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emilydixon13's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
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
3.5
I picked this up on a whim and I ended up really enjoying it! Very lighthearted and easy to read. The ending felt very rushed and at times it didn’t feel very realistic, but I still really enjoyed reading this story.
crafalsk264's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-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
3.5
Gemma is a young widow who along with her therapy dog, Bear, spends time every day at the Children’s Oncology Center at the Bristol Hospital. Gemma is also trying to become pregnant with her late husband’s child. She meets Dan outside of the hospital when he is coming to visit his 12 year old daughter, Casey, having treatment for a benign brain tumor. This is the first time Dan has spent any time with Casey, since he had been an absentee father all her life. So all three of them find they are relying on each other.
When it comes to light that Dan has been lying to them to impress Casey by borrowing a friend’s swanky penthouse. Dan’s real apartment is a much more modest place commensurate with his job as a youth counselor with troubled boys hoping to prevent them from following in his footsteps.
This book is a warm romantic story with likable protagonists, supportive secondary characters and a cute dog. It looks at the toll that living a lie takes on all concerned. It is an emotional, satisfying read. It looks at complex issues such as illness, fertility, grief, loss, deciet and dishonesty. It was long but moved fairly quickly. It was a good read. Recommend to readers of romances and stories of second chances.
chelseasbookshelf2's review against another edition
emotional
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
4.0
readwithjillandjune's review
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer
Moderate: Infertility
Minor: Death of parent and Death
thebashfulbookworm's review
5.0
Owner of a Lonely Heart by Eva Carter is the story of a woman’s journey from the grief of her husband’s death, to choosing to love again, even when it’s hard.
Story Recap:
Gemma had her entire life mapped out until tragedy struck, and her husband died of cancer just a few months after their wedding. Now, she’s having trouble moving forward as all she’s ever wanted was the life she dreamed up with her husband.
Dan is about to have a major life event. He’s about to meet his twelve-year-old daughter, Casey, for the very first time. Casey and her mother will be living with him, while she undergoes treatment for her brain tumor. Dan is terrified that he won’t be able to be a dad or live up to her expectations. He’s lived his entire life making no commitments nor allowing anyone to depend on him.
One day, Gemma, Casey, Dan, and Gemma’s dog Bear all meet and there is an instant connection between all of them. Can they overcome their fears and learn to care for each other?
My Thoughts:
I loved this book very much. It is emotional, funny at times, hopeful, and inspirational. The characters were deep, well-developed, and realistic. I didn’t care for Gemma or Dan much at the beginning of the book. Gemma is sad and stuck grieving, and Dan is a commitment-phobe and seemed to be a one-dimensional character. It was 12-year-old Casey, and Bear the dog, who grabbed me and made me want to read further. Casey is adorable and courageous, she’s the one who found and contacted her father and asked to stay with him while she undergoes treatment.
After reading for a while and getting pulled into the book I started to realize that Dan and Gemma were both much more complex than I initially realized. Also, they were very good together. Gemma made Dan a better person and made him want to do better. And Dan was the light that Gemma needed in her life. However, they both have their own issues they need to work out first.
Another interesting character is Angelica, Casey’s mother. Angelica and Dan never married or had much of a relationship. Angelica is bossy, controlling, and very stressed. She raised Casey on her own and now her daughter is dealing with a life-threatening brain tumor. Her anxiety leads her to controlling behavior, which leads to more anxiety.
The way these characters interact and learn to trust each other makes a wonderful story and I was glad to go on this journey!
Recommendation:
I highly recommend Owner of a Lonely Heart to anyone who enjoys fiction.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Story Recap:
Gemma had her entire life mapped out until tragedy struck, and her husband died of cancer just a few months after their wedding. Now, she’s having trouble moving forward as all she’s ever wanted was the life she dreamed up with her husband.
Dan is about to have a major life event. He’s about to meet his twelve-year-old daughter, Casey, for the very first time. Casey and her mother will be living with him, while she undergoes treatment for her brain tumor. Dan is terrified that he won’t be able to be a dad or live up to her expectations. He’s lived his entire life making no commitments nor allowing anyone to depend on him.
One day, Gemma, Casey, Dan, and Gemma’s dog Bear all meet and there is an instant connection between all of them. Can they overcome their fears and learn to care for each other?
My Thoughts:
I loved this book very much. It is emotional, funny at times, hopeful, and inspirational. The characters were deep, well-developed, and realistic. I didn’t care for Gemma or Dan much at the beginning of the book. Gemma is sad and stuck grieving, and Dan is a commitment-phobe and seemed to be a one-dimensional character. It was 12-year-old Casey, and Bear the dog, who grabbed me and made me want to read further. Casey is adorable and courageous, she’s the one who found and contacted her father and asked to stay with him while she undergoes treatment.
After reading for a while and getting pulled into the book I started to realize that Dan and Gemma were both much more complex than I initially realized. Also, they were very good together. Gemma made Dan a better person and made him want to do better. And Dan was the light that Gemma needed in her life. However, they both have their own issues they need to work out first.
Another interesting character is Angelica, Casey’s mother. Angelica and Dan never married or had much of a relationship. Angelica is bossy, controlling, and very stressed. She raised Casey on her own and now her daughter is dealing with a life-threatening brain tumor. Her anxiety leads her to controlling behavior, which leads to more anxiety.
The way these characters interact and learn to trust each other makes a wonderful story and I was glad to go on this journey!
Recommendation:
I highly recommend Owner of a Lonely Heart to anyone who enjoys fiction.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
patelyne's review
3.0
Told from three POVs, these are the intersecting stories of a grieving widow trying to conceive with embryos they had frozen before her husband passed, a tween girl traveling with her single mom to receive an experimental treatment for a brain tumor, and a father getting to know his daughter 12 years too late.
Going in I thought there was no way this *wasn’t* going to be an emotional read. And there were emotional parts, along with loads of drama.
I wish I had connected more with the characters though. I feel bad calling them unlikeable - in these situations it would be unrealistic if they *did* constantly act in a ‘likeable’ way - I think it’s really more an issue that the characters just didn’t click with me, so ymmv.
Thank you to NetGalley and RandomHouse Ballantine for the ARC
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content
andshe_reads's review against another edition
5.0
Oh I think my heart just grew a whole bunch in the space of 384 pages. This story is told by 3 people whose lives become entwined through foolish mistakes, childhood trauma, confidence, grief, medical issues and family dynamics.
This book covers some sensitive topics - Cancer and fertility treatment but thr author handles them brilliantly with such care and respect.
This book had me shedding tears... feeling hopeful, cheering them on and even laughing.. yes all the feels!!! It's a really bloody good book. However I kinda wished there was a few more chapters about Angelica - she is portrayed as the bad person however I think if there was more about her life then her actions may be more justified. This didn't take anything away from the book it was still an amazing read!!!
Highly recommending to all my friends.
Thank you to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for this e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book covers some sensitive topics - Cancer and fertility treatment but thr author handles them brilliantly with such care and respect.
This book had me shedding tears... feeling hopeful, cheering them on and even laughing.. yes all the feels!!! It's a really bloody good book. However I kinda wished there was a few more chapters about Angelica - she is portrayed as the bad person however I think if there was more about her life then her actions may be more justified. This didn't take anything away from the book it was still an amazing read!!!
Highly recommending to all my friends.
Thank you to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for this e-copy in exchange for an honest review.