Megan Collins’ Cross My Heart offers an initially intriguing premise , but its execution falters due to underdeveloped characters, predictable plotting, and sluggish pacing. , The prose remains serviceable but unremarkable, punctuated by stilted dialogue and a rushed resolution that leaves subplots unresolved; though a few scenes deliver genuine tension and the concept’s creativity hints at potential, the novel ultimately feels like a missed opportunity, leaning on genre tropes without offering the depth or originality needed to stand out in the crowded thriller landscape.

This was a great book! I loved it and love the author! I highly recommend reading this next to everyone

After Rosie receives a heart transplant, she begins corresponding with the widowed husband of her donor. Morgan Thorne is a writer, and there is some who suspect that he is responsible for his wife's death.
Morgan begins dating Rosie, but all is not as it seems. There are a few big surprises in this book, and everything you thought was happening gets turned on its head.
At times, you wonder about everyone in the book! Many red herrings.

This was a wild, entertaining ride. I thought it was going to be a cat and mouse thriller, then I thought it was an unreliable narrator book, and then... I'll stop there so I don't need a spoiler alert. I'll just say it was fun and twisty and kind of ridiculous - in a mostly good way.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

Mystery/Thriller

Rosie has received a heart transplant after a devastating personal rejection. She believes she knows who the donor was and starts communicating with their family. According to some diary entries, Rosie's relationship with the donor's husband becomes inappropriate. But is that the truth?

There are also indications that Rosie's donor may have been murdered.

Normally, I dislike the unreliable narrator trope, but Collins is masterful in weaving this story together. I loved it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC of this novel.

This dark, twisty novel had me from the very beginning. The mixed media aspect of the emails was something I really loved, and it seemed so unique that they are talking to each other after a heart transplant. It's definitely not something I would have thought of before. Overall, I would definitely recommend this thriller to anyone who loves the genre - it's a unique concept!

Very unique premise and I loved the author's inspiration for this book 🥺

Rosie was a surprisingly relatable protagonist I could empathise with. Her experiences and commentary on the modern dating scene, her being labelled as too intense, too much, too everything... 💯 so well done!

As a thriller, I thought this was just fine though. It wasn't particularly thrilling nor did it blow my mind despite some surprises (that felt excessive at times). Good read overall, but forgettable too.

I enjoy the premise of this book , It was fun read, i know it was lightly inspired by Taylor swift song, which i love. This is my first time reading a Megan Collins books , i can't wait to read more from her.

Of course my first review of 2025 would be @megancollinswriter‘s newest novel, Cross My Heart. I’ve been a huge fan of her books since her first and I can honestly say this is her best work!!

Rosie Lachlan is in love with her heart donor’s husband - he just doesn’t know it yet. But through a series of emails back and forth through Donor Connect, she’s able to form a bond with the one and only Morgan Thorne, successful author and likely suspect in the murder of his wife, at least, if the online gossip is to be believed. As Rosie grows closer to Morgan, she begins to wonder if maybe those rumors are true after all.

I don’t want to say too much more about the plot because there’s just so much to discover that’s worth waiting for.

From the amazing Taylor Swift references to the ending I never saw coming, Cross My Heart is one epic read.

Get it now at one of my favorite retailers. Thank you @netgalley and @atriabooks for the gifted e-copy in exchange for my honest review.

I tore through Cross My Heart. This book had me hooked from start to finish. I think this book has taken the top spot in my Megan Collins’ reads. Highly recommend!!

I am not fully sure about this one. It was an easy read that I was able to get through quickly, but some of the conversations were awkward and just unbelievable. Ultimately, it’s a story that I liked while I was in it, but won’t remember for long.

Ha. This one was deliciously fun to read. There was literally no one to root for but I couldn't get enough. The whole time I was reading this, I was trying to figure out who was going to be the true victim in the end. He's super creepy and she's a stage five clinger. What more could you want in a thriller?

“𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐝? 𝐓𝐨 𝐦𝐞, 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭 𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐬.”

Cross My Heart is Megan Collins’ most bingeworthy thriller yet.

Collins has crafted a compelling story - one filled with clever reveals, and a quality unreliable narrator. It centres around Rosie, a recent recipient of a heart transplant, and her communication with the husband of the donor, Morgan Thorne. As Rosie develops a connection with Morgan, questions arise such as what actually happened to his wife? Was her death an accident or something more sinister?! Once Collins’ story got going, I couldn’t put it down. It is the definition of a popcorn thriller, with its over the top premise and twists in narration. It touches on the idea of the consuming nature of the search for love, which I could definitely relate to (especially how we sometimes wear Rosie-coloured glasses in our approach to people because we are scared of being alone in the future and miss some red flags)! I understood where Rosie was coming from, as bad love can sometimes feel safer than no love at all, no matter whether it’s platonically or romantically. There are a lot of morally gray characters, yet Collins does a good job at balancing their unlikeable traits (for example, Rosie really does let love consume her and makes some stalkery questionable choices) with wanting to root for them. A couple reveals surprised me, leading all the way to satisfying ending that relates back to all the themes Collins touched on throughout.

Cross My Heart is a riveting blast of a page turner that I couldn’t put down. If you love a highly entertaining thriller, I definitely recommend. Thank you to Atria & NetGalley for the ARC!

I found this book rather hard to follow.
I also didn’t care for the changing formats from texts to emails to stanzas then back to normal narration.
It just really didn’t grab me

In "Cross My Heart," Megan Collins weaves a suspenseful tale centered on Rosie Lachlan, a woman who receives a heart transplant and becomes convinced that her donor was Daphne Thorne, the deceased wife of famed author Morgan Thorne. As Rosie navigates the complexities of her new life, she becomes obsessed with Morgan, believing that their connection is destined due to her new heart. Using an anonymous service called DonorConnect, Rosie reaches out to Morgan under the guise of learning more about her donor, but her true intentions are far more personal. As their correspondence deepens, Rosie uncovers unsettling rumors about Morgan's past, raising questions about Daphne's death and whether Rosie herself may be in danger.

Unfortunately, "Cross My Heart" fell short of my expectations. While the first part of the book was engaging and held my attention, the second half became muddled with an overabundance of indistinguishable characters, making it difficult to follow the plot. The narrative's use of doubling was confusing, and the motivations behind the murder felt unconvincing and forced. Additionally, the portrayal of the female characters as overly dependent on men was disappointing and unrelatable. The ending, particularly involving the cop, was unsatisfying and left me more frustrated than intrigued. Overall, I cannot recommend this book, as it failed to deliver a coherent or compelling story

Loved this fresh take on female obsession, passion, and getting in over your head. The premise was great and I loved the story. Domestic thrillers can be so hard to write and the author totally nailed this! Thank you to Netgalley, the Publisher and the Author for the opportunity to read and review this prior to publication.

This book went from zero to sixty & I loved every bit of it! When a new transplant patient connects with the husband of her donor heart, things get pretty wild. I don't want to say too much but I kind of went in blind & I think that's best when reading this one. This was a fun & twisty domestic thriller with really unlikeable characters but I was here for it. This was my first Megan Collins book but it won't be the last! 4 STARS!

Thank you NetGalley, Megan Collins, & Atria Books for this ARC!

Cross my heart was a fun read. This book kept me on my toes, just when I thought I knew who our “bad guy” was my head was thrown in another direction. Great book! Really enjoyed the emails and writings as clues.

I thought this was a great read!!! Once I finally got through the first few chapters, I spend through it!! It was so creepy and suspenseful. Thoroughly enjoyed it!!

*Thank you partner @atriabooks for the #gifted e-galley.*

Edge of my seat reading this book. I liked the set up of this book and was instantly intrigued with the emails going back and forth. Getting into the fmc’s head and her thoughts was really interesting. Nail biting and anxiety inducing read dealing with matters of the heart!