I was a big fan of this one! I don't think I've ever read this author before, so she was new to me, but I really enjoyed the pacing of this story. It was told over 15 years time (even longer, if you count the epilogue) and I enjoyed each point of Regan and Sydneys journey together.

There were times where I wanted to bop Sydney on the head for not trying enough, but I understood her and her fears. I also loved that even though Regan seemed to get her heart broken often by Sydney, she never was angry or mean to her about it. She couldn't help but always love her, regardless of their situation. I found that refreshing, to not go right to negatives and fighting.

I did wish that we found out about Sydney's old best friends from college. I felt like they would continue to play a minor role, and they just disappeared! Oh well.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book and lost a bit of sleep from it. Worth it!

I thought this was a good story with great relatable characters. The connection between them felt real throughout the story. I enjoyed every minute of it. I recommend.

Thank You Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley.

Great prologue! History given, questions raised, and a writing style I like. The book isn’t really flash backs but from the synopsis we know the first two times don’t work out. Therefor there is a bit of impatience with me to get to the bit where it will work out, but that is daft on my part because the journey is what this is about. I am a little bit irritated by one’s disregard for the restrictions the army main is under, under don’t ask don’t tell. About 18% in, the writer, through the character explains the ramifications of being gay in the military, at least to someone with honour.
Of course, time and DADT, moves on. By the point they do, I was a bit over ready for them to also move on. Equally I know (from the synopsis) this is a three act play and they are only on act 2. I’m not feeling much tension. Presumably because I know that this act is not the final timeline.
Interestingly, to me, rather than being carried along by the intimate scenes I just wanted what would happen plot wise next. That I think means a minus in the setting of that scene. I wasn’t swept along by it. I guess I could say the foreplay didn’t work for me.
However, at the 65% mark, when we move to present day, having just left the agonising previous section where our mains catch up, but don’t cop on, and boy am I sitting up like a meerkat for this section.
Well, this went to the wire! Often in books I’m thinking there is still lots left, what is the author going to fill it with we already have the happy ever after. With this, I was doubting there would be enough time for it all to work out…..There was. Also an epilogue! 3.5

I enjoyed The Heart Wants written by Krystina Rivers. The story follows Reagan and Sydney through their past and present.

The structure and pacing of the story felt off. I liked the idea of having different part for different moments in their relationship but it made it feel long and for 50+ pages I was wishing that we would get to the present day.

The plot was readable and bingable.
I enjoyed the sapphic representation, especially within the military.

The characters were lovable. I was routing for them and felt for Alice. This shows that the writing is able to bring out emotion.

The plot was easy and simple which made the read bingable. The Writing style was simple which is perfect for a romance.

The setting was nice, having their lives set in Naples, Munich airport, Boston and DC brought variation. I did feel that the stereotypes of European cities were slightly off. Italians aremt famous for their croissants that's France. It was obvious that the novel was written by a non-european author, however it didn't affect my enjoyment.

The ending felt slightly rushed compared to the rest of the novel. I wish we had more closure and more them when they actually had made a commitment to one an other.

Overall I would recommend this, as a easy romance read.

This book is a heartfelt journey through love, friendship, and the tough choices we make in life. It kicks off with a charming scene in an Italian café where Reagan, a young Army lieutenant, swoops in to rescue Sydney. Their instant connection blossoms into a beautiful friendship as they spend a magical fall exploring Italy together. But, as all good things do, their time comes to an end when Sydney has to head back to the States. Reagan, bound by the military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy, struggles with her feelings for Sydney, leading to a bittersweet final night filled with an unforgettable kiss.

What follows is a rollercoaster of emotions over the next fifteen years as Reagan and Sydney keep crossing paths, each separation leaving them with deeper scars. The story really captures the push and pull between duty and personal happiness. Just when it seems like they might finally have a chance to be together—thanks to the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell—the Army threatens to send them in opposite directions again.

This epic love story beautifully explores the themes of loyalty, sacrifice, and the complexities of following your heart. It makes you think about what really matters in life and whether we’re making the right choices. Reagan and Sydney's journey is both touching and relatable, reminding us that sometimes love can slip through our fingers, even when we know exactly what we want. If you enjoy stories that tug at your heartstrings and make you reflect on love's challenges, this book is definitely worth a read!

This was such a good book, the characters and romance were great and I flew through it. Thank you for the copy

Second chance is not usually a trope that I vibe with, much less third and fourth chance, but this is a great little novel of learning to reach for what's best for you and not best for everyone else around you. Sydney is a fantastic character and both of them, and their reactions to each other, felt incredibly real throughout the whole story. I almost expected it to end in heartbreak and I'm glad it didn't!!

This was my second book by this author and I had a very hard time connecting with the characters as it time jumped through fifteen years.

Starts off when Reagan and Sydney meet again in a cafe then it jumps back when they first met in Italy when Reagan rescues Sydney with her order. A semester abroad brings feelings for both, but Reagan is in the military living under don't ask don't tell and Sydney is out and proud lesbian. The romance isn't meant to be until. It spans over a decade where they are never in the same place for long and feelings get deeper and deeper.

When they meet again in the present time, Sydney has a girlfriend and once again Reagan feels like her heart will be broken by the woman she's never stopped loving. I didn't like either MC really, regardless of their issues, it just bounced around too much for me to get into the story.

Overall, not a bad book, but not one I liked. I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Reagan always wanted a career in the army which would lead to her being General at the end. Sydney plans to be a corporate lawyer so she can be financially secure so she can support her mom and little brother after learning of father misdeeds. Raegan and Sydney meet when Reagan helps Sydney in Italian cafe while being deployed they spend the whole day together and instant becomes friends but feelings are form but with
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell law still in effect Raegan doesn’t want to act on them because it’s could ruin her career. As Raegan and Sydney grow closer over the years even when Sydney wonders how they can work with Reagan leaving ever two years wonder will they be able to have a life now that DADT is revoked that’s the question they have now. It’s was a great read about how you can’t help what your heart wants.


I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

When Reagan and Sydney first meet, there is chemistry between them. Yet, over the course of this rather long book, they show us a multitude of ways they can deny their feelings for each other. This is a slow-burn, on and off again, and again and again romance that will want you to continue reading because you keep cheering for the MC's. You hope eventually they will figure it out (of course they do...don't they always?) It's cute, it's a bit sad, it's fun and it's sexy.

Finding the love of your life and realizing life has its way of keeping you apart. Agonizing and heartbreaking but also a testament to how strong love can be.

I received an advance copy from Netgalley for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

All Reagan Jennings ever wanted was a solid army career with a promotion to General at the end. It’s has been what she focused on since she was a little girl. When deployed to Naples, Italy, she runs into an American woman who’s struggling to order coffee. Gentlewoman as Reagan is, she gets up to help her. They end up spending the day together seeing the sites of beautiful Naples, but Reagan soon realizes Sydney is the most beautiful sight of them all. During Sydney’s stay in Italy they spent all their free time together and Sydney becomes the closest friend Reagan has ever had. She’s probably more, but Reagan can’t act on any of her feelings with the military criminalizing being gay under the horrific Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell law. She cannot endanger her whole career like that. Cut to a few years later. While being selected for additional training, Reagan is stationed in Monterrey, California. She is out and proud now that DADT is revoked. Of course she has to run into Sydney again. And of course her feelings have not dwindled in the least. But they can’t make it work, with Sydney having her own hesitations and life goals.

Sydney Adams has a ten year plan, she is going to law school to be the best corporate lawyer she can be and finally be financially secure so she can support her mom and little brother. Her dad died while on deployment for the Navy and after her grieving mother found out how big of a douchebag her husband really was. His gambling problem left them bankrupt and his cheating ways broke her mom’s heart. The navy did screw them over too because all financial support was retracted when Sydney’s father’s true nature was revealed. To say she hates the army might be an understatement, she knows not every person in the army is as terrible as her dad, but still, the institution sucks. Her prejudices are challenged when Sydney meets the most authentic, honorable and gorgeous woman while studying in Italy. Reagan steals her heart, but Sydney can’t seem to work out how they could continue being together. Not just with Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, but with Reagan being deployed anywhere around the world every two years while she herself wants one place to call home and have a career. How come her heart just magnetically connects with Reagan every time they meet again over the years. Still, it can’t work, right?

Oh my, how this story broke my heart! Of course there is a HEA, it wouldn’t be a sapphic romance otherwise, but the journey towards that is full of highs and definite lows. It is a beautiful hurt though. Krystina Waters does an excellent job in creating a world where you hate the decisions Sydney and Reagan make, but can understand them somehow.

The story spans over more than a decade. That timeline assures that you feel in your bones the love these two women share for one another. I have never had anything today with military life personally, but Waters paints a very detailed picture. Not about the work itself, but about the effects working for the army has on the personal lives of its personnel. Especially having to live in a very tight closet as a gay employee under DADT. My heart broke for Reagan and simultaneously for Sydney as she knew what feelings Reagan was repressing but is not able to do anything about it.

As Reagan and Sydney meet again over the years their bond grows so strong that eventually Reagan has to put a stop to it if this is all they can have forever. That scene had me grabbing for the tissues. It is so heart wrenchingly painful but necessary if they want to even have a crumble of their hearts left, once they say goodbye forever.

The Heart Wants will not spare your emotions, but please let it ruin you for a while. Love wins, I promise!

It's been quite a tangled tale. We follow these two women from their late teens to their mid-thirties, as they keep crossing paths. Their interactions are often abrupt and end on a sour note, largely because of their opposing career paths. Reagan's military career clashes with Sydney's ambition to be a successful, independent lawyer. Throughout the story, Sydney's mother's disdain for the military significantly influences her daughter's views.

The premise of them constantly meeting and leaving each other prevents us from truly understanding how their lives have unfolded. We see snapshots of their lives, and while we witness their professional achievements, the reasons behind their on-and-off relationship remain unclear. Reagan, in particular, seems to have no personal life, while Sydney does have a partner at some point.

It didn't do it for me.

The story of Raegan and Sydney spans over 15 years with an epilogue 11 years later.
The story follows the two as they navigate the time of DADT and Raegan’s commitment to her life in the military and goal to become a brigadier general. It is a heart wrenching story of life choices and protecting one’s heart even though the heart wants what it is being denied.
The author writes the story with such detail of feeling and a dive into each character’s thinking that enables the reader to really understand the reasons for their decisions and the resulting emotional torment time after time.
The Heart Wants is a solid read that isn’t all sunshine and roses, but that wouldn’t do the story justice anyway.

When Reagan rescues Sydney from disaster in an Italian cafe, they become instant best friends and spend an idyllic fall sightseeing until Sydney’s semester abroad comes to an end and she returns to the States. Reagan, a young Army lieutenant, has fought her attraction for months, bound by Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, and must stay behind and complete her assignment. But their final night together—complete with an illicit kiss—lives on in their minds.

Over the next fifteen years, Reagan and Sydney ricochet in and out of each other’s lives, with each parting more excruciating and leaving deeper scars than the last. When DADT is repealed and they both end up in Washington DC, it’s a chance for Reagan to finally win the heart of the woman she’s always loved, if only the Army didn’t threaten to send them to opposite sides of the world. Again.

Phenomenal read. This takes us back to the Don't Ask, Don't Tell era—which was really not that long ago—and shows us the before and after. I loved the chemistry and the connection between Reagan and Sydney, their intertwining stories, and the beautiful ending to a really wonderful story. Highly recommend this gem!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital reader's copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

WOW! What an insightful emotional read. Reagan Jennings, career military, living under DADT. Sydney Adams, corporate attorney, looking to take care of her family. I have not read many stories about individuals serving under DADT. When Sydney and Reagan meet in a coffee shop in Italy, it starts a fifteen year "friendship/relationship". This read had me thinking about relationships, obstacles and what it feels like when you meet "the one". I appreciated how both Sydney and Reagan hold true to what is important to them. That really resonated with me. Giving up what is important to you when you do not want to can be a relationship breakdown. There is family dynamics and important friendships, especially Sydney's good friend Aliyah. Enjoyable read that made me think and in my opinion, that is a good thing.

Reagan meets Sydney who is studying abroad in Italy. Reagan is a top graduate of West Point and planning to have a military career. They spend a couple wonderful months sightseeing together before Sydney returns to college and her goal of law school. They run into each other a few times over the next fifteen years. Each time they know they are attracted and have feelings but can’t reconcile how their lives and careers can mesh together.

I enjoyed both characters. Reagan seems a little more rigid but it is consistent with her character being in the military. I didn’t love every decision. But it makes for an interesting and realistic feeling story. The plot includes time from before and after DADT which initially kept the two apart. I enjoyed the spice and really appreciate the epilogue, letting me see some of their HEA. This is a stand alone novel, but there is a wedding for the main characters of 'Something Between Us’ (April 2022) which was the author’s debut novel. I enjoyed that book but I think this is my favorite by the author so far. (4.5 Stars)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 stars
"..the butterflies always present when she was with Reagan started to do huge swoops in her belly. She wondered if they were spelling out Reagan's name like someone doodling in a high school notebook."

Thank you to NetGalley and Krystina Rivers for an ARC of The Heart Wants. I really enjoyed meeting Reagan and Sydney and getting to follow their love story. This was a slow burn sapphic friends to lovers romance that was worth the wait.

Liked:
- yay lesbians!
- showed experience living through DADT in the US military which i found pretty interesting
- they are both so in love from the start as baby gays just kiss already
- i love the slow evolution and how their lives kept overlapping with random meetings and same place same time moments
- right person wrong time vibes
- loved the sweet romantic moments
- the spice was spicing in this book hello! loved how queer love and s*x was shown in this story
- woah what! what a twist! was not expecting that but we love a grand gesture and a last minute urgent flight
- the ending was so beautiful (would've loved to see a proposal/wedding scene but loved the ending scene)

Disliked:
- i don't usually like reading about characters in the military (i'm not american) but this was an exception and being in the military was integral to Reagan's character and their story
- Viviana was not the vibe (i know i am meant to hate her but i really did)

overall a beautiful queer love story that i enjoyed reading!

Realistic portrayals of the difficulty LGBTQ military faced during DADT combined with a swoony portrayal of once-in-a-lifetime love. I recommend this book.

Reagan and Sydney meet while in Italy. They have an idyllic summer then Sydney has to go back home. They both have their careers mapped out and don't see how they can be together and still obtain their chosen goals. The story has Reagan and Sydney meeting at various times over the next couple or so decades. They each try to move on with someone new. This is the story of two women who can never really forget each other. Poignant at times and Sydney can be so annoying in her intransigent attitude.

The Heart Wants is a poignant exploration of love, loss, and the enduring power of connection. The story follows Reagan and Sydney, two women whose lives intertwine over fifteen years, marked by the challenges of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" era. Rivers deftly weaves a tale of longing, sacrifice, and the complexities of military life, creating characters with depth and authenticity. While the novel offers a tender and heartwarming romance, it also delves into the emotional toll of societal constraints and the resilience of the human spirit. The slow-burn chemistry between Reagan and Sydney is palpable, and their journey is both heartbreaking and hopeful, ultimately leaving readers satisfied and emotionally fulfilled.