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Magnolia Cove #3
Hearts and Thorns
“Because I don’t, and I never will, love anything the way I love you.”
Jackson Thorn was my best friend and worst enemy, but that didn’t stop me from wanting him. From first words to high school halls, our childhood years braided a bond that wove in a direction neither of us could predict or outgrow. He was completely off-limits. But forbidden became a word we ignored. It wasn’t that we didn’t care. It was that we cared too much to let go.
We had it all planned out. We just needed to keep our secret until college. We thought we could make it. We thought we’d been careful. But all we’d managed to do was prolong the inevitable.
Our destruction. Years later, he’s back in town. He’s changed, grown colder, and he’s determined to rub salt in our wounds until I bleed anew…
An angsty and emotional forbidden romance standalone with heat and a happily ever after.
Jackson Thorn was my best friend and worst enemy, but that didn’t stop me from wanting him. From first words to high school halls, our childhood years braided a bond that wove in a direction neither of us could predict or outgrow. He was completely off-limits. But forbidden became a word we ignored. It wasn’t that we didn’t care. It was that we cared too much to let go.
We had it all planned out. We just needed to keep our secret until college. We thought we could make it. We thought we’d been careful. But all we’d managed to do was prolong the inevitable.
Our destruction. Years later, he’s back in town. He’s changed, grown colder, and he’s determined to rub salt in our wounds until I bleed anew…
An angsty and emotional forbidden romance standalone with heat and a happily ever after.
312 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 31, 2019
About the author
Ella Fields
25 books4,730 followersUSA Today and international bestselling author, Ella Fields, resides in Australia with her husband, two children, and furry critters.
A lover of chocolate, magic, and words—she enjoys exploring the sharper sides of love in varying genres of romance.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellafieldsa...
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/authorellafields/
Newsletter: http://bit.ly/2Amt3FL
A lover of chocolate, magic, and words—she enjoys exploring the sharper sides of love in varying genres of romance.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellafieldsa...
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/authorellafields/
Newsletter: http://bit.ly/2Amt3FL
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 681 reviews
January 6, 2021
Everyone knows I fangirl this author and her stories & this is the reason why. These characters are so beautiful and hurt each other and me so much I wanted to reach into the Ipad and punch them. Then drive 3 hours to Ella's house & shake her & ask why she likes to hurt me so much.
She has this ability to hurt you while still giving you hope that you’re afraid to have. Her characters are flawed and real and their love stories are never easy.
Willa and Jackson's story is everything I hoped for & some extra just to shatter me.
Get it on your TBR today. Tissues & chocolate required reading accessories for this one!
Beta read
She has this ability to hurt you while still giving you hope that you’re afraid to have. Her characters are flawed and real and their love stories are never easy.
Willa and Jackson's story is everything I hoped for & some extra just to shatter me.
Get it on your TBR today. Tissues & chocolate required reading accessories for this one!
Beta read
December 30, 2019
HEARTS AND THORNS: Is a standalone full length new adult stepbrother romance. Spoken in 'Dual Perspectives.'
Once this landed on my kindle I was off like a rocket to the beach away from social media, away from all distractions, inhaling, devouring, loving every word, getting swept away on a sea of angst. It felt like the author was playing target practice on my heart, no bandaid could fix the damage caused. A roller coaster that never ended. This book, her words packed a punch, this book was her best to date!!
When I said I was ready for this it was one big fat lie!! I was not ready!!
Nothing could've prepared me for the angst, the heartache, the turmoil this played on my mind, those angsty stabby feels left me breathless, the twists and turns this book threw at me left me floundering in it's wake, nothing prepared me for what was thrown my way!!
I felt like a survivor in a world torn country, everywhere I looked there was devastation, this book put me through the wringer, the too and fro as their tumultuous relationship played ping pong on my heart, this author pulled out all the stops!! And this is why I love her books so much!! Even though I didn't want to feel everything I felt, there was no escape!! She held me captive until the very end!!
January 1, 2020
Ella Fields is an evil woman. 😈
She might look sweet with her cute posts on social media, but with no doubt, her biggest hobby is to break-crush-smash her readers hearts!!! 😭
Nothing could prepare me for all the crying, the ache in my stomach and the sound of my heart *literally* breaking because of this book. 💔
📚 "𝗪𝗲’𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁, 𝗝𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀𝗼𝗻.”
“𝗜 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄,” 𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗶𝗱. “𝗜 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗻𝗼 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗲 𝗜’𝗱 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵.” 📚
Willa and Jackson Thorn are step siblings who have always shared a special bond - but over the years, the dynamics changed and their relationship became so much more than friendship... 💥
Although they have no blood relation, they grew up together in the same house since they were children - and that made their great love into a forbidden and a very dirty secret... 💣
📚 “𝗜𝗳 𝗵𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗲’𝘃𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝘁, 𝗜’𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿." 📚
I'm not going to lie and say this book was easy to read, because it's definitely NOT. It felt like someone punched me in the stomach - and I often had to stop and just breath... 💔
There were also moments I wondered myself if they should be together - but deep down I wished everything will work out for them. 🙏
This story will mess with your head and will make you think about what is right and what is wrong... what is allowed and what is forbidden... And what wars are worth fighting for! 💥
Willa and Jackson were perfect for one another, but their love was destructive... They made so many mistakes and caused so much pain. 😭
And their parents...? Oh my god, my heart was crushed because of their selfish choices, lies and secrets. 😱😱😱
📚 "𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗜 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗼 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵." 📚
I have to point out that their feud reminded me a of Ross and Rachel's famous fight ("We were on a break!" 😂). Jackson was often so cruel to Willa, that sometimes I wondered if he really loved her. (he did, trust me! 😂)
I haven't cried because of a book for a very long time, and still... I LOVED IT!
I want more. I miss them already. 😍
Ella is the queen of angst and heartache - but I'm always coming back for more...
So get your Kleenex ready, a glass of wine - and prepare to fall in love (eventually. HAHA) 😉😈
*** 𝕀 𝕣𝕖𝕔𝕖𝕚𝕧𝕖𝕕 𝕒𝕟 𝔸ℝℂ 𝕗𝕣𝕠𝕞 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕒𝕦𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕣 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕒𝕟 𝕙𝕠𝕟𝕖𝕤𝕥 𝕣𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨 ***
▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️
📖 ᖴOᒪᒪOᗯ ᗰE Oᑎ IᑎᔕTᗩGᖇᗩᗰ: 🎉 https://www.instagram.com/the_romanti...
📖 ᐯIᔕIT ᗰY ᗷᒪOG ᖴOᖇ ᗰOᖇE ᖇEᐯIEᗯᔕ: https://books-romance.com/
January 12, 2021
"Then he moved, his unsaid words fading into a kiss that would break a thousand rules and promises for years to come."
"We weren't only soul mates. We were stitched at the seams, unable to part without losing fragments of ourselves."
😭 😭 😭 😭 😭 😭 😭 😭 😭 😭
"We weren't only soul mates. We were stitched at the seams, unable to part without losing fragments of ourselves."
😭 😭 😭 😭 😭 😭 😭 😭 😭 😭
January 26, 2020
4.5
Hearts and Thorns by Ella Fields was one of my most anticipated reads of 2020, and how could it not be? Ella Fields is a motherfucking unicorn! No shit! The woman is magical! The level of angst in her books is unparalleled. She rips your heart out and beats you with it, punches you in the stomach, and stomps on your soul! If you don't believe me, give one of her books a try, and you'll see I speak the truth! She earned her "Queen of Angst" nickname honestly. If you're not sweating, sobbing, cursing, contemplating throwing things, breaking shit, and ending lives, it's not an Ella Fields novel!
I don't know how she does it, but at this point, I suspect it's impossible for this author to write a bad book. Every single story I've read from her has held me captive from the start. If one of her books is on my kindle, I know there's a sleepless night ahead, and that's exactly what happened this time. Willa and Jackson grabbed ahold of my heart and wouldn't let go. The emotions I felt while reading this had me an absolute mess! I felt all the feelings! My chest hurt. My eyes welled with tears. I laughed, threatened murder, and swooned! Any book that can pull all of that out of you is a damn good one. Period.
Willa and Jackson's love is beautiful, messy, complicated, and 100 percent meant to be. The fact that they're brother and sister (though not by blood) makes their journey a particularly difficult one. It's downright heartbreaking at times. My insides ached. I literally wanted to scream at the top of my lungs, but in the end, it was all worth it! 😍
Hearts and Thorns is a must read for any fan of Ella Fields or angsty new adult romance! Get your tissues, your Kindle protectors, and your alcohol ready! It's going to be a bumpy ride!
Hearts and Thorns by Ella Fields was one of my most anticipated reads of 2020, and how could it not be? Ella Fields is a motherfucking unicorn! No shit! The woman is magical! The level of angst in her books is unparalleled. She rips your heart out and beats you with it, punches you in the stomach, and stomps on your soul! If you don't believe me, give one of her books a try, and you'll see I speak the truth! She earned her "Queen of Angst" nickname honestly. If you're not sweating, sobbing, cursing, contemplating throwing things, breaking shit, and ending lives, it's not an Ella Fields novel!
I don't know how she does it, but at this point, I suspect it's impossible for this author to write a bad book. Every single story I've read from her has held me captive from the start. If one of her books is on my kindle, I know there's a sleepless night ahead, and that's exactly what happened this time. Willa and Jackson grabbed ahold of my heart and wouldn't let go. The emotions I felt while reading this had me an absolute mess! I felt all the feelings! My chest hurt. My eyes welled with tears. I laughed, threatened murder, and swooned! Any book that can pull all of that out of you is a damn good one. Period.
Willa and Jackson's love is beautiful, messy, complicated, and 100 percent meant to be. The fact that they're brother and sister (though not by blood) makes their journey a particularly difficult one. It's downright heartbreaking at times. My insides ached. I literally wanted to scream at the top of my lungs, but in the end, it was all worth it! 😍
Hearts and Thorns is a must read for any fan of Ella Fields or angsty new adult romance! Get your tissues, your Kindle protectors, and your alcohol ready! It's going to be a bumpy ride!
January 10, 2020
”We weren't an itch we could scratch. We were fire that would never extinguish, and we'd burn anything in our path to keep getting what we wanted. What we needed.”
2.75 stars
not gonna lie, i really did like this overall even though there were tropes i absolutely HATED (OP drama/scenes, miscommunication, and all that).
HOWEVER, the whole forbidden, step-sibling, taboo, thing drew me in so here i am, reading this book that i know will frustrate me to no end, and boy did it ever.
i have only read one other book by Ms. Fields and that was Kiss and Break Up and that also had tropes i hate (h walks in on H *cough* fucking *cough* another girl) but i ended up thinking it was an ok book?? i mean, i didn't like what happened of course, but i was satisfied with the grovelling but here...
what even is grovelling??
first half:
i thought Willa and Jackson as kids were so adorable! but the inner monologue and the dialogue did not make sense sometimes because they seemed WAY too highly advanced with their words but whatever.
there were TONS of teenage angst, jealousy, and petty drama here (obviously) but both characters were pretty likeable, and i was honestly H-O-O-K-E-D, HOOKED.
but of course, i was annoyed with the OW drama with Ainsley. i mean Jackson remained friends with her even after him and Willa got together and knowing Willa always saw them kissing in the past to try to push her away and he is STILL friends with her?? wtf. and he got jealous and mad at Willa being friends with Todd (OM) when it was platonic in Willa’s side?? hypocrite much...
thank GOD Jackson wasn't a man ho tho and him and Willa were each other's firsts. i thought that was really sweet.
ANYWAYS, that little fall out and the whole miscommunication was just all over the place and i was just so frustrated with both characters that i just wanted to-
let's just say, Willa pulled a Dashiell move (slept with OM) on Jackson literally hours after they broke up and Jackson was lying and hiding shit to Willa and kissed Ainsley in front of her hoping that Willa would know it was all an act but how would she even know?? *eyeroll*
i mean, Jackson's anger and heartbreak was justified but damn was he an asshole in 5 years later.
second half:
this was 5 years after they graduated high school and this is where i was REALLY frustrated with both characters.
Jackson was just a straight-up asshole with no redeeming qualities that i just wanted to punch him in the face. and that whole OW scene and drama just didn't help at all. so, yes there was an OW scene here and he was engaged to none other than Ainsley. remember her? she was the girl he used to hook up with in high school...
and the fact that Willa just went with his selfishness and asshole-ness was just frustrating as hell.
the second half definitely ruined this for me because i felt that it was rushed and Jackson was like this whole other unlikeable character that i never wanted to read about.
”We weren't only soul mates. We were stitched at the seams, unable to part without losing fragments of ourselves”
i just wished that the second half was longer and that we see more of the old Jackson that i eventually grew to like. and again, MORE GROVELLING. honestly, the grovel is what makes or break a book for me and unfortunately, i was not satisfied with the grovelling here at all.
despite the fact i hated the second half, the first half was so good and filled with sweet moments that i just wished the story ended there but nahh.
January 3, 2020
I have repeatedly stated I am finished with this writer, yet I always wind up reading the next book. I COULD say that the reason is that I really liked some of her earlier work and haven't conceded defeat.
But the real reason is I am compelled to dissect works by a writer I previously liked after they have the audacity to tell readers what they can and can't say in reviews.
So, fair warning. If you don't want spoilers, stop reading.
Anyway. This book. It was kind of a mess and sometimes it was hard to stay. Not gonna sugarcoat it, the squick factor is mighty high here. The setup of the story certainly enhances that - which is great for those who are into taboo stuff but not so great for those who aren't. For me, step-sibling romances are the least offensive of the 'forbidden' tropes, but that isn't saying much. Step-sibs are kind of a grey area because despite the lack of blood ties, they are still family. It's mildly less objectionable if their parents are no longer together, but that isn't the case here. So, read the book at your own risk.
In this story, Jackson and Willa are raised as siblings from infancy. They call their respective step-parents 'Mom' and 'Dad.' As very young children they bathe together, have sleepovers in one another's room - pretty much all the stuff that is considered acceptable in the years before the difference in gender becomes more distinct and certain contact less acceptable. But this is very much a family unit and that is emphasised over and over as the two become older and realise they have feelings inappropriate between a brother and sister. When the whole thing blows up, it's seriously ugly. Even though they aren't related, they may as well be. They've been raised as such. Everyone in their town, family church and school has always known them as siblings. So yeah, kinda shocking and scandalous.
As expected, the fallout eventually tears them apart and removes them from one another's lives for a significant length of time. The story follows a predictable path - which is to be expected - but the result could have been so much better than it was.
EF has so much potential as a writer but she misses the mark time and time again because she's lazy, and because her heroines are always victims and doormats.
This book is on the long side because of all the chapters dedicated to the couple's childhood and adolescence and the excessive number of gratuitous sex scenes. Booor-ing.
I wouldn't have finished nearly so fast if I hadn't skimmed a 2/3 of that repetitive nonsense, which felt like roughly 60% of the book.
But I never felt a connection between the H and h, never believed in their love because first off, you've got to use more than use a shallow, physical act to prove those things. All these two did was fuck. That was how they dealt with everything. Every potentially meaningful scene was hijacked by their hormones in some way.
It was so. Annoying!!
Instead of enhancement of the story and character development - which is a true test of writing skill - the easy way out was taken and any momentum broken repeatedly by scenes a chimpanzee could write. If this is genuinely considered 4 or 5 star worthy, than readers are selling themselves very short.
However, that said, the biggest problem I had was with the characters. Again, we have a weak, put-upon heroine who follows the hero like a stray puppy and laps up the crumbs he occasionally tosses her. Willa had no self-respect and seemed to have no identity without Jackson. She was pathetic through and through, stuck in a limbo of misery without him whilst he went on to flourish and even become engaged. Tell me how I am supposed to relate to people like this? I get that this is fiction and fantasy and blah, blah, blah. But WHO fantasises about being someone like Willa? Or about loving someone as mean as Jackson? Because make no mistake, the guy was mean. Like, cat-shite mean. He was beyond a jerk, even as a 7-year-old. He was cruel to Willa at school and around all his friends, rejecting and humiliating her. Instead of growing a backbone she welled up and got all sobby. She never fought back. When he was out with his gf and saw someone showing attention to Willa he followed her to the ladies' and forced her to orgasm, after which he very coldly told her to remember the next time she looked at somebody else nobody could do that to her body but him.
What. the. fuck??!
No. Hell no.
Probably the most stunning example of this heroes cruelty was him making Willa 'tell him how HE (OM) fucked her' - while he was inside her! And no matter how hard she cried he kept goading her. She had no right to be hurt and jealous of his fiancée, but he was entitled to treat her that way? God!
It was painful.
Honestly, what the actual fuck is wrong with today's writers that sexist, double-standard bullshit and misogynistic cruelty seem to have become the rules rather than the exceptions?
Shame on anyone who uses their platform as a writer to demean women rather than empower them. Strong and intelligent women demand respect and aren't possessions of arrogant males to be mistreated and used and discarded at will, and we deserve better representation in romance novels.
The ONLY reason this book didn't get a 1 star rating from me was that Jackson finally saw what an epic, rancid bag of goat spunk he was and Willa grew somewhat of a backbone. She made him work for it a little. Finally. But it was too little, too late for me, coming as it did in the last 15%-ish of the book. He needed to grovel more and it would have taken more than a few days to prove to me that he wasn't going to revert to the same miserable, cruel bastard he had been for 20 some years. I didn't like him through the whole book, didn't see any reason for Willa's utter devotion to him. There wasn't anything remotely endearing about him and I'm sorry, but I need a guy to have more going for him than how hot and sexy he is.
For the safety gals: Avoid.
This book contains multiple incidences of cheating, both emotional and physical. There are several detailed sex scenes of both hero and heroine with other people. Neither are celibate during their 5-year separation, but whilst Willa was only with one OM, Jackson was with multiple partners until becoming engaged.
But the real reason is I am compelled to dissect works by a writer I previously liked after they have the audacity to tell readers what they can and can't say in reviews.
So, fair warning. If you don't want spoilers, stop reading.
Anyway. This book. It was kind of a mess and sometimes it was hard to stay. Not gonna sugarcoat it, the squick factor is mighty high here. The setup of the story certainly enhances that - which is great for those who are into taboo stuff but not so great for those who aren't. For me, step-sibling romances are the least offensive of the 'forbidden' tropes, but that isn't saying much. Step-sibs are kind of a grey area because despite the lack of blood ties, they are still family. It's mildly less objectionable if their parents are no longer together, but that isn't the case here. So, read the book at your own risk.
In this story, Jackson and Willa are raised as siblings from infancy. They call their respective step-parents 'Mom' and 'Dad.' As very young children they bathe together, have sleepovers in one another's room - pretty much all the stuff that is considered acceptable in the years before the difference in gender becomes more distinct and certain contact less acceptable. But this is very much a family unit and that is emphasised over and over as the two become older and realise they have feelings inappropriate between a brother and sister. When the whole thing blows up, it's seriously ugly. Even though they aren't related, they may as well be. They've been raised as such. Everyone in their town, family church and school has always known them as siblings. So yeah, kinda shocking and scandalous.
As expected, the fallout eventually tears them apart and removes them from one another's lives for a significant length of time. The story follows a predictable path - which is to be expected - but the result could have been so much better than it was.
EF has so much potential as a writer but she misses the mark time and time again because she's lazy, and because her heroines are always victims and doormats.
This book is on the long side because of all the chapters dedicated to the couple's childhood and adolescence and the excessive number of gratuitous sex scenes. Booor-ing.
I wouldn't have finished nearly so fast if I hadn't skimmed a 2/3 of that repetitive nonsense, which felt like roughly 60% of the book.
But I never felt a connection between the H and h, never believed in their love because first off, you've got to use more than use a shallow, physical act to prove those things. All these two did was fuck. That was how they dealt with everything. Every potentially meaningful scene was hijacked by their hormones in some way.
It was so. Annoying!!
Instead of enhancement of the story and character development - which is a true test of writing skill - the easy way out was taken and any momentum broken repeatedly by scenes a chimpanzee could write. If this is genuinely considered 4 or 5 star worthy, than readers are selling themselves very short.
However, that said, the biggest problem I had was with the characters. Again, we have a weak, put-upon heroine who follows the hero like a stray puppy and laps up the crumbs he occasionally tosses her. Willa had no self-respect and seemed to have no identity without Jackson. She was pathetic through and through, stuck in a limbo of misery without him whilst he went on to flourish and even become engaged. Tell me how I am supposed to relate to people like this? I get that this is fiction and fantasy and blah, blah, blah. But WHO fantasises about being someone like Willa? Or about loving someone as mean as Jackson? Because make no mistake, the guy was mean. Like, cat-shite mean. He was beyond a jerk, even as a 7-year-old. He was cruel to Willa at school and around all his friends, rejecting and humiliating her. Instead of growing a backbone she welled up and got all sobby. She never fought back. When he was out with his gf and saw someone showing attention to Willa he followed her to the ladies' and forced her to orgasm, after which he very coldly told her to remember the next time she looked at somebody else nobody could do that to her body but him.
What. the. fuck??!
No. Hell no.
Probably the most stunning example of this heroes cruelty was him making Willa 'tell him how HE (OM) fucked her' - while he was inside her! And no matter how hard she cried he kept goading her. She had no right to be hurt and jealous of his fiancée, but he was entitled to treat her that way? God!
It was painful.
Honestly, what the actual fuck is wrong with today's writers that sexist, double-standard bullshit and misogynistic cruelty seem to have become the rules rather than the exceptions?
Shame on anyone who uses their platform as a writer to demean women rather than empower them. Strong and intelligent women demand respect and aren't possessions of arrogant males to be mistreated and used and discarded at will, and we deserve better representation in romance novels.
The ONLY reason this book didn't get a 1 star rating from me was that Jackson finally saw what an epic, rancid bag of goat spunk he was and Willa grew somewhat of a backbone. She made him work for it a little. Finally. But it was too little, too late for me, coming as it did in the last 15%-ish of the book. He needed to grovel more and it would have taken more than a few days to prove to me that he wasn't going to revert to the same miserable, cruel bastard he had been for 20 some years. I didn't like him through the whole book, didn't see any reason for Willa's utter devotion to him. There wasn't anything remotely endearing about him and I'm sorry, but I need a guy to have more going for him than how hot and sexy he is.
For the safety gals: Avoid.
This book contains multiple incidences of cheating, both emotional and physical. There are several detailed sex scenes of both hero and heroine with other people. Neither are celibate during their 5-year separation, but whilst Willa was only with one OM, Jackson was with multiple partners until becoming engaged.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2020
I never knew this about myself but after finishing this book, I now know with certainty that I have a glutton for punishment . This author punctures my heart in every story and what do I do time and time again? I go back for more!! I know my heart is going to be at risk, I know that whether I like it or not, she’s going to evoke the most toughest feelings out of me and I KNOW that when I read that very last sentence, I’m going to exhale for the journey that I took with a smile on my face.
“We weren’t an itch we could scratch. We were fire that would never extinguish, and we’d burn anything in our path to keep getting what we wanted.”
Step siblings and best friends since childhood, Jackson Thorn and Willa Thorn always had a special bond between them. They understood each other like no one else and their friendship felt so easy and natural like breathing for these two. But somewhere along the line, one single moment changed for these two and it was no going back because what they discovered, was bigger than what they both could have imagined.
I’m not even going to lie to you and tell you that this book was an easy read because it wasn't. There were some moments where I literally had to place a hand over my heart and try to self soothe because it was too much. These characters caused each other pain and they changed not only their lives, but a family dynamic and it was heartbreaking at times having to watch them navigate through all of the crazy while hoping your heart will come out of it unscathed.
Jackson and Willa's love was always forbidden and destructive but it was also that same love that brought them happiness, friendships, family and a timeless connection that one could only dream of having. I did not agree with everything and I will admit that certain characters had me plotting out an airtight alibi because there was no way I wasn’t going to fictional jail! But aside from that, I wholeheartedly loved this couple and their journey from childhood best friends to lovers and knowing deep down that these two were each other’s soul mates.
This is not your regular hot stepbrother romance. This story will mess you up!! These characters will leave your heart a bleeding mess and you know what? You’ll want more until the entire story consumes you!!
January 4, 2020
Wow, what a great way to start the new year...with an amazing 5 star read !! I am not surprised though, because this author really knows how to pull on my heartstrings, and she made sure to pull hard this time
I am however gonna keep this review a bit on the vague side because I think reading this one without spoilers, makes it way more enjoyable.... or should I say angsty ...
Prepare to have your hearts squeezed into tiny little pieces because no one can do teenage angst like Ella Fields can. Thankfully I am a huge angst addict, so I gobbled it up as if it was a box of cupcakes...
It started out so sweet, which only scared me more because I knew all that cute sweetness just couldn't last... and I was right. My heart was ripped right out of my chest and I watched it bleed. Okay, that may be a bit on the morbid side, but still, I was definitely heartbroken ;)
This is what I love most about the books Ella Fields writes though....is the way she can make me FEEL. For me, that is one of the most important reasons to open a book. All the freaking feels!!
I can not recommend this more... Give Willa and Jackson a try. You won't be sorry. I mean forbidden love, friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, second chance lovers.... this book has it all and the angst to boot!!
An ARC was provided to
in exchange for an honest review
January 2, 2020
Why do I keep doing this to myself? Why do I put myself through all this angst and heartbreak? Ella Fields that’s why! She puts me through hell with Willa and Jackson. Makes me frustrated and pissed as hell but the pay off is so damn worth it.
Hearts and Thorns is an addictive step siblings romance. So entertaining and even though I could anticipate the mistakes Willa and Jackson were about to make I couldn’t look away. I didn’t want to! I’m a glutton for punishment. Oh boy did these two screw up big time. They are young, they’re in love and it’s forbidden. They were bound to make mistakes and indeed they did. It hurt. How they both treated each other was uncomfortable and sad but their redemption arc back to one another was fabulous. There was no doubt that there was only one love in this story. Willa and Jackson’s love and it was inevitable. They were meant to be even though they couldn’t/wouldn’t see or admit it at times.
Hearts and Thorns is another roller coaster of a story. Ella Fields takes the reader on a journey where you get to experience all range of emotions through these flawed characters. I sure as hell did. What can I say except Ella Fields knows how to pull on my heartstrings and she succeeds again with Hearts and Thorns. I need a drink now!
4 Bug and Toad Stars
Hearts and Thorns is an addictive step siblings romance. So entertaining and even though I could anticipate the mistakes Willa and Jackson were about to make I couldn’t look away. I didn’t want to! I’m a glutton for punishment. Oh boy did these two screw up big time. They are young, they’re in love and it’s forbidden. They were bound to make mistakes and indeed they did. It hurt. How they both treated each other was uncomfortable and sad but their redemption arc back to one another was fabulous. There was no doubt that there was only one love in this story. Willa and Jackson’s love and it was inevitable. They were meant to be even though they couldn’t/wouldn’t see or admit it at times.
Hearts and Thorns is another roller coaster of a story. Ella Fields takes the reader on a journey where you get to experience all range of emotions through these flawed characters. I sure as hell did. What can I say except Ella Fields knows how to pull on my heartstrings and she succeeds again with Hearts and Thorns. I need a drink now!
4 Bug and Toad Stars
January 3, 2020
5 Stars!
(ARC provided by author)
-No matter how much time passed, nor how hard I'd tried, I'd forever be in love with my stepbrother.
Jackson and Willa grew up in the small town of Magnolia Cove. They shared the same surname in the Thorn household, and were very close. Ever since their parents married they were inseparable. They shared an unbreakable bond that strengthened through the years. They were more than step siblings, they were best friends. As they get older their relationship begins to shift as they have conflicting feelings. Then one kiss breaks all the rules, and changes everything. They thought over time maybe their feelings would fade, but what was between them couldn’t be ignored.
Trying to navigate high school, be together, and keep their family in tact, destruction soon finds Jackson and Willa as everything they hold dear blows up in their faces. Secrets and lies are exposed, and their world explodes as everything unfolds around them. All their best laid plans are broken, and the future is unsure. Soon time and distance take them in different directions, and they are left feeling ruined, heartbroken, and lost. When they cross paths again will they realize time didn’t change the effect they had on one another? Can their hearts open up again to love?
-"I feel like I need you to breathe properly."
-Need and love were a force we couldn't contend with and forever lost the battle to. We were nothing but its willing subjects, begging for more even as it was handed to us. That was how it felt to be with Willa, as though I was swimming ashore after being stuck at sea for years, only to have the coastline move farther out of reach every time I neared it.
-We were fire that would never extinguish, and we'd burn anything in our path to keep getting what we wanted. What we needed.
Hearts and Thorns by Ella Fields is the third standalone novel in the Magnolia Cove series, and can be read on its own. It’s a new adult, forbidden, stepbrother romance full of emotion, angst, and heartbreak. It has an enemies to lovers vibe through some of the story, and will rip your heart out and then put it back together again. This was such a beautiful, love story. I loved this couple and adore this series!
***NOW AVAILABLE***
https://amzn.to/39BQSKO
(ARC provided by author)
-No matter how much time passed, nor how hard I'd tried, I'd forever be in love with my stepbrother.
Jackson and Willa grew up in the small town of Magnolia Cove. They shared the same surname in the Thorn household, and were very close. Ever since their parents married they were inseparable. They shared an unbreakable bond that strengthened through the years. They were more than step siblings, they were best friends. As they get older their relationship begins to shift as they have conflicting feelings. Then one kiss breaks all the rules, and changes everything. They thought over time maybe their feelings would fade, but what was between them couldn’t be ignored.
Trying to navigate high school, be together, and keep their family in tact, destruction soon finds Jackson and Willa as everything they hold dear blows up in their faces. Secrets and lies are exposed, and their world explodes as everything unfolds around them. All their best laid plans are broken, and the future is unsure. Soon time and distance take them in different directions, and they are left feeling ruined, heartbroken, and lost. When they cross paths again will they realize time didn’t change the effect they had on one another? Can their hearts open up again to love?
-"I feel like I need you to breathe properly."
-Need and love were a force we couldn't contend with and forever lost the battle to. We were nothing but its willing subjects, begging for more even as it was handed to us. That was how it felt to be with Willa, as though I was swimming ashore after being stuck at sea for years, only to have the coastline move farther out of reach every time I neared it.
-We were fire that would never extinguish, and we'd burn anything in our path to keep getting what we wanted. What we needed.
Hearts and Thorns by Ella Fields is the third standalone novel in the Magnolia Cove series, and can be read on its own. It’s a new adult, forbidden, stepbrother romance full of emotion, angst, and heartbreak. It has an enemies to lovers vibe through some of the story, and will rip your heart out and then put it back together again. This was such a beautiful, love story. I loved this couple and adore this series!
***NOW AVAILABLE***
https://amzn.to/39BQSKO
September 23, 2020
9/21/20 Reread/buddy read time because I've really missed these characters. Loved it just as much this time around. ❤️❤️❤️
“A goodbye that never should’ve been a hello.”
So...I'm no prude when it comes to reading romance novels that push boundaries (obviously), but this one definitely goes under the category of Taboo novels that made Jenn feel slightly uncomfortable. I've read plenty of forbidden stepbrother romances, but Hearts and Thorns just felt different.
With that being said, I still devoured this book. Read it in under 24 hours and lost sleep doing it. I loved the characters, loved the progression of their relationship, loved the very real hurdles they had to face in order to be together. I enjoyed the innocence of first love in the first half of the book, and I loved the asshole alpha/enemies-to-lovers vibe of the second half.
If you're looking for a book full of angst and steam and boundary-pushing, Hearts and Thorns is just for you.
4.5/5 🌟
“A goodbye that never should’ve been a hello.”
So...I'm no prude when it comes to reading romance novels that push boundaries (obviously), but this one definitely goes under the category of Taboo novels that made Jenn feel slightly uncomfortable. I've read plenty of forbidden stepbrother romances, but Hearts and Thorns just felt different.
With that being said, I still devoured this book. Read it in under 24 hours and lost sleep doing it. I loved the characters, loved the progression of their relationship, loved the very real hurdles they had to face in order to be together. I enjoyed the innocence of first love in the first half of the book, and I loved the asshole alpha/enemies-to-lovers vibe of the second half.
If you're looking for a book full of angst and steam and boundary-pushing, Hearts and Thorns is just for you.
4.5/5 🌟
Shelved as 'nope'
January 3, 2020I love forbidden love/taboo love stories and step-siblings don't sound like a big taboo to me so they are the easiest I can accept but this one sounds like a bad example of it.
My friend Ellie's review below is enough for me to say no to this book as the hero sounds too much of a douche-bag and the heroine is once again a doormat. Also, the book sounds like a poorly written one.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My friend Ellie's review below is enough for me to say no to this book as the hero sounds too much of a douche-bag and the heroine is once again a doormat. Also, the book sounds like a poorly written one.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
January 4, 2020
REVIEW: 4.5 STARS
"Need and love were a force we couldn't contend with and forever lost the battle to."
Once again, Ella Fields made me a tangled mess of emotions for yet another one of her angsty YA/NA romances that took me on one helluva ride. It's no secret I enjoy her stories and how well they work for me. To put it simply, her words dance on the page. They’re so animated and I love the visual she gives me and she never fails to put me IN the story. Did I want to throw my kindle? I might actually admit that this time. But that's also what keeps me coming back for more. In true Ella Form, she sets to motion some chains of events that are very uncomfortable and hard to stomach. Definitely not for the faint of heart. I won't lie but I also have never claimed her books are all hearts and roses. This is literally....Hearts and Thorns.
"A hunger like ours didn't leave a lot of room for caution."
Ella’s words made me question....why is this so wrong? Why is a love that’s soul shattering like Jackson and Willa’s so wrong? I love that she can make me think outside the box; she can make me question the rule versus accepting the consequences for such a questionable action. The uncomfortable side to this whole forbidden love is made very blurry because, well - they aren’t related. But the fear and public opinion they were sure to face definitely made for a tough space to be in - on a painful perch to watch it all unfold. Add to that a very cocky teenager with pride, a young love so hopeful, and my heart was literally put through the wringer. My heart broke for their situation in every corner of every world in every realm. In no way would you be able to justify any of that with the parental units, let alone those with black and white thoughts of wrong vs right, pure vs soiled.
I know I've wanted Jackson and Willa's story since I first met them in Kiss and Break Up. They were already telling their story in the background at that point and there was no denying their connection. It was electric between them....a live wire with a pulse. Their chemistry was palpable. I felt it, I hurt for it, I needed more of it. It was caustic. It was raunchy. It was equal parts confidence destroying and confidence building. Was it toxic? In a way, maybe - but some of the deepest loves are purely undeniable in every way, regardless of the obstacles. I couldn't walk away from what was happening, and I wanted to make it all better - but damn, it was a rough ride. Such perfection mirrored in destruction.
"Time didn't change someone's effect on you; it merely hid it from you long enough to believe it could."
I couldn’t help but love them, just not their circumstance. As heartbreaking as it was, it was frustrating too because I obviously got to see it from two different POVs so I had more knowledge of the emotions and the questions flitting through their minds. But that didn't prepare me for the drama that lie ahead. So, so hard. Oh gosh, this one had my heart in a vice - squeezing ever so tightly. I was freaking out. Still thinking about it makes me sad. The words on constant repeat in my mind, doing damage to my heart were, “This isn’t fair.”
I can't deny the angst in this one had me pacing and breathing funny, because how do you put into word form the emotions that a teenager goes through with a first love that happens to be forbidden? I don't know how, but Ella seemed to do it just fine. It’s amazing how she can steal every emotion from me at varying times in the story, repeatedly - yet, they all make sense at the time I’m feeling them. I should be mad, but I have a boo-boo lip out. I should be swooning, but I want to claw his eyes out. I want to hug them and cry, but I want to slap him too. Every single emotion played a role in this book and I couldn’t deny a single one.
I love the way Ella Fields gives a voice to miscommunication with emotion and resentment in a matter of sentences. I love the turmoil she puts me through and it always reads effortlessly. I love that she gives painfully heartbroken lovers a story to tell. I'll always stand in line for the riot she will inevitably cause in my heart....willingly.
"A goodbye that never should've been a hello."
~BEE
PURCHASE: https://amzn.to/2SPJnu1
Affiliate link, Kindle Unlimited
ENTER HERE TO WIN AN ECOPY: http://bit.ly/35usF6g
"Need and love were a force we couldn't contend with and forever lost the battle to."
Once again, Ella Fields made me a tangled mess of emotions for yet another one of her angsty YA/NA romances that took me on one helluva ride. It's no secret I enjoy her stories and how well they work for me. To put it simply, her words dance on the page. They’re so animated and I love the visual she gives me and she never fails to put me IN the story. Did I want to throw my kindle? I might actually admit that this time. But that's also what keeps me coming back for more. In true Ella Form, she sets to motion some chains of events that are very uncomfortable and hard to stomach. Definitely not for the faint of heart. I won't lie but I also have never claimed her books are all hearts and roses. This is literally....Hearts and Thorns.
"A hunger like ours didn't leave a lot of room for caution."
Ella’s words made me question....why is this so wrong? Why is a love that’s soul shattering like Jackson and Willa’s so wrong? I love that she can make me think outside the box; she can make me question the rule versus accepting the consequences for such a questionable action. The uncomfortable side to this whole forbidden love is made very blurry because, well - they aren’t related. But the fear and public opinion they were sure to face definitely made for a tough space to be in - on a painful perch to watch it all unfold. Add to that a very cocky teenager with pride, a young love so hopeful, and my heart was literally put through the wringer. My heart broke for their situation in every corner of every world in every realm. In no way would you be able to justify any of that with the parental units, let alone those with black and white thoughts of wrong vs right, pure vs soiled.
I know I've wanted Jackson and Willa's story since I first met them in Kiss and Break Up. They were already telling their story in the background at that point and there was no denying their connection. It was electric between them....a live wire with a pulse. Their chemistry was palpable. I felt it, I hurt for it, I needed more of it. It was caustic. It was raunchy. It was equal parts confidence destroying and confidence building. Was it toxic? In a way, maybe - but some of the deepest loves are purely undeniable in every way, regardless of the obstacles. I couldn't walk away from what was happening, and I wanted to make it all better - but damn, it was a rough ride. Such perfection mirrored in destruction.
"Time didn't change someone's effect on you; it merely hid it from you long enough to believe it could."
I couldn’t help but love them, just not their circumstance. As heartbreaking as it was, it was frustrating too because I obviously got to see it from two different POVs so I had more knowledge of the emotions and the questions flitting through their minds. But that didn't prepare me for the drama that lie ahead. So, so hard. Oh gosh, this one had my heart in a vice - squeezing ever so tightly. I was freaking out. Still thinking about it makes me sad. The words on constant repeat in my mind, doing damage to my heart were, “This isn’t fair.”
I can't deny the angst in this one had me pacing and breathing funny, because how do you put into word form the emotions that a teenager goes through with a first love that happens to be forbidden? I don't know how, but Ella seemed to do it just fine. It’s amazing how she can steal every emotion from me at varying times in the story, repeatedly - yet, they all make sense at the time I’m feeling them. I should be mad, but I have a boo-boo lip out. I should be swooning, but I want to claw his eyes out. I want to hug them and cry, but I want to slap him too. Every single emotion played a role in this book and I couldn’t deny a single one.
I love the way Ella Fields gives a voice to miscommunication with emotion and resentment in a matter of sentences. I love the turmoil she puts me through and it always reads effortlessly. I love that she gives painfully heartbroken lovers a story to tell. I'll always stand in line for the riot she will inevitably cause in my heart....willingly.
"A goodbye that never should've been a hello."
~BEE
PURCHASE: https://amzn.to/2SPJnu1
Affiliate link, Kindle Unlimited
ENTER HERE TO WIN AN ECOPY: http://bit.ly/35usF6g
January 2, 2020
"I'm not sure how it happened, but somehwere along the way to our forever, I lost track of right now. And I ask myself, all the time if things would've been different had I just stopped and breathed with you.
I can offically say now that I'm done with Ella Fields' books. I really tried, but her books are just not for me. 'Hearts And Thorns' has not convinced me to keep reading EF's books, but in my eyes it's still her best book. There is way too much drama and maybe teenager to stupid things and to a certain degree I can tolerate it, but the characters in her books make the dumbest choices as a teenager AND as adults. But no matter how much I always rave about the books, I have to admit that Ella Fields has the talent to make you feel, it's not always good but every time I finish one of her books I have very strong emotions about it and that's a talent too.
'Hearts and Thorns' wasn't even bad until the 50% mark. I liked it until then and acutally would have given it 4 stars. Willa and Jackson are step siblings since they were babies and over the years when they were growing up, they were falling in love with each other. Childhood best friends to lovers is really not my trope, but I was rooting for Willa and Jackson so hard to get their happy end! They were so freaking cute together. The things Jackson would do for Willa and vise versa. I'm soft! The scenes when Jackson would push Willa away in school, because he doesn't want to seem "too close to his stepsibling" … arg the angst was killing me!
But then came the big downfall. When their relationship was outed to their parents, it was awful. The things Victoria and Heath said and did to Willa and Jackson. My heart broke. I was so angry at their parents, I mean I should be used to parents being horrible in New Adults and Contempory romances, which is mostly the case, but it still shocked me. They destroyed the whole family dynamic. It takes more than two scenes to make me forgive them.
My biggest problem in the last half was Jackson. I really liked him, but he was the biggest asshole. I just wanted to slap him everytime he opened his mouth. How can one person turn from hero to villain so fast?! I was disgusted with Jackson behaviour. His behaviour to Ainsley was unfair. I don't even want to start with how he treated Willa as if she's the biggest scum on earth. Honestly if a man treats you like that… run as fast as you can! That's what Willa should have done, instead she let Jackson pull her down over and over again.
Everything was one freaking mess and I'd like to unread it and stop the book at the middle. I would honestly prefer to end the book when Willa and Jackson broke up than ruining their characters by making them sleep with other people and acting cruel. As I mentioned before, it's the best Ella Field book but it was still such a huge letdown.
*ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 23, 2020
4 ⭐'s
This is the third book in the Magnolia Cove series so we've already met Jackson and Wilma and I thought I was prepared but oh my, I certainly wasn't.
Jackson and Willa are step siblings and before I didn't think it was too bad that they would be in a relationship BUT...they are step siblings who have been together since they were toddlers. And for me, that's just a tad bit uncomfortable.
I thought that would be the only source of discomfort but things get so much worse. After things hit the proverbial fan, Jackson isn't as reliable as he should have been. That leaves Willa in unsettling waters and when Jackson's plan comes to fruition, it blows everything else out of the water.
Then we're hit with the unforgiving time jump. ~Sigh~ Lots has happened on both sides and things get even more angsty than you can imagine.
In the prior books, Jackson always seemed very loving towards Willa, so I was a bit more shocked in this book especially after the time jump. He's very cold-blooded...and while understandable, he takes none of the blame.
Willa takes all of Jackson's hits until finally she stands up for herself. Unfortunately, she has to deal with her parents and all that entails.
This forbidden romance is very enticing and complicated but I loved when we saw the softer side of Jackson. All the angst was amazing except the partner switch seemed a bit too much...and what was the point?
I loved how it ended and the epilogue was amazing. It seems like this is it for the series but I was really hoping for a book for Raven.
This is the third book in the Magnolia Cove series so we've already met Jackson and Wilma and I thought I was prepared but oh my, I certainly wasn't.
Jackson and Willa are step siblings and before I didn't think it was too bad that they would be in a relationship BUT...they are step siblings who have been together since they were toddlers. And for me, that's just a tad bit uncomfortable.
I thought that would be the only source of discomfort but things get so much worse. After things hit the proverbial fan, Jackson isn't as reliable as he should have been. That leaves Willa in unsettling waters and when Jackson's plan comes to fruition, it blows everything else out of the water.
Then we're hit with the unforgiving time jump. ~Sigh~ Lots has happened on both sides and things get even more angsty than you can imagine.
In the prior books, Jackson always seemed very loving towards Willa, so I was a bit more shocked in this book especially after the time jump. He's very cold-blooded...and while understandable, he takes none of the blame.
Willa takes all of Jackson's hits until finally she stands up for herself. Unfortunately, she has to deal with her parents and all that entails.
This forbidden romance is very enticing and complicated but I loved when we saw the softer side of Jackson. All the angst was amazing except the partner switch seemed a bit too much...and what was the point?
I loved how it ended and the epilogue was amazing. It seems like this is it for the series but I was really hoping for a book for Raven.
January 8, 2020
''We weren't only soul mates.
We were stitched at the seams, unable to part
without losing fragments of ourselves.’’
Well, I guess when I started reading this that I just felt like ripping my heart out and entering a deep pool of sadness and angst *shrugs*.
Hearts and Thorns is a new standalone new adult stepbrother romance from the Magnolia Cove Series, and told through both Jackson’s and Willa’s POV.
Taboo in romance is complicated trope, because the lines are sometimes so thin between a forbidden romance and something that is almost unacceptable, it’s a complicated thing to get just right. However, Ella Fields does just that in Hearts and Thorns. She brings us a multifaceted romance, that has a kaleidoscope of drama and angst, but also one that can be heartfelt and pure.
I honestly wasn’t too impressed with Kiss and Break Up, the first book in this series and wasn’t too sure if I wanted to continue reading the next installments. However, after seeing some great reviews I decided to give Hearts and Thorns a try, and I’m really glad I did. I’m probably going to go back and read the second book Forever and Never now.
The story is divided into two parts, the first is when Jackson and Willa are kids and best friends. They always shared a deep connection, but as they get older and start navigating high school, their relationship begins to shift. They start getting jealous of other people and very conflicted with their feelings. That’s until Jackson plans a birthday surprise for Willa, and one kiss changes everything. They try to fight it and ignore it (especially Jackson) putting some space between them.
But they are young and immature, their relationship is exposed, bringing them apart. Their families split them up, and broken and confused they make a lot of bad decisions. Jackson and Willa are now going to different colleges, their future is uncertain and life guides them in very different directions.
That’s how we enter part two. It’s five years later, and everything changed. They learn new things about themselves and their families and need to tackle some ghosts of the past if they ever want a chance at a future together.
The second part was a bit overdramatic, with one-two many ‘’false reconciliations’’. But overall this was a very sweet book that brings on some heavy angst and keeps you thinking about it long after you finish reading it.
January 19, 2020
When childhood innocence transforms into forbidden romance, Ella Fields delivers a bittersweet narrative that touches on more than falling in love with someone you shouldn’t—it’s about family, heartache and forgiveness. Hearts and Thorns, evocative in deliverance and angst-ridden in content, traverses the tumultuous waves of first loves and second chances that will leave your heart tattered and bruised, but the true authentic qualities and the overall deliverance ensures this heart-rending narrative will resonate with readers.
We weren’t an itch we could scratch. We were fire that would never extinguish, and we’d burn anything in our path to keep getting what we wanted.
Destruction was inevitable for Willa and Jackson. Pure, childhood innocence turned into a forbidden connection—an intoxication and exhilaration, albeit dishonest and secretive as they deceived family and friends. It didn’t diminish or minimise their romance though, it only made it more worthwhile because, despite the unavoidable heartache, true love overcomes adversities. Willa and Jackson's chemistry rendered my emotions exhausted but soaring as they were allowed a second chance to rekindle a distinct bond difficult to dismantle.
“We’ll never be perfect, Jackson.”
“I know,” he said. “I know, but there’s no one else I’d rather be imperfect with.”
Hearts and Thorns is raw, full of endless heartache, though full with beloved life experiences of falling unconditionally and irrevocably in love; of bittersweet first loves and second chances in romance; of traversing the treacherous waves unfairly hurled at us, but returning with renewed strength and feeling indestructible. Hearts and Thorns is wonderfully enthralling and without fail, it realistically demonstrates that love isn’t easy—sometimes it is bittersweet, complex beyond recognition, full of heart-aching emotions and frayed around the edges, but tender moments and irreplaceable memories await.
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January 2, 2020
Release Date: January 3, 2020
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
New Adult | Forbidden | Stepbrother Romance
Hearts & Thorns is the third book in the Magnolia Cove series but can stand alone. This book is a young adult/new adult crossover, but I recommend it more for new adult readers rather than young adults. This is because the book has a slightly taboo plot , sex, drinking, and all that other fun stuff we adults enjoy! Half of the book takes place in high school, the other half when the characters are adults. Hence the reason I’m saying it’s a crossover.
That being said, Ella has given her readers another angst filled and DRAMATIC read with the best kind of slow burn around. This book set my heart on FIRE. I read it in one sitting because I honestly couldn’t look away from the pages. I was enamored with the story and hooked to it from beginning to end. There were a few things that got on my nerves of course, doesn’t every book have SOMETHING that niggles at you? But other than that, I found it to be a fantastic read. I know romance readers who have enjoyed Ella’s books in the past are going to go CRAZY for this one!
If you’ve read the first two books in this series, you’ll remember Jackson and Willa. They are the stepsiblings that got caught “being together” (to put it nicely). Willa was shown in those books to be sent away to live with her father because of their forbidden relationship but we didn’t know EXACTLY what went down. Until now…
Readers will get an in depth look at how Jackson and Willa got together in the first place and the aftermath of getting caught. This is a FORBIDDEN , stepbrother romance of the PUREEST KIND. You will feel each and every emotion that goes through both of them and feel as if you’re there living the hell they are put through with them. Their story isn’t an easy one to read in terms of emotions and what happens between them, but so worth it! I can’t wait to see what the rest of the world thinks!
Of course, I enjoyed this book (duh, who doesn’t enjoy an Ella Fields book). However, I did mention that one thing annoyed me which prevented me from giving it the full five stars and that’s how STUPID Jackson got with Willa. I couldn’t STAND how easy it was for him to push her away and I wanted to go into the book and slap him! He’s the reason for the angst and my wanting to toss my iPad out the window! Some readers are bound to feel the same. Other than this, he redeemed himself and I loved Willa to pieces!
So, go forth and read this beautifully FORBIDDEN read. I know so many of you are going to LOVE IT!
_________________________________________
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Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
New Adult | Forbidden | Stepbrother Romance
Hearts & Thorns is the third book in the Magnolia Cove series but can stand alone. This book is a young adult/new adult crossover, but I recommend it more for new adult readers rather than young adults. This is because the book has a slightly taboo plot , sex, drinking, and all that other fun stuff we adults enjoy! Half of the book takes place in high school, the other half when the characters are adults. Hence the reason I’m saying it’s a crossover.
That being said, Ella has given her readers another angst filled and DRAMATIC read with the best kind of slow burn around. This book set my heart on FIRE. I read it in one sitting because I honestly couldn’t look away from the pages. I was enamored with the story and hooked to it from beginning to end. There were a few things that got on my nerves of course, doesn’t every book have SOMETHING that niggles at you? But other than that, I found it to be a fantastic read. I know romance readers who have enjoyed Ella’s books in the past are going to go CRAZY for this one!
If you’ve read the first two books in this series, you’ll remember Jackson and Willa. They are the stepsiblings that got caught “being together” (to put it nicely). Willa was shown in those books to be sent away to live with her father because of their forbidden relationship but we didn’t know EXACTLY what went down. Until now…
Readers will get an in depth look at how Jackson and Willa got together in the first place and the aftermath of getting caught. This is a FORBIDDEN , stepbrother romance of the PUREEST KIND. You will feel each and every emotion that goes through both of them and feel as if you’re there living the hell they are put through with them. Their story isn’t an easy one to read in terms of emotions and what happens between them, but so worth it! I can’t wait to see what the rest of the world thinks!
Of course, I enjoyed this book (duh, who doesn’t enjoy an Ella Fields book). However, I did mention that one thing annoyed me which prevented me from giving it the full five stars and that’s how STUPID Jackson got with Willa. I couldn’t STAND how easy it was for him to push her away and I wanted to go into the book and slap him! He’s the reason for the angst and my wanting to toss my iPad out the window! Some readers are bound to feel the same. Other than this, he redeemed himself and I loved Willa to pieces!
So, go forth and read this beautifully FORBIDDEN read. I know so many of you are going to LOVE IT!
_________________________________________
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January 5, 2020
Hearts and Thorns is an angsty YA romance that gave me all the feels, and I wholeheartedly loved it. Ella Fields is the master at drawing every single emotion out of you with the stories she delivers. Without fail, she obliterates my poor heart every time and then somehow makes it whole again. And she really knocked it out of the park with this one. I'm talking some serious teenage angst perfection right here. It was absolutely delicious and addicting!
Since childhood, Willa and Jackson Thorn have not only been step siblings but best friends as well. They shared a special bond and were practically inseparable. But over the years, their friendship began to shift as romantic feelings developed. Then one kiss... One single moment changed their lives forever.
These two were the perfect pair. I loved their playful banter, their ease with one another, and when they touched, it was absolutely electric. But then the inevitable happened and their secret was revealed. Their plan was destroyed and the two were ultimately forced to part. But after some time and distance, their paths crossed once again. Would those old feelings resurface or was everything over for good?
This book was absolutely amazing! Ella Fields held nothing back when she wrote Heart and Thorns. It was a rollercoaster ride full of angst, drama, jealousy, lies and betrayal. Oh my poor heart! This is in fact my new favorite Ella Fields book to date! All the stars and more for Willa and Jackson's heartbreakingly beautiful love story!
Since childhood, Willa and Jackson Thorn have not only been step siblings but best friends as well. They shared a special bond and were practically inseparable. But over the years, their friendship began to shift as romantic feelings developed. Then one kiss... One single moment changed their lives forever.
These two were the perfect pair. I loved their playful banter, their ease with one another, and when they touched, it was absolutely electric. But then the inevitable happened and their secret was revealed. Their plan was destroyed and the two were ultimately forced to part. But after some time and distance, their paths crossed once again. Would those old feelings resurface or was everything over for good?
This book was absolutely amazing! Ella Fields held nothing back when she wrote Heart and Thorns. It was a rollercoaster ride full of angst, drama, jealousy, lies and betrayal. Oh my poor heart! This is in fact my new favorite Ella Fields book to date! All the stars and more for Willa and Jackson's heartbreakingly beautiful love story!
January 16, 2020
CRYING!!
I’ve been waiting for Willa and Jackson’s book for so long, but I think I massively underestimated the emotional journey their story was going to take me on. Have you ever had that feeling when reading, where you can physically feel your heart clench and you’re on the verge of tears, but you have to keep going because stopping isn’t an option? Yeah...me too. I really have loved this whole series, but this one was pretty special
I’ve been waiting for Willa and Jackson’s book for so long, but I think I massively underestimated the emotional journey their story was going to take me on. Have you ever had that feeling when reading, where you can physically feel your heart clench and you’re on the verge of tears, but you have to keep going because stopping isn’t an option? Yeah...me too. I really have loved this whole series, but this one was pretty special
January 10, 2020
**4.5 stars**
Ella Fields… You woman, have made me eating by the palm of your hands.
My first read of the year and it starts with a bang!
Hearts and Thorns is just mind-glowingly good. Talk about taboo! Talk about angst! Talk about the level of chemistry that makes you feel like there are fireworks bursting inside you.
Jackson and Willa’s love story is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea but by god is it worth all that messy, dysfunctional, heartbreaking love story of love. Brace yourself for a book that will have you grasping for air to breathe because you will feel like you are wasting precious moments every time you take a breath.
This book is hands down the best start of the year.
It has without a doubt taboo written all over it but if you can move past that,you will find a lovestory that is freaking hot, angsty AF, filled with so much unconditional love and oh lord these characters will ruin you.
Ella Fields… You woman, have made me eating by the palm of your hands.
My first read of the year and it starts with a bang!
Hearts and Thorns is just mind-glowingly good. Talk about taboo! Talk about angst! Talk about the level of chemistry that makes you feel like there are fireworks bursting inside you.
Jackson and Willa’s love story is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea but by god is it worth all that messy, dysfunctional, heartbreaking love story of love. Brace yourself for a book that will have you grasping for air to breathe because you will feel like you are wasting precious moments every time you take a breath.
This book is hands down the best start of the year.
It has without a doubt taboo written all over it but if you can move past that,you will find a lovestory that is freaking hot, angsty AF, filled with so much unconditional love and oh lord these characters will ruin you.
January 15, 2020
I come to you today not making a glowing review about how much I love Jackson and Willa (they’re the best!). But to instead, talk about Ainsley. If any teenagers read this book and by chance read my review. Please let it be known to NEVER act like her. What she did was sneaky, low, and desperate. No man is worth your self respect and dignity. Not only did Ainsley and Jackson live together and even get engaged, it didn’t change the fact that Jackson would never commit to her. Truly commit.
She knew that. And she stayed anyway. She sold herself short and wasted her time on a man who could careless about her. With the way things happened where Willa was concerned, it was glaringly obvious that Ainsley would never be more than a poor imitation for Jackson’s loss of Willa.
Few. Glad I got that off my chest. And damn, good riddance to her!!
Jackson was also a dummy. A huge dummy. But I feel like the falling apart of the relationship was pretty realistic for eighteen year olds. I couldn’t help but be on Willa’s side the entire book. I’m biased like that!
Overall, I adored this. Especially the parts when they were kids and just best friends.
******
SO READY!!!
She knew that. And she stayed anyway. She sold herself short and wasted her time on a man who could careless about her. With the way things happened where Willa was concerned, it was glaringly obvious that Ainsley would never be more than a poor imitation for Jackson’s loss of Willa.
Few. Glad I got that off my chest. And damn, good riddance to her!!
Jackson was also a dummy. A huge dummy. But I feel like the falling apart of the relationship was pretty realistic for eighteen year olds. I couldn’t help but be on Willa’s side the entire book. I’m biased like that!
Overall, I adored this. Especially the parts when they were kids and just best friends.
******
SO READY!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2020
5 HEART GRIPPING STARS!! Jackson and Willa's story is beautiful, painful and will touch every emotion button you have. Be ready Ella Fields takes us readers on a journey you will never forget. I loved these characters, but let me tell you....there were times I wanted to kill Jackson and I also wanted to hug him. You definitely need this book in your lives.
Shelved as 'avoid-and-run-away'
March 30, 2020Note:
January 14, 2020
4.5 stars
For that was what we were doing, speaking a different language. A language that tasted of disaster and sin but felt like promise and perfection.
The queen of angst is back again! Whereas I didn’t feel the angst so much in her last two or three books, you can only imagine how happy I was finally feeling this knot in my stomach again.
Always waiting for the other shoe to drop. Not knowing how things will turn out, breaking my heart over and over again.
We were fire that would never extinguish, and we’d burn anything in our path to keep getting what we wanted. What we needed.
I loved how Ella Fields laid out the story. Following two kids caring for each other, growing up together and discovering their true feelings for each other.
And she perfectly played the age cards. The kids acted as kids, the teenager acted like true teenagers would. Everything was down to earth, nothing fancy and truly believable.
Heartbreak and peril had never tasted so sweet.
Willa and Jackson are such a wonderful couple. Through all their years together they formed a unique bound. They were simply meant to be. But they also had to learn a lot, they had a lot growing up to do.
They both made mistakes, mistakes you make as a kid and a teenager. That’s all part of growing up. So their story feels true and real.
…but there is no one else I’d rather be imperfect with.
The way the story is told and the way it unfolds is spellbinding. Due to Ella’s immense writing skills, she makes you easily fall in love with her characters. She binds your heart to them so that you have no choice but to follow this train of heartbreaks. But it’s so worth it!
We weren’t only soul mates. We were stitched at the seams, unable to part without losing fragments of ourselves.
Hearts and Thorns is another masterpiece by Ella Fields. If you are up for a train ride of broken hearts, this one is for you!
For that was what we were doing, speaking a different language. A language that tasted of disaster and sin but felt like promise and perfection.
The queen of angst is back again! Whereas I didn’t feel the angst so much in her last two or three books, you can only imagine how happy I was finally feeling this knot in my stomach again.
Always waiting for the other shoe to drop. Not knowing how things will turn out, breaking my heart over and over again.
We were fire that would never extinguish, and we’d burn anything in our path to keep getting what we wanted. What we needed.
I loved how Ella Fields laid out the story. Following two kids caring for each other, growing up together and discovering their true feelings for each other.
And she perfectly played the age cards. The kids acted as kids, the teenager acted like true teenagers would. Everything was down to earth, nothing fancy and truly believable.
Heartbreak and peril had never tasted so sweet.
Willa and Jackson are such a wonderful couple. Through all their years together they formed a unique bound. They were simply meant to be. But they also had to learn a lot, they had a lot growing up to do.
They both made mistakes, mistakes you make as a kid and a teenager. That’s all part of growing up. So their story feels true and real.
…but there is no one else I’d rather be imperfect with.
The way the story is told and the way it unfolds is spellbinding. Due to Ella’s immense writing skills, she makes you easily fall in love with her characters. She binds your heart to them so that you have no choice but to follow this train of heartbreaks. But it’s so worth it!
We weren’t only soul mates. We were stitched at the seams, unable to part without losing fragments of ourselves.
Hearts and Thorns is another masterpiece by Ella Fields. If you are up for a train ride of broken hearts, this one is for you!
December 29, 2019
Every time I read an Ella Field’s book I try to prepare my heart for what it’s about to encounter and every time I end up with my heart hurting, tears streaming down my face not knowing what to do with my life. This time was no exception. Ella Field’s has just shattered my heart with Heart and Thorns, completely blew it to pieces.
“I feel like I need you to breathe properly.”
I have loved every story in this series but I’ve always been intrigued by Willa and Jackson’s story. A stepbrother romance, deeply forbidden which I just knew I would inhale.
It was her. Always fucking her.
Jackson completely stole my breath away. I felt his hurt and anguish deep in my bones but boy when he fucked up, I wanted to slap him silly!
I didn’t think it would be this hard. Trying to breathe without you.
Ella Fields never fails to bring the angst in her books. She never fails to make me feel a thousand different emotions. She never fails to make me cry and she never fails to make me stop adulting to inhale her words.
If you’ve never read this author before, then do it. Because you are missing out massively if you haven’t had your heart destroyed by her.
“I feel like I need you to breathe properly.”
I have loved every story in this series but I’ve always been intrigued by Willa and Jackson’s story. A stepbrother romance, deeply forbidden which I just knew I would inhale.
It was her. Always fucking her.
Jackson completely stole my breath away. I felt his hurt and anguish deep in my bones but boy when he fucked up, I wanted to slap him silly!
I didn’t think it would be this hard. Trying to breathe without you.
Ella Fields never fails to bring the angst in her books. She never fails to make me feel a thousand different emotions. She never fails to make me cry and she never fails to make me stop adulting to inhale her words.
If you’ve never read this author before, then do it. Because you are missing out massively if you haven’t had your heart destroyed by her.
January 3, 2020
My poor aching heart. What a rush. Hearts and Thorns will obliterate you—talk about angst overload!
I’ve been impatiently waiting for Willa and Jackson’s story knowing it was gonna be brutal but in the very best way.
The hurt and pain was worth it and Ella Fields can tell a tale like no other. There were moments I had to take breaks, not gonna lie. I live for angsty books—and god did she deliver. I’m shocked my kindle made it through in tact since I had to force myself to not smash it against the wall!!
Hearts and Thorns isn’t a hearts and flowers kind of read. There’s hurt and pain and broken hearts and lots of tears shed. But it’s worth every tear.
And I didn’t want it to end.
Jackson and Willa’s journey isn’t an easy one, but love never is. Ella Fields truly is the queen of all things angsty and forbidden and I’m desperate for more of her words!
I’ve been impatiently waiting for Willa and Jackson’s story knowing it was gonna be brutal but in the very best way.
The hurt and pain was worth it and Ella Fields can tell a tale like no other. There were moments I had to take breaks, not gonna lie. I live for angsty books—and god did she deliver. I’m shocked my kindle made it through in tact since I had to force myself to not smash it against the wall!!
Hearts and Thorns isn’t a hearts and flowers kind of read. There’s hurt and pain and broken hearts and lots of tears shed. But it’s worth every tear.
And I didn’t want it to end.
Jackson and Willa’s journey isn’t an easy one, but love never is. Ella Fields truly is the queen of all things angsty and forbidden and I’m desperate for more of her words!
January 3, 2020
Rated 4.5 Stars
Hearts and Thorns was angsty, sexy and an emotional rollercoaster of epic proportions. I loved it and hated it; I loved that it had me so emotionally invested in it to the point where I didn't want to put it down and hated a lot of the things the characters did but man what a great story. I was obsessed with Willa's and Jack's story. It was rough, they made stupid decisions but their love endured through it all. I thoroughly enjoyed this book even though it put me through the emotional wringer. I definitely recommend it.
Hearts and Thorns was angsty, sexy and an emotional rollercoaster of epic proportions. I loved it and hated it; I loved that it had me so emotionally invested in it to the point where I didn't want to put it down and hated a lot of the things the characters did but man what a great story. I was obsessed with Willa's and Jack's story. It was rough, they made stupid decisions but their love endured through it all. I thoroughly enjoyed this book even though it put me through the emotional wringer. I definitely recommend it.
December 28, 2019
➳ Rate: 5 / 5 stars
No one pulls at my heartstrings quite like Ella Fields, because she not only makes my heart hurt but my whole body react to the angst in her books. You know what am saying? That heart ache, sick to my stomach feling? Yup, that's pretty accurate and exactly how Jackson and Willa made me feel at times.
I had been waiting for this book for what truly felt like forever. In Kiss and Break Up we got our first taste of these two, in Forever and Never we got another hint of their story but with all the theories and scenerios I could have come up with, I would have never come up with the crazy ansgt filled ride these two lived.
I loved that Ella gave us a little of their childhood and we got to see a lot of their growing up and how their relationship grew and changed throughout the years.. it really helped in understanding them and their connection better and obviously made me fall in them all the more. Jackson and Willa will make you feel all the things and you'll get to experience every single emotion with them. Their story is not an easy one and the tittle holds true to its words... there is a lot of heart and there are a lot of thorns and same happens with the old tittle oh yes... there are a lot of lies and goodbyes too. (Excuse me, I'm getting emotional over here)
There is so much I want to say but I feel like I'm already rambling so I'm sorry and please bare with me. It's all still so fresh and I'm still a mess, truth be told. Ella had me crying before the 20% mark and at the point, I had no clue what was still ahead for me. I started this book last night and well I finished it one sitting, it was 3 am and I read the end and oh boy I'm still processing all the emotions. Jackson and Willa completely consumed me, their story pulled me in and didn't want to let go. I just had to keep reading and get to that HEA, get to that part where Ella puts all the little pieces of my shattered heart back together. It happens, fear not. After all the tears, heartache and rage of emotions you'll get to breath out and revel in the beauty of their happy ending.
No matter what I've come to expect from Ella and her books, she always manages to surprise me and go so beyond what I had expected and wanted. I love her words, worlds and characters and in this book I not only got to see all the other Magnolia Cove characters but also got a mention of Gray Springs which made my heart full and had me craving a reread. There were also some characters in this book that I kind of hope, if not now then someday, that they get their own stories told, that they get their HEA. Yes, I want a book for Todd (I'm not gonna say who he is, he's a new character), he went through a lot and my heart hurt for him too and now craves to read his own HEA and I also really want a book for Raven, okay Ella?
Hearts and Thorns is so much more than a forbidden stepbrothers romance though, it's a story about family, a family that runs deeper than blood and about forgiveness, forgiving those who hurt us the most, sometimes the ones who we love and love us the most too. It's a story about first loves that are never forgotten, about heartbreaks that time and distance don't heal and about second chances that might take some time but are so worth it.
Ella Fields did it again! Jackson and Willa were everything and so much more! Their story was a rollercoaster of angst that built and built with each chapter. These two characters are so lovable, even with all the frustration and craziness of their actions that had me a mess, it's impossible not to love them and pray and pray for them to work things out. I'm kind of hoping this wasn't the end to this series and that I'll get to see all these characters again but if it was the end for Magnolia Cove than it was a fantastic one!
➳ARC kindly provided by author, in exchange for an honest review.
➳ Follow me on: Blog ⁕ Instagram ⁕ Facebook ⁕ Twitter
No one pulls at my heartstrings quite like Ella Fields, because she not only makes my heart hurt but my whole body react to the angst in her books. You know what am saying? That heart ache, sick to my stomach feling? Yup, that's pretty accurate and exactly how Jackson and Willa made me feel at times.
I had been waiting for this book for what truly felt like forever. In Kiss and Break Up we got our first taste of these two, in Forever and Never we got another hint of their story but with all the theories and scenerios I could have come up with, I would have never come up with the crazy ansgt filled ride these two lived.
I loved that Ella gave us a little of their childhood and we got to see a lot of their growing up and how their relationship grew and changed throughout the years.. it really helped in understanding them and their connection better and obviously made me fall in them all the more. Jackson and Willa will make you feel all the things and you'll get to experience every single emotion with them. Their story is not an easy one and the tittle holds true to its words... there is a lot of heart and there are a lot of thorns and same happens with the old tittle oh yes... there are a lot of lies and goodbyes too. (Excuse me, I'm getting emotional over here)
There is so much I want to say but I feel like I'm already rambling so I'm sorry and please bare with me. It's all still so fresh and I'm still a mess, truth be told. Ella had me crying before the 20% mark and at the point, I had no clue what was still ahead for me. I started this book last night and well I finished it one sitting, it was 3 am and I read the end and oh boy I'm still processing all the emotions. Jackson and Willa completely consumed me, their story pulled me in and didn't want to let go. I just had to keep reading and get to that HEA, get to that part where Ella puts all the little pieces of my shattered heart back together. It happens, fear not. After all the tears, heartache and rage of emotions you'll get to breath out and revel in the beauty of their happy ending.
No matter what I've come to expect from Ella and her books, she always manages to surprise me and go so beyond what I had expected and wanted. I love her words, worlds and characters and in this book I not only got to see all the other Magnolia Cove characters but also got a mention of Gray Springs which made my heart full and had me craving a reread. There were also some characters in this book that I kind of hope, if not now then someday, that they get their own stories told, that they get their HEA. Yes, I want a book for Todd (I'm not gonna say who he is, he's a new character), he went through a lot and my heart hurt for him too and now craves to read his own HEA and I also really want a book for Raven, okay Ella?
Hearts and Thorns is so much more than a forbidden stepbrothers romance though, it's a story about family, a family that runs deeper than blood and about forgiveness, forgiving those who hurt us the most, sometimes the ones who we love and love us the most too. It's a story about first loves that are never forgotten, about heartbreaks that time and distance don't heal and about second chances that might take some time but are so worth it.
Ella Fields did it again! Jackson and Willa were everything and so much more! Their story was a rollercoaster of angst that built and built with each chapter. These two characters are so lovable, even with all the frustration and craziness of their actions that had me a mess, it's impossible not to love them and pray and pray for them to work things out. I'm kind of hoping this wasn't the end to this series and that I'll get to see all these characters again but if it was the end for Magnolia Cove than it was a fantastic one!
➳ARC kindly provided by author, in exchange for an honest review.
➳ Follow me on: Blog ⁕ Instagram ⁕ Facebook ⁕ Twitter
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