The last place Sophia Lancaster wanted to return to was Poplar Falls. It’s the place that holds all the painful memories and unanswered questions she’s ever had. One phone call causes her life to take a turn, forcing her back to the town she hasn’t stepped foot in over twenty years.And right into the path of Braxton Young.His blue eyes, sinful smile, and rough exterior are no match for Sophia. … match for Sophia. She’s there for one reason, and it isn’t to fall in love. The sooner she can get out of this small town and back in New York City—the better.
However, fate doesn’t care for either of their desires. Instead, they’re forced to deal with each other, finding their differences aren’t as great as they thought. Each day brings them closer to friendship and the possibility of something more. The answers she seeks might not only break her and Braxton apart but also her heart.
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My interest was captured immediately by the main character, Sophie. Sweet, creative, honest, and wounded. The author paints a beautiful word picture of Sophie and her extended family. Like any family the relationships are complex and emotional. An unrevealed secret and a special romance kept me turning the pages.
Note to readers of sweet, clean romance: there are various explicit sex scenes.
This is my first Amber Kelly book – what a great writer!
Very good love story with family relationships intertwined in it. Wonderful Characters . I enjoyed this book.
An incredible, and heartfelt read, with a hometown feel! Stone Hearts by Amber Kelly is a friends to lovers romance, sure to have you swooning for days! It’s sweet and sexy, with the romance you crave. This is definitely a comfort read with a little suspense mixed in, and the perfect feel good story!
I just love a good single parent book, and the mom in me absolutely adored Beau, and the relationship Kelly built between him and his momma. It really made this read special, and I loved it just as much as the romance. The mystery and suspense kept the plot moving, and made for a more dynamic book.
If friends to lovers in a hometown setting is your current mood, then consider yourself “booked”, because you just found the perfect read! Get ready for all the heart and all the feels, and read Stone Hearts by Amber Kelly, today! Enjoy xo
I came across this book while scrolling around on Goodreads and I’m so glad I did!
So. Good.
Sophie is a sweetheart! She’s smart and funny but will speak her mind when needed.
Braxton is a gentlemen and loves hard, especially his family.
These two were meant to be and their story was amazing! All the characters were great. Everything about the book was fun and I loved all the feeling I felt while reading it.
There wasn’t one thing I didn’t love about this book. This is the first book I have read by Amber Kelly and I am in love. The writing was amazing. The plot line was great. The dialogue was natural and witty. The way the friendships were developed in this book was great. Braxton was definitely book boyfriend worthy. Sophie was just the right amount of mature and full of emotional responses. I just wanted to curl up and live in this book. The fictional world that Kelly created amazing!
I normally don’t care for covers with people on them but this cover is fabulous. It is so pretty!
I can’t wait to read more from Amber Kelly!
Loved this Small Town Romance
Sophia Lancaster is returning home after 20 years. She left with her mom in the middle of the night expecting her dad to come for her, but he never did. She arrives angry and feeling like she was replaced. Sophia finds the beauty in the ranch she grew up at and all the memories of her family. Till she finally learns the truth. So good. Cannot wait for more in this series.
I really loved this girl-goes-back-home story! Sophia and Braxton’s romance was sweet, sexy and gave me all the feels. I look forward to reading more from Amber Kelly and since this is Poplar Falls Book 1, I hope that means there’s more to come with this family and friends!!
Wow! This is my first book by this author and I was slayed! I loved this story! It had all the feels! It was a very sweet small town country girl turned city girl that came back home story. I just loved Braxton and Sophie so much. Especially the perfect HEA!
I loved this slice of ranch life!
This is the first book I’ve read by Ms. Kelly, and I cannot wait to dive into the rest of this story! I loved Braxton and Sophie’s slow-burn, enemies to lovers story! The secondary storyline of Sophie’s upbringing lent a beautiful sense of tension that I loved! I couldn’t wait to find out what the heck was going on between her father and mother! A great book from a new to me author!
small town romance
While I enjoyed this story i really felt the ending and ‘climax ‘ of the story happened SO fast it almost didn’t make sense.
Sophie left her small town home when she was just 12 with her mother but always hoped her father would come and get her and take her home but he never did. She returns after her grandmother passed away and starts to remember how much she loves it on the ranch .
Braxton is her fathers new wife’s nephew and lives and works on the farm .
Their story is a slow burn with them not liking each-other at first, moving to a mutual like and then some Heat . And this is where my biggest issue with the story comes in . They start a ‘let’s just have some fun’ relationship because Sophie was meant to be leaving and it went from this to her finding out her parents secret (which I thought was going to be much more dramatic byw ) to her saying to her mother actually I’m staying and Sophie says how do you feel about me staying and he says oh just move in . Then it jumps to the epilogue and he’s proposing .. there was no ‘actually I love you please stay with me ‘ moment . I feel like if Braxton had of said to her before he knew she was going to stay “I love you and don’t want you to go but understand if you need to “ that moment would have had a lot more of an impact ! (Keeping in mind all along sophie was a
Long term commitment phobe and this was never really addressed )
Add to that we see glimpses of how much she loved horses but they were just fleeting really , and she “tamed a restless horse “ but then we don’t see her with the horse again …
Her mother was awful !! And doesn’t really get the consequences she should have .
Her dad … well after finding out how easily he really let her go too I don’t like him in the end either … I liked him until his explanation .
I know I’m pointing out the flaws but i guess I’m disappointed because I did like the book but was left with these irks .
Small Town Romance
Enemies to Lovers
I’m in love with this series already! This is one of the best small town romances I have read! The setting, the characters, the relationships, the pace, the drama… everything was perfect!
Braxton is such a hunk! Their chemistry is off the charts and I love how there isn’t any juvenile drama between them, just real adult issues being worked out by adults!
RUSTIC HEARTS is the first book I’ve read by Amber Kelly. If you enjoy a sweet, small-town romance, that is filled with wonderful characters, then I recommend reading this book. It was recommended to me and so I will pass on the favor.
Sophia Lancaster is living a busy life in New York City. She is a successful Jewelry Designer that is running her own business. Twenty years ago, her mother stole her away from the small town of Poplar Falls, and the family ranch where her entire loving family all lived. She also left behind her best-friend & her horse that was about to give birth. What hurt the most was leaving her Daddy & Grandma without saying goodbye. In twenty years she had given up hope that her daddy would soon be coming to see her. Her mom had told her that her dad had moved on and replaced them with a new family. Then she receives a phone call from an aunt that would end up changing her life forever.
Her Grandmother had passed away. The Aunt convinced Sophia that she must come home for her funeral. The whole family missed her and it was her Grandma’s wish that she be there. The Aunt was persistent, and she needed to get the answers and closure from her father. There are always two sides to every story. Sophia decided she should go, but her mother was insistent that she not ever go back. Sophia, however, felt she needed to go. It wasn’t easy to see her father’s new family, and especially his adopted son Braxton Young and his younger sister. Had they replaced Sophia in her Daddy’s heart?
It doesn’t take Sophia too long to realize that this big family is what she has been longing for. They all were having lunch outside and she looks around at the motley crew. She sees true friendship and sincere joy. She watches her aunt’s flit around, bringing out food & beverages and loving their people the best way they know how. Her friend, Dallas was right; this life was perfect! She also was 100% sure she would never find a better or more perfect man than Braxton. Would she be able to stay or should she go? It is the long overdue “talk” with her Daddy that helps make up her mind! Of course, what woman would want to leave Braxton??
So the cover of this book is what made me want to read it. I’m a sucker for a great cover and this book has a great one. The story was so good. Sophie was ripped away from her family at a young age and was led to believe that her father was more interested in his new family then he was in her. Now 20 years later the loss of a family member has brought Sophie home to face the family she thought forgot all about her only to learn that she didn’t really know the truth and meeting Braxton along the way.
I loved Sophie and Braxton’s story. It was so much more than just a simple love story. There is so much self discovery for Sophie and remembering who she is down in her roots. Braxton has formed his own opinions and decided what he wanted to before Sophie had a chance to get to Poplar Falls. But Braxton starts seeing a side of Sophie he didn’t think was possible and Sophie discovers that everything she’s always thought is not not as it seems. Both Braxton and Sophie deny how they feel about each other until the chemistry explodes. I felt so many emotions reading this book and loved every second.
Rustic Hearts is the first book I have read by this author and I really liked it! I love small town romances and this did not disappoint! I loved Braxton and Sophie. From the chemistry, connection and scorching sexy scenes, they were just perfect together!! Looking forward to reading Dallas’ book.
This is a story about a girl who has a stranged relationship with her father and his family. The reasons for that cold relationship is based on what her mother has told her. Life makes its turns and she sees herself back at the father´s ranch having to face the whole family besides her step mother and her step children. It´s interesting to read how she relates to a more simple way of living and how she introduces a more technical approach to running the day-to-day business in the ranch. It´s also a love story with all the struggles that sometimes comes with it. Really enjoyable reading.