Hidden Bonds (Splintered Hearts Book 4)

I’ve never in my entire life craved frosting the way I did during this book and yes, I definitely mean that in a sexual context. The twists and turns were non-stop. I loved how Sophie created such complex layers for both Aiden and Sawyer. This book also had such a beautiful focus on grief. Losing anyone is hard, but losing a parent who was your rock is next-level, especially when they had such a stunning mother-son relationship. She’s the reason Sawyer got into baking and the reason he finally takes the risk to accept help from his silly, unserious, goofy bestie, Noah. (The man who I’m pretty sure doesn’t own a full-length shirt. Not complaining!) CUE our grumpy, jaded storm cloud of a man, Aiden. AH, this man had me absolutely drooling at his toxicity. Red flags? Who needs red? All I see is a man so loyal he’s willing to let the only person he’s ever had feelings for slip through his fingers. He’s trapped in a dark family that wants to keep him locked in the shadows for their unlawful activities, and he would do anything, even ruin his only shot at happiness, just to save his sister. Speaking of family, I love how this group of friends is perfectly intertwined from the past books without making it feel like you're missing giant chunks. It really highlights the importance of having people in your corner who will truly stand by you. And oh, sweet, sweet Sawyer... how I LOOOOOVED him! He is the definition of an introvert who just wants to make sweet treats, keep his…

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ Aiden and Sawyer… whew. To say I was excited for this book is an understatement. I needed Bakery Booty🧁 and Angry Aiden in my life, and let me tell you, Angry Aiden did not disappoint. This one leans heavily into hurt/comfort, and Aiden’s story honestly hurt. From neglectful parents to basically being unpaid labor for his abusive stepfather, adjacent sorta?, he’s been dealt a terrible hand. Getting more insight into his guarded, cash-only lifestyle added so much depth to his character. And then there’s Sawyer. We already know and love him from earlier books, and after that failed date with Bo, I was rooting HARD for him to finally get his HEA. Between losing his mother and trying to handle his business alone, he’s been carrying so much, and it shows. 😢 What really worked for me here was the slow burn. Watching Aiden figure out who he is and what love can look like was emotional in the best way. At the same time, seeing Sawyer finally let his guard down and allow himself to be vulnerable? Yeah… that had me in my feelings. The angst is definitely there, but it’s the good kind just enough to keep you hooked without being overwhelming. I almost got frustrated during the big conflict, but then I had to pause and admit… maybe I’m the problem because I didn’t think it was that bad 😅 The drama was .... Very much giving telenovela energy, and I ate it UP. I couldn't put it down because I neeeeeded to know what happened next Finally, my good people, can we…

This series just keeps getting better (how?!) Sophie has become an auto-read author for me because if she writes it, I’m already seated. This is Sawyer & Aiden’s story, and I have not stopped thinking about them since I finished. Sawyer is barely holding everything together… he’s grieving, stressed, and trying to keep his bakery from going under. Watching him fight so hard for something that means so much to him already had me emotional… but then Aiden walks in and flips his entire world upside down. Aiden is all sharp edges and walls at first, the kind of man who keeps everyone at arm’s length… but underneath that? He’s just been surviving, not living. Everything he does is tied to protecting his sister, even when it means sacrificing himself in ways that hurt to witness. There’s so much weight behind his choices, and once you see it, you can’t help but ache for him. What I loved most is how these two shouldn’t work on paper… but somehow fit in a way that feels inevitable. Sawyer is craving something real after too many disappointments, and Aiden has never even had the chance to understand what love is supposed to feel like. Watching Aiden slowly unravel and want something more than survival was honestly gut-wrenching in the best way. And the chemistry??? Absolutely off the charts. The tension, the push and pull, the way Aiden fights himself every step of the way… it HURT (affectionately). This is one of those romances where you feel every ounce of longing, every…

Intro: This book is an MM romance between Sawyer, a bakery owner trying his best to manage it all and Aiden, a man stuck in his current abusive circumstances looking for a way out Tropes/Highlights: -Dual POV -MM -Found Family -Hurt/Comfort -Touch Starved -Hidden Motives -HEA Likes: -Chaotic/protective friend group, Noah is my favorite -Different desserts -Plot twist -Care taking/small acts of love -Aiden's defensive yet protective nature, quiet love -Supportive relationship dynamics through secondary characters -Bakery business Neutrals/Criticisms: -Some of the writing felt clunky -Didn't like the addition of Devlin, felt rushed/underdeveloped and a little weird -Pacing was slow for me/some things were repetitive Quotes: -"That feeling you get where the world fades away and the person you're meant for is all you see" -"I don't want to be cruel, even if sometimes circumstances require it of me" -"I don't need perfect. I just need perfect for me" -"I want someone to look at me like I'm everything they've ever needed" -"I want your heart, but you can't keep hurting mine" -"Breathe through the power of friendship. I'm not letting go" This is the first book I have read from this author and it is the fourth book in the series. The first half was pretty solid and I enjoyed the developing relationship between the MCs but the last quarter of the book fell flat for me. It felt a little rushed and not as well developed as the first. I think it is best to…

🍰 Hidden Bonds by Sophie Quinn 🍰 “While this feels complicated, the truth is very simple. I love him.” okay, this book had my sweet tooth ACHING. not only between the actual sweet treats mentioned, but the sweet moments between alllll of the characters in the book. im glad we got to see everyone (not just the MC’s) being all cute together (even tho poor Sawyer was definitely jealous of it at first) sooo. Sawyer is a pastry chef with an ugly elephant sculpture that somehow causes so much drama that this *insert bad word here* named Ivan is willing to draw blood over it. in comes Aiden, Ivan’s little pawn (not by choice) who needs to figure out how to get his hands on the sculpture. one thing leads to another, Aiden begins working for Sawyer at Moonlight Confections (his bakery), and feelings between them begin to grow. wait.. feelings? no.. no way. not Aiden. Aiden doesn’t do feelings.. 👀 i gotta say, i was entertained THE WHOLE TIME. my fave thing about this world is that yeah, things can get heavy… but things can equally be just completely unserious and ridiculous and I LOVE IT. not only were there plot twists I didn’t expect, but now i wanna know what kind of ‘Daddy’ Noah would nickname me. 🤔 some tidbits: 🍰 hurt x comfort 🍰 found family 🍰 bakery booty 🍑 🍰 touch starved MC 🍰 DEVLIN 😅 🍰 hidden motives 🍰 a bit of spice 🌶️