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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
This review was originally posted on Latte Nights Reviews.
First off, I would like to say that while this book had a different feel than the previous books in the series, it kind of has a similarity: second-chance romance. Not entirely since they were sexually involved only BUT Nicole's feelings were involved and Victor's feelings were getting involved so to me it feels like a second-chance romance. Anyway, I enjoyed this so freaking much! It really does have a lighter feel to it with humorous banter that I very much enjoyed.
Nicole and Victor had a sexual relationship while Victor was working as an attorney at Nicole's father's firm. One day, Victor puts a stop to it and right after, Nicole meets the guy she ends up marrying. Years later, Nicole is filing for divorce and her dad only trusts Victor to handle the case. Sexual tension arises for both and soon, feelings start to follow.
REASONS TO READ ELASTIC HEARTS:
The relationship between Nicole and Victor was amazing!Their dynamic, conversations, relationship, sexy times ;) were amazing. I was eagerly reading their story, wanting more and more. They fit each other so well. The romance was OFF THE CHARTS! There was so much sexual tension between these two and when they finally got to the feelings part, I was blown away. They are so caring for one another.
I realized that underneath all that pissed-off exterior I knew there was a caring man, one who would comfort me even when I didn't want to be comforted.
The main characters. Victor is definitely... Hot. Plain and simple. He's like the hot alpha male. We knew about him in the previous books but here you will see a whole new side of him that you will love! Nicole is a character—personality wise—that I think can be relate-able. She has endured so much because of her husband and she's finally said enough. She's strong and determined and loves deeply.
"You know what's funny? The world seems to think that women are the chasers after a one-night stand. That we go along with it and then are all broken-hearted when the guy doesn't call, because God forbid we use what's between our legs to have fun the way guys do." [...] "So I think it's funny that you, Mr. I have work to do. I had a good time came over here to chase me down."
The side characters! We also have characters from the previous books and man, I loved reading about them! It made me get all the feels for Oliver and Elle, and Jensen and Mia. One side character I didn't like at first but ended up liking was Nicole's soon-to-be-ex-husband because from what the reader gets, he grows a lot throughout the story. He treated Nicole very badly and took her for granted. He made her life hell. But along the way, you can see him trying to change, not for Nicole but for himself. Even Nicole notices the change in him.
Heart-breaking moments. They were so sad! I wanted to grab Nicole and Victor and hug them really tight and comfort them. The beginning alone had me thinking WHY?! I mean, the reasons were stated but still! These moments made me feel so much and they brought more depth to how each character is and how they handle certain situations.
"There is no us, Nicole. There never was. We were friends, we had sex, but that was it."
Hilarious and sexy banter. Now this, I highly enjoyed. Nicole and Victor are so open with one another and tell it how it is when they need to and this causes lots of fun banter between them and then other times, it causes sexy banter!
"You're the one calling meetings at crazy hours."
"And you're the one who's coming, no questions asked."
"That's how I usually like to come. No questions asked."
Overall, this was a fun story with enough feels to keep you intrigued until the very end. To say I want more of Nicole and Victor is an understatement. They were brilliant characters that I loved and their story was beautiful despite all the ugly that happened.
I received an eARC from the author for free in exchange for an honest review.
This review was originally posted on Latte Nights Reviews.
First off, I would like to say that while this book had a different feel than the previous books in the series, it kind of has a similarity: second-chance romance. Not entirely since they were sexually involved only BUT Nicole's feelings were involved and Victor's feelings were getting involved so to me it feels like a second-chance romance. Anyway, I enjoyed this so freaking much! It really does have a lighter feel to it with humorous banter that I very much enjoyed.
Nicole and Victor had a sexual relationship while Victor was working as an attorney at Nicole's father's firm. One day, Victor puts a stop to it and right after, Nicole meets the guy she ends up marrying. Years later, Nicole is filing for divorce and her dad only trusts Victor to handle the case. Sexual tension arises for both and soon, feelings start to follow.
REASONS TO READ ELASTIC HEARTS:
The relationship between Nicole and Victor was amazing!Their dynamic, conversations, relationship, sexy times ;) were amazing. I was eagerly reading their story, wanting more and more. They fit each other so well. The romance was OFF THE CHARTS! There was so much sexual tension between these two and when they finally got to the feelings part, I was blown away. They are so caring for one another.
I realized that underneath all that pissed-off exterior I knew there was a caring man, one who would comfort me even when I didn't want to be comforted.
The main characters. Victor is definitely... Hot. Plain and simple. He's like the hot alpha male. We knew about him in the previous books but here you will see a whole new side of him that you will love! Nicole is a character—personality wise—that I think can be relate-able. She has endured so much because of her husband and she's finally said enough. She's strong and determined and loves deeply.
"You know what's funny? The world seems to think that women are the chasers after a one-night stand. That we go along with it and then are all broken-hearted when the guy doesn't call, because God forbid we use what's between our legs to have fun the way guys do." [...] "So I think it's funny that you, Mr. I have work to do. I had a good time came over here to chase me down."
The side characters! We also have characters from the previous books and man, I loved reading about them! It made me get all the feels for Oliver and Elle, and Jensen and Mia. One side character I didn't like at first but ended up liking was Nicole's soon-to-be-ex-husband because from what the reader gets, he grows a lot throughout the story. He treated Nicole very badly and took her for granted. He made her life hell. But along the way, you can see him trying to change, not for Nicole but for himself. Even Nicole notices the change in him.
Heart-breaking moments. They were so sad! I wanted to grab Nicole and Victor and hug them really tight and comfort them. The beginning alone had me thinking WHY?! I mean, the reasons were stated but still! These moments made me feel so much and they brought more depth to how each character is and how they handle certain situations.
"There is no us, Nicole. There never was. We were friends, we had sex, but that was it."
Hilarious and sexy banter. Now this, I highly enjoyed. Nicole and Victor are so open with one another and tell it how it is when they need to and this causes lots of fun banter between them and then other times, it causes sexy banter!
"You're the one calling meetings at crazy hours."
"And you're the one who's coming, no questions asked."
"That's how I usually like to come. No questions asked."
Overall, this was a fun story with enough feels to keep you intrigued until the very end. To say I want more of Nicole and Victor is an understatement. They were brilliant characters that I loved and their story was beautiful despite all the ugly that happened.
I received an eARC from the author for free in exchange for an honest review.
This review was originally posted on Latte Nights Reviews.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
The Characters
Nicole is a young, bright woman who works in the film industry as a costume designer. She met Victor early on at a bar that later found out that Victor works for her father. After a few office encounters, Victor decided that with Nicole still being so young (just graduated college and will be starting a new job) and the boss’ daughter, they decided it was wiser to just break things off before it goes deeper. She then met Gabriel (Gab), a famous film star, who Nicole hesitantly started seeing to try to get over Victor. She dives into the world of show business – the good and the bad – as things started to get serious with Gab to the point that he proposed to her and they got married. She’s still a feisty spite-fire when it comes to her interaction with Victor and those lighthearted moments do take the tension off.
Victor is a smart, determined, and career-driven lawyer whose specialty is in divorce law. He works for Nicole’s father and is geared up to be promoted as a partner in the company. He’s allergic to relationships and doesn’t believe in marriage, given what he sees everyday. Too bad, his short-encounters with Nicole imprinted his heart, even dating around all these years. He was surprised to know that the rare time, Nicole came to the office, she was already engaged to someone else. Thinking how wrong he was with Nicole…that he meant something to her or that she didn’t believe in marriage. He tried to get the news over by working more and trying to achieve his goal – to become “partner”.
After a quick introduction to what happened between Victor and Nicole at the start of the book, readers are fast-forwarded to 5 years later, where Nicole’s marriage is not working out and she has filed divorce papers to Gabriel. The scenario is even messier since there are accusations of infidelity, drugs, and alcohol that is typical for Hollywood. Nicole gracefully tries to get everything done as quick as possible. Fortunately, her dad is a top-notched attorney who owns a law firm that specializes in divorces and made Nicole sign a prenuptial agreement. Too bad, due to conflict of interest, her dad cannot do the proceedings and enlisted his top attorney, Victor, for the job, in exchange for his partner position.
Some thoughts…
Upon getting the gist of the plot, I already know that this is a good and bad idea all at the same time. Compared to the books, this one is going to be messy and destructive. I can already feel that Victor is a very emotional and brooding type of a guy from the other books (recalling Book 1 with Oliver and Victor on the “secret relationship”), what more now that he’s in front of all the drama/action. The thing that makes me push on with this book that I know it’s a second chance book so this should be interesting – on how both very strong people will succumb to being committed to each other and let the world know about it.
The chemistry between the two main characters is seen/read clearly. It’s not even about pride or sanity anymore but more on ethics. Anything that could happen while the divorce proceedings between Victor and Nicole can be the cause of legal action or even worst, the end of Victor’s career. In the end, there are a lot of “stop signs” as Victor and Nicole keep meeting for her case. I am in a more level frame of mind but the torture of being in very close and intimate contact with her attorney drove me crazy in many of the chapters. They can be explosive and at the same time hilarious (apologizing on this) since just when you think something massive is going to happen, it dials down and comes out funny. I can’t help how I enjoy the bantering and the underlying comments that come in my head for it. Check out an excerpt below. There are many more “smirking moments” in the book that is to bate serious, brooding Victor. Pure genius!
POVs are on both characters but it can be a bit confusing in some ways since Victor and Nicole are very confused about their own situations. There were twists in the book that you can tell is tearing each other since they cannot disclose things else it would jeopardize the divorce proceedings and undermine everything.
It is sad when Nicole recalls Gab being a man from humble beginnings, to later turn into someone different within a few years into their marriage. The movie industries do change a person. It’s either for the better or the worst and sadly, most succumb to the latter. On the other hand, Nicole still maintains to be a good, loving wife and upholds integrity wherein she will not “throw anyone under the bus” just to further her career/cause but it’s also a fault that people around her like Gab and Darryl, his manager, is willing to exploit. When Darryl proposed a deal that has Nicole couldn’t refuse, Victor (and her father) was not happy with the possibility that it would result in Nicole getting hurt and damaged in the end.
Victor has grown throughout the book series and this being his story – I can see the growth and maturity shaping him after all these years. I think he did meet “the one” (in Nicole) but due to her age (she was 4/5 years younger than him) and his career, he learned to let her go. Now, after securing his job with the firm, and finding out that he might get another chance with Nicole, he is torn again with another dilemma on ethics. I totally can understand his feelings…timing is never right somehow and this time, it is totally out of anyone’s control till everything gets settled in the divorce.
Now that I knew she possibly felt more for me, I wasn’t sure what I felt for her. This version of me felt like he was ready for that. For something more. For something real. As stupid as it f*cking was, I thought maybe I could have it with Nicole. Maybe in another life. A different time, Our timing was complete sh*t.
— Victor, Elastic Hearts
I love Claire’s character development from Book 1 to this book, Book 3. I was concern about how she would be able to top the last book since I was enthralled with the art of the written word. I am so happy to hear Victor’s story and find out how his tough and driven exterior finally meets the lovely, independent, and fierce Nicole. They surely make a lovely pairing.
Don’t believe the hype…Being single is overrated, especially when you think you’ve found someone you can stand to be with continuously.
— Victor, Elastic Hearts
I’m sad that the series is done. Thank you for sharing these characters with us, Claire!
The Characters
Nicole is a young, bright woman who works in the film industry as a costume designer. She met Victor early on at a bar that later found out that Victor works for her father. After a few office encounters, Victor decided that with Nicole still being so young (just graduated college and will be starting a new job) and the boss’ daughter, they decided it was wiser to just break things off before it goes deeper. She then met Gabriel (Gab), a famous film star, who Nicole hesitantly started seeing to try to get over Victor. She dives into the world of show business – the good and the bad – as things started to get serious with Gab to the point that he proposed to her and they got married. She’s still a feisty spite-fire when it comes to her interaction with Victor and those lighthearted moments do take the tension off.
Victor is a smart, determined, and career-driven lawyer whose specialty is in divorce law. He works for Nicole’s father and is geared up to be promoted as a partner in the company. He’s allergic to relationships and doesn’t believe in marriage, given what he sees everyday. Too bad, his short-encounters with Nicole imprinted his heart, even dating around all these years. He was surprised to know that the rare time, Nicole came to the office, she was already engaged to someone else. Thinking how wrong he was with Nicole…that he meant something to her or that she didn’t believe in marriage. He tried to get the news over by working more and trying to achieve his goal – to become “partner”.
After a quick introduction to what happened between Victor and Nicole at the start of the book, readers are fast-forwarded to 5 years later, where Nicole’s marriage is not working out and she has filed divorce papers to Gabriel. The scenario is even messier since there are accusations of infidelity, drugs, and alcohol that is typical for Hollywood. Nicole gracefully tries to get everything done as quick as possible. Fortunately, her dad is a top-notched attorney who owns a law firm that specializes in divorces and made Nicole sign a prenuptial agreement. Too bad, due to conflict of interest, her dad cannot do the proceedings and enlisted his top attorney, Victor, for the job, in exchange for his partner position.
Some thoughts…
Upon getting the gist of the plot, I already know that this is a good and bad idea all at the same time. Compared to the books, this one is going to be messy and destructive. I can already feel that Victor is a very emotional and brooding type of a guy from the other books (recalling Book 1 with Oliver and Victor on the “secret relationship”), what more now that he’s in front of all the drama/action. The thing that makes me push on with this book that I know it’s a second chance book so this should be interesting – on how both very strong people will succumb to being committed to each other and let the world know about it.
The chemistry between the two main characters is seen/read clearly. It’s not even about pride or sanity anymore but more on ethics. Anything that could happen while the divorce proceedings between Victor and Nicole can be the cause of legal action or even worst, the end of Victor’s career. In the end, there are a lot of “stop signs” as Victor and Nicole keep meeting for her case. I am in a more level frame of mind but the torture of being in very close and intimate contact with her attorney drove me crazy in many of the chapters. They can be explosive and at the same time hilarious (apologizing on this) since just when you think something massive is going to happen, it dials down and comes out funny. I can’t help how I enjoy the bantering and the underlying comments that come in my head for it. Check out an excerpt below. There are many more “smirking moments” in the book that is to bate serious, brooding Victor. Pure genius!
N: You have to be the most self-assured person on planet Earth. You’re the one calling meetings at crazy hours.
V: And you’re the one who’s coming, no questions asked.
N: That’s how I usually like to come. No questions asked.
— Nicole and Victor, Elastic Hearts
POVs are on both characters but it can be a bit confusing in some ways since Victor and Nicole are very confused about their own situations. There were twists in the book that you can tell is tearing each other since they cannot disclose things else it would jeopardize the divorce proceedings and undermine everything.
It is sad when Nicole recalls Gab being a man from humble beginnings, to later turn into someone different within a few years into their marriage. The movie industries do change a person. It’s either for the better or the worst and sadly, most succumb to the latter. On the other hand, Nicole still maintains to be a good, loving wife and upholds integrity wherein she will not “throw anyone under the bus” just to further her career/cause but it’s also a fault that people around her like Gab and Darryl, his manager, is willing to exploit. When Darryl proposed a deal that has Nicole couldn’t refuse, Victor (and her father) was not happy with the possibility that it would result in Nicole getting hurt and damaged in the end.
Forgiveness always feels like a possibility in the presence of hope.
— Nicole, Elastic Hearts
Victor has grown throughout the book series and this being his story – I can see the growth and maturity shaping him after all these years. I think he did meet “the one” (in Nicole) but due to her age (she was 4/5 years younger than him) and his career, he learned to let her go. Now, after securing his job with the firm, and finding out that he might get another chance with Nicole, he is torn again with another dilemma on ethics. I totally can understand his feelings…timing is never right somehow and this time, it is totally out of anyone’s control till everything gets settled in the divorce.
Now that I knew she possibly felt more for me, I wasn’t sure what I felt for her. This version of me felt like he was ready for that. For something more. For something real. As stupid as it f*cking was, I thought maybe I could have it with Nicole. Maybe in another life. A different time, Our timing was complete sh*t.
— Victor, Elastic Hearts
I love Claire’s character development from Book 1 to this book, Book 3. I was concern about how she would be able to top the last book since I was enthralled with the art of the written word. I am so happy to hear Victor’s story and find out how his tough and driven exterior finally meets the lovely, independent, and fierce Nicole. They surely make a lovely pairing.
Don’t believe the hype…Being single is overrated, especially when you think you’ve found someone you can stand to be with continuously.
— Victor, Elastic Hearts
I’m sad that the series is done. Thank you for sharing these characters with us, Claire!
Review posted on my blog, Audrey's Bookcase:
A huge thank you to Claire Contreras for providing me with an advanced copy for reviewing.
I have to admit that I always saw Victor as being just there in the last two books in the Hearts series. But the fact that he was a divorce lawyer and never wanted anything to do with serious relationships was kind of intriguing. And then this gem of a book came along and was kind of, sort of so much effing better than anything I expected. Elastic Hearts can't even be compared to its predecessors. It's different from Kaleidoscope Hearts and Paper Hearts in that the two mains, Victor and Nicole, don't have a history the way Oliver and Elle, and Jensen and Mia do. They had past encounters, but Nicole is a totally new character, and she just fit into this universe so seamlessly. It's less drama but more intensity and sophistication.
I loved finally getting to know Victor more. Where Oliver and Jensen are sweet and sensitive, Victor is aggressive and all business; he gets s#*! done, and he's just... woah. Different. And extremely sexy. He's so confident and cocky and you can't even get mad at him because it's so, so justified. Ladies, I'm telling you, you're gonna want a Victor Reuben after reading this.
Nicole, on the other hand, is going through a high-profile divorce from her Hollywood soon-to-be ex-husband. But she's far from the doting trophy wife. She's very much her own person; fierce and independent, but at the same time there's a vulnerability to her. Sure, there's something undeniable between her and Victor, but she still wants to be amicable with her ex-husband and do what was right with the divorce. She has this admirable quality of self-respect and confidence that made her totally likeable from the very beginning.
What I really adored about this book was that these two were so career-driven and mature. Even though their feelings for each other pushed them to the edge, they respected each other's decisions to not act on anything that could ruin what they've each worked so hard for. The tension that resulted from this push-pull relationship was so incomparable to anything I've read in this genre in the last little while. They had amazing chemistry and I couldn't help but root for them to make things work despite the emotional rollercoaster they were put through.
Of course, there was the aspect of seeing the other characters: Mia, Elle, Oliver, Jensen, and the Reubens, all of whom I love. It was fun getting different sides of both Victor and Nicole when they interacted with the others. Some of my favourite moments actually came from scenes with the whole gang together. And Nicole just eased right in there perfectly.
Giving this book five stars, five unicorns, five rainbows, five hearts; kaleidoscope, paper, elastic-- just five out of five everything, because it's amazing and had me feeling all kinds of emotions. I didn't want it to end, but I needed to see where it would go. I feel like sending Claire Contreras a fruit basket (or a whole orange grove) as a 'thank you' for writing an addicting series and concluding it with this book.
A huge thank you to Claire Contreras for providing me with an advanced copy for reviewing.
I have to admit that I always saw Victor as being just there in the last two books in the Hearts series. But the fact that he was a divorce lawyer and never wanted anything to do with serious relationships was kind of intriguing. And then this gem of a book came along and was kind of, sort of so much effing better than anything I expected. Elastic Hearts can't even be compared to its predecessors. It's different from Kaleidoscope Hearts and Paper Hearts in that the two mains, Victor and Nicole, don't have a history the way Oliver and Elle, and Jensen and Mia do. They had past encounters, but Nicole is a totally new character, and she just fit into this universe so seamlessly. It's less drama but more intensity and sophistication.
I loved finally getting to know Victor more. Where Oliver and Jensen are sweet and sensitive, Victor is aggressive and all business; he gets s#*! done, and he's just... woah. Different. And extremely sexy. He's so confident and cocky and you can't even get mad at him because it's so, so justified. Ladies, I'm telling you, you're gonna want a Victor Reuben after reading this.
Nicole, on the other hand, is going through a high-profile divorce from her Hollywood soon-to-be ex-husband. But she's far from the doting trophy wife. She's very much her own person; fierce and independent, but at the same time there's a vulnerability to her. Sure, there's something undeniable between her and Victor, but she still wants to be amicable with her ex-husband and do what was right with the divorce. She has this admirable quality of self-respect and confidence that made her totally likeable from the very beginning.
What I really adored about this book was that these two were so career-driven and mature. Even though their feelings for each other pushed them to the edge, they respected each other's decisions to not act on anything that could ruin what they've each worked so hard for. The tension that resulted from this push-pull relationship was so incomparable to anything I've read in this genre in the last little while. They had amazing chemistry and I couldn't help but root for them to make things work despite the emotional rollercoaster they were put through.
Of course, there was the aspect of seeing the other characters: Mia, Elle, Oliver, Jensen, and the Reubens, all of whom I love. It was fun getting different sides of both Victor and Nicole when they interacted with the others. Some of my favourite moments actually came from scenes with the whole gang together. And Nicole just eased right in there perfectly.
Giving this book five stars, five unicorns, five rainbows, five hearts; kaleidoscope, paper, elastic-- just five out of five everything, because it's amazing and had me feeling all kinds of emotions. I didn't want it to end, but I needed to see where it would go. I feel like sending Claire Contreras a fruit basket (or a whole orange grove) as a 'thank you' for writing an addicting series and concluding it with this book.
2 stars
Claire Contreras is one of my favorite authors, really she is. Two of her books are my all-time favorite reads, and I will read anything she writes because I know she will deliver a unique love story that will stand out amongst the sea of generic romance books out there.
That being said, Elastic Hearts wasn’t the book for me. I didn’t really feel the connection between Nicole and Victor and I got a little bit sick of the constant will we or won’t we between them. The biggest issue for me though, was I was bored the entire time I read the book. It took me 4 days to read it, and I am someone who can pretty much read a book a day. It didn’t capture my interest.
Just because I didn’t like it doesn’t mean other people won’t love it. Obviously I am in the minority on this one. I think this love story is something many people would enjoy and love, again it just wasn’t for me.
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review
Claire Contreras is one of my favorite authors, really she is. Two of her books are my all-time favorite reads, and I will read anything she writes because I know she will deliver a unique love story that will stand out amongst the sea of generic romance books out there.
That being said, Elastic Hearts wasn’t the book for me. I didn’t really feel the connection between Nicole and Victor and I got a little bit sick of the constant will we or won’t we between them. The biggest issue for me though, was I was bored the entire time I read the book. It took me 4 days to read it, and I am someone who can pretty much read a book a day. It didn’t capture my interest.
Just because I didn’t like it doesn’t mean other people won’t love it. Obviously I am in the minority on this one. I think this love story is something many people would enjoy and love, again it just wasn’t for me.
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review
This was sort of awkward and just didn't work for me at all
2.5 stars
I just didn’t connect with the story of Nicole and Victor or with the characters themselves. In fact, both Nicole and Victor were irritating in different ways. The female narrator didn’t work for me, the male narrator was fine.
I just didn’t connect with the story of Nicole and Victor or with the characters themselves. In fact, both Nicole and Victor were irritating in different ways. The female narrator didn’t work for me, the male narrator was fine.