An Optimist's Guide to Heartbreak
Heartsong Duet Book 1
There once was a girl with fireflies in her eyes and music in her soul.
(Remember her... she's important.)
She's the reason I panic-bought the little brick house on Maple Street; the one I lived next door to for eight magical years. Now that I'm back digging up floorboards and lost journals, I can’t stop thinking about the two people who grew up here.
You see, that girl was my best friend, and this house was once hers. She also had a big brother who was my everything before circumstance turned us into nothing more than memories.
That’s why I applied for a job at his auto shop—unprepared to discover that my new boss, Cal Bishop, is now gruff, built, and covered in tattoos.
I'm the sun to his overcast sky. The smile to his surly solitude.
A reminder of everything he longs to forget.
But my heart has a secret, and we’re running out of time to fix our torn pages.
Maybe... the same girl who used to be the glue still holds the key to putting our pieces back together.
(See? I told you she was important.)
Toodles,
Lucy
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Angst Level
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Content WarningSexual Assault, kidnapping, death of a character, violence
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Spice Level
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TropesForbidden, forced proximity, trauma bond, enemies to lovers, sister’s fiancé
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Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann NovelsMentions a news article featuring Oliver Lynch, a man discovered on the side of the road 22 years after he went missing. Introduction to Tabitha.
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TropesChildhood friends to lovers, virgin hero, cinnamon roll hero
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Angst Level
-
Content WarningKidnapping, references of Sexual Assault—message me for further details if necessary due to spoilers)
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Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann NovelsOliver Lynch's story, the man referenced in Still Beating, with cameos from Cora and Tabitha. Features two side characters with stories: Brant and Evan.
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Spice Level
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TropesUnrequited love, boy falls first, single mom, friends to lovers
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Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann NovelsIt is HIGHLY recommended that you read SB and Lotus first! The story of Tabitha (from SB) and Gabe (from Lotus). Features many characters from both books, as well as Evan and Summer from The Thorns Remain.
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Spice Level
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Angst Level
-
Content WarningSexual Assault, kidnapping, death of a character, violence
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TropesRockstar, single dad, slight love triangle, enemies to friends to lovers
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Angst Level
-
Content WarningDomestic violence and abuse
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Spice Level
-
Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann NovelsNone
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Spice Level
-
Content WarningLoss of a loved one, violence
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TropesSecond chance
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Angst Level
-
Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann NovelsYou MUST read Aria first! Bonus epilogue, featuring Summer from The Thorns Remain.
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Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann NovelsNone
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Spice Level
-
Content WarningNone
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TropesGrumpy/sunshine, best friend’s brother, virgin heroine, office romance, slight second chance, 90s setting
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Angst Level
-
TropesGrumpy/sunshine, best friend’s brother, virgin heroine, tortured hero
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Angst Level
-
Spice Level
-
Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann NovelsYou MUST read AOGTH first! None
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Content WarningAddiction
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Angst Level
-
TropesKidnapping, forced proximity, touch her and die, opposites attract, tortured MMC
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Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann NovelsNone
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Spice Level
-
Content WarningMurder, blood/violence, black market activities, death of a loved one off-page
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TropesRevenge romance with a twist, single dad
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Angst Level
-
Spice Level
-
Content WarningMorally gray hero, cheating—protagonists do NOT cheat on each other
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Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann NovelsEvan's story, the writer neighbor featured in Lotus and the man who interviewed Tabitha in Stars. Cameos from Oliver and Sydney in Lotus. Will eventually connect with a future story involving Evan's daughter, Summer, and Sam, the son from Aria/Coda. Features Delilah, who was briefly mentioned in Claws and Feathers and includes a small reference to that story.
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Spice Level
-
Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann NovelsNone
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Angst Level
-
TropesStrangers to lovers, forced proximity, single mom
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Content WarningViolence
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Angst Level
-
TropesAge gap, forbidden, taboo, single dad, secret romance, 90s setting
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Spice Level
-
Content WarningChildhood abuse and neglect, significant age gap
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Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann NovelsNone
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Angst Level
-
Content WarningMurder, blood/violence, bullying, alcoholism, depictions of chronic illness, attempted assault
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Spice Level
-
TropesYA themes, childhood friends to lovers, coming of age, neighbors
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Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann NovelsNone
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TropesWidow, grumpy/sunshine, tortured hero
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Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann NovelsMention of The Matchmaker from Still Beating, otherwise none.
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Spice Level
-
Content WarningLoss of a loved one, suicide and self-harm, references of child abuse
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Angst Level
-
Spice Level
-
Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann NovelsBrant's story, the bartender featured in Lotus. Cameos from Sydney and Clementine in Lotus.
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TropesForbidden/taboo, best friend’s sister, soulmates
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Content WarningTaboo theme, loss of a loved one
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Angst Level
-
Angst Level
-
TropesCop/victim, slight forbidden
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Spice Level (copy) (copy) (copy) (copy)
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Content WarningViolence
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Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann NovelsBrief mention of Noah and Freeze Frame from Aria. Vague mention of Delilah, a side character in The Thorns Remain (I don't think anyone has caught it though!
More Information
What readers are saying
An Pessimist's Guide to Love
Heartsong Duet Book 2
Within the tangled roots of grief, we stand to lose so much. But no one ever acknowledges what we stand to gain.
Strength. Perspective. Appreciation. Resilience.
And sometimes, every once in a while, if you’re truly lucky…
There is love.
After an emotional cliffhanger, we finally get inside Cal's head and discover his secrets, along with more details of his tragic past, that have been keeping him from Lucy.
A Pessimist's Guide to Love is the final installment of the Heartsong duet, ending in a guaranteed HEA.
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Angst Level
-
Content WarningSexual Assault, kidnapping, death of a character, violence
-
Spice Level
-
TropesForbidden, forced proximity, trauma bond, enemies to lovers, sister’s fiancé
-
Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann NovelsMentions a news article featuring Oliver Lynch, a man discovered on the side of the road 22 years after he went missing. Introduction to Tabitha.
-
TropesChildhood friends to lovers, virgin hero, cinnamon roll hero
-
Angst Level
-
Content WarningKidnapping, references of Sexual Assault—message me for further details if necessary due to spoilers)
-
Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann NovelsOliver Lynch's story, the man referenced in Still Beating, with cameos from Cora and Tabitha. Features two side characters with stories: Brant and Evan.
-
Spice Level
-
TropesUnrequited love, boy falls first, single mom, friends to lovers
-
Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann NovelsIt is HIGHLY recommended that you read SB and Lotus first! The story of Tabitha (from SB) and Gabe (from Lotus). Features many characters from both books, as well as Evan and Summer from The Thorns Remain.
-
Spice Level
-
Angst Level
-
Content WarningSexual Assault, kidnapping, death of a character, violence
-
TropesRockstar, single dad, slight love triangle, enemies to friends to lovers
-
Angst Level
-
Content WarningDomestic violence and abuse
-
Spice Level
-
Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann NovelsNone
-
Spice Level
-
Content WarningLoss of a loved one, violence
-
TropesSecond chance
-
Angst Level
-
Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann NovelsYou MUST read Aria first! Bonus epilogue, featuring Summer from The Thorns Remain.
-
Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann NovelsNone
-
Spice Level
-
Content WarningNone
-
TropesGrumpy/sunshine, best friend’s brother, virgin heroine, office romance, slight second chance, 90s setting
-
Angst Level
-
TropesGrumpy/sunshine, best friend’s brother, virgin heroine, tortured hero
-
Angst Level
-
Spice Level
-
Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann NovelsYou MUST read AOGTH first! None
-
Content WarningAddiction
-
Angst Level
-
TropesKidnapping, forced proximity, touch her and die, opposites attract, tortured MMC
-
Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann NovelsNone
-
Spice Level
-
Content WarningMurder, blood/violence, black market activities, death of a loved one off-page
-
TropesRevenge romance with a twist, single dad
-
Angst Level
-
Spice Level
-
Content WarningMorally gray hero, cheating—protagonists do NOT cheat on each other
-
Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann NovelsEvan's story, the writer neighbor featured in Lotus and the man who interviewed Tabitha in Stars. Cameos from Oliver and Sydney in Lotus. Will eventually connect with a future story involving Evan's daughter, Summer, and Sam, the son from Aria/Coda. Features Delilah, who was briefly mentioned in Claws and Feathers and includes a small reference to that story.
-
Spice Level
-
Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann NovelsNone
-
Angst Level
-
TropesStrangers to lovers, forced proximity, single mom
-
Content WarningViolence
-
Angst Level
-
TropesAge gap, forbidden, taboo, single dad, secret romance, 90s setting
-
Spice Level
-
Content WarningChildhood abuse and neglect, significant age gap
-
Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann NovelsNone
-
Angst Level
-
Content WarningMurder, blood/violence, bullying, alcoholism, depictions of chronic illness, attempted assault
-
Spice Level
-
TropesYA themes, childhood friends to lovers, coming of age, neighbors
-
Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann NovelsNone
-
TropesWidow, grumpy/sunshine, tortured hero
-
Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann NovelsMention of The Matchmaker from Still Beating, otherwise none.
-
Spice Level
-
Content WarningLoss of a loved one, suicide and self-harm, references of child abuse
-
Angst Level
-
Spice Level
-
Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann NovelsBrant's story, the bartender featured in Lotus. Cameos from Sydney and Clementine in Lotus.
-
TropesForbidden/taboo, best friend’s sister, soulmates
-
Content WarningTaboo theme, loss of a loved one
-
Angst Level
-
Angst Level
-
TropesCop/victim, slight forbidden
-
Spice Level (copy) (copy) (copy) (copy)
-
Content WarningViolence
-
Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann NovelsBrief mention of Noah and Freeze Frame from Aria. Vague mention of Delilah, a side character in The Thorns Remain (I don't think anyone has caught it though!