The Queen of Hearts is a medical drama about two friends, Zadie and Emma, who as adults are forced to confront a lingering secret between them from their years in med school. Zadie and Emma are wives, mothers, and doctors who thought they passed through mostly unscathed after a tragic death at the hospital where they were residents together. However, Zadie’s ex-boyfriend Nick Xenokostas moves to their suburban town in North Carolina and joins Emma’s practice, and he seems determined to bring to light the secret that one of them has been keeping. Zadie and Emma must face the tragedy of their youth and confess all they kept from one another if their friendship will survive.

One of the things that jumped out at me immediately about The Queen of Hearts is the perfect balance of humor and gravity. Zadie and Emma are clever and funny, and their relationship is enviable, but their lives are far from perfect. Early in the novel, Emma makes a professional mistake, and while Zadie is supportive and loving, their friendship still does not protect Emma from the consequences of her actions. This not only made the narrative more compelling, it grounded the action in real life.

A novel like The Queen of Hearts of course has to have realistic characters – the plot simply would not work without it. Emma and Zadie however are not just realistic, they are tremendous foils for each other. Emma is tall and thin and fair, approaching the world around her with well-timed seriousness. Zadie is petite and classically pretty with a sharp wit. Emma came from a poor family and is often aware of the inequality around her, whereas Zadie came from upper-middle class parents and feels at home in their wealthy suburban neighborhood. There is just so much to unpack with these characters – their childhoods, their time in medical school, their families, their careers – and I enjoyed the constant peeling back of layers. This feels like the sort of book that will benefit from re-reading after re-reading. And the friendship between these two is one of the reasons why I loved it so much for a Valentine’s Day read – it has a good dose of romance of course, but I loved reading about Emma and Zadie even more – perfect for Galentine’s Day!

I cannot continue, however, without a closer look at Nick Xenokostas, though much about his character cannot be touched on without some major spoilers. Nick is presented as the villain of the novel – at the beginning, Emma warns Zadie that he is moving to their town and joining her practice, and they both dread the interactions that they know are to follow. Much of the narrative also takes place in the past, during Zadie and Emma’s time as residents, and of course Nick is featured in those sections as well. As I was reading, I was concerned that Nick would just become a characature of a villain, but was pleased that this was not the case. Without spoiling anything, I just want to say that Nick was just as complex as Emma and Zadie, with just as many motivations as they had. This really added to the realism of the novel – rather than making Nick the “bad guy” out to ruin lives, he became flawed but sympathetic, and by the end, Nick was my favorite character.

I’ll give The Queen of Hearts a 10 out of 10. This novel manages to do it all – it is both heartwarming and brutal, the plot is dynamic but not convoluted, and the characters are larger than life while still feeling real. Most readers will find something to love in this novel.

Zadie and Emma met at a camp for high school students interested in becoming doctors. They stayed friends, and attended medical school together. A dozen years after their explosive third year of medical school, they're still friends, and both in Charlotte, North Carolina. Zadie is a pediatric cardiologist, Emma is a trauma surgeon, and they are both happily married, and mothers of young children.

Then Dr. Nick Xenokostas, chief resident when they were med students, reappears in their lives.

Nick was at the heart of the events that nearly derailed their medical education. They've put that behind them, in part because of their strong friendship.

Emma has a secret about those years that she's never told Zadie. With Nick now back in their lives, that secret is going to come out.

These are two women with a strong friendship, strong careers, and strong marriages to men who love them for who they are. Their friendship is going to be challenged and strained to the breaking point, while Emma's medical career is also put at risk.

There are no cardboard characters here. Zadie, Emma, their husbands, their patients, and their colleagues are all flawed, complicated characters. The balances differ; some are harder to like than others, but they're all, in the end, worth caring about, for better and for worse.

It's a very satisfying story.

Recommended.

I received a free electronic galley of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, and am reviewing it voluntarily.

We have THEE perfect book to tell you about this Valentine’s Day – Kimmery Martins’s, THE QUEEN OF HEARTS (Berkley Publishing Group). Not only did I love this novel, but Kimmery’s something pretty special. I got to meet her last May at BookExpo at the morning author’s breakfast. We were chatting and she said I have my first book being publishing and showed me the cover on her phone. I was instantly attracted to her charm. She’s smart as a whip, delightful and has a fun twisted kind of sense of humor – the kind that let’s you know she’s enjoying this ride, but not taking it too seriously. She’s one of this years Class of 2018 Debs www.debutanteball.com. She received a favorable review in Sunday’s, TNYTBR and we can only wish her more success as her star zeniths into the heavens!

Zadie Anson and Emma Colley have been best friends since their early twenties, when they first began navigating serious romantic relationships amid the intensity of medical school. Now they’re happily married wives and mothers with successful careers–Zadie as a pediatric cardiologist and Emma as a trauma surgeon. Their lives in Charlotte, North Carolina are chaotic but fulfilling, until the return of a former colleague unearths a secret one of them has been harboring for years.

As chief resident, Nick Xenokostas was the center of Zadie’s life–both professionally and personally–throughout a tragic chain of events in her third year of medical school that she has long since put behind her. Nick’s unexpected reappearance during a time of new professional crisis shocks both women into a deeper look at the difficult choices they made at the beginning of their careers. As it becomes evident that Emma must have known more than she revealed about circumstances that nearly derailed both their lives, Zadie starts to question everything she thought she knew about her closest friend.

There are many aspects to this novel, which I loved. I learned so much about heart surgery – Kimmery is a surgeon! And I loved the friendship between Zadie and Emma, which will hook readers right from the start. It was one of the most compelling and multi-layered novels about women’s friendships, with all it’s love and yuckiness, that I’ve read in a while. I can only wish there’s a sequel with these characters – STAT!

******
When not working on her next novel, Kimmery spends her time mothering her slew of perfect children. She’s also occupied with poorly executed household chores, working as a physician, and serving on various non-profit boards in Charlotte, North Carolina. She exercises grudgingly, cooks inventively, reads voraciously, offers helpful book recommendations, interviews authors, publishes travel articles, and edits her son’s middle grade book reviews. Finally, she is a world-class Boggle champion, which most people find to be sexy beyond all description.

http://www.kimmerymartin.com

When a former colleague (Nick) reenters their lives, a long-time friendship between women (Zadie and Emma) is tested.

Written by a doctor, the story alternates between 1999 and the present and is told by Zadie, a pediatric cardiologist (married to Drew with 4 kids: 8 yo Rowan, 6 yo twins Eli and Finn, and 3 yo Delaney) and Emma, a trauma surgeon (married to Wyatt with one son, 3 yo Henry). When a former colleague takes a job at Emma's practice, secrets from the past are revealed. Is Zadie and Emma's friendship strong enough to survive the revelations? Read this medical drama to find out!

Three year old Delaney was my favorite character in this book. She was very entertaining and added small dashes of humor. I love you, dahling! Haha.

I very much enjoyed this debut novel and would recommend it for fans of medical dramas, such as Grey's Anatomy or ER. While the plot was a bit predictable, I liked the author's writing style, the suspenseful way the secrets were revealed, and the mix of drama and humor. I would definitely read more from this author!

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for a free ARC of this book! All opinions are my own.

Told through Zadie and Emma's perspectives, the author takes us on a journey of their friendship... From when they hit it off the first day in their dorms as new roommates to decades later as lifelong friends, their "persons" and the only one who truly accepted each others' nuances. Both lead busy lives with their husbands, children and as doctors. Then one day their lives become disrupted with the arrival of Nick Xenokastos, Dr. X, a blast from their past. This drudges up old secrets and betrayals.

I'm honestly surprised that this is a debut novel. Extremely well written, this felt like a cross between Grey's Anatomy and Big Little Lies (as she describes it and it fits PERFECTLY). The humor that is riddled throughout had me tittering quite frequently. I swear I think Lainie might be my favorite character! And also ACE WRAP! 🤣

What this book exemplifies is the ups and downs of a friendship that stems from the growing pains of medical school, career and family. And how while sometimes the unforgivable can happen, there's always a way to find forgiveness if you really want to. Martin takes us from past to present in Zadie and Emma's lives and does it effortlessly. I'm truly impressed with how immersed I became with this story.

I highly recommend this read. A contemporary medical and life drama that reads quickly and will suck you right in... get on it people.

When I first heard about THE QUEEN OF HEARTS, I will admit I was instantly intrigued. Who wouldn’t want to read a book about long-time friends who have shared their lives and their professional passion since their twenties combined with past secrets and tragedy? However, the book that I got was even better than I could have imagined.

The author brings an eloquence and unabashedly honest depiction to her characters. There is no glossing over the real moments in these two women’s lives. The more I got to know about Zadie and Emma through their cringeworthy, heartbreaking, and witty moments the more I invested in their story. Truly, Martin managed to weave together a narrative that was nothing short of entertaining. It had all the juicy fun bits, but was still able to explore how one must heal after finding out a long hidden secret and learn to forgive.

THE QUEEN OF HEARTS is a story about friendship, mistakes, and forgiveness. It is a stunning debut and I have no doubt we will be seeing more from the author soon.

PS. Zadie’s youngest daughter is the star of this book for me. She adds light and humorous moments that are simply perfection.

Queen of Hearts is a story of friendship through the years told within the borders of med school, intern rotation, and hospital corridors where secrets, lies, and forgiveness reign supreme.

I especially identified with Zadie—the at-times overburdened and always late Mom. It’s taken me over thirty years since having kids to attain punctuality again, and then, not always.

Emma, at times was a bit harder to pin down, but because Zadie loved her so much, I knew she was worth getting to know. And I was glad I did.

Shout out to Delaney—the most charming and lovable preschooler ever. I loved every scene with her in it.

If you enjoy medical dramas like Grey’s Anatomy or ER, this book should be right up your alley.

Thanks to Berkley Pub for this beautiful copy in exchange for my honest review!

Going into THE QUEEN OF HEARTS by Kimmery Martin, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. To be honest, I thought it was going to be a retelling of sorts and so did my partner reader (clearly we went based off the title and not the synopsis!) I was pleasantly surprised by this incredible and beautifully written debut novel about navigating the medical world and trying to maintain friendships while harboring secrets.

Zadie and Emma are best friends and have been since medical school. Both have been through a lot with each other - surviving the intensity of med school and trying to make it through different relationships together. Now both are married with children and have thriving careers. Zadie is in pediatric cardiology and Emma is a trauma surgeon, despite how chaotic their lives can be, they're both content where they are.

One day all of that is threatened when a former colleague of theirs, Nick Xenokostas, reenters their lives. Nick had an important role in Zadie's life at one time - as the chief resident during medical school he became the center of her world both professionally and personally. His reappearance makes them both reflect back on some of the hardest decisions they've had to make and begin to wonder if they really know each other like they think they do.

Told in alternating perspectives, Emma and Zadie in the present, and then Zadie back in her third year of medical school (when Nick was so prevalent in her life). The way that Martin writes and presents both characters was so well done - there was no confusion as to which perspective we were in and both Emma and Zadie had their own unique voice. This was an engrossing and compelling read and it was a peek into a world that I know very little about. The struggles that those in the medical field experience in trying to juggle their home lives and professional lives while trying to live up to that high standard that is expected of them.

Kimmery Martin will be an insta-buy author for me and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next! If you like a good medical drama/fiction novel, then you need to pick up THE QUEEN OF HEARTS. The beautiful and fluid writing will have you hooked from the beginning.

A solid 5/5 stars!

3.5 STARS!

Kimmery Martin's The Queen of Hearts is a debut novel full of witty dialogue with enough drama it could be a hit on television!!

Filled with love, loss, betrayal, and forgiveness, The Queen of Hearts has an air of suspense mixed with a forbidden aspect. I was immediately drawn in by Martin's beautiful cover, blurb, and overall plot. There's just a certain rawness and realness when it comes to witnessing what these doctors face everyday that Kimmery depicts perfectly. Though the strong vocabulary weaved throughout the story made it hard to comprehend what was happening at times, it was Martin's use of humor that made the story light and enjoyable in those moments involving Zadie and her three year old daughter, Delaney.

If you're someone who enjoys tv dramas full of medical terms and scandalous secrets-think Chicago Med and Grey's Anatomy-then The Queen of Hearts is the read for you!

The Queen of Hearts is a riveting book about two doctors, Zadie and Emma, who have been friends most of their lives. When someone from their past reenters their lives, each are bombarded with memories, sadness, and fear that this person will upend their lives and impact their friendship. This book is a real page-turner as the shocking secrets and betrayals are revealed to us bit by bit, along with drama that is being played out in the present day. Zadie and Emma are intriguing characters; they are both intelligent, at the top of their fields in medicine, and yet they are flawed and insecure as well. The author does a great job of describing medical procedures, the life of interns and residents, and the unsettling things that can happen when doctors make life an death decision in an instant.

"Maybe none of us can be truly gifted at medicine until we’ve grasped the consequences of what we do. In most jobs, most of the time, you can put in a half-assed effort and the world isn’t going to stop spinning. But in this case, the world did stop spinning, at least for one person—two people, actually. It’s not enough to understand intellectually that lives depend on you. You have to feel it; and maybe you have to experience the crushing weight of responsibility that comes with all the accolades and respect and financial comfort accompanying medicine."


As someone who's in this field, I could relate to so many things happening in The Queen of Hearts. Residency is hard. Sleepless nights with too many hours of working straight through is tough. Mistakes are going to be made and recognizing responsibility for one's actions is always important.

The Queen of Hearts centers around the lives of Zadie Anson, Emma Colley, and Nick Xenokostas. We're able to listen to Zadie and Emma's voices as well as the narrative involves both the past and their present when Nick comes back into their lives.

Zadie and Emma became friends during medical school. They remain friends during residency and then as colleagues. They are both happily married with children. Emma is a successful trauma surgeon and Zadie is a pediatric cardiologist. They do share secrets and one topic is not up for discussion: Nick. During their third year of medical school, something happened that changed everything. As the story progresses, the reader is privy to this information.

I was surprised to learn this was Dr. Kimmery Martin's debut novel. The Queen of Hearts had a nice flow, with an interesting plotline and multidimensional characters. I was happily surprised at the humor. So classic in med school. Distancing from a patient in order not to break down is a modus operandi to protect one's mind. It's necessary.

I can't say the big reveal took me by surprise. I knew it from the beginning but I thought the author's delivery was perfectly accomplished. Jealousy and envy are both at the heart of this story. The question is: Are you capable of forgiveness?

I would definitely read another book by Dr. Martin. I'm excited to see what's next for her.

Cliffhanger: No

4.5/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Berkley via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Doctors Zadie and Emma have been best friends for decades, weathering medical school together and something terrible that happened in their third year there. What exactly that was, and why it was so devastating, gets brought back up when their old friend Dr. Nick moves to Charlotte. With flashbacks between present day goings on in Charlotte, NC, and their medical school days in Louisville, KY, the picture starts to come into focus, until we’re left with the shattering truth. The descriptions of the medical aspects of this book are fantastic, from an emergency “cric” at the pool to endless trauma at the hospital – Kimmery Martin (a doctor) clearly knows her stuff and how to make it compelling, and also “humerus.” (chuckle) Something tells me that the more outrageous of the medical vignettes were probably real life experiences from her own training. As far as the plot drama goes though, the final explanation seemed a little awkward and not entirely plausible. Sure, good people do bad things sometimes, but I wasn’t left satisfied with the explanation. Read it for the medical drama, skim the relationship stuff.

The Queen of Hearts is a brilliantly written story of the lives of two best friends Zadie and Emma. As they travel thru life together pursuing their residency and their lives post school you discover the secrets that have been kept for year. They have been eating away waiting for a chance to surface. As the secrets of the past are brought fourth, the big test is if their friendship can overcome.

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Berkley, and Dr Kimmery Martin for the opportunity to read this great debut novel - loved it! Sticking with my rationale that if I can't put a book down and read it incessantly, sighing softly when it's over that it's 5 stars, definitely a 5 star book.

Zadie and Emma have been best friends since they first met. Their friendship persisted through medical school and beyond, with Zadie a well-respected cardiologist in Charlotte and Emma a trauma surgeon. The book switches from the perspectives of Zadie and Emma in the present as well as from their medical school years. At that point, Zadie was in a mostly secret relationship with her chief resident, Nick. Plus there was an incident that happened in their third year that neither Zadie or Emma ever really talked about between them. With this background, Nick shows up in Charlotte as the new member of Emma's practice.

I just loved these characters - Zadie's home life continually had me laughing out loud. There's the perfect mix of life in the medical world, domestic life, and friendship that just had me glued to these pages. Plus I felt a total kinship with Kimmery Martin when I read her Author's Note and she talks about how much she loves to read. I can only hope that she's busy at work on her next novel!

The Queen of Hearts
by Kimmery Martin, 
Book Review- 5/5 
This title was given to me by NetGalley, on behalf of Berkley Publishing Group, in return for my honest review. Here is my review for this title.

I gave this book a five for many reasons, it was truly an amazing, and articulate story. The plot being very relatable, and the writing so beautifully articulate, light handed. A story of loves, friendships, ex boyfriends, school, work and general life, all wrapped up in one amazing telling.

Zadie and Emma, have been friends since college, they were even roommates during their hospital residency!! That friendship continues on now, even with their chaotic and sometimes messy lives. Both married, have children, and amazing successful careers. Zadie is a Pediatric Cardiologist, whom everyone loves and can melt into her. Emma is a Trauma Surgeon, chaotic and a little rigid and shy.

Until one day, the resurgence of someone from their past causes a screeching halt. Dr.X, or Nick as Zadie was concerned. He sent both into a frenzy of thoughts about their last year of residency. Thats when the lies, and the secrets of their past begin to haunt them, and their friendship. 

What effect would this have on them? On their friendship? Why was Nick caught in it? What part did he play? All these answers and more can't be found unless you read this book. 

Honestly, I am a Sci-fi/Fantasy kinda reader, and I loved this book. It is literally a book everyone can get into, everyone can relate to in one way or another, and a book that has a little of it all. I cried and laughed, but also gasped and was angry. I could feel it all. Even a little suspenseful, as I had to wonder page to page what was going to happen. An extremely readable, reccomendable book for everyone!!

Zadie and Emma are best friends throughout medical school and residency. Now they are successfully ensconced in quaint Charlotte, North Carolina. Both happily married with wonderful husbands, children and vibrant careers. Small flashbacks in time describe the personalities and relationships of these two very different women compared to their present day persona. When Dr. X appears back in their lives, everything is turned upside down. He has relocated to join Emma’s practice. Zadie has never recovered from the brutal way Nick broke her heart years ago and she has never discussed it with her adoring husband. Nick’s sudden appearance seems both suspicious and spiteful and Zadie avoids him at all costs. There is an accident at the country club where the two friends save a life and later one with a small child of a very prominent family, where they do not. Although I liked the characters and realistic struggles through school and training, I am not sure what this is about. Its a little bit of a lot of things but something feels missing. There is a dark secret that comes to light in the end but it feels rushed and contrived to wrap up a neat package. I’m on the literary fence.

This cover is so gorgeous. It's no wonder it is all over Bookstagram! While it was definitely what caught my eye, I was intrigued to read a book where the focus is on the friendship of two women...and to take it up a notch, two women doctors. I loved the banter and interactions between the two of them. Their dialogue was modern and realistic. My problem was that I kept getting the two women confused! I had to constantly stop and think "which one is this?" "Is she the trauma surgeon or the heart specialist?" "Who are her kids and husband?" I couldn't keep them separated.

I have always been interested in novels about medicine and the medical profession since I spent my career as a pediatric nurse in a hospital and office environment. Queen of Hearts is funny, dramatic and filled with memories that both main characters want to forget.

Emma and Zadie have been inseparable since before college and into medical school. Emma is a trauma surgeon and Zadie is a pediatric cardiologist. Both happily married with kids, living and working in Charlotte, North Carolina. Zadie’s life is often chaotic, four kids.....boy twins, a pre teen girl and a darling three year old Delaney who pretty much steals the show! Drew, her husband travels a lot for business, so she is often juggling a lot of balls in the air. Emma and her husband Wyatt have one child Henry. They have an interracial marriage, and are often called Beauty and the Beast. Emma is tall, statuesque and looks like a model. Wyatt is short in stature, often rumpled and forgetful. But he loves Emma and Henry with all his heart.

The story moves from medical school in the late 1990’s to present day, and the particular trauma of their third year. Dr. Xenokostas, Nick, their chief resident plays a big part in this life changing year. Gradually we learn the secrets and lies hidden in their pasts.

I found this book fascinating, very entertaining and amazing for a first novel. Will look for my by this author.

Thank you to Berkeley Publishers and Netgalley for allowing me to review this book.
Pat Fordyce

This book started off slow for me but once it got going I couldn't put it down. I loved the mix of friendship, family, and medical drama. While the twist wasn't very surprising to me it was still a well crafted story.

Queen of Hearts is a novel set firmly in the sprit of a world that appears to have endless amounts of intrigue, drama, forbidden romance, and chaos – that of the medical profession. ER’s, intensive care units, clinical trials and lessons given by on-the-job experience have long been sought out by the prying eyes of those less motivated to go the extra mile in their education to become medical doctors or nurses in their own right. It is a profession allocated to a select few; those who devote their lives to others in the pursuit of healing and are forever learning how to better serve and protect in a way that seems wrought with magic. There is something about the interconnected hospital relationships that fascinate viewers and readers – shows like Grey’s Anatomy and ER have been regaling us with tales of romantic interludes and the curious cases of compelling patients for over a decade. Authors like Patricia Cornwell have made their living by schooling readers of the darker side of the profession – with their elaborate tales of medicine woven with the intricacies of premeditated murder. There seems to be an endless abundance of theatrics amongst the doctors and nurses who inhabit the buildings of healing, and Kimmery Martin has added her story to the ever-growing pile of juicy medical dramas.

Chronicling the lives of two best friends in tandem, the story begins in present day North Carolina. Zadie is a mostly happy-go-lucky pediatric cardiologist, content to spend her days listening to the sweet tiny beats of a newborn’s heart and her evenings wrangling her own crazy brood of four children. Her husband travels for work, but it seems to only heighten their time together, as they have the same passion for one another now as they did years ago when they first met. She has it all, living in an affluent area of Charlotte and liked by nearly everyone who meets her, Zadie is a person you can trust.

Between patients and home life, Zadie’s story backtracks to her past as a medical student. As she navigated through the trials and tribulations of attempting to learn how to save a life while being utterly exhausted and at times overwhelmed, she somehow found the time to fall in love – with her chief resident, of course . . . the one man who was strictly forbidden to her while she worked on his service. Dr. X was enigmatic and strikingly handsome; his charm knew no bounds as he steamrolled his way through every female on the hospital floor. Zadie didn’t have much of a chance when it came to losing herself to him, but she didn’t put up much of a fight. He bled into the chambers of her heart with overpowering emotions and heady desire.

But things went sour in the end as immature romances mostly do; mistakes were made and lives were forever altered in ways that leave scars cemented upon the soul. Zadie cannot look back at her time with Dr. X without a shiver going down her spine; she remembers how cruel he could be, how careless he could be with the feelings of others and how cutting he could be with his words. Her only saving grace back then was the close clique of friends she had, the most important of those integral allies being Emma, and Zadie is grateful that years later the two have found their career paths fruitful in the same affluent town.

Emma Colley has always been regarded as a bit of an ice-queen, something that left her a complete juxtaposition to her best friend Zadie. Where Zadie emitted sunshine and flowers, Emma was more rainy days and naked winter trees. Friends since the latter years of their adolescence, the two have an unbreakable bond and an easiness that has sustained itself through the labors of medical school and residencies, and has landed them as both happily married women with families of their own. Emma works as a trauma surgeon, a path that is both compelling and heart-wrenching; a job that is equal parts chaotic and full of grace. The structure of surgery suits her; things tend to work better in Emma’s life when there is order. But when Zadie’s past joins Emma’s present as Dr. X resurfaces as part of her group at the hospital, Emma will be forced to reconcile the biggest mistake of her life. A mistake that took a life instead of saving one. And when a lethal combination of distraction and fate leads to another death on Emma’s watch, she must face her deepest fears and learn how to be honest with the one person in her life who trusts her the most.

Queen of Hearts is the debut novel by mom, physician, and self-proclaimed literary nerd, Kimmery Martin. Earning 4 out of 5 stars from me, it is a well-written novel with appropriate amounts of drama and comic relief. The true unsung star of the show, in my opinion, is Zadie’s precocious daughter Delaney – a resident biter of fellow preschoolers and a young lady eloquently aware of her hilarious choice in words, the little girl is full of the joy that can only encompass those at that age. As a mother myself, I am always appreciative of an author’s fair representation of motherhood and motherhood versus career, and I felt that Martin hit most of those nails on the head. Zadie was the more authentic of the two points of view, and I could commiserate with her on many levels.

A few drawbacks for me – one being how the romance between Dr. X and the women felt a bit hollow. I did not feel the passion that was intended, and the way things were wrapped up at the end felt a little contrived. For Zadie to have “loved” Dr. X as much as she did . . . well, I don’t believe she would have reacted the way she did and let her friend off the hook so easily. The first half of the book made it seem like there was a huge build-up of something; that maybe Dr. X was dangerous or nefarious in the bodily sense, but instead it was just a simple matter of forbidden love that was manipulated out of control. That drama could have been ironed out just a little easier for the reader.

I felt that Emma had many more layers to be explored. Her own story took too long in the telling, and so she got shuffled to the end with a few long pages roughing explaining why she behaved the way she did. She deserved more air-time. While Zadie was the more authentic of the duo, Emma was infinitely more interesting.

All in all, I recommend Queen of Hearts and happily give it 4 out of 5 stars. Readers who enjoyed Jamie Raintree’s Perfectly Undone or Gabrielle Zevin’s Young Jane Young would enjoy this book.