Heartless

Ace & Aidy’s Angsty Enemies To Lovers Story Pairs A Struggling Former Pro Baseball Pitcher And A Free-Spirited Makeup Artist. Brought Together By A Mysterious Journal, Their Story Is About Trust And Betrayal.

This is book one in the Amato Brothers series. Valentina Amato and her husband raised their five sons in Ohio, but when she became a widow, she and her children moved to New Jersey to be near family. The boys were a tight crew growing up, but as adults they have all gone their separate ways. Alessio is the eldest and was a substitute father figure to his younger siblings until he left for college on a baseball scholarship. Matteo comes next in age. He is now pursuing his acting dream out in L.A. Dante has a tech company in Seattle that keeps him busy. Cristiano finished grad school and is currently on an extended vacation of sorts in Europe. Fabrizio is the baby of the bunch. He attends Ashburn University in Chicago and is scheduled to graduate this year.

This book is Ace Amato and Aidy Kincaid’s story. In book two of the series, Reckless, Dante’s story is told. Priceless, book three, is Cristiano’s story. Although there are five brothers, at the time of this writing there do not appear to be books for Matteo and Fabrizio.

Fans of the Rixton Falls series will be thrilled to see a little crossover here. In this book, Ace has a cabin on Rixton Lake. Book three of this series is a true crossover, as it is also the missing book four of the Rixton Falls series. In it, Daphne Rosewood and Cristiano Amato get their happy ending.

Alessio “Ace” Amato, thirty-three, lost everything one year ago. He had been a star pitcher for the Baltimore Firebirds. He was hounded for autographs and even had some unfortunate experience with stalkers. His good looks often graced the covers of magazines. Today he is unemployed. He is a recluse, almost unrecognizable beneath the thick beard that he dons like a shield. He lives alone in his townhouse on the Upper East Side, hoping to escape recognition. Those unfortunate enough to recognize him and ask for an autograph probably regret the mistake. He is often accused of being too intense. Some might call him heartless.

Aidy Kincaid, twenty-five, is a bit of a free spirit. She grew up in Red Fern, a small town in Missouri, but she followed her sister Wren to New York. Their father had skipped on them and their mom years ago, starting a new family and leaving them all behind, so the three women are tight. Aidy and Wren launched their Glam2Go app last year and business is really taking off. The app connects clients with makeup artists. Whether a wedding, a date, or before going in front of the camera, they help their clients to look their best. The sisters have always been very close and share an apartment along with Wren’s eight-year-old son Enzo. With Wren’s engagement to Chauncey, Aidy knows life is about to change for her when Wren and Enzo move out. Aidy hasn’t found love yet, although she hopes to find a deep and lasting love herself one day. But for now she has put dating on hold, choosing instead to pour all her energy into the business. Her appointments have her busy, travelling all across the city.

While on Lexington Avenue one rainy afternoon, Aidy seeks shelter in front of a townhome and spots a leather-bound journal exposed to the elements. Meaning to attempt to return it to its apparent owner, she is distracted and brings it home instead. A week later she is guiltily swept up by the love story that unfolds within the journal’s pages. Two men in love with one woman; one woman torn between two men. It is written by one of the men, and the love he has for “K” has Aidy captivated with the idea of a man who can love so completely.

When Aidy attempts to return the journal, she isn’t prepared to come face to face with the intense bearded giant that greets her. He has no interest in the journal, but she remains convinced that the journal is his. Based upon his attitude he must have lost the woman he loved. Instead of thanking Aidy for retuning the journal, he accuses her of stalking him. When Ace runs into the crazy lady again, he can hardly believe his luck. But when they keep bumping into one another, he can hardly dismiss the idea that she is stalking him. Either that, or it is divine intervention.

Ace and Aidy repeatedly meet by happenstance, neither trusting the other’s intentions. One thing leads to another, and soon romance blooms. But the journal and the love story within are an obstacle to the couple’s long-term happiness; there are many unknowns related to it. Ace has a past that he won’t discuss and a hard outer shell that hides his fear. Aidy doesn’t want to always be second best to the mysterious “K” and has plans that don’t include Ace. A future together seems impossible. Their story is angsty and mysterious, but there are also some beautiful moments. It is heartwarming to watch Ace’s gruff persona soften a bit when carefree Aidy enters his life. She challenges him. His intense ways are perfectly paired with Aidy’s flightiness. His story is so touching that it sticks with you long after reading it. Aidy is a bit dramatic late in the book, which might be a little out of character, but given her father’s abandonment it is perhaps understanding. The couple eventually earns a happy ending.

Ace and Aidy’s angsty enemies to lovers story pairs a struggling former pro baseball pitcher and a free-spirited makeup artist. Brought together by a mysterious journal, their story is about trust and betrayal. The story is well-written and plot-driven. The characters are nicely developed. The story is written in first person. The POV alternates between Ace and Aidy. I rate this book 4.5 stars.

Heartless by Winter Renshaw an explosive five star read. This book is a full length stand-alone romance with a HEA, but there are other brothers in the Amato family and they have stories to tell.
The story is starts with a journal that the main character Adelaide G. Kincaid or Aidy as she is known to most people. Aidy finds the journal on a front step when she is sheltering from the rain, she takes it home to keep it safe and plans to return it when its dry and the book will be safe. Only problem is that she decides to peak at the book, and slowly becomes obsessed with the person who wrote it, even though she has never met him. She feels connected to this mysterious writer who writes with a passion and loves with their whole heart.
Upon trying to return the journal she tries to leave it on the steps, and as she is walking away someone starts shouting “Hey” “Hey you” “Lady” and finally Aidy realises it’s her the big dude is shouting for he is telling her it’s not his book and she should stop leaving stuff in his doorstep, and if she was that desperate for an autograph she should check E-Bay. Aidy has no clue who he is and why she would want an autograph. When she gets home and tells her sister Wren and nephew Enzo they tell her he was maybe having a bad day and this stranger is maybe crazy, as a bonus she gets the journal to keep.
Que Alessio “Ace” Amato a retired baseball player who has had a year from hell. After several coincidental meetings Ace thinks he has a stalker and Aidy just thinks he’s a jerk that happens to be super-hot. Once they realise that they aren’t stalking each other and relax they start to make good friends and hopefully they will each help each other.
Winter Renshaw writes with a humour that is evident in every word. She writes a good romance but remembers to make it funny and real at the same time. A very good and enjoyable Five-star read.

I feel the emotions of Renshaw’s characters. One of my favorite authors.

Heartless was anything but heartless. It was satisfying, emotional, sweet and a little sexy. Aidy is amazing: sweet, easy going, funny and free spirited. Ace (Alessio) is the heartless one, supposedly. He’s gruff, stoic (on the outside) and the complete opposite of Aidy. But when it comes down to it, they are perfect together. She meets him when she returns a notebook to his doorstep that she thinks is his. He insists it isn’t and goes off on her. Yeah, their first meeting was less than ideal. But they keep meeting in different places and both are starting to think the other is stalking them. Their relationship evolved from there in delicious, sweet, sexy ways.

Winter Renshaw really hit it out of the park (pun intended) with Heartless. I loved Heartless, it made my heart happy & a little weepy too. I can’t remember the last time I loved a bbf more. And Aidy, she was the key to this relationship, and book. She made it all work. With help from Ace & Aidy’s adorable nephew, God, that kid is such a sweetheart!

I loved this book! I would recommend it to anyone who wants to relax and unwind from reality.

Very good read. This author lets the beautiful people have quirks that make them more realistic.

Really enjoyed this book … and the plot twist. Really felt like I got to know the characters. Well written and engaging read. Downloaded the next in the series to read as well.

It got better as it unfolded, a bit, but the falling into love portion happened quickly – which is also fair because it’s a short read. Fluffy. The steamy stuff sort of… cuts out? Odd combo of some erotic content but then vaguery.

I like how the characters developed and the story was believable. The chemistry was believable and the sex scenes where hot. I like how there wasn’t a ton of self dialogue the characters actually talked.