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Bella Heartwood Book Reviews
💌 Bookish thoughts, cozy vibes, and honest feelings — all in one place. I mostly review romance and romantasy books, from sweet to steamy (and all the messy feelings in between!), but I also like to explore other genres. I hope my reviews help you discover your next favorite read! 📚✨
Scythe & Sparrow
⭐ 5/5 stars
Author: Brynne Weaver
Release date: February 11, 2025
Genres: Dark Romance | Romance | Contemporary
Scythe & Sparrow by Brynne Weaver is a dark romance that completely pulled me in. I especially loved how the characters’ darker sides were explored in a way that felt fresh and different from the previous two books in The Ruinous Love Trilogy. While this book came very close to becoming my favorite, Butcher & Blackbird still holds that top spot for me.
Rose Evans, the female main character, has spent years traveling with the Silveria Circus, constantly on the move and without close family or lasting connections. Fionn Kane is a doctor living a quiet, isolated life in small-town Nebraska after experiencing a deeply impactful heartbreak.
Both Rose and Fionn have their own ‘dark instincts,’ and while they approach them very differently, those instincts play an important role in both their lives and their connection.
Rose and Fionn are perfectly matched, and I loved experiencing both their individual emotional journeys and the slow, meaningful development of their romance 🩷🤗 Their connection felt authentic, intense, and incredibly satisfying.
Overall, Scythe & Sparrow is fun, hilarious, witty, sexy, deep, and dark. It truly delivers a little bit of everything and serves as a strong, emotionally rich conclusion to Brynne Weaver’s Ruinous Love Trilogy. The subtle connections to the previous books (no spoilers!) are beautifully done and absolutely the cherry on top.
Author: Brynne Weaver
Release date: February 11, 2025
Genres: Dark Romance | Romance | Contemporary
Scythe & Sparrow by Brynne Weaver is a dark romance that completely pulled me in. I especially loved how the characters’ darker sides were explored in a way that felt fresh and different from the previous two books in The Ruinous Love Trilogy. While this book came very close to becoming my favorite, Butcher & Blackbird still holds that top spot for me.
Rose Evans, the female main character, has spent years traveling with the Silveria Circus, constantly on the move and without close family or lasting connections. Fionn Kane is a doctor living a quiet, isolated life in small-town Nebraska after experiencing a deeply impactful heartbreak.
Both Rose and Fionn have their own ‘dark instincts,’ and while they approach them very differently, those instincts play an important role in both their lives and their connection.
Rose and Fionn are perfectly matched, and I loved experiencing both their individual emotional journeys and the slow, meaningful development of their romance 🩷🤗 Their connection felt authentic, intense, and incredibly satisfying.
Overall, Scythe & Sparrow is fun, hilarious, witty, sexy, deep, and dark. It truly delivers a little bit of everything and serves as a strong, emotionally rich conclusion to Brynne Weaver’s Ruinous Love Trilogy. The subtle connections to the previous books (no spoilers!) are beautifully done and absolutely the cherry on top.
The Rain I Couldn't Let You Walk In
4/5 ⭐️
Author: Kayne Ellis
Spoiler-free ARC Review
The Rain I Couldn't Let You Walk In is a short literary romance based on a true story and real conversations, which made for a very unique reading experience—one that I genuinely enjoyed.
I was intrigued throughout the entire book. Its fast-read nature means that a lot happens in a relatively short amount of time, with something unfolding on nearly every page. While there are a few slower moments, for the most part this felt like a fast-paced read.
This is a character-focused story, where we follow the personal and romantic journey primarily through Kai’s point of view (POV). Kai and Elena’s story is told entirely through online conversations, which was an interesting concept for me and may not be for everyone. Keeping in mind that this book is based on a true story also makes the format easier to understand and process, adding a sense of authenticity to the storytelling.
There were a few moments where I felt slightly confused, particularly around certain situations or why some things happened. I also occasionally found myself unsure about the meaning of some abbreviations. However, none of this took away from my overall enjoyment or the intrigue of the story.
I recommend this short literary romance to readers looking for an emotional, character-driven story with a strong slow-burn element.
Thank you to Kayne Ellis for the opportunity to read and review The Rain I Couldn't Let You Walk In. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Author: Kayne Ellis
Spoiler-free ARC Review
The Rain I Couldn't Let You Walk In is a short literary romance based on a true story and real conversations, which made for a very unique reading experience—one that I genuinely enjoyed.
I was intrigued throughout the entire book. Its fast-read nature means that a lot happens in a relatively short amount of time, with something unfolding on nearly every page. While there are a few slower moments, for the most part this felt like a fast-paced read.
This is a character-focused story, where we follow the personal and romantic journey primarily through Kai’s point of view (POV). Kai and Elena’s story is told entirely through online conversations, which was an interesting concept for me and may not be for everyone. Keeping in mind that this book is based on a true story also makes the format easier to understand and process, adding a sense of authenticity to the storytelling.
There were a few moments where I felt slightly confused, particularly around certain situations or why some things happened. I also occasionally found myself unsure about the meaning of some abbreviations. However, none of this took away from my overall enjoyment or the intrigue of the story.
I recommend this short literary romance to readers looking for an emotional, character-driven story with a strong slow-burn element.
Thank you to Kayne Ellis for the opportunity to read and review The Rain I Couldn't Let You Walk In. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Between the Lines
4.5 ⭐️
Author: Tracey Magruder
Spoiler-free ARC review
I loved this book from beginning to end, and I felt so good reading it and getting to know its main characters—who, by the way, were wonderfully written. I was engaged the entire time with the story and found myself looking forward to each chapter, eager to see what would come next.
Our female main character is Sadie Reed, an American writer and editor who hasn’t written in a long time and is quietly hoping to find her way back to that part of herself. Fresh out of a long and very toxic relationship, she is looking for a new beginning while still dealing with things from her past that won’t simply go away. She gets assigned an editing project in England to help a very grumpy and difficult-to-work-with author. Meet bestselling author Corbyn Pearce, our main male character.
At the beginning of the assignment, Corbyn is definitely not happy, but he doesn’t exactly have a choice after missing several deadlines for his next book. He lives in a small town near London, filled with kind and lovely people he once spent time with—until a tragedy changed his life. After that, Corbyn chose to avoid people and places altogether. As Corbyn and Sadie spend time together, we not only get to see how they navigate their working relationship—the give and take—but also the funny and cute moments (mostly thanks to Riley the dog), as well as the possibility that fate may have played a role in bringing their lives together.
Not only is the character development for both main characters wonderful, but the secondary characters are also funny and add so much to the story. And honestly, who wouldn’t love a goofy dog that truly shines in this cozy yet emotionally deep story?
This is a very slow-burn romance, and while that may not be for everyone, I personally felt it was perfectly suited to the story and allowed the emotional connection between the characters to develop in a natural and meaningful way.
This book is perfect for readers who enjoy a cozy contemporary romance filled with warmth, while also appreciating characters who must navigate their feelings, past trauma, and insecurities in order to grow and be open to new experiences (including romantic ones).
Genres: Romance | Contemporary Romance | Contemporary | Emotional Romance
Tropes: Very slow-burn romance | Found family | Emotional safety | Grumpy x sunshine | Healing journey | Small-town setting
Content note: This story touches on heavier emotional themes and past experiences that may be sensitive for some readers. Please check content warnings.
Thank you to author Tracey Magruder for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Author: Tracey Magruder
Spoiler-free ARC review
I loved this book from beginning to end, and I felt so good reading it and getting to know its main characters—who, by the way, were wonderfully written. I was engaged the entire time with the story and found myself looking forward to each chapter, eager to see what would come next.
Our female main character is Sadie Reed, an American writer and editor who hasn’t written in a long time and is quietly hoping to find her way back to that part of herself. Fresh out of a long and very toxic relationship, she is looking for a new beginning while still dealing with things from her past that won’t simply go away. She gets assigned an editing project in England to help a very grumpy and difficult-to-work-with author. Meet bestselling author Corbyn Pearce, our main male character.
At the beginning of the assignment, Corbyn is definitely not happy, but he doesn’t exactly have a choice after missing several deadlines for his next book. He lives in a small town near London, filled with kind and lovely people he once spent time with—until a tragedy changed his life. After that, Corbyn chose to avoid people and places altogether. As Corbyn and Sadie spend time together, we not only get to see how they navigate their working relationship—the give and take—but also the funny and cute moments (mostly thanks to Riley the dog), as well as the possibility that fate may have played a role in bringing their lives together.
Not only is the character development for both main characters wonderful, but the secondary characters are also funny and add so much to the story. And honestly, who wouldn’t love a goofy dog that truly shines in this cozy yet emotionally deep story?
This is a very slow-burn romance, and while that may not be for everyone, I personally felt it was perfectly suited to the story and allowed the emotional connection between the characters to develop in a natural and meaningful way.
This book is perfect for readers who enjoy a cozy contemporary romance filled with warmth, while also appreciating characters who must navigate their feelings, past trauma, and insecurities in order to grow and be open to new experiences (including romantic ones).
Genres: Romance | Contemporary Romance | Contemporary | Emotional Romance
Tropes: Very slow-burn romance | Found family | Emotional safety | Grumpy x sunshine | Healing journey | Small-town setting
Content note: This story touches on heavier emotional themes and past experiences that may be sensitive for some readers. Please check content warnings.
Thank you to author Tracey Magruder for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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