What is one to do when her fiancé proposes with an heirloom ring, and all you can think of is your grandmother's warning about karma associated with heirlooms? You say yes and go on a journey to prove the ring had a happily ever after! Shea enlists her sister and a male journalist to travel across the US and to Portugal and Italy in search of answers.

The premise was intriguing, but I have to say it fell a little flat for me. Shea had a one track mind and went off on her venture without the consideration of others. Superstitions are taken way out of proportion, and the main characters just did not a great deal of chemistry. This could be due to the novel not being much of a romance.

The writing is not bad. It was the story that just could not hold my attention.

Thank you Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you, NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons, for my free copy for review.

How far would you go for a superstitious belief? The protagonist of "The Heirloom" has a strong superstition against heirloom engagement rings. However, when her soon-to-be fiancé presents her with one, she embarks on a quest to uncover its history, determined to ensure it carries no negative energy. It's quite remarkable how committed she becomes, traveling to Italy to investigate the previous owners' relationship. Despite the chaos, I was struck by the protagonist's unwavering determination. Her personal struggles, stemming from her parents' divorce and her mother's death, are deeply explored in the novel. Through adventure and heartbreak, she discovers what truly matters. While some moments felt a bit corny, overall, I found the book to be a touching exploration of coping, healing, and the power of our beliefs.

I was not able to finish after 60% percent of the book. I had a hard time staying interested in the story. I think there’s too much superstitions and it was overdone to the point that it took away from the actual storyline. It was very predictable and I just wanted more tension of some other kind. I really liked finding out the history of the ring and the beautiful world build of the different locations. It could be that this type of book isn’t for me. I think my mom would actually love it. I will definitely recommend it to her!

This book was an okay read. It was hard for me to connect with Shea and her obsession of finding out where her engagement ring came from instead of living in the moment of being engaged. John seemed kind of weak for going along with her shenanigans. It was very cool to travel to exotic places but overall I just couldn't like the MCs. Probably just a me problem and others will find this searching enjoyable.

Rating is more of a 3.5 but rounded up

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for advanced copy, and I give my review freely

I’m a sucker for any book with a #mediterraneancoastline featured on the cover so that helped #theheirloom rise to the top of my #netgalleyarc reading list. When Shea’s boyfriend proposes in her favorite spot everything should have fallen into place for a magical engagement. Instead, she begins questioning everything since he did not follow one of her superstitious rules about no heirloom rings. Now she must embark on an adventure across the Atlantic to discover the history of the ring. And an unexpected partner on the journey could disrupt all her future plans. This ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ book will be out next week and will make a great #vacationread this summer. 📚📚📚 #netgalley #bookstagram #my2024readingchallenge

I really liked the premise of this book but found Shea to be a bit unlikeable and didn’t love the constant superstition element. I felt like a big chunk of this turned into “why didn’t you just communicate with your fiancé” which got frustrating. It was all Shea, Shea, Shea and who cares about anyone else mostly. I felt like it just kept going and going and going, and went in circles with no end to the background of one ring. There were some parts that I felt were completely unnecessary, especially with the budding romance with Graham and some of the previous ring owners. Overall, it was a cute and quick read but nothing that I really fell in love over in this book. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the eARC!

I loved this book! I love how Shae goes through many changes internally as she does through the travels of figuring out the story of the ring. Though I can’t imagine many feeling this story to be “believable” or “realistic” in story, but that is part of its charm. The book, like love, is magical in its own way and different for everyone.

Shea is very superstitious. John proposes with an heirloom ring. It’s her mission to find all she can about who the rings original owners were. She goes all over the world to find out the truth. Only to come back and find out John gave her that ring to see if she was loyal to him or the ring.

What could be better than a “proposal” with an heirloom ring? Nothing…unless it’s a superstition of yours. John proposed to Shea with an heirloom engagement ring even though he knew she was afraid of the karma that might come from the love story behind the ring. Author Jessie Rosen came up with the most creative novel “The Heirloom” which takes Shea on a search to find the rings owner. She had to know the “ love story” behind this vintage ring. Holding onto her dreams in hopes of a happy married life, she had to seek out the rings past.

Along with her sister and a journalist who was looking for his next big story, Shea traveled from Los Angeles to NY, Italy, Portugal then Boston. On a wild goose chase through a beautiful countryside, there might be more they discover than just the history behind the ring. Shea’s Nonna had instilled her heritage and her own superstitions that held steadfast in Shea’s heart, including the energy that can come from a piece of heirloom jewelry, good or bad.

Thoroughly entertaining with a plot that had me so engaged I didn’t want to put it down. For those who have been to Italy, they will really connect with the names of hotels, places and things. A beautiful story about love, doubt, growth, family and trust, it has it all.

Thanks to Putnam Books and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up-

I really enjoyed this book overall, especially the last 25% or so! The trek to Italy and Portugal was so fun and made you want to be there. Parts of the storyline felt a bit disjointed, but overall a really sweet story with a happily ever after!

3.5 stars. I loved the premise and the search for answers but I didn’t love the ending. Spoiler: that she learned her fiancé set her up to chose him vs continuing to believe her superstitions, and she still ended up with him, irked me. Team Graham!

I liked the concept of this book, but with the way everything flushed out it just made me dislike the main character. I enjoyed the mystery of everything and the descriptions of the European places. Unfortunately overall though, this book was just ok.

I mostly enjoyed this one! Definitely a story of self-discovery and growth, though I didn't really connect with Shea or particularly care about any of the characters. I enjoyed the story behind the heirloom ring, but I wasn't so invested that I really cared to learn all the backstory (especially as it kept getting more complicated). I liked the writing and found it to be an easy read.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

The premise of the ring having a history is what drew me to the book and that’s where it stopped.

I feel as though Shea’s obsession with finding out the history of the ring overshadowed her love for her fiancé, John. She didn’t trust the love she felt for him until she learned the truth about the ring.

Shea’s quest took her to Italy, Lisbon, and Boston, accompanied by Graham, a journalist hoping for an amazing story. Having been married for a while, I can’t imagine most men being okay with their fiancé traveling with a guy she barely knows.

While the story of Shea’s journey to uncover the truth behind the vintage ring was interesting, it wasn’t enough for me to like the book. I found Shea’s character annoying, and I wish John had more of a backbone and would have told her to take a hike instead of being strung along like he was.

My thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the ARC of The Heirloom for review.

#TheHeirloom #NetGalley

Started off slow but kicked up around the 40% mark and I ended up really enjoying it!

We meet Shea and John shortly after their engagement with an heirloom thrifted diamond ring, Shea, being overly superstitious, decides she cannot in good faith marry John unless she discovers the entire history of the heirloom ring. So off from LA to Italy, Portugal, Boston, and back to LA she goes with the help of her sister Annie and eager for a story journalist, Graham.

I will Say that I totally expected this to be a predictable run of the mill romance but by the 2nd half it was extremely interesting and the epilogue sold me on giving this 4 Solid stars. Seeing Shea’s growth and her resolution by the end was unexpected and not at all what I thought would happen. Overall very much enjoyed reading this!

⭐️⭐️
One of Shea’s big rules in life is no vintage rings! She inherited a lot of superstitions from her Italian grandmother and lived her life according to them. So when her boyfriend pops the question with a vintage ring, she has to travel the world to find out the history of the ring before she can say yes to make sure her marriage will work out. With her therapist big sister and a nosy journalist she travels around Europe and back to the USA to find answers.

The journey to find the story behind the rings was interesting but I could just not buy that the reason for holding up her engagement was that the ring was vintage. Shea’s character annoyed me and I could not get behind her or any of her decisions at all. I did not like how events unfolded and there was nothing satisfying at the end. Her boyfriend deserved better.

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Thank you to NetGalley for a free digital copy on exchange for an honest review. This book will be published 7 MAY 2024.

Thank you NetGalley for gifting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review! The Heirloom was a fun read! I’m not a very superstitious person but enjoyed following on the main characters journey. I felt some passages were overly descriptive which caused a little bit of a slump for me. Overall The Heirloom was a good read and my very first read by Jessie Rosen.

Thank you for NetGalley for this eARC! The Heirloom by Jessie Rosen is a story about self-discovery and change. Shea Anderson has 4 rules and rule number 1 is no heirloom rings for a marriage. It is just one of the many superstitions that her Italian grandmother instilled in her. So when Shea’s boyfriend proposes with an heirloom ring, it sets her on a journey to discover the history of the ring and the previous owner’s marriage. This journey leads Shea on an adventure through Italy, Portugal and the East Coast of the US.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I thought discovering the history of the ring was fun. The chapters were short and quick and kept me interested in what would happen next. I think the premise of heirlooms and their history was a great angle for this story. I was annoyed the whole time that the boyfriend got the heirloom ring in the first place when he knew Shea would freak out about it, but it all made sense in the end. There were also a few issues with continuity with years and names for some of the side characters that distracted me. I would not qualify this as a romance. I think it is more a story of personal growth in order to be in a good partner.

Shea's boyfriend, John, of 3 years proposes with an heirloom ring. One of Shea's biggest rules is no heirloom jewelry, because she believes jewelry carries the karma of the past relationship within it, so she must dig into the history of the ring before she can put it on.

Unfortunately, it unrolls like this: Shea has a lot of baggage from her parent's bad marriage. Shea decides the only logical thing to do is ditch her brand new fiance, leave work last minute, and travel with a man she doesn't know around Europe (Graham, a journalist who can also drop everything to go on this wild goose hunt?).

She meets owner number one and it almost seems like it could wrap up fairly nicely but no wait! He wasn't the original owner, she must track down another person. Instead of returning to her job and life, she continues to travel with the strange man she is getting closer to, and spoiler, he also has baggage! What fun!

So we what one of the plot twists will be. Is John even right for her? Is she destined to never want marriage because of her own parents? Owner number two takes them to Portugal where Graham must face his demons, and Shea goes back to the states to decide if she even wants to get married at all.

It is a very frustrating read and Shea is obnoxious and lacking self awareness. I should never have picked this book up, it is clearly not for me. But the synopsis made it sound like it would be an interesting and potentially funny or historically entertaining trip through Italy to discover the origins of the ring.

I loved the concept of this novel, but I didn't love it as much as I had hoped. I am a sucker for a story where the main character has to cross multiple continents in search of something, which is the back story of her engagement ring in this case. But I felt like a lot of the elements just fell flat. I wanted to picture the Italian landscape in my mind and imagine what it felt like to walk the streets of Lisbon, but the description of these amazing places just wasn't there. I didn't feel transported like I had hoped, which was a bit of a let down.

Shea was not a main character I could get behind either. I felt like she was pretty selfish to be honest. At first, I understood why she wanted to figure out the story behind the ring, but then she kept dragging it out and stringing her fiancé along, causing unnecessary fights with her sister, and cheating with someone she just met. All red flags for me. She had so much going for her and she just threw it all away because she couldn't be swayed in her beliefs (which was dumb).

I did enjoy the epilogue and I thought that was really cute. It wasn't enough for me to raise the rating on this book though.
I give it 3/5 stars.