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Hartbridge Christmas #4

Holiday Heart Strings

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Hartbridge Christmas Series - Book Four

Englishman Braithe Branson arrives in Hartbridge, Montana, to take on a brief substitute kindergarten teacher position. His introduction to the sleepy town is being pulled over for speeding. Not an ideal start, but at least the deputy was cute.

Colson Price takes being a deputy very seriously. After all, his job is all he has. Disowned by his family ten years ago, he’s vowed to stay closeted so it won’t cost him everything all over again.

But the holidays are tough for Colson, and the new guy in town is far too tempting. With a promise of some very private no-strings encounters on the downlow, he can’t resist.

Braithe is charmed by the handsome deputy, the gorgeous town, and the great group of friends he meets. But as the countdown to leaving gets closer, the more tangled the ‘no strings� becomes.

Braithe and Colson have to hope that Hartbridge will find a way for this Christmas wish to come true.

342 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 21, 2023

206 people are currently reading
450 people want to read

About the author

N.R. Walker

132books5,097followers
Author also writes as A. Voyeur

N.R. Walker is an Australian author, who loves her genre of gay romance. She loves writing and spends far too much time doing it, but wouldn't have it any other way.

She is many things; a mother, a wife, a sister, a writer. She has pretty, pretty boys who she gives them life with words.

She likes it when they do dirty, dirty things...but likes it even more when they fall in love. She used to think having people in her head talking to her was weird, until one day she happened across other writers who told her it was normal.

She’s been writing ever since...

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5 stars
1,037 (50%)
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3 stars
234 (11%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 228 reviews
Profile Image for Carol [ŷ Addict].
2,860 reviews25.2k followers
November 11, 2024
Holiday Heart Strings is the fourth and final book in the Hartbridge Christmas series by N.R. Walker. I have loved these four books so much, as I have loved these visits to Hartbridge and all it’s beauty. This is Colson and Braithe’s book and I am so excited to tell you about it.

Braithe Branson is from England. He’s on a two year work visa and doing short term elementary school substitute teaching stints while he travels. His current job is to work for the four weeks leading up to Christmas in Heartbridge, Montana. He instantly falls in love with the beautiful town. But he’s especially intrigued by the handsome deputy that pulled him over when he first got to town for speeding!

Colson Price has been a deputy in Heartbridge for four years. He loves his job. It’s really all he has. Ten years ago when he came out to his family, they threw him out, completely cut him out of their lives. Because of the trauma he experienced, he put himself back in the closet and keeps his truths a secret. He’s terrified that if anyone found out, the same thing would happen and he’d lose everything. But then Braithe came to town and turned everything upside down.

“If sunshine was a person, it was Braithe Branson.�

Braithe found himself quickly adopted by Hamish, Ren, Cass, Jayden, Gunter and Clay. And he is completely taken with the sweet, sexy deputy. Colson is also immediately smitten with Braithe. He represents everything he ever dreamed of but could never have. When Braithe suggests a no strings attached, secret fling for the time he has left in Heartbridge, Colson is all in. Only, you know how those no strings things usually go. There are always strings, so many strings. And these two can’t help but to get all wound up in them.

First, Hamish plays a pretty big part in this. He is more ornery than ever and kept me smiling. I fell so in love with Colson. That man had a huge heart and it was both breathtaking and heart breaking to see him realize that he does have friends, more of a found family. And to experience all of the things with Braithe that he never thought he’d have. These two were so perfect together, so wonderful. Braithe was so brave, knowing he had to leave at the end of his four week term, but trying to stay cheerful and enjoy the time he had with Colson.

If you want to smile, a lot, swoon, sigh, and giggle, then this book is for you. The entire series is for you! I loved them all. I have gotten so attached to all of these couples and am sorry to let them go. If you want to warm your heart, and experience all the beauty of Christmas in Hartbridge, then this series is for you!

For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.


Profile Image for ~✡~Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ love & semi-colons~✡~.
3,397 reviews976 followers
November 20, 2024
I don't entirely disagree with some of the points made in the negative reviews. This book is somewhat repetitive, so if you're looking for excitement, this isn't the gig for you.

The focus is on Colson coming out (there's a reason he's been lonely and detached for so long). There's almost no plot otherwise, but that's okay.

I read holiday romances for the sparkly, feel-good HEA and Christmas cheer, and this book certainly delivers on that front.

Colson and Braithe fit so well together. While the relationship timeline is rushed (four weeks from start to finish, plus the epilogue), that's sort of the point. In Hartbridge, Santa and Gay Cupid conspire to bring couples together in December.

And I choose to believe.

This is very much a found family story with two extremely likeable MCs. Braithe is a gem from the get-go, but the way serious Deputy Price melts under Braithe's support, attention, and care is soul-stirring.

Most of the steamy scenes fade to black, but the passion between Braithe and Colson still shines bright all the way through.

The mismatched socks (just like Alex and Prince Henry! LOL) and the punny Christmas tree names - sooo cute.

I really enjoyed this story.
Profile Image for Ben Howard.
1,409 reviews207 followers
November 27, 2024
The previous books in the Hartbridge Christmas series have all been strong 4 star reads, but Holiday Heart Strings bumps it's way to the top spot as a 5 star read.

It has the cosy feels I'm looking for with just the right amount of (low) angst and drama. It's a kindergarten teacher x closeted deputy romance with a great friendship group.
__
My Spotify audiobook hours ran out just as I reached the epilogue ugh Thankfully, I was able to finish it on kindle unlimited!

Profile Image for Dani.
1,312 reviews206 followers
December 22, 2024
Very cutesy and way more serious in tone than the other books in the series, although the humour was still great.

I cannot believe Americans (even the Australian characters) don't know about Yorkshire puddings 😂😂 best part of a roast dinner after the roast potatoes!!!

Also loved how Braithe travels around with an electric kettle and a supply of tea bags! Definitely essential items, I do not understand using a microwave to make hot drinks... heathen behaviour 😂😂

Although I didn't know that police and sheriffs aren't the same...
Profile Image for Grace.
3,154 reviews198 followers
November 22, 2023
DNF ~18%

Okay, this one is kind of on me, as I've not been enjoying any of this author's recent books, including 2/3 other books in this series. But I really enjoyed one of the books, and I was hoping this might be a second, but alas, it's not meant to be. I think I'm just over the whole "magical gay christmas magic" theme of this series, especially since it is explicitly mentioned by the characters multiple times in the book. I don't really enjoy the constant cameos of past couples, and I found the main characters here bland and lacking in any chemistry. Grace the Grinch strikes again! But there's always at least one holiday read that ends up working for me, so I will continue my 2023 search!
Profile Image for Ken W.
384 reviews1 follower
December 11, 2023
Yet another 5 star Hartbridge Christmas! I give the series as a whole 5 stars as well! They are very low angst fluffy stories but that’s what I’m mostly looking for in Christmas stories! I think my favorite book in the series is #2. Jayden is definitely my favorite character. I’m not sure if there will be a fifth book� some people think there won’t be.. but NRW did write in a character that would probably be the MC in a possible book for next Christmas! Highly recommended book, highly recommended series!
Profile Image for Sandra .
1,914 reviews345 followers
January 8, 2024
On my 4th trip to Hartbridge, I met a lovely chap from England and a closeted cop, who stand no chance against the Christmas Cupid magical town they call home. Wonderful way to spend a few hours, and so nice to meet up with the couples from the first 3 books.

Might there be another at the end of 2024? I'd read it!
Profile Image for Cadiva.
3,861 reviews408 followers
November 25, 2023
Cute festive romance in N.R.'s small town series

The town of Hartbridge is just the kind of setting I love for these Hallmark style festive romances.

We're up to book four and the idea of the town having its own sort of special Christmas magic that combines with Cupid's arrow to draw suitable men into its streets in order to fill in love with the residents is delightful.

Here we get an English kindergarten teacher on a temporary visa doing a short term maternity cover at the local school.

We met Sheriff's Deputy Colson Price in the previous books and it was clear there was something he was hiding inside his quiet and somewhat shy manner.

We get to discover his secrets here and let's just say, I wanted to give him a big hug.

Braithe on the other hand, isn't necessarily 'out and proud' but he's also not hiding his sexuality from anyone and he quickly makes friends with Hamish, Jayden and the rest of the gang.

The majority of this narrative concentrates on the process of Colton coming out as he spends more time in a supposed 'no strings' secret relationship with Braithe.

Of course, things never go according to plan and the feelings start creeping in pretty quickly. It's not quite instalove but it does move fast and it gets a bit bogged down in overly detailed explanations of everything Colson's doing at work as well as Braithe's teaching activities.

Colson's coming out is the only plotline and that's not a problem as such but I'd have liked maybe a bit less minutiae and more conversations or interaction between them that wasn't sex related.

And, having said that, there's a lot of sex mentioned, and a cute little wager over whether they'll use more teabags or condoms, but it's not a 'sexy book' as such, because a lot is fade to black or passing references.

But the strong found family feels, the emotional connection and supportive relationship between them goes a long way to bringing the magical Christmas romance vibes.

And there's a really lovely Epilogue and a lot of cute moments that helped bring my rating up.
Profile Image for Vanessa GLP.
146 reviews1 follower
December 17, 2023
I enjoyed this one, it's a little bit like the other books of the series but has its own kind of fun , surprisedly it made me cry 😬
Profile Image for J.
1,498 reviews38 followers
December 5, 2023
I have enjoyed Walker's first three Hartbridge Christmas books and this one is just as good. Braithe and Colson make a great couple, and seeing Colson struggle with coming out, and how Braithe was there not only to support him but also run interference when needed, it made for a strong novel of love at Christmas.

Of course, members from the first three books show up a bit, especially Hamish, but not in an obtrusive manner. It was great seeing Braithe bond with fellow expats and come to love the same community they had made into their home.

Overall, this was a very warm novel, with just a tiny bit of angst (will Braithe be forced to leave Hartbridge for his job or not?). We also get introduced to another gay member of the Hartbridge community, so maybe Walker is planning on another book for next year.
243 reviews6 followers
December 5, 2023
This book was disastrous. 80% of the time was devoted to Colton and his coming out. We hardly get to hear too much about Braithe.
Profile Image for Kristel (hungryandhappy).
1,691 reviews87 followers
December 8, 2024
Super cute, shed a tear or two, giggled a lot. I fell in love with how sunshiny Braithe was and how sweet and cinnamon roll-y Colson was, even with how much the past had shaped his life making him hide who he was.
Seeing Colson take one little step at a time, feeling brave after meeting and spending time (sexy times, too, so many sexy times) with the new sub teacher from England.
I adored how the guys from the previous books were super present in the book and I love so much how they are such a precious group of friends who support each other and give excellent advice plus juicy gossip!

While this wasn't all fluff, but there was tons of fluff, lots of blushing, smiles, romantic and domestic moments, getting to know each other, opening up, having life changing moments. It was all so perfect! An excellent Christmas romance that I will definitely reread for comfort!

I can't wait to hug the book, it deserves the longest hug!
Profile Image for Amanda.
2,359 reviews99 followers
November 24, 2023
This one hit all the notes for a 5 star holiday read for me personally. It had loveable characters ,all the steam 🙌 small town holiday goodness, Found family , and a generous does of heavy feels with the MCs struggle to come out of the closet.

Favorite Quotes :
“Can I kiss you right now, Colson?� My god, when he said my name like that? I’d agree to anything. Somehow, I managed to nod.

He was everything. He was sweet, sweet perfection. And his fingers in my hair and the soft press of his lips to my forehead lulled me to sleep.

“It might be a different kinda family than you were hoping for,� Clay said gently. “But it’s a family all the same.�

No more sadness. No more melancholy. Just happiness and kisses, and warm hugs, and tea. So much tea.

He took my hand and placed it over his heart. I could feel it thumping under my palm. “Every time I’m with you,� he murmured. “Every time I see you.�
Profile Image for Misty.
147 reviews19 followers
December 28, 2023
I have adored the books I've read so far in this series.
It was wonderful to get all the familiar faces back in this, and I absolutely fell in love with Braithe and Colson.
Aww Braithe. He was like another Hamish. Just sunshine and rainbows. We all need a Braithe in our lives.

I have loved every N.R. Walker book I have read so far. Honestly so talented. So comfortable and natural and the stories just swallow you up.
Profile Image for R.J..
Author307 books2,680 followers
November 28, 2023
I love this series, and book 4 is just gorgeous - highly recommended.
Profile Image for Vanna (on-hiatus).
752 reviews90 followers
December 31, 2023
4 sweet , Christmas Cupid stars!! ❤️❤️
Low angst, likable MCs (with one still in the closet) and great chemistry, cameos from MCs from previous books in the series. Overall a lovely addition to this continuing Holiday series. 👍🏻👍🏻
Profile Image for Miriah.
1,020 reviews53 followers
November 22, 2023
Incredibly endearing characters with chemistry and so much emotion. I was near tears many times in this story and I loved it. It was so lovely.

The characters felt like real people and the romance was overflowing. Never once did I feel like we needed more romance or that the story wasn’t progressing as it should, and there was no moronic miscommunications. Colson and Braithe fell in love softly and passionately and the sex scenes were incredible.

The presence of previous characters was also very welcome and in the perfect amount.

I loved the resolution for Braithe to stay in Hartbidge - it was realistic and honestly something I’ve seen happen a few times in real life.

I did have a little confusion moment when Braithe said he was in Hartbridge for a whole four weeks to cover a maternity leave, but then I realised the book is set in America and America hates women.
Profile Image for Jane (whatjanereads).
715 reviews131 followers
December 6, 2023
This was just as sweet and fun as the other books in the series and I cannot wait for the fireman one we clearly deserve next Christmas! 😌🔥
Colson is a cinnamon roll and Braith is a walking ray of sunshine, they both deserved each other. This one was a LOT spicier than the last books, I can’t even count the steamy scenes in one hand I think.
I loved that they immediately got included into the Christmas Cupid group and I also loved that they planned to continue their little two mini Christmas tree tradition in the end.
Can’t wait to continue this series next year!
Profile Image for Isa.
1,103 reviews
March 9, 2025
4+, Przyjemna historia, taka świąteczna, bez większych dramatów. Tym razem na tapecie był szeryf Colson i nauczyciel, który pojawił się w miasteczku na zastępstwo. Od pierwszego spotkania między nimi można było wyczuć chemię, chociaż Colson ukrywał swoją orientację przed wszystkimi. Po tym jak został wyrzucony z domu jako dziecko i ciężko pracował, by dojść tam gdzie jest teraz, nie chciał popełnić tego samego błędu. Obecność Braitha i rozmowa z nim pomogła mu, zaczął się otwierać przed ludźmi, a nawet wyznał prawdę. Jak się okazało nie miał czego się bać, większość ludzi dobrze to przyjęła. Uratowanie dziecka tylko utwierdziła w tym, że jest dobrym człowiekiem, dla niektórych stał się bohaterem. Można powiedzieć, że Braith go uratował i otworzył na miłość. Cieszę się, że Braith zostanie tu na dłużej, no i że wszystko dobrze się skończyło.
Profile Image for Lauren.
270 reviews
November 26, 2023
So adorable as always. This was almost going to be my favorite installment of the series and it still might be, but I wanted a bit more angst at the end. If you read it, you’ll understand, but it was still so much fun to read and see all of our supporting characters in Hartbridge. Can’t wait for De Silva’s book next year (I hope)
Profile Image for Lynsey.
20 reviews
December 5, 2023
3.5 stars. Lovely, cozy, Christmas romance. It’s a quieter romance where the focus is on the relationship between the two MCs but I quite enjoyed that aspect. The author created a lovely Christmas environment/feeling without it being over the top. Would recommend if you’re looking for a low key but enjoyable Christmas read.
Profile Image for Tammy.
1,225 reviews34 followers
March 21, 2024
3.5 sweet 🥰 cute read, the narrator Glen Lloyd always does a great job. 👍 I will probably go back and read the beginning of the series, I started reading out of order. 🤪
Profile Image for Shawna (endemictoearth).
2,251 reviews34 followers
December 12, 2023
This made me tear up several times when Colson talked about his life and how hard it had been for him to make meaningful connections because he always felt like he had to hide who he was. I liked so much about this story, but by the end, I felt like it could have been shorter. This would have been a four star novella for me.

I was wondering if it was too grinchy to give this three stars, given I did shed a few tears, but honestly, I liked it! This, more than most mm holiday books, I could see being filmed for Hallmark (with appropriate commercial breaks to cover the sex scenes). This whole series is meant to be Gay Hallmark, but this is the one they should adapt. Maybe for Lifetime, who seems, like, a fraction more progressive.

Profile Image for Jessica.
191 reviews8 followers
December 30, 2024
Another cute one in this series! I was excited to read about Colin Price after meeting him in Merry Christmas Cupid.
Profile Image for ❶ Jess ( Semi hiatus ).
776 reviews78 followers
January 2, 2024
4.5 rounded up

I’m not surprised I loved this, this author has a special place in my heart. This was so heartwarming and full of acceptance that I was smiling the whole time. Both MCs were so lovable and seemed to fit each other perfectly. It’s low angst and features previous couples and a small town full of mostly accepting townsfolk.

As always, endings usually have me wanting more and in this case I wanted an epilogue that was further out than just a few months especially since Braithe is in the US on a visa. They’re together and in love and looking to the future, it was good enough but I’m greedy and wanted more. 😒

“I’ll be here when you get home,� I said, trying to catch my breath. “Every night.� He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, as if he were breathing in my words.

“I love you,� he whispered. I leaned up and captured his lips with mine. “I love you too.�

He took my hand and placed it over his heart. I could feel it thumping under my palm. “Every time I’m with you,� he murmured. “Every time I see you.�

I smiled at the thrill his words gave me. “You’re such a romantic.� He ducked his head. “You might need to get used to that.� I laughed. “I’ll get very used to it.�


Swooning, kicking my feet and giggling at these two. 🥰
✄┈�
My ratings always reflect my enjoyment of the story. Just because it aligns or doesn’t align with my tastes does not mean it’ll be the same for you. Try reading it for yourself !
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Terri Jones.
2,675 reviews55 followers
January 7, 2024
DNF at 16%, because the repetition in this one's already worse than the others, and IMHO that's this author's worst habit. But also, I'm just not connecting to either of the characters. It feels phoned-in. Oh well.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 228 reviews

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