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Where My Heart Breaks
(A Willoughby Inn Love Story #1)
by
If there were a course in screwing up your life, Kate Spivey earned an A+.
Trust is in short supply for Kate at the start of the summer before her senior year of college. Sentenced to spend it under the watchful eye of her aunt at the Willoughby Inn, Kate needs to prove that she has learned from her mistakes.
Almost immediately, Kate finds herself drawn to someone else who ...more
Trust is in short supply for Kate at the start of the summer before her senior year of college. Sentenced to spend it under the watchful eye of her aunt at the Willoughby Inn, Kate needs to prove that she has learned from her mistakes.
Almost immediately, Kate finds herself drawn to someone else who ...more
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Paperback, 182 pages
Published
August 29th 2013
by Smith Sinclair Books
(first published August 28th 2013)
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***Copy provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***
This book is one of the reasons why I just LOVE Indie authors!!! I needed a much-deserved break after reading dark, twisted, and emotionally manipulative books for the past week and then I got my hands on this little gem here! I absolutely adored how I was reading a book about a heroine who was reading a book! Filled with quirky humor and sweet romance, Where My Heart Breaks brings to life characters who find the stre ...more
This book is one of the reasons why I just LOVE Indie authors!!! I needed a much-deserved break after reading dark, twisted, and emotionally manipulative books for the past week and then I got my hands on this little gem here! I absolutely adored how I was reading a book about a heroine who was reading a book! Filled with quirky humor and sweet romance, Where My Heart Breaks brings to life characters who find the stre ...more

I liked this one, it was really cute, it pulled me right in....I didn't like the abrupt ending, I felt like it could have been a lot longer....and it seemed like there was quite a bit that wasn't really fully explained....like something would be mentioned, and you'd expect to get an explanation at some point, but you only only ended up getting half the missing puzzle pieces. Also, the epilogue was lame....I wanted more. Lots more.
...more

4 Stars for a heart warming story. The story revolves around Kate who is at a cross roads in her life. At 21 she is on academic probation, in therapy for her alcohol addiction, under her parents rule to get her act together, and on her way to spend the summer with her equally non-tolerant aunt who owns a bed and breakfast.
A chance meeting takes place between Kate and what we later learn is Reed Black when she gets flat tire. Reed assists her and Kate can feel an immediate attraction. But she has ...more
A chance meeting takes place between Kate and what we later learn is Reed Black when she gets flat tire. Reed assists her and Kate can feel an immediate attraction. But she has ...more

Review to come on 8/31 on New Adult Addiction
I really can't say enough good things about this book.
What I liked: First and foremost, this book was unpredictable. Most of the time, with NA Romance we know the hero and heroine are going to be together. But in Where My Heart Breaks, nothing about their relationship is a sure thing. There are lots of reasons for them not to be together. It would be entirely relatable and believable if Katie ran in the other direction--not because he wasn't a good gu ...more
I really can't say enough good things about this book.
What I liked: First and foremost, this book was unpredictable. Most of the time, with NA Romance we know the hero and heroine are going to be together. But in Where My Heart Breaks, nothing about their relationship is a sure thing. There are lots of reasons for them not to be together. It would be entirely relatable and believable if Katie ran in the other direction--not because he wasn't a good gu ...more

So 4 BRIGHT, YELLOW STARS for this one.
Loved it, loved it, loved it UNTIL....I'll get to that little later.
Loved that Kate's transformation was very gradual, and even though she realized certain things she still made mistakes and was hesitant about who she truly was or what she wanted.
Loved Reed and his story. It was so refreshing to have a normal, average (and yes, hot and sexy) guy as a love interest as opposed to a controlling macho billionaire.
Loved the love story between Kate and Reed - ...more
Loved it, loved it, loved it UNTIL....I'll get to that little later.
Loved that Kate's transformation was very gradual, and even though she realized certain things she still made mistakes and was hesitant about who she truly was or what she wanted.
Loved Reed and his story. It was so refreshing to have a normal, average (and yes, hot and sexy) guy as a love interest as opposed to a controlling macho billionaire.
Loved the love story between Kate and Reed - ...more

3.5 Stars!
I know this genre isn't for everyone and I also know I tend to read a lot from it but I can't help it. The hopeless romantic in me just eats them up. I am a happily ever after kind of girl and I crave that HEA whether it is in my literature or in movies. I just have to have it.
Reed isn't exactly a bad boy, in fact I think he is far from it. He has a reputation as one and even though he won't commit to a single girl, I really am not sure how he got the reputation, well, other than the ...more
I know this genre isn't for everyone and I also know I tend to read a lot from it but I can't help it. The hopeless romantic in me just eats them up. I am a happily ever after kind of girl and I crave that HEA whether it is in my literature or in movies. I just have to have it.
Reed isn't exactly a bad boy, in fact I think he is far from it. He has a reputation as one and even though he won't commit to a single girl, I really am not sure how he got the reputation, well, other than the ...more

**this copy courtesy of NetGalley & the publishers
4-4.5 stars for me. I loved reading this book, and even with my stuffy head cold it was easy to read and easy to take in.
When the "bad girl" and "bad boy" get together you'd think it's headed for disaster... but sometimes when two people meet, they are exactly what the other needs to pull themselves and their lives back on track.
Despite the obvious connection between Kate and Reed, Kate needs to make one of the biggest decisions of her life in or ...more
4-4.5 stars for me. I loved reading this book, and even with my stuffy head cold it was easy to read and easy to take in.
When the "bad girl" and "bad boy" get together you'd think it's headed for disaster... but sometimes when two people meet, they are exactly what the other needs to pull themselves and their lives back on track.
Despite the obvious connection between Kate and Reed, Kate needs to make one of the biggest decisions of her life in or ...more

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
*3 stars*
Attention new adult readers! This is the perfect book if you are looking to avoid all of the angst that the genre has put out. (Personally I love angst, but a break every once in a while is nice). Where My Heart Breaks, titled after a book IN this book, is the story of a girl named Kate who has a wild past and is sent off to her aunt's for the summer to shape up. Along the way she meets the town "bad boy" Reed, who has a comp ...more
*3 stars*
Attention new adult readers! This is the perfect book if you are looking to avoid all of the angst that the genre has put out. (Personally I love angst, but a break every once in a while is nice). Where My Heart Breaks, titled after a book IN this book, is the story of a girl named Kate who has a wild past and is sent off to her aunt's for the summer to shape up. Along the way she meets the town "bad boy" Reed, who has a comp ...more

I was given this book by the Author, Ivy Sinclair, for an honest review and so I shall deliver.
The Review:
This is the second book I've read by Ivy Sinclair, the first one was "Bittersweet Junction" and I have to say, "Where My Heart Breaks" had huge shoes to fill to compare to it. Especially since I loved "Bittersweet Junction" so much I featured it on my review site.
So that being said, I thought "Where My Heart Breaks" started off a bit slow and I have to be honest, I had concerns about the boo ...more
The Review:
This is the second book I've read by Ivy Sinclair, the first one was "Bittersweet Junction" and I have to say, "Where My Heart Breaks" had huge shoes to fill to compare to it. Especially since I loved "Bittersweet Junction" so much I featured it on my review site.
So that being said, I thought "Where My Heart Breaks" started off a bit slow and I have to be honest, I had concerns about the boo ...more

I got this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review...
this book is a great romance story. It has a story within a story. It is very emotional, and if you are not a chick lit kinda person this book might not be your cup of tea.
Kate was a good girl. She was the highest in her high school class, and got scholarships to where ever she wanted to go. She had everything going for her. That was until she met a boy. Then her junior year of college went down hill. She was drinking and maki ...more
this book is a great romance story. It has a story within a story. It is very emotional, and if you are not a chick lit kinda person this book might not be your cup of tea.
Kate was a good girl. She was the highest in her high school class, and got scholarships to where ever she wanted to go. She had everything going for her. That was until she met a boy. Then her junior year of college went down hill. She was drinking and maki ...more

*ARC received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
2.5 ☆
When I read the blurb of Where My Heart Breaks I though I was going to love the book. The whole summer sentence Kate parents gave her seemed like a good idea.
The story is simple, short and cute. I liked all the characters but this just seemed like a story to read if you want a simple romance to entertain yourself for a couple of hours (which is perfectly okay).
Kate Spivey parents sent her to a micro town to help her aunt at the ...more

* * Received a free copy of the book for a honest review * *
Kate is a 21 year old college student who was in a emotionally abusive relationship who partied way too much. As a way to control her, Kate's mother sent her to spend the summer with her aunt to work at a bed and breakfast. If Kate messes up any chance of getting money for her senior year in college will be shot. This is a chance for Kate to redeem her past so she can go back to school. But how can she get past everything that happened ...more
Kate is a 21 year old college student who was in a emotionally abusive relationship who partied way too much. As a way to control her, Kate's mother sent her to spend the summer with her aunt to work at a bed and breakfast. If Kate messes up any chance of getting money for her senior year in college will be shot. This is a chance for Kate to redeem her past so she can go back to school. But how can she get past everything that happened ...more

I received this book as an arc via netgalley.com and I loved it. Here is my honest review:
This is a story of two wrongs that make a right. Kate Spivey is a party girl from Baltimore that has been banished to Bleckerville North Carolina by her military raised mother. Kate was in her junior year of college when she partied all the time and never knew where she was gonna be next. Her then boyfriend, Trevor was a complete douche bag that treated her like trash. Well needless to say, she hardly showe ...more
This is a story of two wrongs that make a right. Kate Spivey is a party girl from Baltimore that has been banished to Bleckerville North Carolina by her military raised mother. Kate was in her junior year of college when she partied all the time and never knew where she was gonna be next. Her then boyfriend, Trevor was a complete douche bag that treated her like trash. Well needless to say, she hardly showe ...more

In reading this story when you have made mistakes in the past you will definitely relate. Kate is our main female lead in this story, she is someone who I think most would love to have as a friend, and I know I would. Though she has made some bad choices while attending college, thus losing her scholarships, and getting mixed up with the wonderful offerings of college life, i.e. drugs, alcohol and an abusive boyfriend, she does come off as a pretty well rounded person who is fully aware of her m
...more

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
5 Star Review
The cover drew me in and the Sinclair's writing style kept me there. I loved how she brought in characters with problems/flaws and allowed us to follow their transformation without it being overly repetitive. This made for a book that was a quick but entertaining read. I finished it in one day.
I found Kate to be a realistic character. Overachiever turned bad girl she is attempting to get her life back ...more
5 Star Review
The cover drew me in and the Sinclair's writing style kept me there. I loved how she brought in characters with problems/flaws and allowed us to follow their transformation without it being overly repetitive. This made for a book that was a quick but entertaining read. I finished it in one day.
I found Kate to be a realistic character. Overachiever turned bad girl she is attempting to get her life back ...more

Bad girl meets Bad boy. Going into the story this is the main theme. Kate is sent to Bleckerville to recover from her addictions( drinks, partying, her ex) when she meets Reed the local bad boy.
I liked how the story developed, that Kate was lost in the beginning but by the end she was pulling herself together and standing up for herself. And I liked her relationship with Reed, the insta-chemistry they had. I liked the side characters, especially Millie and Patrice. I even liked the book within ...more
I liked how the story developed, that Kate was lost in the beginning but by the end she was pulling herself together and standing up for herself. And I liked her relationship with Reed, the insta-chemistry they had. I liked the side characters, especially Millie and Patrice. I even liked the book within ...more

Received an ARC copy through Netgally in return for an honest review.
This was the first book by this author I have ever read. I actually would give it more of a 3.5 rating, but ONLY because in the middle of the book right before the plot climaxed it rushed into everything. However, it did slow back down. I enjoyed the interaction between Reed and Kate. I love me a good bad boy, but is Reed really bad or is it a wall? The rising action of the books shows a young college girl who has been sent awa ...more
This was the first book by this author I have ever read. I actually would give it more of a 3.5 rating, but ONLY because in the middle of the book right before the plot climaxed it rushed into everything. However, it did slow back down. I enjoyed the interaction between Reed and Kate. I love me a good bad boy, but is Reed really bad or is it a wall? The rising action of the books shows a young college girl who has been sent awa ...more

I loved this book from the start!! :)
The characters were very like able and the story line was relatable. Kate had gotten into some trouble and was forced to stay and work with her Aunt for the summer. While being there she meets Reed. A guy that everyone has judged, and she knows she should stay away from, but can't. His past has shaped him to the person he is, just the same as Kate.
Reed and Kate have to fight not only their own internal battle but everyone else. It's a wonderful love story. ...more
The characters were very like able and the story line was relatable. Kate had gotten into some trouble and was forced to stay and work with her Aunt for the summer. While being there she meets Reed. A guy that everyone has judged, and she knows she should stay away from, but can't. His past has shaped him to the person he is, just the same as Kate.
Reed and Kate have to fight not only their own internal battle but everyone else. It's a wonderful love story. ...more

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: Cute contemporary romance with fun characters, but it was a little forgettable.
Opening Sentence: It sounded like an explosion from the rear of the car, and I yelped in surprise.
Excerpt: Yes
The Review:
Kate Spivey has had a few rough years. It is the summer before her senior year at college and her parents have given her an ultimatum, she has to work for her aunt the whole summer or they won’t pay for her last year of college. When Kate was young ...more
Quick & Dirty: Cute contemporary romance with fun characters, but it was a little forgettable.
Opening Sentence: It sounded like an explosion from the rear of the car, and I yelped in surprise.
Excerpt: Yes
The Review:
Kate Spivey has had a few rough years. It is the summer before her senior year at college and her parents have given her an ultimatum, she has to work for her aunt the whole summer or they won’t pay for her last year of college. When Kate was young ...more

Every once in a while I like to give an indie author a chance and a read a book that is not well known or hyped. It’s not out of the goodness of my heart, because really I am not that good. But sometimes, if you’re lucky you find a diamond in a sea full of stones. And in light of it, this really is a good read, even partially outstanding. What really got me hooked into the story was that book in a book leitmotif. The book within the book interacts within the literary environment. It gives the no
...more

This is the first book I've read by Ivy Sinclair and I enjoyed it very much. Where My Heart Breaks is a short and sweet New Adult romance with very likable characters.
The protagonist, Kate, was so lost in the beginning. She was just doing what she was told, and trying very hard to redeem herself in her parent's eyes. Her parents were very heavy handed and over the top with their demands from Kate. They cared more about what others thought of them than they did about their daughter's happiness. K ...more
The protagonist, Kate, was so lost in the beginning. She was just doing what she was told, and trying very hard to redeem herself in her parent's eyes. Her parents were very heavy handed and over the top with their demands from Kate. They cared more about what others thought of them than they did about their daughter's happiness. K ...more

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read an ARC of Where My Heart Breaks before its release.
I finished quite a while ago, but here's a quick synopsis: it's your typical NA set-up, with damaged girl meeting damaged guy, falling quickly into lust, but it's never going to work out because they're both so damaged, blah blah, and blah. But, here's the twist: it's not so typical after all, because the characters are so beautifully drawn and the plot is perfectly paced. What more could a reader w ...more
I finished quite a while ago, but here's a quick synopsis: it's your typical NA set-up, with damaged girl meeting damaged guy, falling quickly into lust, but it's never going to work out because they're both so damaged, blah blah, and blah. But, here's the twist: it's not so typical after all, because the characters are so beautifully drawn and the plot is perfectly paced. What more could a reader w ...more

Review copy granted in exchange for an honest review
I'm in two minds about this book. Part of me really didn't like it and another part of me really did like it and I'm not sure I can untangle those two conflicting parts of me to say that this book was anything more - or less - than okay.
Kate - for a good portion of this book - is annoying. She has made a lot of bad decisions but the reasons for making them are unknown, to both Kate and the reader, so she just believes that she is weak willed an ...more
I'm in two minds about this book. Part of me really didn't like it and another part of me really did like it and I'm not sure I can untangle those two conflicting parts of me to say that this book was anything more - or less - than okay.
Kate - for a good portion of this book - is annoying. She has made a lot of bad decisions but the reasons for making them are unknown, to both Kate and the reader, so she just believes that she is weak willed an ...more

This book was kindly given to me for a fair and honest review....now that is out of the way.
4+ Warm Fuzzy Stars!
Such a sweet read with a HEA. I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to read this!
Meet Kate Spivey. She is a 21 year old misfit that has been sent to work for her aunt for the summer after a slew of bad behavior that threatens to end her academic career. She is trying very hard to be good but in steps Reed Black.
He is handsome, mysterious...let's face it...he is sex on a st ...more

4+ Warm Fuzzy Stars!
Such a sweet read with a HEA. I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to read this!

Meet Kate Spivey. She is a 21 year old misfit that has been sent to work for her aunt for the summer after a slew of bad behavior that threatens to end her academic career. She is trying very hard to be good but in steps Reed Black.

He is handsome, mysterious...let's face it...he is sex on a st ...more

3.5 stars
This would have been a solid 4 star read, but I deducted half a star due to some really weird editing mistakes, like using the wrong word in several locations or the spelling of a character's names switching from Casey to Kasey and back multiple times on the same page.
Despite the editing mistakes, I truly enjoyed this. For once, the mistakes did not detract enough from the story to make a big difference.
This was a fantastic story of redemption for both main characters, and I truly enj ...more
This would have been a solid 4 star read, but I deducted half a star due to some really weird editing mistakes, like using the wrong word in several locations or the spelling of a character's names switching from Casey to Kasey and back multiple times on the same page.
Despite the editing mistakes, I truly enjoyed this. For once, the mistakes did not detract enough from the story to make a big difference.
This was a fantastic story of redemption for both main characters, and I truly enj ...more

Thanks to NetGalley, I was allowed to read this selection for an honest review. This is the story of Kate, a college student who hasn’t always made the best life choices and now must decide if her parents are going to rule her life. This is also the story of Reed who has his own share of past angst. Together it is the story of how two young people will handle their lives with the public having a skewed perception of each of them.
Kate goes to live with her Aunt and help her with her hotel busines ...more
Kate goes to live with her Aunt and help her with her hotel busines ...more

I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I tend to steer away from e-books as I miss the feel of the book in my hand. The way a book feels, smells and looks in an important component to the reading experience for me. The first chapter of Where My Heart Breaks had me wondering if I was going to make the final chapter but by the time I got to chapter two I was so hooked I forgot I was reading an e-book, instead reading into the small hours of the night completing the bo ...more

This story was cute and I really loved reading it. The rumors around Reed I didn't think were fair because as you got to read the book you learn he's not what his reputation is saying about him, "all around. He's a nice enough guy, but when it comes to women, it's pretty clear that he's a use 'em and lose 'em kind of guy." You know after an incident happens you'd almost think Reed was jealous, "I wanted to make sure you made it home safely," he said, cocking his head. "Considering you left Lula'
...more

Kate Spivey is spending her summer at The Willoughby. However, it’s not a relaxing vacation at the Bed & Breakfast, but a summer spent working for her aunt. This is a ‘last chance’ for Kate. After spending her time at college partying, drinking, and investing herself in a dead end relationship….Kate’s parents have told her she must spend her summer straightening herself out. There will be no more ‘chances’ to abide by her parents wishes. There is to be no partying, no boys, and no drinking.
What ...more
What ...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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Advanced Copies f...: Reviews Requested: Where My Heart Breaks | 10 | 50 | Nov 15, 2013 06:23AM |
Ivy Sinclair cut her romance teeth on classics like Gone With the Wind, Casablanca, An Affair to Remember, and Sabrina. She is a firm believer in true love, a happily ever after ending, and the medicinal use of chocolate to cure any ailment of the heart. Ivy's guilty pleasures include sushi, endless Starbucks lattes, and wine. Readers of Ivy's stories can expect smoldering sweet stories of romance
...more
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