Book Trailer
About the Book
Rob Rico isn’t your typical romantic lead. He’s scarred, hardened, and shaped by the kind of trauma most men never come back from. Raised in the backstreets of Queens and trained to survive in the dirtiest corners of the world, Rob doesn’t do soft. He doesn’t do fairy tales. But when life throws him into the path of a woman he never expected — and a love that cuts deeper than any war wound — he’s forced to face the demons he’s spent years locking away.
Taken 2 Heart isn’t just a love story. It’s a raw, unflinching look at what happens when a man who’s been through hell tries to hold on to something good… and real. Set against gritty city streets, fractured families, and brutal truths, this debut novel hits with street-level honesty and emotional fire.
Every page bleeds with real places, real people, and true-to-life pain. It’s about that quiet rage men carry when they’ve survived too much — and the terrifying hope that comes with letting your guard down. This isn’t a story about perfect love. It’s about fighting for something worth feeling again… and paying the price when you finally open your heart.
If you’ve ever loved hard, lost everything, or buried pieces of yourself just to stay alive — this story is for you.
About the Author
Joseph Anthony Aguirre (Joe) holds a Bachelor of Science from Old Westbury University and is both a Certified Fraud Examiner and Certified Business Manager. He was raised in Queens New York and some of the locations in the story are actual places from Joe’s childhood.
Taken 2 Heart is his debut novel.
The story began with one question that struck Joe in 1999 and never left him: