Book Review: The Broken Heart Playlist by Lara Martin

4⭐
Genre ~ contemporary romance
Setting ~ Brown Oaks (not sure where it is)
Publication date ~ October 17, 2024
Est Page Count ~ 335 (41 chapters +e)
POV ~ single 1st
Featuring ~ single mom, references to a traumatic past, close proximity, slow burn, neighbors to lovers, small town, no steamage

My review:

Kate (31) & Gideon
Kate is a divorced, single mom to 8 year old Lissett. She’s not looking for a relationship since she doesn’t want to get hurt like she previously was by her ex husband. But there’s just something about her new neighbor, Gideon, that makes her tingle, but also makes her wonder why he moved in right across the street so quickly.

Kate is a food stylist. How fun does that sound? I never think too much about what the food looks like in the ads, but it seems like the author did a great job of researching what all goes into performing this job well.

Gideon comes off really sweet, but you can just tell there’s a mystery behind him. Could this secret be the very thing that breaks Kate all over again? Or can she forgive and forget and embrace a second chance at happiness?

Gideon and his dog Uno volunteer with the Reading Dog Therapy Program. I love how Lissett’s struggles were incorporated into the storyline and how Uno was a big help with that. I mean who wouldn’t love to read to a giant greyhound.

I’m never a big fan of 3rd act breakups, but this one was warranted. I do feel like it actually should have lasted longer, which seems odd for me to say.

Overall, an emotional journey of slowly learning to love and trust again after heartbreak and trauma.

Series notes:
Not technically listed as a series, but her sister, Tess, from Phishing for Love plays a significant role, so I’d suggest reading that one first.

Get your copy on ~ Amazon

Add to your never ending TBR  ~ goodreads

I’d love to hear your thoughts if you’ve read it.

Book blurb:

Perfect for fans of Katherine Center, The Broken Heart Playlist is a single-parent, slow-burn, emotional romance.

Kate Miller is an extraordinary food stylist. She employs a whole host of tricks to make food look deliciously perfect, from painting grill lines on a steak to using mashed potatoes for an ice cream shoot.

But Kate is also living an extraordinary lie. The survivor of a brutal marriage, she’s stylized her life to present a perfect facade, hiding her brokenness and loneliness from everyone around her. The only love in her life? Her eight-year-old daughter. There’s no room for anyone else.

Until a handsome stranger with his own set of tricks moves onto her street. Suddenly, Gideon Walker and his therapy dog are everywhere, charming her family, winning over her daughter, and taking an unwelcome interest in her life.

The man who seems to know too much about her has invaded her small town. Against all odds, he also seems intent on breaking down her walls and invading her heart.

But Gideon is not without his own secrets. And if Kate gives in to their undeniable attraction, the truth could bring them together or tear them apart forever.

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