stacey_is_sassy
Written on Nov 15, 2018
***3.5 Stars***
I liked One Heart Remains but I did struggle with it a little bit. There's a lot of stuff that happens and yet nearly every issue is resolved in a good way. Sure, it's romance and I do like my happy endings but geez, if you want me to believe even a little that it could be real, it can't ALL be perfect. The baddies all get caught and sent to jail. The goodies all end with goofy smiles on their faces, love in their eyes and all of their past issues have just disappeared. The excess baggage (you know, the dodgy relative who betrays you) is kicked to the kerb and we'll never have to see them again. All of this will appeal to lots of readers, but, unfortunately, I'm having a pretty average week so it made my eyes just about roll out of my head.
Saying that, there are parts of this story that gave me happy buzzes. I'm a sucker for finding fellow romance readers. Yes, they were just characters, but they were so real and definitely bookaholics I could relate to. Especially when they were comparing their dramas to tropes. I do that sometimes and even have a storyline playing out in my head as I deal with everyday issues.
There is a LOT going on in One Heart Remains. From start to finish we're following the madcap adventures of the Wallflowers. As the heroes in the series tell us often throughout the story, it's like trouble is drawn to them. Calla, Sienna and Poppy seem to be always walking into burning buildings. Luckily, they have Devin, Bo and Nate to run in, chuck them over their shoulder, and save them just in the nick of time.
One Heart Remains is full of intrigue, drama, conflict and emotions. Poppy has demons from her past that she's never faced until now. Her father drops back into her life and expects to just be forgiven for his desertion. Poppy also has to face her attraction to a man she may not have the courage to connect with. It will take time, but Nate isn't willing to accept anything but a happy and content Poppy, in his life. But, Nate will have to face his own demons before he can fully accept her in his life.
The characters were intense, the storyline was a little OTT but the sexy times definitely helped to get past any issues I had. I'm a wee bit of a sucker for a big and physical man who knows what he wants and takes it. Nate admits to having anger issues and it's pretty obvious that it will always be a problem for him. I felt like the author should have addressed this as an ongoing problem, not just excuse it by being in the heat of the moment. If Poppy was seeing a counsellor to address her issues, I just felt that Nate could have used the same sort of service for his anger.
All good. Yes, it wasn't perfect but it was engaging enough that I never considered giving up.
I'm glad I've read the whole series and that we're getting a wee bit more next year.