Jace: A man filled with shame, guilt, regret and remorse who still misses the only woman he ever cared about.

Faith: A woman lost, hurting, confused, and completely terrified of what her life has become. And not only because of loss or fear of an uncertain future, but because of threats and feeling unsafe.

It doesn't matter that Jace hasn't been home in ten years or that he walked away from her then. He can't stay away anymore. He is determined to help and protect her, even if she doesn't want him there.

They have such a painful history. There are so many questions, secrets, lies, and omissions. Both of their hearts were obliterated and both were left with emotional scars. But she does not know even half the real story.

When they were younger, he was seen as trailer trash and he never felt good enough or worthy of her. And no matter how successful or wealthy he becomes, he still has insecurities and self worth issues. She always believed and had faith in him, until he broke her heart. Their lives went different directions, but still had some hidden ties. The past is a box of truths that have the potential to ruin any progress in the present or any chance at a future. 

I was engrossed in this one from the prologue and then the beginning of the present story with the mystery, suspense, and reconnection. I liked the main characters, but I also got frustrated with them. He was such a caring and protective guy, but he was also self deprecating and self sacrificing. It hurt me to watch him struggle with his own self doubt and self worth. And she was guarded and really affected by every choice either of them had made. She was so afraid of trusting and getting hurt again. So there was angst, drama, and unresolved feelings that complicated everything. And they both also had a lot of healing to do over things that had happened and plenty of truths to finally be told.

This is a slow-burn, angsty, sweet, sexy, second-chance romance, but there was an overlying mystery and suspense story line mixed in. I will admit that I figured it out very early, but I did like the various layers built into the story from past to present and how they were slowly unraveled. I liked the new small town setting of Broadshire Rim and the old house she wanted to fix up. I am a sucker for Beauty and the Beast so those references made me smile. I loved  Bailey, Mack, Courtney, and even his brother Ian, who was a bit rough around the edges. I am looking forward to more in this series with Ian and Mack. 

I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. 

Jace is from the wrong side of the tracks. Protecting his brother and cousin are his only goal as a teenager. When he meets Faith, their relationship falls into place easily despite their differences in family situation. She quickly falls into the small circle Jace will do anything to keep safe, even if that means leaving her behind.

Faith had been warned Jace was no good for her, but she could see nothing but the good in him. He broke her heart when he left, though she tried to move on with her life as best as she could. Ten years later, she is alone again, but this time she is scared. There are threats she doesn’t understand and suddenly Jace has reappeared in her life claiming be there to protect her. But who will protect her heart from the crushing blow that will happen when Jace leaves again?

Jace has a white knight complex when it comes to Faith. He will do anything to protect her, even leave her behind. His self-deprecating nature and inability to feel like he is good enough for Faith despite her reassurances that he is exactly who she wants frustrated me at times, especially as it continued in the present day scenes.

The story is told in a combination of past and present day scenes from both Jace and Faith. The alternating timeline and perspective means secrets are revealed throughout the story, slowly and in a way that continues to build tension throughout. Both characters are keeping secrets, but Jace’s are the bigger of the two and his secrets hold the keys to everything that kept them apart for those 10 years, the reason he left town in the first place and then stayed away so long.

This was a slow burn, second chance romance with a suspense twist. Granted, I had the suspense portion of it sorted fairly early, the overall story and this couple pulled me in and didn’t let go. As the beginning of a new series from Amy, there are many side characters introduced and possible directions this series may take. I look forward to seeing more from Confessions of the Heart.

I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.