Unfortunately, this was a disappointing read for me. The pacing was off, the overuse of 'C&D' annoyed me to no end, Adam was barely a character - he had no personality.

It's a no from me.

🥐BOOK REVIEW🥐

In the Case of Heartbreak - Courtney Kay
Rating: 5/5 ⭐️

“With a gorgeous beachfront mansion, salty ocean breeze, steamy nights, and ALL the summertime feels, this funny, sexy queer rom-com is a celebration of summer love, as a cinnamon roll of a pastry chef finds his indie rocker crush suddenly within reach. Perfect for fans of Casey McQuiston, Roan Parrish, Alexandria Bellefleur, Ruby Barrett, and Alexis Hall!”

I love books about baking/chefs so knew immediately this one would be a hit! Add in a competition and cinnamon rolls? I loved seeing how Ben’s lack of self esteem evolved with the help of Adam. I loved the rawness, honesty, not shying away from tough topics, and humor this story brought. I also enjoyed how most drama and conflict they faced was personal and internal. This was my first book by this author and I’m definitely planning on more!

Recommend if you like:
- Childhood friends-to-lovers
- Small towns in the summer ☀️
- Literal and character cinnamon rolls
- Mental health & trauma rep
- Pan & bi rep 🌈
- Queer Hallmark vibes ✨

Huge thank you to @kensingtonbooks @btc_books and @court_kae for a copy!

I got the book first through netgalley so thank you and the other day found it in stores and i read it in a day i was so intrigued with the storyline from the first time i seen it on Netgalley. The mains were so cute and it really did make me crave a cinnamon roll. I cant wait to read more from this author. And i recommend this book and author 5 stars given i absolutely loved it.

I didn’t love it as much as the first one, but a solid follow up. It’s tender and cinnamon roll sweet. Seriously, I just wanted cinnamon rolls while I was reading it.
The tropes are a little too tropey and the romance a little bit surface but I’d still recommend it.

This was bonkers but in a fun way. I love Fern Falls and am glad to see Adam and Ben get their HEA. I do think the story felt rushed and at times there was a bit too much going on. Still great though!

In the Event of Love was one of my faves from Happy Holigays 22, so I knew I had to go back to Fern Falls IMMEDIATELY! As I suspected, this one did not disappoint.

Ben is me. Ben is a lot of us. He's anxious. He carries around childhood trauma that makes him believe that he isn't deserving of love and all the good things. Adam has his own trauma, and is afraid of people leaving him eventually. Because of this, both pine for each other but never let the other know. Until now of course. This is obviously a friends to lovers trope but it's done so wholesomely and beautifully that it's one of the best F2L ever written!

Set in Maywell Bay, it's the perfect summer queer romance you didn't know you needed! Not as smutty as some, you truly don't miss that because its so dang wholesome! Their love is pure and perfect I wouldn't change a thing about their story. Courtney has masterfully written the perfect queer summer rom-com and once again cemented her spot on my all time favorite authors list. When a book has romance, cinnamon rolls, drag queens, Bridgerton-esque birthday parties, and a baking competition you just can't say no! I loved it. I loved all of it. And now I seriously need a wedding in Fern Falls novel asap!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I received an advanced copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to Courtney Kae, Kensington Books, and NetGalley. ❤️

This was a cute fluffy read that was fast to get through. Ben is an anxious mess who doesn't think he's worthy of love because of his past. Adam is afraid of people leaving because that's all he knows. This is a friends to lovers story with a little bit of drama.

Spice level is 🌶/🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶
I'd give it PG 13 at best.

This was so wholesome!
I'm a sucker for stories with bakers and Ben was just so incredibly charming and kind and I just wanted to coddle him (and sneak one of those cinnamon rolls). Despite his lack of self-confidence, Ben never really gives up on himself and even when he's painfully pining, it never feels overdramatic and instead just like he's a person who feels very deeply.
This book also covers some very tough topics like parenting and the damage it can cause and anxiety which I absolutely loved.
Adam was also such a gem. I love friends to lovers more than any other trope if it's done right and In the Case of Heartbreak did it so well!

If you're a fan of mutual pining, friends to lovers and need a book that delivers all the cozy, breezy summer vibes with a lot of heart, then this one needs to be on your TBR! Can't wait for the next time we get to return to Fern Falls!

I really liked this book, it had a nice plot but I felt like it lacked description or development in areas throughout. It didn't seemed thought out and perhaps the author just wanted to "get to the good parts" which as a write myself I totally understand. Good read but needs some work in areas. I'd still recommend.

I requested this book immediately upon finishing the prequel novel "In the Event of Love" and I loved it even more! Ben is so charming and sweet. His lack of self-confidence in love is endearing and his pining never comes off as whining. Overall, this book hit really close to home with the narcissistic parent content and the anxious attachment style, but I could not have loved it more and I wish there was a sequel to this book specifically. I will be recommending this to all of my romance lovers until the end of time.

In the Case of Heartbreak was one of my most highly anticipated releases of 2023 and it absolutely lived up to my hopes! I can safely say it is one of my favourite books of the year so far, as well as a new favourite in general.

This is the second book in the Fern Falls series by @court_kae but can be read as a standalone. That said, I would personally recommend reading in order to get the most out of all the cute cameos and the full picture of Ben’s pining.

Much like Adam helped Ben mend his heart, this book was a balm to my own heart. In the Case of Heartbreak covered some tough topics (check the content warning) but it was still an absolute joy to read.

The sense of community in the Fern Falls books is one of my favourite things. This is a new comfort series for sure. I’m hoping for a book 3. Things were teased with a couple of side characters so fingers crossed! 🤞

Read For:
• Friends to lovers ❤️
• Baker MMC & Mechanic/Guitarist MMC 🧁🔧🎸
• Bi MMC & Pan MMC plus a version of our world where people are more accepting of LGBTQIA+ individuals 🏳️‍🌈
• “It’s always been you” vibes and mutual pining 🥺
• Forced proximity
• A band named after a romance trope 🎵
• Summer vibes ☀️🌊
• Anxiety and depression representation 🧠, plus normalising therapy
• Cinnamon rolls of both the character and baked goods variety
• Spice 🔥
• Family and found family goodness 💕
• G-ma AKA Ben’s Grandma who is now my favourite book grandparent 😂
• Some next level parties for G-ma’s 80th 🎉

Rating: 5/5🌟 Courtney Kae is now cemented as one of my favourite authors thanks to this book and book 1 (In the Event of Love). I will happily read anything this author writes.
Steam Level: 3.5/5🔥
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a cute story, but I felt like it was a little bit underdeveloped and too low-stakes when it came to the relationship. I felt like the relationship between Ben and Adam came on way too fast. It was almost like a switch was flipped and Adam completely changed his whole demeanor. I wish there had been some more buildup and a steadier growth into what they ended up being. I kind of felt like the third-act breakup came out of nowhere as well.

G-ma was an absolute highlight of this book for me though, and I did enjoy the storyline of Ben’s healing and his relationship with his father.

Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for providing an advanced reader copy of this book.

What an incredible story and follow-up to ITEOL! I knew immediately I wanted a story about these men, and the author delivered. The sweetness of their friendship and complications of "more" were so well done that I couldn't put the book down. I loved the chaos of being reluctantly thrown into the spotlight and the drama that comes with cameras being in your face. And as a fan of friends-to-lovers (when done well), ITCOH crushed it. As a bonus, I loved how the characters from book 1 were woven throughout to add in some of the Fern Falls charm.

TEAM BADAM FOR LIFE!!!

Small town queer story with baked goods.
You know I was in!
This was really cute and had a surprising amount of plot packed into it.
I love a good small town story and making the centerpiece M/M love and cinnamon rolls?
I was hooked!
This is a slow burn, second chanceish romance, so get your patience pants on.
Much love to NetGalley & Kensington Books for my ARC.

One of my favorite reads of the summer. In the Case of Heartbreak is at once heartwarming and soul wrenching. Courtney Kae delivers a beautiful, hard-fought romance born from a journey toward self love. Thank you for giving Ben and Adam their happily ever after.

Thank you Courtney Kae, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review!

This was such a cute summer read and a great continuation of the Fern Falls series. I love the representation in this series! Adam is such a sweet character and was my favorite character of this book. The way he cares for Ben is the way everyone should be cared for. Both Ben and Adam were so supportive of each other, even when it wasn't their first choice. If you are looking for a sweet, friends to lovers, summertime read, this book is for you!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A fun sweet and perfect summer story. Ben and Adam lead this romance with such a sweet and passionate vibe. A lovely summertime vibe and a beautiful love. Must read.

Kylie may have said Padam, but Courtney said Badam…

Ben Parrish has only ever been in the spotlight once before - when he got lost in the woods as a child and his face was all over the news. It’s not somewhere he thought he’d be again until Take The Cake National are filming in Peak Perk Cafe and putting Ben’s delish cinnamon rolls in front of the masses. Everything is going swimmingly, despite Ben’s anxiety, until a moment between Ben and his lifetime crush Adam goes wrong on live television. Luckily, Ben is escaping from Fern Falls for two weeks for his grandmother’s birthday extravaganza - two weekends of all-out parties and spending time with his mother and g-ma. What Ben wasn’t expecting was to be cottage-mates with Adam, who was invited to perform with the band by his meddling grandmother. Now the pair are forced to confront their feelings for one another and see if their Fern Falls crushes can make it in Maywell Bay and beyond…

The moment Courtney teased the mutual attraction between Ben and Adam in the previous book, I knew she would be delivering a fabulous story for them, and that she did! There’s something about a friends-to-lovers and forced proximity romance that I just cannot get enough of.

I’ll be completely honest - I did struggle a little to get into Ben and Adam’s story. I think it was a mix of it having been almost a year since I read the first book and the majority of the story taking place away from Fern Falls. One of the reasons I LOVED Morgan and Rachel’s story was the magic of a holiday romance in Fern Falls, and while there was definitely the magic of a summer romance in Maywell Bay, it just took a little to get back into the world that Courtney has created.

Don’t get me wrong though, Ben and Adam’s relationship was so freaking sweet, just like Ben’s cinnamon rolls, and I just wanted to protect them at all costs. But also, Courtney wasn’t afraid to turn up the heat just a little, which was like the sprinkles on top.

Since we were away from Fern Falls, we didn’t get to see that much of Morgan and Rachel which I was a little bummed about, but we do get a nice little update about them, which I always appreciate. And I don’t know if Courtney’s planning a third Fern Falls book, but I wouldn’t mind see Whitney get a happily ever after too…

Courtney beautifully outlines the trigger warnings at the start of the book, which includes resurfaced childhood trauma from neglect, mental and emotional abuse from a narcissistic parental figure, as well as anxiety and depression. Despite this, Courtney handles these topics well, especially when it comes to the healing process and moving forward.

Get ready for a summer romance that will have you pining for your forever crush by the seaside!

Courtney Kae has done it again. Pulling at my heartstrings and bringing me back into this Hallmark-esque, romcom feel of a narrative. I absolutely adored it!

Trigger Warnings: past stroke, therapy, past missing child, past parental abandonment, cursing, marijuana, alcohol, divorce, absent parent, anxiety, depression, narcissist, sex

Representation: They/them pronouns, Bisexual, mental health, Pansexual

In the Case of Heartbreak is a queer rom-com celebration of summer love, as a cinnamon roll of a pastry chef finds his indie rocker crush suddenly within reach. When his hometown crush suddenly returns his affections at a seaside celebration, pastry chef Ben Parrish must find a way to pursue his dream of moving his bakery to San Francisco, without losing the love he’s always wanted.

Ben has been baking his grandma’s cinnamon rolls at the family café for years. He’s also been quietly in love with Adam Reed, his musician-slash-mechanic neighbor, for just as long. Ben is done with waiting behind the pastry case and so he has entered a make-or-break competition to show off his own recipes. He’s going to buy his overprotective family out of the business. And he’s going to ask Adam out. TONIGHT.

Except his big plans get punched down before they even half-rise. Soon Ben is dashing down the coast to his grandma’s 80th birthday party on the beach, hiding his broken heart in Maywell Bay, California. Sun, sea, and fresh breezes should blow in something new—except they don’t. They blow in Adam Reed, grinning like a pirate and stealing the show as the musical entertainment hired by Grandma for her big bash. But there’s a burn of truth along with the booze in his bottle and Ben has a decision to make. Can he take the sweetness in front of him, and brave the bitterness that comes after? Or is a little sea salt just what this cinnamon roll needs?

Salty cinnamon rolls? Ew. Ben would never.

Wow! I absolutely adored this book! The writing is sexy and funny, as well as raw, painful, and healing. The storyline is very steamy, but also reminds you that it will always get better. The author handles such heavy topics with grace and humility. I love how they constantly remind the characters and the readers that you deserve every good and wonderful thing.

I loved how different this book is compared to other friends-to-lovers stories! The main couple provide your HEA early on, which allows the author to explore being in a relationship and all of the twists and turns, as opposed to only coming together at the very end. All of the characters in this story are awesome! They are messy queers and such relatable humans! The author creates a place where you are “safe to examine the messy, painful, hard things—and learn to believe how very worthy of love we are.” I found myself in both main characters and the raw honesty from their individual childhood traumas is fantastic. The mental health representation is very good and often feels like my own inner monologue. Also, I fricken love g-ma!! She is so funny and actually all of the side characters are amazing! (minus Ben’s dad, iykyk)

I think this book is extremely important for so many reasons and I hope it reaches the hands of anyone who also needs it! Courtney creates a world that is “kinder to queer people, unquestioning, unchallenging. A place where we don’t need to explain, defend, or prove ourselves.”