and he left when Ben was little. Now, his dad wants to capitalize on his son's newfound fame. As the show begins to film, one of the producers thinks that Adam and Ben are dating. Instead, Adam rejects Ben on live tv and said they would only ever be friends.

After his on-air rejection by Adam, Ben goes to Maywell Bay for his grandmother's two week birthday celebration. He can't wait to get away from everything, but he finds that his grandmother has invited Adam on the trip too. Adam and Ben finally talk about (and act on!) their feelings for each other. They take their friendship to another level, and they both have to work on their past trauma in order to determine how they can be together.

Adam cares so much about Ben, and he does so many sweet things for him. I love that he wanted to woo Ben, and his gestures were adorable. No spoilers, but he does so many wonderful things for Ben, and I smiled and teared up at several points in the book.

Ben may bake cinnamon rolls for a living, but he is a real life cinnamon roll too! The way that he cares for everyone in his life is so adorable.

The story has beautiful descriptions of Maywell Bay, and I felt like I was right in the seaside town with Ben and Adam. The author, Courtney Kae, has a way of transporting you with their words, and I wish that Maywell Bay was a real place that I could visit, I loved reading about the theme nights for Ben's grandmother's parties, and it seemed like such a good time!

There were several heavy topics in the book, but everything was handled in such a great way. Ben and Adam have both been through a lot in their past, and they work together to develop the best relationship for them.

This story was emotional, beautiful, adorable, sweet, and full of love. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a heartfelt, emotional romance with interesting characters and a real depiction of mental health struggles.

Thanks to NetGalley, Courtney Kae, and Kensington Books for an ARC of the wonderful story.

One of the most fulfilling romance I’ve ever read. It has everything I could’ve asked for and more. The atmosphere was amazing, all the characters were very lovable and Ben is incredibly relatable. Overall is an amazing book and I can’t wait to buy it and have it in my collection. I loved the representation and the humor of Ben’s family.
Even with the drama the story felt like a big hug and made feel giddy and happy.

I love romance novels where the two characters are actively good for each other, and Ben and Adam are so good together. It's an example of the best friends to lovers trope done well. Also have never craved cinnamon rolls more in my life than I did while reading this

Literally sobbing, this book was so wholesome and so healing ❤️

The first few chapters were pretty much full on heartbreak, setting the crisis and angst plotlines for the story.. and then a few chapters + tears later, we see things *starting* to work out, albeit in a bumpy fashion (so yeah, the title is so apt). This book deals with a lot of anxiety and stress and road-blocks faced by the two MCs and the author has done such an amazing job of solving all the obstacles and healing them at an appropriate pace. I loved the constant communication, I loved the way the MCs openly discussed their trauma and anxiety and reassured each other, and I so frickin loved the way everything was happily resolved at the end. I just wanna go read it all again, it was so perfect.

Should I hope for more books in this series? Maybe Whitney and Tanner next?

--- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

I fell in love with the idea of Badam while reading the first Fern Falls book, In The Event Of Love. I was hoping, praying, crossing my fingers and toes that we would get to see their love story unfold in the future, and Courtney answered my prayers.

Ben Parrish and Adam Reed are childhood besties who have [not so secretly] been pining after one another for an eternity. When Ben enters a national baking competition with his family’s famous cinnamon roll recipe, Adam is eager to support him. But after the producer assumes they’re romantic partners on live TV, and Adam rather forcefully makes the declaration that they’re just friends, Ben hightails it out of Fern Falls and to his grandma’s house in Maywell Bay.

Celebrating his g-ma’s 80th birthday is a 2-week extravaganza and Ben is all too happy to participate. He hopes the time away from Fern Falls will help him move on from Adam. But when Adam shows up in Maywell Bay as the replacement guitarist for the band g-ma hired, it seems like the two may have finally got their timing right. Enter a shitty “dad” (I use the term loosely because fuck Jake Gibbons) who threatens to dismantle Ben’s stability in both life and love.

This touched on some heavy shit y’all. My poor Ben was 👏🏼 Going. Through. It. 👏🏼 But I absolutely loved his support system, his ability to implement therapeutic skills learned through years of counseling, and his open communication with Adam. The mental health rep was top notch and so well done.

This book was a romance. Childhood besties to lovers, two sunshines making the world a brighter place, together. But it was also a journey of self-acceptance. Ben had to take time to heal from his past trauma in order to be able to fully accept love; something so relatable to so many readers.

I also need to express my endless gratitude to the author for the incredible amount of diversity and inclusivity in this book. It definitely didn’t go unnoticed. Thank you 💕

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for this ARC.

Courtney Kae excels is turning me into a puddle. There was something so emotionally affirming this book that made it so special to read.

Just, so much HEALTHY (or at least attempts to get there) coping and discussion of trauma and all kinds of emotions that it touched me deeply.