***4 'Roller Coaster' Stars*** 
 Open Hearts was one of those books that had me considering chucking my Kindle into the freezer numerous times throughout the story because the characters drove me batshit crazy and yet made it difficult for me to put down because I needed to know what would happen next with them. It was a vicious cycle that left me with a huge case of whiplash, but in the end the crazy worth experiencing. 
 Ash and Dean were interesting characters. Ash I had a difficult time with and spent half the book not liking her all that much. I admired her work ethic,her determination to make her future the opposite of her past and how loyal she was to those she called her own. But I found her cold at times and it irked me how she was quick to judge people and yet hated when she was judged. Dean is that person you want to hug while smacking them upside the head. He's sweet, has such a genuinely kind heart it makes you melt and yet there are times when common sense just totally escape him. I don't want to say he's immature, just clueless and more than happy to just go with the flow. 
 Since Ash and Dean drove me crazy, it will come as no surprise that their journey to their HEA did the same. There were so many times where I wanted to reach into my Kindle and shake them both it was crazy, and I could go on and on and on about each instance, but that would turn this into a dissertation and no one wants that. What I will say is that they actually fit together and the journey helped them grow and become better versions of themselves without fully changing them on a fundamental level. 
 This was my first read by this author and I have to say it was an experience. The characters may have driven me to violence more often than not, but they also fascinated me with their quirks and brought out all the feels and one simply cannot ignore that. Open Hearts is one of those books that I'm happy I experienced and, in the end, did enjoy, but I'm not sure if I could go another round with Ash and Dean...at least not any time soon. 
 ~ Copy provided by the author & voluntarily reviewed ~