A review by bluebeereads
Things We Know by Heart by Jessi Kirby

5.0

Istyria book blog ~ B's world of enchanted books

Well... I'm kind of speechless right now. I just finished this book and I'm trying to figure out what to say... and I really don't know. I don't know the words to do this book justice. It's so beautiful. It's breathtaking, heartbreaking and so very, very beautiful.

Things We Know By Heart is about Quinn. A few months ago, she lost her boyfriend Trent in an accident. She reached out to the recipients of his donated organs in hopes of picking up the pieces of her life. She hears back from most of them, but the person who received his heart remained silent. She manages to track down nineteen-year-old Colton Thomas, a guy whose life had been changed forever after receiving this priceless gift. But soon there's an attraction between them that they can't deny. Quinn doesn't want to give in, especially since he has no idea how they are connected, but she can't stay away. Their time together makes her feel alive again but every beat of his heart reminds her of all that she's lost and all that's at stake when she's with him.

I knew what to expect when I picked this one up. I know it would break my heart and take my breath away. So I prepared for that. But in the end... it left me speechless. I cried, I laughed, I sighed and in the end I smiled. This is such a beautiful story and I went through it so fast... it was over in the blink of an eye. I couldn't put it down, it was so engaging! I was in this story right from the start and I felt all the feels. All of them. If you're like me and you've lost someone you love, whether it's a friend, family or your boyfriend/girlfriend, this will touch you more because you can relate to Quinn. You know how it feels to feel left behind and trying to pick up the pieces again. That makes this all the more intense.

I could really relate to Quinn, I knew every emotion she felt. I've felt them myself. And I understood why she went looking for Colton. I would've done the same thing. It's a piece of the person you loved and lost that lives on in someone else and I'd want to meet that person too. I did think the romance would feel forced when I picked this one up, but in the end it didn't. And it didn't feel like insta-love either. Not at all. The romance is very sweet and it does grow throughout the story. They do have a connection instantly but... well... in this book... I get it. I really do. It's hard to explain so just read it.

Things We Know By Heart is a beautiful, touching, heartbreaking and breathtaking story that everyone has to read. For fans of contemporary this is a must-read. Even when you're not a big contemporary fan... it still is a must-read. So go. Read it. Now!

This review is also (or -soon- will be) posted on Istyria book blog