This was a beautifully written story about family, relationships and self discovery. The main character, Layla, has a difficult relationship with her family and especially her mother. When she is called to her mother’s bedside, she embarks upon a stormy and eventual journey into the dark and distant troubled past her family has faced. There are secrets, traumatic events, shame and I found myself gripped by the mystery of Layla’s father and how he died. This book, although difficult to read at times due to its themes, was told in such a beautiful way that it had me gripped. Really enjoyed it!

I found this book absorbing and hard to put down - perfect for those whom enjoy well written, literary family drama **- but it should come with a the trigger warnings of suicide and child serial abuse.**
We meet the main character, Layla, at the time when her life in utter turmoil - her loveless marriage is in tatters, her job as an anaesthetist is under threat, her love affair is teetering on the edge and Layla’s familial relationships are precarious. We are immediately thrown into the heady drama of her life, as her mother whom lives in remote western Tasmania, rings to threaten suicide (far from the first time), but this time Layla knows it’s different and she actually means it as she talks of leaving Layla ‘the truth’ about her idolised father, which has haunted Layla since his death by drowning. The story is largely centred on Layla’s fraught journey across country with her elderly aunt, in the hope of reaching her mother before she is able to end her life. It’s a tense read and we are perpetually pushed to question what circumstances could have led Layla’s mother to be so unstable. The many secrets that unfold throughout the novel take us through generational trauma and keep us gripped throughout.

This novel appears to explore themes of self-discovery, family, and trauma, which align with my reading preferences. As you navigate the complex relationships and emotional landscapes of Layla's life, you may find yourself drawn into a story that, like What Alice Forgot, penetrates the intricacies of identity and self-acceptance, and, like Girl in Pieces, confronts the darker aspects of human experience.

The Heart is a Star by Megan Rogers is a perfect fit for readers who crave a deeply moving and introspective novel that explores the complexities of family, self-discovery, and trauma, and who will be drawn to the author's lyrical and absorbing storytelling style.

This was a beautiful and heartbreaking book book, it hit all the notes. I enjoyed reading the story, even though in parts it absolutely devastated me. It was well written in the characters were realistic and nuanced. The offer did a fantastic job of making you care and I did. It was entertaining and very heartwarming!

Dr. Layla Barnes is having a midlife crisis. She has been suspended from the hospital for accidentally killing a patient. She is in a loveless marriage and suspects her husband is unfaithful. She also feels she is a terrible mother to her two children.
To add to her distress, her emotionally unstable mother, who lives in Tasmania, is suicidal.
Amidst all this chaos, she feels she must leave her family to save her mother. When she rushes to her childhood home, she discovers hidden truths about her beloved father, her unstable mother, her missing sister, and her favorite auntie. This story is about accepting awful truths, and being able to move forward with your life.
I was a bit confused by this storyline. Characters weren’t developed enough to explain their actions. The ugly secrets revealed seem to come out of nowhere. I wish the story had been more cohesive.

Layla Byrnes is struggling and her mother's phone call, threatening suicide, is not helping. After juggling her schedule, she and her aunt make the journey to the western coast of Tasmania. Once there, Layla must come to terms with the truth about her family that has been kept from her for decades. A heartfelt look at what it takes to confront demons from the past and how to move forward into the future. The subject matter was difficult at times, but this is a beautifully written novel.

I loved the premise of this book from the blurb but unfortunately hated the main character and couldn’t connect to the story

I really thought from the blurb I'd relate a bit more to Layla, but there was this doll that her aunt made for her, which she felt forced to give to her best friend for a birthday present because her mom didn't have money for a present, but really it was just her dad not giving the mom money and we learn that later, but anyway. She still feels reaalllllly guilty because her aunt made that for her, not her friend! And also guilt because as an adult, she kicked her aunt out of her house after years of the aunt being a live in maid and nanny so she could go back to work and work a ton of hours and then she put her aunt in a home because her husband is a complete D and basically flew off the page with his absolute, caricature awfulness and he murdered her silk worm things (or whatever). And she stopped visiting the aunt. And then she killed someone (accidentally!). And had an affair. And did not spend time with her kids. And did not ask her sister what the actual hell happened to her or like seem to do anything once she learns THE TRUTH. That all too. So much guilt. But she didn't seem to actually feel guilty about anything. Layla had the emotional intelligence of that doll, that she had to give away to her friend, that poor friend.

Man Layla was awful to behold. To be fair, the themes of this book run deeper than all that, in theory, but aren't very well executed because there are just too many of them. This isn't that long of a book but boy did it feel long. I did not see the big reveal coming but I think that says more about me than the story telling abilities showcased here. This was clunky and kind of boring even with all the mess it did not make any sense to me at all.

I received an e-arc from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I was swept away, a fantastic book. All at once heartbreaking and hopeful, this story of self, womanhood, mental health, and truth was beautifully written, and lingered long after I had finished.

YIKES. First, I loved the cover and title of this book. That's it. The rest was full of bad parenting and manipulation. This is a book full of trigger warnings: suicide, sexual abuse, gaslighting.

I just....it's a hard read and I don't know if many people will be able to look past.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This book is about Layla, an anesthetist struggling to balance her career, failing marriage, motherhood, and her troubled mother. Just before Christmas, Layla’s mother calls her and tells her she has a revelation about Layla’s father who died when she was younger. The novel explores themes of midlife challenges, family secrets, and self-discovery.

I found this book hard to read and not really enjoyable. There were so many storylines going on - they seemed disjointed to me and many of them were left unresolved such as Layla’s job and her relationship with Lucas. It also seemed like this book was trying to collect trigger warnings and I think the author could have been a bit more sensitive with some of the topics. The sex scene was very random and unnecessary.

I was drawn to this book because of the beautiful cover and because it takes place in Australia. Layla’s character does evolve by the end of the book, and I was happy to see her choose herself and her happiness. Thank you to NetGalley and Central Avenue Publishing for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Layla Barnes looks from the outside like she has risen above her childhood and toxic family dynamics. After all she is a succesful anaesthetist, has two lovely children and a beautiful home but a phone call from her toxic mother threatening suicide sends Layla racing for a flight to Hobart and right back into her families dysfunctional relationships where resentments, secrets and lies abound. I love the premise of the story but I found the writing inconsistent, sometimes really engaginga nd other times flat and dull and a bit plodding. It didn;t really deliver for me.

I really enjoyed this book. It kept me engaged and it only took a few days to read. I think this is going to be a good book club option for several clubs. I plan recommending to my book friends and I look forward to reading more by this author.

I received a free e-arc of this book through Netgalley. The cover and title are beautiful. The story is well-written with some words that flow that poetry at times. Rocking a baby akin to a prayer. Layla Barnes looks like she should have it all. She's married with 2 kids and works as an anesthetist. But the book starts with a distraught call from her mother who seems to threaten suicide with every contact to her youngest daughter, Layla. We soon discover that Layla is a mess, her marriage is a disaster, and her extended family has mostly come apart. Her beloved father died when she was young and her mentally-ill mother is who she was left with. As we get further into the book, we discover that things are not what they seem and Layla's world is rocked yet again as she must figure out who she is and what she wants.

First of all Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for giving me access to this debut novel, Heart is A Star by Megan Rogers.
You really do need the whole story, when reading about family dynamics.
I don't think hiding facts from family members, ends up being a good thing, when it ultimately shapes what has happened to the family over the years. I think things would have been so different for Layla Byrnes. It ultimately made me sad for Layla, once I knew the whole story. This book is really slow in the beginning and you won't like Layla very much. I didn't. But as you read further, you meet her husband, her lover and her kids. And her Mom, with a worrisome phone call. Al the characters are broken in some way. I think people will enjoy this book, once they get into it. I give it a solid 3.5 out of 5.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I went back and forth with this book and am sticking with a middle of the road rating. First, 5eres some really beautiful writing and turns of phrase in here. I found myself often re-reading sentence because they were so beautifully written. I also found the family dynamic and discoveries she makes about family secrets to be interesting and complex and good reading. The chad after of Layla sometimes annoyed me, though. While her middle age struggles were often realistic, I thought so,e of her interactions and waffling back and forth with emotions were annoying. Her sexual interactions and love life messes actually almost turned me off from the book. Luckily, the story itself saved my interest and rating. Takeaways: Relationships are complex, people aren’t always who we think they’ll be, and family trauma can last through generations. One takeaway that didn’t fit the novel’s mold: Sometimes people are weird and make strange choices. Other than the last one, it was a pretty solid read. I think people will either love it or hate it; I might be strange for my middle of the road rating. FYI def an adult novel with sexual situations and language and trauma

So many times as I read this beautifully written novel, I stopped to reread the words the characters uttered. They were hauntingly true, fearless and struck a note of searing logic and love. Layla, the main protagonist, leads a complicated life trying to juggle her family and her career as a doctor. Struggling with the commitments and a failing marriage she is overwhelmed. Her life is further compromised by a mother threatening tclosed the booo commit suicide. Now the truths and secrets are revealed. I liked the book very much but felt after I was halfway through the language became complicated unnecessarily. The characters started preaching and moralizing. Layla’s relationship with her husband was glossed over a bit and he faded quickly. The author ends on a hopeful note and I closed the book sad it was ending.

Aww I loved this book! It was filled with themes of love, loss, betrayal, surviving, and it was so enjoyable to read. The author writes so beautifully, it was so entertaining and it stuck with me after reading it, and I am sure it will stick with me for a very long time. I loved the characters and the family dynamics this book called out

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

First things first—this book is dangerously well written. The author clearly has some serious skills because she’s built up the characters and story so masterfully that you don’t see the smack in the face coming. One minute, you’re awkwardly cozy, wrapped up in the plot, and the next? Bam! You’re hit with a twist so hard, you’re left questioning your life choices for picking this based on the beautiful cover.

I’m not sure what literary-loving Australians are into, but there’s no way I’m the first American woman to read this and think: “Holy shit, could we maybe get a heads-up next time? A little warning label would’ve been nice!” But hey, if you like living on the edge, this book’s for you.

The Heart is a Star by Megan Rogers is an atmospheric, slow-burn family drama set in Australia. The novel explores the emotional complexities of mother-daughter relationships and buried family secrets. Layla Byrnes, an overworked anesthetist juggling a disintegrating marriage and a lover, is thrust into a crisis when her unstable mother reveals a startling truth about her long-lost father. As Layla returns to her childhood home in Tasmania, she confronts her past and seeks closure.

Rogers’ writing is vivid, capturing the wild beauty of Tasmania while weaving a tense narrative about betrayal and self-discovery. However, the slow pacing and intricate emotional dynamics might not appeal to all readers. The book touches on themes of forbidden love, family dysfunction, and redemption, making it a compelling read for those who enjoy layered stories about personal growth and long-buried truths.

A solid debut with heart and depth.