Never again would I allow my heart to become the plaything of someone else. Never again would I let a man (or men) come between me and my goals. Never again would I love without feeling the fullness of that love in return. Not until I knew it was real. And if that took me a lifetime to find, so be it. Those were my vows, and after all that had happened with Connor and Weston, I was determined to … Weston, I was determined to keep them. To protect my heart.
And then he came home, and my vows became his promises.
He held my heart in his hands with reverence and care.
He helped me find my soul’s greatest purpose in life.
He loved me with a love so pure and vibrant, I knew I’d never feel anything like it in a hundred lifetimes.
It was real.
Until it wasn’t.
Until it all came crashing down when I discovered the deep love I thought I’d found was nestled in a web of lies—so soft and silken I hadn’t noticed it was there.
Until it was too late.
**********
Long Live the Beautiful Hearts is the emotional, heart-wrenching conclusion to the Beautiful Hearts Duet by bestselling author, Emma Scott, and is inspired by the classic tale, Cyrano de Bergerac. (Roxanne) THIS IS NOT YOUR TYPICAL LOVE TRIANGLE #confusedhearts #notamenage
THIS BOOK IS NOT A STANDALONE. It should not be read without first reading Bring Down the Stars
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I received free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads, so here is my review.
I loved the first book and could not wait to start this one. And I wasn’t sure how the author was going to get Autumn and Weston together or would they be forever broken hearted.
Connor left school and Wes to try and deal with the guilty he feels for everything that happened but most of all the guilt he felt for what happened to Wes. He didn’t call anyone but his parents.
Wes was adjusting to life after war and life without his best friend. And he is back at school and seeing Autumn everywhere. Autumn wants their friendship back and she speaks to him every chance she gets. When Wes and Autumn spends time together the feeling begin to grow even more for her and Wes loves her even more.
Can Wes tell her the truth about the letters he wrote her but signed Connors’s name to them? Will Autumn be able to forgive them and be able to move on? Will Connor be able to get past his guilt and come back to Wes?
I fell in love with this story and will tell anyone who listens to just read it, you can thank me later. It is filled with all the feels that make a story stick with you and it will stick with me for years to come. I look forward to reading more from Emma Scott.
**Wicked Reads Review Team**
My Review
Heart-wrenchingly beautiful!
Emma Scott is definitely my favorite author of 2018 and she sets the bar high with the story of two best friends and the woman they love.
Long Live the Beautiful Hearts is the second in a two-part series (though she does have a novella releasing in December that carries on the story) that is best read in order.
In book #2 Weston and Connor return from war with serious injuries and a lot of pent-up emotions. Anger and guilt boil over and shove a wedge between the two best friends, driving Connor to disappear.
This leaves a now wheelchair bound Weston the chance to rebuild his friendship with the woman he’s loved from afar- Connor’s girlfriend.
Autumn is hurt when Connor comes home from war a different, distant version of himself. And she can’t understand how he could disappear and leave Wes to cope on his own.
She misses the friendship she’d given up with Weston because of one night’s indiscretion and aches to help him transition into his new life.
But, under it all, is a passion that won’t be denied.
Favorite lines:
For you, I’d bring down the stars Wreath their fire around your neck like diamonds And watch them burn you with my lies…
Scott, Emma. Long Live the Beautiful Hearts (Beautiful Hearts Duet Book 2) (p. 76). Kindle Edition.
“But you know what vow I forgot to make? To love and trust myself. I might fail, but I’m not a failure. When we stumble and fall, we pour so much energy and attention into the fact that we fell, and less on how we get back up again. Don’t you think?”
Scott, Emma. Long Live the Beautiful Hearts (Beautiful Hearts Duet Book 2) (p. 139). Kindle Edition.
And from Weston’s poem, Dirty Hands-
If only I could see you with these eyes
And speak the truth with this breath
And touch you with something more
real and good than these
dirty hands
Scott, Emma. Long Live the Beautiful Hearts (Beautiful Hearts Duet Book 2) (p. 165). Kindle Edition.
This is a story that will stay with me for a long while.
I give Long Live the Beautiful Hearts 5+ lovely Kisses
“She’s in love with my soul”, he said. “And my soul is you.”
As I turned the last page and prepared to type my review I found myself appreciating technology. Knowing that if I had to write my thoughts on a page you probably wouldn’t be able to read them due to my tears splashing on the page. And then, I remembered the notebook. Not only had it contained words, but it was also coated in pain, tears, blood, sand, truth… and love. Beautiful words penned by the wrong hand. Would he survive, and if he did, would she ever forgive him if she learned the truth?
Never has my heart ached so much while reading a story. Being able to read between the lines and having an inside track to the character’s thoughts and emotions make me feel both devastated and hopeful. I wanted so desperately for things to go a certain way but at the same time, I was afraid to let myself go there and end up disappointed.
I’m sure we’ve all had times in our lives where we just wanted to check out and count cars. Where our dreams and memories were better than our reality. Where ‘what ifs’ consumed us and ‘whatever’ is how we dealt with it. Where we pushed away those closest to us and wallowed in our misery. Sometimes it’s harder to face our pain than to hide from it. Sometimes it’s easier to accept defeat than to risk it all.
“Never again will I love without feeling the fullness of that love in return.” Sounds like a plan, right? But can you really convince your heart not to love when it already does? I think not… I’m not an expert but trying to unlove someone and unbreaking your own heart is a tall order. Am I the only one that turns the pages with crossed fingers while mentally willing the characters to fall in line with your yearning heart?
This beautiful story is just everything. I’d love to see it on the big screen because it was so moving and beautiful in my head as I read it. There wouldn’t be a dry eye in the theater that’s for sure. I can’t tell you why, you just need to experience it for yourself. This is my third book by Emma Scott and I’ve loved all of them. I was thrilled to see a favorite character from another book in this one and she made me smile through my tears. Emma Scott has made a believer out of me and I’ll be a faithful stalker from now on, ready for whatever she has for me next. The line forms here…
How do you summarize the feelings a book like this thrusts upon you? How do you explain to future readers the impact of these words? How do you impress upon them the intensity and inspirational gift that they are?
I assume the best way to do that is write a kickass review. Yet my words are failing me. I can’t seem to tell you how even the seemingly inconsequential teacher is a pivotal person in this story. How the aria singing baker should be in everyone’s lives. How do you explain that self doubt is the root of all their problems and everything else is just a symptom. Emma Scott created a beautiful story that you can relate to. As a reader you claim these people as friends, you feel their pain and take it as your own.
These Beautiful Hearts are worth sharing. They are a love that must be experienced even if only through these pages. Long Live the Beauty that is Wes, Connor, and Autumn. Long live the love and friendships. Long live life and living it. Bravery, courage, honor, and valor are all pretty words but without meaning…they are just words.
Read this pretty words and experience their meanings. Feel the actions and proof that they aren’t just pretty words.
How did I know that this book would mess with my heart? The ending of the last one set me up and I had no idea what was going to happen next. I just knew that my heart would never be the same. And it wasn’t. But at least it didn’t break me. This story may have wrung out every emotion I didn’t even know I had in me, but it didn’t break me. It was beautiful in its pain and stunning in its angst. Still not your typical love triangle but it had plenty of drama.
I don’t even want to get into the plot of this one because it will spoil it for those who haven’t started this journey yet. I don’t want to give away what happens after the end of book one. Just know that it’s hard. It’s tough. It’s heartbreaking. It’s gorgeous. It’s surprising and glorious and full of so much heart. The love that binds these characters together is something that should be shared amongst everyone. If we could all find family and friends and soulmates the way these people had, the world would have no choice but to be a better place.
Emma Scott gifted us a story that personifies romance. I cried and smiled and prayed for this woman who explained to her readers the understanding of ‘Before’ and ‘After’. I’m grateful to this woman who got me to actually enjoy a story involving a love triangle.
5+ Beautiful Heart Stars
I was lucky enough to be able to read Long Live the Beautiful Hearts straight after finishing the first book, Bring Down the Stars. The impact of reading them back-to-back was immense. Once again Emma has written the conclusion to this epic love story so beautifully and full of emotional feels.
My heart was sore and sad with the hardships that Weston, Connor and Autumn had to face and deal with. Love and friendship will be tested and truths will be revealed.
The Beautiful Hearts Duet was an emotional reading experience and I highly recommend this duet as well as all and anything Emma Scott puts into writing.
Kudos to Emma Scott. Knowing about her current struggle made this book so much MORE. A story about love. Romantic love. Friendship love. Family love. Just a stunning duet about love. In the Before. And in the After. My heart broke and broke again for these characters. But in the end, it was all how it was supposed to be.
This book is epic! I’ve been patiently waiting to read it ever since I finished “Bring Down the Stars” (BDTS, book one of the duet). Emma’s words grabbed a hold of me, from the beginning. I couldn’t put it down. It was everything, everything I hoped it would be (and so much more)! It’s been a few days since I finished. I’m still trying to put my thoughts together & put them into words. Words that will hopefully express the absolute, epic beauty of this love story (without any spoilers.)
Just like other Emma Scott books, this one also is divided into parts. I love how she sets the stage for the reader. She prepares us for the extraordinary journey that we are about to embark on. I believe it allows us to take a moment (or two) to breathe & catch our breath before continuing on this journey. In this book, “Long Live the Beautiful Hearts” (LLBH) We find out what becomes of Connor, Weston, and Autumn. We also see our secondary characters, Ruby, Edmond, etc. again. We learn what happens to Weston and Connor while serving in the U.S. Army, and afterwards. I don’t want to spoil any aspect of this amazing story. For those who have read BDTS and especially for those who have yet to read it. I can say that the journey that these three characters go on in this book is truly epic and beautiful. Autumn will have to make a choice. I loved seeing her become even stronger in this book. To see her decide how she will live her life & what she chooses to make her field of study. And how she comes to that decision, as well. I loved that she has such a strong family and her core values stem from her upbringing. I really enjoyed seeing her interactions with her parents and brother. I absolutely loved seeing before my eyes, Autumn’s feelings about her project grow into her wanting/becoming a champion in fighting for this cause. For wanting to help in any way that she could & giving her voice to it. It was amazing to see her embark on this journey, as well.
I have absolutely loved each of Emma’s books, that I have read up to this point. Each one has been amazing in their own way. This book however, along with BDTS, surpasses the amazingness of the ones that have come before. This duet is an epic, beautifully written masterpiece. It surpasses the 5 Star reading scale in my opinion. I would, without a doubt, give it 6 or more stars, if I could. The words are beautifully crafted, with careful thought & consideration. I believe it should be the gold standard of love stories. It separates itself exquisitely from the majority of the other books I’ve read up to this point in my life. This duet will stay with me. The characters, the love stories, the friendships forged, the causes addressed, and the voices of hope.
This is A Must Read book, without question. I also would encourage fans of Emma’s books (or if she is a new author to you) to read BDTS first, obviously. However, wait a day or so before reading this book. That way the epicness of it will stay with you, long after you finish reading it. It will also enhance the shear beauty of this book. Normally I like to wait to read a duet, until both books are published. After reading BDTS, I couldn’t wait to read this book. I believe the eager waiting for it to be published, made this a more beautiful reading experience for me. I can also say, that I don’t think I’ll ever be done writing this review. I can see myself adding/editing it, after I continue to put my thoughts into words. Also, after I reread this masterpiece of a duet. This duet is, by far, my favorite books of 2018. I eagerly await to see what Emma writes next. Bravo, Emma, bravo
What a tough read. I knew LLTBH would be as incredible as BDTS and wowzaa was it good.
It’s hard to write a spoiler free review but i will get it done for the sake of all the other readers.
I really love, that Long Live The Beautiful Hearts starts right at the point where Bring Down The Stars ended. Just like while reading of BDTS I constantly was at the edge and couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. I felt each and every emotion Emma Scott put in there, the hurt, the pain, the struggling, the self doubt, the guilt….and so on. You name a feeling, you get it within LLTBH.
Brilliant research made it possible that this story became a homage to all the heroes out there fighting for a free world. Personal experience is the soul in this book, excruciatingly heartbreaking but also so wonderfully beautiful.
Long Live The Beautiful Hearts is angst, slow burn, heaven and hell, its the whole package.
Emma Scott is a writer with so much love and devotion, an inspiration for those who want to give up but shouldn’t. Because when you see how much she’s hurting and struggling and still can create such beauty….it’s amazing.
I want to say THANK YOU to the angel in heaven, who pointed out to Emma about what this story should be. She’ll be always with us, she gave us this wonderful journey of Autumn, Conner and Weston, she’s the very heart of this book! You’ll always have a special place in mine little big girl!
7 stars for Long Live The Beautiful Hearts
Long Live the Beautiful Hearts is the highly anticipated final part in Emma Scott’s duet series #TheBeautifulHearts and boy what a powerful conclusion #allthehearts #allthelove #allthefeels.
Highly developed, complex relationships line the writing canvas in which the protagonists continue their epic dance of love, embracing heartache, forgiveness and friendship. A story of hope, a story of strength, and of fear, tragedy and forgiveness, a story of finding ones worth and emerging from inner demons that can rule your life. It unfolds with depth, sincerity and heart. I basked in the sheer quality of the storytelling during which my heart was fit to burst with the emotion I felt at the hands of Scott’s characters, the friendships, the romance and the love. I cried sad tears and happy tears and tears just because it made me feel so much during moments where emotion reached exquisite heights because of the way the story had been intricately developed over both parts of this series.
I fear saying anything more may spoil a reader’s experience and in reality, nothing I say can truly depict the quality of this romance. It is, in reality, so much more than a romance and it most definitely is a novel that needs to be experienced with each turn of the page where each rich layer can be peeled away exposing an exquisite story that sees its characters convincingly deal with life. Poetic words took my breath away along with the beauty of the prose. Emma Scott is a powerhouse talent in the writing world. Her storytelling feels fresh and unique, and this series is firmly stamped with her own heart and soul and inspired by words from her daughter, making this a very, very special read.
Advance copy provided / Reviewed voluntarily
Finally the second book!
It was just as heartbreaking as I feared it would be.
We already read the prologue at the end of book #1 and we knew what had happened to the boys in the war. Now they’re back home and things are not easy. Not at all.
That’s all I’m telling you about the story – I don’t want to spoil anything! READ IT!
Ugh Emma! Next book I’ll read in the bathtub!
Such a heartbreaking story. But also such a beautiful story full of love and hope and friendship and family and pain and grief and guilt and shame.
I just adored this book … it was so adorable and moving. It made my heart hurt reading it, but I loved every single word!! (view spoiler)
I wouldn’t mind if Netflix came along and made a show out of these 2 books!
Also – can’t wait for the encore novella we’ll get in December. Eeep!
I don’t know where to start. Long Live the Beautiful Hearts is the second part in Beautiful Hearts duet by Emma Scott. I waited for this book for so long and now i m speechless. I don’t think i can do justice to this epic love story. Emma take on such an emotional and angsty journey of love, betrayal, self-loathing, self-acceptance and finally forgiveness. If i could give this story more than 5 stars i would have! Its so much more than just a simple love story. Emma slayed with her writing once again. This book made me feel every emotion and i love it so much.
Recommended to every romance lover. It’s a must read for you…
emma scott you are a legend. i loved the first book in this duet, and didn’t even think it could get any better, but this book BLEW ME AWAY. it was so sad but still so good. getting to see the characters from the beginning of book one to their ending in this book was amazing. to be able to watch wes and connor struggle with what had happened to them, and be able to still find happiness was so nice as well. the writing is just so captivating, i cant necessarily point anything specific out of it, but it just keeps me turning pages, it’s not often anymore that i read two books within less than 24 hours. please just read this duet
Long live this beautiful story–one of the best I’ve ever read! FIVE PERFECT STARS!
I’m in tears as I write this, wishing I had Weston’s ability to express my feelings in words filled with poetry, because nothing less can convey the exquisite beauty of this remarkable story. My writing talents may be limited, but I do recognize perfection when I read it, and this book is perfect in every way! It easily ranks as one of the best books I’ve ever read, and I’ve read thousands.
I began Book 2 of this duet with trepidation, because I hated the way Connor and Weston manipulated Autumn with their continual lies and deception in Book 1. Sure, Weston supposedly did this out of love for Connor and Autumn, but love based on lies isn’t worth much, as these guys should’ve realized. When Book 1 ended with Weston and Connor deploying to the war zone in Qatar, I felt compelled to read Book 2, fairly certain one of them would die in battle as a solution to this tangled love triangle. To be honest, I hoped Weston would survive, because he and Autumn were destined to be together forever, right?
The author wrote Book 1 in the Before–before her life changed forever. She wrote Book 2 in the After–after the unimaginable happened. The effects of that experience are evident in Book 2 of this duet, “. . . a story of transformation and overcoming tremendous adversity.” The adversity is heartbreaking, but the transformation stole my breath and touched my soul. I have no words. Only tears.
Anyone familiar with my reviews knows that I usually include a plot summary. Not this time, because no words of mine should spoil this gem. However, I do want to include some quotes from Professor Ondiwuje, Weston’s mentor and the true hero of this story, at least in my opinion. “Forgive yourself for deceiving her,” he says. “Let it go. Pledge to start over again and this time, never give her anything but the truest words of your heart. Because you both deserve that.” “Where there’s love, there’s hope for forgiveness.” And finally, “Fight for you. For who you are. Fight for yourself and what you love. Who you love.” As the author writes in her note to Book 1, “. . . the first lesson the After taught me is that love is all that’s ever mattered; now, then, and forever.” So true.
I especially want to commend the author for her research into paraplegia and the many challenges faced by paraplegics, including the ignorance of those who take walking for granted–including me. Thank you for lessons I needed to learn.
My fear that this story would not end well was not justified. The plot concludes with a perfect HEA, making all of my anxiety and tears worthwhile. But OMG, what an emotional journey it has been! I had mixed feelings about Book 1, but Book 2 is simply magnificent. Please don’t miss this unforgettable reading experience. Five perfect stars, and highly recommended!
A promising story of brotherhood, the real love shared between two men, who’ve had each other’s back since childhood. It goes through the extremities of life from young crushes to first love, from taking a bullet for each other to sacrificing their hearts for each other. Connor and Weston have done it all, seen it all, given up ALL.
That all includes Autumn, whose gracious compassionate soul knows how to hive and give, not wanting any thing in return for herself.
Fate played on them a cruel joke in book 1- Bring Down the Stars, This book hobble along on crutches on the healing path. It’s hard, they stumble, wobble, they mess up and fess up some secrets too.
Hearts get broken, ripped apart, reunited and tenderly take faltering steps.
Emma has poured her heart out in this story, This series and it touches readers hearts very softly. We cry while smiling and smile while bawling.
5 stars for Sock Boy with Diamond Head
Nowhere near as good as the first book.
Full review here https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2784317713?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1
Could not put this book down. It was incredibly beautiful. Every moment was amazing and I will definitely read more books by Emma Scott.
Just when I thought it couldn’t get any heavier after Bring Down The Stars- Emma Scott fully delivers with this book! Things change for Autumn when a Connor & Weston join the Army reserves. They are called up to active duty & nothing will ever be the same for the 3 of them. Such a beautifully told story
Totally in awe of this authors writing style; the emotion Emma Scott draws out of me every single time I read one of her books is astounding. I can’t believe it has taken me this long to read this authors words.
The bromance between Weston and Connor is honourable, deep. They would take a bullet for each other without hesitation. A love like that between friends is hard to find nevermind write. This author is invested in her stories and characters and the passion is all there oozing out of every page. Westons plight to adjust to a whole new life following his active duty in Syria was so moving I’m not ashamed to say I could feel my eyes leaking. This author tackled two very real scenarios that are present but not given the credit by society that they deserve and for that I want to say Bravo Emma; you did it justice.
This story is like no other love triangle I have ever read. It shows Westons true strength of Character; not only did he love Autumn in painful silence but he also helped his best friend romance her to the point she fell in love with him. The plot, the character development was all there. This story had everything. Such an emotional ride for different reasons to the ones I was expecting. Beautiful story and very aptly named!
Well done. Great characters. Great topics and they were handled well.
Love, friendship, disabilities but surviving, adjusting and still living. Well done.
I know I am picky but details matter. Some of the timeline and Army items could have been more realistic. Those things bug me a bit.