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.

The Heart is a Star by debut author M. Rogers is a slow burn, set in Australia, a story about family and more, an ok read, that deals with sensitive content.
Blurb: Layla Byrnes is exhausted. She's juggling a demanding job as an anaesthetist, a disintegrating marriage, her young kids, and a lover. And most particularly she's managing her unstable mother. But this year, it's different.
When her mother calls just before Christmas, she doesn't follow the usual script. Instead, she tells Layla that there's something she needs to tell her about her father. In response, Layla drops everything to rush to her childhood home on the wild west coast of Tasmania. She's determined to finally confront her mother - and find out what really happened to her father.

I've read 15% of this book and will not be finishing it because it's too spicy for me; I refuse to read smut. With that said, at least this far in the book I believe that the bones of a good story are there, and I like the atmospheric writing. I was pulled into the story immediately with the urgency to find out what's happening to the protagonist's mom. However, the book appears to need more editing. I found "chapter 3" at least 4 times, and I also found areas where the person speaking was unclear and where the book title randomly appeared in the middle of a chapter. With the help of a good editor, this story will likely appeal to people who don't mind explicit sexual writing in their books, but that person isn't me.

The Heart is a Star is a powerful and beautifully written novel. It deals with a history of complicated family dynamics as well as life-altering betrayals. It is about longing, and forbidden relationships, and the cost of self-denial and secrecy. Yet, Megan Rogers manages to bring hope and a form of redemption for her characters. Highly recommended! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. Pub Date: Jan 7, 2025.

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The Heart Is a Star is such a gorgeous gorgeous novel. There is truly something in here for everyone. It covers so many different topics on life, love, family. And so much more. I look forward to sharing a full review and thoughts very soon! Thank you very much for the opportunity. Inventions appreciate it and look forward to bringing it to readers. It is a story that will stick with them for a long time.