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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Lia Louis holds the key to my heart. Reading her books feels akin to sitting down with a feel-good romcom like ‘Notting Hill’ or ‘You’ve Got Mail.’ They are comfortable and swoony and re-readable and so, so lovely.
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So, needless to say, I was ecstatic when NetGalley approved my request for her December release. It did not disappoint.
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Natalie’s whole world shattered two years ago when her husband, Russ, died. She’s struggled with grief ever since, and has struggled to find joy in life. But then, she begins to find sheet music in the stool of the public piano she’s started playing at…songs that were significant to her and Russ. Who is leaving the music for her? And could this be the spark that will unlock her heart once again?
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This book made me cry and laugh out loud. The characters were oozing with humanity, and charm, and were so likeable.
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Highlights:
-
So, needless to say, I was ecstatic when NetGalley approved my request for her December release. It did not disappoint.
-
Natalie’s whole world shattered two years ago when her husband, Russ, died. She’s struggled with grief ever since, and has struggled to find joy in life. But then, she begins to find sheet music in the stool of the public piano she’s started playing at…songs that were significant to her and Russ. Who is leaving the music for her? And could this be the spark that will unlock her heart once again?
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This book made me cry and laugh out loud. The characters were oozing with humanity, and charm, and were so likeable.
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Highlights:
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
So this book has me emotional.
The talk of grief and grieving and how it is a marathon and not a sprint got me all over the place.
I truly felt like this story while done before truly highlights patience in a way I think others could really benefit from.
Even Tom held such a deep patience despite his feelings he never pressured Natalie into thinking about her own ever. He took what she was willing to give and not just wait and hope for her like an easy bake cake. Both parties actively went on dates and explored other partners while Natalie was figuring herself out and how she wanted to proceed with her grieving process.
That being said there isn't a conflict in this story that I felt was fully fleshed out, carried out, or well paced. Sometimes it even pulled me out the story.
Also there is one of my least favorite tropes in romances in here but the way the characters called out the problematic and invasiveness this trope promotes made it worth reading through.
Adore Tom absolutely love him.
The talk of grief and grieving and how it is a marathon and not a sprint got me all over the place.
I truly felt like this story while done before truly highlights patience in a way I think others could really benefit from.
Even Tom held such a deep patience despite his feelings he never pressured Natalie into thinking about her own ever. He took what she was willing to give and not just wait and hope for her like an easy bake cake. Both parties actively went on dates and explored other partners while Natalie was figuring herself out and how she wanted to proceed with her grieving process.
That being said there isn't a conflict in this story that I felt was fully fleshed out, carried out, or well paced. Sometimes it even pulled me out the story.
Also there is one of my least favorite tropes in romances in here but the way the characters called out the problematic and invasiveness this trope promotes made it worth reading through.
Adore Tom absolutely love him.
I wish I could attach the texts I sent to my friends about my feelings while reading this book to a review. It was a RIDE. I felt for all of the characters in this story and hoped that their lives became what they needed them to be. They felt like such real people and their stories were all heartbreaking and they were in need of healing. This journey of how the right people coming into your life can help you to heal from different events was especially moving and sweet. This is a great romance for anyone who wants to read something with especially real feeling characters.
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I love Lia Louis' books because they give me a romance story while also having so much substance. I found Lia Louis on a whim and knew I needed to read this book. I loved Natalie's story because she was human. She went through the hardest thing she's ever known, losing her husband at such a young age, and pulled herself through it. Sometimes it was messy and hard, Natalie wasn't always perfect, but she did the best she could at the time. I loved her character even if sometimes she was whiny or had her "head up her own arse" as Roxanne says.
Tom... oh Tom. I loved Tom. There were moments I felt like he could've been a little more developed but then we'd get a little piece of his humor or why he made choices he did.
And then there's Joe. Sweet Joe who understands Natalie and they seem to be a crutch for her. People come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Joe was the perfect reason and I loved following their relationship development.
This book was a romance but it was also more than that, and I loved it.
Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Tom... oh Tom. I loved Tom. There were moments I felt like he could've been a little more developed but then we'd get a little piece of his humor or why he made choices he did.
And then there's Joe. Sweet Joe who understands Natalie and they seem to be a crutch for her. People come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Joe was the perfect reason and I loved following their relationship development.
This book was a romance but it was also more than that, and I loved it.
Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Book Review: The Key To My Heart by Lia Louis
The Key To My Heart is a contemporary romance and women’s fiction novel about a young woman navigating grief and starting over after losing her husband unexpectedly.
I never start a review this way but I’m just going to say right off the bat…Lia Louis has done it again. She has written another beautiful novel with unforgettable characters and a sweet slow burn romance.
Natalie Fincher lost her husband after a tragic accident and two and a half years later she’s still struggling to move forward. Her friends are encouraging her to date again, she’s been unable to create music, she had a falling out with her best friend and the home she was supposed to fix up with her husband is falling apart around her. The only thing that brings her any kind of joy and excitement is the appearance of sheet music personal to her that mysteriously shows up on the community piano inside the train station. Suddenly everything is changing and two new men enter her orbit and push her out of her comfort zone.
Just like her previous novels The Key To My Heart is about more than just romance. Natalie has to navigate friendships, career and her own grief and feelings while she tries to move forward. The addition of these other characters and personalities add a richness and depth to the story along with a lot of humor and wit.
Books about grief and loss are usually a struggle for me. But Lia Louis found a way to portray the heartbreak of losing a spouse without it becoming a dreary and depressing slog. But she also writes an angsty slow burn romance that will have the reader rooting for Natalie and her second chance at love. I recommend this one to anyone that likes sweet romance novels that are about finding love and yourself after a setback.
I just finished reading and I'm feeling so many emotions that I still need to process. I picked up this book thinking it was a Rom Com, but it certainly is not. This book is sad, deeply emotional, complex, and heartfelt. It's about Natalie, who tragically became a widow at a young age, and how she is still managing her grief. This book is about relationships, family dynamics, friendships, meeting new people, and all of the dramatics that ensue after the tragic loss of a loved one. This was not a neatly packaged sitcom or romance novel where everything magically falls into place. This novel has very real emotions and showed all of the complicated ways relationships can falter after an unexpected death.
Like I previously stated, I began this book thinking it was a light romance, and after a few chapters I considered setting it down because it was just too sad. But, I was very interested in the piano music story line, and I hoped that the book might start getting more hopeful and cheerful as it went. It really didn't. Most of the characters had messy, sticky, and sad stories. Even the love triangle that I predicted would be fun and uplifting, didn't pan out like I expected. But, I was invested in all the characters and curious about their fates, so luckily I kept reading, because the end did fill me with hope and happiness.
Overall, I thought this book was beautifully expressed. The characters were complex, engaging, likable and memorable. Not a summer beach read, but I really did enjoy this novel and have enjoyed Lia Louis's other novels "Dear Emmie Blue" and "Eight Prefect Hours". I will definitely be reading everything she writes. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Like I previously stated, I began this book thinking it was a light romance, and after a few chapters I considered setting it down because it was just too sad. But, I was very interested in the piano music story line, and I hoped that the book might start getting more hopeful and cheerful as it went. It really didn't. Most of the characters had messy, sticky, and sad stories. Even the love triangle that I predicted would be fun and uplifting, didn't pan out like I expected. But, I was invested in all the characters and curious about their fates, so luckily I kept reading, because the end did fill me with hope and happiness.
Overall, I thought this book was beautifully expressed. The characters were complex, engaging, likable and memorable. Not a summer beach read, but I really did enjoy this novel and have enjoyed Lia Louis's other novels "Dear Emmie Blue" and "Eight Prefect Hours". I will definitely be reading everything she writes. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
emotional
inspiring
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you @netgalley and @atriabooks for an advanced readers copy of this book.
I really enjoyed this novel! It was my first Lia Louis read, and now I’m working through all her other novels.
I really love the way Louis writes and develops her characters. I definitely see her becoming a favorite author of mine. The Key to My Heart is funny, heartwarming, heavy at times (trigger warning: grief/death of a loved one), and relatable. Easily one to have on your radar for December, and also one that would make a great Christmas gift!
I really enjoyed this novel! It was my first Lia Louis read, and now I’m working through all her other novels.
I really love the way Louis writes and develops her characters. I definitely see her becoming a favorite author of mine. The Key to My Heart is funny, heartwarming, heavy at times (trigger warning: grief/death of a loved one), and relatable. Easily one to have on your radar for December, and also one that would make a great Christmas gift!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief