Sabine Debois likes her wine pink and her life predictable. As a private tutor for the rich and famous, she doesn’t get starstruck. But when a tattooed espresso fiend saves her from death by sweater, she’s a little bit… grateful. That’s all. Just grateful.
Sunshine Capone just had the best album of his career, and then his girlfriend burned down his house. Well, his ex-girlfriend now. So he moved to Chicago to focus on his music and avoid the drama of relationships.
He should not be creating any excuse to hang out with the sweet teacher with the hazel eyes and bright smile. She doesn’t need his kind of confusion in her life.
But Sabine’s about to teach this superstar a thing or two about peace, love, and understanding.
Lost Track is a full-length contemporary romance and can be read as a standalone. Book #5 in the Common Threads series, Seduction in the City World, Penny Reid Book Universe.
Heidi Hutchinson writes slow burn rock star romances for contemporary readers who like humor with their hotties. She has both open and closed door series filled with relatable characters and swooney yumminess. Double Blind Study, her go-to series, is closed door and follows a band in emotional turmoil and the women who love them.
When she’s not writing about wild hearted women and hunky heroes, she’s watching Doctor Who or trying to find the perfect gluten free pizza crust for her pizza shaped celiac heart. She lives in the Black Hills with her alarmingly handsome husband, their fearless child, and a rather large (and spoiled) dog.
She’s fueled by messages from her readers and too much coffee. And a whole lotta love. Visit her website or social media for upcoming releases!
heidih.net Email: heidih.writer@gmail.com
IN BETWEEN DUET SERIES (IN PROGRESS)— Book 1: In Between the Earth and Sky Book 2: Love of a Wild Thing (TBD) Book 4: TBA
DOUBLE BLIND STUDY SERIES (IN PROGRESS)— Book 1: Learn to Fly Book 2: In Your Honor Book 3: Tectonic Book 4: Deepest Blues Book 5: The Hope That Starts Book 6: Brand New Sky Book 7: Into the Night We Shine (Bonus Novella) Book 8: Born to Resist (Bonus Novella- in progress) Book 9: Matter of Fact (holiday novella)
DOUBLE BLIND STUDY WORLD CROSSOVER Things That Shine (written with Bria Quinlan)
SOARING BIRD SERIES (IN PROGRESS)— Book 1: Like the Back of My Halo Book 2: Sushi and Sun Salutations Book 3: Puppy Love and Peanut Butter Book 4: Rope a Dope Book 5: Caught a Vibe (May 2024) Book 6: TBA
IN COLD MUD SERIES (IN PROGRESS)— Book 1: Stubborn Hearts (prequel to DBS book 6 Brand New Sky) Book 2:
THE DOUBLE BLIND STUDY SERIES is an exciting romance series about rock stars in recovery. The Double Blind Study band has already lived the rock and roll cliché. This is life after. Full of humor, heart, and slow burn romance. Each book can be read alone but it is best if read in order. Cliffhanger free.
THE SOARING BIRD SERIES follows a group of extreme sports enthusiasts as they navigate life and love living on the California coast. Slow burn romantic comedies that can be read individually, but best if read in order. Cliffhanger free.
THE IN BETWEEN DUET SERIES is a slow burn unconventional romance that explores the connections of science and poetry. Occasionally intense moments of personal clarity and heartfelt confessions. Filled with touches of humor and real world obstacles. Cliffhanger free.
IN COLD MUD SERIES is a small series revolving around the politics and relationships of horse racing. Not a romance series. Definitely family drama.
NOTE: All of Heidi Hutchinson’s books take place in the Double Blind Study series. Each series can be read on their own but there are often crossover characters you may recognize.
PEOPLE!!! The Smartypants Romance launch of awesome continues today with the release of 'Lost Track' by the amazingly talented Heidi Hutchinson! This book is friends-to-lovers perfection. And I love the cast of characters that Heidi has created in and around the Chicago World. Some famous friends who are in need of some Cipher Security ;-)
★ ★ BLURB ★ ★ Sabine Debois likes her wine pink and her life predictable. As a private tutor for the rich and famous, she doesn’t get starstruck. But when a tattooed espresso fiend saves her from death by sweater, she’s a little bit… grateful. That’s all. Just grateful.
Sunshine Capone just had the best album of his career, and then his girlfriend burned down his house. Well, his ex-girlfriend now. So he moved to Chicago to focus on his music and avoid the drama of relationships.
He should not be creating any excuse to hang out with the sweet teacher with the hazel eyes and bright smile. She doesn’t need his kind of confusion in her life.
But Sabine’s about to teach this superstar a thing or two about peace, love, and understanding.
Lost Track is a full-length contemporary romance and can be read as a standalone. Book #5 in the Common Threads series, Seduction in the City World, Penny Reid Book Universe.
As soon as I finished last night, I messaged Heidi in tears. Sunshine Capone is the male version of my daughter. For years I've worried for her and struggled with her and didn't know how to help her. But now... now I understand more. Now I have a perspective I never had before. Now we have ideas and discussions and some new plans so I can love her and help her the right way. The way she deserves. That, my friends, is the power a good book has. Thank you Heidi. And thank you to your Sunshine.
I like a slow burn, but this was practically a backwards burn it was so slow.
This book was so puzzling. I liked the characters a lot, but this could have been half the length. These two people absolutely adore each other and they get to know each other pretty quickly and become really good friends… who are super attracted to each other.
But the DRAMA! Over the most ridiculous things.
Not about HER mom who is in federal prison after using the heroine’s identity so she can’t get a regular job. Nope. That’s not worthy drama.
The drama is about his ADHD. In hushed tones, his friends tell her “the truth” about Dave. He has ADHD (gasp) and his mom had a hard time with his diagnosis. Did she abuse him? No. She just allowed him to drop out of high school. That’s it. And the penultimate drama is around her seeing his ADHD binders without his permission. His best friend let her into the hero’s apartment and she looks at his binders before he’s ready. The betrayal! Oh no!
Actual quotes from this book:
His eyes scanned the area around her and noticed the binder open. His mouth went dry and his stomach dropped. Bile started to gather in his throat, and he swallowed several times…
Shame touched with betrayal rolled through him and he felt sick… she had seen one of the binders. —- “I saw the binders before he was ready to show me. Max invited me up to his condo to get something and Dave walked in and thought the worst.”
“The worst? What? Like you and Max were…” He made a face.
(No. Not cheating. She just saw his binders) —— “I should have never gone into your home without you,” she said. She blinked and a tear rolled down one cheek…
“Do you—” He wiped under his eyes and looked away, shame coloring his cheeks. He took a heavy breath and tried again. “Do you feel differently? About me?” His voice broke and he wouldn’t look at her.
Her heart caught in her throat. “No,” she replied, and punctuated it with a kiss to his mouth.
He seemed shocked by her reaction, but she was desperate to convince him that nothing would ever make her feel different about him. --------------------- How many times in this book did they think, “I love this person but I’m going to hold back”. At 46%, the hero says “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I am completely in love with you”. And then both he and she say nothing about it. Ever. Even when they finally get together around 95-98% in. It was so confusing.
He’s had a lot of girlfriends in the past but has decided to “take a vow of celibacy” until he meets “the one”. We don’t hear about her past at all.
They kiss. And hug. And kiss. And sleep in the same bed. And that’s it. Sexy times is alluded to at the end. Fade to black.
I enjoyed reading it… sort of. At least so I could write this review and share my mockery at this absurdity.
I don’t mean to mock neurodivergence. Someone could feel shame over that. It just felt way out of proportion, especially since HER mom actually abused her and took her identity and caused her to lose jobs and opportunities. And he’s successful and has great friendships and yet is crippled with shame over his adhd.
★★LIVE in KU★★ It’s here! ‘Lost Track’ by Heidi Hutchinson is now up in kindle unlimited for your enjoyment!! Check it out if you’re into any of the following… +Slow burn +Friends to lovers +Star Wars +Reluctant rock stars
★★ BLURB ★★ Sabine Debois likes her wine pink and her life predictable. As a private tutor for the rich and famous, she doesn’t get starstruck. But when a tattooed espresso fiend saves her from death by sweater, she’s a little bit… grateful. That’s all. Just grateful.
Sunshine Capone just had the best album of his career, and then his girlfriend burned down his house. Well, his ex-girlfriend now. So he moved to Chicago to focus on his music and avoid the drama of relationships.
He should not be creating any excuse to hang out with the sweet teacher with the hazel eyes and bright smile. She doesn’t need his kind of confusion in her life.
But Sabine’s about to teach this superstar a thing or two about peace, love, and understanding.
Lost Track is a full-length contemporary romance and can be read as a standalone. Book #5 in the Common Threads series, Seduction in the City World, Penny Reid Book Universe.
Wow. Didn’t even know buses ran through here until you threw me under one, Piper.
Was the codependency bad if both parties were happy with the outcome?
Her entire body rejoiced at being near him again and she could swear that individual cells inside her body were high-fiving each other.
She made a very unladylike noise. “You point me at anyone who makes fun of you and I will knock them out. I know I sound very calm right now but inside I’m a complete rage monster. I’m not joking. Stop laughing.”
She sat in stunned silence, her heart suddenly too big for her body.
My Review:
This was my first exposure to the mad skills of Heidi Hutchinson, where have I been? The writing was smooth, easy to fall into, insightful, witty, and bewitchingly engaging. I absolutely adored all the characters and am completely besotted with the featured couple. I need more of this and have added her entire listing to my TBR. I have a new favorite author!
So…I had to think about this for a day or two. This book hit me in a very different way than I thought it would. I was super excited for Sunshine’s story, I just loved his character in Key Change. But very soon after I started reading, I realized quickly I was about to fall in love with this character in a whole different way than I had initially thought I would.
This book made me feel whole, seen, and less alone than before I started. I feel wiser, I feel more empowered, and very ready to start down a path I was afraid of before. I don’t know if I’ll ever truly be able to express what this book means to me, and *thank you* doesn’t seem like enough to say to Heidi Hutchinson for writing this book.
The fact that this book has so few reviews is a travesty. It was wonderful. I'm coming off a string of good reads and this matches up to all of the more "popular" titles, and surpasses many of them.
Dave/Sunshine is a face tattooed musician with ADHD. Sabine is a tutor to the stars who sees HIM, not just his fame, ink and inability to plan.
Emotions are felt and respected. Conversations are had, not avoided. Differences honored and cherished.
Plus there was enough humor to make this a Smartypants Romance.
I know this is book 5 in series, but it is 100% a standalone. Read it, love it, and find yourself pinning for the sweet man behind the face tattoos.
I have been left speechless by Lost Track. Heidi Hutchinson put me through the wringer with her complicated characters and those that support them. Where was this book when I was teaching? The author gave me a better understanding of inattentive ADHD then all of the classes and books I have read in the past. She brought a realism to a situation that is frequently so clinical.
Although it is not necessary to read Key Change first, I highly recommend it. The major characters from the story, Johnny, Hannah, Shawn and Piper, play a prominent part in Lost Track. Their love and compassion made life easier for Sunshine Capone, real name of Dave, and brought Sabine into his life. (In fact after finishing Lost Track; I reread Key Change just so could read Lost Track again. The flow was wonderful.)
Sunshine Capone has struggled with inattentive ADHD since birth. Growing up, his life was one struggle after another. If it wasn't for his best friends, Max and Leslie, I fear what would have happened to him. Sunshine Capone didn't fit in but his talent for writing and performing gave him purpose. The attention to detail regarding his struggles and life has my respect for the author growing by leaps and bounds. I will even forgive the tears I shed for this amazing character. I lost count how many times I said, "She made me cry."
My tears were rewarded with Sabine. Sunshine first sees her while she tutors Piper at the studio. Something that clicked for Dave when he saw her. But his past haunted hem. He didn't want to repeat past mistakes. He wanted to be better. Get ready for a fantastic slow burn romance. Get ready to swoon and wish you had your own Dave.
Sabine gets Dave. Sabine is patient, so patient, with Dave. Sabine taught me how to be more compassionate, more understanding. Sabine has her own struggles. Sabine has her own support group. Sabine is tutoring the children of the rich and famous so she isn't star struck by Dave. Sabine is "the bomb".
Together, Sabine and Dave, create a romance that I wanted to follow. I needed to follow. I got all the feels. Their romance was an emotional roller coaster for them and for me. Fear of the unknown created a very addictive story with an amazing ending. Like them, the ending was perfect.
I received an ARC copy from @smartypantsromance today. I adored this beautiful and emotional love story. It was such a wonderful read. I recommend this book 1000%.
Was this a young adult romance? Never have I ever seen such a juvenile leading man. I did rather like the plot, but surely an adult male who can do some things for himself is required for an adult romance.
This read was just..adorable. I know, not the description one would typically use for a romance, much less a rockstar romance, but that’s the word that popped into my head because Sabine and Dave were adorable together and I seriously loved the people they surrounded themselves with.
I loved and adored Sabine and Dave. Sabine is compassionate, kind and witty as well a patient. She hasn’t had what anyone would think was an easy life, but has rolled with it and made it her own. Dave aka Sunshine is a sweetheart who experience the world in a unique way ~ and not just because he is a famous musician ~ that can, at times, make things go a little sideways at times.
Their journey to their HEA was slow burn goodness and they were seriously adorable together. I loved watching them grow closer and truly see who the other person was. They had a few bumps in their road, but each one only made them stronger as an individual and as a couple and I’m very happy with how everything worked out for them in the end.
This was a great read. It was funny, swoon worthy and heartstring pulling in the best of ways. As for the supporting cast of characters. It’s very difficult to pick one as a fav because they all brought some kind of goodness to the story and I definitely wouldn’t mind seeing any of them again ~ whether they are the MC’s or supporting ~ in a book in the future.
~ Copy provided by SmartyPants Romance & voluntarily reviewed ~
CW- Character with inattentive ADHD, incarcerated mother, neglectful mother
I loved this book so much! And it doesn’t even have any on page spicy times! Heidi! Sunshine Capone is so lovable! He’s a golden retriever disguised as a tatted up Rap artist and it’s the sweetest most adorable combination! His struggles with ADHD are so valid and relatable and I’m so happy to see this kind of representation in a character with so much clout.
This story tells people “it’s ok to be different for your brain to work different, your struggles are valid and normal keep going” and it fucking beautiful.
Sabine is what we need all of our educators to be, she listens, she understands and if she can’t solve the problem she makes it ok. She of course is the perfect partner for Dave (Sunshine) and watching these two circle each other while they build a foundation of friendship was like pulling on your coziest sweater and settle into you favorite spot with a cup of Tea.
We also get Plenty of Sassy Piper and wise words from Johnny and Hannah. As well as special appearances of Quinn and Alex and Darius and Dallas!
I loved everything about this book! Even though the door was slammed in my face! I knew it was coming I know how Heidi rolls but here’s 🤞hoping she will have some bonus content for us! 😉🌶😇
This book is AMAZING! I will say this every time, but Heidi Hutchinson writes the best characters! This is a beautiful story of how being in love can really make someone be the most selfless version of themselves. I just finished it and I already can’t wait to go back and see Dave and Sabine all over again.
Talk about a girl crush 😻 I don’t normally review books! (And really this isn’t much of one either). But I just had to for this one. I mostly love the the H’s and will like the h but there will always be something that annoyed me in some way with her. Sabine 🥰 I have no words to describe 😶 I simply loved her. This book was amazing and Heidi killed it! I want more, give me the mates (friends) and her brother Andre. oh my, Andre please.
I received and ARC for this book and I absolutely loved it. Heidi does a brilliant job with the story and Sunshine Capone may be my new book boyfriend. It’s a sweet story of romance between friends and develops naturally. I really loved it. I really really hope that at some point Heidi writes a sequel.
Je suis un peu plus partagée sur cette romance, j'ai trouvé les premiers chapitres un peu confus, n'arrivant pas à cerner les personnages et à quoi ressemblaient leurs vies. Même si j'avoue que la scène de rencontre est un véritable meet-cute ! Bref, j'ai pas de suite accrocher à leur personnalité, et il m'a bien fallu la moitié du bouquin pour les trouver choupi-chou.
Je pense que ce qui a beaucoup aidé à apprécier la romance est les personnages secondaires : les deux meilleurs amis de Dave et la copine et le frère (qu'on voit trop peu) de Sabine. En fait c'est grâce à ce petit monde que le livre se tient, car ça aurait été très chaotique sans eux.
Un des points positif de cette romance est la représentation du trouble de l'attention et de l'hyperactivité dont souffre le héros. Quand on est dans sa tête, on se rend compte de ce que c'est au quotidien, tant pour lui que pour ses amis et sa famille.
Donc voilà, une romance sympa, mais qui sera pas dans mes préférées.
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I'm a little more divided on this romance, I found the first chapters a bit confusing, not being able to identify the characters and what their lives looked like. Even if I admit that the first meeting scene is a real meet-cute ! In short, I did not immediately click with their personalities, and it took me half the book to find them adorable.
I think what really helped to appreciate the romance are the secondary characters : Dave's two best friends and Sabine's BFF and brother (who we see too little). In fact it is thanks to this small world that the book is held, because it would have been very chaotic without them.
One of the positive points of this romance is the representation of the ADHD from which the hero suffers. When you're in his head, you realize what it's like on a daily basis, both for him and for his friends ad family.
So a nice romance, but one which will not be in my favorites.
I was provided an ARC via the author and Smartypants Romance, all opinions are my own.
This reads as a complete standalone, but I highly recommend reading all of the other books in the series. I really liked Key Change however you don't need to read it first. This follows Sunshine Capone who we meet in Key Change and Sabine. Sunshine aka Dave is a hip hop star who has recently relocated to Chicago to work on his next record and keep himself out of the gossip column. Sabine is a professional tutor to the stars. Sabine instantly notices that Dave is a little different, but instead of thinking he's weird or difficult, she instantly realizes he's neurodivergent and thinks he's awesome. Dave has spent his whole life making excuses for being different and people not understanding him. Fortunately, he's got two best friends in his corner that will always have his back, and Sabine quickly joins his inner circle. Sabine doesn't care that Dave is famous and has money, she likes talking to him and enjoys his sense of humor. She quickly earns the trust of his two besties Max and Leslie with her love of Star Wars and compassionate nature.
This is an emotional, slow burn romance. There are comical moments woven in that help lighten some of the heart wrenching moments that I really appreciated. Dave and Sabine have chemistry from the beginning, but they are both are tentative when it comes to romance. I really loved watching their friendship blossom as they got to know one another. I also really enjoyed the side characters as they helped push them along. They were key to the story. I hope we see more of them in future books. If you are looking for something super spicy, this is not the book for you. There is one really intimate scene, but everything else is pretty much closed door.
This is such a wonderful story! It is beautifully written, and you can tell that the author poured her heart into this book.
Much like Key Change this one really goes for your feels! This is such a wonderful novel! I was once again floored by how masterfully Hutchinson brings these topics to the core of the novel.
This emotional slow burn romance will totally melt your heart!
Sabine was wonderful, I loved how thoughtful she was and her relationships with those around her!
Sunshine, that was what Dave was. He’s such an endearing character. From the first moments we see of him and his interactions with those around him.
Sabine and Dave have so much chemistry but I loved how we got to see the friendship between the two of them! We get to see them fall in love and it’s a wonderful.
I loved the supporting characters here, how they took care of each other and accepted each other for what made them different.
I loved the little cameos from the Pennyverse!
Narration; Samantha Brentmoor is absolute magic here! Her ability to convey emotions from the page always floors me! She's simply amazing!
Liam Dicosimo is a new to me narrator. I really enjoyed his performance! I will definitely be looking into his other work!
Overall, this has become one of my favorite reads of the year and it's audiobook was pure magic!!
Thank-you smartypants romance for the chance to review this ARC!
This is a standalone in its own right, but for more perspective you can read Key Change first, another Common Threads story by Heidi Hutchinson. It's all about total opposites who decide that they will be friends. But who are they kidding? It's a matter of when, not if, they can both move on and admit that they are totally in love. Bonus cameo appearances by Quinn, Alex, Dallas and Darius from Cipher Security only make it even better in my mind. I genuinely couldn't put this one down.
Neurodiverse characters aren’t always written particularly well. Sometimes it’s just plain tokenism. Sometimes it’s a gimmick. Sometimes it’s used by someone who doesn’t see neurodiversity as worthy of respect or empathy. This is not one of those books.
What this is, is story about love on a number of levels. A rom com at heart, but watch for the love between family, of a true vocation, of talent not wasted, and loyal inner circles.
This is hands down one of the best books I’m going to read this year. I know Lost Track released in 2022 but trust me: Heidi Hutchinson is one of those authors that never fails to deliver. Dave and Sabine’s romance is a slowburn, friends to lovers, and full of a whole spectrum of emotions. On top of all that, Lost Track also addresses ADHD in a completely respectful and wonderful way. It’s a must read.
How to describe this book...🤔. There are so many elements to this story which just resonate so well together, like a complex harmony. If you pulled one of the threads, the story would still work, but all together it's like sitting listening to an orchestra.
There is nothing about this book that I don't like. Nothing.
Another beautifully told love story.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.
Meeting Sabine and Dave in this musical universe was a refreshing surprise. Sometimes the cadence of a story almost seems anti climatic. But I think that is exactly why I loved this story. Sometimes real life doesn’t mix with fiction as well. It almost feels like fiction is so far from the truth. With Heidi she always delivers reality. ADHD is real life. Being familiar with it and understanding it are things people don’t seem to grasp.
Dave isn’t your quintessential douche bag music star. He’s a kind and sweet soul, painted out to be the bad guy. Sabine is so patient. I’m actually envious of her ability to be so patient. Empathy is easy, but patience on top of that and it’s what makes the world a better place. She’s cute and quirky in all the ways that are endearing.
Loving someone who is neurodivergent can’t be easy. But love isn’t easy. Love is a choice. I think the plot felt so easy and less intense because I myself deal with ADHD. So thank you Heidi for once again creating a story that was comforting. Life is better when it’s real and unfiltered. As is Lost Track, because we all have a real life mess that needs one more song to keep us going.
What a beautiful read, and such an eye opener in understanding Sunshine's perspective of the world, it really makes it easier to understand, as so many have his condition. I love that the characters are so understanding of each other, that their love grew so organically.
Excellent representation of ADHD's emotional toll and how real the struggle is in various aspects of our lives. Thanks so much for this Heidi, so very appreciated. ❤️🥲
I don’t think that I’ve loved a character as fiercely as I’ve loved Sunshine. You will want to hug him and but him a in protective bubble and hurt the people who dare say a negative thing about him! Sabine is so perfect for him. The adorableness of this couple is off the charts. Their friends and formed families are hilarious.This book is so much more than a amazing love story. It’s also chance to see how an ADHD mind works and appreciate their their awesomeness and how to support their struggles.
Oh man. Dave/Sunshine is a espresso addicted individual who's very talented and very VERY forgiving when it comes to the people in his life. He trusts hard and barrels through life at full throttle. He's wildly charming and I can't say I saw that coming after meeting him in Hannah and Johnny's book. Not that he wasn't charming before, but I didn't expect to like him as much as I did here.
As for Sabine, she's sweet, supportive, wicked smart, and she's forced to live with the fallout from her mother's actions. Which means she's had to temper her dreams somewhat because her mother really messed things up for her. She likes Dave. A lot. She sees his brilliance and his kindness and how he's surrounded himself with a small group of people who truly want the best for him. She likes spending time with him and she understands the leaps his brain makes which is AWESOME for Dave because after his last few disastrous relationships he needs a lady friend who gets him.
We get to spend time at the studio with Hannah and Johnny, see some familiar faces who make security magic happen at Cipher, trawl the red carpet and have Sabine charm the rich and famous (Dave's included in that group, btw), and wonder who's going to fall next out of the group (I'm eyeballing Sabine's brother for that honor, in case you're wondering. Because HOO-BOY he has some 'splaining to do to Nikki). Good stuff all around.
Loved this book so much. I am not a good book review writer, but I really liked how the author shows us that we can live and thrive and excel even with a disability. And that if we are lucky, we can find our perfect person. Another great book in the Smartypants Romance world.