#5BlushReviewAlert!~~An Optimist’s Guide to Heartbreak & A Pessimist’s Guide to Love by Jennifer Hartmann
𝓐𝓷 𝓞𝓹𝓽𝓲𝓶𝓲𝓼𝓽’𝓼 𝓖𝓾𝓲𝓭𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓗𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓽𝓫𝓻𝓮𝓪k
Book one in the Heartsong Duet by USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Hartmann is LIVE and FREE in Kindle Unlimited! Don’t miss this Grumpy/sunshine, best friend’s brother slow burn romance!
ONE-CLICK: https://amzn.to/3Y0xoZn
🎡🎡🎡
𝗕𝗟𝗨𝗥𝗕
From USA Today Bestselling Author Jennifer Hartmann, comes a brand new, heartfelt, two-book romance series.
There once was a girl with fireflies in her eyes and music in her soul.
(Remember her… she’s important.)
She’s the reason I panic-bought the little brick house on Maple Street; the one I lived next door to for eight magical years. Now that I’m back digging up floorboards and lost journals, I can’t stop thinking about the two people who grew up here.
You see, that girl was my best friend, and this house was once hers. She also had a big brother who was my everything before circumstance turned us into nothing more than memories.
That’s why I applied for a job at his auto shop—unprepared to discover that my new boss, Cal Bishop, is now gruff, built, and covered in tattoos.
I’m the sun to his overcast sky. The smile to his surly solitude.
A reminder of everything he longs to forget.
But my heart has a secret, and we’re running out of time to fix our torn pages.
Maybe… the same girl who used to be the glue still holds the key to putting our pieces back together.
(See? I told you she was important.)
Toodles,
Lucy
Louisa’s 5 Blush Review
Wow!!! This book was a page-turner.
I started on the train on my way to NYC. When we got to the hotel, hubby watched football, and I read, read, read. We went to see Hamilton on Broadway; I read while waiting for the show to start. During intermission, I read. Once we got back to the hotel at night, I read, woke up, and read, and I read the whole ride home on the train. I haven’t been this engrossed in a book for a long time.
My friends encouraged me to read Jennifer Hartmann; I saw this cover and title and was intrigued – I didn’t even read the synopsis, went straight in, and OMG, I am blown away.
This starts out as a grumpy/sunshine trope, but it is so much more. Our sunshine, Lucy, isn’t as sunshiney as we all see. She has so much more to her! I wanted to hug her while reading.
And Cal, omg, this man – grumpy might be an underestimation…he’s cynical and sullen – and rightfully so. He’s had a life of loss, they both have – but show it so differently.
Seeing these two old friends get through life with such loss was beautiful and sad at the same time. And Holy cliffhanger, Batman…
Stephanie’s 5 Blush Review
Another amazing story by Jennifer Hartmann! An Optimist’s Guide to Heartbreak is book #1 of the Heartsong Duet.
Cal, Emma and Lucy were once neighbors long ago. Times were simple when they were younger, until they weren’t. Lucy makes the decision to purchase Cal and Emma’s childhood home. It comes full of memories of a more carefree time. Their story is told in past and present times.
Lucy Lucy Lucy. How any reader can not fall in love with her is unimaginable. She is ever the optimist. Bursting with love, hope and…optimism. She made me laugh and cry. She is self described as “Quirky, a little strange, and as some might say, too bubbly.” Lucy has a tendency to be a bit awkward at times. It made for some very funny moments.
“I’m an awkward mess of a human being.”
Cal is so complex. He is very closed off. Cal is intimidating, petrifying and perpetually grumpy. He has handled life’s events much different than Lucy. He has been unable to cope with the curveballs as Lucy has.
“Cal? He’s…”Searching for the perfect adjective – gruff, quiet, dismissive, darkly attractive, closed-off, tattooed, anti-social-my brain finally latches onto one: “Different.”
I love how their story is written. It is well paced and full of emotion, friendships, love, laughter and carefree times. But wait, this is Jennifer Hartman so you have to add in a gut punch and a box of tissues. But oh how it hurts so good! Be warned, this is book #1 of the Heartsong Duet. I am anxiously awaiting book #2.
“I’m not untethered from hardship, Cal. It lives inside of me everyday, just like yours does. I simply choose to overcome it. I choose to be happy because being sad spoils the little time we have here.”
Christina’s 5 Blush Review
OH MY HEART!!! Lucy and Cal’s story is SO DANG GOOD! this book is equal parts grumpy/sunshine in the best way. This isn’t even a trope I usually gravitate towards because I always find the heroine to be a little too sunny (read dopey) and the hero to be a little too grumpy (read asshole). But Jennifer Hartmann does THE BEST job giving you just enough of each to endear you to both Lucy and Cal.
Cal has a really tragic past. It’s understandable how a person who experienced that much devastation turns out to be eternally grumpy and so Cal’s hard heart doesn’t distract from the beauty of their romance. He’s gruff, rude and downright mean at times. But when he comes through for Lucy in a romantic alpha way, it melts the reader into a pile of mush.
Lucy is one of a kind. I haven’t read a heroine like her in a really long time. She’s beautiful inside and out and the only one who can break Cal’s impenetrable exterior. I love everything about her and Cal together.
This book ends in a major cliffhanger (my favorite!!) and so I won’t spoil too much. It’s too good to spoil. I do think Jennifer Hartmann is fabulous at breaking readers’ hearts, but she’s even better at mending them. ON TO BOOK 2!!!
Add to your GR ➜ https://bit.ly/AOGTH-JH-GR
𝓐 𝓟𝓮𝓼𝓼𝓲𝓶𝓲𝓼𝓽’𝓼 𝓖𝓾𝓲𝓭𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓛𝓸𝓿𝓮
Book two in the Heartsong Duet by USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Hartmann is LIVE EARLY and FREE in Kindle Unlimited! The Duet is now complete! Don’t miss this Grumpy/sunshine, best friend’s brother slow burn romance!
One-click today!!!
🎡🎡🎡
𝗕𝗟𝗨𝗥𝗕
Within the tangled roots of grief, we stand to lose so much. But no one ever acknowledges what we stand to gain.
Strength. Perspective. Appreciation. Resilience.
And sometimes, every once in a while, if you’re truly lucky…
There is love.
After an emotional cliffhanger, we finally get inside Cal’s head and discover his secrets, along with more details of his tragic past, that have been keeping him from Lucy.
A Pessimist’s Guide to Love is the final installment of the Heartsong duet, ending in a guaranteed HEA.
Christina’s 5 Blush Review
I loved this duet! Jennifer Hartmann has done it again! She weaves a tale of true love, heartbreak, profound loss and new beginnings. Cal and Lucy are one of my favorite Hartmann couples so far.
The first book in this series was stellar and ended on a major cliffhanger. This book starts right where the last book ended, and there were a few moments throughout the story that had me holding my breath. The trope can be considered childhood to lovers romance with several unique plot lines to accompany. In the beginning of book 2, there were times I really didn’t like Cal very much. I wasn’t sure he would redeem himself either. I’m glad I stuck it out. He really comes full circle and becomes the man Lucy deserves.
The ending was absolutely perfect 🤩.
Grab this one without hesitation and enjoy the ride!
Louisa’s 5 Blush Review
Well, Jennifer Hartmann has a new fan. This duet was everything I could ever ask for! The cliffhanger of book 1 was epic, and book 2 picked up right up where it left off.
For most of the book, Jennifer Hartmann had my heart in tatters, watching Cal and Lucy navigate their friendship, lives, and romance. These characters are so complex, and I was so invested in their happiness it almost hurt at times to read. But Jennifer Hartmann mended my heart back to one piece by the end, and a happily ever after ensued. Just loved every second of this duet and I can’t wait to read another book by this author!
Stephanie’s 4 Blush Review
A Pessimist’s Guide to Love completes the Heartsong duet. It has all the feels leaving you full of warmth and love. Questions are answered, dogs are running, cats are hiding and Lucy is baking. Cal and Lucy are on a journey. One that we get a glimpse of along with our happy ending!
Lucy is baking, singing and word vomiting every time she gets nervous. She is still ever the optimist. Bursting with love and hope. She made me laugh! She surprised me when she expressed how she felt her health was (no spoilers). She truly is a balm for Cal.
“Everyone has demons. Monsters lurking around every corner, whispering in your ear, hiding under your bed, living just beneath your skin.
The key is turning your demons into friends, companions. Don’t let them scare you. Don’t let them chase you.”
Cal is so complex. He was so full of guilt, sadness and heavy burdens. Life continues to throw curveballs at him. He got it wrong – a lot. Until he started to get it right! I was glad to see him grow and evolve.
“I can not condemn a self-condemned man.”
A Pessimist’s Guide to Love will break you and fill you. Beautifully written. Cal & Lucy’s story is not rushed and will give you closure. Another amazing read! And we get a bonus!!! I hear that there may be a novella with two of the secondary characters! Looking forward to more from Jennifer Hartmann. Definitely a 1 click author!
“Even a tragedy can have a happy ending. Sometimes we just need to write it in ourselves.”
ABOUT JENNIFER HARTMANN
Jennifer Hartmann resides in northern Illinois with her husband and three children. When she is not writing love stories, she is capturing them through wedding photography with her own personal romance hero. She enjoys sunsets (because mornings are hard), bike riding, traveling, and that time of day when coffee gets replaced by wine. Jennifer loves tacos, and she really, really wants to pet your dog. Xoxo
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