Reed Wilder, a guarded corporate man from Philadelphia, is looking for himself when he moves to Ocean City, Maryland. However, a rocky childhood makes him afraid of commitment. When he walks into Midsummer Nights and meets the attractive bartender who owns it, he’ll have to decide if love might actually be worth the risk. Will Lysander and Reed get on the same page about commitment, or will they continue hiding the true desires and fears of their hearts?

This sweet m/m standalone 35,000-word novella is also a prequel to the popular Lines in the Sand series.

My Rating: 

Favorite Quotes:

It’s unfortunate. My mom always told me the good ones are either serial killers or gay.

Now, listen, when the wedding comes along, I think you should pick purple as your color. I know, I know, you’re not crazy about it, but I look ravishing in purple.

I really couldn’t pin down when I’d “come out.” Jodie jokes I never went in to come out. I’ve just always been me. My family was always proud of me. My sexuality never had anything to do with defining who I am.

I ended up in the foster care system. I floundered around for a few years, tossed like a sack of unimportant belongings from house to house… It was so damn hard to find myself or to even know what love was because it was always temporary in my mind… But I think it’s why I struggle so much with the forever thing. Forever was never part of my vocabulary.

My Review:

Hidden Hearts was an engaging, quick, and easy to follow novella and written with a thoughtful and observant hand. I cherished these endearing and sensitive characters and enjoyed the forging of their sweet and tender romance. Ms. Detwiler’s storylines were perceptively detailed, keenly insightful, and delicately laced. I have thoroughly enjoyed each book in this series and eagerly await the next installment.