#heart strings

NaPoWriMo prompt by @trickstersaint - April 22, 2026 - Heart strings

Poem text below the cut.

I haven't watched a ton of PD, but William, Vyncent, Dakota, and Ashe have some kind of web happening there.

Everyone talks about Angelstone with Apotheosis, but they forget that Thanatos is like. An aroace who would be third wheeling except he's got a life partnership with Peter and Rumi too. Which is a very important role to me as a poly aroace. The ending isn't real and they actually all got married and lived together after they killed the gods, Condifiction told me himself /silly

I also haven't finished Blood in the Bayou, but I definitely know people see that one for me (though if I have any massive opinions here, it's that Becky should totally be included more imo, she's rad)

Rating: 5/5

Book Blurb:

A sizzling exes-to-lovers second- chance romance from the author of Morbidly Yours, the “sweet, spicy, and fabulous” (Abby Jimenez, #1 New York Times bestselling author) TikTok sensation

She doesn’t do second chances. But he's not done writing their song.

Cielo “Lo” Valdez doesn’t believe in second chances. Surviving cancer taught her life is too short to spend time on someone who wronged you. But Aidan O’Toole is determined to show her life is best spent together.

When the tough-as-nails Texan moved to Galway for medical school, she wasn’t looking for love. Aidan, a gorgeous, tattooed, mandolin-playing lawyer, slipped past her defenses. They each fell hard and fast. But when Aidan was given the opportunity of a lifetime—to move to London and record an album—he took it, breaking Lo's heart. Yet more than two years and a successful album later, every song he writes is still about her, the one he let get away. And every time Lo hears his voice on the radio singing about love, it’s an arrow straight to her soul.

Now they’re on a collision course as maid of honor and best man at a weekend-long Irish castle wedding. Are some mistakes worth forgiving? Can Aidan convince Lo their song wasn’t meant to end?

Review:

Two exes, a up and coming mandolin playing lawyer and a tough as nails medical student, come together for their best friends wedding in this sweet second chance romance. Cielo "Lo" Valdez doesn't do second chances, once you've wronged her she doesn't forgive or forget... however Aidan O'Toole is determined to prove her wrong. Aiden and Cielo fell hard and fast for one another but when he left her to pursue his music career in London, he broke her heart and she's cut him out of her life completely. Now two years later Aiden has a successful album but every single song is about Lo and he can't get away from her, she's the one that got away meanwhile Lo has done everything to try and block him out. Yet when their best friends are getting married and they are both maid of honor and best man, they'll have to face each other for a weekend-long Irish castle wedding. Aiden knows this is his only chance to try and win back Lo... but can she ever give him a second chance after everything? Can he prove to her that he's here to stay and that he'll be there for her or will he just be another heartbreak waiting to happen again? This was such a beautiful heartwarming story about second chance, about healing, and an enduring love. The romance between Jo and Aidan was so sweet and the second chance was really done well. I've loved this series ever since I read the first book and I seriously can't wait for the next one!!!(Hello rival florists??? I am so in). Ivy just creates such unique characters and really gets you to feel so emotionally invested in their journey and romance. I will absolutely be recommending this series!

Release Date: August 12, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)