Mending Heartstrings: Forging Forever Book 1, Aria Glazki

A much slower-paced romance, Kane and Sabella have a subtle chemistry that carries through despite the distance and past hurts that threaten to keep them apart.  The relationship build is based on something much deeper than passion, but what I enjoyed was that their passions came through in other ways.  I always like steam in my romances, but sometimes I'm willing to overlook the closed-door moments when a couple comes through with the tenderness.  That was mostly the case here and I think the best word I can describe Kane and Sabella, their relationship, and their whole progression is "understated".

Sometimes the supporting characters upstaged the MC's and I can't say it wasn't well-deserved.  There was also a secondary conflict with Gina that could have dominated the story, but even though the situation was pretty serious, it only served to strengthen Kane's character and show Sabella for the concerned and observant friend that she is.  I loved that she wasn't like so many younger heroines who get caught up in all their own drama that they overlook, dismiss, or downplay the important people around them.

Kane was a great male lead with his patience, concern, consideration, and honesty.  A small spark led him to make some big changes in his life and his heart that were absolutely necessary to give him his musician's soul the boost it needed.  He did lash out and make some pretty hurtful assumptions at some points, but once he got over himself and his past he moved on to a future with Sabella.  He was determined and supportive and a tender man that had something really special about him.

Being that the pace was much slower it did drag at times and got a bit bogged down in the descriptions and exposition of so many things that happened in the story.  I wished the pacing had picked up at any point in the story, but aside from the Gina drama, it was just a slow read.  While the many details served their purpose and gave us a clear picture, it was a bit too much on the "tell" side of things rather than focusing on the "show" aspect of story telling.  But overall this was a sweet story with good, solid characters and a tender love story worth reading.

*$3.99 on Amazon

Kane’s a country singer who’s tangled with too many deceitful women. He’s learned his lesson: girls are for flirting and fun; emotions are for his music. But after spending a night with an earnest woman unlike any he’s known, he can’t force her out of his mind. So he goes in search of the woman he knows only as “Elle.”

On her last night in Nashville, the staunchly pragmatic Sabella found herself in a situation more suited to a romance novel than reality. Swept away, she ignored her rigidly self-imposed rules, succumbing to the fantasy just this once. But she knows real-world relationships have nothing in common with their fictionalized portrayals. When Kane unexpectedly shows up at her Portland apartment, she must choose between the practical truths she has learned and the desire for a passionate love she has struggled to suppress.

Despite the distance, Kane’s tour schedule, and their meddling friends, both are drawn to the chance for a romance neither quite believes is possible.