Author: Claire Contreras
Series: Hearts #2
Published: 9th September 2015
I lost her.
No, I didn’t lose her. I threw her away.
She was my best friend.
I was never supposed to fall in love with her.
I was careless.
She was heartbroken.
I was doing fine until she came back into my life and reminded me what love was supposed to feel like.
When it’s all said and done, she may not want to stay, but this time I’m going to do everything in my power to not let her go.
I have read this months ago, but decided to re-read it again just because it’s one of my favorite reads this year. And since, I haven’t posted a review in a while; I decided to share this with you, hoping that I’d influence you to read it as well.
The plot wasn’t anything new but it was how the story was written and delivered that did it for me. I loved the characters and how their personalities balance each other. This was a follow up story to Kaleidoscope Hearts (which features Oliver and Estelle) so minor characters from the first book are still present. I love their rapport and how I seem to connect with every character. I like the humor and the mood set all throughout the story. I just loved it. :D
The Cover. I LOVED the cover. If someone asked me to pick a book based on its cover, this would be one of my top picks. It’s so eye-catching and would make anyone who sees it be curious as to what it is about.
The Plot. This is a second chance romance about two childhood friends who turned into lovers then circumstances led them to separate lives. One receive fame in New York as an author while fulfilling his role as a father. The other chasing her dream to become a well-respected photographer. Their paths cross again. Both were changed. Will there still be a second chance at romance knowing that both still harbor feelings for each other no matter how hard Mia denies it?
The Characters.
Jensen Reynolds. Ahhh. How do I start this? He’s one of those mysterious and silent type guys. He’s a guy who loves words. He writes poems and he’s a bit geeky. He possesses qualities women want in their man.
“I let her go not because I loved her too much to ask her to stay, but because I couldn’t bear to hear her tell me she wouldn’t. Still, every once in a while I wonder. And nothing is more haunting than regret.”
I just love how he expresses himself. It’s just that, whenever he utters or writes his words, I cannot help but sigh. He’s so dreamy and romantic, that I cannot help but swoon.
Mia Bennett. A hopeless romantic who turned away from love the moment she was betrayed by someone she loved the most.
“Finding a guy isn’t a problem. Keeping a guy is a problem, and finding the guy is a complete catastrophe.”
She’s a very independent person who’s so keen to make a name in the photography industry. I like her soft-heartedness and her humor. She’s someone who sees past the physical appearance of a person.
“I let myself get lost in the fantasies I created when I was looking at the world through my lens. Life was easier to ignore when I was busy pretending for other people.”
I envy her passion in her chosen field and I love how dedicated she is on making her goals be a realization.
The Articles. This was what made the book different. The articles contain random things that the writer feels like writing, like his dates, what he did last week, or in which restaurant did he eat. It was refreshing and funny to see a guy write these kinds of things. It was shown alternately with the POVs of Mia and Jensen. I loved how Jensen used his article to express his feelings for Mia. It was cute actually. It has that certain level of “kilig” and I would just find myself giggling when Mia reads what he wrote.
Mia + Jensen. They have a lot of history together. What they had was real, until Jensen decided to pursue his dream of becoming a writer and study in New York. I guess they were too young to hold on but it just kind of makes me sad. I cannot say that I blame Jensen because in the first place, they broke up when the supposed betrayal happened. But yeah, that sucks especially if a girl was still hoping that they’d be back together.
“No matter how much closure I’m going to give you, you’re going to compare me to every single man you meet, Mia. It’s the same for me. Nobody is ever funny enough, annoying enough, crazy enough, or beautiful enough to equate to you.”
I just adore Jensen and the way he’s trying to make amends and how he’s trying to win back Mia. It made me smile and laugh and wished that I have someone like him. He is a manifestation that men can be romantics if they tried. That they can admit defeat and accept their mistake and make-up for it. That it’s okay to shout to the world that you’re head over heels in love with your girl and you won’t be crucified.
Jensen + Olivia. They are a package and Mia has no choice but to agree with that. Who wouldn’t love a girl who’s so charming and sweet? She’s such a delight to have. Though Mia was having second thoughts before she met her, it was good that she fell in love not only with Jensen but also with his daughter.
"Real love stories never end."
Paper Hearts is a book about second chances. It tells us that every one of us has our own shot in making our own love stories and sometimes, it depends on our choices. Its endings depend on us. We can choose to end it or we can choose to hold on and not give up even if it gets too tough. To accept them even at their worst. To fight for them tooth and nail just to have them back.
I encourage you to read this because I know that you’ll love it. It put a big smile on my face and I can’t seem to get over Mia and Jensen’s story. I just absolutely love it!
I let her go not because I loved her too much to ask her to stay, but because I couldn’t bear to hear her tell me she wouldn’t. Still, every once in a while I wonder. And nothing is more haunting than regret.”
“I think I’m kind of obsessed with romance, really, which is probably why I’m still single.”
"Finding a guy isn’t a problem. Keeping a guy is a problem, and finding the guy is a complete catastrophe.”
“I let myself get lost in the fantasies I created when I was looking at the world through my lens. Life was easier to ignore when I was busy pretending for other people.”
“Just because you’re looking for the one, doesn’t mean that you have to subject yourself to every single lousy date you’re set on.”
“They say it takes twenty-one days to break a habit. It’s been approximately one thousand eight hundred and twenty six since I last held her hand in mine and I’m still waiting for the remnants of her to break off of me.”
“How would you describe the #feeling of #love in 140 or less characters?” “Like somebody is gripping your heart, but you don’t want them to let go because the ache would worsen without them.”
“I didn’t think love was about falling in or out; it was about staying in.”
“Real love stories never end.”
“You only need one person to believe in you, even if that person is yourself.”
“No matter how much closure I’m going to give you, you’re going to compare me to every single man you meet, Mia. It’s the same for me. Nobody is ever funny enough, annoying enough, crazy enough, or beautiful enough to equate to you.”
“I was always looking at you, even when you were busy ignoring me.”
Pain isn’t just losing the person you love. Pain is losing the person you love, seeing them with somebody else, and not interfering because you know you can’t give them the life they deserve.”
Claire is a New York Times & USA Today Best Selling author, mother of two, wife of one, owner of three dogs, and breast cancer survivor.
She enjoys writing anything from children’s stories to erotic suspense, but her most notable work is a contemporary romance. When she’s not writing, she’s reading and dreaming about places she wants to visit.
Labels: Book Review, Claire Contreras
