Paper Hearts

Just in time for Valentine's Day, author Courtney Walsh's new book Paper Hearts delivers a love story that is bound to inspire you to start a new tradition. This book totally has a Ya-Ya Sisterhood meets Letters to Juliet meets You've Got Mail kind of feel. I always adore a good love story and this book is definitely one. However, it is also about overcoming loss, disappointment, and starting all over again.

I really loved this book for the struggle the characters walk through. True to life, love and happiness are not always easy to come by. Especially when we feel tied to one outcome and attempt to force our perfect ending. I also enjoyed the idea of writing paper hearts throughout the year and gifting them to your spouse on Valentine's Day. It is a special way to show love without spending a fortune. We already do a version of this with our kids. Starting a month before Valentine's Day we stick paper hearts nightly on our children's door with words describing all the things we love about them.

I give Paper Hearts four stars for its tradition inspiring love story. While I would have loved to see more interaction and conversation between Abigail and the handsome doctor, I still found this book enjoyable and worth reading. I was given a complimentary copy of this book by its publisher, Tyndale House, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I have not been compensated.

SUMMARY:
Having romantic grandparents who named the town “Love’s Park”, Abigail Pressman just knows she has to find Mr. Right soon. With the help of the Valentine Volunteers (aka Loves Park Meat Market Matchmaking Guild), she is truly feeling the pressure. When Abigail’s store, The Book Nook, has its building threatened to be sold to an attractive new landlord, she is inspired to string anonymous paper hearts throughout her store; however, when new hearts are delivered, she realizes there may be more involved than just the paper hearts. Will Abigail need to decide between her heart and her business?

A PENNY FOR MY THOUGHTS:
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Paper Hearts is a sweet story filled with hope, love, inspiration, forgiveness and heartache. I was drawn to the book by the cover, enjoyed the premise, encountered a few surprises and sighed at the end. I chuckled quite often at the antics of the Valentine Volunteers- quite the group of characters! A new author for me, I will definitely watch for Courtney Walsh’s books again while making room for this one on my bookshelf…it may just become a Valentine’s Day tradition.

RATING:
4 (out of 5) pennies

*I received a complimentary copy of Paper Hearts from Tyndale House Publishers for my honest review*

Paper Hearts by Courtney Walsh tells the tale of Abigail Pressman, a young woman who lives in the tourist town, Loves Park. Abigail runs a small book store and coffee shop that she dreams of one day expanding into something so much more!

Her dream dies when a doctor, Jacob Willoughby, moves into town with his dream of opening a medical practice in Loves Park. When he purchases the building, where Abigail is currently renting space for her store, Abigail does not know what to do. Not only does she have a new landlord to deal with, she also has to deal with his plans to take over her space to enlarge his medical practice!

Abigail does all she can to save her store, while Jacob can only hope that the secrets from his past stay hidden. As they both work hard to save their dreams, they both forget that God is the one in control of their lives! Will they learn to trust Him with all the details?

The first half of this book was not easy to read; however, for the last 100 or so pages, I could hardly put the book down, waiting for the ending to Abigail and Jacob's tale. It was definitely worth the wait!

I received this book from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for my unbiased review

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I actually read the paperback. But all of the reviews were here, so I wanted to join the fun. This book was introduced to me by my book club at church. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the meeting when it was discussed. However, I wanted to read the book anyway.

For me, this book was a nice relaxing read. The book was a Christian novel, so the language was clean and the love scenes were described modestly. I liked the book because the tension the author created wasn't particularly life threatening. I kept reading the book because the story line was good, not because I HAD to find out what happened next. I find that so many books I read keep me on edge. And that sometimes translates into my real life~~which can be problematic. However, this book was just nice to let yourself travel to a small town whenever you picked up the book and started to read.

My husband is leaving on a short trip today. I used to put little love notes in his suitcase for him to find while he was gone. I had gotten away from that. But this book has spurred me on to resurrect that practice again. Only this time, I'll use paper hearts to show him how much I love him and anxiously await his return.

I really enjoyed Paper Hearts. I think it shows how we hide ourselves from the world because we are scared of how the world is going to judge us when we are judging ourselves so very harshly. Change is always good. It's too easy to get stuck in a rut and, while it may be hard to change, it is so good to branch out and do other things.

Abigail really wants to be loved and have a family but she has hidden herself away in her father's book store telling herself that love is a fairy tale. When her building is sold, she is forced to view herself in a new and different way and she may find that she will learn a thing or two.

This was an amazing read and helped me look at myself differently. I received a free copy of this book from bookfun.org for my honest review.

What a beautiful story of two people with broken pieces in their past, finding their way to healing. Woven throughout the story is the lesson of learning to let go of OUR vision and letting God show us HIS vision for our life. It is such a hard lesson – most of us let go for a time and then yank control back from God because we think we know best – only to learn that is isn’t until we fully let go of our plan that we find true happiness and contentment.
Abigail and Jacob’s story is told in small pieces which keeps you reading and hoping for a happy ending. There is lots of “real life” spread through the story. Life is full of ups and downs for all of us. All the characters in this small town are captivating and remind us that you shouldn’t judge someone by the parts of them they show in public, but that you need to really get to know someone and understand their history before you can see the whole person.
The idea of the paper hearts is such a wonderful idea – I love to think about all the people in all the states starting their own paper hearts as this story is shared. I received this book from BookFun.org in exchange for my honest review.

Abigail has decided that true love is a fairy tale. It doesn’t really exist, and she’s better off focusing her efforts on expanding her book store. Jacob only wants a fresh start for himself and his daughter, Junie. His new tenant is not as important as his little girl. Their goals collide, leaving them struggling to find a solution without destroying anyone in the process.

I really enjoyed Paper Hearts, which reminded me in several ways of the movie “You’ve Got Mail.” I could relate to Abigail and her desire to focus on what she thought she was supposed to be doing rather than answering deep questions like what she really wanted in life.

The quirky ladies who make up the Valentine Volunteers certainly add sparkle and comedy to the tale. I am thankful that I didn’t have to face matchmakers such as these, but I enjoyed their antics.

Paper Hearts is a fun read, whether you pick it up in time for Valentine’s Day or not. And the paper heart tradition Abigail shares with Loves Park just might inspire you to start a new tradition of your own!

(I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts expressed here are entirely my own.)

I was intrigued by this book from the beginning. Probably because I'm a hopeless romantic and was curious about the story behind the paper hearts.

The first few chapters were a bit slow for me and really the beginning of the whole story was slow. I was anxious to read about these paper hearts and they weren't even mentioned until about a third of the way through the book.

Jacob was a bit annoying as he wasn't man enough to stand up for himself and for what was right. He did eventually, so I guess we can give him partial credit. What really bothered me was that he let a flashy woman he didn't even really care about do the pushing around.

My favorite character was Ursula. She seemed a bit crusty, but had everyone's best interests at heart, mainly Abigail's.

"Paper Hearts" was a sweet story and was an relaxing read. At times it was predictable, but still enjoyable.

What I liked most about this book was the whole idea of the paper hearts. It's very sweet, romantic and sentimental, although I would keep my paper hearts.

I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY BOOK FOR FREE FROM TYNDALE PUBLISHERS FOR REVIEW PURPOSES.

A love story, just in time for Valentine's. The funny thing is that I didn't even intend that when I requested this book. Romance books, especially this time of year, can be hit or miss and I am so happy to say that this one was a hit. While I wasn't able to read it all in one setting, I wanted to and I kept coming back to it every chance that I got. Each of the characters in the book had their own pasts, their own secrets and things that haunted them. This didn't take away from the story at all. Instead, it added to it. On top of that, there were so many wonderful secondary characters and I sincerely hope that some of them get books of their own. I would love to read their backstories and find out what the future holds! I love the fact that while this is a work of fiction, the paper hearts can serve as a wonderful reminder about honoring and celebrating the love in all of our lives.

With all of the talk about how love is depicted in movies and books these days, Paper Hearts was a refreshing find. The story is sweet, yet has depth (it’s not *just* a romance!). The town is obsessed with love (which I love, pun intended!). Plus, Abigail, the main character, owns a bookstore. What more could a book lover like me want? I keep seeing other bloggers use the word “heartwarming” to describe this book, and I definitely agree. Overall, this is a lovely story that I’m glad I took the time to read. I’ll be on the lookout for the author’s next novel!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. However, all opinions expressed are my own. I was not required to write a positive review and have not been compensated for it in any way.

Abigail has been running the Book Nook since her dad left her the business. In the little town of Love's Park the store is a favorite of out of town visitors, especially during the Valentine season. But when a new person moves to town and buys her building she fears that her dream may be gone.

Jacob moves to Love's Park to start over after the death of his wife. As a doctor he buys the downtown building to open his medical practice. While he is trying to start over as a single dad, he chose Love's Park because his wife had loved the little town and its Valentine's Day traditions. They wrote little love notes to each other on paper hearts and put them up in their apartment. The tradition continued each year, until the last, when Jacob's hearts were the only ones.

This contemporary fiction novel was easy read and enjoyable. The characters were believable and the story too. The underlying theme of love and forgiveness was refreshing and wonderful. Great read, especially this week- Valentine's Day.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher, Tyndale House. All opinions expressed are my own.

When I saw Paper Hearts was available for review, I grabbed it instantly! I fell in love with Walsh's Sweethaven series and have been waiting for something new from her. Paper Hearts is a love story, but it's so much more. It's about feelings of unworthiness, self-blame, and failure. It's about forgiveness, perfect love, and romance. Walsh proves her talent for making characters real and dynamic. Not only did I see parts of myself in Abigail Pressman, but also in each of the supporting characters. While parts of the story were rather predictable, Walsh manages to keep an underlying sense of suspense throughout the book. I appreciate the realness and reverent manner in which the author approaches grief and death. I expected this book to be mostly lighthearted, but I was pleasantly surprised by the heavier storyline. I loved reading about the ladies in the Valentine Volunteers and hope to see more of them in the future. Loves Park is a place I'd love to visit again! Bring it on, Courtney Walsh!
*Tyndale House Publishers provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes.

This was a truly sweet story. A rather ‘heart-melting’ one. :) I wasn’t sure what I’d think of it, because I’ve read my fair share of contemporary romances, and most just aren’t so great, but I was pleasantly surprised with this one. It wouldn’t leave my mind when I wasn’t reading it, and there were some really, really sweet parts. I know I already said it was sweet, but that’s the perfect word for it. And the Christian theme was really well done too. I was very happy with that, and the outcome, and the healing, etc. All in all I really enjoyed this book! I really liked Abigail – right away; I could relate to her in some ways. And plus, she owned a book store – I love books. :)

The Paper Heart bit of it was just soooo lovely. So cute. And I loved how Abigail loved it secretly, how she poured over the hearts.

Yep, this was a cute and adorable book, well written, and very engaging! I really liked it. :)

I was sent a free copy of this book from the Tyndale blog program for the purpose of this review. All thoughts are my own; honest and unbiased.

Take one idyllic tourist village focused on being the love capital of the area;one single twenty-something business owner; a mysterious and handsome newcomer to town; plus a group of meddling and mostly old ladies, and what do you get? One very confusing, enigmatic, and uncertain relationship between two hurting hearts.

Yes, the actual paper hearts are indeed the heart of the story. But maybe, just maybe, Courtney Walsh's title refers to the delicate, broken condition of the two protagonists. Hearts that can only be whole and real as their owners allow God to direct their ways, their emotions, and work true forgiveness in their souls. A tender, sweet read that will cause you to examine your own heart and emotions.

Favorite quotes: "But he shouldn't have to forgive God, should he? 'No, Jacob, forgive yourself.'" Also: "Love isn't perfect. If it were, we wouldn't need God to get in the middle of it."

I received this book from bookfun.org in exchange for an honest review.

This novel is one of a growing trend of romances set in charming small towns, with the usual subjects, cutesy names of shops, nosy older matchmaking ladies, family interference, supportive friends, etc, etc. in this case the basic premise was promising but slooooow. Lots of vapid angst, an irritating do nothing hero and a shy, boring heroine. The hero spends 9/10ths of the story blaming himself for his wife's death and when we finally are told what caused it I find it difficult to understand why, when he did everything humanly possible to help her, he still blames himself, a physician. Also he apparently sued the hospital she was in for wrongfull death and is now very wealthy. But all this is very vague. There's a "friend" of his wife's whom he hires as his business manager, who is cold and nasty and determined to rope him in, but of course, she gets her comeuppance in the end, because, well, that's a given. Women who like what is termed "clean stories" with religious undertones will probably like this novel, and I have strong spiritual feelings myself and enjoy stories both with and without sexual scenes, but in this case I really felt very little sensual connection between the two leads, even with a couple of rather clumsily written kissing scenes. One irritating thing is the constant reference to the heroine's father who abandoned his family, and caused so much of her withdrawal from a normal 20 something's life, and negatively affected her siblings and mother as well, with absolutely no explanation of why. I guess all in all it just seemed like a very watered down copy of many popular current romances by more adept writers. Glad it's a library book, it would have been a huge waste of money.

Paper Hearts by Courtney Walsh is set in a small tourist town. "Abigail Pressman would never have guessed that love notes penned on paper hearts by an anonymous couple could restore her belief in love. As a business owner in a quaint town at the base of the Rockies, she’s poured everything into dreams of expansion . . . and resisting the matchmaking efforts of the Valentine Volunteers, who gather in her store to continue Loves Park’s tradition of stamping mail with the city’s romantic postmark.

When Abigail is unwillingly drafted into the Volunteers, she encounters the paper hearts, a distraction that couldn’t come at a worse time. A hard-to-read doctor has become Abigail’s new landlord, and he’s threatening to end her lease to expand his practice.

As she fights a growing attraction to this handsome man crushing her dreams, Abigail is inspired to string the hearts in her store, sparking a citywide infatuation with the artsy trend. But when a new batch of hearts reaches the Volunteers, it appears something tragic has happened to the couple. Will uncovering their story confirm Abigail’s doubts about love, or could it rescue her dreams . . . and her heart?" (summary copied from back of book).

I absolutely adored this book, and finished it in a few hours. It makes the reader contemplate on what is important in life,seeking forgiveness, and accepting that God has a plan for your life. I received a complimentary copy of the book from Tyndale Blog Network.

Abigail Pressman has everything she has ever wanted. Almost. The opportunity to finally expand her business is finally happening. If she can only buy the building before someone else does. Abigail has seen love fail too many times to want to have it happen to her. But, then the handsome Dr. moves to town. Can she open her heart and let God lead her?

The characters in the book are fun. Abigail has her quirks and is a very likable character. You want her to be happy and to have her dreams happen. There are a lot of fun, quirky people in the little town of Loves Park. The town is obsessed with love, and it would be fun to visit. Jacob is conflicted, but nice. I had a hard time with the fact that he was so easily okay with kicking Abigail out of the building. The paper hears was a really cute idea. I like that the book tries to show that love isn't always perfect. There are hard times and good times.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale.

What a fun read! I was immediately drawn into this book. You know you have a good book in your hands when you feel like you are getting acquainted with new friends.

This book played out like a movie in my head. With Abigail’s insecurities and her wounds from the past to Jacob’s desire to provide for his daughter.

But honestly, I think it was the Valentine Volunteers that stole the show for me. What a great group of ladies I would love to hang out with.

This book truly has it all, laughter, romance, just the right amount of tension and misunderstandings, even the mystery of the paper hearts Abigail is finding.

I seem to be especially drawn to books that take place in a bookstore, I just love the cozy feeling it gives me.

If you are looking for a good contemporary romance look no further than Paper Hearts.

A copy of this book was given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

What a fun and enjoyable book! I loved the idea of writing paper hearts to my sweetheart during the year – especially to keep myself from saying something I shouldn’t!

Abigail runs a bookstore in the town of Loves Park, where Valentine’s Day is almost their biggest holiday. Unfortunately, she is single. But when her store’s existence is threatened by the new building owner, she’s not sure if she should run him out of town or run into his arms.
This is a wonderfully romantic book, just in time for Valentine’s Day, as both the girl and the guy have difficult obstacles to overcome but seek God as they do. I found myself rooting for them and hoping that Kelly, the nasty wanna-be seductress, would get out of the picture!

This was such a great book – I didn’t want it to end! I highly recommend it – and the trailer for it too! I received this book from bookfun.org in return for my honest opinion.

I loved the cover of this book, and the story didn't disappoint! I'm not a huge fan of contemporary romance, but I must admit I fell in love with this read. The biggest reason why is because the focus wasn't the romance. This book went so much deeper. Each character had problems with which they were struggling. I loved Abigail Pressman. Her character creeps right into the readers heart. I could so identify with her wanting to follow her dreams, yet still trying to figure out what they are. This book will make you laugh and make you cry. The characters in this story seem so real, the plot is much deeper than I expected, and the ending will thrill. This was my first read by Courtney Walsh, but I don't expect it to be my last. I'm not a romantic reader, but this book had much more to offer than that. I highly recommend this read. I was given this book through bookfun.org for my honest opinion which I have given.

Kind of quirky, sometimes funny and deeply moving. Jacob and Abigail's love story starts out slow and is burdened by plenty of dire situations that keep getting in their way. But that's okay, because they both have some things to work out so that when the right time finally comes they'll have grown enough to realize it.

I enjoyed the town and it's crazy inhabitants -- especially the Valentine Volunteers, even if their antiquated ideas made my blood boil. This story pulled my emotions every which way. From exasperation to frustration to swooning delight. But beware single readers -- there's a lot of 'woe is me, I'm not married' and 'woe is you, you're not married' stuff at the beginning. No worries, just go with the flow and you'll soon be just as enamoured with this story as I was.

Paper Hearts was the first book I’ve read by Courtney Walsh, and it was truly a sweet romance that was hard to put down. The characters were genuine and uniquely flawed, and the setting was completely charming as well as the secondary characters. Emotion filled the pages as the characters grew within themselves and overcame their issues. Can’t wait to read the next book in this series.

"Paper Hearts" is the perfect read to jump off the month of February with! Welcome to a town where every day is Valentine's Day, love is in the air and the characters are so enjoyable to read about and spend time with! Abigail is such a great main character and immediately I felt a connection with her and was completely drawn into her life. I have to be honest that what first drew me to this book is the cover, it is fabulous! I love the detail included in this cover, the layout of it, everything! Then the blurb on the back cover is so intriguing as well and I did not want to stop this book once I started! This should be a must-read for all contemporary romance fans this month!

*Thanks to Tyndale Blog Network for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.*

My first one by this author! I was excited to finally try one of her books.
This book was so cute! This was a very fun and original, clean romance.

Great character development. Poor Jacob, stuck in the middle. His business partner, who is a bi#ch btw, is telling him to kick Abigail out - no mercy. And his cute, sweet sister is telling him to let her stay. What will Jacob's heart telling him to do?
It took so long for these two to finally get together, it was killing me!
I also loved the bookstore/coffee shop setting!

I will definitely read another one of Courtney's books. She is a great writer. I highly recommend this one for a quick, sweet, fun read.

Thank you Tyndale Publishing for sending me this book for an honest review!

I was sort of looking for a good Valentine's Day read, and this book fit the bill!

I love the ladies that made up the Valentines Volunteers, and I wish that we'd learned a bit more about them! Hopefully they will appear in another book in the future!

I really appreciated that this book touched upon themes of dealing with a loved one who suffers from depression. Not many are brave enough to take on such topics, and the author did a wonderful job with it!

Because it does touch on the subject of depression and even suicide, I would recommend this for adults and older teens.

Note: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

What do you do when you live in a town called Loves Park and your ancestors are held up as examples of True Love Always?

If you're Abigail Pressman, you hold yourself at a distance. You retreat. You insulate your heart with layers upon layers of walls. You devote yourself to a business you have allowed to define you.

You try the best you can to never allow yourself the weakness of love, ever again.

Unfortunately for Abigail, her mother (whose name is Teensy ...) wants Abigail to be married and have the white picket fence and the adorably precocious children and the lovable dog. Never mind that Teensy's own marriage ended in divorce; ever the optimistic, she has big plans for her daughter.

Abigail, though, has the bookshop her father one operated, a shop she intends on expanding to include her true passion of restored antiques. There is no mystery as to why Abigail likes taking discarded, flawed furniture and reinvigorating it. She herself was discarded by a former boyfriend, something she lets dictate her sense of self-worth.

Enter Jacob, a handsome single father who intends on setting up his medical practice in the building that houses Abigail's bookshop. He also intends on severing her lease so that he can take on that extra space. The two are set up as feuding neighbors, but it's never really that simple. They are immediately drawn to each other, even as they try to resist.

Much like Abigail, Jacob nurtures a painful past, and, much like Abigail, he has given that pain permission to tell him what sort of person he is. They both need healing, and they each alternately seek and repel spiritual guidance. God takes on a strong role in this book, as does the power of prayer. What Abigail and Jacob miss, at first, is the greater message of God's presence in our lives: we deserve forgiveness. But - and this is an important 'but' - we have to ask for it.

The eponymous hearts are part of the whole Loves Park town, but suffice it to say that those hearts are a powerful lure. You should also remember that, as the game dictates, paper covers rock. Those hearts, then, can defeat the rocks that are our bodily hearts.

This is an achingly sweet book, tinged with occasional sadness. There are no sexy times; the raciest Courtney Walsh gets is a "lengthened" kiss. The focus isn't on physical attraction, though. It's on healing and forgiveness and faith's role in both. Sometimes the story drags a little, especially when you feel as if you've read Jacob's and Abigail's internal struggles a few too many times. It's almost impossible not to like, however, and is sure to give you a raging case of the warm and fuzzies.

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I thought I would like this book a lot more than I actually did. I had a really hard time connecting with the characters and the plot was fairly predictable. It would have been nice to have a little bit more "meat" in the story.

One of the things I was most curious about in the story was Abigail's father and why he left the family. It was never revealed, which was disappointing. It also seemed to me that Walsh included elements of conflict, trying to create tension in the book, without fully developing it. Kate, Kelly, and Gwen's mother all had interesting facets to their characters, but it was almost like they were introduced too quickly and resolved too quickly.

It isn't often that I put a book down while in the midst of it and then have to force myself to pick it back up, but this one I never felt that compulsion to finish it to find out what was going to happen. I just didn't have that connection to the characters.

However, I do have to say that on a positive note, the idea of the paper hearts is awesome! What a great idea to keep your focus on the good qualities of your partner in the midst of trials and disagreements that pop up throughout the year. I had never heard of the idea of writing positive things down on paper and then presenting it to your spouse on Valentine's Day. It is a great idea on keeping the love and commitment alive year after year.

If you love light romances that you can read without thinking about too much, this might be a good choice. Other readers might connect with the characters in ways that I did not and really love the book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale Blog Network in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Paper Hearts starts out as a light, sweet story but turns into much more! You feel Abigail’s disappointment when she doesn’t qualify for a loan to buy the building where her Book Nook is located. Then she learns someone else has bought the building and intends to use the entire building for his medical practice! What about her bookstore! The author does a great job of showing us that sometimes we need to have broken dreams before we turn our future over to God and allow Him to turn them into something bigger than we imagined.

I highly recommend this book by Courtney Walsh.

I was given this book by www.bookfun.org in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was an okay read. I felt like once again, Jacob was a wimp or suffering from PTSD from his wife's death. He allowed Kelly to run roughshod over him. It was a set up for disaster.

I enjoyed it, but not as much as I wished I would have.
I really enjoyed the valentine matchmaking squad. They were cute and gave flavor to the story. The "You got mail" feel to the story was made unique with the other aspects to the story. It was a light read about hard topics, so is not something I would recommend to someone looking to address issues.

I really enjoyed Abigail and Jacob. The story lines weave in and out in a way that kept me interested. I didn't realize the book was so religiously oriented. That didn't really fit into my tastes buy that's through no fault of the author. I found I liked Jacob's story but when the full background came out I was...disappointed. it didn't seem to fit with the very strong build up to that point. As a stand alone this novel was great. The people of Loves Park are interesting and quirky. But I'm not sure I can get past the let down of Jacob's big reveal or the very strong God element in this book to read another.

If you are looking for a fun, light-hearted romance just right for Valentine’s Day, this is the book for you! It is sweet, charming, and hilarious, with memorable characters and an adorable setting–I mean who doesn’t love vintage and bookstores? The plot was so unique, especially in that a couple writing paper hearts to each other, to be read and enjoyed on Valentines Day, is a beautiful way to invest in your marriage. I hope to someday begin the tradition myself?

One of the things that really stood out to me was how sweet and gentle paced the romance was. It happened at a believable pace, and there wasn’t “too much too soon”. Honestly, every time I opened the book, it felt like I was visiting friends. Abigail, Jacob, Kate, and the hilariously dear Valentine Volunteers all hold a special place in my heart. Delightfully romantic, Christian, and sweet, Paper Hearts has made its way onto my “favorites” shelf. Take my word for it–you don’t want to miss this fantastic book!

The small, touristy, love-obsessed, Rocky Mountain town of Love Park completely captured my imagination. Historic buildings and busy little ladies groups are just the beginning of this community’s charm. The conflicting emotions, meddling grannies, and characters in need of healing forgiveness gave me warm fuzzies and a longing for more Love Park adventures.

I won this title in a giveaway. The opinions expressed are my own.

As far as I'm concerned, Courtney Walsh can't come out with a new book soon enough. This is the first book I've read by Walsh, and she has quickly gained status as one of my favorite contemporary authors. I was delighted by the plot that kept me turning pages (although I turned them too swiftly and the book was done FAR too soon!), the message that struck a chord all too personally, and the delightful characters.

I don't know that there was one best aspect of Paper Hearts. The characters – both primary and secondary – were so well developed and entertaining, that I laughed, cried, and felt a depth of connection that makes me hope I haven't seen the last of them. The message was also striking. In many places, I felt as if Walsh was speaking directly to me. I found myself relating so deeply to the themes of identity, redemption, and trust in God. God and I had many conversations as I read Paper Hearts – conversations that we have been needing to have. Basically, I needed this book's message.

And, of course, the romance was lovely. It was realistic and heartfelt, containing a wounded yet believable hero and heroine. Although predictable, it was presented by a plot that will make me reread this book.

I HIGHLY recommend this book and can't say enough good things about it. Give Walsh a try, and the only way you'll be disappointed is if she doesn't write a sequel.

I received this book from bookfun.org in return for my honest opinion" in our reviews so others can find the site.

Paper Hearts is an enjoyable book from start to finish! It has enough of a plot to keep your attention with romance and suspense added. Abigail is running a book store she inherited from her father. The building it is in is sold to a doctor who wants to start a practice. He is planning on taking over her space for his practice. It lends to many bumps along the way. I am looking forward to reading more of this author's works.
I received this book from the Book Club Network in exchange for my honest opinion.

Oh, I am so in love! Paper Hearts was a sweet romantic novel that is perfect to curl up with on the couch during the Valentines season. It's the perfect balance between a hallmark movie and a christian novel that you will not be able to put down. Abigail and Jacob (her new land lord) are both such wonderful characters and you will find yourself wanting to hang paper hearts all over your house. I would recommend this book to anyone, it is clean with only kissing and no swearing.

I was given this book free from Tyndale Publishing for my honest review.

I saw several negative reviews for this book on a reading site, so I wasn't expecting to enjoy it.
However, I really liked it.
I liked the characters of Abigail and Jacob. They were flawed and while often misguided, I liked them.
I loved the little town and the idea of the paper hearts was a fantastic way to weave the story together.
Overall, it's a cute, sweet read of a couple of people who need to let go of the past so that God can do something with their futures.

I received this book in exchange for my review. My thoughts are my own.

If you're looking for a sweet romance to snuggle up with this winter then you'll love Paper Hearts by Courtney Walsh. This book has several layers to it and the characters are believable and will win you over one by one. From the bookstore owner who has been labeled the next town spinster, to the group of old ladies who want to find romance for her, to the new man in town trying to escape his past, you'll love them all. At almost four-hundred pages you'll have plenty to enjoy and it'll take you a while to get through it.

I love inspirational fiction. I love romance. So I REALLY love good inspirational romantic fiction. When I was offered a chance to review a new to the market (as of January 2015) book by author, artist, and playwright Courtney Walsh called Paper Hearts, I jumped on the opportunity.

Paper Hearts is a sweet heartwarming story about an "old maid" living in the romantically obsessed town of Loves Park. With a mother who signs her up for every online dating website she finds, a town that pities her for being the "last single girl" left in town, and the unfortunate happenstance of being the great-great granddaughter of the founders (who were much revered for their great lovestory) of the town, Abigail Pressman is sick of everything related to love and marriage. She just wants to be left alone to run her much loved store, The Book Nook...and to buy the neighboring store, so she can live her dream of expanding her business to incorporate her love of antiques and local handmade crafts. She doesn't have time for love and considering all her history with it, she isn't sure she even wants it.

Unfortunately, she becomes an unwilling volunteer for the Valentine Volunteers who gather in her store to continue Loves Park's tradition of stamping mail with the city's romantic postmark. To make matters worse, she suddenly gets a new landlord who is converting the building she wanted for herself into a medical clinic...and he's threatening to end her lease. And he just happens to be extremely attractive. Can she keep herself heart whole as she tries to save her business to fulfill her dreams? Will finding a series of paper hearts, full of love messages, from an anonymous couple in the mail to the Valentine Volunteers, the key to rescuing her dreams...and possibly releasing her heart?
I really fell in love with both Abigail Pressman and Dr. Jacob Willoughby. I thought their characters were very well written and they each had a very good back story. I think that of the two, I actually preferred the doctor. He was so full of pain when he arrived in the story, that it was interesting to see how he was able to release his anger and guilt over time.

The best part of the story were the paper hearts. I just loved the concept and It was so well described that I could totally envision it. Imagining Abigail's store dripping with love note paper hearts, the people gathering to add their notes to the collection, the coziness of a small town bookshop...it was described so vividly that I just wanted to be there.

My least favorite character was Kelly. She was the epitome of a man-eater and oh how I just wanted to shake her. LOL. Totally a barracuda who was determined to have Dr. Willoughby at all costs and didn't care who she took down to do it. It was so nice when she FINALLY left the story!

The only thing about the story that I didn't like was all the mention of Valentine's Day since it's not a holiday I celebrate, but I don't think it took away from being able to appreciate the overall plot and love story.

There was mention of a town called Sweethaven in the book, and I discovered that the author Courtney Walsh has a series called Sweethaven Summer. I am definitely going to check it out now that I've "met" this author.

If you love a sweet heartwarming romantic story that will make you giggle and sigh, I recommend that you give Paper Hearts a look!

Disclaimer: I received free product in exchange in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way.

The paper hearts with the private thoughts of a couple make this story so special! What a heart grabbing romantic story! This author did a wonderful job with the hard topic in this book. The hurt, the loss, a new life and starting over. Good, bad, heartbreak, twists and surprises, redemption and romance. This book covers it all and I thought it was a beautiful story of love!
I was gifted a copy by The Book Club Network for my honest opinion which I have given.

I really enjoyed this sweet story. I don't want to give away the ending but I love how things worked out.

I did long for a little more of a glimpse into the spiritual life transformation of Jacob but maybe the author wanted it left private?

But I loved the paper hearts. I loved Junie. and I love any book where the love story isn't 100% easy!

Now I'm off to read book two!

I saw several negative reviews for this book on a reading site, so I wasn't expecting to enjoy it.
However, I really liked it.
I liked the characters of Abigail and Jacob. They were flawed and while often misguided, I liked them.
I loved the little town and the idea of the paper hearts was a fantastic way to weave the story together.
Overall, it's a cute, sweet read of a couple of people who need to let go of the past so that God can do something with their futures.

I received this book in exchange for my review. My thoughts are my own.

What an adorable book! The perfect read for Valentine's day, with it's fun town that revolves around all things romantic. I love the characters and how they come to life with their hopes, hurts, and dreams. The characters are just the right amount of quirky and fun. The author does a marvelous job at developing her secondary characters as well. I love the reminder to look for the beautiful in all one's relationships. This is my new favorite contemporary romance novel!

I loved reading this fun Christian romance book with a little bit of a mystery. This novel is easy to read but hard to put down. I loved the setting for this story and wish that there was a real Love Park town.

Abigail owns a bookstore in a building that is sold to a Dr. Jacob who wants to open a new practice and take over Abigail's space in a small town called Love Park. Abigail is recruited to help some of the women in the town read letters that come in for Valentine's Day and stamping them with the town's seal, a town tradition. Abigail starts reading a particular set of heart shaped letters from the same person over a number of years and tries to figure out the author of them. Meanwhile, she starts spending more time with the Jacob the doctor and slowly learns about his past that he is running from. Both characters are looking for someone to write their paper hearts too.

I look forward to reading other books by Courtney Walsh. I received this book from bookfun.org in return for my honest opinion.

If you're looking for a sweet romance to snuggle up with this winter then you'll love Paper Hearts by Courtney Walsh. This book has several layers to it and the characters are believable and will win you over one by one. From the bookstore owner who has been labeled the next town spinster, to the group of old ladies who want to find romance for her, to the new man in town trying to escape his past, you'll love them all. At almost four-hundred pages you'll have plenty to enjoy and it'll take you a while to get through it.

I love inspirational fiction. I love romance. So I REALLY love good inspirational romantic fiction. When I was offered a chance to review a new to the market (as of January 2015) book by author, artist, and playwright Courtney Walsh called Paper Hearts, I jumped on the opportunity.

Paper Hearts is a sweet heartwarming story about an "old maid" living in the romantically obsessed town of Loves Park. With a mother who signs her up for every online dating website she finds, a town that pities her for being the "last single girl" left in town, and the unfortunate happenstance of being the great-great granddaughter of the founders (who were much revered for their great lovestory) of the town, Abigail Pressman is sick of everything related to love and marriage. She just wants to be left alone to run her much loved store, The Book Nook...and to buy the neighboring store, so she can live her dream of expanding her business to incorporate her love of antiques and local handmade crafts. She doesn't have time for love and considering all her history with it, she isn't sure she even wants it.

Unfortunately, she becomes an unwilling volunteer for the Valentine Volunteers who gather in her store to continue Loves Park's tradition of stamping mail with the city's romantic postmark. To make matters worse, she suddenly gets a new landlord who is converting the building she wanted for herself into a medical clinic...and he's threatening to end her lease. And he just happens to be extremely attractive. Can she keep herself heart whole as she tries to save her business to fulfill her dreams? Will finding a series of paper hearts, full of love messages, from an anonymous couple in the mail to the Valentine Volunteers, the key to rescuing her dreams...and possibly releasing her heart?
I really fell in love with both Abigail Pressman and Dr. Jacob Willoughby. I thought their characters were very well written and they each had a very good back story. I think that of the two, I actually preferred the doctor. He was so full of pain when he arrived in the story, that it was interesting to see how he was able to release his anger and guilt over time.

The best part of the story were the paper hearts. I just loved the concept and It was so well described that I could totally envision it. Imagining Abigail's store dripping with love note paper hearts, the people gathering to add their notes to the collection, the coziness of a small town bookshop...it was described so vividly that I just wanted to be there.

My least favorite character was Kelly. She was the epitome of a man-eater and oh how I just wanted to shake her. LOL. Totally a barracuda who was determined to have Dr. Willoughby at all costs and didn't care who she took down to do it. It was so nice when she FINALLY left the story!

The only thing about the story that I didn't like was all the mention of Valentine's Day since it's not a holiday I celebrate, but I don't think it took away from being able to appreciate the overall plot and love story.

There was mention of a town called Sweethaven in the book, and I discovered that the author Courtney Walsh has a series called Sweethaven Summer. I am definitely going to check it out now that I've "met" this author.

If you love a sweet heartwarming romantic story that will make you giggle and sigh, I recommend that you give Paper Hearts a look!

Disclaimer: I received free product in exchange in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way.

The paper hearts with the private thoughts of a couple make this story so special! What a heart grabbing romantic story! This author did a wonderful job with the hard topic in this book. The hurt, the loss, a new life and starting over. Good, bad, heartbreak, twists and surprises, redemption and romance. This book covers it all and I thought it was a beautiful story of love!
I was gifted a copy by The Book Club Network for my honest opinion which I have given.

I really enjoyed this sweet story. I don't want to give away the ending but I love how things worked out.

I did long for a little more of a glimpse into the spiritual life transformation of Jacob but maybe the author wanted it left private?

But I loved the paper hearts. I loved Junie. and I love any book where the love story isn't 100% easy!

Now I'm off to read book two!

I discovered Courtney Walsh's books last year, but am just now getting to her first book. I loved it! The story was so sweet. The characters were believable. Can't wait to read the second book in the series!

I was a little skeptical since Courtney Walsh is a new-to-me author. However, I really enjoyed reading this book. The book played like a movie in my head. The storyline and characters were well developed. You found yourself going through the emotions with each character. My favorite character in the book was Ursala. I loved rooting for both characters and though they seemed to be on separate sides. I really enjoyed the fact that love was celebrated all year round instead of just one day. If you like fiction you will love this book. It was beautifully written!

Reader’s Note: I received this book from Tyndale Publishers in exchange for this honest review.

Paper Hearts is a heartfelt, real-to-life story that leaves you hopeful and determined to make a difference in your own life and the lives of the people around you. I was drawn into the story from the very first page and loved finding myself surrounded by books! Love Park is a charming town full of quirky, endearing characters. The dilemma in the story is very real in that there is not an easy or necessarily right answer. As the story progresses, a clear path to resolution is not seen. In fact, I got to the end not really certain which way I wanted it to end. Paper Hearts causes readers to examine themselves, their motives and God’s purpose through some very difficult life circumstances and the emotions that come with them. In the end, Paper Hearts encouraged me and caused me to want to encourage those around me. This is a wonderful book that is sure to touch your heart.

I really enjoyed this story. Each character had their own personality and story, and even the subplots were woven in just right. A couple times I felt like emotions were rehashed and re-analyzed unnecessarily, but other than that, I felt like she got it just right. I'm a new Walsh fan!

I was immediately drawn to this book and knew it would be a story I would love. The adorable cover captured my attention first and then I watched the book trailer and it sealed the deal. Love it! I knew Paper Hearts was a must-read for me and I wasn’t disappointed.

Paper Hearts is a heartwarming story and a sigh-worthy romance! I loved the charm of the small town of Loves Park, Colorado, and its colorful residents. I also enjoyed the Valentine Volunteers and their matchmaking efforts. With endearing characters, an enchanting storyline, and a lovely Valentine tradition, Paper Hearts captured my heart and left me grinning from ear to ear! I highly recommend this book to fans of contemporary romance and can’t wait to read more from Courtney Walsh.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through The Book Club Network. All thoughts expressed in this review are my own and no monetary compensation was received.

Small business owner finds love in a small mountain town in Colorado.

Enjoyed this love story and especially the paper heart idea. Might have to implement it with my own family.

"But the very best love stories are the ones that are flawed and full of forgiveness and pain and joy and challenges and happiness."

Small business owner Abigail is about to lose her store due to a new landlord when she is recruited to the Valentine Volunteers. She discovers boxes of paper hearts with messages on them while fighting her handsome landlord to keep her store.

I thought the book was good but the beginning was slow for me. The overall story was decent and had a mostly happy ending.

This book made me want to move to this small town of Loves Park and blissfully live my life each day! Abigail and Jacob both have such an interesting back story, and watching them grow together was amazing. I loved how God really worked in their lives once they gave Him the opportunity. This is a great story for anyone looking for a sweet love story.

For anyone who has faced disappointment in their lives.......OK, all of us! This book speaks words of forgiveness and healing of hearts....all wound throughout a beautiful love story with many twists and surprises for the reader to discover. I have read every book by this gifted, young author......and I only wish she could write faster! Do your heart a favor.......read this book!

I felt this book had potential to be so much more. I loved the story line, but I would have cut out a lot of the repetitive description in the first half and delved into the emotional second half with more detail.

I loved the story of Abigail and Jacob! This novel kept me interested and I felt the energy between the two main characters through the author's fabulous literary talent! I am a huge fan of wholesome, Christian romance, and I am eager to read more from Courtney Walsh!

Paper Hearts is a touching story that reminds us of the power of love. Every heart can relate to the desire to love and be loved. This story uses unique characters and small town charm to draw the reader in. It is a precious story that evokes laughter and tears. Truly a delightful read.