This book took me a bit longer to get lost in.... kate and autumn just didn’t fit and their relationship seems a little forced to me. There wasn’t enough chemistry between them. I enjoyed the parts about their friend circle and Autumn’s intentions of becoming a parent and her journey with it, but Kate seemed too pushy for me. She just didn’t fit in with the other characters. I enjoyed this book but I liked the first one a lot more. I hope the next one is more along the line of the first one. It was also a bit disappointing that Taylor wasn’t in this one a lot just a handful of times.

This is the second book in Brayden’s second official series (which I say because there are non-series books that occasionally have characters from other books appear), Seven Shores. I’d seen the series as being linked by Seven Shores – the apartment complex in Venice California (an independent city from 1905, when it emerged as a seaside resort town, to 1926, when it merged with Los Angeles). But the second book in the series involved mid-thirties Autumn Primm, friend of the three women who live in Seven Shores, and owner the Cat’s Pajamas, a nearby coffee shop, but a resident of some house some distance away. So, how could Autumn be the star of the second book in this series? Well, strangely enough, that specific connection to Seven Shores apartment complex is in fact continued in this here book – for the other lead character of this book, firefighter Kate Carpenter, of Slumberton Oregon, rented an apartment in the complex for a short period of time.

Characters:
There are two main point of views, and two main characters (there is at least one occasion when we get the inside thoughts of a third character, briefly and strangely inserted (there’s one occasion when suddenly Hadley’s feelings are so extreme she feels like her head is going to explode – that’s it, that’s her entire POV insertion into the book, and I don’t think it was by itself in the sentence it appeared in). Those two main characters being Autumn Primm, and Kate Carpenter.

Autumn is 32 and a single child of Vicky (her mother told her to call her Vicky shortly after beginning school, maybe in the second grade) who has spent her adult life living in the greater Los Angeles area, learning everything there is to know about coffee, getting the seed money to open her own coffee café, and running said café (of note: she opened it with ‘friends’ who poofed on her along the way, the reader never even learns their names).

Kate Carpenter is 34 and a firefighter who befriended two kids who lived down the street from her in her small town of Slumberton Oregon – and the place is as quiet and sleepy as the town name implies. The book opens shortly after Kate had rescued those same two children from a fire and is suffering a sort of post-traumatic stress over it (not sure if it reaches PTSD level) – especially the part where she lives in a small town and everyone knows the story and everyone talks about how much of a hero she is – which she disputes for reasons. Shortly after the book opens, Kate throws some stuff into her truck and drives down to California so ‘she can breathe’.

For those curious, yes, all of the women who were friends in the first book reappear in this book here. Plus Taylor, the love interest in book one, also reappears with her significant other Isobel. So, to fill this out a little more, we have: the Seven Shores friends: Isabel Chase, star of 'Eyes Like Those' (&, through her, Taylor Andrews) and television writer; Gia Malone, star professional surfer and relatively younger than the rest of the gang (I think), and star of ‘coming soon’ 'Sparks Like Ours'; Hadley ?, fashion . . . person; and Autumn Primm – coffee shop owner.

Story: As noted: Kate is feeling stress from a recent fire she was involved with in Oregon, and has taken some time off from work to spend time in California and breath. Said time off spent renting an apartment in a specific complex known as ‘Seven Shores’. Meanwhile the other lead character, Autumn, is dealing with a certain amount of depression – a certain amount of low self-esteem brought on both by her rotten bitchy horrible shrew of a mother and her hideous ex-girlfriend who may or may not have cheated on her (it’s never actually stated bluntly, nor even implied, though it sure seemed like Olivia had cheated with Betsey-the-gym-trainer). Shaken by the news that her ex is getting married, Autumn has decided to ‘live’ more – which includes: being open to dating and the acknowledgement that she wants to stick a baby inside of her, and then have that baby pop out so she could be a mother to said baby.

Kate and Autumn meet well. Date. Both know that it’s temporary. Both develop ‘something’. An ‘issue’ occurs and there’s trouble in relationship paradise. I’m being purposefully vague – how detailed should I be? It’s a romance, it’s by Brayden, of course there’s going to be a brief ‘issue’ that breaks the people apart for a short time. And stuff.

Positives: 1) I rather like the personalities shown here, at least, or I mean specifically Autumn and Kate’s. 2) Kate’s described as being near perfect (calm, collected, gorgeous, etc. etc.) but there are enough ‘there’ to move out of ‘fantasy dream girl’ to ‘human’. 3) both main characters have enough page time to ‘show themselves’ and allow the reader to learn something about them. 4) three seconds after I push the submit button, I’m sure I’ll think of 100s more to insert.

Negatives: 1) I realize why he is in the book, I think, but I found Kate’s brother vaguely off-putting; 2) I realize why she’s in the book, again I think, but I found Vicky, Autumn’s domineering, self-centered, bitchy mother was . . . super annoying; 3) I’ve no idea why that whole section involving Autumn attending her ex-girlfriend’s wedding was needed – as a ‘jump start to finding that extra, or ‘more’ in life’, Olivia’s wedding invitation and some ‘stuff’ along those lines would work; having one of the Seven Shores women go along as a friend, Hadley, was good since it allowed more page time to a character who is supposedly a good friend but not really fully developed yet – but, and this is important, despite there being something like a seven hour drive there and back, and the wedding itself, and everything, the whole experience seemed to go by way too fast for any actual ‘character development’ to be seen. 4) see 4 in the positives section.


Overall: Somewhere along the way, despite my vague feeling I might be reading a 4 star book, something occurred – I don’t mean something specific – that made me realize that this book was actually better than I was allowing myself to see it be. I lost that last sentence. Pfft. As for a specific incident – there was one specific incident that caused something that I don’t think had happened before for me with a Brayden book – a slight momentary blurry vision due to watery eyes. The happy kind of blurry-ness.

I liked the book. I liked the characters. I liked the romance and the story. There was even bits of humor tossed in there here and there – nothing on the level of a Robin Alexander book, but humor –

--"So, what else is new?” she asked her kitchen, which she was apparently talking to now.--

Plus, in addition to some humorous talking to yourself moments, there were a few humorous because of situation moments – like when Autumn and Hadley got drunk that one night.

Right, so, liked the book.

Rating: 4.68

January 9 2017

I haven’t read a Melissa Brayden book I didn’t like, and there’s a lot to like here. I enjoyed both Kate and Autumn as characters, and found their chemistry and relationship (which builds despite all reasons, and good ones at that, for it not to) to be both believable and fun.

I did have a bit of trouble with the obligatory breakup, or the semi resolution of it anyway, because, like Autumn, I did think that maybe Kate was just latching on for want of soething else, although the ending did somewhat redeem her. I also liked that Kate was more a part of the group and the overall ‘Shores scene’ than Taylor got to be, (even in this book Taylor still seems on the outskirts, and I could not fathom why Izzy and Taylor, who’ve been together for awhile here were still not living together, it was a bit weird).

There’s something about this series, I’m not sure what it is, but it feels like the friendship stuff is trying too hard. All the witty banter grows tiresome after awhile, there were a few scenes where the friendship stuff struck home (Had and Autumn at the wedding, Gina and Autumn at the clinic/breakfast) but for the most part it’s a bit cutesy for me.

Still, as always Melissa delivers a sweet romance that has you rooting for the HEA, and this is a fairly charming romance. 4 stars.

Sooooo, I read Melissa Brayden’s newest book, Hearts like Hers. OMGeezy, let me tell you something, Melissa Brayden is a true romance badass. This book is everything. E V E R Y T H I N G! I could throw out adjectives for greatness all day long and it still wouldn’t be enough. The queen of romance has dazzled me yet again, and I cannot thank her enough for it. Brayden doesn’t just write a love story, she writes an epic love story!

Hearts like Hers focuses on Autumn Primm, the owner of The Cat’s Pajamas coffee shop. Autumn is witty, she’s sarcastic and an all-around adorable character. She has spent her life up until now completely learning the coffee trade and now running her small business. An invitation to her ex-girlfriend, Olivia’s, wedding hit Autumn especially hard. Not for the fact that she has any residual feelings for her former lover, no, that ship has sailed. What she feels is more the loss of a chance, she has let her love life evaporate while she has been solely focused on business. So she forces herself to watch the ex get hitched and comes to the conclusion its time to have a child, she’s going to take that next step in life even though she has not found her Mrs. Right.

Kate Carpenter is the newest residence at the Seven Shores apartment complex. She has taken a two-month hiatus from her job fighting fires in a small sleepy town in Oregon. She needed to get away. Kate was in the right place at the right time to save two small children from a house fire, but it wasn’t without pain and suffering for everyone involved. Touted as the town’s hero, Kate wants anything but the attention. She heads to Venice for some rest, relaxation and far away from anyone that will call her a hero.

This book, to me, deviates from the Brayden formula just enough. Now, I have never been one to knock said formula because to me it works and it works exceptionally well. There is a reason that readers drop everything for these books, they are time and time again outstanding reads. What I’m saying is this book is captivating and keeps you on your toes. The slight change up works but even more than that it’s just about two fabulous characters that have so much chemistry. I’m talking chemistry for days. Big and bold smoldering chemistry! This book is hot and sexy, with all the wit and spark you expect from the master of dialogue. Brayden stepped up to the plate with this one, she pointed her bat Babe Ruth style into the grandstands, and nails that sucker out of the park. This is a true romance that does every single thing to perfection. Every. Single. Thing! Once again Melissa Brayden stands at the top. She unequivocally is the queen of romance.

All the stars!!!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2245805633?type=review#rating_146697346

Overall, I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. The beginning seems to lay out a narrative that seems inevitable, and cliche but then deviates from it in a satisfying way. I haven't read the first book in the series, and understood the world and characters perfectly well regardless. That being said, a lot of effort is put into hinting at the lives of the background characters, setting up hints for their own turn in the spotlight, when some of that time could have been spent on the romance between Kate and Autumn. We get a lot of them interacting with friends and setting up connections in the world that will pay off in future books, which is nice to see if you plan on reading the whole series, and a bit frustrating if you're not.
The romance between Autumn and Kate was mature and I liked them together. I liked that they mostly avoided cliches, and had support systems to fall back on. There is sex, but it doesn't turn trashy, or steal the plot. This was well written and fun to read.

Not my favorite Brayden, but still a good read. I have been fighting a reading slump this past week. Brayden has helped me out of them on more than one occasion, so I was excited to read this. Maybe I’m still a little cranky from my slump and it’s why I didn’t OMG love this, but it’s still a book I would recommend.

This is book 2 in the Seven Shores series. Autumn, the one who owns the coffee shop, was the star of this book. After attending the wedding of an ex, Autumn decides she needs to really start living her life. And when a sexy firefighter Kate rents an apartment next to her friends, this might be the bit of fun Autumn is looking for.

I was glad to read Autumn’s story. I ended up liking her more than I expected. Gia is still the most mysterious out of the whole group, and I am still dying to read her book. I don’t know what happened to Isabel though. Her dialog was really off for me. I loved how sarcastic and funny she was in Book 1, but she wasn’t funny in this book. Hadley wins the awards for most improved. Her character was cute and way less annoying than before. I’m actually looking forward to her book now.

When it came to the most important part, the romance, I enjoyed it. I thought Kate and Autumn had a ton of chemistry together. I really enjoyed watching their relationship grow, and thought it went at a really good pace. However, I did have problems at the end. I found myself getting really frustrated. I like a romance that the characters are so in love they will be together because they can’t stand being apart, and they work on issues together. That’s not what happened. I also found myself getting angry at Kate. I was glad Brayden had Autumn call her out, but she didn’t call her out on what I felt the real problem was. (view spoiler) Once we got to the actually ending of the book, it was sweet and I was happy. I just wish it was handled a bit differently before that.

This book had a few bumps for me. Some I didn’t mention because I would be adding a ton of spoiler tags. But overall I would still easily recommend this to romance fans. Brayden is a special writer who I always enjoy reading her books. I cannot wait to read Book 3. Gia is the character I have been the most interested in; I’m ready to enter the world of professional surfing.

As an avid reader of all types of genre, I can unequivocally say that Melissa Brayden is one of the best romance writers to date. Her story is engaging, her characters are realistic, her dialogue is emotional and at times so damn funny!
She is a consummate writer and deserves all the accolades that come her way. Her latest book, Hearts Like Hers, is such an enjoyable read that I couldn’t wait to finish it, but at the same time, I didn’t want it to end.
This is a story about survival, healing, friendships, and of course, love. It’s a story that will tug at your heart and pull you into these characters’ lives. This book deserves so much more than a 5 star rating.

I have anxiously been waiting for this second book in the Seven Shores series and it certainly did not disappoint. Autumn, is a coffee conneuseur, and owner of the Cats Pajamajas in Venice beach who longs for more. She meet Kate, a firefighter from Oregon, looking for an escape. They said they’d keep it simple, but things don’t always go the way they are planned. I absolutely loved this book. Autumn and Kate are fantastic, well rounded mains. I enjoyed getting to know the ladies of Seven Shores better. This book could be read as a stand-alone but I recommend reading Eyes Like Those first. Thanks Melissa for another amazing read!

I think she just knows how, that’s what it is! Melissa Brayden has THE recipe for writing beautiful romance, full of very appealing banter, wonderful wit. I am so in love with her characters! They are so intelligent, so beautifully humoresque and so... complete! They are real, their struggles and thoughts are realistic and very real-life existing and that’s what makes them even more attractive! Autumn and Kate are no exception! I’m going to say that I like this book even more than Seven shores romance - Book 1, and I can only hope the next ones will live up to my expectations because surely Melissa Brayden sets the bar so high and is kind of in a league of her own.