Reviews

A Heart to Trust by A.L. Brooks

lurker_stalker's review against another edition

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2.5

Meh. Not bad, not spectacular. Meh.

mothmans_mum's review against another edition

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4.5

Took a while to really get into it, but the second half really picked up.

eggsandwich's review against another edition

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2.0

The ending felt crafted and was too sappy for my liking, almost didn't bother finishing it. But I found the storyline engaging up until the last few chapters.

invaderday's review against another edition

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i didn't realize that i didn't really like this book until i was getting closer to the end and i had the urge to turn off the book before these women could even have sex which is VERY uncharacteristic of me. 

i think there's a couple reasons why this one didn't really work for me. 1. there was sooo much drama in this book and NONE of it was dyke drama. i love the lesbian shenanigans that come with a lot of lesfic and this didn't really have, like, antics. it was all office drama that honestly just stressed me out bc their work environment was Bad. and i think i got as close to the end as i did bc i wanted to make sure the cartoonishly evil antagonist coworker got hers and then after all that realized i didn't really care about the main pairing at all. 

i think this book was so focused on the workplace plot line that the romance wasn't really all that romantic. the chemistry just wasn't really there for me especially with how LONG this book was. or maybe jt just felt long because again. it was majority work issues and not really getting into the romance. which in part makes sense because olivia is married and jenny is trying not to get involved with a married woman but honestly it just made for a really boring (in terms of romance, at least) book. 

the_kara_kara's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

rachelslacey's review against another edition

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5.0

Enemies-to-lovers with a frosty British heroine?!?! YES PLEASE. I absolutely loved this one!

hsinjulit's review against another edition

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2.0

Content warning: mention of disowning, manipulation, divorce, inebriation

While I loved Brooks’s previous book, Dare to Love (my review here), I only felt a fraction of that enjoyment for A Heart to Trust. That being said, I did enjoy all the interactions of the main characters with their respective friends but just not with each other.

When C&V Inc acquires Jenny Quinn’s (29, gay) company, her job is in jeopardy. There are three PA openings for four candidates, so she has to prove her worth during the Project Catwalk collaboration with her friend Maxwell and two other PAs from C&V, Olivia Sinclair (lesbian) and Chrissy. Soon, there is evidence of sabotage but no one is sure what is going on. The only sure thing is the growing attraction between Jenny and Olivia, but Olivia is married to motor-racer Broderick Sinclair (31, ace/aro). What Jenny doesn’t know is that it is a fake marriage as Olivia struggles between her own sexual desires and previous arrangements with her close friend Broderick.

The very unfortunate event of me feeling almost zero chemistry between the main characters happened. It may have something to do with the mostly physical attraction that seldom translates well for me on paper. Jenny and Olivia are cute together, but I didn’t begin to warm up to either of them nor the idea of them being a couple until the book was almost over, and I kept feeling I was being told of their attraction. It didn’t help that most of the time, I wanted to scream in Jenny’s face. I don’t understand if she has trust issues due to her familial background, why would she be so trusting of some of her colleagues? There were also several summaries attempting to fill the readers in on off-page events that were slightly forced.

Though I didn’t really like Olivia either, I love the very sweet Broderick and Jenny’s fiercely protective chosen family—Tamara, Tamara’s partner Roz, Jenny’s roommate Carl, and later, Carl’s boyfriend Solomon. The inclusion of the asexual and aromantic character Broderick was wonderful, and it is also my favorite aspect of the book despite the naïveté of Olivia and him being in a sham marriage. I also appreciate Brooks choosing to use “honored guests” instead of gendered greeting at the Catwalk. Another point worth noting is that Jenny’s former boss Adrienne has her own story in The Long Shot.

A Heart to Trust is a low-angst, ice-queen, office romance. While the story comes together fairly late, it has guaranteed intimate scenes and a happy ending. I regret to say the romance was lost on me, but I am sure many will find it enjoyable.

I received an e-ARC from Ylva Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

paris22690's review against another edition

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hopeful relaxing slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

miloblue's review against another edition

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hopeful lighthearted slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

tricia_r's review against another edition

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lighthearted slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5