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Heartless
He was faithful, until he wasn't.She was honest, until first touch...And against all that is pure and noble, they fell in love.Warning: This is not one of those novels where the characters' actions are justified. It is merely a story about two people--two flawed humans--who fall in love under forbidden circumstances. It is intended for audiences 18+ years of age due to explicit sexual content.
529 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 4, 2017
About the author
R.C. Martin
31 books290 followersThere’s a place where your mind can escape, your body can find rest, and your heart can soar – and R.C. Martin wants to take you there.
In a voice all her own, she strives to capture the magic of a kiss, the passion in a lovers’ embrace, and even sometimes the breathtaking ache of a broken heart. A true believer in the power of love and the grace found in redemption, you can trust this hopeless romantic to take you on an emotional ride that leaves you forever changed.
In a voice all her own, she strives to capture the magic of a kiss, the passion in a lovers’ embrace, and even sometimes the breathtaking ache of a broken heart. A true believer in the power of love and the grace found in redemption, you can trust this hopeless romantic to take you on an emotional ride that leaves you forever changed.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 161 reviews
May 3, 2022
2 stars
SONG: My fav cover of Can't get you out of my head because it matches the vibes.
This book right here is the reason I have trust issues.
QUICK SUMMARY
Michael meets Blaine while she's working the bar and instantly forms a connection. They flirt, they banter, he leaves, he comes back, and repeat.....it's all harmless fun, right? WRONG. Because Michael is the governor. A very married governor. And Blaine has a boyfriend of her very own. But do they stop? No, they plunge headfirst into an illicit affair.
🛑SPOILERS and I may or may not go completely unhinged at some point. I think I actually blacked out, I don't remember what happened so don't ask.🛑
The cheating here felt a little too real for my tastes. I felt so damn bad for the hero's wife Veronica and did not ship the couple at all, despite desperately wanting to.
He barely even questioned his desire to be unfaithful, which rubbed me the wrong way.
Yes but....she will not always feel new. Who's to say he won't do the same thing to the heroine in 10 years as he did to his wife?
The guy once said something about empanadas, which stuck with me:
Sometimes it felt like Blaine was an empanada. A treat that he never tires of (like he did his wife of 20 years) because he can only indulge rarely and in secret. Of course, Mike always reassured us of his intentions being deeper than the forbidden factor.....but I wasn't convinced.
I'll give credits for certain aspects like realism, very indulging trope: Mistress of a married governor. Is that even a trope? I don't know, but I was intrigued. It even had unquestionably cute moments backed up with hot sex scenes. But Veronica still never strayed far from my mind.
Edit #1: Do you see how calm and composed this review is up until this point? Do you see that? That's because I wrote it all before finishing the book. I was still innocently thinking this could be a 3 star read. Did you notice how coherent my speech was????
Good because...
HE HAS SEX WITH HIS WIFE AFTER BEING IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE HEROINE FOR WEEKS!!!!!!!
WEEKS I TELL YOU!!!!
I know I sound like a complete hypocrite but it was weeks of being obsessed, falling head over heels, passionate sex, straight out courting...all of which takes up a lot of highly detailed chapters, it's no accident this book is so fucking long.
He listens to the voice message Blaine left him:
To make matters worse is she does call him again with another sweet message, repeating how much she misses him.
Michael 5 minutes later:
FERAL I AM GOING ABSOLUTELY FERALJEHWBQWHJ
Edit #2: It may not seem like it to you, but this is me chapters later, once again writing this review as I am reading. I'm just checking in to tell you that I take all my credits for realism back. Fuck this book and fuck Michael.
Why? Because...
AFTER PROMISING BLAINE THAT HE WILL NOT HAVE SEX WITH HIS WIFE ANYMORE, YOU KNOW WHAT HE DOES????
I am FINE. I AM FUCKING FINE!!!!!!!
For the record, no he does not have sex with her. But who asked him to "indulge" her? No one. It's not even about the mess of cheating on BOTH women in your life, but you're also basically leading your wife on, making her inevitable heartbreak that much more unexpected.
Long story short,
Especially when he began bulldozing Blaine for flirting with another man. Aw🥺 AW wait....DID YOUR DISGUSTING CRUSTY MUSTY DUSTY ASS FORGET YOU HAVE A WIFE????
I have never lost my cool this hard in a review before, wow.
By the end of this book, I honestly only felt incredible sympathy for Veronica. She can't get pregnant, it was one of the major conflicts in their marriage.
So imagine how she felt when she found out her cheating husband got his mistress pregnant before they were even divorced. And then he also married his pregnant mistress shortly after. I could feel the constricting pain in my chest. Michael did her so dirty, I can't even begin to fathom the heartbreak. He never even got the karma he deserved. Dude has two babies, a young wife, and is running for president for christ's sake.
WHAT ABOUT VERONICA????🤬🤬
Petition for a sequel where Veronica gets the vengeance she deserves by winning the presidential election instead of Michael.........and murders him in cold blood. But it's fine if she doesn't. Would be better if she does though😗
Overall: Although this book is unnecessarily long, it's objectively not bad. Unfortunately..idk if you could really tell but I didn't have the best time reading it....ha haha
SONG: My fav cover of Can't get you out of my head because it matches the vibes.
This book right here is the reason I have trust issues.
QUICK SUMMARY
Michael meets Blaine while she's working the bar and instantly forms a connection. They flirt, they banter, he leaves, he comes back, and repeat.....it's all harmless fun, right? WRONG. Because Michael is the governor. A very married governor. And Blaine has a boyfriend of her very own. But do they stop? No, they plunge headfirst into an illicit affair.
🛑SPOILERS and I may or may not go completely unhinged at some point. I think I actually blacked out, I don't remember what happened so don't ask.🛑
The cheating here felt a little too real for my tastes. I felt so damn bad for the hero's wife Veronica and did not ship the couple at all, despite desperately wanting to.
He barely even questioned his desire to be unfaithful, which rubbed me the wrong way.
“She may be my first love, but you—you make me feel things that I’ve never felt before. Everything is new with you. I feel new with you."
Yes but....she will not always feel new. Who's to say he won't do the same thing to the heroine in 10 years as he did to his wife?
The guy once said something about empanadas, which stuck with me:
“OH, MY GOD —that was so good. How do you not eat those every day?” She said.
“It’s a treat. That’s how it remains my favorite.”
Sometimes it felt like Blaine was an empanada. A treat that he never tires of (like he did his wife of 20 years) because he can only indulge rarely and in secret. Of course, Mike always reassured us of his intentions being deeper than the forbidden factor.....but I wasn't convinced.
I'll give credits for certain aspects like realism, very indulging trope: Mistress of a married governor. Is that even a trope? I don't know, but I was intrigued. It even had unquestionably cute moments backed up with hot sex scenes. But Veronica still never strayed far from my mind.
Edit #1: Do you see how calm and composed this review is up until this point? Do you see that? That's because I wrote it all before finishing the book. I was still innocently thinking this could be a 3 star read. Did you notice how coherent my speech was????
Good because...
HE HAS SEX WITH HIS WIFE AFTER BEING IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE HEROINE FOR WEEKS!!!!!!!
WEEKS I TELL YOU!!!!
I know I sound like a complete hypocrite but it was weeks of being obsessed, falling head over heels, passionate sex, straight out courting...all of which takes up a lot of highly detailed chapters, it's no accident this book is so fucking long.
He listens to the voice message Blaine left him:
“Hey, Michael. I know you’re busy being all governory, but I haven’t heard your voice in a few days. I don’t expect you to call me back. I know you’re not alone. Anyway, listening to your voicemail greeting was nice. That’s pathetic, right? Which means calling back to hear it again would also make me a pretty sad individual, right? Yeah, maybe I won’t do that… ”
To make matters worse is she does call him again with another sweet message, repeating how much she misses him.
Michael 5 minutes later:
my body has been responding to hers [Veronica] for more than half my life—so it comes as no surprise when it begins to respond to her now. [...] I lean down to kiss her out of habit. It’s almost like a period to the sentence that marks the end of our discussion. Except, we both linger a little longer than usual, and then I feel her tongue brush against my lips. I follow her lead, deepening our kiss, and it’s not long before we’re both naked, falling onto the bed.
FERAL I AM GOING ABSOLUTELY FERALJEHWBQWHJ
Edit #2: It may not seem like it to you, but this is me chapters later, once again writing this review as I am reading. I'm just checking in to tell you that I take all my credits for realism back. Fuck this book and fuck Michael.
Why? Because...
AFTER PROMISING BLAINE THAT HE WILL NOT HAVE SEX WITH HIS WIFE ANYMORE, YOU KNOW WHAT HE DOES????
her arms around my shoulders. When she presses a kiss to my lips, I kiss her back, pulling away before she does.
“I’ll miss you.”
“You’ll have a good time,” I reply.
I deliver another short kiss, intending only to bring this conversation to an end, but she leans into me. When she flicks out her tongue, I indulge her, wishing not to appear cold.
I am FINE. I AM FUCKING FINE!!!!!!!
For the record, no he does not have sex with her. But who asked him to "indulge" her? No one. It's not even about the mess of cheating on BOTH women in your life, but you're also basically leading your wife on, making her inevitable heartbreak that much more unexpected.
Long story short,
Especially when he began bulldozing Blaine for flirting with another man. Aw🥺 AW wait....DID YOUR DISGUSTING CRUSTY MUSTY DUSTY ASS FORGET YOU HAVE A WIFE????
I have never lost my cool this hard in a review before, wow.
By the end of this book, I honestly only felt incredible sympathy for Veronica. She can't get pregnant, it was one of the major conflicts in their marriage.
So imagine how she felt when she found out her cheating husband got his mistress pregnant before they were even divorced. And then he also married his pregnant mistress shortly after. I could feel the constricting pain in my chest. Michael did her so dirty, I can't even begin to fathom the heartbreak. He never even got the karma he deserved. Dude has two babies, a young wife, and is running for president for christ's sake.
WHAT ABOUT VERONICA????🤬🤬
Petition for a sequel where Veronica gets the vengeance she deserves by winning the presidential election instead of Michael.........and murders him in cold blood. But it's fine if she doesn't. Would be better if she does though😗
Overall: Although this book is unnecessarily long, it's objectively not bad. Unfortunately..idk if you could really tell but I didn't have the best time reading it....ha haha
December 20, 2020
3.5 Stars
Overall Opinion: This was enjoyable. I didn’t feel like it was as long as it was because I was so into it and it flowed well. I did have a few minor gripes to bring it down to 3.5 stars for me. Giggling is a pet peeve of mine in stories for some reason. I know it’s a personal thing, but I have practically zero tolerance for it when it is the h doing it! So when this h was described doing this ~40ish times in the book, it really started to bug me. I personally attribute the ‘giggle’ to kids, so when this is supposed to be the mc that I’m rooting for I struggle with that and it makes me view her as immature. I know, I know! I’m probably knit picking here! It is what it is 🤷🏻♀️. I also liked that we got a pretty cute epilogue, but I really wanted to experience more of them working through their obstacles instead of just jumping to a time well after them. Maybe other parts could’ve been edited down to allow for more time with that?! Just saying...🤔😘
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Blaine and Michael’s story. They meet when both of them are struggling with their relationships and not feeling understood by their partners. They connect instantly and even though both of them know how wrong it is, they cannot resist the pull they feel towards one another. There are lines that are crossed, some hot sexy times, and some drama...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Blaine and Michael’s POV.
Overall Pace of Story: This was rather long @ 524 pages in my kindle app. I thought it flowed well though and I never skimmed.
Instalove: Kind of. Instalust and instant connection for sure.
H (Hero) rating: 4 stars. Michael. I liked him. Yes — he definitely should’ve ended things with his wife before cheating, but I felt for him and his struggles with his identity and mistakes.
h (heroine) rating: 4 stars. Blaine. I liked her. I appreciated how honest she was and how she was herself even when it made her seem awkward.
Sadness level: Low/moderate. I shed a few tears but never needed any tissues.
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Hot. They have some hot tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes
Sex scene with OW or OM: Yes
Cheating: Yes
Separation: Yes
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends with a cute epilogue and what I would call a HEA ending
Safety: This one is probably Not Safe for most safety gang readers
Overall Opinion: This was enjoyable. I didn’t feel like it was as long as it was because I was so into it and it flowed well. I did have a few minor gripes to bring it down to 3.5 stars for me. Giggling is a pet peeve of mine in stories for some reason. I know it’s a personal thing, but I have practically zero tolerance for it when it is the h doing it! So when this h was described doing this ~40ish times in the book, it really started to bug me. I personally attribute the ‘giggle’ to kids, so when this is supposed to be the mc that I’m rooting for I struggle with that and it makes me view her as immature. I know, I know! I’m probably knit picking here! It is what it is 🤷🏻♀️. I also liked that we got a pretty cute epilogue, but I really wanted to experience more of them working through their obstacles instead of just jumping to a time well after them. Maybe other parts could’ve been edited down to allow for more time with that?! Just saying...🤔😘
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Blaine and Michael’s story. They meet when both of them are struggling with their relationships and not feeling understood by their partners. They connect instantly and even though both of them know how wrong it is, they cannot resist the pull they feel towards one another. There are lines that are crossed, some hot sexy times, and some drama...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Blaine and Michael’s POV.
Overall Pace of Story: This was rather long @ 524 pages in my kindle app. I thought it flowed well though and I never skimmed.
Instalove: Kind of. Instalust and instant connection for sure.
H (Hero) rating: 4 stars. Michael. I liked him. Yes — he definitely should’ve ended things with his wife before cheating, but I felt for him and his struggles with his identity and mistakes.
h (heroine) rating: 4 stars. Blaine. I liked her. I appreciated how honest she was and how she was herself even when it made her seem awkward.
Sadness level: Low/moderate. I shed a few tears but never needed any tissues.
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Hot. They have some hot tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes
Sex scene with OW or OM: Yes
Cheating: Yes
Separation: Yes
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends with a cute epilogue and what I would call a HEA ending
Safety: This one is probably Not Safe for most safety gang readers
July 23, 2020
***TRIGGER WARNING***
Michael and Blaine are a boy meets girl and boy falls in love story ONLY Michael is MARRIED and Blaine has a BOYFRIEND.
The heart wants what it wants. So much to say about this. I don’t even know where to start. I really loved this. I loved seeing how they met and how they quickly go from innocent to deadly. The chemistry was off the charts. I highly recommend.
Michael and Blaine are a boy meets girl and boy falls in love story ONLY Michael is MARRIED and Blaine has a BOYFRIEND.
The heart wants what it wants. So much to say about this. I don’t even know where to start. I really loved this. I loved seeing how they met and how they quickly go from innocent to deadly. The chemistry was off the charts. I highly recommend.
May 7, 2020
Heads Up *This book is about an affair between a married man, and a woman with a live in BF. If you have ZERO tolerance for cheating, and are not open to cheaters getting a HEA… you should skip this one. *Also, although this isn’t a “Christian” book nor does it feel like one. (language, sex) There are several mentions about God, being a Christian man, etc. It’s not preachy, just a heads up, in case that’s not your jam …. moving on
I enjoyed this book, not because I agree with the MC’s choices; I’m not saying infidelity is cool; I’m a married woman myself. I’m giving this four-stars, because I found the book thought provoking, entertaining, and I thought the author did a great job. The writing is good, and she does not take the lazy way out. There are no villains or justifications for the MC’s decisions; she doesn’t make excuses, or tie it up pretty… it is what it is… Which is a story of two “good” people that make selfish “bad” choices.
Michael Cavanaugh is a 37-year-old Governor of Colorado; he’s been with his wife Victoria for 21 years. (married for 15 ish) He’s never cheated, and they are both each other’s only lover; the couple doesn’t have a “bad” marriage, but infertility issues have caused them to drift. Victoria is not a bitch, and isn’t portrayed negatively at all. Cheating aside, he’s portrayed as honest and kind; he has a great relationship with his family, and is a good man.
Blaine Foster is a 24-year-old college educated bartender; she’s in a 2-yr relationship with her BF Mateo, and he recently moved in with her. Mateo isn’t a great BF; he’s selfish, and the couple breakup early in the book. Cheating aside, she’s portrayed as hardworking and kind, and has a great relationship with her father. I thought she seemed a bit immature with her toe rings, and silly T-shirts, but she handles things pretty maturely.
This isn’t a racy tale of sex; Michael hasn’t ever been tempted to stray, but when he meets Blaine, they have an instant connection. The affair doesn’t start straight away, but neither one “fights” the temptation either. The nature of their relationship (busy schedules/forbidden) did not allow them to spend a lot of time together, so it progresses to love pretty quickly.
This one had me all over the place emotionally; I cycled through all the feels. It helped me knowing going in that this was M & B’s love story (the blurb is sort of vague) so mentally I was prepared, but my heart still ached for Victoria. The author doesn’t sugar coat anything, and the fallout is brutal. Eventually, Michael pulls his head out, and handles things how he should have from the start… so by the end I felt he got it. And I felt a smidge better towards him, but I don’t really think Blaine ever understood or regretted her part in the breakdown of his marriage.
Bottom line- This genre is tough, and not for everyone. It’s a lot more to swallow compared to the typical “hubs cheating trope” then seeing the light and groveling. The wife is left broken without a HEA, and that SUCKS-big time!! I choose and rate these types of books based on the emotional connection I feel; not whether or not I feel the MC’s are moral; agree with their decisions; or get the ending I want. And this one was ugly, with flawed (yet not toxic) characters that was honest, and not easy or lazy. If you find you do enjoy the emotional marathon of this one; you might try Becoming His Mistress which has a sort-a similar feel, and is also free with KU.
I enjoyed this book, not because I agree with the MC’s choices; I’m not saying infidelity is cool; I’m a married woman myself. I’m giving this four-stars, because I found the book thought provoking, entertaining, and I thought the author did a great job. The writing is good, and she does not take the lazy way out. There are no villains or justifications for the MC’s decisions; she doesn’t make excuses, or tie it up pretty… it is what it is… Which is a story of two “good” people that make selfish “bad” choices.
Michael Cavanaugh is a 37-year-old Governor of Colorado; he’s been with his wife Victoria for 21 years. (married for 15 ish) He’s never cheated, and they are both each other’s only lover; the couple doesn’t have a “bad” marriage, but infertility issues have caused them to drift. Victoria is not a bitch, and isn’t portrayed negatively at all. Cheating aside, he’s portrayed as honest and kind; he has a great relationship with his family, and is a good man.
Blaine Foster is a 24-year-old college educated bartender; she’s in a 2-yr relationship with her BF Mateo, and he recently moved in with her. Mateo isn’t a great BF; he’s selfish, and the couple breakup early in the book. Cheating aside, she’s portrayed as hardworking and kind, and has a great relationship with her father. I thought she seemed a bit immature with her toe rings, and silly T-shirts, but she handles things pretty maturely.
This isn’t a racy tale of sex; Michael hasn’t ever been tempted to stray, but when he meets Blaine, they have an instant connection. The affair doesn’t start straight away, but neither one “fights” the temptation either. The nature of their relationship (busy schedules/forbidden) did not allow them to spend a lot of time together, so it progresses to love pretty quickly.
This one had me all over the place emotionally; I cycled through all the feels. It helped me knowing going in that this was M & B’s love story (the blurb is sort of vague) so mentally I was prepared, but my heart still ached for Victoria. The author doesn’t sugar coat anything, and the fallout is brutal. Eventually, Michael pulls his head out, and handles things how he should have from the start… so by the end I felt he got it. And I felt a smidge better towards him, but I don’t really think Blaine ever understood or regretted her part in the breakdown of his marriage.
Bottom line- This genre is tough, and not for everyone. It’s a lot more to swallow compared to the typical “hubs cheating trope” then seeing the light and groveling. The wife is left broken without a HEA, and that SUCKS-big time!! I choose and rate these types of books based on the emotional connection I feel; not whether or not I feel the MC’s are moral; agree with their decisions; or get the ending I want. And this one was ugly, with flawed (yet not toxic) characters that was honest, and not easy or lazy. If you find you do enjoy the emotional marathon of this one; you might try Becoming His Mistress which has a sort-a similar feel, and is also free with KU.
Shelved as 'not-interested'
May 22, 2018It's not even for the cheating because it's common knowledge here. But because if I wanted realism (because let's be real, this happens A LOT in real life) I would talk to people I know. Just look in the news how many times the plot in this book happens. The very president is being accused of it.
May 7, 2021
My original review gave this 3 stars, the more I thought about it, the more annoyed I got and kept removing stars until I couldn't remove anymore...
My first thought, it’s filled with tropes…
1. Cheating
2. Older man/younger woman
3. Politician
4. BDSM
I'm going to start by saying, I like cheating stories. They're filled with angst, and can be filled with forgiveness and redemption. HEA is not something I feel is a requirement. The ending should fit the story.
The review contains spoilers...
It’s well written and you definitely feel they’re falling in love. But, they’re so selfish, and that puts a damper on the whole story. The main characters are somewhat likable, but the cheating tones that down. But, just because a story is well written it's not a given the reader is going to like what is written. For me the story deserves 2 stars, the third one is for the author's ability to write... ETA removed stars.
The wife and her sub plot (her inability to have children and unwillingness to communicate push her to be the perfect politician’s wife) feels like a forced conflict. She’s a throw away character, once he’s in love with the OW, he ceases to care, he has no real guilt until well after the truth comes out, but not enough to fix his marriage, and you don’t want him to fix it, his wife deserves better.
The husband travels a slippery slope, takes full responsibility when his marriage falls apart and doesn’t want anyone to blame the OW. There’s a great confrontation scene between the husband and his sister, where she points out the OW is just as wrong, as she should have known better and “chose” to be in the relationship. Both wrong.
I’m surprised no one mentioned the Christian overtones near the end of the book… “Even in the darkness, God is here. He sees me. He knows me. He forgives me. And, He convicts me….God loves me anyway; it crushes me—it breaks me to know that I a man so undeserving am the recipient of such grace.” Even though his father is a minister, this felt completely out of left field. As much as I agree with this, it feels like a justification, a get out of jail free card. ‘I’m basically a good man God loves and forgives me, I’m good to go.’ Is this the author or the character trying to be okay what he's done.
Their HEA feels ugly. I hated the epilogue. There are no consequences, he has his HEA with his family, including his sister around him, a new baby on the way and plans to run for president. His family, the state of Colorado and now the entire country will get to embrace this amazing man. I didn’t care enough about the two characters to feel invested in their HEA and please do we really need to know the details of the governor’s playroom?
Normally, I follow the story where the author takes me, it works or it doesn’t. I think the author told the wrong story—rarely do I feel this way. If he wasn’t married, if he was a bachelor governor, and they met at the bar with him ordering the burger and her talking him out of it. They date in secret, they fall in love, the conflict could easily have been the stress of his political career and maybe their age difference. I would have happily bought into their story, with or without the playroom.
My first thought, it’s filled with tropes…
1. Cheating
2. Older man/younger woman
3. Politician
4. BDSM
I'm going to start by saying, I like cheating stories. They're filled with angst, and can be filled with forgiveness and redemption. HEA is not something I feel is a requirement. The ending should fit the story.
The review contains spoilers...
It’s well written and you definitely feel they’re falling in love. But, they’re so selfish, and that puts a damper on the whole story. The main characters are somewhat likable, but the cheating tones that down. But, just because a story is well written it's not a given the reader is going to like what is written. For me the story deserves 2 stars, the third one is for the author's ability to write... ETA removed stars.
The wife and her sub plot (her inability to have children and unwillingness to communicate push her to be the perfect politician’s wife) feels like a forced conflict. She’s a throw away character, once he’s in love with the OW, he ceases to care, he has no real guilt until well after the truth comes out, but not enough to fix his marriage, and you don’t want him to fix it, his wife deserves better.
The husband travels a slippery slope, takes full responsibility when his marriage falls apart and doesn’t want anyone to blame the OW. There’s a great confrontation scene between the husband and his sister, where she points out the OW is just as wrong, as she should have known better and “chose” to be in the relationship. Both wrong.
I’m surprised no one mentioned the Christian overtones near the end of the book… “Even in the darkness, God is here. He sees me. He knows me. He forgives me. And, He convicts me….God loves me anyway; it crushes me—it breaks me to know that I a man so undeserving am the recipient of such grace.” Even though his father is a minister, this felt completely out of left field. As much as I agree with this, it feels like a justification, a get out of jail free card. ‘I’m basically a good man God loves and forgives me, I’m good to go.’ Is this the author or the character trying to be okay what he's done.
Their HEA feels ugly. I hated the epilogue. There are no consequences, he has his HEA with his family, including his sister around him, a new baby on the way and plans to run for president. His family, the state of Colorado and now the entire country will get to embrace this amazing man. I didn’t care enough about the two characters to feel invested in their HEA and please do we really need to know the details of the governor’s playroom?
Normally, I follow the story where the author takes me, it works or it doesn’t. I think the author told the wrong story—rarely do I feel this way. If he wasn’t married, if he was a bachelor governor, and they met at the bar with him ordering the burger and her talking him out of it. They date in secret, they fall in love, the conflict could easily have been the stress of his political career and maybe their age difference. I would have happily bought into their story, with or without the playroom.
April 21, 2021
Book: Heartless
Rating: 4 stars
Favorite Quote:“Te amo, Blaine. I love you. I love you more than I knew I was capable of loving. Always, angel—you’ll always be my angel.”
Trigger Warning: infertility
Summary
Blaine Foster and her boyfriend Matteo have been dating for two years. Blaine loves Matteo but she does not feel completed by him. She gives so much into the relationship and gets nothing back. Michael Cavanaugh, the governor of Colorado, loves his wife as well; however, he may not be in love with her anymore. The passion, urgency and the wanting from their relationship is gone. Blaine and Michael were not looking for each other, but a chance encounter at a restaurant will change their lives forever. Somehow after one conversation, they could not stay away from each other. They don’t want to hurt their partners, but maybe, they are just heartless because they can’t deny each other.
Review(semi-spoilers)
This was my first time reading the cheating trope, where both of the mains were in a relationship, so that’s what urged me to pick this up. I wanted to see how complicated and messy it would get between the two. To be honest, it wasn’t as angsty as I thought it would be. It was still enjoyable; I just wanted more pain.
↳Plot. The plot was nicely done and I was interested the whole time. The story begins with Blaine and Michaels problems in their separate relationships, which leads them to meeting each other. Soon enough they do start an affair, but Blaine leaves her boyfriend pretty quick while Michael is married and is the governor, so he is not able to do so as quick. Thankfully, they do get an HEA, so I was happy about that. The only thing that bothered me was all the description. R.C Martin loves to have detailed descriptions and a lot of filler pages so that bothered me a bit.
↳Characters. Blaine was a decent heroine. I liked her but at the same time I do feel kind of indifferent to her. Nothing about her personality stood out to me but I didn’t find her boring to read either. I liked how she broke up with Matteo as soon as she saw that she could have more with someone else. And I loved her funky t-shirt collection. Michael was a good hero as well. Again, I liked him but at the same time I feel indifferent towards him. He was just a little bit on the boring side but besides that he was such a sweetheart. And to be honest, his cheating on his wife did not bother me that much. Even though he was being selfish, I was never annoyed by him. He was not cheating to just cheat on his wife, meeting Blaine was not something he expected but it happened. And he couldn’t help but fall in love with her. Additionally, I understood why he took so long to finally get separated from his wife. They were married for 15 years and he was the governor, he had to be sure he was doing the right thing.
↳Romance. Michael and Blaine were so cute! I loved them and their banter with each other. Their connection was just so special, and I couldn’t help but fall in love with their relationship as they fell in love with each other. Plus, Michael was just the best boyfriend, I loved all the little things he did for Blaine.
In all I did enjoy this, I just wish there was more angst lol.
Rating: 4 stars
Favorite Quote:“Te amo, Blaine. I love you. I love you more than I knew I was capable of loving. Always, angel—you’ll always be my angel.”
Trigger Warning: infertility
Summary
Blaine Foster and her boyfriend Matteo have been dating for two years. Blaine loves Matteo but she does not feel completed by him. She gives so much into the relationship and gets nothing back. Michael Cavanaugh, the governor of Colorado, loves his wife as well; however, he may not be in love with her anymore. The passion, urgency and the wanting from their relationship is gone. Blaine and Michael were not looking for each other, but a chance encounter at a restaurant will change their lives forever. Somehow after one conversation, they could not stay away from each other. They don’t want to hurt their partners, but maybe, they are just heartless because they can’t deny each other.
Review(semi-spoilers)
This was my first time reading the cheating trope, where both of the mains were in a relationship, so that’s what urged me to pick this up. I wanted to see how complicated and messy it would get between the two. To be honest, it wasn’t as angsty as I thought it would be. It was still enjoyable; I just wanted more pain.
↳Plot. The plot was nicely done and I was interested the whole time. The story begins with Blaine and Michaels problems in their separate relationships, which leads them to meeting each other. Soon enough they do start an affair, but Blaine leaves her boyfriend pretty quick while Michael is married and is the governor, so he is not able to do so as quick. Thankfully, they do get an HEA, so I was happy about that. The only thing that bothered me was all the description. R.C Martin loves to have detailed descriptions and a lot of filler pages so that bothered me a bit.
↳Characters. Blaine was a decent heroine. I liked her but at the same time I do feel kind of indifferent to her. Nothing about her personality stood out to me but I didn’t find her boring to read either. I liked how she broke up with Matteo as soon as she saw that she could have more with someone else. And I loved her funky t-shirt collection. Michael was a good hero as well. Again, I liked him but at the same time I feel indifferent towards him. He was just a little bit on the boring side but besides that he was such a sweetheart. And to be honest, his cheating on his wife did not bother me that much. Even though he was being selfish, I was never annoyed by him. He was not cheating to just cheat on his wife, meeting Blaine was not something he expected but it happened. And he couldn’t help but fall in love with her. Additionally, I understood why he took so long to finally get separated from his wife. They were married for 15 years and he was the governor, he had to be sure he was doing the right thing.
↳Romance. Michael and Blaine were so cute! I loved them and their banter with each other. Their connection was just so special, and I couldn’t help but fall in love with their relationship as they fell in love with each other. Plus, Michael was just the best boyfriend, I loved all the little things he did for Blaine.
In all I did enjoy this, I just wish there was more angst lol.
December 7, 2017
This book is about two people falling in love when they aren’t necessarily looking for love. There is cheating in this book, and whether or not you can handle that... is up to you, but I feel like R.C. Martin does a fantastic job of not making excuses for these characters. No one becomes a villain to make the events in this story ok. You know they are flawed, you know they are making poor choices, but if you can accept a love story for what it is, all flaws and mistakes included, then I think you will enjoy this book.
If you like your romance happy go lucky and following all the rules, Heartless may not be the book for you. If you’re open to a romance that has the flaws, the ugly, and the beauty of real life, then I would HIGHLY recommend this read.
*ARC provided by NetGalley.*
If you like your romance happy go lucky and following all the rules, Heartless may not be the book for you. If you’re open to a romance that has the flaws, the ugly, and the beauty of real life, then I would HIGHLY recommend this read.
*ARC provided by NetGalley.*
December 18, 2017
★4 stars!!!★
“There is a comfort here that I don’t feel in my own bed. In the silence of morning, without a word spoken, without a touch given, in this stillness that only exists as one shakes off sleep, there is a sense of security that insists that I stay. That here I am safe. Here I am free. Here I am home.”
Sabe aquele livro do qual você tem certeza que não vai gostar porque tu meio que detesta o tema abordado e raramente o escolhe? Mas, mesmo assim a sua curiosidade fala mais alto e te “força” a ler???
Essa foi a minha situação com esse livro!
“Heartless” aborda um tema taboo que eu raramente escolho pra ler. E quando leio, na maioria das vezes passo boa parte da leitura com raiva.
E pra minha grande surpresa, isso não aconteceu aqui. A autora soube me envolver direitinho, tanto, que quase não senti raiva de nenhum personagem.
Não temos um vilão aqui. Temos sim, personagens humanos, cheios de falhas, com péssimas escolhas e que acabam encontrando o amor quando não estavam procurando.
Eu gostei bastante da história e dos personagens... mesmo não concordando com suas as atitudes ou escolhas.
Mesmo sabendo que era errado eu meio que torci por eles...
Entre os livros com esse tema, “Heartless” foi o que mais gostei de ler.
A narrativa é fluída e a escrita da autora muito boa.
“There is a comfort here that I don’t feel in my own bed. In the silence of morning, without a word spoken, without a touch given, in this stillness that only exists as one shakes off sleep, there is a sense of security that insists that I stay. That here I am safe. Here I am free. Here I am home.”
Sabe aquele livro do qual você tem certeza que não vai gostar porque tu meio que detesta o tema abordado e raramente o escolhe? Mas, mesmo assim a sua curiosidade fala mais alto e te “força” a ler???
Essa foi a minha situação com esse livro!
“Heartless” aborda um tema taboo que eu raramente escolho pra ler. E quando leio, na maioria das vezes passo boa parte da leitura com raiva.
E pra minha grande surpresa, isso não aconteceu aqui. A autora soube me envolver direitinho, tanto, que quase não senti raiva de nenhum personagem.
Não temos um vilão aqui. Temos sim, personagens humanos, cheios de falhas, com péssimas escolhas e que acabam encontrando o amor quando não estavam procurando.
Eu gostei bastante da história e dos personagens... mesmo não concordando com suas as atitudes ou escolhas.
Mesmo sabendo que era errado eu meio que torci por eles...
Entre os livros com esse tema, “Heartless” foi o que mais gostei de ler.
A narrativa é fluída e a escrita da autora muito boa.
Shelved as 'avoid'
August 20, 2022Self note avoid
Cheating book.
H still slept with the wife while falling in love/being in love and was having sex with the h on the regular.
Then after promising not to fuck the wife again to the h, he still made out with the wife.
What do you expect from a cheater though? 🤷🏻♀️
Cheating book.
H still slept with the wife while falling in love/being in love and was having sex with the h on the regular.
Then after promising not to fuck the wife again to the h, he still made out with the wife.
What do you expect from a cheater though? 🤷🏻♀️
August 27, 2018
A romance novel where the heroine is the other woman and the hero is a married man.
I couldn’t get over what a selfish asshat the hero was to ever root for them as a couple.
He’s been with his wife for 20 years (married for 15) when he meets cute waitress Blaine (heroine) and starts an affair with her.
His marriage with his wife is distant after 20 years but not so terrible that I could forgive him for not fighting harder for his marriage. Actually, he didn’t fight at all. Temptation presented itself and he flew into it quickly and without remorse.
The story mostly takes place over the course of 3 months when the hero falls in love with Blaine and leaves his wife for her (his wife couldn’t conceive children and this caused a chasm between them because she wouldn’t open up to him).
The heroine knew he was married but didn’t really care because feelings.
I couldn’t get over what a selfish asshat the hero was to ever root for them as a couple.
He’s been with his wife for 20 years (married for 15) when he meets cute waitress Blaine (heroine) and starts an affair with her.
His marriage with his wife is distant after 20 years but not so terrible that I could forgive him for not fighting harder for his marriage. Actually, he didn’t fight at all. Temptation presented itself and he flew into it quickly and without remorse.
The story mostly takes place over the course of 3 months when the hero falls in love with Blaine and leaves his wife for her (his wife couldn’t conceive children and this caused a chasm between them because she wouldn’t open up to him).
The heroine knew he was married but didn’t really care because feelings.
November 28, 2023
4.5 Stars
Wow, it was so much better than I had expected, including the steam factor. It didn’t immediately suck me in but the further into the book I got, the more absorbed I became, until I was completely hooked. Tbh, I had this in my TBR for a while, I just wasn’t sure if it would work for me. But I was desperate for anything angsty and I finally decided to give this a shot. I enjoyed it tremendously and loved many aspects of the story.
I’m comparing this to another book: Becoming His Mistress (5 Stars). I was never interested in romance books where the FMC is the other woman, until BHM made me see that it could work. ‘Heartless’ did that, too. I do think the relationship between the protagonists in BHM, felt more organic and a lot less…sordid? They didn’t come off selfish. In both cases, though, there was no justification for the infidelity. I felt empathetic towards the wives, especially the one in this book; she really didn’t deserve to be betrayed in such a painful way. Nonetheless, this didn’t stop me from wanting a HEA for the main characters, and appreciating the story. It’s truly thought-provoking; I even discussed it with my husband, over wine. The poor man has to listen to me ramble on about fictional characters.
One thing I didn’t enjoy was the BDSM (lite) theme. It was distracting, unnecessary, like it didn’t quite fit into this story, but maybe it’s just me. BDSM isn’t my jam in romance books.
It wasn’t as angsty as I was hoping but it was still engaging. 😅
HEA: Yes, the MMC gets a divorce (after a 3 month affair) and ends up with the FMC. They get married and are expecting a baby. There’s a satisfying epilogue, too.
Wow, it was so much better than I had expected, including the steam factor. It didn’t immediately suck me in but the further into the book I got, the more absorbed I became, until I was completely hooked. Tbh, I had this in my TBR for a while, I just wasn’t sure if it would work for me. But I was desperate for anything angsty and I finally decided to give this a shot. I enjoyed it tremendously and loved many aspects of the story.
I’m comparing this to another book: Becoming His Mistress (5 Stars). I was never interested in romance books where the FMC is the other woman, until BHM made me see that it could work. ‘Heartless’ did that, too. I do think the relationship between the protagonists in BHM, felt more organic and a lot less…sordid? They didn’t come off selfish. In both cases, though, there was no justification for the infidelity. I felt empathetic towards the wives, especially the one in this book; she really didn’t deserve to be betrayed in such a painful way. Nonetheless, this didn’t stop me from wanting a HEA for the main characters, and appreciating the story. It’s truly thought-provoking; I even discussed it with my husband, over wine. The poor man has to listen to me ramble on about fictional characters.
One thing I didn’t enjoy was the BDSM (lite) theme. It was distracting, unnecessary, like it didn’t quite fit into this story, but maybe it’s just me. BDSM isn’t my jam in romance books.
It wasn’t as angsty as I was hoping but it was still engaging. 😅
HEA: Yes, the MMC gets a divorce (after a 3 month affair) and ends up with the FMC. They get married and are expecting a baby. There’s a satisfying epilogue, too.
March 10, 2018
*****************spoiler alert************
***read at your own risk - both H and h cheating -- H is married, h lives with b/f***
First off, writing was good, take away the cheating and you have a hot older man/younger woman erotic read but reading it with all the blatant cheating did leave a nasty taste. I felt sympathy for the clueless wife.
H married to her for over 20 yrs, each other's first, I think with each other since 16 or 17? marriage seems normal if not rip roaring hot but still... seems things changed, wife got emotionally closed off and kept pretty busy after finding out she could not have kids. Yes she shut him out emotionally but they had other options and H didnt seem to have done much to push her to get some help. Instead, he found h and went into relationship with eyes wide open. At one point he was sexing both so he cheated on both, even kept saying the "I love yous" to wife". Very scuzzy move.
the h was also cheating initially on her lived in b/f, at least she broke it off with him (another loser ow for h jeez).
So H is politician from prominent religious family, h is bartender he met at bar one evening after work. Wife was not a bitch, physo, cruel or any of the usual negative stereotypes which was refreshing. I didnt dislike her, felft sorry for her actually. At first I thought maybe it would play out that she was cheating but no, she kept very busy I think to fill the childless void. She also worked hard to organize H's life.
H finally manned up and asked wife for a divorce, she was devastated, family also in turmoil, left h with no contact for months, she was pregnant and didnt tell him.
Reading this book was a roller coaster ride of different emotions . The writing was very good, story flowed but I just could not stomach both H/h's action - at least he should have tried harder with wife, or separated or something before starting relationship with h. I felt the lust, not the love. Anywho - my hope is to see another book with ex wife be h with a great ending for her with children - now that would be a great HEA.
***read at your own risk - both H and h cheating -- H is married, h lives with b/f***
First off, writing was good, take away the cheating and you have a hot older man/younger woman erotic read but reading it with all the blatant cheating did leave a nasty taste. I felt sympathy for the clueless wife.
H married to her for over 20 yrs, each other's first, I think with each other since 16 or 17? marriage seems normal if not rip roaring hot but still... seems things changed, wife got emotionally closed off and kept pretty busy after finding out she could not have kids. Yes she shut him out emotionally but they had other options and H didnt seem to have done much to push her to get some help. Instead, he found h and went into relationship with eyes wide open. At one point he was sexing both so he cheated on both, even kept saying the "I love yous" to wife". Very scuzzy move.
the h was also cheating initially on her lived in b/f, at least she broke it off with him (another loser ow for h jeez).
So H is politician from prominent religious family, h is bartender he met at bar one evening after work. Wife was not a bitch, physo, cruel or any of the usual negative stereotypes which was refreshing. I didnt dislike her, felft sorry for her actually. At first I thought maybe it would play out that she was cheating but no, she kept very busy I think to fill the childless void. She also worked hard to organize H's life.
H finally manned up and asked wife for a divorce, she was devastated, family also in turmoil, left h with no contact for months, she was pregnant and didnt tell him.
Reading this book was a roller coaster ride of different emotions . The writing was very good, story flowed but I just could not stomach both H/h's action - at least he should have tried harder with wife, or separated or something before starting relationship with h. I felt the lust, not the love. Anywho - my hope is to see another book with ex wife be h with a great ending for her with children - now that would be a great HEA.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 8, 2020
I reed this book and always imagine the male character trying to run away from his mechanic marriage unconsciously. He founded the first girl kind to him.
The life is complicated yes, but sincerely I thought him must have work his trouble with his wife.
The life is complicated yes, but sincerely I thought him must have work his trouble with his wife.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 9, 2022
Ugh.. this is a book that I would love to hate, but ended up liking it! 😩❤️
❤️
❤️
April 25, 2022
This was an interesting take on infidelity. The writing was good, but there were parts of the story that truly were fucked up if you think about it. It's easy to see how lust can be mistaken for love and we can be blinded by it, and to me this was more lust than anything else. Something new & fun, a little too insta-love, especially since there wasn't much fighting for his marriage beforehand on Michael's part. And he wasn't really looking to stray, but the fact of the matter is that he did. For a man that said it wasn't about sex, there sure was a lot of it going on between Blaine & Michael. To me, all I got was a sexual connection. Honestly, I felt bad for Blaine because she allowed herself to become the other woman and was essentially ok with it. She didn't question Michael on his marriage or why he was having an affair with her until way past the point of no return. She allowed him to explore his feelings and get to know her, while still continuing the role as husband and essentially leading a double life. Meanwhile, Blaine had a boyfriend when they first met, but broke up with him and essentially did the right thing on her part. It was pretty sad to see her always available for Michael though and completely immersed in waiting for his calls & texts. I wanted her to be stronger than that. I also expected more of a scandal, considering he's the Governor.
August 24, 2019
This book made me too angry to be able to give it a better rating...I absolutely loathed both cheaters (can’t call them hero and heroine, that would be inaccurate)...I read a lot of cheating books but something about these two selfish assholes deeply pissed me off...and the idea of these two clowns anywhere near the White House is a joke...
Once I’ve calmed down I know I’ll up my rating...but right now I’m just too damn mad
Once I’ve calmed down I know I’ll up my rating...but right now I’m just too damn mad
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 28, 2021
Talk about realistic!
Michael (H) and Veronica (wife/OW) are practically my parents! 😬🙈
– A politician with extra-marital affair. ✓
– An ideal politician's wife. ✓
– No, we don't have a mansion/wealth like H here. 😅
– No, mom's not infertile like the wife.
– I have no idea if my father's other woman is as great as Blaine (h). I have no desire to know her as a person. And it doesn't really matter cuz she's not the one committed to my mom, she's not the one who broke the marriage vow. I wish my father had done what H did and ended this lifetime of heartache a long time ago. Yes, mom could've left him if she wanted to but I think she just dgaf anymore. The hurt will always be there, buried deep but we no longer talk about it. Numb? Maybe. People are used to it already, it became a part of who he is.
Back to the book.. 😅
As for h, I actually like her. I've read this book with eyes wide open, and the author showed me a 360 view on the other woman's life, her mind, her emotions, her struggles.
For H, I also like him. No, I really like him. (My father? Not so much.) H's a good person, in and out of politics. His and h's love story was inevitable like soulmates, and it'd seem like going against fate if they didn't fight for it.
Who am I to judge/question that? I would've been furious if H stayed married to the wife just because it was the easier and less chaotic choice esp for a politician like him.
Yes, he should've ended his marriage at the start of his affair. It might be the right thing to do but it wouldn't be realistic. And H's the kind of person who really thought hard for every decision he made.
I would always want for my MCs to choose LOVE eventho it's the most difficult choice. Life is too short to just settle with second-best or someone you don't truly love.
For the wife, it hurts in the beginning. But believe me, prolonged heartache is worse. Marriage doesn't always mean that it's meant to be, I guess. 🤷🏻♀️
〰️〰️
Safe?
Michael (H) and Veronica (wife/OW) are practically my parents! 😬🙈
– A politician with extra-marital affair. ✓
– An ideal politician's wife. ✓
– No, we don't have a mansion/wealth like H here. 😅
– No, mom's not infertile like the wife.
– I have no idea if my father's other woman is as great as Blaine (h). I have no desire to know her as a person. And it doesn't really matter cuz she's not the one committed to my mom, she's not the one who broke the marriage vow. I wish my father had done what H did and ended this lifetime of heartache a long time ago. Yes, mom could've left him if she wanted to but I think she just dgaf anymore. The hurt will always be there, buried deep but we no longer talk about it. Numb? Maybe. People are used to it already, it became a part of who he is.
Back to the book.. 😅
As for h, I actually like her. I've read this book with eyes wide open, and the author showed me a 360 view on the other woman's life, her mind, her emotions, her struggles.
For H, I also like him. No, I really like him. (My father? Not so much.) H's a good person, in and out of politics. His and h's love story was inevitable like soulmates, and it'd seem like going against fate if they didn't fight for it.
Who am I to judge/question that? I would've been furious if H stayed married to the wife just because it was the easier and less chaotic choice esp for a politician like him.
Yes, he should've ended his marriage at the start of his affair. It might be the right thing to do but it wouldn't be realistic. And H's the kind of person who really thought hard for every decision he made.
I would always want for my MCs to choose LOVE eventho it's the most difficult choice. Life is too short to just settle with second-best or someone you don't truly love.
For the wife, it hurts in the beginning. But believe me, prolonged heartache is worse. Marriage doesn't always mean that it's meant to be, I guess. 🤷🏻♀️
〰️〰️
Safe?
December 16, 2017
I usually hate books with any kind of cheating but for some reason this book was able to reel me in right from the start. I know it was wrong and yet I understood where the MCs were coming from. I was a bit angry with the h at the beginning because she still has a boyfriend when she decided to see the H. But after their first kiss, she broke up with her bf so I was able to forgive her. The hero was with his wife since he was 17 so I also understood that though they’re not happy anymore, it’s not that easy to let go of decades with his wife when everything with the h was still very new.
“There is a comfort here that I don’t feel in my own bed. In the silence of morning, without a word spoken, without a touch given, in this stillness that only exists as one shakes off sleep, there is a sense of security that insists that I stay. That here I am safe. Here I am free. Here I am home.”
“My heart swells and my chest aches as I realize that while last night was the best night of my life, it does not compare to the serenity of this quiet moment; this awareness of who Blaine is to me—of who I am when I am with her. She allows me to be all that I am, and she does so with more grace and mercy than I can remember experiencing with another human being.”
“I am a husband—a husband that does not belong to her, and yet, with every passing day she gives me grace and time to figure out what the hell I’m to do with the pieces of my marriage that hold me captive.”
“It’s not that complicated with Blaine. As messy as the circumstances of our affair may be, what we share is quite simple—quite pure. It is honest and open. It is transparent and liberating. Even more, it is passionate and real—it is extraordinary.
It is all that I want.
She is all that I want.”
I loved most of the book. But towards the end I started skimming their sex scenes. It just became too much.. too repetitive that it lost its appeal already. I wish not ALL their intimate scenes were very detailed and some would just fade to black. I also didn’t like the twist at the end of her being pregnant. For me, that part just ruined everything. It was bad enough that everyone was siding with the H’s wife.. it’s bad enough that he’s the governor and thus the h will be ridiculed by the nation.. now, the fact that she was pregnant will make everyone think that he was just FORCED to marry her. So yeah... that twist didn’t help their already chaotic situation.
Overall, though this had a lot of red flags and I had major issues with the ending, I still enjoyed the majority of the story. Will definitely try the other books by this author.
3 STARS ⭐️⭐️⭐️
“There is a comfort here that I don’t feel in my own bed. In the silence of morning, without a word spoken, without a touch given, in this stillness that only exists as one shakes off sleep, there is a sense of security that insists that I stay. That here I am safe. Here I am free. Here I am home.”
“My heart swells and my chest aches as I realize that while last night was the best night of my life, it does not compare to the serenity of this quiet moment; this awareness of who Blaine is to me—of who I am when I am with her. She allows me to be all that I am, and she does so with more grace and mercy than I can remember experiencing with another human being.”
“I am a husband—a husband that does not belong to her, and yet, with every passing day she gives me grace and time to figure out what the hell I’m to do with the pieces of my marriage that hold me captive.”
“It’s not that complicated with Blaine. As messy as the circumstances of our affair may be, what we share is quite simple—quite pure. It is honest and open. It is transparent and liberating. Even more, it is passionate and real—it is extraordinary.
It is all that I want.
She is all that I want.”
I loved most of the book. But towards the end I started skimming their sex scenes. It just became too much.. too repetitive that it lost its appeal already. I wish not ALL their intimate scenes were very detailed and some would just fade to black. I also didn’t like the twist at the end of her being pregnant. For me, that part just ruined everything. It was bad enough that everyone was siding with the H’s wife.. it’s bad enough that he’s the governor and thus the h will be ridiculed by the nation.. now, the fact that she was pregnant will make everyone think that he was just FORCED to marry her. So yeah... that twist didn’t help their already chaotic situation.
Overall, though this had a lot of red flags and I had major issues with the ending, I still enjoyed the majority of the story. Will definitely try the other books by this author.
3 STARS ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 6, 2017
Earlier on this year I discovered RC Martin when she was recommended to me by a friend! Her book Guarded was amazing and I knew I had found an author who I would add to my one click list.
Heartless was passionate, sexy, sultry and romantic! I loved the characters and their personalities, they were all written so well! I loved the theme of the story itself, the forbidden, lust, love and stolen moments.
Recommend to anyone in the mood for a suspenseful romantic story of forbidden love!!
Heartless was passionate, sexy, sultry and romantic! I loved the characters and their personalities, they were all written so well! I loved the theme of the story itself, the forbidden, lust, love and stolen moments.
Recommend to anyone in the mood for a suspenseful romantic story of forbidden love!!
June 30, 2021
Blaine and Michael. He is a State governor, married for 21 years; she is a bartender, in an unhappy relationship with an artist.
His wife is always busy obsesses with their social life; Her boyfriend rarely present and when he is, he kind of forgets about her being in the same room as her.
One night after work, Michael goes to a bar where he meets Blaine. He is drawn to her instantly and she to him and Michael returns the next day, to see her, to speak to her. They both are aware that they want more, and they decide to be lovers. She breaks up with her boyfriend before she sleeps with Michael but Michale cheats his wife for 3 months.
.
His wife is always busy obsesses with their social life; Her boyfriend rarely present and when he is, he kind of forgets about her being in the same room as her.
One night after work, Michael goes to a bar where he meets Blaine. He is drawn to her instantly and she to him and Michael returns the next day, to see her, to speak to her. They both are aware that they want more, and they decide to be lovers. She breaks up with her boyfriend before she sleeps with Michael but Michale cheats his wife for 3 months.
.
January 23, 2018
a lot of readers have a hard limit with cheating in their books and that's fine but i don't. this situation in real life and my love of romanctic fiction is separate so i have no problems reaching for this type of book because it can add a layer of hurt and angst that tbh sometimes i just live for. this was not overly angsty but definitely addictive. i loved our hero and heroine regardless of their indiscretions. i rooted for them wholeheartedly whilst knowing their relationship was wrong. fiction is not real life, i can separate the two just fine. until you read the book you don't know the feelings, situation or other parties. is what they did wrong, yes. did i love this book knowing that while reading? hell yes. this story is both passionate and sexy but also sweet and romantic. the age gap here of 14 years was one of my draw cards as well. the govenor and the bartender. while it may sound cheesy as you skim this review it was ANYTHING BUT. this one ticked all the boxes for me and i was sad when it ended, i could have read about this couple for days to come. sorry not sorry.
December 4, 2017
I've never hated to love a book as much as this one! RC Martin tackles a taboo many think is too taboo to read. But I LOVED this story!!
Michael is not your typical hero, but try as you might to not like him for the choice he makes, you will love him for what is truly inside.
Blaine is not a weak woman who falls for Michael's money and power. She is just a woman who opens her heart to a man.
Love or hate the theme of the story, you will FEEL so much while reading this book. Sometimes it will be uncomfortable, sometimes it will give you the warm fuzzies, and sometimes you will be hot and bothered, in typical RC Martin fashion.
Michael is not your typical hero, but try as you might to not like him for the choice he makes, you will love him for what is truly inside.
Blaine is not a weak woman who falls for Michael's money and power. She is just a woman who opens her heart to a man.
Love or hate the theme of the story, you will FEEL so much while reading this book. Sometimes it will be uncomfortable, sometimes it will give you the warm fuzzies, and sometimes you will be hot and bothered, in typical RC Martin fashion.
July 11, 2021
I did not like the characters in this book. Blaine was really immature, and naive. I did not feel the connection between her and Micheal, nor could I understand it. I tried really hard to understand the choices they made, but could not understand it..... they were not justified. The book was not written poorly, however I found myself skimming a lot of pages. The author wrote each chapter reiterating the previous chapter as the characters "inner thoughts" this was very unnecessary. I found myself skipping over pages to get to dialogue. I feel like the book could have been a lot shorter if it was not for that.
Most of all, the story seemed very unrealistic and "too perfect".
Most of all, the story seemed very unrealistic and "too perfect".
Read
March 8, 2020Note to me... DO NOT READ THIS.... EVER!!
September 20, 2021
Al principio pensaba que le daría unas sólidas 5 ⭐️, y hasta me sabía mal, ya que la historia va de infidelidad y yo estaba encantada apoyando a los infieles a pesar de la esposa no se lo merece, pero después fue descendiendo mi calificación, a mi me encanta el drama, esta historia lo tiene, a mi me gustan las escenas hot; pero sin abusar, aquí sobran esas escenas y le restan fuerza a la historia, al drama, me gustó mucho el estilo de esta autora, leeré mas de ella sin dudar, esta se queda en 3,5 ⭐️
June 7, 2022
so apparently, cheating trope in a book is not a ‘big ick’ for me anymore
in irl tho? 🔪🔪🔪
in irl tho? 🔪🔪🔪
December 6, 2017
Michael doesn't even realize there's room available in his life, and his heart, for anything more. He's busy being a Governor, attending his wife's events, and fitting in time with his family, giving the rest to working out. Blaine is a bartender, a beautiful girl with no real direction on what she wants to do right now. Michael sees her and knows her smile isn't genuine, that something is keeping her from really being happy. It starts as a conversation and a tip, that's all it should've ever been, but it becomes something more and soon Michael is seeking a way to make Blaine's smile every day. She tries to stay honest, but something about him pulls her in and soon Blaine is wanting everything from Michael, everything he's already given to another.
"It isn't until this very moment that I realized I harbored a desire to see him again."
I have been waiting for this book for months, since R.C. Martin's last new release and the first murmurings of this book were posted online. She teased about the forbidden aspect, she posted about how much emotion and time went into it, and she posted warnings that this one may not be for everyone. Well, maybe not, but Heartless was certainly for me. I really appreciate a well done forbidden romance, because despite the fiction aspect of it, the novel is always based on a certain level of reality. Affairs and cheating happen, but we often only see one side of it and novels are one way of showing another side. R.C. Martin took on that challenge with Heartless, giving readers a glimpse into how a relationship stopped working, how another began, and how we can possibly love two flawed characters who are doing something we are told is morally wrong.
""Affair. He's having an affair. We are having an affair."
Michael and Blaine are fantastic, confident characters that independently could have had really great stories, but together have burning chemistry and a relationship that you both want and feel badly for wanting. They're interesting to read about, their relationship so intriguing, and the details about their lives together is so well fleshed out. Plus, the smut scenes between these two are HOT. Heartless is written in such a way that makes you feel sympathy for the characters, it makes you see the good in all the bad they are doing, and it makes you question your thoughts on rules and following them so rigorously. It's an emotional read with emotional characters and a significant amount of drama, but it is done so well and it really is a great read.
"How can I possibly stay? How can I possibly go?"
Okay okay, I know I am getting some looks for saying I loved this book and yet I am giving it 4 stars. I love R.C. Martin's books and it has nothing to do with her as an author. It isn't about my enjoyment of the book either, I was 100% into it, but there were some points that logistically didn't work out and that I expected a bit more from. A person in a position of political power wouldn't have gotten away with it all so easily, at least where I am from. I expected more politics in Michael's life and I expected more details into how an affair, a divorce, or even a new relationship down the line would make people react about their governor. On top of that, I wish I could've seen more of what each character was up to when separated. I feel like both characters were such strong individuals and they weren't given time apart to show those strengths as single characters, but rather only seen as strong together. Especially when Michael was dealing with his wife, I would've loved to see more about that. I do have to say I love that we get to see both characters perspectives as they work through the relationship and how they come to terms with the affair. It's nice to not see characters in negative light during and after a forbidden romance.
Heartless is a bit of a deviation from R.C. Martin's usually fare, but it also features her stunning knack for detail, her strong devotion to her belief's, and a pile of emotion and romance. It's the sort of book that you can visualize, your imagination able to picture it like a movie. It makes you feel, it makes you desire, and it makes you want to read for hours on end. R.C. Martin is the sort of author you can depend on and despite it's taboo topic, Heartless is one of those books you need to find time for.
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
"It isn't until this very moment that I realized I harbored a desire to see him again."
I have been waiting for this book for months, since R.C. Martin's last new release and the first murmurings of this book were posted online. She teased about the forbidden aspect, she posted about how much emotion and time went into it, and she posted warnings that this one may not be for everyone. Well, maybe not, but Heartless was certainly for me. I really appreciate a well done forbidden romance, because despite the fiction aspect of it, the novel is always based on a certain level of reality. Affairs and cheating happen, but we often only see one side of it and novels are one way of showing another side. R.C. Martin took on that challenge with Heartless, giving readers a glimpse into how a relationship stopped working, how another began, and how we can possibly love two flawed characters who are doing something we are told is morally wrong.
""Affair. He's having an affair. We are having an affair."
Michael and Blaine are fantastic, confident characters that independently could have had really great stories, but together have burning chemistry and a relationship that you both want and feel badly for wanting. They're interesting to read about, their relationship so intriguing, and the details about their lives together is so well fleshed out. Plus, the smut scenes between these two are HOT. Heartless is written in such a way that makes you feel sympathy for the characters, it makes you see the good in all the bad they are doing, and it makes you question your thoughts on rules and following them so rigorously. It's an emotional read with emotional characters and a significant amount of drama, but it is done so well and it really is a great read.
"How can I possibly stay? How can I possibly go?"
Okay okay, I know I am getting some looks for saying I loved this book and yet I am giving it 4 stars. I love R.C. Martin's books and it has nothing to do with her as an author. It isn't about my enjoyment of the book either, I was 100% into it, but there were some points that logistically didn't work out and that I expected a bit more from. A person in a position of political power wouldn't have gotten away with it all so easily, at least where I am from. I expected more politics in Michael's life and I expected more details into how an affair, a divorce, or even a new relationship down the line would make people react about their governor. On top of that, I wish I could've seen more of what each character was up to when separated. I feel like both characters were such strong individuals and they weren't given time apart to show those strengths as single characters, but rather only seen as strong together. Especially when Michael was dealing with his wife, I would've loved to see more about that. I do have to say I love that we get to see both characters perspectives as they work through the relationship and how they come to terms with the affair. It's nice to not see characters in negative light during and after a forbidden romance.
Heartless is a bit of a deviation from R.C. Martin's usually fare, but it also features her stunning knack for detail, her strong devotion to her belief's, and a pile of emotion and romance. It's the sort of book that you can visualize, your imagination able to picture it like a movie. It makes you feel, it makes you desire, and it makes you want to read for hours on end. R.C. Martin is the sort of author you can depend on and despite it's taboo topic, Heartless is one of those books you need to find time for.
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 3, 2018
*** ARC provided by the author for an honest review ***
What do you do when you fall in love with another person, but you are already in a relationship? RC Martin gives one interpretation of this in Heartless. Michael and Blaine must come to terms with their current relationships and their love.
Michael is governor of Colorado. Middle child of his parents, he has been happily married for sixteen years. Things aren’t all perfect, but that is the way that life is. He is looking to move forward in his position. And wants to attempt to run for office again. His wife is the perfect companion for his office, because she makes him look good. However, inside of their marriage is a sense of loss and hard time accepting that they may never have a family together. His wife shuts him out. And all he is trying to do is to fight for their relationship.
Then comes Blaine. A bartender, she works hard so that she can take care of herself and life. Her relationship with her boyfriend of two years is not satisfying, but she is unsure as to where things should go. She lost her mom to cancer four years ago, and she and her father are all that they have. It is a journey to be in a relationship after her mom’s death, but she has finally been able to open up her heart.
When Michael and Blaine meet each other, neither are looking for anything, but there is something about each of them for each other, that draws them together. This book is not a conventional romance. It is about cheaters that come together and make decisions that could change the outcome of their lives together and the lives that they have shared with others up until this point. It is a book that some people will not be able to read. And some people will not agree with the subject matter. But it is well written, and kept me interested as a reader. Five stars.
What do you do when you fall in love with another person, but you are already in a relationship? RC Martin gives one interpretation of this in Heartless. Michael and Blaine must come to terms with their current relationships and their love.
Michael is governor of Colorado. Middle child of his parents, he has been happily married for sixteen years. Things aren’t all perfect, but that is the way that life is. He is looking to move forward in his position. And wants to attempt to run for office again. His wife is the perfect companion for his office, because she makes him look good. However, inside of their marriage is a sense of loss and hard time accepting that they may never have a family together. His wife shuts him out. And all he is trying to do is to fight for their relationship.
Then comes Blaine. A bartender, she works hard so that she can take care of herself and life. Her relationship with her boyfriend of two years is not satisfying, but she is unsure as to where things should go. She lost her mom to cancer four years ago, and she and her father are all that they have. It is a journey to be in a relationship after her mom’s death, but she has finally been able to open up her heart.
When Michael and Blaine meet each other, neither are looking for anything, but there is something about each of them for each other, that draws them together. This book is not a conventional romance. It is about cheaters that come together and make decisions that could change the outcome of their lives together and the lives that they have shared with others up until this point. It is a book that some people will not be able to read. And some people will not agree with the subject matter. But it is well written, and kept me interested as a reader. Five stars.
July 18, 2019
Spoilerish review. So many thoughts on this one. A sweet and sour story that was very well written, realistic (aside from the celebrity component), and thought-provoking.
On the surface you have your asshole, cheating politician and his young, beautiful, home-wrecking mistress (a bartender no less). Add in the partner of 20 years who can’t give him babies, and yikes, too much cliche and heartbreak to handle. Fitting title!! But it’s so much better than that.
This story is not without the deceit, selfishness, and heartbreak that comes with cheating, but I didn’t hate any of the characters. In fact, I liked them all.
It’s natural to want to find the reason Michael cheated. There were glaring issues in his marriage. But there are ALWAYS issues in any marriage. This is every wife’s worst nightmare- your husband falls in love with someone else, and there’s no real explanation- just that it happened. I believe Michael and Blaine truly fell in love, consequences we damned, and that story was sweet and very steamy.
Some of Michael’s inner dialogue about his wife was hard to read, but it was very realistic. I can only hope his wife came to accept that she could find someone better suited for her, as well. They were bound by time/history, religion, and duty, not love, and they each deserved more. While I’ll never agree that cheating is an acceptable route to happiness, I did really enjoy this story. There were clear losers in this story (devastatingly so), but I’m glad at least love won. Also, I’m glad Michael and Blaine’s road to an HEA involved humiliation and pain, because those are real-life consequences of their relationship.
On the surface you have your asshole, cheating politician and his young, beautiful, home-wrecking mistress (a bartender no less). Add in the partner of 20 years who can’t give him babies, and yikes, too much cliche and heartbreak to handle. Fitting title!! But it’s so much better than that.
This story is not without the deceit, selfishness, and heartbreak that comes with cheating, but I didn’t hate any of the characters. In fact, I liked them all.
It’s natural to want to find the reason Michael cheated. There were glaring issues in his marriage. But there are ALWAYS issues in any marriage. This is every wife’s worst nightmare- your husband falls in love with someone else, and there’s no real explanation- just that it happened. I believe Michael and Blaine truly fell in love, consequences we damned, and that story was sweet and very steamy.
Some of Michael’s inner dialogue about his wife was hard to read, but it was very realistic. I can only hope his wife came to accept that she could find someone better suited for her, as well. They were bound by time/history, religion, and duty, not love, and they each deserved more. While I’ll never agree that cheating is an acceptable route to happiness, I did really enjoy this story. There were clear losers in this story (devastatingly so), but I’m glad at least love won. Also, I’m glad Michael and Blaine’s road to an HEA involved humiliation and pain, because those are real-life consequences of their relationship.
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