top of page

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

  • Angst Level
  • Content Warning
    Sexual Assault, kidnapping, death of a character, violence
  • Spice Level
  • Tropes
    Forbidden, forced proximity, trauma bond, enemies to lovers, sister’s fiancé
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    Mentions a news article featuring Oliver Lynch, a man discovered on the side of the road 22 years after he went missing. Introduction to Tabitha.
  • Tropes
    Childhood friends to lovers, virgin hero, cinnamon roll hero
  • Angst Level
  • Content Warning
    Kidnapping, references of Sexual Assault—message me for further details if necessary due to spoilers)
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    Oliver 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
  • Tropes
    Unrequited love, boy falls first, single mom, friends to lovers
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    It 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 Warning
    Sexual Assault, kidnapping, death of a character, violence
  • Tropes
    Rockstar, single dad, slight love triangle, enemies to friends to lovers
  • Angst Level
  • Content Warning
    Domestic violence and abuse
  • Spice Level
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    None
  • Spice Level
  • Content Warning
    Loss of a loved one, violence
  • Tropes
    Second chance
  • Angst Level
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    You MUST read Aria first! Bonus epilogue, featuring Summer from The Thorns Remain.
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    None
  • Spice Level
  • Content Warning
    None
  • Tropes
    Grumpy/sunshine, best friend’s brother, virgin heroine, office romance, slight second chance, 90s setting
  • Angst Level
  • Tropes
    Grumpy/sunshine, best friend’s brother, virgin heroine, tortured hero
  • Angst Level
  • Spice Level
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    You MUST read AOGTH first! None
  • Content Warning
    Addiction
  • Angst Level
  • Tropes
    Kidnapping, forced proximity, touch her and die, opposites attract, tortured MMC
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    None
  • Spice Level
  • Content Warning
    Murder, blood/violence, black market activities, death of a loved one off-page
  • Tropes
    Revenge romance with a twist, single dad
  • Angst Level
  • Spice Level
  • Content Warning
    Morally gray hero, cheating—protagonists do NOT cheat on each other
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    Evan'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 Novels
    None
  • Angst Level
  • Tropes
    Strangers to lovers, forced proximity, single mom
  • Content Warning
    Violence
  • Angst Level
  • Tropes
    Age gap, forbidden, taboo, single dad, secret romance, 90s setting
  • Spice Level
  • Content Warning
    Childhood abuse and neglect, significant age gap
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    None
  • Angst Level
  • Content Warning
    Murder, blood/violence, bullying, alcoholism, depictions of chronic illness, attempted assault
  • Spice Level
  • Tropes
    YA themes, childhood friends to lovers, coming of age, neighbors
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    None
  • Tropes
    Widow, grumpy/sunshine, tortured hero
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    Mention of The Matchmaker from Still Beating, otherwise none.
  • Spice Level
  • Content Warning
    Loss of a loved one, suicide and self-harm, references of child abuse
  • Angst Level
  • Spice Level
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    Brant's story, the bartender featured in Lotus. Cameos from Sydney and Clementine in Lotus.
  • Tropes
    Forbidden/taboo, best friend’s sister, soulmates
  • Content Warning
    Taboo theme, loss of a loved one
  • Angst Level
  • Angst Level
  • Tropes
    Cop/victim, slight forbidden
  • Spice Level (copy) (copy) (copy) (copy)
  • Content Warning
    Violence
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    Brief 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

Jennifer Hartmann just knows how to write a story that will make you laugh, CRY, swoon, and then break your heart in an instant. THAT ENDING felt like a knife straight to my heart.

- amazon reviewer

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.

  • Angst Level
  • Content Warning
    Sexual Assault, kidnapping, death of a character, violence
  • Spice Level
  • Tropes
    Forbidden, forced proximity, trauma bond, enemies to lovers, sister’s fiancé
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    Mentions a news article featuring Oliver Lynch, a man discovered on the side of the road 22 years after he went missing. Introduction to Tabitha.
  • Tropes
    Childhood friends to lovers, virgin hero, cinnamon roll hero
  • Angst Level
  • Content Warning
    Kidnapping, references of Sexual Assault—message me for further details if necessary due to spoilers)
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    Oliver 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
  • Tropes
    Unrequited love, boy falls first, single mom, friends to lovers
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    It 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 Warning
    Sexual Assault, kidnapping, death of a character, violence
  • Tropes
    Rockstar, single dad, slight love triangle, enemies to friends to lovers
  • Angst Level
  • Content Warning
    Domestic violence and abuse
  • Spice Level
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    None
  • Spice Level
  • Content Warning
    Loss of a loved one, violence
  • Tropes
    Second chance
  • Angst Level
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    You MUST read Aria first! Bonus epilogue, featuring Summer from The Thorns Remain.
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    None
  • Spice Level
  • Content Warning
    None
  • Tropes
    Grumpy/sunshine, best friend’s brother, virgin heroine, office romance, slight second chance, 90s setting
  • Angst Level
  • Tropes
    Grumpy/sunshine, best friend’s brother, virgin heroine, tortured hero
  • Angst Level
  • Spice Level
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    You MUST read AOGTH first! None
  • Content Warning
    Addiction
  • Angst Level
  • Tropes
    Kidnapping, forced proximity, touch her and die, opposites attract, tortured MMC
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    None
  • Spice Level
  • Content Warning
    Murder, blood/violence, black market activities, death of a loved one off-page
  • Tropes
    Revenge romance with a twist, single dad
  • Angst Level
  • Spice Level
  • Content Warning
    Morally gray hero, cheating—protagonists do NOT cheat on each other
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    Evan'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 Novels
    None
  • Angst Level
  • Tropes
    Strangers to lovers, forced proximity, single mom
  • Content Warning
    Violence
  • Angst Level
  • Tropes
    Age gap, forbidden, taboo, single dad, secret romance, 90s setting
  • Spice Level
  • Content Warning
    Childhood abuse and neglect, significant age gap
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    None
  • Angst Level
  • Content Warning
    Murder, blood/violence, bullying, alcoholism, depictions of chronic illness, attempted assault
  • Spice Level
  • Tropes
    YA themes, childhood friends to lovers, coming of age, neighbors
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    None
  • Tropes
    Widow, grumpy/sunshine, tortured hero
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    Mention of The Matchmaker from Still Beating, otherwise none.
  • Spice Level
  • Content Warning
    Loss of a loved one, suicide and self-harm, references of child abuse
  • Angst Level
  • Spice Level
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    Brant's story, the bartender featured in Lotus. Cameos from Sydney and Clementine in Lotus.
  • Tropes
    Forbidden/taboo, best friend’s sister, soulmates
  • Content Warning
    Taboo theme, loss of a loved one
  • Angst Level
  • Angst Level
  • Tropes
    Cop/victim, slight forbidden
  • Spice Level (copy) (copy) (copy) (copy)
  • Content Warning
    Violence
  • Connections with other Jennifer Hartmann Novels
    Brief 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

This book is full of sadness and tears but so many cute,happy memories/moments as well. And this ending is sheer and utter perfection. Love a good book with a HEA. Lucy and Cal’s story is an absolute must read!

- amazon reviewer

envelope 2.png
bottom of page