Heartstrings

Fairbanks (Morbidly Yours) impresses with this emotional second chance romance. American Cielo “Lo” Valdez beat leukemia and is heading toward a bright future as a doctor, even as her overprotective mother worries over her every cold. She has no time for boys who break her heart, not even dashing Irish musician Aidan O’Toole, who chose his career over their relationship two years before the start of the book and is now a global superstar. Unfortunately, as Lo finishes med school in County Galway, Ireland, memories of Aidan lurk around every corner. When they’re thrown back together at the wedding of mutual friends, Lo’s resolve crumbles in the face of Aidan’s charm and contrition, and they quickly fall back into old habits. (“Kissing her again after two years apart feels more vivid than I remembered, like a digital remaster of an old demo,” Aidan thinks.) But when Lo is faced with the possible return of her cancer and Aidan’s demanding label pushes for a fictional romance between him and an English actress, their rekindled relationship is subject to a high-pressure reckoning. Readers will easily root for brave Lo and devoted Aidan and cheer when they show up for each other. The Irish backdrop is lovely, and Lo and Aidan’s quirky friend group is charming enough to support future books. Contemporary romance readers won’t want to miss this. (Aug.)