Expanded Hearts (Heartland, #2) by Logan Meredith

Expanded Hearts (Heartland, #2) Reviews

• 
  Debra

  Review originally posted at
  Sinfully.
  
  After eight years together, Victor doesn’t question his love for Derek, but he is increasingly questioning their open relationship. This is only made worse when Victor finds himself attracted to Derek’s latest one-nighter, Antonio, after spending the afternoon together talking and cuddling. More than that, Victor can’t get rid of the nagging feeling that something is not right with the young man. Victor’s obsessing over Antonio turns everything upside down. Derek, always the one to find men to play with, suddenly doesn’t like the fact that Victor is pursuing Antonio and his jealousy flares even as he too is worried about Antonio. More than that, Derek has a real fear that he could lose Victor to Antonio.
  
  Victor’s initial interest in Antonio ratchets up the doubts and questions that have been simmering below the surface of his relationship with Derek. I got the feeling that Victor was never fully comfortable with the open relationship, but he understood Derek’s need for it and went along anyway. Meanwhile, although Derek has been the one to dismiss monogamy and the one to seek out play partners, his arrangement is now coming back to bite him on the ass. Antonio magnifies some underlying issues and results in a difficult time for Victor and Derek before he even becomes a member of the household. Just Victor’s interest alone has the men at odds like they’ve never been, but it does force them to confront what is going wrong with their “arrangement”.
  
  When they finally find Antonio and take him in, they begin to find out that Antonio’s problems are more complex than any of them imagined. He’s been used and manipulated and his past is now coming back with a vengeance and Victor is right in the middle of things. They come to an agreement to offer him a safe place in their home, but that he is off-limits for sex. It seems to work for a while Antonio fills a need in Derek to protect and nurture and have someone depend on him, while his book-smarts and never ending thirst for learning offers Victor someone to talk to and confide in, discussing politics and other subjects Derek has no interest in. But everyone has some secrets.
  
  There were a lot of complexities in this relationship that went far beyond just the three men trying to make this threesome work. The alternating points of view went a long way in helping me understand the motives of all three men. Victor has a fear of outsiders judging them, Derek has a prickly relationship with his mother and the underlying commitment issues and Antonio’s life is still in turmoil. All three have family issues to some extent. Antonio sent to live in US with an uncle who kicked him once he thought he was gay. Although Victor isn’t that close with his sister and mother, they have a good relationship, but he doesn’t visit his hometown. Derek’s mother is a piece of work. She’s rude and disrespectful of Derek and Victor, yet Derek yearns for her acceptance even as she uses his father’s actions against him. He is hurt by his father’s womanizing behavior and his parent’s divorce from his childhood, and fears of being like that man, which is a driving force in his dislike of monogamy.
  
  These three men are so different but they do work together once they stop keeping secrets and start being honest. It took me a while to feel like Antonio was on equal footing in the threesome. With factors such as the age gap, Derek and Victor’s long-term relationship and Antonio’s history, it wasn’t until Antonio finally found his strength to voice his needs that I felt better about the emotional connection. On the other hand, the sex scenes were hot whether it was Derek and Victor or all three men. I had no trouble buying into any of the attraction or desire.
  
  I haven’t read the first book and although characters make a cameo appearance here, this works completely as a standalone. Although there was quite a bit of drama and emotional moments, I never felt it was overdone. The struggle to come together without them falling apart, the fear for Antonio’s safety and trying to navigate a three-way relationship in everyday life all made for good reading. Although I found Victor’s sister’s surprise in the Epilogue a bit odd the rest of it convinced me that the men have found what they need to move forward as a strong family unit. I recommend it for anyone looking for a ménage story where there is a serious uphill climb before the men get everything they didn’t know they needed.
  
  

  
  

  
  
• 
  Diverse

  It’s no secret that I love ménage. So, when I read the blurb for Expanded Hearts I knew I wanted it in my life. I didn’t know it was book 2 in this series. Book one is Healing Hearts and that tells the story of Seth and Jude. You do see those two in this story and we get a little about what the story is there but I will honestly say it doesn’t alter anything with Expanded Hearts. This can be read as a standalone… However I really want to know Seth’s story so I’m going to read it.
  
  Here we have Victor, a psychologist, and his longtime partner of eight years Derek who runs his own spa. They don’t have a monogamous relationship and yes there’s a reason which is explained in the book. So that was so interesting. They love each other deeply though. They live together the whole shebang! So when Derek’s one night stand, Antonio, enters the picture things change.
  
  Now I thought I wouldn’t be okay with it because of all the issues Victor and Derek were dealing with but when you meet Antonio you just know he’s meant to be with them.
  
  Antonio’s story however is utterly heartbreaking. OMG! I can’t with the pain this man went through before being saved by Victor and Derek! So on top of all the real life stuff there’s murder, little mystery, suspense, drama!!! All the things that make a book great. It was all weaved together so well that I didn’t feel like it was over the top. It was a perfect blend that was placed just right.
  
  If you are a menage fan like I am this is something you'll love. At no point while reading this did I feel there was a cheating element to it. It really came together beautifully in a way I wasn't sure I'd believe if the author didn't mesh it together this way.
  I will read book one of this and I am looking forward to more of this series. I’m officially a Logan Meredith Fan!
• 
  Serena Yates

  Relationships are hard work, and some of them require more attention than others. Couples who have an open relationship, like psychologist Victor (who made a short appearance in book one) and spa-owner Derek, face quite a few additional pitfalls. In this case, Derek is a man opposed to monogamy for many reasons that make sense to him, but not necessarily to Victor. Victor likes to play, but he is ready to settle down and would not mind revising their agreement. The key to the problem is their different way of defining intimacy, and when Antonio enters their lives – via Derek’s bed – it all comes to a head. Ironically it is Victor’s interest in Antonio’s well-being that causes several “explosions” from Derek. The struggle these three men go through is full of drama, scary revelations, and a past that won’t stop haunting Antonio no matter how hard he tries to forget it all.
  
  Victor loves Derek to distraction and has so far dealt well with Derek’s need to play with other men – both on his own and with all three of them present. From the very start, Antonio is different and Victor struggles with his need to protect the younger man. Victor worries about how others see him, stemming mostly from issues with his father and his own past.
  
  Derek is all about keeping their relationship open; anything to avoid tying himself down only to find out he “has to” cheat – like his father did. But seeing Victor so worried about a stranger makes Derek lose it. “Just sex” is okay with him, mostly when he initiates it, but seeing something that might be an emotional involvement develop between Victor and Antonio makes Derek feel totally insecure.
  
  While both Victor and Derek are falling in love with Antonio, neither wants to admit it and both struggle with the implications. The situation brings up a whole range of problems with their relationship, and they end up so upset that they can’t even talk about it, causing even more issues.
  
  Antonio has his own problems, and finding out what they are as the story unfolds was heartbreaking. Antonio needs all the support and love he can get, and he quickly falls for both Victor and Derek – except he doesn’t want to come between them. He has a way of looking at things that manages to bring all three of them closer together, but none of that matters if his past catches up and destroys everything Antonio has worked so hard for.
  
  If you like stories about complicated characters with tons of issues, if three men struggling to figure out how they fit is your thing, and if you’re looking for a read that doesn’t shy away from real problems and looks at romance and love from an unbiased and somewhat unusual perspective, then you will probably like this novel.
  
  
  NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on
  Rainbow Book Reviews.
• 
  Cat

  ***Four and a Half Stars for a Great Second Book in the Series!***
  
  I’ve already stated I didn’t really care for the first book - it was okay, but not something that grabbed me. However, I read this one first because my brain processed the titles alphabetically rather than in series order.
  
  And as such, I can conclusively state that this book is head and shoulders above the series starter!
  
  Victor and Derek are a happy long-term couple in domestic bliss...mostly. Derek likes to spice things up with other partners, and sometimes Victor joins in, but he’s pretty content with just Derek. Then he wakes up one morning to a beautiful young man in his kitchen, someone with whom he has a lot in common. They spend the day together in the house, and Victor is sad to see Antonio leave.
  
  Discovering that Antonio has left something behind sends Victor seeking the younger man out, and suddenly things shift about rather drastically. The nontraditional Derek’s reactions to his man trying to return said object are fun (to me), and what develops as time goes on is unique, exhilarating, confusing, sad, terrifying, and wonderful - all in one creative story!
  
  The plot is fairly straightforward, but the subplots add depth and nuances that really create a much more meaningful story overall. The main characters are engaging, their dialogue witty and intelligent, their chemistry astoundingly hot, and their trials and tribulations never seem petty or trite, despite trying to incorporate three into what has heretofore been a traditional couple situation. The peripheral characters are written well and add additional dimensions to the overall storylines. The character growth is tremendous in all three characters, and the work they must put in to earn their HEA makes the ending that much sweeter to read. All in all, a great book that I highly recommend!
  
  
  Review copy of
  Expanded Hearts provided by the publisher,
  Dreamspinner Press, for an honest review.
  
• 
  Amneris Cesare

  Well this one surprised me. I thought it would be just the romance novel with a threesome with the excuse to put in it steamy erotic scenes and it is not. There are steamy erotic scenes, don't get me wrong but all the plot, the MCs and their stories are incredibly on focus, I loved the dynamics from the couple of lovers to the poliamory situation and it's well explained. I believed in all their doubts, conflicts and resolutions. A book that I would be tempted to translate.
• 
  justanya

  It's hard to believe this is the same author.
  This sequel is far superior to the first installment and a pleasantly surprising good read especially considering this is a menage story ( which is a very tough sell IMO).
  
  Expanded Hearts tells the story of Victor, Seth's therapist in book one.
  Victor and Derek have been a couple for 8 years, much to the dismay of Derek's mother who thinks her son will change one day once he meets the "right" girl. One of the reasons this relationship works is because Victor long accepted Derek's term of their relationship being open. They have rules in place of course and it works for them but Victor was never really happy with the open concept though he understood ( though Derek didn't) why Derek, needed their relationship to be open.
  Many men come and go until along came Remi. Remi, is the first one nighted Derek brings home that piques Victor's interest. As days pass and Derek realizes how obsessed Victor is becoming with Remi, Derek decides he no longer wants an open relationship... though he too is inexplicably still drawn to Remi.
  
  After a much needed heart to heart, Victor and Derek lay their cards on the table and though both are nervous they decide to pursue a relationship with Remi. Remi it turns out has a hell of a past that neither men saw coming. And once they learn Remi's secret (starting with his real name, Antonio), they do everything within their power to not only keep him but to also keep him safe.
  
  This story can be read as a stand alone. It's a wonderfully told menage that proves that its possible to fall in love with more than just one person.
  Enjoy!
  
  *ARC provided for review*
  
  
• 
  Jodi Ciorciari-marinich

  We first met Victor in Healed Hearts. He was helping Seth with his PTSD. Now this is his story. He has been with his lover Derek for about 8 years. They are in love and happy. Derek doesn't believe in monogamy so they have an open relationship. It works for them until Derek brings home Antonio. Victor is drawn to Antonio and doesn't know why. They seems to connect on some level and Victor is trying to figure out why. Derek finds himself questioning Victor when he feels he is falling for Antonio. Derek wants to give Victor what he wants so he goes to find Antonio. These 3 men are great together. Victor is older and Derek is younger but Derek is the caretaker of this couple. Antonio needs help and these men do their best to help. They fall in love with each other and needless to say there are problems. Victor is being accused of something at work that he didn't do and that doesn't help the relationship. Antonio is in trouble as well and they all pull together to help each other. Derek also has issues with his mother so they have a lot to work through. All in all I liked this story and how these 3 very different men find each other and fall in love. They want to make it work and they do. Received an arc from publisher for a honest review. Reviewed by Jodi by Alpha Book Club.
• 
  Sylvia

  2.5 stars
  
  
  This was just soo not for me.
  
  I didn't like Derek at all ugh he annoyed the sh*t outta me!
  Victor was just to weak (Doormat)
  Antonio I just felt sorry for. I thought he could do better than Victor en Derek.
  this Menage story just didn't work for me
• 
  Janel

  Rich and interesting characters.
• 
  Elaine

  I Enjoyed This Story
  
  I enjoyed this story I liked the characters. The story line was good. It was well written. Can't wait to read the next one in the series.
• 
  Suze

  I hadn't read book 1 but didn't feel I missed anything so this one can be read standalone. I think book 1 deals with Victor and Derek getting together so some history and I guess would be good to read before. I would rate this 3.5*
  I liked that whilst Derek and Victor have an open relationship it wasn't portrayed as all sweetness and light even before Antonio arrived. And when he becomes more than just a one night hook up, even without sex involved, he is still the catalyst for change.
  Lots of sex between various combinations.
  A nasty back story for Antonio/Remi to show how easy it is to become sucked into the underworld of sex slavery.
• 
  Lada

  DNF at 43%
• 
  Barb ~rede-2-read~

  ARC provided by the publisher through
  Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words in exchange for an impartial review.
  
  I honestly did not expect to enjoy this story as much as I did. Open relationship? Ménage? The blurb intrigued me, however, and I’m so happy I took the plunge. What the blurb doesn’t tell us is that Antonio leaves shortly after he and Victor get to meet and talk for a while, and part of Victor’s intrigue with Antonio is his feeling that Antonio was hiding too many personal details, over and above the fact that he ate breakfast as if he was starving, and his clothes were worn beyond what’s considered fashionable. When he happens to meet him once again, he arranges to treat the young man to lunch.
  
  When Victor’s partner, Derek, a gorgeous, tall, muscular black man finds out, he blows his top. He feels as if Victor went behind his back and arranged a date. And that’s totally unlike Victor, the forty-something, slender, self-effacing psychologist. There are so many starts and stops and complications between Victor and Derek about Antonio that even his name begins to drive a wedge between them—all this without Victor ever even taking Antonio to bed. And Antonio has disappeared anyway, so why the continued strife, Victor wonders. But all of that drama added to the three-dimensional character-building the author put together so that we become as entangled in this story as the characters are.
  
  As it turns out, there’s so much more to Antonio than either man knew, and his background turns out to be positively heartbreaking. He’s also linked to one of Victor’s patients, and his hoped-for relationship with Antonio, whether real or platonic, will definitely cause Victor trouble with his professional ethics.
  
  Once they have found Antonio, reconciled their differences about him, and brought him under their wing, rather than finding peace, the intrigue surrounding Antonio follows him, and not just from outside sources—Derek’s mother comes into play at this point in the story when she happens to drop by and “catch” Victor with Antonio. Unfortunately, she not only never accepted Derek as gay, she never supported his eight-year relationship with Victor—primarily because Victor was both older and white. Her character is very reminiscent of a Bible-thumping wicked witch, and she positively reels when she finds out from Derek just why the “boy” was brought into their home. Her prejudices know no bounds, and she’s possibly one of the best/worst examples of a nasty mother I’ve read.
  
  In the early stages of the story, I found myself aggravated as I read—first by Derek and then by Victor. I wanted them to find some common sense and just get going, but around the 40% mark, I realized I was so caught up in the story and the drama surrounding Anthony that I couldn’t put the book down, and I stayed up late one night just to get to the conclusion. It was very, very good, and I recommend it to all my fellow MM romance lovers.
  
• 
  Feliz

  Threesomes can be hot and fun, but a three-way relationship is quite ‘nother cup of tea.
  It’s a truth that both Victor and Derek have to learn the hard way – especially Derek, since their open relationship was based mostly on his particular insecurities. Thus far, Derek pretty much called the shots; he set the rules, and Victor, affected by his own uncertainties, went with them. Until suddenly it’s Victor who demands liberties of his own, and Derek finds himself forced to realize that things might look rather different when viewed from the other end of the stick.
  Antonio/ Remi was an adorable character right from the start, but I’ll admit it took me a while to warm up to both Victor and Derek. Again, it was Derek whom I had the most issues with; his entitled machismo attitude and the way he let his mother treat Victor got my hackles up. In comparison, Victor started out a bit of a pushover; I couldn’t help wondering why he thought he had to put up with all that Derek threw at him because he didn’t really seem to enjoy those threesomes/open-relationship shags all that much. Their relationship, for all it was constantly described as so happy and committed, didn’t quite feel that way, it struck me as rather imbalanced.
  Happily enough, Antonio came along to tip the scales, and suddenly everything changed. For the first time in eight years, both Victor and Derek were forced to stop and really look at their relationship, with almost disastrous consequences.
  
  There was a lot I liked about this book. First and foremost the growth all three characters went through; I found all three main characters really well drawn and their developments struck me as comprehensible and realistic. Well, the outcome might’ve been predictable – this is a romance after all – but watching them struggle their way to their hard-won happy end still kept me turning pages. Some of the side characters were also elaborate enough to evoke strong sentiments in me while reading; Derek’s mother above all, I could’ve strangled that woman for most of the book.
  Then, there were the various subplots twining with the story of Derek, Victor and Antonio/Remi working to make things work for them. Antonio’s heartbreaking backstory, Victor’s ethical dilemma, Derek’s messy love-hate relationship with his parents – even if some things seemed a bit cliché, they struck me as lovingly written and heartfelt. This goes for the writing style in general; it was a bit heavy on the telling vs. showing, and the story had a few lengths, but overall, I enjoyed it.
  
  I wouldn’t call this a nice and easy read with the serious topics this story touches upon – and sometimes quite explicit at that – but on the romance front, it’s beautiful and touching.
  
  (On a side note, Expanded Hearts is book 2 in a series, and several characters from book 1 (Healed Hearts) make more than a cameo appearance, but it can be read as a standalone. )
  
  reviewed for
  www.prismboookalliance.com
  
• 
  Morgan Skye

  From the blurb we learn that Victor and Derek have been partners for years, but Derek wants an open relationship. For the most part, Victor is okay with that, and in fact participates in many threesomes with Derek. But occasionally, especially lately, that’s more of an issue for him. Especially since gay marriage became legal.
  
  What throws a monkey wrench in things – in addition to the previous misgivings – is Victor’s extraordinary attraction to the enigmatic Antonio. It’s so strange that Derek becomes ridiculously jealous and the couple almost disintegrates because of it.
  
  That really bothered me – as a plot point. I never understood how – for 8 years – the two men existed in this open relationship without encountering this jealousy from one side or the other before. It didn’t feel authentic.
  
  The other plot issue I had was Antonio’s back story and current drama. It felt way over the top in terms of soap opera like drama, with Peter acting more like a comic book villain than a true predator. And Victor – the psychologist – doesn’t really do much to encourage this boy - who has been abused for years - to seek treatment, in a way that impacts the story. I think his abuse would have been a major plot point and point of contention.
  
  Finally there was the connection between the lovers. For me (and I know that I have a high sap tolerance and a low cheating tolerance) the connection between the guys just wasn’t there. At first I was mad that Derek would have an extra at all, then that the new guy would bust up their partnership made me really not like Antonio, then finally I felt that Victor was sort of a spineless wimp letting everyone but him get what they wanted. It never felt like an equal partnership.
  
  There was way too much sex. (Yep – I said it!) Sex that didn’t (in my mind) help the story. While Derek’s dirty talk was hot, the DP at the end left me feeling very cold.
  
  In general I’m a fan of ménage – but only if all the partners involved are equal and this just failed on that account. (Ménage that has worked for me: Riley Hart’s Broken Pieces, 911 by Chris Owen, The Strongest Shape by Tessa Cardenas, More by Sloan Parker, More Than Anything by Cardeno C, Three’s Company by NR Walker…)
  
  I think the writing was good, I found no significant editing mistakes, but the story was just all over the place with the angry mom, the two villains after Antonio, the fighting between the original partners, the age gap, the race differences…too much and nothing in focus.
  
  I think this is okay as a standalone. If you were a fan of book one, you’ll probably like this as you get to see those MCs again.
  
  This just didn’t work for me and I can’t recommend it. I would look for something by this author again, but maybe not a ménage.
  
  2 of 5 hearts
• 
  Natosha Wilson

  This is a book I would describe as finding your missing link. Two is perfect and sometimes three makes that perfect extraordinary. That is the case in this story.
  
  Victor and Derek have been in an open relationship with set boundaries for several years. It has not always been perfect because occasionally one might feel left out but it has worked for them. That is until it no longer did. There is a reason behind it not working too. Derek once again brought home someone to play with for the night. But this time something different occurs, Victor is intrigued with Antonio (aka Remi). That has never happened before. Not only is he intrigued with him but he also feels something is not right.
  
  Victor becomes obsessed with trying to figure out what is wrong with Remi and it causes major problems with Derek. After some convincing Derek helps Victor track down Remi and realizes that Victor was correct all along and Remi is in some serious trouble. That leads to Remi staying with both Derek and Victor. Which in turns leads to the three of them realizing that Remi is what is the missing piece of their puzzle that makes them all complete.
  
  But the good thing they have going on comes to a halt when Remi's past catches up to him. That is when the trouble begins and if they are not careful they may lose Remi forever.
  
  This book was beautifully written. Logan Meredith took the situation that these three men found themselves in and turned it into a truly captivating story. I really enjoyed reading about how the three of them came together and the struggles they faced once they did. Cannot wait to read the next book in the series.
  
  Was given this book for free by inked rainbow reads for an honest review
• 
  Michelle Slagan

  Expanded Hearts is the first book I have read by Logan Meredith. Even without reading book 1, I decided to give it a try because I absolutely adore ménage stories that are more than a romp between the sheets. I need plot as I am sure most of you do. Whether it is a thrill chaser or a sweet romance I need some substance to the book besides the sexy scenes.
  
  Victor and Derek are in an open relationship which I tend to stay away from in ménage stories as it always feels that one of the MC pushes the 3rd onto the other MC. At first I figured this would be the case but I was so happy that it wasn’t. Yes it starts out with Derek and Antonio but the pull that Victor feels towards Antonio makes it a wonderful story.
  
  Once the story gets underway it is exceptional delightful. I love the interaction between the 3. Of course with a great story comes all the twist and turns that leave you wanting more and unable to put the book down.
  
  Meredith does an exceptional & flawless job in keeping your attention. The story flows with perfection that will have you chomping at the bit. I really enjoyed the story – all the heartache, sadness, witty and fascinating dialogue.
  
  Victor, Derek and Antonio stole my heart and gave me another fantastic story to read.
  If you are like me and have never read this author – Do yourself a favor and pick this one up. You will not be disappointed.
  
  Reviewed for Two Chicks Obsessed with Books & Eye Candy
  
• 
  Logan Meredith

  Now available on Kindle Unlimited
  
  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B082S2ZBND
• 
  CB

  Second in a very sweet and romantic series of 3. I enjoyed all the MC's and they were perfectly imperfect for each other.