Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for the ARC of Owner of a Lonely Heart.

I wanted to love this and for the beginning I really and truly did. but hte middle drug on and was to invasive and at times wish would get to the point . I also felt it just ended.

But over all good easy read.

A sweet and engaging story about love in its many forms.

Gemma is a young widow still grieving the loss of her husband. A commercial illustrator, Gemma, in her spare time volunteers at her local hospital, bringing her dog (Bear) to keep patients company and bring them some comfort. Dan is a gorgeous "man-child" who prefers to keep things light and fun. He gets a bit of a wake up call when his 12-year-old daughter, Casey, reaches out to ask if she can meet him and stay with him for a month while she receives treatment for a brain tumor. As if Gemma, Dan, and Casey didn't have enough going in in their respective lives, their three worlds collide, forever changing their trajectories.

We experience the story through the alternating points of view of Gemma, Dan, and Casey. This helped propel the plot while giving us deeper insight into each character. While the ending is fairly predictable, the journey to get there kept me guessing. I recommend this to anyone interested in a cozy read and love story between two people who feel an inexplicable pull toward one another and aren't quite sure what to do about that. 3.5 stars.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

I really enjoyed How to Save a Life by Carter. When I seen her newest upcoming title I knew I had to grab it. Let me tell ya she outdid herself here.
Goodness, this brought so many emotions I couldn't think straight.

Owner of a Lonely Heart by Eva Carter is a heartfelt story of two people finding the courage to choose love, no matter how hard it may be.

Here we have Gemma who had it all. Until she didn't! When her husband gets sick and suddenly passes Gemma trys hard to move forward. But it's kinda hard to when all she wants is her old life back.

Now we have Dan, who lives a town over.. who is also thinking about his current life.
His twelve-year-old daughter Casey who he has never met before. Out of no where she tracks him down needing a place to stay for the summer so she can receive some treatment for a brain tumor.
Dan is petrified. Taking care of a kid, he has never had any else to rely on him. Is he finally able to now?

When destiny brings these three complete strangers together... Of course with the help of Gemma's dog Bear.... there’s an instant bond between them.
Could this hot summer be the season that changes everything?

Will these three strangers be courageous enough to love again and build a new life together?
Or will they let their apprehension keep everything they’ve ever wanted just out of reach?

WoW! WoW! WoW!
My heart ached for all three characters at different times.
Each one has a story to tell and let me tell you Carter broke me and put me back together.
This book was absolutely amazing and I couldn't put it down.
I was invested in the lives of all three as their story unfolded.
A fascinating and compelling story. It kept me totally engrossed and compelled.
I don't know how she does it... But she does it! And she doesn't hold back.
Carter is a very descriptive writer, her writing is atmospheric and riveting and she brings us into the heart of these people.
Bringing us realistic characters, with real life troubles.... It's moving, thought-provoking and clearly authentic, this is a brilliant second novel.

You know you've found a winner, a five star read when I did not want this to end.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Random House, Ballantine & Dell,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!
I will post my review to my blog, platforms, BookBub, B&N, Kobo and Waterstone closer to pub date.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a sweet and easy read. If you want a nice but predictable story, this is a good pick.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for the ARC of Owner of a Lonely Heart.

This story of finding love in others and ourselves was engrossing. I picked up the book and next thing I knew, I’d read 1/3 of it. I loved the writing and multiple POV. The dialogue was realistic and honest and helped me connect to the experiences each character was having.

I did feel the middle dragged a bit and the ending felt a little abrupt. I felt deep emotions reading this and recommend it, fully!

this book gave me the feels and i was really drawn to the story and loved it alot. Must read book. Go and read it today.

Wonderful story! Beautiful and well-suited book cover! I definitely pick up a book based on the cover, title and summary. This is the first book I read by this author, Eva Carter. Her writing brought out so much emotion from me. I shed a few tears and my heart broke several times. I also laughed and smiled quite often.

Ms. Carter created such amazing characters. They definitely made their way into my heart. I care so much for them, even now after I finished reading their story. A truly great book doesn't ever leave you, and I think this is one that will be staying in my mind.

I can gratefully say that I have not experienced any of the situations that the characters went through in this book, but I felt every emotion that they went through, as I read. Ms. Carter developed a wonderful plot that is totally believable.

A huge thank you Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell and NetGalley for giving me the immense pleasure of reading the advance reader copy, with no obligation to write a review. My review is written freely as a hobby, and is totally my own opinion, not influenced by receiving the ARC.

This was a classic love story that I enjoyed. It was a happy, light read and I would recommend this to someone in a reading slump.

This book is a little slow and a predictable but the characters more than make up for it. Gemma is in mourning for her late husband who she thought was the love of her life. She was more interested in mourning him then living her life. Then she meets Casey who has a brain tumor. She tries to keep her distance both emotionally and physically but Casey won’t allow it. Soon, Gemma is wrapped up in Casey’s family. A sweet and heartwarming book, it’s more than just good, it’s entirely readable.I was privileged to receive an ARC from NetGalley and Random House - Ballantine. This review is in my own words.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

If you like family drama. You’ll like this book! I found myself constantly changing which character I was rooting for and who I empathized with. Even then, while at times it was predictable it was an emotional read. A lot of health struggle themes in this book so proceed with caution if that is a trigger for you.

This book started out well and the writing was interesting. I didn't get far before I was turned off by some of the content. I didn't finish the story and cannot honestly share a review. The rating is reflects my normal 2 rating for some interest but not appealing to me as a reader.

Really sweet romance story without being as focused on the romance. Feels like a story for fans of Nicholas Sparks but not as heavy as some of those. I appreciated how this book wasn’t afraid to talk about some heavier topics like loss, sick children, absent fathers, infertility/trying to get pregnant, grief, depression, etc. but did so in a way that didn’t feel so heavy. I loved how the author included chapters from the male character’s daughter too. It was a nice addition for a romance book. It did feel a little slow at times for me but overall I enjoyed it and was cleaner of a romance book but not completely closed door, some suggestive content and milder scenes but not nearly as descriptive as most books. The physical side of the relationship didn’t feel like the main focus on this story which I really appreciated, this almost felt like a mix of women’s fiction and romance due to the other characters mixed in.

Thank you Net Galley for the opportunity to review this book!

Thanks so much NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell.

This was a touching story of people getting second chances. Gemma lost her husband to cancer and is trying to have his child via IVF. Dan is hoping to get to know his daughter, Casey, who is staying with him while she undergoes cancer treatment. Casey wants a normal life.

There was so much hope within all the characters. They all grew on me too. However, it felt like a lot going on for one book. I really wanted more out of the story, but I felt like this just scratched the surface.

Despite other positive reviews on this novel and an interesting premise, I was disappointed. I never engaged with the characters of Emma and Dan and the alternating chapters from their respective points of view felt disjointed. It had all the earmarks of a touching story – a young girl diagnosed with a brain tumor, a reunion with an absentee-father, a young widow struggling to move on, and an adorable dog named Bear – but it never clicked for me.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

I liked this one, it's cute. The setting was really great too.
I didn't love Dan at first but he grew on me.
I loved Gemma & Casey. I also loved Bear, I could picture him the whole time!
A good book about grief and how sometimes just the right people can come and help change everything.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC!

Such a unique story and plot. Loved every minute reading it. I kept thinking I would figure out Casey’s feelings, or Dan’s or Gemma’s too, and I was happily surprised to find twists along the way. Great realistic understanding of grief and hope of the future.

The premise behind this book is wonderful, but I found the character development lacking and writing style stilted-which, sadly detracted from what could have been a great story.

I enjoyed “How to Save a Life” by Eva Carter, so I was excited when my wish was granted and I had opportunity to read “Owner of a Lonely Heart.”

Gemma, who has lost her husband to cancer, is trying to mend her broken (or lonely) heart by volunteering at a children’s oncology center with her dog, Bear. There, she meets twelve-year-old Casey who has just recently connected with her dad, Dan. As you might imagine, attraction begins to develop between Gemma and Dan. But it’s not easy for Gemma to move on, feeling like as if she is cheating on her husband.

The plot is a bit predictable but the characters, especially Casey, are charming. Plus, you have to like a protagonist who owns a dog. Overall, I found this to be a quick read with some heart-warming moments.

Three and a half stars.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book.

I normally detest romance novels and avoid them like the plague but gave this one a chance and am so glad I did. It was just enough feel good without the improbability and fairness of most mainstream romcoms. I admit I really enjoyed reading this. Thank you NetGalley.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, from Random House Publishing Group -Ballantine and #NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview and review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Touching read about love, loss, tragedy, starting over.