What do you think?
The Healing Hearts #4
Exposed Hearts: A Steamy Lesbian Romance
Frankie Martinez is three months out of a breakup and completely fine.
She says so.
Bridge Cahill arrives at Frankie’s search and rescue training by pulling herself over the edge of an eighty-foot cliff. No rope. No harness. Her first act is correcting Frankie on the gender of a stray dog.
Her second is walking away without looking back.
By evening, they are both at Rosie’s bar.
By midnight, somewhere considerably better.
Because some sparks do not wait.
Bridge is in Elk Ridge for the season, training for a free solo climb that would make most people rethink their life choices. She travels light, keeps her secrets close, and reads people the way she reads rock, with a patience that feels like a warning.
Frankie teaches others how to approach wild things slowly, carefully, without startling them.
She should have taken her own advice.
What begins as chemistry quickly turns into something harder to ignore. Between mountain rescues, high-risk training, and moments that blur the line between control and surrender, both women are forced to confront what they want and what they are willing to risk.
Because some connections are not meant to stay temporary.
Set against the rugged Colorado mountains, Exposed Hearts is a steamy lesbian romance novel with high heat, emotional depth, and a connection that refuses to play safe. This character-driven lesbian fiction delivers a powerful WLW love story filled with tension, risk, and a deeply satisfying payoff.
She says so.
Bridge Cahill arrives at Frankie’s search and rescue training by pulling herself over the edge of an eighty-foot cliff. No rope. No harness. Her first act is correcting Frankie on the gender of a stray dog.
Her second is walking away without looking back.
By evening, they are both at Rosie’s bar.
By midnight, somewhere considerably better.
Because some sparks do not wait.
Bridge is in Elk Ridge for the season, training for a free solo climb that would make most people rethink their life choices. She travels light, keeps her secrets close, and reads people the way she reads rock, with a patience that feels like a warning.
Frankie teaches others how to approach wild things slowly, carefully, without startling them.
She should have taken her own advice.
What begins as chemistry quickly turns into something harder to ignore. Between mountain rescues, high-risk training, and moments that blur the line between control and surrender, both women are forced to confront what they want and what they are willing to risk.
Because some connections are not meant to stay temporary.
Set against the rugged Colorado mountains, Exposed Hearts is a steamy lesbian romance novel with high heat, emotional depth, and a connection that refuses to play safe. This character-driven lesbian fiction delivers a powerful WLW love story filled with tension, risk, and a deeply satisfying payoff.
328 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 29, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
April 30, 2026
Could not put this one down!!
Wow, I absolutely loved Exposed Hearts - the fourth book in the healing hearts series and there was no slow build up in this one. Catapulted straight into the heat and I loved it.
I was as hooked by Frankie and Bridge in chapter one as they were with each other. I mean who wouldn’t loose their cool over a smoking hot woman casually pulling herself up and over the edge of a cliff - with no equipment - acting like she just climbed a steep hill on her way to the local shop for milk.
Packed with heat yes but with everything that Ruby Scott does best: layered with emotion, real characters with flaws you love them for, and that Ruby Scott humour. More Colette and Yaya will having me picking up a book no questions asked.
Would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes their sapphic romance served hot!
Wow, I absolutely loved Exposed Hearts - the fourth book in the healing hearts series and there was no slow build up in this one. Catapulted straight into the heat and I loved it.
I was as hooked by Frankie and Bridge in chapter one as they were with each other. I mean who wouldn’t loose their cool over a smoking hot woman casually pulling herself up and over the edge of a cliff - with no equipment - acting like she just climbed a steep hill on her way to the local shop for milk.
Packed with heat yes but with everything that Ruby Scott does best: layered with emotion, real characters with flaws you love them for, and that Ruby Scott humour. More Colette and Yaya will having me picking up a book no questions asked.
Would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes their sapphic romance served hot!
May 4, 2026
Well damn @rubyscott_author … you had me at hello.
Exposed Hearts is damn hot right from the get-go.
The tension is tight, the chemistry is reckless, mirroring Bridge’s climbing — risky, consuming, and impossible to ignore. It hits hard and burns all the way through.
Tender one minute, heated the next, and somehow wrapped up in all that vulnerability that sneaks up on you when you least expect it.
Throw in a stray dog, puppies, and all that heat tangled up with uncontrollable feelings… and yeah, you’re completely done for.
Exposed Hearts is damn hot right from the get-go.
The tension is tight, the chemistry is reckless, mirroring Bridge’s climbing — risky, consuming, and impossible to ignore. It hits hard and burns all the way through.
Tender one minute, heated the next, and somehow wrapped up in all that vulnerability that sneaks up on you when you least expect it.
Throw in a stray dog, puppies, and all that heat tangled up with uncontrollable feelings… and yeah, you’re completely done for.
May 1, 2026
For me, each one in the Healing Hearts Series keeps getting better and better. I loved Frankie & Bridge’s story. Add a loveable stray dog, who has her own story to tell and it’s a sure fire winner. The mountains of Colorado, a cozy cabin, previous characters who have become friends to me, a little bit of angst involving free climbing almost vertical rock wall - all of it makes for a great read. Frankie and Bridge deserve to be known.
April 29, 2026
Ruby Scott has a knack for saving the best for last in all of her series and she has definitely done that with Exposed Hearts!
She brings us back to the mountains of Colorado.
Ruby starts this book with the most incredible character introductions ever! (I won’t spoil it!). Frankie, SAR volunteer and wildlife educator, coming out of a bad break up. Bridge, free solo climber, guarding a secret, she’s like no character I’ve ever met. And then there’s Maple, as sweet as her name and just as adorable.
It’s slow burn at its finest and as different as Frankie and Bridge are, their chemistry is scorching, starting at Rosie’s Bar!
Shannon, Tess and all the search and rescue volunteers are back, plus some new adorable characters as well.
I love everything about this book. Frankie and Bridge, the emotions that are brought forth, the twists and turns the plot takes and of course, the scorching heat! 🔥
She brings us back to the mountains of Colorado.
Ruby starts this book with the most incredible character introductions ever! (I won’t spoil it!). Frankie, SAR volunteer and wildlife educator, coming out of a bad break up. Bridge, free solo climber, guarding a secret, she’s like no character I’ve ever met. And then there’s Maple, as sweet as her name and just as adorable.
It’s slow burn at its finest and as different as Frankie and Bridge are, their chemistry is scorching, starting at Rosie’s Bar!
Shannon, Tess and all the search and rescue volunteers are back, plus some new adorable characters as well.
I love everything about this book. Frankie and Bridge, the emotions that are brought forth, the twists and turns the plot takes and of course, the scorching heat! 🔥
May 11, 2026
I don't think anything can adequately prepare you for the force of nature that is Bridge Cahill. She is a dream and definitely one of my all-time favorite characters.
This reverse slow-burn is one of the best I've ever experienced. While I love all the books in this series for different reasons, this one might be my favorite. It just feels fun, but in a way that still hits hard and leaves you emotionally wrecked.
One of the reasons I love Ruby's books is the apparent ease with which she crafts a story. The emotion is there, the tension, the heat, the wit, but none of it feels forced. It all flows naturally.
This reverse slow-burn is one of the best I've ever experienced. While I love all the books in this series for different reasons, this one might be my favorite. It just feels fun, but in a way that still hits hard and leaves you emotionally wrecked.
One of the reasons I love Ruby's books is the apparent ease with which she crafts a story. The emotion is there, the tension, the heat, the wit, but none of it feels forced. It all flows naturally.
May 10, 2026
This book has it all!
The pit in my stomach at the last words tells me I need more! This writer can write. Thank you Ruby Scott.
The pit in my stomach at the last words tells me I need more! This writer can write. Thank you Ruby Scott.
June 8, 2026
Exposed Hearts gave me so much to love: an unforgettable meet-cute, incredible chemistry, vivid mountain scenery, sharp dialogue, and a dog who somehow steals the show more than once. Understanding Bridge’s reasons for climbing sans ropes is so well developed, and I truly could see why doing this on the regular is exactly what she needs. That level of character depth made Bridge feel even more real and added so much emotional weight to the story. If you enjoy romances with strong chemistry, emotional connection, and characters who simply make sense together, this one is absolutely worth picking up.
Check out my complete review at TheLesbianReview.com
Check out my complete review at TheLesbianReview.com
April 29, 2026
Oh Ruby Scott. Where do I even begin?!
My little lesbian heart doesn’t just thank you for writing this story, it’s quite literally ordering flowers, wine, and a chocolate covered fruit basket! 🙌🏼
You had me at chapter one. I can pinpoint the EXACT moment… 👀 ‘Chalk-dusted. Long-fingered. It found the lip of the rock and gripped…’
I won’t elaborate on this moment so as not to ruin it, but are you kidding me?! Cue all the sapphic swooning! Hands-down the greatest main character entrance in all of sapphic fiction! 🔥
Now we have that out of the way… Bridge & Frankie are genuinely one of my favourite Ruby pairings! 🧡 They’re just perfect together. Frankie is real, funny, and sexy, while Bridge is, well, everything! I wish these two characters would jump out of the book for an hour, or an evening, or a weekend… my door is open!
A spicy tale of two women who are very different in lots of ways but find each other at exactly the right time. It’s heart-warming, hot and worth every minute of reading time. I’m only sorry I now need to leave Elk Ridge because my heart is honestly not ready!
My little lesbian heart doesn’t just thank you for writing this story, it’s quite literally ordering flowers, wine, and a chocolate covered fruit basket! 🙌🏼
You had me at chapter one. I can pinpoint the EXACT moment… 👀 ‘Chalk-dusted. Long-fingered. It found the lip of the rock and gripped…’
I won’t elaborate on this moment so as not to ruin it, but are you kidding me?! Cue all the sapphic swooning! Hands-down the greatest main character entrance in all of sapphic fiction! 🔥
Now we have that out of the way… Bridge & Frankie are genuinely one of my favourite Ruby pairings! 🧡 They’re just perfect together. Frankie is real, funny, and sexy, while Bridge is, well, everything! I wish these two characters would jump out of the book for an hour, or an evening, or a weekend… my door is open!
A spicy tale of two women who are very different in lots of ways but find each other at exactly the right time. It’s heart-warming, hot and worth every minute of reading time. I’m only sorry I now need to leave Elk Ridge because my heart is honestly not ready!
May 12, 2026
Unlike most of the reviewers here, I have not read other Healing Hearts Series books (but after this master piece I surely will).
In short, Frankie, the SAR volunteer and wildlife educator is coming out of a bad break up. But her SAR friends and partners rally around her. Then here comes Bridge, free solo climber, guarding a secret, she’s like no character I've ever come across.
I could call this a 'slow burn', romantic wise, I guess, but hell it is damn hot right from the get-go.
The first few chapters are a regular porn fest.
Then there is the of angst involving free climbing almost vertical rock walls. Not only Frankie's angst, but mine also climbing along with Bridge.
What I loved most about this novel though was the way Ruby Scott writes. The dialogues between Frankie and Bridge are sparse and trimmed. One or two word sentences is all they need to understand each other.
Then there is the humorous description of situations and observations. I love this style of writing.
I read the story very quickly because I simply couldn't put it down, so I have no choice but get the other Healing Hearts books to satisfy my hunger for more great writing.
In short, Frankie, the SAR volunteer and wildlife educator is coming out of a bad break up. But her SAR friends and partners rally around her. Then here comes Bridge, free solo climber, guarding a secret, she’s like no character I've ever come across.
I could call this a 'slow burn', romantic wise, I guess, but hell it is damn hot right from the get-go.
The first few chapters are a regular porn fest.
Then there is the of angst involving free climbing almost vertical rock walls. Not only Frankie's angst, but mine also climbing along with Bridge.
What I loved most about this novel though was the way Ruby Scott writes. The dialogues between Frankie and Bridge are sparse and trimmed. One or two word sentences is all they need to understand each other.
Then there is the humorous description of situations and observations. I love this style of writing.
I read the story very quickly because I simply couldn't put it down, so I have no choice but get the other Healing Hearts books to satisfy my hunger for more great writing.
April 29, 2026
I loved everything about Bridge and Frankie.
Their first encounter is brilliantly written.
The way Bridge appears is absolutely perfect.
Maple's appearance and even getting her name is just as wonderful. I loved it.
Frankie, hurt, sad, and sweet, meets the controlled and irresistible force of nature, Bridge.
It's a slow burn, but things get hot and heavy between them very quickly, which I absolutely loved!
Each has her past, and for Bridge, it's more than just a heartbreak.
No one gets close enough to find out, though. Well, usually no one.
We meet all our favorites again, and a few more unexpectedly join the cast at the end. I read the story very quickly because I simply couldn't put it down.
Bridge is a truly hot character, and together with Frankie, she's scorching.
The topic of free soloing is captivating and from Bridge’s perspective written. I really liked it.
It was helpful for the why…
I've never read anything like it in a book before.
Thanks so much to Ruby Scott!
Their first encounter is brilliantly written.
The way Bridge appears is absolutely perfect.
Maple's appearance and even getting her name is just as wonderful. I loved it.
Frankie, hurt, sad, and sweet, meets the controlled and irresistible force of nature, Bridge.
It's a slow burn, but things get hot and heavy between them very quickly, which I absolutely loved!
Each has her past, and for Bridge, it's more than just a heartbreak.
No one gets close enough to find out, though. Well, usually no one.
We meet all our favorites again, and a few more unexpectedly join the cast at the end. I read the story very quickly because I simply couldn't put it down.
Bridge is a truly hot character, and together with Frankie, she's scorching.
The topic of free soloing is captivating and from Bridge’s perspective written. I really liked it.
It was helpful for the why…
I've never read anything like it in a book before.
Thanks so much to Ruby Scott!
June 11, 2026
I loved this story by Ruby Scott.
Frankie is a wildlife educator and Search and Rescue volunteer. In the same day a stray dog finds her she meets Bridge at the top of a mountain. Bridge climbs, no rope, no harness, just herself and a chalk bag. Most people think she is insane.
But everyone has reasons for doing what they do. Frankie and Bridge have their own demons to contend with. This story reveals the hidden layers within the characters. It was also great to catch up with the characters Ruby has introduced us to before in Elk Ridge from the Healing Hearts series. My heart was also melted by Maple, the stray that chose Frankie as her forever person and let's not forget Gritty. Can't wait for the next book.
Frankie is a wildlife educator and Search and Rescue volunteer. In the same day a stray dog finds her she meets Bridge at the top of a mountain. Bridge climbs, no rope, no harness, just herself and a chalk bag. Most people think she is insane.
But everyone has reasons for doing what they do. Frankie and Bridge have their own demons to contend with. This story reveals the hidden layers within the characters. It was also great to catch up with the characters Ruby has introduced us to before in Elk Ridge from the Healing Hearts series. My heart was also melted by Maple, the stray that chose Frankie as her forever person and let's not forget Gritty. Can't wait for the next book.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is one of the best Sapphic romance I have ever read this year! Unique and unforgettable characters, quiet and strong longings, adorable dogs and the best supporting casts! I love both MCs, Bridge is strong, tough, brave, stubborn, a lone wolf with a painful past, and her solo free climbing is a deliberate, calculated challenge of fate and an unique way of self healing. Frankie is independent, smart and unlucky in love, she is the ideal girlfriend, understanding, low key, supportive and has a heart of gold. I love their simple exchanges of phone calls and texts, both saying a little but means a lot. Overall, a love story that is addictive and satisfying!
April 29, 2026
Exposed Hearts is the fourth instalment in Ruby Scott’s Healing Hearts series, and it’s a real scorcher!
Frankie Martinez, a wildlife educator and SAR volunteer, is a wonderful contrast to Bridge Cahill, a solo climber with a past carefully hidden behind walls that rarely seem to budge. I absolutely adored Frankie and Bridge. The book's subtle humour, surprising plot twists, and emotional depth enhanced the immediate, powerful chemistry between them and had me rooting for their future. Maple… you rock!
This is a smoking hot, very engaging read with real heart that left a lasting impression. Opposites attract, done beautifully.
Frankie Martinez, a wildlife educator and SAR volunteer, is a wonderful contrast to Bridge Cahill, a solo climber with a past carefully hidden behind walls that rarely seem to budge. I absolutely adored Frankie and Bridge. The book's subtle humour, surprising plot twists, and emotional depth enhanced the immediate, powerful chemistry between them and had me rooting for their future. Maple… you rock!
This is a smoking hot, very engaging read with real heart that left a lasting impression. Opposites attract, done beautifully.
June 4, 2026
Ruby Scott has written another great story that will lead you breathlessly to the mountain top, pun intended, and then back down. This well-crafted story of Bridge and Frankie unfolds quickly, quietly and seamlessly.
It is a story about recovery, love and acceptance.
This slow burn is a must read for old and new Ruby Scott fans, who continues to show the diversity in the range of books that she writes.
It is a story about recovery, love and acceptance.
This slow burn is a must read for old and new Ruby Scott fans, who continues to show the diversity in the range of books that she writes.
September 27, 2026
Very fulfilling story with deep characters and cute dogs
This was a very fulfilling story. I liked being inside both characters' heads. They both had some growing and changing to do, and they did it well and together. They were inner changes, but having the other's support was what made those changes possible. I don't really know what their future will look like, but I'm okay with that. But how does Bridge afford all the climbing? Is climbing a paid occupation? I loved all the dogs!
This was a very fulfilling story. I liked being inside both characters' heads. They both had some growing and changing to do, and they did it well and together. They were inner changes, but having the other's support was what made those changes possible. I don't really know what their future will look like, but I'm okay with that. But how does Bridge afford all the climbing? Is climbing a paid occupation? I loved all the dogs!
May 1, 2026
Wow what an phenomenal story, the main characters capture my attention straight away it has everything you want in a story its very hot too beat one of the series i have read it twice just loved it I couldn't put it down definitely must read congratulations
July 12, 2026
Wow Ruby Scott, love the Healing Hearts Series. Please keep writing more can't get enough. Frankie and Bridge, what a slow burn. Their interaction was wonderfully written. But I don't know if I could watch my GF solo climb a cliff face.
Review of advance copy received from Author
There are sparks from the start. Two opposite characters who feel it both from scratch. Put in a lovely stray and the story is complete. I loved it. The climbing, the stillness, the tension.
July 27, 2026
PRAISE FOR EXPOSED HEARTS
"The writing in this book is so good that I'm honestly having a hard time putting it into words." — The Lesbian Review (Jenna's Favourite)
"The writing in this book is so good that I'm honestly having a hard time putting it into words." — The Lesbian Review (Jenna's Favourite)
August 5, 2026
loved
Beautifully written with grit, honesty, integrity, sensuality and grace. A
Page turner that makes your heart race as you rally up for love.
Beautifully written with grit, honesty, integrity, sensuality and grace. A
Page turner that makes your heart race as you rally up for love.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews