This is the second book in the Love in Galway series
Book one was the start of Callum and Lark’s love story, and now wedding bells are ringing
One bit of drama though, the best man and maid of honor used to date and have done their best to avoid each other since the heartbreaking breakup.
Aidan keeping himself busy promoting his first album, and Cielo deep in medical schooling. When pushed back together for the wedding they realize things between them maybe aren’t so finished as they’d originally thought.

I thought the second chance romance was great. Their chemistry was absolutely there for me, and I loved their prewedding antics. And, of course, it was lovely to see Callum and Lark’s happiness and the other returning characters as well.

Even if it took a minute to actually get to trust and communicating in a way that didn’t make them feel like a burden/imposition, I believed in the end Aiden and Lo had a much better chance of making it than the first go round.

I *was* bothered how the FMC let her family run all over her, and micromanage her life, even from the other side of the ocean. This being the second book I’ve read recently where a past medical issue is used to excuse that kind of behavior, I do admit I was already ramped up to be upset by it though

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for the arc!

I really enjoyed Heart Strings. Second chance romances can be hit or miss for me, but this one completely worked. The chemistry between the characters felt so believable, and I was invested in their story from the start. Both leads felt incredibly real, with flaws and emotions that made their journey even more satisfying to follow. It was easy to root for them, and I loved seeing how they navigated their history while finding their way back to each other. This book left me smiling and wanting more from Ivy Fairbanks.

Didn’t realize this is book 2, but I didn’t feel lost reading it. I liked the coziness and the relationship dynamics between the main characters. The FMC is a little frustrating but it didn’t detract from the overall story for me.

econd chance with a singer-songwriter?? It’s like Ivy Fairbanks knew exactly what I needed!

Lo is a tough as nails American living in Ireland and Aidan is a singer-songwriter from Galway who is also Lo’s ex.

They end up being back around each other for Lark and Callum’s (from Morbidly Yours 🥰) castle wedding trip.

I adored the dynamic between Lo and Aidan. I mean… he wrote an entire album for her 🥹. That is simp material and I’m always here for simps.

Seeing Lo and Aidan rediscover each other was so sweet and heartwarming. They both chased their dreams and followed their hearts.

A fun bonus for me was having Lo, a Mexican American woman at the forefront. It made her ultra relatable to me had me loving her even more.

Heart Strings is an interconnected stand alone but even if you haven’t read Morbidly Yours, you’ll have no problem understanding anything in this one!

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this. I want to say: Morbidly Yours was one of my favorite books, if not my absolute favorite book from last year. So my expectations coming into this were really high, and maybe a bit unfair? This is probably truly 3.75 stars, but rounded.

There is a time jump here from Morbidly Yours: Lo and Aidan (who we met in that story) have now called it quits so Aidan can pursue his music career full time. They're forced back together (I do LOVE a forced proximity trope) for Callum and Lark's wedding and likewise are forced to deal with the strong emotions that have not gone away since breaking up. The time jump felt good but also really whiplashy? Like I wanted to really SEE Aidan/Lo in their romance, but hearing about it second hand with some distance was a bit...off? I just wanted more. I loved their chemistry and really wanted to feel connected with the first go around of their second chance romance.

As usual, there were hijinks and silliness in this that I just adored. The language is a bit hard sometimes but that's expected, and I LOVED the music/medical backgrounds of this. Plus the snapshots into Callum/Lark and Saoirse (cannot WAIT for this) were really well done.

Lo was incredibly relatable in this book, which for me is what probably gives it the 4th star. She's hyper independent, doesn't want to be a burden, protects herself to the fullest, and builds walls. HELLO my own life. But for all of that, she did let Aidan back into her heart way quicker than I would have expected, and they fell back into the second chance portion really quickly. This was also incredibly steamy. Don't get me wrong, first one was too, but this one actually surprised me with the steam.

Over all, I enjoyed this, but do wish I loved it the way I loved book 1.

Heart Strings is a lovely follow up to Fairbanks’ winning debut novel Morbidly Yours. It was a delight to return to this group of friends and dive into Aidan and Cielo’s relationship. It has all the things you crave from a good second chance romance — the LONGING, the ANGER, the mountain of UNSAID THINGS. Aidan and Lo have a delicious dynamic, a perfect balance of humor and heart.

Cielo Valdez doesn’t have time for second chances. Busy with her internship at the hospital, fending off her controlling mother, and prepping for best friend Lark’s wedding are taking their toll, thank you very much.

But second chance comes rolling in when Callum’s best man and former love Aiden O’Toole returns to Galway on the heels of a hit album wholly inspired by his love and loss of Lo.

See, after the two fell hard and fast (and completely off page, as the reader gets very little of this much to my dismay) and broke it all off when neither was willing to jeopardize their budding career, which, kudos. (But guys, you know you can try, right? You’re adults.)

It’s been two years since they have been in the same room, but Aiden knows what he wants - Lo - and he’s not about to give up.

Sigh. I was so excited to attend Callum and Lark’s wedding and then these two had to go and ruin it.

In all seriousness, this was just ok for me. I loved Aiden’s family, the wedding, the anticipation of Saoirse’s book coming next. The recurring bit with the ventriloquist was so enjoyable.

I didn’t love a bunch of things. Lo isn’t the most likable character. Yes, she’s undeniably been through a lot…and yet she hasn’t grown much from those experiences. She’s also the reason lack of communication (miscommunication?) has a bad rep. Instead of opening up, trusting the people who have clearly shown they love her, she assumes the worst, decides for them, shuts down completely. And honestly, it makes Aiden come off as a bit of a doormat. She’s also got a full tank of anger, often misplaced, with no real insight as to where it came from.

Wanting to like a book and liking a book are like sunflowers and burgundy - they don’t always work out.

This was cute! The characters are relatable and their banter was funny. Spice was great! I will definitely be recommending to others.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: August 12, 2025

A spicy open door second chance romance. This is book #2 in a series but also works as a standalone. Enjoyed the wedding of characters from the first book and the journey that Cielo and Aidan went on to try again. Heavy at times but also heartfelt.

Cielo and Aiden get a second chance at romance when they meet up again as the maid of honor and best man at their best friend's wedding. Will being in the tight quarters of a castle in Ireland be enough to bring them back together?

Cielo, a strong independent woman who is currently in medical school to become a doctor, thought she was well and truly over her ex, Aiden O'Toole after he left her to pursue a music career. Aiden, on the other hand, could never get over her. When they are brought back together for his best mate's wedding, he's determined not to let this chance with Cielo slide.

A great story with even better characters, themes, and settings, Heart Strings is a feel good romance with the perfect amount of spice thrown in. I loved reading this one!!

3.5/5
I can enjoy a good second chance romance, but I think I may have enjoyed this one more if we got more insight into their past through flashbacks and whatnot. Still a good book, enjoyed hearing about some characters from the previous book.

(That speaker scene though… 🤭)

Thank you NetGalley for the ebook in exchange for an honest review.

A second chance rockstar(ish) romance between our curvy heroine, Lo and her ex of 2 years, Adrian. Both these characters were minor side characters from Morbidly Yours, and play our maid of honor and best man for Callum and Lark, giving us that second chance, forced proximity, undercurrent of chemistry that normally is a home run.

This book just missed the magic that Morbidly Yours had for me.

So first: The highs. There were some amazing laugh out loud moments and, as with any wedding book, drama that had me giggling. I loved the entire wedding party, and of course sweet, shy Callum will always have my heart.

Some of the lows: The biggest thing that really pulled this book down for me was Lo's relationship with her mother. She's written as this strong, smartass woman who's overcome sickness, moving to a new country, and freaking medical school and she's such a pushover and allows her mother to control her life from literally another continent! I would have liked to see better resolution between Lo and both her parents by the end. But alas...

I also am not a fan of a miscommunication trope and there were so many moments that were miscommunicated that didn't need to be to push the story on, it felt like an easy plot device to be used to create drama and conflict unnecessarily. There's also the "I know what's best for x person so I'm not going to give them all the information they need" and the conversation our couple has regarding the break-up again, felt superficial and could have been both fleshed out more and communicated more effectively to make me believe that they were going to make it in the long haul.

Overall, this was still an easy, enjoyable book to read and I will be keeping my eye out for the next Ivy Fairbanks book. Thank you, Netgalley, for the ability to read and review this book.

So cute and a great amount of spice. I was worried I wasn't going to like this as much as the first one but I think it was even better

I liked this. I did not like it as much as the first book which was a bit sad, considering I love a second chance romance. This just fell a little short to me in comparison with the first novel. But! This was still a cute read too.

This was a fantastic second chance romance. The story was fun and exciting and I LOVED that it let us see the wedding of the couple from the first book, "Morbidly Yours". You could read this completely on its own, but it was a perfect sequel.
Lo has to be a new favorite FMC from a contemporary romance. Her passion, strength, and her humor.

Ivy Fairbanks writes super fun detailed romances that have multiple plot lines outside of the romance happening all at the same time and manages to bring them all together in a satisfying way.

Unfortunately this book was a bit of a miss for me. I just didn't connect with the characters like I did in the previous book and it seemed almost too lust filled for me. It had some cute moments and I think the cover art is absolutely adorable. This just overall fell kind of flat for me.

🎻❤️ Book Review: Heart Strings by Ivy Fairbanks ❤️🎻

A beautifully tender romance that hits all the right notes—full of music, emotion, and the kind of connection that resonates deep in your soul. Ivy Fairbanks weaves a story about love, healing, and the power of second chances.

What it’s about:
When musician Kate crosses paths with charming violinist Eli, their shared passion for music becomes the backdrop for a slow-burning romance. As they navigate past heartbreaks and personal struggles, they discover that sometimes the heart knows exactly what it needs to heal.

Tropes You’ll Love:
🎶 Second chance romance
💞 Slow burn
🎻 Musician protagonists
✨ Healing & emotional depth
❤️ Small-town charm

If you love heartfelt stories with soul-stirring romance and a soundtrack to match, Heart Strings will strike a chord with you.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#HeartStrings #IvyFairbanks #SecondChanceRomance #SlowBurnLove #MusicRomance #Bookstagram #RomanceReads #BookReview

A touching novel of a second chance at love for a med student and an up and coming musician. There are fears and problems to overcome if their love is strong enough to bear it.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Second-chance romance thats sweet, spicy, and a bit emotional.

What’s to love…
- Rock Star/Musician + Med student
- Curvy FMC in STEM
- second chance romance
- dual POV 1st person
- Great banter
- forced proximity/forced to work together
- family trauma
- Medium burn🌶️ (43%
- The spice is good. very good.
- The writing was certainly tighter than in the authors debut.

What’s not to love…
- While there is some angst it didn’t feel nearly angsty enough for a second-chance romance
- i didn’t connect with the characters as well as I’d hope to. I found Lo a little frustrating tbh. I think some will find her relatable but the fact that she cut off Aiden’s sister was the crack that started my frustration with her and I struggled to get over it, so each new lack of communication from her drove me further into frustration.

🌶️- Starts at 43%. Explicit with light bondage. Ch 16, 18, 22, 23, 28, 39

Thank you NetGalley and Putnam Books for a chance to read Heart Strings by Ivyfairbanks!! THIS WAS SO CUTE OMG!! I was swooning left and right I couldn’t handle it. Aiden really made me blush, god i don’t even know how many times. And Lo. Love her!! She was so badass and made sure she always always protected herself emotionally. I loved that about her. The yearning they both had for eachother tho was sooo good!! I was lowkey ripping my hair wanting them to just get back together!!! I’m so glad we got to see Cielos story with Aiden because she was too cute in Morbidly Yours. So much fun! 💖