Hollow Heart (Northern Roots: Atlantic)

This series is incredible. Not just because of the world these books are set in, but because of the stories themselves. There’s something so comforting and cozy about them, even when they completely shatter your heart. I adore both of the men in this book equally. Silas is a lovable character from the beginning. He’s soft even when he’s angry. And he’s so heartbreakingly fragile in a way that just feels so real and raw. The way his past has shaped him, and affects the way he sees himself, is handled with the utmost amount of care that I have grown to expect from an Eve Holmes book 🖤 His fear of abandonment is crippling at times but what makes my heart ache more than anything is how you can see just how badly Silas wants to be okay, but he just doesn’t believe he deserves any of it 💔 And then there’s Levi, who is caring and loyal in such an instinctive, genuine way. He protects Silas without even batting an eye, even though he’s still just a kid trying to figure out his own life and future. When he makes the difficult decision to leave for college and chase his dreams, you can feel the conflict tearing him apart. Choosing himself feels, in some ways, like betraying his best friend and other half. These two are the kind of friends everyone wishes they had. I loved that Levi never once gives up or even considers walking away from Silas. He pushes him to try and to work through his emotions but never to the point of cruelty. He sees all of his broken pieces and stays…

Rating: 5 of 5 Spice: 2.5 of 5 Angst: 2.5 of 5 Read if: - You love childhood friends-to-lovers story – especially if there is a little bit of estrangement and whole of of “is what I am feeling something more…?” - You are here for the chance to dig deep into some pretty heady emotional baggage while knowing ahead of time that there is light at the end of the tunnel and a guaranteed happily ever after. - You are a firm believer that sometimes it is simply life that gets in the way of living and it is the way we learn and grow from our experiences that define us as a person. - Metaphors? All of them! So many! Yes, Please! Skip if: - You prefer quick burn, high spice stories. This one takes its time to get there and is just achingly sweet (though still steamy) when it does. - You prefer a quick, snappy plot. Much like the spice, this one takes its time – but in the best possible way. Growth (and healing) isn’t always linear and isn’t on anyone’s timeline but its own and this story sticks to that reality. - That's it. I honestly can’t think of anything else. Well. Here we are with another wonderfully well written book from Eve Holmes. At this point, I simply don’t expect any less. The prose and tempo of the story are perfectly matched to the setting and the life that both characters long to live (even if it takes them a little while to come to that realization). I also wouldn’t really call this one angsty. Lots of “aww…. Sweetie!!!”, sure – but not really…

PoV: dual, 1st person Genre: contemporary romance, MM Tropes / tags: friends to lovers, hurt / comfort, small town Silas and Levi's story was a beautiful and emotional romance, a true slow burn with loveable characters and a lot of potatoes! The books in this series have been like catnip to me, and I just love the characters, themes and settings from each book. Hollow Heart was a highly anticipated read for me, and Eve Holmes certainly delivered! Silas and Levi's journey to a HEA had quite a few bumps, and at times these two tugged hard on my heartstrings. Seeing Silas struggle was difficult, he was dealing with abandonment issues and early childhood trauma that no one seemed to fully understand the extent of, and acting out when things became too much for him. Levi was his rock, and it was sweet to see how inseparable the two of them were as kids and teenagers. It was sad to see the way everything changed between them once Levi left for university, and the two of them slowly drifted apart. It would take years before they were reunited, and considering Silas' struggles with change, he didn't deal well with Levi being back and working on the same farm as him. There was a lot of past hurt that was still lingering, and they needed time to find their way back to each other. The slow burn made perfect sense for them, and I loved how patient and supportive Levi was with Silas. Silas and Levi's story had me captured from the start, and I loved their strong connection and…

Hollow Heart is the 4th book in the Northern Roots Atlantic series of interconnected standalones, and man, Eve Holmes doesn’t miss. This one grabbed me right away and just kept twisting the knife in most delicious way. Silas and Levi have been best friends for as long as they can remember, one of those deep bonds that feel like it’s stitched into their bones. For Silas especially, Levi is everything: his support system, protector, safe place. Silas’s life has been full of hurt and trauma, and Levi is basically his one steady thing, the one person who makes the world feel survivable. So, when life pulls them onto separate paths, the distance takes its toll. They drift apart until something that used to be unbreakable eventually cracks. Watching their friendship drift apart is heartbreaking. While Levi goes out to the world to follow his dreams, Silas is stuck by himself in his family potato farm. Eventually, fate gets them back together. But reconnecting isn’t automatic. There are old wounds, misunderstandings, guilt, and so much heartbreak. They both have a lot of work to do to rebuild the bond. Eve’s characters are always impossible not to fall for, and Silas and Levi are no exception. Silas is so lovable, such a damaged, soft, broken boy. The way his past shapes him, how he always expects people to leave, is portrayed with a lot of care. His fear of abandonment is paralyzing at times, and it made my heart ache because you can see how badly he wants to be okay, and…

We're off to Prince Edward island with the latest installment in the Northern Roots series! We have two childhood friends who grew apart and a loveable menace of a golden retriever with good intentions. As kids, Sylas and Levi were inseparable. Levi was the one of the only ones who was able to break through the walls Sylas put up to stop himself from getting hurt. Text and data on pages make his brain swim, and he feels like he's drowning, unable to keep up with others. It makes him feel overwhelmed and vulnerable, even when he asks for help, he's often met with ridicule and written off as being difficult to deal with. As a neurodivergent girlie who struggles with dyscalcula,I felt this to my core. Sylas is close to my heart as an MC. His struggles and feeling like he's "too much" hit very close to home. The two are inseparable growing up, doing everything together, running off to their safe place: an abandoned lighthouse. It's here where they bring their own comic book hero to life. Like Sylas, their hero shows bravery in hard times, but never gives up. Together, they feel unstoppable. Unfortunately for Sylas, Levi has to leave for college and leave Sylas behind. The two start to go down seperate paths and talk less and less, eventually not talking at all. Fate has other plans, though. Levi gets an employment opportunity to work on a farm in his home city, the very farm that Sylas helps out on. The two reconnect, and both old and new feelings come up to the…