Very well written with great character development. Contemporary romance not fluff. Realistic portrayal of dating and trying to figure out life.

This book felt very raw and I connected to it on a lot of ways. I felt that it touched on self - love which has been an uphill battle for a lot of people. The sensitivity and full picture of how it was discussed felt very important.

Thanks NetGalley for the preview!

Oof Rae was such a struggle for me. She was the classic girl that does everything that’s toxic or bad for herself. And she was awful to Stu. I really didn’t like her. Dustin clearly needed some intense therapy and help and it was never really given to him. The ending made me so angry.

Great book for who likes romance, dating & relationships and working in NYC! I would recommend this book, of course!

Oh wow, this book started off so relatable for me! Rae is a mid-twenties living in New York and realizes that time is running out to meet the one and start a family. Rae and her friends decide to create a dating profile for her and set some rules. No guys holding dead fish, no guys making peace signs in their photos, backwards ball caps, holding a beer can, etc etc. Rae’s best friend Ellen takes on the job as Rae’s dating app mentor very seriously.

Rae turns out to be extremely stubborn and naive to the point where she was getting a bit annoying. The story seemed like it was skipping weeks or months at a time and so many details were lost.

The ending definitely took a quick turn. I was excited that Rae decided to do things for herself.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Rae made a good life for herself and had amazing friends to lean on which is super important in your late 20’s.

Please check trigger warnings before reading this book!

While I found the premise promising and definitely enjoyed a lot of the story, the chronic toxicity between the main couple and the way the book ended has definitely dragged down my rating.

It was a good book and really enjoyed it all and rooted for this couple to make it. Love it all. read it today you will not be disappointed.

This one didn’t work for me, unfortunately. I think I went in with the wrong expectations and expected it to be a romcom, which it definitely is not!! The writing style also wasn’t completely to my taste,

I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to love this book more than I did. I liked the concept and the idea of not having to have everything sorted by 30. However the depression storyline didn't sit well with me. I hated the comments regarding "fixing him" or "when he gets better" it felt like she was talking about getting over a common cold. But maybe that was just me.

I enjoyed this read, it’s the reason I got into romance books. Before I thought I would never pick one up, and then I read the description of the heart of the deal and just had to read it. I wouldn’t say it’s my favourite but it’s definitely high on my list of liked books, and I would definitely read it again.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me a free eARC of this book to read in exchange for my review!

I really, really wanted to like "The Heart of the Deal" by Lindsay MacMillan. But when I reached the end, I couldn't help but feel disappointed and emotionally drained, and honestly, I'm not entirely sure why.

So, why did I give it three stars instead of just one? Well, the book had some really good bones. It was a rollercoaster of emotions, and it even made me cry my eyes out. The raw emotion in the writing was undeniable.

But let me be clear about one thing—I was quite disappointed with the ending and the constant emotional tug-of-war that persisted throughout the entire book. If the ending had been different, it would have been a whole other story (pun intended). I could have walked away from it with a sense of catharsis, but it felt like the book was trying to push a particular agenda, which, in my opinion, overshadowed the narrative. I'm all for authors addressing issues they're passionate about, but it shouldn't overshadow the essence of the story.

Now, here's the kicker: This book is clearly marketed as a contemporary romance. But, and it's a big but, it doesn't quite deliver on that front. If it had been marketed differently, I think it might have received a higher rating from me.

In summary, "The Heart of the Deal" had its moments, and I appreciate the author's emotional depth, but the overall experience left me torn. It's a book with potential, but it may have been more enjoyable if it stuck to its genre and found a better balance between its message and storytelling.

Unfortunately this one was a DNF for me. I tried several times to get into it but struggled and finally gave up— this book just wasn’t for me. It was super depressing from the start in a way I didn’t expect— was hoping for more of a rom com!

This book was heartbreakingly beautiful. I love Rae as a character and watching her real grow into herself and with other people. I will say that at times it was sort of hard to see her try to almost fix Dustin as it felt like it wasnt the healthiest dynamic. But with that being said, life isnt filled with sunshine and rainbows and perfect protagonists so I truly think that this was a choice made in hopes to demonstrate how sometimes life breaks off pieces of you in order for you to go through the experiences to be able to put them back together.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for giving me access to the advanced copy of this book to read.

This incredibly real and heartfelt book is important for anyone in their late 20s should read. I felt so seen and understood. A must read..

I started reading this book but it was difficult for me to stay connected with the story. I thought it would be a rom com but it was more serious.

Very enjoyable read which I rated four and a half stars! Loved the character development and the plot of the story!! Definitely a book I wish I had picked up sooner! Thank you so much for the opportunity to read it

I wanted to like this book more than I did. It was a slightly sappy book that was slightly unrealistic. I felt that the main character wasn't as likable as they could have been. Not my favorite romance book.