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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Lia Louis is such an incredible writer. She weaves together so many littles details into these beautifully complex stories. Nothing is ever quite what it seems, but everything always comes together so wonderfully in the end. The Key to My Heart is a novel about growth and change. It's a story about grief and all the ways that one processes it (or not). It's a story about family and friendship, as well as loss, forgiveness, and healing. There is also a very sweet/no steam (only kissing) romantic subplot, but the focus of the book is Natalie's journey.
The romance doesn't take center stage, but a highlight of the book for me was obviously Tom. Steadfast, ultra gooey cinnamon roll Tom. The romance was so incredibly sweet and the slow burn friends to lovers was amazing (especially after such an awkward meet cute/disaster). I loved the epistolary elements and their joking and back and forth always brought a smile to my face. It's a bit of a windy road for these two, but it was well worth the wait. The scene at the exhibition brought happy tears to my eyes.
I loved the strong emphasis on sisterhood/female friendships in the novel - the highs and the lows. Priya, Shauna, and Jodie (Jodie's entire family really) were all stars and I loved them so much. The grief and sadness is balanced well in the book thanks to all the hilarious and witty banter. The big mystery wasn't a huge surprise, but I liked the addition of the curveball (for the spark - insert happy tears emoji!) when all was revealed. If you loved Lia Louis' previous novels, you're sure to love this one too!
CW: repeated parental infidelity, death of loved ones, guilt, grief, cheating ex, MC’s date and spend time with OW/OM prior to starting a relationship, strained friendships, FMC's BFF & husband drunkenly slept together in the past (prior to them dating) and they kept it a secret from the FMC, discussions and mentions of: bicycle/hit and run accident, surfing/ocean rescue accident, hospitalization, induced comas, and infections/deteriorating health
The romance doesn't take center stage, but a highlight of the book for me was obviously Tom. Steadfast, ultra gooey cinnamon roll Tom. The romance was so incredibly sweet and the slow burn friends to lovers was amazing (especially after such an awkward meet cute/disaster). I loved the epistolary elements and their joking and back and forth always brought a smile to my face. It's a bit of a windy road for these two, but it was well worth the wait. The scene at the exhibition brought happy tears to my eyes.
I loved the strong emphasis on sisterhood/female friendships in the novel - the highs and the lows. Priya, Shauna, and Jodie (Jodie's entire family really) were all stars and I loved them so much. The grief and sadness is balanced well in the book thanks to all the hilarious and witty banter. The big mystery wasn't a huge surprise, but I liked the addition of the curveball (for the spark - insert happy tears emoji!) when all was revealed. If you loved Lia Louis' previous novels, you're sure to love this one too!
CW: repeated parental infidelity, death of loved ones, guilt, grief, cheating ex, MC’s date and spend time with OW/OM prior to starting a relationship, strained friendships, FMC's BFF & husband drunkenly slept together in the past (prior to them dating) and they kept it a secret from the FMC, discussions and mentions of: bicycle/hit and run accident, surfing/ocean rescue accident, hospitalization, induced comas, and infections/deteriorating health
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Two and a half years after her husband's death, Natalie Fincher feels like everyone is just expecting her to move on by now. Yet, Natalie isn't really sure she even wants to be who she used to be. When someone starts leaving her sheet music of her husband's favorite songs, Natalie unexpectedly finds herself enjoying life and opening up to new possibilities.
After loving her debut (Dear Emmie Blue) and being disappointed by her sophomore novel (Eight Perfect Hours), Lia Louis finds her stride again with a sweet love story with nuanced characters. Louis handles Natalie's widowhood with care, showing the complicated process of grief and giving her a gradual path toward a second love that starts with friendship. Although this feel-good romance has no steam, the characters are very British, so there is lots of swearing in their casual banter, which I don't mind but some readers might not enjoy.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Atria Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
hopeful
mysterious
sad
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:
Complicated
Natalie lost her husband a few years ago and is really struggling to "move on". She feels so much pressure from the people around her to do so that she spends a lot of time avoiding them.
One of the few things she enjoys is playing a public Piano in a train station a few days a week. But someone has started to leave sheet music in the bench for her, and it's all music that has significant meaning to her.
In her journey to figure out where this music is coming from and what it means, she finally starts making new connections and feeling like she might be ready to start letting go.
Books about grief always hit me incredibly hard, especially when dealing with the loss of a spouse because that's something I often can't stop myself from worrying about. Natalie's grief, guilt, and shame feel incredibly real and poignant. My heart was broken for her at the beginning of the book and watching her slowly come back out of her shell and being to heal made me very happy.
This is not a romance, but there is romance in it. The story overall is about people who are in pain or who've experienced trauma finding ways to heal and ways to connect both with their old and new friends.
It's a bit of a slow read in some parts but it's very much worth making it to the end.
Thanks to Netgalley and Atria books for the advanced copy of this book!
One of the few things she enjoys is playing a public Piano in a train station a few days a week. But someone has started to leave sheet music in the bench for her, and it's all music that has significant meaning to her.
In her journey to figure out where this music is coming from and what it means, she finally starts making new connections and feeling like she might be ready to start letting go.
Books about grief always hit me incredibly hard, especially when dealing with the loss of a spouse because that's something I often can't stop myself from worrying about. Natalie's grief, guilt, and shame feel incredibly real and poignant. My heart was broken for her at the beginning of the book and watching her slowly come back out of her shell and being to heal made me very happy.
This is not a romance, but there is romance in it. The story overall is about people who are in pain or who've experienced trauma finding ways to heal and ways to connect both with their old and new friends.
It's a bit of a slow read in some parts but it's very much worth making it to the end.
Thanks to Netgalley and Atria books for the advanced copy of this book!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief
Positives
- tangible grief
- A good meet cute
- Natalie is very obviously not flawless
- Raw sadness at going home to a house without Russ
- Mystery music-leaver is well set up, especially with the inside knowledge
- fun to have a mystery aspect in a rom-com
- Everyone needs a Shauna in their life
- Tom is very unflappable
- Good banter between Nat & Tom
- Tom has no obvious motives
- the reader really feels for Nat
- Tom keeps Nat honest
- Shauna 5ever
- I love Tom
- Solid reveal with Joe
- Big fan of the slow realization with feelings re: Tom
Negatives
- I know Lucy is supposed to be annoying but she’s actually the worst
- Joe is a hard no
- tangible grief
- A good meet cute
- Natalie is very obviously not flawless
- Raw sadness at going home to a house without Russ
- Mystery music-leaver is well set up, especially with the inside knowledge
- fun to have a mystery aspect in a rom-com
- Everyone needs a Shauna in their life
- Tom is very unflappable
- Good banter between Nat & Tom
- Tom has no obvious motives
- the reader really feels for Nat
- Tom keeps Nat honest
- Shauna 5ever
- I love Tom
- Big fan of the slow realization with feelings re: Tom
Negatives
- I know Lucy is supposed to be annoying but she’s actually the worst
- Joe is a hard no
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Lia Louis just FUCKING GETS ME.
I love her characters, the banter, their idiosyncrasies and the development and THE UTTER GODSMASHING HEARTACHE. She just writes a bloody gem of a a character group (honestly please can you write me a Tom, or a Russ or just any male plz)
She is 100% an autobuy author for me now after loving both this and Eight Perfect Hours. I also have her two other books but I’m desperately trying to hold out on zoooooming through them because my heart can only take so much.
Thank you Lia, you little babe ❤️
I love her characters, the banter, their idiosyncrasies and the development and THE UTTER GODSMASHING HEARTACHE. She just writes a bloody gem of a a character group (honestly please can you write me a Tom, or a Russ or just any male plz)
She is 100% an autobuy author for me now after loving both this and Eight Perfect Hours. I also have her two other books but I’m desperately trying to hold out on zoooooming through them because my heart can only take so much.
Thank you Lia, you little babe ❤️
Nothing makes me happier than reading a Lia Louis book.
They make me feel giddy and butterflies are everywhere. It’s nice going into a book knowing that on the other side you’ll find hope and endless possibilities.
Like in her past books, we have a protagonist who feels stagnant in life and has to lear how to overcome it. This has become my new favorite genre to read about. Give me all the beautiful coincidences that make everything fall into place just so and all the lovely moments in the process of falling in love.
Also, this book felt like a celebration of art— of all kinds. The use of art to express their love was one of my favorite things. I don’t like big public displays of love butthe way Tom did it here… I see the appeal(plus it wasn’t like public public. It was quiet. More of a if you know, you know kind of thing).
They make me feel giddy and butterflies are everywhere. It’s nice going into a book knowing that on the other side you’ll find hope and endless possibilities.
Like in her past books, we have a protagonist who feels stagnant in life and has to lear how to overcome it. This has become my new favorite genre to read about. Give me all the beautiful coincidences that make everything fall into place just so and all the lovely moments in the process of falling in love.
Also, this book felt like a celebration of art— of all kinds. The use of art to express their love was one of my favorite things. I don’t like big public displays of love but
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
emotional
funny