I love Fairbanks' writing! I enjoyed the character development of the two leads but felt like the end was a little rushed. Otherwise, great story!

Thank you to Net Galley for this ARC. The story starts off with Lo, who is a medical student in Ireland, helping her cousin Lark plan her wedding. Unfortunately, as part of the wedding package, is having to deal with her ex, Aidan. Aidan and Lo had met and fell in love, but had broken up due to Aidan's rise in fame as a singer. As Lo and Aidan help with the wedding, they realize their connection is still there and sparks start back up. As they each work through their issues, they realize that their love is worth the fight. This was a perfect second chance romance as Lo and Aidan had great banter, spice, and emotional grit which made their relationship believable and sweet. I would definitely recommend this romance!

4.25⭐️

This was so cute! I loved reading about Aiden and Lo’s story and the growth both of them went through together. I was so happy to see that Lark and Cal played such a big role in this book since I loved their relationship from the first book. Lo really struggled with control and her past abandonment but Aiden was such a great match for her to let herself go and embrace the people around her.

My only complain is that while I loved to see the development and connection between Lo and Aiden, I almost wished it was a fresh relationship rather than a breakup and makeup situation. I felt like we lost a lot of the depth of what they went through by skipping those years they were together. The memories they brought up just weren’t enough for me to get the whole picture.

I can’t wait for the next book!!!

I really loved this one! The relationship between Cielo (Lo) and Aiden felt so genuine, and her insecurities towards relationships were VERY relatable!

Normally second-chance romances aren't my favorite books, but this one was an absolute exception. Their slow burn reconnect was perfect and their circumstances towards their breakup were for legitimate reasons. they worked through their differences and concerns and were truly a perfect power couple.

Thank you so much SO much NetGalley and Penguin Group PUTNAM for the opportunity to review Heart Strings! I'll definitely be buying a physical copy of this book for my collection.

3.25 / 5 Stars

This was a fun, second-chance romance. Lo is a hyper-independent, determined, medical student who survived cancer at a young age. When she moved from Austin, TX to Ireland to attend medical school, she met Aidan, a charming musician. Their relationship was unlike anything either had experienced until Aidan got a chance to move to London, record an album (all about her), and tour, and left her in the dust without fighting for their relationship. Or at least that’s what it felt like to Lo. To Aidan, it seemed that Lo closed herself off from the chance of even trying long distance, so why would he push her to do something that she clearly didn’t want to do? Two years have passed and they are now attending Lo’s cousin’s and Aidan’s best friend’s wedding. How will they survive being near each other again? Or are the best things still ahead?

I enjoyed the two main characters. Lo not wanting to feel like a burden to others really resonated and her determination to succeed in medical school was really admirable. Aidan’s love for her felt special and healing. I struggled a little bit with feeling like I was missing pieces of information and maybe I was because this is the second book in a series, so it is on me for not reading the first book first. But sometimes, I was left wondering if I would have felt like I understood them better if I had read about their interactions in real time as opposed to descriptions of the past and I think that perhaps those pieces would have been in the first book.

Also, originally, they both felt like the other one was responsible for their break-up and I enjoyed that because it showed the nuances of miscommunication and different view points. However, at one point, one character (trying not to spoil anything here) decided that they were going fully in to win back the other, but I felt like I missed whatever thinking got them from feeling resentful to being fully in again so quickly. That piece felt a little rushed but perhaps I missed something. This book did make me want to read the first book and I am looking forward to that!

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam and NetGalley for providing this eARC! All opinions are my own.

Heart Strings is a sweet and spicy second chance romance between America born med student Cielo Valdez and Irish solicitor-turned-musician Aidan O'Toole. Two years after their relationship ended because of Aidan's career change, the two come together to celebrate their best friend's wedding (Callum and Lark from Morbidly Yours). Lo wants to avoid Aidan and her feelings she still has for him while Aidan wants nothing more than to apologize and rekindle things.

Cielo and Aidan try to overcome their past hurt to heal old wounds but it is hard to learn to let go and forgive when the real world comes knocking after the wedding weekend.

Cute, sweet and heartwarming story of second chances and true love. Cielo was great and strong FMC. Aidan loved her the way she deserved.
There were funny moments and bits that made me teary eye. Nice balance between swoony and angsty.

I'm a sucker for second chance romance. Cielo aka Lo and Aidan dated for six months until Aidan decided pursue his music career. He left everything he loved including Lo to follow his dreams. Now Lo's cousin is getting married and she will have to reunite with the man that left her completely heartbroken. I had fun reading this, it was cute while also touching upon some serious topics. I just wished this book had more flashbacks about their relationship before they had broken up. I also wished there was more tension to them back together. Otherwise I liked it! Thank you netgalley and putnam books for the opportunity to read this arc!

Lo is busy going to medical school and helping her cousin Lark plan her wedding, so the last thing she needs is for the her ex to give her trouble. Aidan went off and became a famous musician, leaving Lo behind. But Aidan wants Lo back. He hasn’t been able to get her off his mind. Lo is stubborn and doesn’t forgive easily, but Aidan isn’t quick to give up.

This was super cute. Dual pov. Loveable main characters. Perfect for people who love second chance romances. Aidan’s family had such a cozy vibe, this book was just so fun. I will say it was a bit verbose at points and the inner monologues got pretty lengthy. But all around great read!

Dual POV
Second chance romance
Set in Galway
Hot musician

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Heart Strings is an interconnected standalone by Ivy Fairbanks, and is the follow-up to 2024's Morbidly Yours. It is a second chance romance between two characters we meet in Morbidly Yours: Lo and Aidan. Cielo (Lo) is an aspiring physician, in medical school in Galway, Ireland,,,a decision she made to put an ocean between her and her overbearing, overprotective mother in Texas. Aidan is a former-solicitor-turned-musician who has hit overnight success. Before moving to London to begin his career as a recording artist, complete with big-time record label and a tour, Aidan and Lo, who have been together about six months, break up after being unable to find a way forward with their diverging life plans.

Like with the first Love in Galway novel, I thought the writing was very strong and I was emotionally invested in the characters and their second chance romance. I just wish that we would have had a bit more insight into their previous relationship. We get bits and pieces as throwaway observations, but I think it would have helped their relationship to feel a bit more substantial if the reader could experience some of the past, perhaps though flashbacks.

Overall, I enjoyed reading Heart Strings and rooting for Lo and Aidan to fall back in love. I especially think Aidan was swoon-worthy...he never gave up on their love and was more than willing to fight for their relationship the second go-around.

There are some trigger warnings I'd note before diving into this book, specifically past cancer diagnosis (leukemia).

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Putnam Books for an advanced copy of Heart Strings.

Cielo and Aiden’s story was so beautiful in a very unexpected way. When they kissed at 30% and basically admitted they still cared about each other I was a little bummed- where’s all the tension right?! But everything that happened after the wedding, watching them slowly regain each others trust, seeing Cielo learn how to lean on the people who love her, seeing Aiden stay true to himself all because of Lo- it was such a beautiful REAL love story. I came into this thinking it’d be a cute second chance romance with some contrived hijinks to get them back together- and there was a little of that but the way Ivy Fairbanks took this in such a heartwarming and realistic direction was way better. I loved it!

this was my first introduction to ivy fairbanks’ work and let me tell you, she blew me away. heart strings is a second chance romance that follows mexican-american med student cielo and irish singer/songwriter aidan. this was such a beautiful story about the right person but wrong time. you could feel aidan’s love for cielo through the pages, it was so tangible. it was a clear example of “if he wanted to, he would” because every trust that was broken that led to their breakup in the beginning, aidan worked over time to repair it not only with his words but his actions. I wish the epilogue was a bit more detailed, I wanted more from them but overall this was a really good read. thank you NetGalley and the publishing for sending me this arc for an honest review.

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

Cielo “Lo” Valdez is a tough cookie. Having beaten cancer, she’s pursuing her dream of becoming a doctor. When her cousin’s wedding brings her face to face with the ex that left her for his music career, she resolves to keep him at a distance. Aidan O’Toole regrets ending things with Lo. Determined to win her back, he tries to convince her that their song isn’t over.

We got a glimpse of Lo and Aidan in Morbidly Yours, and I was excited to see their love story. I think Ms. Fairbanks did a great job of showing Lo let her guard down and begin to let Aidan in. Lo had cancer as a child, and she feels that she was the cause of her parents’ divorce. Because of this she’s become hyper independent and unfortunately had an all or nothing mentality. From her perspective, if Aidan pursues his career, they can’t be together. She acknowledges her part in the break up and how her upbringing affected her. There’s a lot of open communication between the two which was great to see. I really liked both characters. Their commitment to each other shined beautifully. I loved how they each supported the other’s dreams. Also, thank you so much for not writing a third act break up.

Their relationship arc felt organic and real. They were two adults trying to figure out how to make their relationship work given the specific circumstances they find themselves in. I really felt the love they shared for each other. I very much enjoyed their love story, and I’m excited to reach Saoirse’s story next.

another second chance romance to add to my collection 😈

this book took me right back to Galway after finishing Morbidly Yours, and at this point I think I’m hyperfixating on Ireland. Sue me. But we get little time jump a few years in the future, a few years after Lo and Aidan called it quits after six months of dating when he moved to London to pursue his dream of being a musician. Forced to reunite for Callum and Lark’s upcoming wedding, Lo and Aidan are also forced to reckon with their lingering feelings years after their painful breakup.

both characters had their reasons to give up on their relationship, but a few years later, with the opportunity to reconcile, these two must decide whether it’s worth putting their hearts on the line one more time.

Lo was incredibly relatable in this book. A hyper-independent girlie who thinks she can do/fix anything herself, never wants to burden her loved ones by needing their help, and cutting off anyone who’s wronged her to try and preserve her heart that’s really quite fragile underneath the walls shes built. Aidan has to try and tear those walls down to get back the love of his life, and seeing these two grow and change and learn from the mistakes of their past was so gratifying.

I felt the writing improved a bit from Morbidly Yours, but I do still think there was some dialogue/moments that felt a bit disjointed/unrealistic. I decided to give this one 3.75 stars but all around it was a really lovely book and I’m HOPING that miss Saoirse maybe gets a book next 👀

I was a big fan of her first book in this series, Morbidly Yours and this one was just as brilliant.

It is a gorgeous second chance romance and I'm a big fan of that trope, so I have high standards for them. I appreciated that their re-connection was mostly handled with maturity by the characters after an initial adjustment period. The story had the perfect blend of banter and fun, but with emotional depth. Ivy's prose is beautiful and she's able to really immerse you into the story with her descriptions.

I'm looking forward to the next installment in this series.

Heart Strings by Ivy Fairbanks is a second chance, forced proximity spicy romance. This is book 2 in A Love in Galway Series and I was beyond excited to receive this ARC (you absolutely need to read Morbidly Yours if you have not already)!!

Cielo, a Texas native living in Galway for medical school and residency, is tough and determined to live life to the fullest. Aidan is a lawyer turned famous musician who is struggling to write his second album. They broke up when he made it big, but are coming back together now as best man and maid of honor at a weekend-long Irish castle wedding. Seriously, this book is swoon worthy! I was captivated by the characters, emotion, intrigue, angst, humor, and oh yes, steam of the novel. It was just a beautifully written story and I honestly did not want it to end!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Putnam Books, and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved Heart Strings! After enjoying the first book in the series, I had high expectations for this one, and it did not disappoint. The story is captivating, with just the right mix of emotion and intrigue. A wonderful addition to the series! Highly recommend.

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of Heart Strings, and let me tell you—this book is angsty, steamy, and full of feels. If you love an exes-to-lovers romance with a stubborn heroine, a swoon-worthy musician-turned-lawyer, and a forced proximity wedding weekend in an Irish castle… buckle up.

Cielo “Lo” Valdez does not do second chances. But Aidan O’Toole? Oh, he’s determined to prove that their love story isn’t over. And the fact that every song he writes is still about her? Cue the emotional damage. 🥲🎶

The tension? 🔥 The pining? Gut-wrenching. The chemistry? Off the charts. But while I loved the angst and the setting, some parts felt predictable, and Lo’s walls were so high that I wanted to shake her at times. That being said, if you’re into love stories that hurt before they heal, this one’s for you.

✨ Tropes:
💔 Exes-to-lovers
🏰 Forced proximity (hello, castle wedding 👀)
🎶 Musician hero (who never got over her 😭)
🔥 Spicy & emotional

Would I recommend? If you love an emotional, slow-burn romance with a musical twist, absolutely! 🎶💘

disclaimer: I CRIED MULTIPLE TIMES WRITING AND RE-WRITING THIS REVIEW. IVY, I'LL BE SENDING A BILL TO YOUR OFFICE.
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some love stories don’t get a perfect ending the first time around. some loves are too big, too consuming, too real to fit within the narrow confines of timing and circumstance. she doesn’t do second chances. but he’s not done writing their song.

Cielo “Lo” Valdez knows the weight of heartbreak. she knows what it’s like to give someone your heart, only to watch them walk away with it. surviving cancer taught her that life is too short to waste on regrets or past hurts, and she’s lived by that rule—until now. because when Aidan O’Toole, the man who shattered her, steps back into her world, she’s forced to confront the truth: love like theirs doesn’t just disappear.

Aidan has it all—fame, success, an album that turned his dream into reality. but every song he writes, every lyric he sings, carries the ghost of the woman he left behind. two years haven’t dulled the ache, haven’t lessened the pull of Lo in his heart. now, fate (or a very unfortunate wedding seating chart) has given him one last shot to prove that their love story isn’t over. set against the breathtaking backdrop of an Irish castle wedding, this novel is a raw, heart-wrenching testament to love lost and found. it explores the way grief shapes us, the way wounds heal imperfectly, and how sometimes, forgiveness is the bravest thing of all.

THIS BOOK WRECKED ME IN THE BEST WAY. the chemistry between Lo and Aidan is electric, charged with years of longing and pain, but also with a love so deep it feels destined. the tension was super intense—the stolen glances, the lingering touches, the lyrics Aidan sings that hold a history only Lo can understand. their story is messy, beautiful, and achingly real.

i also loved Lo’s strength, her refusal to be a woman who settles for anything less than she deserves. and my man my man my man Aidan—God, Aidan. he is the kind of man who makes mistakes, but he learns from them. he doesn’t just want Lo back; he wants to earn her trust, her love, her forever. this isn’t just a second-chance romance. it's a story about PERFECT timing, about CHOICES. about how love can SURVIVE even when it’s been bruised and broken. it's about the songs we write for the people who shape us and whether, in the end, we get to finish them together.

if you’ve ever had your heart shattered and dared to believe in love again, this book will speak to your soul. and if you haven’t? well, this book will teach you what it means to love so fiercely that even time can’t erase it. beautiful writing, Europe, two less lonely people in the world.

5 stars 5 stars 5 stars. my favorite romance of the year.
thank you so much Penguin Group PUTNAM and Ivy Fairbanks.

Ivy Fairbanks has done it again! This series is really fueling my obsession with Ireland. I need to get on a plane immediately but I will settle for running to my local bookstore on August 12th.

P.S. to Ivy Fairbanks herself: The hearse scene goes crazy (iykyk).

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.