One year ago, the boy next door was captured as a prisoner of war.The boy whose window faces mine.The backyard buddy who bandaged up my skinned knees.The childhood crush that kept me up at night, wondering if he’d ever be my boyfriend.The town hero I wrote endless letters to after he shipped out.The green-eyed charmer who promised me a kiss the day I turned eighteen.And now, he’s home.But he … eighteen.
And now, he’s home.
But he didn’t come back as the boy I once knew.
He’s a man now, one with demons I can’t comprehend.
The damaged soldier keeps telling me I’m not his anymore.
That the war took him, turned him into someone unrecognizable.
What he hasn’t considered is that it took me, too.
He swears there is nothing left between us, that his heart died overseas. But with each look through our windows, we both know his lies are just that. With each fated meeting, the truth only becomes more evident.
Everett Brock occupies the shadows now.
And as much as I try to pull him into the light, it seems the switch is permanent.
What he doesn’t realize is that I’m willing to follow him into the darkness.
more
I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author to review for Stephanie’s Book Reports.
One year ago, the boy next door was captured as a prisoner of war. The boy whose window faces mine. They backyard buddy who bandaged up my skinned knees. The childhood crush that kept me up at night, wondering if he’d ever be my boyfriend. The town hero I wrote endless letter to after he shipped out. The green-eyed charmer who promised me a kiss the day I turned eighteen. And now, he is home. But he didn’t come back as the boy I once knew. He’s a man no, one with demons I can’t comprehend. The damaged soldier keeps telling me I am not his anymore. That the war took him, turned him into someone unrecognizable. What he hasn’t considered is that it took me, too. He swears there is nothing left between us, that his heart died overseas. But with each look through our windows, we both know his lies are just that. With each fated meeting, the truth only becomes more evident. Everett Brock occupies the shadows now. And as much as I try to pull him into the light, it seems the switch is permanent. What he doesn’t realize is that I’m willing to follow him into the darkness.
Oh goodness. I will say that you need to be ready to take a journey that is a beautiful as it is heartbreaking. This is a story that is quiet intense. It is super emotional and Carrie Aarons has written a book that will have you reading from the beginning to end but also having so many breathless moments because you can feel the emotions just rolling out of this book. Your going to fall in love with Everett and Kennedy. These two have known each other forever and are neighbors. They have always skirted the lines of being a couple but never fully took the leap. However when he leaves to go overseas with the military the put those feeling in their letters to each other. Now he is back home and he is not the same by any stretch of the imagination. Everett lets no one close to him anymore. He has changed and he insists that ha and Kennedy can never be and have no more feeling for each other. However she is not giving up. As I have said and can’t stress enough this is a beautiful book and one you do not want to miss
My heart! My heart!
This is the prime example of why I love this author. Hometown Heartless is a wonderful, beautiful and emotional book that had me from the first page until the very last.
These characters Everette and Kennedy both pulled on my heart strings and wouldn’t let go. But just as much as I was sad, I was just as mad. Mad at the way Everette was treated, mad at how he seemed to give up and mad about how he treated Kennedy.
These two are definitely made for each other and I love the whole small town feel of the story. The authors writing was phenomenal and I absolutely loved the story.
*Review by Michelle
I love a good friends-to-lovers second chance romance! Kennedy and Everett’s story pulled me from the start. It’s a little angsty and will pull on your heart strings with all that Everett has endured. Their happy ending is worth all the heartbreak and loss they each have endured. It will give all the feels.
Hometown Heartless is a beautifully written book which is both heart-breaking and soul destroying at the same time. You seem to follow these characters through their whole relationship and are hoping that they manage their HEA, after everything you read about them.
Hometown Heartless follows the story of Everett and Kennedy. Everett has been missing for years, a prisoner of war he has come back a completely different man, a man who Kennedy doesn’t recognize. This story looks at how Everett finds himself to become at least in part himself again and how he is going to find love with Kennedy whilst fighting against his PTSD, hollowness of being alive and making decisions which changed his life forever.
Kennedy is your quintessential overachiever, hardworking, genuine good girl who has always loved Everett, but she doesn’t know the man who has come back and all she wants to do is help him, even though he keeps stomping on her heart.
This was a wonderfully written book full of love, disappointment and two beautifully en-woven characters. Kennedy and Everett belong together and it is sheer circumstances which have kept them apart and changed them. Even though Kennedy isn’t going through what Everett has/had, you still feel empathy for her as she is a young woman making life changing decisions and just trying to be a good person. The chemistry between her and Everett is amazing, but there are times when he is exceptionally cruel and does use her as a verbal punching bag which makes your heart bleed along with the characters.
There are certainly parts of this book that are overwhelming due to the topic that it is talking about but overall it is an emotional charged romance which leaves you wanting to read more from this author. A really enjoyable read!
ARC received for a fair, honest and sometimes long review
More of my reviews can be found on my blog: https://thehotmesslibrary.blogspot.com
Carrie Aarons has packed so much emotion into this story I don’t even know where to start. Kennedy is in her senior year of high school and Everett is home after some tragic events as a soldier. This was an incredible story of him finding his ways after the horrible events he suffered through and his emotional struggle of wanting to be the one for Kennedy. My heart was ripped apart and placed back together so many times through this story.
ABsolutely an amazing read!
FIVE EMOTIONAL STARS for Kennedy and Everett !!!
It’s not a secret that I love every book Carrie wrote.
She knows how to keep the reader’s attention and she does it well in every new book.
The same is with this one.
This is the first military romance book that I’ve read and I absolutely loved it.
It’s beautifully written and her words melted my heart.
“Hometown Heartless” is an emotional military romance with an angst and second chance tropes.
Kennedy and Everett’s story broke my heart in a thousand pieces and then put it together again.
They both learned that love isn’t simple and if you love somebody, you always find your way to be together.
Forever.
No matter how impossible sometimes it looks.
If you’re looking for a romance book about true love, this is the book for you!!!
Highly recommended!!!
What a storyline! Between the plot of the story in combination with Carrie’s style of writing, she brings an extremely emotional and fantastic read. Everett and Kennedy have always had a push and pull towards a relationship but always held back because of their age difference. They get close when Everett leaves for the armed forces, but when his letters stop coming and they find out he’s MIA, Kennedy attempts to move on with her life. A year later, Everett is found, and the adjustment not only back into civilian life but also recovering from being a POW proves to be extremely difficult for this couple. The twist of Everett’s time being imprisoned was definitely interesting and not typical for this type of story so it was that much more keeping the reader on their toes. As time heals, Everett eventually lets Kennedy in and together they are able to push through and support each other, ending in a HEA for both of them!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
This is my first book by this author, and I will definitely read more of her books.
I really enjoyed this book, and it checked all my boxes.
Second Chance
Childhood Friends
Military
This is a story about grief, heartache, strength, growth, and love. It’s a angsty slowburn.
I found myself rooting for Everett and Kennedy from the very first page. Kennedy was the smart, caring girl next door senior in high school who has been in love with Everett for as long as she can remember. I liked her character, but there were times that I really got annoyed with her actions or decisions.
Everett always had plans to make Kennedy his girl until he is taken prisoner for a year. Again I liked most aspects of his character, but some of his actions, I just wanted to smack him for.
I loved the military aspect in this story. I felt all Everett’s pain and anger for what he faced while being held prisoner.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants an emotional military slowburn.
Wow, Carrie blew my mind with this story! I loved every part of this one! 5 stars for this one!
Everett, boy next door, went off to war, was captured, and once released and returned home, he was not the same.
Kennedy, girl next door, wrote everyday to him, until they thought he had died. When he returns home, she’s hoping they can pick up where they left off, but he’s changed, and she wondering if he will ever be the same Everett she loves.
This was an emotional story, I could not put it down, your heart will cry for Everett. You will pray for these two to be able to get back to where they were before he left. Grab this one asap!
WOW…just WOW! Hometown Heartless is simply an amazing story! I am honestly having a hard time finding the words to say how much I loved this it. Hometown Heartless takes you on a raw, emotional journey of love, heartbreak, PTSD struggles and so many other feelings. This story truly grabbed my heart from the very beginning and never let go. I love Everett and Kennedy together and found myself silently pleading that they would find their way through the ugly murk to each other.
Carrie Aarons is an amazing storyteller and has completely outdone herself with Hometown Heartless. I can’t wait to see where she takes us next.
It’s a bit of a challenge to write this review as the military background hits so close to home. Everett and Kennedy are best friends with a flirty relationship in high school and then he leaves for the Marines. Their relationship continues in letters until he is captured as a prisoner of war. Once he is rescued, he comes home a very different man.
Kennedy is such a strong female character for being a senior in high school. She has a plan in place to succeed as a nurse which includes a job as an EMT and focusing on her studies but still having fun with her friends. Everett’s return rocks her world as they try to redefine what they mean to each other amidst his fight with PTSD.
Great book and very well told with a topic that can be sensitive to some.
Well, what can I say… Carrie Aarons has certainly taken things up a notch with this story. This was probably up there with one of her most romantic stories to date, and certainly one of her most emotional.
I loved the characters and this story touches on some very REAL and very difficult storylines. Returning from war, experiencing unthinkable torture, PTSD, heartbreak…
Kennedy and Everett’s relationship is difficult. Having made an incredible return from being a POW, a returning from the ‘dead’, Everett is really struggling to adjust to being back at home. And as part of that it makes him a pretty unlikeable guy… But then it makes you realise how tough he’s really had things.
Kennedy’s childhood crush and the guy she’s always harboured feelings for is suddenly back, living next door… but he’s not the boy she remembers. He’s not the boy that made her that promise just before he left.
I loved it all. The storyline, the characters and the amazing determination Kennedy has to help Everett.
Hometown Heartless has it all… A second chance romance which packs a punch. Full of angst, overflowing with emotions, and of course the romance! A wonderful read!
Heartless: adjective. displaying a complete lack of feeling or consideration.
That’s the dictionary definition. But there’s a difference between connotation (an idea or feeling that a word invokes in addition to its literal or primary meaning) and denotation (the literal or primary meaning of a word, in contrast to the feelings or ideas that the word suggests). Getting technical? Um, yeah, but there’s a reason. Everett Brock appears to be heartless in the denotative sense of the word, and he almost is, except for Kennedy. His heart died in the darkness of war, but Kennedy is the only one who can resuscitate him. He’s connotatively heartless, which implies there can be light found within the dark, and just maybe the broken heart can find a rhythm once more.
This is a gritty tale of what happens when a heart- and soul-broken person comes home from war and the journey back to a new normal. There’s the whole semi-unrequited love yet to be fulfilled and appropriate levels of angst to make you squirm in your seat. You’ll be uncomfortable at moments, you soul a little heavier as you share both Kennedy’s and Everett’s burdens, Aarons makes it all worthwhile. The dual first-person POV truly helps you understand their trials and allows you not only to see but also feel their individual growth as they navigate their new reality.
The story lands primarily in the NA genre, but the theme and sentiments transcend a single genre. Aarons flirts with some heavy topics without letting them overshadow the message of hope and love, and she does it all with grace. This story is welcomed collection to her literary stable. Be sure to pick up your copy!
Carrie Aarons has out done herself with this book! Two of my favorite characters to date and a book unlike the others she has written. I was captivated from the start and couldn’t put this book down. I’m not usually a military type book lover but this was so deep and thoughtful. Loved it!!
Wow…I think this is my favorite book that this author has written. The emotions she was able to pull out of me, amazed me.
This book is full of pain, heartache, hope, and love. It will take you on an emotional rollercoaster. These characters really pulled at my heart strings and watching them grow throughout this book was great.
Kennedy and Everett will hold a special place in my heart because they overcame so much both together and separate. The flow of this story was very natural and never seemed rushed. You could tell this book was a labor of love for the author. Her heart and soul were spilled onto the pages. The story will draw you in and captivate you from the beginning. You will cry and rejoice. You will feel heartbreak and love.
This book just really left me speechless after I was done. I had to take time to come to terms with all my emotions and that why it is such a wonderful book.
Title: Hometown Heartless
Author: Carrie Aaron’s
Genre: Contemporary Romance
My Rating: 1/2 stars
—————————————————–
If you’ve ever read a Carrie Aaron’s book you’d know she’s the queen of angst who ties in great storylines and clever banter.
Such was the case with Hometown Heartless. Aaron’s took us on an explorative journey with two high school friends who’d secretly had feelings for each because of their age difference.
All that changed once Everette was deployed. They expressed themselves through emotional letters and built a communicative relationship of sorts. Then tragedy strikes! Kennedy’s worst nightmare came true. This book will take you on an emotional ride. You’ll ever ache every pain for poor Everett and his seemingly untimely connection with Kennedy.
Will they make it out okay! Will Everett’s secret change everything? How much heartache can one heart take? Find out with your copy! Get it today! You need this story in your life!
*I recieved this wonderful ARC in exchange for an honest review *
As an avid reader, it’s not easy to find a book that wraps me up as emotionally as this book did. Take a small town, a childhood crush, a boy who becomes a man in the Marines, a smart girl who is as kind as she is determined and a tragedy that is as heartbreaking as it life defining, and you have a story for the ages. Everett and Kennedy went from childhood friends, to flirtatious teens, to pen pals, to wary advisories, to something more that become everything. Between their youthful promises and their adult realities, these two have a story that is both heart-warming and heartbreaking. Carrie Aarons has written a story that is so easy to believe, it makes it that much more heart wrenching. To know that there are people out there struggling to adapt to life after experiencing PTSD, and to see what a difference love, patience and understanding can do for those who are suffering brought on the tears and the pride of seeing someone overcome such a life altering event. I highly recommend reading and absorbing this amazing love story. The words she uses are powerful and the emotions they evoke kept the tears flowing and the hope brewing that love can indeed, overcome anything.
This book is so emotionally charged, I found myself having to take short breaks just to be able to handle what was coming next!
Everett and Kennedy grew up next door to each other and developed a teenage crush that never resulted in anything other than a friendship and a promise of a first kiss…then Everett left to join the military.
Two years later…
She’s a carefree senior in high school, a cheerleader and an overachiever who has her future all mapped out.
He’s been a prisoner of war, thought dead, and now he’s returned home. No longer the boy who left, he’s changed physically and mentally. Although he’s very much alive, he doesn’t feel that way. Suffering from PTSD, he either shuts himself away or vents his anger at those he cares about. Kennedy ends up on the receiving end of his wrath far too often…gone is the boy she once knew and dreamt about marrying. Now she needs to figure out how to move on. That task becomes even more difficult when he starts helping coach the high school football team…the team she’s head of the cheer squad for. With so many demons, dark thoughts and secrets, Everett knows he’s no longer any good for Kennedy, but just can’t seem to stay away.
My heart hurt for Everett, but I went back and forth between wanting to smack him for being such a jerk to swooning when he was being a sweetheart.
This story gutted me, but then made me whole again. A thoughtful, thought provoking, angsty, and emotional read!
I wanted to love and adore Hometown Heartless, but I just liked it.
I loved the writing, I loved the realism of the struggles Everett was going through, I loved Kennedy, and I loved the premise of the story.
What I didn’t love was Everett.
Ms Aarons knows how to write jerks and usually I adore those jerks and their redemption, unfortunately this time I didn’t love Everett, and there were some points I wasn’t even sure I liked him.
**ARC provided for an honest review.**
3.5 stars for Hometown Heartless. I won’t lie I loved this book to begin with, I couldn’t stop reading. Kennedy and Everett had me hooked from the start and it was going to be a 5 star read for me. Everett was holding a secret he was afraid for everyone to know, and when I found out what it was I was shocked and so disappointed.
Everett was a POW and everyone assumed he was dead. The Marines came knocking on his parent’s door delivering the news, his parents had a funeral for him. The girl he left behind cried for him, mourned him. Then one day out of the blue the Marine’s call and say he’s alive. And then they deliver him home. Everett is not the same eighteen year old boy that left two years ago. He’s a broken man, he was tortured for almost a year. Kennedy never stopped loving or wanting Everett. The letters they wrote each other with those promises they made, she held onto them until long after his funeral. But she never really stopped loving him. Even being faced with the reality of the cold, mean, broken man she still couldn’t let him go.
Everett and Kennedy’s story was broken and sad. And I honestly did love it, but Everett’s secret I just cannot get over. Two days later and I’m still trying to process it. The fact I did not agree with his secret doesn’t take away from the fact that Carrie Aaron’s writing is amazing, I did love most of the plot, and the characters were great. I thought her views on the Veteran system were right on and I loved that she included how hard it can be for them. I maybe in the minority with this rating but coming from a military family I just feel certain ways about things.