Jensen Reynolds made a stupid, terrible, mistake years ago when while on a break, he slept with another woman and got her pregnant. He tried to make up for it by marrying her, which meant saying goodbye to the love of his life forever. Mia is done with men. They’re lying, cheating, scumbags and she doesn’t have time for any of them. That is, until she finds herself in a temporary position, taking … position, taking photos for the same company that Jensen freelances for.
This is a story about redemption, forgiveness, and how far one will go for a second chance at a love that just won’t fade away.
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I can’t even describe how giddy this book made me feel. I thought nobody could top Oliver, until he had to scootch over to share the throne with Jensen. Oh my god, these men as addictive. Claire Contreras writes the BEST men. It’s official. They are so amazing that it almost pisses you off that they aren’t real. But all of that aside, this story was beyond fantastic. The perfect second chance romance that will squeeze your heart, and turn you into a heart struck puddle of goo in the middle of the floor. I never wanted this story to end. Real love stories never end, after all.
I need more ‘s for this one. “I loved it!” Doesn’t even begin to cover how I felt and feel about this story. I APPLAUD and thank Claire Contreras for this great gift and congratulations to her.
It’s just soo heartfelt so close to reality I became too invested. I personally haven’t dealt with a situation like this but I just can’t imagine and my heart broke for both Jensen and Mia. But it also gave it hope, trust and comfort in knowing that one bad decision doesn’t determine the rest of your life and sometimes good comes from bad.
My friend here on GR told me I’d fall hard for Jensen and she was not exaggerating.
I felt for Mia and put myself in her shoes and I’d probly b the same if not worse (Nope. I don’t want to chat with the Ex, thank you) I was jealous of having to share Jensen…but Mia really did not have anything to worry about. *SIGH*
I recommend. I was sad when the ending was nearing cause Real Love Stories Never End….
This is an unforgettable second chance romance that
is heartbreaking and poignant, yet uplifting and entertaining!
Paper Hearts is my first read of Claire’s work. I keep kicking myself in the butt for keeping it on my TBR shelf, for so long. Once I opened this book up, I was well into reading halfway through it before I even noticed that 3 hours had gone by. That’s how intense this story is right from the beginning.
Jensen is the ultimate redeemer, as far as ex-boyfriends go. The love he and Mia share for one another , along with their friends and family, is an admirable quality that adds to the setting. It makes the emotion of the story that much more intense. The family get-togethers was just the icing on the top. I found myself laughing out loud each time Mia would meet up with them or her group of friends.
The story of Mia and Jenson tore my heart apart! It was heartbreaking! I could feel the pain both of them went through during their time apart. I was so upset when and why Jenson has to leave! I cried!! I was so mad at him but he was being an honorable man and you have to look at it from a different perspective. He was trying to do the right thing! Ugh! When Mia moved to New York for the opportunity to take pictures I was so excited! I couldn’t wait for them to reunite. All the love they still had for each other that never went away although Mia turned her sadness to anger I’m glad she opened up. And to have Olivia cling to her the way she did! Total crying fest! This book was seriously amazing! So many feels!!! I’m so glad I took the chance to read this book as this is my first time reading a book by this author. I was definitely not disappointed!
One of my favorite series
Claire Contreras has quickly become one of my favorite authors. This series is so emotional and thoughtful, you really get attached to the characters in the story while you are crying and laughing with them. I’m super excited to see if other books are written in this series as I don’t want it to end yet!
Is it wrong that through this whole book I had Jensen Ackles in my head? I totally did. I loved him hugged him, got jiggy with him, then kicked him in the proverbials so HARD he should have been chewing on them until Christmas 2020.
I’m fine. I’m fine. Life goes on JENSEN but believe you me, forgiveness is going to take more than your fine flowery words on paper! You need to work your butt off to win my affection back. And what about Mia! Fffffffffffff think again my friend. The girl is not for turning.
Tell me then Jensen, why should I forgive you? Why should Mia forgive you?
“Well, I’m sexier than Jensen Ackles. I’ve got a beard. I’ve got a body to die for and wear sweatpants like they should be worn. I put my heart on paper for all to see. I love fiercely. I screwed up, I totally admit it, but I did not let my mistakes ruin the life of someone important in my life. I write poetry. I write a witty column in a national paper. My best friends, Oliver and Victor are sexy beasts. I make love but I can also f…hard! I’m supportive, genuine, when I give my heart, I give it all. Please? Can you forgive me?”
Ok, ok, may be I can move on from the hurt you caused me but I need to ask my BFF Mia.
“Mia, my love, could you, would you? Could you love him in New York? Could you stab him with a fork? Could you love him in LA? Could you find him a great lay? Could you, would you Mia Meep? I would do him in a heartbeat.”
Second chance love is amazing. Great book. Great characters. Made me swoon. Made me cry.
I love reading Second Chance Romances, and Paper Hearts was really good.
I personally liked Jensen more than I did Mia, I think that is why I rated this book 4 stars instead of 5. I don’t understand why she stayed away from Jensen for so long. I understand she kept her distance in the beginning but she was his best friend and knew he needed her support. Also when they reconnected again in NYC, she did her best to ignore him. She didn’t want to fall for him again, which was crazy because she never really got over him.
Let’s talk about Jensen, OMG he is such an amazing guy. Okay he fucked up (really bad) but I was rooting for him from the start. He is such a great person! I was in NYC last year why didn’t I meet my own Jensen? This book was emotional (I shed a few tears!), but it was also funny and sweet. It was great seeing what Elle and Oliver were up to. I loved all the side characters, and hoping for more books in this series! Writing style was great and the pace was just perfect.
Incredible story. Loved it
Man oh man did Jensen make this whole book for me. Here are my thoughts on the book, in no particular order.
Sometimes in the book, Mia is just “meh” for me. I wanted to scream get over it and give me a break, it’s been 5 years. Jeez. You obvious still love him mega tons, you’re just being stubborn because he hurt your heart. I get it, no really, I do. But stop it. I’m not in her fictional character shoes. I probably would’ve been super hurt too. But (there’s always another but) they were on a break. A BREAK! Never had one of those in past relationships so I don’t really know all the rules. Show of hands who does??
Do I think Jensen screwed up? Maybe, kinda, sorta. Why did he feel the best choice for his action was what he did? I don’t know but this is 2015, not 1715. You can’t fault the guy for what he thought was the right thing to do.
Jensen and his words. He feels with his whole heart. No half-ass with him. He ripped it out of his chest and slapped that puppy down hard on the table and let it allll out. The feels were strong with him. *girly swoon*
Seriously, this book is so ah-mazing, just like the first one. *sigh*
Read it. Feel it. Love it.
What a beautiful journey for these two characters. I really enjoyed this book. I look forward to the next one in this series. I definitely recommend this book, this series and this author.
“Real love stories never end.” Jensen
Minor spoilers alert!!!
I think my 20 status updates and 7 comments on GoodReads indicate how much I enjoyed this second chance romance. It had everything I love – angst, passion, reflection, and humor, all perfectly balanced and written in an easily digestible style that thrilled my tired little eyeballs. I’m seriously happy that Author Claire Contreras listened to reader feedback about giving Mia and Jensen (first introduced in Kaleidoscope Hearts) their own full length story. I loved that Jensen was a romantic and how determined he was to not let Mia keep them apart. At times, I wanted to shake Mia for being so stubborn. But ultimately, I understood why she had trouble entrusting her heart to Jensen’s care again.
All of the main supporting characters – her parents, Rob, Elle, Oliver, and Victor – were well developed and distinct in addition to being funny, quirky, blunt or sweetly supportive when needed. They enriched the story to an nth degree for me. I especially loved Mia’s twin brother Rob, her dad with his fierce protectiveness and her mother for her charming warmth. And of course, I loved how much Elle and Oliver time we got.
On the one hand, I wish that I’d had better timing for when I started and read Paper Hearts. I began it when I was two weeks into a severe insomnia mode. I can’t focus long when I’ve been suffering from it for weeks. But on the other hand, the insomnia forced me to experience this novel slowly, savoring a chapter here or a nibble there. Savoring a novel isn’t a horrible way to experience it. I quite enjoyed it actually. I loved tweeting Jensen as well as my read of Paper Hearts progressed, and I got a happy little thrill each time he either marked one of my tweets as a favorite and/or retweeted it. There is something so cool about a character (and therefore author) escaping the pages of a novel to interact live with fans. It definitely breathes even more life into that character.
The other impact that had for me was who I related to more in this second chance love story. I was totally Team Jensen the entire read even though their love story is told from both Mia’s POV and Jensen’s POV by way of his column. I was sympathetic to his misguided and noble attempt to be different from either of his douchy and troubled parents. That desire led to one of the longest and most painful separations in fictional history.
“I’ve lived in pain since the moment I lost you. I’ve learned to live with it, but I haven’t learned to accept it.” Jensen
But as one book buddy pointed out to me last night as we were discussing this love story, how sympathetic or angry readers are to/with either Jensen or Mia will vary based on their own personal experience. I’m a total cheerleader for love, so I forgave Jensen pretty much immediately and delighted in the many ways he proved that he and Mia had earned this second chance romance. They’d both grown as individuals and were more than ready to tackle a new chapter in their never truly ending love story. Together they could tackle anything life had in store for them.
‘RL: Anything you want to add?
JR: Maybe our souls really are scattered in the things we love, and we are all completely lost, but from the moment she looked at me, I felt like I’d been found.’
One of my very favorite aspects of this novel was the Jensen Talk column chapters. His insight on relationships, his ratings and his advice to his followers were a real treat. Author Claire Contreras’s idea to have fans of Kaleidoscope Hearts be a part of this novel by tweeting Jensen and publishing their responses in his Jensen Talk column was pure genius. I think I was literally on a fangirl high for hours after coming across my tweeted question to him in the novel.
Question of the week from:
@Livlovesbooks: Would you compromise your dream 4 financial security / keep chasing it like Don Quixote no matter how old you are?
Answer: For my dream, in particular, I was able to find a balance. I wish that would be true for everybody else. There’s always a way.
I had a huge grin on my face when I came across my tweeted question to him. It was simply magical to be apart of the story in that manner and to see the other fan questions included in his Jensen Talk columns. His advice to all of the Question of the week tweets was intelligent and thoughtful. And I am personally still working towards achieving that balance that Jensen mentioned.
Now I’m left wondering if fans of the Hearts series will get a novella or full length novel about Elle’s brother, Victor. Hmm…I’m definitely not quite ready to leave this circle of lovers, friends and family.
Paper Hearts: Livia Approved.
5 Girl Of My Dreams Stars!
Jensen Reynolds & Mia Bennett have known each other since they were kids. They fell in love as teenagers & it ended in heartbreak for both of them. When circumstances forced them to separate their lives went in different directions. For years Mia tries to pretend like Jenson doesn’t exist, cause it hurts too much to think about what could have been, but no matter how hard she tries to bury her feelings for him, it doesn’t work. They are just two people who have always been meant to be. They shared such an intense connection that was a once in a lifetime kind of love.
Through the years Jensen won’t give up on Mia. He holds out hope that one day they will get back together, & he will feel whole again. Mia is the one person throughout his life that has always accepted him & believed in him. He’d do anything to be with her again.
When Mia gets a freelance photography job in New York for a couple months, she is nervous she will run into Jensen. She is still deeply hurt by him & has never gotten over him. She remembers the electricity between them, & is unsure if she can be around him, & hold it together. When they reunite they’ve both done a lot of changing, but their feelings for each other remain the same.
Jensen has a lot of regrets about the past, but isn’t willing to let this opportunity to be with Mia again pass him by. He is still obsessed with her, & will do whatever it takes to prove to her exactly what she means to him. This man is downright swoon worthy! I just adore Jensen! He shows Mia that he’s there to stay & she can trust him. This is a man with a beautiful, kind heart full of sincerity & love. I loved how vulnerable he is. This dreamy man just lays his heart out over and over for this woman hoping she will one day keep it and never let go.
As usual I LOVE this authors writing so much! Her words are so beautifully put together & she always creates these one of a kind special men that give you butterflies & make you fall into book boyfriend heaven! ;)) I really hope we get a book for Victor next! 😀