Summary:
Some hearts are made to be opened.
Jae-seong Bak has never been in love. He prefers to let his personal life take a backseat to his career as a nurse, especially since no-strings hookups with men he's glad to call friends have always felt like more than enough.
After years of moving around the United States, Jae takes a job in his home city of Boston, arriving just in time to celebrate his brother Ty's engagement. In reconnecting with friends and family, Jae befriends Emmett McNeil, a young chef and Ty's future brother-in-law, whose own bad luck with love hasn't dampened his enthusiasm for life.
As the summer passes and Jae and Emmett help their families plan the wedding, the spark between the two men ignites, though each agrees to keep their hookups under wraps in order to prevent potential drama. Taken off guard by the depth of his feelings, Jae backs away, only to find that going back to being just friends with Emmett is much harder than he ever could have predicted.
Now, standing with Emmett as their siblings make their vows, Jae must decide if he's really content to hold the man he loves at arm's-length or if taking a chance on more is in the cards.
Jae-seong Bak has never been in love. He prefers to let his personal life take a backseat to his career as a nurse, especially since no-strings hookups with men he's glad to call friends have always felt like more than enough.
After years of moving around the United States, Jae takes a job in his home city of Boston, arriving just in time to celebrate his brother Ty's engagement. In reconnecting with friends and family, Jae befriends Emmett McNeil, a young chef and Ty's future brother-in-law, whose own bad luck with love hasn't dampened his enthusiasm for life.
As the summer passes and Jae and Emmett help their families plan the wedding, the spark between the two men ignites, though each agrees to keep their hookups under wraps in order to prevent potential drama. Taken off guard by the depth of his feelings, Jae backs away, only to find that going back to being just friends with Emmett is much harder than he ever could have predicted.
Now, standing with Emmett as their siblings make their vows, Jae must decide if he's really content to hold the man he loves at arm's-length or if taking a chance on more is in the cards.
Open Hearts is a 63K age gap sex buddies-to-lovers novel. It features a Nurse Anesthetist with a habit of putting his career before romance, a talented young chef who’s getting over a broken heart, wedding plans and a bachelor party in the woods, and the deliciously satisfying HEA you need.
Summary:
Some hearts are made to be hopeful.
Ian Byrne is done with love. Or so he’s been telling himself since his life crashed and burned. Ian got through his depression with help from friends and his career as an orthopedic nurse, as well as a big shaggy dog that’s not really his. And if most days Ian feels just all right, he thinks that’s fine.
He never expected to meet a guy on the train. Especially not a robot-building whiz kid like Tris Santos, fifteen years younger than Ian and in so many ways his opposite. But they agree that epic love is a myth and strike up an effortless friendship, the spark of attraction between them quickly igniting and burning hot over chat screens when Tris moves away.
Now, Ian can’t imagine his life without Tris. Can’t believe that what started as a fling became so much more and how deeply he feels for a man he doesn’t even see in person. Ian thinks Tris might be the right guy; that he might be ready to risk his heart one more time. But … is it too much to hope that Tris might feel the same?
Hopeful Hearts is an 85.1 K age gap sex-buddies-to-lovers novel. In it you’ll meet a grumpy nurse practitioner recovering from heartbreak, a bright-eyed robotics genius who thinks epic romance is epically dumb, a huge wily dog in need of an owner, a 400-mile LDR, and a deliciously satisfying happily ever after.
Content Advisory: This book contains a character coping with serious depression and contains references to homophobia and disownment. Happy ending absolutely guaranteed.
Open Hearts #3
Original Review November 2020:
I gotta start off by saying, food allergies play a significant part in Open Hearts, I don't want to go as far as saying it's a big or dominating part but definitely significant. That right there was a huge tick in the originality and realism boxes for me. It's just not something often seen. There is so much more that goes into food allergies than just not eating the said food. I apologize for taking a personal moment of reflection here and say that my mom is allergic to bananas and her mother was allergic to strawberries, now neither were in much danger of accidentally eating them but as I said, there's more than just consuming the food. We have to be careful so that if for example I slice a banana and put into my cereal, I have to make sure Mom doesn't use the knife for something or if Dad cuts one in chunks on a plate for a snack, we have to make sure she doesn't use the plate. When mom was a kid, the family would get together for potluck and despite knowing it, her one aunt always brought jello with bananas, when you're five years old and love jello, my grandparents had to be even more eagle-eyed to make sure mom never snuck any. These little things are food allergy elements that many who aren't familiar with said allergies don't often think of. So huge kudos to K Evan Coles for not only creating a MC with food allergies but reaching out in her FB group for experiences. That extra mile is what really helps make a great story into a brilliant gem.
Now, off my little personal reflection soap box and onto Open Hearts.
Jae and Emmett are that couple you know will make a superb team but because of secondary connections, past experience, and overall timing they aren't ready to go beyond friends-with-benefits-on-the-down-low. I want to equal parts smack them upside the head with a frying pan and Mama Bear hug them until their eyes pop waiting for them to, and bad joke aside, open their hearts. That warring feeling inside are the top two boxes I need to tick to make a book un-put-downable. Well those boxes got ticked.
I think we all know Open Hearts will have a HEA but its the journey getting there that make Jae and Emmett's story so heart-filled. So that's all you are getting out of me in reference to any plotlines.
I just want to add that I have never been to Boston but K Evan Coles paints the picture so clearly I feel like I'm living there watching not only the characters' journey unfold but the city come alive each day. Some authors are focused on painting a location that it can bog down the story, slow it's pace, limit it's entertainment factor but not Miss Coles. At times, Boston almost becomes a third character. Simply put: Open Hearts will open your mind and warm your heart(see what I did there😉), a true gem that is definitely a must read.
One last thing, I just want to state that in reference to food allergies, the author isn't trying to teach the reader anything, my wording above may read like that's what she is doing, it's not. No, I just wanted to point out the extra steps she took to add realism into the love story and how it didn't go unnoticed and was very much appreciated by this reader.
Hopeful Hearts #4
Original Review September 2026:
Time is not on my side so this review won't be given the attention it deserves, so it'll be short but to the point. First, I want to mention, I have no idea how it went this long without reading Hopeful Hearts as I read the other three near if not immediately upon release.
Second, the story is brilliantly entertaining with the right blend of drama, romance, heart, and though it is in no way a rom com it isn't without moments of wit to perfectly balance everything. You can't help but cheer for the characters and riding along their journey is just a delight. You might not tear up but the heartstrings will definitely be tugged upon.
I want to add, as a lifelong Wisconsinite where the possible snow season is more than 2/3 of the year(honestly they say July & August are the only 2 months its impossible to have snow), I always appreciate when author's use snow accurately in their stories. Seeing said weather be the catalyst for Ian and Tris being in the same but unexpected space perfectly shows just how the white fluffy stuff can change everything in a matter of moments. So thank you, K Evan Coles for that extra mile accuracy.
RATING:
Open Hearts #3
“What do you think, Zac?” Mark asked. “Have we got anything in Owen’s magic bag to give Jae’s outfit a little lift?”
“Certainly. I think Jae looks perfect as he is, however, as well as very, very tall. Neither of which is unusual.”
Their friend and co-worker, Zac Alvarez, stepped in for Jae’s hug and kiss. He’d dressed in dark colors too, which made his beads and the temporary tattoos on his toned arms even more vibrant. A suntan warmed Zac’s olive-toned skin and he looked relaxed and happy, his grin broad beneath his dark beard.
Fondness washed over Jae. He and Zac had reconnected upon his return to Boston as if no time had passed at all. It was through Zac that Jae had befriended Mark and the trio of young men who would round out their Pride party today: Aiden, Owen, and Emmett, who had moved back from Maine at the beginning of May without his partner, Sean, and was now very, very single.
“Ignore Mark,” Zac said to Jae. “He forgets that not every gay man over forty wants to broadcast a zaddy vibe.”
Jae and Mark exchanged a glance before they each cracked up laughing.
“This is not to say we don’t have some festive doo-dads for you too,” Zac said over their cackling. “The guys made party packs for everyone.”
“Great, thanks. Less so that you just said ‘doo-dads’ the way my Grandma Kay used to.” Jae let out a soft ‘oof’ as Zac elbowed him gently in the ribs.
“Smartass,” Zac murmured before he looked around. “Will your man be joining us today?”
Jae aimed a mock glare at him. “Sal already had plans. Besides, you know he’s not my man. Sal and I strictly friends.”
“Who share a big side order of benefits,” Mark chimed in, admiration written all over his face. “I remember the days when I could say words like those about myself with fondness.”
Zac snickered. “Mmm, I remember those days, too. They were before you met Owen and fell head over heels in love.”
“That’s why I remember them with fondness and not nostalgia,” Mark replied with a smile.
“Where is Owen, anyway?” Jae asked. “Out walking with my favorite dog and the guys?”
Mark shook his head. “Popcorn is hanging with my sister today.” He and his boyfriend, Owen, had found their big, white mutt at a campground last year, lost or abandoned and sweet as can be. “It’s not easy wrangling a dog his size through crowds like this, and we thought he’d enjoy a play date with his aunt and uncle and new cousin instead. Popcorn is already best buddies with my nephew, Ethan, so you know they’re having a fantastic day.”
“As for the guys, they went off into the park to buy cold drinks,” Zac said, his tone fond. “Aiden’s been on an ice cream kick this summer and I’m betting they’ve stopped at every cart they’ve passed. They should be back any second.”
The soft expression on Zac’s face made Jae smile. In the years they’d known each other, he’d never seen Zac so gone for a man the way he was with Aiden.
“That reminds me, I meant to grab a coffee on my way down here,” Jae said. “I could use the jolt.”
“We’ve got some soda if that’ll help.”
Jae’s whole body hummed at that voice. “I’d love some.”
Turning, Jae met Emmett’s dark blue gaze. He tried very hard not to stare at Emmett’s shirtless torso, too, but literally stopped short as he got a look at Owen whose tight dark curls, normally tipped platinum, glowed fuchsia in the sun. “Owen, your hair is pink!”
“Yes, it is!” Owen exclaimed. He and Aiden were just as bare chested as Emmett and all three were chuckling at Jae’s wide eyes. “It’s supposed to be just for today, but honestly, I might keep it.”
Mark cast a loving look at Owen. “Of course, you’d want to.” He ran a hand over his partner’s shoulders, stroking golden brown skin that shone with flecks of multi-colored glitter. “Are there any trinkets left for Jae, love?”
“Oh, yes.” Handing his cup to Mark, Owen shrugged a rainbow striped drawstring bag from his shoulders. “We’ve got buttons, beads, and wristbands, and a visor like Emmett’s if you want a break from the sun.” He withdrew a second bag from his own and handed it to Jae. “There’s also a fan in there, plus sunglasses, tattoos, body glitter—”
“And condoms with travel-sized lube,” Mark put in. “My man does not let his friends go unprepared.”
Jae laughed. “I’ll remember that.” Opening the bag in his hands, he peered into its depths, but looked up again as a second pair of hands came to rest by his own.
“Here—you browse while I hold.” Emmett’s grin was easy. “Can you grab drinks from my bag, A?” he asked over his shoulder. “Zac’s water is in there, along with soda for anyone who needs one. Diet Coke for you, Jae, or do you want full sugar?”
“I’ll take the sugar, thanks.” Jae tried not to ogle his stupid hot friend, keenly aware the effort was a lost cause.
Like Owen and Aiden, Emmett’s skin sparkled with glitter. He stood a few inches shorter than Jae, but he was the broadest man in their group, his chest lightly furred and muscled without being bulky, a combination Jae had always loved. Emmett radiated heat as he huddled over the bag too, his shoulders golden-pink and freckled, and he smelled of citrus and suntan lotion, a mixture Jae found endlessly appealing and a clear indication that he needed to get a fucking grip.
“Certainly. I think Jae looks perfect as he is, however, as well as very, very tall. Neither of which is unusual.”
Their friend and co-worker, Zac Alvarez, stepped in for Jae’s hug and kiss. He’d dressed in dark colors too, which made his beads and the temporary tattoos on his toned arms even more vibrant. A suntan warmed Zac’s olive-toned skin and he looked relaxed and happy, his grin broad beneath his dark beard.
Fondness washed over Jae. He and Zac had reconnected upon his return to Boston as if no time had passed at all. It was through Zac that Jae had befriended Mark and the trio of young men who would round out their Pride party today: Aiden, Owen, and Emmett, who had moved back from Maine at the beginning of May without his partner, Sean, and was now very, very single.
“Ignore Mark,” Zac said to Jae. “He forgets that not every gay man over forty wants to broadcast a zaddy vibe.”
Jae and Mark exchanged a glance before they each cracked up laughing.
“This is not to say we don’t have some festive doo-dads for you too,” Zac said over their cackling. “The guys made party packs for everyone.”
“Great, thanks. Less so that you just said ‘doo-dads’ the way my Grandma Kay used to.” Jae let out a soft ‘oof’ as Zac elbowed him gently in the ribs.
“Smartass,” Zac murmured before he looked around. “Will your man be joining us today?”
Jae aimed a mock glare at him. “Sal already had plans. Besides, you know he’s not my man. Sal and I strictly friends.”
“Who share a big side order of benefits,” Mark chimed in, admiration written all over his face. “I remember the days when I could say words like those about myself with fondness.”
Zac snickered. “Mmm, I remember those days, too. They were before you met Owen and fell head over heels in love.”
“That’s why I remember them with fondness and not nostalgia,” Mark replied with a smile.
“Where is Owen, anyway?” Jae asked. “Out walking with my favorite dog and the guys?”
“As for the guys, they went off into the park to buy cold drinks,” Zac said, his tone fond. “Aiden’s been on an ice cream kick this summer and I’m betting they’ve stopped at every cart they’ve passed. They should be back any second.”
The soft expression on Zac’s face made Jae smile. In the years they’d known each other, he’d never seen Zac so gone for a man the way he was with Aiden.
“That reminds me, I meant to grab a coffee on my way down here,” Jae said. “I could use the jolt.”
“We’ve got some soda if that’ll help.”
Jae’s whole body hummed at that voice. “I’d love some.”
Turning, Jae met Emmett’s dark blue gaze. He tried very hard not to stare at Emmett’s shirtless torso, too, but literally stopped short as he got a look at Owen whose tight dark curls, normally tipped platinum, glowed fuchsia in the sun. “Owen, your hair is pink!”
“Yes, it is!” Owen exclaimed. He and Aiden were just as bare chested as Emmett and all three were chuckling at Jae’s wide eyes. “It’s supposed to be just for today, but honestly, I might keep it.”
Mark cast a loving look at Owen. “Of course, you’d want to.” He ran a hand over his partner’s shoulders, stroking golden brown skin that shone with flecks of multi-colored glitter. “Are there any trinkets left for Jae, love?”
“Oh, yes.” Handing his cup to Mark, Owen shrugged a rainbow striped drawstring bag from his shoulders. “We’ve got buttons, beads, and wristbands, and a visor like Emmett’s if you want a break from the sun.” He withdrew a second bag from his own and handed it to Jae. “There’s also a fan in there, plus sunglasses, tattoos, body glitter—”
“And condoms with travel-sized lube,” Mark put in. “My man does not let his friends go unprepared.”
Jae laughed. “I’ll remember that.” Opening the bag in his hands, he peered into its depths, but looked up again as a second pair of hands came to rest by his own.
“Here—you browse while I hold.” Emmett’s grin was easy. “Can you grab drinks from my bag, A?” he asked over his shoulder. “Zac’s water is in there, along with soda for anyone who needs one. Diet Coke for you, Jae, or do you want full sugar?”
“I’ll take the sugar, thanks.” Jae tried not to ogle his stupid hot friend, keenly aware the effort was a lost cause.
Like Owen and Aiden, Emmett’s skin sparkled with glitter. He stood a few inches shorter than Jae, but he was the broadest man in their group, his chest lightly furred and muscled without being bulky, a combination Jae had always loved. Emmett radiated heat as he huddled over the bag too, his shoulders golden-pink and freckled, and he smelled of citrus and suntan lotion, a mixture Jae found endlessly appealing and a clear indication that he needed to get a fucking grip.
Hopeful Hearts #4
“Weymouth Landing. Doors open on the right.”
Ian slipped his earbuds in and called up the mediation track on his fitness app. But he hesitated to hit Play when the train’s conductor continued speaking, voice oddly friendly over the PA system.
“Passengers, due to the unusual weather conditions, this train will be taking on Red Line riders at some stations. We expect ridership to be unusually heavy during this time and the MBTA appreciates your cooperation in making room where you can.”
In the seat opposite Ian, Marco heaved a sigh. “What fresh hell is this?” he muttered, turning to look out the window to the station platform that lay ahead.
Ian frowned, too. That announcement had sounded not awesome. Yes, back-to-back blizzards had buried the eastern half of the state, clogging highways and making streets impassible. And yes, the ‘snowpocalypse’ had heavily impacted ‘the T’—as the transit authority was known—whole sections coming offline and stranding thousands without buses, ferries, and trains. That had happened with the Red Line, a subway route that serviced nearly a quarter of a million people daily and extended over twenty-two miles from end to end.
So … if Ian’s train was about to take on stranded subway riders, things were going to get—
“Ho, shit. There’s, like, three hundred people out there.”
—crowded.
Ian leaned over to get a look for himself and saw the platform was packed with hordes of passengers eyeing the train through the swirling snow.
“There are two stops after this,” said their friend Dennis, who was leaning into Marco’s shoulder and gawking, too. “Where the hell are they going to put everybody?”
“Wherever they’ll fit, I guess.” Ian gestured at the two empty seats beside him. “Sharing a few inches with strangers isn’t going to kill us.”
“It might,” Marco countered mildly. “We’re citizens of Massachusetts, Ian. We drive badly on purpose, drop consonants, and are selfish assholes about personal space.”
“There’s so much wrong there to unpack.” Ian ignored his friends’ snickering as the doors at each end of the car thunked open.
People streamed in, coats encrusted with snow. Some found seats, like the tall guy in the dark ski jacket who sat on Ian’s right, but most chose to stand, bodies rapidly filling the long car’s narrow aisle. And the people kept coming, a clear indication the MBTA really was going to cram as many people on board as possible.
“Good morning and welcome aboard the Greenbush line,” said the voice on the train’s speakers. “This train will make stops at Quincy Center and JFK, terminating at South Station.” The conductor paused, then sounded almost amused as he continued.
“Passengers, we understand conditions are more crowded than usual and appreciate your patience. Just, ah, squeeze a little closer. Maybe share the Sports section and make a new friend or two while we get you to your next stop.”
Dennis's expression bordered on dazed. “Squeeze closer? Where?”
“On your lap?” Ian suggested, lips twitching when Dennis visibly recoiled. “What? You grouse all the time about not having time to meet men. This could be your chance.”
That got a chuckle from the guy in the ski jacket beside Ian. “Not happening.”
Ian and his friends raised their eyebrows at the guy.
“Oh?” Ian knew he sounded grumpy. But strangers in this town didn’t talk to each other on public transit and this guy—this kid—had big pale eyes fringed with absurdly long lashes and was making all kinds of eye contact.
“People don’t talk on trains,” the kid said, echoing Ian’s thoughts perfectly. “I’ve been here a year and all I get is ‘scuse me’ or ‘your bag’s on my feet,’ or my personal favorite, ‘move your fat ass.’”
Ian’s lips almost twitched again. “Charming,” he murmured. “Don’t take it personally. Insults are kind of a side-hustle here.”
His seatmate nodded. “Truth. Though you’re talking to me and, so far, no insults.”
“Give it time.” Ian sat back in his seat, then surprised himself by asking, “Where’re you from? You said you’d only been here a year,” he added when the kid stared at him blankly.
“Oh! Well, I move around a lot so I’m not really from anywhere. Last place I lived before here was Chicago and that was for six months.”
The kid pulled a messenger bag onto his lap and inched closer as a woman slid into the aisle seat beside him. Ian spied what looked like several Pride-themed pins attached to the bag’s front flap, then heard a soft, “Ugh, sorry.”
He frowned at his seatmate. “What for?”
“For possibly throwing up on you. I feel like crap.” The kid appeared genuinely pained. “I’m not joking when I say I might barf.”
The woman who’d just settled into the aisle seat side-eyed them balefully.
“Ah.” Ian looked his seatmate over. Being blue-yellow colorblind, he didn’t process some colors the way others did and while he knew the kid’s eyes weren’t dark, he couldn’t guess their actual hue. The distress in them was real, however, as was the guy’s pallor and the sweat dotting his full upper lip.
“Open your coat,” Ian said, “and take off the hat if you can. You’ll feel better if you’re not overheated.”
“Um. Okay.” The kid pulled off the hat, revealing a shock of very light hair that was nearly white to Ian’s eyes, a good deal of which flopped onto his forehead. “I’m Tristan,” he said as he unzipped his jacket. “Figured I’d introduce myself since I just threatened to vomit on you.”
“How ya doin’,” Ian said, “My name’s Ian.”
Saturday's Series Spotlight
K Evan ColesK. Evan Coles is a mother and tech pirate by day and a writer by night. She is a dreamer who, with a little hard work and a lot of good coffee, coaxes words out of her head and onto paper.
K. lives in the northeast United States, where she complains bitterly about the winters, but truly loves the region and its diverse, tenacious and deceptively compassionate people. You’ll usually find K. nerding out over books, movies and television with friends and family. She’s especially proud to be raising her son as part of a new generation of unabashed geeks.
K.’s books explore LGBTQ+ romance in contemporary settings.
GOOGLE PLAY / B&N / TIKTOK
EMAIL: coles.k.evan@gmail.com
Open Hearts #3
Hopeful Hearts #4
Stealing Hearts Series
